CAMBRIDGE
ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE ADVANCED
UNIT 21
Talking about books
A
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Blurbs
A blurb is a short text, usually
printed on the back cover of a book, describing what the book is about and
sometimes including quotes from critics. Here are some examples.
1
/ˈpɔɪnjənt/ moving and sad
2
description of a sequence of events
3
praised by the public
4
very interesting and engaging
5
rather dark, mournful and gloomy (lugubrious
is often used of people too)
6
/məˈkɑːbrə/ often cruel or disgusting, concerned with death
7
causing great fear
8
powerful story that keeps you interested
9
the ability to understand what something is really like
10 so interesting or exciting that it holds your attention
totally
11 mysterious
12 amazing
13 in the face of a bad situation
14 which arouse memories or images
15 who has the same name as the title of the book
16 main character
17 pleasant and interesting
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B
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Some other types of books
A
journal is a written record of what you have done each day, e.g. a
learning journal. It is also a publication containing academic articles,
published at regular intervals, e.g. every three months.
Memoirs
/ˈmemwɑːz/ are a written record of a person’s own life, typically
by a politician or military figure. An encyclopedia is a book or set
of books containing articles arranged in alphabetical order, dealing with the
whole of human knowledge or part of it.
An
anthology is a collection of, for example, poems or short stories by
different authors.
A
manual is usually a technical book with instructions, for example, a
car manual.
A
logbook is a book that records events, times, etc., for example, all
the journeys made by a lorry or ship.
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C
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Other expressions for talking about
books
I’m
reading a book about the history of Ireland. It’s compulsive reading. [difficult
to stop once you’ve started; formal] Or It’s one of those books
you just can’t put down. [informal] It’s very informative.
[gives a lot of useful information]
Nancy
Riley’s novel about mental breakdown, published in 1950, was ahead of its
time. [contained ideas that no one else had yet thought of or discussed
at that time] Her 1955 book Exciting Careers for
Women
was a product of its time,
though the ideas seem tame and old-fashioned, even genderbiased, now. [a
reflection of that time]
Bertram’s
latest novel is not a difficult book; in fact it’s rather lightweight.
[not complex; slightly negative connotation] It’s good bedtime reading.
[nice to read in bed] His last one was heavy going and I just couldn’t
get into it. [difficult to read] [become involved/ engage with] Nonetheless,
his books always attract a wide readership. [number of people who read
them]
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Common
mistakes
An
academic publication containing articles by different authors that is issued periodically
(e.g. three times a year) is normally called a journal (NOT magazine).
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EXERCISES
21.1
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Which
names for types of books or other reading material from B opposite would best
fit these statements?
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21.2
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Rewrite
these sentences using words or phrases from the opposite page to describe the
experience of reading particular books.
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21.3
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Fill
the gaps in these sentences with appropriate adjectives from the opposite
page, based on the meaning in brackets.
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21.4
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Match
the things you might find in particular kinds of books with an appropriate
type of book.
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21.5
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Over
to you
Think
of a book you read and enjoyed recently. Which words from this unit describe
it best?
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ANSWER KEY
22.1
1 memoir/memoirs
2 manual
3 anthology
4 journal
22.2
Suggested answers:
1 I just could not get into the story, so I stopped reading it. 2 It’s lightweight. 3 It’s heavy going. 4 It’s good bedtime reading; it’s just right when you’re settling down at night. All the time I was reading it, I just couldn’t put it down. 5 It’s compulsive reading, it’s so fascinating. / It’s a gripping story. 6 The book is very informative. 7 Her second novel did not attract a large readership. 8 This book contains some great moments of insight. 9 It is an engaging tale about a boy who nurses an injured bird. 10 Mena Harrap’s self-help book was a product of its time, but what was true in the 1980s doesn’t necessarily apply nowadays.
22.3
1 The story takes place against a
rather lugubrious background in 18th-century London.
2 It’s full of wry comedy and satire. 3 The book is a chilling documentation of abuse in a prison. 4 The novel is full of evocative passages depicting life in Australia at the turn of the 19th century. 5 It’s a very enigmatic novel; you never really know what is happening until right at the end. 6 The novel is a poignant portrayal of life in a coal-mining community during the last economic recession. 7 John Farr’s latest novel is a breathtaking masterpiece. 8 House of the Dead is a macabre story of torture and death in a medieval castle. 9 The novel’s eponymous heroine, Maria Selune, leaves home at the age of 18 and travels through Asia. 10 Laisha and Asoka are the protagonists in this unusual tale of rural family life.
22.3
1 c 2 a 3 d 4 b
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