*Red and Bond =synonyms
*Red = good expressions
*Black and Bond = new expressions
2024-10-16
The Economist-07.09.2024
1.
speak up for (to support)free speech
boil over (erupt in anger)
clamp down on (suppress)
contraband (smuggled goods)
draconian
Vulnerable
Manipulation
Individuals have a right to freedom of speech, but foreign governments do not.
resort (to do something that you do not want to)
opaque (not transparent)
ruinous (disastrous)
encryption
fostering
leaning on (to apply pressure to)
satire (mockery)
Arguments about speech and the law have been raging since the invention of the book, never mind Facebook.
Only with the freedom to be wrong can societies advance slowly towards what is right.
onslaught (fierce attack)
curbs (restraint) on
fair-weather (not reliable or present in situations of hardship or difficulty)
2.
Regarding the notion that exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet radiation may be good for you (“UV’s bright side”, August 17th”), unprotected exposure to UV rays, whether through exposure to the sun or artificial sources, is a major risk factor for skin cancer.
As the damage builds over time the risk for skin cancer increases.
melanoma (black tumor, a kind of skin cancer)
seek shade
autoimmune
implementation
intensifying
timely reminder
the cornerstone of efforts to promote sustainable development.
We are currently a long way from that
This is despite compelling evidence that investing in the early years is a cost-effective way of alleviating (reduce) poverty, correcting inequality and boosting productivity.
This is despite the fact that…
Making maternity benefits available only to insured mothers or employed mothers can in fact increase poverty rates and reduce female employment.
pay lip service (an avowal of advocacy)
momentum (strength or force)
impetus (encouragement)
consecutively (one after another)
pledge (guarantee)
reservist (a person who is trained as a soldier and is ready to fight in the army if needed)
vehemently (vigorously)
The art of bowing to the East without mooning the West.
The Art of Bowing and Mooning
3.
faces an equally (the same) giant crisis of confidence
wrestles with (try their best to deal with)
the services sector slowed by one measure in August.
Consumers are fed up (annoyed or upset at).
trimming (cutting down to the desired size or shape)their forecasts for economic growth.
massaging data, suppressing sensitive facts and sometimes offering delusional prescriptions
This void (empty) feeds on (eat (something) as food) itself
fray (wear out).
a cyclical (repeated) problem of confidence
warier (cautious) of candid (sincerity and honesty) debate with outsiders
Less familiar is the parallel disappearance of technical dat
murky (gloomy)
baffled (totally bewilder)
tyranny
Dominance
ruthlessly
edifice (massive)
deprived (impoverished)
intensively policed
compile (produce)
panopticon (an optical instrument combining the telescope and microscope)
invoke (cite)
stick to (continue doing)
allocation (assignment)
pivot away (to change direction) from
erroneous ( being wrong or inaccurate)
steer (guide)
scrutiny (survey)
it turns into a source of corruption
A fully informed citizenry, private sector and government would be far better equipped to take on the challenges ahead.
4.
Americans’ love affair with big cars is killing them
Witnesses said the driver showed no signs of slowing down.
rear-end (back part)
prevail (prove more powerful)
sport-utility vehicle (SUV)
But the issue of vehicle “compatibility (the fact of being able to exist)” did not gain public attention until the rise of SUVs in the 1990s. Between 1990 and 2005 the market share of such vehicles grew from 6% to 26%, pushing up the weight of an average new car from 3,400lb to nearly 4,100lb.
when two cars crash, a 1,000lb increase in the weight of one vehicle raises the fatality rate in the other by 47%.
diminishing returns
inflict (cause (something unpleasant or painful) to be suffered by someone or something. )
Combining these data yielded a dataset of more than 7.5m two-vehicle crashes.
What do these numbers tell us? First, as expected, heavier vehicles are safer for their passengers than lighter ones. The heaviest 1% of vehicles in our dataset—those weighing around 6,800lb—suffer 4.1 “own-car deaths” per 10,000 crashes, on average, compared with around 6.6 for cars in the middle of our sample, weighing 3,500lb, and 15.8 for the lightest 1% of vehicles, weighing just 2,300lb. But heavy cars are also far more dangerous to other drivers. The heaviest vehicles in our data were responsible for 37 “partner- car deaths” per 10,000 crashes, on average, compared with 5.7 for median- weight cars and 2.6 for the lightest cars. This suggests that, for every life that the heaviest SUVs and trucks save, more than a dozen lives are lost in other vehicles.
crunched data on (perform mathematical computations on)
reining (to limit) in the heaviest vehicles.
As for the weight at which the social costs of driving a heavier vehicle exceed the benefits, the evidence is clear. Vehicles in the top 10% of our sample—those weighing at least 5,000lb—experience roughly 26 deaths per 10,000 crashes, on average, including 5.9 in their own car and 20.2 in partner vehicles. For vehicles in the next-heaviest 10% of our sample—those weighing between 4,500lb and 5,000lb—the equivalent figures are 5.4 and 10.3 deaths per 10,000 crashes. A back-of-the-envelope estimate suggests that if the heaviest tenth of vehicles in America’s fleet were downsized to this lighter weight class, road fatalities in multi-car crashes—which totalled 19,081 in 2023–could be reduced by 12%, or 2,300, without sacrificing the safety of any cars involved.
Given these figures, one might expect carmakers to be slamming the brakes on production of their heaviest SUVs and pickups. In fact, they are pressing on the accelerator. Official figures from the Environmental Protection Agency show that the average new car in America weighs more than 4,400lb (compared with 3,300lb in the European Union and 2,600lb in Japan). Vehicles weighing more than 5,000lb accounted for (to show what happened to (someone or something)) 31% of new cars in 2023, up from 22% five years earlier.
lenient(merciful)
subsidise (to purchase the assistance of by payment of a subsidy)
5.
Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE),
About 30% of people who develop EEE die.
headlinegrabbing (something that is intended to attract a lot of attention, especially from the media)
preliminary (antecedent, preceding)
6.
convention (agreement)
National conventions are among the biggest spectacles of the presidential campaign.
What was once a formal exercise to adopt a policy platform and nominate candidates is now a political variety show.
tightly choreograph (an event or dance which planned very carefully or with exact combinations of movements)
performs an all-singing, all-dancing televised audition to the nation, culminating (reach a climax or point of highest development.) in a curtain call and balloon drop.
While this might look out of place in an era of political cynicism, millions of voters watch and reward the garish (overbright) performances in opinion polls.
uptick (a small increase)
appearing on cue (happens just after someone has said or thought it would happen) each election cycle
So much so (to such a great degree)
a no-show (a person who is expected to be somewhere but does not appear or arrive)
Keep up with the contest (go or make progress at the same rate as (others))between … and …
Empirically (relying on experience or observation usually without regard for a system and theory)
Convention bounces have been wane (decrease)for some time (see chart). Before 2000 the spike (a sharp increase) was worth an average of 3.7 percentage points in two-party polling.
Since then the post-performance high has been smaller —around 1.7 points—and has faded faster. But the absence of a jump in this year’s polls is still striking.
Rooted in
diminishing
comparable to the convention buzz (enthusiasm)
She had a flawless roll-out (to introduce (something, such as a new product) ), reintroducing herself and auditioning (a trial performance to appraise an entertainer’s merits) to be president.
incumbent ((of an official or regime) currently holding office) vice-president
conundrum (problem)
The Economist gives her a 52% chance of winning—effectively a coin toss.
penalise (inflict punishment on)
Positive news coverage will not last forever and, unlike her opponent, there are few scandals and blunders (a stupid or careless mistake) already priced into (to include something in the total price of a product) her polling.
It could be a matter of time before Ms Harris sees her own balloon drop.
7.
cocooned ( staying inside ) in
Using data for 7.5m crashes in 14 American states in 2013-23, we found that for every 10,000 crashes the heaviest vehicles kill 37 people in the other car, compared with 5.7 for cars of a median weight and just 2.6 for the lightest. The situation is getting worse. In 2023, 31% of new cars in America weighed over 5,000lb (2.27 tonnes), compared with 22% in 2018. The number of pedestrians killed by cars has almost doubled since 2010. Although a typical car is 25% lighter in Europe and 40% lighter in Japan, electrification will add weight there too, exacerbating (make worse) the gap between the heaviest vehicles and the lightest.
because of the battery that moves all those lithium ions from cathode to anode. This poses a giant collective-action problem.
Decapitated
lethal (deadly)
metrosexual (peacock. fashionista) caricature (cartoon)
Attitudes can be nudged (prod (someone) gently) with reforms
carve-out (remove from a larger whole)
The gradient (a part sloping upward or downward) could even tilt in the other direction.
Surcharge
arcane (mysterious)
Intersections
stroads
American highway engineers tend to associate wide lanes with safety. In fact, space encourages people to drive faster.
That points to a second step relevant everywhere: getting people to slow down.
Because the energy—and hence destructive power—of a moving vehicle rises with the square of its velocity, finding ways to limit speed has an outsize effect. A good start would be to enforce the laws on speed limits that actually exist.
Unfortunately, that could be years away. In the meantime, the task of saving lives will fall mainly to road engineers and traffic cops.
8.
repatriate (return, send back, restore, reinstate)
captors (abductors, kidnappers, imprisoners, detainers)
beleaguered (troubled, besieged, harassed, overwhelmed)
prevalence (commonness, widespreadness, frequency, dominance)
9.
overlord (a ruler, especially a feudal lord)
The holiday has become a day off like any other, and a chance to unwind (relax).
Scores of 20-somethings filled a pop-up bar in Seoul, the capital, for a party featuring drinks from around the world, including Japanese sake.
That is in large part thanks to …
compensation (payment) for atrocities (act of brutalities) committed (money that has been committed to a particular project, investment, etc. is spent on that project)
Japan’s departing (leaving) prime minister
But officials in both countries also credit (believe) generational change for helping to transform the relationship.
As South Korea developed, the power dynamics also shifted.
inferiority (lowliness)
Mutual cultural affinities (alike, rapport, sympathy, kinship) have bred legions (a horde or a large number of people or things) of anime fans in South Korea and K-pop fans in Japan.
First-hand experience of …. is widespread, too.
Young Japanese swooned over photographs of (strongly affected by your feelings for someone/something you love or admire very much.) K-pop stars and munched on Korean street food, from crunchy corn dogs to tteok-bokki, a sticky, spicy rice cake.
Yet it would be a mistake to confuse fandom for fundamental shifts in the national narratives.
Young Japanese may be more familiar with South Korean songs and shows but often lack knowledge of the darker chapters of their shared history. “I do see people talking about stuff on the news, but honestly I don’t pay much attention. It’s not something I’m conscious of,” Mr Suzuki acknowledges. Tucked beside shops selling Korean cosmetics in Shin-Okubo in Tokyo, the Koryo Museum of Korean history receives relatively few visitors. Young people come mostly to rent chima jeogori, traditional Korean dresses, sighs Ogihara Midori, a curator at the museum. While walking past displays about comfort women, the
euphemistic moniker (a euphemism used as a nickname)
spurned
protest at Mr Yoon’s choice of a conservative historian to head the main independence history museum.
“Things can look good on the surface”, but if historical disputes remain unresolved, relations can sour again.
descendant (offspring)
ubiquitous (present, appearing, or found everywhere.).
pavilion (open building in a park, etc., used for shelter or entertainment)
ode (a type of lyric poem that expresses praise, tribute, or glorification for a person, event, or idea)
get rid of (remove)
10.
have good vibes (have positive energy)
in sharp contrast to
lay out concrete proposals
rebut (repel, confute, disprove)
phoney (fake, sham, counterfeit; fraudulent; insincere)
Democrats have the building blocks of an ambitious set of proposals that reinforce Ms Harris’s claim to be in touch with the concerns of “normal” Americans who aren’t yet sold on her candidacy.
They come down to three more Ps: prices, punishment and patriotism.
dalliance with (to act playfully, especially in a flirtatious way) a focus on price-gouging (increases the price to an unreasonable level) seems to have fallen flat, as well it should.
cast aside (get rid of)
double down on (continue to do something in an even more determined way than before)
The abundance agenda is built on a simple claim.
many of the core parts of the middle-class budget—including child care, housing, health care and higher education—face pervasive (common, inescapable, omnipresent, prevalent, rife, ubiquitous, universal) supply constraints.
Trying to solve them with additional subsidy—intervening (extending or occurring between events) on the demand side—only pushes prices up further.
Price controls, by contrast, risk reducing incentives (motivation) to produce more and creating an arbitrary (random) mess.
The answer is to attack supply constraints at every level, by breaking through the cartels and bottlenecks that make it hard to create more of these basic goods.
We need to dismantle (to take apart) the doctor cartel that makes it hard for new physicians to get licences and for nurses to do more basic care. We need to be willing to use federal power to mow down zoning and construction rules that make it hard to build lots of houses cheaply. We need to bust through ( to go through something with force) the complex of NIMBYism, recalcitrant (uncooperative) utilities and out-of-date regulations that make it hard to build energy production and transmission. All of these changes would push down prices and spur (stimulate, nourish) economic growth.
Ms Harris clearly wants to run as a tough-minded former prosecutor, and she needs to do so to exorcise (drive out, expel) some of the demons of her presidential campaign in 2019.
Ms Harris’s framing from her 2009 book, “Smart on Crime”, is still basically the right one. America needs a criminal-justice system that is swift, certain and fair. It needs to emphasise speed and efficiency over draconianism: apprehending criminals quickly, prosecuting them successfully and punishing them without delay, rather than trying to prevent crime with long prison sentences.For the past few decades America has had precisely the opposite strategy. Even as it made punishment for serious crimes more severe, it has seen a big decline in clearance rates for serious crimes (meaning, generally, someone was arrested and charged), especially gun deaths where the victim was black.
A huge number of crimes are committed under the influence of alcohol, and we have clear evidence that programmes like the “24/7 Sobriety” strategy pioneered by South Dakota—which requires those convicted of alcohol-related offences to take twice-a-day breathalyser tests —can dramatically reduce reoffending, without relying on long prison sentences. The SOBER Act, which has bipartisan support in Congress, would help bring 24/7 to other states.
endorse (to make a public statement of your approval or support)
Finally, the third P, patriotism. This is the policy area most susceptible to empty vibes, but even here there is policy substance to be found. Democrats have sustained repeated attacks for their embrace of “critical race theory” and the “1619 Project”, some of which were fair and some scurrilous (abusive).
At a minimum, The Harris campaign has an opportunity to show that it is willing to defy (go against) its more wild-eyed (have an angry or depressed expression in the eyes) professional and pedagogical (relating to the practice of teaching and its methods) allies by throwing its support behind the Educating for American Democracy proposals for reinvigorating (reinvigorating (give new energy or strength to) civic education. Written by an eclectic (wide-ranging) coalition of liberals and conservatives, these proposals moved beyond the 1619-versus-1776 culturewar framing of American history and understanding of its institutions. Instead they sought to dramatically increase the quality of civic education within a framework that, rather like the Harris campaign’s vibes, balances “civic honesty and patriotism”.
implementing (carry out, accomplish)
Driving down prices by increasing supply; fighting crime through swift, certain and fair policing and punishment; and advancing patriotism through a revamped (to change or arrange something again, in order to improve it) civic-education curriculum. Together, these policies would show the voters who will decide this election that Ms Harris intends to govern the way she is campaigning, speaking squarely (directly) to the concerns of normal Americans. Opposing them would look, well, weird.
11.
a make-or-break moment
set out to ( to start an activity with a particular aim)
has failed to stand up to the man who is her mentor
retrograde (backwards)
purge (to rid, clear, or free)
grudge (anger and hate)
overhaul (revise, or renew thoroughly)
tribunal (an adjudicatory body or court of justice)
eliminate (remove)
It has a big opportunity as manufacturing supply-chains move closer to America, but it is missing the boat (lose an opportunity).
The country is buckling (to cause to bend, give way, or crumple) under crime and deficit (shortage).
warn of eroding business confidence.
reassure (to restore to confidence)
sidelined (siding)
implementing (put into effect) legislation
credentials (something that entitles a person to confidence, authority)
12.
Johnston County, where pristine (in its original condition; unspoiled) suburban streets yield (produce or provide (a natural, agricultural, or industrial product).) to rambling (trailing, creeping) country roads.
handily (easily, conveniently, or in a dexterous manner)
exurban counties (an area outside the typically denser inner suburban area)
peculiar (unusual)
political demography
take them for granted (fail to properly appreciate (someone or something), especially as a result of overfamiliarity.)
toss-up (something that offers no clear basis for choice)
ascension (the act of changing location in an upward direction)
enticing (attractive or tempting; alluring)
dismal (very gloomy and depressing)
running up the score with their own base
pores over (to read or study something very carefully, usually a book or document)
prosperous (successful in material terms; flourishing financially)
aversion (a strong dislike or disinclination)
adamant (unshakable or insistent especially in maintaining a position or opinion)
disillusionment (you’re bummed out because you no longer believe in something)
13.
a bleak (miserable, charmless) childhood growing up in a slum in North Sumatra in Indonesia.
abduct (kidnap) children
childhood tribulations (trouble)
blockbuster (an unusually successful hit)
a purportedly(something is believed or reputed to be true) real experience
box office (an office (as in a theater) where tickets of admission are sold)
Parents often use ghost stories to make children behave.
churned out (to produce large quantities of it very quickly)
lurid (brilliant)
exploitation films (use sensationalism, often focusing on shocking or provocative content to attract audiences)
Under the scrutiny (exploration) of censors, horror films during this period usually had an “ideological dimension”
vengeful (someone who is determined to get revenge) spirit
pious (religious)
The rise of streaming in the past decade or so has helped usher (guide) in the new era.
motif (idea)
impenetrable
pocong (is a ghost that looks like a person wrapped in a funeral cloth) undead
14.
military junta (a military or political group that rules a country after taking power by force)
battered (beaten)
cracked the predawn calm
ousted (expel)
executions (the death penalty)
with the tacit (expressed without words or speech) consent of
broker a truce (try to negotiate or arrange it)
it is poised (self-possessed) to play the lead role in
periphery (outer edge)
stance (posture)
coup (overthrow the government)
garrison (any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it)
disciplined (behaving in a very controlled way)
insurgent (a person who rises in revolt against civil authority or an established government)
align (to be in or come into precise adjustment or correct relative position)
convoys (a protective escort (as for vehicles, ships)) of vehicles
escarpment (a steep slope or cliff).
convene (to gather or assemble)
naught (nothing or zero)
taking things up a notch (to increase the intensity, quality, or effort of something; to raise the level of action or performance)
incentives (motivations or rewards to encourage action)
reel (to stumble or feel disoriented)
qualms (doubts or concerns)
15.
It would be comforting to play down the significance of…
whisker (by a very small amount)
antisemitic (means prejudice against or hatred of Jews)
It has a pernicious (highly injurious or destructive) knock-on effect.
In a vicious (brutal) cycle, disappointment further fuels support for the…
hapless (having no luck)
held a snap (unexpectedly) parliamentary election,
surmountable (something is possible to deal with or solve successfully)
plausibly (something is likely to be true or possible to believe)
The lure (attraction) of power is a strong incentive (an external influence) to evolve.
tie down
technocrat
Germany is the toughest nut to crack.
deem (consider)
cordon sanitaire (a protective barrier (as of buffer states) against a potentially aggressive nation or a dangerous influence (such as an ideology))
breach (split, break through)
outfit (costume, outfit, clothing)
Treating the AfD like pariahs (untouchable) reinforces its appeal among the discontented; but the alternative is worse.
The best way to grapple (struggle) with the extremists is to deal with the grievances that boost their popularity. Dismissing (release, free) the concerns of a third or more of the electorate (the body of persons entitled to vote in an election) is not just anti-democratic, it is anti-pragmatic.
evokes (bring to mind)
pick up the tab (for something) (to pay for something)
Solving local irritants can soothe voters’ general discontent.
intractable (uncontrollable)
perception (recognition, realization)
Reinforcing Europe’s external borders, deporting failed asylum-seekers and integrating (to calculate, to form, to make parts of something into a whole) those who stay are all difficult.
But until governments look as though (how something appears to be the case when it is not) they are trying harder, the rise of the right will continue, and the centre will go on evaporating.
16.
Amid the chaos of Libya’s long-sputtering (to utter hastily or explosively in confusion or excitement) civil war
façade (the front part or exterior of a building)
turquoise
cupolas (a small structure that sits on top of a roof and can be used for ventilation, which means airflow, decoration, or both)
a throwback to the days of Italian colonisation
unscathed (not scathed; unharmed; uninjured)
topple
kept a vestige of (a trace, mark, or visible sign left by something (such as an ancient city or a condition or practice) vanished or lost) ) unity
linchpin (a person or thing vital to an enterprise or organization)
militiamen
erstwhile (former) allay
pliant (something is flexible, can bend without breaking, or is easily influenced)
sow the seeds of his own demise (death)
grandiose (magnificent) schemes (project)
hive off (become separate)
oil revenue (the total amount of money)
lucre (money)
recipients (receiver)
amassed (to get a large amount of)
dinar (principal currency)
plummeted (fall or drop straight down at high speed)
Petrol queues snake for hours.
eviction (the action of expelling someone, especially a tenant, from a property)
turned off the oil taps (valves) that provide 95% of Libya’s revenue
Usual production of 1.2m barrels a day has slumped (fall steeply) by 60%.
deter (discourage) their protégés (pupil, student, trainee, apprentice, disciple, follower)
all-out (with full determination or enthusiasm)
redoubt (a temporary or supplementary fortification)
expenditure (expense, payment)
bolstered their war chest (increased their money for)
mercenary (professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army)
17.
Heat kills crops, spoils food and medicines, and makes it impossible to work, study or sleep.
As the planet warms, the number of days when people on the continent will be exposed to excessively high temperatures is set to rise. How will they keep themselves, their food and their medicines cool?
refrigerant leakage
Only half the population has grid (matrix, network) power.
Even where it is stable, the cost of running an air-conditioner is forbiddingly high, partly because lax (not sufficiently strict, severe, or careful) regulation means most are energy-intensive (extreme in degree) and inefficient.
Only 5% of African homes have a unit, a percentage that has barely budged（move） in two decades.
As temperatures and incomes rise, that number is likely to rise, and efforts are under way to (something is happening now or in progress) make air-conditioning more sustainable.
Yet given the unstable grid, lack of money and the need to limit emissions of greenhouse gases, other ways of keeping cool will be needed, too.
For now, much climate-friendly innovation is concerned not with cooling people, but with ensuring that heat does not spoil their food and medicine.
Cameroon and Sierra Leone use solar-powered fridges to keep vaccines and other temperature-sensitive medicines stable.
Combined with battery storage, they stay cool even when there is no sun or alternative power supply. Some freeze water into an ice lining, meaning they do not even need batteries. Supplied to the Democratic Republic of Congo during the covid19 pandemic, they can now be used for mpox vaccines.
Similar efforts are under way in agriculture, where up to 18% of harvests are currently lost to insufficient cold storage. Some startups are offering farmers space to rent in solar-powered cold rooms.
When it comes to keeping people cool with limited or no air-conditioning, building design is essential, particularly in dense cities. Nearly 60% of Africans will probably live in cities by the end of the decade. Around 70% of the buildings that are likely to exist on the continent by 2040 have yet to be built, according to the UN. That provides ample room for incorporating simple, cheap and sustainable building practices, such as building walls with mud brick or insulating them with charcoal, and making window shades from cheaper woods, such as eucalyptus.
For existing houses, coating roofs in reflective white paint can reduce indoor temperatures and also cool the urban environment, as long as buildings are painted in clusters. Governments will need to help scale up sustainable practices. They must abolish rules that prevent people from accessing cooling, such as high import tariffs on fridges. Designing regulation that favours greener appliances and improving labelling will help consumers choose more efficient options. Tighter building standards, heat-adaptation plans and more greenery for cities could cool the urban environment. The harder governments try, the more Africans will have access to some cool comfort as the planet warms.
18.
aplenty (abundant, plentiful, ample, bountiful)
avid (eager, enthusiastic, passionate, fervent)
vows (pledges, promises, oaths, commitments)
saturation (fullness, overload, inundation, abundance)
conscription (draft, enlistment, recruitment, mandatory service)
instil (implant, inculcate, impart, infuse)
critical infrastructure (essential facilities, key systems, vital assets, core services)
resilient (robust, durable, adaptable, hardy)
obstructionists (blockers, hinderers, opponents, resistors)
19.
sift (sieve)
the heap of words (strongest matches of the words) ,
adversary (opponent)
perplexing (lacking clarity of meaning) facts
emitted gassy bubbles of unreality
nimble (agile, quick-action)
prone (vulnerable)
meandering (winding, zigzag)
extemporaneous (spoken or done without preparation ) remarks or interviews
contending (struggle to surmount (a difficulty or danger)
nuance (a very slight difference in appearance, meaning, sound, etc)
hyperbole (exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally)
scrutinising (to examine something very carefully in order to discover information)
pivotal (of crucial importance in relation to the development or success of something else)
toggle (to switch between usually two different options, states, or activities )
menace (threaten, especially in a malignant or hostile manner)
hone (to make more acute, intense, or effective)
prickly (thorny, barbed)
belly flop
conventional (something is ordinary, normal, or follows accepted standards)
20.
A giant ego and plenty of courage to take on Elon Musk, the world’s richest man who owns X, a social-media network that can often seem like his personal megaphone.
his relentless pursuit of high-profile (attracting a lot of attention in newspapers, on television) cases
That is a position few well-run firms would contemplate (look thoughtfully for a long time at).
proportional (corresponding in size or amount to something else)
interventionist (someone who believes in becoming involved in influencing a country’s economy)
jeopardise(put (someone or something) into a situation in which there is a danger of loss, harm, or failure) the electoral process
a panel of (a small group of people who are chosen to do something) five judges
modification (a change made)
sheriff (government official, with varying duties)
confronting (bother, trouble)
machines were rigged (set up/equiped)
inaugurated (begin or introduce (a system, policy, or period).)
ransack (go hurriedly through (a place) stealing things and causing damage.)
probe (to search into and explore very thoroughly)
“digital militias”, a worryingly woolly (unclear, vague, or confused) term.
crusade (a long and determined attempt to achieve, change, or stop something because of your strong beliefs)
veer off (to change direction or turn away from something) track/road.
In December 2022 almost a third of Brazilians said the court did a “good” or “excellent” job. In May only 14% did.
Pushback is mounting.
21.
Closer relations with Europe would also serve the Labour government’s priority: growth.
inflicted (imposed, administered, caused, enforced, delivered)
Investment has suffered, trade has stuttered.
The stifling (suffocating, oppressive, constraining, smothering, restricting)of competition from abroad risks sapping (draining, weakening, exhausting, depleting, undermining) productivity for years to come.
shibboleth (catchphrase, slogan, cliché, motto, truism)
disdainful (contemptuous, scornful, dismissive, sneering, condescending) of European overtures
closer economic integration and regulatory alignment
quixotic (idealistic, impractical, unrealistic, fanciful, visionary) and costly
22.
satirical (mocking, ironic, sardonic, critical, humorous)
In the glory days of media, writers could simply upload stories to a website and watch as eyeballs and advertising dollars flooded in.
These days that is not enough, and the Onion has identified a potentially lucrative (profitable, rewarding, gainful, fruitful, moneymaking)new source of revenue: regular deliveries of multipurpose layered cellulose fibres.
“Whether it is for lining cat-litter trays, wrapping gifts or rolling up to swat your enemies with, what the Onion offers is a solid, physical product,”
pastiche
It featured an exclusive interview with Kamala Harris (voting for Donald Trump); news from the campaign trail (“Tim Walz Writes ‘Great Job’ On Supporter’s Baby”)
Earlier this year, with digital ad rates on the floor, G/O Media announced a fire sale of its titles.
Some, such as Deadspin, a snarky (sarcastic, biting, mocking, cynical, scornful) sports-news site, saw their staff gutted (devastated, heartbroken, shattered, crushed, disheartened) by new owners.
Their goal is simply to keep the business afloat and its 15 writers paid.
Online, po-faced outrage stifles satire, and it is harder to maintain a distinctive brand when so many readers flit in from social media or search engines. Print provides a chance to do more daring, extended jokes again, and build a new fanbase. Only with print can we ever hope to target readers too stupid or infirm to use the internet. Only through print can we tell imbeciles (fools, idiots, simpletons, dunces, dimwits) like yourself precisely how to think in a single, unswerving (steadfast, unwavering, resolute, constant, loyal)voice.” For a publication devoted to teasing newspapers, returning to paper is the ultimate troll (provoker, agitator, instigator, troublemaker, heckler). If the Onion succeeds, the joke will be on everyone else fleeing the format.
23.
conceal (hide)
flaw (defect)
anodyne (painkiller)
purge (cleanse)
realm (domain)
mundane (ordinary)
hampering (hindering)
deviations (departures)
yawning discrepancy (gaping difference)
convoluted (complex)
gauge (measure)
revealed (uncovered)
moribund (dying) housing industry in Japan
contortion (twist)
scrutiny (examination)
commentators (analysts)
broaching (introducing)
prominent (notable)
interpretation (explanation)
boon (blessing)
ruffled feathers (disturbed emotions)
reticence (taciturnity)
vague (blur) and formulaic
compensate (reimburse)
an exodus of (a mass departure of)
curb (restrain)
circumscribed (limited)
curtailing (reducing)
explicit (clear)
merging (combining)
subordinating (prioritizing)
imperatives (necessities)
fanaticism (zealotry, extremism)
unfettered (unrestricted)
heaped (piled)
devising (formulating)
prominent (notable)
crux (core)
essence (nature)
stances (positions)
strangulation (limit, compression) of information
vexing ( irritating, provoking, or annoying)
grope(search blindly) around in the dark
Even though local officials talk excitedly about a boom in whizzy technologies such as AI or robotics, the actual benefit to the economy of these industries is woefully small.
churning out nothing but adulatory drivel (Says nothing but sycophantic/toadying nonsense)
churning out (to produce something quickly and in large quantities, often something of low quality)
adulatory (toadying)
drivel (nonsense)
welded shut
The fad (trend, fashion) is fading somewhat: by the end of last year there were only 1,096.)
implement (apply, put (a decision, plan, agreement, etc.) into effect.)
at odds ( not agreeing with each other) with one another
a trove (a store of valuable or delightful things) of
top echelon (level, ranking)
profusion (heap, abundance)
apogee (the highest point in the development of something; a climax or culmination)
espouse (adopt or support (a cause, belief, or way of life).)
incentive (motivation)
edict (order, command)
from on high (from a very high place)
deteriorating (becoming progressively worse)
a dearth (scarcity, lack) of good information
24.
overhaul (revamp, renovate, redo, reconstruct, refurbish)
boisterous (rowdy, noisy, lively, exuberant, rambunctious)
daunting (intimidating, overwhelming, challenging, formidable, discouraging)
pushing through a slew of (advancing through many, navigating a series of, handling a multitude of, managing a range of, moving forward through)
gymnasium (gym, sports hall, athletic center, fitness center)
electoral (voting, election-related, political, ballot-based)
supplant (replace, displace, oust, take over, substitute)
hamstring (cripple, hinder, impair, restrict, impede)
render (make, cause, deliver, produce, provide)
batch (group, set, collection, bundle, assortment)
fracking (hydraulic fracturing, shale gas extraction, drilling, oil extraction technique)
modified maize (genetically altered corn, engineered maize, gm corn, bioengineered corn)
deter (discourage, prevent, dissuade, hinder, impede)
consolidating (strengthening, unifying, merging, reinforcing, solidifying)
mantra of caring for the downtrodden (commitment to uplifting the underprivileged, motto of supporting the disadvantaged, principle of aiding the oppressed, slogan of helping the marginalized)
intransigence over (stubbornness on, inflexibility regarding, rigidity about, refusal to compromise on, obstinance concerning)
referendum (public vote, ballot measure, plebiscite, popular vote, poll)
tripwire (trigger, alarm, alert, warning mechanism, threshold)
inflammatory (provocative, inciting, incendiary, agitating, arousing)
tackle (address, confront, handle, deal with, take on)
tone down (moderate, soften, lessen, reduce, temper)
sash (band, ribbon, belt, strip, scarf)
ranch (farm, homestead, cattle ranch, livestock farm, estate)
25.
upend (overturn) human rituals ((cultural practices, social ceremonies, traditional customs, societal rituals, human traditions))
ritually (traditionally, formally, customarily, habitually)
Everyday life depends on ritual performances such as being polite, dressing appropriately, following proper procedure and observing the law.
The particulars vary, often mightily, across time, space and societies.
But they are the foundation of all formal and informal institutions, making co-ordination between people feel effortless.
They seem invisible, only because we take them so much for granted. Organisations couldn’t work without rituals. When you write a reference letter for a former colleague or give or get a tchotchke ((trinket, knickknack, ornament, souvenir, bauble)) on Employee Appreciation Day, you are enacting a ceremony, reinforcing the foundations of a world in which everyone knows the rules and expects them to be observed—even if you sometimes secretly roll your eyes.
Rituals also lay the paper and electronic trails through which organisations keep track of things.
boilerplate
mandatory statements
Serious religion involves soul-searching and doubt, but for many ritual observances, the dreary (gloomy, dull, bleak, dismal, depressing) repetition of the cliché is the point.
Much organisational language is static rather than dynamic, intended not to spur original thought but to align everyone on a shared understanding of internal rules and norms.
LLMs have no internal mental processes they are aptly suited to answering such ritualised prompts, spinning out the required clichés with slight variations.
They tend to regurgitate (reproduce, repeat, echo, reiterate, disgorge) “maximally unsurprising outcomes”.
For the first time, we have non-human, non-intelligent processes that can generatively enact ritual at high speed and industrial scale, varying it as needed to fit the particular circumstances.
Organisational ceremonies, such as the annual performance evaluations that can lead to employees being promoted or fired, can be carried out far more quickly and easily with LLMs.
All the manager has to do is fire up ChatGPT, enter in a brief prompt with some cut-and-pasted data, and voilà! Tweak it a little, and an hour’s work is done in seconds.
The efficiency gains could be remarkable. And perhaps, sometimes, efficiency is all we care about. If a ritual is performed just to affirm an organisational shibboleth, then a machine’s words may suit just as well, or even better.
Still, things might get awkward if everyone suspects that everyone else is inauthentically using an LLM.
In the sincerity of others—and the ritualistic performance of that belief—is one of the bedrocks of social life. What happens when people lose their faith? A bad performance evaluation is one thing if you think the manager has sweated over it, but quite another if you suspect he farmed it out to an algorithm.
Scientific knowledge may seem impersonal, but it depends on a human-run infrastructure of evaluation and replication.
Institutions like peer review are shot through with irrationality, jealousy and sloppy behaviour, but they are essential to scientific progress.
Letters of recommendation, peer reviews and even scientific papers themselves will become less trustworthy. Plausibly, they already are. Exactly because LLMs are mindless, they might enact organisational rituals more efficiently, and sometimes more compellingly, than curious and probing humans ever could. For just the same reason, they can divorce ceremony from thoughtfulness, and judgment from knowledge.
Look overhead. The stars are not all going out. But without any fuss, some are guttering and starting to fade.
26.
disgruntled (dissatisfied, unhappy, discontented, disgruntled)
a neutral arbiter (impartial mediator, unbiased judge, fair adjudicator, objective referee)
torpedoing (sabotaging, undermining, wrecking, thwarting)
consecutive term (successive term, continuous term, sequential term, back-to-back term)
submissive (obedient, compliant, docile, yielding)
pander (cater to, indulge, satisfy, appease)
supporters took to the streets
this crisis set the scene for the haphazard (random, chaotic, disorganized, erratic)attempted coup in june.
putsch (coup, overthrow, rebellion, insurrection)
tainted (contaminated, polluted, spoiled, stained)
confronted with sprawling ballot papers (faced with extensive ballots, presented with lengthy voting papers, met with wide ballot sheets, dealing with expansive ballot forms)
27.
The Turkish president is desperate to avoid a regional war.
grandee
genocide (massacre, extermination, annihilation, holocaust)
deteriorated (declined, worsened, degraded, weakened)
incensed (enraged, infuriated, angered, outraged)
blatantly turned a blind eye (openly ignored, willfully overlooked, shamelessly disregarded, brazenly dismissed)
détente (relaxation, easing, reconciliation, thaw)
veto (reject, prohibit, deny, disapprove)
escalation (intensification, increase, growth, expansion)
influx (arrival, surge, inflow, flood)
lucrative (profitable, rewarding, fruitful, money-making)
prevails (dominates, triumphs, wins, persists)
chafe (irritate, annoy, rub, aggravate)
stench (odor, smell, reek, foulness)
28.
murkier (darker, cloudier, hazier, more obscure)
inaugural (initial, first, opening, introductory)
triennial shindig (three-year event, periodic celebration, recurring festivity, triannual gathering)
financial pledge (monetary commitment, funding promise, fiscal assurance, economic guarantee)
a slump in infrastructure borrowing (decline in funding, reduction in loans, decrease in investment, drop in financing)
notably (significantly, especially, importantly, markedly)
accrued (accumulated, gathered, amassed, built up)
big-ticket infrastructure (major projects, high-cost developments, large-scale constructions, substantial investments)
frenzied (hectic, frantic, wild, chaotic)
endeavour (effort, attempt, undertaking, pursuit)
perceived (seen as, regarded, viewed, believed)
Even as lending has fallen, trade has ticked up.
second to none
six consecutive (continuious, uninterrupted) years
much of what we think is going on in the world of … is based on where the light is shone
syndicated-loan agreement in question
moral clout
suitor
29.
nomenclature (terminology, naming system, classification, lexicon)
appalling (horrifying, shocking, dreadful, ghastly)
appellation (name, title, designation, label)
here was a person with a knack for (a skilled at, proficient in) names
acronym (abbreviation, initialism, shorthand, condensed form)
admittedly (concededly, indeed, granted, undeniably)
nominal hyperinflation has run rampant (excessive inflation has escalated, extreme price rise is widespread, high inflation has spread rapidly)
lack of imagination is also creeping in (uninspired thinking is increasing, creativity is fading, mundane ideas are emerging)
sated (satisfied, fulfilled, gratified, content)
warp and weft of (fabric of, foundation of, structure of, underlying threads of)
30.
31.
fires a barrage of negative advertisements
an out-of-touch leftist who is soft on crime and immigration
how to drag down an opponent (ways to undermine a rival, methods to weaken competition, tactics to bring down opposition)
Negative ads suppress voting more than positive ads encourage it (attack ads deter turnout, critical ads reduce participation, negative messaging decreases voter turnout)
rally (gathering, meeting, mobilization, assembly)
grapple (struggle, wrestle, deal, tackle)
amnesty (pardon, forgiveness, clemency, reprieve)
subtlety (nuance, refinement, delicacy, finesse)
32.
nightmarish (terrifying, horrific, dreadful, unsettling)
Bolster opposition to the radicals (strengthen resistance against extremists, support opposition, reinforce dissent)
to weaken fringe outfit
a rum array of (a strange, unusual, or eclectic assortment of ) coalitions
independents without a party affiliation
sacrifice of sacred cows
Prop up (support, sustain, bolster, reinforce)
Stance (position, viewpoint, attitude, opinion)
Lie beyond the remit of (exceed authority, outside the scope of, not within responsibility)
Prophecy (prediction, forecast, foretelling, vision)
Eccentric (unconventional, odd, quirky, peculiar)
Volatile (unstable, unpredictable, explosive, turbulent)
Charismatic (charming, magnetic, appealing, influential)
Contraption (device, gadget, apparatus, machine)
Clampdown (crackdown, suppression, restriction, control)
33.
clampdown (crackdown, suppression, restriction, control)
it may even be drawing more adherents (it could be attracting more supporters, gaining followers, bringing in advocates)
beneficent smile (kind smile, compassionate expression, benevolent look, caring gesture)
becoming ever more numerous
That view jars with the impression conveyed by another, far more conspicuous, trend:
In public forums online, it is usually hard to find liberal views.
pounce on (seize upon, jump on, capitalize on, take advantage of) the few who dare to challenge them
enjoy a wide-open field thanks
drearily homogenous (monotonously uniform, tiresomely alike, blandly similar)
vitality (energy, liveliness, vigor, dynamism)
With the help of high-tech surveillance and a massive domesticsecurity apparatus,
dissident (opponent, rebel, critic, nonconformist)
left-leaning (progressive, liberal, politically left, socialist-leaning)
stay vigilant! (remain alert, keep watchful, be on guard, stay cautious)
floundered (struggled, faltered, failed, stumbled)
made hay of (took advantage of, made use of, capitalized on, leveraged)
swing into action (jump into action, get moving, take action, activate)
but gloominess is palpable (a sense of despair is evident, somberness is tangible, mood is downcast)
lacklustre (dull, uninspiring, flat, unimpressive)
pseudonym (alias, pen name, stage name, assumed name)
prevail (triumph, succeed, dominate, endure)
sceptic (doubter, cynic, questioner)
in its cafés and counterculture of underground music; and in a laid-back lifestyle nurtured by a mild, subtropical climate
ravaged (devastated, destroyed, wrecked, ruined)
prescient (foreseeing, prophetic, insightful, foresighted)
equivalent of (same as, counterpart to, comparable to)
stampede (rush, surge, charge, dash)
meddling (interfering, intruding, involving oneself, intervention)
atrocities (horrors, crimes, brutalities, violations)
stifling (oppressive, suffocating, constraining, smothering)
subversion (undermining, overthrow, destabilization, rebellion)
it went viral on social media (it spread rapidly online, gained widespread attention, became popular)
bring out (highlight, reveal, emphasize, showcase)
undermine (weaken, sabotage, impair, erode)
wobble (teeter, sway, shake, falter)
paralysis (inactivity, immobilization, standstill, stagnation)
squabble (quarrel, argument, dispute, spat)
34.
slackers (underachievers, lazy individuals, idlers, shirkers)
up to scratch (acceptable, satisfactory, meeting standards, adequate)
lax (careless, lenient, relaxed, negligent)
the purging of (removal of, cleansing of, elimination of)
six consecutive months (six straight months, continuous six months, half a year in a row)
expulsion (removal, ejection, dismissal, eviction)
harbour (to keep or hold onto a particular belief, feeling, or idea, often secretly or quietly) beliefs in the supernatural
subordinates (assistants, juniors, underlings, aides)
Many therefore believe that it is better to keep their heads down than to show any initiative.
Stricter enforcement of the rules is unlikely to encourage them.
34.
led a delegation to washington (headed a team, directed a group, guided representatives to washington)
a fresh bid (new attempt, renewed effort, recent try)
objection (disapproval, protest, dissent, opposition)
trigger an escalatory response (provoke an intensified reaction, cause a heightened reply)
resorting to nuclear weapons (turning to atomic arms, using nuclear force)
sabre-rattling (threatening, military posturing, intimidation tactics)
various reasons for … have been trotted out
jeopardise (endanger, risk, threaten, compromise)
theatre (arena, setting, stage, context)
undergirding (supporting, reinforcing, bolstering, strengthening)
concurs (agrees, aligns, acknowledges, endorses)
ballistic (missile-related, explosive, projective)
home-grown (domestic, locally sourced, indigenous, native)
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