【Howmenfirstlearnttoinventwordsisunknown;inotherwords,theoriginoflanguageisamystery.Allwereallyknowisthatmen,unlikeanimals,somehowinventedcertainsoundstoexpressthoughtandfeelings,actionsandthings,sothattheycouldco】
Howmenfirstlearnttoinventwordsisunknown;inotherwords,theoriginoflanguageisamystery.Allwereallyknowisthatmen,unlikeanimals,somehowinventedcertainsoundstoexpressthoughtandfeelings,actionsandthings,sothattheycouldcommunicatewitheachother;andthatlatertheyagreeduponcertainsigns,calledletters,whichcouldbecombinedtopresentthosesounds,andwhichcouldbewrittendown.Thosesounds,whetherspokenorwritteninletters,wecallwords.
Thepowerofwords,then,liesintheirassociations-thethingtheybringupbeforeourminds.Wordsbecomefilledwithmeaningforusbyexperience;andthelongerwelive,themorecertainwordsrecalltousthegladandsadeventsofourpast;andthemorewereadandlearn,themorethenumberofwordsthatmeansomethingincreases.
Greatwritersarethosewhonotonlyhavegreatthoughtsbutalsoexpressthesethoughtsinwordswhichappealpowerfullytoourmindsandemotions.Thischarmingandtellinguseofwordsiswhatwecallliterarystyle.Aboveall,therealpoetisamasterofwords.Hecanconveyhismeaninginwordswhichsinglikemusicandwhichbytheirpositionandassociationcanmovementotears.Weshouldthereforelearntochooseourwordscarefullyandusethemaccurately,ortheywillmakeourspeechsillyandvulgar.（238）
1.Theoriginoflanguageis_______.
A.alegendhandeddownfromthepastB.amatterthatishiddenorsecret
C.aquestionwithnoanswerD.aproblemnotyetsolved
2.Whatistrueaboutwords?
A.Theyareusedtoexpressfeelingsonly.B.Theycannotbewrittendown.
C.Theyaresimplysounds.D.Theyaremysterious.
3.Therealpowerofwordsliesintheir_______.
A.propertiesB.characteristics
C.peculiarityD.representativefunction
4.By“association”,theauthormeans_______.
A.aspecialqualityB.anappearancewhichispuzzling
C.ajoiningofideasinthemindD.astrangefeature
5.WhichofthefollowingstatementsabouttherealpoetisNOTtrue?
A.Heisnomorethanamasterofwords.
B.Hecanconveyhisideasinwordswhichsinglikemusic.
C.Hecanmovementotears.
D.Hisstyleisalwayscharming.
