Deck 9: Language Development

Question 1

Which term is semantically related to the word shrub?

A) flower
B) bush
C) house
D) garden

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Helen Keller put a great deal of effort and work into making progress with her disabilities.As an adult she

A) reached her plateau and was able to lead a simple life that was limited because of her disabilities.
B) appeared as though she would make great progress into adulthood but suddenly she regressed.
C) graduated with honors from Radcliffe,became a successful educator,and crafted books about her life.
D) tried to write books about her life but was unsuccessful.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

A child learns how nouns,verbs,adjectives,and prepositions go together to form acceptable sentences.The child is learning

A) syntax.
B) phonology.
C) pragmatics.
D) semantics.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

In 1799,a nude boy was observed running through the woods in France.The boy was captured when he was 11 years old.It was believed that he lived alone in the woods for six years.He was called the

A) lone boy from France.
B) Wild Boy of Aveyron.
C) unknown child.
D) wolf child from the woods.

Question 5

Studies have shown that language is

A) interesting but too confusing to learn.
B) highly ordered and organized.
C) highly unpredictable.
D) lacking in organization.

Question 6

Language is made up of basic sounds called

A) vowels.
B) syllables.
C) phonemes.
D) morphemes.

Question 7

The text points out that in the English language an adjective usually precedes a noun,whereas in Spanish,adjectives typically follow nouns.This creates difficulty for individuals trying to learn another language.A person familiar with various aspects of language would realize that the problem is the result of differential

A) phonemes.
B) pragmatics.
C) syntax.
D) semantics.

Question 8

All the following statements about language are true,except:

A) Language is a form of communication.
B) Language is based on a system of symbols.
C) Language includes the description of past events and also plans for the future.
D) Only the English language has infinite generativity.

Question 9

The sentence The carpet walked with the girl to buy something at the store is

A) semantically correct but syntactically incorrect.
B) morphologically correct but semantically incorrect.
C) syntactically correct but semantically in correct.
D) pragmatically incorrect but semantically correct.

Question 10

The prefix "mono-" is a

A) phoneme.
B) morpheme.
C) vowel.
D) consonant.

Question 11

The meanings of words and sentences are referred to as

A) syntax.
B) pragmatics.
C) semantics.
D) phonology.

Question 12

Both the stories of the Wild Boy of Aveyron and the modern-day child named Genie raise questions about

A) who would allow this to happen to a child.
B) what are the biological determinants of language.
C) what are the environmental determinants of language.
D) what are the biological and environmental determinants of language.

Question 13

Which English-speaking adolescent would most likely know who is getting hit in the sentence "George was hit by John"?

A) one who understands syntax
B) one who understands displacement
C) one who understands generativity
D) one who understands morphology

Question 14

Alexander Graham Bell,the famous inventor,suggested to Helen Keller's parents that they hire a tutor named

A) Sarah O'Malley.
B) Anne Sullivan.
C) Robert Jones.
D) Ann Fallwell.

Question 15

Basic sounds,such as "th" are called

A) vowels.
B) syllables.
C) morphemes.
D) phonemes.

Question 16

Helen Keller's visual and auditory deficits were

A) congenital.
B) caused by abuse.
C) psychosomatic.
D) the result of a childhood illness.

Question 17

The rules for forming acceptable sentences are part of a language's

A) syntax.
B) semantics.
C) morphology.
D) pragmatics.

Question 18

_____________________________ is the ability to produce an endless number of meaningful sentences using a finite set of words and rules.

A) Infinite generativity
B) Syntax
C) Phonology
D) Displacement

Question 19

The sentence The mobile laughed at the baby until she cried violates the language rule of

A) syntax.
B) pragmatics.
C) semantics.
D) phonology.

Question 20

How many morphemes are in the word farmer?

A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4

Question 21

Two-year-old Katya has a vocabulary that includes the word kitty.When she goes to a zoo for the first time,she refers to all four-legged animals with tails as "kitty." Kim's behavior provides an example of

A) overextension.
B) underextension.
C) telegraphic speech.
D) the holophrase hypothesis.

Question 22

As with most 20-month-olds,David's language is dominated by

A) echoing.
B) aphasia.
C) holophrases.
D) two-word utterances.

Question 23

What is the proper sequence for language acquisition?

A) cry,babble,coo,first word
B) babble,coo,cry,first word
C) cry,coo,babble,first word
D) coo,cry,first word,babble

Question 24

Gina calls her doll "dolly" but is unable to generalize this word to other dolls.This illustrates

A) overextension.
B) underextension.
C) overgeneralization.
D) undergeneralization.

Question 25

As an international businessperson,Deirdre,who already speaks Japanese,needs to be aware that in Japan numerous rules concern the process of thanking someone.Deirdre should take a class in the __________________ of Japanese prior to her trip to Tokyo.

A) pragmatics
B) syntax
C) morphology
D) phonetics

Question 26

The infant's spoken vocabulary rapidly increases once the first word is spoken._______________ is a label that has been given to the rapid increase in an infant's vocabulary that begins to occur at approximately ____ months of age.

A) Vocabulary spurt; 18
B) Improvement; 12
C) Language; 15
D) Growth spurt; 12

Question 27

When children fail to use a noun to name a relevant event or object they are

A) expanding.
B) restating.
C) recasting.
D) underextending.

Question 28

Kiley most likely began waving bye-bye at what age?

A) 6 to 8 months
B) 8 to 12 months
C) 12 to 14 months
D) 15 to 18 months

Question 29

Two-year-old Maya has a vocabulary that includes the word car.How would she demonstrate the concept of underextension?

A) use the term when she encounters any moving vehicle
B) begin to use other words in its place,such as van
C) use the word only when referring to her parent's station wagon and not other cars
D) begin to string the word together with other words

Question 30

Infants start using gestures,such as showing and pointing,at about _________ months of age.They may wave bye-bye or nod to mean "yes."

A) 2 to 4
B) 4 to 6
C) 6 to 8
D) 8 to 12

Question 31

At a party,Dr.Henson encounters two of his least favorite individuals: Burt,who is always interrupting others,and Mick,who tells unfunny jokes.Dr.Henson could best help these two by teaching them about

A) syntax.
B) pragmatics.
C) semantics.
D) morphology.

Question 32

When children learn to use their "quiet voices" in the library,they are learning rules of

A) syntax.
B) semantics.
C) pragmatics.
D) phonology.

Question 33

Two-year-old Gannon says to his mother,"I go park" to convey,"I want to go to the park." This language is called _________ speech.

A) telegraphic
B) holophrastic
C) egocentric
D) infant-directed

Question 34

Which is not an aspect of pragmatics?

A) taking turns in conversation
B) using polite language
C) pronouncing your words correctly
D) telling convincing lies

Question 35

Infants are likely to utter their first intelligible word at about _________ months old.

A) 5 to 7
B) 7 to 10
C) 10 to 15
D) 16 to 18

Question 36

Grace has learned that when her parents are entertaining guests in their home,she is to use formal etiquette with the adults.What set of language rules apply to Grace's learning?

A) syntax
B) semantics
C) pragmatics
D) morphology

Question 37

The use of short,precise words to communicate in a minimum of two-word utterances is called

A) overextension.
B) telegraphic speech.
C) a holophrase.
D) expanding.

Question 38

Which is an example of telegraphic speech?

A) pointing toward a toy
B) saying "toy"
C) saying "Mommy give toy"
D) saying "Mommy please give me a toy"

Question 39

Which word is least likely to be the first word uttered by an English-speaking infant?

A) bye
B) dog
C) cry
D) doll

Question 40

The use of appropriate conversation and knowledge underlying the use of language in context is called

A) syntax.
B) semantics.
C) pragmatics.
D) phonology.

Question 41

Jean Berko is associated with an experiment where she used fictional words to help see if children could apply rules by not relying on past instances of hearing a word.This was called the ________ test.

A) fictional-word
B) tardy
C) wug
D) recall test

Question 42

What approach to reading stresses that reading instruction should parallel children's natural language learning?

A) ABC approach
B) drill approach
C) whole-language approach
D) basic-skills-and-phonetics approach

Question 43

During _____________________ years,a change occurs in the way children think about words.They become less tied to the actions and perceptual dimensions associated with words,and they become more analytical in their approach to words.

A) middle childhood
B) late childhood
C) preschool
D) both the middle and late-childhood

Question 44

Which is the proper sequence for children's writing?

A) scribbling,printing letters,distinguishing between features of letters
B) scribbling,distinguishing between letters,printing letters,printing own name
C) scribbling,printing letters,printing own name,distinguishing between letters
D) None of these.

Question 45

When critics are opposed to bilingual education,they may be arguing that

A) the children of immigrants are not learning English,which puts them at a permanent disadvantage in U.S.society.
B) too much time is taken away from other subjects when English is taught in schools.
C) bilingual programs are very productive,which sets many children behind.
D) None of these.

Question 46

At about ___ years old,children develop a remarkable sensitivity to the needs of others in conversation.

A) 2
B) 4
C) 6
D) 8

Question 47

___________________________ is an approach to reading that stresses that reading instruction should parallel children's natural language learning.

A) Phonetics
B) Keyword
C) Whole language
D) Back to basics

Question 48

An example of a wh- question would be:

A) Where is Daddy?
B) Can I go with Daddy?
C) Can I see Daddy?
D) Did you look at Daddy?

Question 49

Children who begin elementary school with a small vocabulary are at risk when it comes to

A) paying attention.
B) making friends.
C) learning how to read.
D) sitting in their seats.

Question 50

Chall describes reading skills in five stages.Which stage below is stated incorrectly?

A) Stage 0: Children master several prerequisites for reading.
B) Stage 1: Children are in first and second grade and learn to read.
C) Stage 2: Reading is still not used much for learning.
D) Stage 3: Children have no trouble understanding information presented from multiple perspectives within the same story.

Question 51

During the ___________________ years,most children gradually become sensitive to the sounds of spoken words.They show this phonological awareness in such ways as noticing rhymes,enjoying poems,making up silly names for things by substituting one sound for another,and breaking long words into syllables.

A) elementary
B) primary
C) preschool
D) junior-high

Question 52

In regard to concerns about immature printing and invented spelling,which statement(s)is/are true?

A) These traits should be viewed as natural.
B) These concerns are very legitimate since children can continue on in life this way.
C) These concerns will lessen in the context of maintaining early writing and spontaneity.
D) These traits are natural and the concerns will lessen in the context of maintaining early writing and spontaneity.

Question 53

The whole-language approach supports that reading should be

A) taught alone for its own sake.
B) focused on real-life materials.
C) integrated with other content areas such as science and social studies.
D) focused on real-life materials as well as integrated with other content areas such as science and social studies.

Question 54

A good strategy for using books with preschoolers is to use them to

A) encourage children to ask questions.
B) initiate conversations with children.
C) help them play with language skills.
D) All of these.

Question 55

Which of the following illustrates telegraphic speech?

A) "Down"!
B) "Baa-baa-baa-baa."
C) "Daddy work."
D) "I want to go the store now!"

Question 56

Adolescents

A) develop more subtle abilities with words.
B) have a slight slowdown in understanding words that lasts about two years.
C) will do better in understanding language when they begin to think abstractly at 18 years of age.
D) struggle with understanding metaphors.

Question 57

When comparing the effectiveness of the whole-language and phonics approaches to reading,most researchers agree that

A) neither approach is particularly effective.
B) the whole-language approach is most effective.
C) the phonics approach is most effective.
D) a combination of both approaches is beneficial.

Question 58

Cody has learned the difference between a pickup truck and a semi-truck through a process called

A) connection.
B) differentiation.
C) fast capacity.
D) fast mapping.

Question 59

When discussing bilingualism,the United States is typically

A) praised for its effort to encourage bilingual education.
B) ridiculed for being one of the few countries where bilingualism is the exception rather than the norm.
C) seen as a "role model" for its development of effective bilingual programs.
D) viewed as unique,since it is one of the few nations to recognize the importance of bilingualism for success in the global economy of the next century.

Question 60

Luiz recently came to the United States from Peru.This year his math lessons will be taught totally in Spanish.Next year,only part of his math instruction will be in Spanish.The following year,Alexander will be taught math completely in English.Alexander is best thought of as being involved in the process of

A) bilingual education.
B) obtaining a language acquisition device.
C) recasting.
D) the whole-word approach to language.

Question 61

Gloria is reading a book to her young son.As they go through the book,Gloria points to the objects in the pictures and says things like,"This is a tree.What is it? A tree." Gloria is supporting her son's language development through

A) recasting.
B) echoing.
C) labeling.
D) motherese.

Question 62

Roger Brown (1973)challenged the behavioristic explanation of language acquisition by pointing out that parents

A) play no documented role in their children's acquisition of language.
B) contribute to their children's language development by genetic means.
C) often pay no attention to the grammatical form of their children's utterances.
D) imitate and expand upon the sounds and words produced by their children.

Question 63

___________________ is the use of irony,derision,or wit to expose folly or wickedness.

A) Similarity
B) Satire
C) Metaphor
D) Vocabulary

Question 64

Child-directed speech is the kind of speech often used by adults to talk to babies and young children.Which is not a characteristic of this type of speech?

A) higher pitch than normal speech
B) simple words and sentences
C) can not be used until the child is 12-months old
D) captures the baby's attention immediately

Question 65

When Doug drops his 1-year-old son off at the day-care center,the child-care worker approaches the son and says in a high-pitched voice,"Does baby want to play with the ball-ball today?" This care worker is

A) using child-directed speech.
B) expanding.
C) recasting.
D) echoing.

Question 66

Broca's area is to speech production as

A) Wernicke's area is to language comprehension.
B) Bruner is to language acquisition support system.
C) Chomsky is to language acquisition device.
D) Skinner is to reinforcement.

Question 67

In terms of writing,adolescents are better at

A) writing than children are.
B) organizing ideas before they write.
C) distinguishing between general and specific points as they write.
D) All of these.

Question 68

Which statement describes Broca's area?

A) It controls muscles involved in speech production.
B) It is involved in language comprehension.
C) It is found in both brain hemispheres.
D) It is the location of the language acquisition device.

Question 69

Edgar,who survived a gunshot wound to the head,appears to have lost the ability to speak,even though he understands directions.Based on this description,you would most likely guess that the bullet damaged

A) the right hemisphere.
B) Broca's area.
C) the language acquisition device.
D) Wernicke's area.

Question 70

What strategy did Roger Brown identify as "the original word game," claiming that much of the early vocabulary acquired by children is motivated by this adult pressure to identify the words associated with objects?

A) echoing
B) labeling
C) recasting
D) expanding

Question 71

Researchers have found that the quantity of talk

A) that parents direct to their children is linked with the child's vocabulary growth.
B) is linked to the socioeconomic status of the family.
C) Both of these answers are correct.
D) Neither of these answers is correct.

Question 72

When 13-year-olds Lisa and Alan use nicknames that are satirical and derisive they probably do so

A) only to be mean.
B) to show that they belong to a group.
C) to reduce the seriousness of a situation.
D) to both show that they belong to a group and to reduce the seriousness of a situation.

Question 73

After suffering a stroke,Chad has regained his ability to speak but still cannot understand anything that he is told.Chad most likely has a severely damaged

A) right hemisphere.
B) Broca's area.
C) language acquisition device.
D) Wernicke's area.

Question 74

As Pam takes her 1-year-old son to the market,she identifies the names of fruits and vegetables as they walk down each aisle.What strategy is she using to help her son acquire language?

A) echoing
B) labeling
C) recasting
D) expanding

Question 75

Restating what the child has said in a linguistically sophisticated form is called

A) recasting.
B) echoing.
C) labeling.
D) expanding.

Question 76

________________________ is an implied comparison between unlike things.

A) Similarity
B) Satire
C) Metaphor
D) Vocabulary

Question 77

A dialect is a variety of language that is distinguished by its

A) vocabulary.
B) grammar.
C) pronunciation.
D) All of these.

Question 78

According to Noam Chomsky,we are born with a

A) language deficit.
B) language acquisition device.
C) zone of proximal development.
D) mean length of utterance.

Question 79

Which area of the brain's left hemisphere is involved in language comprehension?

A) Broca's area
B) Wernicke's area
C) temporal lobe
D) parietal lobe

Question 80

Which provides the strongest evidence for the biological basis of language?

A) the phonetic similarity between most languages
B) the fact that only human beings can acquire language
C) the consistent timing and order of language acquisition around the world,in spite of wide variations in the way adults interact with infants
D) the recent identification of a "linguistic gene sequence" on the eighteenth chromosomal pair