Section C
How men first learnt to invent words is unknown; in
other words, the origin of language is a mystery. All we really know is that
men, (26) animals, somehow invented certain sounds to express
thought and (27) , actions and things, so that they could
(28) with each other; and that later they agreed upon certain
(29) , called letters, which could be (30) to
represent those sounds, and which could be written down. Those sounds, whether
spoken, or written in letters we call words. The power
of words, then lies in their (31) , that is, the things they
bring up before our minds. Words become (32) with meaning for
us by experience; and the longer we live, the more we are (33)
of the glad and sad events of our past by certain words; and the
longer we live, (34) Great writers
are those who not only have great thoughts but also (35) .
Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can (36) .
We should therefore learn to choose our words carefully and use them accurately,
or they will make our speech silly and
vulgar.