[Grammar] GEPT question

[Andy Lin]

Hi, everyone.
I am been preparing the GEPT test, and I got some question.


1. Analysts predict that oil prices will keep soaring in the foreseeable future. "Sadly, hardly ______ can be done to change the situation".

(A) nothing (B) something (C) everything (D) anything

The answer is D, because hardly needs to followed by any. I want to ask why can't choose C.


2. Without the devotion and cooperation of this great team, I can tell you for sure that the project would never ______ completed last week.

(A) be (B) have been (C) been (D) had been

The answer is B, but why can't choose D ? I see the "last week" and choose D directly.


3. While ______ foods are assuming an ever larger role in the average diet, more and more people are getting interested in organic food.

(A) process (B) processed (C) processing (D) to process

The answer is B, because the blank needs to be adjective. but isn't C the adjective, too? Why can't choose C.

 

[MikeNewYork]

1. "Hardly" does not work with everything.

2. The past perfect does not work there.

3. "Processing" is an ongoing process. It doesn't fit in that sentence.

 

[Matthew Wai]

1. 'Hardly everything' does not work even if it is literally translated into the OP's native language.

2. A bare infinitive must be used after a modal verb such as 'would'.

3. If 'processing' functioned as an adjective in 'processing foods', I would take it to mean 'foods that are processing something', which does not make sense.

 

[Andy Lin]

1. 'Hardly everything' does not work even if it is literally translated into the OP's native language.

2. A bare infinitive must be used after a modal verb such as 'would'.

3. If 'processing' functioned as an adjective in 'processing foods', I would take it to mean 'foods that are processing something', which does not make sense.

1. "Hardly" does not work with everything.

2. The past perfect does not work there.

3. "Processing" is an ongoing process. It doesn't fit in that sentence.

1. So the hardly+anything is a convention, right? even hardly everything is literally the same.
2. From Wai, thanks, I now know that would must + bare infinitive.
3. From Mike, I probably know what you say, thanks.
From Wai, I don't exactly know what "foods that are processing something" means.

 

[Matthew Wai]

A processing plant is a plant that is processing something, which makes sense.
Processing foods are foods that are processing something, which doesn't make sense.

'Hardly anything' means “幾乎沒有任何東西”, which makes sense.
'Hardly everything' means “幾乎沒有每種東西”, which doesn't make sense.

 

[Andy Lin]

No. 'Hardly anything' means 'almost nothing'. 'Hardly everything' would me mean 'almost not everything' which is meaningless.It doesn't make sense, which is what Matthew said.

A processing plant is a plant that is processing something, which makes sense.
Processing foods are foods that are processing something, which doesn't make sense.

'Hardly anything' means “幾乎沒有任何東西”, which makes sense.
'Hardly everything' means “幾乎沒有每種東西”, which doesn't make sense.

Thank to two teachers, I understand already.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Please note that I am NOT a teacher.

 

[Andy Lin]

OK!