Issues Now in the News 3e-Book 1 Unit 08 (E)

accession

the act of a nation becoming part of an agreement already existing among other nations

This week, Bulgaria's intellectual potential will be called upon to aid the country in the process of its accession into the European Union.

assiduously

diligently; with constant effort and focus

Leaders worked assiduously to hammer out an action plan.

billionaire

a person who possesses over a billion units of a currency

She has succeeded in business and is now a billionaire.

command economy

business activities and the use of resources are decided by the government, and not by market forces.

We do not live in a command economy.

deficit

an amount of something that is less than what is actually needed

The deficit in the charity fund was caused by people paying their donations.

emblematic

serving as a symbol of a particular quality or concept;symbolic:

The dove is emblematic of peace.

emerge

to begin to develop; grow

He emerged as a key figure in the campaign.

entrepreneur

a person who starts a new business that seems risky or untried

The young entrepreneurs developed a system to help newcomers get settled into a new city.

exponentially

extremely rapidly

Technological development is accelerating exponentially.

extent

the point, level or limit to which something reaches

The extent of the damage caused by the fire was not known.

eye

to look at something with the intention of acquiring it

After eying them closely from the distance, they began to approach closer.

falter

to move unsteadily or hesitantly

His steps falter; the dancers seem to embrace him but they let go and he falls.

fierce

cruelly violent

fierce storms often raged along the coast.

hone

to sharpen to a fine point; to improve

Lisa honed her chess skills by hours and hours of practice.

infusion

the addiction of something such as money or a particular quality

The company needs an infusion of new blood.

inroad

an invasion or hostile attack; raid or incursion

It may also reference a sudden and violent inroad, or entrance of invaders.

make inroads

to encroach on or reduce something else

They have never seen a Korean SF film make inroads into America.

overhaul

to examine something thoroughly

The ship's engine had to be completely overhauled.

privatization

the act of changing from public ownership to private ownership

Another primary concern of the ANC government is the privatization of state assets.

privatize

to change from public ownership to private ownership

They were opposed to plans to privatize electricity and water.

prowess

great skill or ability in a particular field

Padraic will also be remembered for his prowess on the football field.

proximity

the state of being near

All the trees in the proximity of the beach had been cut down.

robust

strong and healthy

He was a tall and robust man.

sector

part of an area of activity, especially of business, trade

Nearly half of the funding came from the private sector.

specialist

a person who works in one specific area of a field or profession

The specialist told her that her eyes could get worse.

subsidiary

a company owned by another company

The company has subsidiaries in many different countries.

tackle

to deal with it in a determined and efficient way.

Such social problems need to be tackled right away.

transition

the process of changing from one thing to another

The weather gets colder during the transition from summer to autumn.

trappings

the outward signs; the appearances

I've spent the last few years acquiring the trappings and signs of the middle class.

upsurge

the strength or quantity of something; an increase

The recent upsurge in violence had forced a decision to cancel the scheduled tour, Merriman said.