Grow (Crecer en tamaño

Grow up (Madurar

UNIT 1: GROWING UP
RELATIONSHIPS, FAMILIES AND EARLY LEARNING
1.- Relationships
VOCABULARY NOTE

Group together words that are similar in meaning or form. Ex: Adulthood, brotherhood and
fatherhood.

Hood is used to form a noun and shows something belongs to a particular group or has
reached a particular stage. Ex: Adulthood (The stage of being an adult).

STAGES

 Newborn: Recien nacido.

 Adolescence
 Brotherhood: Hermandad.
 Adulthood: Edad adulta.
 Fatherhood: Paternidad.
 Motherhood: Maternidad.

COLLOCATION

 In common: My sister and I have totally different tastes. In fact (De hecho) we don´t
have much in common at all.
 Bond: Is usually used to describe a very close relationship between people. Ex: There is
a very close bond / connection / tie between a mother and a newborn baby.
 Establish (sth) with: It is important to establish / develop a good working relationship
with your work colleagues.
 Break down: A relationship can easily break down if you don´t work at it.
 Relationship between: I really admire the relationship between my mother and my
grandmother.
 Conflict between: There can be a lot of conflict between teenagers and their parents.
2.- Families and early learning
VOCABULARY LIST

Nurture: Help someone / something develop and grow.

Example 1: From birth, parents can nurture and help develop social competencies (or skills) by
making eye contact with their babies, offering toys and playing with them.

Accommodate: Agreeing to a demand.

Example 1: When parents relate to a child, they do a lot of work, figuring out what the child
needs and then accommodating those needs.

Sibling: Brother or sister.

Example 1: Children who had a positive relationship with a best friend before the birth of a
sibling ultimately (Básicamente) had a good relationship with their sibling that lasted throughout
adolescence.

Relate: Respond to somebody.

Adolescence: The stage between childhood and adulthood.

Rewarding: Giving a lot of pleasure.

Example 1: Teaching is a hard work, but it´s rewarding.

Interaction: Communication.

VOCABULARY NOTE

Look for familiar words in longer words to work out their meaning.

 Correlation: One this is linked with another. Ex: There is a correlation between
smoking and cancer.
 Interrelated: The relationship between two or more things. Ex: Children need to be
educated about the way that diet and health interrelate.

The prefix co- often means with or together.

 Correlation.
 Cooperate: Neighbours cooperated to clean up the park.

The prefix inter- often means between.

 Interact
 intercity
VOCABULARY LIST

Family: The wolf is a member of the dog family.

Adopt: The company decided to adopt a new approach to staff recruitment.

Relationship: The study found a strong relationship / correlation / relation between a lack of
friends and sibling rivalry.

Relative to: Whether you think the price of goods is high is relative to the amount of money
you earn.

Related to: Studies have shown that stress in adulthood can be related to an unhappy
childhood.

Nurture: Good teachers identify the talents of their students and nurture them.

Conflict with: The evidence seems to conflict with the findings from previous studies.

In relation to: I am writing in relation to the job advertisement in yesterday´s paper.

COMPOUND NOUNS

 Immediate family
 Extended family
 Family gatherings
 Sibling rivalry
 Stable upbringing
 Active role
 Family resemblance
 Physical resemblance
 Striking resemblance
 Maternal instinct

VOCABULARY LIST

 Close knit: Caring and supportive.

 Ties: The emotional connection between people or places.
 Alike: Similar.
 Temperament: Your nature or character.
 Stubborn: Determined to an unreasonable degree.
 Inherited: Handed down through a family.
3.- LISTENING TOPIC
1. Tell me about your family

My immediate family is relatively small, just my parents, my two brothers and me. But both of
my parents come from very large families so my extended family is very large – I have a big
amount of cousins. Our family gatherings are pretty chaotic, but fun. Were very close-knit
family. Even though we don´t see each other so often, the family ties are still very strong.

When we were little the wasn´t very much sibling rivalry between us. I think it´s because we
had a very stable upbringing. Both of my parents played a very active role in our school life,
and our home life, and they taught us to resolve our conflicts in a very fair way. I consider
myself very lucky.

2. Who are you most similar to in your family?

You can see a very clear family resemblance between my brothers and me, but everyone tells
me that physical resemblance between me and my maternal grandmother is very striking.
Sadly, I didn´t have the chance to reach know her at all because she died when I was young,
but I get photographs of her around my living room and we look quite alike. Other than that, I
think I have my mother´s temperament- we´re both very stubborn. But thankfully, I also
inherited her mathematical brain.

3. What do you think it takes to be a good parent?

I don´t think just anyone can be a good parent. Not everyone ha the right instincts. I think I
have a very strong maternal instinct, because I like taking care of small children. So I hope to
become a mother one day. I think it takes a great deal of patience and love.
 UNIT 2: MENTAL AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
THE BODY AND THE MIND
Stage Social and emotional Physical milestones Cognitive and communicative
milestones milestones
Infant -Tries to mimic -Can sit and stand without -Can use basic words and gestures
-Tries to see how parents help -Uses objetcs for their intended
react to their behavior purpose
Toddler -Is more independent -Is able to: -Greater understanding of
-Take turns Run language
Climb things -Uses make-believe/imagination
Ride a tricycle in plays
Middle childhood -The outside world has a -Growth is not as rapid as in -Good reding and writing skills.
greater impact on ealier stages.
development -Teeth and eyes are the
-Some children appear same size as in adulthood
grown up, others are
immature
1.- The body

VOCABULARY LIST

 Acquired: Learned (A skill).

 Imitating: Copying people.
 Unassisted: Without help.
 Spontaneously: In a natural and unforced way.
 Mastered: Developed a skill to a high level.
 Stage: Period / phase.

WORD BUILDING

Verb Noun Adjetctive

Develop Development Developed/Developing/Overdeloped
Grow Growth Fully-grown/Overgrown
Mature/Reach Maturity Mature
maturity

VOCABULARY LIST

 Transition: Firs-year students often struggle with the transition from high school to
university.
 Rate: The rate at which a change occurs can cause problems for both the very oung
and the elderly.
 Peers: It can be less stressful to make a presentation to your peers rather than to your
teachers.
 Consequence: The increase in violence among young people may be a consequence of
watching too much violence on TV and in video games.
 Unparalleled: Petrol prices are increasing at a speed that is unparalleled since the oil
crisis of the 70s.
 May: Teenagers may / typically rebel against their parents between the ages of 14 and
16.
  Abstract: In part three of speaking test you are expected to be able to talk about more
abstract topics.
 Concept: Infinity is a very difficult concept for children to grasp.

VOCABULARY NOTE

 The prefix im- is often in front of adjectives beginning with b, m or p to form the
opposite or t show that something is lacking. Ex: Immature and impossible.
 Similarly, ir- often comes in front of words beginning with r.
 Il- often comes in front of words beginning with l.
 In- in front of other words. Ex: Irresponsible, illegal and insensitive.
 The prefix over- can also be negative, meaning too much. Ex: Overdeveloped, overdue,
overcrowded and oversensitive.

ERROR WARNING

Grow can be used with plants. Ex: We could grow flowers and trees here. Or with things. Ex:
The business is growing rapidly. But grow up can only be used with people or cities. The city
grew up from a small group of houses near the river. Grow up is intransitive, which means you
can´t use it with an object. Not The government grew up the city.

ADJECTIVES
Childhood Parenthood
Clumsy Mature
Crawling Nurturing
Immature Overindulgent
Irresponsible Overprotective
Rebelious Patient
Throw a tantrum Tolerant
Unsteady

VOCABULARY LIST

 Period: The period of greatest stability occurred between 1985 and 1990.
 Growth: The greatest period of growth was in 2004.
 Grew: The figures grew from 2,500 to 6,000 in 2007.
 Gained: The company gained an extra 2,000 employees in 2002.
 Rate: Sales increased at a significant rate between 2001 and 2005.
 Significantly: The number of migrants rose significantly from 1980 to 2000.

2.- The mind

VOCABULARY LIST

 Keep an open mind: Try not to judge before you know the facts.
 Bear in mind: Remember.
 Have something in mind: Have an idea.
 Have something on your mind: Be worried about something.
 My mind went blank: I couldn´t remember a thing.
 I slipped my mind: I forgot.
 Put your mind at ease: Stop you from worrying.
 Broaden the mind: Increase your knowledge.
ERROR WARNING

Remember: To have a memory in your mind.

Example 1: I remember my first day at school.

Remind: Someone or something helps you to remember something. Remind is not usually
used with the subject.

Example 1: It reminds me of when I lived in Egypt. Not I remind me of.

MEMORY

 Remember: To have a memory in your mind. Ex: I will always remember how beautiful
the sunset was on that day.
 Reminisce: Remember the past.
 Look back: Reminisce.
 Remind: Someone or something helps you to remember something. Ex: Could you
remind me to buy some bread on the way home?
 Memorise
 Forget
 Reminder
 Memories: I have very fond memories of my school days.

3.- Listening topics

I. What do you remember about your early childhood?

I remember being very happy. I have a lot of great memories of my childhood. In fact, my
brothers and I often reminisce about it. Perhaps when you look back everything seems better,
but our summer holidays seemed to go on forever and the sun always seemed to be shining.
Nowadays, if we ever have a hot summer day, it always reminds me of my childhood holidays.

II. Do you think you have a good memory or a poor memory?

When I was younger I think I used to have a very good memory. I used to be able to memorise
long lists of dates things these days, so now I´d say my memory is quite poor. When I´m
studying I find I have to think up strategies to help me, like visualising something associated
with a particular word. I even forget important things sometimes, so I have to write myself
little notes as a reminder.
 UNIT 3: KEEPING FIT
DIET, HEALTH AND EXERCISE
1.- Diet
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR DIET

 Make sure that you eat a variety of foods. It is important to eat from all five food
groups.
 Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. These contain vital nutrients and leading dietitians
recommend eating at least two servings pf fruit and three of vegetables every day.
 Try to maintain a healthy weight. Being too thin can cause as many heath problems as
being overweight. Remember, the correct weight for you depends on many different
factors including your age, height and sex.
 Eat moderate portions and don´t be tempted to order a lager size when eating out.
Skipping meals can lead to overeating as you will be much hungrier later, so be sure to
eat regularly if you want curb your appetite.
 You don´t need to eliminate all of your favourite foods but do check the ingredients on
food labels and make sure that you reduce your intake of foods that are high in facts,
sugar and salt.
 If you have a food allergy, make sure you avoid any of the ingredients that can trigger
an attack.

SYNONYMS

 Vital: Very important.

 Dietitians: Foods scientists.
 Moderate: Neither small nor large.
 Portions: Servings.
 Skipping: Missing out on.
 Curb: Limit.
 Appetite: Desire to eat.
 Eliminate: Totally remove.
 Allergy: A condition that causes illness if you eat certain foods.
2.- Health and exercise
VOCABULARY NOTE

The following words are often used with the word health:
Nouns Adjectives

-Health benefits -In good health

-Health risks -In poor health
-Health problems -In excellent health
-Health care
-Health education
-Health system

We can use healthy to describe things other than your body. Ex: A healthy appetite, a healthy
diet, a healthy economy and a healthy disrespect for authority.

VOCABULARY LIST

 Muscle: The heart is a muscle.

 Fat: A diet high in fat can slow down the blood flow and lead to heart problems.
 Carries blood: A heart attack is caused when an artery that carries blood to heart
becomes blocked.
 Treatment: Patients must be given treatment immediately.
 Brain: A stroke is caused when there is a blockage in an artery that leads to the brain.
 Cure: A stroke can have a major effect on your body and as yet there is no cure.
 Clear: A healthy diet will keep your arteries clear and can lower the risk of a stroke or
heart attack.

ERROR WARNING

Note that health is a noun and healthy is the adjective.

We write or talk about education and health or mental health. Not education and healthy or
mental healthy.

We say someone is strong and healthy. Not strong and health.

AEROBIC EXERCISE

 Walking
 Jogging
 Running
 Swimming
 Cycling

VOCABULARY NOTE

-tion at the end of a word usually indicates that the word is a noun. Ex: Action and repetition.

-tious indicates and adjective. Ex: Repetitious.

WORD BUILDING
Noun Verb Adjective
Allergy Allergic
Benefit Benefit Beneficial
Harm Harm Harmful
Opp. = Harmless
Health Healthy
Opp. = Unhealthy
Infection Infect Infectious
Opp. = Disinfect
Nutrition Nourish Nutritious
Obesity Obese
Prevention Prevent Preventable
Recommendation Recommend Recommended
Variety Vary Various/Varied

SYNONYMS

 Regular: In a fixed pattern.

 Briskly: Quickly.
 Gradually: Little by little.
 Recommendation: S strong suggestion.
 Pace: Speed.
 Overdoing: Doing something to excess.
 Recover: Get better.
 Alternate: Every second one.

PRONUNTIATION

(Z sound) (S sound)
Breath, birth, breath, death, growth, health, mouth Bathe, breathe, mouth (v), teethe, writhe
(n), teeth

VOCABULARY LIST

 Breath: I took a deep breath before diving into the water.

 Teething: The baby is crying because he´s teething. He got two new teeth only
yesterday.
 Health: Old people should take care of their health.
 Birth: He´s been so happy since the birth of his son.
 Writhing: The pain was so bad she was writhing in agony.
 Breathe: He can´t breathe. You need to get him to hospital.
3.- Listening topic
1. Do you think young people are more or less fit than 50 years ago? (Why? / Why not?)

I think is some ways we are less fit than 50 years ago because obesity was less of a problem
then. But we´re also healthier in that we are more aware of the risks of smoking. Although
exercise has become more popular, fewer children participate in sports than 50 years ago
because now the spend too much time playing computer games. Which weren´t around 50
years ago.

2. In what way is your diet different from when you were a young child?

When I was young my mm cooked all of our meals and she would spend a lot of time in the
kitchen. Now that I´m in the university and my mother spend more hours at work I´m too busy
to cook or shop for food, so I sometimes tend to eat too much junk food nowadays.

3. What changes do you think will occurs in our diet in the future?

I hope that they will stop making food with so many additives in and that fast food will
become a lot healthier. I also think there will be more variety in fast food.
 UNIT 4: LIFESTYLES
LIFE AND LEISURE
1.- Life
PHRASES

 Work hard for a living

 Achieve something in life
 Life has its ups and downs
 Live life on the edge
 Feel alive
 Your quality of life
 Have a negative attitude
 Life is full of disappointments
 Have a positive outlook on life
 Live life to the full
 Lead a happy life

COLLOCATION

Life:

 In my job as a nurse I get to meet people from all walks of life.

 For me, being a vegetarian is not just about diet, it has become a way of life.
 It was lifelong ambition of mine to travel to the Arctic Circle and see the northern
lights.
 Going to Egypt and seeing the pyramids was a once in a lifetime opportunity for me.

Living:

 The standard of living in my country is very good; there are not many poor people
there.
 Many people only think about bills they need to pay and forget to allow for evert living
expenses when they calculate a budget.
 A rise in petrol prices inevitably leads to a rise in the cost of living.
 The happiest people are those ho have found a way to make a living from their hobby.

VOCABULARY NOTE

Note the difference between life and living.

 Life is used to refer to the period between birth and death.

 Living is used to refer to being alive. Make a living refers to earning money.
2.- Leisure
VOCABULARY LIST

Intense sense: Strong feeling.

Example 1: Men and women who act as a hobby report feeling an intense sense of belonging
to a group.

Example 2: Both acting and roller-skating give people a strong feeling of being part of a team.

Participating in: Taking part.

Example 1: Participating in soccer satisfies our desire for a sense of belonging.

Sense of competition: Desire to win.

Example 1: Activities providing the strongest sense of competition are not sports, but card,
arcade and computer games.

Example 2: Taking part in sports gives you the strongest desire to win.

Fulfil their need: Satisfies people´s desire. Ex: Coin collecting and baking fulfil their need for
creativity.

Creativity: Making things. Ex: Collecting things satisfies people´s desire for making things.

Appeals to: Attracts.

Example 1: But nobody explains why skiing really appeals to people.

Example 2: Researchers already know why a hobby attracts a person.

Your personality: The type of person you are.

Example 1: Stamp collecting gives people the opportunity to express some aspect of their
personality by doing something completely different from their daily routine.

Example 2: Fishing allows you to show the type of person you are.

Personal fulfilment: A feelingof doing wat you have always wanted to do.

Insight: A deep understanding.

Aspect: A feature of.

Leisure: Something that is done for enjoyment in your free time / Activity / Hbby /
Recreational activity. Ex: Fishing, is generally considered more of an outdoor recreational
activity.

Daily routine: Things you do every day.

COLLOCATION
Achieve A goal
A balance
Make A decision
A change
A choice
Meet A need
Miss A chance
An opportunity
Play A role
Put Pressure on
Set A goal
Take A chance
An opportunity

3.- Listening topic

1. Do you think people work too much nowadays?

Not really. I think people gave always worked hard for a living. I mean it´s never been easy for
anyone. You have to work hard if you want to achieve anything in your life- that´s just the way
it is and there isn´t a lot you can do about it. Life has its ups and downs and I think the best
thing to do is accept that and get on with it.

2. What do you like to do to relax?

For me there is only one way to relax and that´s through sport. I like to live life on the edge, so
I do a lot of sport like dance, yoga and basketball. When you´re making your muscles work and
you start to sweat you really feel healthy and quiet. I think your attitude has a big impact on
your quality of life.

3. What is your idea of a perfect day?

I think that have the perfect day is a hard thing because something always seems to happen to
spoil it. Some people say I have a positive attitude, but if I plan a picnic with friends then either
it rains or my friends decide not come along and these situations really irritate me because I
think it´s a waste of time making plans to end like that.

4. How would you describe your attitude to life?

I have a very positive outlook on life. I think it´s important to treat every day as special and live
life to the full. Some people approach everything as if their glass is half empty. If you do that
then it will colour every experience you have. I think if you want to lead a happy life them you
need to have a positive approach to everything.
 UNIT 5: STUDENT LIFE
Study, education and research
1.- Study
VOCABULARY LIST

 Overcome: Even the most studious among you will probably have difficulty studying at
some stage in your academic career. If or when this happens the only way to
overcome this problem is to go back to basics.
 Study: Fist, make sure you have a comfortable environment to study in.
 Concentrate: Some students need to have a quiet space to themselves and can´t
concentrate / study if there ae too many distractions.
 Organise: Whatever your personal preference is, you need to organise this fist of all.
 Taking: Next, make sure you have all of the equipment or tools that you need. For
example, If you are taking / studying a geography course and you have to learn about
countries and their capital cities then you will need to have your atlas to hand.
 Doing: If you´re doing your maths homework then be sure to find your calculator,
ruler, protractor and compass before you start.
 Revise: To study for an exam. Ex: Perhaps sure not preparing a homework assignment
or project, but are trying to revise for an exam. If so, you need to know exactly what is
on your curriculum.
 Review: To check your work. Ex: You should also review your notes and make sure that
you have a clear understanding of what your lecturers have taught you.
 Studious: Describes someone who studies a lot.
 Distractions: Things hat stop you from working.
 Background noise: A sound you can heat, but do not actively listen to.
 Project and assignment: Two different types of homework or school task.
 Curriculum: Another word for syllabus.
 Struggle: Toi do something with great difficulty.

ERROR WARNING

Know: Already have the information. Ex: Excuse me, do you know where the nearest post
office is?

Find out: Get the information. Ex: We need find out where to buy tickets for the concert.

Study: Learn about a subject through books / a course. Ex: I´m studying for my exams. We don
´t use any other prepositions after study. Not I am studying about law.

Learn: Get new knowledge or skills. Ex: I´m learning English; I´m learning to knit. Note that we
say you are taking a course. Not learning a course. Prepositions after learn:

 Learn about. Ex: I would really like to learn about the ancient Egyptians.
 Learn from. Ex: I learned a lot from this course. Not I learned a lot with this course.
 Learn to
2.- Education
VOCABULARY LIST

 Kindergarten: A school for a very young children / Nursery.

 Primary: From the age of 5 to 11 / Elementary.
 Junior: Younger part of the school.
 Grade: Level.
 Senior: Older part of the school.
 Scholarship: Chance to go to school without paying fees / Grant.
 High school: From age 11 to 18 school / Secondary school.
 Private: Not free school / Not private school.
 Single-sex: Only for one sex school.
 Mixed: For boys and girls school.

VOCABULARY NOTE

Words ending in -ist are usually used to describe a person who studies a particular subject or
who holds a particular set of beliefs. Ex: Economist, scientist, feminist and Marxist.

WORDL BUILDING
Subject Person Adjective
Architecture Architect Architectural
Archaeology Archaeologist Archaeological
Biology Biologist Biological
Economics Economist Economic (Economical
is related to saving
money or fuel)
Geology Geologist Geological
Geography Geographer Geographical
Journalism Journalist Journalistic
Languages Linguist Linguistic
Law Lawyer Legal
Mathematics/Maths Mathematician Mathematical
Science Scientist Scientific

2.- Research
WRITING YOUR DISSERTATION

Important considerations:

 Many students struggle to find a research topic.

 Writing a thesis is easer if you make the right choice.

You need to:

 Study the current literature.

 Have a wide knowledge of your field of study.
 Establish what is relevant in your field.
 Have a clear idea of the limits / scope of your study.
 Consider whether there any controversies in existing research.
 Think about your financial resources carefully.
 Ask about funding / a grant from outside sources.
  Ask your tutor to check your results.

SYNONYMS

 After graduation: Postgraduate

 Thesis: Dissertation
 Is easier: More straightforward
 Wide: Broad
 Field of study: Are of specialisation / Research area
 Establish: Ascertain
 Consider: Ask yourself
 Think about: Take into account
 Results: Findings
 Current literature: Publicaciones
 Tutor: Private teacher.

3.- Listening topic

Can you tell me about your early education?

I went to kindergarten / nursery from the age of four and I remember that I didn´t enjoy it
very much at all. My primary school was a little better, especially because my mum was a
teacher in to school. She taught in the junior school and show was actually my teacher in first
grade, but when I went up to the senior I didn´t see very much of her. After that I was lucky
enough to receive a scholarship / grant for a very good high / secondary / high school. My
parents couldn´t have afforded to send me to a private / not public school so it was a really
great opportunity for me. It was a single-sex school, so there were no boys. I´m glad I didn´t go
to a mixed school because I think there are fewer distractions so everyone can just
concentrate on their studies.
 UNIT 6: EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
LANGUGE AND LINGUISTICS
1.- Language
 Translate: Change words from one language to another.
 Accuracy: The ability to do something without making mistakes.
 Language barrier: Something that prevents successful communication.
 Native speaker: A person who has spoken the language from birth.
 Fluency: The ability to speak without hesitation.
 Function: Work or carry out daily tasks.

IDIOMS

 You can say that again!: I totally agree with you.

 Having said that (Despite this). Ex: Nuclear power has its problems. However, having
said that, many people believe it is the energy source of the future.
 There is something to be said for: It has some advantages. Ex: There is something to
be said for switching to solar energy, although it is still too expensive for many people.
 To say the least: It is n fact even more important than I have just said. Ex: Life without
a constant supply of water can be difficult, to say the least.
 When all is said and done: After everything else / Remember this. Ex: When all is said
and done, there is little we can do to save the environment without the full support of
industry and the government.
 Needless to say: This is to be totally expected. Ex: The tanker spilled 6,000 megalitres
of oil into the ocean. Needless to say, this had a devastating effect on marine life I the
area.
 That is to say: In other words. Ex: There is a clear link between humans and
environmental problems. That is to say, wherever hums live, they damage the
environment in some way.
 Have a say: Be involved in making a decision. Ex: I think it´s important for everyone to
have a say in how the government is elected.

ERROR WARNING

Note the following common errors with say, speak, talk and tell.

 I speak German. Not talk German.

 She´s always talking about her dog. Not tell about. Can I tell you something?. Not tell
something.
 Tell can be used to refer to a chart / graph. Ex: The chart tells us how many students
were enrolled. However, it is better to use language that is more impersonal. Ex: The
chart shows how many students were enrolled.
 You should not use say to talk about charts. Ex: From the chart I can say how many
students.
SYNONYMS
Communicate Contact Nouns Definition
Correspond Recall Remember
Interact Stutter Speak with difficulty, pausing
Conclude Close at the star if a word or
Summarise repeating the beginning
Recap Conjecture A guess not based on any proof
Explain Clarify Demonstrate Show hoy something works.
Define Gesture Using your hands to help you
Illustrate communicate an idea
Mean Indicate Contradict State the opposite
Intend
Signify
Meaning Connotation
Significance
Sense
Say Express
Speak
Verbalise
State
Suggest Imply
Intimate
Propose
Tell Narrate
Recount
Relate
Understand Appreciate
Comprehend
Follow

2.- Linguistics
VOCABULARY LIST

 Linguists: Just as biologists rarely see a new species arise, linguistics rarely get to
discover an unknown dialect or even better, just to see a new language being born.
 Spontaneously: The catch is that it is not a spoken language but, rather sign language
which arose spontaneously in deaf children.
 Mean: The thing that makes language different from other means of communication is
that it is made of units that can be combined in different ways to create different
meanings.
 Gestures: In a spoken language these units are words; in a sign language these units
are gestures.
 Evolve: Ann Senghas of Columbia University, in New Yok, is one of the linguists who
have been studying they way these have gradually evolved in Nicaragua Sign Language
(NSL).
 Emerge: The language emerged in the late 1970s, at a new school for deaf children.
 Sophisticated: Dr Senghas has shown how NS has become more sophisticated over
time.
 Concept: Concepts that an older signer uses a single sign for, such as rolling and falling,
have been unpacked into separate signs by youngsters.
 Distinguish: Early users, too did not develop a way of distinguishing left from right.
 Converse: Dr Senghas showed this by asking signers of different ages to converse
about a set of photographs that each could see.
  Refer: The other had to guess which photograph he was referring to.
 Inherent: What intrigues the linguists is that for a sign language to emerge
spontaneously, deaf children must have some inherent tendency to link gestures to
meaning.

3.- Listening topic

1. What do you need to do to be a good language learner?

You need to be able to put down your textbooks from time to time and forget about
accuracy / grammar. That´s the only wat to become more fluent in a language. You also need
to speak / talk to native speakers of the language as much as you can.

2. What do you think makes a good language teacher?

I think the best language teachers are those who can speak another language themselves.
They also need to be able to explain things clearly and in a way that is easy to follow /
understand / comprehend.

3. What problems do people experience when they learn your language?

My fist / native language is very difficult to learn because of the pronunciation. The individual
sounds are very strange to other nationalities and difficult for them to pronounce.
 UNIT 7: ON THE MOVE
TOURISM AND TRAVEL
1.- Tourism
Type of place Vocabulary
Rural Quaint (Pintoresco) = Scenic
/Quinch/

Peaceful, fresh air, sleepy (Quiet)

Village, countryside (Campo)

Local produce

Coastal (Near sea) Beach, sand, water, crystal clear (Clarísimo), sea, surf, water sports, snorkelling (Swimming with air tube
and mask), scuba diving (Buceo) and deep-sea fishing
Urban Skycrapers (Rascacielo), shopping malls (Centro commercial), cosmopolitan, traffic jams, public
transport, sports stadium and polluted
Mountainous Above sea level, overlook (Not notice), valley, picturesque, crisp sound, steep (Empinado) and
breathtaking

VOCABULARY NOTE

When talking about statistics we say that figures reach a peak of or peak at. Ex: The number of
visitors reached a peak of 10,000 / peaked at 10,000.

The opposite of a peak is a low.

The word through also has this meaning, bu is usually used together with the word peak. Ex:
The number of visitors fell to a low of only 556 in 1978. The tourism industry has its peaks and
troughs.

DESCRIBE A BAR CHART

Example 1: Adventure tourism rose from a low of 20 per cent in 1970 to a peak at 50 per cent
in 2000.

Example 2: The occupancy of coastal hotels peaked at close to 90 per cent in 1985.

Example 3. In 2000 the number of passengers travelling by air reached a peak of 80 per cent.

Example 4: The two greatest troughs occurred in adventure tourism in 1970 and rail travel in
2000.
2.- Travel
VOCABULARY NOTE

FALSE SYNONYM

Travel: A verb and an uncountable noun used to talk about travelling in a general way.

Example 1: Air travel has become cheaper than rail travel in some places.

Journey (Extended travel) / Trip (Short or long travel)

Example 1: If you are going away on a short journey trip of only a few days then you may be
able to limit yourself to hand luggage and save even more time.

Example 2: For longer journeys/ trips, make sure you take plenty of snacks and drinks,
especially if you are travelling with small children.

Luggage (Singular form) = Pieces of luggage (Plural form) = Suitcases

Example 1: Airports can be very crowded and there are often long queues of people waiting to
collect their luggages luggage/ suitcases.

Example 2: One way to make this job easier is to tie a colourful ribbon around each of your
luggage suitcases/ pieces of luggage so they are easier to spot (Localizar) on the conveyor belt
(Cinta transportadora).

TRAVEL / TRAVELLING

Travel / travelling (Moving from one place to another)

Example 1: I think travel / travelling helps to educate you about the world.

Example 2: I think tourism helps to educate you.

TRAVEL ADVICE

Itinerary (Travel plan)

Example 1: Label your suitcases clearly so that they can be easily identified as yours. It can be
useful to store a copy of your itinerary in a prominent place in in your suitcase so that the
airline will know where to find you if your luggage gets lost.

Example 2: I gave my parents a copy of my itinerary before I left so that they would know
where I was.

Book in advance (To make a reservation)

Example 1: It can also be cheaper if you book well in advance.

Example 2: It is difficult to get ticket at that time of year so we booked ours well in advance.

Access

Example 1: Will you be able to access your own money easily enough or will you need to take
cash with you? Think about eating larger lunches and smaller evening meals to help make your
spending money go further, as lunch is generally cheaper.

Example 2: My bank has a lt of branches overseas so I could access my own account easily.
Peak and fluctuate

Example 1: The price of holidays can fluctuate a great deal throughout the year so try to be
flexible with your travel dates and avoid peak holiday times.

Example 2: Driving a car during peak periods can be horrendous.

Example 3: The exchange rate can fluctuate a great deal, so shop around for the best deal.

Essential

Example 1: Be sure to pack any medication or other essential items in your hand luggage.

Example 2: Your passport, tickets and money are the only really essential items on any trip.

Identification

Example 1: Make sure that you keep sufficient identification with you at all times.

Example 2: In the duty (Tax) free shop (Tienda libre de impuestos) they asked to see our tickets and
some form of identification.

Destination

Example 1: Before your departure, make sure you do as much research about your destination
as you can.

Example 2: When we finally reached our destination we were very tired.

ADVANTAGES OR DISADVANTAGES OF TOURISM

Transport: Since the aeroplane became a common form of transport people have become
more adventurous in their choice of holiday destination and expect to be able to fly even the
most remote parts of the world.

Effect: But what effect do tourists have in their surrounding environment?

Tourists: The arrive of group of tourists in a small community can mean the end of peace and
quiet as they indulge in one long party.

Affects: This invasion affects the local people in many ways, disrupting their normal routine
and increasing their working hours.

Tourism: However, tourism can also be of benefit to a small community, bringing jobs and
source of income that may not have existed before.

Trend: There is also a growing trend towards different types of holidays.

Eco-tourism: Nowadays we hear a great deal about the popularity of eco-tourism which I think
indicates that people are more aware of the environment and wish to protect it rather than
harm it.
PRONUNTIATION

(Vocal + R) = E (Ou) = O (Ou) = A sound (Ou) = Au /Ou) = O (Ou) = O

sound sound sound sound sound
Journey Tourism Country Boundary Cough Bought
/Yerni/ /Torism/ Double Doubt Trough Course
Urban Tourist Enough Drought Not Nought
/Erben/ /Torist/ Rough South Ball
Journal Pure Trouble Cow
/Yernal/ /Pior/ Southern
Bird Cup

3.- Listening topic

¿What would you take a visitor to your hometown to see?

1. I live in a quaint little village about 400 kilometres from the nearest big city. Although
it´s a long way, the drive from the city is well worth the effort because the
surrounding countryside is very scenic. I like living here because it´s so peaceful and
the air is really fresh, so it´s much nicer than in the city. It´s pretty sleepy village, but
on Sundays there´s a huge market and people come from all the neighbouring villages
to buy and sell their local produce.
2. The most popular part of my hometown is the beach. We gave long stretches of white
sand and the water is crystal clear- The sea can be very calm at times but the surf can
also be spectacular. Visitors who enjoy water sports are really well catered for as you
can go snorkelling, scuba diving and deep-sea fishing. Soon we´re going to get our
own airport but for now people can only get here by ferry.
3. My city is famous for its skyscrapers, statues and fountains – but most of all for its
shopping! You can buy anything you want here and we have over fifty large shopping
malls. We get a lot overseas visitors, so our airport is one of the busiest in the world. It
´s a very exciting and cosmopolitan place to live. Most people don´t drive because
there are always traffic jams, buy the public transport is really well organised. We
have some great attractions nearby for visitors, as well as a huge sports stadium and
fantastic theme parks. I suppose the only downside is that the air can get a little
polluted at times.
4. My village is 200 metres above sea level and we overlook the villages and lakes down
in the valley below. It´s very picturesque up here so we get a lot of visitors, especially
artists who want to paint the landscape. They also like our traditional houses. The air ii
very crisp up here as well, so a lot of people come up here to escape the heat in the
city. The roads are pretty treacherous because they´re very steep and winding, so
most people arrive by train. The scenery on the way up here really is breathtaking.
 UNIT 8: THROUGH THE AGES
TIME AND HISTORY
1.- Time
ERROR WARNING

We use take + time in the following ways:

1. Take your time: Don´t hurry.

2. Take a long time / Too much time / A lot of time / So much time / Too much time. Be
careful when you use long: It took a long time / It took too long / It took so long. Not
It took too long time / It took so long time.
3. We can also say: It took (me) three hours to get there.

PHRASES

 Lose all track of time: When I surf the net I often lose all track of time. Before I know it
a few hours have gone by.
 Save time: I try to make my lunch the might before to save time.
 Spend time: At the weekend I try to spend time with my family.
 Time-consuming: I find writing notes by hand very time-consuming.
 Took so long (So long time): We booked a taxi but it took so long to arrive that we were
15 minutes late.
 The right time and on time: Excuse me, do you have the right time? I have an
appointment at 10 o´clock and I really want to get there on time.
 In time: I ran for the bus, but I didn´t get there in time.
 Take my time: I got up very early so that I could take my time getting ready.
 I´m often in a hurry
 Punctual
 Always late

SYNONYMS

After

 Subsequently: Twenty people were injured in the accident and the tower was
subsequently demolished to prevent it from happening again.
 In succession (One after another): This is the third year in succession that a female has
been chosen to manage the club.
 Imminent (Very soon after): The newapapers warned that a stock market crash was
imminent.

Before

 Prior: Prior to the introduction of the steam engine, most people in the UK worked
from home.
 Previously: Three years previously the government had introduced a new law allowing
women to vote for the first time.
 Preceding: There was a great deal of excitement in the days preceding the election.
 Formerly: Istanbul was formerly known as Constantinople.
  In advance: I had t pay 2 000$ rent in advance.

2.- History
VOCABULARY NOTE

BC: Is used in the Cristian calendar to refer to the time before the birth of Jesus Christ.

AD: Is used to refer to the time after Christ was born.

Circa: Is used to mean about or approximately and is sometimes written simply c.

We do not use an apostrophe to talk about decades: The 1960´s 1960s.

Period: An interval of time.

Ancient: Very old.

Spanned: Extended over.

Prehistoric: Before people made written records of events.

Chronologically: Arranged in the order in which they actually happened.

Phase: Stage of development.

Eroded: Worn (eroded) away over time.

Millennia: Thousands of years.

Excavation: Digging for artefacts.

Era: A period of history.

Predate: To exist earlier than something else.

TIMELINE

Age: A particular period of history. (The Victorian age, the digital age).

Example 1: My grandparents are refusing to adapt to the computer age.

Era: A period of time that is remembered for particular events.

Example 1: The arrival of moving pictures marked the end of an era for live theatre.

Example 2: The first moon landing marked the beginning of an exciting era in space
exploration.

Middle-aged: People in their middle years of life.

Example 1: Most companies are run by middle-aged men.

The Middle Ages (A period of European history between 1000 and 1500 AD).

Example 1: The museum has an excellent exhibition about life during The Middle Ages.

Chronological

Example 1: You should organise the dates into chronological order form the oldest to the most
recent.
Ancient

Example 1: I much prefer studying ancient history to modern history.

Consecutive

Example 1: It would be better if the meetings were on consecutive days. We´d get more done
that way.

Stage (Step in a process)

Period (Historical era)

Example 1: The period of history I´d most like to visit is ancient Egypt.

Radiocarbon dating (Age of organic material)

Hunter-gatherers (Member of primitive society)

ADJECTIVES

Functional (Práctico)

Futuristic, innovate, mass-produced, modern, multi-storey (Edificio de varios pisos), single-

storey, two-storey, ultra modern, ornate (Highly decorative)

Old-fashioned, traditional

High-rise (Skyscrapper)

VERBS

Activate, automate, condemn (Condenar a alguien), demolish, devise (Invent), hoist (lift) and
trigger (Firearm)
3.- Listening topic
Talk about punctuality and decide whether you are:

1. Always late

I must say I´m never on time. In fact, I was late for meetings three days in a row last week.
Everyone´s always angry with me because I do tend to keep people waiting a lot. Work is my
problem – I get so engrossed that I lose all track of time. Y try to get everything else ready
before I start, which saves a bit of time, but before I know it a few hours have passed and I´m
already late.

2. Always in a hurry

I can´t say I´m very punctual. I do my best no to be kept waiting myself, but I do sometimes
spend too much time getting ready. If I´m going out somewhere I like to plait my hair, which is
very thick so this can be very time-consuming and I often have to rush through everything else
I need to do. I once went to a wedding and I took so long doing my hair that I only just arrived
in time to hear the bride say I do.

3. Punctual

I could tell the time at a very early age and I´ve been obsessed with punctuality ever since! I
own about 12 watches and clocks, but none f them show the right time. I can´t stand to be
late for work or in a hurry, so I make sure they´re all ten minutes fast – and I always carry a
space watch in case one of them stops! That way I always arrive at meetings in plenty of time
and I can take my time getting my paperwork ready.
 UNIT 9: THE NATURAL WORLD
FLORA, FAUNA AND AGRICULTURE
1.- Flora and fauna
PARTS OF ANIMALS

Coat (Animal hair) = Fur

Claw (Nail) = Paw

Beak (Pico)

Feathers (Plumage of a bird)

Hide (Skin)

Horn (Cuerno)

Scales
ANIMALS

PARTS OF PLANTS Branch (Rama)

Root (Raíz)
Thorn
Twig (Rama pequeña)
Carnation (Clavel)
Daisy (Margarita)
Sunflower (Girasol)
Lily (Lirio)
Rose tulip
ERROR WARNING
We say we must take care of nature. We must take care of the nature.

Natural is the adjective form: It is a natural process. It is a nature process.

COMPOUNDS NOUNS

 Human nature: It´s human nature to want to find a solution to our problems.
 Animal products: Vegans do not use or eat any animal products.
 Human being (Ser humano): I would rather be served by a human being than by a
computer.
 Mother nature: I am constantly amazed by how beautiful and how destructive mother
nature can be.
 Animal kingdom (Reino animal): Man is said to be the most dangerous creature of all the
animal kingdom.
 Natural habitat: Animals are much happier living in their natural habitat.
 Natural balance. Manmade disasters such as chemical spills can destroy the natural
balance.
 Human rights: In some countries prisoners are denied basic human rights.

2.- Agriculture
 Rose, tulip and daisy
 Plant, grow and cultivate
 Plant =Shrub (Arbusto) = Bush
 Organic = Natural = Biological ≠ Chemical
  Endemic = Native = Local ≠ Chemical
 Burrows (Madriguera) = Dents = Den
 Snail (Caracol)

SYNONYMS AND ANTONYMS

Pesticides: Chemicals to kill pests.

Example 1: Farmers have tried to avoid using pesticides by employing various biological
methods to control nature.

Example 2: Farmers do not like using chemicals to kill pests.

Paddocks: Fields.

Example 1: The prickly pear had originally been used as a divider between paddocks.

Example 2: The prickly pear was planted as a type of barrier between fields.

Eradicated: Killed off.

Example 1: The Cactoblastis moth larvae was introduced to help control the situation and
within ten years, the prickly pear was virtually eradicated.

Example 2: The Cactoblastis moth killed off nearly all prickly pear plants.

Native ≠ Introduced:

Example 1: The cane toad was a native species to Australia.

Example 2: The cane toad did not eat the cane beetle and the toad population spread rapidly
leading to the decline of native species of mammals and reptiles.

Example 3: When farmers tried to eliminate the cane beetle by introducing the South
American cane toad, the results were catastrophic.

Very successful ≠ Catastrophic:

Example 1: Using the cane toad was very successful.

Example 2: Further attempts at biological control weren´t successful.

Vulnerable: At risk.

Example 1: Further 250 species are considered to be either endangered or vulnerable.

Repercussions: Negative effects.

Example 1: It remains to be seen whether this controversial method will have long-term
repercussions.

Become resistant: To stop being affected by something.

Example 1: Some fear that insects may become resistant to these new cops and therefore
become even more difficult to control.

Endangered At risk of dying out.

Extinct: No longer existing.

Example 1: 19 species of native animals have become extinct.

Genetically modified: Crops whose genes have been scientifically changed.

Example 1: The modern-day approach to the biological control of pests is through genetically
modified crops.

Disastrous: Extremely bad or unsuccessful.

Example 1: Other introduced species have proved similarly disastrous among native Australian
animals.

Ecological balance: The relationship between plants, animals, land, air and water.

WORLD BUILDING
Noun Adjective Adverb Verb
Agriculture Agricultural Agriculturally
Ecology Ecological Ecologically
Evolution Evolutionary Evolve
Extinction Extinct Become extinct
Nature Natural Naturally
Genetics / Genes Genetic Genetically

UNIT 10: REACHING FOR THE SKIES

SPACE AND THE PLANETS
1.- Space

VOCABULARY LIST

 Commercial: If you have ever dreamed of travelling in space then our commercial
space travel programmer will make that dream a reality.
 Astronauts: However, unlike the months of training that astronauts undergo.
  Launch: Our passengers will be ready for launch within two days.
 Simulator: There the passengers will be able to experience zero gravity in a special
simulator.
 Atmosphere: During the flight itself a rocket will propel the spacecraft into suborbital
space in excess of 100,000 m above the Earth´s atmosphere.
 Weightlessness: This will allow the passengers to experience weightlessness.
 Explorers: Our space explorers will be able to floiat around the cabin.
 Outer: View the Earth and outer space for approximately ten minutes prior to re-entry
and landing.

DEFINITIONS

A reality: An actual event.

Example 1: If you have ever dreamed of traveling in space then our commercial space travel
programme will make that dream a reality.

Undergo: Go through an experience.

Example 1: However, unlike the months of training that astronauts undergo, our passengers
will be ready for launch within two days.

Gravity: The force or pull from the Earth.

Example 1: There the passengers will be able to experience zero gravity in a special simulator.

Acclimate: Get used to a change in conditions.

Propel: Drive something forwards.

Example 1: During the flight itself a rocket will propel the spacecraft into suborbital space in
excess of 100,000 m above the Earth´s atmosphere.

In excess of: More than.

Float: Stay up in the air or in water.

Example 1: Our space explorer will be able to float around the cabin.

Re-entry: Entering the Earth´s atmosphere again.

Example 1: View the Earth and outer space for approximately ten minutes prior to re-entry
and landing.

Exploration: Some people believe that space exploration is a waste of money.

Atmospheric pressure: Climbing extremely high mountains is made all the more difficult
because of the droop in atmospheric pressure.

Gravitational pull: Spacecrafts need to reach extremely high speeds in order to escape the
gravitational pull of the Earth.

Underwent: Last year the astronauts underwent a series of mental and physical tests in order
to qualify for the mission.

Simulate: This computer program simulates extremes of weather so that pilots can experience
difficult flying conditions.
2.- The planets
ERROR WARNING

Earth is the name of our planet and has a capital letter, but the sun does not. We say Earth but
not our Earth.

Example 1: The Earth moves around the sun.

Example 2: We must take care of our planet. Not We must take care of our earth.

VOCABULARY LIST

 Manned: Carrying or operated by one or more persons. Ex: A manned spacecraft.

 Unmanned: Without the physical presence of people in control. Ex: An unmanned
spacecraft.
 Orbit: The curved path, usually rounded, that a planet, satellite, spaceship, etc.,
follows around a heavenly body. Ex: A comet with a very irregular orbit. A spacecraft in
orbit.
 Debris: The remains of something destroyed (ruins). Ex: Searched in the debris of the
bombed building for survivors.
 Uninhabited: Not lived in. Ex: The island is uninhabited because nothing much will
grow there.
 Space junk
 Spacecraft: Space vehicle.
 Space shuttle: Type of spacecraft. Ex: The Voyager space shuttle has provided us with
pictures of Saturn´s moon.
 Space station
 Rocket: Cohete.
 Rotate: Venus is unusual because it rotates in the opposite direction to other planets.
 Surface: The surface of Venus has many craters caused by asteroids.
 Atmosphere: Mercury has no substantial atmosphere.
 Sustain: Mercury does not have any water so cannot sustain life.
 Composition: The composition of Saturn is mainly gas.

AJECTIVE LIST

 Ageing: Years lived.

 Elderly: Ancianos.
 Long-term
 Mid-term
 Sceptical
 Subsequent

VERBS LIST

 Contribute
 Decline
 Diminish: Decrease.
 Dwindle: Diminish.
 Merge: Mix.
 Migrate
WORLD BUILDING
Noun Adjective
Atmosphere Atmospheric
Cosmos Cosmic
Galaxy Galatic
Gravity Gravitational
Horizon Horizontal
Moon Lunar
Meteor Meteoric
Sun Solar
Star Stellar
Earth Terrestrial
Universe Universal

VOCABULARY NOTE

The suffix -ic tell us about a word is an adjective.

UNIT 11: DESIGN AND INNOVATION

BUILDING AND ENGINEERING
1.- Building
VOCABULARY NOTE

If we use more than one adjective they are nornally in the following order:

1. Opinion
2. Size
3. Age
4. Shape
5. Colour
6. Origin
7. Material
8. Type

Example 1: An ugly, old, brown, plastic shopping bag.

Example 2: A traditional brick house.

Example 3: I´d rather live in a small country cottage.

However, more than four adjectives together can sound awkward. Not An ugy, big, old,
rectangular, brown, Italian, plastic bag.

VOCABULARY LIST
Type of building Material used Favourite feature Adjectives used to
describe it
A A single-storey cottage (Cabaña) Timber (Viga) and Ceilings (Techo) Traditional, ornate and
stone cosy (Comfortable)
B A high-rise flat Glass, concrete and Balcony Ultra-modern, state of
steel the art (De última
generación), functional
and cramped
(Estrecho)
C A two-storey house Brick (Ladrillo) Staircase Conventional, typical,
spacious, light and airy
(Spacious)

ERROR WARNING

We say that you build a house, a hospital, etc., not build a building.

Build up is not used to talk about construction. It refers to increasing or developing

something.

Example 1: He went to the gum to build up his muscles.

Example 2: We are trying to build up a relationship with a company in Japan.

Example 3: I had to build up the confidence to apply for the manager´s job.

Example 4: We need to build up a hospital.

2.- Engineering
VOCABULARY LIST

 Hoist: Lift. Ex: Jeff hoisted the box onto the truck.
 Haul: Transport. Ex: Josh bought a truck so that he could make a living hauling goods.
 Platforms
 Storage: Almacenamiento.
 Steel: Acero.
 Lift shaft: Hueco del ascensor.
 Tension
 Trigger
 Device: Machine.
 Devise: Invent.
 Frame: Rigid structure.
 Construction
 Skyscrapers
 Landmark: Historic event. The towering landmarks which feature so prominently in
today´s architecture would have been impossible and the character of our cities would
be entirely different.
 Condemn: Judge a building not to be safe.
 Demolish: Knock down.
 Develop: Build something on a piece of land.
  Maintain: Keep in a good condition.
 Occupy: Live in or use a space.
 Reconstruct: Build again.
 Renovate: Repair and make new again.

WORD BUILDING

PRONUNCIATION
S sound Z sound
Device Design
Fasten Please
Destruction Devise
Use Use

UNIT 12: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

TELECOMMUNICATIONS, COMPUTERS AND TECHNOLOGY
1.- Telecommunications
Adjective

 User-friendly: Easy to use.

 Standard
 Up-to-date
 Dated
 State-of-the-art

Nouns

 Telephone keypad
 Access: Open a computer file.
 Display: Show on a screen.
 Automatically
 The latest
 Download
 Equipped: Have specific tools.
  Store: Save or keep safe.
 Scroll: Move up or down on a screen.
 Operate: Work a machine.
 Memory: The part of a computer that stores information.
 Keyboard: The keys on a computer, typewriter or piano.
 Data: Information.
 Function: An action or purpose something is designed for.
 Hairdryer
 Word processor: Computer text edition.
 Blender: Licuadora o batidora.
 Calculators
 Dishwasher
 Portable music device
 Computerisation: Transferring something to a computer system.
 Patent: Legal right.
 Reach / find a compromise: Agreement.
 Remedy a situation
 Resolve an issue

2.- Computers and technology

VOCABULARY LIST

Speculated: Guessed.

Example 1: The author noted that time at work had been cut in half since the turn of the
previous century and wrongly speculated that it would be cut in half again by 2000.

Gadget and device: A machine invented for a specific purpose.

Example 1: However, our gadget-filled homes are a tribute to the various visitors of the future.

Example 2: Even in the most remote areas people have access to some form of communication
device.

Prototype: The first working example of a machine.

Example 1: In 1947 a prototype circled San Diego for more than an hour but later crashed in
the desert.

Virtual: Almost real.

Example 1: The introduction of the telephone last century changed our world, but today´s
mobile phones and the virtual world of the Internet have revolutionised it.

Cutting-edge: Very modern.

Example 1: These may no longer be considered cutting-edge but they have matched.

Surpassed: Be greater than expected.

Digital: Relating to computers.

Example 1: At least communication technology in this digital age hasn´t let us down.

Monitor: A screen that images can be seen on.

Cyber: An adjective used to describe anything related to computers.

Example 1: To some extent they were right, especially when it comes to children and cyber
addiction.

COMPOUND WORDS

 Wireless connection: I can access the Internet from anywhere in my house because my
laptop has a wireless connection.
 Remote control: The invention of the remote control made watching television an
even more passive experience.
 Labour-saving: In my view the dishwasher is one of the greatest labour-saving devices.
 Cyber space: People often talk about emails and text messages being lost in cyber
space as if it were a real place.
 Automatic pilot: Even flying a plane has been automated now. The automatic pilot is
used for most of the flight.
 Silicon chip: The invention of the silicon chip meant that computers could be much
smaller.

ERROR WARNING

Note the following spellings of the word program:

Computer program

Television programme

Note the different forms of computer:

Verb Noun Adjective
Computerise Computerisation Computerised

Automated can be used in a similar way, but includes machines as well as computers. Ex: Our
processing system is fully automated.

We talk about the computer era, the digital era or the technological era. Not the technology
era.
 UNIT 13: THE MODERN WORLD
GLOBALISATION, CHANGING ATTITUDES AND TRENDS
1.- Globalisation
VOCABULARY LIST

Way of life: Culture.

Example 1: Globalisation could harm the regional way of life.

Local: Withing a small area.

Example 1: Globalisation can help people who live within a small area.

Worldwide: Globally.

Example 1: Worldwide, more people eat traditional food than fast food.
From many different cultures: Multicultural.

Example 1: People can enjoy products from many different cultures today.

Large overseas companies have control over: Multinationals / is dominated.

Example 1: Large overseas companies have control over the non-acoholic drink market.

Join together: Merge.

Example 1: If not for globalisation, companies from different countries would not join together
to do business.

Unusual and exciting: Exotic.

Symbols: Icons.

Example 1: People who travel prefer to see unusual and exciting things instead of symbols
used by big companies.

A range of different cultures: Cultural diversity.

Example 1: A range of different cultures can be reflected in food bought overseas.

Has complete control over: Have a monopoly over.

Example 1: No single company has complete control over the fashion industry.

WORLD BUILDING

2.- Changing attitudes and trends

VOCABULARY LIST

In the future: Subsequent.

Example 1: A cycle is usually repeated at some time in the future.

Look back and understand: With the benefit of hindsight.

Example 1: We can look back and understand past predictions.

Firmly believe in ≠ Are sceptical about.

Example 1: Past predictions have caused people to firmly believe incurrent predictions.

Population: Demographic.

Figures: Statistics.

Example 1: Population figures can be predicted quite accurately.

Countries: Societies.

Total: Absolute.

Example 1: Some countries are predicted to experience a total decline in population.

Percentage: Proportion.

Dwindle ≠ Increase.

Example 1: The percentage of elderly people will dwindle in some countries.

Work less: Are less productive.

Example 1: Elderly people work less.

Take into account: Factor in.

Effect: Influence.

Example 1: To make accurate predictions we need to take into account the effect people have
on their environment.

ERROR WARNING

Per cent is the word form of the symbol %. We can write 20% or 20 per cent.

Percentage is the noun form. Ex: The percentage of women in Parliament increased in 2001.
Not The percent of women.

VOCABULARY LIST

 Trends: If current trends continue, then in some countries the population is expected
to dwindle within the next 50 years.
 Compounded: This problem is compounded by the fact that not only is the number of
inhabitants diminishing, but they are also growing older.
 Ageing: This ageing population will bring its own challenges.
 At present: At present there are sufficient younger people to earn money and pay
taxes to support the elderly.
 Factors: There are several possible factors contributing to this problem.
 Rates: Birth rates in these countries are clearly falling.
 Migrating: There could be an increase in the number of people migrating away from
these areas.
 Declining: The ageing and declining population is expected to have important
implications for the labour force and the quality of everyday life.
 UNIT 14: URBANISATION
PROBLEMS, SOLUTIONS AND BIG CITY LIFE
1.- Problems and solutions
VERBS WITH PROBLEM AND ISSUE

 Face: One of the biggest problems facing the word today is poverty.
 Deal with:
 Cause: This problem was caused by a blocked pipe, which eventually burst.
 Tackle (Give attention to)
 Address (Give attention to): Your problems won´t go away if you ignore them, you need to
address / resolve / deal with / tackle them.
 Raise: Here is a list of the issues that will be raised / addressed / tackled during the
meeting.
 Resolve: Unfortunately we were unable to resolve the issue, even after two days of
talks.
  Present: The main speaker did not arrive, which presented / posed an awkward
problem for the organisers of the conference.
 Identify

COMMON PHRASES

 Find a solution: We need to find a solution to this situation as soon as possible.

 Overcome a difficulty: What can we do to overcome this difficulty?
 Solve or resolve a problem: At last scientists solved / resolved the problems / found a
solution to the problems associated with solar-powered cars.
 Remedy a situation
 Resolve an issue or problem: I am not sure we will ever resolve the issue of
unemployment.
 Reach or find a compromise: Finally, the members of the city council were able to
reach / find a compromise and the building work was allowed to start.

VOCABULARY NOTE

We usually use a hyphen between two words if they joined together to form an adjective. Ex:
User-friendly.

We don´t use a hyphen if the first word ends in -ly. Ex: Environmentally friendly.

USES OF HYPHENS

 Double-edged
 Long-sighted
 Long-term: We need a long-term plan for our transport systems that will take into
account future growth.
 Short-sighted: The management agreed to employ five more members of staff, which
in hindsight was a very short-sighted decision because within a few weeks we were
still understaffed.
 Short-term

One-sided: This argument appears to be a little one-sided. I´d like to hear the other side as
well.

SYNONYMS

 Problem: Difficulty, dilemma, challenge, obstacle and setback.

 Solution: Answer, key, remedy and resolution.
 Worsen: Compound, deteriorate and exacerbate.
 Improve: Advance, flourish, progress, reform, benefit and enhance.
 Change: Acclimatise, adapt, adjust, amend, modify and transform.

2.- Big city life

VOCABULARY LIST

Booming: En auge.

Example 1: The world´s population is booming / enormous / staggering, no more than in its
cities.
Staggering: Impactante.

Example 1: Such a staggering rate of urbanisation brings its own problems, especially in
developing nations, where the majority of the megacities will be found.

Enormous

Example 1: But hopes for a better life are often dashed as overpopulation puts an enormous
strain on the infrastructure of the cities and their ability to provide basic necessities such as
clean water and a place to live.

Adequate: Good enough.

Example 1: Many rural migrants fail to find adequate / decent work, and therefore cannot
afford decent / basic /adequate housing.

Pressing: Urgent.

Example 1: This problem is pressing / enormous / catastrophic with the United Nations
predicting that half the world´s population will be living in cities by next year.

Catastrophic

Example 1: If the infrastructure within those cities does not grow at the same rate the result
will be catastrophic.

Inhabitants: People that live in a particular place.

Developing nations: Areas of the world that are poorer and have less advanced industries.

Urbanisation: The process by which more people leave the countryside to live in the city.

Overpopulation: The problem of having too many people.

Infrastructure: The basic systems and services of a city.

Slums: Very poor and crowded areas of city.

WORLD BUILDING

VOCABULARY NOTE

To refer to a group of people we can use the + adjective. Ex: The elderly, the poor and the
young.
Example 1: We should look after the elderly.

PRONUNCIATION

D sound T sound
Accepted Developed
Crowded Overpriced
Excluded Overworked
Included Stressed
Isolated
Resolved
Solved

UNIT 15: THE GREEN REVOLUTION

THE ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE CHANGE AND POLLUTION
1.- The environment
SYNONYMS

VOCABULARY NOTE

The prefix re- often tells us that something is being done again. Ex: Reuse, revegetate, etc.

The prefix de- often tell us that something is being removed. Ex: Decaffeinated, deforestation,
etc.

2.- Climate change and pollution

VOCABULARY LIST

 Ecosystem: Several eminent scientists are concerned that we have become too
successful, that our way of life is putting an unprecedent strain on the Earth´s
ecosystems and threatening our future as a species.
 Environmental problems: e are confronting environmental problems that are more
taxing than ever before, some of them seemingly insoluble.
 Emissions: The air is polluted by emissions produced by cars and industry.
 Acid rain: Through acid rain and greenhouse gases these same exhaust fumes can
have a devastating impact on our climate.
 Drought: Climate change is arguably the greatest environmental challenge facing our
planet with increased storms, floods, drought and species losses predicted.
 Biodiversity: This will inevitably have a negative impact on biodiversity and thus our
ecosystem.
 Contaminated: The soil is contaminated by factories and power stations which can
leave heavy metals in the soil.
 Deforestation: Deforestation has been shown to cause soil erosion.
 Fertilizers: Certain farming practices can also pollute the land through the yse of
chemical pesticides and fertilizers.
 Waste: Reducing waste and clearing up pollution cost money.

SYNONYMS
Pristine: Unspoiled.

Example 1: Our crops are also grown in land that is far from pristine.

Vital: Crucial.

Example 1: This is not easy, but it is vital.

Unprecedent: Unparalleled.

Example 1: Our way of life is putting an unprecedented strain on the Earth´s ecosystems.

Devastating: Extremely harmful.

Example 1: Exhaust fumes can have a devastating impact on our climate.

Insoluble: Insurmountable.

Example 1: Some environmental problems seemingly insoluble.

Immune: Unaffected.

Example 1: Affected species include the polar bear, so not even the Artic is immune.

Pervasive: Omnipresent.

Example 1: Pollution is pervasive and often life-threatening.

Inexorably: Inevitably / Unavoidably.

Example 1: The species losses predicted will inevitably have a negative impact on biodiversity
and thus our ecosystem.

Chronic: Persistent.

Example 1: Manu of the Earth´s crises are chronic and inexorably linked.

Taxing: Challenging.

Example 1: Environmental problems are more taxing than ever before.

WORLD BUILDING
Noun Definition Verb Adjective Collocation Synonym
Threat Intent to hurt Threaten Threatening Threat to Menace
(Causing fear) Under threat
Threatened (In Being
danger) threatened
Threatened with
 Pollution Contaminate Pollute Polluted Contaminate
Pollutant Polluting Dirty
(Substance that
pollutes)
Danger Exposure to the Danger Dangerous In danger of Risk
chance of harm Out of danger
A danger to

Erosion To be destroyed or Erode Erosive Disintegrate

disappear gradually Corrode
Contamination Pollute Contaminate Contaminated
Contaminat
(Polluting
substance)
Contaminator
(Sth that makes
sth impure)
Risk Expose to danger Risk Risky At risk
At risk of
Recycling Recycle
Disposal Make inclined Dispose Disposed Dispose of Arrange
Disposition
(Normal
attitude)
Sustainability To support Sustain Sustained
something

Threat: I think our environment is under threat from / being threatened by many different
things.

Pollute: We have allowed too much pollution to enter our ecosystem and we are in danger of
poisoning ourselves as a result.

Erode: I think soil erosion and water contamination are two of the most urgent problems that
we need to deal with.

Sustain: Clearly our current lifestyle is not sustainable.

Risk: They need to show everyone that we are putting the very future of our planet at risk.

Recycle: We can make sure we don´t throw recyclable items into our normal waste disposal
bins.

Pollute: We can also help protect our planet by not using phosphate-based detergents; this
will help to keep pollutants out of our food chain.

VOCABULARY NOTE

The prefix ir- is often used with adjectives beginning with r to form the opposite or to mean
lacking something. Ex: Reversible, irreversible, regular and irregular.

Some words beginning with r form their opposite with un-. Ex: Realistic and unrealistic.

ANTONYM
Ir- Example Un- Example
Irrelevant When it comes to protecting Unrealistic It is unrealistic to expect
the environment, cost should everyone to change their buying
be irrelevant. habits overnight.
Irresponsible People who dump chemical Unreasonable It is unreasonable for rich
waste onto our waterways countries to expect developing
are very irresponsible. countries to reduce carbon
Irreversible Scientist believe that the emissions immediately.
damage to this area is Unrelated It is a mistake to think that
irreversible. increased consumerism and
Irreplaceable These species are environmental damage are
irreplaceable. unrelated.

PRONUNTIATION

Some words have a different stress pattern and therefore a different pronunciation, depending
on their meaning or part of speech.

 Refuse: I refuse to go.

 Refuse: Disposing of refuse is a growing problem.
 Conflict: There is a conflict here.
 Conflict: The two reports conflict each other.
 Present: We all need to be present at the meeting.
 Presents: This issue presents an enormous problem.
 Progress: We are making a lot of progress.
 Progress: We need to progress at faster rate.
 Increase: There has been an increase in carbon emissions.
 Increase: Temperatures are expected to increase.

UNIT 16: THE ENERGY CRISIS

NATURAL RESOURCES AND ALTERNATIVE FUELS
1.- Natural resources
Machine-wash the clothes in cold water: Is the most environmentally friendly way to clean
your clothes.

Turn the lights off every time you leave a room and then on again when you return: Is the
best way to make sure your lights aren´t needlessly wasting energy.

Quickly zap it in the microwave: Is the most energy-efficient way of cooking the potato.

Taking the train instead of driving a car: Would be of the most benefit over the course of a
year.

VOCABULARY LIST

 Save: If we want to save / conserve energy then we need to change the wat we
behave.
 Efficient: We need to buy appliances that are more energy efficient and limit the
amount of time we use them.
 Effect: To reduce the effect / impact the greenhouse gases have on our atmosphere.
 Atmosphere: Trees can absorb carbon dioxide and so they help to counter / offset the
fumes produced by our cars.
 Offset: Turning off lights even for a few minutes can offset / counter.
 Carbon dioxide: CO2 in full.
 Fossil fuels: Fuels such as coal and oil.
 Exhaust fumes: Substance that comes out of the exhaust of a car / Emissions.
 Renewable: Fuels that can be produced at any time.
 Solar power and wind power: Two types of alternative energy.
 Windmill: Turbine most similar to.

2.- Alternative fuels

VOCABULARY LIST

 Exhaust fumes: Our love of the fuel-burning car with its poisonous exhaust fumes has
had a devastating effect both on our environment and oil supplies.
 Alternative: It is unlikely we will abandon our cars in large enough numbers to resolve
this problem, so there is a pressing need to find an alternative / eco-friendly fuel.
 Eco-friendly: Many car companies are exploring eco-friendly energy sources.
 Solar panels: Hydrogen vehicles that use solar panels to extract hydrogen from water
are also likely to be readily available in the near future.
 Emit: These vehicles emit only water vapour and so do not contribute to greenhouse
gases.
 Converting: However, critics say that building a network of fuelling stations and
converting existing petrol stations to hydrogen will prove too costly and will limit.
 Plant oils: These fuels are based on plant oils an so can be grown.
 Fuel: The concept of using vegetable oil as a fuel dates back to 1985.
 Diesel engine: In 1985 Dr Rudolf Diesel developed the first diesel engine to run
vegetable oil.

ERROR WARNING

Gas is the American word for petrol.

Smoke is produced when something burns.

Fumes are the gases produced by chemicals such as petrol. Ex: older cars generate a greate
deal of fumes. Not a great deal of gas/a great deal of smoke.

SYNONYMS
Nouns Synonyms
Reduce Curb
Limit
Restrict
Alternative renewable energy Nuclear energy
sources Solar energy
Wind power Retain: Means to keep or store.
Reduced energy use Economical Disposable: Means that you throw it away.
Effective Drastic: Adjective meaning severe.
Efficient Extend: Means to cause something to last longer.
Different terms used for petrol Fuel Reserve: Means to book a table or a seat or to keep
Gas Petrol something for a particular time but cannot be used with
Antonyms of retain Emit energy.
Discharge
Release
Renewable Rechargeable

Decrease Diminish
Dwindle
Deplete
Use or use up Consume
Exhaust
Expend
Verbs which can be used with Conserve
energy Preserve
Reserve

UNIT 17: TALKING BUSINESS

 EMPLOYMENT, MANAGEMENTE AND MARKETING
1.- Employment
Type of industry Adjectives used to describe work
Retail Unskilled and monotonous
Hospitality Demanding and exhausting
Building Physical and manual
Advertising Rewarding

VOCABULARY LIST

 Wages: I´m employed on a casual basis, so my wages are paid at the end of each week.
 Redundant: Over 100 members of staff were made redundant when the new
machines were installed in the factory.
 Workplace: It is important to have experience in the workplace as well as academic
qualifications.
 Shift work: I do shift work so I often have to sleep during the day.
 Staff: The owners had a meeting with all of the staff to discuss the takeover.
 Retire from work: The government may decide to rise the age at which people retire
from work from 65 to 70.
 Overtime: My boss has asked me to work overtime tomorrow, so I won´t be home
until late.
 Earn: Our junior staff earn / are paid $12 per hour.
 Salary: If they don´t increase my salary this year then I´m going to look for another job.
 Job satisfaction: Many young people today value job satisfaction over a big salary.

FORMS OF THE WORD EMPLOY

Employ Employer Employee Employed Unemployed Unemployment

 Unemployed: The unemployed find it difficult to get an interview if they have not had
a job for a long time.
 Employee: All employees must apply in writing if they wish to request a holiday.
 Unemployment: Unemployment rise by 5 per cent due to the closure of two large
factories in the area.
 Employed: I was only employed as a cleaner, but the family expected me to look after
their children was well.
 Employer: I couldn´t work when my daughter was sick. Fortunately, my employer is
very understanding.

VOCABULARY NOTE
A job: The particular thing you do to earn money. Ex: I´m hoping to get a job during the
holidays.

Occupation: A forma word for job.

Profession: A type of job that requires specialist knowledge / Occupation. Ex: He works in the
medical profession.

Work: Something you do to earn money / job. It is a verb as well as an uncountable noun. Ex: I
´m hoping to find work during the holidays. Not find a work.

Workplace: All the people working in a company / industry / country.

Workplace: The building or room where people work. Ex: You really need experience in the
workplace to get a good job.

Career: Firstly, once they reach 15 or 16 years of age, children should be encouraged to plan
their career.

Retirement: If children develop a strong work ethic from an early age then this should ensure
that they have enough money when they reach retirement age.
Economy Economical (Not wasteful Economic (Financial
with money) considerations)
Economic: If a country experiences an economical / economic crisis, these skills are invaluable.

2.- Management and marketing

VOCABULARY LIST

Market: The business or trade in a particular product.

Consumers: Customers / People who buy goods.

Packaging: The materials in which objects are wrapped before being sold.

Trend: A new fashion or pattern of behaviour.

Credibility: When someone can be believed or trusted.

Persuade: Make someone do something by giving them a good reason to do it.

Brand: A means of identifying a particular company.

Products: The things a company makes to sell.

ERROR WARNING

Product is used to refer to things that are produced to be sold -the focus is on the company
producing them.

Goods is used to refer to things that are sold -the focus is on the buying or selling of these.
Goods cannot be used in the singular. Ex: We have tested each product. Not We have tested
each goods / good.

VOCABULARY LIST
Income: Personal earnings or profits.

Example 1: I would like to increase my increase so I´m going to invest in some shares.

Salary: Pay/ Yearly pay total.

Wages: Regular pay.

Earnings: Income / Salary.

Example 1: My earnings increased by 10 per cent last year.

VOCABULARY NOTE

Advertisement or advert: A picture or short film used to persuade people to buy a product or
apply for a job. Ex: Did you see the advertisement in the paper?

Advertising: The business of trying to persuade people to buy things.

PRONUNTIATION

UNIT 18: THE LAW

 CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
1.- Crime
Crimes ordered from least to most serious.
Crimes Pretty crimes Offensive but not Not considered
a crime a crime
Arson Pickpocketing Swearing Dumping toxic
Burglary Vandalism waste
Fraud
Kidnapping
Murder
Smuggling

SYNONYSM AND ANTONYSM

 Crime: Offense is another word for crime.

 Offensive is not related to crime: Actions that are offensive to an individual or group of
people, but do not violate laws are not crimes.
 Violate the law: Break the law.
 Conscious: Aware.
 Elusive: Difficult to find.
 Protect: Guard.
 Is linked: Correlates.

WORD BUILDING

ERROR WARNING

A convict is a person who is in prison.

To convict someone is to find them guilty in a court of law.

You commit a crime or convict a criminal, not convict a crime.

We talk about criminal acts, not criminal actions.

VOCABULARY LIST

 Criminal: All criminal acts should be punished.

 Enforcement: Every society needs a strong system of law enforcement.
 Commit: People who commit crimes are often victims themselves.
 Criminal: I think dumping toxic waste should be made a criminal offence. There is little
to punishable / deter people from doing this at the moment.
  Prevented: I think we could have prevented this crime by fitting an extra lock on the
door.

2.- Punishment
COLLOCATIONS

 Accept the consequences.

 Commit a crime.
 Convict a criminal.
 Impose a fine.
 Pass a law.

VOCABULARY LIST
List of people List of things they do
The accused The person who is on trial.
The judge Decides how a criminal should be punished.
The jury Decides whether the accused is innocent or guilty.
The prosecutor Tries to prove the accused is guilty.
The lawyer Tries to prove the accused is innocent.
The victim Gives evidence against the accused.

COLLOCATIONS

VOCABULARY NOTE

Prevent: To stop something from happening o r someone from doing something.Ex: I stayed
away from the bully to prevent any trouble. This will prevent crimes from happening. Not This
will avoid crimes.

Avoid: To stay away from someone or something. Ex: You should try to avoid dangerous
situations.

VOCABULARY LIST
 Law-abiding: I consider myself to be a law-abiding citizen. I´ve never broken the law in
my life.
 Strict: The laws in this country are rather strict / severe -even chewing gum is banned.
 Against: Arson is a crime against property, but sometimes people can get hurt as well.
 Parking fine: I was given a parking fine again yesterday. It´s costing me a fortune.
 Combat: It is the responsibility of the police and the government to combat crime.
 Prevention: More money should be spent on crime prevention than on building
prisons.
 Be above the law: Sometimes the police feel that they are above the law and should
not be punished for traffic offenses.
 Abolish: It used to be against the law to go fishing on Sundays, but thankfully that law
was abolished years ago.
 Commit: If people commit a crime then they should be punished and made to accept
the consequences of their acts / actions.
 Punishment: A the moment the only form of punishment we have is to either fine
people for petty crimes or imprison them for more serious criminal offenses.
 Criminals: Perhaps this is because criminals / prisoners mix with other criminals when
they are in jail.
 In: As a result, prisons may provide a way for young people who have been involved
for / in minor offences to graduate to more serious.
 Solve: Rather than trying to solve this problem by building even more prisons, I believe
the best approach is to try to avoid / prevent crime from happening the first place.
 Protect: We can do this by making sure that our property is protection / protected and
also by improving the conditions for the poorer people in our society.
 Pass: We can also achieve this by making / passing new laws that will act as a
deterrent.

UNIT 19: THE MEDIA

 THE NEWS AND FAME
1.- The news
VOCABULARY LIST

 Free press: A situation in which newspapers, radio and television are allowed to
express opinions openly.
 Broadcast: To send out a programme on television or radio.
 Reported: Written about or spoken of in the news.
 Networks: Large systems consisting of many similar parts all of which are centrally
controlled.
 The media: Newspapers, radio and television when seen as a group.
 Censorship: The deliberate removal of sections of a text or film considered to be
unsuitable.
 Tabloid: A popular newspaper with lots of pictures and short articles.
 Headlines: Words in large print at the start of a news story or the main stories in the
news.
 Press: This study seems to be rather a harsh attack on the press and I can´t agree with
its conclusions.
 Publications: Instead, they can access a wide range of journals, magazines and smaller
publications can be unreliable.
 Sources: On the negative side, there is a problem with editor verification with some
stories reported on the internet because sources can be unreliable.
 Safeguards: The safeguards in place for traditional media just don´t exist there at the
moment.
 Controversial: I´ll admit that stories about controversial issues are less likety to be
seen by the tabloids as front page news.
 Biased: I would be more concerned about content which is politically biased or
motivated.
 Exposés: I believe there many publishers and broadcasters that do still have a strong
traditional of exposés and investigative journalism.
 Alternative media: The opposite of mainstream media.
 Internet: Another word for internet is the Web.
 Investigative reporting: Type of journalism that tries to discover the truth behind
issues that are of public interest.

2.- Fame
Verb Noun Definition Adjective Collocations Examples
Bias Bias Viewpoint Biased (Partial) Bias for (Inclination) Most people believe
Bias against that this newspaper
(Prejudice) favours the
government too
much to provide an
unbiased coverage
of the election.

Exploit Exploitation To use for profit Exploitative (Taking Exploited in I´m not sure
selfish advantage) Exploited at celebrities are being
Exploitable (That can Exploited for exploited, they
be utilized) often seem to court
fame.
Expose Exposure To lay open to danger Exposed Exposed to
Exposition
Inform Information To give knowledge of Informative
a fact to someone (Educational)
Informational
(Informativo)
Intrude Intrusion Enter uninvited Intrusive Intrude on
Invade Invasion Enter with hostility Invasive

Investigate Investigation Find the truth about a Investigative The government has
crime (Involving research or agreed to launch an
enquiry) official investigation
into the matter.

Publish Publishing (Editorial) Get written work Publishable

issued Published
Publicise Publicity Promote or advertise Publicity seeking There has been a
(Advertising) (Desire for media great deal of
attention) publication about
Publicity shy (Not the new James Bond
wanting wide attention) movie.
Sensationalise Sensationalism Overdramatize Sensationalist
Verify Verification Confirm Verified Not surprisingly, the
reporter was unable
to verify the claims.

VOCABULARY NOTE

We say something / someone has a / is a good/ bad / positive or negative influence on

someone / something. Ex: John´s new friends are a really bad influence on him.

Influence can be a verb or a noun. Ex: The media influences the way many people think. The
media has a major influence on the way many people think.

Remember that effect is a noun and affect is a verb. These can be used in a similar way to
influence. Ex: The media affects the way many people think. The media has a major effect on
the way many people think.

ERROR WARNING
We say on the radio, on television, on screen, on the computer, on the Internet.

We use in with printed media. Ex: We learn all about celebrities in magazines or on television.
Not in magazines or television. These materials are feely available on the Internet. Not in the
internet.

ADJECTIVES USED TO TALK ABOUT MEDIA OR PEOPLE IN THE MEDIA

PRONUNCIATION

3.- Listening topic

1. Would you like to be famous? (Why? / Why not?)

I think a lot of people want to be famous nowadays and that´s why reality TV is so popular. But
I wouldn´t like to be famous at all. Being famous nowadays simply means that you´re in the
tabloids a lot and you´re followed by the paparazzi everywhere you go. I´d find that very
intrusive. Famous people have no privacy at all in any part of their life. Their life also seems to
be very superficial because they spend all of their time going to parties and trying to look
glamorous. It all seems very affect to me -they just don´t seem to be part of the real world at
all.

2. Do you think famous people have a positive or a negative influence on young people?

I think they should have a positive influence on young people, but many of them don´t. Some
personalities are good role models and use their celebrity status to encourage people to think
about important issues, but we often see photos of famous people behaving badly.

3. Nowadays we have access to the news 24 hours a day. What effect does this have?

I think it can affect us in both positive and negative ways. On the on ehand, it´s very
convenient to be able to catch up with what´s happening in the world at any time of the day or
night, no matter where you are. But on the other hand, this kind of news can give you a
distorted view of what´s happening, because even minor news stories are given more
importance than they perhaps should have.

UNIT 20: THE ARTS

 ART APPRECIATION AND THE PERFORMING ARTS
1.- Art appreciation

Art forms People who do these things

Abstract art An artist
Painting

Ballet dancing Ballet dancers

Ballerinas

A portrait An artist

A play Actors
A theatre Actresses

Opera An opera singer

Classical music Classical musicians

An orchestra

Sculpture A sculptor

VOCABULARY LIST
Artefact: Ancient object.

Example 1: The cave figures of Lascaux, Leonardo da Vinci´s Mona Lisa, a Cubist painting by
Pablo Picasso and the African artefact that inspired Picasso´s work.

Universal impulse: That there is a seemingly universal impulsive to express oneself this way
suggests that human beings are neurologically hardwired for art.

Reflection: Deep thinking.

Example 1: Mots likely your skin tingled, you felt a thrill and you paused for a moment of
reflection.

Mundane: Boring.

Example 1: Even glimpses of mundane objects such as the latest curvaceous kettle, can inspire
something similar.

Choreograph: To manage or direct.

Example 1: Art and design critics will describe how formal qualities like proportion are
choreographed to produce the viewer´s rush.

Aesthetic: Estética.

Example 1: The fact that aesthetic experience can inspire such a biological response suggests
that it´s a stimulus neuroscientists could analyse just as deftly.

Conception: Beginning of idea.

Example 1: Researchers are showing how the organisation of th brain relates to the conception
and experience of art.

Burgeoning: Activity developing.

Example 1: This is the burgeoning field of neuroaesthetics, in which scientists are discovering
that -rather than transcending the ordinary -art and aesthetics are part of everyday
experience.

Fundamental: Basic or essential.

Example 1: They´re also finding that, in some fundamental ways. Art really is an expression of
human nature.

2.- The performing arts

VOCABULARY LIST

 Aesthetics: The study of art in relation to its beauty.

 Festivals: Organised sets of special events.
 Accomplished: Skilled.
 Works: Creations.
 Depict: Represent or show something in a picture or story.
 Carvings: Make shapes win wood or stone with a knife.
 Interactive: Describes a show that involves the audience.
 Audience: The people gathered to listen to a performance.
  Participate: Take part in.
 Concerts: Musical performances.

WORLD BUILDING

VOCABULARY LIST

 Eclectic: My taste in music is quite eclectic and there isn´t really one style of music that
I like.
 Popular music: I listen to everything from pop music to classical.
 Play: Music plays a very important role in my life, and I liste to it almost constantly.
 Set: I find that it helps to set or to change a mood.
 Stimulate: If I´m having a dinner party with friends then I play something stimulating
to help keep me awake, but if I´m having a dinner party with friends then I play
something more relaxing.
 Inspire: I think that music helps to inspire me when I´m working, although my
colleagues find it distracting so I tend to listen with headphones on.
 Escape: In that way I can escape into my own little world.
 Atmosphere: The atmosphere in a live concert can be electric.
 Venues: Nowadays, though, a lot of popular groups only perform at very large venues
in front of audiences of 20,000 or more and I don´t really like that.
 Intimacy: I prefer the intimacy of listening to recorded music, and the sound quality is
better as well.
 Enriches: Music really enriches our lives -it can turn a boring, monotonous period of
time into a magical experience.
 The arts: So I think it´s essential to have music and, in fact, all of the arts in your life.

UNIT 21: LANGUAGE BUILDING 1

 USING A DICTIONARY AND WORD FAMILIES
1.- Using a dictionary
STUDY TIP

 Try to use a monolingual dictionary as this will help you to practise your English more.
 If you are using a small pocket or electronic dictionary you may find that it does not
contain many of the words you need too look up and it will not give you example
sentences.
 Don´t use your dictionary to look up every new word.

VOCABULARY LIST

 Monolingual: Written in only one language.

 Bilingual: Written in two different languages for translation purposes.
 Corpus: A large amount of written material organised to show how language works.
 Synonym: A word that means the same.
 Antonym: A word that means the opposite.
 Thesaurus: A dictionary containing synonyms and antonyms.
 Phonology: The sound and pronunciation of words.
 Etymology: The origin of words.

STUDY TIP

If you look up a verb in your dictionary, you should see the following in brackets after it: vt or
vi (sometimes simply t or i). This tells you whether the verb is transitive or intransitive.

 A transitive verb needs, or can have, an object. Ex: I put the vase on the table. Put is
transitive because it must have an object (the vase). Not I put on the table.
 An intransitive verb does not need, or cannot have, an object. Ex: The sun rises every
morning. Rise is intransitive because it has no object. Not I rise the table.
 Some verbs can be transitive or intransitive. Ex: I carried the table to anther room.
(Transitive, the object = the table). His voice carried across the room. (Intransitive, his
voice didn´t carry anything).

VOCABULARY LIST
Transitive Intransitive Transitive and Synonym
intransitive
Evolve - x Change or grow
Exist - x Be
Develop x x x Change or grow
Swerve - x Move
uncontrollably

ABBREVIATIONS

 Adj: Adjective. Ex: Good.

  N: Noun. Ex: Choice and kids.
 Vi: Intransitive. Ex: Differ.
 Sl: Slang. Ex: Kids.
 Adv: Adverb. Ex: Well.
 Prep: Preposition. Ex: Of.

VOCABULARY LIST

Some words can have more than one meaning so don´t assume the first reference you find is
the meaning you are looking for.
Noun Meanings
Chink Narrow crack
Light ringing sound
Minute Sixty seconds
Very small
Outlook View
Future situation
Material Information
Cloth

PHONETIC SYMBOLS

A dictionary can also help you to pronounce words correctly using phonetic symbols.

STUDY TIP

A good dictionary will also tell you which other words can or need to be used with the word
you are checking. This is called collocation.

 Collocation will help you to use new words accurately in a sentence.

 When you look up a new word in your dictionary, make a note of the words that
collocate with it.

Extract from the Cambridge Advanced Learner´s Dictionary:

2.- Word families

VOCABULARY NOTE
 A prefix is a letter, or group of letters, that can be added to the beginning of a word to make a
new word. Prefixes can help you to work out the meaning of unknown words.

 The prefix re means to do again. Ex: Use and reuse (To use again).

A suffix is a letter, or a group of letters, that can be added to the end of a word to form a new
word.

 The suffix able means it is possible o do something. Ex: Assess and assessable ( It is
possible to asses).

In your dictionary, a prefix will be shown with a hyphen after it (re-) and a suffix will be shown
with a hyphen in front of it (-able).

VOCABULARY LIST

Antidisestablishmentarianism is considered the longest word in the English language.

 Base form: Establish + -ment.

 Disestablishment: Establishment + dis-.
 Disestablishmentarian: Disestablishment + -arian.
 Disestablishmentarianism: Disestablishmentarian + -ism.
 Antidisestablishmentarianism: Disestablishmentarianism + anti-.

Prefixes Definition Example Suffixes Definition Example

Anti- Opposed to Antibiotic -Ment Used to form a noun Punishment
or against referring to an action, a Argument
Dis- Used to Disagree process or its result
form the -Arian A person who has a Vegetarian
opposite or connection with, or belief in
negative and the stated subject
-Ism Used to form nouns which Marxism
describe social, political or Socialism
religious beliefs.

UNIT 22: LANGUAGE BUILDING 2

 LEARNING VOCABULARY AND COLLOCATION
1.- Learning vocabulary
CREATE A LIST

 Each week, try to build up a list of new words you have seen or read. These may be
words you are familiar with, but don´t know well enough to use actively or accurately.
 Don´t make the list too long -ten should be enough.
 Here are ten useful words for this week:
1. Analysis
2. Benefit
3. Consistent
4. Create
5. Define
6. Environment
7. Occur
8. Period
9. Significant
10. Theory

VOCABULARY LIST

 Occur: Happen.
 Create: Make.
 Consistent: Reliable.
 Analysis: Close examination.
 Significant: Important.
 Period: Length of time.
 Benefit: Advantage.
 Theory: Opinion or explanation.
 Define: Clearly show.
 Environment: Surroundings.

WORD BUILDING

STUDY TIP
  When you are learning new words, look carefully to see if there any spelling rules that
can help you.
 Make a note of any double letters. It is sometimes easier to break the longer words.
Ex: En-vi-ron-ment.
 Try to use new words as often as possible when speaking and writing. They should
start to become part of your active vocabulary.
 Look back at new words as often as you can and test yourself on the meaning,
pronunciation and spelling.

VOCABULARY LIST

 Periodicals: Nowadays we hear the word sustainable being used a great deal in
academic journals and periodicals.
 Beneficial: Beneficial in particular are very concerned that any development should be
sustainable.
 Consistent: They argue that sustainable practices have great Consistent for us and can
have a recreation impact on the future of our planet.
 Defined: However, the word sustainable needs to be clearly defined.
 Environment: Sustainable development environment in exploiting our natural
resources without destrying them.
 Occurred: We need t establish whether this can be put into practice or whether it is a
mere occurred.
 Periodically: There needs to be a through periodically of any development plans
before they are allowed to proceed, as once an are has been destroyed it is almost
impossible to significant it.
 Theoretical: We should do our best to ensure that there is no theoretical of the
logging and land clearing that destroyed so many forests at the start of the twentieth
century.

STUDY TIP

When you are trying to remember word, it often helps to think abut the context in which you
last heard or read it.

Think about where you were and what you were doing, or try to remember what the reading
or listening text was about.

COLLOCATION

 Analysis of: After a careful analysis of the situation we decided to cancel the trip.
 Of benefit to: Regular exercise can be of benefit to people with asthma.
 Consistent with: These results are consistent with the ones we obtained last month.
 Create a new design: We need to create a new design.
 Definition of: I am looking up the definition of this word.
 Environmentally friendly: We should use products that are environmentally friendly.
 Comment on: The president refused to comment on the problem.
 On the Internet: I found out about the hotel on the Internet.
 Apply for: I would like to apply for the position of head chef.
 Satisfy with: I was completely satisfied with the service at your hotel.
 Concern about: My mother is concerned about the amount of money I spend each
week.
 The cost of: The cost of living has increased by 5 per cent this year.

COLLOCATIONS
Arise Attention Damage Interest Language Pass
Difficulty Draw Assess Attract Acquire An exam
Need Need Cause Develop Learn A law
Opportunity Pay Inflict Excite Speak Judgment
Problem Receive Repair Feign Use The time
Knowledge Seek Take Lose Tell Control
Have Give

VOCABULARY NOTE

When using an adverb with an adjective, note the following:

 Extremely: To a large degree. So it should not be used with adjectives that have an
extreme meaning. Ex: Terrified. You need to use a neutral adverb. Ex: Completely /
really terrified. Not extremely terrified.
 Slightly: To a small degree. So cannot be used with extreme adjectives. Ex: Slightly
scared. Not slightly terrified.
 Significantly: Is often used with comparative adjectives. Ex: Significantly greater. Not
significantly great.

UNIT 23: ACADEMIC WRITING TASK 1

 DATA, GRAPHS, TABLES, DIAGRAMS AND PROCESSES
1.- Data, graphs and tables
TEST TIP

Before you start writing, look carefully at the information you are given. Pay attention to any
headings or information about the types of measurement used. Ex: Millions / percentages.

You should write about the most significant changes and differences. Don´t copy words and
phrases directly from the question. Use your own words. Try not to repeat the same words and
phrases.

ERROR WARNING

Make sure you spell these words correctly. Ex: Pie chart not pie / pie chat ; Not graft.

VOCABULARY LIST
Pie chart Table Bar chart / Bar graph Graph Diagram Flowchart

VOCABULARY LIST

VOCABULARY NOTE

Note the way we use prepositions with numbers and dates:

In 1997the number fell to 10%; In 1997 the number feel by 25%; In 1997 the number fell from
35%. Not in 35%; The number dropped to 10% between 1995 and 1997. Not reduced to; By
1997 the number had fallen to 10%. See also units 7 and 13.

VOCABULARY NOTE
You can use a combination of verb + adverb, or adjective + noun, to avoid repeating the same
phrases and to add extra meaning. Ex: There was a significant increase in the numbers. The
numbers increased significantly.

Notice that you need a preposition when you use the noun form. Ex: There was an increase in
attendance; There was a drop of 10%. Not There was an increase attendance. There was a
drop 10%.

ERROR WARNING

When comparing statistics we usually say: Comparing the figures for 1999 and 2000, we can
see an increase of 20%. Not Compared the figures for 1999.

We use compared to or compared with as follows: Compared to the number of males, the
number of females is relatively low. Not Comparing with the number of females. Or: The
number of males is quite large compared to / with the number of females. Not comparing to
the number of.

EXAMPLE OF A WRITING TEST

The graph shows the amount of garbage collected and recycled annually in America between
1960 and 2005. From 1960 to 1970 the amount of waste being recycled remained fairly static /
steady / low at just over 6%. However, this figure rose / increased significantly from 1970 to
1990 when it peaked at approximately 32% of the total waste collected. On the other hand,
the amount of waste being produced increased dramatically at around the same time, growing
from approximately 10 million tonnes per year to 55 million tonnes within five years. Following
this sharp increase / rise the amount of waste collected has risen steadily / gradually, while
the percentage of waste being recycled actually fell from 32% to 26% in 1995. Fortunately,
recycling has gradually / steadily increased and by 2005 it has again reached the same figures
as in 1990. However, this figure is still disappointing compared to the total amount of waste
that is thrown away.

2.- Describing a diagram or a process

TEST TIP

When you are describing a process you need to organise the steps logically.

To help signal, this you should use words such as: First, then, next, after this, and finally.

If you use the conjunction when, be careful to use the simple present tense. Ex: The machine
switches off when the bag is full. Not when the bag will be full.

EXAMPLE OF THE WRITING TEST

The diagram shows how chewing is produced. First the pieces of gum are put not a container
and heater until they form a single mass. This is then strained until all of the liquid has been
eliminated. Next / Then the gum is placed into another container and the desired flavourings,
sweeteners and softeners are added. This mixture is blended until all of the ingredients are
mixed together. The gum then passes / travels to a different machine which uses rollers to
flatten out the gum. Next / Then the thin sheets of gum are cut into rectangular shapes /
pieces and broken into separate pieces. Finally, the gum travels / passes along a conveyor belt
where it is enclosed in packaging ready for distribution.
 UNIT 24: ACADEMIC WRITING TASK 2
LINKING WORDS, OPINION WORDS AND REGISTER
1.- Getting started
TEST TIP

 Before you start writing, read the question very carefully and be sure to address all of
the points raised.
 Use your introduction to rephrase the question.
 Don´t repeat words and phrases from the question.

2.- Linking words

VOCABULARY NOTE

Because is a conjunction and is used to give a reason. Ex: The car crashed because the brakes
didn´t work.

Because of is a preposition and means as a result of. Ex: The hospital closed because of a lack
of funds.

VOCABULARY LIST

TEST TIP

 Support your ideas with evidence and relevant examples.

 Make sure that your ideas are well organised and easy to follow by using the correct
linking words.

VOCABULARY NOTE

The following linking words and phrases must be followed by a clause: Because of, as a result
of, in spite of and despite. Ex: I enjoyed my holiday in spite of the bad weather. Not in spite of
the weather was bad.

VOCABULARY LIST

 Although: It can be difficult to write an essay, although there are several things you
can do to make the job easier.
 For example: There several things you can do to make writing easier. For example, it
can be helpfl to make a rough plan of your ideas.
 Or: It can be helpful to practise writing within the time limit. You can time yourself
with a clock or a stopwatch.
 Such as: You will not be allowed to use equipment such as a dictionary during the test.
  As a result of: I think that my vocabulary has improved as a result of reading this book.

EXAMPLE OF A WRITING TEST 2

It is true that many students struggle to produce high-quality essays. However / Nevertheless,
I don´t agree that there is little you can do to improve your essays or to make the task less
difficult.

Firstly, let us examine What an essay needs in order to be considered good. To begin with a
good essay must answer the question fully. In other words it must address each points raised
in the essay little. Furthermore / In addiction it must present these points in an organised and
logical way. A good writer will also avoid using the same words and phrases. This can be easily
achieved by using techniques such as paraphrasing. Alternatively you can use synonyms of
words rather than repeating the same ones. Furthermore / In addiction all of the ideas
presented in your essay must be relevant and supported by examples.

Now let us consider what students can do in order to improve their essay-writing skills. Clearly,
a good knowledge of the language is required to be able to write an essay that has few errors
and communicates well. Nevertheless / However writing a good essay requires more than
good language skills because people often find it difficult to write essays even in their own
language. As with any skill, the best way to learn is from our mistakes. To learn how to ride a
bike you need to get on one and fall off a few times similarly students can improve their essay
writing through making and correcting mistakes and through constant practice.

3.- Opinion words

VOCABULARY NOTE

We often use adverbs to show our opinion of an idea.

VOCABULARY LIST

 Personally: This is my own opinion. Ex: Personally, I think learning vocabulary is a good
idea.
 Unfortunately: I believe this is a sad thing. Ex: Unfortunately my friend didn´t study for
the test so he didn´t do very well.
 Clearly: It is easy to understand / It is easy to understand. Ex: Clearly / Obviously if you
work hard then you will improve.
 Obviously: It is easy to understand / It is easy to understand.
 Justifiably: It is well deserved. Ex: When I received my results I was justifiably proud.
 Thankfully: I believe this is a good thing / I believe this is a good thing.
 Fortunately: I believe this is a good thing / I believe this is a good thing. Ex: Fortunately
/ Thankfully I remembered how to spell the word correctly on the day of the exam.

4.- Finishing off and register

TEST TIP

Use your conclusion to summarise your main points.

When you have finished, carefully edit our work and check your spelling.
TEST TIP

Slang: Very informal. Ex: Taboo (This word will offend people).

The IELTS test is a formal situation, so you should never use informal words. Ex: Kids and guys.
You should also avoid using abbreviations. Ex: Number. Not no. For example. Not e.g. and you
and your. Not U/UR.