Road/car/traffic etc accident

PREVIEW

1. accident -  a situation in which someone is injured or something is damaged without anyone intending them to be:

Ken had an accident at work and had to go to hospital.

I'm sorry about breaking the vase - it was an accident (=I did not intend to do it).

by accident:

I met her quite by accident (=completely by accident).

The discovery was made almost by accident.

The pilot, whether by accident or design, made the plane do a sharp turn.

Road/car/traffic etc accident

Over 70,000 people are killed or seriously injured every year in road accidents.

Fatal/serious/tragic etc accident

a fatal accident on the freeway

2. death - the end of the life of a person or animal opposite birth

Death of

The death of his mother came as a tremendous shock.

Cancer is the leading cause of death in women.

His friend was close to death.

Death from

deaths from cancer

Be bored/scared/frightened etc to death

She was scared to death of what might happen next.

be at death's door to be very ill and likely to die

 

3. divorce - the legal ending of a marriage ➔ separation:

Why doesn't she get a divorce?

One in three marriages ends in divorce.

to divorce - if someone divorces their husband or wife, or if two people divorce, they legally end their marriage ➔ separate:

David's parents divorced when he was six.

My father threatened to divorce her.

 

4. emotional - relating to your feelings or how you control them:

She provided emotional support at a very distressing time for me.

Ann suffered from depression and a number of other emotional problems.

the physical and emotional state of the patient

Get/become emotional

He became very emotional when we had to leave.

an emotional response to the problem

emotionally:

Nursing is an emotionally and physically demanding job.

 

5. expert - someone who has a special skill or special knowledge of a subject, gained as a result of training or experience:

a team of experts

Expert on/in

He's a world expert on marine mammals.

a leading expert in tax law

Medical/technical/financial etc expert

Tests should be administered by a medical expert.

the advice of technical experts

WORD FAMILY

expert noun

expertise noun

expert adjective

inexpert adjective

expertly adverb

inexpertly adverb

 

6. fail – to not succeed in achieving something opposite succeed:

It looks likely that the peace talks will fail.

Fail in

He failed in his attempt to regain the world title.

Fail to do something

Doctors failed to save the girl's life.

Where population growth is rapid, farming systems may fail to provide the necessary increase in productivity.

If all else fails, you may be advised to have an operation.

 

7. lower - to reduce something in amount, degree, strength etc, or to become less:

Do you think we should lower the price?

drugs to lower blood pressure

Helen lowered her voice (=made it quieter) as they approached.

In 1971, the voting age was lowered to 18.

There was general agreement over the need to reduce state spending so that taxes could be lowered.

 

8. to manage - to succeed in doing something difficult, especially after trying very hard

Manage to do something

I finally managed to push the huge animal away.

How do you manage to stay so slim?

We somehow managed to persuade him.

I don't know how I'll manage it, but I'll be there.

Manage without

How do you manage without a washing machine?

Manage with

I can't afford to get you a new coat - you'll have to manage with the one you've got.

WORD FAMILY:

management noun

manager noun

manageability noun

manageress noun

manageable adjective

unmanageable adjective

managerial adjective

manage verb

 

9. normal - usual, typical, or expected:

A normal working week is 40 hours.

It is normal (for somebody) to do something

It's normal to feel nervous before an exam.

Quite/perfectly etc normal

Her room was untidy, but that was quite normal.

She was assessed in the normal way, and placed on the waiting list.

All I want is to lead a normal life.

Under normal circumstances, fat in food is broken down by an enzyme.

 

10. professional – someone who earns money by doing a job, sport, or activity that many other people do just for fun opposite amateur:

Hurd signed as a professional in 1998.

top snooker professionals

Firstly, professionals make important contributions to the well-being of society as a whole.

WORD FAMILTY:

profession noun

professional noun

professionalism noun

professional adjective

unprofessional adjective

professionally adverb

unprofessionally adverb

 

11. to respond - to do something as a reaction to something that has been said or done synonym react

Respond to

Responding to the news, Mr Watt appealed for calm.

Most people respond better to encouragement than to criticism.

Respond by doing something

The US responded by sending troops into Laos.

Respond with

Villagers responded with offers of help.

12. respond – to do something as a reaction to something that has been said or done synonym react

Respond to

Responding to the news, Mr Watt appealed for calm.

Most people respond better to encouragement than to criticism.

Respond by doing something

The US responded by sending troops into Laos.

Respond with

Villagers responded with offers of help.

WORD FAMILY:

respondent noun

response noun

responsiveness noun

responsive adjective

unresponsive adjective

respond verb

responsively adverb

13. situation – a combination of all the things that are happening and all the conditions that exist at a particular time in a particular place:

I explained the situation.

in a ... situation

She coped well in a difficult situation.

When people meet in a social situation, they assess each other visually

Present/current situation

I cannot put up with the current situation one day longer.

Staff can be taught techniques for coping with stressful work situations.

Improve/remedy a situation

Some companies are taking measures to improve this situation.

She recommends using humor to defuse the situation.

Under stress

Janet's been under a lot of stress since her mother's illness.

the stresses and strains (=problems and worries) of public life

stress-related (=caused by stress) medical problems

Reduce/relieve stress

Yoga is excellent for relieving stress.

As the stress level goes up or as anxiety increases, one is more prone to sleeplessness.

Treatment includes individual or group therapy and stress management classes.

stressor – a situation that causes a stress reaction

The best way to find a student’s stress level may be to look at small daily stressors.

WORD FAMILY:

stress noun

stressed adjective

I always eat when I'm feeling stressed.

stressful adjective

Moving to a new house is a very stressful experience.

Sensitive children find life's daily events more stressful and overwhelming.

stress verb

 

15. suggest – to tell someone your ideas about what they should do, where they should go etc ➔ propose:

She wrote to me and suggested a meeting.

Suggest (that)

I suggest you phone before you go round there.

Suggest doing something

Joan suggested asking her father for his opinion.

Suggest how/where/what etc

The therapist suggested how Tony could cope with his problems.

can/may I suggest (=used to politely suggest a different idea)

May I suggest that you think carefully before rushing into this?

No possible explanation suggests itself (=is able to be thought of).

 

READING SKILLS

1. daily - happening or done every day:

daily flights to Miami

daily life - the ordinary things that you usually do or experience

WORD FAMILY:

day noun

midday noun

daily adjective

daily adverb

 

2. energy – the physical and mental strength that makes you able to do things:

Helping people takes time and energy.

Boy, where do those kids get their energy?

She was full of energy after her vacation.

a waste of energy

Good/bad habit

Regular exercise is a good habit for kids to develop.

Jeff was in the habit of taking a walk after dinner.

She has a habit of playing with her hair when she's nervous.

Develop/form a habit

Change a habit

He cannot change his habits now.

Break/kick a

Try to break the habit of adding salt to your food at the table.

Out of habit/from habit

Some people drink alcohol as much from habit as from desire.

(by/from) force of habit

From force of habit, she straightened the quilt.

Hunt for

The kids were hunting for shells on the beach.

Detectives are busy hunting for clues.

5. involve - to include or affect someone or something:

These changes will involve everyone on the staff.

Involve doing something

Running your own business usually involves working long hours.

Involve yourself in

Reilly involves himself in every aspect of his company's business.

WORLD FAMILT:

involvement noun

involved adjective

uninvolved adjective

involve verb

 

6. let go - to stop holding something or someone:

Let go! You're hurting me.

Let go of

The guard let go of the lead, and the dog lunged forward.

Let somebody go

The police had to let him go through lack of evidence.

The hijackers were persuaded to let hostages go.

I'm afraid we had to let several of our staff go.

7. lifestyle - the way a person or group of people live, including the place they live in, the things they own, the kind of job they do, and the activities they enjoy:

Regular exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle.

You really need to think about leading a healthier lifestyle.

Even when in debt, he continued to enjoy an extravagant lifestyle.

Point out that

Doctors often point out that it’s not healthy to fell stressed all the time.

Relaxed about

I feel more relaxed about my career than I used to.

relaxing - making you feel relaxed opposite stressful:

a relaxing evening at home

 

11. release - to let someone go free, after having kept them somewhere ➔ free, discharge:

Police arrested several men, who were later released.

The bears are eventually released into the wild.

Carbon stored in trees is released as carbon dioxide.

He took hold of my hand but then released it again quickly.

Subject of

Truffaut's childhood memories were the subject of his first film.

Stop trying to change the subject!

How did we get onto the subject of drugs ?

Keep/stay off a subject

Can we just drop the subject now, please.

The subject was never raised.

While we're on the subject of money, do you have the $10 you owe me?

LISTENING SKILLS

1. afraid - frightened because you think that you may get hurt or that something bad may happen synonym scared:

There's no need to be afraid.

Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you.

He had a terrible temper and everyone was afraid of him.

Afraid of (doing) something

kids who are afraid of the dark

He was afraid of being caught by the police.

Afraid to do something

Zoe was half afraid to go back in the house.

 

2. anxiety - the feeling of being very worried about something synonym concern

Anxiety about/over

There is considerable anxiety among staff about job losses.

There is growing public anxiety over levels of air pollution in our cities.

Deep/acute/great anxiety

The fear of unemployment can be a source of deep anxiety to people.

his feelings of anxiety

A high level of anxiety was created by the introduction of cameras into the factory.

It can help if you discuss your anxieties with someone.

 

3. anxious - worried about something

Anxious about

He was a bit anxious about the safety of the machinery.

Anxious for

We were anxious for you.

She gave me an anxious look.

Anxious (that)

She was anxious that it might be cancer.

 

4. busy – if you are busy, you are working hard and have a lot of things to do:

She's busy now - can you phone later?

a busy mother of four

Busy with

Mr Haynes is busy with a customer at the moment.

Busy doing something

Rachel's busy studying for her exams.

There were lots of activities to keep the kids busy.

5. exercise – physical activities that you do in order to stay healthy and become stronger:

Try to fit some regular exercise into your daily routine.

Working in an office, I don't get much exercise.

Do/take exercise

Most people need to do more exercise.

Gentle/light exercise

Gentle exercise can be beneficial for older people.

Vigorous/strenuous exercise

After the operation, you should avoid strenuous exercise.

6. get used to - to have experienced something so that it no longer seems surprising, difficult, strange etc:

I do the dishes every day, so I'm used to it.

I can't get used to the idea that you're grown up now.

7. list - a set of things, names, numbers etc usually written one below the other, for example so that you can remember or check them

list of

a list of activities planned for Saturday

make/draw up/write a list also compile a list formal:

Make a list of all the things you have to do.

On a list

The first person on my list is Mrs Gilling.

A long/short list

a long list of words to learn

In 1950 New York topped the list of the ten largest cities.

Guest list

Wine list

Grocery list

Practise doing something

Today we're going to practise parking.

Practise for

She's practicing for her piano recital.

Make/give a presentation

I'm going to ask each of you to make a short presentation.

10. to realize:

1) understand: to know and understand something, or suddenly begin to understand it

Realize (that)

I suddenly realized that the boy was crying.

Do you realize you're an hour late?

Realize who/what/how etc

I'm sorry, I didn't realize who you were.

It took us a while to realize the extent of the tragedy.

It was only later that I realized my mistake.

2) achieve - formal to achieve something that you were hoping to achieve:

She never realized her ambition of winning an Olympic gold medal.

a young singer who has not yet realized her full potential (=achieved as much as she can achieve)

somebody's worst fears were realized:

His worst fears were realized when he heard that Chris had been arrested.

Fulfil/realize a dream

11. reduce - to make something smaller or less in size, amount, or price synonym cut; opposite increase; ↪ reduction:

The governor announced a new plan to reduce crime.

Small businesses will need to reduce costs in order to survive.

Giving up smoking significantly reduces your risk of heart disease.

Busy schedule

Tight schedule

Skill in/at

He was valued for his skill in raising money for the company.

With skill

The whole team played with great skill and determination.

Word family

skill noun deskilling noun
skilful/skillful adjective
skilled adjective unskilled adjective
deskill verb
skilfully/skillfully adverb

14. step - one of a series of things that you do in order to deal with a problem or to succeed

Step in (doing) something

This is the first step in reforming the welfare system.

Step towards

an important step towards peace

The president took immediate steps to stop the fighting.

(major/big/great) step forward

The discovery of penicillin was a major step forward in the treatment of infections.

Many teachers see an emphasis on written tests as a step backwards.

Environmentalists call the change a step in the right direction.

15. technique - a special way of doing something ➔ method

Technique for

There are various techniques for dealing with industrial pollution.

Technique of

In mathematics, we use many techniques of problem-solving.

PREVIEW

1. accident -  a situation in which someone is injured or something is damaged without anyone intending them to be:

Ken had an accident at work and had to go to hospital.

I'm sorry about breaking the vase - it was an accident (=I did not intend to do it).

by accident:

I met her quite by accident (=completely by accident).

The discovery was made almost by accident.

The pilot, whether by accident or design, made the plane do a sharp turn.

road/car/traffic etc accident

Over 70,000 people are killed or seriously injured every year in road accidents.

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