首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
考研
A fundamental problem for understanding the evolution of human language has been the lack of significant parallels among nonhuma
A fundamental problem for understanding the evolution of human language has been the lack of significant parallels among nonhuma
admin
2018-03-27
68
问题
A fundamental problem for understanding the evolution of human language has been the lack of significant parallels among nonhuman primates. Several studies found that nonhuman primates do not have a vocal tract. However, such points have been challenged by recent research, suggesting that nonhuman primates may after all be valuable models for understanding the evolution of speech and language.
The main animal model for vocal learning has been birdsong acquisition. However, there are crucial differences between birdsong acquisition and human language learning. And given some severe limitations, for example, birds have two vocal organs and do not have the flexible supralaryn-geal structures that facilitate speech, of birdsong as a model of speech, there is value in seeking other appropriate parallels among mammals.
Recent studies on macaques and baboons have shown that the vocal tracts of these monkeys can produce a full range of human-like vowels. Turn-taking is a key to fluent human conversation and has been thought to be unique to humans. One study found that captive chimpanzees increasingly share resources when resources are diminished. Collaborative turn-taking for food has been seen in other primates. These recent studies show that there is value in looking for the evolutionary origins of speech and language in nonhuman primates.
Human speech and language are highly complex systems with multiple components. Thus, to fully explain language origins, researchers must seek multiple models that represent both diverging and
converging
evolutionary processes. There may also be differences among primate species in the developmental processes that parallel human language acquisition. However, no studies have yet described vowel-like sounds in these monkeys, so marmosets and tamarins may be useful primarily for developmental studies.
It is probable that early humans faced evolutionary pressures that differed from those encountered by other primates and that have made our complex communication system adaptive. Language may have been important for coordinating activities in large cooperative groups. If individuals can thrive without complex vocal signaling, there would be little motivation to push the communication further. Different sensory and motor systems may be important. We tend to evaluate language through a vocal / auditory system, whereas research on apes is beginning to illustrate the complexity of gestural communication.
Nonhuman primates do not talk, but we should not expect them to. Each species has its own adaptations for communication. Nevertheless, there is much about language evolution that we can learn from nonhuman primates, provided that we study a variety of species and consider the multiple components of speech and language.
The word "converging" (Para. 4) is closest in meaning to_____.
选项
A、assembling
B、deviating
C、converting
D、convicting
答案
A
解析
根据题干关键词定位到文章第四段第二句。此句中提到了both diverging and converging evolutionary processes,由逻辑关系词both…and…可推测converge与diverge是相似或者意思相近的词。diverge意为“分化,分歧”,由此推测converge意为“融合,汇合”,故A项assemble“集合,聚集”是正确答案。B项deviating“偏离,违背”、C项converting“转变, 转换”和D项convicting“证明……有罪”均不符合题意,故选A。
转载请注明原文地址:https://www.kaotiyun.com/show/J5BZ777K
0
考研英语一
相关试题推荐
Ahundredyearsagoitwasassumedandscientifically"proved"byeconomiststhatthelawsofsocietymadeitnecessarytohave
Theinitialfundofgeneralscientificknowledgeisaninvaluableasset,buttheyoungresearchworkershouldhavenoillusiona
"Itcouldhavebeenworse"wasthecommonrefrainasAmericanbanksbeganreportingtheirsecond-quarterearnings.Indeed,thes
Technologyissupposedtomakeourliveseasier,allowingustodothingsmorequicklyandefficiently.Buttoooftenitseemst
Itwasjustafootnotecomparedwiththemoreinfectiousdisasterthatkilledmillionsmorepeoplein1918,butthe1957influen
Fordecades,ferryboatscrossedthecoldwatersofMichigan’sStraitsofMackinac,shuttlingpeopleandvehiclesbetweenthetw
Foraquarterofacentury,surveysofreadinghabitsbytheNationalfortheArts(NEA),afederally-fundedbody,havebeenfavo
Itwassupposedtobethenew-mediaelection.E-mail,blogging,socialnetworkingandtweetingwereexpectedtosurgeinimporta
JohnStuartMillarguedinthe19thcenturythatanindividualshouldbefreetodoashepleased,solongashedidnotharman
Australianchildrenarevisitingsocialmediawebsitesatanincreasinglyyoungerage,anewsurveysuggests,withoneinfive"
随机试题
关于乳腺癌的叙述正确的是
以下哪个不是男性淋病的典型表现:
关于MRI中射频脉冲,下述不正确的是
下列有关审判制度的说法,哪一或哪些选项是正确的?()
下列哪些情形属于吸收犯?(2010年卷二55题,多选)
下图是我国各省区某项指标统计图(省区面积大小表示该指标值的大小),回答下列问题。该指标最有可能是()。
曾经来华留学,并在日本大化改新中发挥重要作用的是()。
上下相愁,民无所聊,明言章理,兵甲愈起。(《战国策.秦策一》)聊:
设已知一汉字的国标码是5E48H,则其内码应该是
A、Theshopguaranteesthebatteryforayear.B、Themanwillcleanitwithoutextra.C、Themancanrepairwatchesveryquickly.
最新回复
(
0
)