Rebecca
When we are talking about time, we should include "for" (or "since," depending on the sentence) to specify the length of time. Omitting "for" would sound unnatural in this context. Ex: This cafe has been around for over 30 years. Ex: My parents have been married for 20 years. Ex: I have been playing hockey for almost nine years.
01/04
1
What does "tinker" mean? Is it to customize or modify something?
Yes, your guess is right! To "tinker" with something means to attempt to fix or modify it in some way, usually in a casual way. Ex: I like to tinker with vintage cars. Ex: I tinkered with the design to make it better.
2
What does the "word cloud" mean? Could you give me some examples?
A "word cloud" is a collection or cluster of words that appear in different sizes. The bigger and bolder the word appears, the more often it's mentioned within a specific text and the more important it is. Word clouds are visual representations of information and are a very helpful form of text processing. It's a bit difficult to give an example here as they are in a visual form but you can Google it to look for image examples.
3
Could you tell me the difference between "pay" and "make payments"?
When we use the word "pay" it implies that all the money owed is given at one time. However, "make payments" usually means that you will pay in installments over a period of time rather than in one lump sum. Since the cost of the boat here is very high, Joey is saying he will pay over time because he really wants the boat. Ex: I have to pay the rent tomorrow. Ex: I am making payments on the rent over the next few weeks.
4
Why did he said "you" even if he is indicating himself?
Finn is saying "you" because it makes it easier to talk about the negative experience he encountered. It's a way of indicating that these kinds of negative experiences can happen to anyone while also reflecting on that negative experience yourself. Ex: You win some battles, you lose some battles. Ex: You just can't trust anyone these days. Ex: Love will tear you apart.
5
What does the word "bulk" mean here? Can you tell me some alternative words to replace it?
“Bulk” is used here to mean “the majority” or “most,” so you can use these words in this context as well. Ex: The bulk of this year’s traveling will take place on the roadways. Ex: The majority of cooking is done by my father. Ex: Most of this year’s donations came from corporations.
Complete the expression with a quiz!
