The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest Narrated by: Simon Vance

"Can you bring me up to speed so that I can get the hang of what’s going on?"

get the hang of something - (informal) to learn how to do something or use something; освоить
// It seems difficult at first, but you’ll soon get the hang of it
// It's a bit tricky at first till you get the hang of it.
// The game's rules are easy to get the hang of.
// She would never get the hang of this new country.
// I've got the hang of it now.

pull someone's leg - to make someone believe something that is not true as a joke : to trick or lie to someone in a playful way
// Jonasson wondered whether Ellis was pulling his leg
// Is it really your car or are you pulling my leg?
// Stop pulling my leg – you didn’t have lunch with Bono!
// I panicked when he said the test was tomorrow, but then I realized he was just pulling my leg.
// Did Ronnie really call or are you just pulling my leg?

imbecile - a foolish or stupid person; a person who behaves in an extremely stupid way
// What an imbecile that boy is!
// I have behaved like an imbecile!
The terms idiot, imbecile, moron, and their derivatives were formerly used as technical descriptors in medical, educational, and regulatory contexts. These uses were broadly rejected by the close of the 20th century and are now considered offensive.

And now the murderer herself had been shot, which was surely poetic justice of a sort.

of sorts/of a sort

If you describe something as a thing of sorts or as a thing of a sort, you are suggesting that the thing is of a rather poor quality or standard.
// He made a living of sorts selling pancakes from a van.
// She even managed a grimacing smile of sorts.
// They have had an education of a sort.

ChatGPT:

"Of a sort" means "to some extent" or "in a way, but not exactly." It suggests that something is not a perfect or pure example of what is being described, but it has some qualities of it.

In your sentence, "It was surely poetic justice of a sort," the phrase implies that the situation resembles poetic justice, but perhaps not in the strictest or most traditional sense.

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"Hi, could you give me a few interesting examples of the expression 'of sorts' or 'of a sort'? Please keep the sentences relatively short so they are easier to memorize. Also, please remember to correct all my writing if needed."

Now, here are some interesting examples of "of sorts" / "of a sort" in use:

  1. After weeks of chaos, they finally reached a peace of sorts.
  2. He gave me an apology of a sort, but it didn’t seem sincere.
  3. The old bookstore was a museum of sorts, filled with rare editions.
  4. She had a plan of sorts, though it wasn’t very detailed.
  5. His speech was a warning of a sort, though he never said it directly

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"Of sorts" and "of a sort" are similar, but they are not always interchangeable. Here’s how they differ:

1. "Of sorts" (more common, plural)

  • It suggests that something is a rough or imperfect version of what is described.
  • It often has a slightly dismissive or humorous tone.
  • It is more idiomatic and widely used in casual speech.

Examples:

  • He called himself a chef, but his meals were disasters—he was a cook of sorts.
  • The old shed became a workshop of sorts when he started fixing furniture there.
  • They had a celebration of sorts, though it was just cake and coffee.

2. "Of a sort" (less common, singular)

  • It suggests that something is an unusual or limited example of what is being described.
  • It is often used in more formal or thoughtful contexts.

Examples:

  • His apology was of a sort, but it lacked real regret.
  • The book was history of a sort, though it mixed facts with fiction.
  • Their friendship was of a sort—they talked often but never truly trusted each other.

Key Difference

  • "Of sorts" → More general, often used when something is an imperfect or approximate version of the real thing.
  • "Of a sort" → More specific, implying something is an unusual or partial example of a category.

Would you like more clarification or examples?

 

Sure! Let's break it down further with more nuanced examples and explanations.

"Of sorts" – More informal and general

It’s often used when something is a loose, approximate, or slightly off version of the real thing. The phrase tends to sound casual and sometimes even a bit dismissive.

More Examples:

  1. She gave me an answer of sorts, but it didn’t really clarify anything.
    (Her answer wasn’t completely clear, but it was something.)
  2. The dog became a guard of sorts, barking at strangers but running away if they got too close.
    (The dog acted as a guard, but not in a very reliable way.)
  3. After months of searching, he found a home of sorts in the abandoned cabin.
    (It wasn’t a real home, but it functioned as one.)
  4. The lecture turned into a debate of sorts when students started arguing with the professor.
    (It wasn’t an official debate, but it had that kind of energy.)

"Of a sort" – More precise, often used for unusual or limited cases

It implies that something is an example of a category, but in a strange, unexpected, or incomplete way. The phrase is often used in more formal speech or writing.

More Examples:

  1. His kindness was of a sort, but it always came with strings attached.
    (He was "kind," but only when it benefited him.)
  2. Their success was of a sort, but it was built on deception.
    (It was "success," but not in the usual way.)
  3. The movie was a comedy of a sort, though most of the humor was dark and unsettling.
    (It could be classified as a comedy, but not in the traditional sense.)
  4. He was a leader of a sort, but he lacked real authority.
    (He had the title of a leader, but he didn’t truly have power.)

Key Takeaways

  1. "Of sorts" = A rough or imperfect version of something, often casual or humorous.
  2. "Of a sort" = A strange, partial, or unusual example of something, often more formal.
  3. They aren’t always interchangeable!
    • "A celebration of sorts" (an event that kind of felt like a celebration)
    • "A celebration of a sort" (a very specific, strange kind of celebration) but sounds more refined.

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"That of" is mostly used to compare two things (that is used as a pronoun).

Example:

The population of New York is greater than the population of San Diego.

Can be transformed to:

The population of New York is greater than that of San Diego.
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He often described his job as being like that of a goalkeeper. - Он часто описывал свою работу как работу вратаря.

ChatGPT:

Hi, Could you explain the structure of the following sentence:
"He had often described his job as being like that of a goalkeeper."
Is it has different meaning that:
"He had often described his job as being like a goalkeeper."?

Difference in Meaning

  1. "That of a goalkeeper" → emphasizes that the nature of his job is similar to the job of a goalkeeper.

    • This phrasing is more formal and precise.

  2. "Like a goalkeeper" → suggests that he himself is similar to a goalkeeper, rather than specifically his job.

    • This could imply that he acts like a goalkeeper in some way (e.g., being defensive, reacting quickly), rather than just his job being similar.

Summary

  • The first sentence compares his job to the role of a goalkeeper (more precise).
  • The second sentence compares him to a goalkeeper, which is slightly more ambiguous.

Структура "that of a goalkeeper" используется, когда мы хотим избежать повторения существительного и подчеркнуть именно сходство между предметами или ролями. "That" здесь заменяет предыдущее существительное (например, "job"), а "of a goalkeeper" уточняет, с чем мы сравниваем.

Примеры:

  1. The climate of this region is similar to that of northern Canada.
    → Климат этого региона похож на климат северной Канады. (Здесь "that" заменяет "climate".)

  2. Her writing style is different from that of her brother.
    → Ее стиль письма отличается от стиля ее брата. (Здесь "that" заменяет "writing style".)

  3. The salary of a teacher is lower than that of a doctor.
    → Зарплата учителя ниже, чем зарплата врача. ("That" заменяет "salary".)

  4. The role of a manager is similar to that of a coach in a sports team.
    → Роль менеджера похожа на роль тренера в спортивной команде.

  5. Their house is twice the size of that of their neighbors.
    → Их дом в два раза больше, чем дом их соседей.

Ты можешь использовать такую конструкцию, когда сравниваешь однородные вещи (работу с работой, стиль со стилем, зарплату с зарплатой и т. д.).

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A&E = The Accident and Emergency (A&E) department = Отделение неотложной помощи

mortality rate (or death rate) (уровень смертности) - is a measure of the number of deaths (in general, or due to a specific cause) in a particular population, scaled to the size of that population, per unit of time. Mortality rate is typically expressed in units of deaths per 1,000 individuals per year; thus, a mortality rate of 9.5 (out of 1,000) in a population of 1,000 would mean 9.5 deaths per year in that entire population, or 0.95% out of the total.
// Most sources claim that the mortality rate of the virus is around 2–4%.
// The area has an infant mortality rate of 11.9 per 1,000 births, nearly double the national average.

duct tape - strong cloth-backed waterproof adhesive tape.

Stieg Larsson. The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets’ Nest