Chapter 5: Exercise 5_Lopez

Mirna Callejas-Lopez

Chapter 5 Exercise 5

The following sentences may be lexical or structurally ambiguous, or both. Provide paraphrases showing that you comprehend all the meanings.

Example: I saw him walking by the bank

Meaning 1) I saw him walking and he was walking by the bank of the river

Meaning 2) I saw him and he was walking by the financial institution.

Meaning 3) I was walking by the bank of the river when I saw him

Meaning 4: I was walking by the financial institution when I saw him.

Exercise 5:

a)   We laughed at the colorful ball ( what is colorful? The ball)

Meaning 1) We laughed at the colorful ball that bounce on the floor.

Meaning 2) We laughed at the colorful ball when we entered the dance floor.

Meaning 3) The colorful  ball was too bouncy  that we laughed to see the boy could not catch it.

Meaning4) The Ballroom decorations were to colorful that we had to laugh.

b)   He was knocked over by the punch. (What knocked him over? The Punch)

Meaning 1) He was knocked over by the man’s fist when he punched him.

Meaning 2) He was intoxicated by drinking spiked punch.

Meaning 3) The punch spilled on the floor and the man hit his head and was

knocked out for 5 minutes

     Meaning 4) “The Punch” famous boxer knocked him over on the last round.

c)    The police were urged to stop drinking by the fifth.

(What did the police had to stop? Drinking & fifth)

Meaning 1) The police were urged to stop drinking by the fifth rule of the Police handbook.

Meaning 2) The Police were urged to report to Fifth Avenue and stop illegal drinking.

Meaning 3) The Police were urged to stop people drinking fifth of liquor.

     Meaning 4) The police were urged to stop drinking by the fifth of the month or they will be suspended.

d)   I said I would file it on Thursday (What do you need to do? File it? Thursday )

Meaning 1) I said I would file it on Thursday to avoid late fees

Meaning 2) I said I would take the file and put it away on Thursday.

Meaning 3) I said I would use a wood file on Thursday to finish the shelf.
e) I cannot recommend visiting professors very highly. ( Visiting, professor, highly)

Meaning 1) I don’t recommend meeting professors after hours.

Meaning 2) I don’t recommend meeting professors to be effective.

Meaning 3) I cannot recommend “Guest Lecturer  Professors” to be knowledgeable.   

f)The license fee for pets owned by senior citizens who have  not been altered  is $1.50 (Actual Notice) (license fee, senior citizens altered)

Meaning 1) The license fee for pets owned by senior citizens that haven’t had their pets neutered is $1.50.

Meaning 2) The license fee for pet owners that are senior citizens that have not been altered (forged) is $1.50.  

    

g) What looks better on a handsome man than a tux? Nothing. (handsome, tux)

Meaning 1) A handsome man looks better in a tux, than when he is wearing any other kind of clothing

Meaning 2) A handsome man would still look handsome if he was wearing nothing, unless it was tux.

Meaning 3) A tux makes a handsome man look more handsome

     Meaning4) In order for a man to look handsome he must wear a tux.

h) Wanted: Man to take care of cow that does not smoke or drink (man, cow)

Meaning 1) Will hire a man that does not smoke or drink that can tend a cow.
(is nonsmoker/drinker)

Meaning 2) Will hire a man that can tend to a cow that does not smoke or drink

i)For Sale: Several old dresses from grandmother in beautiful condition. (Actual notice) (dresses)

Meaning 1) Sale of old dresses that belong to my grandmother who is in beautiful condition

Meaning 2) Sale of old dresses that are in beautiful condition, which belonged to my grandmother.

Meaning 3) Dresses that are old that can be for a grandmother who is in beautiful condition

Meaning 4) several dresses that are old but in beautiful condition that can be worn by any    grandmother.

j) Time flies like an arrow

Meaning 1) Time was as fast as an arrow, that I shot to the sky and it came quickly 
back to the ground.

Meaning 2) I can measure time and compare it to how fast it took me to fly an arrow.

     Meaning3) “time-flies” a new kind of flies that are shaped like arrows and can 
      fly as fast

     Meaning 4) Flies called “time-flies” are attracted to arrows.