Languages that are comprised of both logographs and phonetic symbols, such as Mandarin, affect the literacy patterns of native speakers in the following way:
A) Chinese first graders are able to easily figure out vocabulary words they had not yet been taught.
B) Chinese first graders learn to break down words into sounds.
C) Chinese first graders are able to read almost all the words they are taught, but very few of the words not yet taught.
D) Literacy patterns of Chinese first graders are much like those of English-speaking first graders.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Chinese first graders can read most of the words they have been taught due to the direct teaching of these characters. However, because many characters are unique and do not directly indicate their pronunciation without prior knowledge, students are less likely to decipher unfamiliar words on their own. This contrasts with alphabetic languages where phonetic cues can often help in guessing new words.

Languages That Are Comprised of Both Logographs and Phonetic Symbols