PODCAST_2014_2 Flashcards
rental agent
PODCAST #1038
“Thanks for coming with me to meet the rental agent to view an apartment, but I think I’m lost.”
a person whose job is to help people find a home or apartment to rent, and who helps property owners find tenants to live in their buildings
- Finding a place to live in some New York City neighborhoods can be almost impossible without the help of a rental agent.
apartment
PODCAST #1038
“Thanks for coming with me to meet the rental agent to view an apartment, but I think I’m lost.”
a smaller home with a sleeping area or one or more bedrooms, a bathroom, a living area, and a kitchen, in a large building with many other apartments
- Their first apartment was so small that there was barely enough room for a bed!
lost
PODCAST #1038
“Thanks for coming with me to meet the rental agent to view an apartment, but I think I’m lost.”
not knowing where one is or how to get to one’s destination
- We’re lost. Let’s stop to ask someone for directions to this address.
apartment complex
PODCAST #1038
“There are four different apartment complexes located next to each other and they look identical.”
a set of buildings in a similar style and built around the same time, each with many apartments
- Most of the university students live in one of the apartment complexes near campus.
identical
PODCAST #1038
“There are four different apartment complexes located next to each other and they look identical.”
the same; with the same appearance; without any differences
- Some psychologists say it isn’t a good idea to dress twins in identical clothing.
subdivision
(PODCAST #1038)
“Yes, but all of the complexes in this subdivision look the same, and I don’t see a street number on any of them.”
an area of land that has been divided for sale and development, typically with all the buildings having a very similar appearance
- A lot of farmland is being sold and converted into subdivisions for the growing city.
street number
(PODCAST #1038)
“Yes, but all of the complexes in this subdivision look the same, and I don’t see a street number on any of them.”
the numerical part of an address; the numbered part of an address that appears before the street name
- There’s the street we’re looking for. Now what’s the street number of their home?
block
PODCAST #1038
“Are you sure we’re looking for a block of apartments?”
a square or rectangular area of land surrounded by four streets
- Omid’s best friend lives just two blocks away.
mixed-use
PODCAST #1038
“Maybe the apartment is in a mixed-use building, like that one over there.”
a building or neighborhood that is used for a combination of residential (housing), commercial (business), and retail (sales; stores) purposes
- The city planners want to develop more mixed-use neighborhoods where businesses and stores are on the ground floor, and apartments are built above them.
high-rise
PODCAST #1038
“At least I know it’s in a high-rise building and the apartment is on the eighth floor.”
referring to a very tall building; a skyscraper
- This high-rise office building offers some incredible views of the city.
floor
PODCAST #1038
“At least I know it’s in a high-rise building and the apartment is on the eighth floor.”
story; one level in a building, connected to other levels by elevators and/or stairs
- The living room, dining room, and kitchen are on the main floor, and all the bedrooms are on the second floor.
story
PODCAST #1038
“That mixed-use building is only three stories high.”
floor; one level in a building, connected to other levels by elevators and/or stairs
- Sandra lives at the top of a four-story building without an elevator, so she has been getting a lot of exercise from walking up and down the stairs.
duplex
PODCAST #1038
“Oh, then it’s not a duplex or triplex, like those over there.”
a building with two apartments; a house divided into two apartments with separate entrances
- They bought a duplex so that they can live on one side, and Omar’s parents can live on the other side.
triplex
PODCAST #1038
“Oh, then it’s not a duplex or triplex, like those over there.”
a building with three apartments; a house divided into three apartments with separate entrances
- As a college student, Isidro moved into a triplex so that he could be independent, but still have close interactions with other people in the building.
resident
PODCAST #1038
“I see a couple of the residents of that building walking out.”
a person who lives in a particular building, neighborhood, or city
- The electric company has a special program to help low-income residents pay their electric bills.
bill collector
PODCAST #1038
“The bill collectors will never be able to find you!”
a person whose job is to find people who owe money to a company and make them pay
- When Jacob lost his job, his family didn’t have enough money to pay the bills, and soon the bill collectors started calling.
to run its course
PODCAST #1037
“I think this party has run its course, and I’m ready to call it a night.”
for something to naturally complete its process or cycle,
without being interrupted, sped up, or slowed down
- Unfortunately, doctors can’t cure the common cold. We’ll just have to let it run its course.
to call it a night
PODCAST #1037
“I think this party has run its course, and I’m ready to call it a night.”
to say that something has ended, or to announce that one has had enough of something, and then go home and/or go to bed.
- We still need to study another three chapters, but I’m too tired to concentrate. Let’s call it a night.
straggler
PODCAST #1037
“But there are still a few stragglers who seem reluctant to leave.”
one of the last people to finish something, or one of the last few people to continue to do something
- The marathon started six hours ago, but a few stragglers have still not completed the race.
reluctant
PODCAST #1037
“But there are still a few stragglers who seem reluctant to leave.”
not wanting to do something; hesitant; not looking forward to something
- They’re reluctant to sign a lease with such high rent, but they really want to live downtown.
politely
PODCAST #1037
“How do we politely tell them to go home?”
with consideration, good manners, and courtesy
- If you want to have a successful career, you’ll have to learn to give criticism politely.
hint
PODCAST #1037
“That seems kind of rude. Let me try a few hints.”
a gentle suggestion or slight indication, without clearly stating what the thing is
- Randall won’t tell his girlfriend where he’s taking her, because he wants it to be a secret, but he has given her a few hints.
liable
PODCAST #1037
“If you do that, one of those guys is liable to offer to make a beer run.”
likely; probably; something that could and probably will happen
- If we plan an outdoor event in April, it’s liable to rain, so make sure we have enough tents and umbrellas for all the guests.
beer run
PODCAST #1037
“If you do that, one of those guys is liable to offer to make a beer run.”
a quick trip to a store to buy beer, especially after people have drunk all the was available at a party
- If you’re making a beer run, can you please bring back some chips and salsa, too?
to do the trick
PODCAST #1037
“That’s not going to do the trick.”
to solve the problem; to be effective
- That duct tape should do the trick and stop the leak until we can buy a new pipe.
to yawn
PODCAST #1037
“What if I go over there, yawn, and comment on the lateness of the hour?”
to open one’s mouth wide and take a deep breath with a sighing sound, usually when one is very tired, but trying to stay awake
- Your son often yawns during my classes. Is he getting enough sleep at home?
lateness of the hour
PODCAST #1037
“What if I go over there, yawn, and comment on the lateness of the hour?”
a formal phrase describing the late evening, especially
when people are normally asleep
- They usually go out for dessert after seeing a play, but given the lateness of the hour, they decided to go home instead.
subtlety
PODCAST #1037
“Those people aren’t going to respond to subtlety.”
using delicacy and indirectness to express oneself
- Are you able to appreciate the subtlety of this artwork?
to turn up the lights
PODCAST #1037
“I’m turning up the lights and turning off the music.”
to make the lights brighter and more intense in a room
that was partially dark
- At the end of the movie, they turned up the lights in the theater.
lights out
PODCAST #1037
“I’m going to yell “Lights out, people!” and mean it!”
the time to turn off the lights and go to sleep, especially when used as a command to tell others to turn off the lights
- Most nights, the kids are in bed and reading by 8:00, but it’s lights out at 8:15.
to mean (something)
PODCAST #1037
“I’m going to yell “Lights out, people!” and mean it!”
to sincerely believe what one is saying, without any
doubt or hesitation
- Did you mean it when you said that you’d quit your job if you had to work for Irene?
dying industry
PODCAST #1036
“I thought farming was a dying industry.”
a sector (part) of the economy that is becoming smaller and may no longer exist in the future
- If people continue to buy foreign cars, automobile manufacturing could become a dying industry in the United States.
family farm
(PODCAST #1036)
“Family farms and small-scale farming are disappearing, but agribusiness is alive and well, thanks to government subsidies.”
a farm that is owned and operated by a family, not a corporation
- They dream of buying some land and having a family farm with cows, pigs, chickens, and fields of corn and blueberries.
small-scale
(PODCAST #1036)
“Family farms and small-scale farming are disappearing, but agribusiness is alive and well, thanks to government subsidies.”
small, not large; for a small number of people
- Right now, we’re limited to small-scale production out of our basement, but if sales continue to increase, we’ll be able to move into a small factory.
agribusiness
(PODCAST #1036)
“Family farms and small-scale farming are disappearing, but agribusiness is alive and well, thanks to government subsidies.”
the sector (part) of the economy that includes very large corporations that own and operate large farms on very large areas of land
- A lot of people are concerned about how animals are treated in agribusiness.
alive and well
(PODCAST #1036)
“Family farms and small-scale farming are disappearing, but agribusiness is alive and well, thanks to government subsidies.”
thriving; doing very well; with a lot of success
- Despite the government’s best efforts, people still cheat on their taxes and not pay what they owe.
government subsidy
(PODCAST #1036)
“Family farms and small-scale farming are disappearing, but agribusiness is alive and well, thanks to government subsidies.”
money paid by the government to a manufacturer to cause the price of a product to be lower
- Government subsidies of sugar and corn have made soda, chips, cookies, and other types of junk food very inexpensive.
lucrative
PODCAST #1036
“Are they lucrative?”
profitable; making a lot of money
- A great invention can be very lucrative, but only if you have the patent.
livelihood
PODCAST #1036
“They can be, but the subsidies were originally given to protect the livelihood of farmers.”
how one makes a living; how one earns money; a job or career
- As a butcher in a small town, Sayeed’s livelihood has always been dependent on good customer service.
to edge out
PODCAST #1036
“Well, agribusiness has edged out small-scale farms because output is the name of the game.”
to do better than someone or something else so that its power or influence weakens while one’s own power and influence increases
- Renee hopes to edge out the other dancers in the salsa competitio
output
PODCAST #1036
“Well, agribusiness has edged out small-scale farms because output is the name of the game.”
production; the amount of a product or service made by someone with a certain amount of resources and/or in a certain amount of time; a measure of efficiency
- If we hire more workers, we can increase output by up to 40%.
the name of the game
PODCAST #1036
“Well, agribusiness has edged out small-scale farms because output is the name of the game.”
the most important thing in deciding how things are done; the way things are expected to be
- Being involved in a lot of extracurricular activities is the name of the game for high school students who want to be admitted to prestigious colleges.
to throw in the towel
PODCAST #1036
“A lot of small-scale farmers have thrown in the towel.”
to give up; to stop trying to do something, especially because it seems too difficult or impossible
- We need to hire someone who is very persistent and won’t throw in the towel the first time there’s an obstacle.
that’s a shame
PODCAST #1036
“That’s a shame, but the subsidies are still used to protect domestic food production, right?”
a phrase used to express disappointment or sadness about something that is happening, especially something that seems unfair
- Adam’s father was ill and couldn’t attend his son’s college graduation. That’s a shame!
domestic
PODCAST #1036
“That’s a shame, but the subsidies are still used to protect domestic food production, right?”
within a country; not international
- Will we ever have enough domestic oil production to avoid importing oil?
a way of life
PODCAST #1036
“That may be, but we’re losing a way of life.”
the way things are done, especially referring to culture; how people live in a certain area or with certain opinions
- Fishing is a way of life for many people who live in coastal towns.
to come from a long line of
PODCAST #1036
“I come from a long line of farmers.”
to have many family members involved in a
particular industry or hobby
- Vince comes from a long line of military officers.
very
(PODCAST #1036)
“I work for the government agency that gives out subsidies to the very farms that put us out of business.”
exact; precise; a word used to emphasize the following word
- Your shopping cart is full of the very junk foods that the doctor told you to stop eating!
twist of fate
PODCAST #1036
“That’s quite a twist of fate.”
an unanticipated change in events, especially an ironic one
- In a twist of fate, Dynee finally got a job on the day that she was evicted from her apartment because she could not afford to pay the rent.
cashier line
PODCAST #1035
“Let’s get in this cashier line.”
a group of people who are standing one behind the other to wait for the store employee to become available to help them make their purchase
- The woman at the front of the cashier line had to run back to the aisles to find something that she forgot to buy, so the rest of us had to keep waiting.
self-checkout
PODCAST #1035
“This store has self-checkout machines.”
a process or machine designed to allow people to purchase items or process their own transaction before leaving a store, without help from an employee
- The self-checkout area is constantly monitored to make sure that nobody steals items without paying for them.
machine
PODCAST #1035
“This store has self-checkout machines.”
an electronic device that performs some task, especially to save time, effort, and/or money for humans
- When will someone invent a machine that folds laundry?
to scan
PODCAST #1035
“All you have to do is scan the bar codes on each grocery item.”
to have a computer “read” or get information
- The airport has special machines that scan luggage tags and send the luggage to the correct airplane.
barcode
PODCAST #1035
“All you have to do is scan the bar codes on each grocery item.”
a series of wide and narrow parallel (running in the same direction) lines with numbers on the bottom, read by computers, and used as a label to identify a product or another item
- The store employee couldn’t find the barcode on the box to find out the price.
grocery
PODCAST #1035
“All you have to do is scan the bar codes on each grocery item.”
related to food and other household items that are sold in stores
- Can you pick up some milk and bananas at the grocery store on your way home from work?
scale
PODCAST #1035
“All you have to do is put them on the scale and find the product on the touch screen.”
balance; a device that measures the weight of a person or object
- According to this scale, I’ve gained 14 pounds. That can’t be right!
touch-screen
PODCAST #1035
“All you have to do is put them on the scale and find the product on the touch screen.”
a flat, digital screen that allows the user to provide information by touching certain parts of the screen, without needing to type anything
- The ATM uses a touch-screen interface, so you can just tap here if you want to make a deposit, or here if you want to make a withdrawal.
to bag
PODCAST #1035
“I’ll start bagging”
to place groceries or other purchased items into paper, plastic, or cloth bags so that they can be carried out of the store
- Janine always bags her groceries in reusable bags, but yesterday, she accidentally left her bags at home.
bagging area
(PODCAST #1035)
“You’re supposed to wait until everything is scanned before removing items from the bagging area to put in bags.“
the place in a store where purchased items are placed and then picked up and put into bags so that they can be taken out of the store
- It’s important to organize the bagging area so that you can pack up the heavy items first and leave the fragile items like bread and eggs for the last bag.
attendant
PODCAST #1035
”Oh no, now there’s a “see attendant” message on the screen.“
a person who provides service to customers, meeting their needs
- The flight attendant offered the passengers a variety of drinks.
to clear
PODCAST #1035
”We wait for the attendant to clear the error and void the transaction.“
to erase or delete something so that it is no longer visible, relevant, or applicable
- How can I paste this text, but clear the formatting?
to void a transaction
PODCAST #1035
”We wait for the attendant to clear the error and void the transaction.“
to undo a sale before it is final, making it as if it had never happened; to cancel a sale
- Please present your coupons first. Otherwise I’ll have to void the transaction and re-enter everything.
I’ll tell you what
PODCAST #1035
”I’ll tell you what. I’ll take half of our groceries and stand in line and you use the self-checkout.“
an informal phrase used to propose something or present an idea
- I don’t really like that paint color, but I’ll tell you what. You can paint the dining room that color if I can pick out the paint color for the living room.
sucker bet
PODCAST #1035
”That’s a sucker bet.“
a gambling offer that only a naïve, inexperienced person is likely to accept, because the investment or risk is higher than the reward or benefit
- That was a sucker bet. Why did Kile agree to it? They really tricked him.
well done
PODCAST #1035
“You’re on. Just remember that I like my steak well done.”
a way of cooking a piece of meat, especially beef, so that it is very thoroughly cooked, with no red or pink parts showing
- My grandfather always said that steaks are best served medium rare and juicy, not well done and dry.
reservations
PODCAST #1034
“I’m calling to make some changes to an existing reservation.”
the department or group of employees in a hotel, rental car company or other business that is responsible for making arrangements for future visits or use of services by customers
- The reservations staff said they don’t have any rooms available until Tuesday.
existing
PODCAST #1034
“I’m calling to make some changes to an existing reservation.”
current; in existence now; already in place
- Do we have any information technology experts on our existing staff?
reservation number
PODCAST #1034
“Certainly. Do you have the reservation number?”
a number or code assigned to a specific customer’s future visit or use of service so that it can be found quickly and easily in the computer system
- I’m sorry, but we can’t find a reservation under that name. Do you have your reservation number?
check-in
PODCAST #1034
“I’d like to change the check-in date from September 15th to September 16th.”
when one begins one’s stay at a hotel, arrives for an airplane flight, or indicate that one has arrived for another service
- Most of the conference participants have a Sunday-evening check-in so that they can get a good night’s rest before the sessions begin on Monday morning.
check-out
PODCAST #1034
“No, the check-out date will also change, from the 23rd to the 24th.”
when one ends one’s stay at a hotel or officially leaves a place providing a service
- The hotel’s check-out time is 11:00 a.m. If you stay later, you might be charged for an additional night.
party
PODCAST #1034
“Yes, there will be two people in my party, not just one.”
a group of people using some service or facility together and at the same time
- We weren’t expecting such a large party of dinner guests. Please wait at the bar until we can prepare a table for you.
courtyard
PODCAST #1034
“Yes, instead of a courtyard room, I’d like a room with a view, preferably on an upper floor.”
the open area that is surrounded by the walls of a building, usually with plants, benches, and seating areas
- The people who live in those apartments often have community barbeques and other parties in the courtyard.
room
PODCAST #1034
“Yes, instead of a courtyard room, I’d like a room with a view, preferably on an upper floor.”
the space occupied by a guest in a hotel, usually a connected bedroom and bathroom
- Each room can accommodate up to four adults.
view
PODCAST #1034
“Yes, instead of a courtyard room, I’d like a room with a view, preferably on an upper floor.”
with a window or balcony facing something that is pleasant to look at, especially an ocean, mountains, or a city
- Their apartment offers a great view of the Statue of Liberty.
upper floor
PODCAST #1034
“Yes, instead of a courtyard room, I’d like a room with a view, preferably on an upper floor.”
one of the top floors of a tall building
- My office is on the upper floor of the skyscraper, so I can see most of the city.
room rate
PODCAST #1034
“I can certainly change that for you, although there will be a change in the room rate.”
the cost of staying in a hotel room for one night; the per-night price of a hotel room
- Conference attendees can get a discounted room rate of just $165 per night.
on second thought
PODCAST #1034
“On second thought, I’d prefer a suite that overlooks the pool. Is that possible?”
a phrase used when one has changed one’s mind and wants to let the other person know that a new idea or proposal is coming
- Those designs are nice, but on second thought, let’s see what it looks like if we change the font size and color.
suite
PODCAST #1034
“On second thought, I’d prefer a suite that overlooks the pool. Is that possible?”
a group of connected rooms used by one hotel guest, usually a bedroom, a living area or sitting room, and a large bathroom
- Randall sometimes has to stay at a hotel for up to two weeks at a time, so he prefers to find a suite that feels more like a home than a hotel room.
to overlook
PODCAST #1034
“On second thought, I’d prefer a suite that overlooks the pool. Is that possible?”
to offer a view of something from above
- Her office overlooks the port, so she can see ships moving up and down the river all day long.
pool
PODCAST #1034
“On second thought, I’d prefer a suite that overlooks the pool. Is that possible?”
a swimming pool; a large hole in the ground filled with water for people to play and exercise in
- How often does the city change the water in the pool?
to stick to
PODCAST #1034
“I think I’d better to stick to my original room.”
to decide not to change one’s plans; to commit to one’s original plan or idea
- I didn’t realize it would be so expensive to change the flight! Let’s stick to our original plans.
to cancel
PODCAST #1034
“Let’s cancel this reservation and make a whole new one.”
to change one’s plans so that one is no longer expected to have or do something in the future; to discontinue; to arrange for something to stop
- Why did you cancel your membership to the gym?
bother
PODCAST #1034
“I’d hate to be a bother.”
someone or something that is annoying or irritating, creating problems or difficulties for others
- Are you sure it isn’t a bother for me to get a ride in your car to go to Boise?
crushing
PODCAST #1033
“You mean the crushing victory of my team over yours?”
making one lose all hope; very difficult to deal with
- When her mother died, it was crushing for Susan.
crushing defeat: A crushing defeat would be a case where you lose, but you lose very badly and it’s very difficult for you to deal with it.
victory
PODCAST #1033
“You mean the crushing victory of my team over yours?”
win; successful completion of a competition or race, with no one else having done better
- Getting a few victories early in the season improved the players’ selfconfidence.
to characterize
PODCAST #1033
“That’s not how I would characterize it.”
to describe something in a particular way; to select certain words to talk about or to describe something
- I would say that Thelma is friendly, but I wouldn’t characterize her as being too talkative.
to fall short
PODCAST #1033
“We fell short in the final seconds, but we played a good game up until then.”
to not meet expectations; to not do as well as expected or hoped
- We fell short of our sales goal by just a few hundred dollars.
up until
PODCAST #1033
“We fell short in the final seconds, but we played a good game up until then.”
as far as; during some period and leading to the present moment
- She had second thoughts about marrying Ezekiel up until the moment she said, “I do.”
in your dreams
PODCAST #1033
“In your dreams. My team dominated from beginning to end.”
a phrase used to show that one does not believe what another person has just said; a phrase meaning that one’s opinion or belief is not realistic or possible
- A: With this new haircut, I look like Brad Pitt!
B: In your dreams!
to dominate
PODCAST #1033
“In your dreams. My team dominated from beginning to end.”
to control and have complete power over someone or something; to be superior to someone or something
- The new king dominated everyone and everything in his kingdom.
blowout
PODCAST #1033
“You’re just lucky that it wasn’t a complete blowout.”
an easy win or victory
- The other team won 20-0. It was a major blowout.
to throw in the towel
PODCAST #1033
“We would have won if the coach hadn’t decided to throw in the towel early.”
to give up; to no longer try to do something because it was too difficult, challenging, or impossible
- After receiving 30 rejection letters, Sally decided to throw in the towel and stop trying to get her book published.
to melt down
PODCAST #1033
“I think he just melted down under the pressure.”
to lose control of one’s thoughts, actions, and/or emotions and no longer be able to perform, especially when one is under a lot of stress
- The math teacher melted down in class and started yelling at the students.
Monday morning quarterback
(PODCAST #1033)
“It’s easy for you to play Monday morning quarterback, but I don’t think anything would have saved your team from going down in flames.”
a person who criticizes how something was done and acts as if he or she would have done it better, but is able to do that only because the thing has already happened and more information is now available
- Sure, it sounds easy when you explain it now, but remember that anyone can be a Monday morning quarterback. It’s must harder to make the right decision
when those things are actually happening.
to go down in flames
(PODCAST #1033)
“It’s easy for you to play Monday morning quarterback, but I don’t think anything would have saved your team from going down in flames.”
to end and/or fail completely and very quickly
- Their dream of traveling to Hawaii went down in flames when they had to use all their savings for medical treatments.
rematch
PODCAST #1033
“There’s a rematch in three weeks, you know.”
another game played between the same two players or teams after a first game has ended
- I’m sorry you lost, but hopefully you can win the rematch.
to whup
PODCAST #1033
“And my team will whup your team again, no question.”
to beat another person or team very badly; to have a clear win
- Nobody expected that team to whup our team so badly.
to trash talk
PODCAST #1033
“You can trash talk all you like.”
to use insulting words and phrases to make someone seem worse or less important in order to make oneself seem better
- Don’t listen to those kids who are trash talking you. They’re just trying to make themselves feel better.
to wipe the floor with
PODCAST #1033
“We’ll see if you’re still smiling after my team wipes the floor with yours!”
to beat another person or team very badly; to have a clear win
- You’ve practiced for months. Now let’s go out there and wipe the floor with those players. Go team!
guilty
PODCAST #1031
“I think he’s guilty.”
having committed a crime; not following the law; having broken one or more laws
- The judge found her guilty of robbery.
innocent
PODCAST #1031
“He’s innocent and this is a show trial.”
not having committed a crime; following the law; not having broken any laws
- He has been in prison for more than 10 years, but he still says that he’s innocent.
show trial
PODCAST #1031
“He’s innocent and this is a show trial.”
a legal trial that receives a lot of public attention, but is highly political, with a result that has practically already been decided, used to influence public opinion
- After the war, there were several major show trials of war criminals.
district attorney
PODCAST #1031
“The district attorney is conducting a witch-hunt for his own political ambitions.”
a lawyer whose job is to represent the government in a legal matter and/or in court
- The district attorney filed a case against the polluting factory.
witch-hunt
PODCAST #1031
“The district attorney is conducting a witch-hunt for his own political ambitions.”
the practice of looking for and punishing people who have a different opinion or different habits than most other people do
- The search for dangerous communist in the 1980s was, in most cases, a witchhunt.
political ambition
PODCAST #1031
“The district attorney is conducting a witch-hunt for his own political ambitions.”
wanting to have a powerful position in politics; a desire to
have an important career in politics
- Sheila never had political ambitions when she was younger, but when she was 47, she suddenly decided to run for mayor.
high-profile
PODCAST #1031
“It is a high-profile case, but that’s only because he wants to make an example of Schirru.”
receiving a lot of attention and publicity; noticed and known by many people; with a lot of public attention
- What can we do to prevent this from becoming a high-profile scandal?
to make an example of (someone)
PODCAST #1031
“It is a high-profile case, but that’s only because he wants to make an example of Schirru.”
to shame someone and make his or her case serve as a warning to discourage others from doing the same thing
- The professor made an example of Hendric, kicking him out of the class for cheating on an exam.
criminal
PODCAST #1031
“Putting him in jail sends a message to other criminals.”
a person who has broken the law; a person who has committed a crime
- What percentage of criminals complete their full prison sentence?
to crack down
PODCAST #1031
“The message that the government is cracking down.”
to become very strict and enforce rule or laws without making exceptions
- Mall security guards are cracking down on shoplifters.
to grandstand
PODCAST #1031
“I think it’s just grandstanding and Schirru is being made a sacrificial lamb.”
to behave or speak in a way that attracts attention and interest, especially to make oneself seem important or powerful
- Lorelai uses every meeting to grandstand, trying to make the managers think she’s the best worker in the office.
sacrificial lamb
PODCAST #1031
“I think it’s just grandstanding and Schirru is being made a sacrificial lamb.”
a person who is harmed or put in a damaging position for the benefit of the larger group
- James wasn’t really to blame for the mistake, but became the sacrificial lamb when he didn’t defend himself as the others did.
to take a stand
PODCAST #1031
“You can believe what you like, but I think it’s great that the district attorney is taking a stand.”
to boldly state one’s position and not be swayed or persuaded by others
- Someone needs to take a stand and tell Heather that her behavior is unacceptable.
at the expense of
PODCAST #1031
“Yes, but he seems to be doing it at the expense of real justice.”
causing harm or neglect to someone or something while
pursuing some other goal or action
- We can meet the deadline, but only at the expense of thoroughness and quality.
justice
PODCAST #1031
“Yes, but he seems to be doing it at the expense of real justice.”
fairness in how people are treated, especially under the law
- Gregorio became a judge because he is passionate about justice for all.
from where I’m standing
PODCAST #1031
“Not from where I’m standing.”
a phrase used to express one’s opinion while
recognizing that other people may have different perspectives or opinions
- From where I’m standing, that sounds like a terrible idea, but I realize other people may disagree with me.
blind spot
PODCAST #1031
“Then you need to find a new place to stand – preferably one without blind spots.”
an area where one’s view is obstructed (blocked) and one cannot see clearly, either literally or figuratively
- Their love for their daughter has created a blind spot where they can’t see or understand how bad her actions have become.
manager
PODCAST #1032
“We’re supposed to find out who the new manager is
going to be.”
a person who is responsible for controlling or overseeing projects, people, and/or resources within a company; a supervisor
- Have you asked your manager if you can take off the last week of July for vacation?
to hire internally
PODCAST #1032
“I hope they’re not making a mistake by hiring internally.”
to fill a job opening with someone who already works in a
different position with in the same company or organization
- Hiring internally creates more work, because first you have to hire someone for the main job opening, and then you have to hire his or her replacement.
autocratic
PODCAST #1032
“I like her, too, but she can be so autocratic.”
referring to a system where the leader or ruler has full power and is very strict and controlling
- That autocratic management style might work well for army generals, but it has no place in a small, family-owned business.
to go to (one’s) head
PODCAST #1032
“Give her a little power and it goes to her head.”
for something to make one feel very proud, important,
special, and superior to other people
- When Kelly’s first book was published, it really went to his head.
top-down
PODCAST #1032
“Every decision would be top-down.”
referring to a system of decision-making and organizational structure where the most powerful and influential people make all the decisions, and the
people below them are expected to follow and implement those decisions without providing any input
- Lyle’s previous employer had a top-down management style, so he was shocked when his new boss asked him if he had any thoughts about how the company should be run.
laissez-faire
PODCAST #1032
“He would be so laissez-faire that it would be like not having a manager at all”
hands-off; referring to a system where things happen freely and on their own, with little or no interference or direction
- In a true laissez-faire market economy, would there be any financial assistance for people who are unemployed or disabled?
to delegate
PODCAST #1032
“He’d delegate everything and then sit back and do nothing.”
to assign tasks and pieces of a larger project to other people; to ensure that other people are involved in getting some work done
- If Mohamed could learn to delegate, he wouldn’t have to spend so many hours at the office trying to finish everything by himself.
I’ll grant you that
PODCAST #1032
“I’ll grant you that. Quentin would be a horrible manager.”
an informal phrase used to express agreement with what
another person says, indicating that he or she has a good point
- He had a creative idea, I’ll grant you that, but do you really think it’s practical?
bearable
PODCAST #1032
“I suppose Jemima would be a bearable option.”
tolerable; manageable; not too difficult or awful, but not great
- With light-colored clothing, a fan, and a lot of water, the heat is bearable.
to collaborate
PODCAST #1032
“She likes to collaborate and often consults with other people to get their feedback.”
to work with other people to do something
- Has your band collaborated with any famous musicians or composers?
to consult
PODCAST #1032
“She likes to collaborate and often consults with other people to get their feedback.”
to ask for other people’s opinions; to refer to people or other resources, especially before making a decision
- Dr. Sanchez consulted a medical textbook and two of her colleagues before making a diagnosis.
feedback
PODCAST #1032
“She likes to collaborate and often consults with other people to get their feedback.”
opinions and reactions received from other people about something, especially if they are provided so that one can improve the thing
- After each workshop, we use the participants’ feedback to improve our materials for the next session.
to back a different horse
PODCAST #1032
“But I’m backing a different horse, one that would be the ideal.”
to support a different person or thing; to hope that
another person wins or that another thing is successful
- Most people want Samuel to win the race, but we’re backing a different horse this time. Nancy is our choice.
to not have a chance in hell
PODCAST #1032
“No way. I don’t have a chance in hell.”
for something to be extremely unlikely or
impossible
- If Fatima is competing, Miriam doesn’t have a chance in hell of winning the contest.
democratic
PODCAST #1032
“You’d be democratic in your decision making and I’d like that.”
referring to a system of governance or organization where everyone’s opinion is equally important and everyone has an opportunity to be involved
- If this were a democratic family, the children would have equal input in deciding where the family should go on vacation.
to rule with an iron fist
PODCAST #1032
“You wouldn’t rule with an iron fist.”
to be very strict and controlling, telling other people
what to do
- As parents, they ruled with an iron fist when their children were young, but when those children became teenagers, everything had to change.
commandant
PODCAST #1032
“Give me a little power and you can start calling
me commandant.”
a senior military leader
- The commandant ordered the troops to prepare for battle.
to put off
PODCAST #1030
“I thought we decided to put off getting a dog.”
to delay; to decide to do something later than originally planned
- They decided to put off opening a new location until they’re generating $300,000 in sales annually.
pound
(PODCAST #1030)
“I know that’s what you’d like to do, but I thought a trip to the pound might convince you that this is the right time to adopt a dog.”
an animal shelter; a place where abandoned animals are kept until a new home can be found for them or until they are killed
- How many dogs and cats were brought to the pound last month?
to adopt
(PODCAST #1030)
“I know that’s what you’d like to do, but I thought a trip to the pound might convince you that this is the right time to adopt a dog.”
to officially make a person or animal part of one’s family
- Last year, we adopted a golden retriever that is really well behaved.
breed
PODCAST #1030
“Look at this cute little dog. This card lists his breed and says that he was neglected and abandoned.”
a specific type of an animal, especially a type of dog or horse
- They want to find a dog breed that is friendly and doesn’t bark very much.
neglected
PODCAST #1030
“Look at this cute little dog. This card lists his breed and says that he was neglected and abandoned.”
not taken care of; not given enough food and shelter
- The social workers found that the children were neglected, often left sitting in an empty apartment without food for days at a time.
abandoned
PODCAST #1030
“Look at this cute little dog. This card lists his breed and says that he was neglected and abandoned.”
left on one’s own, without care or supervision from other people
- A lot of pet snakes are abandoned once they become too big to be kept inside the home.
to turn down
PODCAST #1030
“How could you turn down a face like that?”
to reject or deny; to say no to someone or something
- We were shocked when she turned down such a generous salary.
abuse
PODCAST #1030
“It says on his card that when they found him, he showed signs of abuse.”
mistreatment; physical, emotional, and/or sexual harm that is intentional
- Teachers are required by law to report cases where they suspect child abuse.
to be moved to
PODCAST #1030
“How can you not be moved to take this little guy home?”
to be compelled; to feel strong emotions that make one want to respond in a particular way
- We hope that people will be moved to donate to our cause when they receive
our letters about the good work we’ve done.
to be put down
PODCAST #1030
“I’d hate to see this little guy be put down.”
for an animal to be killed, especially because it is too old, sick, or injured, or a home cannot be found for it and there is no more space in the animal shelter
- The veterinarian said our dog has cancer and will need to be put down within the next few weeks.
to pet
PODCAST #1030
“Here, pet her and look at her little face.”
to caress; to gently touch and stroke an animal with one’s hand, feeling its fur (hair)
- Some doctors say that petting animals can help patients lower their blood pressure.
animal shelter
PODCAST #1030
“This animal shelter isn’t going to put down these dogs. It’s a humane place.”
a pound; a place where abandoned animals are kept until a new home can be found for them or until they are killed
- The animal shelter gives pets all their shots and vaccinations before it allows them to go home with a new family.
humane
PODCAST #1030
“This animal shelter isn’t going to put down these dogs. It’s a humane place.”
showing compassion and kindness; refusing to harm or hurt others
- How can we teach our children to be more humane to living creatures?
stray
PODCAST #1030
“They find so many strays that there’s no room to keep them.”
a domesticated (tame and accustomed to living with people) animal that has been abandoned and does not have a home to live in
- The city has so many stray dogs that they’ve become a safety problem.
tragic
PODCAST #1030
“It’s so sad. It’s tragic, really.”
very sad and distressful
- Have you been reading the news stories about last week’s tragic accident?
to push (one’s) luck
PODCAST #1030
“Don’t push your luck!”
to take things too far; to try very hard to make something happen, but at the risk that one might lose the good thing that one already has
- Meghan’s dad agreed to let her use the car for the evening, but when she asked for $50 too, he said, “Don’t push your luck.”
vandal
(PODCAST #1029)
“They went on vacation for a week and vandals broke a couple of windows in the back of their house and tagged their living room walls with graffiti.”
a criminal who destroys or damages public property, or private property that belongs to other people
- Some vandal knocked over our mailbox last night.
to tag
(PODCAST #1029)
“They went on vacation for a week and vandals broke a couple of windows in the back of their house and tagged their living room walls with graffiti.”
to paint the name of a person or organization on a wall or similar surface illegally
- Rival gangs are competing to see which one can tag more buildings.
graffiti
(PODCAST #1029)
“They went on vacation for a week and vandals broke a couple of windows in the back of their house and tagged their living room walls with graffiti.”
large, colorful paintings, sometimes with words, placed on walls, buildings, and vehicles illegally by people who do not own the property
- The students were suspended for putting graffiti in the school bathrooms.
punk
(PODCAST #1029)
“There are always punks who like to egg houses in this
neighborhood for fun, but this is much more serious.”
a rebellious young person who breaks the law and does other things that people dislike
- I don’t care if you dress like a punk, but don’t pierce your nose or do anything else that’s permanent.
to egg
(PODCAST #1029)
“There are always punks who like to egg houses in this
neighborhood for fun, but this is much more serious.”
to throw raw eggs at a building or vehicle that belongs to someone else, so that they break open and make a mess
- The teenagers thought it would be funny to egg their teacher’s house on Halloween night.
to get out of hand
PODCAST #1029
“I think things are getting out of hand.”
to become out of control and become a problem, especially if something started gradually and continues to worsen
- We don’t mind if employees occasionally check their email at work, but lately, their personal use of computers has been getting out of hand.
to have (one’s) tires slashed
PODCAST #1029
“Every week or two, we hear of incidents of people having their tires slashed or their cars keyed.”
for the wheels of one’s car to be cut with a knife so that the air is let out and the car cannot be driven
- They left their car on the street in a bad neighborhood for just a few minutes, but when they got back, they found that their tires had been slashed.
to key a car
PODCAST #1029
“Every week or two, we hear of incidents of people having their tires slashed or their cars keyed.”
to scrape away some of the exterior paint on the side of a car in order to cause damage
- Someone keyed our car while we were grocery shopping. Do you think we’d be able to see who did it on the store’s surveillance video?
to trample
PODCAST #1029
“And the Jamisons had their flowerbeds trampled and a small fire set on their lawn three weeks ago.”
to step on something repeatedly and heavily so that it is flat, especially a plant
- The deer ate all the lettuce and trampled the carrots in our garden.
to go downhill
PODCAST #1029
“This neighborhood is really going downhill.”
to deteriorate; to become worse
- Our sales are going downhill. How can we find new customers?
to patrol
PODCAST #1029
“I think we should start patrolling the streets at night.”
to walk or drive through an area to observe what is happening and look for dangerous or illegal activities
- In response to the increased crime rate, more police officers are patrolling the area at night.
neighborhood watch
PODCAST #1029
“You mean organize a neighborhood watch?”
a group of people who agree to work together to watch
and pay attention to what is happening to improve the safety and security of the area where they live, calling the police when necessary
- A well-organized neighborhood watch has a list of the email addresses and phone numbers of everyone who lives in the area, as well as information about when people are going to be out of town.
suspicious
PODCAST #1029
“If you’re worried, when you see something suspicious, call the police.”
making one think that something illegal or harmful is happening, even though one does not actually have proof
- Who ate the cookies? Your breath smells like chocolate, and that makes me suspicious.
response time
PODCAST #1029
“The police aren’t known for quick response times in this neighborhood.”
the amount of time needed for someone to react to something, especially the amount of time that passes between when a request is made for emergency assistance and when the ambulance or police car arrives
- It’s hard for ambulances to have a good response time when there is so much traffic on the roads.
to go after
PODCAST #1029
“Then we’ll go after them ourselves.”
to pursue or chase and try to catch someone
- The police went after the shoplifter, but they weren’t able to catch her.
vigilante
PODCAST #1029
“You mean be vigilantes?”
a civilian (not a member of the military or the police force) who tries to catch and punish criminals without the legal authority to do so
- The border towns have vigilantes who volunteer to look for illegal immigrants.
go ahead
PODCAST #1029
“Go ahead, punk, make my day!”
an invitation for someone to do something, often used sarcastically when one does not really want someone to do something, but will not do anything to stop that person from doing it
- Go ahead and drive without insurance. See what happens.
make my day
PODCAST #1029
“Go ahead, punk, make my day!”
a phrase used to challenge someone to a physical fight when one believes one will win the fight
- Do you want to fight? Try to punch me. Make my day.
task
PODCAST #1028
“Okay, your first task is to put all of these files in order.”
job; project; some piece of work that must be completed
- One of the assistant’s tasks is to keep the copier and fax machine stocked with paper and ink.
to put (something) in order
PODCAST #1028
“Okay, your first task is to put all of these files in order.”
to move things so that they are logically arranged
and organized, making it easy to find specific items later
- Please put these bills and account statements in order for our records.
storeroom
PODCAST #1028
“Wow, there must be hundreds of files in this storeroom.”
warehouse; a large room used primarily for placing objects until they are needed in the future
- The storeroom is filled with extra inventory and office supplies.
filing system
PODCAST #1028
“Create a basic filing system.”
a logical, organized way to store pieces of paper or digital files, grouping related items so that they can be found easily later
- In this filing system, pink folders are used for human resources, yellow folders are used for sales contracts, and blue folders are used for financial statements.
sequence
PODCAST #1028
“Put things in sequence.”
order, often with the earliest things first and the latest things last
- The police are interviewing witnesses to try to understand the sequence of events before the murder.
labeled
PODCAST #1028
“If they’re labeled with dates, put them in chronological order.”
with a tag or sticker that identifies something, providing basic information about it
- Each of these folders is labeled with the patient’s name, gender, and date of birth.
chronological order
PODCAST #1028
“If they’re labeled with dates, put them in chronological order.
with the earliest things first and the most recent things
last; ordered by date
- Telling stories is easy if you put the events in chronological order so that listeners can understand what happened first and what happened next.
alphabetical order
PODCAST #1028
“If they’re labeled with names, put them in alphabetical order by last name.”
arranged like the letters of the alphabet, with items starting with A listed first, and items starting with Z listed last
- On the first day of school, the teacher asked the students to sit in alphabetical order by their last names.
digit
PODCAST #1028
“It’s labeled with a four-digit number, but it’s not a date.”
one written number, from 0 to 9
- Phone numbers have 10 digits, including a three-digit area code.
ascending
PODCAST #1028
“Put those in ascending or descending numeric order, whichever makes sense.”
listed in order with the smallest values first and the largest values last; listed in order from smallest to largest
- When we sort the monthly sales in ascending order, it became clear that our worst performance is always in February.
descending
PODCAST #1028
“Put those in ascending or descending numeric order, whichever makes sense.”
listed in order with the largest values first and the smallest values last; listed in order from largest to smallest
- The tax forms require listing all the employees with their salaries in descending order, so the CEO should be at the top of the list.
numeric
PODCAST #1028
“Put those in ascending or descending numeric order, whichever makes sense.”
related to numbers, not letters
- The participants evaluated the workshop on a numeric scale, where 5 meant “excellent” and 1 meant “very poor.”
order
PODCAST #1028
“Put those in ascending or descending numeric order, whichever makes sense.”
a logical way of sorting items so that they are arranged in a predictable way
- The bookkeeper requests that we present the receipts in some sort of order, not just thrown into an envelope for her to sort through.
alphanumeric order
PODCAST #1028
“Then put those in alphanumeric order, first by letter and then by number.”
arranged and organized with respect to the letters and
numbers contained in something
- Wouldn’t it be strange if people had alphanumeric codes instead of names?
random
PODCAST #1028
“Yeah, but have you ever considered a more random filing system, something that embraces chaos?”
selected based on chance and therefore unpredictable; with an equal probability of all outcomes occurring; not ordered, logical, or predictable
- The teacher grouped the students randomly, rather than by age.
to embrace
PODCAST #1028
“Yeah, but have you ever considered a more random filing system, something that embraces chaos?”
to welcome something with a lot of enthusiasm or joy
- Does everyone in your company embrace new technology?
chaos
PODCAST #1028
“Yeah, but have you ever considered a more random filing system, something that embraces chaos?”
disorder; a complete lack of organization and logical order
- Justin’s office is total chaos. How can he get any work done if he can’t find the documents he needs?
