A crying shame

Werdna · Wed Apr 20, 2005 21:07 pm *A crying shame*

Test No. incompl/inter-43 "A Crying Shame", question 8

The trouble is that he's cried ......... so often that now he's in real trouble, nobody believes him.

(a) wolf
(b) tiger
(c) cat
(d) dog

Test No. incompl/inter-43 "A Crying Shame", answer 8

The trouble is that he's cried wolf so often that now he's in real trouble, nobody believes him.

Correct answer: (a) wolf

Your answer was: correct
_________________________

Could you please explain the expression "to cry wolf" and give may be sinonym phrase of it.

Thanks a lot!
Werdna

Alan · Thu Apr 21, 2005 0:28 am *Cry wolf*

This expression refers to someone who asks for help again and again when it's not necessary and then when it really is needed, no-one takes any notice.
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story A day in the life of a policeman

Mosteque · Thu Apr 21, 2005 12:52 pm *A crying shame*

It probably stems from a fable. I vaguely remember that it was about a kiddo standing at the crossroad and crying that a wolf was attacking him. And when ppl came to help him, he was laughing at them. And once a real wolf attacked him and nobody came to help thinking that it was another of his stupid jokes.
_________________
obsequium amicos, veritas odium parit

rich7 · Fri Apr 22, 2005 10:25 am *Umnn*

humn ?? king of the jungle maybe ???
_________________
I should have been born in the USA.
I've got this thing about America.

Mosteque · Fri Apr 22, 2005 10:31 am *A crying shame*

no no, it was rather sth by Grimm Brothers
_________________
obsequium amicos, veritas odium parit

Englishholic · Thu Jul 10, 2008 16:42 pm *A crying shame*

Isn't the word "that" missing in-between "now" and "he's"?
Englishholic

Alan · Thu Jul 10, 2008 18:14 pm *A crying shame*

How many 'thats' do you want?

Alan
_________________
English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Are you fancy free?

Yankee · Thu Jul 10, 2008 19:16 pm *A crying shame*

.
Now that you ask, I'd agree that the word 'that' seems to be missing from the test sentence in exactly the spot EH pointed out. Wink

If it's an overabundance of the word 'that' that worries you, a tiny bit of rewording might do the trick. For example, this would reduce the use of 'that' to just one or two:

The trouble is (that) he's cried wolf far too often, and now that he's in real trouble, nobody believes him.
.
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

lost_soul · Thu Jul 10, 2008 19:21 pm *A crying shame*

Alan · Thu Jul 10, 2008 20:05 pm *A crying shame*

Hi,

Now We Are Six

or maybe a bit older

pace A A Milne.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story New year resolutions

	ESL Forums \| English Teacher Explanations (ESL Tests)	All times are GMT + 2 Hours
Page 1 of 1