outcomes advanced
defensive, put up this great big barrier, get on with your work
(I've tried to talk to him about it, but) he always just gets really defensive and puts up this great big barrier and basically just tells me to get on with my work
laid-back about
- I mean, I see him throwing a frisbee around with people outside the hall or sitting AROUND smoking, but I've never seen him go to any lectures or anything, and he just seems ... well ... extremely laid-back about it. - To the point of horizontal, then, eh?
not make a thing of it
- So she's a bit older than you, then. - Yeah, but she certainly doesn't make a thing of it.
have been through the biggest changes since...
Which people you know have been through the biggest changes since you've known them?
raise your voice
Would you mind not raising your voice like that?
cynic/cynical
You're just a cynic
suck up to sb, get ahead
all they're interested in is sucking up to whoever is above them in order to get ahead
remain calm
always remain calm
cause problems for local people, discourage inward investment and tourism
apart from causing problems for local people, all of this also discouraged inward investment and tourism to the city
arrive on time for ...
arrive on time for a date
encourage sb
encourage sb
have a clue, expected of ..., drag ... down
he doesn't seem to HAVE A CLUE how the department should work or WHAT'S EXPECTED OF HIM and he's DRAGGING the whole team DOWN WITH him
approachable, take notice
he isn't exactly the most approachable person and from what I've heard he wouldn't take any notice, anyway
interested in
he isn't interested in his work
blame it all on ...
he just blames it all on everyone else - mainly those below him
mince words, comment on
he never minced his words when commenting on their behaviour
typical of sb
he would do something like that! it's so typical of him
one of those people who ...
he's one of those people who'll just never accept they've made the wrong decision.
bitchy
he's so bitchy
fake
he's so fake - D'you think so? In what way?
full of ...self
he's so full of himself
set ... apart
her timidity set her apart from her more outgoing sisters
justice in action
his eventual arrest was an example of justice in action
the city was hit by an economic downturn
however, during the latter part of that decade, the city was hit by an economic downturn that saw many factories close down and unemployment soar
the profound change, the gallery symbolises
however, fewer will be aware of the profound change that the gallery symbolises
it's important to recognise
however, it's important to recognise it was only one part of the strategy
undermine sb
if you undermine someone, you make them feel less confident
incompetent
incompetent
on the outskirts of the city
it also modernised what remained of its more traditional industries and attracted new companies to the technology park on the outskirts of the city
it's not worth it
it's not worth it
listen to sb carefully
listen to sb carefully
a flourishing city with a vibrant nightlife
many people will have visited the city just to see it and found a flourishing city with a vibrant nightlife
go over sb's head
maybe you need to go over his head and talk to his line manager about it
it's difficult to deny, it's been a success
nevertheless, it's difficult to deny it (the process) has been a success which has seen the city return to its previous population levels and survive the major recession that began in 2008
a key part of this process
obviously, constructing a series of major buildings designed by famous international architects was a key part of this process
so-called
other cities trying to replicate the so-called "Guggenheim effect" may have failed because they didn't take up the other strands of Bilbao's regeneration project
abandoned the city, contaminated land, condemned buildings
over the years, many factories closed down and thousands of people abandoned the city, leaving contaminated land and large numbers of condemned buildings
principled
principled
go on about sth (= keep talking about sth, especially when other people think it's boring)
All that rubbish about saving the world and helping the starving millions that he's always going on about
slacker, strike sb as ...
And the guy on the other side of me seems pleasant enough, but he strikes me as a bit of a slacker
get on ok with
Are you getting on OK with them all? - Yeah, more or less.
put up with
Are you willing to put up with that kind of behaviour, or would you rather have a more fulfilling relationship?
care about
Ask yourself how much you really care about him
have had enough of ...
Frankly, I would've thought you'd had enough of his behaviour by now.
hit it off with sb straight away
Have you ever hit it off with someone straight away?
share accommodation with sb
Have you ever shared accommodation with anyone? How would you feel about it?
assure sb
He assured me everything would be ok, but of course it wasn't. She assured them that she would be all right.
keep ...self to ...self
He certainly keeps himself to himself, anyway.
give away his millions
He made millions, but then gave it all away.
treat sb
He shouldn't be treating you like that
strive in vain
He strove in vain to convince her. She simply wouldn't listen
raise awareness
He's done a lot to raise awareness of various different causes and he works really hard to make a difference.
steady relationship
He's not interested in a steady relationship with you or he would have called you last month
drag down the rest of the team
He's not just messing up his own career. He's dragging us down as well.
How common is it for people ...?
How common is it for people to share accommodation in your country?
stick to your principles, abandon your principles
How important do you think it is to stick to your principles? Can you think of times when maybe it's better to abandon them?
bits and pieces
I bought a few bits and pieces at the shops
take over the bathroom
I can never get in the bathroom in the morning. She totally takes it over.
can't stand sb
I can't stand him
every now and then
I don't see her much any more but every now and then she gives me a call
not see much of ...
I haven't really seen much of the guy next door.
get sb wrong
I just think you've got him wrong.
stand up for
I quite admire the fact that he's prepared to stand up for what he believes in.
at lectures
I think he studies Medicine so he's either at lectures or studying
In the last couple of weeks, make excuses
I thought we were becoming really close, but in the last couple of weeks she's made excuses several times when I've asked her out
come to the rescue
I was really struggling, but Max came to the rescue and sorted everything out
go to trouble
I wouldn't have asked for your help, if I'd known you'd go to so much trouble. You didn't have to go to all that trouble for me.
I wouldn't say that.
I wouldn't say that.
feel happy about Ving
I'd feel happier about going if I knew someone else there
self-promotion
I'd say it's all just self-promotion.
bad news
I'm sorry to tell you that this guy is bad news
keep interrupting sb
I'm sorry, I shouted, but you kept interrupting me
I've always thought ..., come across as
I've always thought he comes across as a really decent guy
see sb
I've been seeing this girl for about 3 months now and I really like her
flirt with sb
I've noticed that she spends a lot of time talking to my best friend and flirts with him a lot.
to refuse to do sth
If I were you, I would refuse to see him for a while and see what happens
bothered
If he was really bothered, he'd give his millions away and really help people. He just likes to be seen to be doing good.
win sb back
If he's interested, he'll do everything to win you back. If not, you'd better end it now before you get hurt again
stick to your principles
If those are your principles, you've got to stick to them.
Act selfishly
If you ask me, he's acted really selfishly
go through huge changes
Life brings many changes - and I've gone through them all!
threaten to V
She threatened to leave if he didn't stop yelling
beg sb to reconsider
She wouldn't change her mind even though I begged her to reconsider
be a great laugh
She's a great laugh.
do your hair and your make-up
She's in there for hours doing her hair and her make-up
what're the people like?
So what're the people on your corridor like?
to stay with
Staying with this guy would be the worst thing you could do
drive sb mad
That'd drive me mad, that would!
knock down the slums
The buildings aren't fit to live in anymore so they've decided to knock them down.
bring in new restrictions
The new restrictions? Oh, they brought them in last year.
take over the bathroom
The only problem is she kind of takes over the bathroom every morning.
people in the public eye
There are plenty of people in the public eye who just aren't bothered about those things.
set up a recycling centre
There's a big recycling centre there. They set it up a few years ago.
no doubt in my mind
There's no doubt in my mind that he is using you
on purpose
she did that on purpose
get upset over sth
she's always getting upset over such trivial things
come over
she's from the States and came over to do a Master's in International Law
since its completion ...
since its completion in 1997, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the capital of the Basque region of northern Spain, has become one of the most famous buildings in the world
so how is it all going?
so how is it all going? (any better?) - I'd say things are worse (if anything), to be honest
suck up to sb
someone who sucks up to the boss wants to get a promotion
take things in one's stride
someone who takes things in his stride always remains calm
sounds like an idiot
sounds like an idiot to me
student residence, dorm
student residence, dorm
be faced with
suddenly we were faced with a very real problem
surely
surely Peter knows all about that!
developed service industries
the city improved transport links and created two metro lines, and also developed service industries such as hosting events and conferences
threats
the city was also affected by threats and acts of terrorism by the Basque Separatist group, ETA
peace and quiet
the only place where I can find a bit of peace and quiet is the park
rules and regulations
the research centre where I work has so many rules and regulations regarding health and safety!
voices of opposition
there have been some voices of opposition that suggest the process did not benefit many of the working-class people most affected by the original crisis
with a particular focus on
these included ongoing heavy investment in training and education with a particular focus on computing and technology
believe
they aren't sure what to believe in
oblivious to criticism
they seem oblivious to criticism, these people
to halt the decline, the city embarked on a strategy to reinvent itself as
to halt the decline, the city embarked on a strategy to reinvent itself as a centre for culture, tourism and new technologies
patch things up
to try to improve a relationship after there have been problems: You should go and talk to her and try to patch things up. Jackie and Bill are still trying to patch up their marriage. They finally patched up their differences. He is going to try to patch things up with his girlfriend.
dominated by steel plants and shipbuilding, brought wealth, choked the city
up until the early 80s, Bilbao had been dominated by steel plants and shipbuilding, which brought wealth but which also created heavy smog that choked the city
principled, have strong values
very principled people have strong values
long and hard
we looked long and hard for a suitable cafe, but nowhere looked very inviting
on and off
we've lived here on and off for the most of our lives
what really drives me mad
what really drives me mad, though, is the man's arrogance
exaggerate, take sb seriously
when someone exaggerates, you should not take them seriously
you're joking
you're joking, aren't you?
naïve
you're just naïve!
miss the point
you're missing the point of what I'm saying. that isn't what I meant at all
hit it off straight away
We hit it off straight away. - That's good, then.
embark on a strategy
We realised as soon as we embarked on it that it was a good strategy.
What's wrong with that?
What's wrong with that?
chatty
But the girl opposite is great. She's really nice and very bright and chatty.
end up spending money
Can you remember a time you ended up spending more money than you'd planned to?
raise awareness of ...
Can you think of any celebreties who try to raise awareness of a cause? What's the cause? What do you think about it?
have a difficult relationship
Do you know anyone who has a difficult relationship with their boss?
embark on a new career
Do you know anyone who's ever quit their job and embarked on a whole new career?
set up a company
Do you know anyone who's ever set up a company?
keep your mouth shut.
It'd be easier for him to just keep his mouth shut
sell more of
It's just to sell more of his music.
set out an ambitious plan
It's quite an ambitious plan, so make sure you set it out clearly.
It's really annoying
It's really annoying because we've only got the one bathroom
bother sb
It's started to bother me. What should I do?