Language Diversity is one of the most academic and highly debated topics you may encounter in IELTS Reading. This passage focuses on the clash between two major schools of thought: Noam Chomsky’s “Universal Grammar” (UG) theory and the view that diversity itself is the true essence of language.
Let’s join ECE English to break down the reading passage, question sets, answers, and core vocabulary to master this topic.
Reading Passage: Language Diversity
Paragraph A
One of the most influential ideas in the study of languages is that of universal grammar (UG). Put forward by Noam Chomsky in the 1960s, it is widely interpreted as meaning that all languages are basically the same, and that the human brain is born language-ready, with an in-built programme that is able to interpret the common rules underlying any mother tongue. For five decades this idea prevailed, and influenced work in linguistics, psychology and cognitive science. To understand language, it implied, you must sweep aside the huge diversity of languages, and find their common human core.
Paragraph B
Since the theory of UG was proposed, linguists have identified many universal language rules. However, there are almost always exceptions. It was once believed, for example, that if a language had syllables that begin with a vowel and end with a consonant (VC), it would also have syllables that begin with a consonant and end with a vowel (CV). This universal lasted until 1999, when linguists showed that Arrernte, spoken by Indigenous Australians from the area around Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, has VC syllables but no CV syllables.
Paragraph C
Other non-universal universals describe the basic rules of putting words together. Take the rule that every language contains four basic word classes: nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Work in the past two decades has shown that several languages lack an open adverb class… Others, such as Lao, spoken in Laos, have no adjectives at all. More controversially, some linguists argue that a few languages, such as Straits Salish… do not even have distinct nouns or verbs. Instead, they have a single class of words to include events, objects and qualities.
Paragraph D
Even apparently indisputable universals have been found lacking. This includes recursion, or the ability to infinitely place one grammatical unit inside a similar unit… It is widely considered to be the most essential characteristic of human language… Yet Dan Everett at Illinois State University recently published controversial work showing that Amazonian Piraha does not have this quality.
Paragraph E
But what if the very diversity of languages is the key to understanding human communication? Linguists Nicholas Evans… and Stephen Levinson… believe that languages do not share a common set of rules. Instead, they say, their sheer variety is a defining feature of human communication… if Evans and Levinson are correct, language in turn shapes our brains. This suggests that humans are more diverse than we thought… every time a language becomes extinct, humanity loses an important piece of diversity.
Paragraph F
If languages do not obey a single set of shared rules, then how are they created? ‘Instead of universals. you get standard engineering solutions that languages adopt again and again, and then you get outliers.’ says Evans… any given language is a complex system shaped by many factors, including culture, genetics and history. There- are no absolutely universal traits of language, they say, only tendencies.
Paragraph G
According to the two linguists, the strong tendencies explain why many languages display common patterns. A variety of factors tend to push language in a similar direction, such as the structure of the brain, the biology of speech, and the efficiencies of communication…
Paragraph H
Weak tendencies, in contrast, are explained by the idiosyncrasies of different languages… many aspects of the particular natural history of a population may affect its language. For instance, Andy Butcher… has observed that indigenous Australian children have by far the highest incidence of chronic middle-ear infection… and that most indigenous Australian languages lack many sounds that are common in other languages, but which are hard to hear with a middle-ear infection…
Paragraph I
Levinson and Evans are not the first to question the theory of universal grammar, but no one has summarised these ideas quite as persuasively, and given them as much reach. As a result, their arguments have generated widespread enthusiasm… To some, it is the final nail in UG’s coffin. Michael Tomasello… has been a long-standing critic of the idea that all languages conform to a set of rules. ‘Universal grammar is dead,’ he says.
Questions 1 – 6
Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in Reading Passage?
Write
YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
1. In the final decades of the twentieth century, a single theory of language learning was dominant.
2. The majority of UG rules proposed by linguists do apply to all human languages.
3. There is disagreement amongst linguists about an aspect of Straits Salish grammar.
4. The search for new universal language rules has largely ended.
5. If Evans and Levinson are right, people develop in the same way no matter what language they speak.
6. The loss of any single language might have implications for the human race.
Questions 7 – 11
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
7. Which of the following views about language are held by Evans and Levinson?
A. Each of the world’s languages develops independently.
B. The differences between languages outweigh the similarities.
C. Only a few language features are universal.
D. Each language is influenced by the characteristics of other languages.
8. According to Evans and Levinson, apparent similarities between languages could be due to
A. close social contact.
B. faulty analysis.
C. shared modes of perception.
D. narrow descriptive systems.
9. In the eighth paragraph, what does the reference to a middle-ear infection serve as?
A. A justification for something.
B. A contrast with something.
C. The possible cause of something.
D. The likely result of something.
10. What does the writer suggest about Evans’ and Levinson’s theory of language development?
A. It had not been previously considered.
B. It is presented in a convincing way.
C. It has been largely rejected by other linguists.
D. It is not supported by the evidence.
11. Which of the following best describes the writer’s purpose?
A. To describe progress in the field of cognitive science.
B. To defend a long-held view of language learning.
C. To identify the similarities between particular languages.
D. To outline opposing views concerning the nature of language.
Questions 12 – 14 (Matching Sentence Endings)
Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-E, below.
Write the correct letter, A-E.
12. The Arrernte language breaks a ‘rule’ concerning…
13. The Lao language has been identified as lacking…
14. It has now been suggested that Amazonia Piraha does not have…
Endings A-E
A. words of a certain grammatical type.
B. a sequence of sounds predicted by UG.
C. words which can have more than one meaning.
D. the language feature regarded as the most basic.
E. sentences beyond a specified length.
Answer Key and Detailed Explanations
| Question | Answer | Detailed Explanation |
| 1 | YES | Evidence (Paragraph A): “For five decades this idea prevailed, and influenced work in linguistics, psychology and cognitive science.” → “Prevail” means it was dominant during that period. |
| 2 | NO | Evidence (Paragraph B): “…linguists have identified many universal language rules. However, there are almost always exceptions.” → The question claims the majority of rules apply to all languages, but the text states there are almost always exceptions, meaning they are not truly universal. |
| 3 | YES | Evidence (Paragraph C): “More controversially, some linguists argue that a few languages, such as Straits Salish… do not even have distinct nouns or verbs.” → The terms “controversially” and “some linguists argue” indicate a lack of consensus or disagreement. |
| 4 | NOT GIVEN | The text mentions that universal rules are frequently found to have exceptions, but it never mentions whether the search for new rules has ended or is continuing. |
| 5 | NO | Evidence (Paragraph E): “…language in turn shapes our brains. This suggests that humans are more diverse than we thought, with our brains having differences depending on the language environment…” → This directly contradicts the idea that people develop in the “same way.” |
| 6 | YES | Evidence (Paragraph E): “…every time a language becomes extinct, humanity loses an important piece of diversity.” → Losing a piece of diversity constitutes “implications for the human race.” |
| 7 | B | Evidence (Paragraph E): “…their sheer variety is a defining feature of human communication…” → “Sheer variety” as a defining feature implies that differences are more significant than similarities. |
| 8 | C | Evidence (Paragraph G): “…we perceive the world as a place full of things causing actions (agents) and things having actions done to them (patients) explains why most languages deploy these grammatical categories.” → This refers to “shared modes of perception.” |
| 9 | C | Evidence (Paragraph H): The author mentions middle-ear infections and the absence of certain sounds in Indigenous Australian languages, questioning “Whether this condition has shaped the sound systems…”. This proposes a “possible cause.” |
| 10 | B | Evidence (Paragraph I): “…no one has summarised these ideas quite as persuasively…” → “Persuasively” is synonymous with being “presented in a convincing way.” |
| 11 | D | The entire passage presents and compares two conflicting viewpoints: Universal Grammar (UG) and the diversity theory of Evans & Levinson. This serves to “outline opposing views.” |
| 12 | B | Evidence (Paragraph B): Arrernte has VC syllables but no CV syllables. This breaks a rule regarding the “sequence of sounds” predicted by UG. |
| 13 | A | Evidence (Paragraph C): “…Lao, spoken in Laos, have no adjectives at all.” → Adjectives are a specific grammatical category (“words of a certain grammatical type”). |
| 14 | D | Evidence (Paragraph D): Piraha lacks “recursion,” which “is widely considered to be the most essential characteristic of human language” (the most basic feature). |
Content Summary & Vocabulary Highlights
Content Summary
The passage explores the debate regarding the fundamental nature of language.
- School 1 (Traditional): Chomsky’s Universal Grammar (UG) theory suggests all languages share a core set of rules and that the human brain is hard-wired to learn them.
- School 2 (Modern): Evans and Levinson challenge UG, arguing that diversity is the defining characteristic of language. They highlight numerous exceptions to “universal rules” and argue that language is shaped by strong tendencies (brain structure, biology) and weak tendencies (culture, history, environment). They also suggest that language, in turn, shapes the brain. The article concludes that UG is losing its dominance and may even be “dead.”
Key Vocabulary Summary
| Vocabulary / Phrase | Definition / Context |
| Universal Grammar (UG) | A theory suggesting a shared genetic component of the language faculty. |
| Prevail | To be widespread or current; to be dominant. |
| Sweep aside | To dismiss or ignore something as unimportant. |
| Exceptions | Cases that do not follow a general rule. |
| Controversially | In a way that causes disagreement or debate. |
| Indisputable | Impossible to doubt; unquestionable. |
| Recursion | The repeated application of a recursive procedure or definition. |
| Sheer variety | The absolute or total range of differences. |
| Become extinct | To vanish or no longer exist (often used for languages or species). |
| Tendencies | Inclinations toward a particular characteristic or type of behavior. |
| Idiosyncrasies | Distinctive or peculiar features of a specific thing. |
| Persuasively | In a convincing manner that influences belief. |
| The final nail in the coffin | An event that causes the ultimate failure of something already weak. |
The “Language Diversity” passage is a classic example of the high-level academic debates found in IELTS Reading. It tests not only your ability to understand detail but also your grasp of opposing ideologies: Universal Grammar versus the modern view of linguistic diversity.
Understanding the arguments and counter-evidence provided is key to accurately answering complex question types like YES/NO/NOT GIVEN and identifying researcher perspectives. Continue practicing with similar academic topics to build critical thinking skills and enrich your vocabulary. Good luck with your studies and achieving your target IELTS band score!
Khai giảng Khóa học Hè cực HOT.
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