IELTS Vocabulary Building - The Media (Advanced)

Read the following sentence and decide the meaning of "proliferation".

The past two years have seen the proliferation of reality shows.

• rapid increase in numbers

• rapid decrease in numbers

• very much

• to have an important effect on something

Read the following sentence and decide the meaning of "to be on the wane (v)".

There are signs that support for the group is on the wane.

• better than average

• becoming less strong

• very much

• far-reaching

Read the following sentence and decide the meaning of "eschew st in favor of st (v)".

Many consumers are eschewing locally produced food in favor of food imports.

• to become weaker in strength

• to be attracted by something

• to avoid something intentionally and switch to the other thing

• to make a company smaller by reducing the number of people working for it

Read the following sentence and decide the meaning of "dispense with (v)".

Let's dispense with the formalities and get right down to business.

• to influence many people or things

• to be attracted by something

• to benefit all people

• to get rid of or stop using something that you do not need

Read the following sentence and decide the meaning of "garner publicity (v)".

The book didn't garner much publicity.

• to get public attention

• to be affected by something

• to make someone feel very very nervous and worried

• to be attracted by something

Read the following sentence and decide the meaning of "appalling (adj)".

Conditions in the prison are said to be appalling.

• surprising

• shocking and very bad

• extremely good

• neutral

Read the following sentence and decide the meaning of "sentiment" (n)".

Analysts said market sentiment for the time being appears positive.

• in a way that relates to statistics

• unemployment on a large scale

• public attention

• people' opinions or feelings about a situation

Read the following sentence and decide the meaning of "stress sb out (v)".

Interviews always stress me out.

• to make someone feel very nervous and worried

• to change something so that it is false or wrong, or no longer means what it was

• to treat a particular event or problem far too seriously

• to direct so many things at someone that they find it difficult to deal with them

Read the following sentence and decide the meaning of "blow sth out of proportion (v)".

When the papers get hold of a story, it's blown out of all proportion.

• to make someone feel very nervous and worried

• to change something so that it is false or wrong, or no longer means what it was

• to treat a particular event or problem far too seriously

• to direct so many things at someone that they find it difficult to deal with them

Read the following sentence and decide the meaning of "distort (v)".

I believe the press have distorted the situation.

• to make someone feel very nervous and worried

• to change something so that it is false or wrong, or no longer means what it was

• to treat a particular event or problem far too seriously

• to direct so many things at someone that they find it difficult to deal with them