Objective Proficiency p 86. Vocabulary

Ex 1

• Wise up (to something): (informal) to become aware of the unpleasant truth about a situation. Espabilar, pensar un poco. E.g. Wise up, think global.
• Slate: a type of dark grey stone that splits easily into thin flat layers. Pizarra. E.g. a slate quarry (/ˈkwɒri/ cantera).
• Whisk somebody/something + adverb/preposition:  to take somebody/something somewhere very quickly and suddenly. E.g. Jamie whisked her off to Paris for the weekend. The waiter whisked away the plates before we had finished. 

Do you think this is a true story?



KEY
This extract is from an English newspaper and is a true story. 

Suggested answers
a. using "embarrassed":


 
I wish they wouldn't look so embarrassed.
 


b.  using "speak":



I wish I could speak to them.
 

c.  using "interpreter":



I wish the interpreter was/were here.
 

d.  using "end":




I wish this meal would end.
 


e.  using "say something":



I wish someone would say something.

Ex 2

Answers
 

a the past simple
 


b the past perfect
 


c would - be careful with this, it can't be used when the subject is repeated, i.e. you can't say I wish I would ...


Ex 3
KEY



If only and I wish have more or less the same meaning.
Some people believe If only is slightly stronger / more formal in tone. 


Corpus spot
Answers
a I do hope ...




b I wish I could suppress...
 


c She wishes she were / could be
 


d I hope you like
 


e I hope you have
 


f they had allowed us
 


g he wishes he were able to/could remember / he remembered
 


h hope 



i her children were
 


j they would stop smoking
 


k I wish there could always be / I hope there will always be
 


i hoping 

Ex 4


Possible answer
For my family, there is nothing more I could wish for - we are all quite happy as we are. However, for my studies, I wish I could concentrate in class more and also that I had a photographic memory. I wish my country had a better public transport system and also that everyone went to a state school and we had a fully socialist system. I wish the world were a happier place and that poverty had
been eradicated, along with wars and disasters.




Ex 5
It's about time and It's high time are slightly stronger than It's time. Note that I'd rather is never used with prefer as in I'd rather prefer.
Answers
 

a to go 



b you went 



c spend 



d left / had left
 


e had given 




f he did 



g she took