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Old 13-Dec-2006, 19:13
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Default what does it refer to?

hi again,

"His award for showing how cells copy genes, a process essential to how cells develop and to life itself, came 47 years after ...."

a. what does "itself" refer to here?
b. isn't something missing in the underlined part ? (does it mean: essential to understand how cells develop and) but I can't figure out "to life"?
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Old 13-Dec-2006, 20:29
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Default Re: what does it refer to?

Quote:
Originally Posted by light View Post
hi again,

"His award for showing how cells copy genes, a process essential to how cells develop and to life itself, came 47 years after ...."

a. what does "itself" refer to here?
b. isn't something missing in the underlined part ? (does it mean: essential to understand how cells develop and) but I can't figure out "to life"?
"Itself" is a relexive pronoun used to emphasize "life". It means that the process is essential to the development of cells and essential to the existence of life (living things).
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Old 13-Dec-2006, 21:11
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Default Re: what does it refer to?

thanks for your answer. the sentence is now clear. though it's amazing how sometimes simple things look complex for us foreigners
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Old 14-Dec-2006, 07:25
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Default Re: what does it refer to?

Quote:
Originally Posted by light View Post
thanks for your answer. the sentence is now clear. though it's amazing how sometimes simple things look complex for us foreigners
There are many unusual structures in English. You will discover them all over time. Just hang in there.
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Old 14-Dec-2006, 22:34
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Default Re: what does it refer to?

Still I guess one incarnation won't be enough... And I've read somewhere recently that the number of words in English language has approached 900,000! You guys just keep producing new notions and words.. Have mercy on us
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Old 14-Dec-2006, 22:46
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Default Re: what does it refer to?

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Still I guess one incarnation won't be enough... And I've read somewhere recently that the number of words in English language has approached 900,000! You guys just keep producing new notions and words.. Have mercy on us
We never seem to run out of words.
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