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3.2 What is cognition? 87

sentences or phrases is the same regardless of the mode in which it is conveyed. For
example, the sentence "Computers are a wonderful invention" essentially has the
same meaning whether one reads it, speaks it, or hears it. However, the ease with
which people can read, listen, or speak differs depending on the person, task, and
context. For example, many people find listening much easier than reading. Specific
differences between the three modes include:

Written language is permanent while listening is transient. It is possible to
reread information if not understood the first time round. This is not possi-
ble with spoken information that is being broadcast.