On 05/10/2013 12:23 PM, Bryan Kilgallin wrote:
> Take the following quote as an example. I parsed it through a
> readability checker.
> http://www.online-utility.org/english/readability_test_and_improve.jsp
> That gave a Gunning Fog Index of 14, and a Flesch Reading Ease of 38.
> The following URL explains that this excerpt looks like a highbrow
> newspaper. Authors should try to make it more easily understood.
>
> Variable expansion is the only type of expansion performed on double
> quoted strings. There is, however, an important difference in how
> variables are expanded when quoted and when unquoted. An unquoted
> variable expansion will result in a variable number of arguments. For
> example, if the variable $foo has zero elements or is undefined, the
> argument $foo will expand to zero elements. If the variable $foo is an
> array of five elements, the argument $foo will expand to five elements.
> When quoted, like "$foo", a variable expansion will always result in
> exactly one argument. Undefined variables will expand to the empty
> string, and array variables will be concatenated using the space character.
Interestingly enough, this means that the excerpt scores slightly
"worse" than the self-description of the tool at the URL you provided
(Gunning Fog Index 13.31, i.e. "Indication of the number of years of
formal education that a person requires in order to easily understand
the text on the first reading").
The sentences it suggests need improvement are:
Undefined variables will expand to the empty string, and array
variables will be concatenated using the space character.
For example, if the variable $foo has zero elements or is
undefined, the argument $foo will expand to zero elements.
I find both of these clear and readable. In fact, I would not know
how to improve them, considering that the passage you selected is
technical (and therefore "difficult"?) by nature of the subject.
Elias
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