- Rewrite similar diary entries about your own country, which is experiencing a similar lockdown situation.
E.g. Our government has forbidden us to go out to do sport.
The health authorities have recommended wearing masks The media insists that we stay at home and be patient. The security services demand that we follow the rules and regulations - Make a list all the problems and concerns that people must be experiencing right now.
E.g. Shoppers complain about the lack ...
of toilet rolls.
At 8.00 pm people go out on their balconies to congratulate
the health services for their efforts.
Family members remind one another ...
to keep fit.
I admit to...
having the fridge door always open.
- Which of the things we have mentioned do you find most difficult to deal with
Possibilities include:
The fear of falling ill
The loneliness
Anger
The silence of the city
Having limited access to outdoors
Worrying about friends and loved ones
Having to pay such detailed attention to personal hygiene
Suggest: E.g. I suggested going in my car. I suggest (that) we go out to eat.
Declare: to state something firmly and clearly. E.g. Few people dared to declare their opposition to the regime. He declared that he was in love with her.
Decide: E.g. We've decided not to go away after all. Why did you decide to look for a new job? She decided (that) she wanted to live in France.
Sigh: /saɪ/ to say something with a sigh. Sp. suspirar. E.g. ‘Oh well, better luck next time,’ she sighed.
Catch your death (of cold): (old-fashioned, informal) to catch a very bad cold.
Object: E.g. I really object to being charged for parking. He objected that the police had arrested him without sufficient evidence.
Claim: to say that something is true although it has not been proved and other people may not believe it. E.g. He claims (that) he was not given a fair hearing. I don't claim to be an expert.
Insist on doingsth: E.g. They insist on playing their music late at night.
Refuse to do something: E.g.He flatly refused to discuss the matter. She refused to accept that there was a problem.
Ex 5
Tentative: /tentətɪvli/ not behaving or done with confidence. Hesitantly. E.g. They have tentatively agreed to our proposal. She smiled tentatively.
Reluctantly: /rɪˈlʌktəntli/ E.g. We reluctantly agreed to go with her. Reluctantly, he started the engine and drove off.
Resignedly: /rɪˈzaɪnɪdli/being willing to calmly accept something unpleasant or difficult that you cannot change. E.g. ‘I suppose you're right,’ she said resignedly.
Peevishly: /ˈpiːvɪʃli/ easily annoyed by unimportant things; bad-tempered. Sp. de mala manera. E.g. ‘It's your own fault,’ she said peevishly.
Stubbornly: / ˈstʌbənli / determined not to change your opinion or attitude. E.g. She stubbornly refused to pay.
Categorically: /ˌkætəˈɡɒrɪkli/ expressed clearly and in a way that shows that you are very sure about what you are saying. Sp. rotundamente. E.g. He categorically rejected our offer.
Ex 6
Sarcastically: E.g. ‘John can't come.’ ‘What a shame,’ my brother said sarcastically.
Pedantically: /pɪˈdæntɪkli/too worried about small details or rules. E.g. "This large pastry shell is called vol-au-vent," she said pedantically.
Absent-mindedly: tending to forget things, perhaps because you are not thinking about what is around you, but about something else. E.g. She absent-mindedly twisted a strand (a single piece) of hair around her fingers.
Decisively: /dɪˈsaɪsɪvli/ able to decide something quickly and with confidence. E.g. She shook her head decisively.
Blankly: /ˈblæŋkli /showing no feeling, understanding or interest. E.g. She stared blankly into space, not knowing what to say next.
Rudely: E.g. ‘What do you want?’ she asked rudely.
Cautiously: / ˈkɔːʃəsli/being careful about what you say or do, especially to avoid danger or mistakes; not taking any risks. E.g. She looked cautiously around and then walked away from the house.
Ex 7
Breed, bred, bred: to keep animals or plants in order to produce young ones in a controlled way. E.g. The rabbits are bred for their long coats. Greyhounds were originally bred as hunting dogs. The first panda to be bred in captivity.
Nomad: /ˈnəʊmæd/ a member of a community that moves with its animals from place to place.
Drift: to move or go somewhere slowly. E.g. The crowd drifted away from the scene of the accident. Her gaze drifted around the room. People began to drift back to their houses.
A game animal:a bird that people hunt for sport or food.
Spring up, sprang, sprung: to appear or develop quickly and/or suddenly. E.g. Play areas for children are springing up all over the place. Opposition groups are springing up like mushrooms.
Hamlet: /ˈhæmlət/ a very small village.
For something's sake: because of the interest or value something has, not because of the advantages it may bring. E.g. I believe in education for its own sake. Art for art's sake.
Aristotle: /ˈær ɪ stɒt əl /
Pliny: /ˈplɪn i/
Dilettante: /ˌdɪləˈtænti/ pl dilettanti /ˌdɪləˈtæntiː/ or dilettante: a person who does or studies something but is not serious about it and does not have much knowledge. E.g. a dilettante artist (Sp. de poca monta)
Second-rate:not very good or impressive. E.g. a second-rate player.
Menagerie: /məˈnædʒəri/ a collection of wild animals.
Keep/lose track of somebody/something: to have/not have information about what is happening or where somebody/something is. Sp. mantener un registro. E.g. Bank statements help you keep track of where your money is going. I lost all track of time (= forgot what time it was).
Endanger: /ɪnˈdeɪndʒə(r)/ to put somebody/something in a situation in which they could be harmed or damaged. E.g. The health of our children is being endangered by exhaust fumes. That one mistake seriously endangered the future of the company. The sea turtle is an endangered species(= it may soon no longer exist).
Ascension frigate bird: /əˈsenʃn/ /ˈfrɪɡət/ a tropical bird that lives near the sea, with dark feathers and a long beak with a hook.
Biodiversity: /ˌbaɪəʊdaɪˈvɜːsəti/ the existence of a large number of different kinds of animals and plants which make a balanced environment. E.g. The mining project threatens one of the world's richest areas of biodiversity.
Range(of something): /reɪndʒ/ a variety of things of a particular type. E.g. The hotel offers a wide range of facilities. There is a full range of activities for children. This material is available in a huge range of colours.
Albeit: /ˌɔːlˈbiːɪt/ although. E.g. He finally agreed, albeit reluctantly, to help us.
Enclosure: /ɪnˈkləʊʒə(r)/ a piece of land that is surrounded by a fence or wall and is used for a particular purpose. E.g. a wildlife enclosure. In most places rhinos live either in fenced enclosures or under armed guard.
Out-of-the-way: far from a town or city. E.g. a little out-of-the-way place on the coast.
Roam: /rəʊm/ to walk or travel around an area without any definite aim or direction. Wander. E.g. The sheep are allowed to roam freely on this land. To roam the countryside/the streets, etc.
Come to something: to reach a particular situation, especially a bad one. E.g. The doctors will operate if necessary—but it may not come to that. Who'd have thought things would come to this (= become so bad)?
Slaughter: /ˈslɔːtə(r)/ the killing of animals for their meat. E.g. cows taken for slaughter.
Launch something:to start an activity, especially an organized one. E.g. To launch an appeal/an inquiry/an investigation/a campaign. To launch an attack/invasion.
Poach: /pəʊtʃ/ to illegally hunt birds, animals or fish on somebody else's property or without permission. Sp. Cazar furtivamente. E.g. The elephants are poached for their tusks.
Rife: /raɪf/if something bad or unpleasant is rife in a place, it is very common there.Widespread. E.g. It is a country where corruption is rife. Rumours are rife that he is going to resign.
Harsh: /hɑːʃ/ very difficult and unpleasant to live in. E.g. a harsh winter/wind/climate. The harsh conditions of poverty which existed for most people at that time.
Thrive: /θraɪv/ to become, and continue to be, successful, strong, healthy, etc. Sp. prosperar, crecer con fuerza. E.g. New businesses thrive in this area. These animals rarely thrive in captivity.
Ex 3
Gist: /dʒɪst/ (usually the gist)the main or general meaning of a piece of writing, a speech or a conversation. Sp. lo esencial. E.g. to get (= understand) the gist of an argument. I missed the beginning of the lecture—can you give me the gist of what he said? I'm afraid I don't quite follow your gist (= what you really mean). Students are taught the skills of reading and listening for gist.
Roam: / rəʊm/to walk or travel around an area without any definite aim or direction. Wander. E.g. The sheep are allowed to roam freely on this land.To roam the countryside/the streets, etc.
Footprint: /ˈfʊtprɪnt/ a mark left on a surface by a person's foot or shoe or by an animal's foot. E.g. footprints in the sand.
Outline: to give a description of the main facts or points involved in something. Sp. explicar resumidamente. E.g. We outlined our proposals to the committee.
P. 185
Was not to: must changes to had to and mustn't becomes was not to for obligation in reported speech. E.g. you mustn't tell my mother: she said I was not to tell her mother.
Rubbish tip: a place where you can take rubbish/garbage and leave it. Sp. Vertedero.
Ex 4
Scum: /skʌm/ an insulting word for people that you strongly disapprove of. Sp. escoria. E.g. Don't waste your sympathy on scum like that. Drug dealers are the scum of the earth(= the worst people there are).
Abuse: rude and offensive remarks, usually made when somebody is very angry. E.g. to scream/hurl/shout abuse. She screamed abuse at Tom. A stream/torrent of abuse. The man burst into a torrent of foul-mouthed racist abuse.
Hurl: 1. to throw something/somebody violently in a particular direction. E.g. He hurled a brick through the window.2. hurl abuse, accusations, insults, etc. (at somebody)to shout insults, etc. at somebody. E.g. Rival fans hurled abuse at each other.
Foul-mouthed: using rude, offensive language. E.g. a foul-mouthed racist.
Scold: /skəʊld/ to speak angrily to somebody, especially a child, because they have done something wrong. E.g. He scolded them for arriving late.
Stern: serious and often disapproving; expecting somebody to obey you. E.g. a stern face/expression/look. Sternly (adv) /stɜːnli/ E.g. The librarian sternly told us off for talking.
