Paraphrase Ambiguities
ENG 213 Handouts

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This is the key for exercise #3 on page 205 of your text.

a.                    We laughed at the colorful ball.

1.                   At the colorful dance, we laughed.

2.                   We found the colorful dance amusing.

3.                   We found the colorful toy amusing 

b.             He was knocked over by the punch.

1.                He was intoxicated by the fruit drink

2.                He was physically knocked over by the punch bowl.

3.                He was knocked over by a punch from someones fist.

c.             The police were urged to stop drinking by the fifth.

1.                The police were urged to quit drinking fifths of liquor.

2.                The police were urged to quit drinking alcohol by the fifth of the month.

3.                The police were urged to stop people from drinking while fifths of liquor.

4.                   The police were urged to stop people from drinking liquor by the fifth of the month.

d.             I said I would file it on Thursday.

1.                It was Thursday when I said I would put it in the file.

2.                It was Thursday when I said I would file it using an emery board.

3.                I said that Thursday I would put it in the file.

4.                I said that Thursday I would file it down using am emery board.

e.             I cannot recommend visiting professors too highly.

1.                I strongly recommend that you visit professors.

2.                I do not recommend that you visit professors.

3.                I strongly recommend professors who are visiting.

4.                I do not recommend professors who are visiting.

f.                     The license fee for pets owned by senior citizens who have not been altered is $1.50.

1.                The license fee for pets owned by unaltered senior citizens is $1.50.

2.                The license fee for unaltered pets owned by senior citizens if $1.50.

g.             What looks better on a handsome man than a tux?  Nothing!

1.                   A handsome man looks better when hes wearing a tux than when he's wearing anything else.

2.                   A handsome man looks better when hes wearing nothing than when he's wearing a tux.

h.             Wanted:  Man to take care of cow that does not smoke or drink.

1.                Wanted:  Man who does not smoke or drink to take care of cow.

2.                Wanted:  Man to take care of a nonsmoking, nondrinking cow.

i.                     For Sale:  Several old dresses from grandmother in beautiful condition.

1.                   For Sale: Several old dresses in beautiful condition from grandmother.

2.                   For Sale:  Several old dresses from grandmother, who is in beautiful condition.

j.              Time flies like an arrow.

1.                Time proceeds as quickly as an arrow proceeds.

2.                Measure the speed of flies in the same way that you measure the speed of an arrow.

3.                   Measure the speed of flies in the same way that an arrow measures the speed of flies.

4.                Measure the speed of flies that are similar to an arrow

5.                Flies of a particular kind, namely time-flies, are fond of an arrow.

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