On Screen WB p 13. Skills Work. Reading

 Do Ex 1

Questions:

run-down: (of a building or place) in very bad condition; that has not been taken care of.

E.g. 

run-down inner-city areas

a rather run-down part of town

 

notoriety: /ˌnəʊtəˈraɪəti/ the state of being famous for being bad in some way.

E.g.

notoriety (for something) She achieved notoriety for her affair with the senator.
This make of car has a certain notoriety for rust problems.
notoriety as something He gained a certain notoriety as a gambler.

 

Text

he knows like his pocket (from French connaît comme sa poche)

The English expression is: he knows like the back of his hand.   

 

shabby: (of buildings, clothes, objects, etc.) in poor condition because they have been used a lot.

E.g.

The outside of the house was beginning to look shabby.
She wore shabby old jeans and a T-shirt.

chic: /ʃiːk/ the quality of being fashionable and attractive.

E.g.

Margaret was looking very chic in blue.  

a chic restaurant 

 

notorious: /nəʊˈtɔːriəs/ famous or well known for something bad.

E.g. a notorious criminal

on the/your doorstep
​very close to where a person lives.

E.g.
The nightlife is great with bars and clubs right on the doorstep.

 

ashlar: /ˈæʃlə(r)/ large square stones that are put on the front of walls to improve their appearance. 

E.g. Long avenues of ashlar-stone buildings.

 

garret: a room, often a small dark unpleasant one, at the top of a house, especially in the roof. Sp. desván.

proprietor: /prəˈpraɪətə(r)/ 

the owner of a business, a hotel, etc.

E.g.

newspaper proprietors
Enquiries must be made to the proprietor.

rough around the edges: having a few imperfections.    

E.g.

the text looks pretty rough around the edges

This video is still a bit rough around the edges, but it's pretty close to what we want the finished product to look like. 

This old truck's a little rough around the edges, but it's still the most reliable vehicle I've owned.

gaze: to look steadily at somebody/something for a long time, either because you are very interested or surprised, or because you are thinking of something else.

E.g.
She gazed at him in amazement.
He sat for hours just gazing into space.

wistfully:  /ˈwɪstfəli/ 

in a slightly sad way that shows you are thinking about something that you would like to have, especially something in the past that you can no longer have. Sp. melancólicamente.

E.g.
She sighed wistfully.
‘If only I had known you then,’ he said wistfully.