Learning English

Session 1

picked up
collected

be off
(here) leave

satnav
satellite navigation; a system used in cars and vehicles that tells you where you are

rambling
(here) going for long walks outside

birch
a tree with grey wood and pointed leaves

aspen
a tree with grey or white wood and round leaves

sycamore
a tree whose leaves have five points

brakes
devices that slow down the wheels of vehicles

gearbox
a metal box containing gears (devices which change the speed of a vehicle)

upholstery
soft material covering chairs

pedestrian
a person who is walking on a pavement or roadside

write-off
completely destroyed

cabbie
taxi driver

gruelling
very difficult and tiring

route
way from one place to another

landmarks
well known, easily recognised places

radius
distance from a central place

one-way
a road system where cars can only drive in one direction

swerved
suddenly moved in a different direction

out cold
unconscious

gossip
stories about people's private lives

satnav
satellite navigation; a system used in cars and vehicles that tells you where you are

6 Minute Vocabulary

a DEcrease (noun)
amount by which something becomes smaller in size or number

to deCREASE (verb)
make the amount or number of something smaller

an INcrease (noun)
amount by which something becomes bigger in size or number

to inCREASE (verb)
make the amount or number of something bigger

an INvite (noun)
invitation, written or spoken, to go somewhere

to inVITE (verb)
ask someone to go somewhere

a PREsent (noun)
something you give to someone on a special occasion like a birthday or wedding

to preSENT (verb)
show, give or introduce

a REcord (noun)
the best ever done, often in sport; music or song you can buy on a CD or download

to reCORD (verb)
store sounds, music or information so they can be used later

Session 3

gruelling
very difficult and tiring

route
way from one place to another

landmarks
well known, easily recognised places

radius
distance from a central place

one-way systems
roads where cars can only drive in one direction

swerved
turned suddenly

out cold
unconscious

gossip
stories about people's private lives

Session 4

towering
very tall

bear fruit
(here) produce fruit

centrepiece
the main attraction that focuses attention

blossom
the flowers that a tree sometimes produces in the spring

soil
the earth in which plants grow

stake
(here) a wooden pole that supports a plant as it grows

sturdy
strong and standing up straight

compacted
pressed together

have green fingers (idiom)
when you like and are good at growing plants