GRE Question of the Day (September 19)

Verbal

The common belief of some linguists that each language is a perfect vehicle for the thoughts of the nation speaking it is in some ways the exact counterpart of the conviction of the Manchester school of economics that supply and demand will regulate everything for the best. Just as economists were blind to the numerous cases in which the law of supply and demand left actual wants unsatisfied, so also many linguists are deaf to those instances in which the very nature of a language calls forth misunderstandings in everyday conversation, and in which, consequently, a word has to be modified or defined in order to present the idea intended by the speaker: “He took his stick—no, not John’s, but his own.” No language is perfect, and if we admit this truth, we must also admit that it is not unreasonable to investigate the relative merits of different languages or of different details in languages.

The primary purpose of the passage is to

(A) analyze an interesting feature of the English language
(B) refute a belief held by some linguists
(C) show that economic theory is relevant to linguistic study
(D) illustrate the confusion that can result from the improper use of language
(E) suggest a way in which languages can be made more nearly perfect

Correct Answer - B - (click and drag your mouse to see the answer)

The misunderstanding presented by the author is similar to which of the following?

I. X uses the word “you” to refer to a group, but Y thinks that X is referring to one person only.
II. X mistakenly uses the word “anomaly” to refer to a typical example, but Y knows that “anomaly” means “exception.”
III. X uses the word “bachelor” to mean “unmarried man,” but Y mistakenly thinks that bachelor means “unmarried woman.”

(A) I only
(B) II only
(C) III only
(D) I and II only
(E) II and III only

Correct Answer - A - (click and drag your mouse to see the answer)

In presenting the argument, the author does all of the following EXCEPT:

(A) give an example
(B) draw a conclusion
(C) make a generalization
(D) make a comparison
(E) present a paradox

Correct Answer - E - (click and drag your mouse to see the answer)

Which of the following contributes to the misunderstanding described by the author in lines 13-14?

(A) It is unclear whom the speaker of the sentence is addressing.
(B) It is unclear to whom the word “his” refers the first time it is used.
(C) It is unclear to whom the word “his” refers the second time it is used.
(D) The meaning of “took” is ambiguous.
(E) It is unclear to whom “He” refers.

Correct Answer - B - (click and drag your mouse to see the answer)

Question Discussion & Explanation