Rendención_01_01

Question 1

1. Stopping i_n front of_ the Zara shop window** (Compare **enfrente de** cf **frente a** cf **delante de
2. if she would look just as good** **in those white linen trousers
3. besides, it would flatten (or flatten out) her bottom
4. but the downtown** shop (or **in the centre of town**) was **packed** (or **crowded) with people at the time. (vb = to pack or to cram, as in fill up)

Answer 1

1. Deteniéndose frente al escaparate de Zara (enfrente de = more facing as in opposite from or across the way, frente a* = same as enfrente de, *delante de = in front of, as in ahead of ie in that order
2. si a ella le quedaría igual de bien ese pantalón de lino blanco
3. además, le aplanaría el culo (aplanar)
4. pero la céntrica** tienda estaba en ese momento **atestada de gente (atestar)

Question 2

1. she headed for the pedestrian crossing
2. they crossed terrified (not asustado or espantado or aterrorizado)
3. a sleek Mercedes (think: slender or stylized, other meanings same adj)
4. The unknown old woman with her bony fingers, was insistent in her efforts … (loc vb, without prep = to strive) (N sing = determination or effort(s))
5. was bent on** getting her out of from **in the middle** (eg of the road) (loc vb = **to be set on doing s.th, vb on own = to pawn ← seen b4)

Answer 2

1. se dirigió al paso de peatones
2. cruzaron despavoridos
3. un estilizado Mercedes
4. La anciana desconocida con sus dedos huesudos, porfiaba en su empeño
5. empeñada en sacarla de en medio** (**empeñarse en)

Question 3

1. she shouted into her phone (loc vb = gritar = to shout)
2. doing as she pleased (or what she felt like or wanted) (loc vb)
3. a white man, crossing himself (vb - to cross oneself)
4. From her forehead fell trickles of sweat
5. Nuria insisted, just to needle (or wind-up)poke her companion a little. (what vb literally mean?)

Answer 3

1. daba voces a su teléfono (dar voces)
2. haciendo lo que le daba la gana (dar la gana)
3. hombre blanco santiguándose (santiguarse)
4. De su frente caían regueros de sudor
5. insistió Nuria, solo por pinchar un poco a su compañero (lit pinchar = to prick or to poke)

Question 4

1. The combination of that dirty haze added to the pollution (N = bruma)
2. Swarms of motorbikes, bicycles and electric scooters whizzed past** … (scooter = like a skateboard + upright pole and handle) (vb - **to whizz past)
   3a. … the old grey Toyota Prius riddled with dents and scratches …
   3b. … that served as a camouflaged police vehicle.
3. Throwing them up in the air** and passing [them] **over X.
4. made her shudder at the prospect of getting out of the vehicle and facing the outside world.

Answer 4

1. La combinación de aquella sucia calima sumada a la contaminación
2. Enjambres de motos, bicicletas y patinetes eléctricos zumbaban (zumbar)
   3a. … el viejo Toyota Prius gris plagado de abolladuras y arañazos … (abollar = to dent)
   3b. … que hacía las veces de vehículo camuflado de la policía
3. Lanzándolos por los aires** y pasándoles **por encima de X
4. la hacían estremecerse ante la perspectiva de salir de vehículo y enfrentarse al mundo exterior

Question 5

1. They had been wheedling (or coaxing) information in dribs and drabs about Elias to Vilchez for several months.
2. After almost two years of unsuccessful (or fruitless) investigation
3. Even though he held a higher rank,
4. For all practical purposes**, they treated each other **as equals, and
5. but, were it not for the silvery temples and the hair that was beginning to thin out** (or **recede) on the crown (ie top of the head)

Answer 5

1. Llevaban varios meses sonsacando información con cuentagotas a Vilchez sobre Elías (cuentagota = a medical dropper eg for eye liquid)
2. Tras casi dos años de investigación infructuosa
3. Aunque él ostentaba un rango superior, (ostentar = hold or occupy, a position)
4. A efectos prácticos**, se trataban **de igual a igual, y
5. pero, si no fuera por las sienes plateadas** y el pelo que comenzaba a **ralear en la coronilla

Question 6

1. Nuria glanced at the screen on the dashboard,
2. hands handcuffed behind his back
3. neglected housing estate buildings, the dusty streets (housing estate ie public housing funded by govt)
4. [those that] **found themselves** + destined to survive on the meagre government(al) minimum income (pron vb = to fine oneself + syn)
5. dedicated to wheeling and dealing, counterfeiting (or forgery) and …

Answer 6

1. Nuria le echó un vistazo a la pantalla del salpicadero,
2. las manos esposadas a la espalda
3. descuidados edificios de viviendas subvencionadas, las calles polvorientas (subvencionar = to subsidize)
4. se vieron + abocados a sobrevivir de la exigua renta mínima gubernamental (verse)
5. dedicados al trapichero, a las falsificaciones y … (also un trapichero = a wheeler and dealer, idea is small time)

Question 7

1. an industrial estate of old brick units with gabled (or pitched) roofs** (Full N = **industrial units)
2. following a pot-holed** road (vb - **to patch**, or **to fill pot-holes)
3. My parents lived a few blocks from here. (block, as in group of buildings + what else mean?)
4. But admit that you’re** not **very good with children. (loc vb also = to have a knack for)
5. Of course I am. I’m very good with them**. (alt loc vb = **to be good at)

Answer 7

1. un polígono industrial de antiguas naves de ladrillo con techos de dos aguas** (**naves industriales)
2. siguiendo una bacheada carretera (bachear)
3. Mis padres vivían a unas pocas manzanas de aquí
4. Pero admite que no tienes maña con los niños (tener maña con)
5. Claro que la tengo. Se me dan muy bien. (me/te + darse bien)

Question 8

1. in the rest of the world they were up to their necks* (or *eyeballs) in shit
2. the famine decimated** the population. (**to decimate)
3. Like crabs in the face of the rising tide,
4. some of the population of the surrounding towns** had moved to others **further away. (adj - surrounding, also = neighbouring) (explain - further away)

Answer 8

1. en el resto del mundo estaban de mierda hasta el cuello
2. la hambruna diezmaba a la población (diezmar)
3. Como cangrejos frente a la subida de la marea,
4. parte de la población de las localidades aledañas se había mudado a otras más apartadas.** (**apartado** = **remote** or **away from)

Question 9

1. took a detour that led them onto a perimeter road
2. the irritating black and yellow speed humps set every fifty metres.
3. As soon as they _cleared_ the entry point, the Prius began to rattle (or clatter) along the uneven gravel that covered the streets of the slum (Nb: structure - as soon as + inf)(vb - to clear or to go through)
4. inhabited by the outcasts** who had **borne the brunt of the pandemic crisis (loc exp, can be used from perspective of 1. victim + 2. perpetrator + 3. refer to mess in gen. If 2. what mean? If 3. what mess?)

Answer 9

1. tomó un desvío que los condujo a una carretera perimetral
2. los irritantes badenes negros y amarillos dispuestos cada cincuenta metros
3. Nada más _franquear_ el acceso, el Prius comenzó a traquetear por la irregular grava que cubría las calles del arrabal (nada más + inf)
4. habitada por los parias** que habían **pagado los platos rotos de la crisis de la pandemia (pagar los platos rotos* = 2. *to take it out on* 3. *to pick up the pieces)

Question 10

1. Google wouldn’t have found it worthwhile to update it on its maps.
2. Why do you like to play these jokes on me?
3. with a tap he opened the glove box** (or glove compartment)and took out his **regulation glasscam goggles,
4. shoving on a dirty Barca cap (explain - putting on, specialised use + what N meaning?)

Answer 10

1. Google no le hubiera merecido la pena actualizarlo en sus mapas
2. ¿Por qué te gusta hacerme estas bromas?
3. con un golpecito abrió la guantera y sacó sus gafas glasscam reglamentarias,
4. calándose** una sucia gorra del Barca (**calarse** = ponerse + hat **with force**. **calar** = **to seep** → **calarse = to get wet or soaked)

Question 11

1. we’ll give them a bad review on Tripadvisor (review, as in escrito breve)
2. the dusty, compacted dirt streets narrowed as** (or **while) they … (loc vb = a la vez que pasa algo)
3. … walked deeper into the city (lvb + prep = to go (deeper) into)
4. they were both wearing worn jeans (or worn out or threadbare)
5. one _could tell f_or miles that they were cops (Nb: Spanish equivalent to this Eng exp)

Answer 11

1. les pondremos una mala reseña en Tripadvisor
2. las polvorientas calles de tierra compactada se estrechaban a medida que …
3. … se adentraban en aquella ciudad (adentrarse en)
4. ambos vestían tejanos gastados
5. _se veía_ a kilómetros que eran policías

Question 12

1. on either side of the street there were single-storey shacks built from the remains of building work. (What alt N which already know for shack) (Clue: built not construir)
2. pointing to the peeling wooden door (vb = to peel)
3. a rusty padlock hung* from the end of the *loose chain that served as a lock (loc vb = to act as**, or **to serve as)
4. it was like a punch in the face

Answer 12

1. a cada lado de la calle se sucedían casuchas de una sola planta levantadas con restos de obra (chabola)
2. señalando la descascarillada puerta de madera (descascarillar)
3. un candado oxidado colgaba del extremo de la cadena suelta que hacía las veces de cerradura (hacer las veces de)
4. fue como un puñetazo en pleno rostro

Question 13

1. the analogy was too trite (or hackneyed, as in well-known) (explain origin)
2. if not to lock Elias Zafrani up for life, then at least to put him out of circulation
3. some hothead (or fanatic)(Nb: N also = adj eg hotheaded)
4. they were so afraid of him that it was impossible to coax (or cajole or wheedle out) a single word out of them

Answer 13

1. la analogía estaba muy trillada (from trillar = to wear out, from over-use)
2. si no para encerrar a Elías Zafrani de por vida, sí al menos para sacarlo de circulación
3. algún exaltado
4. le tenían tal miedo que _resultaba imposibl_e sonsacarles una sola palabra

Question 14

1. decorated with a couple of posters of Pius XIII
2. a big-breasted Latina riding** a Harley (think: **perched on** or **mounted on, eg a horse)
3. a red plastic table with the Coca-Cola logo on it, flanked by two filthy wooden stools. (what else adj mean if stools made of metal?)
4. Dirty plates scattered on a filthy** (or **gross**, ie really **disgusting) counter (or cooktop, ie area in kitchen prepare food).

Answer 14

1. decoradas con un par de afiches de Pío XIII
2. una latina de grandes pechos subida en una Harley
3. una mesa de plástico rojo con el logo de Coca-Cola, flanqueada por dos roñosos taburetes de madera (also = rusty or rusted)
4. Platos sucios desperdigados sobre una cochambrosa encimera

Question 15

1. drops of sweat beaded (or pearled) on Nuria’s forehead. She wiped them off with the back of her hand. (vb = to dry off)
2. soaked her skin under the oppressive (or stifling) bullet-proof vest
3. into the gloomy corridor
4. the two dwellings that encircled It (it = casa) (vb = surround, like a defensive wall)
5. that house, which reminded Nuria of a sort of enormous burrow (or liar)

Answer 15

1. gotas de sudor perlaban la frente de Nuria. Se** las **secó con el dorso de la mano (secarse)
2. le empapaba la piel bajo el agobiante chaleco antibalas
3. al tenebroso pasillo
4. las dos viviendas que la ceñíen (ceñir)
5. aquella casa, que a Nuria le recordaba a una suerte de enorme madriguera

Question 16

1. _On_ three. (or _On the count of_ three.)
2. She stepped aside** to allow David **to go by** (or **pass**) (loc vb - **to stand aside** or **to move over)
3. the shaken (or shaky) voice of his companion (explain adj)
4. “Fuck,” Nuria mumbled (or muttered) between her teeth, “To hell with it all”. (vb, hablar entre dientes)
5. the unavoidable (or inescapable) sensation that a pair of eyes were watching (or spying on) them. (vb means, vigilar con cautela)

Answer 16

1. _A la de_ tres.
2. Se hizo a un lado** para permitir **el paso de** David. (**hacerse a un lado)
3. la voz quebrada de su compañero (quebrado - uneven or rough, as in irregular)
4. Joder – masculló Nuria entre dientes – A la mierda con todo.
5. la sensación insoslayable de que un par de ojos los acechaban. (Nb, de appears cos’ there is a mising verb which always has de eg alegrarse de) (acechar)

Question 17

1. he burst into the corridor
2. an _energy saving_ light bulb
3. until it lead it into** (or **end in) [the] front of a new room. (ie large room + in S.Amer = ranch)
4. _according to_ the manual, they could have stayed in the deceased’s room (explain vb)

Answer 17

1. él irrumpía en el pasillo (irrumpir en)
2. una bombilla _de bajo consumo_
3. hasta desembocar frente a una nueva estancia
4. _ateniéndose a_l manual, podrían haber_se quedado_ en la habitación del difunto (atenerse a = to follow or to obey or to abide by)