Context & meaning 1
6. Research suggests that children are more resilient than adults when it
comes to getting over an illness.
7. The room was extremely untidy, with stacks of books and piles of paper
all over the floor, and unwashed coffee cups on the tables.
8. He was an extremely prolific author, writing three or four novels a year as
well as many short stories.
9. Water is essential for human life, so it is imperative we make sure that in
the future there is enough for everyone.
10. Attempts to implement change met with strong resistance at first, but
gradually people realised that this change was needed.
11. Many men say that they are willing to share the burden of domestic duties
like washing and cooking, but I doubt that they mean it.
12. The building is designed to sway slightly in strong winds, but it’s still a
rather frightening sensation when you are on the upper floors.
13. Many people would like to own a house in the city centre, but prohibitive
property prices mean that very few of them would ever be able to buy such
a place.
14. The city centre has some beautiful old buildings, but there are some
extremely ugly industrial estates on the fringe.
15. Employees are encouraged to use their initiative when they are faced with
a problem and there is nobody more senior there to help them.
3 Now match the words in bold in sentences 1 – 15 above with their
definitions (a) – (o) below.
(a) A serious or difficult responsibility that you have to deal with burden
(b) Producing a lot of things, ideas, etc. .................
(c) The ability to decide what to do in an independent way. .................
(d) Able to quickly become healthy, happy or strong again. .................
(e) Move or swing slightly from side to side. .................
(f) Difficult or impossible to catch or find. .................
(g) Make something such as in idea, plan, system, etc., start to work.
.................
(h) Extremely difficult and involving a lot of effort. .................
(i) The outer edge of something. .................
(j) So expensive that nobody can afford it. .................
(k) Thorough and complete. .................
(l) To search in a wide area for something, especially food. .................
(m) Piles of things placed one on top of another. .................
(n) Extremely important and urgent. .................
(o) Average or below average. .................
Context & meaning 2
1 Read these sentences carefully, and decide if the definitions in italics of
the words in bold are correct or incorrect. If they are incorrect, try to give
a correct definition. The first one has been done as an example.
1. I’m worried that a lack of suitable qualifications will hinder my search
for a job.
Help someone or something, or make something easier. Correct / Incorrect
Hinder means to stop someone or something from making progress or
developing.
2. Research was going well, but there was a risk that cuts in funding would
jeopardise the entire project.
Risk damaging or destroying something important. Correct / Incorrect
3. When you address a meeting, it is important to speak clearly, confidently
and at a good pace.
Write a letter to someone. Correct / Incorrect
4. The villas were basically flimsy wooden huts that shook every time there
was a bit of wind.
Strong and well built or made. Correct / Incorrect
5. Although several species of turtle can be found in relatively cool seas,
warm water provides the optimal conditions for breeding.
The best or most suitable within a range of possibilities. Correct /
Incorrect
6. It can be very difficult for immigrants to integrate into local society,
especially if there are marked cultural differences.
Meet people or make useful contacts. Correct / Incorrect
7. From the outset of the expedition they knew they were going to have
problems, so it was no surprise when only two days later things started to
go very wrong.
The end of something. Correct / Incorrect
8. He was a talented young film director whose unique and innovative style
inspired generations of film students.
Difficult to understand. Correct / Incorrect
9. The building is 200 metres tall and tapers gently to a point, giving it the
appearance of a thin, glass pyramid.
Gradually becomes wider towards one end. Correct / Incorrect
10. There are one or two similarities between my country and the UK, but on
the whole they are so disparate that it is difficult to find any common
ground.
Having many differences. Correct / Incorrect
11. Most modern furniture is functional but not especially aesthetic,
especially when compared with some of the beautiful and elegant designs
of the past.
Cheap but comfortable. Correct / Incorrect
12. Shops know that they can attract more customers if they have a large array
of colourful products on display by or near the main entrance.
A large group of people or things. Correct / Incorrect
