Feedback January-February Flashcards
I think we all need to be like a sponge because a lot of things _ (change) significantly.
I think we all need to be like a sponge because a lot of things are changing significantly. [current change]
or have changed [change in the past]
Use Present Continuous of Present Perfect to talk about change.
Nowadays I spend about an hour _ (get) to work.
Nowadays I spend about an hour getting to work.
In Moscow you need to тратить кучу времени чтобы добраться куда угодно. [reformulate the whole sentence]
In Moscow it takes a lot of time to get anywhere.
I was _ (вся в синяках).
I was covered in bruises.
/bruːz/
I couldn’t wear _ (колготки) for a month after that.
BrE tights /taɪts/
North American English pantyhose /ˈpæntihəʊz/
A colleague of mine is going back to Russia to sell some of her real estate, and it’s quite a _ (нервная) situation.
A colleague of mine is going back to Russia to sell some of her real estate, and it’s quite a stressful situation.
or nerve-wrecking
not ‘nervous’ as it describes a person
What’s the meaning?
‘Do we need to /drʌɡ/ it?’
Do we need to drug it? = накачать его наркотиками
Not to confuse with ‘drag it’ - перетащить
‘Can you see my screen?’
‘Not _’ (= it’s still loading)
‘Can you see my screen?’
‘Not yet’ (= it’s still loading)
Zhenya: When someone pays me a backhanded compliment, more often than not, I tell the person that I know what they’re doing, I’m a confident person and that I don’t need their backhanded compliments.
The rest of the group: Zhenya, в тихом омуте!
The rest of the group: Zhenya! It’s always the quiet ones!
You can blame Max _that.
You can blame Max for that.
Max was not prepared to share i_ details about his childhood. (личные)
Max was not prepared to share intimate details about his childhood.
/ˈɪntɪmət/
Max realized that it was his _ (его собственная вина).
Max realized that it was his own fault.
Who _ (remember) the first one?
Who remembers the first one?
He’s more _ (energy»_space; adj) than me.
He’s more energetic than me.
Now that I’ve started learning programming, I get up in the morning feeling _ a blithering idiot, and go to sleep feeling _ a blithering idiot.
Now that I’ve started learning programming, I get up in the morning feeling like a blithering idiot, and go to sleep feeling like a blithering idiot.
not ‘ощупываю себя’ = feel myself
This depends on _ (are you leading the meeting? are you a listener?)
This depends on whether you are leading the meeting or you’re a listener?)
neural network
/ˈnʊrəl/
Sometimes I’m swamped at work and I work _ (допоздна).
Sometimes I’m swamped at work and I work late.
Do you often get bogged down in unnecessary detail?
Well, it may look unnecessary, but in my opinion _ (devil / often / detail). [= the details are the most important thing]
The devil is (often) in the detail.
I’m definitely not that good at getting my point across quickly. I just can’t be s_ (= краткий - краткость сестра таланта)
I’m definitely not that good at getting my point across quickly. I just can’t be succinct
/səkˈsɪŋkt/
For me it’s a problem when things don’t sound _ (красиво).
For me it’s a problem when things don’t sound beautiful.
sound + adj
look + adj
smell + adj
fell + adj
[collocation]
They _ a lot of empty promises.
They made a lot of empty promises.
I try not to reschedule my Spanish lesson, cause it’s a slippery slope o_ _ s_.
I try not to reschedule my Spanish lesson, cause it’s a slippery slope once you start.
[find and fix a grammar issue]
I tend to get bogged down in detail and people can’t get what did I mean.
[find and fix a grammar issue]
I tend to get bogged down in detail and people can’t get what I mean. [direct word order]
[replace the word in bold]
I tend to get bogged down in detail and people can’t get what I mean. I envy people who can be quick and effective. (краткий, немногословный)
[replace the word in bold]
I tend to get bogged down in detail and people can’t get what I mean. I envy people who can be succinct and effective.
/səkˈsɪŋkt/
‘get bogged down in detail’ has a negative connotation.
How to talk about the same thing but positively?
To do this right, you need to be very detail oriented.
This requires focus and attention to detail.
When you’re swamped at work, there’s a danger of _ (дела начнут накапливаться)
When you’re swamped at work, there’s a danger of _
- things getting out of hand
- things piling up
- falling behind
[pronunciation] Do I have her consent to share what we talked about, though?
/kənˈsent/
But of course it’s not often.
But of course that doesn’t happen often.
‘be’ doesn’t mean = такое бывает - it’s an ‘empty’ word. When you want to say ‘бывает’, use ‘happen’.
[pronunciation] exhibition
/ˌeksɪˈbɪʃn/
I’m working on a very tight schedule. I need to _ this done by tomorrow.
I’m working on a very tight schedule. I need to get this done by tomorrow.
Even in 2020 it was already difficult to _ an exhibition.
Even in 2020 it was already difficult to put together an exhibition.
Also: put together a document / a plan / a team / a presentation
That was _ (оговорка по Фрейду).
That was a Freudian slip.
/ˈfrɔɪdiən/
[pronunciation] All things considered..
All things considered..
/kənˈsɪdərd/
NB ‘e’ in ‘ed’ is silent!
[pronunciation] generate, elaborate, integrate, originate, operate, …
GEnerate, eLAborate, INtegrate, oRIginate, Operate, etc
[pronunciation] complicated
Surprise-surprise!
/ˈkɒmplɪkeɪtɪd/ (notice the stress)
PS Guess why?
Modern technologies have short lifespans - that is to say, they quickly go out of fashion or become o_ (= out of date, устаревшие).
Modern technologies have short lifespans - that is to say, they quickly go out of fashion or become obsolete (= out of date, устаревшие).
AmE /ˌɑːbsəˈliːt/
BrE /ˈɒbsəliːt/
[add a few words to make it sound less offensive]
Unfortunately I won’t send it today.
Unfortunately I won’t be able to send it today.
[reformulate the part in bold)
Where’s everyone? I’m sure the meeting hasn’t finished yet - they only started 5 minutes ago. >>
The meeting _ have finished.
[reformulate the part in bold)
Where’s everyone? I’m sure the meeting hasn’t finished yet - they only started 5 minutes ago. >>
The meeting can’t have finished.
the opposite of ‘must’ve’ is ‘can’t have’ - never ‘mustn’t’
I thought there was a meeting, but there’s nobody here.
I must’ve _ _ the date. (= перепутала)
I thought there was a meeting, but there’s nobody here.
I must’ve mixed up the date. (= перепутала)
_ must’ve been a misunderstanding.
_ must’ve been tough.
There must’ve been a misunderstanding.
It must’ve been tough.
There is + a noun
It is + an adjective
Why is he shaking hands with my driver, not me?
[add ‘us’ to the sentence] He must’ve mixed up.
He must’ve mixed us up.
the pronoun (‘us’) goes between the two parts of the phrasal verb
She must _ (know) this all along.
She must’ve known this all along.
один из моих знакомых
один из известных американских актёров
one of my acquaintances
one of the famous American actors
He must’ve _ plastic _.
He must’ve had plastic surgery.
‘a bit’ or ‘a bit of’?
It was _ tough.
Let’s have _ fun.
I’m gonna be _ late.
We have _ a problem.
‘a bit’ + adjectives
‘a bit of’ + nouns
It was a bit tough.
Let’s have a bit of fun.
I’m gonna be a bit late.
We have a bit of a problem.
It must’ve been an _ (upset) experience.
It must’ve been an upsetting experience.
Which ‘empathetic’ response is better? Why?
[Someone tells about a time they lucked out.]
You must’ve been excited about it.
It must’ve been really exciting.
You must’ve been excited about it.
It must’ve been really exciting. << ‘it’ is less personal than ‘you’, so it’s a much ‘safer’ choice
[pronunciation] exam
/ɪɡˈzæm/
Sometimes American people are very st_ (прямолинейные).
Sometimes American people are very straightforward.
/ˌstreɪtˈfɔːwəd/
[pronunciation] my American colleagues are…
/ˈkɒliːɡ/
/ˈkɑːliːɡ/
When it comes to important decision, then definitely you need to weigh up e_ c_.
When it comes to important decision, then definitely you need to weigh up everything carefully.
I’d say that recently there _ (be) several situations where I actually didn’t know what to do.
I’d say that recently there have been several situations where I actually didn’t know what to do.
If we speak about the future, _ too many unpredictable factors.
If we speak about the future, there are too many unpredictable factors.
So, is it easy or difficult to find a flat to rent in Moscow?
Well, there are a lot of options a_, but….
So, is it easy or difficult to find a flat to rent in Moscow?
Well, there are a lot of options available, but….
It’s not easy to find a flat in my town. It takes time and e_.
It’s not easy to find a flat in my town. It takes time and effort.
(not ‘efforts’)
He plays the violin from seven _ _ morning till eleven _ _.
He plays the violin from seven in the morning till eleven at night.
_ (it / never / hurt) to shop around.
It never hurts to shop around.
[fix the issue]
I can tell you another example.
I can give you another example.
[when choosing a big-ticket item]
Your decision needs to be _ by your budget (= нужно отталкиваться от бюджета)
[when choosing a big-ticket item]
Your decision needs to be informed by your budget (= нужно отталкиваться от бюджета)
[reformulate]
I look at my sister, who has kids, and I can see that (you need to put your whole life into your kids’ education) >> you need to fully _ yourself _ your kids’ education.
I look at my sister, who has kids, and I can see that (you need to put your whole life into your kids’ education) >> you need to fully commit yourself to your kids’ education.
[fix a few issues]
I’ve been meaning to read some books, but I haven’t time for it.
I’ve been meaning to read some books, but I haven’t had the time to do it.
I’m normally good _ (allow for) unforeseen events.
I’m normally good at allowing for unforeseen events.
I think everyone needs _ (money + fall back - use the verb) in case of emergencies.
I think everyone needs money to fall back on in case of emergencies.
It’s better not to _ (полагаться на) your intuition and always have a fallback.
It’s better not to rely on your intuition and always have a fallback.
Even if you have someone to fall back on, _ no guarantee /ˌɡærənˈtiː/ that you’ll _ help when you need it.
Even if you have someone to fall back on, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get help when you need it.
Sometimes things don’t go according to plan (но в итоге всё стало лучше / обернулось во благо)
E.g. ‘Having to relocate actually turned out to be a b_ _ _.
Sometimes things don’t go according to plan (но в итоге всё стало лучше).
E.g. ‘Having to relocate actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
/dɪsˈɡaɪz/
find and fix an issue
Sometimes I notice that I saw straight away that things would go wrong. Like, something rings a bell. (= всегда есть какие-то звоночки)
something rings a bell
NEVER translate idioms literally!!! If you’re lucky, it will be unclear. If you’re not lucky, it will have another meaning.
ALWAYS reformulate idioms.
When you try too much to help you can _ оказать человеку медвежью услугу.
When you try too much to help you can do the person a huge disservice.
When it comes to health, it’s better to play it safe.
Better s_ than s_.
When it comes to health, it’s better to play it safe.
Better safe than sorry.
[reformulate the idiom]
I think that if you have any worries about your health, нельзя закрывать на это глаза.
I think that if you have any worries about your health, you shouldn’t ignore them.
When we arrived, my daughter joined a kindergarten, but after some time we realized that things _ (not work out).
When we arrived, my daughter joined a kindergarten, but after some time we realized that things weren’t working out.
There’s a _ line between experience and gut instinct. [= тонкая грань]
There’s a fine line between experience and gut instinct. [= тонкая грань]
or ‘there’s a fuzzy line between..’
It c_ _ a bit _ _ surprise that some doctors are ashamed to use their gut instincts.
It came as a bit of a surprise that some doctors are ashamed to use their gut instincts.
Sometimes there are signs that w_ your attention. (= заслуживают вашего внимания)
Sometimes there are signs that warrant your attention. (= заслуживают вашего внимания)
/ˈwɒrənt/
An extremely experienced person would know **what steps to _* to reduce the amount of uncertainty.
An extremely experienced person would know **what steps to take* to reduce the amount of uncertainty.
I think sometimes I r_ too much _ what people say. (= think that there’s another layer of meaning, when in fact there’s none).
I think sometimes I read too much into what people say. (= think that there’s another layer of meaning, when in fact there’s none).
[pronunciation] meme
/miːm/
They think and they overanalyze and then this t_ i_ (becomes) analysis paralysis.
They think and they overanalyze and then this turns into (becomes) analysis paralysis.
[pronunciation] paws
/pɔːz/
I’m noticing that you’re preparing for your relocation, and trust me, this will _ _ (= окупится).
I’m noticing that you’re preparing for your relocation, and trust me, this will pay off (= окупится).
[find and fix the issue]
People don’t realize how it’s complicated.
[find and fix the issue]
People don’t realize how complicated it is.
don’t realize how adjective + it is
Do you sometimes overthink about anything?
Do you sometimes overthink anything?
or overthink things
I have a colleague who’s very _ (рассеяный)
I have a colleague who’s very absent-minded
People don’t always realize how important it is to exercise _ _ regular basis.
People don’t always realize how important it is to exercise on a regular basis.
[pronunciation] There are three of us here.
avus
Don’t overthink _ (it? about it?)
Don’t overthink it.
[pronunciation] colleague
COLleague
What do you do when you meet a new colleague and you have a bad feeling about _?
What do you do when you meet a new colleague and you have a bad feeling about them?
[pronunciation]
I haven’t got the faintest idea about what’s going on in politics.
[pronunciation]
I haven’t got the faintest idea about what’s going on in POlitics.
/ˈpɑːlətɪks/
What was the latest idea that you dropped?
Hm, nothing comes _ mind.
What was the latest idea that you dropped?
Hm, nothing comes to mind.
There’s no need to overthink _ (everything? about everything?)
There’s no need to overthink everything.
I tend to o_ (=not notice) information that disproves my expectations.
I tend to overlook information that disproves my expectations. /ˌəʊvəˈlʊk/
More examples: He seems to have overlooked one important fact.
