Emphasis & misunderstanding
general vocabulary
33
For reference, see the
Easier English Dictionary for Students
(978 0 7475 6624 3)
A. (Emphasis) Match the sentences on the left with an appropriate sentence on the right.
1. The minister’s
emphasis
on the word
‘peace’ was noticeable.
2. Our
guide
accentuated
the importance of
remaining calm if there was trouble.
3. Our teacher explained that it was
crucially
important
to pace ourselves while revising
for the exam.
4. At the People’s Party conference, the
accent
was on youth unemployment.
5.
Prominent
trade unionists have called for a
boycott of imported goods.
6. It is
of crucial importance
that we make
more use of
technology if we are to make
progress.
A. The government will have to sit up and
take note of what these
important
people
have to say.
B. She
emphasised
the fact that panicking
would only make matters worse.
C. The leader
gave prominence
to the need to
create better job opportunities.
D. We consider progress in this field to be
extremely important.
E. He
put great stress
on the maxim that ‘All
work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’.
F.
He
stressed
again and again the importance
of an established détente.
B. (Emphasis) Now complete these sentences with an expression in
bold
from the above
exercise. In some cases, more than one answer may be possible.
1. Some medical treatments do very little to help the patient. In fact, in some cases, they only
__________________________ the pain.
2. The revolution began when a __________________________ member of the ruling party was
assassinated.
3. At the meeting of the Students’ Council, the __________________________
was on better standards of
accommodation.
4. She __________________________ the need to be fully prepared for all eventualities while travelling.
5. The Minister of Transport __________________________ on the need for an integrated transport policy.
6. It is __________________________ that we try to improve relations between our countries.
7. She banged the table for __________________________ as she spoke.
C. (Misunderstanding) Complete sentences 1 - 9 with an appropriate word or expression from
the box. In some cases, more than one answer is possible.
mix-up • obscure • impression • distorted
misapprehension • mistaken • confusion • assumed • confused
1. She was __________________________ by the journalist’s questions.
2. There were scenes of ____________________ at the airport when the snowstorm stopped all the flights.
3. We nearly didn’t catch our flight because of a __________________________ over the tickets.
4. There are several __________________________ points in his letter. It’s not very clear.
5. He _____________________ the meaning of my speech, creating the false impression that I was a racist.
6. He was under the __________________________ that socialism and communism were the same thing.
7. The jury __________________________ , wrongly, that he was innocent.
8. They were __________________________ in the belief that the refugees were in the country for
economic rather than political reasons.
9. The press were under the __________________________ that the Prime Minister was about to resign.
