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Taka  #508070  Thu, 01 May 08 11:15 AM
''Life is a test. It's only a test. Had this been a real life you would have been instructed where to go and what to do.' Whenever I think of this humorous bit of wisdom, it reminds me to not take my life so seriously.

 

I know this is not really a grammar question, but could somebody help me understand what the underlined part is trying to say and what point the author think is humorous?

 
  
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Marius Hancu  #508084  Thu, 01 May 08 11:55 AM
Old joke. The joke is the contrast between the seriousness of  the situation and the "relaxing" message conveyed by the last sentence.

Imagine yourself being a test pilot on a plane falling towards the ground who receives instructions from the ground support:

This is only a test.  Had this been a real life event you would have been instructed where to go and what to do.

 or:

This is only a test.  If this had been a real life event you would have been instructed where to go and what to do.
  
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Taka  #508092  Thu, 01 May 08 12:11 PM
Your example is really easy to understand. Thanks. But the part in question is still puzzling to me. I mean, it says 'Life is a test. It's only a test.' Then it goes 'Had this been a real life...' I don't know this person's perception of life. Life is a test without any instruction and a real life would be something with some instruction? What is the difference between 'life' and 'a real life'??
  
Taka  #508093  Thu, 01 May 08 12:16 PM
Oh, wait a minute. Is it that his/her 'life' is the actual situation he/she is in and 'a real life' is sort of a product of his/her imagination?
  
Marius Hancu  #508094  Thu, 01 May 08 12:18 PM
Enjoy the life without knowing or without being instructed or programmed what to do in each situation. 

Enjoy the element of surprise in life and react to it. This is what humans, but not robots, do. 

A real life, in this author's opinion, means IMO a life in which you take yourself too seriously.  
  
Taka  #508099  Thu, 01 May 08 01:16 PM
I'm starting to understand what the author is trying to say.

I think I'm going into a grammar question after all.

 

''Life is a test. It's only a test. Had this been a real life you would have been instructed where to go and what to do.' 

 

LIfe is something you enjoy without knowing or being instructed what to do in each situation. That's something you can agree with. Yes.

And about a real life. Why do you think the subjunctive is used when it's about a 'real' life? 

 

 
  
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Grammar Geek  #508106  Thu, 01 May 08 01:29 PM

If the source was American, it's from the test of our emergency broadcast system.

Periodically, the television stations will stop what they are broadcasting and play this warning tone. Then the message will be "This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test. In the event of a real emergency..." and so on. Then there are three short beeps and you return to your program.

I think it was created back in the 50s when we were sure the Russians were going to drop a bomb on us [8-)], but not it's more for things like tornedos or flood warnings.

 
  
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Barbara, who answers in American English.
Taka  #508121  Thu, 01 May 08 01:53 PM
GG, that test is understandable. ' This is a test. This is a test. If this had been about a real state of emergency, you would have been instructed what to do.'

But about the sentence in question, why isn't it 'Life could be a test. In a real life, however, you will be instructed what to do'?

I think the reason I'm confused is the subjunctive used in the sentence in question. 

Or is it just the author's play on words? He/She just replaced the word in the original test with 'life'?
  
Anonymous  #508123  Thu, 01 May 08 01:58 PM

I do not understand the subjunctive too. The subjunctive "Had this been a real life you would have been instructed where to go and what to do.' suggests you will be given instructions on where to go and what to do in real life and that's not true!, is it?  
  
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