Capitán Riley 03

Question 1

1. comenzaron a TRAZAR el improbable plan de RESCATE
2. como un náufrago a SU TABLA
3. Desde luego que no
4. ¿A dónde quieres ir a parar? (ir a parar, idea of - to end up

Answer 1

1. they began to DRAW UP the improbable RESCUE plan
2. like a drowning man-shipwrecked person to his PLANK
3. Certainly not + Of course, not. (and NOT claro que no or por supuesto que no)
4. Where are you going with this? (explain verb)

Question 2

1. ¡Lo acabas de decir!
2. Esto no va a poder ser.
3. dijo CON HASTÍO (hastío - weariness, hastiar - to weary, to tire out)
4. como si lo hubieran DESTRIPADO (destripir is literally to disembowl or to gut, ides of TO RIP OPEN by tearing)

Answer 2

1. You just said that!
2. That’s never going to be/happen.
3. he said WEARILY (explain origin)
4. as if they had RIPPED IT OPEN (explain origin)

Question 3

1. aún joven pero SURCADO de arrugas y ojeras prematuras (surcar, to plough + arar)
2. tomó aire antes de agregar (tomar aire)
3. van a defenderse CON UÑAS Y DIENTES
4. MAL RAYO [ME] PARTA si no lo intento (a bit old fashioned, change me -> te etc)

Answer 3

1. still young but prematurely LINED WITH wrinkles and bags under his eyes (what does vb more usually mean? + alt vb)
2. HE TOOK A BREATH before adding (vb1)
3. they are going to defend themselves WITH TOOTH AND NAIL
4. I’LL BE DAMNED if I don’t try (explain expression)

Question 4

1. se cruzó de brazos RETREPÁNDOSE en la TOSCA silla de madera (retreparse, to lean back esp in chair + reclinarse)
2. Nada DE + ENSERES ni recuerdos ni TRASTOS
3. hizo el AMAGO de abrazar a los dos BRIGADISTAS (amago suggests is fake, normally means a feint ie a gesture to deceive)
4. le PROPINÓ tal PISOTÓN (propinar, to hit + to administar a substance eg poisin)

Answer 4

1. he crossed his arms LEANING BACK in the CRUDE-ROUGH wooden chair (vb + syn)
2. NO [as in none] [] POSSESSIONS nor SOUVENIRS nor JUNK
3. he made the GESTURE of embracing the two brigade members (of international brigade) (explain noun?)
4. he DEALT him such a STOMP (explain vb)

Question 5

1. un cabo de INTENDENCIA conducía con no demasiada PERICIA (administration or mgmt function of s.th eg a business) (la destreza)
2. un POLVORIENTO camino de tierra
3. ENSIMISMAMIENTO (N) -> ENSIMISMADO (adj) cf egocéntricamente
4. DE FORMA inesperada
5. déjate de MONSERGAS

Answer 5

1. a QUARTERMASTER corporal driving without much SKILL (what 1st noun mean outside the military) (alt N)
2. a DUSTY dirt road
3. self-absorption (n) -> absorbed (adj), when just caught up in thought + self-absorbed (adj, when negative)
4. unexpectedly (adv)
5. Stop GOING ON AND ON + the DRIVEL (ie when s.o repeats the same trite things again and again)

Question 6

1. aguardaban AMPARADOS en la noche tras unos MATOJOS (ampararse) (mata + arbusto cf matorral)
2. yo solo soy un MANDADO
3. no quiero que me METAN UN PURO (meter un puro a alguien)
4. mantenía la mano sobre la CULATA de la pistola
5. que llevaba AL CINTO

Answer 6

1. they waited SHELTERED in the night behind some BUSHES (alt N x2 cf thicket)
2. I’m only a MESSENGER
3. I don’t want them to THROW THE BOOK AT me
4. he kept his hand on the BUTT of his pistol
5. that he wore IN HIS BELT

Question 7

1. ENCAÑONADOS por la espalda como dos VULGARES RATEROS (encañonar - to aim, level a gun) (vulgar - common, as in tasteless)
2. con la espalda APOYADO contra la CORTEZA
3. con la HILERA de dientes de su sonrisa (as in formed in a line)
4. SE ACUCLILLÓ ante los dos brigadistas

Answer 7

1. POINTED at their backs like 2 COMMON + THIEVES (explain vb + adj)
2. with his back SUPPORTED against the BARK
3. with the ROW of teeth of his smile (explain?)
4. HE SQUATTED DOWN before the 2 brigadistas (vb, as in to crouch down)

Question 8

1. hace más de un año que NO ECHO UN POLVO (spanish start with the period then the action)
2. ¿Quién crees que puede haberse CHIVADO a Marty? (chivar)
3. imagino que dispuesto a REGODEARSE
4. sacar una pequeña PETACA que ALARGÓ a los dos guardias (alargar, means to lengthen, but also to stretch out)

Answer 8

1. I HAVEN’T GOT LAID in more than a year (what note about grammatical structure)
2. Who do you think could have SNITCHED to Marty?
   3 I suppose he was ready to GLOAT (as, take delight in)
3. he took out a small FLASK that HE HELD OUT to the 2 guards (explain vb?)

Question 9

1. ¿Y quién se lo va a decir a nadie?
2. preguntarle a alguien CON DOS DEDOS DE FRENTE ((no) tener con dos dedos de frente - to be on the ball, in neg to be slow on the uptake)
3. pero TAL Y COMO están las cosas
4. un soldado EN POSICIÓN DE FIRMES (estar en posición de firmes)

Answer 9

1. And who’s going to tell anyone?
2. to ask someone WHO’S ON THE BALL (explain expression)
3. But THAT’S HOW things are.
4. a soldier STANDING TO ATTENTION (to stand to attention)

Question 10

1. miró a Riley con SUSPICACIA
2. un LABRIEGO … RUMIÓ Walter (from labrar, to work in a physical way eg land, metal, wood = carve) (granjero, agricultor) (rumiar)
3. dijo, RETREPÁNDOSE en la silla (retreparse + reclinarse)
4. le cuenta una MONSERGA sobre miles de soldados nacionales

Answer 10

1. he looked at Riley with MISTRUST-SUSPICION
2. a FARMWORKER … PONDERED Walter (explain N) (2x more usual N) (vb)
3. he said LEANING BACK in the chair (vb + syn)
4. tell him SOME GIBBERISH-HOGWASH about 1,000s of nationalist soldiers

Question 11

1. ¿Lo ve? – contestó UFANO (proudly + smugly -> ufanarse = to boast + orondo, also chubby)
2. es un agente fascista que trata de SOCAVAR nuestra moral (socavar, to erode eg via water)
3. se pusiera en pie de un salto (ponerse en pie de un salto)
4. DESEOSO DE salir de aquella TIENDA (shop)

Answer 11

1. You see? - answered SMUGLY (explain origin and its 2 meanings + alt adj for smugly)
2. he is a fascist agent that’s trying to UNDERMINE our moral (what does vb more literally mean?)
3. he jumped up + he leapt up (vb)
4. EAGER to leave that TENT (what else N mean?)

Question 12

1. más largo de lo REGLAMENTARIO + ENMARCABA (enmarcar - to frame eg picture + define or demarcate ie delineate the context)
   1b. reglamentario -> reglamento
2. una TEZ TOSTADO por el sol
3. interrumpiendo el EXABRUPTO que
4. miró FUGAZMENTE de reojo DE Riley (huidizo = furtively)

Answer 12

1a. longer than that DEFINED + BY REGULATION (explain vb)
1b. (by) regulations (adj) -> regulations (N)
2. a COMPLEXION + TANNED by the sun
3. interrupting the BROADSIDE + SHARP WORD/CUTTING REMARK that
4. he looked FLEETINGLY sideways AT Riley (idea of quickly NOT furtively = adj?)

Question 13

1. podía VERSE frente al PELOTÓN de fusilamiento (verse, as in find o.s. in a situation + hallarse, encontrarse) + PLATOON
2. entrecerró sus OJILLOS + SUSPICACES
3. lo tuyo ES DE TRACA (from N = a firecracker)

Answer 13

1. you could FIND YOURSELF in front of a firing SQUAD (explain vb + 2 synonyms) (what else N mean)
2. he narrowed his SUSPICIOUS + LITTLE BEADY EYES
3. Your’s is KILLINGLY FUNNY (explain)

Question 14

1. sombrío
2. DE REGRESO en el campamento DEl battalón (de regreso de)
3. compartían UNAS VAINAS DE ALGARROBO
4. para sacarlo del APURO (sacar de un apuro) (predicament)
5. corrillo

Answer 14

1. gloomy + sombre (adj)
2. ON THE WAY BACK FROM the battalion camp
3. they shared some CAROB PODS
4. to SAVE HIS BACON (dicho) (what N mean?)
5. group (of people)

Question 15

1. la INFAUSTA batalla del Jarama
2. ATAVIADA CON gafas de sol (ataviar + con = vestir, but idea of a bit special)
3. COBIJÁNDOSE bajo la sombra del olivo (cobijar - to give shelter ie to s.o else, cobijarse - to take shelter ie oneself)
4. ¿Ha pedido cita a mi secretaria?
5. Tengo una agenda muy APRETADA (apretar = to squeez or to tighten -> cramped (room) tight (clothes) busy (no spare time)

Answer 15

1. the ILL-FATED battle of Jarama (adj)
2. DRESSED UP [in] sun glasses (explain vb)
3. SHELTERING under the shade of the olive tree (explain vb + pronominal)
4. Have you made an appointment with my secretary?
5. I have a very BUSY diary-schedule. (explain busy)

Question 16

1. en dirección el gran ALGARROBO
2. frente a la TAPIA del cementario
3. bonito DISCURSO
4. no sería ÉTICO
5. DESANDANDO el camino que habían hecho PREVIAMENTE (desandar)

Answer 16

1. in THE direction of the large CAROB TREE
2. infront of the cemetary WALL (Not muro)
3. nice SPEECH (as in address/talk)
4. It wouldn’t be ETHICAL
5. RETRACING the path they had PREVIOUSLY taken

Question 17

1. Riley aún pensaba en la INSENSATEZ
2. que A LA POSTRE + SE FUNDÍA CON con la fachada de las casas (fundir = to melt, fundirse = to join or merge or fuse) (when all is said and done)

Answer 17

1. Riley still thought about the FOOLISHNESS + the STUPIDITY (N ie the lack of reason)
2. that IN THE END + MERGED WITH the facades of the houses (explain vb) (what else phrase mean?)