Lesson 7

I Vocabulary

2 precisely adv /prɪˈsaɪsli / một cách rất đúng, chính xác

13 investigation n /ɪnˌvestɪˈɡeɪʃən/ sự điều tra

20 conciliate v / kənˈsɪlɪeɪt / thu phục được, lấy được xoa dịu

25 decomposition n /ˌdiːkɒmpəˈzɪʃən / sự phân hủy

29 persistently adv /pəˈsɪstəntli / một cách kiên trì

35 complicate v /ˈkɒmplɪkeɪt / làm cho phức tạp thêm

38 heat- absorbing a /hi:t əbˈzɔːbɪŋ/ hấp thụ nhiệt

II Structures

3 take/assume the responsibility for chịu trách nhiệm cho 4 have a responsibility to có trách nhiệm làm gì 5 shift the responsibility for đổ trách nhiêm cho

7 from the cradle to the grave cả đời

9 in the driving seat = in control of a situation

kiểm soát tình hình, kiểm soát thế trận

21 till the cows come home một thời gian dài

23 preside over = be in charge of chủ trì, phụ trách

III Practice exercise 7

Mark the letter A, B, C, or Don your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.

Question 1: Software would do lots of boring calculations in the blink of an eye

A very quickly B very slowly C very accurately D very precisely

Question 2: The government can pass the buck to companies, and workers can abdicate all responsibility.

A take the responsibility for B shift the responsibility for C have a responsibility to D assume responsibility for

Question 3: Now imagine being turned down or paying exorbitant sums for life insurance and health coverage by companies that deem you too high a risk even though you feel fit as a fiddle

A in very bad health B suitable enough for the job C in very good health D qualified for the position

Question 4: She lived in the same village from the cradle to the grave

C since she got married D after she retired

Question 5: When you go to such a place, you are taken aback by the youthfulness of the crowd.

Question 6: Although the general manager is officially in charge, everyone knows his deputy is really i n t he driving seat.

Question 7: Tokyo is the world's largest city with an a gglomeration of 37 million inhabitants, followed

by New Delhi with 29 million, Shanghai with 26 million, and Mexico City and Sao Paulo, each with around 22 million inhabitants.

Question 8: Squatters had occupied the building earlier that morning, but were cleared out within 15minutes of police c onverging on the scene.

A opening the investigation

B surrounding every angle of the buildings C coming to the scene from different directions D encompassing the scene

Question 9: It is used to conjure an image of b enighted former industrial centres where underskilled

older white Britons rail impotently against progress.

Question 10: On the last day that parliament sat this year, the government let slip that public health budgets for local authorities will be slashed by £85m next year.

A increased sharply B invested C disbursed D reduced greatly

Question 11: Poor air and water quality, insufficient water availability, waste- disposal problems, and high energy consumption are exacerbated by the increasing population density and demands of urban

environments.

A conciliated B tranquillized C propitiated D aggravated

Question 12: The combustion of solid waste creates yet another environmental problem.

A ignition B contamination C decomposition D reconstruction

Question 13: The letter said staff complaints about Blair were b rushed off by journalism school

officials, and many complaints were not filed because of a fear that speaking out against Blair would undermine favor with the journalism school.

Question 14: In a world where human beings can never know enough people, and where their close relationships are worn down by misunderstandings and separations, literature serves as an experiment in

Question 15: This was comedy acting o f the first water and the like of which is seldom seen nowadays.

A of the greatest brilliance B at the beginning of the period

Mark the letter A, B, Q or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.

Question 16: I have had enough of life in the fast lane , so I'm giving up my executive sales job and

moving to the countryside.

A an exciting and eventful lifestyle B a boring and tedious lifestyle C a tiring and stressful life D a happy and comfortable life

Question 17: The company had some initial problems but now it is flying high

A is not really successful B can get through take

C changes the field of business D is achieving many good results

Question 18: Share prices took a nosedive last week.

A stable fall B sharp decrease C sudden rise D gradual increase

Question 19: The debate on whether the death penalty must be abolished or notwill go on t ill the cows c ome home.

Question 20: David was a farm manager, but he was made redundant last year and so we decided to try

to go into business ourselves.

Question 21: Australians typically pride themselves on being pretty s anguine about the nation's extreme

weather, at least when it comes to spectacular events like Dorothea Mackellar-esque "flooding rains" or disasters playing out elsewhere on our vast continent.

Question 22: Australia's cities complicate this classical view of the heat island model to the extent thatcity centres are close to the coast and heat is ameliorated by the immense heat-absorbing capacities of

the ocean and associated breezes.

Question 23: New Labour brought higher spending to p alliate the effects of Thatcherism, but that

looked more like managed decline than a strategy to reverse it.

Question 24: Thriving towns and cities are an essential element of a prosperous national economy.

A undeveloped B flourishing C prosperous D advanced

Question 25: Many low-income families gravitate to these informal settlements that p roliferate in and

around towns.

Question 26: Any changes to the quality of surface water also affects groundwater because they arelinked by the processes of the water cycle so pollutants from the surface will infiltrate down and

contaminate soil and groundwater as well.

Question 27: I could hardly wait for it all to come out and see the reaction of the people who had beeng unning for us.

Question 28: The Labour government has p resided over a widening of the gap between rich and poor.

C succeeded in reducing D had no responsibility for

Question 29: This condition calls for urgent medical attention at any time of the day or night.

Question 30: Developers apparently saw little of the picturesque charm of decaying New England fishingvillages founded in the age of sail in Great Lakes fishing villages that bore the stamp of

A were clearly identifiable with

B were difficult to be distinguished with C were easy to recognize