Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[zeppy]

I have no idea of how to understand this sentence "The more you try to undo it, the more you feel like you�re flailing about and calling attention to a situation you wish would just go away. " thanks for your help first !

here is the passage below

Sometimes it can be hard enough to believe that your boyfriend�s friend is hitting on you, let alone know how to respond. Yes, you do have several options, from playing dumb and ignoring his overtures to remembering that you never said you wanted an exclusive relationship after all. (More on that last option later).

But if your boyfriend�s friend is persistent, and you have no interest in him, your options narrow considerably. These are the times when your life starts to resemble a scene out of Bridget Jones�s Diary. You�re being showered with attention from multiple suitors, but it�s all terribly wrong. The more you try to undo it, the more you feel like you�re flailing about and calling attention to a situation you wish would just go away.

[RebeccaGMW]

Hello!

"The more you try to undo it, the more you feel like you’re flailing about and calling attention to a situation you wish would just go away. "

This sentence is saying that the more you try to change the situation (or undo it), the more it seems that you are actually making the situation a larger problem when you really just want it to stop.

"You're flailing about" is like moving wildly about with no sense of control. So if someone is flailing about, they are really making a fool of themself, for all to see.

I hope that helps.

Rebecca
_________________
FREE English Help
Online and Email Tutoring
Writing Help, Too!
http://www.guidemywords.com

[TestMagic.com]

Good explanation, Rebecca.
_________________
� TestMagic Forum
� GMAT � GRE � SAT � TOEFL
� GMAT Sentence Correction