Unit 15
Social issues
bullying: intentionally frightening someone who is smaller or weaker
(often a problem in schools).
child care: the job of taking care of children while their parents are at
work or are absent for another reason
health care: the set of services provided by a country or an organization
for treating people who are sick.
homelessness: the state of being without a home.
noise pollution: noise, such as that from traffic, that upsets people
where they live or work and is considered to be unhealthy for them.
parental leave: time that a parent is allowed to spend away from work to
take care of his or her baby.
stray animal: dogs and cats that don’t belong to anyone.
street crime:
trash collection:
vandalism: the crime of intentionally damaging property belonging to
other people.
Other
big deal: something important.
citizen: someone who lives in a particular country or city.
fare: the price that you pay to travel on an aircraft, train, bus, etc.
fur: material made from animal hair and skin.
helmet: a hard, protective hat.
(health) insurance: insurance for the cost of medical treatment if you are
ill or injured, often paid for by companies for their employees.
key: one of the parts on a keyboard you press with your fingers.
leash: a chain or leather strap used to lead a dog.
mayor: a person who is elected or chosen to lead the group who governs
a town or city.
ownership: the right of owning something.
permit: an official document that allows you to do something.
plagiarism: copying someone else’s work or ideas.
rail: a horizontal bar that you tie things to or hang things on.
research: to study a subject in detail, especially in order to discover new
information or reach a new understanding.
royalties: money that is paid to a musician (or other artist) each time their
work is sold, played, or performed.
seat belt: a strap that you fasten across your body when traveling in a
vehicle.
shelter: (a building designed to give) protection from bad weather,
danger, or attack.
sidewalk: a path with a hard surface on one or both sides of a road, that
people walk on.
source: something or someone that causes or produces something, or is
the origin of it.
affordable: able to be bought or rented by people who do not earn a lot
of money.
(un)attended: not being watched or looked after.
disabled: having an illness, injury, or condition that makes it difficult to do
the things that other people do.
inadequate: not acceptable; not up to minimum or basic standards; not
able to meet basic needs.
irregular: not according to usual rules or what is expected.
offensive: likely to make people angry or upset.
organic: not using artificial chemicals to produce.
overcrowded: containing too many people or things.
soundproof: not allowing sound to go outside or come inside.
unmarried: having no husband or wife.
assume: think that something is likely to be true.
ban: to say officially that something is not allowed, or that someone is not
allowed to do something.
belong: to be in the right place or a suitable place.
critique: to say what is good and bad about something.
deserve: to have earned or to be given something because of the way
you have behaved or the qualities you have.
face: to deal with a difficult situation.
fail: to not do something that you should do / or to not succeed in what
you are trying to achieve or are expected to do.
feed: to give food to a person, group, or animal.
litter: make (a place) untidy with trash.
make ends meet: to have just enough money to pay for the things that
you need.
pass: to go past something or someone or move in relation to it, him, or
her.
permit: to allow something.
pickpocket: stealing things from people’s pockets
pretend: act as if something is true when it is false.
require: to need something or make something necessary.
ride (a bike):
spot: see or notice something or someone.
fairly: more than average, but less than very.
nowadays: at the present time
unfortunately: used to say that something is sad, disappointing, or has a
bad effect.
