CAMBRIDGE
ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE ADVANCED
UNIT 66
Speed: fast and slow
A
|
Going
fast
These verbs suggest going somewhere
very quickly on foot or in a vehicle: dash, fly, race, tear.
I dashed into the classroom to
pick up my books. She came flying out of her house. I raced/tore to
the station and just made it in time for the last train.
The verbs nip and pop suggest
going a short distance quickly, on foot or in a vehicle: I nipped/ popped
into a near by shop to buy a bottle of water
The verb dart suggests a
quick, sudden movement, often by an animal: A dragonfly darted past. I
darted behind the door to hide.
The verbs zip and whizz are
often used about vehicles going quickly: The bus whizzed/zipped past me
just as I got to the bus stop.
The verb bolt also suggests
fast movement over a short distance but it also has the added association of
running away from something: The thieves bolted when the alarm went
off.
The verb career suggests that
something is moving rapidly and is out of control: The car skidded and careered
down a bank. The company seems to be careering into financial
ruin.
The verbs scamper, scurry,
scuttle suggest small rapid steps, often used to describe the way a
small animal runs: As we went into the dark shed, we saw mice scampering away
and spiders scurrying into corners. Cockroaches scuttled into a
crack in the floor.
These verbs emphasise the fact that
speed is increasing: speed up, accelerate. Accelerate is
used only about transport, whereas speed up can also refer to movement
on foot. Both verbs can be used figuratively: We’d better speed up if
we’re going to get there on time. The growth of the company has accelerated
since it started exporting.
|
B
|
Going
up or down fast
These
verbs suggest a downward movement, as well as speed: plunge, plummet:
He put on a lifejacket and plunged into the icy water. Notice that
they are mainly used metaphorically: When export sales began to decline, our
hopes of business success plummeted. After the death of his father, he
was plunged into despair.
These
verbs suggest a fast upward movement: rocket, soar. Notice that
they are mainly used metaphorically and have strong associations with
financial matters such as prices and share values: When our export sales rocketed,
our hopes soared.
The
primary association of soar is with birds, and when it is used about
people’s feelings it provides associations of happiness and being carefree:
My heart soared when I heard that he was coming home.
The
opposite of soar and rocket in a financial context would be slump
or tumble. Both suggest a rapid downward movement: Share prices slumped
(or plummeted) on the stock market yesterday, with
telecommunications companies tumbling most dramatically of all.
|
C
|
Going slowly
These intransitive verbs emphasise
that the movement is slow: crawl, creep. They are often used metaphorically:
Prices have been creeping up since May. It was rush hour and the
traffic was crawling along.
Totter also suggests a fairly slow movement, but it is one that
is particularly unsteady as well: Mina tottered down the road, laden
with parcels and bags.
Sidle means to walk anxiously and nervously: Sam sidled up to
the boss’s desk and coughed to attract his attention.
Dawdle means to move more slowly than is necessary, or to waste
time: Don’t dawdle on the
way home. |
EXERCISES
66.1
|
Answer
these questions.
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66.2
|
Would
you be pleased or not to read the following headlines in your newspaper?
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66.3
|
Which
do you think is the best verb to fill each of these gaps?
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ANSWER KEY
66.1
1
in a hurry
2
speed up
3
dawdling
4
a traffic jam
5
rocket
6
totter
7
career
8
person who races
9
to be creeping up
10
fast
66.2
1
not pleased
2 not pleased 3 not pleased 4 pleased 5 not pleased 6 not pleased
66.3
1
C
2 B 3 D 4 C (accelerate is not normally used for people) 5 B 6 D 7 D 8 B 9 B 10 A |
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