Corpus Spot
- Cambridge: /ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ/
- Corpus (sg) /ˈkɔːpəs/ corpora (pl) /ˈkɔːpərə / or corpuses /ˈkɔːpəsɪz /: a collection of written or spoken texts. E.g. a corpus of 100 million words of spoken English. The whole corpus of Renaissance poetry. All the corpora are taken from written data of different sources.
- Stress: to emphasize a fact, an idea, etc...E.g. A spokesman for Durham Police said: "We cannot stress too highly how dangerous this animal is. "It will attack anyone it sees. I cannot stress too much how important this is.
b How much luggage did you bring with you?
c Doctors and scientists, with their research, have managed to give us a better life.
d The news this morning was terrible – more price rises and a teachers’ strike.
e Thanks to the revolution in transport, travelling has become easier.
f correct
g correct
- Works: (often in compounds) (sg=pl) a place where things are made or an industrial process takes place. Factory. E.g. a brickworks. A steelworks. A printworks. Raw materials were carried to the works by barge.
- Roadworks: repairs to a road or cable under a road, esp when forming a hazard or obstruction to traffic.
h Equipment such as the tape recorder and stereo are very outdated.
- Equipment: / ɪˈkwɪpmənt/ (U) the things that are needed for a particular purpose or activity. E.g. a useful piece of equipment for the kitchen. Office equipment. New equipment for the sports club.
i correct
j The future behaviour of our children will depend on a good upbringing.
k I live on the outskirts of the city.
l The fishmonger weighed out three kilos of fish.
m correct
n The scenery in New Zealand is spectacular.
- Scenery: /ˈsiːnəri/ (U) E.g. The scenery is magnificent.
o correct
p The police are aware of the break-in.
Police: /pəˈliːs/ (plural) E.g. Police suspect a local gang.q My father is a Professor of Economics.
P. 181
- Lump: 1. a piece of something hard or solid. A lump of sugar. This sauce has lumps in it. 2. a swelling under the skin, sometimes a sign of serious illness. E.g. He was unhurt apart from a lump on his head. Check your breasts for lumps every month.
- Shaft of light, sunlight, etc. :(literary) a narrow strip of light. Rayo de luz. E.g. A shaft of moonlight fell on the lake. (Figurative) a shaft of inspiration.
Ex 1
- Damages (plural): an amount of money that a court decides should be paid to somebody by the person, company, etc. that has caused them harm or injury. E.g. He was ordered to pay damages totalling £30000. They intend to sue for damages. Ann was awarded £6000 (in) damages. As a result substantial damages have been paid to the victims and their families affected by these terrible events.
- Work is a countable noun when it refers to a book, piece of music, painting, etc. E.g. the collected/complete works of Tolstoy. Works of fiction/literature. Beethoven's piano works. He recognized the sketch as an early work by Degas.
- Works is used in the plural when it refers to:
- (Often in compounds) activities involving building or repairing something. E.g. roadworks. They expanded the shipyards and started engineering works. A contract can ensure that landlords carry out the works for which they are legally responsible.
- (Often in compounds) a place where things are made or industrial processes take place. E.g. an engineering works. A brickworks. Raw materials were carried to the works by barge.
b
- iron – material
- an iron – machine for smoothing garments
c
- disorder – untidiness
- a disorder – an illness
- Disorder is used as a countable or uncountable noun when it refers to an illness that causes a part of the body to stop functioning correctly. E.g. a blood/ bowel, etc. disorder (C). Eating disorders (C). He was suffering from some form of psychiatric disorder (U). A rare disorder of the liver (C). Most people with acute mental disorder can be treated at home (U).
Usage Note: Illness, disorder, infection, condition, ailment, bug: These are all words for a medical problem.
- Disease: a medical problem affecting humans, animals or plants, often caused by infection. E.g. He suffers from a rare blood disease.
- Illness: a medical problem, or a period of suffering from one. E.g. She died after a long illness.
- Disease or illness? Disease is used to talk about more severe physical medical problems, especially those that affect the organs. Illness is used to talk about both more severe and more minor medical problems, and those that affect mental health: E.g. heart/kidney/liver disease ◇ mental illness. Disease is not used about a period of illness: she died after a long illness.
- Disorder (rather formal) an illness that causes a part of the body to stop functioning correctly. Sp. Afección, problema. E.g. a rare disorder of the liver. A disorder is generally not infectious. Disorder is used most frequently with words relating to mental problems, for example psychiatric, personality, mental and eating.Trastorno. When it is used to talk about physical problems, it is most often used with blood, bowel and kidney, and these are commonly serious, severe or rare.
- Infection an illness that is caused by bacteria or a virus and that affects one part of the body: a throat infection.
- Condition a medical problem that you have for a long time because it is not possible to cure it. Sp. Afección, enfermedad. E.g. a heart condition.
- Ailment (rather formal) an illness that is not very serious. Sp. Enfermedad, dolencia, achaque. E.g. childhood ailments.
- Bug (informal) an infectious illness that is usually fairly mild. Sp. Microbio, virus. E.g. a nasty flu bug.
- To have/suffer from a(n) disease/illness/disorder/infection/condition/ailment/bug
- To catch/contract/get/pick up a(n) disease/illness/infection/bug ___________________________________________________
d
- a speech – a talk
- speech – language/noise
- Speech can be an uncountable noun when it refers to:
- The ability to speak. Sp. Habla. E.g. I seemed to have lost the power of speech. A speech defect. Freedom of speech (= the right to say openly what you think).
- The way in which a particular person speaks. Sp. Forma de hablar. E.g. Her speech was slurred—she was clearly drunk. (slur: to pronounce words in a way that is not clear so that they run into each other, usually because you are drunk or tired. E.g. She had drunk too much and her speech was slurred.)
- The language used when speaking. E.g. This expression is used mainly in speech, not in writing. Speech sounds.
e
- a room – a place
- room – space
f
- a language – German, Greek, etc.
- language – the method of communication. E.g. a study of language acquisition in two-year-olds
g
- a comfort – someone or something that gives you sympathy
- home comforts – a comfortable bed, central heating, etc.
- Comfort can be used as an uncountable noun when it refers to
- the state of being physically relaxed and free from pain; the state of having a pleasant life, with everything that you need. Sp. Comodidad. E.g. These tennis shoes are designed for comfort and performance. With DVD, you can watch the latest movies in the comfort of your own home.The hotel offers a high standard of comfort and service. They had enough money to live in comfort in their old age.
- a feeling of not suffering or worrying so much; a feeling of being less unhappy. Consolation. Sp. Consuelo. E.g. to take/draw comfort from somebody's words. I tried to offer a few words of comfort. The sound of gunfire was too close for comfort. If it's any comfort to you, I'm in the same situation. His words were of little comfort in the circumstances. Comfort food (= food that makes you feel better).
- Comfort is used as a singular countable noun when it refers to a person or thing that helps you when you are suffering, worried or unhappy. Sp. Consuelo. E.g. The children have been a great comfort to me through all of this. It's a comfort to know that she is safe. A small drop in the inflation rate was cold comfort (small, ineffective consolation) for the millions without a job.
- Comforts is used as a countable noun (usually plural) when it refers to a thing that makes your life easier or more comfortable. Sp. Comodidad. E.g. The hotel has all modern comforts /every modern comfort. Material comforts (= money and possessions). Creature comforts (all the things that make life, or a particular place, comfortable, such as good food, comfortable furniture or modern equipment).
- Deplete: to reduce something by a large amount so that there is not enough left. E.g. Food supplies were severely depleted.
h
- an experience – something that happened to you
- experience – what you have learned doing something
i
- a capital – chief city
- capital – money
j
- a coffee – a cup of coffee
- coffee – the plant or beans, a hot drink. E.g. decaffeinated/ instant coffee. Black/ white coffee (= without/with milk)
Key
a a burst of applause
- Applause: /əˈplɔːz/ (U) E.g. The audience broke into rapturous (ecstatic) applause.Give her a big round of applause! A burst of applause.
b a pane of glass
- Pane: a single sheet of glass in a window. E.g. a pane of glass. A windowpane
c a stroke of luck
- Stroke of luck: E.g. It was a stroke of luck that I found you here.
d a grain of sand
- Grain: E.g. a grain of salt/sand/sugar. There isn't a grain of truth in those rumours. If he had a grain of sensitivity he wouldn't have asked her about her divorce.
e a gust of wind
- Gust: 1 a sudden strong increase in the amount and speed of wind that is blowing. E.g. A gust of wind blew his hat off. The wind was blowing in gusts. 2 a sudden strong expression of emotion. E.g. a gust of laughter.
f a speck of dust
Speck: a very small spot; a small piece of dirt, etc. E.g. The ship was now just a speck in the distance. Specks of dust.
g a stream of abuse
- Stream of something: a large number of things that happen one after the other. E.g. a constant stream of enquiries. The agency provided me with a steady stream of work. Most of the letter consisted of a stream of abuse.
h a ray of sunshine
- Ray: E.g. A ray of sunshine. Also a small amount of something good or of something that you are hoping for. Glimmer. E.g. There was just one small ray of hope.
- Shaft: shaft of light, sunlight, etc. (literary) a narrow strip of light. E.g. A shaft of moonlight fell on the lake. (Figurative) a shaft of inspiration.
i a source of amusement
- Source: a person or thing that causes something. E.g. a source of violence. A source of confusion. A source of amusement.
j an item of clothing/news
k a rumble of thunder
- Rumble (of something): a long deep sound or series of sounds. E.g. the rumble of thunder. Inside, the noise of the traffic was reduced to a distant rumble. (Figurative) Although an agreement has been reached, rumbles of resentment can still be heard.
- Lightning: (U) E.g. a flash of lightning. A violent storm with thunder and lightning. He was struck by lightning and killed. Lightning strikes caused scores of fires across the state. Lightning never strikes (in the same place) twice: (saying) an unusual or unpleasant event is not likely to happen in the same place or to the same people twice.
l a puff of smoke
Puff: a small amount of air, smoke, etc. that is blown from somewhere. E.g. a puff of wind. She felt a puff of warm air on her face. Puffs of white smoke came from the chimney. Any chance of success seemed to vanish in a puff of smoke (= to disappear quickly).
m a state of emergency
Other expressions:
- Strand: a single thin piece of thread, wire, hair, etc. E.g. a strand of wool. A few strands of dark hair. She wore a single strand of pearls around her neck.
- A bar of chocolate/soap
- A blade of grass (a single flat leaf of grass)
- A block of ice
- A heap of earth (pile)
- A loaf of bread.
- A lump of coal (piece)
- A roll of cloth
- A slice of bread/cake/cheese/meat/luck. They had a slice of luck when the coach went off the road but didn't hit anything.
- A strip of cloth or land
- A spell of bad weather: e.g. we had a spell of very mild weather in January
- A touch of humour: e.g. he always adds a nice touch of humour to the commentary.
- A spot of rain: a small amount e.g. they say we might just get a spot of rain in the late afternoon.
- A torrent of abuse/criticism: a large amount of something that comes suddenly and violently. E.g. he gave us a torrent of abuse.
- A dash of: a small amount. E.g. a dash of salt. Add a dash of lemon juice.
- A dollop of: an amount of something. E.g. A dollop of romance now and then is good for everybody. One had to add a dash of realism and a great big dollop of gratitude to a situation like this
- A blob of: a small amount or drop of something, especially a liquid; a small area of colour. E.g. a blob of ink. A pink blob. The street lights in the distance were blobs of orange light.
- A morsel of: a small amount or a piece of something, especially food. E.g. a tasty morsel of food. He ate it all, down to the last morsel. A morsel of bread (un cachito de pan).
- A scrap of: a small piece of something, especially paper, cloth, etc. E.g. She scribbled his phone number on a scrap of paper. (Figurative) scraps of information. (Figurative) She was just a scrap of a thing (= small and thin).
- A trace of something: a very small amount of something. The post-mortem revealed traces of poison in his stomach. She spoke without a trace of bitterness.
Referring to the container:
- A bag of flour
- A bottle of milk
- A basket of fruit
- A bucket of water
- A sack of coal
- A bowlful/cupful/fistful/handful/mouthful/spoonful of : e.g. he gave me a fistful of cash. I don't know how much it was all together. I always add a spoonful of salt to the pasta water. Just add three teaspoonfuls of olive oil and one of vinegar and you have a perfect salad dressing. Only a handful of people turned up at the concert. It was very disappointing
Referring to a measure:
- A gallon of oil
- A kilo of sugar
KEY
Look around. You’re in the midst of a global maelstrom.
A swirling mass of converging technologies and new
business opportunities unleashed by the internet. All
waiting to be harnessed by large IT service providers.
As one has said: ‘We’ve focused our energy and
resources on creating technology to solve the unique
problems of thousands of individual businesses. Last
year alone we invested $2.5 billion of our global IT and
telecommunications revenues on R & D. Innovations that
keep your company one step ahead of the Internet. And
light years ahead of the competition.’
Vocabulary
- Midst: /mɪdst/ (used after a preposition) the middle part of something. E.g. Such beauty was unexpected in the midst of the city.She appeared from the midst of the crowd.The house is set in the midst of large gardens. In the midst of something/of doing something: while something is happening or being done; while you are doing something. E.g. a country in the midst of a recession.
- Maelstrom: / ˈmeɪlstrɒm/ 1. a situation full of strong emotions or confusing events, that is hard to control and makes you feel frightened. Vorágine. E.g. a maelstrom of conflicting emotions. They were being sucked into the maelstrom of war.2. a very strong current of water that moves in circles. Torbellino, remolino.
- Swirl: to move around quickly in a circle; to make something do this. Arremolinarse, girar. E.g. swirling mists.
- Converge: /kənˈvɜːdʒ/ to move towards a place from different directions and meet. E.g. Thousands of supporters converged on London for the rally.
- Unleash something (on/upon somebody/something): to suddenly let a strong force, emotion, etc. be felt or have an effect. E.g. The government's proposals unleashed a storm of protest in the press.
- Harness something: /ˈhɑːnɪs/ to control and use the force or strength of something to produce power or to achieve something. Aprovechar, utilizar. E.g. attempts to harness the sun's rays as a source of energy. We must harness the skill and creativity of our workforce.
- Revenue: /ˈrevənjuː/ the money that a government receives from taxes or that an organization, etc. receives from its business. Ingresos. E.g. The company's annual revenues rose by 30%.
- R&D: Research & Development.
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