ome of the best-known mountain sceneryon Earth is concentrated in a set of seven parks in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. There are four national parks in the Canadian Rockies – Banff, Jasper, Yoho and Kootenay, and three British Columbia provincial parks – Mount Robson, Mount Assiniboine and Hamber. The sevenpreserves located along the Alberta-British Columbia border attract more than nine million people annually. Banff National Park became Canada’s first national park in 1885, and the birthplace of Canada’s national park system. It is home to a variety of distinctive natural features and cultural and historical sites. Rugged mountains, glaciers, icefields, alpine meadows, beautiful blue cold-water lakes, mineral hot springs, deep canyons and hoodoos compose the natural landscape and habitat for a great variety of mammals such as elk, bighorn sheep, black and grizzly bear, and caribou. Jasper National Park is the largest and most northerly of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks. The park is less commercialized than Banff, so it can still keep many natural beauties and scenery. Its scenery includes deeply gouged Maligne Canyon, picturesque Maligne Lake, the thunder of Sunwapta Falls, the serenebeauty of glacier-covered Mount Edith Cavell, and Miette Hot Springs. As one of 39 national parks in Canada, Kootenay National Park represents the south-western slopes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. From glacier-clad peaks to semi-arid grasslands, where even cactus grows, Kootenay is rich in variety and is one of the largest protected areas in the world. Yoho National Park, representing the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains region, holds the secrets of ancient ocean life, the power of ice and water, and unique plant and animal communities that continue to evolve today. Awe and wonder is a natural response for this place of rock walls, spectacular waterfalls and soaring peaks. The Burgess Shale contains one of the world’s most significant finds of soft-bodied, Middle Cambrian-age marine fossils, with about 150 species, including some bearing no resemblance to known animals. These four Canadian National Parks account for 14,300 square miles. The four National Parks along with the three British Columbia provincial parks form the UNESCO Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site-one of the largest protected areas in the world.
scenery [uncountable]
scenery
the natural features of a particular part of a country that you can see, such as mountains, forests, deserts etc
The best part of the trip was the fantastic scenery.
The scenery around Rostam Abad is beautiful
Common Errors:
What a beautiful scenery!
What beautiful scenery!
Scenery is an uncountable noun.
—
concentrate
concentrate
to be present in large numbers or amounts somewhere, or to cause people or things to be present in large numbers or amounts somewhere
ￚsee also concentration
concentrate something in/at something
Italian industry is concentrated mainly in the north. Construction of the aircraft is being concentrated at Prestwick.
concentrate in/at
Women concentrate in a small number of occupations.
Another Source:
to (cause to) come together in or around one place: Industrial development is being concentrated in the south of the country. | The crowds concentrated around the palace.
—
preserve
preserve
1 to save something or someone from being harmed or destroyed → preservation :
We must encourage the planting of new trees and preserve our existing woodlands.
2 to make something continue without changing :
the responsibility of the police to preserve the peace
Norma tried to preserve a normal family life in difficult circumstances.
—
distinctive
distinct
having a special quality, character, or appearance that is different and easy to recognize
a rock band with a distinctive sound
She has a very distinctive way of walking.
a distinctive flavor
—
Rugged
Rugged
having a rough uneven surface:
rugged hills
rugged terrain
a rugged coastline
the rugged beauty of the Highlands
—
glacier
glacier
a large mass of ice which moves slowly down a mountain valley
—
alpine
alpine
relating to the Alps (=a mountain range in central Europe) or to mountains in general
breathtaking alpine scenery
alpine flowers
alpine skiing
—
meadow
meadow
a field with wild grass and flowers
—
spring
spring
▶WATER◀
[countable] a place where water comes up naturally from the ground
spring water
There are several hot springs in the area.
—
canyon
canyon
a deep valley with very steep sides of rock that usually has a river running through it
—
hoodoo
hoodoo
Rocks with strange shapes
—
habitat
habitat
the natural home of a plant or animal
watching monkeys in their natural habitat
The grassland is an important habitat for many wild flowers.
The polar bear’s habitat is the icy wastes of the Arctic.
I prefer to see animals in their natural habitat, rather than in zoos.
—
elk
elk
a large North American deer
—
bighorn sheep
bighorn_sheep
a wild sheep with long curved horns that lives in the mountains of western North America
—
caribou
Caribou
a North American reindeer
—
commercialize
commercialize
to be more concerned with making money from something than about its quality – used to show disapproval
Christmas has become so commercialized.
—
gouge
gouge
to make a deep hole or cut in the surface of something :
He took a knife and gouged a hole in the bottom of the boat.
—
picturesque
picturesque
a picturesque place is pretty and interesting in an old-fashioned way
a quiet fishing village with a picturesque harbour
—
serene
serene
very calm or peaceful
The child’s face was serene and beautiful. a serene mountain lake
a serene summer night
a serene smile
She just says what she thinks, with serene indifference to whether it may offend people.
—
slope
slope
to lie or move in a direction neither completely upright nor completely flat; be or go at an angle:
The mountains slope down to the sea.
The floor slopes badly here.
sloping handwriting
a steep slope
a gentle (=not steep) slope
—
semi-
partly but not completely:
in the semidarkness | a semi-invalid | semi-literate people
arid
arid
arid land or an arid climate is very dry because it has very little rain
Water from the Great Lakes is pumped to arid regions .
—
evolve
evolve
if an animal or plant evolves, it changes gradually over a long period of time → evolution
evolve from
Fish evolved from prehistoric sea creatures.
Animals have evolved camouflage to protect themselves from predators.
—
Awe
awe
a feeling of deep respect mixed with fear and wonder: The sight filled us with awe.
He felt great awe for the landscape.
with/in awe
Kate gazed at the statue with awe.
—
spectacular
spectacular
unusually interesting or grand; attracting excited notice; very IMPRESSIVE: There was a spectacular explosion when the firework factory blew up. | The new play was a spectacular success. | a spectacular waterfall
a mountainous area with spectacular scenery
a spectacular success
—
soar
soar
▶LOOK TALL◀
[not in progressive] if buildings, trees, towers etc soar, they look very tall and impressive
Here the cliffs soar a hundred feet above the sea. a soaring skyscraper
—
peak
peak
▶MOUNTAIN◀
a) the sharply pointed top of a mountain
snow-capped mountain peaks jagged peaks
b) a mountain
ￚsee also summit Mount McKinley is Alaska’s highest peak.
—
soft-bodied
—
bearing
—
resemblance
resemblance
if there is a resemblance between two people or things, they are similar, especially in the way they look
ￚsee also similarity
resemblance between
The resemblance between Susan and her sister was remarkable.
bear a (close/striking/uncanny etc) resemblance to somebody/something (=look like)
Tina bears a striking resemblance to her mother.
bear little/no resemblance to somebody/something
What happens in the film bears little resemblance to what actually happened.
What is the world’s tallest mountain and highestelevation? Of course, Mt. Everest, on the border of Nepal and Tibet, China, is the world’s tallest mountain and highest elevation with a peak at 29,035 feet (or 8850 m). The National Geographic Society revised the height of Mt. Everest in 1999 from 29,028 feet (or 8848 m) due to new GPS calculations.What is the world’s tallest mountain from base to peak? Mauna Kea in Hawaii is the one. Its base is on the sea floor, and it rises 33,480 feet (or 10,314 meters) in total, reaching 13,796 feet (or 4205 m) above sea level. In reference to its towering height of 20,320 feet above sea level, Mt. McKinley in Alaska is the tallest mountain in North America. It has been named “The Roof of North America” or “The Chimney of North America.” Located about 55 kilometers drive from Amman, Jordan the Dead Sea in the Middle East region is the lowest point on Earth. The sunset touching distant hills withribbons of fire across the waters of the Dead Sea brings a sense of unreality toculminate a day’s visit to the lowest point on earth, some 1,320 feet (or 400 meters) below sea level. En route a stone marker indicates “Sea Level,” but the Dead Sea itself is not reached before descending another 400 meters below this sign. As the name suggests, the sea is devoid of life due to an extremely high content of salts and minerals. But it is these natural elements which give the waters their curative powers, recognized since the days of Herod the Great, more than 2,000 years ago. They also provide the raw materials for the renowned Jordanian Dead Sea Bath Salts and cosmetic products which are marketed worldwide. Badwater basin, the floor of Death Valley National Park in California, is the lowest point in the western hemisphere with 282 feet (or 85 meters) below sea level. Death Valley National Park, established in 1933, has more than 3.3 million acres of spectacular desert scenery, interesting and rare desert wildlife, complex geology,undisturbed wilderness, and sites of historical and cultural interest.
elevation
fml
a hill; a high place
—
Mt.
the written abbreviation of mount
Mt. Everest
—
calculation
the act or result of calculating:
These calculations are based on the latest statistics.
make/do a calculation Dee looked at the bill and made some rapid calculations.
by somebody’s/some/many calculations
By some calculations, the population will reach 8 million soon.
—
base
▶LOWEST PART◀
[countable usually singular]
a) the lowest part or surface of something
ￚsynonym bottom
base of
There is a door at the base of the tower.
the base of a triangle
a frozen dessert with a biscuit basea
wine glass with a heavy base
The leather of his left trainer was coming away from its rubber base.
—
ribbon
▶SOMETHING NARROW◀
[singular] written something that is long and narrow
ribbon of
a winding ribbon of water
—
culminate
culminate in/with something
phrasal verb
if a process culminates in or with a particular event, it ends with that event :
A series of events for teachers and students will culminate in a Shakespeare festival next year.
—
descend
formal to move from a higher level to a lower one
ￚopposite ascend
Our plane started to descend.
I heard his footsteps descending the stairs.
descend to/from/into etc
The path continues for some way before descending to Garsdale Head.
—
devoid
be devoid of something
to be completely lacking in something
His face was devoid of any warmth or humour.
—
suggest
to state something in an indirect way
ￚsynonym imply
Are you suggesting my husband’s been drinking?
—
curative
able to, or intended to cure illness
ￚsee also heal
the spring’s alleged curative properties
—
renowned
known and admired by a lot of people, especially for a special skill, achievement, or quality
ￚsynonym famous
renowned for
an island renowned for its beauty
renowned as
He’s renowned as a brilliant speaker.
renowned author/actor/photographer etc
a world renowned expert in the field
Edison was renowned as an inventor/renowned for his inventions/was a renowned inventor.
—
basin
an area of land that is lower at the centre than at the edges, especially one from which water runs down into a river
the Amazon basin
—
acre
a unit for measuring area, equal to 4840 square yards or 4047 square metres
They own 200 acres of farmland.
a 200-acre wood
—
undisturbed
not interrupted or moved
At last I was able to work undisturbed.
be left/remain undisturbed
The land is to be left undisturbed as a nature reserve.
—
wilderness
a large area of land that has never been developed or farmed
the Alaskan wilderness
Another Source:
any place where there is no sign of human presence or control: That garden’s a wilderness. | The city has become a lawless wilderness.
There are about fifty standing-alone, 4-year degree-granting universities in Canada. Unlike the higher education system in the United States, most of the universities in Canada are publicly funded institutions although there are a few private institutions.These public universities are funded and regulated by the province to which they belong. In British Colombia there are four publicly funded universities: University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, University of Victoria, and University of Northern British Columbia; and one private university: Trinity Western University. In Alberta the three publicly funded universities are University of Alberta, University of Calgary, and University of Lethbridge. In Saskatchewan the two publicly funded universities are University of Saskatchewan and University of Regina. Moving into Manitoba, there are three publicly funded universities in the province. They are University of Manitoba, University of Winnipeg, and Brandon University. Ontario is not only the most populated province in Canada but also has the largest number of universities. It has 17 publicly funded universities. They are (from west to east and south to north): University of Windsor, University of Western Ontario, University of Guelph, University of Waterloo, Wilfred Laurier University, McMaster University, Brock University, York University, University of Toronto, Ryerson University, Trent University, Queen’s University, University of Ottawa, Carleton University, Laurentian University, Nipissing University, and Lakehead University. The Province of Quebec has seven publicly funded universities with many of them having several branch campuses throughout the province. They are University of Montreal, University of Quebec, Laval University, Concordia University, McGill University, University of Sherbrooke, and Bishop’s University. While French is the official language of instruction at most of these institutions, English is the official one at both Concordia University and McGill University. Canada’s Atlantic Provinces have the rest of the fifty universities in Canada. They are University of New Brunswick and University of Moncton in the Province of New Brunswick; Acadia University, Dalhousie University, Mount Allison University, Mount Saint Vincent University, Saint Mary’s University, and Nova Scotia Agricultural College in the Province of Nova Scotia; University of Prince Edward Island in the Province of Prince Edward Island; and University of Newfoundland in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Unlike
completely different from a particular person or thing
Tammy was unlike any other woman I have ever known.
—
regulate
to control an activity or process, especially by rules
strict rules regulating the use of chemicals in food
There are strict rules regulating the use of chemicals in food. | a well-regulated company
—
campus
1
the land and buildings of a university or college, including the buildings where students live
a beautiful campus in New England
on/off campus
Most first-year students live on campus.
2
the land and buildings belonging to a large company
the Microsoft campus outside Seattle
—
instruction
the act of instructing; teaching: He’s not trained yet; he’s still under instruction. (=being instructed) | an instruction manual
Banff National Park is Canada’s oldest and most famous national park. It was founded in 1885 after the discovery of the Cave and Basin Hot Springs. From humble beginnings as a 26 square kilometre hot springs reserve, Banff National Park now consists of 6,641 square kilometres ofunparalleled mountain scenerynestled in the heart of themagnificent Canadian Rockies. Each year, millions of visitors come to Banff to marvel at the emerald waters of Lake Louise, walk amongst the flower-filled heavens at Sunshine Meadows, and drive beneath the towering jagged peakslining the Ice fields Parkway between Banff and Jasper. Ten thousand years ago, natives camped on the shores of the Vermilion Lakes beneath the windswept peak of Mount Rundle. They were the only people here to enjoy the mountain landscape, the beautiful sunrises and the hot springs. Nearly ten millennia later, a struggling nation forged a crazy dream of connecting itself from sea to sea with steel rails, and from this railway venture was born Canada’s most famous park, Banff National Park. Banff National Park contains some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the world. Snow-capped peaks, glistening glaciers, ice fields, alpine meadows, blue cold crystal clear lakes, raging rivers, mineral hot springs, deep canyons, hoodoos and sweeping vistas are just one part of the allure of Banff National Park. The park is also the home of some of North America’s wildest creatures, including black and grizzly bears, caribou and wolves. Banff and Lake Louis are two major towns in Banff National Park. As the largest town in the park, Banff is “Canada’s Highest Town” at 1384 m (4540 ft) above sea level. Lake Louise, with its blue-green water set against the stark backdrop of Victoria Glacier, is the highest permanent settlement in Canada at 1,536m (5,039 feet) above the sea level and probably the most beloved and most photographed scene in the Canadian Rockies. In Banff National Park, driving through the Bow Valley Parkway, one of the world’s most scenic highways, is a good opportunity to see animals, particularly deer, bears and moose. Banff National Park is part of the UNESCO Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site.
From humble beginnings
beginnings[plural]
the early signs or stages of something that later develops into something bigger or more important
beginnings of
I think I have the beginnings of a cold.
from humble/small beginnings
He rose from humble beginnings to great wealth.
—
reserve
an area of land where wild animals and plants are protected SYN reservation , preserve American English :
a wildlife reserve → nature reserve
—
unparalleled
bigger, better, or worse than anything else
an achievement unparalleled in sporting history
an unparalleled success
a period of unparalleled economic prosperity
—
nestle
literary to be surrounded by something, especially hills or countryside
a tiny village nestling among the foothills of the French Alps
—
magnificent
very good or beautiful, and very impressive
a magnificent performance
The twelve-mile coastline has magnificent scenery.
She looked magnificent in a long red dress.
—
emerald
a bright green colour
emerald waters
amongst
also among in or through the middle of a group of people or things
The girl quickly disappeared among the crowd. I could hear voices coming from somewhere among the bushes.
We walked among the chestnut woods on the mountain slopes.
She began rummaging among the books on her desk.
ￚsee also between
—
beneath
in or to a lower position than something, or directly under something SYN underneath :
The dolphins disappeared beneath the waves.
Jo enjoyed feeling the warm sand beneath her feet.
He was standing on the bridge looking at the river beneath.
Some roofs collapsed beneath the weight of (= unable to support the weight of ) so much snow. ______________________
towering
very tall
great towering cliffs
—
jagged
having a rough or pointed edge or surface
the broken bottle’s jagged edge
the jagged rocks of St.Saviour’s Point
jagged rocks
—
lining
to form rows along the sides of something :
Crowds lined the route to the palace.
be lined with something
The street was lined with small shops.
a tree-lined avenue
—
windswept
a place that is windswept is often windy because there are not many trees or buildings to protect it
windswept moors
a windswept desert
the windswept ruins of an ancient city
—
millennia
any period of 1,000 years:
2000 through 1001 is the 2d millennium
—
struggling
to try extremely hard to achieve something, even though it is very difficult
struggle to do something
She’s struggling to bring up a family alone.
struggle with
The airline is struggling with high costs.
struggle for
Millions of people are struggling for survival.
struggle against
Firms are struggling against a prolonged recession.
—
forge
[ transitive ] to develop something new, especially a strong relationship with other people, groups, or countries SYN form
forge a relationship/alliance/link etc (with somebody)
In 1776 the United States forged an alliance with France.
The two women had forged a close bond.
Back in the 1980s, they were attempting to forge a new kind of rock music.
—
venture
a new business activity that involves taking risks
business/commercial venture
joint venture (=when two companies do something together)
—
Snow-capped
literary
snow-capped mountains are covered in snow at the top
—
glistening
to shine and look wet or oily
glisten with
The boy’s back was glistening with sweat.
glistening black hair
—
meadow
a field with wild grass and flowers
—
raging
continuing or moving with great natural force
a raging storm
a raging sea
The fire had become a raging blaze.
—
sweeping
including or having an effect on many things; EXTENSIVE:
sweeping plans/changes
—
vista
literary
a view of a large area of beautiful scenery
vista of
stunning vistas of the Norfolk coast
a pleasant vista
An endless vista of tedious days and nights stretched before us.
—
allure
(an) attraction; charm:
a mysterious, exciting, or desirable quality
allure of
the allure of foreign travel
At 50, she had lost none of her physical allure.
—
wolves
the plural of wolf
—
stark
very plain in appearance, with little or no colour or decoration
In the cold dawn light, the castle looked stark and forbidding.
the stark beauty of New Mexico
—
backdrop
literary
the scenery behind something that you are looking at
backdrop to
The sea made a splendid backdrop to the garden.
—
beloved
loved very much by someone
He never recovered from the death of his beloved daughter.
He’s always talking about his beloved computer!
beloved of/by
a book beloved of children everywhere
—
scenic
surrounded by views of beautiful countryside
a region of scenic beauty
Sport Canada is the name of Canada’s federal government program to help support athletes. The purpose of Sport Canada is to develop and encourage sport, health, and exercise programs for all Canadians. However, Sport Canada’s main emphasis is on high-performance athletes training for major international athletic competitions, such as the Olympic Games. Sport Canada was created in the 1970s as a response to the perceived need to help athletes train and compete in international sport. Before the 1970s, athletes wishing to train and compete in sport had to support themselves financially. Athletes were either independently wealthy, or were supported by family or friends. Unfortunately, many high-caliber athletes without such financial support simply could not afford to train and compete in international competition. Also, before the early 1970s almost all international sports events were amateur. Amateur rules meant those receiving funds from government programs or corporations were breaking the rules of sport. Athletes receiving money weredisqualified from competition. As a result, the amateur rules generally limited training and competition to those athletes who came from wealthier families. Less fortunate athletes, many of whom likely would have performed well for Canada in international competitions, simply could not afford to do so. Sport Canada has been a role model for many government-run sport programs around the world. With its central administrative offices in Canada’s capital of Ottawa, Sport Canada efficiently provides administrative, coaching, and financial help for athletes across the country. Athletes can concentrate their efforts full-time on training and competition. As a result, Canada’s share of the medal totals in the Olympic Games has risen since the 1970s. Recently, Sport Canada’s programs have been criticized by some who feel that the program does not provide enough money for athletes. While it does provide financial assistance to athletes, the amount paid is well below Canada’s minimumwage. Critics point out that athletes work full-time and perform an important function for the Canadian government and people. As a result of this criticism, the Canadian government has provided more money for athletes. However, the amount is still below the minimum wage level. As a result, the amount paid to athletes islikely to rise in the future. As long as it effectively manages problems such as funding, Sport Canada will continue to provide the Canadian public with international-caliber athletes who compete with the very best in the world.
encourage
to make something more likely to exist, happen, or develop
*Violent TV programmes encourage anti-social behaviour.
*the government’s plans to encourage literacy
—
perceive
to understand or think of something or someone in a particular way → perception
perceive something/somebody as something
Even as a young woman she had been perceived as a future chief executive.
perceive something/somebody to be something
Often what is perceived to be aggression is simply fear.
Children who do badly in school tests often perceive themselves to be failures.
wealthy
having a lot of money, possessions etc
ￚsynonym rich
very/extremely/immensely/fabulously etc wealthy
He left as a poor, working class boy and returned as an extremely wealthy man.
the wealthy nations of the world
—
caliber
the American spelling of calibre
the standard or level of quality or ability of something or someone:
This work is of (a) very high caliber.
of somebody’s calibre
Where will we find another man of his calibre?
The school has always attracted a high calibre of student.
of high/the right etc calibre
The paintings were of the highest caliber.
of this/that calibre
The city needs a hotel of this calibre (=of this high standard) .
—
meant
the past tense and past participle of mean
___________________
disqualify
to stop someone from taking part in an activity because they have broken a rule
ￚsynonym ban
disqualify somebody from (doing) something
He was disqualified from driving .
two infringements of the rules will disqualify a player
—
role model
someone whose behaviour, attitudes etc people try to copy because they admire them
I want to be a positive role model for my sister. share:
the part belonging to, owed to, or done by a particular person: my share of the cake/check | If you want a share in/of the pay, you’ll have to do your fair share of the work. | We still have the largest market share, but the competition is growing fast. | I had no share in (=was not one of the people who made) this decision. | The president has come in for his (full) share of (=has rightly received much) criticism over the question of unemployment. | I’ve had more than my fair share (=a lot) of troubles in my time. — well
adverb
a lot a) a lot, or to a great degree well before/after/above/below etc
Stand well back from the bonfire.
It was well after 12 o’clock when they arrived.
The village is well below sea level.
The amphitheatre is well worth a visit.
I’m well aware of the problems involved.
I went out and got well and truly (= completely ) drunk.
b)[ + adjective ] British English informal very :
That was well funny!
—
wage
also wages
[plural]money you earn that is paid according to the number of hours, days, or weeks that you work
ￚsee also salaryHe earns a good wage .
wage increase also wage rise British English
The wage increases will come into effect in June.
daily/weekly etc wage
a weekly wage of $250
wage levels/rates (=fixed amounts of money paid for particular jobs)
—
point something ↔ out phrasal verb
to tell someone something that they did not already know or had not thought about
He was always very keen to point out my mistakes. The murder was obviously well planned, as the inspector had pointed out.
point out that
Some economists have pointed out that low inflation is not necessarily a good thing.
point something out to somebody
Thank you for pointing this out to me.
—
likely
something that is likely will probably happen or is probably true OPP unlikely :
Snow showers are likely tomorrow. likely outcome/effects/consequences etc
What are the likely effects of the law going to be?
the most likely cause of the problem likely to do/be something
Children who live in the country’s rural areas are very likely to be poor. more/less/most/least likely
Young drivers are far more likely to have accidents than older drivers. It is more than likely (= almost certain ) the votes will have to be counted again.
It could have been an accident, but that was hardly likely (= not very likely ) .
He could offer no likely explanation when I asked him.
meant
The National Hockey League (or NHL) is the largest and most successful North American professional hockey league. The NHL provides Canadians and Americans with the highest caliber and most entertaining hockey on the continent. The NHL was created in 1917 by a group of Canadian and American businessmen. Their two central goals were to create a league that provided the most entertaining hockey in North America andgenerated revenues and profits. This was a somewhat new idea at the time. While there were some for-profit leagues in existence, most were amateur. This meant that players, coaches, and owners of teams were not allowed to make money from playing the game of hockey. It took several decades for the NHL to become the most dominant league. In the early days, a few professional or commercial leagues competed with the NHL for the public’s entertainment dollar. Leagues competed vigorously for the best players in order to be successful and attract spectators and fans. While this wasbeneficial to players because they could command higher salaries, it was bad for business because owners’ expenses skyrocketed. As a result, many teams and leagues went bankrupt. By the 1930s, however, the NHL remained as the only major professional league in North America. This effectively kept players’ salaries down and reduced expenses. The NHL’s team owners realized that in order for the league to be a successful commercial business, they would have to stop competing against each other off the ice. This was best accomplished by ensuring that only one major league existed, so that competition was reduced. To this day, the same business model is followed, and the NHL is still the only major professional hockey league in North America. For several decades in the mid-twentieth century, the NHL owners were extremely successful financially. They generated very high profits because, having amonopoly on in the hockey market, they could limit the sale and trade of players. When players signed on to a team, they generally did so for life, and at the pay ratedetermined by the owner. Players were forced to accept these conditions because there were no other leagues in existence. This all changed in the 1970s when players organized to form a players’ union. Through the collective bargaining process, players gradually fought owners for higher pay and greater rights. Today, many players are very wealthy for this reason. If it was not for the players’ union, it is likely they would still be working in similar conditions to those during the early days of the NHL: low pay and little freedom to move from team to team. With NHL owners and players cooperating, the NHL continues to be the most successful and entertaining hockey league in North America. Teams across Canada and the United States compete for the prized Stanley Cup, the mostsought-after trophy in North American hockey.
League
a group of sports teams or players who play games against each other to see who is best
He makes his football league debut tomorrow.
the Rugby League Championship
be (at the) top/bottom of the league (=be the best or the worst team in a group)
the local basketball league
our team is the league champion
—
generate
1
to produce or cause something
ￚsynonym create
a useful technique for generating new ideas.
The program would generate a lot of new jobs.
generate revenue/profits/income etc
Tourism generates income for local communities.
generate excitement/interest/support etc
The project generated enormous interest.
The accident generated a lot of public interest in the nuclear power issue.
to generate 15 million dollars’ worth of business.
This computer program will generate a list of random numbers.
poverty generates despair.
2
to produce heat, electricity, or another form of energy
Wind turbines generate electricity for the local community.
—
revenue
income, esp. that which the government receives as tax:
The government was short of money because of falling oil revenues.
an increase in tax revenues of 8.4%
advertising revenue
Strikes have cost £20 million in lost revenues
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—
for-profit
opposite of not-for-profit and non-profit
—
dominant
more powerful, important, or noticeable than other people or things
ￚsee also dominate
The dominant male gorilla is the largest in the group.
Japan became dominant in the mass market during the 1980s.
its dominant position within the group.
Blue is the dominant color in his later paintings.
Peace was the dominant theme of the conference.
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entertainment dollar
the amount of money that people budget for entertainment. It’s pretty much only used in the context we have here, of somebody competing for people’s “entertainment dollar”s.
—
vigorous
using a lot of energy and strength or determination
Your dog needs at least 20 minutes of vigorous exercise every day.
Environmentalists have begun a vigorous campaign to oppose nuclear dumping in the area.
a vigorous debate Vigorous efforts are being made to find a solution to the problem.
The measures provoked vigorous opposition in right-wing circles.
a vigorous protest
the vigorous enforcement of the laws
vigorous exercise is not good for everyone
ￚvigorously adverb
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—
spectator
a person who watches esp. an event or sport without taking part:
The big game attracted 25,000 spectators.
Baseball is our most popular spectator sport. (=sport that people go and watch)
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beneficial
having a good effect
ￚopposite detrimentala drug that has a beneficial effect on the immune system
beneficial to/for
Cycling is highly beneficial to health and the environment.
an arrangement that is mutually beneficial (=it has advantages for everyone who is involved)
ￚbeneficially adverb
—
command
▶DESERVE AND GET◀
to get something such as respect or attention because you do something well or are important or popular
command respect/attention/support etc
Philip was a remarkable teacher, able to command instant respect.
command a high fee/wage/price etc
Which graduates command the highest salaries?
She can command a high fee for her services.
His paintings command a high price these days.
The proposals command wide support in Congress.
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expense
cost in money, time, or effort:
I don’t know how the government can justify the expense of the project.
It’s too much of an expense to own a car.
At great expense (=by paying a lot of money) I was finally able to buy the painting.
She spared no expense/went to a lot of expense (=spent a lot of money) to make the wedding a success.
I don’t want to put you to the expense of (=make you pay for) buying me dinner.
(fig.) He finished the job at the expense of (=causing the loss of) his health.
legal/medical/living/travel etc expenses (=the money that you spend for a particular purpose)
He borrowed £150,000 and used the money for legal expenses.
at great/considerable/vast expense
Conference rooms were equipped at great expense.
The council must now decide whether to go to the expense of appealing through the courts.
Julie’s parents had spared no expense for her wedding (=they spent all the money necessary to buy the best things) .
Everything has been provided tonight – no expense spared .
medical expenses
we must cut down on our expenses
travel expenses
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skyrocket
(esp. of a price, amount, etc.) to go up suddenly and steeply
if a price or an amount skyrockets, it greatly increases very quickly
The trade deficit has skyrocketed.
skyrocketing inflation
meat prices have skyrtocketed
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bankrupt
without enough money to pay what you owe
ￚsynonym insolvent
The firm went bankrupt before the building work was completed.
In 1977 he was declared bankrupt (=by a court) .
Mr Trent lost his house when he was made bankrupt .
Seventeen years of war left the country bankrupt.
a bankrupt electrical company
—
accomplished
—
monopoly
plural monopolies
control of all of the market for a product or service:
That airline has a monopoly on flights to Kodiak Island.
The postal service used to be a government monopoly. (=no one else was allowed to provide this service)
the government’s monopoly of cigarete production
monopoly of
They are demanding an end to the Communist Party’s monopoly of power . the state monopoly of television
monopoly on/in
For years Bell Telephone had a monopoly on telephone services in the US.
a monopoly in copper trading
—
determine
to officially decide something :
The date of the court case has not yet been determined.
determine how/what/who etc
The tests will help the doctors determine what treatment to use.
—
union
(esp. in names and titles) a club or society, esp. a LABOR UNION: Do you belong to a union? | the Textile Workers Union
— collective
of or shared by a number of people or groups of people considered as one or acting as one:
the collective opinion of the delegates
collective ownership/leadership
a collective decision made by all board members
our collective responsibility for the environment —
bargaining
discussion in order to reach an agreement about a sale, contract etc
ￚsynonym negotiation
wage/pay bargaining
The government would not intervene in private-sector wage bargaining.
The 4% pay raise was the result of some hard bargaining .
prize
to think that someone or something is very important or valuable
He is someone who prizes truth and decency above all things. The company’s shoes are highly prized by fashion conscious youngsters.
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sought
the past tense and past participle of seek —
trophy
a large object such as a silver cup or plate that someone receives as a prize for winning a competition walls lined with banners and athletic trophies
Football League/Masters/Heisman etc Trophy (=the name given to a particular competition for which the prize is a trophy)
Athletes using drugs to enhance performance has become one of the greatest problems facing elite international sport. Major sports organizations, such as the International Olympic Committee, are putting a lot of time, effort, and money into the detection of drugs. The race between athletes using drugs and detection agencies seems to be just as fierce as sport competition itself. Athletes have been using drugs or other stimulants to enhance performance for centuries. Even athletes in the ancient Olympic Games in Greece used various stimulants to enhance performance. However, since the 1950s the degree of drug use has risen to a level never before seen in humanathletic history. Drug testing began in the Olympic Games in the 1960s. One of the first sports to encounter drug use was cycling. During the 1960 Summer Olympic Games in Rome, Italy, a cyclist died from amphetamine use. In 1967, another cyclist died in the Tour de France cycling race. Around the same period, body-builders in the United States were experimenting with newly developed synthetic steroids that built muscle mass. As a result, the International Olympic Committee started testing for steroids during the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada. Probably the most famous case of an athlete using drugs was Canadian sprinterBen Johnson. After winning the 100-metre sprint in the 1988 Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, Johnson’s drug test was found to be positive. Johnson took a synthetic steroid to build muscle mass and enhance power. Eventually, Johnson was stripped of his gold medal. In the aftermath of Johnson’s positive drug test, the Canadian governmentconducted a federal inquiry into drug use in Canadian sport. The government inquiry was the largest one to have been conducted in any country up to that point in time. The results of the inquiry found that drug use among Canadian athletes was very common. The inquiry stated that there were problems beyond just individual athletes, such as Johnson, taking drugs to enhance performance. Indeed, it was stated that there was a moral crisis throughout sport. Today, the race between drug detection agencies and athletes who use drugs continues. In January 2000, the International Olympic Committee created a new agency to detect drug use: the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). WADA has provided increased resources for drug detection, especially in Olympic sports. Hopefully, WADA will be able to keep pace with the current moral crisis in sport.
enhance
to improve something
Good lighting will enhance any room.
The publicity has done little to enhance his reputation .
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—
elite adjective
an elite group contains the best, most skilled or most experienced people or members of a larger group :
an elite group of artists
elite universities
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race
▶SPORT◀
[countable] a competition in which people or animals compete to run, drive etc fastest and finish first
in a race
He will be the youngest runner in the race.
She finished second in the race.
race between
the annual boat race between Oxford and Cambridge Universities
Over 80 cars will take part in the race .
She has won her last four races .
There are only three days to go until the big race (=important race) .
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fierce
very severe; INTENSE: Because there is so much unemployment, the competition for jobs is fierce.
The plants wilted in the fierce heat of the tropical sun.
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stimulant
a drug or substance that makes you feel more active and full of energy
artificial stimulants
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athletic
relating to athletics
athletic ability
athletic games
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cycling
the activity of riding a bicycle
—
cyclist
someone who rides a bicycle
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amphetamine
a drug that gives you a feeling of excitement and a lot of energy
—
synthetic
produced by combining different artificial substances, rather than being naturally produced
synthetic chemicals
synthetic fibres/materials/fabrics/rubber
—
steroid
a chemical that the body produces naturally or that can be made as a drug to treat illness and injuries. Steroids are sometimes used illegally by people doing sports to improve their performance
on steroids
a bodybuilder on steroids
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mass
a large amount or quantity of something
mass of
a huge mass of data
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sprinter
someone who runs in fast races over short distances
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strip
strip somebody of something phrasal verb
to take away something important from someone as a punishment, for example their title, property, or power
Captain Evans was found guilty and stripped of his rank.
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aftermath
the period of time after something such as a war, storm, or accident when people are still dealing with the results
aftermath of
the danger of disease in the aftermath of the earthquake
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conduct
▶CARRY OUT◀
[transitive]to carry out a particular activity or process, especially in order to get information or prove facts
conduct a survey/investigation/review etc
We are conducting a survey of consumer attitudes towards organic food.
conduct an experiment/a test
Is it really necessary to conduct experiments on animals?
conduct a campaign
They conducted a campaign of bombings and assassinations.
conduct an interview
The interview was conducted in English.
The memorial service was conducted by the Rev.David Prior.
It was the first time that I had conducted business in Brazil.
—
inquiry
an official process to find out about something
inquiry into
a judicial inquiry into the deaths
launch/set up/hold an inquiry (into something)
The Civil Aviation Authority has agreed to hold an inquiry into the accident.
The police have launched a murder inquiry .
Parents have called for an independent inquiry into the accident.
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moral
concerning or based on principles of right and wrong behavior and the difference between good and evil:
a man of high moral principles/standards | He refused to join the army on moral grounds. | You don’t know all the circumstances of their divorce, so don’t make moral judgments about it. | Babies aren’t born with a moral sense. (=they cannot tell the difference between right and wrong) | He ran away from the enemy; it’s clear the fellow has no moral fiber. (=is a coward) | moral courage
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crisis
a situation in which there are a lot of problems that must be dealt with quickly so that the situation does not get worse or more dangerous
ￚsee also emergency
The country now faces an economic crisis .
The Prime Minister was criticized for the way in which he handled the crisis .
the current debt crisis a major political crisis I was relieved that we had averted yet another financial crisis .
Oil companies were heavily criticized when they made large profits during the oil crisis of the 1970s. The car industry is now in crisis .
He doesn’t seem to be very good at crisis management .
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throughout
in, to, through, or during every part of: It rained throughout the night. | The disease spread throughout the country.
a large organization with offices throughout the world The disease spread rapidly throughout Europe. The house is in excellent condition, with fitted carpets throughout.
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Doping
the practice of using drugs to improve performance in a sport
doping scandal/ban/test etc doping offences
“ParticipAction” was the name of the Canadian government program designed to encourage Canadians to get and stay physically fit. Created in 1971 by the federal government, ParticipAction was successful in encouraging Canadians to be active and to stay healthy. ParticipAction was created by the Canadian Liberal government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Trudeau believed that sport and recreation should play an important role in the lives of Canadiancitizens. His government took two steps towards the accomplishment of this goal. First, a government agency was created to provide funds for high performance athletes, such as those training and competing in the Olympic Games. A second agency was created to encourage participation and physical activity in the general Canadian population. It was out of this second agency that ParticipAction was born. ParticipAction became famous in the 1970s because of a series of televisioncommercials. In these commercials, a young Canadian in his 20’s was seen being out-run by a 60-year old Swedish man. The message was that Canadians had become lazy and inactive. This was probably true of Canadians at the time. Physical fitness was not highly encouraged in schools, especially for women. Also, the government played little role in encouraging physical activity before ParticipAction. The result of ParticipAction was impressive. Canadians became more active in the years following the program’s inception. Also, fitness and activity were encouraged through physical education programs. ParticipAction was seen as a positive program because it got Canadians active while reducing health care costs caused by inactivity and poor physical conditioning. Recently, ParticipAction was terminated by the federal government because of a lack of funding. Many people thought this was a shame given the positive messages the program gave to otherwise inactive Canadians. Despite the program’s termination, ParticipAction has made a long-lasting impression on Canadians. Hopefully, its positive example of physical fitness for Canadians will continue in the future.
recreation
an activity that you do for pleasure or amusement
ￚsee also hobby, pastime, leisure
His only recreations are drinking beer and watching football.
the provision of recreation facilities (=places or equipment for people to use to enjoy themselves)
recreation ground/area/room
a recreation area for children to play in
ￚrecreational adjective
recreational activities
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citizen
someone who lives in a particular town, country, or state
We need our schools to teach students to be good citizens.
The mayor urged citizens to begin preparing for a major storm.
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commercial
an advertisement on television or radio
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impressive
causing admiration, esp. by giving one a feeling of size, importance, or great skill; making a strong or good impression:
an impressive speech/speaker
the great cathedral with its impressive spire
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inception
the start of an organization or institution :
a CD collection covering the band from its inception in 1994
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get
▶BECOME◀
to change to a new feeling, situation, or state
ￚsynonym become
Don’t get upset.
She soon got bored with the job.
He calmed down as he got older.
Eat your dinner before it gets cold.
This is getting silly.
get to be something
informal It’s getting to be a problem.
How did you get to be so smart?
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terminate
1
formal if something terminates, or if you terminate it, it ends
ￚsynonym endThe court ruled that the contract must be terminated.a woman’s decision on whether or not to terminate the pregnancy
2
if a train, bus, or ship terminates at a particular place, its journey ends there
The train from Paris terminates at Waterloo.
The next train terminates here. (=it goes no further) | Your contract has been terminated. | to terminate a pregnancy
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otherwise
—
impression
the opinion or feeling you have about someone or something because of the way they seem :
When we looked around the school we got a very good impression.
I got the impression that she wasn’t very happy with her job.
impression of
What was your impression of Roger?
The modern Olympic Games began in the late-nineteenth century as a revival of the ancient Greek Olympics. Now just over one hundred years old, the modern Olympic movement is the biggest and most important sports movement in the world. In fact, many people believe the Olympic Games to be the most important cultural event of any kind in the world. The modern Olympic Games were thebrainchild of Frenchman Baron Pierre de Coubertin. De Coubertin’s dream for an international sports event and cultural movement became a reality in 1894 at the International Athletic Congress in Paris. After the Games were constituted in 1894, the first Olympic Games was held in Athens, Greece, in 1896, in recognition of the ancient Greek Olympic Games. The original purpose of the Olympic Games in de Coubertin’s mind was to celebrate and strengthen the physical, mental, and cultural qualities of humanity. The Games would blend sport with culture, tradition, and education. The philosophy of Olympism is based on the joy of physical and mental effort and the respect for universal ethical principles. De Coubertin envisioned creating a more noble and sympathetic humanity through the Olympic movement. The sports events themselves de Coubertin modeled after the English public school sport system. He saw in upper-class English boys’ sport the qualities ofcamaraderie, nobility, and honesty. Most importantly, however, was adherenceto the rules of sport, in particular the rule that stated sport ought to be amateur in nature. De Coubertin believed participants should never participate in sport for the purpose of making money. To do so would contradict the underlying philosophy of sport. Breaking the amateur rule in de Coubertin’s time was as serious a violation as taking drugs to enhance performance is in today’s world of sport. Over time, the Olympics grew to be the largest international festival of any kind. Today, debates exist as to the degree to which the modern Games adhere to de Coubertin’s original intent. On the one hand, Olympic sport is truly international in nature, as de Coubertin would have wanted it. On the other hand, it is doubtful that de Coubertin would have admired the existence of politics, commercialism, and drug use in sport. The Olympics have become truly international, but perhaps at a price. There is little question that the Olympic Games hold out the possibility for fulfilling de Coubertin’s original goal of sport contributing to a better, more peaceful, and understanding world.
revival
a process in which something becomes active or strong again
The US and the UK have expectations of economic revival.
revival of
A revival of the timber industry is needed.
There has been a revival of interest in Picasso’s work.
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brainchild
an idea, plan, organization etc that someone has thought of without any help from anyone else
brainchild of
The festival was the brainchild of Reeves.
this project was the brainchild of my father
This festival was the brainchild of the town’s mayor.
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constitute
to formally establish or appoint:
Governments should be constituted by the will of the people.
—
in recognition of
public respect and thanks for someone’s work or achievements :
He has achieved recognition and respect as a scientist.
The importance of voluntary organizations in the economy still needs to be given recognition . in recognition of something
He was presented with a gold watch in recognition of his service to the company.
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blend
to combine different things in a way that produces an effective or pleasant result, or to become combined in this way
a story that blends fact and legend
blend with/together
Leave the sauce for at least one hour to allow the flavours to blend together.
—
ethical
relating to principles of what is right and wrong
ￚsynonym moral
ethical issues/questions/problems
The use of animals in scientific tests raises difficult ethical questions.
The president must have the highest ethical standards .
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envision
to imagine something that you think might happen in the future, especially something that you think will be good
ￚsynonym envisage
As a young teacher, I envisioned a future of educational excellence.
he came to an end his school master had envisioned
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noble
morally good or generous in a way that is admired
It’s very noble of you to spend all your weekends helping the old folk.
noble ideals
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camaraderie
a feeling of friendship that a group of people have, especially when they work together
the camaraderie of the women’s basketball team
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importantly
used to show that your next statement or question is more, equally etc important than what you said before
more/most/less/equally importantly
Most importantly, you must keep a record of everything you do.
—
adherence
when someone behaves according to a particular rule, belief, principle etc
adherence to
adherence to democratic principles
his adherence to religion
strict/rigid/slavish adherence
strict adherence to Judaic law
—
contradict
(of a statement, action, fact, etc.) to be opposite in nature or character to (another one); disagree with: Their alibis contradict each other. (=if one is true, the other must be false)
—
underlying
not directly expressed but quite important:
The underlying cause of his sudden departure
the underlying causes of her depression
There is an underlying assumption that younger workers are easier to train.
the underlying trend
—
over time
if something happens over time, it happens gradually during a long period
The research project will be assessed over time. Students are encouraged to consider the way language changes over time .
—
adhere
to follow closely or exactly
adhere to the rules
—
commercialism
the principle or practice of being more concerned with making money from buying and selling goods than you are about their quality – used to show disapproval
the commercialism of modern culture
—
at a price
for a lot of money
You can get goat’s cheese at the local delicatessen – at a price!
—
fulfill
to do or provide what is necessary or needed
fulfil a role/duty/function etc
A good police officer is not fulfilling his role if he neglects this vital aspect.
fulfil a requirement/condition/obligation etc
Britain was accused of failing to fulfil its obligations under the EU Treaty.
Much of the electrical equipment failed to fulfill safety requirements.
There is little doubt that the scheme fulfils a need for our community.
There is a long and rich history of sport participation in Canada. Many of the sports and games Canadians currently play can betraced back to the early days of Canadian history. In the nineteenth century, sport and games in Canada were not highly organized. Few people had the time or money for playing games. The harsher aspects of everyday life took precedence. However, around the turn of the century, several amateur sport organizations emerged. These groups attempted to organize sports competitions, set rules, and develop teams and leagues. As a result, organized competitions quickly grew in number around this period in time, especially in the 50-year period between 1870 and 1920. Some of the earliest organized sports in Canada were rifle shooting, rowing,track and field, rugby football, skating, cricket, and golf, among others. Many of these sports were imports of sporting traditions from Great Britain. This made sense given that many of the leaders of early amateur sports organizations were recent British immigrants to Canada. An example of early Canadian sport can be seen in the sport of rowing. Imported from the rowing traditions in England, rowing was one of the most famous sports in early Canadian history. Although relatively few Canadians actually rowed themselves, many participated as spectators. Rowing races between Canadianoarsmen and between Canadians and international competitors were famous events. Also, gambling or betting on the outcome of races attracted many spectators. The most famous Canadian athlete of the times was Ned Hanlan (1855-1908). An oarsman, Hanlan remains to this day one of the most famous athletes in Canadian history. In fact, during his life he was famous throughout the world. A Canadian and world champion several times over, Hanlan was a fierce competitor. However, Hanlan was also famous for his appeal to spectators. He made a regular practice of gaining a seemingly insurmountable lead over his rival and then stopping to wave at the crowds on the shoreline. He would even slow down during a race, allowing his competition to catch up to him, only to take the win at the last moment. These exploits made Hanlan one of the first showmen in sport; he recognized the importance of the entertainment value of sport. Sport in Canada has developed rapidly since Hanlan’s time. Today, Canada has a complex system of amateur sports organizations and professional leagues. In addition, in the 1960s the federal government of Canada became directly involved in the pursuit of healthy lifestyles and sporting traditions of Canadians. Today, the government provides funds for elite amateur athletes preparing for World Championships and the Olympic Games. The athletic role models produced by these government programs are crucial to Canadians in general.
trace
▶ORIGINS◀
to find the origins of when something began or where it came from
trace something (back) to something
They’ve traced their ancestry to Scotland. The style of these paintings can be traced back to early medieval influences.
His family can trace its history back to the 10th century. The whole rumor was traced (back) to someone who had a grudge against him.
—
harsh
unpleasant or painful to the senses, e.g. because very loud or very bright: harsh colors | a harsh voice | a harsh light (=too strong for the eyes)
—
precedence
the right to be put or dealt with before others, esp. because of greater importance: The hospital building program will have to have/take precedence over the road building program. | In the dispute over custody of the child, the court decided to give precedence to the mother’s claims. | Let’s deal with the questions in order of precedence. (=the important ones first)
Another Source when someone or something is considered to be more important than someone or something else, and therefore comes first or must be dealt with first
ￚsynonym priority precedence over
Do we want a society where appearance takes precedence over skill or virtue?
Guests were seated in order of precedence . Safety must be given precedence . the oldest son has precedence over others
the diplomats were seated according to precednce —
turn of the century
refers to the transition from one century to another.
existing or happening around the beginning of a century, especially the beginning of the 20th century
ￚsee also fin de siècle
narrow turn-of-the-century streets —
emerge
to appear or come out from somewhere
The flowers emerge in the spring.
emerge from
The sun emerged from behind the clouds.
Several interesting new poets have emerged in recent years. —
rifle
a long gun which you hold up to your shoulder to shoot —
rowing
the sport or activity of making a boat move through water with oars —
track and field
sports such as running and jumping
track and field team —
cricket
a game between two teams of 11 players in which players try to get points by hitting a ball and running between two sets of three sticks — relatively
something that is relatively small, easy etc is fairly small, easy etc compared to other things
The system is relatively easy to use. E-commerce is a relatively recent phenomenon. ______________________________ spectator
someone who is watching an event or game
see also audience
The match attracted over 40,000 spectators. —
oarsman
someone who rows a boat, especially in races
see also rower ______________________________ competitor
a person, team, firm, product, etc., competing with another or others; RIVAL: There were ten competitors in the race. | We lost the contract to our competitors. —
regular
—
appeal
power to move the feelings; attraction; interest: Movies of that sort have lost their appeal for me. | Her novels have wide appeal. ______________________________ seemingly
—
insurmountable
too large, difficult, etc., to be dealt with:
insurmountable problems/obstacles/barriers —
lead
the lead
the first position in a race or competition
She was in the lead from start to finish. The Canadians went into the lead after only 30 seconds.
The goal put Holland into the lead .
The Bears took the lead for the first time this season.
—
rival
a person, group, or organization that you compete with in sport, business, a fight etc
ￚsynonym competitor This gives the company a competitive advantage over its rivals.
rival for
his chief rival for the job
He finished 39 seconds ahead of his main rival . She was 2 minutes faster than her nearest rival .
a game against their old rivals , Manchester UnitedThey still remain bitter rivals (=hate each other).
Their sales have now overtaken those of their arch-rival (=main or strongest rival) .
rival company/firm/team etc
Sheena left her job and went to work for a rival company.
—
competition
the people or groups that are competing against you, especially in business or in a sport
ￚsee also compete, competitor
Going to trade fairs is an ideal opportunity to size up the competition .
no/not much/little etc competition (=no one who is likely to be better than you)
Jones is certain to win the race; there’s just no competition.
a lot of/considerable/fierce etc competition
The team overcame fierce competition for their place in the finals. foreign/international competition (=companies from other countries that you are competing with)
Japanese PC makers now face foreign competition in their home market. —
catch up phrasal verb
to come from behind and reach someone in front of you by going faster
catch up with
Drive faster – they’re catching up with us.
catch somebody up
British English You go on ahead. I’ll catch you up in a minute.
—
exploit
a brave and successful act: He performed many daring exploits, such as crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a rowboat. —
pursuit
an activity (such as a sport or hobby, which you spend a lot of time doing)
pursuits such as swimming and tennis —
crucial something that is crucial is extremely important, because everything else depends on it
crucial to
This aid money is crucial to the government’s economic policies.
crucial in/to doing something
The work of monks was crucial in spreading Christianity.
play a crucial role/part in something
The city of Mycenae played a crucial role in the history of Greece.
The conservation of tropical forests is of crucial importance .
a crucial moment in the negotiations.
The success of this experiment is crucial to the project as a whole.
Canada is a relatively young country, existing as a separate national and political entity only since 1867. As a result, its sporting traditions are relatively young as well. Most of the professional teams and leagues in Canada developed only in the last 30 years or so. However, athletes playing theirrespective sports for money dates back to the late-nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Canada has six National Hockey League (NHL) teams, eight Canadian Football League (CFL) clubs, two Major League Baseball (MLB) clubs, and one National Basketball Association (NBA) team. There are also smaller professional soccer andlacrosse leagues in Canada. It is estimated that professional sports and leagues throughout the country contribute over $600 million in value to the country’s economy, and account for over 23,000 jobs. Of the professional sports, hockey has the longest history and the greatest cultural influence on Canadians. The NHL has been in existence since 1917; however, organized professional and amateur leagues existed in Canada long before then. Many small-town teams competed for local or provincial championships, and had a strong influence on those Canadians who had little access to, or knowledge of, big-city teams in Toronto or Montreal. In fact, it was not until NHL games were broadcast on the Canadian national radio “Hockey Night in Canada” radio broadcasts that many Canadians had experienced an NHL game. Indeed, despite the fact that the NHL was considered Canada’s most prestigious league, it was not until the advent of television in the 1950s that most Canadians had even seen an NHL game.
Today, all professional sport in Canada is in one way or another affected by the more powerful American leagues. In the sports of baseball and basketball, Canada has no professional leagues of its own. Instead, Canadian teams play in theAmerican-dominated leagues. These leagues require a large concentratedaudience in order to generate revenues for the team and, in turn, the league in general. As a result, the major team franchises exist in the large urban centres: Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. Even between those cities, the teams are notevenly spread. Probably the most famous teams in the American-dominated leagues are both Toronto teams: the “Blue Jays” in Major League Baseball and the “Raptors” in the National Basketball Association. Many Canadians worry that the American dominance of professional sport is a threat to Canadian independence. As an important component of national culture, sport reflects and reinforces the norms and values of Canada. However, the mostsought-after and visible teams in Canada are ones in American-dominated leagues. Even the National Hockey League-once considered a secure Canadian sports icon-has its corporate offices in New York. Debates about the threat of American-dominated professional sport to Canadian sovereignty will undoubtedly continue in the future.
relatively
quite; when compared to others of the same kind: The exam was relatively easy. | a relatively warm day for the time of year | Relatively speaking it’s not important.
—
entity
something that has a single separate and independent existence: After the war Germany was divided and was no longer one political entity.
The mind exists as a separate entity .
Good design brings a house and garden together as a single entity .
—
respective
used before a plural noun to refer to the different things that belong to each separate person or thing mentioned
of or for each one; particular and separate: The two friends said goodbye and went to their respective homes.
We all went back to our respective homes to wait for news.
the respective roles of teachers and students
—
date:
—
lacrosse
a game played on a field by two teams of ten players, in which each player has a long stick with a net on the end of it and uses this to throw, catch, and carry a small ball
—
Why do we say:
National Hockey League
Football League
but we say:
League Baseball
not Baseball League?
Answer:
In the U.S. we say baseball league all the time, but the trademarked names of the professional leagues focus on the first word (which you’ve omitted in your question): Major Leagues, American League, National League. The brand names use them as adjectival phrases modifying for the word “baseball.”
Other leagues do the same thing with their names: Peewee League football, for example, or Babe Ruth baseball (without the word “league”). The name of the sport is often not part of their brand, and I think I’m correct in not capitalizing it in these two examples. The NFL uses National Football League but more often NFL Football as its brand.
from: bfalls
—
contribute
to give money, help, ideas etc to something that a lot of other people are also involved in
contribute to/towards
City employees cannot contribute to political campaigns.
contribute something to/towards something
The volunteers contribute their own time to the project.
I contributed (a dollar) towards Jane’s leaving present.
—
account
account for something phrasal verb
to form a particular amount or part of something
Afro-Americans account for 12% of the US population.
—
prestigious
admired as one of the best and most important
a prestigious literary award
a highly prestigious university
a prestigious job
—
advent
the advent of something
the time when something first begins to be widely used
the advent of the computer
the advent of computers changed the world
Another Source
the arrival or coming of (an important event, period, invention, etc.):
People are much better informed since the advent of television.
—
(in) one way or another
also one way or the other
used to say that someone does or will do something somehow, although you are not sure how
One way or the other he always seems to win.
We’ll find the money, one way or another.
—
American-dominated
controlled mostly by Americans
—
concentrated
showing a lot of effort
He made a concentrated effort to improve his work.
—
generate
to produce or cause something
ￚsynonym createa useful technique for generating new ideasThe program would generate a lot of new jobs. generate revenue/profits/income etc Tourism generates income for local communities. generate excitement/interest/support etc The project generated enormous interest.
—
revenue
money that a business or organization receives over a period of time, especially from selling goods or services
ￚsee also income
advertising revenue
Strikes have cost £20 million in lost revenues .
—
in turn
as a result of something
Interest rates were cut and, in turn, share prices rose.
—
franchise
American English
a professional sports team
—
urban
relating to towns and cities
ￚopposite rural
ￚsee also suburb
an unemployment in urban areas
the deprived sections of the urban population
—
evenly
divided in an equal way
The profits will be split evenly between the three of us.
Government ministers are fairly evenly divided on this issue.
The prospects for the country are fairly evenly balanced between peaceful reform and revolution.
—
dominance
the fact of being more powerful, more important, or more noticeable than other people or things
ￚsee also dominate
dominance of
the continuing dominance of the army in Uganda
political/economic/cultural etc dominance
the economic and political dominance of Western countries
dominance over
television’s dominance over other media
Another Source
the fact or position of dominating; importance, power, or controlling influence:
Our dominance of the market is seriously threatened by this new product.
—
component
any of the parts that together make a whole machine or system: the components/component parts of a camera | Revenues from oil are the biggest single component in the country’s income.
companies that make electronic components for computer products
component of
each component of their work
key/major/important etc component
Exercise is one of the key components of a healthy lifestyle.
—
reinforce
to add strength or support to; make stronger or firmer: to reinforce the elbows of a jacket with leather patches | Their arguments are strongly reinforced by the latest trade figures. | Newspapers like this tend to reinforce people’s prejudices.
Another Source
to give support to an opinion, idea, or feeling, and make it stronger
The film reinforces the idea that women should be pretty and dumb.
—
norms[plural]
generally accepted standards of social behaviour
terrorists who violate the norms of civilized
society social/cultural etc norms
—
sought-after
wanted or popular because of rarity or high quality:
He’s one of the world’s most sought-after singers.
much/highly sought-after
a much sought-after defense lawyer
By the mid-1920s, she had become one of Broadway’s most sought-after actresses.
—
visible adjective
a lot of people notice them
always appearing in public, on television, in the papers, etc.:
highly visible politicians
—
corporate
—
sovereignty
complete freedom and power to govern
the sovereignty of Parliament
sovereignty over
Spain’s claim of sovereignty over the territory
Edward (Ned) Hanlan (1855-1908) was one of the most important athletes in Canadian history. Hanlan, an oarsman, helped shape the direction of Canadian sport in its early, formative years. His combination of athletic success and popularity with rowing spectators helped promote the cause of rowing and professional sport. In the late-nineteenth century, rowing was one of the, if not the, most popular sports in Canada. The sport received as much if not more press coverage and general public interest than any other sport. In addition, the sport’s long history in Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and the United States developed into well-organized national and international championships, including one of the first regularly held World Championships in any sport. In fact, Hanlan was a regular winner of World Championship titles. Part of the popularity of rowing involved gambling and lucrative prizes. Spectators regularly bet on single sculling, in much the same way they do on horse racing today. Hanlan quickly rose to fame in the late-nineteenth century through a combination of careful financial planning of his athletic career and his mastery of the sport. Perhaps his most ingenious invention was the now-common “sliding seat.” By fixing wheels onto a wooden seat, Hanlan gained an advantage over his competitors, who slid back and forth in the boat on grease. The extra use of his legs translated into greater boat speed for Hanlan. Hanlan was also note-worthy for his methods of gaining popularity with fans. Recognizing the importance of the entertainment value of sport, Hanlan would regularly wave to the crowds and perform rowing “tricks” such as removing his hands from the oars in the middle of the race. He was even known to fake an injury in the middle of a race, only to recover just in time to win the race. Of course, the additional purpose of this strategy was to raise gambling odds, thus making himself and his financial handlers wealthier from his victories. In the 1870s and 1880s, Hanlan won and then successfully defended his World Championship title seven times. He also competed in commercial exhibitions and rowing tours around the world. After his competitive career ended, Hanlan went on to coach younger oarsmen in two North American universities: Toronto and Columbia. So famous was Hanlan that one major newspaper in Canada claimed he was the single greatest agent for attracting new immigrants to the young country. Today, a bronze statue stands in Toronto in honour of his success, and an island just off the shores of the city of Toronto is named after Hanlan.
formative
having an important influence on the way someone or something develops
formative years/period/stages etc (= the period when someone’s character develops )
He exposed his children to music throughout their formative years. formative influence/effect etc
International politics were a formative influence on the party.
—
cause
a person, event, or thing that makes something happen → effect cause of
Breast cancer is the leading cause of death for American women in their 40s.
It’s our job to establish the cause of the fire.
► Do not say ‘the cause for something’. Say the cause of something .
—
coverage
when a subject or event is reported on television or radio, or in newspapers
media/press etc coverage The allegations received widespread media coverage. live coverage of the match (=the match is broadcast at the same time that it is happening)
The band has received good press coverage (=the reports written about something in newspapers) .
—
involve
if an activity or situation involves something, that thing is part of it or a result of it :
What will the job involve?
I didn’t realize putting on a play involved so much work.
involve doing something
Running your own business usually involves working long hours.
—
gambling
when people risk money or possessions on the result of something which is not certain, such as a card game or a horse race
ￚsee also betting
The lottery is probably the most popular form of gambling.
gambling debts
The police raided a number of illegal gambling dens (=places for illegal gambling) .
—
lucrative
a job or activity that is lucrative lets you earn a lot of money
ￚsynonym profitable
lucrative business/market/contract etc
He inherited a lucrative business from his father.
a lucrative investment
—
scull
a small light boat for only one person, used in races
—
in much the same
almost the same
The furniture is made in much the same (=almost the same) way as it was 200 years ago
—
ingenious
an ingenious plan, idea, or object works well and is the result of clever thinking and new ideas
Many fish have ingenious ways of protecting their eggs from predators.
an ingenious device
—
grease
a thick oily substance that is put on the moving parts of a car, machine etc to make it run or move smoothly
—
translate
to change from one form to another: If we get elected we will be able to translate our ideas into action.
—
note-worthy adjective
important or interesting enough to deserve your attention :
a noteworthy achievement
—
fan
someone who likes a particular sport or performing art very much, or who admires a famous person
Hundreds of football fans began rioting in the streets.
fan of
He’s a big fan of Elvis Presley.
fan mail/letters (=letters sent to famous people by their fans)
—
fake:
to pretend: She faked illness so that she did not have to go to school. | I thought he was really hurt but he was faking (it).
—
odds
▶HORSE RACING ETC◀
the numbers that show how much money you will win if you bet on the winner of a horse race or other competition
The odds are 6-1.
odds of
At odds of 10-1 he bet a hundred pounds.
(at) long/short odds (=high or low numbers, that show a high or low risk of losing)
Everyone was surprised when Desert Zone won the race, at very long odds.
lay/offer (somebody) odds British English
They are laying odds of 8-1 that the Conservatives will win the next election.
—
financial handler
—
compete
to take part in a competition or sports event
ￚsee also competitor
compete in/at
How many runners will be competing in the marathon? Professional athletes may now compete at the Olympics.
compete against
Edwards will be competing against his closest rival Olsson in the triple jump.
—
name somebody/something after somebody/something
(=give someone or something the same name as another person or thing) He was named after his father.
The street is named after the famous South African leader, Nelson Mandela.
The sport of rowing is one of the oldest organized sports in the Western world. The modern version of the sport was developed mainly in England in the nineteenth century, especially in the public school system. However, boat races somewhat similar to the modern sport took place in ancient Greece during the ancient version of the Olympics. In the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, rowing gained much popularity. The sport was particularly famous in countries with a history of immigration from Great Britain: Canada, Australia, and the U.S.A. Most of the main colonialcountries had national championships, and a world championship was regularlyheld. The sport developed either in private clubs or in elite educational institutions. In 1852, a race between Yale and Harvard universities in the U.S. was the first organized athletic competition of any kind. The turn of the century saw the sport’s ascendancy to one of the largest spectator sports. Many regularly held races depended on betting or gambling to attract spectators. The biggest international matches attracted thousands of spectators, and much money was wagered. Canadian Ned Hanlan was perhaps the greatest of the early rowing champions. In the late nineteenth century he dominated international rowing races. Hanlan also combined his rowing skill and prowess with his own unique brand ofshowmanship to attract spectators. Hanlan is also known for having invented the “sliding seat.” His wooden seat set on wheels greatly increased his efficiency and speed and gave him a distinct advantage over competitors. Before Hanlan’s time, rowers would wipe grease on a wooden platform in the boat and slide over the grease. The older technique was less reliable and did not allow as much leg drive as Hanlan’s newly invented seat. As the twentieth-century unfolded, rowing lost some of its earlier public support and distinction. In North America, as professional sports attracted the attention of spectators and television viewers, other amateur sporting traditions, such as rowing, lost support. Today, rowing maintains a strong tradition under the administration of the world governing body for the sport. However, the yearly world championship does not typically receive the attention of other major sports events, such as track and field. The highlight of rowing competition is undoubtedly the Olympic Games. However, older traditional races, such as the English Henley and the yearly Oxford-Cambridge Boat race, still attract large crowds. A more recent development in rowing is recreational and Masters rowing. In an attempt to regain popularity in the sport, many clubs in North America are offering less competitive recreational programs and encouraging older Masters rowers to participate. This is probably a positive move in at least two reasons. One is that the sport will attract many more participants. However, the other equally important reason is that the sport might dispense some of the “elitist” image many people have of the sport as an “English old-boy” sport.
colonial
of or having colonies (COLONY):
Britain was once a major colonial power.
The people of Africa have successfully fought against colonial rule
the struggle against colonial rule
Britain was the largest colonial power .
—
hold
to have a meeting, party, election etc in a particular place or at a particular time
This year’s conference will be held at the Hilton Hotel.
A thanksgiving ceremony was held to mark the occasion.
The funeral was held on a grey day in November.
In April, the President held talks with Chinese leaders.
—
elite adjective
an elite group contains the best, most skilled or most experienced people or members of a larger group :
an elite group of artists
elite universities
—
ascendancy
a position of power, influence, or control
moral ascendancy
ascendancy of
the ascendancy of nationalist forces
ascendancy over
Butler established ascendancy over his critics.
He slowly gained ascendancy in the group.
in the ascendency
a teaching method that is currently in the ascendancy
—
wager
to agree to win or lose an amount of money on the result of something such as a race
ￚsynonym gamble
wager something on something
Stipes wagered all his money on an unknown horse.
Another Source
for BET:I’ll wager he’s had enough of foreign travel, after that!
—
dominate
to have the most important place or position (in):
The team has dominated international gymnastics for years.
The huge skyscraper dominates the center of the city.
The election campaign was dominated by the issue of unemployment.
The cathedral dominates the city
to dominate a football league
—
prowess
great ability, skill, or bravery.
The tribesmen sang a song of victory, describing their prowess in battle.
his physical prowess
military prowess
—
brand
brand of humour/politics/religion etc
a particular type of humour, religion, politics etc
a strange macabre brand of humour
He has his own brand (=special kind) of humor
a new brand of poetry
—
showmanship
skill at entertaining people and getting public attention
—
distinct
clearly different or belonging to a different type :
two entirely distinct languages
distinct types/groups/categories etc
There are four distinct types. distinct from
The learning needs of the two groups are quite distinct from each other.
—
unfold
if a series of events unfold, they happen :
He had watched the drama unfold from a nearby ship.
another source 1 to spread open or flat something that has previously been folded;
to become open and flatto unfold a mapShe unfolded her arms.
2 to be gradually made known; to gradually make something known to other people
The audience watched as the story unfolded before their eyes.
Dramatic events were about to unfold.
unfold something (to somebody) She unfolded her tale to us.
—
distinction noun
excellence [ uncountable ] the quality of being excellent and important :
Eliot’s distinction as a poet
—
maintain
make something continue to make something continue in the same way or at the same standard as before :
Careers Officers maintain contact with young people when they have left school.
Britain wants to maintain its position as a world power.
A lot depends on building and maintaining a good relationship with your customers.
The hotel prides itself on maintaining high standards.
How can we maintain control of spending?
—
recreational
Recreation is an activity of leisure
—
dispense
to give something to people, especially in fixed amounts SYN give out dispense something to somebody
Villagers dispensed tea to visitors.
a machine for dispensing cash
—
elitist
an elitist system, government etc is one in which a small group of people have more power and advantages than other people
an elitist education system
One of the most dramaticmoments in golf occurred on April 13, 1997. On that day, Eldrick “Tiger” Woods, at the young age of 21, won the prestigious Masters golf tournament. Not only was Woods the youngest ever to perform the feat, Woods’ score of 270 set a record for thetournament. His victory was also seen by many as a symbolic victory over years of racism in the sport of golf, and U.S. society in general. Woods’ victory in 1997 came just two days after the fiftieth anniversary of the day American baseball players broke the colour barrier in professional baseball. Also, Woods’ victory came in a sport long recognized for racial exclusion. The Augusta National Golf Club excluded blacks from playing in the Masters tournament until 1975, and the Professional Golfers Association only removed its “Caucasians only” rule in 1961. Woods was born in the state of Florida in 1975. He rose to fame quickly, winning the US amateur tournament from 1994-96, National Collegiate Athletic Association champion in 1996, and US Junior championship from 1991-1993. In the first year that Woods turned professional, it is estimated that over $650 million (U.S.) in extra revenue was generated in golf. Television ratings soared in the sport, and the Professional Golfers Association negotiated huge contracts with American television networks as a result of Woods’ fame. Woods has also negotiated record-breaking private sponsorship deals with major firms such as Nike, Buick, Titleist, American Express, and many others. In fact, Woods negotiated deals in the millions even before he turned professional.Truly an international sports celebrity, Woods sees himself as someone destined not only to be a great athlete, but also a person who will have some significant social or political impact on the world. It is not clear, however, what that impact will be. But there is little question that he will be one of the, if not the, richest athletes in history. Woods is destined not just to be a multi-millionaire, but a billionaire. Heralded by some as the first black champion in a traditionally racially secluded sport, he has also been received more cautiously by those who see the limitations of using black sports stars as role models for youth. Only a tiny fraction of African Americans have even a remote chance of becoming sports stars in any sport, especially golf. The odds, in fact, are so small that there is a much greater chance of winning a lottery. However, by some accounts as many as 80% of African American youth aspire tomake a living from playing sports. Meanwhile, 45% of African American children live below the poverty line in the U.S. If the trajectory of Woods’ career continue on its current path, it is possible he will satisfy his father’s wishes for Tiger: “to make an impact on the world… it will be spiritual and humanitarian and will transcend the world of golf.”
dramatic
exciting or impressive
A superb goal by Owen earned United a dramatic victory yesterday.
Some of the most dramatic events in American history happened here.
—
feat
something that is an impressive achievement, because it needs a lot of skill, strength etc to do
remarkable/considerable/incredible etc feat
They climbed the mountain in 28 days, a remarkable feat.
feat of
an incredible feat of engineering
perform/accomplish/achieve a feat
the woman who performed the feat of sailing around the world alone
no mean feat (=something that is difficult to do)
It is no mean feat to perform such a difficult piece.
It was quite a feat to move that piano by yourself!
feats of endurance
a remarkable feat of engineering
the construction of this bridge was a feat of engineering
Rustam and his amazing feats
—
tournament
a competition in which players compete against each other in a series of games until there is one winner
I feel I can win this tournament.
tennis/chess/badminton etc tournament
—
victory
(an example of) the act of winning or state of having won, in war or in any kind of struggle: Both sides were claiming victory last night. | The captain led his team to victory. | He only managed a narrow victory in the election; he won by 23 votes. | The early settlement of the strike was hailed as a victory for common sense. | to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat (=to win when it seemed that one would lose) | a resounding/overwhelming victory | to win an easy/decisive/clear-cut victory | a significant propaganda victory | to hold a victory rally
—
racism
unfair treatment of people, or violence against them, because they belong to a different race from your own
The government has promised to continue the fight against racism.
the problem of racism in schools
—
barrier
a rule, problem etc that prevents people from doing something, or limits what they can do
the removal of trade barriers (=something such as a tax that makes trade between countries difficult)
barrier to
Problems with childcare remain the biggest barrier to women succeeding at work.
barrier between
We want to break down barriers between doctors and patients.
The language barrier (=the inability to communicate with someone because you speak a different language) makes debate impossible
social/ethnic/language barriers
Lack of confidence is the biggest barrier to investment in the region. trade barriers such as import taxes
—
exclusion
when someone is not allowed to take part in something or enter a place
ￚopposite inclusion
exclusion from
the country’s exclusion from the United Nations
—
Rise
—
fame
the condition of being well known and talked about; RENOWN: She won overnight (=sudden) fame with her first novel. | The village’s claim to fame are its wonderful ski trails.
—
estimate
to judge or calculate the nature, value, size, amount, etc., of (something), esp. roughly; form an opinion about:
We have not estimated the cost of the repairs yet.
The value of the painting was estimated at several thousand dollars.
I estimate that we will arrive at 5:30.
The movie cost an estimated $25 million to make.
“What time is the plane due?” “Well, the estimated time of arrival is 5:20.”
rough estimate of the number of the killed
according to my estimate
be estimated to be/have/cost etc
The tree is estimated to be at least 700 years old.
estimate something at something
Organizers estimated the crowd at 50,000.
estimate that
Scientists estimate that smoking reduces life expectancy by around 12 years on average.
estimate how many/what etc
It is not easy to estimate how many people have the disease.
—
Television rating
used to tell what kind of content a TV program might have
—
soar
▶AMOUNTS/PRICES ETC◀
to increase quickly to a high level
ￚopposite plummet
Her temperature soared.
The price of petrol has soared in recent weeks.
soaring unemployment
—
negotiate
to discuss something in order to reach an agreement, especially in business or politics
negotiate with
The government refuses to negotiate with terrorists.
negotiate an agreement/contract etc
Union leaders have negotiated an agreement for a shorter working week.
His first aim is to get the warring parties back to the negotiating table (=used to refer to official discussions) .
—
record-breaking
a record-breaking number, level, performance, or person is the highest, lowest, biggest, best etc of its type that has ever happened or existed
his record-breaking flight across the Atlantic
Another Source
(usu. in sports) going beyond the former RECORD:
a record-breaking speed
—
sponsorship
financial support for an activity or event
sponsorship from
The expedition is looking for sponsorship from one of the major banks.
a $5 million sponsorship deal
commercial sponsorships
—
deal
an agreement or arrangement, especially in business or politics, that helps both sides involved
They made a deal to sell the land to a property developer.
deal with
rumors that the company had struck a deal with Microsoft to market its products
deal between
Twelve US soldiers were released after a deal between the army and the guerillas.
Cash incentives worth almost £45 million helped to clinch the deal . You can get some really good deals on the internet.
She and Branson have been discussing a possible business deal together.
The merger is still far from being a done deal .
a new band signing a major record deal
—
Truly
used to emphasize that the way you are describing something is really true
ￚsynonym really
His work is truly original.
Fawcett was a truly remarkable man.
a truly great work of medieval literature celebrity
a famous living person
ￚsynonym star
a sporting celebrity
He became a national celebrity.
They had invited a number of minor celebrities (=people who are not very famous) .
—
impact
the effect or influence that an event, situation etc has on someone or something
impact on/upon
We need to assess the impact on climate change.
major/significant/profound etc impact
Higher mortgage rates have already had a major impact on spending.
impact of
an international meeting to consider the environmental impacts of global warming
—
destined
seeming certain to happen at some time in the future
destined for
She seemed destined for a successful career.
destined to do something
We were destined never to meet again.
—
racially
racial adjective
1 [ only before noun ] relating to the relationships between different races of people who now live in the same country or area :
a victim of racial discrimination
This part of the community needs to be protected from racial prejudice .
evidence of racial harassment
the campaign for racial equality
the need for tolerance and racial harmony
2 relating to the various races that humans can be divided into → ethnic :
a broad range of racial and ethnic groups
people of different racial origin
— racially adverb :
They live in a racially mixed area.
Police officers believe the attack was racially motivated .
—
cautious
careful to avoid danger or risks
ￚsee also caution
a cautious driver
a cautious approach to the crisis
The air-pollution board has reacted with cautious optimism to the announcement.
cautious about (doing) something
Keller is cautious about making predictions for the success of the program.
ￚcautiously adverb
The government responded cautiously to the move.
—
fraction
a very small piece or amount:
When the factory closed, the machinery was sold off for only a fraction of its true value.
The car missed me by a fraction of an inch.
I got these shoes at a fraction of the original price.
She paused for a fraction of a second.
—
remote
(esp. of a chance or possibility) slight: I haven’t the remotest idea (=don’t know at all) what you mean. | I’m afraid your chances of success are pretty remote.
Another Source
▶NOT LIKELY◀
if a chance or possibility of something happening is remote, it is not very likely to happen
ￚsynonym slight
remote chance/possibility There’s a remote chance that you can catch him before he leaves.The prospect of peace seems remote.
—
aspire
to desire and work towards achieving something important
aspire to
college graduates aspiring to careers in finance
aspire to do something
At that time, all serious artists aspired to go to Rome.
an aspiring young actress
He aspired after a political career/to the leadership of the party.
She aspires to become president.
he aspired to become rich and famous
—
make a living from
earn the money someone needs to live
She hopes to make a living (=earn the money she needs to live) from writing children’s books.
—
trajectory
formal the events that happen during a period of time, which often lead to a particular aim or result :
The decision was certain to affect the trajectory of French politics for some time to come.
—
transcend
formal
to go beyond the usual limits of something
The desire for peace transcended political differences.
One of the most recognized and widely debated terms in recent times is “globalization.” While there is little consensus as to what it actually is, there is little doubt that the world has in one way or another become more inter-connected. Mass communications and transportation technology, in addition to the rise oftransnational corporate culture, have combined to produce a new global culture. At the same time, sport has become one of the most recognized elements of global culture. In fact, it has been claimed that there are no other events in the world that attract the attention of more people around the world than sports events, especially the Olympic Games and the World Cup football (soccer) tournament. It is difficult to think of other events that attract the world’s attention in the same manner as sport. Global themes infuse international sporting events in several ways. One of those ways is in advertising. Major transnational corporations using major events like the Olympic Games advertise with global themes and images. In addition, media coverage of major events often emphasizes national and international themes. These themes can be both positive and negative. For example, sport canreinforce international cooperation and cultural learning, but it can also be used to reinforce themes of aggressive nationalism and create tension between countries. This was clearly the case during the Cold War from World War II to the late-1980s, in which West Bloc and East Bloc nations regularly did battle at the Olympic Games. More recently, additional global themes have appeared. The international immigration and movement of athletes is one theme. Increasingly, professional and elite amateur athletes are attracted to other. Football (soccer) is one sport thatpractices “athlete immigration” frequently. Many professional teams in Europe, for example, have many players from outside the team’s nation. An additional global theme that has appeared lately is sport used for international advertising and marketing. Sport provides a very useful device for transnational marketing and advertising because the symbols provided by sport are often recognizable internationally, and sport provides many of the themes and images important to advertising: speed, strength, competition, perseverance, and so forth. Major corporations such as IBM and Coca-Cola regularly use sport to advertise their products, even though these corporations don’t sell sport-related products directly. Some critics have claimed that major international events such as the Olympic Games are being used less for international understanding and culture sharing as they are for making big corporations a lot of money. While it is clear that the sport-related images and symbols used by these corporations are recognized worldwide, it is not so clear what positive benefits are accrued from this. In any case, there is little doubt that sport will continue to play a vital role in the globalization process.
debate
—
consensus
an opinion that everyone in a group agrees with or accepts SYN agreement
consensus on/about
a lack of consensus about the aims of the project consensus that
There is a consensus among teachers that children should have a broad understanding of the world.
The EU Council of Finance Ministers failed to reach a consensus on the pace of integration.
the current consensus of opinion
The general consensus was that technology was a good thing.
the consensus politics of the fifties
____________________________ (in) one way or another
also one way or the other
used to say that someone does or will do something somehow, although you are not sure how
One way or the other he always seems to win. We’ll find the money, one way or another.
—
inter-connected
To be connected with each other: The two buildings interconnect.
—
transnational
involving more than one country or existing in more than one country
transnational corporations
—
reinforce
to give support to an opinion, idea, or feeling, and make it stronger
The film reinforces the idea that women should be pretty and dumb.
—
corporation
a group of people who are permitted by law to act as a single unit, esp. for purposes of business, with rights and duties separate from those of its members: Mary works for a large American corporation. | a multinational corporation.
—
reinforce
to give support to an opinion, idea, or feeling, and make it stronger
The film reinforces the idea that women should be pretty and dumb.
Another Source
to add strength or support to; make stronger or firmer: to reinforce the elbows of a jacket with leather patches | Their arguments are strongly reinforced by the latest trade figures. | Newspapers like this tend to reinforce people’s prejudices.
—
aggressive
behaving in an angry, threatening way, as if you want to fight or attack someone
Jim’s voice became aggressive.
Teachers apparently expect a certain amount of aggressive behaviour from boys.
—
nationalism
love for your own country and the belief that it is better than any other country
ￚsee also patriotism
Under his leadership, a strong sense of nationalism emerged.
—
practice
—
perseverance
continual steady effort made to fulfil some aim:
He’s slow to learn, but shows great perseverance.
It took perseverance to overcome his reading problems.
—
critic
someone whose job is to make judgments about the good and bad qualities of art, music, films etc
ￚsynonym reviewer
music/art/film/theatre/literary critic
a review by the theatre critic of the Sunday Times
—
accrue
if advantages accrue to you, you get those advantages over a period of time
accrue to
benefits that accrue to students
accrue from
advantages accruing from the introduction of new technology
The struggle to attain equality for female participation in sport has been a long and hard fought one. One hundred years ago, a majority of people-many women included-would have thought it unnatural, if notimmoral, to permit women to participate in sports. Today, women’s participation is widespread and accepted by most. However, there are still many sports and sport-related institutions and organizations that have not achieved full equality. Some sports, such as football or boxing, encourage very little female participation, although even these so-called “masculine” sports are changing. Women’s boxing, for example, will probably be included in the Olympic Games by the end of this decade. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, when sports and physical education programs were first organized in North America, women were forbidden from participating for so-called “scientific” or “medical” reasons. Physicians as a group often spoke out against female athleticism, using the argument that physical activity would damage reproduction. Others claimed that it was quite simply “unnatural” for women to participate in sports. Little real evidence was provided to support these claims. In truth, the so-called “evidence” was more a reflection of physicians’ cultural assumptions about women’s place in society in general. The 1920s and 1930s witnessed a short “Golden Age” in women’s sports. Individual athletes and teams or leagues formed to support female athletics. Track and field, tennis, softball, programs in physical education, and other activities were encouraged, at least for those women lucky enough to have the time and money to participate. There was even a Women’s Olympic Games movement in the 1920s and 1930s. At one point, the regular Olympic Games organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), became concerned that the Women’s Olympics would gain enough power to challenge the superiority of the IOC’s Olympics. As a result, the IOC included a few more women’s events in their Games, although not many. The Golden Age of women’s sports was followed by a long drought. The post-World War II era was one of very conservative traditional family values in North America. However, in the 1970s the current boom in women’s sport began. One ofthe driving forces in the movement was East Bloc countries, particularly the Soviet Union and East Germany, both of which encouraged female athletes at the highest level-the Olympic Games. Female athletes with strong and muscular bodies emerged on the international sports stage. At first, this raised concern among the male-dominated sportsestablishment. However, after years of struggle, the muscular and strong female athletic body has become common in international sport. In the late-nineteenth century, the founder of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin, said that the sight of women participating in sport was an affront to the human eye, and unnatural. We’ve come a long way since then.
equality
a situation in which people have the same rights, advantages etc
equality of
All people have the right to equality of opportunity.
equality with
Women have yet to achieve full equality with men in the workplace.
equality between
equality between men and women
racial/sexual equality
The government must promote racial equality.
—
fought
—
immoral
morally wrong
ￚsee also amoral
Deliberately making people suffer is immoral.
It’s immoral to be rich while people are starving and homeless.
Another Source
not good or right; not following accepted moral principles:
Using other people for one’s own profit is immoral.
—
masculine
having qualities considered to be typical of men or of what men do
ￚopposite feminine
They’re nice curtains, but I’d prefer something a little more masculine.
She has a very masculine voice.
Hunting was a typically masculine occupation.
—
forbidden
not allowed, especially because of an official rule
ￚsee also banned
it is forbidden (to do something)
It is forbidden to smoke at school.
be strictly/expressly/absolutely etc forbidden
Alcohol is strictly forbidden in Saudi Arabia.
—
speak out phrasal verb
to publicly speak in protest about something, especially when protesting could be dangerous
speak out about/against
Five students who had spoken out against the regime were arrested.
—
athleticism
the state of being an athlete, or of taking part in athletic events.
—
reproduction
the act or process of producing babies, young animals, or plants
Scientists studied the reproduction, diet, and health of the dolphins.
human reproduction
a biology lesson on the reproduction of the rabbit
—
In truth
in fact, really
—
so-called
popularly known or called by this term: the so-called nuclear powers
Another Source
named; called by such a name
—
assumption
something that is taken as a fact or believed to be true without proof: Don’t rely on the information she gave you — it’s pure assumption (on her part). | The results of the experiment shook the basic assumptions of his theory. [+that] our mistaken assumption that the price would fall | Let’s work on the assumption (=taking it as likely) that our proposal will be accepted.
Another Source
something that you think is true although you have no definite proof
assumption that
A lot of people make the assumption that poverty only exists in the Third World.My calculations were based on the assumption that house prices would remain steady.We are working on the assumption that the conference will take place as planned.
assumption about
People make a lot of assumptions about me.
—
witness
▶TIME/PLACE◀
if a time or place witnesses an event, the event happens during that time or in that place
Recent years have witnessed the collapse of the steel industry.
—
softball
1
a game similar to baseball but played on a smaller field with a slightly larger and softer ball
2
the special ball used to play this game
—
superiority
the quality of being better, more skilful, more powerful etc than other people or things
ￚopposite inferiority
superiority of
the supposed superiority of the male sex
superiority over
the intellectual superiority of humans over other animals
superiority in
US superiority in air power
—
challenge
▶COMPETITION◀
to invite someone to compete or fight against you, or to try to win something
ￚsee also challenger, dare
challenge somebody to something
After lunch Carey challenged me to a game of tennis.
challenge for
Liverpool are challenging for the title (=in a position where they could win) .
—
post
—
conservative
1 not liking changes or new ideas :
a very conservative attitude to education
conservative views
2 Conservative belonging to or concerned with the Conservative Party in Britain :
Conservative policies
a Conservative MP
3 not very modern in style, taste etc SYN traditional :
a dark conservative suit
—
boom
▶WHEN SOMETHING IS POPULAR◀
[singular] an increase in how popular or successful something is, or in how often it happens
the disco boom of the 1970s
boom in
the boom in youth soccer in the U.S.
—
boom Noun
▶WHEN SOMETHING IS POPULAR◀
an increase in how popular or successful something is, or in how often it happens
the disco boom of the 1970s
boom in
the boom in youth soccer in the U.S.
a (period of) rapid growth or increase: There’s been a boom in exports this year. | the post-war baby boom | The big tax cuts fuelled a consumer boom. | a boom town (=where wealth and population are growing very fast)
ￚsee also baby boom
—
the driving force (behind something/somebody)
the person or thing that makes something happen
someone or something that strongly influences people and makes them do something
Betty Coward was the driving force behind the project.
—
soviet Union, the
between 1917 and 1991, a country in Europe and Asia, whose full name was the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (the USSR). The Soviet Union was the largest country in the world and was made up of 15 republics (=separate nations) , the most important of which was Russia. It was formed after the Russian Revolution in 1917 as a Communist state, led by Lenin. It was one of the most powerful countries in the world, and many people regarded it as the enemy of the US and western Europe during the Cold War. In the 1990s the Soviet Union began to break up as many of the republics got rid of their Communist governments and made themselves independent.
—
emerge
to appear or come out
The flowers emerge in the spring.
emerge from
The sun emerged from behind the clouds.
Several interesting new poets have emerged in recent years.
when land first emerged from the sea
viruses appear to have emerged in recent years
—
stage
—
male-dominated
involving mostly men or controlled mostly by men
a male-dominated profession
—
establishment
—
affront
an act, remark, etc., that is rude to someone or hurts their feelings, esp. when intentional or in public; INSULT:
an affront to one’s dignity/pride
The comments were an affront to his pride.
There is little question that television has radically changed the sporting world. Television has done more than just make existing sports more accessible to a mass audience. It has been argued that the very nature of sport and spectators’ experiences of sport has been shaped by the mediumof television. The first televised sporting event took place on May 17, 1939. A baseball game between two American schools-Princeton and Columbia-marked the beginning of a new era in sport. The first broadcast, however, was not of particularly high quality. Viewers could hardly see the players on the television screen, the technology at the time being of very low quality. In addition, very few people owned television sets at the time. Only 400 TV sets were in circulation, and the average cost of $600 made owning a set impossible for most people. This situation would soon change. Television as a popular and affordable medium grew rapidly in the 1940s and 1950s. By the end of the 1950s, American televised sport entered a “Golden Age.” It was during this period of time that major sporting organizations, such as professional leagues, and major amateur organizations, such as the International Olympic Committee (IOC), realized the benefits of television. Not only could TV make competitions available for a huge number of spectators, it could actually make money for these organizations. Television companies, in turn, could make money by attracting viewers and selling advertising space at increased rates. Television and sport entered what some observers call a “symbiotic” or mutually beneficial relationship. The business relationship developed between the American TV company ABC and the Olympic Games is a clear example of the TV-sport symbiosis. In the 1960s and 1970s, ABC recognized the importance of using international sport to attract viewers. By being recognized as “The Olympic Network,” ABC quickly rose from being the third biggest commercial network in the U.S. to being the leading network. At the same time, ABC paid higher and higher “rights fees” to the IOC, and the IOC, in turn, began to take a more commercial and professional approach to the Olympic Games. The ABC role model has paved the way for other television networks around the world. Today, television rights pay for the majority of Olympic Games expenses. The television and sport relationship has come a long way since the first Princeton/Columbia baseball game. Today, more people experience sport as spectators through the medium of television than they do as regular participants in sport. The television and sport relationship, then, presents a bit of a paradox. While on the one hand it has made sport more visible for more people, it has perhaps done so at the expense of actual participation in sport.
There is little question
—
radical
▶CHANGE/DIFFERENCE◀
a radical change or difference is very big and important
They are proposing radical changes to the way the company is run. a radical reform of the tax system There are radical differences between the two organizations.
ￚradically adverb
a radically different method of production a radically new approach to the problem
—
accessible
a place, building, or object that is accessible is easy to reach or get into
ￚopposite inaccessible
The island is only accessible by boat.
There is a church which is easily accessible from my home.
—
Medium
—
mark
▶YEAR/MONTH/WEEK◀
if a particular year, month, or week marks an important event, the event happened on that date during a previous year
This week marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Priestley.
—
broadcast
a programme on the radio or on television
a news broadcast
CNN’s live broadcast of the trial (=sent out at the same time as the events are happening)
a live broadcast of the football game
—
being
used to give the reason for something
Being a quiet sort of person, I didn’t want to get involved.
You can’t expect them to sit still for that long, children being what they are.
—
circulation
—
televise
to broadcast something on television
The game will be televised live on ABC tonight
—
symbiotic
_______________________ mutually acceptable/beneficial/convenient etc
something that is mutually acceptable etc is acceptable etc to both or all the people involved
We eventually arrived at a figure that was mutually acceptable.
—
develop
—
symbiosis
a relationship between people or organizations that depend on each other equally
—
approach
—
pave the way for something
to make a later event or development possible by producing the right conditions
The Supreme Court decision paved the way for further legislation on civil rights.
Another Source
pave the way for/to to prepare for or make possible:
The agreement paves the way for a lasting peace.
—
rights [plural]
OOOIIY5T
▶BOOKS/TV ETC◀
if someone has the rights to a book, film, television programme etc, they are allowed to sell it or show it
ￚsee also copyright
rights to
The studio bought the rights to his new book.
The company paid £2 million for film rights to the book.
the television rights to the Olympic Games
—
participant
someone who is taking part in an activity or event
participant in
an active participant in the negotiations
All participants in the race should give their names to the starter.
—
paradox
an improbable combination of opposing qualities, ideas, etc.: It is a paradox that in such a rich country there should be so many poor people
—
on the one hand
on the other hand
also on the one hand. .. on the other hand
used to give another opinion or fact that should be considered as well as the one you have just given
I’d like to eat out, but on the other hand I should be trying to save money.
—
expense
the amount of money that you spend on something
legal/medical/living/travel etc expenses (=the money that you spend for a particular purpose)
He borrowed £150,000 and used the money for legal expenses.
at great/considerable/vast expense
Conference rooms were equipped at great expense.
The council must now decide whether to go to the expense of appealing through the courts.
Julie’s parents had spared no expense for her wedding (=they spent all the money necessary to buy the best things) .
Everything has been provided tonight – no expense spared .
Nike and its swoosh corporate symbol are among the most recognized brand names in world,alongside McDonalds, Coca-Cola, and Disney. Starting in 1964 as a sport shoe outlet, the company grew to become the market leader in footwear andapparel. Nike has since diversified into a range of activities, including sports event promotion.Owned by Phil Knight, Nike has become synonymous with world-class sport, especially through its sponsorship of events and elite athletes such as Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. Nike is so ever-present in the sports consumers’ minds, that a survey conducted during the Atlanta Summer Olympic Games in 1996revealed an extremely high awareness of Nike, despite that fact that Nike was not an official sponsor of the Games. Nike’s success has, to a great extent, been due to the fact that the company and its swoosh symbol have become ubiquitous in consumers’ minds. Nike has even run television commercials without even mentioning its own name, being confident enough that the checkmark swoosh is more than enough to make the company known. Phil Knight has been the main inspiration behind Nike and its corporate direction. A competent, although not elite, middle distance runner at the University of Oregon, Knight went onto Harvard business school where the Nike idea emerged out of a paper he developed for a class on entrepreneurship. Knight’s former coach, Bill Bowerman, developed lightweight running shoes that became the new company’s trademark in the early days. From these modest beginnings, Nikeeventually grew to become the sports giant it is today. Ironically, part of Nike’s status in the world of competitive sports merchandisinghas come from the attention it’s received by critics. A short article published in the early-1990s in Harper’s Magazine quickly mushroomed into an internationaloutcry against ike’s practice of placing their factories in underdevelopedcountries and paying workers below-subsistence wages. Nike quickly responded to the criticisms with a number of tactics to either divert attention away from the criticisms (ones that Knight, interestingly, at first denied), or by acknowledging the practices but claiming Nike was “cleaning up its act.” In many cases, Nike has made an effort to create better working conditions for those in underdeveloped countries making shoes and other merchandise. However, the overall effect of Nike’s changes is not known, and several groups around the world regularly check, and often criticize, Nike’s labour practices. Nike’s recent marketing extravaganzas include a $200 million (U.S.) deal with the Brazilian National Soccer Federation. It has been rumoured that Knight’s ego has much to do with Nike’s marketing strategies. Some critics have suggested that Knight’s hidden agenda is no less than controlling sports marketing and merchandising throughout the world. Nike’s corporate headquarters in Oregon reflect these aspirations. Nike’s buildings and surrounding grounds are constructed very much like a religious cathedral, only with elite athletes, and Knight himself, as the gods.
swoosh
Swoosh is the symbol of the athletic shoe and clothing manufacturer Nike.
—
corporate
of or belonging to a corporation: The company is concerned about its corporate image. (=the way it is regarded by the public) | The bank has both individual and corporate customers. | a key feature of our long-term corporate planning
—
alongside
in comparison with something :
His achievement may seem small alongside the great triumphs of 20th-century technology.
Athletics should rank alongside (= be equal to ) soccer and cricket as a major sport.
—
outlet
a shop, company, or organization through which products are sold
Benetton has retail outlets in every major European city.
a fast-food outlet
—
footwear
things that people wear on their feet, such as shoes or boots
outdoor footwear
You can buy shoelaces in the footwear department.
—
apparel
clothes; clothing: ladies’ ready-to-wear apparel
She looked lovely, despite her strange apparel.
men wearing protective apparel.
We sell a full range of sports apparel.
USAGE Compare
clothes, cloth, material, clothing, garment, and dress.
Clothes is the usual word for things we wear: She has some beautiful clothes. | Clothes are made from various kinds of cloth or material, such as wool or cotton: How much cloth/material will I need to make a pair of pants?
Clothing is a more formal word for clothes.
A garment [C] (rather formal) is a single article of clothing.
A dress [C] is a kind of outer garment worn by women: What a pretty dress she’s wearing!, but in certain expressions dress is a particular type of clothing: The men had to wear formal evening dress to go to the company dinner.
—
diversify
if a business, company, country etc diversifies, it increases the range of goods or services it produces
diversify (away) from
farmers forced to diversify away from their core business
diversify into
The company is planning to diversify into other mining activities.
We need to diversify the economy.
Our factory is trying to diversify (its range of products). (=to make a large number of different products)
a publishing company that is now diversifying into the software market
—
promotion
—
synonymous
something that is synonymous with something else is considered to be very closely connected with it
synonymous with
Nixon’s name has become synonymous with political scandal.
She seems to think that being poor is synonymous with being lazy.
—
survey
a set of questions that you ask a large number of people in order to find out about their opinions or behaviour
carry out/conduct a survey (=do a survey)
We conducted a survey of parents in the village.
survey of
survey of US businesses
survey shows/reveals (that)
The survey showed that Britain’s trees are in good health.
—
reveal
to show or allow (something previously hidden) to be seen:
ￚopposite conceal
He may be prosecuted for revealing secrets about the security agency.a test that can reveal a teacher’s hidden skills
reveal (that)
He revealed that he had been in prison twice before.
reveal yourself (as/to be something)
The violinist revealed himself as a talented interpreter of classical music.
The curtains opened, to reveal a darkened stage.
—
ubiquitous
appearing, happening, or existing everywhere:
We were plagued throughout our travels by the ubiquitous mosquito.
Coffee shops are ubiquitous these days.
a ubiquitous insect, like the fly
—
inspiration
a person, experience, place etc that gives you new ideas for something you do :
The seascapes of Cape Cod were her inspiration. inspiration for/behind
He was the inspiration for Wordsworth’s poem ‘The Old Huntsman’.
—
competent adjective
having enough skill or knowledge to do something to a satisfactory standard
ￚopposite incompetent
A competent mechanic should be able to fix the problem.
very/highly/extremely competent
She’s a highly competent linguist.
competent to do something
I don’t feel competent to give an opinion at the moment.
He is the only party leader competent enough to govern this country.
a competent swimmer
My secretary is perfectly competent, but she doesn’t have much initiative.
His French seems quite good to me, but then I’m not really competent to judge.
a competent doctor
is he competent enough to manage the factory?
—
entrepreneurship
the act of being an entrepreneur
—
lightweight
a person or thing of less than average weight
—
trademark
a special name, sign, or word that is marked on a product to show that it is made by a particular company, that cannot be used by any other company
—
modest
▶NOT BIG◀
not very great, big, or expensive
a modest increase in costs She had saved a modest amount of money.
The new service proved a modest success .
a modest house with a small garden
a modest rise in house prices
They were very modest in their demands. (=They didn’t ask for too much.)
modest ambitions
—
eventually
at last; in the end:
He worked so hard that eventually he made himself ill.
After many attempts she eventually managed to get promoted.
He eventually escaped and made his way back to England.
Eventually, she got a job and moved to London.
—
giant
a very large successful company
the German chemicals giant, BASF
Honda is a giant in the international market
—
Ironically
used when talking about a situation in which the opposite of what you expected happens or is true
Ironically, his cold got better on the last day of his holiday.
—
status
respect and importance that someone or something is given
ￚsynonym prestige
the status given to education
Mandela’s status as a world leader
—
merchandising
the way in which shops and businesses try to sell their products :
the director of merchandising
—
mushroom
to grow and develop very quickly
New housing developments mushroomed on the edge of town.
cities that mushroomed around industrial centers
discontent mushroomed into rebellion
—
outcry
a public expression of anger:
There’ll be a great outcry if they try to close the firehouse.
The closure of the local hospital has caused a huge public outcry .
outcry against/about/over
a national outcry about the lack of gun control laws
outcry from
The proposed changes caused an angry outcry from residents.
—
practice
—
underdeveloped
underdeveloped country/region etc
a country, area etc that is poor and where there is not much modern industry
ￚsee also developing country
—
subsistence
subsistence allowance/payment etc
money that is paid to someone so that they can buy meals, pay for a place to stay etc
—
acknowledging
—
merchandise
things that are produced in order to be sold, especially when they are shown for sale in a shop – used especially in business contexts
The merchandise is attractively displayed and the assistants are friendly and helpful.
The fire at the warehouse destroyed merchandise valued at over $2 million.
A range of official Disney merchandise was on sale.
They inspected the merchandise carefully.
—
overall
considering or including everything
The overall cost of the exhibition was £400,000.
The overall result is an increase in population.
An overall winner and a runner-up were chosen.
We don’t want all the details now, just the overall picture.
—
labour
work, especially physical work :
The garage charges £30 an hour for labour.
Many women do hard manual labour (= work with their hands ) .
Workers withdrew their labour (= protested by stopping work ) for twenty-four hours. → hard labour
extravaganza
—
ego
_______________
agenda
1 a list of problems or subjects that a government, organization etc is planning to deal with be high on the agenda/be top of the agenda (= be one of the most important problems to deal with )
Measures to combat terrorism will be high on the agenda.
The government set an agenda for constitutional reform. political/economic/legislative/domestic etc agenda
Our Centre has limited its research agenda to four areas.
2 the ideas that a political party thinks are important and the things that party aims to achieve :
The Republicans have stuck to their conservative agenda.
_______________
headquarters
the central office or place where the people work who control a large organization, such as the police or army or a private company:
Our headquarters is in Geneva.
the headquarters of the United Nations
the company’s headquarters is in New York
_______________
aspiration
(a) strong desire to do something or have something, esp. something great or important:
ￚsynonym ambitiona
The colonial government could no longer ignore the political aspirations of the local people.
She has aspirations to become a great writer.
high level of political aspiration
aspiration of
the aspirations of the working classes
aspiration for
their hopes and aspirations for the future
______________
cathedral
the main church of a particular area under the control of a bishop
St Paul’s Cathedral
Arthur Ashe (1943-1993) was one of the most exceptional tennis players in the history of the sport. Born in Richmond, Virginia, Ashe served in the United States Army and had a good early amateur career. By the end of his life in 1993, Ashe was recognized not only for his tennis, but also for his political campaigns on behalf ofracial equality in the United States, Haiti, and South Africa. Also, as a victim of AIDS, Ashe campaigned for AIDS research near the end of his life. When Ashe turned professional in 1969, he was an African American player in a sport completelydominated by whites. At the peak of his career in the 1970s, Ashe won the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and doubles titles at the French and Australian Opens.
Interestingly, Ashe encouraged young blacks not to waste their energies on sports. Instead, he recommended channeling energy into academic andvocation-related studies. His recommendation seems appropriate to this day. While it is the case that sports can provide positive role models and encourage hard work and discipline, it is also the case that many young athletes dreamunrealistically of professional careers at the exclusion of school. The odds of successfully making a professional league are statistically next to impossible. Despite his own success, Ashe recognized this. Mindful of racism in American society, Ashe always thought of his own career in terms of the general experience of blacks in America. He wrote several booksrecounting these ideas. Ashe’s historical writing on the history of African Americans in sport spawned a multimedia series, A Hard Road to Glory. Today, while a few more blacks have been successful in sports traditionally dominated by whites, it is still the case that whites dominate. The recent successes of athletes like the Williams sisters in tennis and Tiger Woods in golf sometimesconceal the fact that these sports are still predominantly white. According to Ashe’s thinking, it would be a mistake to take one role model, such as Tiger Woods, and from that conclude that race problems in sport no longer exist. Like any institution, race relations in sport should be thought of for their long-term trends, not individual exceptions. Arthur Ashe contracted the HIV virus through a blood transfusion and died of AIDS in 1993, aged 50. While since his death he has become revered and respected, in the 1980s near the end of his life he was unpopular for his ideas. However, his combination of political campaigning and athletic prowess has made him a reveredfigure in American history.
exceptional
unusually good
ￚsynonym outstanding
Richard is an exceptional student.
exceptional bravery
All her children are intelligent, but the youngest girl is really exceptional. (=unusually intelligent)
It was an exceptional game.
The firefighters showed exceptional bravery.
exceptional talent
she is exceptionally qualified for this job
—
On behalf of
for
—
dominate
to have or exercise control or power (over):
The committee works well together, although sometimes the chairman tends to dominate.
—
Interestingly
1
[sentence adverb] used to introduce a fact that you think is interesting
Interestingly, none of their three children ever married. Interestingly enough , Pearson made no attempt to deny the rumour.
2
in an interesting way
His essay was clearly and interestingly written.
—
channel
past tense and past participle channelled present participle channelling British English
past tense and past participle channeled present participle channeling American English
to control and direct something such as money or energy towards a particular purpose
ￚsynonym direct
channel something into something
Most of his energy was channeled into writing and lecturing.
channel something to somebody
Profits are channelled to conservation groups.
channel something through something
The famine relief money was channelled through the UN.
—
vocation
a job, esp. one done because of a special fitness or ability to give service to other people:
Teaching children ought to be a vocation as well as a way of earning money.
At 17 she found her true vocation as a writer.
—
unrealistic
unrealistic ideas or hopes are not reasonable or sensible
it is unrealistic to do something
It is unrealistic to expect these changes to happen overnight.
Some parents have totally unrealistic expectations of teachers.
ￚunrealistically / -kli / adverb
—
exclusion
—
odds
▶PROBABILITY◀
the odds
how likely it is that something will or will not happen
The odds are (=it is likely) that he will commit the same crime again.
the odds of
You can narrow the odds of a nasty accident happening in your home by being more safety-conscious.
the odds against
The odds against a plane crash are around a million to one.
I’m afraid that the odds are heavily against her winning (=it is not likely) .
The odds are in favour of a Russian victory (=it is likely) . What are the odds (=how likely is it) that they will mess up?
a new company that has beaten the odds and succeeded (=it was not likely to succeed, but it did)
—
statistically
—
Mindful
giving attention (to); not forgetful (of):
ￚsynonym conscious of
Mindful of the need to maintain efficient communications, the committee makes the following proposals. . .
The school is mindful of its responsibilities towards all the children.
—
recount
to tell (a story):
She recounted her adventures.
in this book, he recounts the adventures of his journey recount how/what
Alan recounted how he and Joyce had met.
—
spawn
infml
to bring into existence, esp. in large numbers, to make a series of things happen or start to exist:
The computer industry has spawned a lot of new companies.
New technology has spawned new business opportunities.
conceal
to hide; keep from being seen or known: He concealed his feelings/his debts from his wife.
He was found to be carrying a concealed weapon.
She tried to conceal how she felt.
The path was concealed by long grass.
—
predominantly
mostly, mainly
The city’s population is predominantly Irish.
Jamaica’s population is predominantly black.
this school’s students are predominantly Black
—
conclude
to decide that something is true after considering all the information you have
ￚsee also conclusion
conclude that
The report concluded that the school should be closed immediately.
conclude from something that
Richardson concluded from his studies that equality between the sexes is still a long way off.
—
trend
a general tendency in the way a situation is changing or developing
trend towards
Lately there has been a trend towards hiring younger, cheaper employees.
trend in
recent trends in education
The current trend is towards more part-time employment.
the general trend towards the centralization of political power
A disturbing trend is that victims of violence are getting younger.
The growing trend is for single mothers to bring up children by themselves.
Even so, the underlying trend is positive.
national and international economic trends
the downward trend in the price of gold
Successive presidents have tried to reverse this trend , but without success.
—
contract
formal
to get an illness
Two-thirds of the adult population there has contracted AIDS.
he contracted syphilis
—
revere
formal to respect and admire someone or something very much
be revered as something
He is revered as a national hero.
a poet revered by all
they were taught to revere their country’s past glories to the point of worship
revere your parents
to revere the memory of a great leader
a much revered institution
—
prowess
formal
great skill at doing something
his physical prowess
military prowess
—
figure
▶PERSON◀
someone who is important or famous in some way
a leading/key/central
figure Several leading figures resigned from the party.
the outstanding political figure of his time
The professional career of tennis player Bjorn Borg was one of the most interesting ones in recent sports history. Borg’s success in his sport came at an early age. Borg won Wimbledon when he was only 20 years old. However, by the time he was 26, and in the prime of his career, Borginexplicably retired from professional tennis. Borg, who began playing tennis at the age of nine, was the number one ranked junior player by the age of 14, and had won the Italian and French Open titles at the age of 18. These were the first of several major championships won by Borg in the late-1970s and early-1980s. Probably his greatest achievement was a winning streak at Wimbledon that spanned five years. Between the years 1976 and 1982, Borg enjoyed almost completedominance in competitive tennis. His retirement in 1983, then, was a bit of a puzzle. Although his tennis skills waned somewhat in the previous year, he was still one of the top players on the tour, and only 26 years old. Even stranger was the fact that Borg refused to reveal the reasons for his retirement. Following his retirement, Borg encountered a number of personal problems, which kept him in the media spotlight even though he was no longer playing competitive tennis. Five years after his retirement, an emergency hospitalprocedure saved his life. While Borg claimed he had food poisoning, it wassuspected he had a barbiturate overdose. In 1991, Borg attempted to make acomeback on the professional tennis tour, only to fail miserably. His insistence on using a wooden racket at the time, when all of the world’s top players were usingsynthetic fiber rackets didn’t help matters. At the same time, Borg’s second wife attempted to commit suicide, and the couple divorced in 1993. Eventually, Borg disappeared into obscurity, and there is little news of his life today. These sad stories about the latter part of his career aside, Borg was an important figure in modern tennis history. He was the sport’s first modern media star andicon. Teenage girls conferred upon him a status comparable to a rock star. His face adorned t-shirts and other merchandise, making him the most marketabletennis player in history. Borg’s career was a catalyst for Swedish tennis players. Those who followed in his footsteps and held him up as their hero included tennis stars Mats Wilander and Stephan Edberg. Perhaps most important of all, Borg gave to the sport of tennis a degree of showmanship, visibility, and marketability that was used as a role model for the sport in future decades.
prime
the time in your life when you are strongest and most active
in your prime
She’s now forty and still in her prime.
He is now past his prime .
a man in the prime of life
a young singer who was tragically cut off in her prime (=died while she was in her prime)
—
career
a job or profession that you have been trained for, and which you do for a long period of your life
career in
a career in journalism
a teaching careerHe realized that his acting career was over.
career development/advancement/progression etc
Career prospects within the company are excellent.
a physiotherapist who wanted to make a dramatic career change by becoming an author
Nurses want an improved career structure (=better opportunities to move upwards in their jobs) .
—
inexplicable
too unusual or strange to be explained or understood
ￚsynonym incomprehensible, strange
inexplicable behaviour
For some inexplicable reason, he felt depressed.
the inexplicable disappearance of the woman, who was never seen again
his behavior last night is quite inexplicable
the inexplicable movements of atomic particles
ￚinexplicably adverb
—
streak
a limited period during which one has repeated experiences of the same kind, esp. success or failure:
I’d hit a/I was on a winning/losing streak, and kept winning/losing a lot of money betting on horses.
a gambler’s lucky streak
be on a winning/losing streak
Celtic are on a six-game winning streak.
a winning streak
a streak of bad luck
—
span
the span of a person’s life
students’ attention span is short
a short attention/life/memory span
an unbroken span of concentration
—
dominance
the fact of being more powerful, more important, or more noticeable than other people or things
ￚsee also dominate
dominance of
the continuing dominance of the army in Uganda
political/economic/cultural etc dominance
the economic and political dominance of Western countries
dominance over
television’s dominance over other media
Our dominance of the market is seriously threatened by this new product.
Search this word on
—
reveal
to make known something that was previously secret or unknown
ￚopposite conceal
He may be prosecuted for revealing secrets about the security agency.
a test that can reveal a teacher’s hidden skills
reveal (that)
He revealed that he had been in prison twice before.
reveal yourself (as/to be something)
The violinist revealed himself as a talented interpreter of classical music.
Do you promise not to reveal my secret?
The investigation has revealed some serious faults in the system. [+that] I can now reveal that the new director is to be James Johnson.
—
Following preposition
after an event or as a result of it
ￚopposite before
Following the president’s speech, there will be a few minutes for questions.
Thousands of refugees left the country following the outbreak of civil war.
—
encounter
to meet or have to deal with (something bad, esp. a danger or a difficulty); be faced with:
We encountered a lot of problems/opposition
encounter problems/difficulties
They encountered serious problems when two members of the expedition were injured.
encounter opposition/resistance
The government has encountered strong opposition to its plans to raise income tax.
The doctor had encountered several similar cases in the past
—
spotlight
the spotlight
a lot of attention in newspapers, on television etc
in/under the spotlight
Education is once again under the spotlight.
put/turn the spotlight on something
A new report has turned the spotlight on the problem of poverty in the inner cities.
Another Source
public attention: Throughout his political career he’s always been in the spotlight.
now as the president he was under the spotlight
but his wife hated the spotlight
—
procedure
a medical treatment or operation
Liposuction is a minor surgical procedure .
—
While
although:
While I understand what you say, I can’t agree with you.
While there was no conclusive evidence, most people thought he was guilty.
—
suspected
if you have a suspected illness or injury, doctors think that you might have it but do not know for certain
He was taken to hospital after a suspected heart attack.
—
barbiturate
a powerful drug that makes people calm and helps them to sleep
—
overdose
1
too much of a drug taken at one time
overdose of
a massive overdose of heroin
She took an overdose and died two days later.
2
too much of something, especially something harmful
overdose of
an overdose of sun
—
comeback
make/stage a comeback
if a person, activity, style etc makes a comeback, they become popular again after being unpopular for a long time
The miniskirt made a comeback in the late 1980s.
Another Source:
a return to a former position of strength, importance, or high position, after a period of absence:
The old actor made/staged a successful comeback after twenty years.
—
miserably
—
synthetic
produced by combining different artificial substances, rather than being naturally produced
synthetic chemicals
synthetic fibres/materials/fabrics
—
commit
commit suicide
to kill yourself deliberately
More people commit suicide at Christmas than at any other time.
—
obscurity
the state of not being known or remembered
fade/slide/sink etc into obscurity
The group produced two albums before disappearing into obscurity. live/work/remain etc in obscurity
O’Brien died in obscurity.
from obscurity to something
She rose from obscurity to stardom.
After a 20-year break from acting, the new movie rescued her from obscurity.
—
latter
near to the end; later:
In the latter years of his life he lived alone and never welcomed visitors.
In the latter case, buyers pay a 15% commission.
the latter stages of this process
the second volume deals with latter events
the latter part of the year
she wrote these poems in the latter part of her life
—
aside
—
icon
someone famous who is admired by many people and is thought to represent an important idea
a 60s cultural icon
Barbra Streisand is an icon of popular culture.
—
confer
—
status
respect and importance that someone or something is given
ￚsynonym prestige
the status given to education
Mandela’s status as a world leader
—
adorn
to decorate something
adorn something with something
church walls adorned with religious paintings
her hair was adorned with a rose
They adorned the statue of the Virgin Mary with roses.
—
merchandise [uncountable] formal
goods that are being sold
A range of official Disney merchandise was on sale.
They inspected the merchandise carefully.
shops were full of merchandise but nobody had money
—
marketable
marketable goods, skills etc can be sold easily because people want them
The program is designed to provide students with real, marketable skills.
ￚmarketability
—
catalyst
—
follow in somebody’s footsteps
to do the same job or to work or live in the same way as someone else before you, especially someone in your family
He is a doctor and expects his son to follow in his footsteps.
—
hold somebody/something up as something phrasal verb
to use someone or something as a good example or as proof of something
The school is held up as a model for others.
This incident will be held up as proof that tougher controls are needed.
—
visibility
the situation of being noticed by people in general
visibility of
The exhibition helped increase the visibility of women artists.
ome of the best-known mountain sceneryon Earth is concentrated in a set of seven parks in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. There are four national parks in the Canadian Rockies – Banff, Jasper, Yoho and Kootenay, and three British Columbia provincial parks – Mount Robson, Mount Assiniboine and Hamber. The sevenpreserves located along the Alberta-British Columbia border attract more than nine million people annually. Banff National Park became Canada’s first national park in 1885, and the birthplace of Canada’s national park system. It is home to a variety of distinctive natural features and cultural and historical sites. Rugged mountains, glaciers, icefields, alpine meadows, beautiful blue cold-water lakes, mineral hot springs, deep canyons and hoodoos compose the natural landscape and habitat for a great variety of mammals such as elk, bighorn sheep, black and grizzly bear, and caribou. 
