0
Stenka25 Posted 10 years ago
Vocabulary
What does the underlined 'race' mean?
What does the underlined 'race' mean?
The passage below comes from Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari.
https://books.google.co.kr/books?id=FmyBAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT13&dq=%22A+significant+step+on+the+way+to+the+top+was+the+domestication%22&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22A%20significant%20step%20on%20the%20way%20to%20the%20top%20was%20the%20domestication%22&f=false
A Race of Cooks
A significant step on the way to the top was the domestication of fire. Some human species may have made occasional use of fire as early as 800,000 years ago. By about 300,000 years ago, Homo erectus, Neanderthals and the forefathers of Homo sapiens were using fire on a daily basis.
I cannot figure out the exact meaning of the underlined 'race'.
I tried to get a help from a dictionary. It seemed to me that the meaning of the number 3 is suited for the context.
Am I right?
Regards.
1. a contest of speed, as in running, swimming, driving, riding, etc
2. any competition or rivalry: the race for the White House.
3. rapid or constant onward movement: the race of time.
4. (Physical Geography) a rapid current of water, esp one through a narrow channel that has a tidal range greater at one end than the other
5. (Human Geography) a channel of a stream, esp one for conducting water to or from a water wheel or other device for utilizing its energy: a mill race.
6. (Mechanical Engineering)
a. a channel or groove that contains ball bearings or roller bearings or that restrains a sliding component
b. the inner or outer cylindrical ring in a ball bearing or roller bearing
7. (Agriculture) Austral and NZ a narrow passage or enclosure in a sheep yard through which sheep pass individually, as to a sheep dip
8. (Australian Rules Football) Austral a wire tunnel through which footballers pass from the changing room onto a football field
9. (Mining & Quarrying) NZ a line of containers coupled together, used in mining to transport coal
10. (Aeronautics) another name for slipstream
11. archaic the span or course of life
12. not in the race informal Austral given or having no chance
The passage below comes from Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari.
https://books.google.co.kr/books?id=FmyBAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT13&dq=%22A+significant+step+on+the+way+to+the+top+was+the+domestication%22&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22A%20significant%20step%20on%20the%20way%20to%20the%20top%20was%20the%20domestication%22&f=false
A Race of Cooks
A significant step on the way to the top was the domestication of fire. Some human species may have made occasional use of fire as early as 800,000 years ago. By about 300,000 years ago, Homo erectus, Neanderthals and the forefathers of Homo sapiens were using fire on a daily basis.
I cannot figure out the exact meaning of the underlined 'race'.
I tried to get a help from a dictionary. It seemed to me that the meaning of the number 3 is suited for the context.
Am I right?
Regards.
1. a contest of speed, as in running, swimming, driving, riding, etc
2. any competition or rivalry: the race for the White House.
3. rapid or constant onward movement: the race of time.
4. (Physical Geography) a rapid current of water, esp one through a narrow channel that has a tidal range greater at one end than the other
5. (Human Geography) a channel of a stream, esp one for conducting water to or from a water wheel or other device for utilizing its energy: a mill race.
6. (Mechanical Engineering)
a. a channel or groove that contains ball bearings or roller bearings or that restrains a sliding component
b. the inner or outer cylindrical ring in a ball bearing or roller bearing
7. (Agriculture) Austral and NZ a narrow passage or enclosure in a sheep yard through which sheep pass individually, as to a sheep dip
8. (Australian Rules Football) Austral a wire tunnel through which footballers pass from the changing room onto a football field
9. (Mining & Quarrying) NZ a line of containers coupled together, used in mining to transport coal
10. (Aeronautics) another name for slipstream
11. archaic the span or course of life
12. not in the race informal Austral given or having no chance
Top answer
Actually, I would pick #2: a competition or rivalry. Those in the race are the cooks . That is, people of different species.
- Actually, I would pick #2: a competition or rivalry.
- Those in the race are the cooks .
- That is, people of different species.
- (Just as a horse race is a race between horses, so a "race of cooks " is a race between cooks (people who cook over fire).
- Does this help?
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
7 Answers
0
Actually, I would pick #2: a competition or rivalry. Those in the race are the cooks. That is, people of different species. (Just as a horse race is a race between horses, so a "race of cooks" is a race between cooks (people who cook over fire).
Does this help?
Does this help?
00
No.
You missed some other definitions. Consider these.
http://www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/race
Learner's definition of RACE
1
: one of the groups that people can be divided into based on certain physical qualities (
You missed some other definitions. Consider these.
http://www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/race
Learner's definition of RACE
1
: one of the groups that people can be divided into based on certain physical qualities (
00
Thanks a lot as always, Clive.
One last question.
Does 'cook' in this context mean 'a person who cooks'?
Thanks again.
One last question.
Does 'cook' in this context mean 'a person who cooks'?
Thanks again.
00
Actually, I would pick #2: a competition or rivalry. Those in the race are the cooks. That is, people of different species. (Just as a horse race is a race between horses, so a "race of cooks" is a race between cooks (people who cook over fire).
I hadn't considered that. You may be right I think one could argue either way.
Your version is more whi
I hadn't considered that. You may be right I think one could argue either way.
Your version is more whi
00
Yes, it all depends on the rest of the passage. But your suggestion that it is the human race that are cooks is probably more probable. (On the other hand, what do we say about all those other species, like the Neanderthals, that were also cooking?)
00
Thanks a lot for second-guessing, Clive.
Thanks a lot, Doctor D.
Your answers give me food for thought.
Thanks a lot, Doctor D.
Your answers give me food for thought.
0
Related Questions