Under normal conditions the act of communication requires the presence of at least two per

sons: one who sends and one who receives the communication. In order to communicate thoughts and feelings, there must be a conventional system of signs or symbols which mean the same to the sender and the receiver.

The means of sending communications are too numerous and varied for a systematic classification; therefore, the analysis must begin with the means of receiving communication. Reception of communication is achieved by our senses. Sight, hearing, and touch play the most important roles. Smell and taste play very limited roles, for they cannot receive intellectual expression from fully developed systems of signs and symbols.

Examples of visual communication are gesture and mimicry. Although both frequently accompany speech, there are systems that rely solely on sight such as those used by deaf and dumb persons. Another means of communicating visually is by signals of fire, smoke, flags, of flashing lights. Feelings may be simply communicated by touch, such as by handshaking or backslapping, although a highly developed system of hand stroking has enabled blind, deaf, and dumb persons to communicate intelligently. Whistling to someone, applauding in a theater, and other forms of communication by sound rely upon the ear as a receiver. The most fully developed form. of auditory communication is, of course, the spoken language.

The means of communication mentioned so far have two features in common: they last only a short time, and the person involved must be relatively close to each other. Therefore all are restricted in time and space.

Why does the author begin his analysis with the means of receiving communication rather than the means of sending communication？

A．Communication actually takes place when the message is received.

B．There are more means of receiving than of sending communications.

C．Reception of communications involves of the senses.

D．It is difficult to organize by type the means of sending communications.