【明報專訊】Pat is practising her singing for a contest and MoMo is helping her. Let's see how it goes!

MoMo: Marvellous, Pat! Your singing is very powerful and I almost think that I'm listening to a song on a record!

Pat: Thanks MoMo. I think I did quite well, but there is something I am not so sure about but I can't tell what it is.

MoMo: (1) Maybe you are slightly nervous? I can tell that you forgot the lyrics of the beginning of the second verse. (2) You barely caught up with the beat.

Pat: Haha... indeed. You know, I am usually confident but I heard that this time there will be some really good singers. (3) I am more or less affected by this.

MoMo: Believe in yourself and do what you have been practising. Just remember I am your biggest fan and you will be fine.

Pat: Thanks, MoMo!

We looked at adverbs that strengthen an action or a state last time. This time we look at some adverbs that reduce the strength or degree of an action or a state.

e.g. I can hardly believe that he survived a car crash.

e.g. This story is mildly interesting.

Sometimes when we talk about something negative, we can use downtoners / minimisers to sound more polite.

e.g. Sally is a little bit proud because she is clever. However she is generally a nice and kind girl.

◆Now you try

Select the suitable adverb of degree in the following sentences:

1. My mobile phone is ( extremely / slightly ) old but it is still functioning well.

2. You can't wear that skirt to school. It is ( too / a bit ) short.

3. This pizza is ( absolutely / pretty ) tasty but it is not the best I have had.

4. You should ask May about the details of the accident. I can ( certainly / hardly ) remember what happened that day because I ( almost / barely ) passed out.

(Answers on next text)

■Glossary

lyrics (n) 歌詞

beat (n) 拍子

survive (v) 從(某事)生還

function (v) 運作

[Smarties' Power English 第247期]