NEW WORDS 13/5/2026

demeanor

/dɪˈmiːnər/ thái độ (the way that somebody looks or behaves)

Ex: Her calm demeanour during the interview impressed the hiring manager and landed her the job.

The suspect's nervous demeanour raised suspicions among the police officers at the crime scene.

The teacher praised the student for his respectful demeanour towards his classmates and willingness to help.

Despite feeling nervous, she maintained a confident demeanour while delivering her presentation to the audience.

convex

/ˈkɑːnveks/ a. lồi (of an outline or a surface) curving out # concave (lõm) /kɑːnˈkeɪv/

Ex: A reflection in a convex mirror is smaller than the same reflection in a flat mirror.

The convex shape of the mirror allowed me to see my entire face at once.

The convex lens in the microscope magnified (phóng đại)

/ˈmæɡnɪfaɪ/ the tiny specimen (mẫu vật) /ˈspesɪmən/, making it easier to observe.

The concave mirror reflected the light inwards, focusing it to a single point.

The concave shape of the bowl allowed the soup to collect in the center.

specimen

/ˈspesɪmən/ mẫu vật = sample

Ex: Astronauts /ˈæstrənɔːt/ have brought back specimens of rock from the moon.

Can you give me a specimen of your handwriting?

a single example of something, especially an animal or a plant = example

Ex: The aquarium /əˈkweriəm/ has some interesting specimens of unusual tropical fish.

Redwood trees can live for a long time; one specimen is 4000 years old.

a small quantity of blood, urine, etc. that is taken from somebody and tested by a doctor

Ex: The doctor requested a urine specimen to analyze for any signs of infection or disease.

The nurse collected a small blood specimen from the patient's arm to run some tests.

down in the dumps

feeling unhappy = depressed

Ex: Whenever I feel a bit down in the dumps, I usually put on some upbeat music and go for a long walk to clear my head.

She's a bit down in the dumps because she failed one of her exams.

pitch in

join in and help with an activity, by doing some of the work or by giving money, advice, etc, góp tiền

Ex: Can you pitch in some cash to cover the cost of the group's dinner?

Local companies pitched in with building materials and labour.

In my family, everyone is expected to pitch in with the housework, especially on the weekends when we do a deep clean

If every citizen pitches in a small amount of effort to keep the local park clean, the whole neighborhood will benefit significantly

When we were facing a tight deadline, even the senior managers pitched in to help the team finish the project on time.

stark

a. khắc nghiệt (unpleasant; real, and impossible to avoid)

Ex: The remains of the building stand as a stark reminder of the fire.

He now faces the stark reality of life in prison.

The stark truth is that there is not enough money left.

The stark fact is that even with more time, we still couldn't raise enough money.

*very different from something in a way that is easy to see

Ex: The good weather was in stark contrast to the storms of previous weeks.

The stark difference in their personalities made it clear they were not meant to be friends.

apathy

n. /ˈæpəθi/ thờ ơ, vô cảm (the feeling of not being interested in or enthusiastic about something, or things in general)

Ex: After losing his job, John fell into a state of apathy and lost interest in everything around him.

The students' apathy towards studying was evident as they showed no enthusiasm during class.

Global warming is a critical issue, yet widespread public apathy remains a major obstacle /ˈɒbstəkl/ to implementing

/ˈɪmplɪment/ effective environmental laws.

Critics argue that the overuse of smartphones has led to a certain level of social apathy, as people become more absorbed in virtual lives than in real-world problems.

The illness made her apathetic /ˌæpəˈθetɪk/ and unwilling to meet people.

backdrop

/ˈbækdrɑːp/ bối cảnh (everything that can be seen around an event or scene

Ex: The mountains provided a dramatic (ngoạn mục)

/drəˈmætɪk/ backdrop for our picnic.

The beautiful mountains served as a stunning backdrop for their outdoor wedding ceremony /ˈserəməʊni/.

Her comments came against the backdrop of growing demand for vaccines.

The economic recession (Suy thoái) served as the backdrop for the company's decision to downsize its workforce.

butt in

ngắt lời (interrupt a conversation rudely), can thiệp (become involved in a situation that should not really involve you) = interfere

Ex: Sarah couldn't help butting in when she overheard (Nghe lỏm) her friends discussing a topic she was passionate about.

I didn't ask you to butt in on my private business.

How can I explain if you keep butting in?

learn the ropes

learn/know how to do a job or activity

Ex: High staff turnover (thay thế nhân sự) is a problem because it means the company is constantly spending time helping new recruits learn the ropes.

Starting university can be overwhelming at first, but once you learn the ropes, you'll find it much easier to manage your schedule.

internalize

v. /ɪnˈtɜːrnəlaɪz/ tiếp thu (make a feeling, an attitude, or a belief part of the way you think and behave)

Ex: Minority /maɪˈnɒrəti/ groups tend to internalize the values of the dominant society.

It took him a while to internalize the idea that failure is just a stepping stone to success.

Through education and exposure to diverse cultures, the internalization of tolerance and acceptance can be fostered.

*externalize /ɪkˈstɜːrnəlaɪz/ (biểu hiện): show what you are thinking and feeling by what you say or do

Ex: His worries about losing his job were externalized in angry outbursts at home.

It's important to find healthy ways to externalize your emotions, like talking to a trusted friend.

He struggled with externalization, often keeping his thoughts and feelings hidden from others.

long-standing

a. lâu đời (that has existed or lasted for a long time)

Ex: Long-standing grievances (bất bình) /ˈɡriːvəns/ were aired (phát biểu ý kiến công khai) at the meeting.

The country’s long-standing relationship with the US was finally under strain.

The company's long-standing commitment to customer satisfaction /ˌsætɪsˈfækʃn/ has earned it a loyal customer base.

due diligence

/ˌduː ˈdɪlɪdʒəns/ reasonable steps taken by a person or an organization to avoid committing a tort (phạm pháp dân sự) or an offence

Ex: The company had taken all reasonable precautions (Biện pháp phòng ngừa) and exercised due diligence to avoid the offence.

Before investing in a company, it is important to conduct due diligence to avoid any legal issues.

The lawyer advised his client to perform due diligence to prevent any potential lawsuits (vụ kiện).

climb/jump on the bandwagon

/ˈbændwæɡən/ chạy theo trào lưu

Ex: After seeing the success of the new diet trend, she decided to climb on the bandwagon.

Many companies are climbing on the bandwagon of sustainability to attract environmentally conscious consumers.

Don't just jump on the bandwagon because everyone else is doing it; make sure it's right for you.

run counter to

đi ngược lại (be the opposite of something; to not match or agree with something)

Ex: Bob's decision not to take the job ran counter to his family's expectations.

Her paintings seem to run counter to prevailing (phổ biến) /prɪˈveɪlɪŋ/ ideas about art.

The group’s efforts to tighten controls run counter to a tide (xu hướng) of liberalization /ˌlɪbrələˈzeɪʃn/ when it comes to marijuana (cần sa) /ˌmærəˈwɑːnə/ law.

offbeat

khác thường (different from what most people expect) = unconventional /ˌʌnkənˈvenʃənl/

Ex: The artist's offbeat painting style captivated audiences, as it was unlike anything they had seen before.

Sarah's offbeat sense of humor always caught people off guard, but it never failed to make them laugh.

The offbeat fashion choices of the young designer turned heads and challenged traditional notions of style.

The artist's unconventional painting style challenged traditional techniques and captivated art enthusiasts.

on point

appropriate or relevant to the situation, perfect; exactly right for the occasion

Ex: Her presentation was on point, addressing all the key issues raised during the meeting.

The teacher's feedback was on point, highlighting exactly where the student needed to improve.

*on the point of doing sth: going to do something very soon

Ex: I was just on the point of calling you.

We were on the point of giving up.

the glass is half full

used to refer to the attitude of somebody who always looks at the good things in a situation rather than the bad ones # the glass is half empty

Ex: Align yourself with people who think the glass is half full.

If you start to look at things with a glass-half-empty mentality, your problems soon pile up.

People who believe the glass is half full tend to recover from personal failures much faster than those who focus on the negative.

During economic recessions, successful entrepreneurs always look at the situation as if the glass is half full, searching for new market opportunities.

Although my flight was delayed for hours, I tried to see the glass as half full because it gave me extra time to finish my favorite book.

graveyard shift

/ˈɡreɪvjɑːrd/ a period of time working at night or in the very early morning

Ex: Working the graveyard shift can be incredibly exhausting, as it completely disrupts your natural sleep cycle.

Medical professionals who regularly work the graveyard shift face a higher risk of burnout & long-term health issues.

While most of the city is fast asleep, thousands of workers on the graveyard shift keep public utilities & security systems running.

pessimistic

a. /ˌpesɪˈmɪstɪk/ bi quan (expecting bad things to happen or something not to be successful) # optimistic, pessimist (ng bi quan) /ˈpesɪmɪst/

Ex: They appeared surprisingly pessimistic about their chances of winning.

Many experts hold a pessimistic view regarding the future of the environment, predicting irreversible damage if strict laws are not enforced immediately.

Due to the recent economic downturn, many young graduates are becoming increasingly pessimistic about their career prospects.

While some people are overly optimistic about automation, others are deeply pessimistic about the potential rise of technological unemployment.