31. instability /ˌɪnstəˈbɪlɪti/ (noun)
    The US says Yemen's instability is a global threat, as embassies close after threats.
    
    
32. double agent (noun)
    The bomber who killed seven CIA employees in Afghanistan was an al-Qaeda double agent from Jordan.
    
    
33. in the wake of (idiom)
    The US has moved dozens of names on to "watch" and "no-fly" lists in the wake of an alleged airliner plot.
    
    
34. authorize /ˈɔːθəraɪz/ (verb)
    Iceland's president refuses to authorize the repayment of money lost in the country's banking crisis.
    
    
35. ghost-write /ˈgəʊstˌraɪt/ (verb)
    Research by Wuhan University suggests that $100 million changes hands every year in China for ghost-written academic papers.
    
    
36. unveil /ʌnˈveɪl/ (verb)
    Internet search giant Google unveils its own-brand of smartphone, called the Nexus One, which runs the Android operating system.
    
    
37. blow /bləʊ/ (noun)
    Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who took office in September, suffers a blow as his finance minister resigns due to poor health.
    
    
38. ram /ræm/ (verb)
    Anti-whaling activists accuse a Japanese whaling ship of ramming their high-tech speed boat in Antarctic waters.
    
    
39. severe /sɪˈvɪə(r)/ (adjective)
    Severe winter weather brings dangerous conditions and transport disruption to parts of northern Europe.
    
    
40. empire /ˈempaɪə(r)/ (noun)
    Google looks to defend its online advertising empire with a new mobile phone that will compete with the iPhone.
    
    
41. contaminate /kənˈtæmɪneɪt/ (verb)
    A year after China's tainted milk scandal, three dairy executives face trial for allegedly selling contaminated milk.
    
    
42. replace /rɪˈpleɪs/ (verb)
    Japan's Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is forced to replace his experienced finance minister, who has resigned over ill health.
    
    
43. ballot /ˈbælət/ (noun)
    UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown faces a major challenge from within his own party as two former ministers called for a secret ballot on his leadership.
    
    
44. slate /sleɪt/ (noun)
    Microsoft and HP team up to introduce a slate computer ahead of the launch of a much rumoured device from Apple.
    
    
45. indict /ɪnˈdaɪt/ (verb)
    A US grand jury indicts Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on six counts over an alleged plot to bomb a plane on Christmas Day.
    
    
46. on the verge of (idiom)
    International aid groups say that Sudan's 2005 peace deal is on the verge of collapse and the world must act now to prevent fresh conflict.
    
    
47. missile /ˈmɪsaɪl/ (noun)
    The US approves the sale of air defence missiles to Taiwan despite opposition to the deal from China.
    
    
48. disrupt /dɪsˈrʌpt/ (verb)
    The icy weather gripping northern Europe has disrupted flights in the UK, France, the Irish Republic and the Netherlands.
    
    
49. plummet /ˈplʌmɪt/ (verb)
    The UK is bracing itself for what could be the coldest night of the winter so far, with temperatures set to plummet as low as -20C.
    
    
50. dominance /ˈdɒmɪnənt/ (noun)
    UK firm Plastic Logic has launched its Que e-reader in a bid to challenge the dominance of Amazon's Kindle.
    
    
51. recurrence /rɪˈkʌrəns/ (noun)
    The US president has announced plans of strengthening terrorist watch lists to prevent a recurrence of the Christmas Day plane bomb plot.
    
    
52. decree /dɪˈkriː/ (noun)
    Argentina's president signs a decree sacking the nation's central bank chief, who had refused to use currency reserves to pay debt.
    
    
53. pin one’s hopes on (idiom)
    TV manufacturers hammered by the recession pin their hopes on 3D TV as a way to boost sales.
    
    
54. liken somebody to somebody (phrasal verb) (liken /ˈlaɪkən/ )
    Australia condemns an Indian newspaper cartoon likening its police to the Ku Klux Klan, in a row over attacks on Indians.
    
    
55. dismiss /dɪˈsmɪs/ (verb)
    China Mobile Limited, the world's biggest mobile phone operator, has dismissed its vice-chairman Zhang Chunjiang.
    
    
56. havoc /ˈhævək/ (noun)
    The icy weather conditions are set to cause havoc across Europe as a blizzard is heading its way.
    
    
57. stock up (on/with) (phrasal verb)
    German households are told to stock up on food, medicines and drinking water as the nation prepares to face a blizzard.
    
    
58. revenue /ˈrevənjuː/ (noun)
    A report, commissioned by the French government, has proposed taxing internet firms such as Google on their online advertising revenue.
    
    
59. adopt /əˈdɒpt/ (verb)
    Portugal's parliament passes a law to legalize same-sex marriage, but rejects proposals to allow same-sex couples to adopt.
    
    
60. citrus /ˈsɪtrəs/ (noun)
    Plummeting temperatures shock the US sunshine state of Florida, prompting citrus farmers to harvest their crops early.
    
    

Wislant's Communications

[ Home | Submit Writing | Join Us | Useful Links | Announcements | Words Read Aloud | News Highlights | Disclaimer ]