(一) How men first learnt to invent words is unknown; in other words, the origin of language is a mystery.
All we really know is that men, unlike animals, somehow invented certain sounds to express thoughts and
feelings, actions and things, so that they could communicate with each other; and that later they agreed upon
certain signs, called letters, which could be combined to represent those sounds, and which could be written
down. Those sounds, whether spoken or written in letters, we call words. The power of words, then, lies in their associationsthe things they bring up before our minds, Words
become filled with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words recall to us
the glad and sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean
something to us increases.
Great writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words
which appeal powerfully to our minds and emotions. This charming and telling use of words is what we call
literary style. Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can convey his meaning in words which like
music and by their association can move men to tears. We should therefore learn to choose our words
carefully and use them accurately, or they will make our speech silly and vulgar.
【題組】45. Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?
(A) The more we read and learn, the more learned we are.
(B) The more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something to us decreases.
(C) The more we read and learn, the more illiterate we become.
(D) The more we read and learn, the more knowledge we will acquire.