Three questions.

[tzfujimino]

Hello, everyone!
First, please read the passage below.

"I'm sure you won't do it," Cathy said.
"Shut up and leave me alone," I said.
"You coward!" Cathy said. "I do it all the time. We all had to do it. You won't be caught. You're just a chicken!"
"I am not!" I said with anger. "I just need a minute to decide which one to get."
"Hurry up! Just put it into your pocket. She's not looking. Do it now!" Cathy ordered as she walked out of the store.
I stood in front of a perfume display in a drugstore at the mall. I was as nervous as I could be. Sweat came out on my face. I felt that my hands were getting wet. I looked around once more to be sure that the woman at the shop wasn't looking at me. I was sure that she wasn't, I quickly put a bottle of the perfume into the pocket of my jeans and walked out of the store.
I hurried to the park. My friends were waiting for me there. Sweat still kept coming out. I held my head up high and smiled. "I got it!" I shouted in a proud voice.
"I don't believe you. Let me see it," Cathy said. Cathy was the leader. We did all that she told us to do. I was a new girl, so she tried me. My job was to steal two different things from the same store, at two different times. I never stole anything from anybody before. I lived with my grandparents and I knew that I would disappoint them if I was caught by the police.
"Ha!" I said. I pulled the perfume out of my pocket. All the girls looked at me and smiled when they saw the perfume.
"Give it to me, now!" Cathy cried out. "And go back in there and get something else."
"I don't want to go back in there right now," I said. "Can't we eat lunch first?"
"I guess. I'm sure, Anne, you are such a baby," Cathy said.


Questions
1. you are such a baby
Which of the following alternatives has the closest meaning?

a. You have a fear of stealing once more.
b. You are too cute to keep doing bad things.
c. You always have an empty stomach, don't you?
d. You are allowed to do anything you like because you still have to get an education.

The suggested answer (from the exercise book) is c. However, I think...　a. is the most appropriate in this context. What do you (native speakers) think?

2. "Ha!"

What kind of an interjection(reaction) is that? What does she mean by that? What's on her mind? Could you please explain it to me? I can't really translate how she might feel there into suitable English expressions...but could it be... something like..."Don't underestimate me?"

3. I guess.

I guess...what? Does she mean..."I guess we can eat lunch first"?



Thank you in advance!

[susiedqq]

"Ha!" (an expression that mean "Ah-ha! Look Here!") I said. I pulled the perfume out of my pocket. All the girls looked at me and smiled when they saw the perfume.
"Give it to me, now!" Cathy cried out. "And go back in there and get something else."
"I don't want to go back in there right now," I said. "Can't we eat lunch first?"
"I guess. I'm sure, Anne, you are such a baby," Cathy said. (Oh, all right - I suppose we can eat lunch now. You are acting like a child when all you can think about right now is eating - just when we are in the middle of all this excitement!"

[colloquium]

The suggested answer (from the exercise book) is c. However, I think...　a. is the most appropriate in this context. What do you (native speakers) think?

That is a very strange interpretation. I agree that a seems like the best answer (the best of a bad bunch).

It normally infers that the person is innocent, sheltered (not exposed to life's realities), niave, incapable and poorly adjusted to adult life.

But not usually, in my experience, a referance to appetite?!!

Edit: Suzie made good sense of it. Is the book American?

What kind of an interjection(reaction) is that? What does she mean by that? What's on her mind? Could you please explain it to me? I can't really translate how she might feel there into suitable English expressions...but could it be... something like..."Don't underestimate me?"

Your interpretation is good. It could be taken to mean I told you so! You underestimated me and I proved you wrong.


I guess...what? Does she mean..."I guess we can eat lunch first"?

I guess normally means I suppose so. It is used to agree with something tentatively.

However in the given context, it does seem rather out of place.

I am not a teacher.

[tzfujimino]

Originally Posted by susiedqq

"Ha!" (an expression that mean "Ah-ha! Look Here!") I said. I pulled the perfume out of my pocket. All the girls looked at me and smiled when they saw the perfume.
"Give it to me, now!" Cathy cried out. "And go back in there and get something else."
"I don't want to go back in there right now," I said. "Can't we eat lunch first?"
"I guess. I'm sure, Anne, you are such a baby," Cathy said. (Oh, all right - I suppose we can eat lunch now. You are acting like a child when all you can think about right now is eating - just when we are in the middle of all this excitement!"

Hello, susiedqq!
Thank you for your detailed explanation.
So...what would you think the answer could be?
Well...I guess... you cannnot find a suitable alternative...

_______________________

Questions
1. you are such a baby
Which of the following alternatives has the closest meaning?

a. You have a fear of stealing once more.
b. You are too cute to keep doing bad things.
c. You always have an empty stomach, don't you?
d. You are allowed to do anything you like because you still have to get an education.

[Barb_D]

Questions
1. you are such a baby
Which of the following alternatives has the closest meaning?

a. You have a fear of stealing once more.
b. You are too cute to keep doing bad things.
c. You always have an empty stomach, don't you?
d. You are allowed to do anything you like because you still have to get an education.

As the others have said above, these are TERRIBLE choices.

In this context, it would have to be A. It means you're afraid, you need people to take care of you, you are childish... but it certainly has nothing do to with being hungry. Your book is wrong.

[tzfujimino]

Hi, colloquium!
How have you been, my friend? (if I may call you "my friend"...)
Thank you for your advice!

The suggested answer (from the exercise book) is c. However, I think...　a. is the most appropriate in this context. What do you (native speakers) think?

That is a very strange interpretation. I agree that a seems like the best answer (the best of a bad bunch).

Yes, I agree with you wholeheartedly.

It normally infers that the person is innocent, sheltered (not exposed to life's realities), niave, incapable and poorly adjusted to adult life.

But not usually, in my experience, a referance to appetite?!!

Indeed.

Edit: Suzie made good sense of it. Is the book American?

Well, I'm not sure about the passage(It might have been written by a native speaker...), but the question was obviously made by a Japanese teacher(teaching English). It was actually part of the entrance examinations of one of the most famous high schools in Japan.

What kind of an interjection(reaction) is that? What does she mean by that? What's on her mind? Could you please explain it to me? I can't really translate how she might feel there into suitable English expressions...but could it be... something like..."Don't underestimate me?"

Your interpretation is good. It could be taken to mean I told you so! You underestimated me and I proved you wrong.

Thank you for the clarification.


I guess...what? Does she mean..."I guess we can eat lunch first"?

I guess normally means I suppose so. It is used to agree with something tentatively.

However in the given context, it does seem rather out of place.

Thank you.

[tzfujimino]

Originally Posted by Barb_D

As the others have said above, these are TERRIBLE choices.

In this context, it would have to be A. It means you're afraid, you need people to take care of you, you are childish... but it certainly has nothing do to with being hungry. Your book is wrong.

Hi, Barb_D!
Thank you for your explanation.
You've made me confident enough to tell my students about it.

As I told colloquium, it was part of the entrance exams of a high school.
The question seems to have been made by a Japanese teacher, and...the answer key must have been made by another Japanese. The book I'm using at work has lots of entrance exams(English), and...as is often the case, I disagree with some suggested answers(made by some Japanese). I make it a rule to visit this forum to be sure that I am right.
I really appreciate your comment. Thank you so much, Barb_D.

[susiedqq]

- And don't forget, these are American pre-teens talking!

Who knows what they mean?

But I feel like Cathy (the last speaker) was answering the question about getting something to eat and she was chiding the writer (first person author)

[colloquium]

Originally Posted by tzfujimino

Hi, colloquium!
How have you been, my friend? (if I may call you "my friend"...)
Thank you for your advice!

Of course you may call me that tzfujimino

I am very well thank you, and I hope you're well too.

With regards to the "baby" question, the interpretation (proposed by the creators of the exam) is rather strange, and also a little unfair as their chosen correct answer doesn't seem to agree with the common meaning (that is according to opinions - from various parts of the English speaking world - expressed here).

[susiedqq]

Not really. Babies are always hungry.

This is about group dynamics within a gang.

The story tells how a teenager is forced (teased) into doing something he/she does not want to do, just to please another person(the ringleader) and be one of a gang. She performs the task, and still, that is not enough. She is sent in to steal again.

To change the subject and distract the leader of the group from making her steal again, she starts talking about wanting to eat. The ringleader makes fun of her and says that she is acting like a baby. But gives in to the suggestion, reluctantly.

But the goal is achieved: She does not have to go in and steal again.

We get the idea that the writer didn't like to steal, but did it anyway. But she was not going to do it again.