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Park sang joon Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
A clause I can't at all understand
Lasers, devices that produce an intense, focused beam of light, have been around since 1960, when Thedore H. Maiman put the first one together. At the time, however, no one quite know what to do with the laser. In fact, in the sixties and early seventies, the laser was often described as a solution looking for a good problem.
[Source: Reading for Results Ninth Edition by Laraine Flemming]
I can't at all understand what the underlined phrases means.
And so, I'd like you to rephrase it as an easy to understand phrase or clause.
Thank you in advance for your help.
[Source: Reading for Results Ninth Edition by Laraine Flemming]
I can't at all understand what the underlined phrases means.
And so, I'd like you to rephrase it as an easy to understand phrase or clause.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Top answer
park sang joon no one quite kn e w park sang joon I can't at all understand what the underlined phrases means. It means that they invented it but didn't have many uses for it at that time. Possible paraphrase: In fact, in the sixties and early seventies, the laser didn't have that many practical uses.
- park sang joon no one quite kn e w park sang joon I can't at all understand what the underlined phrases means.
- It means that they invented it but didn't have many uses for it at that time.
- Possible paraphrase: In fact, in the sixties and early seventies, the laser didn't have that many practical uses.
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9 Answers
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park sang joonno one quite knew
park sang joonI can't at all understand what the underlined phrases means.It means that they invented it but didn't have many uses for it at that time.
Possible paraphrase:
In fact, in the sixties and early seventies, the laser didn't have that many practical us
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‘no one quite knew what…’
The meaning of the phrase is, “We have the answer, now what is the question?”
I have a gadget in my kitchen drawer that I’m keeping because it looks impressive, but I’m hanged if I can figure out what to use it for!
An Douglas Adams novel used a similar device, in which a computer announced that ‘the answer is 42’. It took the novel quit
The meaning of the phrase is, “We have the answer, now what is the question?”
I have a gadget in my kitchen drawer that I’m keeping because it looks impressive, but I’m hanged if I can figure out what to use it for!
An Douglas Adams novel used a similar device, in which a computer announced that ‘the answer is 42’. It took the novel quit
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@wilpeter: No need to be sorry at all.
Similar answers are always useful to the OP for confirmation.
Similar answers are always useful to the OP for confirmation.
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Thank you, teechr and wilpeter for your kind answer.
I'm so sorry but I cant' still analyse the clause.
I'd like to know in
I'm so sorry but I cant' still analyse the clause.
I'd like to know in
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If you have a sense of humour, you might visualize this as a cartoon of a Mousetrap with legs running after mice. The mousetrap has no purpose unless there are mice; so the mousetrap is ‘looking for a good problem’ (a mouse).
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park sang joon the laser was often described as a solution looking for a good problem.Consider the following - do you understand it?
1) We have a problem - global warming. Researchers are looking for a solution.
Then reverse it, in a "twist" of language:
Researchers discovered that certain materials can be stimulated to amplify ligh
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park sang joonI'd like to know in the clause, what "looking for" means.searching for; hunting for; trying to find
The statement is making a small joke by saying that the laser is trying to find some use for itself when it really means that scientists were trying to find a use for it.
CJ
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