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Thread: poor dears

  1. #1
    GUEST2008 is offline Key Member
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    Default poor dears

    Hi

    A woman who lives in Mrs Motler's boardinghouse says that today she'll go to the library on foot.
    However Mrs Motler says:

    I’ll take you down this afternoon. I’ve got somebody
    coming in to see me this morning; and one of the Poor
    Dears is having a visit from her doctor, so Margery must
    be on duty. (Margery was her employee)

    Do you think that by "Poor Dears" she refers to one of her employees in this boardinghouse?

    So she says that one of her employees is seeing a doctor today and Margery will be on duty?

  2. #2
    virus99's Avatar
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    Default Re: poor dears

    Hi!

    Is Poor Dears written in capital letters? Than it could be the name for an institution.

    Thinking further this way, Mrs Motler won't be available when the doctor comes to the Poor Dear institution. So Margery must be on duty for the docter to show him around.


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    GUEST2008 is offline Key Member
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    Default Re: poor dears

    Yes, it's written in capital letters, but I have a feeling it's not an institution, but probably this is how she refers to one of her employees.

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    shroob is offline Member
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    Default Re: poor dears

    Quote Originally Posted by GUEST2008 View Post
    Hi

    A woman who lives in Mrs Motler's boardinghouse says that today she'll go to the library on foot.
    However Mrs Motler says:

    I’ll take you down this afternoon. I’ve got somebody
    coming in to see me this morning; and one of the Poor
    Dears is having a visit from her doctor, so Margery must
    be on duty. (Margery was her employee)

    Do you think that by "Poor Dears" she refers to one of her employees in this boardinghouse?

    So she says that one of her employees is seeing a doctor today and Margery will be on duty?
    Not a teacher only a native.

    I'd say you have interpreted it right.

    I would say that 'Poor Dears' refers to someone staying or working at the boarding house. Without knowing the fuller context it is hard to say.

    In English, 'Poor Dears' is used to refer to someone you are pitying, perhaps because they are ill (hence requiring a visit from a doctor). Is it possible someone who is staying or working in the boarding house is ill?

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    GUEST2008 is offline Key Member
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    Default Re: poor dears

    Quote Originally Posted by shroob View Post
    Is it possible someone who is staying or working in the boarding house is ill?
    Yes, the woman who wants to go to the library is ill. She has problems with her memory. Why?
    Actually it's a strange passage to me.

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    Default Re: poor dears

    For a better understanding, do we have 6 persons?

    A guest (woman1) wants to go to the library.
    Mrs Motler owns the boarding house.
    An unknown visitor for Mrs Motler, making her absent that morning.
    Another guest (woman2) is probably ill. (does she also want to go to the library??)
    The doctor who will visit the ill person.
    Margery the employee.

    * editing: as you can see from the member type - I am a student myself No teacher, no native
    Last edited by virus99; 14-Jun-2011 at 16:17.

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    GUEST2008 is offline Key Member
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    Default Re: poor dears

    Quote Originally Posted by virus99 View Post
    For a better understanding, do we have 6 persons?

    A guest (woman1) wants to go to the library. Yes
    Mrs Motler owns the boarding house. Yes
    An unknown visitor for Mrs Motler, making her absent that morning. Yes
    Another guest (woman2) is probably ill. (does she also want to go to the library??) I suppose so. There were two elderly women in that house.
    The doctor who will visit the ill person. I guess so.
    Margery the employee. Yes

    * editing: as you can see from the member type - I am a student myself No teacher, no native
    cheers

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    Default Re: poor dears

    Not A teacher

    Associate the following in bold:

    "...and one of the poor dears is having a visit from her doctor, so Margery must be on duty."

    So, the "poor dear" is an employee Margery must stay on duty to replace.

    M.

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    Mannysteps is offline Member
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    Default Re: poor dears

    I must add that the speaker is somewhat of a patronizing character.

    M.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: poor dears

    Quote Originally Posted by Mannysteps View Post
    I must add that the speaker is somewhat of a patronizing character.

    M.
    I should add that the speaker is a somewhat patronising character.

    I should add that the speaker is something of a patronising character.

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