Upper Level Vocabulary Test 8

A record low is the lowest level ever reached. It is a fixed collocation in news about prices and currencies, as in a record high and record temperatures. Not final or last: these do not mean 'the lowest ever'.

Be carried away means to become so excited that you lose control of your feelings or behaviour. Example: The crowd got carried away and ran onto the pitch. Not moved: we say moved to tears, not moved away by a feeling.

We catch someone's attention when we attract it, and we hold it when we keep it. Caught and held the audience's attention is a natural collocation. Not took: we do not say take someone's attention.

Sympathetic means showing that you understand and care about someone's sadness or problems. This fits the news that a pet has died. Not pitiful: it means 'making people feel pity' or 'very poor', not 'kind and understanding'.

The natural phrase for a conversation between people is talk about something: What were they talking about? Not discussing: discuss takes a direct object with no about (discuss the plan).

Other goes before plural nouns to mean 'people or things apart from the one already mentioned': other people. Not another: it is used only with singular nouns (another person).

A colour or style suits you when it makes you look attractive: Red suits you. Not fits: fit is about the right size, e.g. The dress fits me perfectly.

Have a word with someone means to speak to them briefly, often about something private or important. Example: Can I have a word with you after the meeting? Not speech or lecture: these are given to an audience.

From top to bottom is a fixed phrase meaning 'completely, every part of something'. Example: We searched the house from top to bottom.

Figure means the shape of a person's body, especially a woman's: She has a beautiful figure. Not shape: we say in good shape for fitness, but a beautiful figure for someone's body.

Bring up a child means to raise and educate them at home, so well brought up children have good manners. Not brought round: that means 'made someone conscious again' or 'persuaded'.

Clever with your hands means good at making or repairing things. Example: She's clever with her hands and makes her own furniture. Not intelligent: it describes the mind and is not used with with his hands.

A reward is money given to someone for finding something lost or for helping, e.g. a reward for information. Not prize: you win a prize in a competition.

I should be glad/grateful if you would… is a polite formal phrase used in letters to make a request. Not kind: we say It would be kind of you to…, not I should be kind if…

Work hard means work with a lot of effort. Here hard is an adverb, the same form as the adjective. Not strongly: it does not collocate with work.

Upset means unhappy or worried because something bad has happened, such as failing an exam. Not sensitive: it means 'easily hurt' as a personality trait, not a reaction to one event.

The collocation is tell a lie, as in tell the truth and tell a story. Not make or do: we never say make a lie or do a lie.

As good as gold is an idiom for children who behave very well. Example: The kids were as good as gold all day.

Teach someone something follows the pattern teach me French: the cousin gives the lessons. Not learning: the learner learns, so it would be I am learning French from my cousin.

Qualifications are the exams passed, degrees or skills that make you suitable for a job: the right qualifications for the job. Not examinations: these are the tests themselves, not what you have after passing them.

Break into a building means to enter it by force in order to steal. Its passive is was broken into. Not broken in: it has no object (Thieves broke in last night), so we cannot say the house was broken in by thieves.

A rough sea has big waves because of strong wind. Its opposite is calm, which does not fit with high wind.

You rob a place or a person, but you steal money or things: They robbed the bank / They stole the money. Not stole, because its object would have to be the thing taken, not the bank.

Who asks about a person, and here it is the subject of told: I can't remember who told me. Not whose: it needs a noun after it (whose friend).

Tell the difference between A and B means to recognise how two things are different. Example: I can't tell the difference between the twins.

Give someone a light means to let them light their cigarette with your match or lighter. Not fire or flame: these are not used in this fixed phrase.

Retire means to stop working, usually because of age. A gold watch is a traditional retirement gift. Not retreated: it means 'moved back', e.g. an army retreating.

You can't imagine how… is a common way to stress strong feelings: You can't imagine how happy I was. Not suppose or assume: they mean 'think something is probably true' and are not used in this pattern.

Operate on someone means a surgeon performs surgery on them. The passive is she was operated on by a surgeon. Not worked on: it is used for things like cars or projects, not for surgery.

Games and sports have rules: the rules of cricket/football/chess. Not regulations: this word is used for official rules made by organisations, not for how a game is played.

A traffic jam is a long line of vehicles that cannot move or move very slowly. Example: We were stuck in a traffic jam for an hour.

A long while means a long time, so wait a long while is natural. Not a period or an interval: they need more information (a period of two weeks) and do not fit after wait alone.

A time suits you when it is convenient for you: Come at any time that suits you. Not fits: we say fits in with your plans, not a time fits you.

Interested in describes how a person feels: I am interested in architecture. Not interesting: it describes the thing that causes the feeling (Architecture is interesting).

Put off means postpone, i.e. move something to a later time: The meeting has been put off till Thursday. Not put away: it means 'put something back in its place'.

Shape is the outline or form of something, such as a circle, square or triangle. Not shade: it means a variety of a colour, or an area out of the sun.

Lend means give something to someone for a short time: Could you lend me £5? Not borrow: that is what the person receiving does (Could I borrow £5 from you?).

Prohibited means not allowed by a rule or law: Smoking is prohibited. Not allowed: it means the opposite, so it does not fit You can't smoke here.

Pull someone's leg is an idiom meaning to joke with someone by telling them something untrue. Example: Don't worry, I'm only pulling your leg.

Temperature is measured in degrees: five degrees below zero. Ounces measure weight and inches measure length.