Open World p 18. Prefixes. Extra Speaking

A. Have a conversation as natural as possible with a partner about these topics. Use the pictures above and the questions below to help you.

1. Have you ever downloaded music or films from the Net?
2. Which clothes shops can you think of that are undercutting other such shops?
3. Can you think of any historic event when a military government was overthrown by a public uprising?
4. What companies can you think of which have tried to downsize their operations in Spain recently?
5. Do you think that our political leaders should try and undertake to find peaceful solutions to political crises? Do you think it is possible for them to find some common ground despite their disagreements?
6. Can you think of any examples when doctors have downplayed the seriousness of a patient’s medical problem?
7. Have you ever felt uprooted? What examples of people being uprooted come to your mind? Why were these people forced to leave their countries or families? How could perilous journeys on overloaded migrant boats be avoided?
   
8. Can you think of any countries undergoing drastic political and economic change?
9. What would you do to ensure equal opportunities for all?
10. When was the last time you experienced a heavy downpour?
11. Can you think of any behaviours in the digital world that would be considered discourteous in the real world? 
12. What government decisions lead to discontent among citizens?
13. What do you do when a conversation is disagreeable to you?
14. Has social media unquestionably improved human relationships?
15. Can you think of anything that we see today that would have been unthinkable in previous decades?
16. Have you ever done or said anything that provoked disapproving comments from others?
17. What would you do to tackle the increasing amount of misinformation available on the internet?
18. What's the best way to prevent malnutrition? Can anyone become malnourished?

B. MONOLOGUE
Student A 
1. What do you think about the fact that some banks that have been overexposed will now require new injections of capital?
2. Can you think of a person who you think has been underrated? 
3. Can you think of any examples of companies going bankrupt because their leaders mismanaged them? 

Student B
1. What are the drawbacks of tourists overrunning parts of the island in the summer?
2. What human rights do you think should be upheld?
3. When was the last time you overheard something interesting?

Vocabulary:

Undercut: to sell goods or services at a lower price than your competitors. E.g. to undercut sb’s prices. We were able to undercut our European rivals by 5%.

Overthrow (overthrew  overthrown): to remove a leader or a government from a position of power by force. E.g. The president was overthrown in a military coup

Uprising: (noun) uprising (against sth) a situation in which a group of people join together in order to fight against the people who are in power. SYN  rebellion, revolt. E.g. An armed uprising against the government. A popular uprising (= by the ordinary people of the country). To crush / suppress an uprising

Downsize: to reduce the number of people who work in a company, business, etc. in order to reduce costs. E.g. recession forced many companies to downsize.

Undertake: to agree or promise that you will do sth. E.g. He undertook to finish the job by Friday.

Common ground: noun[U] opinions, interests and aims that you share with sb, although you may not agree with them about other things:
Despite our disagreements, we have been able to find some common ground

Downplay: to make people think that sth is less important than it really is. SYN  play down. E.g. The coach is downplaying the team’s poor performance

Uproot (yourself / sb) to leave a place where you have lived for a long time; to make sb do this. E.g. We decided to uproot and head for Scotland. If I accept the job, it will mean uprooting my family and moving to Italy.

undergo something to experience something, especially a change or something unpleasant. E.g. to undergo tests/ trials/ repairs. My mother underwent major surgery last year. Some children undergo a complete transformation when they become teenagers.

ensure: /ɪnˈʃʊə(r)/ /ɪnˈʃɔː(r)/ to make sure that something happens or is definite. E.g.

 The book ensured his success. Victory ensured them a place in the final. Please ensure (that) all lights are switched off.

 

downpour: /ˈdaʊnpɔː(r)/ a heavy fall of rain that often starts suddenly. E.g. a sudden downpour had filled the gutters and drains.

 

discourteous:/dɪsˈkɜːtiəs/ having bad manners and not showing respect for other people. Impolite. E.g. He didn’t wish to appear discourteous.

 

discontent:  /ˌdɪskənˈtent/ discontent (at/over/with something) a feeling of being unhappy because you are not satisfied with a particular situation; something that makes you have this feeling. Dissatisfaction.

E.g.

There is widespread discontent among the staff at the proposed changes to pay and conditions.

 

disagreeable: not nice or pleasant. E.g. a disagreeable smell/experience/job.

 

unquestionably /ʌnˈkwestʃənəbli/ without any doubt.

E.g.
It was unquestionably a step in the right direction. 

 

disapproving: showing that you do not approve of somebody/something 

E.g. 

a disapproving glance/tone/look 

She sounded disapproving as we discussed my plans.

 

malnutrition: /ˌmælnjuˈtrɪʃn/ a poor condition of health caused by a lack of food or a lack of the right type of food. E.g. refugees suffering from malnutrition

  

malnourished: /ˌmælˈnʌrɪʃt/ someone who is malnourished is ill or weak because they have not had enough good food to eat. E.g.   malnourished children.  

overexpose: expose too much, especially to the public eye or to risk. E.g. many UK banks were overexposed to overseas lending risks.

underrate: to not recognize how good, important, etc. somebody/something really is- E.g. He's seriously underrated as a writer. An underrated movie. Don't underrate yourself. 

mismanage something to deal with or manage something badly. E.g. The department's budget was badly mismanaged.

overrun something (especially of something bad or not wanted) to fill or spread over an area quickly, especially in large numbers. E.g The house was completely overrun with mice. Enemy soldiers had overrun the island.The tiny village was overrun by tourists. 

uphold something to support something that you think is right and make sure that it continues to exist. E.g. We have a duty to uphold the law. The regime has been criticized for failing to uphold human rights. They were fighting to uphold the rights of small nations.

Sp. defender, hacer valer (derechos, principios, valores), hacer cumplir (la ley)  ratificar, confirmar (una sentencia, una decisión).

overhear: to hear, especially by accident, a conversation in which you are not involved. E.g. We talked quietly so as not to be overheard. I overheard a conversation between two boys on the bus. We overheard them arguing. I overheard him say he was going to France.