$their_stdout = <<`END_CMDS`; die "oops: wstat $?, errno $!" if $?;
  (
     echo set password 'oracle';
     echo set current_listener 'LISTENER';
     echo status;
  ) | lsnrctl
END_CMDS

##</code><code>##

    # variables normally expand
    $bunches =  "\t@these + @those\n";

    # but not if escaped; the hats are literals now
    $bunches = "\t\@these + \@those\n";
 
    # or suppress them all in one swell foop
    $cost = '39 widgets @$1.59 apiece';

    # selectively suppressed variable expansion
    system qq{Mail -s "gotta problem" helpdesk\@support <$complaints};
   
    # variables normally expand
    @many  = ( @these,  @those);

    # suppress variable expansion
    @rpair = (\@these, \@those);

    # *distributively* suppress variable expansion
    @rpair = \(@these,  @those);


##</code><code>##

    $place{ 040 } = 1;
    $place{'040'} = 2;

  # similarly...
    %place = (
         040  => 1,
        '040' => 2,
    );