How men first learned to invent words is unknown; 1 , the origin of language is a mystery. All we really know is that men, unlike animals, somehow invented certain 2 to express thoughts and feelings, actions and things, 3 they could communicate with each other; and that later they agreed upon certain signs, called letters, which could be 4 to represent those sounds, and which could he written down. Those sounds, whether spoken, 5 written in letters, we call words.
The power of words, then, lies in their 6 —the things they bring up before our minds. Words become 7 with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words 8 to us the happy and sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something to us 9 .
Great writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words which appeal powerfully to our minds and emotions. This 10 and telling use of words is what we call 11 style. Above all, the real poet is a master of 12 . He can convey his meaning in words which sing like music, and which 13 their position and association can 14 men to tears. We should, therefore, learn to choose our words carefully and use them accurately, or they will 15 our speech or writing silly and vulgar.