|
|
Reader question: What is the best answer to the following multiple-choice
question, and, precisely, what does "hot air" mean?
You know what they're like. They just talked a lot of hot air -- means:
..........
(a) unclear sentences
(b) empty promises
(c) indefinite plans
(d) powerful words
My comments:
The closest and therefore correct answer is (b), empty promises.
"Hot air" refers to the breath one lets out as they speak. When we point
out what they say is "a lot of hot air" – think about a hot-air balloon – we
mean to say it's all empty talk.
If promises are "a lot of hot air", don't believe them.
Sometimes boastful remarks are referred to as "a lot of hot air", that
means they are bragging to impress people – don't take them seriously.
Also common is the phrase "he's full of hot air".
I'm too straightforward this time, I am afraid. Perhaps I should have beat
about the bush a bit before giving the answer. But the genie is out. I have no
way of putting it back into the bottle.
So, that is that. Now let us examine some real examples from the media.
By the way, the US election is coming down to the final stretch and make
sure you tune in to US candidates in particular and politicians in general for
"hot air" – there's gallons and barrels of it produced daily because, unlike
oil, it's cheap.
Now, I'm not sure if this is an absolutely fair assessment because there is
at least something real in US elections – a president will be elected and that
is definitely not "hot air".
Anyways, here are examples of "hot air", which the Merriam-Webster
dictionary says dates back to 1873.
1. Sir Alex Ferguson has hit back at Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon's
comments that the Manchester United manager is "senile" by reminding him that he
still has something the Spanish club wanted - Cristiano Ronaldo.
Calderon had responded to comments made by Ferguson about the club's links
to General Franco by claiming the Manchester United manager's ramblings were
those of an old man.
"I won't waste time answering him. I admire his history but recently he has
gone a bit senile," Calderon said on Thursday.
Ferguson, with a hint of a smile, hit back in his weekly press conference
ahead of his team's match with Hull City. "Calderon has a few strange things to
say every week," he said. "There is a lot of hot air comes out of that man."
- Fergie hits back in Calderon war of words, ESPNSoccernet.com, October 31,
2008.
2. From a reader's comment: "I am a college student who is voting tomorrow!
I am voting for . . . drum roll, please . . . JOHN MCCAIN!! Obama is so full of
hot air – all rhetoric no substance. His only substance came when he said he
would like to spread the wealth around."
- Collegiate wisdom: Obama full of hot air, all rhetoric, no substance,
theamericansentinel.com, November 3, 2008.
3. Sen. John McCain may be the combat veteran and son and grandson of
admirals, but he rates only a D when it comes to supporting veterans issues,
according to the "Congressional Report Card" just issued by the Iraq and
Afghanistan Veterans of America.
Sen. Barack Obama is no veteran, but his votes in the U.S. Senate over the
past year earned him a B, says IAVA executive director Paul Rieckhoff.
The report card rates every member of the Senate and House, he said, and
with it "people can find out who in Washington really supports Iraq and
Afghanistan veterans and who's full of hot air."
- McCain Gets a 'D' from Vets Group, October 07, 2008, Military.com. |
|
发表于 2016-7-9 23:54:57