Qestions

[Ruifeng]

1. Cats have an unfailing fascination________(for, to ?) most people.

2. Most cats are suspicious of human beings_____(during, throughout) their lives.

3. That cats can survive falls from great heights is ____(explained, supported, borne) by the facts.

4. Cats never become submissive______.

A. as dogs and horses B. in the way that dogs and horses do.

5. Your husband doesn't believe that you are older than___(me, I)

6. We are not as rich as____(them, they), but we are a lot happier.

7. Was it____(she, her) you were talking about?

Thanks.

[Mister Micawber]

What are your answers, Ruifeng?
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Ruifeng]

1. Cats have an unfailing fascination________(for, to ?) most people.===> I think both work, but with a difference in meaning.

2. Most cats are suspicious of human beings_____(during, throughout) their lives.======> I also think both work, but throughout is stronger.

3. That cats can survive falls from great heights is ____(explained, supported, borne) by the facts.====>I'd choose supported, but I would like a clearer explanation on the difference between them.

4. Cats never become submissive______. ======> I'd say both work, still, I need a clear explanation.

A. as dogs and horses B. in the way that dogs and horses do.

5. Your husband doesn't believe that you are older than___(me, I)====> again, both work.

6. We are not as rich as____(them, they), but we are a lot happier.=====> I'd choose them, but is they also acceptable here?

7. Was it____(she, her) you were talking about?=====> This one, I am not sure. I'd choose her, I thought it was the object of about.

[Mister Micawber]

1. Cats have an unfailing fascination________(for, to ?) most people.===> I think both work, but with a difference in meaning.-- No, only 'for' works. The collocation is 'fascination for'.

2. Most cats are suspicious of human beings_____(during, throughout) their lives.======> I also think both work, but throughout is stronger. -- You are right about the word meanings, but the addition of the prepositional phrase itself is odd-sounding. The natural: 'Most cats are suspicious of human beings.'

3. That cats can survive falls from great heights is ____(explained, supported, borne) by the facts.====>I'd choose supported, but I would like a clearer explanation on the difference between them.-- 'Borne' doesn't fit grammatically; the phrase is 'borne out by'. Although I know that the writer intends 'supported', again the sentence is odd whatever we choose. What facts? That cats can survive falls? It is a circular argument!

4. Cats never become submissive______. ======> I'd say both work, still, I need a clear explanation.
A. as dogs and horses B. in the way that dogs and horses do.-- You cannot use A because with A, 'submissive' must be preceded by 'as'.

5. Your husband doesn't believe that you are older than___(me, I)====> again, both work.-- Yes, an argument can be made for both. Most grammarians accept 'than' as a preposition here, however:

"Usage: In formal English, 'than' is usually regarded as a conjunction governing an unexpressed verb: 'He does it far better than I (do)'. The case of any pronoun therefore depends on whether it is the subject or object of the unexpressed verb: 'She likes him more than I (like him)'; 'She likes him more than (she likes) me'. However in ordinary speech and writing 'than' is usually treated as a preposition and is followed by the object form of a pronoun: 'My brother is younger than me.' "

6. We are not as rich as____(them, they), but we are a lot happier.=====> I'd choose them, but is they also acceptable here?-- Yes, but with the same caveat as indicated in #5.

7. Was it____(she, her) you were talking about?=====> This one, I am not sure. I'd choose her, I thought it was the object of about.-- I agree, though arguments will continue to be made for 'she' here.
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Ruifeng]

How about these two:

1. Cats never become submissive like dogs.

2. Cats never become submissive as dogs do.

[Ruifeng]

[Mister Micawber]

No. That is stretching the language too far.

How about these two:
1. Cats never become submissive like dogs.
2. Cats never become submissive as dogs do. -- What about them? The 2nd one is a different use of 'as'.
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Ruifeng]

[Beeesneees]

They are both right. Different ways of saying something.
Informally you might even hear '... like dogs do'.
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Cheers m' dears!