Google
English-Test.net
Find penpals and make new friends today!
 
competition
beverage
patch
pipe
contest
TOEIC test: Word games: Free Online Nouns Verbs s Adjectives Game Answer
Dictionaries   TOEIC   TOEFL   GMAT   SAT   GRE   MCAT   PCAT   ASVAB   Interviews
Tests   Grammar   Articles   Stories   Shop   Services   English for winners   Speaking
Home   Top 100   Start your FREE email English course now!   Audio Lessons   Jobs
 
Username
Password
 Remember me? 
Search   FAQ   Memberlist   Profile   Private messages   Register   Log in 

Expression: Heat the color of fire...



 
ESL/EFL Worksheets and Handouts for Students Printable, photocopiable, clearly structured
Designed for teachers and individual learners
For use in a classroom, at home, on your PC
ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
A rejected mail for particulating tender | Lies at the core
Listening exercises
Message
 Author
Expression: Heat the color of fire... #1 (permalink) Sat Sep 16, 2006 9:05 am   Expression: Heat the color of fire...		  
Hi

The novel Rice without Rain starts with a description of a very hot place where there has been no rain for a long time.

Could you please explain the lines in red to me? Shocked

"Heat the color of fire, sky as heavy as mud, and under both the soil--hard, dry, unyielding.

It was a silent harvest. Across the valley, yellow rice fields stretched, stooped and dry."

Tom
Tom
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 30 May 2006
Posts: 2061
Expression: Heat the color of fire... #2 (permalink) Sat Sep 16, 2006 12:58 pm   Expression: Heat the color of fire...		  
Tom wrote:
"Heat the color of fire, sky as heavy as mud, and under both the soil--hard, dry, unyielding.

The heat was so intense that you could almost see it. And if you could see it, it would be the same color as fire. It was probably very humid, so the air felt heavy. In Michigan, where I live, on very hot, humid days, you can feel the air almost as a weight on you. Underneath this horrible heat and this heavy air, there was the dirt (soil). It was hard, dry and unyielding (it would not let you put a hoe into it or a plow through it).
Tom wrote:
It was a silent harvest. Across the valley, yellow rice fields stretched, stooped and dry."

Stooped means bent over, as when a person is unable to stand up straight. I think the rice has had so little rain, that it is bent over, like an old person.

This novel seems to be written in very beautiful language.
Jamie (K)
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 5334
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA
Are you a native speaker of English? Then you should read this!Here is how you can learn English the fun way! Click to subscribe to free email English courseEnglish grammar exercises — improve your English knowledge and vocabulary skillsLearn all about English adverbs in this amusing story
Expression: Heat the color of fire... #3 (permalink) Sat Sep 16, 2006 13:28 pm   Expression: Heat the color of fire...		  
Quote:
Heat the color of fire


Many thanks, Jamie for simplifying the lines! Very Happy

However, I still find myself unable to understand thoroughly the line given above--sorry! Embarassed

Could you please analyze the sentence a bit further for me?

Tom
Tom
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 30 May 2006
Posts: 2061
Expression: Heat the color of fire... #4 (permalink) Sat Sep 16, 2006 13:37 pm   Expression: Heat the color of fire...		  
Tom wrote:
"Heat the color of fire, sky as heavy as mud, and under both the soil--hard, dry, unyielding.

The heat was the color of fire. The sky was as heavy as mud. Under this heat and that sky, there was soil. The soil was dry and hard, and it wouldn't give way to a hoe or plow.

It's technically not a complete sentence.
Jamie (K)
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 5334
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA
Expression: Heat the color of fire... #5 (permalink) Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:40 am   Expression: Heat the color of fire...		  
Quote:
Heat the color of fire


The heat had the intensity of fire.
Conchita
Language Coach


Joined: 26 Dec 2005
Posts: 2826
Location: Madrid, Spain
Display posts from previous:   
A rejected mail for particulating tender | Lies at the core
ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms Expression: Heat the color of fire... All times are GMT + 1 Hour
Page 1 of 1
Latest topics on English Forums

Start FREE email English course now!
Join more than 100,000 learners!
Indirect speech (7) • Indirect speech (4) • Indirect speech (2) • Meaning of 'but not limited to' • Can are likely to have have • Adj (2) - This sentence is not correct, common and natural • Adj: This sentence is neither correct nor natural • The meaning of 'Breath test' • "not fully implementable" • Relative clauses • It, that, this • Getting staff • How can we learn expressions with 'make' and 'do'? • Question tags: Lets go, shall we? • Expression: "Women could not remove..." • Tense: Yesterday was the 1. day when he learned his lesson • What is the difference between "it" and "that"? • 'Out of danger' Versus 'Out of the danger' • Expression: Heat the color of fire...

Discover English-test.net
Don't be put off by... • Meaning of "take it easy" • going and going to • as much a sign ... as • Can I say: "If I have chance go there, I'll pay her a visit"? • TOEIC prep test: Word Vocabulary Games: Verb Vocabulary List • TOEIC vocab test: Free word games: Online Verbs Quiz • Define resemble, correct, compartmentalize, harness, formulate • Vocabulary practice: Noun verb adjective exercise • 1000 English words: How to agree • English second language training: Electronic Tax Records • Attorney audio books, CDs, tapes, used cassettes, audio download

 
 You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Provided by phpBB ©2001-2009 phpBB Group
Subscribe to FREE email English course
First name E-mail