When I answer a reader question over English, I try not to say much. Instead I choose to trust the reader to find out the answers by themselves. This attitude of non-interference, thank you very much, often works.
Here, for example, is a little to-and-fro with Shirlie (who always seems to have another question ready for me the minute I have answered the last one):
Xin: Thanks for writing. Please hit this link (omitted) for reply in detail.
Shirlie: Thank you very much…. But I'm sorry I have to bother you again. This time I'm really confused by some explanation about a 20-minute walk and a 20 minutes' walk. I think they are both right. But some said they are not. Here I copied the original question for you:
3. Every morning Mr. Smith takes a ______ to his office.
A.20 minutes' walk B.20 minute's walk
C.20-minutes walk D.20-minute walk
The answer is A. But others say the answer is D. I think both are right. Some said they chose D because A needn't an article. Is that right? I don't think they are right. What's your opinion?
Xin: Never mind my opinion (it's not a matter of opinion, is it?), the answer is D. Have a good day.
Shirlie: Thanks, but I'm still wondering why A is not right? Even some books say "a 20 minutes' walk" is right.
Xin: May I challenge you to produce the book?
Shirlie: Thank you for your patience. I'm the last one who wants you to be bothered by silly grammatical questions, which drive me crazy sometimes and I'm trying to escape from them. I'm sorry I can not present you the book because the book is not available now, but the website is available. You would say it's stupid to believe in the websites, yap, sometimes it is true. The book won't be available until next week when I go home. So I will make everything clear at that time. The website is here (omitted).
Xin: I'll skip the website in anticipation of the book. Yes, I "would say it's stupid to believe in websites", but I wouldn't say "yap".
These days, one can't even believe in books (which is why I asked you to kindly produce it in the first place), not to mention websites.
Shirlie: I returned home and found out what the book told their readers is: 20 minutes' walk; a 20-minute walk; they are both right. Sorry to have bothered you because of my poor memory.
Xin: Now that you've produced the book, you may look at it this way: If "a 20 minutes' walk" is as good as "a 20-minute walk", "20-minute" as adjective would not have been invented.
To cure from this book, read other books.
Shirlie: Haa, to look at a thing in a different way can be so interesting. Your suggestion is good and I will try it with other problems. Still I have a question: Can "still" modify "others"? Like in this sentence: There are some robots working in factories, others working in the hospitals, ____ (still others/ the others) working in the schools.
Xin: "Still I have a question", as though I didn't know... Now, can "still" modify "others"? Apparently yes. Here, "still" is not a modifier, though. It's an adverb.
An easy example: Some readers ask questions. Others don't. Some ask one question and leave me alone. Some others ask two or more questions but all of them at once. Still others, such as Shirlie, prefer to ask one question after another.
In fact, I'm sure Shirlie has still another one up her sleeve right now, ready to release the moment she reads this.
Got to run...
放生的故事:一个完美的生日宴会
放生的故事:阻止冤案的蜜蜂
格林童话故事(3)
放生的故事:成唐的故事
佛教的故事:The Price Maker
放生的故事:乌龟报恩
放生的故事:改造命运
佛教的故事:The Goat Who Saved the Priest
佛教的故事:24 The Great Horse Knowing-one
放生的故事:从第十到第一
放生的故事:残忍的报应
放生的故事:乌龟医生
放生的故事:猿猴的哭泣
放生的故事:毛将军和龟的故事
佛教的故事:The Happy Monk
放生的故事:救助蚂蚁的沙弥
放生的故事:玉柱汤
放生的故事:放走被困的兔子
放生的故事:尸体都应该被埋葬
放生的故事:大许的舌头
放生的故事:鹿救恩人
圣经故事:三位天使
放生的故事:一臂易一命
放生的故事:护生得长寿
放生的故事:仁慈始于餐桌边
放生的故事:三月呻吟
放生的故事:拯救龙王的儿子
放生的故事:天然的免疫
放生的故事:长寿、快乐和荣誉
佛教的故事:The Golden Plate
| 不限 |
| 英语教案 |
| 英语课件 |
| 英语试题 |
| 不限 |
| 不限 |
| 上册 |
| 下册 |
| 不限 |