The Pirahã people of Brazil
Read The Pirahã people of Brazil and check the IELTS Reading answers. The Pirahã tribe live deep in Brazil's Amazon forest, and their language is hotly debated by linguists. Since 1977, the ethnologist Daniel Everett has spent a total of seven years living with the Pirahã and has committed his care…
Passage preview
The Pirahã tribe live deep in Brazil's Amazon forest, and their language is hotly debated by linguists. Since 1977, the ethnologist Daniel Everett has spent a total of seven years living with the Pirahã and has committed his career to studying their puzzling speech. Indeed, he was uncertain for so long about what he was actually hearing while living among the Pirahä that he waited nearly three decades before publishing his findings.
Vocabulary from this passage
12 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- conjugate verb
To give the different forms of a verb in an inflected language
Students often struggle to conjugate irregular verbs correctly in foreign languages.
- curtail verb
To reduce in extent or quantity; to impose a restriction on
Budget cuts will severely curtail the scope of the research project.
- inalienable adjective
Unable to be taken away from or given away by the possessor
Linguists debate whether certain grammatical structures are inalienable features of language.
- manifestation noun
An event, action, or object that clearly shows or embodies something abstract
The protests were a manifestation of deep-seated public dissatisfaction.
- negate verb
To nullify; to make ineffective; to deny the existence or truth of
This new evidence does not negate the findings of previous studies.
- peculiarity noun
An odd or unusual feature or habit that distinguishes something
One peculiarity of the dialect is its total absence of future tense markers.
- perplexing adjective
Completely baffling; very puzzling and difficult to understand
The lack of numerical terms in the tribe's language was perplexing to researchers.
- pertinent adjective
Relevant or applicable to a particular matter; apposite
The lecturer provided historical context that was pertinent to the current political crisis.
- recursion noun
The repeated application of a recursive procedure or definition; embedding structures within structures
Chomsky argued that recursion is the defining characteristic of human language ability.
- rudimentary adjective
Involving or limited to basic principles; relating to an immature or undeveloped form
The civilization had only a rudimentary system of written communication.
- syntax noun
The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language
The syntax of the language is complex and relies heavily on word order.
- tenet noun
A principle or belief, especially one of the main principles of a religion or philosophy
A central tenet of the culture is living strictly in the present moment.
Answers with explanations
- 27. D
The question asks what is true about Everett. The text states he has **committed his career to studying** their speech. Option A is incorrect because he spent a **total of seven years**, not continuously since 1977. Answer: D.
- 28. A
The paragraph highlights that **human language is unique** because it allows for **infinitely imaginative** thoughts. This supports the summary that humans are the only species to be linguistically creative. Answer: A.
- 29. D
The writer introduces **subordinate clauses** to show how the Pirahã language **departs** from essential features. It is used as an example of an **unusual feature** (uniqueness) of the language. Answer: D.
- 30. B
The text states Everett's findings **brought new life** to Whorf's theory. This means Whorf's theory might be **supported** by the new research. Answer: B.
- 31. D
The writer contrasts the Warlpiri (who could learn to count) with the Pirahã (who could not). This comparison serves to **illustrate the uniqueness** of the Pirahã people. Answer: D.
- 32. B
Everett emphasizes they are **not unintelligent** to prevent misconceptions. He wants to ensure people **do not criticise their intelligence** despite their linguistic limitations. Answer: B.
- 33. E
The summary says language is a product of [blank]. The text says it is created by **way of life**, **belief system**, and **values**, which equates to **culture** (Option E). Answer: E.
- 34. A
The summary says they place value on the [blank]. The text says their central tenet is to live in the **here and now**, which corresponds to the **present** (Option A). Answer: A.
- 35. F
The summary says they have no [blank] to describe completed events. The text says they have no means to **conjugate verbs** (which is a grammatical function) to describe the past. Option F (**grammar**) fits best. Answer: F.
- 36. H
The summary says names reflect they do not celebrate [blank]. The text says **standing out or being different** is not encouraged. This corresponds to **individuality** (Option H). Answer: H.
- 37. NO
The statement claims Everett was **surprised**. The text explicitly states he **anticipated** the reaction and it came **as expected**. Answer: NO.
- 38. NOT GIVEN
The statement claims **Chomsky** has been **critical of the methodology**. The text mentions Chomsky's theories and that his **colleagues** will check claims, but does not state Chomsky's personal reaction to the *methodology*. Answer: NOT GIVEN.
- 39. YES
The statement says if **recursion** is disproved, Chomsky's ideas would be **wrong**. The text confirms that if recursion cannot explain uniqueness, it would **negate Chomsky's theories**. Answer: YES.
- 40. NO
The statement claims the Pirahã will **benefit**. The writer explicitly expresses **concern** that they will be **exploited**, which contradicts the idea of benefiting. Answer: NO.