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NL888 Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
What does "the new gear set her back about 0" mean? "the new gear set her back to look very young"?
Context:
Encouraged by her new boyfriend Wang Ning, a keen snowboarder, Vicky decided earlier this year to take up the sport as well. To prime for it, she went to a mall in south Beijing that specializes in pricey, imported skiing gear. She chose a gleaming new snowboard made by the Colorado company Never Summer, emblazoned with colorful, psychedelic paintings of butterflies. Along with gloves, goggles and other paraphernalia, the new gear set her back about 0. When asked about the wisdom of spending a small fortune on equipment for a sport she may never take to, she says, "I believe you have to be fully prepared and equipped before you decide to start a new hobby." Besides, she adds, "even if I don't like skiing, think how nice [the gear] will look in the hallway of my apartment. Guests won't know that I don't use it." Vicky smiles to signal she's joking. But she's dead serious when she explains, over coffee at Starbucks, her lack of interest in politics. "It's because our life is pretty good. I care about my rights when it comes to the quality of a waitress in a restaurant or a product I buy. When it comes to democracy and all that, well ..." She shrugs expressively and takes a sip of her latte. "That doesn't play a role in my life."
Encouraged by her new boyfriend Wang Ning, a keen snowboarder, Vicky decided earlier this year to take up the sport as well. To prime for it, she went to a mall in south Beijing that specializes in pricey, imported skiing gear. She chose a gleaming new snowboard made by the Colorado company Never Summer, emblazoned with colorful, psychedelic paintings of butterflies. Along with gloves, goggles and other paraphernalia, the new gear set her back about 0. When asked about the wisdom of spending a small fortune on equipment for a sport she may never take to, she says, "I believe you have to be fully prepared and equipped before you decide to start a new hobby." Besides, she adds, "even if I don't like skiing, think how nice [the gear] will look in the hallway of my apartment. Guests won't know that I don't use it." Vicky smiles to signal she's joking. But she's dead serious when she explains, over coffee at Starbucks, her lack of interest in politics. "It's because our life is pretty good. I care about my rights when it comes to the quality of a waitress in a restaurant or a product I buy. When it comes to democracy and all that, well ..." She shrugs expressively and takes a sip of her latte. "That doesn't play a role in my life."
Top answer
The new equipment cost her a lot of money. I think 0 is a typo. Instead, it should be a large amount of money.
- The new equipment cost her a lot of money.
- I think 0 is a typo.
- Instead, it should be a large amount of money.
- Clive
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3 Answers
0
The new equipment cost her a lot of money.
I think 0 is a typo. Instead, it should be a large amount of money.
Clive
I think 0 is a typo. Instead, it should be a large amount of money.
Clive
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Thanks.
But "the new gear set her back about a great amount of money" sounds unnatural and makes no sense.
the new gear set her back to about zero?
But "the new gear set her back about a great amount of money" sounds unnatural and makes no sense.
the new gear set her back to about zero?
00
No, you don't understand the idiom.
We say eg My new car set me back $30,000.
It just means that it cost a lot of money.
It has nothing to do with resetting my bank balance to zero!
We say eg My new car set me back $30,000.
It just means that it cost a lot of money.
It has nothing to do with resetting my bank balance to zero!
0
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