‘The Marvellous invention’- Reading Answer Explanation – CAM – 11
Here are explanations of the Questions of passage named, ‘The Marvellous invention’ which is from the Cambridge 11 book. The Questions that have been asked are ‘List of headings’ ‘Yes/No/Not Given’, and ‘Summary Blanks’. You will find the locations of the Reading Answers, Keywords(highlighted and underlined) and justifications.
READING PASSAGE 3: ‘This Marvellous Invention’
| Question | Answer |
| 27 | VI |
| 28 | IV |
| 29 | II |
| 30 | VII |
| 31 | I |
| 32 | V |
| 33 | E |
| 34 | G |
| 35 | B |
| 36 | F |
| 37 | NO |
| 38 | YES |
| 39 | NOT GIVEN |
| 40 | YES |
Questions 27-32
Reading Passage 3 has six paragraphs, A-F.
Choose the correct heading for paragraphs A-F from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number, i-vii, in boxes 27-32 on your answer sheet.
List of Headings
i Differences between languages highlight their impressiveness
ii The way in which a few sounds are organised to convey a huge range of meaning
iii Why the sounds used in different languages are not identical
iv Apparently incompatible characteristics of language
v Even silence can be meaningful
vi Why language is the most important invention of all
vii The universal ability to use language
27. Paragraph A
Location: A paragraph
Explanation: The answer to this question is in the first two lines of the paragraph. ‘all mankind’s manifold creations, language must take pride of place. Other inventions -the wheel, agriculture, sliced bread …but the advent of language is what made us human… Compared to language, all other inventions pale in significance…’Here, the writer states that language is the most important invention of all.
Answer: vi
‘The Marvellous invention’- Reading Answer Explanation – CAM – 11
28. Paragraph B
Location: B paragraph
Explanation: The location of the answer is in the second line of the paragraph. ‘In its own right it is a tool of extraordinary sophistication, yet based on an idea of ingenious simplicity…’ Here writer says that, language’s Characterstics are very different by using the synonym ‘extraordinary’. Thus, ‘extraordinary’ and ‘incompatible’ means the same.
Answer: iv
29. Paragraph C
Location: C paragraph
Explanation: The answer to this question is in the last line of the paragraph. ‘let it arrange them in some very special orders, and there is nothing that these meaningless streams of air cannot do: from sighing the interminable boredom of existence to unravelling the fundamental order of the universe…’ Here, the writer states that if the sounds are arranged they can convey a huge range of meaning. Thus, the answer is ii.
Answer: ii
‘The Marvellous invention’- Reading Answer Explanation – CAM – 11
30. Paragraph D
Location: D paragraph (Second line)
Explanation: The writer states, ‘The language machine allows just about everybody from pre-modern foragers in the subtropical savannah, to post-modern philosophers in the suburban sprawl – to tie these meaningless sounds together into an infinite variety of subtle senses…’Here, ‘just about everybody’ refers to universal. Thus, the answer is vii.
Answer: vii
31. Paragraph E
Location: E paragraph
Explanation: The location of the answer is in the beginning of the paragraph. ‘Often, it is only the estrangement of foreign tongues, with their many exotic and outlandish features, that brings home the wonder of languages design…’Here, ‘outlandish features’ makes the languages different. Moreover, ‘brings home the wonder’ highlight the impressiveness.
Answer: i
‘The Marvellous invention’- Reading Answer Explanation – CAM – 11
32. Paragraph F
Location: F paragraph
Explanation: The answer to this question is in the eighth line of the paragraph. ‘in fact even the absence of a sound has been enlisted to express something specific…’ Here, ‘absence of sound’ refers to ‘silence. In addition, ‘express something specific’ means ‘meaningful’.
Answer: v
Questions 33-36
Complete the summary using the list of words, A-G, below.
Write the correct letter, A-G, in boxes 33-36 on your answer sheet.
The importance of language
The wheel is one invention that has had a major impact on 33……………… aspects of life, but no impact has been as 34………………. as that of language.
Location: A
Explanation: The main keyword ‘wheel’ helps to locate an answer in the second line of the paragraph .‘Other inventions -the wheel, agriculture, sliced bread – may have transformed our material existence, but the advent of language is what made us human. Compared to language, all other inventions pale in significance…’Here, ‘transformed our material existence’ means it had a major impact on material. But no impact has been significant as that of language.
Answer (33) E
(34) G
‘The Marvellous invention’- Reading Answer Explanation – CAM – 11
Language is very 35…………………, yet composed of just a small number of sounds.
Location: B paragraph
Explanation: The location of the answer is in the first line of the paragraph. ‘But language is foremost not just because it came first. In its own right it is a tool of extraordinary sophistication, yet based on an idea of ingenious simplicity…’Here, this statement states that language is sophisticated. Thus, ‘complex’ and ‘sophisticated’ are synonyms.
Answer: B
Language appears to be 36………………… to use. However, its sophistication is often overlooked
Location: D paragraph
Explanation: The main keyword ‘sophistication’ helps to find an answer in the third line of the paragraph. ‘Yet it is precisely this deceptive ease which makes language a victim of its own success, since in everyday life its triumphs are usually taken for granted…’ Here, this statement means language appears to be ease due to which people overlooked its sophistication by taking it for granted. Thus, the answer is clear.
Answer: F
‘The Marvellous invention’- Reading Answer Explanation – CAM – 11
A difficult B complex C original
D admired E material F easy
G fundamental
Questions 37-40
Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in Reading Passage 3?
In boxes 37-40 on your answer sheet, write
YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
37. Human beings might have achieved their present position without language.
Location: A paragraph
Explanation: The answer to this question is in the last line of the paragraph. ‘Without language, we could never have embarked on our ascent to unparalleled power over all other animals, and even over nature itself…’The question statement contradicts the passage statement. Here, ‘we would never have embarked on our ascent…’ is opposite to ‘humans might have achieved…’
Answer: No
‘The Marvellous invention’- Reading Answer Explanation – CAM – 11
38. The Port-Royal grammarians did justice to the nature of language.
Location: B paragraph
Explanation: The main keyword ‘Port-Royal grammarians’ helps to locate an answer in the fourth line of the paragraph. ‘This was how, in 1660, the renowned French grammarians of the Port-Royal abbey near Versailles distilled the essence of language, and no one since has celebrated and no one since has celebrated more eloquently the magnitude of its achievement…’Here, the writer clearly states the essence of language, and its beauty and magnitude of its achievement. Thus, grammarians did justice to the nature of language. Here, ‘essence’= nature.
Answer: Yes
39. A complex idea can be explained more clearly in a sentence than in a single word.
Location: E paragraph
Explanation: Though the writer gives the example of Turkish to explain that single word can be expressed to clarify a long sentence. But there is no comparison in a sentence and single word. Thus, no information available.
Answer: Not Given
‘The Marvellous invention’- Reading Answer Explanation – CAM – 11
40. The Sumerians were responsible for starting the recording of events.
Location: F paragraph
Explanation: The main keyword ‘Sumerians’’ helps to find an answer in the second line of the paragraph. ‘Sumerian, the language spoken on the banks of the Euphrates some 5,000 years ago by the people who invented writing and thus enabled the documentation of history…’Here, the writer explains that Sumerians invented writing and enabled documentation. Thus, they were responsible.
Answer: Yes
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