Flashcards in CAE Exam Preparation Deck (1764)
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181
Forage (v)
To go from place to place searching, especially for food.
The mankind lived in foraging bands in the past.
182
Intrigue (v)
To interest someone a lot, especially by being strange, unusual, or mysterious.
183
Formulaic (adj)
Containing or consisting of fixed and repeated groups of words or ideas.
The text was dull and formulaic.
184
Shrewd (adj)
Having or based on a clear understanding and good judgment of a situation, resulting in an advantage.
He was shrewd enough not to take the job when there was the possibility of getting a better one a few months later.
She is a shrewd politician who wants to avoid offending the electorate unnecessarily.
It was a shrewd move to buy your house just before property prices started to rise.
Shrewdly (adv)
Shrewdness (n)
185
Laughter (n)
The act or sound of laughing:
She roared with laughter (= laughed very loudly).
As we approached the hall we could hear the sound of laughter.
186
Give away (phrasal verb)
To give something to someone without asking for payment
187
Conductor (n)
A person who stands in front of a group of musicians or singers and directs their playing or singing.
188
Duet (n)
A piece of music for two singers or players.
189
Symphony (n)
A long piece of classical music, usually in four parts, written for an orchestra.
190
Aria (n)
A song that is sung by only one person in an opera.
191
Backing singer
The people who sing with someone in a pop group to accompany the lead singer
192
Cover (version)
A new recording of a song, piece of music, etc, that was originally recorded by a different artist.
193
The charts
The lists produced each week of the records with the highest sales.
A record, group, etc. that has sold the most records in a particular week is said to be at the top of the charts.
194
Gig (n)
Inf -> A single performance by a musician or group of musicians, especially playing modern or pop music
This week the band did the last gig of their world tour.
195
Impending (adj)
Used to refer to an event, usually something unpleasant or unwanted, that is going to happen soon.
Impending disaster/doom
The player announced his impending retirement from international football.
196
Call sth off (Phrasal verb)
To decide that a planned event, especially a sports event, will not happen, or to end an activity because it is no longer useful or possible.
Tomorrow's match has been called off because of the icy weather.
The police have called off the search for the missing child until dawn tomorrow.
197
Crammed
Very full of people or things.
A crammed train/room
The platform was crammed with/crammed full of people trying to board the train.
The subway is always crammed with people during rush hour.
198
Swerve (v)
› To change direction, especially suddenly.
The bus driver swerved to avoid hitting the cyclists.
› If you do not swerve from a principle or certain actions, you continue to think or act as you did in the beginning.
She is one of those rare politicians whom one can trust not to swerve from policy and principle.
199
MULTItasking
A person's ability to do more than one thing at a time:
Women are often very good at multitasking.
200
Rehearsal (n)
A time when all the people involved in a play, dance, etc. practise in order to prepare for a performance:
They didn't have time for (a) rehearsal before the performance.
He's a producer with three plays in rehearsal.
201
Engage (v)
[T] mainly UK formal to employ someone:
[+ to infinitive] I have engaged a secretary to deal with all my paperwork.
We're engaging the services of a professional administrator.
[T] formal to interest someone in something and keep them thinking about it:
The debate about food safety has engaged the whole nation.
If a book doesn't engage my interest in the first few pages, I don't usually continue reading it.
202
Backing (n)
Support
Especially money, that someone gives to a person or plan.
If I go ahead with the plan, can I count on your backing?
Thousands of government supporters across Brazil have been taking part in marches to show their backing for President Dilma Rousseff.
203
Bribe (n)
To try to make someone do something for you by giving them money, presents, or something else that they want
204
State-owned (adj)
Owned by the government:
A state-owned airline/bank/industry/company
205
Landless movement
Collocation
206
Coup (n)
A sudden illegal, often violent, taking of government power, especially by part of an army:
a military coup
207
Kickback (n)
An amount of money that is paid to someone illegally in exchange for secret help or work. Kickback scheme.
208
Run-off (n)
An extra competition or election to decide the winner, because the leading competitors have finished equal.
A run-off race/election
Dilma Rousseff was re-elected by a narrow margin in a run-off vote in October.
209
Siphon sth off (also syphon sth off)
To dishonestly take money from an organization or other supply, and use it for a purpose for which it was not intended:
He lost his job when it was discovered that he had been siphoning off money from the company for his own use.
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