Communicatio and Personality

Question 1

to hide one’s light under a bushel

Answer 1

Meaning: to conceal one’s talents and skills
Example: Please don’t hide your light under a bushel—the Society needs your valuable expertise.

Question 2

to throw a tantrum

Answer 2

Meaning: to become very angry and unreasonable
Example: When you are a grown-up, you don’t throw a tantrum if something offends you, you discuss it.

Question 3

to stamp one’s mark on sth

Answer 3

Meaning: to affect or change something in a way that allows people to recognize one’s influence
Example: She has stamped her own mark on the British film industry.

Question 4

a clash of personalities

Answer 4

Meaning: a situation in which two people disagree because they have very different personalities
Example: There had been a clash of personalities between the two leaders over the question of defence policy.

Question 5

to have a superiority complex

Answer 5

Meaning: to have a feeling that one is superior to others
Example: She has a superiority complex, imagining that she is somehow better at everything than her classmates.

Question 6

to hear something through the grapevine

Answer 6

Meaning: to hear news from someone who heard that news from someone else, to learn of something informally and unofficially by means of gossip or rumor.
Example: Never believe the gossip that you hear through the grapevine – always try to find the truth from an official source.

Question 7

to act one’s age

Answer 7

Meaning: to behave in a way suitable for someone as old as you are
Example: During the most recent years of her career, Madonna has faced criticism for her revealing outfits, her outrageous performances and her decision to collaborate with her younger contemporary contemporaries, with many calling for her to “act her age”.

Question 8

codes of conduct

Answer 8

Meaning: voluntary rules which people accept in a situation
Example: The Code of Conduct is voluntary but it is seen as a sign of best practice.

Question 9

to assimilate knowledge

Answer 9

Meaning: to absorb and understand knowledge
Example: Some people claim that children assimilate knowledge more easily than adults, citing studies into the way that young children learn.

Question 10

to marshal facts

Answer 10

Meaning: to organise facts in support of an idea
Example: His tutor asked him to marshal facts on the history of China in preparation for the exam.

Question 11

to be a team player

Answer 11

Meaning: a person who willingly cooperates with others
Example: Employees who are good team players are more likely to be selected for promotion.

Question 12

the downfall of communication

Answer 12

Meaning: the decline of communication
Example: Texting and social media are causing the downfall of society’s interpersonal communication.

Question 13

a breakdown in communication

Answer 13

Meaning: a misunderstanding which results from people failing to discuss and resolve something
Example: The dispute between the workers and the employer was the result of a breakdown in communication over wages.

Question 14

to live in harmony with one another

Answer 14

Meaning: to live with others in a way which avoids conflict or disagreement
Example: The students who share the house are all good friends and they are able to live in harmony with one another.

Question 15

to keep abreast of something

Answer 15

Meaning: to have the most recent information about something
Example: This new service helps doctors keep abreast of the newest drugs available.

Question 16

to accelerate the flow of information

Answer 16

Meaning: to spread information with a higher speed to create faster response times and more accurate interactions
Example: The new software, Wildtech, is intended to help accelerate the flowof information among scientists, and forest and wildlife managers.

Question 17

behind the times

Answer 17

Meaning: refers to a person who is old-fashioned and has not adopted certain modern customs, beliefs, or behaviors
Example: He was angry when they said that his accounting methods were behind the times because he did not use computer software.

Question 18

set in his or her ways

Answer 18

Meaning: A person who is set in his or her ways is stubborn and committed to their current way of doing things. They aren’t open to changing, even if the change would be an improvement
Example: As people get older, they often become set in their ways and are reluctant to try anything new.

Question 19

a social butterfly

Answer 19

Meaning: refers to an extroverted person who loves to socialize
Example: A social butterfly is a person who is socially dynamic, networking, charismatic, and personally gregarious.

Question 20

a stickler for sth

Answer 20

Meaning: Someone who is a “stickler for something” is a person who strongly insists on that quality or behavior, and wants or expects other people to maintain the same standard
Example: The author described himself as a stickler for details, who loves things done right the first time.

Question 21

to be user-friendly

Answer 21

Meaning: to be easy to use, without a need for advanced skills

Example: One feature of modern communications technology is that, in general, it is user-friendly.

Question 22

social networking sites

Answer 22

Meaning: a website on which you communicate with people who share your interests

Example: Young people today waste too much time on social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter

Question 23

to break off a relationship/to break off negotiations

Answer 23

Meaning: to end something suddenly
Example: The US and China broke off negotiations earlier today on the new trade agreement.

Question 24

to reach a stalemate/ to reach a deadlock

Answer 24

Meaning: a disagreement in which neither side is able to find a solution

Example: The talks between the superpowers broke up when both sides reached deadlock over important issues.

Question 25

to have social skills

Answer 25

Meaning: to have the personal skills required for successfully communication and interaction
Example: In all jobs which involve dealing with the public, it is important tohave good social skills.

Question 26

to have a laid-back attitude

Answer 26

Meaning: relaxed, not worrying about anything

Example: Our teacher had a laid-back attitude in the classroom, but she was always well-prepared and committed to her students.

Question 27

to be a workaholic/a shopaholic

Answer 27

Meaning: a person who spends too much time working/too much time shopping

Example: Although I take my studies seriously, I would not describe myself as a workaholic, because I have other interests too.

Question 28

to see the big picture

Answer 28

Meaning: to understand all the important aspects of a situation
Example: Students sometimes get confused with so many details to remember, but our history teacher is able to make us see the big picture.

Question 29

to be generous/helpful to a fault

Answer 29

Meaning: to be very generous/helpful to others, even when it can cause problems for oneself
Example: My parents are generous to a fault, and they have helped me a lot with my education.

Question 30

to make small talk/to exchange pleasantries

Answer 30

Meaning: to talk in a polite way about unimportant matters such as the weather

Example: I enjoy a serious discussion and I don’t like to make small talk or exchange pleasantries with others simply in order to be polite.