Monday, February 19, 2018

NA2 19/2/18

chandelierʃændəˈlɪə $ -ˈlɪr/ noun [countable] 
chandelier.jpga large round frame for holding candles or lights that hangs from the ceiling and is decorated with small pieces of glass

fitting /ˈfɪtɪŋ/ noun 
1 [countable, usually plural] British English a piece of equipment in a house, for example a cooker or a fridge, that can be moved or taken with you when you sell the house → fixtures and fittings at fixture(2)
2 [countable, usually plural] an outside part of a piece of equipment that makes it possible to use or handle it
 a sink with chrome fittings (=handle and taps)
- new light fittings

Dramatic scenery
Pictures carved out of the snow
There’s a but I’m afraid
Sauna

self-ˈservice adjective 
a self-service restaurant, shop etc is one in which you get things for yourself and then pay for them

ˌself-ˈcatering adjective [usually before noun] British English 
relating to a holiday in which you stay in a place where you can cook your own food
self-catering accommodation/apartment/cottage etc

travel ●●● S2 W2 noun 
1 [uncountable] the activity of travelling
- The new job involves a fair amount of travel.

Take or last?
Both take and last are used to talk about the amount of time needed for something. We tend to use take when we are more in control of the experience and last when we have little or no control over it. Take suggests more active involvement and last implies a more passive experience. Thus we are more likely to say:
  • How long does the film last?
    ~ It's a long one. It lasts (for) over three hours
Compare also the following examples of greater and lesser control of the action using take and last:
  • It takes half an hour to prepare lunch and an hour to prepare supper usually.
  • Dinner lasts for / takes at least ninety minutes when Henry's at home - there's so much to talk about. 
  • The five-set match lasted for more than three-and-a-half hours before the champion went through to the next round 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7, 6-2. "I didn't expect it to take so long, but it took me twenty minutes to settle down in the opening set," he said afterwards.
Note that when we use preparatory it as subject and when it is followed by a personal pronoun, me, you, her, him, or them, we have to use take, not last:

  • It will take you all day to tidy your room - it's in such a mess.
  • It only takes me five minutes to put my make-up on now. It used to take me ninety minutes before I got married.

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