Researchhasshownthattwo-thirdsofhumanconversationistake...

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Research has shown that two-thirds of human conversation is taken up not with discussion of the cultural or political problems of the day, not heated debates about films we've just watched or books we've just finished reading, But plain and simple __51__.

Language is our greatest treasure as a species, and what do we __52__ do with it? We gossip. About others' behaviour and private lives, such as who's doing what with whom, who's in and who's out-and why; how to deal with difficult __53__ situations involving children, lovers, and colleagues.

So why are we keen on gossiping? Are we just natural __54__, of both time and words? Or do we talk a lot about nothing in particular simply to avoid facing up to the really important issues of life? It's not the case according to Professor Robin Dunbar. In fact, in his latest book, Grooming, Gossip and the Evolution of Language, the psychologist says gossip is one of these really__55__issues.

Dunbar __56__ the traditional view that language was developed by the men at the early stage of social development in order to organize their manly hunting activities more effectively, or even to promote the exchange of poetic stories about their origins and the supernatural. Instead he suggests that language evolved among women. We don't spend two-thirds of our time gossiping just because we can talk, argues Dunbar—__57__, he goes on to say, language evolved specifically to allow us to gossip.

Dunbar arrived at his cheery theory by studying the __58__ of the higher primates（靈長類動物）like monkeys. By means of grooming--cleaning the fur by brushing it, monkeys form groups with other individuals on whom they can rely for support in the event of some kind of conflict within the group or__59__ from outside it.

As we human beings evolve from a particular branch of the primate family, Dunbar __60__ that at one time in our history we did much the same. Grouping together made sense because the bigger the group, the greater the __61__ it provided; on the other hand, the bigger the group, the greater the stresses of living close to others. Grooming helped to __62__ the pressure and calm everybody down.

But as the groups got bigger and bigger, the amount of time spent in grooming activities also had to be __63__ to maintain its effectiveness. Clearly, a more __64__ kind of grooming was needed, and thus language evolved as a kind of vocal（有聲的）grooming which allowed humans to develop relationship with ever-larger groups by exchanging information over a wider network of individuals than would be possible by one-to-one __65__ contact.

51. A. claim B. description C. gossip D. language

52. A. occasionally B. habitually C. independently D. originally

53. A. social B. political C. historical D. cultural

54. A. admirers B. masters C. users D. wasters

55. A. vital B. sensitive C. ideal D. difficult

56. A. confirms B. rejects C. outlines D. broadens

57. A. for instance B. in addition C. on the contrary D. as a result

58. A. motivation B. appearance C. emotion D. behaviour

59. A. attack B. contact C. inspection D. assistance

60. A. recalls B. denies C. concludes D. confesses

61. A. prospect B. responsibility C. leadership D. protection

62. A. measure B. show C. maintain D. ease