When Toni Morrison died in 2019, the world lost one of its most influential authors. But Morrison was not an early success. Her first novel was not published until she was 39, and her last appeared when she was 84. And Morrison was not 26 in this regard. Numerous writers produce masterpieces well into their 70s and beyond. Such 27 accomplishments highlight an important point. Our capacity to speak, write and learn new vocabulary does not seem to 28 with age. Our eyesight may dim and our recall may weaken, but, by comparison, our ability to produce and to 29 language is well preserved into older adulthood.
Indeed, the latest research that has emerged on language and aging shows that language mastery is a 30 that we begin as infants and continue on for the rest of our lives. Some aspects of our language abilities, such as our knowledge of word meanings, 31 improve during middle and late adulthood. One study, for example, found that adults over sixty had an average vocabulary size of over 21,000 words. The researchers also studied a 32 of college students and found that their average vocabulary contained 33 16,000 words. In another study, older adults, with an average age of 75, 34 better than participants in their youth or middle years on tasks that required them to determine the meaning of words. Thus, language seems to be a skill that, contrary to what many might 35, does not weaken with age.
A. actually B. approximately C. assume D. component E. comprehend F. deteriorate G. equivalent H. journey I. literary J. performed K. rarely L. sample M. undermined N. unique O. unit
答案解析：
答案解析：
26. N根据上下文，And Morrison was not 26 in this regard.”(在这方面，莫里森并不是的)。前文提到莫里森直到39岁才出版第一部小说，84岁还在出书，紧接着又说Numerous writers produce masterpieces well into their 70s and beyond.”(许多作家在70多岁甚至更晚的时候仍在创作杰作)。这说明莫里森的情况并非个例，所以她在这方面并非独特的”。所以选 N. unique (独特的)。
27. I根据上下文，Such 27 accomplishments highlight an important point.”(这些成就突出了一个重要观点)。前文在讨论作家(writers)和小说(novel)，这些都与文学相关。因此，这些成就是文学上的”成就。所以选 I. literary (文学的)。
28. F根据上下文，Our capacity...28 with age.”(我们说话、写作和学习新词汇的能力似乎不会随着年龄增长而)。后文用but, by comparison”(但是，相比之下)进行转折，指出语言能力在老年时期保存得很好，这说明前文是在否定一种负面的变化。与不会”搭配，最合适的词是恶化”或衰退”。所以选 F. deteriorate (恶化，衰退)。
29. E根据上下文，our ability to produce and to 29 language is well preserved into older adulthood.”(我们产出和语言的能力在老年时期保存得很好)。此处与produce”(产出)并列，构成语言能力的两个方面。产出语言后，自然就是理解”语言。所以选 E. comprehend (理解)。
30. H根据上下文，language mastery is a 30 that we begin as infants and continue on for the rest of our lives.”(语言掌握是一个我们从婴儿时期开始并持续一生的)。这里将语言掌握的过程比作一个从开始到结束的持续过程，用旅程”来比喻这个持续不断的发展过程非常贴切。所以选 H. journey (旅程)。
31根据后文“adults over sixty had an average vocabulary size of over 21,000 words”(60岁以上成年人词汇量更大)，可知语言能力“实际上”在中年和晚年提升，actually(实际上)强调对比，故选A。
32. L根据上下文，The researchers also studied a 32 of college students...”(研究人员还研究了一组大学生)。在研究语境中，为了代表一个更大的群体，通常会研究一个样本”。所以选 L. sample (样本)。
33. B根据上下文，...found that their average vocabulary contained 33 16,000 words.”(发现他们的平均词汇量包含16,000个单词)。16,000”这个数字显然是一个经过统计和估算得出的近似值，而非精确到个位数的数字。所以选 B. approximately (大约，近似地)。
34. J根据上下文，...older adults, with an average age of 75, 34 better than participants in their youth or middle years on tasks...”(平均年龄75岁的老年人在任务上比年轻人或中年参与者更好)。这里需要一个动词来表示在任务上表现如何”，与better”搭配。所以选 J. performed (表现，执行)。
35. C根据上下文，...language seems to be a skill that, contrary to what many might 35, does not weaken with age.”(语言似乎是一种技能，与许多人可能的相反，它并不会随着年龄增长而减弱)。这句话明确指出，文章的观点与很多人的普遍看法”相反。人们普遍认为”或想当然地认为”能力会随年龄减弱，而事实并非如此。所以选 C. assume (假定，认为)。
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