Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[rice07]

Hi

...

The battery would allow a car to drive a maximum of 150km before recharging, he said, adding that he expected the network to expand to other European countries soon.

"We're in discussion with 30 countries-- Europe, America and Asian nations," he told The Associated Press after a news conference in Copenhagen.

When Israel's network was endorsed by the government there in January, supporters hailed it as a bold step in the battle against global warming and energy dependency, but skeptics warned that much could still go wrong along the way.

...

The above is an excerpt from newspaper titled Denmark building electric car network with US firm.

My question is the word ' much ' above in bold.

Does much refer to ' much handling to the network in the battle against global warming and energy dependency ' in that context? Thanks for your help!

[pugachevV]

It means that many things could still go wrong before the vehicle becomes available as a commercial product.

[rice07]

Hi PugachevV

Thanks for your swift reply! But,that's why I raised this question in here-- now that it(much) means that many things could still go wrong..., why this writer chose an uncountable quantifier much in this case? Hope not cramp your style!

[CP]

People use much just as this author has, to mean many things, or a great deal, or a whole lot, etc.

He or she could just as well have written, ". . . but skeptics warned that a great deal could still go wrong along the way."

". . . but skeptics warned that any number of things could still go wrong along the way."
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[rice07]

Hi Cp

Thanks for your elaboration to that! Now I learned it. But, English, sometimes, is really a kind of confusing language-- at least I think so. Anyway, it's fairly nice of you to help me with my question.

Have a good day!