QUIZ #1_Overview of the English Language and Indo.docx

QUIZ #1_Overview of the English Language and Indo.docx

1. Overview of the English Language and Indo-
European Languages
SUMMATIVE TEST/QUIZ #1
Multiple Choice:
1. What is the common definition of language?
a) A structured form of symbols
b) A means of communication
c) A vocalization of thoughts
d) A system of gestures
2. What is one major difference between human
language and animal communication?
a) Animal communication has more rules
b) Human language lacks creativity
c) Human language uses complex grammatical
structures
d) Animals can represent abstract concepts
3. Which of the following is a characteristic of
human language?
a) It is static and unchanging
b) It is culturally transmitted
c) It cannot convey hypothetical ideas
d) It is instinctual
4. How is ‘language’ scientifically defined?
a) A creative and arbitrary system of symbols for
communication
b) A fixed repertoire of vocal signals
c) A structured list of gestures used for basic
needs
d) An instinctual way of communicating through
sound
5. Which branch of linguistics studies the
structure of sounds in a language?
a) Semantics
b) Syntax
c) Phonology
d) Pragmatics
6. The study of the structure and formation of
words is known as:
a) Syntax
b) Morphology
c) Phonology
d) Semantics
7. What is the focus of syntax in linguistics?
a) The meaning of words
b) The function of language in society
c) The structure of sentences
d) The sound systems of a language
8. Semantics refers to:
a) The use of language in real-life contexts
b) The meaning of words and sentences
c) The cultural transmission of language
d) The social aspects of language
9. Pragmatics in linguistics studies how:
a) Language sounds are produced
b) Words are formed
c) Context influences meaning
d) Words change over time
10. Which of the following is an example of
pragmatics?
a) Changing word order to alter sentence
meaning
b) Using past tense in irregular verbs
c) Asking “Can you pass the salt?” to request the
salt
d) Using the same word to mean different things
in different contexts
11. What is Proto-Indo-European (PIE)?
a) A group of semi-nomadic people
b) The ancestral language of many modern
languages
c) A language only used by ancient Greek
speakers
d) A dialect from Southern India

2. 12. Which Indo-European language group is now
extinct?
a) Tocharian
b) Balto-Slavic
c) Italic
d) Germanic
13. Which of the following languages is part of
the Centum group?
a) Sanskrit
b) Latin
c) Lithuanian
d) Russian
14. Which contemporary language belongs to
the Indo-European family?
a) Mandarin
b) Swahili
c) Persian
d) Arabic
15. The Satem group of languages evolved with
a change in the Proto-Indo-European sound [ḱ]
into:
a) [p]
b) b) [k]
c) [s] or [sh]
d) d) [t]
16. What is a cognate?
a) A word borrowed from another language
b) A word with the same origin as another word
c) A newly invented word in a language
d) A language family tree
17. Which of the following is an example of a
cognate word in Indo-European languages?
a) English "work" and Greek "ergo"
b) Spanish "amigo" and French "ami"
c) Italian "vino" and Japanese "sake"
d) Russian "дом" and English "home"
18. Which branch of linguistics explores how
language relates to culture?
a) Sociolinguistics
b) Anthropological linguistics
c) Pragmatics
d) Neurolinguistics
19.Which of these is an influence of Indo-
European languages on English?
a) The use of verb endings
b) The structure of the SVO sentence order
c) The cultural use of idioms
d) The addition of loanwords from Latin
20. In which historical theory were Indo-
Europeans considered to be nomadic or semi-
nomadic people?
a) Theory of Evolution
b) The Horse Nomad Theory
c) The Sedentary Farmer Theory
d) The Neolithic Expansion Theory
Identification
21-22. Identify two differences between human
language and animal communication.
23. Identify one extinct branch of the Indo-
European language family.
24. What is a cognate? Provide an example of a
cognate from Indo-European languages.
25. Identify one Centum language and one
Satem language, and explain the difference in
sound changes between the two.
ILLUSTRATION:
25-40. Germanic is one of the main branches of
Indo-European languages. Draw its family
through a graphic organizer.

7. KEY ANSWERS
Multiple Choice:
1. What is the common definition of language?
b) A means of communication
2. What is one major difference between human
language and animal communication?
c) Human language uses complex grammatical
structures
3. Which of the following is a characteristic of
human language?
b) It is culturally transmitted
4. How is ‘language’ scientifically defined?
a) A creative and arbitrary system of symbols for
communication
5. Which branch of linguistics studies the
structure of sounds in a language?
c) Phonology
6. The study of the structure and formation of
words is known as:
b) Morphology
7. What is the focus of syntax in linguistics?
c) The structure of sentences
8. Semantics refers to:
b) The meaning of words and sentences
9. Pragmatics in linguistics studies how:
c) Context influences meaning
10. Which of the following is an example of
pragmatics?
c) Asking “Can you pass the salt?” to request the
salt
11. What is Proto-Indo-European (PIE)?
b) The ancestral language of many modern
languages
12. Which Indo-European language group is now
extinct?
a) Tocharian
13. Which of the following languages is part of
the Centum group?
b) Latin
14. Which contemporary language belongs to
the Indo-European family?
c) Persian
15. The Satem group of languages evolved with
a change in the Proto-Indo-European sound [ḱ]
into:
c) [s] or [sh]
16. What is a cognate?
b) A word with the same origin as another word
17. Which of the following is an example of a
cognate word in Indo-European languages?
a) English "work" and Greek "ergo"
18. Which branch of linguistics explores how
language relates to culture?
b) Anthropological linguistics
19. Which of these is an influence of Indo-
European languages on English?
d) The addition of loanwords from Latin
20. In which historical theory were Indo-
Europeans considered to be nomadic or semi-
nomadic people?
b) The Horse Nomad Theory
Identification:
21-22. Identify two differences between human
language and animal communication.
- Human language uses complex grammar and
can express abstract ideas; animal
communication lacks grammatical structure and
is tied to immediate circumstances.
23. Identify one extinct branch of the Indo-
European language family.
- Tocharian
24. Identify one Centum language and one
Satem language, and explain the difference in
sound changes between the two.
- Centum language: Latin (centum); Satem
language: Sanskrit (satam). In Centum
languages, the Proto-Indo-European [ḱ] sound
stayed as [k], while in Satem languages, it
changed to [s] or [sh].
25. What is a cognate? Provide an example from
Indo-European languages.
Enumeration:
26-40. Germanic is one of the main branches of
Indo-European languages. Draw its family
through a graphic organizers.