VIP Class Notes (Raph)

Go to www.breakingnewsenglish.com, choose an article and read it carefully. After that, write a paragraph explaining what the article is about. Also, write down all the words you don’t know, so you can discuss them next class.

Vocabulary

Discretionary (adj): 1- decided by officials and not fixed by rules.
E.g.: Judges have great discretionary powers.

Politically correct (adj): 1- Someone who is politically correct believes that language and actions that could be offensive to others, especially those relating to sex and race, should be avoided. 2- A politically correct word or expression is used instead of another one to avoid being offensive:
E.g.: He’s very politically correct, and always makes sure he doesn’t offend other people, especially minorities.
E.g.: Some people think that “fireman” is a sexist term, and prefer the politically correct term “firefighter”.

Detail-oriented (adj): 1- that you pay attention to every little thing.
E.g.: She’s a very detail-oriented person.

Privilege (n): 1- an advantage that only one person or group of people has, usually because of their position or because they are rich.
E.g.: Healthcare should be a right, not a privilege.
E.g.: Senior management enjoy certain privileges, such as company cars and health insurance.

Minor (adj): 1- having little importance, influence, or effect, especially when compared with other things of the same type.
E.g.: It’s only a minor problem.
E.g.: There’s been an increase in minor offenses, such as traffic violations and petty theft.
E.g.: She suffered only minor injuries.

Major (adj): 1- more important, bigger, or more serious than others of the same type.
E.g.: All of her major plays have been translated into English.
E.g.: Sugar is a major cause of tooth decay.
E.g.: There are two problems with this situation, one major, one minor.

Minority (n): 1- a smaller number or part. 2- any small group in society that is different from the rest because of their race, religion, or political beliefs, or a person who belongs to such a group (ethnic/religious minorities, etc.)
E.g.: It’s only a tiny minority of people who are causing the problem.
E.g.: Children with single parents at my school were very much in the minority (= there were very few).
E.g.: The plan was designed to help women and minorities overcome discrimination in the workplace.

Majority (n): 1- the larger number or part of something.
E.g.: The majority of the employees have university degrees.
E.g.: In Britain women are in the majority.

Grammar

She’s very detailed – She’s very detail-oriented.

Pronunciation

Compensation: /ˌkɑːm.penˈseɪ.ʃən/

Nonetheless: /ˌnʌn.ðəˈles/

Discretionary: /dɪˈskreʃ.ən.er.i/

Privilege: /ˈprɪv.əl.ɪdʒ/