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Jeff_999 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

Isn't it ironical?

0 “Ironically, Carver's precision in sketching lives on the edge of despair ensures that his stories will sometimes be read too narrowly, much as Dickens' social-reformer role once caused his broader concerns to be__. 02br
00A ignored 02br
00B reinforced 02br
00C contradicted 02br
00D diminished 02br
00E diversified” 02br
02br
00Is the answer D? 02br
02br
00Much as Dicken’s social-reformer role once caused his broader concerns to be diminished, Carver’s precision in sketching lives on the edge of despair ensures that his stories will sometimes be read too narrowly. Why do I not see it’s ironical? And what does “narrowly” mean here? 0-
  

Top answer

0 Hi Jeff, 02br 00Yes, I'd say 'D', because each part of the sentence deals with something that is being 'reduced in size'. 02br 02br 00You also have what I assume is a typo of 'to narrowly', instead of 'too narrowly'. 02br 02br 00I don't know Carver's work.

— Clive

  • 0 Hi Jeff, 02br 00Yes, I'd say 'D', because each part of the sentence deals with something that is being 'reduced in size'.
  • 02br 02br 00You also have what I assume is a typo of 'to narrowly', instead of 'too narrowly'.
  • 02br 02br 00I don't know Carver's work.
  • However, the meaning of the sentence is that 'Carver's precision in sketching lives on the edge of despair' means that this precision will be focussed on by the reader, rather than the broader concerns that Carver wanted to address.
  • The irony lies in the fact that his skill and success in what to him was of less importance has taken the focus away from his more important concerns.
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8 Answers
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0 Hi Jeff, 02br
00Yes, I'd say 'D', because each part of the sentence deals with something that is being 'reduced in size'. 02br
02br
00You also have what I assume is a typo of 'to narrowly', instead of 'too narrowly'. 02br
02br
00I don't know Carver's work. However, the meaning of the sentence is that 'Carver's precision in sketching lives on
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0I do like Clive's exegesis, Jeff, but I think A is also logically acceptable. I'll wager that this is from a practice text not prepared by ETS or the authentic test designer. 0-
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0 Thank you! 02br
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00It is a tough one. 02br
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00I still don’t get it, for the limit of my knowledge. Sorry. :-s 02br
02br
00Before asking you explain it again, I want to make sure if 01i00 much as 02i00 serves as a conj. here, meaning “however much”. 02br
01blockquote
00 'Car
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0 01blockquote
02br
10I do like Clive's exegesis, Jeff, but I think A is also logically acceptable. I'll wager that this is from a practice text not prepared by ETS or the authentic test designer. 12blockquote
12br
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00Howdy, Mr. Micawber. Long time no see. 05002br
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00I don't know. They are the practice
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0 Hello Jeff 02br
02br
00I have a thought from other people's. I'll choose E (diversified) 02br
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00I interpret your sentence this way; 02br
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00(1) It is ironical that Carver's precise description about laborers will sometimes cause his stories to be read by a confined group of people. 02br
02br
00This (1) is
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0 "Read too narrowly" means the same as "broader concerns (being) ignored". 02br
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00None of the others are possible, Dickens' opinions cannot be "diminished" or "diversified" by others. 0-
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0Hurm... I might mistake the meaning of 'read narrowly'. 02br
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00OK, I agree that it should be 'ignored'. Thank you, Woodcutter. 02br
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00paco 0-
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0 01blockquote
02br
10Hello Jeff 12br
12br
10I have a thought from other people's. I'll choose E (diversified) 12br
12br
10I interpret your sentence this way; 12br
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10(1) It is ironical that Carver's precise description about laborers will sometimes cause his stories to be read by a confined group of peopl
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