Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[sleeper]

Hi, there!

Today I'd like to ask you about 'fill-in-the-blank' quizzes.

Sentences:
#1. Car owners who live by the sea are well aware of the ( 1 ) saltwater causes to a car's finish.
#2. Her first year at school away from home, she suffered ( 2 ) of homesickness.
#3. The power failure at dinnertime caused ( 3 ) among the city's housewife.

Choices:
qualms, havoc, consternation

I cannot figure them out.

Would you help me, please?

Thanks.

[Anuradha Chepur]

I cannot figure them out, either.
havoc fits in #3, though.
In #1, I'd say damage, and in #2, she suffered from homesickness/she was homesick. But I think your quiz-master (for reasons he knows best) might want you to put consternation in #1, and qualms in #2.

[zeh88]

I go with Anuradha...
_________________
go the last mile_ and enjoy it!

[Mary W. Ng]

[lotus]

It goes to show you what you learn when you look in a dictionary.

http://www.bartleby.com/61/34/Q0013400.html

I would have never thought that qualms was a sudden disturbing feeling (2). I've always thought of it as an uneasy feeling (3), as in "She's had qualms about living so far away from home."

Good response Mary.

Learning English is a life-long experience...


I'd like to add that although the sentences are now correct, they can be better written as:

1) Car owners who live by the sea are well aware of the damage saltwater can cause to a car's finish.

2) During her first year at school, away from home, she suffered bouts of homesickness.

3) The power failure during dinner time wreaked havoc on the city's households.


--lotus