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Contents Thanks Enhanced ebook Introduction Effective vocabulary learning 1 Learning vocabulary 2 Organising a vocabulary notebook 3 Using your dictionary 4 Guessing and explaining meaning Topics 5 Countries, nationalities and languages 6 The weather 7 Describing people: appearance 8 Describing people: personality 9 Idioms describing people 10 Relationships 11 At home 12 Everyday minor problems 13 Global problems 14 Education 15 Higher education 16 Work 17 Business 18 Sport 19 Art and literature 20 Theatre and cinema 21 Music 22 Food 23 Physical geography 24 Environmental problems 25 Towns 26 The natural world 27 Clothes 28 Health and medicine 29 Medicine and technology 30 Health and lifestyle 31 Travel 32 Holidays 33 Science and technology 34 Computers 35 Communications and the Internet 36 Social media 37 The press and the media 38 Politics and public institutions 39 Crime 40 Money 41 Describing objects Feelings and actions 42 Belief and opinion 43 Pleasant and unpleasant feelings 44 Like, dislike and desire 45 Speaking 46 The six senses 47 What your body does 48 Praising and criticising 49 Emotions and moods 50 Commenting on problematic situations Basic concepts 51 Number, quantity, degree and intensity 52 Numbers and shapes 53 Time 54 Distances and dimensions 55 Obligation, need, possibility and probability 56 Sound and light 57 Possession and giving 58 Movement and speed 59 Texture, brightness, weight and density 60 Success, failure and difficulty English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 3
Connecting and linking words 61 Time: connecting words and expressions 62 Condition 63 Cause, reason, purpose and result 64 Concession and contrast 65 Addition 66 Referring words 67 Discourse markers in spoken English 68 Linking words in writing 69 Talking and communicating Word formation 70 Suffixes 71 Prefixes 72 Roots 73 Abstract nouns 74 Compound adjectives 75 Compound nouns 1: noun + noun 76 Compound nouns 2: verb + preposition 77 Binomials 78 Abbreviations and acronyms 79 Multi-word expressions Words and pronunciation 80 Words commonly mispronounced 81 Onomatopoeic words 82 hom*ophones and hom*ographs Counting people and things 83 Uncountable nouns 84 Words that only occur in the plural 85 Countable and uncountable nouns with different meanings 86 Making uncountable nouns countable 87 Collective nouns 88 Containers and contents Phrasal verbs and verb-based expressions 89 Expressions with do and make 90 Expressions with bring and take 91 Expressions with get 92 Expressions with set and put 93 Expressions with come and go 94 Expressions with other common verbs Varieties and styles 95 Formal and informal words 1 96 Formal and informal words 2 97 Similes 98 Proverbs 99 The language of signs and notices 100 Headline English 101 US English Answer key Phonemic symbols Index Acknowledgements 4 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate
Thanks Sabina Ostrowska wrote two new units for the Fourth Edition: Unit 15, Higher Education, and Unit 36, Social Media. The publishers would like to thank Sabina for her contribution to this new edition. Enhanced ebook You can buy this book with or without an ebook. The ebook has the same vocabulary explanations as the book. Using the ebook You can use your ebook on an iPad, Android tablet, PC or Mac. You can listen to the text on the left-hand page to help you with your listening and pronunciation. Using the ebook, you can: Listen to examples Make notes Highlight text Bookmark pages How to get your ebook Follow the instructions in the inside front cover of this book. English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 5
Introduction To the student This book has been written to help you learn new vocabulary. You already know a large number of English words, but to express yourself more fully and in a more sophisticated way at the upperintermediate level, you will ideally need about 4,000 words, so increasing your vocabulary is very important for your general progress in English. In this book, there are over 2,500 new words and phrases for you to learn. You will find them on the left-hand page of each unit. Every new word or phrase is used in a sentence, or in a conversation, or is in a table, or has a picture with it, or has some explanation of what it means. On the right-hand page there are exercises and other activities to help you practise using the words and to help you to remember them. The book has been written so that you can use it yourself, without a teacher. You can do the units in any order you like, but we believe it is a good idea if you do Units 1 to 4 first, as they will help you to work with the rest of the book in the best possible way. The Answer key at the end of the book is for you to check your answers to the exercises after you do them. The Answer key sometimes has more than one answer. This is because often there is not just one correct way of saying something. Where you are asked to talk about yourself, in the Over to you exercises, we do not generally provide answers, since this is your opportunity to work completely independently and in a very personal way, so everyone’s answers will be very different. The Index at the end of the book has all the important words and phrases from the left-hand pages. The Index also tells you how to pronounce words. There is a table of phonemic symbols to help you understand the pronunciation on page 258. You should also have a dictionary with you when you use the book. You can use a paper dictionary or an electronic one, or you can go to Cambridge Dictionaries Online at http://dictionary.cambridge.org. Access to a dictionary is useful because sometimes you may want to check the meaning of something, or find a word in your own language to help you remember the English word. Sometimes, you will also need a dictionary for the exercises; we tell you when this is so. To learn a lot of vocabulary, you have to do two things: 1 Study each unit of the book carefully and do all the exercises. Check your answers in the Answer key. Repeat the units after a month, and then again after three months, and see how much you have learnt and how much you have forgotten. 2 Develop ways of your own to study and learn new words and phrases which are not in this book. For example, every time you see or hear an interesting phrase, write it in a notebook, and write who said it or wrote it, and in what situation, as well as what it means. Making notes of the situations words are used in will help you to remember them and to use them at the right moment. We hope you like this book. When you have finished it, you can go to the next book in the series, English Vocabulary in Use Advanced. Along with this book, you can also use the more specialised titles: English Idioms in Use, English Phrasal Verbs in Use and English Collocations in Use, all of which are available at intermediate and advanced levels. Find out more at http://www.cambridge.org/elt 6 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate
To the teacher This book can be used in class or as a self-study book. It is intended to take learners from a lower-intermediate level of vocabulary to an upper-intermediate level. The vocabulary has been chosen for its usefulness in everyday situations, and we consulted the Cambridge International Corpus (now known as the Cambridge English Corpus), a written and spoken corpus of presentday English, including a huge learner corpus, to help us decide on the words and phrases to be included for students at B2 (CEFR) level. The new vocabulary (on average 25–30 items per unit) is presented with illustrations and explanations on the left-hand page, and there are exercises and activities on the right-hand page. There is an Answer key and an Index with pronunciation for the target vocabulary. The Answer key at the end of the book is for students to check their answers to the exercises after they do them. The book focuses not just on single words, but on useful phrases and collocations, and the vocabulary is illustrated in natural contexts. The book is organised around everyday topics, but also has units devoted to basic concepts such as time, number and movement, linking words, word formation, multi-word expressions, pronunciation and varieties and style, as well as a set of initial units concerned with ways of learning vocabulary. Typical errors are indicated where appropriate, based on information from the Cambridge Learner Corpus, and the most typical meanings and uses are focused on for each item. The units in the book can be used in any order you like, but we would advise doing the initial units (Units 1 to 4) first, as these lay the foundations for the rest of the book. The right-hand pages offer a variety of different types of activities, with some traditional ones such as gap-filling, but also more open-ended ones and personalised activities which enable learners to talk about their own lives. Although the activities and exercises are designed for selfstudy, they can easily be adapted for pairwork, groupwork or whole-class activities in the usual way. The Answer key sometimes gives alternative answers to the exercises. This is because often there is not just one correct way of saying something. Where students are asked to talk about themselves, in the Over to you exercises, we do not generally provide answers, since these exercises give learners the opportunity to work completely independently and in a very personal way, so everyone’s answers will be very different. When the learners have worked through a group of units, it is a good idea to repeat some of the work (for example, the exercises) and to expand on the meaning and use of key words and phrases by extra discussion in class, and find other examples of the key items in other texts and situations. This can be done at intervals of one to three months after first working on a unit. This is important, since it is usually the case that learners need five to seven exposures to a word or phrase before they can really begin to know it, and no single book can do enough to ensure that words are always learnt first time. When your students have finished all the units in this book, they will be ready to move on to the higher-level books in this series: English Vocabulary in Use Advanced, and the advanced levels of English Idioms in Use, English Phrasal Verbs in Use and English Collocations in Use, by the same authors as this book. Find more resources for teachers at http://www.cambridge.org/elt We hope you enjoy using the book. English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 7
Study unit 1 Learning vocabulary A What do you need to learn? Did you know that there are over half a million words in English but that the average native speaker only uses about 5,000 in everyday speech? You already know many of those 5,000 words. This book will help you to learn many of those that you do not yet know and it will help you to use them appropriately and accurately. B What does knowing a new word mean? It is not enough just to know the meaning of a word. You also need to know: – which words it is usually used with; – its grammatical characteristics; – how it is pronounced; – whether it is formal, informal or neutral. So when you learn a word you should make sure that you: • Learn new words in phrases not in isolation. • Notice how words commonly go together. These are called collocations and include: adjectives + nouns, e.g. rich vocabulary, classical music, common sense; verbs + nouns, e.g. to express an opinion, to take sides; nouns in phrases, e.g. in touch with, a train set, a sense of humour; words + prepositions, e.g. at a loss for words, in particular. • Notice special grammatical characteristics of new words. For example, note irregular verbs, e.g. undertake, undertook, undertaken; uncountable nouns, e.g. luggage; or nouns that are only used in the plural, e.g. scissors. • Notice any special pronunciation problems with new words. • Check if the word is particularly formal or informal in character, in other words if it has a particular register. C How can you help yourself to memorise words? Research suggests that some students find it easier to learn words if they (a) learn them in groups and (b) make use of pictures, as shown here. You can group words in any way you like – topic, grammatical feature, word root, and so on. The unit titles in this book might give you some ideas. D How can you help yourself learn more words? This book will help you to learn vocabulary in a systematic way. However, you can also help yourself to learn more words and expressions by reading and listening to as much English as possible. Here are some ideas about things you can read or listen to: websites recipes TV newspapers magazines fiction songs films podcasts academic or professional literature YouTube tweets sports reports audio books poetry blogs reference material (dictionaries, encyclopedias) conversations with native speakers radio, e.g. BBC World Service 8 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate
Exercises 1 Study unit 1.1 Here are some aspects of grammar to be aware of when learning new vocabulary. Give two examples of words that reflect this aspect of grammar. 1 a noun only used in the plural scissors 2 an uncountable noun 3 an irregular verb 4 a noun with an irregular plural 1.2 What aspect of pronunciation should you notice about the following words? 1 subtle thebis silent (not pronounced) 2 catastrophe 3 chemistry 4 answer 5 a record / to record 6 photograph / photographer / photographic 1.3 Read the text. Use words from the box to complete each ‘collocations fork’. English has a remarkable range of words. Thanks to periods of contact with foreign languages and its readiness to coin new words out of old elements, English has a particularly large vocabulary. For example, as well as kingly (from Anglo- Saxon) we find royal (from French) and regal (from Latin). There are many such sets of words, which make it possible to express subtle shades of meaning. coincidence difference family likeness palace a phrase range shade suggestion a term welcome new words 1 a remarkable range likeness coincidence 2 to coin 3 a royal 4 a subtle 1.4 Write i by the words that are informal and f by those that are formal. 1 guys i 2 a minor 3 Awesome! 4 to alight (from a bus) 5 to feel gutted 6 a felon 7 to bug someone 8 to zone out 1.5 A student learnt each of these sets of words as a group. What is the unifying factor for each group? Can you add one more word to each group? 1 king, queen, prince, princess royalty -duke 2 sunshade, shady, shadow, shade,to shadow, shadowy 3 articulate, communicate, convey, express, put across 4 noun, verb, adjective, adverb 5 subtle, comb, lamb, crumb, debt, plumber 1.6 Draw a picture to help you remember each of the following vocabulary items. 1 circle 2 to coin new words 3 screwdriver 4 to drip 1.7 Over to you Look at the suggestions in D. Can you think of any other ideas to add to the list? Think about the ways of learning vocabulary that you use now, and think about ways you could use more in the future. English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 9
Study unit 2 Organising a vocabulary notebook A Organising words by meaning Try dividing your notebook into different broad sections, with sections for words for feelings, words to describe places, words for movement, words for thinking, etc. Charts and tables of various kinds can help you organise your vocabulary. Here is an example for words connected with music: Instruments Types of music Verbs Related words guitar cello piano classical (not classic) folk (not folkloric) world play strum (a guitar) perform practice (n) practise (vb) track release (an album) B Building networks of meaning A network diagram is useful. It can grow in whatever direction you want it to. THE WEB unfriend someone upload email post junk mail spam sign up tweet download (verbs) security identity theft virus password social networks surfing homepage forward pop-up link C Collocations and fixed phrases It is important to know how a word combines with other words (its collocations). Always record the common collocations of a word as you meet them, e.g. win (prize, award, medal) earn (money, a high salary) gain (time, an advantage) Where a word is often used in a fixed phrase, always record the whole phrase, e.g. in a hurry out of touch to and fro now and again D Synonyms and antonyms When you find a synonym (same meaning) or an antonym (opposite meaning) of a word you already have in your book, enter it next to that word with a few notes, e.g. urban ≠ rural stop = cease (cease is very formal) E Organising by word class Make a note of the word class of a new word (whether it is a noun, verb, adjective, etc.). Record words from the same word family together, e.g. produce (verb or noun) product (noun) productive (adjective) F Stress Record where the stress falls on a multi-syllable word, especially if the stress changes between word classes, e.g. produce (verb) produce (noun) productive (adjective) Language help Note any typical errors you make or which your teacher has mentioned. 10 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate
Exercises 2 Study unit 2.1 Organise the words into the topics below. Use a dictionary if necessary. tabloid stress hang out with sb exhaustion podcast overwork upload a video burnt out blogosphere journalist snowed under with work casual acquaintance blog be close to sb count on sb be under pressure topic words working too much / too hard stress friendship media 2.2 Here is a list of words a learner of English made in a vocabulary notebook in class. Organise them in a more efficient way, using the chart. rush oversleep latecomer alarm clock set a clock deep sleep fast asleep out of breath heavy sleeper in a hurry breathless nightmare dash yawn exhausted nouns verbs adjectives collocations fixed phrases latecomer 2.3 Change the sentences using a synonym (S) or antonym (A) of the words in bold using words from the box. glad spicy deprive sb of sth shot dissatisfied chilly 1 I was pleased glad to hear you’d passed your exam. (S) 2 I got some excellent photos of the Grand Canyon on my trip to the US. (S) 3 She was happy with the conditions they offered her in the new job. (A) 4 The prisoners were supplied with food and medical care. (A) 5 I don’t like mild curries. (A) 6 It’s a cold day today. (S) 2.4 Fill in the missing word forms. Then mark the word stress for each item. noun verb adjective person perfection perfect perfect perfectionist information inform politics economics * * Give two adjectives. 2.5 Over to you Think about your own learning style and which ways of organising vocabulary would work best for you. English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 11
Study unit 3 Using your dictionary A What a good dictionary tells you: the basics A good learners’ dictionary (in book form or online) can tell you about: • Pronunciation: this may mean learning some symbols which are different from the letters of the English alphabet. th in thick ð th in then ʧ ch in church sh in she ʤ j in jam ʒ s in pleasure ŋ ng in ring æ a in bad ɒ o in top O: or in form ʊ u in put a in about ʌ u in up ɜː ir in bird • Word stress: often shown by a mark before the syllable to be stressed or by underlining or bold type, e.g. /əd'venʧə/, /westən/, complicated. • Usage: how a word is used and any special grammatical pattern that goes with it, e.g. suggest + clause (not an infinitive) – I suggest you ring herright away. (NOT I suggest you to ring her right away.) B Additional information • Synonyms (words of similar meaning) and antonyms (opposites), e.g. mislay and misplace (synonyms), friend ≠ enemy/foe (antonyms). • Collocations (how words go together), e.g. the adjective firm is often used in these collocations: firm commitment, firm grip, firm believer. • Whether a verb is transitive or intransitive: catch is transitive and must have an object, e.g. He caught the ball and threw it back to me; laugh is intransitive and does not need an object, e.g. She laughed when I told her the news. • Whether a word is used for people and/or things. In this entry for the adjective hurtful in the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary online, we can see that hurtful can be used about what someone says or about someone: • Word class (often as abbreviations n noun, adj adjective, etc.), and whether a noun is countable or uncountable. • Information about how words are related to one another through meaning. The Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary online allows you to see a visual display of the networks of meaning for a word, as in this display for the adjective fascinating. The Visual Thesaurus shows related adjectives. hurtful /ˈhɜːtfəl/ adjective causing emotional pain: That was a very hurtful remark! How can you be so hurtful? The adjectives are grouped according to meaning. This can be very useful when you are writing. If you want to vary your use of adjectives, you can look up the related adjectives to see which one(s) most closely express(es) the meaning you need. enchanting enthralling captivating entrancing bewitching fascinating absorbing riveting engrossing gripping 12 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate
Exercises 3 Study unit 3.1 Pronunciation. What English words are these? 1 /edjʊˈkeɪʃən/ education 2 /ˈpɑːspɔːt/ 3 /ˈliːnɪŋ/ 4 /ˈlɪbəti/ 5 /rəˈvɪʒən/ 6 /ˈbrʌðə/ 3.2 Underline the stressed syllable of these words. Check your answers in your dictionary. 1 unique 3 urgently 5 record ( verb) 7 extract ( noun) 2 elegant 4 eyebrow 6 thermometer 8 lifestyle 3.3 Look at the grammar patterns which the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary gives for these words and then correct the sentences that follow. 1 supply /səˈplaɪ/ ▸ verb [T] to provide something that is wanted or needed, often in large quantities and over a long period of time: Electrical power is supplied by underground cables. Ο Three people have been arrested forsupplying armsto the terrorists. Ο The company hassupplied the royal family (= provided them with something they need) for years. Ο At the beginning of term, students are supplied with a list of books that they are expected to read. Brazil supplies coffee at many countries. Brazil supplies coffee to many countries. The officer supplied each soldier a map. 2 deny /dɪˈnaɪ/ verb [T] NOT TRUE 1 to say that something is not true: He will not confirm or deny the allegations. Ο [+ that] Neil denies that he broke the window, but I’m sure he did. Ο [+ -ing verb] Neil denies breaking the window. The Minister denied to have received any money from the oil company. (two answers) 3.4 Put a tick (✓) if these adjectives can be used about a person, or a thing (which could be an event, an object, a fact, an idea, etc.) or both. Use your dictionary if necessary. person thing person thing sad ✓ damp lucky awkward content compulsory 3.5 A typical dictionary abbreviation for a noun is (n) and for an adjective (adj). What do you think these abbreviations mean? (adv) adverb (pron) (conj) (prep) UK noun [C] verb [T] noun [U] verb [I or T] 3.6 Over to you Go to Cambridge Dictionaries Online at http://dictionary.cambridge.org, select the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary and look up the adjective damp. Click on the Visual Thesaurus. How many of the words do you know? Choose four words you don’t know and look them up. Record them in your notebook. English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 13
4 Guessing and explaining meaning Study unit 14 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate Working out meaning from context There are a number of clues you can use to help you understand the meaning of an unfamiliar word. The context in which the word is used • Visual clues: for example, a picture in a book or film footage in a TV news broadcast. • Your own background knowledge about a situation: for example, if you already know that there has just been an earthquake in a big city, then you will find it easy to understand the word ‘earthquake’ when you hear a news broadcast about it. • The words around the unfamiliar word: for example, ‘Tara picked one tall yellow gladiolus to put in her new vase.’ Even if you have never seen or heard the word ‘gladiolus’, it is clear from the context that it is a type of flower. • Grammatical clues: for example, it is clear that ‘superstitious’ must be an adjective in the sentence ‘Alejandro is very superstitious and would never walk under a ladder’, or that ‘gingerly’ is an adverb in ‘Mike came gingerly down the stairs, trying to avoid all the broken glass.’ Similarity to other words you already know in English A large number of words in English are made up of combinations of other words. You may never have seen the word ‘headscarf’, for example, but it is easy to work out that it is a scarf worn on the head. Units 74–76 will help you improve your skills in understanding how English uses everyday words to build up new concepts. Structure A prefix or suffix may give you a clue: for example, Units 70–72 focus on different aspects of word formation in English and should help you use those clues to make sense of unfamiliar words. Similarity to a word you know in your own (or some other) language If your first language is of Latin or of Germanic origin, you will come across many words in English that resemble words in your own language. However, English has taken many words from many other languages too. So make use of any other languages you know. But remember that some words are false friends – they sound as if they mean the same but in fact they have a different meaning. For example, gift in English means a present but in German Gift means poison. Explaining unknown words The following expressions are useful when you are trying to explain what a word or expression means: It’s probably something (a bit) like (a chair) … It’s got to be something you use for (painting pictures / cleaning the kitchen floor) … It’s a kind of (bird / musical instrument / building) … I think it must / could mean … A B
Study unit Exercises 4 Look at the following text. Before you read it, see if you know what the underlined words mean. A tortoise is a shelled reptile famed for its slowness and longevity. The Giant Tortoise of the Galapagos may attain over 1.5 metres in length and have a lifespan of more than 150 years. Smaller tortoises from Southern Europe and North Africa make popular pets. They need to be tended carefully in cool climates and must have a warm place in which they can hibernate. thisdrinkdoesn't contain sugar English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 15 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Which of the underlined words can you guess from the context or using any other clues? First make a guess and then check your guesses in the Answer key. Use the context to work out what the underlined words mean. Explain them using one or other of the expressions in B on the opposite page. 1 Above the trees at the edge of the meadow, a buzzard hangs for a moment on the wind before soaring towards the hills. I thinkabuzzard mustbeakindofbird. 2 According to some sources, the water vole is one of the most rapidly declining creatures in Britain and a new survey is now being carried out to determine how serious the threat of extinction really is. 3 Using a large chisel and a hammer, Jack managed to knock down the old garden wall. 4 Kate carried in a delicious chicken and noodle soup in a large tureen and we enjoyed several bowls each. 5 We often used to walk up to the cliff top where we would clamber over the farmer’s gate and go right to the edge where the view was better. 6 Some people get really ratty when they haven’t had enough sleep. Use your knowledge of other basic English words to help you work out the meanings of the underlined words and expressions. Rewrite them using simpler words or explanations for the underlined words and phrases. 1 It says on the can thatthis drink is sugar-free. 2 I find Caitlin a very warm-hearted person. 3 I’ve been up to my eyes in work ever since I got back from holiday. 4 We walked down a tree-lined street towards the station. 5 The little boys were fascinated by the cement-mixer. 6 More and more shops now have their own special store cards and offer you a discount if you use one of them. Use your knowledge of prefixes and suffixes to suggest what these phrases mean. 1 to redirect a letter to sendit toadifferentaddress 2 uncontrollable anger 3 pre-dinner drinks 4 bi-monthly report 5 my ex-boss 6 anti-tourist feelings 7 to disconnect the telephone 8 undelivered letters
Countries, nationalities and languages Using ‘the’ Most names of countries are used without ‘the’, but some countries and other names have ‘the’ before them, e.g. the United States / the US(A), the United Kingdom / the UK, the Netherlands, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates / the UAE, the European Union / the EU, the Commonwealth. Adjectives referring to people, countries and languages With -ish: British Irish Flemish Polish Danish Turkish Spanish With -(i) an: Canadian Brazilian Latvian Korean Russian Australian With -ese: Japanese Chinese Vietnamese Portuguese Maltese Taiwanese With -i: Israeli Iraqi Kuwaiti Pakistani Yemeni Bangladeshi With -ic: Icelandic Arabic Slavonic Some adjectives are worth learning separately, e.g. Swiss, Thai, Greek, Dutch, Cypriot. Nationalities Some nationalities and cultural identities have nouns for referring to people, e.g. a Finn, a Swede, a Turk, a Spaniard, a Dane, a Briton, an Arab, a Pole. For most nationalities we can use the adjective as a noun, e.g. a German, an Italian, a Belgian, a Catalan, a Greek, an African, a European. Some need woman/ man/ person added to them (you can’t say ‘a Dutch’), so if in doubt, use them, e.g. a Dutch man, a French woman, an Irish person, an Icelandic man. World regions North America The Arctic Scandinavia Europe The Mediterranean North Africa The Atlantic The Far East Antarctica The Pacic Australia The Antarctic Asia East Asia The Middle East The Indian Ocean Southern Africa The Caribbean South America Central America Regional groups and ethnic groups People belong to ethnic groups and regional groups such as African-Caribbean, Asian, Latin American, North African, Scandinavian, Southern African, European, Arabic. These can be used as countable nouns or as adjectives. Many Europeans enjoy travelling to the Far East to experience Asian cultures. Arabic culture extends across a vast region of North Africa and the Middle East. People speak dialects as well as languages. Everyone has a native language or first language (sometimes called mother tongue); many have second and third languages. Some people are expert in more than one language and are bilingual or multilingual. People who only know one language are monolingual. A B C D E 5 16 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate
Write the related adjectives in the correct columns. Ireland Iceland Thailand Latvia Israel Switzerland China Pakistan Turkey Arabia Brazil the Netherlands Korea Denmark -(i) an -ic -ish -i -ese (other) Latvian Irish Match the countries with their world regions. 1 Sweden c a the Middle East 2 Cambodia b Southern Africa 3 Nicaragua c Scandinavia 4 Tunisia d East Asia 5 Saudi Arabia e Central America 6 Botswana f North Africa Correct the mistakes in these newspaper headlines. English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 17 New James Bond to be played by a Swedish! 1 MALTISH PRIME MINISTER VISITS WASHINGTON 3 BRITAIN’S HAVE HIGHEST TAX RATE IN EUROPE 2 Swede Iraqian delegation meets Pakistanian President 4 5 Police arrest Danish on smuggling charge Famous names. Can you name a famous … 1 Argentinian sportsman or woman? 5 Italian opera singer? 2 Spanish actor? 6 Irish rock-music band? 3 South African political leader? 7 American golfer? 4 Australian singer? 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Lionel Messi Exercises 5.5 Over to you Complete the sentences so that they are true for you. 1 I am . (nationality) 2 My first language is . 3 I speak (number) language(s) fluently, so I am . 4 My ethnic/ regional group is . 5 I have visited these countries: . 6 I would like to travel to . 7 One language I would like to learn is . 8 I’ve never been to these two countries: and .
6 The weather Cold weather InNorthern Europe, daytime1 temperatures are often quite mild, even in late 2 autumn. The days are often misty3 ,foggy and damp4 . Soon, winter arrives, with frost 5 , icy roads and severe 6 weather, including heavy snow. As people expectthe weatherto be bad,they try and keep warm so they don’tfreeze! Freezing weather may continue in the far north until May or even June, when the ground starts to thaw/θɔː/7 and the ice melts 8 again. 1during the day 2 towards the end of a period of time 3with clouds of small drops of water in the air, making it difficult to see things in the distance 4 slightly wet, and not pleasant or comfortable 5 thin, white layer of ice on surfaces when the weather is very cold 6 extremely bad 7 change from hard, frozen state to softer state 8 change from solid to liquid under heat Warm/ hot weather In a tropical1 climate,the weatheris often stifling2 , muggy 3 and humid4 . In other hot climates,there may be boiling5 hot days, and heatwaves6 may be common. 1 very hot, as in countries near the Equator 2hot, uncomfortable, you can hardly breathe 3 very warm and a little damp 4hot and damp, makes you sweat a lot 5 extremely hot 6 very hot, dry periods Wet weather shower heavy pour torrential flood rain down rain This wet weather scale gets strongerfrom leftto right. shower(noun)→heavy rain→pour down (verb)/ downpour(noun)→torrentialrain→flood (noun and verb) This rain won’tlastlong; it’s only a shower.[short period ofrain] There was quite heavy rain during the night./Itrained heavily during the night. It was absolutely pouring down yesterday./ There was a real downpour. In Malaysia there is usually torrentialrain most days, and the roads sometimes getflooded./ There are sometimes floods on the roads. The sky’s a bit overcast; Ithink it’s going to rain.[very cloudy] We had a drought/draʊt/ last summer. It didn’train for six weeks. Wind There was a gentle breeze on the beach, just enough to cool us. There was a very strong/highwind and my umbrella blew away. There was a gale that day, so we didn’t go sailing.[very highwind] People stayed indoors because there was a hurricane on the way. [extremely high, dangerouswind] A B C D Common mistakes The noun weather is uncountable. We say: We had bad weather that day. (NOT We had a bad weather.) 18 English Vocabulary inUseUpper-intermediate
Answer the questions about the words in A opposite. 1 Which adjective could you use to describe something thatis wet, but not very wet? 2 Which adjective would you use before ‘summer’to referto the end part ofit? 3 Which verb means the temperature has gone up and there is no longerfrost orice? 4 Which word can be used to describe something that happens in the day? 5 What happens to ice cream on a very hot day? 6 If you see a thin, white covering on everything on a cold day, whatis it? 7 If you can’t see things in the distance, whatis the weather probably like? 8 Which two adjectives could you use to describe a wind that blows very hard? 9 Which adjective can you use to describe very bad weather? What types of weather do these pictures suggest? 1 2 3 4 Rewrite the words in bold using words from B opposite. I think it would be interesting to live in a hot climate. However, I don’t like weather that is hot and damp and makes you sweat . I even dislike the days that are slightly warm and damp which we get in the UK. Some people love extremely hot days, and I don’t mind very hot, dry periods occasionally, but when it’s hot and uncomfortable and you can hardly breathe , it’s just impossible. Maybe I should stay at home and forget about moving to a hot climate! English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 19 6.1 damp 6.2 hurricane 6.3 Exercises What kinds of weather do you think caused the following to happen? Write a sentence which could go before each of these. Use words from the opposite page. 1 We had to use the air-conditioning every afternoon. 2 The sweat was pouring out of us. 3 It just cooled us nicely on the hot beach. 4 Cars were sliding everywhere out of control. 5 The postman had to use a boat to get around. 6 You couldn’t really see the trees in the distance. 7 The earth became rock hard and a lot of plants died. 8 It blew the newspaper right out of my hands. 9 My hair and clothes got soaking wet. 10 It looked as if it would rain at any minute. 6.4 The weather was stifling . 6.5 Over to you This chart shows anyone who wants to visit the West of Ireland what weather they can expect at different times of the year. Make a similar chart for your country or home region. Dec–Mar April–June July–Aug Sept–Nov coldest months; usually generally cool, often warmest months; often mild, becoming wet; heavy rain; snow on wet and windy but sunny, with showers; cold; damp, misty and high ground getting warmer cool sea breezes foggy, often overcast tropical
7 Describing people: appearance Hair, face, skin and complexion /kəmˈplekʃən/ She’s got straight hair and she’s thin-faced/ she’s got a thin face. She’s got long, wavy hair and she’s round-faced/ she’s got a round face. 20 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate She’s got curly hair and is black. He’s got a crew-cut. He’s white. He’s bald /bɔːld/ and has freckles. He’s got a beard and moustache /mʊsˈtɑːʃ/ and has a chubby face. He’s got receding hair and a few wrinkles /ˈrɪŋkəlz/. He used to have black hair but now it’s gone grey, almost white. What sort of person would you find attractive? Blonde, fair, dark or ginger-haired / red-haired? She has such beautiful auburn hair. /ˈɔːbən/ [red-brown] Fair and dark can be used for hair, complexion or skin. Some people like getting a tan in summer [exposing their skin to the sun so that it goes darker], although the risks of getting sunburnt are well known. Height and build Fat may sound impolite. Instead we can say that someone is rather plump or stout, or a bit overweight. If someone is broad and solid, we can say they are stocky. A person with good muscles can be well-built or muscular. [generally said about men] Someone who is very fat can be described as obese /əʊˈbiːs/, especially when talking in a medical context. Someone who is thin can be described as slim [positive] or skinny [negative]. If someone has a nice figure, they have an attractive shape. [generally said about women] General appearance She’s a very smart and elegant woman, always well-dressed; her husband is quite the opposite, very scruffy and untidy-looking / messy-looking. Chloe looked stunning in her red dress. [very attractive] He’s very good-looking, but his friend’s rather unattractive. [opp attractive] Her eyes are her best feature. [the most attractive part of her face] Do you think beautiful women are always attracted to handsome men? I don’t. I think personality matters most. First impressions are always important. [your first reaction to someone] A B C Language help The suffix -ish is useful for describing people (see Unit 70). She’s tallish. He has brownish hair. He must be thirtyish / in his thirties.
Choose a word from the opposite page to complete these sentences. 1 I wish I could get a like yours but my skin just goes red in the sun. 2 My cousin used to have a lovely but she’s put on weightin allthe wrong places since she stopped taking much exercise. 3 Thomas’seyesarehisbest – they’re so large and sparkly and such a deep brown. 4 Jess is in herthirties but she still has the same lovely fresh as her young daughter has. 5 Staff atthe bank were told to dress smartly for work so they would always create a good on customers. 6 I’d call her ratherthan ginger-haired – her hair’s dark brown with just a tinge ofred in it. 7 George says thatthe round his eyes just show that he has smiled a lotin his life. 8 Even in jeans Alina manages to look . 9 Carla looks beautiful in old clothes and without any make-up but when she’s dressed up for an evening out she’s absolutely . Answerthese remarkswith the opposite description. 1 A: Ithought you said he was the short, chubby one. B: 2 A:Was that his brother,the one with wavy hair? B:No, completely the opposite, his brother’s 3 A: She’s always quite well-dressed, so I’ve heard. B:What!Who told you that? Every time I see her, she’s 4 A: So Charlene’s thatrather plump,fair-haired woman, is she? B:No, you’re looking atthe wrong one. Charlene’s 5 A: So,tell us aboutthe new boss; good-looking? B:No, I’m afraid not;rather 6 A: I don’t know why, butI expected the tour guide to be fiftyish orrather plump. B:No, apparently she’s only WANTED!MISSING!Complete the gaps in these police posterswith your own ideas. WANTED FOR MURDER WANTED FOR ARMED ROBBERY MISSING Jasmin Kaur, Age 7, Asian, height 4ft, thin-.............................. ....................................... , ................................. hair WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE Jack ‘Dagger’ Flagstone White,height 6ft, ............................. ,with ................ and ............... ; ............................... build. White,height 5ft4, .............................. hair, ............................. build, ............................ -faced English Vocabulary inUseUpper-intermediate 21 7.1 tan 7.2 No, no, no, notatall,he’sthetall, thin-facedone. 7.3 Exercises IanProwse White,height 6ft, .............................-faced, ................................. hair, ................................. skin 7.4 Over to you SandraKing Write a description of each ofthese people, giving information abouttheir hair and face,their height and build and general appearance: 1 you yourself 2 your bestfriend 3 a neighbour 4 yourideal of a handsome man / a beautifulwoman
8 Describing people: personality Intellectual ability lots of ability intelligent bright clever sharp shrewd able gifted talented brainy (informal) lacking ability stupid foolish simple silly brainless daft dumb dim thick (the last five are predominantly informal words, and they can all be offensive) clever, in a negative way, using brains to trick or deceive cunning crafty sly Attitudes towards life Amal is pessimistic while Nia is optimistic – he always expects the worst to happen while she looks on the bright side. It is strange that one of the twins is so extroverted while the other is so introverted – Ben loves being the focus of attention while Jake prefers to be alone with his thoughts. I feel very tense (or wound up / stressed out**) after a very busy day at work but, after a hot bath, I’ll soon feel relaxed. Eva is very sensible – she’d never do anything stupid. In other words, she’s very practical and down-to-earth. Roberto is very sensitive – he gets very upset (or worked-up, more informal), if he feels people are criticising him. Attitude towards other people Enjoying others’ company: sociable gregarious* Disagreeing with others: quarrelsome argumentative Taking pleasure in others’ pain: cruel sad*stic Relaxed in attitude to self and others: easy-going even-tempered laid-back** Not polite to others: impolite rude ill-mannered discourteous* Telling the truth to others: honest trustworthy reliable sincere Unhappy if others have what you do not have yourself: jealous envious One person’s meat is another person’s poison Some characteristics can be either positive or negative depending on your point of view. The words in the right-hand column mean roughly the same as the words in the left-hand column except that they have negative rather than positive connotations. positive associations negative associations determined obstinate stubborn pig-headed thrifty economical stingy mean tight-fisted miserly* self-assured confident self-important arrogant full of yourself** unconventional original eccentric odd peculiar weird** frank direct open blunt abrupt brusque curt broad-minded unprincipled permissive enquiring* inquisitive nosy** generous extravagant innocent naive ambitious pushy** assertive aggressive bossy** * These words are much more common in written than in spoken English. ** These words are much more common in spoken than in written English. A B C D 22 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate
Match the words on the left with their opposites on the right. 1 clever f a introverted 2 extroverted b tight-fisted 3 rude c courteous 4 cruel d gregarious 5 generous e kind-hearted 6 unsociable f dim Do you think that the speaker likes or dislikes the people in these sentences? Reword each sentence to give the opposite impression (negative rather than positive or vice versa). 1 Carmen’s very thrifty. Likes - Carmen's very stingy. 2 Molly’s usually frank. 3 Grace is quite broad-minded. 4 Sam can be aggressive. 5 Nico’s quite bossy. 6 I find Marcus self-important. 7 Don’t you think James is nosy? 8 Freya is very original. Pair the words that have similar meanings. brainless - silly brainless curt brusque direct crafty down-to-earth cunning frank gifted honest impolite miserly rude sensible silly talented tense tight-fisted trustworthy wound up Magazines often publish questionnaires which are supposed to analyse aspects of your personality. Look at the words below and match them to the corresponding question. pessimistic argumentative sensitive sociable extravagant assertive inquisitive reliable 1 If you arrange to meet at 7 pm, do you arrive at 7 pm? 2 When you have a problem, do you think the worst will happen? 3 Do you find it easy to tell your boss if you feel he or she has treated you badly? 4 Do you always look out ofthe window if you hear a car draw up? 5 Do you often buy yourfriends presents for no particularreason? 6 Do you frequently disagree with what other people say? 7 Do you lie awake at nightif someone has said something unkind to you? 8 Do you preferto be in the company of other people? What questions like those in 8.4 could you ask to find out if a person is the following? 1 thrifty Do you use up leftover food? 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 reliable 8.5 2 blunt 3 sensible 4 intelligent 5 even-tempered 6 original 7 obstinate 8 stressed out 8.6 Exercises Over to you Choose two people who are important in your life. Describe them using adjectives in this unit and give reasons why you chose each adjective. EXAMPLE My brother is sociable because he loves being with other people. English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 23
9 Idioms describing people A Positive and negative qualities positive negative She has a heart of gold. [very kind, generous] She’s as hard as nails. [no sympathy for others] He’s as good as gold. [helpful, well-behaved; used generally for children] He’s a nasty piece of work. [unpleasant] Note also: Her heart’s in the right place. [is a good and kind person even though they do not always seem so] He’s such an awkward customer. [difficult person to deal with] She’s a pain in the neck. Nobody likes her. [nuisance, difficult] He gets on everyone’s nerves. [irritates everybody] B Idioms based on ‘head’ You can learn idioms by associating them with a key word or words. Two of the idioms in A, for example, are based on gold and two on heart. Here is a set of idioms describing people based on the word head. to have your head screwed on [be sensible, informal] a head for heights [not suffer from vertigo] a head like a sieve [bad memory] a good head for figures [be good at maths] your head in the clouds [unaware of reality] to be head and shoulders above someone [much better than] to bury your head in the sand [refuse to think about a difficult situation in the hope you won’t have to deal with it] to keep your head [stay calm in a difficult situation] C How people relate to the social norm She’s a bit of an odd-ball. [peculiar, strange] He’s really over the top. [very exaggerated in behaviour] He’s (gone) round the bend, if you ask me. [absolutely crazy/mad] My politics are very middle- of- the- road. [very normal; no radical ideas; neither left- nor right-wing] D Who’s who in the class? Idioms for people in the classroom Sam’s teacher’s pet. [teacher’s favourite] Laura’s top of the class. Harry is a real know-all. [thinks he knows everything] Ali’s a bit of a big-head. [has a high opinion of him/herself] Anna’s a lazy-bones. The last three idioms are used of people outside the classroom situation too. 24 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate
Exercises Try to complete these idioms from memory if possible. 1 She does a lot of voluntary work; she has a heart … 2 Don’t expect any sympathy from the boss; she’s as hard … 3 I’m sure Ahmed will help you; he’s as good … 4 Although Florian sometimes seems a bit bad-tempered his heart is … 5 I don’t think you’ll like him; he’s a nasty … 6 I try to avoid having much to do with Liam. He’s rather an … What do we call … 1 an irritating person who knows everything? 2 the person who is the teacher’s favourite? 3 someone who thinks they are the best and says so? 4 the one who gets the best marks? 5 a person who is very lazy? Complete the sentences using an idiom from B. 1 I’d better write itin my notebook. I have… 2 AskMartha to check those sums. She has… 3 Don’t ask me to go up thattower. I’m afraid I don’t… 4 She’s very sensible and knows what she’s doing. She… 5 He’s quite out oftouch with reality.He really… 6 The problem won’t go away so there’s no point… 7 Max is top ofthe class,… everyone else. 8 Even when others around him are panicking Raul always… Which part of the body might a difficult person (a) get on (b) be a pain in? Which of the idioms opposite do you think these pictures represent? 1 2 3 4 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 25 9.1 of gold. 9.2 aknow-all 9.3 aheadlikeasieve. 9.4 9.5 an odd-ball 9.6 Over to you Choose five idioms from this unit that you could use to describe people that you know.
Relationships Types of relationship ANITA: Are you and Holly best friends? LUCY: She’s a good friend – she’s not my best friend. ANITA: But she’s more than just a casual acquaintance 1 , right? LUCY: Oh, yes. We were housemates2 at university. ANITA: Really? So how did you first meet her? LUCY: I met her through my ex 3 , Kallum. She wasn’t in a steady4 relationship with anyone at the time, and she was looking for someone to share a room. ANITA: Uh- huh. Is that Kallum who’s now Olivia’s partner5? LUCY: Yeah, that’s the one. They’re not just partners, they’re married and they’re colleagues too. They’re saving to buy a house now, so Kallum’s living with his parents-in-law6 at the moment. 1 a person you have met but you don’t know well 2 mate [friend; infml] is used in compound nouns to describe a person you share something with, e.g. classmate, roommate, workmate, flatmate, housemate. Workmate is common in non-professional or informal contexts; colleague is common among professional people, and sounds more formal. 3 ex-can be used without (informally) or with another word: ex-girlfriend, ex-husband, etc. 4 fixed and not changing suddenly 5 partner is used for someone you live with but are not married to, or for a business relationship where you share the ownership or running of a company 6 his wife’s parents (his mother-in-law and father-in-law) Internet relationships MyBook Home Profile Friends Inbox If you join a social network, you can acquire friends (people you share personal information with) and build up your list of contacts. You can invite people to become your friends, and you can choose to accept new friends who invite you. You can interact with your friends by exchanging messages or posting comments on their page. You can also share photos and tag your friends (name them in photos that you post). If you want to fi nish a relationship, you can unfriend/ defriend that person. Liking and not liking someone core verb positive (stronger) negative like love adore idolise dislike can’t stand loathe /ləʊð/ respect look up to admire look down on despise attract be attracted to fancy (infml) leave someone cold She doesn’t just like Ben, she idolises him. I can’t stand him. I really fancy Charlotte, but her friend just leaves me cold / doesn’t do anything for me. Phrases and idioms for relationships and dating Lily and I get on well (with each other). [have a good relationship] Jack and Amelia don’t see eye to eye. [often argue/disagree] I’ve fallen out with my parents again. [had arguments] Carl is having an affair with his boss. [a sexual relationship, usually secret] Let’s try and make it up. [be friends again after a row/quarrel] He’s dating a Spanish girl. They’ve been seeing each other for a couple of months. [meeting and spending time together] They met at a party and got together soon after. [started a romantic relationship] Common mistakes We say: People make friends. (NOT get friends or find friends) It’s often difficult to make new friends when you move to another city. (NOT It’s often difficult to get friends ...) 10 A B C D 26 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate
Use words with the suffix -mate to rewrite these sentences. 1 This is Jack.He and I share a flat. This is Jack. HeandIareflatmates. 2 Mike was the person I shared a room with at university. 3 We were in the same class togetherin 2006, weren’t we? 4 She’s notreally a friend; she’s just someone I work with. 5 Abbie is always arguing with the people she shares a house with. How many sentences can you write about the relationships between the people in the pictures, using words from the opposite page? EXAMPLE Jon andEricaare colleagues. 1 2 3 4 Complete the text messages with the correct form of words from B opposite. Have you checked your social media this morning? Sam has 1 you in a really funny photo and 2 it with everyone! My grandma has just 3 me to be her friend online! Don’t know if I should 4 or not. I’m going to 5 Emma if she keeps posting nasty 6 about me online. What do you think the relationships between the people below would be? Use the verbs, phrases and idioms opposite. 1 a teenage music fan: (a) parents He/ She might like/ dislike his/ her parents. (b) pop star (c) strict teacher (d) mate 2 a personal assistant: (a) another personal assistant (b) the boss (c) a very attractive workmate 3 a 45-year-old: (a) teenagers (b) ex-husband/wife who was cruel Correct the mistakes in these sentences. There may be more than one mistake. 1 Rosie and Matt don’t get on eye to eye. 2 I fell up with my parents last night. It wasn’t my fault. 3 We had a quarrel but now we’ve made it well. 4 Do you think Josh and Nuala are making an affair? I do. 5 I see very well with all my colleagues at work. 6 Jo’s attractive, but her mate just makes me cold completely. 7 Maria seems to find it difficult to get friends among her classmates. 8 I met my boyfriend at a party and we became together soon after. English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 27 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 see Exercises 10.6 Over to you Complete the sentences so they are true for you. is a good friend of mine. is just a casual acquaintance. Someone I look up to is . A famous person I loathe is . Someone I once fanciedwas . Someone I adore is .
11 At home Types of houses/places people live in bungalow semi-detached house self-contained flat: does not share facilities with any other cottage: a small house in the country or in a village studio flat: a small apartment for one or two people, usually with one large room for sleeping and living in, a bathroom and sometimes a separate kitchen villa: a large house with big gardens or a rented house in a holiday resort / tourist area Places in the home You probably already know the names of most rooms and locations in a typical home. Here are some less common ones and what they are for. master/main bedroom: the largest, most important bedroom utility room: usually just for the washing machine, freezer, etc. shed: small building separated from the house usually for storing garden tools attic/loft: space in the roof of a house used for storing things; it can also be converted into an extra living space with stairs leading up to it (attic/loft conversion) cellar: room below ground level, no windows, used for storing things basem*nt: room below ground level, with windows, for living/working studio: a room in which a painter or photographer works landing: flat area at the top of a staircase hall/hallway: open area as you come into a house porch: covered area before an entrance door terrace or patio: paved area between house and garden for sitting and eating, etc. drive: a short road leading from the street to the house or garage; you can drive/park on it Everyday objects in the home A B C remote (control) 28 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate socket phone charger table mat corkscrew toilet roll (coat) hanger peeler chopping board dustpan and brush grater ironing board /ˈaɪənɪŋ bɔːd/ Common mistakes You do housework, do the ironing, do the hoovering, do the washing-up. (NOT make housework) detached house not joined to any other house terraced house joined to several houses to form a row semi-(infml): joined to one other house a house with only one storey (no upstairs)
Where in a typical housewould you look forthe following things? 1 garden tools 5 the remote 2 a toiletroll 6 an ironing board 3 table mats 7 a socket 4 a hanger 8 a porch 9 a grater 10 old empty boxes English Vocabulary inUseUpper-intermediate 29 in theshed Labelthe places in the house. 1 2 3 4 5 Fillthe gapswith a suitableword. 1 The old house had a big underneath it, where the family used to keep wine. 2 I’llpreparethepotatoesandthenyoucandothecooking.Where’s the ? 3 Put a underthe coffee potin case you mark thattable. It’s an antique. 4 Let’s open this bottle.Do you know where the is? 5 We keep our skis up in the . They’re out ofthe way up there. 6 You’llfind the garden chairs in the atthe bottom ofthe garden.Bring them up and we’ll have a drink on the and watch the sunset. 7 The light switch forthe stairs is on the just by your bedroom door. 8 Grandma’s moved to a now she can’t manage the stairs any more at her age. 9 Leave your carin the , justin front ofthe garage. It’ll be safe there. Answerthese questions about everyday objects. 1 Howcanyoumakevery smallpiecesof cheesetosprinkleonadish? . 2 Whatmightyoufetchifsomeonedroppedacupanditbrokeintosmallpiecesonthefloor? 3 Whatdoyouneedif yourphonebattery is flat? 4 Howcanyouswitchoffthe TVwithoutleaving your chair? 5 Howcanyoucut vegetableswithoutmarking the kitchenwork surface? 6 Whatmight youoffer a visitoriftheywanttotakeofftheirjacket? 11.1 11.2 11.3 cellar 11.4 Useagrater Exercises 11.5 Over to you Answerthese questions about yourself. 1 Is your house detached?What sortis itif not? 2 Would you like to live in a studio flat?Why (not)? 3 Which ofthese household jobs do you most enjoy andwhich do you least enjoy – doing thewashing-up /thewashing /the ironing /the gardening /the hoovering /the dusting / the cooking?
12 Everyday minor problems A Things that go wrong in houses and flats This pipe’s leaking. He kicked the football too hard and it smashed a window. This pot is cracked. The batteries in this torch have run out / are dead. I’ll have to get some more. I’m sorry, your cup’s chipped. Let me get you another one. The lights aren’t working – there’s been a power cut. The door handle’s come off / fallen off. The washing machine broke down the other day. I’m sorry, the biscuits were at the bottom of my bag and they got crushed by the potatoes! My computer keeps crashing today! Everyday minor injuries She twisted her ankle coming down the stairs. I bumped/banged my head against the cupboard door and got a bruise. [/bruːz/ dark area on your skin where you have hurt yourself] Kelly tripped and fell down and grazed her knee this morning. [if you trip you almost fall down because you hit your foot against something; if you graze something, it becomes red with broken skin, but no blood] Other everyday minor problems I’ve mislaid my memory stick. Have you seen it anywhere? [put it somewhere and can’t find it] She spilt some coffee on the carpet. I hope it doesn’t leave a stain. [permanent mark] The sink is blocked. [the water will not run away] I’m afraid I’ve dented your car. I’m really sorry. I’ll pay for the repairs. [bent the metal a little bit by hitting something] My mouse has stopped working; it could be a software problem. I’ve locked myself out. Can I use your phone to ring my wife? The car won’t start. I hope it’s nothing serious. Perhaps the battery’s flat. The kitchen clock’s slow/fast/stopped. What time d’you make it? Language help Words often belong to more than one word class. In this unit, the following words can be used as verbs or as countable nouns: flood crack chip bump bang bruise graze dent stain lock Always make a special note of any word that belongs to more than one word class. B C 30 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate
What do you think happened to make these people do/ say what they did? 1 We had to send for a plumber. Maybeapipe was leaking. 2 I had to call out a local mechanic. 3 Our neighbours let us use their washing machine. 4 Don’t worry, the handle often does that – I’ll fix it back on. 5 Luckily, that was all it was; the skin was broken a bit, but there was no blood. 6 What type of batteries does it take? I’ll get some for you. 7 I don’t know where you’ve put them. Try the bedside table. 8 I left it in the oven too long. It’s all black on the top now! 9 I lost all my work – I know I should have saved it more often! Odd one out. Which of the three words is the odd one out in each case? 1 spill, flood, chip chip - the other two involve liquids 2 stain, graze, bruise 4 leak, smash, chip 3 run out, bump, flat 5 leak, dent, flood Here is a matrix with the names of things and things that can go wrong with them. Put a tick (✓) for things that typically go together. car vase elbow clock printer sink a meal banged ruined cracked broken down dented stopped blocked ✓ Write five sentences using combinations of words where you wrote a tick. EXAMPLE This clockhas stopped- perhaps it needs new batteries. Complete these sentences using words and phrases from the opposite page. 1 We had to use candles because 2 I didn’t look where I was going as I walked through the low doorway and 3 The wind blew the door shut and I realised I’d 4 I would ring her but I’m afraid I’ve 5 I can’t take a photo, my camera’s 6 I tried to run over the rocks but I 7 I accidentally sat on my bag of crisps and they 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 there wasapower cut. Exercises 12.5 Over to you What would you do if … 1 you mislaid your credit card? 2 you noticed your guest’s glass was chipped? 3 one of your coat buttons came off? 4 your mobile phone stopped working? 5 you bruised your forehead? 6 your watch was slow? English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 31
13 Global problems Disasters/tragedies earthquake [theearthmoves/trembles] flood [too much rain] drought /draUt/ [no rain] volcano /vɒlˈkeɪnəʊ/ [hot liquid rock and gases pour from a mountain] famine /'f{mIn/ [no food] landslide [rocks and earth moving suddenly down a slope] epidemic [disease affecting large numbers of people] explosion (e.g. a bomb) major accident / incident (e.g. a plane crash) hurricane / tornado /tO:'neId@U/ typhoon/tropical storm[violentwind/ storm] war / civil war [civil war is war between people of the same country] Disasters not caused by human beings can be called natural disasters. Verbs connected with these words A volcano has erupted in Indonesia. Hundreds are feared dead. The flu epidemic spread rapidly throughout the country. Millions are starving as a result of the famine. A big earthquake shook the city at noon today. The area is suffering its worst drought for many years. Civil war has broken out in the north of the country. A tornado swept through the islands yesterday. Words for people involved in disasters/ tragedies The explosion resulted in 300 casualties. /'k{Zju@lti:z/ [dead and injured people] The real victims of civil war are children left without parents. [those who suffer the results] There were only three survivors /s@'vaIv@z/. All the other passengers were reported dead. [people who live through a disaster] Thousands of refugees /refjU'dZi:z/ have crossed the border looking for food and shelter. [people who have escaped from their own country because of a war or other disaster] Millions of migrants enter the country each year, looking for a better life. [people who travel from one country to another, often in order to find work] During the battle, the dead and wounded /'wu:ndId/ were flown out in helicopters. [wounded: injured in a battle / by a weapon] Diseases/ epidemics Here are some headlines from newspapers all connected with diseases and epidemics. Explanations are given. A B C Language help Injure /'IndZ@/ is used about people. Damage /'d{mIdZ/ is used about things. 200 people were injured. Many buildings were damaged. /'reIbi:z/ disease can be caused by bite from a dog, fox, etc., very serious /m@'le@rI@/ usually caught because of mosquito bites acquired immune deficiency syndrome; often caused by sexual contact or contact with contaminated blood /ˈkɒlərə/ /ˈtaɪfɔɪd/ diseases causing sickness, diarrhoea, etc., caused often by infected food and water Cholera and typhoid injections not needed says Tourism Minister Rabies out of control in many parts of Asia New AIDS unit to be opened this month New malaria drug tested 32 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate
Exercises What type of disaster from the list in A opposite are these sentences about? Why? 1 The lava flow destroyed three villages.Volcano - lavais thehot liquidrock from the mountain 2 The aft ershock struck at 3.35 pm local time. 3 People had boarded up shops and houses during the day before, and stayed indoors. 4 Gunfire could be heard all over the town. 5 Witnesses said they saw a fireball fall out of the sky. 6 People had to stay on the upper floors and sometimes on the roofs of their homes. 7 The earth is cracked and vegetation has dried up. 8 They quite often happen in this area of the mountains and it can take some time for the roads to be cleared, especially if trees have been brought down too. Complete the missing items in this word-class table, using a dictionary if necessary. Where the space is shaded, you do not need to write anything. verb noun: thing or idea noun: person explode explosion survivor injure starve erupt In these headlines, say whether the situation seems to be getting worse or better, or whether a disaster has happened or has been avoided/prevented. Fill the gaps with a suitable word from B opposite. Try to work from memory. 1 Another 50 people died today, all of the famine. 2 Over 5 million have fled the war and are seeking shelter in neighbouring countries. 3 It was the worst road accident the country has ever seen, with over 120 . 4 A: Were there any when the ship sank? B: I’m afraid not. 5 The and were left lying on the battlefield; it was a disgrace. 6 The number of economic entering the country each year has increased sharply. Which diseases are these? Try to do this from memory. 1 One that can be caused by a mosquito bite. malaria 2 One you can get by drinking infected water. 3 One you can get from an animal bite. 4 One caused by a virus which destroys the body’s immune system. 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 victims 13.5 Experts warn of cholera time bomb Poison gas cloud spreads All survive plane’s emergency landing Flood warnings not heeded in time POLICE DEFUSE TERRORIST BOMB OIL SLICK RECEDES 1 6 5 4 3 2 getting worse English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 33
14 Education A Stages in a person’s education (UK system) The youngest children start their education in a crèche /kreʃ/, where they mostly play but also do some early learning activities. After that, they may go to a nursery school. Between the ages of five and 11, children attend primary school, where they learn the basics of reading, writing, arithmetic, etc. For most children, secondary education begins when they enter a comprehensive school or a more traditional grammar school (to which they gain admission by sitting an exam). The famous UK public schools are in fact private, fee-paying schools. Between the ages of 11 and 18, young people take a wide range of subjects in arts, sciences and technical areas. In the UK, pupils can leave school at the age of 16, although many young people choose to remain in full-time education until the age of 18. (In England it is compulsory for young people to continue with some form of education or training until they are 18 [they must do it], even if they also have a job.) From 16 to 18 young people may study at secondary school or at a sixth-form college, aft er which they may go on to higher education. Exams and qualifications You take/do/sit an exam or resit1 an exam. At schools and sixth-form colleges in the UK, students have to take formal end-of-year exams. At 18, a lot of students sit their university entrance exams, commonly referred to as ‘A levels’. Students are usually given marks (e.g. 75%) or grades (e.g. A, B+, C). If you pass and do well, you get a high grade. If you fail, you don’t get the minimum grade. If you skip classes2 , you’ll probably do badly in the exam. 1 take it again if you did badly first time 2 miss deliberately; infml Technology With an LMS or a VLE1 , students can work online and do more distance 2 learning or blended3 learning. Teachers can monitor4 students’ activities and progress5 ; students can choose courses and/or modules6 , submit7 work, write blogs, access wikis and leave voice messages. 1 Learning Management System or Virtual Learning Environment: computer system that controls all aspects of teaching and learning 2 without attending classes, e.g. from home 3 using a mix of classroom and online learning 4 check regularly 5 note: progress is uncountable 6 individual elements or parts of a course 7 send/ give their work to the teacher Talking about education: common questions What’s the school-leaving age? It’s 18 in a lot of countries. At what age does compulsory education begin? [which you must do, by law] B C D 34 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate Common mistakes We say: pass an exam, e.g. I passed all my exams and graduated in 2010. (NOT I succeeded at/in all my exams.)
Exercises Fill the gaps in this life story of a British woman. Amy first went to her local 1 school at the age of five. The year before that she attended a 2 , but her parents didn’t send her to a 3 when she was very small. When Amy was ready to go on to secondary school, she passed a special exam and so gained 4 to her local 5 school. Her friends didn’t do that exam. Like most children, they went to a 6 school. Only a few children from very rich families go to famous 7 schools and Amy only knew one girl from her class at primary school who did. At the age of 16, Amy went on to 8 , where she is currently studying English, History and Maths. Her ambition is to go on to 9 and become a teacher. Rewrite the words in bold in this conversation using words from B opposite. ALMUT: I’ve got one more exam tomorrow. I hope I get the minimum grade . I’m worried. JOE: Really? What makes you think you won’t get a high grade? ALMUT: Well, I’ve missed a couple of classes this term. JOE: Hm. If you get below the minimum grade, are you allowed to take the exam again? ALMUT: Yes, but I don’t want to. Next year I want to go to university, not sit my university entrance exams again! Correct the mistakes in these sentences. 1 In the UK, students between 16 and 18 can go to a nursery school. 2 The school-ending age is 18 in many countries. 3 I’m glad you succeeded at your exam. 4 She has to sit on a Biology exam next week. 5 Is school compulsive till 18 in your country? 6 Do we have to admit our work to the teacher by Friday? 7 I’ve made a lot of progresses in my English recently. 8 Thanks to the LMS, teachers can mentor their students’ activities. What do we call …? 1 learning that mixes classes and online work? 2 schools which require students to take an exam to gain admission? 3 private schools where parents pay fees? 4 learning you can do at home, without going to class? 14.1 primary 14.2 pass 14.3 sixth-form college 14.4 blendedlearning 14.5 Over to you Make a chart in English for the education system in your country. Is it the same as the UK or are there differences? Compare with someone else if possible. English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 35
Higher education University studies Students who attend university in the UK start with undergraduate studies, which are usually the studies towards a bachelor’s degree [a first degree at university]. They follow a programme of different modules [parts of the university course]. They usually have to complete a certain number of credits each year. For example, if the students need 180 credits, they might take two modules of 60 credits each, and their dissertation [long piece of writing] might be worth another 60 credits. When they have graduated [completed their bachelor’s degree], students become graduates. If they want to continue their university education, students can begin postgraduate studies. The first stage of this would be a master’s degree, and aft er that they can do a PhD (doctor of philosophy) [the highest university degree]. Postgraduate studies require students to specialise in a particular field, and they often do research. They usually have to write another dissertation (for a master’s degree) or a thesis (for a PhD). People, places, and types of classes A university campus A lecture theatre A tutorial If you visit a university campus, you’ll see a lecture theatre (or a lecture hall). During lectures, students listen to a lecturer and take notes. Some modules have seminars where smaller groups discuss the subject in detail. The academic staff [people who teach] might also include tutors, who teach students individually or in small groups, in sessions called tutorials. Many students live on campus in halls of residence (or halls). Student services A B C 36 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate Language help An undergraduate (student) or undergrad is a student studying for their bachelor’s degree. A postgraduate (student) or postgrad is a student studying for their master’s or a PhD. Notice that postgraduate and undergraduate can be used as nouns or adjectives. 1 a university department that deals with new applications and new students 2 qualifications that are needed to enter a programme 3 money that students can receive 4 money that students have to pay for their course 5 money that a student borrows to pay for their course 6 money that is given to a student to pay for a course (usually for students who are doing well at school) 7 an organization that deals with student issues and student life on campus, and a place where students can meet 15 Admissions1 To apply for one of our postgraduate programmes, check the entry requirements 2 on the programme page. Then click here to submit your application. Funding3 Tuition fees4 should be paid at the beginning of the academic year. To apply for a student loan5 or a scholarship6 click here. Student Union Visit our student union7 page to find out more about student societies and clubs.
English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 37 Exercises What do we call …? 1 A first degree at college or university 2 The lowerlevel of postgraduate degree 3 The highest university degree 4 A person who is studying fortheirfirst degree 5 A person who has completed theirfirst degree 6 A person who is studying for a master’s or PhD Choose the correct option to complete each sentence. 1 This undergraduate credit / programme / field lasts four years. 2 To complete the year students need 180 lectures / credits / modules. 60 of these are for the thesis. 3 After three years, you will research / credit / graduate with a bachelor’s degree. 4 My master’s field / credit / dissertation on modern English literature was 120 pages long. 5 Dr Lewis has been doing research / thesis / field into dolphin behaviour and has made a very important discovery. 6 Lucy is an expert in the field / programme / research of ancient history and has just completed her PhD on Greek art. Fill the gaps with words from B opposite. 1 A is a place where the university buildings are located. 2 Student accommodation is called . 3 Academic staff, such as professors,tutors and , have offices at the university. 4 are meetings (one-to-one or in small groups) with a tutor. 5 Students listen to talks in a . 6 Some are attended by two hundred students. Correct the mistakes in these sentences. 1 There are two types of student unions: student loans and scholarships. 2 You must pay your entry requirements by 17th September. 3 A great way of meeting new people on campus is to join some of the student scholarships and clubs. 4 The admissions office helps current students with their problems and life on campus. 5 Before you submit your application, read the student loan thoroughly. 15.1 bachelor’sdegree 15.2 15.3 campus 15.4 finance 15.5 Over to you Is the system of university studies similar in your country? Make a list of similarities and differences.
16 Work A Jobs in a workplace director [member of the board of a company] executive /Ig'zekjUtIv/ [important person who makes big decisions] administrator [person who runs the office day-to-day] skilled worker [trained to do specific tasks, e.g. building a computer] unskilled worker [doing a job that needs no training] receptionist [visitors must check in with them] public relations officer [gives information about the company to the media] union representative [looks after the staff’s interests] researcher [investigates and develops new products] supervisor [makes sure workers are doing their job properly] Common mistakes The best way of getting to work (NOT job) depends on where you live. Wish me luck in my new job (NOT work). Job refers to a particular role or position. Jack’s got a new job as a researcher. Work refers to activities that you do. Jack’s work is very demanding. B Trades and professions designer C Collocations of words connected with work It’s not easy to get/find work round these parts. I’ve been offered work / a job in Paris. What d’you do for a living? I’m in publishing/banking, etc. It’s hard to make a living as a freelance writer. [earn enough money to live comfortably] She’s not prepared to take on that job. [suggests ‘having personal responsibility’] hours of work to do shiftwork or to work shifts [nights one week, days the next week] to be on flexi-time [flexible working hours] to work nine-to-five [regular day work] not working to go/be on strike [industrial dispute] to get the sack [thrown out of your job] to be fired (more formal than ‘get the sack’; often used in direct speech: ‘You’re fired!’) to be made redundant [thrown out, no longer needed] to be laid off (more informal than ‘made redundant’) to be on / take maternity (woman) or paternity (man) leave [before/after the birth of a baby] to be on / take sick leave [illness] to take early retirement [retire at 55] other useful expressions to be a workaholic [love work too much] to be promoted [get a higher position] to apply for a job [fill in forms, etc.] civil servant [person who works for a government department putting policies into action] judge [person who takes decisions in legal cases] lecturer [university teacher] ambassador [chief diplomat or person representing his/ her government abroad] physiotherapist [person who treats muscle injury by rubbing and moving injured areas] economist [expert in financial matters] banker scientist PROFESSIONS [jobs that require considerable training and/or qualifications] /fIzi@U'Ter@pIst/ firefighter carpenter [person skilled at making things with wood] plumber [person who works with the supply and connection of water pipes] childminder [person looking after others’ children in her own home while their parents are at work] designer TRADES [skilled manual jobs requiring on-the-job and other training] 38 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate
Exercises 16.1 Which of the job titles in A opposite would best describe the following? 1 The person who represents the workers’ interests in disputes with the management in a factory. union representative 2 A person who has a high position in a company and whose job it is to make important decisions. 3 An important person in a company who sits on the board. 4 A worker whose job requires no specialtraining,for example, an office cleaner. 5 A person generally in charge ofthe day-to-day organisation of a company/department. 6 A person whose job itis to keep an eye on the day-to-day work of other workers. 16.2 Choose job or work to complete these sentences. 1 I’ll pay forthe plumbing work when it’s finished. 2 I’d like to apply for a in your office. 3 Youshoulddelegatemore to your personal assistant. 4 Let’s stop for a coffee on our way home from . 5 A in a museum wouldn’t be as tiring as one in a restaurant. 16.3 Using the expressions in C opposite, say what you think has happened / is happening. 1 I’m not working now;the baby’s due in three weeks. She’s on maternity leave. 2 He’s enjoying life on a pension, although he’s only 58. 3 One week it’s six-to-two,the nextit’s nights. 4 They’ve made herGeneralManager as from next month! 5 I was late so often, I lost my job. 6 I getin at nine o’clock and go home atfive. 7 Yourtrouble is you are obsessed with work! 16.4 Which jobs do these people have? Would you call the following a trade, a profession or an unskilled job? 1 physiotherapist -profession 2 3 4 5 6 16.5 Fill in the collocations. I’d love to 1 get/ have a job in journalism, but it’s not easy without qualifications. Since I have to earn a 2 somehow, I’ll have to get 3 wherever I can find it. I’ve been 4 some part-time work editing a new book, but I’m not sure I want to 5 it . 16.6 Over to you Think of five people you know who work for a living. Can you name their jobs in English? If you can’t, look them up in a good bilingual dictionary. English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 39
17 Business A Starting a business Ryan Archer had an idea for a business. He had a computer but it was never just right for all his personal needs, so he went to his bank manager and put forward 1 a business plan2 to sell custom- built3 computers on the Internet. He launched4 his business a year later, offering an individual service making desktop and laptop computers, and two years later rolled out5 an expanded6 range, including tablets and other hand- held devices. His firm7 now manufactures8 around 200 machines a year and delivers to 26 countries around the world. Ryan said, ‘It’s all about personal service and customer care 9 . This was our priority10 from the start. We didn’t really do any proper market research 11 and we weren’t sure if such machines would sell, especially during a recession12 . But I felt there were enough potential13 customers to make it worth the risk14 . I was right. Soon, designers, scientists, academics and other professional people were requesting personalised machines and our order books15 were full.’ Going forward 16 , Archer plans to expand the business further, and a new range of machines will launch next year. 1 offered for people to consider 2 a plan of how the business will operate 3 specially made for a particular person or thing 4 started, perhaps with a special event to mark the beginning 5 make a new product available for the first time 6 made bigger 7 company 8 produces goods in large numbers, usually in a factory 9 looking aft er the customer’s needs 10 something very important which must be dealt with first 11 (uncountable) finding out beforehand what people want or need 12 period of low economic activity and bad conditions for business 13 possible when the conditions are right 14 possibility of something bad happening 15 the list of orders waiting to be completed 16 going into the future Language help In business English, some verbs which usually need an object can often be used without an object or with the real object acting as the subject. with object real object as subject We sold 200 instruments last year. We didn’t know if the instruments would sell. They are launching a new range. The new range launches next year. They are rolling out a new range. The new range will roll out next year. B Common business English phrases and collocations The CEO1 of a big corporation2 gave us these tips for success in business: Do business in the markets you know best before trying to enter new ones. It may be difficult to access new markets 3 . Build contacts; that’s the secret. You may not make a profit immediately. Be patient. You will probably face stiff competition4 , so make sure your product is the best. Get regular feedback 5 from your employees and customers. They know best. Common mistakes Business can be countable or uncountable. We hope to do more business in Asia next year. (uncountable = the activity. NOT We hope to do more businesses...) New businesses are launched on the Internet every day. (countable = enterprises/companies) 1 Chief Executive Officer 2 a large company or group of companies that is controlled together as a single organisation 3 reach and do business with new groups of customers or parts of the world where something might be sold 4 (uncountable) other companies trying hard to be more successful than you 5 (uncountable) information/opinions about what people think of a product or service 40 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate
Exercises 17.1 Fill the gaps in the questions with words from A opposite, then complete the answers. forward 1 What did Ryan Archer put to his bank manager? He presented a . 2 What is special about the computers his makes? They are - . 3 When did he his business? A . 4 What did he out two years later? An of computers. 5 How many computers does his firm now? About a . 6 What was Ryan Archer’s from the start? Personal service and . 7 Why didn’t he do any research? He felt there were enough customers. 8 Why was he not sure if the machines would ? There was a at the time. 9 Was it all worth the ? Yes. His firm’s were soon full. 10 forward, what are his plans? He’s planning a new range of computers, which will next year. If possible, practise asking and answering the questions with someone else. 17.2 Rewrite the words in bold using words and phrases from A and B opposite. 1 The new service will be available for the first time over the whole country next year.roll out 2 The business didn’t make money in its first year. 3 There are a lot of possible customers for this product. 4 Their list of orders waiting to be completed was full last month. 5 It is sometimes difficult to get into new markets if you don’t have contacts. 6 We should pay attention to the opinions and reactions our clients post on our website. 7 Customer care is a most important issue for our company. 8 We need to make our business bigger in Latin America. 9 It’s important to create relationships with local people before you enter a new country. 17.3 Correct the mistakes in these sentences. CEO 1 She’s the COE of a huge corporation. 2 The new range of products will launch itself next month. We hope it will be sold! 3 The firm specialises in customer-built laptops for business travellers. 4 Bringing forward, we expect to increase our sales in Japan and China. 5 It’s important to get a feedback from our clients. 6 We’re facing competitions from American firms. 7 We hope to do more businesses in North Africa in the future. 17.4 Match the words on the left with the words on the right to make typical collocations. Then write a sentence using each one. customer order market custom stiff built competition research care books EXAMPLE Customer care should be a priority in any kind of business. 17.5 Over to you If you could start a business, what would it be? What would you need to do to make it a success? Write a paragraph outlining your ideas. Use words and phrases from this unit. English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 41
18 Sport A Some sports whose names you may not know hang-gliding (ten-pin) bowling fencing showjumping windsurfing snooker/pool/ motor racing snowboarding scuba diving archery billiards /ˈbɪljədz/ B Equipment – what you hold in your hand golf – club squash/tennis/badminton – racket darts – dart archery – bow cricket / table tennis / baseball – bat ice hockey / field hockey – stick snooker/pool/billiards – cue canoeing – paddle rowing – oar fishing – rod/line C Athletics discus (throw) pole vault javelin /ˈjævlɪn/ high jump long jump gymnastics She’s a great sprinter. [fast over short distances] He’s a great long-distance runner. (e.g. 5,000 metres) He’s doing a marathon next month. D Competition in sport She set a new Olympic record last year. He holds the record for the 100 metres breaststroke. England qualified for the World Cup but got knocked out in the third round. [achieved the necessary standard but lost at the third stage and were then excluded from the competition] Our team made it to / reached the semi-final but then we were beaten. [won every stage of the competition except the last but one, and so did not enter the final match/event] Most sports are very competitive these days. [involve a strong desire to win and be better than other people] She felt proud as she held the trophy in her hands. [cup or other object that shows she has won] Players who disagree with the referee set a bad example to the spectators and to their fans. [people who are present at a sporting event to watch it] E People who do particular sports -er can be used for many sports, e.g. footballer, swimmer, etc. Player is often necessary, e.g. tennis player, squash player. Some names must be learnt separately, e.g. canoeist, mountaineer, jockey, archer (NOT archerer), gymnast. Common mistakes In British English, the noun sport is used in the plural when it describes another noun (e.g. equipment, facilities, club). The shop sells sports equipment. (NOT sport equipment) However, you will hear the singular sport used before another noun in American English. 42 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate
Exercises 18.1 Which of the sports opposite are these people probably talking about? 1 The ball doesn’troll in a straightline on the ground. You have to aim away from the centre ofthe pins. (ten-pin) bowling 2 Provided it’s nottoo windy atthe top ofthe hill,there’s no problem. 3 Itis incredibly noisy,fast and dangerous, butit’s really exciting to watch. 4 The horse has to get over a series ofjumps without knocking the posts off. 5 It’s all a matter of balance.But sometimes you can’t help falling in the water. 6 You need a good eye and concentration, especially to hitthe centre ofthe board. 7 The different ball colours are worth different numbers of points. 8 It’s a fantastic feeling when the snow flies up into the air around you. 18.2 Name a piece of equipment necessary to do these sports apart from the item given. 1 golf: ball, club 4 field hockey: ball, 7 canoeing: canoe, 2 archery: arrow, 5 baseball: ball, 8 snooker: balls, 3 tennis: ball, 6 darts: dartboard, 9 rowing: boat, 18.3 Fill the gaps with suitable words. 1 She’s a long-distancerunner. She won a medal last yearforthe 1,500 metres. She’s won a lot of in the lastfive years and has them all in a glass cabinet at her house. 2 Were many new records atthe lastOlympics? 3 He’s doing a next week -running 42 kilometres! That’s 26 miles! 4 Who the world record forthe 1,000 metres these days? Is it a Russian? 5 His nationalteam failed to fortheWorld Cup so he’s supportingBrazil instead. 6 Last year, ourteam the finalforthe firsttime in 10 years but we lost.(two answers) 7 My team got in the second ofthe competition.We were very disappointed it happened at such an early stage. 8 AllOlympic sports are highly ; everyone has one ambition -to win gold. 9 Thousands of protested loudly atthe decision ofthe to give theirteam captain a red card. 10 The world’s best can run 100 metres in less than 10 seconds. 18.4 Correct the mistakes in these sentences. There may be more than one mistake. gymnast 1 She was a champion gymnastic when she was a teenager. 2 Are you a good tenniser?We’re trying to get a localteam together. 3 My brotheris an expert canoist.He’s won medals. 4 My fatheris a good golfist.He’s also an expert mountainer. 5 Is there a shop near here that sells sport equipment? I need a fishing rode. 6 I’d love to be a good archerer, but my eyesightisn’t very good. 7 Are you a sprinter or a long-distantrunner? 8 My favouriteOlympic sports are fence and the heightjump. 18.5 Which sport …? 1 covers a long distance in one jump? longjump 2 throws a heavy disc a long way? 3 throws a pole with a sharp point? 18.6 Over to you Make a list of (a) sports you have done and (b) sports you would like to do. Then list the equipment you needed / would need for each one. Write sentences about what you liked or disliked about sports you have tried, using vocabulary from this unit. English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 43
19 Art and literature A Art and the arts biographies theatre novels dance short stories LITERATURE PERFORMING cinema ARTS drama ballet poetry opera, concerts: classical/rock/ FINE ART(S) country and western sculpture ceramics /sɪˈræmɪks/ (making pots, bowls, etc.) painting architecture The arts (plural) covers everything in the diagram above. Art (singular, uncountable) usually means fine art, but can also refer to technique and creativity. Have you read the arts page in the paper today? [that part of the newspaper that deals with all the things in the diagram] She’s a great art lover. [loves painting and sculpture] Shakespeare was skilled in the art of poetry. [creative ability] Ask Sara to help you decorate your room - she’s very artistic. [shows skill and imagination in creating things] A work of art (plural = works of art) is an object made by a skilled artist - typically a painting, drawing or statue. The phrase arts and crafts is used to refer to the skills of making objects such as decorations, jewellery and furniture by hand. B Types of art and artists This is a sculptor – he’s creating a statue – his type of art is called sculpture. This is a potter – she’s throwing a pot – her type of art is called pottery. Henry is an architect – he’s designing a building – his type of art is called architecture. An abstract painting involves shapes and colours rather than images of real people or things. A portrait is a painting of a person. A landscape is a painting of a scene in the countryside. A still life is a painting of a set of objects that do not move, usually fruit or flowers. An original painting is one produced by the painter him/herself rather than a copy or reproduction. C Literature Lisa O’Donnell is one of the country’s most popular novelists 1 . She has written a series2 of romantic novels all with a historical setting3 . These have all been bestsellers 4 although the critics5 complain that her plots 6 are predictable and her characters 7 are not very realistic. Her cousin, Lucy Smith, is a more literary 8 writer and her books tend to get better reviews9 although they do not sell so well. Both writers have a novel which will be ready for publication10 later this year; they will also be available to download as ebooks11. We have received advance copies of both novels and it is interesting to compare the opening passage 12 from Smith’s latest book with an extract 13 from the first chapter of O’Donnell’s. 1 people who write long stories about imaginary people and events (remember a novel is typically at 2 least 150 pages long; anything shorter is a short story) set of books featuring the same characters 3 background for a story or film 4 very popular books that sell in large numbers 5 people whose job it is 6 stories 7 to give their opinion of something, typically books, films or music people in a book or film 8 serious rather than popular 9 what the critics write 10 making something available in a printed form 11 electronic book 12 short piece of text 13 part of a book chosen to be used in an article or for discussion 44 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate
Exercises 19.1 Which branch of the arts do you think these people are talking about? 1 He’s created some beautiful vases but 2 It doesn’t have to rhyme to be good. I’m not so keen on his other pieces. pottery 3 Oils to me don’t have the 4 Her design for the new 5 The first chapter was boring but delicacy of watercolours. city hall won an award. it got better later. 19.2 What type of painting is each of these? portrait 1 2 3 4 19.3 Choose the correct option to complete each sentence. 1 A sculpture / sculptor is someone who makes statues. 2 The Dutch artist Rembrandt was a master of art / the art of portrait painting. 3 On Saturdays there’s a market in the city square where they sell all sorts of art / arts and craft / crafts. 4 Which would you rather be good at - art / the art or music / the music? 5 I saw some interesting abstract works of art / work of arts at the City Gallery. 19.4 Find the missing words to complete the crossword. Across 1 C R I T I C S 2 2 The have generally been very positive about Kelly’s latest novel. 3 Do you like this picture? It’s only a 3 4 . I could never afford an original. 5 The author began his talk by reading a short 5 from his latest book. 6 I usually prefer to read books with a modern 6 rather than ones about some 7 unfamiliar period. 8 8 I’ve loved all the books in this detective .. I hope they’ll publish another 9 one soon. 9 Max is, of course, hoping that his first novel will become a . 10 10 Have you read any of the novel we’ve got to read for our English class? Down 1 Maria’s first novel is due for this summer. 2 You know from the first page thatthe two main in the novel are going to fall in love with each other. 4 The novel has a very interesting with some unexpected twists in it. 7 Leo’s short story is going to be published in the country’s leading magazine. English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 45
20 Theatre and cinema A At the theatre We went to see a new production of Hamlet last night. The sets 1 were incredibly realistic and the costumes2 were wonderful. It was a good cast 3 and I thought the direction4 was excellent. Toby Cartwright gave a marvellous performance 5 . It got rave reviews6 . in the papers today. 1 scenery, buildings, furniture on the stage or in a studio 2 clothes the 3 all the actors in the performance 4 actors wear on stage the way 5+ 6 the director had organised the performance note these typical 6 collocations got very enthusiastic comments Dance usually refers to modern artistic dance forms; ballet /ˈbæleɪ/ usually has a more traditional feel, unless we say modern ballet. A comedian is a person who entertains people by telling jokes. They may have a show of their own or they may feature in a show with lots of different entertainers. [people whose job it is to entertain others] The people who watch a show are the audience. Viewer is only used about someone watching a TV programme. Language help When we refer to a performing art in general, we can leave out the definite article, e.g. Are you interested in (the) cinema/ballet/opera/theatre? But: Would you like to come to the cinema/ ballet/opera/theatre with us next week? [particular performance] B At the cinema ANNA: Our local cinema’s showing Spectre again next week. Do you fancy going to see it? BETH: Yes, that’d be great. I love the opening scene1 at the carnival in Mexico City. The James Bond films are always set 2 in great locations. ANNA: Yes, and I think the film really captures3 the human side of James Bond. BETH: That’s right. A lot of work went into the script 4 for this, and the dialogue5 ’s particularly good, I think. ANNA: Do you know who the director6 was? BETH: Sam Mendes, I think. He didn’t write the screenplay7 , though. I’m not sure who wrote that. The score 8 is by Thomas Newman. He also wrote the music for Skyfall. 1 part of a play or film where the action happens in one place 2 take place 3 represents very accurately 4 the words of a play or film 5 conversation written for a book, play or film 6 person in charge of making 7 text for a film including instructions for actors and camera operators a play or film 8 music for a film C Other words connected with events in the arts The Opera Society are doing a performance of Don Giovanni. The National Theatre has a very large and versatile stage. [area above ground level where actors perform] What’s on at the cinema/theatre, etc. next week? (note the two prepositions) Sometimes they use our school hall as a venue for concerts - it’s a little small but is otherwise quite good. There was an actor on TV last night promoting an interesting new play he’s appearing in at The Globe. [providing publicity for; noun = promotion][acting; noun = appearance] 46 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate
Exercises 20.1 Fill the gaps with the correct form of the word in brackets. performance 1 Ithought allthe cast gave an excellent in the play last night.(perform) 2 I don’tfind that particularly funny.(comedy) 3 It’s unusualfor a film to have two butthis one did.(direct) 4 Paolo Tomassi is one ofthe best I’ve seen for a long time.(entertain) 5 It was one ofthe best of a Shakespeare play I’ve ever seen.(produce) 6 My favourite actor makes only a brief in the film.(appear) 20.2 Definite article or not? Fill the gap with the if necessary. 1 The government doesn’t give enough money to — ballet. 2 She’s got a diploma in dance from the Performing Arts Academy. 3 I’ve got some tickets for opera. Interested? 4 Shall we go to cinema this evening? There are several good things on. 5 I much prefer theatre to ballet, don’t you? 20.3 Choose the correct word from the box to fill each gap in this online review. There are some extra words in the box which you do not need. audience cast costumes critics entertainers performances productions reviews scenes screenplay script sets stage venue words Theatre Review Last night actors at the Central Theatre put on a new play by Martha Collins. I spoke to several other members of the 1 audience and they all loved it. They commented afterwards on the quality of her 2______________ . They were impressed by the 3______________ the actors wore. They also found the 4______________ original and visually interesting. Most importantly of all, the 5______________ was felt to be first class, with particularly strong 6______________ from the two leading actors. There were also positive comments on the 7______________ , which has been recently refurbished and has a large revolving 8______________ . The people I spoke to all hope that the 9______________ in the national press will write rave 10______________ about the show. 20.4 Ask questions for which these remarks would be suitable answers. 1 Yes, it gotrave reviews.Wastheplayasuccess? 2 No, I’m notreally a concert-goer, butthanks anyway. 3 Oh,romantic comedies, Ithink. 4 The cast were all good, butthe direction was weak. 5 A new Hungarian film;fancy going to see it? 20.5 Over to you Choose a film and answer these questions about it. • Who do you think gives the best performance in it? • Who’s the director? • Where was it set? • What is your favourite scene in it? • What’s the score like? • Are there any particularly memorable lines in the dialogue? English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 47
21 Music A Downloading and managing your music Downloading music as MP31 files is easy. • You can download a whole album or individual tracks2 onto your phone or computer. • You can save your favourite albums and tracks in playlists so you can find them easily. • You can sync3 (or, more formal, synchronise) the music files on your computer with your phone. • You can also stream4 music from the Internet or from your computer to other rooms in your home if you have the right equipment. 1 a popular type of audio file - you can listen to the files on a computer or mobile device 2 one song or piece 3 have exactly the same files and data on more than one device 4 of music from an album play music in real time from one source to another B A typical rock band She’s lead singer in a rock band. One of her brothers plays lead guitar and her other brother is a keyboard player, so it’s a real family band. What would you rather play in a band, bass /beɪs/ keyboard drums or bass? I could never be a drums drummer but I think I could become a fairly good bass guitarist. guitar C Types of music singer My family all have different tastes in music. My sister Niki loves classical music, my uncle Ben’s a folk fan and my father loves jazz. I like R&B1 and hip-hop2 . I even compose a bit of rap3 myself! My older brother is into 4 The Beatles and other 60s music5 . My mother loves film soundtracks6 but I just find them uninteresting. One type of music I can’t stand is the canned music7 you get in supermarkets and airports – it drives me crazy! 1 Rhythm and Blues, originally a black American form of blues music with a strong rhythm 2 a style of popular music where the words are spoken rather than sung 3 the words spoken in 4 interested in and enthusiastic about hip-hop music (can also be a verb) 5 music from the 1960s 6 music from a film or TV show 7 artificial or recorded music played in the background D Collocations for musical activities She plays the guitar but she doesn’t read music. She plays by ear. She’s got a good ear*. She can pick out* a tune on almost any instrument. She’s a very talented musician. You can make music in lots of ways. You don’t need to be a trained musician to enjoy music to the full. * informal Common mistakes We say: classical music. (NOT classic) She loves classical music. (NOT classic music) Music is uncountable. They played fantastic music for an hour. (NOT fantastic musics) 48 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate
Exercises 21.1 Fill the gaps in the conversation. HENRY: I’ve been listening to some songs from the new album by the Hoods. It’s great. I downloaded them to my on my phone, so I’ve got them in both places. I just got six , not the whole thing. ANNA: Oh, right. I download music files but then forget to them with my phone, so I don’t have them when I travel! But I can them from the computer in my study to the audio system in the living room, so I do get to listen to them. I’ve made some good with my favourite tracks. 21.2 In a typical rock band … the lead singer 1 …who usually sings the songs? 2 …who keeps the rhythm using two sticks? 3 …who plays the lowest musical notes? 4 …who plays an electric piano or organ? 5 …who plays the highest notes on the guitar? 21.3 Read the comments and then answer the questions. Ross ‘I must be the only Emma ‘I love the old original James ‘I love the film and person who actually likes the tracks by groups like The I’m going to buy the music music in supermarkets.’ Beatles and the Rolling Stones.’ from it. I often buy film music.’ Lauren ‘I listen to the Natalie ‘I just love the way Liam ‘I’ve always loved the traditional songs of my they can speak the words so blues and I like music with a country and try to learn fast - it’s so clever.’ strong rhythm.’ them.’ James 1 Who likes soundtracks? 4 Who is a folk music fan? 2 Who likes hip-hop? 5 Who likes R&B? 3 Who likes 60s music? 6 Who likes canned music? 21.4 Complete the missing words in this advertisem*nt. You are sometimes given the first letter(s). HELP WANTED Do you have a good _____________ ear for music? Do you play a musical instrument _____________ ear? Can you p_____________ out a tune on an instrument you’ve never played before? We are looking for volunteers to take part in an experiment to investigate people’s natural musical abilities. You don’t need to be a tr_____________ musician and you don’t need to be able to r_____________ music. If you just _____________ music at home or with friends for fun, whatever kinds of m_____________ you are i_____________, whether it’s cl_____________ music, j_____________, pop, we want to hear from you. We believe there are many ta_____________ musicians out there and we want to learn more about how you do it. CALL 01255 7561447 21.5 Over to you Write answers that are true for you. 1 Can you remember the name of the first album you ever bought? Who was it by? 2 How often do you download tracks or whole albums? Which do you prefer to do? 3 Which kinds of music mentioned on the opposite page do you particularly like/dislike? 4 Can you play any musical instruments and how well do you play them? 5 What instrument and what kind of music would you like to be able to play well and why? English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 49
