LEARNING A LANGUAGE Speech is one of the most important (17) ______ of communicating. It consists of far more than just making noises. To talk and also to be understood by other people, we have to speak a language, that is, we have to use combinations of (18) ______ that everyone agrees stand for a particular object or idea. Communication would be impossible if everyone made up their own language. Learning a language properly is very (19) ______. The basic (20) ______of English is not very large, and only about 2000 words are needed to speak it quite (21) ______ But the more words you know, the more ideas you can (22) ______ and the more precise you can be about their exact meaning. Words are the (23) ______ thing we use in communicating what we want to say. The way we (24) ______ the words is also very important. Our tone of voice can express many emotions and shows whether we are pleased of angry, for instance. 17. A. reasons B. ways C. rules D. tests 18. A. talks B. languages C. systems D. sounds 19. A. important B. expensive C. simple D. easy 20. A. word B. vocabulary C. grammar D. structure 21. A. good B. fluent C. well D. perfect 22. A. grow B. need C. pass D. express 23. A. most B. main C. certain D. full 24. A. send B. talk C. say D. pass