Answer these questions about the text in the vocabulary section.

1. Why do you think there have been attempts to introduce gender-neutral language of the kind described by David Crystal?
2. How would you explain this expression: ‘male’ words with a generic meaning?
3. Why do you think there might have been controversy about attempts to change the word chairman?
4. What do more extreme advocates of making English gender-neutral want to do that is unacceptable to the moderates?
5. Why was Ms introduced and why is it useful?