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Listen to an Academic Talk Test #005
Listen to an Academic Talk
1. What is the main topic of the lecture?
A) The origins of the English language
B) A theory about the connection between language and thought
C) Methods for learning a new language quickly
D) How different languages classify colors
2. According to the professor, what is the "strong" version of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?
A) That thought and language are completely separate
B) That all languages share a universal structure
C) That a person's thoughts are limited by their language
D) That learning new languages improves cognitive skills
3. What do the studies on color perception suggest?
A) English speakers have superior color vision.
B) The number of color words a language has can affect perception.
C) All cultures perceive colors in the same way.
D) The color blue is the most difficult color to describe.
4. Why does the professor discuss the two different versions of the hypothesis?
A) To show that the theory is now outdated
B) To argue that only one version is scientific
C) To explain how the theory has been interpreted
D) To suggest a new version of the hypothesis
Professor: Does the language you speak shape the way you think? This is the central question of a concept known as the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, or linguistic relativity. The theory suggests that the specific language we speak affects our cognitive processes.
There are two versions. The "strong" version, called linguistic determinism, argues that language *determines* our thoughts—that we can only think things for which our language has words. This version is not widely accepted today. The "weak" version, however, suggests that language *influences* thought and perception, which has gained more support.
For example, some languages have multiple, distinct words for different shades of blue, while English has just one basic word. Studies have shown that speakers of those languages can distinguish between these shades more quickly. This doesn't mean English speakers can't see the differences, but their language doesn't prime them to notice them as readily.
There are two versions. The "strong" version, called linguistic determinism, argues that language *determines* our thoughts—that we can only think things for which our language has words. This version is not widely accepted today. The "weak" version, however, suggests that language *influences* thought and perception, which has gained more support.
For example, some languages have multiple, distinct words for different shades of blue, while English has just one basic word. Studies have shown that speakers of those languages can distinguish between these shades more quickly. This doesn't mean English speakers can't see the differences, but their language doesn't prime them to notice them as readily.
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