Ready for CAE unit 4

Mr Baechi (Switzerland)
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words only definitions & notes
  1. punctuate
    insert marks to clarify meaning
    Punctuate the following newspaper article on working trends in Britain.
  2. prefer
    like better; value more highly
    If you had the choice would you prefer to work from home or in an office?
    "Prefer" can be followed by an infinitive or a gerund.
  3. preference
    a predisposition in favor of something
    Internet users are increasingly looking for anonymity as their preferences and personal information are tracked and traded like pork belly futures.
    "Preference" is the noun of "to prefer".
  4. commute
    a regular journey to and from your place of work
    One in four of them has given up commuting to the office in favour of a more domestic working environment.
  5. figure
    an amount of money expressed numerically
    And the figure is growing: the number of home-workers is likely to increase by more than 50% over the next five years.
  6. increase
    a process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous
    And the figure is growing: the number of home-workers is likely to increase by more than 50% over the next five years.
    as a noun: an increase in
  7. decrease
    a change downward
    That's because the purchasing power of a $1 decreases every year by 3 percent, based on historical average.
    as a noun: an decrease in
  8. affected
    influenced
    The sale of personal care products such as deodorants and soap will also be affected.
  9. application
    a verbal or written request for assistance or admission
    The non-Muslim applicant, 'Ian', followed five minutes later and was told there were several store supervisor jobs available and was given an application form.
  10. advertisement
    a public promotion of some product or service
    Read the following job advertisement and make a list of the characteristics the ideal candidate would possess.
    The short form of "advertisement" is "ad" (not *add!)
  11. advertise
    make publicity for; try to sell
    The following is a letter of application for the job advertised in exercise 1.
  12. characteristic
    a noticeable feature or aspect of something
    Read the following job advertisement and make a list of the characteristics the ideal candidate would possess.
    close to the idea of "property" or "feature"
  13. possess
    have ownership of
    Read the following job advertisement and make a list of the characteristics the ideal candidate would possess.
    noun: possession
  14. response
    the speech act of continuing a conversational exchange
    I am writing to you in response to your advertisement.
    "To respond" is not the same as "to answer". It carries the idea of an action that "answers" another action.
  15. branch
    a division of some larger or more complex organization
    As the manager of a local branch of the Excel Insurance Company I have known and worked with Lara Goodrich for nearly six years.
  16. current
    occurring in or belonging to the present time
    During this short time she has progressed from her initial job as trainee secretary to her current position as office manager.
    "Actual" is a false friend with German "aktuell". The German word is best translated with "current". English "actual" is translated with "der / die / das tatsächliche.. " or "selbst" (The actual holiday was great, only the preparations were hell. = Die Ferien selbst waren grossartig, nur die Vorbereitungen suckten gewaltig.)
  17. expand
    become larger in size or volume or quantity
    The U.S. report acknowledged that a growing German economy has helped European economic activity expand overall.
  18. expansion
    the act of increasing in size or volume or quantity or scope
    McDonald's said last week it was thinking of slowing expansion in China as diners are tempted by local rivals.
  19. attend
    be present
    You will hear five short extracts in which different people are talking about interviews they attended.
    noun: attendance
  20. uptight
    in a very tense state
    You're not to get all uptight and on edge.
    OED: "anxious or angry in a tense and overly controlled way"
  21. vital
    urgently needed; absolutely necessary
    They were reluctant to update her on recent developments and withheld vital information on new projects.
    English "vital" is a false friend with German "vital". The German word is best translated with "lively"
  22. salary
    fixed payment for services
    Management have admitted to have broken their promise to increase salaries.
    synonym: wages
  23. capacity
    capability to perform or produce
    Furthermore, he seems to lack the capacity to maintain classroom discipline.
  24. determination
    firmness of purpose
    He has shown a clear determination to make progress in the company and he has made a great effort to overcome his shyness.
  25. willingness
    cheerful compliance
    Her greatest strengths are her willingness to accept new challenges and her ability to cope with pressure.
  26. opportunity
    a possibility from a favorable combination of circumstances
    They wasted an opportunity to get things started the right way.
    collocations: offer, grasp, seize, miss, waste an opportunity
  27. tend
    have a disposition to do or be something; be inclined
    Home-workers tend to be the more highly qualified professionals in a company.
  28. tendency
    an inclination to do something
    Trump’s lies betray his tendency to value his own subjective sentiments over objective reality.
  29. refusal
    the act of showing unwillingness
    President's Vladimir Putin's refusal to hand him over aggravated already tense relations with the United States.
  30. deadline
    the point in time at which something must be completed
    He set a new deadline of noon on November 11.
    collocation: to meet a deadline
  31. persuade
    cause somebody to adopt a certain position or belief
    At first, older people had to be persuaded to attend college.
    Is there a difference between "persuade" and "convince"? Traditionally, "convince" is about causing a change of belief, whereas "persuade" contains this meaning, too, AND is connected to an action that follows this change of belief. However, this traditional distinction has been blurred in modern usage.
    If you want to know in detail, read this excellent discussion in "The Guardian": http://www.theguardian.com/media/mind-your-language/2011/feb/11/mind-your-language-convince-persuade
  32. persuasion
    communication intended to induce belief or action
    So, an Iranian chief executive has to rely on his powers of persuasion to get things done.
  33. admirable
    inspiring approval
    Their views are perfectly understandable, even admirable — but also unrealistic, if not impossible. Forbes (Aug 28, 2013)
  34. lack
    the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable
    She suggests a lack of money in her childhood made a high salary more desirable.
  35. profession
    an occupation requiring special education
    Furthermore, he seems to lack the ability to maintain classroom discipline, and I can only support his to leave the teaching profession.
  36. handle
    touch, lift, or hold
    The best things about her is that she's prepared to take on new challenges and she can handle stressful situations.
  37. cope
    come to terms with
    Her greatest strengths are her to accept new challenges and her ability to cope with pressure.
  38. promote
    assign to a higher position
    Her sense of being unimportant did not change once she had been promoted.
  39. income
    the amount of money one makes over a period of time
    Her current job does not provide her with a regular income.
    Whereas "salary", "wage" and "pay" are very close to each other, "income" is a bit different. It is more about the fact that you receive money for your work. The other three words describe the actual amount of money. So it makes sense to say, "I've got a regular income." (The fact that I'm paid is important here), but "The boss has raised my salary, wage, pay". (The amount of money I get has been increased.)
  40. wage
    payment for work
    In Cincinnati, voters rejected a pension reform ballot initiative, while in New Jersey and Washington state they raised the minimum wage.
  41. pay
    something that remunerates
    The basic pay of the average worker has risen by 3 per cent.
  42. afford
    have the financial means to do something or buy something
    She admits to showing off the things she could afford to buy with her high salary.
  43. benefit
    something that aids or promotes well-being
    She accepted the job because of the benefits that were additional to the salary.
    "additional benefits" carries the idea that you get something extra in addition to your salary.
  44. relate
    have or establish a connection to
    The people she worked with could not relate to a decision she had made.
    This meaning of "relate" is very close to "understand".
  45. corporate
    of or belonging to a business firm
    An increasing number of young executives are giving up their corporate positions after experiencing an overload of pressure and dissatisfaction with what they imagined would be a dream career.
  46. overload
    an excessive burden
    An increasing number of young executives are giving up their corporate positions after experiencing an overload of pressure and dissatisfaction with what they imagined would be a dream career.
  47. grudge
    a resentment strong enough to justify retaliation
    The mutiny haunted Graham for years, but he can no longer bear to hold a grudge. —New York Times (Jun 8, 2013) Tanya Burrows bears no grudge towards the car.
    collocation: bear or hold a grudge against sb over sth
  48. resentment
    a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
    Resentment over the Russian demonstrators killed in 1905 helped to doom Tsar Nicholas II 13 years later.
  49. leadership
    the status of being in charge
    Jane's potential for leadership was quickly noted and she found herself promoted to team leader within six months.
  50. route
    an established line of travel or access
    She had already been looking for an escape route.
    pronunciation: There is both "root" and "raut"; "root" is more common.
  51. ridiculous
    incongruous or absurd
    Sure it was good money but the hours were ridiculous.
  52. carefree
    without trouble or worry
    I should have been carefree at that age, but the burden of responsibility was enormous.
  53. cog
    tooth on the rim of gear wheel
    'Honestly, I got sick of feeling of being the small cog in a big machine."
    A cog can be a tooth of a gear wheel, or the wheel itself. There is also the word cogwheel
  54. sabbatical
    a leave usually taken every seventh year
    She forced herself to stay on for another year, but then nervously asked for a sabbatical.
  55. pursue
    carry out or participate in an activity
    Tania decided to quit and pursue her real passion for photography.
  56. pursuit
    a diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts
    A lot of amazing people would rather spend their free time on other pursuits. Forbes (Oct 14, 2013)
  57. distinction
    high status importance owing to marked superiority
    Lily Tan left university with an MBA distinction and was quickly snapped up by a major retail chain.
    The meaning of "distinction" here is simply "with especially good marks".
  58. distinguish
    mark as different
    The next year he received the inaugural Harper Lee Award as Alabama’s most distinguished writer.
    to distinguish oneself or to be distinguished carries the idea of being different in the sense of better.
  59. retail
    the selling of goods to consumers
    Lily Tan left university with an MBA distinction and was quickly snapped up by a major retail chain.
  60. achieve
    gain with effort
    In just five years she achieved a senior management position and after receiving news of the promotion she was elated.
    also: to reach a goal
  61. elated
    exultantly proud and joyful; in high spirits
    In just five years she achieved a senior management position and after receiving news of the promotion she was elated.
  62. inclination
    that toward which you are disposed to feel a liking
    But the next day she had no inclination to get out of bed and face the constant pressure.
    This is a more formal way to express the idea "she didn't feel like".
  63. disillusionment
    freeing from false belief
    Despite her sudden disillusionment, she continued to persevere and was the brains behind a new strategy.
  64. persevere
    be persistent, refuse to stop
    Despite her sudden disillusionment, she continued to persevere and was the brains behind a new strategy.
    to keep going in spite of resistance and adversity
  65. perseverance
    the act of continuing or repeating
    Their careers are often marked by long periods devoid of success, but perseverance can eventually pay off with breakthroughs in our understanding of life.
  66. implement
    apply in a manner consistent with its purpose or design
    It calls on the government "to implement a points system to control migration from within the EU without delay". BBC (Sep 1, 2016)
  67. implementation
    the act of providing a means for accomplishing something
    But during the Implementation stage unforeseen problems arose and eventually the strategy was abandoned.
  68. performance
    the act of doing something successfully
    Lily's next performance appraisal gave her a really low rating, which she found devastating.
    collocation: performance appraisal
  69. rank
    position in a social hierarchy
    She admits to being a perfectionist, an attribute which saw her rise through the ranks in no time.
    This word is often used in a military sense: ranks in an army.
  70. reluctant
    not eager
    lt can mean that you're reluctant to delegate and end up with the pressure of doing it all yourself.
    noun: reluctance
  71. flawless
    without a weakness or defect or mistake
    She had no problem with overtime and her performance appraisals were almost always flawless .
  72. immature
    not yet fully developed
    He had always been emotionally immature, so it made sense he would gravitate to people younger than himself. Salon (Jan 24, 2013)
  73. flourish
    make steady progress
    Which is now flourishing.
    This word can also mean, "to do really well", "to thrive"
  74. utterly
    completely and without qualification
    My colleagues seemed utterly mystified and tried to talk me.
    completely, totally
  75. alienated
    socially disoriented
    It made no difference: she explalns .'They simply alienated me .'
    to make someone feel isolated;
    to cause to become withdrawn or unresponsive; isolate or dissociate emotionally
  76. recent
    of the immediate past or just previous to the present time
    They were re luctant to update her on recent developments
  77. compromise
    expose or make liable to danger, suspicion, or disrepute
    With little support from her seniors either, and refusing to compromise her time with her family, Natalie handed in her notice.
  78. prevent
    keep from happening or arising; make impossible
    • Read all three sentences before you think of a possible word because: (a) this may prevent you from choosing a word that fits correctly in the first sentence but does not work In the second and/or third.
  79. postpone
    hold back to a later time
    If our clients want to postpone the meeting, the delay might actually work in our favour.
  80. starve
    die of food deprivation
    The people were starving and had no choice but to against the government.
  81. starvation
    a state of extreme hunger
    the noun of "to starve"
  82. extent
    the point or degree to which something extends
    To what extent does this apply to you?
    "to what extent": another way of saying "how much"
  83. overwhelm
    charge someone with too many tasks
    He recommends giving priority to health if we feel overwhelmed.
  84. initial
    occurring at the beginning
    During this short time she has progressed from her initial job as trainee secretary to her current position as office manager.
  85. outgoing
    at ease in talking to others
    At each stage in her career here Lara has shown great enthusiasm for her work and has always managed to combine a friendly, outgoing nature with a dedicated, professional approach.
  86. dedicated
    devoted to a cause or ideal or purpose
    At each stage in her career here Lara has shown great enthusiasm for her work and has always managed to combine a friendly, outgoing nature with a dedicated, professional approach.
  87. approach
    make advances to someone, usually with a proposal
    At each stage in her career here Lara has shown great enthusiasm for her work and has always managed to combine a friendly, outgoing nature with a dedicated, professional approach.
    The "Vocabulary.com" definitions are terrible here.
    The word as a noun simply means "a way of going about something", "a way of doing something".
  88. asset
    a useful or valuable quality
    Her willingness to respond to circumstances and work extra hours if required has been a major asset to the company.
  89. approachable
    easy to reach
    She is at all times very approachable and enjoys the affection and respect of office colleagues and members of the sales team alike.
  90. manifest
    reveal its presence or make an appearance
    However, this is a mark of her perfectionism, which generally manifests itself as a positive attribute.
    expresses itself
  91. assimilate
    take up mentally
    Naturally, with her experience she is familiar with all aspects of office work, and quickly assimilates new developments.
  92. hesitation
    the act of pausing uncertainly
    For these reasons I am confident that Lara has the right qualities for this job and have no hesitation in supporting her application.
  93. cautious
    showing careful forethought
    "Generally speaking, enterprise customers continue to be cautious regarding new investment decisions," Shammo said.
  94. energetic
    possessing or displaying forceful exertion
    His playing was both broadly lyrical and explosively energetic.” Seattle Times (Sep 13, 2013)
  95. enthusiastic
    having or showing great excitement and interest
    Tennant and the cast won enthusiastic applause on Thursday's opening night in Stratford-upon-Avon.
  96. domineering
    tending to rule in a cruel manner
    Two lawmakers have already walked out protesting against Grillo's domineering style, though other party members say disputes over allowances were the real cause.
    to behave in an arrogantly bossy way
  97. temper
    restrain
    the idiom here is "to lose one's temper" = "to lose control over one's feelings"
  98. authenticity
    undisputed credibility
    Consider giving your friend a more negative attribute, as in the model, to add authenticity to the reference.
  99. wreck
    something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation
    He arrived looking a wreck, but after a good sleep and some home cooking, he began to feel his old self again.
  100. contemporaries
    all the people living at the same time or of the same age
    Girls I knew then were fairly open with their mothers, but none of my male contemporaries would ever have admitted asking their mothers for advice.
    The word is used in a slightly ironical way here.
  101. redundancy
    the attribute of being superfluous and unneeded
    In a world of short-term contracts, downsizing and redundancy, even the most promising and ambitious of our children will go through many career highs and lows during their twenties.
    In this context "redundancy" means unemployment.
  102. ambitious
    having a strong desire for success or achievement
    In a world of short-term contracts, downsizing and redundancy, even the most promising and ambitious of our children will go through many career highs and lows during their twenties.
Created on Mon Nov 04 03:22:09 EST 2013 (updated Sun Sep 25 03:23:54 EDT 2016)

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