UNITS 5&6 • TOPIC

Question 1

abrupt

uk |əˈbrʌpt| us |əˈbrʌpt|

adjective

Answer 1

1. sudden and unexpected, and often unpleasant
* “Our conversation came to an abrupt end when George burst into the room.”
* “[abrupt change] There was an abrupt change in her attitude towards me when she heard that I was Alan’s boyfriend.”
* “The car juddered and came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the road.”
* “The road ended in an abrupt (= sudden and very steep) slope down to the sea.”

2. using too few words when talking, in a way that seems rude and unfriendly
* “He is sometimes very abrupt with clients.”
* “an abrupt manner/reply”

Question 2

anachronism

uk |əˈnæk.rə.nɪ.zəm| us |əˈnæk.rə.nɪ.zəm|

noun

Answer 2

1. a person, thing, or idea that exists out of its time in history, especially one that happened or existed later than the period being shown, discussed, etc.
* “For some people, marriage is an anachronism from the days when women needed to be protected.”

Question 3

annual

uk |ˈæn.ju.əl| us |ˈæn.ju.əl|

adjective

Answer 3

1. happening once every year
* “an annual event/visit/holiday”
* “Companies publish annual reports to inform the public about the previous year’s activities.”

2. relating to a period of one year
* “annual income/salary/profit”

Question 4

annual

uk |ˈæn.ju.əl| us |ˈæn.ju.əl|

noun

Answer 4

1. a book or magazine published once a year, especially for children, with the same title and style but different contents

2. a yearbook [US]

3. a plant that grows, produces seeds, and dies within one year

Question 5

antique

uk |ænˈtiːk| us |ænˈtiːk|

noun

Answer 5

1. something made in an earlier period that is collected and considered to have value because it is beautiful, rare, old, or of high quality
* “You can’t give away Granny’s old bookcase - it’s a valuable antique.”
* “My mother collects antiques.”

2. someone or something very old or old-fashioned [humorous]
* “These kids make me feel like an antique.”
* “This is a recipe from my childhood, which I guess makes it an antique.”

Question 6

antique

uk |ænˈtiːk| us |ænˈtiːk|

adjective

Answer 6

1. made in an earlier period and considered to have value because of being beautiful, rare, old, or of high quality
* “antique silver/jewellery/lace/furniture”

2. trading or relating to antiques
* “an antique dealer”
* “antique shops/markets/fairs/auctions”

3. very old or old-fashioned [often humorous]
* “I just can’t let go of the antique idea of reading actual books.”
* “This quaint love story seems almost absurdly antique now.”

Question 7

century

uk |ˈsen.tʃər.i| us |ˈsen.tʃər.i|

noun

Answer 7

1. a period of 100 years
* “The city centre has scarcely changed in over a century.”
* “This sculpture must be centuries old.”
* “Her medical career spanned half a century.”

Question 8

chronological

uk |ˌkrɒn.əˈlɒdʒ.ɪ.kəl| us |ˌkrɑː.nəˈlɑː.dʒɪ.kəl|

adjective

Answer 8

1. following the order in which a series of events happened
* “Give me the dates in chronological order.”
* “The narrative line of the book is not chronological.”
* “The timeline shows the chronological development of the phenomenon.”

Question 9

contemporary

uk |kənˈtem.pər.ər.i| us |kənˈtem.pə.rer.i|

adjective

Answer 9

1. existing or happening now, and therefore seeming modern
* “contemporary music/literature/art/fashion”
* “Although the play was written hundreds of years ago, it still has a contemporary feel to it.”
* “I wanted to update my kitchen and put in something more contemporary.”

2. belonging to the same period, or to a stated period in the past
* “Almost all of the contemporary accounts of the event have been lost.”
* “[contemporary with] Most of the writers he was contemporary with were interested in the same subjects.”

Question 10

contemporary

uk |kənˈtem.pər.ər.i| us |kənˈtem.pə.rer.i|

noun

Answer 10

1. someone living during the same period as someone else
* “Was he a contemporary of Shakespeare’s?”

2. a person who is of the same age as you
* “She didn’t mix with her contemporaries, preferring the company of older people.”

Question 11

decade

uk |ˈdek.eɪd| |dekˈeɪd| us |ˈdek.eɪd| |dekˈeɪd|

noun

Answer 11

1. a period of ten years, especially a period such as 2010 to 2019

Question 12

duration

uk |dʒʊəˈreɪ.ʃən| us |duːˈreɪ.ʃən|

noun

Answer 12

1. the length of time that something lasts
* “He planned a stay of two years’ duration.”

Question 13

elapse

uk |iˈlæps| us |iˈlæps|

verb

Answer 13

1. If time elapses, it goes past
* “Four years had elapsed since he left college and still he hadn’t found a job.”

Question 14

era

uk |ˈɪə.rə| us |ˈer.ə| us |ˈɪr.ə|

noun

Answer 14

1. a period of time of which particular events or stages of development are typical
* “the Jefferson era”
* “His memoir offers us a fascinating glimpse of a bygone era.”
* “the post-war era”
* “[era of] They had worked for peace during the long era of conflict.”

Question 15

eternal

uk |ɪˈtɜː.nəl| us |ɪˈtɝː.nəl|

adjective

Answer 15

1. lasting forever or for a very long time
* “The company is engaged in the eternal search for a product that will lead the market.”
* “Will you two never stop your eternal arguing!”

Question 16

expire

uk |ɪkˈspaɪər| us |ɪkˈspaɪr|

verb

Answer 16

1. If something that lasts for a fixed length of time expires, it comes to an end or stops being in use [I]
* “My passport expires next month.”
* “The contract between the two companies will expire at the end of the year.”

2. to die [I literary]
* “He ceased to breathe, gently expiring without any struggle at the age of 90.”
* “In 1936 the last Tasmanian tiger breathed its final breath and expired in a zoo in Hobart.”

3. to breathe out or to breathe air out [I/T medical , biology specialized]
* “The patient inhales as much air as possible and then expires with maximum effort.”
* “The device measures the amount of carbon dioxide expired by the patient’s lungs.”

Question 17

frequency

uk |ˈfriː.kwən.si| us |ˈfriː.kwən.si|

noun

Answer 17

1. the number of times something happens within a particular period, or the fact of something happening often or a large number or times [C/U]
* “[frequency of] Complaints about the frequency of buses rose in the last year.”
* “the increasing frequency of terrorist attacks”
* “It’s not the duration of his absences from work so much as the frequency that worries me.”

2. the number of times that a wave, especially a light, sound, or radio wave, is produced within a particular period, especially one second [U physics specialized]
* “the frequency of light”
* “low frequency radiation”
* “The human ear cannot hear very high-frequency sounds.”

3. a particular number of radio waves produced in a second at which a radio signal is broadcast [C media specialized]
* “Do you know what frequency the BBC World Service is on?”

Question 18

instantaneous

uk |ˌɪn.stənˈteɪ.ni.əs| us |ˌɪn.stənˈteɪ.ni.əs|

adjective

Answer 18

1. happening immediately, without any delay
* “an instantaneous response/reply/reaction”

Question 19

interim

uk |ˈɪn.tər.ɪm| us |ˈɪn.t̬ɚ.ɪm|

adjective

Answer 19

1. temporary and intended to be used or accepted until something permanent exists
* “an interim solution”
* “An interim government was set up for the period before the country’s first free election.”

2. used to describe part of a company’s business year, rather than the whole year
* “Directors declared an interim dividend of 30 cents.”

Question 20

interval

uk |ˈɪn.tə.vəl| us |ˈɪn.t̬ɚ.vəl|

noun

Answer 20

1. a period between two events or times
* “We see each other at regular intervals - usually about once a month.”

2. the space between two points
* “The plants should be spaced at six-inch intervals.”

3. a short period between the parts of a performance or a sports event [UK (US intermission)]
* “There will be two 20-minute intervals during the opera.”
* “He scored his first goal of the match three minutes after the interval.”

Question 21

lapse

uk |læps| us |læps|

noun

Answer 21

1. a temporary failure [C]
* “a lapse of concentration”
* “[lapse of] The management’s decision to ignore the safety warnings demonstrated a remarkable lapse of judgment.”
* “[memory lapse] Her memory lapses have become more frequent in the last year.”

2. a period of time passing between two things happening [C usually singular]
* “a time lapse/a lapse of time”
* “He turned up again after a lapse of two years.”

Question 22

lapse

uk |læps| us |læps|

verb

Answer 22

1. to end legally or officially by not being continued or made effective for a longer period
* “The association needs to win back former members who have allowed their subscriptions to lapse.”
* “His health insurance policy lapsed for nonpayment of premiums.”

2. to experience a temporary failure
* “Since his illness, he finds his memory and concentration lapse occasionally.”
* “The conversation lapsed for a moment.”

3. to return to a worse state or condition, usually temporarily
* “He is a reformed drinker who sometimes lapses.”
* “She seemed to be getting better, then she would lapse again.”

Question 23

lifetime

uk |ˈlaɪf.taɪm| us |ˈlaɪf.taɪm|

noun

Answer 23

1. the period of time during which someone lives or something exists [usually singular]
* “[in someone’s lifetime] We’ll see a tremendous number of technological changes in our lifetime.”
* “[during someone’s lifetime] I never imagined that such an event would be possible during my lifetime.”
* “[of a lifetime] Winners of the competition will get the holiday of a lifetime (= the best holiday they will ever have).”
* “[it seems like a lifetime] I’ve only been working here two days, but it seems like a lifetime.”
* “[last a lifetime] A watch of this quality should last a lifetime.”
* “Marriage is no longer always seen as a lifetime commitment.”
* “[lifetime supply] You could win a lifetime supply (= enough to last your whole life) of toothpaste.”

Question 24

lifetime

uk |ˈlaɪf.taɪm| us |ˈlaɪf.taɪm|

adjective

Answer 24

1. achieved or measured over the whole of a career (= working life) playing sport, especially baseball or cricket
* “He had a lifetime batting average of .338 - producing a hit every three trips to the plate.”
* “He holds many of baseball’s most distinguished records, including most lifetime runs batted in.”
* “During his career, he scored 55 centuries at a lifetime average of 56.”

Question 25

long-standing

uk |ˌlɒŋˈstæn.dɪŋ| us |ˌlɑːŋˈstæn.dɪŋ|

adjective

Answer 25

1. having existed for a long time
* “a long-standing agreement”

Question 26

millennium

uk |mɪˈlen.i.əm| us |mɪˈlen.i.əm|

noun

Answer 26

1. a period of 1,000 years, or the time when a period of 1,000 years ends
* “The corpse had lain preserved in the soil for almost two millennia.”

Question 27

obsolete

uk |ˌɒb.səlˈiːt| us |ˌɑːb.səlˈiːt|

adjective

Answer 27

1. not in use any more, having been replaced by something newer and better or more fashionable
* “Gas lamps became obsolete when electric lighting was invented.”

Question 28

overdue

uk |ˌəʊ.vəˈdʒuː| us |ˌoʊ.vɚˈduː|

adjective

Answer 28

1. not done or happening when expected or when needed; late
* “My library books are a week overdue.”
* “The baby is two weeks overdue (= the baby was expected to be born two weeks ago).”
* “Changes to the tax system are long overdue.”
* “She feels she’s overdue for promotion.”

Question 29

period

uk |ˈpɪə.ri.əd| us |ˈpɪr.i.əd|

noun

Answer 29

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 30

period

uk |ˈpɪə.ri.əd| us |ˈpɪr.i.əd|

adjective

Answer 30

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 31

permanent

uk |ˈpɜː.mə.nənt| us |ˈpɝː.mə.nənt|

adjective

Answer 31

1. lasting for a long time or for ever
* “She is looking for a permanent place to stay.”
* “Are you looking for a temporary or a permanent job?”
* “The disease can cause permanent damage to the brain.”
* “A semi-permanent hair dye will wash out after about three months.”
* “He entered the United States in 1988 as a permanent resident because of his marriage to a U.S. citizen.”

2. Something that is permanent exists or happens all the time
* “Mont Blanc has a permanent snow cap.”
* “Our office is in a permanent state of chaos.”

Question 32

permanent

uk |ˈpɜː.mə.nənt| us |ˈpɝː.mə.nənt|

noun

Answer 32

1. a chemical process that makes your hair curly, or a hairstyle that is created in this way [US (also perm); (formal permanent wave)]

Question 33

phase

uk |feɪz| us |feɪz|

noun

Answer 33

1. any stage in a series of events or in a process of development
* “The project is only in its initial phase as yet, but it’s looking quite promising.”
* “We’re entering a new phase in international relations.”

2. a period of strange or difficult behaviour that will stop after a while, especially a period that a young child or person goes through
* “When I was in my early teens I went through a phase of only ever wearing black.”

3. The phases of the moon are the regular changes in its shape as it appears to us on earth.

Question 34

phase

uk |feɪz| us |feɪz|

verb

Answer 34

1. to introduce something in stages over a particular period of time
* “The reduction in armed forces will be phased over the next ten years.”

Question 35

postpone

uk |pəʊstˈpəʊn| |pəstˈpəʊn| us |poʊstˈpoʊn|

verb

Answer 35

1. to delay an event and plan or decide that it should happen at a later date or time
* “They decided to postpone their holiday until next year.”
* ”[+ -ing verb] We’ve had to postpone going to France because the children are ill.”

Question 36

prior

uk |praɪər| us |praɪr|

adjective

Answer 36

1. existing or happening before something else, or before a particular time [formal]
* “The course required no prior knowledge of Spanish.”
* “They had to refuse the dinner invitation because of a prior engagement (= something already planned for that time).”

Question 37

prior

uk |praɪər| us |praɪr|

noun

Answer 37

1. a man who is in charge of a priory or who is second in charge of an abbey

Question 38

prompt

uk |prɒmpt| us |prɑːmpt|

verb

Answer 38

1. to make something happen
* “The bishop’s speech has prompted an angry response from both political parties.”
* “Recent worries over the president’s health have prompted speculation over his political future.”

Question 39

prompt

uk |prɒmpt| us |prɑːmpt|

adjective

Answer 39

1. (of an action) done quickly and without delay, or (of a person) acting quickly or arriving at the arranged time
* “They’ve written back already - that was a very prompt reply.”
* “They’re usually fairly prompt in dealing with enquiries.”
* “Try to be prompt because we’ll be very short of time.”

Question 40

prompt

uk |prɒmpt| us |prɑːmpt|

noun

Answer 40

1. a sign on a computer screen that shows that the computer is ready to receive your instructions

2. an instruction given to an artificial intelligence (= a computer system or machine that has some of the qualities that a human brain has, such as the ability to interpret and produce language in a way that seems human, recognize or create images, solve problems, and learn from data supplied to it) by a human using natural language rather than computer language
* “As a beginner in prompt engineering, start with simple prompts and gradually move on to more complex ones.”
* “AI prompts are essentially commands that the AI model can understand.”

Question 41

prompt

uk |prɒmpt| us |prɑːmpt|

adverb

Answer 41

1. at the time stated and no later
* “We’ll be leaving at six o’clock prompt.”

Question 42

provisional

uk |prəˈvɪʒ.ən.əl| us |prəˈvɪʒ.ən.əl|

adjective

Answer 42

1. for the present time but likely to change
* “a provisional government”
* “These dates are only provisional.”

Question 43

punctual

uk |ˈpʌŋk.tʃu.əl| us |ˈpʌŋk.tʃu.əl|

adjective

Answer 43

1. arriving, doing something, or happening at the expected, correct time; not late
* “a punctual start to the meeting”
* “He’s fairly punctual (= he usually arrives on time).”

Question 44

seasonal

uk |ˈsiː.zən.əl| us |ˈsiː.zən.əl|

adjective

Answer 44

1. relating to or happening during a particular period in the year
* “seasonal vegetables”
* “seasonal farm work”

Question 45

simultaneous

uk |ˌsɪm.əlˈteɪ.ni.əs| us |ˌsaɪ.məlˈteɪ.ni.əs|

adjective

Answer 45

1. happening or being done at exactly the same time
* “There were several simultaneous explosions in different cities.”

Question 46

span

uk |spæn| us |spæn|

noun

Answer 46

1. the period of time that something exists or happens [C usually singular]
* “[attention/concentration span] He has a short attention/concentration span.”
* “[life span] an average lifespan of 70 years”
* “[over a span of] Over a span of just three years, the new government has transformed the country’s economic prospects.”

Question 47

span

uk |spæn| us |spæn|

verb

Answer 47

1. [past simple of] spin

2. to exist or continue for a particular length of time [T -nn-]
* “Tennis has a history spanning several centuries.”
* “Her acting career spanned almost six decades.”

3. If a bridge spans a river, it goes from one side to the other [T -nn-]
* “An old bridge spans the river just outside the town.”

Question 48

spell

uk |spel| us |spel|

verb

Answer 48

1. to form a word or words with the letters in the correct order [I/T spelled/UK also spelt | spelled/UK also spelt]
* “How do you spell receive?”
* “Shakespeare did not always spell his own name the same way.”
* “[spell something (out)] Our address is 1520 Main Street, Albuquerque. Shall I spell that (out) (= say in the correct order the letters that form the word) for you?”
* “I think it’s important that children should be taught to spell.”

Question 49

spell

uk |spel| us |spel|

noun

Answer 49

1. a period of time for which an activity or condition lasts continuously
* “[for a spell] I lived in Cairo for a spell.”
* “[have a spell as] She had a brief spell as captain of the team.”
* “[dizzy spell] I keep having/getting dizzy spells (= periods of feeling as if I’m turning around).”

2. a short period of a particular type of weather
* “a spell of dry weather”
* “The weather forecast is for dry, sunny spells.”

3. a period when you do something that someone else would usually be doing, especially in order to allow them to rest [US]
* “[spells (with)] If we take spells (with) doing the painting, it won’t seem like such hard work.”

4. spoken words that are thought to have magical power, or (the condition of being under) the influence or control of such words
* “[cast/put a spell on] The witch cast/put a spell on the prince and he turned into a frog.”
* “[break the spell] A beautiful girl would have to kiss him to break (= stop) the spell.”
* “[under a spell] Sleeping Beauty lay under the wicked fairy’s spell until the prince woke her with a kiss.”

Question 50

stint

uk |stɪnt| us |stɪnt|

noun

Answer 50

1. a fixed or limited period of time spent doing a particular job or activity
* “He has just finished a stint of compulsory military service.”
* “Perhaps her most productive period was her five-year stint as a foreign correspondent in New York.”

Question 51

stint

uk |stɪnt| us |stɪnt|

verb

Answer 51

1. to provide, take, or use only a small amount of something
* “The bride’s parents did not stint on the champagne - there was plenty for everyone.”
* “Don’t stint yourself - take another slice of cake.”

Question 52

subsequent

uk |ˈsʌb.sɪ.kwənt| us |ˈsʌb.sɪ.kwənt|

adjective

Answer 52

1. happening after something else
* “The book discusses his illness and subsequent resignation from politics.”
* “Those explosions must have been subsequent to our departure, because we didn’t hear anything.”

Question 53

temporary

uk |ˈtem.pər.ər.i| |ˈtem.prər.i| us |ˈtem.pə.rer.i|

adjective

Answer 53

1. not lasting or needed for very long
* “The ceasefire will only provide a temporary solution to the crisis.”
* “temporary staff”

Question 54

timely

uk |ˈtaɪm.li| us |ˈtaɪm.li|

adjective

Answer 54

1. happening at the best possible moment
* “a timely reminder”
* “The change in the exchange rate provided a timely boost to the company’s falling profits.”

Question 55

vintage

uk |ˈvɪn.tɪdʒ| us |ˈvɪn.t̬ɪdʒ|

adjective

Answer 55

1. produced in the past, and typical of the period in which it was made
* “a vintage plane”
* “a vintage comic book”

Question 56

vintage

uk |ˈvɪn.tɪdʒ| us |ˈvɪn.t̬ɪdʒ|

noun

Answer 56

1. the wine made in a particular year, or a particular year in which wine has been made [C]
* “The 1983 vintage was one of the best.”
* “What vintage is this wine? (= In what year was it made?)”

2. a group of things that were produced, or a group of people who were active, during the same particular period [U]
* “Cars of recent vintage may not need inspection.”
* “You and I are of the same vintage, so we remember this.”

3. clothing, jewellery, etc. that is not new, especially when it is a good example of a style from the past [U]
* “I tend to wear vintage but I have a few new designer pieces.”
* “If you want a more interesting watch, consider buying vintage.”

Question 57

the civil service

uk |ˌsɪv.əl ˈsɜː.vɪs| us |ˌsɪv.əl ˈsɝː.vɪs|

noun

Answer 57

1. the government departments responsible for putting central government plans into action
* “The British civil service is supposed to be non-political.”

Question 58

client

uk |ˈklaɪ.ənt| us |ˈklaɪ.ənt|

noun

Answer 58

1. a customer or someone who receives services
* “Mr Black has been a client of this firm for many years.”
* “We always aim to give our clients personal attention.”

2. a computer that is connected to a server (= large central computer) from which it gets information

Question 59

colleague

uk |ˈkɒl.iːɡ| us |ˈkɑː.liːɡ|

noun

Answer 59

1. one of a group of people who work together
* “We’re entertaining some colleagues of Carol’s tonight.”

Question 60

consultant

uk |kənˈsʌl.tənt| us |kənˈsʌl.tənt|

noun

Answer 60

1. someone who advises people on a particular subject
* “a management/financial/computer consultant”
* “a firm of public relations consultants”

2. a hospital doctor at the highest level with special training in and knowledge of a particular area of medicine [UK]
* “She is an ear, nose, and throat consultant at a large teaching hospital.”
* “He was on a waiting list to see a consultant about his back.”
* “a consultant psychiatrist/paediatrician/obstetrician”
* “a consultant dermatologist/gynaecologist/cardiologist”

Question 61

effective

uk |ɪˈfek.tɪv| us |əˈfek.tɪv|

adjective

Answer 61

1. successful or achieving the results that you want
* “The lighting for the production made a very effective use of shadow.”
* “She’s a very effective teacher.”
* “This style of decoration is simple yet effective.”

2. (used about a treatment or drug) working well when used by people in general, as opposed to only under carefully controlled scientific testing conditions [medical specialized]
* “How effective a drug is depends on many factors, including how consistently the patient follows the instructions for taking it.”
* “It’s an extremely effective cure for a headache.”

Question 62

efficient

uk |ɪˈfɪʃ.ənt| us |ɪˈfɪʃ.ənt|

adjective

Answer 62

1. working or operating quickly and effectively in an organized way
* “The city’s transport system is one of the most efficient in Europe.”
* “We need someone really efficient who can organize the office and make it run smoothly.”

2. working in a way that does not waste a resource (= something valuable such as fuel, water, or money)
* “Modern-day car engines are much more efficient.”
* “Try to replace your lightbulbs with more efficient bulbs.”

Question 63

executive

uk |ɪɡˈzek.jə.tɪv| us |ɪɡˈzek.jə.t̬ɪv|

noun

Answer 63

1. someone in a high position, especially in business, who makes decisions and puts them into action (informal exec, uk/ɪɡˈzek/ us/ɪɡˈzek/)
* “[senior executive] She is now a senior executive, having worked her way up through the company.”

Question 64

executive

uk |ɪɡˈzek.jə.tɪv| us |ɪɡˈzek.jə.t̬ɪv|

adjective

Answer 64

1. relating to making decisions and managing businesses, or suitable for people with important jobs in business
* “His executive skills will be very useful to the company.”
* “executive cars”
* “an executive suite”

Question 65

fire

uk |faɪər| us |faɪr|

verb

Answer 65

1. to cause a weapon to shoot bullets, arrows, or missiles [I/T]
* “He fired his gun into the air.”
* “[fire at] Someone started firing at us.”
* “[fire into] Without warning he started firing into the crowd.”
* “I just prayed that he would stop firing.”
* “The ambassador denied that any missiles had been fired across the border.”

2. to direct a series of questions or criticisms at someone [T/I]
* “The journalists were firing questions at me for two whole hours.”
* “[fire away] “I’d like to ask you some questions about your childhood.” “Fire away!” (= You can start asking them now.)”

3. to remove someone from their job, either because they have done something wrong or badly, or as a way of saving the cost of employing them [T]
* “She was fired after she was caught stealing from her employer.”
* “[be fired from] He was fired from his $165,000 job for poor performance.”
* “She has just been fired as editor of the newspaper.”
* “The company is reducing its workforce by firing 500 employees.”

Question 66

headhunt

uk |ˈhed.hʌnt| us |ˈhed.hʌnt|

verb

Answer 66

1. to persuade someone to leave their job by offering that person another job with more pay and a higher position
* “She was headhunted by a rival firm.”

Question 67

leave

uk |liːv| us |liːv|

noun

Answer 67

1. time allowed away from work for a holiday or illness [U]
* “How much annual/paid leave do you get?”
* “She’s (gone) on leave (= holiday).”
* “I’ve asked if I can take a week’s unpaid leave.”

Question 68

marketing

uk |ˈmɑː.kɪ.tɪŋ| us |ˈmɑːr.kɪ.t̬ɪŋ|

noun

Answer 68

1. a job that involves encouraging people to buy a product or service
* “a career in marketing”
* “Our marketing people have come up with a great idea for the launch of the new model.”

2. shopping [US/Indian English]
* “We like to get the marketing done on Thursdays so we can have the weekend free.”

Question 69

multinational

uk |ˌmʌl.tiˈnæʃ.ən.əl| us |ˌmʌl.t̬iˈnæʃ.ən.əl|

adjective

Answer 69

1. involving several different countries, or (of a business) producing and selling goods in several different countries
* “The UN has sent a multinational peace-keeping force.”
* “a major multinational food company”

Question 70

multinational

uk |ˌmʌl.tiˈnæʃ.ən.əl| us |ˌmʌl.t̬iˈnæʃ.ən.əl|

noun

Answer 70

1. a large and powerful company that produces and sells goods in many different countries
* “Are multinationals now more powerful than governments?”

Question 71

the private sector

uk |ˈpraɪ.vət ˌsek.tər| us |ˈpraɪ.vət ˌsek.tɚ|

noun

Answer 71

1. businesses and industries that are not owned or controlled by the government
* “60 percent of recent graduates are working in the private sector.”
* “private sector employers”

Question 72

promotion

uk |prəˈməʊ.ʃən| us |prəˈmoʊ.ʃən|

noun

Answer 72

1. activities to advertise something [C/U]
* “a sales promotion”
* “There was a promotion in the supermarket and they were giving away free glasses of wine.”
* “Obviously as sales manager he’ll be very involved in the promotion and marketing of the product.”

2. the act of encouraging something to happen or develop [U]
* “the promotion of a healthy lifestyle”

3. the act of raising someone to a higher or more important position or rank [C/U]
* “Did Steve get/Was Steve given the promotion he wanted?”
* “The job offers excellent promotion prospects.”

4. If a sports team wins promotion, it moves to a higher division at the end of the season [U, C/U mainly UK]
* “River Plate’s win last night has considerably increased their chances of promotion this season.”

Question 73

prospects

‎

phrase

Answer 73

1. the possibility of being successful, especially at work
* “She’s hoping the course will improve her career prospects.”
* “[prospects of/for] Prospects of/for (= opportunities for) employment remain bleak for most people in the area.”
* “This scandal did nothing for his electoral prospects.”
* “She was worried that refusing to join the union could harm her job prospects.”
* “She wants to marry him, but we don’t know much about his prospects.”

Question 74

the public sector

uk |ˈpʌb.lɪk ˌsek.tər| us |ˈpʌb.lɪk ˌsek.tɚ|

noun

Answer 74

1. businesses and industries that are owned or controlled by the government
* “Most doctors work in the public sector.”
* “public sector workers such as nurses or teachers”

Question 75

recruit

uk |rɪˈkruːt| us |rɪˈkruːt|

verb

Answer 75

1. to persuade someone to work for a company or become a new member of an organization, especially the army
* “Charities such as Oxfam are always trying to recruit volunteers to help in their work.”
* “Even young boys are now being recruited into the army.”
* “Having slimmed to around 1,400 staff, the company is now recruiting again.”
* “an army recruiting centre/officer”

Question 76

recruit

uk |rɪˈkruːt| us |rɪˈkruːt|

noun

Answer 76

1. a new member of an organization, especially the army
* “Raw recruits (= completely new soldiers) were trained for six months and then sent to the war front.”

Question 77

redundant

uk |rɪˈdʌn.dənt| us |rɪˈdʌn.dənt|

adjective

Answer 77

1. (especially of a word, phrase, etc.) unnecessary because it is more than is needed
* “In the sentence “She is a single unmarried woman”, the word “unmarried” is redundant.”

2. having lost your job because your employer no longer needs you [UK]
* “To keep the company alive, half the workforce is being made redundant.”
* “[figurative] New technology often makes old skills and even whole communities redundant.”

Question 78

sack

uk |sæk| us |sæk|

noun

Answer 78

1. a large bag made of strong cloth, paper, or plastic, used to store large amounts of something [C]
* “The corn was stored in large sacks.”
* “a sack of potatoes/coal/flour”

Question 79

sack

uk |sæk| us |sæk|

verb

Answer 79

1. to remove someone from a job, usually because they have done something wrong or badly, or sometimes as a way of saving the cost of employing them [mainly UK (US usually fire)]
* “They sacked her for being late.”
* “He got sacked from his last job.”

Question 80

strike

uk |straɪk| us |straɪk|

verb

Answer 80

1. to refuse to continue working because of an argument with an employer about working conditions, pay levels, or job losses [I]
* “[the right to strike] Democratization has brought workers the right to strike and join a trade union.”
* “[strike for] We’re striking for better pay and improved safety standards.”

2. to cause a person or place to suffer severely from the effects of something very unpleasant that happens suddenly [I/T]
* “[disaster strikes] I have a life insurance policy that will take care of my family if disaster strikes.”
* “The disease has struck the whole community, sometimes wiping out whole families.”
* “[earthquake strikes] They predict that a large earthquake will strike the west coast before the end of the decade.”

3. to hit or attack someone or something forcefully or violently [I/T]
* “Her car went out of control and struck an oncoming vehicle.”
* “The police have warned the public that the killer could strike again.”
* “[strike someone on something] The autopsy revealed that his murderer had struck him on the head with an iron bar.”
* “[be struck by lightning] Have you ever been struck by lightning?”
* “My golf was terrible today - I just didn’t strike the ball well.”

4. to kick a football, especially hard so that it travels a long distance [I/T]
* “Beckham struck the ball with precision.”

5. When a clock strikes, its bells ring to show what the time is [I/T]
* “The clock was striking ten as we went into the church.”

6. When a particular time strikes, a clock’s bells ring to tell people what time it is [I]
* “Midnight had just struck when I went upstairs to bed.”

7. If you strike a match, you cause it to burn by rubbing it against a hard rough surface [T]
* “She struck a match and lit another cigarette.”
* “[strike something on something] He bent and struck a match on the sole of his boot.”

8. to achieve a sudden success, such as by scoring a goal in football or taking a wicket in cricket [I]
* “Arsenal struck first, scoring in the twelfth minute.”
* “Johnson struck when he had Atapattu caught by Read.”

9. to remove something officially from a document [T usually + adv/prep formal]
* “[strike something from something] Please strike my name from your mailing list immediately.”
* “[be struck off] Several unreliable dealers have been struck off our list of authorized suppliers.”

10. to discover a supply of oil, gas, or gold underground [T]
* “[strike oil] The first person to strike oil in the US was Edwin Laurentine Drake.”

11. to reach or make an agreement [T]
* “[strike a deal] Do you think the government should try to strike a deal with the terrorists?”

12. to cause someone to have a feeling or idea about something [T]
* “[strike someone as something] Doesn’t it strike you as odd that he never talks about his family?”
* “[be struck by] I was immediately struck by the similarities between the two murders.”
* “So how does my proposition strike you? (= What do you think of it?)”
* ”[+ (that)] It strikes me (that) you’d be better off working for someone else.”

13. If a thought or idea strikes you, you suddenly think of it [T]
* ”[+ that] It’s just struck me that I still owe you for the concert tickets.”
* “Sitting at her desk, she was struck by the thought that there had to be something more to life.”

Question 81

strike

uk |straɪk| us |straɪk|

noun

Answer 81

1. a period of time when workers refuse to work because of an argument with an employer about working conditions, pay levels, or job losses
* “After last year’s long and bitter strike, few people want more industrial action.”
* “[call a strike] They had to play three games with replacement players after the NFL Players Association called a strike.”
* “[call for a strike] Some miners were calling for a nationwide strike.”
* “[lightning strike] They have voted to stage lightning (= sudden and short) strikes in pursuit of their demands.”
* “[stage a one-day strike] We’ve voted to stage a series of one-day strikes.”
* “[wave of strikes] A wave of strikes swept the country.”
* “[strike action] Union leaders threatened strike action over the changes.”
* “[strike ballot] The result of the strike ballot will be known tomorrow morning.”

Question 82

union

uk |ˈjuː.njən| us |ˈjuː.njən|

noun

Answer 82

1. the act or the state of being joined together [S/U]
* “Meanwhile the debate on European political and monetary union continues.”
* “[formal] She believes that the union (= marriage) of man and woman in holy matrimony is for ever.”