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.