VOCABULARY LISTS Index 1. Types of Music 2. Types of Movies 3. Types of TV Shows 4. Types of Advertising 5. Things to Read 6. Types of Clothing 7. Electrical & Electronic Appliances 8. Methods of Storing Memories 9. Things That Some People Collect 10. Environmental Problems 11. Housework 12. Secondary School 13. Leisure Time & Relaxing 14. Rain 15. Restaurants & Food 16. Letters 17. Daily Routine
To Page 2
*************************** **************************************** ************************* **************** **** *************** 1. Types of Music A very detailed list of music styles can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_music_styles General
Band music (including marching bands) Children‟s music (incl. nursery rhymes) Latin Dance Dance music (e.g., (e.g., Flamenco, Tango) Electronic (Digital) music Ethnic & national music (incl. Traditional Chinese music, Chinese opera, Folk songs) Film music Religious music "New Age" Music (= "Meditation music". This is music that is meant to relax the listener. It often includes sounds from nature such as a running stream, bird calls etc.)
Classical European Music
Baroque music Chamber music Orchestral music (such as composed by Mozart, Beethoven etc.) Opera Ballet music Waltz music (esp. Johann Strauss)
Modern Popular Music
Bluegrass Blues (Mostly American black singers.) Country & Western music Disco music (techno, trance …) Hip-hop Jazz (e.g., modern jazz, big band, ragtime) Pop music (This is a general term for the young people's music that is played most often on the radio. It includes most of the types t ypes of music of music listed under “Modern Popular Music”. In China, most of this music consists of love ballads and light roll and roll.) Rap music Reggae/Ska (Jamaican music) Rhythm & Blues Rock „n roll (incl. rockabilly, heavy metal)
*************************** ********************************************* ***************************** *********** ***************
*************************** **************************************** ************************* **************** **** *************** 1. Types of Music A very detailed list of music styles can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_music_styles General
Band music (including marching bands) Children‟s music (incl. nursery rhymes) Latin Dance Dance music (e.g., (e.g., Flamenco, Tango) Electronic (Digital) music Ethnic & national music (incl. Traditional Chinese music, Chinese opera, Folk songs) Film music Religious music "New Age" Music (= "Meditation music". This is music that is meant to relax the listener. It often includes sounds from nature such as a running stream, bird calls etc.)
Classical European Music
Baroque music Chamber music Orchestral music (such as composed by Mozart, Beethoven etc.) Opera Ballet music Waltz music (esp. Johann Strauss)
Modern Popular Music
Bluegrass Blues (Mostly American black singers.) Country & Western music Disco music (techno, trance …) Hip-hop Jazz (e.g., modern jazz, big band, ragtime) Pop music (This is a general term for the young people's music that is played most often on the radio. It includes most of the types t ypes of music of music listed under “Modern Popular Music”. In China, most of this music consists of love ballads and light roll and roll.) Rap music Reggae/Ska (Jamaican music) Rhythm & Blues Rock „n roll (incl. rockabilly, heavy metal)
*************************** ********************************************* ***************************** *********** ***************
2. Types of Movies British English mostly uses the word, "film" but "movie" is also used in British English. American English mostly uses the word, "movie" but "film" is also used in American English.
Action films Adventure films Animated Cartoons Comedy films Horror films Martial Arts films Musicals Romance films Romantic Comedy films Science Fiction films Silent movies (Suspense) Thrillers Teen Movies War Movies Westerns Documentary films
*************************** **************************************** ************************* **************** **** *************** 3. Types of TV Shows Here, "show" = "program"
Cartoon Programs (showing a series of cartoons) Children‟s Shows (E.g., programs for children under the age of 6) Documentary Programs -
Travel and Tourism Programs (showing a traveler visiting a different place in each episode)
-
Science and technology t echnology documentaries
-
Nature and Wildlife Programs
-
Human Interest Stories
Dramas -
Police dramas
-
(In China) Historical dramas based on the Three Kingdoms Period
Game Shows (including Quiz shows) Talent Quests Made-for-TV movies (incl. mini-series) Musical video shows (e.g., MTV; programs showing a series of pop music videos ) Reality TV shows Matchmaking & Dating TV shows Comedy shows (including Situational Comedies [sitcoms]) Soap Operas Sports Programs (e.g., live broadcasts of sports events) Talk Shows (= Chat Shows ) Variety Shows (E.g., The Chinese New Year family f amily entertainment program showing a variety of different performances) The News Special News Programs (focusing on an important current topic) Current Affairs & News Analysis Programs (incl. interviews and discussions between panelists)
Other words
Advertisements (Make sure you can understand the British pronunciation of this word when you hear it) episode
*************************** **************************************** ************************* **************** **** *************** 4. Types of Advertising
TV & radio advertisements (= TV & radio commercials) Newspaper & magazine ads ads (including the classified classified ads) Billboards (next to main roads, railway lines, on subway station walls etc.) Cell-phone text messages messages Flyers & handouts (e.g., on the street, put into letterboxes etc.) Internet advertisements (e.g., pop-up ads) Posters (e.g. wall posters, bus stop posters)
Visible Logos:
on professional athletes‟ clothing on signs in front of shops etc. on t-shirts, hats, jackets & other clothing on handbags and other accessories accessories on Formula 1 cars on racing yachts on hot-air balloons
Advertisements in other prominent places:
on the side of buses and trains
Cinema advertising Sports stadium advertising
******************************************************** *************** 5. Things to Read Two main types: Fiction and Non-fiction For News
Newspapers News magazines Company & organization newsletters The internet. The internet includes copies of the printed newspapers and news magazines but also has news pages that are especially written for the internet. One important sub-group of internet news pages consists of independent journalists. These independent journalists usually include their commentary and opinion with their reporting of factual information.
Magazines
Fashion magazines Movie magazines Computer magazines News magazines Sports magazines Hobbyist magazines Technical & professional journals Art magazines Home decoration magazines Women‟s magazines
Literature
Autobiographies Biographies Novels (Historical novels, Thrillers, Mystery stories, Romance novels, Detective Stories, Science Fiction) Poetry Plays Short Stories Essays Literary Criticism
Educational
Textbooks
Reference books Encyclopedias „How-to‟ books 'Self-help' books
Entertainment
Comic books Puzzle books
Personal Correspondence
Letters Emails Postcards Faxes Cell-phone text messages On-line chatting
The Internet
The Internet now includes most of the examples above
******************************************************** *************** 6. Types of Clothing Make sure you don't confuse the two words, fashion (fashions - Definition 2) and fashionable. The adjective is "fashionable". We don't say, "I like to wear fashion clothes". Casual Wear
a pair of jeans a pair of slacks a T-shirt a sweater a pair of shorts a cardigan
Formal Wear
a business suit a vest a tie a bow tie a wedding gown a ballroom gown a tuxedo
an overcoat a fur coat
Both Formal and Casual Wear
a pair of trousers (Br.) = a pair of pants (U.S.) a shirt a skirt a dress a blouse a coat a jacket
Sportswear
a tracksuit clothes for football, basketball etc. ski clothes (a ski vest, a pair of ski pants, a ski jacket) a pair of swimming costumes = a swimsuit golf clothes sports fishing clothes
Work clothes
a pair of protective overalls a doctor's gown a lab coat an apron
Uniforms
For the following groups:
school children police security guards the military = the armed forces (army, navy, air-force) mailmen = postmen some company & factory employees airline pilots & flight attendants railway & bus-line employees nurses waiters and waitresses sports teams marching band members
Footwear
shoes dress shoes (= formal shoes)
sandals house slippers thongs (U.S. = 'flip-flops') gym boots (sneakers) dancing shoes martial arts slippers sports shoes – football, golf, track & field work boots rain boots fur-lined winter boots high-heels platform shoes
Hats
baseball caps „cowboy hats‟ straw hats Panama hats Stetson hats Arctic weather hats cloth (toweling) hats berets fur hats Chinese „coolie‟ hats woolen „beanies‟ ski masks hard hats (safety hats) motorcycle helmets
Other
baby clothes underwear pyjamas (U.S. = pajamas) a dressing gown a raincoat
******************************************************** *************** 7. Electrical & Electronic Appliances Home Appliances
Refrigerator Microwave oven Electric stove Rice cooker
Coffee maker Toaster Blender/food mixer Washing machine Clothes dryer Electric Iron Air conditioner Electric heater (radiator) Humidifier Electric fan Kitchen exhaust fan (above the stove) Vacuum cleaner Electric shaver Electric toothbrush Hairdryer Reading lamp Electric drill Electric sewing machine Remote control devices, such as for a TV or an air conditioner A battery charger A voltage adapter
Entertainment
DVD/ VCD player Television Radio CD player Tape player/tape recorder (cassette player/recorder) Stereo system Speaker(s) A headset, a set of headphones, a pair of headphones, a pair of earphones A microphone (for making recordings on the computer) Walkman An MP4 player An Ipod Karaoke machine
Communication
Telephone Cell-phone (= mobile phone) Message machine (Answering machine) Fax machine
Computer Appliances
Computer (including laptop computer = notebook computer) Monitor Scanner
Printer
Office
Fax machine Photocopy machine (photocopier)
******************************************************** *************** 8. Methods of Storing Memories
Photographs (in a photo album) Photographs (stored as digital photos on a computer or an electronic storage device) Diaries Videos Tape recordings Keeping old letters Storing emails Making backup CD's of digital photos, videos, audio recordings, written documents, scanned documents etc. Keeping souvenirs and mementos
******************************************************** *************** 9. Things That Some People Collect (as a hobby)
Stamps Coins Sports cards Rocks Shells Butterflies/Insects Antiques Art (paintings, calligraphy etc.) Comics, magazines, old books CD‟s (music) DVD‟s (films) Postcards Dolls Models (model cars, model trains, model ships, model planes etc.) Matchboxes Cigarette packs Beer cans Items with a special motif (eg., toys, models & pictures of dogs, cats or horses etc.) Telephone cards Souvenirs of places visited
Things that People "Collect " (= keep) (not as a hobby but for future use)
Books, especially reference books or special interest books
Things That People "Collect" (= keep) (not as a hobby but usually for recycling purposes or reuse in the home)
newspapers and magazines glass bottles plastic bottles plastic bags
******************************************************** *************** 10. Environmental Problems See here for my personal opinion on the topic of "man-made global warming" (written in more advanced English)
The Problems
pollution: air pollution, water pollution (including oceanic pollution), soil pollution, (noise pollution) species loss deforestation desertification soil salinification waste disposal water shortage
Other Related Vocabulary Pollution
fertilizer factory waste rivers and streams heavy metals sulphur dioxide fossil fuels hydrogen wind power, solar power, solar cells vehicle exhaust power station
Water Shortage
recycling
Waste Disposal
recycling incineration landfill
Desertification
sand storms (dust storms) overgrazing goats (a major cause of desertification) grasslands reforestation land regeneration
Species Loss
habitat loss ecological balance genetic diversity genes; genetic engineering natural compounds (from living organisms) medicinal uses genetically produced medicines (from the use of the genes of other species) improved/higher food production (from the use of original crop genes)
Soil Salinification
the water table
******************************************************** *************** 11. Housework
washing the dishes sweeping the floor mopping the floor making the beds preparing meals washing vegetables cooking setting the table (for a meal) ironing dusting taking out the garbage doing the laundry (washing clothes)
tidying up / putting things where they belong shopping for groceries and other household supplies cleaning: -
cleaning the kitchen
-
cleaning the stove
-
cleaning the refrigerator
-
cleaning the bathroom
-
cleaning the toilet
-
cleaning the walls
-
washing the windows
******************************************************** *************** 12. Secondary School ('Secondary School' is rather formal; 'high school' is usually used.)
Physics Chemistry Geography Politics Mathematics [Math (U.S); Maths (Br.)] P.E. (Physical Education) (This is not normally called a 'school subject'.)
******************************************************** *************** 13. Leisure Time & Relaxing
to relax (Don't add 'myself' or any variation of 'self' after this word.) to 'wind down' to 'take it easy' to take a stroll; to take/have a walk to meditate massage sauna sofa soft, soothing music holidays (Br.) = vacation (U.S.)
holiday A „holiday‟ (singular) usually refers to a public holiday, i.e., a day or small number of days when most people take time off work. weekend go on a trip take a trip to travel to go sightseeing a hobby an interest a pastime to pass the time ( Do not say, "to kill time" except when you are talking about situations when time seems to be moving particularly slowly because you have nothing to do such as waiting for two hours at the t rain station to catch your train.)
******************************************************** *************** 14. Rain
humid sticky uncomfortable refreshing cooling a storm a thunderstorm thunder lightening a deluge to pour to „rain cats and dogs‟= to rain very heavily a flood an underpass to inundate the rainy season the monsoon season the tropics a drought parched to sprinkle a drop not a drop a dry spell irregular a trickle to dry up reservoir a dam to irrigate
******************************************************** *************** 15. Restaurants & Food
menu hotpot seafood Cantonese style food Sichuan style food American-style fast food pizza vegetarian take-away food (U.S. = food to go) hot = spicy salty sour sweet a cafe (this is a small restaurant, not a coffee shop such as Starbucks) a restaurant a cafeteria (this is usually a self-serve eating place such as in a school or factory) a snack bar instant noodles
******************************************************** *************** 16. Letters
business letters personal letters postcards love letters spam an attachment to download a computer virus to keep in touch with someone to hear from someone
******************************************************** *************** 17. Daily Routine
usually, always, often, frequently, sometimes, rarely, seldom, never alert fresh
tired, tiring to take a break to go online to check my email warmed-up in the evening(s) in the afternoon(s) in the morning(s) in the middle of the night during the day during working hours
******************************************************** ***************
VOCABULARY LISTS (2) Index 18. Animals 19. Parks 20. Describing People 21. The Sections of a Newspaper 22. Types of Magazines 23. Law 24. Water 25. Games 26. Playgrounds 27. Cooking 28. A Sense of + 29. Sports Facilities
To Page 1 To Page 3
******************************************************** *************** 18. Animals Major Biological Classifications of Animals
mammals reptiles amphibians birds fish insects
----------------------------------------------
Domesticated Animals a) Pets Dogs
Pekinese Chihuahua Poodle Cocker Spaniel Dachshund ('sausage dog') Chow Pug Beagle Collie Boxer Bull-dog Bull-terrier the 'Asian dog' (This dog can be found as a pet in remote villages in Asia as well as in towns and cities. Similar to the Australian Dingo) Dalmatian German Shepherd Labrador Golden Retriever
young dog = a puppy Cats
long-haired cats short-haired cats Siamese cats Burmese cats tabby cats alley cats (feral cats, street cats) a tom cat
young cat = a kitten Birds
the Asian mynah bird the canary the budgie ( = the parakeet = the budgerigar) the parrot the finch the pigeon
bird food: birdseed /fruit /nuts Fish
goldfish tropical fish
Other Pets
rabbits guinea pigs hamsters gerbils rats ferrets tortoises
b) Farmed animals
chickens ducks geese pigs (= hogs) sheep beef cattle dairy cows goats
c) Work Animals
water buffalo
horses donkeys mules camels elephants yaks goats dogs
------------------------------------------
Wild Animals a) Endangered Animals of China
the panda the tiger the black bear the wolf the Mongolian wild horse the elephant
b) Other Wild Animals in China
rats and mice snakes yaks foxes deer wild horses monkeys
c) Wild Animals in the Cities of China
The following wild animals are seen in some parts of some cities.
squirrels ferrets rats and mice possums bats birds (sparrows, magpies, seagulls, swallows, crows, pigeons, doves, ducks, ... ) feral cats
******************************************************** *************** 19. Parks
the entrance an entrance fee a statue sculptures a fountain a pool a lake a pond a river a bridge a rockery a bamboo grove a fish pond lawns gardens flowers plants trees vines bamboo a park bench = a park seat in the shade in the sun a pathway = a path to stroll to walk to jog to do exercises to do stretching exercises to do aerobics to do tai ji = to practice tai ji (太极拳) to chat to dance to play a musical instrument to perform to sing to entertain to relax (not 'relax + 自己') to play chess
******************************************************** *************** 20. Describing People The adjectives below could be used in the following sentence: "She's very _________. " Or, "She's a very _______ person." Or, "She's a very _______ type of person."
Of course, instead of, ' very' you can also use other words such as: ' quite', 'rather ', 'somewhat ', 'really ' and, 'extremely '.
friendly easy-going laid-back (= habitually very relaxed; not easily excited or angered) relaxed mellow open natural warm-hearted hospitable (= a very welcoming host towards guests) generous helpful co-operative humourous funny interesting unique special impressive kind empathetic sympathetic nice good honest (= does not lie, cheat, steal etc.) considerate thoughtful (= considerate = thinks about the feelings and welfare of other people) caring selfless (the opposite is, 'selfish') down-to-earth idealistic extroverted (the opposite is, 'introverted') outgoing gregarious sociable spontaneous introverted (This means, 'usually focused on one's own thoughts', such as a research scientist, an author or anyone who is habitually a deep thinker.) shy (This means, 'a little fearful' of other people) sensitive private quiet studious traditional conservative old-fashioned fashionable 'cool'
'hip' modern fashion-conscious stylish well-groomed well-dressed attractive good-looking handsome beautiful pretty elegant graceful gentle statuesque (usually for tall women) well-mannered cultured sophisticated open-minded confident competitive fearless independent individualistic adventurous rebellious persistent industrious = hard-working motivated single-minded goal-oriented determined ambitious strong-willed passionate enthusiastic well-balanced positive healthy fit (= healthy, especially with strong muscles, a healthy heart and healthy lungs Someone who can walk up a high mountain without resting is "very fit".) health-conscious athletic physical artistic talented capable musical theatrical dramatic
expressive intelligent smart (U.S. (informal) = intelligent; Br. = well-dressed) bright analytical erudite = well-read (usually for older people) well-educated well-informed knowledgeable skilled, skillful professional thorough careful neat precise meticulous reliable punctual curious far-sighted insightful intuitive wise mature responsible sensible imaginative creative playful (usually children) rambunctious (e.g., a 2-yr-old child) energetic adorable (Don't say "very adorable". But "really adorable" is ok.) cute loveable lovely loving
Some nouns
a joy (e.g., 'a joy to be around') an inspiration an example a model student a model son a devoted mother, a devoted teacher, a devoted doctor a genius a leader a non-conformist a rebel an idealist
******************************************************** *************** 21. The Sections of a Newspaper The following are the main sections that typical newspapers have.
The Local News Section The International News Section The Editorial Section Letters to the Editor The Business Section The Entertainment Section The Sports Section The Classified Advertisements Section The Comics (Comic Strips)
Other sections that most often appear in weekend editions of newspapers are:
The Travel Section The 'Magazine Section' that features stories and information about modern living, fashion, home decoration etc.
******************************************************** *************** 22. Types of Magazines There are magazines for almost every topic of interest, whether a sport, hobby, general interest or a career interest.
Sports magazines (e.g. Basketball, Football, Golf magazines) Tabloid magazines (Sensationalized & often exaggerated or untrue articles & gossip about celebrities. This magazine genre also includes magazines with unusual or sensationalized human-interest stories.) Movie magazines (Stories and reviews about the latest films) Music & Entertainment magazines (Articles about pop music & movies & entertainment celebrities) News & Current Events magazines (News, news analysis & opinion pieces) Women's magazines (Topics of general interest to women, including parenting, family, home, health, beauty & fashion, career & relationship advice, & short stories.) Beauty & Fashion magazines (e.g., Vogue. Articles & many photographs on fashion & beauty for women) Teen magazines (Usually for teenage girls - general interest magazines for teenagers with topics such as romantic short stories, romance advice, fashion & beauty advice, entertainment etc.)
Men's magazines (Short stories & articles of interest to (usually) young men, including pictures of pretty girls) Handyman magazines (=D.Y.I. magazines = Do-It-Yourself magazines) (Articles on how to do certain practical things such as repairing or making certain things) Home and Gardening magazines (Articles about buying a home, home decoration, home maintenance, gardening etc.) Car magazines Military magazines (Articles & stories about military history, military equipment & weaponry) Hobbyist magazines (E.g., stamp collecting, antiques, photography, different arts and crafts, pets, different games ...) Computer magazines (Articles about new developments and products in the world of computers) Computer Game magazines Business & Money magazines (Articles about personal money management, investing, the stock market etc.) Puzzle magazines (With puzzles to solve) Humor magazines (Jokes, funny cartoons, & humorous short stories) Travel magazines (Articles about interesting places to visit) Science and Nature magazines (E.g., National Geographic) Health and Fitness magazines Popular Psychology magazines (Self-help articles and articles on 'pop psychology' topics) Literary magazines (Short stories, poetry, reviews of new books, etc.) Short Story magazines (Various short stories to read. Different genres exist e.g., mystery stories, romance stories, crime stories, science fiction stories ...) Political magazines (Usually political analysis & opinion rather t han objective political news) Scholarly magazines (Specialized magazines for academics in different subjects)
******************************************************** *************** 23. Law
to commit a crime = to break the law to disregard the law, to violate the law to obey the law = to abide by the law a law-abiding citizen a crime = an infraction of the law = an offence violent crime economic crime a crime of passion criminal negligence a "white collar crime" a "victimless crime" a criminal = a law breaker a juvenile delinquent be required by the law
against the law = illegal within the law = legal, lawful to "be above the law" to "turn to crime", to "be driven to crime" organized crime a criminal gang to prohibit to ban treason a felony a misdemeanor murder manslaughter assault theft (a thief) robbery (a robber) burglary (a burglar) rape (a rapist) kidnapping fraud blackmail bribery graft corruption extortion slander to defame smuggling piracy forgery fake, counterfeit drug trafficking arson insurance fraud bigamy vandalism gambling a petty crime a 'con man', a confidence trickster a victim compensation insider trading prison = gaol (Br.) = jail (U.S. but also used in Britain & Australia) punishment = a penalty capital punishment = the death penalty a sentence, to sentence, to pass sentence a fine a criminal record a regulation, to regulate a harsh law, a harsh sentence
a lenient sentence, a light sentence to arrest someone innocent, guilty the police, the police force a policeman, a policewoman, a police officer (U.S.) a police station, a police car, a police dog traffic police a detective forensic science law enforcement, to enforce the law = to uphold the law crime prevention a deterrence a crackdown on crime to combat crime, to fight crime to prosecute, to defend to be convicted of a crime evidence, proof a witness a law court = a court of law a trial a judge a magistrate a lawyer = an attorney (U.S.), a barrister (Br.), a solicitor (Br.) to practice law a law firm a law suit, to sue somebody a license, a business license, a driver's license to enact a law, to institute a law, to adopt a law a annul a law, to repeal a law
******************************************************** *************** 24. Water Water Usage
consume/consumption in agriculture in industry trickle irrigation domestic uses (= household uses) watering public lawns and gardens taking/having a bath taking/having a shower cleaning/brushing your (my) teeth flushing the toilet washing the dishes washing the car
turn off/turn on a tap (U.S. = a faucet) a running tap
******************************************************** *************** 25. Games
Adult games chess mahjong weiqi (I suggest you use the Chinese name, not the Japanese name, 'Go') card games (e.g., poker) pool (= "8 ball"), billiards, snooker computer games drinking games guessing games
Children's Games (See also here for some traditional Chinese children's games) marbles 'Hide and seek' Hopscotch 'Scissors, rock and paper'
******************************************************** *************** 26. Playgrounds Basic List
a swing a slide = a slippery dip a carousel a see-saw a jungle-gym = a set of monkey bars
The following internet articles will show you some good vocabulary (along with pictures) for the topic of children's playgrounds and playground equipment. (On the left of the wikipedia pages you will see a place to change into Chinese language if you want.) http://www.aaastateofplay.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playground http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungle_gym http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/See-saw http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swing_(seat)
******************************************************** *************** 27. Cooking Not done yet.
******************************************************** *************** 28. "A Sense of + noun (
)"
Using the expression, "A Sense of + noun ( )" is a variation on using adjectives to describe qualities of people (and things) or to describe feelings.
For many adjectives, there is an equivalent noun. For example, the adjective, "adventurous" has the noun form, "adventure". You can describe a person using both the adjective or the noun. The pattern is: "He is + adjective" = "He has a sense of + noun". For example, "He is adventurous " = "He has a sense of adventure ".
Note: This item (Item 28) is quite advanced. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The lists below show just a small collection of some of the most commonly used examples of, " a sense of + noun". It is possible to create your own examples but I don't recommend doing that until you are very strong at English. To correctly use many of these examples, you will first need to check in good quality dictionaries with examples (not electronic dictionaries) to full y understand the meaning. The idea of these lists is to explain that the expression, " a sense of + noun" is a good way to broaden your ability to describe a quality or a feeling. If you just correctly use one example in the test, it will help you. How or when is the expression, " a sense of + noun " used? There seems to be two different circumstances when this expression is used:
List A) When you are describing a quality in another person or thing. For example, " He's got a good sense of humour "; or, "That play had a strong sense of pathos ." (Note that we don't usually use these words to describe one's own qualities or feelings.) List B) When you are describing your own feelings or the feelings of others. For example, " It gives me a sense of tranquility when I walk alone in the forest. " Or, "To be a good soldier, you need to have a sense of patriotism. " When talking about others, the examples in List B are describing both the feelings and qualities of these others.
Many or most of the nouns in the two lists below are quite abstract (and therefore a little difficult for Band 5.0 students to learn or use correctly). When talking about feelings that are represented in List B, the feelings are deeper, more complex and more difficult to describe or define than other feelings . In other words, when you use the expression, "a sense of + noun", your meaning is that this feeling is not simple or easy to describe.
For example, most English speakers would not say, "When she told me she got 99% in the test, I felt a sense of surprise". Instead, most English speakers would simply say, " When she told me she got 99% in the test, I was surprised " (" I was surprised when she told me she got 99% in the test. ") The reason we would not say, " a sense of surprise " is that the emotion of surprise is quite simple and clear-cut. It's also possible to say, "I felt surprised" or, "I felt happy" for these simple, clear-cut emotions. On the other hand, look at this example: " I had to kill my pet cat when she got very old and ill with cancer. But after I did it, I felt a great sense of guilt ." In this example, the feelings the speaker is trying to express are deep, complex and diverse. It is possible to say, " I had to kill my pet cat when she got very old and ill with cancer. But after I did it, I felt guilty " but if you described your feeling in such a short, quick way, you would be decreasing the emphasis on the complexity and depth of your feelings. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Lists of " A sense of + ..."
List A:
Used to describe a quality of another person (or thing); not usually used to describe oneself. To describe a quality in other people and things, we typically use the verb, 'have' such as, " He/she/it has a sense of + noun". For example, " He has a good sense of humour." We only use, " have a sense of ..." for these when describing others. The words, " feel a sense of ..." or "have a feeling of ..." are not used with these nouns.
balance fairness integrity proportion style
taste co-ordination humour pathos rhythm
List B:
acceptance affiliation ambivalence awareness bitterness connection desolation devotion doom emptiness
Used to describe a feeling in oneself or both a feeling and a quality when talking about another person and using the verbs "have" or "feel". For example, when talking about some soldiers, you can say, " They have a sense of patriotism", which both describes their feeling and also describes a quality that they have. For the examples in List B, in addition to saying "a sense of + noun", you could also say, "a feeling of + noun". To use the nouns in List B, we can use the verb, 'have' or a variety of other verbs: " I have sense of + noun"; " It gives me a sense of + noun"; " I feel a sense of + noun "; " I get a sense of + noun "; or; " I'm experiencing a sense of + noun". achievement alienation anxiety belonging community (= community spirit ) devotion destiny (= the belief that one is destined for greatness ) disillusionment duty failure
foreboding guilt indignation liberation morality one's own importance perspective proportion relief reverence serenity the past trust wariness accomplishment affinity anticipation awe
betrayal competence curiosity despair direction dread expectancy freedom history indifference loss mystery optimism pessimism purpose remorse right and wrong (= morality) shame tranquility urgency well-being
fulfillment humility insight loyalty nostalgia outrage power reassurance resentment satisfaction spirituality transformation (= change) victory (= triumph) wonder adventure allegiance autonomy (= independence) being needed, being wanted, being loved, being appreciated, being accepted, being respected, being useful, being rejected, being judged, being laughed at, being free, being used, being trapped, being part of the community, being among friends, etc. closure contentment déjà vu detachment dislocation empowerment fellowship gratification identity irony mastery oneness with nature patriotism pride rejection responsibility security the future triumph (= victory) vitality worth
******************************************************** *************** 29. Sports Facilities The information here was written especially to help people answer the questions, "What sports facilities are there near where you live?" and, "What sports facilities are there at your university?"
The word 'facility' includes the two ideas of a place and the special equipment in that place, to be used for a certain activity. When speaking of 'sports facilities', you can replace the idea of 'equipment' with the idea of "something special about that place". For example, a running track has no "equipment" but it is especially designed, with lines on the ground representing the running lanes. For the question, "What sports facilities are there near where you live?", the meaning is facilities that the general public can use . This includes: facilities that people can use, free of cost; facilities that people must pay to use; and it also includes such facilities as private sports clubs that you, as a member of the public, can join i f you want.
Maybe there's a private school in your community that has a swimming pool and several tennis courts. If you, a non-student at the school, are not allowed to enter and use these facilities (even when you offer to pay), then it is not suitable to include the school's sports facilities as examples of sports facilities near where you live. Of course, you could mention these facts to the examiner and explain how these facilities exist but are not available for the public to use, and that would be suitable for a Part 3 answer but a little unsuitable for Part 1 unless you firstly address the question of facilities available to the public. Anyway, in Part 1 you probably won't have time to give such an extended and detailed example.
What is 'sport'? A sport is a physical activity that is done for exercise and amusement (although some sports involve very little exercise and focus more on physical skills.)
Some sports are done mostly for competition, such as football, basketball or tennis. This is the main group of activities that people think of when using the word, 'sport'. These competitive sports have set rules and special areas where the activity is done. A broader definition of 'sport' includes some physical activities that are done purely for recreation, not competition, such as hunting, fishing, or horseback riding. Most of the water sports such as scuba-diving, snorkeling, water skiing and surfing (surfboard riding) are noncompetitive, although water skiing and surfing competitions are held sometimes. The 'extreme sports' are also usually non-competitive. These sports really involve competing against oneself or against nature. Examples of these are: 'sky diving', 'white water rafting' down a fast-moving river or mountain climbing (rock climbing), such as climbing Mt. Everest (珠穆朗玛).
Some sports don't require much physical exertion but do require physical skills, for example pistol shooting. Similarly, games such as snooker (斯诺克) which are games of physical skill rather than physical exertion are usually also classified as 'sports'.
Make sure you know the difference between "sport" and simple "exercise". A sport usually involves physical skills but exercise ( 锻炼身体) is simply the physical activity of 'moving the body' – walking up the stairs to your 4th-floor apartment is a form of exercise but it's not sport. A "walking path" in a public park might be used by a lot of people for exercise, but it is unsuitable to describe that as a, "sports facility".
Sometimes there is a 'fine line' (= an unclear dividing line) between what is exercise and what is sport. For example, if you go to the swimming pool t hree times a week and swim ten laps of the pool each time, can you say that you do a sports activity? Personally, I would call i t a form of exercise, not sport. (Certainly you cannot say that is 'playing a sport' because you can only 'play' a game and swimming, even in competition, is not a "game".) On the other hand, if you hit a ping-pong ball across a ping-pong table with your friend for an h our, without keeping score, then I would say you are playing a sport , even though you are not actually playing a formal, competitive game of ping-pong. However, even though I think swimming laps in a swimming pool is not sport, and even though very few Chinese people swim as a competitive sport, it is still suitable to call a swimming pool a 'sports facility' because in other parts of the world, a swimming pool is a place that is often used for sporting competition. For example, in Australia, every public swimming pool has a swimming club where the members hold swimming competitions against each other and against other swimming clubs. I also would not call 'a gymnasium' a sports facility, where 'gymnasium' here simply means 'an exercise room' with weights and exercise machines. But it's probably ok to use that example in your answer, provided you communicate to t he examiner the idea that, " it's not really a sports facility but more an exercise facility ". The word, 'gymnasium' can also be used to mean, 'an indoor sports arena' where sporting competitions are held – that certainly is a sports facility.
Below are some common examples of sports facilities that are found in a town/city or school/university. Of course, there are others. And of course, for some of these, using the plural might be more appropriate, for example, " some basketball courts " and "some ping-pong tables ". Most of these examples are compound nouns ( 复合名词). To speak these, the first word is spoken with more stress than the second word. "More stress" simply means "a little louder". The stressed part of the compound nouns are shown with heavier print, such as " table tennis", where the word "table" is spoken a little louder than the word, "tennis".
a swimming pool a basketball court
a bad minton court a tennis court a squash court a volleyball court a football field a baseball field a hockey field an athletics field a running track a cycling track a golf course a golf driving range an archery range a shooting range a shooting gallery a) a gymnasium ( = a room for exercising, weightlifting, etc. This item is suitable if you add the fact that it's really an exercise facility rather than a sports facility.) b) a gymnasium = an indoor stadium = a big competition room ( 大厅) that probably has seats for spectators and with facilities for such competitions as weightlifting, gymnastics, basketball, volleyball etc. a bowling alley (for ten-pin bowling) an ice-skating rink / a roller-skating rink / a skating rink a ski slope / a ski run / a ski resort ping-pong tables (= table tennis tables) For example, concrete ping-pong tables in a public park. a billiard room / a pool hall (台球室)
a go-cart track; a go-cart course (if the general public is able to use it, even if they have to first join a club to use it.) a skateboarding park a mountain bike track = a mountain bike competition ground ------------------a stadium, a football stadium If you are answering the question, "What sports facilities are there in your university ?" then to include a stadium is suitable because that facility is used by the students in competition and for general sporting use. But if the question is, "What sports facilities are there near where you live?" then you need to be careful about using a stadium as an example because some big football stadiums are only used by professional football clubs and are not available to the general public as places where people can (join a club and) play amateur football, or other sports. If this is the case, these stadiums are more suitably classified as "entertainment faciliti es" for the general public rather than sports facilities for the general public. However, if the stadium is available for amateur footballers to use, then it i s suitable to include it as a "sports facility near where you live". This kind of stadium would probably be owned and run by the city government, rather than by a private football club. (I don't know about the situation in China but in most parts of the world, these big football stadiums are connected to one professional football club and this club often has a 'junior league' which is a club that boys can join in order to play competitive football. Although this is only available for a select or limited group of boys, the boys in the junior league are part of the general public and in this sense, the facility could be called, 'a sports facility for t he public'.) Similarly, the F1 racing course in Shanghai is more of an entertainment facility rather than a sports facility. ------------------Other Sports Facilities
There are other sports facilities that exist in the community but the following descriptions are not as good as those above because the words "club", "center" etc. tend to refer more to an organization rather than a facility. And "a river", "lake" or "the ocean" are not usually used to mean "a facility" – they simply refer to "places" rather than "places with special equipment". a wushu training centre a taekwon do (跆拳道) class a tennis club
a rowing club an archery club a lake or river (for swimming, water skiing, rowing, sailing or fishing) the ocean or a beach (for swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, surf board riding, jet ski riding, sailing or fishing) etc.
------------------Exercise Facilities
The following examples are not suitable to use if the question is, "What sports facilities are there near where you live?" As noted above, "exercise" and "sport" are not exactly the same in meaning. However, it is possible to include these examples in your answer to that question, if you communicate to the examiner that you know the difference between "exercise facilities" and "sports facilities" and you are giving an extended answer to the question. This is especially true if either of the two questions about sports facilities are used in Part 3. You are unlikely to have enough time in Part 1 for such an extended answer. "exercise machines in an exercise area" ( = " exercise equipment" in public parks or public exercise areas) a gymnasium / an exercise room a walking path in a public park a jogging track the steps going to the top of a big hill or a mountain (= a walkway which many people use for regular exercise, for example, old people at 6 o'clock in the mornings) a yoga class (Yoga is classified as a form of exercise or a form o f physical training rather than "a sport".) an aerobics class (or, an aerobics group) a 'jazz dancing' class or group (which some women join as a form of exercise) a hiking club; a mountain trail for hiking; etc.
******************************************************** ***************
VOCABULARY LISTS (3) Index 30. Time Management 31. Adventurous People 32. Relaxing 33. Tradition 34. Change 35. Non-Electrical Equipment in the Home
To Page 1 To Page 2
******************************************************** *************** 30. Time Management
punctual
to procrastinate
a crash study program
punctuality
to postpone
a timetable
to plan ahead
overdue
a schedule
on time
the due time
to fritter away one‟s time
on schedule
the due date
a short-term goal
a deadline
prompt, promptly
a long-term goal
timely
to fall behind
goal-setting
a "rush job"
to be behind
a priority
at short notice
to rush
high priority
to be behind time
to hurry
low priority
to delay
urgent
efficient, inefficient
to put off doing s‟thing
to cram (for an exam)
organized
to leave s‟thing till the last moment
to be pressed for time
flexible
******************************************************** *************** 31. Adventurous People The following words could be used when describing people who participate in extreme sports or other examples of adventurous people. Use a good dictionary (not just an electronic dictionary) to see the full meaning, with examples, and usage of these words.
Adjectives adventurous fearless bold reckless rash foolhardy daring
Nouns a daredevil a “ showoff ”
******************************************************** *************** 32. Relaxing
The following words might be useful when talking about the topic of relaxation. Adjectives relaxing relaxed restful leisurely peaceful soothing stressful
Nouns
Verbs
a rest a nap a siesta a massage meditation stress pressure
to relax to rest to nap to sleep to unwind to refresh oneself to meditate
tension light exercise soothing music a warm bath
to stretch out to take it easy to revitalize oneself to relieve stress to take a nap = to have a nap to stretch the legs (= go for a walk) to "chill out" (This is slang but ok to use with younger examiners. Pronounce it clearly.)
Phrases & Expressions "A change is as good as a rest." for recreation for pleasure for enjoyment for leisure "to recharge my batteries" to take my mind off my studies (or, off my work)
******************************************************** *************** 33. Tradition Adjectives traditional customary ceremonial religious superstitious formal conventional
Nouns a tradition a custom a ceremony a ritual a rite a practice a convention folklore a superstition a belief a myth a legend a festival
Verbs to observe a custom to follow a custom to bow
Other
******************************************************** *************** 34. Change The topic of "change" is a very frequent topic throughout the IELTS Speaking and Writing tests. Most of the verbs in this list can be changed into nouns, often by adding "ion" to the verb. Similarly, many of the verbs can be changed to become adjectives by adding "ed", for example, "improve" can become "improved". Make sure you use a dictionary to see examples of how any new words are used. Using an impressive word in the test but using it incorrectly often causes you to lose points for vocabulary rather than gain points. This is because the listener (the examiner) might become confused about what you mean – clear communication is the Number 1 thing in the IELTS Speaking and Writing tests!
Adjectives
Nouns
better
progress
to grow
Verbs (continued) to restrict
worse
a development
to increase
to suppress
former
a metamorphosis a transition the rate of change
to rise
to abolish
to expand to extend
to renew to rejuvenate
fashionable
to broaden
to renovate
up-to-date
to widen
to revamp
contemporary
to lengthen
to streamline
a radical change a gradual change an imperceptible
to intensify
to recondition
to magnify
to refurnish
to decrease
to rehabilitate
current modern
Verbs
Other
"A change is as good as a rest". "Variety is the spice of life." go out of fashion go out of style to die out (Some old traditions have "died out".) exponentially (exponential growth) to “change for the better” to “change for the worse” behind the times = no longer fashionable
change to fall
to regenerate
to contract
to reform
to shorten
to reverse
to reduce
to improve
to fluctuate
to develop
to vary
to mature
to move
to modernize
to relocate
to enhance
to transport
to advance
to shift
to ameliorate
to divert
to alleviate
to substitute
to relieve
to transform
to correct
to replace
to deteriorate
to convert
to worsen
to build
to age
to construct
to decay
to demolish
to degenerate
to fix
to aggravate
to repair
to exacerbate
to update
to impair
to alter
to corrupt
to modify
to discontinue
to limit
to abandon
to contain
******************************************************** *************** 35. Non-Electrical Equipment in the Home Here, "equipment", "devices", "tools", "gadgets" all mean, more or less, the same thing.
In the Kitchen a measuring cup
a bottle opener
a frying pan
a meat cleaver
a ladle
a corkscrew
a saucepan (U.S. pronunciation a cutting board is also acceptable: saucepan)
a spatula
a nutcracker
a vegetable knife
a dish rack (a dish drainer)
a can opener
a wok (锅）
a vegetable peeler
a timer
a water dispenser
a serving spoon
a strainer
In the Bathroom a bathroom scale (= a set of bathroom scales)
a toothbrush holder
a toilet plunger
a razor
a toilet brush
a hairbrush
a toothbrush
In the Study a stapler (a stapling machine)
a pencil sharpener
a ruler
a pair of scissors
a hole punch
a magnifying glass
Cleaning Equipment a broom a dustpan (and hand brush) a mop a mop bucket
a feather duster
