Practical Exercises in English Part 25

1. "Horses" ---- a common noun.

2. Such phenomena ---- very strange.

3. The s.h.i.+p with all her crew ---- lost.

4. No less than fifty dollars ---- paid for what was not worth twenty.

5. Homer, as well as Virgil, ---- once students (a student) on the banks of the Rhine.

6. The committee ---- divided in its (their) judgment.

7. The genii who ---- expected to be present ---- deaf to every call.

8. France was once divided into a number of kingdoms, each of which ---- ruled by a duke.

9. Sir Richard Steele lived in the reign of Queen Anne, when the tone of gentlemen's characters ---- very low.

10. Each man employed in this department ---- paid for his (their) work.

11. Mathematics ---- my hardest study.

12. There ---- once two boys who were so exactly alike in appearance that they could not be distinguished.

13. Each of the heads of the Chimera ---- able to spit fire.

14. The jury ---- eating dinner.

15. "Plutarch's Lives" ---- an interesting book.

16. One of the most beautiful features of Kennebunkport ---- the tremendous rocks all along the coast.

17. The richness of her arms and apparel ---- conspicuous in the foremost ranks.

18. My robe and my integrity to heaven ---- all I dare now call my own.

19. Refres.h.i.+ng as springs in the desert to their long-languis.h.i.+ng eyes ---- the sight of his white cravat and his boots of Parisian polish.

20. The "Arabian Nights" in complete form comprise (comprises) twenty volumes and ---- written by different men.

21. Fifty dollars a month ---- paid by the government to the widow of the colonel.

22. Ten minutes ---- spent in a writing exercise.

23. ---- either of you going to the village?

24. Our happiness or our sorrow ---- largely due to our own actions.

25. The guidance as well as the love of a mother ---- wanting.

26. Every one of these books ---- mine.

27. General Custer with his whole force ---- ma.s.sacred by Indians.

28. Three times three ---- nine.

29. Nearly three hundred yards of the track ---- under water.

30. To admit the existence of G.o.d and then to refuse to wors.h.i.+p him ---- inconsistent.

31. The ebb and flow of the tides ---- caused by the attraction of the moon.

32. Six dollars a week ---- all he earns.

33. Nine-tenths of his time ---- wasted.

34. Three quarts of oats ---- enough for a horse's meal.

35. "Tales of a Wayside Inn" ---- written by Longfellow.

36. The rest of the Republican ticket ---- elected.

EXERCISE LIV.

_Which of the italicized forms is preferable_?-- 1. A variety of pleasing objects _charm_ (_charms_) the eye.

2. Already a train or two _has_ (_have_) come in.

3. Each day and each hour _bring_ (_brings_) contrary blessings.

4. The Senate _has_ (_have_) adjourned.

5. No monstrous height, or length, or breadth _appear_ (_appears_).

6. I am the general who _command_ (_commands_) you.

7. Many a captain with all his crew _has_ (_have_) been lost at sea.

8. The jury _who_ (_which_) _was_ (_were_) out all night _has_ (_have_) just returned a verdict.

9. He _dare_ (_dares_) not touch a hair of Catiline.

10. The ambition and activity of this railroad _has_ (_have_) done much towards the civilization of the world.

11. Thackeray's "English Humorists" _treat_ (_treats_) not of the writings of the humorists so much as of their characters and lives.

12. Addison was one of the best writers that _has_ (_have_) ever lived.

13. This is one of the books that _give_ (_gives_) me pleasure.

14. Give me one of the books that _is_ (_are_) lying on the table.

15. This is one of the most important questions that _has_ (_have_) come up.

16. Nothing but vain and foolish pursuits _delight_ (_delights_) some persons.

17. Six months' interest _is_ (_are_) due.

18. You are not the first one that _has_ (_have_) been deceived in that way.

19. My room is one of those that _overlook_ (_overlooks_) the garden.

20. A committee _was_ (_were_) appointed to investigate the matter.

21. The greater part of the audience _was_ (_were_) pleased.

22. The public _is_ (_are_) respectfully invited.

23. The jury _was_ (_were_) not unanimous.

24. Generation after generation _pa.s.s_ (_pa.s.ses_) away.

25. A glimpse of gable roof and red chimneys _add_ (_adds_) far more to the beauty of such a scene than could the grandest palace.

26. The society _hold_ (_holds_) _their_ (_its_) meetings weekly.

27. What _is_ (_are_) the gender, the number, and the person of the following words?

28. He made one of the best speeches that _has_ (_have_) been delivered before the school.

29. He is one of those persons who _is_ (_are_) quick to take offence.

30. _This_ (_these_) scanty data _is_ (_are_) all we have.

31. If the meaning of these pa.s.sages is not carefully explained, some of the congregation may think that Matthew or Paul _is_ (_are_) guilty of some unorthodox opinions.

MISUSED VERBS.--See the remarks under "Misused Nouns."

I. A RESEMBLANCE IN SOUND MISLEADS.

ACCREDIT, CREDIT.--'To _accredit_ means 'to invest with credit or authority,'[91] or 'to send with letters credential;' _to credit_ means 'to believe,'[92] or "to put to the credit of."

ARISE, RISE.--"The choice between these words was primarily, and still often is, a matter of rhythm [euphony]. The literal meanings, however, or those which seem literal, have become more a.s.sociated with _rise_, and the consciously figurative with _arise_: as, he _rose_ from the chair; the sun _rose_; the provinces _rose_ in revolt: trouble _arose;_ 'music _arose_ with its voluptuous swell.'"[93]

CAPTIVATE, CAPTURE.--_To captivate_ means "to fascinate"; _to capture_, "to take prisoner."

DEPRECIATE, DEPRECATE.--_To depreciate_ means "to bring down in value," "to disparage;" _to deprecate_ means "to argue earnestly against"

or "to express regret for."

IMPUGN, IMPUTE.--_To impugn_ means "to call in question;" _to impute_ means "to ascribe to."

Loan, lend.--The use of _loan_ as a verb is not sanctioned by good use.

Properly the word is a noun. A _loan_ is money which a person _lends_.

[91] "Foundations," p. 109.

[92] A.S. Hill: Principles of Rhetoric, revised edition, p. 38.

[93] The Century Dictionary.

EXERCISE LV.

_Tell the difference in meaning between_--