Unit 5A: Disasters & Reactions

approach (n)

Definition: method, procedure, strategy. | Example: He has a relaxed approach to life.

aside from (prep)

Definition: except for one thing, sth. is true; apart from. | Example: Aside from hanging about in the street, there’s nothing for kids to do here.

assess (v)

Definition: to evaluate, to judge, to analyze. | Example: Exams are not the only means of assessing a student's ability.

astonished (adj)

Definition: very surprised. | Example: A: Were you surprised to hear that the boss is leaving? B: I was astonished. I really wasn´t expecting it.

avalanche (n)

Definition: a large amount of snow and ice that suddenly falls down a mountain. | Example: According to rescue workers, it will take several hours to dig people out of the avalanche of snow.

be (feel) down (exp)

Definition: to be sad or depressed. | Example: He’s been feeling really down since his wife went away.

be scared stiff (exp)

Definition: to be terrified. | Example: I was scared stiff when I heard someone in our kitchen in the middle of the night.

be sick and tired of (exp)

Definition: to be fed up or irritated. | Example: I'm sick and tired of hearing your complaints about your job.

be worn out (exp)

Definition: to be exhausted. | Example: I'm absolutely worn out. I want to relax and put my feet up.

bewildered (adj)

Definition: extremely confused. | Example: A: What don't you understand in the report? B: I'm just completely bewildered by so many facts and figures.

bite (n)

Definition: an act of biting (To bite: To use your teeth to cut into or through sth). | Example: "You eat a sandwich one bite at a time".

breath (n)

Definition: the air that goes in and out of your body through your nose or mouth. | Example: I could smell whisky on his breath.

breathe (v)

Definition: to take air into your lungs through your nose or mouth and let it out again. | Example: The instructor told us to breathe in deeply and then breathe out slowly.

bury (v)

Definition: to hide sth in the ground. | Example: If an avalanche strikes, skiers can be buried alive by snow.

cadet (n)

Definition: a young person who is training to become an officer in the police or armed forces. | Example: In Air force survival school try to teach new cadets how to react in case of a life or death crisis or emergency.

challenge (n)

Definition: a new or difficult thing that tests your abilities. | Example: I was bored with my job and felt I needed a new challenge.

complain (v)

Definition: to say that you are annoyed, unhappy or not satisfied about something or somebody. | Example: Yossi and Kevin began to get fed up with their friend Marcus because he was complaining about everything. | Note: Retained in handout

confront (v)

Definition: to deal with a problem or difficult situation. | Example: We need to confront these problems before it’s too late.

coolly (adv)

Definition: in a way that is not friendly, interested or enthusiastic; in a calm way. | Example: Everyone must think this situation through calmly and coolly.

coverage (n)

Definition: the amount or way that something covers an area. | Example: What would you do if you were hiking alone in the mountains and you got completely lost (without phone coverage)?

deal with (v)

Definition: to solve a problem, perform a task, etc. | Example: Survival means dealing with a huge life-or- death problem, one that you may not be able to solve quickly or all at once.

delighted (adj)

Definition: incredibly happy. | Example: A: So can you come to dinner next week? B: Yes, we'd be delighted to.

despair (v)

Definition: to feel that a situation is so bad that nothing you can do will change it. | Example: He also reminds us that apart from staying calm and not despairing, knowing the right thing to do in a crisis is also vital.

desperate (adj)

Definition: with little hope, and ready to do anything to improve the situation. | Example: A: Hi, Sue. What's the matter? B: I was just robbed! Please come quickly. I'm desperate.

devastated (adj)

Definition: extremely upset. | Example: A: How did your parents react when you told them you and Susan had separated? B: They were devastated.

disappointed (adj)

Definition: upset because something you hoped for has not happened or been as good, successful, etc. as you expected. | Example: A: What did you think of the movie? B: To be honest, I was a little disappointed.

eventually (adv)

Definition: at the end of a period of time or a series of events. | Example: Eventually they decided to abandon the search for the village and just to hike back to the town of Apolo. | Note: Retained in handout

face (v)

Definition: to deal with a difficult situation. | Example: Emergency services are facing additional problems this winter.

fed up (adj)

Definition: bored or frustrated and unhappy. | Example: I'm really fed up with my job. I think I'm going to quit.

freeze (v)

Definition: to stop moving suddenly because of fear, etc. | Example: A: How do you think you would react in a life or death emergency situation? B: I'd "freeze" and wouldn't be able to do anything.

get out (v)

Definition: to escape from a place. | Example: He was determined to get out of prison.

goal (n)

Definition: objective. | Example: The key to survival is to slow down and divide the challenges into small, manageable tasks, one goal at a time, and one decision at a time.

grateful (adj)

Definition: thankful. | Example: She was grateful to them for letting her stay at their house.

hike (v)

Definition: to go for a long walk in the country. | Example: We're going to hike to the top of that hill over there. | Note: Retained in handout

homesick (adj)

Definition: sad because you miss your family and home. | Example: Most people get homesick the first time they leave home.

horrified (adj)

Definition: extremely shocked or disgusted. | Example: A: How did you feel when you heard the news? B: I was absolutely horrified. It was such an awful accident.

injured (adj)

Definition: physically hurt. | Example: The car accident left him seriously injured.

insolvable (adj)

Definition: admitting no solution. | Example: No problem is insolvable if people are willing to consult with others, he said.

instead of (adv)

Definition: in the place of sb/sth; by contrast. | Example: Now I can walk to work instead of going by car.

intruder (n)

Definition: a person who enters a building or an area illegally. | Example: What would you do if you woke up in the middle of the night and thought that you could hear an intruder in your home?

jump for joy (exp)

Definition: to be extremely happy. | Example: He finally passed his driver's test. He's jumping for joy!

lock (v)

Definition: to put sth in a safe place and lock it. | Example: A: What would you do if you woke up in the middle of the night and thought that you could hear an intruder in your home? B: I'd lock myself in a room and call the police.

manageable (adj)

Definition: able to be dealt with or controlled easily. | Example: The key to survival is to slow down and divide the challenges into small, manageable tasks, one goal at a time, and one decision at a time.

not believe one's eyes (exp)

Definition: to be astonished. | Example: When I saw her, I couldn´t believe my eyes. She looked ten years younger!

overcome (v)

Definition: to succeed in dealing with or controlling a problem. | Example: He finally managed to overcome his fear of flying.

oversleep (v)

Definition: to sleep longer than you intended. | Example: Why are you so late? Did you oversleep again?

overwhelmed (adj)

Definition: unable to react because the emotion is too strong. | Example: A: So do you like the watch? B: I love it. I'm completely overwhelmed - I don't know what to say!

panic (v)

Definition: to have a sudden strong feeling of fear or worry and be unable to think clearly or calmly or decide what to do. | Example: Don’t panic! We’ll soon get you out of there.

quit (v)

Definition: to leave your job, school, etc. | Example: He quit his job after an argument with a colleague.

raft (n)

Definition: a flat structure made of pieces of wood tied together and used as a boat or floating platform. | Example: What happened to Kevin and Yossi on the raft?

rate (n)

Definition: percentage, proportion, standard. | Example: American research has shown that the survival rate in all air crashes is historically 95.7 percent.

relieved (adj)

Definition: feeling happy because something unpleasant has stopped or has not happened. | Example: I was relieved to hear that they'd arrived safely.

safety (n)

Definition: security. | Example: The debate so far has focused mainly on safety issues.

scream (v)

Definition: to make a loud high noise with your voice because you are hurt, frightened, excited etc. | Example: The baby had a bad stomachache, and screamed all night.

seat pocket

Definition: a small piece of material like a small bag added to a seat to carry things in it. | Example: She told everyone to put drink glasses into the seat pockets ahead of them.

slow down (v)

Definition: to start doing things at a slower speed. | Example: The key to survival is to slow down and divide the challenges into small, manageable tasks, one goal at a time, and one decision at a time.

still (adj)

Definition: not moving; calm and quiet. | Example: The kids found it hard to stay still; Keep still while I brush your hair.

stunned (adj)

Definition: very surprised and unable to move or react. | Example: I just sat there stunned, watching it all on television.

thrilled (adj)

Definition: very excited. | Example: She was thrilled at the idea of flying to Europe.

upset (adj)

Definition: unhappy when something bad happens. | Example: Kate was terribly upset when her dog disappeared.

whisper (v)

Definition: to speak very quietly so that other people cannot hear what you are saying. | Example: You don’t have to whisper, no one can hear us.