a/the

[diamondcutter]

Fill the blank with a proper word.

One day, I was reading my favorite magazine. My little girl was playing around me, which made my reading impossible. To get some peace, I tried a trick to keep her busy for a little while. I took a page out from my magazine with a printed map on it. I cut the map into pieces and handed them over to her, asking her to put those pieces together and make _____ complete map again.

(From the English test paper, Senior High School Entrance Examinations 2020, Henan province, China)

The answer key is “a” not “the’.

I try explain the reason why “the” is not appropriate as follows.

If “the’ is used, that will indicate that there’s another map which is not complete. And if the question is like this: ... make ____ map complete again. The answer should be “the”.

I wonder if my explanation is correct.

 

[teechar]

If "the" is used, that [STRIKE]will[/STRIKE] would indicate that there’s another map which is not complete.

No. If "the" is used, it would imply the person is speaking about the same map. We use "a" since the girl would be making a new one (the old one was cut up).

And if the question is like this: ... make ____ map complete again. The answer should be “the”.

Correct, because that implies that the original map was salvaged.

 

[diamondcutter]

Thanks, Teechar.

I wonder if you mean my sentence: if “the” is used, that will indicate... should be: if “the” was used, that would indicate....

 

[teechar]

I meant what I said above. Mixed conditionals of all sorts exist. Let's not go there.

 

[emsr2d2]

With a different word order, the definite article is possible.

I tore up a map, gave her the pieces and asked her to make the map complete again.

 

[diamondcutter]

I meant what I said above. Mixed conditionals of all sorts exist. Let's not go there.

I wonder if “Let's not go there” means “ Let's not discuss that.”

 

[GoesStation]

I wonder if "Let's not go there" means "Let's not discuss that."

Yes. Remember not to put a space after an opening quotation mark.

 

[Tarheel]

There is a difference between "Make a map complete" and "Make a complete map" and it's not a small one either.

Please make your posts shorter and without instructions.

 

[diamondcutter]

"I wonder if" is not really a good way to seek a response. Form questions:

Is my explanation correct?
Do you mean my sentence if “the” is used, that will indicate... should be if “the” was used, that would indicate....?
Does “Let's not go there” mean “Let's not discuss that”?

Thanks, Piscean.

I thought using ‘I wonder if...’ to ask questions would be more polite. Now I know that’s not necessary.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Thanks, Piscean.

I thought using ‘I wonder if...’ to ask questions would be more polite. Now I know that’s not necessary.

If you start with "I wonder if," then it's not a question, it's a statement.

- This is a statement: I wonder if this is correct.

- This is a question: Is this correct?

They are equally polite.

 

[diamondcutter]

One day, I was reading my favorite magazine. My little girl was playing around me, which made my reading impossible. To get some peace, I tried a trick to keep her busy for a little while. I took a page out from my magazine with a printed map on it. I cut the map into pieces and handed them over to her, asking her to put those pieces together and make ___a__ complete map again.

I think the adverb "again" is redundant in the last sentence. What do you say?

 

[tedmc]

No, the map was once complete until it was cut into pieces and put together again. It is now complete a second time.

 

[diamondcutter]

But it's "a complete map" in the girl's eyes not the original one.

 

[emsr2d2]

But it's "a complete map" in the girl's eyes not the original one.

I don't know what this means. If she's put it back together it is, once again, complete. We talk about completing a jigsaw. That's what she's done. We don't mean that the picture has been miraculously reinstated to its former condition. We simply mean that the pieces have been put together to create something the same size, shape and design as the original.