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Originally Posted by Casiopea Quote: |
Originally Posted by japanjapan Quote: |
Originally Posted by CuriousT "It has become commonplace to observe the sharp polarization of the electorate in the 2004 campaign. But that is playing out even in public reaction to the scandal over the American abuse of some detainees in Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison."
CuriousT | Dear teachers,
I read that sentence and the explanation, but I still do not understand the meaning of the sentence.
What does the whole sentence mean?
What is "the sharp polarization of the electorate in the 2004 campaign"?
What is "polarization"?
What does "play out" mean, can u give me another clear and easier explanation?
thanks a lot | I'm not 100% sure, so take this with a grain of salt: given that polarize means, among other things, directly opposite in character, I believe the sentence in question, or rather, the writer's view of the situation has to do with shedding light on inconsistencies: the public, like the electorate seem to be switching their views and opinions in accordance with the amount of new information, constantly coming to light via the media. General opinions fluctuate because of the inconsistencies resulting from the way in which the media reports the news. |
Let me add my two cents worth to this topic. The main meaning of "play out" which I am familiar with is "to bring to an end" or "exhaust". Look, the second sentence in the quote begins with "but", which is a sure sign of contrast. Right? I think the passage means that public opinion was sharply divided, but due to the horrors (IMO) disclosed recently, public opinion is no longer so divided. Does this make sense to you?