Help on a few sentences' meanings

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Akbari
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Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2013 7:07 pm
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Help on a few sentences' meanings

Post by Akbari »

I've been recently studying 504 absolutely essential words in which I encountered ambiguities in the meaning of the following sentences:

1. No one has advanced a theory explaining the beginnings of writing.
2. A fertile mind need never be uneasy about finding life uneventful.
3. Rather than make a hasty decision, Mr. Torres rejected the offer.
4. The rash young man claimed the lottery prize only to find he had misread his number.
5. The probe into the Congressman's finances turned up some unforeseen difficulties.

Please explain the meaning of each sentence. If needed I'll let you know where the ambiguity lies for me.
Akbari
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Status: Learner of English

Re: Help on a few sentences' meanings

Post by Akbari »

Isn't someone out there, who can help me?
Akbari
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Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2013 7:07 pm
Status: Learner of English

Re: Help on a few sentences' meanings

Post by Akbari »

Here are my exact problems with these sentences:
1. I'm not sure whether this sentence is talking about how writing became into existence or how an individual can start writing or how to start a good essay, etc.
2. Does it mean, ‘An imaginative person should not worry about the fact that his/her life is routine’ or ‘There should be spice in in an imaginative person’s life’ or something else?
3. I cannot fathom out what rejecting an offer has to do with not being hasty.
4. I guess the general meaning is that ‘the reckless young man claimed the lottery prize by mistake, since he had misread his number’. But the sentence structure is unfamiliar for this interpretation using the infinitive ‘to find’.
5. The chief question mark over this sentence is the meaning of ‘turn up’.
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solzen
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Re: Help on a few sentences' meanings

Post by solzen »

1. I assume they mean how writing had come into existence
2. I'm not sure, but maybe a resourceful or imaginative person doesn't have to worry about a boring life because their life isn't boring
3. Not sure, since I agree that rejecting an offer is a hasty decision
4. You're correct; in this case 'to find' is like 'to discover'
5. 'Turned up' is like 'revealed'
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