Where a word came from; foreign phrases in English
Grade 9 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
Entry (written by PencilGo, after standard references)
Tycoon (noun), 1857. From Japanese taikun, “great lord,” which came from Chinese words meaning “great” and “ruler.” Today: a rich and powerful business leader.
Bo reads the entry. Which statement does the entry support?
- English took the word from Japanese, which took it from Chinese
- English took the word straight from Chinese
- In English today the word still means “great lord”
- English took the word from Japanese, where it meant “great merchant”
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?
- ex post facto
- ad hoc
- de facto
- de jure
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?
- stubbornness in the face of losing
- the spirit inside a person's body
- a joy in simply being alive
- shared pride and loyalty in a group
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 “garden of learning”
- In English today the word means a garden for children
- English took the word from German, where it meant “children's garden”
- 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?
- status quo
- pro bono
- à la carte
- carte blanche
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 hands-off approach that leaves people free to act
- a careless way of avoiding work whenever possible
- 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?
- quid pro quo
- pro rata
- pro bono
- ad hoc
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 kind act of mercy toward a person in need
- a sudden and forceful takeover of power
- a final blow that finishes something off
- a lucky escape from the heaviest damage
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
- English took the word from Hindi, which took it from Sanskrit
- English took the word from Hindi, where it meant “thick forest”
- In English today the word still means dry, barren land
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 nauseam
- pro bono
- ad infinitum
- ad hoc