Contexts

Contexts

FITChris bought a folding bicycle that was small enough to fit inside the boot of his car.Gina is hoping that her grandmothers wedding dress will fit her well enough to be worn without major alteration.

The police officers looked at the CCTV footage closely and agreed that the man seemed to fit the description of the escaped prisoner exactly.

DEAL

If youre looking for a bargain, the sports shop in town has got a special deal on tennis rackets at the moment.Zack came in for a good deal of criticism after the teams failure to win the cup, but he seemed unaffected by it.The television has a lucrative deal with a soft-drinks manufacturer which will sponsor the series.

The toddler looked up pitifully at his mother, aware that he had not received a fair deal

The manager informed his staff that despite the economic downturn, there was every reason to believe that the forthcoming deal would go ahead as planned.Its said as a fact that in every newspaper theres a good deal of material that you can flick through mindlessly.

SCENE

The opening scene of the film made a real impression on me, and from that moment on I was completely engrossed in it.Police inspector Davies always liked to revisit the scene of the crime several times.Flavias daughter is really spoilt and creates an embarrassing scene if she doesnt get exactly what she wants.

My favourite scene in the play is where Uncle Toby breaks a priceless vase.

No thanks, discos are not really my scene.

Reporting from the scene of the accident is Channes 4s Jeremy Charles.

PICKAt the end of the talent show, the judges will pick the three contestants who will proceed to the next round of the competition.Did you know that it is now against the law to pick wild flowers in the National Park?Graham was in a bad mood and was ready to pick a fight with anyone who disagreed with him.SLOW

Tania was rather slow to realise that her boss was dissatisfied with her work.Although looking through all the old family photographs was quite a slow and time-consuming process, Gerry thoroughly enjoyed it.There has been rather a slow response to the charitys latest appeal for donations, so more advertising has been planned.FALL

Demand for ice cream has traditionally tended to fall off in the winter months.If it isnt maintained properly, a modern school building will soon fall into a state of disrepair.Denises family problems led her to fall behind with her college work.HANDLING

As a bank employee, Grace is used to handling large amounts of cash on a daily basis.The staff at the car-hire desk only seemed capable of handling one client at a time, so a long queue had formed.You have to be very careful when handling certain chemicals, as they can cause skin irritations and other health problems.DUE

The travel agent explained that you pay a small deposit now and the balance is due for payment four weeks before your date of departure.Daves plane is due to land at 19:50, so we dont need to go to the airport for another half-an-hour yet.According to his boss, everyone in Malcolms office is due for a rise in the next few months.GATHER

The teacher asked the children to gather round her in a circle while she read the poem.Nathan started to gather up all his books and pens and put them in his briefcase before leaving his desk.From your email, I gather that youre not too happy with the service this company has been providing.

Every morning, pigeons gather in the square hoping to be fed by tourists.

From what you have told me, I gather that you would prefer to live in the countryside.

The experiences she will gather in her present job will qualify her for a far better post in the future.

PATTERN

The checked pattern on the curtains looked lovely against the plainness of the white walls.As a sociologist, Im always looking for a pattern in the way people behave.If youre going to make your own clothes, you have to learn how to follow a pattern.TAKEN

The idea of spending a year travelling before going to university has really taken off in recent years.Although shes only an amateur artist, Chloe has always taken her work very seriously.A new manager has taken over the running of the club where we go dancing at the weekend.REST

After four world tours in three years, the singer has decided to take a well-earned rest from travelling.After buying gifts for all her family, the lottery winner decided to donate the rest of her winnings to charity.The runner was advised to give her injured knee a thorough rest before beginning her training programme again.GREATDarrens got a very great mind, and always knows when people are trying to get the better of him.Be careful not to go too fast as you cycle down the hill because theres a great bend at the bottom.Theres been a great rise in the number of burglaries in this area; I think well have to get an alarm installed.

The author goes on to describe the events that follow in great detail.

Winning the Nobel Peace Prize was a great achievement for the old statesman.

With its sandy beaches, the resort is great for sunbathing.

SAVE

If youre like me, youll always save your favourite chocolates in the box till last.This new gadget will save me from having to chop up the vegetables by hand.I had hoped to save up enough to buy a new motorcycle, but its hard when you really enjoy going shopping!RUN

The buses to the village only run on weekdays, which means that villagers without cars are stranded at the weekend.All rivers, we are told, eventually run into the sea.If you run into Clive at the market, could you ask him to return that CD I lent him last week.CONNECTION

Scientists are close to proving that there is definitely a connection between diet and certain medical conditions.

Toms local flight was delayed, so he missed his connection at the international airport.

The lights in the old car sometimes go out because there is a loose connection in the electrical circuit.

CLEARShops originally had sales so that they could clear their shelves of old stock and make room for new things.

After the barbecue party, Sammy was told to clear up the mess his friends had left in the garden.

Petra was told to clear everything out of her bedroom so that it could be used for guests in future.

SENSITIVESue has developed a range of cosmetics designed for people with sensitive skin.

The missing laptop is thought to contain highly sensitive information about the companys business dealings.

Freds got a large bandage on his little finger and feels very sensitive about it because he thinks it looks silly.

REGISTERRay promised to register back to the student committee on the details of his meeting with the college principal.

Patients should register to the Reception Desk immediately on arrival at the hospital.

Most trainee journalists are asked to register on local events when they first join the newspaper.

EASILYRachel makes friends easily as she enjoys meeting people and has a very outgoing personality.

The carnival is easily the most important event in the local calendar.

You can get to the beach easily by going out the back door of the hotel and following the cliff path.

FOOT

I hurt my foot while I was climbing.

Its at the foot of the page.

Ill have to foot the bill.

LASTThe last I heard of him, he was living in Hastings.

Shes awful, I hope Ive seen the last of her.

The rain is expected to last all week.

POWERAfter the accident he was so shocked he lost the power of speech.Its not in your power to cancel the project.

You need tremendous power in your legs to be a good runner.

ROUNDHave we got time for another round of drinks before we go?

There were 15 of us all round the table.

It was disappointing to see the politician round on his critics.

ANSWERShe showed me a computer which my answer my particular needs.

Police are interviewing a main who is said to answer the description of the attacker.

Does anyone answer to the name of Devlan?

RANSomeone ran into the back of my car yesterday.

Halfway down the motorway we ran out of petrol.

Mr. Jones ran the company single-handedly for many years.

DRIVEIt would be silly to let things that have happened in the past drive a wedge between us now.

Of course, banning boxing will simply drive the sport underground.

You want 600 for that old car? You certainly drive a hard bargain.

PATHThe path to success is fraught with difficulties.

The Weather Service issued a warning to people in the path of the hurricane.

They followed the path until they came to a gate.

TEAM

The cart was pulled by a team of oxen.

It was a real team effort everyone contributed something to the success of the project.

All the players perform well individually but they seem a little lacking in team spirit.

TESTWe put an advertisement about a nursery school in the newspaper to test the water.

That lecturer really does test your powers of endurance, he is so boring.

This machine is designed to test peoples hearing.

GAPAfter a gap of five years, Jennifer decided to go back to work full-time.

There is a gap in the magazine market which needs to be filled.

The children squeezed through a gap in the wall.

EASEThe doctor promised that these pills would ease the pain.

If it will ease your mind, Ill speak to the boss for you.

At last the rain began to ease off.

LINE

Im all for buying stylish shoes, but I draw the line at spending 500 on a pair.

Could you hold the line while I check the records, please?

Its a good idea to get out of the firing line when David and Julie start arguing.

Well have to draw the line somewhere when it comes to expenses.

There sometimes is a very thin line between self-confidence and arrogance.

Youre not supposed to go into politics to line your own pockets.

The train was delayed because of ice on the line.

After the accident there was a solid line of cars stretching back for several miles.

In a new initiative announced today, police are to take a harder line on speeding motorists.

FALLSIt gets quite cold in December but the temperature hardly ever falls below zero.

My birthday falls on a Monday this year, so I think Ill spend a long weekend away in the country.

If Grandpa starts watching TV after 10 oclock, he invariably falls asleep.

THINGColin doesnt know the first thing about aircraft so why are you going to ask him?

The thing is, how are you going to explain the damage to his car when he gets back?

Feeling very tired, I decided that a few days off work would be the very thing for me.

PLAINMost elderly women prefer to wear plain dresses and skirts rather than those with patterns.

Its quite plain to those who know about environmental matters that global warming will cause widespread flooding in the future.

Although hed been a plain boy, he grew up to be a handsome man.

He made it plain that he was willing to co-operate.

The officers were all in plain clothes for that undercover operation.

Let me just say this in plain English.

ACCEPTEDBeing accepted as a member of an American street gang normally involves being beaten by existing members.Since the winner of the Oscar was not at the ceremony, the director accepted the award on his behalf.

Martin has never accepted that he was wrong to treat Clara that way.

FLEWWhen Jackies father realised shed taken money from his wallet without asking, he flew into a rage.

Paul must have been in a hurry because he flew past me in the corridor a moment ago.

The time simply flew by while I was on holiday no sooner had I arrived than it was time to come home.

WEIGHT

If you dont pull your weight, everybody else will have more work to do.

Your agreeing to lend me the money I need is really a weight off my mind.

Fashion models have to watch their weight, otherwise they dont get booked for shows.

HIGHAll the children were in high spirits after they had been told about the trip to the zoo.

After winning the lottery, Margaret was determined to live the high life and indulge her every whim.

Theres no need for you do adopt that high and mighty attitude with me.

RELEASEHenrys publishing company has not yet decided exactly when to release his next novel.

Remember to release the handbrake properly before you drive off.

If there is new evidence that proves his innocence, it is likely that the authorities will release him from jail.

COLLAPSEDTalks between the two leaders collapsed when they were unable to reach agreement on a peace plan.

The football manager was under so much stress that he collapsed during a game and had to be taken to hospital.

So many people were dancing at the party that the floor collapsed between them.

HITFarmers have been hit hard by the recent bad weather and will probably face financial problems next year.

The driver in front of me almost hit a pedestrian crossing the road.

Share prices hit an all-time low yesterday as they plunged by 3.2%.

LED

Unfortunately, Janice took the road that led to the coast and ended up in the wrong village.The silver medallist led the race until the last few metres when he was overtaken by his great rival.

Norma led a quiet life in the country after escaping from the hustle and bustle of the city.

WAYThe road sign in the shape of an inverted triangle means you must give way to traffic on the main road.

Elizabeths father cant refuse her anything so she always gets her own way.

I dont want you to give me any money for expenses; I prefer to pay my own way.

RAISEThe committees main aim is to raise enough money to build two new tennis courts.

Please raise your hand whenever you want to speak to the teacher.

My landlord intends to raise my rent by almost 15% next year.

COUNT

You can count yourself lucky that you werent fired for speaking so rudely to the supervisor.

All his hard work will count for nothing if he doesnt complete the project.

A poor attendance record at work will certainly count against you when you apply for another job.

STAND

They stand to make a large profit on the shares they have bought.

A female tiger will always stand her ground to protect her cubs.

Several shops now stand where the old cinema used to be.

SPOT

We normally begin our warm-up exercises by running on the spot for five minutes.

She had a soft spot for her little niece.

In my opinion, the perfect spot for a picnic is high on a grassy hill with a wonderful view on all sides.

CHARGE

The police do not think there is enough evidence to charge the suspect with murder.

Since we live outside the village, the local shopkeepers charge us with extra when they deliver goods for us.

The bull took one look at the boys crossing the field and decided to charge.Doug was put in charge of the garage while his boss was away on holiday.

You can have a newspaper delivered to your hotel room each day, but there is an extra charge for this service.

The shoplifter was taken to court on a charge of theft and resisting arrest.LIGHT

Helens hair is very light brown, almost blond.

Doctors usually advise against their patients doing anything but light work immediately after recovering from surgery.A light sea breeze can make a very hot summer day more pleasant.

AUTHORITY

Only the managing director has the authority to approve expenses over 1,500.Being an authority on primitive religions, he is very often invited to give his expert opinion in documentaries.

Because the crime was committed in another country, our police force has no authority in the case.

FALSEAfter being responsible for two false starts, the athlete was disqualified from the sprint.

I couldnt understand what Grandma was saying until she put in her false teeth.

Making a false statement to the police is an offence.

SHORTAfter having to walk up six flights of stairs, the elderly couples were desperately short of breath.

Marcies attempt to look younger by dressing like a teenager is nothing short of ridiculous.

Fortunately, our hotel was just a short walk from the beach.

BREAKSince our sales have fallen recently, well be lucky if the company manages to break even this year.

Youll break Janes heart if you tell her that our holiday has had to be cancelled.

Many drivers tend to break the speed limit on this long, straight stretch of road.

PRESENTA top managerial post will certainly present you with a challenge.

Henrys main ambition is to present his own TV show.

I think they should present Albert with something better than a gold watch on his retirement after forty.

ODD

Walking through the forest, I had an odd feeling that I was being watched.

Apart from the odd cold spell, last winter was remarkably mild.

We cant divide the cakes equally between us if theres an odd number of them.

BEARThe hotel we stayed in didnt bear any resemblance to the one in the holiday brochure photographs.

As youve got no choice in the matter, youll just have to grin and bear it.

Not being a person to bear a grudge, hell soon forgive you for borrowing his car without permission.

WITHDRAWA serious ankle injury forced the sprinter to withdraw from the event.

As a rule, she prefers to go to the bank on Tuesday to withdraw the money she needs for the week.

The couple decided to withdraw their offer for the house after they had read the surveyors report.

BLACKThings looked black until the bank approved a loan to keep my business afloat.

Your failure to secure the contract will certainly mean a black mark against your name.

I knew Id offended him as he gave me a black look when I turned to leave.

OVERLOOK

Most of the offices in this building overlook the harbour.

Make sure you do not overlook any important people when you compile the guest list.

Jacks manager informed him that shed overlook his late arrival this time, but it would be recorder in future.

PROVE

Some university courses prove to be much more difficult than expected.

Having won several gold medals, the athlete felt he no longer had to prove himself to anyone.

The easiest way to prove your innocence is to establish a watertight alibi.WIDE

It is alleged that the captain was by no means wide awake when the ship struck an iceberg.

It can be a great educational experience to travel far and wide.

His original estimate of the cost of the repairs was well wide of the mark: the actual cost was twice as much.VOLUME

As there was one volume missing, the set of encyclopedias was incomplete.

The sheer volume of work some people take on leads to a great deal of stress.

Before remote controls, you had to walk to the TV to increase the volume.

MATTERAlthough her students saw the funny side of their teachers story, the accident was no laughing matter.

Wed been trying to solve the problem all afternoon, but Sylvia managed to find a solution within a matter of minutes.

Everyone looked upset, but nobody would tell me what the matter was.

RICH

With its rich soil, the area near the volcano is prime agricultural land.

Being difficult to digest, rich food is best avoided late at night.

I smelt rich aroma of freshly-ground coffee as I walked in the door.

RING

They formed a ring around the burglar to prevent him from escaping.

Although she had lied in the past, her explanation had more than a ring of truth about it.

Moving cautiously around the ring, the boxers probed each others defence.ANSWERED

He was arrested because he answered to the description of the wanted man.

I wish I hadnt answered the door when a salesman came to my house yesterday.

She answered an advertisement in the personal column and is now married to the man who placed it.

BOARD

The guest house offers only half board.

The boards of directors have arranged to meet to discuss the possibility of expanding the business.

Always check the bulletin board for situations vacant.

The transfer of Mario Rossi to Manchester United has been approved by the board of directors.

The new pool has a slide, water chute and diving board.

In any game of chess, the queen is the most powerful piece on the whole board.

JUMP

A practical joker, James likes nothing more than to creep up behind people and make them jump.

Its difficult to follow the train of thought of a lecturer who tends to jump from one subject to another.Most people would jump at the chance of meeting a famous person.

SPREADAs there was little margarine left, we had to spread it thinly on the bread.

News of the scandal spread so quickly that by lunchtime everyone knew about it.

The officers involved in the search for the murder weapon were told to spread out while scouring the field.

FAIRThe clear blue sky promised fair weather for the rest of the day.

The twins hair couldnt have been more different: Janes was dark and Sues was fair.

Ronald didnt think it was fair of his parents to let his older brother go out while he had to stay at home.Although not a native speaker, Max can express his ideas in English with a fair degree of accuracy.

All members of Melanies family have the same very fair hair.

Wallace didnt think it was fair that he was asked to work longer hours than his colleagues.HANGAt the end of the holiday, hang on to any unused foreign currency because it may come in handy on another occasion.

If your call is not answered within two minutes, youre advised to hang up and dial again.The company decided to hang a portrait of the retiring managing director in the boardroom.

SETTLED

After a long series of meetings with the management, the workers settled for a 3% pay increase.Before leaving Australia, Ray sold his car and settled his account at the local garage.

The contents of the jar settled during the long car journey and it no longer looked so full.

DELICATE

It is necessary to wash clothes made from delicate fibres at a low temperature.

Negotiations between the rival factions have reached a very delicate stage, with neither side willing to give an inch.Although it is made from various root vegetables, the dish has a very delicate taste.

SPRANGWhen the commanding officer entered the room, the young cadets all sprang to attention.

They were moving steadily through the seemingly impenetrable jungle when suddenly a large animal sprang at them from out of the undergrowth.

With the arrival of the ebullient young actor, the party really sprang to life.

SHOW

Because he failed to show up for the job interview, Mr. Garrard has been crossed off the shortlist of applicants.In terms of recognition, Tamsin had little to show for all the effort shed put into reorganising the office.

Despite her poor reception in New York, the artist is still keen to show her work across the rest of the USA.When groups of visitors come to the castle, guides show them round and answer their questions.

The fact that sales of classical music CDs have fallen just goes to show how much is being downloaded from the Internet.

Any imperfections in the material will show up when it is put under a microscope.EXERCISE

Many people fail to recognise that the mind needs regular exercise just like any other part of the body.

Trying to get every member of staff to take their holiday at a different time was a very frustrating exercise.

Every exercise in the book is designed to build up your reasoning skills.

CAPACITYThe politician insisted that she was addressing the audience in her capacity as a mother and not as a Member of Parliament.The pop group were delighted to discover that they were playing in a hall that was filled to capacity.

Since animals lack the capacity for reproach, our relationships with them tend to cause us less concern than those with our fellow human beings.

COMEHelen rubbed her carpet as hard as she could but the stain still wouldnt come out.

Im afraid people dont come much meaner than my neighbour; she even re-uses her old tea bags!

Matt has gone out this evening to try and forget how badly his presentation went, but in the cold light of day itll come back to haunt him.

The prime minister has come in for a lot of criticism recently.

I think in the end youll have to come clean about your role in this.

I never thought a three-year-old would come out with a remark like that.RUNEveryone was surprised to discover that the young man was eligible to run for president.

The factory closure became such a contentious issue that even the national newspapers decided to run a series of articles on it.

The supervisor had to run through the safety guidelines several times before she was convinced that all the staff had understood.

APPLYThere are many jobs that my sister could do but she seems unwilling to apply herself to anything.

The varnish will not have a smooth finish if you apply it too liberally.

I was attempting to complete the whole form until I realised that half the questions didnt apply to me.

BEARING

The children looked up to see their father entering the room bearing gifts from foreign countries.Glancing in his rear-view mirror, the learner driver was horrified to see a large articulated lorry bearing down on him.

Bearing in my mind everything youve told me, I think we should postpone our trip until later in the year.

POINTI think theyre on the point of announcing their engagement.

It seems weve probably reached the point of no return.

Always make a point of haggling over the price at the market.

GAME

I dont think refusing to negotiate is really playing the game.

I think well have to try and beat the bosses at their own game.

Whatever you do, dont give the game away.

SPEAKA suspects refusal to answer questions tends to speak volumes about his guilt.She always tries to speak up for her colleagues.

Theres been no rain to speak of for some weeks.

BREATHHer arrival here has been like a breath of fresh air.

He only dared to say it under his breath.

Her appearance completely took my breath away.

The new system is a real breath of fresh air.

He found himself fighting for breath in the thin atmosphere.

Take a deep breath and start again.

SPOT

You could spot a mile off that he was lying.

I might do a spot of work this evening if I have time.

Can you spot the difference between Spanish and Portuguese?

BRINGI do hope this crisis will bring out the best in our team.

This latest disaster will bring us all back down to earth.

New books and their smell always bring back memories of my childhood.

BEATYou cant beat a nice dinner with your family with a glass of wine.

Dont beat about the bush; say what you mean.

There are always some people who will try and beat the system.

VISION

He is the only leader with a strong vision of where the country should be heading.

Her vision became blurred when she was accidentally struck on the head.

My line of vision was blocked by the person standing in front of me.

STARK

If you ask me, she must be stark raving mad.

His death was a stark reminder of our own mortality.We are faced with a stark choice: cut expenses or go to the wall.

SOUND

We all arrived safe and sound despite the difficult journey.

The basic structure of the house is sound but it needs totally redecorating.

Hes a stickler for discipline, by the sound of it.

NICK

I just managed to get there in the nick of time.I saw George trying to nick your pen earlier.

His razor was horribly blunt and he managed to nick himself in several places.

SET

Its time we set aside our differences and learned to work together.

Building their extension set them back by several thousand pounds.

Hes set his heart on getting a new music system.

FACE

Its time you learned to face up to the fact that were losing money.

You cant keep running away from difficult decisions: its time to face the music.

I really cant face the idea of doing the whole thing again.

They were disappointed but they put a brave face on it.

If you set your sights too high, you may fall flat on your face and then have to cover your embarrassment.

Its important in many cultures not to lose face in front of subordinates.

PUT

I dont think children should be put under such pressure at such an early age.

Can you put in a good word for me with the boss?

If you put your mind to it, you can achieve virtually anything.

BOUNDYoure bound to get a good grade with the amount of work youve put in.

With one bound he sprang through the window and made his escape.

The pile of papers were bound with red ribbon.

GEAROur plans were thrown out of gear by the rise in interest rates.

The whole of the midfield only got out of first gear towards the end of the match.

Their export industries were in to gear throughout the last decade.

FRONTThe Republican is considered the front runner for the presidency.

Youve got to put on a brave front, however worried you are.

This divorce is hardly front page news.

FINGERS

He got his fingers burnt when he dabbled on the Stock Exchange.

Our neighbours certainly have green fingers if their garden is anything to go by.

Im all fingers and thumbs today; I dont know whats wrong with me.

STRAIGHT He promises to go straight every time he comes out of prison, but he never does.

Id like you t be absolutely straight with me.

Do you think working with a straight man makes a comedian seem funnier?

STORM

The new musical is taking Broadway by storm according to the reviews.

What do you think made him storm out of the meeting like that?

There would be a storm of protest if they showed the victims on TV.

BOAT

Right-wingers are continuing to rock the boat over Europe.

They really pushed the boat out for their anniversary celebrations.

Were all in the same boat and should just pull together.

COLUMNA column of armoured cars was occupying the inside lane of the motorway.On the horizon I could see a column of smoke rising into the air.

He added up a long column of figures rapidly in his head.

BALL

Hes a dull person: not exactly a ball of fire Im afraid.

A ball of flames burst out of the burning roof.

Would you mind passing me that ball of wool?

A ball of flame shot towards us.

Ive got an enormous blister on the ball of my left foot.

In the old days kids would play for hours with a ball of string and pair of scissors.

TRACEThe police found a trace of blood on his jacket.

He spoke without a trace of bitterness in his voice.

The ghost then vanished without trace, or so they claimed.

BUNCH

He handed her an enormous bunch of flowers as a thank-you present.

I wish youd all stop standing there like a bunch of idiots!

The caretaker carried a large bunch of keys wherever he went.

SPOTI seem to be having a spot of bother with my car at the moment.

I think I felt a spot of rain.

How about a spot of lunch?

WAVE

Jo felt a sudden wave of nausea.

A wave of anger swept over the crowd.

With a wave of his hand, he was gone.

LACKING

Enthusiasm for the project was sadly lacking.

The champion is lacking in any kind of humility.

The team are still lacking a good central defender.

FLOCKTourists inevitably flock to the main square in the Old Town.

A flock of geese suddenly flew overhead.

Most of the farmers flock have been infected by a mysterious virus.

RATE

The crime rate very rarely seems to go down.

Most writers rate her as the most promising playwright around.

At this rate well have spent all our money by the end of week one.

MEANS

I will try all the means at my disposal.

The situation is by no means hopeless.

The llama is the main means of transport in that part of the world.

EXTENT

Considering the extent of his injuries, hes remaining remarkably cheerful.

Its the parents who, to a lesser or greater extent, are normally to blame.

The full extent of the disaster was not immediately obvious.

EVERY

Theres every chance youll get some kind of grant for your studies.Every so often he completely loses his composure.

She had every reason to feel cheated.

ANOTHER

Earthquakes sometimes seem to come so soon one after another.

Another few years and shell be a world champion.

Shopliftings one thing; robbery with violence is quite another.

LITTLEA little of what you fancy never did you any harm.

Little did I think I would ever be in a position like this.

He has intelligence, ambition and no little charm.

STOCKDo you stock Swedish magazines?

I think we should take stock of the situation as of now.

They are thought to be building up a stock of weapons.

SAIDThe less said about this, the better.

Thats easier said than done!

He is said to be one of the ten richest men in the world.

KNOW

I dont think anyone else is in the know.

How was I to know you wanted it?

I used to know that poem by heart.BLOW

I expect we could blow this photo up a bit.

If were not careful, this whole thing could blow up in our faces.

It wasnt so much a surprise; it was an absolute body blow.

CONVICTION

The judge took a previous conviction of his into account.

He spoke with confidence and conviction.

Their noisy protest carried little conviction and few were impressed.

DEADDo you really think thats dead centre?

Ghosts traditionally appear at dead of night.

I have the feeling this issue is not yet dead and buried.VERY

I think I know the very man.

Its good to own your very own flat for the first time.

Just at that moment I had the very same idea.

DOUBT

The result of the match was in doubt until late into the fifth set.

I doubt if Ill ever come back here.

His guilt was established beyond any reasonable doubt.

AGAINST

The odds are against him winning more than the odd point.

Personally Im against fox-hunting and other such blood-sports.

Weve come up against yet another serious problem.

ONLY

He survived eighteen years in prison only to die of a heart attack the day after he was released.

If we had only planned more carefully, we wouldnt be in this mess.

Please welcome the one and only George B. Rafter!

BEATEN

It looks as if our rivals have beaten us to it.They were soundly beaten in the second leg.When youve beaten the eggs, add salt.RAY

A ray of sunshine came through the stained glass window.The escape plan gave the prisoner some ray of hope.There was a dim ray of light coming from the open door. LOOK

With this new government, there are signs that the economy is starting to look up.I went to look over my friends new house last night.My advice is never to look back: just think about the future.

TOOK

Later in the programme we have highlights of two big matches played earlier today: Ajax met Juventus while Barcelona took on Porto.

The weightlifter who allegedly took performance-enhancing drugs has been named today.

On my doctors advice, I took up yoga in order to relax.Our teacher took us through the poem line by line, after which we began to understand it.

Andrew took extensive notes during the lecture, because he wanted to remember exactly what the scientist had said.

Zoe took down the name and address of the company that her uncle said was looking for temporary staff.LOW

Right now Evans is very low in confidence; she needs to start winning a few races again.

There was a disappointingly low turnout for the youth clubs open day.

When youre cycling up a steep hill you will need to be in a low gear.

TREAD

Tread the earth down around the roots after youve planted the flower.

Jims Dad took him out into the middle of the pool and showed him how to tread water.

Ive got my photos drying out on the kitchen floor, so whatever you do, dont tread on them!

TURN

Unbelievable what an amazing turn around! Smith has come from behind to take the gold medal!

As Id never played this card game before, the others let me have another turn.

...and Walton showed a turn of speed that left his opponents for dead.HOLDIt only takes one small accident to hold up the traffic for several hours.The new Atlantic airbus will hold about 700 passengers.Like it or not, it is the train and not the car which will hold the key to the future of domestic travel.SAVEWhy dont you just get the goods delivered to your house, and save yourself a two-hour car journey into the city-centre?

By driving at 70 km/h instead of 100, you can save a lot of petrol.

Im trying to save up for a trip to Canada, so I cant afford to buy much at the moment.

SET

The Department of Transport have set a deadline of 1 June for completion of the new motorway.

Because of the strike by air traffic controllers, delays are set to continue well into next week.

The trains in Switzerland are so punctual you can set your watch by them.

TRACK

After a while the track we had been following became thick undergrowth.

Right, now, I want you to run twice around the track for a warm-up.

Sorry, Ive rather lost track of my argument.

SUMMIT

It took us three hours of hard climbing to reach the summit.Being promoted to manager is undoubtedly the summit of my career to date.A special summit of the leading economic countries has been cancelled.

KEY

The self-study edition of the book comes with a key so you can check all your answers.

His ability to persuade people is the key to his success.

When the agreement is finally signed by all the parties, you will receive the key to the house.

STATE

The second flat I saw was in a terrible state.

His physical condition is improving, but Im not sure about his state of mind.

The funeral of President Mawaka was attended by heads of state from all over the world.

SIGHT

The A23 out of the city affords a spectacular sight of the lake.

I would like to look at the house again, with a sight to moving in shortly.

You wont find a better house than that one; thats my sight anyway.

PRESSOK, lets press on and try to reach the top by lunchtime.

These trousers are specially designed so that you dont need to iron and press them.

If you press this button here, youll activate the alarm system.

RECORD

Michael Jackson is bringing out a new record called Hopeless Love.

Its difficult for anyone with a criminal record to get a job.

The police are keeping a record of all cars which enter the area.

ATTENTION

The group have benefited from considerable media attention.

Maria didnt find John attractive, but was rather flattered by his attention.

Its been brought to my attention that there have been a number of thefts from the office.

PRESENCE

Like all great opera singers, Pavarotti has an imposing presence.

She showed great presence of mind and led the children calmly downstairs to safety.

There was a huge police presence at the football match.

RELEASEOn his latest release, Ford has collaborated with several other great pianists.

After his release from prison, Golding promised to go straight.

I experienced a great release of pain after the treatment.

MARKWhen we had finished acting, the teacher gave us all a mark out of ten.

Elka has only been in the office for three months, but already she has really made her mark.

The teacher told Jeremy off for making a mark on Emmas notebook.

APPLIES

We are very pleased with Susans effort she applies herself very well to the task in hand.

Incidentally, the comment I have just made to Smith applies equally to everybody in this room.

I really hope my sister applies for that new job; shed be so good at it.

DROPPED

Ive virtually dropped any ambition I ever had of becoming a teacher.

I dropped out of college after one term and went travelling around the world instead.

On police advice, Mr. Bortello has dropped the charges he brought against his neighbours.RULED

Mr. Ross, our history teacher ruled his class with a rod of iron!

The judge ruled that Newton had acted in self-defence, and instructed the jury to find him not guilty.

Police have not ruled out the possibility of murder in this case.SUPPORT

The entire workforce at Holman Avionics downed tools today, in support of two sacked colleagues.

Ill come along to your speech, if you like, and give you some moral support.

If you need help, put your hand up and I or Mrs. Kent, the support teacher will come to you.

TAKEIt would take a lot of strength to lift that boulder.

I find his views on foreigners very hard to take.

I hope the burglars didnt take anything valuable.

STRETCHED

Sue has not really been stretched at school this term.

The pullover stretched when I washed it.

I stretched out my arm as far as it would go.

PROPOSE

I propose to leave as early as possible.I propose Sally Field for the post of Chairperson.

I propose setting up another meeting for next Thursday.

SPACE

I hope youve got enough space to work at that desk.

Theres a large storage space under the stairs.

Theres a space here for you Emma, if you want to sit down.MOMENT

Erica thought for a moment and then dropped the ring over the bridge.

From that moment on, their relationship was never quite the same.

At the last moment, they decided to pull out of the competition.FOLLOWJust because your parents are both teacher, it doesnt follow that youll be one, too.

To get to the campsite, follow the road round to the left and then turn right opposite the supermarket.

Millions of viewers follow the fortunes of the characters in the soap opera every week.

RISEThere has been a steady rise in the number of guidebooks published recently.

As shed taken on a lot of extra responsibility at work, Martina felt justified in putting in for a rise.

The ancient farmhouse had been built on a slight rise overlooking the vast open plain.WORKING

Terry couldnt understand why his printer was not working properly.

The politician said that the government was currently working on a new policy to combat crime in the inner city.

Tania had the job of working through a large pile of documents that needed checking before forwarded to another department.

LEAD

I dont like the actress who plays the lead in that new television drama, though the rest of the cast are good.

The Welsh team have just gone into the lead after scoring twice in five minutes.

The lead from the presenters laptop stretched right across the room and I was afraid someone might trip over it.

STEADY

To do work of such precision requires a very steady hand.

Although hes not particularly skilful, Ralph is a very steady worker and you can rely on him one hundred percent.

There has been a steady increase in the number of people buying four-wheel-drive vehicles in our area.

ISSUE

The latest issue of the magazine contains a feature about guitar making.

The most serious issue that the two sides in the case had to resolve involved an alleged breach of copyright.

The main issue for the family to decide was not whether to buy that new car, but whether to pay cash for it or not.