ISEE Reading Practice Test 86 All

Line (1) Etymology, the study of words and word roots, may sound
Line (2) like the kind of thing done by boring librarians in small, dusty
Line (3) rooms. Yet etymologists actually have a uniquely interesting
Line (4) job. They are, in many ways, just like archeologists digging up
Line (5) the physical history of people and events. The special aspect
Line (6) of etymology is that it digs up history, so to speak, through the
Line (7) words and phrases that are left behind.
Line (8) The English language, in particular, is a great arena in which
Line (9) to explore history through words. As a language, English has an
Line (10) extraordinary number of words. This is in part due to its ability
Line (11) to adapt foreign words so readily. For example, "English" words
Line (12) such as kindergarten (from German), croissant (from French),
Line (13) and cheetah (from Hindi) have become part of the language
Line (14) with little or no change from their original sounds and spellings.
Line (15) So English language etymologists have a vast world of words
Line (16) to explore.
Line (17) Another enjoyable element of etymology for most word
Line (18) experts is solving word mysteries. No, etymologists do not
Line (19) go around solving murders, cloaked in intrigue like the great
Line (20) fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. What these word experts
Line (21) solve are mysteries surrounding the origin of some of our most
Line (22) common words.
Line (23) One of the biggest questions English language experts have
Line (24) pursued is how English came to have the phrase OK. Though it
Line (25) is one of the most commonly used slang expressions, its exact
Line (26) beginning is a puzzle even to this day. Even its spelling is not
Line (27) entirely consistent—unless you spell it okay, it's hard even to
Line (28) call it a word.
Line (29) Etymologists have been able to narrow OK's origin down to
Line (30) a likely, although not certain, source. It became widely used
Line (31) around the time of Martin Van Buren's run for president in
Line (32) 1840. His nickname was Old Kinderhook. What troubles word
Line (33) experts about this explanation is that the phrase appeared in
Line (34) some newspapers before Van Buren became well known. As a
Line (35) result, it's unlikely that Van Buren could be called its primary
Line (36) source. Like bloodhounds following a faint scent, etymologists
Line (37) will doubtless keep searching for the initial source. However, it
Line (38) is clear that OK's popularity and fame have exceeded those of
Line (39) the American president to whom it has been most clearly linked.

1. It can be inferred from the second paragraph that English vocabulary

• A. is easy to learn for speakers of other languages
• B. can claim many sources
• C. has a longer history than that of many other languages
• D. affects American politics

2. The author mentions the words "kindergarten," "croissant," and "cheetah" most likely because

• A. they are words with unknown origins
• B. etymologists dispute words like these
• C. they represent words that are similarly spelled and spoken in two languages
• D. English speakers find them difficult to pronounce

3. According to the passage, etymologists are

• A. investigators of word history
• B. lovers of vocabulary words
• C. scientists of the five senses
• D. archeologists of extinct languages

4. Which of the following best states the purpose of the fourth and fifth paragraphs?

• A. To illustrate another non-English word
• B. To define the phrase "OK"
• C. To show an interesting aspect of etymology
• D. To compare American phrases

5. The primary purpose of the passage is to

• A. provide information about the English language
• B. discuss enjoyable aspects of the study of words
• C. show that language plays an important role in politics
• D. describe the origin of the phrase "OK"