Speakout Advanced p 26. Key and Vocabulary

Ex 1B
Vocabulary
trustworthy: /ˈtrʌstwɜːði/ that you can rely on to be good, honest, sincere, etc. Reliable. E.g. leave a spare key with a trustworthy neighbour.

unbiased: /ʌnˈbaɪəst/ fair and not influenced by your own or somebody else’s opinions, desires, etc. Impartial. E.g.  unbiased advice. an unbiased judge.

biased: /ˈbaɪəst/
biased (toward(s)/against/in favour of somebody/something) having a tendency to show favour towards or against one group of people or one opinion for personal reasons; making unfair judgements. Partial. E.g. biased information/sources/press reports. a biased jury/witness. 

partisan: /ˌpɑːtɪˈzæn/ /ˈpɑːtɪzæn/showing too much support for one person, group or idea, especially without considering it carefully. E.g. Most newspapers are politically partisan.

one-sided: /ˌwʌn ˈsaɪdɪd/ (of an argument, opinion, etc.) showing only one side of the situation; not balanced. E.g. The press were accused of presenting a very one-sided picture of the issue.


clergy: /ˈklɜːdʒi/ the priests or ministers of a religion, especially of the Christian Church. E.g. All the local clergy were asked to attend the ceremony. The new proposals affect both clergy and laity.

Laity: /ˈleɪəti/ all the members of a Church who are not clergy. E.g. Reforms included using the local language at Mass instead of Latin and greater participation by the laity.


qualify: /ˈkwɒlɪfaɪ/ to reach the standard of ability or knowledge needed to do a particular job, for example by completing a course of study or passing exams. E.g. How long does it take to qualify? He qualified as a doctor last year.

every: all possible. E.g. We wish you every success. He had every reason to be angry. I've every intention of working until I'm sixty-five. We make every effort to get to know each individual pupil.


vested interest (in something) a personal reason for wanting something to happen, especially because you get some advantage from it. Sp. interés particular. E.g. They have a vested interest in keeping the club as exclusive as possible. Vested interests (= people with a vested interest) are opposing the plan. She thinks that lawyers have a vested interest in making the legal process move slowly. I've got a real vested interest in making sure that my patients think I am trustworthy.


have an axe to grind: to have private reasons for being involved in something or for arguing for a particular cause. E.g. She had no axe to grind and was only acting out of concern for their safety. These criticisms are commonly voiced by those who have some political axe to grind. University professors don't have an axe to grind. Their business is doing research and teaching. In good faith, they try and produce things that are of value to society in general.


in good faith: believing that what you are doing is right; believing that something is correct. E.g. We printed the report in good faith but have now learnt that it was incorrect. He bought the painting in good faith (= he did not know that it had been stolen).

 
 Ex 2A

KEY
Dr David Bailey says, ‘I’ve got a real vested interest’. To have a vested interest means you are not neutral because you have personal reasons for wanting things to be a particular way. 

vested interest (in something) a personal reason for wanting something to happen, especially because you get some advantage from it. Sp. interés particular. E.g. They have a vested interest in keeping the club as exclusive as possible. Vested interests (= people with a vested interest) are opposing the plan. She thinks that lawyers have a vested interest in making the legal process move slowly. I've got a real vested interest in making sure that my patients think I am trustworthy.



Professor Justin Lewis says, ‘We don’t have an axe to grind’

have an axe to grind: to have private reasons for being involved in something or for arguing for a particular cause. E.g. She had no axe to grind and was only acting out of concern for their safety. These criticisms are commonly voiced by those who have some political axe to grind. University professors don't have an axe to grind. Their business is doing research and teaching. In good faith, tey try and produce things that are of value to society in general.


Ex 2B
1.  devil’s advocate- B

devil’s advocate   One who argues against a cause or position either for the sake of argument or to help determine its validity. E.g. Often the interviewer will need to play devil's advocate in order to get a discussion going. My role in the campaign is to play devil's advocate to each new policy before it's introduced to the public. This term comes from the Roman Catholic Church, where advocatus diaboli (Latin for “devil's advocate”) signifies an official who is appointed to present arguments against a proposed canonization or beatification. It was transferred to wider use in the mid-1700s.  

2.  speak your mind- B

speak your mind: to say exactly what you think, in a very direct way. E.g. She's never hesitated about speaking her mind.

  

3.  sit on the fence- A

sit on the fence: to avoid becoming involved in deciding or influencing something. E.g. He tends to sit on the fence at meetings. If you have to make a decision, it's no use sitting on the fence. You must choose one or the other.

It's no use: used to say that there is no point in doing something because it will not be successful or have a good result. E.g.  It's no use asking me. I don't know. It's no use—I can't persuade her.

4. beat about the bush- B

beat about the bush (British English) (North American English beat around the bush) to talk about something for a long time without coming to the main point. E.g. Stop beating about the bush and tell me what you want.