Speaking practice- Sep 2023
Pick-your-own strawberries (= picked by the customer on the farm where they are grown).
an earth-shattering discovery (having a very great effect and of great importance).
She has the daunting task of cooking for 20 people every day. (making somebody feel nervous and less confident about doing something; likely to make somebody feel this way).
We live in a society that insistently hammers into parents the importance of spending time with their children. (in a way that firmly says that something must be true or done). [#Clue]
We insisted on a refund of the full amount. (to demand something and refuse to be persuaded to accept anything else)
Each child had to recite a poem to the class. (to say a poem, piece of literature, etc. that you have learned, especially to an audience).
The process of refining oil produces several useful chemicals. (to make a substance pure by taking other substances out of it)
She has refined her playing technique over the years. (to improve something by making small changes to it)
The problem had been alluded to briefly in earlier discussions. (to mention something in an indirect way) [#Clue]
Her novels are packed with literary allusions. (=> see Figurative use of language at Cambridge).
He gave a broad hint (= one that was obvious) that he was thinking of retiring. [#Clue]
Should I drop a hint (= give a hint) to Matt? [#Clue]
I had a strong sense of déjà vu as I entered the room. (the feeling that you have previously experienced something that is happening to you now)
The country has lost its allure as a destination for foreign investment. [Attraction]
She was shouting and gesticulating from the other side of the road.
She shrieked in fright.
He is probably possessed by the devil because he is gesticulating and shrieking night and day.
Phantom of his dead father
Phantoms and chimeras inhabited her brain.
Chi-square test: a method that is used to find out how well a set of data fits the results that were expected according to a theory.
Chimera: an impossible idea or hope.
The word of politics was derived from a Geek word meaning “city”.
His opinions chimed in with the mood of the nation. (To agree with something/ to be similar to something)
He kept chiming in with his own opinions (to join or interrupt a conversation).
My mother had a tremendous (=very great) capacity for delusion (the act of believing or making yourself believe something that is not true)
Shareholders are likely to want a new chief executive officer in situ sooner rather than later. (in the original place, or the place where something should be)
She accused him of lying. (to say that somebody has done something wrong or is guilty of something)
quench your thirst (to drink so that you no longer feel thirsty)
Firemen tried to quench the flames raging through the building. (to stop a fire from burning)
The steep terrain would have made photography in situ very difficult.
They insist on playing their music late at night. (to continue doing something even though other people think it is annoying)
We insisted on a refund of the full amount. (to demand something and refuse to be persuaded to accept anything else)
They insistently refused to accept any cash compensation. (in a way that demands something and refuses to accept any opposition or excuses)
He tried to ignore his insistently ringing phone. (in a way that continues for a long time and cannot be ignored)
She is very picky about her clothes (= liking only particular things and difficult to please).
These tasks were repetitive, lengthy and lacking any intrinsic interest. (belonging to or part of the real nature of something/ somebody)
Small local shops are intrinsic to the town's character.
She was motivated by the idea of extrinsic rewards such as salary rather than intrinsic ones such as pride and self-respect. (not belonging naturally to somebody/something; coming from or existing outside somebody/something rather than within them)
an amount of time or distance that somebody has as an advantage over other people at the beginning of a race.
I learned German from scratch in six months. (= without any previous preparation or knowledge)
They decided to dismantle the machine and start again from scratch. (= from the very beginning, not using any of the work done earlier)
dismantle something - to take apart a machine or structure so that it is in separate pieces.
The calluses on her palm showed how hard she had had to work. (an area of thick hard skin on a hand or foot, usually caused by rubbing).
Four restaurants have been awarded the highest accolade of a three-star rating. (/ˈækəleɪd/ praise or an award for an achievement that people admire).
He was finally awarded the ultimate accolade - British Hairdresser of the Year - in 2007.
Arrive two days early in order to acclimatize. (/əˈklaɪmətaɪz/ to get used to a new place, situation or climate)
We haven’t got acclimatized to village life yet.
They are very accommodating to foreign visitors. (/əˈkɒmədeɪtɪŋ/ adj: willing to help and do things for other people)
Writing a novel can be a daunting process but you just need to get up each morning and lean into it. (to accept the challenge of doing something and try hard to do it successfully)
The pianist really leaned into some of the more demanding passages.
Many trans people feel it is important that the cis community leans in and shows empathy.
(in China) if a person lies flat, they reject the competitive work culture in society and adopt a more relaxed attitude to life, trying to do and spend as little as possible.
Many Chinese youth are ‘lying flat’ to express their frustration with the lack of upward social mobility.
She has the daunting task of cooking for 20 people every day. (making somebody feel nervous and less confident about doing something; likely to make somebody feel this way).
Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect.
The main symptom is a scarlet rash that’s quite unmistakable. (that cannot be mistaken for somebody/something else)
We may see further erosion of these multigenerational co-residential living arrangements. (/ɪˈrəʊʒn/ the process of gradually destroying something or making it weaker over a period of time)
Critics are describing the musical as "unmissable". (that you must not miss because it is so good)
Unmindful of the cold and rain, he trudged on. (not giving thought or attention to somebody/something)
The demand for more information has remained largely unmet. ((of needs, etc.) not satisfied)
the unmentionable possibility that we might lose the war (too shocking or embarrassing to be mentioned or spoken about; unsuitable or forbidden as a topic of conversation)
unmentionables (n: underwear; a garment worn under other garments)
The demand for affordable housing is largely unmet.
The project failed through unmethodical planning. (not efficient or methodical)
You are very much mistaken if you think that people will agree to these changes. (wrong in your opinion or judgement)
I told her my secret in the mistaken belief that I could trust her. (based on a wrong opinion or bad judgement)
He was shot in what seems to have been a case of mistaken identity. (a situation in which you think wrongly that you recognize somebody or have found the person you are looking for)
He mistakenly believed that his family would stand by him. (in a way that is wrong because it is based on a wrong opinion or bad judgement)
We stood there patiently while he snapped a few shots. (a photograph)
The connections between cognition and language seem to be similar in all cultures. (the process by which knowledge and understanding is developed in the mind)
Child studies centring on theories of cognition. (centring /ˈsentərɪŋ/)
Parents are obliged by law to send their children to school. (to force somebody to do something, by law, because it is a duty, etc.)
Cognitive behavioural therapy (a type of psychotherapy in which you are encouraged to change negative ways of thinking about yourself and the world in order to change behaviour patterns or treat conditions such as depression).
Cognitive dissonance is the discomfort that we feel when our deeply held beliefs do not match what is evident in reality. (the state of having thoughts that are not consistent, especially relating to beliefs, behaviour and attitudes) [Mental health]