[With some straws, she is making a musical pipe.]
1. When you blow across the top of "a)the straw", the air vibrates inside "b)the straw" and makes a sound.
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a)the straw b)the straw
Are they the specific straw or in generic use?
When "c)the straw" is shorter, the air loses less energy and vibrates faster.
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Does "c)the straw" mean the specific straw or is it in generic use?
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English - Writeacher yesterday at 6:10pm
Again, these uses of "the straw" are referring to a particular straw.
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Thank you for your help.
Now, hold it and blow across each straw.
1. When you blow across the top of "a)the straw", the air vibrates inside "b)the straw" and makes a sound.
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a)the straw seems to mean 'each straw' There are seven straws in the musical pipe. So to make a sound, a person blows each straw. (all the straws). So a) the straw seems to be in generic use.
b) the straw is the same, in generic use.
When "c)the straw" is shorter, the air loses less energy and vibrates faster.
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c) the straw seems to be in generic use. It doesn't seem to refer to 'a straw.' In the previous sentences, 'a straw' is not mentioned. It doesn't seem that a specific straw is described. Instead, the straw is used as a generic noun.
[What about my analysis about 'the straw'?]
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English - Writeacher yesterday at 7:52am
Yes, your analyses are fine.
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Thank you for your help.
I'd like you check the questions one more time.
[passage Context]
Now, hold it and blow across each straw.
.......
.........
1. When you blow across the top of "a)the straw", the air vibrates inside "b)the straw" and makes a sound.
When "c)the straw" is shorter, the air loses less energy and vibrates faster.
Q1: Is the straw a generic noun or the specific straw in a), b), and c)?
Q2: Can/Does 'the straw' refer to 'each straw'?
Q3: If the straw is the specific straw, can we use 'blow across the top of the straw'? Is there no problem in using 'across' here?
1. Yes, generic.
2. I'm not sure. When one puts straws of different lengths together to make a pipe, it's pretty hard to blow into only one at a time.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/60/39/d9/6039d99a02870230e63cd153d597efeb.jpg
3. The use of "across" is fine, but again, it'd be pretty hard to blow on only one.
Q1: In the given context, "the straw" is referring to a specific straw or each individual straw.
Q2: Yes, "the straw" can indeed refer to each individual straw. In the passage, it suggests that for each straw when you blow across its top, the air inside it vibrates and produces a sound.
Q3: Yes, it is appropriate to use "across" in the phrase "blow across the top of the straw." The word "across" indicates the direction of the airflow, signifying that you are blowing air horizontally across the top surface of the straw.