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From childhood to old age, we all use language as a means of broadening our knowledge of ourselves and the world about us.When humans first __1__ , they were like newborn children, unable to use this __2__ tool.Yet once language developed, the possibilities for human kinds future __3__ and cultural growth increased. Many linguists believe that evolution is __4__ for our ability to produce and use language.They __5__ that our highly evolved brain provides us __6__ an innate language ability not found in lower __7__ . Proponents of this innateness theory say that our __8__ for language is inborn, but that language itself develops gradually, __9__ a function of the growth of the brain during childhood.Therefore there are critical __10__ times for language development. Current __11__ of innateness theory are mixed, however, evidence supporting the existence of some innate abilities is undeniable. __12__ , more and more schools are discovering that foreign languages are best taught in __13__ grades.Young children often can learn several languages by being __14__ to them, while adults have a much harder time learning another language once the __15__ of their first language have become firmly fixed. __16__some aspects of language are undeniably innate, language does not develop automatically in a vacuum.Children who have been __17__ from other human beings do not possess language.This demonstrates that __18__ with other human beings isnecessary for proper language development.Some linguists believe that this is even more basic to human language __19__ than any innate capacities. These theorists view language as imitative, learned behavior. __20__ , children learn language from their parents by imitating them.Parents gradually shape their childs lang uage skills by positively reinforcing precise imitations and negatively reinforcing imprecise ones. | 
