Taka  +  149088 Tue, 18 Oct 05 11:55 AM What is a car but a modern version of a magic carpet, ready to take its passengers wherever they command at the turn of a key? Which does 'at the turn of a key' refer to; '(to) take its passengers' or 'they command'? Taka Joined on Tue, Sep 7 2004 Japan Senior Member 2,625

	Clive  +  149128 Tue, 18 Oct 05 02:25 PM Hi Taka, I'd say '.. take its passengers'. Consider a slightly reworded sentence: What is a car but a modern version of a magic carpet, ready to take its passengers to Tokyo at the turn of a key? Clive Clive Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004 Canada Veteran Member 29,595 El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

	MrPedantic  +  149605 Thu, 20 Oct 05 12:26 AM Hmm. I wonder whether we could read it as an adverbial modifying "ready": "...ready, at the turn of a key, to take..." I suppose the phrase is intended to recall typical "Arabian Nights" phrases such as "in the twinkling of an eye", etc. MrP MrPedantic Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004 Veteran Member 12,592 ...opella forensis / adducit febris...