Grammar：Grow
【明報專訊】Pat is tidying her room with MoMo's help. They find many things of the past that make them recall fond memories.
MoMo: Look at this cute polka dot dress! Why don't you wear it anymore?
Pat: I wish I could! Sadly, I have grown out of it. Look at how short it is.
MoMo: The size is ridiculously small on you. I guess you've also grown out of the habit of wearing clothes with complicated patterns.
Pat: You know me well. Come look at this photo of me 2 years ago! My hair was much shorter back then. It sure has grown back now.
MoMo: Haha...I can't stop laughing...you looked like a blonde mushroom. Hey, why aren't you talking? Sorry for making fun of your old hairdo.
Pat: No, I'm not angry. I just found this picture of me and my old friend. Look, we were so happy back then.
MoMo: That's weird, I've never seen her before. What happened?
Pat: Oh, it's nothing out of the ordinary. We simply grew apart.
MoMo: That's an awfully short answer. Could you please tell me more?
Pat: Look, the sun is setting. We should hurry up or we are never going to finish tidying up before dinner.
■English highway﹕
Sometimes when the same verb is followed by different adverbs or prepositions, it may mean very different things. Take ''grow'' as an example:
Grow out of
e.g. As Alice grew out of her clothes, she also grew out of her childish ways.
Grow back
e.g. Some plants can grow back quickly after you chop them down.
Grow apart
e.g. As the siblings went off to separate colleges, they grew apart.
■ Gear up
Fill in the blanks with the correct answer. (Answers on next text)
A. grown out of
B. grow back
C. grow apart
1. I wish my beard would __________ tomorrow. I really regret shaving it off.
2. The married couple worried that they would __________ as the years passed.
3. I would totally love to build the Lego house with you if I hadn't __________ model building.
■Glossary
recall (v) 回憶起
fond (v) 快樂美好的
polka dot (n) 圓點花紋
awfully (adv) 非常；極其；十分
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[Smarties' Power English 第339期]
