NielsenName: ______
English 10Vocab List #3 Practice 3
The Deaf Culture and Language
What does your culture mean to you? Most people feel that they can express themselves best within in the context of their own cultures. They feel most at home with people of their own ethnic backgrounds. They enjoy their age group or a certain kind of music.
The half-million people who have hearing loss in the United States belong to the deaf culture. Their culture gives them pride a strong sense of community. Like other cultures, the deaf culture in the United States uses its own language to communicate – American Sign Language (ASL). ASL consists of specific hand signs, body language, and facial expressions used to convey meaning. ASL fits the foreign-language framework because it has its own distinct grammar rules.
Around 1985, a new medical device called a cochlear implant caused controversy within the American deaf culture. The cochlear implant provides sufficient nerve stimulation to help some deaf people hear. People who have this device hear some sounds and communicate better with hearing people. Some members of the deaf culture feel that people who stop using ASL to communicate no longer belong to the deaf culture.
Some deaf people believe that this controversy reveals an ignorance of what culture means. They say that a common past is a major factor that unites people in a culture, even if they have different experiences later. Meanwhile, research on cochlear implants continues. In the future, doctors will be able to use improved devices to help more people with hearing loss.
How might deaf culture change because of cochlear implants?
Comprehension Check
A)Write T if the sentence is true. Write F is the sentence is false.
_____ 1) In the context of deaf culture, people communicate differently.
_____ 2) ASL fits the foreign-language framework because it uses different spelling for words.
_____ 3) With sufficient nerve stimulation, some deaf people can hear.
_____ 4) Deaf people never show ignorance about what culture is.
_____ 5) Values are one factor that unites people in a culture.
B)Write the word from the box that completes each sentence.
Most people feel they can express themselves best in the (1) ______of their own culture. Language is a (2) ______in any culture. ASL is a language that fits the foreign-language (3) ______. Some people may show (4) ______if they do not understand a culture. Later, they may gain (5)______information by talking with people in the culture.
C)Write the word from the box that replaces the underlined words.
______1) Culture is one element of how someone acts.
______2) ASL fits in the foreign-language structure.
______3) I feel safe in the environment of my own culture.
______4) A lack of knowledge can cause disagreements.
______5) You must have enough data to make a decision.
Definitions Check
A)Put a check by the answer to each question.
1)Which sentence is an example of someone who has motive?
_____ When I lost my balance, I fell off of my bicycle.
_____ I study science every day because I want to become a doctor.
2)Which sentence describes something that is primary?
_____ Brazil is a main producer of coffee beans in worldwide.
_____ Coffee is a popular drink among adults.
3)Which sentence is an example of a minor event?
_____ Gonzalo graduated from high school on Monday.
_____ Gonzalo had soccer practice on Monday.
4)Which sentence describes two things that correspond?
_____ Denise and Claire have the same explanation to the teacher.
_____ Denise and Claire told different stories about what happened.
B)Write the word from the box that completes each sentence.
1)Hugo made only ______changes to his essay, nothing that altered the meaning of it.
2)Her main ______for working is to make money.
3)The internet is our ______research source because it is at our fingertips.
4)They ______in the apartment on the top floor.
5)My schedule does not ______with my sister’s.
C)Complete the sentences below.
1)A map’s colors may correspondto ______.
2)I want to reside in ______.
3)Recently I saw a minor ______.
4)My motive for reading is ______.
5)My primary hobby is ______.