Antonia  +  82098 Fri, 18 Mar 05 10:35 AM Could you help me to clarify the meaning of 'performing experiments alongside college students' in the following context: In seventh grade, when Sara had shown an interest in science, her father had found a biology professor at the college who needed his main water line replaced. The professor tutored Sara in exchange for the work. Two years later, a chemistry professor needed his whole house replumbed, and Sara was performing experiments alongside college students. Does this mean that she was performing experiments as a return favour provided by the professor, or did she become a college student? p.s. her father was a plumber, and she used to help him sometimes in his works. Afterwards she graduated from Medical School, and became a doctor Thanks! Antonia Joined on Fri, Mar 11 2005 Contributing Member 1,266

	nona the brit  +  82157 Fri, 18 Mar 05 03:19 PM I interpret this as her being able to join in with the students in return for her father's work on the house. nona the brit Joined on Wed, Sep 22 2004 England Veteran Member 11,713 The name says it all.

	x.mehrdad  +  82180 Fri, 18 Mar 05 03:54 PM Hello again, I guess it is from a book, so you might be able to help us by reading the next one or two sentences which come after. x.mehrdad

	Antonia  +  82186 Fri, 18 Mar 05 04:10 PM This is just her reflexion on the past. The passage that follows has nothing to do with it. So, in your opinion nona, this is where the action switches on the moment when she is a student? Thank you for your effort Antonia

	x.mehrdad  +  82195 Fri, 18 Mar 05 04:48 PM Hello, Would you mind to give the name of that book, please, I am working in a library, and I just want to take a look at it, if you don't mind. Cheers. x.mehrdad

	nona the brit  +  82196 Fri, 18 Mar 05 04:50 PM I don't think she was an official student, no, but allowed to go along as a returned favour for her father. nona the brit

	khoff  +  82241 Sat, 19 Mar 05 12:03 AM It looks to me like she was in ninth grade, not a college student, when she was allowed to participate with the college students in conducting experiments. This was arranged by the professor in exchange for the plumbing work done by her father. (Obviously, it implies that she was smart and talented in science and benefitted from this early exposure to college-level chemistry.) khoff Joined on Sun, Mar 6 2005 Senior Member 3,278 Native speaker of American English (but not a grammar expert)

	x.mehrdad  +  82280 Sat, 19 Mar 05 04:26 AM Hello again, From what I see above it is a flat 'third person narrator' probably from Sara's 'point of view', and not a clue of 'Free indirect speech' , ' The Stream of Consciousness', Interior Monologue' or anything of that sort; I am curious to know by what kind of wizardry a writer can switch from what I see above to any interior reflection (as you said Antonia). I don't think even Faulkner or Joice could do that. I will find that book, even if it chops me a year off; it worth it. Cheers. x.mehrdad Direct Speech, Indirect Speech