A language never stands still.It is always changing and developing.These changes are rapid in primitive (原始的) societies,but slow in advanced (先進(jìn)的) ones,because the invention of printing and the spread of education have fixed a traditional usage.The only important change that English has undergone (經(jīng)歷) since the first of the 16th century is a large increase in its vocabulary.It is interesting to trace (追溯) the different way in which new words are invented(發(fā)明).Let us take just two English words “sandwich” and “television” and see how they were made.
Sandwich,which is now not only an entirely English word,but also an international word,comes from the Earl of Sandwich (died in 1972) who invented the particular form of quick meal so that he could go on gambling (賭博) all through the night without stopping for dinner.Many names of things are in fact taken from the name of the first inventor,for example,the electrical terms Watt and Volt.
Television is one of many new scientific words which are invented from old Greek and Latin words.“Tele” is Greek,meaning “far”,while “vision” comes from the Latin verb,meaning “to see”.
（ ）6.What do you think Volt was?He was .
A.a player B.a physicistC.a writer D.a nurse
（ ）7.The invention of sandwich has something to do with .
A.work B.study C.gamblingD.journey
（ ）8.The language cannot develop rapidly in advanced societies because .
A.the societies have stopped changing
B.the printing has been invented
C.the education has spread
D.both B and C