C1 LEVEL ENGLISH CHUNKS FROM PAST TESTS

On average, …

In times gone by,...

It quenched the dry region. : The dry region was given water.

It was a long-lost forest.

There are tight restrictions on that.

Tourism is a source of revenue.

They have been of increasing concern to the teachers.

My word can influence events in the world.

It is a commonly held view about...

She epitomized the inexperienced teacher. : She was the perfect example of an
experienced teacher.

Over the past century,...

A fleeting moment

I did it by means of...

Pictorial recordings

Questions have been raised concerning...

My debate concerning this topic was a success.

It holds out the promise of providing… : It offers the promise of providing…

In the face of the rapid increase in...

It instigates social change.

The advent of the new technology

It seemed derisively small. : It seemed ridiculously small.

Doggedly: determinedly

She peppered editors with articles. : She sent a lot of articles to editors.

She struck lucky. : She suddenly had a lot of luck.

She tipped her off about... : She warned her about…

It was snapped up by a newspaper. : It was bought quickly by a newspaper.

A controversial siting (Site): a controversial place

In the north of England

It was bracing on the... : It was supported on …

I am getting a name for my work.

Abrasive comment

The missile homed in upon the island. : The missile aimed for the island.

She scoured the press for hints of... : She searched the press for hints of…

Impending issues

To be abreast of things

To pounce: to jump in order to catch something

The treadmill of proofreading: the repeated and boring work of proofreading

He fell foul of the editor. : He had a disagreement with the editor.

He departed in a cloud of dust. : He left really quickly.

Untethered emotion: released emotion

He assured me that...

She chewed her nails for weeks. : She was anxious for weeks.

Succinct: expressed in a short and clear way

Anodyne: intended to avoid causing offence or disagreement

She spent her life plodding. : She spent her life working slowly and continuously
without imagination, enthusiasm or interest.

A by-line: a line at the top of a newspaper or a magazine article giving the writer’s
name.

Postage-stamp size photo

Salary cheque

I kept up with the twists and turns of events. : I kept up with the intricate details of
events.
I got the job on my merits.

They were ganging up under his nose. : They were getting organised against me and
I didn’t notice.

I rang her.

She was hitched to the affairs of public life. : She was very interested in the affairs of
public life.

It gave me a sense of security.

I keep myself informed about current affairs.

It was a newsworthy situation. : That situation was interested enough to be in a news

report.

I have gained a reputation for effective translation.

On reflection,...

He is prone to act on impulse.

I was amazed to discover that...

Legend has it that there are four powers in the universe.

However true the story may be, ...

A moisture-rich fog

It drifts in from the ocean.

The tree was cut down.

An oak sapling

I convinced everyone to back my idea.

I got my scheme approved.

The results scaled up. : The result increased in importance, size or amount.

It was restored to its former glory.

The knock-on effects of... : the indirect effect of…

It captured moisture.

It prompted my success.

Famine-prone people
It can be done in stages.

The result looks promising.

It came as a shock to me.

It came as a surprise to me.

The area was completely devoid of vegetation.

When I was at my most successful, I could...

At the height of his success...

An article well worth reading

It was produced under great pressure of time.

The turning between Market Road and Green Street: The place from which you can
leave the road between Market Road and…

Glib remarks: remarks said in a confident way, but without careful thought or honesty

An assortment of edibles

It was stuck in the crook of his arm.

Loose cash

Scraggy fellow: a thin fellow whose bones could be seen

It was amply respected.

It rent my heart to see...

It pained him to see ...

Encumbrance: a person or thing that prevents somebody from doing something or

moving easily

She gloated over her new job. : She expressed great pleasure or satisfaction
because of her new job.

Performing arts

He got bogged down. : He got involved in something difficult and was unable to do
something to solve it.

It merits the term art.

It goes unnoticed by the untrained eye.

I reflected on the matter.

It had an impact on him.

Second-rate junk: material of not very good quality

The price tag

She finds it galling when... : She finds it annoying when…

I honed my skills.

What's more,...

Worse still,...

The degree of skill exhibited was great.

Fraudster: someone who gets money by deceiving people

It just doesn't hold water.

He was duped into paying a fortune for this. : He was deceived into paying…

He tricked him into paying huge sums of money.

It has an artistic merit.

She cursed the day she spent such quantity of money on that.

To be up in arms about: to be very angry about

To get a full understanding of this book, ...

I want to understand it fully.

He was a fabled explorer.

A second-hand way: a way that is not new.

He slumped in front of the television. : He fell in a chair suddenly in front of the

television.

People engrossed in TV shows. : People paying full attention to TV shows.

I explored every corner of the globe.

Off the beaten track

Physical exertion

He was haggling over a souvenir. : He discussed the price of a souvenir.

I am standing in a queue at the moment.

I was killing time before the flight.

It's fair to say that...

I was having a power nap.

Alertness

Gwen did it in the attempt to compensate for a poor sleep routine.

There is no telling how...

Her skill as an actress was most impressive.

It is only with time and practice that we can...

Its quality is questionable.

He was spreading misinformation.

A committed environmentalist

He is at a lost as to what to do.

The death knell of reading: A warning for the end of reading. (Something that heralds
the end of reading)

A treasure trove of rare documents: A place that is full of rare documents

It was nibbled away. : It was reduced.

It was irrelevant to my work.

On the merest whim,...

To sit through something: To stay until the end of an event such as a meeting or
performance that is very long and boring.

A vociferous critic of the internet

Swathes of text: a lot of text

It was clogged up with... : It was blocked with…

At its best,...

It has a deleterious effect on the brain.

To gain knowledge

I argue the opposite.

I have it at my fingertips.

To dip into this: To read small parts of books or any texts

To trawl laboriously through a book: To search laboriously through a book

The highlight of this news is...

This past week's science fair

The rover beamed back some images. : The rover sent back some images.

Conclusive evidence

The evidence has been mounting.

Water-lain sediments

Misguided theory

An influential figure in the history of...

Upbringing

He worked hard.

To secure the interest of the patrons

My awe-inspiring books

The man who lay closest to his heart

Her identity remains elusive.

I begin to reap the rewards of my endeavours.

He had to come to terms with...

A crushing realization

From that point on,...

His music displays a striking change in style.

Facts were brought to light.

Everything went according to plan.

Heavy downpour

That left me completely exhausted.

Ineluctable: that you cannot avoid

This problem concerns you.

Doyen: the oldest, the most experienced, and often most respected person of all the
people involved in a particular type of work

I left them all panting in my wake.

To tack: To fasten something to a place with tacks

A cunning plan

As it were

Heady: having a powerful effect, making you feel slightly drunk or excited

It has to be reinvented.

A nerve-racking experience

To pursue an idea: To try to discover information about an idea

The actor baled out of the film after two weeks. : The actor stopped being involved
in the film after two weeks.

Self-opinionated: having and expressing strong feelings and beliefs

A broad joke: An unrestrained joke

There used to be rivalry between the two countries.

Eye-witness accounts of the event

All so much easier than done

Critical apparatus: an apparatus of the greatest importance

Ploy: something that is done or said in order to get an advantage, often dishonestly

A leap of imagination

To win the insights that may deliver…

It took on new meanings. : It started to have new meanings.

At the outset

A startlingly large number of...

The mask bears on it the marks of later events.

A leading scholar

Homeland
On a global scale

He made a claim about his book.

The book serves as an example.

It benefits from new evidence.

It leads to many interpretations.

It failed to take account of the differences.

I welcome it as a further layer of significance.

They can throw light on its original function.

Prior to marriage

To fulfil my ambition

Undulating hills

Far off in the darkness,...

Bushfires

He burnt off the dry grass to bring forth new green shoots.

Long-horned cattle

Dew-damped

To mooch: to walk or act slowly and without much purpose

This city hosts the largest market.

A cloud of dust hangs over the town.

Wooden corrals.

A laid-back man: A man relaxed in manner and character; not usually worried about
other people’s behaviours or things that need to be done

Langourous: that makes you feel a pleasant mental or physical tiredness or lack of
activity

To raise an eyebrow

Haphazard: without order or plan

Meanderings: a talk which continues for a longer time than is necessary and which is
often not interesting
From here, my journey took me northward.

My body became conditioned to the environment.

She walked at his pace.

She prodded the eagle. : She pushed the eagle.

A cross word: An angry word

To add to our woes, ...

Cowpat: a round flat mass of solid waste from a cow

He didn't dwell on his loss.

Raincoat

An unremitting drizzle: A never stopping light rain

It didn’t dampen my enthusiasm. : It didn’t make my enthusiasm less strong.

I clambered on the fences. : I climbed on the fences.

Plaintive: that sounds slightly sad

On one occasion,...

His promises fell on deaf ears. : His promises weren’t listened.

Under a blazing sun

I have reservations about the benefits of the metaverse. : I have doubts about the
benefits of the metaverse.

It excels in its ability to...

It assists learning by...

My books captured the imagination of millions.

It emerged as a genre back in the 1930s.

It was dismissed as mindless entertainment.

The viewers resorted to it.

Tightly-knit neighbourhoods

It evoked nostalgic feelings in them.

It holds great appeal for viewers.

It invariably focuses on that matter.

There has been a significant shift in attitudes with his books addressing moral
issues.

It addresses moral issues.

It provides much food for thought.

The character and situations that are depicted are complex.

To assemble cars

To assist during complex surgery

He is incapable of striking up relationships with their human operators. : He is

incapable of starting a relationship with their human operators.

The change is on the horizon. : The change is likely to happen very soon.

To this end I will need this tool.

It showed the extent to which people can do this.

Looking further ahead,...

Engineers envisaged robots helping around the house.

I feel at ease with it.

A perilous journey undertaken by birds

The exodus was prompted by the scarcity of food.

Variation in the amount of daylight

The beast displayed restlessness.

He ended up far from his intended destination.

It is advantageous for me.

That greatly surprised scientist.

He told me to move down the bus.

I tried not to take sides.

I refuse to discuss this decision further.

His decision was not open to further discussion.

I just saw her for a moment as she walked past me.

I just caught a glimpse of her.

I just caught sight of her.

I travel back in time.

I shaped my world.

It seems unfamiliar to many.

He played a starring role.

They took great delight in explaining this.

He threw a lasso over its head.

My new-found friend

Visitors are entirely welcome.

They have turned against him.

He's going to hand over to me. : He’s going to give me the control of the situation.

A public exhibition

To herd cattle

The event kicked off with the entry. : The event started with the entry.

A hearty rendition of the national anthem: An enthusiastic performance of the

national anthem.

Intermission: a short period between the parts of a play, film, concert, etc.

Halfway: in the middle of something

To jump the gun: to do something too soon, especially without thinking carefully
about it

The horse threw him off.

The flip side of that is... : The oppsite, less good, or less popular side of something

To have got it in for sb: To want to make life difficult for someone because you
dislike them

I crossed paths with him once.

Stand-offish: behaving in a slightly unfriendly and too formal way

They are not short of a dollar or two. : They always have enough money.
To meet targets

He's not intellectual in the least.

To pin down: To discover exact details about something

I have the gift of the gab.

I could talk them into anything.

I have an eye for this kind of things.

To exploit that niche to the full: To take advantage of a niche completely

I speak from experience.

I don't suffer fools gladly.

To iron out the creases: To remove problems and find a solution

I finished all involvement with the matter.

A clean break

He didn't have anything left to achieve.

It holds no appeal for me.

A sideline: an activity that you do as well as your main job

He is in the know. : He has knowledge about something which most people do not
have.

To be ripped off: to be cheated by making you pay too much money for something

To leave no stone unturned: To do everything you can to achieve a good result,

especially when looking for something

He'd blown it. : He had failed to take advantage of an opportunity by doing or saying
something wrong.

I wrote him off completely. : I decided that he won’t be useful, important or

successful completely.

He's opinionated and outspoken. : He’s opinionated and expresses strong opinions
very directly without worrying if other people are offended.

I never gave up on myself. : I never stopped expecting that I would arrive.

I have every right to say this.

He had to eat humble pie. : He had to admit that you were wrong.
That spurred me on.

It made an impact on them.

They formed stronger bonds.

On that score: about that

I interpreted my guts feelings.

A rebellious streak: A rebellious characteristic

To clamp down on it: To take strong action to stop or limit a harmful or unwanted
activity

A self-made man

A setback: something that happens which delays or prevents a process from

advancing

He can come across as...

Cocksure: too confident, in a way that is slightly unpleasant or rude

He's convinced of his own superiority.

It is surely beyond dispute that...

I have succeeded in (doing)

To pander: to do or provide exactly what a person or group wants, especially when it

is not acceptable, reasonable or approved of, usually in order to get some personal
advantage

It is suited to non-straightforward entertainment. : It is right to entertainment that is

not easy to understand or simple.

Whatever its origin,...

To come adrift in time: to fail

Abiding interest: An interest that has been there for a long time

At no point should you have a...

A sharp intake of breath

I banged out a tune. : I played a musical instrument such as a piano, but loudly and
not very well.

In-crowd: a small group of people within a larger group who seem to be the most
popular or fashionable
Fast-changing tastes

They were out of that loop. : They didn’t have the special knowledge or power that
belonged to a particular group of people

If you can't take the heat, you shouldnt be in the kitchen.

To be tongue in cheek: To say something that is a joke, but it sounds like something
serious

I'm hanging in there. : I don’t give up.

I am very much alive and kicking.

To bracket sth: To think that two or more things or people are similar or connected to
each other

14 drugs were in their late-stage development. : 14 drugs were in the final stage of
their development.

To bring the pain down

There's more to it than meets the eye.

Broadly speaking

In layman's terms

It is time to part company with them.

I was a class act last season. : I was admirable last season.

Expectations are high.

They are calling for his head. : They are demanding that he pay a penalty or be
punished.

I got them punching above their weight. : I got them to perform in an activity that
needs more power or money than they seem to have.

The buck stops with him. : He will be the only responsible person.

I have this knack of getting things done. : I have this ability to get things done.

To get the very best out of what he's got: To gain more advantage from what he’s got

The attendance was down on this event.

His knowledge paled by comparison.

To honour your culture

I gather this was stardard practice.

Open-sided: having one side left unobstructed for the accomodation of large work

Regalia: any set of special clothes

It is a sight to behold.

The official closing of the event

It was hand-stitched. : It was sewn by hand rather than machine.

A meteoric career rise in the world of fantasy series

I am the top-ranked translator.

She'll be banging on the doors of Formula One. : She will be in Formula One very
soon.

Fairly soon

The privilege is all mine.

He is one of the all-time greats of fantasy writing.

I tried to sustain the mental effort.

I'm now the target, instead of the chaser.

For me it was as asset, not a burden.

To hold on

He jumped off his horse onto a bull.

To wrestle it to the ground

The book has little appeal for me.

I wanted to see at first hand what motivated him.

I share with him a sense of scepticism.

It was given undue prominence.

To prove something to myself

It is the way forward for them. : It is the method that they think will be successful.

Innate skills

The highly pitched din heralded the rush hour.

To shuttle madly: To travel or take people regularly between the same two places
madly

The pairing of these two areas: The union of these two areas

Ground-breaking work: work that is very new and a big change from other things of
its type

A medicinal virtue

The startling reality

I earned respect from him.

The full value of my work

It took her years to fathom.

To pose questions: To ask question

The top award

To keep my mind sharp

The developed world

The developing world

It is rooted in me.

It is untouched by outside influences.

Duly: in the correct way or at the correct time; as expected

I was kept very busy as an accountant.

To make this point, ...

To charge up his laptop

I’ve done the rounds of all the doctors. : I’ve talked to a lot of doctors.

I proceeded from explanation to demonstration.

I picked them up singly.

I told him about the cure required.

The overall effect

I improved on an early weakness.

Setpiece: a part of a film, play, etc. which is exciting and attracts attention, but is
often not a necessary part of the story

Here time runs more slowly than...

Nods of recognition

Sighs of exasperation

Showpiece: an extremely good example of something, which deserves to be admired

It excels at rendering...

Shifting conceptions of reality

It bears testimony to it. : It is a proof of what it is.

He is plunged into a world of...

Hapless: unlucky and usually unhappy

She was dragged from pillar to post. : She was forced to keep moving from one
place to another.

Just as hope is flagging, ... : Just as hope is becoming weaker,

I pulled out of the dive. : I stopped going in the direction of the dive.

To interleave: to put something, especially thin layers of something, between things

The novel works around a...

Scrappy style: a disorganized style

A deft grasp of... : A skilful or clever understanding of…

To belie

A familiar trope: A familiar theme

It blurred my perspective. : It distorted my thougths.

Idiosyncratic writer

It comes nowhere near to explaining...

He hasn’t lost none of his touch.

At the center...

To posit reasons: To suggest reasons

I tiptoed up the stairs.

Her arms gave out after so much strain. : Her arms stopped working after so much
strain.

It never occurred to me that...

Cashpoint machine

It never crossed my mind that...

I went home early from my holiday because...

A strike threat from the workers

I had to cut my holiday short because...

I made friends immediately with Estrella.

Estrella and I hit it off immediately, but I didn’t take to her husband. : Estrella and I
became friends immediately, but I didn’t start to like her husband.

It separates me from...

Dramatic events of his youth

In bygone ages

Alluring: attractive or exciting

To overcome hurdles: To overcome problems

To shed lights on this matter

It has them scrambling for new ways to... : It has them doing a lot of effort for new
ways to…

To acquaint me with the events: To make me familiar with the events

The question of how to...

It is more pressing than ever.

The resulting portrait is... : The resulting description is…

It is worth considering his claims about...

First-hand experience

To commit to a point of view: To promise to give your attention and effort to a point of
view

To tread new ground: To experience new topics and areas of knowledge

To pay off: to be successful

Her explanation descended into a description of pseudo scientific articles.

He was referred to as 'the newbie'.

This raises the question of...

The book is aimed at this readership.

His avowal that his book is... : His statement that his book is…

It reflects concerns about...

My assertion that it is a common misconception...

I want to take the matter into my own hands.

To dress up and stage mock battles

I set out to explore the world.

He suffers in the name of...

He endures a stint of... : He endures a fixed period of time spent doing…

My quest is fuelled by my anxieties about...

To deploy the skills... : To use the skills…

Period attire: the clothes or furniture of a particular time in history

Redress: money that someone has to pay to someone else because they have
injured them or treated them badly

A belated chance to... : A chance that came later than expected

To make it cast light on me

A strange attitude

I was thrown 50 years backwards.

To stick closely to fact

It is associated with evil.

The myth that surrounds him

It takes account of their intelligence.

To mimic sounds
To size up a situation: To examine a situation

To get the better of them

Legend has it that...

As is the case with the others, ...

He was dismissed for unsatisfactory conduct.

One of the most famous comedians of all times

To me his name means nothing.

I know her as Clorinda.

Zany: strange, surprising or uncontrolled in a humorous way

It had the audience in stitches. : It made the audience laugh uncontrollably.

Good enough to be a multilanguage translator, ...

I get more out of translation.

He was praised for his talent.

Daring attitude

Rather than being just a teacher, ...

It left audiences enthralled.

One crowd favourite involved me jumping ...

At which point I would start walking...

Do it as though being controlled.

I would skate as if flying.

We are assured by the experts that...

As a species, we are designed for...

Face-to-face communication

It really means having a meeting.

Bleary-eyed: having the eyes red and watery, not being able to see clearly, because
you are tired or have just woken up

To struggle through a session

Teambuilding

The answer is in the affirmative.

A small business

Of course, you could always follow his example.

To express solidarity with the affected people

To queue at the checkout

To hold management meetings

A realistic alternative

A powerful tool for disseminating information

As a substitute, it is seriously flawed.

There is also a tendency for this to be used by people who...

To avoid real encounters

I don't want to be confronted with any awkwardness.

It had a slim chance of returning.

This event put paid to any remaining hope she had of coming back.

I highlighted the main problems.

Crime had been rising in the recent times.

There has been a big increase in the number of projects.

She felt alienated from society.

He seems cynical about life.

They turned to crime.

I turned the situation around. : I changed the situation completely.

It created a tense and agitated home environment.

This affects children in a most destructive way.

It was a time-consuming assignment.

It presented something of a challenge for them.

The number of pages easily surpasses the one thousand mark.

It came to my attention that...

She was a nagging perfectionist. : She was an unpleasant perfectionist.

His ideas led them to amusing adventures.

The book retained its impact.

The boys were presented with numerous books.

That woke up my innate creativity.

It wasn't a particular interest or strong point for me.

The film brought the theory to the light.

He overcame his stutter.

He was being cheered outside the palace.

The shop is more of a mall now.

And whatnot: and other similar things

I took the plunge with that new store.

That store provides a delivery.

You can collect your order when convenient.

I'm interested in the views you hold about the government.

What steps can be taken to get rid of that vermin?

As requested, this is a report about...

He was mugged and killed. : He was attacked in a public place and robbed of his
money, and killed.

It was really dark due to the absence of proper lighting.

Additional street lamps and surveillance cameras should be installed.

Crime is rooted in the run-down part of town.

The survey showed that...

I hope this report will receive your serious consideration.

Measures will be taken in the near future.

A job fair was recently held in that city.

It was a topic of particular interest and relevance.

There was a wealth of self-help books in his shelves.

I arranged a series of work-related talks.

There are vacancies for me to apply for.

I needed to gain experience.

It was a great benefit to me.

You have to list the problems.

He used to sit at the back of the classroom.

I had the appreciation of most teachers.

An important contest was held at school.

It demanded a lot of effort.

She was so fond of herself.

His world fell apart.

A packet was lying on the floor.

He was playing truant. : He was regularly absent from school without permission.

Parents have all the responsibility in his matter.

But hard as it may be, we should try to...

He had to develop a liking for sports.

I ran a series of articles under the title...

I've always been a tough cookie. : I’ve always been a smart and tough person.

As I got to know more of them, I realised something was missing.

She icily said that...

It cost them a fortune.

I want to make myself clear.

My passion for writing is growing day by day.

He put his piano at my disposal.

He kept playing behind their back.

I just smile at those thoughts.

Joining the club was a good way of meeting people.

I run many websites.

There has been much talk of developing a website, but as yet it is not clear when this
will happen.

It was an alternative to the previous treatment.

I gradually made my way into a different world.

The train chugged eastward. : The train moved making its sounds eastward.

It gave me time to savour the landscape.

The gap year enhanced my career prospects.

I gained a lot of skills.

The trend of visiting France started...

You need to have a sustained pace to be hired.

The travel experience can be right on your doorstep.

I fit all the books into a single box.

That fit the bills for tight budgets.

All options have their pros and cons.

I gained maturity.

On the grounds that the book is set in Peru, it would...

Both cultures merged into one.

Local traditions were kept under his rule.

It appeared on the Monday's edition of the newspaper.

I have been all over Europe.

American culture gained popularity.

He turned his back on them.

It was a unifying force in those years.

It was a place with centuries-old cultural traditions.

The original character was retained.

The feeling of culture shock was overwhelming.

I took a self-catering holiday in a luxury apartment.

The standard of the accommodation was very poor.

I want a cash refund instead.

I have never seen such a bad service at a restaurant.

Not surprisingly, I asked for a refund.

Those were the additional expenses I have incurred.

She criticised today's youth for wasting their time.

We can't deny the truth of most facts given by...

Making them do homework is the best way to keep them occupied or quiet.

The vicious circle begins here.

They are surrendered to it almost helplessly.

They conducted a campaign to encourage schools to teach strategies to coping with

stress.

Back in the day when I was in high school, I...

The curriculum was clear cut. : The curriculum was clear.

I learnt to handle my personal finance.

If I had a say in it, the project would be entitled in a different way.

Some bits and pieces were touched upon in class.

She has vivid memories of what happened.

He was totally under-dressed. : He was wearing clothes that are not attractive
enough or formal enough for a particular occasion.

A lesson in small talk is really useful.

That action would mean a world of difference.

I was looking through the alumni newsletter.

They behaved that way to oil their interactions.

Social conventions serve a useful purpose.

It must not become an end in itself.

You must not queue jump.

That cost the company in terms of low productivity.

It's vital you seek help.

You must take the necessary actions.

This problem should be tackled at the root.

I reaped the benefits of taking care of mental health.

The damaging effects are...

There was constant litter.

There are holidays spots from which you can...

These measures will bring benefits to my firm.

His attitudes towards his neighbours were dreadful.

I had to maintain my distance.

I read your article with interest and felt compelled to share my experience.

It wasn't long before I received his letter.

That drew my attention.

He promptly complied when he realized the seriousness in my voice.

He felt his freedom had been curtailed.

The course was exceptional.

He wanted to know how he was going to benefit from it.

It was an in-house course for trainee teachers.

I wanted to take the opportunity to thank you personally.

This course has been very well thought out.

His enthusiasm was infectious.

I was rather nervous about the prospect of having to give presentations.

I needed to boost his confidence.

I have every intention of repeating the experience.

It was as thrilling as I had been led to expect.

I was able to answer all their queries.

It was thoroughly useful.

I gave my views in response to his articles.

Imagine his dismay at being confronted with their going away.

It was a branch of their economy.

This book addressed the evolution of the industry.

The article endorses the concept of...

It serves the purpose of locating more of these kinds of texts.

It intruded upon their lives.

Team A proved to be effective against headaches as opposed to Team B.

Not taking advantage of it would be like being stuck in time.

It is something we need to learn to live with.

Policy-makers employed a wide range of measure to ensure their sustainability.

He set strict speed limits as an enforcement scheme.

They encouraged motorists to become less reliant on their cars.

You must promote the benefits of car-sharing.

Not having a car, I don't have fuel bills.

She won the hearts and minds of millions.

Recent research into the ...

She took her family for a day out.

What he aspired to be was a mystery.

Regarding eductation, it is important to say that...

I can access a wide range of education at a moment's notice. : I can access a wide
range of education at any time.

The text shows the antithetic point of view.

The theme common to both texts is that...

In my opinion, there is some truth in this.

They lived in very safety-conscious times.

It seems the writer is very insular.

This article has a strong authorial voice.

It may be beneficial to you.

The threat of an earthquake is only too real.

People are risk-averse. : People are not willing to do something if it is possible that
something bad could happen as a result.

Others may have differing points.

It argues against ...

Being too concerned about social conventions stifles individuality.

Norms vary across generations.

It was the soundest basis for our approach.

He traced the major breakthroughs in the history of music.

It took some of the drudgery out of the work. : It took some hard boring work.

It shifted the balance of power from singers to machines.

She looked a bit frazzled. : She looked a bit extremely tired in a nervous or slightly
worried way after a lot of mental of physical effort.

I brought them into use.

I cut down the tree.

There was a public outcry. : There was a strong expression of anger and disapproval
about something by the public.

The road was gridlocked. : The road was blocked by cars.

I take your point, but...

I leapt into the car without giving it a moment's thought. : I leapt into the car without
thinking for a moment about it.

He distinguished himself not so much by being... as by...

It was a well-publicised claim.

He tore it up in a rage.

I understood his plight.

Out of the bush, ...

Mangrove: a tropical tree, found near water.

They didn't have running water.

He used to sell things over the phone.

Newsreel film: a short film that consists of news reports, usually one that was made
in the past for showing in a cinema

I was headhunted away from this to... : I was persuaded to leave my job by offering
me another job with more pay and a higher position

He was responsible for developing side deals.

I've valued his advice most highly.

It was unpopular, so I decided to dress it up. : It was unpopular, so I decided to add

something to it in order to make it seem more interesting or pleasing than it really is.

Let me make it very clear.

They came out in support.

She didn't want to embroil other people in her trouble.

I made sure it was sotto voce. : I made sure it was said in a quiet voice to aviod
overhearers.

He was an inveterate liar. : He was someone who does something very often and
cannot stop doing it.

They were eaten up with envy.

She was snowblind. : She lost her sight for a couple of minutes because of the
reflected light from the snow around.

That coloured my reaction to...

The engine spluttered. : The engine made short unclear noises.

I give my car a regular servicing.

The car was rattling at speed. : The car was making noise.

He replied with heavy sarcasm.

I suppose it is worth a try.

I rang off on him. : I hung up on him.

That attracted a predictably sniffy response. : That attracted a predictably

disapproving response.

It was brash. : It was too bright and colourful.

It inflamed a hat-trick of prejudice. : It increased a series of situations involving

prejudice.

The store never caught on. : The store never became popular.

The place was heaving with shoppers.

The ambience raised the bibliophile's hackles. : The quality of the place annoyed the
bibliophile.

I repaired to the café to compose myself. : I went to the café to make myself calm.

It was a rapacious predator.

He believed he was a right-thinking person.

That was accounted a virtue.

I can be savagely critical.

They needed to grab customers' attention.

Posters were stuck up on the walls.

It was a dubious practice at the best of times.

Compared to what it used to be, the world...

He huddled in his armchair. : He held his arms and legs close to his body in his
armchair.

It lost its potential benefits.

The school had leisure and sport facilities.

The tourist office has launched a competition.

I have been asked to send in a contribution to the magazine.

I responded to the points made by the article.

It had a strong impact on them.

The character should be portrayed in a serious light.

They wanted to launch a new soft drink onto the market.

There is more to this book than we think.

A dried-up kernel of a man... : A short man with very little muscle

They helped him out in a difficult situation.

I want you to express your views on the points raised.

Mass tourism has had a strong impact on this town.

He displays the qualities of a villain.

Media has a huge effect on dictating the latest trends and fashions.

You must describe the suitability of the resort as a family holiday destination.

An area in the centre of your town is to be redeveloped.

The leisure centre will update the existing facilities.

I set about changing my life.

He broke free from his past.

The college put on an exhibition.

The magazine ran a series of articles.

I would never replace my old watch.

I set up a group to run some activities for teenagers.

There are endless possibilities.

That quotation applies to him.

I want to make a recommendation.

I am sure that plenty of you have done it already.

I told them about a journey I once took.

That custom was considered strange by outsiders.

They discussed the advantages and disadvantages.

He was known for his involvement with good causes.

It was worthy of recognition.

The region was denuded of wildlife.

It was farcical to present my apologies. : It was like a farce to give my apologies.

He sounded priggish. : He sounded like a person who obeys the rules of correct
behaviour and considers himself to be morally better than other people.

He was hogging the limelight. : He was using the limelight more than anybody else.
He was not sharing it.

He sidestepped me completely. : He avoided talking to me completely.

He was sitting propped up in pillows.

They can treat themselves to a frisson of recognition by doing that. : They can
indulge themselves to a feeling of recognition by doing that.

This spectacle is not for the squeamish. : This spectacle is not for people who are
easily upset or shocked by things they find unpleasant or which you do not approve
of.

Words have to make up for the shortfall in deeds. : Words have to compensate for
the scarcity of deeds.

Shiny surfaces can be slippery.

I like to talk with like-minded people.

He had a strong aversion to conning people. : He had a strong aversion to people

who swindle others.

I tried to lure him away from there.

I wasn't fobbed off by that. : I didn’t let them persuade me to accept it.

I made notes in longhand. : I made notes in ordinary writing by hand.

He had a hidden agenda.

He had to keep going back to check things.

I found out what all the fuss was about.

It was a bit of a let-down in terms of style.

There was no point doing it.

I slogged down away without much of a break to get it all down. : I worked hard
without a good break to write what was being said.

He'd hate to mess it up.

Everything went through smoothly. : Everything happened without any problems.

The whole thing was over in next to no time.

I can't see any downside to that. : I can’t see any disadvantage to that.

Somehow he managed to rise to the top.

It gets everyone worked up. : It gets everyone upset.

They've had their ups and downs. : They’ve experienced a mixture of good and bad
things.

He has a completely different side to him.

Nothing fazes me. : Nothing surprises or worries me.

Whatever happens I just take it in my stride and get on with my life.

She gets straight to the heart of the matter.

She has tantrums when things don't go their way.

His behaviour was plain embarrasing.

He had a setback, but he carried on. : He had a delay, but he carried on.

I hurled the bottle back into the sea.

The local council has proposed to ban all cars from that district.

I was invited to submit articles.

I outlined the events in my article. : I gave the main facts of the events in my article.

Yesterday I spent the day translating a project, and today I am doing ditto. :
Yesterday I spent the day translating a project, and today I am doing the same.

Nothing matched me in ability and charm.

It was a wayside meal. : It was a meal at the side of the road.

The gentry would only go to that park. : The people of the high class would only go to
that park.

It was an evocative name. : It was a name that made you remember or imagine
something pleasant.

He surfaced completely blue in the face.

His mind boggled when he looked at it. : He got confused when he looked at it.
He doesn't stand a chance.

They eased back through the mud. : They walked back slowly through the mud.

He smashed three of his front teeth out.

The stocks were depleted. : The supplies were reduced.

She was dubbed "the queen of competitions".

Legally, he didn't have a leg to stand on.

He was his erstwhile friend. : He was his previous friend.

He was blacklisted. : He was considered among the people who were unacceptable
and not trusted, so avoided.

Your worries are groundless. : Your worries have no reason.

They exchanged views on the art of acting.

I was able to focus on the minutiae of the script. : I was able to focus on the small
and unimportant details of the script.

They were wall-to-wall comforts. : They were continuous and ubiquitous comforts.

It seemed to be tailor-made. : It seemed to be made for a particular purpose.

It is a happy blend of history and entertainment.

Children are unencumbered by all the baggage of adult lives. : Children are free of
all the baggage of adult lives.

They let the strangers into the city.

Pedestrians seethed along the flower shops. : Pedestrian moved about energetically
in a small place along the flower shops.

It was a fraught aspect. : It was a worrisome aspect.

I should have a rent reduction.

The previous tenants were tailors. : The previous people who paid rent for the use of
a building were tailors.

The curtains were unfurled. : The curtains were opened.

Those were glamorous football matches.

He admitted to jealousy.
It was public-spiritedness. : It was something that was intended to help people in
general.

He was instructed to brook no interference. : He was instructed not to accept any

interference.

They were under a lot of pleasure.

He got some awful stick from the players. : He got some awful criticism from the
players.

I unobtrusively dealt with the offence and defused the situation. : I easily dealt with
the offence and made the situation calmer by reducing or removing its cause.

He was the subject of a big scandal.

He wanted to maintain an aura of stardom.

He was good at hobnobbing at parties to get more commissions. : He was good at

being friendly with important people to get more commissions.

I staged a press conference.

I take the train every day.

The tea seeped out from under the lid and on to her hand. : The tea flowed from
under the lid and on to her hand.

The heating was turned up full.

The flatlands: The lands with no hills, valleys or mountains

It was barely worth visiting.

I was excited by the prospect of meeting him.

I wanted to lay hands on this material.

I have a clear picture of him in my mind.

Judging from what I had read, he would...

He despatched the arriving immigrants. : He dealt the arriving immigrants.

It lies derelict now. : It is not cared for and is in bad condition now.

Purpose-built: designed and built for a particular use

His halting English prevented him from reading further.

The boat pulled up to the dock outside the building.

I was reflecting on how it must have been back then.

I clambered off the boat in a hurry.

The little child was clinging to the woman.

A courteous smile

A contender for this award.

He was garnering publicity. : He was collecting publicity.

He tends to the unconventional demands of authors.

She was yelling at her publisher.

Colourful language

You must speak only when spoken to.

One survivor

Playing the piano took my mind off my work.

I tried to avoid getting mixed up in that situation.

He announced his resignation.

He has done nothing improper.

He denied having done anything improper.

I seek advice from an expert.

Through no fault of his own, he found himself in a terrible position.

I opted for French in preference to German for my next foreign language.

I tuned my television set to BBC1.

Capacious: able to contain a lot; having a lot of space

Broad audience

Demographic slant: demographic point of view

Endearing person: likeable person

They thought a great deal of him.

And last but by no means least...

Before the dawning of the digital revolution,… : Before the beginning of…
Sotto voce comment: comment in a quiet voice

A well-regarded critic

I still mock them mercilesly.

I adapted to changes.

This show may only catch on with certain audiences.

I have accorded them the respect they deserve. : I have given them the respect they
deserve.

He tried to blink away a headache. : He tried to control a headache by blinking.

He planted himself on benches. : He placed himself on benches.

His shirt was damp against his back.

It rose on its hind legs.

You have to scout the territory.

A cruel and calculating person

He was missed by survelliance cameras.

He was not a copycat. : He was not a plagiarist.

He sauntered past that place. : He walked in a slow relaxed way past that place.

He was accorded her company. : He gained her company.

Roll-call: the reading of a list of names to a group of people to check who is there

He had a fair share of the money. : He had a lot or more than enough of the money.

His tortoise absconded. : His tortoise went away.

Ill-health plagued his pets.

He lived in a tenement flat. : He lived in a flat in a large building in a poor area of a

city.

He was tempted by the thought of a car.

He rubbed his inside legs raw.

A betting slip: A piece of paper for betting

He sought for a name in his mind.

He reached into his pocket for his smartphone.

The man was off. : The man was not polite or friendly.

I moved away from it.

Zoos have never held any fascination for me.

I looked away and turn in the direction of the sea.

A couple holding hands

He paid little attention to the din.

They passed him time and again.

There was a glint of recognition in his eyes. : There was an expression in

somebody’s eyes that showed recognition.

A spot check: a quick examination of a few members of a group instead of the whole
group

I wanted to have him in custody.

They capered. : They ran and jumped about in an energetic, happy way.

I launched my jewellery collection in 1945.

She acted on comments made by others.

He doesn't profit from this.

These dresses are in demand.

The designers are putting heart and soul into making the gowns.

A bold sense of style

She was star-struck. : She was feeling great or too much respect for famous or
important people, especially famous actors or performance.

He fetched over his gang. : He brought his gang.

It was a throwback to the 1940s. : It was something similar to something from the
1940s.

Background

He graduated with a degree in fine art.

On a project-by-project basis: doing it from project to project

One-off: happening only once

High-end: intended for people who want very good quality products and who do not
mind how much they cost

They came out to even greater acclaim.

A tessellating shape: A shape that fits together in a pattern with no spaces in

between

Trend-specific jewel: jewel that are made in reference to a specific trend

He raved to everyone about how good a series it was.

He swept him off his feet. : He made him become suddenly and completely in love
with him.

I could see through his veneer. : I could see through his attempt of hiding his flaws.

I sat down without so much as a glance.

She glared at the waitress for spilling some water on her lap.

I deem the book worthy of my attention.

It serves my purpose.

In my opinion,...

A truly caring person wouldn't do that.

She blows hot and cold in her behaviour.

That fact did nothing to hamper my success. : That fact did nothing to prevent me
from being successful.

He displayed unflaggingly sharp observation. : He showed sharp observation that

never got weak.

They had a downbeat humour. : They had a humour that was quiet and without
much excitement.

He was given to anxiety and low spirits.

My first book has a vogue among intellectuals. : My first book has a general liking
among intellectuals.

He had flunked algebra at school. : He had failed algebra at school.

Everything went smoothly.

It belied the amount of work involved.

The average time is just four weeks.

I saw the read-through by the cast.

I wanted to get an insight into how it is made.

It was a chilly October morning.

He was an acclaimed playwright.

It was a poignant portrayal. : It was a moving portrayal.

The book was filled with memorable characters.

The authenticity of the book was under discussion.

It has to have a sense of teamwork.

It is indicative of how well it is.

I have hinted that I don't wish to have them here.

I have dropped a hint that I no longer wish to have them here.

They were competing for the leading role.

They were in contention for the leading role.

I was so wrapped up in my work that I didn’t notice you.

They have yet to find out what the cause of it was.

It was with reluctance that I wrote my signature on the contract.

This software was far superior to the old one.

People are barraged with images of cars. : People are subjected to a series of
images of cars.

A squirt of scent: An amount of scent that has flowed out through a narrow opening
in a fast stream

The tone of the wording is pert and facetious. : The quality of the words chosen is
humorous and not serious wanting to appear clever.

A brand of cigarettes

They conflict with each other.

It is exceedingly hard to discern what the dominant style is.

Back-lit: lit up from behind, especially in order to create a special effect

A hard-edged style: powerful, true to life and not affected by emotion style
A knobbly cadaverous face: a cadaverous face that has small hard lumps

He pays lip-service to environmental issues. He approves of environmental issues

without proving his support by what he actually does.

Mannerism: a particular habit or way of speaking or behaving that somebody has but
is not aware of

He has a good a claim to the throne.

Limelight: the centre of public attention

It bears little comparison with it.

It is prized in him. : He was valued because of it.

I subscribe to no common standard. : I don’t agree with any common standard.

He parachuted into a funfair of... : He parachuted into an amusement park of…

A make of car

It has always been deeply rooted in society.

Civilization and its attendant corruption: Civilization and the corruption that comes
from it.

The way in which the novel is worded is appealing.

The picture reflects the way some people really live.

City dwellers have a clear idea of what they want to have.

It was not pleasant on the ear.

New arrivals in the city are changing it all.

Your height is of little importance here.

The features editor

I quickly got the hang of working there.

They crammed into my office.

He thrust his ideas on them. : He forced his ideas on them.

His offerings were bizarre to say the least.

It was an impromptu story because I created it on the spur of the moment. : It was a
story I made up without planning because I created it right there.
He scrawled a sentence on his pad. : He quickly wrote a sentence on his notebook.

In the end he made amends for his bad behaviour.

It winged its way to me. : It flew towards me.

I was occasionally tossed some small talk.

I was also put to work rewriting columns.

I was tampering in his way. : I was making changes in order to upset him.

He was in no way put out. : He was in no way distressed.

It is obvious to me that...

I was planted on that office by destiny.

I wanted to adjust the hitherto inaccurate information.

He was in a state of manic excitement.

I was deputed to be the leading translator. : I was given the position of leading
translator in place of…

He grabbed the book in hopes of finding the author.

The newspaper ground to a halt. : The newspaper was prevented from continuing.

Our ideas petered out. : Our ideas started to die down.

They were under the influence of Walter.

It was airfreighted to me weekly. : It was transported by aircraft to me weekly.

Flattering though it was to be entrusted with this commission, ...

There was a snag. : There was a small, hidden problem.

He had exclusive snippets about them. : He had exclusive pieces of information

about them.

She didn't have a single contact in the whole of London.

The foibles of the rich: The silly or strange or weak aspects of the rich that are
considered harmless by other people

It came to a stop.

This proved to be a foretaste of his method. : This proved to be a small amount of

this method that will happen on a larger scale in the future.
They clustered around my desk. : They came together in a small group around my
desk.

He ripped off the page. : He removed the page violently.

I did what I had to do to justify my existence there.

Sometimes opportunity would knock.

It had no chance of panning out so well. : It had no chance of developing so well.

He was a seasoned writer.

I accepted the assignment without demur. : I accepted the assignment without

hesitation.

He was one of the most respected translators.

A heady perfume: A perfume that made you feel excited and confident

It was a vast tome.

It was minutely described. : It was described in a very detailed, careful and thorough
way.

She was a cookery writer. : She was a writer about cooking.

To grind the nibs: To reshape or fix the nib of a fountain pen in order to restore its
performance after damage

I'll put it more politely.

Hyping: marketing movies

Does it do the trick?

I have a huge spending power.

The audience followed the campaign.

This audience didn't respond to these ads.

For me reviews are all-important.

He concurred that...: He agreed that…

The economic forces

The strength of an economy

I carry enough weight in the firm.

The film was killed stone dead. : The film was made completely unsuccessful.

He is flat broke. : He is completely penniless.

I said that point blank. : I said that very clearly in very few words, being impolite.

My coffee was stone cold.

She was out cold.

I am not averse to the plan.

Gimmick: something which is not serious or of real value that is used to attract
people’s attention or interest temporarily, especially to make them buy something

He warns against the mages in his book.

People don't like to be spoon-fed. : People don’t like to be given so much help or
information that they do not need to try themselves.

He was caught up in a vicious circle.

I need to recover the costs.

They can't escape the vogue for...: They can’t escape the fashion for…

They have an obsession with cocaine.

There is a world of difference between writing and translating.

I told him he could have a go at it.

It was a monstrous impudence on her part.

His direct descendants

I use them with ease.

They should be constantly upgrading their equipment.

To keep pace with development you must be in touch with us.

It was visually stimulating.

I have thought through the issues and come to a conclusion.

I put a persuasive case that won over an audience.

My advice put them in the most advantageous light.

Having satisfied myself that there was nothing to fear, I went ahead.

Only one player was singled out for praise by the manager.
His denial of the accusation led me to believe he was guilty.

I reached the stage where I had no more patience left.

She's liable to have a fit when she finds out.

It was a disadvantage to her.

It counted against her when she applied for promotion.

In my dewy days: In the days when I was innocent and naive

I gazed at the world wide-eyed with wonder.

In the prime of my life: In the period of my life when I was most active or successful

His tomato of a face wore an expression that seemed amiable.

The two inmates had just sprung from jail. : The two inmates had just left jail.

I hold no grudges.

My annuity: a fixed amount of money paid to somebody each year, usually for the
rest of my life

In her summation, the lawyer called him a vulture.

This is what I had in mind when I went to translation school.

I shook my head at his folly.

They had sad childhoods.

Her old beaux had been felons. : Her old male lovers had been felons.

The upcoming trial was what was getting on his nerves.

For their part, most of them thought that...

I have finally become street smart.

There was a danger of him becoming aggressive.

His behaviour struck me as being inappropriate.

It was crucial to the outcome.

We discussed her suitability as a lawyer.

They regarded her as something of a disappointment.

He launched last year's writer competition.

The answer will not be a cruise, a flight or suchlike.

A bite-sized problem: A problem easy to solve

It is tractable. : It is easy to deal with or control.

I derive a lot of satisfaction from my research.

They helped put my discovery in perspective.

It was better suited to feature articles and suchlike. : It was more appropriate for
important articles and the like.

Over-sensational claims

Misleading claims should not gain wide currency.

It was glossed over for commercial pressures. : It was avoided for commercial
pressures.

It was laced with gossip. : It was accompanied with gossip.

He carried out meticulous measurements.

This is a fascinating romp through it. : This is a fascinating movie or book or play full
of action and adventure.

If I have judged right, it won’t be...

You have to demarcate well-based ideas from flaky speculation. : You have to
demarcate well-based ideas from weak speculation.

It is important not to blur this distinction when writing articles. :

The credulous reader took too much on trust. : The credulous reader believed a lot
that it was true although he didn’t have any proof.

He was a hard-nosed sceptic. : He was a practical and determined sceptic.

He was the most famous thinker of all times.

An artist out of reach for them

Put simply, ...

It is a central tenet for modern times. : It is a central principle for modern times.

I was acutely aware of the dangers.

He berated them. : He criticized them.

Backbiting and cliquery became quite common. : Speaking ill about somebody who
is not present became quite common.

He was caught up in this crossfire.

This method didn't do away with their ills.

They bandy around words. : They mention something often, without considering it
carefully.

He overreached himself. : He failed by trying to achieve, spend or do more than he

can manage.

The best books fall into three main categories.

For want of a better word

The boundaries are blurred.

I am loath to be criticised.

He was pigeon-holed. : He was considered in an unfair way.

It was a mixture of the documentary and the creative.

Some claim to be ...

They regard themselves as experts.

At the end of the day what counts is how...

They were made for each other.

He has the ambition to be a wine maker.

Taking his lead from that book, he has decided that...

It was selfless endeavour. : It was a selfless effort.

It is an end in itself.

No wonder it is one of your favourites.

I rewarded them for being so brave.

Its scenery spurred on them.

It was the outdoor adventure of a lifetime.

There was exciting nightlife.

It was a great family getaway. : It was a great place for families to go on holidays.
The conditions were consistent and reliable.

The servants kept the trails in the forest in top shape. : The servants kept the path
through the countryside in the forest in the best of ways.

It turned my dreams into thrilling reality.

I could see the picturesque slopes.

It was an unparalleled attraction.

However often I see it, I never tire of this film.

I don't know what prompted him to make so strange a decision.

This lack of efficiency reflects badly on the company.

Everything was planned with utmost care.

As a young man, he modelled himself on one of his heroes.

The turtles waddled up a beach. : The turtles walked with short steps, swinging from
side to side, like a duck towards the beach.

They trundled over the dunes. : They walked slowly over the dunes.

They were flipped over on their backs. : They were turned upside down on their
backs.

One was always bound to slip through unnoticed.

There is no escape for them.

Once it was set in motion, the plan was unstoppable.

His inclinations tilted more towards that direction. : His preferences were closer to
that direction.

The cessation of thought

He flipped up belly-up in the sand.

It was a snap decision to make. : It was a sudden decision to make.

It obliged him to seek out a tranquil place.

I wanted to restore some order to my metabolism.

He has the feeling that he has been duped. : He has the feeling that he has been
tricked.

He hadn't been warned of that.

What use had they been?

I realize that I am not cut out for living with other people. : I realize that I am not the
type of person who lives with other people.

She remembered how she had felt prior to this.

It won’t fade away naturally.

It greeted me warmly.

He ushered me into his modest office.

She knows little about this.

He was fobbed off. : He was persuaded to accept something that is of a low quality
or different to what he really wanted.

They all purvey gossip. : They all provide gossip.

He leaned back to make himself comfortable.

I run my own business.

I had the distinct impression that he was...

Let me think it over...

We shook hands.

A few weeks later in mid-August...

I'll introduce you to the people up here.

The disappointment must have registered on my face bacause...

I came to all this relatively late in my career.

You'll be surprised by what you learn.

He was a supporter of the club.

A brief conversation ensued. : A brief conversation followed.

Foppishness: the quality of being a man who is extremely interested in his

appearance and who wears very decorative clothes

I buffed the surface to a spectacular sheen. : I polished the surface until it got a
spectacular bright, smooth surface.

To tell the truth,...

That is the reason for the decrease in the amount of movement.

He is a scientist based at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

He hit upon a radical plan. : He unexpectedly thought of a radical plan that solved
the problem.

By the same token,... : Furthermore, similarly

He was greeted with hoots of derision by his peers. : He was welcomed with hoots
by his peers to mock him.

People were nipping off to the gym. : People were going to the gym quickly.

He slumped at his desk. : He sat down heavily at his desk.

To his surprise, ...

He burned off around 100 calories.

They thought I had completely flipped. : They thought I had completely got angry.

It was my attention to detail what improved.

I made them more relevant to new audiences.

He had amassed books over the years.

For the first time in many years,

I am torn between the urge to go and the impulse to call for help.

These creatures adapted to life beneath the earth's surface.

These conditions are far from ideal.

The severe climatic changes

That could account for such a migration.

Absenteeism

She was too attentive a mother.

He was faring very poorly at school.

To date I have attained the power to move small objects.

He must arrest his dizzying decline. : He must stop his rapid decline.

It would be money down the drain.

That only spurred me on in my search for a suitable career.

The bitter disappointment of this setback

The farmyard hens were neatly corralled.

This treasure dated back four years.

This doesn't merit hiding.

They couldn't hold her back from her writing.

He welcomed her.

I took profit from my writing bout. : I gained a lot from my short period of writing.

It denied me the possibility of ...

Mayhem and destruction are chaotic. : Chaos and destruction are chaotic.

It was mass-produced for a mass audience.

It was deemed an act verging on outright heresy. : It was considered an act that was
very close to complete heresy.

You have potatoes, tomatoes, and so forth.

She experienced the full gamut of human emotions.

He pulled ahead of the pack.

What do they have in common?

Despite its tarnished reputation,... : Despite its damaged reputation,…

An aspiring novelist

He was found biding his time there. : He was found waiting for the right time to do
something there.

He devoted hours to this job.

He keeps them supplied.

The graduate entrant to translation: The graduate person who has recently joined
translation career…

They are competing for a post.

He worked hard to pay off all the creditors to whom he owed money.

There is a complete lack of trust between them.

In the event of rain, the concert will be held indoors.

She took us by surprise with her punctual arrival.

There is nothing I'd like more than to have my picture.

Had it not been for his new plane, he would have never reached us on time.

There is a threat of rain for tonight.

Practice forms the basis of their preparation.

He needed to eradicate his weak points.

You have to rectify that weakness.

He kept losing to them.

She exploited their weaknesses mercilessly.

Part of what is facinating lies in that curious...

The values are reversed in the field of play.

Within reason,...

My cupboard is bursting at the seams.

I found a sweet wrapper in my pocket.

The phone number was jotted down on a napkin. : The phone number was written
quickly on a napkin.

The room was cluttered with toys. : The room was filled with toys.

Rubbish was allowed to build up and stagnate.

I needed to clear out unused and unwanted items.

Try for yourself and see.

This issue covers a multitude of sins.

Poor service comes down to the behaviour of an employee.

I don't tolerate bad attitudes.

Chances are they are already aware of...

Those reasons are best known to themselves.

Hit them where it hurts.

Perhaps that way they may get the message.

A gruelling dog-sled race: A very difficult and tiring race where sledges pulled by
dogs are used.

I set off on a trip through the Artic wilderness.

Winter wear

I have a fleecy jacket.

Several layers of socks

He said listlessly. : He said without energy or enthusiasm.

With this in mind, ...

I needed to test my mettle on the runners of a dog-sled. : I needed to test my ability

on the strips of metal of the dog-sled.

It is a good deal colder than the coast.

The unsettled conditions ruled out any prospect of flying that day.

They gave up the ghost. : They gave up doing it because they knew they were going
to fail.

A sprawling modern city

The town seemed a little short on charm. : The town seemed not to have much
charm.

The city is perched on the edge of a vast wilderness. : The city is located on the
edge of a vast wilderness.

A flake of snow

The situation was desperate.

I zipped up my internal jacket.

I ventured forth.

Temperatures were dropping.

A rough-and-ready solution: A solution that is simple and prepared quickly but that is
good enough

I mushed the snowy frozen trails of Alaska all the way from Skagway to the Yukon
River. : I travelled by dogsled through the snowy frozen trails of…

They got pretty heated up about the matter.

This one was no exception.

He felt lucky to get out in one piece. : He felt lucky to get out without damage.

The air was so balmy that...: The air was so pleasantly warm that…

A bronze-sculpted statue of the heroe

As the hours ticked slowly by... As the hours went slowly past...

Visibility dropped even further.

I called it a day. : I finished my activities.

He was climbing the walls because cable television was cut. : He was getting bored
to anger because cable television was cut.

The earthquake rocked the region.

I will not labour you with a dreary account of how...

I was a rank beginner. : I was a complete beginner.

I have set my heart on having a go at archery.

He pushed open he front door.

She asked pointedly. : She asked in a very obvious way.

Yammering faces: faces that showed complaint

He took Federik's hands between his own.

He lowered the volume by a couple of decibels.

I turned to look him in the face.

I qualified.

There were three beats of silence. : There were three units or lapses of silence.

The marathon team was going to be decided.

The weight of expectation was binding and snagging. : The weight of expectation
was compelling and caused many problems.

He had been that way plenty of times before.

It was bereaved of flags. : It had no flags.

His remarks were taunts. : His remarks were comments made intentionally to annoy
someone.

The barb of the hook dug deeply into him.

I reminded myself.

He's entitled to grouse this time. : He has the right to complain this time.

The jeering audience on the television: The audience who laugh or shouts insults at
someone on the television

I handled the situation quite well.

There were no words of encouragement.

He caused him misery.

He tried not to think too badly of his father.

Disease has stalked our species since the dawn of time.

It was handed down from generation to generation.

Generations were still ravaged by disease.

During the last 100 years,...

In just such a way, ...

It improved dramatically.

They were constrained by a demanding schedule.

Practice is required for maximum effect.

At the outset, ...

Do you have any objection to my watching you while you paint?

I have no intention of waiting here.

A fierce argument broke out between the two children about ...

Much as I admire her business skills, I dislike the way she...

A computer breakdown was given as the reason for the delay dispatching the
brochure.

The sequel did not live up to the expectations of the public.

He was awarded a badge of distinction.

It was earmarked for preservation. : It was chosen for preservation.

What is the life expectancy of the building?

It was demolished in a slum clearance. : It was demolished in the removal of houses
that are in very bad condition in an area of a town.

The monument was given conservation area status.

The French forged ahead in the business. : The French made a lot of progress in the
business.

Britain lagged behind. : Britain developed more slowly than other countries.

He was shoved by other customers. : He was pushed in a rough way by other

customers.

There is a current trend towards malls.

The old style is making a comeback.

Cosmetic dentistry

Dentistry had come a long way since the days of simple extraction.

My client list boasts pop stars, millioners, and royalty.

His lips are tightly sealed on names.

She was hailed as the gold standard in smiles.

Following her lead, the rest decided that...

She wanted to become a cover girl. : She wanted to become a young woman whose
photograph is on the front of a magazine.

It was a towering achievement.

A spur-of-the-moment decision

He was credited with all the compositions.

The key of my success lies in my will.

A foul-mouthed aggressive man

He was paralysed with terror.

Over the years he developed a tough carapace. : Over the years he developed a
tough psychological protection.

It was mesmerisingly beautiful.

I needed to learn about the contrast between the two countries.

The weather is pitched with the verve customarily reserved for a used-car lot. : The
weather has the great energy traditionally reserved for a…

American weather is raucous. : American weather is loud and unpleasant.

American climate can be so quixotic. : American climate can be so unusual and

impractical.

Over and above the design of the shops... : In addition to the design of the shops…

They are led there in such a way as to...

There is a crucial section in the tiers of vertical shelving somewhere.

I am most likely to take note of the brand.

I made my way up to the counter.

Those days are well and truly over.

Products are laid before us as enticingly as possible.

I have to keep my wits about me to resist the ploys.

It came about due to the advances in technology.

The government's change in policy took everybody by surprise.

Only after that, did they realize...

The speed at which the rumour was spread couldn't have been predicted.

He kept them in the dark about the firing.

Far from being embarrassed by her daughter's behaviour, she seems...

He is reputed to be a reliable person. : According to what is said, although without

proof, he is a reliable person.

I had to get hold of the report at all costs.

I trained hard in the hope of learning French.

I was booked on an early flight.

I lost no time in dressing.

The aircraft left the runway.

From the plane, I could see the city receding into the distance. : From the plane, I
could see the city moving further away into the distance, becoming less clear.
People ambled slowly through the lane. : People walked in a slow and relaxed way
through the lane.

They had lain on cars.

There were brief bursts of heat.

The birds were insatiably curious.

I picked up tips by watching the natives daily activities.

They performed the task under my watchful gaze.

Sure enough, ...

I had a higher success rate.

Bureaucracy is held in such ill repute today that...

It is hard to remember that...

They worked in coordination toward a common end.

He launched the systematic study of bureaucracy.

These are the liberties I hold dear.

It foreshadowed these sentiments. : It was a warning or sign in the past regarding

these sentiments.

It had unnerving consequences for him. : It had consequences that made him feel
less confident and slightly frightened.

He walked off behind the door.

I logged every detail of the visual scene. : I recorded every detail of the visual scene.

His brain only holds a few salient details. : His brain only keeps some of the
important details.

A couple was dining on this terrace not long ago.

It was all masked.

I briefly looked away, so I didn't notice her.

The issue raised important questions.

It was relevant to me.

That led him to the uncomfortable realisation that...

The accident was attributed to driver error.

A glut of recent results: A more than necessary amount of recent results

It has yet to be clarified.

This flies in the face of what I have long believed. : This doesn’t goes according to
what I have long believed.

I was able to pick out anything that changed.

My heart is brimming with happiness.

That the series has done so well is thanks to the director.

That was a readerly desire. : That was a desire suitable for a reader.

The novel was able to claim the attention of the common reader.

I had told a fib, but they never found out. : I had told a small lie, but they never found
out.

I pegged the clothes on the clothesline.

Quivering: that shakes slightly, often because of strong emotion

Self-scrutiny: careful and detailed examination of oneself

That event changed the face of epic fantasy literature.

I received a bid to join the sorority. : I received an offer to join the sorority.

He stalked them in a bid to get an interview. : He stalked them in an attempt to get

an interview.

He lugged the heavy baggage across the airport. : He pulled the heavy baggage
across the airport.

It was an extreme prevarication to say that... : It was an extreme way of avoiding

telling the truth to say that…

It was a favoured term on university courses.

They were less accomplished than me.

He used his political clout to have another school built. : He used his political
influence to have another school built.

Finally, he got his mediocre book into print.

A crisper version: A version that is weaker

The final tack is to... : The final tactic is to…

The book was pared down to only 100 pages. : The book was abridged to only 100
pages.

It was a cosy experience.

He talked about a decline in the standard of...

The pigeon population has declined by as much as three-quarters.

That flat was one of his former haunts. : That flat was one of his former places which
he often visited.

This has been blamed on everything from small reunions to concerts.

The city has far too few nooks and crannies where urban birds can hide. : The city
has far too few small places where …

I am the leading expert on inverse translation.

If, for whatever reason, they...

The numbers dropped below the threshold.

It was a random jumble of images.

They proposed countless theories.

It was a deep-seated feeling. : It was a feeling that was strongly felt and very difficult
to change.

It worked fantastic transformations by its own brand of magic. : … by its own type of
magic.

Contrary happenings: opposite happenings

She is of the opinion that her boss has...

He is rumoured to have died in battle.

I had little expectation of his plan being a success.

With the exception of juggling, he is an expert in...

She is very keen on swimming.

It bears no resemblance to the old design.

My reason for going to London was that I wanted to brush up my English. : My

reason for going to London was that I wanted to improve my English.
They are to be consulted about the issue.

There is no escaping the fact that...

There is a chill in the air here.

To deal with this problem, I had to...

They have gone overboard with the air-conditioning. : They have exaggerated with
the use of air-conditioning.

Those measures sounded obvious.

They had telling results. : They had results that showed the truth about the situation.

It is essential for anyone who...

That devise was relegated to the status of ornament.

Its appeal lies in the fact that...

There is a moment of magic when it...

It stemmed from a visit to a fair.

A stern-looking grey-haired lady: A lady who looked severe or showing disapproval,

and had grey hair.

The spectacle was riveting. : The spectacle was extremely interesting.

Mindful of this experience, I wondered what...

I enrolled on a course in German.

She displayed an intuitive artistry.

He was among those who have won eminence.

To counter this, I am trying to...

I treated them as clay to be moulded.

I chose him as he suited my purposes.

They are troubled by doubts about...

I got the chance to exercise my imagination freely.

They glory in their status.

This study reveals...

I have embarked on an investigation.

Courage can be manufactured.

I have the right to escape from our drudgery. : I have the right to escape from our
hard and boring work.

His unused potential

I gave them only menial tasks.

It created a bond of respect between the participants.

To get inside another person's skin

He needed to make an audit of himself. : He needed to make an examination of the

accounts of his business.

The corporations are slimming. : The corporations are getting scarce.

The performance-related rewards have failed in winning commitment from

employees.

His money doesn't compensate for his inadequacy as a human being.

She had far too simple a view of what produces satisfaction.

They claimed houseroom for a month. : They took a space in the house for a month.

The sand blows in your face and gets in sandwiches.

The sand swallowed his family.

Sand adhered to his wet arm.

I step onto a beach towel.

I climbed into a car.

He peeled off your socks. : He removed your socks.

I built a permanent homestead. : I built a permanent house and surrounding area for
farming.

I needed the reassurance of a lock in my door.

I turned a key in the lock.

I could not make head nor tail of the painting. : I couldn’t understand the painting.

He had his opinions on some things.

I was not meant to set about it in an essay way.

Just let it communicate with you.

It never worked for me in practice.

I tried to give them a genuine insight into the whys and wherefores of my work. : I
tried to give them a genuine insight into the reasons of my work.

These nuggets of information helped me understand. : These pieces of very true and
wise information helped me understand.

Anxiety has grown in the popular psyque.

He jerked awake. : He woke up with a sudden movement.

He shot off the carriageway. : He left the carriageway very quickly.

That moment was a haven for reflection.

He was fleetingly freed from the constraints and labours that ruled their day-time
existence.

It was the case until quite recently.

I went to bed for a few hours.

Certainties blur into theories.

Restoration happened during relaxed wakefulness.

People cut back on sleep when they're busy.

Country-dwellers regularly visit the city nowadays.

I was used to work in lighted buildings.

That alcoholic drink affected my sleepiness.

Shift workers: people that work for a single period of hours in a day.

I was facing a wide projection screen.

An endless road rolls ahead. : An endless road goes on ahead.

He was an unassuming guy. : He was a quiet guy who didn’t want to have attention
or admiration.

Flagging drivers: tired drivers

It is all the more striking that...

That drove the grass-roots activists out. : That made the activists, who were ordinary
people, go away.
It was tied to strong economic interests.

It is happening on a global scale.

It has become outmoded.

That confirmed the results of experiments.

They received a lot of opposition from the film industry.

It was used to counteract social upheaval. : It was used to counteract social

confusion, worry and problems.

He purported to be a doctor. : He claimed to be a doctor when that may not have

been true.

Should certain conditions be met, ...

It led me to accept the proposition as true.

Following on from this, ...

With regard to ...

Those forms occur in the natural world.

They contrast so sharply with him.

That hardly does justice to their diversity.

I needed to unravel the mysteries of their existence.

They have to disclose all their secrets.

Much as I enjoy reading, there are times when I prefer to do...

The president made his formal announcement.

They said they opposed the plans for the new shopping center.

They voiced their disapproval about the plans.

It came as no surprise to me to hear about it.

I think it would be best if you didn’t mention it.

I am at a loss why she resigned from her job.

His resignation resulted from his sudden illness.

It prevented them from occupying their time with something more valuable.

It is a skilled and multi-faceted job.

That was proper to her station.

He reviled them completely. : He criticized them completely.

It was unseemly. : It wasn’t polite or suitable for a particular situation.

It is such a meagre ration. : It is such a small and poor ration.

He tried to dignify his profession.

The topicality means that... : The connection with something that is happening or of
interest at the present time means that…

I have in-depth knowledge of the topic. : I have very thorough and detailed
knowledge of the topic.

They are entitled to some pride in their work.

Feedback gained from non-academics is useful.

It was dismissed as being...

It was little more than jumbles of fantasy. : It was almost an untidy or confused
mixture of fantasy.

It was not until the end of...

They were subjected to ...

They were clues to the conflict taking place...

It is by no means an exaggeration to say that...

Hardly any other theories have had so great an influence on...

Food miles continue to rise.

According to pressure groups,...

The demand for road haulage over this period is rising. : The demand for
transporting goods by road over this period is rising.

The increase in the number of lorry journey is excessive.

In response to scathing criticism from environmentalists, ...

They now aim to minimise the impact of…

She was routing vehicles. : She was designing and assigning routes to specific
vehicles according to a defined objective function.

The cruise set sail after dark.

At no time has the present govenment promise to lower taxation.

Her report is somewhat lacking clarity in places.

He tried not to take sides in the quarrel between them.

I've yet to meet a more generous person than him.

I didn't hesitate in the slightest before accepting the offer.

It never crossed my mind that I would win a prize.

I don't understand why Liz departed so suddenly yesterday.

Much as I admire their ability to...

Sand in its natural state

There is a complete lack of trust between them.

In the event of rain, the concert will be held indoors.

She took us by surprise with her punctual arrival.

There is nothing I'd like more than to have my picture.

Had it not been for his new plane, he would have never reached us on time.

There is a threat of rain for tonight.

It was a wish for self-adornment that aroused their interest in metals.

Sitting by the side of a river, I...

I was waiting for the fish to come within a spear's throw. : I was waiting for the fish to
come close enough to pierce it with the spear.

He was idling away a moment. : He was spending a period of time relaxing and
doing very little a moment.

He might have happened upon the small object. : He might have met the small
object by chance.

I plucked the pebble off the river bed.

It became a much sought-after material. : It became a much wanted material

because of its high quality or because it was rare.

The method was pursued with vigour.

He lugged his bags down the winding lane. : He pulled his bags down the winding
lane.
She was bent double against the force of the wind. : She was standing with her
upper body curved forwards and down towards the ground against the force of the
wind.

The waves smashed over the promenade.

The locomotive chugged along.

The grey skies closed in.

I lured them into joining me with the promise of walks.

I prospered in times of disaster and lunacy.

He struggled through conflict.

The images have faded from memory.

This book provided hints and clues.

The region was populated by this race.

He established rules of conduct.

A significant knock-on effect

She had poor knowledge and understanding.

The gases are set to continue building up.

A lot of research has gone into predicting all this.

I use them to gain some insight into its nature.

Arguably the most severe consequences would be...

The worst-case scenario

There is a clear tendency for rainfall to be concentrated into a shorter period of the
year.

The sea level will rise by many inches.

Conspicuous landmarks along the route

That enabled horizontal angles to be calculated.

It would be misleading of me to represent it as being ineffective.

Outmoded ideas have held their place beside the new.

Distances could not be calculated reliably.

The signs used bore little relation to the landmarks.

He had greater accuracy in draughtsmanship. : He had greater accuracy in his ability

to draw.

That prompted the search for a more precise means of mapping.

Their delay holds me back.

The last mission drew to a close in 2022.

They climbed back into their ship.

They were bereft of any future plans. : They were left without the hope of any future
plans.

There is no substitute for water in space.

It cost them a lot to send water into orbit.

It was a challenging aspect.

It was one of the most inaccessible places on earth.

Everybody in the audience stood to applaud the actor's performance.

He was given a standing ovation.

No matter how late it is, ...

I was completely unaware of what was going on.

It seems like hours since I joined this queue.

I'd like to speak to you in private for a moment.

I want to have a word with you.

There is a remarkable similarity in how they dress.

They are very alike in the way they dress.

And that is the explanation they offered for the sudden drop in temperature.

He was welcomed warmly.

At any one time, you can find them.

It is a close-knit community where everyone mucks in. : It is a close-knit community

where everyone shares the work that needs to be done.

My rusty French is providing adequate just to communicate.

Don't chat or banter. : Don’t chat or talk to someone in a friendly and humurous way.

I would hang back unable to decide. : I used to be slow to do something because of

fear or having no confidence unable to decide.

I was shocked at the silence that fell when I spoke.

I grinned inanely. : I grinned in a silly way.

He lost the social predominance which his own gift of the gab afforded him.

He took no notice of me.

He did not want to further their acquaintance.

When he invited me, I conceived the notion that he was trying me out.

But from then on,...

He cared about the subject matter of his films.

That stirred the audience.

People are aroused by this. : People are stimulated by this.

Irrespective of their cultural background, you have to...

We saw a rapid increase in the opportunities available for...

There is a growing body of evidence about...

The need to practise regularly may assist in the acquisition of good habits.

That widened access to theory.

That was crucial to the success of the process.

They needed to strive toward acquiring a better reputation.

All too often it was taken for granted.

I want to maintain my relevance for this sector.

They encompassed a wider range of musical skills.

There has been a shift in focus.

I responded to the question on a positive note.

I responded to the demand for...

Viewed positively, this should provide...

It was an outlet for emotional expression.

... she said, not so much asking a question as stating a fact.

Going there was tantamount to accepting his treason. : Going there was being
almost the same as accepting his treason.

A hapless dogsbody: An unhappy person who has to do all the boring or unpleasant
jobs that other people do not want to do

He gave him an advance of several pounds.

The initial flurry of activity: The initial sudden, short period of excitement or interest in
activity

I read the synopsis proper.

Doggedly frolicsome: Determinedly enthusiastic and playful

A blatant lie: A lie that is obvious and intentional

A coruscating galaxy: a flashing brightly galaxy

The thing was pinned down on the floor. : The thing was forced to stay on the floor.

His emolument was nothing but candies. : His payment was nothing by candies.

His munificence was known across the continent. : His generosity was known across
the continent.

It was a mistake from its inception. : It was a mistake from the its beginning.

My business runs as smoothly as always.

His schedule is always tightly packed with appointments.

I did him a much-needed favour.

I knew he would meet the requirements.

I think he is not taking the project seriously.

I have other more pressing commitment. : I have other more urgent commitment.

I find this hard to reconcile with this experience.

I could have benefited from a more unusual outfit.

A forthcoming issue of this magazine

I aim to span the history of music in its entirety. : I aim to include the history of music
in its entirety.
Given the space at my disposal, I must inform you that...: Given the space available,
I must inform you that…

Its aim is to build an essential music collection.

You are in for some surprises.

It has undergone radical change.

There are anxieties about the environment.

It will come as something of a surprise to all of them.

He would have gone bankrupt if not for them.

At no point did the police accuse him of...

Neither of you is any better than me.

There is a total ban on smoking.

It makes no difference to me whether she...

The inspectors singled out the University for criticism because of its poor thesis
standards. : The inspectors chose the Univesity to criticise it because…

It was entirely dependant upon me.

They are at pains to determine its origin.

It is difficult to say with any degree of certainty that...

There are bidding wars over these books. : There are people competing against
each other in order to buy these books.

A skewed idea of what this really is. : A distorted idea of what this really is.

Down at my end of the business... : As for my part of the business…

He tried to make ends meet. : He tried to have just enough money to pay for the
things that you need.

I have heard tell of the project.

I succeeded by dint of hard work. : I succeeded as a result of hard work.

More often than not: most of the time

We performed at small venues.

Bouncers: someone whose job is to stand outside a bar, party, etc. and either stop
people who cause trouble from coming in or force them to leave
They sold out the tickets for the concert.

She was pursued through the streets by adoring followers.

In a matter of days, ...

All of my needs were catered for by it.

She was emotionally out of my depth. : I couldn’t understand her emotionally.

He was a removal man. : He was a man that removes things.

He was tenderly handling all the breakables. : He was tenderly handling all the things
that could easily break.

I had to natter with someone. : I had to talk continuously with someone.

I nodded amiably.

Funny you should ask.

I am going to stroll down town.

I just idled away the day.

Don't go to any trouble.

Titles create divisions among workers.

He was willing to forgo a pay rise in favour of a better title. : He was willing to not
have a pay rise in favour of a bettler title.

Hatred was reaching such proportions.

They were in dire straits. : They were in a difficult situation.

He was not content to be labelled servant.

It placed the emphasis on these items.

My livelihood is translation.

That never failed to tug at my imagination.

It was a piece of happenstance.

It netted a juicy commission. : It helped me get a juicy commission.

It was a cold snap.

I handed in my batch. : I handed in my amount of work.

Things were a long way short of disgrace.

I bided my time.

I have always shied clear of accessories. : I have always avoided using accessories.

I prowled round the square. : I moved around quietly in a place trying not to be seen
or heard, such as when hunting, around the square.

Those years were a string of triumphs.

A stringent economy: An economy that has a very severe effect, or being extremely
limiting

None of it is true.

He raised his arm to ward off the blow. : He raised his arm to prevent the blow from
harming him.

She was justified in destroying that marriage.

He was done for then.

I didn’t know how angry she would be on her return from Egypt.

He felt it had been the result of nothing other than his own bad luck.

They did this by virtue of their influence.

I am wholly conversant with the current state of arts. : I know all about the current
state of arts.

Unconnected areas

The police let him go in the light of new evidence produced.

There has been a sharp rise in the cost of building materials.

Don't let yourself be taken in by her shyness; she is an extremely shrewd

businesswoman. : Don’t let yourself be deceived by her shyness; she is an extremely
clever businesswoman.

He couldn't come to terms with the fact that...

She was led to believe that she would win the prize.

Off-the-shelf telescopes: telescopes that can be bought immediately and does not
have to be specially designed or ordered

That facilitated the analysis of observation.

The daytime skies are now plagued by aircraft.

The smoke persisted for hours.

That hampered night-time observations. : That prevented night-time observations
from being easily done.

It accelerated the pace of change.

The fatigue set in me.

A new trend is afoot. : A new trend is happening or being planned or prepared.

He can keep track of things.

A tradition instigated by her grandmother. : A tradition promoted by her …

A chummy attitude: A friendly attitude

You can rest assured that...

A tone deaf person: A person who is not able to recognize different notes or sing
tunes accurately

A fistful of notes

He did it at the behest of his chief. : He did it because his chief ordered him to do it.

He was floored by that request. : He was confused by that request.

She graced the concert. : She honored the concert with her presence.

She will be in the thick of an event. : She will be involved in the busiest or most
active part of the event.

I run my own translation label.

By her own admission, she ... : As she has said, she…

I won't take the burden of composing another song.

They were traipsing into her home. : They were walking from one place to another
feeling tired or bored until they found her home.

A smattering of French: A very small amount of French

I have the flair for writing. : I have the natural ability for writing.

They chugged along.

The stakes got higher.

On this score,...

A top-flight concert pianist: A concert pianist that is of the highest in standard or

quality
The pianist played a passage.

It was her own special wheeze for luring the neophytes. : It was her own special
unusual plan for attracting the neophytes.

He was cascaded with songs. : He was exposed with many songs.

A surefire knockout for kids: Something that is extremely attractive for kids

He piped up that phrase. : He said that phrase.

They fell by the wayside. : They failed to finish that activity.

A nascent virtuoso: A recently formed virtuoso

I squinted into the distance.

Conveyer belt: a continuous moving strip or surface that is used for transporting
objects from one place to another

I flat out loved being a driver. : I completely loved being a driver.

I have a fall-back identity. : I have an indentity that I can use in case the current one
doesn’t serve me anymore.

He was within an eyelash of killing himself. : He was very close of killing himself.

He bragged to his friends that he knew me. : He boasted to his friends that he knew
me.

She slid under the fence just to get an autograph.

There were no buzzards overhead. : There were no (bird) overhead.

A bogus cowboy: A false cowboy

You don't realise the extent of your ignorance.

The author goes to great lengths to explain his arguments. : The author puts a lot of
effort into explaining his arguments.

I gained fresh insights from that book.

A move away from an animal-based diet to one based on plants is inevitable.

This is possible in view of the fact that...

Regardless of whether you agree with... or not...

It makes a fascinating read.

An irrepressible desire to know

A tree doesn't display curiosity.

He waited in stolid rigidity. : He waited with a rigidity that didn’t show much emotion
or interest.

Little do you know of how difficult it is to...

He made an immediate impression on the interviewers.

They put me at ease with the warmth of their greeting.

He wasn't in the mood for going out.

And in the course of this book, we will see how...

A casual reader of a newspaper

I took the offer at face value. : I accepted the offer for what it appears to be rather
than studying it more closely.

You need tunnel vision to succeed in sports. : You need to be able to see only what
is in front of you to succeed in sports.

It is sink or swim.

It allows me to excel individually.

Perks: an advantage or a sort of payment

The experience etched itself on his memory.

A momentous occasion: An occasion that is very important because of effects on

future events

The trees were dotted around the neighbourhood. : The trees were spread across
the neighbourhood.

I found myself drawn into that environment.

an ad lib performance : A performance that wasn’t rehearsed

He had just collected her. : He had just go for her to go somewhere else.

They were bound for home and holidays.

I brazened it out. : I acted confidently and not admit that the problem exists.

He needed to pull himself together to go on. : He needed to become calm and

behave normally again after being angry to go on.

I got into the habit of writing.

He sank into a bout of depression. : He suffered a short period of depression.

He was approaching with Jinn in tow. : He was approaching along with Jinn.

I have to keep my head.

I guessed the trend of his thoughts.

He was a talkative man as a rule. : He usually was a talkative man.

It was time for him to get free of father.

He helped them in their hour of need.

You can pick out the bones out of a mass of material.

There are some activities that just won't be rushed. : … that just won’t be done in a
hurry.

He tried to cram a night's rest into half the time. : He tried to force a night’s rest into
half the time.

Roughly speaking,... : Approximately,…

He who hesitates is lost.

Look before you leap.

The motorbike skidded on a wet road. : The motobike slided along a wet road.

You have to weigh up the pros and cons.

You are mulling things over. : You are thinking carefully about things for a long time.

The bird was perched on a seaside rock.

He didn't know what question to pose.

I needed to get to the bottom of this difficult issue.

It had long-lasting implication.

He outperformed faster-thinking rivals.

Stilted vocabulary: vocabulary that is too formal and not smooth or natural

It became standard usage.

They decried that slovenly speech. : They criticized that untidy and dirty speech.

That word was confined into slang.

It was assimilated into their normal vocabulary.

It was readily accessible by road.

It was visible for miles around.

The impression is borne out by that fact. : The impression is supported by that fact.

The trek may take up to a week.

The flora was revealed in all its splendour.

I was on the point of leaving the office.

It has been brought to my attention that...

I have taken up residence in Vancouver.

New buildings have sprung up. : New buildings have developed suddenly.

The flourishing tourism industry

It helped fuel an urban renaissance. : It strengthened an urban renaissance.

The term has fallen out of favour.

I have heard it said that...

It was a bit of an event.

New branches are popping up every day. : New branches are appearing every day.

A prospective customer: A customer who is expected to buy

The first three persons over the threshold will get a...

That snippet of information quickly swept through the crowd. : A small and often
interesting piece of information that quickly spread in the crowd.

Those words instilled feelings of smug superiority among the ranks. : Those words
put feelings of pleased superiority among the ranks.

Pale white stucco dwellings: Pale white plastered houses

An indescribable smell of sulphur

I wrinkled my nose in disgust.

I intruded myself into their lives.

I couldn’t appease her anger.

It was beyond my comprehension.

A little dribble of inconsequent talk about...: A very small flow of inconsequent talk
about…

Ingrate children: children that are not grateful

He was packed off to a hotel. : He was sent to a hotel.

A woman doled out lemonade. : A woman was giving lemonade freely.

I did it on the grounds that...

It all had been sucked out of her.

I wasn't averse to this recreation. : I didn’t dislike this recreation.

I was mindful of the event.

I would parade through roomfuls of paintings.

She consigned her son to the care of other women. : She sent her son to the care of
other women.

She held them in the deepest contempt of all.

It was an unprecedented leap of the imagination.

The letter was stuffed with money sent in by the bank.

I looked at the houses as they faded away into the distance.

I had to start the work of prising it free. : I had to start the work of levering it up.

A paperweight: a small heavy object which is put on top of pieces of paper to keep
them in position

At any given time in history, people ...

Warring factions: factions in contention

The consequences are manifold.

They assimilated it at a single hearing.

It all became clear.

Adjunct: something added or connected to a larger or more important thing

The readings are sometimes interspersed with music. : The readings are sometimes
mixed with music in an irregular way.

The current literary climate is not conducive to good poetry.

The distinction between them is clear cut. : The distinction between them is obvious.

I take pleasure in creating short stories.

His purpose is to foster greater unity among them. : His purpose is to encourage
greater unity among them.

She has been building up data on him. : She has been increasing the data about
him.

In actual fact, ...

I was presented with a new test. : I was given a new test.

I remained sceptical.

He may surprise us all further.

Vanilla is a flavouring.

The fruits ripen.

It reached maturity.

It was cultivated extensively.

One of the world's major suppliers

Its importance has started to slip in the market.

Market share: the number of things that a company sells compared with the number
of things of the same type that other companies sell

The author gives a vivid account of his childhood in his book.

This plant is prone to being attacked by insects.

Can you cast some light on how you did it?

It took me aback when you started singing.

It did not take her long to get over her cold.

It was not until the storm subsided that the extent of the damage was clear.

Language is so tightly woven into human experience.

It is scarcely possible to imagine life without it.

Chances are that...

I was exchanging words.

Spiders know how to spin webs. : Spiders know how to weave webs.

Unsung genius: not noticed genius

It profoundly affects their lives.

Treasure trove: a large amount of money or a large number of valuable metals,

stones or other objects found hidden somewhere and seeming to belong to no one

It lagged behind.

He needed time to acquire the knack.

Those were the essential principles involved in making coffee.

These are names of my own contriving. : These are names of my own invention.

He will leave no more trace of his sojourn on earth.

The book should not be regarded as a verbatim report. : … as a report that uses the
same words of the original text.

That caused me to embark upon this work. : That caused me to start this new work.

You can not know that by hearsay. : You cannot know that by what you hear.

She drove around the allotments. : She drove around the small pieces of ground in
or just outside town that a person rents for growing vegetables, fruits, and flowers.

Hump-backed bridge: a small steep road bridge

Brimstone: sulphur

This is the slackest day of the week. : This is the day of the week that shows the
least of activity.

I overtook a couple of laggard vehicles. : I overtook a couple of vehicles that were

too slow.

He was served with a summons. : He was given an order to go and see an authority.

Stubby fingers: short and thick fingers

The eyepiece of a telescope

They took up residence here.

The standards have fallen appreciably.

It is undergoing change.

There are no grounds for his attitude.

It is restricted to those in possession of the ticket.

He was guilty of running down her acting. : He was guilty of criticizing her acting.

His actions got dangerously out of hand.

He was moved to tears during the scene.

There are birds aplenty. : There are birds available in large amounts.

In outer space, life has no foothold. : In outer space, life has no way of getting a
strong position from where to thrive.

The coldest spot on earth

He needed to probe the depth of the lake.

He was taken in by her lies.

Further discussion is out of the question.

A stranded climber: A climber that was unable to leave a place

I did it with a view to starting the project.

There was a sharp contrast between them.

He has very little chance of being given the role.

I didn't have any clue about how to...

He made a complete recovery from his accident.

It meets my needs.

An underlying message

That aroused my curiosity.

You need physical agility.

There is a unique overlap between those fields of studies.

She laid the foundations of this science.

These methods vary little.

Refuse collection: removal of unwanted waste material (rubbish)

Landfill site: place where rubbish is buried

Rubbish disposal
I had my refuse carted away. : I had my refuse taken.

You have little to do with them.

The idea was daft. : The idea was silly.

I rummaged the subject thoroughly. : I searched for the subject thoroughly.

A 10% increase in prices cut quantity by 0.3%.

There is a collection point around the corner.

The number of cans fell sharply.

That's as it should be.

At any performance, he showed that...

A lot of the time

A strict dress code

He showed deference to them. : He showed politeness to them.

It was a huge amount.

You need to break down the barriers.

It was an experience of the highest orders.

It was life-changing.

Comforts were foregone. : Comforts were avoided.

I made no attempts to engage with the music.

It is important to retain some traditions.

A feeling of divisiveness: A feeling of disagreement

The kittens may come to harm.

It is not necessarily you.

He made a display of reluctance at parting at the airport.

This behaviour is characteristic of them.

It is presumably because...

It is of no great significance.

He is not appreciative of how important that is for her.

Contrary to popular belief, ...

I've just come into £10,000.

I couldn't believe my luck when I came into a million dollars.

They were getting nowhere until I came up with a bright idea.

Don't take the clock apart. : Don’t separate the clock into its different parts.

It was a mammoth celebration.

The plans were quietly dropped. : The plans were quietly left.

They racked their brains for an answer. : They thought very hard for an answer.

By a stroke of real genius, ...

It was the much needed tonic for the national morale.

He had been raving about what a kind person he was. : He had been praising
enthusiastically about what a kind person he was.

He has truly swept her off her feet. : He has truly made her become suddenly and
completely in love with him.

He spoke to me without so much as a glance.

He was exuding charm and grace.

I deemed them worthy of my attention.

Cowrie: a small sea animal with a soft body and a brightly coloured shell, or the shell
itself used in the past as money in parts of Africa and southern Asia

They tinkled like bells.

A solemn-faced girl wriggled through the crowd.

She squatted down on the floor.

The bad experience didn't put me off in the least.

It was handed to him as a sop. : It was handed to him in order to stop complaints or
unhappiness, but it is of little value.

He was the present incumbent. : He was the present person to have the official
position.

I wielded the real power.

He was the boss until she put her foot down. : He was the boss until she used her
authority to stop his influence.

He was long in the tooth. : He was too old (age) to do such a thing.

He did moderately well.

Things were coming thick and fast. : Things were coming quickly and in large
quantities.

He asked her the inevitable question.

He took her aside and said shyly. : He took me away from the group of people and
said shyly.

He suffered severe anxiety at the idea of boarding a plane.

A pet hate: something that is dislike particularly

I overcame my fear.

She will never leap aboard planes with a light heart. : … planes with happiness.

That story deflected the curious. : That story changed the direction of the curious.

It was not followed in blind subservience.

I needed to safeguard my private life.

As a Nobel winner, attention was my due. : As a Nobel winner, attention was what I
deserved.

I enjoyed fame on my own terms.

I take it that you haven't lost interest in travelling.

You could do with a bit of feeding up. : You could do with a bit of more food.

Is that a note of jealousy?

He looked nonplussed. : He looked surprised or confused and not certain how to

react.

He was never certain when the rules came into play.

It was him who owned up to having been responsible for the error. : It was him who
admitted that he had been responsible for the error.

Had you not assisted her, she could never have done it.

It runs counter to everyday experience.

He was part of a gigantic leap forward in scientific thinking.

Despising innuendo: Despising remarks that suggest something sexual or something

unpleasant but indirectly

He dished us out tenpences. : He gave coins of ten pence.

An anthology of verse

A launch pad for strange ideas: A cause for strange ideas to succeed.

Faced with such weird speculations, many avoided the topic.

Crank: strange person, unpleasant person, equipment, drug

In the main, ...

It is an important tool in power struggles.

Information-swapping

He conveyed knowledge.

I was ushered into the drawing room.

A shambolic cluster of rooms: a badly organized group of rooms

Parlour: a shop, a room in a private house used for relaxing, especially one which
was kept tidy for entertaining guests

He had no qualms about giving it a go. : He had no uncomfortable feeling of doubt

about giving it a go.

Bona fide company: real, not false company

I dealt the final blow to that institution.

He would be mad to miss out on being a sidekick to that man. : He would be angry to
fail to be a colleage, who is less important, to that man.

He took the building by storm. : He was suddenly extremely successful in the

building.

She turned out a few more three-chord songs. : She produced a few more three-
chord songs.

It was still odds-on that...: It was still very probable that…

He wound up a respectable lawyer. : He deceived a respectable lawyer.

I wanted to write words that aped musical lyricists rather than pop stars. : I wanted to
write words that copied musical lyricist rather than pop stars.
A school that bears his name

That doesn't fire my imagination.

He was too squeaky-clean. : He was completely clean. / He was a person who is

completely good and honest and never does anything bad.

I set to work with enormous enthusiasm.

Wordsmith school pal: a school pal who has skill with using words, especially in
writing

I had to fake illness.

I skipped a day at office. : I didn’t go to office today.

I knocked them off their perches. : I made them see that they weren’t as good as
they thought.

She has grown out of pop music.

He continued to bash out selections. : He continued to produce selections.

He wished to be of their number.

Her talent is beyond question.

Paintwork: the covering of paint on a surface

I saw full-blown roses. : I saw roses which had fully developed.

The swift was flying overhead. : The (bird) was flying overhead.

I dissembled about the risks. : I hid the risks (that were real) from people.

By every Tom, Dick or Harry: By any person

Her voice tails off. : Her voice became lower in level.

It looks bereft. : It looks not having the things it needs.

What plans for the hols? : What plans for the holidays?

The pavement was blobbed with melting chewing gum. : The pavement had soft
masses of melting chewing gum.

I've been meaning to ask you.

My heart starts racing as I speak.

Mail-order goodies
A jiffy bag: a thick envelope for protecting objects that are easily damaged when they
are sent through the post

My words sound prissy. : My words sound in a way that is correct and that does not
shock.

She resents being compared to a man.

We have come to expect that...

It is there at the touch of a button.

In times gone by, ...

Nothing has done this to such an extent as television.

Time and again,... : very often

It extends far and wide.

He got a bad attendance record.

All that drew him into the excitement of learning a new language.

My aim is expertise in the language.

That was a head start.

He was delayed by problems no one had foreseen.

The process was held up because of unforeseen problems. : The process was
delayed because of unforeseen problems.

It will be done subject to the council's agreeing to our plans.

The guide pointed out to us the magnificent carvings.

He drew my attention to the scene.

That paved the way for the next generation.

It was sweeping the country.

I walked with due caution.

He slid on the slippery ice.

I hauled myself out of the hole. : I pulled myself out of the hole slowly and with
difficulty.

To take stock of the situation: To think carefully about the situation.

He had to abandon his plan.

The book was silent about the matter.

There was a recession in business.

The industry endured its worse downturn. : The industry suffered its worse reduction
in the amount or success of something.

It didn't elicit sympathy.

The burgeoning power of the retailer: The power, which is developing quickly, of the
retailer

Commonplace: happening often

They increased the proportion of advertising.

They took the view of one of their leaders.

He was motivated to work his fingers to the bone. : He was motivated to work
extremely hard, especially for a long time.

Deep-seated change: a change at a very deep level

You have to cut your budget.

He had to spearhead efforts to support it. : He had to lead the efforts to support it.

He was under close enough scrutiny from the board.

Staples: a main product or part of something

A momentary qualm of ownership

His focus was undisputed.

He was ravished with violence. : He was raped with violence.

It was circulating around the junctions of his mind.

He fixed himself up. : He indulged with something.

He formulated a plan for his own betterment.

He pulled off twenty minutes of conversation with Neil. : He succeeded in having

twenty minutes of conversation with Neil.

He was responsible for the upkeep of this building. : He was responsible for the
maintenance of this building.

He died a few years too soon to see it.

Her name appeared on countless products.

To all intents and purposes: in all the most important ways

Rigorous evaluation

It will boost the volume of rainfall.

It was solid evidence.

It requires a great deal more skill than this game.

No explanation was ever given of his decision.

I decided to stay on at the hotel for two more weeks.

I didn't have any intention of interrupting.

It is most unlike him to be late.

It is part and parcel. : It is a necessary feature of a particular experience.

I looked into allegations against them.

Off-shore cay: A small island away from the coast

There are ferries galore. : There are great amounts of ferries.

You can rent a boat.

It is the most popular mode of transport.

A string of pearls

I winched up the well bucket. : I pulled up the well bucket with the winch.

She was calling out for help.

It escalated with dizzying rapidity.

From the bottom of the well, to the moat...: … of the well, to the long wide hole which
is dug all the way around a place such as a castle, and usually filled with water, to
make it more difficult to attack

He was peering into the gloom.

A jarring noise suffused my conscience. : An unpleasant noise spread over my

conscience.

He had him repeat my story.

Inchoate language: not completely developed or clear language

Convention gets in the way of fresh insight.

It was remitted to a separate place. : It was sent to a separate place.

It is rife. : It is very common.

Art must not surrender its role in society.

It conflicted with his opinion.

I have to pay the fare of the journey.

It can be anything from a gesture to a thesis.

In between the two

But for these tools, he would be unable to sort this out.

There is no call for this product. : There is no demand for this product.

To her annoyance, Ralph had touched her cake.

Under no circumstances is this door to be left unlocked.

They had appalling weather conditions.

It is of little consequence to me what make of car you choose.

Hordes of people were there.

I elbowed my way through the crowds.

An area had been cordoned off. : An area had been separated with a cordon.

The torch batteries wer failing.

Our hopes soared.

The question he put to you was hard.

You have to make the booking in the travel agency.

I kept the register of my voice even.

A bald-headed clerk

On the forecourt of the hotel, ...: On the flat area in front of the hotel, …

At different prices

He slept like a log.

A good night's sleep

He was fatigued and travel-stained. : He was fatigued and marked with the doings of
travel.

I have a rough idea of who he was.

Spin doctor: someone whose job is to make ideas, events, etc. seem better than
they really are, especially in politics

Blubber-stove: A very simple stove made up of bricks or other basic material. It

works with wood or charcoal.

He managed to eke out a living by selling drinks on a beach. : He managed to earn

just enough to live on by selling drinks on a beach.

He was 6 miles short of his objective.

You have to do your utmost. : You have to do everything you can.

I started afresh. : I began again.

They are wistful for this ideal. : They feel sad for this ideal.

He was ahead of his time. : He had ideas that were more suitable to the future than
his particular time.

Stick to your decision.

He was unable to get it out of his head.

He arrived at the conclusion that what he had before him was important.

He soon proved his worth.

That resulted in the opening up of new areas of research.

The gathering of data

The number of geese has declined over the last 19 years.

He is in the habit of playing pc games.

He had said sternly that...: He had said severely that…

They danced with joy at the sight of it.

She puffed as she climbed the stairs. : She panted as she climbed the stairs.

He looked around panic-stricken. : He looked around very frightened.

I never gave a moment's thought to that.

They were leaning against each other.

He was gasping for breath.

The rest of the furniture was brought in shortly afterward.

My old house overlooked the harbour.

I felt a bump coming from the attic. : I felt the sound of something falling to the
ground from the attic.

The project was watered down. : The project was altered so that it wouldn’t be so
extreme or forceful.

He spelled the orders in detail.

He felt a tug of remorse at her loss.

His loss is lamented.

The power to summon up feelings and attitudes

It is a riddle that keeps me guessing.

The writer is drawing attention to the fact that...

Deep-rooted emotion: deep-seated emotion

His friends figure prominently in his books.

By the start of the twenty-first century, ...

In excess of a million people were employed in agriculture.

People seized whatever opportunity there were.

It seemed a hotchpotch of activity. : It seemed a mixture of activities.

It was hotly debated.

Many researchers now hold the conviction that...

It was decisive in detecting the explosives.

It is a puzzle as yet unresolved.

Her dedication to her work was exemplary.

She dedicated herself to her work in an exemplary way.

Much to your delight, you have been...

He didn't want to leave anything to chance.

My purpose in calling the meeting was to...

No matter how hard he tried, ...

Despite the brouhaha that attended its release... : Despite the complaints that came
after its release…

He always maintained that he was...

My success arose from my having analysed the system thoroughly.

They hit on the idea. : They had an unexpected idea.

I seized my chance. : I took my chance.

The scientists are hot on their heels. : The scientists are very close behind them.

I have been plotting ways to uncover his secrets.

We will witness the decade of Lake Vostok.

A bunch of scientists are getting themselves hot under the collar over this topic. : …
themselves angry about this topic.

What drives you to be a translator?

This expression springs to mind.

It is the age-old quest for knowledge.

They got bogged down in that debate. : They became so involved in that debate that
they couldn’t do anything else.

From the outset, ...

It is one of the guiding principles.

I published the manifesto.

A brick-and-mortar bookshop: A bookshops that uses retail premises, not via internet

There was plenty of scope for mischief. : There was plenty of opportunity for
mischief.

I have my own way to hold forth. : I have my own way to talk about a particular
subject for a long time, often in a way that other people find boring.

I posted many messages after publishing my book.

I need to vet the candidates. : I need to examine the candidates.

The fur began to fly. : The argument started.

I invested a lot of time reading.

I needed to ensure that all of them were playing by the rules.

Many reviews were submitted each day.

He was a little-known writer.

An over-hyped middlebrow author: An author who has been advertised repeatedly

and whose work is very good but rather difficult to understand.

He was deemed a fake and was removed.

Puerile pap: entertainment that is not adult or is silly

Cave paintings

That afforded me a special status. : That gave me a special status.

That event bred his contempt for people. : That event caused his contempt for
people.

The passage of time has transformed it.

That altered the course of events.

It offers me a wide-ranging perspective.

He flopped down in front of the television. : He dropped heavily in front of the

television.

He just drifted into an exhausted sleep.

Useful though those tools may be, I must...

My body is at rest.

With that in mind, I have to apply myself to understanding it.

I finally understood the deep-seated cause.

It is an assertion of your social standing. : It is an assertion of your social position.

A fountain pen should only be loaned out in exceptional circumstances.

Distinctive characteristic: a characteristic that is easy to recognize

The project was launched in an island.

I raised their awareness.

It encouraged tourism.

It is unscientific.
It compares favourably with his previous work.

It was suitable for rounding off the exhibition. : … for completing the exhibition in a
pleasant way.

I managed to engage the visitor's interest.

I disregard their skills. : I ignored their skills.

It is an untried method.

I would have appreciated more time to see the museum.

I saw a bottle dusted with sand. : I saw a bottle covered with sand.

A paper was curled inside the jar.

He kept me informed of his progress.

I know he has what it takes to do it.

It conjures up a specific event. : It creates a specific event.

I am walking into work.

He winces at my corny tastes.

That doesn't mean to say it should be denigrated.

In its heyday it was considered precious. : During its most successful or popular
period it was considered precious.

I picked out any grit. : I emphasized any determination.

Stingray: a large flat round fish with a long tail that has poisonous points on it

A rugged type of person: A strong and simple type of person

He studies fur seals.

The highlight of the trip was the day when we...

It was the noise of whales' blowholes.

He was short of money.

I decided to jet around the globe. : I decided to travel around the globe by plane.

I did an overland trek across the Sahara. : I did an travel across the Sahara in a
vehicle, on foot or on horse.

He was told to stick to the script.

He didn't have high hopes before it started.

We were swept from mood to mood.

He was her fiercest defender.

Suspicion began to creep up on her. : Suspicion began to invade her gradually and
she didn’t realise.

He had one eye firmly on business. : He looked at business while doing something
else.

I collected information about the matter.

You shouldn't buy on tips.

You should concentrate your investment in that area.

Because of your experience, you have a competitive edge on the rest. : Because of
your experience, you have a competitive advantage over the rest.

She's just brought out a book. : She’s just produced a book to sell to the public.

He is a one-off. : He is something that happens or is made or done only once.

He let up on his countless concerts. : He stopped giving his countless concerts.

It's a bit ropey. : It’s a bit of a low quality or in bad condition.

I've always kept up a high standard.

I wonder what makes it so appealing.

She had cravings for chocolate.

Chocolate is a sensuous pleasure.

Heavy-duty rollers: rollers that are very strong and can work a lot

It gives a pleasing after-taste.

Self-medication

After eating chocolate, I felt in a better frame of mind. : …, I felt better.

A chocolate binge: an occasion when a lot of chocolate was eaten

That mobilised cholesterol clogs up the arteries. : … cholesterol blocks the arteries.

That can lead to certain illnesses.

They were hooked on rewarding themselves. : They were very interested in
rewarding themselves.

What is the essence of its success?

I bottled the answer. : I put the answer into a bottle.

That gave me a good backbone. : That gave me a lot of bravery and strength of
character.

I revel in it. : I enjoy doing it.

This is all clearly delineated. : This is all clearly described.

You have to rough out the general shape. : You have to draw the main parts of the
shape without giving details.

That is a phrase I coined.

White-knuckle journey: a journey that made people feel excited or very frightened.

Derring-do: a brave action taken without considering the danger involved

There seems to be a real lure to that type of travel. : … real attraction to that type of
travel.

He was stuck in a rut. : He has been working in the same job for a long time.

A humdrum existence: An existence without excitement

He was completely done in. : He was completely tired or dead.

His adrenaline levels have rocketed.

Come to think of it though, ...

Uncharted rivers

It was a mould-breaking experience.

An acerbic theatre critic: A clever and cruel theatre critic

A retreat in the backwoods: A retreat in a place in the countryside which is a long

way from any town and in which not many people live

He came through with flying colours. : He passed with high grades.

There is a growing demand from the public for robots.

Whales trap the krill they eat.

A sort of shorthand: A sort of system of fast writing which uses lines and simple
signs to represent words and phrases

I made a ground-breaking discovery. : I made a discovery that is very new and a big
change from other things of its type.

They were a tool-using species.

It was free from pollution.

When occasion demands, they can...

He brought the novel to life.

He was nudged in that direction. : He was pushed in that direction.

I felt I had equal billing. : I felt I was being advertised in the same way.

That shook the elder generation to the core.

The outer layer of the tree is stripped off. : The outer layer of the tree is removed.

It tastes musty. : It tastes unpleasantly and wet.

I was pulling the sledge.

I heard rumbling, banging, and crashing.

I pitched my tent at 10:40. : I put up my tent at 10:40.

The film pokes fun at the government. : The film makes the government seem stupid
by making jokes about them or laughing unkindly at them.

It seemed rather trite. : It seemed rather overused and insincere.

He has a great translation career ahead of him.

There were subtle twists on perennial themes. : There were subtle changes on …

Come to think of it, ...

It is at the heart of the system.

It is an ability that fades with age.

There are disparities in what they hear.

It is a fascinating subject.

They were already at the leading edge of scientific research.

You must keep a low profile.

This is only one part of the picture.

He dumbed the situation down. : He made the situation simpler and easier for people
to understand, especially in order to make it more popular.

Our driving force is the itch for fame and recognition. : Our driving force is the strong
desire for fame and recognition.

It is all grumbles about publishers. : It is full of complaints about publishers.

I got so much whingeing. : I got so many complaints.

A superannuated celebrity: An old and retired celebrity

A celeb's ghosted tripe: A celeb´s stupid idea that was written by another person

He had his idea ripped off. : He had his idea stolen.

It bobbed up. : It moved quickly upwards.

I need to publicise the books.

They represent the two extremes of a continuum.

Indoor ice rinks: a level area of ice inside a building that is kept frozen for people to
skate on

She showed great promise as a musician.

I had something of an inferiority complex.

They were a bit slushy. : They were a bit covered with partly melted snow.

It was a spoof show. : It was a funny and silly show.

They were aghast at first. : They were shocked at first.

In the throes of change from one age to another... : In the difficult process of change
from one age to another…

The story rang incredibly true. : The story seems incredibly true.

It was more accesible to a wide readership.

That theme pulses through the whole book. : The whole book is full of that theme.

You got a lot of stick about it.

He looked me straight in the eye.

I have a permit to park outside my flat. : I have an official document that allows me to
park…
They were spluttering with rage. : They were speaking in a quick and confused way
with rage.

It took the wind out of my sails. : It made me feel less confident.

They went ballistic when he arrived. : They got extremely angry when he arrived.

He stopped frothing at his mouth. : He stopped being extremely angry.

I had a bout of laughter. : I had a short period of laughter.

He laughed sychophantically when I smiled. : He laughed when I smiled in order to

flatter me.

I have some reservations about your method.

That galvanised the audience. : That caused the audience to suddenly take action.

That reduced the programme to a snail's crawl. : That turned the programme’s pace
very slow.

By dint of brute force, these animals could...

Humans outpaced animals, but when it comes to flying birds leave humans standing.
: Humans are faster than animals, but when it comes to flying birds are better than
humans.

The rotary wings of the helicopter: The wings that move around in a circle…

The ship achieved take-off.

It is well-timed. : It is happening at a suitable or effective time.

The trappings of jetset celebrity: The paraphernalia of celebrities who are rich,
fashionable, and that travel a lot

It makes me so cross that you...: It makes me so annoyed that you…

Bankable name: a name that is likely to make money

They wanted to bolster the sales of the companies. : They wanted to support or
improve the sales of the companies.

It was a heavyweight company. : It was a very important company.

That won't stand the test of time.

Industry stalwarts: people who have been loyal in industry

It was mind-boggling. : It was extremely surprising and difficult to understand or

imagine.
Lightweight work: work that doesn’t show deep understanding or knowledge of any
subject

They move the goalposts whenever it suits them. : They change the rules whenever
it suits them.

They seemed only too happy to go on with this farrago. : They seemed only too
happy to go on with this confused mixture of things.

He churned up all the grass. : He mixed all the grass.

They will be coming and going at all hours of the night.

They scotched the plan. : They prevented the plan from succeeding.

The terrorist group has reared its ugly head again. : The terrorist group has
appeared again.

You should try looking on the bright side.

The proceeds are going to a number of charities. : The amount of money received
from a particular event is going to a number of charities.

There is always more to flies than meets the eye.

That proved to be a thorny issue. : That proved to be a difficult issue to deal with.

In my work, I get behind the veneer of the face. : In my work, I take refuge behind my
pretty face.

They feel secure enough to open up about themselves.

He hasn't thrown in the towel yet. : He hasn’t admitted his defeat yet.

This is very distinctive in birds of this type.

They nest on cliff faces. : They build their nests on cliff faces.

How are you finding teaching here?

How do you mean? : Could you explain what you have just said?

He was an also-ran. : He was a person in a competition who is likely to do well or

who has failed.

Sometimes he felt he wasn't on the same wavelength as the rest of his colleagues. :
Sometimes he felt he didn’t think in a similar way as the rest of his colleagues.

That's a bit of a cop-out. : That’s a bit of an excuse.

It depends on how it pans out. : It depends on how it develops.

He was truly a man of the great outdoors. : He was truly a man of the countryside
and far away from towns.

She was feckless. : She lacked enthusiasm.

I am bound up in my work. : I am closely involved in my work.

I carried my bag in the crook of my arm.

We needed to bridge the gap. : We needed to connect two things or make the
difference between them smaller.

One of the most sought-after things in the city: A thing that is one of the most wanted
by many people in the city

He put a lot of effort into it.

He provided youth amenities. : He built places like swimming pool or shopping centre
for young people.

I got a grant from a charity. : I got a sum of money from a charity.

I wanted to see how they had got on.

That is all a bit up in the air at the moment. : That is all a bit uncertain at the moment.

They have to put on special events to attract people.

They have an outreach system now. : They have a system to bring at home now.

The robbery was captured on camera.

This far I have told you of how...

It was duly reinforced.

I have mixed feelings about the show.

I looked into the murky depths of the muddy pond. : I looked into the dark depths of
the muddy pond.

Land drainage has taken its toll. : Land drainage has caused suffering, death or
damage.

Duno was his close relation. : Duno was his close friend.

That insect was frequently sighted in the region. : That insect was frequently seen in
the region.

He was an early-riser. : He was a person who would get up early.

I did that to feel prepared.

That was what I was invited to do.

The open season on rock festivals is about to start.

You're battening down the hatches in fear and trepidation. : You’re preparing for a
difficult situation in fear and trepidation.

Chaos descended on that neighbourhood.

That behaviour was a cause for concern.

It was accesible by public transport.

The impact was far greater.

It was noticed by people living in the wider vicinity.

It was a shambles. : It was a state of confusion, bad organization or untidiness.

There was gridlock outside. : There was a huge traffic jam outside.

There are still issues to be resolved.

They erected stages in the concert site, but they were taken down.

They were unsightly. : They were ugly.

That's the direction they're moving in.

The author kept his readership guessing about the series' end for 29 years.

When all else fails, ...

Piddling misprints: a small mistake in a printed text

Tenpin bowling: bowling

The film was rather limp and morose. : The film was rather soft and sullen.

He's very witty with language.

The film-makers have skipped a lot of the verbal playfulness.

The series examined the issue of gender.

In the film he comes across as a bit of a thug. : In the films he behaves as a bit of a
thug.

It was soft and pliable. : It was soft and supple.

A sessile creature can't move. : A creature that is permanently attached to something

can’t move.
I have a tableload of cakes in front of me.

There is such a glut of travel guides. : There are too many travel guides to be
wanted.

Every page in the books is crammed with photographs.

It is a cynical publishing ploy. : It is a cynical publishing action in order to get an

advantage, often dishonestly.

The only trouble with you is that...

Gobbets of history: a small piece of history

He was muttering away to himself.

I wanted hard detail.

You have to tune into that feeling again.

The bizarreness of the situation was distracting.

He was a total stranger.

Some of his senses were shut down. : Some of his senses had stopped operating.

She never dreamt of abandoning her profession.

An undying hope

I am well paid.

There was some good muzak. : There was some good recorded music that is played
quietly and continously in public places, such as airports, hotels and shops, to make
people feel relaxed

Taxis were swishing by. : Taxis were moving quickly making a soft sound.

He was splitting hairs. : He was paying too much attention in an argument to

differences that are very small and not important.

The once bustling city has become something of a backwater. : The once busy city
has become something of a place which is not influenced by new ideas or events
that happen in other places, and which does not change

The port was decommissioned some eight years ago. : The port which was out of
use was taken some eight years ago.

Its closure was caused by shrinking markets.

They were brought around eventually.

Those seals were released back into the sea.

He is very strong-minded. : He is very determined and unwilling to change his

opinions and beliefs.

I hope they are all on the mend soon. : I hope they are all getting better after an
illness soon.

It turned into an all-consuming purpose. : It turned into a purpose that takes up all of
your time and energy.

The content lent itself to the form. : The content is suitable to the form.

I never lost the thread of the story.

It is genre that is flourishing.

There is a voracious appetite to know more about people.

The visual effects were rather overdone.

Her being psychotic exonerated her of all the blame.

It seems a cop-out.

A plucky opposition: A brave opposition

Could you turn the sound down just a tad? : Could you turn the sound down just a
little?

It began to pay dividends.

He fought a spiteful battle. : He fought a battle full of anger.

A run-of-the-mill farm: A farm that is ordinary and not special or exciting in any way

He was fed up with that rat race. : He was fed up with that competing with one
another for power and money.

That set off the creative process. : That started the creative process.

They are the family who live opposite me.

You should face up to your problems.

It is the survival of the fittest.

The kids were turned off by a negative experience. : The kids lost interest by a
negative experience.

There was extra hassle and work for the staff. : There was extra difficulty and work
for the staff.
A mayor worry for parents is that ...

It was a meagre amount. : It was a very small amount.

It was part of the overall picture.

Musicians in dinner jackets were ploughing through a 30-minute piece. : … were

putting a lot of effort in a 30-minute piece.

An egghead lecture: A lecture for studious people

Concert hall foyer: a place inside the concert hall immediately after the main door
where people can wait.

We decided to take readings of their heart rate. : We decided to take measurements

of their heart rate.

Despite outward appearances... : Despite external appearances…

They were ashore. : They were towards onto land from an area of water.

It was built as a sort of look-out tower. : It was built as a sort of tower for watching
danger.

He was carting stuff from top to bottom. : He was taking stuff from every place in the
building.

What are your impressions about the museum?

His art is often disquieting. : His art often causes worry.

It was a safe haven for them. : It was a place where they were protected from harm
and danger.

That pricked the bubble he had grown up in. : That helped him understand the
unpleasant truth of a situation.

London was awash with churches at the time. : London had a lot of churches at the
time.

It was regarded as ripe nonsense. : It was seen as rude nonsense.

The bare bones of the plot are faithful to the book. : The most important facts of the
plot are faithful to the book.

He was a wise-cracking hero. : He was a hero who would say very clever remarks.

There was almost a reverential attitude to them.

There was an emotional outpouring. : There was an uncontrollable expression of

strong feelings.
They needed to track down the culprit.

Being a witness calls for an accurate memory of events.

I am positive of it.

And after some delay they asked me if...

It is too soon to be able to come to any firm conclusions.

But there is a high risk to it...

It all is a question about where you go from here.

It is a role he has off to perfection.

The fomulaic drama series: The usual and repeated drama series

It is perfunctory. : It is something that was done quickly, without taking care or

interest.

By-the-by: By the way

The air-freight sector: The sector that carries goods, but not passengers from one
place to another by air.

He notched up another year towards adulthood. : He achieved another year towards

adulthood.

It stands to reason that they are pitched at a younger audience. : It is clear that they
are aimed at a younger audience.

That means more money going into research.

The writer has peppered the story with more details. : The writer has included a lot of
details in the story.

It is a good film for all its shortcomings. : It is a good film for all its flaws.

They needed to ensure that the population recoups its decline by 2030. : …
population recovers its decline by 2030.

He was a self-appointed critic. : He was a critic that acted because he wanted

without others’ support.

He lived in a constant muddle of things. : He lived in a constant untidy state.

She was a laid-back sort of person. : She was a relaxed sort of person.

There are some remarkably high-calibre people. : There are some remarkably high
quality people.
They put you in a very invidious position. : They put you in a position that is likely to
cause unhappiness.

It is important to know how to gauge your achievements. : It is important to know

how to measure your achievements.

What springs to mind is that...

I've had really good outings in this film. : I’ve had really good pleasure journeys in
this film.

Mankind came up trumps in the face of adversity. : Mankind was unexpectedly

successful in the face of adversity.

Science fiction gained a tinge of science fact. : Science fiction acquired a very slight
amount of science fact.

I needed to stem the flow. : I needed to stop the flow.

I map out my stories before giving detail.

It was an open-plan office. : It was an office with no divisions or walls inside.

Have you ever caught sight of yourself in the mirror?

He was in the throes of rage. : He was in the unpleasant process of rage.

They didn't rely wholly on that thing.

The whole point about something like this is that you can...

The plant became effete. : The plant became weak.

My conclusions are valid.

Coppicing: cutting trees or bushes back in order to form a small, closely planted area

A tree represents a unique habitat in its own right. : A tree represents a unique
habitat because it is naturally so.

Writing these books was a genteel process. : Writing these books was a calm
process.

There is a fight-back against them.

That would go against everything we stand for.

It was a dingy little office. : It was a dark dirty little office.

They never hit it off.

It must have been an oversight. : It must have been a mistake made because of a
failure to notice something.

That put demands on his trust.

You must rush things to get the expected outcome. : You must do things very quickly
to get…

That didn't appeal to the eye.

I wanted to rough it up. : I wanted to live temporarily in basic and uncomfortable

conditions.

Interest on it is certainly on the increase.

New things crop up now and again. : New things appear unexpectedly sometimes.

It suits scrubland. : It suits an area of dry land covered with small bushes and trees.

I am office-bound during the day. : I have to work in my office during the day.

They cashed in on people's gullibility. : They make money dishonestly taking

advantage of people’s naivety.

I take the point that there is still a lot to see.

He felt below par after he lost his degree.

And looking at the other side of the coin, ... : And looking at the issue from another
angle…

I came across a roaring cascade.

I use contours on maps. : I use equal height lines on maps.

They created a lot of disharmonies in the paintings.

I date my obsession with bats to a visit to the countryside.

They tried to capture the tiny specks of evidence.

He tramped across the desert. : He walked long distances across the desert.

I had to collect the samples.

That thing was soggy. : That thing was unpleasantly wet and soft.

They die off during winter. : They die over winter.

You may spot that fish here.