Cloze

[blacknomi]

The driver didn't _____ kindly to Teddy's critisim and he showed up about 40 minutes later at Teddy's house with four of his friends all _____ baseball bats and knives. One of them actually held a knife to Teddy's wife's throat. When Teddy reported the incident to the police, they naturally took their _____ time _____ showing up, but surprisingly they eventually arrested and charged the driver.

1. make
2. take
3. do
(I don't understand this phrasal verb.) :?:


1. sporting
2. bringing
3. making
(I'd say #2, but the answer is #1, I can't figure it out.) :roll:



1. hard
2. sharp
3. bitter
4. sweet
( Answer #4. What does it mean? )


1. in
2. on
3. to
4. over
( Answer #1. What does it mean?)



Thank you in advance.

 

[Francois]

take to sb/sth (LIKE) phrasal verb
to start to like someone or something:
His wife took to her new neighbours at once.
She's taken to tennis like a duck to water (= she likes it and is good at it).

To sport means to wear, to have on oneself.

to take one's sweet time (didn't know this one either).

1. in
2. on
3. to
4. over
( Answer #1. What does it mean?)

To take one's time in doing something; to take time to do it.

FRC

 

[MikeNewYork]

The driver didn't _____ kindly to Teddy's critisim and he showed up about 40 minutes later at Teddy's house with four of his friends all _____ baseball bats and knives. One of them actually held a knife to Teddy's wife's throat. When Teddy reported the incident to the police, they naturally took their _____ time _____ showing up, but surprisingly they eventually arrested and charged the driver.

1. make
2. take
3. do
(I don't understand this phrasal verb.) :?:

The idiom "take kindly" means to "accept favorably" or "look with favor upon". Didn't take kindly means "didn't like" "objected to".

1. sporting
2. bringing
3. making
(I'd say #2, but the answer is #1, I can't figure it out.) :roll:

Sprting means "wearing". It is like that the individuals wore the hats and didn't just bring them.

1. hard
2. sharp
3. bitter
4. sweet
( Answer #4. What does it mean? )

"Taking one's sweet time" is a criticism of something taking too long. It likely comes from "savoring" the time, rather than hurrying.

1. in
2. on
3. to
4. over
( Answer #1. What does it mean?)

As with many prepositions, the choice is largely idiomatic. We could say "to come" or "in coming" (infinitive vs. preposition + gerund)

 

[blacknomi]

Hm. "Take one's sweet time". Interesting.

How can one wear baseball bats? It seems to me that if someone is sporting baseball bats and knives, he is going to start a fight soon. Thus, 'sporting' fits in this context better than 'bringing'. And 'bringing' is not too wrong though. Right?

 

[Francois]

Verb 1. sport - wear or display in an ostentatious or proud manner

Bring doesn't fit IMO. You bring cakes to a party for instance. Cambridge dict says "to take or carry someone or something to a place or a person, or in the direction of the person speaking". If you play tennis, you bring a racket to your club, but when you play you do not bring a racket; you hold it.
However, 'sport' fits insofar as they 'display their bats/knives ostentatiously'.

FRC

 

[blacknomi]

It's very clear. Thank you, FRC.

 

[bmo]

Verb 1. sport - wear or display in an ostentatious or proud manner

Bring doesn't fit IMO. You bring cakes to a party for instance. Cambridge dict says "to take or carry someone or something to a place or a person, or in the direction of the person speaking". If you play tennis, you bring a racket to your club, but when you play you do not bring a racket; you hold it.
However, 'sport' fits insofar as they 'display their bats/knives ostentatiously'.

FRC

Good explanation Francois. The keyword is "showing up." The five hoolums are already there, so carrying, which is not a choice, would be acceptable too. However, bringing isn't, as it pertains to move from one place to another, and in this case, the five have arrived.

 

[blacknomi]

The manager never listens to me because I'm a female, and all my colleagues are nothing but _____ yes men.

(1) borwn-nosed
(2) brown-nosing

I chose (2) intuitively. I'm wondering if (1) is accepted because I think it's OK to use past-participle to modify a person noun. :?:

 

[blacknomi]

Most Westerners adapt to _____ in Taiwan with ralative ease, although I'm sure most of us have had great diffulty at some time or another.

(1) live
(2) lives
(3) living
(4) alive


The answer is (1). I think it's wrong. The answer should be 'life' or 'living' because 'to' functions as a preposition. What do you think?

 

[Francois]

I agree with you.

FRC

 

[blacknomi]

Hi,

I've searched "brown-nosed person" and "brown-nosing person" on Google. Both are used. Teachers, is there any difference?

Also I googled "adpat to live in",
For the last 40 years, humans have been fascinated by the one habitat on the planet that they can’t control or adapt to live in. From here I'm confused now. I think only noun or gerund can be allowed after 'to'. Would you help me out with this? :roll: :?:

 

[blacknomi]

Teachers, still waiting your confirmation. :?: :idea:

Hi,

I've searched "brown-nosed person" and "brown-nosing person" on Google. Both are used. Teachers, is there any difference?

Also I googled "adpat to live in",
For the last 40 years, humans have been fascinated by the one habitat on the planet that they can’t control or adapt to live in. From here I'm confused now. I think only noun or gerund can be allowed after 'to'. Would you help me out with this? :roll: :?:

 

[blacknomi]

The food in the campus cafeteria is not all that good, but it will keep you _____.
(1) live (2) alive
Answer: (2)

I agree the answer. But I think (1) can be an adjective, meaning to be alive. Can one choose (1)?

If you have old furniture to sell, you can put ___ on the bulletin board outside the grocery store.
(1) a note (2) a notice (3) an ad (4) a phone number
Answer: (2)

I don't see what's wrong with other answers, they can make sense.
(1) You put a note on it. Your note may includes details.
(2) An ad? Why not?
(3) You can give me a call for furniture selling infomation.

How many people do you expect to attend the trade ____?
(1) exhibitor (2) display
Answer: (1)

I think (2) is OK. What do you think?

Hello, I'd like to know if I can register ___ the phone?
(1) on (2) over (3) by
Answer: (2)

I think you use 'over' to mean 'a means', right? How about 'by the phone?'
We talked on the phone, why not I register "on" the phone?

Are you looking for natural pearls or ___ pearls?
(1) artificial (2) cultured
Answer: (2)

You have artificial flowers, don't you?

I think that the September 11th _____ made New Yorkers nicer and brought them together.
(1) attack has (2) attacks have
Answer: (2)

Disagreed. Since we use a definite article in front of "Sep 11th", I'd think it is an event, pluralization is not a good idea. So I think (1) is better. What do you think?



I look forward to your answers. Thanks.

 

[Francois]

I agree with the answer. But I think (1) can be an adjective, meaning to be alive. Can one choose (1)?

These kind of exam questions test the accuracy of your vocabulary. Most often, several answers seem to fit, or could fit with some particular context, but there's only one best choice. You would not generally say that a person is 'live', unless you're at a poker table (we call a player "a live one" if he gives too much action, plays too many hands etc.), and probably in some other particular contexts. A cable can be live if it carries electricity, too. And so on. But a person is alive

I don't see what's wrong with other answers, they can make sense.
(1) You put a note on it. Your note may includes details.
(2) An ad? Why not?
(3) You can give me a call for furniture selling infomation

Again, accuracy. One puts notices on a bulletin board. It contains information for people to... notice. While the other choices might work, and you would be understood, the correct answer is notice. One generally doesn't make ads with catchy slogans to sell their old furnitures. A mere phone number might not be the most effective way to quickly sell your stuff. Etc.

I think (2) is OK. What do you think?

Yeah, "trade display" looks ok. It's not easy for us, ESL students, is it? Let's see what the teachers say.

I think you use 'over' to mean 'a means', right? How about 'by the phone?'
We talked on the phone, why not I register "on" the phone?

"By the phone" means you're close to it eg. by the window. To say 'do something using the phone/radio', you must use "over". To be on the phone means you're busy talking to someone over the phone.

You have artificial flowers, don't you?

Yes, but natural in this context (pearls) is clearly opposed to cultured. Again, that's the answer that fits best.

Disagreed. Since we use a definite article in front of "Sep 11th", I'd think it is an event, pluralization is not a good idea. So I think (1) is better. What do you think?

You know what 9/11 is, don't you?? There were several plane crashes.

FRC

 

[blacknomi]

1. Thanks for the correction. I agree with what you said. In Chinese, we only say "I agree you say." Simple and easy. And I know better than I can write. Sometimes I just hate myself so much, it's so stupid to make a boo-boo like this. I am losing my cool.

FYI
"he is live" 2,260 hits on Google.
"he is alive" 56,700 hits on Google.


2. Hm, when you say "Again, accuracy", I have to say uncle. 8)

3. I guess "cultured pearl" is idiomatic. And if I use "artificial pearl", no one would get me wrong. Well, I start to hate English now.

You know what 9/11 is, don't you?? There were several plane crashes.

That makes perfect sense. But since we have definite article 'the' in the front, I'd think it's a specific event that we shouldn't pluralize it. "the 911 attack" and "the 911 attacks" are both acceptable.


Sometimes I am picky at learning English, in that way, I can get more feeling of it and develop better judgement towards English.

FRC, thanks again.

 

[Francois]

And I know better than I can write

I know you do.

Hm, when you say "Again, accuracy", I have to say uncle.

Didn't get this one :|

I guess "cultured pearl" is idiomatic. And if I use "artificial pearl", no one would get me wrong. Well, I start to hate English now.

You actually just need to hate these kinds of questions

That makes perfect sense. But since we have definite article 'the' in the front, I'd think it's a specific event that we shouldn't pluralize it. "the 911 attack" and "the 911 attacks" are both acceptable.

The definite article is necessary because we're not talking about just any September 11th. I can say "the X-mas presents", although there's a definite article.

Sometimes I am picky at learning English, in that way, I can get more feeling of it and develop better judgement towards English.

That's fine!

FRC

 

[blacknomi]

When concerning accuracy, I feel frustrated. Say uncle, meaning I have to admit my failure. I have to surrender myself to the great excuse you mentioned, which is 'accuracy.' 8)

I wish I could escape from the hell of cloze, but I'm afraid I have more nit-picky students wailing at the lowest level in the hell. :lol:

 

[blacknomi]

By imposing a tax on work-force adjustment, ...........

Does that mean wages?

 

[blacknomi]

By imposing a tax on work-force adjustment, ...........

Does that mean wages?

I'm not going to bury this thread.

 

[Tdol]

Wouldn't work- force adjustment mean downsizing\rightsizing? ;-)