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Vocabulary > Use of English > Flashcards

Use of English Flashcards

1
Q

BITS AND PIECES

A

assorted objects

After the accident there were bits and pieces of the wreckage spread all over the road.

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2
Q

CUT AND DRIED

A

decided, unlikely to be changed

We need a cut and dried decision by the end of the week.

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3
Q

HOUSE AND HOME

A

‘driven out of house and home’
forced to leave their home

During the II world war my great-grandparents were driven out of house and home and taken to the concentration camp.

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4
Q

PURE AND SIMPLE

A

wholly, “and nothing else”

There is no honour in killing innocent people; it is murder, pure and simple.

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5
Q

WIND AND WEATHER

A

‘exposed to wind and weather’

liable to be damaged by the elements

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6
Q

FAR AND WIDE

A

over a large area

We searched far and wide for a surgeon who could perform that delicate operation.

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7
Q

DEAD AND BURIED

A

finished and forgotten about

The LGBT community won’t stop fighting for justice until homophobia is dead and buried from our world.

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8
Q

FAST AND FURIOUS

A

‘blows fell fast and furious’
a lot of blows were delivered in anger and violence

full of speed and violence
It’s not a relaxing movie, its action is pretty fast and furious.

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9
Q

odds and ends

A

assorted small objects

=bits and pieces

I took most of the big things to the new house but there are some odds and ends left to pick up.

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10
Q

OUT-AND-OUT

A

‘an out-and-out socialist’
commited socialist

used to emphasize an unpleasant quality of a person or thing

You are an out-and-out liar!

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11
Q

ROUGH AND READY

A

improvised
simple but good enough

The solution I suggested was rough and ready but I didn’t have time to think about it more carefully.

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12
Q

ALL AND SUNDRY

A

everyone

I don’t want all and sundry to know about our problems.

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13
Q

HIGH AND DRY

A

‘left high and dry’
left helpless and alone in a very difficult situation

The inadequate supplies of vaccine left many people high and dry when the flu season arrived.

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14
Q

BY AND BY

A

when the right time comes
eventually

You’ll get used to it by and by, just be patient.

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15
Q

SPICK AND SPAN

A

clean and tidy

Since they hired a cleaning lady, the house is always spick and span.

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16
Q

HARD AND FAST

A

‘hard and fast rules’
fixed, rigid rules

At the moment there’s no hard and fast timetable.

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17
Q

RIGID

A

not able to be changed or adapted

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18
Q

FREE AND EASY

A

casual and informal

The atmosphere in the office is fairly free and easy.

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19
Q

FLESH AND BLOOD

A

‘more than flesh and blood can stand’
human weakness

I’m only flesh and blood, like anyone else.

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20
Q

FEW AND FAR BETWEEN

A

not happening or existing very often; rare

Successful women politicians are few and far between.

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21
Q

SONG AND DANCE

A

a long and complicated statement that is usually not true

She gave me some song and dance about how busy she is.

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22
Q

MIGHT AND MAIN

A

with as much effort as possible

They shouted with might and main but nobody came to rescue them.

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23
Q

WEAR AND TEAR

A

the damage that happens to an object in ordinary use

Having a large family obviously increases the wear and tear on your furniture.

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24
Q

THE RANK AND FILE

A

ordinary workers or members (of parliament or a union)

There was a widespread support for him among the rank and file.

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25
Q

MEEK AND MILD

A

gentle and inoffensive

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26
Q

NOW AND THEN

A

occasionally

Now and then we go off to the country.

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27
Q

FUSS

A

a display of unnecessary excitement, activity or interest

zamieszanie

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28
Q

ADAPTATION

A

(n) the process of changing something to suit a new situation

adapt - verb
adapter - noun
adaptable - adj

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29
Q

PLAYWRIGHT

A

a person who writes plays for the theatre, tv or radio

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30
Q

LYRICIST

A

a person who writes the words of songs

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31
Q

INTERPRETATION

A

the particular way in which something is understood or explained

interpret - verb
interpretable - adj (you can decide that it has a particular meaning and explain it in this way)
interpretative - adj (providing an interpretation)
misinterpretation - verb (wrong or bad understanding of somebody)

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32
Q

QUESTIONABLE

A

that you have doubts about
= debatable

questionably - adv
questioner - noun (a person who asks questions)

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33
Q

UNPRECEDENTED

A

that has never happened

unprecenetly - in a way that has never happened
precedent - an official action or decision that has happened in the past
precedence - the condition of being more important than somebody else
precede - to happen before something or come before something/somebody

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34
Q

PREVIEW

A

an occasion at which you can see a movie, a show etc before it is shown to the general public

preview - verb
page view - one visit to a single page on a website

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35
Q

BACKSTAGE

A

adjective or adverb

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36
Q

GO OFF

A

make a sudden loud noise

stop working

explode

leave a place

go off in quick succession!!!!

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37
Q

PROMPT

A

make somebody decide to do something

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38
Q

COMPLY

A

to obey a rule, an order etc

comply with the polite request!!!!

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39
Q

PLENTIFUL

A

available or existing in large amounts or numbers
=plenteous

plenitude - a large amount of something

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40
Q

DROWSY

A

tired and almost asleep

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41
Q

GO ABOUT

A

to start working on something

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42
Q

EXCLUDE

A

not include something in what you are doing

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43
Q

PROHIBIT

A

to stop something from being done or used especially by law

a law prohibiting the sale of alcohol

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44
Q

FORBID

A

to order somebody not to do something

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45
Q

OUTLAW

A

to make something illegal

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46
Q

DISTINCTION

A

a clear difference or contrast

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47
Q

ESTIMATION

A

a judgement or opinion about the value or quality of something

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48
Q

CONSIDERATION

A

the act of thinking carefully about something

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49
Q

REPUTATION

A

the opinion that people have about what somebody/something is like

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50
Q

SUBSCRIBE

A

to arrange to have regular access to an electronic information service or other Internet service

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51
Q

ENLIST

A

to persuade somebody to help you or o join you in doing something

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52
Q

ENROL

A

to arrange for yourself or for somebody else to officially join a course, school etc

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53
Q

SUBJECT

A

to bring a country or group of people under your control

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54
Q

JUMBLED

A

mixed together in a confused or untidy way

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55
Q

SHARP

A

critical or severe

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56
Q

KEEN

A

enthusiastic about an activity or idea

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57
Q

CRISP

A

quick and confident in a way that suggests that a person is busy or is not being friendly

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58
Q

APPLICATION

A

1) determination to work hard at something; great effort
2) an act of putting or spreading something
3) a formal request for something

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59
Q

AFFORD

A

1) provide somebody with something
2) should not do it because it will cause problems if you do
3) to have enough money or time to buy or do something

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60
Q

BURY

A

1) put something deeply into something else

2) ignore or hide a feeling

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61
Q

DROWN OUT

A

to be louder than other sounds so that you cannot hear them

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62
Q

PASS UP

A

to choose not to make use of a chance, an opportunity

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63
Q

DEAL

A

1) to give cards to each player in a game of cards

2) to buy or sell

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64
Q

SUSTAIN

A

to provide enough of what somebody needs in order to live or exist

to make something continue for some time without becoming less

sustainability- the ability to continue or be continued for a long time
sustainable - that can continue
sustainably - in a way that can continue
UNSUSTAIBLE

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65
Q

RENEW

A

to begin something again

renewable - that can be made valid for a further period of time after it has finished
NON-RENEWABLE
renewal - a situation in which something begins again
renewables - types of energy

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66
Q

HARNESS

A

to control and use the force or strength of something to produce power or to achieve something

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67
Q

PREDICT

A

predictability - the quality something has when it is possible for you to know in advance that it will happen or what it will be like

predictable - you know in advance that it will happen or what it will be like

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68
Q

UNTAPPED

A

available but not yet used

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69
Q

INEXHAUSTIBLE

A

that cannot be exhausted (finished)

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70
Q

BREAKTHROUGH

A

an important development that may lead to an agreement or achievement

71
Q

TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS

A

to face a difficult or dangerous situation directly and with courage

72
Q

LIKE A LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER

A

used to describe people who are going to do something dangerous without realizing it

73
Q

DOG

A

1) to cause you trouble for a long time

2) to follow somebody closely

74
Q

SNAKE

A

to move like a snake, in long twisting curves

75
Q

PIG

A

a person who is dirty or greedy or eats a lot🤢

76
Q

A FISH OUT OF WATER

A

a person who feels uncomfortable or awkward because he or she is in surroundings that are not familiar

77
Q

NOT HARM/HURT A FLY

A

to be kind and gentle and unwilling to cause unhappiness

78
Q

CHICKEN OUT

A

(of doing something) to decide not to do something because you are afraid

79
Q

MAKE A BEELINE FOR SOMETHING/SOMEBODY

A

to go straight towards something/somebody as quickly as you can

80
Q

LIKE A CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF

A

very nervous

81
Q

MENACE

A

an atmosphere that makes you feel threatened or frightened

82
Q

UPSHOT

A

the final result of a series of events

83
Q

DOWNFALL

A

the loss of a person’s money, power, social position etc

84
Q

DETRIMENT

A

the act of causing harm or damage

detrimental - harmful
detrimentally - in a way that is harmful

85
Q

MODE

A

a particular way of doing something

86
Q

ABSORB

A

to interest somebody very much so that they pay no attention to anything else

87
Q

CAPTIVATE

A

to keep somebody’s attention by being interesting, attractive etc

88
Q

PREOCCUPY

A

you think or worry about it very often or all the time

89
Q

ENTHRAL

A

it is so interesting, beautiful etc that you give it all your attention

90
Q

MAKE OFF

A

to hurry away, especially in order to escape

91
Q

SET ABOUT

A

to attack somebody

to start doing something

92
Q

TAKE UP

A

to continue

93
Q

TURN OVER

A

to think about something carefully

94
Q

HARSH

A

cruel, severe and unkind

95
Q

AUSTERE

A

strict and serious

96
Q

SEVERE

A

very bad

97
Q

IN UNISON

A

at the same time; together

98
Q

TESTIMONY

A

(to something) a thing that shows something else exists or is true

99
Q

PREDATE

A

to be built or formed or to happen at an earlier date than something else in the past

predation - the act of an animal killing and eating other animals

100
Q

CONCLUSIVE

A

proving something
INCONCLUSIVE

conclusively - in a way that proves something

101
Q

POPULARISE

A

to make a lot of people know about something and enjoy it

poplularization

102
Q

ENTITLE

A

to give somebody the right to have or to do something

103
Q

FEASIBLE

A

that is possible and likely to be achieved

feasibility - the quality of being possible

104
Q

SUBTLETY

A

the quality of being subtle

subtle - not very noticeable or obvious

105
Q

ENSURE

A

to make sure that something happens

106
Q

INCLUSION

A

the fact of including somebody/something

inclusively - in a way that includes a wide range of people, things, ideas etc

107
Q

BITS AND PIECES

A

assorted objects

After the accident there were bits and pieces of the wreckage spread all over the road.

108
Q

CUT AND DRIED

A

decided, unlikely to be changed

We need a cut and dried decision by the end of the week.

109
Q

HOUSE AND HOME

A

‘driven out of house and home’
forced to leave their home

During the II world war my great-grandparents were driven out of house and home and taken to the concentration camp.

110
Q

PURE AND SIMPLE

A

wholly, “and nothing else”

There is no honour in killing innocent people; it is murder, pure and simple.

111
Q

WIND AND WEATHER

A

‘exposed to wind and weather’

liable to be damaged by the elements

112
Q

FAR AND WIDE

A

over a large area

We searched far and wide for a surgeon who could perform that delicate operation.

113
Q

DEAD AND BURIED

A

finished and forgotten about

The LGBT community won’t stop fighting for justice until homophobia is dead and buried from our world.

114
Q

FAST AND FURIOUS

A

‘blows fell fast and furious’
a lot of blows were delivered in anger and violence

full of speed and violence
It’s not a relaxing movie, its action is pretty fast and furious.

115
Q

odds and ends

A

assorted small objects

=bits and pieces

I took most of the big things to the new house but there are some odds and ends left to pick up.

116
Q

OUT-AND-OUT

A

‘an out-and-out socialist’
commited socialist

used to emphasize an unpleasant quality of a person or thing

You are an out-and-out liar!

117
Q

ROUGH AND READY

A

improvised
simple but good enough

The solution I suggested was rough and ready but I didn’t have time to think about it more carefully.

118
Q

ALL AND SUNDRY

A

everyone

I don’t want all and sundry to know about our problems.

119
Q

HIGH AND DRY

A

‘left high and dry’
left helpless and alone in a very difficult situation

The inadequate supplies of vaccine left many people high and dry when the flu season arrived.

120
Q

BY AND BY

A

when the right time comes
eventually

You’ll get used to it by and by, just be patient.

121
Q

SPICK AND SPAN

A

clean and tidy

Since they hired a cleaning lady, the house is always spick and span.

122
Q

HARD AND FAST

A

‘hard and fast rules’
fixed, rigid rules

At the moment there’s no hard and fast timetable.

123
Q

RIGID

A

not able to be changed or adapted

124
Q

FREE AND EASY

A

casual and informal

The atmosphere in the office is fairly free and easy.

125
Q

FLESH AND BLOOD

A

‘more than flesh and blood can stand’
human weakness

I’m only flesh and blood, like anyone else.

126
Q

FEW AND FAR BETWEEN

A

not happening or existing very often; rare

Successful women politicians are few and far between.

127
Q

SONG AND DANCE

A

a long and complicated statement that is usually not true

She gave me some song and dance about how busy she is.

128
Q

MIGHT AND MAIN

A

with as much effort as possible

They shouted with might and main but nobody came to rescue them.

129
Q

WEAR AND TEAR

A

the damage that happens to an object in ordinary use

Having a large family obviously increases the wear and tear on your furniture.

130
Q

THE RANK AND FILE

A

ordinary workers or members (of parliament or a union)

There was a widespread support for him among the rank and file.

131
Q

MEEK AND MILD

A

gentle and inoffensive

132
Q

NOW AND THEN

A

occasionally

Now and then we go off to the country.

133
Q

FUSS

A

a display of unnecessary excitement, activity or interest

zamieszanie

134
Q

ADAPTATION

A

(n) the process of changing something to suit a new situation

adapt - verb
adapter - noun
adaptable - adj

135
Q

PLAYWRIGHT

A

a person who writes plays for the theatre, tv or radio

136
Q

LYRICIST

A

a person who writes the words of songs

137
Q

INTERPRETATION

A

the particular way in which something is understood or explained

interpret - verb
interpretable - adj (you can decide that it has a particular meaning and explain it in this way)
interpretative - adj (providing an interpretation)
misinterpretation - verb (wrong or bad understanding of somebody)

138
Q

QUESTIONABLE

A

that you have doubts about
= debatable

questionably - adv
questioner - noun (a person who asks questions)

139
Q

UNPRECEDENTED

A

that has never happened

unprecenetly - in a way that has never happened
precedent - an official action or decision that has happened in the past
precedence - the condition of being more important than somebody else
precede - to happen before something or come before something/somebody

140
Q

PREVIEW

A

an occasion at which you can see a movie, a show etc before it is shown to the general public

preview - verb
page view - one visit to a single page on a website

141
Q

BACKSTAGE

A

adjective or adverb

142
Q

GO OFF

A

make a sudden loud noise

stop working

explode

leave a place

go off in quick succession!!!!

143
Q

PROMPT

A

make somebody decide to do something

144
Q

COMPLY

A

to obey a rule, an order etc

comply with the polite request!!!!

145
Q

PLENTIFUL

A

available or existing in large amounts or numbers
=plenteous

plenitude - a large amount of something

146
Q

DROWSY

A

tired and almost asleep

147
Q

GO ABOUT

A

to start working on something

148
Q

EXCLUDE

A

not include something in what you are doing

149
Q

PROHIBIT

A

to stop something from being done or used especially by law

a law prohibiting the sale of alcohol

150
Q

FORBID

A

to order somebody not to do something

151
Q

OUTLAW

A

to make something illegal

152
Q

DISTINCTION

A

a clear difference or contrast

153
Q

ESTIMATION

A

a judgement or opinion about the value or quality of something

154
Q

CONSIDERATION

A

the act of thinking carefully about something

155
Q

REPUTATION

A

the opinion that people have about what somebody/something is like

156
Q

SUBSCRIBE

A

to arrange to have regular access to an electronic information service or other Internet service

157
Q

ENLIST

A

to persuade somebody to help you or o join you in doing something

158
Q

ENROL

A

to arrange for yourself or for somebody else to officially join a course, school etc

159
Q

SUBJECT

A

to bring a country or group of people under your control

160
Q

JUMBLED

A

mixed together in a confused or untidy way

161
Q

SHARP

A

critical or severe

162
Q

KEEN

A

enthusiastic about an activity or idea

163
Q

CRISP

A

quick and confident in a way that suggests that a person is busy or is not being friendly

164
Q

APPLICATION

A

1) determination to work hard at something; great effort
2) an act of putting or spreading something
3) a formal request for something

165
Q

AFFORD

A

1) provide somebody with something
2) should not do it because it will cause problems if you do
3) to have enough money or time to buy or do something

166
Q

BURY

A

1) put something deeply into something else

2) ignore or hide a feeling

167
Q

DROWN OUT

A

to be louder than other sounds so that you cannot hear them

168
Q

PASS UP

A

to choose not to make use of a chance, an opportunity

169
Q

DEAL

A

1) to give cards to each player in a game of cards

2) to buy or sell

170
Q

SUSTAIN

A

to provide enough of what somebody needs in order to live or exist

to make something continue for some time without becoming less

sustainability- the ability to continue or be continued for a long time
sustainable - that can continue
sustainably - in a way that can continue
UNSUSTAIBLE

171
Q

RENEW

A

to begin something again

renewable - that can be made valid for a further period of time after it has finished
NON-RENEWABLE
renewal - a situation in which something begins again
renewables - types of energy

172
Q

HARNESS

A

to control and use the force or strength of something to produce power or to achieve something

173
Q

PREDICT

A

predictability - the quality something has when it is possible for you to know in advance that it will happen or what it will be like

predictable - you know in advance that it will happen or what it will be like

174
Q

UNTAPPED

A

available but not yet used

Vocabulary (2 decks)

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