Question 1

Which sentence, constructed by a chimpanzee, indicates an ability to use conditional relationships?
A)"That thing different, that thing same."
B)"Sarah insert apple pail banana dish."
C)"If Sarah eat apple, Mary give Sarah chocolate."
D)"Sorry bite scratch wrong bite."

Accepted Answer

Sentence C contains an if-then relationship, indicating an understanding of conditional relationships. The other sentences do not demonstrate this kind of understanding.

Question 2

Those who doubt that animals use language would base their doubts on animals' inability to
A)communicate within their own species.
B)use gestures to communicate with other species.
C)use language in productive ways.
D)use American Sign Language.

Accepted Answer

The statement suggests that those who doubt animals use language believe that animals cannot use language in productive ways. This implies that animals may be able to communicate within their own species and use gestures to communicate with other species, but they are not using language in a way that is seen as productive or meaningful. The mention of American Sign Language is irrelevant and not mentioned in the statement.

Question 3

Which of the following statements about American Sign Language is FALSE?
A)Both speech and signing follow similar universal language patterns.
B)It is understood by all those who use other forms of sign language.
C)Signing children pass through the same language stages as speaking children.
D)The same brain areas become active when a person speaks or signs.

Accepted Answer

American Sign Language is a distinct language with its own grammar and syntax, and it is not necessarily understood by those who use other forms of sign language. Different countries and regions have their own sign languages, just as they have their own spoken languages.

Question 4

Regarding animal communication, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A)Animals exhibit varied cries, gestures, and mating calls, but even these communications are often not understood by other animals of the same species.
B)Although animal communication is limited, they can learn to use human language with ease and eventually attain the communication skills of the average high school sophomore.
C)Animal communication can truly be called a language because it consists of symbols, grammar, and, most importantly, it is productive.
D)While psychologists do not doubt that animals communicate, there is disagreement as to whether or not animals can actually be taught a language.

Accepted Answer

While there is evidence that animals communicate, there is ongoing debate among psychologists and linguists about whether animals can truly learn a language and use it in a productive way.

Question 5

Gestures
A)help us string words together.
B)are believed by some psychologists to be the forerunner of speech, that is, speech evolved from gestures.
C)activate the same brain areas as when a person speaks.
D)are characterized by all of these.

Accepted Answer

Gestures help us string words together, are believed to be the forerunner of speech, and activate the same brain areas as when a person speaks. Therefore, all of the given choices are correct.

Question 6

Which of the following statements about gestural languages is FALSE?
A)Speech may have evolved from gestures that were utilized throughout human history.
B)Sign languages are part of one's personal identity and define a distinct community and culture.
C)American Sign Language is readily understood by those who "speak" French sign or Chinese sign.
D)American Sign Language has a spatial grammar, syntax, and semantics all its own.

Accepted Answer

American Sign Language (ASL) is a distinct language with its own grammar, syntax, and semantics. It is not necessarily readily understood by those who "speak" other sign languages, such as French sign or Chinese sign. While different sign languages may share similarities, they are still distinct languages with their own rules and structures.

Question 7

David Premack taught a chimp named Sarah to
A)use proper word order when arranging the plastic chips (words).
B)form compound sentences.
C)use conditional statements.
D)do all of these.

Accepted Answer

The answer of David Premack taught a chimp named Sarah...

Question 8

A young child tells his mother that "when the dog growl at me, I runned home so fast, I hurt my foots." The child's application of the normal past tense and plurals to irregular verbs and nouns illustrates the child's attempt to use
A)transformation rules.
B)the semantic differential.
C)disjunctive concepts.
D)a morpheme shift.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A young child tells his mother that...

Question 9

A young child tells his grandmother that "he goed to town." The child's application of the normal past tense to the irregular verb "to go" illustrates that the child is attempting to use
A)transformation rules.
B)the semantic differential.
C)disjunctive concepts.
D)a morpheme shift.

Accepted Answer

The child's use of the regular past tense ending "-ed" on the irregular verb "go" shows that they are attempting to apply a transformation rule (adding "-ed" to form the past tense) that they have learned for regular verbs.

Question 10

The sentence "A man opened the store for business" and the sentence "The store was opened for business by a man" are related by
A)the semantic differential.
B)irregular usage of syntax.
C)heuristics.
D)transformation rules.

Accepted Answer

The two sentences are related by a passive transformation, which is a type of transformation rule that changes the active voice sentence "A man opened the store for business" into passive voice "The store was opened for business by a man". This transformation rule is commonly taught in grammar and syntax lessons.

Question 11

After six years of intensive training, the chimp, Viki, was taught to communicate
A)four words through spoken English.
B)conditional sentences using plastic symbols on a magnetized board.
C)six-word sentences using American Sign Language.
D)by pushing buttons on a computer keyboard.

Accepted Answer

The answer of After six years of intensive training, the...

Question 12

Changing the sentence "Jean gave Sid a birthday gift" to "Sid was given a birthday gift by Jean" illustrates the use of
A)the semantic differential.
B)connotative meanings.
C)transformation rules.
D)conceptual rules.

Accepted Answer

This transformation involves changing the active sentence "Jean gave Sid a birthday gift" into a passive sentence "Sid was given a birthday gift by Jean". This transformation follows a specific set of rules known as transformation rules in syntax. The other options, such as semantic differential, connotative meanings, and conceptual rules, are not relevant in explaining this transformation.

Question 13

Beatrix Gardner and Allen Gardner taught a chimpanzee named Washoe to communicate
A)four words through spoken English.
B)conditional sentences using plastic symbols on a magnetized board.
C)six-word sentences using American Sign Language.
D)by pushing buttons on a computer keyboard.

Accepted Answer

Beatrix and Allen Gardner taught the chimpanzee Washoe to communicate using American Sign Language and she was able to use six-word sentences.

Question 14

Which of the following statements about American Sign Language is TRUE?
A)It is a symbolic communication that lacks syntax and grammar.
B)It is understood by all those who use other forms of sign language.
C)Signing children pass through the same language stages as speaking children.
D)American Sign Language is classified as a pantomimed code.

Accepted Answer

Signing children do pass through the same language stages as speaking children, including babbling, one-word utterances, and eventually developing syntax and grammar. American Sign Language is a fully developed natural language with its own syntax and grammar, rather than a pantomimed code or symbolic communication. While some signs may be understood by those who use other forms of sign language, American Sign Language is a distinct language with its own regional variations and dialects.

Question 15

Chomsky believes that we do not learn all the sentences we might ever say, but rather we actively create them by applying _____ rules.
A)functional
B)transformation
C)disjunctive
D)generative

Accepted Answer

The answer of Chomsky believes that we do not learn...

Question 16

American Sign Language
A)has a spatial grammar and syntax.
B)is a pantomimed code.
C)is the only true gestural language in the world.
D)is all of these.

Accepted Answer

American Sign Language has a unique grammar and syntax that utilizes spatial relationships between sign components. It is not simply a pantomimed code, as it has its own grammar rules and linguistic structure. While there are other gestural languages in the world, such as Chinese Sign Language and British Sign Language, American Sign Language is not the only one. Therefore, the best choice is A.

Question 17

The first successful method of teaching chimpanzees "words" involved Beatrix and Allen Gardner using
A)lexigrams.
B)a computer with keys that stood for words.
C)American Sign Language.
D)plastic chips arranged on a magnetized board.

Accepted Answer

The Gardners used American Sign Language to teach chimpanzees words, successfully teaching a chimp named Washoe to use sign language.

Question 18

Language is termed productive if it
A)allows for communication of thoughts and ideas.
B)is capable of generating new ideas and possibilities.
C)increases one's adaptation to a changing environment.
D)provides a set of rules for making sounds into words and words into sentences.

Accepted Answer

Productive language refers to the ability to create new ideas and possibilities by combining words and syntax. It is not simply communication, but rather the creativity and productivity that language allows for. Choices A, C, and D are all true of language, but they do not specifically address the productivity of language.

Question 19

Words can be rearranged to form an infinite variety of meaningful sentences.This represents the characteristic of language called
A)phonology.
B)grammar.
C)productivity.
D)morphology.

Accepted Answer

Productivity refers to the ability of language to create an infinite number of new and meaningful sentences by rearranging words or combining them in novel ways. Phonology refers to the sound system of a language, grammar refers to the rules governing how words are combined into sentences, and morphology refers to the structure of words themselves (such as prefixes and suffixes). While all of these aspects are important components of language, only productivity directly relates to the ability to create new sentences.

Question 20

Regarding animal communication, which of the following statements is FALSE?
A)In their natural habitat, apes and monkeys make only a few dozen distinct cries, which carry messages, such as "attack," "flee," or "food here."
B)Animal communication lacks the productive quality of human language.
C)No ape or monkey has ever learned to form compound or conditional sentences.
D)Problems with syntax have plagued almost all animal language studies.

Accepted Answer

Apes and monkeys have been taught to form compound or conditional sentences using sign language or symbols, although their use is limited compared to human language.

Quiz 9: Extension A: Cognition, Language, Creativity, and Intelligence

Which sentence, constructed by a chimpanzee, indicates an ability to use conditional relationships?

Those who doubt that animals use language would base their doubts on animals' inability to

Which of the following statements about American Sign Language is FALSE?

Regarding animal communication, which of the following statements is TRUE?

Gestures

Which of the following statements about gestural languages is FALSE?

David Premack taught a chimp named Sarah to

A young child tells his mother that "when the dog growl at me, I runned home so fast, I hurt my foots." The child's application of the normal past tense and plurals to irregular verbs and nouns illustrates the child's attempt to use

A young child tells his grandmother that "he goed to town." The child's application of the normal past tense to the irregular verb "to go" illustrates that the child is attempting to use

The sentence "A man opened the store for business" and the sentence "The store was opened for business by a man" are related by

After six years of intensive training, the chimp, Viki, was taught to communicate

Changing the sentence "Jean gave Sid a birthday gift" to "Sid was given a birthday gift by Jean" illustrates the use of

Beatrix Gardner and Allen Gardner taught a chimpanzee named Washoe to communicate

Which of the following statements about American Sign Language is TRUE?

Chomsky believes that we do not learn all the sentences we might ever say, but rather we actively create them by applying _____ rules.

American Sign Language

The first successful method of teaching chimpanzees "words" involved Beatrix and Allen Gardner using

Language is termed productive if it

Words can be rearranged to form an infinite variety of meaningful sentences.This represents the characteristic of language called

Regarding animal communication, which of the following statements is FALSE?