17 - Assessing Character

Question 1

assess

Answer 1

1 to make a judgment about a person or situation after thinking carefully about it SYN judge
assess the impact/extent/effectiveness etc of something
a report to assess the impact of advertising on children
assess what/how etc
The technique is being tried in classrooms to assess what effects it may have.
be assessed as something
Many of the adults were assessed as having learning difficulties.
2 to calculate the value or cost of something
be assessed at something
The value of the business was assessed at £1.25 million.

Question 2

arrogant

Answer 2

behaving in an unpleasant or rude way because you think you are more important than other people
He was unbearably arrogant.
an arrogant attitude

Question 3

idiotic

Answer 3

very stupid; ridiculous
e.g.
Stop asking such idiotic questions.

Question 4

struggle

Answer 4

1 to try extremely hard to achieve something, even though it is very difficult
struggle to do something
She’s struggling to bring up a family alone.
struggle with
The airline is struggling with high costs.
struggle for
Millions of people are struggling for survival.
struggle against
Firms are struggling against a prolonged recession.

2
a) to fight someone who is attacking you or holding you, especially so that you can escape
struggle with
James was hit in the mouth as he struggled with the burglars.
struggle to do something
She struggled to free herself.
b) if two people struggle, they fight each other for something, especially something one of them is holding
struggle for
They struggled for possession of the gun.

Question 5

make sth of sb/sth

Answer 5

to have a particular opinion about or understanding of something or someone
I didn’t know what to make of her.
What do you make of the idea?

Question 6

come across (as sth)
come over (as sth)

Answer 6

if someone comes across in a particular way, they seem to have particular qualities SYN come over
as
He comes across as a very intelligent sensitive man.
She sometimes comes across as being rather arrogant.
I don’t think I came across very well (=seemed to have good qualities) in the interview.

Question 7

capable

Answer 7

able to do things well
e.g.
a strong capable woman

Question 8

timid

Answer 8

not having courage or confidence
SYN shy OPP confident
I was a timid child.
a policy that is both timid and inadequate

Question 9

charming

Answer 9

very pleasing or attractive
a charming little Italian restaurant
Harry can be very charming.

Question 10

conscientioos

Answer 10

careful to do everything that it is your job or duty to do
A conscientious teacher may feel inclined to take work home.
a conscientious and hard-working student

Question 11

take to sb/sth

Answer 11

1 to start to like someone or something
Sandra took to it straight away.
Charles was an odd character whom Kelly had never really taken to.
2 to start doing something regularly
take to doing something
Dee’s taken to getting up at 6 and going jogging.
3 take to your bed to get into your bed and stay there
He was so depressed, he took to his bed for a week.

Question 12

straightforward

Answer 12

honest about your feelings or opinions and not hiding anything
Jack is tough, but always straightforward and fair.