We have partnered with TradePub to bring you free industry magazines and resources - no coupons or credit cards required!

Visit: englishforums.tradepub.com


Share this topic:
This question is Not Answered
Latest post Wed, Sep 16 2009 4:53 PM by Clive. 1 replies.
Suggest an answer | | |
Learnenglish  +  904230 Wed, 16 Sep 09 01:35 PM
Dear Teacher,

 

        There is a paragraph:

 

         It's hard to ramain anonymous these days.  Information is available on just about anyone:  credit files on microfiche, service records, lawsuits, marriages, divorces, wills, births, deaths, licenses, permits, vehicles registered.  If you want to remain invisible, pay cash for everything and if you err, don't get caught.  Most of our personal data is a matter of public record.  All you have to know is how to look it up.  What your state and city government don't have on file, your next-door neighbor will usually share without so much as a dollar changing hands.

 

       Question:  This paragraph is about America life.  Please explain the background of this paragraph.  How could a person reamain invisible if he pay money? 

 

       Question:  Pleae explain the meaning of the last sentence:  What your state and city government don't have on file, your next-door neighbor will usually share without so much as a dollar changing hands.

                      What's the function of "What" in the sentence?

 

                     Thanks.

                      

Joined on Wed, Aug 1 2007
New Member 42
Clive  +  904446 Wed, 16 Sep 09 04:53 PM
 Hi,

Question:  This paragraph is about America life.  Please explain the background of this paragraph.  How could a person reamain invisible if he pay money? 

In the modern age, computer systems contain huge amounts of information about people. eg If you pay with a credit card, the credit card comapny has a record of what you bought, what day you bought it, where you bought it, etc. But if you pay cash, no such records are created. So, you will not be found (ie you will be 'invisible', figuratively speaking) if someone looks for you using the records.

 

       Question:  Pleae explain the meaning of the last sentence:  What your state and city government don't have on file, your next-door neighbor will usually share without so much as a dollar changing hands.

Some information about you is not in the records. But your neighbour will usually gve this information if someone asks. Your neighbour will do this free of charge.

                      What's the function of "What" in the sentence? It's a pronoun.

 

Best wishes, Clive

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004
Canada
Veteran Member 29,630
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
© MediaCet Ltd. 2009, v5.0.3615.29165. All content posted by our users is a contribution to the public domain, this does not include imported usenet posts.*
For web related enquires please contact us on webmaster@mediacet.com, status updates are available at status.mediacet.com.
*Usenet post removal: Use 'X-No-Archive'. You may not have understood that your posts would end up in the public domain. Please send proof of the poster's email, we will remove immediately.