When babies are really young, they like to copy what their parents say. But at some point, they start becoming “creators”. So when does the change happen?
According to a new study by scientists from the University of Chicago in the US, English-speaking children start making their own sentences at about 2.5 years old. To do this, kids need to first understand the rules of the language. For English, one important rule is that determiners(限定词), like “a” and “the”, go in front of nouns(名词).
Every four months, the scientists recorded 64 English-speaking children talking with their parents. The scientists found that at around 30 months later, kids started using both “a” and “the” in front of the same noun, for example, “dog”. This showed that they understood the determiner-noun language pattern(模式). What’s more, they were using the pattern to create more expressions their parents had never said.
But the recording cannot cover everything the kids hear and say each day. So the scientists developed an AI model to double check their findings. Like a human child, the model could find language patterns in the recordings and predict the words to come. “For the most part, it does what the kids do,” said Susan Goldin-Meadow, one of the scientists. The team then wanted to see when the model produced its first new determiner-noun phrase. The result was the same as the study on kids.
The findings can further scientists’ understanding of language learning. They can also help teach kids with special needs, such as those learning sign language.
回答下面5个问题,1~4小题每题答案不超过5个词。
1. At what age do English-speaking children start making their own sentences?
2. How often did the scientists record the 64 English-speaking children?
3. What could the AI model do besides(除……之外) finding language patterns?
4. When did the AI model produce its first new determiner-noun phrase?
5. What do you think of the findings? And why?
According to a new study by scientists from the University of Chicago in the US, English-speaking children start making their own sentences at about 2.5 years old. To do this, kids need to first understand the rules of the language. For English, one important rule is that determiners(限定词), like “a” and “the”, go in front of nouns(名词).
Every four months, the scientists recorded 64 English-speaking children talking with their parents. The scientists found that at around 30 months later, kids started using both “a” and “the” in front of the same noun, for example, “dog”. This showed that they understood the determiner-noun language pattern(模式). What’s more, they were using the pattern to create more expressions their parents had never said.
But the recording cannot cover everything the kids hear and say each day. So the scientists developed an AI model to double check their findings. Like a human child, the model could find language patterns in the recordings and predict the words to come. “For the most part, it does what the kids do,” said Susan Goldin-Meadow, one of the scientists. The team then wanted to see when the model produced its first new determiner-noun phrase. The result was the same as the study on kids.
The findings can further scientists’ understanding of language learning. They can also help teach kids with special needs, such as those learning sign language.
回答下面5个问题,1~4小题每题答案不超过5个词。
1. At what age do English-speaking children start making their own sentences?
At about 2.5 years old.
2. How often did the scientists record the 64 English-speaking children?
Every four months.
3. What could the AI model do besides(除……之外) finding language patterns?
Predict the words to come.
4. When did the AI model produce its first new determiner-noun phrase?
About 30 months later.
5. What do you think of the findings? And why?
They are useful. Because they can further scientists' understanding of language learning.
答案：1. At about 2.5 years old. 2. Every four months. 3. Predict the words to come.
4. About 30 months later.
5. They are useful. Because they can further scientists' understanding of language learning.
4. About 30 months later.
5. They are useful. Because they can further scientists' understanding of language learning.
解析：
【分析】本题为英语阅读理解题，需根据文章内容定位关键信息作答。前4题是细节理解题，需找到对应问题的关键词在原文中的位置提取答案；第5题是开放问答题，需结合文章最后一段关于研究发现作用的内容组织答案。
【解析】1. 定位到第二段“English-speaking children start making their own sentences at about 2.5 years old.”，提取对应年龄信息；2. 定位到第三段第一句“Every four months, the scientists recorded 64 English-speaking children talking with their parents.”，提取记录频率；3. 定位到第四段“Like a human child, the model could find language patterns in the recordings and predict the words to come.”，提取AI模型除找模式外的功能；4. 第三段提到孩子约30个月后开始使用限定词-名词模式，第四段说明AI模型结果与孩子一致，提取对应时间；5. 最后一段指出研究发现可帮助科学家理解语言学习、助力特殊儿童教学，据此组织答案。
【答案】1. At about 2.5 years old. 2. Every four months. 3. Predict the words to come. 4. About 30 months later. 5. They are useful. Because they can further scientists' understanding of language learning.
【知识点】英语阅读理解、细节信息提取、开放问答
【点评】本题考查学生快速定位文章关键信息的能力，前4题难度较低，第5题需结合文章内容合理表达，整体符合英语阅读理解的考查要求。
【难度系数】0.7
【解析】1. 定位到第二段“English-speaking children start making their own sentences at about 2.5 years old.”，提取对应年龄信息；2. 定位到第三段第一句“Every four months, the scientists recorded 64 English-speaking children talking with their parents.”，提取记录频率；3. 定位到第四段“Like a human child, the model could find language patterns in the recordings and predict the words to come.”，提取AI模型除找模式外的功能；4. 第三段提到孩子约30个月后开始使用限定词-名词模式，第四段说明AI模型结果与孩子一致，提取对应时间；5. 最后一段指出研究发现可帮助科学家理解语言学习、助力特殊儿童教学，据此组织答案。
【答案】1. At about 2.5 years old. 2. Every four months. 3. Predict the words to come. 4. About 30 months later. 5. They are useful. Because they can further scientists' understanding of language learning.
【知识点】英语阅读理解、细节信息提取、开放问答
【点评】本题考查学生快速定位文章关键信息的能力，前4题难度较低，第5题需结合文章内容合理表达，整体符合英语阅读理解的考查要求。
【难度系数】0.7