单选题
It is, everyone agrees, a huge task that the child performs when he learns to speak, and the fact that he does so in so short a period of time challenges explanation. Language learning begins with listening. Individual chirden very greatly in the amount of listening they do before they start speaking, and late starters are often long listeners. Most children will "obey" spoken instructions some time before they can speak, though the word obey is hardly accurate as a description of the eager and delighted cooperation usually shown by the child. Before they can speak, many children will ask questions by gesture and by making questioning noises. Any attempt to trace the development from. the noises babies make to their first spoken words leads to considerable difficulties. It is agreed that they enjoy making noises, and that during the first few months one or two noises sort themselves out as particularly indicative of delight, distress, sociability, and so on. But since these cannot be said to show the baby's intention to communicate, they can hardly be regarded as early forms of language. It is agreed, too, that from about three months they play with sounds for enjoyment, and that by six months they are able to add new sounds to their repertoire(能发出的全部声音). This self-imitation leads on to deliberate (有意识的)imitation of sounds made or words spoken to them by other people. The problem then arises as to the point at which one can say that these imitations can be considered as speech.
单选题
By"...... challenges explanation" (Para. 1, Line 2)the author means that______. A. no explanation is necessary for such an obvious phenomenon B. no explanation has been made up to now C. it's no easy job to provide an adequate explanation D. it's high time that an explanation was provided
单选题
The third paragraph is mainly about ______. A. the development of babies early forms of language B. the difficulties of babies in learning to speak C. babies strong desire to communicate D. babies intention to communicate
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】文章第三段的第一句应该是该段的主要内容。Any attempt to trace the development from the noises babies make to their first spoken words…，作者紧接着展开：during the first few months…，that from about three months they...,and that by six months they…很显然，选择项[A]应该是最恰当的归纳。
单选题
The author's purpose in writing the second paragraph is to show that children______. A. usually obey without asking questions B. are passive in the process of learning to speak C. are born cooperative D. learn to speak by listening
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】依据文章第二段第一行Language learning begins with listening．作者说明孩子的语言的学习是从听开始的。只是不同的孩子在学习说话之前所听的量不同而已。有的孩子开口早，听得多；而有的孩子说话早，听得少，但不管怎样，都是从听着手的。
单选题
From the passage we learn that______. A. early starters can learn to speak within only six months B. children show a strong desire to communicate by making noises C. imitation plays an important role in learning to speak D. children have various difficulties in learning to speak
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】文章第二段已经说明了孩子在练习说话之前，都经过听的过程，那么听也就是观察，模仿别人，尤其是成年人的语言。再依据整个文章倒数第三、四行This self-imitation leads on to deliberate imitation of sounds made to them by other people．可以得知模仿(从自我，即从无意识模仿到有意识模仿)在练习学习说话过程中起着极为重要的作用。因此，[C]项也是最佳答案。
单选题
The best title for this passage would be______. A. How Babies Learn to Speak B. Early Forms of Language C. A Huge Task for Children D. Noise Making and Language Learning
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】我们知道方题思想应该恰如其分地概括文中所阐述的内容，面不能太窄，即：不是概括全部内容；但面也不能人宽，即：包含了文中没有阐述的内容。根据这一原则，只有选择项 [A]恰当地概括了文章所阐述的内容。选择项[B]Early Forms of Language 显然范围过大，文章主要是谈及婴儿的早期语言。选择项[D] Noise Making and Language Learning范围又太小，Noise Making 只是婴儿早期语言形式的一个方面。[C]不符合题意，均应排除。