The text reports the case of a girl named Genie, who was exposed to virtually no language from the age of 20 months until the age of 13. In what way does Genie's case offer support for the notion of a critical period in language acquisition?
A)With intensive instruction, Genie acquired a sizeable vocabulary; moreover, she eventually mastered the rules of syntax.
B)Even with intensive instruction, Genie never mastered the complexities of language.
C)Once she was no longer isolated, Genie acquired a sizeable vocabulary and mastered the rules of syntax, even without intensive formal instruction.
D)Genie never learned to speak.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Genie's case supports the critical period hypothesis because, despite receiving intensive instruction, she was unable to fully acquire language, suggesting there is a critical period for language acquisition that she had missed.

The Text Reports the Case of a Girl Named Genie