class president (please read this, Wai Wai)

[NewHope]

(1) While the candidates sequestered themselves this week to prepare--Bush at his Texas ranch and Kerry at a resort in the crucial battleground state of Wisconsin--both have been testing their lines for months.

Line = ?

(2)

"At the end of the day, President Bush is a likable, affable person. We stipulate that," McCurry said. "But this is not a personality contest. We are not electing a class president or head cheerleader. We are electing a president of the United States."

Class president = a class president in a class such as in a high school or college?

[NewHope]

Up.

[Wai_Wai]

line
- a direction or course of thought/action, especially somethin which is stated publicly.

Class president
If one stand for a country president, another candidate says you are confined to a class president only. What d you feel?

It is an irony to tease another US enemy candidate. ^^

[NewHope]

Okay, thanks.

Native English speakers please confirm this explanation, for I need 100% correct answer.

[NewHope]

No offense Wai Wai.

If you had enough confidence on your English language skill, please delete your signature -- "Often fast typing... may make typos!! Correct me if mistake made. Any comment is perfectly welcome. " Because such a signature sounds you're not confident. So according to western academic standard, why do not you perfect your English first before trying to help other English learners? Your signature can be an excuse just in Asian culture like Chinese culture, but can't be well-accepted in the culture of the US or the UK ect.

[Wai_Wai]

Hi, NewHope:
Thanks for your idea.
You know, I am not a native speaker. Native speakers should be most likely better than non-native (however there're some fields non-native can be better than native)

Besides, my English is never perfect, not to say my English is very bad. I am still learning. That's why I am still asking questions here.

Time-pressure. I still have others things to do, so typos/mistake is quite frequently. I frequently forget to add -s (eg Do he mean...?) or make a lot of other blunders.

Yes, I could check before posting (but this would cost much time). I believe sending more posts are better than checking for some silly mistakes which most poeple should realise.

When they come there, I think they at least have some basic knowledge. It is unliekly that they will learn every piece of information from my post but the key ones.

What is your idea?

[Francois]

Yes, I could check before posting (but this would cost much time). I believe sending more posts are better than checking for some silly mistakes which most poeple should realise.

Folks, typing words in full can train you in diligence - don't get lazier and lazier at typing.

No offense, but I guess you must pick one

FRC

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by NewHope

(1) While the candidates sequestered themselves this week to prepare--Bush at his Texas ranch and Kerry at a resort in the crucial battleground state of Wisconsin--both have been testing their lines for months. Line = ?

It's purposely ambiguous: (A) scripted lines of dialogue (re: their stand on the issues) that they'll be reading during the debate, (B) fishermen test their fishing lines to see if the bait they've chosen is attracting any fish, big fish. To test one's lines, idiom, preparing to win.

Originally Posted by NewHope

(2) "At the end of the day, President Bush is a likable, affable person. We stipulate that," McCurry said. "But this is not a personality contest. We are not electing a class president or head cheerleader. We are electing a president of the United States."

Class president = a class president in a class such as in a high school or college?

That's correct. :wink:

All the best, :D

[NewHope]

Excellent explanation, Casiopea!

I've now gotten the clear-cut image of the "line"!

Just a little question remained: Is the "class president" a student?

[NewHope]

@Wai Wai:

You'd better put the concept of perfection into reality, not just into theory.
Language is different to natural sciences which are beyond any limitation and will develop forever. But Language is a special social science. In a particular period of time, language can be mastered to perfect level. For example: Shakespeares showed us his perfect English in his plays.Although his language style is very old according to modern English standard, but we cannot deny that his English was perfect in his days. And you cannot say today's Literature Nobel Prize winners' English works, in language or in style, are better than Shakespears' English works. What makes them different is just language style, not an issue of which one is better. That is why I suggest you go your way to reach the perfection in English.

The standard of perfection of modern English:

(1) Ordinary Standard: Your articles could be published in well-known newspapers like New York Times, USAToday, Guardian Unlimited etc.
(2) Advanced Standard: You work(s) won a Pulitzer Prize.

(3) Highest Standard: You won Literature Nobel Prize for your English works.

Now I speak to you with Chinese:

语言是有个极限的，与自然科学迥然不同，后者永无止境。象李白的诗词就代表了中国古代文学的一个极限。你不 能说今天的文学大师语言水平比李白高，这不是事实，而且也是不可能的。原因就在于李白在诗词创作上已把这种 语言的全部表现力发挥到极限，是不可超越的。
但请注意，这不是在说惟有李白才是诗词王国的天下第一人，而是说他到达了那个语言极限，李白之前后，到达这 一极限多得不胜枚举。
从具体操作上说，一篇佳作是否完美，表现为是否“一字难易”或者“一字不易”。 你可以邀请今天任何天下文学高手试着去改李白名作，就会发现一个字都改不下来，硬改下来就会有损原作那种优 雅的风格。这就是极限，就是完美。
所以，当你说自己的英语语言能力永远不会完美的时候，真不知道你这是自卑呢，还是想混日子算了？任何人使用 任何语言都不可能做到下笔必生花、出口必名句。但是，他的某些文章、某些作品，却有可能做到完美无缺，除非 他根本就不敢想、也不曾努力过。