Where a word came from; foreign phrases in English
Grade 9 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
Sentence
The vendor's hand-lettered sign read caveat emptor, so Ren understood that complaints about a cracked vase would not be welcome once the money changed hands.
Ari reads a sentence in a market-stall guide. What does “caveat emptor” mean here?
- the buyer must check goods before paying
- beware of the seller
- the vase is fragile and must not be touched
- something given in return for something else
Nobody had ever voted on the rule, but everyone followed it, so it was the ____ policy of the club. Esme reads a sentence from a club report. Which borrowed phrase fits the blank?
- ad hoc
- de jure
- de facto
- ex post facto
Sentence
After three losing seasons, the band's esprit de corps stayed high; members still stayed late to practice and covered for one another at every show.
Jun reads a sentence from a school-paper sports page. What does “esprit de corps” mean here?
- a joy in simply being alive
- stubbornness in the face of losing
- shared pride and loyalty in a group
- the spirit inside a person's body
Entry (written by PencilGo, after standard references)
Kindergarten (noun), 1840s. From German Kinder, “children,” + Garten, “garden.” Coined by the German educator Friedrich Froebel. Today: the first year of school.
Kira reads the entry. Which statement does the entry support?
- English took the word from German, where it meant “children's garden”
- English took the word from German, where it meant “garden of learning”
- In English today the word means a garden for children
- English took the word from Dutch, where it meant “children's garden”
Sentence
The client gave the design team ____ to reimagine the lobby however they liked, so long as the cost stayed under budget.
Luz reads a sentence from an architecture club newsletter. Which borrowed phrase fits the blank?
- carte blanche
- status quo
- à la carte
- pro bono
The principal's laissez-faire approach to the science fair meant that teams chose their own topics and set their own deadlines. Milo reads a sentence in a student-government bulletin. What does “laissez-faire” mean here?
- a command that the work be done now, without delay
- a careless way of avoiding work whenever possible
- a hands-off approach that leaves people free to act
- made for one purpose, then set aside
The firm's lawyers worked ____ for the nonprofit, so the free clinic paid no fee at all. Pia reads a sentence from a volunteer-center page. Which borrowed phrase fits the blank?
- ad hoc
- pro bono
- pro rata
- quid pro quo
After the storm had flattened half the field, one last gust delivered the coup de grâce to the old tent. Ren reads a sentence from a weather-club log. What does “coup de grâce” mean here?
- a sudden and forceful takeover of power
- a final blow that finishes something off
- a lucky escape from the heaviest damage
- a kind act of mercy toward a person in need
Jungle (noun), 1700s. From Hindi jangal, from Sanskrit jangala, “dry, barren land.” Today: a thick tropical forest. Tala reads the entry. Which statement does the entry support?
- English took the word straight from Sanskrit
- In English today the word still means dry, barren land
- English took the word from Hindi, where it meant “thick forest”
- English took the word from Hindi, which took it from Sanskrit
Sentence
The council formed an ____ committee to plan the flood response; it would meet only until the work was done and then disband.
Zee reads a sentence from a town-meeting recap. Which borrowed phrase fits the blank?
- ad infinitum
- ad hoc
- pro bono
- ad nauseam