Jenny Smith - The Complete English Master: 36 Topics for Fluency

The Complete English Master

36 Topics for Fluency

Jenny Smith

Jenny Smith 2014

All rights reserved. No part of this book can be reproduced or distributed in any form whatsoever without the permission of the publisher. The only exceptions are short quotations and some non-commercial uses allowed by copyright laws.

All efforts have been made to make the contents as accurate as possible. However if there are inaccuracies the publisher cannot be held liable. This book contains short stories and example sentences, all of which are fictitious and not based on any real event or person.

How to become a fluent English speaker

T his book is all 3 volumes of the very popular 'Master English in 12 Topics' series.

There are many things that make an excellent English speaker but one of the main things is that they can speak about a lot of different topics easily. Many students at the intermediate level can speak quite well about some topics but get completely lost when someone talks about an unfamiliar subject. This book helps you to build your vocabulary in 36 very useful and common subjects.

Six ways this book will help you towards English fluency

One) This book covers 36 very common topics. The vocabulary used is specialised but is also in everyday use.

Two) If you can only speak about a few limited subjects you will not become fluent. This book helps you to break out of these limits.

Three) This book features over 600 new words and phrases introduced in context (short stories or articles). This makes it both fun to learn and easy to see how they are actually used.

Four) Each new word or phrase is explained in simple English. This will help you get used to thinking in English rather than translating from your own language all of the time.

Five) There are example sentences for each new word or phrase. This will help you master both the meaning and the use of the word.

Six) At the end of each chapter there is an Extra Practice section. This features TV shows and Youtube channels that will help you practice the language.

Ok lets get started.

Crime

T he Police

Me and my partner had been working on the case for about two months. We were part of a larger sting operation to take down Henry Deacon, one of the most notorious crime bosses in town. Hed been picked up before for petty crime such as selling black-market goods but nothing ever really stuck . The evidence was either found to be inadmissible in court or the jury members would be intimidated or bought off , so hed always walk .

Vocabulary and Phrases:

A case: Here this word means when the police investigate a crime. An investigation.

Example: The murder case took two years to investigate.

A sting/sting operation: This is sometimes called a police sting and is a complicated operation to catch criminals.

Example: The police sting took over a year but eventually closed the crime syndicate down.

Notorious: This means famous for doing something bad (or sometimes unorthodox).

Example: You could say that Bonnie and Clyde are famous but notorious would be a better description.

(When someone is) picked up: To be picked up has many meanings but here it refers to when someone is taken to the police station for further questioning.

Example: The escaped convict (someone who was in prison) was picked up when he tried to cross the border.

Petty crime/petty criminal: A small crime/criminal. Not a serious crime/criminal.

Example1: Stealing from shops is considered a petty crime.

Example 2: He was known as a bit of a petty criminal so everyone was shocked when he robbed a bank.

The black-market: This is when things are sold unofficially. So they are not through formal channels and shops. They are untaxed.

Example: Black-market cigarettes account for 30% of all cigarettes sold in the UK.

When something doesnt stick: Again this has many meanings but in this context it means when the evidence against a criminal is not enough to convict them. So the police try to connect someone to a crime but it doesnt stick to them.

Example: The DNA evidence was inconclusive so the charge didnt stick.

To be inadmissible in court: This is evidence that cannot be used in court. For some reason the evidence has become useless.

Example: The witness was drunk when he saw the crime so his evidence is inadmissible.

To intimidate (someone)/to be intimidated (by someone): To act in a threatening way towards someone. To feel threatened by someone. This is used for both physical and psychological intimidation.

Example 1: He was always intimidating his wife.

Example 2: His wife was intimidated by him.

To buy someone off/To be bought off: This is when someone is bribed to do something. To be paid by a criminal to ignore evidence etc.

Example 1: The criminal bought the policeman off.

Example 2: The criminals in that town can do whatever they want because the whole police force has been bought off.

(When a criminal) walks: This is when someone is definitely guilty but for some reason is not convicted of the crime.

Example: Even though his alibi was obviously fake it meant that he was able to walk.

Wed been sitting outside of his house on a stakeout for the past week. He had not left once, when suddenly at around 3am we spotted him. He got into his car and started driving towards the western part of town. We tailed him at a distance for about a mile when he turned onto the highway. We were pretty confident that he hadnt noticed us so we maintained our distance and followed him to an abandoned warehouse. We were far away from him and we had to turn off our lights, but we could just about make-out what was happening. It seemed that it was some sort of a buy . Although it was dark, we identified the other person as a known drug importer. We rang our commanding officer but he ordered us to stand down and not to bust them as there were only two of us and it would be too risky without back-up . Even though we disagreed, that is the chain of command and we had to respect it.

Vocabulary and Phrases:

A stakeout: When the police wait outside someones house and watch them. When the police secretly watch someone who they think may commit (has committed) a crime.

Example: The two police officers were on a stake-out watching the suspected criminal.

To tail someone: This is when someone (usually the police) follows someone else (usually a suspect) without them knowing about it.

Example: The criminal made sure that he lost the tail before he tried to leave the country.

To (be able to) make (something) out : This is when you cannot see something clearly but you can just about identify what it is. Note: This is not exactly a police show word, but it is useful.