28 Describing the world A Climate Travelling from north to south in Nigeria, you pass through a fascinating series of landscapes Rainfall1 in the south-east can be extremely high in the wet season, whereas the northern part of the country is arid2 and prone to3 drought4 during the dry season the amount of rain that falls, for example in a month or in a year negative characteristic long period without rain B dry tending to have a particular Vegetation More than 30 % of the landscape of Canada lies inside the Arctic Circle, where the land can stay frozen for up to nine months of the year In these regions, known as the tundra1, vegetation2 is limited Further south, dense, coniferous3 forests known as taiga cover large areas of land Towards the border with the United States are the grasslands of the prairies4 and the mixed, temperate forests area in the north with no trees and permanently frozen ground plant life trees that are evergreen [in leaf all year round] and produce cones, unlike deciduous trees, which lose their leaves in winter  flat grasslands in Canada and northern USA (similar to steppes in Asia or pampas in South America) C Agriculture Rice is the main crop grown in the south of China, along with tea, cotton, fruit and vegetables The rice is planted in flooded paddy fields1 A good year can see two crops of rice and one of vegetables harvested In the drier, hillier north and west, farmers generally harvest a single crop of cereals2 and, in addition, tend3 sheep and cattle fields planted with rice growing in water rice, wheat or maize take care of D type of grass cultivated to produce a grain, e.g a food plant like Industry France is one of the world’s leading developed1 nations It is home to large manufacturing2, steel and chemical industries The country is an important and major producer of aircraft and cars and is at the forefront3 of technology and engineering Its sizeable nuclear industry generates4 a significant proportion of the nation’s electrical power Like many developed countries, France provides a lot of help and aid to developing5 countries E with a modern, industrial economy producing goods in large numbers in an important position produces/creates describes a country that is poor and does not have a modern, industrial economy Population Brazil is a vibrant mixture of peoples Some are descended from1 indigenous2 tribes, others from the Portuguese, who were the colonial power in Brazil for 300 years Many Brazilians have African ancestors3 brought over in the 17th century as slaves to work on sugar plantations During the 20th century, large numbers of European migrants4 settled5 in the south are related to someone who lived in the past existing naturally in that place relatives from earlier times: we are our ancestors’ descendants people who move to live in another country or another part of their own country (often for reasons of economic need; an emigrant is someone who leaves a country, an immigrant is someone who moves to live in a country) made their homes 62 English Vocabulary in Use Advanced Exercises 28.1 Match the two parts of the collocations from the opposite page Note the words are not all in bold 28.2 coniferous developed paddy chemical sugar a b c d e plantation industry forest field nation Here are some other words which collocate with the words in the right-hand column in the exercise above There are three for each of the five words Can you match them? coffee deciduous dense developing rain magnetic rubber tea textile 28.3 ancestors migrants emigrants immigrants I believe my came to Britain from France in the 17th century Many left Russia for France after the Revolution in 1917 The USA has traditionally welcomed from all over the world Our largest cities are full of looking for work and a better life Some Scots are said to be the of 16th century Spanish sailors shipwrecked off the Scottish coast Rewrite the underlined words using words and expressions from the opposite page 10 28.5 pharmaceutical sovereign Complete the sentences using a word from the box There may be more than one possible answer descendants 28.4 manufacturing oil wheat independent Recently, the country’s economy has suffered a decline in industry concerned with making things The university has long been in a very important position in agricultural science The river delta tends to suffer catastrophic flooding on a regular basis One can often see local shepherds looking after large flocks of sheep on the hillsides In the late 18th century, migrants made their home in the uncultivated lands towards the north of the country In the extremely dry southern provinces, plant life is sparse In the cold northern regions, the landscape consists mostly of permanently frozen ground with no trees The tribes that have always existed naturally in the eastern jungles are now facing threats to their way of life The farmlands are dotted with woods that lose their leaves in winter, while the large forests of trees that are always in leaf provide the country with much-needed timber The flat grasslands of the northern USA experienced a severe long period with no rain last year Over to you If your country is not one of the ones on the opposite page, write a short paragraph about it in the same style, or else choose another country and the same English Vocabulary in Use Advanced 63 29 Weather and climate A Weather conversations Here are some less common but nonetheless useful words about weather, so that you can have typical weather conversations where you agree with someone by using a near-synonym In these examples, B replies using more informal language A: Bit cold today, isn’t it? B: Yes, it’s chilly/freezing/nippy, isn’t it? A: It’s hot, isn’t it? B: Yes, it’s boiling/sweltering/roasting! A: It’s a bit windy today! B: Yes, really blowy/breezy, isn’t it? A: What oppressive/sultry weather! B: Yes, isn’t it stifling/heavy/close? A: What a downpour/deluge! B: Yes, it’s chucking it down / it’s pouring! A: Isn’t it humid today? B: Yes, horrible muggy/clammy/sticky weather! B Climate and metaphors Climate metaphors are often used, particularly in written English The word climate can refer to the general atmosphere or situation in society His secrecy and dishonesty created a climate of distrust The government reforms have contributed to a climate of change The words cultural, current, economic, financial, moral, political, social and prevailing all collocate strongly with climate in this social sense She has a very sunny disposition – she’s hardly ever miserable Though they won the championship last year, the outlook for the team is less sunny this year Unfortunately, our plans met with a frosty reception I’m snowed under with work – I’ll never get through it all in time After the company accounts were examined, the manager left under a cloud Don’t let your love for him cloud your judgement The soldiers were hit with a hail of bullets The Prime Minister was greeted with a hail/storm of abuse I’ve only a hazy memory of my first day at school The truth is hidden in the mists of history The article sparked a whirlwind of speculation They had a whirlwind romance and got married just a month after they met The horses thundered down the racetrack Thunderous applause followed his speech (Note that thundery is used to describe stormy weather while thunderous describes a loud, deep noise.) The winds of change/discontent/democracy are blowing across the country 64 English Vocabulary in Use Advanced Exercises 29.1 Respond to these statements about the weather Agree using slightly more formal language like that of speaker A in the conversations on the opposite page 29.2 It’s a bit nippy outside, isn’t it? What a sweltering day! Isn’t it muggy here? It’s blowy, isn’t it? 29.4 snowed under whirlwind hail climate hazy to thunder Find collocations for these words You will find some on the opposite page, but use a dictionary to find more if necessary climate the winds of prevailing a frosty to cloud a hail of Read the text below and find words in it which mean the following average dry height above sea level distance from the equator rain and snow Schemes for dividing the Earth into climatic regions are based on a combination of indices of mean annual temperature, mean monthly temperature, annual precipitation totals and seasonality The climate of a place is affected by several factors Latitude affects the amount of solar radiation received, with the greatest in equatorial regions 29.5 Close today, isn’t it? It’s chucking it down! It’s clammy today, isn’t it? What a sticky day! What are the metaphorical meanings of these words from B opposite? sunny – pleasant and positive frosty to cloud 29.3 8 rays from the sun make less extreme situated very far from the sea differing weather conditions at different times of the year and the least in polar regions Elevation affects both temperature and precipitation; mountainous areas are generally cooler and wetter Location close to the sea or to large bodies of water moderates temperature; continental areas are generally more arid and more affected by extremes of temperature Over to you • What words can you use to describe the climate in your country? • How would you describe the economic climate? English Vocabulary in Use Advanced 65 30 Brick walls and glass ceilings A Buildings To build something/someone up can be used metaphorically to mean to praise someone or something in a way that will increase expectations of them: The press has built up the young footballer so much that it must be extra pressure on him Note how cement is used to fix bricks firmly in place and to make relationships more solid It can be used in this way both as a noun and a verb: Let’s have a drink together to cement our partnership To come up against a brick wall is used metaphorically, meaning to meet a barrier: When I tried to find out who had opened my letters, I came up against a brick wall Ceiling can be used to suggest a limit to something: They put a ceiling on the number of planned redundancies The glass ceiling is a phrase used to refer to an invisible barrier that stops people, especially women, from rising to top positions at work Roof is used in a number of common metaphors: The roof fell in on my world on the day he died [My world collapsed …] Conversely, the floor can give way metaphorically when you faint The informal phrase go through the roof is used about prices, meaning to increase in a rapid, uncontrolled fashion Hit the roof means get very angry: My mother will hit the roof when she sees what we’ve done Window, both literally and metaphorically, means an opening A window of opportunity is a chance to something special: If you see a window of opportunity, then take advantage of it If a quality or idea goes out (of) the window, it means it departs: Once the boys started going around together, common sense went out of the window As a very tall building, tower conveys an idea of distance from ordinary people If someone lives in an ivory tower, he/she does not know about the unpleasant and ordinary things that happen in life: Academics are often criticised for living in their ivory towers If a person is a tower of strength, they are extremely strong (in an emotional rather than a physical sense): Our friends were a tower of strength when our house burnt down If a person or thing towers above something or someone, they are either outstandingly tall or outstanding in some other positive way: Lauren towers above all her classmates, although she is actually one of the youngest students B Entrances Gateway is used metaphorically in the phrase be a gateway to, meaning give an opportunity to get somewhere: A degree in law is a gateway to a well-paid job Door can also be used in a similar way to gateway above, but it is also used in many other metaphorical phrases as well: Failing his final exams closed/shut a lot of doors for him Knowing several languages opens doors when it comes to finding work The new year gives us the opportunity to close the door on the past and make a fresh start Doing something through/by the back door suggests doing it unofficially: Jack came into the business by the back door – the manager knew him from university Doing something behind closed doors suggests secrecy: Unfortunately, the decision was taken behind closed doors and no one knows exactly why it was made Key can be used as a noun to suggest the importance of something: This research may provide/hold the key to developing a cure for cancer Knowing the right people is the key to success in that country 66 English Vocabulary in Use Advanced Exercises 30.1 Match up the words to make metaphors Explain what each metaphor means 30.2 a b c d e f strength opportunity ceiling tower wall door Complete these sentences with the appropriate verb 30.3 glass ivory brick back window of tower of The price of fuel has through the roof We hope that this scientist’s work may the key to solving the problem A degree in economics the door to a number of interesting job opportunities Whenever you try to initiate something in this company you find that, sooner or later, you up against a brick wall Lucy’s father the roof when he saw that she’d dyed her hair purple over all the other lawyers in his firm He is by far the most able Ben Her argument with the board last year has, unfortunately, a lot of doors for her in this company The roof in on their world the day that war was declared Rewrite the underlined parts of these sentences using one of the expressions on the opposite page My brother is always enormously supportive whenever I have a problem We’ll never know what the US and Russian Presidents said to each other when they met in private The fee for this work will depend on the time it takes, but cannot be more than $20,000 The cost of petrol has risen dramatically in the last six months Having children often makes a marriage stronger Winning an Olympic medal can provide an opportunity to develop a career in the media The most important decision we have to take now is where to locate our business The professor has spent all his life in one university or another and really finds it very difficult to cope in the real world Lena has always said what an incredible person Max is – I hope I won’t be disappointed when I meet him 30.4 Here are some more metaphors based on aspects of buildings Can you guess what the underlined expressions mean and rewrite them? He earns very little, barely enough to keep the wolf from the door The speaker’s request for questions was met with a wall of silence Working on this project together should help to lay the foundations for a good relationship in the future Nathan’s prolonged illness left his business in ruins This government should clean up its own backyard before criticising other countries 30.5 Over to you Which of the metaphors in this unit also work as metaphors when translated literally into your own language? Look at exercise 30.4 as well as the opposite page English Vocabulary in Use Advanced 67 31 Taking root and reaping rewards A Parts of a plant Here are some metaphors based on parts of trees and plants: Seed(s) is often used to talk about the start of an idea or feeling: the seeds of success, the seeds of discontent, the seeds of revolution Root(s) is used to suggest the origins of something You can talk about going back to your roots, for example, meaning going back to the place where your family came from You can also talk about the root of a problem or the roots of a tradition Putting down roots means settling down and making your home in one place: After travelling the world for a couple of years, I was ready to go home and put down some roots When an idea becomes known or accepted, it can be said to take root The grassroots supporters of an organisation or society are the ordinary people in it, not the leaders Deeply and firmly collocate with rooted: Its origins are firmly/deeply rooted in the 19th century Stem is used as a verb to signify that something originates in something else: Her discontent stems from a traumatic experience she had last year bud Bud is used in the expression nipped in the bud [flower before it opens] [stopped before it develops into something]: branch He’s showing signs of neglecting his work – we’d better nip that in the bud seed The adjective budding can also mean showing promise of future development: She’s a budding young actor A branch is something that grows off or branches out stem from a main organisation We talk about branches of a shop or a business branching out into new directions: root We don’t have the blue sweater in your size here, but you could try our Oxford Street branch B Metaphorical verbs connected with plant growth and gardening The new boss is planning to weed out older or less experienced staff [get rid of] The government will probably have to prune back its proposals [cut/limit] At last she is reaping the rewards of all her years of study [is getting results from] Because we didn’t protest about the change, we are now reaping what we sowed [experiencing the logical results of our actions – usually used in negative contexts] The journalists have dug up some interesting facts [have discovered] The idea was germinating while we were on holiday [was beginning to develop] Out-of-town shopping centres have been sprouting up all over the country [have been appearing quickly in large numbers] Our business is flourishing [is doing very well] We are beginning to see the green shoots of economic recovery [first signs that the economy is improving] A deciduous tree sheds its leaves [loses] Companies can shed employees/jobs People can shed worries/inhibitions/weight Plants can thrive; so can people and things [grow/develop well and successfully]: The language school is thriving – student numbers are up from last year She loves her high-powered job and seems to thrive on stress and crises! Plants fade, wither, shrivel and wilt when they die These verbs can be used metaphorically: Hopes of finding survivors are fading [becoming smaller] Revenues/Donations/Profits have shrivelled in recent years [become less] It was so hot in the classroom that the students were starting to wilt [lose energy] A glance/look/remark can wither or be withering [make the recipient feel scorned]: She gave him a withering look 68 English Vocabulary in Use Advanced Exercises 31.1 Match up the pairs to make collocations 31.2 nipped a budding grass the root to reap to take the seeds a b c d of the problem root Olympic athlete of discontent e roots f in the bud g rewards Fill the gaps in these sentences Alec has spent most of his life in London, but he is keen to get back to his retires His family came from Scotland, so he’ll move there The business is firmly in Western Australia The idea took some time to root, but it’s very fashionable now His grandfather sowed the of the business’s success The US bookshop chain is opening a number of in the UK It’s about time she down some roots The idea for her novel from her interest in mountain climbing actors every year The West Side Drama College turns out a hundred 31.3 Divide the verbs in the box into two groups: verbs associated with growth and health and verbs associated with decline and death fade 31.4 germinate shrivel sprout wilt thrive wither budding flourishing withering fading deeply rooted thriving Rewrite the sentences using plant metaphors instead of the underlined words 31.6 flourish Suggest three nouns that each of these adjectives could describe 31.5 when he My hopes of getting a job are disappearing Unemployment is at an all-time record The firm is cutting the labour force in order to reduce costs She got rid of her inhibitions at the party and danced with everyone! He and his wife are now receiving the rewards of many years of hard work building up their business The party is trying hard to get rid of the extremists and create for itself a more moderate political image They want to reflect the views of their ordinary supporters Some people seem to grow and develop on difficult challenges A blogger found out some alarming facts about government spending Well, if you won’t study for your exams, don’t be surprised if you suffer the negative consequences of your actions After three years of recession, we are beginning to see the first signs of an economic recovery Over to you • • • • Do you have any responsibilities that you would prefer to shed at the moment? Can you think of a situation where you reaped the rewards of something you did? What in your life is flourishing at the moment? Where are your family’s roots? English Vocabulary in Use Advanced 69 32 The animal kingdom A Describing animals and birds mammal: animal that gives birth to live babies, not eggs, and feeds them on its own milk (e.g cat, cow, kangaroo); a kangaroo is a special kind of mammal called a marsupial [its young grow in a pouch in front of the mother] rodent: e.g mouse, rat reptile: e.g snake, lizard carnivore: animal that eats a diet that is mainly or exclusively meat (e.g lion, tiger, hyena) herbivore: animal that eats a diet that is mainly or exclusively grass/vegetation (e.g deer, cow) predator: animal that hunts/eats other animals (e.g eagle, lion, shark) scavenger: animal that feeds on dead animals which it has not killed itself warm/cold-blooded: warm-blooded animals (e.g mammals) have temperatures that stay the same; cold-blooded animals (e.g reptiles) have to control their temperature by taking in heat from outside or by being very active B Describing typical animal behaviour Our old cat is a very docile creature [behaves very gently] These birds are so tame, they will sit on your hand [not afraid of humans, usually because of training or long involvement with humans] Dogs and horses became domesticated thousands of years ago [live with or are used by humans] There are wild cats in the mountains [opposite of domesticated] A savage wolf killed three of the farmer’s sheep [extremely violent or wild] A fierce dog guarded the gates [behaves aggressively] C Life of animals and birds As more buildings and roads are constructed, the natural habitat for many species is shrinking [preferred natural place for living and breeding] The arctic tern is a bird which migrates from the Arctic to the Antarctic, a round trip of over 70,000 km Migration is when animals travel long distances to get to a different habitat The dodo was a large flightless bird which was found on one island in the Indian Ocean but became extinct in the 17th century [died out] You can see lots of animals in the big game reserves / game parks in Africa [areas of land where animals are protected from hunting, etc.; game can be used to mean animals or birds that are hunted] There is a bird sanctuary near here [protected natural area where birds can live and breed] We went to the local animal (rescue) shelter to see if we could get a dog there [place where stray cats, dogs, etc., i.e pets that have lost their home, are given food and a place to live] Language help A dodo is now used to mean someone or something out of touch or obsolete D Human exploitation of animals and birds Many people are opposed to blood sports such as foxhunting and bullfighting [sports whose purpose is to kill or injure animals] Some people refuse to wear clothing made of natural animal fur, since they are opposed to the fur trade [the selling of animal furs for coats, jackets, etc.] Poachers kill hundreds of elephants every year to supply the ivory trade [people who hunt animals illegally] [the buying and selling of ivory from elephants’ tusks] Animal rights activists often demonstrate outside research laboratories where animals are used in experiments [people who actively campaign for the protection and rights of animals] Rhinos are hunted for their horn, which is said to have healing powers [hard, pointed, often curved part growing from the head of an animal] 70 English Vocabulary in Use Advanced Exercises 32.1 Rewrite the underlined phrases in these sentences using words from the opposite page 32.2 Fill the gaps in these sentences using adjectives from B on the opposite page to describe gentle or aggressive behaviour, or the relationship between animals and humans 32.3 h s r s s m m d (natural home) (protected place) (protected area, often for big game) (creature that eats flesh of, e.g., birds killed by other animals) (pet that has wandered away from home) (animal that carries its young in a pouch until the young are fully developed) (travelling a long way to live somewhere else for a while) (an extinct bird or an out-of-touch person or idea) Answer these questions 32.5 Sheep are generally rather animals, but the other day a ram attacked our dog Lions can look very with their huge teeth and large heads Horses were probably first many thousands of years ago Some dolphins are very and will swim along with human beings I don’t think birds should ever be hunted They should be left in peace in their natural surroundings Here are the beginnings of some words related to animals and birds Can you fill in the missing letters? You are given a clue as to the meaning 32.4 There are a lot of different types of squirrels, rats, mice and things like that living in the woods A whale isn’t a fish, as it doesn’t lay eggs It’s actually an animal that gives birth directly There are some interesting turtles and crocodiles and that sort of thing near the river Everyone thinks these animals eat meat, but in fact they only feed on certain kinds of leaves The mother bird protects her eggs from animals that attack them Many different species have died out because their habitat has been destroyed What we call sports that deliberately injure or kill animals for pleasure? What name is given to the activity of buying and selling elephants’ tusks? What we call people who illegally hunt or catch animals or fish? What arguments would animal rights activists have against the fur trade? What is the most valuable part of the rhino and the reason why it is hunted? Where might you go to get a pet if you want to give a home to one that no longer has one? Where might you go in Africa to see wild animals? What you call creatures like mammals that always have approximately the same temperature? What is used to describe creatures like reptiles and is the opposite of the answer to 8? Complete the following table Do not fill the shaded boxes Use a dictionary if necessary In the noun and adjective columns, mark which part of the word is stressed noun verb adjective carnivore herbivore predator poacher migration domestication English Vocabulary in Use Advanced 71 33 Our endangered world You probably already know a lot of words for talking about the environment, pollution, and so on In this unit we focus particularly on collocations (words that are often used together) Try to learn these and use them in your writing A Threats and potential threats to the environment Shrinking habitats1 are a threat to biodiversity2, in terms of both plants and animals, and endangered species3 need legal protection if they are to survive Although some climate change sceptics4 disagree, most scientists believe that global warming5 will increase This will encourage polar ice to melt, resulting in rising sea levels and climatic changes Carbon (dioxide) emissions6 from the burning of fossil fuels7 are contributing to the greenhouse effect8 In addition, population growth exerts severe pressure on9 finite resources10, and the ecological balance11 may be upset by uncontrolled deforestation12 Demographic projections13 suggest the world population will continue to grow exponentially14, putting extra pressure on depleting resources15 Waste disposal16 is an increasing problem and toxic waste17 is contaminating18 many rivers and seas Safe water may become an increasingly precious commodity19, leading to issues of water security20 One of the worst-case scenarios21 is that there will be no tropical rainforests left by the year 2050 Our only hope is that pristine environments22 such as Antarctica can be protected from development and damage, so that at least these habitats are preserved places where animals live and breed which are decreasing in size variety of different types of biological species types of animals/plants which are in danger of no longer existing people who not believe that climate change is a serious issue steady rise in average world temperatures  carbon dioxide gas from factories, cars, etc coal, oil, etc warming of the Earth’s surface caused by pollution, where 10 gases trap and redirect heat back down to the Earth’s surface puts great pressure on; formal limited 11 resources that will eventually run out / be exhausted balance of natural relationships in the environment 12 13 14 unrestricted destruction/clearing of forests forecasts about the population grow extremely rapidly 15 16 17 resources that are reducing getting rid of waste poisonous waste materials 18 poisoning 19 20 (something) very valuable substance  ability to ensure that a population has safe drinking water 21 22 the worst possibilities for the future perfectly clean/untouched/unspoilt areas B Responses to environmental issues and problems Look at these newspaper headlines and note the useful phrases GOVERNING PARTY IN BID TO IMPROVE GREEN CREDENTIALS1 PROPHETS OF DOOM AND GLOOM2 SHOULD LISTEN TO SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE, SAYS PRIME MINISTER SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT3 THE ONLY ANSWER FOR EMERGING COUNTRIES, SAYS UN COMMISSION RENEWABLE ENERGY4 – GOVERNMENT DEVELOPS NEW STRATEGY reputation for positive support of the environment and for making policies that reflect this people who always make the most depressing or pessimistic predictions about the future development of industry, etc which does not damage the environment or social and economic stability, and which can continue over a period of time energy produced using sun, wind or crops rather than coal or other fuels which cannot be replaced once used Common mistakes People cause damage to the environment (NOT damages) 72 English Vocabulary in Use Advanced Exercises 33.1 Make these sentences formal by using words and phrases from A opposite instead of the underlined words, making any other necessary changes 10 33.2 All that carbon-what’s-it-called gas put out by cars and factories is a major problem These flowers here are a type there’s not many left of, so it’s illegal to pick them A lot of wild animals have to survive in smaller and smaller areas where they can live A lot of Patagonia is a completely spotless area that’s never been touched We have to look after the things we use on this planet because they won’t last for ever If the cutting down of trees continues, there will be no forest left ten years from now Burning coal and oil and stuff like that causes a lot of pollution The sea will get higher if this heating up of the world continues Increasing population puts really big pressure on economic resources The way things all balance one another in nature is very delicate Complete the following table, using a dictionary if necessary Do not fill the shaded boxes noun verb adjective adverb climate demography project sustain contaminate toxic deplete 33.3 Correct the mistakes in this paragraph Profits of boom and gloom are always saying that we are heading for an environmental catastrophe, and that unless we adopt a policy of attainable development, we will cause irreparable damages to the planet The worst-place scenery is of a world choked by overpopulation, the greenhouse affect and traffic gridlock Much of what is claimed is exaggerated, but politicians are influenced by such voices and are always trying to improve their green potentials in the eyes of the voters 33.4 Match words on the left with words on the right to make collocations about the environment 33.5 renewable demographic precious polar waste greenhouse worst-case climate change a b c d e f g h scenario sceptic effect energy projections disposal commodity ice Over to you To find more vocabulary connected with environment and conservation issues, visit the websites of major conservation organisations such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)  (www.worldwildlife.org) or Friends of the Earth International (www.foei.org) English Vocabulary in Use Advanced 73