Water Wonderland

quite a lot

In Thailand I went scuba diving quite a lot.

'Quite a bit' and 'quite a lot' are very similar.  They both refer to a frequency that is not everyday, but frequently.It can also be used to refer to an amount of something that is less than 'a lot.'  Notice the following:

1. He did quite a lot of shopping on his vacation.
   
2. I have quite a lot of work to do tonight.
   

quite a bit

I did quite a bit of scuba diving in the Gulf of Thailand.

'Quite a bit' and 'quite a lot' are very similar.  They both refer to a frequency that is not everyday, but frequently.  Quite a lot is more frequently than quite a bit.  It can also be used to refer to an amount of something that is less than 'a lot' or 'quite a lot.' Notice the following:

1. Do you see her quite a bit?
   
2. I ate quite a bit at lunch and I'm not very hungry now.
   

all sorts of things

I saw whale sharks, leopard sharks and all sorts of things.

You can use the phrase 'all sorts of things' when there are many other examples, but you don't want to say all of them.  In this sentence it is similar to "many other things." Notice the following:

1. She hats and jackets and all sorts of things for cold weather.
   
2. He is going to buy all sorts of things for his new apartment.
   

polluted

The Gulf of Thailand is quite polluted.

If water or air is 'polluted' then it is contaminated by dangerous or hazardous chemicals, it is not clean.  Notice the following:

1. The polluted air made his nose black and his lungs hurt.
   
2. The city is much more polluted now than it was ten years ago.
   

affect

The Indian Ocean can be affected by monsoons.

'Affected by' is similar to influenced by.  The example says that there are monsoons in the Indian Ocean and these monsoons cause problems.  Notice the following:

1. She is very affected by what other people say to her.
   
2. Was their house affected by the flood?