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More Level 5 Exercises

Joke # 7
Answer Key for Level 5
     Words that remained  to be explained (and some for which a better explanation can now be provided) are in 18-point bold black, with their functions indicated after them. The font size of words aleady analyzed has been decreased. 

Spaces Missing between Words? (Click here for an explanation.)

 
      
        Two men, members (Appositive to "men") {of a religious

order}, wanted to smoke [while walking {in the garden}.]  / They

agreed [that each would ask his superior {for permission}.]  /

     The first one returned to find  the second one smoking 

(Noun Absolute - DO of "to find" Note #1) and complained

indignantly: ["I was refused!"] /

     ["What did you ask?"] inquired the second one. /

     "I asked [if I could smoke [while meditating."]] /

     "Oh (Interjection)," [said the other, blowing his smoke 

reflectively,] "I asked [if I could meditate [while smoking!"]] /
 

Baude's Handbook of Humor for All Occasions
Compiled by Jacob M. Braude. 
Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1958. p. 166.

Note

1. Considering "one smoking" as a noun absolute functioning as the DO of "to find" aligns the grammatical explanation with the meaning. The sentence does not mean that he found "the second one." THe first man already knew that the first would be there. What he found was that the second man was smoking.
 
 

Progress
Total Words = 73 Words %
L1: In Prep Phrases  9  12
L1: + Adj & Adverbs 12 29
+ L2: S / V / C 33 74
+ L3: Clauses 9 86
+ L4: Verbals 7 96
+ Eight Other 3 100

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