From PowerPrep Test 2

[wood]

"The original camera was little more than a wooden box with a lens at one end and a sensitized plate at the other."

The phrase little more than in the passage is closest in meaning to

(A) as small as
(B) in addition to
(C) possibly
(D) simply

[Erin]

Originally posted by wood

"The original camera was little more than a wooden box with a lens at one end and a sensitized plate at the other."

The phrase little more than in the passage is closest in meaning to

(A) as small as
(B) in addition to
(C) possibly
(D) simply

Try this strategy (the same thing I do when I have to answer questions): Imagine the meaning of the word that could fit there.

What would you think for this one? ?

[laura]

I think the answer should be D. I hesitate between A and D, but I think that the emphasis is not on the size of the box, but on the fact that it was very simple (almost just a wooden box).

Laura

[wood]

Hi Laura... I got the same hesitation. At first, (A) sounds appealing... but then looking over (D), it gives a sense of "just", "trivial thing", which is exactly what the sentence is looking for.

Anyway, I don't know what's the actual answer, since this one is from PowerPrep. We'll need to wait for a TOEFL Guru, named Erin, to help us out!

Wood

[hsengoren]

I also say it is D, "simply"

[Erin]

Think of it this way--little more than means not much more than, which means only a little bit more than, right? And all of that is close in meaning to only, don't you think?

So, in the end, simply is the best answer (as you've said!).

as small as has a different meaning--it's used to compare sizes of something.

Good luck on your test, wood!

[wood]

Thanks for the nice reasoning tip and the wishes Erin...!!

I'm looking forward to acing the test!

After that, I'll party with our friends, and !!