Scarica schema libro Collocations e più Sintesi del corso in PDF di Lingua Inglese solo su Docsity! COLLOCATION WHAT IS COLLOCATION? • Is a pair or a group of words that are often used together → A common combination of words that sound natural to native speakers • Are often difficult to learn for English students, because the combinations sound natural to native speakers • Some collocations are fixed and very strong → take a photo → no word other than take collocates with photo to give the same meaning • Some collocations are more open, several different words may be used to give a similar meaning → keep to / stick the rules ( to do something that you promised or decided you would do, or that you believe you should do) Some example : • Make an effort → not do an effort ( to do something even though you do not want to or you find it difficult) • Watch tv → not look at tv • Powerful engine → not strong engine • Ancient monument → not antique monuments Dispose of → non è disporre, significa throw something away Other examples of collocation • Give someone a lift → tirare su qualcuno • Get your own way → to persuade other people to allow you to do what you want: • ease the pain → solleviare il dolore • sharp pain → acute and several physical discomfort • give a call → dare un colpo di telefono • strictly forbidden • bitterly cold • pitch dark • substancial meal COMPOUNDS AND IDIOMS • Units of meaning formed with two or more words → sometimes the word are written separately, sometimes they have a hyphen, or they are written as one word Examples : • Car park • Post office • Narrow-minded → disliking or not interested in ideas or cultures different from your own • Shoelaces • Teapot TYPES OF COLLOCATION ADJECTIVES AND NOUNS Some adjectives are typically used with particular nouns Examples : • Bright colour • Brief chat • Major problem • Key issue → questione fondamentale NOUNS AND VERBS Nouns and verbs are often together Economic and business examples : • The economy boomed in the 1990s → the economy was very strong • The company has grown and now employs 50 more people than last year • The company has expanded • The 2 companies merged in 2013 and now form one very large corporation • The company launched the product • The price increase poses a problem for us → is a problem • The internet has created opportunities for our business NOUN + NOUN There a lot of collocation with the pattern a …of… • A surge of anger → a sudden angry feeling • A sense of pride → senso di orgoglio • A pang of nostalgia → a state of nostalgia VERBS AND EXPRESSIONS WITH PREPOSITION Some verbs collocate with particular prepositional expressions • Swelling with pride → looking extremely proud • Filled with horror • Burst into tears → suddenly started crying VERBS AND ADVERBS Some verbs have particular adverbs which regularly collocate with them • Pulled steadily → pulled firmly and evenly • Place gently • whisper softly → sussurro soffice • smiled proudly 4. axe 5.5 1. dead 2. the aircraft 3. bore the cost 4. dropped out 5. launched into INTENSIFYING ADVERBS HIGLY • (un)likely • Unusual • Successful • Competitive • Profitable • Effective • Controversial • Recommended ABSOLUTELY / UTTERLY → very extreme meaning where we can’t use ‘’very’’ • Ridiculous • Stupid • Impossible • Wrong • Alone • Appalled → offended or shocking by something because is it extremely unpleasant or bad • convinced • devasted • miserable BITTERLY → use for carries and feeling of deep sadness → used slightly more in writing than in conversation • disappointing • resent → to experience angry unhappy feelings because you think you have been treated unfairly or without enough respect • criticise • regret -→ dispiacersi • complain → lamentarsi • cry • weep → cry because you feel unhappy DEEPLY → Collocates mainly with words associated with feelings, used more in writing • ashamed → feeling guilty or embarrassed • concerned → worried, involved affected, feeling care for someone • shocked • committed → loyal to a belief • moved → to affect someone emotionally, especially by making them feel sad • affected → not natural behaviour, done to impress other people • hurt • regret • care • religious • unhappy RIDICULOUSLY → Suggests something extreme, which seems unbelievable or unreasonable • cheap • expensive • easy • low • high • long • short • small • large • early STRONGLY → collocates with particularly verbs that relate to having an opinion • oppose • influence • believe • deny • recommend • support • condemn → to say publicly that you think someone or something is bad or wrong (condannare) • suggest → to offer an idea or plan for someone to consider (suggerire) • feel → think particularly way • argue → speak in angry way because they disagree • object → EXERCISES PAG 17 6.1 1. deeply ashamed 2. ridiculously cheap 3. highly controversial 4. absolutely stupid 5. highly successful 6. bitterly disappointing 7. strongly opposed 8. absolutely ridiculous 9. ridiculously easy 10. deeply concerned 6.2 1. ridiculously cheap 2. highly controversial 3. strongly opposed 4. bitterly disappointing 5. deeply ashamed 6. highly successful 7. ridiculously easy 8. absolutely stupid 9. deeply concerned 10. absolutely ridiculous 6.3 1. strongly love 2. highly exhausted 3. bitterly regard 4. absolutely tired 5. deeply successful 7. EVERYDAY VERBS MAKE • make arrangements for • make a change / make changes • make a choice • make a comment • make a contribution to • make a decision • make an effort • make an excuse 8.2 1. became extinct 2. be married 3. became depressed 4. of becoming famous 5. getting 6. have became homeless 7. had a baby 8. suffered a heart attack 8.4 1. I go mad 2. the sky turned gold 3. they have gone brown 4. when I start go grey 5. got silent 6. grew louder 7. feeling ill 8. became bright red 9. EVERYDAY VERBS 3 HAVE • Have an accident • Have a row – argument • Have a break • Have difficulty • Have a conversation – chat • Have a dream – nightmare • Have an experience • Have a feeling • Have fun – good time • Have a look • Have a party • Have a problem • Have a try – go TAKE • Take a holiday • Take a trip • Take a train • Take a bus • Take a liking to → prendere in simpatia • Take a risk • Take an interest in • Take a photo • Take a chance • Take a dislike to • Take action • Take advantage of PAY • Pay attention • Pay a compliment • Pay your (last) respects → visit someone in order to welcome or talk to them: We went to pay our respects to our new neighbors. (also pay your last respects) to honor someone after their death • Pay tribute → rendere omaggio 9.2 pag 22 1. she paid attention 2. I took 3. she paid me a nice compliment 4. I had a bad dream 5. paid the tribute 6. I took a liking to my new doctor 7. I had a feeling 8. Pay my last respects 9. Take a chance 10. Have a party 11. Take action 12. I had a feeling 10. SYNONYMS AND CONFUDABLE WORDS a. Close → The chairperson closed the meeting at 4.30 → close meetings, discussion, conferences b. Shut → Shut your mouth!, impolite way to telling someone not to speak → dentist might ask you to close your mouth a. Start → it was a cold morning and I couldn't star my car → begin isn’t used for engines and vehicles b. Begin → before the universe began, time and space didn’t exist → begin is more formal and abstract contexts a. Big→ it was a big decision to make → big is referred to physical size of an object, or something is serious or important b. Large → I wanted the sweater in the large size → only referred to the physical size a. End → the film ended with the hero dying → end means decide to stop, a clear conclusion b. Finish →I haven’t finished my homework yet → to say that we complete something that we are doing GROUP OF WORDS WITH SIMILAR MEANINGS Words meaning ‘’old’’ • Old → friends, building • Ancient → history, times • Antique → furniture, jewellery (old and valuable) • Elderly → person, is more polite than old Words with no one or nothing else or with nothing similar • Single parent → refers to a person • Lonely place, spot, person • Alone → live alone, travelling alone , one person on their own • Sole survivor → only survivor • Only child • Unique occasion • Solitary figure • Desperately lonely OTHER SYNONYM PAIRS a. Charge → I need to charge my phone → used for batteries and electrical items b. Load → they loaded the lorry(camion) and drove away→ used for cargoes, lorries, vans, ships, weapons a. Injure → three injured people were taken to hospital → person b. Damage → the shop tried to sell me a damaged sofa → things a. Grow → in the south the farmers grow crops → plants and crops b. Raise → in the north farmers mostly raise cattle(bestiame) → animals and children 12 METAPHOR Light → associated with happiness → face shines, eyes shine, sunny smile, sunny faces, atmosphere lighten Darkness → associated with unhappiness → dark thoughts, dark times, dark days WATER • Flow → suggests that things progress easily, without effort → the ideas flow, conversation flows • A flood / floods of tears / tears streaming down someone’s face → flood significa inondazione • People pour / stream somewhere → pour and stream suggest lots of people moving smoothly (corrente) • People trickle → suggests a few people moving slowly • A stream of visitors / traffic → continuous movement FIRE AND HEAT • Often suggest anger in English → heated debate, heated conversation Fiery temper → they often get suddenly angry Tempers flared → you mean that people became angry with each other Violence flares up → problems which existed in the past suddenly become serious again Troubles flare up Not all the metaphors relating to fire suggest anger Cheeks burn with embarrassment → feel very embarrassed Blaze of glory → a lot of it and it’s spectacular Blaze of publicity Es 12.1 1. Sunny smile 2. shine 3. To lighten the atmosphere 4. Dark days 5. Lighten up 6. Darken Es. 12.4 1. B 2. B 3. A 4. C 13 WEATHER • Unbroken sunshine → only sunshine, no clouds in the sky • Scorching hot → extremely hot • Soaking up the sunshine → enjoying the sunshine • Pouring with rain • Torrential rain → heavy rain • Freezing cold • Got soaked → infradiciarsi • Break in the clouds • Rained heavily • Thick cloud → densa nuvola • Looks like rain → looks as if it is going to rain • A strong wind is blowing • Freak weather conditions → very unusual or unexpected • Gale-force winds → borrasca di vento • Hit → struck, badly affected • Rivers burst their banks → rivers flooded → alluvione Es. 13.1 1. Crisp snow 2. Patches of fog 3. Strong wind 4. A biting wind 5. A hard frost 6. Torrential rain 7. Unbroken sun 8. A blanket of fog ES 13.2 1. Strong wind 2. The wind died down in the evening 3. Deteriorate 4. It was freezing cold 5. Heavy rain 6. The mist lift LEZIONE 3 13/10 14 TRAVEL JOURNEY TRIP Discuss → false friend Row = to argue → discutere • Travel Arrangements → • Travel agent • Business travel • Business trip • Boat trip • Day trip • Tiring journey • Return journey → the opposite is outward journey • Sightseeing → giro turistico • Safe journey → said to someone who is about to make a journey • Travel brochures → leaflets • Overnight journey → a journey that takes place on night-time Differences between TRAVEL, JOURNEY AND TRIP Isn’t in time duration but spatial movement Travel → is usually uncountable ( a travel) Journey → movement from one place to another • spectacular view → very dramatic view • enjoy – admire a view • breathtaking scenery → extremely striking and beautiful view • dominate the landscape → can be seen from a long way away • beach stretches • sandy beach → sabbia • secluded beach → without many people • golden sands • peaceful/ tranquil countryside 16. TOWN AND CITIES • city skyline • cobbled streets → made of regular pattern of stones → ciottolato • narrow streets → stradine • conservation area • quaint old buildings → attractive because of being unusual and especially old-fashioned • upmarket shops → for people with expensive tastes • pricey → expensive in a negative sense • overpriced • good value → conveniente • relaxed atmosphere • Royal avenue runs from north to south • Lined with shops → ricca di negozi • Lively bars → bar vivaci • Fashionable clubs • Pavement cafès → caffetterie all’aperto • Tree-lined avenues → strade alberate • Residential areas • High-rise flats → grattacieli • Inner city → central part of a city • Imposing buildings → imponenti edifice NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF TOWNS AND CITIES • Urban wasteland → a city area which is empty and in a bad condition • No-go areas → dangerous areas • Strewn with litter → pieno di immondizia • Run-down buildings → edifici fatiscenti • Deprived areas → zone disagiate • Industrial zones • Sprawling city → città tentacolare • Bumper-to-bumper traffic → so many cars and so close that they are almost touching each other • Exhaust fumes → gas di scarico • Volume of traffic • Incessant roar → very loud noise which never stops • Comfortable suburbs → comodo quartiere periferico • Shanty towns → very poor houses made fo discarded materials 17. PEOPLE CHARACTER AND BEHAVIOUR • Good company → people enjoy being with you • Selfish streak → you sometimes act in a selfish way • Outgoing personality → estroverso • Good sense of humour • Vivid imagination • Lose your temper → perdere la pazienza • Razor-sharp mind → mente brillante • Set high standards • Fiercely loyal → stronger than extremely • Put other first • Painfully shy → terribilmente timido • To give the impression • Supremely confident • Snap decisions → quick decisions • Sense of responsibility • Keep your word → do what you say you will do • Bear a grudge → resent for a long time bad things other have done to you • Keep your temper • To make a fool out of you → prendere in giro • Brutally honest • Play a joke – trick • Take a joke → didn’t mind a joke being played on her • Swallow your pride → she did it even though it was embarrassing for her • Throw a tantrum → behaved in a very uncontrolled manner (fare I capricci) • Lose your patience • Come to terms with → accept something psychologically • Reveal your true character → opposite of conceal – hide your true character Ex. 17.2 1 have- bear a grudge – selfish streak – hurts my feelings – to keep my temper – lose my temper 2 to put other first – lose your patience – make a fool out of you 3 painfully shy – I give the impression – good company 4 keeping secrets – vivid imagination – keeps her word 5 outgoing personality – sense of humour -razor sharp mind – brutally honest 6 sense of responsibility – fiercely loyal – aspect – snap decision 19 FAMILIES • Nuclear family → just parents and children • Extended family → including grandparents , cousins etc.. • Close relatives → parents, children, brothers • Distant relatives → second cousin or distant cousins • Close / immediate family → refers to people who are your nearest • Blood relatives • Close-knit family → close can also be used to mean that the relationships is a very strong one • Loving family • Respectable family • Dysfunctional family • Late husband / wife → is one who has died • Estranged husband / wife → is one who lives in a different place and has a difficult relationship with their husband / wife • Trial separation • Get a divorce • Bitter / acrimonious divorce → full of anger, arguments and bad feelings • Broken home → children whose parents have separated or divorced • Stable home → strong and loving family • Deprived home → poor family • Confirmed bachelor → is a man who seems to have no intention of ever marrying Parents and children • Start a family • Have a children • Expect a baby → not wait for a baby • Have a baby → not get a baby • The baby is due → expect to arrive → the baby is due next week • Single parent • Raise/ bring up a children / family • Apply for custody of the children → the legal right or duty to care for a children • Give / grant custody • Provide for your family → to earn enough money to support your family • make yourself at home → to a guest who’s just arrived • feeling at home • second home EX 21.1 1. fully furnished 2. short-let accommodation 3. residential area 4. newly-built apartment 5. off-road parking 6. fully-fitted kitchen 22 EATING AND DRINKING • junk food • nourishing meals → meals which make you healthy and strong • organic food • fresh produce → foods produced from farming, agricultural produce • ready meals → meals already prepared or which just need to be heated quickly • food additives → substances added to food to improve its taste or to preserve it • processed foods → foods which are changed or treated as part of an industrial operation • GM foods → genetically modified • Perishable foods → food which goes bad quickly • Food poisoning → illness from contaminated food • Light meal → pasto leggero • Substantial meal → large meal • Slap-up meal → unusually large and good • Gourmet meal → high quality • Home-cooked food • Quick snack • Refreshing drink • Dying of hunger • Decent meal • Healthy appetite • Hearty breakfast → ricca colazione • Soft drink → bibita • Spoil your appetite → rovinare l’appetito • Set menu → menu fisso • Reasonably priced → Prezzi ragionevoli We say international food/cuisine, NOT world-wide food/cuisine. A Chinese/ Mexican/French meal is what you eat in a restaurant. When referring in general to the food of a country or culture we say Chinese/Mexican/French food/cooking/cuisine Ex. 22.2 • Food additives • Junk food • Ready meals • Fresh produce • The set menu 23 FILMS AND BOOKS • A book / film comes out • Review the book/film • Book reviewers → the person who review the book • Film critics • Book/film reviews • Bad review • Based on a true story • A book/film captures an atmosphere • A book/ film deals with a topic • Opening/closing scenes of a film • Opening/ closing chapters of a book • The beginning /closing of a book/film → not start or finish • Central characters • Happy ending → if everything works out well for the central characters • Recommend a book/film → that you enjoyed • Highly recommended → if a lot of people have enjoyed FILMS AND ACTING • Go on the stage → become an actor • Cast a film → select the actors for a film • Star in a film → apparire in un film • Shoot a film • Make a film lo • The big screen → the cinema • Plenty of opportunities → numerose opportunità • Special effects → powerful visual effects • Male lead → main male part • Play a role • Female lead • Cameo role → small but special part • Give a performance • Nominated for the Oscar • Box-office hit → extremely successful with audiences (campione d’incassi) • Full houses → cinemas/theatres with no empty seats (tutto esaurito) ABOUT BOOKS • Be engrossed /absorbed in a book → assorto • Compulsive reading → so interesting you can’t stop reading • Bedtime reading • An easy read • Download and audio-book • Download an e-book reader app • Flick /skim through a book → sfogliare un libro • Beautiful written Si dice ‘’ critics review a book or a film’’ → se diciamo ‘’ criticise a book /film’’ means to say negative things about it • I watch television → not see television • I see / watch a film / programme television EX 23.1 1. Comes out 2. Review new books 3. It deals with 4. Captures an atmosphere 5. The males lead 6. In the opening chapters 7. In the closing chapters 8. It doesn’t have an happy ending 9. Highly recommended 10. Beginning and closing 24 MUSIC • Music scene • Background music • Blast out from your hi-fi → sound extremely loud • Debut album → presented to the public for the first time • Live performance • Easy listening → music that is not serious or difficult • Catchy tunes → pleasant and easy to remember • Give a sentimental performance • Pop idol • Adore fans • Piece of music → brano musicale • Massive hit → enorme successo • To release → rilasciare • Big hit 5. Do circuit training 6. Play table tennis 7. Go skateboarding 8. Play darts 9. Play any sports 26 HEALTH AND ILLNESS • Catch the flu – a cold(raffrddore) – a chill(freddo) – pneumonia(polmonite) • Contract a disease – malaria – typhoid • Develop a cancer – diabetes – arthritis – Alzheimer’s disease • Suffer from asthma – hay fever (allergia) – backhace • Have an attack of bronchitis – asthma -hay fever- diarrhoea • Be diagnosed with cancer- aids- leukaemia- autism • Suffer major/minor/serious/head injuries (lesioni/ferrite) FITNESS AND GOOD HEALTH • Take vigorous exercise • Eat balanced diet • Healthy eating • Follow fitness programme • Stick to your programme • Keep fit • Terminally ill → die soon • Excruciating / unbearable pain → dolore lancinante • Incurable illness • Trivial / minor aliments → cibo malsano • Serious illness • Life-threatening → potenzialmente mortale • Acutely/intensely painful • Dull ache → leggero dolore • The doctor prescribes • Tablets → pastiglie • Relieved / alleviate the pain • Take ill • Have a heavy cold • Have a Slight cold → leggero raffreddore • Splitting headache → mal di testa lancinante • Things get damaged • People get injured Ex 26.3 1. Serious ill – life-threatening 2. Terminally ill 3. Dull ache 4. Balanced diet 5. Serious headache 6. Trivial aliments 7. Stick to it 8. Sports 9. Was taken ill – excruciating pain 10. Healthy eating – vigorous exercise 11. Prescribes – alleviate 12. Slight cold 28 STUDY AND LEARNING • Sit / take an exam → do an exam • Carry out / conduct a research project → do a research • Enrol on / take a course → do a course • Study for/ take a diploma → do a degree • Study / take history and economics → do a subject • Write an essay / assignment → do an essay • Give a lecture → do a lecture • Obtain / was awarded a diploma → get a diploma • Received / was given a A-grade → get a grade • Obtain / acquire a qualification → get a qualification • Receive an education → get an education FORMAL COLLOCATIONS • Attend the lectures • Complete the course • The class is held in room 405 • Hand in your essay / homework → you have to hand in your essay on Friday (consegnare) • Submit your application • Withdraw from the course MORE COLLOCATIONS • Keep a notebook • First draft → prima bozza • Final draft → bozza finale • Give a feedback • Continuous assessments → student’s work is judge by pieces of course work and not by one final examination • Provide training • Higher /tertiary education → educazione universataria • Further education → corsi di formazione • Recognise qualification 28.2 1. sit 2. take 3. hand 4. give 5. withdraw 6. held 7. draft 8. continuous assessments 9. attend 10. provides training 30. JOB • Fulfilling job → lavoro soddisfacente • Hig -powered job → lavoro di grande prestigio • A demanding job → lavoro impegnativo • A steady job → lavoro fisso • To offer someone a job • A permanent job • To apply for a job WORK • To carry out a work • To supervise work • To work closely with • To take on work → assumere un lavoro • Available to start work • To complete work CAREER • To wreck / ruin someone’s career • To embark on a career → start a career • To have a career in (medicine) • A brilliant career • A career takes off → a career starts to become very successful • A promising career • To climb the career ladder → fare carriera • Her career lasted • At the height / peak of your career • Concise summary • Strenuously defends • Come under attack → • To play a central role • Go into great detail → entrare nel dettaglio • Establish a connection between • Irrefutable proof → absolute proof • Significant trends STRONG EXPRESSIONS OF OPINION • Key factor • Perfect example • Clear illustration LESS STRONG EXPRESSIONS OF OPINION • Tentative explanation → an explanation given by someone who isn’t totally certain that is the correct explanation • Broadly support → supportare OTHER GENERAL ACADEMIC COLLOCATIONS • Strong tendency • Gather evidence → raccogliere prove • Carry out a study • Do/conduct/ carry out a study • Play a part • Supporting evidence → elementi di prova • Challenges the theory → discutere la teoria • Acknowledge your sources → citare le fonti • Commit plagiarism • Put forward a theory / propose a theory → not gives a theory 33 ACADEMIC WRITING : STRUCTURING AN ARGUMENT • Fall into categories → divisi in categorie • I drawn a distinction between → distinguere fra • Take into consideration • Make reference to • Raise question → alzare delle questioni • Touch on issue → toccare il tema/problema • Make a case for → creare un caso REINFORCING ARGUMENTS • Assess the significance → valutare l’importanza • Lay emphasis on → porre l’accento su • Lend support to → dare sostegno • Hold firmly to → tener saldo OTHER COLLOCATIONS • Draw an analogy → make a comparison between things which have similar features, to help explain an idea • Draw parallels → say that something is very similar to something else • Present the case for • Put forward the argument → presentare un argomentazione • Take up the position / adopt • Stat an opinion • Argue convincingly → argues in a way that makes people believe that something is true or right • Draw attention to → attirare l’attenzione • Suggest • Briefly summarise → express the most important ideas in a short and clear form • Disagree profoundly → disagrees very strongly • Draw the conclusion → trarre la conclusione 34. LAW AND PUNISHMENTS • observe the law → formal • obey the law → less formal • introduce / pass the law • act within the law → formal, agire nel rispetto della legge • uphold / enforce the law → make sure that people obey the law • break the law • respect the law • the law forbids / prohibits • the rules permit / allow • the rules / regulations apply to → the rules are for • follow the rules • regulations require / stipulate → the rules say that • comply with the regulations → do what the rules say • bend the rules → break the rules in a way that is not considered important PUNISHMENTS • carry out an investigation • appear in a court • go on trial → essere processato • reach a verdict → raggiungere un verdetto • fair trial → processo equo • be severely punished • pay/ face a heavy fine → pagare / affrontare una pesante multa • face the death penalty → affrontare la pena di morte • act as a deterrent → fungere da deterrente • suffer the consequences • a harsh penalty / sentence → severe sentenze • a hard legal battle • win a case 34.1 1. obey 2. observe 3. break 4. 5. act within 6 passing 7 introducing 8 uphold or enforce 35 TALKING ABOUT CRIMES • hardened criminal → someone who has committed a lot of crimes • to commit offence → commettere un reato • serve a sentence of → scontare una pena • political prisoners • common criminals → low class criminal, negative term • acts of terrorism • convicted criminal → someone declared officially in a court of law to be guilty of a crime, pregiudicato • conviction for robbery → condanna per furto • criminal record → list kept by the police of someone’s previous crime, fedina penale • young offenders → riformatorio • the fight against • Target serious crime • Street crime • Vehicle crime • Break into your house • Steal your car • Tackle crime → lottare contro la criminalità • Combat crime • Crime rate • Steady income → entrata fissa • Earning a good salary • Big money • Seriously rich • Make money • Earn money • Make a withdrawal → fare un prelievo • Raise enough money • To have a really good deal → fare un affare • Going cheap → selling for a low price • Make a small fortune • Money was tied up in his business → not available for spending 38 WAR AND PEACE - War broke out → suddenly started - Join the army - War was declared - Go to war - Fierce fighting → apri combattimenti - Minor incidents - All-out war → a complete/total war - Within firing range → the distance within which the enemy could hit him by firing their guns - Opened fire - Take prisoners - Army went into action - Decisive battle - The battle raged → the battle was very violent - Fighting the war → combattere la Guerra - Peacekeeping forces - Horrors of war - Avert war → prevent something bad from happening PEACE - Bring about peace → portare pace - Negotiate a peace agreement - Calla a truce / ceasefire - Sign a peace treaty - Lasting peace → pace durevole - Peace activist - Keep the peace → mantere la pace - Restore order 39 GLOBAL PROBLEMS • Climate change • Rising sea levels → innalzamento del livello del mare • Greenhouse gases → gases which cause the greenhouse effect • Disturbing the ecological balance • Fish stocks → number of fish • Depleted the ozone layer → reduced something in size or amount, especially supplies of energy, money • Tackle pollution → combattere l’inquinamento • Exhaust fumes → gas di scarico • Fossil fuels → fuel such as gas, coal, and oil • Irreparable damage • Crops fail → raccolto andato male • Devastating famines → carestie devastanti • Devastating floods • Natural disaster POVERTY • Escaping poverty → sfuggire dalla povertà • Below the poverty line • Lift them out of poverty → farli uscire dalla povertà • Simple solution • Widening gulf → an important difference between the ideas, opinions, or situations of 2 groups of people • Deprived regions • Margins of society • Developing countries • Sleeping rough → in the open • Street children • Live on the streets • Desperate need • Breed crime → il crimine germoglia • The global economy • Golden opportunity • Combat poverty • Eradicate poverty → get rid of completely → sradicare la povertà • Alleviate poverty OTHER GLOBAL PROBLEMS • Political asylum • Asylum seekers • Economic migrants • Take to the streets → scendere in piazza • Debt repayments → restituzione del debito • Earthquake hit • Death toll → numero delle vitime • Sexual explotation • World-wide problem • Child labour • 40 TIME • Spend time • Waste time • Save time • Tell someone the time • Free / spare time • Have time to • Make time for → create • Kill time → to fill in the time while you are waiting to do something you have planned • Take your time • Bang / dead/ right on time → exactly on time Other useful expressions • Have a good time • Have a great time • Have time of your life → momento dell atua vita • Time goes by → passare del tempo • Time passes • Run out of time → esaurire il tempo • Big time → extremely • Past few weeks • Early 21st century • Prehistoric times • Recent past • Set their alarms • Alarm goes off • From dawn till dusk → all day • The small hours • Ungodly hours → late or early hours • Taking them ages • Worth their while → worth the time spent • In the not too distant future • The future holds → • Tall people, buildings, trees, • High mountains, prices, interest rates, heels, tide, jump 45 TASTE AND SMELL • Fragrant perfume • Distinctive aroma → a slightly literary word used to refer pleasant smells, often used with adjectives such as distinctive, rich, strong, sweet, appetising • Wafting → moving gently through the air • An acquired taste → something you dislike at first but start to like after trying several times • Subtle flavour → not noticeable or obvious • Fresh scent → profumo fresco NEGATIVE COLLOCATIONS Bitter coffee → amaro gone sour → andato a male acrid → strong smelling noxious fumes → fumi nocivi foul-smelling chemical factory → maleodorante body odour • Strong smell • Have a taste → assaggiare • Have a smell • Smell off -→ no longer fresh or good to eat because of being too old • Overpowering stink → puzza opprimente • Give off a smell → emanare odore • Revolting stench →is a stronger, more extreme than stink • Whiff of perfume → slight smell SMELL AND TASTE : METAPHORICAL COLLOCATIONS • Left bad/ unpleasant taste in our mouths • I taste freedom • Share the same taste in music • Develop a taste for • Smell danger • Have the flavour of 46 NUMBER AND FREQUENCY Adjectives collocate with both number and amount • Minute amount/ number • Enormous amount / number • Substantial amount/number • Considerable amount/ number • Surprising amount / number • Significant amount/ number • Tiny amount/ number • Odd numbers → dispari • Even numbers → pari • A decline in the number of → more formal • A drop in the number of → more informal • An increase in the number of → more formal • A rise in the number of → more informal • Come to a total of → giungere ad un totale • Birth rate rises • Birth rate falls → can also drop or decline • A unit of currency / measurement • A unit of electricity • Unity of length FREQUENCY • WIDESPREAD → existing or happening in many places or among many people o Widespread interest o Widespread support o Widespread damage o Widespread poverty - RARE → infrequent and special, collocates with things in the natural world, items of special interest o Rare disease o Rare bird o Rare species o Rare coins - KEEP → if someone repeatedly does something that annoys you o Keep asking o Keep interrupting o Keep hitting - CONSTANT AND CONTINUAL → convey the idea of something happening repeatedly o Constant interruptions o Continual complain Describing graphs and charts - Rise sharply / steeply → vertiginosamente - Fell sharply / steeply - Dramatic rise / fall - Increase steadily / gradually → aumentare progressivamente - Remain constant / stable 47 MOVEMENT AND SPEED FAST car , train , lane(corsia di sorpasso) , computer, pace (ritmo) QUICK look, answer, lunch, shower, decision, glance (sguardo) RAPID growth, decline, change, progress, increase, movement → more formal SPEEDY conclusion, recovery, access, response → more formal SWIFT action, response, recovery, reaction → more formal PROMPT payment, reply response → more formal BRISK walk, pace, business, efficiency HASTY decision, exit, conclusion, words Other collocations with speed - TOP SPEED → maximum speed - AT BREAKNECK SPEED → carelessly fast and dangerous SLOW MOVEMENT AND STOPPING - Slow motion - Slow -moving traffic - Slow to a crawl → subire un rallentamento - Come to a standstill → battuta d’arresto - In an unhurried manner → senza fretta - Leisurely breakfast → piacevole colazione - Painfully slow CHANGES IN SPEED, MOVEMENT AND DIRECTION - Gathered up speed / picked up speed • Make it clear • Change the subject • Tell the truth • Ask a favour • Get into conversation with • Join in a conversation • Make polite conversation → conversazione formale • Make an observation • Address politely → rivolgersi in modo educato • Aplogize profusely → scusarsi profondamente • Strike up a conversation → begin a conversation • Lull in the conversation → pausa nella conversazione • Whisper softly → sussurrare dolcemente • Tell a lie • Speak a language → not I can talk a language 50 WAYS OF WALKING • To go on foot • Going for a walk • Take a stroll → fare una passeggiata • Go for a stroll → is more common in speech • Go running • Go for a run • Brisk walk → camminata veloce • Pace up and down → camminare su e giù • Take long steps ADJECTIVES AND AVDVERBS ASSOCIATED WITH WALKING • An easy walk → neither long nor difficult • Gentle walk → going slowly • Heavy steps → suggests that the person walking is large or they are sad, angry or tired • Light steps • A leisurely/gentle stroll → leisurely means pleasant • To walk briskly / swiftly • To pick your way cautiously → walk carefully across a dangerous or difficult area • To wander aimlessly → both wander and aimlessly suggest having no particular purpose • To stride angrily → camminare con rabbia • To stride confidently • To stride purposefully • Take confident/angry/ purposeful stride WALKING TROUGH LIFE • Walk exam → pass very easily informal • Walking encyclopaedia → enciclopedia vivente • Run into problems → incorrere in problem • Different walks of life • Rush headlong into → start doing something too quickly • Take his first faltering steps → not very confident steps (passi incerti) • Make great strides → make great progress • Against some opposition • Get off on the wrong foot → make a bad start to a relationship (partire con il piede sbagliato) 51 START AND FINISHING • Make a promising start → inizio promettente • Absolute beginner • Make an early start → partire presto • Traffic is building up → si sta accumulando traffic • Get off a good start → partire bene FINISHING • Close finish → finale combattuto • Nail-biting finish → very exciting situation, because you don’t know how it will end • Put the finishing touches → dare gli ultimi ritocchi • Bring to an end → porre fine MORE COLLOCATIONS • Mark the beginning of the end • End result → risultato finale • A perfect end • Make a start / get started → cominciare • Come to an end → giungere al termine • Draw to a close → volgere al termine • Abrupt end → improvvisa fine • A journey/holiday/trip/meal ended → not finished 52 TALKING ABOUT SUCCESS AND FAILURE • Make a breakthrough → fare un importante passo avanti • A remarkable achievment → notevole Conquista • Dramatic improvement → notevole miglioramento • Crowning achievement → il coronamento • Have an excellent grasp of → un’ottima conoscenza • Come in useful → tornare utile • Take advantage of • Pass your exams • Success guaranteed • Make good progress • Gain good marks • Great success • Higly effective → altamente efficace • Make useful contributions • Have the ability of • Effective way → modo efficace • Brilliant success • Enjoy the fruits of your hard work • Bring out the best → far uscire il meglio di se • Win the respect FAILURE • Fail miserably → be totally unsuccessful • Spectacular failure → extremely unsuccessful • Play flopped → failed to attract audiences • Hopes are dash → hopes have had to be abandoned • Fail the exams • Go badly wrong → andare male • Doom to failure → certain to fail • Dismal failure → total faiulure • Go out of business → stop doing business • A recipe for disaster → will certainly lead the major problems • Lose your nerve → not brave enough • Miss the point → failed to understand what is really important 53 TALKING ABOUT CAUSE AND EFFECT - Ridiculously over-sensitive → prendere qualcosa troppo sul serio - Sensitve to heat - Sensitive to light - Sensitive skin - Sensitive teeth - Go numb → loosing all feeling - Acute sense of smell - Acute sense of hearing Sensitive person → persona sensibile Sensible person → persona con giudizio 55 AGREEING AND DISAGREEING - Go along with an idea/view → essere d’accordo - Be in a complete agreement - Tend to agree/ disagree → tendo a concordare - Share an opinion/view - Appreciate someone’s point of view - See someone’s point → understand their opinion - Enter into an argument - Differences arise/exist - Come to / reach a compromise - Settle a dispute → risolvere una controversia - Settle your differences → appianare le divergenze - Agree to differ → rassegnarsi a non essere d’accordo AGREE - Entirely - Wholeheartedly → sinceramente - Partly - Up to a point → fino ad un certo punto DISAGREE - Fundamentally - Totally - Strongly ADJECTIVE AND NOUN COLLOCATION FOR DISPUTES AND STRONG DISAGREEMENTS - Head on clash → scontro frontale - Bitter dispute - Heated argument - Fundamental disagreement Further collocations Unanimous agreement Controversy exist/ rage Conflict of opinion 57 DECIDING AND CHOOSING - Make a decision - Big decision - Put off making decisions → rinviare decisioni - Slight hesitation - Have second thoughts → ripensamenti - Take the decision - Unanimous decision - Degree of uncertainty → grado di incertezza - Wise decision → saggia decisione - Arrived at a decision - Sensible decision → decisione ragionevole - Sound judgment → buon senso - Defending your decision - Reserving judgment → astenersi dal giudicare CHOICES, OPPORTUNITIES, ADVICE - Make a choice - Give the chance - The opportunity of a lifetime - Burning desire - Much prefer - Consider the options - Take advice → accettare consigli - Strongly advise → consigliare fortemente - Have a choice - Have no option - Tough a choice → una scelta difficile - Take soft option - Pass up the opportunity → lasciarsi sfuggire l’occasione - Face difficulties choices → affrontare le difficili scelte - Reject out of hand → respingere - Weigh up the options → valutare bene le opzioni - Come to a decision 58 CALIMING AND DENYING - Facing accusations → affrontare le accuse - Heavy hints → forti suggerimenti - Clearly implied → chiaramente sottointeso - Drop - Broad hints → made a number of obvious suggestions - Leaked documents → an official document unofficially given to the press - Make a serious allegations → formulare gravi accuse - Openly accuse - Issue a statement → rilasciare una dichiarazione - The claims are unfounded - Wrongly accused → accusato ingiustamente - Long-running battle → lunga battaglia - Put forward a theory → esporre una teoria - Back up arguments → supporting - Fully accepting → accettando pienamente ù - Make the point → present an argument - Widely acknowledged → accepted by many people - State clearly → affermare chiaramente - Substantiating claim → supporting DENYING - Strongly deny - Deny charges / an accusation → negare le accuse - Deny a rumour / an allegation → negare delle voci - Disclaim responsibility → non prendersi le responsabilità - Reject an idea/ suggestion - Run contrary to → in contrasto - Contradictory evidence / advice → prove contradditorie