VIP Class Notes (Raph)[R]

Vocabulary

Race (n): 1- a group, especially of people, with particular similar physical characteristics, who are considered as belonging to the same type, or the fact of belonging to such a group. 2- 
E.g.: People of many different races were living side by side.
E.g.: Discrimination on grounds of race will not be tolerated.
E.g.: An increasing number of people in the country are of mixed race (= with parents of different races).

Racism (n): 1- the belief that people’s qualities are influenced by their race and that the members of other races are not as good as the members of your own, or the resulting unfair treatment of members of other races. (adj: Racist)
E.g.: The authorities are taking steps to fight racism in schools.

Stereotype (n): 1- a set idea that people have about what someone or something is like, especially an idea that is wrong.
E.g.: She doesn’t like to be treated different because of gender (性别) stereotypes.
E.g.: Adverts are full of stereotypes.
E.g.: We need to fight racial stereotypes in the workplace.

Cosmetics (n): 1- substances that you put on your face or body that are intended to improve your appearance.
E.g.: We sell a wide range of skin and haircare products and other cosmetics, at a very reasonable price.

Cosmetic (adj): 1- used to refer to substances or treatments that are intended to improve your appearance. 2- Cosmetic changes, etc. are intended to make you believe that something is better when, really, the problem has not been solved.
E.g.: She went through a very painful cosmetic surgery in order to look like this.
E.g.: They were offered a few cosmetic improvements to their working conditions, but nothing of significance.

Immigration (n): 1- the act of someone coming to live in a different country. 2- the process of examining your passport and other documents to make certain that you can be allowed to enter the country, or the place where this is done:
E.g.: There are strict limits on immigration into the country.
​E.g.: After you’ve been through immigration control, you can go and get your luggage.

Extent (n): 1- the amount or degree of something or how strong, big, significant, or important something is.
E.g.: From the top of the Empire State Building, you can see the full extent of Manhattan (= the area it covers).
E.g.: We don’t yet know the extent of his injuries (= how bad his injuries are).
E.g.: Rosie’s teacher was impressed by the extent of her knowledge (= how much she knew).
E.g.: The River Nile is over 6,5000 kilometers in extent (= length).

Viral (adj): 1- used to describe something that quickly becomes very popular or well known by being published on the internet or sent from person to person by email, phone, etc..
E.g.: Here’s a list of the top ten viral videos this week.
E.g.: Within days the film clip went viral.

Swollen (adj): 1-  larger than usual.
E.g.: After the accident, he had a very bruised, swollen face.
E.g.: The river is swollen because of the heavy rain.

The Authorities (n): 1- the group of people with official legal power to make decisions or make people obey the laws in a particular area, such as the police or a local government department.
E.g.: I’m going to report these problems to the authorities.

Tourism (n): 1- the business of providing services such as transport, places to stay, or entertainment for people who are on holiday:
E.g.: Tourism is Venice’s main industry.
E.g.: These beautiful old towns have remained relatively untouched by tourism.

Boom (n/v): 1- a period of sudden economic growth, especially one that results in a lot of money being made:
E.g.: This year has seen a boom in book sales.
E.g.: The tourism industry is booming.

Competitive Edge / Advantage (n): 1- the fact that a company or person has an advantage over its competitors.
E.g.: The low overheads of the company gave it a competitive edge over other retailers.
E.g.: Speaking foreign languages is always a competitive advantage in the job market.

Prime time (n): 1- in television and radio broadcasting, the time when the largest number of people are watching or listening.
E.g.: The interview will be broadcast during prime time.

Women Stranded at Airport After Cosmetic Surgery
(Source: www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1710/171013-cosmetic-surgery.html)

Three Chinese women were left stranded at a South Korean airport after immigration officials said their passport photos did not match their faces. The women had just had cosmetic surgery to change their looks. The surgery had transformed their faces to such an extent that passport control officials in South Korea could not confirm their identity. Photos of the women went viral on the Internet. Their faces were swollen from the surgery and were heavily bandaged. The Shanghaiist.com website reported that the women were not allowed to take their return flight back to China, and were instead held for questioning by the airport authorities. It is still unclear if the women have been able to return to China.

South Korea has become the cosmetic surgery capital of the world. Cosmetic surgery tourism from China is now booming business. More than 500,000 Chinese residents a year flock to clinics in South Korea to reshape their faces and bodies. Many of them go to clinics that specialize in making clients look more “Western”. Cosmetic surgery is also hugely popular with South Koreans. Around half of women under 30 in the capital Seoul are estimated to have had surgery. Many parents encourage their children to undergo surgery in efforts to gain a “competitive edge” in the job market. There are even hugely popular prime time TV shows that feature before and after transformations.

Grammar

I more like shopping online. – I prefer shopping online.

Pronunciation

Iron: /aɪrn/

Halloween: /ˌhæl.oʊˈiːn/

Swollen: /ˈswoʊ.lən/

Authority: /əˈθɔːr.ə.t̬i/

Specialize: /ˈspeʃ.ə.laɪz/

Hugely: ˈhjuːdʒ.li/

Cambridge Dictionary:
www.dictionary.cambridge.org/

Breaking News English:
www.breakingnewsenglish.com