collocations (C1-C2)

wasteful spending of government money

squandering of public funds

understanding of different cultures and traditions

cultural awareness

unity and strong relationships within society

social cohesion

protection of customs and values from disappearing

preservation of traditions and beliefs

protect the traditions, history, and culture of a nation

safeguard a country’s cultural heritage

shared history of a group or nation

collective past

making relationships within a community stronger

strengthening community bonds

public/shared places used by everyone

communal areas

work done together by many people

collective effort

develop positive relationships within a community

cultivate community relations

wise decision that will bring benefits in the future

prudent long-term investment

the world is becoming more connected and similar

the world is turning into a global village

keeping a country’s unique culture, values, and traditions alive

protecting national identity

transfer a country’s culture and traditions to the next generation

pass down the national heritage

wearing traditional or culturally original clothes

wearing authentic clothing

less colourful, lively, and culturally special

less vibrant and less unique

large, expensive, and visually impressive public festivals

lavish carnivals

to see or experience something in person

to witness it live

necessary time to rest and recover mentally

much-needed time to reset

for both the country as a whole and individual people

at a national and an individual level

rapid increase in internet-based information and materials

proliferation of online resources

become outdated or no longer useful

become obsolete

place where people gather and interact socially

social hub

people with different social, cultural, or educational experiences

individuals from diverse backgrounds

feeling of being accepted and included

sense of belonging

people with similar interests or opinions

like-minded individuals

something computers are unable to reproduce effectively

a feature that computers cannot truly replicate

strongly influenced human development over a long period

shaped our civilization for centuries

the history of people’s traditions, ideas, knowledge, and thinking

cultural and intellectual history

damage, weaken, or make information less reliable

compromise information

trustworthy historical knowledge kept in good condition

reliable and well-preserved information from the past

libraries should be valued and appreciated

libraries should be celebrated

isolate themselves from others

alienate themselves

damaging the relationships and connections that hold society together

further eroding the social fabric

creating the foundation for future development

laying the ground for

extremely important and influential changes

profound developments

so expensive that most people cannot afford it

prohibitively expensive

made information accessible to everyone, not only the rich or educated elite

made knowledge democratic

spreading ideas to many people

dissemination of ideas

major scientific or technological achievement

technological breakthrough

improved medical care significantly

took the treatment to the next level

the most modern and advanced technology available

state-of-the-art technology

a deeper and more meaningful influence

a more profound impact

comforts or advantages people had never experienced before

unprecedented conveniences

simply an extension of something that already existed

no more than a continuation of browser development

the arrival or introduction of airplanes

the advent of airplanes

contributing to people’s reading ability, knowledge, and thinking skills

helping improve people’s literacy and intelligence

seem much less impressive when compared with older inventions

pale in comparison to older innovations

created equal opportunities for everyone

levelled the playing ground

general population

the wider public

subject everyone has to study

mandatory subject

less common or less widely spoken languages

minor languages

culture is learnt naturally through experience and observation

culture is often absorbed

directly through personal experience

experienced first hand

qualities that cannot be physically touched or easily explained

intangible aspects

makes living there necessary

necessitates living there

people can learn a language without being physically present in that country

language acquisition is possible remotely

allow a foreigner to understand and accept the culture deeply

help an outsider embrace the culture fully

an indirect experience gained through watching, reading, or hearing about something

a vicarious experience

not as powerful or meaningful as direct personal experience

incomparable with a personal pursuit

in a way that has never happened before

in an unprecedented way

helping them travel more easily and comfortably

making their travelling experiences much smoother

the study of family history and previous generations

genealogy

absence of trustworthiness or reliability

lack of credibility

wrongly connected to a different person or source

misattributed

create false official papers

fabricate documents

influence the way people think and understand life

shape people’s own beliefs and worldview

connection and transfer of values between older and younger generations

continuity between generations

consider it valuable or worth the effort

see it as worthwhile

not extremely new, important, or life-changing

not groundbreaking

attractive or interesting to certain people

quite appealing to some

their family line or ancestry

their lineage

feel positive about their background or origins

be proud of their identity

continue feeling proud of their family background

feel the same pride in relation to their family name

present goals, efforts, or activities

current endeavors

no major or life-changing advantage

no revolutionary benefit

a harmful influence on how someone sees life or themselves

a negative effect on one’s perception of life

which ancestral or cultural group they come from

what ethnic background they represent

government money is often used in the wrong or dishonest way

governmental funds are frequently misallocated

spending money improperly or dishonestly

misuse of funds

medical care partly paid for by the government

subsidised treatment

corruption appears in many different ways

corruption manifests itself in various forms

stories and ideas that reflect a society’s culture and values

cultural narratives

many social issues are caused by

many societal problems stem from

actions organised by ordinary people rather than authorities

grassroots efforts

chain reaction where one problem causes many others

a domino effect

weakens all other areas of society

undermines all other spheres

slows down or prevents future progress

hinders further development

a successful, active, and prosperous society

a thriving society

impossible to achieve because of how people naturally think and behave

unattainable due to human nature

the ability to follow different life chances and goals

the freedom to pursue diverse opportunities

unable to continue successfully because of unfair treatment and unequal opportunities

unsustainable due to discrimination and inequality

the concept of a perfect society is unrealistic or too idealistic

the idea of a perfect society is utopian

some basic values or rules are extremely important

certain principles are essential

protection of people and responsible treatment of the environment

public safety and environmental sustainability

the protection of nature and natural resources

environmental conservation

living beings that exist outside Earth

extraterrestrial life

controlled or defeated less powerful groups

dominated over weaker ones

taking control over Earth and settling on it

colonising our planet

completely good or completely bad

entirely positive nor negative