Sound to meaning assignment

Sound -> Ear ->Brain -> Meaning

Read the article located here and then answer the questions below

Questions:

1. What is a phoneme?

2. Explain why many Japanese listeners find it difficult to hear the difference between words like lock and rock.

3. Is there a difference between how infants detect differences in sounds and how adults do? Why?

4. How does this article explain the fact that it is more difficult for an adult than for a child to learn a new language?