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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
One could say the same is true of the very busy residents of New York City. Somebody once ran a test of willingness of people to help out someone in need. They ran the test in New York City and Memphis. They had someone stopping pedestrians and asking for a small sum of money for a good purpose. The good citizens of Memphis were much more willing to help out than were the citizens of NYC. Then they figured that maybe they weren't playing on a level playing field since the NYCers would have many more demands upon their generosity. So they seeded the Memphis crowd with beggars that the Memphis folks would have to pass by before meeting the target. The NYC folks did far better than the Memphis folk in this adjusted test.
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,922 Likes: 3
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,922 Likes: 3 |
----please, draw me a sheep----
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027 |
I notice that the original question has only been answered partially.
saying: if you win 1 million dollars, please give me some This definitely and correctly refers to a future possibility.
saying: if you won 1 million dollars, please give me some the phrase refers to a past fact, i.e. the beggar has been told that you won. The other possibility is the past subjunctive mood. In that case the first part of the sentence would refer to a hypothetical (irreal) possibility (like "if I were a rich man") - and your original second part would not fit it, as Branshea correctly remarked.
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
veteran
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veteran
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554 |
You win, wsieber. You won my heart with this one. But if, for example, I won 1 million dollars I will not give you none.
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075 |
I guess you have to live there to really understand. The capital of Norway is just one fair-sized provincial town and has no real sense of urgency. It's a nice place, if a bit boring! Mind you, it may have changed since I was there, which was quite a while ago!
I'm immortal until proven otherwise
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,922 Likes: 3
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,922 Likes: 3 |
I guess you have to live there to really understand. The capital of Norway is just one fair-sized provincial town and has no real sense of urgency. It's a nice place, if a bit boring! Mind you, it may have changed since I was there, which was quite a while ago! Gotch'a thanks.
----please, draw me a sheep----
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