What does the bold part mean? ..consider the chemical cocktail contained

   Share on Facebook  
Anonymous  #512189  Sat, 10 May 08 09:21 PM

Hi,

Essential oils have been safely and consistently used by many thousands of women for hundreds of years in the form of perfumes, scented soaps and body lotions. In contrast, consider the chemical cocktail contained in modern cleaning products, air fresheners and the like, that are in common use everyday.

What does the part in bold mean?  Thanks.

  
Avangi  #512213  Sun, 11 May 08 12:02 AM

"In contrast, consider" holds the key.  It's the old "compare and contrast" game.  "Essential oils" have a long history of safe use by women, in cosmetics. I presume they're considered "natural." 

A "coctail" is usually an alcoholic drink in which several ingredients are blended according to a special recipe.  I suppose you could say that here it's used as a metaphor for the "artificial" formulations created in the laboratory from potentially harmful ingredients, which are also used on a daily basis by women (and others) in the household. Perhaps the long-term effects of these formulations on humans is not yet known.

- A.

Edit.  Didn't mean to imply that coctails are necessarily harmful.

  
Top 25 Contributor
Joined on Mon, Nov 19 2007
Senior Member (3,289)
Proficient SpeakerTrusted Users
". . . le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile." - Henri de Regnier
Anonymous  #512326  Sun, 11 May 08 10:32 AM

Hi Avangi,

Your explanation is very clear and great. Thank you very much.

  
AddThis Feed Button RSS Feed: ESL Vocabulary and Idioms
© 2008 MediaCET Ltd.
Terms and Conditions & Terms of Service