Objective Proficiency p 42. Keys and Vocabulary

Ex 1

• Shopaholic: /ˌʃɒpəˈhɒlɪk/ a person who enjoys shopping very much and spends too much time or money doing it.
• Malpractice: careless, wrong or illegal behaviour while in a professional job. E.g. Medical malpractice. A malpractice lawsuit. He is currently standing trial for alleged malpractices.
• As it is: considering the present situation; as things are. E.g. We were hoping to finish it by next week—as it is, it may be the week after. I can't help—I've got too much to do as it is (= already).
• Plead: to present a case to a court. E.g. They hired a top lawyer to plead their case.

Ex 2
KEY

1 consumer slot 
Slot:  a position, a time or an opportunity for somebody/something, for example in a list, a programme of events or a series of broadcasts. Sp. Espacio. E.g. He has a regular slot on the late-night programme.



2 database 



3 lawyers 



4 title
 


5 kitchen (door) 



6 online 



7 hairspray/hair-spray
 


8 squeaked 
Squeak: /skwiːk/ to make a short high sound that is not very loud. Sp. Chirriar, crujir, chillar. E.g. My new shoes squeak. One wheel makes a horrible squeaking noise. Squeaky: Adj. making a short, high sound; squeaking. E.g. squeaky floorboards. A high squeaky voice.


9 publicity 

Vocabulary

• Champion: (v) to fight for or speak in support of a group of people or a belief. Sp. defender, abogar por. E.g. He has always championed the cause of gay rights.
• Champion: (n) a person who fights for, or speaks in support of, a group of people or a belief. Sp. defensor. E.g. She was a champion of the poor all her life.
• Set out: to begin a job, task, etc. with a particular aim or goal. Intend. Sp. proponerse. E.g. She set out to break the world record. They succeeded in what they set out to do.
• Nightly: happening every night. E.g. a nightly news bulletin.
• Slot:  a position, a time or an opportunity for somebody/something, for example in a list, a programme of events or a series of broadcasts. Sp. espacio. E.g. He has a regular slot on the late-night programme.
• Take sth on: to decide to do something; to agree to be responsible for something/somebody. To agree to do sth. E.g. I can't take on any extra work. We're not taking on any new clients at present.
• In your own right: because of your personal qualifications or efforts, not because of your connection with somebody else. Sp. por derecho propio. E.g. She sings with a rock band, but she's also a jazz musician in her own right.
• look into something: to examine something. E.g. A working party has been set up to look into the problem. 
• Malpractice: /ˌmælˈpræktɪs/ careless, wrong or illegal behaviour while in a professional job. Sp. mala práctica, conducta incorrecta. E.g. medical malpractice. He is currently standing trial for alleged malpractices.
• Follow sth up: to find out more about something that somebody has told you or suggested to you. Investigate. To make inquiries.  E.g. The police are following up several leads (clues) after their TV appeal for information.
• Juicy: interesting because you find it shocking or exciting. E.g. juicy gossip. She told me all the juicy details.
• Check something out: to find out if something is correct, or if somebody is acceptable. E.g. The police are checking out his alibi. We'll have to check him out before we employ him. 
• Tight: difficult to manage with because there is not enough. E.g. We have a very tight budget. The president has a tight schedule today. The deadline for finishing the project is too tight (= too soon). It's all done to very tight deadlines.
• Stand out (as something): to be much better or more important than somebody/ something. E.g. Four points stand out as being more important than the rest. 

• Trendy: very fashionable. E.g. trendy clothes. 
• Apologetic: /əˌpɒləˈdʒetɪk/ feeling or showing that you are sorry for doing something wrong or for causing a problem. E.g. ‘Sorry,’ she said, with an apologetic smile. 
• Squeak: /skwiːk/ to make a short high sound that is not very loud. Sp. Chirriar, crujir, chillar. E.g. My new shoes squeak. One wheel makes a horrible squeaking noise. Squeaky: Adj. making a short, high sound; squeaking. E.g. squeaky floorboards. A high squeaky voice. 
• Upwards of something: more than the amount or number mentioned. E.g. You should expect to pay upwards of £50 for a hotel room.  
• Put up with somebody/something: to accept somebody/something that is annoying, unpleasant, etc. without complaining. Tolerate. E.g. I don't know how she puts up with him. I'm not going to put up with their smoking any longer.  
• Come unstuck: to become separated from something it was stuck or fastened to. E.g. The flap of the envelope had come unstuck.  
• Back down (on/from something):to take back a demand, an opinion, etc. that other people are strongly opposed to; to admit defeat. To concede. E.g. She refused to back down on a point of principle. 
• Purchaser: /ˈpɜːtʃəsə(r)/ a person who buys something. E.g. one of the club’s prospective purchasers.
•  Retailer: a person or business that sells goods to the public. Sp. minorista. E.g. one of the country's largest food retailers. 

Extra speaking 

Can you think of any similar stories? 

Do you have any similar TV programmes in your country?

More useful vocabulary

• Call somebody to account (for/over something): to make somebody explain a mistake, etc. because they are responsible for it. Sp. Pedir cuentas. E.g. They acted as if they were above the law and were outraged when they were called to account. Our reporters call to account whoever has led the public astray.
• Go astray: /əˈstreɪ/ to go in the wrong direction or to have the wrong result. E.g. Jack's parents thought the other boys might lead him astray (= make him do things that are wrong).
• Disgruntled: /dɪsˈɡrʌntld/ annoyed or disappointed because something has happened to upset you. Sp. descontento, disgustado. E.g. disgruntled employees. Disgruntled at somebody/ something: E.g.I left feeling disgruntled at the way I'd been treated.
• Call for something: to need something. E.g. The situation calls for prompt action.‘I've been promoted.’ ‘This calls for a celebration!’ If you buy things online, I think a certain amount of caution is called for.
•  Teething troubles/problems: small problems that a company, product, system, etc. has at the beginning. E.g. New cars often suffer from teething troubles. The inevitable teething troubles of a new system.
• Take measures:  to do sth to solve a problem. E.g. We must take preventive measures to reduce crime in the area. They will take measures to prevent this happening again.
•  Scaremongering: the process of spreading stories deliberately to make people frightened or nervous. E.g. There has been a lot of scaremongering about possible job losses. Journalists are often accused of scaremongering.