Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[kerstin]

Dear teachers in this forum:
Would anyone tell me the answers to the question I have.

Thanks to you all.


Question 1.
A Swedish clothes maker is being forced to withdraw from *sale* a bikini-style top for toddlers

A Swedish clothes maker is being forced to withdraw from the *sale* of a bikini-style top for toddlers

Do they mean the same?

Question 2.

the boat rocked while people staggered around like drunks trying to *keep their feet.*
Does it mean to walk straight?

[redset]

For question 1, the two sentences have slightly different meanings. To withdraw from sale means to stop selling something, you take the product away so people can't buy it anymore. So the first sentence means the clothes maker is not selling the top anymore.

The second sentence uses 'the sale', and a sale is an event where goods are sold, usually at a lower price than usual. So the second sentence implies there's an event where people can go to buy this top, and the clothes maker is unable to take part - but the sale is still taking place, and people can still buy the top.


For question 2, keeping your feet means keeping your balance, staying stood up and not falling over!