7．Etymology，the study of words and word roots，may sound like the kind of thing done by boring librarians in small，dusty rooms．Yet etymologists actually have a uniquely interesting job．They are in many ways just like archaeologists （考古学家） digging up the physical history of people and events．The special aspect of etymology is that it digs up history，so to speak，through the words and phrases that are left behind．
The English language，in particular，is a great field to explore history through words．As a language，English has an extraordinary number of words．This is partly due to its ability to adapt foreign words so readily．For example，"English"words such as kindergarten （from German），croissant （from French），and cheetah （from Hindi） have become part of the language with little or no change from their original sounds and spellings．So English-language etymologists have a vast world of words to explore．
Another enjoyable thing about etymology for most word experts is solving word mysteries （谜）．No，etymologists do not go around solving murders，like the great detective Sherlock Holmes．What these word experts solve are mysterious origins of some of our most common words．
One of the biggest questions English language experts have pursued is how English came to have the phrase OK．Though it is one of the most commonly used expressions，its exact beginning is a puzzle even to this day．Even its spelling is not entirely consistent--unless you spell it Okay，it is hard even to call it a word．
Etymologists have been able to narrow OK's origin down to a likely，although not certain，source （来源）．It became widely used around the time of Martin Van Buren's run for president in 1840．His nickname was Old Kinderhook．What troubles word experts about this explanation is that the phrase appeared in some newspapers before Van Buren became well known．It is likely that Van Buren could be called its primary source．Etymologists will doubtlessly keep searching for the original source．However，it is clear that OK's popularity and reputation have topped those of the American president to whom it has been most clearly linked．
8．The author mentions the words like"croissant"in Paragraph 2to showC．
A．words have changed a lot in the two languages
B．what English-language etymologists are exploring now
C．English has absorbed many words from other foreign languages
D．the English vocabulary is difficult to the non-English-speaking people
9．The underlined word"pursued"in Paragraph 4meansB．
A．looked upon
B．dug up
C．put in
D．set down
10．We can learn from the passage that etymologistsA．
A．discover the possible origin of words
B．help detectives to solve mysterious murders
C．write interesting stories for some newspapers
D．explore the English language as well as the recent events．
分析 词源学就是研究词和词根，可能听起来像无聊的图书馆员在布满灰尘的房间里做的小事情．但是词源学家有一个独特有趣的工作，在许多方面就像考古学家挖掘人类的历史和事件．词源的特殊方面是它挖出了历史，也就是说，通过留下的单词和短语．
尤其是英语，在探索单词历史方面是一个伟大的领域．作为一门语言，英语在一定程度上有适应外来词的能力．举例英语单词kindergarden（德国）、croissant （法国），和cheetah（印度语）已经成为语言的一部分，且很少或没有变化，无论是从原来的声音还是拼写上．．所以英语词源学家有一个巨大的世界去探索．
另一个大多数专家喜欢的事情就是挖掘单词谜团．词源学家不像伟大的侦探福尔摩斯去解决谋杀．这些单词专家解决的是一些常见单词的神秘起源．
英语专家追求最大的一个问题就是英语是如何出现词组OK．尽管它是最常用的表达之一，它完全是一个谜，甚至它的拼写和最开始是不完全一致的--除非你拼写为Okay，甚至很难称之为一个字．
词源学家已经能够缩小OK的起源，虽然不能肯定，但被广泛使用．范布伦的竞选总统于1840年，他的昵称是Old Kinderhook．问题专家对这个词的解释是，这句话出现在一些报纸上，然后被熟知．这是可能被称为其主要来源．次元学家们无疑将继续寻找来源．然而，很明显，OK的声望和名誉已经超过与此有关的美国总统．
解答 C B A
8题答案是C．细节理解题．A在两种语言中话语已经改变了很多；B现在英文词源学者正在开发的东西；C英语已经引进了许多的外来语言的单词；D对于不说英语的人们英语词汇很难．根据文章的第二段的have become part of the language with little or no change from their original sounds and spellings可知英语已经引进了太多的外来词．故选C．
9题答案是B．考查词义推测题．A． looked upon看作；B． dug up挖掘；C． put in插进；D． set down放下．根据One of the biggest questions English language experts have pursued is how English came to have the phrase OK．语言专家挖掘的最大问题之一，是OK一词，故选B．
10题答案是A．推理判断题．根据文章最后一段的第一句话Etymologists have been able to narrow OK's origin down to a likely，although not certain，source和文章的第一句话Etymology，the study of words and word roots，may sound like the kind of thing done by boring librarians in small，dusty rooms 可知语言学家就是发现词汇的来源．故选A．
点评 本文是语言知识文章阅读．本文主要告诉我们英语单词或词根给人们带来学习语言的快乐．题目涉及多道细节理解题，做题时需要结合原文和题目有针对性的找出相关语句进行仔细分析，结合选项选出正确答案；考查文章大意的题需要对文章大意有清晰的理解才能得出正确答案，切记胡乱猜测，一定要做到有理有据．
