Do Ex 1
fortune favours the bold proverb. Also fortune favours the brave
Courageous action is often rewarded. The phrase encourages people to do what scares them.
E.g.
I know you're nervous about asking for a raise, but keep in mind that fortune favours the bold—you'll never get anything if you don't ask for it.
I decided to ask out the most popular girl in school because fortune favours the bold, right?
Do Ex 2
Do Ex 3
Do Ex 4
Do Ex 6
embody: to be a very good example of an idea or quality. SYN represent.
E.g.
She embodies everything I admire in a teacher
exemplify: to be a very typical example of something.
E.g.
The building exemplifies the style of architecture which was popular at the time.
The difference between embody and exemplify is that embody is to represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify while exemplify is to show or illustrate by example.
boast: if a place, object, or organization boasts something, it has something that is very good
E.g.
The city boasts two excellent museums.
The Society boasts 3,000 members worldwide.
The hotel boasts an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a sauna, and a gym. Sp. El hotel cuenta con una piscina olímpica, un sauna y un gimnasio.
gloat /ɡləʊt/ to show in an annoying way that you are proud of your own success or happy about someone else’s failure. Sp. regodearse.
E.g. gloat over: The fans are still gloating over Scotland’s victory.
dissipate: to gradually become less or weaker before disappearing completely, or to make something do this.
E.g.
As he thought it over, his anger gradually dissipated. Little by little, the smoke was dissipated by the breeze. The crowd dissipated when it began to snow. Sp. La multitud se disipó cuando empezó a nevar
Do Ex 7
The Ecolodge I stayed at is an excellent/ a prime/ a fine example of a sustainable hotel.
We had a narrow/ close/ lucky escape when the coast guard rescued us from our sinking sailboat
Tourism has had a desirable/ dramatic/ decisive effect on the local economy
the desired+ effect E.g. We had problems with mosquitoes, but this spray had the desired effect.
There is a strong/ likely/ fair chance that we can catch the last plane if we leave for the airport now.
sheer+ luck: E.g. It was sheer luck that we met like that.
Do Ex 8
drive somebody/something out
To force someone or something to leave or stop doing something E.g. Downtown stores are being driven out by crime. With the relentless march of the supermarkets, a lot of small retailers may be driven out of business. New fashions drive out old ones. The supermarkets are driving small shopkeepers out of business.
dawn on somebody
[no passive] if something dawns on you, you begin to realize it for the first time.
E.g.
The ghastly (horrible) truth dawned on me
it dawns on somebody that… Suddenly it dawned on me that they couldn't possibly have met before.
go off well/badly etc to happen in a particular way. E.g. The party went off very well. The wedding went off without a hitch.
wipe somebody/something out [often passive] to destroy or remove somebody/something completely.
E.g.
Whole villages were wiped out by the earthquake.
Last year's profits were virtually wiped out.
a campaign to wipe out malaria
set something out to explain ideas, facts, or opinions in a clearly organized way, in writing or in a speech.
E.g.
He set out the reasons for his decision in his report.
He set out his objections to the plan.
She set out the reasons for her resignation in a long letter
The tour guide will set out the exact plan of the tour when we meet
Do Ex 9
to raise/ring/set off/sound alarm bells
(also to ring/sound an alarm bell, to set (the) alarm bells ringing)
to cause worry because of being a sign that there may be a serious problem:
E.g.
Her statement should have rung alarm bells but nobody took the precaution of checking the facts. Regardless of where the bacteria came from, the test results should sound an alarm bell.
This move is likely to raise alarm bells with the French government.
Her description of her symptoms set alarm bells ringing
Do Ex 10
counterproductive: having the opposite effect to the one that was intended.
E.g.
Sending young offenders to prison can be counterproductive.
unproductive: not producing very much; not producing good results
E.g.
unproductive land
a three-hour meeting that was totally unproductive
I've had a very unproductive day.
instability: /ˌɪnstəˈbɪləti/
the quality or state of being likely to change or fail suddenly
E.g.
political and economic instability
downplay something to try to make something seem less important than it really is. Play down.
E.g.
The coach is downplaying the team's poor performance.
advisory: an official warning that something bad is going to happen.
E.g.
a tornado advisory
official: a person who is in a position of authority in a large organization.
E.g.
She is the government official in charge of the project.
a bank/company/court official
undergo something to experience something, especially a change or something unpleasant.
E.g.
to undergo tests/trials/repairs
My mother underwent major surgery last year.
Some children undergo a complete transformation when they become teenagers.
The drug is currently undergoing trials in America.
Do Ex 1
raw deal: unfair treatment. E.g. Customers are getting a raw deal and are rightly angry.
pay through the nose: to pay too much money for something. E.g. We paid through the nose to get the car fixed.
Do Ex 2
Do Ex 3
sail through: to do something easily and confidently. E.g. She sailed through her final exams.
Do Ex 4
fly in the face of something: to be the opposite of what most people think is reasonable, sensible, or normal. E.g. He likes to fly in the face of convention.
Do Ex 5
a plethora of something: /ˈpleθərə/ a very large number of something, usually more than you need. E.g. a plethora of suggestions. The report contained a plethora of detail. There's a plethora of books about the royal family. The plethora of regulations is both contradictory and confusing.
scoop: information about something. Sp. exclusiva.
E.g.
the inside scoop (=special information that other people do not have) on the markets.
What’s the scoop? (=used to ask for information or news)
The young journalist was excited about getting his first scoop.
throw caution to the wind(s): to ignore the risks and deliberately behave in a way that may cause trouble or problems. E.g. I threw caution to the winds and followed him.
peace-loving/fun-loving/home-loving etc
thinking that peace, having fun etc is very important. E.g. a peace-loving nation
colourful: interesting, exciting, and full of variety.
E.g.
colourful history/past/career/life.
Charlie Chaplin had a long and colourful career.
a colourful character/figure (=someone who is interesting and unusual)
The town, of course, has a very colourful history/past.
The old city around the cathedral is the most colourful part of town.
receptive /rɪˈseptɪv/ adjective willing to consider new ideas or listen to someone else’s opinions.
E.g.
You might find them in a more receptive mood tomorrow.
a receptive audience.
receptive to: a workforce that is receptive to new ideas
spur-of-the-moment adjective [only before noun] a spur-of-the-moment decision or action is made or done suddenly without planning. SYN spontaneous. E.g. a spur-of-the-moment decision/plan/visit.
on the spur of the moment: if you do something on the spur of the moment, you do it suddenly and do not take time to plan it or think carefully about it. E.g. I decided on the spur of the moment to invite him.
Vocabulary
spiral out of control: if a situation spirals out of control, it gets worse, more violent etc in a way that cannot be controlled. E.g. Crime has spiralled out of control.
gush: to express your praise, pleasure etc in a way that other people think is too strong. To express admiration or pleasure with so much enthusiasm that people think you are not sincere. E.g. Popular magazines are always gushing about his looks. ‘I simply loved your book, ’ she gushed. "You're just so talented!" she gushed.
bland:
not having a strong taste and therefore not very interesting to eat.
E.g.
a rather bland diet of soup, fish and bread
This sauce is rather bland.
freak out: to become very anxious, upset, or afraid, or make someone very anxious, upset, or afraid. E.g. She just freaked out when she saw the police. Meeting my dad again after all these years really freaked me out. People just freaked out when they heard the news. The whole idea freaked me out.
pick out: to choose somebody/something carefully from a group of people or things. Synonym: select. E.g.
She was picked out from dozens of applicants for the job.
He picked out the ripest peach for me.
He was picked out as the best player.
hunchback: a person who has a back with a large, round lump (= raised area) on it, either because of illness or old age, or the lump itself. E.g. I used to walk with a hunchback and stare at my feet.
hold up: to support someone or something so that they do not fall down. Stand confidently. E.g. Her legs were almost too shaky to hold her up. I walk with confidence now. I hold myself up, and look straight ahead.
squash: to control or ignore an emotion. SYN suppress. E.g. She felt anger rising but quickly squashed it. I no longer try and squash my personality down.
rid yourself of somebody/something
Do Ex 3
Do Ex 4
