Professional Documents
Culture Documents
In order to pass your exam, you need a good grasp of English vocabulary, both
basic and advanced. To this end, your English teacher has compiled lists of the most
important words.
All words are presented in context, i.e. in example sentences, with the relevant word
replaced by the symbol ~.
When studying, fold away the left-hand column, then read the sentences until you
are able to come up with the missing word. The right-hand columns are there to
give you hints or related words and expressions.
It is essential that you write down all the missing words - just being able to say
them is not enough!
consider (sb as : v) His boss ~s him as not suitable for the job. = regard (as) (v)
take into consideration They will take every serious offer into ~. →considerable (adj)
take sth seriously He simply refused to take anything ~ (= accept that sth is Is that a joke or are
important and deserves your attention). you serious?
a belief (n) After the accident, she seemed to have lost her ~ in God. = faith (n)
→ believe in sth (v)
estimate (v) We had ~d that the work would take about an hour but we → an estimation (n)
were proved wrong.
expect (v) What time do you ~ her to arrive? → ~ a baby
an expectation (n) In the twentieth century people's ~ of life has greatly = life expectancy (n)
increased.
(make up your) mind I can't make ~ my ~ about what to do next. = decide
(change your) mind He got his bike, but then he ~d his mind and went by bus. = ~ your opinion
memory (n) That day remained in her ~ for the rest of her life. → remember sth
remind sb (of sth : v) We must ~ him to return the book that he has borrowed. → That ~s me.
misunderstand (sth) She had completely ~ what I was trying to say and took it → misunderstanding
(misunderstood , ~) as an insult. (n)
emphasise (-ize : v) Their instructor had ~d the importance of driving = stress sth (v)
carefully, especially in wet weather.
emphasis (n) My high school puts great ~ on studies that prepare its
students for college.
an opinion (n) In my ~ there is no difference between the two. = I'm of the ~ that ...
public opinion (n) Public ~ is strongly against higher taxes.
a point of view (n) They interviewed many people in order to get several = a perspective
points of ~.
concerned (adj) As far as I'm ~, I would be more than willing to give it a = from my point
try. of view
criticize (-ise) His insurance company has ~d him for taking unnecessary → criticism (n)
(sb for sth : v) risks. → be critical of sth
a critic (n) By winning a gold medal she has proved to her ~s that (adj)
she is still in great shape.
an inquiry (also: en-) We are getting a lot of ~ies from travel agencies about
(n) our new London-Berlin service.
research (n) The government spends millions of dollars on ~ into the → carry out medical
causes of cancer. / scientific ~
investigate (v) When he heard a noise, he went downstairs to ~ what it → a private
was. investigator
an outline (n) The book is basically an ~ of the most important steps in = a summary (n)
the development of the English language.
summarise sth (v) You should be able to ~ the author's main ideas in no = sum up (v)
more than 150 words.
a message (n) As you weren't at home I left a ~ in your letter box. → ~ in a bottle
- send (↔ receive) a message -
refer to sth (v) Although she didn't mention our names, everyone knew → a reference book
who she was ~ring to. (n)
a survey (n) According to a recent ~, 36% of all women don't feel safe → a nationwide ~
walking home alone at night.
a questionnaire (n) Please fill in all the answers and return the ~ to the → question sb (v)
address given above.
report sth (v) The royal wedding was ~ed in the press yesterday. → a ~ (n)
→ ~ed speech (n)
a quotation (n) "To be or not to be" is a famous ~ by Shakespeare. → quote sb / sth (v)
an encyclopaedia (n) An ~ is a large book that contains background dictionary
(also: -edia) information about many topics in alphabetical order.
furthermore The set meal is just $15, which is excellent value. = in addition
~, you get a free glass of house wine. = what's more
although She still won the match ~ she had injured her knee. = though/ even though
despite He didn't pass his exams ~ the help I had given him. = in spite of
however Most big cats, e.g. tigers and leopards, are quite solitary = on the other hand
creatures. Lions, ~, spend most of their time in a group.
nevertheless He insisted that everything would be all right. ~, I = all the same
couldn't help feeling anxious.
due to ~ the repeated power cuts last night, I missed part of the = because of
late film on TV.
so that We moved house ~ we could send our children to this = The purpose of
school. moving was...
therefore She is extremely hardworking. ~ she has deserved = for that reason
being promoted.
provided (that) I don't mind if he joins us on the trip ~ he pays for his = on condition that
own meals.
on the one hand ... ~ I really want to sell the house, but ~ I can't bear the
on the other hand thought of having to move again.
similarly At the conference, men have to wear a jacket and tie.
~, women are asked to wear a skirt or dress.
on the contrary It was not wise to act that way. ~, I think it was a huge = by contrast
mistake.
to sum up ~, our first priority should be to concentrate on staff = overall
training.
to conclude ~ , I would like to once again thank the court for giving → draw a conclusion
me this opportunity to speak.
in order to ~ understand how the human body works, you need to
have some knowledge of chemistry.
in addition The hotel itself can accommodate 80 guests. ~, there = additionally
are also ten self-catering apartments. = on top of that
either ... or ~ the room is too small ~ the piano is too large.
neither ... nor She has met ~ her father ~ her mother.
not only ... but (also) ~ did they break into his office, ~ they also stole all his
books.
consequently Both the manager and her assistant were ill. = as a result
~, there wasn't anybody to take any decisions.
favourite (adj) Who's your ~ actor - Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt? → favour / prefer
sb / sth (v)
(do / take) exercise (n) Everybody should do at least fifteen minutes of ~ each = work out (v)
day.
a gym(nasium) (n) A ~ is a hall that has equipment for doing physical → gymnastics (n)
exercise.
rewarding (adj) Most people who work out regularly say that doing → a reward (n)
a sense of achievement sports is extremely ~ because it provides you with a → achieve sth (v)
(n) sense of ~.
a competition (n) Leeds United were knocked out of the European ~ in →compete (with sb:v)
a competitor (n) the first round. The other British ~s were more competitive (adj)
successful.
participate (in : v) Many of the competitors were invited to ~ in TV talk = take part (in)
shows. → a participant (n)
DIY She has just bought a book on ~ in order to be able to = do-it-yourself
make her own furniture. → a DIY-store (n)
a collection (n) His only interest was his ~ of rare old books. → collect sth (v)
→ a collector (n)
a host / a hostess (n) The ~ welcomed all the guests personally when they ↔ a guest (n)
arrived.
(visit) relatives (n) Visiting ~ at the weekend is one of the social → be related (to sb)
obligations many people dislike.
farewell (n) He went away without saying ~, he didn't even write → say goodbye
her a ~ letter.
gamble (v) ~ing, e.g. roulette, is not allowed in most American → take a gamble
states.
luck (n) Whether you win or lose in roulette is just a question of → good ~
~. → bad ~
guess (v) If you don't know the exact answer, just ~. = have a guess (v)
cheat (v) Jack always tries to ~ at cards, so we usually watch him → a cheat (n)
carefully during games.
a spectator (n) The friendly match between the two national teams
attracted more than 40,000 ~s.
an audience (n) The ~ began clapping and cheering when the curtain → a live ~
rose and the star of the evening entered the stage.
crowded (with : adj) The five o'clock train is always ~ with commuters. → a crowd (n)
busy (adj) Oxford Street was so ~ that we could hardly move. → a ~ telephone line
a conductor (n) A ~ is someone who stands in front of a group of → conduct (v)
musicians and directs their playing. (an experiment)
a supporter (n) Many people in England don't like football ~s because → support (a team)
they think they're all hooligans. (v)
outdoor (adj) Lisa prefers ~ activities like hiking and cycling to ↔ indoor (Adj)
staying at home. → an indoor arena
wrestle (v) I spent two hours ~ing with my maths homework. → a wrestler (n)
a residential area (n) A ~ is a part of town consisting of private houses rather → local residents (n)
than factories or offices.
suburbs (n) ~s are residential areas outside the city centre. → suburban (adj)
manage to do sth (v) How did they ~ to get out of the burning building → a manager (n)
unharmed?
ability (n) He has the ~ to solve complex technical problems. → be (un)able
disability (n) The government tries to help people who are unable (to do sth)
to work because of illness or ~. → be disabled
a volunteer (n) He asked for two ~s to clean the blackboard. → ~ to do sth (v)
voluntary (adj) She does ~ work in the nearby hospital. = unpaid
intend (v) This medicine did not have the ~ed effect. → intentional (adj)
intention (to do sth : n) I'm sorry. It wasn't my ~ to hurt you.
mean (to do sth : v) I ~ [PAST] to ask you to buy some bread on your X means Y
(meant / ~) way home but I completely forgot about it.
act (v) If we don't ~ quickly, it will be too late. ↔ do nothing
an actor (n) An ~ is a person who acts on a stage, in motion pictures → Tom Cruise is
or on television. a famous ~.
invent sth (v) When she had no good reason for being late, she simply → an inventor (n)
~ed some excuse. → inventive (adj)
an invention (n) Television is a modern ~.
afford (to do sth) (v) They had to walk home since they couldn't ~ to take a → affordable prices
taxi.
consist of (v) This cake has been made from a ready-made mixture = be composed of
~ing of flour, milk, eggs and raisins.
belong (to sb/sth :v) Our planet does not ~ to mankind. On the contrary, = own / possess sth
mankind ~s to our planet. (v)
sb's belongings (n) Several passengers lost all their ~ in the fire. = possessions (n)
lend (lent , ~) (v) I’ll ~ you $ 5 till Friday. But only if you promise to pay it → a moneylender (n)
back.
borrow (sth from sb:v) Could I ~ some money ~ you, please?
achieve sth (v) I've tried to convince her, but I haven't ~d anything. = succeed in
achievement (n) Many people think that the computer is the greatest ~ reaching a goal
of our century.
affect (v) Politicians take decisions which ~ our lives. = have an effect on
affected by Help will be sent to the areas most ~ by the hurricane.
develop (v) All land animals are believed to have ~ed from → ~ing countries
sea animals.
a development (n) Her child had had a difficult birth, so her doctor
followed its ~ closely.
appeal (v) The Murrays have ~ed to the public for any information → an appeal (n)
about their missing daughter
fail (v) He tried hard to learn to sing properly, but he ~ed. → a failure (n)
succeed (in doing sth) He was extremely tired, but he didn't ~ in finding → a success (n)
an empty seat. successful (adj)
practise (doing sth) When he broke his arm, he had to ~ writing with his left → Practice makes
(v / US: -ce) hand. perfect. (Proverb)
practice (n) ~ is as important for great sportsmen as it is for great
musicians.
revise sth (v) A stubborn person is unwilling to ~ his or her opinion. = change / alter sth
(do) revision (n) If you want to pass your final exam, you'll have to do = study (v)
quite a lot of ~.
additional (adj) The government is providing an ~ $ 25 million in order → add sth (v)
to expand this service. → addition (n)
in addition In ~, fifty ambulances will be on duty until midnight. ↔ subtraction (n)
attach sth (v) A copy of my CV is ~ed to this letter. → an attachment (n)
abbreviate sth (v) We can ~ "mile" to "m", "inch" to "in, "hour" to "hr." etc. = to shorten sth (v)
→ brief (adj)
an abbreviation (n) "UK" is the ~ for United Kingdom.
support sb (v) Fortunately, her friends and relatives ~ed her during this → a (football)
severe crisis. supporter
join sth (v) On his request he was told that he lacked the necessary = become a member
qualifications to ~ their association.
He built a simple tool by ~ing several pieces of wood = link several parts
with glue. ↔ separate (v)
float (v) Wood ~s on water, whereas metal sinks. → a floating voter
When she raised her head she saw a huge balloon ~ing
across the sky.
remove sth (v) He argued that it wasn't enough to support poor people, → ~ a tumour
but to ~ the causes of poverty, too. → a removal (n)
scatter sth (v) When he came in, the children had ~ed all their toys on
the floor.
waste sth (v) Sadly, he seems to have ~d his inheritance on women and → nuclear / toxic ~
gambling. → ~ disposal (n)
a waist (n) During the performance he tried to put his arm around her
~, but she didn't let him. (= part of the body)
a relationship (n) When she found out that he had been unfaithful to her → be related to sb
repeatedly, she put an end to their ~. sb's relatives (n)
similarity (n) There are many ~ies between the inhabitants of Europe = they are similar
and North America. (to each other) /
similar (to sth) (adj) Their twin daughters look quite ~ - I can never manage to = resemble
tell them apart. (each other)
differ (from : v) The twins ~ from each other in their interests. → a difference (n)
share sth (v) We weren't quite satisfied with our holiday flat since we
had to ~ a bathroom with our neighbours. → buy Microsoft
a share (n) He wanted his ~ of the prize money. shares / stocks
obtain sth (v) Vitamins and fibre are best ~ed through natural food, = acquire sth (v)
such as fruit and vegetables.
supply (n) In some areas of the country, the ~ of raw materials to ↔ demand (n)
factories had practically come to a standstill. = provide (v)
restrict sth (v) After continuous protests by animal rights groups the → a restriction (n)
government decided to ~ fox hunting. ban sth (v)
interrupt sb / sth (v) He really is an awful chatterbox. He always ~s other → uninterrupted
people when they try to say something. (adj)
responsible (for sth) In the US, the Secretary of State is ~ for foreign affairs. ↔ irresponsible
(adj) → responsibility (n)
a judge (n) After listening to all the witnesses, the ~ passed a verdict → Judgement Day
of not guilty.
judge (v) You shouldn't ~ people by the way they look.
object to (v) Many people ~ to loud noise for the simple reason that it = be opposed to sth
gives them a headache. = dislike sth (v)
a quarrel (n) They have had a furious ~ and now they refuse to speak = have an argument
to each other. (with sb)
struggle (to do sth : v) He ~d to keep back the tears. = make a great effort
a struggle (n) Making babies eat their spinach is always a ~. = try hard
a participant (n) There are three ~s in the competition representing → participate in (v)
Germany. = take part in
involve sth (v) Housekeeping ~s cooking, washing dishes, sweeping, and = include / comprise
cleaning in general.
be involved in sth The police claims that he was ~ in last week's armed → participate in (v)
robbery.
an opportunity I have had no ~ to give him your message, simply = an occasion (n)
(n: to do sth) because I haven't met him yet.
patience (n) The cat watched the mouse hole with great ~. → lose patience
impatient (adj) His mother has to remind him regularly not to become ~ ↔ be patient
with his little sister.
an approach (n) Each of the speakers suggested a different ~ to the → approaching (adj)
problem.
prevention (n) They sprinkled their roof with water as a ~ against the → prevent sb
approaching wood fire. (from doing sth
"Prevention is better than cure". (Proverb)
regard sb as (v) He is ~ed as the leading eye specialist in town. = consider sb as (v)
regarding (prep) The policeman asked many questions ~ the accident. = concerning /
relating to (prep)
a settlement (n) The English ~ of North America started in the → densely settled
seventeenth century. ↔ sparsely settled
unspoiled (adj) The Amazon region has been called one of the last → spoil sb / sth (v)
remaining ~ wildernesses on earth. a spoiled child
threaten (v) The farmer ~ed to shoot any dog that tried to kill one of → threatening (adj)
his sheep.
distribute sth (v) Clothes, blankets and tents have been ~d among civil-war = divide and give out
refugees. in shares
distribution (n) The UN organised the ~ of aid supplies.
abandon sth (v) When his car broke down, he had to ~ it in the snow. → ~ all hope
abandoned (adj) We saw several ~ villages on our trip. = deserted (adj)
damage (n) Severe thunderstorms have caused millions of dollars' = cause harm
worth of ~.
damages (n) He took his company to court (= sued it) and won $ = compensation (n)
100,000 in ~.
scare sb (v) The watchdog has ~d away the robber by barking loudly → a scarecrow (n)
and fiercely. → That's scary!
scarce (adj) During the war food, shoes and furniture were often ~ = hard to get / rare
and of a poor quality. → scarcity (n)
lack (sth) (v) Alex's real problem is that he ~s confidence.
a lack (of sth) (n) A ~ of vitamins can cause a number of symptoms. = a shortage of sth
a shortage (of sth) (n) Nowadays there is a ~ of skilled workers in the
electronics industry.
get rid of sth (v) Let's ~ of all that old furniture and buy something = remove sth (v)
entirely new.
decide + to-INF It was already quite late, so we ~d [take] a taxi home. → take a decision
(to do sth)
want sb + to-INF He doesn't ~ me [know] anything about his financial NOT: want that !!!
problems- in fact, he doesn't want anybody to know.
enjoy + ING When he is on holiday, he always ~s not [have] to get up = be fond of + ING
early.
promise + to-INF You have ~d [take] your little niece to the zoo today - so → give a promise
go ahead and do it! (to do sth)
quit + ING (quit / ~) She ~ [smoke] after her mother had died miserably of = give up + ING
lung cancer.
carry on + ING We have to do something to improve our lives - we can't = go on + ING
~ [live] like this. = keep on + ING
expect sb + to-INF Every company ~s its employees [come] to work → an expectation (n)
punctually (= on time).
tend + to-INF I am really fond of him, but unfortunately he ~s [talk] → have a tendency
too much. (to do sth)
imagine + ING I apologise for laughing at him, but I really can't ~ him → imagination (n)
[ride] a motorbike.
admit + ING After having been questioned by the police for several deny + ING
hours, she ~ed [have] stolen the money. → an admission (n)
deny + ING She still ~d [steal] the money, even though two witnesses = she ~d that she had
(denied / ~) saw her taking it. stolen the money
pretend + to-INF She ~ed not [see] me as we passed each other in front of = she acted as if she
a department store. hadn't seen me
agree + to-INF He really was in a difficult situation, so I ~d [lend] him → reach an
some money to smooth things over. agreement (n)
remind sb + to-INF Could you please ~ her [phone] Ann tomorrow? She has remember sth (v)
left five messages on our answering machine.
to remember + ING He could ~ [drive] along the road just before the accident → keep sth in your
happened, but he had forgotten about all the rest. memory (n)
+ to-INF Please ~ [post] the letter today. It is urgent.
suggest + ING After two days at the holiday flat we were all a little bit = I ~d that we go ...
bored, so I ~ed [go] to the cinema for a change. → suggestion (n)
learn + (how) to-INF At what age did you ~ how [drive] a car? → a slow learner (n)
appear + to-INF Have you seen their mansion? - They really ~ [have] = seem + to-INF
plenty of money.
order sb + to-INF The officer ~ed the soldiers [dig] five knee-deep = give an order
trenches. (to do sth)
warn sb + to-INF He emphasised that this switch was dangerous and he = give a warning
~ed me not [touch] it.
recommend + ING I really wouldn't ~ [stay] at that hotel - I think it is a → I ~ that you look
complete dump! for a better hotel.
regret + ING She really ~ted [call] him a lazy bastard - she knew that = be sorry for
their relationship would never be the same again.
+ to-INF We ~ [inform] you that we are unable to offer you a job → a regrettable
in our company. incident
forget + ING He noticed too late that he had completely ~ [do] his → He is always so
homework. forgetful ! (adj)
+ to-INF Make sure you don't ~ [do] your homework today.
sufficient Prosecutors were unable to provide ~ proof of the man's = enough (adj)
guilt. insufficient (adj)
likely One ~ result of this heavy rain is the rising of the river. = probably (adj)
Due to this heavy rain the river is ~ to rise. unlikely (adj)
convincing The arguments of his lawyer were so ~ that the jury →convince/persuade sb.
unanimously voted not guilty.
unreliable As existing statistics were rather ~, researchers decided → rely (on sb to do sth)
to carry out an additional survey. (v)
customary In Western societies, it is ~ to exchange gifts at = usual (adj)
Christmas. →customs/traditions (n)
widespread It is a ~ though erroneous belief that spinach is → spread sth widely
extremely rich in iron.
© Firsching - FOS/BOS Bamberg - 2010
BASIC VOCABULARY (13) : ADVERBS
FORMS EXAMPLES TRANSLATION RELATED
WORDS
actually He pretended to be dumb and deaf, but ~ he was able to current(ly)
understand everything we said. "aktuell" (dt.)
apparently ~ , the company is losing a lot of money. = as it appears
already When she arrived at the airport, I had ~ left for Cologne. not ... yet
not ... yet I'm sorry, but I haven't finished my essay ~. I'm afraid I'll
need another fifteen minutes.
just I was ~ leaving my flat when the telephone rang.
eventually ~, someone expressed publicly what they had all thought = finally = at last
themselves. "eventuell" (dt.)
at least He did not achieve very good results, but ~ he was able at last
to pass the course.
immediately When they saw a huge army approaching, they = at once
surrendered ~.
automatically All lights will be turned off ~ at 9 p.m.
before In 1941, nylon was first used to make stockings, and the after
year ~, it had first been used to produce toothbrushes.
ago Harold won a gold medal in the Olympics four years ~. = "vor" (dt.)
besides I don't like the colour and, ~, it costs far more than I can = in addition
afford. additionally
furthermore He does not receive any visitors in the afternoon. ~, he = moreover /
left explicit orders not to be disturbed today. what is more
consequently I crashed his car when I borrowed it. ~, I had to pay for = as a result
all the repairs.
sufficiently His instructions were not ~ clear for us to understand. = (clear) enough
equally Although they always try to divide the housework ~, she
always complains about having to do everything herself.
approximately The plane will be landing in ~ 20 minutes. = about
fortunately ~, the fire was discovered soon after it had started. = luckily
unfortunately ~, we couldn't visit the museum as it was closed.
generally Their plans for building a new shopping mall in the city → widely
centre have been ~ accepted by the public.
hardly The heat became almost unbearable, so that we could ~ hard (adj / adv)
breathe.
however Sales have been rather poor for the last few months. There = nevertheless
may, ~, be an increase before Easter.
instead He decided not to join the army. ~, he wanted to go to in spite of (prep)
university and study engineering.
perhaps There were three, ~ four thousand people at the concert. = maybe
instead He didn't reply. ~, he turned on his heel and left the room.
instead of With his driving license gone, he had to walk to work ~
going by car.
to the best of my I am not absolutely sure about when the project starts, but = as far as I know
knowledge ~ it will be on June 16.
unlike Her latest novel is quite ~ her earlier works. = different from
in contrast to The company lost $7 million this quarter, ~ a profit of $6 → contrast A with B
million in the previous year. (v)
do without Like most Americans, he can't ~ a daily hot shower.
quarrel with sb Time and again she ~ed ~ her husband, until they both = have an argument
decided that it would be best to split up. with sb
criticize sb for sth He was severely ~ed ~ taking a day off right in the → criticism (n)
middle of the company's financial crisis. → a critic (n)
turn into She was sure that the frog would ~ a beautiful prince if = change into
she kissed it.
consist of Bolognaise sauce ~s ~ minced beef, onion, tomatoes, = it is made up of
garlic and seasoning.
comment on My sister is always embarrassed when other people ~ her = a comment (n)
looks (= her outer appearance).
prefer sth to sth He loved pets, but it was obvious that he ~red dogs ~ → a preference (n)
cats.
familiar with I would really like to help you, but I'm afraid I'm not ~ → familiarity (n)
this type of machine.
in addition to ~ these emergency measures, extra ambulances will be on → additionally (adv)
duty until midnight. add sth (v)
with reference to ~ your recent article entitled "The ultimate woggle", I feel → refer to sth (v)
obliged to write to you.
at sb's expense Just imagine, he does all his travelling at his company's → expensive (adj)
~, even when his wife accompanies him.
at face value You can't take what Rob says ~. There is always a catch = as things appear to
somewhere, with some advantage in it for him. be on the surface
at first sight ~ it seems to be a straightforward case of suicide, but the = when considered for
police suspect foul play. the first time
behind the scenes There was endless activity ~ before the visit of the royal = without public
couple. knowledge
behind schedule The manager is getting nervous because production for ahead of ~
this quarter is already three weeks ~. → on schedule
below the belt Unfortunately, some politicians often hit ~ to discredit = to fight unfairly
their opponents. above
by degrees Max's health has been improving since he came out of = gradually /
hospital, if only ~. step by step
for a change The Parsons always go to Brighton for their holiday. I'm
surprised they don't go abroad ~.
change for the Recently, with exports and sales decreasing, their = deteriorate (v)
worse ( better) economic outlook has noticeably ~d ~. improve (v)
beside the point Whether you had insurance is ~, the accident is still your
fault.
for the record Just ~, it was Ken's idea to come to this awful party, not = so that it can
mine. be recorded / noted
off the record This is strictly ~, but you are to be put in charge of = confidential
manufacture in Scotland. information
from scratch If you had been working on our project ~, you would = from the beginning
realize how much these results mean to us.
leave sb in the dark When his company sent him to the States, they left his inform sb about sth
family ~ as to whether it would be temporarily.
for instance ~, in the US we still do not have the guarantee of basic = for example
medical care for everybody.
in a nutshell I don't need to know the content of your speech in detail, = reduced to the
just put the main message ~ for me, please. essential facts
under oath If a witness makes an untrue statement ~, he or she → swear / take an oath
commits a crime.
under age Most children who drink ~ will do so when there is little an adult
or no adult supervision.
to a certain extent I agree, ~, that these regulations are outdated. = partly
off limits Stop! This part of the building is ~ for unauthorised = you are not allowed
personnel. to enter
on the air This radio series has been ~ for years, and it's still very = broadcast (V)
popular.
on call Doctor Murphy is always ~, even at night and at the = on duty
weekend.
on the dole Millions of unemployed workers have been ~ for years. = receiving unemploy-
ment benefits
for good When I finally told Mary that he had left ~ and that I = forever
needed money, she said she would talk to her boss
uneducated (adj) ~ refers to a person that lacks formal education. educate sb(v)
illiterate (adj) An ~ person is unable to read or write. computer ~ (adj)
arithmetic (n, adj) The three Rs, i.e. reading, writing and ~ are the most Arithmetic comprises adding, subtracting,
important parts of primary education. multiplying and dividing numbers.
a curriculum (n) A ~ comprises all the courses offered by an educational = a syllabus (AmE)
institution. a CV
job training (n) Nowadays people without any ~ face great difficulties a skilled worker
in finding well-paid work.
teach sb sth You can't ~ an old dog new tricks. (proverb) a teacher (n)
(v: taught / ~) Experience ~es us our limitations.
a headteacher (n: BrE) When his behaviour didn't improve, he had to go and = the principal (US)
see the ~.
an instructor (n) In order to get your driving license, you have to take instruction (n)
lessons with an experienced driving ~. instruct sb (v)
learning difficulties Usually, students with ~ are taught general skills in have ~ in doing sth
(n) separate classes.
study (v: studied / ~) He ~ied for his exams every afternoon. learn sth (v)
His father advised him to ~ law, but he decided to try study at college
his luck as an entertainer instead. / university
revise sth (v) It has always been a good idea to ~ your English tenses do revision (n)
once in a while.
attend (school) (v) All children over five have to ~ school until they reach ↔ be absent
the age of sixteen. (from school)
play truant (v) He was expelled from school for playing ~. truancy (n)
drop out (of school :v) He ~ped out of school during his exams on account of a drop-out (n)
personal and financial problems.
a nursery (school) (n) A ~ is a place where children are temporarily cared for a kindergarten
in their parents' absence. (AmE)
a primary school (n) The reading ability of the pupils depends on the quality elementary school
of the ~ they attended. secondary school
a boarding school (n) ~s are institutions where, on top of tuition, meals and half-board
lodging are provided. accommodation
a comprehensive The majority of secondary schools in Britain are ~ s
(school) where children of all abilities are taught together.
a gym(nasium) (n) We have PE in the ~ twice a week. physical education
core subjects (n) Maths and English are ~s, whereas biology, history,
subsidiary subjects (n) computer studies, art, and physical education are ~. = minor subjects
compulsory (adj) In secondary education, English and mathematics are ~ ↔ optional / elective
subjects, i.e. all students have to take them. subjects
graduate (from) (v) She ~d from university after studying for four years. graduation (n)
(get a) a degree (n) He left university with a ~ in law. 20 degrees Celsius
fees (n) All students attending private schools have to pay = they charge a fee
annual ~.
a scholarship (n) He can't afford university, but he hopes to win a ~ in = a grant (n)
order to study medicine.
a dormitory (n) He doesn't have an apartment of his own, he lives on = a hall of residence
campus in a ~. (n)
take (an exam) (v) Every student has to ~ four written exams. = sit an exam
fail (an exam) (v) He passed his oral exams, but he ~ed the written ones. ↔ pass an exam (v)
assess papers ~ing papers is one of the main obligations of a teacher. = mark papers
meet the requirements Unfortunately, he failed to meet the school's ~ for sth that is
graduation required
cheat (v) He was expelled from school when he confessed to Don't trust him.
having ~ed in his exams. He's a cheat!
qualifications (n) Unfortunately, he left school without any ~s. to qualify (v)
equality of opportunity The government's aim has been to provide ~ for a missed
(n) students of both sexes and of all nationalities. opportunity
immigration (n) During the nineteenth century, America encouraged ~ emigration (n)
on a large scale.
a migrant (n) The Industrial Revolution gave ~s a vital role in the migrate to another
nation's economic development. Country
an emigrant The number of emigrants from Germany reached a peak immigrant
in the 19th century.
flee (v: fled / ~) In the twentieth century, many immigrants ~ (PAST) = tried to escape
from persecution and poverty.
assimilate sb (v) They were not as quickly ~d as previous generations = integrate sb
had been. (into society)
restrict sth (v) Chinese immigrants were treated worst, and Chinese
ban sth (v) immigration was first ~ed, and then entirely ~ned. = forbid sth (v)
refuse sb entry Other so-called "undesirables" were also ~d ~, e.g. enter a country
convicts, revolutionaries and orphans.
require sb (v) In 1917, a new law ~d immigrants to prove that they a requirement (n)
(to do sth) could read and write.
a quota (n) In 1921, a ~ was imposed, limiting the number of = a limited number
migrants from Europe for the first time. of people
a refugee (n) After World War II, large numbers of war brides, a ~ camp
displaced persons and ~s were admitted.
illegal immigrants Nowadays ~s from Mexico play a major role in
swelling the number of Latinos in the US. Hispanics (n:Pl)
settle (in a country) Highly skilled and wealthy people are also encouraged settlement (n)
to ~ in the US as they contribute to economic growth.
native (adj) Entry is also not limited for relatives of ~-born citizens. Native Americans
Native Americans (n) ~ make up only 0.4% of the population, but they are still = American Indians
the poorest ethnic group in America.
citizenship (n) The legal right to belong to a country is called ~. = nationality (n)
naturalisation (n) The legal process by which a person acquires naturalise sb (v)
citizenship is called ~.
(be) a resident (of) (n) Once a person has been a ~ of the US for at least five a residential area
years, he or she can apply for naturalisation.
foreign nationals (n) ~s have to demonstrate their knowledge of US history undocumented
and take an oath pledging loyalty to the US. aliens
asylum seekers (n) ~, i.e. people fleeing from political or religious the right to asylum
persecution, are also entitled to submit an application.
slavery (n) From the beginning, ~ and the second-class treatment abolish ~
of Blacks have raised serious moral questions. a slave (n)
discriminate against sb Although slavery was abolished in 1865, Black discrimination (n)
(v) Americans were still ~d against in the following years.
civil rights movement In the 1960s, the ~, which was led by Martin Luther non-violent protest
King, eventually achieved a breakthrough.
equality (n) The Civil Rights Act, passed in 1964, forbade all forms equal opportunities
of discrimination and was an important step towards ~.
segregation (n) Although ~ in public places was outlawed in the segregated schools
Sixties, Afro-Americans remain a disadvantaged section
of society.
homogeneous (adj) "Hispanics" or "Latinos" do not constitute a ~ minority, heterogeneous (adj)
as they come from many different countries.
of (...) descent The largest group among Hispanics are people of = of (...) origin
Mexican ~.
a descendant of sb (n) Many ~s of Hispanic immigrants criticise that they are sb's ancestors
still discriminated against.
ethnic (adj) These and other measures were aimed at preventing any an ~ minority
major change in the ~ make-up of America's population.
ethnic minorities (n) Many ~ try to maintain their own culture, language and ↔ majority (n)
identity.
mass media (n) Many people believe that the influence of ~ in our a mass of people
society is too great.
the press (n) The main job of the ~ is to inform people about the = newspapers or
latest news. magazines (daily,
weekly or monthly)
subscribe to sth (v) If you ~ to a newspaper or magazine, it is delivered to a subscription (n)
your doorstep regularly.
a viewer (n) ~s are all the people that watch television at a given watch TV
a listener (n) time, whereas ~s, as the word says, listen to the radio. listen to the radio
viewing habits (n) Studies have shown that ~, especially of young viewers, do sth out of habit
have changed over the last decades, with children
spending more and more time watching TV.
broadcast sth (v) BBC World Service ~s radio and television publish sth
programmes for learners and teachers of English.
unbiased (adj) In a dictatorship, journalists are not allowed to broadcast = objective (adj)
~ news since any open criticism of the leadership will report the facts
be punished. ↔biased (adj)
a TV set (n) In order to watch television, you need a ~. Nowadays,
a channel (n) television offers dozens of different ~s with a wide switch channels =
a programme (n) range of ~s, such as news programmes or soap operas. zap (v)
switch (sth) on (v) Most people find that ~ing on your TV is much easier = turn it on
than turning it off again. ↔ turn / switch it off
a screen (n) It is only a year since this talented young actor has made a star of stage and
her ~ debut. screen
public television (n) ~ , like the first three channels in Germany, is mainly regulated by the
license fees (n) financed by monthly ~ that all viewers have to pay. state
cancel (v) In the US, TV stations often ~ a programme after only cancel an order
(a programme) one or two weeks if the ratings are not satisfactory.
interactive (adj) There are plans to introduce ~ TV where viewers are interact with sb (v)
able to select programmes at their own convenience. = communicate
a satellite dish (n) By using a receiver and a ~, one can receive TV wash the dishes
channels from several different countries.
a remote control (n) If you press the ~, you can switch channels on a TV set a remote area
or adjust the volume.
a weather forecast According to the latest ~ there will be heavy showers in forecast sth (v)
(n) Scotland and the north of England. = predict sth
a documentary (n) Yesterday we watched an interesting ~ about the a ~ is based on
wildlife in South Africa. facts
a manual (n) If you buy a new product, e.g. a DVD player, the Please follow the
producer includes a ~ to explain to customers how this instructions in the ~
product works. carefully!
store sth (v) Today personal computers are able to ~ more data than storage (n)
the older industrial models.
retrieve sth (v) Using specialised software, it is often possible to ~ data = find and restore
on a damaged computer disk. deleted information
freedom of the press In 1791, the American Bill of Rights guaranteed freedom of speech
(n) American citizens the ~.
regional newspapers In the US, there are few national publications, with the local newspapers
exception of USA Today and the Wall Street Journal.
The market is dominated by ~.
quality newspapers (n) ~, such as the Times, the Guardian or the Independent, = broadsheets (n)
ensure a high standard of reporting.
tabloids (n) ~ like the Sun or the News of the World, on the other = popular papers
hand, are directed towards a mass readership. the gutter press /
the yellow press
eye-catching layout They rely on ~, sensational headlines and articles that try to catch sb's eye
(n) can be easily read by everybody.
sensationalist (adj) But there have always been controversies over whether
individuals should be protected against ~ reporting.
celebrities (n) ~ like Madonna or Cher often complain about being = well-known persons
persecuted by photographers. a VIP
influential (adj) The Sun is considered by many as the most ~ influence sb (v)
newspaper in the UK today.
appear (v) In England, the first daily newspaper ~ed in the = was published
eighteenth century.
circulation (n) Today, the Times, the most famous British newspaper, = number of printed
a copy (n) has a ~ of about 300,000 ~ies per day. copies
source (n) Television has become the most important ~ of the ~ of a river
information and entertainment for most people.
a network (n) Nation-wide television ~s like ABC, NBC and CBS
provide local stations with a wide range of programmes,
which also means that their influence is immense.
tune in to (v) In the USA most people can ~ over 100 different
television channels via cable TV.
"pay-per-view" TV In ~, a subscriber pays a fee in order to watch a single "pay TV"
programme or film.
audience ratings (n) Since commercial stations rely heavily on ~ to increase
revenues (n) their advertising ~, entertainment plays an important = income (n)
role in American television.
prime time This is particularly true during ~, i.e. the period
between 6 and 10 p.m.
interrupt sth (v) Even news programmes are presented as shows and ~ed an interruption (n)
regularly by commercials. uninterrupted (adj)
non-commercial (adj) In the US, only about one fourth of all TV stations are commercial (adj)
~, i.e. not financed by advertising.
educational (adj) PBS, the single non-commercial TV network in the US, educate sb (v)
broadcasts primarily ~ and cultural programmes.
funded by (v) It is ~ mainly ~ the US government and various = financed by
foundations.
a presenter (n) A ~ is the person who introduces different sections of = an announcer (AmE)
radio or television programmes.
coverage (n) Several channels provided complete ~ of all report / cover events
competitions at the Olympic Games.
news agencies (n) TV and radio stations as well as newspapers rely to a e.g. AP or Reuters
large extent on ~ which gather news worldwide and
provide the media with information.
be addicted to sth If you are ~ to watching television, you cannot live a TV addict (n)
(adj) without it. a drug addict
suitable for (adj) Some parents complain that most Hollywood films are = appropriate
not ~ for children, e.g. because they are too violent.
censorship (n) But producers emphasise that the constitution bans any heavily censored
~ of the media.
edit sth out (v) They have ~ed out all references to her father in the = remove words,
interview. phrases or scenes
commit (a crime) You do not have to be a law graduate to see that a crime ~ murder
has been ~ted here.
an offence (n) A new law has made it an ~ to carry weapons.
report (v) A neighbour ~ed him to the police for speeding in a a ~ (n)
(sb / sth to the police) domestic area.
an investigation (n) The ~ of the FBI into the causes of the air crash has not investigate sth (v)
been finished yet.
insult sb (v) She had to pay a fine for ~ing a police officer. insulting (adj)
an insult (n) His remarks were taken as a personal ~.
threaten (sb with sth) The man ~ed to kill her if she didn't tell him where the threatening (adj)
(v) money was.
a threat (n) The couple who reported the drug dealers to the police
received several ~s to their lives.
frighten sb (v) She has always been ~ed of travelling by plane. frightening (adj)
violent (adj) A quarter of all prison inmates have committed ~ non-~ protest
crimes.
violence (n) There has been an increase in domestic ~ between use ~
husbands and wives.
a murderer (n) She was shocked when she learned that he was a to commit murder
convicted ~.
a thief (n ; pl: thieves) Expensive cars have become a favourite target for ~s. a theft (n)
a burglary (n) ~ is the crime of entering a building illegally in order to a burglar (n)
steal the property of the owner. a ~ alarm (n)
overpower sb (v) Two customers managed to ~ the bank robber. = overwhelm (v)
suspicious (adj) The police officers asked if we had noticed anything ~ (have) a suspicion
during the previous night. (n)
a suspect (n) An immediate search of the surrounding area led to the suspect sb (v)
arrest of three ~s. (of having done sth)
observe sth (v) Professor Stern studies and ~s the behaviour of juvenile an observer (n)
delinquents.
a clue (n) Police divers searched the bed of the river for ~s to his He really doesn't
death. have a ~.
an interrogation (n) During his second ~ the arrested man confessed to question sb (v)
another murder. a cross-examination
arrest (sb for sth) (v) He was ~ed for illegal possession of weapons. be under ~
solitary confinement He was kept in ~ after he had been threatened by other = in isolation
prisoners. confine sth (v)
a guard (n) He was allowed out of prison for an hour with two ~s in a prison ~ (n)
order to get married. a body~ (n)
escape from (v) There is hardly any possibility of ~ing from a high- an ~ (n)
security jail. an attempted ~ (n)
bribe sb (v) When they tried to ~ one of the guards with cigarettes bribery and
they were punished. corruption
an informer (n) They received a tip from an anonymous ~. inform sb (v)
a reward (n) They are offering a $ 50,000 ~ for any information reward (sb for sth)
leading to the man's arrest. (v)
check sth (v) - ~ cars / drivers' licences / the identity of a person - control sth (v)
a check (n) A French woman was stopped at an identity ~ and double-~ (v)
arrested.
a fine (n) He will either have to pay a ~ of $30,000 or go to a parking ticket (n)
prison.
a raid (n) The police have carried out several drug ~s at night- raid sth (v)
clubs in Central London.
execute sb (v) The government of Iran has repeatedly demanded that S. the death penalty
Rushdie is handed over to be ~ed. (n)
arson (n) ~ refers to the crime of deliberately setting fire to a an arsonist (n)
building or property.
extort By threatening shopkeepers the gang was able to ~ extortion (n)
(money from sb : v) money from 30 local businesses.
an obligation (n) It is clear that the company has a legal and moral ~ = a duty (n)
towards the victims of this accident. be obliged to do sth
justice (n) He fought all his life for freedom, ~ and equality. (un)just (adj)
illegal (adj) In the US it is ~ to sell alcohol to people under age. an ~ immigrant (n)
declare sth ~
legal advice (n) When one of his customers refused to pay his bills, he give sb some advice
asked his lawyer for ~. advise sb (v)
a lawyer (n) A ~ is qualified to advise people on legal matters and to an attorney (US)
represent them in court.
evidence (n : U) Her statement to the police was used as ~ against him. = proof (n)
- clear / convincing / written ~.
lack of evidence (n) All charges against him were dropped for ~.
prove sth. (v) Everybody is innocent until ~d guilty. = proven (US)
a court (of law) (n) His case will be heard in ~ next month. the Supreme Court
sue sb. (v) She decided to ~ the doctor who had not treated her = take sb to court
child properly.
innocent (adj) All prisons are full of people claiming to be ~. guilty (adj) innocence (n)
a judge (n) The ~ sentenced John to ten years in prison. a jury (n)
a trial (n) A ~ is a formal meeting at a court of law, at which a the right to a fair ~
judge or jury listens to the evidence and decides whether
a person is guilty of a crime.
deny sth (v) When he was questioned by the police he ~ied having admit sth (v)
stolen the jewellery. a denial (n)
a confession (n) The judge explained to him that he could avoid prison in a forced ~
exchange for a full ~. confess sth (v)
a verdict (n) After lengthy deliberations the jury returned a ~ of not reach ~
guilty.
accuse sb (of) (v) He was falsely ~d of being involved in terrorism. an accusation (n)
- ~ sb of murder / theft / robbery / burglary/ rape -
a witness (n) The five ~es of the accident will be asked to give give evidence for /
evidence in court. against sb
(take) an oath (n) Before giving evidence in court, witnesses have to take be on / under oath
an ~ in which they swear to tell the truth.
defence (n) In a court of law, an accused person's ~ presents defense (AmE)
evidence in his favour and usually pleads not guilty. defend sb (v)
self-defence (n) The judge decided that he was not guilty of a crime as
he had acted in ~.
prosecution (n) Mr Black, speaking for the ~, said that the crimes had prosecute sb (v)
been committed over a period of six months. a prosecutor (n)
a defendant (n) A prosecutor is a public official who charges a ~ a district attorney
officially with a crime in a court of law. (US)
an accomplice (n) An ~ is a person that helps another person to commit a be involved in sth
crime.
acquit (sb of sth : v) Eventually both defendants were ~ted of murder. convict sb (v)
punishment (n) The ~ should fit the crime. punish sb (v)
- a light / heavy / cruel ~ - capital ~
a sentence (n) He is serving his ~ in a low-security prison. prison / life ~
sentence sb (v) The murderer was ~d to twenty years in prison.
capital punishment (n) All member states of the European Union have = the death penalty /
abolished ~. a death sentence
appeal (against sth) The lawyers of the convicted man announced that they a court of appeal (n)
would ~ against the court's decision.
murder (n) ~ is the crime of killing another person deliberately. = a homicide (US)
manslaughter (n) In a case of ~, on the other hand, there is no proof of an slaughter a pig
intention to take another person's life.
release sb (v) The judge decided that he can't be ~d from prison since an early release (n)
it would be an unacceptable risk to the public.
deterrence (n) Hopefully his punishment will act as a ~ to others. deter sb
(v: from doing sth)
a possession (n) Unfortunately, they lost all their ~s in a fire. = property (n) /
the owner (n) - the original / present / former ~ - belongings (n)
property (n) When she died she left all her ~ to her nephew in private / public /
Bavaria. stolen ~
affordable (adj) Auctions occasionally offer high-quality products at ~ be able to afford sth
prices.
the poverty line (n) According to recent statistics, more than 20% of poverty (n)
American families live below the ~. poor (adj)
wealth (n) The discovery of oil brought great ~ to the formerly wealthy (adj)
poor area. = rich
a currency (n) A lot of the food produced in Mexico is exported in a single European ~
order to earn hard ~.
exchange rate (n) What is the current ~ rate between the dollar and the
euro?
a stockbroker (n) A ~ is a person whose job it is to buy and sell stocks or NYSE (New York
shares to investors. Stock Exchange)
a shareholder (n) The ~s of a company are all the people or organisations a share index
owning some of its shares. (e.g. Dow-Jones Index)
outsourcing (n) Many shareholders support ~ to low-cost countries in
order to increase profits.
supply and demand (n) One of the basic assumptions in economics is that free a supplier (n)
markets will produce a balance between ~.
a trade deficit (n) With imports steadily increasing, America's ~ has ↔ a trade surplus (n)
increased for several years.
a current account (n) We regret to inform you that your ~ has been a bank account (n)
overdrawn by $2,000. a savings account
withdraw sth (v) I would like to ~ $200 from my savings account, be in the red
please.
a loan (n) The government wants to make it easier for small a ~ shark (n)
businesses to receive bank ~s (= a credit) borrow money
interest (n) If you pay your money into a savings account, you'll lower / raise ~ rates
just get 3% ~ on it.
owe (sb money) (v) If you ~ somebody money, you are under an obligation She still ~s me $ 5.
to repay for something you have received.
debt (n) She borrowed a considerable sum of money several be in ~
years ago and she is still paying off her ~.
broke (adj) Could you do me a favour and lend me some money, = penniless (adj)
please? - I'm afraid I can't. I'm ~ myself.
a pay increase (n) The staff of the company have received an annual ~ of sb's salary / income
$200 over the last few years.
a tax (n) ~ is the percentage of your income you have to pay to income ~ (n)
the government in return for public services. value added ~ (n)
a bill (n) It's high time for us to pay our heating and electricity ~. a $20 bill (n)
(= banknote)
a tip (n) Service wasn't included in the bill so we left a generous the ~ of your
~ for the waitress. tongue
a coin (n) He gave me my change in 10 and 50 pence ~s.
a wallet (n) You should always carry your ~ in an inside pocket of = a purse (n)
your jacket.
acquire sth (v) Our company has ~d new office space in the City, an acquisition (n)
London's financial centre.
a bargain (n) The latest edition of a monolingual dictionary for just a ~ hunter (n)
$ 5 – that's a real ~.
the rental (of sth) (n) The successful company has become Britain's leading rent / hire a car
car ~ chain. live rent-free
an estate agent (n) An ~ works for a company buying and selling real = a realtor (US)
estate, i.e. houses and land.
the standard of living The last fifty years have seen an unprecedented increase = sb's living standard
(n) in the ~ in Western Europe.
a competitor (n) Unfortunately, their main ~s have developed products competition (n)
that are superior to their own models. compete with (v)
a merger (n) The ~ between Daimler and Chrysler gave rise to the merge (v: with sb)
largest company in Germany.
hire sb (v) They ~d a dozen workers in order to renovate their = employ sb (v)
house.
an employer (n) ~s have stressed their unwillingness to raise wages. = boss / manager
an employee (n) As the ~s in this shop are very helpful, I always do my = the staff (n)
shopping there.
dismiss sb (v) He was ~ed for stealing money from a co-worker. = fire sb = sack sb (v)
(make sb) redundant The management of the company is planning to make
(adj) further staff ~. redundancies (n)
resign (v) When she won in the lottery, she ~ed from her job = give notice
immediately.
the terms of a contract Make sure you have read and completely understood all sign a contract
(n) the terms of the ~ prior to signing it.
unemployment (n) National ~ figures have fallen for the sixth consecutive rate of ~ (n)
month.
unemployment The number of people on the dole, i.e. receiving ~, has unemployed (adj)
benefits (n) declined.
a vacancy Due to increased orders, our company has several ~s = a job or position that
(n; pl: vacancies) for qualified staff with word-processing experience. is available
a job centre (n) / The government has created a network of regional ~s a careers adviser (n)
employment agency where experts give advice on vacancies and career
opportunities.
a trade union (n) A ~ is an organisation that tries to protect the rights of the labour
the labour force. movement
wage negotiations (n) Representatives of trade unions and employers met in = salary = income (n)
Cardiff yesterday for a first round of ~. negotiate (v)
a labour dispute (n) The car industry is facing a lengthy ~ over higher go on strike (n)
wages and shorter working hours.
(work) overtime (adv) Demand for the company's products was so high that all ~ earnings (n)
employees had to work ~.
skilled (labour) Technological innovation has led to an increasing ↔ unskilled workers
(adj) demand for ~ labour.
indispensable (adj) In today's economy, computer specialists have become = one cannot do
~ for almost every company. without them
promotion (n) Although he has applied for ~ four times already, he be promoted
has still got his old job.
retirement (n) She only works half-time since she is already the age of ~ (n)
approaching ~. retire from (v)
an incentive (n) The government has promised to introduce further ~s, receive subsidies
e.g. tax breaks, for setting up one's own business.
economic growth (n) Wall Street and other global financial markets have = economic expansion
reacted nervously as ~ in the US has slowed down for
the first time in four years. economic recovery
a recession (n) A ~ in the US would be bad news, especially for the = an economic decline
export-oriented German industry.
a consumer society (n) In today's ~, almost everybody can afford to go on a consume sth (v)
holiday abroad. consumption (of: n)
(make) a fortune (n) Like many other clever investors, he made a ~ on the = become wealthy
stock exchange two years ago.
turnover (n) Many e-commerce companies are still struggling with = total amount of
low ~s and a lack of profitability. goods or services sold
evaluate sth (v) His bank will ~ the current worth of his company an evaluation (n)
before extending its line of credit.
nationalisation (n) ~, i.e. state ownership and control of major industries, nationalise
has proved to be a fatal mistake for many countries in (a company)
Eastern Europe. ↔ privatise sth (v)
politics (n) He failed in ~ because he was such a poor speaker. a politician (n)
policy (n) - foreign / economic / social / defence / immigration ~ -
parliament (n) The prime minister is unlikely to get this law through ~. a MP (n)
government (n) When parliament voted against the prime minister, the a minister (n)
whole ~ decided to step down.
cabinet (n) The Prime Minister and his ministers, e.g. the Foreign Minister of the
Secretary and the Home Secretary, form the so-called Interior
~.
a department (n) A government consists of several ~s, e.g. the ~s of a ~ store (n)
education, the environment, trade, defence and the
interior.
head of state (n) The chief representative of a country is called ~. In the to head (v)
US, the ~ is also the head of government. ~ a meeting etc.
constitution (n) Unlike most European countries, the UK has no written an unconstitutional
~. law violates the ~.
civil rights (n) ~ comprise basic freedoms such as the freedom of = civil liberties (n)
speech, the freedom of the press and the freedom of
assembly, to name just a few.
equal (adj) The government's central aim was to promote ~ equality (n)
opportunities for women. inequality (n)
an election (n) The next parliamentary ~ will be held in 2013. a general ~ (n)
the electorate (n) ~ means all the citizens that are entitled to vote in a elect sb (v)
general election.
an election Both candidates for the presidency are preparing for a campaign for /
campaign (n) lengthy and expensive ~. against sth (v)
polling station (n) A ~ is a building where people go to cast their vote in The country is
an election. In a secret election, voters are entitled to going to the polls
polling booth (n) make use of a ~ so that nobody will know about their this week.
decision.
constituency (n) The whole country is divided into ~ies, each of which = an electoral district
is represented by its own MP. (US)
proportional ~ is a system that gives each party in an election a be in proportion to
representation (n) number of seats relative to the number of votes its
candidates have received.
first-past-the-post In a ~ system, the candidate receiving the largest = the winner takes all
number of votes in a constituency wins a seat in a majority system
parliament, even if he has not been able to win an of voting
absolute majority.
a mayor (n) She became the first female ~ of Boston (= head of a local government
city or town).
abstain (v) More and more citizens choose to ~ from voting (= not abstention (n)
(from voting) participate in a general election).
a referendum (n) When a ~ is held, all the people of a country have the direct democracy
possibility to vote on an important issue.
opposition (n) When the conservative government lost its majority, it oppose sth (v)
became the new ~. an opponent (of: n)
pass (a bill) (v) Parliament has just ~ed the latest bill on tax reform by a = approve of a pro-
majority of 219 to 213 votes. posal,
balance of power The three branches of government, i.e. the executive, a system of checks
(n) legislature and the judiciary, ensure a ~. and balances
impartial (adj) An ~ judge does not favour one person or party in = unbiased (adj)
relation to another. biased /one-sided
rule (n) India used to be under British ~ (a British colony) until the ~ of law (n)
it gained independence from Britain in 1947. ~ a country (v)
a (political) party The ruling ~ is most likely to win the next regional a one-party rule /
(n) election. state
abolish (v) The struggle to ~ slavery in the US has lasted for more abolition (n)
than a century.
reunification (n) In the year 2000 our country is celebrating the tenth unify sth (v)
anniversary of German ~
a predecessor (n) The Prime Minister has repeatedly claimed that he has a successor (n)
inherited the country's economic problems from his ~.
a dictatorship (n) ~s are countries ruled by one or few leaders with totalitarian states (n)
unlimited power.
a refugee (n) ~s are people trying to escape from political, religious, a refugee camp (n)
or military persecution.
persecute sb (v) They were ~d because of their political beliefs. a persecution
persecution (n) - to experience / suffer from / escape ~ - complex (n)
oppression (n) Many refugees have left the country in order to escape oppress sb (v)
~.
a riot (n) A ~ broke out when police tried to stop the = violent protest
demonstrators from marching on. a rioter (n)
clash (with sb) (v) Demonstrators ~ed with the police when they weren't a clash (n)
allowed to march on.
a curfew (n) The military leadership has imposed a dusk-to dawn ~. = everybody has to
stay indoors.
a civil war (n) More Americans died in the American ~ than in any a civilian (n)
other war before or since.
assassinate sb (v) If famous or wealthy persons are ~d, they are murdered an assassination
for money or for political reasons. attempt (n)
revenge (n) ~ means deliberate punishment or injury in return for an act of ~ (n)
what one has suffered.
retaliate The boy slapped his sister, who ~d by kicking him = take revenge on sb
(v: by doing sth) under the table.
capital punishment Several human rights organisations have called upon the = death penalty (n)
US to abolish ~ (= stop executing people). execution (n)
corporal punishment Some people have demanded that ~ should be = beat / whip sb.
reintroduced for criminals.
impose (v: sth on sb) The United Nations have ~d sanctions against North = place on sb as a
Korea because of severe human rights violations. punishment
sanctions (n) ~ are economic or military measures to enforce inter-
national law.
defuse (a crisis) The UN has held talks with Israeli and Palestinian = reduce tension or
(v) leaders in order to ~ the crisis in the Middle east. danger
peaceful (adj) The UN tried to find a ~ solution to the conflict. violent (adj)
negotiate (with sb) Their employer has refused to ~ with them about a = peace negotiations
(v) further pay increase. (n)
a treaty (n) A ~ is a written agreement between two or more states. a peace ~
≠ contract
an enemy (n) The two countries decided to combine forces against ≠ an opponent (n)
their common ~. friendly / allied
hostile (adj) ~ troops have occupied one of the border towns. troops
conquer sth (v) The Normans ~ed England in 1066. William the
Conqueror
ambush (n) The thieves were lying in ~ for their victims. = a surprise attack
from a hidden position
withdraw (from) The general has refused to ~ his troops from the town ~ money
(v) in spite of heavy attacks. from the bank
a cease-fire (n) The warring factions arranged a ~ so that details of a = military order to
peace treaty could be discussed. stop fighting
surrender (v) On 8th May 1945, the Third Reich ~ed to the allied admit defeat
forces.
military service (n) The United States and Germany have introduced a a conscientious
professional army, whereas other countries still have ~. objector
torture (n) The human-rights organisation Amnesty International torture sb (v)
investigates the use of ~ on prisoners.
science (n) ~ deals with observed facts and the relationships among a scientist (n)
those facts.
scientific (adj) The twentieth century has witnessed a dramatic increase the ~ community (n)
in ~ progress.
a scientist (n) ~s study a wide variety of subjects, such as clues to the
a researcher (n) origin of the universe. Other ~s examine the structure of do research
cells in living organisms.
investigate (v) Still others ~ why we act the way we do, or try to solve = examine sth (v)
complicated mathematical problems.
absorb sth (v) They concluded that further research is needed to Plants ~ oxygen.
investigate how plants ~ different nutrients.
an engineer (n) Science attempts to explain how and why things happen. mechanical/aerospace/
~ are concerned with making things happen. civil etc. engineers
discover sth (v) About 10,000 years ago, people first ~ed how to raise a discovery (n)
animals and crops.
powered by In the early 1900's, farmers began using machines ~ by powerful (adj)
gasoline or electricity.
a power plant (n) ~s, often called power stations, use coal, nuclear fuel, or a ~ produces
oil to produce electricity. electric power
an invention (n) Computers, lasers, plastics, refrigerators, and television an inventor (n)
are only a few of the ~s that have transformed human inventive (adj)
life in our century. a discovery (n)
an antibiotic (n) ~s and other new drugs have helped control most a drug / medicine
infectious diseases. (AE) (BE)
an advance in (n) As a result of ~s in agricultural technology, one U.S. progress (n)
farmer today produces enough food for 101 people.
an assembly line (n) ~s depend on division of labour, in which small portions a conveyor belt (n)
of a job are divided among different workers.
manufacturing (n) Similar developments have occurred in ~, mining, and manufacture sth (v)
other industries.
productivity (n) Technological developments have made it possible to productive (adj)
produce the same amount of goods and services with
less labour and have thus greatly increased ~.
benefit sb (v) The advance of technology has ~ted people in numerous = profit from sth (v)
ways.
life expectancy (n) Above all, technology has raised ~ in industrial the average ~
infant mortality (n) countries to about 75 years, mainly by reducing ~
through sanitation and immunisation and better health
care and nutrition.
repetitive (adj) ~, low-skill jobs can be boring for people to do for long monotonous (adj)
periods of time.
automated (adj) ~ machinery is well suited to these routine tasks, such as be on autopilot
assembling and packaging manufactured products.
a robot Nowadays automobiles are painted by ~s using spray a robotics firm
paint that would be harmful to people.
anticipate sth (v) On the other hand, many of the problems caused by expect sth (v)
technology have not been ~d.
a side-effect (n) Once a new technology has been introduced on a wide
scale, people often find that it has some unexpected ~s.
pollution (n) Most industrial countries face problems of air, water, pollute sth (v)
soil, and noise ~.
a pollutant (n) E.g., power plants that burn oil or other fuels to generate
electricity add millions of tons of ~s to the air annually.
natural resources (n) Also, car production uses up iron and other ~.
a breakthrough (n) ~s in nuclear research, for instance, have led to the a major ~
development of powerful weapons of mass destruction.
a challenge (n) One of the greatest ~s today is to spread technology's challenge sb (v)
benefits to the people of developing countries.
climate (n) Scientists are trying to provide data in order to predict a ~ of hostility /
future ~ changes. distrust / suspicion
acid rain (n) ~ is a term for rain, snow or sleet that has been polluted an acid (n)
by acids.
greenhouse effect (n) ~ is a warming of the atmosphere and surface of our greenhouse tomatoes
planet caused by a complex process involving sunlight
tropical rain forests and gases, and the rapid reduction of ~. the tropics (n)
fossil fuels (n) Most of the increase in greenhouse gases has been due = coal, oil, and natural
to the burning of ~ gas
global warming (n) Scientists assume that an increase in carbon dioxide has all around the globe
raised the surface temperature, thus leading to ~. (n)
contaminated (adj) Drinking water becomes ~ if sewage leaks into the = polluted (adj)
water supply.
radiation (n) However, nuclear ~ can be extremely dangerous. radioactivity (n)
Exposure to radioactive materials can result in a X-rays
condition called ~ sickness.
waste sth (v) We should stop ~ing energy and other valuable = squander sth (v)
resources.
waste (n) - nuclear / chemical / toxic / household ~ - = refuse / litter / junk
dump sth (v) Environmental protesters call attention to risks such as She has ~ed her
the ~ing of radioactive and hazardous waste at sea. boy-friend again.
genetic engineering ~ is the term applied to techniques that alter the a gene (n)
hereditary material in an organism.
genetically modified GM food, i.e. ~ food such as tomatoes with increased = genetically
flavour and shelf life are becoming more widespread. manipulated
cloning (n) In 1996, a group of Scottish scientists achieved the first a clone of (a sheep)
successful ~ of a sheep, which they named Dolly.
a famine (n) Many of the developing nations suffer regularly from starve (v) /
food shortages and ~s. die of starvation
malnutrition (n) Roughly half a billion people on the earth suffer from ~, nutrition (n)
either from having too little food or from eating the nourish sb (v)
wrong food.
fertile (adj) ~ soil yields good crops, whereas deserts are unsuitable fertility (n)
for agriculture.
a donation (n) The world's least developed countries depend on donate money
support from wealthy nations, e.g. disaster relief and (for a good cause)
private ~s.
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ADVANCED VOCABULARY (30) : INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
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