Google
English-Test.net
Find penpals and make new friends today!
 
survey; general study; examination; inspection
conjunction
leverage
globe
review
TOEIC preparation test: Free online word games: Verbs Nouns Adjectives s Game Answer
Search   FAQ   Memberlist   Register   Profile   Private messages   Log in 

Expression: steal a day's march on him



 
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 Forums | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
English phrase "Can I help WHO's next?" | Conditional (If we had more money we might OR we'd better travel a lot.)
Message Author
Expression: steal a day's march on him Tue Aug 21, 2007 8:45 am  Expression: steal a day's march on him
 

Hi,

Could you please help me with the passage below?

Quote:
Boland's breadvan delivering with trays our daily but she prefers yesterday's loaves turnovers crisp crowns hot. Makes you feel young. Somewhere in the east: early morning: set off at dawn. Travel round in front of the sun, steal a day's march on him. Keep it up for ever never grow a day older technically.(Chapter 4, Ulysses)

1. Does the first underlined part mean: she prefers yesterday's loaves, whose bottoms are baked crisp and ends hot?

2. Does 'yesterday' simply mean 'yesterday' or 'one-day-old'?

3. Does 'him' in the second part mean 'the sun'? If so, could it be 'from'?

Thank you!

Haihao
Haihao
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 26 Oct 2006
Posts: 1221
Location: Japan

Expression: steal a day's march on him Tue Aug 21, 2007 18:29 pm  Expression: steal a day's march on him
 

Hi Haihao

This appears to be a bunch of rambling (rather than completely coherent) thoughts and images.

1. The word 'loaves' suggests 'bread' to me, but the word 'turnovers' suggests something smaller than a loaf of bread -- i.e. individual pastries. The crown would be the top. It seems that she prefers to warm up yesterday's bread or pastry as opposed to buying something fresh.

2. Yes, I'd say so.

3. Yes, "him" seems to refer to the sun.
.
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 6826
Location: USA

Learn how to explore English words! Subscribe to free email English courseWhat do you know about the progressive forms?ESL lesson plans in 6 funny stories with exercises and answer keyEnglish grammar exercises — improve your English knowledge and vocabulary skills
Expression: steal a day's march on him Wed Aug 22, 2007 1:00 am  Expression: steal a day's march on him
 

Many thanks again, Amy. They really help. Oh, the Google images were excellent too and helpful.

Haihao
Haihao
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 26 Oct 2006
Posts: 1221
Location: Japan

Expression: steal a day's march on him Wed Aug 22, 2007 8:36 am  Expression: steal a day's march on him
 

.
1-- Bloom is thinking of the breadvan's wares. He first remembers that Molly likes yesterday's loaves, but then is reminded of what he likes better-- the fresh turnovers with their hot, crisp crowns.
.
_________________
Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mr. Micawber
Mister Micawber
Moderator
Mr. Micawber

Joined: 17 Jul 2005
Posts: 3793
Location: Yokohama, Japan

Expression: steal a day's march on him Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:07 am  Expression: steal a day's march on him
 

Many thanks, MM. 'he likes better-- the fresh turnovers with their hot, crisp crowns.' gave me a thorough kick. Smile

By the way, I googled across today a site with many "Ulysses images":

http://www.joyceimages.com/browse.php?chapter=4

in case you might be interested.

HH
Haihao
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 26 Oct 2006
Posts: 1221
Location: Japan

Expression: steal a day's march on him Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:11 am  Expression: steal a day's march on him
 

A very nice site indeed, Haihao-- I've bookmarked it for my own reference.

I guess you won't be needing me anymore.
_________________
Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mr. Micawber
Mister Micawber
Moderator
Mr. Micawber

Joined: 17 Jul 2005
Posts: 3793
Location: Yokohama, Japan

Expression: steal a day's march on him Thu Aug 23, 2007 4:49 am  Expression: steal a day's march on him
 

Oh, sure I will, very much as ever, Mister Micawber. Actually the most difficult but interesting part to me is Mr Joyce's acclaimed-as-the-peak-of-perfection words and phrases and expressions... and the way of them all... However, they all remain big puzzles to me. Could you please not leave and help me out with this part? I would make all the possible research on the historical one myself.

By the way, Mr Joyce's allusion or multiple allusion, vertical and horizontal, behind his magical letters or words is really beyond expression...

Haihao
Haihao
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 26 Oct 2006
Posts: 1221
Location: Japan

Expression: steal a day's march on him Thu Aug 23, 2007 7:27 am  Expression: steal a day's march on him
 

.
Yes, I agree, but 'insinuation' has a negative connotation; 'allusion'?
.
_________________
Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mr. Micawber
Mister Micawber
Moderator
Mr. Micawber

Joined: 17 Jul 2005
Posts: 3793
Location: Yokohama, Japan

Expression: steal a day's march on him Thu Aug 23, 2007 10:17 am  Expression: steal a day's march on him
 

Oh, I am sorry... and thank you, MM, I didn't realize that. It should have been absolutely 'allusion'. Especially to describe the most favorite author of mine! Please allow me to correct it. -HH
Haihao
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 26 Oct 2006
Posts: 1221
Location: Japan

Display posts from previous:   
English phrase "Can I help WHO's next?" | Conditional (If we had more money we might OR we'd better travel a lot.)
ESL Forums | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms Expression: steal a day's march on him All times are GMT + 2 Hours
Page 1 of 1
Latest topics on ESL EFL Forums
meaning of "one artist short"Come and add up sentences using the preposition "upon"phrasal verbs mix - came up with; set up; join inPhrasal verbs - turn out - turn off - switch offPhrasal verbs join in; work outHow do the two sentences mean the same?Usage of prepositions In/At (They decided to get married in/at Rome)the meaning of "go stepping"meaning of "rolling one's eyes"Expression: "Can you fix me a cup of tea?"Pharse 'recall in' (We recall in special times when we have stood briefly...)"by ourself" vs "on our own""waste much time" vs "waste lot of time"Phrase 'which pupil' (Which pupil speaks English the best?)today v.s. that dayRelative clauses - wrong use of whatmeaning of make-upShould / Would into relative clauseExpression: steal a day's march on him

Discover English-test.net
Gerund and past participleTrust / Believe (in)Do you like smilies?What is the meaning of "That's the stuff"?GMAT vocabulary test: Vocabulary Building: English Nouns AdjectivesFree GMAT test: Free word games online: Noun Adjective GameDefine ascetic, fledgling, termagant, platonicVocab book answers: Common nouns verbs adjectivesFree EFL Quiz Online: Dry as you likeVocab words back, rose, alive, after, winded: English Slang Idioms (272)

 
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
Subscribe to FREE email English course written by Alan Townend
First name E-mail