Leap (leapt, leapt) v, n, by leaps and bounds

1. The reporter leapt forward, holding out her microphone.

2. If someone or something gets better by (in) leaps and bounds, it means
they improve very quickly.

3. The economy of those countries is improving by leaps and bounds.

4. 'A leap in the dark' is something you do without being certain what will
happen.

5. Booking the holiday was a leap in the dark - we got the address out of
the paper.

6. A leap year happens once every four years and has an extra day on
February 29^th.

Part 2

tremble v

syn. shiver (only with cold)

1. One can tremble with anger / fear / cold, but shiver only with cold.

2. She trembled for her children's safety.

3. She trembled at the very thought of possible danger.

4. I tremble to think what might have happened if the police hadn't arrived
in time.

conduct n, conduct [kan'dAkt] v, conductor л

syn. behaviour

1. Someone's conduct is the way they behave in different situations,
especially with regard to morality.

2. One has to learn to adapt to the rules of conduct of the society in which
he lives.

3. The minister had several good reasons for his conduct.

4. The conduct of an activity or task is the process of organizing it and
carrying it out

5. The conduct of the Government's economic policy was criticized in the
media.

6. Nobody liked the manner in which he conducted his public life.

7. Public figures have a duty to conduct themselves responsibly.

8. He is not only a brilliant violinist but also a successful conductor of a
well-known orchestra.

9. This material is not such a good conductor as metal, but better than
wood.

dash v

1. People dashed out into the street to see what was happening.

2. I wish I could stay longer, but I can't. I've got to dash.

triumph n, v

1. The election result was his personal triumph.

2. The machine is a triumph of advanced technology.

3. They had met the challenge and triumphed.

drag (dragged, dragged) v

1. " I saw that man dragging a child along by the hand, " said the witness.

2. If you hadn't helped us, we wouldn't have been able to drag the dogs
apart.

3. It was absolutely clear that our counterparts were reluctant to accept
our conditions and were dragging out the talks (were making the talks
last longer than necessary).

Unit two

devour v

1. When an animal or insect 'devours' another, it 'eats' it.

e.g. The wolf dragged the little pig into the forest and devoured it.

2. When a person 'devours' something, they 'eat a lot and quickly' at
that.

e.g. He was so hungry that he devoured an enormous piece of meat in a minute.

3. If you 'devour' a story / book / magazine, etc. you 'read' it quickly and
with great interest.

e.g. He used to devour science fiction when he was in his teens (a teenager).

4. Don't you find that the meaning of the verb 'to devour' is similar to the
meaning of a corresponding Russian verb?

escape n, v

1. He must have escaped from prison.

2. He can't have escaped punishment.

3. He may (might) have escaped unnoticed.

4. Just try to sniff. Gas seems to be escaping.

5. He escaped certain death thanks to his courage and resolution.

6. He had a narrow escape from punishment / prison / death, etc. (едва
спасся, был на волоске от...)

7. Their courageous escape from a gang of terrorists was described in all
the papers.

proper adj, properly adv

ant. improper adj, improperly adv

1. I wish it would all be done at the proper time.

2. I wish it had all been done at the proper time. We wouldn't have any
trouble now.

3. Your project would have been approved if it had been presented in a
proper way (= properly).

4. Everything should be in its proper place.

5. He is a gentleman in the proper sense of the word.

6.1 can't give you any advice, I'm afraid. Do as you think proper.

7. It was a most improper remark.

8. His behavior during the discussion was most improper.

9. I wish you would stop telling improper (неприличные) stories when
there are children around.

undermine v

1. The sea must have been undermining the shore there for a long time. Something should be done about it in proper time (before it's too late).

Part 2

2. His authority was undermined by his improper conduct.

3. His health was undermined by long years of hard work.

Don't mix up!

undermine (подрывать), explode (взрывать(ся), blowup (взрывать)

A bomb exploded causing a lot of damage.

The old house was in such a poor condition that it was decided to have

it blown up.

One of the submarines blew up (exploded) and sank.

observe v, observation n

1. Scientists had been observing the behaviour of birds for a long time
before they made some important discoveries.

2. While the battle was going on, the general carefully observed its prog­
ress.

3. Law and order must be observed in a civilized society.

4. Unfortunately, this escaped observation (ускользнуло от наблюде­
ния).

5. The patient must still be under careful medical observation.

6. In his answer he made a few clever observations (comments).