Vocabulary: Find the "odd one out"
There may be more than one answer. Choose A, B or C and give your reason.
1.
A. first language B. second language C. native tongue
Possible answers: First language is the language acquired first. Second language is acquired after the first language. Native tongue normally means a person's original or native language. B can therefore be the odd one out.
2.
A. English B. Esperanto C. Chinese
Possible answers: English and Chinese are naturally occurring languages with native-speaker communities. Esperanto is a constructed international language. B is therefore the clearest odd one out.
3.
A. grammar B. vocabulary C. pronunciation
Possible answers: Grammar concerns rules and structure. Vocabulary concerns words and meanings. Pronunciation concerns spoken sounds. There is no single obvious answer, so learners should justify their choice.
4.
A. look and say B. audio-lingual C. grammar-translation
Possible answers: Look-and-say uses visual prompts and repetition. The audio-lingual method makes extensive use of listening and oral drills. Grammar-translation places greater emphasis on grammar rules, reading and translation. C can therefore be the odd one out.
5.
A. fluency B. accuracy C. proficiency
Possible answers: Fluency concerns smoothness and ease of communication. Accuracy concerns correctness. Proficiency is a broader term for overall ability in a language. C can therefore be the odd one out.
6.
A. a lesson B. a course C. a lecture
Possible answers: A lesson normally refers to one teaching session. A course consists of a series of lessons. A lecture is a type of teaching presentation. B can therefore be the odd one out because it refers to a series rather than one session.
7.
A. a dictionary B. a lexicon C. a thesaurus
Possible answers: A dictionary provides definitions and other information about words. A lexicon is essentially a vocabulary or collection of words. A thesaurus groups words according to related meanings, especially synonyms. C is therefore a possible odd one out.
8.
A. motivation B. memory C. aptitude
Possible answers: Motivation concerns the desire or reasons for learning. Memory concerns storing and recalling information. Aptitude concerns potential or natural ability. A can be the odd one out because it concerns desire rather than cognitive ability.