CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH examinations / PROFICIENCY EXAM / CPE / USE OF ENGLISH / Key word transformations

 

For questions 1-6, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three and eight words, including the word given.

 

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1. [first=" The handling of the matter has been strongly criticised by the media." word="SCORN" beginning="The media " answer="has poured scorn on#has heaped scorn on" ending=" the handling of the matter."]

2. [first=" I don't suppose I'll ever be able to establish my own business." word="DESPAIR" beginning="I " " answer="despair of ever being able to set" ending=" up my own business."]

3. [first=" Barack eventually managed to buy his own car after months of saving." word="DID" beginning="Only " answer="after months of saving did Barack succeed" ending=" in buying his own car."]

4. [first=" The rumours about her being broke are not true." word="CONTRARY" beginning="In spite of " answer="the rumours to the contrary" ending=" , she has not been broke.]

5. [first=" Leo concluded that the null hypothesis was true." word="CAME" beginning="Leo " answer="came to the conclusion" ending=" that the null hypothesis was true."]

6. [first=" You ought to have that black tooth extracted at last." word="ABOUT" beginning="It is " answer="about time you had that black tooth taken" ending=" out."]

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ANSWER KEYS

 

1)    HAS POURED SCORN ON | HAS HEAPED SCORN ON
IDIOM POUR/HEAP SCORN ON SB/STH
To speak about somebody/something in a way that shows that you do not respect them or have a good opinion of them:
Both candidates have poured/heaped scorn on the budget agreement.
 
2)    DESPAIR OF EVER BEING ABLE TO SET
(VERB + PREPOSITION) + PHRASAL VERB (DESPAIR OF + GERUND) + SET UP 
DESPAIR OF => to stop having any hope that a situation will change or improve.
Mike despaired of ever seeing her again.
 
3)    AFTER MONTHS OF SAVING DID ALAN (EVENTUALLY) SUCCEED
INVERSION + (VERB + PREPOSITION) ONLY AFTER + SUCCEED IN
ONLY AFTER + TIME EXPRESSION + AUXILIARY + SUBJECT + VERB
Only after finishing your homework can you play football.
 
4)    THE RUMOURS TO THE CONTRARY
IDIOM TO THE CONTRARY
Showing or proving the opposite:
Despite all evidence to the contrary, he believed his plan would succeed. 
 
5)    CAME TO THE CONCLUSION
PHRASE COME TO THE CONCLUSION
To reach a decision:
We talked for a long time but never came to any conclusion.
 
6)    ABOUT TIME YOU HAD THAT BLACK TOOTH TAKEN
UNREAL PAST + PHRASAL VERB (IT IS ABOUT TIME + PAST SIMPLE) + TAKE OUT
When we want to say that now is a suitable moment to do something, either for ourselves or for someone else, we use it's (about/high) time + past tense.
It's about time she paid that bill.