6

Would you believe it?

Words and phrases
Lead in
6.1 digestive /daI"dZestiv/ (adj)
connected with the digestion of
food digestion (n), digest (n, v)

6.2 celery /"sel@ri/ (n)

vegetable with long crisp light green
stems often eaten raw in salads

6.3 pretence /prI"tens/ (n)

act of behaving in a particular way
in order to make others believe
sth that is not true L Often
found in the expression under
false pretences. pretension (n),
pretend (v, adj)

6.4 fishy /"fISi/ (adj)

that makes you suspicious because
it seems dishonest Dont you
have a feeling theres something
fishy about his explanation for the
missing money? L Informal.

6.5 sue /su:/ (v)

make a claim against sb in court
about sth that they have said or
done to harm you

6.6 install /In"stO:l/ (v)

fix equipment or furniture into
position so that it can be used
installer (n), installation (n)

6.8 unforeseen /%VnfO:"si:n/ (adj)

that you did not expect to happen
L Often used with the following
expression: Due to unforeseen
circumstances, the library will be
shut this afternoon. foresee (v)

6.9 principle /"prIns@pl/ (n)

general or scientific law that
explains how sth works or why sth
happens His magic trick looked
very effective but was based on the
simple principle that hot air rises.
L Do not confuse with principal
(adj), which means the main or
most important thing: Lack of time
was our principal reason for not
visiting you.

6.10 discomfort /dIs"kVmf@t/ (n)

feeling of slight pain, physically
or emotionally L Opposite =
comfort; note that the adjective
and adverb forms take un-.
discomfort (v), comfortable
(adj), uncomfortable (adj),
uncomfortably (adv)

6.11 at will /@t "wIl/ (phr)

whenever or wherever you like
We have been given a front door
key so that we can come and go at
will.

Superheroes

Reading
6.7 substance /"sVbst@ns/ (n)
type of liquid, solid or gas that has
particular qualities L Often used
with adjectives when the exact
substance is not known: an oily
substance, a watery substance. Also,
the quality of being important or
significant (formal). substantial
(adj), substantially (adv)

6.12 acquire /@"kwaI@(r)/ (v)

gain or obtain sth either because it is
given to you or by your own efforts
The City Art Gallery has recently
acquired two Dutch paintings from
an anonymous donor.

6.13 radiation /%reIdi"eISn/ (n)

powerful and dangerous rays
that are sent out from radioactive
substances radioactivity (n),
radiographer (n), radiography
(n), radiologist (n), radiology (n),
radiate (v), radioactive (adj)

6.14 beam /bi:m/ (n)

line of energy such as light,
electricity, etc. When driving at
night in the countryside, put your
car headlights on full beam to light
the road ahead. beam (v)

6.15 bugle /"bju:gl/ (n)

musical instrument like a small
trumpet, used in the army for
giving signals bugler (n)

6.16 (crime)-ridden

/"(kraIm) %rIdn/ (adj)

full of a particular unpleasant
thing L Usually in compounds, as
here. Note the different meaning of
bedridden = having to stay in bed
all the time because you are sick,
injured or old.

6.17 scale /skeIl/ (v)

climb to the top of sth very high
and steep

6.18 adhere (to) /@d"hI@/ (v)

stick firmly (to L Also, follow a
particular set of beliefs or a fixed
way of doing sth. adherence (n),
adhesive (n)

6.19 nook and cranny

/%nUk @n "kr&ni/ (idm)

every part of a place or every
aspect of a situation There isnt
a space in my Aunty Annies
house that isnt filled with china
ornaments. She has them in every
nook and cranny imaginable.

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6.20 deceptively /dI"septIvli/ (adv)

likely to make you believe sth that
is not true deceit (n), deception
(n), deceive (v), deceptive (adj)

6.21 gossamer /"gQs@m@(r)/ (n)

very fine thread made by spiders

6.22 dragline /"dr&glaIn/ (n)

the silk used by spiders to build
their webs

6.23 flee (from) /fli:/ (v)

leave a place or sb very quickly
because you are afraid of possible
danger L With places, both flee
or flee from can be used. With
people, from must be used: They
fled from the advancing army.

6.24 doomed /du:md/ (adj)

certain to be destroyed, die,
suffer, fail, etc. Having not been
properly thought through, the
prisoners escape plan was doomed
from the start. doom (n, v)

6.25 adopt /@"dQpt/ (v)

take sb elses child into your
family and become its legal parents
L See also 5.83 adopter (n),
adoption (n)

6.26 mild-mannered

/%maIld "m&n@d/ (adj)

gentle and not usually angry or
violent

6.27 bound /baUnd/ (n)

high or long jump

bound (v)

6.28 convert /k@n"v3:t/ (v)

change or make sth (or sb) change
from one form, purpose, system,
belief to another convert (n),
conversion (n)

6.29 harvest /"hA:vIst/ (v)

collect in order to use L Commonly
to cut and gather crops, or to collect
cells for medical purposes harvest
(n), harvester (n)

6.30 photosynthesis

/%f@Ut@U"sInT@sIs/ (n)
process by which green plants turn
carbon dioxide and water into food
using energy obtained from light
from the sun photosynthesise
(v), photosynthetic (adj)

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6.42 high-pitched /%haI "pItSt/ (adj)

6.31 carbon dioxide

/%kA:b@n daI"QksaId/ (n)

gas breathed out by people
or animals from the lungs, or
produced by burning carbon

6.32 glucose /"glu:k@Us/ (n)

type of sugar found in fruit and
easily changed into energy by the
human body

6.33 chlorophyll /"klQr2@fIl/ (n)

green substance in plants that
absorbs light from the sun to help
them grow

6.34 accelerate /@k"sel@reIt/ (v)

make sth happen faster or earlier
than expected accelerator (n),
acceleration (n)

6.35 tremendous /trI"mend@s/ (adj)

very great, usu. in strength or size
L Without further qualification,
this adjective is positive: The
performance was tremendous =
excellent. tremendously (adv)

6.36 reserve /rI"z3:v/ (n)

supply of sth that is available to
be used in the future or when it is
needed L Also used in the idiom
(keep/have sth) in reserve.
reserve (v), reserved (adj)

6.37 acute /@"kju:t/ (adj)

very sensitive and well developed
an acute sense of hearing
acuteness (n), acutely (adv)

6.38 radar /"reIdA:(r)/ (n)

system that uses radio waves to
find the position and movement
of objects, e.g. planes and ships,
when they cannot be seen

6.39 faint /feInt/ (adj)

that cannot be clearly seen, heard
or smelt I thought I heard a faint
tapping noise from behind that
wall. faintly (adv)

6.43 mutant /"mju:t@nt/ (n)

a creature in a science-fiction
story, which has an unusual and
frightening appearance because of
a change in its genetic structure
L Also a biological term for a
living thing with different qualities
from its parents because of a
change in genetic structure
mutation (n), mutant (adj),
mutate (v)

6.44 despise /dI"spaIz/ (v)

dislike and have no respect for sb/
sth despicable (adj), despicably
(adv)

6.45 isolate /"aIs@leIt/ (v)

separate sb/sth physically or
socially from other people or things
Children suffering from chickenpox should be isolated so they
dont infect others. isolation (n),
isolated (adj)

6.46 levitate /"levIteIt/ (v)

rise or make sth rise and float in
the air with no physical support,
esp. by means of magic or special
mental powers levitation (n)

6.47 forcefield /"fO:sfi:ld/ (n)

barrier of, e.g. energy that you
cannot see and is difficult to
penetrate L Also force field

6.48 generate /"dZen@reIt/ (v)

produce or create sth L Can
mean to produce or create sth
intentionally or as a consequence
of another process: Jeremy loves
experimenting with different
recipes, but they seem to generate a
lot of washing-up! generator (n),
generation (n), generative (adj)

6.49 steel /sti:l/ (n)

6.40 odour /"@Ud@(r)/ (n)

smell, usu. unpleasant
(adj)

used to describe a sound that is

very high a high-pitched voice/
scream

odorous

6.41 emit /I"mIt/ (v)

send out, e.g. a sound, light, heat,
gas, etc. emission (n)

strong hard metal made of iron

and carbon

6.50 magnetic /m&g"netIk/ (adj)

having the properties of a magnet,
a piece of iron that attracts other
iron objects towards it, either
naturally or because an electric
current is passed through it
magnet (n), magnetism (n),
magnetise (v), magnetically (adv)

6.51 electromagnet

/I%lektr@U"m&gn@t/ (n)
piece of metal which becomes
magnetic when electricity is passed
through it.

6.52 rails /reIlz/ (n pl)

the two metal bars that form the
track that trains run on

6.53 conventional

/k@n"venS@nl/ (adj)
following what is traditional or
the way sth has been done for a
long time We decided to try out
something new, as the conventional
methods didnt work out.
convention (n), unconventional
(adj), (un)conventionally (adv)

6.54 friction /"frIkSn/ (n)

the force which is created when
two things rub against each other
and which makes them stick
together If you rub a balloon on
your head, friction makes your hair
stand on end.

6.55 diamagnetic

/%daI@m&g"netIk/ (adj)
used to describe a substance which
is repelled by a magnet

6.56 repel /rI"pel/ (v)

drive sth away, push apart with
magnetic force repulsion (n)

6.57 gamma bomb

/"g&m@ %bQm/ (n)

bomb that causes high-energy rays
of very short wavelength to be sent
out by radioactive substances

6.58 reckless /"rekl@s/ (adj)

showing a lack of care about
danger and the possible results of
your actions recklessness (n),
recklessly (adv)

6.59 stray /streI/ (v)

move away from where you are
supposed to be, often
unintentionally L Often used to
describe pets that wander away
from home and become separated
from their owners. stray (n, adj):
Our children wanted a dog so
weve adopted a stray from a local
dogs home.

6.60 fury /"fjU@ri/ (n)

extreme anger that often includes
violent behaviour Her eyes blazed
with fury. infuriate (v), furious
(adj), furiously (adv)

6.61 bulk /bVlk/ (n)

size, weight or quantity of sth
L buy in bulk = buy a lot of sth
at the same time bulk sth up
(phr v)

6.62 cuttlefish /"kVtlfIS/ (n)

sea creature with ten arms and a
wide flat shell inside its body, that
produces a black substance like
ink when it is attacked

6.63 camouflage /"k&m@flA:Z/ (n)

way in which an animals
colour (or shape) matches its
surroundings and makes it difficult
to see L Also a way of hiding
soldiers and military equiptment
using paint, leaves or nets so
that they look like part of the
surroundings. camouflage (v)

Vocabulary
6.64 creep /kri:p/ (v)
move with your body close to
the ground, move slowly on your
hands and knees The children
crept under the table to hide from
their mother.

6.65 glance /glA:ns/ (v)

look quickly at sth/sb I usually
glance at the newspaper headlines
over breakfast but dont have time
to read any of the stories in detail.
glance (n)

6.66 stumble /"stVmbl/ (v)

hit your foot against sth as you are
walking or running, and almost fall
Unable to find the light switch,
and stumbling around his hotel
room in the dark, Dave fell over a
chair.

6.67 hobble /"hQbl/ (v)

walk with difficulty, esp. because
your feet or legs hurt

6.68 totter /"tQt@(r)/ (v)

walk or move with weak, unsteady
steps, especially because you are
drunk or ill Feeling really sick, I
barely managed to totter back to
bed.

6.69 gaze /geIz/ (v)

look steadily at sb/sth for a long
time, either because you are very
interested or surprised, or because
you are thinking of sth else
In the evenings, we usually went
to the seafront and gazed at the
magnificent sunset. gaze (n)

6.70 limp /lImp/ (v)

walk slowly or with difficulty
because one leg is injured limp
(n)

6.71 plod /plQd/ (v)

walk slowly with heavy steps, esp.
because you are tired Although
we were exhausted, we plodded on
through the muddy fields. plod
(n), plodding (adj)

6.72 glimpse /glImps/ (v)

see sb/sth for a moment, but
not very clearly L The noun is
more common, as found in the
expression: catch a glimpse of
sth/sb. glimpse (n)

6.73 glare /gle@(r)/ (v)

look at sb/sth in an angry way
glare (n)

6.74 stagger /"st&g@(r)/ (v)

walk with unsteady steps, often
moving from side to side, as if you
are about to fall stagger (n)

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6.75 peep /pi:p/ (v)

look quickly and secretly at sth,
esp. through a small opening or
through your hands if you are using
them to cover your eyes Every
Christmas as a child I used to peep
in my parents wardrobe looking for
hidden presents. peep (n)

6.76 trip /trIp/ (v)

catch your foot on sth and fall or
almost fall Make sure you put all
those ropes away, or else someone
might trip over them.

6.77 crawl /krO:l/ (v)

move forward on your hands and
knees, with your body close to the
ground Our baby daughter has
started to crawl.

Grammar

6.82 safe /seIf/ (n)

strong metal box or cupboard with
a complicated lock, used for storing
valuable things in, for example,
money or jewels safe (adj), safely
(adv), safety (n), save (v)

6.83 burglar-proof

/"b3:gl@ %pru:f/ (adj)

that cannot be burgled

6.84 fraction /"fr&kSn/ (n)

division of a number, e.g. , or
mathematical problem involving
these divisions

6.85 trap /tr&p/ (v)

keep sb in a dangerous place or
bad situation that they want to get
out of but cannot Fortunately, the
firemen managed to save the three
people who were trapped inside the
burning building. L Usually used
in the passive. trap (n)

6.78 overalls /"@Uv@rO:lz/ (n pl)

loose piece of clothing like a shirt
and trousers in one piece, made of
heavy fabric and usually worn over
other clothing by workers doing
dirty work

6.79 rash /r&S/ (n)

an area of red spots on a persons
skin, caused by an illness or a
reaction to sth

6.80 assumption /@"sVmpSn/ (n)

a belief or feeling that sth is
true or that sth will happen,
although there is no proof It was
impossible to make assumptions
about how she would react when
she heard the news. assume (v)

6.81 deduction /dI"dVkSn/ (n)

the process of using information
you have in order to understand a
particular situation or to find the
answer to a problem
Archaeologists study their
findings to make deductions about
how people lived in ancient years.
deduce (v), deductive (adj)

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Listening
6.86 expose /Ik"sp@Uz/ (v)
tell the true facts about sb or
sth, showing them/it to be false,
immoral, illegal, etc. expos (n),
exposure (n)

6.87 lip-synch /"lIp %sINk/ (v)

move your mouth, without singing,
so that its movements match the
sound on a recorded song L Also
lip-sync.

6.88 second-rate

/%sek@nd "reIt/ (adj)

not very good or impressive L
Note that although first-rate = the
very best, second-rate is almost
always rather critical and does not
mean the same as second best.

6.89 awkward /"O:kw@2d/ (adj)

unnatural, not graceful He was
lying in a very awkward position
which had made his back sore.
awkwardness (n), awkwardly
(adv)

6.90 insult /"InsVlt/ (n)

action or remark that offends sb,
usu. but not always deliberately
I considered it a downright insult
to be offered so little for my car
when I was selling it. insult (v),
insulting (adj), insultingly (adv)

6.91 charisma /k@"rIzm@/ (n)

powerful personal quality that
some people have to attract and
impress other people charismatic
(adj), charismatically (adv)

6.92 chiselled /"tSIzld/ (adj)

having clear strong facial features
(as if cut by a chisel, a tool used
for shaping wood, stone or metal)
chisel (n, v)

6.93 instantaneous

/%Inst@n"teIni@s/ (adj)
happening immediately instance
(n), instant (n), instantaneously
(adv)

6.94 rocket /"rQkIt/ (v)

achieve a successful position
very quickly After rocketing to
stardom with their first hit single,
the band has never been heard of
again.

6.95 lurk /l3:k/ (v)

be present or wait somewhere
secretly, esp. with the intention
of doing sth bad Ginas heart
jumped as she caught sight of a
dark figure lurking in the shadows.

6.96 duo /"dju:@U/ (n)

two people who perform together
or are often seen or thought of
together Meanwhile Batman
and Robin, the dynamic duo, are
preparing to fight Mr Freeze.
duet (n), dual (adj)

6.97 mime /maIm/ (v)

pretend to sing a song that is
actually on a recording or being
sung by sb else L Also the use of
movement and expression to act
without speaking. mime (n)

6.98 confront /k@n"frVnt/ (v)

face or make sb face an unpleasant
situation Confronted with the
truth, Steve was forced to accept
that Becky had been lying about
everything. confrontation
(n), confrontational (adj),
confrontationally

6.99 sham /S&m/ (n)

person or sth that pretends to be sth
that they are not sham (adj, v)

6.100 latch onto (sth)

/%l&tS "Qntu:/ (phr v)

develop a strong interest in sth

6.101 artificial /%A:tI"fISl/ (adj)

created by people, not happening
naturally artifice (n), artificiality
(n), artificially (adv)

6.102 fortune /"fO:tju:n/ (n)

large amount of money L Often
found in the expression a small
fortune which (despite small) still
implies a lot more money than you
think is reasonable: I paid a small
fortune for this jacket and its
falling apart already.

6.103 mike /maIk/ (n)

common abbreviation for
microphone L Also mic.
mike sb up (v)

6.104 conform (to) /k@n"fO:m/ (v)

be, behave or think the same as
most other people in a group or
society conformity (n), (non-)
conformist (n, adj)

6.105 wind /"wInd/ (v)

make sb temporarily unable to
breathe, usu. because of a blow to
the stomach. wind (n)
h Not related to long-winded
= continuing for too long and
therefore boring, e.g. sb talking or
sth that you are reading.

Speaking
6.106 fancy dress /%f&nsi "dres/ (n)
clothes that you wear, esp. at
parties, to make you appear to be
a different character

6.107 make-believe

6.115 dimension

/"meIk bI%li:v/ (n)

/d@"menSn, dI-, daI-/ (n)

imagining that you are sb else, esp.

in a childs game In her land of
make-believe, Alice could be a pirate
one day and a famous explorer the
next. make believe (idm)

measurement, e.g. height, width or

length of sth L the dimensions =
all the relevant measurements for
sth: Please could you confirm the
dimensions of the bookcase?

6.116 portion /"pO:Sn/ (n)

6.108 self-conscious

/%self "kQnS@s/ (adj)

nervous or embarrassed about your
appearance or what other people
think of you self-consciousness
(n), self-consciously (adv)

6.109 be torn (between)

/bi "tO:n/ (v)

unable to decide or choose between
two things, people or feelings L If
the two things are understood or
mentioned immediately afterwards,
there is no need to use between:
Bowling or a night club? Im really
torn. Which ones cheaper? tear (v)

Use of English

6.117 confide /k@n"faId/ (v)

tell sb secrets and personal
information that you do not want
other people to know A good
friend ought to be someone you can
trust and confide in.

6.118 attentive /@"tentIv/ (adj)

listening or watching carefully
and with interest The students
are usually very attentive but
recently their concentration hasnt
been so good. attentiveness (n),
attentively (adv)

6.119 version /"v3:Sn/ (n)

6.110 fool /fu:l/ (v)

trick sb into believing sth that is
not true Well, I know Marion
very well, so she cant fool me into
agreeing with her plans. fool (n),
foolish (adj), foolishly (adv)

6.111 identical /aI"dentIkl/ (adj)

similar in every detail The two

pictures are quite similar, but not
identical. identically (adv)

6.112 rotate /r@U"teIt/ (v)

turn sth around a central fixed
point The Earth rotates around
the Sun. rotation (n), rotating
(adj), rotational (adj)

6.113 simultaneously

/%sIm@l"teIni@sli/ (adv)
happening or done at the same
time as sth else simultaneity (n),
simultaneous (adj)

6.114 readily /"redIli/ (adv)

quickly and without difficulty
She readily agreed to change our
plans, once it was clear we could
not stay at the village any more.

amount of food that is large

enough for one person This
restaurant serves very generous
portions of food.

a copy of sth that is slightly

different from the original thing
The Greek version of Paolo
Coelhos The Alchemist was
released last year.

6.120 betray /bI"treI/ (v)

hurt sb who trusts you, especially
by not being loyal or faithful to
them It was difficult for me to
accept that Fiona had betrayed our
friendship. betrayal (n)

6.121 take sb in

/%teIk ... "In/ (phr v)

make sb believe sth that is not
true, deceive I was taken in by
his story at first, but then I realised
he was lying. L Usually used in
the passive.

6.122 gadget /"g&dZIt/ (n)

small tool or device that does sth
useful L Device is more formal.

6.123 capital /"k&pItl/ (n)

large amount of money that is
invested or is used to start a
business

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Vocabulary
6.124 too right /%tu: "raIt/ (idm)
used to say that there is no doubt
about sth

6.125 pop out /%pQp "aUt/ (phr v)

go out somewhere quickly,
suddenly or for a short time

6.126 by rights /%baI "raIts/ (phr)

according to what is proper

6.127 left, right and centre

/%left, %raIt @n "sent@/ (idm)

everywhere, in all directions; also
right, left and centre with the same
meaning

6.128 have two left feet

/h&v %tu: left "fi:t/ (idm)

be very awkward in your
movements, esp. when dancing or
playing a sport

6.129 leftovers /"left@Uv@z/ (n pl)

food that has not been eaten at the
end of a meal, which may then be
eaten later be left over (phr v)

6.130 know your left from your

right /%n@U jO: %left fr@m jO: "raIt/

(idm)
have sense of direction, sense of
orientation Jon doesnt know his
left from his right so he always gets
lost when he goes on walks.

6.132 cohesion /k@U"hi:Zn/ (n)

for a text: the way all the parts
of the text are properly linked
together L Also: the act or state of
sticking together. cohesiveness
(n), cohesive (adj)

6.133 register /"reIst@(r)/ (n)

level and style of a piece of
writing or speech, that is usually
appropriate to the situation that it
is used in

6.134 desensitised

/%di:"sens@taIzd/ (adj)
made less aware of sth, especially
a problem or sth bad When
people have experienced wars
they often become desensitised
to violence. sensitise (v), (in)
sensitive (adj), (in)sensitivity (n)

6.135 addictive /@"dIktIv/ (adj)

describes sth that you need to do
as often as possible because you
enjoy it, or that you cannot stop
doing addict (n), addiction (n),
be addicted to (v)

6.136 debate /dI"beIt/ (n)

discussion of sth in a formal
situation There was a televised
debate last night between the
two main candidates for the
presidential election. debate (v)
debatable (adj)

6.137 let off steam

/%let %Qf "sti:m/ (idm)

Writing
6.131 format /"fO:m&t/ (n)
way that, e.g. a TV programme
is arranged The format of Mr
and Mrs has been the same for
years: married couples are asked
questions to see how much they
really know about each other.
L Also: the size of a book or the
way data is stored on a computer:
What format will it be in? Ill
send it as a JPEG. formatting
(n), format (v), formatted (adj)

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get rid of your energy, anger or

strong emotions by doing sth
active or noisy Whenever my
husband is really stressed and
needs to let off steam, he gets on
his mountain bike and climbs the
nearby mountains.

6.139 opponent /@"p@Un@nt/ (n)

person or team that you are
playing or fighting against in
a competition, argument, etc.
opposition (n), oppose (v),
opposed (adj), opposing (adj)

6.140 suspense /s@"spens/ (n)

feeling of worry or excitement that
you have when you feel that sth is
going to happen, sb is going to tell
you some news, etc. Dont keep
me in suspense! Tell me who the
letter is from!

6.141 ardent /"A:d@nt/ (adj)

very enthusiastic and showing
strong feelings about sth or sb
L Almost always used with a
following noun: an ardent fan/
support/admirer/viewer, etc.

6.142 (be) on tenterhooks

/(bi) %Qn "tent@hUks/ (idm)

(be) very anxious or excited while
you are waiting to find out sth or
see what will happen Annas
been watching for the postman
every day this week. Shes on
tenterhooks until her exam results
arrive.

6.143 sneer (at) /snI@(r)/ (v)

show that you have no respect
for sb or sth by the expression
on your face or by the way you
speak sneer (n), sneering (adj),
sneeringly (adv)

6.144 detached /dI "t&t/ (adj)

showing a lack of feeling,
indifferent We ought to be caring
and understanding with other
peoples problems, not detached
and indifferent. detach (v),
detachment (n)

6.145 trial /"traI@l/ (n)

Review
6.138 merchandise

/"m3:tS@ndaIs, -daIz/ (n)

goods that are bought or sold,
esp. those that are connected
with, or advertise, sth in particular
Amongst the Harry Potter
merchandise you can purchase are
t-shirts, owl puppets and calendars.

experience that causes difficulties

for sb, often to test them L Often
found in the phrase trial(s) and
tribulation(s)

6.146 tribulation /%trIbju"leISn/ (n)

great trouble or suffering L Very
formal on its own, but commonly
found in the phrase trial(s) and
tribulation(s).

Workbook
Reading
6.147 assault /@"sO:lt, @"sQlt/ (n)
crime of attacking sb physically
assailant (n), assault (v)

6.148 box-office hit

/%bQks %QfIs "hIt/ (phr)

film that is a big success and has
sold a large number of tickets

Can girls be superheroes?

6.149 the charts /D@ "A:ts/ (n pl)
list, produced each week, of the
pop music records that have sold
the most copies

6.150 vault /vO:lt/ (n)

room with thick walls and a strong
door, especially in a bank, used for
keeping valuable things safe

6.151 multiplex /"mVltipleks/ (n)

large cinema with several separate
screens

6.152 tights /taIts/ (n pl)

piece of clothing made of very
thin fabric that fits closely over a
womans hips, legs and feet

6.153 throttle /"TrQtl/ (n)

device that controls the amount
of fuel that goes into the engine
of a vehicle I pressed the throttle
down hard the engine roared and
the car lurched forward.

6.154 guru /"gUru:/ (n)

person who is an expert on a
particular subject

6.155 contain /k@n"teIn/ (v)

restrict, control The police
managed to contain the football
fans that were vandalising public
property.

6.156 thick /TIk/ (adj)

(of a person) slow to learn or
understand things L Informal.

6.157 sob /sQb/ (v)

say sth while you are crying noisily,
taking sudden, sharp breaths
Its all my fault, she sobbed.

6.158 relent /rI"lent/ (v)

change your mind, finally agree to
sth after disagreeing No matter
what she said, her parents would
not relent in their decision to send
her to a boarding school.
relentless (adj), relentlessly (adv),
unrelenting (adj)

6.159 the credits /D@ "kredIts/ (n pl)

list of people involved in making a
film, shown at the end

6.160 dump /dVmp/ (v)

end a romantic relationship with sb
I was going out with Sue for a
month when she suddenly dumped
me for my best friend! L Informal.

6.161 pad /p&d/ (v)

walk with quiet steps Ken almost
gave me a heart attack when he
padded across the room and tapped
me on the shoulder!

6.162 reincarnate /%ri:In"kA:neIt/ (v)

be born again in another body
after you have died, make sb be
born again in this way
reincarnation (n)

6.163 assassin /@"s&sIn/ (n)

person who murders sb important
or famous, for money or for
political reasons assassination
(n), assassinate (v)

6.164 stab /st&b/ (v)

push a sharp, pointed object,
especially a knife, into sb, killing
or injuring them stab (n)

6.165 bustier /"bVstieI/ (n)

womans tight top without sleeves
or shoulder straps

6.166 disembodied

/%dIsIm"bQdId/ (adj)
(of sounds) coming from a person
or place that cannot be seen or
identified

6.167 destiny /"dest@ni/ (n)

what happens to sb or what will
happen to them in the future, esp.
things that they cannot change or
avoid Some people believe their
destiny is decided at birth, so they
have no control over how their life
will turn out. destined (adj)

6.168 tip the balance

/%tIp D@ "b&l@ns/ (idm)

affect the result of sth in one way
rather than another A few more
votes should tip the balance in our
favour and then I think well win
the election.

6.169 mentor /"mentO:(r)/ (n)

experienced person who advises
and helps sb with less experience
over a period of time Many wellknown actors have been guided by
a mentor, who was also their agent.

6.170 my heart sinks

/%maI %hA:t "sINks/ (phr)

used to say that you suddenly feel
sad or depressed about sth
My heart suddenly sank when I
realised how much work was still
to be done.

6.171 disorder /dIs"O:d@(r)/ (n)

illness that causes a part of the
body to stop functioning correctly
People with some mental
disorders can be treated at home if
their family are able to give their
full support.

6.172 cull (sth) from /kVl/ (phr v)

choose or collect sth from a source
or several different sources The
album includes a number of songs
culled from the archives of the
record company.

6.173 villainous /"vIl@n@s/ (adj)

very wicked, very unpleasant
villain (n)

6.174 acne /"&kni/ (n)

skin condition, common among
young people, that produces many
spots, esp. on the face and neck

6.175 take the fall

/%teIk D@ "fO:l/ (phr)

accept responsibility for sth
The manager takes the fall if the
team loses.

6.176 mandatory /"m&nd@t@ri/ (adj)

required by law, compulsory
School uniforms are mandatory
in many schools in the UK, but in
Greece we no longer have to wear
one.

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6.177 slump /slVmp/ (v)

sit or fall down heavily The old
man slumped down in his chair.

6.178 puddle /"pVdl/ (n)

small amount of water or other
liquid, esp. rain, that has collected
in one place on the ground

6.179 self-loathing /%self "l@UDIN/ (n)

strong feeling of hatred for oneself

6.180 whine /waIn/ (v)

complain in an annoying, crying
voice If you dont stop whining
children, I wont give you any cake
at all. whine (n)

6.181 quest /kwest/ (n)

long search for sth, especially for
some quality such as happiness
The hero of the novel sets off
on a quest to discover the true
meaning of his life. L Formal.
quest (v)

6.182 grief /gri:f/ (n)

a feeling of great sadness, esp.
when sb dies Julias heart was
touched by Dans grief when he lost
his pet dog. grieve (v)

6.183 strike a pose

/%straIk @ "p@Uz/ (phr)

hold your body in a particular way
to create a particular impression

6.184 noble /"n@Ubl/ (adj)

having fine personal qualities that
people admire, such as courage,
honesty and care for others Lord
Byron died fighting for a noble
cause: freedom. nobility (n)

6.185 contentment

/k@n"tentm@nt/ (n)
feeling of happiness or satisfaction
(dis)content (n), content (adj),
(dis)contented (adj), (dis)
contentedly (adv)

6.197 conceal /k@n"si:l/ (v)

6.187 misanthropy

/mI"s&nTr@pi/ (n)
dislike of other people
misanthrope (n), misanthropic
(adj)

6.188 contract /k@n"tr&kt/ (v)

get an illness He refuses to travel
to Africa because he thinks he will
certainly contract some terrible
disease there.

6.189 ghastly /"gA:stli/ (adj)

very bad, unpleasant Oh, Marion,
take that ghastly dress off! You have
so many beautiful dresses to choose
from!
group of noisy people

6.191 patriarch /"peItriA:k/ (n)

old man that people have a lot of
respect for patriarchal (adj)
difficult to find, define, or achieve
True happiness is an elusive
concept; hardly anyone can claim
to have achieved it for more than a
few moments in their life.
elusiveness (n), elusively (adv),
elude (v)

6.193 gorgeous /"gO:@s/ (adj)

6.194 aquamarine

/%&kw@m@"ri:n/ (adj)
pale greenish-blue colour

6.195 mercy /"m3:si/ (n)

kind or forgiving attitude towards
sb that you have the power to
harm or right to punish The
President made it clear there would
be no mercy to those who helped
terrorists escape. merciful (adj),
mercifully (adv)

Vocabulary
6.196 in vain /In "veIn/ (idm)
without success The teacher tried
in vain to persuade the children to
be quiet, but they were too excited
to stop cheering.

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made to look exactly like sth in

order to trick people into thinking
that they are getting the real thing
The shopkeeper explained that
he had recently had a number of
problems with counterfeit money
and would no longer accept
50 notes. counterfeit (n, v),
counterfeiting (n)
very complicated and detailed,
carefully prepared and organised
Mum always prepared the most
elaborate dinners for Christmas Eve.
elaborately (adv)

6.200 presume /prI"zju:m/ (v)

6.192 elusive /I"lu:sIv/ (adj)

6.186 pay-off /"peI %Qf/ (n)

advantage or reward resulting from
a situation or sth you have done
The pay-off from all this exercise
is that I get a fantastic figure!

6.198 counterfeit /"kaUnt@fIt/ (adj)

6.199 elaborate /I"l&b@r@t/ (adj)

6.190 gaggle /"g&gl/ (n)

very handsome or beautiful

gorgeously (adv)

hide sb/sth The death of General

John Banks was concealed from
the troops in an effort to keep their
morale high. concealment (n)

suppose that sth is true, although

you do not have actual proof
Its quite late, so I presume Kate
wont be coming round tonight.
presumption (n), presumable
(adj), presumably (adv)

6.201 snigger /"snIg@(r)/ (v)

laugh in a quiet unpleasant way,
esp. at sth rude or at sbs problems
or mistakes I hate how Bernie
sniggers every time I make a
mistake in class its rude dont
you think? snigger (n)

6.202 giggle /"gIgl/ (v)

laugh in a silly way because
you are amused, embarrassed or
nervous Evelyns boyfriend gave
her a quick kiss before he stepped
off the bus, and all her friends
started to giggle. giggle (n)

6.203 mumble /"mVmbl/ (v)

speak or say sth in a quiet voice
in a way that is not clear When
I realised my mistake, I mumbled
an apology and left the room in a
hurry. mumble (n)

6.204 eavesdrop /"i:vzdrQp/ (v)

listen secretly to what other
people are saying If I catch you
eavesdropping behind my door
again Ms Lee, you will be fired!
eavesdropper (n)

6.205 liable /"laI@bl/ (adj)

legally responsible for sth
Parents are liable for any damage
their teenagers might cause.
liability (n)

6.206 detain /dIteIn/ (v)

keep sb in an official place, such
as a police station, a prison or a
hospital, and prevent them from
leaving detention (n)

Grammar
6.207 season ticket /"si:zn %tIkIt/ (n)
ticket that you can use many times
within a particular period, for
example on a regular train or bus
journey, or for a series of games,
sports, etc., and that costs less
than paying separately each time

6.208 directory enquiries

/d@%rekt@ri In"kwaI@riz/ (n)

telephone service that you can use
to find out a persons telephone
number

6.209 in due course

/In %dju: "kO:s/ (phr)

at the right time and not before
Please fill in this application
and we will inform you of the best
available job in due course.

Listening
6.210 dim /dIm/ (adj)
not bright I could just about make
out a figure moving in the dim light
of the hallway. dimly (adv)

6.211 make up (for)

/%meIk "Vp/ (phr v)

do sth that replaces sth lost,
missing, etc. or compensates for it

6.212 deficiency /dI"fIS@nsi/ (n)

the state of not having, or not
having enough of, sth that is
essential Some people suffer
health problems due to a deficiency
of minerals in their diet.
deficient (adj)

6.213 packed (with) /"p&kt/ (adj)

containing a lot of a particular
thing This new encyclopaedia is
packed with interesting up-to-date
information.

6.214 absorption /@b"sO:pSn/ (n)

process of a liquid, gas or other
substance being taken in These
cloths are designed for maximum
absorption of water. absorb (v),
absorbent (adj)

6.215 sniffly /"snIfli/ (adj)

what makes you sniff or keep
sniffing

6.216 virus /"vaIr@s/ (n)

kind of germ that can cause a
disease L Also: instructions
hidden within a computer
program, designed to cause faults
or destroy data.

6.217 old wives tale

/%@Uld "waIvz %teIl/ (idm)

old idea or belief that has been
proved not to be scientific
You surely dont believe in
the old wives tale that babies
shouldnt go out of the house before
theyre 40 days old, do you?

6.218 mackerel /"m&kr@l/ (n)

sea fish with greenish-blue bands
on its body, that is used for food

6.219 pilchard /"pIl@d/ (n)

sardine, small edible fish

6.220 herring /"herIN/ (n)

North Atlantic fish that swims in
very large groups and is used for
food

Use of English
6.221 reflect /rI"flekt/ (v)
throw back light, heat, sound, etc.
from a surface The ozone layer
helps reflect the harmful rays of the
sun back into space. reflection (n)

6.222 spearhead /"spI@hed/ (v)

lead an activity or attack against
sb/sth

6.223 hamlet /"h&ml@t/ (n)

very small village

6.224 set the ball rolling

/%set D@ %bO:l "r@UlIN/ (idm)

make sth start happening
Lets begin the discussion. Who
wants to set the ball rolling?

6.225 commission /k@"mISn/ (v)

officially ask sb to write, make or
create sth or to do a task for you
The local travel agencies have
commissioned a survey on peoples
favourite holiday destinations.

6.226 sundial /"sVndaI@l/ (n)

device used outdoors, especially in
the past, for telling the time with
the use of the suns rays

6.227 faade /f@"sA:d/ (n)

the front of a building

6.228 parish /"p&rIS/ (n)

area that has its own church and
that a priest is responsible for

6.229 enlighten /In"laItn/ (v)

give sb information so that they
understand sth better Can you
enlighten me about this new project?
I dont really understand whats
going on. enlightenment (n),
enlightened (adj), enlightening (adj)

6.230 designate /"dezIgneIt/ (v)

say officially that sth has a
particular character or name,
describe sth in a particular way
Most hotels have now designated
rooms for smokers, often on one
single floor. L More often used in
the passive. designation (n)

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6.231 ascertain /%&s@"teIn/ (v)

find out the true or correct
information about sth, make sure
The police are trying to ascertain
what really happened. L Formal.

Review Units 46
6.232 mission /"mISn/ (n)
particular work that you feel it is
your duty to do Mother Teresas
mission in life was to help the poor.
missionary (n)

6.233 extinction /Ik"stINkSn/ (n)

situation in which a plant, an
animal, a way of life etc. stops
existing Some scientists suggest
that a comet hit the earth millions of
years ago and caused the extinction
of dinosaurs. extinct (adj)

6.234 plight /plaIt/ (n)

difficult and sad situation You
couldnt help but sympathise with
the old womans plight, terribly
poor and all alone in the world.

6.235 lynx /lINks/ (n)

wild animal of the cat family, with
spots on its fur and a very short tail

6.236 deplete /dI"pli:t/ (v)

reduce sth by a large amount so that
there is not enough left The war
between the neighbouring countries
meant that basic food supplies were
quickly depleted. depletion (n)

6.237 con man /"kQn %m&n/ (n)

man who tricks others into giving
him money, etc.

6.238 track and field event

/%tr&k @n "fi:ld I%vent/ (n)

sport that people compete in, such
as running and jumping

6.239 orchid /"O:kId/ (n)

exotic plant with brightly-coloured
flowers of unusual shapes

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6.240 controversy

/"kQntr@v3:si, k@n"trQv@si/ (n)

public discussion and argument
about sth that many people strongly
disagree about, disapprove of, or
are shocked by There was a lot of
controversy among members of the
committee over the building of the
new highway. controversial (adj),
controversially (adv)