how could I understand the sentence below
Both these ships set out from shanghai on june 18th,1872 on an exciting race to england.
how should I understand"on an exciting race".
the word of the translater which said: they held an exciting race during the sailing.but I can't understand.
if let me write the sentence,I'll say:
both these ships set out from shanghai to english on june 18th,1872,during the journey,they held an exciting race.
how should I understand,how?~?

Question

how could I understand the sentence below
Both these ships set out from shanghai on june 18th,1872 on an exciting race to england.
how should I understand"on an exciting race".
the word of the translater which said: they held an exciting race during the sailing.but I can't understand.
if let me write the sentence,I'll say: 
both these ships set out from shanghai to english on june 18th,1872,during the journey,they held an exciting race.
how should I understand,how?~?

Answer

Here "on" means "occupied with a specific activity".

Answer

Correction - June 18th, 1972

Answer

'set out' is used to mean, the start of a journey.

We set out (from Shanghai on June 18th 1972) on a journey
We set out (from Shanghai on June 18th 1972) on an adventure
We set out (from Shanghai on June 18th 1972) on an exciting race

You can use 'set out' followed by an adverb:

We set out again
We set out yesterday
We will set out tomorrow

Answer

The race WAS the journey!

"Both these ships set out from Shanghai on June 18th,1872 on a journey to England."
(Use capital letters properly, please.)

"Both these ships set out from Shanghai on June 18th,1872 on an exciting race to England."

Answers · 4

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