第二节 语法填空（共10小题，每小题1分，满分10分）
阅读下面短文，按照句子结构的语法性和上下文连贯的要求，在空格处填入一个适当的词或使用括号中词语的正确形式填空，并将答案填写在答题卡标号为31-40的相应位置上。
Language learning begins with listening. Some linguists say children are greatly different    31    the amount of listening that they do before they start speaking, and later starters are often long listeners. Most    32    will “obey” spoken instructions some time before they can speak, though the word “obey” is hardly accurate as    33    description of the eager and delighted cooperation usually shown by the children. Before they can speak, many children will also ask questions by gestures and by making questioning noises.
Any attempt    34     (study) the development from the noises babies make to their first spoken words leads to    35     (consider) difficulties. It is agreed that they enjoy making noises, and that during the first few months one or two noises sort themselves as    36    (particular) expressive as delight, pain, friendliness, and so on.    37   since these can’t be said to show the baby’s intention to communicate, they can hardly be regarded as early forms of language. It is agreed, too, that from about three months they play with sounds for enjoyment, and that by six months they are able to add new words to    38     store. This self-imitation(模仿)    39    (contribute) to deliberate imitation of sounds or words spoken to them by other people. The problem then arises as to the point at    40     one can say that these imitations can be considered as speech.