IGNOU SOLVED ASSIGNMENTS FOR 1st Semester MCS-015 2014-2015 Communication Skills
Ans: Comming soon. Now follow - How to write Best ASSIGNMENTS / ANSWERS by Yourself
1. Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow: Scientists have taught a parrot English. So what? This time, it seems, the bird not only says the words but also understands them. Alex, an African grey parrot residing at America‟s Purdue University in Indiana, has a vocabulary of about 40 words with which he identifies, requests and sometimes refuses more than 50 toys. He seems to manipulate words as abstract symbols – in other words, to use a primitive form of language. In many birds, communication takes the form of simple, stereotyped signals. Some birds, like parrots, are capable of learning huge repertoires of phrases by mimicking each other or other species. But, until now, there has been no evidence that any bird could make the big leap to associating one sound exclusively with one object or quality. Alex can. Dr. Irene Pepperberg, his trainer, exploited the natural curiosity of the parrot to teach him to use the names of different toys. She did this with a technique known as model/rival training. The trainer and an assistant play with the toys and ask each other question about them. To join in, the parrot has to compete for the trainer‟s attention. The results have been spectacular. Alex rapidly learnt to ask for certain objects, identifying them by words for shape, colour and material (e.g., three-cornered green paper, or fivecornered yellow wood). He is asked to repeat words until he gets them right and is then rewarded by being given the object to play with. Dr. Pepperberg believes it is important that the bird is not rewarded with food, because that would make him think of words as ways of getting treats rather than as symbols for objects. Twice a week, Alex is tested and he normally gets about 80% of the objects right. The mistakes are usually small omissions (for instance, he forgets to name the colour of an object) rather than specific errors. To discover if he really is able to grasp concepts like colour and shape, he is shown entirely novel combinations. When first shown a blue piece of leather he said „blue hide‟ even though the blue objects he had previously seen were all keys or made of wood. This suggests that he is capable of „segmentation‟: that is, he is aware that words are building blocks that can be used in different combinations. Still, a vocabulary of adjectives and nouns hardly amounts to mastery of a language. The scientists have been looking for evidence that Alex understands more complicated ideas. One unexpected breakthrough was when he learnt to say „no‟. He picked this up from the conversations between trainer and model and seems to understand at least one meaning of the word – rejection (for instance, when Dr Pepperberg tries to play with him and he does not feel like it). He can also count to five when asked how many objects are being shown
a) From the passage indicate four things that the parrot has learnt. One is done for you as an example. a) Says words and understands them. b) c) d) e)
b) The writer briefly describes two different methods to teach the parrot English. State briefly what they are
c) What is „segmentation‟ according to the passage? Give an example of segmentation with regard to parrot talk.
d) In para 6 the writer provides evidence to support the claim that the parrot understands „more complicated ideas‟. What is this evidence?
e) Give an appropriate title to the passage. Say why you chose the title.
f) Find words from the passage that mean the same as the following: i recognises (para 1) ii crude, simple (para 1) iii predictable (para 2) iv imitating (para 2) v desire to know (para 3) vi strive (para3) vii impressive (para4) viii things that make you feel good (para4) ix generally (para5) x understand (para5)
2. Fill in the blanks with connectives from the box below:
obviously both finally as a result
for example subsequently although overall
instead nevertheless
i After four attempts, Prakash ___________ got his experiment right.
ii Being a minor, he is _____________dependent on his parents.
iii The documentary has many gaps. ________________, it is never explained why the main character is afraid of heights.
iv Juhi is not interested in joining her father‟s business. ____________, she wants to be a writer.
v _____________the drawing room and the kitchen overlook the park.
vi The metro station was closed for an hour. __________, Saumya reached the college on time. vii Leela‟s daughter got soaked in the rain. ____________, she became ill.
viii _____________, the theatre festival was a great success. ix A lot of people were ____________ found alive after becoming hopelessly lost in the devastating flash flood that hit Uttarakhand. x I'd like to think he'll be flattered, ___________ I can't be sure.
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