1 / 83
Suggested terms: English, Kathy, Graham, British
Click one for hint, twice for full word
raise the university's profile
Meaning: To increase public awareness or improve the reputation of an institution.
Example: The display was part of an open day to raise the university’s profile in the city.
focus on
Meaning: To concentrate attention or effort on a particular subject.
Example: Kathy and Graham decided to focus on Dickens’ novels rather than his campaigning.
lead-in
Meaning: An introduction or starting point that makes it easier to approach a topic.
Example: Dickens’ popularity was a good lead-in to discussing life in the 19th century.
pretend to be
Meaning: To act as if one is something they are not.
Example: Mr Dorrit pretends to be rich after inheriting a fortune in *Little Dorrit*.
Pickwickian Syndrome
IPA: /ˌpɪkˈwɪk.i.ən ˈsɪn.droʊm/ (UK & US)
Meaning: A medical condition involving excessive sleepiness, named after a character in Dickens’ *The Pickwick Papers*.
Meaning: A medical condition involving excessive sleepiness, named after a character in Dickens’ *The Pickwick Papers*.
Example: The term Pickwickian Syndrome originated from Dickens’ novel *The Pickwick Papers*.
debtor's prison
IPA: /ˈdet.ərz ˈprɪz.ən/ (UK & US)
Meaning: A prison for people unable to pay their debts, common in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Meaning: A prison for people unable to pay their debts, common in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Example: Dickens’ father was imprisoned in a debtor’s prison, an experience reflected in *Little Dorrit*.
satire
IPA: /ˈsæt.aɪər/ (UK), /ˈsæt.aɪr/ (US)
Meaning: The use of humour, irony, or exaggeration to criticize or expose flaws in society.
Meaning: The use of humour, irony, or exaggeration to criticize or expose flaws in society.
Example: *Bleak House* is famous for its satire of the legal system in Victorian England.
touring actors
IPA: /ˈtʊə.rɪŋ ˈæk.tərz/ (UK), /ˈtʊr.ɪŋ ˈæk.tɚz/ (US)
Meaning: Performers who travel from place to place to stage plays or shows.
Meaning: Performers who travel from place to place to stage plays or shows.
Example: In *Nicholas Nickleby*, the hero joins a company of touring actors, showing popular amusements of the time.
Other Listening Exercises
Cambridge 15 Listening Test 2 - Section 3
In progressC2 · 5:41