700 Common Word Reading and Dictation Exercise no. 16
700 Common Word Reading and Dictation Exercise no. 16
We can see, therefore, that the common expressions a long life and a short life have real meaning only when thought of in relation to the life of the man in the street, the number of years on which insurance companies base their figures. But we seem at present ready to ask questions and willing to hear the answers, so let us ask one or two further questions. What do the words long and short mean when in regard to distances? What do we mean when we say a place is near or far, when we say a thing is of light weight or is heavy, when we say that we are moving more or less quickly? What do we mean when we say that an object is great or is small? We find that all these expressions have real meaning only when one object is considered in relation to some other object. The life of a man is short almost beyond measure when considered side by side with the life of man upon earth, past and future. So, too, is any distance we have upon earth short beyond measure when considered side by side with …
