Instituto Cervantes 05_04

Question 1

1. a barbed wire fence (ie with a roll of barb wire along the top)
2. a fence (made or railings, iron) + railings + what N if railings decorative on a balcony?
3. a moat (eg around a castle) + what else N mean?
4. to treat a person unequally (an adj) (loc vb - to treat X)
5. colour blind people cannot discriminate between shades of red, green … (N + adj)

Answer 1

1. una valla de alambre de espino
2. una verja + las rejas + barandillas de balcón (+ = handrail or bannister)
3. un foso/a + a trench
4. dar un trato desigual a una persona (dar un trato) (trato - a behaviour or a treatment)
5. los daltónicos no pueden descriminar matices de rojo, verde …

Question 2

1. What you can expect in terms of family life?
2. These and many other questions are asked and answered by the author … (Reason: 1. the first verb + 2. the tenses of both verbs, diff to Eng. 3 not contestar)
3. … in a dynamic narrative chock full of (or riddled with) examples.
4. the implication that this brings** (or **entails) is that it is easy … (Nb: to be + adj struct)
5. It is common to have very good relations with people at work … (adj common, also = ordinary)

Answer 2

1. ¿Qué puede esperar en el plano de la vida familiar?
2. Estas y muchas preguntas son las que se hace y responde el autor …
3. … en una narración dinámica y plagada de ejemplos
4. la implicación que esto conlleva es que resulta fácil …
5. Es corriente tener muy buenas relaciones con la gente de trabajo …

Question 3

1. that sort (or kind) of obligation doesn’t exist, not at all** (or **whatsoever** or **at all)
2. On the contrary, it is the norm** that … (Note: think spanish re vb to be) (loc prep - **as a rule)
3. It has nothing to do with friendship, how ever well*** (or ***no matter how well) you get on with that person. Reason: 1: stock std exp. 2. struct of no matter how well 3. not persona)
4. They’re not and don’t have to be your friends.

Answer 3

1. esa especie de obligación no existe, en absoluto
2. Al contrario, se tiene por norma que …
3. No tiene nada que ver con la amistad, por muy bien te lleves con ese alguien
4. No son ni tienen por qué ser tus amigos.

Question 4

1. For me, (all) that** (or **this thing about) + _starting_ to talk on the phone if the other person is with you is bad manners (loc exp)
2. Q: when use start vb in 4? what is idea communicated?
3. How else could say (all) this thing about X? (Use: when referring to s.th that has been mentioned previously in the conversation)

Answer 4

1. Para mi, (todo) eso de + _ponerse_ a hablar por teléfono si otra persona está contigo es una falta de educación** (or **de respeto)
2. ponerse a inf = infml = to get cracking (on) + idea of start now
3. (todo)_ lo de

Question 5

1. I was enraged/infuriated that Biden won the election (Trump) (Focus on vb tense)
2. I would freak out if China would allow its citizens to have Facebook. (Zuckerberg)
3. I can’t stand that women have access to education. (Taliban fighter)

Answer 5

1. Me dio rabia que Biden ganara las elecciones
2. Me flipar_ía_ que China permit_iera_ tener Facebook a sus ciudadanos
3. No soporto que las mujeres tengan acceso a la educación

Question 6

1. Juana y Maribel are best buddies** (or **thick as thieves) (Expresiones habituales)
2. Adele and I weren´t well matched** (or **we didn´t click). Hence we decided to separate.
3. My flatmates bang heads** (or **lock horns**) (or **clash) a bit
4. They´re inseparable + They’re made for one another
5. We’re very close

Answer 6

1. Juana y Maribel son uña y carne
2. Adele y yo no encajábamos. Por eso decidimos seperarnos. (encajar)
3. Mis compañeros de piso chocan un poco
4. Son inseperables + Están hecho el uno para el otro
5. Estamos muy unidos

Question 7

1.We met through a mutual friend and we got along** + **straight away (what an alt loc vb = to get on, or along)
2.I just don’t** (or **I don’t really) connect with my co-worker. He’s very nice, but there’s no feeling. (ie connection or spark)(Expresiones habituales)
3.I have a cordial relationship with my neighbours. We greet each other and _exchange_ a couple of words, but that’s it. (Nb: not literally “words”)

Answer 7

1. Nos conocimos a través de un amigo en común y nos entendimos** + **al momento (llevarse bien)
2. No acabo de conectar con mi compañero de trabajo. Es majo, pero no hay feeling.
3. Con mis vecinos tengo una relación cordial. Nos saludamos y _cruzamos_ un par de frases, pero ya está.

Question 8

1. What two _verbal form_s use to speculate about (ie hypothesise about) a situation in the present?
2. What situation** in the present use the **simple form?
3. What verbal form use instead of 2. if know**? (ie **not speculation)
4. What situation** in the present use the **compound form?
5. What verbal form use instead of 4. if know**? (ie **not speculation)

Answer 8

1. Simple future (eg pasará) + future perfect (eg habrá suspendido)
2. Simple future - speculating in the present + about a situation + that has still not finished
3. Simple present (eg está enfermo cf estará enfermo)
4. Future perfect - speculating in the present** + the speculated situation has **recently finished eg today, this morning
5. Past perfect (eg he dormido cf habrá dormido)

Question 9

1. What two _verbal form_s use to speculate about (ie hypothesise about) a situation in the past?
2. What situation in the past use the simple form?
3. What verbal form use instead of 2. if know**? (ie **not speculation)
4. What situation in the past use the compound form?
5. What verbal form use instead of 4. if know**? (ie **not speculation)

Answer 9

1. Simple conditional (eg estaría) + past conditional** (eg **habría dormido)
2. Simple conditional - speculating about a situation is in the past** (eg ayer, la semana pasada) + **doesn´t matter** if **finished or not
3. Past imperfect (eg estaba enfermo cf estaría enfermo)
4. Compound conditional - speculating about a situation in the past** + **before another past moment
5. Pretérito pluscuamperfecto (eg había dormido** cf **habría dormido)

Question 10

1. Luis hasn’t come to work. - He’s probably ill. (Why that vb tense?)(How say if know?)
2. Pepe looks bad. - He can’t have slept much. (Why that vb tense?)(How say if know?)
3. Luis didn’t come to work yesterday. - He must be ill. (Why that vb tense?)(How say if know?)
4. Pepe looked bad yesterday. - He must have slept very little. (Why that vb tense?)(How say if know?)

Answer 10

1. Luis no ha venido a trabajar. - Estará enfermo. (simple future = speculating about + situation not finished) (E_stá_ enfermo)
2. Pepe tiene mala cara. - Habrá dormido poco. (compound future = speculating about + situation that’s recently finished ie he’s already slept) (Ha dormido poco)
3. Luis no vino ayer a trabajar. - Estaría enfermo. (simple conditional = speculating about + situation in past regardless of whether finished or not eg was probably sick yesterday + might still be sick)(estaba enfermo)
4. Pepe tenía mala cara ayer. - Habría dormido poco. (compound conditional = speculatiing about situation in past + before another past moment eg he slept little before being sick yesterday)(había dormido poco)

Question 11

1a. I expect the price of oranges to rise sharply in the coming months. (Nb diff order)
1b. What is the clue re vb tense? Why that verb tense?
2a. Strange that Maria didn’t call last night. She must have run out of battery on her mobile.
2b. Why that verb tense?

3a. It’s 9.15 p.m. and the dinner started at 9.00 p.m. According to the programme, the ministers will be dining with the president.
3b. Why that verb tense?

Answer 11

1a. Me imagino que en los próximos meses subirá mucho el precio de naranjas.
1b. Me imagino - I expect, or I imagine. Simple futuro = speculation in present + re situation not ended.
2a. Qué raro que María no llamase anoche. Se quedaría sin bateria en el móvil.
2b. Simple conditional - speculation about situation in past + doesn’t matter if ended or not (eg she may still have a dead battery)
3a. Son las 21:15h, y la cena empezaba a las 21:00h. Según el programa, los ministros estarán cenando con el presidente.
3b. Simple future = Speculation in present + re situation not ended (ie still eating)

Question 12

1a. I don’t know much _about_ this subject, but I believe that very soon technology will allow the creation of artificial atmospheres similar to the one on planet Earth.
1b. Why that verb tense?
2a. The fighting has stopped and, according to X, there will be new talks between the two sides in the next few hours.
2b. Why that verb tense?
3a. And you say he didn’t say hello? Well, don’t make a fuss** (or **don’t read too much into it**) . **He must have been thinking about something else when you two crossed paths … (to cross paths)
3c. Why that verb tense?

Answer 12

1a. No sé mucho _de_ este tema, pero creo que muy pronto la tecnología permitirá la creación de atmósferas artificiales similares a la del planeta Tierra.
1b. Simple future = Speculatiing about + situation still not ended (ie by definition cos’ future not arrived)

2a. Los combates se han interrumpido y, según Xs, en las próximas horas habrá nuevas conversaciones entre los dos bandos. (bando = side, in a conflict)
2b. Simple future (haber) = speculating about + situation still not ended
3a. ¿Y dices qye no te saludó? Bah, no le des importancia.Estaría pensando en otra cosa cuando os cruzasteis … (cruzarse)
3c. Simple conditional - speculating about + s.th happened in past + regardless of whether finished

Question 13

1a. I j_ust_ don’t understand why George made that decision. Why would he do that?
1b. Why that verbal tense? (In the second sentence)
2a. What are the police doing outside the house? Have we been robbed?
2b. Why that verbal tense?
3a. It’s very strange* that Laura *hasn’t tasted (or tried) the wine at dinner. Is she pregnant?
3b. Why that verbal tense?
4a. Mauro and Angel returned from Ireland today. By now they will have landed**/**been landing.
4b. Why the two possible verbal tenses?

Answer 13

1a. No _acabo de_ entender* que Jorge *tomara esa decisión. ¡Por qué lo haría?
1b. Simple conditional = speculating about + situation in past + regardless of whether finished
2a. ¿Qué hace la policía en la puerta de casa? ¿Nos habrán robado?
2b. Compound future - speculating about + something happened in the recent past
3a. Es muy raro que Laura no haya probado el vino en todo la cena. ¿Estará embarazada?
3b. Simple future = speculating about + s.th still not finished
4a. Mauro y Angel volvían hoy de Irlanda. A esta hora habrán aterrizado**/**estarán aterrizando.
4b. Compound future = speculating about + something recently finished. Simple future = speculating about + s.th that still not finished.

Question 14

1. When use_ past perfect (eg venía) to refer to s.th in the present (and not viene or ha venido)?
2. What is diff? 1. ¿Carlos venía hoy no? and 2. ¿Carlos viene hoy no?
3. the unvarnished** truth (or **without niceties)
4. an interesting fact (clue: when fact = information, and not a truth eg it is a _fact_ that…)

Answer 14

1. When talking in the present re s.th 1. you remember or 2. spoken about in the past
2. In 1. the implication is that Carlos told you in the past that he was coming today.
3. la verdad sin adornos
4. _un dato urioso (es un_hecho_ que …)

Question 15

1a. Use 1 of que si**? (not to be confused with **sí que)
1b. Use 2 of que si? (both uses v common in spoken language)
2a. - Are you Spanish?
2b. - He asked me if I was Spanish? (How 2b diff if written or spoken?)
3a. - Are you coming to dinner? - What? - Are you coming to dinner?
4. It’ll cost an arm and a leg (clue: speculation don’t know)(Note span exp)

Answer 15

1a. Use 1 - when conveying a message from another person
1b. Use 2 - to repeat a Q we’ve asked
2a. ¿Eres española?
2b. Me preguntó que si era española. (If written not spoken omit the que)
3a. - Vienes a cenar? - ¿Qué? - Que si vienes a cenar
4. Ne costará un riñon

Question 16

1. He´s laid-back (rough, as in muy tranquilo, un poco lento → vb origin + caricature of Canary Islanders)
2. What chulo mean re a thing_? And what mean re a person?
3. What is diff - los tacaños cf los tacones_?
   4.trusting (adj) + untrusting or suspicious (adj)

Answer 16

1. Es aplatanado (→ aplatanar = to wear out, eg the sun wore us out → aplatanarse = to get worn out)
2. Re a thing = good eg ¡Qué chulo! = ¡Qué guay! Re a person = bad ie a bit cocky or arrogant
3. tight-fisted or skinflint (ie caricature of Catalans) cf heel (of a shoe)
4. confiado + desconfiado

Question 17

1. Shame about this woman! Oh well. I’ll tell you something***… ***it’s her loss!
2. I’m sure you’ll find someone great sooner or later. (said by Elvi)
3. The Emperor Hadrian was born** in Italica near to **modern-day Seville
4. The scottish tribes.
5. He was a fascist/a little fascist (colq)

Answer 17

1. ¡Qué pena lo de esta mujer! Pero bueno, te digo una cosa***… ***ella se lo pierde!
2. Estoy segura de que encontrarás a alguien genial antes o después.
3. El emperador Adriano nació** en Italica cerca de Sevilla **contemporánea. (not fue nacido)
4. Las tribus escoceses (escosés)
5. Era un facha/fachilla