| Author |
Message |
lu
Guest
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| Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 7:06 am
Post subject: presents vs.provides |
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Dear all,
Can anyone help me answer the following question?
It can't be denied that cloning ___ many exciting potentials.
a) takes b) presents c) provides d) supplies
The standard answer is "b". I would like to know if "c" or "d"
is also correct.
Thanks for your help. |
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Bob Cunningham
Guest
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| Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 7:06 am
Post subject: Re: presents vs.provides |
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On Thu, 26 May 2005 22:05:48 -0400, Robert Lieblich
<robert.lieblich@verizon.net> said:
| Quote: | lu wrote:
Dear all,
Can anyone help me answer the following question?
It can't be denied that cloning ___ many exciting potentials.
a) takes b) presents c) provides d) supplies
The standard answer is "b". I would like to know if "c" or "d"
is also correct.
Thanks for your help.
None of the answers is correct. Good native speakers of English
wouldn't write a sentence with the direct object "many exciting
potentials." If you change it to something that might be said, such
as "many exciting opportunities," the most idiomatic choice (to my
ear) is indeed "presents," but I wouldn't consider "provides" or
"supplies" *wrong*.
|
"Offers."
| Quote: | Still, assuming the best answer is what is wanted, "b" is the best
answer.
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c. |
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Tor
Guest
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| Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 7:06 am
Post subject: Re: presents vs.provides |
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|
Robert Lieblich <robert.lieblich@verizon.net> averred thusly in
news:4296807C.CFBB18DC@verizon.net:
| Quote: | lu wrote:
Dear all,
Can anyone help me answer the following question?
It can't be denied that cloning ___ many exciting potentials.
a) takes b) presents c) provides d) supplies
|
the most idiomatic choice (to my
| Quote: | ear) is indeed "presents," but I wouldn't consider "provides" or
"supplies" *wrong*.
Still, assuming the best answer is what is wanted, "b" is the best
answer.
|
I'll second that. An even more idiomatic answer, however, isn't even one
of the choices. I think most Americans would say, "offers many exciting
possibilities."
The only rationale that I can think of to rule out "provides" and
"supplies" is that they are almost perfect synonyms for each other. If one
were correct, the other would also be correct. "Presents" has just enough
of a difference in meaning from those two that it could be correct in the
test-writer's mind without making either of the other two correct at the
same time.
So knowing the test-writer's mind is more important in this case than
knowing the "right" answer.
Peace,
Tor
--
Bored? Check out Tor's Rants!
http://torsrants.blogspot.com |
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Robert Lieblich
Guest
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| Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 7:06 am
Post subject: Re: presents vs.provides |
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lu wrote:
| Quote: |
Dear all,
Can anyone help me answer the following question?
It can't be denied that cloning ___ many exciting potentials.
a) takes b) presents c) provides d) supplies
The standard answer is "b". I would like to know if "c" or "d"
is also correct.
Thanks for your help.
|
None of the answers is correct. Good native speakers of English
wouldn't write a sentence with the direct object "many exciting
potentials." If you change it to something that might be said, such
as "many exciting opportunities," the most idiomatic choice (to my
ear) is indeed "presents," but I wouldn't consider "provides" or
"supplies" *wrong*.
Still, assuming the best answer is what is wanted, "b" is the best
answer.
--
Bob Lieblich
Who presents many exciting answers |
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meirman
Guest
|
| Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 1:02 pm
Post subject: Re: presents vs.provides |
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|
In alt.english.usage on 26 May 2005 18:14:38 -0700 "lu"
<lcyiu@tp.edu.tw> posted:
| Quote: | Dear all,
Can anyone help me answer the following question?
It can't be denied that cloning ___ many exciting potentials.
a) takes b) presents c) provides d) supplies
The standard answer is "b". I would like to know if "c" or "d"
is also correct.
Thanks for your help.
|
Personally, of the 4, I like c.
Supplies reminds me of things tangible, things kept in a supply room.
I tend to think one can present results, but not potentials or
opportunities or possibilities.
OTOH, one can provide those latter three things, and if the person to
whom they are provided makes good use of them, maybe he can present
some results later.
s/ meirman
Posting from alt.english.usage
--
If you are emailing me please
say if you are posting the same response.
Town NW of Pittsburgh Pa. 0 to 10 years
Indianapolis 7 years
Chicago 6 years
Brooklyn NY 12 years
now in Baltimore 22 years |
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Harvey Van Sickle
Guest
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| Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 1:19 pm
Post subject: Re: presents vs.provides |
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On 27 May 2005, meirman wrote
| Quote: | In alt.english.usage on 26 May 2005 18:14:38 -0700 "lu"
lcyiu@tp.edu.tw> posted:
Dear all,
Can anyone help me answer the following question?
It can't be denied that cloning ___ many exciting potentials.
a) takes b) presents c) provides d) supplies
The standard answer is "b". I would like to know if "c" or "d"
is also correct.
Thanks for your help.
Personally, of the 4, I like c.
Supplies reminds me of things tangible, things kept in a supply room.
I tend to think one can present results, but not potentials or
opportunities or possibilities.
OTOH, one can provide those latter three things, and if the person to
whom they are provided makes good use of them, maybe he can present
some results later.
|
I can see your point, but personally I'd have opted for "presents" --
as in the medical expression of "presenting" of symptoms.
--
Cheers, Harvey
Canada for 30 years; S England since 1982.
(for e-mail, change harvey.news to harvey.van) |
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Scout
Guest
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| Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 2:25 pm
Post subject: Re: presents vs.provides |
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"lu" <lcyiu@tp.edu.tw> wrote in message
news:1117156478.210835.178560@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | Dear all,
Can anyone help me answer the following question?
It can't be denied that cloning ___ many exciting potentials.
a) takes b) presents c) provides d) supplies
The standard answer is "b". I would like to know if "c" or "d"
is also correct.
Thanks for your help.
|
I'd go with c. "Provides" sounds right to my ear.
Scout |
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Scout
Guest
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| Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 2:34 pm
Post subject: Re: presents vs.provides |
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"Scout" <scoutsails@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:tIqdnacAjZzqRAvfRVn-vQ@comcast.com...
| Quote: | "lu" <lcyiu@tp.edu.tw> wrote in message
news:1117156478.210835.178560@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
Dear all,
Can anyone help me answer the following question?
It can't be denied that cloning ___ many exciting potentials.
a) takes b) presents c) provides d) supplies
The standard answer is "b". I would like to know if "c" or "d"
is also correct.
Thanks for your help.
I'd go with c. "Provides" sounds right to my ear.
Scout
|
To add to that - "presents" conjures up a situation in which cloning
activity somehow automatically points the researcher toward some beneficial
end. OTOH, "provides" leaves one with the impression that benefits are
possible, but may not be apparent to the casual observer. Since I believe
the latter example is most likely, I'd stick with "provides" in the original
sentence.
Scout |
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meirman
Guest
|
| Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 10:55 pm
Post subject: Re: presents vs.provides |
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In alt.english.usage on Fri, 27 May 2005 04:34:38 -0400 "Scout"
<scoutsails@hotmail.com> posted:
| Quote: |
"Scout" <scoutsails@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:tIqdnacAjZzqRAvfRVn-vQ@comcast.com...
"lu" <lcyiu@tp.edu.tw> wrote in message
news:1117156478.210835.178560@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
Dear all,
Can anyone help me answer the following question?
It can't be denied that cloning ___ many exciting potentials.
a) takes b) presents c) provides d) supplies
The standard answer is "b". I would like to know if "c" or "d"
is also correct.
Thanks for your help.
I'd go with c. "Provides" sounds right to my ear.
Scout
To add to that - "presents" conjures up a situation in which cloning
activity somehow automatically points the researcher toward some beneficial
end. OTOH, "provides" leaves one with the impression that benefits are
possible, but may not be apparent to the casual observer. Since I believe
the latter example is most likely, I'd stick with "provides" in the original
sentence.
Scout
|
Yeah, that's the sort of thing I meant by present results but provide
opportunities.
s/ meirman
Posting from alt.english.usage
--
If you are emailing me please
say if you are posting the same response.
Town NW of Pittsburgh Pa. 0 to 10 years
Indianapolis 7 years
Chicago 6 years
Brooklyn NY 12 years
now in Baltimore 22 years |
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Daniel James
Guest
|
| Posted: Sun May 29, 2005 5:39 pm
Post subject: Re: presents vs.provides |
|
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In article news:<Xns966354839CCBDwhhvans@62.253.162.202>, Harvey Van Sickle
wrote:
| Quote: | On 27 May 2005, meirman wrote
[snip]
Supplies reminds me of things tangible, things kept in a supply room.
[snip]
I can see your point, but personally I'd have opted for "presents" --
as in the medical expression of "presenting" of symptoms.
|
Presents always reminds me of things tangible; birthday presents, for
example.
I'd go with Tor's "offers" ... or maybe "promises".
Cheers,
Daniel. |
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