Passage　9

How　men　first　learnt　to　invent　words　is　unknown;　in　other　words,　the　origin　of　language　is　a　mystery.　All　we　really　known　is　that　men,　unlike　animals,　somehow　invented　certain　sounds　to　express　thoughts　and　feelings,　actions,　and　things,　so　that　they　could　communicate　with　each　other;　and　that　later　they　agreed　upon　certain　signs,　called　letters,　which　could　be　combined　to　represent　those　sounds,　and　which　could　be　written　down,　these　sounds,　whether　spoken,　or　written　in　letters　we　call　words.　The　power　of　words,　then,　lies　in　their　associations　-the　things　they　bring　up　before　our　minds,　Words　become　filled　with　meaning　for　us　by　experience;　and　the　longer　we　live,　the　more　certain　words　recall　to　us　the　glad　and　sad　events　of　our　past;　and　the　more　we　read　and　learn,　the　more　the　number　of　words　that　mean　something　to　us　increases.　Great　writers　are　those　who　not　only　have　great　thoughts　but　also　express　these　thoughts　in　words　which　appeal　powerfully　to　our　minds　and　emotions.　This　charming　and　telling　use　of　words　is　what　we　call　literary¹　style(文体).　Above　all,　the　real　poet　is　a　master　of　words.　He　can　convey　his　meaning　in　words　which　sing　like　music,　and　which　by　their　position　and　association　can　move　men　to　tears.　We　should　therefore　learn　to　choose　our　words　carefully　and　use　them　accurately²,　or　they　will　make　our　speech　silly　and　vulgar³　(粗俗的).　

Which　is　true　about　origin　of　language?[ANSWER]
A)Men,as　well　as　animals,invented　certain　sounds　to　express　thoughts.
B)The　origin　of　language　is　a　complicated　question.
C)Words　did　not　have　written　form,at　first.
D)Words　were　invented　to　represent　meanings.

The　power　of　words　lies　in　_____.[ANSWER]
A)the　fact　that　it　can　associate　the　things　in　the　world　with　the　ideas　in　our　mind
B)the　fact　that　one　word　is　connected　with　another
C)the　fact　that　it　can　associate　one　person　with　another
D)the　fact　that　it　can　recall　to　us　the　events　of　our　past

In　order　not　to　make　our　speech　silly　and　vulgar,we　should　_____.[ANSWER]
A)use　words　that　can　move　men　to　tears
B)choose　words　with　care　and　accuracy
C)become　a　master　of　words
D)use　words　which　sing　like　music


Which　of　the　following　statements　is　NOT　TRUE?[ANSWER]
A)The　more　we　read　and　learn,the　larger　our　vocabulary　will　be.
B)The　longer　we　live,the　number　of　words　that　mean　something　to　us　increases.
C)Words　can　be　used　to　represent　various　meanings.
D)Literary　style　a　usually　very　charming.


The　best　title　for　this　passage　would　be　_____.[ANSWER]
A)The　meaning　of　words
B)The　characteristics　of　words
C)The　origin　of　words
D)The　power　of　words