Well, to find out the answers you’ll have to listen to the class. First, though, let’s focus on some key vocabulary.
Advanced English vocabulary – Part 1
- Leads to: llevar a/conducer a
“This leads to the question.” We have encountered ‘lead’ in many contexts… the person who directs, for example. Here however, it is something that logically flows from something else. For example – if someone is wet, it leads you to ask if it is raining. Use the word: Does marijuana lead to other drugs?
- Led: el pasado irregular de ‘lead’
“This has led not just to a lot of words but a lot of prefixes and suffixes.” Okay, i know you’re advanced students but i bet you still forget some of the irregular pasts. In the case of lead, for example… its past is ‘led.’ Use the word: Would the world be better if it was led by women?
- Landlord: propieatario
“This was called the landlord’s game.” Think about the word ‘landlord’ and you’ll see its meaning. The lord of the land. The landlord, or if it’s a woman, the landlady, is the person who owns your house and who you have to pay rent to. If you’re renting of course. Use the word: Whose the worst landlord you’ve ever had?
- Widely believed/thought: mucha gente cree
“It is widely believed that they represent different business sectors and that you are playing as a magnate.” ‘wide’ means something with a long horizontal distance between two points. A wide river, for example. If you say something is widely believed, or considered, you are saying a great many people believe or consider it. Use the word: Is Wembley stadium widely thought to be the best in the world?
- Shift: cambiar
“The end of year celebrations have shifted to the london eye.” ‘shifted’ often means changed. In our sentence today we see it referring to a change in the location of the London eye. You press shift on a computer to change the functions. Use the word: Has your internet use shifted away from social media this year?
- Erected: erigido
“Nelson’s column was erected in honour of the naval commander of the battle.” ‘erected’ is a formal and technical word for the building of a high statue or column. In this case we are talking about the erection – construction of nelson’s column. Use the word: When will a statue be erected in your honour?
- Accomplishment: logro
“His main achievement was to subdue and capture the sindh province of pakistan for the british empire.” I’d like to tell you the meaning of achievement but i’m more interested in its synonym which appears in vocab book 2: accomplishment. ‘accomplishment’ and ‘achievement’ refer to great things you have succeeded in and are proud of. Use the word: What was your principal accomplishment last week?
- Subdue: someter
“His main achievement was to subdue and capture the sindh province of pakistan for the british empire.” ‘to subdue’ is to defeat, conquer and keep under your boot. That is in military terms: if we talk about a party that was a little subdued it means it was quiet and not very lively. Use the word: Do you think we should send an army to the North Pole to subdue the people there?
If you’re looking for advanced English vocabulary then you’ve found the perfect place. The words we will be learning this week are
Advanced English Vocabulary – list 3a
- Popping up
- Heir
- Summoned
- Luscious
- Resoundingly
My favourite word in this list of advanced English vocabulary is ‘luscious’. It’s certainly a word you could use both about Cleopatra and the land around the river Nile. No, my friends, I’m not talking about the word ‘fertile’ but I’ll admit it’s definitely a related word. Sorry, but to find out more you’ll have to download the audio that contains this advanced English vocabulary class.
Five key words/expressions
- Popping up: coming up, appearing (in conversation, on television etc…)
E.g. “She’s always popping up in conversations.” Popping up – saliendo – is a word you use to talk about something that seems to recur. In this case it refers to the fact that Cleopatra is often ‘talked about.’ Use the word: do you find that the subject of politics often pops up when you are talking with friends?
- Heir: he or she who inherits.
E.g. “He’s an heir to Caesar and the new ruler will kill all rivals.” An heir – heredero – is the person who inherits a dead person’s money, assets and titles. Use the word: how much money will Bill Gates’ heirs inherit? (look on the internet for the answer).
- Summoned: ordered to attend.
E.g. “In 41 BC he summoned Cleopatra to Tarsus.” Summoned – llamado – is an official request that somebody attend or come to see an official. If a judge demands you give evidence in a trial you have been summoned. Use the word: would you go if the king of Spain summoned you to his palace?
- Luscious: beautiful, exotic, fertile.
E.g. “She had luscious lips.” Luscious – hermosa, sabrosona – is an adjective that can be used either with beautiful landscapes that are fertile and green, or it can be used to describe a beautiful woman (you never hear anyone talk of a man’s luscious lips). Use the word: what’s the most luscious landscape you’ve ever seen?
- Resoundingly: completely, totally, absolutely.
E.g. “Antony was resoundingly defeated.” Resoundingly – rotundamente – is almost always used in the context of defeat or victory. It is a way of emphasising the totality of the defeat. Use the word: was Obama resoundingly defeated in the 2012 election?
Now it’s time to repeat today’s vocabulary – Popping up saliendo, Heir heredero, Summoned llamado, Luscious hermosa, sabrosona, and Resoundingly rotundamente.
