My English Course Level B2- C1

viernes, 6 de julio de 2018

DISASTERS

Ferocious tornadoes in recent USA history swept through several states

A hurrican HITS the Caribbean
the storm just never let up ( stop)
a heavydownpour
to be snowed in for two days
To be rained off ( not start an activity because it's raining)
A flood
A drought
A powerful earthquake

At least, 20 deaths recorded
Casualties

jueves, 5 de julio de 2018

BUYING AND SELLING

to haggle = to bargain

In what sort of places do you haggle OVER the price?

to swap = to barter
to rip off / to shell out / to cahs in on
to beat sb down to X euros
to pick it up / to snap it out
an acquisition / a takeover /a purchase

to make a purchase

to chip in together for a gift / to club together for a present

To sale

to sell off = to get rid off
to sell out = completely
to be on sale (rebajas)
sale skills
A customer
A house FOR sale ( en venta)
an offer = a bargain

to spot a bargain

A pawn shop
Online shopping
An auction

Ways of buying

To be a shopping binge ( atracon /maraton)
What things do you BULK buy?
Do you believe in retail therapy?
Are you a savvy shopper ( listo)
A fashion victim

To pay

To split up the bill / to pay my own way
To cut costs
To pay in full / a discount / installments
To pay up front rather than on credit
to be on a loan

My car is on loan

It's affordable
Delivery costs
Shipping costs

Spend and Prices

To cost the earth / a small fortune/ an arm and a leg
Prices rocketing
a steep rise in price
It's incredibly expensive
to pay over the odds for sth
It's a reasonable prize
a knock-down price
to buy it for a song
It's inexpensive
rock-bottom prices
something to be good value for money
Women are the biggest spenders
a spendthrift
to dip in your savings / in your pockets
Women are far more likely to compare prices
To rein in our spend habits

to store / to stock up
Places

A store
a mall
an outlet= a shop

To buy clothes

I usually wear bright colours
I like loose / tight shirts /jeans
A knee-size long dress /gown
High-heeled shoes
to shop around
to do window shopping
To spend considerably more on clothes
He spends nothing like as much on shoes as her
I'm being already served ( by another assistant)
I'm size 38
Can I try this on?
a changing room
It doesn't fit
Do you have these in size 40?
Can I have a bigger /smaller size?
Would you like a hem on theses trousers?
This jacket matches your shirt
This goes with your hat
It really suits you
I'll take this / I'll leave that
These are on sale
I'll pay for it
May I have a ticket?
a receipt
Can I return this and get my money back?
I am afraid we can only give you a voucher

AT WORK

To seek a job

Job ads
to apply for a job
a job seeker
To turn down an application
An impressive CV
a stroke of luck
To seize opportunities
First impressions
a good character reference
Personnal recommendation
to achieve your aims
To make her dreams come true
Make contactas
Set my heart onn becoming...
Toseize opportunities
To put a lot of efforts into...

Work placements

Gain hands-on experience

To get a job

Going straight into a permanent job
to find a job nearer home
I was taken on for a 3- month work
a mapped-out career plan
The main priority
A strong preference
a hand-on experience
a false career start
to change track
Terms and conditions agreed beforehand

Places

I work IN a bank
I work FOR (name of a company)
The workplace
Working environment

Elements

the powerforce
a co-worker
Team players
A close-knit team
trade unions

collective arrangements reached
collective bargain ( el convenio colectivo)

Qualities

Tenacity
Self-confidence
Ruthlessness
determination
ability to take risks
a clear focus
half-hearted

types of work

a 9 to 5 job
shift work
part-time / full time
Flexible time
to do / to work overtime
to work in a assembly line (cadena de montaje)
A permanent job
a causal job
to be self-employed

To be a trainee ( the very junior person in a company)

Different tasks

A daily routine
A run-of-the mill job
to keep at it / to work at it
to steer / direct / guide /lead
To be in charge of
to do paperwork
To write memos, arrange meetings
No matter how hard she works

Problems

To get to grips with managing a workload
Tight deadlines
to be under pressure
to be tied up at work
to cach up with
to be mad at work recently
Overload of work
heavy workload
to be snowed under
to be burned out
Working hours
to commute
to go on a strike
to be overworked and underpaid

Improving

Wage scales
to take pride indoing her job
a promotion
a fresh challenge
further career prospects

Without job

dismiss / sack
to be laid off / to get fired
to be redundant
to step down /to resign / to quit
to be unemployed
to be retired

Payments

a pay rise
Sick pay
holiday pay
Income tax
Lucrative job
A salary increment

holidays

How much holidays do you get
A voluntary leave

To be sick

A maternity/ paternity leave

Jobs

a firefighter

a fire brigade

soldier

An army

Pilot

Air force

Police officer

Police force

To work in a stall /( in a market)
To work AT a computer
To run a coffee bar

THINGS WE LIKE

spare time, entertainment

To do your own thing = to please yourself
to have time to yourself
to take up an activity / to give up

To be mad about
Develop a fascination for
to look forward to sth
I can't wait to
I die for a cup of tea
I'm delighted
to be keen to do sth
The stuff we crave
To set his heart on a specific job
Enjoy getting together
to be hooked
to be caught up in
To be engaged with

Dislike

This may not appeal to you
Not to be into sth oneself

to care for = like

to care about = important

I don't care much for them
He cares about money

Types

A risk-averse type of person
A risk-taker

Activities

Going round the shops
A shopaholic
to hang out with friends
to knock around together / to hang out with sb.
to take up ballroom dance / to be reluctant to take up
To sign up for a new play
To form a drama group
I'm not into ballet myselfs
a kickround
DIY ( do it yourself)
A couch potato
cycling is fraught with danger

Consequences

Rewarding
relaxing
demanding
Therapeutic
lucrative
Time consuming

TELEVISION

A soap opera
a game live or recorded highlights
channels
satellite dish

PERIODICALS

Newspapers

Newspapers come out dialy
The largest circulation ( nº readers) is The Times
Broad sheets are bigger = quality press
Tabloids are smaller= popular press
A bulletin
features= longer articles about special subjects
A columnist
A press conference
a scoop (primicia)
A disclosure
News leaked out

A newsreel (resumen de actualidad)
To broadcast = to put over
The presenter
The viewers

Some words

Reportedly / allegedly dead (supuestamente)

alledged police brutality

a bid = an effort, a try / an attempt

New bid to cut teenage smoking

COMPUTERS AND INTERNET

My computer may crash
to have a bug
to make a back-up copy
Now computers are USER-FRIENDLY