Mohamed Kheider University of Biskra

Module: Linguistics Faculty of Letters and Languages Level: First Year LMD
Date: January 15th, 2022 Department of English Timing: 09.15-10.15

Student's Full Name: …………………………………………………… Group №: ..............

FIRST-SEMESTER EXAM
Instruction:
 Write your full name and number of your group.
 Do not use the red pen and pencil in your answer sheet.

ACTIVITY ONE: (07.50 points)

Circle the option that best answers/completes each of the questions/statements below.
1. Language is a means of communication used by (00.75 point)
a) animals and human beings b) only animals c) only human beings
2. Which of the following statements is not correct? (00.75 point)
a) Language is as effective as other systems of communication.
b) Language is more effective than other systems of communication.
c) Language is more complicated than other systems of communication.
3. Which of the following statements is correct? (00.75 point)
a) Language is more closely related to speech than writing
b) Language is more closely related to writing than speech
c) language is equally related to both speech and writing
4. Language is (00.75 point)
a) mostly symbolic b) mostly iconic c) neither symbolic nor iconic
5. The interjection “Ouch!” is an example of the ...................................... function of language
a) expressive b) evocative c) directive
6. Which of the following phrases is not correct? (00.75 point)
a) the language of dogs b) Animals Systems of communication c) human language
7. Linguistics is primarily the study of (00.75 point)
a) verbal signs b) non-verbal signs c) both verbal and non-verbal signs
8. Which of the following words is not an example of onomatopoeia? (00.75 point)
a) quack b) meow c) book
9. Onomatopeic words are related to (00.75 point)
a) writing b) pronunciation c) writing and pronunciation

10. , which means “monkey” in Chinese , is (00.75 point)

a) a logogram b) a pictogram c) an ideogram

ACTIVITY TWO: (06.50 points)

Write TRUE or FALSE next to each of the statements below. Correct the wrong statements (Do not
rewrite them in the negative form!).
1. Some words of language are not arbitrary. ……………………….. (00.50 point)

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……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… (01.00 point)

2. According to duality, humans are able to talk about events that are not necessarily happening at the
moment of speaking. ……………………….. (00.50 point)
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……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… (01.00 point)

3. Displacement enables humans to create an unlimited number of words using a limited number of
speech sounds. ……….......... (00. 50 point)

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……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… (01.00 point)
4. Displacement exists only in language. ……………….... (00.50 point)

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………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. (01.00 point)

5. Language is genetically transmitted. ……………….... (00.50 point)

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……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… (01.00 point)

ACTIVITY THREE: (06.00 points)

Answer only ONE of the topics below in a paragraph.
Topic One: Linguists believe that the divine source theory of the origin of language is unscientific. Do you agree
with them? Justify your answer.
Topic Two: What would happen if language were not arbitrary?
Topic Three: What should any linguist do in order to be objective when studying language?

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