11 Lesson: Are we a nation of wusses?

 0    60 flashcards    edytaks
download mp3 print play test yourself
 
Question English Answer English
wuss
Are we a nation of wusses?
start learning
a person who is weak or not effective, sb. who you think is weak or lacks courage, palant.
cardie/cardy
"To avoid high heating bills this winter, shouldn't we just rediscover the joys of living at 13C in an extra cardie?"
start learning
Inf. for cardigan, sweter rozpinany
run up
"To stay warm and run up an extortionate fuel bill"
start learning
to make (a bill, debt, etc.) increase is to ____ it ____., gromadzić, robić
extortionate
"""To stay warm and run up an extortionate fuel bill"""
start learning
(of prices) too high, extreme, wygórowany
extortion
"""To stay warm and run up an extortionate fuel bill"""
start learning
,. Pol. zdzierstwo
sturdy
"To stay warm and run up an extortionate fuel bill, or to search out sturdy underpinnings and layer up like a trussed Victorian?"
start learning
. an object that is strong, well-made and not easily broken is _____., solidny
underpinnings
"To stay warm and run up an extortionate fuel bill, or to search out sturdy underpinnings and layer up like a trussed Victorian?"
start learning
any supporting structure or system, Pol. podstawy, fundamenty,
truss
"To stay warm and run up an extortionate fuel bill, or to search out sturdy underpinnings and layer up like a trussed Victorian?"
start learning
, Pol. związać, obwiązać, wcisnąć (kogoś) (w ciasne ubranie).
layer
"To stay warm and run up an extortionate fuel bill, or to search out sturdy underpinnings and layer up like a trussed Victorian?"
start learning
Pol. warstwa np. ubrań,
wear several layers of clothing
"To stay warm and run up an extortionate fuel bill, or to search out sturdy underpinnings and layer up like a trussed Victorian?"
start learning
Pol. ubierać się na cebulę,
slap
"the increase in energy prices that will slap 25 per cent on the cost of heating this winter."
start learning
". to suddenly announce a new charge, tax, etc. or say that sth is not allowed. Toadd to the price of sth. To cause (esp. something unpleasant) to happen. Example: The government has _____ -ped more tax on cigarettes, Pol. doliczyć",
cast
"There is another question too, and it comes to mind when you cast your mind back to your childhood,"
start learning
to throw or expel with violence or force, Pol. rzucać,
cast your mind back
"There is another question too, and it comes to mind when you cast your mind back to your childhood,"
start learning
When you _____, you try to remember sth., cofać się pamięcią
semi
"Why have we gone from accepting that one coal fire provided a suburban semi with an adequate level of heating"
start learning
a short for a semi-detached house., bliźniak, dom dwurodzinny
semi-detached house
"Why have we gone from accepting that one coal fire provided a suburban semi with an adequate level of heating"
start learning
"A _____ (house) (UK and ANZ informal semi) is one of a pair of houses whichare joined together", bliźniak. dom dwurodzinny
insist
"wandering round in T-shirts in December insisting that anything less than a constant 25C is freezing?"
start learning
"to state or demand forcefully, esp. despite opposition, Pol. twierdzić, obstawaćprzy (czymś)",
multifaceted
The answer is multifaceted
start learning
having many different parts, Pol. wielopłaszczyznowy,
steady
"Its root lies in consumerism, in the steady improvement in the British standard of living"
start learning
happening in a smooth, gradual and regular way, not suddenly or unexpectedly, stały, systematyczny
edict
"that would make the Ministry of Housing edicts of 1961 seem quaint had they not been designed to stop people dying from cold."
start learning
an official order, esp. one which is given in a forceful and unfair way, edykt
quaint
"that would make the Ministry of Housing edicts of 1961 seem quaint had they not been designed to stop people dying from cold."
start learning
unusual, strange, old-fashioned., osobliwy
wander round
"wandering round in T-shirts in December insisting that anything less than a constant 25C is freezing?"
start learning
Pol. wędrować,
decree
"That was when the Parker Morris Standards decreed that dwellings should be fitted with heating systems that maintain the kitchen and circulation space at 13C"
start learning
"to make an official statement that sth must happen, Pol. zarządzić, nakazać, orzec.",
dwelling
"That was when the Parker Morris Standards decreed that dwellings should be fitted with heating systems that maintain the kitchen and circulation space at 13C"
start learning
a place where people can live, mieszkanie, miejsce zamieszkania
fitted
"That was when the Parker Morris Standards decreed that dwellings should be fitted with heating systems that maintain the kitchen and circulation space at 13C"
start learning
if a place is equipped with sth it is ____ with it., dopasowany
notion
"By 1968 it was recognised that comfort was necessary for productivity, the notion of humanitarian needs was acknowledged"
start learning
(a) belief or idea, Pol. myśl, pogląd, pojęcie,
acknowledge
"By 1968 it was recognised that comfort was necessary for productivity, the notion of humanitarian needs was acknowledged"
start learning
to accept, admit or recognize (something, or the truth or existence of something), Pol. przyznać, uznać, potwierdzić.,
glaze
"6.5 million central heating systems had been installed and there was interest in double glazing and other forms of insulation."
start learning
to put a piece of glass into (a window), szklić
insulate
"6.5 million central heating systems had been installed and there was interest in double glazing and other forms of insulation."
start learning
to protect sb or sth from outside influences, izolować
hire purchase
"All this was linked to the explosion of hire purchase and easy credit"
start learning
____ (US Installment plan) is a system of paying for something in which the buyer pays part of the cost immediately and then makes small regular payments until the debt is reduced to nothing. Pol. zakup na raty,
stigma
"“Even 50 years ago hire purchase was surrounded by stigma"
start learning
a deep feeling that other people do not respect you or have a good opinion of you, piętno
drive
"At the same time there was a philosophical drive behind the change."
start learning
force,
gratification
"We expect instant gratification and with the shift away from living with scarcity, or according to necessity, that's become a benchmark of success"
start learning
If people get what they want immediately they expect instant _____., satysfakcja gratyfikacja
shift
"We expect instant gratification and with the shift away from living with scarcity, or according to necessity, that's become a benchmark of success"
start learning
a change (of one's position), zmiana
scarcity
"We expect instant gratification and with the shift away from living with scarcity, or according to necessity, that's become a benchmark of success"
start learning
inadequate supply, rarity or infrequent occurrence, niedostatek
benchmark
"We expect instant gratification and with the shift away from living with scarcity, or according to necessity, that's become a benchmark of success"
start learning
a criterion by which to measure something, standard, reference point., standard
backbone
"a bit of suffering was seen to be a good thing morally, it gave people backbone"
start learning
strength, bravery or strength of character, cywilna odwaga
agenda
"Whereas today there is no agenda other than to maximise our pleasure through our consumption habits and practices."
start learning
the matters which are waiting to be discussed or achieved, lista spraw
privation
"We have a generation of people who have no idea of privation, of what it is to go without and to them the idea that they can't have it easy is anathema."
start learning
a lack of the basic things that are necessary for an acceptable standard of living, Pol. niedostatek, ubóstwo.,
anathema
"We have a generation of people who have no idea of privation, of what it is to go without and to them the idea that they can't have it easy is anathema."
start learning
something which is greatly disliked or disapproved of, a strong curse., rzecz znienawidzona
go without
"We have a generation of people who have no idea of privation, of what it is to go without and to them the idea that they can't have it easy is anathema."
start learning
to not have (something) or to manage to live despite not having (something), Pol. obywać się bez (czegoś),
veneer
"Of course it's fashionable to talk about ethical consumption but it seems to me that's not much more than a veneer."
start learning
A ______ is also something which hides something unpleasant or unwanted, fasada czegoś
close to home
"When it comes to turning down the heating that strikes a bit too close to home.”"
start learning
If sth is _____ it is referring to sth about which sb is very sensitive,
anticipate
"people did suffer from the cold and winter was anticipated with some dread."
start learning
to imagine or expect that (something) will happen, sometimes taking action in preparation for it happening, oczekiwać przewidywać
dread
"people did suffer from the cold and winter was anticipated with some dread."
start learning
to feel extremely anxious or unhappy about (something that is going to happen or might happen), bać się lękać się obawiać się
flick
"Central heating is convenient, you just flick a switch, and once you can do that, habits change"
start learning
quick movement, Pol. pstryknąć, włączyć/wyłączyć,
congregate
"We heat the whole house now because families no longer congregate in one room, they're scattered throughout the house doing different activities."
start learning
(of people and animals) to gather together in a large group, gromadzić się
scatter
"We heat the whole house now because families no longer congregate in one room, they're scattered throughout the house doing different activities."
start learning
Pol. rozpraszać, rozrzucać, rozsiewać,
sew into one's vest
"I don't see people going back to being sewn into their vests at the beginning of winter.”"
start learning
Pol. 'zaszyć się w kamizelkę',
chill
"A chill reminder to use energy more wisely"
start learning
a sensation of coldness resulting from a cold or damp environment, or from a sudden emotional reaction., chłód
ambivalent
"Newcomers to Britain often complain about our freezing homes, but may be unaware that our ambivalent attitude to insulation follows a stubborn tradition."
start learning
a sensation of coldness resulting from a cold or damp environment, or from a sudden emotional reaction., z mieszanymi uczuciami
spell
"In cold climates - where there are no “cold spells”, only long and bitter winters -"
start learning
a period of a particular kind of activity, weather, illness etc, usually a short one, okres
hearth
"But the British loved their hearths, the cheerful centre of family life and, it was commonly assumed, an excellent source of ventilation."
start learning
the area around a fireplace or the area of floor in front of it, Pol. palenisko,
stuffy
"Whereas Eastern European and Russian cultures believe that cold air causes illness, the British fear stuffiness."
start learning
(of a room or building) unpleasant because of a lack of fresh air, duszny
miasma
"we believed that disease was transmitted miasmatically, that bad smells were poisonous"
start learning
pollution in the atmosphere, esp. noxious vapours from decomposing organic matter., wyziew miazmaty
decadence
"In the 1950s, central heating was dismissed in Britain as “hygienic decadence”."
start learning
a state of low standards in social and moral behaviour, zepsucie
stable
"For centuries the Swedes built houses of wood (a natural insulator) above stables"
start learning
a building in which horses are kept, Pol. stajnia,
sop
"The first laws on insulation standards in 1976 were a sop to the building industry - wall-cavity insulation was not set as standard."
start learning
something not very important or valuable that a government or someone in authority offers to people to stop them from complaining or protesting, Pol. symboliczny gest, ochłap,
cavity
"The first laws on insulation standards in 1976 were a sop to the building industry - wall-cavity insulation was not set as standard."
start learning
a hole, or an empty space between two surfaces, otwór, pusta przestrzeń
sensitive to sth
"But different nationalities are not more sensitive to cold."
start learning
easily affected or damaged by sth such as a substance or temperature, Pol. wrażliwy na,
content
"Britons feel comfortable in colder houses because they are content to wear two jumpers, extra socks and a cardigan."
start learning
willing to do or accept something, rather than doing more, zadawalać

You must sign in to write a comment