Vocabulary commentary II

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VOCABULARY EXERCISES

B)

VOCABULARY COMMENTARY I

UNIT I

KEYS

1. economical / economic

1) economical; 2) economic; 3) economic; 4) economical; 5) economical; 6) economic

2. comfortable / convenient

1) convenient; 2) comfortable; 3) comfortable; 4) convenient; 5) comfortable; 6) convenient

3. ordinary / average / normal / standard /conventional

1) average 2) ordinary, ordinary; 3) normal; 4) average; 5) ordinary; 6) standard; 7) conventional; 8) normal; 9) standard; 10) conventional

4. out of the ordinary / eccentric / extraordinary

1) eccentric; 2) extraordinary / eccentric; 3) out of the ordinary; 4) extraordinary; 5) out of the ordinary; 6) eccentric

5. home / house / dwelling / accommodation / lodgings

1) lodgings / accommodation; 2) dwellings; 3) home; 4) house; 5) accommodation; 6) house; 7) homes; 8) dwellings / houses; 9) accommodation / lodgings; 10) lodgings / accommodation

6. setting / surroundings / environment / neighbourhood

1) environment / surroundings;2) surroundings / environment / neighbourhood; 3) neighbourhood; 4) surroundings/environment; 5) setting; 6) neighbourhood; 7) environment; 8) setting

7. to let / to rent (a rent)

1) (a) rent; 2) to let; 3) renting; 4) letting; 5) rents/is renting

8. in the country / in the countryside / in the village / in the suburbs / on the outskirts

1) countryside; 2) village; 3) on the outskirts / in the suburbs; 4) suburb; 5) countryside, in the country; 6) on the outskirts; 7) in the country / in the countryside; 8) village; 9) in the country / in the countryside

1) Recently I’ve watched a very interesting programme on TV about the houses that are out of the ordinary. It seems that these days more and more people want to stand out from the crowd building extraordinary dwellings, for example, real castles with a drawbridge, a keep and a moat; huts on stilts, luxury/deluxe houses in the tree tops, rock or underground houses. There’s no accounting for some people’s taste.

2) Our large family has become short of space, so we have decided to build an extension to our house. Our kitchen is very cramped, that’s why the extension should be practical, comfortable and spacious / airy. It has a balcony running around two sides and there are wooden stairs from the garden up to the house. We are so happy with our new kitchen that we want to convince our friends of the benefits of such a solution.

3) John has never wanted to live in an ordinary house. When he saw an underground water tank, he couldn’t resist converting it into a unique and secure dwelling. It is very warm and cosy in his house in harsh winters because there are no draughts. Fuel bills are very low so the house is economical to maintain. Its only disadvantage is that it might not be suitable for people who suffer from claustrophobia.

4) Martin and Anna’s house with its thatched roof, stone walls, chimney and other features of a traditional country cottage looks as an ancient monument though in fact the building is brand new with all the luxuries you would expect from a house that costs/cost about half a million dollars. Building the house from scratch was hard work but now Martin and Anna have the perfect place to live.

5) If living in ordinary settings doesn’t appeal to you, how about adding some attractive features to your home? For example, a friend of mine has put a sculpture of a shark by a local artist in front of the house. At first, the neighbours complained that the sculpture might spoil the look of the neighbourhood but then they got used to it. This shark has become a well-known and popular landmark.

1) Is it true that Ann’s family has moved in/into a new house? – Yes, they have bought a superb two-storey brick detached house with a tiled roof. It’s a three-bedroom(ed) house with a dining room, a modern fitted kitchen, a spacious / airy living room / lounge overlooking the garden and a huge balcony running around two sides. Moreover, the dining room and the kitchen are separated by a sliding glass door. The house also has an extension – a garage for two cars and a big attic. Besides, there is a driveway leading to the house, a front garden with climbing roses and a rear patio – a wonderful place for rest where one can relax: to have a cup of tea or to read a book. – It sounds attractive! Is the house cold? – No, they have had double glazing and air conditioning put in/installed, that’s why now it is very warm – there are no draughts. – Have they got a swimming pool? – Not yet, but they are going to build it in the future. – Is it a brand new house? – No, it’s pretty old. – Did they have to do a lot of fixing up/repairing? – In fact they didn’t. The house is well maintained. – It must be very expensive! – Yes, but you know Ann does her best to stand out from the crowd. – Is the house centrally located? – No, it’s in the suburbs, that’s why Ann has to commute to work every day. – How long does it take her to get to work?/How long does her journey to work last? – An hour and a half.

2) – Have you seen Kate’s new flat yet? – Not yet. When did she move in? – Last month, she has already been living there for two weeks. – Did you like the flat? – Oh, yes! It’s superb! It’s a spacious/airy flat which has a luxurious lounge / living room with a fireplace, a cosy bedroom, a fully equipped kitchen, and a big entrance hall with built-in wardrobes. – Is there any furniture? – Yes, it’s fully furnished. Besides, the flat has central heating and a security system. There is also private parking near the block of flats. Did Kate buy the flat? – No, she is renting / rents it. – Is it expensive? How much does she pay a/per month? – Her monthly rent is 500 pounds, including heating and lighting/fuel and electricity bills. – It’s not cheap, but the rent is quite reasonable. Is the flat in the centre of London? – Yes, close to shops. – Is it far from the tube station? – No, it’s only a five-minute walk/five minutes’ walk.

1) I can’t find my hairdryer. Have you seen it? – Yes, I have. It’s on the washing machine in the bathroom.

2) – Have you got a dishwasher? – Not yet. – Oh, it’s so convenient! – I know but they are pretty expensive. We are going to buy a second hand dishwasher in a couple of months. But now we have to wash the dishes / do the washing up ourselves.

3) –What has happened? – The vacuum cleaner isn’t working. – I’m afraid you have forgotten to plug it in. – Oh, yes! Of course, I’ve forgotten to turn it on/switch it on.

4) – Why do you vacuum the carpets so often? – The thing is/the matter is that I’ve got an allergy to dust.

5) – Who mops the floor in your flat? – I do. – And who dusts the furniture and makes the beds? – My sister does.

6) – What are you doing? – I’m ironing. – Look! There’s smoke! You are going to burn the shirt! – Don’t worry! I have already lowered the temperature.

7) – Why is it so noisy? – Bob is mowing the lawn. –Great! Does he often do it? – Almost every week. The grass grows fast!

a) 1 – cheerful; 2 – generous; 3 – adventurous, 4 – shy; 5 – talkative; 6 – conservative; 7 – reliable; 8 – confident; 9 – creative; 10 – active, 11 – impatient; 12 – refreshed; 13 – withdrawn; 14 – calm; 15 – competitive; 16 – depressed; 17 – relaxed; 18 – romantic; 19 – peaceful; 20 – stressed.

b) Romantic relationship(s), (a) peaceful atmosphere, a talkative neighbour, a reliable source of information, a generous person, a conservative taste, a shy look, a competitive price, an impatient answer, a creative approach, an adventurous trip / journey, a cheerful mood, a calm voice, a confident answer, a refreshed face.

1) I don’t approve of this student’s attitude to the studies. He is often absent from classes.

2) She never travels by plane because she suffers from a fear of heights.

3) We need to agree on the price of the house in the countryside.

4) For the last two weeks he has been busy with the building an extraordinary extension to the house for his dogs that have become short of space in the patio.

5) I don’t believe in the benefits of the new method myself, so I won’t be able to convince my boss of them.

6) This colour doesn’t appeal to me, I can’t become accustomed to it. To my mind, it’s not suitable for the kitchen.

7) She has applied to the university for the World Economics and International Affairs Faculty.

8) You should apologize to her for accusing having accused her of lying. She didn’t expect such behaviour from you.

1) His sons were brought up to be able to cope with problems and only rely on themselves.

2) A fire broke out in the loft of our block the other day. Fortunately, the firefighters arrived immediately and quickly put the fire out, so none of the tenants was /were harmed.

3) Although the office building was guarded, somebody broke in last night and stole a computer from one of the offices.

4) They say a new model of a pocket translator has been brought out, but it’s not on sale yet.

5) They are such good friends that nothing in the world seems to be able to break off their friendship.

6) The ruins of the old house on the edge of the village brought back memories of the violent crime committed here several years ago.

7) The washing machine seems to have broken down again. We have to have it repaired.

8) When does your school break up for the holidays? (or: When do the students of your school break up for the holidays?) – In two weeks’ time.

1) Do you often see your relatives? – Unfortunately, no, I don’t. We get together once in a blue moon.

2) Have you seen my exercise-book? – No, I haven’t. Why? – I can’t find it anywhere. It seems to have vanished into thin air.

3) What has happened to Jack? – He has got into a car accident. – Is he seriously injured? – His leg is broken and he is black and blue all over.

4) Anna is fond of gardening. There are so many beautiful flowers in her garden! She definitely has green fingers.

5) We’ll have to drive a hard bargain as we’ve decided to buy a flat in this neighbourhood. I hope, the seller will play ball/won’t refuse to play ball.

6) Don’t be angry with Helen, she didn’t mean any harm, she’s just a bit green.

7) What can’t you understand? Everything is written in black and white here.

8) In some situations a little white lie may help you.

9) After the quarrel both friends did their best to clear the air.

10) He is determined to sign the contract. He won’t take no for an answer.

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