A reader claims: 'The experiment proves that language determines thought.' What is the correct assessment? (Passage: Language and thought)
Linguists have long debated whether the language we speak shapes how we think. One experiment compared speakers of a language with distinct words for light blue and dark blue with English speakers, who use one word for both. The first group were faster at telling apart two shades of blue when one fell on each side of the boundary between their two colour words. The effect vanished when participants were asked to repeat a string of digits while performing the task, suggesting that language was playing a role in the judgement itself.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. False
- Step 1: Look at the strength of the wording. Step 2. The passage says 'suggesting', and the debate is described as ongoing. Answer: False. Why not the others: Vanishing effect suggests rather than proves; the experiment is described; speed is limited to this task.
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