Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Take out
Hi,
"So when in 2001 the IMF found out the Malawian government had built up large stockpiles of grain in case there was a crop failure, they ordered them to sell it off to private companies at once. They told Malawi to get their priorities straight by using the proceeds to pay off a loan from a large bank the IMF had told them to take out in the first place, at a 56 per cent annual rate of interest. The Malawian president protested and said this was dangerous. But he had little choice. The grain was sold. The banks were paid." [By Johann Hari.]
I'm a bit confused with the object of the verb 'take out' in this paragraph. Is it 'a large bank' or 'a loan'? In other words, does it mean that 'the IMF had told them to take out a large bank to pay off the loan taken from this bank' or 'the IMF had told them to take out a loan to pay off a large bank'?
Thank you.
"So when in 2001 the IMF found out the Malawian government had built up large stockpiles of grain in case there was a crop failure, they ordered them to sell it off to private companies at once. They told Malawi to get their priorities straight by using the proceeds to pay off a loan from a large bank the IMF had told them to take out in the first place, at a 56 per cent annual rate of interest. The Malawian president protested and said this was dangerous. But he had little choice. The grain was sold. The banks were paid." [By Johann Hari.]
I'm a bit confused with the object of the verb 'take out' in this paragraph. Is it 'a large bank' or 'a loan'? In other words, does it mean that 'the IMF had told them to take out a large bank to pay off the loan taken from this bank' or 'the IMF had told them to take out a loan to pay off a large bank'?
Thank you.
Top answer
They were told to take out a loan . They were told to take out a loan from a large bank. This loan (from the large bank) created the debt (to the bank) that they had to pay off by selling their grain.
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They were told to take out a loan.
They were told to take out a loan from a large bank.
This loan (from the large bank) created the debt (to the bank) that they had to pay off by selling their grain.
(Anyone who recommends a laon at 56% is either stupid, crazy, or corrupt.)
They were told to take out a loan from a large bank.
This loan (from the large bank) created the debt (to the bank) that they had to pay off by selling their grain.
(Anyone who recommends a laon at 56% is either stupid, crazy, or corrupt.)
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You cannot 'take out' a bank, so it must be a loan. Loans are what we 'take out'. Malawi was told to sell the grain and use the money to pay back a previous bank loan. Previously, the IMF had suggested to Malawi that they get (= take out) the loan from that bank.
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