Total English - Advanced - Unit 3 - Reference

Here you will find the vocabulary from Unit 3 - Reference in the Total English Advanced coursebook, such as "level-headed", "tall story", "elaborate", etc.

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Total English - Advanced
plot [noun]

the events that are crucial to the formation and continuity of a story in a movie, play, novel, etc.

Ex: She explained the plot of the play , highlighting the main conflicts and resolutions .
biographical [adjective]

relating to or describing the life or history of a particular person, often focusing on significant events, achievements, or experiences

Ex: His speech included biographical details about the composer ’s early years .
sketch [noun]

a brief literary description that presents a scene, character, or event with minimal detail

Ex: She wrote a short sketch of the mysterious stranger she met .
fake [adjective]

designed to resemble the real thing but lacking authenticity

Ex: They gave him a fake trophy for his performance in the competition .
myth [noun]

a story involving the ancient history of a people, usually about heroes and supernatural events that could be unreal

Ex: The ancient myth described how fire was stolen from the gods .

a story that one finds hard to believe because it seems far from reality

Ex: The old sailor entertained us with a series of tall stories about his adventures at sea .

a type of folktale that typically features mythical creatures, magical events, and enchanted settings, often with a moral lesson or a happy ending

Ex: Fairy tales often feature mythical creatures such as fairies , witches , dragons , and talking animals .
legend [noun]

an old story that is sometimes considered historical although it is not usually proved to be true

anecdote [noun]

a short interesting story about a real event or person, often biographical

Ex: He told an anecdote about meeting a famous musician by accident .

the final part of a joke or a humorous story that is intended to make the audience laugh or surprise them with a clever twist or unexpected ending

Ex: The punch line of the story was so unexpected that it made me gasp .
joke [noun]

something a person says that is intended to make others laugh

Ex: The comedian 's joke about the airplane food had the audience in stitches .

a small lie that does not cause any harm, especially told to avoid making someone upset

Ex: The host thanked their guests for the delicious meal , even though it was a white lie as the food was undercooked .
rumor [noun]

a piece of information or story that is circulated among a group of people, often without being confirmed as true or accurate

gossip [noun]

informal or idle talk about others, especially their personal lives, typically involving details that may not be confirmed or verified

Ex: He ’s always the first one to spread gossip , but it ’s not always reliable .

to give more information to make the understanding more complete

Ex: During the meeting , the expert elaborated on the key points of the proposal to ensure everyone had a clear understanding .
hoax [noun]

a deceptive act or scheme intended to trick people

Ex: They fell for a viral hoax about a hidden treasure .
prone [adjective]

having a tendency or inclination toward something

Ex: Athletes are often prone to injuries due to intense training .

the act of overstating or stretching the truth beyond what is accurate or realistic

Ex: She told the story with so much exaggeration that no one believed her .
readable [adjective]

easy, interesting and enjoyable to read

Ex: A good writer knows how to make complex ideas readable and engaging .
hooked [adjective]

addicted to something, particularly to narcotic drugs

Ex: The rehab center helps hooked patients recover from substance abuse .
moving [adjective]

causing powerful emotions of sympathy or sorrow

Ex:
gripping [adjective]

exciting and intriguing in a way that attracts one's attention

Ex:
bookworm [noun]

a person who loves reading books and often spends a lot of time reading

Ex: As a child , he was a quiet bookworm who preferred reading to playing outside .
one-dimensional [adjective]

existing or moving only in one direction or along a single line

Ex: In basic physics , motion along a straight path is considered one-dimensional .
best-selling [adjective]

(of a book or other product) sold in large quantities because of gaining significant popularity among people

Ex: The best-selling artist won multiple awards for her music .
avid [adjective]

extremely enthusiastic and interested in something one does

Ex: He 's an avid sports fan , never missing a game of his favorite team .

to describe a specific subject, scene, person, etc.

Ex: The film was depicting life in the 18th century when the power went out .
single-minded [adjective]

focusing on one particular goal or purpose, and determined to achieve it

Ex: Single-minded individuals may struggle with balancing other aspects of life .
self-sufficient [adjective]

capable of providing everything that one needs, particularly food, without any help from others

Ex: The small village aimed to be self-sufficient by generating its own electricity through solar panels .
thick-skinned [adjective]

not easily affected by criticism, insults or negative comments

Ex: It ’s not easy to be thick-skinned when you care deeply about your work .
kind-hearted [adjective]

having a compassionate and caring nature, showing kindness and generosity toward others

Ex: Everyone in the community admired him for being such a kind-hearted person .
standoffish [adjective]

reserved, aloof, or distant in one's interactions with others, often conveying a sense of unfriendliness or coldness

Ex: His standoffish demeanor made it difficult for others to approach him , leading to misconceptions about his personality .
career-oriented [adjective]

(of a person) prioritizing and focusing on their professional growth, development, and advancement, often with a strong dedication to their chosen career path

level-headed [adjective]

capable of making good decisions in difficult situations

Ex: Despite the argument , he stayed level-headed and resolved the issue peacefully .
absent-minded [adjective]

failing to remember or be attentive to one's surroundings or tasks due to being preoccupied with other thoughts

Ex: His absent-minded nature led him to leave the house without his wallet multiple times .
farce [noun]

a play or movie that uses exaggerated humor, absurd situations, and improbable events to entertain

Ex: The classic farce relied on slapstick humor and mistaken identities .
pun [noun]

a clever or amusing use of words that takes advantage of the multiple meanings or interpretations that it has

Ex: " I used to be a baker , but I could n't make enough dough , " is a classic pun .
cartoon [noun]

a movie or TV show, made by photographing a series of drawings or models rather than real people or objects

Ex: The cartoon is known for its colorful animation and funny characters .

a type of humor that finds the funny side of difficult or painful situations, often in a way that is considered inappropriate or offensive by some people

Ex: The novel ’s black humor made its dark subject matter more digestible .
surreal [adjective]

related to an artistic style that emphasizes the bizarre, dreamlike, or irrational, often blending reality with fantasy in unexpected ways

Ex: The film 's surreal style was marked by unusual transitions and impossible settings .
irony [noun]

a form of humor in which the words that someone says mean the opposite, producing an emphatic effect

Ex: His speech was filled with irony , making fun of the company ’s so-called " success . "

the act of overstating or stretching the truth beyond what is accurate or realistic

Ex: She told the story with so much exaggeration that no one believed her .
satire [noun]

humor, irony, ridicule, or sarcasm used to expose or criticize the faults and shortcomings of a person, government, etc.

Ex: The cartoonist 's satire of political leaders sparked public debate .
dead end [noun]

a situation that shows no signs of progress or improvement

Ex: The negotiations have reached a dead end , with no progress made on either side .
frosty [adjective]

unfriendly or distant in one's manner or interactions with others

Ex: After their disagreement , their conversations turned frosty and brief .

the way in which something is perceived or received by others, often referring to the response or reaction to an idea, message, or product

Ex: The new policy faced a cold reception from employees .

feeling unwell or slightly ill

Ex: She stayed home from work because she was feeling under the weather .
stormy [adjective]

involving bitter arguments and angry feelings

Ex: The board meeting took a stormy turn when the CEO 's proposal was challenged .

to be in control of a particular situation and be the one who decides what needs to be done

Ex: The director calls the tune during the film production , deciding on scenes , camera angles , and overall creative vision .

the position of being directly involved in a challenging or risky situation

Ex: The new policy placed the CEO in the firing line of public criticism .

to put a great deal of effort to overcome difficulties or achieve a goal

Ex: She struggled to overcome her fear of public speaking , but with practice and support , she improved .
warm [adjective]

displaying friendliness, kindness, or enthusiasm

Ex: The warm welcome we received from the staff made our visit to the hotel memorable .