Sorry if this quiz was a little too pedantic. I thought it was fascinating fun to see how language drifts and changes with time and usage.
Here are the "answers," according to An Almanac of Words at Play, Willard Espy (Potter, 1975). (Steven S. No need for red cheeks — I got all of these wrong, too.)
1. Pride goeth before destruction. (Proverbs 16:18)
2. To paint the lily. (Shakespeare, King John; the full line is "To gild refined gold, to paint the lily")
3. A little learning is a dangerous thing. (Pope, Essay on Criticism)
4. Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no fibs. (Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer)
5. The love of money is the root of all evil. (I Timothy 6:10)
6. I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country. (Nathan Hale)
7. Imitation is the sincerest of flattery. (Colton, The Lacon)
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2 comments:
I love that book! It was a birthday present to me when I was twelve or so, and I pored over it until I had it half-memorized. The pseudo-pornographic egg-eating scene certainly had me confused for a while.
I think of Mr. Espy whenever I see the place names "Tonasket" or "Dosewallips".
Don't worry. My cheeks burn easily--I'm fair-skinned.
I do feel bad that I managed a big oh-fer. I mean, I'd have figured I'd get at least one right just by accident. And I should have remembered "love of money."
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