questions

[Taka]

Originally Posted by tdol

OK- I'd added a 'can' to my mind's eye,

OK. So you mean the correct interpretation is " people can change...(and people can) make...and get to work", which is different from the answer of my book, right?

Well, that's possible, I think. But as I said to Cas, originally the sentence has this in front:

Americans believe that mature, sensible person sets goals for the future and works systematically toward them.

According to this sentence, I think for Americans it is not a matter of ability that they make appropriate plans and get to work.

Do you think your interpretation (people can change...(and people can) make...and get to work) is still contextualized?

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By the way, I don't understand this part of your comment (especially the underlined part):

Originally Posted by tdol

without which I have to interpretation completely.

[Tdol]

I'm on a really bad typing day- 'change my interpretation'. ;-(

The sentence about Americans suggests it isn't an ability but a quality of a mature and sensible person.

[Taka]

Originally Posted by tdol

The sentence about Americans suggests it isn't an ability but a quality of a mature and sensible person.

Right. But you said:

Originally Posted by tdol

OK- I'd added a 'can' to my mind's eye

If you interpret the sentence as "...people can change... poeple can make appropriate plans, and people can get to work.", isn't it going to be about an ability, not a quality, of a mature person?

[Tdol]

Yes, but that interprtation, wrong as it was, was made before I knew about the sentence about Americans. The use of 'can' would suggest ability or possibility in that way, rather than a quality.

[Taka]

So, how do you interpret the sentence now?

[Taka]

tdol?

[Taka]

t~~~dol, I've been waiting for you here. :wink:

[Tdol]

Oooops, sorry. Given that I misread the original, then I have to change to the other possibility.

[Taka]

Originally Posted by tdol

Oooops, sorry. Given that I misread the original, then I have to change to the other possibility.

Which means [(a): if they decide...make...and get to work] is correct?

[Tdol]

In the absence of the phantom 'can', yes.