Latin and French phrases used in English

Grade 11 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Story

   The mayor argued that because the stadium had sold out twice, the library needed no new funding. Critics called the argument a non sequitur, since ticket sales say nothing about what a library needs.

2. 1.

   Ari reads a city-council story. In this sentence, what does non sequitur mean?

   • A series of events listed out of order.
   • A conclusion that does not follow from the reason given for it.
   • A claim that looks true at first glance and needs no further proof.
   • A funding request that cannot be checked.

3. Audit report

   The auditor compared the three branches and found one modus operandi: each skipped the monthly count and relied on the manager's memory.

4. 2.

   Esme reads an audit report. In this sentence, what does modus operandi mean?

   • A habitual way of doing a job.
   • A failure to count stock at month's end.
   • The branch's reason for existing.
   • A modest budget for running the branch.

5. Profile

   The senator returned to her alma mater to give the commencement speech, then toured the library where she had once worked.

6. 3.

   Jun reads a profile. In this sentence, what does alma mater mean?

   • The senator's mother, who taught at the college.
   • The library where the senator once worked.
   • A degree awarded with the highest honors.
   • The school or college a person graduated from.

7. Entry (our words)

   Bona fide [Latin bona, "good"; fide, "faith"] adjective. Genuine; done in good faith. Example: The museum would not buy the painting until a bona fide expert had confirmed it.

8. 4.

   Luz reads a dictionary entry. Which note uses the entry correctly?

   • Latin; bona means good and fide means faith; today the phrase means a sincere religious belief.
   • Latin; bona means good and fide means faith; today the phrase means genuine.
   • Latin; bona means large and fide means faith; today the phrase means genuine.
   • French; bona means good and fide means faith; today the phrase means genuine.

9. Entry (our words)

   Ad lib [Latin ad libitum, "at one's pleasure"] verb. To speak or play without a script or plan. Example: When the microphone failed, the host had to ad lib for ten minutes.

10. 5.

    Milo reads a dictionary entry. Which note uses the entry correctly?

    • Latin; the full phrase means at one's pleasure; today it means to improvise without a script.
    • Latin; the full phrase means at a library; today it means to improvise without a script.
    • French; the full phrase means at one's pleasure; today it means to improvise without a script.
    • Latin; the full phrase means at one's pleasure; today it means to do whatever pleases oneself.

11. Entry (our words)

    Terra firma [Latin terra, "land"; firma, "firm"] noun. Solid ground, as opposed to water or air. Example: After three days at sea, the crew stepped onto terra firma again.

12. 6.

    Noah reads a dictionary entry. Which note uses the entry correctly?

    • Latin; terra means fear and firma means firm; today the phrase means solid ground.
    • French; terra means land and firma means firm; today the phrase means solid ground.
    • Latin; terra means land and firma means firm; today the phrase means a firm land purchase.
    • Latin; terra means land and firma means firm; today the phrase means solid ground.

13. Annual report

    The firm's partners spent two hundred unpaid hours defending tenants who could not afford a lawyer, work the report lists as ___ service.

14. 7.

    Pia finishes a report sentence. Which phrase fits the blank?

    • ex officio
    • per se
    • bona fide
    • pro bono

15. Profile

    The new ambassador's ___ was clear at the reception: she knew whom to seat together, when to change the subject and how to thank a host without fuss.

16. 8.

    Ren finishes a profile sentence. Which phrase fits the blank?

    • terra firma
    • noblesse oblige
    • joie de vivre
    • savoir-faire

17. News

    The new owners promised to keep the ___ at the bakery: the same recipes, the same hours and the same staff.

18. 9.

    Tala finishes a news sentence. Which phrase fits the blank?

    • status quo
    • de facto
    • terra firma
    • quid pro quo
19. 10.

    The reporter's notes were copied ___ from the recording, with each pause and false start left in. Zee finishes a newsroom sentence. Which phrase fits the blank?

    • verbatim
    • sic
    • ad hoc
    • in toto