U1 Vocabulary

Question 1

knockoff

Answer 1

A knockoff is a cheap copy of a well-known product. (informal)

• ⇒ You can buy a nice knockoff watch from them.*
• ⇒ Apple’s Macintosh microcomputer appeared to be a low-cost knockoff of the Xerox Star*

Question 2

power up

Answer 2

When you power up something such as a computer or a machine, you connect it to a power supply and switch it on.

• ⇒ Simply power up your laptop and continue work.*
• ⇒To power up the phone, you just give it a roll.*

Question 3

to court

Answer 3

To court a particular person, group, or country means to try to please them or improve your relations with them, often so that they will do something that you want them to do.

• ⇒ [V n] Both Democratic and Republican parties are courting former supporters of Ross Perot.*
• ⇒ These people are often courted by manufacturers for this purpose.*

Question 4

blunder

(blʌndəʳ)

Answer 4

A blunder is a stupid or careless mistake.

• ⇒ I think he made a tactical blunder by announcing it so far ahead of time*
• ⇒ Famous product blunders include Ford Motor Company’s Edsel,*

Question 5

shun

(ʃʌn)

Answer 5

If you shun someone or something, you deliberately avoid them or keep away from them.

• ⇒ [V n]From that time forward everybody shunned him. ⇒ [V n] He has always shunned publicity.*
• leading potential users to shun it in droves*

Question 6

in droves

Answer 6

If you say that people are going somewhere or doing something in droves, you are emphasizing that there is a very large number of them. (emphasis)

⇒ Scientists are leaving the country in droves. [Also + of]

Question 7

discard

(dɪskɑːʳd)

Answer 7

If you discard something, you get rid of it because you no longer want it or need it.

• ⇒ [V n] Read the manufacturer’s guidelines before discarding the box.*
• The sooner bad ideas are discarded, the less the investment made and lost.*

Question 8

scrap

Answer 8

If you scrap something, you get rid of it or cancel it. (informal, journalism)

⇒ [V n] President Hussein called on all countries in the Middle East to scrap nuclear or chemical weapons.

Question 9

faucet

(fɔːsɪt)

Answer 9

A faucet is a device that controls the flow of a liquid or gas from a pipe or container. Sinks and baths have faucets attached to them. (US)

⇒ She turned off the faucet and dried her hands.

in BRIT, usually use tap

Question 10

rife

Answer 10

If you say that something, usually something bad, is rife in a place or that the place is rife with it, you mean that it is very common.

⇒ Speculation is rife that he will be sacked. ⇒ [+ with] Hollywood soon became rife with rumors.

Question 11

turn down

Answer 11

If you turn down a person or their request or offer, you refuse their request or offer.

• ⇒ [V n P] Before this I’d have smiled and turned her down.*
• ⇒ [V P n] Would you turn down $7,000,000 to appear nude in a magazine?*

Question 12

iron out

Answer 12

If you iron out difficulties, you resolve them and bring them to an end.

• ⇒ [V P n] It was in the beginning, when we were still ironing out problems. [Also V n P]*
• ⇒ …because the product might still have bugs that need to be ironed out*

Question 13

iffy

Answer 13

If something is iffy, it is uncertain. (informal)

• ⇒ His political future has looked iffy for most of this year.*
• ⇒ If the relationship between the parties is “iffy,”*

Question 14

specs

Answer 14

short for specifications

Question 15

beef up

Answer 15

If you beef up something, you increase, strengthen, or improve it.

⇒ [V P n] Both sides are still beefing up their military strength.

⇒ [V-ed P] …a beefed up police presence. [Also V n P]

Question 16

Convenience food

Answer 16

Convenience food is frozen, dried, or canned food that can be heated and prepared very quickly and easily.

⇒ I rely too much on convenience food.

Question 17

keep up with smth

Answer 17

If you keep up with your work or with other people, you manage to do or understand all your work, or to do or understand it as well as other people. ⇒ [V P + with] Penny tended to work through her lunch hour in an effort to keep up with her work.

⇒ [V P] Life is tough for kids who aren’t keeping up in school.

Question 18

incentive

Answer 18

поощрение, стимулирование

The low initial price of the product is often combined with advertising, coupons, samples, or other special incentives to increase awareness of the product and get consumers to try it.