Unit 4: The history of English

Choose the correct answer.

According to the passage, the fact that the German and Latin words for father are similar means...

•  Latin evolved from German.

• German evolved from Latin.

• nothing. It's just by chance.

• both languages evolved from an earlier language.

Which of these is NOT mentioned in the passage as a way of creating new English words?

• word combining

•  importing from other languages

•  coining new words from foreign roots

• creation of words by dictionary authors

According to the passage, which of these languages has had the least influence on English?

• Celtic

• Norse

• French

• Latin

Which of these languages was NOT brought to England by an invading force?

• Old English

• French

• Greek

• Norse

Where do most of the new words in English today come from?

•  other dialects

• North America

• the Bank of English

• The passage doesn't say.

Choose the letter of the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

My aunt, the __________, is particularly interested in Asian languages.

• linguist

• critic

• conqueror

• activist

The new system of government quickly__________ in the society.

• split

• combined

• took root

• settled

The end of the eighteenth century was an interesting time, with the American and French __________ happening around the same time changing so many things.

• governments

• revolutions

• conquerors

• policies

My grandparents __________ in Australia over 80 years ago.

• traced

• absorbed

• underwent

• settled

Have you seen my keys? They've __________.

• scratched the surface

• taken root

•  vanished into thin air

• 1.  seen the big picture