PASSWORD AND ANSWERS AT LAST OF THIS BLOG
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READING PASSAGE 3
You should spend about 25 minutes on Questions 27-40,
which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.
The Piraha people of Brazil
The Pirahä language has stirred up debate among experts
The Pirahã tribe live deep in Brazil's Amazon forest, and
their language is hotly debated by linguists. Since 1977, the ethnologist
Daniel Everett has spent a total of seven years living with the Pirahã and has
committed his career to studying their puzzling speech. Indeed, he was
uncertain for so long about what he was actually hearing while living among the
Pirahä that he waited nearly three decades before publishing his findings.
The debate over the Pirahā language goes right to the core
of the riddle regarding how Homo sapiens managed to develop vocal
communication. Although bees dance, birds sing and whales even sing with
syntax*, human language is unique, if only for the reason that it enables
humans to piece together never-before- constructed thoughts, and be infinitely
imaginative - think of Shakespeare's plays or Einstein's theory of relativity.
Linguistics generally focuses on what features all human
languages have in common, but the Pirahã language departs from what some
academics have long maintained are essential and inalienable features of all
human languages. Most of all, it may be unique for not employing subordinate
clauses. Instead of saying, 'When I have finished eating, I will speak to you,'
the Pirahã say, 'I finish eating, I speak with you.' Equally perplexing, the
Pirahã appear not to use numbers. During the time he spent with them, Everett
never heard words like 'all', 'every' and 'more'. There is one word, 'hoi',
that comes close to the numeral 1, but it can also mean 'small'. And they were
never observed to count without language,on their fingers for example, in order
to determine important tasks in village life like how many pieces of meat to
grill.
Everett's findings among the Pirahã have brought new life to
a controversial theory by the linguist Benjamin Whorf, who suggested that
people are only capable of constructing thoughts for which they possess actual
words. Or to put it another way, because they have no words for numbers, they
cannot even begin to understand the concept of numbers or arithmetic.
The Warlpiri language - spoken by a group of Australian Aborigines-like that of
the Pirahã, features only the most rudimentary system of counting. However, the
Warlpiri people had no difficulty counting farther than three in a foreign
language, in this case English, but when Everett attempted to teach the Pirahã
how to count in Portuguese like other Brazilians, not a single person could
count to 10.
Everett is at pains to point out that the Pirahã are not
unintelligent, for their thinking is not any slower than that of the average
university student. And although they reside in a remote part of the forest,
they do not live in complete genetic isolation, but mix with people from the
surrounding populations and share similar intellectual capacities with their
neighbours whose languages do contain numbers.
Eventually, after some 30 years of research, Everett has
come up with a surprising explanation for the peculiarities of the Pirahã
language. Language, he believes, is created by a people's way of life, their
belief system and values. In this way, variety in human language is almost
limitless, a function of the human capacity to live in different ways, such as
in the forest. What Everett's research has revealed is that the central tenet
of the Pirahã culture is to live in the here and now. The only thing of
importance that is worth communicating to others is what is being experienced
at that very moment, though this can often be described with great care and
detail. In consequence, the language has no means to conjugate verbs in order
to describe 'yesterday' or 'last week' or 'when I was a child'. Their very
literal view of the world curtails abstract thought, and many features taken
for granted among other peoples are absent among the Pirahã, such as a creation
myth, story telling and painting. One manifestation of their beliefs is that by
tradition the names they give their children are not particularly imaginative.
Often they are named after other members of the tribe with whom they share
similar character traits. Standing out or being different is not encouraged by
the Pirahã, and this is reflected in their perhaps colourless choice of names.
Everett anticipated that these findings would be controversial
and the reaction came as expected. Until this point, many linguists had
defended the theories of Noam Chomsky, according to which all human languages
have a universal grammar. What exactly makes up this universal grammar is the
subject of debate, but at its heart is the concept of 'recursion', which is
defined as replication of a structure within its single parts. Without it,
humans would not be able to view separate thoughts as subordinate parts of a
complex whole. And, most pertinent to Everett's work, there would not be
subordinate clauses, which are responsible for translating the concept of
recursion into grammar.
But if the Pirahã do not form subordinate clauses, then recursion cannot
explain the uniqueness of human language, and this would negate Chomsky's
theories.
The logical way forward now would be to try to prove that
the Pirahã can think in a recursive fashion. The only problem is, nobody can
confirm or deny Everett's observations since no other researcher can speak
Pirahã as well as he does. Despite this, several researchers - including two of
Chomsky's colleagues - will soon travel to Brazil to check his claims. My
concern is that soon the Pirahã will simply become one more scientific oddity
with every aspect of their lives being exploited and analysed.
Questions 27-32
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
Write the correct letter in boxes 27-32 on your
answer sheet.
27. What are we told about Daniel Everett in the first
paragraph?
A. He has lived among the Pirahã since 1977.
B. It took him seven years to learn the Pirahã language
C. No one would publish his research for three decades.
D. Studying the Pirahã language is the focus of his work.
28. Which of the following is the best summary of the
second paragraph?
A. Humans are the only species to be linguistically
creative.
B. Humans, bees, birds and whales share a characteristic
C. Human language is not fully understood by scientists.
D. Humans are the only species to use syntax.
29. Why does the writer refer to subordinate clauses?
A. to criticise the general approach of linguistics
B. to compare two features of the Pirahã language
C. to explain why the Pirahã language is difficult to learn
D. to exemplify an unusual feature of the Pirahã language.
30. What point does the writer make about the work of
Whorf?
A. He thought that numbers were common to all human
languages.
B. His theory might be supported by Everett's research.
C. His research enabled him to find a new life among the
Pirahã.
D. He predicted that people like the Pirahã would never be
found.
31. The writer refers to the Warlpiri people in order to
A. suggest that the Pirahã be taught to count in English.
B. show how tribal peoples learn a foreign language.
C. compare counting in English and Portuguese.
D. illustrate the uniqueness of the Pirahã.
32. What is Everett's point about the Pirahä's
intellectual capacities?
A. Pirahã students have not graduated from universities.
B. He does not want people to criticise their intelligence.
C. Their isolation makes it difficult to evaluate their
intelligence.
D. He believes their language is more complex than their
neighbours'.
Questions 33 - 36
Complete the summary using the list of words, A-I,
below.
Write the correct letter, A-I, in boxes 33-36 on
your answer sheet.
Everett's explanation
Everett believes that a group's language is a product of
their 33 ………… and thus language is infinitely varied. During the time he
spent living among them, he observed that the Pirahã only place value on the 34
………… and have no 35 ………… to describe completed events. Similarly,
the types of names they use reflect the fact that they do not celebrate 36 …………
|
A present B past C time D future E culture F grammar G art H individuality I children |
Questions 37 – 40 Do the following statements agree with the claims
of the writer in Reading Passage 3?
In boxes 37-40 on your answer sheet, write:
YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the
writer
NO if the statement contradicts with the claims of
the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer
thinks about this
37. Everett was surprised by the way his research was
greeted.
38. Chomsky has been critical of Everett's research
methodology.
39. If 'recursion' as a universal concept is
disproved, Chomsky's ideas about language would be wrong.
40. The Pirahã will benefit from their new-found
status among academics.
🧩 Questions 27–32: Multiple Choice
27. What are we told about Daniel Everett in the first paragraph?
✅ Answer: D — Studying the Pirahã language is the focus of his work.
📍 Paragraph 1:
“Since 1977, the ethnologist Daniel Everett has spent a total of seven years living with the Pirahã and has committed his career to studying their puzzling speech.”
🔹 Explanation: The phrase “committed his career” shows that studying their language is the focus of his life’s work.
28. Which of the following is the best summary of the second paragraph?
✅ Answer: A — Humans are the only species to be linguistically creative.
📍 Paragraph 2:
“Although bees dance, birds sing and whales even sing with syntax, human language is unique, if only for the reason that it enables humans to piece together never-before-constructed thoughts, and be infinitely imaginative…”
🔹 Explanation: The focus is that only humans use language creatively (linguistic imagination).
29. Why does the writer refer to subordinate clauses?
✅ Answer: D — to exemplify an unusual feature of the Pirahã language.
📍 Paragraph 3:
“It may be unique for not employing subordinate clauses. Instead of saying, ‘When I have finished eating, I will speak to you,’ the Pirahã say, ‘I finish eating, I speak with you.’”
🔹 Explanation: Used as an example of a rare and unusual feature in their language.
30. What point does the writer make about the work of Whorf?
✅ Answer: B — His theory might be supported by Everett's research.
📍 Paragraph 4:
“Everett’s findings among the Pirahã have brought new life to a controversial theory by the linguist Benjamin Whorf...”
🔹 Explanation: Everett’s research revives/supports Whorf’s idea that language limits thought.
31. The writer refers to the Warlpiri people in order to
✅ Answer: D — illustrate the uniqueness of the Pirahã.
📍 Paragraph 5:
“The Warlpiri people had no difficulty counting farther than three in a foreign language… but when Everett attempted to teach the Pirahã… not a single person could count to 10.”
🔹 Explanation: Comparison shows the Pirahã are unique in their inability to learn counting even in another language.
32. What is Everett's point about the Pirahã's intellectual capacities?
✅ Answer: B — He does not want people to criticise their intelligence.
📍 Paragraph 6:
“Everett is at pains to point out that the Pirahã are not unintelligent, for their thinking is not any slower than that of the average university student.”
🔹 Explanation: He defends them against any claim of low intelligence.
✅ Answers 27–32 Summary
| Q | Answer | Key Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | D | “Committed his career to studying their puzzling speech.” |
| 28 | A | “Human language is unique… infinitely imaginative.” |
| 29 | D | “It may be unique for not employing subordinate clauses.” |
| 30 | B | “Brought new life to a controversial theory by Whorf.” |
| 31 | D | “Warlpiri… could count; Pirahã could not.” |
| 32 | B | “The Pirahã are not unintelligent…” |
📝 Questions 33–36: Summary Completion
Choose the correct letters A–I.
33. Everett believes that a group's language is a product of their …………
✅ Answer: E — culture
📍 Paragraph 7:
“Language, he believes, is created by a people's way of life, their belief system and values.”
🔹 Explanation: “Way of life, belief system, and values” = their culture.
34. During the time he spent living among them, he observed that the Pirahã only place value on the …………
✅ Answer: A — present
📍 Paragraph 7:
“The central tenet of the Pirahã culture is to live in the here and now. The only thing of importance… is what is being experienced at that very moment.”
🔹 Explanation: They value the present moment only.
35. and have no ………… to describe completed events.
✅ Answer: F — grammar
📍 Paragraph 7:
“The language has no means to conjugate verbs in order to describe ‘yesterday’ or ‘last week’ or ‘when I was a child’.”
🔹 Explanation: Lack of grammatical forms (verb conjugation) for past events = no grammar for past.
36. Similarly, the types of names they use reflect the fact that they do not celebrate …………
✅ Answer: H — individuality
📍 Paragraph 7:
“Standing out or being different is not encouraged by the Pirahã, and this is reflected in their perhaps colourless choice of names.”
🔹 Explanation: They avoid standing out → do not celebrate individuality.
✅ Answers 33–36 Summary
| Q | Answer | Key Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | E (culture) | “Created by a people's way of life, belief system and values.” |
| 34 | A (present) | “Live in the here and now.” |
| 35 | F (grammar) | “No means to conjugate verbs for ‘yesterday’ or ‘last week’.” |
| 36 | H (individuality) | “Standing out or being different is not encouraged.” |
✅ Questions 37–40: YES / NO / NOT GIVEN
37. Everett was surprised by the way his research was greeted.
❌ Answer: NO
📍 Paragraph 8:
“Everett anticipated that these findings would be controversial and the reaction came as expected.”
🔹 Explanation: He expected the controversy — not surprised.
38. Chomsky has been critical of Everett's research methodology.
❌ Answer: NOT GIVEN
📍 Paragraph 8–9:
Mentions Chomsky’s theories being challenged and that “several researchers will travel to Brazil to check his claims.”
🔹 Explanation: There is no statement that Chomsky himself criticised Everett’s methods.
39. If 'recursion' as a universal concept is disproved, Chomsky's ideas about language would be wrong.
✅ Answer: YES
📍 Paragraph 8:
“If the Pirahã do not form subordinate clauses, then recursion cannot explain the uniqueness of human language, and this would negate Chomsky’s theories.”
🔹 Explanation: Directly states that disproving recursion invalidates Chomsky’s theory.
40. The Pirahã will benefit from their new-found status among academics.
❌ Answer: NO
📍 Final line, Paragraph 9:
“My concern is that soon the Pirahã will simply become one more scientific oddity with every aspect of their lives being exploited and analysed.”
🔹 Explanation: The writer fears harm, not benefit.
✅ Answers 37–40 Summary
| Q | Answer | Key Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| 37 | NO | “The reaction came as expected.” |
| 38 | NOT GIVEN | No mention of Chomsky criticising methodology. |
| 39 | YES | “This would negate Chomsky’s theories.” |
| 40 | NO | “Their lives being exploited and analysed.” |
🎯 FINAL ANSWER KEY (27–40)
| Q | Answer |
|---|---|
| 27 | D |
| 28 | A |
| 29 | D |
| 30 | B |
| 31 | D |
| 32 | B |
| 33 | E |
| 34 | A |
| 35 | F |
| 36 | H |
| 37 | NO |
| 38 | NOT GIVEN |
| 39 | YES |
| 40 | NO |
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