Leçon 6

Question 1

mettre quelque chose en attente

The British Government has always talked about reassessing the Barnett Formula, however it always seems to ______

Answer 1

to put something on the back burner

The British Government has always talked about reassessing the Barnett Formula, however it always seems to end up on the backburner.

Question 2

une question mise en attente

Answer 2

a back burner issue

Question 3

avoir un effet inverse de celui prévu

sa tactique pourrait se retourner contre lui et il pourrait perdre tous ses investissements.

Answer 3

to backfire

His tactics could backfire on him and he could lose all his investments.

Question 4

revenir de loin

The company ______ after the recession.

Answer 4

to be back from the brink

The company came back from the brink after the recession.

Question 5

l’arrière-plan

We don’t know what stands in the ______ of this petrol conglomerate’s decision to bring humanitarian aid to some African countries.

Answer 5

background

We don’t know what stands in the background of this petrol conglomerate’s decision to bring humanitarian aid to some African countries.

Question 6

le contexte politique

Answer 6

the political background

Question 7

les répercussions (d’une crise, d’une guerre, d’un événement) ; de fortes réactions

The newly elected Prime Minister has encouraged the ________ against “moral laxity”

Answer 7

backlash

The newly elected Prime Minister has encouraged the backlash against “moral laxity”

Question 8

le retard accumulé

Asylum seekers sometimes have to wait several years because of the enormous ______ built up by British authorities.

Answer 8

backlog

Asylum seekers sometimes have to wait several years because of the enormous backlog built up by British authorities.

Question 9

accumuler du travail, des dossiers non traités

Authorities dealing with asylum seekers have ______ quite the _____ of work.

Answer 9

to accumulate a backlog

Authorities dealing with asylum seekers have accumulated quite the backlog of work.

Question 10

s’accumuler, s’empiler

British authorities have had to _______ several requests for asylum.

Answer 10

to backlog

British authorities have had to backlog several requests for asylum.

Question 11

faire machine arrière

A majority of voters now think that Labour should _______ on health-care reform.

Answer 11

to back pedal

A majority of voters now think that Labour should back-pedal on health-care reform.

Question 12

les grandes démonstrations d’amitié

The annual meeting was one of those ______ occasions when everyone congratulates each other.

Answer 12

back-slapping

The annual meeting was one of those back-slapping occasions when everyone congratulates each other.

Question 13

un récidiviste

A ______ is an individual who falls back into bad habits.

Answer 13

a backslider

A backslider is an individual who falls back into bad habits.

Question 14

la récidive

Answer 14

backsliding

Question 15

être mal vu par quelqu’un

If MPs don’t want to _____their party’s _____ they should stick to the agreed upon agenda.

Answer 15

to be in someone’s bad books

If MPs don’t want to be in their party’s bad books they should stick to the agreed upon agenda.

Question 16

décontenancer, dérouter

Many political commentators have been _______ by Sarah Palin’s policy ideas.

Answer 16

to baffle

Many political commentators have been baffled by Sarah Palin’s policy ideas.

Question 17

déconcertant, déroutant

Answer 17

baffling

Question 18

renflouer

With its national ______ firms and financial institutions, the economic crisis heralds the return stage in the European economy.

Answer 18

to bail out

With its national bail-outs firms and financial institutions, the economic crisis heralds the return stage in the European economy.

Question 19

tout compte fait

________, it is unlikely that conflict will disappear from the Middle East any time soon.

Answer 19

on balance

On balance, it is unlikely that conflict will disappear from the Middle East any time soon.

Question 20

hésiter, reculer - contrecarrer

There are some politicians who _______ the idea of promoting a radical new idea, for fear of gaining public opposition.

Answer 20

to balk [bawlk]

There are some politicians who balk at the idea of promoting a radical new idea, for fear of gaining public opposition.

Question 21

arnaquer, embobiner

New immigrants are often _______ when they start working.

Answer 21

to bamboozle

New immigrants are often bamboozled when they start working.

Question 22

interdire, exclure

A senator introduced a bill to _______ American imports made by children under 15.

Answer 22

to ban

A senator introduced a bill to ban American imports made by children under 15.

Question 23

faire faillite

If this company ________, thousands of jobs will be lost.

Answer 23

to go bankrupt

If this company goes bankrupt, thousands of jobs will be lost.

Question 24

la faillite

With _________ spreading throughout the building trade, the number of unemployed people have swollen.

Answer 24

bankruptcy

With bankruptcies spreading throughout the building trade, the number of unemployed people have swollen.

Question 25

excepté, à l’exception de

All European countries - ______Britain - have signed the convention.

Answer 25

bar

All European countries - bar Britain - have signed the convention.

Question 26

à peine

There are scientists who believe the consequences of climate change have _________ begun.

Answer 26

barely

There are scientists who believe the consequences of climate change have barely even begun.

Question 27

un argument de négociation

Ukraine’s politicians know that their rickety power plants (centrales délabrées) are good _______ to trade for cash from the West.

Answer 27

a bargaining counter

Ukraine’s politicians know that their rickety power plants (centrales délabrées) are good bargaining counters to trade for cash from the West.

Question 28

utiliser quelque chose comme monnaie d’échange

Ukraine’s politicians know that their rickety power plants (centrales délabrées) are good _______ to trade for cash from the West.

Answer 28

to use something as a bargaining counter

Ukraine’s politicians know that their rickety power plants (centrales délabrées) are good bargaining counters to trade for cash from the West.

Question 29

se tromper d’adversaire

Some people think that direct intervention in the Middle East is the only way to end terrorism, others believe they are _______.

Answer 29

to bark up the wrong tree

Some people think that direct intervention in the Middle East is the only way to end terrorism, others believe they are barking up the wrong tree.