Cities

Question 1

Define:

well-run

Answer 1

adjective
used to describe a business, economy, etc. that is controlled in a way that produces good results:
* The fund is well-run and consistent in performance.
* A well-run business/company/organization: They turned themselves into a well-run company delivering reliable software to Swiss Bank Corporation.
* Even well-run economies found themselves locked out of funding markets by the global credit squeeze.

Question 2

Define:

run-down

Answer 2

adjective
in neglected condition; fallen into disrepair:
* a run-down house.

Question 3

Define:

affluent

/ˈæf.lu.ənt/

Answer 3

adjective
having an abundance of wealth, property, or other material goods; prosperous; rich:
* an affluent person.

Question 4

Define:

sprawling

/ˈsprɔː.lɪŋ/

Answer 4

adjective
(of a city) covered with buildings across a large area, often ones that have been added gradually over a period of time:
* sprawling suburbs
* Somewhere in this sprawling metropolis, there is a secret military laboratory.

Question 5

Define:

vibrant

/ˈvaɪ.brənt/

Answer 5

adjective
energetic, exciting, and full of enthusiasm:

Question 6

Define:

springing up

/sprɪŋ/

Answer 6

phrasal verb
to start to exist suddenly:
Thousands of new businesses have sprung up in the past couple of years.

Question 7

Define:

mugging

/ˈmʌɡ.ɪŋ/

Answer 7

noun
an act of attacking someone and stealing their money:
Police are concerned that mugging is on the increase.

Question 8

Define:

condemned

/kənˈdemd/

Answer 8

adjective
A condemned building that has been officially judged not safe for people to live in or to use, or food that has been officially judged not safe to eat.

Question 9

Define:

conspicuous (consumption)

/kənˌspɪk.ju.əs kənˈsʌmp.ʃən/

Answer 9

noun
the practice of buying expensive goods in order to show people how rich you are:
The symbols of conspicuous consumption are the fur coats worn by the rich wives of the bankers at the conference.

Question 10

Define

fine

/faɪn/

Answer 10

noun
an amount of money that has to be paid as a punishment for not obeying a rule or law:
* The maximum penalty for the offence is a $1,000 fine.
* heavy fine If found guilty, he faces six months in jail and a heavy (= severe) fine.

Question 11

Define:

litter

/ˈlɪt.ər/

Answer 11

noun
small pieces of rubbish that have been left lying on the ground in public places:
About two percent of fast-food packaging ends up as litter.

Question 12

Define:

slum

/slʌm/

Answer 12

noun
a very poor and crowded area, especially of a city:
* an inner-city slum
* She was brought up in the slums of Lima.

Question 13

Define:

pavement

/ˈpeɪv.mənt/

Answer 13

noun
a path with a hard surface on one or both sides of a road, that people walk on

Question 14

Define:

venue

/ˈven.juː/

Answer 14

noun
the place where a public event or meeting happens:
* The hotel is an ideal venue for conferences and business meetings.
* The stadium has been specifically designed as a venue for World Cup matches.

Question 15

Define:

soar

/sɔːr/

Answer 15

verb
to rise very quickly to a high level:
* All night long fireworks soared into the sky.
* Temperatures will soar over the weekend, say the weather forecasters.
* House prices soared a further 20 percent.