p 146
query: /ˈkwɪəri/ a question, especially one asking for information or expressing a doubt about something. E.g. Our assistants will be happy to answer your queries.
p 147
Ex 1
KEY
1
A sort this out
B go into more detail about
2
A By the end of
B have in mind
3
A if you do this for me
B I'm not sure we can do that
4.
A sounds acceptable to me
B let me know if you have any queries
5.
A we've got a deal
B if anything needs clarifying
6.
A What if we supported your idea
B would be difficult for us
Ex 6
KEY
1 We want to sort this out as soon as possible.
2 Can you go into more detail?
3 Great! We've got a deal.
4 What do/did you have in mind?
5 If you sponsor this idea for me, I can/ will make concessions for you.
6 What if we supported your project from the beginning?
7 I'm not sure I can do that because of what I told my friend.
8 That might/ may/ could/ will be difficult for me because I already agreed to something else.
9 Let me know if you have any queries about the arrangements.
10 Get in touch if anything needs clarifying.
Speakout Advanced p 121. Celebrity Culture. Extra Cloze
Celebrity culture - a blessing or a 1__________?
The world's first celebrity was Alexander the Great. Not only 2_________ he want to be the greatest man 3________ history, 4___________ he also wanted everyone 5________ know it. Alexander employed historians, sculptors and painters 6________ tell his story 7______ posterity, and they succeeded. But of 8__________ his achievements were astonishing. Today, many people become celebrities 9__________ doing little 10__________ than craving 11__________ be the centre of 12____________. 13__________ so many magazines, chat shows and websites needing content, such 'celebrities' fill a void, but many would argue 14_________ they fill a void with 15_____________ void. The question is, does celebrity culture matter? Is it just harmless fun or does it erode our values?
On the one hand, there is the fame industry: Hello and OK magazines, gossip 16___________, Oprah Winfrey-style 17_________ shows. These give us insights 18__________ the rich and 19_______. They show us the ups and 20__________ of people 21__________ lives seem 22_______ larger than our own. Most of us enjoy a bit of gossip, and what could be better than hearing about some superstar finally getting 23__________ he deserves (24________ good or bad)? This view sees celebrity culture 25_________ a branch of the entertainment industry. In 26__________, fame has become democratised. On reality shows 27_________ Big Brother, the participants needn't have any talent and many see this as a good thing. 28__________ everyone can be an Einstein or a Messi.
On the other hand, there are 29_________ who believe celebrity culture has got out of 30________. They argue that people now idolise mediocrity. It is no 31__________ the greatest who win our hearts, but the loudest. A recent poll discovered that almost fifty percent of teenagers simply want to 'be famous', without specifying the profession and presumably without 32___________ any effort to learn a skill. The danger is that fame can be 33___________ with achievement. Appearing on TV is not the same 34__________ spending years mastering an instrument or working for peace or inventing a cure.
So, is celebrity culture a blessing or a 35_________? Those in 36_________ say it entertains us, sells newspapers and allows us to dream. Those 37_________ say it promotes 'fame for fame's 38________' and doesn't value effort or skill. One thing we know is that the actions of most of today's celebrities will soon be forgotten, 39_________ real achievements won't. William Shakespeare, Joan of Arc, Helen Keller, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela: their work will live 40________. And we're 41_________ making movies about Alexander the Great two thousand years after he died.
KEY
1. curse
curse: /kɜːs/ something that causes harm or evil. E.g. the curse of drug addiction. Noise is a curse of modern city life.
blessing: something that is good or helpful. E.g. Lack of traffic is one of the blessings of country life. It's a blessing that nobody was in the house at the time.
celebrity: a famous person. E.g. TV celebrities.
2. did
astonishing: /əˈstɒnɪʃɪŋ/ very surprising; difficult to believe. Amazing. E.g. he ran 100m in an astonishing 10.6 seconds. I find it absolutely astonishing that you didn't like it.
3. in
4. but
5. to
6. to
7. for
Posterity: /pɒˈsterəti/ all the people who will live in the future. E.g. Their music has been preserved for posterity. Posterity will remember him as a great man.
8. course
9. by
10. more
11. to
crave (for) something/ crave to do something to want something very much. To have a very strong desire for something. Synonym long for. E.g. She has always craved excitement. Lewis still craves for the recognition he feels he lacks in America. Novak Djokovic craves to win.
12. attention
13. With
void: a large empty space. E.g. Below him was nothing but a black void. (Figurative) The void left by his mother's death was never filled. She sat staring into the void, emptying her mind of all thoughts.
14. that
15. another
erode (something): /ɪˈrəʊd/ to gradually destroy something or make it weaker over a period of time; to be destroyed or made weaker in this way. E.g. Her confidence has been slowly eroded by repeated failures. Western support for Yeltsin was slowly eroding.
16. columns
gossip column: a piece of writing in a newspaper about social events and the private and personal lives of famous people.
17. chat
chat show: a television or radio programme in which famous people are asked questions and talk in an informal way about their work and opinions on various topics. E.g. a chat-show host.
18. into
insight: insight (into something) an understanding of what something is like. E.g. The book gives us fascinating insights into life in Mexico. I hope you have gained some insight into the difficulties we face.
19. famous
20. downs
ups and downs: the mixture of good and bad things in life or in a particular situation or relationship. E.g. Every business has its ups and downs.
21. whose
22. far
Also possible: much, considerably, infinitely, a lot, miles, a good deal, decidedly, significantly. (Way and loads are very informal and only used in spoken English)
gossip: (N)
1 [uncountable] (disapproving) informal talk or stories about other people's private lives, that may be unkind or not true. E.g. Don't believe all the gossip you hear. Tell me all the latest gossip! The gossip was that he had lost a fortune on the stock exchange. It was common gossip (= everyone said so) that they were having an affair. She's a great one for idle gossip (= she enjoys spreading stories about other people that are probably not true). He became the subject of much local gossip. One day Sam heard an interesting piece of gossip.
2 [countable, usually singular] a conversation about other people and their private lives. E.g. I love a good gossip. She just comes round here for a gossip.
3 [countable] (disapproving) a person who enjoys talking about other people's private lives. E.g. My uncle Michael was a great gossip.
gossip: (V) to talk about other people's private lives, often in an unkind way. E.g. I can't stand here gossiping all day. Gossip about somebody/ something She's been gossiping about you.
23. what
24. whether
25. as
26. addition
27. like
28. Not
29. those
30. control
idolise: /ˈaɪdəlaɪz/ idolize somebody to admire or love somebody very much. E.g. a pop star idolized by millions of fans. They idolize their kids.
mediocrity: /ˌmiːdiˈɒkrəti/ the quality of being average or not very good. E.g. His acting career started brilliantly, then sank into mediocrity.
31. longer
no/any longer: used to say that something which was possible or true before, is not now. E.g. I can't wait any longer. He no longer lives here.
poll: (also opinion poll) [countable] the process of questioning people who are representative of a larger group in order to get information about the general opinion. Survey. E.g. to carry out/ conduct a poll. A recent poll suggests some surprising changes in public opinion. A nationwide poll revealed different food preferences in the North and the South.
32. making
33. confused
34. as
master: master something to learn or understand something completely. E.g. to master new skills/ techniques. French was a language he had never mastered.
35. curse
36. favour
37. against
38. sake
sake: purpose; motive. E.g. a quarrel only for the sake of argument. For clarity's sake, I'd like to reword my statement. I believe in education for its own sake. Art for art's sake.
39. while, whilst, whereas
40. on
live on to continue to live or exist. E.g. She died ten years ago but her memory lives on. He lived on for fifteen years after his wife died.
41. still
The world's first celebrity was Alexander the Great. Not only 2_________ he want to be the greatest man 3________ history, 4___________ he also wanted everyone 5________ know it. Alexander employed historians, sculptors and painters 6________ tell his story 7______ posterity, and they succeeded. But of 8__________ his achievements were astonishing. Today, many people become celebrities 9__________ doing little 10__________ than craving 11__________ be the centre of 12____________. 13__________ so many magazines, chat shows and websites needing content, such 'celebrities' fill a void, but many would argue 14_________ they fill a void with 15_____________ void. The question is, does celebrity culture matter? Is it just harmless fun or does it erode our values?
On the one hand, there is the fame industry: Hello and OK magazines, gossip 16___________, Oprah Winfrey-style 17_________ shows. These give us insights 18__________ the rich and 19_______. They show us the ups and 20__________ of people 21__________ lives seem 22_______ larger than our own. Most of us enjoy a bit of gossip, and what could be better than hearing about some superstar finally getting 23__________ he deserves (24________ good or bad)? This view sees celebrity culture 25_________ a branch of the entertainment industry. In 26__________, fame has become democratised. On reality shows 27_________ Big Brother, the participants needn't have any talent and many see this as a good thing. 28__________ everyone can be an Einstein or a Messi.
On the other hand, there are 29_________ who believe celebrity culture has got out of 30________. They argue that people now idolise mediocrity. It is no 31__________ the greatest who win our hearts, but the loudest. A recent poll discovered that almost fifty percent of teenagers simply want to 'be famous', without specifying the profession and presumably without 32___________ any effort to learn a skill. The danger is that fame can be 33___________ with achievement. Appearing on TV is not the same 34__________ spending years mastering an instrument or working for peace or inventing a cure.
So, is celebrity culture a blessing or a 35_________? Those in 36_________ say it entertains us, sells newspapers and allows us to dream. Those 37_________ say it promotes 'fame for fame's 38________' and doesn't value effort or skill. One thing we know is that the actions of most of today's celebrities will soon be forgotten, 39_________ real achievements won't. William Shakespeare, Joan of Arc, Helen Keller, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela: their work will live 40________. And we're 41_________ making movies about Alexander the Great two thousand years after he died.
KEY
1. curse
curse: /kɜːs/ something that causes harm or evil. E.g. the curse of drug addiction. Noise is a curse of modern city life.
blessing: something that is good or helpful. E.g. Lack of traffic is one of the blessings of country life. It's a blessing that nobody was in the house at the time.
celebrity: a famous person. E.g. TV celebrities.
2. did
astonishing: /əˈstɒnɪʃɪŋ/ very surprising; difficult to believe. Amazing. E.g. he ran 100m in an astonishing 10.6 seconds. I find it absolutely astonishing that you didn't like it.
3. in
4. but
5. to
6. to
7. for
Posterity: /pɒˈsterəti/ all the people who will live in the future. E.g. Their music has been preserved for posterity. Posterity will remember him as a great man.
8. course
9. by
10. more
11. to
crave (for) something/ crave to do something to want something very much. To have a very strong desire for something. Synonym long for. E.g. She has always craved excitement. Lewis still craves for the recognition he feels he lacks in America. Novak Djokovic craves to win.
12. attention
13. With
void: a large empty space. E.g. Below him was nothing but a black void. (Figurative) The void left by his mother's death was never filled. She sat staring into the void, emptying her mind of all thoughts.
14. that
15. another
erode (something): /ɪˈrəʊd/ to gradually destroy something or make it weaker over a period of time; to be destroyed or made weaker in this way. E.g. Her confidence has been slowly eroded by repeated failures. Western support for Yeltsin was slowly eroding.
16. columns
gossip column: a piece of writing in a newspaper about social events and the private and personal lives of famous people.
17. chat
chat show: a television or radio programme in which famous people are asked questions and talk in an informal way about their work and opinions on various topics. E.g. a chat-show host.
18. into
insight: insight (into something) an understanding of what something is like. E.g. The book gives us fascinating insights into life in Mexico. I hope you have gained some insight into the difficulties we face.
19. famous
20. downs
ups and downs: the mixture of good and bad things in life or in a particular situation or relationship. E.g. Every business has its ups and downs.
21. whose
22. far
Also possible: much, considerably, infinitely, a lot, miles, a good deal, decidedly, significantly. (Way and loads are very informal and only used in spoken English)
gossip: (N)
1 [uncountable] (disapproving) informal talk or stories about other people's private lives, that may be unkind or not true. E.g. Don't believe all the gossip you hear. Tell me all the latest gossip! The gossip was that he had lost a fortune on the stock exchange. It was common gossip (= everyone said so) that they were having an affair. She's a great one for idle gossip (= she enjoys spreading stories about other people that are probably not true). He became the subject of much local gossip. One day Sam heard an interesting piece of gossip.
2 [countable, usually singular] a conversation about other people and their private lives. E.g. I love a good gossip. She just comes round here for a gossip.
3 [countable] (disapproving) a person who enjoys talking about other people's private lives. E.g. My uncle Michael was a great gossip.
gossip: (V) to talk about other people's private lives, often in an unkind way. E.g. I can't stand here gossiping all day. Gossip about somebody/ something She's been gossiping about you.
23. what
24. whether
25. as
26. addition
27. like
28. Not
29. those
30. control
idolise: /ˈaɪdəlaɪz/ idolize somebody to admire or love somebody very much. E.g. a pop star idolized by millions of fans. They idolize their kids.
mediocrity: /ˌmiːdiˈɒkrəti/ the quality of being average or not very good. E.g. His acting career started brilliantly, then sank into mediocrity.
31. longer
no/any longer: used to say that something which was possible or true before, is not now. E.g. I can't wait any longer. He no longer lives here.
poll: (also opinion poll) [countable] the process of questioning people who are representative of a larger group in order to get information about the general opinion. Survey. E.g. to carry out/ conduct a poll. A recent poll suggests some surprising changes in public opinion. A nationwide poll revealed different food preferences in the North and the South.
32. making
33. confused
34. as
master: master something to learn or understand something completely. E.g. to master new skills/ techniques. French was a language he had never mastered.
35. curse
36. favour
37. against
38. sake
sake: purpose; motive. E.g. a quarrel only for the sake of argument. For clarity's sake, I'd like to reword my statement. I believe in education for its own sake. Art for art's sake.
39. while, whilst, whereas
40. on
live on to continue to live or exist. E.g. She died ten years ago but her memory lives on. He lived on for fifteen years after his wife died.
41. still
Speakout Advanced p 121. Keys and Vocabulary
Ex 11 B
arguments for:
it gives us insight into the rich and famous. Following them is fun. Most of us enjoy gossip. It's good to hear about some superstar getting what he deserves. Fame has become democratised; you don't need talent to be famous.
arguments against:
people now idolise mediocrity. Teenagers want to be famous for its own sake without making any effort to learn a skill. Fame can be confused with achievement
Vocabulary
blessing: something that is good or helpful. E.g. Lack of traffic is one of the blessings of country life. It's a blessing that nobody was in the house at the time.
curse: /kɜːs/ something that causes harm or evil. E.g. the curse of drug addiction. Noise is a curse of modern city life.
astonishing: /əˈstɒnɪʃɪŋ/ very surprising; difficult to believe. Amazing. E.g. he ran 100m in an astonishing 10.6 seconds. I find it absolutely astonishing that you didn't like it.
celebrity: a famous person. E.g. TV celebrities.
crave (for) something/ crave to do something to want something very much. To have a very strong desire for something. Synonym long for. E.g. She has always craved excitement. Lewis still craves for the recognition he feels he lacks in America. Novak Djokovic craves to win.
void: a large empty space. E.g. Below him was nothing but a black void. (Figurative) The void left by his mother's death was never filled. She sat staring into the void, emptying her mind of all thoughts.
erode (something): /ɪˈrəʊd/ to gradually destroy something or make it weaker over a period of time; to be destroyed or made weaker in this way. E.g. Her confidence has been slowly eroded by repeated failures. Western support for Yeltsin was slowly eroding.
gossip column: a piece of writing in a newspaper about social events and the private and personal lives of famous people.
insight: insight (into something) an understanding of what something is like. E.g. The book gives us fascinating insights into life in Mexico. I hope you have gained some insight into the difficulties we face.
ups and downs: the mixture of good and bad things in life or in a particular situation or relationship. E.g. Every business has its ups and downs.
gossip: (N)
1 [uncountable] (disapproving) informal talk or stories about other people's private lives, that may be unkind or not true. E.g. Don't believe all the gossip you hear. Tell me all the latest gossip! The gossip was that he had lost a fortune on the stock exchange. It was common gossip (= everyone said so) that they were having an affair. She's a great one for idle gossip (= she enjoys spreading stories about other people that are probably not true). He became the subject of much local gossip. One day Sam heard an interesting piece of gossip.
2 [countable, usually singular] a conversation about other people and their private lives. E.g. I love a good gossip. She just comes round here for a gossip.
3 [countable] (disapproving) a person who enjoys talking about other people's private lives. E.g. My uncle Michael was a great gossip.
gossip: (V) to talk about other people's private lives, often in an unkind way. E.g. I can't stand here gossiping all day. Gossip about somebody/ something She's been gossiping about you.
idolise: /ˈaɪdəlaɪz/ idolize somebody to admire or love somebody very much. E.g. a pop star idolized by millions of fans. They idolize their kids.
mediocrity: /ˌmiːdiˈɒkrəti/ the quality of being average or not very good. E.g. His acting career started brilliantly, then sank into mediocrity.
poll: (also opinion poll) [countable] the process of questioning people who are representative of a larger group in order to get information about the general opinion. Survey. E.g. to carry out/ conduct a poll. A recent poll suggests some surprising changes in public opinion. A nationwide poll revealed different food preferences in the North and the South.
master: master something to learn or understand something completely. E.g. to master new skills/ techniques. French was a language he had never mastered.
sake: purpose; motive. E.g. a quarrel only for the sake of argument. For clarity's sake, I'd like to reword my statement. I believe in education for its own sake. Art for art's sake.
Ex 12
The essay follows the same structure
Ex 13A
KEY
While ... is true, it is also true to say ....
One of the benefits is...
One of the drawbacks is...
Ex 13B
KEY
Contrasting arguments:
In contrast to this,...
We also need to take ... into consideration
pros:
One advantage is...
The arguments for ... include ....
On the Positive side, ...
cons:
One disadvantage is ...
The arguments against... include ...
On the negative side,...
arguments for:
it gives us insight into the rich and famous. Following them is fun. Most of us enjoy gossip. It's good to hear about some superstar getting what he deserves. Fame has become democratised; you don't need talent to be famous.
arguments against:
people now idolise mediocrity. Teenagers want to be famous for its own sake without making any effort to learn a skill. Fame can be confused with achievement
Vocabulary
blessing: something that is good or helpful. E.g. Lack of traffic is one of the blessings of country life. It's a blessing that nobody was in the house at the time.
curse: /kɜːs/ something that causes harm or evil. E.g. the curse of drug addiction. Noise is a curse of modern city life.
astonishing: /əˈstɒnɪʃɪŋ/ very surprising; difficult to believe. Amazing. E.g. he ran 100m in an astonishing 10.6 seconds. I find it absolutely astonishing that you didn't like it.
celebrity: a famous person. E.g. TV celebrities.
crave (for) something/ crave to do something to want something very much. To have a very strong desire for something. Synonym long for. E.g. She has always craved excitement. Lewis still craves for the recognition he feels he lacks in America. Novak Djokovic craves to win.
void: a large empty space. E.g. Below him was nothing but a black void. (Figurative) The void left by his mother's death was never filled. She sat staring into the void, emptying her mind of all thoughts.
erode (something): /ɪˈrəʊd/ to gradually destroy something or make it weaker over a period of time; to be destroyed or made weaker in this way. E.g. Her confidence has been slowly eroded by repeated failures. Western support for Yeltsin was slowly eroding.
gossip column: a piece of writing in a newspaper about social events and the private and personal lives of famous people.
insight: insight (into something) an understanding of what something is like. E.g. The book gives us fascinating insights into life in Mexico. I hope you have gained some insight into the difficulties we face.
ups and downs: the mixture of good and bad things in life or in a particular situation or relationship. E.g. Every business has its ups and downs.
gossip: (N)
1 [uncountable] (disapproving) informal talk or stories about other people's private lives, that may be unkind or not true. E.g. Don't believe all the gossip you hear. Tell me all the latest gossip! The gossip was that he had lost a fortune on the stock exchange. It was common gossip (= everyone said so) that they were having an affair. She's a great one for idle gossip (= she enjoys spreading stories about other people that are probably not true). He became the subject of much local gossip. One day Sam heard an interesting piece of gossip.
2 [countable, usually singular] a conversation about other people and their private lives. E.g. I love a good gossip. She just comes round here for a gossip.
3 [countable] (disapproving) a person who enjoys talking about other people's private lives. E.g. My uncle Michael was a great gossip.
gossip: (V) to talk about other people's private lives, often in an unkind way. E.g. I can't stand here gossiping all day. Gossip about somebody/ something She's been gossiping about you.
idolise: /ˈaɪdəlaɪz/ idolize somebody to admire or love somebody very much. E.g. a pop star idolized by millions of fans. They idolize their kids.
mediocrity: /ˌmiːdiˈɒkrəti/ the quality of being average or not very good. E.g. His acting career started brilliantly, then sank into mediocrity.
poll: (also opinion poll) [countable] the process of questioning people who are representative of a larger group in order to get information about the general opinion. Survey. E.g. to carry out/ conduct a poll. A recent poll suggests some surprising changes in public opinion. A nationwide poll revealed different food preferences in the North and the South.
master: master something to learn or understand something completely. E.g. to master new skills/ techniques. French was a language he had never mastered.
sake: purpose; motive. E.g. a quarrel only for the sake of argument. For clarity's sake, I'd like to reword my statement. I believe in education for its own sake. Art for art's sake.
Ex 12
The essay follows the same structure
Ex 13A
KEY
While ... is true, it is also true to say ....
One of the benefits is...
One of the drawbacks is...
Ex 13B
KEY
Contrasting arguments:
In contrast to this,...
We also need to take ... into consideration
pros:
One advantage is...
The arguments for ... include ....
On the Positive side, ...
cons:
One disadvantage is ...
The arguments against... include ...
On the negative side,...
Speakout Advanced p 119. Comparative Structures. Key Word Transformations
Complete
the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first
one, using the word given.
1.
Our technology was far less advanced than theirs.
CONSIDERABLY
Their
technology ___________________________________________ than ours.
2.
You're nowhere as good as we are at football!
WAY
We're
___________________________________________________ at football!
3.
Her brother is decidedly more obstinate than she is.
NOTHING
She's
___________________________________________ her brother.
4.
I'm a good deal better at chess than she is.
NEAR
She's
___________________________________________ me at chess.
5.
He's just as clever as you.
BIT
You
___________________________________________ him.
6.
The old version of that phone is much worse than the new one.
MILES
The
new version ___________________________________________ one.
7.
House prices are constantly decreasing.
LOWER
House
prices ___________________________________________ .
MORE
There
___________________________________________ in Spain
9.
Playing computer games like Wii sports can help us lose weight
easily.
MORE
The
more _________________________________________________to lose weight.
10.
As you get older, you progressively lose flexibility.
LESS
As
you get older, you become
___________________________________________.
More
practice on rephrasig comparatives here:
KEY
1.
Our technology was far less advanced than theirs.
CONSIDERABLY
Their
technology was considerably more advanced than ours.
2.
You're nowhere as good as we are at football!
WAY
We're
way better than you at football!
3.
Her brother is decidedly more obstinate than she is.
NOTHING
She's
nothing like as obstinate as her brother.
4.
I'm a good deal better at chess than she is.
NEAR
She's
nowhere near as good as me at chess.
5.
He's just as clever as you.
BIT
You
are every bit as clever as him.
6.
The old version of that phone is much worse than the new one.
MILES
The
new version of the phone is miles better than the old one.
7.
House prices are constantly decreasing.
LOWER
House
prices are getting lower and lower.
8.
The number of unemployed people in Spain has gradually gone up.
MORE
There
are more and more unemployed people in Spain.
9.
Playing computer games like Wii sports can help us lose weight
easily.
MORE
The
more computer games like Wii sports we play, the easier it is to lose
weight.
10.
As you get older, you progressively lose flexibility.
LESS
As
you get older, you become less and less flexible.
Speakout Advanced p 119. Interview with Erin Brockovich. Extra Listening
Erin Brockovich, environmental activist. She became famous in 1996
when as a single mother with no legal training, she helped US residents
win a £200m settlement from an energy company for contaminating groundwater. Her story was turned into an Oscar winning film starring Julia Roberts.
Listen to the interview
Listen to the interview in which the real Erin Brockovich speaks about how her life changed after the release of the film. (From minute 0.30 till minute 5:28)
Fill in the gaps with the missing word.
Julia Roberts won an Oscar for her (1)______________ of the single mother who worked as a legal (2)______________ and who won the biggest single legal (3)______________ in US history.
The real Erin Brockovich had a (4)______________ role as a waitress in the film.
Erin is in London as (5)______________ speaker at a motivational event.
The radio presenter asks Erin what it was like to be thrust into the (6)______________ as a result of the film.
Erin says that everything that has happened after the film was released has become a learning (7)______________ and that she is proud of it.
She says that the film (8)______________ her into a whirlwind.
The presenter asks Erin's opinion about the criticism that came regarding the low (9)______________ and (10)______________ heels she wore.
Because it was very hot in Hinkley (she compares the place to a (11)____________ drier) the (12)______________ she had on the more (13)______________ she was.
While doing her research Erin spent most of her time in a (14)______________ not in (15)______________.
She had no particular (16)______________ that her (17)______________ would get involved in the film.
Albert Finney, who played the (18)______________, did such an incredible job.
Steven Soderbergh, the director of the film, said that (19)______________ is stranger than (20)______________.
When Erin's looks and profession were questioned she felt (21)______________ and recalled the place she was (22)______________ in.
Erin grew up in a family that was morally right and (23)______________, a family with values respect and (24)______________.
KEY
Julia Roberts won an Oscar for her
1. portrayal of the single mother who worked as a legal
2. clerk and who won the biggest single legal
3. settlement in US history.
settlement: money legally given to someone.
The real Erin Brockovich had a
4. cameo role as a waitress in the film.
cameo: /ˈkæmiəʊ/ a small part played by a well-known actor in a film or play. E.g. a cameo role/appearance
Erin is in London as
5. keynote speaker at a motivational event.
a keynote speech/speaker (= a very important one, introducing a meeting or its subject)
The radio presenter asks Erin what it was like to be thrust into the
6. spotlight as a result of the film.
the spotlight [uncountable] attention from newspapers, television and the public. E.g. Unemployment is once again in the spotlight.
Erin says that everything that has happened after the film was released has become a learning
7. curve and that she is proud of it.
learning curve: the rate at which you learn a new subject or a new skill; the process of learning from the mistakes you make. E.g. We have all been through a steep learning curve to master the new procedures. We expect a learning curve as we develop the project.
She says that the film
8. thrust her into a whirlwind.
thrust / thrust / thrust: to put something somewhere with a quick hard push.
whirlwind: a situation or series of events where a lot of things happen very quickly. E.g. To recover from the divorce, I threw myself into a whirlwind of activities.
The presenter asks Erin's opinion about the criticism that came regarding the low
9. tops and
10 high heels she wore.
Because it was very hot in Hinkley (she compares the place to a
11. blow drier) the
blow drier - a hand-held electric blower that can blow warm air onto the hair; used for styling hair.
12. less she had on the more
13. comfortable she was.
While doing her research Erin spend most of her time in a
14. field not in
15. court.
She had no particular
16. thought that her
17. wardrobe would get involved in the film.
Albert Finney, who played the
18. lawyer, did such an incredible job.
Steven Soderbergh, the director of the film, said that
19. truth is stranger than
20. fiction.
When Erin's looks and profession were questioned she felt
21. baffled and recalled the place she was
baffle: if a problem, someone’s behaviour etc baffles you, you cannot understand it or solve it. Confuse.
22. raised in.
Erin grew up in a family that was morally right and
23. principle-driven, a family with values respect and
-driven (in compounds) influenced or caused by a particular thing. E.g. a market-driven economy. A character-driven movie.
24. honesty.
Listen to the interview
Listen to the interview in which the real Erin Brockovich speaks about how her life changed after the release of the film. (From minute 0.30 till minute 5:28)
Fill in the gaps with the missing word.
Julia Roberts won an Oscar for her (1)______________ of the single mother who worked as a legal (2)______________ and who won the biggest single legal (3)______________ in US history.
The real Erin Brockovich had a (4)______________ role as a waitress in the film.
Erin is in London as (5)______________ speaker at a motivational event.
The radio presenter asks Erin what it was like to be thrust into the (6)______________ as a result of the film.
Erin says that everything that has happened after the film was released has become a learning (7)______________ and that she is proud of it.
She says that the film (8)______________ her into a whirlwind.
The presenter asks Erin's opinion about the criticism that came regarding the low (9)______________ and (10)______________ heels she wore.
Because it was very hot in Hinkley (she compares the place to a (11)____________ drier) the (12)______________ she had on the more (13)______________ she was.
While doing her research Erin spent most of her time in a (14)______________ not in (15)______________.
She had no particular (16)______________ that her (17)______________ would get involved in the film.
Albert Finney, who played the (18)______________, did such an incredible job.
Steven Soderbergh, the director of the film, said that (19)______________ is stranger than (20)______________.
When Erin's looks and profession were questioned she felt (21)______________ and recalled the place she was (22)______________ in.
Erin grew up in a family that was morally right and (23)______________, a family with values respect and (24)______________.
KEY
Julia Roberts won an Oscar for her
1. portrayal of the single mother who worked as a legal
2. clerk and who won the biggest single legal
3. settlement in US history.
settlement: money legally given to someone.
The real Erin Brockovich had a
4. cameo role as a waitress in the film.
cameo: /ˈkæmiəʊ/ a small part played by a well-known actor in a film or play. E.g. a cameo role/appearance
Erin is in London as
5. keynote speaker at a motivational event.
a keynote speech/speaker (= a very important one, introducing a meeting or its subject)
The radio presenter asks Erin what it was like to be thrust into the
6. spotlight as a result of the film.
the spotlight [uncountable] attention from newspapers, television and the public. E.g. Unemployment is once again in the spotlight.
Erin says that everything that has happened after the film was released has become a learning
7. curve and that she is proud of it.
learning curve: the rate at which you learn a new subject or a new skill; the process of learning from the mistakes you make. E.g. We have all been through a steep learning curve to master the new procedures. We expect a learning curve as we develop the project.
She says that the film
8. thrust her into a whirlwind.
thrust / thrust / thrust: to put something somewhere with a quick hard push.
whirlwind: a situation or series of events where a lot of things happen very quickly. E.g. To recover from the divorce, I threw myself into a whirlwind of activities.
The presenter asks Erin's opinion about the criticism that came regarding the low
9. tops and
10 high heels she wore.
Because it was very hot in Hinkley (she compares the place to a
11. blow drier) the
blow drier - a hand-held electric blower that can blow warm air onto the hair; used for styling hair.
12. less she had on the more
13. comfortable she was.
While doing her research Erin spend most of her time in a
14. field not in
15. court.
She had no particular
16. thought that her
17. wardrobe would get involved in the film.
Albert Finney, who played the
18. lawyer, did such an incredible job.
Steven Soderbergh, the director of the film, said that
19. truth is stranger than
20. fiction.
When Erin's looks and profession were questioned she felt
21. baffled and recalled the place she was
baffle: if a problem, someone’s behaviour etc baffles you, you cannot understand it or solve it. Confuse.
22. raised in.
Erin grew up in a family that was morally right and
23. principle-driven, a family with values respect and
-driven (in compounds) influenced or caused by a particular thing. E.g. a market-driven economy. A character-driven movie.
24. honesty.
Speakout Advanced p 119. Keys and Vocabulary
Ex 3A
KEY
1 much, far, considerably, slightly, infinitely, a bit, a lot, marginally, miles, not, way, a good deal, decidedly, significantly, barely any, loads
marginally: /ˈmɑːdʒɪnəli/ very slightly; not very much. E.g. They now cost marginally more than they did last year. He's in a new job but he's only marginally better off.
miles: very much; far. E.g. I'm feeling miles better today, thanks. I'm miles behind with my work. She's taller than you by a mile.
way: by a large amount. E.g. This skirt is way (= a lot) too short.
decidedly: definitely and in an obvious way. E.g. Amy was looking decidedly worried.
2 just, nothing like, nowhere near, not, every bit.
every bit as good, bad, etc. (as somebody/something) just as good, bad, etc; equally good, bad, etc. E.g. Rome is every bit as beautiful as Paris. He's every bit as clever as she is.
Ex 3B
KEY
1 small difference:
slightly, a bit, marginally, barely any
big difference:
much, far, nothing like, considerably, infinitely, a lot, nowhere near, miles, a good deal, decidedly, significantly, way, loads
no difference: just, every bit
(not can be a small or a big difference.)
2 formal:
considerably, infinitely, marginally, every bit, a good deal, decidedly, significantly.
informal:
much, just, far, nothing like, slightly, a bit, a lot, nowhere near, miles, way, barely any, loads
(way and loads are very informal and only used in spoken English)
not is neutral
Ex 3C
KEY
l b)
2 a)
p 147
Ex1
KEY
1 like
2 a
3 barely (or hardly)
4 deal
5 every
6 faster
7 the
8 near
Ex 2
KEY
1 just gets better and better
2 nowhere near as famous as
3 is every bit as remarkable
4 little more than a year
on the brink of : if you are on the brink of something, you are almost in a very new, dangerous or exciting situation. E.g. on the brink of collapse/ war/ death/ disaster.
stardom: the state of being famous as an actor, a singer, etc. E.g. He thanked all those who had helped him on the road to stardom (= during the time he was trying to become famous).
5 would be far greater than
6 come a good deal closer
7 nothing like as flamboyant as his hero
flamboyant: different, confident and exciting in a way that attracts attention. Sp. llamativo, ostentoso, extravagante. E.g. a flamboyant gesture/ style/ personality. He was flamboyant and temperamental on and off the stage.
8 considerably more money than
Ex 5B
KEY
the more the merrier (saying) the more people or things there are, the better the situation will be or the more fun people will have. E.g. ‘Can I bring a friend to your party?’ ‘Sure—the more the merrier!’
the sooner the better: very soon; as soon as possible. E.g. ‘When shall I tell him?’ ‘The sooner the better.’
The bigger they come / are, the harder they fall the more powerful and successful people are, the more they suffer when they experience defeat and disaster. When prominent people fail, their failure is more dramatic. E.g. After the newspapers reported that the mayor cheated on his wife, he lost the election and he can't get any kind of job. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Jackson used to be very wealthy, but he lost every cent in the stock market crash. The bigger they come, the harder they fall.
KEY
1 much, far, considerably, slightly, infinitely, a bit, a lot, marginally, miles, not, way, a good deal, decidedly, significantly, barely any, loads
marginally: /ˈmɑːdʒɪnəli/ very slightly; not very much. E.g. They now cost marginally more than they did last year. He's in a new job but he's only marginally better off.
miles: very much; far. E.g. I'm feeling miles better today, thanks. I'm miles behind with my work. She's taller than you by a mile.
way: by a large amount. E.g. This skirt is way (= a lot) too short.
decidedly: definitely and in an obvious way. E.g. Amy was looking decidedly worried.
2 just, nothing like, nowhere near, not, every bit.
every bit as good, bad, etc. (as somebody/something) just as good, bad, etc; equally good, bad, etc. E.g. Rome is every bit as beautiful as Paris. He's every bit as clever as she is.
Ex 3B
KEY
1 small difference:
slightly, a bit, marginally, barely any
big difference:
much, far, nothing like, considerably, infinitely, a lot, nowhere near, miles, a good deal, decidedly, significantly, way, loads
no difference: just, every bit
(not can be a small or a big difference.)
2 formal:
considerably, infinitely, marginally, every bit, a good deal, decidedly, significantly.
informal:
much, just, far, nothing like, slightly, a bit, a lot, nowhere near, miles, way, barely any, loads
(way and loads are very informal and only used in spoken English)
not is neutral
Ex 3C
KEY
l b)
2 a)
p 147
Ex1
KEY
1 like
2 a
3 barely (or hardly)
4 deal
5 every
6 faster
7 the
8 near
Ex 2
KEY
1 just gets better and better
2 nowhere near as famous as
3 is every bit as remarkable
4 little more than a year
on the brink of : if you are on the brink of something, you are almost in a very new, dangerous or exciting situation. E.g. on the brink of collapse/ war/ death/ disaster.
stardom: the state of being famous as an actor, a singer, etc. E.g. He thanked all those who had helped him on the road to stardom (= during the time he was trying to become famous).
5 would be far greater than
6 come a good deal closer
7 nothing like as flamboyant as his hero
flamboyant: different, confident and exciting in a way that attracts attention. Sp. llamativo, ostentoso, extravagante. E.g. a flamboyant gesture/ style/ personality. He was flamboyant and temperamental on and off the stage.
8 considerably more money than
Ex 5B
KEY
the more the merrier (saying) the more people or things there are, the better the situation will be or the more fun people will have. E.g. ‘Can I bring a friend to your party?’ ‘Sure—the more the merrier!’
the sooner the better: very soon; as soon as possible. E.g. ‘When shall I tell him?’ ‘The sooner the better.’
The bigger they come / are, the harder they fall the more powerful and successful people are, the more they suffer when they experience defeat and disaster. When prominent people fail, their failure is more dramatic. E.g. After the newspapers reported that the mayor cheated on his wife, he lost the election and he can't get any kind of job. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Jackson used to be very wealthy, but he lost every cent in the stock market crash. The bigger they come, the harder they fall.
Speakout Advanced p 118. Inversion. Extra Exercises
INVERSION
1. I have never before been asked
to accept a bribe.Never before
2. He had hardly left the house when the storm broke.
Hardly
3. As soon as he had left the house the storm broke.
No sooner
4. This switch must not be touched on any account.
On no account
5. She rarely has any money to spare.
Rarely
6. He hardly speaks to anyone.
Hardly
7. The nation has seldom been faced with such difficulties.
Seldom
8. They had hardly started playing tennis when it began to rain.
Hardly
9. A father has seldom sacrificed so much for his child.
Seldom
10. You may not return after midnight on any account.
On no account
11. He would not give up writing his satires under any circumstances.
Under no circumstances
12. He realized the danger he had been in only after he had read the newspaper the following morning.
Only after
13. They were not able to assess the damage until the floods had subsided.
Not until
14. He only stays in bed if he is seriously ill.
Only if
15. We only then realized how much he had suffered.
Only then
16. He was only able to do the exercise with a great deal of effort.
Only
17. He didn’t manage to get permission until she had calmed down.
Not until
18. No director has made such an intellectually challenging sci-fi movie since Kubrick’s 2001.
Not since
19. He became so suspicious that he didn’t even trust his family.
So suspicious
20. He was so anxious to start a new life that he actually changed his name.
So anxious
21. He could only make himself heard by shouting at the top of his voice.
Only by
22. He laughed so much that tears rolled down his cheeks.
So much
23. Her business was so successful that Marie was able to retire at the age of 50.
So successful
24. If you were less than delighted with our product, we would refund your money immediately.
Were
25. If you were to accept our offer, we could avoid the costs of a court case.
Were
26. If the builders were to finish their work to schedule, they would receive a bonus.
Were
27. If the tickets should fail to arrive before the departure date, we would arrange to have duplicates waiting at the airport.
Should
28. If the film had been released in the summer, it would not have been so successful.
Had
29. He had no money and his sister didn’t have any either.
He had no money, neither / nor
30. They have no intention of paying and we don’t either.
They have no intention of paying and nor / neither
31. I couldn’t face my father and Jane couldn’t either.
I couldn’t face my father and neither / nor
32. Tom came in.
In
33. Two large dogs jumped up.
Up
34. Half a dozen apples fell down.
Down
35. The body of our late lamented sovereign lies here.
Here
36. As soon as Springsteen had gone on stage, it started to rain.
No sooner
37. We only very rarely go to the cinema these days.
Only very rarely
38. I have never seen such a terrible performance of Hamlet before.
Never before
39. Bags must not be left unattended at any time.
At no time
40. The identity of the murderer is not revealed until the very last page.
Not until
41. They only realized the painting had been hung upside down when someone complained at reception.
Only when
42. He would never play in front of a live audience again
Never again
43. She had hardly sat down to watch her favourite programme when the phone rang.
Hardly
44. You will not be allowed to enter the auditorium under any circumstances once the play has started.
Under
45. We not only went to the National Gallery, but we also saw a West End musical.
Not
46.
KEY
INVERSION
1. I have never before been asked to accept a bribe.
Never before HAVE I BEEN ASKED TO ACCEPT A BRIBE.
2. He had hardly left the house when the storm broke.
Hardly HAD HE LEFT THE HOUSE WHEN THE STORM BROKE.
3. As soon as he had left the house the storm broke.
No sooner HAD HE LEFT THE HOUSE THAN THE STORM BROKE.
4. This switch must not be touched on any account.
On no account MUST THIS SWITCH BE TOUCHED.
5. She rarely has any money to spare.
Rarely DOES SHE HAVE ANY MONEY TO SPARE.
6. He hardly speaks to anyone.
Hardly DOES HE SPEAK TO ANYONE.
7. The nation has seldom been faced with such difficulties.
Seldom HAS THE NATION BEEN FACED WITH SUCH DIFFICULTIES.
8. They had hardly started playing tennis when it began to rain.
Hardly HAD THEY STARTED PLAYING TENNIS WHEN IT BEGAN TO RAIN.
9. A father has seldom sacrificed so much for his child.
Seldom HAS A FATHER SACRIFICED SO MUCH FOR HIS CHILD.
10. You may not return after midnight on any account.
On no account MAY YOU RETURN AFTER MIDNIGHT.
11. He would not give up writing his satires under any circumstances.
Under no circumstances WOULD HE GIVE UP WRITING HIS SATIRES.
12. He realized the danger he had been in only after he had read the newspaper the following morning.
Only after HE HAD READ THE NEWSPAPER THE FOLLOWING MORNING DID HE REALISE THE DANGER HE HAD BEEN IN.
13. They were not able to assess the damage until the floods had subsided.
Not until THE FLOODS HAD SUBSIDED WERE THEY ABLE TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE.
14. He only stays in bed if he is seriously ill.
Only if HE IS SERIOUSLY ILL DOES HE STAY IN BED.
15. We only then realized how much he had suffered.
Only then DID WE REALISE HOW MUCH HE HAD SUFFERED.
16. He was only able to do the exercise with a great deal of effort.
Only WITH A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT WAS HE ABLE TO DO THE EXERCISE.
17. He didn’t manage to get permission until she had calmed down.
Not until SHE HAD CALMED DOWN DID HE MANAGE TO GET PERMISSION.
18. No director has made such an intellectually challenging sci-fi movie since Kubrick’s 2001.
Not since KUBRICK’S 2001 HAS ANY DIRECTOR MADE SUCH AN INTELLECTUALLY CHALLENGING SCI-FI MOVIE.
19. He became so suspicious that he didn’t even trust his family.
So suspicious DID HE BECOME THAT HE DIDN’T EVEN TRUST HIS FAMILY.
20. He was so anxious to start a new life that he actually changed his name.
So anxious WAS HE TO START A NEW LIFE THAT HE ACTUALLY CHANGED HIS NAME.
21. He could only make himself heard by shouting at the top of his voice.
Only by SHOUTING AT THE TOP OF HIS VOICE COULD HE MAKE HIMSELF HEARD.
22. He laughed so much that tears rolled down his cheeks.
So much DID HE LAUGH THAT TEARS ROLLED DOWN HIS CHEEKS.
23. Her business was so successful that Marie was able to retire at the age of 50.
So successful WAS HER BUSINESS THAT MARIE WAS ABLE TO RETIRE AT THE AGE OF 50.
24. If you were less than delighted with our product, we would refund your money immediately.
Were YOU LESS THAN DELIGHTED WITH OUR PRODUCT, WE WOULD REFUND YOUR MONEY IMMEDIATELY.
25. If you were to accept our offer, we could avoid the costs of a court case.
Were YOU TO ACCEPT OUR OFFER, WE COULD AVOID THE COSTS OF A COURT CASE.
26. If the builders were to finish their work to schedule, they would receive a bonus.
Were THE BUILDERS TO FINISH THEIR WORK TO SCHEDULE, THEY WOULD RECEIVE A BONUS.
27. If the tickets should fail to arrive before the departure date, we would arrange to have duplicates waiting at the airport.
Should THE TICKETS FAIL TO ARRIVE BEFORE THE DEPARTURE DATE, WE WOULD ARRANGE TO HAVE DUPLICATES WAITING AT THE AIRPORT.
28. If the film had been released in the summer, it would not have been so successful.
Had THE FILM BEEN RELEASED IN THE SUMMER, IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
29. He had no money and his sister didn’t have any either.
He had no money, neither / nor DID HIS SISTER.
30. They have no intention of paying and we don’t either.
They have no intention of paying and nor / neither DO WE.
31. I couldn’t face my father and Jane couldn’t either.
I couldn’t face my father and neither / nor COULD JANE.
32. Tom came in.
In CAME TOM.
33. Two large dogs jumped up.
Up JUMPED TWO LARGE DOGS.
34. Half a dozen apples fell down.
Down FELL HALF A DOZEN APPLES.
35. The body of our late lamented sovereign lies here.
Here LIES THE BODY OF OUR LATE LAMENTED SOVEREIGN.
36. As soon as Springsteen had gone on stage, it started to rain.
No sooner had Springsteen gone on stage than it started to rain.
37. We only very rarely go to the cinema these days.
Only very rarely do we go to the cinema these days.
38. I have never seen such a terrible performance of Hamlet before.
Never before have I seen such a terrible performance of Hamlet.
39. Bags must not be left unattended at any time.
At no time must bags be left unattended
40. The identity of the murderer is not revealed until the very last page.
Not until the very last page is the identity of the murderer revealed
41. They only realized the painting had been hung upside down when someone complained at reception.
Only when someone complained at reception did they realize the painting had been hung upside down.
42. He would never play in front of a live audience again
Never again
43. She had hardly sat down to watch her favourite programme when the phone rang.
Hardly had she sat down to watch her favourite programme when the phone rang.
44. You will not be allowed to enter the auditorium under any circumstances once the play has started.
Under no circumstances will you be allowed to enter the auditorium once the play has started.
45. We not only went to the National Gallery, but we also saw a West End musical.
Not only did we go to the National Gallery, but we also saw a West End musical.
46.
since John went to the theme park as a child had he enjoyed himself so much.
More exercises:
Here
Here
Here
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