Objective Proficiency p 123. Adele - Hello Parody (Hella Cravings). Extra Listening

Objective Proficiency p 123. Britain's Body Image Secrets with Anne Robinson. Extra Listening

Britain's Body Image Secrets with Anne Robinson

Britain's Body Image Secrets with Anne Robinson

Objective Proficiency p 123. Should I Eat Meat? Extra Listening

Objective Proficiency p 123.The Truth About Healthy Eating. Extra Listening

Objective Proficiency p 123. Helping Obese Kids Maintain a Healthy Weight. Extra Listening

17% of American kids are obese. That puts them at risk for health problems such as heart disease, asthma, and diabetes. It also comes at an emotional cost: obese kids get teased more than others and are often excluded from group activities. We'll discuss the latest research on nutrition and obesity in children and hear about the best ways to talk to kids about their weight, and help them lose it.
Listen to Forum

Objective Proficiency p 123. BBC Horizon - The Power Of The Placebo. Extra Listening

Objective Proficiency p 123. The Truth About Your Medicine Cabinet. Extra Listening

The Truth About Your Medicine Cabinet
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05qpzc5

Objective Proficiency p 123. Countdown to Life. The Extraordinary Making of You. Extra Listening

Objective Proficiency p 123. Sweet Tooth Gone Bad: Why 22 Teaspoons Of Sugar Per Day Is Risky. Extra Listening

Sweet Tooth Gone Bad: Why 22 Teaspoons Of Sugar Per Day Is Risky

Objective Proficiency p 123. Prepositions. Extra Key Word Transformations 3

1. James was succeeded by his son, Charles I, who was historically important because he was the King who was executed in Britain's only serious anti-monarchy revolution.
DOWN
James was succeeded by his son, Charles I, who ___________________________ the King who was executed in Britain's only serious anti-monarchy revolution.

2. National movements made great efforts to achieve independence.
STROVE
National movements ______________________.  

3. He quickly added that he was not accusing her of lying.
HASTENED
He ________________ that he was not accusing her of lying. 

4. The concert began at exactly 8.00. 
WAY
The concert _________________ at exactly 8.00. 

5. We cannot afford to take risks when people's lives can be lost.
STAKE
We cannot afford to take risks when people's lives ________________.

6. He developed a flair for getting even the shyest students to talk.
ADEPT
He _______________________ even the shyest students to talk.   

7. Flights may be delayed because of the fog.
SUBJECT
Flights ____________________ because of the fog.  

8. The menu is full of appealing choices at reasonable prices.
EARTH
The menu is full of appealing choices ___________________________.

9. They should do something about buildings that are not in the same style as their surroundings.
KEEPING
 They should do something about buildings that are ____________________ their surroundings.

10. Avoid the centre of town at this time of the evening.
STEER
____________________ the centre of town at this time of the evening. 

KEY
1. James was succeeded by his son, Charles I, who went down in history as the King who was executed in Britain's only serious anti-monarchy revolution.




Go down in history: to be or do something so important that it will be recorded in history. E.g. 2012 went down in history as the year London hosted the Olympics.




2. National movements strove for independence.

Strive, strove, striven: to try very hard to achieve something. E.g. We encourage all members to strive for the highest standards. 




3. He hastened to add that he was not accusing her of lying. 

Hasten: to say or do something without delay  E.g. He has been described as a ‘charmless bore’—not by me, I hasten to add.  




4. The concert got under way at exactly 8.00. 

Under way (or underway): having started. E.g. Preparations are well under way for a week of special events in May. Rescue efforts are underway to find the lost climbers.




5. We cannot afford to take risks when people's lives are at stake. 

At stake: that can be won or lost, depending on the success of a particular action. E.g. The prize at stake is a place in the final. 



6. He became adept at/in getting even the shyest students to talk. 

Adept (at/in something)| adept (at/in doing something) good at doing something that is quite difficult. E.g. She has become adept at hiding her real feelings from others. 
Flair for something a natural ability to do something well. E.g. He has a flair for languages. 



7. Flights are subject to delay because of the fog. 

Subject to something likely to be affected by something, especially something bad. E.g. Smokers are more subject to heart attacks than non-smokers. 




8. The menu is full of appealing choices at down-to-earth prices.

Down to earth: sensible and practical, in a way that is helpful and friendly. Realistic. E.g. "He was just a wonderful, loving, kind, down-to-earth man," she said. He’s as advertised, a really cool, down-to-earth person. 




9. They should do something about buildings that are out of keeping with their surroundings. 

Out of keeping with not appropriate or expected in a particular situation; not in agreement with something. E.g. The painting is out of keeping with the rest of the room.
In keeping (with something) appropriate or expected in a particular situation; in agreement with something. E.g. The latest results are in keeping with our earlier findings.



10. Steer clear of the centre of town at this time of the evening.
Keep/stay/steer clear (of somebody/something) to avoid a person or thing because it may cause problems or it may be unpleasant. E.g. No one mentioned the divorce, so Lisa decided to steer clear of that subject.
 

Objective Proficiency p 123. Prepositions. Extra Key Word Transformations 2

1. Oh, come on, stop rabbiting on about things that are not important now and tell me what you think about this subject.
BUSH
Oh, come on, stop ___________________ and tell me what you think about this subject.
2. Martin enjoys collecting stamps a lot.
DERIVES
Martin _______________________ his stamp collection.
3. She spent most of her life looking after the sick and needy.
DEVOTED
She ________________________ after the sick and needy.
4. Every time she heard his name, she started to cry.
DISSOLVED
Every time she heard his name, she  __________________. 
5. Most people would disapprove of such unethical behaviour.
LINE
Most people would _________________ such unethical behaviour.  
6. What is it with you, Sarah? Why is it that you have to criticise everything I say and do?
FAULT
What is it with you, Sarah? Why is it that you have to _________________ everything I say and do?
7. My father was a doctor, as was my grandfather before him. It was assumed that both my brother and I would do the same job as them.
FOOTSTEPS
My father was a doctor, as was my grandfather before him. Both my brother and I were expected to ________________________.
8. After months of strikes and failed negotiations, the management finally went along with the union's demands. 
BOWED 
After months of strikes and failed negotiations, the management finally ____________ the union's demands.  
9. It's striking to see how much he looks like his grandfather.
BEARS
He ______________________his grandfather 
10. Schools will mainly suffer the cuts in government spending.
BRUNT
Schools will _________________ cuts in government spending.  
  


KEY

1. Oh, come on, stop beating about/around the bush and tell me what you think about this subject.

Beat about the bush: (British English) (North American English beat around the bush) to talk about something for a long time without coming to the main point. Often to avoid or delay talking about something embarrassing, difficult or unpleasant because you are worried about upsetting the person you are talking to. E.g. Stop beating about the bush and tell me what you want. Don't beat around the bush. Just tell me where my brother is. There is no point in beating about the bush. I'm leaving you.




2. Martin derives a lot of pleasure out of/ from his stamp collection. 

Derive pleasure/benefit from/out of sth: to get great pleasure/benefit from sth. Sp. obtener. E.g. He derived great pleasure from painting. The only people who will derive any benefit from this new law are the rich.



3. She devoted most of her life to looking after the sick and needy.
 
Devote something to something: to give an amount of time, attention, etc. to something. Sp. dedicar. E.g. I could only devote two hours a day to the work.



4. Every time she heard his name, she dissolved into tears.

Dissolve into laughter, tears, etc. to suddenly start laughing, crying, etc. E.g. When the teacher looked up, the children dissolved into giggles. She looked into his expressionless eyes and dissolved into tears.



5. Most people would draw the line at such unethical behaviour. 
 
Draw the line (at something/at doing something): to refuse to do something; to set a limit. E.g. I don't mind helping, but I draw the line at doing everything myself. We would have liked to invite all our relatives, but you have to draw the line somewhere.



6. What is it with you, Sarah? Why is it that you have to find fault with everything I say and do?
 
Find fault (with somebody/something): to look for and discover mistakes in somebody/something; to complain about somebody/something. To criticise. E.g. It's demoralizing to work for someone who constantly finds fault with you.



7. My father was a doctor, as was my grandfather before him. Both my brother and I were expected to follow in their footsteps.
 
Follow in somebody's footsteps: to do the same job, have the same style of life, etc. as somebody else, especially somebody in your family. E.g. She works in television, following in her father's footsteps.



8. After months of strikes and failed negotiations, the management finally bowed to the union's demands. 




Bow to something: to agree unwillingly to do something because other people want you to. E.g. They finally bowed to pressure from the public. She bowed to the inevitable (= accepted a situation in which she had no choice) and resigned.
 
Go along with somebody/something: to agree with somebody/something. E.g. I don't go along with her views on private medicine.




9.  He bears a striking resemblance to his grandfather.

To bear a resemblance: to look like. She bears a striking resemblance to her older sister. The movie bears little resemblance to the original novel (is quite different from). To bear no resemblance to: to be completely different from.



10. Schools will bear/take the brunt of cuts in government spending. 
 
Bear/take the brunt of something: to receive the main force of something unpleasant. Sp. sufrir lo peor de algo. E.g. the town nearest the epicentre bore the brunt of the earthquake. It was the capital that bore the brunt of the recent flooding. Education will bear the brunt of the cuts.
 
 

 

 

Objective Proficiency p 123. Prepositions. Extra Key Word Transformations

1. Why do what others are doing just because they dye their hair pink?
BANDWAGON
Why _____________________ just because other people dye their hair pink?
2. Don't decide too quickly that he is unfriendly, just because he is on the quiet side.
CONCLUSION
Don't _____________________  that he is unfriendly, just because he is on the quiet side. 
3. I buy the Daily Trader magazine to keep informed about the latest developments in the stock market.
ABREAST
I buy the Daily Trader magazine to ___________________the latest developments in the stock market.
4. Keeping yourself occupied will keep boredom away
BAY
Keeping yourself occupied will _______________________.
5. Workers knew nothing about the plans to sell the company.
DARK
Workers were ___________________ the plans to sell the company. 
6. He couldn't believe it was 10 o'clock; he had been so enthralled by the film that he had totally lost track of time.
ENGROSSED
He couldn't believe it was 10 o'clock; he had been _________________ the film that he had totally lost track of time.
7. The Minister's plan to abolish the tax was widely approved of.
APPROVAL
The Minister's plan to abolish the tax __________________________________ .
8. Don't shout at me
VOICE
Don't _________________ me
9. We must improve people's knowledge about the problems facing refugees.
AWARENESS
We must____________________________ the problems facing refugees.
10. I used to beat my son at chess but now he is much better than me.
RINGS
I used to beat my son at chess but now he _____________________ me.


  


KEY
1. Why jump/ climb on the bandwagon just because other people dye their hair pink?

Climb/jump on the bandwagon: (informal, disapproving) to join others in doing something that is becoming fashionable because you hope to become popular or successful yourself. E.g. politicians eager to jump on the environmental bandwagon. Origin: In the US, political parades often included a band on a wagon. Political leaders would join them in the hope of winning popular support.



2. Don't jump/leap to the conclusion  that he is unfriendly, just because he is on the quiet side. 

Jump/leap to conclusions/ jump/leap to the conclusion that…to make a decision about somebody/something too quickly, before you know or have thought about all the facts. E.g. There I go again—jumping to conclusions. 



3. I buy the Daily Trader magazine to keep abreast of the latest developments in the stock market. 

Keep abreast of something: to make sure that you know all the most recent facts about a subject. E.g.
It is almost impossible to keep abreast of all the latest developments in computing.
Abreast (adv) /əˈbrest/ next to somebody/something and facing the same way. E.g. cycling two abreast. Abreast of somebody/something A police car drew abreast of us and signalled us to stop.
 
 
 
4. Keeping yourself occupied will keep/ hold boredom at bay.  
 
Hold/keep somebody/something at bay: to prevent an enemy from coming close or a problem from having a bad effect. Ward off. E.g. I'm trying to keep my creditors at bay. Charlotte bit her lip to hold the tears at bay.
 
 
 
5. Workers were kept in the dark about the plans to sell the company. 
 
In the dark (about something): knowing nothing about something. E.g. She arrived at the meeting as much in the dark as everyone else. I would rather know than be kept in the dark.
 
 
 
6. He couldn't believe it was 10 o'clock; he had been so engrossed in/ with the film that he had totally lost track of time. 
 
Enthral: /ɪnˈθrɔːl/ if something enthrals you, it is so interesting, beautiful, etc. that you give it all your attention. E.g. The child watched, enthralled by the bright moving images. This book will enthral readers of all ages. An enthralling performance.
 
Engrossed: /ɪnˈɡrəʊst/ (in/with something) so interested or involved in something that you give it all your attention. E.g. She was engrossed in conversation.
 
 
 
7. The Minister's plan to abolish the tax met with widespread approval.
 
Meet with sb's approval/ disapproval: to be approved of / disapproved of. E.g. Do the plans meet with your approval?
 
 
 
8. Don't raise your voice to me. 
 
 
 
9. We must raise/ heighten/ increase public awareness of the problems facing refugees.
 
To raise/heighten/increase public awareness of something: to improve people's knowledge about something.
 
 
 
 
10. I used to beat my son at chess but now he runs rings around me.
  
Run rings around/round somebody: (informal) to be much better at doing something than somebody else.
E.g. They'll run rings round such a poor team. 


 
 
 
 

Objective Proficiency p 123. BBC Horizon - Sugar v Fat. Extra Listening



Related story: 
One twin gave up sugar, the other gave up fat. Their experiment could change YOUR life



 

Objective Proficiency p 123. What's The Right Diet For You? A Horizon Special. Extra Listening

Objective Proficiency p 123. The Brain with David Eagleman. Extra listening

Objective Proficiency p 123. Vocabulary

Ex 4
  • Specialize (specialise) + in: e.g. he specialized in criminal law. The shop specializes in hand-made chocolates.
  • Pay attention + to: e.g. Please pay attention (= listen carefully) to what I am saying. Don't pay any attention to what they say (= don't think that it is important).
  • Laugh at somebody/ something: Ridicule. E.g. Everybody laughs at my accent. She is not afraid to laugh at herself (= is not too serious about herself). 
  • Shout at/to somebody to do somethinge.g. She shouted at/to him to shut the gate. 
  • Object: /əbˈdʒekt/ to say that you disagree with, disapprove of or oppose something. Object to doing something/to somebody doing something. E.g.  I really object to being charged for parking.
  • Vote on/for/against: e.g. Did you vote for or against her? We'll listen to the arguments on both sides and then vote on it.
  • Congratulate somebody (on something): /kənˈɡrætʃuleɪt/ e.g. I congratulated them all on their results. 
  • Not care for somebody/something: (formal) to not like somebody/something. E.g. He didn't much care for her friends.
Ex 5 
  • Apply for something: e.g. to apply for a job/passport/grant. Apply to somebody/something (for something) to apply to a company/university.
  • Rely + on: e.g. These days we rely heavily on computers to organize our work. You can rely on me to keep your secret. 
  • Take pride + in: take pride (in something) e.g. I take (a) pride in my work. Take pride (in doing something) e.g. We take great pride in offering the best service in town. 
  • Prohibit: /prəʊˈhɪbɪt/ e.g. Soviet citizens were prohibited from travelling abroad. 
  • Consist in something: (formal) to have something as the main or only part or feature. E.g. The beauty of the city consists in its magnificent buildings.
  • Consist of somebody/something: to be formed from the things or people mentioned. E.g. The committee consists of ten members. Their diet consisted largely of vegetables.
  • Interfere: to get involved in and try to influence a situation that does not concern you, in a way that annoys other people. E.g. I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. Interfere in something e.g. The police are very unwilling to interfere in family problems. Interfere with something: to prevent something from succeeding or from being done or happening as planned. E.g. She never allows her personal feelings to interfere with her work.
  • Admire somebody/something for something: e.g. the school is widely admired for its excellent teaching. Admire somebody for doing something: e.g. I don't agree with her, but I admire her for sticking to her principles. 
Ex 6
  • Resolved (to do something) (formal) determined. E.g. I was resolved not to see him.
  • Resolution: the act of solving or settling a problem, disagreement, etc. E.g. The government is pressing for an early resolution of the dispute.   
  • Unresolved: not yet solved or answered; not having been resolved. Unresolved mysteries.
  • Unsuited (to/for something)/ unsuited (to do something) /ʌnˈsuːtɪd/ /ʌnˈsjuːtɪd/ not having the right or necessary qualities for something. E.g. He is unsuited to academic work. She was totally unsuited for the job.
  • Suit somebody/something /suːt/ /sjuːt/ E.g. Choose a computer to suit your particular needs. If we met at 2, would that suit you? If you want to go by bus, that suits me fine. Blue suits you. You should wear it more often. I don't think this coat really suits me.
Ex 7 

  • Arouse: / əˈraʊz/ to make somebody have a particular feeling or attitude. E.g. to arouse somebody's interest/curiosity/anger. Her strange behaviour aroused our suspicions. Fox-hunting still succeeds in arousing a great deal of controversy.

Objective Proficiency p 122. The Truth About Sports Products. Extra Listening

Objective Proficiency p 122. Laziness. Extra Joke


Objective Proficiency p 122. Vocabulary

Ex 1
  • Throw up: to make people notice something. E.g. Her research has thrown up some interesting facts.
Ex 2 
  • Peril (of something): the fact of something being dangerous or harmful. E.g. a warning about the perils of drug abuse. 
  • Work something off: to get rid of something, especially a strong feeling, by using physical effort. E.g. She worked off her anger by going for a walk.
  • Ailment: /ˈeɪlmənt/ an illness that is not very serious. E.g. childhood/common/minor ailments.
Ex 3
  • Take something to heart: to be very upset by something that somebody says or does. Sp. tomarse algo a pecho. E.g. You shouldn't take everything he says to heart. 
  • By word of mouth: because people tell each other and not because they read about it. E.g. The news spread by word of mouth.
  • To lie face downwards: on the stomach. E.g. the child lay face downwards in the sand and screamed.
  • To set foot in/on something: to enter or visit a place. E.g. the first man to set foot on the moon. I vowed never to set foot in the place again.
  • Heart-to-heart: a conversation in which two people talk honestly about their feelings and personal problems. E.g. to have a heart-to-heart with somebody.
  • Hand in hand: 1 if two people are hand in hand, they are holding each other's hand. E.g. They walked through the park hand in hand. 2. if two things go hand in hand, they are closely connected and one thing causes the other. E.g. Poverty and poor health often go hand in hand.
  • Arm in arm: with the arm of one person linked with the arm of the other. E.g. They walked along arm in arm. 
  • Nose to tail: (British English) if cars, etc. are nose to tail, they are moving slowly in a long line with little space between them. Bumper to bumper. E.g. Traffic is nose to tail every morning on the road into the city centre.

  • Bumper: a bar fixed to the front and back of a car, etc. to reduce the effect if it hits anything. Sp. parachoques. E.g. a bumper sticker (= a sign that people stick on the bumper of their cars with a message on it). The cars were bumper to bumper on the road to the coast (= so close that their bumpers were nearly touching). 
  • Face to face (with somebody): close to and looking at somebody. E.g. The two have never met face to face before. The room fell silent as she came face to face with the man who had tried to kill her. 
 
  • Face to face with something: in a situation where you have to accept that something is true and deal with it. E.g. She was at an early age brought face to face with the horrors of war.  
  • Live (from) hand to mouth: to spend all the money you earn on basic needs such as food without being able to save any money. E.g. His family lived from hand to mouth while he was growing up because his father was unemployed.
 
  • Made by hand: not by machine. E.g. All our pottery is made by hand. 
  • Fight tooth and nail: to fight in a very determined way for what you want. E.g. The residents are fighting tooth and nail to stop the new development. 
 
  • Not see eye to eye with somebody (on something): to not share the same views as somebody about something. E.g. The two of them have never seen eye to eye on politics. 'm finding it increasingly difficult to see eye to eye with my boss.



Objective Proficiency p 121. Dependent Prepositions. Quizlet

Objective Proficiency p 121. Vocabulary

Style extra
  • Chatty: having a friendly informal style. E.g. a chatty letter.
  • Smooth: very polite and pleasant, but in a way that is often not very sincere. E.g. I don't like him. He's far too smooth for me. He's something of a smooth operator.
  • Slick: speaking very easily and smoothly but in a way that does not seem sincere. Sp. de mucha labia. E.g. slick TV presenters. A slick salesman. Her reply was too fast, too slick.
Ex 4
  • Flout something: / flaʊt/ to show that you have no respect for a law, etc. by openly not obeying it. Defy. Sp. desobedecer. E.g. Motorists regularly flout the law. To flout authority/convention.
  • Defy somebody/something: to refuse to obey or show respect for somebody in authority, a law, a rule, etc. Sp. desacatar, desobedecer. E.g. I wouldn't have dared to defy my teachers. Hundreds of people today defied the ban on political gatherings.
  • Harangue somebody: /həˈræŋ/ to speak loudly and angrily in a way that criticizes somebody/something or tries to persuade people to do something. E.g. He walked to the front of the stage and began to harangue the audience.
  • Resolve: to make a firm decision to do something. E.g. resolve to do something He resolved not to tell her the truth. Resolve (that) She resolved (that) she would never see him again. Resolve on something/on doing something We had resolved on making an early start.
  • Scrounge: / skraʊndʒ/ (informal, disapproving) to get something from somebody by asking them for it rather than by paying for it. Sp. gorronear. E.g. scrounge (something) (off/from somebody) He's always scrounging free meals off us. Can I scrounge a cigarette from you? I don't want to spend the rest of my life scrounging off other people. Scrounge (for something) What is she scrounging for this time?
  • Crave: crave (for) something/ crave to do something to have a very strong desire for something. E.g. She has always craved excitement.
  • Seethe: to be extremely angry about something but try not to show other people how angry you are. E.g. She seethed silently in the corner. Seethe with something He marched off, seething with frustration. Seethe at something Inwardly he was seething at this challenge to his authority.
  • Yank: to pull something/somebody hard, quickly and suddenly. Yank something/somebody (+ adverb/preposition) He yanked her to her feet. Yank something/somebody + adjective I yanked the door open.(+ adverb/preposition) Liz yanked at my arm.
  • Unearth: 1. unearth something to find something in the ground by digging. E.g. to unearth buried treasures. Police have unearthed a human skeleton. 2. unearth something to find or discover something by chance or after searching for it. E.g. I unearthed my old diaries when we moved house. The newspaper has unearthed some disturbing facts.
Phrase spot 
  • Live it up: (informal) to enjoy yourself in an exciting way, usually spending a lot of money. Sp. disfrutar de la vida. Tirar la casa por la ventana. E.g. they’re living it up in Hawaii. 
  • Live up to something: to do as well as or be as good as other people expect you to. Sp. estar a la altura de. E.g. He failed to live up to his parents' expectations. The team called ‘The No-Hopers’ certainly lived up to its name.
  • Live something down: to be able to make people forget about something embarrassing you have done. Sp. lograr que se olvide. E.g. She felt so stupid. She'd never be able to live it down.
  • Be/live in clover: (informal) to have enough money to be able to live a very comfortable life. Sp. en la abundancia. A cuerpo de rey. E.g. we’ll be in clover down there, lying around in the sun and fishing on the lake food. Retailers are in clover.
  • Clover: a small wild plant that usually has three leaves on each stem and purple, pink or white flowers that are shaped like balls. Sp trébol.
  • Conman: a man who tricks others into giving him money, etc.
  • Get by (on/in/with something): to manage to live or do a particular thing using the money, knowledge, equipment, etc. that you have. E.g. How does she get by on such a small salary? I can just about get by in German (= I can speak basic German).
  • Live by your wits: to earn money by clever or sometimes dishonest means. Sp. vivir de tu ingenio. E.g. he lived by his wits and was involved with many shady characters.
  • Shady: /ˈʃeɪdi/ seeming to be dishonest or illegal. Sp. sospechoso. E.g. a shady businessman/deal. A shady character.