Unit 1

Word

Definition

Example

complete fallacy

a false idea or belief, especially one that a lot of people believe is true

The idea that a good night's sleep will cure everything is a complete fallacy

element of truth

one part or feature of a whole system, plan, piece of work etc that is true

There is more than just an element of truth in this idea

patently not true

very clearly not true

The statement is patently not true

ring true

if something rings true, you believe it, even though you are not sure why

Does his explanation ring true to you?

spot-on

exactly right

The descriptions of the characters spot-on

strike a chord

to say or do something that other people agree with or have sympathy with

Their story is bound to strike a chord with all parents

sweeping statement

a statement etc that is too general and that does not consider all the facts – used to show disapproval

Of course, this is usually the case, but I am having doubts about such a sweeping statement

trot out a trite phrase

to use a phrase that is boring or not new and one that you have used too many times and that does not seem sincere

I know it might sound like a trite phrase, but mothers usually know best

vacuous

showing no intelligence or having no useful purpose

He delivered a vacuous speech

way too oversimplistic

treating difficult subjects in a way that is much too simple

That's unfair and way too oversimplistic

cut out for something

naturally suited for an activity or task

He realised he wasn't cut out for farming

change tack

to try a different way of dealing with a situation

Don changed tack and his tone became friendlier

fly in the face of

to be the opposite of what most people think is reasonable, sensible, or normal

Eysenck's claim flies in the face of all the evidence

get hung up

to be thinking or worrying too much about someone or something

He gets hung up on trivial things

give something a go

to try doing something

Can you give it a go?

go along with

to agree with or support someone or something

I would be happy to go along with the idea

have your fair share of problems

if you have had your share of problems, you have a lot of problems

He'd had more than his fair share of adventure

knock your confidence

to have a negative effect on your belief in yourself

Failing his exams really knocked his confidence

make strides in something

to make progress towards achieving something

She made great strides in her English

throw in the towel

to give up, to admit defeat

I found the task too difficult, so I threw in the towel

deliver a quality curriculum

to provide a courses of study of a high standard

This institution delivers a quality curriculum to its students

develop a nurturing environment

to create an environment where people feel cared for

The school has developed a nurturing environment with an emphasis on growth and development

establish mutual respect

to establish that respect is felt and shown by two or more people for each other

We must establish a climate of mutual respect

find your own path

to find your own way or route to something

Everyone has to find their own path in life

focus on individuality

to give attention to the qualities that make someone or something different from other things or people

We have a close working relationship while focusing on our individuality and separate interests

foster good relationships

to help relationships develop over a period of time

The workshops can foster better relationships between husbands and wives

fulfil your potential

to achieve the full development of your natural ability or qualities

Are you fulfilling your potential?

maintain rigorous standards

to make sure that thorough and exact standards continue to be met

The institution maintains rigorous academic standards

strive for excellence

to make a great effort to achieve a very high standard

We strive for excellence by ensuring high quality work at all times

blended learning

a type of education where students learn online as well as face-to-face with teachers

Many schools have started offering blended learning

continuous assessment

a way of judging a student's ability by looking at the work they have done during the year rather than by an examination

Student progress is monitored by means of continuous assessment on a range of practical exercises

critical thinking

the ability to analyse information and make judgements

Students are encouraged to develop critical thinking instead of accepting everything they are told

external accreditation

independent (coming from outside the institution) confirmation of an acceptable standard

All the training courses have external accreditation

peer assessment

assessment by someone of the same age/level as you

Group work may involve peer assessment

rote learning

a way of learning that is based on memorising and repetition

The curriculum focuses more on problem-solving than rote learning

student loan

an amount of money that you borrow from the government or a bank to pay for your education at a college or university

It is £2,265 for the full grant and £420 for the student loan – in total a yearly income of just £2,685

tuition fees

money paid by or for a student to a university or similar institution for its courses

Universities plan to raise tuition fees for overseas students

virtual learning environment

an environment that provides learning through computers and the internet, inside and outside the educational organisation

New virtual learning environments have completely changed the way we approach education

vocational training

training that provides to the skills you need to do a particular job

This country takes vocational training for its young people very seriously

creative genius

having a very high level of creativity

Shakespeare is considered a creative genius

creative thinking

the ability to come up with original solutions and ideas

Creative thinking is essential for designing advertisements

fertile imagination

an imagination, mind etc that is able to produce a lot of interesting and unusual ideas

He was extremely knowledgeable, with a fertile imagination and a whimsical sense of humour

flash of inspiration

if someone has a flash of inspiration, they suddenly have a clever idea

The idea came to her in a flash of inspiration

innate

an innate quality or ability is something you are born with

Children have an innate ability to learn language

insight

a sudden clear understanding of something or part of something, especially a complicated situation or idea

The article gives us a real insight into the causes of the present economic crisis

instinct

a natural tendency to behave in a particular way or a natural ability to know something, which is not learned

Animals have a natural instinct for survival

novel idea

an idea not like anything known before, and unusual or interesting

It was a novel idea, and one we appreciated later when the weather improved

out of the blue

if something happens out of the blue, it is very unexpected

Out of the blue, he asked me to come with him to Europe

raw talent

someone with raw talent is naturally good at something, but has not developed their ability yet

He has the raw talent to become a star

spark ideas

to be the cause of new ideas

The conversation sparked some interesting ideas

think outside the box

to think of new, different, or unusual ways of doing something, especially in business

To succeed in this job, you need to think outside the box

adjust your teaching

to change your teaching slightly to improve it or make it more suitable for a particular purpose

He needs to adjust his teaching to meet the needs of the younger students

classroom dynamic

the way that students and teachers behave and interact in the classroom

It is important to establish a good classroom dynamic

feed answers to

to supply answers without giving time for thought

It is a mistake to feed answers to students

inspire someone

to encourage someone by making them feel confident and eager to do something

We need someone who can inspire the team

take into account

to think about something important when you are making a decision or judgment

We will take your recent illness into account when marking your exams

talk you through something

to discuss something thoroughly with someone so that you are sure they understand it

He talked me through the new safety regulations