3. A baby’s first noises are _______.

A. an expression of his moods and feelings

B. an early form of language

C. a sign that he means to tell you something

D. an imitation of the speech of adults

2. Children who start speaking late _______.

A. may have problems with their listening

B. probably do not hear enough language spoken around them

C. usually pay close attention to what they hear

D. often take a long time in learning to listen properly

1. Before children start speaking _______.

A. they need equal amount of listening

B. they need different amounts of listening

C. they are all eager to cooperate with the adults by obey spoken instructions

D. they can’t understand and obey the adult’s oral instructions

5. C。主旨题。本文主要介绍电视节目Sesame Street 所产生的影响及它成功的原因，所以选C。

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Language learning begins with listening. Children are greatly different in the amount of listening they do before they start speaking, and later starters are often long listeners. Most children will “obey” spoken instructions some time before they can speak, though the word “obey” is hardly accurate as a description of the eager and delighted cooperation usually shown by the children. Before they can speak, many children will also ask questions by gesture and by making questioning noises.

Any attempt to study the development from the noises babies make to their first spoken words leads to considerable difficulties. It is agreed that they enjoy making noises, and that during the first few months one or two noises sort themselves as particularly expressive as delight, pain, friendliness, and so on. But since these can’t be said to show the baby’s intention to communicate, they can hardly be regarded as early forms of language. It is agreed, too, that from about three months they play with sounds for enjoyment, and that by six months they are able to add new words to their store. This self-imitation(模仿) leads on to deliberate(有意的) imitation of sounds made or words spoken to them by other people. The problem then arises as to the point at which one can say that these imitations can be considered as speech.

It is a problem we need to get our teeth into. The meaning of a word depends on what a particular person means by it in a particular situation; and it is clear that what a child means by a word will change as he gains more experience of the world. Thus the use, at seven months, of “mama” as a greeting for his mother cannot be dismissed as a meaning-less sound simply because he also uses it at another time for his father, his dog, or anything else he likes. Playful and meaningless imitation of what other people say continues after the child has begun to speak for himself. I doubt, however, whether anything is gained when parents take advantage of this ability in an attempt to teach new sounds.

4. D。推断题。根据文章最后一段倒数第2句the best reason for the success of the program may be that it makes every child watching feel able to learn 可推知此题答案为D。

3. D。推断题。根据文章第5段第1句The programs all use songs, stories, jokes, and pictures to give children a basic understanding of numbers, letters and human relationships可推知此题答案为B。

2. B。推断题。根据文章第4段第1句Tests have shown that children…have benefited from watching it 可推知此题答案为B。

1. B。细节题。根据文章第2段第1句more than six million children watch the program regularly可推知此题答案为B。

5. The best title for this passage can be _______.

A. TV Programs                                 B. Educating Children

C. Sesame Street                                D. A Great Success

【答案与解析】本文介绍了电视节目Sesame Street所产生的社会影响及它成功的原因。

4. Why is “Sesame Street” so popular in the world?

A. Because it is supported by the government and businesses.

B. Because it uses a variety of skillful tricks.

C. Because mothers watch it along with their children.

D. Because it makes every child watching it feel able to learn.