Proficiency exam

1. AN EXPERIMENT IN HYPNOSIS FROM GOLD PROFICIENCY EXAM
MAXIMIZER PAGE 74
READING, PAPER 1, PART 1
KEY
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2. VOCABULARY
1.-
A GRANDIOSE
If you describe something as grandiose, you mean it is bigger or more
elaborate than necessary.
The sad truth is that not one of Kim's grandiose plans has even begun.
ADJ-GRADED disapproval
B NOTORIOUS
To be notorious means to be well-known for something bad.
West Berlin has long been notorious for its street violence.
She told us the story of one of Britain's most notorious country house
murders.
ADJ-GRADED: oft ADJ for n/-ing
= infamous
· notoriously
The train company is overstaffed and notoriously inefficient.
He worked mainly in New York City where living space is notoriously at a
premium.
Doctors notoriously neglect their own health and fail to seek help when they
should.
ADV: usu ADV group, also ADV before v
C EMINENT
An eminent person is well-known and respected,
especially because they are good at their profession.
...an eminent scientist.
ADJ-GRADED: usu ADJ n
D PRESTIGIOUS
A prestigious institution, job, or activity is respected and admired by
people.
It's one of the best equipped and most prestigious schools in the country.
ADJ-GRADED: usu ADJ n
= reputable
2.-
E MADE OUT • make out
I. vi
1. inf (succeed, cope: person) arreglárselas
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3. 2. vulg (have sex) to make out with sb tirarse a alguien
II. vt
1. inf (pretend) he made himself out to be rich se hizo pasar por rico
2. (claim) to make out that… dar a entender que…
3. (discern: writing, numbers) distinguir
(in the distance) divisar, visualizar AmL
4. (write out) to make out a cheque extender un cheque
F CARRIED OUT
• carry out vt
(repairs) hacer
(plan, attack) llevar a cabo
(job) realizar
(order) cumplir
G PUT OUT
• put out <-tt-> irr
I. vt
1. (take outside) to put the dog out sacar al perro
2. (extend) extender
to put out one's hand tender la mano
to put out one's tongue sacar la lengua
3. (extinguish: fire) extinguir
to put out a cigarette apagar un cigarrillo
4. (turn off) apagar
5. (eject) expulsar
(dismiss) echar
6. (publish, issue) publicar
(announcement) hacer público
7. (produce industrially) producir
8. (sprout: leaves) echar
9. (contract out) subcontratar
to put sth out to a company subcontratar algo con una empresa
10. (inconvenience) molestar a
to put oneself out for sb molestarse por alguien
11. (offend) ofender
12. (dislocate) dislocar, zafar AmL
to put out one's shoulder dislocarse [o zafarse AmL] el hombro
13. (make unconscious) dejar sin sentido;
MED anestesiar
14. NAUT botar
II. vi
NAUT zarpar
H TAKEN OUT
• take out vt
1. (remove) quitar
(extract) extraer
(withdraw) retirar
2. (bring outside) llevar fuera
(garbage) tirar, botar Col, Ven
3. (for walk) llevar de paseo
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4. 4. inf (kill) eliminar
(destroy) destruir
5. (arrange to get: licence) obtener
6. (borrow) tomar prestado
7. (vent anger) to take sth out on sb desahogarse riñendo a alguien
8. inf (tire) to take it out of sb agotar a alguien
I FIGURE
figure ["fIg@r, Am: -j@`]
I. n
1. (shape) figura f
mother figure figura materna
a fine figure of a man un hombre de físico imponente
to cut a fine figure causar buena impresión
to cut a sorry figure parecer ridículo
to keep one's figure guardar la línea
2. ART estatua f
(human being) figura f
3. (digit) dígito m
(numeral) cifra f
column of figures columna f de números
to have a head for figures ser bueno para los números
to be good at figures saber de aritmética
in round figures en cifras redondas
single figures cifras de un sólo dígito
double figures cifras de dos dígitos
4. (price) precio m
a high figure una gran suma de dinero
5. (diagram) figura f
(illustration) ilustración f
II. vt
1. Am (think) figurarse
to figure that… figurarse que…
2. (in diagram) representar
3. (calculate) calcular
III. vi
(feature) figurar
to figure in sth figurar en algo
to figure as sth/sb figurar como algo/alguien
that figures Am es natural
J CHARACTER
character ["k{r@kt@r, Am: "ker@kº@`] n
1. no pl (qualities) carácter m
to be in/out of character with sb/sth ser/no ser típico de alguien/algo
2. (moral integrity) reputación f
character reference referencias fpl
to be a bad character tener mala reputación
of dubious character de dudosa reputación
of irreprochable character de reputación intachable
3. (unique person) personaje mf
4. (representation) personaje m, carácter m Col, Méx
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5. in the character of… en el papel de…
5. TYPO carácter m
K PICTURE
picture ["pIktS@r, Am: -tS@`]
I. n
1. (image) imagen f
(painting) pintura f
(drawing) ilustración f
to draw a picture hacer un dibujo
to paint a picture pintar un cuadro
as pretty as a picture como de postal
2. (photo) fotografía f
to take a picture sacar una fotografía
satellite picture fotografía por satélite
wedding picture fotografía de boda
3. (film) película f
to make a picture hacer una película
to go to the pictures ir al cine
4. (mental image) imagen f
5. fig (depiction) representación f
to paint a picture of sth representar algo
a picture is worth a thousand words prov una imagen vale más que
mil palabras
to paint a very black picture pintar un panorama muy negro
to be in the picture estar al corriente
to get the picture entender
to keep sb in the picture (about sth) mantener a alguien al tanto (de algo)
to put sb in the picture poner a alguien en antecedentes
II. vt imaginarse
(depict) representar
to picture oneself… imaginarse…
L ICON
icon ["aIkQn, Am: -kA:n] n icono m
M SLAPPED
slap [sl{p]
I. n palmada f
a slap in the face
una bofetada,
una biaba Arg, Urug,
un bife Arg, Urug
fig un insulto
the slap of the waves el rugir de las olas
slap and tickle Brit inf achuchones mpl
II. <-pp-> vt
1. (hit) dar una palmada, guantear AmL
2. (put)
to slap the book onto the table tirar el libro en la mesa
to slap paint onto the wall pintar la pared rápidamente
III. adv inf directamente, de lleno
to drive slap into sth chocar de lleno contra algo
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6. to leave slap in the middle of a meeting marcharse justo en plena reunión
N SNAPPED
snap [sn{p] <-pp->
I. n
1. (sound) chasquido m
2. (photograph) foto f
3. Am (snap-fastener) (cierre m) automático m
4. METEO a cold snap una ola de frío
II. adj repentino, repentina
snap decision decisión f repentina
III. interj inf
GAMES yo también
IV. vi
1. (break) romperse
2. (move)
to snap back recolocarse
to snap shut cerrarse de golpe
3. (make snapping sound) hacer un chasquido
4. (bite) to snap at sb intentar morder a alguien
5. (speak sharply) contestar con brusquedad
to snap at sb contestar a alguien de forma brusca
V. vt
1. (break) romper
to snap sth shut cerrar algo de golpe
2. (make snapping sound) chasquear
to snap a whip dar un latigazo
to snap one's fingers chasquear los dedos
3. PHOT tomar un fotografía de
Ñ NUDGED
nudge [nVdZ]
I. vt dar un codazo a
fig empujar
to nudge sb into doing sth empujar a alguien a hacer algo
II. vi codear
III. n
1. (push) codazo m
2. (encouragement) valor m
O POKED
poke1 [p@Uk, Am: poUk] n dial
(bag) bolsa f, saco m
poke2 [p@Uk, Am: poUk]
I. n
(push) empujón m
(with the elbow) codazo m
to give sb a poke dar un codazo a alguien
II. vt
(with finger) dar con la punta del dedo en, tocar con la punta del dedo
(with elbow) dar un codazo a
to poke a hole in sth hacer un agujero en algo
to poke holes in an argument echar un argumento por tierra
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7. to poke one's nose into sb's business meter las narices en los asuntos de alguien
III. vi
to poke at sth/sb dar a algo/alguien
to poke through (sth) salirse (de algo)
P GLANCED
glance [glA:ns, Am: gl{ns]
I. n mirada f
to take a glance at sth echar una mirada [o un vistazo] a algo
at first glance a primera vista
at a glance de un vistazo
II. vi
1. (look cursorily)
to glance up (from sth) levantar la mirada (de algo)
to glance around sth mirar alrededor de algo
to glance over sth echar un vistazo a algo
2. (shine) brillar
Q PEERED
peer1 [pI@r, Am: pIr] vi
to peer at sth escudriñar algo
to peer into the distance fijar la mirada en la distancia
to peer over one's glasses atisbar por encima de sus gafas
R GLIMPSED
glimpse [glImps]
I. vt
(signs) vislumbrar
II. n
to catch a glimpse of vislumbrar
to catch a glimpse of sb's life captar algo de la vida de alguien
S GAZED
gaze [geIz]
I. vi mirar
to gaze at sth mirar algo fijamente
II. n mirada f fija
to be exposed to the public gaze estar expuesto para contemplación del público
T SIDE
side [saId] n
1. (vertical surface) lado m
at the side of sth en el lado de algo
at sb's side al lado de alguien
side by side uno al lado de otro
2. (flat surface) superficie f
(of page) cara f
3. (edge) límite m
(of river) ribera f
(of road) arcén m
on all side(s) por todas partes
4. (half) parte f
I like to sleep on the right side of the bed me gusta dormir en el lado derecho de la
cama
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8. in Great Britain, cars drive on the left side of the road en Gran Bretaña se conduce
por la izquierda
5. (cut of meat) costado m
6. (direction)
from all side(s) de todas partes
from side to side de lado a lado
7. (party in dispute) bando m
(team) equipo m
to take sides tomar partido
to take sb's side ponerse de parte de alguien
to be on the side of sb/sth ser partidario de alguien/algo
to have sth on one's side tener algo a su favor
on my father's side por parte de mi padre
8. (aspect) aspecto m
(of story) versión f
9. (aside)
on the side aparte
to leave sth on one side dejar algo a un lado
the other side of the coin la otra cara de la moneda
to come down on one side of the fence or other tomar partido por una
postura o por la otra
to be on the right/wrong side of the law estar dentro/fuera de la ley
to get on the right/wrong side of sb congraciarse/ponerse a malas con
alguien
to be on the right/wrong side of 40 no llegar a/pasar de 40 años
to be on the save side ... para mayor seguridad...
U PART
part [pA:t, Am: pA:rt]
I. n
1. (not the whole) parte f
the film was good in parts la película tenía trozos buenos
part of the body parte del cuerpo
part of the family parte de la familia
the easy/hard part lo fácil/lo difícil
essential/important/integral part parte esencial/importante/integrante
in part en parte
in large part en gran parte
for the most part en la mayor parte
2. (component) componente m
spare parts piezas fpl sueltas
3. (area, region) zona f
in these parts inf en estas zonas
4. (measure) parte f
mix one part of the medicine with three parts of water mezclar una parte de la
medicina con tres partes de agua
5. (role, involvement) papel m
to want no part in sth no querer tener nada que ver en algo
to do one's part cumplir con su obligación
6. (episode in media serial) capítulo m
7. (character in film) papel m
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9. to play the part of the King desempeñar el papel del rey
8. Am (parting of hair) raya f
9. (score of particular musician) parte f
to be part and parcel of sth ser parte esencial de algo
for my part por mi parte
to take sb's part tomar partido por alguien
on sb's part de parte de alguien
it was a mistake on Julia's part fue un error por parte de Julia
II. adv parcialmente
to be part African ser en parte africano
III. vt
1. (detach, split) separar
to part sb from sb/sth separar a alguien de alguien/algo
to part company tomar direcciones distintas
2. (divide) partir, dividir
to part sth in two partir algo en dos
to part sb's hair hacer la raya a alguien
IV. vi
1. (separate) separarse
2. (say goodbye) despedirse
3. (curtains) correr
to part from sb form separarse de alguien
to part with one's cash inf desprenderse de su dinero
V HALF
half [hA:f, Am: h{f]
I. <halves> n
1. (equal part) mitad f
half an apple media manzana
in half por la mitad
half and half mitad y mitad
to cut sth into halves partir algo por la mitad
a kilo and a half un kilo y medio
to go halves (on sth) inf pagar (algo) a medias
to go halves with sb ir a medias con alguien
to do things by halves hacer las cosas a medias
my other half fig mi media naranja
first/second half SPORTS primer/segundo tiempo
the first/second half of a century la primera/segunda mitad de un siglo
that was a game and a half! fig ¡menudo partido!
2. Brit inf (of beer) media pinta f
to be too clever by half pasarse de listo
II. adj medio, media
half a pint media pinta
half an hour, a half hour media hora
half the country medio país
she's half the player she used to be esta jugadora no es ni sombra de lo que era
III. adv
1. (almost) casi
to be half sure estar casi seguro
2. (partially) a medias
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10. half asleep medio dormido
half cooked medio crudo
half done a medio hacer
half naked medio desnudo
half empty/full medio vacío/lleno
3. (by fifty percent)
half as many/much la mitad
half as much again la mitad más
4. inf (most) la mayor parte
half (of) the time la mayor parte del tiempo
5. (thirty minutes after)
half past three las tres y media
(at) half past nine a las nueve y media
at half past Brit inf a y media
6. Brit inf (intensifies negative statement)
not half no poco
he wasn't half handsome era guapísimo
do you like it? – not half! ¿te gusta? – ¡no me gusta, me encanta!
IV. pron la mitad
half and half mitad y mitad
X BEHALF
behalf [bI"hA:f, Am: -"h{f] n no pl
on behalf of sb/sth
(for) en beneficio de alguien/algo
(from) de parte de alguien/algo
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