|Question 13Verbal

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The Arapaho language of the Plains region in the United States has 16 vowel and consonant sounds. In contrast, the Hadza language of eastern Africa has 70. Why would languages differ in this way? One researcher has hypothesized that when modern humans arose in Africa, they spoke a single language, but as humans gradually spread throughout Africa and then around the globe, that language developed into new languages as small bands of humans spread even farther, with each new language retaining fewer sounds from humanity's original language.
Which finding, if true, would best support the researcher's hypothesis?
Languages that emerged in northwestern North America tend to have more sounds than languages that emerged in East Asia do, even though northwestern North America is farther away from Africa than East Asia is.
A
Languages that emerged in Eastern Europe tend to have more sounds than languages that emerged in East Asia do, and Eastern Europe is closer to Africa than East Asia is.
B
Languages that emerged in Western Europe tend to have fewer sounds than languages that emerged in East Asia do, and Western Europe is closer to Africa than East Asia is.
C
Languages that emerged in Southeast Asia tend to have more sounds than languages that emerged in East Asia do, even though the two regions are roughly the same distance from Africa.
D