Sample Reading Passage 1: Grammar at a Deeper Level

(1) Grammar is complex, and no foreign language learner has to be told that. We can express slight differences in meaning by modifying word sequences and adding a variety of auxiliary verbs and suffixes. To indicate small variations in meaning, we can turn a statement into a question, state if an action has occurred or is about to occur, and use a variety of other word tricks. This complexity is not unique to the English language. Even so-called “primitive” tribes’ languages feature complex grammatical components. For example, the Cherokee pronoun system can differentiate between ‘you and I, ‘several other people and I,’ and ‘you, another person, and I.’ All of these connotations are encapsulated in the single, basic pronoun ‘we’ in English. Grammar is ubiquitous and is present in all languages, regardless of their popularity. So, who developed grammar? This is an issue that many linguists have struggled with. (2) At first glance, it appears that this question is unanswerable. Someone should be existing at the time of a language’s emergence to document its emergence in order to learn how grammar is formed. Many historical linguists can trace present complex languages back to older languages, but the researcher must examine how languages are created from scratch in order to answer the question of how complex languages are developed. Surprisingly, though, this is doable. (3) The Atlantic slave trade influenced the development of some of the most recent languages. Slaves of many nationalities were forced to work together under the colonizer’s rule at the time. They created a make-shift pidgin language because they didn’t have the opportunity to learn each other’s languages. Pidgins are a collection of terms taken from the landowner’s native tongue. They don’t use much grammar, and it’s often impossible for a listener to figure out when an event occurred and who did what to whom. (A) In order for their meaning to be understood, speakers must utilize circumlocution. (B) Surprisingly, all it takes for a pidgin to develop into a complicated language is for a group of youngsters to be exposed to it while learning their mother tongue. (C) Slave children did not merely repeat their elders’ string of words; they altered their phrases to create a new, expressive language. (D) Creoles are complex grammar systems that arise from pidgins and are created by children. (4) Studying sign languages for the deaf provides more proof of this. Sign languages are more than just a collection of gestures; they employ the same grammatical machinery as spoken languages. Furthermore, numerous different languages are spoken all across the world. In Nicaragua, the formation of one such language was recently recorded. Previously, all deaf individuals were separated from one another, but in 1979, a new administration established deaf schools. Although children were taught speech and lip-reading in the classroom, they began to construct their own sign language in the playgrounds, employing motions they already knew. It was essentially pidgin. There was no consistent grammar, and each youngster utilized the signs differently. However, students who went to school later than others, when this original sign scheme was already present, established a quite diverse sign language. Their language was more fluid and concise, and it used a wide range of grammatical devices to clarify meaning, despite being based on the older children’s signals. Furthermore, all of the children made the identical signs. There was the birth of a new creole. (5) Many of the world’s most well-known languages, according to some linguists, began as creoles. The –ed ending in the English past tense may have developed from the verb ‘do.’ ‘It ended’ may have been spelled ‘It end-did.’ As a result, it appears that even the most widely spoken languages were formed in part by children. Children’s brains appear to have built-in grammatical machinery that comes to life when they’re initially trying to make sense of the environment. Even when there is no syntax to imitate, their thoughts can help them develop logical, complicated structures. Questions: Rhetorical Purpose A. Why did the writer offer information about the Cherokee language in paragraph 1?

1. To show how tough it is to learn Cherokee

2. To demonstrate how English grammar varies from Cherokee grammar

3. To demonstrate that the Cherokees built complicated grammar systems

4. To demonstrate how even simple, traditional cultures can have complex grammatical patterns.

Inference B. What may be deduced about the pidgin language of the slaves?

1. It has a lot of complicated grammar in it.

2. It was created using a variety of languages.

3. Even among slaves, it was impossible to comprehend.

4. The landowners were the ones who came up with the idea.

Negative Factual Information C. All of the following statements about natural sign language in Nicaragua are true EXCEPT:

1. Younger children perfected the language.

2. Since 1979, the language has been developed.

3. The language is based on lip-reading and speaking.

4. Signs that children use at home are included in the language.

D. All are features of the new Nicaraguan language EXCEPT:

1. The movements of the hands were smoother and smaller.

2. To convey meaning, all of the children utilized the same motions.

3. For ordinary objects and activities, new gestures were developed.

4. The meaning was easier to understand than the prior sign language.

Insert Text E. Where should the following sentence go in paragraph 3? It includes prescribed word ordering and grammatical markers that did not exist in either the pidgin or the colonizers’ languages.

Reading Vocabulary F. In paragraph 2, the phrase “from scratch” is most closely related to:

1. from the start

2. in basic cultures

3. with the aid of written data

4. through the use of a template

G. In paragraph 3,’make-shift’ is most similar to:

1. personal and private

2. simple and transient

3. complex and expressive

4. extensive and various

H. In paragraph 4, look at the term ‘consistent.’ Which of the following would be the best replacement for this word?

1. natural

2. uniform

3. imaginable

4. predictable

I. Which of the following sentences is closest to the highlighted sentence in terms of meaning? Grammar is universal and is used in all languages, regardless of their popularity.

1. No matter where they evolved, all languages have the same syntax.

2. Some languages have a great deal of grammar, whereas others have very little.

3. Grammar is present in all languages, whether spoken by a small group or a large group.

4. Languages with a lot of grammar are more prevalent than languages with a small amount of grammar.

Prose Summary J. In the final paragraph, which concept is presented?

1. The past tense system in English is incorrect.

2. Creole was most likely formerly an Englishman.

3. Linguists have shown that children invented English.

4. Adults and children speak English past tenses in different ways.

Answers A. 4 B. 3 C. 3 D. 4 E. 1 F. 2 G. 2 H. 3 I. 4 J. 3

Sample Reading Passage 2:

A Memorable Fact (1) A phone number can be remembered for up to thirty seconds by the vast majority of people. The numerals, however, are deleted from memory once this short period of time has passed. In the first place, how did the information get there? The sensory storage area is where information is delivered to the short-term memory (STM). The STM, also known as working memory, in the brain has a filter that only enables items of immediate importance to pass through. (2) The capacity and duration of short-term memory are both hotly debated topics. The most widely recognized idea is that humans can retain around seven bits of information, according to George A. Miller, a cognitive psychologist. A chunk is a eloquent component of data, such as a word or a name, as opposed to a letter or a number. According to modern theories, chunking, or categorizing related information together, can boost the capacity of the short-term memory. One can improve the likelihood of a memory being passed on to long-term storage by structuring information and optimizing the STM. (3) Many people engage in “rote rehearsal” when they are consciously attempting to learn something, such as exam content. It is possible to keep a memory alive by saying something repeatedly. Unfortunately, no interruptions are required for this sort of memory maintenance to work. The information has a tendency to vanish as soon as a person stops rehearsing it. When a pen and paper aren’t available, individuals frequently try to recall phone numbers by saying them out loud. If a dog barks or a doorbell rings to come inside before a person gets a chance to make a phone call, he will almost certainly forget the number. As a result, rote practice is ineffective for transferring knowledge from short to long-term memory. Practicing “elaborate rehearsal” is a better approach to go. This entails giving a piece of information semantic significance so that it can be filed with other long-term memories that already exist. (4) It’s also easier to find information when it‘s encoded semantically. Recognition or recall are two methods for retrieving data. Humans can quickly recall memories that have been retained in long-term memory and have been used frequently; nevertheless, if a memory appears to have been forgotten, it can be recalled with prompting. The more signals (such as photos) a person is provided, the more likely it is that a memory will be recalled. This is why multiple-choice examinations are frequently utilized in areas that necessitate a great deal of memorizing. Questions: Factual Information K. How are memories transferred to the STM, according to the text?

1. They go back to their long-term memories.

2. When they enter the brain, they are chunked.

3. They’re filtered out of the sensory storage facility.

4. They get into the body through the neurological system.

Negative Factual Information L. All of these are mentioned as places where memories are kept, with the exception of the:

1. STM

2. Maintenance area

3. Long-term memory

4. Sensory storage area

Reading Vocabulary M. In paragraph 1, the word ‘elapses’ has the same meaning as:

1. passes

2. totals

3. continues

4. appears

N. In paragraph 3, the word elaborate is most similar to:

1. efficient

2. complex

3. attractive

4. consistent

Rhetorical Purpose O. Why did the author make a reference to a ‘dog’s bark’?

1. To demonstrate a sort of memory

2. To demonstrate a type of interruption

3. To contrast another loud sound, such as a doorbell

4. To demonstrate that dogs have superior memories than people

Reference P. In the last paragraph, the word ‘it’ relates to:

1. STM

2. data

3. encoding

4. semantics

Sentence Simplification Q. Which of the following sentences from the passage better communicates the relevant information in the emphasized sentence? Incorrect answer selections exclude important information or alter its meaning.

1. If a memory hasn’t been used in a long time, it can be recalled by prompting.

2. Prompting is the simplest method for retrieving short-term memory after a long period of time.

3. Because of regular cues, it is simpler to recall short-term memories than long-term memories.

4. It is simple to recall a long-term memory that is frequently utilized, whereas forgotten memories frequently require prompting.

Prose Summary R. A synopsis of the paragraph is given below with an introduction phrase. Select the THREE answer options that include the most important ideas from the passage to complete the summary. Some sentences don’t fit in the summary since they contain ideas that aren’t stated in the passage or are simply minor points. Short-term memory is a part of the brain that stores information that a person might need in the near future (STM).

1. Assigning meaning to data makes retrieval easier for the brain.

2. The majority of people can only recall numbers for a little period of time.

3. Extensive rehearsal is thought to be ineffective compared to rote rehearsal.

4. Because of the possibility of interruptions, certain remembering techniques fail.

5. Many psychologists agree that the STM can only store a limited quantity of data at any given time.

Answers: K. 3 L. 2 M. 1 N. 1 O. 2 P. 2 Q. 4 R. 1 S. 4 T. 5