Wu Ting
How would you explain ‘reveals letter’ in the context? The New York Times, April 15, 1939 Rivera Still Admires Trotsky; Regrets Their Views Clashed Artist Explains He Quit Fourth International So as Not to Embarrass Leader—Reveals Letter Caused Their Rift By Diego Rivera MEXICO CITY, April 14—The incident between Trotsky and myself is not a quarrel. It is a lamentable misunderstanding which, going too far, brought about the irreparable. That compelled me to break my relations with a great man for whom I always had, and I continue having, the greatest admiration and respect. I am very far from harboring the silly presumption of engaging in a polemic with Trotsky, whom I consider the center and the visible head of the revolutionary movement that is the Fourth International. …… How would you explain ‘reveals letter’ in the sentence: Artist Explains He Quit Fourth International So as Not to Embarrass Leader—Reveals Letter Caused Their Rift? PS: It’s the title of a report on The New York Times. Thanks!
Aug 1, 2014 2:13 PM
Answers · 2
2
In this case, "reveals" means that he publicly stated information for the first time that was not commonly known before, or that was secret before. "Revealing a secret" is probably the most common phrase utilizing the word in this way. So, in the past, the letter caused the rift between the artist and Trotsky. People knew there was a rift, but not *why* there was a rift. When the artist revealed the fact that the letter caused the rift, he let everyone know why.
August 1, 2014
1
It's headline English, which leaves out minor words: (The) artist reveals (the) letter (that) caused their rift. Rivera reveals the letter that Trotsky wrote to him(or possibly, but less likely, he wrote to Trotsky) that caused a rift between them.
August 1, 2014
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