LINH NGUYEN - 21
He really upset everyone when he told
1 them his secret
2 Your attitude will have to change if
you want to succeed
3 You may think you are talented but
horses will always show you are not
4 I avoided mentioning Jack’s demotion
as I realized that it might upset him
5 Susan is far superior to me in terms of When it comes to technical knowledge, I am no match
technical knowledge
6 It is important that we have to get the
team to comply with the rules
● Get ahead
to be successful in the work that you
do:
7 Winning the prize has made him very
conceited (c2)
8 Prompt action from the police helped
to reduce the number of people killed
and injured in the fighting
9 His efforts to find a solution didn’t
deserve such a savage criticism
10 He did not succeed in reaching the top
of the highest mountain in this area
11 It was a great surprise to us when A
arrives punctually yesterday
LINH NGUYEN - 21
He really put / set the cat among the pigeons when …
P: to say or do something that causes trouble or makes
a lot of people very angry (UK)
You will have to turn over a new leaf if…
P: to start behaving in a better way (c2)
No matter how talented you think you are, horses will
always bring / take you down a peg (or two)
P: to show someone that they are not as important as
they thought (inf)
Realizing THAT mentioning … might…, I let sleeping
dogs lie
P: said to warn that they shouldn’t talk about a bad
situation that most people have forgotten about
for Susan
It is of importance that we have to get the team to toe
the line
P: to do what you are expected to do without
causing trouble for anyone:
- If you want to get ahead, you’d better learn to toe
the line.
Winning the prize has gone to his head
Were it not to have been for prompt action from the
police, the fighting would have suffered heavy
casualties
He shouldn’t have been savagely criticized for his
efforts to find a solution
In vain did he reach the top of ...
A took us by surprise with/by her punctual arrival
yesterday
 LINH NGUYEN - 21

12 It is quite obvious that we shall have to There is no way of escaping from the fact that ...
work faster in order to finish the
project on time
13 If you don’t know what you’re doing, Don’t take the clock apart unless you know what you’re
you shouldn’t dismantle the clock doing
14 All that stood between John and the But for Jim’s greater speed, John would have won the
gold medal was Jim’s greater speed gold medal
(but for = if … not )
15 Julie always listens to my complaints Julie is so kind AS TO always lend an ear to my
about work, which is very kind of her complaints ….
16 The sequel to the best seller was a The sequel to the best seller didn’t live up to the
great disappointment to the public expectation of the public
17 There was loud applause as he left the He left the stage TO THE ACCOMPANIMENT OF
stage loud applause
18 I was bitterly disappointed they Very much to my disappointment, I was passed over
didn’t give me a part in the school play for a part
19 He is becoming quite famous as an He is making quite a name for himself as an
interviewer interviewer
20 Mr.Brown has been a gardener for Let’s PICK UP Mr.Brown’s BRAINS because of his
years so let’s consult his opinion first wealth of experience as a gardener
21 Mrs Thomas seems to find the way her Far from being embarrassed by her daughter’s
daughter behaves more a source of behaviour, Mrs Thoms seems to be amused by it
amusement than embarrassment
22 City life doesn’t attract me at all City life holds no attraction FOR me
23 Without his help we would all have If it hadn’t been for his help, we would all have died
died
24 Money is of no value on a desert island Money counts for nothing on a desert island
25 She agreed without the slightest She agreed AT THE DROP OF A HAT
hesitation
you do it immediately without stopping to think about
it:
26 I heard the rumor that they are getting I heard through the grapevine that …. (nghe đồn)
married a white elephant: vật vô dụng, để lại sẽ tốn kém
27 Workers were told nothing about the Workers were KEPT IN THE DARK about …
plans to sell the company

LINH NGUYEN - 21
 LINH NGUYEN - 21

28 Alan went to London so that she could Alan’s reason for going to London was that she wanted
brush up her E
29 Celia finally managed to buy her own
house after years of saving
30 My boss says I can use his car
whenever I want to, so long as I’m
careful
31 The news was a shock to us
32 James realised that he could never be
an architect
to brush up...
ONLY AFTER years of saving DID Celia manage to ...
My boss says his car is AT MY DISPOSAL so long as
I’m careful
*so long as = as long as
We were TAKEN ABACK by the news
James realised that he WASN’T CUT OUT TO BE an
architect

● not be cut out for sth (C2)

to not be the right type of person for something:
I'm not cut out for an office job.
33 What he told me made me very curious What he told me WHETTED MY APPETITE for the
to hear the rest of the story rest of the story

/ˈek.sɝːpt/ ● whet sb's appetite

- I've read an excerpt of the
book on the Web and it's
whetted my appetite.
34 I don’t mind staying in on a Sat night
if I have good company
35 What put me off the idea was simply
how expensive it was going to be
36 Trudy was quite relieved when she
found out the truth
37 The brochure gives hardly any useful
information
P: to increase someone's interest in and wish for
something, usually by giving them a small
experience of it
I’m not AVERSE TO staying in ...
(I’m not averse to = I like)
The sheer expense / cost was what.. * sheer: complete
(emphasized)
It was something OF A RELIEF to Trudy when ...
Precious little useful information is given in the
brochure

● precious: very (inf)

Lots of people will start, but precious few will
finish.
38 If you don’t pay on time, your booking Failure to pay on time will RESULT IN your booking
will be cancelled being cancelled
39 You’ll have to spend at least $500 to You won’t get that sort of camera less than $500
get that sort of camera

LINH NGUYEN - 21
 LINH NGUYEN - 21
40 Since the first ad, we’ve had more
applications than we can deal with
41 It’s a mystery where the tribe
originated
42 Neil frequently breaks his promises
43 The public reaction to the Pre’s
announcement surprised everyone
44 She speaks French quite well
45 There is no way he got the news from
me as we haven’t spoken
46 You can’t escape your responsibilities
so easily, you know
47 Nobody ever takes time off in this
company
48 There has been an annual festival here
for hundreds of years
49 The new director seems to be excellent The new director seems to HAVE A FLAIR FOR
at fielding awkward questions
50 I must reject this plan
51 It didn’t escape his attention/notice
that she was upset
LINH NGUYEN - 21
Since …, we’ve been swamped with applications.
*swamp: too much, too big that cannot be easily dealt
with
Foreign cars have swamped the UK market.
Don't let feelings of depression swamp you.
If clothes swamp you, they are much too big for you.
(inf)
The origins of the tribe are shrouded in mystery /
secrecy
Neil frequently GOES BACK ON his word
Everyone was taken aback by the
She HAS A GOOD COMMAND OF French
(Have the ability to use/ control; have mastery of)
It can’t have been me who passed on the news to him
as we
You can’t WRIGGLE OUT OF your responsibilities ...
(inf) to avoid doing something that you do not want to
do:
He promised he'd help me paint the living room, but
now he's trying to wriggle out of it.
It is unheard of for anyone to take...
Since/From time IMMEMORIAL there has … here
-> for a very long time (literary)
fielding ….
* (phr) to be very skilful at st
*field (answer) to deal with a question, often by not
answering it directly
I will have to reject ...
He couldn’t help noticing that ...
 LINH NGUYEN - 21

52 There’s nothing more to be done about Nothing more can be done ...
this matter
53 A new car is twice as expensive as a A new car is twice the price of a ...
second-hand one
54 I don’t seem to be able to understand I can’t GET MY HEAD ROUND this instruction
this instruction
55 David doesn’t seem to be able to get David doesn’t seem to be able to GET TO GRIPS
on top of the new computer system WITH the new…

● be on top of/get on top of : to make an effort to understand and deal with a

dealing with st successfully. problem or situation: (c2)
...the government's inability to get The president has failed to come to grips with the
on top of the situation. two most important social issues of our time.
I can't seem to get to grips with this problem.
● get on top of someone
so upset that cannot deal with:
She's had a few financial problems,
and I think things have just been
getting on top of her.

56 Angela is just recovering from a nasty Angela is just GETTING OVER a …

bout of flu
a short period of illness or UK a bout of flu ; US a bout with the flu
involvement in an activity: drinking bout

57 Maggie’s little boy is just learning to ….to get dressed by himself

put on his own clothes
58 The little joke really caused a lot of The little joke really GOT ME INTO DEEP WATER
trouble for me ● be in / get into deep water: in serious trouble
59 Molly finds it difficult to accept the …. to get used to the idea ...
idea that her daughter is grown up
60 Only when it got dark did Paolo decide It was not until DARKNESS FELL that Paolo made up
to make his way back home his mind to ….
61 There is a rumour that the company The company is rumoured to have sustained a loss /
lost over 20 million dollars during the losses of over….
price war to suffer or experience, especially damage or loss (f)
She sustained multiple injuries in the accident.
Most buildings sustained only minimal damage in
the earthquake

LINH NGUYEN - 21
 LINH NGUYEN - 21
62 The role played by the PR company in
securing the government contract was
never acknowledged officially
* secure a contract = get a contract
63 Don’t let Sarah’s carefree attitude
deceive you; she is an extremely
conscientious worker
● carefree (c2)
having no problems or not being
worried about anything:
I remember my carefree student
days.
64 Joe would only agree to continue the
trip if he could drive instead of Paul
65 He surprised me very much when he
said he loved me
66 He didn’t hesitate to recommend me
for the job
67 The local council has considered mass The local council has PUT THE BLAME ON mass
tourism (as) the cause of the
environmental problems
68 It is quite urgent that he hold this
meeting
69 Ally’s wife said that he had to start
being interested in their kids’lives
70 Immediately after his arrival home a
water-heater exploded
71 Rita doesn’t realize how serious her
husband’s operation is going to be
LINH NGUYEN - 21
At no time was there official acknowledgement of the
role the PR company played securing the government
contract
Don’t let yourself BE TAKEN IN by Sarah’s…
● A happy-go-lucky person does not plan much
and accepts what happens without becoming
worried.
● conscientious (c1)
/ˌkɑːn.ʃiˈen.ʃəs/
putting a lot of effort into your work:
a conscientious student
Joe insisted on TAKING OVER FROM Paul as the
driver before he would agree to continue the trip
● take over:
to begin to do something that someone else was doing
Can you take over the cooking while I walk the dog?
He TOOK MY BREATH AWAY when he …
(B2) to be extremely beautiful or surprising:
The beauty of the Taj Mahal took my breath away.
He MADE NO BONES ABOUT recommending me
for the job
not try to hide something or say you are sorry about it:
He makes no bones about the fact that his apartment
is a mess.
tourism FOR the cause of …
hiện tượng một điểm đến du lịch phát triển quá nóng,
thu hút quá nhiều du khách đến cùng một lúc (vd tình
trạng quá tải trong mùa cao điểm du lịch.)
The meeting should be held as a matter of urgency
Ally’s wife said that IT WAS TIME he showed an
interest in ….
Hardly had he arrived home when ...a water-heater
exploded
Little does Rita realize ...
 LINH NGUYEN - 21

72 A waiter spilled soup over Lydia’s new Lydia had some soup spilled over her new dress by a
dress last night waiter last night
73 Jane’s husband will be returning from It won’t be long AFTER Jane’s husband returns from
South America quite soon South America
74 Martin may be not very well but she Martin’s poor health doesn’t prevent/stop him from
still manages to enjoy life enjoying life
75 He began by giving us a summary of At the outset, he gave us a summary of his progress so
his progress so far far
76 I think we ought to permit him to do I think we should give him a free hand
whatever he chooses P: to make your own decisions about how you want to
do something:
The students were given a free hand as far as designing
their product was concerned.
77 I resent the way that she clearly feels I resent the way that she looks down her nose at me
herself to be superior to me ● resent Ving: angry, upset about Ving
78 After two hours the bride had still not After two hours there was still no sign of the bride.
arrived
79 Frank doesn’t care if Jean leaves or Whatever Jean does is all right with Frank
stays
80 Marie distrusts modern technology Marie has a strong distrust of modern tech
strongly
P: (not trust)
81 Absolute secrecy was crucial to the Without absolute secrecy, the mission wouldn’t have
success of the mission succeeded
82 You could be arrested for not giving a Refusal to give a breath sample could lead to your
breath sample to the police arrest
83 The house was dirty because no one The house was dirty because no one took the trouble to
bothered to keep it clean keep it clean
84 A did everything he could to exploit A …. to take advantage of the ...
the situation
85 He bought a new jacket without having He bought …. on the spur of the moment
planned to do
86 They have discovered some interesting Some … has come to light
new information = (be known publicly)
87 I find Harold’s behaviour quite I am at a loss to understand Harold’s behaviour

LINH NGUYEN - 21
 LINH NGUYEN - 21

incomprehensible
88 Most people know that becoming an It is common knowledge that ...
actor is difficult
89 Because of its price, the book may The price of this book may prevent it (from) becoming
never become a bestseller / being a bestseller // its becoming / being s bestseller
90 It was such an impressive painting that It was so impressive a painting that ...
I had an irresistible urge to buy it
91 His rude behavior is too much for me I can’t put up with his rude behavior
92 Tony’s very charming, but I wouldn’t Charming as Tony is, I ...
trust him
93 Local residents said they were against Local residents expressed their disapproval of ...
the new traffic scheme
94 Jenny didn’t feel like going to the party Jenny wasn’t in the mood to / was in no mood to go /
for going to the party
95 He always makes everything look so He always makes heavy weather of everything
difficult P: have unnecessary difficulty in dealing with st (inf)
96 Being her only niece, Ann is very …., Ann is the apple of her eye
precious to her P: the person who someone loves most and is very
proud of (old-f)
97 Carol has trouble communicating her Carol has trouble getting her ideas across
ideas to others
98 She tends to become very angry when She tends to see red when ...
she sees X being treated badly
99 There has been a belief that she ... It has been believed that...
10 Her hobby is one thing that she doesn’t She has no intention of giving up her hobby
0 intend to give up
01 There is no point in seeing that film That film ISN’T worth seeing
02 It snowed so they cancelled the flight The flight was cancelled owing to the snow
03 The news that he would be going to U The news of HIS GOING to ...
04 We must think about ways of ... Thought must be given to ways of ...
05 It isn’t possible that X was absent from X must have been at work today
work today

LINH NGUYEN - 21
 LINH NGUYEN - 21
06 I haven’t been swimming for nearly a
year
07 It doesn’t matter which ...
08 Should they strike the consultant off,
she will
09 It was much of a Y than a Z
10 He threatened the X with violence
11 X is very likely to be promoted
12 His whole life was one of deceit and
treachery
13 Only X know the details
14 There’s nothing new about X
15 I never thought that we’d have X
16 X leaked the story to the world press
17 Does he know enough X to ...
18 My friend claim that the exhibition
was interesting but I found it pretty
dull
19 X were not only slightly insulting, but
they were extremely inaccurate
20 X has imposed a ban on private
e-mails
21 I was expecting X to be a lot more
expensive than it is
22 Due to the difficulty of the Q asked, he The Q were so difficult that he only just managed to
only narrowly missed failing the exam scrape through the exam
P: to succeed in something but with a lot of difficulty
23 There was uncertainty over the
animal’s ability to pull through after
the operation
24 When X told Y they were wrong, they
left immediately
LINH NGUYEN - 21
The last time I went swimming was nearly a year ago
It makes no difference which ...
Should she be struck off, the consultant will
P: Xóa bỏ giấy phép chuyên ngành của ai đó
It was not so much a Z as a Y
He made threats of violence against the X
X stands on a good chance of being promoted
Throughout his life he was deceitful and treacherous
● /ˈtretʃ.ɚ.i/ : behaviour that deceives/ is not loyal
to sb who trusts you
Knowledge of the details is limited / restricted to X
X is as old as the hills
It never crossed my mind that ...
The world press got wind of the story from X
Is his knowledge of X good enough for him to ….
It wasn’t as interesting an exhibition as my friend had
claimed
X were not so much insulting as inaccurate
What X has done is imposed ….
/ɪmˈpoʊz/ : to officially force
X is nowhere near as expensive as I (had) expected it to
be
It was touch and go whether the animal would survive
the operation
● touch-and-go (inf)
X told Y they were wrong, AT WHICH POINT they
left
 LINH NGUYEN - 21
25 What makes X different from the
others is its long history
26 She got up very early this morning
27 I can’t remember having
28 From what we have been told, the
victim has left hospital and is
recovering rapidly
29 She is well-known for her vast
knowledge of ...
30 As the merry-go-round picked up
speed, the children’s shrieks grew ever piercingly the children shrieked
more piercing
● /ʃriːk/ = thét
● piercing = feeling or seeming
very sharp or powerful:
He had piercing blue eyes.
She let out a piercing (= loud) shriek.
31 Another five years were to pass before
she saw her brother again
32 We found the key we’d been looking
for lying under the sofa
33 X was very angry with Y
34 X said that the situation was like a Y
35 My mom never thinks of ...
36 These wine bottles have many ...
37 The crops were badly affected by X
38 We couldn’t find X anywhere
39 The X was held despite Y
40 You should make an effort to get out
and about more
LINH NGUYEN - 21
What sets X apart from the others is...
She got up at the crack of dawn (c2)
I have no recollection of having (c2 - a memory of st)
The victim is understood to be out of hospital and is
recovering quickly
She is authority on …
/əˈθɔːr.ə.t̬ i/ (c2 - expert)
The faster the merry-go-round span, the more
● merry-go-round (n): Đu quay thú nhún
● spin (- span - spun): turning round very quickly
● spick and span: (place) very clean and tidy:
Their house is always spick and span.
Not until five years had gone by did she see her brother
again
There, under the sofa, lay the missing key
X blew up at Y ( = suddenly become very angry - inf)
X LIKENED the situation TO a Y
The idea of … is never in my mom’s thought
There are many … FROM these ...
X had/made a bad effect on the crops
X was nowhere to be found
The X took place despite Y
It’s high time you GOT…
● out and about:
1. out and at different places
2. active; doing the things you usually do:
The doctor says she's making a good recovery, and she
should be out and about in a few days' time.
 LINH NGUYEN - 21

41 He spent time setting up an exhibition He was EMPLOYED IN setting up … costumes

of costumes from all periods of history DOWN THE AGES
● be employed in Ving: spend time Ving
● down (through) the ages: Through time. During
many periods.
42 When the goods arrived at the shop, On arrival at the shop, the goods are inspected carefully
they are inspected carefully
43 Those stores will probably accept a It is possible that those stores accept a credit card as an
credit card instead of cash alternative TO cash
44 Even if she runs really fast, Tina won’t No matter how fast she runs, Tina ...
get to school on time
45 Joe was very surprised to see Jack Joe was taken completely by surprise when Jack
walk into the room walked
(not taken aback bc it’ll have to be: completely taken
aback while the test gives “joe was taken …” )
46 Lots more people have been shopping There has been a sharp increase in the number of
online this year people shopping online this year
47 X should think about experience when X should take experience into consideration when
hiring new staff hiring new staff
48 I wish people wouldn’t talk ... - it It really gets on my nerves when people talking …
makes me really uptight
/ˈʌpˈtɑɪt/ : nervous, anxious, or P: annoy - make sb angry, upset (slightly)
worried; angry (inf)
49 I get bored with the match halfway I lost my interest in the match halfway through
through
(be halfway through Ving/st: 50%
process)
50 John has hinted that he doesn’t wish to John has dropped / given a hint that he no longer
remain in the group any longer wishes to
51 I do not understand why he has been I do not understand why he has had a finger in every
involved in lots of different activities pie
52 It’s quite common It’s by no means uncommon
53 Initially, everybody believed his story He is now believed to have made up/dreamt up the
but now they think he was lying story
54 We only came to this restaurant It was at your insistence that we came to this restaurant
because you insisted that we did so

LINH NGUYEN - 21
 LINH NGUYEN - 21
55 I’ve become extremely good at
missing the rush hour over the last few the last few weeks
weeks
56 It’s crucial for us to control the
juvenile inmates in a very strict way
57 His excuse for such bad behavior has
little effect on her
58 You made an embarrassing mistake
when you asked him where ...
59 I feel I am not being treated fairly
60 If children were allowed to do what
they wanted, they would probably play P: to allow someone to make their own decisions about
games all day
61 I don’t conceal my loathing for war
/ˈloʊ.ðɪŋ/ C2 a strong feeling of hating
someone or something
62 X and Y did not get on well
63 The fourth time he asked her to marry
him, she accepted
64 I shall never lend X any money, no
matter what happens
LINH NGUYEN - 21
I’ve got missing the rush hour down to a fine art over
P: have/have got sth down to a fine art
(UK also: have sth off to a fine art)
to be able to do something very well or quickly, often
because you have done it so many times
It’s crucial for us to keep a tight rein on the juvenile
inmates
keep a tight rein on sb/sth = keep sb/sth on a tight
rein
to have a lot of control over someone or something
His excuse for such bad behavior cuts no ice with her
You put your foot in it / in your mouth when …
put your foot in it (UK)
(US put your foot in your mouth)
to say something by accident that embarrasses or upsets
someone
I feel I am getting / being given a raw deal
bad or unfair treatment: He said that many children in
the city's schools were getting/being given a raw deal
by being taught in classes that were too large.
If children were left to their own devices, they would..
what to do: He seemed to be a responsible person, so I
left him to his own devices.
I make no secret of my loathing for war
X was not on good terms with Y
Only on his fourth proposal did she accept (to marry)
him
Under no circumstances will/shall I (ever) lend X any
money
 LINH NGUYEN - 21
65 Do you think X will be able to come
here?
66 The likelihood of their having any
work to offer me in the foreseeable
future is nil
● nil = nothing
67 He shouted as loudly as he could, but
nobody heard him
68 His French has improved so much that
he is virtually fluent now
69 X is not at all afraid about ...
70 X was the only member of staff not to With the exception of X every member of / all the staff
attend the farewell party (tiệc chia tay) attended
71 Have you decided to enter the
competition?
72 If I were you, I wouldn’t tell
73 It is thought that X is considering
74 I was very annoyed by his
75 I really like her voice but not her
choice of songs
76 Quite by chance, X met Y at
77 It took me a long time to recover from
my illness
78 You’ll just have to learn to accept the
facts
79 It has always been her ambition to
write a successful novel
80 You got lost because you didn’t do
what I told you
81 I’ll only leave the waiter some money
if he’s quick
LINH NGUYEN - 21
Is there any possibility that X will come here?
It is not at all likely that they have any work to offer
me..
He shouted at the top of his voice, but nobody heard
him
His French has improved to such a degree that he is
virtually (=almost) fluent now
… holds no fear for X
Have you decided to go in for the ...
( compete / enjoy / do sth regularly )
You had better not tell
X is thought to be considering
What really annoyed me was his
Much as I like her voice, I don’t like her choice of
songs
X ran into Y at
● run into SB : meet by chance
● run across ST: find by chance
It took me a long time to get over my illness
You’ll just have to face up to the facts
She has always dreamt of writing a successful novel
It you had followed my instruction, you wouldn’t have
got lost
I won’t tip the waiter unless he’s quick
 LINH NGUYEN - 21
82 Was it necessary for you to make a
fuss ABOUT … ?
P: To have an excessive reaction to
someone or something.
83 The laborers decided to take
industrial action to show support for
their sacked workmate
P: an occasion when workers do
something that is intended to force an
employer to agree to something,
especially by stopping work:
- Workers at the plant are
threatening industrial action.
84 You aren’t particularly cooperative.
That’s why your colleagues didn’t
respect you
85 He didn’t admit that he was the thief
until he was caught red-handed
86 He is rumored to have had financial
problems
87 His amicable /ˈæm.ɪ.kə.bəl/ ( thân
tình) behavior was really out of his
character (uncharacteristic)
88 The announcement of the takeover
came as a surprise to the entire staff
/ˈteɪkˌoʊ.vɚ/ a situation in which a
company gets control of another
company by buying enough of its
shares (C1)
89 She tried to explain how to operate the She tied herself (up) in knots when she tried / trying to
photocopier to me and ended up being explain to me how the photocopier operated
perplexed
LINH NGUYEN - 21
You should not have made a song and dance about
● make a fuss OF sb
(mainly US make a fuss over sb)
to give someone a lot of attention and treat them well
● make a song and dance about st
make something seem more important than it really is
so that everyone notices it (UK inf)
- I only asked her to move her car but she made
such a song and dance about it.
The laborers decided to DOWN TOOLS in support of
their sacked workmate
● down tools: to refuse to continue working,
especially because you are not satisfied with
your pay or working conditions (UK)
Were you more cooperative, your colleagues would
have held you in high esteem (admire, very respect )
● particularly: very or very much; especially
Not until he was caught in the act did he admit that ...
Rumor has it that he felt / has felt the pinch
● feel the pinch: to have problems with money
because you are earning less than before (UK)
That he behaved in an amicable way / amicably was not
in keeping with his character
● in/out of keeping (with sth): suitable or not
suitable for a particular situation
The entire staff was thrown / caught off balance when
the takeover was announced
● catch/throw sb off balance: to surprise someone
and make them confused or upset
- They were involved in a takeover last year.
● tie sb (up) in knots
 LINH NGUYEN - 21

/pɚˈplekst/ confused, because st is 1. (inf) to confuse someone and make them unable to
difficult to understand or solve explain something clearly
2. to make someone upset, worried, or confused:
- Start watching the way his guilt ties him up in knots.
- Thinking too much just leaves you tied up in knots.
90 Customs officials / officers (Nhân viên An increased number of travelers are being searched
Hải quan) are stopping more travelers by customs officials this week
than usual this week
91 Can you please stop causing trouble? I’d / would rather/ sooner (that) you stopped making
waves
● make waves (C2; inf): to be very active so that
other people notice you, often in a way that
intentionally causes trouble:
- It's probably not a good idea to start making
waves in your first week in a new job.
92 I was quite (completely) shocked that It came as a great/big shock to me that when they …,
when they broke the news, she stayed but she didn’t turn a hair
perfectly calm and controlled
● break the news: to tell someone
about some important new
information
93 That he decided to retire early marked His decision to retire early brought the curtain down /
the end of his distinguished career down the curtain on his distinguished career
● distinguished: respected and ● bring down the curtain on st​/​bring the curtain
admired for excellence down on st = to end st
94 We discovered in the end that they had In the end it transpired that they had been economical
deliberately (=intentionally) left some with the truth
important facts ● be economical with the truth: literally means to
/trænˈspaɪɚ/: previously secret or avoid revealing too much of the
unknown fact becomes known (f) truth(humourous)
95 The chances are that by the end of There is every indication (to suggest) that by the end
the year the economy will have of this year … will be (back) on its feet again
recovered ● be/get back on one’s feet:
1. to have enough money again, or to be successful
again after having problems
2. to be healthy again after a period of illness
96 X is nowhere near as good since there X has really gone downhills since it changed hands
was a change of ownership ● go downhills: to gradually become worse (C2)
97 You have the right to complain about it You are at liberty to lodge a written complaint about it
in writing ● lodge a claim, complaint, protest, etc: to make
an official complaint about something
LINH NGUYEN - 21
 LINH NGUYEN - 21

98 It is certain that he will compensate He is bound to make it up to you for …

you for the damage he has done ● make it up to sb: to do something good for
● compensate for: den bu someone you have upset, in order to become
friends with them again
● bound to: certain to / obliged to
99 I believe the man you are looking for I have a feeling that the man standing right next to you
is standing right next to us is the one you are looking for
20 X think that hard work is good for you X think that hard work does you no harm
0
01 X is in complete opposition to X flies in the face of mainstream thinking
mainstream thinking
/ˈmeɪn.striːm/ considered normal, and ● the mainstream: the way of life or set of beliefs
having or using ideas, beliefs, etc. that accepted by most people:
are accepted by most people (c2) The new law should allow more disabled people to
enter the mainstream of American life.
02 X won’t be happy till she gets Y Nothing other than Y will satisfy X
03 You’re far more practical than I am Nowhere else am I as practical as you are
04 There is a risk that he will miss the He risks missing the plane if he waits
plane if he waits
05 The plain clothes officer’s boots The plain clothes policeman’s real identity was given
showed he was a policeman away by his boots
06 It would have been possible for Jane to Jane could have given us a lift / taken us in her car
take us in her car
07 I can barely cook a meal for myself, so I would struggle to cook (a meal) for myself, let alone
I certainly couldn’t cook for 8 pp for 8 pp
● let alone: used to emphasize that something is
more impossible than another thing
08 I hope his story will help us to Hopeful when he tells us his story it will shed light on
understand what happened what happened
09 If I’m being honest, I have to say the The play fell short of my expectations, to be honest
the play wasn’t as good as I’d expected with you
10 I didn’t turn the TV on because I didn’t I didn’t turn the TV on for fear of waking the baby
want to wake the baby ● for fear that/of st: (C2) because you are worried
that a particular thing might happen
11 X is unlikely to get the job that he There is little prospect OF X’s getting the job that...
applied for

LINH NGUYEN - 21
 LINH NGUYEN - 21
12 X has been thinking about it all day,
but he hasn’t made a decision yet
13 He still hasn’t recovered from losing
his job last year
14 X are much more prone to infection
than Y
● be prone to st/Ving: to often do
something or suffer from
something, especially st bad:
I'm prone to headaches.
He's prone to forgetting things
15 You must try to accept that ….
16 No one really expected X to do so well Everyone was taken by surprise when X did so well in
in his exams
17 I explained clearly that I wasn't
interested.
18 I don’t reckon much to/of (US) their
chances of winning
Unless you tell the truth, A will be
1 cancelled
2 Mary talks in class all the time
3 Jane regretted speaking so rudely yo
the old lady
4 Brian is the splitting image of his
LINH NGUYEN - 21
It’s been on X’s mind all day, but ...
He still hasn’t got over being fired / made redundant /
sacked / dismissed last year
X pick up infections much more easily
● pick up:
1. get an illness from st or somewhere
2. increase, improve
You must come to terms with the fact that ...
his exams
I made it quite plain (that) …
● Plain: obvious and clear to understand (c2)
● a plain Jane: a woman or girl who is not
attractive
I do not think they will win
Your failure to tell the truth means the cancellation of A
Mary is always talking in class
Jane wished she had spoken more politely to the old
lady
Brian bears a strong resemblance to his father
 LINH NGUYEN - 21
father
5 I really dont see how pp can blame J
for what happened
6 I hate it when pp interrupt me when
I’m talking
7 She is proud of being able to
8 In 1967 programs began to be
transmitted in color.
9 I don’t have the right qualities for
becoming
10 He tried to pretend to be some sort of
expert
11 This liver condition is common in
those who drink a lot
12 That jumper you knitted for your
daughter no longer fits her.
13 don't be upset by what she said
14 i promised him that the situation
would not be repeated in the future
15 X feels uncomfortable in front of all
those people
16 i really admire you for your
improvement
17 my uncle did not suffer from his
experience
18 There will always be differences of
opinion even between friends
19 when he was at his most successful the At the height of his success, the president had
president had enormous influence
20 he is a man of extreme honesty
21 although the papers claim that they are
going to get divorced they are not
LINH NGUYEN - 21
I really dont see how J can be held responsible for what
happened
I can not stand pp interrupting me when I’m talking
She prides herself on her ability to
1967 saw the advent of the transmission of programs
in color.
I am not cut out to be
He tried to pass himself off as some sort of expert
This liver condition is common IN heavy drinkers
my daughter has grown out of that jumper you knitted
for her
Don’t take what she said to heart
I gave him my word that there would be no repetition
of the situation in the future.
David seems really ill at case in front of all those
people.
I take my hat off to you for your improvement
My uncle was none the worse for his experience
be none the worse (for something): not damaged or
harmed despite something:
Differences of opinion will always arise even between
friends
enormous influence.
He is an extremely honest man
Contrary to what the papers claim, they are not going to get divorced
 LINH NGUYEN - 21

22 what put me off the idea was simply
how expensive it was going to be
23 Trudy was quite relieved when she
found out the truth
24 i have frequently made stupid mistakes
like that
25 I'm not friendly with him; in fact, I
hardly even know him
The sheer cost/expense was what put me off the idea
It was something OF A RELIEF to Trudy when ...
Many's the time that I have made stupid mistakes like that
Far from being on friendly terms with him, I hardly
even know him

26 attendance at the exhibition has been
down this year
27 he prefers living in the centre of the
city to living in the suburbs
- The exhibition has been poorly attended this year
- The exhibition has not been so well attended this
Rather than live in the suburbs, he would prefer to live
in the

28 Alan went to London so that she could Alan’s reason for going to London was that she wanted
brush up her E
29 Celia finally managed to buy her own
house after years of saving
30 My boss says I can use his car
whenever I want to, so long as I’m
careful
31 The news was a shock to us
32 James realised that he could never be
an architect
to brush up...
ONLY AFTER years of saving DID Celia manage to ...
My boss says his car is AT MY DISPOSAL so long as
I’m careful
*so long as = as long as
We were TAKEN ABACK by the news
James realised that he WASN’T CUT OUT TO BE an
architect

● not be cut out for sth (C2)

to not be the right type of person for something:
I'm not cut out for an office job.
33 What he told me made me very curious What he told me WHETTED MY APPETITE for the
to hear the rest of the story rest of the story

/ˈek.sɝːpt/ ● whet sb's appetite

- I've read an excerpt of the
book on the Web and it's
whetted my appetite.
34 I don’t mind staying in on a Sat night
P: to increase someone's interest in and wish for
something, usually by giving them a small
experience of it
I’m not AVERSE TO staying in ...

LINH NGUYEN - 21
 LINH NGUYEN - 21
if I have good company
35 What put me off the idea was simply
how expensive it was going to be
36 Trudy was quite relieved when she
found out the truth
37 The brochure gives hardly any useful
information
38 If you don’t pay on time, your booking Failure to pay on time will RESULT IN your booking
will be cancelled
39 You’ll have to spend at least $500 to
get that sort of camera
40 Since the first ad, we’ve had more
applications than we can deal with
41 It’s a mystery where the tribe
originated
42 Neil frequently breaks his promises
43 The public reaction to the Pre’s
announcement surprised everyone
44 She speaks French quite well
45 There is no way he got the news from
me as we haven’t spoken
LINH NGUYEN - 21
(I’m not averse to = I like)
The sheer expense / cost was what.. * sheer: complete
(emphasized)
It was something OF A RELIEF to Trudy when ...
Precious little useful information is given in the
brochure
● precious: very (inf)
Lots of people will start, but precious few will
finish.
being cancelled
You won’t get that sort of camera less than $500
Since …, we’ve been swamped with applications.
*swamp: too much, too big that cannot be easily dealt
with
Foreign cars have swamped the UK market.
Don't let feelings of depression swamp you.
If clothes swamp you, they are much too big for you.
(inf)
The origins of the tribe are shrouded in mystery /
secrecy
Neil frequently GOES BACK ON his word
Everyone was taken aback by the
She HAS A GOOD COMMAND OF French
(Have the ability to use/ control; have mastery of)
It can’t have been me who passed on the news to him
as we
 LINH NGUYEN - 21
46 You can’t escape your responsibilities
so easily, you know
47 Nobody ever takes time off in this
company
48 There has been an annual festival here
for hundreds of years
49 The new director seems to be excellent The new director seems to HAVE A FLAIR FOR
at fielding awkward questions
50 I must reject this plan
51 It didn’t escape his attention/notice
that she was upset
52 There’s nothing more to be done about Nothing more can be done ...
this matter
53 A new car is twice as expensive as a
second-hand one
54 I don’t seem to be able to understand
this instruction
55 David doesn’t seem to be able to get
on top of the new computer system
● be on top of/get on top of :
dealing with st successfully.
...the government's inability to get
on top of the situation.
● get on top of someone
so upset that cannot deal with:
She's had a few financial problems,
and I think things have just been
getting on top of her.
LINH NGUYEN - 21
You can’t WRIGGLE OUT OF your responsibilities ...
(inf) to avoid doing something that you do not want to
do:
He promised he'd help me paint the living room, but
now he's trying to wriggle out of it.
It is unheard of for anyone to take...
Since/From time IMMEMORIAL there has … here
-> for a very long time (literary)
fielding ….
* (phr) to be very skilful at st
*field (answer) to deal with a question, often by not
answering it directly
I will have to reject ...
He couldn’t help noticing that ...
A new car is twice the price of a ...
I can’t GET MY HEAD ROUND this instruction
David doesn’t seem to be able to GET TO GRIPS
WITH the new…
to make an effort to understand and deal with a
problem or situation: (c2)
The president has failed to come to grips with the
two most important social issues of our time.
I can't seem to get to grips with this problem.
 LINH NGUYEN - 21
56 Angela is just recovering from a nasty
bout of flu
a short period of illness or
involvement in an activity:
57 Maggie’s little boy is just learning to
put on his own clothes
58 The little joke really caused a lot of
trouble for me
59 Molly finds it difficult to accept the
idea that her daughter is grown up
60 Only when it got dark did Paolo decide It was not until DARKNESS FELL that Paolo made up
to make his way back home his mind to ….
61 There is a rumour that the company
lost over 20 million dollars during the
price war
62 The role played by the PR company in
securing the government contract was
never acknowledged officially
* secure a contract = get a contract
63 Don’t let Sarah’s carefree attitude
deceive you; she is an extremely
conscientious worker
● carefree (c2)
having no problems or not being
worried about anything:
I remember my carefree student
days.
64 Joe would only agree to continue the
trip if he could drive instead of Paul
65 He surprised me very much when he
said he loved me
LINH NGUYEN - 21
Angela is just GETTING OVER a …
UK a bout of flu ; US a bout with the flu
drinking bout
….to get dressed by himself
The little joke really GOT ME INTO DEEP WATER
● be in / get into deep water: in serious trouble
…. to get used to the idea ...
The company is rumoured to have sustained a loss /
losses of over….
to suffer or experience, especially damage or loss (f)
She sustained multiple injuries in the accident.
Most buildings sustained only minimal damage in
the earthquake
At no time was there official acknowledgement of the
role the PR company played securing the government
contract
Don’t let yourself BE TAKEN IN by Sarah’s…
● A happy-go-lucky person does not plan much
and accepts what happens without becoming
worried.
● conscientious (c1)
/ˌkɑːn.ʃiˈen.ʃəs/
putting a lot of effort into your work:
a conscientious student
Joe insisted on TAKING OVER FROM Paul as the
driver before he would agree to continue the trip
● take over:
to begin to do something that someone else was doing
Can you take over the cooking while I walk the dog?
He TOOK MY BREATH AWAY when he …
(B2) to be extremely beautiful or surprising:
The beauty of the Taj Mahal took my breath away.
 LINH NGUYEN - 21

66 He didn’t hesitate to recommend me He MADE NO BONES ABOUT recommending me

for the job for the job
not try to hide something or say you are sorry about it:
He makes no bones about the fact that his apartment
is a mess.
67 The local council has considered mass The local council has PUT THE BLAME ON mass
tourism (as) the cause of the tourism FOR the cause of …
environmental problems hiện tượng một điểm đến du lịch phát triển quá nóng,
thu hút quá nhiều du khách đến cùng một lúc (vd tình
trạng quá tải trong mùa cao điểm du lịch.)
68 It is quite urgent that he hold this The meeting should be held as a matter of urgency
meeting
69 Ally’s wife said that he had to start Ally’s wife said that IT WAS TIME he showed an
being interested in their kids’lives interest in ….
70 Immediately after his arrival home a Hardly had he arrived home when ...a water-heater
water-heater exploded exploded
71 Rita doesn’t realize how serious her Little does Rita realize ...
husband’s operation is going to be
72 A waiter spilled soup over Lydia’s new Lydia had some soup spilled over her new dress by a
dress last night waiter last night
73 Jane’s husband will be returning from It won’t be long AFTER Jane’s husband returns from
South America quite soon South America
74 Martin may be not very well but she Martin’s poor health doesn’t prevent/stop him from
still manages to enjoy life enjoying life
75 He began by giving us a summary of At the outset, he gave us a summary of his progress so
his progress so far far
76 I think we ought to permit him to do I think we should give him a free hand
whatever he chooses P: to make your own decisions about how you want to
do something:
The students were given a free hand as far as designing
their product was concerned.
77 I resent the way that she clearly feels I resent the way that she looks down her nose at me
herself to be superior to me ● resent Ving: angry, upset about Ving
78 After two hours the bride had still not After two hours there was still no sign of the bride.
arrived
79 Frank doesn’t care if Jean leaves or Whatever Jean does is all right with Frank
stays

LINH NGUYEN - 21
 LINH NGUYEN - 21

80 Marie distrusts modern technology Marie has a strong distrust of modern tech
strongly
P: (not trust)
81 Absolute secrecy was crucial to the Without absolute secrecy, the mission wouldn’t have
success of the mission succeeded
82 You could be arrested for not giving a Refusal to give a breath sample could lead to your
breath sample to the police arrest
83 The house was dirty because no one The house was dirty because no one took the trouble to
bothered to keep it clean keep it clean
84 A did everything he could to exploit A …. to take advantage of the ...
the situation
85 He bought a new jacket without having He bought …. on the spur of the moment
planned to do
86 They have discovered some interesting Some … has come to light
new information = (be known publicly)
87 I find Harold’s behaviour quite I am at a loss to understand Harold’s behaviour
incomprehensible
88 Most people know that becoming an It is common knowledge that ...
actor is difficult
89 Because of its price, the book may The price of this book may prevent it (from) becoming
never become a bestseller / being a bestseller // its becoming / being s bestseller
90 It was such an impressive painting that It was so impressive a painting that ...
I had an irresistible urge to buy it
91 His rude behavior is too much for me I can’t put up with his rude behavior
92 Tony’s very charming, but I wouldn’t Charming as Tony is, I ...
trust him
93 Local residents said they were against Local residents expressed their disapproval of ...
the new traffic scheme
94 Jenny didn’t feel like going to the party Jenny wasn’t in the mood to / was in no mood to go /
for going to the party
95 He always makes everything look so He always makes heavy weather of everything
difficult P: have unnecessary difficulty in dealing with st (inf)
96 Being her only niece, Ann is very …., Ann is the apple of her eye
precious to her P: the person who someone loves most and is very

LINH NGUYEN - 21
 LINH NGUYEN - 21
97 Carol has trouble communicating her
ideas to others
98 She tends to become very angry when
she sees X being treated badly
99 There has been a belief that she ...
10 Her hobby is one thing that she doesn’t She has no intention of giving up her hobby
0 intend to give up
01 There is no point in seeing that film
02 It snowed so they cancelled the flight
03 The news that he would be going to U
04 We must think about ways of ...
05 It isn’t possible that X was absent from X must have been at work today
work today
06 I haven’t been swimming for nearly a
year
07 It doesn’t matter which ...
08 Should they strike the consultant off,
she will
09 It was much of a Y than a Z
10 He threatened the X with violence
11 X is very likely to be promoted
12 His whole life was one of deceit and
treachery
13 Only X know the details
14 There’s nothing new about X
15 I never thought that we’d have X
16 X leaked the story to the world press
17 Does he know enough X to ...
LINH NGUYEN - 21
proud of (old-f)
Carol has trouble getting her ideas across
She tends to see red when ...
It has been believed that...
That film ISN’T worth seeing
The flight was cancelled owing to the snow
The news of HIS GOING to ...
Thought must be given to ways of ...
The last time I went swimming was nearly a year ago
It makes no difference which ...
Should she be struck off, the consultant will
P: Xóa bỏ giấy phép chuyên ngành của ai đó
It was not so much a Z as a Y
He made threats of violence against the X
X stands on a good chance of being promoted
Throughout his life he was deceitful and treacherous
● /ˈtretʃ.ɚ.i/ : behaviour that deceives/ is not loyal
to sb who trusts you
Knowledge of the details is limited / restricted to X
X is as old as the hills
It never crossed my mind that ...
The world press got wind of the story from X
Is his knowledge of X good enough for him to ….
 LINH NGUYEN - 21
18 My friend claim that the exhibition
was interesting but I found it pretty
dull
19 X were not only slightly insulting, but
they were extremely inaccurate
20 X has imposed a ban on private
e-mails
21 I was expecting X to be a lot more
expensive than it is
22 Due to the difficulty of the Q asked, he The Q were so difficult that he only just managed to
only narrowly missed failing the exam scrape through the exam
23 There was uncertainty over the
animal’s ability to pull through after
the operation
24 When X told Y they were wrong, they
left immediately
25 What makes X different from the
others is its long history
26 She got up very early this morning
27 I can’t remember having
28 From what we have been told, the
victim has left hospital and is
recovering rapidly
29 She is well-known for her vast
knowledge of ...
30 As the merry-go-round picked up
speed, the children’s shrieks grew ever piercingly the children shrieked
more piercing
● /ʃriːk/ = thét
● piercing = feeling or seeming
very sharp or powerful:
He had piercing blue eyes.
She let out a piercing (= loud) shriek.
31 Another five years were to pass before
she saw her brother again
LINH NGUYEN - 21
It wasn’t as interesting an exhibition as my friend had
claimed
X were not so much insulting as inaccurate
What X has done is imposed ….
/ɪmˈpoʊz/ : to officially force
X is nowhere near as expensive as I (had) expected it to
be
P: to succeed in something but with a lot of difficulty
It was touch and go whether the animal would survive
the operation
● touch-and-go (inf)
X told Y they were wrong, AT WHICH POINT they
left
What sets X apart from the others is...
She got up at the crack of dawn (c2)
I have no recollection of having (c2 - a memory of st)
The victim is understood to be out of hospital and is
recovering quickly
She is authority on …
/əˈθɔːr.ə.t̬ i/ (c2 - expert)
The faster the merry-go-round span, the more
● merry-go-round (n): Đu quay thú nhún
● spin (- span - spun): turning round very quickly
● spick and span: (place) very clean and tidy:
Their house is always spick and span.
Not until five years had gone by did she see her brother
again
 LINH NGUYEN - 21
32 We found the key we’d been looking
for lying under the sofa
33 X was very angry with Y
34 X said that the situation was like a Y
35 My mom never thinks of ...
36 These wine bottles have many ...
37 The crops were badly affected by X
38 We couldn’t find X anywhere
39 The X was held despite Y
40 You should make an effort to get out
and about more
41 He spent time setting up an exhibition He was EMPLOYED IN setting up … costumes
of costumes from all periods of history DOWN THE AGES
42 When the goods arrived at the shop,
they are inspected carefully
43 Those stores will probably accept a
credit card instead of cash
44 Even if she runs really fast, Tina won’t No matter how fast she runs, Tina ...
get to school on time
45 Joe was very surprised to see Jack
walk into the room
46 Lots more people have been shopping
online this year
47 X should think about experience when
hiring new staff
LINH NGUYEN - 21
There, under the sofa, lay the missing key
X blew up at Y ( = suddenly become very angry - inf)
X LIKENED the situation TO a Y
The idea of … is never in my mom’s thought
There are many … FROM these ...
X had/made a bad effect on the crops
X was nowhere to be found
The X took place despite Y
It’s high time you GOT…
● out and about:
1. out and at different places
2. active; doing the things you usually do:
The doctor says she's making a good recovery, and she
should be out and about in a few days' time.
● be employed in Ving: spend time Ving
● down (through) the ages: Through time. During
many periods.
On arriving at the shop, the goods are inspected
carefully
It is possible that those stores accept a credit card as an
alternative TO cash
Joe was taken completely by surprise when Jack
walked
(not taken aback bc it’ll have to be: completely taken
aback while the test gives “joe was taken …” )
There has been a sharp increase in the number of
people shopping online this year
X should take experience into consideration when
hiring new staff
 LINH NGUYEN - 21
48 I wish people wouldn’t talk ... - it
makes me really uptight
/ˈʌpˈtɑɪt/ : nervous, anxious, or
worried; angry (inf)
49 I get bored with the match halfway
through
(be halfway through Ving/st: 50%
process)
50 John has hinted that he doesn’t wish to John has dropped / given a hint that he no longer
remain in the group any longer
51 I do not understand why he has been
involved in lots of different activities
52 It’s quite common
53 Initially, everybody believed his story
but now they think he was lying
54 We only came to this restaurant
because you insisted that we did so
55 I’ve become extremely good at
missing the rush hour over the last few the last few weeks
weeks
56 It’s crucial for us to control the
juvenile inmates in a very strict way
57 His excuse for such bad behavior has
little effect on her
58 You made an embarrassing mistake
when you asked him where ...
LINH NGUYEN - 21
It really gets on my nerves when people talking …
P: annoy - make sb angry, upset (slightly)
I lost my interest in the match halfway through
wishes to
I do not understand why he has had a finger in every
pie
It’s by no means uncommon
He is now believed to have made up/dreamt up the
story
It was at your insistence that we came to this restaurant
I’ve got missing the rush hour down to a fine art over
P: have/have got sth down to a fine art
(UK also: have sth off to a fine art)
to be able to do something very well or quickly, often
because you have done it so many times
It’s crucial for us to keep a tight rein on the juvenile
inmates
keep a tight rein on sb/sth = keep sb/sth on a tight
rein
to have a lot of control over someone or something
His excuse for such bad behavior cuts no ice with her
You put your foot in it / in your mouth when …
put your foot in it (UK)
(US put your foot in your mouth)
to say something by accident that embarrasses or upsets
someone
 LINH NGUYEN - 21

59 I feel I am not being treated fairly I feel I am getting / being given a raw deal

bad or unfair treatment: He said that many children in

60 If children were allowed to do what
they wanted, they would probably play P: to allow someone to make their own decisions about
games all day
61 I don’t conceal my loathing for war
/ˈloʊ.ðɪŋ/ C2 a strong feeling of hating
someone or something
62 X and Y did not get on well
63 The fourth time he asked her to marry
him, she accepted
64 I shall never lend X any money, no
matter what happens
65 Do you think X will be able to come
here?
66 The likelihood of their having any
work to offer me in the foreseeable
future is nil
● nil = nothing
the city's schools were getting/being given a raw deal
by being taught in classes that were too large.
If children were left to their own devices, they would..
what to do: He seemed to be a responsible person, so I
left him to his own devices.
I make no secret of my loathing for war
X was not on good terms with Y
Only on his fourth proposal did she accept (to marry)
him
Under no circumstances will/shall I (ever) lend X any
money
Is there any possibility that X will come here?
It is not at all likely that they have any work to offer
me..

67 He shouted as loudly as he could, but He shouted at the top of his voice, but nobody heard
nobody heard him him
68 His French has improved so much that His French has improved to such a degree that he is
he is virtually fluent now virtually (=almost) fluent now
69 X is not at all afraid about ... … holds no fear for X
70 X was the only member of staff not to With the exception of X every member of / all the staff
attend the farewell party (tiệc chia tay) attended
71 Have you decided to enter the Have you decided to go in for the ...
competition? ( compete / enjoy / do sth regularly )
72 If I were you, I wouldn’t tell You had better not tell
73 It is thought that X is considering X is thought to be considering

LINH NGUYEN - 21
 LINH NGUYEN - 21
74 I was very annoyed by his
75 I really like her voice but not her
choice of songs
76 Quite by chance, X met Y at
77 It took me a long time to recover from
my illness
78 You’ll just have to learn to accept the
facts
79 It has always been her ambition to
write a successful novel
80 You got lost because you didn’t do
what I told you
81 I’ll only leave the waiter some money
if he’s quick
82 Was it necessary for you to make a
fuss ABOUT … ?
P: To have an excessive reaction to
someone or something.
83 The laborers decided to take
industrial action to show support for
their sacked workmate
P: an occasion when workers do
something that is intended to force an
employer to agree to something,
especially by stopping work:
- Workers at the plant are
threatening industrial action.
84 You aren’t particularly cooperative.
That’s why your colleagues didn’t
respect you
LINH NGUYEN - 21
What really annoyed me was his
Much as I like her voice, I don’t like her choice of
songs
X ran into Y at
● run into SB : meet by chance
● run across ST: find by chance
It took me a long time to get over my illness
You’ll just have to face up to the facts
She has always dreamt of writing a successful novel
It you had followed my instruction, you wouldn’t have
got lost
I won’t tip the waiter unless he’s quick
You should not have made a song and dance about
● make a fuss OF sb
(mainly US make a fuss over sb)
to give someone a lot of attention and treat them well
● make a song and dance about st
make something seem more important than it really is
so that everyone notices it (UK inf)
- I only asked her to move her car but she made
such a song and dance about it.
The laborers decided to DOWN TOOLS in support of
their sacked workmate
● down tools: to refuse to continue working,
especially because you are not satisfied with
your pay or working conditions (UK)
Were you more cooperative, your colleagues would
have held you in high esteem (admire, very respect )
● particularly: very or very much; especially
 LINH NGUYEN - 21

85 He didn’t admit that he was the thief
until he was caught red-handed
86 He is rumored to have had financial
problems
87 His amicable /ˈæm.ɪ.kə.bəl/ ( thân
tình) behavior was really out of his
character (uncharacteristic)
Not until he was caught in the act did he admit that ...
Rumor has it that he felt / has felt the pinch
● feel the pinch: to have problems with money
because you are earning less than before (UK)
That he behaved in an amicable way / amicably was not
in keeping with his character
● in/out of keeping (with sth): suitable or not
suitable for a particular situation

88 The announcement of the takeover The entire staff was thrown / caught off balance when
came as a surprise to the entire staff the takeover was announced
/ˈteɪkˌoʊ.vɚ/ a situation in which a ● catch/throw sb off balance: to surprise someone
company gets control of another and make them confused or upset
company by buying enough of its
shares (C1) - They were involved in a takeover last year.
89 She tried to explain how to operate the She tied herself (up) in knots when she tried / trying to
photocopier to me and ended up being explain to me how the photocopier operated
perplexed ● tie sb (up) in knots
/pɚˈplekst/ confused, because st is 1. (inf) to confuse someone and make them unable to
difficult to understand or solve explain something clearly
2. to make someone upset, worried, or confused:
- Start watching the way his guilt ties him up in knots.
- Thinking too much just leaves you tied up in knots.
90 Customs officials / officers (Nhân viên An increased number of travelers are being searched
Hải quan) are stopping more travelers by customs officials this week
than usual this week
91 Can you please stop causing trouble? I’d / would rather/ sooner (that) you stopped making
waves
● make waves (C2; inf): to be very active so that
other people notice you, often in a way that
intentionally causes trouble:
- It's probably not a good idea to start making
waves in your first week in a new job.
92 I was quite (completely) shocked that It came as a great/big shock to me that when they …,
when they broke the news, she stayed but she didn’t turn a hair
perfectly calm and controlled
● break the news: to tell someone
about some important new
information
93 That he decided to retire early marked His decision to retire early brought the curtain down /
LINH NGUYEN - 21
 LINH NGUYEN - 21
the end of his distinguished career
● distinguished: respected and
admired for excellence
94 We discovered in the end that they had In the end it transpired that they had been economical
deliberately (=intentionally) left some with the truth
important facts
/trænˈspaɪɚ/: previously secret or
unknown fact becomes known (f)
95 The chances are that by the end of
the year the economy will have
recovered
96 X is nowhere near as good since there
was a change of ownership
97 You have the right to complain about it You are at liberty to lodge a written complaint about it
in writing
98 It is certain that he will compensate
you for the damage he has done
● compensate for: den bu
99 I believe the man you are looking for
is standing right next to us
20 X think that hard work is good for you
0
01 X is in complete opposition to
mainstream thinking
/ˈmeɪn.striːm/ considered normal, and
having or using ideas, beliefs, etc. that
are accepted by most people (c2)
02 X won’t be happy till she gets Y
03 You’re far more practical than I am
04 There is a risk that he will miss the
plane if he waits
LINH NGUYEN - 21
down the curtain on his distinguished career
● bring down the curtain on st​/​bring the curtain
down on st = to end st
● be economical with the truth: literally means to
avoid revealing too much of the
truth(humourous)
There is every indication (to suggest) that by the end
of this year … will be (back) on its feet again
● be/get back on one’s feet:
1. to have enough money again, or to be successful
again after having problems
2. to be healthy again after a period of illness
X has really gone downhills since it changed hands
● go downhills: to gradually become worse (C2)
● lodge a claim, complaint, protest, etc: to make
an official complaint about something
He is bound to make it up to you for …
● make it up to sb: to do something good for
someone you have upset, in order to become
friends with them again
● bound to: certain to / obliged to
I have a feeling that the man standing right next to you
is the one you are looking for
X think that hard work does you no harm
X flies in the face of mainstream thinking
● the mainstream: the way of life or set of beliefs
accepted by most people:
The new law should allow more disabled people to
enter the mainstream of American life.
Nothing other than Y will satisfy X
Nowhere else am I as practical as you are
He risks missing the plane if he waits
 LINH NGUYEN - 21

05 The plain clothes officer’s boots The plain clothes policeman’s real identity was given
showed he was a policeman away by his boots
06 It would have been possible for Jane to Jane could have given us a lift / taken us in her car
take us in her car
07 I can barely cook a meal for myself, so I would struggle to cook (a meal) for myself, let alone
I certainly couldn’t cook for 8 pp for 8 pp
● let alone: used to emphasize that something is
more impossible than another thing
08 I hope his story will help us to Hopeful when he tells us his story it will shed light on
understand what happened what happened
09 If I’m being honest, I have to say the The play fell short of my expectations, to be honest
the play wasn’t as good as I’d expected with you
10 I didn’t turn the TV on because I didn’t I didn’t turn the TV on for fear of waking the baby
want to wake the baby ● for fear that/of st: (C2) because you are worried
that a particular thing might happen
11 X is unlikely to get the job that he There is little prospect OF X’s getting the job that...
applied for
12 X has been thinking about it all day, It’s been on X’s mind all day, but ...
but he hasn’t made a decision yet
13 He still hasn’t recovered from losing He still hasn’t got over being fired / made redundant /
his job last year sacked / dismissed last year
14 X are much more prone to infection X pick up infections much more easily
than Y ● pick up:
● be prone to st/Ving: to often do 1. get an illness from st or somewhere
something or suffer from 2. increase, improve
something, especially st bad:
I'm prone to headaches.
He's prone to forgetting things
15 You must try to accept that …. You must come to terms with the fact that ...
16 No one really expected X to do so well Everyone was taken by surprise when X did so well in
in his exams his exams
17 I explained clearly that I wasn't I made it quite plain (that) …
interested. ● Plain: obvious and clear to understand (c2)
● a plain Jane: a woman or girl who is not
attractive
18 I don’t reckon much to/of (US) their I do not think they will win
chances of winning

LINH NGUYEN - 21
LINH NGUYEN - 21

LINH NGUYEN - 21