Language learning begins with listening. Individualchildren vary greatly in the mount of l

Language learning begins with listening. Individual

children vary greatly in the mount of listening they do after 【S1】______

they start speaking, and late starters are often long listeners.

Most children will "obey" spoken instructions some time

before they can speak, though the word obey is hardly

accurate like a description of the eager and delighted 【S2】______

cooperation usually shown by the child. Before they can

speak, many children will ask questions in gesture and by 【S3】______

making questioning noises. Any attempt to trace the

development from the noises babies make to their first

spoken words lead to considerable difficulties. It is agreed 【S4】______

they enjoy making noises, and that during the first 【S5】______

few months one or two noise sort themselves out as 【S6】______

particular indicative of delight, distress, sociability, and so 【S7】______

on. But since these can be said to show the baby's intention to 【S8】______

communicate, they can hardly be regarded as early forms of

language. It is agreed, too, that from about three months they

play with sounds for enjoyment, and that by six months they

are able to add new sounds to their repertoire. This

self-imitation leads on to deliberate imitation of sounds

making or words spoken to them by other people. The 【S9】______

problem then arises as to the point which one can say that 【S10】______

these imitations can be considered as speech.

【S1】