Eso vs lo

Question

Hola! I just answered a quiz question that looked like this:
Pásame ________ que está ahí a tu lado por favor.

Pass me that [thing] which there next to you please.

(HINT: Use the correct word for "that" acting as a direct object)

With "lo" (the correct answer was "eso"). And "lo" still seems correct to me without context. IE "Pass me that which is next to you please." or something like that. I think the import of the lesson is that, in cases where "the thing" has been previously mentioned, "eso" or "ello" is more correct.

Here are my questions, assuming I've got the idea right about the eso/ello usage above ;-) :

1. Should the question provide the context ? IE "HINT: Use the correct pronoun for something mentioned previously acting as a direct object."

2. Either way, isn't the question a little weird? I mean, if we already talked about the thing, why would I also specify its location? I mean, wouldn't I just say "Pass me that thing (we talked about), please" ?
Thanks!

Alan

Answer

Hola Alan,

I'm going out on a limb to try to comment on this one. Your questions are good BUT it has been a year since you asked it so maybe it doesn't matter or you worked it out to your own satisfaction but it is interesting as this usage is new to me.

I think what drives the answer is the fact that the item has been mentioned before EVEN THOUGH there is no indication of that, and despite the fact of it's location. Sometimes the questions seem incongruous in real life (sorry KWIZIQ) but when they give a hint as to alternative usage (in this case as a direct object) when appropriate, I think they are trying to focus us, but also to understand intention as well as the action itself. Saludos. John

Answer

This is indeed an excellent question, maybe worth additional information from here in the future.

I'm guessing about this too, but there are two ways to use "lo" here.

(1) Pásamelo que está ahí a tu lado por favor.

In case (1) "lo" would be incorrect because we don't use lo when the Direct Object is explicitly stated. It would be like saying "Pass it to me that which is there beside you".

(2) Pásame lo que está ahí a tu lado por favor.

In this case we end up with "lo que" and would be better off with "él que". There is a lesson on this on kwiziq.

In any case, maybe this additional answer will put this question on the team's radar.