LING 115 Final Exam 2026 – 150 Practice
Questions & Verified Answers with Rationales |
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SECTION 1: LANGUAGE ATTITUDES & DIALECTS IN EDUCATION (Questions 1–30)
1. Research on language attitudes supports which of the following conclusions?
A) Language attitudes are based solely on a speaker's vocabulary.
B) Language attitudes can be triggered by general linguistic characteristics (like speaking a
particular language or dialect) or by specific features (like using a certain word or phrase).
C) Language attitudes are entirely independent of social stereotypes.
D) Listeners always judge speakers of high-status varieties as warmer and more friendly.
Correct Answer: B
Research demonstrates that language attitudes are complex and can be activated by broad
markers, such as the language or dialect itself, as well as by specific, localized linguistic
features.
2. Research on language attitudes has found all of the following EXCEPT which one?
A) Listeners make judgments about a speaker's personality based on their dialect.
B) Speakers of standard varieties are often perceived as more competent.
C) Listeners tend to perceive speakers of high-status varieties as warmer and more friendly
than speakers of low-status varieties.
D) Language attitudes can be influenced by the perceived ethnicity of the speaker.
Correct Answer: C
A consistent finding in language attitude studies is that speakers of high-status varieties are
typically rated higher on competence but not necessarily on warmth or friendliness; the
reverse is often found for low-status varieties.
3. Students who speak non-standard dialects of English often struggle in school. All
of the following factors contribute to their struggles EXCEPT which one?
A) Teachers may hold negative attitudes toward their dialect.
B) The school curriculum may be based on the standard variety.
,C) Non-standard dialects, due to the relative simplicity of their grammars, do not enable
their speakers to process and express complex academic ideas.
D) There can be a cultural mismatch between home and school language practices.
Correct Answer: C
This is a false and biased claim. Non-standard dialects are not linguistically simpler; they
are rule-governed systems fully capable of expressing complex ideas. The struggles stem
from social and educational factors, not cognitive or linguistic limitations.
4. Which of the following is NOT one of the approaches to dealing with students who
come to school speaking a non-standard dialect of English?
A) Helping students master their non-standard English dialect so they can speak it
proficiently.
B) Teaching Standard English as an additional code without devaluing the home dialect.
C) Immersing students entirely in Standard English and correcting their dialect.
D) Using the students' home dialect as a bridge to learning Standard English.
Correct Answer: A
While a goal of additive bi-dialectalism is to add Standard English to a student's repertoire,
the idea of helping students "master their non-standard dialect" as a primary educational
goal is generally not an approach; the goal is to add the standard, not to remediate or
perfect the vernacular.
5. Which of the following best describes the "pivot generation" in the three-
generation model of language shift?
A) The first generation that speaks primarily the new language
B) The generation that is fully monolingual in the heritage language
C) The generation that is balanced bilingual
D) The generation that first arrives in the new country
Correct Answer: A
The pivot generation is typically the second generation, who are often bilingual but begin to
use the new, dominant language more frequently, acting as the pivot point between the
monolingual heritage language of the first generation and the monolingual dominant
language of the third.
6. All of the following are reasons that languages die EXCEPT which one?
A) Natural disasters that wipe out a speaker population.
B) Political and economic pressures that make a dominant language more valuable.
C) Cognitive reasons, such as a language's grammar or vocabulary being too difficult for
, people to learn.
D) Social stigma attached to a minority language.
Correct Answer: C
The idea that a language dies because its grammar is "too difficult" is a myth. All languages
are equally complex and learnable by children. Language death is driven by socio-political
and economic factors, not cognitive ones.
7. Which of the following education systems do(es) NOT exist?
A) A system in which native speakers of Language A attend school in Language B and vice
versa, so that everyone ends up bilingual.
B) A system in which the language of formal education is no one's native language, so
everyone has to learn a new language.
C) A system in which language-minority students learn the majority language in preschool
so that they're ready when it's time to start school.
D) Actually, all of these systems exist.
Correct Answer: D
All of these are real models of bilingual or immersion education found globally, including
two-way immersion (A), using a lingua franca as the medium of instruction (B), and early-
exit transitional programs (C).
8. Which of the following tends to be true of systems that focus on majority-language
education?
A) Proficiency in the majority language is the main goal, so what happens to the other
language(s) is irrelevant.
B) They aim to maintain the minority language alongside the majority language.
C) They prioritize the development of balanced bilingualism.
D) They are designed to revitalize endangered languages.
Correct Answer: A
In a majority-language-focused (or assimilationist) model, the primary, often sole, goal is for
minority students to become proficient in the dominant language. Maintenance of the home
language is not a goal and may even be discouraged.
9. “Language attitudes can be triggered by general linguistic characteristics or by
specific features.” This statement is:
A) True
B) False
Questions & Verified Answers with Rationales |
Latest Edition | Instant Download PDF
SECTION 1: LANGUAGE ATTITUDES & DIALECTS IN EDUCATION (Questions 1–30)
1. Research on language attitudes supports which of the following conclusions?
A) Language attitudes are based solely on a speaker's vocabulary.
B) Language attitudes can be triggered by general linguistic characteristics (like speaking a
particular language or dialect) or by specific features (like using a certain word or phrase).
C) Language attitudes are entirely independent of social stereotypes.
D) Listeners always judge speakers of high-status varieties as warmer and more friendly.
Correct Answer: B
Research demonstrates that language attitudes are complex and can be activated by broad
markers, such as the language or dialect itself, as well as by specific, localized linguistic
features.
2. Research on language attitudes has found all of the following EXCEPT which one?
A) Listeners make judgments about a speaker's personality based on their dialect.
B) Speakers of standard varieties are often perceived as more competent.
C) Listeners tend to perceive speakers of high-status varieties as warmer and more friendly
than speakers of low-status varieties.
D) Language attitudes can be influenced by the perceived ethnicity of the speaker.
Correct Answer: C
A consistent finding in language attitude studies is that speakers of high-status varieties are
typically rated higher on competence but not necessarily on warmth or friendliness; the
reverse is often found for low-status varieties.
3. Students who speak non-standard dialects of English often struggle in school. All
of the following factors contribute to their struggles EXCEPT which one?
A) Teachers may hold negative attitudes toward their dialect.
B) The school curriculum may be based on the standard variety.
,C) Non-standard dialects, due to the relative simplicity of their grammars, do not enable
their speakers to process and express complex academic ideas.
D) There can be a cultural mismatch between home and school language practices.
Correct Answer: C
This is a false and biased claim. Non-standard dialects are not linguistically simpler; they
are rule-governed systems fully capable of expressing complex ideas. The struggles stem
from social and educational factors, not cognitive or linguistic limitations.
4. Which of the following is NOT one of the approaches to dealing with students who
come to school speaking a non-standard dialect of English?
A) Helping students master their non-standard English dialect so they can speak it
proficiently.
B) Teaching Standard English as an additional code without devaluing the home dialect.
C) Immersing students entirely in Standard English and correcting their dialect.
D) Using the students' home dialect as a bridge to learning Standard English.
Correct Answer: A
While a goal of additive bi-dialectalism is to add Standard English to a student's repertoire,
the idea of helping students "master their non-standard dialect" as a primary educational
goal is generally not an approach; the goal is to add the standard, not to remediate or
perfect the vernacular.
5. Which of the following best describes the "pivot generation" in the three-
generation model of language shift?
A) The first generation that speaks primarily the new language
B) The generation that is fully monolingual in the heritage language
C) The generation that is balanced bilingual
D) The generation that first arrives in the new country
Correct Answer: A
The pivot generation is typically the second generation, who are often bilingual but begin to
use the new, dominant language more frequently, acting as the pivot point between the
monolingual heritage language of the first generation and the monolingual dominant
language of the third.
6. All of the following are reasons that languages die EXCEPT which one?
A) Natural disasters that wipe out a speaker population.
B) Political and economic pressures that make a dominant language more valuable.
C) Cognitive reasons, such as a language's grammar or vocabulary being too difficult for
, people to learn.
D) Social stigma attached to a minority language.
Correct Answer: C
The idea that a language dies because its grammar is "too difficult" is a myth. All languages
are equally complex and learnable by children. Language death is driven by socio-political
and economic factors, not cognitive ones.
7. Which of the following education systems do(es) NOT exist?
A) A system in which native speakers of Language A attend school in Language B and vice
versa, so that everyone ends up bilingual.
B) A system in which the language of formal education is no one's native language, so
everyone has to learn a new language.
C) A system in which language-minority students learn the majority language in preschool
so that they're ready when it's time to start school.
D) Actually, all of these systems exist.
Correct Answer: D
All of these are real models of bilingual or immersion education found globally, including
two-way immersion (A), using a lingua franca as the medium of instruction (B), and early-
exit transitional programs (C).
8. Which of the following tends to be true of systems that focus on majority-language
education?
A) Proficiency in the majority language is the main goal, so what happens to the other
language(s) is irrelevant.
B) They aim to maintain the minority language alongside the majority language.
C) They prioritize the development of balanced bilingualism.
D) They are designed to revitalize endangered languages.
Correct Answer: A
In a majority-language-focused (or assimilationist) model, the primary, often sole, goal is for
minority students to become proficient in the dominant language. Maintenance of the home
language is not a goal and may even be discouraged.
9. “Language attitudes can be triggered by general linguistic characteristics or by
specific features.” This statement is:
A) True
B) False
