Effective Anti-Racist Guidelines in the British Education System Literature review

Effective Anti-Racist Guidelines in the British Education System - Literature review Example In this literature review, a brief description of the notion of race, ethnicity, and faith, as well as the distinctions among them, will be discussed. The concept of ‘ethnicity’ is quite new. Before the 1970s there was hardly any discussion of it in anthropology works and literature, even a mention of its definition (Faas 2010). Prior to the Second World War, the word ‘tribe’ was the chosen word for ‘primitive’ societies and the word ‘race’ for contemporary societies (May 1999). Because of the strong connection between the ideology of the Nazis and the concept of ‘race’, the word ‘ethnicity’ eventually succeeded ‘race’ in Europe and the United States (Spalek 2007). The discourse on ethnicity is confounded by a diversity of associated concepts applied to distinguish comparable trends, like the nation, race, minority, and tribe. Several researchers and scholars apply these concepts synonymously w hile others use them as distinct terms (Spalek 2007). Nevertheless, the connection between race and ethnicity is complicated. Even though there is much continuity they are different notions. For instance, Pierre van den Berghe defines the term ‘race’ as a specific classification of ethnicity that makes use of genetic attributes as an indicator of ethnicity (Cashmore & Jennings 2002, 122). Although the connection between the two notions is more complicated than the above definition, his description is quite accurate (p. 122). British scholars normally exclusively attribute ethnicity to minority groups.

Women and Politics. Today's Women Role in Politics Compare to Essay

Women and Politics. Today's Women Role in Politics Compare to Aristotle View - Essay Example The male counterparts are agreeing to the voice of women and presence in politics. This is due to globalization that currently is eroding former and ancient barbaric cultures that restrained women to the homestead confinements. Generally, the perception of politics and women by Aristotle is remarkably diverse from the current elites who are encouraging women emancipation from male and obsolete cultures (Gurirab). This encompasses women attaining allowance to contend for various posts in politics, which is contrary to Aristotle’s view. Aristotle maintained that the only befitting place for a woman was in the homestead confinements and not in public where men exercised their superiority granted by nature. According to Aristotle’s perception, women lack a place in public and especially in politics, since they are supposed to be at home  caring the household and what the husband possess’. Currently, women have surpassed men in politics by emerging as excellent thro ugh their leadership skills and organization (Adams 342). May be this is out of their natures ability to multitask which was not recognized before by society, which held them in low esteem. The today’s public is acknowledging the presence of women in politics and preferring them especially in the developed states (Dufour & Isabelle 1167). This emanates from the civic education, which encourages females to venture in politics plus the rights that elevate the woman. For instance, Pratibha Devisingh Patil, India’s 12Th leader and first lady to lead government after Abdul Kalam,four years currently. Women have contributed immensely in political and economical advancement, which has paved more emergency of women in high offices (Mandakini et al 20). China’s 200 women hold senior positions in both research and politics, where in 2001 endorsed women state leaders. This exemplifies how women in today’s politics have performed a key role to the extent of winning t heir counterparts trust while in top seats. Aristotle’s argument regarding woman in politics and her role are quite diverse from what the current woman is doing. He states that woman â€Å"lacks authority†, though in his debate does no expound he implied (Clayton). However, from the former perception and placement he held towards women, this implied that women were inferior to men. Hence, woman lacks the necessary assertiveness to incline men undertake certain responsibilities. His conclusion to low esteem of females might have emanated from the Greeks perception held against women; where at 13 years girls were already wives (Newman 46). This deprived women chance in education and made them not having adequate knowledge that will catapult them in the political arena. The lack of adequate education and knowledge made woman still belief that she was inferior and cannot do anything without the husband's consent. Aristotle defines the liaison amid the husband and the wife closely as that of master and slave (Ford 9). Here, the woman has to incline at husband’s command together with the small girls in his house. Mainly, the woman’s role was home-based in ensuring the man was happy together with the children. Aristotle’s argument finds support from the Greek barbarians who still held similar outlook (Aristotle 17). However, the barbarians blame Aristotle for not distinguishing clearly amid slave and the woman. Since, he sometimes contradicts himself when he states that; â€Å"for any state to experience happiness, the woman must be happy.† This brings confusion regarding what is the exact relationship amid the couples and what level of education Aristotle proposed for women (Aristotle 17 -25). Since, this issue tends to shun what women leaders currently are

Organised Crime Affecting The United Kingdom Essay

Organised Crime Affecting The United Kingdom Essay In order to assess the extent to which organised crime is affecting the UK one must first try to define the term itself. A recent definition by Interpol describes it as Any group having a corporate structure whose primary objective is to obtain money through illegal activities, often surviving on fear and corruption  [1]  . UK based SOCA simply states that Organised crime covers a very wide range of activity and individuals involved in a number of crime sectors. The most damaging sectors to the UK are judged to be trafficking of Class A drugs, organised immigration crime and fraud. In addition, there is a wide range of other threats, including high-tech crime, counterfeiting, the use of firearms by serious criminals, serious robbery, organised vehicle crime, cultural property crime and others.  [2]  There are many terms brandished about for organised crime and it is difficult to come up with one definition, therefore, this makes it difficult to also assess what is being tackl ed as far as the UK in concerned. As the SOCA definition above shows there are many different types of crimes which can be called organised crime so therefore in order to assess of how there being tackled one will need to assess them individually, for the purposes of this essay one will focus on Trafficking i.e. drugs and how money laundering is being dealt with in the UK as a big part of organised crime are its proceeds. Organised crime generates a huge income and as crime becomes more globalised and so revenue generated from it increases more and more every day. Profits are usually in the form of cash so therefore need to be disguised in a way to blend into the banking system. The ultimate aim of the money laundering is to get the proceeds of the crime into the financial world legitimately, so the criminals can benefit from it and not get caught. The process is long and complicated as the cash has to moved several times in order to cover its tracks. Different routes the money might take are being transferred in between various different accounts and through front companies which are set up to disguise the illegitimate profits in a legal business form, this process is repeated many times until the criminals can extract their profits legitimately. There are three stages to money laundering, firstly placement, whereby the illegitimate profit is put into the banking system, followed by layering, where t he cash is passed through many different areas in order to perplex its origins, and the final step is integration, where the cash is put through legitimate companies and accounts. Money laundering in the UK is a criminal offence, and as such, any person involved in any known or suspected money laundering activity risks a criminal conviction carrying a jail term of up to 14 years. It is significant that even innocent involvement on the part of professionals such as bankers and lawyers can provoke a criminal charge. Money laundering is an offence covered by many different parts of legislation United Kingdom and can be found in statutes such as the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (as amended), and the Terrorism Act 2000 (as amended). The most significant change made by these two pieces of legislation is that they enforce two new obligations to create Suspicious Transaction Reports. The legislation, then, increases the responsibility on professionals dealing with big financial business of any kind to be cautious in detecting suspicious transactions, and this in effect helps find criminals when such occasions do arise, so, in essence, this is an example of the UK successfully implementing legislation in order to tackle organised crime . This attack on money laundering is huge part of tackling organised crime as it is suggested that the economic and social impact of organised crime in the UK is staggering and statistics show that global profits from people smuggling are estimated to be $10 billion annuall y, 280,000 problem drug users cause half of all crime, every  £1 spent on heroin is estimated to generate about  £4 of damage to the national economy and there are around 400 organised crime bosses in the UK with an amassed criminal wealth of approximately  £440 million.  [3]  The economic and social cost of organised crime is estimated to be in the region of  £20 to  £40 billion per year. The role of recovering criminal assets fell upon the Assets Recovery Agency which was set up under the Proceeds of Crime act 2002 and played an important part in the governments plans to seize the profit out of crime, and separate and prevent the criminal organizations from continuing with their activities by removing the money which motivates their activities and their major source of income  [4]   The Assets Recovery Agency had three strategic aims to disrupt organised criminal enterprises through the recovery of criminal assets, thereby alleviating the effect of crime on communities, to promote the use of financial investigation as an integral part of criminal investigation, within and outside the Agency, domestically and internationally, through training and continuing professional development and to operate the agency in accordance with its vision and values.  [5]   The UK is a founding member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), established in 1989 to develop global measures to prevent money laundering. The FATF has 40 recommendations, engineered to combat money laundering and create the best resources to do so internationally. UK money laundering experts regularly participate in FATF mutual evaluations of its members, showing that the UKs initiatives against money laundering are strong as not only are they tackling the issue internally but are looking at the international impact money laundering has. On the 1st April 2008 the Assets Recovery Agency merged with the Serious Organised Crime Agency. Commenting on the merger Hughes, of SOCA said we are gaining important skills and expertise with the arrival of Assets Recovery Agency staff and we welcome them into SOCA. Now that the merger has taken place we will get on with the job that parliament want us to do, namely depriving crooks of their ill-gotten gains  [6]. In support of this the Home Office minister Coaker said that assets recovery is critical in the fight against all levels of crime and we are determined to stop criminals profiting from crimes which affect the lives of law-abiding majority.  [7]  Adding to this Goggins, said this merger will strengthen the fight against crime in Northern Ireland as it combines the intelligence expertise of SOCA with the hands-on practical experience of ARA. This combination will make the recovery of assets even more effective and strengthen our fight against those who profit from org anised crime.  [8]  This important merger highlights the steps in the UK have taken to try to successfully tackle aspects of organised crime, by merging together these two organisations it showed that the UK has acknowledged the fact the money laundering linked with organised crime is a very serious issue that needs to be dealt with. A further offence as introduced in the Drug Trafficking Act 1994 and the Terrorism Act 2000 which states the offence of failure to report. This occurs where the person suspects that another person is involved in laundering the proceeds of drug trafficking or terrorism, and fails to report it. In the case of the Terrorism Act 2000, this offence is broadened to those who have reasonable grounds for knowing or suspecting. These statutory offences have amplified the range of money laundering offences within the UK legislation, and have similarly enlarged the mandatory degree of vigilance on financial professionals. By increasing the legislation to include those or may not even be involved directly in the crime or its proceeds it eliminates any sort chains there may in a particular organised crime groups structure. This offence highlighted is very similar to offences laid out in the USs Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) whereby prosecutors could arrest group leaders ba sed on the activities of those who worked with them. This shows another way in which the Uk is successfully trying to tackle the issue by looking at all aspects of weakening organised crime. Overall the legislation on tackling money laundering is effective, with agencies such as SOCA recognising its importance Money is at the heart of all organised crime. The lifestyle and status it brings are the main motivation for most criminals.  [9]. SOCA states that it is determined to ensure that criminals cant enjoy their profits  [10]. According to the report released by SOCA 2009/10  £317.5 million was seized from organised crimes groups in the UK. A recent example of SOCA in action in April 2011 where SOCA was granted the Confiscation Order in Leeds Crown Court for  £933,422 against Paul Anthony Romano Morgan from Leeds  [11], this is a significant achievement for the UK in tackling the issue of organised crime. In order for the UK to continue being protected the effects of money laundering, authorities, however, must work stronger at identifying criminals that are still accessing the financial system. Only by using more advanced method will criminals and money launderers become more hesitant. Professor Bill Gilmore stated: for the first time, to take co-ordinated and effective worldwide action to undermine the financial power of drug trafficking networks and other criminal organisations, is now in sight if not, as yet, fully within our reach.  [12]  Highlighting there is still room for the UK to improve to completely eradicate organised crime. One of the most threatening of activities undertaken by organised crimes groups is the trafficking of illegal narcotics. The drug trade has the capability to infiltrate all aspects of society and can threaten the social, political and economic security of any nation, so it is not surprising that it is becoming an increasing issue in the UK. The impact of the drug trade may not necessarily be the most threatening to social security, but it is probably the most threatening to the people of the country. The problems with drug trafficking are not simply mattered of criminal activities taking place but what the drugs trafficked into the country are causing, such as addiction and furthermore diseases being spread through improper use and then furthermore the crime associated with drug abuse as more and more people depends on these trafficked narcotics. McFarlane points to another interesting threat which may emerge from an increase in crime: Furthermore, with increasing crime, a free press and civil rights tend to be ignored both by the criminals and by the hard-pressed law enforcement agencies.  [13]  The threat that drug trafficking brings is potentially very large and is affecting the economic stability of the UK and therefore has become a focus of major law enforcement to tackle and one will now review on whether atte mpts to combat drug trafficking have been successful. The Serious Organised Crime Organisation (SOCA), takes a role in the gathering of information about major drug syndicates that control the UK drug trafficking scene. Created in 2007, SOCA is responsible for the collection, analysis, research and dissemination of intelligence relating to major criminals involved in serious crime, including the distribution and trafficking of drugs.  [14]  And in the Annual SOCA Plan 2010/2011 they mention that Class A drugs, poses the greatest single threat  [15]  showing that they realise that it is a serious target to be dealt with. SOCA has been working heavily on tackling drug trafficking with a recent case in again in April 2011 highlighting the capture and trial of one of SOCAs most-wanted, Edward Morton, who went on the run for more than three years,and has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for his part in a organised crime group which trafficked illegal narcotics worth millions of pounds into the UK. SOCAs Gerry Smyth said: This ope ration succeeded in breaking up highly organised professional drugs trafficking gang who brought large quantities of controlled drugs onto the streets of the North East of England. Morton tried to evade justice by hiding in Amsterdam. He failed. SOCA and its national and international partners are determined to bring fugitives back to the UK courts to face justice.  [16]  , this highlights SOCA and UKs enthusiasm on working with international organisation to tackle the problem, which is a positive factor as most drugs are trafficked into the country so therefore it is not enough to tackle the issue internally and from this case we can see the UK has picked up on this and is using this to tackle organised crime successfully. Important organisations that help deal with the international aspect of the problem is HM Customs and Excise National Investigation Service. There are two principal aspects of Customs control for drugs. The first is preventive control at ports and airports and through coastal surveillance. The second is specialist investigations based on information and intelligence gathered from various sources at home and overseas, designed to anticipate and intercept consignments of drugs and arrest the organisers of smuggling attempts.  [17]  With this work continuing it will add the to work with other agencies such as SOCA to deter drug traffickers in the UK. However one may note that the HM customs side of operations does need substantial improvement if today the figure of the profits of drugs being trafficked into the country remains at a staggering 4-6.6 billion a year, this emphasises aspects of the UK operations that needs to be improved in order to tackle organised crime successfully. In fulfilling its aims, the UK works as a partner or member in a number of leading international organisations, The UK is part of United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP), formed in 1991, which acts as the focal point in the United Nations for international support and battle against drugs. The UK is also an active member of the Dublin Group, which merges the EU and other countries to bring together individual country policies and give assistance to source country of the illegal narcotics. Many actions have been implemented throughout local Dublin Groups to ensure more commitment from national governments in assisting producer countries but also assistance from the actual source countries themselves in order to successfully tackle organised crime. In particular, the UK plays an important role in the 1988 UN Drugs Convention, which provides a broad framework for intercontinental cooperation against drug trafficking. The UK ratified the Convention in June 1991, extending it to UK Dependent Territories. The UK participates in the G8 Group on Transnational Organised Crime (TOC) following the G7/8 Halifax Summit in 1995. The groups objective was to recognise gaps in intercontinental cooperation against TOC and put forward realistic actions for improvement. All of these movements and actions were taken by the UK show their intent on successfully tackling drug trafficking and in essence organised crime as they have again acknowledged that the problem is not entirely internal and international aid needed to be addressed as most organised crime groups have a non-British ethnicity and in order to administer actions against them and to deter them in it important that the UK seek support of source countries and on reflection it seems that they have done this successfully. There are other arguments that state that the UK cannot tackle the issue of drug trafficking alone simply but regret the source or even the supply, some may argue that present legislation needs to be revisited and weaknesses in it need to be addressed, Steve Rolles of Transform Drug Policy said When prohibition of something collides with huge demand for it, you just create an economic opportunity and illegal criminal entrepreneurs will inevitably exploit the opportunity that it creates  [18]  Lord Mancroft agreed by stating We have controlled drugs in this country but you only have to walk a mile of this palace to realise that the controls do not work, because anywhere on the streets of London you can buy any of these drugs The way forward is a range somewhere from the way we control alcohol or indeed the most dangerous object in our everyday lives, the motorcar. If you go outside in the street and step in front of a moving motor car you will find out how dangerous it is, so what do we do? We do not prohibit it. We license the vehicle, we license the users, we made them pass a test, we make them have insurance so if they damage anybody they have to pay up, we tell them how fast they can use it, on which side of the road. That is control.  [19]   However to argue in favour of what is already being done and its benefits and arguing against controlling drugs trade Professor Strang of the National Addiction Centre told states, There is no question that the illegality of a substance is a major deterrent to its useà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦one would have to presume that if legal constraints were taken away the level of use would almost certainly increase  [20]  , these two arguments highlight different approaches the UK can implement the second being what is being actioned now, however despite how drastic the first argument that Rolles and Mancroft mat be one may have to consider its possible effectiveness in aiding the UKs campaign in tackling organised crime, by eliminating the opportunity for organised crime groups. To conclude is seems on a whole the UK is successfully trying to tackle organised crime, but there are some hole so to speak and from looking at SOCA Annual report 2010/11 one can see that the UKs weakness when it comes to tackling organised crime is its understanding of the inner workings of an organised crime group, Organised crime is identified in the National Security Strategy as a major threat to the UK. Broad estimates value the economic and social costs to the UK, including the costs of combating it, at between  £20 billion and  £40 billion a year. Whilst the understanding of organised crime is becoming clearer year on year, there are however still gaps. To be successful in reducing the harm caused by organised crime it is essential that efforts to combat it are well-directed. This requires investment in developing knowledge and understanding of the threats and of those responsible for them. The harm to the UK comes in particular from a large number of individuals and grou ps operating in tactically astute ways, in response to this the UK has recognised that it needs to improve and will do so by bringing together a wide range of departments and agencies, each with specialist skills and powers  [21]  but whether or not this proves to be successful is yet to be seen. However, in 2010, the Home Office published an evaluation named Drugs Value for Money Review. It pointed out that there was a lack of factual data being collected by the government on the effectiveness of its drug policy against the trafficking of drugs it stated that policies to reduce the availability of drugs produced the greatest analytical challenge. The absence of robust and recognised measures of success, combined with a limited base of research evidence, makes it particularly difficult to draw conclusions about supply-side policy.  [22], so this reiterates the point that in order for the UK to successfully tackle organised crime it needs to put more effort into its research in order to create a higher intelligence to what they are actually trying to tackle.

Ethical Aspects of Marketing - 1455 Words

Ethical Aspects of Marketing Developing a Business Plan August 4, 2009 Ethical Aspects of Marketing Executive Summary This report outlines the social, ethical and legal aspects of marketing. Environmentally Responsible Products Consumers have become more aware of the impact of both production and consumption on the wider environment in recent years. This is acutely apparent in the way products are now packaged. During recent years many companies have assisted in doing their part for the environment by changing their packaging to make it more environmentally responsible. An example of this is McDonalds Family Restaurant phasing out polystyrene burger containers with recyclable paper. McDonalds’ management discovered the potential†¦show more content†¦This case established that the manufacturer of a product has a â€Å"duty of care† to the final consumer, even though they may never come in direct contact with each other. An example of this is HarbourJet Jet-boat Cruises – providing jet boat cruises around the Sydney Harbour. While all care is taken that passengers of the boat are not injured, if an injury occurs it is the customer’s problem unless the driver has been negligent (eg by exceeding speed limits or dangerous driving). When customers buy their tickets one of the contract conditions is that no legal action is to be taken unless there has been an element of negligence on the part of the company. Legislation has been passed in New South Wales in the form of the Sale of Goods Act 1923. Another statute law which governs what suppliers of products can and cannot do is the federal Trade Practices Act 1974, both of which have been extensively amended since first enacted. 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Financial Position Of Chevron Corporation In Prospects Relating To Their Liquidity Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1820 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? In this report, I revised the financial position of Chevron Corporation in prospects relating to their liquidity, profitability, efficiency and financial stability. In order to arrive at a decision, I collected Chevrons key financial ratios and used it as a tool to conduct a thorough research. The calculations are showed in this report but sources are referenced to appendices. The results the analysis carried out show that the overall comparative performance of Chevron Corporation to ExxonMobil goes a little above average over 3 financial years but also requires reconstruction in areas like their liquidation and increasing inventory levels. Noting the inelasticity in the energy sector, Chevron was also affected by various economic factors which contributed to their performances. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Financial Position Of Chevron Corporation In Prospects Relating To Their Liquidity Finance Essay" essay for you Create order HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The ideas of many small business entrepreneurs vary upon their respective objectives but regardless of their goals, they share a single desire success. In the 19th century, an idea was incorporated by the undeterred pioneers Demetrius Scofield and Frederick Taylor in the name of Pacific Coast Oil Company following an oil discovery in Los Angeles, U.S.A. and has been the oldest predecessor of what is identified today as Chevron Corporation. A significant gap from 1879 2010 can only translate success within the organization and to quantify their progress is to say Chevron Corporation has a brilliant corporate strategy and is deeply invested in corporate virtues which over the years has benefited their customers and communities around the globe. Recalling the adventures in the early 1990s across America with increased competition in the petrochemical market and the acquisition of Pacific coast Oil Company by Standard Oil Corporation after lacking potential marketing savvy. They decided to shift their interest to regions that had no history of discoveries Saudi Arabia. Before they were given exploration rights in the region in 1932, Standard Oil Corporation (Socal) had embarked on a quest for oil in other geographical regions like the Philippines and Alaska but proved elusive until 1938 when they made their first international oil discovery in a remote area in Saudi Arabia. During the happy years of the 1950s the worlds largest oil field in Ghawar, Saudi Arabia was discovered by Socal. With series of events that have occurred in over a century, Chevron Corporation has dramatically penetrated many markets with operations in over 100 countries, diversified to be the world leading geothermal energy producing company and engages in upstream (exploration and refining) and downstream (distribution marketing) operations and also in aspects relating to energy and its environment. Chevron Corporation has proved to be self sustainable, financially capable to compete in any given situation although rivalled by other petroleum giants like Royal Dutch Shell, ExxonMobil, and British Petroleum (BP). Chevron Richmond refinery was the first and is situated in the city of Richmond, San Francisco bay, California and was operational years before the incorporation of the city in 1905. As the years progressed, other refineries were opened in El Segundo in California, Pascagoula in Mississippi and Yeosu in South Korea. These refineries have created many job opportunities for different cultural backgrounds over the years. Chevron Headquarters was previously located in San Francisco but later moved to San Ramon, California after being sold in 1999. ANALYSIS PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL With the information from Chevrons 3 years financial report, I was able to produce key financial ratios that are significant to the organization. The tables and charts below will assist in translating the meaning of these ratios and a description of the ratios effect within the organization is also expressed. Basically, the first ratio which is identified is the liquidity ratio which demonstrates the ability of the organization to meet its short term debt obligation by converting asset to cash. By reading this section of this report, you will comprehensive understanding of Chevrons financial position. Liquidity Ratios millions 2009 $ 2008 $ 2007 $ Current Ratio = Current Asset/ Current Liabilities 37216/26211 = 1.4 36470/32023 = 1.1 39377/33798 = 1.2 Quick Ratio = Current Asset Inventories / Current Liabilities 37216 5529/ 26211 = 1.2 36470 6854/ 32023 = 0.9 39377 5310/ 33798 = 1.0 From an analytical point of view and noting the volatility in the liquidity ratios, some of the figures on the table above can be regarded acceptable given that Chevron demonstrates the ability in settling its short-term obligations. However, with critical analysis, it will show that the current ratio of 2008 particularly had an adverse affect because their inventories which are usually valued at a LIFO basis (Last In, First Out) took a capital loss. Inflation was an essential factor that contributed to what would have been a tax advantage to tax liability. Therefore, the applied LIFO liquidation method suffered during this period (old inventories was sold at the current price), ensuing the replacement cost to be greater than the inventory. Similar deficits occurred in 2009 but not as critical as the years before. In a more conservative approach, Chevrons 2008 quick ratio is quite revealing in interpreting their dependency on their inventory. There was declination of current asset in 2008 compared with 2007 (See Appendix 2). To stringently determine the liquidity of Chevron we need to review both liquidity ratios and observe the time interval of the conversion of capital assets to cash. Figure 1.0 Comparative Liquidity Ratio There are significant differences between the current ratio of Chevron and its competitors e.g. ExxonMobil and BP. ExxonMobil steals a 1.47 current ratio in 2007 and maintains the same figure in the following year but drops at 2009 to ~1.1 while BP had a 1.04 in 2007, declined to 0.95 in 2008 as a result of their current liabilities exceeding their current asset but recovered in 2009 with a 1.14. By average performance, ExxonMobil would appear to have better liquidity management over the 3 financial years. In terms of feasibility, Chevron compared with the other competitors, has a higher tendency to reach a target current ratio above 2.0 in the next 3 financial years because of the recent surge in demand of inventories across the market (WikiWealth, (2009) Chevron Stock Research Investment News CVX, https://www.wikiwealth.com/research:cvx, October 27, 2010). This will create room for flexibility and responsiveness in debt settlement and other obligations. Profitability Ratios millions 2009 % 2008 % 2007 % Net Profit Margin = Net Income/ Net Sales 10483/171636 = 6.1 23931/273005 = 8.8 18688/220904 = 8.5 Return of Equity = Net Income / Shareholders Equity 10483/91914 = 11.4 23931/86648 = 27.6 18688/77088 = 24.2 Return of Asset = Net Income / total Asset 10483/164621 = 6.4 23931/161165 = 14.8 18688/148786 = 12.6 Chevrons profitability structure is reliant on the earnings of its upstream and downstream business segments which are hung on the changes of oil prices. The profitability ratios of 2007 and 2008 reflect high earning which in return has produced good equity for investors. However, the upstream business segment which is particularly instrumental in generating higher profits than the downstream experienced some cost reduction at the end of 2008, during the wake of the recession; which had an impact on their net profit downsizing the Return of Equity for 2009. Regardless of the fluctuating financial situation, Chevron reported a substantial profit margin which is above industry average following the increase in net income except for 2009 being as a result of cost reduction. The return on asset from 2007 2008 shows how effective they are using their asset, though there was a sharp drop in 2009, it is not very harmful in a long run. For the income statement, see appendix 1. Figure 1.1 Comparative Return of Equity Chart According the chart above, ExxonMobil appears to take the lead from equity returns with a 17.4, 38.5 and 33.4 in 2009, 2008 and 2007 respectively whereas Chevron reported a 11.4, 27.6 and 24.2 in 2009, 2008 and 2007 respectively but for long term investment in the oil sector, Chevron would be a better option because ExxonMobil will have huge deficits from their incurring debts which will probably feed on their assets. Operational Efficiency Ratios millions 2009 % 2008 % 2007 % Asset turnover = Net Sales / Average total asset 171636 / 82310 = 2.1 273005/80582 = 3.4 220904/ 74393 = 2.9 Inventory turnover = Sales / Inventory 171636/5529 = 31.04 273005/6854 = 39.83 220904/5310 = 41.60 Evaluating Chevrons inventory turnover for these 3 consecutive years has proved tricky. In 2007 and 2008, the sales and orders that had to be met was relatively high which in return produced sharp profit but in 2009, Chevron incautiously increased their inventory without corresponding with the demand and that had an effect on the profitability. The cost of storing these inventories was a contributing factor. With relationship to their asset turnover, revenues were not generated as expected since they were dependent on their inventories. We should not be pessimistic because it is very typical in the industry as oil prices were hiked. I assume Chevron did nott take into account the recession effect on consumers although oil is a dominant commodity it is not immune to recession. Figure 2.0 Comparative Inventory Turnover Ratios ExxonMobil scored a 26, 39 and 35 for 2009, 2008 and 2007 respectively proving that Chevron has a better inventory turnover and would not necessarily need to deplete its existing inventory to match its competitor but rather ExxonMobil will subjectively have to improve. Leverage Ratios millions 2009 $ 2008 $ 2007 $ Debt to Equity Ratio= Total liabilities / Shareholders Equity 72707/91914 = 0.79 74517/86648 = 0.85 71698/77088 = 0.93 Interest coverage ratio = EBIT / Interest Expense 18556000/28000 = 662.7 N/A 32440000/166000 = 195.4 In order to arrest debts, a decrease in Chevron D/E ratio subsequently from 2007 conveys that financial activity by investors is relatively proportional with the liabilities of the company. Funding with debts is not particularly harmful because it increases shareholders returns. In this case the stockholders have control of the organization. Hypothetically, if the D/E margins went above 1 and maintained that for another 3 consecutive years, the severity of the situation could be identified as a pathway to financial distress. Figure 2.1 Comparative Debts/ Equity Ratio The idea for comparing ratios with industry competitors like ExxonMobil is to measure the growth of Chevron even though ExxonMobil has bigger asset. Here is the interesting part, ExxonMobil showed D/E ratio of 0.98, 1.01 and 1.1 for 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively. This is as a result of using total shareholders equity to fund operations and this reduced equity returns and shoots liabilities. COMPARATIVE SUMMARY ENTERPRISE VALUE Company Revenue EBIT Depreciation Amortization EBIT Chevron 1.0x 5.5x 9.1x Exxon Mobil 1.0x 6.8x 9.1x Industry Average Value is 1.0x, 5.4x, 8.6 respectively Margin of Safety/ EV Potential Increase: Chevron Corporation 28% ExxonMobil 15% Though its notoriously difficult to determine a companys earnings, their margin of safety for investment does not really guarantee returns for investors but creates room for errors by analyst compared to ExxonMobil. CONCLUSION Chevron is known for having a reputable dividend distribution record and its ability to produce excellent returns to its shareholders. Chevron is also known for having an efficient operating model which makes it an attractive asset for long term investment. Judging by Chevrons performance of being able to increase its dividend for 23 consecutive years, ideally investors will continue to display a plausible investment. Chevrons annual turnover for the 3 financial years has been impressive with a market cap of about $168.32B and they have shown effective management of cost. Chevron has good reserves of 3.0 Billion Barrels and a sound financial metrics but from my evaluation, Chevron seems to be lacking in few areas like their liquidity, it was reported that as at 2009, Chevron laid off some workers due to their inability to meet certain obligations. Chevron has a decent financial background and has kept operations at minimal, maybe they need to diversify to areas that are not solely dependent on oil. This will ensure a competitive advantage for them or rather replenish an inventory that will produce attractive financial return for their investment.

Essay Analysis of Lies in Huck Finn - 1742 Words

Analysis of Lies in Huckleberry Finn That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain, and he told the truth, mainly. There was things which he stretched, but mainly he told the truth (1). Those are among the first lines in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, so its obvious from the very beginning that the truth, or lack thereof, is a major theme in the book. Huckleberry Finn is a liar throughout the whole novel but unlike other characters, his lies seem justified and moral to the reader because they are meant to protect himself and Jim and are not meant to hurt anybody. Mark Twain shows four types of lies in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: vicious and self-serving lies, harmless lies, childish lies, and Hucks noble lies. An†¦show more content†¦He doesnt want her to be robbed, but doesnt know how to tell the truth from lack of practice. One of Hucks biggest lies was faking his own murder. It was necessary for him to put the good people through the mourning of his death because he was protecting himself from the crazy drunk Pap and sivilized society. Based on Hucks consistent concern for others, he might have later sent a letter home explaining that he is alive and well, but there is the situation with Jim. Writing a letter could compromise Jims well-being and Huck doesnt want to risk Jim being captured. In the instance where Huck dresses up like a girl and speaks with the farmers wife in an effort to find out what is being said about their situation, the information that he gets ultimately saves them from the capture of a search party. Even though he is caught in the first lie and it is discovered that he is actually a young boy rather than a girl, Huck manages to convince the woman that he is simply a run away. He quickly creates a new and better lie, and she has no idea about his true identity. In this instance of lies that Huck tells, there is no victim. Huck learns crucial information that he would have never gotten through honesty, and with this information he is able to continue on his journey with Jim. Another one of Hucks lies is one that he tells to the watchman on the steam ship. He knows that this man is the only person who can help the group ofShow MoreRelatedhuck finn introduction7490 Words   |  30 PagesHuckleberry Finn’s Road to Maturation Huck states to Judge Thatcher Please take it, and dont ask me nothing—then I wont have to tell no lies† (16). That quote is said by Huck to Judge Thatcher when Huck finds his pap is in town and pap will try to take his money. The Maturation of Huckleberry Finn is important because its about Huck making the right decisions to help him and Jim to freedom. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, begins with Huck introducing himself. He is wild and carefreeRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Mark Twain s Huckleberry Finn1082 Words   |  5 PagesBen Choi Mr. Biber April 3, 2015 English III H A Literary Analysis on the Themes of Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn David Hume, a Scottish philosopher of the 1700s, once said, Mankind are so much the same, in all times and places, that history informs us of nothing new or strange in this particular. Its chief use is only to discover the constant and universal principles of human nature. These â€Å"principles of human nature†, however, can be examined not only in history itself, but also in stories writtenRead MoreHuckleberry Finn Hoesty Quotes Analysis789 Words   |  4 PagesHuckleberry Finn Reading Analysis – Core Topic Passage Analysis of topic - Honesty â€Å"But Tom wanted to resk it; so we slid in there and got three candles, and Tom laid five cents on the table for pay.†(7) Both Tom and Huck are doing wrong on sneaking around yet Tom gives the impression of being an honest person since he takes the candles without anyone noticing but he leaves money on the table for pay instead of just leaving with the candles. â€Å"Jim always kept that five-centered piece around hisRead MoreThe American Concept Of Self Creation1647 Words   |  7 Pagesdanger or ridding themselves of a past life, are two examples of the literary concept of Self-Creation. In Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, we see the main character undergo several examples of â€Å"self-creation† during the course of the story for various motivations including those mentioned above. Throughout Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the main character changes in identity for several reasons to include those in which he protects himself and slave Jim. The book’s setting is duringRead MoreHuckleberry Finn And The Gold Rush1726 Words   |  7 Pagesaudiences to enact positive change. Although one may see Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn and Charlie Chaplin’s The Gold Rush as two completely separate and different works of high comedy, their similarities are much more visible upon analysis. Using satire as a critical tool, Twain and Chaplin call for social change that fits in line with the ideals of America, such as justice, equality and respect. By using satire in Huckleberry Finn and The Gold Rush, Twain and Chaplin argue that real American life is soRead MoreThe Adventures Of Tom Sawyer . __________________. A Book1061 Words   |  5 Pagesdistinct from that in which he is bodily present with his elders, and in this lies its great charm and its universality, for boy nature, however human nature varies, is the same everywhere. This book review includes a summary of the book, an analysis of the book, and a character analysis. Mark Twain, born Samuel Langhorne Clemens, wrote The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer in 1876 and its sequel, Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn, in 1885. Twain’s body of work includes numerous articles, essays, novels, andRead MoreThe relation of form to content in Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn1097 Words   |  4 PagesIn discussing the structure and substance of a novel, one would be remiss not to explore the narrative strategies through which its story is told. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) is autobiographic, ensuring a valuable narrative unity; each scene is delivered as-is rather than being described into fruition. It is a tale of boyish adventure floating along the Mississippi told as it would have appeared to the boy himself. Thus, the novel ascribes to one of several contrasting aesthetics foundRead MoreAn Analysis of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as a Picaresque Tale2155 Words   |  9 PagesAn Analysis of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as a Picaresque Tale A picaresque novel is based on a story that is typically satirical and illustrates with realistic and witty detail the adventures of a roguish hero of lower social standing who lives by their common sense in a corrupt society. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, is an eminent example of picaresque literature. There are many aspects of the novel that portray picaresque through the history and personality of the mainRead More Huck Finn Analysis Essay1322 Words   |  6 PagesHuck Finn Analysis The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn A Critical Analysis SECTION I- Chapters 1 through 11 The book introduces Huck as the first person narrator which is important because it establishes clearly that this book is written from the point of view of a young, less than civilized character. His character emerges as a very literal and logical thinker who only believes what he can see with his own eyes. In this section Huck’s life with the Widow Douglas and her attempts toRead MoreHuck Finn Essay1835 Words   |  8 PagesHuckleberry Finn By Mark Twain By Brenda Tarin British Literature 2323 Lois Flanagan January 27, 2009 Tarin ii I. Introduction II. Biographical sketch of author A. Past to present B. Experiences and achievements III Plot analysis A. analysis of plot structure 1. Exposition 2. Complication 3. Crisis 4. Climax 5. Resolution B. Theme of plot IV Critical analysis

English Vocabulary in Use Chapter 21/58 Free Essays

Chapter 21| | Rewarding| Gives you a lot of positive experiences| Fruitful| Produces good results| Lucrative| Makes a lot of money| Therapeutic| Makes you healthy in body and/or mind| Relaxing/calming| Reduces stress, gives a peaceful feeling| Time-consuming| Takes a long time to do| Culture vulture| Big fan of anything cultural| Couch potato| Physically very inactive person| Dabbler| Person who never keeps doing one activity for long| Doer| Person who believes in acting and doing things, not just thinking| Shopaholic| Person addicted to shopping: compare alcoholic: addicted to alcohol| Is†¦ into| Informal: takes a great interest in/is very involved in| Went off| Informal: stopped liking/lost interest| Locks herself away| Isolates herself from the world| Hooked on| Informal: is addicted to| Get up to| Informal: do| Full diary| A lot of commitments/activities| Chapter 22| | Scruff| Dirty and untidy person| Pastel| In pale colours| Power outfits| Formal clothes to make you seem powerful| Frumpy| Old-fashioned and boring| Outfit| Set of clothes for a particular occasion| Dress codes| Accepted way of dressing in a particular social group| Dress down| Wear less formal clothes| Smart-casual| Clothes that are informal, but clean, tidy and stylish| Dressy| Suitable for formal occasions| Skimpy| Close-fitting, using little material| Baggy| Loose eg. Of sweater| Snazzy| Modern, stylish| To be dressed to kill| Wear clothes to attract people’s sexual attention| Designer (label) clothes| Expensive clothes| Off the peg/rack| Cheap clothes| On the high street| Cheap clothes| Off the cuff| Without having prepared anything| To be hand in glove with someone| To have a close working relationship with someone| Cloak-and-dagger| Involving secrecy and mystery| To have/take the shirt of someone’s back| Someone’s last possession| On a shoestring| Spending as little as possible| Without frills| Simple and plain| To put someone in a straitjacket | Restrict someone’s freedom| To wear the trousers| To be the dominant partner in a marriage| Chapter 23| | Squat | An empty building where people start living without owner’s permission| Hovel| Very poor, dirty house or flat in bad condition| Pied a terre| Small flat/house in a city owned/rented by people in addition to their main house and used when visiting the city| Penthouse| Luxury flat at the top of a building| Council housing| Provided by state for people who cannot afford own home| High-rise flats| Flats in tall modern building with a lot of floors| Granny flat| Set of rooms for an elderly person, connected to relatives house| The rat race| Unpleasant way in which people struggle competitively for wealth and power| Fengshui| A Chinese philosophy position of buildings and arrangements of objects in their home affect health and well-being people. | Minimalism| A style involving using the smallest possible range of materials, colours etc. We will write a custom essay sample on English Vocabulary in Use Chapter 21/58 or any similar topic only for you Order Now only the most simple shapes/designs| Post-modernism| A style of architecture. The arts etc. popular 1980’s – 1990’s| New age| A way of life and thinking developed late 1980’s, includes wide range of beliefs and activities not accepted by most people| Subsistence farming| Where people live by growing just enough food for their own family| A household word/name| Something everyone knows| A drink on the house| A free drink| Home truths| Information that is true but not pleasant or welcome| Nothing to write home about| Nothing special| Hit home| Become fully understood or fully felt| That’s the story of my life| That’s what always happens to me| Have the time of your life| Have a wonderful time| Get a new lease of life| Become more energetic and active than before| A dog’s life| A very unhappy and difficult life| Chapter 24| | Socialising| Spending leisure time with other people| A housewarming (party)| Party to celebrate moving into a new house or flat| A launch (party)| Party to celebrate the publication of book/new product| A fancy dress party| Party where everyone dresses up in costume as other people| A stag party| Party before the wedding for husbands and male friends| A girls’ night out/a hen party| An evening for just female friends. Hen party: for a wedding. | A reception| Formal party| Wedding party| Main group of close family and friends at a wedding| Black tie/white tie| Formal party with black bow ties or white bow ties| Networking| Making contacts that will be useful business/career| Old school tie/old boy network| Contacts made by the children of the upper class while at expensive private school| Pro-active| Taking action yourself rather than waiting for something to happen| Put themselves about| Informal: make themselves visible in the hope of being noticed by someone important| Climb the career ladder| Getting higher up in your career| To hobnob/hobnobbing| Negative association, to be friendly with someone who is important or famous| To rub shoulders with| Informal: mix socially with people who are famous| Hangs out with/knock around with| Spends social time with| A bash/do/get-together/booze up| A party, booze up = colloquial lots of alcohol| Outstaying my welcome| To host = staying to long| Party animal| Someone who loves going to parties| Party pooper| So meone who spoils parties by being disapproving/miserable| Clubbing| Going to one or more nightclubs| On the town| Enjoy the entertainment in a town| Chummy/pally| Friendly| Cliquey| Negative word for small group of people who spend time together and do not allow others to join them| An item | Having a romantic relationship| Stood me up| Failed to turn up on a date| Drop him| End our relationship| Gone on a pub crawl| Gone to spend an evening going to several different pubs| Chapter 25| | Overrated| Not as good as people say| Hackneyed| Done so often it is boring| Impenetrable| Complex and impossible to understand| Disjointed| Unconnected and not clear in order| Far-fetched| Impossible to believe| Risque| Slightly immoral and likely to shock people| Gripping| Exciting and keeping your attention the whole time| Harrowing| Extremely upsetting| Moving| Making you feel strong emotion, especially pity or sadness| Memorable| You remember it long after| Understated| Done or expressed in a simple but attractive style| Panned| Very negatively criticised| Lauded| Highly praised| Bombed| Was a failure| Awards| Prized/honours| Up-and-coming| Likely to become very famous or successful| Masterpiece| Very great work of art| Was miscast| Was the wrong actor for the role| Encores| Calls from the audience to repeat it| Standing ovation| The audience stood up and applauded| Interpretation| Way of understanding and performing it| Version| One of several performances that exist| Rendition| Performance on a specific occasion| Portrayal| The picture she created| Chapter 26| | Pulling the wool over†¦ eyes| Deceiving| Philistinism| Inability to appreciate art or culture| Detractors| Critics| Wised up| Become more sophisticated| Dumbed down| Become less intellectual| Tate modern| New modern art gallery in London| Renaissance| Period of new interest in the arts, Europe 14th/16th century| Fad| A short enthusiasm for something| Vote with their feet| Stop coming| Impressionism| Types of artist and schools of the last 150 years| Cubist| Types of artist and schools of the last 150 years| Surrealists/surrealism| Types of arts and schools of the last 150 years| Deemed| Considered (formal)| Visually literate| Educated with regard to art| Immune to/inured to| Not affected by| Opposites in the brackets| | Highbrow (lowbrow)| Intended for educated, intelligent people = disapproving| Impenetrable (transparent)| Extremely difficult to understand| Sophisticated (primitive)| Showing advanced skills and understanding| Challenging (undemanding)| Demanding considerable effort to be understood| Dazzling (pedestrian)| Inspiring great admiration because it is brilliant in some way| Evocative (uninspiring)| Calling up images and memories| Exquisite (clumsy)| Having rare beauty or delicacy| Intriguing (dreary)| Interesting because it is strange or mysterious| Peerless (run-of-the-mill)| Better than any other| Tongue-in-cheek (earnest)| Not intended to be taken seriously despite appearing serious| Chapter 27| | lurb| Short text on the back of a book describing what the book is about| Poignant chronicle| A moving and sad description of a sequence of events| Compelling tale| Powerful story that keeps you interested| Lugubrious setting| Rather dark and gloomy setting/situation| Page-turner| Very inter esting and engaging story| Enigmatic tale| Mysterious story| Macabre| Often cruel or disgusting, concerned with dead| Chilling| Causing great fear| Breath taking achievement| Amazing achievement| Wry humour| Humour in the face of a bad situation| Evocative scenes| Scenes which arouse memories or images| Journal| 1. A written record of what you’ve done each day 2. An academic publication containing articles, reporting research, new theories etc. ublished at regular intervals| Memoirs| Written record of person’s own life, typically by politician or military figure| Anthology| Collection of, for example, poems or short stories from different authors| Compendium| Collection of detailed, concise information about a particular subject| Manuel| Usually a technical book with instructions| Logbook| Book that records events and times etc. ship, plane etc. | Compulsive reading| Formal: difficult to stop once you’ve started| Can’t put down| Informal: difficult to sto p once you’ve started| Lightweight| Not complex, slightly negative connotation| Bedtime reading| Nice to read in bed| Heavy going| Difficult to read| Get into| Become involved/engaged with| Chapter 28| | Synthetic| Made from artificial substances| Wholesome| Good for you, physically or morally| Wholemeal| Containing all the natural substances in the grain with nothing removed| Fair Trade| Refers to products such as coffee, tea, chocolate marketed in such a way that the small farmers in developing countries who produce them get the profits rather than large multinational companies | Free-range| Relating to farm animals that are not kept in cages| GM| Genetically modified, i. e. the genes of a natural product have been altered in some way| Loopholes| Ways of getting round regulations| Derivatives| Things produced from| Recipe for| Situation sure to lead to| All the ingredients of| All the necessary characteristics| Dilute| Make less dominant| Stew| Worry or suffer especially about something you think is his fault| Grilled | Asked a lot of questions| Half-baked| Unrealistic or not thought through properly| Spice up| Make more lively| Unsavoury| Unpleasant, morally offensive| Turned sour| Went wrong| Juicy| Exciting and interesting| Chapter 29| | Split the bill| Each person will pay for him/herself| Is on me| Informal: I am paying for you| Join us| Come with us| Be our guest| Formal: we will pay| Get this| Informal: pay the bill this time| Wined and dined| Invited out to restaurants| Impeccable| Perfect, can’t be faulted| Sluggish| Rather slow| Courteous| Polite| Sullen| Bad-tempered/unwilling to smile| Overbearing| Too confident/too inclined to tell people what to do| Brusque| Quick and rude| Off-putting| Makes you feel you don’t want to go there again| Go out of their way| Do everything possible| Have a sweet tooth| Love sweet things| Count the calories/calorie conscious| Be careful how many calories I eat| Savoury| Salty in flavour or with herbs| Fussy eater| Person who has very particular demands when eating| Teetotal| Never drink alcohol| Dietary requirements| Formal: special needs/things someone can’t eat| Overdo it| Eat or drink too much| Take pot luck| Eat what we’re eating, nothing special| Bring a bottle| Usually means a bottle of wine| Dinner party| Rather formal dinner with guests| Informal get-together| Informal group of people meeting for a meal/drinks etc. | Seconds| A second helping/serving of a dish| Say when| Tell me when I have served enough| When! | That’s enough, thanks| Nibbles| Thinks like nuts, crisps etc. before a meal| Grab a bite to eat| Have a quick meal| Take away| Ready-cooked meal bought to take home| Chapter 30| | Give way/give way sing| Geef voorrang/voorrangsbord| Has the right of way| Is allowed to go before other traffic| Sounding/hooting/tooting your horn| Claxoneren| Jumping at red light| Not stopping at| Reckless driving| Very dangerous driving, without any care for others| Drink-driving| Driving when you’ve drank too much alcohol| Breathalyser| Instrument you breathe into to measure alcohol level| Hit-and-run| Running over/into someone and not stopping| Ban| Removal of one’s driving licence| Penalty points| Negative pints on your licence which are added up over time| On-the-spot-fines| Given at the scene of the offence| Exhaust emissions| Waste gases produced by the vehicle| Road worthy| In a condition that it can be driven safely| Tyre tread| The depth of the grooves in the tyre rubber| Tailback| Line of slow or stopped traffic| Pile-up| Crash between several or many cars| Diverted| Directed away from our road| Tow away zone| Area where your car may be taken away if you park illegally| Clamped| Fitted with a metal device on the wheel to prevent it from moving| Road rage| Anger or violence between drivers because of difficult driving conditions| Skidded| Lost control of the steering| Head-on collision| Two vehicles hitting each other directly in the front| Air-bags| Bags in your car that blow up when you crash | Chapter 31| | Scheduled flight| Normal regular flights| Charter flight| Special flight taking a group of people usually to the same holiday destination| Apex| Fares normally have to be booked a fixed no. of days in advance| Value for money/budget| Fare usually cheaper| Restrictions| e. g. you can only travel on certain days| Non-refundable| You can’t get you money back| Cancellation fee| Money you pay when you cancel| Stopover| You may stay somewhere overnight before continuing to you destination| All-in packages| Normally include accommodation and transfers| Transfers| e. g. us or coach to and from you hotel| Crossing| Sea travel on a ferry| Go on a cruise| Holiday on the sea| The holiday of a lifetime| One you will always remember| Berth/shared cabin| A bed in a cabin with other people| Deluxe cabin| Bigger and more comfortable| Upper deck| The h igher part of the ship| Exotic| Unusual or exciting| Get away from it all| Escape you daily life and routines| Getting around| Informal: travelling to different places| Unlimited mileage| You can travel as many miles as you like for the same price| Extras| e. g. accident insurance| Go as you please| Go where you want when you want| Self-catering| Where you do your own cooking| Chalet| Small cottage or cabin specially built for holiday makers| Guest houses| Private homes offering high standard accommodation | Inns| Similar to pubs, but also offering accommodation, usually beautiful old buildings| B and B| Bed-and-breakfast| Half board| Usually breakfast and one other meal| Full board| All meals| Chapter 32| | Escape the crowd| Go where there are not many people| Wander of the beaten track| Go to places tourists don’t normally go| Get back to nature| Live a natural rural style of life| A promising choice| A choice which could be a very good one| Boasts| This use of boast is for listing the good qualities of a place (formal)| Hordes| Crowds, in a negative sense| Tourism sector| Tourist industry (formal)| Seeking something out of the ordinary| Common collocation: looking for something different/unusual| Wealth of| Large amount of (formal)| Virgin| Original and natural| Flora and fauna | Plants and animals (Latin) fixed phrase| Ecotourism| Holidays that respect the environment| Unwind| Relax, reduce your general level of stress| Recharge| Get back you energy| The bush| A term for the wild, tree- or grass- covered areas in Africa or Australia| 4Ãâ€"4| Four by four: vehicles with driving power at all 4 wheels| Waterfront| On the edge of the sea or of a river| Discerning| Who knows what he/she wants in terms of good quality| Stunning| Extremely beautiful| Unbeatable| No other company can offer cheaper ones for the same service| Awe-inspiring| If fills you with a sense of power and beauty of what you’re looking at| Rambled, hikes, treks| These words represent a scale of length and difficulty| Ramble| Long pleasant walk, not too demanding| Hike| More demanding, suggesting more difficult terrain| Trek| Usually of several days over wild country| Unrivalled| No other holiday programme can match this| Savour| A word typically used in advertisements meaning enjoy| Heartland| The inland areas furthest from the sea or from borders with other countries| Chapter 33| | Prone to| Tending to have a particular negative characteristic| Arid| Dry| Drought| Period without rain| Tundra| Area in north with no trees and permanently frozen ground| Vegetation| Plant life| Coniferous| Trees that are evergreen (green all year round) and produce cones, unlike deciduous trees, which lose their leaves in winter| Prairies| Flat grasslands in Canada and Northern USA| Paddy fields| Fields planted with rice growing in water| Cereals| Type of grass cultivated to produce a grain i. e. a food plant like rice, wheat or maize| Tend| Take care of animals| Manufacturing| Producing goods in large numbers| Forefront| In an important position| Generates| Produces| Are descended from| Are related to| Ancestors| Relatives from earlier times: we are our ancestors’ descendants| Migrants| People who move to live in another country| Emigrant| Someone who leaves a country| Immigrant| Someone who moves to live in a country| Settled| Made their homes| Chapter 34| | Formal:| Informal:| Chilly| Freezing/nippy| Hot| Boiling/sweltering/roasting| Windy| Blowy/breezy | Oppressive/sultry| Stifling/heavy/close| Downpour/deluge| Chucking it down/ it’s pouring| Humid| Muggy/clammy| Climate metaphors:| | Climate of distrust| Climate of change| Cultural/current/economic / financial /moral/ political / social/ prevailing climate| Sunny disposition| †¦frosty reception| Job prospects are sunny| Snowed under with work| She said icily| Snowed under with work| Under a cloud of suspicion| Cloud you judgement| Hail of bullets| Hail/storm of abuse| In a haze| Hazy idea| In the mists of| Misty-eyed| Whirlwind of speculation| Whirlwind romance| Thunderous applause| The horses thundered down the race track| Winds of change/discontent/democracy| Chapter 35| | Cement| Make building/relationships stronger| Brick wall| Metaphorically: a barrier| Ceiling| Can be used to suggest a limit to something| Glass ceiling| Phrase used to refer to invisible barrier that stops people, especially woman, from rising to top positions at work| Roof| As metaphor: the roof fell on my world, the day he died. | Go through the roof| Colloquial phrase: 1. If prices go through the roof, they increase in a rapid, uncontrolled fashion. 2. Person goes through the roof, commonly used to mean lose one’s temper hit the roof| Tower| Conveys an idea of distance from ordinary people| Ivory tower| Someone living in it = he or she does not know about the unpleasant and ordinary things that happen in life| Tower of strength| About a person = extremely strong (emotional)| Towers above| Outstanding in some positive way| Gateway to| Metaphorical: provide access| Door| Like gateway to and other metaphorical phrases: * closed shut a lot of doors * opens door * close the door on our past.. | Doing something through/by the back door| Suggest doing it unofficially| Key| Metaphorical phrases: * provide/hold the key to†¦ * the key to success * key figures| Chapter 36| | Seed(s)| Often used to talk about the start of an idea or feeling: * the seeds of success * the seeds of discontent * the seeds of revolution| Root(s)| Is used to suggest the origins of something: * the root of a problem * the roots of a tradition * deeply/firmly rooted collocation| going back to your roots| going back to the place where your family come from| putting down roots| settling down and making your home in one place| take root| Idea becomes known or accepted| Grass roots| Is the ordinary people of an organisation, not the leaders| Stem| Used as verb to signify that something originates in something else| A branch| Something that grows off or branches out from main organisation: * branches of a shop * business branching out in new directions| Bud| Flower before it opens. | Nipped in the bud| Stopped before it develops into something| Budding (adjective)| Showing promise of future development| Weed out| Get rid off| Prune back| Cut/limit| Is reaping the reward of| Is getting results from| Have dug up| Have discovered| Was germinating| Was beginning to develop| Have been sprouting| Have been appearing quickly in large numbers| Is flourishing| Is doing very well| Sheds| Loses| Shed employees / traditions /worries / inhibitions / weight| Lose†¦.. | fading| (metaphorically) becoming smaller| Shrivelling| (metaphorically) becoming less| Wilt| (metaphorically) lose energy| Glance/look/remark can wither or be withering| Make the recipient feel scorned| Chapter 37| | Mammal| Animal that gives birth to live babies, not eggs, and feeds them on its own milk| Rodent| e. g. mouse, rat| Reptile| e. g. snake, lizard| Carnivore| Animal that eats meat| Herbivore| Animal that eats grass/vegetation| Predator| Animal that hunts/eats other animals| Docile| Behaves very gently| Tame| Not afraid of humans| Domesticated| Lives with ore is used by humans| Wild| Opposite of domesticated| Savage| Extremely violent or wild| Fierce | Behaves aggressively| Natural habitat| Preferred natural place for living and breeding| Game reserves/game parks| Areas of land where animals are protected from hunting, etc. | Bird sanctuary| Protected area where birds can live and breed| Animal shelter| Place where cats, dogs, horses, etc. hich have no home are given food and a place to live| Blood sports| Sports whose purpose is to kill or injure animals| The fur trade| The hunting and selling of animal furs for coats, jackets, etc. | Poachers| People who hunt animals illegally| The i vory trade| The buying and selling of ivory from elephants’ tusks| Animal rights activists| People who actively campaign for the protection and rights of animals| Chapter 38| | Shrinking habitats| Places where animals live and breed which are decreasing in size| Endangered species| Types of animals/plants which are in danger of no longer existing| Global warming| Steady rise in average world temperatures| Climatic changes| Changes in the weather/climate| Carbon dioxide emissions| Carbon dioxide gas from factories, cars, etc. | Fossil fuels| Coal, oil, etc. | Greenhouse effect| Warming of the Earth’s surface caused by pollution| Exerts severe pressure on| Formal: puts pressure on| Finite resources| Limited resources| Ecological balance| Balance of natural relationships in the environment| Deforestation| Destruction/clearing of forests| Demographic projections| Forecasts about the population| The worst case scenarios| The worst possibilities for the future| Pristine environments| Perfectly clean/untouched/unspoilt areas| Green credentials| Reputation for positive support of the environment| Prophets of doom and gloom| People who always make the most of depressing or pessimistic forecasts for the future| Sustainable development| Development of industry, etc. hich does not threaten the environment or social and economic stability| Piecemeal conservation| Carrying out conservation one bit at a time, with no overall plan| Chapter 39| | Prompt| Quick, without delay| Query| Question or enquiry about service| Responsive to complaints| They listen, take them seriously and act| Accommodating| Willing to understand and help| Got back to me| Called me with an answer to my query| Impeccable| 100% perfect| Obliging| Willing and happy to do things for you | Incompetent| Failing through insufficient skill, knowledge or training| Impersonal| Lacking a personal element| Shoddy| Poor quality (of service or of goods)| Substandard| Below the standard expected (often used about actions)| Uncooperative| Not supportive, unwilling to work together| Backlog| Number which are waiting to be dealt with| Sense of urgency| Feeling that your request is important or urgent| Helpline| Telephone number where you can get help if you have problems| Put you on hold| Make you wait| Under guarantee/warranty| Having a written promise by a company to repair or replace a faulty product| Secure site| Web address where no outside person can read your details| Privacy policy/safe transactions| Business exchanges which protect, e. g. your credit card from use by someone else| FAQ| Frequently asked questions| Browse| Look at the list of goods/services offered before buying| Immediate dispatch| Goods will be sent at once| Nationwide| Covering the whole country| Chapter 40| | Landing card| Form with your personal details and date of arrival| Customs declaration form| Form showing how much money and what goods you are carrying| Vaccination certificate| Paper proving you have had the necessary health injections| Entry restrictions| Rules about who can enter a country and for how long| Spot checks/random checks| Checks done without warning| Sniffer dogs| Specially trained dogs who can smell drugs and bombs| Clear customs| Take your bags through customs| Port of entry| The port or airport where you first enter a country | Political asylum| Permission to stay in another country to avoid political persecution back home| Economic migrants| People who try to enter from poorer countries just to get work| Offences| Offence is a formal word for an illegal action| Fixed penalty| Fixed sum payable for a particular offence| On-the-spot fine| Fine payable at the time and place that you commit the offence| Parking tickets| Papers places on driver’s windscreens fining them for illegal parking| Breathalyser| An instrument which you blow into that whose if you have consumed alcohol recently| Make a statement| Say what happened and sign a copy of it| Stop-and-search| Power to stop people and search them in the street| Surveillance cameras| Cameras that record everything that happens| Search warrant| Official permission from a judge or magistrate to search your house| Security forces| Often a name for the army and police together enforcing the law| Plain clothes/undercover police| Police who do not wear uniform| Paramilitary police| Police who are more like soldiers than civilian police officers| Drug squad| Policy specially trained to fight the illegal drug trade| Anti-corruption squad| Police specially trained to discover and fight bribery/corruption| Chapter 41| | Adherent (of)| A person who supports a particular idea or party| Convert (to)| Someone who has taken on a new set of beliefs| Fanatic| (disapproving) someone with a very strong belief| Radical| Someone who believes there should be extreme political change, either of a left- or right-wing nature| Reactionary| (disapproving) someone who opposed to change or new ideas| Bigot| (disapproving) someone with strong unreasonable beliefs who thinks that anyone with other beliefs is wrong| Feminism| Movement that seeks equal political and social right for women | Assumption| Unquestioning acce3ptance that something is true| Derives from| Has its origins in| Eradicate| Abolish or get rid of| Postulates| Basic principles| Consciousness| Awareness| Usher in| Introduce| Credible| Believable| Credulous| Too willing to believe what you’re told| Incredulous| Not wanting or able to believe something| Credence| (formal) acceptance that something is true| Gullible| Easily tricked into believing things that may not be true| Ingenuous| Trusting, sincere, often in a way that seems foolish| (im)plausible| (un)convincing| Ascribe/attribute| (formal) you consider something to be caused, created or possessed by that person or thing| A tenet| One of the principles on which a belief is based| Give someone the benefit of the doubt| To accept that someone is telling the truth even if you thought it is not certain| Take something with a pinch of alt| You do not totally believe what you are told| I don’t buy that! A likely storyWhat d’you take me for? I wasn’t born yesterday! Pull the other one! I’ll believe it when I see it! | (informal) I don’t believe it (yet)| Chapter 42| | Superstitious| Have illogical beliefs about hidden forces in nature| Centenary/bi-centenary| 100th anniversary/ 200th anniversary| Penance| Actions to show you are sorry for bad deeds| Fasting| Not eating for a long period| Flamboyant| Extremely colourful and exaggerated| Raucous| Very noisy| Sombre| Serious, heavy and sad| Atmospheric| Had a special feeling or atmosphere| Commemorates| Formal: respects and remembers officially| Chapter 43| | Syntax| The grammar and word order| Modality| Meanings such as possibility and necessity| Modal verbs| Like must, could and should| Phonology| The sound system| Phonemes| Different sounds that distinguish meanings| Diphthongs| Sounds made by combining vowels, such as ? and ei| Lexicon| Technical term for vocabulary| Compounds| Words formed by combining words| Graeco-Latin| Originally from Greek and Latin| Anglo-Saxon| Language of England from 500-100 AD| Orthography| Technical term for writing systems| Characters| Letters or symbols| Pictograms| Characters representing pictures| Ideograms| Characters representing ideas/concepts| Morphology| How words are formed| Morphemes| Units of meaning| Inflected| Words have endings to show tense, person, person, etc. | Isolating| Each words had only one morpheme| Chapter 44| | Feudal| Relating to a social system strictly organised according to rank typical of e. g. Europe in the Middle Ages| Medieval| Of or from the middle ages i. e. 1000-1500 AD| Renaissance| Period of new growth of interest and activity in the arts especially in Europe in the 14th to 16th centuries| Victorian| Relating to the period 1837-1901 when Victoria was Queen of Britain – associated with values of self-control, hard work, loyalty, strong religious beliefs| Infantry| Soldiers on foot| Cavalry| Soldiers on horseback| Legion| Roman army| suit of) armour| Metal protective clothing worn by soldiers| Chariot| Two-wheeled vehicle pulled by a horse and used in ancient times for racing and war| Galleon| Large sailing ship with three or four masts used in trade and war in the 15th to 18th centuries| Stagecoach | Covered vehicle pulled by horses that carries p assengers and goods on regular routes| Cart | Open vehicle with two or four wheels and pulled by an animal| Serf| Person working on the land who legally belongs to his master| Jester| Person who entertained people in the Middle Ages with jokes| Minstrel| Person who entertained people in the Middle Ages with music and poetry| Highwayman| Man on horseback who robbed travellers on roads| Chapter 45| | Absolute poverty| Is defenced according to an absolute minimum standard, often called ‘poverty line’| Relative poverty| Means that you are poor in relation to those around you| Income poverty| Means that you are poor if you have less money than the defined poverty line for your country| Human poverty| Takes into account other factors, such as life expectancy, infant malnutrition, illiteracy and lack of food or clean water| Malnutrition| Ill health caused by inadequate food| Illiteracy| Inability to read or write| Sanitation| Systems for taking dirty water and waste from homes to ensure good hygiene| GDP| Gross Domestic Product: the total value of all the goods and services produced in a country in one year, excluding income received from abroad| GNP| Gross National Product is GDP plus money earned from abroad by companies based in that country| Poverty alleviation| Reducing the level of poverty| Debt servicing| Paying back money owed on loans| Penury| The state of being extremely poor| The breadline| Having the level of income of an extremely poor person| Impoverished| Poor, without much money to live on| Destitute| Without money, food, home or possessions| Deprived| Not having the things necessary for a pleasant life- food, home, money| Living from hand to mouth| Having just enough money to live without suffering| Money has been tight| There has not been much money| Chapter 46| | Legislation| Law making| Constituents| People who elected on MP| Lobbies| Interest groups who try to influence MPs| Corporations| Large companies| Institute of Directors| Organisation of top business people| Ministers| MPs with top responsibilities, e. g. for health, education| Civil servants| People employed in government departments (the Civil Service)| Lobbyists| People who lobby| Chancellor of the Exchequer| Finance minister (in the UK)| Annual budget| Yearly financial plan (of tax rates, etc. )| Petitions| Formal requests often signed by lots of people| Tax concessions| Reductions in taxes| Producers| Manufactures: a person or business that makes something| Centralised| Concentrated in one central organisation| Close-knit| With close ties to each other| Well-funded| With plenty of financial support| Consumers| People who use/buy products| Fragmented| Separate; not centralised| Friends of the Earth| Large environmental organisation| Child Poverty Action Group| Large organisation helping children| Paid-up members| People who have paid their membership fees, i. e. ommitted members| Deputations| People sent to speak for a group| Counter| Oppose| Grievances| Complaints about unfair treatment| Appeal to| Request support from| Chapter 47| | To abrogate a law/treaty| To bring a law/treaty to an official end| To bend the law/rules| To break the law/rules in a way tha t is considered not to be harmful| To contravene a law| To break a law| To impeach a president/governor| To make a formal statement saying that a person in public office has committed a serious offence| To infringe someone’s rights| To prevent a person doing what they are legally allowed to do| To lodge an appeal| To make an official appeal| To uphold/overturn a verdict| To say that a previous decision was correct/incorrect| To pervert the course of justice| To put obstacles in the way of justice being done| To squash a decision/conviction| To change a previous official decision/conviction| To set a precedent| To establish a decision which must, in English law, be taken into account in future decisions| To award/grant custody to| To give one parent or adult the main responsibility for a child especially after separation or divorce| To annul a marriage/agreement/law| To declare that it no longer exist and never existed| Discrimination| Unfair treatment on ground of sex, race or nationality| Embezzlement| Stealing money that is in your care or belongs to an organisation that you work for| Harassment| Making a person feel anxious and unhappy | Insider trading/dealing| Illegal buying and selling of shared by someone who has specialist knowledge of a company| Joyriding| Driving around for enjoyment in a car you have stolen| M oney laundering| Moving money obtained illegally so that its origin cannot be traced| Perjury| Lying when under oath| Trespass| Go onto someone else’s land without permission| Civil(court)| Matters relating to, say, divorce| Indictable| i. e. hey are tried by indictment in a higher level of court| Summary (offences)| Are less serious and can be tried in lover level court| Binding | They have to abide by his or her decision| Chapter 48| | Patriotism| Loyalty to your own country| Deterrents| Ways of discouraging people from doing something because of the negative results| Outlaw| Make war illegal or impossible| 1918| End of WO I| Aerial warfare| Fighting a war using aeroplanes| 1945| End of WO II| Annihilation| Total destruction by nuclear weapons| Great powers| Most important political powers (used about the USA and the Soviet Union from the 1940s to 1990s)| Revulsion against| Feeling of total disgust towards| Causes| Movements, organisations| Gaining their ends| Achieving the ir aims| To wage war| To fight a war| Hostilities| Acts of war| To besiege| To attack a place by surrounding it| To ambush| To attack unexpectedly from secret positions| A truce| An agreement during a war to stop fighting for a time| A ceasefire| Agreement between two armies or groups to stop fighting| To rout| To defeat totally| Peacekeeping troops| Neutral soldiers engaged in keeping the peace in divided society| An international observer| Outside, neutral person or body| A campaign| Planned group of military activities| An incendiary device| Bomb| Germ/biological warfare| Using germs to cause disease among enemy soldiers or crops| Chapter 49| | Development grants| Are often given to poor regions (money to help economic development)| Sustainable development| Is the most important goal for most countries (development that does not destroy the economy/the environment, etc. )| Restrictive practices| The placing of unfair restrictions, e. g. limiting imports| Sanctions| Restrictions on what a country may import/export| Embargoes| Total prohibitions on importing/exporting certain goods| Devaluation/revaluation| Reduction/increase in value against other currencies| Slump in prices| Serious fall/collapse in prices| Fiscal measures| Measures concerning taxes, etc. | Boost the economy| Give the economy a lift| Chapter 50| | Was broke/skint| Had no money left: broke = informal, skint = very informal| I’m rolling in it| Informal: have a lot of money| To make ends meet| To survive financially| Things are a bit tight | Informal: my finances are not good| Strapped for cash| Informal: needed cash and had very little| Bounced| The bank refused to pay it| Make†¦ out to| What name shall I put on it| APR| Annual percentage rate of interest| Expires| Is not valid after| Credit card fraud| Illegal use of someone’s card or account| Charge card| Card where you must pay back the whole debt each month| Store card| Credit card issued by a store/shop for that store| Lump sum| Single, large payment| Golden handshake| Large payment to someone on leaving a job| Endowment| Combined insurance and savings plan that pays out after a fixed period| Life-savings| Money saved over many years| Share portfolios| Combination of stocks and shares of different kinds| Chapter 51| | Obituaries| Descriptions of the lives of famous people who have just died| Leader/editorial| An article giving the newspaper editor’s opinion| Classified ads| Pages of advertisements in different categories| Supplements| Separate magazines included with the newspaper| Feature| An article or set of articles devoted to a particular topic| Agony columns| Sections in a paper or magazine that deal with readers’ private emotional roblems| Agony aunt| Person, typically a woman, who answers letters in the agony column| Pamphlet| Small book with a soft cover, dealing with a specific topic, often political| Leaflet| Single sheet or folded sheets of paper giving information about something| Brochure| Small, thin b ook like a magazine, which gives information, often about travel or a company, etc. | Prospectus| Small, thing book like a magazine, which gives information about a school, college or university, or a company| Flyer| Single sheet giving information about some event, special offer, etc. , often given out in the street| Booklet| Small thin book with a soft cover, often giving information about something| Manual| Book of detailed instruction how to use something| Chapter 52| | Instant messaging| A kind of e-mail where both people are online at the same time| Chat rooms| An online conversation between a group of people on topics chosen by them, where you can enter or leave the ‘room’ at any time| Newsgroups| A website where people with shared interests can get news and information| e-commerce| All kinds of business done on the internet| Attachments| Files you send at the same time as e-mail messages| Browsing| Looking at different websites, with no particular goal| Surfing the web| Moving from one website or on web page to another, usually looking for something| Graphic images| Technical term for pictures, icons, diagrams, etc. | ISP| Internet Service Provider: a company that offers users access to the Internet and services such as news, e-mail, shopping sites, etc. usually for a monthly fee| Downloading| Bringing files to your computer from the internet| Uploading| Sending files from your computer to the internet or to another internet user| S pam| Unwanted advertisements and other material sent to you by e-mail from companies| Cookies| A kind of program that is sent from the internet to your computer, often without your knowledge, which can follow and record what you do, which websites you visit, etc. | Offensive material| Material such as pornography, or extreme political views, or material that encourages hate and violence against people| Bookmarked| Put it in a list of websites I can access immediately| Subscribe to| Become a member of| Screen out| Prevent from reaching you| Server| Central computer that distributes e-mail and other services to a group of users| Down| Not working| Hacked into| Accessed it illegally| Anti-virus software| Protection against computer viruses| Bounced| Came back to me| Garbled| Just a series of meaningless letters and numbers| Chapter 53| | Innovative| Original and interesting| Unsurpassed| The best there is| Leave other cars standing| Are much better than other cars| Put/leave other candidates in the shade| Make candidates from other courses seem insignificant| Rock-bottom| Extremely low| Slashed! | Dramatically reduced| Bargains galore! | A huge number of products on sale at ridiculously low prices| Pamper yourself| Treat yourself to something luxurious| Indulge yourself| Allow yourself something enjoyable| Sumptuous/opulent| Both adjectives mean rich and special: sumptuous collocates most strongly with words relating to food and furnishings, and opulent with words relating to lifestyle| In the lap of luxury| In a very luxurious way| Proven| Shown by research| State-of-the-art| Use the very latest technology| Stand out in the crowd| Be noticed| Tantalisingly| Temptingly| Fetching/alluring| Both adjectives mean attractive| Alliteration| Repetition of a sound| Billboards| Very large boards used for advertising| Flyers| Sheets of printed information advertising something| Trailers| Brief excerpts from a film, TV or radio programme which are used to advertise it| Sky-writing| Words written in the sky using smoke from a plane| Sandwich boards| Advertising posters hung at the back and front of a person who then walks around a busy area| Plug| Advertise| Chapter 54| | Pressure groups| People trying to influence what other people think about a particular issue| Air their views| Express their opinions| Seek publicity| Want to reach a wider audience| Press conferences| Meetings to give information to and answer questions from the press| Press release| Give a formal announcement to the press| Sound bite| Short memorable sentence or phrase that will be repeated in news bulletins and articles| Silly season| Time of year, summer in the UK, when there is not much happening and trivial stories end up on the front page| Useful sources| Making use of people or organisations which regularly provide news| Monitoring| Regularly checking| Column inches| Space| Put their own gloss/spin on a story| Present a story in a particular way| Muck-raking| Collecting scandal (informal and disapproving)| Arag| Informal for a newspaper and it suggests that it is not of very high quality| Gutter press| Disapproving term used about the kind of newspapers and magazines that are more interested in crime and sex than serious news| Glossy| Expensive magazine printed on good quality paper| Copy| Produced by journalist, having to be ready for a deadline| Deadline| Moment that al the articles have to be finished and ready to go to the press| Stop press| Place for very important stories| Hot off the press| A very new newspaper or story| Exclusive| A story that is only to be found in one newspaper| Scoop| Story discovered and published by one newspaper before all the others| Hit the headlines| Story breaks| Story breaks| Becomes public knowledge| Chapter 55| | Fighting off| Trying to get rid of| Gone down with| Has caught, usually a non-serious illness| Come down with| With I we say come down not go down| I got over it| Got better/recovered| Recovering from| Getting better: uses for more serious illnesses| Suffers from| Used for more long-term problems| Died of/from| Not: he died with lung cancer| Healthcare| General expression for all of the services offered by hospitals, clinics, dentists, opticians, etc. | National insurance| Tax paid by most adults which covers the costs of healthcare for everyone| National Health Service| British name for the service that covers hostpitals, clinics, dentists, etc. family doctor/GP| doctor who looks after people’s health: GP means general practitioner| Surgery| Small centre with just two or three doctors| clinic| Large centre with several doctors and kinds of services| Prescription charge| Charge for the medication the doctor prescribes, which you pay at a pharmacy| Go private| Choose private he althcare| Diabetes| Disease where the body does not properly absorb sugar starch| Bronchitis| Inflammation in the breathin system, causing you to cough| Heart disease| Serious illness connected with the heart which can lead to a heart attack| Skin cancer/lung cancer/breast cancer| Harmful tumours in those areas| TB (tuberculosis)| Infectious disease in the lungs| Cholera| An intestinal disease that can be caused by bad drinking water| Hepatitis| Inflammation of the liver| Typhoid| Fever, with red spots on the chast and abdomen| Heart attack/failure| When the heart fails| Chapter 56| | Hurt| Gives pain caused by an injury| Ache| To suffer a usually dull persistant pain| (the usual) aches and pains| Often used to refer in a non-serious way to minor problems| Cuts and bruises| Can refer to minor injuries| Stinging| Sudden, burning pain| Throbbing| Beating with pain| Stiff neck| Pain and difficulty in moving your neck round| Dizzy| A feeling that you are spinning round and can’t balance| Feverish| With a high temperature| Nauseous| Feeling that you want to vomit| Trembling| Shaking| Bunged up| Blocked| Off-colour/under the weather/ out of sorts| Informal expressions that mean ‘not well, but not seriously ill’| Alternative medicine| Different from typical western systems: * acupuncture * chripractic * herbal medicine| Homeopathy| Taking tiny amounts of natural substances to treat an illness| Aromatherapy| Using aromatic oils and massage| Chapter 57| | Clotting| Forming a partly solid lump| Dehydration| Not having enough water in your body| Ulcer| Painful infected area on the skin or inside your body| Side effects| Unwanted effects in addition to the intended one| Stools| Medical term for (formal) excrement or (informal, childish) pooh| Symptom| (methaphor) Often used when talking about problems in society| Prognosis| (methaphor) How experts expect it to develop| Ailing| (methaphor) One that has a lot of problems| A rash of| (methaphor) A number of similar things happening at the same time| Fever| (methaphor) Great excitement| Fever pitch| (methaphor) A points of very high intensity| jaundiced| (methaphor) Unenthusiastic or sceptical because of previous bad experiences| Carry the scars of/be scarred by | (methaphor) be permanently affected by a negative experience| Chapter 58| | Cholesterol| Fatty substance found in the body tissue and blood of all animals| Plaque| Unwanted substance that forms on the surface of the arteries| Offal| Organs from inside animals which are eaten as food (brains, heart, kidneys, liver)| Excreted| Got rid of from the body| Fibre| Substance in food that travels through the body as waste helping digestion| Buffer| Something (or someone) that helps protect from harm| Gut| Tubes that carry food from the stomach| Cardiovascular| Affecting the heart and blood circulation| Diabetics| an illness in which the body cannot cope with glucose because it does not produce enough insulin| Glucose| Sugar| Insulin| Hormone that controls the level of sugar in the body| Pounds| Measure of weight 1 pound (lb) = 454 grams| Mood enhancer| Hormone that makes you feel happier| Sports and fitness metaphors:| | Scored an own goal| Made things worse rather than better| Moving the goalposts| Changing the rules| Level playing field| Fair situation| In the running| Seriously considerd| Neck and neck| Level with each other and equally likely to win| Skate around| Don’t talk directly about| Sailed through| Passed very easily| Also check: Chapter: 41 A 43 A + end B 44 A 48 C 49 A/B/C How to cite English Vocabulary in Use Chapter 21/58, Papers