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1.2c LEARN Vocabulary from HBR: How to Improve Your Business English

Terms in this set (33)

authentic

adj
being what it is claimed to be; genuine, real.

1. Use authentic English materials.
2. But authentic materials, such as TV shows, podcasts, and TED talks, expose you to English in its native habitat.
3. When meeting someone new, you want to be authentic with them.
4. A great leader must be authentic.
5. It is important to provide authentic customer service.
to expose (someone/something) to (someone/something)

phrasal verb
To bring someone, something, or oneself into contact with someone or something

1. But authentic materials, such as TV shows, podcasts, and TED talks, expose you to English in its native habitat.
2. As a young employee, he was exposed to great leadership and now he manages the company.
habitat

noun
the natural surroundings in which an animal or plant usually lives. can also the natural surroundings within a company or group

1. But authentic materials, such as TV shows, podcasts, and TED talks, expose you to English in its native habitat.
real-life

noun
what happens in human situations rather than in a story, film, etc.

1. They better prepare you for real-life situations, and they're often more enjoyable than strictly educational materials.
strictly

adverb
completely or entirely.


1. They better prepare you for real-life situations, and they're often more enjoyable than strictly educational materials.
to seek out (something)

phrasal verb
to search and try to find something or some information

1. Seek out good writing, watch great speakers, and try to imitate the format, structure, and language of those whose work you admire.
imitate

verb
to copy someone's speech or behavior, or to copy something as a model.


1. Seek out good writing, watch great speakers, and try to imitate the format, structure, and language of those whose work you admire.
admire

verb
to respect and approve of someone or something.

1. Seek out good writing, watch great speakers, and try to imitate the format, structure, and language of those whose work you admire.
exposure to (something)

noun
the conditions that make available an opportunity to learn or experience new things.

1. Exposure to authentic materials not only helps with language proficiency, but it can also enhance your knowledge of a particular field.
2. The bank had relatively little exposure to subprime mortgages, which are issued to people with weak credit histories.
enhance

verb
to improve the quality, amount, or value of something.

1. Exposure to authentic materials not only helps with language proficiency, but it can also enhance your knowledge of a particular field.
overcome

verb
to defeat or succeed in controlling or dealing with something.


1. Teachers help students set achievable goals and overcome barriers that inevitably arise along the way.
barriers

noun
something that prevents something else from happening or makes it more difficult.

1. Teachers help students set achievable goals and overcome barriers that inevitably arise along the way.
inevitably

adverb
in a way that cannot be avoided.


1. Teachers help students set achievable goals and overcome barriers that inevitably arise along the way.
arise

verb
to come into existence or begin to be noticed; happen.

1. Teachers help students set achievable goals and overcome barriers that inevitably arise along the way.
along the way

idiom
during a particular period of time.

1. Teachers help students set achievable goals and overcome barriers that inevitably arise along the way.
accountability

noun
a situation in which someone is responsible for things that happen and can give a satisfactory reason for them.

1. Supportive classmates provide accountability and the friendly push that students need to keep up with their study plans.
push

verb
collocations
an effort to make something more successful, for example by advertising it a lot or giving it extra money.

1. Supportive classmates provide accountability and the friendly push that students need to keep up with their study plans.
2. Collocations: gentle push, friendly push, strong push.
to keep up with (something)

phrasal verb
To be able to understand or deal with something that is happening or changing very fast.

1. Supportive classmates provide accountability and the friendly push that students need to keep up with their study plans.
2. The company CEO emphasized how important it is to keep up with the latest industry advancements.
3. Unfortunately, the company is having difficulty keeping up with new orders.
4. It is important to keep up with the new advancements in your industry.
5. One of the team members couldn't keep up with the workload and the CEO had to fire him.
prompt

adj
done or happening without delay.

1. The research is clear: prompt and frequent feedback has a huge effect on learning
frequent

adj
happening or doing something often.

1. The research is clear: prompt and frequent feedback has a huge effect on learning.
feedback

noun
information about something such as a new product or someone's work, that provides an idea of whether people like it or whether it is good.

1. Seek regular feedback from teachers and mentors while you practice an important speech or work on a critical business proposal.
effect

noun
collocation
the result of a particular influence.

1. The research is clear: prompt and frequent feedback has a huge effect on learning.
2. Collocations: huge effect, minimal effect, significant effect, negative effect.
mentor

noun
a person with experience in a job who supports and advises someone with less experience to help them develop in their work.

1. Seek regular feedback from teachers and mentors while you practice an important speech or work on a critical business proposal.
critical

adj
Extremely important to the progress or success of something.

1. Seek regular feedback from teachers and mentors while you practice an important speech or work on a critical business proposal.
2. It is critical that a CEO has great communication skills to be an effective leader.
3. This is a critical step in the implementation phase.
4. The CFO made a number of critical decisions that benefitted the company.
proposal

noun
a formal suggestion, plan, or idea, often a written one.

1. Seek regular feedback from teachers and mentors while you practice an important speech or work on a critical business proposal.
nitpick

verb
to find faults in details that are not important

1. Find people who like to nitpick about language and grammar.
perfect

(check your pronunciation for this verb)
verb
to make something free from faults.

1. They will help you perfect your English.
2. Perfecting the automation of the new program is very important.
3. The company spent years perfecting its sales techniques.
4. The marketing department continues to try to perfect its marketing process.
digital age

noun
the present time, when most information is in a computerized form, especially when compared to the time when computers were not used.

1. In today's digital age, it is becoming easier to find great resources for improving your business English
none of the above

collocation
not any of the choices listed before this

1. Of course, none of the above tips will make learning English easy.
to take on (something)

phrasal verb
to begin to have, use, or do something.

1. Even with the best approach, taking on a foreign language is a long-term and challenging commitment.
commitment

noun
a promise or firm decision to do something, or the fact of promising something.

1. Even with the best approach, taking on a foreign language is a long-term and challenging commitment.
encouraging

adj
making you feel more confidence or hope.

1. But our research is encouraging: with patience, realistic goals, and a good community of learners, it really is possible for busy adults to master the world's lingua franca.
patience

noun
the ability to wait, or to continue doing something despite difficulties, or to suffer without complaining or becoming annoyed.

1. But our research is encouraging: with patience, realistic goals, and a good community of learners, it really is possible for busy adults to master the world's lingua franca.
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