EAC3 (kepa)

accountability

a situation in which people know who is responsible for something and can ask them to explain its state or quality

There have been calls for greater accountability within the health service.

address (v)

To try to deal with a problem or question

A number of issues need to be addressed

advocate

to publicly support a particular policy or way of doing things

There is no point advocating improved public transport unless we can pay for it.

agitation

a feeling of being worried or upset

He paced up and down the room in agitation.

ambiguity

[countable] something that is not clear because it has more than one possible meaning

There seem to be some ambiguities in the rules.

anticipate

to think that something will probably happen

e.g. The organizers hadn’t anticipated the huge interest there was in the event.

e.g. The building will be completed around six months earlier than anticipated.

apathy

A feeling of having no interest in, or enthusiasm about, anything

appoint

to choose someone to do a particular job or have a particular position

We need to appoint a new school secretary.

the newly appointed editor of the magazine

appoint someone (as) something:

Picard has been appointed managing director of the new division.

appreciation

the feeling you have when you are grateful to someone

This is just a small token of our appreciation.

in appreciation (of):

The award is given in appreciation of her huge contribution to the film industry.

associate

someone you work with, especially in business

a business associate

atmosphere

the mood or feeling that exists in a place and affects the people who are there

After Joe left there was a more relaxed atmosphere at home.

atmosphere of:

There is an atmosphere of tension in the city today.

attentive

listening to, or watching, something carefully

Jurors were attentive, taking notes during her testimony.

attribution

the act of attributing something to a particular cause or person, especially the act of saying that something was written, said, painted etc by a particular person

blame (n, v)

Responsibility for an accident, problem or bad situation

People are laying the blame on the government for acting too late.

bond

[countable] something that gives people or groups a reason to love each other or feel they have a duty to each other

capacity

the amount of something that can be put in a container, or the number of people that a place has room for

There are plans to increase the capacity of the stadium.

careless

a careless person does not think about what they are doing, so they make mistakes

It was careless of you to leave the medicine where the children could get it.

circulation

The continuous movement of blood around your body.

compile

to make something such as a list or book by bringing together information from many differentplaces

The database was compiled from statistics published by the Tourist Board.

comprehension

[uncountable] the ability to understand something

e.g. The students stared at me without comprehension.

e.g. We have no comprehension of the traumas these children have suffered.

comprise

to consist of two or more things

be comprised of:

The course is comprised of ten core modules.

concise

expressed using only a few words, but in a way that is easy to understand

clear concise instructions

conduct

to do something in an organized way. In ordinary speech it is more usual to say that someone carries something out

The agreement doesn’t allow you to conduct business from your home.

Gonzalez has conducted an impressive electoral campaign.

The interview was conducted by telephone.

cone

A type of specialized light-sensitive cell (photoreceptor) in the retina of the eye that provides color vision and sharp central vision.

confidential

confidential documents or information must be kept secret

strictly/highly confidential:

The reports are treated as strictly confidential.

congestion

a situation in which a place is crowded with people or vehicles, so that it is difficult to move around

traffic congestion:

The project aims to reduce traffic congestion.

consecutive

Following one immediately after another

It’s her fifth consecutive defeat

considerable

large in size, amount, or degree

a considerable amount of money

a matter of considerable importance to all of us

constitute

if several people or things constitute something, they combine to form it

one of the countries that constitute the European Union

convey

to communicate ideas or feelings indirectly

A good photograph can often convey far more than words.

deficiency

A lack of something that your body needs.

demands

the things that need to be done in a particular situation

demands of:

the demands of his new job

demands on:

Despite demands on her time, she was always courteous to everyone.

descriptive

the act of describing something

e.g. a descriptive approach

determine

to calculate something, or to discover it by examining evidence

I am interested in determining the cost.

determine why/whether/what:

Technicians were examining the missile to determine why it didn’t fire.

deviation

a difference in the usual or expected way of doing something

diagnose

to find out what physical or mental problem someone has by examining them

e.g. These questions help doctors diagnose personality disorders.

distraction

[countable/uncountable] something that gets your attention and prevents you from concentrating on something else

We have work to do and it is essential that there are no distractions.

ditch

if an aircraft ditches, or if the pilot ditches it, it comes down in the ocean in an emergency

dizzy

feeling as if you or the things around you are spinning, especially when you think you are going to fall

encrypt

to put information into code (=a system of words, numbers, or symbols that hides its real meaning)

Both transfers and stored files are encrypted so that your privacy is guaranteed at all times.