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Stenka25 Posted 5 years ago
Vocabulary

Three questions in one sentence with only seven words

Three questions in one sentence with only seven words


The passage below is from Fathoms: The World in the Whale by Rebecca Giggs.

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By sunrise, a part of the whale that ought not to be outside of it, was outside of it. A digestive organ, frilled and bluish in the foam. The whale’s billiard-ball eyes tumbled in its head, and its breathing sounded laboured. The sharks slid into vapour, a squinting rumour. No blood on the tideline. People stayed back from the water’s edge nonetheless. Swept slantwise, shallow waves smoothed, over-smoothed, smoothed.

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Here I am a volunteer who wants to help save a stranded whale. But it seems getting harder to get the work done.


Here’s my questions.

What’s the subject of ‘Swept slantwise’? Is it ‘shallow waves’?

Then does ‘shallow waves (being) swept slantwise’ means ‘shallow waves (being) surged over obliquely’?


Then what does ‘shallow waves smoothed’ mean?

Does it mean ‘shallow waves calmed down’?


Last but not least, then what does ‘(shallow waves) over-smoothed’ mean?

Does it mean ‘(shallow waves) smoothed again’?

If not, what does it mean?


Thanks a lot in advance.

  

Top answer

Stenka25 The passage below is from Fathoms: The World in the Whale by Rebecca Giggs. I thought I told you to read something else. Stenka25 What’s the subject of ‘Swept slantwise’?

— Anonymous

  • Stenka25 The passage below is from Fathoms: The World in the Whale by Rebecca Giggs.
  • I thought I told you to read something else.
  • Stenka25 What’s the subject of ‘Swept slantwise’?
  • Is it ‘shallow waves’?
  • Probably.
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2 Answers
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Stenka25The passage below is from Fathoms: The World in the Whale by Rebecca Giggs.

I thought I told you to read something else.

Stenka25What’s the subject of ‘Swept slantwise’? Is it ‘shallow waves’?

Probably. Only Giggs knows, maybe.

Stenka25Then what does ‘shallow waves smoothed’ mean
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It is vivid imagery.

Imagine yourself at a beach, just at the water's edge. A wave comes in, washing over the sand, smoothing out the surface, and then retreats.

Stenka25Swept slantwise,

The wind pushes the waves, sweeping them in, not exactly perpendicular to the coastline, but at an angle.

Stenka25shallow waves
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