Every group has a culture, however uncivilized it may seem to us. To the professional anthropologist, there is no intrinsic superiority of one culture over another, just as to the professional linguist, there is no intrinsic hierarchy among languages. People once thought of the languages of back groups as undeveloped. While it is possible that language in general began as a series of grunts and groans, it is a fact established by the study of "backward" languages that no spoken tongue answers that description today. Most languages of uncivilized groups are, by our most severe standards, extremely complex. They differ from Western languages not in their sound patterns or grammatical structures, which usually are fully adequate for all language needs, but only in their vocabularies, which reflect the objects and activities known to their speakers. Even in this aspect, two things are to be noted. First, all languages seen to possess the machinery for vocabulary expansion, either by putting together words already in existence of by borrowing them from other languages or adapting them to their own system. Second, the objects and activities requiring names and distinctions in "backward" languages, while different from the West, are often surprisingly numerous and complicated. A Western language distinguishes merely between two degrees of remoteness ("this" and "that"). But some languages of the American Indians distinguish between what is close to the speaker, or to the person addressed, or removed from both, or out of sight, or in the past, or in the future.
单选题
Every group of human being has______ A. its own set of ideas, beliefs and ways of life B. an extremely complex and delicate language C. its own elegant music, literature, and other arts D. the process of growing crops or raising animals
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 根据文章第一段第一句“Every group has a culture，however uncivilized it may seem to us．”可知，每个群体都有其自身的文化。也许，在我们看来，有的可能还是不够完善。 也就是每个群体都有自己的观念、信仰及生活方式。据此判断，答案是A。
单选题
"Backward" languages fall behind Western languages in______ A. ways to transfer ideas B. forms to satisfy needs B. abilities to answer description D. systems to expand vocabulary
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[解析] 根据文章第二段第四句“They differ from Western languages not in their sound patterns or grammatical structures，which usually are fully adequate for all language needs，but only in their vocabularies．which reflect the objects and activities known to their speakers．”可知，这些 语言与西方语言的相同之处就是在声音模式或语法结构上都能充分满足各种表达需求。而二 者的区别在于词汇方面，说话人清楚他们所反映的对象和行为。据此判断，答案是D。
单选题
All languages, whether civilized or not, have their own______ A. ways to transfer ideas B. forms to satisfy needs C. abilities to answer description D. systems to expand vocabulary
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[解析] 根据文章第二段第五句“all languages seen to possess the machinery for vocabulary expansion，either by putting together words already in existence of by borrowing them from other languages or adapting them to their own system．”可知，作者说所有的语言都具有词汇扩充体 系，或者是借用外来词汇，或者是适应自身的词汇体系。据此判断，答案是D。
单选题
Which of the following statements is implied in the passage? A. Anthropologists have nothing to do with linguists. B. Linguists have nothing to do with anthropologists. C. The study of languages casts light upon the study of cultures. D. The study of cultures casts no light upon the study of languages.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 根据文章第一段“The potential of computers for increasing the control of organizations or society over their members and for invading the privacy of those members has caused considerable concern．”可知，在专业人类学家眼里，没有哪一种文化从本质上比另一 种文化具有优越性。正如专业的语言学家，语言之间不存在什么固有的等级。从这句话看出 语言与文化的关系，语言与文化的研究是相互作用的、相互影响的。据此推断，答案是C。
单选题
The author's attitude shown in this passage toward "backward" languages is______ A. restrained B. subjective C. objective D. resolute