Objective Proficiency 2002 p 21. Vocabulary

Exam spot

• Aim at: E.g. The government is aiming at a 50% reduction in unemployment. They're aiming at training everybody by the end of the year.
• Settle sb down: to become or make somebody become calm, less excited, etc. E.g. It always takes the class a while to settle down at the start of the lesson.
• It's my belief that knowledge is power.
• For my part I prefer to stay at home.
• Speaking personally, I'd leave everything as it is.
• On the whole I would rather prepare myself a healthy and more appetising meal. 
• By and large: used when you are saying something that is generally, but not completely, true. E.g. By and large, I enjoyed my time at school. 
• For the most part: mostly; usually. E.g. The contributors are, for the most part, professional scientists. For the most part, I would agree with you.
• Undecided: not having made a decision about somebody/something. E.g. I'm still undecided (about) who to vote for. He was undecided as to what to do next.
• Ambivalent (about/towards somebody/something): having or showing both good and bad feelings about somebody/something. E.g. She seems to feel ambivalent about her new job. 
• Be in two minds about something/about doing something: to be unable to decide what you think about somebody/something, or whether to do something or not. E.g. I was in two minds about the book (= I didn't know if I liked it or not). She's in two minds about accepting his invitation. I'm in two minds as to whether I would want to go there. For more idioms with mind click here.

Ex 5

• Cynical: 1. believing that people only do things to help themselves rather than for good or honest reasons. E.g. Do you have to be so cynical about everything? A cynical view/smile. 2. not believing that something good will happen or that something is important. E.g. I'm a bit cynical about the benefits of the plan. Her experiences with men have made her thoroughly cynical about love.
• Creature comforts: all the things that make life, or a particular place, comfortable, such as good food, comfortable furniture or modern equipment. Comodidades. E.g. They have all the creature comforts you need.
• On balance: after considering all the information. E.g. On balance, the company has had a successful year.

Ex 6

• Heir to sth: a person who has the legal right to receive somebody's property, money or title when that person dies. E.g. To be heir to a large fortune.
• Grate sth: to rub food against a grater in order to cut it into small pieces. E.g. grated apple/carrot/cheese, etc. Grate the cheese and sprinkle it over the tomatoes.  

• Toss: To throw something lightly or carelessly. Tirar, lanzar. E.g. He tossed the ball to Anna. Toss your head/hair: to move your head/hair suddenly upwards. Sacudir. E.g. She just tossed her head and walked off. 
• Mane: the long hair on the neck of a horse or a lion. Crin. E.g. The horse tossed its mane and neighed.
• Neigh: /neɪ/ when a horse neighs it makes a long high sound. Relinchar. E.g. When the horse neighed, all the horses neighed
• Plaice: /pleɪs/ a flat sea fish that is used for food. Platija. E.g. Plaice is my favourite fish but it is the hardest to find.

 
Idiom spot

• To shoulder responsibility: /ˈʃəʊldə(r)/ to accept the responsibility for something. Cargar con. E.g. Bringing home a puppy or dog means that you have to shoulder the responsibility of having to train him.
• To foot the bill: to be responsible for paying the cost of something. Asumir la cuenta. E.g. Once again it will be the taxpayer who has to foot the bill. Who will be footing the bill for the party?
• To thumb a lift: to make a signal with your thumb to passing drivers to ask them to stop and take you somewhere. E.g. We managed to thumb a lift with a lorry driver. 
• Elbow: to push somebody with your elbow, usually in order to get past them. E.g. She elbowed me out of the way to get to the front of the line. He elbowed his way through the crowd. He elbowed his way in.
• To table: to present something formally for discussion. Presentar. E.g. To table a question/motion in Parliament. 
• To corner: to get a person or an animal into a place or situation from which they cannot escape. Acorralar. E.g. The man was finally cornered by police in a garage. To corner a thief.
• To tiptoe: to walk using the front parts of your feet only, so that other people cannot hear you. Andar de puntillas. E.g. I tiptoed over to the window. To tiptoe into a room.
• Man: be in charge of a place or a machine. Encargarse de. E.g. To man a ship (tripular).
• To coat: to cover something with a layer of a substance. E.g. Cookies thickly coated with chocolate. A film of dust coated the table. To coat with paint.
• To cash in on: to gain an advantage for yourself from a situation, especially in a way that other people think is wrong or immoral. Aprovecharse de. E.g. The film studio is being accused of cashing in on the singer's death. To cash in on an idea. 
• To ship: to send or transport somebody/something by ship or by another means of transport. E.g. The company ships its goods all over the world. 
• To house: to provide a place for somebody to live. Alojar. E.g. The government is committed to housing the refugees.  To house asylum /əˈsaɪləm/ seekers (persona que solicita asilo político).
• Sale: an occasion when a shop/store sells its goods at a lower price than usual. The woman elbowed her way into the store to grab the first bargains in the sale. I bought a coat in the sales.