Question 1

Which of the following differences between languages is CORRECTLY matched with a level of language?

Accepted Answer

A)  Syntax: In French, an adjective follows a noun. In English, an adjective follows a noun. 
B)  Phonology: In Spanish, "dos" is used to refer to a pair of objects. English-speakers use the word "two" in the same instance. 
C)  Morpheme: The letter "c" stands for two different sounds in English. In another language, the same letter stands for only one sound. 
D)  Syntax: In French, the term "lundi" is used to refer to the first day of the workweek. In English, the term "Monday" is used. 
A)  Syntax: In French, an adjective follows a noun. In English, an adjective follows a noun. 
B)  Phonology: In Spanish, "dos" is used to refer to a pair of objects. English-speakers use the word "two" in the same instance. 
C)  Morpheme: The letter "c" stands for two different sounds in English. In another language, the same letter stands for only one sound. 
D)  Syntax: In French, the term "lundi" is used to refer to the first day of the workweek. In English, the term "Monday" is used.

Question 2

How will children who are blind from birth usually respond to a request to "look up"?

Accepted Answer

A)  in an almost random way, indicating that they really do not understand the visually related concept 
B)  by pointing their heads upward, much as sighted children do 
C)  by raising their arms and hands to feel the space above them 
D)  with confusion, because of their problems understanding terms of spatial relations 
A)  in an almost random way, indicating that they really do not understand the visually related concept 
B)  by pointing their heads upward, much as sighted children do 
C)  by raising their arms and hands to feel the space above them 
D)  with confusion, because of their problems understanding terms of spatial relations

Question 3

A selective looking experiment is one in which researchers observe an infant to determine which of two scenes the infant prefers. This type of experiment would be best suited to determining __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  whether or not 2-year-olds can imitate three-word sentences 
B)  the rate at which infants will suck a pacifier to hear various phonemes 
C)  whether or not an infant still uses overregularizations 
D)  whether or not infants understand that "Maria pats Grover" means something different from "Grover pats Maria" 
A)  whether or not 2-year-olds can imitate three-word sentences 
B)  the rate at which infants will suck a pacifier to hear various phonemes 
C)  whether or not an infant still uses overregularizations 
D)  whether or not infants understand that "Maria pats Grover" means something different from "Grover pats Maria"

Question 4

Which of these processes is the use of language LEAST likely to influence?

Accepted Answer

A)  rehearsal in short-term memory 
B)  visual perception 
C)  decision making 
D)  overt, voluntary behavior 
A)  rehearsal in short-term memory 
B)  visual perception 
C)  decision making 
D)  overt, voluntary behavior

Question 5

Regarding the relationship between meaning and grammar, which of the following alternatives is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

A)  Some nonsentences are meaningful. 
B)  Some grammatical sentences make no sense. 
C)  It is actually impossible for any sentence to be meaningless. 
D)  Grammar depends on a rulelike system, not on meaning. 
A)  Some nonsentences are meaningful. 
B)  Some grammatical sentences make no sense. 
C)  It is actually impossible for any sentence to be meaningless. 
D)  Grammar depends on a rulelike system, not on meaning.

Question 6

When does actual talking begin, on average, in children?

Accepted Answer

A)  3 months 
B)  between 10 and 20 months 
C)  24 months 
D)  between 2 and 6 months 
A)  3 months 
B)  between 10 and 20 months 
C)  24 months 
D)  between 2 and 6 months

Question 7

What description is given to a sentence that you find you must go back to reread because it has a misleading structure at its beginning?

Accepted Answer

A)  a passive sentence 
B)  a garden path sentence 
C)  a sentence with a predicate and a noun phrase 
D)  a sentence that contains two propositions 
A)  a passive sentence 
B)  a garden path sentence 
C)  a sentence with a predicate and a noun phrase 
D)  a sentence that contains two propositions

Question 8

In the sentence "The cook squeezed the lemon," what is the verb phrase?

Accepted Answer

A)  "The cook squeezed" 
B)  "squeezed" 
C)  "squeezed the lemon" 
D)  There is no verb phrase in this particular sentence. 
A)  "The cook squeezed" 
B)  "squeezed" 
C)  "squeezed the lemon" 
D)  There is no verb phrase in this particular sentence.

Question 9

Which of the following would help most if you wanted to memorize a list of seven nonsense syllables?

Accepted Answer

A)  Add function morphemes to the syllables in the list. 
B)  Have someone read the nonsense syllables to you. 
C)  Change the syllables so that each one starts with the same letter. 
D)  Remove the vowel from the middle of each syllable to reduce the list size. 
A)  Add function morphemes to the syllables in the list. 
B)  Have someone read the nonsense syllables to you. 
C)  Change the syllables so that each one starts with the same letter. 
D)  Remove the vowel from the middle of each syllable to reduce the list size.

Question 10

Which person would find it easiest to learn to be fluent in a second language?

Accepted Answer

A)  a 50-year-old woman 
B)  a 65-five-year-old man 
C)  a 15-year-old boy 
D)  a 5-year-old girl 
A)  a 50-year-old woman 
B)  a 65-five-year-old man 
C)  a 15-year-old boy 
D)  a 5-year-old girl

Question 11

Lenore is conducting a study of verbal humor among first- and second-grade monolingual and bilingual children. Based on existing research, what might she predict with respect to the children's understanding of puns?

Accepted Answer

A)  Neither mono- nor bilingual children should understand puns. 
B)  The bilingual children should not understand puns; the monolingual children might understand them. 
C)  The monolingual children should not understand puns; the bilingual children might understand them. 
D)  Existing research offers no basis for a prediction. 
A)  Neither mono- nor bilingual children should understand puns. 
B)  The bilingual children should not understand puns; the monolingual children might understand them. 
C)  The monolingual children should not understand puns; the bilingual children might understand them. 
D)  Existing research offers no basis for a prediction.

Question 12

What can be said about blind children's ability to learn language?

Accepted Answer

A)  Blind children learn language slightly quicker than sighted children because of their superior attention to environmental stimuli. 
B)  Blind children learn rudimentary language more quickly than sighted children, but are slower in terms of learning complex syntactical rules. 
C)  Blind children learn language at a slightly slower pace than sighted children. 
D)  Blind children learn language as rapidly as sighted children. 
A)  Blind children learn language slightly quicker than sighted children because of their superior attention to environmental stimuli. 
B)  Blind children learn rudimentary language more quickly than sighted children, but are slower in terms of learning complex syntactical rules. 
C)  Blind children learn language at a slightly slower pace than sighted children. 
D)  Blind children learn language as rapidly as sighted children.

Question 13

According to the definitional theory of word meaning, we see a group of words as having similar meaning when the words: __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  sound the same 
B)  share features of meaning 
C)  refer to the same object 
D)  elicit similar mental images 
A)  sound the same 
B)  share features of meaning 
C)  refer to the same object 
D)  elicit similar mental images

Question 14

Why is it fairly easy, out of context, to mistake the spoken sentence "The sky is falling" for the sentence "This guy is falling"?

Accepted Answer

A)  They contain the same morphemes, but in different orders. 
B)  They contain ambiguous or vague referents. 
C)  The speech stream rarely contains silences between words. 
D)  There are only about 40 phonemes used in English, not enough to distinguish between sentences that sound the same. 
A)  They contain the same morphemes, but in different orders. 
B)  They contain ambiguous or vague referents. 
C)  The speech stream rarely contains silences between words. 
D)  There are only about 40 phonemes used in English, not enough to distinguish between sentences that sound the same.

Question 15

Which of the following words is the one-word speaker least likely to utter?

Accepted Answer

A)  ball 
B)  Mama 
C)  be 
D)  no 
A)  ball 
B)  Mama 
C)  be 
D)  no

Question 16

Why are complex sentences still relatively easy to understand?

Accepted Answer

A)  They use a different form of syntax than do simple sentences. 
B)  They still express a single proposition. 
C)  Function morphemes allow us to identify and relate the various phrases. 
D)  Despite their complexity, they still possess relatively simple morphemes. 
A)  They use a different form of syntax than do simple sentences. 
B)  They still express a single proposition. 
C)  Function morphemes allow us to identify and relate the various phrases. 
D)  Despite their complexity, they still possess relatively simple morphemes.

Question 17

The English language contains about __________ phonemes.

Accepted Answer

A)  13 
B)  40 
C)  5,000 
D)  50,000 
A)  13 
B)  40 
C)  5,000 
D)  50,000

Question 18

What is FALSE about primate communication?

Accepted Answer

A)  Primates show a level of propositional thought. 
B)  Even under the most nurturing conditions, primates do not achieve language skills that match the language of a 3-year-old human. 
C)  Only humans are entitled to the label "linguistic creature." 
D)  Primates can learn to develop fairly sophisticated syntactical skills. 
A)  Primates show a level of propositional thought. 
B)  Even under the most nurturing conditions, primates do not achieve language skills that match the language of a 3-year-old human. 
C)  Only humans are entitled to the label "linguistic creature." 
D)  Primates can learn to develop fairly sophisticated syntactical skills.

Question 19

Warren was 7 and Javier was 15 when they were discovered by authorities. They had survived horrendous neglect by their parents. Both were kept isolated, and neither ever heard speech. What might one predict regarding the language-acquisition capabilities of Warren on the one hand and Javier on the other?

Accepted Answer

A)  Both Warren and Javier may develop normal language capabilities. 
B)  Javier may successfully acquire language. Warren is unlikely to develop normal language capabilities. 
C)  Warren may successfully acquire language. Javier is unlikely to develop normal language capabilities. 
D)  Neither Warren nor Javier is unlikely ever to develop normal language capabilities. 
A)  Both Warren and Javier may develop normal language capabilities. 
B)  Javier may successfully acquire language. Warren is unlikely to develop normal language capabilities. 
C)  Warren may successfully acquire language. Javier is unlikely to develop normal language capabilities. 
D)  Neither Warren nor Javier is unlikely ever to develop normal language capabilities.

Question 20

In the hierarchical structure of language, a phrase is an organized grouping of __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  syllables 
B)  morphemes 
C)  sentences 
D)  words 
A)  syllables 
B)  morphemes 
C)  sentences 
D)  words

Which of the following differences between languages is CORRECTLY matched with a level of language?

How will children who are blind from birth usually respond to a request to "look up"?

A selective looking experiment is one in which researchers observe an infant to determine which of two scenes the infant prefers. This type of experiment would be best suited to determining __________.

Which of these processes is the use of language LEAST likely to influence?

Regarding the relationship between meaning and grammar, which of the following alternatives is FALSE?

When does actual talking begin, on average, in children?

What description is given to a sentence that you find you must go back to reread because it has a misleading structure at its beginning?

In the sentence "The cook squeezed the lemon," what is the verb phrase?

Which of the following would help most if you wanted to memorize a list of seven nonsense syllables?

Which person would find it easiest to learn to be fluent in a second language?

Lenore is conducting a study of verbal humor among first- and second-grade monolingual and bilingual children. Based on existing research, what might she predict with respect to the children's understanding of puns?

What can be said about blind children's ability to learn language?

According to the definitional theory of word meaning, we see a group of words as having similar meaning when the words: __________.

Why is it fairly easy, out of context, to mistake the spoken sentence "The sky is falling" for the sentence "This guy is falling"?

Which of the following words is the one-word speaker least likely to utter?

Why are complex sentences still relatively easy to understand?

The English language contains about __________ phonemes.

What is FALSE about primate communication?

In the hierarchical structure of language, a phrase is an organized grouping of __________.

Research Methods

Evolutionary and Genetic Influences on Behavior

The Brain and the Nervous System

Sensation

Perception

Consciousness

Learning

Memory

Thinking

Intelligence

Motivation and Emotion

Social Psychology

Development

Personality

Psychopathology

Treatment of Mental Disorders

Filters

Exam 10: Language

Which of the following differences between languages is CORRECTLY matched with a level of language?

How will children who are blind from birth usually respond to a request to "look up"?

A selective looking experiment is one in which researchers observe an infant to determine which of two scenes the infant prefers. This type of experiment would be best suited to determining __________.

Which of these processes is the use of language LEAST likely to influence?

Regarding the relationship between meaning and grammar, which of the following alternatives is FALSE?

When does actual talking begin, on average, in children?

What description is given to a sentence that you find you must go back to reread because it has a misleading structure at its beginning?

In the sentence "The cook squeezed the lemon," what is the verb phrase?

Which of the following would help most if you wanted to memorize a list of seven nonsense syllables?

Which person would find it easiest to learn to be fluent in a second language?

Lenore is conducting a study of verbal humor among first- and second-grade monolingual and bilingual children. Based on existing research, what might she predict with respect to the children's understanding of puns?

What can be said about blind children's ability to learn language?

According to the definitional theory of word meaning, we see a group of words as having similar meaning when the words: __________.

Why is it fairly easy, out of context, to mistake the spoken sentence "The sky is falling" for the sentence "This guy is falling"?

Which of the following words is the one-word speaker least likely to utter?

Why are complex sentences still relatively easy to understand?

The English language contains about __________ phonemes.

What is FALSE about primate communication?

In the hierarchical structure of language, a phrase is an organized grouping of __________.

Research Methods

Evolutionary and Genetic Influences on Behavior

The Brain and the Nervous System

Sensation

Perception

Consciousness

Learning

Memory

Thinking

Intelligence

Motivation and Emotion

Social Psychology

Development

Personality

Psychopathology

Treatment of Mental Disorders

Filters