UNITS 21&22 • TOPIC

Question 1

aggravate

uk |ˈæɡ.rə.veɪt| us |ˈæɡ.rə.veɪt|

verb

Answer 1

1. to make a bad situation worse
* “Attempts to restrict parking in the city centre have further aggravated the problem of traffic congestion.”

2. to make a disease worse
* “The treatment only aggravated the condition.”

3. to annoy someone [informal]
* “Stop aggravating me, will you!”

Question 2

better

uk |ˈbet.ər| us |ˈbet̬.ɚ|

adjective

Answer 2

1. [comparative of] good : of a higher standard, or more suitable, pleasing, or effective than other things or people
* “He stood near the front to get a better view.”
* “Relations between the two countries have never been better.”
* “[better than] The book was better than I expected.”
* “It’s much better to have a small, cosy room than a big, cold one.”
* “[better at] She is much better at tennis than I am.”
* “[far better] It is far (= much) better to save some of your money than to spend it all at once.”
* “[better for] Fresh vegetables are better for you (= more beneficial to you) than canned ones.”
* “[the better] The longer you keep this wine, the better it tastes (= it has a better flavour if you keep it for a long time).”
* “[better than nothing] The bed was hard, but it was better than nothing (= than not having a bed).”

2. If you are or get better after an illness or injury, you are healthy again
* “I hope you get better soon.”

Question 3

better

uk |ˈbet.ər| us |ˈbet̬.ɚ|

adverb

Answer 3

1. in a more suitable, pleasing, or satisfactory way, or to a greater degree
* “The next time he took the test, he was better prepared.”
* “[much better] They did much better (= were more successful) in the second half of the game.”
* “I like this jacket much better than (= I prefer it to) the other one.”
* “[better than] She knows her way around the college better than I do.”

2. to a greater degree, when used as the comparative of adjectives beginning with “good” or “well”
* “[better looking] She is better looking (= more attractive) than her brother.”
* “[better known] He is much better known for his poetry than his songwriting.”

Question 4

better

uk |ˈbet.ər| us |ˈbet̬.ɚ|

noun

Answer 4

1. something that is of a higher standard than something else [U]
* “He ran the 100 metres in 9.91 seconds, and I have not seen better (= a faster result) this year.”

2. behaviour, work, or treatment that is more suitable, pleasing, or satisfactory [U]
* “[deserve better] You shouldn’t be so mean to your mother - she deserves better.”
* “[expect better] I didn’t think he would go out without telling me - I expected better of him.”

Question 5

better

uk |ˈbet.ər| us |ˈbet̬.ɚ|

verb

Answer 5

1. to improve a situation
* “The organization was established to better conditions for the disabled.”

Question 6

better yourself

‎

phrase

Answer 6

1. to improve your social position, often by getting a better job or education
* “He tried to better himself by taking evening classes.”
* “She’d spent most of her adult life trying to better herself.”
* “He was keen to better himself and make something of his life.”

Question 7

blemish

uk |ˈblem.ɪʃ| us |ˈblem.ɪʃ|

noun

Answer 7

1. a mark on something that spoils its appearance [C]
* “freckles, scars, and other minor skin blemishes”

2. a fault in a person’s character [C/U]
* “Is any politician’s record without blemish on this issue?”

Question 8

blemish

uk |ˈblem.ɪʃ| us |ˈblem.ɪʃ|

verb

Answer 8

1. to spoil something
* “This latest revelation has seriously blemished the governor’s reputation.”

Question 9

chaos

uk |ˈkeɪ.ɒs| us |ˈkeɪ.ɑːs|

noun

Answer 9

1. a state of total confusion with no order
* “Snow and ice have caused chaos on the roads.”
* “Ever since our secretary walked out, the office has been in a state of total/utter chaos.”
* “We muddled up the name labels and chaos ensued (= resulted).”

Question 10

cheapen

uk |ˈtʃiː.pən| us |ˈtʃiː.pən|

verb

Answer 10

1. to reduce the price
* “This has had the effect of cheapening UK exports.”

2. to make someone or something seem less valuable or important so that people respect them less [disapproving]
* “She felt that the photos were exploitative and cheapened her.”

Question 11

contaminate

uk |kənˈtæm.ɪ.neɪt| us |kənˈtæm.ə.neɪt|

verb

Answer 11

1. to make something less pure or make it poisonous
* “Much of the coast has been contaminated by nuclear waste.”
* “The food which had been contaminated was destroyed.”

Question 12

decay

uk |dɪˈkeɪ| us |dɪˈkeɪ|

verb

Answer 12

1. to become gradually damaged, worse, or less; to cause something to do this [I/T]
* “Sugar makes your teeth decay.”
* “The role of the extended family has been decaying for some time.”
* “Pollution has decayed the surface of the stonework on the front of the cathedral.”
* “the smell of decaying meat”

2. If a radioactive substance decays, it changes to a different form, producing radiation [I physics specialized]
* “[decay into] Radioactive uranium decays into stable lead at a known rate.”
* “As the actinium-225 decays, it gives off short-lived, highly energized alpha particles.”

Question 13

decay

uk |dɪˈkeɪ| us |dɪˈkeɪ|

noun

Answer 13

1. the process of decaying
* “environmental/industrial/moral/urban decay”
* “dental/tooth decay”
* “[fall into decay] The buildings had started to fall into decay.”
* “This industry has been in decay for some time.”

2. the process by which a radioactive substance changes to a different form, producing radiation [physics specialized]
* “Radon is emitted in the natural decay of radioactive materials in rock and soil.”
* “the decay rate of beryllium-7”

Question 14

decline

uk |dɪˈklaɪn| us |dɪˈklaɪn|

verb

Answer 14

1. to gradually become less, worse, or lower [I]
* “His interest in the project declined after his wife died.”
* “The party’s popularity has declined in the opinion polls.”
* “[formal] The land declines sharply away from the house.”

2. to refuse [I/T formal]
* “I invited him to the meeting but he declined.”
* “He declined my offer.”
* ”[+ to infinitive] They declined to tell me how they had obtained my address.”

3. If a noun, pronoun, or adjective declines, it has different forms to show if it is the subject or object, etc. of a verb or if it is singular or plural, etc. If you decline such a word, you list its various forms [I/T language specialized]
* “In Latin we learned how to decline nouns.”

Question 15

decline

uk |dɪˈklaɪn| us |dɪˈklaɪn|

noun

Answer 15

1. the process or fact of something becoming less in amount, importance, quality, or strength
* “industrial decline”
* “Home cooking seems to be in decline (= not so many people are doing it).”
* “It is clear that teenage smoking is on the decline.”
* “[decline in] a decline in the number of unemployed”

2. the process or fact of someone becoming physically or mentally weaker
* “We all experience physical and cognitive decline over time.”
* “Vitamin B may guard against mental decline.”
* “Now his health is in decline and his ambitions have been crushed.”
* “She seemed to be recovering and then she went into a decline.”

Question 16

defective

uk |dɪˈfek.tɪv| us |dɪˈfek.tɪv|

adjective

Answer 16

1. Something that is defective has a fault in it and does not work correctly
* “defective brakes”
* “defective eyesight”
* “a defective gene”
* “I think that theory is defective.”

Question 17

detrimental

uk |ˌdet.rɪˈmen.təl| us |ˌdet.rəˈmen.t̬əl|

adjective

Answer 17

1. causing harm or damage
* “[detrimental effect/impact] These chemicals have a detrimental effect/impact on the environment.”
* “[detrimental to] Their decision could be detrimental to the future of the company.”

Question 18

devastate

uk |ˈdev.ə.steɪt| us |ˈdev.ə.steɪt|

verb

Answer 18

1. to destroy a place or thing completely or cause great damage

2. to make someone feel very shocked and upset

Question 19

enhance

uk |ɪnˈhɑːns| us |ɪnˈhæns|

verb

Answer 19

1. to improve the quality, amount, or strength of something
* “These scandals will not enhance the organization’s reputation.”

Question 20

evaluate

uk |ɪˈvæl.ju.eɪt| us |ɪˈvæl.ju.eɪt|

verb

Answer 20

1. to judge or calculate the quality, importance, amount, or value of something
* “It’s impossible to evaluate these results without knowing more about the research methods employed.”
* ”[+ question word] We shall need to evaluate how the new material stands up to wear and tear.”

Question 21

exacerbate

uk |ɪɡˈzæs.ə.beɪt| us |ɪɡˈzæs.ɚ.beɪt|

verb

Answer 21

1. to make something that is already bad even worse
* “This attack will exacerbate the already tense relations between the two communities.”

Question 22

exquisite

uk |ɪkˈskwɪz.ɪt| us |ɪkˈskwɪz.ɪt|

adjective

Answer 22

1. very beautiful and delicate
* “an exquisite piece of china”
* “Look at this exquisite painting.”
* “She has exquisite taste.”
* “a vase of exquisite workmanship”

2. used to describe feelings such as pleasure or pain that are extremely strong, or qualities that are extremely good; great [literary]
* “exquisite joy”
* “The pain was quite exquisite.”
* “A good comedian needs to have an exquisite sense of timing.”

Question 23

first-rate

uk |ˌfɜːstˈreɪt| us |ˌfɝːstˈreɪt|

adjective

Answer 23

1. extremely good
* “a first-rate restaurant”

Question 24

flaw

uk |flɔː| us |flɑː|

noun

Answer 24

1. a fault, mistake, or weakness, especially one that happens while something is being planned or made, or that causes something not to be perfect
* “[flaw in] I returned the material because it had a flaw in it.”
* “[fatal flaw] There’s a fatal flaw in your reasoning.”
* “This report is full of flaws.”
* “a character flaw”

Question 25

**flaw** | uk |flɔː| us |flɑː| ## Footnote verb

Answer 25

**1. to cause something to be not perfect** * *"A tiny mark flawed the otherwise perfect silk shirt."*

Question 26

**ideal** | uk |aɪˈdiː.əl| us |aɪˈdiː.əl| ## Footnote adjective

Answer 26

**1. perfect, or the best possible** * *"the ideal employer"* * *"[ideal person for] She's the ideal person (= exactly the right type of person) for the job."* * *"[ideal for] The television also comes in a compact 36 cm screen size, ideal for bedroom or kitchen use."* * *"[ideal opportunity] It's the ideal opportunity to meet people."* * *"[in an ideal world] In an ideal world no one would go hungry."*

Question 27

**ideal** | uk |aɪˈdiː.əl| us |aɪˈdiː.əl| ## Footnote noun

Answer 27

**1. a principle or a way of behaving that is of a very high standard [C]** * *"democratic ideals"* * *"We are committed to the ideal of equality."* * *"They share the same high ideals."* **2. a perfect thing or situation [S]** * *"The ideal would be to have a house in the town and one in the country."*

Question 28

**inadequate** | uk |ɪˈnæd.ɪ.kwət| us |ɪˈnæd.ə.kwət| ## Footnote adjective

Answer 28

**1. not good enough or too low in quality** * *"[woefully inadequate] This work is woefully (= extremely) inadequate - you'll have to do it again."* **2. too small in amount** * *"She rejected the $2 million offer as totally inadequate."* **3. not confident enough to deal with a situation** * *"Maddie's a real expert on art, so I feel completely inadequate whenever I talk to her about it."*

Question 29

**invaluable** | uk |ɪnˈvæl.jə.bəl| us |ɪnˈvæl.jə.bəl| ## Footnote adjective

Answer 29

**1. extremely useful** * *"The new job will provide you with invaluable experience."* * *"Such data will prove invaluable to/for researchers."*

Question 30

**optimum** | uk |ˈɒp.tɪ.məm| us |ˈɑːp.tə.məm| ## Footnote adjective

Answer 30

**1. best; most likely to bring success or advantage** * *"A mixture of selected funds is an optimum choice for future security and return on investment."*

Question 31

**outclass** | uk |ˌaʊtˈklɑːs| us |ˌaʊtˈklæs| ## Footnote verb

Answer 31

**1. to be much better than someone or something** * *"The company's latest mountain bikes outclass all the competition."*

Question 32

**prime** | uk |praɪm| us |praɪm| ## Footnote adjective

Answer 32

**1. main or most important** * *"This is a prime example of 1930s architecture."* * *"the prime suspect in a murder investigation"* * *"a prime source of evidence"* * *"The president is a prime (= likely) target for the assassin's bullet."* **2. of the best quality** * *"prime beef"* * *"The hotel is in a prime location in the city centre."*

Question 33

**prime** | uk |praɪm| us |praɪm| ## Footnote noun

Answer 33

**1. the period in your life when you are most active or successful [S]** * *"This is a dancer in her prime."* * *"Middle age can be the prime of life if you have the right attitude."* * *"I suspect this cheese is past its prime."*

Question 34

**prime** | uk |praɪm| us |praɪm| ## Footnote verb

Answer 34

**1. to tell someone something that will prepare them for a particular situation** * *"I'd been primed so I knew not to mention her son."* **2. to cover the surface of wood with a special paint before the main paint is put on** **3. to make a bomb or gun ready to explode or fire**

Question 35

**refurbish** | uk |ˌriːˈfɜː.bɪʃ| us |ˌriːˈfɝː.bɪʃ| ## Footnote verb

Answer 35

**1. to make a building look new again by doing work such as painting, repairing, and cleaning** * *"The developers refurbished the house inside and out."*

Question 36

**reinforce** | uk |ˌriː.ɪnˈfɔːs| us |ˌriː.ɪnˈfɔːrs| ## Footnote verb

Answer 36

**1. to make something stronger** * *"The pockets on my jeans are reinforced with double stitching."* **2. If something reinforces an idea or opinion, it provides more proof or support for it and makes it seem true** * *"The final technical report into the accident reinforces the findings of initial investigations."* * *"His behaviour merely reinforced my dislike of him."* **3. to provide an army with more soldiers or weapons to make it stronger** * *"The garrison is to be reinforced with/by another two battalions of soldiers."*

Question 37

**renovate** | uk |ˈren.ə.veɪt| us |ˈren.ə.veɪt| ## Footnote verb

Answer 37

**1. to repair and improve something, especially a building** * *"He renovates old houses and sells them at a profit."*

Question 38

**rotten** | uk |ˈrɒt.ən| us |ˈrɑː.tən| ## Footnote adjective

Answer 38

**1. decayed** * *"The room smelled of rotten vegetables."* **2. very bad** * *"rotten weather"* * *"[old-fashioned] It was rotten of you to leave without saying goodbye."*

Question 39

**rusty** | uk |ˈrʌs.ti| us |ˈrʌs.ti| ## Footnote adjective

Answer 39

**1. covered with rust (= metal decay)** * *"a rusty car/nail"* **2. If a skill you had is rusty, it is not as good as it was because you have not practised it** * *"My Italian is a bit rusty these days."*

Question 40

**satisfactory** | uk |ˌsæt.ɪsˈfæk.tər.i| us |ˌsæt̬.ɪsˈfæk.tɚ.i| ## Footnote adjective

Answer 40

**1. good or good enough for a particular need or purpose** * *"The teachers seem to think his work is satisfactory."* * *"We hope very much to find a satisfactory solution to the problem."* * *"The outcome of the discussion was highly satisfactory (= very pleasing)."*

Question 41

**shambles** | uk |ˈʃæm.bəlz| us |ˈʃæm.bəlz| ## Footnote noun

Answer 41

**1. a state of confusion, bad organization, or untidiness, or something that is in this state** * *"After the party, the house was a total/complete shambles."* * *"Our economy is in a shambles."* * *"The way these files are arranged is the biggest shambles I've ever seen."*

Question 42

**shoddy** | uk |ˈʃɒd.i| us |ˈʃɑː.di| ## Footnote adjective

Answer 42

**1. badly and carelessly made, using low quality materials** * *"shoddy goods"* * *"shoddy workmanship"* **2. showing little respect, thought, or care** * *"They refused him sick pay when he had the flu, which is a shoddy way to treat an employee."*

Question 43

**sound** | uk |saʊnd| us |saʊnd| ## Footnote noun

Answer 43

**1. something that you can hear or that can be heard [C/U]** * *"[hear a sound] They could hear the sound of a bell tolling in the distance."* * *"[make a sound] She stood completely still, not making a sound."* * *"Suddenly we heard a loud knocking sound from the engine."* * *"[sound travels] Sound can travel over very large distances in water."* **2. the activity of recording and broadcasting sound such as from a performance of music or for a film [U]** * *"a sound engineer/recording"* **3. the volume or quality of the sound of a television or film [U]** * *"[turn the sound down/up] Could you turn the sound down/up on the TV?"* **4. the particular quality of the music that a musician or a group of musicians produce [C]** * *"The band's sound is a distinctive mixture of funk and rap."*

Question 44

**sound** | uk |saʊnd| us |saʊnd| ## Footnote adjective

Answer 44

**1. not broken or damaged; healthy; in good condition** * *"It's an old building but it's still structurally sound."* * *"Considering his age, his body is surprisingly sound."* * *"[of sound mind] Was she of sound mind (= not mentally ill) at the time of the incident?"* **2. financially strong and likely to succeed** * *"Although the company's share price has declined, its business remains basically sound."* * *"[sound investment] Government bonds are a sound investment."* **3. showing or based on good judgment** * *"[sound advice] She gave me some very sound advice."* * *"She is a sound judge of character."* * *"I'm not sure how sound the theoretical basis for this argument is."* **4. able to be trusted because of having a lot of ability or knowledge** * *"[sound on] The book is very sound on the basics."* * *"How sound is her knowledge of the subject?"* **5. not harmful or wrong** * *"Are these pesticides environmentally sound?"* * *"I want our business to operate in an ethically sound way."* **6. used to say that you like, agree with, or approve of someone or something [UK informal]** * *"He's a good guy. He's sound."* * *""Shall we go there now?" "Yeah, sound.""* **7. (of sleep) deep** * *"He quickly fell into a sound sleep."* * *"Her sleep was so sound that she did not wake when they moved her."* **8. used to describe someone who sleeps deeply and well** * *"I'm normally a very sound sleeper but this noise kept me awake."* **9. (of a beating or defeat) severe** * *"The party was forced to reflect after a sound beating at the ballot box."* * *"The thief was given a sound thrashing."*

Question 45

**sound** | uk |saʊnd| us |saʊnd| ## Footnote adverb

Answer 45

**1. deeply** * *"[sound asleep] He was sound asleep within moments of getting into bed."*

Question 46

**stale** | uk |steɪl| us |steɪl| ## Footnote adjective

Answer 46

**1. no longer new or fresh, usually as a result of being kept for too long** * *"The bread/biscuits/cake had gone stale."* * *"The morning after the party, their apartment smelled of stale cigarette smoke."* **2. not fresh and new; boring because too familiar** * *"stale jokes/news"* **3. used to describe someone who has lost interest in what they are doing because of being bored or working too hard** * *"They had been working together for over five years and they had both become a little stale."*

Question 47

**streamline** | uk |ˈstriːm.laɪn| us |ˈstriːm.laɪn| ## Footnote verb

Answer 47

**1. to shape something so that it can move as effectively and quickly as possible through a liquid or gas** * *"Streamlining cars increases their fuel efficiency."* * *"The bodies of dolphins are more streamlined than those of porpoises."* **2. to improve the effectiveness of an organization such as a business or government, often by making the way activities are performed simpler** * *"The cost-cutting measures include streamlining administrative procedures in the company."* * *"Leading organizations use software to streamline their workflow."* * *"Streamlining management could save at least 15 percent in costs."*

Question 48

**strengthen** | uk |ˈstreŋ.θən| us |ˈstreŋ.θən| ## Footnote verb

Answer 48

**1. to make something stronger or more effective, or to become stronger or more effective** * *"They have been strengthening their border defences in preparation for war."* * *"His battle against cancer has strengthened his belief in God."* * *"The accident strengthens the case for better safety measures at fairgrounds."* * *"The bank loan has greatly strengthened our financial position."* * *"The organization's aim is to strengthen the cultural ties between Britain and Germany."* * *"The rise in US interest rates caused the dollar to strengthen (= increase in value) against all the Asian currencies."*

Question 49

**surpass** | uk |səˈpɑːs| us |sɚˈpæs| ## Footnote verb

Answer 49

**1. to do or be better than** * *"His time for the 100 metres surpassed the previous world record by one hundredth of a second."* * *"The book's success has surpassed everyone's expectations."* * *"The director has really surpassed himself (= done better than he has done before) with this new film."*

Question 50

**ultimate** | uk |ˈʌl.tɪ.mət| us |ˈʌl.tə.mət| ## Footnote adjective

Answer 50

**1. most extreme or important because either the original or final, or the best or worst** * *"Of course the ultimate responsibility for the present conflict without doubt lies with the aggressor."* * *"My manager will make the ultimate decision about who to employ."* * *"Infidelity is the ultimate betrayal."* * *"the ultimate luxury cruiser"*

Question 51

**worsen** | uk |ˈwɜː.sən| us |ˈwɝː.sən| ## Footnote verb

Answer 51

**1. to become worse or to make something become worse** * *"As the company's financial problems worsened, several directors resigned."* * *"The continued supply of arms to the region will only worsen the situation."*

Question 52

**wreck** | uk |rek| us |rek| ## Footnote verb

Answer 52

**1. to destroy or badly damage something** * *"The explosion shattered nearby windows and wrecked two cars."* * *"Our greenhouse was wrecked in last night's storm."* **2. to spoil something completely [informal]** * *"He has been warned that his behaviour might wreck his chances of promotion."*

Question 53

**wreck** | uk |rek| us |rek| ## Footnote noun

Answer 53

**1. a vehicle or ship that has been destroyed or badly damaged** * *"Divers exploring the wreck managed to salvage some coins and jewellery."* * *"The burned-out wrecks of two police cars littered the road."* **2. someone who is in bad physical or mental condition [informal]** * *"The stress she had been under at work reduced her to a nervous/quivering wreck."*

Question 54

**abstract** | uk |ˈæb.strækt| us |ˈæb.strækt| ## Footnote adjective

Answer 54

**1. existing as an idea, feeling, or quality, not as a material object** * *"Truth and beauty are abstract concepts."* **2. An abstract argument or discussion is general and not based on particular examples** * *"This debate is becoming too abstract - let's have some hard facts!"*

Question 55

**abstract** | uk |ˈæb.strækt| us |ˈæb.strækt| ## Footnote noun

Answer 55

**1. a short form of a speech, article, book, etc., giving only the most important facts or ideas** * *"There is a section at the end of the magazine that includes abstracts of recent articles/books."* **2. a painting that uses shapes, lines, and colour in a way that does not try to represent the appearance of people or things**

Question 56

**abstract** | uk |æbˈstrækt| us |æbˈstrækt| ## Footnote verb

Answer 56

**1. to consider something in a general way or make a general judgment after looking at particular details [I/T]** * *"Most interviewees focus on their own experience and do not generalize or abstract the situation."* * *"A general rule is arrived at by abstracting from the data."* **2. to remove or separate someone or something from a place or context (= the situation, facts, words, etc. that exist around something) [T]** * *"[abstract someone from something] It was impossible to abstract children from their social environment with all its dangers."* * *"[abstract something from something] Relevant information was abstracted from the database or from medical records."* **3. to give a summary or abstract (= a short description giving the most important ideas) of something [T]** * *"If you find an article you think should be abstracted in our journal, submit it for consideration."*

Question 57

**auction** | uk |ˈɔːk.ʃən| us |ˈɑːk.ʃən| ## Footnote noun

Answer 57

**1. a usually public sale of goods or property, where people make higher and higher bids (= offers of money) for each thing, until the thing is sold to the person who will pay most** * *"a furniture auction"* * *"They're holding an auction of jewellery on Thursday."* * *"The painting will be sold at auction next week."* * *"The house and its contents are being put up for auction."*

Question 58

**auction** | uk |ˈɔːk.ʃən| us |ˈɑːk.ʃən| ## Footnote verb

Answer 58

**1. to sell something in a public auction** * *"The stamps will be auctioned tomorrow."* * *"The family is auctioning (off) its art collection."*

Question 59

**audition** | uk |ɔːˈdɪʃ.ən| us |ɑːˈdɪʃ.ən| ## Footnote noun

Answer 59

**1. a short performance that an actor, musician, dancer, etc. gives in order to show they are suitable for a particular play, film, show, etc.** * *"His audition went well and he's fairly hopeful about getting the part."* * *"The director is holding auditions next week for the major parts."*

Question 60

**audition** | uk |ɔːˈdɪʃ.ən| us |ɑːˈdɪʃ.ən| ## Footnote verb

Answer 60

**1. to give a short performance in order to show that you are suitable for a part in a film, play, show, etc., or to make someone do this** * *"I'm auditioning for the part of Lady Macbeth."* * *"We're auditioning local rock bands for the music festival."*

Question 61

**bestseller** | uk |ˌbestˈsel.ər| us |ˌbestˈsel.ɚ| ## Footnote noun

Answer 61

**1. a product that is extremely popular and has sold in very large numbers** * *"The "Harry Potter" novels were all bestsellers."* * *"the bestseller list (= the list of the most popular books)"*

Question 62

**curator** | uk |kjʊəˈreɪ.tər| us |kjʊˈreɪ.t̬ɚ| ## Footnote noun

Answer 62

**1. a person in charge of a museum, library, etc.**

Question 63

**fine art** | uk |ˌfaɪn ˈɑːt| us |ˌfaɪn ˈɑːrt| ## Footnote noun

Answer 63

**1. drawings, paintings, and sculptures that are admired for their beauty and have no practical use [U]**

Question 64

**installation** | uk |ˌɪn.stəˈleɪ.ʃən| us |ˌɪn.stəˈleɪ.ʃən| ## Footnote noun

Answer 64

**1. the act of putting furniture, a machine, or a piece of equipment into position and making it ready to use [C/U]** * *"Do you have to pay extra for installation?"* * *"There have been calls for the installation of cameras at the junction."* * *"Among our installations is a solar thermal system for domestic hot water."* **2. the act of putting a computer program onto a computer so that the computer can use it [C/U computing specialized]** * *"You will receive a message confirming correct installation of the program."* * *"There's no guaranteed way to block unwanted software installations."* **3. a place where there are buildings and equipment that have a particular, especially military, purpose [C]** * *"a nuclear installation"* * *"The military still have several bases and installations on the island."* **4. an occasion when someone is put in an important job or position [U]** * *"The installation of the new archbishop will take place in January."* **5. a form of modern sculpture where the artist uses sound, movement, or space as well as objects in order to make an often temporary work of art [C]** * *"The new installation adds an exciting interactive element to the museum's central atrium."*

Question 65

**lines** | ‎ ## Footnote phrase

Answer 65

**1. a punishment for school students in which a sentence has to be written repeatedly** * *"She got 200 lines for swearing at her teacher."* * *"We had to stay behind after school and write lines."* * *"We were given lines for minor misdeeds."* * *"You can't leave this room until you have finished your lines."* * *"If you answer back once, you get 50 lines and if you do it again, you get 100."*

Question 66

**lyrics** | ‎ ## Footnote phrase

Answer 66

**1. the words of a song, especially a pop song** * *"Paul Simon wrote the lyrics for most of his songs."* * *"The lyrics of her songs are deeply personal."* * *"You can download all the lyrics from the band's website."* * *"They were forced to change the song's lyrics in order to play it on TV."* * *"They sang in the car, making up their own lyrics to well-known tunes."*

Question 67

**masterpiece** | uk |ˈmɑː.stə.piːs| us |ˈmæs.tɚ.piːs| ## Footnote noun

Answer 67

**1. a work of art such as a painting, film, or book that is made with great skill (also masterwork)** * *"Leonardo's "Last Supper" is widely regarded as a masterpiece."*

Question 68

**paperback** | uk |ˈpeɪ.pə.bæk| us |ˈpeɪ.pɚ.bæk| ## Footnote noun

Answer 68

**1. a book with a cover made of thick paper** * *"a best-selling paperback"* * *"I'll buy some paperbacks at the airport."* * *"It will be published in paperback (= as a paperback) in March."*

Question 69

**period** | uk |ˈpɪə.ri.əd| us |ˈpɪr.i.əd| ## Footnote noun

Answer 69

**1. a length of time** * *"Her work means that she spends long periods away from home."* * *"[in a period] Unemployment in the first half of the year was 2.5 percent lower than in the same period the year before."* * *"[in/over a period of] 15 people were killed in/over a period of four days."* * *"[over a period] The study will be carried out over a six-month period."* **2. a fixed time during the life of a person or in history** * *"Most teenagers go through a rebellious period."* * *"The house was built during the Elizabethan period."* **3. in school, a division of time in the day when a subject is taught** * *"We have six periods of science a week."* **4. one of the fixed times that a sports game is divided into, especially in ice hockey (= a team game played on ice, with curved sticks and a small disc)** * *"The match was won and lost in the first period, when Durham fell six goals behind."* * *"In the second period he scored by banking the puck off the right post and into the net."* **5. the process of blood coming from the uterus (= the organ in which a baby develops before birth), which usually happens once a month when someone is not pregnant** * *"period pains"* * *"She'd missed a period and was worried."* **6. the symbol . used in writing at the end of a sentence or at the end of the short form of a word [mainly US (UK usually full stop)]** **7. said at the end of a statement to show that you believe you have said all there is to say on a subject and you are not going to discuss it any more [mainly US]** * *"There will be no more shouting, period!"*

Question 70

**period** | uk |ˈpɪə.ri.əd| us |ˈpɪr.i.əd| ## Footnote adjective

Answer 70

**1. used to describe clothes, furniture, and other things from a particular time in history** * *"[period dress] They performed "Julius Caesar" in period dress."* * *"[period furniture] The house, with its period furniture, is in demand as a film location."* * *"The film is very impressive in its period detail."* * *"Recordings of period music are now widely available, much of it performed on authentic period instruments."*

Question 71

**priceless** | uk |ˈpraɪs.ləs| us |ˈpraɪs.ləs| ## Footnote adjective

Answer 71

**1. A priceless object has such a high value, especially because it is rare, that the price of it cannot be calculated** * *"A priceless collection of vases was destroyed."* * *"[figurative] Her knowledge and experience would make her a priceless (= extremely useful) asset to the team."* **2. extremely funny to see or hear [informal]** * *"You should have seen the look on her face when I told her - it was priceless!"*

Question 72

**recital** | uk |rɪˈsaɪ.təl| us |rɪˈsaɪ.t̬əl| ## Footnote noun

Answer 72

**1. a performance of music or poetry, usually given by one person or a small group of people** * *"I went to a violin recital today."* * *"He is giving a recital of Bach's sonatas."* **2. a detailed description of something or a list of things** * *"She gave us a long, boring recital of all her troubles."* **3. the main details about a contract including who it involves and why they are making the contract, often given before the main text of a contract and starting with the word "whereas" [law specialized]** * *"The recitals and parts of the text imply that the directive can only apply to contracts for the supply of goods and services."*

Question 73

**retrospective** | uk |ˌret.rəˈspek.tɪv| us |ˌret.rəˈspek.tɪv| ## Footnote noun

Answer 73

**1. a show of the work an artist has done in their life so far** * *"a Hockney retrospective/a retrospective of Hockney's work"*

Question 74

**retrospective** | uk |ˌret.rəˈspek.tɪv| us |ˌret.rəˈspek.tɪv| ## Footnote adjective

Answer 74

**1. relating to or thinking about the past** * *"a retrospective album of solo Freddie Mercury tracks"*

Question 75

**score** | uk |skɔːr| us |skɔːr| ## Footnote verb

Answer 75

**1. to win or get a point, goal, etc. in a competition, sport, or game [I/T]** * *"Tennant scored in the last minute of the game."* * *"She has scored over twenty goals for her team this season."* * *"In American football, a touchdown scores (= is worth) six points."* * *"She scored 18 out of 20 in the spelling test."* **2. to get a particular number of points on a test or in an examination [T mainly US]** * *"She did well in her exam, scoring 85, well above the necessary 60."* * *"All the youngsters scored well in intelligence tests."* **3. to count or decide on the number of points someone gets on a test or in an examination [T mainly US]** * *"Thousands of teachers are involved in preparing questions for state tests and in scoring the exams."* * *"Safeguards are built in to ensure that the tests are scored correctly."* **4. to record the number of points won by competitors [I UK (US keep score)]** * *"We need someone to score for tomorrow's match."* **5. to succeed in an activity or to achieve something [I/T]** * *"She has certainly scored a success with her latest novel."* * *"His 2018 teen comedy scored with audiences, if not with critics."* * *"Nearly every bomb scored a hit."* * *"[UK] You have a lot of patience - that's where you score over (= are better than) your opponents."* **6. to get something [T US informal]** * *"I managed to score a couple of tickets to the World Cup final."* **7. to get illegal drugs [I/T slang]** * *"She tried to score some dope in a nightclub."* **8. to have sex with someone that you have usually just met [I slang]** * *"Did you score last night, then?"* **9. to make a mark or cut on the surface of something hard with a pointed tool, or to draw a line through writing [T]** * *"If you score the tile first, it will be easier to break."*

Question 76

**score** | uk |skɔːr| us |skɔːr| ## Footnote noun

Answer 76

**1. the number of points, goals, etc. achieved in a game or competition [C plural scores]** * *"a high/low score"* * *"Have you heard the latest cricket score?"* * *"At half time, the score stood at (= was) two all."* * *"The final score was 3–0."* * *"Could you keep (= record) the score at this afternoon's game?"* **2. the number of points someone gets on a test or in an examination [C mainly US plural scores (UK usually mark)]** * *"The test scores of hundreds of students were compared."* * *"Only 939 out of approximately 1.4 million high school seniors achieved the perfect score."* **3. a piece of written music showing the parts for all the instruments and voices [C plural scores]** * *"an orchestral score"* **4. the music written for a film, play, etc. [C plural scores]** * *"a film score"* * *"Rodgers wrote the score for/of/to "Oklahoma!"."* **5. 20 or approximately 20 [C usually singular formal plural score]** * *"He lived to be three score years and ten (= until he was 70 years old)."*

Question 77

**sketch** | uk |sketʃ| us |sketʃ| ## Footnote noun

Answer 77

**1. a simple, quickly-made drawing that does not have many details** * *"My mother made a (pencil) sketch of my brother reading a book."* **2. a short written or spoken story that does not have many details** **3. a short, humorous part of a longer show on stage, television, or radio** * *"I thought the sketch about celebrity chefs was really funny."*

Question 78

**sketch** | uk |sketʃ| us |sketʃ| ## Footnote verb

Answer 78

**1. to make a sketch of something** * *"The art students were told to sketch the landscape."* * *"When I have some spare time, I like to sketch."* * *"The artist has sketched out a design for the new school."*

Question 79

**work of art** | uk |ˌwɜːk əv ˈɑːt| us |ˌwɝːk əv ˈɑːrt| ## Footnote noun

Answer 79

**1. an object made by an artist of great skill, especially a painting, drawing, or statue** * *"The thieves stole several valuable works of art."*

Question 80

**worthless** | uk |ˈwɜːθ.ləs| us |ˈwɝːθ.ləs| ## Footnote adjective

Answer 80

**1. having no value in money** * *"The company's shares are now virtually worthless."* * *"He said the jewels were worthless fakes."* **2. not important or not useful** * *"She was criticized so much by her employers that she began to feel worthless."*