Language learning begins with listening. Individualchildren vary greatly in the mount of listening they do after 62. ______they start speaking, and late starters are often long listeners.Most children will "obey" spoken instructions some timebefore they can speak, though the word obey is hardlyaccurate like a description of the eager and delighted 63. ______cooperation usually shown by the child. Before they canspeak, many children will ask questions in gesture and by 64. ______making questioning noises. Any attempt to trace thedevelopment from the noises babies make to their firstspoken words lead to considerable difficulties. It is agreed 65. ______they enjoy making noises, and that during the first 66. ______few months one or two noise sort themselves out as 67. ______particular indicative of delight, distress, sociability, and so 68. ______on. But since these can be said to show the baby’s intention to 69. ______communicate, they can hardly be regarded as early forms oflanguage. It is agreed, too, that from about three months theyplay with sounds for enjoyment, and that by six months theyare able to add new sounds to their repertoire. Thisself-imitation leads on to deliberate imitation of soundsmaking or words spoken to them by other people. The 70. ______problem then arises as to the point which one can say that 71. ______these imitations can be considered as speech.