6 Mick has a way with the secretaries; just look at how they react when he wants something done.

7 He often runs down his school.

8 She always picks holes in everything I say.

Unit 49
49.1 2 d 3 a 4 f 5 b 6 e

49.2 2 face 3 as Larry / as can be 4 bad mood 5 in the dumps

49.3 2 Karen 3 Mark 4 Lars 5 Andrea 6 Krishnan

49.4 2 I think you should keep a cool head and just be patient.
3 He frightened the life out of me when he came in wearing that ghost mask!
4 Everyone was shaking in their boots/shoes when they saw the door open all by itself.
5 I was scared stiff / scared out of my wits before I did the bungee jump, but it was OK.
6 She swelled with pride as her daughter received the gold medal.
7 I think I got carried away by the idea of joining a rock band. It’s actually very hard work!
8 I try to just take everything as it comes.

Unit 50
50.1 2 challenges 3 chaos 4 corner 5 dilemma 6 disaster

50.2 2 by e 3 of g 4 of f 5 under h 6 on a 7 to d 8 in b

50.3 2 I can’t face (the thought of) driving home in all this traffic.
3 Keira seems to be lacking (in) confidence.
4 Unfortunately, the project seems to have come to a dead end (at the moment).
5 People who are deprived of / Being deprived of sleep can have health and other problems.
6 Paula’s meeting with Angus had a profound effect on her.

50.4 2 stir things up 6 sit up and take notice

3 see the light at the end of the tunnel 7 get a grasp of
4 get to the bottom of things 8 take a back seat
5 got your act together 9 bury the hatchet

Unit 51
51.1 2 significant / substantial
3 minute
4 enormous / excessive
5 Vast
6 average
7 tiny
8 significant (substantial is also possible, but the emphasis here is on the fact that the
difference was noticeable)

51.2 2 enormous 3 vast 4 substantial / considerable 5 excessive

51.3 2 loads 3 was 4 loads / dozens 5 were

51.4 Possible answers:

2 The two novels were totally different.
3 His/Her behaviour was wholly unacceptable.
4 That way of working produced utter chaos.
5 I listened to the story in total disbelief.
6 There should be a total ban on using mobile phones in cinemas.

232 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate