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Taka Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
test
0 '' 01 span 01 u 00 Life is a test. It's only a test. Had this been a real life you would have been instructed where to go and what to do 02 u 00 .' Whenever I think of this humorous bit of wisdom, it reminds me to not take my life so seriously. 02 span 02 br
02 br
00 I know this is not really a grammar question, but could somebody help me understand what the underlined part is trying to say and what point the author think is humorous? 0-
02 br
00 I know this is not really a grammar question, but could somebody help me understand what the underlined part is trying to say and what point the author think is humorous? 0-
Top answer
0 Old joke. The joke is the contrast between the seriousness of the situation and the "relaxing" message conveyed by the last sentence. 02 br 02 br 00 Imagine yourself being a test pilot on a plane falling towards the ground who receives instructions from the ground support: 02 br 01 u 00 This is only a test.
- 0 Old joke.
- The joke is the contrast between the seriousness of the situation and the "relaxing" message conveyed by the last sentence.
- 02 br 02 br 00 Imagine yourself being a test pilot on a plane falling towards the ground who receives instructions from the ground support: 02 br 01 u 00 This is only a test.
- 02 span 02 br 00 or: 02 br 02 br 01 u 00 This is only a test.
- 02 span 0-
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20 Answers
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0 Old joke. The joke is the contrast between the seriousness of the situation and the "relaxing" message conveyed by the last sentence. 02 br
02 br
00 Imagine yourself being a test pilot on a plane falling towards the ground who receives instructions from the ground support: 02 br
01 u 00 This is only a test. 02 u 00 01 span
02 br
00 Imagine yourself being a test pilot on a plane falling towards the ground who receives instructions from the ground support: 02 br
01 u 00 This is only a test. 02 u 00 01 span
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0 Your example is really easy to understand. Thanks. But the part in question is still puzzling to me. I mean, it says ' 01 span 00 Life is a test. It's only a test.' Then it goes 'Had this been a real life 01 span 00 ...' I don't know this person's perception of life. Life is a test without any instruction and a real life wo
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0 Oh, wait a minute. Is it that his/her 'life' is the actual situation he/she is in and 'a real life' is sort of a product of his/her imagination? 0-
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0 Enjoy the life without knowing or without being instructed or programmed what to do in each situation. 02 br
00 Enjoy the element of surprise in life and react to it. This is what humans, but not robots, do. 02 br
00 A 01 b 00 real life 02 b 00 , in this author's opinion, means IMO a life in which you take yourself too seriously. 0-
00 Enjoy the element of surprise in life and react to it. This is what humans, but not robots, do. 02 br
00 A 01 b 00 real life 02 b 00 , in this author's opinion, means IMO a life in which you take yourself too seriously. 0-
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0 I'm starting to understand what the author is trying to say. 02 br
00 I think I'm going into a grammar question after all. 02 br
02 br
00 '' 01 span 00 Life is a test. It's only a test. 01 span 00 Had 02 span 00 this 01 span 00 been 02 span
00 I think I'm going into a grammar question after all. 02 br
02 br
00 '' 01 span 00 Life is a test. It's only a test. 01 span 00 Had 02 span 00 this 01 span 00 been 02 span
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0 If the source was American, it's from the test of our emergency broadcast system. 02 br
02 br
00 Periodically, the television stations will stop what they are broadcasting and play this warning tone. Then the message will be "This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test. In the event of a real emergency..." and so on. Then there are three short beeps an
02 br
00 Periodically, the television stations will stop what they are broadcasting and play this warning tone. Then the message will be "This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test. In the event of a real emergency..." and so on. Then there are three short beeps an
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0 GG, that test is understandable. ' This is a test. This is a test. If this had been about a real state of emergency, you would have been instructed what to do.' 02 br
00 But about the sentence in question, why isn't it 'Life 01 span 00 could 02 span 00 be a test. In a real life, however, you 01 span
00 But about the sentence in question, why isn't it 'Life 01 span 00 could 02 span 00 be a test. In a real life, however, you 01 span
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0 I do not understand the subjunctive too. The subjunctive " 01 u 00 Had 01 font 00 this 02 font 00 been 01 font 00 a real life you 02 font 00 would have been 01 font 00 instructed where to go and what to do 02 font 02 u 01 font 00 .' 02 font
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0 Taka, I'm on you side! It never crossed my mind. Good point. New2Grammar.( I'm facing some problem with my computer so I'll won't be logging in until I find a solution.) 0-
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0 It's just supposed to be a joke, suggesting that what we're doing here is not "real life." I suppose it's even possible the person who first came up with it was thinking about the "afterlife" (in heaven) as what's real, and this one doesn't count, but I doubt it. It's just at attempt at humor. Obviously we are living a real life, but if we were NOT, and this really is some sort of test run for
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