Vocabulary commentary I

UNIT I

VOCABULARY COMMENTARY I

a) Study the definitions of the words with similar meanings and think about their proper Russian equivalents.

1. economical / economic

economical –[adj]

using money, time, goods etc carefully without wasting any

My new car is quite economical.

economic – [adj] (only before noun)

connected with trade, industry, and the management of money

Unfortunately economic growth is slowing down.

2. comfortable / convenient

comfortable – [adj]

feeling physically relaxed and satisfied (without feeling any pain or being too cold, hot etc); feeling pleasant to sit or lie on

She made herself comfortable in a new armchair. The sofa was big and comfortable.

convenient – [adj]

helpful for you because it saves you time and effort or does not spoil your plans or cause any problems; near and easy to reach

Travelling by underground is fast, convenient and cheap. If it’s convenient, call me tomorrow before noon.

convenience – [n, C]

a situation, appliance or device that is useful, helpful or suitable

The house has all the modern conveniences (central heating, hot water supply, electricity, telephone etc.). Mod cons = modern conveniences

3. ordinary / average / normal / standard /conventional

ordinary – [adj]

ordinary things are not special or unusual; ordinary people are not famous or powerful, and are not especially rich or clever

DidthepresidentmeetanyordinaryMexicans?

average – [adj] (only before noun)

an average person or thing is a typical example of a person or of a particular type of thing

Tommy was achildofaverageintelligence.

normal – [adj]

smth. that is normal is just how you would expect it to be, because it is not special, different or surprising

Hedidn’tlikeanythingtointerrupthisnormaldailyroutine.

standard – [adj] (usually before noun)типовой обычный шаблонный общепринятый.

normal, used to say especially about products or methods that are the most usual type, without any special features; standard model / size / shape / pattern; standard procedure / practice; standard English / pronunciation / spelling -правописание

It’sastandardreplythatthecompanysendsouttoapplicants.

conventional – [adj] (only before noun) обычный,общепринятый, традиционный.

a conventional method, piece of equipment, weapon, etc. is of the normal type that has been used for a long time. The word is mainly used for comparing things.

Youcancookthemeateitherinamicrowaveorinaconventionaloven.

4. out of the ordinary / eccentric / extraordinary

out of the ordinary - [adj] выделяющийся, необычный.

unusual, different, unexpected or exceptional

I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. The boy’s knowledge was out of the ordinary.

eccentric – [adj] необычный, странный, экстравагантный

(of people and their behaviour) behaving or appearing in a way that is unusual and different from most people, slightly odd; strange or unusual actions, decisions that people make

He is well - known for his eccentric habits. Our neighbour was an eccentric old lady.

extraordinary – [adj] выдающийся, заметный, исключительный

very much better, more beautiful, or more impressive than usual; very unusual or surprising because it would normally be very unlikely to happen or exist

Hiscourageanddeterminationwereextraordinary. It’s extraordinary weather for this time of year.

5. home / house / dwelling / accommodation / lodging(s)

home – [n, C/U] дом, очаг, родина, уют

the place where you live; [U] the country or city where you live; [U] the place where you grew up

men make houses, women make homes

East or West, home is best. IlefthomewhenIwas 18.

house – [n, C]

a building made for people to live in, especially one that has more than one level and is intended to be used by one family

I’dlike to buy athree-bedroom ed housewithagarden.

dwelling – [n, C] жилище, жилье, жилое помещение

(formal) a house, flat, or other shelter in which someone lives, dwelling houses are modern blocks of flats; Synonym: tenement- арендуемое помещение

Some 3,500 new dwellings are planned.

accommodation – [n, U] (accommodations – AmE, formal)жилье,жилое помещение. Deluxe accommodation – благоустроенное жилье

a place for someone to stay, live, or work in; a house, flat or hotel room

Thehotelprovidesaccommodationforupto 100 people.

lodging – [n, U/C] снимаемое жилье

temporary accommodation that you pay to live in

He was given a free lodging in a three-room flat.

lodgings – [n, plural] сдаваемая комната

a room or set of rooms in someone’s house rented for a living

It’s cheaper to live in lodgings than in a hotel.

a lodger -квартирант [n, C] someone who pays rent to live in a house with its owner; Synonym: tenant

Jennie took in a lodger (взять жильца) to help with the mortgage.- ипотека.

6. setting / surroundings / environment / neighbourhood

setting – [n, C, usually singular] окружающая обстановка, место действия фильма

all the things that surround someone or something at a particular time, including the events that happen, their environment, the people they are with, or the emotions that are part of that place; the place or the time when the action of a book, film etc. happens

Thehotel is located inacharmingmountainsetting. Canberra is the setting for his latest novel.

surroundings – [n, plural] окрестности, окружение, приближенные

all the objects, conditions etc. that are around and may affect someone, all the things that are present in a place and that form the experience of being there; Synonym: the environment

Ournewsurroundingsarealotmorefriendlythanweexpected. The hotel is in beautiful surroundings on the edge of the lake.

environment – [n, C] окружающая среда, обстановка

the place in which people live and work, including all the physical conditions that affect them; the conditions and influences in which people carry on a particular activity

Hegrewupinaharshurbanenvironment. Inthiscompetitiveenvironmentabusinessneedstobeflexible.

the environment – the natural conditions, including the land, water, air, in which people, animals and plants live

Industrialdevelopmentiscausingwidespreaddamagetotheenvironment.

neighbourhood – [n, C] соседство, округа, район, соседи.

a particular area of a city or town; the people who live near each other

Helivesinourneighbourhood. Thewholeneighbourhoodcametotheschoolconcert.

7. let / rent

to let – [v] сдавать

to allow smb. to use a room, flat, house etc. in return for regular payments

I let the spare room (to a lodger).

to rent – [v]

to regularly pay money to live in a house or room that belongs to someone else

We rent our flat from an old retired couple.

rent – [n, C / U] снимать

the amount of money that you pay regularly to use a house, flat or a piece of land

Jack is short of money – he owes three weeks’ rent. - задолжал Her monthly rent is $400. - месячная плата

8. in the country / in the countryside / in the village / in the suburbs в пригороде / on the outskirts — на окраине

a country – [n, C]

an area of land that forms a politically independent unit; a nation; a state

There will be rain over all parts of the country.

the country – [n, singular]

any area outside large cities and towns, typically with villages, fields, woods, etc.; Synonym: the countryside

We spent a pleasant day in the country.

(the) countryside – [n, U]

the area outside towns and cities, with farms, fields, and trees; Synonym: the country

There is growing concern over the future of the countryside.

a village – [n, C]

a group of houses, shops, etc., usually with a church and situated in a country area

He lives quietly in the country in the village near Lahti.

a suburb – [n, C]

an area or town near a large city but away from its centre, where there are many houses, especially for middle-class people; a suburb of London, a Moscow suburb, in the suburbs

Once we have kids, we’ll probably move to the suburbs.

outskirts – [n, plural]

the parts of a town or city that are furthest from the centre; on the outskirts

They live on the outskirts of Paris.

b) Fill in the gaps choosing an appropriate word in the correct form:

1. economical / economic

1) Larger tubes of toothpaste are more __________ economical.

2) The President’s economic reforms have put a lot of people out of work.

3) We are faced with a deepening economic crisis.

4) She was brought up to be economical with housekeeping money.

5) At last he decided to buy a (an) economical little car.

6) In recent years a lot of East-Asian countries have demonstrated a great economic growth.

2. comfortable / convenient

1) I find going to the supermarket once a month the most convenient way to shop.

2) I was so comfortable and warm in bed I didn’t want to get up.

3) Sit down and make yourself comfortable while I put the kettle on.

4) Is three o’clock convenient for you?

5) I never feel very comfortable in his presence.

6) We must arrange a convenient time and place for the meeting.

3. ordinary / average / normal / standard /conventional

1) The average family spends $100 a week on food.

2) It’s just a (an) ordinary house in a (an) ordinary street.

3) January 2^nd is a public holiday in Scotland, but in England it is a (an) normal working day.

4) Foreign affairs do not usually interest a (an) average voter.

5) Can you get connected to the Internet through a (an) ordinary telephone line?

6) The standard model costs $ 4000 less than the luxury model.

7) He wanted a (an) conventional marriage with a wife and kids.

8) Under normal circumstances I would say ‘yes’.??????

9) All hand-baggage was X-rayed – this is now standard practice at international airports.

10) The problems are associated with conventional energy production.

4. out of the ordinary (если нет сущ.)/ eccentric / extraordinary

1) He is a (an) eccentric character who likes wearing a beret and dark glasses.

2) It seems quite extraordinary \eccentric that the Prime Minister can claim these figures as a triumph.

3) He did his best to be out of the ordinary.

4) The picture does not capture her extraordinary beauty.

5)I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary

6) Mr. Thomas is a middle-aged businessman with eccentric views.

5. home / house / dwelling (убежище, приют)/ accommodation / lodgings

1) David had changed his accommodation\ lodgings, leaving no address behind.

2) He hiked the Grand Canyon, exploring Indian cliff dwelling.

3) Every child is in need of a loving home

4) She used to live in a small house in Warwickshire.

5) The government will provide temporary a ccommodation for up to three thousand people.

6) Her house was in perfect order when she moved in.

7) The nurse visits patients in their home

8) It was a street of tall gloomy dwelling.

9) My friend told me I might find some lodgings here.

10) Many of the single men found lodgings in the surrounding villages.

11)

6. setting / surroundings / environment / neighbourhood

1) Parents are responsible for providing the right environment,ыurroundings for their children to grow and learn in.

2) It took me a few weeks to get used to my new surroundings.

3) Everyone in the neighbourhood seemed to have heard the news.

4) Jane felt nervous in the unfamiliar environment, setting / surroundings of her new school.

5) The castle stands in a spectacular setting surrounded by hills.

6) Freddy and his family lived in a big house in a wealthy neighbourhood.

7) We need to create a safe working environment for all employees.

8) The setting of the play is Venice in the 1930s.

7. to let / to rent (a rent)

1) I don’t earn enough to pay a rent, let alone to run a car.

2) Interhome Company has over 20,000 houses are to let across Europe.

3) Nick has been rent for five years now, and he can’t afford to buy.

4) She is thinking of to let her house to an American businessman.

5) She rent a house with three other girls.

8. in the country(всегда с the) / in the countryside / in the village / in the suburbs / on the outskirts

1) The region boasts one of the most beautiful countryside in the state.

2) When she was young she used to live in a small village near the lake.

3) There are plans to build a giant shopping centre on the outskirts /in the suburbs of Glasgow.

4) Anna was born in 1923 in Ardwick, a suburbs of Manchester.

5) The surrounding countryside was so spectacular that it seemed to be the most scenic place in the suburbs.?????

6) Their house is not centrally located, they live on the outskirts of the city.

7) I’ve always wanted to live in the countryside.

8) My granny’s village was situated in the mountains.

9) Life in the countryside is not so busy as that in the city.