EAP VOCABULARY PRACTICE: Using Academic Words

English for Academic Purposes

Vocabulary Development Task:
Using the Academic Word List 3

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ECGRANT 2010
 EAP VOCABULARY PRACTICE: Using Academic Words

Section 1: Reading Comprehension

A. Read the article below and insert the following words in the
appropriate gap

confined preceded cause fallen

issue nevertheless raised contributed

finance although

Greece's debt auction

An uneasy calm
Panic about the euro zone has receded—for now

Jul 15th 2010

MOST people are not satisfied with mediocrity. But Greece’s auction of six-month
treasury bills on July 13th turned inferiority into a ( ) for celebration.
The beleaguered country managed to raise €1.6 billion ($2 billion) at a yield of 4.65%
in its first venture into the markets since a €110 billion rescue package from the
European Union and the IMF was secured in May.

.That is hardly dazzling. The yield was still higher than when Greece issued similar
paper in April, before the bail-out package was announced, and over three times
what it was in January. Germany’s one-year bills yield ten times less than Greece’s
six-month ones (see chart). Short-term bill auctions to roll over maturing debt are
encouraged in the deal reached by Greece, the EU and the fund but the threat of an
eventual debt restructuring makes investors unwilling to lend for long. Greece’s
public-debt agency was forced to drop plans to auction 12-month bills. It is unlikely
that Greece will attempt a sale of longer-term bonds before early 2012, and it may
find few willing buyers even then because of the country’s increased debt burden.

The auction was ( ) a relief. The yield was lower than the 5%
interest rate Greece pays when it taps into the EU support package. The auction was
3.64 times oversubscribed. ( ) it was mostly a domestic affair,
Petros Christodoulou, the debt agency’s director, says he was “pleasantly surprised
by foreign investors’ demand”. Greece will try to raise up to €2.5 billion in an issue of
three-month paper on July 20th.

Greece has also been getting pats on the back from its EU and IMF lenders for its
progress on fiscal consolidation. George Papaconstantinou, the ( )
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minister, this week announced that the country’s first-half budget deficit had been cut
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by 46% compared with last year, beating targets. On July 8th the Greek parliament
ECGRANT 2010
 EAP VOCABULARY PRACTICE: Using Academic Words

passed a pension-reform bill which, if properly implemented, will radically change

the country’s lavish social-security system. Credit-default-swap spreads on Greek
debt have ( ) to a one-month low.

The sunnier mood is not just ( ) to Greece. Portugal

( ) six-month paper earlier this month at a modest yield of 1.95%;
this week’s decision by Moody’s to downgrade the country caused few ripples. Spain
( ) €6 billion in ten-year bonds on July 6th, tempting bids from China,
among others. Laurent Fransolet of Barclays Capital says that “some of the
hysterical reactions we saw in April and May have ( ) down.” These
developments have contributed to a rise in the euro to a two-month high against the
dollar. But a bigger test of sentiment is looming. The announcement of the stress-
test results for 91 European banks, due on July 23rd, will show whether the calm can
endure or whether it ( ) a storm.

Copyright © The Economist Newspaper Limited 2010. All rights reserved.

B. Which of the following sentences makes correct use of the italicized

word in bold? (Dictionary use is allowed)

e.g. Secured i. He secured a place for his daughter at University

ii. He was secured in his house when they burgled his

office.

Issued i. The police officer issued John because he was drunk and
disorderly.

ii. John issued ID cards and council tax letters when he

worked at student services.

Maturing i. the chef was maturing the eggs into the pancake batter

ii. She is still maturing as an artist, but she has a lot of

talent for a beginner.

Eventual i. an eventual change of management will be beneficial to

the company

ii. Timo really is an eventual sort of person

Restructuring i. IT provider RM said it was restructuring its strategic

projects

ii. Restructuring the past can help us understand the

future
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Investors i. Lord Sugar investors in small, promising businesses

ECGRANT 2010
 EAP VOCABULARY PRACTICE: Using Academic Words

ii. Safety-first products are always popular with investors

Domestic i. Australia‟s domestic airlines are in heated competition to

generate the most business.

ii. Many people in Australia hire a domestic to help them

with their household chores.

Implemented i. Children in Mexico are soon to be implemented into

bilingual school.

ii. Cuts of over 6 billion pounds have already been

implemented in this year's budgets

Radical i. The financial authorities have recommended radical

spending cuts.

ii. The government has urged the public to radical its

current way of thinking to take their new policies on board.

Bond i. The client was bond to the terms of the agreement.

ii. Businesses make their money from selling stocks and

bonds

Reaction i. Spain‟s world cup victory provoked mixed reactions in

Europe

ii. A good employer will always reaction with their

employees on a regular basis.

Section 2: Using Synonyms

A. Match the following word to the appropriate synonyms

Beleaguered (adj) Extensive; expensive;

considerable
Similar (adj) Demote, divest or take
away power and/or
resources
Chart (n) Emerging; resurfacing
Target (n) Graph, list or diagram
Lavish (adj) Like; comparable
Downgrade (v) Goal; aim
Looming (adj) Pressed; embroiled;
having to deal with a lot
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of problems
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ECGRANT 2010
 EAP VOCABULARY PRACTICE: Using Academic Words

B. Rewrite the following sentences replacing the

underlined word in bold with a synonym (or
phrase that means the same thing) of your choice.
The sentence should still have the same meaning.
Remember to use the context of the article! Use a
thesaurus or dictionary to check your answers.

i. “Most people are not satisfied with mediocrity.

ii. “That is hardly dazzling”

iii. “…the threat of an eventual debt restructuring makes investors

unwilling to lend for long.”

iv. Although it was mostly a domestic affair, Petros Christodolou, the

debt agency‟s director, says he was „Pleasantly surprised by
foreign investors‟ demand‟.”

v. “Greece has also been getting pats on the back from its EU and IMF
lenders for its progress of fiscal consolidation”

vi. “the announcement of the stress-test results for 91 European banks,

due on July 23rd, will show whether the calm can endure or whether
it preceded a storm”

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ECGRANT 2010