UNIT 1 — ENTERTAINMENT
Give a definition: what does 'gripping' mean when describing a film or book?
Something gripping is extremely exciting and holds your attention completely. E.g. 'The film was absolutely gripping from start to finish.'
What does 'stunning' mean? Give one example collocation from the unit.
Stunning means extremely beautiful. Collocations: stunning scenery, a stunning view, absolutely stunning.
What is a 'refund'? When would you ask for one?
A refund is money a shop gives back because a product is broken or doesn't work properly. E.g. 'I asked for a refund because my phone stopped working after two days.'
Use 'used to' to write a sentence about a past habit you no longer have.
Any correct sentence, e.g. 'I used to watch cartoons every morning when I was a child.' Used to + infinitive describes past habits that no longer happen.
Give the noun form of the verb 'restore'. Use it in a sentence.
Restoration. E.g. 'The painting underwent significant restoration.'
Fill in the blank with the correct word: 'The ending of the film had me in _____.' (hint: drops of liquid from your eyes when you cry)
Tears. 'The ending of the film had me in tears.'
'Landmark' has two meanings. What are they? Give an example for each.
1) A famous building or monument many people recognise. E.g. 'The Eiffel Tower is a famous landmark.' 2) A very significant event. E.g. 'The revolution was a landmark in French history.'
Complete the collocation: '_____ a hazard to human health.' What verb fits?
Pose. 'The chemicals pose a hazard to human health.' A hazard is something dangerous that might cause damage.
Join these two sentences using a defining relative clause: 'I met a woman. She speaks five languages.'
I met a woman who speaks five languages.
'Dominate' is a verb. What are the adjective and noun forms? Give an example of each.
Adjective: dominant. E.g. 'The company has a dominant position in the market.' Noun: dominance. E.g. 'The political dominance of the USA.'
What does 'over-the-top' mean? Give your own example sentence.
Over-the-top means so extreme it seems silly or exaggerated. E.g. 'His reaction to losing the game was completely over-the-top.'
Rewrite using 'knock down': 'The old building was destroyed to make space for new flats.'
The old building was knocked down to make space for new flats.
What does 'put up with' mean? Give an original example sentence.
To put up with something means to accept something unpleasant patiently without complaining. E.g. 'I can't put up with this noise any longer.'
Rewrite this sentence using 'going to' and explain why you chose it over 'will': 'I have decided to visit Rome next month.
I'm going to visit Rome next month. We use 'going to' for plans or decisions already made before the moment of speaking, not spontaneous ones.
Complete the word family: optimism (noun) → _____ (adjective) → _____ (adverb). Use the adverb in a sentence.
Optimistic (adjective), optimistically (adverb). E.g. 'She spoke optimistically about the results.'
Rewrite using 'get away with': 'He committed a crime and was not caught or punished.'
He got away with the crime. / He committed a crime and got away with it.
What is the difference between 'affluent' and 'deprived'? Use both in one sentence.
Affluent means wealthy; deprived means very poor. E.g. 'The city has both affluent suburbs and deprived inner-city areas.'
Explain the phrase 'a fine line between X and Y'. Use it in your own sentence.
A fine line between two things means they are very similar and one could easily become the other. E.g. 'There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance.'
What is the difference between: 'He should check the receipt.' and 'He should have checked the receipt.'?
'Should check' = present/future advice or obligation. 'Should have checked' (should've checked) = criticism or regret about something that didn't happen in the past.
Form a noun from 'compensate' using the -ation suffix. Then name two other verbs from Unit 3 that form nouns the same way.
Compensation. Other -ation examples from the unit: confrontation (confront), consideration (consider), declaration (declare), foundation (found), occupation (occupy), sensation (sense).
Explain what 'symbolic' means in the context of art. Then use it in a sentence that includes a collocate (e.g. 'highly symbolic' or 'symbolic meaning').
Symbolic means using objects or images to represent ideas or feelings. E.g. 'The dove in the painting has a highly symbolic meaning — it represents peace.'
Explain what 'soar' means, name two synonyms from the unit's vocabulary box, and use 'soar' in a sentence about property prices.
To soar means to increase very quickly and by a large amount. Synonyms: shoot up, rocket (also: surge, climb, jump). E.g. 'Property prices in the city have soared over the last decade.'
What is the difference between 'resolve' and 'replace' in a customer complaint situation? Use both in one or two sentences.
To resolve a problem means to find a solution to it. To replace something means to give a new item instead of the broken one. E.g. 'The shop resolved our complaint by replacing the faulty product.'
Rewrite using 'so that': 'She bought the item. Her purpose was to test the return policy.' Then explain when we use 'so that' vs 'to + infinitive'.
She bought the item so that she could test the return policy. Both express purpose. 'To + infinitive' is simpler and more common. 'So that' is used when you want to emphasise the goal more clearly or when the subject of the purpose clause is different.
'Valid' is an adjective. What is the noun? The opposite adjective? Use 'validity' and 'invalid' in separate sentences.
Noun: validity. Opposite adjective: invalid. E.g. 'The court questioned the validity of his argument.' / 'Most of his arguments in favour of the plan were invalid.'