ENGLISH NEWS

Part 4
Unit 16
Housing and Architecture
Lexical Database

Shapes

triangle = triunghi
square = ptrat
oblong / rectangle = dreptunghi
rhombus = romb
hexagon = hexagon
circle = cerc
oval = oval
ellipse = elips

Volumes

cube = cub
parallelepiped = paralelipiped
sphere = sfer
pyramid = piramid
truncated pyramid = trunchi de piramid
cone = con
truncated cone = trunchi de con

Dwellings

cottage (sinonim: bungalow) = csu, caban

mansion = conac
chalet = vil la munte
condominium (condo) = apartament

Construction materials

timber = cherestea
roof tiles = igl
brick = crmid
reinforced concrete = beton armat
plaster = work ghips, tencuial
floor tiles / slates = gresie

Elements of a house

front door / entrance door = ua de intrare

door step = pragul uii

bow window = fereastr arcuit

chimney = horn, co
eaves = streini
sash window = window opening vertically (sliding)

Various

lane = alee; band de circulaie

hamlet = ctun
precinct = district de poliie
borough = unitate administrativ; vecintate
pedestrian area = zon pietonal
penthouse = apartament mansardat
bedsit (< bedroom + sitting room )= garsonier
loft = pod (la cas)
thatched roof = acoperi din paie (sau stuf)
mortgage = ipotec
installments = rate

Idioms

homemaker(Am.) = housewife (Br.) = woman having no job, doing housework

to strike home = to get to the point / to strike the bulls eye
to be first home = to win a race
to be stoned = to be drugged / high
stone-cold = as cold as ice
stone-deaf = completely deaf
Grammar

Unit 17
Fashion and Garments
Lexical Database

Materials

TEXTILES = Any type of woven cloth that is made in large quantities, used especially by
people in the business of making clothes etc
CLOTH =

1. Material used for making things such as clothes.

2. A piece of cloth used for a particular purpose

FABRIC =

Cloth used for making clothes, curtains, etc.

Compounds with cloth

Cloth cap

= A soft flat cap with a stiff pointed piece at the front.

Drop cloth

= A large cloth for covering furniture or floors in order to protect them from
dust or paint (= dustsheet)

Ground cloth = A piece of material that water cannot pass through, which people sleep on
when they are camping (=groundsheet)
Tea cloth

= A towel you dry the dishes you have washed with (tea towel / dish towel).

Materials, according to their origin

- Natural, of animal origin:

leather = piele
fur = blan
suede = piele ntoars
- Natural, of vegetal origin:
linen = in
cotton = blan
hemp = cnep
- Artificial, man-made:
polyester = poliester
acrylic = acrilic
mock leather = piele artificial

Types of fabric

terry cloth = flauat

cord(uroy) = catifea raiat
velvet = catifea
satin = satin

Fabric making

to weave, wove, woven = a ese

to knit = a tricota, a coeta

Verbs

to dye = a vopsi (esturi, prul, oule de Pate)

to crease = a plisa
to tear, tore, torn = a sfia, a rupe (o pnz, o hrtie, etc.)
to crumple = a ifona

Adjectives

faded = decolorat
frayed = uzat
ragged = zdrenuit
moth eaten = mncat de molii
threadbare = ros pn la urzeal (despre un covor)

Patterns

dotted = cu puncte
striped = cu dungi
checked = n carouri
hounds tooth = pepit
herringboned = n zig-zag
tartan = the checked pattern of Scottish kilts

Tops

turtleneck / poloneck = helanca, bluz pe gt

cardigan = pardesiu

Bottoms

flannels = izmene
slaks = pantaloni sport, din doc
cords = jeans raiai
flares = pantaloni evazai

Idiomatic Phrases

the Sunday best = the best clothes

a night cap = one last drink before going to bed
mad as a hatter = completely mad
thats old hat = its an old stoy
thats where the shoe pinches = thats the problem
to wear the trousers = (about a woman) to be dominant in the marriage

 GRAMMAR

Unit 18
Arts and Entertainment
Lexical Database

Dramatic performances (slang phrases)

courtroom drama = play (or movie) taking place in a courtroom.

costume drama = historical play or movie
kitchen sink drama = play or movie about family problems
horse opera = western
soap opera = serial dealing with (endless!!) family problems, love affairs, etc.
(Rom. telenovel)

Opera compounds and derivatives

grand opera = tragedy in which the lines are sung (Rom. oper)
operetta (Am.: musical) = comedy in which the actors sing and dance at certain points.

Theatre vocabulary

cast = the list of actors appearing in a movie or play.

leading role = the most important part in a movie or play
supporting part = a less important part in a movie or play
extras = occasional, non-professional persons appearing in movies (usually in crowd scenes)
understudy = the actor/actress who is prepared to take the place of the protagonist in case
he/she falls ill
prompter = the person who helps the actors if they forget the text (in television, its a
machine)
premiere / opening night = the first show with a play or movie

String instruments

violin = viar
viola = viol
cello = violoncel
double bass = contrabas
guitar = ghitar
harp = harp

Wind instruments

piccolo = piculin
flute = flaut

Woodwinds

clarinet = clarinet
oboe = oboi

bassoon = fagot
flute = fluier

Brass instruments

trumpet = trompet
trombone = rombon
horn = corn
bugle = goarn

Percussion instruments

drum = tob
cymbals = cinel, talgere
kettledrums / timpani = timpan
bells = clopoei

Keyboard instruments

grand piano = pian de concert (pian cu coad)

upright piano = pianin
harpsichord = clavecin

Idiomatic phrases

to steal the show = to be by far better than all the other actors in a show
to run the show = to wear the trousers / to be dominant, to impose ones rules
to upstage a rival= to put a rival at a disadvantage
its the same old song = thats old hat, its something well known
its curtains for him = he is finished
and all that jazz = and what not, etc.

Grammar

Adverbs and examples

Unit 19
Religion and Spiritual Life
Lexical Database

Various religions

CHRISTIANITY
JUDAISM
ISLAMISM
HINDUISM

BUDDHISM

Jesus Christ is Gods earthly embodiment. The Bible is the Holy Book.
Yahweh / Elohim is the Jewish name for God. The Torah (first 5 books
of the Old Testament. The Talmud is a book of moral teachings)
Allah id the name of God and Mohammed that of his prophet. The
Quran / Koran is their Bible
Brahman is the name of God, identified with the entire Universe
(considered by some as a trinity Brahma (the Creator) Vishnu (the
Preserver) and Shiva (the Destroyer). The Vedas are their holy books
the oldest on Earth.
A moral system without a god following the teachings of the
Buddha in order to achieve Nirvana.

The worship places

CHURCH / CATHEDRAL
SYNAGOGUE
MOSQUE
MONASTERY
CONVENT / NUNNERY

Religion related synonymic / antonymic pairs

BELIEVER
CLERGYMAN
ZIONIST
TO REDEEM
PAGAN

= CHRISTIANS
= JEWS
= MUSLIMS
= place where monks live
= a place where nuns live

=
=
=
=
=

MYSTIC
PRIEST
JEWISH
TO RESCUE
HEATHEN

Catholic hierarchy

POPE = Papa
ARCHBISHOP = arhiepiscop
BISHOP = episcop
CARDINAL = cardinal
PRIEST / MINISTER / VICAR = preot, vicar
MONK / NUN = clugr / clugri

Romanian religious holidays

EASTER = Pate
LENT = Postul Patelui

ATHEIST
LAYMAN
ANTI-SEMITE
TO DOOM
BELIEVER

GOOD FRIDAY = Vinerea Mare

WHIT SUNDAY = Duminica Rusaliilor
ASSUMPTION DAY = Adormirea Maicii Domnului

The zodiac

ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO

= Berbec
= Taur
= Gemeni
= Rac
= Leu
= Fecioara

LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES

= Balan
= Scorpion
= Sgettor
= Capricorn
= Vrstor
= Peti

Idiomatic phrases

I did it for the hell of it = I did it simply because I wanted to

when hell freezes over = never (Rom. cnd o face plopul mere)
to stink to go hell for leather = to run like hell
an act of God = a natural catastrophe
Godsgate = religious scandal

Grammar
o The Modal verbs

Basics:

No long Infinitive, Participle or Imperative

No -s ending for the 3rd person Singular
Never followed by a long Infinitive (Exc. ought to)
Never conjugated with Auxiliaries or other Modals

Details:

CAN = to be able to - expressing physical / intellectual ability

!!! In the past: could = past capability
E.g. He could swim when he was five.
was able to = past achievement
E.g. Finally he was able to swim to the shore.

MAY = to be allowed / permitted to - expressing permission

!!! In colloquial polite requests it is replaced by can
E.g. Can I help you with this luggage ?
!!! Used to express possibility
E.g. He may be home by now, I guess.

MUST = to have to

- expressing obligation E.g. You must do it !

- expressing possibility E.g. He must be there !
!!! In the Present: must = assumed obligation
to have to = external (imposed) obligation
have got to = stronger obligation
!!! Lack of obligation = neednt / dont have to
E.g. Must I wait here all this time? No, of course you neednt!
!!! must not = interdiction
E.g. You must not wait here = You are forbidden to wait here.

COULD

MIGHT

SHALL

= expressing determination
E.g. You shall do it, whatever it takes !

SHOULD

= expressing recommendation
E.g. You should do as you are told.
= expressing (slight) probability
E.g. If you should see him, invite him over.

WILL

= expressing will
E.g. You may come along if you will. ( = if you want to).

= expressing probability
E.g. He could be home by now.

= expressing possibility
E.g. He might be home, but I doubt it.
!!! Weaker than the possibility expressed by may.

= expressing probability
E.g. That will be your hotel, I guess.
= expressing logical situations
E.g. Boys will be boys !
= expressing the idea of present.
E.g. That will be enough !

WOULD

= conditioned desire
E.g. I would do the same thing if I could.

DARE = meaning to have the courage / impudence to (in interrogative sentences

mostly)
E.g. How dare you say such a thing ?

NEED = expressing necessity

E.g. Need he really wait so long ?
!!! neednt have + Past Participle = unnecessary action
E.g. You neednt have watered the garden: its raining !
!!! didnt need to + Short Infinitive = unperformed action
E.g. We didnt need to water the garden, for it started to rain.

OUGHT TO =

1. Strong recommendation
E.g. You ought to read that book; its great!
2. Moral obligation
E.g. One ought to respect others religion.
3. Logical consequence
E.g. The experiments ought to confirm the hypothesis!

Unit 20
The Army and War
Lexical Database

Military branches:

infantry/foot = military fighting on the ground. (Rom. infanterie)

marine corps = military fighting at sea, on warships. (Rom. marin)
air force = military fighting in the air, on aircraft. (Rom. aviaie)
military intelligence = military watching over the military classified information of their army
and trying to find out that of others. (Rom. contrainformaii)
engineers = military doing earthwork and dismantling mines, bombs, explosive devices, etc.
(Rom. geniti)

Military ranks

general = general
colonel = colonel
major = maior
captain = cpitan
lieutenant = locotenent
sergeant = sergent
corporal = caporal
private = soldat

Army corps

division = divizie
brigade = brigad
regiment = regiment
battalion = batalion
company = compnie
platoon = pluton
squad = grup

Weapons:

grenade = small exploding device meant to me hand-thrown

revolver = hand gun holding the bullets into a revolving barrel
machine gun = gun that fires rapidly and repeatedly (bullets are located on a metal belt)
(Rom. puc mitralier)
Tommy gun = Thompson submachine gun (light machine gun) (Rom. pistol mitralier)
cannon = A large, mounted weapon that fires heavy projectiles (Rom. tun)
rocket launcher(bazooka) = A shoulder-held weapon consisting of a long metal smoothbore
tube for firing armor-piercing rockets at short range.
pistol = handgun in which the bullets are located in the handle

Vehicles

warship = A combat ship. Also called man-of-war.

aircraft = A machine or device, such as an airplane, a helicopter, a glider, or a dirigible, that
is capable of atmospheric flight.
armored vehicle = heavy, metal-plated vehicle
submarine = vessel capable of submerging and moving under water
mobile missile carrier = vehicle carrying a large missile launcher
tank = military armored vehicle endowed with a machine gun and a gun on its turret
aircraft carrier = A large naval vessel designed as a mobile air base, having a long flat deck
on which aircraft can take off and land at sea.

The end of war

cease-fire = When two armies stop fighting.

truce = A temporary cessation or suspension of hostilities by agreement of the opposing sides;
an armistice.
demobilization = When soldiers are being dismissed after the war is over.
decommission = When a warship is turned into a commercial one .

Idiomatic phrases

to fight back (tears) = to refrain (from crying)

to have no fight left = to have lost the desire to fight
to fight tooth and nail = to fight using all possible means
a shooting pain = an intense pain
to call the shots = to make the rules
to shoot up = to grow very quickly (about children)

Grammar
o The Subjunctive Mood
The Subjunctive expresses an unreal state or action.

Strange situation: It has no form of its own!

It may be identical to:
the Infinitive
the Past Tense
the Past Perfect
the Future in the Past

 or, may be formed with modals (should, would, let, may, might)

= Short Infinitive
- After expressions like: it is necessary, it is desirable, it is important, it is compulsory,
etc., in a that clause:
E.g. It is important that you be there on time.
It is necessary that he come with us this time.
It is compulsory that you hand in the report.
- This form is rather obsolete (formally used nowadays). You can as well say:
E.g. It is important that you are there on time.
It is necessary that he should come with us this time.
It is compulsory that you should hand in the report.
- After expressions like: had better, would rather
E.g. You had better quit smoking.
I would rather take a nap than work on.

But:

I would rather you took a nap than work on.

= SHOULD + Short Infinitive

- After verbs like: to request, to require, to ask, to pretend, etc. in a that clause:
E.g. I request that you should be there on time.
It was asked that he should come with us this time.
The boss pretends that you should hand in the report.

= MAY + Short Infinitive

E.g. Im afraid you may miss the offer if you dont hurry.
May you live long and enjoy your life!
Ive come so that you may tell me the news.
However much I may like her, I cant stand her fits.

- After ever compounds, in uncertain actions:

E.g. Whoever you may be, youre welcome here.
Wherever you may go, behave yourself !
Whomever you may have seen must have been a thief.
= Past Tense / Past Perfect / Future-in-the-Past
- After : to wish, as if, if only, it is time :
E.g. I wish you would come with us tomorrow.
I wish you came with us today.
I wish you had come with us yesterday.
E.g. It is time you listened to my advice.
It is time he had arrived by now.
E.g. If only she were with me in these moments!
If only he had taken my advice!

= Set phrases involving the Subjunctive

- if needed be
- be it so / so be it
- be that as it may
- far be it from me to
- come what may
- a year come Monday
- suffice it to say
- Heaven forbid it!

= dac e cazul
= aa s fie
= oricum ar fi
= departe de mine gndul s
= fie ce-o fi
= luni se mplinete un an
= este de ajuns s spun
= Doamne ferete!