| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
hiromi525
Joined: 15 Jan 2008
Posts: 166
Location: Japan
|
 Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 10:24 am Post subject: the wood's ability to take on |
 |
|
Please take a look at the following pragraph from a reading practice textbook.
Mold and stain fungi can attack wood. Molds grow mainly on the surface but may get inside the outer sapwood. The dark color caused by mold on wood can be removed by light sanding. Stain fungi go beyond the outer layers and cause a dark color that cannot be removed. Both mold and stain feed on wood. By themselves, they do not decay or weaken the wood. But, they increase the wood's ability to take on and hold moisture. Thus, they increase the possibility of future decay. If you see signs of molds and stain fungi, you may have a problem.
I don't understand what boldfaced part.  and what is "to take on" indicating? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
hiromi525
Joined: 15 Jan 2008
Posts: 166
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 4:11 am Post subject: pronoun " it" |
|
|
I look up the usage "it" in my grammer book and it says that pronoun "it" can indicate both countable and uncountable noun.
Is there any rule it connot indicate "water", uncountable noun, just before pronoun "it"
In other words, "Soil carries water and water can wet any wood that touches it" is not correct. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
pugachevV
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 2295
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 5:10 am Post subject: |
|
|
Mo(u)ld and stain fungi make wood absorb moisture. The moisture causes decay.
It can indicate anything except a human being.
"Soil carries water and water can wet any wood that touches it" Is correct English. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rice07
Joined: 26 Oct 2007
Posts: 385
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 5:17 am Post subject: Re: pronoun " it" |
|
|
| hiromi525 wrote: |
I look up the usage "it" in my grammer book and it says that pronoun "it" can indicate both countable and uncountable noun.
Is there any rule it connot indicate "water", uncountable noun, just before pronoun "it"
In other words, "Soil carries water and water can wet any wood that touches it" is not correct. |
It is not whether the sentence "Soil carries water and water can wet any wood that touches it" is correct or not; it is what the writer was trying to convey in here. Still, we know water can wet things, which is common sense, therefore there's no need to talk nonsense like ' water can wet any wood that touches it '. In my opinion, 'the soil carrying water can wet any wood that touches it' is what the writer was trying to put of the relation between them in this case.
| Quote: |
| Keeping wood dry is not always that easy to do. The outside walls of a house are open to rain that blows against them. Soil carries water. It can wet any wood that touches it. Also, if there are plumbing leaks in your home, the inside wood can get wet. |
Deducing from the context, 'it', in that case above, means 'soil(carring water)', but not 'water. And this point of view can also be proved with the adverbial subordinate clause 'If the wood comes in touch with the ground' in your another post in this forum. Does that make sense?
Hope this makes it clearer. 
rice
| Quote: |
| It can indicate anything except a human being. |
As far as I am concerned:
1.'It' can also be used to refer to a baby, especially one whose sex is not known.
e.g. Her baby's due next month. She hopes it will be a boy.
2. 'It' can also be used to identify a person.
e.g. It's your mother on the phone.
e.g. She was a rich woman and she looked it(=a rich woman). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
