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Practice Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) ID: #37582 Language done
Instructions ›
Below is a text with blanks. Click on each blank, a list of choices will appear. Select the appropriate choice for each blank.
Language  is  used  in  our  everyday  lives.  If  psychology  is  a  science  of  behavior,  scientific  investigation  of  language  use  must  be  one  of  the  most  central  topics  —  this  is  because  language  use  is  .  Every  human  group  has  a  language;  human  infants  (except  those  who  have  disabilities)  learn  at  least  one  language  without  being  taught  .  Even  when  children,  who  don’t  have  many  languages  to  begin  with,  are  brought  together,  they  can  begin  to  develop  and  use  their  own  language.  There  is  at  least  one  known  instance  where  children,  who  had  had  little  language,  were  brought  together  and  developed  their  own  language  spontaneously  with  minimum    from  adults.  In  Nicaragua  in  the  1980s,  deaf  children  who  were  separately  raised  in  various  locations  were  brought  together  to  schools  for  the  first  time.  Teachers  tried  to  teach  them  Spanish  with  little  success.  However,  they  began  to  notice  that  the  children  were  using  their  hands  and  ,  apparently  to  communicate  with  each  other.  Linguists  were  brought  in  to  find  out  what  was  happening  —  it  turned  out  the  children  had  developed  their  own  sign  language  by  themselves.

Result:

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Correct answer: ubiquitous

Explanation: The word 'ubiquitous' fits grammatically as it describes the pervasive nature of language use, aligning with the context of it being a central topic in psychology. It indicates that language is present everywhere, which is consistent with the overall sentiment of the passage.

Meaning: 'Ubiquitous' means existing or being everywhere at the same time; it emphasizes that language is a fundamental aspect of human life.

Wrong options:

  • commercial: 'Commercial' relates to business and trade, which does not fit the context of language being a central topic in psychology.
  • exploding: 'Exploding' suggests rapid growth or increase, which does not accurately describe the nature of language use in this context.
  • equivalent: 'Equivalent' implies equality or sameness, which does not convey the idea of language being widespread or common.
Correct answer: explicitly

Explanation: The word 'explicitly' is appropriate here as it indicates that infants learn language in a clear and direct manner, which aligns with the context of the sentence discussing how language is acquired without formal teaching.

Meaning: 'Explicitly' means clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt, which is relevant to how infants learn language.

Wrong options:

  • illicitly: 'Illicitly' means in a way that is forbidden by law, rules, or custom, which does not fit the context of language learning.
  • tacitly: 'Tacitly' means understood or implied without being stated, which contradicts the idea of learning language explicitly.
  • licitly: 'Licitly' means legally or permitted, but it does not convey the direct manner of learning that 'explicitly' does.
Correct answer: input

Explanation: The term 'input' is suitable as it refers to the information or stimuli received from adults, which is necessary for language development. The context indicates that minimal input was provided, leading to spontaneous language creation.

Meaning: 'Input' refers to the information or data received, particularly in the context of learning or communication.

Wrong options:

  • application: 'Application' refers to the act of putting something into operation, which does not fit the context of language development.
  • seperation: 'Seperation' implies a division or disconnection, which is not relevant to the idea of language acquisition.
  • data: 'Data' refers to facts and statistics collected for reference or analysis, which does not specifically relate to the concept of language input.
Correct answer: gestures

Explanation: The word 'gestures' fits well as it describes the physical movements used by the children to communicate, aligning with the context of them developing their own sign language.

Meaning: 'Gestures' are movements of the body, especially the hands, that express ideas or feelings, which is relevant to how the children communicated.

Wrong options:

  • fixtures: 'Fixtures' refers to items that are fixed in place, which does not relate to the act of communication.
  • ruptures: 'Ruptures' implies a break or disruption, which does not fit the context of communication through physical movements.
  • structures: 'Structures' refers to arrangements or frameworks, which does not accurately describe the communicative actions of the children.

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