From: Jason Stewart <jstewart@...>
Date: 2011-02-19T06:45:21+09:00
Subject: Re: question for newbie

On Fri, Feb 18, 2011 at 4:25 PM, Nericl Lau <nericlau@gmail.com> wrote:
> a = << END_STR
> This is the string
> And a second line
> END_STR
> puts a
>
>
> What does it mean?
> I kept getting this error
>
>
> q1.rb:1: syntax error, unexpected tLSHFT
> a = << END_STR
>

That's called a heredoc string. See
http://www.ruby-doc.org/docs/ruby-doc-bundle/Manual/man-1.4/syntax.html#here_doc
you have an extra space between << and END_STR

try this:
a = <<END_STR
hello world
END_STR
puts a