Ch. 9 ex. 7 Alexandra

1. For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
a. Ambiguity: "it" can be the fact that the people didn't know that they had children or that they didn't know that there was a nursery.
b. Likely: It refers to the fact that the people didn't know there was a nursery.
c. Knowledge: Normally, people know that they have children.
2, The police were asked to stop drinking in publlic places.
a. Ambiguity: in the passive voice, someone asked the police to stop their own drinking.
in the active voice, the police were stopping people from drinking in public places.
b. Likely: The second scenario
c. Knowledge: Normally, police enforce anti-drinking and anti-drug laws.
3. Our bikinis are exciting: they are simply the tops.
a. Ambiguity: The bikinis only have tops: no bottoms.
b. Likely: The bikinis are the best also refered to as "the tops".
c. Knowledge: The word "tops" can also mean idiomatically the best.
4. It's time we made smoking history>
a. Ambiguity: Smoking history could be the history of smoking or it could mean make smoking a thing of the past.
b. Likely: the second scenario.
c. Knowledge: That smoking is becoming a thing of the past.
5. Do you know the time?
a. Ambiguity: What time is it? Do you know the time of what?
b. Likely: the first scenario
c. Knowledge: Unless specified, probably asking for the time of day.
6. concerned with spreading violence, the president called a press conference.
a. Ambiguity: The president was scared of himself spreading violence, or the president was concerned with spreading violence in the country.
b. Likely: Spreading violence in the country
c. Knowledge: We have an increasing rate of violence in the country.
7. The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind and they may be seen in the church basement Friday. ... but would anyone come????
a. Ambiguity: The ladies have clothing in the basement of the church to be seen/bought. OR the ladies themselves are naked and waiting in the basement of the church.
b. Likely: That the ladies are selling clothes.
c. Knowledge: churches often have clothing sales and church ladies don't often take off their clothes in public.
8. Red Tape Holds Up New Bridge
a. Ambiguity: There is red tape holding up the new bridge or that there is bureaucracy holding up construction.
b. Likely: Beaurocracy
c. Red tape has an idiomatic meaning as well as literal.
9. Kids Make Nutritious Snacks.
a. Ambiguity: kids can make their own healthy snacks. Someonecould eat a kid as a healthy snack.
b. Likely: the kids are making their own food.
c. Knowledge: That other people aren't generally cannibals.
10. Sex Education Delayed, Teachers Request Training.
a. Ambiguity: The teachers need training in sex. or the teachers need training in how to teach the subject.
b. Likely, the second scenario.
c. Knowledge: Teachers do not receive sex training.