Instituto Cervantes 04_05A

Question 1

1. Spoken spanish: How say if uneducated person in rural zone:Te he estado esperando todo el día y no has venido
2. its no guarantee that it will come out without typos
3. I promise that when I get off work I will stop by your house for a minute. (vb loc) (clue: when NOT cuando)
4. As much as I’ve thought about it, I don’t understand why Elena is angry with me.

Answer 1

1. T´estao esperando to´l día y no has venido
2. no es garantía de que salga sin erratas.
3. Te prometo que al salir de trabajar paso un momento** **por tu casa. (pasar un momento, or come in for a minute)
4. Por mucho que le ha dado vueltas, no entiendo por qué Elena está enfadada conmigo.

Question 2

1a. No matter how good looking you are, there will always BE someone better looking
1b. Which of por más, muy or mucho can it be?
1c. Why that to be vb out of 5 options?

Answer 2

1a. Por más/muy guapo que sea, siempre habrá alguien más guapo
1b. Not por mucho cos’ always por mucho + N + que
1c. 1.haber = existence (things unknown to interlocutor) 2.estar = location (things not known to interlocutor) + changes (está vacio) + condition in (está sorprendido)
3. tener = possession (eg tengo sed)
4. ser = characteristics (things, people, time and place of events etc.)
5. quedar = location (estar situado) + end result (cf sad from the news)

Question 3

1a. we would end up running aground on a sandbank or crashing into the shore
1b. when acabar + con? (1)
1c. when acabar + con? (2)
1d. when acabar + de?
1e. when acabar + por?

Answer 3

1a. acabaríamos por EMBARRANCAR en un banco de arena o estrellarnos contra la orilla
1b. acabar con alguien - to kill (s.o) + to break up with (s.o)(fig)
1c. acabar con algo = to destroy + to end + put an end + finish off (food)
1d. acabar + de + inf (llegar) = to have just (arrived), refer an event just happened
1e. acabar + por + inf = to finally do s.th, to reach the moment of X happening

Question 4

1. The dictator killed off all his opponents.
2. The kids finished off the birthday cake.
   3a. I’ve been suffering from insomnia for years and I don’t know what to do.
   3b. What is the grammatical point in 3a?
3. I finally told him the truth

Answer 4

1. El dictador ACABÓ CON todos sus oponentes
2. Los niños ACABARON CON la torta de cumpleaños
   3a. Hace años que sufro de insomnio y no sé qué
   3b. Qué lleva tilde porque es una interrogativa indirecta.
3. acabé por + decirle la verdad

Question 5

1. he realised that he had been invaded by countless beetles, centipedes, spiders and above all ants (clue: not darse cuenta or comprobar)
   2a. It is a truly beautiful piece [of music]
   2b. and when I listen to it gives me goosebumps (clue: not piel de la gallina)
   2c. what vb loc mean if scary situation
   2d. and it makes me long for my home town

Answer 5

1. se ha visto invadido por un sinúmero de escarabajos, ciempiés, arañas y sobre todo hormigas
   2a. La verdad es que es una pieza muy bonita
   2b. y cuando la escucho se me ponen los pelos en punta
   2c. my hairs stand on end
   2d. y me hace añorar mi pueblo

Question 6

What diff between:
1a Se ha visto invadido por
1b. Se ha invadido
2a. How are you coping with the confinement?
2b. explain vb? Note the 5 diff meanings for this verb

Answer 6

1a. se da cuenta que ha sido invadido
1b. forma impersonal de decir que un lugar ha sido invadido por alguien
2a. ¿Qué tal llevas el confinamiento?
2b. llevar = 1. to take, to transport +
2. to wear, clothes +
3. to spend/be X hours +
4. llevar a = to lead to, eg ruin +
5. to cope with, as in manage

Question 7

1. Surgical face mask + what else mean? (clue: not mascarilla)
2. slaughterhouse (Magda was going to visit 4 work)
   3a. she has a part in the middle (of her hair) + to one side
   3b. Sharon has a fringe towards one side (clue: can use 2 vbs)
3. alt to almendrado re eyes + its other meaning (clue: think slit eyes)

Answer 7

1. tapabocas + slap, with open hand
2. matadero
   3a. lleva la raya en medio*/*a un lado
   3b. Sharon lleva/tiene el flequillo hacia un lado
3. rasgado (= wide re mouth) + ripped (or torn), eg re clothes

Question 8

1a. I am who I am (loc. collq)
1b. and I hang where I hang (loc. collq = I’m comfortable with who I am)
2. while many scrape by (vb)
3. neither do I feel guilty for the many messes (ie a bad situation, clue: not lio) (+ what not collq mean?)
4. That is why we necessarily profess an affinity with … (clue: think forced)

Answer 8

1a. Tenga los colores que tenga
1b. y cuelgue de donde cuelgue
2. mientras muchos malviven (malvivir)
3. tampoco me siento culpable de los muchos desaguisados (adj) (crime, colqie s.th contrary to the law)
4. Es por eso que FORZOSAMENTE profesamos afinidad con

Question 9

1. a tongue twister
2. he doesn’t mince his words (vb loc ie someone who says what they think)
3. the price of renting moderated its fall while dropping 5.6% year-on-year in june (Idealista, clue: not mientras)
4. Turquoise waters, dreamy beaches, good weather…
   5a. the plot is a bit clichéd (de Ana Belén)
   5b. What is the Spanish for the amigo falso?

Answer 9

1. una trabalengua
2. no tiene pelos en la lengua
3. el precio de alquilar modera la caida al bajar 5,6% interanual en junio
4. Aguas turquesas, playas de ensueño, buen clima…
   5a. la trama es un poco tópica (tópico)
   5b. topical (adj, Eng) = de actualidad

Question 10

1a. It’s cool + great/brilliant (can use ironically
1b. It’s way cool** + **fuckin awesome (always positive)
1c. Three alternatives to 1b.(la vida mas triste)
2a a stud (piece of wood to stop walls, things moving)
2b. door jam (x2)
2c. lintel (eg of door or window, top horizontal bit)

Answer 10

1a. Es cojonudo
1b. Es acojonante
1c. Es alucinante + es abrumador + es impresionante
2a. un polin
2b. un quicio + jamba (but just the 2 vertical posts below the lintel)
2c. dintel

Question 11

Ways to do things: Modismos Españolas

1. vb + on all fours (ie on hands and knees)
2. vb + unthinkingly + willy-nilly
   3a. vb + grudginly + reluctantly + unwillingly
   3b. explain 3a
   4a. to announce with a fanfare (idea, a bit like 4b.)
   4b. to blow one’s own trumpet (;oc vb)

Answer 11

1. vb + a gatas
2. vb + a tontas y a locas
   3a. vb + regañadientes
   3b. regañar = to scold + dientes hence through gritted teeth
   4a. anunciar a bomba y platillo
   4b. darse autobomba

Question 12

Ways to do things: Modismos Españolas

1. vb + in the dark
2. vb + blindly (or fumble) (or by feel)
3. vb + in fits and starts (clue: poco a poco)
   4a. vb + without stopping (clue: think also quickly)
   4b. vb + (all) in one go** (or **in one shot)

Answer 12

1. vb + a oscuras
2. vb + a tientas
3. vb + a empujones
4. vb + de carrerilla
   4b. vb + de un tirón (tirón = a pull/yank + a pulled muscle)

Question 13

Ways to do things: Modismos Españolas

1. vb + crouching (or squatting)
2. vb + in single file** (or **in a straight line)
   3a. to simmer (culinary)
   3b. to steam
   3c. to cook baño maria
3. chinese whispers (game) (explain name)

Answer 13

1. vb + en cuclillas
2. vb + en fila india
   3a. hervir a fuego lento
   3b. cocinar a vapor
   3c. cocinar a baño maria (ie a water bath, where 2 containers 1 in other with water in the 2nd)
3. teléfono escacharrado (escacharrar = to damage or break s.th)

Question 14

1. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has updated its recommendations (vb)
2. At a global level** it **is estimated that this costs … (to estimate)
3. $14 billion in lost productivity
4. to reduce cognitive decline

Answer 14

1. La Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) ha actualizado sus recomendaciones (actualizar)
2. En el ámbito mundial**, **se calcula que esto cuesta … (calcular, here is passive)
3. 14.000 millones de dólares en pérdida de productividad
4. reducir el deterioro cognitivo

Question 15

1. activities focused on balance as well as muscle strengthening (clue: in Spanish exp strengthening = N)
2. can be done as part of work, sport and leisure or transport. (clue: done NOT hacer)
3. daily domestic tasks like GARDENING and CLEANING
4. The WHO encourages countries to adopt the global guidelines to develop national policies (clue: pauta too informal)

Answer 15

1. actividades enfocadas en el equilibrio, así como en el fortalecimiento muscular
2. puede realizarse como parte del trabajo, deporte y ocio o transporte (realizar + passive)
3. las tareas domésticas diarias, como jardinería y limpieza
4. La OMS anima a los países a adoptar las directrices mundiales para desarrollar políticas nacionales (directriz)

Question 16

1. We haven’t spoken in ages. (Span equiv)
2. It’s a scam (or rip off), Borja (+ alt N, same meaning)
   2b. scoundrel (2x N)
   2c. Superheroes or fakes (or phoneys) ie person who pretents to be s.o-s.th else)

Answer 16

1. Llevamos siglos sin hablar.
   2a. Es un timo, Borja. (estafa)
   2b. golfo/a + sinverguenza
   2c. ¿Superhéroes o farsantes?