Want help from English native speakers—4 English questions!?

Question

Hello. I am an English teacher in China. I have a few questions just below, which are taken from the China National College Entrance Examination papers over the past years. As answers differ greatly, I particularly want some help form the English native speakers. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot
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1 I used to earn _______than a pound a week when I first started work.
A. a little B. a few C. fewer D. less

C or D? Why?

2 --It's thirty years since we last met.
--But I still remember the story, believe it or not, ______ we got lost on a rainy night.
A. which B. that C. what D. when

B or D? Why?

3 Don’t respond to any e-mails ______ personal information, no matter how official they look.
A．searching B．asking C．requesting D．questioning

B or C? Why?

4 I would like a job which pays more, but ______ I enjoy the work I’m doing at the moment.
A. in other words B. on the other hand C. for one thing D. as a matter of fact

B or D? Why?

Answer 1

This is very difficult. Here Goes!
1/ It would be normal to say "less" than a Pound a week. Because a pound used to be a measure of weight. I can think of no situation that I would use "fewer" to describe the contents of a pay packet.
2/ I would use "when". Because you are talking about a time not an object. you could use "that time"
3/ Either would be right but it would be more normal to use "requesting". Because the sentence structure is more formal.
4/ I would use "on the other hand". Because the word but implies that you are comparing and as a matter of fact is not a comparing statement.

English is a bastard of a language both literally and figuratively. I am glad when someone gives me cause to question how and why we say things the way we do.

I hope that this has been of some help.

Answer 2

Unfortunately, the "rules" about speaking & the way english natives speak are NOT necessarily the same.

Yes, 1) I use to earn Less (D) than a pound because there is only 1 pound and fewer is for multiples.
But 2) Is probably That (B) we got lost by the "rules" however
More person would probably say When (D) we got lost because the conversation relates to 30 years ago and an event .
Use of 'that' suggests the story is concocted also, whereas the use of 'when' suggests the person is actually remembering the event. The statement itself is convoluted.
3) All could be used with adding minor prepositions like for but requesting (which means pretty much the same) can be used by itself , but they are quite interchangeable.
4) Because the person wants 2 things that are different, a job with more $$ than his current position but he likes his current work . . . B 'on the other hand' , implies that he is still undecided and weighing the pros & cons of his options. If one used D 'as a matter of fact' , it would imply that he has made the decision to stay and not go for a job with more $$ because enjoying his work is more important to him. This is another case where a speaker could use either B or D depending on the intent of their statement.

congratulations, your english is far better than my chinese
wo bu shwo jung hwo hwa !

Answer 3

1. less (D), reason being "fewer" require more then 1 in quantity

(When in doubt, look at the Noun. The Noun here is "Pound", When the noun is plural use "few", when the noun is singular use "less", hence, in your example, "less" is a more appropriate choice then "fewer".)


2. when (D), it is a time qualifier, akin to "I remember the night WHEN we had our first kiss". (The phase "believe it or not" is a sentence breaker, not often used in formal written English, but used extensively in speeches or story books to implore imagination)


3. requesting (C), Asking will require a "for" behind.

4. on the other hand (B), It is a contrasting argument, more towards comparing then confirming. If you were to use "as a matter of fact" it is atuned towards confirming an argument rather then comparing. The person is in a dilemma in looking for a job that pays more but he is enjoying his current work, hence the statement is comparative in nature.

(Oh, by the way, I am not a Native Speaker :P .... I am a Chinese like you ;P .... I just happen to speak English since young when I know my ABC and my bo, po, mo, fo ;P.) You can write an email to me if you want me to explain in better details in Chinese :D.... I would be glad to be of assistance. ;).

Answer 4

1. fewer - when you compare two amounts, the right answer is less because the statement mentions only one amount (a pound)

2.When is the right answer because the statement talks about a moment in time.

3. Asking is the right answer because when you input info as a response it is as an answer to a question. When there is a question, you use the term "ask". You do not normally respond to a request. You respond to a question.

4. On the other hand is the right answer because you are comparing two facts. That you would like another job and the fact that you like what you are currently doing (which does not pay enough).

Hope it helped! By the way I am not a native English speaker, but I know my way around pretty well :). Trust me!

Answer 5

1. D~ C implies a numerical count of objects or subjects. He has fewer marbles and less sense.

2. D~ Remembers the incident by time and would be the more popular response.
B~ Remembers the incident.

3. C~ requesting. B~ would be interchangeable with requesting as, asking for.

4. D~ It adds emphasis for continued employment in the present position.
B~ is more a comparative between alternatives.

Answer 6

The previous answers are mostly correct, however I will impart that there is no correct option for question number 2.

One correct way to fill in the blank would be: "recalling when". Another would be: "about how".

P.S. Actually, that whole question is poorly constructed. A sentence should never begin with the word "But". In addition, "the story" is a frivolous addition to the sentence. Here is how I would reconstruct that whole sentence:

It's been thirty years since we last met, yet, believe it or don't, I still remember us getting lost on a rainy night.

Answer 7

1. less Because the sentence specifies a number, "a"=1 something that can be counted.

2. when Because the "story" is the subject not the memory that they got lost.

3. B. or C. would be correct, both are used as a written or verbal communication of a question. The sentence should be modified for the "asking response though with the word "for" after "asking".

4 B. The "but" in the sentence calls for an alternative perspective on the statement.

Answer 8

1- D. "fewer" would only be used in quantities over 1, such as "fewer than 12 pounds a week."
2- B. A story is a thing (use "that") not a time (use "when").
3- C. To use "asking", you would need to add a "for," as in "asking for personal information."
4- B. "but" suggests an opposite, like in answer B's "on the other hand."

Answer 9

1. D. less
2. D. when
3. C. requesting (if it was asking it would need to say "asking for")
4. B. on the other hand (it is B because you are comparing the 2 things--you would like a job with more pay and you enjoy the work)

Answer 10

1 - less
2 - that (refers back to the subject)
3 - requesting (formal English usage; asking is informal)
4 - on the other hand (but is a conjunction that signals contrast)