14. Educational expenses are tax-deductible _________ the taxpayer can show that these expenses enhanced
his or her professional skills or expertise.
(A) only if (B) as if (C) as many as (D) as much as
20. ______ joint, the knee is among the most frequently injured.
(A) Being a weight-bearing (B) Being a weight-born
(C) For been a weight-bearing (D) For being a weight-born
Part 2.
During the past few decades, a group of second-language (L2) acquisition researchers have
attempted to account for L2 ultimate attainment in terms of input processing problems. Among these
scholars, Sorace (2004) posited that advanced L2 learners’ real-time processing of L2 input (such as
spoken words) is often less rapid and less automatic than first-language (L1) speakers; consequently,
L2 learners’ ability to access and coordinate multiple sources of knowledge from different domains
may be computationally costly. In this regard, when the meaning of a word or grammatical form
requires computing information from different linguistic (sub)domains (e.g., syntax, morphology or
semantics), near-native speakers may not efficiently access all the required information for real-time
interpretation. According to Liu (2009), this reduced efficiency in real-time processing may not
significantly disrupt advanced L2 learners’ comprehension; but it may exert a negative impact on the
retention of the comprehended information. In a similar vein, Juffs and Harrington (1995) and
Hernandez et al (1994) both observed that highly advanced L2 learners performed as well as native
speakers in rejecting ungrammatical L2 sentences, but with much longer response time. These
scholars thus concluded that although near-native speakers are able to develop a fully amalgamated
processing system to reduce cross-linguistic disparities, they were still unable to consistently
understand L2 sentences using L2-specific processing strategies. Liu (2009) and Juffs and Harrington
(1995) therefore both maintained that processing efficiency, rather than grammatical competence, is
the source of difficulty that distinguishes a native speaker from a near-native speaker.
To further explore if L2 learners, who are situated in an input-rich environment, are able to
acquire a native-like processing system in the L2, McDonald (1987) recruited English-Dutch and
Dutch-English bilinguals who learned the L2 at different ages, and had various amounts of exposure
to the L2. McDonald found that both beginning and intermediate L2 learners, who had not yet had
sufficient exposure to the L2, still utilized L1-based processing strategies while comprehending L2
sentences. As a result, these L2 learners still suffered from L1 interference. However, McDonald
observed that both early and late L2 learners in the long exposure group resembled native speakers
in terms of the linguistic cues they drew on when comprehending L2 sentences. McDonald concluded
that L2 learners, irrespective of their onset age of learning the L2, are able to completely master L2
processing strategies given sufficient L2 exposure.
McDonald’s view is not without challenge. Bassetti (2004) posited that when learning an L2
with a mature (L1) processing system already in place, adult L2 learners would need to merge the
knowledge systems of their two languages. The more comprehensively the L1 and L2 systems are
integrated, the more likely the resulting hybrid knowledge system can be consistently drawn upon to
reduce the disparities in the decision space in L2 processing. However, Bassetti argued that the above
scenario is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for L2 learners; even if it is possible, a full merger
of L1 and L2 knowledge systems is not equivalent to two monolinguals housed in a single brain.
Consequently, bilinguals would always exhibit subtle, non-native intuition and judgment in both their
L1 and L2. Following the above view, complete native-likeness is not possible in L2 acquisition.
Hitherto, researchers still differ in their views on the ultimate (grammatical) attainment in L2
acquisition. The inconclusive finding is attributed to the nature of the participants examined in
existing studies. Birdsong (2009) contended that to make a strong case for L2 ultimate attainment,
one needs to draw on empirical evidence from the most advanced L2 learners whose language
development (in the L2) has reached the highest attainable state. Otherwise, one can always argue
that L2 learners’ competence or performance may be subject to change given more exposure, time,
and practice. Notwithstanding Birdsong’s suggestion, researchers continue to use various lenient or
methodologically convenient criteria recruiting the so-called “advanced L2 learners,” with some
using achievement tests (such as scores from final exams) and others using placement tests. The
results of these tests can only shed light on L2 learners’ achievement in some limited language
subdomains, rather than their overall proficiency profile. Without using stringent standardized
“proficiency” tests (such as TOEFL, IELTS, or TOEIC), existing studies might have collected data
from L2 learners whose L2 development is still in progress, rather than genuinely advanced L2
learners whose L2 has reached a plateau. Longitudinal data collected from the latter L2 learner
population are warranted in order to shed more light on the developmental trajectory that L2 learners
take and the upper limit that they can reach. Hitherto, much remains unknown about the attainability
of a native-like processing system in L2 acquisition.
【題組】43. In the context of the passage, the word “plateau” most closely corresponds to which of the
following words?
(A) ceiling (B) obstacle (C) cut-off (D) segment (E) closure
13. There is a strict ____ criterion that each applicant will need to meet in order to be considered for
the funding.
(A) eligibility (B) mortification (C) negligence (D) repugnance
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