1066 And All That		(1930) a humorous book about British history written by R. I. Yeatman and W. C. Sellar. The writers claim that there are only two dates in British history which all British people remember: the arrival of Julius Caesar in Britain in 55BC, and the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
1471	 number	the telephone number you use in Britain to find out the telephone number of the person who most recently called you, and the time when they made the call	1471〔在英国查询最近一次来电信息的电话号码〕
18		in the UK, a film that has been accepted as suitable only for people aged 18 and older. Films that have an 18 certificate usually contain a lot of sex or violence. In the US system, films like this have the letter X.
18-wheeler	 noun	a very large truck (=vehicle that carries goods on roads) which has 18 wheels, used especially for moving goods over long distances	18轮大卡车〔尤用于远距离货物运输〕
20th Century Fox		a US film production company
.22	 noun	a gun that fires small bullets, used for hunting small animals	.22英寸口径猎枪
24	 	A US action thriller television series, first broadcast in 2001. The series is about the activities of the fictional US government organization Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) which tries to protect the country from terrorists. Most of the action takes place in Los Angeles and Washington D.C. The main character, Jack Bauer, is played by Kiefer Sutherland. The action is shown in real time so that each minute of the programmes equals a minute in the lives of the characters. Each season of programmes covers 24 hours. The series has won Emmy and Golden Globe Awards.
24 hour clock	 noun	a clock, or a system of telling the time, according to which, for example, one o'clock in the afternoon is called 1300 hours (pronounced '13 hundred hours')
3-D printer	 noun	a piece of equipment that makes objects by building up thin layers of a substance, following a digital design
3-D printing	 noun	the process of making objects by building up thin layers of a substance, following a digital design
401K		in the US, a way of saving money for your retirement that is handled through the company where you work	401K计划〔美国的企业员工通过供职公司储蓄养老金的计划〕
419 scam	 noun	an illegal way of getting money from someone by sending them an email promising that they will make a lot of money if they invest in a business activity which does not really exist	419诈骗〔通过电子邮件虚构商业活动、许诺投资暴利的不法行为〕
.45	 noun	a pistol  (=small gun) that takes bullets which are .45 inches in diameter	.45英寸口径手枪
527	 noun	a group in the US that tries to influence voters but is not officially connected with a political party or politician	527团体〔美国一团体，试图影响选民选举，但与任何政党和政客均无正式关系〕
$64,000 question, the	 noun	the most important thing that people want to know about something
737	 noun	a medium-sized passenger plane made by the Boeing Corporation
747	 noun	a large passenger plane made by the US Boeing Corporation. The 747 was the first jumbo jet and it can carry over 400 passengers. These planes are used all over the world, especially for long-distance flights.
7/7		7th July 2005, the day when terrorists carrying bombs in rucksacks attacked three Underground trains and a bus in central London. 52 people were killed while travelling to work. The terrorists were also killed. They were young British Muslim men, mostly from Leeds, with extreme religious beliefs.
7-Eleven	 noun	a small supermarket that sells food, drinks, magazines, cleaning products etc. and is open from early in the morning until very late at night. 7-Elevens are very common in the US, and there are also some in the UK, especially in London.
7-Up		a type of popular non-alcoholic drink with bubbles, which tastes of lemon and lime
8		a way of writing parts of words that sound like '-ate', '-eat', or '-ait', used especially in emails and text messages
800 number	 noun	a telephone number which one can telephone without paying for the call
9-11 Commission		a US commission (=group of people who have been given the official job of finding out about something) set up by Congress to examine the actions taken by the US government before, during, and after the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington on September 11, 2001. The Commission wanted to find out if the US government knew that an attack might take place and if the government was properly prepared for any attack. It also wanted to establish whether the government acted properly after the attack. It criticized the CIA, FBI, and the US government. The commission was closed in 2004.
99	 noun	an ice cream in a cone with a stick of chocolate in the top
A1, the		a main British road that goes from London to Edinburgh
AAA		 (the Amateur Athletic Association of England) a British organization for athletes. It is pronounced 'Three As'.
Aaron		in the Old Testament of the Bible, a priest who was the brother of Moses
Aaron, Hank		(1934–)  an American baseball player who is famous for hitting more home runs than Babe Ruth, who had held the record for almost 40 years
AARP		an organization in the US for people who are 50 or older, especially people who have stopped working. It has an important influence on the US government when laws are being made that affect older people, and it also gives information and help to its members. The organization used to be called the American Association of Retired Persons.
ABA		 the American Bar Association
Abacha, General Sani		(1943–98)  the military leader and president of Nigeria from 1993 until his death
Abba		a Swedish pop group made up of two men and two women, that became one of the most successful groups of the 1970s after winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 with a song called Waterloo. Their songs include Dancing Queen and The Winner Takes It All. The 2008 film Mamma Mia! was adapted from a musical based on Abba songs.
Abbottabad		the city in north-west Pakistan where Osama bin Laden, leader of al-Qaeda, was killed by US special forces in May 2011. The Pakistan Military Academy is also in Abbottabad and many people were surprised that bin Laden was able to live so near to the Academy.
Abbott and Costello		Bud Abbott (1896–1974)  and Lou Costello (1906–59)  two popular American comedians who appeared in many humorous films together in the 1940s and 1950s
Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem		(1947–)  a US basketball player, considered to be one of the best players ever. He was originally called Lew Alcindor, but changed his name when he became a Muslim.
Abel		in the Old Testament of the Bible, the second son of Adam and Eve who was killed by his brother Cain
Abelard, Peter		(1079–1142)  a French philosopher and theologian who is best remembered for his love for Héloïse, shown in their famous letters to each other
Aberdeen		a port in northeast Scotland, known for being the centre of the North Sea oil industry
Aberdeenshire		a county in northern Scotland, with a coast on the North Sea
Aberfan		a small town in South Wales where, in 1966, a large pile of waste material from coal mines fell onto a school and killed 116 children and 28 adults
Ab Fab		an informal name for the television programme Absolutely Fabulous
Abide With Me		a well-known hymn (=a song of praise to God). In the UK it is always sung before the Cup Final  (=an important football game).
Abraham		in the Old Testament of the Bible, a religious leader who is regarded as the person who established the Jews as a nation. Abraham was asked by God to kill his son Isaac as a human sacrifice because he wanted to test Abraham's faith. Then because Abraham had shown that he was willing to obey God and kill his own son, a ram (=a male sheep) was used instead as a sacrifice.
Absalom		in the Old Testament of the Bible, the third son of David, king of Israel
Absolutely Fabulous		a humorous British television programme about two women, Edina Monsoon, a rich woman who had her own business, and Patsy Stone, who lived in London and were always trying to prove that they were very fashionable. Although they were middle-aged, they did not behave like responsible adults. Instead, they drank too much, took drugs, and spent a lot of money. The programme was popular in the 1990s.
Abstract Expressionism		a style of painting that developed in New York in the late 1940s. It shows shapes and patterns which do not look like real things or people, but are intended to express emotions. It was practised by artists such as Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning.
Absurd	 noun	 a style of play for the theatre that was developed in the 1950s by writers such as Samuel Beckett and Eugène Ionesco, whose work expresses the belief that there is no God, and that human existence has no meaning or purpose. These plays are very different from traditional theatre. The characters do not communicate effectively with each other, and often their words do not make sense. Beckett's play Waiting for Godot is the best-known example of this type of theatre.
Abu Dhabi		the largest emirate of the United Arab Emirates
Abuja		the capital city of Nigeria
Abu Nidal		(1937–2002)  the leader of a Palestinian organization which was also called Abu Nidal. Abu Nidal attacked airports, planes, buses, public buildings etc, sometimes using suicide bombers (=people who hide bombs on themselves and kill themselves and others by exploding them).
Abu Simbel		a village in southern Egypt next to the River Nile, famous for its ancient rock temples  (=holy buildings) that were built around 1250 BC
Abyssinia		the former name of the Ethiopian Empire in what is now Ethiopia and Eritrea
Acacia Avenue		(used especially in newspapers) the name of an imaginary, typical suburban street in the UK. It represents a place where ordinary families live in a traditional way.
Academe		 a humorous expression meaning the life of a student or teacher at a university, when this is thought of as being very quiet and not affected by the problems of ordinary life
Academy	 noun	a type of secondary school in England that is independent, but which is supported by public money. Each Academy has a private sponsor which can either be an individual person or an organization. Although many subjects are taught in an Academy, each school specializes in certain areas such as science, business, computing, or technology.
Acadia		an area in North America where French people went to live in the 17th century, consisting of land that now belongs to Maine in the US and to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and part of Quebec in Canada. The name Cajun comes from the word Acadian, meaning someone from this place.
Acapulco		a city on the west coast of Mexico, known as a popular place for holidays
ACAS		 a British organization that tries to end disagreements about pay, conditions at work etc between the management of a business and its workers	〔英国〕咨询调解仲裁处〔负责协助解决劳资纠纷〕
Accra		the capital city of Ghana
Achilles		in ancient Greek stories, a hero who was protected by magic so that the only place where he could be hurt was his heel. He was the greatest Greek warrior in the Trojan War, and he killed the greatest of the Trojan warriors, Hector. However, Hector's brother, Paris, then killed Achilles by wounding him in his heel.
ACLU		 (the American Civil Liberties Union) a US organization which gives advice about the Bill of Rights and often represents people in a court of law to make sure their civil rights are not taken away
Acropolis		 the ancient citadel (=a place people can go to if their city is attacked) of Athens, built on a hill in the centre of the city. There are many important ancient Greek buildings on the Acropolis, such as the Parthenon, and it is visited by many tourists.
ACT		 a repertory theatre  (=theatre whose actors perform different plays on different days) in San Francisco, which is also a respected school for training actors
Action Man		 a doll (=a child's toy that looks like a small person) dressed as a male soldier, sold in the UK
Act of Parliament	 noun	a law that has been officially accepted by a parliament, especially the British Parliament. Before a law becomes an 'Act', when it is still being discussed, it is called a 'bill'.
Act of Union		 the agreement that joined the parliaments of England and Scotland in 1707
Actors' Studio		a school in New York that trains actors, which is famous for teaching method acting and for influencing actors such as Marlon Brando and James Dean
Act-Up		an organization in the US and the UK that demands more help and support for people with AIDS. It is known for its strong active protests against companies or government departments if they treat people with AIDS unfairly. It is also known as the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power.
Adam, Robert		(1728–92)  a Scottish architect who designed many famous houses and other buildings, and influenced the development of the neoclassical style. He is also known for designing furniture.
Adams, Ansel		(1902–84)  a US photographer known especially for his photographs of the countryside in the west of the US
Adams, Gerry		(1948–)  the leader of Sinn Fein, the Irish political party that wants Northern Ireland to unite with the Republic of Ireland and that is believed to have links with the IRA. In the late 1990s, Adams took part in meetings with the British government and with other political parties in Northern Ireland, to discuss ways of bringing peace to the area. Adams was the MP for West Belfast for many years, but never took his seat in Westminster. He had a seat in the Northern Ireland Assembly until the assembly was suspended. He also won a seat at the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998. Adams is a member of the Irish parliament.
Adams, John		(1735–1826)  the second president of the US, from 1797 to 1801. Before the American Revolutionary War he encouraged people in the American colonies (colony) to protest against British taxes and to fight to become independent from Britain.
Adams, John Quincy		(1767–1848)  the sixth president of the US from 1825 to 1829. He was the son of the second US president John Adams, and he is believed to have written the Monroe Doctrine.
Adam Smith Institute		 a right-wing British organization that develops ideas about economics and gives advice to businesses and politicians. It has close connections with the British Conservative Party, and had great influence on its policies during the 1980s, especially the policy of privatization (=selling public services like electricity and railways, so that they become private companies). The organization started in 1977 and is named after Adam Smith, an 18th-century Scottish writer on economics.
Adams, Samuel		(1722–1803)  a US politician and writer who protested against British taxes and law when the UK was still in control of the American colonies (colony). In the 1760s and 1770s he encouraged people there to fight to become independent, and he was the main organizer of the Boston Tea Party.
Addis Ababa		the capital city of Ethiopia
Addison, Joseph		(1672–1719)  an English writer, best known for the essays he wrote in The Tatler and The Spectator magazines
Adelaide		the capital city of the state of South Australia
Adenauer, Konrad		(1876–1967)  a German politician who was the first Chancellor of West Germany after World War II, from 1949 to 1963. He had an important part in rebuilding Germany's industry and economy after the war and in establishing friendly relations again with other European countries. He also helped to start the EU.
Adidas		a type of sports clothes, shoes, and equipment, sold all over the world. One of its special signs is three long white lines going down the arms of jackets and legs of sportswear. The Adidas company was started by Adolf ("Adi") Dassler in1949 in Germany.
Adirondacks		 an area in the north east of New York State, known for its beautiful mountains, forests, and lakes. Part of the area is a wildlife park.
Admiral's Cup		 an international sailing competition held off the British coast and consisting of four races, including the Fastnet Cup Race. The first Admiral's Cup took place in 1957, and the competition used to be held every two years. However, it was cancelled (cancel) in 2001 and 2005. The last time the competition took place was 2003, and its future is uncertain.
Admiralty Arch		a large arch (=a structure with a curved top and straight sides) in central London, between the Mall and Trafalgar Square
Adrian IV		(1100–1159 ) the only English pope. He was born in Hertfordshire, England, and his real name was Nicholas Breakspear. He was pope from 1154 until 1159.
Adriatic Sea		 the long, narrow sea between Italy and countries such as Slovenia, Croatia, and Albania
advance fee fraud	 noun	another name for 419 scam	419scam的别称
advergaming	 noun	the use of computer games to advertise products
Aegean Sea		 a sea in southeast Europe between Greece and Turkey
Aeneas		in ancient Greek and Roman stories, a Trojan leader who escaped from Troy after it was captured by the Greeks and went to Carthage, where he met Dido. He later went to Italy where he became the ancestor of the Romans.
Aeneid		 Virgil's poem about the adventures of Aeneas, a hero from Greek and Roman mythology
Aeroflot		a Russian airline
Aeschylus		(525?/524?-456?/455? BC)  an ancient Greek writer who is generally considered to have invented the European style of drama (=plays for the theatre), especially tragedy
Aesop		(620-560 BC)  an ancient Greek writer who wrote short stories known as Aesop's Fables, which teach moral lessons using characters who are animals. His fables include The Fox and the Grapes and The Tortoise and the Hare.
AFC		 (the American Football Conference) one of the two groups of American football teams in the NFL (National Football League) that play against each other to see who is the best. The other group of teams is the NFC (National Football Conference).
AFDC		(Aid to Families with Dependent Children) a former US government programme that gave money to poor families, especially single parents. It was replaced by TANF (= Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) in 1997.
affianced	 adjective	engaged(1)	已订婚的
Afghanistan		a country in Asia that is west of Pakistan and east of Iran. Population: 31,108,077 (2014). Capital: Kabul. Afghanistan is known as a place where there have been many wars. In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan  (=entered it by force in order to take control). The Mujahedin, supported by the US, fought against the Soviet Union. After the Soviet soldiers left in 1989, there was a civil war (=war between different groups of people from the same country), and in 1996 the Taliban took control of large parts of the country. The Taliban allowed Osama Bin Laden, who was responsible for the September 11 attacks in the US, to establish military bases in Afghanistan. The US believed that al-Qaeda fighters were being trained at these bases. When the Taliban refused to say where Osama Bin Laden was, the US attacked the country in 2001. After the Taliban were defeated, a new government was established, with Hamid Karzai as its leader.
African National Congress
African Union, the		an organization whose aim is to encourage African countries to work more closely together politically and economically, and to support interests common to all African countries including achieving peace and improving democracy and human rights. Almost all African countries are members of the African Union.
Afro-Caribbean	 noun	a black person who comes from the Caribbean or whose family originally came from there, especially one who lives in the UK or the US. The black population of the Caribbean originally came from Africa as slaves
After Eight		a type of flat, square, chocolate-covered soft peppermint sweet which is popular especially after formal meals
afterlife	 noun	the life that some people believe people have after death	死后（灵魂）的生活
AFTRA		(American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) a trade union in the US for actors and actresses who perform on television and radio programmes
Aga		a type of cooker made of solid iron, which is similar in design to the types of cooker that people used to have in the past. Agas now usually work by electricity, oil, or gas, and they are expensive. They are popular with middle-class people who live (or would like to live) in the country, and have large kitchens.
Aga Khan		 (1936–)  the Arab religious leader of a Muslim group called the Ismailis. He is very rich and owns many racehorses. His full name is Prince Shah Karim Al Husseini Aga Khan IV.
Agamemnon		in ancient Greek stories, the king of Mycenae and leader of the Greeks in the Trojan War. When he came home after the war, he was murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus.
Agassi, Andre		(1970–)  a former American tennis player who is one of the few players to have won all four major tennis tournaments: the Australian Open , the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open). He is married to the former tennis player Steffi Graf.
Age Concern		a group of British charity organizations that help old people. Many towns in the UK have Age Concern shops, where they sell second-hand clothes, books, kitchen equipment etc to earn money for the charity.
Agency for International Development		a US government department that provides money to help poorer countries. The money is used for buying food and medicines, building homes and schools, and developing farms and industries. Its full name is the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Age of Enlightenment		 a period in European history, in the 18th century, when educated people thought that belief should depend on reason and scientific proof
Age of Reason		 another name for the Age of Enlightenment
Agincourt		a famous battle in France in 1415, which the English, led by King Henry V, won against the French. There are scenes of this battle in the play Henry V by William Shakespeare.
Agricola, Gnaeus Julius		(AD 40–93)  a Roman general who governed Britain in AD 78–85.
Ahab, Captain		a character in the book Moby Dick by Herman Melville. Captain Ahab risks his life and the lives of everyone on his ship by hunting a large dangerous white whale called Moby-Dick. Ahab is completely determined to kill the whale, but it finally sinks his ship, killing him and most of his men.
Ahern, Bertie		(1951–)  an Irish politician who was leader of the Fianna Fail party from 1994 until 2008, and who was the Taoiseach (= prime minister) of the Republic of Ireland from 1997 until 2008. In 1998 he and the UK Prime Minister Tony Blair signed the Good Friday Agreement that began a process aimed at bringing peace to Northern Ireland.
Ahmedinejad, Mahmoud		(1956-) the president of Iran from 2005 to 2013. He was politically conservative and did not like the West, especially the US and UK. He had to answer questions from the Iranian parliament about possible corruption during his time in office.
AID		the Agency for International Development
AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power		another name for Act Up
AIM		 (the Alternative Investment Market) a part of the London Stock Exchange for smaller companies which cannot be listed officially with the Stock Exchange
Airfix		a British company which makes model kits of aircraft, cars, ships etc. They are especially popular with children. Some of the kits are quite small and simple to make, and others are bigger and much more complicated.
Air France		the main French airline
Air Miles		a system in which people collect points when they buy things from certain companies. These points can be exchanged for free or cheaper flights. The name of the system has been changed in the UK to Avios.	航空里程〔指以购物积分兑换免费航程〕
Airstream	 noun	a type of silver-coloured trailer (=a vehicle which contains beds, a kitchen etc and which is pulled by a car), similar to a bullet in shape. They were first made in the US in the 1930s and continue to be popular and fashionable.
Ajax		in ancient Greek mythology, a warrior in Agamemnon's army who appears in Homer's Iliad. He carried a large shield and was known for being very brave, especially in two fights against Hector.
AK		the written abbreviation of Alaska
Akela	 noun	an adult who leads a group of cub scouts in the UK
Akihito		(1933–)  the Emperor of Japan since 1989 and the son of the Emperor Hirohito
Akron		an industrial city in northeast Ohio, US. It is a centre for the rubber industry. The Goodyear and Firestone rubber and tire companies were both started in Akron.
AL		the written abbreviation of Alabama
Alabama		a state in the southeast of the US, known as the place where the civil rights movement began
Aladdin		a young male character in a story from TheArabian Nights. Aladdin is employed by a magician to steal a lamp from a secret cave (=a large hole in the side of a cliff or under the ground), which is full of jewels and valuable objects. When Aladdin finds the lamp and rubs it, a genie (=a creature with special powers) appears and says to Aladdin, 'Your wish is my command,' by which he means that Aladdin may ask for anything he wants and the genie will give it to him. Aladdin keeps the lamp and, with the genie's help, becomes rich and marries the sultan's daughter. Then the magician, by offering 'new lamps for old', tricks Aladdin's wife so that she exchanges the old magic lamp for an ordinary one. Aladdin finally finds the magician, kills him, and gets the magic lamp back again. The story of Aladdin is often performed as a pantomime (=a humorous play for children) in the UK during the period around Christmas.
Aladdin's lamp	 noun	a magic lamp used by Aladdin. It contains a genie  (=a magical creature in old Arabian stories) who can give people anything that they wish for.
Alamein		a place in Egypt where the British army was successful in two important battles in 1942 against the German army in World War II. In the Second Battle of El Alamein, the British army was led by Field Marshal Montgomery.
Alamogordo		a town in the US state of New Mexico, near the place where the first nuclear bomb was exploded in 1945
Al-Anon		an international organization for people who are related to alcoholics (people who cannot stop drinking alcohol) and have had problems because of this. They meet in groups to talk about their bad experiences so that they can get support and try to solve their problems.
Alaska		the largest state in the US, which is northwest of Canada and separated from the main part of the US. It has very cold weather and a lot of ice and snow. Alaska has an important oil and gas industry.
Albania		a small country in the southeast of Europe next to the Adriatic Sea. Population: 3,011,405 (2014). Capital: Tirana. It is known as one of the poorest countries in Europe, and it had a very strict Communist government until 1991. Albania applied for membership of the EU in 2009.
Albanian	 noun	 someone who comes from Albania
Alban, Saint		the first Christian martyr in England. He was born in Britain, but became a soldier in the Roman army. He became a Christian after helping a priest and was killed. His date of birth is unknown and people disagree about when he died - possibly in 209, 251, or 304.
Albany		the capital city of New York State in the US
Albee, Edward		(1928–)  a US writer of plays, known especially for the plays Zoo Story and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Alberta		a province in West Canada. The capital city of Alberta is Edmonton.
Albert Dock		a dock in Liverpool, known for the popular shops and restaurants that have been built inside its old Victorian warehouses
Albert Hall		 a large 19th-century building in London where concerts take place. It is known especially as the place where the Proms are held every summer.
Albert, Prince		(1819–61)  the husband of the British queen Victoria, born in Germany, and also known as the 'Prince Consort'. He was very interested in art, music, science, and industry, and he planned and organized the Great Exhibition of 1851. Many buildings and other places in the UK are named after him, including the Albert Memorial, the Albert Hall, and the Victoria and Albert Museum, all in London.
Albert Square		an imaginary place in East London where the characters in the British television programme EastEnders live and work
Albion		an ancient name for Britain or England, used especially in poetry
Albright, Madeleine		(1937–)  an American politician who was formerly the US Representative to the United Nations. She was Secretary of State in Bill Clinton's government from 1997 to 2001, and was the first woman to have this job.
Albuquerque		the largest city in the state of New Mexico, US
Alcock and Brown		two British pilots Sir John William Alcock (1892–1919)  and Sir Arthur Whitten Brown (1886–1948)  who, in 1919, were the first people to fly an aircraft across the Atlantic without stopping
Alcoholics Anonymous		an international organization for alcoholics who want to stop drinking alcohol. They regularly meet in groups to talk about why they drink and to give each other support so that they can stop drinking.
Alcott, Louisa May		(1832–88)  a US writer whose novels for children include Little Women and Good Wives
Aldeburgh		a town on the coast of Suffolk in eastern England, where there is a music festival (=a series of concerts and performances) every summer
Aldermaston		a village in Berkshire, England, known as a place where nuclear weapons are developed and produced. The Atomic Weapons Establishment was set up in 1958 and since then many anti-nuclear protests have taken place there.
Alderney		one of the Channel Islands between England and France
Aldershot		a town in Hampshire in southern England, known as an important centre for the British army
Aldrin, Edwin 'Buzz'		(1930–) a US astronaut who became the second man to step on the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission of 1969
Aleutian Islands		 a group of islands off the southwest coast of Alaska
Alexander the Great		(356–323 BC)  a king of Macedonia who, while he was still a young man, took control of Greece, Egypt, and most of the countries to the east of the Mediterranean Sea as far as India. He established many cities including Alexandria in Egypt, and is regarded as one of the greatest military leaders in history.
Alexandra Palace		a large building in North London that was built in 1873 and is now used for conferences (=large business or political meetings) and concerts. It also has a famous metal tower from which the first television signals were broadcast by the BBC.
Alexandria		a city and port in Egypt on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, first built by Alexander the Great. In ancient times Alexandria had a famous library and many important people went there to study and learn.
ALF		Animal Liberation Front
Alfa Romeo		a type of car produced by the Italian company Fiat, which is fashionable and can go very fast
Al Fayed, Mohammed		(1929–)  an Egyptian businessman who lives in the UK, and who owns the famous London department store Harrods. His son Dodi Al Fayed died in a car accident with Princess Diana in Paris.
Alfred the Great		(849–899)  king of Wessex (871–899) , the southwestern part of England. At this time, the rest of England was mostly controlled by Danes (=people from Denmark), and Alfred fought against them to win back English land. He is usually considered to be the first king of England.
Algarve		 an area of southern Portugal, which is a popular place for holidays, and is also known as a place where some wealthy British people go to live after they have finished working
Alger, Horatio		(1832–1899)  a US writer, many of whose stories are about poor boys who become rich and successful through hard work and good luck. His books include Ragged Dick; or, Street Life in New York with the Bootblacks (1868) and The Telegraph Boy (1879).
Algeria		a country in northwest Africa on the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Libya. Population: 38,087,812 (2014). Capital: Algiers.
Algiers		a port on the Mediterranean Sea, which is the capital and largest city of Algeria
Algonquin Hotel		 a hotel in New York where many famous and wealthy people have stayed. Between the 1920s and the 1940s, Dorothy Parker and many other famous writers regularly met at the hotel's restaurant and discussed their ideas, and their group is sometimes called 'the Algonquin Round Table'.
Algonquin Round Table		 a group or writers, including Dorothy Parker, who met in New York's Algonquin Hotel and exchanged ideas from the 1920s to the 1940s
Alhambra		 a palace built on a hill above Granada in southeast Spain between 1238 and 1358 for Moorish kings, and considered to be Spain's most impressive building in the Moorish style
Ali Baba		the main character in a story called Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves from The Arabian Nights. Ali Baba sees 40 thieves enter a secret cave (=a large hole in the side of a cliff or under the ground) by saying the magic words 'Open Sesame', which makes a door in the cliff open. He repeats these words, enters the cave, and takes some of the gold that the thieves keep there. When the thieves discover that Ali Baba knows their secret they decide to kill him. They hide in 40 large oil jars (=round containers) which are delivered to his house, but Ali Baba's servant hears about the trick and saves his master by pouring boiling oil into the containers and killing all the thieves.
Alice Springs		a town in the centre of Australia in the Northern Territory. It is the nearest town to Uluru (Ayers Rock), which is very popular with tourists. It is informally known as "Alice" or "The Alice".
Alien		(1979) a horror film directed by Ridley Scott about a creature that kills people, sometimes after first living in their bodies. There has been a series of Alien films, including Alien Resurrection (1997) and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007).
Ali G		a character invented and played by the British comedy actor Sacha Baron Cohen. Ali G is a young Asian man who thinks he is fashionable and copies the clothes, language, and behaviour of gangsta rappers. He wears a lot of gold jewellery. Baron Cohen makes the character say a lot of silly or unintelligent things in order to make him funny. Many people think Baron Cohen is Asian, like Ali G, but actually he is white European and Jewish.
Ali, Monica		(1967-) a British writer whose first novel Brick Lane (2003) was on the shortlist for the Man Booker prize
Ali, Muhammad		(1942–)  an American boxer who was the world heavyweight champion in 1964, 1974, and 1978, and is regarded as one of the greatest boxers ever. He changed his name from Cassius Clay when he became a Muslim in 1964, and he is known especially for saying 'I am the greatest!' and 'I float like a butterfly, sting like a bee'. He now suffers from a serious illness, Parkinson's disease.
Alitalia		an Italian airline
Al Jazeera		a television news channel which is watched by many people around the world, especially in the Middle East. It broadcasts in Arabic and English.
Alka-Seltzer		a type of medicine that you take to treat stomach problems, such as those caused by eating or drinking too much. Alka-Seltzer are added to water to make a fizzy drink.
Allahabad		a city in north India that is one of the country's oldest and most holy cities
Allan-a-Dale		a character who is a member of Robin Hood's group, who is also a musician
All Blacks		 the New Zealand international rugby union team
Allegheny Mountains		 a range of mountains which go from Virginia to Pennsylvania in the eastern US, and are part of the Appalachians
Allende, Isabel		(1942–)  a Chilean writer whose novels include The House of the Spirits, Paula, and The Sum of Our Days: A Memoir. Her uncle was Salvador Allende.
Allende, Salvador		(1908–73)  a socialist politician who was elected president of Chile in 1970. In 1973 Allende and many of his supporters were killed when the army took control of the government.
All England Club		a club in Wimbledon, London, that has grass tennis courts, where the famous tennis competition called Wimbledon is played every year. Its official name is the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC).
Allen, Woody		(1935–)  an American film director who also acts in his own humorous films, which are often about people who live in New York City and have problems in their relationships. He typically appears as a character who is confused, anxious, and does not have much confidence. His films include Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (1972), Annie Hall (1977), and Blue Jasmine (2014). He has won Academy Awards for several of his films.
All Fools' Day	 noun	another name for April Fools' Day, April 1st
All Hallows' Day	 noun	another name for All Saints' Day, November 1st
Allies
All Quiet on the Western Front		a novel (first published in 1928) by the German writer Erich Maria Remarque, who was a soldier in the First World War. It describes how terrible war is and how hard it is for some soldiers to live a normal life when they return home. In 1930, the book was made into a successful film. People use the expression 'All Quiet on the Western Front' to mean that a situation or activity that is normally very busy is quiet at the present time.
All Saints' Day	 noun	1 November, when Christian churches remember all the saints
All Souls' Day	 noun	2 November, when people in Christian churches pray for the souls of those who have died
All-Star break	 noun	in baseball, a period in the middle of the season (=the period in the year when baseball is played) when All-Star games are played
All-Star game	 noun	a game played between teams that are made up of the best and most popular US professional players in particular sports such as baseball or basketball
All's Well that Ends Well		an expression which some people use to say that a difficult situation has ended with a good result. It is the title of a humorous play (written between 1601 and 1608) by William Shakespeare about the relationship between the two main characters, Helena and Bertram.
All Things Bright and Beautiful		a hymn (=a song of praise to God) that used to be taught to children in the UK, but is less common now: All things bright and beautiful,All creatures great and small. All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all.
Ally Pally		an informal name for Alexandra Palace
Almaty		a city in southeast Kazakhstan. From 1929 to 1997 it was the country's capital, and it was formerly called Vernoye, Verny, or Vernyi. Since 1997 the capital has been Astana.
Alps, the		a range of mountains which go through France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, and Austria. Many people visit the Alps to ski.
al-Qaeda		an Islamic organization formed in the 1980s by Arab men and women who were fighting in Afghanistan against the former Soviet Union, and led by Osama Bin Laden. After the Soviet soldiers left Afghanistan, al-Qaeda started a campaign of attacks against western countries, including the attack on New York City on September 11, 2001 when two planes flew into the World Trade Center and destroyed it. The US government announced a 'war on terror' and sent soldiers to Afghanistan to try and destroy al-Qaeda's secret training camps (=places where they teach people how to use guns and bombs etc) and to kill or catch its leaders.
Alternative Vote	 noun	 a voting system in which voters list the candidates in the order in which they prefer them. The votes for the first-choice candidate are counted first. If no candidate has a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes can no longer be elected. The votes for that candidate then go to the voters' second-choice candidates instead. This process continues until one candidate becomes the winner by receiving more than half of all the votes. Supporters of AV argue that it is fairer than the usual system where people only vote for one candidate. In May 2011, people in the UK were asked if they wanted to change to this system in government elections. However, more than two-thirds of the voters voted against changing to AV.
Altman, Robert		(1925–2006)  an American film director whose films include M*A*S*H (1970), The Player (1992), Short Cuts (1993), and Gosford Park (2001).
Alton Towers		a large amusement park in Staffordshire, central England, which has rides (=large machines that people ride on to be frightened for pleasure), games, and gardens. It is a popular place for families to visit.
Amarillo		an industrial city in northwest Texas, known for its mineral production and rodeos
Amateur Athletic Association		 the former name of the AAA (or Amateur Athletic Association of England)
Amateur Athletic Association of England		 a British organization for athletes
Amazing Grace		a hymn (=a song of praise to God) that is popular in the US and in the UK
Amazon, the		a river in South America, which goes through Peru and Brazil and is the second longest river in the world
Amazon		a website that sells books, music, films, toys, electronic and household goods. You make your order and pay over the Internet, and the books, toys etc are sent to you through the post. Amazon has websites in many countries.
Ambridge		an imaginary village in the English countryside where the characters of The Archers, a British radio programme, live and work
ambush marketing	 noun	a way of getting attention for a product or company, or advertising that product or company, at an event that another company has sponsored
American Academy of Dramatic Arts, the		a school that has campusesin New York City and Hollywood for training actors, where many famous actors have studied
American Association of Retired Persons		 the former name of AARP
American Automobile Association		 an American organization which provides services to people who own cars
American Bandstand		a television programme in the US that was especially popular in the 1950s and 1960s, which showed popular music bands and singers perform while people danced to the music. Dick Clark introduced the bands and singers.
American Bar Association, the		a large national organization for lawyers in the US
American Cancer Society, the		an organization in the US that provides money for scientists who are studying the causes of cancer and trying to find cures for it. It also gives information to help prevent people getting cancer.
American Civil Liberties Union, the
American Conference, the		a group of football teams in the US that play against one another. Its full name is the American Football Conference (AFC). There is another group of teams called the National Conference, and the best team from that group plays the best team from the American Conference in the Super Bowl, which is the most important game of the year.
American Conservatory Theater, the
American Express		a US company that has a credit card service, exchanges foreign money, and sells traveller's cheques. It has offices all over the world, and advertisements for the American Express Card often use the phrase 'Don't leave home without it'.
American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
American Gothic		a painting by the US artist Grant Wood, which shows a very serious-looking farmer holding a pitchfork, with his wife standing beside him. It is often copied in a humorous way in advertisements.
American Graffiti		(1973) a US film made by George Lucas about a group of young men in California in the 1960s, who go out at night, drive around in big cars, and try to attract girls
American Legion, the		a national organization for former members of the US armed forces
American Psycho		a novel by the US writer Brett Easton Ellis, that was also made into a successful film. When the book was published, some people criticized the amount of violence, especially towards women, and the detailed way in which the violence is described. Other people said that the characters and the story are symbolic rather than real, and that the book is about modern society's greed and desire for too much food, money, power, and possessions.
American Revolutionary War, the		(1775–83)  the war in which people in Britain's colonies (colony) in North America became independent and established the United States of America. The Americans thought they were being treated unfairly, because they had to pay taxes to Britain, but they were not represented in the British parliament, so they demanded 'No taxation without representation.' They were also angry because they had to pay the cost of keeping the British army in their country, and because Britain would not allow them to develop the area west of the Appalachian mountains. Angry feelings on both sides led to the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party and the war itself began in 1775. General George Washington led the American soldiers and was later helped by the French. In 1776 the Continental Congress rang the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia to tell the people about the Declaration of Independence. The war ended in 1781 when the British surrendered (surrender), and a peace agreement was signed in 1783.
American Samoa		a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, which are a territory of the US. Population: 54,719 (2014). Capital: Pago Pago.
Americas, the		North America, Central America, and South America considered together as a group
Amerindian	 noun	another word, used especially in works on anthropology and archaeology, for Native American
amero	 noun	a unit of money that some people suggest could be used by the US, Canada, and Mexico, instead of their own present units of money
Amex		American Express
AMICUS		a former trade union in the UK for people with technical or skilled jobs in manufacturing (=the business of producing goods in factories). In May 2007 it joined with the TGWU to form Unite.
Amin (Dada), Idi		(1925–2003)  known as Idi Amin. He was the president of Uganda from 1971 until he was forced to leave the country in 1979. In 1972 he forced 80,000 people of Indian origin to leave Uganda, and many of them came to live in the UK. He was known especially for cruel and violent treatment of anyone who opposed him.
Amish, the	 noun	a Christian religious group in Pennsylvania and Ohio who live separately from other people and follow many strict rules about behaviour, such as wearing traditional clothes and not using telephones, cars, and other modern inventions
Amis, Kingsley		(1922–95)  a British writer known for his humorous novels, such as Lucky Jim (1954) and The Old Devils (1986). He was the father of Martin Amis.
Amis, Martin		(1949–)  a British writer whose novels include The Rachel Papers (1973), Time's Arrow (1991), and Yellow Dog (2003). He is the son of Kingsley Amis.
Amman		the capital city of Jordan
Amnesty International		an organization that supports human rights, especially people's right to express their beliefs without being punished. Its members are known for writing to governments to persuade them to set free people who are in prison because of their political or religious beliefs.
Amos and Andy		two black characters in old US radio and television programmes, who were played by white actors. People now see these programmes as an example of a white racist view of black people.
Amritsar		a city in the Punjab, in northwest India. It is a holy place for members of the Sikh religion, who visit its famous Golden Temple. In 1919, British soldiers stopped a peaceful political meeting by shooting at the crowd, and 379 people were killed. This event is called the 'Amritsar massacre'.
Amsterdam		the capital city of the Netherlands, known for its canals (=artificial rivers), its museums and art galleries (gallery ), and its relaxed attitude to sex and drugs
Amstrad		a British company that produces electronic goods, especially goods relating to sending and receiving television signals. The company was known especially in the 1980s for producing word processing and computer equipment that was not expensive. Amstrad was started by the businessman Sir Alan Sugar, and was bought by BSkyB in 2007.
Amtrak		the company which runs passenger trains in the US
Amundsen, Roald		(1872–1928)  a Norwegian explorer. He was the first person to sail through the Northwest Passage in 1903–06, and in 1911 he beat Captain Robert Scott in the race to become the first person to reach the South Pole.
Amway		a US company that sells various products, including cleaning products, beauty products and kitchen equipment. The products are not sold in stores, but by people who sell them in their free time and then receive a payment from the company based on how much they have sold. People who sell Amway often hold parties at which they sell the products to friends, neighbours etc
Anabaptist	 noun	a member of a group within the Christian religion that thinks that only people who believe (and therefore not very young children) should be baptized (baptize )
Anaheim		a city in southern California, near Los Angeles, which many people go to in order to visit Disneyland
Anatolia		the main part of Turkey that is east of the Sea of Marmara
ANC, the		(the African National Congress) a political group in South Africa that was originally established to fight for political rights for the black population. For many years it was an illegal organization, but it later became a political party, won elections, and became the government of South Africa. Its most famous leader was Nelson Mandela.
Anchorage		the largest city in Alaska, US, which is a port and a centre of the oil and gas industries
Ancient Mariner		the main character in the poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The Ancient Mariner is an old sailor who shoots and kills an albatross (=a very large seabird). The other sailors think that this will bring them bad luck, and they force him to wear the dead albatross on a rope around his neck so that they will not be punished for his crime. However, all the sailors die, and the Ancient Mariner feels guilty and believes he must tell his story to anyone who will listen, to warn them to be kind to all creatures.
Andersen, Hans Christian		(1805–75)  a Danish writer famous for his many fairy tales which include The Snow Queen, The Little Match Girl, and The Ugly Duckling
Anderson, Elizabeth Garrett		(1836–1917) a British woman who became the first woman to be officially accepted as a doctor by the British Medical Association
Anderson, Pamela		(1967–)  an American television and film actress who is known especially for appearing in the programme Baywatch, in which she is often wearing a swimming costume that shows her body.
Anderson, Sherwood		(1876–1941)  a US writer best known for his book Winesburg, Ohio (1919), a collection of short stories about the loneliness and dissatisfactions of life in a small town
Andes, the		a range of high mountains along the west coast of South America
Andorra		a very small country in the Pyrenees, on the border between France and Spain, popular as a place for holidays and skiing (ski). Population: 85,293 (2014). Capital: Andorra-la-Vella.
Andrew, Prince		(1960–)  the third child of the British queen, Elizabeth II. His official royal title is The Duke of York. He became a pilot for the Royal Navy. In 1986 he married Sarah Ferguson, but they were divorced in 1996.
Andrew, Saint		(1st century AD) in the Bible, one of Jesus' disciples. He is the  patron saint of Scotland and St Andrew's Day, 30th November, is celebrated as the Scottish national day.
Andrews, Julie		(1935–)  a British singer and actress. She has appeared in many films, but people remember her especially for being in Mary Poppins (1964) and The Sound of Music (1965).
Andrex		a type of toilet paper sold in the UK. Advertisements for Andrex often include a puppy (=young dog) who pulls the toilet paper along with his mouth.
Androcles and the Lion		an ancient Roman story about a slave called Androcles who escapes from his owner and meets a lion with a thorn (=a sharp pointed part of a plant) in its foot. Androcles removes the thorn. Later he is caught and is made to fight with a lion in the arena as punishment for escaping, but the lion is the same one that he helped, and instead of attacking him, it greets him as a friend.
Andropov, Yuri		(1914–84)  a Soviet politician who was leader of the communist party of the former soviet union from 1982 to 1984
Andy Capp		the main character in a British cartoon strip in newspapers
Andy Pandy		the main character in a British children's television programme in the 1950s and 1960s. Andy Pandy is a puppet who wears a suit with blue and white stripes and has friends called Teddy and Looby Loo.
Anfield		the ground where Liverpool Football Club plays
Angel Falls		the highest waterfall in the world, which is in southeast Venezuela
Angelico, Fra		(?1400– 1455)  an Italian monk (=a member of an all-male Christian religious group) and painter, known especially for the frescoes that he painted on church walls
Angelou, Maya		(1928–)  a black US writer, poet, and university teacher, best known for her book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1970)
Anglepoise		a type of lamp which can be moved on its support into different positions, often used on desks
Anglesey		an island off the northwest coast of Wales, which is connected to the rest of Wales by the Menai Bridge
Anglican Communion, the		the group of churches around the world, mostly in English-speaking countries, that are descended from the Church of England and are closely related to it in practice and belief
Anglo-Irish Agreement		an agreement made in 1985 between the governments of the UK and the Republic of Ireland, which gave the Irish the right to take part in discussions about the future of Northern Ireland. Many Protestants in Northern Ireland criticized the British government for making this agreement.
Angola		a country in southwest Africa, north of Namibia and south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Population: 18,565,269 (2014). Capital: Luanda.
Anguilla		an island in the Caribbean Sea, belonging to the UK. Population: 15,754 (2014). Capital: The Valley.
Angus		a county in central eastern Scotland, with a coast on the North Sea
Anheuser-Busch		a US company which makes beer. It owns several of the most popular brands (=types) of beer in the US, including Budweiser.
Animal Crackers		a type of small sweet biscuits shaped like animals, which are sold in a small box, and are popular with children in the US
Animal Farm		a novel by George Orwell which is a satire (=a humorous criticism) on the russian revolution and communist society. In the book, a group of animals take control of a farm so that they can establish a society where they are all equal. The pigs, however, soon become the leaders and say that they are more important, intelligent etc than everyone else, using the phrase 'All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.'
Animal Liberation Front		a British organization that protests against using animals in scientific experiments, such as testing drugs or cosmetics. Some members of the Animal Liberation Front have actively helped to set these animals free, and others have used bombs and other violent methods to protest.
Ankara		the capital city of Turkey
Anna Karenina		a book by the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy which is considered by many people to be one of the greatest novels ever written. It tells the story of a married woman called Anna Karenina who falls in love with a young army officer.
Annan, Kofi		(1938–)  the Secretary General of the United Nations from 1997 until 2006. He comes from Ghana, and was formerly responsible for the UN's peacekeeping operations in Bosnia. He is known for his work to stop the spread of AIDS and for trying to find a peaceful solution to the situation in Iraq before the war started. In 2001 he won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Annapolis		the capital of the state of Maryland in the US. The United States Naval Academy, where navy officers are trained, is in Annapolis.
Anne of Cleves		(1515–1557) a European princess of the duchy of Cleves, who became the fourth wife of the English king, Henry VIII in 1540. They were divorced after six months.
Anne of Green Gables		a children's novel by L. M. montgomery about a girl called Anne Shirley who is adopted ( adopt ) by an older lady and her brother and goes to live on Prince Edward Island in Canada, during the late 1800s. It has been made into a film, a play, and a television programme.
Anne, Princess		(1950–)  the second child and only daughter of the British queen, Elizabeth II. Her official title is The princess royal. In 1973 she married Captain Mark Phillips, but they divorced in 1992. Later in the same year she married Timothy Laurence. She is known for her skill at riding horses and was a member of the British Olympic team in 1976. She works actively to support many charity organizations, especially as president of the Save the Children Fund.
Anne, Queen		(1665–1714)  the queen of Great Britain and Ireland from 1702 to 1714 and the daughter of James II.
Annigoni, Pietro		(1910–88)  an Italian portrait painter who painted pictures of John F. Kennedy and Queen Elizabeth II
Ann Summers		a British company which has shops that sell sexy women's underwear and sex toys. It also arranges parties for groups of women where its products are sold. The company was begun in 1970 and was named after the owner's secretary. They now have shops or run parties in many countries.
Annunciation, the		the occasion (celebrated by Christians on 25 March) on which the angel gabriel appeared and told the Virgin mary that she would bear the baby Jesus Christ (jesus1 )
Anouilh, Jean		(1910–87)  a French writer of plays, including Antigone and Becket
Anschluss	 noun	the taking over of Austria by Hitler's Germany in 1938
ANSI		(American National Standards Institute) an organization in the US which sets standards used for testing the quality and safety of electronic equipment, scientific equipment etc. It has also established a standard set of letters and numbers called the ANSI character set, which is used in computers that use windows.
Antananarivo		the capital city of Madagascar, formerly called Tananarive or Tananarivo
Anthony, Susan B.		(1820–1906)  a US woman who tried to help women get the right to vote. She is the only woman whose picture, which appears on the dollar coin, has been used on US money.
Antibes		a city in southeast France on the Mediterranean coast, known for being a fashionable place for holidays
Antichrist, the		in the Christian religion, a great enemy of Christ who represents the power of evil and is expected to appear just before the end of the world
Anti-Corn Law League, the		a group of people, led by Richard Cobden and John Bright, who protested against the corn laws in Britain in the 1840s
Antietam		 a battle in the American Civil War, in which General Robert E. Lee's army tried to reach Washington but was defeated by Union soldiers
Antigone		in ancient Greek stories, a daughter of oedipus who is told by King Creon that she cannot bury her dead brother. She cannot decide whether she should obey the king or do what she believes to be morally and religiously right. She finally decides to disobey the king, and kills herself before he can punish her. Her story is the subject of the play Antigone by  sophocles.
Antigua		an island in the Caribbean Sea, which is part of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Population: 80,161 (2011). Capital: St. John's. Antigua and Barbuda includes the islands of Antigua, Barbuda, and Redonda.
Antioch		a city in southern Turkey, also known as Antakya, which was built in 301BC and soon became famous for its buildings and trade. In 64 BC it became the eastern capital of the Roman Empire.
Antiques Roadshow, the		a British television programme which is filmed in a different British city every week, where the local people bring antiques such as old jewellery, furniture, or paintings in order to find out how much they are worth
Antoinette, Marie
Antony and Cleopatra		a play by William shakespeare about the relationship between cleopatra, the queen of Egypt, and the Roman leader Mark antony
Antony, Mark		(?83–30 BC)  an ancient Roman politician and soldier who supported Julius caesar, and after his death became one of the triumvirate of three rulers of the roman empire. He fell in love with cleopatra, and after they were defeated in battle, they both killed themselves. He appears in the play antony and cleopatra by William shakespeare, and in the play julius caesar he makes a famous speech which starts with the words 'Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears...'
Antrim		a former county in northeastern Northern Ireland
Antwerp		a city and port in northern Belgium
Any Questions		a British radio programme in which people ask politicians and other famous people questions about important problems or subjects that are in the news
Anzac Day		(in Australia and New Zealand) April 25th each year, remembered as the date of the landing at Gallipoli in 1915
AOL		(America Online) a type of service connecting customers to the Internet. It provides them with online services such as email and business information.
AONB	 noun	(Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) a very beautiful area which is officially protected so that no one is allowed to build on it or change it
Aotearoa		the Maori name for New Zealand
Apache	 noun	 a Native American tribe of the western US
Apache		an American military helicopter gunship built by Boeing and used by the US Army
Apennines		a range of mountains in a line down the middle of Italy, from the northwest of the country to the south
Aphrodite		in Greek mythology, the goddess of love and beauty. In Roman mythology her name is venus.
API	 noun	 a set of computer codes that make it possible for different types of software to communicate with each other and exchange data
Apocrypha, the		a collection of Jewish writings which form part of the old testament in some bibles. They do not appear in the hebrew Bible, or many modern Bibles.
Apollo	 noun	in Greek and Roman mythology, the god of the Sun, medicine, poetry, music, and prophecy. He is usually shown in pictures and sculptures as a beautiful young man.
Apollo Program		the US government space programme to send people to the Moon, which succeeded in 1969 when the Apollo 11 spacecraft landed on the Moon. Apollo 13 was a later unsuccessful attempt to land on the Moon again, and the words one of the astronauts used when he thought something was going wrong, 'Houston, we have a problem', are sometimes now used in a humorous way.
Apostles' Creed, the		a statement of religious belief in the Christian religion, beginning 'I believe in God the Father Almighty ...'
Appalachia		an area of the appalachians in the southeast of the US
Appalachians, the		a long range of mountains in northeast America that go in a line southwest from Quebec in Canada to Alabama in the US
appaz	 adverb	apparently
Appian Way		 the first important Roman Road. It was built in 312BC and runs south from Rome to Brindisi on the Adriatic coast.
Apple		a US computer company whose best-known products include the iPod, iPad, and iPhone
Apple Macintosh		a type of personal computer made by the company Apple. This type of computer is usually known as a 'Mac'.
Appleseed, Johnny		the nickname of John Chapman(1774–1845) , who walked around the eastern US planting apple trees and encouraging other people to plant them
Appomattox		a town in Virginia, US, known as the place where General Robert E. lee, the leader of the  confederate army, surrendered to General Ulysses S. grant, the leader of the  union army, and therefore ended the American  civil war. The place where he surrendered is now a  national park.
Apprentice, the		a US and British television programme in which a group of people compete to win the prize of a job, working for the rich American businessman Donald Trump or the British businessman Sir Alan Sugar. The people on the show work in teams doing jobs that test their ability to be an entrepreneur (=someone who starts a new business or arranges business deals in order to make money). At the end of each programme Trump or Sugar points to the loser and says 'You're fired!'
aquaholic	 noun	someone who drinks a lot of water every day	嗜水狂
Aquinas, St Thomas		(1225–74)  an Italian theologian (=someone who studies religion and religious beliefs) and philosopher whose ideas had an important influence on the Roman Catholic religion
Aquino, Maria Corazón		(1933–2009)  a Filipino politician, usually known as Cory Aquino. Her husband, Benigno Aquino, led the opposition to President Marcos of the Philippines until he was murdered in 1983. She helped to remove President Marcos from power in 1986, and she then became president of the Philippines until 1992.
AR		the written abbreviation of Arkansas
Arabia		the large area of land between the Red Sea and the Gulf which contains the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom of Bahrain, Yemen, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates
Arabian Nights, the		a collection of Arabic stories from the 10th century, including aladdin, ali baba, and  sinbad. The  narrator (=the character who tells the story) is  scheherazade, a young woman who prevents her cruel husband from killing her by amusing him with a different story every night for a thousand and one nights.
Arabian Sea		a sea between India and Arabia
Arab-Israeli War, the		any of the wars between Israel and the Arab countries, e.g. the Yom Kippur War of 1973
Arab League, the		an organization of Arab countries in North Africa, Northeast Africa and Southwest Asia, which was formed in 1945 to encourage these countries to work together and deal with problems affecting their members. The organization's official title is 'the League of Arab States'.
Arab Spring		 a phrase used in the media to describe the series of revolutions and protests in the Middle East and North Africa which began in December 2010 and continued into 2011. The protests began in Tunisia where President Ben Ali was removed from power. In Libya, protests against Muammar Gaddafi developed into a civil war. In Egypt, President Mubarak resigned as leader after 18 days of demonstrations. Major protests took place in many other countries in the region, often causing powerful leaders to make important political and economic changes. For example, in Jordan King Abdullah II removed the Prime Minister and the Cabinet from their jobs. Some leaders, such as President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan, did not try to be re-elected.
Arafat, Yasser		(1929–2004)  a Palestinian politician who became leader of the PLO in 1969. He was elected president of Palestine in 1996.
Aral Sea	 noun	 an inland sea between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. It is continually becoming smaller because water flowing into it is being used for farming.
Aramaic	 noun	a language spoken in southwest Asia as a lingua franca, and still spoken in parts of Syria and Lebanon
Aran Islands, the		a group of three small islands off the west coast of the Republic of Ireland
Aran jumper	 noun	a thick woollen jumper with a raised pattern of many different stitches, usually made from natural-coloured wool
Arapaho	 noun	 a Native American tribe from the great plains of the US
Ararat, Mount		a mountain in eastern Turkey which, according to the Old Testament of the Bible, is where Noah's ark first reached land after the great flood
Arbor Day		an unofficial US holiday when people plant trees. Arbor Day is celebrated on different days in different states and school children often take part in it.
Archbishop of Canterbury, the		the priest who is the leader of the Church of England
Archbishop of Westminster, the		the priest who is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales
Archbishop of York, the		an important priest in the Church of England, who has the next highest rank to the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archers, The		a popular British radio programme that started in 1951, and can be heard twice every day. It is about an imaginary family called the Archers, who live on farms in a small village called ambridge, and their friends and neighbours.
Archimedes		(?287–212 BC)  a Greek mathematician and inventor who discovered Archimedes' Principle, the fact that when you put an object in a liquid, it seems to weigh less by a certain amount, and this amount is equal to the weight of the liquid which it has taken the place of. According to a well-known story, he discovered this while in the bath, and jumped out of the bath and ran through the streets shouting 'Eureka!' (=I have found it!)
Archimedes' principle	 noun	the scientific rule which explains that an object in a liquid is kept up by a force which is equal to the weight of the liquid that the object displaces
Arctic Circle		 an imaginary line around the world at a particular distance from the most northern point, which is the North Pole
Arden		an area in Warwickshire, central England, which was formerly a forest. The Forest of Arden is where Shakespeare's play as you like it takes place.
Ardennes, the		an area of southeast Belgium, North Luxembourg, and northern France, where several important battles happened during World War I and World War II, including the battle of the bulge
Arendt, Hannah		(1906–75)  a US political philosopher, writer, and teacher, who was born in Germany, but left there in 1941 to escape the nazis
Ares		in Greek mythology, the god of war. In Roman mythology his name is mars.
Argentina		a large country in the southern part of South America, which also used to be called 'the Argentine'. Population: 42,610,981 (2014). Capital: Buenos Aires.
Argonauts, the		in ancient Greek stories, a group of strong, brave men who sailed with Jason in the ship Argo to find the Golden Fleece
Argos		a group of British stores that sells many types of goods for the home. Customers order goods by looking in a catalogue, and then wait in the store until the goods are brought to them
Argus		in ancient Greek stories, a creature with many eyes who was used by the goddess hera as a guard. Newspapers are sometimes called the 'Argus' to give the idea that they are always watching carefully for news.
Argyll and Bute		a county which includes the islands of Mull, Islay, Jura, and Arran, in central western Scotland, with a coast on the Atlantic Ocean
Aristide, Jean-Bertrand		(1953– )  a Roman Catholic priest from Haiti who was elected president in 1990 but was forced by the army to leave the country in 1991. He was also president from 1994 to 1996, and was elected president again in 2001, but was forced to leave the country in 2004 after violent demonstrations against him.
Aristophanes		(?457-?385 BC)  an ancient Greek writer of humorous plays, considered to be the greatest writer of Greek comedy. His many plays include The Frogs and  lysistrata.
Aristotle		(384–322 BC) a Greek philosopher and scientist who has had great influence on Western thought. He was a student of plato and the teacher of alexander the great. His many works deal with subjects such as science, politics, morality, and literature.
Arizona		a state in the southwest of the US, north of Mexico that has a large area of desert. Arizona is popular with tourists, many of whom come to see the Grand Canyon.
Ark, the		 in the Old Testament of the Bible, the large boat that Noah built for his family and for two members of every type of animal in the world, so that they would be safe from the great flood that covered the world
Arkansas		a state in the south central part of the US, west of the Mississippi River
Ark of the Covenant, the	 noun	a box containing the laws of the Jewish religion that represented to the Jews the presence of God
Ark Royal, the		a British Royal Navy aircraft carrier built in 1936 and sunk in 1941 off Gibraltar
Arkwright, Sir Richard		(1732–92)  a British factory owner who invented a machine for making cotton into thread, a job that was formerly done by hand. This made him and other factory owners very rich, but it also caused many workers to lose their jobs.
Arlington National Cemetery		a cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, where people who were in the US army, navy, air force, or government are sometimes buried. John F. kennedy is buried there, and it also contains the tomb of the unknown soldier.
Armada, the		a collection of armed ships sent by Spain in 1588 against England but defeated by the English navy. The word is sometimes used to describe any large group of ships.
Armani, Giorgio		(1934–)  an Italian fashion designer whose suits are expensive and very fashionable
Armenia		a country in the extreme southwest of Asia, surrounded by Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkey. Population: 2,974,184 (2014). Capital: Yerevan.
Armistice Day		November 11th, celebrated as the anniversary of the end of World War I in 1918
Armstrong, Louis		(1900–71)  a US jazz musician, band leader, and singer, who played the trumpet and was also known as 'Satchmo'. He is considered to be one of the most important jazz musicians ever, and his low rough singing voice is easy to recognize. He also appeared in many films.
Armstrong, Neil		(1930–2012)  an American astronaut who was the first man to step onto the Moon, in 1969. As he did so, he said, 'That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind'.
Arnhem		a city in the Netherlands where British and allied forces landed in world war ii and where a great many soldiers died
Arnold, Benedict		(1741–1801)  an American military leader, known for betraying (betray ) his country when he changed to support the British during the american revolutionary war
Arnold, Matthew		(1822–88)  a British writer and poet, known for his poems such as Dover Beach and The Scholar Gypsy, as well as for his books and  essays discussing literature and society
Around the World in Eighty Days		a book by Jules Verne about an Englishman called Phileas Fogg, who travels around the world in 80 days with his servant Passepartout in order to win a bet
Arran		an island in the Firth of Clyde, western Scotland
Arsenal		a very successful English football team from North London. They play at the Emirates stadium in Ashburton Grove, Islington. They have won the League Championship many times and have 'done the Double' (=won the League Championship and the FA Cup in the same year) three times, in 1971, 1998, and 2002. In 1994 they won the Cup Winners' Cup.
Artemis		in Greek mythology, the goddess of hunting and the Moon. In Roman mythology her name is diana.
Artex		a type of substance like thick paint with lots of small hard pieces in it, sold in the UK and used for covering ceilings and walls inside a house
Artful Dodger, the		a young pickpocket (=someone who steals things from people's pockets) in the book Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. He protests that he is a 'victim of society'. People sometimes describe someone as an 'artful dodger' if they refuse to accept responsibility for their actions
Arthur		in old stories, a king of Britain
Arthur, Chester Alan		(1829–86) a US politician who was a member of the Republican Party and was president of the US from 1881 until 1885
Arthurian Legend		old stories about King Arthur, which were first told more than 1000 years ago, and are found in Welsh, English, French, and German literature. Arthur became king of Britain when he succeeded in pulling a sword called Excalibur out of a stone – something that only the person who would be king could do. Arthur is known for being brave, fair, and morally good. His court at Camelot was famous for bravery, chivalry, and magic which was practised by the  magician  Merlin, and the  sorceress  Morgan le Fay. There, at the  round table, sat the bravest  knights in the land, the  knights of the round table. These knights included Sir  Galahad, Sir  Lancelot, and Sir Bedivere. Arthur's power began to fail when he discovered the love between his wife, Guinevere, and his best friend, Lancelot, and the knights began the long search for the  holy grail (=the cup used by Jesus Christ at his last meal) which was finally found and brought back by Galahad. Arthur's strength then returned and he went into battle to save Britain from  Mordred, an evil knight. Arthur killed Mordred, but he was seriously wounded. He gave Excalibur to Bedivere and ordered him to throw it into a lake. When he did this, the hand of the  lady of the lake appeared from under the water, caught the sword, and disappeared under the water with it. Then three women arrived on a boat and took Arthur to the island of  Avalon to die. It is said that Arthur will return if Britain is ever in danger again.
Articles of Confederation, the		an agreement made in 1781 by the 13 original colonies, (colony ) of the US which established a government for the US, and which was used as the basic law of the country until the constitution of the united states was written and agreed in 1789
Arts Council, the		a former organization in Britain which was supported by the government and provided financial help for many different organizations involved in the theatre, art, music, the cinema etc. Now there are three separate Arts Councils for England, Scotland, and Wales.
Aruba		an island in the Caribbean Sea, just north of Venezuela.It is a dependency of the Netherlands but has its own government. Population: 109,153 (2014). Capital: Oranjestad.
Ascension Day	 noun	a Christian holy day on the Thursday 40 days after Easter, when Christians remember Christ's ascent to heaven (the Ascension)
Ascot
Asda		a group of British supermarkets which sells clothes, food and many things for the home. Asda is owned by Wal-Mart.
Asgard		in Norse mythology, the home of the gods and of people who died bravely in battle
ASH		 a British organization that opposes smoking and the tobacco industry. It tries to influence the government to put high taxes on tobacco and to make laws that restrict smoking, cigarette advertising etc.
Ashcroft, Dame Peggy		(1907–91)  a popular British actress who appeared in the theatre in many Shakespeare plays, and in films such as The Thirty-Nine Steps (1935) and A Passage to India (1984). She also appeared in the television programme The Jewel in the Crown (1984).
Ashdown, Paddy		(1941–)  a British politician who was the leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1988 to 1999. He was also High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2002 to 2006. He had been a soldier before becoming a politician. His official title is Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon.
Ashe, Arthur		(1943–93)  a US tennis player who, in 1975, was the first black man to win the men's singles competition at wimbledon. He died after receiving blood infected with the aids virus.
Ashgabat		a city in southwest Turkmenistan, the country's capital and largest city, formerly called Ashkhabad
Ashkenazy, Vladimir		(1937–)  a pianist and conductor (=someone who directs a group of musicians) who was born in the former Soviet Union. He was musical director of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London from 1987 to 1994 and has conducted several other orchestras.
Ashley, Laura		(1925–85)  a Welsh designer of flowery dress materials, wallpaper, and clothes, who started the company called  laura ashley in the 1960s.
Ash, Mary Kay		(1915–2001)  a US businesswoman who started a cosmetics company that operates in many countries. The company uses saleswomen (saleswoman ) who sell directly to customers, rather than in shops, and successful saleswomen are given pink Cadillacs (=a type of expensive car).
Ashmolean Museum, the		a famous museum of ancient history and archaeology in Oxford, England, which also contains important collections of paintings, jewellery, historical documents etc
Ashton, Frederick		(1904–88)  a British dancer and choreographer who helped to make ballet more popular in the UK. He was director of the royal ballet from 1963 to 1970.
Asia Minor		the name for the main part of Turkey east of the sea of marmara, which is used especially when talking about the history and archaeology of this area.
Asian Tsunami, the		a series of tsunamis caused by a very severe earthquake (=shaking of the earth) that took place on December 29th, 2004 under the sea with its centre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The tsunamis affected eleven countries on the Indian Ocean, and killed 225,000 people. The worst affected countries were India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
Asiatic	 adjective	from or connected with Asia
Asimov, Isaac		(1920–92)  a US scientist and writer, born in Russia, and best known for writing science fiction (=stories about life in the future and imaginary developments in science)
Asquith, Herbert Henry		(1852–1928)  a British liberal politician and prime minister from 1908 to 1916
Assad, Hafez al-		(1930–2000)  a former general and the president of Syria from 1971 until his death
Assisi
Associated Press		an American news association which has reporters in more than 110 countries. The stories they write are sold to many different newspapers, rather than being printed in one newspaper. The Associated Press was begun in 1848 by 10 leading New York newspaper publishers, in order to share the cost of getting international news. It is often called the AP.
Association of British Travel Agents		 the former name of ABTA
Assumption, The		(in the roman catholic religion) the bodily taking up of the virgin mary (=Jesus' mother) into heaven
Assyria		an ancient country in western Asia, based around the River Tigris in what is now Iraq. Assyria established an empire that stretched from Egypt to the Persian Gulf, and was most powerful and important between the 9th and 7th centuries BC.
Assyrian	 adjective	of or about the people or language of Assyria
Astaire, Fred		(1899–1987)  a US dancer, singer, and actor who appeared in many musical films, often dancing with Ginger Rogers, and who was known for his graceful style of dancing. His most famous film is Top Hat (1935).
Astana		the capital and second largest city of Kazakhstan
Asterix		the main character in a cartoon strip set in ancient times. Asterix is a short, humorous French soldier with a big moustache who fights the ancient Romans with his friend Obelix.
Aston Martin		a type of fast expensive sports car made by the British company Aston Martin. In films, the character James Bond drives an Aston Martin.
Astor, Nancy		(1879–1964)  a British politician, born in the US, who was the first woman to take a seat as a member of parliament in the UK
AstroTurf	 noun	an artificial surface like grass that sports are played on	爱其得富人造草皮〔用于体育运动〕
astroturfing	 noun	the practice of making people believe that a lot of ordinary members of the public like a product or support something and are not being paid to say this, when really it is part of an advertising or political campaign
Asunción		a city in southern Paraguay, the country's capital, largest city, and main port, on the River Paraguay
Aswan High Dam		a dam built across the River Nile in southern Egypt. It is one of the largest dams in the world and is used to produce electricity and provide water for farming.
As You Like It		a humorous play by William shakespeare, set in the Forest of arden about the adventures and marriages of two couples, Rosalind and Orlando, and Celia and Oliver
Atatürk, Kemal		(1881–1938)  a Turkish politician and army officer who established the modern state of Turkey and became its first president in 1923. He made many changes to make Turkey a more western country, for example by giving women the vote and changing the writing system so that it used the Roman alphabet instead of Arabic letters.
Athena		in Greek mythology, the goddess of wisdom and the arts
Athenaeum Club, the		a gentleman's club in central London, especially for men who have done important work in science, literature etc. Since 2002 women have been allowed to join the club.
Athens		the capital city of Greece. Athens was the most important city of ancient Greece, and many tourists visit Athens to see its ancient monuments, especially the acropolis.
Atlanta		the capital city of the state of Georgia in the US
Atlantic City		a city in New Jersey, US, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, known especially for its casinos
Atlantis		according to ancient Greek stories, an island continent west of Gibraltar that sank into the Atlantic Ocean after an earthquake
Atlas		in Greek mythology, one of the titans (=the first gods who ruled the universe). After the Titans were defeated by zeus, Atlas was forced to hold the sky on his shoulders forever. In art, however, Atlas is usually shown holding the world on his shoulders, not the sky.
Atlas, Charles		(1893–1972)  a US body builder, who started a successful business selling a course that showed people how to develop strong muscles. Its advertisements used the phrase 'You too can have a body like mine'. Charles Atlas's name is often used humorously to describe someone who has strong muscles
Atlas Mountains		a line of mountains in North Africa that stretches across Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia
AT&T		(American Telephone and Telegraph) a large US company that provides telephone and digital services and equipment
Attenborough, Sir David		(1926–)  a British naturalist who has made many popular television programmes about nature and animals all around the world, including Life on Earth (1978) and Frozen Planet (2011). His brother is Sir Richard Attenborough.
Attenborough, Sir Richard		(1923–)  an English film actor and director who made the films Gandhi (1982), Cry Freedom (1987) and In Love and War (1996). His brother is Sir David Attenborough.
Attila		(?406–453 AD)  a king of the Huns  (=an ancient people from Asia) who attacked and took control of large parts of the roman empire. He is famous for being violent and cruel.
Attlee, Clement		(1883–1967)  a British politician in the Labour Party who was prime minister from 1945 to 1951. His government established the UK's National Health Service and the modern welfare state.
Atwood, Margaret		(1939–)  a Canadian writer of short stories, poems, and novels, usually about the lives and relationships of women. Her novels include The Handmaid's Tale (1986), Cat's Eye (1989), and Alias Grace (1996). She won the Booker Prize for The Blind Assassin in 2000.
AU		the abbreviation of African Union
Auckland		the largest city of north island, New Zealand, and an important port
Auden, W.H.		(1907–73)  a British poet who was an important and influential figure in English literature during the 1930s, when be belonged to a group of left-wing writers. He became a US citizen in 1946.
Audi		a type of German car, made by the same company that produces volkswagen cars
Audit Commission		an independent organization in the UK that examines the spending of money by local government councils, and finds ways of reducing their costs
Audubon, John James		(1785–1851)  a US naturalist (=someone who studies animals and plants) and painter of North American birds
Audubon Society, the		an organization in the US that works to protect wild birds. There is a similar organization in the UK called the RSPB.
Auel, Jean M.		(1936–)  an American writer whose books are about people in prehistoric Europe. Her best-known book is The Clan of the Cave Bear.
Auerbach, Red		(1917–2006)  a successful American basketball coach (=someone who trains a sports team) who was known for always having a cigar. He was coach of the Boston Celtics from 1950 to 1966.
Augusta		the capital city of the US state of Maine
August Bank Holiday	 noun	(in Britain) an official public holiday on the last Monday in August. Many people travel by car to the coast, causing traffic problems in many places.
Augustine, St		(354–430 AD)  a North African Christian leader, philosopher, and writer whose books, such as Confessions and The City of God, strongly influenced the development of Christianity
Augustine, St		(?-605 AD)  an Italian priest who was sent to England by Pope Gregory I to teach the people about christianity. He became the first Archbishop of Canterbury.
Aung San Suu Kyi		(1945–)  the leader of the National League for Democracy in Myanmar (Burma), who has spent most of the time since 1988 under house arrest (=not allowed to leave her home). Her party won the elections in 1990, but the country's military leaders remained in power. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. Since November 2010 she has no longer been kept under house arrest, and she won a seat in the country's parliament in 2012.
Auntie		a name for the bbc, used humorously to suggest that it is not very exciting or that it treats people who receive its programmes as children to be educated and protected
Aunt Jemima		the brand name of a popular type of pancakes, syrup and other products sold in the US
Aurangzeb		(1618–1707) the last Mogul emperor of northern India
Aurora		in Roman mythology, the goddess of the dawn (=the beginning of the day when light first appears). In Greek mythology her name is eos.
Auschwitz		the largest and most famous Nazi concentration camp in World War II, which was in occupied Poland. Over a million people, mostly Jews, died in this camp, and when people hear the name Auschwitz they think of the extreme cruelty and sadness that people suffered there.
Austen, Jane		(1775–1817)  a British writer who wrote novels about the way of life of English middle-class people of her time, including pride and prejudice, sense and sensibility, and Emma. She is known for the clever and amusing way in which she describes people's social behaviour, and her novels are regarded as being among the most important works of English literature. Several of her books have been made into successful films.
Australasia		the group of islands in the southern Pacific Ocean, including Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea
Australia		a large island between the Indian Ocean and the southern Pacific Ocean, which is both a country and a continent (=one of the seven main areas of land on the Earth) and part of the Pacific Rim. Population: 22,262,501 (2014). Capital: Canberra. Australia is a member of the British Commonwealth, and used to have close connections with the UK because the families of many Australians originally came from Britain and Ireland. More recently, many Australian citizens came from southern Europe and east Asia. The people who have lived in Australia since before Europeans arrived there are called the Aboriginal people.
Australia Day		(in Australia) a national holiday on or near 26 January each year in memory of the landing of the British in 1788
Australian Capital Territory, the		the capital territory of Australia. It contains the capital city Canberra and is an inland area surrounded by New South Wales
Austria		a country in central Europe, southeast of Germany and northwest of Hungary. It is a member of the E.U. Population: 8,221,646 (2014). Capital: Vienna.
Authorized Version		the English translation of the Bible made in England in 1611
Avalon		according to old stories about King arthur, a holy island, which some people believe is near Glastonbury in southwest England, where Arthur was buried.
Avebury		a village in Wiltshire, in southern England, where there is a group of ancient standing stones
Avengers, The		a British television programme from the 1960s, whose two main characters are an Englishman from a high social class called John Steed and an attractive woman called Emma Peel, who fight criminals and try to stop crime. Steed is known for always being very well-dressed, with a bowler hat and umbrella, while Mrs Peel is known for wearing tight leather clothes and boots.
Aviemore		a town in northern Scotland, known as a popular place for skiing(ski) and other winter sports
Avon		a river in south central England that flows through Stratford-upon-Avon
Avon		a US company that sells products for the skin and hair. Avon representatives sell their products by visiting people's houses and also now by using the Internet. Many people remember an old Avon advertisement in which a woman rings someone's doorbell and says 'Avon calling!'
Avon lady	 noun	a woman who sells products made by Avon by calling at people's houses
A&W		a popular type of root beer sold in the US. Many states have A&W fast food restaurants which are known for selling hamburgers and root beer floats (=root beer with ice cream in it).
AWACS	 noun	 a type of radar used by special US military aircraft which makes it possible for them to find out the position of enemy aircraft and the direction they are travelling in when they are still very far away
Away in a Manger		a popular Christmas carol (=a traditional religious song) and hymn, sung especially by children
Axis, the	 noun	the countries, including Germany, Italy, and Japan, who fought together during World War II against the allies.
Axminster	 noun	a type of high-quality carpet	阿克明斯特地毯
Ayatollah Khomeini
Ayckbourn, Alan		(1939–)  a British writer of humorous plays such as The Norman Conquests (1974), A Chorus of Disapproval (1985), and Virtual Reality (2000).
Ayer, A.J.		(1910–89)  a British philosopher who wrote Language, Truth, and Logic (1936)
Ayers Rock
Ayia Napa		a town in Cyprus where many tourists, especially young people, like to go. There are many bars and nightclubs, good beaches, and some historical places to visit. It can also be spelled Agia Napa.
Ayrshire		a former county in southwest Scotland, now part of Strathclyde region
AZ		the written abbreviation of Arizona
Azerbaijan		a country in the extreme southeast of Europe, west of the Caspian Sea and north of Iran. Population: 9,590,159 (2014). Capital: Baku. Azerbaijan became independent of the former Soviet Union in 1991.
Azores, the		a group of islands in the north Atlantic Ocean, west of Portugal, which belong to Portugal
Aztec	 noun	a people who lived in Mexico until their civilization was destroyed in the 16th century by Hernán Cortés and the Spanish army. The Aztecs are known for their impressive buildings, gold jewellery, and complicated social and religious customs, which included human sacrifice (=killing humans for religious reasons). Their language was Nahautl
B-52	 noun	a large military aircraft made in the US and used by the US to drop bombs in the Vietnam War and the Gulf War
Baa, Baa, Black Sheep		a nursery rhyme (=old song or poem for young children)
Baader-Meinhof gang, the		the leaders of a group of German terrorists called the 'Red Army Faction', which had extremely left-wing beliefs. During the 1970s, they bombed many buildings and killed several police officers, business leaders, and government officials.
Ba'ath Party, the		a secular (=not connected with religion) political party that was first started in Syria in the 1940s and whose members believe that individual Arab countries are part of a larger Arab State. Saddam Hussein became an important member of the Iraqi Ba'ath Party, and succeeded in taking control of the government in 1968. In the 2003 Iraq War, the Ba'ath Party and Saddam Hussein were defeated by Coalition Forces and lost control of Iraq.
Babar		the main character in stories for children by Jean de Brunhoff. Babar is an elephant who is a king.
Babbage, Charles		(1792–1871)  a British mathematician who designed a type of calculating machine which modern computers are based on
Babbitt		a book by Sinclair Lewis about a businessman called George Babbitt who lives in a small US town. Babbitt is regarded as a boring man, because he thinks only about his own business and his position in local society, and he is not interested in other things in life.
Babe Ruth
Babes in the Wood		an old story about a young brother and sister who are left in the woods by their evil uncle, who wants to get control of their property. In the UK, many pantomimes are based on this story.
Babycham		a type of sweet carbonated alcoholic drink sold in the UK. It is a little like champagne but is much less expensive, and it is often drunk by women.
babycino	 noun	a cup of hot milk with bubbles in it and sometimes chocolate powder on top, sold for children in coffee shops
Babylon		an ancient Middle Eastern city that was the capital of Babylonia and was famous for its great wealth. People sometimes use the name Babylon to mean a place of pleasure and immoral behaviour.
Bacall, Lauren		(1924–)  an American actress who was married to Humphrey Bogart. She appeared with him in the films To Have and Have Not and The Big Sleep.
Bacardi		a type of white rum, which people often drink with Coca-Cola
Bacchus		in Roman mythology, the god of wine and fertility. He is usually connected with uncontrolled behaviour involving lots of drinking, parties, and sex. In Greek mythology his name is dionysus.
Bach, Johann Sebastian		(1685–1750)  a German musician, one of the most famous and admired European composers. He is especially well known for his organ music and his religious choral music  (=for musicians and singers), which is typical of the baroque style.
back boobs	 noun	a lot of flesh on a woman's back which sticks out above her bra, giving the appearance of breasts on her back
Bacon, Francis		(1909–92)  an Irish artist who is known for painting people and animals in twisted shapes with dark, strong colours
Bacon, Sir Francis		(1561–1626)  an English politician, philosopher, and writer. Some people believe that he wrote some or all of Shakespeare's plays.
Baden-Powell, Lord Robert		(1857–1941)  a British army officer who is known for starting the scout organizations such as the Scouts and the Guides
Badlands, the	 noun	an area of land in the US, between the southwest of South Dakota and the northwest of Nebraska, where no crops can grow and there are strangely shaped rocks and hills
Badminton Horse Trials, the		an important British horse-riding competition held every year at Badminton House in southwest England
Baedeker		a type of book providing information for tourists visiting a particular country, originally produced in the 19th century by Karl Baedeker. These books give information about the country's history and about the famous buildings and other places to visit there
BAE Systems		a British company that makes aircraft, electronic defence systems, navy ships, and weapons. It was formed in 1999 after the merger (=joining together) of two other companies: Marconi Electronic Systems and British Aerospace.
Baez, Joan		(1941–)  an American folk singer who was especially popular in the 1960s when she opposed the Vietnam War and supported the civil rights movement in the US. She is known especially for singing the song We Shall Overcome which is still sung on protest marches and at political meetings.
Baggie		a type of small clear plastic bag used especially for carrying food such as sandwiches
Baggins, Bilbo		an imaginary creature called a hobbit who is the main character in the children's story The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Baghdad		the capital city of iraq
Baha'i	 noun	a member of the Baha'i Faith
Baha'i Faith, the	 noun	a religion based on the belief that people should be peaceful and kind, and should accept the fact that other people belong to different races or religions
Bahamas, the		a country consisting of a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida. It is a popular place for tourists because of the warm weather and good beaches. Population: 319,031 (2014). Capital: Nassau.
Bahasa	 noun	 the official language of Indonesia, or the official language of Malaysia
Bahrain		a country that consists of a group of islands near the coast of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is known for producing oil. Its official title is 'the Kingdom of Bahrain'. Population: 1,281,332 (2014). Capital: Manama.
Baikal		a lake in Siberia, Russia, that is the oldest and deepest freshwater lake in the world
Bailey, David		(1938–)  a British photographer who is known especially for his photographs of fashionable people in the 1960s
Bailey's		a type of sweet alcoholic drink made of Irish whisky mixed with cream
Bainbridge, Beryl		(1934–2010)  a British writer whose novels include The Dressmaker, The Bottle Factory Outing, and An Awfully Big Adventure. Her official title was Dame Beryl Bainbridge.
Baird, John Logie		(1888–1946)  a Scottish engineer who invented a television system
Baja California		a peninsula (=long thin piece of land) in Mexico that is connected to southern California and goes into the Pacific Ocean. Baja California is a popular place for tourists.
Bakelite	 noun	 a hard plastic used especially in the 1930s and 1940s to make things such as telephones and radios	贝克莱特酚醛塑料［电木，胶木］〔尤在20世纪三四十年代用于制造电话、收音机等〕
Baker, Chet		(1929-1988) a US jazz musician and singer who played the trumpet and the flugelhorn. He played in a style called West Coast Jazz. His full name was Chesney Baker, Jr.
Baker day	 noun	formerly, one of a number of days during the usual school year when teachers receive training and children do not go to school. Baker days are now called Inset days.
Baker, Josephine		(1906–1974)  an African-American dancer, actress, and singer. She performed mostly in New York City and in Paris, France, where she was known for dancing in a sexually exciting way.
Baker Street		a street in London where the detective Sherlock holmes lived in the stories about him by Arthur conan doyle
Bakke Case, the		a legal case in which the US Supreme Court decided in 1978 that a university cannot refuse a student if the only reason is that the university wants to accept another student of a different race
baklava	 noun	a cake from the Middle East made from layers of thin pastry, nuts, and syrup or honey
Baku		a city in southeast Azerbaijan, the country's capital and an important port on the west coast of the Caspian Sea
Balanchine, George		(1904–83)  a US choreographer (=someone who decides what movements dancers will do to a piece of music) who was born in Russia, and who helped to start the New York City Ballet
Balboa, Vasco Nuñez de		(?1475–1519) a Spanish explorer who led the first lasting European town in South American, in Panama, in 1510. In 1513 he crossed the Isthmus of Panama and was the first European to discover the Pacific Ocean, which he then claimed, along with all the coasts it touched, for Spain.
balconing	 noun	the activity of jumping from a hotel balcony down into a swimming pool or to another balcony, for fun	阳台跳水
Baldwin, James		(1924–87)  an African-American writer, known for his novels such as Go Tell It on the Mountain and Another Country
Baldwin, Stanley		(1867–1947)  a British politician and leader of the Conservative Party who was prime minister on three separate occasions (1923–24, 1924–29, and 1935–37). The General Strike of 1926 took place while he was prime minister. In 1936 King Edward VIII abdicated and in 1937 Baldwin resigned after he was criticized for ignoring the Germans' preparations for World War II. He later became the 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley.
Balearic Islands, the		a group of islands in the western Mediterranean Sea, including Ibiza, Majorca, and Minorca, which belong to Spain
Balfour, Arthur James		(1848–1930)  a British politician in the Conservative Party, who was prime minister from 1902 to 1905 and foreign secretary from 1916 to 1919. He was responsible for the Balfour Declaration, which supported the idea that a state should be established in Palestine for the Jews.
Bali		an island in Indonesia, to the east of Java known for its beaches and its ancient religious and musical traditions. In 2000 a terrorist attack on two nightclubs killed over 200 people and hurt hundreds of others. Most of the people in the nightclubs were young foreigners who were visiting the island on holiday.
Ballard, J.G.		(1930–2009)  a British writer who was known especially for his science fiction stories, and for his novel about China during World War II, Empire of the Sun, which was made into a film. His novels also include Crash, Cocaine Nights, and Super-Cannes.
Ballet Rambert, the
Ball, Lucille
Balmoral		a castle in Scotland that the British royal family often use for their summer holidays
Baltic Sea		 a sea that is part of the Atlantic Ocean and is surrounded by Denmark, Sweden, the Baltic States, and Poland
Baltic States, the		Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania considered together as one group
Baltimore		a city on the East Coast of the US, in the state of Maryland. Baltimore is one of the busiest sea ports in the US.
Balzac, Honoré de		(1799–1850)  a French writer who wrote about French society, and is famous for his set of novels called La Comédie Humaine which includes the books Le Père Goriot and Eugénie Grandet
Bamako		a city in southwest Mali, the country's capital and largest city, on the River Niger
Bambi		a cartoon film by Walt disney about a young deer named Bambi. Bambi is a gentle and attractive animal, and the film is remembered for being very sad.
Bamboo Curtain, the		an expression used to describe all the political limits, difficulties etc that separated China from other powerful countries, especially during the time when Mao Zedong was its leader
Banbury Cross		a stone cross in the small English town of Banbury, near Oxford, which is mentioned in a popular British nursery rhyme (=old song or poem for young children)
bandage dress	 noun	a very tight dress made of stretchy bands of material
Banda, Hastings		(1905–97)  a politician from Malawi who helped his country become independent from the UK. He was made president in 1966, but he became more and more unpopular and was defeated in elections in 1994.
Band Aid		an organization set up by Bob Geldof in 1984 to collect money for people dying of hunger in Ethiopia. This was done by getting many famous popular musicians to make a record together called Do They Know It's Christmas?, and by organizing the  live aid concerts in London and Philadelphia.
Bandaranaike, Mrs Sirimavo		(1916–2000)  a Sri Lankan politician who became the world's first woman prime minister in 1960, after the death of her husband, Solomon Bandaranaike
Bandar Seri Begawan		a city in northeast Brunei, the country's capital and an important port on the Brunei River, formerly called Brunei Town
Banff		a town in the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, Canada, that is popular with people who ski
Bangkok		the capital city and main port of Thailand. It is famous for its temples and other beautiful buildings.
Bangladesh		a country in South Asia between India and Myanmar (Burma), which became an independent nation when it separated from Pakistan in 1971. Population: 163,654,860 (2014). Capital: Dhaka.
Bangui		the capital city of the Central African Republic, on the Ubangi River
Banjul		the capital city of the Gambia, a port on the Gambia River, formerly called Bathurst
Ban Ki-moon	 	(1944- ) a South Korean politician and diplomat who became Secretary-General of the United Nations in 2007. Before becoming UN Secretary-General he was the Foreign Minister of South Korea. He is known for being keen to solve the problem of global warming, and in 2007 he played an important role in persuading Sudan to allow UN peacekeepers into the Darfur region.
Bank of America		one of the largest banks in the US
Bank of England, the		the national bank of the UK, whose responsibilities include arranging the amounts of money that the government can borrow, and fixing the rate at which people and businesses can borrow money
Bank of Scotland, the		one of the main banks in Scotland. Like other Scottish banks, it prints its own banknotes.
Banks, Ernie		(1931–)  an American baseball player who was the first African American to play for the Chicago Cubs team. He played at first base and shortstop, and won the MVP award in 1958 and 1959.
Banks, Gordon		(1937–)  a British football player who was one of the best goalkeepers who ever played for England. He played for England when they won the World Cup in 1966. He retired after losing an eye in a car accident.
Banneker, Benjamin		(1731–1806)  an African-American scientist who taught himself subjects such as mathematics and astronomy. He wrote popular almanacs.
Bannister, Sir Roger		(1929–)  a British runner who, in 1954, became the first person to run a mile in less than four minutes
Bannockburn		a village in the central part of Scotland that is known as the place where Robert the Bruce, King of the Scots, defeated the English in a famous battle in 1314
Banquo		a character in shakespeare's play macbeth. Macbeth gives secret orders for Banquo to be murdered, but Banquo later returns as a ghost during an important celebration, to remind Macbeth that he is guilty and that his plans will fail.
Bantu	 noun	 one of a large group of African languages that are spoken in central, eastern, or southern Africa, including swahili and zulu
Bar, the	 noun	 the profession of being a barrister, or the members of this profession
Barbados		an island in the Caribbean Sea. Population: 288,725 (2014). Capital: Bridgetown. Barbados used to belong to the UK, but has been an independent member of the British Commonwealth since 1966. It is a popular place for tourists.
Barbarians, the		a Rugby Union team based in Britain, with other players from several countries. Teams from other countries which come to Britain often play against the Barbarians.
Barbera
Barber of Seville, The		an opera by Rossini, based on a French play by Beaumarchais
Barber, Samuel		(1910–81)  a US composer who is known especially for his Adagio for Strings (1936), which was used in the film Platoon (1986)
Barbican, the		a large group of buildings in central London, which includes two theatres, two cinemas, a concert hall, an art gallery, restaurants, and shops
Barbour	 noun	a type of good-quality expensive coat made in the UK, traditionally worn by farmers and country people to protect them from wind and rain. It has also become fashionable with some people in cities.	巴伯外套〔英国生产的一种优质高档外套﹐可防风雨〕
Barcelona		a large city in northeast Spain on the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the region of Catalonia, and is famous for its many art collections and its buildings by the architect Gaudí.
Barclays Bank		one of the main British banks. Most towns and cities in the UK have a Barclays Bank.
Bard of Avon, the		a poetic name for William Shakespeare, based on the name of the River Avon at Stratford, where he was born
Bardot, Brigitte		(1934–)  a French film actress who was known during the 1950s and 1960s as a sex symbol (=someone who is famous for being very sexually attractive) Her films include And God Created Woman and Contempt. She is now very active in trying to protect the rights of animals.
Barenboim, Daniel		(1942–)  a pianist and conductor who was born in Argentina and has been a musical director in several countries. His first wife was the famous cello player, Jacqueline Du Pré.
Barents Sea		 a sea that is north of Norway and Russia and connected to the Arctic Ocean
bargainous	 adjective	costing less than usual or less than you expect
Barker, Pat		(1943–)  a British writer whose best-known novel, Regeneration, is about the lives of people who lived through the First World War. It was written in three parts, the last of which, The Ghost Road, won the Booker Prize in 1995.
Barker, Ronnie		(1929–2005)  a British actor and comedian who was best known for appearing in British television programmes during the 1980s such as Porridge, Open All Hours, and especially The Two Ronnies, in which he performed with Ronnie Corbett.
Barleycorn, John
Barnard, Christiaan		(1922–2001)  a South African doctor who in 1967 performed the first ever heart transplant (=an operation to take a heart from someone who has just died and put it into a living person)
Barnardo's		a British organization whose aim is to help children and young people who do not have any parents or whose parents are unable to take care of them. In the past, Barnardo's used to have special homes for these children to live in. It now has centres that help young people with social problems, such as being homeless or having been physically or sexually attacked by an adult living in their home.
Barnes and Noble		a US company that sells books. It also has a website on the Internet from which customers can order books.
Barnes, Julian		(1946–)  a British writer whose novels include Metroland and Flaubert's Parrot. He is very popular in Europe, and has been given  literary prizes in France and Germany, which is unusual for a British writer.
Barney		a character in a US television series for young children. Barney is a purple dinosaur who speaks in a very gentle way.
Barnum, P.T.		(1810–91)  a US businessman who started the American Museum, where he charged people to look at strange-looking humans such as the first siamese twins, Chang and Eng, and the midget (=a very small person), General Tom Thumb. He is known especially for starting a circus called The Greatest Show on Earth, and later the Barnum and Bailey Circus. He was one of the first businessmen to understand the importance of  publicity and was famous for saying 'There's a sucker born every minute'.
Barrie, J.M.		(1860–1937)  a Scottish writer of plays and novels, best known for his children's story Peter Pan
Barroso, José Manuel Durão		(1956-) a Portuguese politician who was prime minister of Portugal 2002 - 2004, and became president of the European Commission in 2004
Barrow, Clyde
Barry, Dave		(1947–)  a US writer who writes funny books and newspaper columns. He won a Pulitzer Prize for humorous commentary in 1988.
BART		(Bay Area Rapid Transit) a railway system in the area around the San Francisco Bay, with tracks that go under the ground
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations		a book containing phrases and proverbs, which shows where they all come from. It was first produced by John Bartlett in 1855 and the 17th new edition was produced in 2002.
Bartoli, Cecilia		(1966–)  an Italian opera singer who is known for her mezzo-soprano voice.
Barton, Clara		(1821–1912)  a US nurse who worked in army camps during the American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War. She started the American Red Cross in 1881.
Bart's		St Bartholomew's Hospital; a very old and famous hospital in London, which also trains doctors and nurses. It was originally established in 1123.
Bartók, Béla		(1881–1945) a Hungarian composer known for using folk music in the music he wrote. Two of his best known works are Concerto for Orchestra and The Miraculous Mandarin.
Baryshnikov, Mikhail		(1948–)  a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer (=someone who decides what movements dancers will do to a piece of music) who left the Soviet Union to live in the US
Basel		the second largest city in northern Switzerland, on the River Rhine
Bash Street Kids, The		a group of schoolchildren who are characters in a cartoon strip (=set of drawings that tell a funny story) in The Beano, a British  comic. The children are difficult to control and enjoy playing tricks on their teacher.
Basie, Count		(1904–84)  a US jazz musician who played the piano, and led one of the most famous bands to play swing (=jazz music of the 1930s and 40s)
Basil Brush		a puppet who appears on children's programmes on British television. He looks like a fox, and tells silly jokes, after which he always laughs and says 'Boom, boom!'
Basin Street		a street in New Orleans in the US where jazz music originally became popular. The song Basin Street Blues made the street famous, and many jazz musicians have recorded this song.
Baskervilles
Baskin-Robbins		a US company that became famous for selling 31 different flavours (=types) of ice cream. There are now Baskin-Robbins shops in many countries.
Basle
Basmati rice	 noun	a type of high quality rice, often eaten with Indian food
Basque	 noun	 a person from the mountainous area between southern France and northern Spain. Some people who live in this area consider themselves to be a separate nation that does not belong to either France or Spain, and some Basques in Spain have tried to gain political independence.
Basra		the second largest city of Iraq and the country's main port, on the Shatt al-Arab river near the Persian Gulf. It was a centre of opposition to Saddam Hussein during the first Gulf War, and after heavy fighting during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, it was under the control of British forces from 2003 to 2007.
Bassey, Shirley		(1937–)  a British popular music singer born in Wales, known for her exciting emotional performances and her expensive-looking tight dresses. Her songs include Goldfinger and Hey, Big Spender.
Bastille, the		an old prison in Paris, attacked and destroyed on 14 July 1789 during the French revolution. This date is now celebrated each year as a French national holiday (Bastille Day)
Bath		a city in southwest England that was famous for many centuries because of its natural hot waters, used by visitors to improve their health. Now many tourists visit Bath to see its old Roman baths and beautiful 18th-century buildings.
Batista, Fulgencio		(1901–73)  a Cuban politician who was in control of the country during the 1950s. He put many of his opponents in prison, and became very rich by using his political power. In 1959, Fidel castro led an army against him and forced him to leave the country.
Batman		a popular character in cartoon strips, films, and television programmes, who fights criminals and protects ordinary people. He has a partner called Robin who sometimes helps him. Batman wears a large black cape and a black mask, and he drives a car called the Batmobile, which contains a lot of clever equipment and can travel very fast. When Batman has a good idea Robin usually says 'Good thinking, Batman!' People sometimes use this phrase humorously when someone suggests a plan.
Baton Rouge		the capital city of the US state of Louisiana
Battersea Dogs' Home		a place in Battersea in southwest London where dogs are kept when they have been left by their owners or been officially taken away from them
Battersea Power Station		a large power station in Battersea in southwest London, which used to produce electricity for London. Battersea power station is a famous landmark on the River Thames. It is a listed building and many people think it should be looked after properly. There have been many plans to repair the building and to develop it as a centre for arts and entertainment, but this has never actually happened.
Battery Park		a park at the southwestern end of Manhattan next to the Hudson River, where people can get on a boat to the statue of liberty
Battle of Britain, the		the name used for the fights between German and British aircraft during the summer and autumn of 1940, when British aircraft tried to prevent German aircraft from repeatedly dropping bombs on British cities. The bombing was stopped at the end of 1940, and British people considered this to be a great victory. Winston Churchill praised the pilots in the British Air Force who fought in this battle by saying, 'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.'
Battle of the Boyne
Battle of the Bulge, the		 an attempt to lose weight or prevent yourself from becoming fatter
Batty, Nora		a character in the humorous British television programme Last of the Summer Wine. She is an old woman who is always getting angry and who is known especially for having  stockings that do not fit properly and are always loose around her  ankles.
Baudelaire, Charles		(1821–1867) a French symbolist poet, known for a collection of poems called Les Fleurs du Mal
Bauhaus	 noun	a modern style of architecture and design originally taught at the Bauhaus school in Germany in the 1920s and 1930s. Bauhaus buildings are known for being simple and functional (=designed to be useful rather than beautiful or decorative), and for being made with steel and concrete, and this style has greatly influenced many modern architects and artists.
Baum, L. Frank		(1856–1919)  a US writer who wrote the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Bavaria		a province in southeast Germany whose capital is Munich. Bavaria is called 'Bayern' in German.
Bay Area, the		the area of land around the San Francisco Bay in California, including cities such as San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Palo Alto, and San José
Bay Bridge, the		a bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland, which was built in the 1930s. It has two levels, and is famous as a symbol of San Francisco.
Bayeux Tapestry, the		a tapestry (=large piece of heavy woven cloth) made in Bayeux, northern France in the 11th or 12th century, whose pictures tell the story of the norman conquest of England in 1066
Baykal
Bay of Biscay		a large area of sea between the west coast of France and the north coast of Spain, which is known for its very bad weather
Bayreuth		a town in southern Germany, known for its regular festivals of music by Richard wagner
Baywatch		a US television programme about a group of lifeguards (=someone whose job is to save people who get into difficulties when they are swimming in the sea) who worked on a beach in California. The actresses and actors were all very attractive and did not wear much clothing. David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson used to appear in the programme. The programme was popular in the 1990s.
BBC World Service, the
Beach Boys, the		a US popular music group formed in 1961, whose songs are still popular. Many of their songs were about young people in California enjoying themselves by surfing and swimming in the sea, having parties, and driving fast cars. Their songs include California Girls and Good Vibrations.
Beachy Head		an area of land with very high cliffs on the south coast of England, known as a place where people go to kill themselves by jumping off
Beagle, HMS		the ship on which Charles darwin travelled to South America, where he studied and collected many different types of plants and animals
Bean
Beano, The		a popular British comic for children, which has funny stories and jokes, and is sold every week. Well-known characters from The Beano include  dennis the menace and the  bash street kids.
Beantown		a name for the US city of Boston
Beardsley, Aubrey		(1872–98)  a British illustrator (=someone who draws pictures for books) who is known for his black and white pictures with clear rounded lines
Bear Stearns	 	a US investment bank which was taken over by the financial services company JP Morgan Chase after it nearly went out of business after problems in the subprime mortgages market.
Beat Generation, the		a group of young people in the 1950s, including the writers Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, who did not accept the traditional values of Western society, especially on matters such as work, sexual relationships, and money. They had a lot of influence on the hippies (hippy ) in the 1960s and 1970s.
Beatitudes, the	 noun	in the Bible, a set of eight statements made by Jesus which list the types of people who are 'blessed' (=especially loved by God). Each statement starts with the words 'Blessed are...', for example 'Blessed are the poor in spirit'.
Beatles, the		a British popular music group who made their first record in 1962 and became the most famous and successful group ever. Their records include Love Me Do, I Want to Hold your Hand, A Hard Day's Night, Yellow Submarine, and Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. They had a great influence on the development of popular music. When they separated in 1970, each member of the group continued to make music. The members of the Beatles were George  harrison, John  lennon, Paul  mccartney, and Ringo  starr.
Beatrice		the main female character who guides Dante through Paradise in The Divine Comedy
Beaujolais	 noun	a type of French red wine
Beauty and the Beast		an old story about a beautiful young girl called Beauty, who is forced to live with a frightening creature called the Beast. She dreams about a beautiful prince, but the Beast loves her and she gradually begins to care about him too. He continually asks her to marry him, and when she finally agrees, he magically becomes the beautiful prince that he used to be. This story has often been made into films, including one by Walt Disney, and in the UK many pantomimes are based on it.
Beauvoir, Simone de		(1908–86)  a French writer who had an important influence on the development of feminism and was also interested in the ideas of existentialism. Her most famous book is The Second Sex, but she also wrote several novels. She was for many years in a relationship with Jean-Paul  sartre.
Beaverbrook, Lord		(1879–1964)  a powerful and successful British businessman and politician, who was born in Canada. He owned The Daily Express and other newspapers, and also had several important positions in the British government.
Beavis & Butthead		the two main characters in a cartoon that was broadcast during the 1990s and was originally shown on MTV. Beavis and Butthead were teenage friends who made rude or stupid comments about the music videos they were watching. They laughed a lot in a silly way, and they enjoyed insulting each other. The programme was criticized by some parents, who thought it encouraged stupid behaviour.
Becher's Brook		a very difficult part of the Grand National  (=a famous horse race in the UK, in which the horses have to jump over high fences). Many horses fall when they try to jump over Becher's Brook.
Becker, Boris		(1967–)  a German tennis player, who became the youngest person to win the men's singles competition at Wimbledon when he was 17. He won many other major tennis competitions, including the US Open and the Australian Open.
Becket, Saint Thomas à		(1118–70)  an English priest who became the Archbishop of Canterbury. He had a serious argument with the king, Henry II, who is believed to have said, 'Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?' As a result, Becket was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral by some of the king's soldiers.
Beckett, Samuel		(1906–89)  an Irish writer of plays, novels, and poetry who lived in France and is famous for his play Waiting for Godot. In 1969 he won the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Beckham, David		(1975–)  a British football player who has played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, A.C. Milan, Los Angeles Galaxy, and Paris Saint-Germain. He was captain of the England national team from 2001 until 2006, and is one of the richest and most famous footballers in the world. He appears in many magazines, advertisements, and posters. He was awarded an OBE in 2003. His wife, Victoria, is a singer and used to be a member of the Spice Girls group, and is known as Posh Spice. The couple are often referred to in the British press as 'Posh 'n' Becks'.
Bede, the Venerable		(?673–735)  an English priest who wrote about early English history, and is thought of as the first English historian
Bedfordshire		a county in southern England, whose main town is Bedford
bedroom tax	 noun	a reduction in the amount of housing benefit given to people who have a spare bedroom in their property
Beecham, Sir Thomas		(1879–1961)  an English conductor who established the London Philharmonic Orchestra in 1932 and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1946
Beeching, Lord		(1913–85)  a British businessman who, in the early 1960s, was given the job of making the national railway system more profitable. He is remembered for closing many small railway lines all over the UK.
Bee Gees, the		a British pop group consisting of three brothers (Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, and Robin Gibb) who were very successful during the 1960s and 1970s. They are best known for writing and performing the music for the film Saturday Night Fever, and for being able to sing with very high voices. Their songs include Jive Talkin', Staying Alive, and How Deep Is Your Love?
Beelzebub		a devil, especially Satan
Beemer	 noun	another spelling of Beamer
Beethoven, Ludwig van		(1770–1827)  a German composer, one of the best known and most admired ever, who continued writing music after he lost the ability to hear at the age of 30. His many famous works include the Fifth Symphony and the Emperor Concerto.
Beetle		a small car made by Volkswagen which has a high, rounded top. It was first produced in the 1930s and has been popular ever since because of its unusual shape. In 1998 a Beetle with a completely new design went on sale.
Beeton, Mrs		(1836–65)  a British woman who wrote a famous book called The Book of Household Management. It contains recipes (=instructions for cooking particular dishes) and advice about managing a home.
Beggar's Opera, The		a funny opera by John Gay, first produced in 1728. It tells the story of a thief called Macheath, who is sent to Newgate prison, where he meets a woman called Lucy and makes his wife Polly jealous. A modern opera called the threepenny opera, by Bertolt Brecht, is based on this.
Begin, Menachem		(1913–92)  an Israeli politician and prime minister from 1977 to 1983. In 1979 he signed a peace treaty with President Sadat of Egypt which was known as the camp david agreement.
Behan, Brendan		(1923–64)  an Irish writer who describes his experience of being in prison because of ira activities, in his play The Quare Fellow and in his novel Borstal Boy
Behemoth	 noun	an extremely large, mythical creature mentioned in the Bible, whose name is now used to describe something very big
Beiderbecke, Bix		(1903–31)  an American jazz musician who played the piano and cornet and was one of the few white musicians to influence the early development of jazz
Beirut		the capital and largest city of Lebanon. It was badly damaged during the civil war of the 1970s and 1980s
Bekaa Valley		a long valley in Lebanon and Syria, which has been fought for in many wars
Belarus		a country in Eastern Europe, surrounded by Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine, and Poland. It used to be part of the Soviet Union. Population: 9,625,888 (2014). Capital: Minsk.
Belfast		the capital city of Northern Ireland. In the past, Belfast was often mentioned in the news because of arguments between the political parties and because of problems with the peace process (=attempts to stop violence between Catholics and Protestants).
Belgium		a country in northwest Europe between France and Germany. It is a member of the EU. Population: 10,444,268 (2014). Capital: Brussels.
Belgrade		the capital city of Serbia, on the river Danube
Belgrano Affair, the		a political argument that followed the British government's order to sink a ship called the General Belgrano, belonging to Argentina's navy, during the  falklands war. The ship was sailing away from the Falkland Islands, not towards them, at the time when it was sunk, and some people criticized the British government's action.
Belgravia		a part of west central London where there are many expensive houses and shops, and many foreign embassies (embassy )
Belize		a country in Central America on the Caribbean Sea, which was a British colony until it became independent in 1981. Population: 334,297 (2014). Capital: Belmopan.
Bella		a British weekly magazine for women, which gives advice about fashion, health, cooking etc
Bell, Alexander Graham		(1847–1922)  a Scottish scientist and inventor who lived in the US, best known for inventing the telephone in 1876. He also started the Bell Telephone Company.
Bellamy, David		(1933–)  a British scientist who used to present television programmes about the natural world, especially plants. He has a big beard and a cheerful and excited manner, and is known for his work to protect the environment.
Belle Dame Sans Merci, La		a famous poem by John keats in which a knight meets a beautiful magical woman who says she loves him but then disappears
Bellini, Jacopo		(?1400-?1470)  a painter from Venice. He trained his sons Gentile Bellini(?1429–1507)  and Giovanni Bellini(?1430–1516) , who were also painters.
Bellow, Saul		(1915–2005)  an American writer, born in Canada, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1976. His novels include Herzog (1964) and Humbolt's Gift (1975).
Belmont Stakes, the		a famous race for three-year-old horses that is held every year in New York on the first Saturday of June. It is part of the Triple Crown
Belmopan		the capital city of Belize
Belorussia		the former name of belarus
Belsen		a Nazi concentration camp in northern Germany during World War II. Thousands of people, especially Jews, were killed in Belsen. It was the first concentration camp that British soldiers entered after the war ended, and they were extremely shocked to see many dead bodies and many people who were very thin because of lack of food.
Beltane	 noun	an ancient Celtic celebration on May 1st when fires were built (Beltane fires) and the cattle brought to them to guard against illness in the coming year
Benchley, Robert Charles		(1889–1945)  a humorous US writer and theatre critic who wrote articles for the magazines Vanity Fair and The New Yorker. He was also an actor and appeared in many films.
Benedict XVI, Pope	 	(1927- ) a German cardinal who was Pope from 2005 to 2013. He was known as a strong supporter of traditional Roman Catholic beliefs and values. He decided to stop being Pope because of his health, and he is the first Pope in more than 600 years to do this. His birth name is Joseph Alois Ratzinger.
Benefits Agency, the		a former British government organization which gave money to people who were unemployed, old, or ill
Benetton		an Italian company with shops all over the world which sell sweaters and other clothes for women, men, and children. Benetton is known for its clever and unusual advertisements, which some people disapprove of.
Bengal		an area of southern Asia that includes Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal
Ben-Gurion, David		(1886–1973)  an Israeli politician who was one of the main people responsible for establishing the independent Jewish nation of Israel. He was also Israel's first prime minister.
Ben Hur		a novel by Lewis Wallace, whose story takes place during the time of Jesus Christ. The story was made into a famous film in 1959, in which Charlton heston played the main character.
Benidorm		a town on the Mediterranean coast of Spain which is a popular place for tourists. People in the UK think of it as a typical place for an inexpensive package holiday. It provides things that some British people like, such as fish and chips and English-style pubs.
Benin, the People's Republic of		a country in West Africa, between Togo and Nigeria, which was a French colony, formerly called Dahomey. It became independent in 1960 and changed its name to Benin in 1975. Population: 9,877,292 (2014). Capital: Porto Novo.
Ben & Jerry's		a type of US ice cream which is known for being very thick and creamy, and for having exciting unusual tastes. The company that produces it is also known for being concerned about the environment.
Bennett, Alan		(1934–)  a writer and actor from the north of England who has written many films and plays for the theatre and for television, including The Madness of George III and Talking Heads. His characters are especially funny because he is very good at noticing the strange way that people behave and the funny things they say.
Bennett, Arnold		(1867–1931)  a British writer known for his novels about the 'Five Towns', which describe the lives of ordinary people in the area of the Midlands in the UK, where pottery was made
Bennett, Tony		(1926–)  an American singer who made several best-selling records in the 1950s and 1960s, including I Left My Heart in San Francisco
Ben Nevis		a mountain in Scotland which is 1343 metres high and is the highest mountain in the UK
Benn, Tony		(1925–2014)  a British politician in the Labour Party, known for his strong left-wing opinions. He inherited the title of Viscount Stansgate, but he gave up his title so that he could become a member of the House of Commons. He was a minister in the Labour governments of the 1960s and 1970s, and his political diaries (diary ) provide a detailed description of political life in the UK. He retired from Parliament in 2001.
Benny, Jack		(1894–1974)  a US comedian who had a very popular radio programme and later a popular television programme, called The Jack Benny Show. He is famous for pretending to always be 39, for playing the  violin badly, and for making jokes about how much he dislikes spending money.
Bentham, Jeremy		(1748–1832)  a British philosopher who believed that the actions of people and governments should be based on what would bring happiness to the largest number of people
Bentley		a type of large, comfortable, and very expensive British car, similar to a rolls-royce and owned by wealthy people
Benz	 noun	an informal name for a Mercedes-Benz car
Benz, Karl		(1844–1929)  a German engineer who built the first petrol-driven car in 1885. His factory later joined with one started by Gottlieb Daimler, and became the Mercedes-Benz car company.
Beowulf		an epic (=long poem about gods and great men and women) written in the 8th century in Old English, about a man called Beowulf who kills powerful frightening creatures and becomes a king
Berber	 noun	 a member of a group of people from northwest Africa who live in the area between Morocco and Tunisia
Bergerac, Cyrano de		(1619–55)  a French writer and soldier who fought more than 1000 duels (=sword fights between two people) and was known for his extremely large nose. His name is also the title of a famous play about his life, written by Edmond Rostand, and several films have been based on this story.
Bergman, Ingmar		(1918–2007)  a Swedish film maker who is regarded as one of the most important directors in the history of the cinema. His films, which include The Seventh Seal (1956) and Fanny and Alexander (1983), are often about very serious subjects involving characters who experience a lot of emotional suffering. He won Oscar awards for The Virgin Spring (1960) and Through a Glass Darkly (1962).
Bergman, Ingrid		(1915–82)  a Swedish actress who went to Hollywood in 1939 and became internationally famous by acting in films. She appeared with Humphrey Bogart in the film Casablanca.
Bering Strait, the		a narrow passage of water between Asia and North America that connects the Bering Sea to the Arctic Ocean
Berkeley		a city on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay area in California. In the 1960s, many students who studied at the University of California in Berkeley protested against the Vietnam War. Now the people who live and study there are generally considered to be intelligent and not to have traditional values about society.
Berkeley, Busby		(1895–1976)  a US choreographer (=someone whose job is to arrange the movements in a dance) who directed the dancing in many films in the 1930s. He is known for his impressive and imaginative style of dances, which were performed by groups of young women. The dancers made complicated patterns and were often filmed from above.
Berkeley Square		a square in London known in the 17th and 18th centuries as the home of many famous people including Robert Walpole and Clive of India
Berkowitz, David		(1953–)  a murderer who called himself Son of Sam. He admitted killing six people and attempting to kill another eight in New York in 1976–77.
Berkshire		a county in the south of England
Berlin		the capital city of Germany. Berlin was divided into East Berlin and West Berlin after World War II. East Berlin was controlled by the communists. Berlin became a united city again when the Berlin Wall was destroyed in 1989 and in 1990 the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) and the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) became one country again.
Berlinguer, Enrico		(1922–84)  an Italian politician, leader of the Communist Party
Berlin, Irving		(1888–1989)  a US songwriter who wrote many popular songs and successful musicals (=plays or films that use singing and dancing to tell a story). His songs include Alexander's Ragtime Band and White Christmas.
Berlin Wall		a wall that divided East and West Berlin, which was built in 1961 and destroyed in 1989. The communist government of East Germany built the wall in order to prevent people from escaping to West Berlin. When ordinary people started to destroy the wall, this event was shown on television around the world and seemed to represent freedom and the end of the cold war.
Berlioz, Hector		(1803–69)  a French composer, whose most famous work is the Symphonie Fantastique
Berlitz		a company which has many schools all over the world for teaching foreign languages, and which produces phrase books and travel guides for people visiting foreign countries
Berlusconi, Silvio		(1936– )  an Italian businessman and right-wing politician. He owns a successful and powerful group of television companies, and has been the prime minister of Italy several times. He has been found guilty of dishonest practices and for having sex with a girl under the age of 18, and he is known for liking young women.
Bermuda		a group of islands in the West Atlantic Ocean which is a popular place for tourists. Bermuda is a British colony, but has its own local government. Population: 69,467 (2014). Capital: Hamilton.
Bermuda Triangle, the		an area in the West Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda, Florida, and Puerto Rico where many ships and aircraft are believed to have strangely disappeared without any reason
Bern		the capital city of Switzerland and of Bern canton, on the Aare River. The Swiss government and various international organizations are based there.
Bernadette, Saint		(1844–79)  a girl who claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary at lourdes, which made Lourdes a place of pilgrimage, especially for the sick
Berners-Lee, Tim		(1955–)  a British computer scientist who invented the World Wide Web (WWW) in 1991. He made his idea freely available to everyone and did not put a patent on it. His official title is Sir Tim Berners-Lee.
Bernhardt, Sarah		(1844–1923)  a famous French actress, thought of by many people as one of the best actresses ever
Bernstein, Leonard		(1918–90)  a US musician, famous both as a conductor of classical music and as a writer of popular musicals (=plays or films that use singing and dancing to tell a story), including west side story.
Berra, Yogi		(1925–)  a famous US baseball player for the New York Yankees team from 1946 to the 1960s, who was the MVP  (=most valuable player) of the American League in 1951, 1954, and 1956. He later became a coach, and he is famous for saying 'It ain't over till it's over'.
Berry, Chuck		(1926–)  a US singer, guitar player, and songwriter whose music is in the  rhythm and blues style. His many popular songs include  Roll Over Beethoven (1956) and  Johnny B. Goode (1958). His style had a big influence on 1960s musicians such as the Rolling Stones, and many people consider him to be the inventor of  rock and roll.
Best, George		(1946–2005)  a football player from Northern Ireland who played for Manchester United from 1963 to 1973 and was considered to be one of the greatest players ever. He was often in the newspapers, photographed with attractive young women, but he also drank too much alcohol, and he stopped playing football when he was still young..
Bethany		a village near Jerusalem and the mount of olives where several of the important events of the New Testament took place
Bethlehem		a town on the West Bank of the River Jordan, near Jerusalem, thought to be where Jesus Christ was born
Betjeman, Sir John		(1906–84)  a British poet who became Poet Laureate  (=the poet employed by the Queen to write special poems on important occasions), and who is known for his humorous poems about British society
Better Business Bureau, the		a US organization for businesses and their customers. When customers believe they have been treated unfairly by a company or have bought a bad product, they often ask the Better Business Bureau for advice.
Better Homes and Gardens		a US magazine with lots of pictures of beautiful houses, and articles about how to make your home more beautiful. There is a similar magazine in the UK called Homes and Gardens.
Betty Boop		a US cartoon character originally drawn in 1930. Betty Boop is a sexually attractive slightly silly young woman with a very short dress, short curled black hair, and large eyes. She often says 'Boop-Boop-A-Doop'.
Betty Crocker		a US company that makes mixes(mix), sold in packets, for cakes and other sweet baked foods such as muffins and brownies
Bevan, Aneurin		(1897–1960)  also called Nye, a British politician in the Labour Party, who is known for starting the national health service when he was Minister of Health from 1945 to 1951. Members of the Labour Party with left-wing opinions used to be called Bevanites.
Beveridge Report, the		an important report produced by the British economist William Beveridge in 1942. It introduced the idea of the welfare state (=the idea that the government should provide free health care, and money for old people and for people who cannot get a job).
Beverly Hillbillies, The		a popular and funny US television programme of the 1960s and 1970s in which a poor family discover oil on their land, become rich, and move to Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills		an expensive part of Los Angeles, California where many famous film stars live
Beyond the Fringe		a humorous show for the theatre in the 1960s, written and performed by Alan Bennett, Jonathan Miller, Peter Cook, and Dudley Moore. They invented a new style of humour which was unusual and clever, and which influenced many later British comedians.
BFA	 noun	 a degree given by some US universities for studies in art, music, and acting. BFA is sometimes written after someone's name to show that they have this degree.
BFG, the		a children's story by Roald Dahl about a giant (=extremely large tall man) who is called the BFG because he is a big friendly giant and is not bad or frightening like most giants
BFI, the		the British Film Institute; a British organization which was started in 1933 to encourage people to make films, and which includes the national film theatre
Bhagavad-Gita, the		one of the most important holy books of the Hindu religion
Bhagwan
Bhopal		a city in the north of India, where in 1984 over 3000 people died in the first days after poisonous gases escaped from a factory owned by an American company, Union Carbide. Since 1984, many other people living in the area near the factory have developed serious health problems and in total 14,000 people have died from illness. In 2004 the Indian government asked the courts in the US to force Union Carbide's new owner, Dow Chemicals, to clean up the poisonous chemicals still present in and around the factory.
Bhumibol, King Adulyadej		(1927–)  the king of Thailand since 1946, who is greatly respected by his people and has been king for longer than anyone in Thailand's history. He is known as Rama IX.
Bhutan		a mountainous country in the Himalayas, surrounded by India, China, and Sikkim. Population: 725,296 (2014). Capital: Thimphu. Recent population figures for Bhutan are based on a census, and are much lower than figures supplied in the past by the Bhutan government.
Bhutto, Benazir		(1953–2007)  the leader of the Pakistan People's Party, which was started by her father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. She became prime minister in 1988, and in 1993 she was elected a second time. In 1996 she was forced to leave her position and live in exile because some people believed she had used government money dishonestly. She returned to Pakistan in 2007 and was killed in a bomb attack while she was campaigning to be elected prime minister for a third time.
Bhutto, Zulfikar Ali		(1928–79)  a Pakistani politician who was president (1971–73)  and then prime minister(1973–77)  of Pakistan. He was overthrown (overthrow) in a military coup in 1977 and executed (execute) in 1979. His daughter, Benazir Bhutto, was prime minister from 1988 to 1990.
BIA		bureau of indian affairs
Biarritz		a town on the coast of southwest France where rich and famous people go on holiday
bi-curious	 adjective	someone who is bi-curious is heterosexual, but has some interest in trying a relationship or sexual experience with a person of the same sex
Biden, Joe		(1942-)  a politician in the Democratic Party who became vice-president of the United States in 2009. Before becoming vice-president to President Barack Obama, he was a United States senator from Delaware (1973-2009).
Bierce, Ambrose		(1842-?1914)  a US writer known for his short stories, who disappeared in Mexico and was never found
Big Bang, the	 noun	the explosion at the beginning of time, which most scientists believe caused the universe to exist
Big Ben		the large bell in the tower of the houses of parliament in London, which rings regularly to tell the time and can often be heard on the radio in the UK. The tower of Big Ben is often used to represent London or the UK.
Big Bird		a character in the American children's television show sesame street, which is a large yellow bird who talks and behaves like a human
Big Blue		an informal name for the computer company ibm
Big Brother		a character in the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell. Big Brother is the leader of the state, and although no one has ever met him there are pictures of him everywhere with the message 'Big Brother is watching you'. People now use the expression 'Big Brother' to describe any government or organization that has complete power, allows no freedom, and carefully watches what people are doing
Big Brother		a television programme in the UK, US, and several other countries, in which several people are chosen to live in a house together. Their actions and conversations are then filmed and shown on television. Once a week, the people who watch the programme vote on who they think should leave the house.
Big Brothers		a US organization to help boys, especially boys who do not have fathers or who come from families experiencing difficulties. Each boy has his own Big Brother, a man who meets him regularly to give advice, listen to his problems, play games, and be a role model. Big Brothers are volunteers (=people who work without being paid), and there is a similar organization for girls called big sisters.
Big Dig, the		a name given to the process of building the Central Artery/Tunnel (CA/T), a major new road system built under the city of Boston in the US. It goes under the city and connects several major roads with Logan Airport, Boston Harbor, and the city centre. The new road took many years to build, during which time it caused a lot of traffic problems in the city.
Big Ears		a character in the British children's stories about noddy. Big Ears has unusually large ears, is short, has a white beard, wears a pointed cloth hat, and is Noddy's best friend.
Big Easy, the		an informal name for new orleans
Bigfoot		an animal like a large hairy human, which some people claim to have seen in the northwest US, but which has never been proved to exist. Stories about Bigfoot are very popular in US newspapers.
Biggles		a character in stories by Captain W.E. Johns. Biggles is a military pilot in World War I who is famous for his flying skills, his courage, and his ability to be calm even when he is being attacked by the enemy. In the past he was a popular hero with British boys.
Biggs, Ronald		(1929–2013)  a famous British criminal who took part in the Great Train Robbery in 1963, and later escaped to Brazil. The British police tried several times to bring him back to the UK, but were never successful. In 2001 he decided to return to the UK because his health was poor and he was sent back to prison.
Big Issue, The		a British magazine which is sold on the streets in the UK and several other countries by people who have nowhere to live. The Big Issue was started as a way of helping homeless people, and the people who sell it are allowed to keep part of the money they receive from buyers.
Big Leagues, the	 noun	the major leagues (=the teams that play at the highest level of professional baseball in the US)
Big Mac		a type of large hamburger, which is one of the most popular foods sold in McDonald's restaurants
Big Sisters		a US organization to help girls, especially girls who do not have mothers or who come from families experiencing difficulties. Each girl has her own Big Sister, a woman who meets her regularly to give advice, listen to her problems, play games, and be a role model. Big Sisters are volunteers (=people who work without being paid), and there is a similar organization for boys called big brothers.
Big Ten, the		a group of eleven midwestern US universities who compete with each other in sports. These teams are generally thought to be among the best in college sports, and their players often go on to join professional teams
Big Three, the		General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler, which are the three largest American car makers
Bikini Atoll		an island in the Pacific Ocean where the US performed nuclear weapons tests from 1946 until the 1960s
Biko, Steve		(1946–77)  a black South African political leader who started the Black Consciousness Movement, an organization that fought against apartheid (=the system in which black people had no political rights, and black and white people had to live in different areas). He died while being questioned by the police, and most people think the police murdered him. The film Cry Freedom is about his life.
Bilko, Sergeant		the main character in a humorous television programme about a US army camp. Bilko is an army officer, played by Phil Silvers, who talks very fast and loves playing cards and finding ways to make money.
Bill and Ben		two characters, whose full names are Bill and Ben the Flowerpot Men, who appear in a popular British television programme for young children, first broadcast in the 1950s and 1960s, and again in the 2000s. Bill and Ben are little men made out of flowerpots who live in a garden and speak a language called 'flobbadob'. In the original series, they had a friend, a tall flower called Little Weed who is called Weed in the later series.
Billboard		a US weekly magazine about popular music, that lists the best-selling popular songs, albums, and videos
Billingsgate		a large fish market in east London. The word 'Billingsgate' was also formerly used to mean swearing and offensive language, because the people who worked in the market were known for this.
Bill of Rights, the		part of the US constitution (=the basic laws of the country that cannot easily be changed) which is a list of the rights of US citizens, for example freedom of speech  (=the right to say what you want to say, including criticizing the government), and freedom of religion. In the original Bill of Rights (1791), ten rights were listed (=ten amendments ), but since then several more have been added.
Bill, The		a British television programme that was about a police station in London and the crimes solved by its police officers
Billy the Kid		(1859–81)  a famous criminal in the southwest US who killed many people and stole cattle until he was finally caught and killed. There are many stories and films about him.
Bin Laden, Osama		(1957-2011)  a businessman and political leader originally from Saudi Arabia, who was regarded by the governments of many countries, especially the US and Britain, as a terrorist. He founded al-Qaeda in 1988 and operated a military camp in Afghanistan, training people to take part in the jihad (=holy war) against the US. American officials believed that he was responsible for many terrorist attacks, including the attack on the World Trade Center in New York City in 2001. On May 2nd 2011 he was shot and killed by US soldiers during a secret operation at a heavily guarded house in the city of Abbottabad, Pakistan.
bio-	 prefix	relating to or using living things	生物的﹐与生物有关的
Bird, Larry		(1956–)  a US basketball player who led the Boston Celtics to win the NBA  (=National Basketball Association)championship three times. He was considered one of the best players of the 1980s, and he stopped playing in 1992.
Birds Eye		a company that produces various types of frozen foods, especially fish. Its products are advertised by Captain Birds Eye, a cheerful old sailor with white hair and a white beard.
Birkenstocks	 noun	a type of leather sandal (=a shoe that is open at the toes and heel) with a wide flat bottom	贝肯士多凉鞋〔一种鞋底宽平的皮凉鞋〕
Birmingham		a city in the West Midlands of England, the second largest city in the UK, known in the past as a dirty industrial city where cars were made, but now also known as a centre of art and classical music
Birmingham Six, the		six Irishmen who were sent to prison in 1974 for putting ira bombs in two Birmingham pubs, killing 21 people. They always said that they were not guilty, and they were let out of prison in 1991 after new facts were discovered about the way the police had dealt with their case.
Birnam Wood		the wood near Birnam in Perthshire, Scotland. In Shakespeare's play Macbeth, Macbeth is told that he will only be defeated when Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane. Later, his enemy's army comes through Birnam Wood and each soldier cuts a large branch to hide himself, so that when the army moves on it looks as if the wood is moving. Macbeth is defeated and killed.
biro	 noun	a pen with a small ball at the end that puts ink onto paper	比罗牌圆珠笔
Birthday Honours, the		special honours given to a number of British people by the Queen each year on her birthday, as a reward for their achievements or good work
Birtwistle, Harrison		(1934-)  an English composer of modern classical music who was born in Accrington, Lancashire. He has been the musical director of the Royal National Theatre in London (1975-83) and a professor of music at King's College, London (1994-2001). His works include the operas Punch and Judy (1967), Gawain (1990), and The Minotaur (2008) as well as Silbury Air (1976-77), a work for chamber orchestra. One of his techniques is to cut up music and put it back together in a different random  (=by chance) order. His formal title is Sir Harrison Birtwistle.
Biscay, Bay of
Bishkek		the capital city of Kyrgyzstan, in the Chu River valley, formerly called Frunze and Pishpek
Bismarck		the capital city of the US state of North Dakota
Bismarck, Otto von		(1815–98)  a German politician who was mainly responsible for joining all the separate German states together to form one country, and who then became chancellor of Germany. He was known as the 'Iron Chancellor'.
Bisquick		a type of mixture of flour and other substances needed to make pancakes, waffles, or  biscuits
Bissau		the capital city of Guinea Bissau, a port
Bisto		a type of gravy in powder form, known especially for its advertising phrase 'Aah! Bisto!', and the children used in its advertisements, called the Bisto Kids
Bizet, Georges		(1838–75) a French composer best know for his operas, which include Carmen and  The Pearl Fishers.
Blackadder		a British television comedy programme. There were four series of the programme, each of which took place during a different period of British history. The main character is Edmund Blackadder, acted by Rowan Atkinson, and in each series, Blackadder is a descendant of the Blackadder in the previous series, but at a lower position in society. In the first series he is a prince, but in the fourth series he is just an army captain. He always has an assistant called Baldrick, who is very dirty and seems to be very stupid.
Black Africa		the part of Africa below the sahara Desert, where most of the people are black
Black and Tans, the		a British military force that was active in Ireland from 1918 to 1920, opposing the people who were fighting for independence. They were known for the cruel and violent way in which they did their work.
Black Beauty		the name of the horse that is the main character in the children's book Black Beauty (1877) by Anna Sewell, which has been made into films and television programmes
BlackBerry	 noun	a piece of wireless (=using electronic signals not wires) electronic equipment that you can hold in your hand. You can use it as a PDA (=small computer that you use to store information such as telephone numbers, addresses, and appointments), as a mobile phone, to send and receive emails and text messages, and to look at the Internet.	"黑莓"﹐黑莓手机〔一种智能手机〕
black bloc	 noun	a group of protesters, often violent protesters, who wear black clothing and cover their faces so that they cannot be recognized
Black, Cilla		(1943–)  a British entertainer from Liverpool. She was a successful pop singer in the 1960s, and was the presenter of a popular television show called Blind Date from 1985 until 2003.
black English	 noun	the variety of English spoken by some African-American people in the US
Blackfoot	 noun	 a Native American tribe whose members live mainly in Montana and Alberta and are known for their horses
Black Forest, the		an area of southwest Germany where there is a very large forest, which is a popular place for tourists
Black Forest Gateau	 noun	a cake made with chocolate, cherries (cherry), and cream
Black Friday		the day after Thankgiving in the US, when stores open early and prices are reduced. Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days of the year
black-hat hacker	 noun	someone who secretly gets into other people's computer systems for a bad purpose, for example in order to steal information or damage the system
Black Hills, the		a group of hills in South Dakota in the US, one of which is Mount rushmore
Black Lace		one of a British series of romantic novels, written mainly for women, which contain a lot of sexual detail
Black Maria	 noun	a vehicle used by the police to carry prisoners
Black Mass	 noun	a ceremony performed by people who pray to the Devil, parts of which are similar to the ceremonies performed by Christians
Black Monday		Monday, 19 October 1987, the day on which share prices on the stock exchange suddenly fell by a large amount, and many people lost a lot of money
Black Muslim	 noun	a member of a group of black people who believe in the religion of Islam and want a separate black society	黑人穆斯林〔指信奉伊斯兰教，并要建立独立黑人社会的黑人组织成员〕
Black Panthers, the		a group of African Americans in the 1960s and 1970s who supported the use of violence to get better treatment for black people
Blackpool		a town on the northwest coast of England, a popular place for people, especially working-class people, to go for the day or for a holiday. Blackpool is famous for its tower (the Blackpool Tower ) and illuminations (=attractive coloured lights). It also has an important conference centre where political parties often hold their annual conferences.
Black Prince, Edward the		(1330–76)  the oldest son of King Edward III of England, who wore black armour in battle
Black Rod		the title of one of the officials who takes part in the ceremony for opening the British Parliament each year. He wears special old-fashioned clothes, and his job is to go to the House of Commons and tell its members to come to the House of Lords so that they can hear the Queen's speech.
Black Sash, the		an organization of South African women that was started in 1955 to protest against apartheid (=the system in which black people had few political rights, and black and white people had to live in different areas). The organization was started by white women and they used to wear black sashes. The Black Sash still exists as a women's non-racial humanitarian organization.
Black Sea, the		a large sea that is surrounded by land, and is between Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, and Georgia
black swan	 noun	an event that no one expects and that has a very great effect
Black Watch, the		an unofficial name for the Royal Highland Regiment, a large group of soldiers that are part of the British Army and are based in Scotland. They wear a kilt as part of their uniform, made of material with a dark blue and green pattern, called the Black Watch tartan.
Blade Runner		(1982) a US film by the director Ridley Scott, in which Harrison Ford appears as a policeman in Los Angeles in the year 2019, when the Earth's environment has been destroyed, and it rains all the time. His job is to find and kill a group of intelligent machines that look exactly like people.
Blairism	 noun	the political ideas of Tony Blair and New Labour in Britain, which include the idea of trying to achieve a fairer society without using high taxes to pay for social services, and without putting strict controls on business and the economy
Blair, Tony		(1953–)  a British politician who became leader of the Labour Party in 1994, and who was UK prime minister from 1997 until 2007. After becoming party leader, he made a lot of changes to make the party more modern, and called it 'New Labour'. After resigning as prime minister in 2007, he became UN MIddle East envoy. In 2008 he started a charity called the Tony Blair Faith Foundation which tries to encourage better understanding between people of different religions. His wife, Cherie Blair, is a well-known lawyer.
Blake, William		(1757–1827)  an English poet and artist whose work is an example of romanticism, and whose best-known poems are Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. He also wrote the popular  hymn (=religious song) called Jerusalem.
Bleak House		a novel written by Charles Dickens in 1852–53. It is the story of members of the Jarndyce family who fight each other in a court of law about money and property that belongs to the family. The legal system is so complicated that the case lasts for a long time, and they have to pay their lawyers so much money that in the end none of them gets anything.
Bleasdale, Alan		(1946–)  a British writer of plays for the theatre and television. His work is often humorous and serious at the same time, and deals with social and political subjects, especially the problems of people who are poor, unemployed (=without jobs), or unfairly treated by society. His best-known work is the television programme The Boys from the Blackstuff.
Blenheim Palace		a very large and beautiful house in Oxfordshire in the UK, owned by the family of the Duke of Marlborough. It can be visited by the public, and its gardens are a typical example of the work of Capability brown.
Bligh, Captain William		(1754-?1817)  an officer in the British navy who was in command of the ship HMS Bounty. Bligh was unpopular because he was a very cruel and strict leader, so the men on his ship attacked him, took power from him, and made him leave in a small boat. The film Mutiny on the Bounty is about this story, but some people now believe that Captain Bligh was not as cruel as shown in this story.
Blind Date		a popular British television show (1985–2003) in which one person chose a partner from three people who they could not see, by asking them silly questions. They then went away for a short holiday together, and came back on the show the next week to talk about their experiences and say whether they liked each other. There was a similar programme on American television called The Dating Game.
blini	 noun	a small pancake, usually served with something such as caviar and sour cream on top of it
Blitz, the		the time during World War II when German planes dropped many bombs on British cities, especially London
Blixen, Baroness Karen		(1885–1962)  a Danish writer who wrote in English using the man's name Isak Dinesen. She wrote many short stories, but her most famous book, Out of Africa, describing her life on a coffee farm in Kenya, was made into a film in 1985.
Bloc Québécois		a political party in Canada which wants the province of Quebec to be a separate independent area that governs itself
Bloemfontein		a city in South Africa, which its judiciary centre is
Blofeld, Ernst Stavro		the most important enemy of James Bond in the novels by Ian Fleming
Blondie		the main female character in the US cartoon strip which is also called 'Blondie'
Bloody Sunday		Sunday, 30th January 1972, when British soldiers in Northern Ireland used force to control a large crowd of people who were protesting against the policy of internment (=putting people in prison without a trial if they were believed to be members of the ira). 13 people were killed when the soldiers fired at the crowd.
Bloody Tower, the		a part of the Tower of London. It was originally known as the Garden Tower, but after two young princes, the nephews of Richard III, were believed to be murdered there in 1483 it became known as the Bloody Tower.
Bloomingdale's		a large US department store. It sells many different kinds of goods, but is known especially for selling expensive clothes. The most famous shop is in New York, but there are others in many US cities.
Bloom, Leopold		the main character in the novel Ulysses by James  joyce, which tells the story of one day in Bloom's life. People in Dublin celebrate 'Bloomsday' on June 16th, the day that Bloom made his journey around the city.
Bloomsbury		a busy area in the centre of London which has attractive buildings and squares (=open areas with grass and trees, surrounded on four sides by roads and buildings), where many writers and artists lived in the early part of the 20th century
Bloomsday		June 16th, celebrated in Dublin as the day in the life of Leopold Bloom which is described in James Joyce's novel Ulysses
Bluebeard		an evil character in old European stories who got married many times, and each time killed his wife
Blue Birds	 noun	a former US organization for young girls who would meet to play games, learn practical skills, and go camping together. By the 1970s boys were allowed to join too. When they were older, the children could join a related organization called camp fire.
Blue Cross		an American medical insurance company
Blue Danube, The		the title of an extremely popular waltz (=a type of music for dancing to), written by Johann strauss in 1866
Blue Nile, the		one of the two rivers that form the River Nile. It starts in Ethiopia in East Africa, and flows north to Khartoum in the Sudan, where it joins the White Nile.
Blue Peter		a children's programme that has been on British television since the late 1950s. It is known for encouraging children to collect money or things for people who are poor or sick, and for showing them how to do and make useful things.
Blue Ridge Mountains, the		the part of the appalachians (=a group of mountains in the eastern US) that goes from southern Pennsylvania to northern Georgia. When people in the US talk about the Appalachians, they usually mean just the part that is the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Blues and Royals, the	 noun	a regiment (=large group of soldiers) in the British army which is part of the Household Cavalry
Blues Brothers, The		a humorous US film with Dan aykroyd and John Belushi, about two musicians who wear suits, hats, and sunglasses
Blume, Judy		(1938–)  a US writer, whose novels for teenagers (=young people aged between 13 and 19) are very popular because they deal with problems that often affect teenagers, such as divorce or having sex for the first time. Her novels include Are You There God? It's me, Margaret (1970) and Forever... (1975).
Blunkett, David		(1947–)  a British politician in the Labour Party who became Home Secretary  (=the government minister in charge of domestic matters relating to this country) in 2001. He was the first blind person to be a member of the Cabinet  (=the committee containing the prime minister and the most senior ministers of the government) in the UK.
Blunt, Anthony		(1907–1983) a British man who was an art historian and director of the Courtauld Institute of Art. In 1979 it was found out that he was a spy for the Soviet Union when he was a student and during World War II, when he worked in British Intelligence
Blu-tack		a flexible adhesive substance used in the home or office. It is often used to attach posters or decorations to a wall without damaging paint or wallpaper.
Blyton, Enid		(1897–1978)  an English writer of books for children, who invented the characters noddy, the famous five, and the Secret Seven. Her books are very popular with children, but they have sometimes been criticized for showing women and girls in an old-fashioned way, for being racist, and for using very simple language.
BM		british museum
BM	 noun	(Bachelor of Medicine) the lowest level of medical degree. BM is sometimes written after someone's name to show that they have this degree.
BMJ, the		(the British Medical Journal) a magazine for doctors, nurses, and others in the medical profession
BMOC	 noun
BMW		a type of high quality expensive German car, often driven by people who want to show how successful they are. BMW also make very powerful motorcycles.
B'nai B'rith		an international organization of Jewish people that works to oppose anti-semitism (=unfair treatment of Jewish people or violence against them) and that helps Jewish people all over the world
BNP, the
Boadicea
Board of Education	 noun	in the US, a group of people who are elected to make decisions about how schools and colleges are managed, and about how children are educated in a particular county or state
Boccaccio, Giovanni		(1313–75)  an Italian writer whose book of stories called The decameron had an important influence on European literature
boccia	 noun	a game played by people in wheelchairs, in which the players try to throw or roll balls so that they land as close to a white ball as possible
Bodleian Library, the		the university library of Oxford University, which holds many of the country's oldest and most famous books and papers
Bodmin Moor		a moor in Cornwall in southwest England, known for its tors  (=rocky hills)
Body Shop		a company started by Anita roddick, which produces make-up, soap, shampoo etc and sells them all over the world in its own shops. The company is known for making products which have not been tested on animals and for working to protect the environment.
Boeing		a US company that makes aircraft. Its passenger planes, such as the Boeing 747, are the most common ones used by airlines.
Boer War, the		(1899–1902)  a war in South Africa in which the British army successfully fought against two Boer republics called the Transvaal and the Orange Free State, and made them part of the British Empire
Bogart, Humphrey		(1899–1957)  a US film actor whose films include The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca, and The African Queen. He was married to the actress Lauren  bacall.
Bognor Regis		a town on the south coast of England, popular with tourists, especially older British people
Bogotá		the capital city of Colombia, in the east Andes mountains
Bohr, Niels Henrik David		(1885–1962)  a Danish scientist who made important discoveries in nuclear physics, especially discoveries about the structure of atoms. He won the Nobel prize for physics in 1922.
Bohème, La
Boise		the capital city of the US state of Idaho
Boleyn, Anne		(1507–36)  the second wife of the English king, henry viii, who was the mother of Queen Elizabeth I. Henry wanted to end his first marriage in order to marry Anne Boleyn, but the Pope would not allow it, and this led to the separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church. Henry later had Anne's head cut off.
Bolivar, Simon		(1783–1830)  also known as the Liberator; a soldier and political leader who, at the time when many parts of South America were ruled by Spain, fought against the Spanish army and won independence for Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, and Ecuador. He is greatly respected in South America, and the country Bolivia is named after him.
Bolivia		a mountainous country in the western part of South America, surrounded by Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Peru, and Paraguay. Population: 10,461,053 (2014). Capital: La Paz.
Bologna		the capital city of Emilia-Romagna in north central Italy, built below a group of mountains called the Apennines
Bolshoi Ballet, the		a famous Russian school and theatre for ballet, based in Moscow
Bolt, Usain		(1986-)  a Jamaican sprinter (=someone who runs very fast over short distances) who holds the world record for the 100 metres and 200 metres. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China he won gold medals in the 100 metres, 200 metres, and 4x100 metres relay. The media sometimes call him "Lightning Bolt" because he is so fast.
Bombay		the largest city in India, on the west coast of the country. It is the capital of Maharashtra state, an important port and industrial centre, and the centre of the Indian film industry. Its official name changed to Mumbai in 1995.
Bonanza		a US television show first made in the 1960s, which continued for many years. It is about a family who live in the wild west on a ranch (=large farm) called the 'Ponderosa'. The music that is played at the beginning is famous.
Bonaparte
Bondi Beach		a popular beach in Sydney, Australia, where people go surfing and where there are a lot of attractive young women and men
Bond, James		a character in the novels by Ian Fleming. James Bond is a brave attractive secret agent who works for the British government and is sometimes called '007'. Many of the James Bond stories have been made into popular films that involve a lot of dangerous and exciting scenes, beautiful women, and special secret equipment for attacking people, sending messages etc. When James Bond introduces himself to people, he often says 'The name's Bond, James Bond'.
Bonds, Barry		(1964–)  a US baseball player, considered one of the best ever, who is known especially for hitting 73 home runs in 2001, which broke the record of Mark McGwire. His father, Bobby Bonds, was also a professional baseball player.
Bond Street		a street in London famous for its expensive shops
Bonn		the capital city of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1949 until 1990
Bonner, Yelena	 	(1923-2011)  a woman who worked to defend human rights in the former Soviet Union. She was the wife of Andrei Sakharov, a famous scientist, who also worked to defend human rights and received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Bonney, William		the real name of Billy the Kid
Bonnie Prince Charlie		(1720–88)  the popular name of Charles Edward Stuart, sometimes also called the Young Pretender. He was the grandson of King James II, and believed he had the right to be the British king instead of King George II. He led the second jacobite rising against the king in 1745–46, but was defeated at the Battle of culloden. After this he escaped to the island of Skye with the help of a woman called Flora Macdonald. He is regarded as a very romantic character, and there are many Scottish stories and songs about him.
Book of Common Prayer, The		a book used in Church of England and Episcopal churches, which contains the words spoken by the priest and by the people in church at weekly services and at weddings, funerals etc
Boone, Daniel		(1734–1820)  one of the first white Americans to go to Kentucky, where he started to build a town, so that other people could start living there. In pictures he is usually shown wearing a hat made of raccoon skin.
Booth, John Wilkes		(1838–65)  the man who shot and killed US President Abraham Lincoln
Booth, William		(1829–1912)  a British religious leader who started the salvation army
Boots		a British shop in almost every town in the UK, where you can buy medicines, soap, make-up etc
boozing	 noun	when someone drinks alcohol, especially a lot of it	喝酒；〔尤指〕狂饮
Bo Peep
Bordeaux	 noun	 a wine that comes from the Bordeaux area in SW France
Borden, Lizzie		(1860–1927)  a US woman who many people believed killed her father and his new wife with an axe in 1892
Borders, the		an area in Scotland close to the border with England, known for its low hills
Borg, Björn		(1956–)  a Swedish tennis player who won the men's singles (=when one man plays against another man) competition at Wimbledon every year for five years, from 1976 to 1980
Borges, Jorge Luis		(1899–1986)  an Argentinian poet and writer of short stories. He is known for his imaginative style of magic realism (=a type of literature in which impossible events are described as if they are real).
Borghese Gallery		a small but important art gallery in Rome which contains works by Raphael, Titian, and  Rubens.
Borgias, the		a powerful wealthy Italian family in the 15th and early 16th centuries, known for their cruel determination to gain political power. Lucrezia Borgia (1480–1519)  became the Duchess of Ferrara and invited the best writers and artists to stay at her house. Her brother Cesare Borgia (1476–1507)  was a successful soldier and ruler, and the Prince in Machiavelli's book The Prince is based on him.
Borneo		the largest island of the Malay Archipelago (=a group of many islands) in southeast Asia. Part of it belongs to Malaysia and part of it to Indonesia, and it also includes the Sultanate of brunei. Population: 10,461,053 (2010). It is known for its tropical forests.
Bosch, Hieronymus		(?1460–1516)  a Flemish painter known especially for his religious paintings and his pictures of Hell in his most famous work The Garden of Earthly Delights. His paintings are full of small details and show strange and unnatural creatures and situations.
Bosnia		the northern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country that used to be part of Yugoslavia
Bosnia and Herzegovina		a country in eastern Europe between Serbia and Montenegro to the east and Croatia to the North and Southeast. It was formerly a part of Yugoslavia. Its official title is the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Population: 3,875,723 (2014). Capital: Sarajevo.
Bosnian War, the		(1992–95)  a war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the three different groups of people living in this area – Serbs, Croats, and Bosniaks fought each other
Bosporus, the		the narrow sea between the European and Asian parts of Turkey, connecting the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara
Boston		a city in Massachusetts on the Atlantic coast, the most important city in New England, and one of the oldest cities in the US. It is often thought of as being less noisy and more relaxed than other American cities, and is known for its old brick buildings. In Boston and the surrounding area, there are many famous colleges and universities, including harvard and mit.
Boston Globe, The		a US newspaper sold especially in New England
Boston Massacre, the		one of the events that started the american revolutionary war. In 1770 a group of Boston citizens, who were angry because the British army was in their town, threatened a British soldier. Other soldiers fired their guns into the crowd, killing five people.
Boston Pops, the		an orchestra (=large group of musicians) from Boston, known for its performances and records of well-known pieces of classical music and famous tunes from films and musicals. For many years, its conductor was Arthur Fiedler. Most of the musicians in the Boston Pops are members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Boston Red Sox, the		a Major League Baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. Their home stadium is Fenway Park, and they have won the World Series championships several times. Famous players such as Babe Ruth, Carl Yastrzemski, and Cy Young have played for the team.
Boston Strangler, the		Albert DeSalvo(1931–73)  a man who raped and strangled 13 women aged between 19 and 85 in Boston, US, between June 1962 and January 1964. He was never actually charged with the murders, but was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1967 for other sex offences and robberies.
Boswell, James		(1740–95)  a Scottish lawyer and writer, famous for his book about the life of Samuel johnson
Bosworth Field		the place where the final battle of the Wars of the Roses was fought in 1485, where Richard III was defeated by Henry Tudor
Botany Bay		a place in southeast Australia, close to Sydney, where a narrow part of the sea reaches into the land, which was visited in 1770 by Captain cook. In the early 19th century, another place in this area was used as a place for sending British criminals as a punishment, and this was also given the name 'Botany Bay'.
Botham, Ian		(1955–)  an English cricketer who played for the English national team from 1977 to 1992, and was captain from 1980 to 1981. He was very successful both as a batsman and as a bowler.
Botox		a substance that makes muscles relax, which can be injected into the skin around someone's eyes to make the lines disappear and the skin look younger and more attractive
Botox	 verb	to use Botox to remove lines on your face
Botswana		a country in central southern Africa. Capital: Gaborone. Population: 2,127,825 (2014).
Botticelli, Sandro		(?1444–1510)  an Italian painter of the Renaissance, best known for Primavera and The Birth of Venus
Bottom		a humorous character who is changed into a donkey in Shakespeare's play A midsummer night's dream
Boudicca		(died AD 60) the Queen of the Iceni people of eastern Britain, who led them in battle against the Romans. In pictures, Boudicca is usually shown driving a chariot.
Boulder Dam		the former name for the hoover dam
Boulez, Pierre		(1935-)  a French composer of modern classical music who studied at the Paris Conservatoire. He was a member of a group of musicians called the Darmstadt School. Boulez is also an important conductor. He was chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra (1971-74) and the New York Philharmonic Orchestrra (1971-78). In 1974 he founded a studio called IRCAM where musicians could make experimental music using the latest computer technology and electronics.
Boulogne		a city on the northeast coast of France, known for being one of the ports where ships bringing passengers and cars arrive after crossing the English Channel from Dover
Bounty, The		a British naval ship on which there was a famous mutiny (=when the ordinary sailors take control of a ship by force) in the Pacific Ocean in 1789. The sailors, led by an officer called Fletcher Christian, took power from Captain William bligh, and made him leave in a small boat. There have been many books and films about this story, including the film Mutiny on the Bounty.
Bournemouth		a town on the south coast of England which is a popular place for people to go on holiday. It is also known as a centre for language schools and political conferences, and as a popular place for people to go to live after they have stopped working.
Boutros-Ghali, Boutros		(1922–)  an Egyptian politician who was the Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1992 to 1996. He was criticized because many people thought that the UN should have done something to stop the civil war and genocide in Rwanda. Boutros-Ghali was the first UN Secretary-General who was not elected for a second time. From 1997 to 2002 he was the Secretary-General of La Francophone, an international organization of French-speaking countries.
Bovril		a type of thick dark-brown substance made from cow's meat, sold in the UK. It is used to make hot drinks or added to food when cooking.
Bowie, David		(1947–)  an English singer and songwriter who was extremely successful in the 1970s, when his music and unusual clothes influenced many other musicians. He is especially famous for performing as Ziggy Stardust, a character he invented when he released the record The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972). Bowie's other famous records include Heroes and Let's Dance.
Bowie, James		(1790–1836)  a US adventurer born in Kentucky who invented the Bowie knife (a large knife with a curved blade). Bowie supported the cause of Texan independence from Mexico, and shared command of the alamo, where he was killed.
Bow Street		a street in London where there is a police court
Bow Street runner	 noun	a member of the first police force in London, set up in 1748
Boycott, Geoffrey		1940–)  an English cricketer, born in Yorkshire, who was a very successful batsman and played for Yorkshire and the English national team for over twenty years. He later became a cricket commentator and is known for his strong opinions about the game.
boyf	 noun	a boyfriend
Boyne, the Battle of the		a famous battle in 1690 near the River Boyne in Ireland, in which Britain's Protestant King William III defeated the former King James II (a Catholic), and finally ended the attempts by the Catholic part of the royal family to rule in Britain. It is still celebrated by Protestants in Northern Ireland as a great victory over the Catholics.
Boys' Brigade, the		an organization which was set up in Britain in 1883 to encourage boys to develop team spirit and responsible behaviour
BP		 a British company producing petrol and chemicals
B.P.O.E.		the written abbreviation of  The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
BR	 noun
Bracknell, Lady		a character in Oscar Wilde's play The importance of being earnest, remembered especially for using the phrase 'A handbag?', said with great surprise
Bradbury, Ray		(1920–2012)  an American writer of science fiction whose best-known stories include Fahrenheit 451 and The Halloween Tree
Bradford		an industrial city in the north of England which is a centre of the woollen industry and where many Asian people now live
Bradford, Barbara Taylor		(1933–)  a British writer of popular novels novels, many of which have been made into television films. Her stories, which are read especially by women, are often about strong intelligent women who work hard to succeed in a world where men have most of the power.
Bradman, Sir Donald		(1908–2001)  an Australian cricketer, one of the best batsmen (batsman ) ever to have played
Bradshaw	 noun	the railway timetable (=book with lists showing the times of train services) which was used in the UK from the 19th century until the middle of the 20th century
Brady Bunch, the		The Brady Bunch was a US television programme of the 1960s and 1970s about a large family. The father and mother each have three children before they get married to each other. People sometimes describe a large happy family with well-behaved children as being like the Brady Bunch.
Brady, Ian
Brahma		one of the three main gods in the Hindu religion, who is considered to be the god of creation
Brahms, Johannes		(1833–97)  a German writer of music known for his symphonies (symphony ) and concertos
Branagh, Kenneth		(1960–)  a British theatre and film actor and director, known especially for his films of Shakespeare plays such as Much Ado about Nothing, Hamlet, and Henry V. He has also appeared other films, television programmes, and has directed and produced several films.
Branch Davidian		a religious group that split from the Seventh Day Adventist church. They believe that they are God's chosen people, and that there will always be a prophet to teach them.
Brando, Marlon		(1924–2004)  a US actor who was regarded as one of the best actors in the history of the cinema. His films included On the Waterfront (1954), for which he won an Oscar, The Godfather (1972), and Apocalypse Now (1979). He was known for using the style of acting called method acting.
Brands Hatch		a motor-racing circuit in Kent, England
Brandt, Willy		(1913–92)  a German politician who was chancellor of West Germany from 1969 to 1974. He is known especially for trying to improve relations between East and West Germany and for his support for the European Union.
Branson, Richard		1950–)  a British businessman who started the Virgin companies, which include a record company, an airline, a train company, and a financial services company which sells and provides advice about investments. He is seen as different from the typical businessman, because he has long hair and does not wear a suit. His official title is Sir Richard Branson.
Braque, Georges		(1882–1963)  a French painter who worked with picasso and was one of those who started the movement known as cubism
Brasilia		the capital city of Brazil. Brasilia is a new city, which was built in 1960. Before that, the capital of Brazil was rio de janeiro.
Bratislava		the capital city of Slovakia
Braun, Eva		(1910–45)  a German Nazi who married Adolf Hitler in 1945 and then killed herself at the same time as he did
Brazil		a country in South America, the largest country in South America. Population: 201,009,622 (2014). Capital: Brasilia. The Brazilian rainforest is a large and very important area of trees and plants.
Brazil, Angela		(1868–1947)  a British writer of stories about life at girls' boarding schools (=schools where the students live as well as study). The typical girl in her stories was always cheerful, good at sports, and eager to take part in every activity
Brazzaville		the capital city of the Republic of the Congo
Bream, Julian		(1933–)  a British classical musician, known for his guitar and lute playing
Brecht, Bertolt		(1898–1956)  a German writer of plays and poetry, known especially for his plays The Threepenny Opera, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, and Mother Courage. Brecht's plays deal with political ideas and are similar in form to ancient Greek plays.
Brecon Beacons, the		a mountainous area and national park between South and Mid Wales, popular with walkers
Bren gun	 noun	a light machine gun
Brent, David		the main character in the British television comedy programme The Office, played by Ricky Gervais. Brent is an office manager who thinks that he is very good at his job and popular with his staff, but he is not. Actually, he is very bad at his job and often embarrasses himself and offends other people by the things he says and does, such as singing to his staff and telling bad jokes.
Brer Rabbit		the main character in the children's stories by Joel Chandler Harris. Brer Rabbit is a clever rabbit from the South of the US, who always manages to escape from danger or from being caught, usually by running into a brier patch  (=group of bushes with sharp points on their branches).
Breughel
Brewer's		a British dictionary of phrases and stories, that first came out in 1870. Brewer's Dictionary of 20th Century Phrase and Fable now includes political events, film stars, famous murders etc
Brezhnev, Leonid		(1906–82)  the leader of the Soviet Union from 1977 to 1982
BRIC countries	 noun	Brazil, Russia, India, and China, considered to be countries whose economies are developing quickly
Brick Lane		a road in the East End of London, which has a Sunday street market and many Indian restaurants which serve curry dishes
brick phone	 noun	an early mobile phone, which was large and heavy – used humorously
Brideshead Revisited		a novel by Evelyn Waugh, written in 1945 and made into a television film in 1980. It is about a rich family who live in a large house in the country, and about upper-class young men at Oxford University in the 1920s. People remember it especially because it gives an idea of upper-class English life before World War II.
bridezilla	 noun	a woman who is very concerned that every detail of her wedding should be exactly right, and who behaves in an extreme and unreasonable way – used to show disapproval
Bridget Jones's Diary		a novel by British writer Helen Fielding. The character Bridget Jones is a British woman in her 30s, who drinks wine, smokes a lot of cigarettes and writes about her troubles in her diary. It began as a newspaper column and was later made into two films.
Bridgetown		the capital city and main port of Barbados, on the southwest coast of the island
Bridgewater Four, the		four British men who were put in prison for killing a boy called Carl Bridgewater in 1978. One of the men died in prison, but in 1997 it was shown that police officers had behaved dishonestly in order to prove that the men were guilty, so they were let out of prison.
Brief Encounter		a film by David lean made in 1945, from a play by Noel coward. It is an English love story, of a housewife and a doctor, who fall in love but then decide to separate. It is remembered especially for the romantic scenes in a railway station and is known for its realism and artistic filming.
Brief History of Time, A		a book by Stephen hawking in which he explains his ideas about how the universe and time began and how they have developed
Brighton		a small city on the south coast of England, which has been a popular place for holidays since the 18th century. It is famous for the Brighton Pavilion, a large building with an unusual oriental design, and it also has two universities, many language schools, and a well-known centre for conferences.
Brighton bomb		a bomb that almost killed the British prime minister, Margaret thatcher, in October 1984. The ira exploded the bomb at the Grand Hotel, Brighton, where most members of the Conservative Government were staying for the 1984 Conservative Party conference. The bomb exploded at 2.40 am killing five people. Mrs Thatcher escaped unhurt, but one of her most important ministers, Employment Secretary Norman Tebbit, and his wife were both injured.
Brillo pad	 noun	 a ball of wire filled with soap, which is used for cleaning pans	〔内有肥皂的〕布瑞罗洁锅球[钢丝球]
Brisbane		a port and the capital city of Queensland state in the east of Australia, the third largest city in the country
Bristol		an industrial city and international port in the southwest of England. It is also a centre for local government. The Clifton Suspension Bridge is in Bristol.
Bristol Channel, the		an area of water between South Wales and southwest England which goes from the Atlantic Ocean to the mouth of the River Severn
Britain's Got Talent		a talent show that is broadcast on British television and presented by Ant & Dec. The performers compete against each other to win a cash prize and the chance to take part in the Royal Variety Performance in front of the Queen and other members of the Royal Family. At the end of each performance, four judges give their opinion, and the public can vote for their favourite by phone. The show was created by Simon Cowell.
Britannia		a female figure representing Britain, formerly shown on some coins. Britannia is usually shown sitting down, wearing a helmet, and holding a trident (=an ancient weapon with three points, which looks like a large fork). Next to her feet she has a shield with the design of the British flag on it. There is a popular national song called Rule Britannia.
Brit Awards, the		a set of prizes given every year at a public ceremony to the best British pop and rock musicians
British Academy, the		a society that was started in 1901 to encourage the study of language, literature, history, economics etc. Most of its members are university teachers who have done important work in their subjects. There is a similar society for people working in scientific fields, called the royal society
British Aerospace		a former UK company that made aircraft and defence systems. It is now part of BAE Systems.
British Airways		the largest British airline
British Board of Film Classification, the		a special committee in the UK whose job is to watch new films and decide whether children or young people will be allowed to see them. They give each film a certificate, showing which films can be shown to anyone (U), which can be seen by children if an adult goes with them (PG), and which films can only be seen by people over a particular age (12, 15, and 18). For example, a film with an '18' certificate probably has a lot of sex and violence in it, so can only be seen by people who are at least 18 years old. The Board also gives certificates to DVDs and computer games. There is a similar organization in the US called the Motion Picture Association of America.
British-born	 adjective	born in Britain
British Broadcasting Corporation	 noun	the BBC
British Columbia		a province in western Canada, bordering on the Pacific Ocean
British Commonwealth
British Council, the		an organization that was set up in 1934 to represent the UK's interests abroad in areas such as education and the arts, not in politics or business. A lot of its work is connected with the teaching of English, and it also supports educational visits between the UK and other countries, and libraries, musical and theatre visits etc
British Empire, the		the group of countries formerly connected with and controlled by Great Britain, which was at its largest at the time of World War I, when it included 25 per cent of the world's area
British English	 noun	the type of English used in the UK, which is different in some ways from the English used in other places, especially in its pronunciation and in some of its words
British Film Institute, the		a British organization which encourages film making and manages the National Film Theatre
British Isles, the		the group of islands that includes Great Britain, Ireland, and the smaller islands around them, such as the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
British Legion, the		a British organization which helps people who have been in the armed forces and their families. The British Legion collects money by selling poppies (poppy ) for remembrance day.
British Library, the		the national library of the UK, with centres in London and in Yorkshire, which receives a copy of every book produced in the UK. Its large new building in London was eventually completed in 1996, after many delays and arguments about its design.
British Lions, the		the Rugby Union team chosen from players from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland to play in international matches
British Medical Association
British Museum, the		a famous building in London which contains a large and important collection of ancient art, writings, coins, drawings etc
British National Party, the		a right-wing British political party, started in 1982 by John Tyndall, a former leader of the National Front. The BNP believes that the rights of white British people are more important than those of people who are not white or who are immigrants. Nick Griffin (1959-)  became leader of the party in 1999. The party does not have any MPs, but it does have councillors (=elected representatives) on many local government councils.
British Open, the		the most important British golf competition, which is held every year in different parts of the UK
British Rail		the national railway system of the UK, which used to be owned by the government. In 1996 and 1997, parts of the system were sold to private companies such as Railtrack and Virgin.
British Telecom		the former name of the largest company providing telephone services in the UK. It used to be owned by the government and was then the only telephone company in the UK. Since it became a private company, other companies have also been allowed to provide telephone services. The company is now called BT.
Britpop	 noun	a type of British popular music of the 1990s. It often has tunes that are easy to remember, clever or interesting words, and is suitable for dancing. It is usually played by small bands with a drummer, one or two guitar players, and a singer. Well-known Britpop bands include Blur and Oasis.
Brittany		an area of northwest France with a long coast, between the Bay of Biscay and the English Channel. It is a popular place for British people to go on holiday.
Britten, Benjamin		(1913–76)  a British musician, composer, and  conductor (=someone who directs a group of musicians) known especially for writing A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (1945), A War Requiem (1962) and the  operas Peter Grimes (1951) and Billy Budd (1951). In 1948 he started the  aldeburgh Festival with his life-long companion, the singer Sir Peter  pears.
Brixton		an area of south London which is known for having a large population of people whose families originally came the Caribbean or Africa
Broadcasting House		the central office of the BBC
Broadmoor		a special hospital in the UK for very dangerous criminals who are mentally ill
Broads		 an area of water leading to the sea in Norfolk, which is a popular place for sailing holidays
Broadway		a famous street in New York City where there are many theatres. Broadway and the area around it is the centre of the city's theatre industry
Brontë		the family name of three sisters from Yorkshire in the north of England, who wrote some of the most famous novels in English. Charlotte Brontë (1816–55)  wrote Jane Eyre, Emily Brontë (1818–48)  wrote Wuthering Heights, and Anne Brontë (1820–49)  wrote The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Bronx, the		a county, and one of the five boroughs, of New York City. It contains the zoo and Yankee Stadium, which is where the New York Yankees play baseball. It is thought of as a poor area of New York with a lot of crime, but this is not true of all of the Bronx.
Brooke, Rupert		(1887–1915)  a British poet who was a soldier in World War I, known especially for his poems about war and his romantic poems about England, including The Old Vicarage, Grantchester.
Brookings Institution, the		a US organization based in Washington D.C., which examines social and economic problems
Brooklyn		an industrial and international port area of New York City, and one of the city's five boroughs. It is known as an area where people of many different races live. People from Brooklyn often have a very strong accent (=way of pronouncing words) which is easy to recognize.
Brooks, Mel		(1926–)  a US actor and film director, known for his humorous films such as The Producers (1968), Blazing Saddles (1974), and High Anxiety (1978). He won an Oscar award for the screenplay of The Producers.
Brothers Grimm, the
Brown, Capability		(1716–83)  a British garden designer, who planned many large and famous gardens in castles and large country houses in England. One of his best-known gardens is at blenheim palace.
Brown, Charlie		a character from the US cartoon strip called Peanuts by Charles Schultz. Charlie Brown is a nice boy who is not very confident and is often unlucky. He has a pet dog called Snoopy.
Brown, Dan		(1964-)  an American writer who has written many popular books, including The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons
Brown, Gordon		(1951–)  a British politician who was UK prime minister and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. Before that, he was Chancellor of the Exchequer under Tony Blair from 1997 to 2007.
Brownie points	 noun	 to get praise or approval by doing something good or useful
Brownies, the	 noun	(in Britain) a division of the guides1 for younger girls
Browning, Elizabeth Barrett		(1806–61)  an English poet who married the poet Robert Browning in 1846
Browning, Robert		(1812–89)  an English poet, married to Elizabeth Barrett Browning, whose poems include The Ring and The Book and Home Thoughts from Abroad
Brown, James		(1928–2008)  a US popular musician, singer, and songwriter, regarded as one of the greatest soul singers ever and known for his exciting stage performances. His songs include Papa's Got a Brand New Bag (1965) and Sex Machine (1970). He is known as 'the Godfather of Soul'.
Brown, Jerry		(1938–)  a US politician who was governor of California from 1975 to 1983. He ran for the US presidency three times. He was the mayor of Oakland, California from 1998 until 2006, and is known for being left-wing. He became Attorney General of California in 2007. He became governor of California again in 2011.
Brown, Jim		(1936–)  a US football player who set a record for making touchdowns when he played for the Cleveland Browns team. He later became an actor.
Brown, John		(1800–59)  a US abolitionist (=someone who worked to end slavery) who tried to use violence to end slavery. With followers, he took over a government weapons establishment at Harper's Ferry, Virginia. He was caught and hanged for treason. Many people felt that he was a martyr (=someone who dies for a just or holy cause), and during the American Civil War, a song called John Brown's Body became popular in the North. The song is still well known and contains the words John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,/But his soul goes marching on.
Brown, Sir Arthur Whitten
Brown, Tina		(1953–)  a US journalist who was born in the UK. She was the editor of the New Yorker magazine until 1998, and was formerly the editor of two other magazines, Tatler and Vanity Fair. She also wrote The Diana Chronicles (2007), a biography of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Brown University		an old and respected US university, established in 1764, in Providence, Rhode Island
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka		a US legal case which resulted in a famous decision by the US Supreme Court in 1954. It was decided that African-American students should be allowed to attend the same schools and universities as white students, and this officially ended segregation in the US education system. Following this, some children were taken by bus to different schools in order to mix African-American and white students.
Brubeck, Dave		(1920–2012)  an American jazz musician, piano player, and composer. He is especially known for the song Take Five (1959).
Bruce, Lenny		(1926–66)  a US comedian who is remembered for making jokes about subjects such as sex and race. Some people were shocked by his jokes and the language he used, and this sometimes got him into trouble with the police.
Bruegel, Pieter		(?1525–69)  a Flemish painter of landscapes and ordinary people, also known as Bruegel the Elder. His sons Pieter (Bruegel the Younger) and Jan were also painters.
Brum		birmingham
Brummell, Beau		(1778–1840)  an English dandy (=a man who is very interested in clothes and likes to be very fashionable), who was a friend of George IV before he became king
Brunei		a country in the northwest of the island of Borneo in East Asia, which is under British protection and became an independent member of the Commonwealth in 1984. Population: 415,717 (2014). Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan. It is a rich oil-producing country, and its ruler, the Sultan of Brunei, is known as being one of the richest people in the world.
Brunel, Isambard Kingdom		(1806–59)  an English engineer famous for his railway engines, bridges, and iron ships
Brunhilde		a character in the Ring of the Nibelung who is a  princess. She is usually shown as a large strong fair-haired woman in  armour, whose face shows proud determination.
Brush, Basil
Brussels		the capital city of Belgium, the centre of the country, from which the business of the European Union and NATO is run
Brute		 and you, Brutus?
Bruton, John		(1947–)  an Irish politician who was leader of the Fine Gael Party (1990-2001) and Taoiseach (= Prime Minister) of the Republic of Ireland (1994-1997). In 1995 Mr Bruton and the British prime minister, John Major, began the process that led to peace talks in Northern Ireland.
Brutus, Marcus		(?85–42 BC)  a Roman politician who was the chief member of the plot to murder Julius Caesar
Bryce Canyon National Park		a large park in the US state of Utah, known for its scenery of unusually shaped pink and white rock
Brylcreem	 noun	a type of oil used on men's hair to make it shiny and smooth	"百利"牌男用发乳
Brynner, Yul		(1915–85)  an American actor, born in Russia, who was known especially for having no hair. He played the King in The King and I on stage and on film, and was the leader in the film The Magnificent Seven.
Bryson, Bill		(1951–)  a US writer who lived in the UK for many years, and is known for his intelligent and humorous travel books, including The Lost Continent and Notes from a Small Island. Bryson also wrote the popular science book A Short History of Nearly Everything.
BSI, the		(British Standards Institution) an organization which sets standards for units of measurement, clothes sizes etc, and safety standards for electrical and other goods used in Britain
BSkyB		(British Sky Broadcasting) another name for sky tv (=a television company)
BT
Buchanan, James		(1791–1868)  the 15th president of the US (1857–61)
Bucharest		the capital and largest city of Romania
Buchwald, Art		(1925–2007)  a US writer known especially for his humorous newspaper articles on political subjects
Bucket, Hyacinth		a female character in a humorous British television programme called Keeping Up Appearances. She always keeps her house very clean and tidy, and is a typical example of an English snob (=someone who thinks social class is very important and is eager to be accepted by people of a higher social class). She pronounces her name to sound like 'bouquet' (=an arrangement of flowers) instead of like 'bucket'.
Buckinghamshire		a county in central southern England
Buckley, William F.		(1925–2008)  a well-known US political writer who started the conservative magazine the National Review in 1955, and was its editor until 1990. He also wrote the novels Marco Polo, If You Can (1981) and See You Later, Alligator (1985).
Buck, Pearl S.		(1892–1973)  a US writer who lived for many years in China until 1931 and wrote several novels about that country. She won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1938.
Bud	 noun	a budweiser (=a type of beer)
Budapest		the capital and largest city of Hungary, on the River Danube
Budget, the		in the UK, a plan for how the government will collect all the money it needs, which is announced each year by the chancellor of the exchequer (=the minister in charge of financial matters). The Chancellor is always shown going to Parliament carrying a special red case that contains the Budget speech. The speech is broadcast on television and radio, and most people take an interest in the effects of the Budget on taxes and on the price of things like petrol, alcohol, and cigarettes.
Budget Day		the day in March or April when the British Chancellor of the Exchequer makes the Budget speech in Parliament. The Chancellor goes to Parliament carrying the speech in a special red case. The speech is broadcast, and ordinary people take great interest in its effects on such things as the price of petrol, cigarettes, and alcohol.
Budweiser		a type of US beer
Buenos Aires		the capital city of Argentina, an important international port and one of the largest cities in South America
Buffalo		a port at the northeast end of Lake Erie near Niagara Falls in the state of New York, in the US
Buffalo Bill		(1846–1917)  a scout (=a soldier sent out to get information about the enemy) for the US army, who was also a buffalo hunter. After leaving the army, he organized the 'Wild West Show', in which he and people such as Annie oakley and sitting bull showed their skill at shooting and horse-riding, and tried to give people an idea of what life was like in the American West. Buffalo Bill's real name was William Cody.
Buffett, Warren		(1930–)  a wealthy US businessman and investor (=someone who buys and sells stocks etc). He bought his first shares when he was 11, and bought land when he was 14, using the money he earned delivering newspapers. He studied at Columbia University after Harvard Business School said they would not take him. He is one of the world's richest people, but he has promised that he will give a lot of his money to charity.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer		a popular television programme about an attractive young woman named Buffy, who hunts and kills vampires. It was broadcast from 1997 until 2003.
Bug	 noun	a Beetle  (=type of small Volkswagen car)
Bugs Bunny		a cartoon rabbit who likes carrots and often uses the phrase 'What's up, Doc?'
Buick		a type of US car made by General Motors
Bukowski, Charles		(1920–94)  a US writer, born in Germany, who wrote several novels, short stories, and collections of poetry. His work often shows both anger and humour. His novels include Post Office and Ham on Rye, and his best-known short story collection is called Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions, and General Tales of Ordinary Madness.
Bulgaria		a country in southeast Europe next to the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey. Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007. Population: 6,981,642 (2014). Capital: Sofia.
Bulge
Bulger murder, the		the murder in 1992 of a young boy called James Bulger, in Liverpool in the UK. The case shocked people and was talked about a lot, because James Bulger's killers were two ten-year-old boys, and many people thought this proved that children in general were becoming more violent.
bulgur wheat	 noun	grains of wheat that have been quickly boiled, then dried. Bulgur wheat is soaked or cooked before being eaten.
Bull, John
Bull Run		the place in northeast Virginia in the US where there were two important battles in the american civil war which the Union forces lost to Confederate forces. Many men were killed or hurt in these battles.
Bundesbank, the		the national bank of Germany. It has a lot of influence in the European system of central banks. In the past, before the Euro became the currency in Germany, the bank's decisions about rates of interest (=the additional amount you have to pay back when you borrow money) had a lot of influence on interest rates in other European countries.
Bundt cake		a sweet cake shaped like a ring, made in a special pan
Bundy, Ted		(1956–89)  a US man who killed many young women in the 1970s and 1980s. He was finally caught, and in 1989 he was executed (execute ).
bunga bunga	 noun	an activity at a party, in which young women take off their clothes to entertain older men and may have sex with them
Bunker, Archie		one of the main characters in the humorous US television programme from the 1970s called All in the Family. Archie Bunker is a working-class man who is very proud of being American, always thinks that he is right, and believes that foreign people should not be allowed to live in the US because they will change it too much. People sometimes use 'Archie Bunker' as a name for anyone who has similar strong opinions.
Bunker Hill, the Battle of		the first main battle of the american revolutionary war, in Boston, Massachusetts in 1775. Although the British army won the battle, the American colonists killed and wounded more than 1000 British soldiers, and proved that their army was more powerful and effective than the British expected them to be.
Bunter, Billy		the main character in children's stories by Frank Richards about life in an English public school (=a private school where the students live as well as study). Bunter is a fat stupid boy with glasses who loves eating and is always getting into trouble.
Bunyan, John		(1628–88)  an English preacher who wrote The pilgrim's progress while he was in prison for his beliefs
Bunyan, Paul		a giant (=an extremely large man) in old American stories. He was a lumberjack (=someone whose job is to cut down trees) from the forests of Canada and the north US, who travelled with a blue ox called Babe. They changed the shape of the land as they walked along, for example by making mountains and also the grand canyon.
Burberry		a British fashion company which is famous for the check pattern that it uses on some of its high-quality clothes and other products such as handbags. During the 1990s, Burberry clothing became popular with football hooligans and became connected in people's minds with chav culture, but the company was able to improve the image of its brand and people see it as a high-quality brand again.
Burchill, Julie		(1959–)  a British journalist and novelist who is known for her strong opinions. She has written articles for many newspapers and magazines including The Guardian, The Times, and The Spectator. Her  novels include Ambition and No Exit. She used to be married to the British writer and critic Tony Parsons.
Bureau of Indian Affairs, the		a US government organization which is concerned with the welfare and education of Native Americans and with other legal matters concerning reservations (=areas set aside for Native Americans to live on)
Burger King		a restaurant in the US and many other countries, which serves hamburgers and other types of fast food
Burgess, Anthony		(1917–93)  a British writer whose novels include Earthly Powers, A Dead Man in Deptford, and a Clockwork Orange, which was made into a controversial film. He also wrote essays and books about the English language, including The Novel Now and  A Student's Guide to Contemporary Fiction.
Burgess, Guy		(1911–63) an Englishman who was a spy for the former Soviet Union and escaped the UK to go there in 1951
Burj Dubai		a skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, that is the tallest building in the world
Burke and Hare		two men in 19th-century Edinburgh who robbed graves and killed at least 15 people in order to sell dead bodies to be cut up by medical scientists
Burke, Edmund		(1729–97)  a British Whig politician, born in Dublin, Ireland. He wrote many works of political theory and was also a great speaker.
Burke's Peerage		a book that gives details of all the noble families in the UK who have special titles like 'Duke' and 'Earl'
Burkina Faso		a very poor dry country in West Africa, to the north of Ghana and the east of Mali, which was formerly called Upper Volta. Population: 17,812,961 (2014). Capital: Ouagadougou.
Burma		the former name of myanmar, a country in east Asia. Burma is the name preferred by the National League for Democracy, led by aung san suu kyi.
Burma Road, the		a road leading from Burma (Myanmar) to China, which was used during World War II to supply Allied forces in China
Burma shave		a type of shaving cream that used to be very popular in the US. It used to advertise by putting each line of a funny short poem on a sign along the road, so that you would read the poem gradually as you drove.
Burne-Jones, Edward		(1833–98)  a British painter who was one of the pre-raphaelites. He often painted women with pale skin and long red hair. He also worked in tapestry (=heavy cloth with pictures woven into them) and stained glass.
Burnett, Frances Hodgson		(1849–1924)  an American writer born in England, best known for her children's books Little Lord Fauntleroy and The Secret Garden
Burns, George		(1896–1996)  a US comedian and actor who was popular in vaudeville, on radio, and on television. He was known for always smoking a cigar and for talking to the audience (=the people watching).
Burns, Robert		(1759–96)  a Scottish poet who wrote in the scots dialect and is regarded as Scotland's national poet. He wrote about love, country life, and national pride, and his best-known poems include Tam o' Shanter and To a Mouse. Scottish people all over the world celebrate his birthday on 25 January, Burns Night.
Burroughs, Edgar Rice		(1875–1950)  a US writer, known for his stories about tarzan
Burroughs, William		(1914–97)  a US writer who wrote about subjects such as drugs, death, and homosexuality. His most famous novel is The Naked Lunch (1959).
Burton, Richard		(1925–84)  a Welsh film and theatre actor, regarded as one of the best of his time. He was married twice to Elizabeth Taylor, and the marriages attracted almost as much attention as his acting.
Burundi		a mountainous country in east central Africa, surrounded by Rwanda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Population: 10,888,321 (2014). Capital: Bujumbura.
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee		a book by Dee Brown which tells the story of the American West in a way that is sympathetic to the Native Americans
Busby, Sir Matt		(1909–94)  a British football manager, who for many years was the manager of manchester united. His players, known as the Busby babes, were very successful during the 1950s, but in 1958 eight members of the team were killed in a plane crash in Munich.
Bush, George		(1924–)  the 41st president of the US (1989–93) . He is remembered especially for promising before his election that he would not increase taxes, using the phrase 'Read my lips – no new taxes'. But after he became president, he did in fact increase some taxes.
Bush, George W.		(1946-) the 43rd president of the US (2000–2009). His second election as president was DISPUTEd. He was strongly criticized for the war in Iraq and for the way he dealt with Hurricane Katrina. He is the son of the former President George Bush.
Bush House		the building in London from which the BBC World Service broadcasts radio programmes abroad
Bussell, Darcey		(1969–)  an English ballerina who is known for becoming a leading dancer with the Royal Ballet at age 19
Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid		a film made in 1969 with Robert Redford and Paul Newman, about two American bandits who were hunted and finally died in a shoot-out
Buthelezi, Chief Mangosuthu Gatsha		(1928–)  the South African leader of the Zulu Inkatha Freedom Party, the third largest political party in South Africa. In 1994 he became a minister in Nelson Mandela's government. He was the Minister of Home Affairs from 1994 until 2004.
Butler Report, the		a report which was prepared for the British Government by a committee led by Lord Butler, an important civil servant, and which was published in July 2004. The Government had asked Butler to examine the intelligence (=information about the secret activities of government, the military plans of an enemy etc) about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction on which the government had based its decision to join a coalition (=group of armies from different countries) led by the US which invaded Iraq in 2003. The report said that important intelligence had been unreliable (=could not be trusted) and that the Intelligence Service which had advised the government had not checked its sources (=the people it got information from) carefully enough.
Butler, Rhett		the main male character in the novel gone with the wind. In the film of this book, Rhett Butler was played by Clark Gable, and he is remembered especially for saying to Scarlett O'Hara 'Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn!'
Butler, Robert Olen		(1945–)  a US writer who was a soldier during the Vietnam war. Many of his novels are about living in a foreign country and Butler often writes about Vietnamese people who are living in the US. His novels include The Alleys of Eden, Tabloid Dreams, and A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain, which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1993.
Butlins		a group of holiday camps in various seaside towns in the UK. They were started by Sir Billy Butlin (1899–1980)  with the aim of providing inexpensive holidays for ordinary working people, and they were especially popular in the 1950s and 1960s.	巴特林度假胜地〔遍布英国各海滨城镇、以普通工薪族为对象的度假营地，由比利·巴特林爵士（1899–1980）首创，在20世纪50–60年代尤为流行〕
Butthead
Buttons		a character in the pantomimeCinderella. He is Cinderella's friend.
buy to rent	 noun	the activity of buying houses so that you can make money from renting them to other people
BWI		 a large airport between Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
Byars, Betsy		(1928–)  a US writer of novels for young people between the ages of 10 and 18, which include The Summer of the Swans, and the Bingo Brown and Herculeah Jones series of books
Byelorussia
Byrd, Richard		(1888–1957) a US explorer who was important in the exploration of and research about Antarctica. He was the first to fly over both the North Pole and the south Pole.
Byron, Lord		(1788–1824)  an English writer of romantic and satirical poetry, best known for poems such as Childe Harold's Pilgrimage and Don Juan. He is also remembered for his romantic life which included many famous love affairs and for his death of fever in Greece while fighting against the Turks for Greek independence.
Byzantium		an ancient city, centre of the Byzantine Empire. The city was renamed Constantinople by Constantine the Great, and is now called Istanbul.
Böll, Heinrich		(1917–1985) a German writer of novels. Among his best-known works are Group Portrait with Lady and The Clown. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1972.
C4		the written abbreviation of Channel 4
CA		the written abbreviation of california
Caballé, Montserrat		(1933–)  a Spanish opera singer, who was one of the most important sopranos (=women with high singing voices) of the 20th century
Cabaret		(1972) a US film with singing and dancing, in which Liza Minelli appears as a singer in a nightclub who lives with her lover in Berlin in the 1930s before the Nazis took complete power
Cabbage Patch doll		a type of doll that looks like a small fat child. All Cabbage Patch dolls are slightly different from one another.
Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms		a group of offices in a secret place somewhere in Whitehall, London which are used if there is a serious national or regional emergency. They contain communication equipment, such as telephones and computers, which would allow the prime minister and other important people such as government officials to get information about the event, and to communicate with the emergency services. It is also known as COBRA because the meetings of the Civil Contingencies Committee take place in Conference Room A.
Cabinet reshuffle	 noun	a change in the members of the British Cabinet, decided by the prime minister, in which some members are given different jobs, some members lose their jobs, and new members are brought in
Cabot, John		(?1450–98)  an Italian sailor and explorer who worked for the English king, Henry VII, and who reached the coast of North America in 1497
Cabrini, St Frances Xavier		(1850–1917)  also known as Mother Cabrini ; a Roman Catholic nun (=a member of a group of religious women), who was born in Italy but lived in the US, and who built schools, hospitals, and convents (=buildings where nuns live) in many US cities. She became the first US citizen to be named a saint. Many churches and other institutions are named after her.
Cadbury		a British company that makes many different chocolate products. Its products are often in purple boxes or wrappers, and the company uses purple in its advertising.
Caddy	 noun	an informal name for a cadillac
Caernarfon		a small town in northwest Wales, known for its castle where the British king or queen's oldest son is given the official royal title, Prince of Wales. Prince Charles's investiture (=ceremony for receiving this title) took place there in 1969.
Caesar, Julius		(100–44 BC)  a Roman politician, military leader, and writer, who took control of the government of Rome and changed it from a republic to an empire, making himself the first Roman emperor. For this reason, he was murdered by Brutus and Cassius, and Shakespeare wrote a play called Julius Caesar which describes these events. He is also known as the first Roman leader to attack Britain.
Cage, John		(1912–92) an American composer of very modern music, including Winter Music and Fontana Mix.
Cagney, James		(1899–1986)  a US film actor known for appearing as a gangster (=a member of a violent group of criminals) in films such as The Public Enemy (1931) and White Heat (1949). He is supposed to have said 'You dirty rat' in one of his films and people often remember this phrase when they think of him.
Cain		in the Old Testament of the Bible, Adam and Eve's and first son, who killed his younger brother Abel, and therefore became the first ever murderer
Caine, Michael		(1933–)  a British film actor who has been famous since the 1960s. His many films include Alfie (1966), Educating Rita (1983), and The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005-2012). He won an Oscar for the film The Cider House Rules (1999). He is known for his cockney accent although he was actually born in South London. He is also known for using the phrase 'Not a lot of people know that'. In 2000, he became Sir Michael Caine.
Cairngorms, the		a group of mountains in Scotland, known as a popular place for walking and climbing. The skiing (ski ) centre at aviemore is in the Cairngorms.
Cairns		a city and port on the north-east coast of Australia in the state of Queensland
Cairo		the capital and largest city of Egypt, a port on the River Nile in the north of the country. Cairo is an important centre for business and industry, and has many museums and historic buildings.
Calais		an industrial city and port on the English Channel in northwest France, used especially by ferries (ferry ) to and from Dover in England
Calcutta		the former name of Kolkata, a city and port in eastern India on the Hooghly River and capital of West Bengal state
Calder, Alexander		(1898–1976)  a US sculptor best known for his large outdoor works of art found in many cities, and for his large mobiles (=decorations made of objects tied to wires or string which move when air blows around them)
Caledonia		an old name for Scotland used in poetry and now often used in the names of Scottish companies. Caledonia was originally the Roman name for northern Britain.
Caledonian Canal, the		a canal (=artificial river) in Scotland which joins the Atlantic Ocean to a line of lochs (=lakes), which then connect to the North Sea
Calgary		a city in South Alberta, Canada which is next to the Bow and Elbow rivers and contains the most important petroleum industries in the country
Caliban		a character in the play The Tempest by William  shakespeare. He is an ugly  slave owned by  prospero and is only half human, since his mother is a  witch (=a woman who has magic powers), but his father is a  devil (=an evil spirit).
California		a state in the southwest of the US, next to the Pacific Ocean, whose main cities include San Francisco and Los Angeles. The state capital is Sacramento. Disneyland and Hollywood are in California. The area between San Francisco and San José is known informally as Silicon Valley and is a centre of the computer industry. California is known for its farming industry, especially the production of fruit and wine. It is the world's fifth largest economy. Its nickname is The Golden State.
California Institute of Technology
Caligula		(12–41 AD)  a Roman emperor who was known for being extremely violent, cruel, and mad
Callaghan, James		(1912–2005)  a British politician in the Labour Party who was prime minister from 1976 to 1979. He resigned from his job as party leader in 1980 and retired from the House of Commons in 1987. His official title was Lord Callaghan of Cardiff.
Callas, Maria		(1923–77)  a US opera singer whose parents were Greek. She was known for her powerful voice and for being able to act as well as sing. She is regarded as one of the greatest opera singers of the 20th century.
call girl	 noun	a prostitute who arranges by telephone to meet men	电话应召女郎
Calor gas	 noun	a type of gas that is sold in metal containers and used for heating and cooking where there is no gas supply	卡乐罐装液化气
Cal Tech		 a respected university in Pasadena, California, near Los Angeles. It is known for its high quality teaching and research in science subjects.
Calvary		the Roman name for the place near Jerusalem where, according to the Bible, Jesus Christ died by being crucified (crucify ). Its Aramaic name was Golgotha.
Calvin, John		(1509–64)  a French protestant leader and theologian (=someone who studies religion and religious beliefs), whose ideas strongly influenced the reformation (=the time when many Christians left the Catholic religion and started the Protestant religion)
Camargue, the		a flat area in southern France at the delta of the River Rhône. It is a national park which is known for its white horses and its large variety of wild animals, especially birds.
Cambodia		a country in southeast Asia between Thailand and Vietnam. Population: 15,205,539 (2014). Capital: Phnom Penh. Its former name was Kampuchea. Cambodia experienced terrible suffering during the 1970s under the government of Pol Pot, and during the civil war that followed in the 1980s. But there were free elections in 1993, and the country began to be rebuilt after many years of war.
Cambrian Mountains, the		a group of mountains that go from north to south through the middle of Wales
Cambridge		a city in eastern England next to the River Cam, which is famous for its old university and for its science park, where there are many computer and electronics companies
Cambridge Certificate, the		an examination in the English language for speakers of other languages, set by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES). There are examinations at various levels, including the First Certificate of English, the Certificate of Advanced English, and the Certificate of Proficiency in English.
Cambridgeshire		a county in eastern England whose main town is Cambridge
Cambridge University		one of the two oldest and most respected universities in the UK, established in the 13th century. The university is made up of about 30 separate colleges, where the students live and also receive some of their teaching
Camden		a borough in North London which is a fashionable place to live. It includes Camden Town, an area with many unusual clothes shops, night clubs, restaurants, and a market at camden lock.
Camden Lock		a market area in Camden, North London, which sells antiques (=valuable old furniture, plates, and other objects), second-hand clothing, unusual jewellery etc, especially at weekends
Camelot		according to old stories about King Arthur, the place where Arthur and his knights lived. It is believed to have been in Somerset in southwest England, and is thought of as a magical, beautiful, and peaceful place.
Camelot		the company that operates the national lottery in the UK
Cameron, David	 	(1966-)  a British politician who became UK prime minister in May 2010. He is the leader of a coalition government in which the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats share power. He was educated at Eton College and Oxford University before joining the Conservative Party's Research Department. In 2005 he became leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition.
Cameroon		a country in West Africa, east of Nigeria and next to the Gulf of Guinea. Population: 20,549,221 (2014). Capital: Yaoundé
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, the		the full name of cnd
Campbell, Menzies		(1941-) a British politician who was formerly leader of the Liberal Democrats (2006-7). His full title is Sir Walter Menzies Campbell.
Campbell Soup Company, the		a US food company that is one of the world's largest producers of cans of soup
Camp David		the country home of US presidents, where the president goes to relax. The Camp David Agreement, which established peace between Egypt and Israel, was signed there in 1979.
Camp Delta		a US prison on Guantánamo Bay in Cuba. In 2002, all the prisoners from Camp X-Ray were moved to Camp Delta.
Camp Fire USA		an organization in the US for girls and boys, which teaches them practical skills and helps them develop their character
Camp X-ray		a US prison on Guantánamo Bay in Cuba. In 2002, all the prisoners there were moved to Camp Delta.
Camus, Albert		(1913–60)  a French existentialist writer and philosopher who believed that life has no meaning, but that people can still be happy. He is best known for his novels L'Étranger (1942) and La Peste (1948).
Cana		according to the Bible, an ancient town in galilee where Jesus performed his first miracle, in which he changed water into wine
Canaan		the name for ancient Palestine which, according to the Bible, God promised to Abraham and his people. Because of this, Canaan is also called the promised land.
Canada Dry		a type of soft drink products, especially ginger ale
Canada		a country in North America, north of the US, which is made up of ten provinces. Population: 34,568,211 (2014). Capital: Ottawa. Canada is the second largest country in the world. It is a member of the Commonwealth and it used to be part of the British Empire. Before that, part of it was governed by France, and its official languages are English and French.
Canaletto, Antonio		(1697–1768)  an Italian painter, known especially for his paintings of Venice and of the River Thames in London
Canary Islands, the		a group of islands near northwest Africa which belong to Spain. British tourists often visit the Canary Islands because the weather is always warm and sunny.
Canary Wharf		part of the docklands area in East London, where there are many office buildings built in the 1980s, including Canary Wharf Tower, which was the tallest building in the UK for many years
Canberra		the capital city of Australia
Candide		(1759) a book by the French writer voltaire which is a satire (=humorous criticism) on the belief that 'everything is for the best in the best of all possible worlds'. Candide is a young man who is taught to be an optimist, but his experiences show him how bad life is, and he decides that it is best to 'cultivate  (=look after) one's own garden'.
Candlemas		a Christian holy day, February 2nd, which celebrates the presentation of Jesus Christ in the temple and the purification (=making pure) of his mother Mary
Cannes		a fashionable expensive town next to the Mediterranean Sea in southern France which is famous as a holiday centre and because of the Cannes Film Festival, a yearly event when new international films are shown for the first time and are judged
Canterbury		a small city in southeast England which is famous for its impressive 11th century cathedral, the main church of the church of england
Canterbury Tales, The		a long poem written by Geoffrey chaucer in the 14th century, in which pilgrims who are travelling to Canterbury tell stories. One of the most famous characters of the Canterbury Tales is the wife of bath. The poem is considered to be one of the greatest works of literature in the English language.
Canton		a name formerly used for guangzhou, a large city in southern China
Canute		(?995–1035)  the King of England from 1016 to 1035, who also became King of Denmark and Norway. According to an old story, King Canute once ordered the sea to stop coming in towards the land in order to show his servants that he was not as powerful as they said he was. People sometimes mention this story when they are talking about something that is so powerful that it is useless to try to stop it.
CAP, the		(the Common Agricultural Policy) a system of laws arranged by the european union to control the production of food and other farm crops. It set limits on how much farmers can grow, and provided them with financial support. The CAP has often been criticized as a wasteful use of European Union money, and some people think it has given a lot of money to rich farmers who do not need it.
Cape Canaveral		a cape2 in Florida which is famous for the kennedy space center, where US spacecraft are sent into space. Cape Canaveral was formerly called Cape Kennedy.
Cape Cod		a cape in southern Massachusetts in the US which is a popular place for tourists
Cape Coloured	 noun	a South African person of mixed race with black, white, or east Asian origins
Cape Hatteras		a cape2 in North Carolina in the US, which is a popular place for tourists. It is also well known as a place where there are bad storms that have destroyed many ships.
Cape Horn		the extreme end of South America, known for its very bad weather and dangerous ocean currents
Cape Kennedy		a former name of cape canaveral
Cape of Good Hope, the		a peninsula (=a piece of land surrounded on three sides by water) at the southwestern end of South Africa, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Indian Ocean
Cape Province		a province in the south of South Africa. Its full name is Cape of Good Hope Province and it was formerly called Cape Colony.
Cape Town		a large city in South Africa near the Cape of Good Hope. It is built around table mountain, and South Africa's parliament building is there.
Cape Verde		a country that consists of a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal. Population: 531,046 (2014). Capital: Praia.
Capitol, the		the building in Washington, D.C. where the US Congress meets
Cap'n Crunch		a type of sweet breakfast cereal which is popular especially with children in the US
Capone, Al		(1899–1947)  one of the most famous US gangsters (=criminals who belong to a violent group). From 1925 to 1931 he was the leader of organized crime in Chicago. He was sometimes called Scarface because he had a scar on his cheek.
Capote, Truman		(1924–84)  a US writer best known for his short story Breakfast at Tiffany's, which was made into a successful film, and for his book In Cold Blood in which he describes a true crime involving two men who murdered a whole family.
Capra, Frank		(1897–1991) a US film director, born in Italy, who made films with a gentle humour and sympathy for ordinary people, such as Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936),  Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), and It's a Wonderful Life (1946).
Capri		an island near the city of Naples in southern Italy, which is a popular place for tourists
Captain Cook
Captain Hook		an evil pirate (=someone who sails on the sea, attacking other ships and stealing from them) who has a metal hook in place of one of his hands, and who is the enemy of peter pan in the play and book Peter Pan by J.M. barrie
Captain Kangaroo		a US television programme for children which began in 1953 and continued into the 1960s and 1970s. Captain Kangaroo was the main character, and the other well-known character from the programme was Mr Green Jeans.
Capulets and Montagues, the		two families in the play romeo and juliet by William shakespeare. The Capulets are Juliet's family and the Montagues are Romeo's. The two families hate each other, so Romeo and Juliet have to get married secretly.
Caracas		the capital of Venezuela
Cardiff		the capital and main port of Wales. Cardiff is an industrial city which also has a castle, cathedral, university, and the Millennium Stadium where important rugby matches are played.
Cardin, Pierre		(1922–)  a French fashion designer who is best known for the unisex space-ageclothes he designed in the 1960s
CARE		(Cooperative for American Relief to Everywhere) an organization that sends special boxes of food, clothing, and medicine called 'CARE packages' to places in the world where they are needed. The organization started in the US but now includes 12 member countries.
Carey, George		(1935–)  a British priest who was the Archbishop of Canterbury  (=the leader of the Church of England) from 1991 to 2002. During his time as Archbishop, he allowed the ordination of women as priests.
Caribbean Sea, the		the sea between Central America, South America, and the Caribbean islands, west of the Atlantic Ocean
Carlisle		a city in northwest England, where the local government for Cumbria is based
Carlsberg		a type of lager (=light-coloured beer) popular in the UK, and known especially for being advertised as being 'probably the best lager in the world'. People sometimes use these words humorously, changing them slightly, when they are talking about other subjects.
Carlton Club, the		a gentleman's club in central London. Many of its members belong to the British Conservative Party.
Carlyle, Thomas		(1795–1881)  a Scottish writer on political and social subjects, who wrote a famous history of the french revolution
Carmarthenshire		a county in southwestern Wales
Carmen		an opera written in 1875 by the French composer Georges Bizet, about a Spanish gypsy woman called Carmen
Carmichael, Stokely		(1941–98)  a former member of the Black Panthers who worked actively in the 1960s to achieve social and political change in the US for African Americans. He invented the phrase 'black power '.
Carnaby Street		a street in London which was world famous in the 1960s for its shops selling fashionable clothes for young people
Carnegie, Andrew		(1835–1919)  a US businessman and philanthropist, born in Scotland, who started a company that produced iron and steel, became very rich, and gave most of his money away. His money helped to start many public libraries in the US, and he also provided most of the money for building carnegie hall.
Carnegie, Dale		(1888–1955)  the US writer of How To Win Friends and Influence People (1936), a book about how to communicate with people if you want to be successful in business, which was very popular for many years
Carnegie Hall		a large concert hall in New York City where many famous and admired musicians perform. It is therefore considered a great achievement to perform there.
Carolinas, the		the US states of North Carolina and South Carolina
Carolingian	 adjective	connected with the period, starting in the late 8th century AD, when Charlemagne was the Holy Roman Emperor and ruled most of western Europe
Carrauntoohill		the highest mountain in the Republic of Ireland, in the southwest of the country
Carreras, José		(1946–)  a Spanish opera singer. From 1990 until 2003 he was well-known as one of the 'Three Tenors' with Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti.
Carroll, Lewis		(1832–98)  a British writer who wrote two very famous children's stories, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. His real name was Charles Dodgson, and he was also a teacher of  mathematics at Oxford University.
carrotmob	 noun	a planned event in which many people get together and buy goods from a particular shop or business in order to show their support for the business's good environmental or social practices
Carry On film	 noun	one of a series of very popular humorous British films made especially in the 1960s and 1970s. Carry On films often used the same actors, and most of the jokes are double entendres (=something that has two possible meanings) about sex. They have titles such as Carry on Nurse (1959) and Carry on up the Khyber (1968).
Carson City		the capital of the state of Nevada in the US
Carson, Johnny		(1925–2005)  a US comedian and television presenter, famous for appearing on The Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992. He was always introduced with the words 'Here's Johnny!', and he then gave a long humorous speech, which was often about politics and recent events.
Carson, Kit		(1809–68)  a US hunter and soldier who also worked as a guide for John C. frémont on his journeys in the western part of North America. Carson City in the state of Nevada is named after him.
Carson, Rachel		(1907–64)  a US scientist who worked in the area of marine biology (=the study of the creatures and plants that live in the sea). She wrote several books, including Silent Spring, and she was one of the first people to realize that pesticides (=chemicals for protecting crops from insects) were damaging the environment.
Carter, Jimmy		(1924–)  the 39th president of the US from 1977 to 1981. In 1979 Carter helped arrange the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel called the Camp David Agreement. Before he became president, he was in charge of his family's peanut business and was the governor of the US state of Georgia. Carter is known for being a religious person and for doing a lot of charity work. Since 1981 he has been involved in efforts to try to end wars in other countries. In 2002 he won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Carthage		an ancient city on the north coast of Africa, near the modern city of Tunis. Carthage was involved in three wars against the ancient Romans, who eventually destroyed it in 146 bc
Cartier		a company that produces fashionable jewellery, known especially for its very expensive watches
Cartier, Jacques		(1491–1557) a French explorer made two important journeys to Canada
Cartland, Dame Barbara		(1904–2000)  a British writer known for writing hundreds of romantic novels in a rather old-fashioned style. She was also known for wearing pink clothes and a lot of make-up and for encouraging people to eat health foods
Carton, Sydney		an important character in the book A Tale of Two Cities (1859) by Charles Dickens. Carton is a London lawyer who falls in love with Lucie Manette. But Lucie marries Charles Darnay. Darnay is arrested and sentenced to death, but Carton dies by taking Darnay's place.
Cartwright, Edmund		(1743–1823)  a British engineer who invented machines that were used in factories to make cloth, and that did jobs which were previously done by people
Caruso, Enrico		(1873–1921)  an Italian opera singer, considered to be one of the greatest tenors of the 20th century. He was one of the first opera singers to make records, and this made him famous throughout the world.
Carver, George Washington		(1860–1943)  a US scientist who studied farming and crops, and was one of the first African Americans in the US to become an important scientist. He showed cotton farmers how to grow different crops and discovered many uses for the peanut and the sweet potato.
Casablanca		the largest city in Morocco, on the Atlantic coast
Casanova, Giacomo		(1725–98)  an Italian writer famous for having had many lovers
Cascade Range, the		a group of mountains in the west of the US and Canada, which stretch from British Columbia in the north down to northern California, where they join with the Sierra Nevada
Cash, Johnny		(1932–2002)  a US country and western singer and song writer, known for his very deep voice and for songs such as I Walk the Line (1956) and A Boy Named Sue (1969)
Caspian Sea, the		the largest inland sea in the world, between southeast Europe and Asia. It is surrounded by Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan.
Cassatt, Mary		(1845–1926)  a US painter who worked mainly in France with the impressionists
Castle, Barbara		(1911–2002)  a British politician who was a Labour MP from 1945 to 1979. She held many senior government positions, including Minister of Transport (1965–68) and Secretary of State for Employment (1968–70). She was also a Labour member of the European Parliament (1979–89). When she was Minister of Transport she introduced the breathalyser test which is used by the police to test whether a driver has drunk too much alcohol. From 1990 her official title was Baroness Castle.
Castor and Pollux		in ancient Greek and Roman stories, two brothers who were twins (=two children born at the same time), and who had many adventures. The group of stars known as gemini or the Heavenly Twins is named after them.
Castro, the		an area in San Francisco which is known for being a fashionable place where many homosexuals live
Castro, Fidel		(1926–)  the former communist leader of Cuba who led the opposition to the dictator Batista, and forced him to leave the country in 1954. Castro then became prime minister of Cuba, and later its president. He is known for always wearing military clothes and having a long beard. In 2008 he resigned, and his brother Raul became president.
Casualty		a British television drama programme about the doctors, nurses, and medical students who work in the casualty department of a hospital
Catcher in the Rye, The		a book by J.D. salinger about a boy called Holden  caulfield who runs away from school and goes to New York. The book has been especially popular with young people because it describes the problems and experiences of  adolescence (=the time when a child is developing into an adult).
Cathay Pacific		an airline based in Hong Kong
Catherine of Aragon		(1485–1536)  the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and the mother of Mary I
Catherine the Great		(1729–96)  the empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796 who greatly increased the size of the Russian empire. She is known for having had many lovers.
Cather, Willa		(1876–1947)  a US writer who grew up in Nebraska at the time when Europeans first went to live there. Her books include O! Pioneers and My Antonia.
Cat in the Hat, The		a popular children's book by dr seuss which is written in rhyme and contains drawings. It is the story of a strange cat who wears a tall red and white hat and plays tricks. The same character appears in other books by Dr Seuss.
Cats		a musical (=a play that uses singing and dancing to tell a story) by Andrew Lloyd Webber, which is based on T.S. eliot's Poems about Cats. Cats is one of the most popular musicals ever written, and has been seen by millions of people.
Catseye	 noun	one of a line of small flat objects fixed in the middle of the road that shine when lit by car lights and guide traffic in the dark	"猫眼"〔置于道路中间的反光装置，可在黑暗中引导交通〕
Catskill Mountains, the		a group of mountains in the southeast of New York state, US, part of the Appalachian mountain range. From the 1920s to the 1950s they were a popular place for people to go on holiday, especially Jewish people, and there were many large, comfortable hotels there. Many Jewish entertainers worked there before they became famous. Today it is a popular place for people who live in New York City to visit at the weekend.
Catullus, Gaius Valerius		(?84-?54 BC)  an ancient Roman poet, known especially for his love poems
Caucasus, the		an area in the extreme south-east of Europe between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, which includes Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia and contains the Caucasus Mountains
Caucasus Mountains, the		a group of mountains in the Caucasus in south-east Europe, which includes Mount Elbruz, the highest mountain in Europe
Caulfield, Holden		the main character in the book The catcher in the rye by J. D. salinger. Holden Cauldfield has a lot of difficult experiences because he is a  teenager.
Cavalier	 noun	a supporter of King Charles I against parliament in the English Civil War of the 17th century, in which the Cavaliers fought against the roundheads
Cavendish, Henry		(1731–1810)  a British scientist who discovered hydrogen and also discovered the chemical composition of water  (=the different parts it is made from)
cavolo nero	 noun	a kind of Italian cabbage with very dark green leaves
Caxton, William		(?1422–91)  the first person in England to print books. He learned about printing in Germany, where the first books in Europe were printed, then returned to England to start a printing business there
Cayman Islands, the		a group of three islands in the Caribbean Sea, northwest of Jamaica, which are a British dependency. Population: 53,737 (2014). Capital: George Town. The Cayman Islands are a popular place for tourists, and are also a financial centre because of their low taxes.
CBBC		Children's BBC; the name for the group of entertainment programmes that the BBC produces for older children and teenagers. The BBC also has a special digital television channel called CBBC which shows these programmes.
CBC		(Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) a television company that is supported by the Canadian government
CBeebies		the name for the group of entertainment programmes produced by the BBC for young children. The BBC also has a special digital television channel called CBeebies which shows these programmes.
CBP		the abbreviation of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
CBS		(Columbia Broadcasting System) one of the four main national television networks in the US. The other three are ABC, Fox, and NBC
Ceauçescu, Nicolae		(1918–89)  the president of Romania from 1967 to 1989, known as a cruel dictator. He used his secret police force to control the people, until he was removed from power by force, and he and his wife were killed.
Ceefax	 noun	 a written information service broadcast by the BBC on televisions in Britain from 1974 until 2012	〔英国广播公司1974至2012提供的〕图文电视服务
Center Parcs		a type of holiday centre providing hotel and tourist services in the UK and in Europe, especially in attractive countryside and forest areas. Center Parcs holiday villages are known especially for having swimming pools enclosed in a large heated dome structure, so that people can swim and relax in warm conditions at any time of the year.
Centers for Disease Control, the		the former name of a US government organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, which works to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, and studies ways to improve people's health. It is now called Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Central African Republic, the		a country in central Africa. Population: 5,166,510 (2014). Capital: Bangui.
Central America		a narrow piece of land joining North and South America, and consisting of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Central Criminal Court, the		the official name of the old bailey, the most important criminal court in the UK
Central Intelligence Agency, the		the full name of the cia
Central Mosque, the		the main Muslim place of worship in Britain, in Regents Park, London
Central Office		the main office of the British Conservative Party
Central Office of Information, the		the COI
Central Park		the main city park in New York City, which is in the middle of Manhattan. It is very big, and has a zoo, a concert stage, and an open-air theatre where Shakespeare plays are performed in the summer.
Cerberus		in Greek mythology, a dog with three heads who guarded the entrance to hades (=the place where the spirits of dead people are supposed to live)
CERN		(Centre Européen de Recherche Nucléaire  (=European Nuclear Research Centre)) a large scientific organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, that studies particle physics. It operates the world's largest particle physics laboratory. Its members are from 20 European countries, and it is famous for building very large and powerful particle accelerators (=special machines for making very small pieces of matter move at very high speeds). Its new accelerator, the Large Haydron Collider (LHC), is the most powerful in the world.
Cervantes, Miguel de		(1547–1616)  a Spanish writer, best known for his novel don quixote, one of the most important works of European literature
Ceylon		the former name of sri lanka. The name 'Ceylon' is still used when talking about tea, which is an important export product of Sri Lanka.
CH		 a British award given for outstanding service to the nation. No more than 65 people at one time can hold the award.
Chablis		an expensive type of dry white wine produced in northern Burgundy, France
Chabon, Michael		(1963–)  a US writer whose novels include The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, The Wonder Boys, and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, which won a Pulitzer Prize in 2001
Chad		a country in north central Africa, between Niger and Sudan. Population: 11,193,452 (2014) Capital: N'Djaména.
Chagall, Marc		(1887–1985)  a Russian artist who lived in France and painted in bright colours
Challenger		a US space shuttle which exploded after takeoff on one of its flights in 1986, killing all seven people inside. The terrible accident was watched on television by many people and shocked the whole of the US.
Chamberlain, Neville		(1869–1940)  a British politician in the Conservative Party who was elected prime minister in 1937. He was generally criticized for his policy of appeasement towards Hitler's Germany  (=agreeing to their demands) and for British military failures at the beginning of World War II. As a result he was replaced as prime minister by Winston Churchill in 1940. People in the UK remember him for using the phrase 'Peace in our time', and for announcing on the radio that the UK was at war with Germany.
Chamberlain, Wilt		(1936–99)  a US basketball player, known as Wilt the Stilt because of his height (2.16 metres). He set several records for the number of points he won.
Champions League, the		a football competition that includes the best teams from different countries in Europe. The teams are divided into eight groups. The two top teams in each group then play a knockout stage until one team is the winner.
Champlain, Lake		a North American lake between New York and Vermont, that goes up to Quebec in Canada
Champlain, Samuel de		(1567–1635) a French explorer and the first governor of French Canada. He explored much of what is now Nova Scotia and established Quebec in 1608. He also was the first European to discover what is now called Lake Champlain.
Champs Elysées, the		an important street in Paris which leads up to the Arc de Triomphe. It is famous for its cafes, where customers sit at tables outside, and watch people passing by.
Chandler, Raymond		(1888–1959)  a US writer of detective stories whose best-known character is the private detective Philip marlowe. His books include The Big Sleep and Farewell, My Lovely, and many were made into films.
Chanel, Coco		(1883–1971)  a French fashion designer, who started the fashion company Chanel, and who is also known for her perfumes such as Chanel No. 5. Her clothes designs had a great influence on 20th century fashion, and she is known especially for a simple type of women's suit and for the little black dress, which she invented.
Changing of the Guard, the		a ceremony that takes place regularly outside Buckingham Palace in London, in which the soldiers guarding the palace are replaced by others. The guards wear red uniforms and bearskins (=tall black fur hats).
Chang, Jung		(1952–)  a Chinese writer known for her novel Wild Swans which tells the story of her grandmother's, her mother's, and her own life in China, showing how events in China's history affected these women
Channel, the		the english channel
Channel Islands, the		a group of British islands in the English Channel near the coast of France. The main islands are Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark.
Channel Tunnel, the		a railway tunnel which runs under the English Channel, connecting England and France. It was opened in 1993. The eurostar trains use the Channel Tunnel.
Chaplin, Sir Charles (Charlie)		(1889–1977)  a British film actor and director who worked mainly in the US in humorous silent films (=films made with no sound) during the 1920s. He usually appeared as a humorous character who had a small moustache, a bowler hat and a walking stick, and who walked in a funny way with the backs of his feet together and his toes pointing out to the sides.
Chapman, Mark		(1955–)  the man who shot and killed the singer John Lennon, who had been one of the beatles. Chapman shot Lennon in 1980 when the singer was returning to his home in the Dakota apartment building in New York City with his wife, Yoko Ono. Chapman is in prison in New York.
Chappaquiddick		an island off the coast of the US state of Massachusetts. In 1969, Ted kennedy was involved in a car accident there in which a woman died, and it is often mentioned as a reason why he never tried to become US president.
Chap Stick		a type of wax-like substance in the form of a small stick, used to protect and heal sore lips
Chapter 11		a part of the US bankruptcy laws that allows a company with financial problems to reorganize itself so that it will not be forced to close down
Chardonnay	 noun	 a type of grape grown for making wine
Charing Cross		one of the main railway stations in London, which has trains going to southern England
Charing Cross Road		a street in central London, famous for its bookshops
Charity Commission, the		a British organization that keeps records of any organization that has been officially recognized as a charity and controls the way that charities are operated
Charlemagne		(742–814)  the King of the Franks who gained control of most of western Europe in 800 by uniting its Christian countries. The Pope gave him the title of 'Holy Roman Emperor'. Charlemagne had a great influence on European civilization, by establishing a new legal system and encouraging art, literature, and education.
Charles de Gaulle Airport		the main Paris airport, named after Charles de gaulle
Charles II, King		(1630–85)  the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland who was the son of Charles I. He officially became king after his father's death in 1649, but he did not return to England to rule until the end of the English civil war in 1660. He is sometimes called 'the Merry Monarch'
Charles I, King		(1600–49)  the king of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1625 to 1649. He often disagreed with Parliament and made many unpopular political decisions, and so helped to cause the English civil War. As a result he was executed (execute ) in 1649.
Charles, Prince		(1948–)  the first son of the British queen, Elizabeth II, who is expected to become the next British king. His official royal title is the Prince of Wales. Charles married Diana Spencer in 1981 and they had two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, but they got a divorce in 1996. He married Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005. Charles is known for his interest in architecture (=the designing of buildings) and the environment, and his speeches on these subjects have caused a lot of discussion and disagreement.
Charles, Ray		(1930–2004)  a US singer, songwriter, and piano player, who was blind, and who was most successful during the 1950s and 1960s. His famous songs include Georgia (1960) and I Can't Stop Loving You (1962). He was known for his emotional style of singing and for his influence on  soul music.
Charley's Aunt		a popular farce (=silly humorous play) by Brandon Thomas(1856–1914)  about a man who dresses up as an old lady and pretends to be the aunt of a friend of his
Charlie Brown
Charlton, Bobby		(1937–)  an English football player who played for Manchester United and for the English national team from 1958 to 1970. He scored 49 goals for England, which is still a record. He and his brother Jack Charlton played in the England team that won the World Cup in 1966, and he is considered to be one of the best English players ever. His official title is Sir Bobby Charlton.
Charlton, Jack		(1935–)  an English football player who played for the English national team from 1965 to 1970, and for Leeds United. He and his brother Bobby Charlton played in the English team that won the World Cup in 1966. He was manager of the Irish national team from 1986 to 1995, and he was made an honorary Irish citizen in 1995.
Charon		in Greek mythology, the ferryman who took the souls of dead people in his boat across the river Styx to Hades
Charter mark	 noun	an award given to a public sector organization in the UK, such as a local council, if it provides very good customer service
Chartists, the		a political group of people that was active in the UK in the 1830s and 1840s. They demanded changes that were regarded as very extreme at that time, such as giving all men the right to vote and to become Members of Parliament. Some of them were sent to prisons in Australia as a punishment.
Charybdis
Chattanooga		an industrial city in southeast Tennessee in the US. It was the scene of fierce fighting during the American Civil War.
Chatterley, Lady
Chaucer, Geoffrey		(?1340–1400)  an English writer known for his long poem The canterbury tales, one of the most important works in English literature. It is about a group of  pilgrims travelling to Canterbury, who tell each other stories.
Chautauqua		a place in the US state of New York where many people go to enjoy special arts events during the summer, including musical performances and plays
Chechnya		a small country in the caucasus Mountains, south of Russia and north of Georgia. Population: about 1 million. Capital: Grozny. The people are mostly Muslim. Chechnya is still officially a republic within the Russian Federation although in 1991 it announced that it was an independent country. This led to a lot of fighting with Russia. Chechen rebels have carried out terrorist attacks in several Russian towns and cities, including Moscow.
Checker, Chubby		(1941–)  an American singer popular especially in the 1960s, whose most famous song is The Twist (1959)
Checkpoint Charlie		the best-known checkpoint in the Berlin Wall between what was formerly East and West Germany. Places where people or vehicles are carefully checked before being allowed to pass are sometimes compared to Checkpoint Charlie.	查利检查站〔柏林墙沿线最著名的关卡〕
Cheddar Gorge		a deep valley in the Mendip Hills, southwest England, famous for its natural beauty and ancient caves (=large natural hole in the side of a cliff or hill)
Cheerios		a type of breakfast food, usually eaten with milk. Cheerios are hard sweet circles of oats.
Chee-tos		a popular type of snack food sold in bags in the US. Chee-tos are bright orange crunchy fried sticks made from corn, and have a cheese taste.
Cheez Whiz		a type of soft processed cheese that comes in an aerosol can, which is sold in the US
Che Guevara		(1926–67)  a Marxist military leader, born in Argentina, who developed the method of fighting known as guerrilla warfare. He helped Fidel Castro gain control of Cuba in 1959. Later he left Cuba and fought in other revolutions, until he was caught by the Bolivian army and killed. After his death, Che Guevara became a hero for people with strong left-wing views, and there is a famous poster of him  (=a large printed picture) which many people, especially students, used to put on their walls.
Chekhov, Anton		(1860–1904)  a Russian writer of plays and short stories, best known for his plays The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, and The Cherry Orchard
Chelsea		an area in the southwest of central London, north of the River Thames, which includes the King's Road and is known for its expensive housing, its fashionable shops, and its football team
Chelsea Flower Show, the		a large flower show which takes place in London in May every year and is visited by people from all over Britain
Chelsea pensioner	 noun	an old or sick person who was once a soldier in the British army and who now lives in a special hospital in Chelsea
Cheltenham		a town in western England which is famous for its horse racing, its spa, and its public schools
Cheltenham Gold Cup, the		a horse race which is run once a year at Cheltenham, England. It is one of the most important British horse races.
Cheltenham Ladies' College	 noun	a public school for girls in Cheltenham, started in 1853
Cheney, Dick		(1941-)  an American politician who was vice-president (2001-2009) when George W. Bush was president, and who was secretary of defense (1989-1993) when George H.W. Bush was president. As secretary of defense he was in charge, together with General Norman Schwarzkopf, of Operation Desert Storm (1991). Cheney was a strong supporter of the US invasion of Iraq (2003) and George W. Bush's "War on Terrorism". He has also had a successful career in business and was CEO (1995-2000) of the Halliburton oil company.
Chequers		the official country house of the British prime minister, about 30 miles northwest of London
Cher		(1946–)  a US singer and film actress. She is known for singing in the group Sonny and Cher with her husband Sonny Bono in the 1960s. Their most popular song was I Got You Babe. She has made many successful records on her own, including Gypsies, Tramps & Theives, If I Could Turn Back Time and Believe. Her films include Mask and Moonstruck, for which she won an Oscar.
Cherbourg		a city and port in northwest France, one of the ports where ships bringing passengers and cars from the south coast of England arrive after crossing the English Channel
Cherokee	 noun	 a Native American tribe from the US states of North Carolina and Tennessee. The Cherokee had a form of government similar to that of the US, called the Cherokee Nation. Many Cherokee died on the trail of tears, when they were forced to leave their lands and go to live on a reservation in indian territory in what is now the state of Oklahoma
Chesapeake Bay		a bay (body of water connected to the sea) on the US east coast, important for trade and shipping
Cheshire		a county in northwest England, between Liverpool and North Wales
Chester		a town in Cheshire in northwest England, where the local government for that county is based. It has many historical buildings, and there is a wall around the old part of the town.
Cheviot Hills, the		a range of hills between England and Scotland
Chevrolet		a type of US car, made by general motors and especially popular as a family car
Chevron		a large oil and petrol company that has many petrol stations in the US
Chevy	 noun	an informal name for a chevrolet
Cheyenne		the capital of the US state of Wyoming
Cheyenne	 noun	 a Native American people that live in the West of the US
Chiang Kai-shek		(1887–1975)  a Chinese military and political leader of the Chinese nationalist Party. In 1949 Chiang and his Nationalist armies left the Chinese mainland and went onto the island of Taiwan where he ruled until he died.
Chianti		a type of Italian red wine
Chiantishire		a humorous name for an area of Tuscany, in Italy, where many upper-class (=belonging to the highest social class) British people live or go to stay on holiday
Chicago		the third largest city in the US. It is in the state of Illinois, on the southwest shore of Lake Michigan, and is an important industrial and business centre. During the 1920s and 1930s, Chicago was famous for its gangsters (=professional violent criminals working in groups), such as Al Capone. Chicago has many very tall buildings, including the sears tower, famous museums (such as the Art Institute), and universities (such as the University of Chicago and Northwestern University). Its airport, O'Hare, is the busiest in the world. Chicago is often known as 'the Windy City'.
Chicago		a musical that was first performed in a theatre in 1975 and which is based on the play Chicago by Maurine Dallas Watkins. The story is about two women who have both committed murder and who both want to be famous in Chicago in the 1920s.
Chicago Board of Trade, the		an important market in Chicago, US, in which future contracts for the delivery of commodities (commodity ) are bought and sold
Chicago Cubs, the		a Major League baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. Their home stadium is Wrigley Field, and they have won 16 League pennants and the World Series championships twice.
Chicago Tribune, The		a daily newspaper produced in Chicago and known for the high quality of its writing and reporting. It is also sold in other parts of the US.
Chicken Little		a story for children in which a chicken called Chicken Little thinks that the sky is falling and persuades many other animal friends that great danger is coming
chiconomics	 noun	ways of looking fashionable without spending much money when the economic situation is bad
Chief Whip		 an important member of a British political party whose job is to make sure that members of the party elected to parliament obey party orders
Chilcot Inquiry	 noun	 another name for the Iraq Inquiry
Child, Julia		(1912–2004)  a US chef (=professional cook) who taught cooking through her popular television programmes and books. Her most famous book was Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961). Her high voice was easily recognized by many Americans.
ChildLine		a British organization that has a telephone helpline which children can call if they are being badly treated or if they cannot discuss their problems with their family
Children in Need		a British charity organization controlled by the bbc, which organizes special television programmes every year to collect money for children who need help in the UK and in other countries. People often do silly activities to collect money for Children in Need, and the organization is represented by a yellow bear named Pudsey.
Child Support Agency, the		a British government department which deals with child support. It can decide, for example, how much money a father should pay to support his children if he no longer lives with them.
Child Tax Credit	 noun	in the UK, money given by the government to parents with low incomes. A lower amount of money is paid to all families with children apart from the richest 10 percent.
Chile		a long narrow South American country between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes mountains. Population: 17,216,945 (2014). Capital: Santiago. The driest desert in the world (the Atacama) is in northern Chile. Between 1973 and 1989, Chile had a very strict military government led by General Pinochet, but in 1989 it became a democracy again.
Chiltern Hundreds, the		the job of representing a particular government area in Buckinghamshire in Britain which no longer exists. Members of Parliament apply for the Chiltern Hundreds when they want to stop working before the next general election.
Chilterns		 a range of chalk hills in eastern England, near London
China Sea, the		the western part of the Pacific Ocean that goes along the coast of China and Vietnam
Chingachgook		a character in several books by James Fenimore cooper, such as The Last of the Mohicans. He is a Native American chief.
Chinkie	 noun	 a very offensive word for a Chinese person. Do not use this word.
Chippendale	 adjective	Chippendale furniture is made in an 18th-century style known for its graceful shapes and fine decoration, named after the English furniture designer Thomas Chippendale(1718–79)
Chippendales, the		a group of attractive men with well-developed muscles who entertain women by performing in a show in which they remove most of their clothes
Chippewa	 noun	 a Native American tribe from the US state of Michigan
Chirac, Jacques		(1932–)  a conservative French politician who was prime minister from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988. He was president of France from 1995 until 2007.
Chisholm, Shirley		(1924–2005)  a US politician who was the first African-American woman to be elected as a member of Congress. She was a member of the House of Representatives from 1969 to 1983.
Chisholm Trail, the		a path used for moving millions of cattle from Texas to Kansas during the 1800s
Chişinâu		the capital and largest city of Moldova, on the Byk River, formerly called Kishinev
Chloe
Choctaw	 noun	 a Native American tribe from the southeastern US
Chomsky, Noam		(1928–)  a US linguist whose many new ideas about language have had a great influence on the study of language. One of his important ideas is that everyone has knowledge about grammar when they are born, which they can then use to learn any language. He has also written books about politics, and has often criticized the way the US uses its power.
Chopin, Frédéric		(1810–49)  a Polish composer, one of the best-known and most admired composers of piano music. He is also known for his love affair with the French female writer George sand.
Chopsticks		a simple tune that people often play on the piano, especially when they are learning to play the piano or are bored
Chou En-lai
choux pastry	 noun	a kind of pastry made with eggs that is soft and full of air. It is used to make éclairs and profiteroles.
Christian Aid		a Christian charity organization that provides money, equipment, advice etc in order to help poorer countries develop their farming and industry
Christian Coalition, the		a right-wing Christian political group in the US, which tries to influence government decisions, so that laws are based on traditional Christian morals. It is known for opposing abortion and equal rights for women and homosexuals. The organization's full name is the Christian Coalition of America.
Christian Democrat	 noun	a member of the Christian Democrat Union (CDU), a right-of-centre political party which is one of the main parties in Germany
Christian Science	 noun	a religion started in America in 1866, which includes the belief that illnesses can be cured by faith	基督教科学派〔1866年创立于美国的一个教派，他们认为信仰可治愈疾病〕
Christian Science Monitor, The		a US daily newspaper, owned by the Christian Science church, which is known for its articles about politics, national and international news, and for its short stories (short story )
Christie, Agatha		(1890–1976)  a British writer known for her many popular novels about murders and the detectives who try to find out who did them. Her most famous characters are Miss marple and Hercule poirot, and two of her best-known books are Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, which have both been made into films.
Christie, John Reginald Halliday		(1898–1953)  a British sex killer, who strangled six women, including his wife and some prostitutes, at his home at 10 Rillington Place, West London. Bodies were found hidden in a cupboard, under the floorboards and buried in the garden in 1953. In 1950 Timothy Evans, who lived in a flat at Rillington Place, had been executed after the bodies of his wife and baby were found. At his trial, Christie admitted a seventh killing, that of Mrs Evans, but denied murdering the baby. Christie was executed and Evans was given a posthumous free pardon in 1966.
Christie's		a famous auction company with its main offices in London and New York City, where valuable paintings, old furniture, rare books etc are sold	佳士得拍卖行〔一家著名拍卖行〕
Christmas bonus	 noun	an additional payment made at Christmas by some employers to their workers. In the UK, the government also gives a Christmas bonus to all oaps (=older people who no longer work).
Christmas box	 noun	in the UK, a gift of money to the person who delivers your letters, newspapers, milk etc to thank them for their services during the year. Very few people still give such a gift.
Christmas Carol, A		a short novel by Charles dickens about an unpleasant old man called scrooge who hates to spend money. On christmas eve several ghosts visit him to warn him about what will happen if he does not change. When he wakes up the next morning, he becomes a happy generous person, especially to his worker Bob cratchit and Cratchit's sick son, tiny tim.
Christmas present	 noun	a present given at Christmas
Christo		(1935–)  a US artist, born in Bulgaria, who works with his wife, Jeanne-Claude. He is known for his large temporary works that change the appearance of the land or of large buildings. For example, in 1995 he wrapped the Reichstag building in Berlin in silver plastic for two weeks.
Christopher Robin		a character in stories and poems by A. A. milne. He is a small boy who is a friend of  winnie the pooh.
Christopher, Saint		(?-?250 AD)  a man who was supposed to have carried the Christ across a river, and who, as a result, became the patron saint of travellers
Chrysler		a large US company that makes cars of many different types and sizes
Chrysler Building, the		a famous building in New York City which has a shiny pointed top. It was built in 1930 and has 77 storeys.
Chrétien de Troyes		(late 12th century) a French poet who wrote five long poems about King arthur and his followers, which influenced many other writers
Chrétien, Jean		(1934–)  the prime minister of Canada from 1993 to 2003 and the leader of the liberal party(1990–2003)
Chunnel, the		a name used especially in newspapers for the channel tunnel
Church Commissioners, the	 noun	a group of people who are responsible for managing the buildings and money of the Church of England
Churchill, Sir Winston		(1874–1965)  a British politician in the Conservative Party who was prime minister during most of World War II and again from 1951 to 1955. He is still remembered and admired by most British people as a great leader who made possible Britain's victory in the war. He is also famous for the many speeches he made during the war, especially on the radio, encouraging British people to believe that they would eventually win. Pictures of Churchill usually show him wearing a hat and smoking a large cigar. He is also known for making the V-sign to show his belief in a British victory in the war.
Church of Ireland, the	 noun	an independent anglican Church in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the	 noun	the official name of the Mormon Church, established in the US by Joseph Smith in 1830
Chutes and Ladders		the name used in the US for the children's game of snakes and ladders
Chávez, Cesar		(1927–93)  a Mexican-American who was the president of the United Farm Workers of America from 1966 to 1993. He is known for organizing boycotts that helped poor workers win better wages and protect them against the use of harmful chemicals to grow food.
Cicero, Marcus Tullius		(106–43 BC)  a Roman politician who was known as an orator  (=someone who is good at making speeches) and is considered to be one of the greatest Latin writers
Cider with Rosie		a novel by Laurie lee about a boy growing up in a small country village in England during the 1920s and 1930s
Cid, The
Cincinnati		a city in southwest Ohio in the US, next to the Ohio River, which is an important industrial centre
Cinque Ports, the		five sea ports in southeast England (Hastings, Romney, Hythe, Dover, and Sandwich) which, until 1685, had to provide ships for the British king or queen in order to protect the country from attack by sea
Circe		in classical mythology, a woman who did magic and who changed people into pigs, including the friends of Odysseus
Cirrus		a type of service that allows people to get money from their bank account by using any of the cash machines that have a Cirrus sign on it. Cirrus is used by banks in many different countries.
Cistercian	 noun	a monk (=member of an all-male Christian religious group) belonging to a group that started in France in 1098. The Cistercians follow the rules of St Benedict, which include little sleep, hard work, and not eating, but they do this even more strictly than the Benedictines.
Citibank		a very large US bank, with branches in many countries and its main offices in New York City
Citigroup		a banking and financial services company with offices in many parts of the world
Citizen Kane		a famous US film made in 1941 by Orson welles, and thought by some people to be the greatest film ever made. It tells the story of the life of a very rich businessman who owned several important newspapers. Orson Welles was the director, writer, and main actor in the film.
Citizens Advice Bureau, the		a British organization supported by the government which gives free advice to ordinary people about legal, financial, and other problems. Most towns and cities in the UK have a Citizens Advice Bureau, and most of the people who work for it are volunteers (=they are not paid for their work).
Citizen's Charter, the		a statement by John Major's Conservative government of the standards of service which the public had a right to expect from British government departments and organizations. In July 1999 Tony Blair's Labour government replaced the Citizen's Charter with the Service First programme in order to improve public services. The Service First Programme no longer exists, but Charter Marks are still given to services that show high levels of customer service or efficiency.
Citroën		a French company that makes cars, or a car made by this company
City of David, the		a name for jerusalem, used in the Bible
City Technology College		a type of school in Britain that receives some money from business companies and teaches young people useful technical skills. These schools were introduced in the 1980s. Most of them have become academies (academy).
Civil Aviation Authority, the		a British organization that controls the operation of the air travel industry, especially by making safety rules and directing the traffic of planes in the UK. There is a similar organization in the US called federal aviation administration.
Civil Contingencies Committee, the		in the UK, a group of Cabinet ministers, led by the Home Secretary, that deals with emergencies (emergency) such as acts of terrorism or natural disasters. The committee means in Conference Room A of the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms, and is also called COBRA.
Civil Rights Act of 1964, the		a US law which says that businesses must treat people equally whatever their colour or religion, and that they cannot refuse to employ someone because of their colour. This law also says that restaurants and hotels cannot refuse to serve someone because of their colour. During the 1960s many white people, especially in the south, disliked this law and often ignored it. People in the US remember news reports about African Americans going to restaurants which previously only served white people, and that this caused anger among white racists and sometimes led to violence.
Claiborne, Craig		(1920–2000)  a US writer of cookery books and articles about food in newspapers. One famous event in his life was an occasion when he and a friend spent $4000 on a meal in a Paris restaurant in 1975.
Clancy, Tom		(1947–)  a US writer of popular novels, including The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, and The Sum of All Fears. Many of his books have been made into films.
Clapton, Eric		(1945–)  a British guitar player and singer, known especially for his great skill at playing the guitar. He first became popular as a blues musician in the 1960s and has continued performing and making records since then. His songs include Layla and I Shot the Sheriff.
Clare		a county in the west of the Republic of Ireland, known for its mountains and lakes and its wild land on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean
Clare, John		(1793–1864)  a British poet, who wrote mostly about the English countryside and country life. He became mentally ill in the later part of his life.
Clarence House		the home in London, next to St James's Palace, of the Prince of Wales. It used to be the home of the Queen Mother when she was alive.
Claridge's		a London hotel. Claridge's is thought to be a place where only the rich upper classes eat and stay.
Clark, Dick		(1929–2012)  a US television presenter of several game shows and other programmes including american bandstand, which was important because it introduced rock and roll music to many Americans, and was one of the first programmes to have black people and white people on the same stage. He was considered to look very young for his age.
Clarke, Arthur C.		(1917–2008)  a British scientist and writer of science fiction. Many of his books are about journeys in space, and the film 2001: A Space Odyssey was based on one of his stories. His official title is Sir Arthur C. Clarke.
Clarke, Kenneth		(1940–)  a British politician and member of the Conservative Party who has held many important positions in the government, such as Home Secretary (1992-3) and Chancellor of the Exchequer (1993-1997).
Clark, Helen		(1950-) a New Zealand politician who was prime minister of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008. She began working for the UN in 2009.
Clarks		a type of good-quality shoe made by a British company, known especially for selling children's shoes in many different sizes, according to their width as well as their length
Clark, Sir Kenneth		(1903–83)  a British writer and broadcaster on the history of art, known in the UK especially for his 1960s television programme Civilization
Clarkson, Jeremy		(1960–)  a British journalist and television presenter who is best known for the television programme Top Gear which tests the performance of cars. He is known for expressing strong opinions and for being very politically incorrect.
Clark, William		(1770–1838)  a US explorer
Classics Illustrated	 noun	 a US series of cartoon strips (=magazines for children with writing and pictures) which tell well-known stories from literature
Claudius		(10 BC-54 AD)  the emperor of Rome from AD 41 to 54, who made Britain part of the Roman Empire. Robert graves wrote two popular books about Claudius's life, which were made into a British television programme called I, Claudius (1976).
Clause Four		a part of the constitution of the British Labour Party, which formerly included the statement that the Party supported the socialist idea that industries should be owned by the government. Clause Four was rewritten in 1995 and this statement was removed.
Clay, Cassius		the former name of Muhammad ali
Clearasil		a type of creamy medicine that is put on the skin to stop acne (=spots, especially on the face), sold in the US and the UK
Cleary, Beverly		(1916–)  an American writer of popular children's books, whose characters include Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins, and Ralph S. Mouse, and whose books include Beezus and Ramona, Henry and the Clubhouse, and Dear Mr. Henshaw
Cleese, John		(1939–)  a British television and film actor who first became famous as one of the main characters in Monty Python's Flying Circus, and later as the hotel owner Basil Fawlty in the humorous television programme Fawlty Towers. His films include  A Fish Called Wanda (1988) and some of the James Bond films. He is extremely tall, and usually plays characters who look very normal but behave in strange and amusing ways.
Clegg, Nick	 	(1967- ) a British politician who became Deputy Prime Minister of the UK in May 2010 when David Cameron was elected prime minister. Clegg became the leader of the Liberal Democrats in December 2007.
Clemens, Samuel Langhorne		the real name of the writer Mark twain
Clementine		a folk song about a girl who drowns (=dies from being under water). In the US it is typically sung not in a serious way, but in a humorous way with a southern US accent
Cleopatra		(69–30 BC)  a queen of Egypt, famous for her beauty, who became the lover of Julius Caesar and later of Mark Antony. When she and Antony were defeated in battle by Octavian's army, she used an asp (=a small poisonous snake) to kill herself. Shakespeare's play Antony and Cleopatra is based on her relationship with Mark Antony.
Cleopatra's Needle		one of two ancient Egyptian obelisks (=a very tall piece of stone with a pointed end), which were built over 3000 years ago. One is on the Embankment in London, and the other is in Central Park, in New York City.
Cleveland		a city in the US state of Ohio. Cleveland is known for having the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Cleveland, Grover		(1837–1908) the twenty-second and twenty-fourth president of the US, from 1885 to 1889, and from 1893 to 1897
Cliburn, Van		(1934–2013)  a US piano player of classical music
Cliff's Notes		 a US series of small books that give a short description of the main points of a work of literature, and explain it in simple language. Students sometimes read these instead of reading the works of literature.
Clifton Suspension Bridge, the		a very high bridge over the River Avon near Bristol, designed by I.K. Brunel
Cline, Patsy		(1932–63)  a US country and western singer who died in a plane crash. A film called Sweet Dreams was made about her life, and this is also the name of one of her songs.
Clinton, Bill		(1946–)  the 42nd president of the US from 1992 to 2000. Clinton was a popular president for most of his period in office, because the US economy was strong. His reputation was hurt by claims that he had been involved in dishonest business deals, and especially by claims made by several women that he had had secret sexual relationships with them. In 1998, he admitted that he had had 'an inappropriate relationship' with Monica Lewinsky while she was working as an intern in the White House in 1995. Clinton's wife is Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Clinton, Hillary Rodham		(1947–)  a successful lawyer and politician who became US Secretary of State in 2009 when Barack Obama was elected president. Before that she was the Democratic senator of New York (2001-2009). She is the wife of President Bill Clinton and she was the First Lady of the US from 1992 to 2000.
Clive of India		(1725–74)  a British soldier and government leader, Robert Clive, whose victories over the French and Bengali armies in India helped to establish British rule in India
Clockwork Orange, A		a novel written in 1962 by the British writer Anthony burgess. It is about a group of young men who live in the near future and behave in a very violent way. It was made into a film by Stanley kubrick in 1971. Shortly after the film's release, Kubrik stopped it from being shown in the UK because he believed that people were copying the violent actions of the actors in the film. Kubrick died in 1999, and since 2000 the film has been shown again in the UK.
Clooney, George		(1961–)  a US film actor, known for being good looking and sexually attractive. He appeared in the television programme ER from 1994 to 1999. He has been in many films, including Three Kings (1999) and O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), and Syriana (2005). He has also written, produced, and directed several films. He is also known for his social and political activism.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind		a US film made in 1977 by Steven spielberg about creatures from another part of the universe that come to Earth
Clough, Brian		(1935–2004)  an English football player who later became famous as the manager of Nottingham Forest football team from 1975 until 1993. He was known for saying honestly what he thought in a way that sometimes seemed rude.
Clouseau, Inspector		a humorous character played by Peter sellers in the pink panther films. Clouseau is a French policeman who is always making stupid mistakes and causing accidents, though he does not realize it or intend to.
Club Med		a company that sells expensive holidays in many parts of the world, aimed especially at younger people. Its full name is 'Club Méditerranée'. Club Med holidays are based in specially-built villages, and people can spend their whole holiday without leaving the village. The cost of the holidays includes food, drink, sports activities, and entertainment.
Clue		the US name for the game Cluedo
Cluedo		a type of board game in which each player becomes a different character, such as Colonel Mustard or Miss Scarlet, in a murder story, and tries to discover which character is the murderer, what the murder weapon was, and in which room in the house the murder took place
Clwyd		a former county in North Wales. In 1994 Clwyd was divided between the counties of Flintshire and Denbighshire.
Clyde
Clyde, the		a large river which goes through Glasgow
Clydeside		the towns between Glasgow and Greenock on the River Clyde in Scotland, where many famous shipbuilding companies were established in the past
Clytemnestra		in ancient Greek stories, the wife of agamemnon. She murders her husband, and as a result she is killed by her son, orestes.
CND		 a British organization whose aim is to persuade the British government to get rid of its nuclear weapons, close its nuclear military bases, and stop making nuclear weapons
CNN		 an American organization that broadcasts television news programmes to countries all over the world
CN Tower		a building in Toronto, Canada, which is 1815 feet 5 inches or 553.33 metres tall. It was the world's tallest structure when it was built in 1976.
CO		the written abbreviation of Colorado
Coach and Horses, the		a common name for a pub in the UK, sometimes used to mean any typical pub
coatigan	 noun	a knitted (knit) coat
Cobain, Kurt		(1967–94)  a US singer and songwriter with the group Nirvana, who developed a new style of rock music called 'Grunge', which was popular in the early 1990s. He killed himself in 1994. He was married to Courtney Love.
Cobbleigh		 a line from an old British song about a large group of people who do things together. The people are all listed by name, and the list ends with the words 'old Uncle Tom Cobbleigh and all'. The phrase is now used to say that every possible person was present or involved in something.
Cobb, Ty		(1886–1961)  a US baseball player, known for being the first person to score 4000 base hits
COBRA		an abbreviation of Cabinet Office Briefing Room A. It can either refer to these offices or to the Civil Contingencies Committee which meets there.
Coca-Cola		 a sweet brown drink that has no alcohol and is carbonated
Cochise		(?1815–74)  a native american chief of the apaches who fought against US soldiers from 1861 to 1872 in order to prevent them taking land from his people
Cocteau, Jean		(1889–1963)  a French writer and film director, who was an important member of the surrealist movement. His work includes the films Orphée (1950) and Les Enfants Terribles (1950), and the play La Machine Infernale (1934).
Cody, William Frederick		the real name of buffalo bill
Coetzee, J.M.		(1940–)  a South African writer and professor of English literature who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2003. He won the Booker Prize in 1983 and 1999 for his novelsThe Life and Times of Michael K and Disgrace.
Cohan, George M.		(1878–1942)  a US actor, writer, and songwriter, who wrote several musical plays and many well-known songs, including Give My Regards to Broadway and I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy
Cohen, Leonard		(1934–)  a Canadian songwriter and poet, who first became popular in the 1960s, and whose songs include Suzanne (1968) and I'm Your Man (1988). He has a very low singing voice and his early songs were known for being very sad and  depressing.
COI		(the Central Office of Information) a British government organization that produces books, reports etc giving information about the activities of the various government departments
COLA	 noun	(cost of living adjustment) in the US, an increase to people's wages or social security and welfare payments to prevent them being affected by inflation (=the gradual rise in the price of goods etc)
Colchester		a town in Essex, southeast England. It was the Roman capital of Britain and claims to be the oldest town in the UK. The University of Essex is there.
Cold Comfort Farm		a humorous novel by Stella Gibbons about a farm in southern England, where the owners and workers are all crazy or very strange
Coldstream Guards, the		a famous regiment (=a large group of soldiers) in the British army, formed in about 1660
Coleman, Ornette		(1930–)  an American jazz composer and saxophone player known as one of the inventors of free jazz in the 1950s and 60s. His album Sound Grammar won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for music.
Cole, Nat King		(1917–65)  a US singer known for his soft, smooth voice, and for his recordings of love songs such as When I Fall in Love, Unforgettable, and Mona Lisa
Cole, Old King
Coleridge, Samuel Taylor		(1772–1834)  a British poet best known for the poems The Rime of the ancient mariner and Kubla Khan. He is also known for having taken drugs, including  opium, for many years. He and his friend William  wordsworth were leaders of the  romantic movement in Britain.
Colette		(1873–1954)  a French writer best known for her novelsChéri and Gigi
Coliseum
Collins, Jackie		(1937–)  a British writer who lives in Hollywood, known for her popular and successful novels about sex and the lives of rich and famous people. She is the sister of the actress Joan Collins.
Collins, Joan		(1933–)  a British film and television actress, most famous for appearing as Alexis Carrington in the US television programme dynasty, and for being beautiful and sexually attractive even though she is no longer young. She is the sister of Jackie Collins.
Collins, Michael		(1890–1922)  an Irish politician and military leader who was involved in the fight to make Ireland independent of the UK. He helped to achieve the agreement that established the southern part of Ireland as an independent state, but he was killed by political opponents who wanted independence for the whole of Ireland.
Collins, Wilkie		(1824–89)  a British writer, known especially for his books The Moonstone, regarded as the first detective novel in English, and The Woman in White
Cologne		a city in northern Germany on the River Rhine. It is a port and an industrial centre. It was bombed during World War II and there was a lot of damage. Its German name is Köln.
Colombia		a country in northern South America, with coasts on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Population: 45,745,783 (2014). Capital: Bogotá. Colombia's main exports include petroleum, coffee, and coal. Colombia was also the world's largest producer of cocaine until government efforts to reduce production of the drug achieved some success.
Colombo		the capital city and main port of Sri Lanka
Colonel Bogey		a well-known military march (=a piece of music with a very regular beat, written for soldiers to march to)
Colonel Sanders		the man who developed the recipe for making kentucky fried chicken which is sold in fast food restaurants. He is shown in advertisements as a friendly old man from the South of the US, where fried chicken is a typical dish. His name is sometimes used to mean the product or the restaurant
colony collapse disorder	 noun	a disease that has killed millions of bees. The cause of the disease is not known.
Colorado		a state in the western US, mostly in and around the Rocky Mountains. Its capital city is Denver, and other cities include Aspen, which is a well-known centre for skiing (ski ), and Boulder. Colorado is a popular place for both winter and summer holidays.
Colorado River		a long river in the western US which flows through the Grand Canyon, several US states, and into Mexico
Colosseum, the		an amphitheatre (=large circular theatre without a roof) in Rome which was built during the first century AD and is now one of the most famous ancient Roman buildings. It is thought of especially as a place where fights involving gladiators and wild animals were organized as a form of entertainment.
Colossus of Rhodes, the		an extremely large ancient statue of the god Apollo on the Greek island of Rhodes. It is believed to have stood at the entrance to the harbour, with one leg on each side, and ships sailed under it to enter the harbour. It was one of the seven wonders of the world, and was destroyed by an earthquake in 224 bc.
Colt		a type of pistol
Coltrane, John		(1926–67)  a US jazz musician who played the saxophone and had a great influence on the development of modern jazz
Columbia		the capital of the US state of South Carolina
Columbia
Columbia Pictures		a US film company which produces films for cinema and television
Columbia University		a well-respected private university in New York City, known especially for its school of journalism
Columbine		a character in old European plays, who is the woman harlequin loves
Columbine High School massacre, the		an event in which two teenage boys, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, used guns in an attack on their high school in Colorado. They killed 13 people and injured many more before killing themselves. The attack led many people to question the influence of violence in American popular culture, for example in films, music and video games.
Columbo		a US television programme about a character called Lieutenant Columbo, who is a detective in the Los Angeles Police Department. He is known for wearing a dirty old raincoat.
Columbus		the capital city of the US state of Ohio
Columbus, Christopher		(1451–1506)  an Italian sailor and explorer who is traditionally thought of as the first European to discover America, in 1492. He arrived in America by accident when he was trying to find a new way to Asia by sailing west from Spain, having received money for this journey from the Spanish king and queen, ferdinand and isabella. Many US and British people know the  rhyme In fourteen hundred and ninety two,/Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Most people now think that the first discovery of America by Europeans was about 500 years earlier, by the Norwegian Leif  ericsson.
Columbus Day		a US public holiday held on October 12th to honour Christopher Columbus
Comanche	 noun	 a Native American tribe that lived in a large area of the southwestern US. They were known especially for their skill at riding horses and at fighting.
Comic Relief		a British charity organization which was started by professional comedians. Every two years on a particular day special events and a special television programme are organized in order to collect money to help people in the UK and other countries. Many people do silly activities to make money and buy plastic red noses to show their support, and because of this, Comic Relief Day is also called Red Nose Day.
Commercial Court, the		a British court of law for cases relating to companies and banks. It decides whether they can move goods to particular places, join with other businesses, get the right to use a particular name, provide different services etc
Commission, the		an informal name for the european commission
Commission for Racial Equality, the		a former British government organization that was established in 1976 to make sure that people of all races were treated fairly and equally by employers, schools etc. It merged with two other agencies (agency) to form Equality and Human Rights Commission in 2007.
Common Agricultural Policy, the		the full name of the cap
Common Entrance Examination, the		an examination in the UK, taken in preparatory schools by children between the ages of 12 and 14, in order to be able to go to a public school (=expensive private school)
Common Market		 a former name for the European Union
Commonwealth	 noun	 an organization of about 50 independent countries, most of which were formerly part of the British Empire, established in order to encourage trade and friendly relations among its members. The British king or queen is the head of the Commonwealth, and there is a meeting each year for all its heads of government.
Commonwealth Games, the		an international sports event in which the member countries of the British Commonwealth compete in various sports, held every four years in one of the competing countries
Communist bloc, the		the former Soviet Union and the countries of eastern Europe which had Communist governments and were under Soviet influence, especially between the end of World War II and about 1990
Communist Manifesto, The		a book by Karl marx and Friedrich engels, written in 1848, which explains the main ideas of communism and describes how society would need to change in order to achieve this
Communist Party	 noun	a political party based on the principles of marxism-leninism, that believes that most economic activity (such as factories, banks, and farming) should be owned or controlled by the government
Comoros		a country consisting of three islands in the Mozambique Channel between northwest Madagascar and southeast Africa. Population: 752,288 (2014). Capital: Moroni.
CompactFlash	 noun	a memory card for digital cameras that allows you to take high-quality photographs of things that are moving	CompactFlash存储卡﹐CF卡〔用于数码相机拍摄运动物体〕
Companion of Honour, the		a special title or honour that is given by the British king or queen to someone who has achieved something very important for the country. A person who has received this title can use the letters CH after his or her name.
Compassion & Choices		an organization in the US which tries to improve the rights of patients and the choices available to them at the end of life. It aims to change the law that forbids helping seriously ill people to die if they wish to. The organization gives advice to such people and their families. It was formed in 2005 after the Hemlock Society and Compassion In Dying joined together.
Competition Commission, the		a UK organization whose job is to examine cases where two companies plan to merge (=join together to form a larger company), and to decide whether this would be bad for other businesses and for ordinary customers. The organization replaced the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in 1999.
Compleat Angler, The		a book about fishing (=the sport of catching fish) written by Izaak Walton in the 17th century and still sometimes read today
Conan Doyle, Sir Arthur		(1859–1930)  a British doctor and writer who is known especially for his stories about the detective Sherlock holmes and his friend Dr watson
Concord		the capital city of the US state of New Hampshire
Concorde		a type of passenger aircraft, which flew at twice the speed of sound and was the fastest in the world. Concorde was a long thin plane with a long pointed front. It was built by British and French designers and engineers working together, and both british airways and air france provided flights on Concorde, which were expensive but fashionable. In 2003, British Airways and Air France stopped flying Concorde because the planes had become old and it was too expensive to build more
Coney Island		an area of Brooklyn, New York, famous for its amusement park and beach
Confederacy, the		in the American Civil War, the southern states of the US, which fought the northern states (the Union) and lost. Their most famous leaders were Jefferson davis and General Robert E. lee.
Confederate flag	 noun	the flag of the confederacy, which is still used, especially by people in the South of the US
Confederation of British Industry, the		the full name of the cbi
confessional TV	 noun	a type of television programme in which ordinary people talk openly about very personal problems and bad experiences that they have had
Congo, the		the second longest African river, which flows through both the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Congo, Republic of		a country on the Equator in the western part of central Africa, which has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean and is to the west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Population: 4,492,689 (2014). Capital: Brazzaville.
Congo, the Democratic Republic of		a very large country in central Africa, which was called Zaïre between 1971 and 1997, and before that was called the Belgian Congo. Population: 75,507,308 (2014). Capital: Kinshasa. It is known especially for its large rain forest. Since President Mobutu, who had ruled the country for 30 years, was forced to give up power in 1997, different groups have continued to fight for control of the country.
Congregational	 adjective	connected with Congregationalism
Congressional Medal of Honor, the		a special medal given to members of the US armed forces who have performed acts of very great bravery. It is regarded as the highest military honour in the US.
Congressional Record, the		a printed report of what is said and done in the US Congress, including all the official discussions, votes, and decisions
Congress Party, the		an important political party in India. It was started in the 19th century to oppose British rule in India, and since India became an independent country in 1947 it has been the main party of government.
Connaught		a province (=a large part of a country) in the west of the Republic of Ireland, including the counties (county1 ) of Leitrim, Roscommon, Sligo, Mayo, and Galway
Connecticut		a state in the northeastern US. It was one of the original thirteen states established under British rule.
Connery, Sean		(1930–)  a Scottish film actor known especially for appearing as James Bond during the 1960s in films such as Dr No, From Russia with Love, and Goldfinger. He won an Oscar award for The Untouchables (1988). He is also well known for being a Scottish Nationalist. His official title is Sir Sean Connery.
Conrad, Joseph		(1857–1924)  a British writer who was born in Poland, and who is regarded as one of the greatest writers of the early 20th century. His novels are often about the sea and about colonialism and the moral problems it involves. His best-known novels include Heart of Darkness, Lord Jim, Nostromo, and The Secret Agent.
Conrail		a system of railways in the US for carrying freight (=goods carried by train), which is based around the northeastern US
Conran, Sir Terence		(1931– )  a well-known businessman and designer, especially of furniture, who started the Habitat shops
Consequences		a game played by a small group of people, in which a story is written with each person adding a sentence without knowing what has already been written. The last sentence begins: 'The consequence (=result) was...' The stories are usually about famous people or friends, in amusing or embarrassing situations.
Conservative Party, the		also the Conservatives, the Tory Party, and the Tories. One of the three main political parties in the UK. The Conservative Party has right-wing principles, and strongly supports the idea of free enterprise (=an economic system in which private companies compete against each other to make profits, and there is not much government control of economic activity). The Conservative Party was especially powerful during the period from 1979 to 1997, when it established a programme of privatization (=selling state-owned services such as electricity, gas, and the telephone service, so that they became private companies) and made new laws that limited the rights of workers and their trade unions.
Constable, John		(1776–1837)  a British painter known for his paintings and drawings of the suffolk countryside, especially The Haywain, which is one of the most famous British paintings
Constantine the Great		(?274–337 AD) the first Christian ruler of the roman empire. In 330 AD he made byzantium the capital city of the empire instead of Rome and changed the name of the new capital to Constantinople.
Constantinople		the city on the Bosphorus which was the capital of the byzantine Empire for seven centuries from 330 AD, when it was established by Constantine the Great on the place where Byzantium had formerly stood. Later it was the capital of Turkey. It is now called Istanbul.
Constitutional Convention, the		the meeting of representatives in 1787 in Philadelphia that led to the writing of the Constitution of the United States of America
Constitution of the United States, the		the highest law of the government of the US, often unofficially called The Constitution. The Constitution was first written at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and it officially came into use in 1789. It consists of seven articles and 27 amendments (=additions and changes to the original).
Consumer Reports		a US magazine which tests and reports on the quality of particular products in order to help people to decide which one to buy. It accepts no advertising and the information it provides is highly respected. There is a similar magazine in the UK called which?
Consumers' Association, the		a British organization to help consumers. It tests the quality of products and services, and suggests the best ones to buy and use in its own magazine, called which? It also fights for the rights of consumers in the UK.
Continental Congress, the		a group of politicians who represented the original 13 American colonies (colony ), and met between 1774 and 1789. They made laws for the colonies, and later formed the government of the US. The Continental Congress wrote the declaration of independence, and its members are often called 'The founding fathers '.
Continental Divide, the		the chain of high mountains running from north to south in North America. They divide the rivers which flow into the Pacific Ocean from those which flow into the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico.
cony	 noun	 a rabbit	家兔
Cook, Captain James		(1728–79) a British sailor and explorer who sailed to Australia and New Zealand, and claimed the eastern coast of Australia for Britain. He also discovered several islands in the Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii, where he was killed.
Cookie Monster, the		a character in the US television programme sesame street who loves to eat cookies. He always appears when anyone has cookies, and he eats all of them very quickly, loudly, and wildly.
Cook Islands		a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, northeast of New Zealand. It is a territory of New Zealand but has its own government. Population: 10,447 (2014). Capital: Avarua.
Cook, Peter		(1937–95)  a British comedian, who had a great influence on British comedy and who is known especially for making humorous television programmes with Dudley Moore, with whom he first appeared in Beyond the Fringe when they were both at university. He also owned the humorous magazine Private Eye.
Cook, Robin		(1946–2005)  a British politician in the Labour Party, who was Foreign Secretary (=the minister in charge of the UK's relations with other countries) from 1997 to 2001. He was leader of the House of Commons from 2001 to 2003 until he resigned because he did not support the government's decision to go to war with Iraq.
Cookson, Catherine		(1906–98)  a British writer of novels with romantic stories that take place in the past, in the northeast of England. Her books are especially popular with women, and many of them have been made into television films.
cool hunter	 noun	someone who notices which styles, products, and activities are becoming fashionable, especially among young people
Coolidge, (John) Calvin		(1872–1933) a politician who became the US president in 1923 on the death of Warren Harding. He was re-elected as president the following year.
Cooper, Alice		(1948–)  a US heavy metal singer whose songs include School's Out.
Cooper, Gary		(1901–61)  a US film actor who often appeared as characters who were very brave and determined, and did not speak much. His most famous film is the westernHigh Noon (1952), where he defends himself against a group of violent men.
Cooper, Henry		(1934-2011)  a British boxer who was European heavyweight champion from 1968 to 1969, and from 1970 to 1971. He is known for having hit Muhammed Ali so hard that he fell down when they fought in 1963. His official title was Sir Henry Cooper.
Cooper, James Fenimore		(1789–1851)  a US writer who wrote novels about Native Americans and life on the American frontier, including The Deerslayer and The Last of the Mohicans
Cooperstown		a town in the state of New York which has the Baseball Hall of Fame, a sort of museum where baseball equipment and information about famous baseball players is on show to the public
Cooper, Tommy		(1921–84)  a British comedian, known for wearing a fez (=a Muslim hat), for doing silly magic tricks that did not work, and for saying 'Just like that!'
Coors		a type of beer made by a US company and sold in the US and the UK
Copacabana		a fashionable beach in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, thought of as a place where many young and beautiful people go
Copenhagen		the capital city of Denmark, a port and industrial centre in the east of the country. There is a well-known statue (=image of a person made from solid material) of the 'Little Mermaid' in the port.
Copenhagen, the Battle of		a naval battle between the British and the Danish in 1801. The British navy under Lord Nelson had received orders to leave the area because Danish ships were approaching. Nelson put his telescope to his blind eye and said 'I see no ships'. His ships remained where they were, and in the battle that followed the Danes were defeated.
Copernican system, the	 noun	the idea, first suggested by Copernicus, that the Earth and the other planets all travel in circles around the Sun. Before this it was believed, according to the Ptolemaic system, that the Earth was at the centre of the universe.
Copernicus, Nicholas		(1473–1543) , a Polish astronomer (=person who studies the stars), known for the Copernican system
Copland, Aaron		(1900–90)  a US composer of modern classical music, known especially for his Fanfare for the Common Man, and for the music he wrote for the  ballet Appalachian Spring
Copperfield, David		(1956–)  a US magician (=someone who entertains people by performing magic tricks) who is known for impressive tricks such as making the statue of liberty disappear, and walking through the great wall of china
Copperfield, David
Coppola, Francis Ford		(1939–)  a very respected US film director, whose films include The godfather (1972), for which he won an Oscar, and Apocalypse Now (1979)
Coptic	 adjective	connected with the Coptic Church or the Coptic language
Coptic	 noun	the language used in the religious services of the Coptic Church, based on the language of ancient Egypt
Coptic Church, the		a Christian religious group that is separate from the Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox churches, and was formed in Egypt in the 1st century AD. Although most Egyptians are Muslims, there is a small number of Coptic Christians.
copyleft	 noun	the practice of making something such as software freely available and able to be used and changed
Corbusier
Cordelia		a character in the play king lear by William shakespeare. She is the youngest of Lear's three daughters and the only one who really loves him.
Corfu		a Greek island northwest of mainland Greece which is a popular place for tourists to visit
Corinthian	 adjective	of a style of Greek architecture that uses decorations of leaves cut into stone
Cork		the largest county in the Irish Republic
Corleone, Vito		the main character in The Godfather, a novel and film about the Mafia in the US. The book tells how the Corleone family become one of the most powerful criminal organizations in America. Marlon Brando played Corleone in the 1972 film of The Godfather.
Corn Belt, the		a large area in the central part of the US which produces a lot of corn (= maize in British English) as food for cattle. It includes Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and parts of other states.
Cornell		an important US university in Ithaca, New York, which is one of the ivy league colleges
Cornetto		a type of ice cream made by the British company wall's. It consists of a cornet which contains ice cream with chocolate or fruit and nuts.
Corn Laws, the		laws in Britain in the 19th century controlling the price of foreign corn, and making it more expensive than corn produced in Britain. This protected British farmers from competition, but hurt the ordinary people, and after much protest, the laws were changed in 1846.
Cornwall		a county in southwest England which is a popular place for tourists and for people who enjoy the sport of surfing (surf). It used to have a lot of tin mines. Cornwall includes land's end and the Isles of Scilly.
Cornwallis, Lord Charles		(1738–1805)  a British military leader who was in charge of the British army during the american revolutionary war. He later became governor-general of India.
Coronation Street		one of the most popular programmes on British television, which has been shown continuously since 1960. It is a soap opera about people who live in a street called Coronation Street in an industrial city in northern England. Some of its best-known characters have been Ena Sharples and Bet Lynch. People sometimes informally call it 'Corrie'.
Corpus Christi		a holy day in the Roman Catholic Church, when the sacrament (=the holy bread eaten at the Eucharist) is carried in procession. Corpus Christi is Latin for 'the Body of Christ'.
Corpus Christi		a city in southeast Texas on the Gulf of Mexico
Corrie		an informal name for the British soap operaCoronation Street
Corsica		a large island to the south of France in the Mediterranean Sea, where napoleon was born. Corsica belongs to France, but some of the people there want to have a separate government.
Cortés, Hernán		(1485–1547)  a Spanish soldier and conquistador, who defeated the aztecs in 1521 and took control of Mexico for Spain
Cosa Nostra		another name for the mafia (=a secret criminal organization) in the US
Cosby, Bill		(1937–)  a US actor and comedian known especially for the television programme The Cosby Show(1984–1992) , and for being the first African-American actor to appear regularly as a main character in the US television programme I Spy in the 1960s.
cosmeceuticals	 noun	beauty creams that make your skin softer or more attractive. Cosmeceuticals contain chemicals that some people claim actually improve your skin by making it young again.
Cosmo		an informal name for the magazine Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan		a monthly magazine for women, which is produced in separate editions in the US, the UK, and many other countries. It is aimed at young modern independent women and deals with subjects such as fashion, work, and sex.
Cossack	 noun	a member of a people who lived on the plains of southern Russia and Ukraine, famous for their skill at fighting and at riding horses, and for their Russian dancing with the knees bent, the body low, and the arms folded in front of the body.
Costa	 noun	used humorously, especially in newspapers, when describing a place on the coast that has particular characteristics
Costa Brava, the		the coast of eastern Spain, between Barcelona and the border with France. It is a popular area for British tourists to go for inexpensive holidays.
Costa del Crime, the		a humorous name for the costa del sol in Spain, which some people in the UK think of as a place where successful British criminals go to live. The expression is less often used now because since 1985 Spanish police have had the legal power to send British criminals living in Spain back to the UK so that they can be judged in a court of law.
Costa Geriatrica, the		a humorous name for parts of the British south coast, where many old people go to live when they have stopped working
Costa Rica		a country in Central America between Nicaragua and Panama. Population: 4,695,942 (2014). Capital: San José. Although there has often been fighting in other countries in Central America, Costa Rica has been a peaceful democracy for a long time, and has not had an army since 1950. Costa Rica is very popular with tourists, especially ecotourists, because of its forests and beaches.
Costello, Lou
cost-per-action	 adjective	describes a way of paying for advertising on the Internet in which the advertiser pays each time someone does something as a result of seeing their advertisement, for example if someone buys a product – used in business
Così fan tutte		a humorous opera by mozart in which two men play a trick on the two sisters they love in order to test whether the women really love, them and will be faithful to them
Cotswolds, the		a hilly area of western England which has a lot of pretty villages and river valleys. Many buildings are built of the local yellow Cotswold stone, and it is a popular tourist area.
Cotton Belt, the		an area in the southern US, mainly in Texas, where cotton is grown
Cotton Bowl, the		an important college football game held every year in Dallas, Texas
Council for the Protection of Rural England, the		the full name of the cpre
Council of Europe, the		an organization which was established in 1949 to develop greater unity between the countries of Europe, and to encourage democratic government and respect for human rights. It now consists of 47 European countries, and its members develop policies on education, crime, health, and the environment. Complaints about cruel or unfair treatment can be settled in the Council's court, the European Court of Human Rights. Although it has close connections with the European Union, it is a separate organization.
Count Basie
Country Code, the		a set of instructions that advise people who live in cities how to behave when they visit the countryside. For example, according to the Country Code you should always close gates in fields after using them, and you should keep your dog under control.
Country Life		a British monthly magazine which contains articles about impressive homes and gardens in the country, and important social activities there. It is usually thought of as a magazine for rich people who live in the country.
Countryside Alliance, the		a British organization that claims to represent the interests of people who live in country areas. It was started in 1998 to oppose plans by the Government to make fox hunting illegal. In 2002, the Countryside Alliance organized a large march through London to protest that the Government was not doing enough to improve the economic situation of people who live in the country.
Countryside Commission, the		in the past, a British organization whose aim was to look after the countryside and prevent it being spoiled. It provided national parks, paths etc for people who want to enjoy the country. It merged with the Rural Development Commission in 1999 to form the Countryside Agency, which became part of Natural England in 2006.
Couper, Heather		(1949–)  a British astronomer (=a scientist who studies the stars) who has appeared on many television and radio programmes about space and the stars. She has also written many books including The Space Atlas and Mars: The Inside Story of the Red Planet.
Courtauld Institute, the		an art gallery in London. It is mainly known for its collection of late 19th and early 20th century paintings.
Court of Session, the		the most important civil court of law in the Scottish legal system
Court of St James, the		one of the old names of the official home of the British king or queen. Formally, an ambassador (=the official representative of a country) who is sent to the UK from a foreign country is called the 'Ambassador to the Court of St James'.
Cousteau, Jacques		(1910–97)  a French underwater explorer, famous for making films about the plants and animals that live in the sea. He also helped to invent the aqualung.
Covent Garden		an area of London once famous for its fruit and vegetable market, now replaced by expensive but popular shops, eating places etc
Coward, Sir Noël		(1899–1973)  a British actor, singer, and writer of songs and plays, known especially for his clever and humorous plays, such as Private Lives and Blithe Spirit, and his amusing song Mad Dogs and Englishmen
Cowell, Simon		(1959–)  a British music and television producer, who had the idea for the popular television programmes Pop Idol, The X Factor, and Britian's Got Talent. He also acted as a judge for these programmes in Britain and in the US. He is known for saying cruel things to the people who sing in the competitions and for using the phrase 'I don't mean to be rude, but...' just before saying something rude.
Cowes		an English holiday town and sailing centre on the Isle of Wight in the English Channel. Every year there is a regatta (=series of boat races) there, known as Cowes Week, which a lot of rich and fashionable people attend.
CP
CPRE, the		(the Campaign to Protect Rural England) an organization whose aim is to prevent farmers and developers (=companies that build houses, offices, shops, or roads) from destroying the countryside in England
crackberry	 noun	a BlackBerry™ – used humorously when someone uses their BlackBerry all the time, as if they are addicted to it like a drug	可卡因莓〔黑莓手机的戏称，形容一个人上瘾似的使用黑莓手机〕
Cracker Jack		a type of sweet popcorn sold in a box with a prize inside it, which is popular with children in the US
Craddock, Fanny		(1910–94)  a British cook who was one of the first people to have a television show about cooking. She appeared with her husband, Johnnie, showing people how to make different dishes.
Crane, Ichabod		the main character in the story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving. He is chased by the  headless horseman.
Cranmer, Thomas		(1489–1556)  an English priest who was archbishop of canterbury, and who was one of the leaders of the reformation (=the time when many Christians in Europe left the Catholic religion and started the Protestant religion) in England. When the Catholic Mary I became Queen of England, she ordered Cranmer to be killed by being burned.
-crat	 suffix	another form of the suffix -ocrat	后缀-ocrat的另一种形式
Cratchit, Bob		a character in the book A Christmas Carol by Charles  dickens. Bob Cratchit is a kind poor man who has to work very hard for his employer, scrooge. He has a young son, tiny tim, who is very ill and cannot walk.
Crawford, Joan		(1904–77)  one of America's most famous film actresses, who usually appeared as characters who were very brave and determined, but often also very unhappy. Her films include Mildred Pierce (1945) and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962). Her daughter wrote a book about her, called Mommie Dearest, that criticized her strongly.
Crayola		a type of coloured crayons and other art materials for children, such as coloured pens and paints
Crazy Gang, The		a group of British comedians who told jokes and sang songs in theatres from the 1930s to the 1960s
Crazy Horse		(?1842–77)  a native american chief of the sioux tribe who united his people and helped sitting bull to win a victory over General custer's army in the famous battle at the little bighorn
Creation, the		(in the Christian religion) God's act of creating the Universe, the Earth, and all living things on Earth. The story of the Creation is told in the book of Genesis in the Bible.
Creator, the	 noun	God	上帝﹐造物主
Cree	 noun	 a Native American tribe that lived mainly in northern Montana in the US, and in Canada
Creek	 noun	 a Native American tribe from Georgia and Alabama in the US
cremains	 noun	the substance that is left after a dead person's body is burned
Cressida
Cresta Run, the		a deep, steep path with twists in it which is cut into the ice at st moritz in Switzerland and used for racing in bobsleighs (=a special vehicle with metal blades for riding fast over snow and ice)
Crete		the largest island belonging to Greece, in the southeast Mediterranean Sea. The important minoan civilization was based on Crete between 3000 BC and 1100 BC.
Crewe		a town in Cheshire, northwest England, which is an important railway centre
Crichton, Michael		(1942–2008)  an American writer of very popular books. His most famous books include The Andromeda Strain, Jurassic Park, and Sphere. Many of his books have been made into films, and he produced films and television programmes. He also had the idea for and produced the television programme ER.
Crick, Francis		(1916–2004)  a British scientist who worked with James Watson, and discovered the structure of dna, the substance that carries genetic information in the cells of plants, animals, and humans. They won the Nobel prize for their work in 1962.
Crimea, the		a part of Ukraine that is nearly surrounded by the Black Sea. The crimean war was fought there.
Crimean War, the		(1853–56)  a war between Russia on one side, and Britain, France, Turkey, and Sardinia on the other. It started because Britain and France believed that Russia intended to take control of the Balkans  (=southeast Europe), and it ended when the Russians were defeated and lost control of their naval base at Sevastopol. In the UK most people connect the Crimean War with Florence nightingale, who cared for the injured soldiers and developed new ideas about nursing, and with a battle called the charge of the light brigade, a serious military mistake in which many British soldiers were killed.
Crimewatch		a British television programme which gives details about crimes that have not yet been solved and asks people to telephone the programme or the police if they have any helpful information about the crime
Criminal Cases Review Commission		a British organization, set up in 1997, that investigates cases where it is believed a person might have been wrongfully convicted of a crime
Criminal Justice Bill, the	 noun	a series of changes to British law in 1995, officially called the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act, which changed the law concerning a person's right to silence  (=their right to say nothing when the police arrest them, or when they are on trial in a court of law), and also made the laws against squatting (squat = living in a building without the owner's permission) and trespassing (trespass = being on someone's land without their permission) much stricter. The more recent Criminal Justic Act 2003 allowed trials without juries (jury) in cases where there is a risk of jury-tampering. It also give the police increased powers to stop and search people.
Crimplene	 noun	a type of artificial cloth that does not easily get lines when it is folded or crushed	克林普纶〔一种不易起皱的人造布料〕
Crippen, Dr.		(1862–1910)  a US doctor who murdered his wife in England and then tried to escape to the US on a ship. The ship received a morse code message from the police, and as a result he was caught. Dr. Crippen is known as being the first criminal to be caught in this way.
Crisco		a type of vegetable fat or vegetable oil used in cooking, which is sold in the US
Crisp, Quentin		(1908–99)  a writer and critic who was born in the UK but went to live in the US. He is known especially for writing The Naked Civil Servant (1968) and for being  homosexual, and for his clever and amusing opinions and strange clothes.
Croat	 noun	 someone who comes from Croatia
Croatia		a country in Eastern Europe between Hungary and the Adriatic Sea. Population: 4,475,611 (2014). Capital: Zagreb. It was part of Yugoslavia until 1991.
Crocker, Betty
Crockett, Davy		(1786–1836)  a US frontiersman who became a member of Congress and was later killed trying to defend the Alamo
Crocodile Dundee		a humorous US film about an Australian crocodile hunter called Crocodile Dundee who goes to New York City
Croft, Lara		an animated female character in a popular computer game called Tomb Raider, known for being very sexually attractive
Crompton, Richmal		(1890–1969)  a British writer who wrote a famous series of humorous children's novels, known as the Just William books, about the adventures of an 11-year-old English schoolboy called William Brown who always gets into trouble
Cromwell, Oliver		(1599–1658)  an English military and political leader who led the army of Parliament against King charles i in the English Civil War. After defeating the King, he made a republic (=a country without a king or queen) called 'the Commonwealth', and ruled as Lord Protector until his death.
Cromwell Street		a street in Gloucester, England where Fred West lived with his wife, Rosemary. In 1994, the Wests were arrested (arrest) for killing several people, mostly girls and young women, and burying their bodies under the house. The house they lived in has since been destroyed and replaced with a small park.
Cromwell, Thomas		(1485–1540)  an English politician who became King henry viii's chief adviser, and made laws that gave Henry control of all the churches in England, instead of the Pope. He also organized the dissolution of the monasteries.
Cronkite, Walter		(1916–2009)  a US television news reporter who was the anchorman (=the person who reads the news and introduces the reports) for CBS news from 1962 to 1980. His opinions were respected and trusted by many Americans.
Cronus		in Greek mythology, a son of uranus and one of the titans, who became ruler of the world until he was defeated by zeus. In Roman mythology his name is saturn.
Crosby, Bing		(1904–77)  a US singer and film actor who was famous as a crooner (=someone who sings in a soft, gentle voice), and who appeared in many humorous films with Bob hope. He is best known for the song White Christmas from the film Holiday Inn (1942).
Crow	 noun	 a Native American tribe that now lives in southern Montana
Crow, Jim
Crown Prosecution Service, the		the government organization in England and Wales which is responsible for bringing legal charges against criminals
Crucible, The		a play by Arthur Miller which describes how innocent women were charged with being witches and cruelly punished by a court of law in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. This play was written in 1953 to show how similar the Salem Witch Trials were to McCarthyism.
Cruella de Vil		a cruel and evil woman in the children's book and disney film one hundred and one dalmatians. She wears a fur coat, and she pretends to be friendly in order to get the spotted fur of the dalmatian dogs in order to make a coat from it.
Crufts		a famous British competition for dogs, officially called Crufts Dog Show, which is held every year in Birmingham. Judges at the show decide which is the best animal in the country for each type of dog (the 'best of breed'), and they also decide which is the best dog of all, which gets the title 'Crufts supreme champion'.
Cruise, Tom		(1962–)  a US film actor, known for being very good-looking.The films he is most known for include Risky Business (1983), Top Gun (1986),  Jerry Maguire (1997), and  Minority Report (2002). He is also well-known for his belief in Scientology.
Cruyff, Johan		(1947–)  a Dutch football player, considered to be one of the greatest players ever, who played for Holland, Ajax, and Barcelona in the 1970s. He is famous for the 'Cruyff turn', an attacking move which he invented. He was a successful manager for Ajax and Barcelona in the 1980s.
Crystal Palace, the		a large building made of glass and iron, built in hyde park, London to contain the great exhibition of 1851. The building was later moved to South London, but was destroyed by fire in 1936. The name 'Crystal Palace' is still used for a football team and a sports ground in South London.
Cry, the Beloved Country		a book by Alan Paton about a black minister (=Christian priest) and his family in South Africa in the 1940s. It shows the lack of equality between black and white people, but encourages them not to hate each other.
CT		the written abbreviation of Connecticut
CTC	 noun	 a type of school in Britain that receives some money from businesses and teaches technical skills to young people
Cuba		the largest island in the Caribbean Sea. Population: 11,061,886 (2014). Capital: Havana. Cuba was a one-party Communist state led by Fidel CASTRO from 1959 until he resigned in 2008 and his brother Raúl took over as president. Cuba is known for its rum, its cigars, and its music. It also has a growing tourist industry.
Cukor, George		(1899–1983)  a US film director who won an Oscar for best director in 1964 for My Fair Lady. He was the original director of Gone With the Wind (1939), but was replaced after only two weeks after arguments with the main actor Clark Gable. His other films included David Copperfield (1935), and The Philadelphia Story (1940).
Culloden		a place in northeast Scotland and also the name of a famous battle that was fought there in 1746, in which the Scots, under bonnie prince charlie, were severely defeated by the English, under the Duke of Cumberland, second son of King george ii
Cultural Revolution, the	 noun	a period in China, from 1966 to 1969, when its leader Mao Zedong tried to continue and develop the revolution that brought the Communists to power in China in the 1940s. During this period educated people, including university teachers, artists, and high-ranking government officials, were criticized and physically attacked, and many of them were put in prison or forced to work on the land. The Cultural Revolution was strongly supported by young people, especially students, and many of them joined a group called the Red Guards to carry out Mao's instructions and ideas.
Cumbria		a county of northwest England just south of the border with Scotland. It is known for its beautiful scenery and it contains the Lake District national park.
Cummings, E.E.		1894–1962) a US poet known for writing poems with no capital letters and for playing with the way poems are arranged on a page and with punctuation, in poems such as anyone lived in a little how town
Cunard		a company that organizes cruises (=journeys by sea for pleasure) in many parts of the world. Its most famous passenger ship is the QM2.
Cunningham, Merce		(1922–2009)  an American dancer and choreographer who started his own dance group in 1953. Many famous dance groups performed works that he had choreographed.
Cunningham, Michael		(1952–)  a US writer whose novels include A Home at the End of the World, Flesh and Blood, and The Hours, which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1999 and which was also made into a successful film
Cuomo, Mario		(1932–)  a US politician in the Democratic Party, who was governor of New York from 1983–1994
Cup, the		an informal name for the fa cup
Cup Final, the		in the UK, the final game of the fa cup competition, usually played every year at wembley stadium (=building for sports events, consisting of a playing field surrounded by rows of seats) in London, and watched by millions of people on television. The Cup Final has been played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff while a new stadium is being built in Wembley. Football in Scotland is separate from England and Wales, and the Scottish Cup Final takes place at Hampden Park in Glasgow.
Cupid		a character based on the Roman god of sexual love, who was the son of Venus. Cupid is usually shown in pictures as a young boy with wings, holding a bow and arrow. His picture is often used on Valentine cards to represent love. People sometimes say that they have been hit by Cupid's arrow when they have started to have romantic feelings for someone.
Curie, Marie		(1867–1934)  a Polish scientist, who with her French husband Pierre Curie studied radioactivity and discovered two new radioactive substances, Polonium and Radium. She won two Nobel prizes, and was the first woman ever to win one.
Currier and Ives	 noun	typical of a style of US art, named after the two men who invented it. It shows scenes from daily life in 19th century America.
Curtis, Richard		(1958–)  a British writer and film director. He has written many television programmes, including Blackadder and The Vicar of Dibley. As a screenwriter, his films include Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), Notting Hill (1999), and Bridget Jones's Diary (2001). He wrote and directed Love Actually (2003). He is also one of the main organizers of Comic Relief every two years in the UK. He is known for being very private and does not often appear in public.
Curtis, Tony		(1925–2010)  a US actor who first became popular in the 1950s after appearing in adventure films. Later he took more serious parts in films such as Sweet Smell of Success (1957), and The Boston Strangler (1968). One of his most famous films was Some Like It Hot with Marilyn Monroe in 1959, when he and Jack Lemmon dressed as women musicians to escape from criminals who wanted to kill him. His birth name was Bernard Schwartz.
Cushing, Peter		(1913–94)  a British actor known especially for acting in horror films, such as Dracula (1958) and for appearing as the character Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)
Custer, General George Armstrong		(1839–76) a US soldier who first became famous in the American Civil War. He was killed, with all the men he was in command of, by Native Americans from the Sioux tribe led by Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, in the Battle of the Little Bighorn. This battle is also known as Custer's Last Stand.
cut-and-come-again	 adjective	a cut-and-come-again salad plant is one whose leaves you pick to eat without pulling up the whole plant, so that it can continue to grow more leaves
Cutty Sark, the		a clipper (=fast sailing ship) which was built in 1869 and carried tea from China to England. It is now a museum ship at Greenwich in London. It was badly damaged by fire in 2007 and is now being restored.
Cuzco		a city in southern Peru, once the most important city of the Inca people, with many palaces and temples. Much of ancient Cuzco was destroyed by the Spanish in 1533.
cyberlaw	 noun	a law or laws relating to the use of the Internet
Cyclades, the		a group of Greek islands in the Aegean Sea, including Naxos and Paros
Cymru		the Welsh name for wales
Cyprus		a large island in the east Mediterranean Sea. Population: 1,155,403 (2014). Capital: Nicosia. Cyprus has been divided into two parts since Turkey invaded (=entered the country using military force) the north in 1974. The Greek Cypriots live in the southern two thirds of the island, and the Turkish Cypriots live in the northern third. Since 1983 the area held by the Turks has called itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, but only Turkey officially recognizes it as a country. Cyprus joined the EU in 2004.
Cy Young Award, the		a prize given every year to the most successful pitcher (=the player who throws the ball) in the american league and the national league of US baseball. It is named after the famous pitcher Cy young.
Czechoslovakia		a former country in central Europe, which divided in 1993 into two separate countries, the Czech Republic and Slovakia
Czech Republic, the		a country in central Europe, between Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria. Population: 10,162,921 (2014). Capital: Prague. Until 1993 it was part of Czechoslovakia. The Czech Republic became a member of the EU in 2004.
Cézanne, Paul		(1839–1906)  a French Impressionist painter, who helped to develop Post-Impressionism and who influenced the development of Cubism and abstract art
C ô te d'Azur		 a fashionable part of the Mediterranean coast in southeast France, including the cities of Nice and Cannes
Côte d'Ivoire		a country next to the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa, between Ghana and Liberia. Population: 22,400,835 (2014). Capital: Yamoussoukro. It is sometimes called the Ivory Coast.
Dacca		the old spelling of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh
Dachau		a concentration camp in southern Germany in which many Jews and other prisoners were killed during World War II
Dacron	 noun	a type of cloth that is not made from natural materials	涤纶，的确良
Dadaism	 noun	a movement in European art and literature in the early 20th century, in which artists and writers aimed to shock people by deliberately ignoring accepted ideas and producing strange, unexpected images. Dadaism was the main influence on surrealism, which developed from Dadaism in the 1920s.
Daddy Warbucks		a character in the US cartoon strip little orphan annie. He is a rich businessman who takes care of a young girl called Annie, whose parents are dead.
Dad's Army		a humorous British television programme(1968–77)  about a group of men who were part of the  home guard in a small southern English town during World War II. Their job was to defend the town if German forces attacked it, but they were very badly organized, and everything they did went wrong.
Daedalus		in ancient Greek stories, an inventor who designed the labyrinth on the island of crete, where the King of Crete kept the minotaur. He later escaped from Crete with his son icarus, by flying away using wings made of feathers and wax.
Daffy Duck		a black duck who is a character in cartoon films made by warner bros, and who behaves in a silly way and cannot say the sound 's' properly
Dagwood		a character in the US cartoon strip blondie. Dagwood is married to Blondie, and he is known for being lazy.
Dagwood sandwich	 noun	a very large sandwich with many different kinds of meat and cheese in it
Dahl, Roald		(1916–90)  a British writer known especially for his very popular children's books which are often both funny and frightening, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach
Dahmer, Jeffrey		(1960–94)  a US man who killed 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991 and kept parts of their bodies in his home
Dail, the		the lower house in the Republic of Ireland. The upper house is called the Senate, or the Seanad Éireann.
Daily Express, The		the former name of The Express newspaper
Daily Mail, The		a British daily tabloid newspaper which usually supports the ideas of the Conservative Party. It is a less serious newspaper than papers like the The Times or The Guardian, but more serious than papers like The Sun.
Daily Mirror, The		a British daily tabloid newspaper owned by mirror group newspapers. It usually supports the Labour Party.
Daily Planet, The		the imaginary newspaper that Clark Kent and Lois Lane work for in the Superman stories
Daily Sport, The		a British tabloid newspaper sold daily which has almost no serious news stories, but has many stories about sex and scandal (=immoral or shocking events involving famous people), and a lot of pictures of women with no clothes on. It is produced by the same company that produces The Sunday Sport.
Daily Telegraph, The		a serious British daily newspaper which usually supports the ideas of the conservative party. Although many types of people read The Daily Telegraph, including many young business-people, the typical Telegraph reader is often thought of as a  retired (=someone who does not work anymore) army officer with very old-fashioned, traditional ideas.
Daimler		a make (=type) of large, expensive, and comfortable car. They are typically thought of as cars that are driven by wealthy, older people.
daiquiri	 noun	a sweet alcoholic drink made with rum and fruit juice	代基里酒〔一种由朗姆酒与果汁调成的甜味酒类饮品〕
Dairy Queen		a chain of US fast food restaurants which sells ice cream and other foods, and is popular with young people
Dakar		the capital of Senegal, a seaport, and one of the largest industrial centres in West Africa
Dakotas, the		the US states of North Dakota and South Dakota
Dalai Lama, the		the leader of the Tibetan Buddhist religion
Dales, the		an area of broad, open valleys and hills in northern England. Many tourists visit the Dales.
Daley, Arthur		a character in the 1980s British television programme Minder, who sells used cars and sometimes also buys and sells other goods which are stolen. He is thought of as a typical example of a salesman who is dishonest but easy to like, and not really a serious criminal.
Daley, Richard M.		(1942–)  a US politician who was mayor of Chicago from 1989 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party, and is known for his policies to improve schools and community policing  (=police officers working with residents to prevent crime). His father, Richard J. Daley, was mayor of Chicago from 1955 to 1976. The Daleys were known for having a "political machine"  (=an organization that supports a politician and is rewarded for helping the politician be elected).
Dali, Salvador		(1904–89)  a Spanish painter whose work is typical of the style of surrealism, known for his strange life and behaviour, and for his long, curving moustache
Dallas		a city in Texas in the US. It is a centre for business and industry and is especially famous for its rich oil businesses. It is also remembered as the place where John F. Kennedy was shot in 1963.
Dallas Cowboys, the		the main football team in Dallas, Texas
Dallas-Fort Worth		a very large US airport for the cities of dallas and fort worth
Dalmatia		an area of Croatia on the east coast of the Adriatic Sea
Damascus		the capital of Syria, which is one of the most ancient cities in the world and is known especially for its Great Mosque
Dame Edna		a humorous middle-aged female character invented and performed by the male Australian comedian Barry humphries. Her full name is 'Dame Edna Everage', and she is known for her unusual, brightly decorated clothes and glasses, and for thinking that she is very attractive, amusing, and intelligent. She speaks with a strong Australian accent, and often makes fun of people in the audience.
Dance of Death		an imaginary dance which people are supposed to perform as they are being led to their death by a skeleton (=a body consisting only of bones) representing death. It was very common in pictures and drawings in the middle ages, but there are also descriptions of it in music and literature.
Dan Dare		the main character in one of the stories in the British comic for boys called The Eagle, popular especially in the 1950s and 1960s. He is the brave  captain of a spacecraft and has many exciting adventures, and his main enemy is the Mekon.
Dandy, The		a British comic (=a magazine for children that tells stories using sets of drawings), whose best-known character is desperate dan
Daniel		in the Old Testament of the Bible, a Jewish man who was made a prisoner by King nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and was put into a lions' den as a punishment for not changing his beliefs. The lions did not kill him, however, because God protected him. The phrasein the lion's den comes from this story, and is used to describe a difficult situation in which you are surrounded by people who are your enemies.
Dankworth, John		(1927–2010)  a British writer of jazz music, who played the saxophone and was the leader of a group of jazz musicians. He was known especially for his work with his wife, the singer Cleo Laine. His records include Experiments with Mice and African Waltz. His official title was Sir John Dankworth.
Dante		(1265–1321)  Dante Alighieri, an Italian poet who is known especially for writing La Divina Commedia ( The Divine Comedy ), a long poem about a journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. It is one of the most important works of European literature.
Dante's Inferno		the first part of dante's poem The Divine Comedy, in which he is led through different parts of  hell. The phrase 'Dante's Inferno' is sometimes used to describe a place where there is a lot of fire, destruction etc
Danton, Georges Jacques		(1759–94)  a French politician who became one of the leaders of the french Revolution
Danube, the		a long and important river in Eastern Europe. It starts in the Black Forest in Germany and runs through Austria, Hungary, and Romania into the Black Sea.
Daphne		in ancient Greek stories, a nymph whom the god apollo fell in love with. When he tried to have sex with her, she ran away, praying to the goddess of the Earth to save her, and so she was changed into a laurel tree.
Daphnis and Chloe		an ancient Greek love story about a boy and a girl who are found by shepherds. They grow up in the country, fall in love with each other, and finally get married.
Da Ponte, Lorenzo		(1749–1838)  an Italian writer and producer of operas, known especially for writing the words for three of mozart's greatest operas, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and Così Fan Tutte
DAR
Darcy, Mr		the main male character in the novel pride and prejudice by Jane austen. He is attractive, intelligent, and very rich, but he seems too proud of his wealth and his importance in society, and many people in the book dislike him because of this.
Dardanelles, the		the long narrow area of sea between the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmara which separates the European and Asian parts of Turkey, and which was called the Hellespont in ancient times. The important World War I battle at gallipoli took place in this area.
Dare, Dan
Dar-es-Salaam		the former capital of Tanzania and its main port, on the Indian Ocean. It is also the main port for Zambia.
Darfur	 	a region of western Sudan that entered a state of humanitarian emergency following a civil war that started in 2003. Many people have died in the fighting and from disease and millions of people have had to leave their homes. The UN and powerful countries have been criticized for not doing enough to prevent the situation in Darfur from becoming worse.
Darin, Bobby		(1936–73)  a US singer of popular music who had many successful songs in the 1960s, including Dream Lover
Darjeeling	 noun	a city in the mountains of northeast India
Dark Continent, the		a name given to Africa by Europeans in the 19th century. The name suggests that Africa was then an unknown area (to Europeans), but it is now considered an offensive name.
dark store	 noun	a supermarket from which goods are chosen to be delivered to people's homes.The store is not open to ordinary shoppers.
Darling Buds of May, The		one of a series of humorous novels by H.E. Bates about the Larkin family, a family of farmers in southern England during the 1950s. The books were made into a popular British television programme in the 1990s.
Darling, Grace		(1815–42)  a British woman whose father was in charge of a lighthouse (=a tower with a flashing light that guides ships away from dangerous rocks), and who is remembered for bravely rowing (row2 ) out to sea in a little boat during a storm to save nine people whose boat had sunk
Darrow, Clarence		(1857–1938)  a US lawyer known for representing workers and members of trade unions in court cases. In his most famous case, the scopes trial, he defended a teacher who was taken to court for teaching his students about evolution and the ideas of Charles darwin.
d'Artagnan		one of the main characters in the novel The Three Musketeers by Alexandre  dumas. He is a friend of the three musketeers, and together they have many exciting adventures.
Darth Vader		an evil character in the films star wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. He wears black clothes, has a black  mask that covers all of his face, and talks in a strange and frightening voice.
Dartington Hall		the name of a school and a music college in Devon, southwest England. The school, which closed in 1990, was famous for its progressive methods, and many left-wing politicians, artists, and writers sent their children there. The music college has an important summer school, where people go to be taught by famous musicians.
Dartmoor		a large area of moor (=wild, open country with rough grass and low bushes) in Devon, in the southwest of England, which is a National Park
Dartmouth		a port in Devon, southwest England. Many officers of the British navy are trained in the Royal Naval College there.
Darwin		a city and important port in northern Australia
Darwin, Charles		(1809–82)  a British scientist who developed the Theory of Evolution, the idea that plants and animals develop gradually from simpler to more complicated forms by natural selection. This is the process by which only plants and animals that are naturally suitable for life in their environment will continue to live, while all others will die. He wrote about his ideas in his book On the Origin of Species (1859), and this caused a lot of argument because some people thought his ideas were an attack on the description given in the Bible of the way life began.
Das Kapital
Data Protection Act, the		a British law that was introduced in 1984 and then rewritten in 1998. It provides rules about the way in which personal information can be stored on computer by the government, companies, and other organizations. It gives legal rights to people in order to prevent this information from being wrongly used, and also allows people to see the information that is held about them.
Dating Game, The		a television programme in the US, broadcast from 1965 until 1986, in which one person chose a partner from three people that they could not see, by asking them silly questions. They then went away for a short holiday together, and came back on the programme the next week to talk about their experiences and say whether they liked each other. There was a similar programme on British television called Blind Date.
Daughters of the American Revolution, the		an organization in the US for women whose families have been in the US since the american revolutionary war. Its members are very patriotic and generally support right-wing political ideas.
David		a statue of a young man made by the artist michelangelo, which can be seen in Florence, in Italy. It is considered to be one of the best examples of the human form in art.
David Copperfield		(1849–50)  a novel by Charles dickens which describes the life of its main character, David Copperfield, from the time when he was a poor orphan (=a child whose parents have both died). It is one of Dickens's most popular books, and is partly based on his own life. Many people know its characters, including Mr micawber and Uriah heep.
David, Elizabeth		(1914–92)  a British writer of cookery books, known especially for writing about French and Mediterranean dishes
David, King		( died around 962 BC) in the Old Testament of the Bible, one of the kings of Israel, who is also believed to have written some of the Psalms. His friendship with Jonathan is thought of as an example of a perfect, loyal friendship between two people. When David was a boy, he killed the  giant (=a very tall, strong man) goliath by hitting him on the head with a stone thrown from his  sling. People sometimes use the names David and Goliath to describe a situation in which a small and less powerful person or group is fighting a much larger and more powerful person or group.
David, St		the patron saint of Wales, who lived in the 6th century. St David's Day, 1st March, is celebrated as the Welsh national day.
Davies, Sir Peter Maxwell		(1934–)  an British composer (=writer of music) and conductor (=someone who directs a group of musicians) whose works include Eight Songs for a Mad King (1969), Mr Emmet Takes a Walk (1999), and the Antarctic Symphony (2001)
da Vinci, Leonardo
Davis, Angela		(1944–)  a left-wing African-American woman who has worked actively to achieve social and political changes in the US. Her books include Women, Culture, and Politics (1989).
Davis, Bette		(1908–89)  one of America's greatest film actresses, who often appeared as characters who were not specially beautiful but were very determined, and who secretly made clever or dishonest plans to get what they wanted. She was also known for her beautiful eyes. Her films include Jezebel (1938), Now Voyager (1942), All About Eve (1950), and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962).
Davis Cup, the		an important international men's tennis competition, played between teams of players representing their countries
Davis, Jefferson		(1808–89)  a US politician who was president of the confederacy (=the Southern US states) during the American civil War, from 1861 to 1865
Davis, Miles		(1926–91)  a US musician who played the trumpet and led his own jazz band. He is greatly admired as an imaginative musician who had an important influence on the development of jazz.
Davis, Sammy, Jr.		(1925–1990)  an African-American singer, dancer, and actor. He was famous as a nightclub entertainer and was a member of the 'Rat Pack,' a group of Hollywood stars which included Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.
Davy Jones's locker		an old-fashioned humorous name for the bottom of the sea, where people who die at sea are said to be
Davy, Sir Humphrey		(1778–1829)  a British scientist who invented the Davy lamp, an oil lamp that could be used in coal mines without causing explosions. He also discovered several elements (=basic chemical substances), including calcium, sodium, and  potassium.
Dawes Plan, the		a plan developed by Charles G. Dawes, a US politician, to help Germany to pay its reparations (=money paid by a defeated country) after World War I
Dawkins, Richard		(1941–)  a British scientist with a special interest in evolution. He is known especially for his book The Selfish Gene (1976), in which he says that humans, plants, and animals are built by  genes (=the parts of a cell which control qualities that are passed on to a living thing from its parents) so that the genes can continue to exist. He is often on British television and radio, and is also known for strongly opposing the belief in God. He wrote the best-selling book  The God Delusion (2006) on this subject.
Dayan, Moshe		(1915–81)  an Israeli military leader and politician. Dayan was responsible for Israel's victory in the arab-israeli war of 1967, and he later became Israel's Foreign Minister. He is remembered abroad especially because he wore a black patch over one eye.
Day, Doris		(1922–)  a US singer and film and television actress who was especially popular in the 1950s and early 1960s. Her films include The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), The Tunnel of Love (1958), and Move Over, Darling (1963)
Day-Glo	 adjective	having a very bright orange, green, yellow, or pink colour	Day-Glo荧光颜料的
Day-Lewis, Daniel		(1957–)  a British film actor, known for playing many different types of character. His films include My Left Foot (1989), In The Name of the Father (1993) and Gangs of New York (2002). He has won several Oscar awards, including for My Left Foot, There Will Be Blood (2007), and Lincoln (2012). His father was the poet Cecil Day Lewis.
Day of Atonement, the		a Jewish holy day on which Jews fast and pray for forgiveness for the things they have done wrong (sins ), during the past year. It is also known as 'Yom Kippur'.
Day of the Jackal, The		a British film, based on a book of the same name by Frederick forsyth, about a professional killer attempting to murder the French president, General de gaulle
Day of the Triffids, The		a science fiction book by John Wyndham. The triffids are large poisonous plants that can move, and they become powerful after a bright light in the sky makes most people blind.
Daytona 500, the		a car race held every year in Daytona, Florida, which is 500 miles long and involves stockcars going around the track 200 times
Daytona Beach		a US city on the coast of Florida. Motor races are held at the International Speedway there.
Dayton Accords, the		the political agreements made in 1995 in Dayton, Ohio, in the US, between Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) to end the fighting between them and decide where the new borders would be between them
DBE	 noun	(Dame Commander of the (Order of the) British Empire) a title given in Britain to a woman as an honour because she has done something of national importance. A woman who has a DBE can use the title Dame instead of Mrs, Miss, or Ms
DCMS, the
DCSF, the		the abbreviation of the Department For Children, Schools, and Families
DDS	 noun	(Doctor of Dental Surgery) a university degree in dentistry. DDS is written after someone's name to show that they have this degree.
DE		the written abbreviation of Delaware
DEA, the		the drug enforcement administration
Dead Parrot Sketch, the		a famous sketch (=short scene) from the humorous British television programme, monty python. It is about a man who goes into a pet shop to complain that the  parrot he bought is dead, and the person who works in the shop tries to persuade him that the parrot is still alive.
Dead Sea, the		a large lake between Israel and Jordan. It is over 25% salt, so people can float in it very easily. The dead sea scrolls were found nearby.
Dead Sea Scrolls, the		a collection of ancient Jewish scrolls (=rolls of paper containing writing) from around the time of Christ. They contain the oldest copies of parts of the Old Testament of the Bible, and were found near the Dead Sea between 1947 and 1956.
Deadwood		a city in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It is well known for its part in the history of the American Old West. Wild Bill Hickok, a skilled gunfighter, was shot here in 1876. Both he and Calamity Jane, a woman famous for her skill in shooting, are buried in Deadwood.
Deal or No Deal	 	a television game show in which the contestants has to guess how much money is hidden in each of several cases.
Dean, Howard		(1948–)  a governor of the US state of Vermont, who tried to become the Democratic Party candidate for president in 2004. He strongly criticized the war in Iraq and had many supporters, but he was not chosen to be the candidate. He was one of the first politicians to use the Internet to gain supporters.
Dean, James		(1931–55)  a US film actor who became extremely famous, and then died in a car crash at the age of 24. After his death he became even more popular, and he is still thought of, especially by young people, as a typical example of a young rebel (=someone who refuses to do follow social rules or behave in the way that other people want them to). His films include East of Eden (1955) and Rebel Without a Cause (1955).
Dear Abby		a US newspaper column, originally written by Abigail Van Buren, and after her death by her daughter, Jeanne Phillips, which prints letters from readers asking for advice and her answers to these letters
Dear John letter	 noun	a letter to a man from his wife or girlfriend which tells him that she no longer loves him
Death in Venice		(1912) a novel by Thomas mann, which was made into a film in 1971, about a successful writer in Venice who falls in love with a beautiful Polish boy and therefore does not want to leave the city, even though there is cholera there. He stays, and finally dies from the disease. The film is also remembered for its beautiful, sad music, by Gustav mahler.
Death of a Salesman		(1949) a play by Arthur Miller about a man called Willy Loman, who kills himself because he has lost his job and feels that he has failed
Death Valley		an area of desert in the US states of Nevada and California. It is one of the hottest places in the world, and many people died trying to cross it in the 19th century.
de Beauvoir, Simone		(1908–86)  a French writer, thought by some to be the mother of feminist writing. She had a relationship with the philosopher and writer Jean-Paul sartre which lasted until Sartre died in 1980.
De Bono, Edward		(1933–)  a doctor and psychologist, born in Malta, who invented the idea of lateral thinking (=a new way of solving problems). He has written several books to explain his ideas and methods.
Debrett's	 noun	a book that is a guide to the British royal family and other upper-class families in the UK. It provides information about members of these families, the properties they own, and their history.
Debussy, Claude		(1862–1918)  a French composer who developed musical impressionism
Decalogue	 noun	the Ten Commandments
Decameron, the		a group of amusing stories, often about sex, by the great Italian writer Boccaccio. Written in the middle of the 14th century this work had a great influence on English literature.
Declaration of Independence, the		the document written in 1776, in which the thirteen British colonies (colony ) in America officially stated that they were an independent nation and would no longer agree to be ruled by Britain. The most famous part of it is: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, The		(1776–88)  a series of six historical books written by Edward Gibbon, which tell the story of the Roman Empire from the 1st century AD to the 15th century. It is regarded as one of the greatest historical works ever written in English.
Deep South, the		the most southern states of the US, including Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Georgia
Deepwater Horizon		an oil rig  (=structure in the sea for getting oil from under the ground) that was in the Gulf of Mexico off the southeast coast of Louisiana. It was the deepest oil well in the world. In April 2010 an explosion took place that killed 11 workers, and the oil well sank. This caused the biggest oil spill (=accidental flow of oil into the sea) in US history. Oil continued flowing for three months causing huge damage to the environment and to wildlife. The fishing and tourism industries were also badly affected.
deets	 noun	details
Defender of the Faith		a title used by British kings and queens since Henry VIII, who was given it by Pope Leo X in 1521 because he wrote a paper attacking the ideas of Martin luther
Defoe, Daniel		(1660–1731)  a British writer whose best known works are the novels robinson crusoe and moll flanders
Degas, Edgar		(1834–1917)  a French impressionist painter, known especially for his pictures of horse racing, theatres, cafés, and women dancing
de Gaulle, General Charles		(1890–1970)  the president of France between 1959 and 1969. De Gaulle was a French general and politician who is well known for his determination to free his country from Nazi rule during World War II.
Deighton, Len		(1929–)  a British writer of thrillers (=books that tell exciting stories about crimes and murders). His books include The Ipcress File (1962, and Funeral in Berlin (1964) and several have been made into films.
De Klerk, F.W.		(1936–)  the president of South Africa from 1989 to 1994. He made many political changes and finally ended the system of apartheid. In 1990 he allowed the anc to become a legal organization again, and let Nelson mandela out of prison. He and Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
de Kooning, Willem		(1904–1997)  a Dutch-born American painter of abstracts
De La Mare, Walter		(1873–1956)  a British writer known especially for his poems for children
de la Renta, Oscar		(1932–)  a famous fashion designer who was born in the Dominican Republic. He worked in Paris and then went to New York, where he started his own company in 1965. He is known especially for his beautiful evening dresses.
Delaware		a small state in the northeastern US. It was one of the original thirteen states established under British rule.
Del Boy		the nickname of Derek Trotter, a character in the humorous British television programme Only Fools And Horses. Del Boy buys and sells things but he is never very successful. He is not completely honest, but not a bad person. People who behave in a slightly dishonest way in business, but who are not serious criminals, are sometimes compared to Del Boy.
Delhi		a large city in northern India, divided into new delhi (=the capital of India) and Old Delhi
Delia		an informal name for the celebrity chef Delia Smith
Delilah		in the Old Testament of the Bible, a woman who persuades samson to trust her and tell her what makes him so strong. When he tells her that it is his hair, she tricks him into having his hair cut off to make him weak.
Delius, Frederick		(1862–1934)  a British composer whose best-known works include On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring and the  opera A Village Romeo and Juliet
Del Monte		a US food company that produces vegetables preserved in cans and fruit juices, which are sold in the US and the UK
Delors, Jacques		(1925–)  a French politician who was president of the European Commission from 1985 to 1994. He helped to plan the Maastricht Treaty.
Delta Force		a military force which is part of the US Army, and is specially trained to do secret and dangerous work, especially fighting terrorists
De Mille, Agnes		(1909–93)  a US dancer and choreographer who planned the dances for several musical plays on Broadway, such as Oklahoma! and  Carousel
DeMille, Cecil B.		(1881–1959)  a US film producer and director who helped to establish the film industry in Hollywood. He is famous for making epics, (=very expensive films about people in the bible and in history, using hundreds of actors). He is thought of as a very typical example of film director, like someone who uses a megaphone and tells actors exactly what to do without asking for their opinion. His films include Samson and Delilah (1949) and The Ten Commandments (1956).
Democratic	 adjective	connecting with or belonging to the US Democratic Party
Democratic Party, the		one of the two main political parties of the US, also known as the Democrats. The Democratic Party's policies (policy) are more liberal than those of the Republican Party. The Democratic Party tends to support poorer people by wanting to spend more money on education, health, and welfare. The party started about the time of Thomas Jefferson in the 1870s, when it was called the Democratic Republican Party. Around 1830 it began calling itself the Democratic Party. The party's symbol is a donkey.
Democratic Unionist Party, the		a Protestant political party in Northern Ireland. Its members are loyalists who believe very strongly that Northern Ireland should remain part of the UK, and are opposed to Roman Catholic parties having any political power. The party currently shares power with Sinn Fein.
Denali		a mountain in Denali National Park in central Alaska, which is the highest point in North America. It was formerly called Mount McKinley.
Dench, Judi		(1934–)  a famous and respected British actress, who appears in the theatre, in films, and on television. Her films include Shakespeare in Love (1998), Iris (2001), Notes on a Scandal (2006), and Philomena (2013). She is also known for playing the part of 'M' in James Bond films. She has won many awards, including an Oscar for Shakespeare in Love. Her official title is Dame Judi Dench.
Deng Xiaoping		(1904–97)  a Chinese politician who was the most powerful person in the Chinese communist Party from 1977 until his death. He is known for starting the important changes that helped China to develop its economy and industry, and to do more business with Western countries.
De Niro, Robert		(1943–)  one of America's greatest film actors, known especially for appearing as characters who are violent or are involved in very violent situations. He made many films with the director Martin Scorsese, including Taxi Driver (1976), Goodfellas (1990), and Casino (1995). He won an Oscar for the films The Godfather, Part 2 (1975) and Raging Bull (1991).
Denmark		a country in northern Europe, north of Germany and surrounded on three sides by sea. Denmark forms part of Scandinavia, and the people there are called Danes. It is a member of the EU. Population: 5,556,452 (2014). Capital: Copenhagen.
Dennis the Menace		a character in the British comicThe Beano. Dennis is a young boy with thick black hair that sticks out in all directions and he wears a sweater with red and black stripes. He has a dog called Gnasher, and together they play tricks on people.
Denver		the capital and largest city of the US state of Colorado, close to the Rocky Mountains. Denver is an important business, educational, and cultural centre, and it is sometimes called the 'Mile High City' because it is one mile above sea level.
Denver boot	 noun	a metal object that the police fasten to an illegally parked car so that it cannot be moved; wheel clamp
Depardieu, Gérard		(1948–)  one of France's greatest film actors, who has appeared in many French films, including Jean de Florette and Cyrano de Bergerac, and also in some English-speaking films, such as Green Card. He is now a citizen of Russia.
Department For Business, Innovation and Skills, the		the UK government department that deals with the skills and education that will help the economy grow and help people start businesses and create new products
Department for Constitutional Affairs, the		the British government department that was responsible for defending and supporting justice, rights, and democracy. It was in charge of the Magistrates' Courts and the Crown Courts. Until 2003, the department was called the Lord Chancellor's Office. in 2007 the responsibilities of the Department for Constitutional Affairs were moved to the new Ministry of Justice.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the		a British government department, formerly called the Department of National Heritage, which is responsible for supporting the arts, tourism, sport etc, and for making rules about newspapers and broadcasting in the UK
Department for Education and Skills, the		a former British government department which was responsible for the UK's education system and for making laws about workers' rights, organizing training programmes for people without jobs etc
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the		the British government department which is responsible for farming, food production, and the safety of food products. It is also responsible for protecting the environment in the UK.
Department for International Development, the		formerly called the Overseas Development Administration (oda ); a British government department that gives money, advice, and help to poorer countries
Department for Transport, the		a British government department which is responsible for dealing with transport in the UK, for example by making laws about road vehicles and planes, and by building and repairing roads.
Department for Work and Pensions, the		a British government department which is responsible for paying various types of benefit (=money paid by the government to people who need it, for example people who are poor, old, or too sick to work, and to people who cannot find a job)
Department of Defense, the		the US government department which is responsible for the military forces in the US, that is, the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. In the UK there is a similar department called the ministry of defence.
Department of Health, the		a British government department which is responsible for health programmes in England and for the National Health Service
Department of Health and Human Services, the		a US government department which is responsible for health programmes, and for providing money and support for people who are poor, people who have no jobs, and people who have stopped working because they are old
Department of Homeland Security, the		a US government department which is responsible for protecting the United States and its people from terrorist attacks. Its full name is the United States Department of Homeland Security. More informally, it is often just called Homeland Security.
Department of Housing and Urban Development, the
Department of Justice, the		a US government department which is responsible for dealing with the law. Its work includes writing laws, representing the government in a court of law, and doing criminal investigations (=searching for information to solve crimes). The head of the Department of Justice is called the attorney general. The department's full name is the United States Department of Justice.
Department of Labor, the		a US government department concerned with how workers are treated by employers. It examines subjects such as fair wages, safety, and the number of hours worked each week. Its full name is the United States Department of Labor.
Department of Motor Vehicles, the		the full name of the dmv
Department of National Heritage, the		the former name of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Department of Social Security, the		a former British government department. In 2001, it was divided into two new departments, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education and Skills.
Department of State, the		the official name for the US state department	美国国务院
Department of the Environment, the		the former name of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, a British government department
Department of the Interior, the		the part of the US government responsible for protecting the US's natural resources (=land, minerals, water, natural energy etc). The person in charge of this department is called the Secretary of the Interior. The department's full name is the United States Department of the Interior.
Department of Trade and Industry, the		the full name of the dti
Department of Transportation, the		a US government department that deals with transport in the US, for example by making laws about road vehicles and planes, and by building and repairing roads. Its full name is the United States Department of Transportation.
de Pompadour, Madame		(1721–64)  the mistress of King Louis XV of France. She had a lot of influence over politics from 1745 until her death.
Depp, Johnny		(1963–)  a US actor, known especially for playing unusual characters in films such as Ed Woods (1994), The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1999), and the Pirates of the Caribbean series of films.
Derby		a city in Derbyshire. It is known for its industries, which include engineering and china.
Derbyshire		a county in northern central England. The peak district National Park is mainly in Derbyshire, and is a popular place for tourists.
Derry		another name for the city of Londonderry in Northern Ireland. This name is used especially by the Roman Catholic population.
dervish	 noun	a member of a Muslim religious group, some of whom dance fast and spin around as part of a religious ceremony	〔伊斯兰教的〕托钵僧﹐苦行僧〔有些在宗教仪式上跳快速旋转舞〕
Descartes, René		(1596–1650)  a French mathematician and philosopher famous for establishing the principle of 'cogito ergo sum' (=I think, therefore I am), that is, I know that I exist because I know that I think
Desdemona		the main female character in the play othello by William shakespeare. She is Othello's wife, and Othello kills her because his enemy, Iago, makes him believe that she is having a sexual relationship with another man, although she is not.
Desert Island Discs	 noun	a British radio programme in which famous people talk with the presenter about their lives and choose the eight records they would like to have with them if they were left alone on a desert island (=a small tropical island with no one living on it).
Desert Orchid		a British racehorse which won many important races in the 1980s
Desert Rat	 noun	a British soldier who fought in North Africa in World War II
Des Moines		the capital city of the US state of Iowa
de Soto, Hernando		(?1500–42)  a Spanish explorer who discovered the Mississippi River
Desperate Dan		a character in the British comicThe Dandy. He is a very large, friendly cowboy who eats very large meat pies called 'cow pies'. Dan does not realize how strong he is, and he often breaks things by accident.
Detroit		a city in the US state of Michigan. It is an important centre for making cars, and the Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler car companies are all based there.
Dettol		a type of liquid antiseptic used especially for preventing wounds from becoming infected and for killing bacteria
Dettori, Frankie		(1970–)  an Italian jockey who has been Champion Jockey three times in the UK and has won many English Classic horse races. On 28th September 1996 he won all seven races at Ascot. He is known for being very friendly.
de Valois, Dame Ninette		(1898–2001)  an Irish ballet dancer and manager whose original ballet company is now the Royal Ballet
Devil's Island		an island near the coast of French Guiana in South America, which was used as a prison by France until 1938. Prisoners there lived in very bad conditions. One of the most famous prisoners was Alfred dreyfus.
Devon		a county in southwest England known for its natural beauty. It includes dartmoor and part of exmoor National Park, and attracts a lot of tourists. Thick cream and cider (=alcoholic apple juice) are well-known products of Devon.
Dewey decimal system, the		a system used by libraries for putting books into groups according to their subject. General subjects for example, English literature) are given a number, and then particular parts of this subject (for example, Jane austen's novels) are each given a more specific number using decimal numbers. The system was invented by Melvil Dewey (1851–1931) , a US librarian.
DFC		 a British medal for bravery given to officers of the RAF.
DfES		(Department for Education and Skills) a British government department
DfID, the		the abbreviation of the Department for International Development
DFW		(Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport) a very large US airport for the cities of dallas and fort worth in Texas
DH		(darling husband) used on the Internet to refer to your husband
Dhaka		the capital and the most important industrial city of Bangladesh. Its name used to be spelled Dacca.
DHSS, the		 the former name for the DSS, another former British government department
Di		an informal name for Diana, Princess of Wales, used in newspapers and magazines
Diaghilev, Sergei		(1872–1929)  a Russian producer of ballets who started his own ballet company in France, the Ballets Russes, and made Russian ballet known in western Europe and North America. He produced several ballets with the Russian composer, stravinsky.
Diamond, Neil		(1941–)  a US popular music singer and writer of songs in the easy listening style. His songs include Sweet Caroline (1969) and Song Sung Blue (1972).
Diana		in Roman mythology, the goddess of hunting and the moon. In Greek mythology her name is Artemis.
Diana Inquest, the	 	an inquest led by Lord Justice Scott Baker in 2007-2008 into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and her friend Dodi Al-Fayed in a car crash in Paris in August 1997. Dodi's father, Mohamed Al-Fayed, believed that the crash was organized by MI6 under the instructions of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The jury decided, however, that Diana's death was caused by the negligent (=careless) driving.
Diana, Princess of Wales		(1961–97)  the former wife of Prince Charles and the mother of Prince William and Prince Harry. She was originally called Lady Diana Spencer and she married Prince Charles in 1981. Eventually their marriage failed and they got a divorce in 1996. She was known for wearing fashionable expensive clothes, but she was also known as a caring person who worked actively for many different charity organizations, especially those which supported people with AIDS or opposed the use of landmines. In 1997, she started a romantic relationship with the businessman Dodi al-Fayed, and they were both killed in a car crash in Paris.
Diary of Anne Frank, The		the diary (=book in which you write down your thoughts, experiences etc each day) written by Anne frank when she and her family were hiding from the nazis in Amsterdam during World War II. It was published (publish ) after her death in a concentration camp, and it has been made into a play and film.
Diary of a Nobody, The		(1892) a humorous book by George and Weedon Grossmith. It is written in the form of a diary belonging to the main character, Mr pooter, who describes his life during the early 1890s. Mr Pooter is a very ordinary man, who often gets into embarrassing social situations and makes himself look stupid.
DiCaprio, Leonardo		(1974–)  a US film actor whose films include Titanic (1997), Gangs of New York (2002), and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013).
Dick and Jane		two characters in simple US books used for teaching children to read. Dick and Jane are a boy and girl who have a dog called Spot. The books were popular in the 1950s and 1960s, but most people now think that they are too boring, and that they only represent white, middle-class Americans with traditional opinions about society.
Dickens, Charles		(1812–70)  a British writer whose novels made him the most popular British writer of the 19th century, and are still very popular today. His books contain humorous characters with unusual names, many of whom have become very well known. But they also show how hard life was in Victorian England, especially for poor people and children. His books include david copperfield, oliver twist, great expectations, A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities, and  The pickwick papers.
Dickinson, Emily		(1830–86)  a US poet whose clever and original work is still very popular. She is sometimes called 'the Belle of Amherst', and is known for being a recluse (=someone who lives alone and avoids other people) for the last 25 years of her life.
Dick, Philip K.		(1928–1982)  an American science fiction writer whose books include The Man in the High Castle, VALIS, and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Several films have been based on Dick's books, including  Blade Runner and Total Recall. He is often known by his  initials PKD.
Dictaphone	 noun	an office machine on which you can record speech so that someone can listen to it and type it later	口述录音机〔可录下讲话、供别人听着打出讲话内容的机器〕
Dictionary of National Biography, The		a book produced in the UK which contains short accounts of the lives of important people in British history and society, arranged in alphabetical order
Didion, Joan		(1934–)  a US writer best known for A Book of Common Prayer (1977)
Dieppe		a port in northern France, on the English Channel. Boats regularly carry people and cars between Dieppe and the English port of Newhaven.
Dietrich, Marlene		(1901–92)  a German actress who became a famous film actress in the US. She was known for being sexually attractive, and for singing in a deep, sexy voice. Her films include The Blue Angel (1930) and Destry Rides Again (1939).
Dieu et mon droit		God and my right; the motto on the British royal family's coat of arms
digerati	 noun	 people who understand computers well and are confident in using them – used in newspapers	精通计算机的人
Digibox	 noun	a piece of electronic equipment which people in Britain put on top of their televisions if they want to receive digital TV programmes	〔在英国装在电视机上接收英国天空广播公司的数字电视节目的〕数字机顶盒
Dijon		a city in eastern central France that is known especially for producing mustard
Dilbert		a popular US cartoon strip by Scott Adams, about a computer engineer called Dilbert who works in an office. Although he is kind, intelligent, and works hard, he is never very successful because his manager gives unreasonable orders and his company has many silly and annoying rules. Dilbert has an intelligent dog called Dogbert, who wears glasses and speaks, and who believes that people will only do things that give them an advantage.
dildo	 noun	an object shaped like a male sex organ that a woman can use for sexual pleasure	〔女性用于自慰的〕假阴茎﹐人造男性生殖器
Dili		the capital of East Timor
Dillinger, John		(1903–34)  a famous US robber and murderer. In 1933 and 1934 he and his gang (=group of criminals) robbed many different banks in the US, using guns and killing many people. The fbi finally organized a trap and shot him as he was leaving a theatre.
Dillon's		the former name of a British bookshop which had stores in many cities in the UK. In 1998 Dillon's and another bookshop called Waterstone's became part of HMV Media Group, and Dillon's stores were all renamed Waterstone's.
DiMaggio, Joe		(1914–99)  a US baseball player who played for the New York Yankees team, and is considered to be one of the greatest players ever. He is also known for being married to Marilyn monroe.
dimbulb	 noun	a stupid person
Dine, Jim		(1935–)  a US painter known for being a leader of the pop art movement
Dinesen, Isak
Dinky		a well-known type of small toy car or other toy vehicle. Dinky toys have been popular in the UK since the 1940s and many people collect them.
Diogenes		also called Diogenes the Cynic(?412-?323 BC) ; an ancient Greek  philosopher who said that the simple life was the best life and who, according to ancient stories, lived in a  barrel (=a round wooden container for liquids)
Dionysus		in Greek mythology, the god of wine and fertility. He is usually connected with uncontrolled behaviour involving lots of drinking, parties, and sex. In Roman mythology his name is bacchus.
Dior, Christian		(1905–57)  a French fashion designer, whose company, Christian Dior, is known for making expensive clothes and perfumes. His famous collection of clothes in 1947 was called the 'New Look'.
Dipper, the	 noun	a name sometimes used for the constellation (=group of stars) called the Plough
Director of Public Prosecutions	 noun	in the legal system of England and Wales, the lawyer whose job it is to decide whether or not a person should be charged with a crime, in cases where it is not clear. There is a similar official in Scotland called the procurator fiscal.
Discovery, the		the ship in which Captain scott went to the antarctic in 1901–04
Disneyland		a very large park near the US city of Los Angeles with many amusements, rides (=exciting journeys in special vehicles), shops, restaurants, and hotels. Many of the shows and rides are based on Walt Disney's film characters, such as  mickey mouse, and several imaginary worlds have been made, such as Adventureland.
Disney, Walt		(1901–66)  a US film producer who started his own company in the 1920s, and is famous especially for making cartoon films for children, and for inventing some of the best-known cartoon characters, including mickey mouse and donald duck. His cartoon films include Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Fantasia, and he also made many nature films and adventure films for children. His company continues to make popular films, especially for children.
Disney World		officially called the Walt Disney World a very large park near the US city of Orlando, Florida, with amusements, games, shops etc, similar to Disneyland. It is very popular with US and British tourists, especially those with children.
Disraeli, Benjamin		(1804–81)  a British politician in the conservative party who was prime minister of the UK in 1868 and from 1874 to 1880. He also wrote several novels, including Sybil.
Dissolution of the Monasteries, the		the closing of all the monasteries (monastery ) in England in the 1530s, during the Reformation  (=the period when the protestant church was established, and the English churches left the Roman Catholic Church). King Henry VIII ordered the monasteries to be closed, and sold their property in order to increase his own wealth and power.
District of Columbia, the		the special area of the eastern US, next to Maryland and Virginia, which includes Washington, the capital of the US
DIUS, the		the abbreviation of the Department For Innovation, Universities, and Skills
Divine Comedy, The		a long poem in three parts, written around 1300 by the Italian poet dante. It describes the poet's spiritual journey. First he is led through Hell (the Inferno ) and Purgatory by the poet virgil, and then he is led through Paradise by beatrice, the woman he loves. It is generally considered to be one of the greatest poems ever written.
Divine Office, the		the fixed forms of daily prayer and ceremony used by Roman Catholic priests
Divinity, the		God
Dixon of Dock Green		a popular British television programme shown from 1955 to 1976 about an imaginary London police officer called Sergeant Dixon. Sergeant Dixon was a typical friendly honest English bobby (=policeman) who was always willing to help people, and his name is sometimes used to describe an old-fashioned type of police officer. At the beginning of each programme, Sergeant Dixon said 'Evenin' all'.
Djakarta		another spelling of Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia
Djibouti		a small country on the coast of northeast Africa, formerly ruled by France. Population: 792,198 (2014). Capital: Djibouti.
DM
DMs	 noun	(Doc Martens) a type of strong shoes or boots
DMV, the		(the Department of Motor Vehicles) a government department in each of the US states, which is responsible for giving driving tests and driver's licenses. In some states the DMV has the power to collect road taxes.
DNB, the		the dictionary of national biography
D-notice	 noun	in the UK, an official government request to a newspaper that it should not print certain information, for reasons of national security
Dobbin		a name often used in children's stories for a farm horse or a quiet slow horse
Dock Green
Docklands		a large modern development of expensive houses and offices in East London, along the River Thames, built mainly during the 1980s on land that previously had a lot of industry and poor houses. It includes Canary Wharf and the London City Airport.
Doc Martens		a type of strong shoe or boot with laces, made from thick leather and stitched with thick thread. Their correct name is Dr Martens and they are informally called DMs.
Doctor Zhivago		a book by the Russian writer Boris pasternak about a doctor in Russia during World War I and the Russian Revolution. It was made it into a successful romantic film in 1965, in which Omar sharif and Julie Christie appeared as the main characters.
DOD		the written abbreviation of the US  Department of Defense
Dodoma		the capital city of Tanzania
Doe
Dog and Duck		a typical name for a pub in the UK, sometimes used by politicians and newspapers to talk about what the average British person thinks
Dogger Bank		an area of the North Sea, about 70 miles (110 kilometres) off the coast of northeast England, where the sea is not very deep because there is a large sandbank (=raised area of sand in the sea) under the water. It used to be known as a place where lots of boats went to catch fish, but the amount of fishing allowed is much more limited now.
Dogma 95		a style of filmmaking started in 1995 by the Danish film directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg. The Dogme movement wants films to be more about the story and the actors' performances rather than about special effects. The Dogme directors believe that films should obey certain rules such as being shot on location and not in a studio, and that handheld cameras should always be used.
Doha		the capital city of Qatar
Dolby		a system for reducing unwanted noise when you record music or sounds
Dolce & Gabbana		an Italian fashion company, known especially for its women's clothes, started by Domenico Dolce (1958–)  and Stefano Gabbana(1962–)
dole rat	 noun	someone who has no job and lives on money from the government - usually used to show disapproval
Dolittle, Dr		a character in books for children by Hugh lofting and in a film based on these books. Dr Dolittle is a man who can understand what animals are saying and can talk to them using their language.
Dolly the sheep		a sheep that was cloned by British scientists in 1997. Dolly was created from the cell of another sheep and became an exact copy of it. Dolly died in 2003.
Domesday Book, The		a record of all the lands of England, showing their size, value, ownership etc, made in 1086 on the orders of William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book has been very valuable in the study of English history.
Domingo, Placido		(1941–)  a Spanish opera singer, considered to be one of the greatest tenors (=men with high singing voices) in the world. In the 1990s he became famous as one of the 'Three Tenors', together with Luciano Pavarotti and José Carreras.
Dominica		an island in the Caribbean Sea which has been a member of the Commonwealth since 1978. Population: 73,286 (2014). Capital: Roseau.
Dominican Republic, the		a country in the Caribbean Sea on the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with Haiti. Population: 10,219,630 (2014). Capital: Santo Domingo.
Dominion Day		a national holiday in Canada, in memory of the beginning of the Dominion of Canada in 1867
Dominions, the		an old British name, which is no longer used, for the countries of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, which had their own governments but were still part of the British Empire in the early part of the 20th century
Domino, Fats		(1928–)  a US singer, songwriter, and piano player, who made many popular records in the 1950s and influenced the development of rock 'n' roll music. His songs include Ain't That a Shame (1955) and Blueberry Hill (1956).
Dom Perignon		a type of champagne.
Donald Duck		a character in cartoons made by Walt disney, that first appeared in 1934. Like mickey mouse, he is one of the best-known of all Disney's characters and is often used as a symbol of the Disney organization.
Donatello		(1386–1466) an Italian sculptor of the Renaissance period
Doncaster		an industrial town in South Yorkshire in northern England. A well-known horse race, the st leger, takes place there every year.
Donegal		a county in the northwest of the Republic of Ireland, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean
Don Giovanni		(1787) an opera by mozart with words by Lorenzo da ponte, about a man called Don Giovanni who is known for having very many lovers. He kills the father of one of his former lovers, but does not feel guilty about his immoral behaviour. At the end of the opera he is taken down to hell by the ghost of the man he murdered.
Donne, John		(?1571–1631)  an English poet known for his love poetry, and for being the greatest writer of metaphysical poetry, which combines strong feelings with clever arrangements of words and ideas
Doolittle, Eliza		a character in the play pygmalion by George Bernard shaw. She is a working class London flower seller who is taught by Professor Henry higgins how to speak and behave like a woman of the highest social class.
Doomsday Book, The		another spelling of The Domesday Book
Doonesbury		a humorous US cartoon strip (=a set of drawings that tell a story in a newspaper or magazine) about politics and life in the US
Doors, The		a US rock group, who were extremely popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their singer was Jim morrison and their songs included Light My Fire and Riders on the Storm.
Dopey		one of the seven dwarfs in the story of snow white, called Dopey because he is rather stupid
Dorchester		a market town in Dorset, southern England, known for its connections with the writer Thomas hardy, who was born nearby. The local government of Dorset is based there.
Dorchester, the		a large expensive hotel in London
Dordogne, the		an area in southwest France around the River Dordogne, which is a popular place for tourists. Many middle-class British families go to the Dordogne for their summer holidays, usually to go camping or to stay in a gîte (=a rented house).
Dorian Gray		the main character in the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar  wilde
Doritos		a type of corn chip
Dorset		a county in southwest England, with many popular holiday towns on its coast. The writer Thomas Hardy set most of his novels in Dorset, which he called 'Wessex'.
Dostoyevsky, Fyodor		(1821–81)  a Russian writer who is considered by many people to be one of the greatest writers ever. He is known for his skill in describing the way his characters' minds work and the way this affects their behaviour. His novels include Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov. He spent several years in a prison camp in Siberia because of his  socialist beliefs.
Douglas		the capital of the isle of man
Douglas, Kirk		(1916–)  a US film actor who appeared in many films in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, usually as characters who were strong, determined, and very brave. His films include Spartacus (1960).
Douglass, Frederick		(1817–95)  a former slave in the US, who worked to get rid of slavery (=the practice of having slaves), and wrote a book about his life
Dounreay		a town in Scotland where there was a nuclear power station until 1977
Dover		a port in southeast England, from which ships go across the English Channel to France carrying passengers, vehicles, and goods
Dow Jones Average		a daily list of prices of shares on the American stock exchange, based on the daily average prices of 30 industrial shares
downager	 noun	an older person who behaves like a younger person – used especially in newspapers
Down, County		a former county in southeast Northern Ireland, next to the Irish Sea. In 1973 County Down was divided into seven local government districts (=areas of a country that have official borders).
Doyle, Roddy		(1958–)  an Irish writer whose novels deal humorously with the lives of working-class people living in Dublin. They include The Commitments, which is also a successful film, and Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, which won the Booker Prize in 1993.
Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan
Drabble, Margaret		(1939–)  a British writer, known for her novels about middle-class women and the problems that they have to deal with, such as trying to be successful in their jobs as well as looking after their children. Her novels include The Needle's Eye, The Realms of Gold, and The Peppered Moth.
Dracula		a frightening character originally from the book Dracula by Bram Stoker, who has appeared in many horror films. Count Dracula is a vampire (=a creature who drinks people's blood in order to stay alive) and lives in a castle in Transylvania. He wears a long black cape (=a type of coat that hangs loosely from your shoulders) and has two long sharp teeth which he uses to bite people's necks so that he can drink their blood.
Dracula sneeze	 noun	the action of sneezing into your bent elbow, so that you do not get germs on your hands and spread disease
Dragnet		a US television programme from the 1950s about the Los Angeles police. The main character, Sgt Joe Friday, is known for saying 'Just the facts, ma'am'.
Dragons' Den	 	a television programme in which people present a business idea before a group of business experts (the "dragons") and try to persuade them to give them funding.
Drake, Sir Francis		(1540–96)  an English sailor and explorer, who was the first Englishman to sail around the world, and was one of the leaders of the English navy when it defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588. There is a story that Drake was very calm when he was first told that the ships of the Spanish Armada were coming, and completed the game of bowls that he was playing before leaving to fight.
Dravidian	 adjective	belonging to a group of related languages spoken in the South of India and the North of Sri Lanka, which includes the Tamil language
Dr Death
Dred Scott Case, the		an important decision made by the US Supreme Court in 1857 against a man called Dred Scott. Scott was a slave who wanted a court to decide that he should be a free man because his owner had taken him to live in states where slavery was illegal. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court decided, however, that because Scott was black he could never become a citizen of the US and so he did not have the right to begin a legal case. The Chief Justice also stated that Congress must not prevent any state from having slavery.
Dreiser, Theodore		(1871–1945)   a US writer who wrote Sister Carrie and An American Tragedy
Dresden		a city in the east of Germany which was badly bombed in World War II.
Drew, Nancy		the main character in US books for children. Nancy Drew is a brave young woman who is a detective (=someone whose job is to discover information about crimes and catch criminals).
Dreyfus, Alfred		(1859–1935)  a French army officer who was put in prison in 1894 for selling military secrets to the Germans. It was soon discovered that he was not guilty, and many French writers and politicians protested about him being in prison, especially the writer Emile zola, who wrote a famous newspaper article with the title 'J'accuse!' (=I accuse). But the army and many newspapers persuaded the government to keep him in prison because they had an unreasonable dislike of him because he was Jewish. He was eventually let out of prison and officially judged to be not guilty. These events became known as the Dreyfus Affair.
Dr Martens
Dr. Pepper		a type of sweet, non-alcoholic, carbonated drink
Dr Seuss
Drudge, Matt		(1966–)  a US man who runs a well-known Internet news website, the Drudge Report, which consists of links to stories in other newspapers and magazines. The website is famous for reporting that the magazine Newsweek was about to print a story about the former American President Bill Clinton, saying that he was having an affair with a White House intern, Monica Lewinski. Drudge is openly conservative and many of the stories on his website express support for the Republican party.
Drug Enforcement Administration, the		a US government organization which makes sure that people and companies obey the laws about dangerous drugs. They try to catch people who bring dangerous drugs into the US and people who sell drugs within the US.
drunkorexia	 noun	the practice of not eating much, so that you are able to drink a lot of alcohol without becoming too fat
Drury Lane		a street in London famous for its theatre
Druze	 noun	a religious group living mainly in parts of Lebanon, Syria, and Israel, whose beliefs include ideas from the Bible and the Quran (Koran)
Dr Who		a British series of television programmes about a person from another planet called the Doctor, who travels with different people through time and space in his time machine, the Tardis. He fights evil people and frightening creatures from other worlds, usually in a way that is not violent. His most famous enemies are the Daleks. Many different actors have played the Doctor. The series was shown from 1963 to 1989, and then began again in 2005.
Dryden, John		(1631–1700)  an English writer of poetry and plays. His many plays include Marriage à la Mode and All for Love.
DS		(darling son) used on the Internet to refer to your son. You refer to your eldest son as DS1, your second son as DS2 etc
DSc	 noun	(Doctor of Science) a high-level university degree in a science subject, which is often given as an honorary degree  (=as a special honour)
DSO		 a medal given to officers of the British Army and Navy for special service
Dubai		an Emirate  (=a territory ruled by a leader called an Emir) that is part of the United Arab Emirates
Dublin		the capital of the Republic of Ireland. It is on the east coast, on the River Liffey. Dublin was the home of several famous Irish writers, such as Jonathan swift, George Bernard shaw, Oscar wilde, and James joyce. There are many well-known songs about Dublin, including a song called Molly Malone, which begins: 'In Dublin's fair city, Where the girls are so pretty...'
Dubya		the nickname of George W. Bush
Dubček, Alexander		(1921–92)  a Czech politician who was the leader of the Communist Party from 1968 to 1969. He made political changes that gave people in Czechoslovakia more freedom, and this period was called the Prague Spring. It ended when the Soviet government sent its army to take control of the country.
Duchamp, Marcel		(1887–1968) a French painter and sculptor who was important in developing the styles of cubism, futurism, and  Dadaism
Duchess of Cambridge		 the official title given to Kate Middleton when she married Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge in 2011.
Duchess of Windsor, the
Duchess of York, the		(1959–)  the wife of Queen Elizabeth II's second son Prince Andrew (who is called the Duke of York) until they separated in 1992. The Duchess of York's real name is Sarah Ferguson, and she is often called 'Fergie' in newspapers. Her activities, relationships, and financial problems are often in the news.
Dufy, Raoul		(1877–1953)  a French painter known especially for his brightly coloured paintings of horse races, beaches, and boats
Duke, David		(1950–)  a former Grand Wizard of the ku klux klan. He was a state representative in Louisiana from 1990 to 1992. He later tried to be elected as a US senator, a congressman, and president, but lost all those elections.
Duke, Doris		(1912–1993)  a rich American woman who travelled a lot and collected Islamic and Southeast Asian art. When she died, she left most of her money and her art to the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
Duke of Cambridge		 a title that has been given to members of the British royal family at various times in the past since the 17th century. It is named after the city of Cambridge in the east of England. The current Duke of Cambridge is Prince William, who was given this title when he married Kate Middleton in 2011.
Duke of Edinburgh, the		(1921–)  also called Prince Philip. The husband of the British queen, Elizabeth II. He is a member of the royal family of Greece, but he became a British citizen in 1947. He has no official position, but he usually travels with the Queen, and he is involved in many public organizations, including the one that gives the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.
Duke of Edinburgh's Award, the	 noun	a special prize given to someone who has successfully completed a number of activities in a programme that was originally set up in the UK by the Duke of Edinburgh. The programme is designed for young people, and its aim is to encourage them to achieve difficult things and do work that helps other people. The programme includes physical activities such as climbing mountains, camping, hiking, and other outdoor activities. It also includes activities that involve helping other people, such as charity work.
Duke of Wellington, the		(1769–1852)  a British soldier and politician, born in Ireland, and sometimes called 'the Iron Duke'. He was a very successful military leader, and is remembered especially for defeating Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. He later became prime minister (1828–34) .
Duke of Windsor, the
Duke of York, the
Dulles		an airport in the US, serving the Washington, D.C. area
Dulles, John Foster		(1888–1959)  a US lawyer and politician in the republican party, who was Secretary of State  (=the minister who deals with foreign policy and foreign governments) from 1953 to 1959. He is known for strongly influencing the US's anti-Communist policy during the cold war.
Dulux		a type of paint used for painting the inside and outside of houses. It is known for the old english sheepdog (=a large dog with long grey and white hair) that appears in its advertisements, and this type of dog is sometimes called a Dulux dog.
Dumas, Alexandre		(1802–70)  a French writer of novels and plays, known especially for his books The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers
Du Maurier, Daphne		(1907–89)  a British writer whose novels include Rebecca and Jamaica Inn
Dumbo		the main character in the cartoon film Dumbo, made by Walt  disney in 1941. Dumbo is a young elephant with very large ears, who learns to fly.
Dumfries and Galloway		a region in southwest Scotland, including the town of Dumfries
Dunaway, Faye		(1941–)  a US actress who first became famous in the film Bonnie and Clyde (1967), and has since appeared in many other films, including Chinatown (1974) and Mommie Dearest (1981). She won an Oscar for Network (1976).
Dunblane		a small town in Scotland, where in 1996 16 young children and their teacher were shot and killed in their school by a man called Thomas Hamilton, who also killed himself. Because of these murders, many people demanded stricter laws against people owning guns, and new gun-control laws were passed in 1997.
Dun & Bradstreet		a US company that provides information for businesses to help managers make decisions. Its services include setting credit ratings for businesses, based on their records of paying debts, delivering goods etc
Duncan		a character in the play macbeth by William shakespeare. Duncan is the king of Scotland and is murdered by Macbeth.
Duncan, Isadora		(1878–1927)  a US dancer who had a great influence on modern dance. She was killed when the scarf that she was wearing became caught in the wheels of her car and strangled her.
Dundee		a city on the east coast of Scotland, where the River Tay enters the sea, which has a university, a cathedral, and two football teams
Dune		a popular science fiction novel by the US writer Frank Herbert. It is the first in a series of books about a planet called Dune and the lives of the people who fight for control of the planet's most valuable  natural resource (=something useful such as oil or coal that exists in a place and can be used to increase its wealth), spice. Several million copies of the book have been sold and it has also been made into a film.
Dungeness		a place in Kent, in southeast England, next to the English Channel, where there are two nuclear power stations
Dungeons and Dragons		a type of role playing game in which the players pretend to be a magic character or strange creature who must either do something difficult, such as finding a magic ring, or must prevent someone else from doing it. Sometimes the name is used to refer any game of this type, and people who play such games are often considered to be geeks.
Dunkirk		a port and industrial city in northern France, whose French name is Dunkerque. In 1940, during World War II, the British army was surrounded at Dunkirk by the German army, but thousands of British soldiers escaped and were brought back to England in a collection of small boats.
Dunne, Dominick		(1925–2009)  a US writer, whose books include An Inconvenient Woman and Another City, Not My Own. Some of his books have been made into films shown on television, and he also wrote for magazines, especially Vanity Fair.
Du Pré, Jacqueline		(1945–87)  a British musician who is regarded as one of the greatest ever cellists (=someone who plays the cello ). She was married to the musician Daniel barenboim, and is best known for playing elgar'sCello Concerto. She had to stop playing when she became seriously ill with multiple sclerosis.
Duracell		a type of battery for use in radios etc. The company that makes them claims that Duracell batteries last longer than ordinary batteries.
Durex	 noun	 a rubber contraceptive that a man wears over his penis during sex	杜蕾斯避孕套
Durham		a city in northeast England on the River Wear. It has a cathedral (=large important church) and one of the UK's oldest universities.
Durkheim, Émile		(1858–1917)  a French university teacher who helped to establish the principles of sociology (=the scientific study of societies and the behaviour of people in groups)
Durrell, Gerald		(1925–95)  a British writer, broadcaster and conservationist (=someone who works to protect rare plants and animals), who set up his own zoo on the island of Jersey, so that rare animals could be taken care of and eventually put back in their natural environment. His books include My Family and Other Animals. He was the brother of Lawrence Durrell.
Durrell, Lawrence		(1912–90)  a British writer of novels and poetry, best known for a set of four novels called The Alexandria Quartet. He was the brother of Gerald Durrell.
Dushanbe		the capital city of Tajikistan
Dust Bowl, the		a large area of the south-central US, including parts of Kansas and Oklahoma where, in the 1930s, strong winds and lack of rain caused erosion of the soil  (=when the top layer of earth is blown away), so that the land became unsuitable for farming. As a result, many farmers became very poor and had to leave their farms. Some of them travelled to the west coast of the US to find work, and these events are described in John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath.
Dutch Reformed Church, the		the main Protestant religious group in the Netherlands, which is also the main religion of the Afrikaners in South Africa  (=white people who speak Afrikaans, whose families originally came from the Netherlands). Since the end of the apartheid system in South Africa, leaders of the Dutch Reformed Church have publicly said they are sorry that the church supported apartheid.
Duvalier, François		(1907–71)  the president of Haiti from 1957 to 1971. Known as 'Papa Doc', he ruled as a dictator and had a private army of soldiers called the Tontons Macoutes, who helped him to prevent any opposition to his government. He was famous for being very violent and cruel.
Duvalier, Jean-Claude		(1951–)  the president of Haiti from 1971 to 1986. Known as 'Baby Doc' because he was the son of François Duvalier and only 20 when he became president, he also ruled as a dictator until he was forced to leave Haiti in 1986.
Dvořák, Antonín		(1841–1904)  a Czech composer best known for his ninth symphony, called From the New World
DW		(darling wife) used on the Internet to refer to your wife
Dworkin, Andrea		(1946–2005)  a US writer and feminist whose books are often about the violence that women suffer. She was known for her strong opinions about men, and for supporting laws against pornography.
Dyck, Sir Anthony Van
Dyfed		a former county in southwest Wales, next to the Atlantic Ocean. In 1996 Dyfed was divided between the counties of Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire, and Pembrokeshire. The port of Milford Haven, and the universities of Aberystwyth and Lampeter are in Dyfed.
Dylan, Bob		(1941–)  a US singer and songwriter who has had a great influence on popular songwriting. His early songs, in the 1960s, were often protest songs on the subjects of war and the civil rights movement in the US, and they include Mr. Tambourine Man, Blowin' in the Wind and The Times They are A-Changin'. He has continued to perform and make records, but his music was most popular in the 1960s and 1970s.
Dún Laoghaire		a port on the east coast of Ireland, just south of Dublin
Dürer, Albrecht		(1471–1528)  a German artist known for his drawings and engravings, especially his very detailed pictures of himself and other people
E 111	 noun	a document which was available to citizens of any country in the EU  (=European Union), and which gave them the right to receive free health care when they visit other EU countries. It was replaced in 2005 by EHIC  (=European Health Insurance Card), a card which is about the size of a credit card.
Eagle Scout	 noun	a boy scout of the highest rank in the US
Eagle, The		a British weekly comic (=a magazine with stories told in pictures) for boys, which was popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Its best-known character was dan dare.
Eakins, Thomas		(1844–1916)  a US painter known for his realistic style in pictures such as The Gross Clinic
Earhart, Amelia		(1898–1937)  a US pilot known for being the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean alone, and for mysteriously disappearing while flying across the Pacific Ocean
Earl Grey	 noun	a type of tea with a special taste and smell which come from an oil which is added to it
Earl's Court		a large building in London used especially for exhibitions in which businesses show their new products
Early American	 noun	a style of furniture, cloth, or building in the US which is supposed to look like that used in the early 19th century
Early Day Motion	 noun	a proposal formally made in writing by a member of the British parliament, and signed by other members. MPs do this in order to find out how much support there is for a particular proposal.
Earp, Wyatt		(1848–1929)  a US marshal and gambler (=someone who plays card games to win money etc) who is known for fighting in the famous 'Gunfight at the O.K. Corral'. He often appears as the hero in cowboy films and television programmes who defeats bad cowboys or robbers in the wild west.
Earth Liberation Front, the		an international environmental group. The group destroys the property of companies or people that they believe are harming the environment or animals. Because of this, the FBI has called them a terrorist group.
Earth Summit		a large international meeting held in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in 1992, at which the leaders of the countries of the United Nations discussed ways of protecting the environment and preserving the Earth's biodiversity (=all the different plants and animals on the Earth). It is sometimes also called the Rio Summit.
East Anglia		a large area of eastern England, between the Wash and the Thames, including Norfolk, Suffolk, and parts of Essex and Cambridgeshire. The countryside is mostly rather flat, and a lot of wheat, flowers, and vegetables are grown there. The University of East Anglia is at Norwich.
EastEnders		a popular British soap opera on television, which is about the working-class people who live in Albert Square in the East End of London. It is known for dealing with common social problems in a realistic way.
Easter basket	 noun	a basket of sweets, usually small chocolate eggs, a chocolate Easter Bunny, or jelly beans, which parents leave in the house for their child to find on Easter morning, especially in the US. The basket is supposed to have been left for the child by the Easter bunny.
Easter bonnet	 noun	a bonnet (=type of women's hat) worn at Easter
Easter Island		a small island in the Pacific Ocean, which belongs to Chile. Many tourists go to Easter Island to see the several hundred stone heads, some of which are 20 metres tall, which were made over a thousand years ago.
Easter Monday		the day after Easter Day, which is a public holiday in the UK
Eastern bloc, the		the former soviet union and all the countries of Eastern Europe that used to be under its control or influence
Eastern Conference, the		a group of professional basketball teams from the eastern part of the US, which play against one another. Together with the western conference, a similar group from the western US, these teams form the NBA (=National Basketball Association).
Eastern Europe		the part of Europe whose countries formerly had Communist governments and close political connections with the former soviet union, including countries such as Poland, East Germany, Hungary, and Romania
Eastern Orthodox Church, the
Easter Rising, the		the events of Easter 1916 in Ireland, when armed opponents of British rule in Ireland took control of the main Post Office in Dublin and announced that Ireland was an independent republic. However, they were quickly defeated by the British army, and their leaders were executed(execute).
Easter Seals		a US charity organization that helps disabled children and adults. It makes sure that they are treated fairly, become independent, and have equal rights.
Easter Sunday
East European	 noun	someone from eastern europe (=the part of Europe that was formerly controlled by the soviet union)
East Germany		a former country in northeast Europe, which in 1990 joined again with West Germany (the Federal Republic of Germany) to become Germany
East India Company		one of several European companies that developed trade with India and east Asia in the 17th and 18th centuries. The British East India Company(1600–1858)  was the most important of these, and was responsible for bringing India into the British Empire.
Eastman, George		(1854–1932)  a US inventor and businessman who started the kodak company, and made the first camera that could be carried around and that was cheap and easy to use.
East River, the		a river flowing into New York Harbor, separating Manhattan from Long Island
East Sea, the		the name used in Korea for the Sea of Japan, the sea that separates Korea from Japan
East Side, the		the part of Manhattan in New York that is east of 5th Avenue, and is divided mainly into the Upper East Side and the Lower East Side
East Sussex		a county in southeast England on the English Channel coast. The University of Sussex is near the town of Brighton.
East Timor		a country in the southeast Indian Ocean forming half of the island of Timor. Pop est. 1,084,971 (2007). Capital: Dili. Formerly a Portuguese colony, it was claimed by Indonesia in 1975 and there was violence between opposing groups in the 1990s before it became independent in 2002.
East Village		an area in New York City in Manhattan that is known for the artists and writers who have lived or worked there, especially the Beat Poets of the 1960s
East-West relations	 noun	an expression used especially during the cold war to describe the political relations between the former Soviet Union and the countries of western Europe and North America
Eastwood, Clint		(1930–)  a US actor and film director famous for appearing in westerns (=films about the American west in the 19th century) such as A Fistful of Dollars (1964), The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), and Unforgiven (1992), and as a modern city police officer in films such as Dirty Harry (1971) and Sudden Impact (1983). He usually appears as a character who does not say much but is very brave and kills a lot of unpleasant people. The police officer, called Harry Callaghan, is famous for saying to criminals, 'Go ahead, make my day!' Eastwood has also directed many films, and he has won Oscars for Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby (2004).
East Yorkshire		a county in northeast England, which was formerly called Humberside
EasyJet		a UK airline that takes passengers to European cities at very low prices. Easyjet is a typical example of a no-frills airline, which keeps its prices low by not providing a lot of free services and comforts for passengers.
Easy Rider		(1969) a US film about two young men, played by Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper, who take illegal drugs and travel across the southern states of the US on motorcycles. Jack nicholson first became famous as a result of his performance in this film. The subject of the film, and its musical soundtrack, made it very popular with young people.
Ebony		a US monthly magazine especially for african americans
EC, the		 the former name for the EU
ECB, the		the abbreviation of the England and Wales Cricket Board
Economic and Monetary Union
Economist, The		a British weekly magazine which reports business news and has articles about the economic situation in the UK and other countries, about large companies etc. It is read especially by business people.
ecotarian	 noun	someone whose aim is to eat food that is produced using less energy or produced without artificial chemicals, so that less harm is done to the environment
Ecuador		a country in northern South America, between Peru and Colombia, and next to the Pacific Ocean. Population: 15,439,429 (2014). Capital: Quito. Away from the flat, developed area on the coast, there are high mountains and volcanoes, and east of them, a large area of tropical forest.
Eddy, Mary Baker		(1821–1910)  a US religious leader, who started a new form of Christianity called christian science in 1866
Eden, Sir Anthony		(1897–1977)  a British politician in the Conservative Party, who was prime minister from 1955 to 1957. He gave up this position after the suez crisis, when British military forces failed in an attempt to get back control of the Suez Canal from Egypt.
Edinburgh		the capital of Scotland, in the east of the country on the River Forth. Edinburgh is a centre for business, industry, education, and the law, and the Scottish Parliament is there. Edinburgh is a popular place for tourists to visit, and is known for its beautiful buildings, and for being an important cultural centre, with many theatres, concert halls, and museums. Because of this, it is sometimes called 'the Athens of the North'.
Edinburgh, Duke of
Edinburgh Festival, the		an event that takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland, every year for three weeks in the summer, when there are many performances of plays and music, and other forms of entertainment. Some of these performances are given by famous people or groups, but there are also many others which are given by less well-known people, including university students, and these events are known as the Edinburgh Fringe. Many famous writers, actors, and comedians started their professional careers at the Edinburgh Festival.
Edison, Thomas Alva		(1847–1931)  a US inventor who made over 1300 electrical inventions, including the microphone, the record player, and equipment for the cinema. He is most famous for inventing the light bulb (=a glass container with a thin wire inside, which produces light by using electricity).
Edmonton		the capital city of Alberta, West Canada, on the North Saskatchewan River
Edna, Dame
educare	 noun	care of children that is provided by schools before or after the normal school day
Edward III, King		(1312–77)  a king of England who ruled during the black death and the start of the hundred years war
Edward II, King		(1284–1327)  the king of England from 1307 until he was murdered by his enemies (including his wife) in 1327. He is believed to have been a homosexual, and his life is the subject of a play by Christopher marlowe and a film by Derek jarman.
Edward I, King		(1239–1307)  the king of England from 1272 until his death. He took part in the crusades, and later established English control over Wales. He tried to do the same in Scotland, but was unsuccessful.
Edward IV, King		(1442–83)  the king of England from 1461 to 1483
Edward, Prince		(1964–)  the youngest son of the British queen Elizabeth II. After a short time in the armed forces, Prince Edward went to work in the theatre and television. He married Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999 and became the Earl of Wessex. His daughter, Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor, was born in 2003, and his son James, Viscount Severn, was born in 2007.
Edwards, Gareth		(1947–)  a British rugby union player who played for Wales from 1967 to 1978, and became captain when he was only 20 years old. He is considered to be one of the greatest rugby players of all time.
Edwards, Jonathan		(1703–58)  a US Christian theologian and religious leader, who succeeded in persuading large numbers of people to become Christians
Edward VIII, King		(1894–1972)  the British king in 1936. He was forced to abdicate (=give up being king) because he wanted to marry Wallis simpson, an American woman who had been married before. This event is known as 'the abdication'. After he abdicated, he was given the title 'Duke of Windsor', and he and his wife lived abroad for the rest of their lives.
Edward VII, King		(1841–1910)  the British king from 1901 until his death. He did not become king until he was fairly old, because his mother, Queen Victoria, lived so long. Before he became king, he had a very enjoyable social life, and spent a lot of time at horse races, in the theatre etc. Although he was married, he had many love affairs, and the actress Lillie Langtry was his mistress for many years.
Edward VI, King		(1537–53)  the king of England from 1547 to 1553
Edward V, King		(1470–1483)  the king of England for a few months in 1483, until his uncle removed him from his position and became King richard iii. Edward and his brother (who are sometimes called 'the Princes in the Tower') were put in prison in the Tower of London, and many people believe that they were later murdered there.
EEC, the		 the former name for the EU
Eeny, meeny, miney, mo		the first words of a short poem that children say as a way of choosing something when they have two or more possibilities, but do not know which one to choose. Each time they say a word they point to the next possible thing.
EEO		 a principle in the US that some businesses follow, stating that any qualified person will be considered for a job and that a person's race, sex, or religion cannot be a reason for not getting the job
EEOC		the abbreviation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Eeyore		a character in the winnie the pooh stories by A. A. milne. He is a  donkey (=an animal like a small horse with long ears) who usually feels sorry for himself, thinks that nobody loves him, and expects bad things to happen, but he is also amusing and friendly.
Egypt		a country in northeast Africa, next to the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Population: 85,294,388 (2014). Capital: Cairo. Ancient Egypt was a powerful and wealthy country, with advanced farming methods and a highly developed religion, political organization, and writing system. The ancient Egyptians built the Pyramids, and large decorated graves under the ground for important people.
EHIC	 noun	the abbreviation of European Health Insurance Card
Eichmann, Adolf		(1906–62)  an Austrian Nazi who, during World War II, was one of the main people responsible for sending Jewish people to concentration camps, where millions of them died. After the war he escaped to Argentina, but he was finally caught and taken to Israel. He was found guilty of war crimes and executed (execute ) in 1962.
Eiffel Tower, the		a 300 metre-high metal tower in Paris, completed in 1889. It is often used as a symbol representing Paris or France.
Eiger, the		a mountain in the alps in Switzerland. Its north face  (=side) is famous for being very difficult to climb.
E ink	 noun	a type of technology used to show words on an e-reader
Einstein, Albert		(1879–1955)  a US physicist and mathematician, born in Germany, who developed the Theory of Relativity, which completely changed the way that scientists understand space and time
Eisenhower, Dwight David		(1890–1969)  a US politician in the Republican Party, who was president of the US from 1953 to 1961. Eisenhower was a general in the US army during World War II, and he became the commander of all the Allied forces in Europe, leading the attack on d-day in 1944. He was a popular president, and people informally called him Ike.
Eisenstein, Sergei		(1898–1948)  a Russian film director, who is generally considered to be one of the greatest directors ever, and who is known especially for The Battleship Potemkin (1925) and Alexander Nevsky (1938)
El Al		the Israeli national airline
El Alamein
Elba		an island west of Italy where napoleon was sent in 1814 after the failure of his attack on Russia
El Cid		(?1043–99)  a Spanish soldier who fought for both Christians and Moors and whose life is often seen as a perfect example of chivalry, Christian values, and love of his country
Elephant Man, the		(1862–90) , a name given to an Englishman called Joseph Merrick because he was seriously deformed by illness. Merrick appeared in freak shows, where he was found by a doctor Sir Frederick Treves, in 1886. The British actor John Hurt played the part of Merrick in a film about him in 1980.
Elgar, Sir Edward		(1857–1934)  a British composer of classical music, known for his Enigma Variations and Cello Concerto. He also wrote the music for the  patriotic song  land of hope and glory.
Elgin Marbles, the		a set of ancient Greek sculptures from the parthenon in Athens, which were brought to Britain by the Earl of Elgin in 1803, and are kept in the british museum in London
El Greco		(1541–1614)  a Spanish artist known for his religious paintings. He was called El Greco, which means 'the Greek', because he was born in Crete.
Eliot, George		(1819–80)  an British woman writer, whose real name was Mary Ann or Marian Evans. She is generally considered to have written some of the greatest English novels, including middlemarch, The Mill on the Floss, and Silas Marner. Her novels give a detailed picture of many different characters at all levels of English society.
Eliot, T.S.		(1888–1965)  a US poet and writer of plays, who lived in England for most of his life. He is regarded as one of the most important writers of the 20th century, and he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1948. His works include The Cocktail Party, The Waste Land, and The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock. The musical show  cats is based on his poems called Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats.
Elizabeth II, Queen		(1926–)  the British Queen since 1952, and also head of the British Commonwealth. She is married to the Duke of Edinburgh and they have four children. She is the most respected member of the British royal family because she is seen as someone who works hard and is very serious about her responsibilities. She is known to be interested in horse racing, and she owns several racehorses. She also keeps corgis (=small dogs with short legs) as pets.
Elizabeth I, Queen		(1533–1603)  the queen of England from 1558 until her death. She never married, and is sometimes called 'the Virgin Queen'. She is thought of as a very strong woman and an effective ruler. While she was queen, England's power in the world increased, and her navy defeated the Spanish Armada (=a large force of fighting ships). The period is sometimes called 'the Elizabethan age', and is thought of as a great period in English history.
Elk	 noun	 an organization which does charity work, and with groups in many small towns and cities in the US. Its official name is the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
Ellington, Duke		(1899–1974)  a US jazz composer and piano player, who was also a very successful band leader
Ellis, Brett Easton		(1964–) , an American writer best known for the novelAmerican Psycho (1989), about a serial killer. The descriptions of murder in the book caused a lot of argument and criticism which upset Ellis. His other books, including Less Than Zero and Glamorama, have been widely praised.
Ellis Island		a small island close to New York City, which for over 50 years(1892–43)  was the main centre for dealing with people arriving in the US who wanted to settle in the country as  immigrants. Millions of people, mostly from Europe, passed through Ellis Island to become US citizens.
Ellis, Perry		(1940–86)  an American fashion designer who was known for his designs for casual (=informal) clothes. His company still produces clothes.
Ellis, Ruth		(1926–55)  the last woman to be executed in Britain. Her death in July 1955 made many people angry, especially those opposed to the death penalty. Ellis shot and killed her lover.
El Niño		a change in the weather that happens every three to seven years, caused by a rise in the temperature of a large area of the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of South America. El Niño has severe effects on the weather in many parts of the world, and can cause drought (=complete lack of rain) in some places and heavy rain and violent storms in other places.
El Paso		a city in Texas in the US, next to the Rio Grande and the border with Mexico
El Salvador		a country in central America, between Guatemala and Honduras, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Population: 6,108,590 (2014). Capital: San Salvador. People from El Salvador are called Salvadoreans.
Elstree		a British film studio (=place where films are made) in north London that was especially important between the 1920s and the 1980s
Elvis
Elysée Palace, the		the official home of the president of France, in Paris. Its name is sometimes used to mean the president and his advisers
Emancipation Proclamation, the		an announcement made in the US by President Abraham Lincoln which ordered the end of slavery (=the practice of owning people as property) in the Confederate States  (=the southern states of the US) from January 1st 1863. The Proclamation was made during the Civil War, with the aim of weakening the Confederate Sates. Soon after the war, slavery was completely ended by the '13th Amendment' to the US Constitution.
Embankment, the		a road along the north bank of the River Thames in London
EMEA		 an organization which examines the safety of new medicines
Emerald Isle, the		a name for Ireland, used in literature, often humorously. It is called this because the countryside is very green.
Emerson, Ralph Waldo		(1803–82)  a US poet and writer who had great influence on the religious and philosophical thought of his time
Emin, Tracey		(1963–)  a British artist whose best-known work is called My Bed. It is a real bed that is covered in and surrounded by things such as underwear, ashtrays, and  sunglasses. Many people have strong opinions about her work, and it causes a lot of disagreement between those people who think it is good and those who do not like it.
Emmenthal	 noun	a type of hard, yellow, Swiss cheese with holes in it
Emmerdale		a popular British television soap opera about people who live in a small Yorkshire village
Empire, the		the British Empire
Empire	 adjective	relating to the British Empire
Empire State Building, the		a famous very tall office building in New York City, which has 102 floors. It was built in 1931, and for many years it was the tallest building in the world.
Employment Act, the		a set of laws made in the UK in 1989 in order to replace old laws which were unfair to women, and to encourage equal opportunities (=the same chances of employment and pay for everyone). The more recent Employment Act of 2002 included rights designed to help families, such as more flexible working hours and increased maternity and paternity leave.
EMS		(European Monetary System) a system used in the past for limiting how much the different currencies (currency) of countries within the European Union could go up and down in value in relation to each other
EMU		(Economic and Monetary Union) a single economic system and a single currency (=type of money) for all the members of the eu. Since the late 1990's, many EU countries, including France and Germany, have introduced a single currency, the Euro. There is often discussion in the UK about whether the UK should join the system or keep its own currency, the pound.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, the		an encyclopedia (=a book containing articles about many different subjects), which consists of many volumes (=separate books that are part of a set) and is now also available online and as a DVD. It has been produced for over 200 years, and at one time salesmen used to go to people's houses to persuade them to buy the books.
Engels, Friedrich		(1820–95)  a German political thinker and revolutionary who, together with Karl Marx, wrote The communist manifesto and developed the political system of  communism
England		the largest country in Britain; capital London
England and Wales Cricket Board, the		The ECB's responsibilities include managing the England national cricket team, financial matters connected with the England team, and women's cricket in England and Wales.
English Channel, the		the narrow piece of water between southern England and northern France, which French people call 'La Manche'. British people have always had to cross the channel in order to reach the main part of Europe, and this made them feel separate from the rest of Europe.
English Heritage		a British government organization which takes care of many old buildings and other places that are important in English history
English Tourist Board, the		a name used by many people in the UK to refer to the organization that tries to encourage tourists to go on holiday in England, and provides information about hotels, places to visit etc. The real name of this organization is Visitbritain, and it was formed in 2003 when the British Tourist Authority and the English Tourism Council joined together.
Enlightenment		 a period in the eighteenth century when many writers and scientists believed that science and knowledge, not religion, could improve people's lives
Enniskillen		a town in Northern Ireland where 11 people were killed by an IRA bomb on remembrance day in November 1987
Entebbe		a town in southern Uganda. It has an important international airport, where in 1976 Israeli soldiers saved 91 passengers who were on a plane which enemies of Israel had hijacked (=taken control of illegally, by threatening violence).
Entente Cordiale	 noun	a political agreement and feeling of friendship between two or more countries. The name 'Entente Cordiale' was originally used for an agreement between Britain and France in 1904.
Entryphone	 noun	 a type of telephone outside a building that allows visitors to ask someone inside to open the door	〔供楼房外访客呼叫楼内人开门的〕应门对讲机，门铃电话
Environment Agency, the		a British government organization whose aim is to make sure that rivers and water supplies are clean, and that factories, farmers etc do not harm the environment with their waste materials
Environmental Protection Agency, the		a US government organization whose aim is to protect the land, air, and water from pollution, for example by dangerous chemicals, smoke, or industrial waste. Its full name is the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
Eos		in Greek mythology, the goddess of the dawn (=the beginning of the day when light first appears). In Roman mythology her name is aurora.
EPA, the		the environmental protection agency
Epcot Center, the		the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow Center; a part of Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida in the US, where visitors can see some of the machines and equipment which may be used in the future
Episcopalian	 noun	a member of an Episcopal church
Epsom		a town in southeast England which is famous for its racecourse (=place where people go to watch horse races). One of the most famous British horse races, the Dwerby, takes place at Epsom each year.
Epstein, Jacob		(1880–1959) a British sculptor, especially of religious subjects
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the		a US government organization whose aim is to make sure that people are not prevented from getting jobs because of their race, religion, age, sex etc, and to make sure that all workers are treated fairly and equally
Equality And Human Rights Commission, the		a British organization that is responsible for equality and human rights in England, Scotland, and Wales. It was formed in 2007 when three other organizations joined together: the Commission for Racial Equality, the Equal Opportunities Commission, and the Disability Rights Commission.
Equal Opportunities Commission, the		a British government organization whose aim is to make sure that women and men have the same opportunities in education and jobs, and that people are not treated unfairly because of their sex. In 2007 it became part of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Equal Pay Act, the		a law in the UK, passed in 1970, which says that men and women should get equal pay for doing the same work, and should have the same conditions of employment. It can be difficult to prove that someone is being paid unfairly, and women still usually earn less than men.
Equal Rights Amendment, the
Equatorial Guinea		a small country in west central Africa, between Cameroon and Gabon. Population: 704,001 (2014). Capital: Malabo. The capital city is on an island 125 miles (200 km) from the main part of the country.
Equity		a trade union in the UK for actors and actresses in film, theatre, TV, and radio
ERA, the		(the Equal Rights Amendment) a suggested change to US law, which was intended to give women the same legal rights as men. Although the suggested law was agreed to by Congress, not enough states agreed in time for it to become a law.
Erasmus, Desiderius		(1466–1536) a Catholic Christian writer, teacher and priest, born in the Netherlands. He believed that the Catholic Church should become more simple, and that people should have a clearer understanding of the New Testament. His ideas had an important influence and helped to start the Reformation
Erebus, Mount		a mountain that is an active volcano on Ross Island in Antarctica
Erector Set		a type of children's toy, sold in the US, which has many small parts that can be connected together in order to build things such as cars, bridges, and machines. There is a similar type of toy in the UK called meccano.
Erewhon		a book by the British writer Samuel Butler,published in 1872. Erewhon was an imaginary land discovered by a traveller, and Butler used it for a satire on British hypocrisy and the way society thought about crime and religion. Many years later he wrote a second book, called Erewhon Revisited.
Ericsson, Leif		(10th century AD) an explorer from Norway, who was probably the first European to discover America. He landed in Newfoundland in the late 10th century.
Eric the Red		(950?-1001?) a Norwegian sailor who discovered Greenland in about 981
Erie Canal, the		a canal (=artificial river) in the US state of New York which connects Lake Erie and the Hudson River. Built in the early 19th century, the canal allowed trade between New York City and the states of the Midwest.
Erie, Lake		one of the great lakes of North America, between the US and Canada. There is a lot of industry on the southern side.
Eritrea		a country in northeast Africa, south of Sudan and north of Ethiopia, which became independent from Ethiopia in 1993 after a long war. Population: 6,233,682 (2014). Capital: Asmara.
Ernie		Electronic Random Number Indicating Equipment; the computer which chooses the prize-winning numbers of premium bonds in the UK. Its name is the short form of the man's name 'Ernest'.
Ernst, Max		(1891–1976)  a German painter who lived in Germany, France, and then the US, and who is known for his work in dadaism and surrealism
Eros		in Greek mythology, the god of sexual and romantic love. He is usually shown in pictures as a beautiful boy with wings, holding a bow and arrow. In Roman mythology his name is Cupid.
ESA
Esau		in the Old Testament of the Bible, the son of isaac, and the older brother of jacob, whose twin (=one of two children born at the same time) he was. Esau was very hungry and so he sold his birthright (=the property or possessions that he had a right to receive from his parents) to Jacob for 'a mess of pottage', that is for some soup that Jacob had made.
Escher, M. C.		(1898–1970)  a Dutch artist known for his very detailed drawings that trick your eyes and make you think you are seeing something that is impossible
Escorial		a former palace near Madrid, in Spain, built in the 16th century for King Philip II. The buildings include a fine church, a famous library, and a collection of art.
Eskimo Pie		a type of ice cream sandwich (=ice cream served between two biscuits ) which is covered in chocolate, sold in the US
ESPN		a cable television station in the US which broadcasts only sports
Esquire		a magazine for men, produced in the US and UK, with articles on fashion, sports, cars etc and pictures of attractive women
Essex		a county in southeast England, between East London and the North Sea
Essex girl	 noun	the negative stereotype of a young woman from Essex in southeast England. In jokes and stories, Essex girls are stupid, wear clothes, such as very short skirts, talk loudly, and are too willing to have sex.
Essex man	 noun	the negative stereotype of a man from Essex in southeast England. In jokes and stories, Essex men are badly educated, but they earn a lot of money, drive fast cars, talk loudly, and have right-wing political opinions.
Essex, the Earl of		(1566–1601)  an English soldier and politician. For many years he was a close friend and adviser of Queen Elizabeth I, but after their friendship ended she ordered him to be put in prison and, later, to be killed.
Esso		a large oil company that operates thousands of petrol stations in the UK. In the US it is called Exxon.
Estonia		a small country on the Baltic Sea, between Russia and Latvia, which was part of the former Soviet Union until 1991. Estonia joined the EU in 2004. Population: 1,266,375 (2014). Capital: Tallinn.
Estuary English	 noun	an English accent (=way of speaking) which is common in London and the southeast of England. Estuary English is similar in some ways to a cockney accent, but it is less strong.
Estée Lauder		a company that makes perfume and other beauty products
E.T.		(1982) a very popular US film made by Steven spielberg about a creature called E.T. ('the Extra Terrestrial'), who comes to Earth from another part of the universe. He is small and ugly, but very kind and intelligent, and he becomes friends with a boy called Elliot, who helps him to get home. The creature E.T. is known for saying 'E.T. phone home.'
Eternal City, the		a name used in literature for Rome
Ethelred II		(968?-1016)  an English king who lost his kingdom to the Danes
Ethiopia		a country in northeast Africa on the Red Sea. Population: 93,877,025 (2014). Capital: Addis Ababa. It is the oldest independent nation in Africa.
Etna		a mountain in Sicily, southern Italy, which is the highest volcano in Europe. Mount Etna is an active volcano, which erupts every few years.
Eton		the best-known English public school (=an expensive private school) for boys, officially called Eton College and established in the 15th century. Eton is close to the town of Windsor, to the west of London.
EU, the		(the European Union) a political and economic organization, established in 1957 in western Europe under the Treaty of Rome to encourage trade and friendly relations between member countries, and to compete with other strong economic powers. The EU used to be known as the EC (European Community).
Euclid		( about 300 BC) a Greek mathematician who developed a system of geometry (=the study of the angles, shapes, lines etc and their relationships with each other) called Euclidean geometry
Eugenides, Jeffrey		(1960–)  a US writer whose books often deal with strange or unusual events in a way that makes them seem almost normal. His novel The Virgin Suicides, which is also a film, is a story about five sisters who all commit suicide together. His other well-known novel, Middlesex, won a Pulitzer Prize in 2003.
Euphrates, the		a long river which flows from Turkey through Syria and Iraq
Euripides		(?480–406 BC)  an ancient Greek writer of plays
Eurodisney		the former name for Disneyland Paris
Eurofighter	 noun	a fast military aircraft that was developed by several European countries working together, including Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK
Euroland		a name used informally by politicians, news reporters etc to describe the area of Europe in which the Euro is used as the standard unit of money
Euro MP	 noun	a member of the european parliament. Euro MPs are also known as MEPs  (=Members of the European Parliament).
European Commission, the		a group of officials, chosen by the countries in the eu (=European Union), who suggest plans for the EU, carry out decisions that the EU has made, and make sure that the EU's laws are obeyed. Members of the European Commission are not elected, and some people think they have too much power.
European Commissioner	 noun	a member of the European Commission
European Community, the		the former name of the eu (=European Union)
European Convention on Human Rights, the		an official agreement signed by the UK and most other European countries, in which they promise to allow every citizen their human rights, such as the right to be free, to express their political opinions, and to be treated fairly. If someone thinks that one of these countries is breaking this agreement, they can officially complain to the European Human Rights Commission. If they are still not satisfied, they can take their case to a special court called the European Court of Human Right.
European Court of Human Rights, the		the court of law for the council of europe, based in Strasbourg in France. People in the UK sometimes talk about this court when they are criticizing the influence of the eu (=European Union), but in fact it is a completely separate institution.
European Court of Justice, the		the court of law for the EU (European Union), based in Luxembourg. It makes sure that EU laws are used in the same way in all EU countries so that national courts do not make different decisions in the same situation. It also makes sure that EU member states and organizations do what the law requires. The Court has the power to settle legal disagreements between EU member states, EU organizations, etc.
European Cup, the		the former name of the Champions League, a football competition in which all the teams in Europe that won the main football championship in their own country played one another to find the best team in Europe
European Cupwinners' Cup, the		(until 1998) a football competition involving all the teams in Europe that won the cup final in their own country. These teams played against each other to see which one was the best.
European Health Insurance Card	 noun	a card which allows citizens of many European countries to receive medical treatment for free or at a reduced cost if they become ill during a visit to one of the other member states
European Parliament, the		a parliament whose members are elected by the citizens of the eu (=European Union). Its members are called Euro MPs or MEPs.
European Space Agency, the		an organization formed in 1975 to manage Europe's space programme
European Super Cup	 noun	a football match played each year between the winners of the Champions League (formerly the European Cup) and the winners of the UEFA Cup (formerly the European Cup Winners' Cup)
Europhile	 noun	a politician who strongly supports the eu (=European Union) and believes that the UK should become more closely united with other European countries
Eurostar		the railway service between London and France or Belgium, using the tunnel under the English Channel
Eurotunnel		a British and French company which is responsible for repairing and maintaining the structure of the channel tunnel, and for operating the train service through the tunnel
Eurovision Song Contest, the		a competition shown on television each year, in which singers or groups of singers representing European countries sing specially written songs, and judges from the countries they represent vote for the song which they think is the best
Euro-zone		the group of European countries that use the euro as a standard unit of money
Eurydice
Eusebio		(1942–)  one of the world's greatest footballers, born in Mozambique, which was then a Portuguese colony, who played for Benfica and Portugal in the 1960s and 1970s.
Euston		an important railway station in north central London. Trains from Euston go north to cities such as Manchester, Birmingham, and Glasgow.
Eve		the first woman, according to the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic religions. In the Old Testament of the Bible, Eve lived in the Garden of eden with adam, the first man, and persuaded him to eat a fruit which God had forbidden them to eat.
Evening Standard, The		a tabloid newspaper sold in London in the afternoon from Monday to Friday. Many people read it when travelling home from work on the train.
Everage, Dame Edna
Everest		the highest mountain in the world in the Himalayas, on the border between Tibet and Nepal
Everglades, the		an area of low, wet, warm land in the US state of Florida, covering about 5000 square miles. The Everglades, which is a National Park, is famous for its special plants and animals, especially alligators
Ewing, J. R.
Excalibur		the name of the sword belonging to King Arthur
Exchange and Mart		a British weekly magazine, which is made up of advertisements from people who want to sell things such as cars, musical instruments, or articles for the home
EXIT		a British organization which aims to change the law against helping seriously ill people to die if they wish to. The organization gives advice to such people and their families. The Hemlock Society is a similar organization in the US.
Exmoor		a moor (=area of open country with rough grass and low bushes, but no farmland) in Devon and Somerset in southwest England, known for its wild ponies (pony =a small horse). It is a National Park and is popular with tourists.
Exocet missile		 a type of explosive weapon that is guided by radar to hit distant objects or places
Exodus		the second book of the Old Testament of the Bible, which tells the story of the Exodus, the journey out of Egypt to the promised land, made by moses and the israelites
Exorcist, The		(1973) a US horror film (=a film that is intended to make you feel frightened) about a young girl who behaves very strangely and kills several people because the devil has taken control of her body. It is especially famous for the scene in which the girl's head spins around very fast, and another in which a lot of green vomit comes out of her mouth.
Explorer Scouts, the		a part of the British scout association for boys and girls who are 14 to 18 years old
Express, The		a British daily tabloid newspaper which usually supports the ideas of the conservative party
extremophile	 noun	a living thing, especially a very small one, that lives in an extreme environment, for example where it is very hot, cold, salty, or acid
ExxonMobil		 the largest oil company in the US. Its brand name is Exxon. It is called Esso in the UK.
Exxon Valdez, the		an oil tanker (=very large ship carrying oil) which caused very large quantities of oil to be poured into the sea when it was damaged in Prince William Sound, Alaska, in 1989. The ship's owners, the Exxon company, had to spend a large amount of money on cleaning up the oil, which killed birds and sea animals, and were forced by a court of law to pay money to people who had been affected by the accident, especially people in the fishing industry.
Eyck, Jan van		(?1390–1441) a Flemish painter, especially of religious subjects painted in a realistic way
F4J
Fabergé egg	 noun	one of the golden eggs decorated with jewels which were made by Peter Carl Fabergé for the Russian royal family in the late 19th century. These eggs are now very valuable.
Fabergé, Peter		(1846–1920) a Russian goldsmith who made his father's jewellery business into an internationally famous company. He was most famous for producing Easter eggs decorated with jewels and enamel for the Russian royal family.
Fabian	 adjective	connected with, or based on, the ideas of a British political group that has socialist2 ideas and aims
facesquatter	 noun	someone who officially takes a username for the social networking website Facebook which someone else wanted to use
Faeroe Islands, the		a group of islands in the northeast Atlantic Ocean. They belong to Denmark, but have their own government.
Fagin		a character in the book oliver twist by Charles dickens. Fagin is the leader of a group of young thieves, who collects and then sells the objects that they have stolen.
Fahd ibn Abdulaziz, King		(1923–2005)  the king of Saudi Arabia from 1982 until his death
Fair Isle		one of the shetland islands
Fairtrade		a brand name of Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International, an organization which encourages people to buy things that have been produced according to the principles of fair trade. This organization also controls the labelling (label) of fair trade products.
Falklands, the		a group of islands, under British control, in the southwest Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Argentina. Many Argentinians believe that the islands belong to Argentina, and call them the Malvinas.
Falklands War, the		a war in the Falkland Islands between the UK and Argentina in 1982. The war started when Argentina sent soldiers to take control of the Falklands from the UK. The British prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, sent a task force of ships and aircraft to the islands, which took control of them again.
Fall, the	 noun	the story in the Bible that tells how Adam and Eve, the first man and the first woman, disobeyed God. According to the story, God forbids Adam and Eve from eating the fruit (sometimes called 'the apple') on the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden. The serpent (=snake) persuades Eve to taste the fruit, and then Eve gives the fruit to Adam to eat. They are ashamed of disobeying God and wear fig leaves because they are also now ashamed of having no clothes on. When they tell God that they have eaten the fruit he sends them out of the Garden of Eden. This story is supposed to describe the way that human beings first learnt about the difference between good and evil.
Falls Road, the		a street in the Roman Catholic part of Belfast in Northern Ireland, known for the fighting and violence that has taken place there, especially between the late 1960s and the beginning of the peace process (=attempts to stop violence between Roman Catholics and Protestants) in the early 1990s
Falstaff		a character in the plays Henry IV (Parts 1 and 2) and The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare. His full name is Sir John Falstaff, and he is a friend of the prince who later becomes King Henry V. Falstaff is a fat friendly old man, who enjoys having fun, drinks too much alcohol, and is not always completely honest.
Falun Gong		a religion, sometimes described as a cult, whose followers believe in a philosophy and do exercises which are claimed to lead to spiritual enlightenment. Falun Gong started in China and is mainly practised there.
Falwell, the Reverend Jerry		(1933–2007)  a US Christian leader and televangelist (=someone who talks about religion on television), who started a right-wing political group called the Moral Majority, which supported Ronald Reagan in the 1980s
Family Planning Association, the		the former name of the FPA
Famous Five, the		the main characters in a series of British books for children by Enid blyton, mostly written in the 1940s and 1950s. They are a group of two boys, two girls, and a dog called Timmy. They come from middle-class families and go to private schools, but they have a lot of exciting adventures together during the school holidays.
Fannie Mae		a US financial institution which buys and sells loans and mortgages to banks and other institutions, but does not deal directly with ordinary borrowers. Its full name is the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA).
Fanny Hill		a book written in 1749 by John Cleland about the sexual adventures of a young woman, Fanny Hill. It is written in a very elegant style but has many sex scenes, and for many years it was not legal to sell it in Britain because it was considered obscene.
Fantasia		(1940) a US film made by Walt disney, which consists of a number of different short cartoons, each one with its own piece of classical music. The conductor of the music is Leopold stokowski, and the cartoons include one in which a group of hippopotamuses dance.
Fantasy Island		a former US television series, in which people visited a mysterious tropical island where their dreams could come true
FAO		 a part of the United Nations whose aim is to increase food production, especially in poorer countries, for example by teaching better farming skills. It is also responsible for sending food to areas where there is seriously little food.
Faraday, Michael		(1791–1867)  a British scientist who discovered the connection between electricity and magnetism and produced the first dynamo (=a machine that changes some other form of power into electricity)
Farewell to Arms, A		(1929) a novel by Ernest hemingway about the romantic relationship between a US man who is working as an ambulance driver and an English nurse in Italy during World War I
Far From the Madding Crowd		a phrase that is used to mean the peacefulness and quiet of the country. It was the title of a novel by Thomas Hardy about people living in a country village in the west of England during Victorian times. Hardy took the title from a famous poem by Thomas Gray.
Farmer, Fannie		(1857–1915)  a US cook who wrote a cookery book used by many people in the US
Farnborough Air Show, the		a large international event, held every two years at Farnborough in the south of England, where different types of aircraft are shown and planes perform aerobatics to entertain the public
Faroe Islands, the
Farrahkan, Louis		(1933– ) the leader of the Nation of Islam, a black rights organization, since the 1970s. He was born in New York City, and his real name is Louis Eugene Walcott.
Far Side, The		a cartoon strip (=a set of drawings that tell a story in a newspaper) by the US artist Gary Larson, known for showing strange, silly situations, especially ones involving animals that behave like human beings. Larson stopped drawing the cartoon strip in 1994.
Fassbinder, Rainer Werner		(1946–82)  a German writer, actor, and film director, known for making films dealing with political and social subjects. His films include The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972) and The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979).
Fastnet, the		a famous yachting race held every two years from the south of England up to the Fastnet Rock near Ireland. In 1979, extremely bad weather caused many of the boats to sink, and several people died.
Fatah		a centre-left Palestinian political party that makes up the largest part of the Palestine Liberation Oreganization (PLO). It has been the main opposition party since losing 2006 parliamentary elections to Hamas.
Fatal Attraction		(1987) a film with Michael douglas and Glenn close, in which a married man has sex with another woman. He does not want to have a relationship with her, and she becomes very angry and crazy, follows him everywhere, and kills his daughter's pet rabbit and tries to kill his wife.
Fatboy Slim		(1963–)  a British musician, DJ, and record producer. He has made many dance music records and developed a style called 'big beat' which is a mixture of rock, rhythm and blues, and techno. He sometimes uses his real name, which is Norman Cook.
Father Brown		a priest in stories by the British writer G. K. Chesterton, who solves crimes by his knowledge of human nature.
Father Knows Best		a US television programme made in the 1950s, whose characters were considered to be a perfect happy family with typical American values. The father went to work and always knew how to solve his children's problems, the mother stayed at home with the children and was caring and kind, and the children were good and respected their parents.
Father of the Church	 noun	one of the teachers of the early Christian church whose writings are used to answer any difficult points of faith or practice
Fathers 4 Justice		a political organization in the UK, started in 2003, that campaigns (=organizes a series of actions intended to achieve a particular result) for the rights of divorced fathers in Britain. Fathers 4 Justice is well known for organizing protests which bring them attention from the media.
Faulkner, William		(1897–1962)  a US writer of novels about the South of the US, such as The Sound and the Fury and As I Lay Dying
Fauntleroy, Little Lord
Fauré, Gabriel		(1845–1924)  a French composer best known for his Requiem
Faust, Johann		a German doctor and scholar of the early 16th century, who practised magic. A story developed about him that he had 'sold his soul to the Devil' in exchange for knowledge and power. Many stories and pieces of music have been written about him, including the plays Dr Faustus by Christopher  marlowe and Faust by  goethe.
fauxmance	 noun	a romantic relationship that two actors, singers etc pretend to have, in order to get attention from journalists and the public – used especially in newspapers and magazines
Fawkes, Guy		(1570–1606)  an English Roman Catholic who was killed as punishment for his part in a secret plan, known as the Gunpowder Plot, to blow up (=destroy by an explosion) the Houses of Parliament on November 5th, 1605. Guy Fawkes' Night is celebrated every year on November 5th in the UK.
Fawlty, Basil
Fawlty Towers		a humorous British television programme from the 1970s about a hotel called Fawlty Towers, where things often go wrong and people behave in strange and amusing ways. The owner of the hotel, Basil Fawlty, is played by the actor John Cleese and he often has problems managing the hotel and dealing with his wife, Sybil and with Manuel, the waiter. If someone stays in a hotel with extremely poor service or conditions, they sometimes compare it to Fawlty Towers.
FCC, the		the federal communications commission
FDIC, the		(the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) a US government organization which exists to protect people's bank accounts. If your bank is a member of the FDIC and it cannot pay its debts, the FDIC will pay you the amount that you kept in the bank, up to $100,000.
FDR
Feast of Tabernacles	 noun
Feast of Weeks, the		a Jewish religious holiday
Fed	 noun	a criminal's name for an FBI agent
Fed, the		the federal reserve bank
Federal Aviation Administration, the		a US government organization which is responsible for making sure that aircraft and airports are safe for people to use. There is a similar organization in the UK called the civil aviation authority.
Federal Communications Commission, the		a US government organization which makes rules that control broadcasting on radio, television, cable, and  satellite television in the US
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the		an independent organization of the US government which regulates about 5300 banks in the US. Its aim to make sure that the public have confidence in the banking system. It does this by providing insurance for people who put money in a bank. If the bank fails, account holders will be given up to $100,000.
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the		the former name of a country in Eastern Europe, between Romania and Bosnia-Herzegovina, that included part of the former country of Yugoslavia, and was involved in the Bosnian War in the 1990s. It became a country in 1992, and its population is mainly Serbian. In 2003 it changed its name to Serbia and Montenegro. in 2006 Montenegro left the federation.
Federal Reserve Bank, the		the US central bank which is divided into twelve banks each operating in a different area of the US according to the Federal Reserve System. The 'Fed' has an important influence on US economic policy, because it fixes the rate of interest that banks must pay when they borrow money.
Federal Reserve System, the		the national banking system in the US, according to which the Federal Reserve Bank operates
Federal Trade Commission, the		the full name of the ftc
Federer, Roger		(1981-) a Swiss tennis player who is considered to be one of the best in the history of the sport. He has won many singles titles, including Wimbledon, the Australian Open three times, and the US Open.
Fedex		a US courier company  (=a company which is paid to take packages somewhere) which operates internationally
Feds, the	 noun	a name for the fbi used especially by criminals
Feeding of the Five Thousand, the		a story from the Bible in which Jesus performs a miracle by providing food for 5000 people with only five loaves (loaf) of bread and two fish. People sometimes use this phrase humorously to talk about a situation in which they have to provide a meal for a lot of people
Felix the Cat		a cartoon character in films and newspapers, who first appeared in 1921. He is a black and white cat.
Fellini, Federico		(1920–93)  an Italian film director who had an important influence on the cinema. His films, including La Dolce Vita (1960) and Eight and a Half (1963), often show a society where people are not moral, and are only interested in pleasure.
Female Eunuch, The		(1970) a book by Germaine Greer which is considered to be one of the most important books of the Women's Movement
Feminine Mystique, The		(1963) a book by Betty Friedan which discusses the way women behave in US society. It is considered to be one of the books that started the Women's Movement in the 1960s.
Fens, the		an area of flat land in eastern England which used to be partly covered by the sea and now produces good crops
Ferdinand and Isabella		King Ferdinand of Spain (1452–1516) , and his wife, Queen Isabella of Spain (1451–1504) , who were known as the Catholic Monarchs. They are famous for giving Christopher Columbus the money and ships to make the journey on which he discovered America.
Ferdinand, Rio		(1978–)  a British footballer who was bought by Manchester United in 2002 for £30 million. This was the highest price a British club had ever paid for a defender at the time. He has also played for the English national team.
Fergie		a name used especially in British popular newspapers for either Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, or Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager of Manchester United football club
Ferguson, Sarah
Ferguson, Sir Alex		(1941–)  a Scottish football player who was the manager of Manchester United, a very successful English football club, from 1986 to 2013. He is often called 'Fergie' in the newspapers.
Fermanagh		a former county in the southwest of Northern Ireland, now a local government district
Fermi, Enrico		(1901–54)  a US scientist, born in Italy, who won a Nobel prize for his work on radioactivity and produced the first controlled nuclear reaction (=a process in which the parts in the centre of an atom are rearranged to form new substances).
Fermor, Patrick Leigh		(1915-2011)  an English travel writer and soldier who was born in London. When he was a young man, he walked from the Hook of Holland to Constantinople. He later wrote about these experiences in two books: A Time of Gifts (1977) and Between the Woods and the Water (1986). During World War II, Fermor worked secretly with Greek people fighting against the German army on the island of Crete. These events were described in a book by Captain Bill Stanley Moss. This book was later made into a film, called Ill Met by Moonlight (1957).
Ferrari		a very fast expensive type of car made by the Italian company Ferrari, which produces both sports cars and racing cars
Ferrero Rocher		a type of chocolate, wrapped in gold paper. Ferrero Rocher chocolates are popular to give as gifts and Ferrero Rocher is known for their television advertisements, in which the chocolates are given to all the guests at a party given by an ambassador.
Ferrier, Kathleen		(1912–53)  a British singer of opera and classical music, known for her beautiful contralto voice
Fertile Crescent, the		an area in the Middle East in the shape of a crescent (=a curved shape) from Israel to the Gulf, including the land around the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. Several important ancient civilizations were based there, such as the Assyrian and Sumerian civilizations.
Festival Hall, the		a large concert hall used especially for performances of classical music which is part of the South Bank Centre, on the southern side of the River Thames in London
Festival of Britain, the		a set of events held all over Britain between May and September, 1951. The events were meant to celebrate British art, design, and industry, and to make people feel happier after the Second World War. Special buildings were built near Waterloo, on the South Bank of the Thames in London, so that exhibitions (=special shows) could be held there.
Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols	 noun	a service held just before Christmas in some Christian churches containing readings from the Bible and Christmas carols
Feynman, Richard Phillips		(1918–88)  a US scientist who won a Nobel prize for his work on radioactivity, and was one of the people given the job of trying to discover why the Challenger space shuttle exploded. He also wrote a very popular book about his life.
FHM		a British magazine for young men, which contains articles mainly about sex, cars, sport, and health. The letters stand for 'For Him Magazine'.
FIA		 the organization that controls Formula One car racing
Fianna Fáil		one of the two main political parties in the Republic of Ireland, established in 1926, which has been the party of government in Ireland for most of the time since then.
Fiat		an Italian company which makes cars
FICA		(Federal Insurance Contributions Act) in the US, money which is taken from your pay by the government to be used for social security
FIDE		 the world governing organization for chess, founded in 1924
Fido		a name that is supposed to be a very common name given to a dog, although there are very few dogs really called Fido
Field and Stream		a US magazine that has articles about hunting, fishing, and other activities that are done outdoors. It is typically read by men.
Fielding, Henry		(1707–54)  an English writer most famous for his humorous novel tom jones
Fields, Gracie		(1898–1979)  a British singer and actress from Lancashire in northwest England, who was very popular in the 1930s and 1940s, and was known as 'Our Gracie'. Her song Wish Me Luck as You Wave Me Goodbye was especially popular during World War II.
Fields, W.C.		(1880–1946)  a US film actor and comedian, famous for disliking children and animals, for becoming angry very easily, and for drinking too much alcohol. His films include My Little Chickadee (1940).
Field, The		a British magazine which has articles about the countryside, farming, and sports such as polo and cricket. Most people in the UK think The Field is read by rich people who live in the country or own a lot of land there.
Fiennes, Ranulph		(1944–)  a British explorer who has been on many trips to the North and South Pole. In 1982 he led the first expedition (=long and carefully organized journey) to go all the way round the world through the North and South Poles, and in 1993 Fiennes and another explorer, Dr Mike Stroud, walked across Antarctica  (=the area around the South Pole) without help from anyone else. In 2003 he ran seven marathons in seven days on seven continents in order to raise money for charity. His official title is Sir Ranulph Fiennes.
Fiesta Bowl, the		an important college football game held every year at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona in the US
Fife		a region in eastern Scotland between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth
Fifth Amendment, the		a part of the constitution of the united states which states that you do not have to give information in a court of law which could be used against you, and that you cannot be put in prison or have your property taken away without a proper legal trial
Fifth Avenue		a street in New York known for its expensive shops
Fiji		a country in the southwest Pacific Ocean made up of two main islands and hundreds of smaller ones. Population: 896,758 (2014). Capital: Suva.
Fillmore, Millard		(1800–1874) the thirteenth president of the US, from 1850 to 1853
Filofax	 noun	a small book for writing addresses, things you must do etc, which has pages you can add or remove	斐来仕活页记事本
Final Solution, the		Adolf hitler's plan to remove Jewish people from Europe by killing them all
Financial Services Authority, the		an organization that controlled the financial services industry in the UK from 2001 to 2013.
Financial Times Index, the
Financial Times, The		a serious British daily newspaper which contains articles about business and financial news. It is printed on pink paper.
Fine Gael		one of the two main political parties in the Republic of Ireland, established in 1933. It is considered to be more conservative than the other main party, Fianna Fáil.
Fingal's Cave		a cave (=a hole in the side of a cliff) on the island of Staffa off the west coast of Scotland. It was the subject of a famous piece of music by Felix mendelssohn.
Fink, Mike		(?1770–1823)  a US man who was famous for taking boats up and down the Mississippi River, for being good at shooting, and for talking proudly about his adventures
Finland		a country in northeast Europe between Russia and Sweden. It is a member of the EU. Population: 5,266,114 (2014). Capital: Helsinki. People in the UK connect Finland with saunas and with the midnight sun (=when the sun can be seen at midnight in the middle of summer). People from Finland are called Finns.
Finn	 noun	someone who comes from Finland
Finnegan's Wake		(1939) a book by James joyce which is known for its strange style and language, and for being very difficult to understand
Finney, Sir Tom		(1922–2014)  a British football player who played many times for the English national team between 1947 and 1959. He scored 30 goals, which was a record for many years. He also played for Preston North End from 1946 to 1960.
Finn, Huckleberry		also called Huck Finn, a character in the books The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by the 19th century US writer Mark  twain. Huckleberry Finn is a very independent young boy who runs away from his father with his friend Jim, who is a black  slave who has also run away.
Finnish	 adjective	from or connected with Finland or its language
Finnish	 noun	 the language of Finland
Fire of London, the
First Amendment, the		a part of the constitution of the united states which gives US citizens the right of freedom of speech, freedom of the press (=newspapers, radio, and television), freedom of religion, and freedom of assembly (=the right of any group to meet together). Many cases concerning these rights have been taken to the supreme court, and people in the US usually have strong opinions about the questions involved in these cases.
First Communion	 noun	(the act of) receiving Holy Communion for the first time
First Minister		the most important minister in the Scottish Parliament, similar to the prime minister in the UK parliament. The minister is elected by the members of the Scottish Parliament, but would normally be the leader of the largest political party.
First Reading	 noun	the first time that a suggested new law is introduced in Parliament in the UK
First Secretary		the most important minister in the Welsh Assembly, similar to the prime minister in the UK parliament. The minister is elected by the Welsh Assembly Members, but would normally be the leader of the largest political party.
Fisherman's friend		a type of British sweet with a very strong hot taste, which you suck to make a sore throat or a cough feel better
Fisher Price		a company that makes children's toys. Fisher Price toys usually have simple designs and bright colours, and they are known for being strong and not easily broken.
Fitzgerald, Ella		(1918–96)  a US jazz singer, called 'The First Lady of Jazz' because of her beautiful voice and her skill in scat singing. She was known for performing with bands led by Duke ellington, Count basie, and Oscar peterson, and for singing songs by Cole porter and George gershwin.
Fitzgerald, F. Scott		(1896–1940)  a US writer known especially for his novels The Great Gatsby and Tender is the Night. He lived in France for many years with his wife Zelda Fitzgerald and his early death was caused by drinking too much alcohol.
FL		the written abbreviation of Florida
Flag Day		June 14th, a day in the US when people fly the US flag, remembering the day in 1777 when the stars and stripes (=US flag) was officially accepted and first used
Flanders		a flat area consisting of what is now part of Belgium, the Netherlands, and northern France. It is known especially for the many battles that were fought there in World War I.
Flanders, Michael		(1922–75)  a British entertainer and songwriter who wrote the words for the many funny songs that he and Donald Swann performed together as Flanders and Swann
Flanders, Moll
flash crash	 noun	a time when stocks and shares in a stock market suddenly lose a lot of value for a short time, sometimes for only a few minutes
Flash Gordon		a character who originally appeared in a US comic and films in the 1930s. Flash Gordon is a brave hero who travels through space and saves the Earth from many dangers.
Flashman		a character in the 19th century novel tom brown's schooldays who is a cruel bully and treats the younger boys at his school very badly
Flat Earth Society, the		an organization which believes that the Earth is flat and that science cannot be trusted. People sometimes mention its name when they are talking about someone whose ideas are impractical or unscientific.
Flatiron Building, the		a tall office building in New York City, built in 1902, which is shaped like a very large iron (=the thing you use for making clothes smooth)
Flaubert, Gustave		(1821–80)  a French writer best known for the novel Madame Bovary
Fleet Air Arm, the		the part of the British navy that formerly looked after and flew the navy's aircraft
Fleming, Ian		(1908–64)  a British writer who invented the character of James bond and wrote many novels about him
Fleming, Sir Alexander		(1881–1955)  a British scientist who discovered penicillin, a substance that is used as a medicine to destroy bacteria (=very small living things related to plants, some of which cause disease)
flexitarian	 noun	someone who eats mainly vegetables, fruit, and foods made from plants, but who is not a vegetarianbecause they sometimes eat meat or fish
Flight into Egypt, the		a story in the Bible in which Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus ran away to Egypt to escape from King Herod, who had ordered all male babies to be killed
Flintstones, The		a humorous US television cartoon programme, about a family from the stone age who live in a town called Bedrock. Fred Flintstone is the father, and is married to Wilma. They have a daughter called Pebbles and a pet dinosaur called Dino. Their best friends are Barney and Betty Rubble. The programme always begins when Fred finishes work for the day and shouts out 'Yabba Dabba Doo'.
Flipper		a US television programme from the 1960s in which a family become friends with a dolphin that they call 'Flipper'
flipping	 noun	a way of getting financial advantages that many people think is dishonest, used by some British Members of Parliament. Members often have two homes - one in their constituency, and one in London near Parliament. They are allowed to claim special allowances for their second home. Some MPs change which home they say is their second home, so that they can claim as much money as possible and avoid paying tax when they sell their second home. This practice is known as 'flipping'.
Flodden		a hillside in Northumberland in the north of England, where there was a battle between England and Scotland in 1513. The Scots were severely defeated and their king, James IV, was killed.
Flood, the		a story told in the Old Testament of the Bible about a great flood that covered the whole world. According to the story, God caused the Flood because he was angry with the people on Earth and wanted to punish them. He made it rain for 40 days and 40 nights, and most of the people and animals on Earth were killed. Only one man, Noah, and his family were saved. God told Noah to build an ark (=a large boat) and to take two of every kind of animal on the ark with him. When the rain stopped and the water level began to go down, Noah sent out a dove to look for land, and the bird returned carrying an olive branch to show that the land was reappearing.
Florence		a city in western central Italy, which was very rich and powerful in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is famous for its art and fine buildings.
Florida		a state in the southeastern US. Florida is known for having warm weather all year round, and many older people go there to live when they have stopped working. During spring break many US college students go to the seaside towns in Florida for a short holiday. disney world and the  epcot center are in Florida, and the area is also a popular place for British people to go for a holiday.
Florida Keys, the		a group of small islands off the coast of southern Florida which attract many tourists
Flowerpot Men, The
Flying Dutchman, The		in old stories, a ghost ship which appears in stormy weather and is a sign that something very bad is going to happen
Flying Scotsman, The		a fast train that runs between London and Edinburgh
Flymo		a type of lawnmower with a rotary blade which is held a little way above the ground by a current of air forced from beneath it
Flynn, Errol		(1909–59)  a US film actor who is thought of as a typical example of a swashbuckling character  (=someone who is brave and strong, enjoys adventures, and sword-fighting etc). He was known for being sexually attractive, for having very many lovers, and for drinking a lot of alcohol. His films include Captain Blood (1935) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).
Fo, Dario		(1926–)  an Italian writer, best known for his plays, such as Accidental Death of an Anarchist (1970) and Can't Pay, Won't Pay (1974), which are humorous, but deal with serious social and political events. He won the Nobel prize for Literature in 1997.
FoE
Fogg, Phileas		the main character in the book around the world in eighty days by Jules verne. Phileas Fogg is an Englishman who travels around the world and has many adventures.
Foggy Bottom		a humorous name given to the US state department because of the fog (=thick mist) that often surrounds its offices in Washington, D.C.
Fokker		a type of military aircraft used by the Germans in World War I and designed by Anthony Fokker (1890–1939) , a Dutch aircraft designer who later moved to the US and made planes for the US aircraft industry
Folies-Bergère, the		a theatre in Paris known from the end of the 19th century for its music and dance shows, especially those containing women wearing very few clothes
Folsom Prison		an old prison in California that was considered to be very strict and unpleasant, where many violent criminals were sent
Fonda, Henry		(1905–82)  a US film actor known especially for appearing as characters who have strong moral beliefs and a strong sense of honour. His films include The Grapes of Wrath (1940) and Twelve Angry Men (1957). He was the father of Jane  fonda and Peter Fonda.
Fonda, Jane		(1937–)  a US film actress, daughter of Henry Fonda, who has acted in films since the 1960s, including Barbarella (1968) and The China Syndrome (1980). She won Oscars for the films Klute (1971) and Coming Home (1978). She is also known for her strong  left-wing views. She became known as 'Hanoi Jane' for protesting against US support of South Vietnam in the Vietnam War (Hanoi was the capital of North Vietnam). In the 1980s she made an extremely popular exercise  video, called 'Jane Fonda's Workout', which gave instructions on how to do  aerobics.
Fonteyn, Dame Margot		(1919–91)  one of the UK's greatest ballet dancers who worked with the royal ballet, and often danced with Rudolf nureyev
Fonz		the main character in the US television programme happy days. He is a teenager in the 1950s who is known for always being cool, because he behaves in a calm confident way that is admired by other teenagers. He also wears a fashionable leather jacket.
Food and Agriculture Organization, the		the full name of the fao
Food and Drug Administration, the		the full name of the fda
Football Association, the		the full name of the FA
Football League, the		the organization of professional football teams in England and Wales. There are 72 professional teams organized into three leagues: the Championship, and Leagues One and Two but does not include the FA Premiership, which is the highest league. Professional football in Scotland is controlled by a similar organization called the Scottish Football League.
Footsie, the		an informal name for the FT 100 Share Index
Forbidden City, the		an area in Beijing, China that is surrounded by a wall. In former times, no one except the imperial (=royal) family and their servants was allowed to enter it, but it is now open to the public and attracts a lot of tourists.
Ford		 one of the world's largest car companies, which is based in the US and has factories in many countries
Ford, Eileen		(1922–)  a US businesswoman whose company finds models for magazines. She is famous for hiring some of the most popular and beautiful models.
Ford, Ford Maddox		(1873–1939)  a British writer of many poems, articles, and novels, including The Good Soldier and Parade's End which relate his experiences as an army officer in France in World War I
Ford, Gerald		(1913–2006)  a US politician in the Republican Party who was president of the US from 1974 to 1977. He became president after Richard Nixon was forced to resign (=leave his job) because of Watergate.
Ford, Harrison		(1942–)  a US actor known for being attractive, who has appeared in films about exciting adventures, such as Star Wars (1977), and the Indiana Jones series of films.
Ford, Henry		(1863–1947)  a US businessman and engineer, who started making cars in 1896 and established the Ford Motor Company. He developed the idea of the assembly line (=system in which each worker is responsible for one small part of the process of making something), and this made it possible to produce cars in large numbers. He designed the famous model t ford, and became one of the US's richest and most successful businessmen. He is also known for saying 'History is bunk'.
Ford, John		(1895–1973)  a US film director known especially for his westerns (=films about the American west in the 19th century). His films include Stagecoach (1939), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), and The Searchers (1956).
Ford, Richard		(1944–)  a writer from the southern US who does not like to be called a 'southern writer'. He is known for writing stories that are set outside the south and the events of his best-known novels, The Sportswriter and Independence Day, take place in New Jersey. Independence Day received both a PEN/Faulkner Award and a Pulitzer Prize in 1996, and was the first novel ever to win both awards.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the		the official name of the foreign office
Foreign Legion, the		a part of the French army that is made up of volunteers (=men who chose to join), most of whom are not French. They were formerly used to protect French colonies (colony ) in North Africa, and they are thought of as working in severe and difficult conditions, often in the desert. There is a joke that men join the Foreign Legion in order to forget women with whom they have had unhappy love affairs.
Foreign Service, the		a part of the US state department which employs the people who work in US embassies (embassy ) all over the world. In the UK there is a similar department called the diplomatic service.
Foreman, George		(1949–)  an African-American boxer who was the World Heavyweight Champion from 1973–74. He lost the title to Muhammad Ali in 1974. In 1994, aged 45, Foreman won the title again, becoming the oldest man ever to win a world title fight. Since the 1990s he is known for promoting (promote) the George Foreman Grill, a machine for grilling meat.
Forester, C.S.		(1899–1966)  a British writer best known for his stories about the royal navy during the napoleonic wars, especially those about the character Captain Horatio hornblower
Forest Hills		a town in New York State known especially for the US Open tennis competition which took place there every year from 1935–1977, when it moved to Flushing Meadows
Forest of Dean		an area in Gloucestershire, England, on the River Severn. It used to have an important iron and coal mining industry.
Forestry Commission, the		an organization that is responsible for taking care of forests in the UK. It cuts down old trees and plants new ones, prevents wild animals from spreading diseases, and makes paths and camping areas for visitors. In the US there is a similar organization called the forest service.
Forest Service, the		an organization that is responsible for taking care of forests in the US. It cuts down old trees and plants new ones, prevents wild animals from spreading diseases, and makes paths and camping areas for visitors. In the UK there is a similar organization called the forestry commission.
Formby, George		(1904–61)  a singer comedian from the north of England who performed in the music halls and appeared in films in the 1930s and 1940s. He usually appeared as a cheerful, rather stupid character with a big smile, and he is best known for singing humorous songs while playing the ukelele (=a musical instrument like a very small guitar).
Formula One		the highest level of international car racing. Formula One cars are special, very fast cars that compete for the world championship by taking part in a series of important races, called 'Grand Prix', in several countries.
Forrest Gump		(1994) a humorous US film in which Tom hanks appears as a man called Forrest Gump, who is nice but not very intelligent. As a result of good luck, he becomes successful and rich, and so achieves the things that many Americans think are important, though these things are not important to him. Gump is known for often repeating his mother's saying that 'Life is like a box of chocolates', meaning that when you make a choice in life, you do not know whether it will be a good choice or not.
Forster, E.M.		(1879–1970)  an important British writer best known for his novels Howard's End, A Passage to India, A Room With a View, and Maurice, all of which have been made into films
Forsyth, Bruce		(1928–)  a British comedian and presenter of game shows (=television programmes where people play games or answer questions to win prizes), who is known especially for presenting The Generation Game in the 1970s and Strictly Come Dancing since 2004. Forsyth is also known for his catchphrases including "Nice to see you, to see you, nice!" His official title is Sir Bruce Forsyth.
Forsyth, Frederick		(1938–)  a British writer of thrillers (=exciting stories about crimes and murders) including The Day of the Jackal and  The Dogs of War, both of which were made into films
Fortean Times		a British magazine that gives news reports about strange and unusual events such as ghosts or space vehicles from other planets
Forth, the		a river in southern central Scotland which flows into the firth of Forth and the North Sea
Fort McHenry		a fort in the harbour of Baltimore, Maryland. During the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key saw the American flag flying there after a battle, and this made him write the American national song, 'The Star-Spangled Banner'.
Fortnum and Mason		a famous department store in PIccadilly in London which is known especially for its high-quality expensive food products, and is a fashionable place for rich people to go for afternoon tea
Fortune 500, the		the 500 largest companies in the US, which are named in a yearly list in Fortune magazine
Fort Worth		a city in the northeast of the US state of Texas, near Dallas. It is a centre for farming, the oil industry, and the aircraft-building industry. The airport which it shares with Dallas, Dallas-Fort Worth, is one of the largest in the world.
Forty-five, the		another name for the jacobite rising of 1745, when the Scottish prince, Bonnie Prince Charlie, led an attempt to bring back the Stuart family of Britain. It failed when his army was defeated at the Battle of culloden.
Forty Thieves, the
Fosse Way, the		a road between Lincoln in eastern England and Exeter in southwest England, built in ancient times by the Romans
Fossey, Dian		(1932–85) a US scientist who became famous for her study of mountain gorillas. She lived among the gorillas in Zaire (now called the Democratic Republic of Congo) during the 1960s and wrote a book called Gorillas in the Mist (1983). She was murdered in her forest camp in Rwanda in 1985.
Foster, Norman		(1935–)  a British architect (=someone who designs buildings) who has won many prizes for his designs, and who works mainly in a very modern high-tech style. His buildings include London's Gherkin, the Millau Viaduct in France, and Tower 2 of the planned rebuilding of the World Trade Center in New York. His official title is Baron Foster of Thames Bank.
Foster, Stephen		(1826–64)  a US songwriter known for his many popular songs, such as Oh Susanna, Camptown Races, and Old Folks at Home, which were often about life in the South of the US
Foucault, Jean Bernard Léon		(1819–68)  a French scientist who studied the speed of light. He is known for inventing Foucault's Pendulum, an object that swings on a wire and shows how the Earth spins around. He also invented the gyroscope.
Founding Fathers, the		the group of men including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin who helped to start the US as a country and to establish its government. They wrote the US's most important political documents, including the declaration of independence, the constitution of the united states, and the bill of rights.
Fountain of Youth, the		in old stories, a flow of water which was supposed to make anyone who drank from it stay young for ever
Fountains Abbey		an abbey, built in the 12th century, in North Yorkshire, England where Cistercian monks (=members of an all-male religious group) lived. It is now a ruin and is visited by many tourists.
Four Freedoms, the		the four things that US President Franklin Roosevelt said were worth fighting for in a speech he made in 1941, before the US entered World War II. They are Freedom of Speech and Expression, Freedom of Worship (=practising your religion), Freedom from Want (=not having enough food, money etc), and Freedom from Fear.
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the		in the Bible, four men who ride horses and represent the four things that cause people the greatest pain and suffering, namely war, famine (=lack of food), death, and  pestilence (=serious disease)
Four Seasons, The		a piece of music by vivaldi which represents spring, summer, autumn and winter and is one of the best-known and most popular pieces of classical music
Fourteenth Amendment, the		a part of the constitution of the united states which gave former slaves the right to be US citizens. It gives all citizens the right to be protected by the law.
Four Weddings and a Funeral		(1994) a humorous British film in which Hugh grant appears as an upper-class Englishman, who falls in love with an American woman who he meets at four different weddings and one funeral which he and his friends attend. It was one of the most popular and successful British films ever made.
Fowler, Henry Watson		(1858–1933)  an English writer of dictionaries of the English language. He is known especially for his Dictionary of Modern English Usage.
Fowles, John		(1926–2005)  a British writer, best known for his novelsThe Magus and The French Lieutenant's Woman, which were both made into films
Fox		one of the main national television networks in the US. The others include abc, cbs, and  nbc. Fox is the newest of the main US television networks, and is part of Rupert  murdoch's company, News Corporation.
Fox and the Grapes, The		a fable (=a traditional short story that teaches a moral lesson) by Aesop in which a fox tries many times to reach some grapes that are hanging above his head. When he realizes that he will never be able to reach them, he pretends that he never wanted them, saying 'They're probably sour (=having an unpleasant acid taste) anyway'. This attitude is known as sour grapes.
Fox, Charles James		(1749–1806)  a British politician known for his wish to stop the slave trade and his opposition to the taxing of the American colonies(colony)
Fox, George		(1624–91)  an English religious leader who started the Christian group the Society of Friends, who are also called quakers
Foyles		a large and famous bookshop in Charing Cross Road in London known for its wide choice of books in all subject areas
FPA, the		a British organization which gives free advice on family planning. There is a similar organization in the US called Planned Parenthood.
France		a country in western Europe and a member of the EU. Population: 65,951,611 (2014). Capital: Paris. France is known especially for its art, good food, and fine wines, and many British people go there on holiday. People from France are called French.
Franciscan	 noun	 a Christian religious group begun by St francis of assisi in 1209, whose members live a holy life according to strict rules
Francis, Dick		(1920–2010)  a British writer who used to be a professional jockey (=someone who rides horses in races). His books are thrillers (=exciting stories about crimes and murders) about people who work in the horse racing business.
Francis of Assisi, St		(1182–1226)  an Italian Christian leader who started the Franciscan order (=a group of religious men who live and pray together). He is known for his love of nature, and is often shown in pictures surrounded by birds and animals.
Francis Xavier, St		(1506–52)  a Spanish Christian missionary (=someone who goes to a foreign country to teach people about Christianity) who travelled to India, southeast Asia, and Japan, and who helped to start the Jesuit order (=a Roman Catholic group of missionary priests, which is also called the Society of Jesus)
Franco, General Francisco		(1892–1975)  a Spanish military leader and right-wing politician. He led the Nationalist side in the Spanish War (1936–39) , and ruled Spain as a dictator until his death.
Frank, Anne		(1929–45)  a Jewish girl from Germany, who went to live in Holland with her family to escape from the Nazis. She wrote a famous diary, in which she describes her life while she and her family were hiding from the Nazis in Amsterdam. The family was eventually discovered, and sent to the concentration camp at belsen, where most of them were killed. Her diary was published(publish) after her death.
Franklin, Aretha		(1942–)  a US singer, known as the 'Queen of Soul' whose songs include Respect and Chain of Fools
Franklin, Benjamin		(1706–90)  a US politician, writer, and scientist. Franklin was involved in writing the declaration of independence and the constitution of the united states. He is famous for proving that lightning is a form of electricity by doing a scientific test in which he flew a kite during a storm, and he invented the lightning conductor. He is also known for writing Poor Richard's Almanack(1732–57) .
frape	 verb	to get access to someone's Facebook page and change what is written there
Fraser, (Mad) Frankie		(1923–)  a London gangster who spent more than 40 years in prison, and who was a friend of the Kray twins (famous violent criminals who were in prison for murder). Fraser became well-known and wrote a book about his life.
Fraud Squad	 noun	the department in the British police force that examines fraud (=the crime of deceiving people in order to gain something such as money or goods)
Frazer, Sir James George		(1854–1941)  a British writer on anthropology (=the scientific study of people and their societies, and the way that their customs develop), known especially for The Golden Bough, a book about the connections between religion and magic
FRB, the
FRCVS		Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (in the UK)
Freddie Mac		a US financial institution which buys and sells loans and mortgages to banks and other financial institutions, but does not deal with ordinary borrowers. It was started in 1970 to provide competition for the Fannie Mae organization in the secondary mortgage market. Its full name is the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation.
Free Church	 noun	any of the Protestant religious groups in the UK that are not part of the Church of England. The Free Churches include the Baptists, the Methodists, the United Reformed Church, and the Church of Scotland, and they are generally thought to have rather strict ideas about sexual behaviour and the drinking of alcohol.
Free Church of Scotland, the		a small group of Protestant Christians mainly in the Highlands of Scotland, especially known for being against any form of work on Sundays. Its members are often called wee frees.
Freedom of Information Act, the		a law that makes government information freely available to ordinary citizens and makes it illegal for government departments to keep information secret unless this is really necessary
Freedom Tower, the		another name for One World Trade Center, a skyscraper designed by Daniel Libeskind and David Charles, to replace the World Trade Center in New York. It is 541 meters (1776 feet) high. The number of feet is important because 1776 was the year that the US became an independent country.
Free French, the		French people during World War II who opposed the vichy government, because it was controlled by the nazis, and who worked, mostly from outside France, to try and defeat it. Their leader was General de gaulle.
freegan	 noun	someone who eats or uses things that shops have thrown away, because they want to live in a simple way and do not want things to be wasted
free love	 noun	the practice or principle of having sex with people without being faithful to one person or without being married	自由性爱﹔自由性爱主义
Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, the		a small group of Protestant Christians mainly in the Highlands of Scotland. It has similar views to the Free Church of Scotland, especially in connection with keeping Sunday for study of the Bible and worship of God.
freesat		a free satellite digital TV service in the UK. The programmes available include high-definitionchannels.
Free State, the		a province of South Africa, in the area south of Johannesburg and west of Lesotho, whose capital city is Bloemfontein. It used to be called the Orange Free State, and it was an independent state in the 19th century, but became part of South Africa after the Boer War of 1899–1902.
Freetown		the capital city and main port of Sierra Leone, on the Atlantic coast of West Africa
Freeview		a free digital TV service in the UK. People can receive it through an ordinary aerial and a set-top box
French and Indian War, the		the name for several battles that took place in North America between the French and the British in the mid-18th century, before the american revolutionary war
French Antilles		 a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea which belong to France
French Canadian		a Canadian person who speaks French, especially one whose family originally came from France
French Guiana		a country in northeast South America which is a department of France. Population: 239,450 (2012). Capital: Cayenne. The well-known prison, Devil's Island, is off the coast of French Guiana.
French Polynesia		about 130 islands in the southern Pacific Ocean, including Tahiti, which belong to France. Population: 277,293 (2014). Capital: Papeete.
French Quarter, the		a part of the city of New Orleans in Louisiana, US which was originally lived in by French people. It now attracts many tourists.
French Revolution, the		the revolution which began in France in 1789 with the 'Storming of the Bastille' on 14th July, when the people of Paris attacked and took control of the Bastille prison. Four years later, the French king and queen, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were killed by having their heads cut off by the guillotine. Many other people of high rank were also killed and France became a republic (=a country without a king or queen). During the revolution, the people demanded 'Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity', and the events and ideas of the revolution had an important influence on European history.
French Riviera, the		an area of southeastern France on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, which includes places such as Nice, Cannes, and St Tropez. Many rich and fashionable people live on or visit the French Riviera, and it attracts a lot of tourists
French West Indies, the		a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea which belong to France
Freud, Sigmund		(1856–1939)  an Austrian doctor who developed a new system for understanding the way that people's minds work, and a new way of treating mental illness called psychoanalysis. He discovered the unconscious (=the part of your mind where there are thoughts and feelings that you do not realize you have). He believed that bad experiences that people have as children can affect their mental health as adults, and that by talking to a mentally ill person about their past life and feelings, the hidden causes of their illness can be found. He wrote The Interpretation of Dreams and The Ego and the Id. His ideas, especially about the importance of sex, have had a very great influence on the way that people think in the 20th century.
Friar Tuck		a fat and cheerful monk (=a member of an all-male religious group), who enjoys eating and drinking, and appears in old English stories about robin hood as one of his followers
frictionless sharing	 noun	a form of information sharing on social media websites in which a user's activities, for instance listening to music, are automatically shared on their page
Friedan, Betty		(1921–2006)  a US writer and feminist (=someone who supports the idea that women should have the same rights and opportunities as men) who argued against the idea that women could only be happy and satisfied if they were wives and mothers. She is especially known for her book The Feminine Mystique (1963), which many people believe started the modern Women's Movement.
Friedman, Milton		(1912–2006)  a US economist who helped to develop the idea of monetarism, the belief that the best way for a government to manage a country's economic system is to limit the amount of money that is available to be used. He won the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1976, and his ideas influenced the economic policies of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan.
Friel, Brian		(1929–)  an Irish writer of short stories (short story) and plays that are mostly about Irish people and the political situation in Ireland. His plays include Faith Healer and Dancing at Lughnasa.
Friend	 noun	a member of the Christian group called the Society of Friends; quaker
Friends		a very popular US sitcom (=a television programme consisting of humorous stories about the same group of characters) about a group of friends who live in New York City during the late 1990s. Friends was first broadcast from 1994 until 2004.
Friends of the Earth		an international organization that tries to influence people and governments to protect the environment
Friends Provident Trophy, the		a one day cricket competition in the UK. The 18 county cricket teams take part, together with teams from Scotland and Ireland.
Friends Reunited		a British website which helps to bring together people who went to the same school or university, but who have not seen each other for a long time. Users can put information about their own lives on the website and can read information about people they used to know.
Frigidaire		a type of fridge made in the US
Fringe, the		the theatre productions in the edinburgh festival which are not part of the official programme
Frito-Lay		a US company that produces snack food such as fritos, chee-tos, and potato  crisps
Fritos		a US type of corn chips
Frodo		a character in the novel The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. He is a  hobbit, a creature that looks like a human but is much smaller, and lives in a hole in the ground.
Frog Prince, The		a fairy tale in which a prince, who has been changed into a frog by an evil witch, tries to persuade a princess to kiss him so that he can become a prince again. She finally does, he becomes human again, and they get married.
Frost, Robert		(1874–1963)  an American writer who is considered by many people to be the greatest American poet of the 20th century. He is known for his poems about life in the country, especially in New England. He won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry four times.
fruitloop	 noun	someone who is crazy or has crazy ideas
Fruit of the Loom		a type of clothing made by a US company, best known for its underwear and its informal clothes such as t-shirts
Frémont, John C.		(1813–90)  a US soldier, politician, and explorer, who was called 'The Pathfinder' because he travelled across the western part of North America and made maps of this area. He encouraged US citizens to move to these places, which are now the states of Idaho, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, and California.
FS		the written abbreviation of foreign service
FSA, the		the abbreviation of the Financial Services Authority
FT, the		the financial times
FT 100 Share Index, the		the Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 Index; a number that shows whether shares in companies on the London stock exchange have generally risen or fallen in value on a particular day. The number is based on the share prices of 100 large and important companies
FTC, the		(the Federal Trade Commission) a US government organization that is responsible for making sure that trade between companies and their customers is fair. If two companies plan to merge (=join together to become a single large company), the FTC finds out whether this arrangement will be unfair to other companies or to customers in general. There is a similar organization in the UK called the monopolies and mergers commission.
FT Index, the
fugly	 adjective	very ugly
Fujimori, Alberto		(1938–)  the president of Peru from 1990 to 2000. At first he was popular because he dealt with terrorist groups in a very strong and determined way, but he later became very unpopular when many people believed that he was connected to people who used power in a dishonest or illegal way and was guilty of abusing (abuse) people's human rights (=treating them in a cruel or violent way). In 2000 he was forced to leave his position. He lived in exile until 2007, when the first of several  trials for murder,  kidnapping and other illegal acts began. He was found guilty in these trials and sent to prison.
Fuji, Mount		a volcano, about 100 km southwest of Tokyo, which is the highest mountain in Japan. Its top has the shape of a perfect cone and it has been the subject of many paintings and poems for centuries.
Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant		 a nuclear power station that was on Honshu island in Japan. In March 2011 a huge earthquake and tsunami seriously damaged the cooling system of the reactor. As a result of the accident, radiation got into the air. Local people were forced to leave the area and many people were worried about the safety of food and water.
Fulbright Scholarship	 noun	money provided for US university students and teachers so that they can study in other countries, and for students and teachers from other countries so that they can study in the US
Fulham		an area of west London which is a fashionable place to live
full-body scanner	 noun	a piece of equipment, for example at an airport, that uses X-rays or radio waves to produce an image of what is under your clothes, so that officials can see if you are carrying anything dangerous
Fuller, Richard Buckminster		(1895–1983)  a US architect (=someone who designs buildings) and engineer, who believed that scientific and technical developments could be used to solve many of society's problems, and who invented the geodesic dome, a large, light, ball-shaped structure
Full Monty, The		(1997) a humorous British film that was extremely popular in both the UK and US, about a group of men in the town of Sheffield who cannot get work because the steel industry has closed down, and who decide to become strippers (=someone who takes off their clothes to entertain people) to earn some money
Fulton, Robert		(1765–1815)  a US engineer and inventor who designed and built several steamships (=large ships that use steam for power)
Fu Manchu		the main character in the stories by Sax Rohmer and in the films based on these stories. Fu Manchu is an evil and very clever Chinese criminal. He has a very long moustache, the ends of which hang down. A moustache that looks like this is often called a Fu Manchu moustache.
Fungus the Bogeyman		a children's book by the British writer Raymond Briggs. It contains a lot of funny pictures of Fungus the Bogeyman, a silly creature who is smelly, dirty, ugly, and everything that children are not supposed to be.
Furies, The		in Greek mythology, three frightening goddesses who had snakes instead of hair and who punished people for doing bad things, especially people who murdered members of their own family
Furtwängler, Wilhelm		(1886–1954)  a German conductor (=someone who directs a group of musicians) known especially for being the conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra for many years
G4S		an international security organization, which provides many different services, including carrying money and valuable goods, and taking prisoners in guarded vehicles to and from law courts.
G8		(the group of eight); a group consisting of the world's eight leading industrial nations, whose government leaders and financial ministers meet regularly for discussions, especially about economic matters. Its members are: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the US, and Russia	八国集团〔指英、加、法、德、意、日、俄、美八个主要工业国〕
G8+5		the G8 countries and five developing countries that have taken part as guests in recent meetings: Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa
GA		the written abbreviation of Georgia
Gable, Clark		(1901–60)  a US film actor who appeared in many films especially in the 1930s and 1940s, and was known for being attractive. He is most famous for appearing as the character Rhett butler in gone with the wind (1939), and his other films include It Happened One Night (1934) and Mutiny on the Bounty (1935).
Gabon		a country in west central Africa on the Atlantic Ocean. Population: 1,640,286 (2014). Capital: Libreville.
Gaborone		the capital city of Botswana, in the southeast of the country, formerly called Gaberones
Gabriel		in the Bible, an archangel who brings messages from God to people on Earth. In art, Gabriel is often shown blowing a trumpet. According to Christian belief, he was sent by God to tell mary that she would be the mother of jesus. In the Muslim religion, Gabriel gave Muhammad the messages from Allah which form the Quran (Koran).
Gacy, John Wayne		(1942–94)  a US building contractor who murdered 33 boys between 1972 and 1978 and placed some bodies beneath his house near chicago, and buried others in his garden. He was found guilty of these crimes in 1980, and in 1994 he was executed (=killed as a punishment).
Gaddafi, Colonel Muammar al		(1942–2011)  the leader of Libya from 1969 to 2911. The government of the US accused him of supporting international terrorist groups during the 1980s, and in 1986 the US military bombed his home and some of his children were killed or injured. From 1999 he tried to improve Libya's relationship with the US and other Western countries, but in 2011 a civil war started in Libya and Gaddafi was killed.
Gaddis, William		(1922–98)  a US writer of novels including Carpenter's Gothic
Gadsden Purchase, the		an area of land in what is now Arizona and New Mexico, which was bought by the US from Mexico in 1853
Gael	 noun	a person, usually from Scotland, who speaks Gaelic and supports the idea of a separate Gaelic way of life
Gagarin, Yuri		(1934–68)  a Soviet astronaut. On 12th April 1961 he became the first man in space when he travelled round the Earth in Vostok I.
Gainsborough, Thomas		(1727–88)  a British artist best known for his portraits (=pictures of people), such as The Blue Boy, and for his  landscapes (=pictures of the countryside). He was one of the original members of the  royal academy in London.
Galahad, Sir		one of King Arthur's knights of the round table who was very honest and morally good, and who found the holy grail. The name Sir Galahad is sometimes used to mean a man who behaves in a morally good and generous way.
galangal	 noun	the root of a plant, similar to ginger, used in Asian cooking and medicine
Galapagos Islands, the		a group of islands in the east Pacific Ocean which belong to Ecuador. They were visited by Charles darwin in 1835, and the information he collected there helped him to develop his ideas about evolution. Very large rare tortoises live on the islands and most of the land is a national park.
Galilee		an area in northern Israel in which the main city is Nazareth. It is best known from the New Testament of the Bible as the place where Jesus lived and taught.
Galilee, the Sea of		a lake in northeast Israel through which the River Jordan flows. It is mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible.
Galileo		(1564–1642)  an Italian astronomer (=a scientist who studies the stars), mathematician, and  physicist whose many discoveries had a great influence on modern science. He saw mountains and  craters (=round holes) on the surface of the Moon, and his study of the changes in the appearance of  venus proved that it was moving around the Sun. He also discovered that if you drop objects of different weights in a  vacuum, they fall at the same speed. He was punished by the  inquisition (=a Roman Catholic organization that punished people who had unacceptable religious beliefs) because he believed that the Sun, not the Earth, was the centre of the universe.
Galliano, John		(1960–)  a British fashion designer who has worked for Givenchy and Christian Dior, and is known for designing unusual and sometimes shocking clothes. He lost his job at Dior after being accused of making racist comments in a bar in Paris.
Gallipoli		an area in Turkey on the north side of the Dardenelles where an important battle took place during World War I. Many Australian and New Zealand soldiers landed on the coast and were killed there by the Turkish army who were fighting on the side of the Germans.
Galsworthy, John		(1867–1933)  a British writer of books and plays who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1932. He is best known for his series of novels called The Forsyte Saga, about a wealthy English family called the Forsytes.
Galtieri, Leopoldo		(1926–2003)  an Argentinian general (=army leader) and president from 1981 to 1982. He ordered Argentinian soldiers to take control of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) in 1982. This led to a war with Britain, which Argentina lost. As a result he was forced to give up being president and was put in prison from 1986 to 1989.
Galveston		a city in southeast Texas. It is the state's main cotton port and also an important fishing centre.
Galway		a county in the west of the Republic of Ireland
Gama, Vasco da		(?1469–1524)  a Portuguese sailor and explorer who was the first European to discover the way to India by sea. This made it possible for the Portuguese to trade with India and the Far East, which made Portugal one of the richest trading nations of that period.
Gambia, the		a country in West Africa next to Senegal. Population: 1,883,051 (2014). Capital: Banjul.
Game Boy		a small machine that you could hold in your hand to play computer games. Game Boy was one of the first of these small electronic games and was made by the nintendo company.
Gandalf		one of the main characters in the book The lord of the rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. He is a  wizard.
Gandhi, Indira		(1917–84)  an Indian politician who was prime minister of India from 1966–77 and from 1980–84. She was the daughter of India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal nehru, and her son Rajiv Gandhi also became prime minister, but she was not related to Mahatma Gandhi. She was assassinated by one of her bodyguards in 1984.
Gandhi, Mahatma		(1869–1948)  an Indian lawyer and politician who successfully led the fight for India's independence from the British. Gandhi is famous especially for developing the idea of non-violent protest, and his methods have been copied in many other places. Gandhi wore very simple homespun clothes, including a loincloth, to support the Indian way of life. His real name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi but he was given the name 'Mahatma' (meaning 'great soul') by his followers. He was assassinated soon after India gained independence.
Gandhi, Rajiv		(1944–91)  the son of Indira Gandhi, who was elected prime minister of India after his mother was killed in 1984 and remained in power until 1989. He was assassinated in 1991 while campaigning (campaign ) in the Indian elections.
Ganges, the		a long river which flows though northern India and provides water for the fields in India and Bangladesh. To the Hindus the Ganges is a holy river, and many Hindus go to the river as pilgrims and wash themselves in it.
Gang of Four, the	 noun	a group of four Chinese Communist politicians, including Jiang Qing, who were leading supporters of the Cultural Revolution in China in the late 1960s. They were known for their violent actions and extreme left-wing ideas and they tried to take control of China after Mao Zedong's death in 1976. Their attempt failed, and they were put in prison. If a group of four people, especially politicians, are considered to be a close group, newspapers sometimes call them the 'Gang of Four'.
Ganymede		in ancient Greek stories, a beautiful young boy who was taken to Olympus by Zeus and became cupbearer (=someone who serves wine) to the gods
Gap, The		a US clothes company with stores all over the world. The Gap sells informal clothes for men, women, and children, which are fashionable but not very expensive.
Garbo, Greta		(1905–90)  a US film actress, born in Sweden, who suddenly stopped making films in 1941 when she was still extremely popular, and became a recluse (=someone who lives on their own and does not want to see other people). She was known for her beauty, and for saying 'I want to be alone'. Her films include Queen Christina (1933), Anna Karenina (1935), and Camille (1936).
García Lorca, Federico		(1898–1936)  a Spanish poet and writer of plays, known for plays such as Blood Wedding and The House of Bernarda Alba. He was shot during the Spanish Civil War.
García Márquez, Gabriel		(1928–)  a Colombian writer whose novels are in the style of magic realism, and include One Hundred Years of Solitude (1967) and Love in the Time of Cholera (1988). He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982.
Garda, the	 noun	the police force in the Republic of Ireland
Garden of Eden, the
Gardner, Erle Stanley		(1889–1970)  a US writer of crime stories who invented the character of the lawyer, Perry Mason
Garfield		the main character in a humorous cartoon strip (=a set of drawings that tell a story) that appears in hundreds of US newspapers and some British ones every day. Garfield is a cat, and there are many Garfield books and toys on sale, especially a toy cat which people stick on their car windows.
Garfield, James		(1831–1881) the twentieth president of the US, in 1881. He was shot by a mentally ill man and died two months later.
Garibaldi, Giuseppe		(1807–82)  an Italian military leader who helped Italy to become a united, independent country by taking control of Sicily and Naples in 1860
Garland, Judy		(1922–69)  a US film actress and singer who first appeared in films as a child. She is most famous for appearing as the character Dorothy in The wizard of oz (1939). Other films include Meet Me in St Louis (1944) and A Star is Born (1954). Her daughter, Liza  minnelli, is also an actress and singer.
Garnett, Alf		a character in the humorous British television programme Till Death Us Do Part, which was broadcast in the 1960s and 1970s. Alf Garnett was a British  working-class man with very  right-wing political opinions. He was very proud of being British, admired the British Royal Family and believed that foreign people, especially black people, should not be allowed to live in the UK.
Garrick Club, the		a gentleman's club in London whose members include many actors and other men who work in the theatre. Women are not allowed to join the club.
Garter, the Order of the		the highest order of British knighthood. The sign of the Order of the Garter is a blue velvet garter.
Gates, Bill		(1955–)  a US computer programmer and businessman, who started the Microsoft company and is famous for being one of the richest men in the world. He is now also well known for giving large amounts of money to charity through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation which was started in 2000.
Gateway Arch, the		a very large arch in the city of St Louis, Missouri, in the US, that is sometimes used in pictures to represent St Louis
Gatorade		a type of US drink which is supposed to replace chemicals in the body that are lost when you have been exercising or playing sport
Gator Bowl, the		a college football game held every year in Jacksonville, Florida, in the US
Gatsby
GATT		(General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) an organization of about 80 countries, whose aim was to make agreements that will encourage international trade and remove rules or restrictions that make trade more difficult. GATT was replaced in 1995 by a new organization with similar aims, called the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Gatwick Airport		the second largest of the four international airports serving London. The other three are Heathrow, Stansted, and London City Airport. Gatwick is 25 miles to the south of the city.
Gaudi, Antonio		(1852–1926)  a Spanish architect (=someone who designs buildings) who built many unusual, highly decorated buildings in Barcelona, the most famous of which is the cathedral (=large important church) called El Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia, which has never been completed.
Gauguin, Paul		(1848–1903)  a French painter who went to live in Tahiti, where he painted brightly coloured scenes which showed the life of the people there
Gaul		an area of western Europe in Roman times which included France, Belgium, the southern part of the Netherlands, southwest Germany, and part of North Italy
Gaullist	 noun	someone who supported the French opposition, led by General de gaulle, to the vichy government during World War II
Gaulloise		a brand of cigarettes made in France
Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir
Gaye, Marvin		(1939–84)  a US musician who wrote and performed soul music with the motown record company. His many popular and successful songs include I Heard It Through the Grapevine. He was shot and killed by his father during an argument.
Gay Pride		a political and social movement that began in the U.S. and encourages gay people to be open about the fact that they are gay and to be proud of themselves
Gaza Strip, the		a coastal area in the Middle East, between Egypt and Israel, which is governed by the Palestinian National Authority
Gdansk		a city and port in Poland, known for its shipyards where protests by workers in the 1980s forced the Communist government to make changes. The trade union, Solidarity, was started there in 1980 by Lech Walesa. Gdansk was formerly known by its German name Danzig.
GED	 noun	 a series of tests in the US and Canada, that are designed to provide a qualification equal to a high school diploma, for people who left high school without finishing their education
Gehrig, Lou		(1903–41)  a famous US baseball player, who was called the 'Iron Horse', and who played in more consecutive games than any other player before him. He died of a rare muscle disease which is now known as 'Lou Gehrig's disease'.
Gehry, Frank		(1929– ) a US architect (=someone who designs buildings), born in Canada, who is known for his unusual buildings with interesting shapes. He designed the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, which opened in 1997.
Geight	 noun	 eight of the most important industrial nations in the world (Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the US) who meet regularly to discuss the world economic situation
Gein, Ed		(1896–1984)  a famous murderer from Wisconsin, in the US. Gein was strongly influenced by his mother who made him stay away from women. But after his mother died he began digging up women's bodies from the cemetery and took them to his home. Later he killed two women. Books and films such as Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre were based on his crimes.
Geldof, Bob		(1951–)  an Irish musician who was the singer with the group The Boomtown Rats, but is best known for starting the charity Band Aid in 1984 in order to collect money for people dying from hunger (=not having enough to eat) in Ethiopia. He organized the Live Aid concerts in 1985, and persuaded famous musicians to work together to make the record Do They Know It's Christmas?, the money from which was given to Band Aid. In 2005 he also organized the Live 8 concerts to make people know about African problems such as debt and AIDS.
Gemini Program, the		(1964–66)  a US government space programme which prepared for the apollo program
General Assembly, the		the group that represents all of the countries which belong to the united nations. Its members meet regularly to discuss plans and vote on suggestions, with each country having one vote.
General Belgrano, the		an Argentinian ship sunk by the British in 1982 during the falklands war
General Electric		a US company that makes electrical and electronic equipment
General Hospital		a US television soap opera, which began in the 1960s, about the doctors and nurses at a hospital, and their lives and families.
General Medical Council, the
General Mills		a US company which produces many different types of foods such as flour, cake mixes, and breakfast cereals. These are sold under the name of Nestlé in Europe.
General Motors		one of the world's largest car companies, which is based in the US and has factories in many countries. Its makes (=types) of cars and trucks include Chevrolet, Cadillac, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Buick, and in Europe, Opel and Vauxhall.
General Synod, the		the group of people who govern the Church of England. It includes bishops and elected representatives from among the priests and other members of the Church.
Genesis		the first book of the Old Testament of the Bible, which describes the history of the Earth and its people. It includes the creation of Heaven and the Earth, the story of Adam and Eve and, and the story of the flood. Many people know the first words of Genesis
Geneva		a city in Switzerland which is the main base for the red cross, the world health organization, and several other important international organizations. It is on the shore of Lake Geneva, one of the largest lakes in Europe.
Geneva Convention, the		a set of agreements that establish rules for how people should be treated during wars, especially if they are wounded or taken prisoner. The Geneva Convention was first written at Geneva, Switzerland, in the 19th century and was accepted by most countries. It has been changed several times at later international meetings.
Genghis Khan		(?1160–1227)  the ruler of the Mongol people in China, and a successful military and political leader. He took control of northern India and sent his armies as far west as the Black Sea. He is regarded as a very cruel leader. Smeone who has very right-wing political opinions is sometimes humorously described as being 'to the right of Genghis Khan'.
George	 noun	 used when you are pleasantly surprised
George Cross, the		an honour given to British people not in the armed forces who do something extremely brave, e.g. saving someone else's life at great danger to themselves. It is given very rarely and thought to be a sign of great respect and admiration.
George III, King		(1738–1820)  the king of Great Britain and Ireland from 1760 until his death. He is remembered in the US as the British king at the time of the american revolutionary war, when the US fought to become independent of Britain. He suffered at times from a serious mental illness, and this is described in the film The Madness of King George.
George II, King		(1683–1760)  the king of Great Britain and Ireland from 1727 to 1760. He was the last king to lead his men personally in battle.
George I, King		(1660–1727)  the king of Great Britain and Ireland from 1714 until his death. He was born in Germany and spent most of his time there, and he never learned to speak English. This made him very unpopular, and his lack of interest in government led to Britain having its first prime minister.
George IV, King		(1762–1830)  the king of Great Britain and Ireland from 1820 until his death. From 1811 to 1820, he acted as king and had the title 'Prince Regent', because his father, King George III, was mentally ill and unable to rule. This period of British history is called 'the Regency'.
George Medal, the		an honour in the form of a red ribbon with five blue stripes. It is given for similar acts of bravery as the George Cross but is not such a high honour.
George, Saint		(?-303 AD)  the patron saint of England. He was born in eastern asia minor, became a soldier in the Roman army, and was officially killed in palestine because of his Christian beliefs. He is said to have saved the life of a woman by killing a dragon (=an imaginary large animal that breathes fire), and he is always shown in pictures doing this. St George's Day, 23rd April, is celebrated as the English national day.
Georgetown		a fashionable area of Washington, D.C., where there are many expensive shops and houses. It is also known for its university.
George VI, King		(1895–1952)  the British king from 1936 until his death, and the father of Queen Elizabeth II. During World War II, he and his wife Elizabeth (who was called the queen mother ) were popular in the UK because they continued to live in London when it was being bombed, and they accepted the same food restrictions as ordinary people.
George V, King		(1865–1936)  the British king from 1910 until his death. When Britain was fighting Germany during World War I, he stopped using German titles, and the name of the royal family was changed from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor.
Georgia		 a state in the southeast US, one of the original 13 states established under British rule. Its capital and largest city is Atlanta, an important industrial centre for the southeastern US.
Georgie Porgie		a character in a nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for young children) who is a badly behaved little boy
Geritol		a type of patent medicine sold in the US which contains a lot of iron; it is usually taken by older people
German Unification		the uniting of East and West Germany in 1990 after they had been separated since 1945. This followed the opening of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and then the collapse of the East German government.
Germany		a country in central Europe, which was divided from 1945 until 1990 into West Germany and East Germany. Population: 81,147,265 (2014). Capital: Berlin. It is a member of the EU. Germany is a rich, advanced industrial country, known especially for its car industry, but it also has made many laws to protect the environment. Germany is also known as a country that has produced many great musicians, including Bach, Beethoven, and Wagner.
Geronimo		(1829–1909)  an apache chief who fought white settlers so that his people could continue living on their own land in New Mexico and Arizona. In 1866 the US army caught him and forced his people to move to Oklahoma. He spoke the story of his life so that it could be written down, and it became the book Geronimo, His Own Story.
Gershwin, George		(1898–1937)  a US composer who wrote both classical music and popular songs and tunes. He is known especially for his operaPorgy and Bess and for Rhapsody in Blue. His brother Ira Gershwin (1896–1983)  wrote the words for many of his popular songs.
Gethsemane		a garden where Jesus went with his followers, and where he was betrayed (betray ) by one of them, judas, and taken prisoner by the Romans
Getty, J. Paul		(1892–1976)  a US businessman who owned an oil company and became one of the richest men in the world. He built the Getty Museum in Malibu, California, which has a large collection of valuable paintings and other types of art.
Gettysburg		 a place in Pennsylvania where a very important battle in the American Civil War took place in July, 1863. Many men were killed on both sides, but the battle led the way to the Union winning the war.
Gettysburg Address, the		a famous speech made by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 in the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He expressed his grief for the soldiers killed in the American Civil War, and talked about the principles that they died for, in words that are often remembered by Americans: Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal ... We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth.
Ghana		a country in West Africa between Côte d'Ivoire and Togo. Population: 25,199,609 (2014). Capital: Accra. In 1957, Ghana, which was then called the Gold Coast, was the first black African state to become independent from British rule.
Ghats		two lines of mountains in South India. The Western Ghats run along the coast of the Arabian Sea, and the Eastern Ghats run along the Bay of Bengal
Gherkin, the		a very tall office building in London, designed by the British architect Sir Norman Foster, and completed in 2004. Some people think it looks like a gherkin because of its shape. The official name of the building is the Swiss Reinsurance Tower. It is also known more informally as the Swiss Re Building.
ghost bike	 noun	a bicycle that has been painted white and left where a cyclist was killed in an accident, to remind people of that person and their death
Ghostbusters		(1984) a humorous US film about four men whose job is to force ghosts (=the spirits of dead people) to leave buildings which they have come back to visit
Giacometti		(1901–66) a Swiss sculptor whose most famous works include 'The Couple' (1926) and 'The Forest' (1950)
Giant's Causeway, the		a group of unusually shaped rocks on the coast of Northern Ireland, which were formed by a flow of lava into the sea. According to old stories, they were used as a path for giants crossing from Ireland to Scotland.
GI Bill, the		a law passed in the US in 1944, which makes it possible for people who have served in the army, navy etc to continue their education and receive other benefits
Gibraltar		a town and port on the Rock of Gibraltar on the southern coast of Spain. It has belonged to the UK since 1713, but the Spanish government would like it to belong to Spain. Many tourists visit Gibraltar.
Gibson, Guy		(1918–44) , a British Royal Air Force wing commander who led the World War II 'Dam Busters' bombing raid on the German Mohne and Eder dams in 1943, for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross
Gibson, Mel		(1956–)  an actor known especially for playing strong, brave men in films such as the Mad Max series (1979–2004), the Lethal Weapon series (1987–98), and Braveheart (1995), for which he won an Oscar. Gibson is known for having made some controversial (=causing a lot of disagreement) comments about Jews and gay people. He has said that his problems with alcoholism caused him to say these things.
Gideon Bible	 noun	a Bible that is put in a hotel room or similar place by a member of a Christian organization called the Gideons, who encourage people to read the Bible by giving them a copy of it
Gielgud, Sir John		(1904–2000)  an English actor and director who is famous for playing many parts from Shakespeare's plays, as well as making film appearances, e.g. in Arthur in 1981 when he won an Oscar.
Gift Aid	 noun	an arrangement in the UK by which a charity that gets a donation from a British taxpayer can also get the tax that has been paid on that money back from the government
Gift Aid	 verb	if you Gift Aid money you give to a charity, you give it under a Gift Aid arrangement
GI Joe		 a male US soldier, especially during World War II
Gilbert and Sullivan		two British men, W.S. Gilbert (1836–1911)  and Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900) , who wrote many humorous operettas (=plays with songs) from 1871 to 1896. Gilbert wrote the words and Sullivan wrote the music. Their operettas, which include The mikado (1885) and The pirates of penzance (1879), made fun of politicians and other well-known people of the time, and they are still performed now.
Gillard, Julia		(1961-) a politician who was prime minister of Australia and leader of the Australian Labor Party from 2010 to 2013. Before becoming prime minister, she worked as a lawyer and became an MP in 1998. She was the first female deputy prime minister and prime minster of Australia.
Gillespie, Dizzy		(1917–93)  a US jazz musician and trumpet player who, with Charlie parker, developed the bebop style of jazz
Gilligan, Andrew		(1968–)  a British reporter who worked for the BBC. After he had spoken to Dr David Kelly, an expert on weapons, he said on the radio that a government report had been changed in order to convince people that Iraq could use dangerous weapons very quickly, and make them believe that a war against Iraq was a good thing to do. Dr David Kelly killed himself after it became known that he had supplied the information for Gilligan's claim. In January 2004 the Hutton Inquiry into the reasons for Kelly's death criticized Gilligan and the BBC for not reporting the facts correctly. As a result, the chairman of the BBC and its director-general decided to leave their jobs, and shortly afterwards Gilligan left his job.
Gilligan's Island		a US sitcom, originally shown in 1964–67, about a group of people shipwrecked on a desert island
Gilmore, Gary		(1940–77)  a US criminal who became famous because he demanded that the government execute him  (=officially kill him). He was finally shot by a firing squad.
Gilroy, Bet
Gingerbread		the ame of a British organization which provides support and practical help for single parents and their children. In 2007, it combined with the National Council for One Parent Families to form One Parent Families/Gingerbread before shortening its name to Gingerbread again in 2009.
Ginger Man, The		a novel by Irish writer J. P. Donleavy which is both funny and sad. The main character, Sebastian Dangerfield, who is a law student in Dublin, lives in a fantasy world to escape his loneliness and an unhappy marriage.
Gingrich, Newt		(1943–)  a US politician in the republican party who was speaker of the house from 1994 to 1998. He is known for being very determined and very right wing.
Ginsberg, Allen		(1926–97)  a US poet and leader of the beat generation, and who criticized US society for its materialism (=caring only about money and possessions)
Giotto		(1266–1337)  an Italian painter and architect (=someone who designs buildings) who was one of the most important painters of his time, and painted mostly religious subjects
Gish, Lillian		(1893–1993)  a US film and theatre actress, most famous for appearing in silent films (=films made with no sound). Her films include Birth of a Nation (1915), Broken Blossoms (1918), and much later, The Whales of August (1987).
Giuliani, Rudolph		(1944–)  a US lawyer and politician, who was the mayor of New York City from 1993 until 2001. As mayor, he made New York City cleaner and safer. He is admired for his leadership after September 11 2001, when terrorists used planes to attack and destroy the World Trade Center.
Giza		a city in Egypt, which was important in ancient times. The Pyramids and the Sphinx are in the desert near Giza.
GLA, the		(the Greater London Authority) an official group consisting of the Mayor of London and an assembly of 25 members that controls the 32 London boroughs and the City of London. It is based in City Hall, a building on the south side of the River Thames.
Gladstone, William Ewart		(1809–98)  a British politician in the Liberal Party, who was prime minister four times (1868–74, 1880–85, 1886, 1892–94). He established a system of primary education for all children, and also introduced secret voting rights for most males. He supported the idea of limited independence for Ireland, but did not succeed in persuading Parliament to accept this policy.
glamazon	 noun	a tall, beautiful, fashionable woman – used especially in newspapers and magazines
Glamorgan
Glasgow		the largest city in Scotland, on the River Clyde. It became an important port and ship-building centre in the 18th century, and has two universities. Glasgow used to be thought of as a very working-class city, but it is now also an important centre of art and culture.
Glasgow Herald, The		the former name of one of Scotland's main newspapers, read especially in the West of Scotland. Since 1992 it has been called The Herald
Glass, Philip		(1937–)  a US composer of modern classical music, who was influenced by Indian music, and who is known for his minimalist style in which short musical phrases are repeated again and again, with very slight changes
Glaswegian	 noun	 a name used for someone, especially a man, from glasgow
GlaxoSmithKline		a very large international company that makes drugs and medicines. The company was formed when Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham joined together in 2000.
Gleason, Jackie		(1916–87)  a US actor and comedian, best known for the humorous television programme The Honeymooners(1949–54)  which was popular for many years. His character is a fat man with strong opinions who argues a lot with his wife, but who loves her really.
Glencoe		a valley in the western Highlands of Scotland, where, in 1692, members of one clan (=a large group of families), the Campbells, killed members of another clan, the MacDonalds, in the Massacre of Glencoe. It is now a popular place for people to go to ski or climb.
Gleneagles		a hotel and golf centre in Scotland, popular with rich and famous people
Glenn, John		(1921–)  the first US astronaut to travel around the Earth in space, which he did in 1962. From 1974 to 1998 he was a member of the US Senate for the Democratic Party, representing the state of Ohio. In 1998, he again went into space, becoming the oldest man to do so.
Global Zero		an international campaign that was started in 2008 and whose aim is to encourage countries to get rid of all their nuclear weapons. The campaign has succeeded in persuading many well-known people, including former leaders, politicians, and scientists, to add their names to the list of people who support its aims.
Globe Theatre, the		a theatre south of the River Thames in London where William shakespeare's plays were first performed. It was destroyed in the 17th century.
Glorious Revolution, the		the time in British history(1688–89)  when King James II was removed from power, and his daughter Mary and her husband William of Orange became joint rulers. It was also called the Bloodless Revolution.
Glorious Twelfth, the		August 12th, the date when the season for the sport of shooting grouse begins. There is a race to see who can eat the first grouse in expensive restaurants in London.
Gloucester		a city in the west of England, on the River Severn. It has a famous cathedral (=an important church).
Gloucestershire		a county in the west of England, next to Wales. The cotswolds, an area of beautiful hills and countryside, are in south and east Gloucestershire.
GMAT		 a test that you take when you apply to study at a business school after you have finished your first degree
GMC, the		(the General Medical Council) the professional organization that all British doctors must be members of
Gnostic Gospels, the	 noun	ancient writings which are believed by some people to have once been part of the Bible, and to have been taken out by early priests who disagreed with their messages
goalball	 noun	a game in which two teams of three players who cannot see or cannot see well try to roll a ball containing bells into the other team's goal.
Gobi Desert, the		one of the largest deserts in the world. It is partly in northern China and partly in Mongolia.
God		the spirit or power who Christians, Jews, and Muslims pray to and regard as the maker and ruler of the universe
Godard, Jean-Luc		(1930–)  a French film writer and director whose films include Breathless (1959) and Weekend (1968), and who is known for using new and unusual methods of making films
Godfather, The		(1972) a violent US film, based on the book by Mario Puzo, and made by Francis Ford coppola, in which Marlon brando appears as the leader of a powerful mafia family, the Corleone family, and Al Pacino appears as his son. Brando's character is remembered for saying 'I'm gonna make you an offer you can't refuse', and he organizes murders and other crimes using his family and friends. Two other films, The Godfather Part II and The Godfather Part III, were made about the same family.
Godiva, Lady		an 11th-century English woman of high rank who is believed to have ridden a horse through Coventry with no clothes on as a protest, to persuade her husband to lower the local taxes
God Rest You Merry Gentlemen		a religious song (carol) sung at Christmas
Godthaab		a former name for Nuuk
Godwin-Austen, Mount
Goebbels, Paul Joseph		(1897–1945)  a German Nazi politician who controlled German propaganda during the Second World War
Goering, Hermann Wilhelm		(1893–1946)  a German Nazi military commander who was head of the German air force in the Second World War
Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von		(1749–1832)  a German poet and scientist, and one of the best-known writers of plays and books of all time, known especially for his play Faust
Gog and Magog		in old stories, the last two of a race of giants living in Britain in Roman times. In the Apocalypse in the Bible they represent the future enemies of the kingdom of God.
Golan Heights, the		a range of hills and mountains, east of the Jordan River on the border between Syria and Israel. The area used to belong to Syria, but Israel took control of it in 1967. The two countries still disagree about who owns it.
Goldberg, Rube		(1883–1970)  a US cartoonist (=an artist who draws funny pictures that tell a joke or say something humorous about the news) whose cartoons appeared in many newspapers. He is known especially for his drawings of strange and extremely complicated machines that are designed to do very simple jobs.
Gold Coast	 noun	the former name of Ghana before 1957
Gold Cup, the		the Cheltenham Gold Cup
Golden Gate, the		an area of water which connects San Francisco Bay in California with the Pacific Ocean. It is crossed by the Golden Gate Bridge.
Golden Gate Bridge, the		a bridge which crosses the Golden Gate, in San Francisco Bay in California. The bridge is often used in pictures to represent San Francisco.
Golden Gloves, the		an American competition for amateur (=unpaid) boxers
Golden Rule, The		an idea from the Bible that people should treat others in the way that they want to be treated themselves
Golden Temple, the		a temple (=a type of church) in Amritsar in India which is very important in the Sikh religion. It stands in the middle of a holy lake and contains the holy book of the Sikhs. In 1984 a group of Sikhs took control of the temple and there was a battle between them and Indian soldiers in which many of the Sikhs were killed.
Golden Triangle, the		an area of hills consisting of part of Laos, Thailand, and Burma, where a lot of money is thought to be made because poppies (poppy) for making the drug opium are grown there
Gold Glove Awards, the		a ceremony held every year in the US, at which prizes are given to the best baseball fielders in the Major Leagues
Goldilocks		the main character in the children's story Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Goldilocks is a young girl with golden-coloured hair who visits the house of the Three Bears while they are out. She tries sitting in each of their chairs, tastes each of their bowls of  porridge, and lies in each of their beds until she finds the one she likes best. When the Bears come back, they realize that someone has been in their home. They each ask 'Who's been sitting in my chair?', 'Who's been eating my porridge?', and 'Who's been sleeping in my bed?' until they finally find Goldilocks asleep in the baby bear's bed. Goldilocks then wakes up and runs away.
Golding, William		(1911–93)  a British writer who won the Nobel prize for Literature in 1983, and who is known especially for his novel Lord of the Flies
Goldsmith, Oliver		(1728–74)  an Irish poet and writer of novels, including The Vicar of Wakefield, and plays, including She Stoops to Conquer
Goldsmith, Sir James		(1933–97)  a very wealthy British businessman, who lived mostly in Mexico but was also a Member of the European Parliament. He started the Referendum Party in the UK, which opposed the European Union and aimed to change the UK's relationship with it. The party took part in the 1997 general election, but received very few votes.
Goldwyn, Samuel		(1882–1974)  a US film producer who started the company that became mgm and had an important part in the development of the Hollywood film industry. He is thought of as the most typical example of a powerful film producer. He is also famous for saying funny things such as 'Include me out!' (='Don't include me!').
Golf		a type of middle-sized car made by volkswagen. The Golf has been one of the most popular cars in Europe since the 1970s.
Golgotha		the ancient Hebrew name for the place near Jerusalem where, according to the New Testament of the Bible, Jesus Christ died by being crucified (crucify ). Its Roman name was Calvary.
Gomorrah
Gondwanaland		the very large area of land that existed about 200 million years ago, before it broke apart to form Antarctica, Australia, Africa, South America, and India
Goneril		one of King Lear's daughters in the play king lear by William shakespeare. She and her sister regan pretend to love their father to make him give them his land, and then treat him so cruelly that he becomes mentally ill. Goneril finally kills Regan with poison, and then kills herself.
Gone with the Wind		(1939) a US film, based on a novel by Margaret mitchell, and considered to be one of the greatest romantic films ever made. It tells the story of a beautiful, determined woman called Scarlett o'hara, acted by Vivien leigh, who lives in Georgia during the American civil war. She marries Rhett butler, acted by Clark gable, but treats him badly. At the end of the film she realizes that she loves him, but it is too late, and he leaves her saying 'Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn'. One of its most famous scenes is when the city of Atlanta is burned down.
Good Book		 the Christian Bible
Good Friday Agreement		an agreement reached in 1998 on Good Friday (the first day of the Christian Easter holiday) between the political parties of Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic to end 30 years of violence between Catholic and Protestant groups. The people of Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic were then asked to vote on the agreement, and accepted it by a large majority.
Good Housekeeping		a monthly magazine which contains articles and pictures about decorating your home, cooking, and fashions for women and children. There are UK and US editions of the magazine.
Good Humor		a type of ice cream sold in the US. It used to be sold, especially in summer, by a person known as the Good Humor Man, who drove around in a Good Humor Truck which played music. These trucks stopped being used in 1976.
Good King Wenceslas		a popular Christmas carol (=a traditional religious song)
Good Life, the		a British television sitcom made in the 1970s about a middle-class husband and wife living in a suburb of London who decide that they do not want to live a normal life anymore. Their neighbours are very surprised when the man leaves his well-paid job, and they struggle to live by growing food and keeping animals in their small garden.
Goodman, Benny		(1909–86)  a US jazz musician and band leader who played the clarinet, and who helped to make big band music popular in the 1930s. He was known as 'The King of Swing'.
Good Shepherd, the		a name used for Jesus in the New Testament of the Bible
Goodwill		a charity organization in North America that helps people who have difficulty in getting jobs because they are disabled, cannot read or write, have been in prison etc. It gets money by collecting old clothes, furniture, and electrical equipment, which its members repair and sell in Goodwill shops
Goodwin Sands, the		a dangerous area of sand just under the sea near Dover in the English Channel, where many ships have sunk
Goodwood		a racecourse near Chichester in the south of England, where horse races are held every year in July and August. It is sometimes called Glorious Goodwood.
Goodyear		a company that makes a brand (=type) of tyre called Goodyear and other rubber products
google	 verb	to put a word or words into the Google™ search engine in order to search for information on the Internet	用谷歌搜索
googlewhack	 noun	a single result when you search for a combination of two words on the search engine Google. You do the search as a game.	谷歌纯命中〔使用谷歌搜索引擎输入两个词所获得的唯一结果〕
Goon Show, The		a humorous British radio programme of the 1950s in which Spike milligan, Peter sellers, Michael Bentine, and Sir Harry Secombe performed together as a group called the Goons. They developed a completely new style of humour which influenced many later British comedians.
Goose Green		a place in the Falklands where British soldiers fought with Argentinians in May 1982, and where many soldiers were killed
GOP, the		(the Grand Old Party) the Republican Party in US politics
Gorbachev, Mikhail		(1931–)  the leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991, who started the process of economic and political change which improved his country's relationship with the West and resulted in the end of Communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990.
Gorbals, the		an area of Glasgow in Scotland which used to be known as one of the UK's worst slums (=an area of old houses in bad condition) with high rates of crime and violence. Much of it was rebuilt at the end of the 20th century.
Gordimer, Nadine		(1923–)  a South African writer, whose novels include The Conservationist and The Pickup. She won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1991.
Gordon, Flash
Gordon, General Charles		(1833–85)  a British military leader who fought in the crimean war and then in China. He is best known for leading the British forces in the siege of khartoum, in Sudan, where he was killed by the enemy.
Gordonstoun		a public school (=expensive private school) in the north of Scotland, which is famous because several members of the British royal family, including Prince Charles, have been educated there. It is thought of as a school that emphasizes sport and other outdoor activities but in which the pupils live in a spartan (=with few comforts) way.
Gore, Al		(1948–)  a US politician in the Democratic Party. He was the vice-president of the US from 1993 to 2001. In 2000 he lost the election for US president, though the number of votes for each was very close and had to be counted again. Now he is better known as an environmental campaigner. He appeared in the documentary An Inconvenient Truth which won an Oscar. In 2007 he received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Gore-Tex		a special waterproof material, usually used for making winter and sport clothes
Gorgonzola	 noun	a type of Italian cheese which is white with blue marks, and which has a strong taste and smell
Gorky, Maxim		(1868–1936)  a Russian writer of novels remembered especially for his book about his own life
Gormenghast		(1950) a novel by Mervyn peake, full of strange characters and events. It is also the name of the castle that belongs to the Earl of Groan in two other books by Peake, titus groan and Titus Alone
Goth	 noun	 a tribe of people from central Europe, in what is now Germany, who attacked and moved into the roman empire several times between the 3rd and 5th centuries AD
Gotham		the city where the character Batman lives in the stories about him
Gouda	 noun	a yellow Dutch cheese that does not have a very strong taste
Gould, Glenn		(1932–82)  a Canadian pianist known especially for playing piano music by J.S. bach
Gould, Stephen Jay		(1941–2002)  a US scientist who worked in the area of paleontology (=the study of ancient animals and plants that have been preserved in rock). He wrote many books about evolution, and was known for his skill in communicating scientific ideas to ordinary people.
Governor of the Bank of England, the		the head of the Bank of England, who is responsible for important financial decisions, especially for fixing interest rates in the UK
Goya, Francisco de		(1746–1828)  a Spanish artist known especially for his portraits of members of the royal families of Spain
GPO, the		 the former name of the organization that controls mail in the UK, now called the Royal Mail
GQ		a monthly magazine for men produced in the UK and the US. It includes men's fashions and articles about successful men, health etc.
Grable, Betty		(1916–73) a US actress who appeared in musical films. She became a pin-up for the soldiers during World War II, and in 1942 her legs were insured for $250,000.
Graceland		the home of Elvis presley in Memphis, Tennessee in the US, which many tourists visit
Grace, Princess
Graces, The		in Greek and Roman mythology, the three goddesses of charm and beauty who are often shown in art
Grace, W.G.		(1848–1915)  an English cricketer who is regarded as the greatest player of the 19th century. He was a very tall, large man with a long thick beard.
Grade, Lew		(1906–98)  an important businessman in British television and films. In the 1950s he became chairman of the commercial TV company Associated Television, which produced successful programmes including The Saint, Emergency Ward 10, Crossroads, the Muppet Show, and Jesus of Nazareth. He later produced films and became Lord Grade in 1976.
Gradgrind, Mr		one of the main characters in the book hard times by Charles dickens. Gradgrind is only concerned with facts, and does not consider the importance of love or imagination, especially when educating and caring for his children.
Graham, Billy		(1918–)  a US evangelist who travelled around the world and spoke at meetings where there are large numbers of people, and tried to persuade them to believe in the Christian religion. He was a very successful preacher and many people admire him.
Grahame, Kenneth		(1859–1932)  a British writer, known especially for his book for children The Wind in the Willows
Graham, Martha		(1894–1991)  a US dancer and choreographer (=someone who decides what movements dancers will do during a performance), known especially for her work in developing modern dance
-gram	 suffix	a message delivered as an amusing surprise	给人惊喜的有趣信息
Grampian		a former administrative region (=area controlled by local government) in northeast Scotland. It is now divided into the City of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, and Moray. One of its well-known products is whisky.
Grampians, the		a range of mountains in northern and eastern Scotland
Granary	 adjective	Granary bread is bread which contains whole grains of wheat	〔面包〕全麦的
Gran Canaria		an island in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of northwest Africa, which is one of the canary islands
Grand Canal, the		a canal (=an artificial river) in Venice, Italy, which is the main way through the city and has many famous buildings along its sides
Grand Canary
Grand Canyon, the		a very large, deep gorge (=a steep-sided valley cut by a river) in the US state of Arizona. The Grand Canyon is in a national park, and many tourists visit it.
Grandma Moses
Grand Old Duke of York, the		a character in a British nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for children:)Oh the Grand Old Duke of York/He had ten thousand men,/He marched them up to the top of the hill/And he marched them down again.
Grand Old Man	 noun	a man who has been involved in a subject or activity for a long time and is highly respected
Grand Union Canal, the		a British canal (=a stretch of water made for boats to travel on) opened in 1801, connecting London with the English midlands
Grange Hill		a British television programme for children which was broadcast from 1978 until 2008. It was based on life in an imaginary school in London. It dealt with typical problems facing young people. Some of the actors who appeared in it as children later acted in other TV programmes, such as Eastenders.
Grant, Cary		(1904–86)  a US film actor, who was born in the UK. He is known for being very good-looking and for appearing as characters who are confident, amusing, and relaxed, in humorous films such as Bringing Up Baby (1938), His Girl Friday (1940), and The Philadephia Story (1940).
Grant, Ulysses S.		(1822–85)  a US army leader who commanded the army of the Union (=the northern US states) during the American civil war. His military victories, especially the one at Appomattox against General Robert E. lee, helped the Union to win the war. He was US president from 1869 to 1877.
Grapes of Wrath, The		(1939) a novel by John Steinbeck which describes how a family called Joad had to leave their farm in the Dust Bowl in the US state of Oklahoma during the Great Depression of the 1930s, and the difficulties they had in moving to California and trying to work on farms there. The book was made into a successful film in 1940.
graphic novel	 noun	a novel (=long written story) in which the story is told in a series of pictures drawn inside boxes like in a comic
-graphy	 suffix	used in nouns to mean a way of making pictures or of writing	〔用于构成名词﹐表示图像制作技术或书写方法〕
Grasmere		a lake and village in the lake district in northwest England. The poet William wordsworth lived there from 1799 to 1808, and many tourists visit his home, Dove Cottage.
Grass, Günter		(1927– ) a German writer of novels and plays with strong moral ideas. His best known works include The Tin Drum (1959) and The Flounder (1978). He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1999. In 2006 he announced that he had been in the Waffen SS during World War II.
Graves, Robert		(1895–1985)  a British poet and writer, best known for his novels set in ancient Roman times I, Claudius and Claudius the God, and for his description of his life as a soldier in World War I, Goodbye to All That
Gray, Dorian		the main character in the novel The picture of dorian gray by Oscar Wilde
Gray's Inn		a London organization of law students and barristers and the buildings they use, which is one of the four inns of court
Gray, Thomas		(1716–71)  an English poet whose best-known work, Elegy written in a Country Churchyard, is usually called Gray's Elegy
Grease		(1978) an American musical (=a film that uses singing and dancing to tell a story), in which John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John appear, about young people in school in the 1950s and their romantic relationships
Great Barrier Reef, the		the largest coral reef1 in the world, off the northeast coast of Australia. It is around 2000 km (1250 miles) long.
Great Bear, the		another name for ursa major, a large group of bright stars
Great Britain
Great Crash, the		the crash2
Great Depression, the		the severe economic problems that followed the wall street crash of 1929. In the early 1930s, many banks and businesses failed, and millions of people lost their jobs in the US and in the UK and the rest of Europe.
Great Divide, the
Greater London		London and the area surrounding it, which used to be a local government area
Greater London Authority, the
Greater Manchester		an urban (=relating to a city) area which consists of 10 metropolitan  boroughs (=parts of a very large city that are responsible for managing their own schools, hospitals, roads etc) in and around Manchester
Great Exhibition, the		a large exhibition held in Hyde Park in 1851. It was the idea of Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, and it was intended to show modern achievements in industry, science, and technology. The exhibition took place in a large glass building called the 'Crystal Palace'.
Great Expectations		(1861) a novel by Charles dickens about a young man called Pip who wants to become rich and successful. He is given money by an unknown person, and as a result he becomes a less nice person, but after several difficult experiences, he finally realizes that he must work hard to make enough money to live well, and he becomes a kind, generous man.
Great Fire of London, the		a very serious fire that destroyed most of the city of London, including the old St Paul's Cathedral, in September 1666. Most British people know that the fire started in a baker's shop in Pudding Lane. In spite of all the damage it caused, very few people were killed in the fire.
Great Gatsby, The		(1925) a novel by F. Scott fitzgerald about the relationship between a man called Jay Gatsby and a married woman called Daisy Buchanan. It describes how bored and disappointed people in New York were during the 1920s even though they seemed glamorous (=rich, exciting, and attractive) and happy. It was also made into a film in 1974.
Great Lakes, the		a group of five lakes along the border between the US and Canada. These lakes are Lake superior, Lake michigan, Lake huron, Lake erie, and Lake ontario. They are connected to form the st lawrence seaway which can be used by large ships. The lakes and especially niagara falls are also popular with tourists.
Great Leap Forward, the		an attempt by the Chinese government, led by mao zedong, to achieve very rapid industrial development between 1958 and 1960.
Great Ormond Street Hospital		a famous children's hospital in London
Great Plains, the		a large area of flat, high land in the western central US
Great Rift Valley, the		a very deep, wide valley which is 3000 miles long and runs across most of East Africa and into southwest Asia
Great Salt Lake, the		a lake in the US state of Utah which is about 70 miles long and has strong salt water
Great Seal of the United States, the		the official seal (=special circle-shaped design) printed on important documents, used to prove that a document is from the US government. The seal has two sides, and on one side is a picture of a bald eagle (=the national bird of the US), and on the other side is a picture of a pyramid with an eye above it. Both designs are printed on the back of a one-dollar bill.
Great Smoky Mountains, the		a range of mountains along the border between the US states of North Carolina and Tennessee
Great Train Robbery, the		an event in 1963 when a group of criminals robbed a British mail train and stole over £2 million, which at that time was the largest amount of money ever stolen in the UK. One of the 'Great Train Robbers', Ronald biggs, escaped from prison in England and lived in Brazil for 35 years. He returned to the UK in 2001 and was arrested and put in prison.
Great Western		 a paddle steamer built in 1838 by Isambard Kingdom brunel. It was the first steamship made specially to carry passengers across the Atlantic Ocean.
Great Western Railway, the		a British railway built by Isambard Kingdom brunel and opened in 1841 to connect London and Bristol
Great White Way, the		a nickname for broadway in New York City, which is called this because of the large number of bright lights along it
Greco, El
Greece		a country in southeast Europe on the Mediterranean Sea, which is a member of the EU. Population: 10,772,967 (2014). Capital: Athens. Ancient Greek political ideas, philosophy, art, architecture, literature, and science have had a great influence on how people in Europe live and think. Greece, and especially the many Greek islands, attract large numbers of tourists.
Greek Orthodox Church, the		the main group of Christian churches in Eastern Europe and southwest Asia, which was formed in the 11th century by separating from the Catholic Church. The Russian Orthodox Church, the main Christian group in Russia, is closely related. The orthodox church is known for its very complicated religious ceremonies in which the words are mostly sung rather than spoken.
Greenaway, Kate		(1846–1901)  a British artist who painted pictures for children's books. She is known especially for her pictures of children in pretty, old-fashioned clothes.
Green Berets, the	 noun	a group of soldiers of a special force in the US Army who wear green hats. They are officially called the Special Forces, and are specially trained and thought to be especially brave.
Greene, Graham		(1904–91)  a British writer of novels and plays, one of the most respected British writers of the 20th century. His books include Brighton Rock and The Power and the Glory, and the characters in his stories often have to make difficult moral decisions. He also wrote the story for the film The Third Man.
Green Giant		a type of canned and frozen (freeze) food, mainly vegetables, best known for its sweet corn
Greenham Common		an air force base in Berkshire, England. For most of the 1980s, groups of women camped around the base to protest about the US cruise missiles that were kept there, and the missiles were finally removed in 1991.
Green Jackets, the
Greenland		a large island in the North Atlantic Ocean, near northeast Canada. Population: 57,714 (2007). Capital: Nuuk. Greenland belongs to Denmark, but has its own government. Nearly all of the island is covered by ice.
Green Party, the		a political party whose main aim is to preserve the environment. There are Green Parties in most countries of Western Europe, and their members are often informally called Greens. The British Green Party is not very powerful, but in some countries, especially Germany, the Green Party has quite a lot of political power.
Greenpeace		an international organization whose members work actively to protect the environment from damage caused by industrial processes or military activities. It is known especially for using its own boats to try to prevent governments from testing nuclear weapons, to prevent companies from pouring poisonous chemicals into the sea, and to try to save whales and other sea animals from being killed.
Greensleeves		an English song from the end of the 16th century, which most people in the UK and US know. Some people believe it was written by King Henry VIII. In the UK it is often played by travelling ice-cream vans to let people know that the van has arrived in their street.
Greenspan, Alan		a US economist who was chairman (1987–2006) of the Federal Reserve System, the central bank of the US, which decides the level of interest rates
Greenwich		an area of southeast London on the River Thames. The original British Royal observatory (=a special building from which scientists watch the moon, stars etc) is there, and the 0° meridian (=an imaginary line which divides the eastern and western halves of the world) passes through the grounds of the Observatory.
Greenwich Village		an area of New York City, known for being the home of many artists, especially those who are young and who do not want to live according to the accepted standards of society. It is also known as a fashionable place where many homosexuals live.
Greer, Germaine		(1939–)  an Australian writer, university teacher, and feminist, whose book The Female Eunuch (1970) made her an important figure in the Women's Movement. She now often appears on British television in discussions about politics, women's issues, art, and literature.
Gregory XIII		(1502–85) Pope from 1572 until his death. He is famous for changing the system of calculating the days of the year, by introducing the Gregorian Calendar in 1582
Grenada		a country in the Caribbean Sea consisting of the main island of Grenada, the southern part of the Windward Islands, and small islands called the Grenadines. It is a member of the British Commonwealth. Population: 109,590 (2014). Capital: St. George's. In 1983 US soldiers attacked Grenada in order to return to power a government that had been removed by force by some members of the Grenadian army. Many people in many countries were opposed to this action by the US. In 2004 serious damage was caused by a hurricane.
Gretzky, Wayne		(1961–)  a Canadian ice hockey player, who is considered to be the best ice hockey player ever. He is sometimes called 'The Great One,' and played for several different teams.
Grey Cup, the		a competition held every year to find the best Canadian football team. It is also the name of the prize for winning the competition.
Grey, Lady Jane		(1537–54)  a woman who was queen of England for 9 days in 1553, before she was put in prison by Mary I, and later killed
Grey, Zane		(1875–1934)  a US writer of adventure stories about life in the American West in the 19th century. His best-known novel is Riders of the Purple Sage.
Grieg, Edvard		(1843–1907)  a Norwegian composer best known for his music for the play Peer Gynt and for his Piano Concerto
Griffith, D.W.		(1875–1948)  one of the greatest US film directors, famous especially for inventing new ways of making films and of using the camera. His films include Birth of a Nation (1915) and Intolerance (1916).
Grimm		two German brothers, Jakob Grimm (1785–1863)  and Wilhelm Grimm (1786–1859) , usually known as The Brothers Grimm. They studied language and wrote a German dictionary, but they are best known for writing Grimm's Fairy Tales, a collection of nearly 200 stories which are still popular with children.
Grim Reaper, the		a name given to Death in stories and literature. He is shown in pictures as a human skeleton in long black clothes that also cover his head, carrying a large scythe (=a tool for cutting crops).
Grinch	 noun	 the main character in a story for children by the US writer Dr seuss called How the Grinch Stole Christmas. He is a nasty, unkind green creature who almost spoiled Christmas.
Grisham, John		(1955–)  a US writer of exciting novels about lawyers and crime. He is a very popular writer and many of his books, including The Firm (1991) and The Pelican Brief (1992) have been made into films.
Grizedale Forest		a 9,500 acre forest between Lake Windermere and Coniston Water in the Lake District, northwest England. Sculptors from all over the world were asked to create works in the Forest from whatever materials they found there. There are now more than 70 works throughout the Forest.
Groucho Club, the		a fashionable club in London for people connected with the theatre and the arts
Group of Eight, the		the full name of the G8
Group of Seven, the
Group Theatre, the		a group of actors and directors in the US who worked together from 1931 to 1940 to produce plays with a political message. Many of the people in the group, such as Elia kazan and Lee strasberg, became very important in the US theatre.
growbag	 noun	another spelling of gro-bag
Growbag	 noun	 a large plastic bag containing specially prepared earth for growing vegetables
Grozny		the capital city of the Chechnya, in southeast Russia on the Sunzha River
Grundy, Mrs		an unpleasant character in a play called Speed the Plough (1798) by the British writer Thomas Morton. She has very strict ideas about moral and social behaviour, and tries to make sure that other people are behaving properly.
Gruyère	 noun	a type of hard, yellow, Swiss cheese with holes in it
G-spot	 noun	the place in a woman's vagina where she is thought to feel the most sexual pleasure	G点〔女性阴道的最敏感点〕
Gstaad		a town in Switzerland known especially as a place where rich and fashionable people go to ski
Guadalcanal		the largest island in the Solomon Islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. There was a lot of fighting on Guadalcanal between Japanese and Allied forces during World War II.
Guadeloupe		an island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Antigua and Barbuda and north of Dominica. The island is a dependency of France. Population: 452,776 (2006). Capital: Basse-Terre.
Guam		an island east of the Philippines that belongs to the US. Population: 160,378 (2014). Capital: Agaña.
Guangzhou		a large city in southern China on the Pearl River, near Hong Kong. Its former name was Canton.
Guantánamo Bay		a bay at the southeast end of Cuba. It is under the control of the US who have a naval base there. Part of the base is used as a prison for people considered to be terrorists from various parts of the world including Afghanistan.
Guardian Angels		an organization whose members try to protect people from being attacked or robbed, especially when they are travelling on underground railways in big cities. The first group was started in New York City, and there are groups in cities in other countries. The members are known for wearing red berets (=flat cloth hats) and for doing their work without being paid.
Guardian reader	 noun	someone who is middle class and well educated, and who has left-wing political opinions and is thought to be the sort of person who reads the British newspaper The Guardian
Guardian, The		a serious British daily newspaper known for its left-wing opinions
Guards, the		a group of regiments (=large groups of soldiers) in the British army, originally those who guarded the king or queen. For young upper-class men in the UK, being an officer in the Guards is regarded as a good job.
Guatemala		a country in Central America, between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Population: 14,373,472 (2014). Capital: Guatemala City. The people who originally lived in Guatemala were the Maya, and buildings and other objects from their civilization can still be seen there.
Guatemala City		the capital city of Guatemala
Gucci		an Italian company that makes expensive fashionable clothes, known especially for its leather products
Guernica		a town in the Basque area of northern Spain, which was destroyed by bombs dropped by German aircraft in 1937, during the Spanish civil war. It is known especially for the picture called 'Guernica' painted by Pablo picasso, which shows the destruction of the town.
Guernsey		an island in the English Channel near northwest France. Guernsey is one of the Channel Islands. It is popular for holidays and known as a place where people pay very little tax.
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?		(1967) a US film about a white girl who invites her black boyfriend home to meet her parents. It was one of the first US films to deal with the subject of racism.
Guevara, Che
Guggenheim Museum, the		a museum in New York City that contains an important collection of modern art. It is named after the businessman who established it in 1939, Solomon R. Guggenheim, and is famous for its large circular building designed by Frank Lloyd wright. In 1997 a new Guggenheim Museum was opened in Bilbao, Spain.
Guildford Four, the		three men and one woman who were sent to prison for life in 1975 for exploding ira bombs in the English town of Guildford. They were let out of prison in 1989, because it was shown that some police officers had behaved dishonestly in order to prove that they were guilty.
Guildhall, the		a hall belonging to the corporation of the city of London which is used for important official occasions, especially large formal meals
Guinea		a country in West Africa between Senegal and Sierra Leone. Population: 11,176,026 (2014). Capital: Conakry. Guinea used to belong to France.
Guinea-Bissau		a small country in West Africa between Guinea and Senegal. Population: 1,660,870 (2014). Capital: Bissau. Guinea-Bissau used to belong to Portugal.
Guinevere		the wife of King Arthur in old stories, who had a sexual relationship with Sir lancelot
Guinness		a type of stout (=a strong dark beer) which has a creamy white froth on top of it when it is poured into a glass. It is thought of as the national drink of Ireland and many people remember the phrase used in old advertisements, 'Guinness is good for you'.
Guinness Affair, the		a criminal case in 1990, in which four wealthy businessmen with the Guinness company were found guilty of insider trading
Guinness Book of Records, The		a book produced every year, which contains facts about people, events, and things that are the biggest, fastest, longest, shortest etc. Many people who are mentioned in The Guinness Book of Records have achieved something that is amusing rather than serious, such as eating the most pizza or walking backwards for the longest distance. People sometimes talk about 'getting into the Guinness Book of Records' when they have done something silly.
Guinness, Sir Alec		(1914–2000)  a British actor in films and in the theatre, whose best-known films are The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and  star wars (1977). He is also remembered for playing the part of George Smiley in the television film of John Le Carré's book about spies ( spy ), Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. He won an Academy Award and many other awards.
Gujarati	 noun	 the language of the Indian state of Gujarat, in the west of the country
Gulf of Mexico, the		an area of the Atlantic Ocean south of the US, east of Mexico, and west of Cuba
Gulf States, the		a group of small Arab countries which includes the Kingdom of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates
Gulf War, the		a war which began in 1991, after Iraq attacked Kuwait and took control of it. A United Nations force led by the US, and including soldiers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UK, and France, attacked Iraq and forced the Iraqi army out of Kuwait. The Gulf War was watched on television by millions of people.
Gulf War Syndrome	 noun	one or more illnesses suffered by soldiers who fought in the Gulf War, which are believed to have been caused by chemicals or drugs used in the war. The most common illnesses are head pains, damage to the memory, and permanent tiredness, but there is disagreement among doctors about whether the disease really exists and whether people suffering from it should be given money by the government.
Gulliver's Travels		(1726) a book by Jonathan swift which is a satire (=a humorous criticism) on Britain in the 18th century. Each of the imaginary lands that the main character Gulliver visits shows how unreasonable the British government, British customs, wars etc really are. The most famous part of the book is Gulliver's visit to the country of lilliput, where all the people and buildings are very small.
Gummy Bears		a type of small, chewy, clear, coloured sweets sold in the US. They look like little bears and have a fruity taste.
Gunpowder Plot, the		a plan by English Catholics led by Guy Fawkes to kill King James I and destroy Parliament by means of explosives on November 5th 1605. The plan failed when one of the Catholics warned a relative not to attend Parliament that day and all the people in the Plot were caught and killed. The event is remembered every November 5th on Guy Fawkes' NIght.
Gurkhas, the		a regiment (=a large group of soldiers) in the British army. Originally from Nepal, they are known for being small, but very brave.
Gutenberg Bible, the		a Bible which was the first book ever printed in Europe using movable type1. This method of printing was invented by Johannes Gutenberg (1397–1468) , and the Bible was printed in about 1455.
Guthrie, Woody		(1912–67)  a US folk singer and songwriter known especially for his songs against war. He was greatly admired by younger folk singers in the 1960s, including Bob Dylan.
Guyana		a country in northeast South America on the Atlantic Ocean, between Venezuela and Suriname. Population: 739,903 (2014). Capital: Georgetown. The country used to belong to the UK and was called British Guiana. It is the only English-speaking country in South America.
Guy's		an important teaching hospital in London
Gwent		a former county in southeast Wales. In 1996 Dyfed was divided between Monmouthshire, Newport, Caerphilly, and Blaenau Gwent.
Gwynedd		a county in northwest Wales
Gwyn, Nell		(?1650-1687) an English actress who became the lover of King charles ii. She sold oranges on the streets of London, and is often shown in pictures carrying a basket of oranges.
H1N1	 noun	the virus that causes swine flu
Habitat		a store that sells furniture and other things for the home. The stores are sometimes inside other, larger stores. Habitat products are known for being attractively designed and practical, and they are popular especially with middle-class people.
Habsburg
Hackney		a borough of East London known for being a rather poor area and for having a left-wing local council
Hadrian's Wall		a stone wall which the Roman emperor Hadrian ordered to be built across the north of England in 122 AD from the east coast to the west, in order to defend Roman Britain from attack by northern tribes such as the picts. Part of the wall and some of the forts built along it can still be seen.
Haggard, Sir Rider		(1856–1925)  a British writer known especially for his adventure story King Solomon's Mines about an Englishman among the tribes of southern Africa
Hague, The		a city in the Netherlands. The country's government is in The Hague, but its capital city is Amsterdam.
Hague, William		(1961–)  a British politician who was leader of the Conservative Party from 1997 to 2001, and who has held other important positions such as Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State. He was the youngest leader for over 200 years. He became famous when he was 16 and gave a speech at the Conservative Party conference.
Haight-Ashbury		a part of San Francisco, California, where the hippie movement began in the 1960s
Haile Selassie		(1892–1975)  the emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974, who is remembered especially for having modernized his country. He was removed from power by his army in 1974 but is still important to his followers, called rastafarians, who regard him as a god. He is also sometimes called Ras Tafari, the Lion of Judah.
Hail to the Chief		a tune that is played when the US president arrives to visit a place or attend a ceremony. People are expected to stand while it is being played to show respect to the president.
Hair		a musical (=a play that uses singing and dancing to tell a story) from the 1960s about hippies. When it was first performed it was considered to be very shocking by most people, because it includes scenes in which the actors do not wear any clothes.
Haiti		a country in the Caribbean Sea on the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Population: 9,893,934 (2014). Capital: Port au Prince. For many years Haiti was ruled by the dictators François Duvalier (known as Papa Doc) and later by his son Jean-Claude Duvalier (known as Baby Doc), but they were replaced by an elected government. In 2004, the elected president, Jean-Baptiste Aristide, was forced to leave Haiti by armed rebels (=people who oppose and fight against people in authority), but an elected government took over in 2006.
Hale, Nathan		(1755–76)  a US soldier who was caught by the British and hanged for being a spy (=someone whose job is to find out secret information about an enemy) during the american revolutionary war. He is known for saying, before he was hanged, 'I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country'.
Halifax, the		one of the main British banks. Before it became a bank in 1996, the Halifax was the largest building society in the UK.
Hallelujah Chorus, the		a part of handelsMessiah, which is sung by a large group of people. The Hallelujah Chorus is often performed at Christmas, and people sometimes sing the first line of it in a humorous way to show that they are very happy.
Halley's comet		a comet (=an object in space like a bright ball with a long tail) that moves around the Sun and passes close to the Earth every 76 years. It was named after the English astronomer Edmund Halley (1656–1742) , and it last appeared close to the Earth in 1986.
Hallmark		a US company that makes greetings cards
Hallé, Sir Charles		(1819–95)  a German pianist and conductor who came to live in the UK and started the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester in 1857
Hals, Frans		(?1580–1666)  a Dutch painter known especially for his portraits (=paintings of real people). His most famous portrait is The laughing cavalier.
Hamas		an organization of Islamic fundamentalists (=people who follow the rules of their religion very strictly) in Palestine. It opposes the PLO's peace agreements with Israel. In 2006 Hamas won more seats than more moderate Fatah party in the Palestinian parliamentary elections. In 2007 Hamas used force to take control of the Gaza Strip after Fatah refused to hand over control to the new government. The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Fatah) made an official order stating that the Hamas militia was illegal.
Hamilton		the capital city and main port of Bermuda, on Bermuda Island
Hamilton, Alexander		(?1755–1804)  a US politician who helped to write the constitution of the united states and was the first US Secretary of the Treasury from 1789 to 1795. Alexander Hamilton's picture is printed on the US ten-dollar bill.
Hamilton, Thomas
Hamlet		the main character in the play Hamlet by William  shakespeare, which is one of Shakespeare's most famous plays. Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark, and is a serious, unhappy young man who is unable to decide how he feels or what he should do. There are many famous phrases from this play, including 'To be or not to be, that is the question' and 'Alas, poor Yorick', and in pictures Hamlet is often shown holding  yorick's  skull (=the head of a dead person without any flesh on it).
Hammer film	 noun	a horror film produced by a British company called Hammer Film Productions during the 1950s and 1960s. The films were often based on well-known stories, such as those about Dracula and Frankenstein, and are now regarded as being entertaining but not very frightening.
Hammer House of Horror, the		a name for the horror films produced by a film company called Hammer Film Productions during the 1950s and 1960s
Hammer, Mike		a private detective in books by the US writer Mickey Spillane. He is very tough and usually shoots criminals instead of having them arrested.
Hammerstein, Oscar		(1895–1960)  a US songwriter, who worked for many years with the composer Richard rodgers to produce many famous musicals (=films or plays that use singing and dancing to tell a story), such as Oklahoma!, The King and I, South Pacific, and The Sound of Music
Hampden Park		a football ground in Glasgow, where the Scottish cup final and games involving Scotland's national team are played
Hampshire		a county in southern England on the english channel
Hampstead		an area of North London with expensive houses, where many well-known writers and intellectuals live. In the middle of Hampstead there is a large area of grassland called Hampstead Heath.
Hampton Court		a large building southwest of London, which belonged to King Henry VIII and was used as a royal palace until the 18th century. It is open to the public, and there is a famous maze (=a system of narrow paths, separated by tall hedges, which it is difficult to find your way through).
Hampton, Lionel		(1913–2002)  an American jazz musician, singer, and bandleader who played the piano, drums, and vibraphone and was known for his exciting, lively performances
Hancock, Herbie		(1940–)  an American jazz pianist and composer. He has played with many other musicians and was a member of the Miles Davis Quintet in the 1960s. He is well known for mixing elements of jazz, funk, rock, soul and hiphop. His most well-known record is Head Hunters (1973) and his songs include Watermelon Man and Rockit.
Hancock, John		(1737–93)  a US politician who was the president of the Continental Congress before the US became an independent country, and was the first person to write his name on the Declaration of Independence
Hancock, Tony		(1924–68)  a British comedian known especially for his show on radio and television called Hancock's Half Hour. Hancock's special type of humour had a lot of influence on later comedians, and many people still listen to or watch old Hancock programmes.
Handel, George Frederick		(1685–1759)  a British composer, born in Germany, noted for his oratorios, such as the Messiah, and his  orchestral music, particularly his Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks
Handy, W.C.		(1873–1958)  a US jazz musician and writer of jazz songs, thought to be the first person to write blues music. He is especially known for his song St Louis Blues.
Hang Seng Index, the		a number that shows how well or badly shares in companies have performed on the stock exchange in Hong Kong on a particular day. The number is based on the share prices of large companies.
Hani, Chris		(1942–93)  a black South African politician who was a leading member of the anc and the South African Communist Party. Many people thought that he would become leader of the ANC after Nelson mandela, but he was murdered by a white extremist.
Hanks, Tom		(1956–)  a US film actor whose films include Sleepless in Seattle (1992), Forrest Gump (1994), and Saving Private Ryan (1998). He has won Academy Awards and also writes, directs, and produces films.
Hanna Barbera		two cartoonists William Hanna (1910–2001)  and Joe Barbera (1911–2006) , who worked together for almost 50 years to make many popular cartoons, including Tom and Jerry, The Flintstones, and Yogi Bear.
Hannibal		(247–183 BC)  a general who led the army of Carthage in its war against the Romans between 218 and 201 BC. Hannibal is known especially for having crossed the Alps into Italy with a large army and 37 elephants.
Hanoi		the capital city of Vietnam, on the Red River
Hanoverian	 adjective	of or supporting the line of English kings and queens which originally came from Hanover and ruled from 1714 to 1901
Hanratty, James		(1936–1962)  a British criminal who was executed in 1962 for killing a man in a car on the A6 road, although many people believe he was not guilty and some are still trying to obtain a pardon for him
Hansard		the official written record of what happens in the British Parliament
Hanseatic League, the		a trade organization of German towns which existed from the 13th to the 17th centuries to protect each other against competition from abroad. Bremen, Hamburg, and Lübeck are still known as Hanseatic cities.
Hansel and Gretel		the two main characters in the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm. Hansel and Gretel are a brother and sister who get lost in a forest. They find a house made of gingerbread, which is owned by an evil witch who likes to catch children and eat them. When the witch tries to cook Hansel, Gretel pushes her into the oven, and Hansel and Gretel escape with the witch's money and jewels.
Hanson, Pauline		(1954–)  an Australian politician who started the right-wing One Nation Party in 1997. She wanted to end the laws against gun ownership and discrimination. She was defeated in an election in 1998 and in later elections, but she is still considered to have influence in Australian politics.
Happy Days		a humorous US television programme, first shown in the 1970s, about a group of teenagers in the 1950s who meet at Al's Diner. The characters include Richie Cunningham and his sister Joanie, and Arthur Fonzarelli, known as the Fonz, who wears a black leather jacket and is always very 'cool'  (==fashionable, confident, and relaxed.).
Happy Days are Here Again		a song that was popular in the 1930s. People sometimes say 'happy days are here again' when a bad situation has ended and things are getting better again.
Hapsburg		the name of an important European royal family, known especially for ruling in Austria from 1278 to 1918 and in Spain from 1516 to 1700. The German spelling of the name is Habsburg.
Harare		the capital city of Zimbabwe, formerly called Salisbury
Harding, Warren		(1865–1923) the twenty-ninth president of the US, from 1921 to 1923
Hardin, John (Wesley)		(1856–95, a US gunfighter and outlaw of the Wild West.
Hard Rock Cafe		a restaurant in many big cities that is popular especially with young people. It is known for selling typical US food and drinks, for playing rock music while customers eat, and for being decorated with clothes, guitars etc connected with well-known bands. It is also known for selling articles such as  t-shirts with 'Hard Rock Cafe' written on them.
Hard Times		(1854)  a book by Charles dickens about life in an imaginary industrial city in northern England. One of its main characters is the businessman Thomas gradgrind, who is only interested in facts and practical matters, and teaches his children that love and imagination have no use or value.
Hardy Boys, the		the main characters in a series of US books known as The Hardy Boys Mysteries, the first of which was written in 1927. The Hardy Boys are two brave young brothers called Frank and Joe Hardy who are always getting involved in exciting, dangerous adventures in which they help to solve crimes. The stories have also been made into films and television shows.
Hardy, Oliver
Hardy, Thomas		(1840–1928)  a British writer and poet. Many of his novels are set in the countryside of Dorset in the southwest of England, and they often describe the unhappy side of life. His characters are often shown to be struggling against their own feelings and against fate. His best known books include Far from the Madding Crowd, The Mayor of Casterbridge, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, and Jude the Obscure. Many of his books have been made into films.
Hare and the Tortoise, The		another name for The tortoise and the hare
Hare Krishna	 noun	an international religious group that was started in the 1960s and is based on great love for the Hindu god Krishna. Its members wear loose yellow-orange robes and the men cut off most of their hair, and they often go around city streets in groups singing the words 'Hare Krishna'.
Hargreaves, James		(1720–78)  a British inventor known for inventing machines such as the spinning jenny, which was used for making cotton and wool into thread, and which he used in his factory in Nottingham
Hari, Mata
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing		a popular carol (=a traditional religious song sung at Christmas)
Harlem		an area of New York City in northeast Manhattan, where many African-American and Hispanic people live. In the past it was known as a centre for music, especially jazz. For many years it was thought of as a poor area with a lot of crime, and many white people were afraid to go there. Now parts of Harlem are considered to be desirable places to live.
Harlem Globetrotters, the		a black US basketball team who travel round the world to play games in which they entertain people with their skill at basketball and their amusing style of playing
Harlequin Romance	 noun	one of a US series of romantic novels about men and women who fall in love. The stories are usually simple, with a happy ending.
Harley-Davidson		a type of large, powerful, and expensive US motorcycle. Riders love their Harley-Davidson machines, which they consider to have great style.
Harold II, King		(?1022–66)  the last Anglo-Saxon king of England, who became king at the beginning of 1066 but later that year died in battle against william the conqueror at Hastings. He is supposed to have been killed by an arrow that hit him in the eye.
Harper's Ferry		a town in West Virginia, where the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers meet, that was the place of many battles during the American Civil War. Just before the war, an abolitionist (=someone who wants to stop slavery) called John Brown took control of the government weapons that were kept there and tried to get slaves to fight against their owners. He was caught and hanged for treason (=actions against your country).
Harpers & Queen		a British magazine with articles and pictures about fashion, famous people etc. It is typically read by wealthy, fashionable older women.
Harrier jump jet		a type of plane used by the Royal Air Force known for its short take-off and landing ability. The Royal Navy use the Sea Harrier which is very similar.
Harrisburg		the capital city of the US state of Pennsylvania
Harris, Frank		(1856–1931)  an Irish-born writer and newspaper editor. Harris became famous when he published his life story My Life and Loves. In it Harris described in detail his relationships with many women and wrote about the famous people he knew. The book was banned as  obscene because of the sexual content and did not become available in the UK until the 1960s.
Harrison, Benjamin		(1833–1901) the twenty-third president of the US, from 1889 to 1893
Harrison, George		(1943–2001)  a British musician and songwriter who sang and played the guitar in The Beatles. After The Beatles separated, he made records on his own, including My Sweet Lord (1970), and he also helped to start the film company Handmade Films.
Harrison, William Henry		(1773–1841) a US politician who became president in 1841, but died a month later.
Harris poll	 noun	an opinion poll (=a test to find out people's attitudes about something) carried out by Louis Harris Associates of New York, or one of their connected companies in Europe. They get their results by questioning a number of people who are chosen as being typical of the whole population
Harris, Richard		(1930–2002)  an Irish-born film actor who often played tough and aggressive characters. His films include The Long and The Short and The Tall (1960), This Sporting Life (1963), Camelot (1967), and A Man Called Horse (1969).
Harris Tweed		a type of thick woollen cloth which is woven on the Scottish island of Harris, one of the outer hebrides. It is used to make clothes, especially men's jackets, that last a long time.
Harrods		a large department store in knightsbridge, in London, where rich and fashionable people go to shop. It is owned by Mohammed al fayed. Harrods is one of the most famous stores in the world, and is known for selling all kinds of expensive and unusual goods.
Harrow		a famous British public school (=expensive private school) for boys, in northwest London. Men who have been educated at Harrow are known as Old Harrovians.
Harryhausen, Ray		(1920–2013)  a US designer of models who has won many prizes for his special effects, especially for science fiction films and for the film Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
Harry, Prince		(1984–)  the younger son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. He has a military career, and for a short time in 2007–8 he served as a soldier in Afghanistan until the media found out and he had to be sent home for safety reasons. He has sometimes done unwise things that have been reported in the news. For example, in 2005 he was criticized for wearing a Nazi costume to a fancy-dress party, and he apologized. His official name is Prince Henry.
Hartford		the capital city of the US state of Connecticut
Hart, Lorenz Milton		(1895–1943)  a US songwriter who worked with the composer Richard rodgers to produce musicals (=films or plays that use singing and dancing to tell a story), such as Babes in Arms and Pal Joey
Hartnell, Sir Norman		(1901–79)  a British fashion designer who became the official dressmaker for Queen Elizabeth II
Harvard		a famous and respected university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, established in 1636, which is the oldest university in the US
Harvey Nichols		a chain of British department stores that sell fashionable and expensive clothes made by well-known designers. These shops are very popular with rich, upper-class people, and many of them call the shop 'Harvey Nicks'.
Harvey, William		(1578–1657)  an English doctor who discovered the circulation of the blood, that is, the way the heart makes the blood move around the body
Harwell		a British government centre for atomic research, near the village of Harwell in Oxfordshire, southern England
Harwich		a port in Essex, eastern England, from which ferries (ferry ) and other ships sail to ports in Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands
Hassam, Childe		(1859–1935)  a US painter and maker of prints  (=printed pictures). His work was influenced by impressionism.
Hassan II, King		(1929–99)  the king of Morocco from 1961 until his death
Hasselblad		an expensive type of camera made by the Swedish company Hasselblad, often used by professional photographers. Different lenses (lens) can be fitted to the camera, which takes photos of larger than average size.
Hasselhoff, David		(1952–)  a US film and television actor who appeared in the television programmes Knight Rider (1982) and Baywatch (1990–2000). He is sometimes called 'the Hoff.'
Hastings		a town on the southeast coast of England
Hathaway, Anne		(?1557–1623)  the wife of William shakespeare. Her house in Stratford-upon-Avon in England (Anne Hathaway's Cottage) is a famous place for tourists to visit.
Haughey, Charles J.		(1925–2006)  an Irish politician who was taoiseach (prime minister) of the Republic of Ireland three times (1979–81, 1982, and 1987–92) and who was the leader of the Fianna Fáil party. In 1970, he was accused of illegally importing weapons in order to supply them to Nationalists, and had to leave his job as a government minister. He was later found not guilty. In 1992 Haughey was forced to leave his job as taoiseach after he was accused of knowing that the telephone conversations of two political journalists had been secretly listened to. In 2003 he had to pay back a large amount of money which he owed as unpaid tax.
Havana		the capital of Cuba
Havel, Václav		(1936–2011)  the president of the Czech Republic from 1993–2003 and Czechoslovakia from 1989–1992. Before 1989, Havel led peaceful opposition against the Communist government of Czechoslovakia, and this became known as the 'Velvet Revolution'. He is also a well-known writer for the theatre.
Havisham, Miss		a character in the book great expectations by Charles Dickens. She is a strange, rich old woman who hates men because her future husband left her on their wedding day. She still wears her wedding dress and everything in her house has been left exactly as it was on her wedding day, and is now covered in cobwebs.
Havre
Hawaii		a US state in the Pacific Ocean which consists of eight main islands, known as the Hawaiian Islands. Its capital city, Honolulu, is on the island of Oahu.
Hawaiian Punch		a type of sweet, bright red, non-alcoholic drink with a fruit taste, often drunk by children in the US
Haw-Haw, Lord
Hawke, Bob		(1929–)  an Australian politician who was prime minister from 1983 to 1991 and is known for saying what he thinks
Hawking, Stephen		(1942–)  a British scientist who has developed important new ideas about relativity and black holes. He has continued working even though he suffers from a serious disease of the nervous system, and he uses a special computer system in order to talk. He wrote a book called A Brief History of Time (1988), in which he explains his ideas about how the universe and time began, and how they have developed.
Hawksmoor, Nicholas		(1661–1736)  a British architect (=someone who designs buildings) who worked with Sir Christoper Wren on St Paul's Cathedral and built many churches in London. He is known for combining the classical style of ancient Rome with the Gothic style.
Hawk, Tony		(1968–)  an American man who is the most famous skateboarder in the world. He has built a business around his skateboarding, and sells computer games, DVDs, clothing etc.
Haworth		a small village in West Yorkshire, in northern England, which many tourists visit because the brontë family, a family of famous writers, lived there. The area around the village is described in Emily Brontë's famous novel wuthering heights.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel		(1806–64)  a US writer of novels and short stories, whose most famous novels are The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables. His books are mainly concerned with subjects such as  sin (=doing wrong) and punishment.
Haydn, Joseph		(1732–1809)  an Austrian composer best known for writing over 100 symphonies (symphony ) and for his oratorioThe Creation
Hayes, Rutherford		(1822–1893) the nineteenth president of the US, from 1877 to 1881
Haymarket, the		a street in the west end of London, where there is a theatre also called The Haymarket
Haywain, the		a famous painting by John constable, showing horses pulling a cart across a river. It is thought of as a typically English country scene, and is often printed on cards, posters, and  calendars.
Hayward Gallery, the		an art gallery which is part of the south bank centre, on the southern side of the River Thames in London
Hazlitt, William		(1778–1830)  a British writer and critic known for his essays on many subjects, especially literature. His best-known collection of essays is called Table Talk.
H-Block	 noun	one of several large buildings, in the shape of a letter H, which formed part of the maze prison in Northern Ireland. Members of the ira and of other political organizations involved in the violence in Northern Ireland were often kept there.
HBO		a US cable television company, known for its high-quality original drama series, such as The Sopranos and Six Feet Under, as well as films
Head, Edith		(1903–81)  a famous designer of costumes for more than 500 Hollywood films
Headless Horseman, the		a ghost (=the spirit of a dead person) with no head, who rides a horse. He appears in several ghost stories, the most famous of which is The legend of sleepy hollow (1820) by Washington  irving.
Health and Safety at Work Act, the		a set of laws made in the UK in 1974 in order to protect people at work and make sure that they do not have to work in dangerous conditions, without the proper clothing or safety equipment etc
Health and Safety Executive, the		a British government organization that gives advice to companies about health and safety, and makes rules to prevent workers from being injured or becoming ill at work
Heaney, Seamus		(1939–2013)  an Irish poet. His collections of poems include Death of a Naturalist, The Haw Lantern, and Seeing Things. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1995 and translated Beowulf into modern English in 2000.
Hearst, Patty		(1954–)  an American woman who is the granddaughter of William Randolph Hearst and who was kidnapped (kidnap) in February 1974 by a left-wing group called the SLA (=Symbionese Liberation Army). While she was being held prisoner by the group, she began to support the aims of the SLA and in April 1974 she was photographed helping the group to rob a bank. She was arrested and sent to prison despite claiming at her trial that she had been forced to help the group. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter ordered that she should be allowed to leave prison, and in 2001 President Bill Clinton gave her a pardon. She has appeared in films and written a book about her experiences.
Hearst, William Randolph		(1863–1951)  a powerful US businessman who owned many popular newspapers. It is generally believed that Orson welles' film citizen kane is based on Hearst's life.
heart	 verb	to like something or someone very much – used especially on the Internet and in magazines
Heart of Darkness		a book by Joseph Conrad, published in 1902, in which the main character, Marlow, travels on a river through Africa until he meets Kurtz, an educated white man who has stopped accepting Western values and has become the violent, powerful ruler of an African community. People sometimes use the phrase 'heart of darkness' to describe a terrible place.
Heathcliff		one of the main characters in the book wuthering heights (1847) by Emily brontë. He is an attractive, proud, and often angry man with very strong emotions. He loves Catherine Earnshaw and she loves him, but they are prevented from marrying. As a result, he decides to punish the other members of her family because he believes that they are responsible for his unhappy life.
Heathrow Airport		one of the four international airports serving London. The other three are Gatwick, Stansted, and London City Airport. Heathrow is the largest airport in the UK, and it is 20 miles to the west of central London.
Heath, Sir Edward		(1916–2005)  a British politician in the Conservative Party, who was prime minister from 1970 to 1974. He was known for disagreeing with Margaret Thatcher, who followed him as Conservative leader, and for his strong support for the European Union and the idea of a single European currency (=system of money). He was also a respected musician and used to sail a yacht (=sailing boat used in races).
Heavenly Twins, the
Hebrides, the		a group of islands off the west coast of Scotland, consisting of the inner hebrides and outer hebrides
Hector		in ancient Greek stories, the leader of the Trojans in the trojan war. He was killed by the Greek achilles, who then tied his body to the back of his chariot and drove around the walls of troy to show the Trojans that he had killed their leader.
Hecuba		in ancient Greek stories, the wife of Priam and the mother of Hector and Paris. She appears in ancient Greek literature as a typical example of an unlucky mother who experiences suffering.
Heelys	 noun	shoes with one or more wheels in the heel, so that you can roll along when you want to	Heelys暴走鞋〔鞋跟底下至少有一个滑轮﹐需要时可滑行〕
Heep, Uriah		a character in the book david copperfield (1850) by Charles dickens, who is a clerk (=someone who keeps records in an office) working for a lawyer. He pretends to be very helpful, and he is known for often saying how 'umble' (=humble) he is. But in fact he is clever and dishonest, and only interested in getting advantages for himself.
Hefner, Hugh		(1926–)  a US businessman who started Playboy magazine. He became very rich and was often photographed surrounded by pretty girls and wearing a dressing gown or other loose clothes in a way that was intended to make other men think he had a very happy life.
Hegel, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich		(1770–1831)  a German philosopher who had great influence on European and US philosophy with books such as The Phenomenology of the Mind
Hegira		the escape of Muhammad from Makkah (Mecca) to Medina in AD 622
Hegira calendar		the Muslim system of dividing a year of 354 days into 12 months and starting to count the years from the Hegira
Heidelberg		a university town in southwest Germany
Heidi		a little girl who is the main character in the children's book Heidi by the Swiss writer Johanna Spyri (1827–1901) . Several films have been made of the story, including a famous one in 1937 in which Shirley Temple plays the part of Heidi.
Heine, Heinrich		(1797–1856)  a German poet who also wrote political satire (=books making fun of people in public life). Some of his poems were set to music by schubert and schumann.
Heinz		a large international food company whose products include tomato ketchup and many types of food sold in cans such as soup, baby food, and baked beans (=beans baked in a liquid made from tomatoes)
Heisenberg, Werner		(1901–76)  a German physicist who studied the behaviour of atoms, and won a Nobel prize. He is best known for developing the Uncertainty Principle.
Hejira		another spelling of hegira
Helena		the capital city of the US state of Montana
Helen of Troy		in ancient Greek stories, the wife of menelaus, the king of sparta. Helen was famous for her great beauty, and she is often mentioned in literature as a typical example of a very beautiful woman. When Helen's lover paris took her away to Troy with him, he caused the trojan war. The phrase 'the face that launched a thousand ships' is often used about her, since the Greeks sailed to Troy to bring her back.
Hellenistic	 adjective	connected with the history, literature, art etc of ancient Greece and the eastern Mediterranean. The centre of the Hellenistic world was Alexandria in Egypt, and the Hellenistic period continued until about 30 BC, when Egypt became part of the Roman Empire.
Heller, Joseph		(1923–1999)  a US writer whose book Catch-22 is considered by many people to be one of the best anti-war novels ever written. Heller's books are known for their dark humour and they typically criticize organizations, especially military organizations, that affect or control ordinary people's lives. His other novels include Good as Gold and God Knows.
Hellespont, the		a former name for the Dardanelles
Hellman, Lillian		(1905–84)  a US writer of plays, known especially for The Children's Hour and The Little Foxes, both of which have been made into films. She is also remembered for refusing to name anyone as a Communist in front of the  huac.
Hello!		a British magazine with pictures and articles about famous people, such as film actors, fashion models, and members of the aristocracy. It typically describes how happy these people are and shows what beautiful houses they live in.
Helmand Province	 	a province in southwest Afghanistan, known for the large amount of opium that is grown there and for the fighting between NATO soldiers and the Taliban.
Helms, Jesse		(1921–2008)  a US Republican politician and senator from 1972 to 2003 who was known for being strongly opposed to social changes
Help the Aged		a British charity organization which collects money for old people and provides them with help and advice
Helsinki		the capital of Finland
Helsinki Accords, the		an official agreement which encourages European countries to be peaceful and to make sure all their citizens are treated fairly and have basic human rights. It was signed in 1975 by every European country except Albania, and also by the US and Canada.
Hemingway, Ernest		(1899–1961)  one of the great US writers of the 20th century, who won the Nobel prize for literature in 1954. He wrote many novels and short stories in a simple and direct style, and his books are often about typically male activities like war and hunting. His novels include A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and The Old Man and the Sea. He died by shooting himself.
Hemlock Society, the		the former name of an organization in the US which aims to change the law that forbids helping seriously ill people to die if they wish to. The organization gives advice to such people and their families. in 2005 the Hemlock Society joined with Compassion In Dying to form an organization called Compassion & Choice. There is a similar organization in the UK called EXIT.
hench	 adjective	strong, with big muscles – used especially by young people
Hendrix, Jimi		(1942–70)  a US guitar player and singer who played the guitar in a completely new way, and was known for his exciting performances. At the end of his performances he often destroyed his guitar by hitting it against the ground and setting it on fire. He died as a result of taking drugs. His songs include Purple Haze and Voodoo Chile.
Henry III, King		(1207–72)  the king of England from 1216 until his death. He fought many wars in Europe, and this made him unpopular with the barons (=men of the highest social class). Led by Simon de Montfort, they fought against him but eventually lost.
Henry II, King		(1133–89)  the king of England from 1154 until his death. He tried to reduce the power of the Church, and as a result he quarrelled with Thomas à becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Henry is supposed to have said 'Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?', and some of his soldiers who heard this went and killed Becket in Canterbury Cathedral.
Henry I, King		(1068–1135)  the king of England from 1100 until his death. He was the youngest son of william the conqueror.
Henry IV, King		(1366–1413)  the king of England from 1399, when he took power from King Richard II, until his death. He spent much of his time as king fighting to gain control over Wales and Scotland, but he was unsuccessful in this. There are two plays by William Shakespeare about his life (Henry IV, Part I, and Henry IV, Part II ).
Henry, John		a character in US stories and folk songs who worked on railways and was very strong
Henry, O.		(1862–1910)  a US writer of short stories, whose real name was William Sydney Porter. His stories are known for treating the everyday life of working people in a humorous way, and for their unexpected endings.
Henry, Patrick		(1736–99)  a US politician who was one of the leaders of the fight for independence during the american revolutionary war. He is famous for saying 'Give me liberty, or give me death'.
Henry, Prince
Henry Tudor
Henry VIII, King		(1491–1547)  the king of England from 1509 until his death. The fact about Henry VIII which most British people know is that he had six wives. He tried to legally end his first marriage, to Catherine of Aragon, because she did not produce any sons and he wanted to marry Anne Boleyn, but the Pope refused to allow this. Henry disobeyed the Pope and made himself the head of the church in England. This started the Reformation in England, in which the Protestant church was established. His other wives were: Anne Boleyn, who had her head cut off; Jane Seymour, who died while giving birth to a child; Anne of Cleves, whom Henry divorced; Catherine Howard, who had her head cut off; and Catherine Parr, who lived on after Henry's death. During Henry's time as king, many schools were established, and England became a more powerful country. He is usually thought of as a rather fat man who enjoyed eating, and there is a joke that he used to throw chicken legs over his shoulder after he had eaten the meat off them.
Henry VII, King		(1457–1509)  the king of England from 1485 until his death in 1509. He defeated Richard III at the battle of Bosworth Field, and married to unite the families of York and Lancaster and so ended the Wars of the Roses between the two families.
Henry VI, King		(1421–71)  the king of England from 1422 to 1461 and from 1470 to 1471. During Henry's rule there was great dissatisfaction with the government. This led to the Wars of the Roses, in which Henry was finally murdered.
Henry V, King		(1387–1422)  the king of England from 1413 until his death, who is remembered especially for defeating the French at the Battle of Agincourt. The events surrounding this battle are described in Shakespeare's play Henry V, and there is a famous speech in which Henry says to his soldiers 'Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more', in order to encourage them to continue fighting. The play has been made into a film, by both Laurence  olivier (1944) and Kenneth  branagh (1989).
Henry Wood Promenade Concerts, the		the official name of the proms
Henson, Jim		(1936–90)  a US maker of puppets, who invented the muppets, including characters such as Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and the Cookie Monster
Hepburn, Audrey		(1929–92)  an actress, famous for being extremely beautiful and graceful, who was born in Belgium and who appeared in both British and American films, such as Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) and  my fair lady (1964). She also worked for  unicef, helping poor and sick children in places like Africa and Latin America.
Hepburn, Katharine		(1909–2003)  one of America's greatest film and theatre actresses, known for appearing as strong, brave, and determined characters. She often worked with Spencer tracy, with whom she had a romantic relationship for many years. Her films include The Philadephia Story (1940), The African Queen (1951), Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967), and On Golden Pond (1981).
Hephaestus		in Green mythology, the god of fire and metalwork (=making metal objects), who made weapons for the gods. In Roman mythology his name is vulcan.
Hepworth, Barbara		(1903–75)  a British sculptor (=a person who makes art products out of stone, metal, and wood) known for the abstract style of her work
Hera		in Greek mythology, the goddess of women and marriage. She was the wife of zeus. In Roman mythology her name is Juno.
Herakles		the Greek name for hercules
Herald, The
Herald Tribune, The
Herbert, Frank		(1920–1986)  a US writer of science fiction stories. His best-known novel, Dune, is one of the most popular science fiction books ever written.
Herbert, George		(1593–1633)  a British poet who wrote poetry in the metaphysical style
Hercegovina
Hercules		in ancient Roman stories, a hero known for his very great strength and for performing twelve very difficult and dangerous jobs known as the Labours of Hercules. People sometimes use the name 'Hercules' to describe a man who is physically very strong. In ancient Greek stories, his name is herakles.
hereafter	 noun	 a life after death	来世
Here Comes the Bride		a piece of music which is often played at the beginning of a marriage ceremony, when the bride begins to walk up the aisle of the church
Hereford		a small city with a cathedral (=a large, important church) in Herefordshire in western England
Hereford and Worcester		a former county (=area of a country that has its own government to deal with local matters) in the West of central England. In 1998 Hereford and Worcester was divided into two separate counties called Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
Herefordshire		a county in western England, next to Wales
Here's Lucy
Here We Go		a song which is typically sung by young British men at football games to encourage their team and to annoy the other team and its supporters. The only words are 'Here We Go', which are repeated many times.
Hergé		(1907–83)  a Belgian writer and cartoonist, who produced the tintin picture stories
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs		the UK government department that is responsible for collecting income tax, VAT, and customs duties (customs duty), as well as for paying tax credits. The department was formed in 2005 when the Inland Revenue and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise joined together.
Hermes		in Greek mythology, the god who is the messenger (=someone who takes messages) of the gods. He is usually shown in pictures with wings on his shoes and on his helmet. In Roman mythology his name is Mercury.
Hermitage, the		a large museum in St Petersburg in Russia, known especially for its collection of impressionist paintings
Herod		 (74–4 BC)  the king of Judea at the time when Jesus Christ was born. According to the New Testament of the Bible, he ordered that all the male babies in Bethlehem should be killed because he wanted to kill the baby who ancient stories said would become king.
herogram	 noun	a message to someone that says they have done something extremely well
Heron, Patrick		(1920–99), a British painter famous for his abstract paintings. He is also well-known as an art critic.
Herriot, James		(1916–95)  the pen name of James Alfred White, a British writer who wrote stories about his life as a country vet (=animal doctor). Many of his stories have been made into popular television plays.
Hershey bar		a type of chocolate bar made by the Hershey company and sold especially in the US
Hershey's Kisses		a type of small chocolate wrapped in silver-coloured paper, made by the Hershey company and sold in the US
Hertfordshire		a county in southeast England, north of London
Herzegovina		the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country in eastern Europe that used to be part of Yugoslavia. Bosnia and Herzegovina became an independent country in 1992 and there was a civil war between the Muslims, Croats, and Serbs from 1992 until 1995.
Heseltine, Michael		(1933–)  a British politician in the Conservative Party. He had many important government jobs between 1970 to 1990, when he tried unsuccessfully to become the leader of his party instead of Margaret Thatcher. In 1995 he became deputy prime minister in John Major's government. He is sometimes called 'Tarzan' in British newspapers because he has long fair hair. His official title is Lord Heseltine of Thenford.
Hesse, Hermann		(1877–1962)  a German writer and poet. His novels include Steppenwolf, The Glass Bead Game, and Siddhartha, and often deal with the deep struggles that go on in the human mind. He won the Nobel prize for literature in 1946.
Hess, Rudolf		(1894–1987)  a German nazi politician who was directly below hitler in rank. In 1941 he made a secret flight to Scotland to try to arrange a peace agreement, but he was caught and made a prisoner. In 1946 he was judged to be guilty of war crimes, and was put in Spandau Prison in Berlin until his death.
Heston, Charlton		(1923–2008)  a US film actor who often appeared in films as strong, brave leaders and kings. His films include The Ten Commandments (1956), Ben Hur (1959), and Planet of the Apes (1968). He was known for strongly supporting the rights of people to have guns, and he was president of the National Rifle Association from 1998 to 2003.
Hewlett Packard		a US maker of computers and electronic equipment, especially printers, whose products are sold all over the world
Heyer, Georgette		(1902–74)  a British writer of popular historical love stories, usually set at the beginning of the 19th century
Heysel Stadium Disaster, the		the death of 39 people at a football ground in Belgium in 1985, which happened when English football supporters started fights and caused a wall to fall down. Because of this, English teams were not allowed to play in European competitions for several years.
Hezbollah		a military group of Shiite Muslims based in Lebanon that supports Iran and opposes attempts to establish peace between Israel and the Arab countries nearby
HI		the written abbreviation of Hawaii
Hiawatha		a Native American chief who, in the 16th century, helped to unite the iroquois tribes into a single group called the Five Nations. He is the subject of a long poem by longfellow called The Song of Hiawatha (1855), and many Americans know the lines: ...By the shore of gitche Gumee,/By the shining Big-Sea-Water,/Stood the wigwam of Nokomis,/Daughter of the Moon, Nokomis...
Hickok, Wild Bill		(1837–76)  a US soldier who was one of the first white Americans who went to live in the western US, where he became a marshal (=someone who controls a particular area and makes sure that laws are obeyed). He was known for his skill at shooting, and for his love of gambling (=playing card games for money).
Higgins, Professor Henry		a character in the play pygmalion by George Bernard shaw, who teaches a poor girl called Eliza doolittle how to speak and behave like an upper-class lady
High Court of Justiciary, the		in the Scottish legal system, a court of law that is more important than a sheriff court and deals with serious crimes such as murder
Highgate		a pleasant area of North London with expensive houses, known especially for Highgate Cemetery, where many famous people, including Karl marx, are buried
Highgrove House		a large house in Gloucestershire, England, which is owned by Prince charles
Highland		a region (=local government area) of northern Scotland which includes many islands and the highest mountain in the UK, ben nevis
Highland dress		a set of clothes worn by some Scottish men on special occasions, for example at a wedding. Highland dress consists of a short black jacket, a bow tie, a kilt and long socks with a small knife kept under the fold at the top of one of the socks.
Highland fling	 noun	a fast Scottish dance, danced by one person
Highland Games		a special event held every year in Scottish towns, with traditional Scottish sports, dancing, and music. The most famous one takes place in the town of Braemar. The sports include 'tossing the caber' (=throwing a long, heavy wooden pole into the air).
Highlands, the		mountainous areas, especially those in the north of Scotland
Highlands and Islands, the		the northern and northwestern areas of Scotland and the islands off its west coast
High Noon		a highly praised film about the American Old West. The expression 'high noon' is sometimes used to describe an important moment in the history of something.	《正午》〔一部美国西部片。high noon有时被用来形容历史事件的重要时刻，尤指其极盛时刻〕
Hilfiger, Tommy		(1951–)  a US fashion designer, known especially for designing casual (=informal) clothes. His company also makes perfumes for men and women.
Hill, Anita		(1956–)  an American lawyer and teacher of law. When the Senate was deciding whether Clarence Thomas should become a justice on the US Supreme Court, she told the Senate that when she was working for Thomas he had tried to start a sexual relationship with her even though she did not want to. Thomas said that this was not true, and after a lot of discussion, the Senate agreed to allow Thomas to become a Supreme Court Justice.
Hillary, Sir Edmund		(1919–2008)  a New Zealand mountain climber. In 1953, he and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay became the first two people to climb Mount Everest.
Hill, Benny		(1925–92)  a British comedian known especially for his very popular television programmes. His shows were often criticized for the large number of jokes about sex. His programmes usually included a short film of him in a park chasing young women who were wearing very little clothing.
Hill, Damon		(1960–)  a British Formula One racing car driver who was world champion in 1996. He is the son of the former Formula One champion Graham Hill.
Hill, Joe		(1879–1915)  a US trade union leader, who tried to help workers to get better wages and more rights. He also wrote many songs on social subjects, including Casey Jones.
Hillsborough		a serious accident which happened in 1989 during a football game at Hillsborough, in the city of Sheffield in northern England. 96 people died and several hundred were injured by being crushed when a large crowd of people moved into a small area and could not escape. This event led to changes in the design of football grounds and in the methods used for controlling large crowds safely. A report in 2012 said that the actions of the police were largely responsible for the event, and some police officers had made false statements about their actions.
Hilton, the		a large, expensive hotel named after Conrad Hilton, the original owner. Many large cities in many countries have a Hilton, and there is a well-known Hilton in London, next to Hyde Park.
Hilton Head		an island off the coast of South Carolina, US, which is popular, especially with wealthy tourists
Himalayas, the		a long range of mountains in southern Asia which includes the highest mountain in the world, Mount everest, and other mountains which only very experienced climbers try to climb
Himmler, Heinrich		(1900–45)  a German nazi leader who was in charge of the ss, and was responsible for organizing the killing of millions of Jews in concentration camps
Hindemith, Paul		(1895–1963)  a German composer (=a writer of music) who had great influence on 20th century classical music
Hindenburg		a German airship, which exploded when coming into land in New Jersey, USA, after crossing the Atlantic in 1937. All passengers and crew were killed, and businesses stopped using airships to carry people or goods.
Hindley, Myra		(1942–2002)  a British woman who murdered several children in the 1960s and was known as one of the moors murderers. She was in prison for more than 30 years, and politicians and newspapers often argued about whether she should ever be let out.
Hines, Earl		(1903–83)  a US jazz musician, piano player, and band leader
Hippocrates		(?460-?377 BC)  a doctor in ancient Greece who wrote many books about medicine and is considered to have begun the study of modern medicine
Hippodrome, the		a typical name given to a theatre
Hirohito		(1901–89)  the emperor of Japan from 1926 to 1989
Hiroshima		a city in Japan which was destroyed in 1945 during World War II, when a US nuclear bomb was dropped on it, killing very many people. It was rebuilt after the war, and is now a large industrial city again.
Hirschfeld, Al		(1903–2003)  an American artist who drew caricatures (=funny drawings of people) of famous people, especially for The New York Times
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the		a museum of modern art in Washington, D.C., which is part of the smithsonian institution. It was established in 1966 with money given by J.H. Hirshorn.
Hirshorn		a museum of modern art in Washington, D.C., which is part of the Smithsonian Institution
Hirst, Damien		(1965–)  a British artist known for his unusual works of art, especially those in which the bodies of dead animals, such as cows, sheep, and sharks, are placed in large glass containers of liquid. Some people criticize his work for being too shocking, and think that it is not really art.
Hislop, Ian		(1960–)  a British man who is the editor of the satirical magazine Private Eye. Hislop is also well-known for appearing on the television quiz show Have I Got News For You.
Hispaniola		an island in the Caribbean Sea, formerly called santo domingo, and now divided into the countries of haiti and the dominican republic
Hiss, Alger		(1904–1996)  a US government official who was put in prison from 1950 to 1954 for being a Communist spy. Many people believed he was not guilty, and documents from the former Soviet Union seemed to prove this, when they were made public in 1992.
Hitchcock, Sir Alfred		(1899–1980)  a British film director who is considered to be one of the greatest and who made films in the UK and then in Hollywood, for almost 50 years. He made thrillers (=films that tell exciting stories about crime and murder) such as The Thirty-Nine Steps (1935), Psycho (1960), and The Birds (1963). He is famous for his use of  suspense (=a feeling of fear and excitement that you have when you expect that something bad is going to happen) and for appearing for a very short time in each of his films as an unimportant character. People sometimes use the word 'Hitchcockian' to describe a story or situation in which there is a lot of suspense.
Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy, The		a humorous British radio programme written by Douglas Adams, which later became a book and a television programme. It is a science fiction story about an Englishman called Arthur Dent who gets on a spaceship just before the Earth is destroyed, and the adventures he has in space with the other characters on this spaceship.
Hitler, Adolf		(1889–1945)  the leader of the Nazi Party in Germany from 1921. He was born in Austria and was the 'Führer' (=leader) of Germany from the mid-1930s until his death. Hitler is remembered as a strong, cruel leader who allowed no opposition, as an impressive public speaker, and especially for his attempts to establish a pure race of German people through a policy of  anti-semitism, as a result of which millions of Jewish people were killed in  concentration camps. He started World War II by ordering his armies to enter Poland in 1939, and at first Germany was very successful because Hitler had made its armed forces strong and well-organized. He killed himself in 1945, just before Germany lost the war. His name is now sometimes used to describe someone who uses their authority in a cruel or unfair way, or someone who wants to control everything.
Hitler Youth		an organization established by Adolf hitler in 1933 to train German boys according to the ideas and principles of the nazi Party
Hizbollah		another spelling of hezbollah
HMI	 noun	(His/Her Majesty's Inspector) a British government official, employed by ofsted whose job is to check the standards of education in schools in the UK. HMIs visit schools and watch lessons, then they make reports about the teachers, the lessons, and the general character of the school.
HMRC		the abbreviation of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs
HMSO		 a British government organization which prints government documents, books etc. It is part of the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI).
HMU		 used on the Internet or in a text message to tell someone that you want them to call you or send you a message
Hobbes, Thomas		(1588–1679)  a British political philosopher known especially for his book Leviathan, in which he expressed the opinion that, since people think only of themselves and behave badly, it is best if they are ruled by one powerful authority
Hobbit, The		(1937) a very popular children's book by J.R.R. tolkien, which is often also read by adults. It describes the exciting and magical adventures of Bilbo  baggins, who is a  hobbit, in a place called Middle Earth.
Ho Chi Minh		(1892–1969)  the president of North Vietnam during the first part of the vietnam war. He became popular among people in Europe and the US who opposed US involvement in Vietnam. He was known as Father Ho.
Ho Chi Minh City		a city in the southern part of Vietnam. It was formerly known as saigon, and was the capital of South Vietnam when the country was divided.
Hockney, David		(1937–)  a British artist who is known especially for his portraits (=paintings of real people) and for his water scenes such as swimming pools. One of his most famous paintings is called A Bigger Splash (1967).
Hoffa, Jimmy		(1913–75?)  the president of the teamsters, a powerful trade union in the US, who was thought to be involved with criminal organizations such as the mafia, and was put in prison in 1967 for financial crimes. He left prison in 1971, but disappeared in 1975 and many people believe that he was murdered, though his body was never found.
Hoffman, Abbie		(1936–89)  a US political activist (=someone who works to achieve social or political change). In the 1960s, he was the leader of the Youth International Party in the US, an organization that was also referred to as the Yippie movement.
Hoffman, Dustin		(1937–)  a US film and theatre actor. He has won Oscars for Kramer Vs Kramer (1979) and Rain Man (1988). His other films include The Graduate (1967), and Tootsie (1982). He has also directed some films.
Hogarth, William		(1697–1764)  a British painter known especially for his very detailed pictures showing the immoral pleasures of his time, in works such as The Rake's Progress and Marriage à la Mode
Hokkaido		the second largest of the main islands of Japan, in the north of the country
Hokusai, Katsushika		(1760–1849) a Japanese artist famous for his prints
Holbein, Hans		(1497–1543)  a German artist during the Renaissance, known for his portraits, especially one of Henry VIII
Holby General		the hospital in the British television programme Casualty
Holiday, Billie		(1915–59)  a US jazz and blues singer, who was also called 'Lady Day' and is regarded as one of the greatest jazz and blues singers ever. She wrote her life story in a book called Lady Sings the Blues, which was later made into a film.
Holland		the usual English name for the netherlands
Holland Tunnel, the		a tunnel which goes under the Hudson River to connect Jersey City, New Jersey and the island of Manhattan, New York City
Holliday, John, 'Doc'		(1849–1887), a friend of the US marshal Wyatt Earp. He fought on the side of Earp and his brothers in the gunfight at the OK Corral. He was a gambler and dentist, and one of the most dangerous gunfighters of the wild west. He died of tuberculosis.
Holloway		an area of North London
Holly and the Ivy, The		a popular carol (=a traditional religious song sung at Christmas)
Holly, Buddy		(1936–59)  a US pop singer, guitar player, and songwriter who, with his band The Crickets, helped to make rock 'n' roll music popular in the 1950s. His songs include That'll be the Day and Peggy Sue. He was killed in a plane crash.
Hollywood Bowl, the		a concert hall in Hollywood, California, which has a stage covered with a curved roof, and outdoor seats for people to watch and listen
Hollywood Walk of Fame, the		a sidewalk along Hollywood Boulevard, in Hollywood, California, which has more than 2000 bronze stars on it. The stars have the names of film and television actors, directors etc on them.
Holmes, Mycroft		the elder brother of Sherlock Holmes, who appears in some of the stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Mycroft, who is older than Sherlock, is cleverer than his younger brother but too lazy to be a detective.
Holst, Gustav		(1874–1934)  a British composer whose most famous work is called The Planets
Holyhead		a town and port on holy island off the island of Anglesey, North Wales. Ships carrying passengers and cars sail from Holyhead to the Republic of Ireland.
Holy Island		an island off the northeast coast of Northumberland, in northeast England. It is also known as Lindisfarne.
Holy Loch		a narrow area of the Atlantic Ocean reaching into the land on the west coast of Scotland, northwest of Glasgow. The US Navy formerly had a base there for its nuclear submarines.
Holy Roller	 noun	a humorous name for a member of a Christian church that encourages people to sing and shout and become very emotional
Holy Roman Empire, the		a group of European states which included parts of France, Germany, Austria, and Italy, and which were ruled by an emperor. It was established by Charlemagne in 800, and continued until 1806. For most of the period from the 13th century to the 19th century, its ruling family were the Hapsburgs.
Holyrood Palace		a large building in Edinburgh, Scotland, owned by the British royal family. It was formerly the home of the Scottish royal family, and mary queen of scots lived there in the 16th century.
Home Alone		(1990) a US humorous film in which Macauley culkin appears as a young boy who is accidentally left at home alone when his parents go on holiday, and who has to prevent two criminals from getting into his home and stealing things from it
Home Box Office
Home Guard, the		in World War II, a British military force made up of men who were unable to join the main armed forces because they were either too young or too old, or because their health was bad. Their job was to help to defend the UK if the Germans attacked it. There was a humorous British television show called dad's army, about the activities of a Home Guard unit.
Home on the Range		a popular US folk song, typically thought of as being sung by cowboys
Homer		a Greek poet who probably lived around 800 to 700 years bc. He is known as a very great poet and for his two epic poems, the iliad and the odyssey, which tell the stories of characters such as achilles and odysseus and the Greek war against Troy, which have had great influence on European literature.
Homer, Winslow		(1836–1910)  a US painter, known especially for his paintings of the sea and people connected with the sea
Homes & Gardens		a British magazine which contains articles and pictures about decorating your home, gardening, and cooking. It is typically read by women, and in the US there is a similar magazine called  better homes and gardens.
homeshoring	 noun	the practice of having work done by workers in their own homes, using telephones or the Internet, rather than in offices
Honda		a type of car or motorcycle made by the Japanese company Honda
Honduras		a country in Central America between Guatemala and Nicaragua. Population: 8,448,465 (2014). Capital: Tegucigalpa.
Honecker, Erich		(1912–94)  an East German politician who was the head of state from 1976 to 1989, when the Berlin Wall was destroyed
honey-do list	 noun	a list of things that need to be done around the house, which someone gives to their husband or wife
Honeymooners, The		a humorous US television programme in the 1950s about a fat man with strong opinions, played by Jackie Gleason, who argues a lot with his wife, but who loves her really
Hong Kong		an area on the south coast of China, consisting of several islands and a small part of the Chinese mainland. Population: 7,182,724 (2014). Hong Kong was a British colony from 1842 until 1997, when it was given back to China and became officially known as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Although it is part of China, it has its own government and financial system, and this arrangement is described as 'one country, two systems'. Hong Kong is an important financial and trade centre, and is known as a very busy, active place with many very tall buildings.
Honi soit qui mal y pense		the motto (=special saying) of the order of the garter. It means 'Let anyone who thinks bad things about it be ashamed.'
Honolulu		the capital of Hawaii on the island of Oahu. It is a port and trade centre and is visited by many tourists.
Honshu		the largest of the four main islands of Japan. Most of Japan's largest cities are on Honshu.
Hood, Robin
Hook, Captain
Hoover	 noun	a vacuum cleaner	胡佛真空吸尘器
Hoover Dam, the		a dam on the colorado river on the border between the US states of Arizona and Nevada. It supplies electricity and water to several states, and is one of the tallest dams in the world. It was formerly known as Boulder Dam.
Hoover, Herbert		(1874–1964)  a US politician in the republican party who was the president of the US from 1929 to 1933, during the first years of the great depression when many US citizens did not have jobs. His government was often criticized because it did not do enough to help these people.
Hoover, J. Edgar		(1895–1972)  the most important director of the fbi, from 1924 until his death. Hoover is remembered as someone with very strong anti-Communist views, and he was criticized for having too much power and for collecting information about people who were not criminals or enemies of the country.
Hope, Anthony		(1863–1933)  a British writer known especially for his adventure novel The Prisoner of Zenda
Hope, Bob		(1903–2003)  a US actor and comedian, born in the UK, who appeared in many humorous films such as Road to Singapore (1940) and The Paleface (1948). He was known for entertaining soldiers during wartime and for his special style of humour, which was based on  one-liners (=very short, clever jokes).
Hopi	 noun	 a Native American tribe from Arizona in the US
Hopkins, Anthony		(1937–)  a British actor, born in Wales, most famous for playing the part of Hannibal Lecter, a man who kills people and then eats them, in the film The Silence of the Lambs (1990) for which he won an Oscar. He became a US citizen in 2000. His official title is Sir Anthony Hopkins.
Hopkins, Gerard Manley		(1844–89)  a British poet who was also a Catholic priest, and whose poems are mostly about religious ideas and the beauty of nature
Hop o' My Thumb		a French fairy tale (=a children's story in which magical things happen). Hop o'My Thumb is the youngest of seven children, and he protects his brothers and sisters after their parents leave them in the forest because they have no money. He steals some magic boots from an ogre, and uses them to make money which he gives to his parents.
Hopper, Dennis		(1936-2010)  an American film actor and director whose films include Rebel Without A Cause (1955), Easy Rider (1969), and Blue Velvet (1986). He is most famous for playing characters who are rebels and want to be independent.
Hopper, Edward		(1882–1967)  a US painter known for his realistic paintings of everyday life. His work influenced the development of pop art.
Horace		(65–8 BC)  a Roman poet and writer of satire (=literature making fun of stupid or evil people), whose work greatly influenced English poetry. His full Latin name was Quintus Horatius Flaccus.
Horlicks		a type of drink which is prepared by mixing powder with hot milk or water. It is popular in the UK and people usually drink it to help them relax before going to bed.
Horn, the
Hornblower, Horatio		the chief character in the Hornblower stories by C.S. forester. He was an officer in the British navy.
Hornby, Nick		(1957–)  a British writer. His novels Fever Pitch and  High Fidelity were made into successful films, and they deal with his interests in football and music.
Horn of Africa, the		the part of East Africa that includes Somalia and some of Ethiopia
Horowitz, Vladimir		(1904–89)  a US pianist, born in Russia, who played classical music
Horse Guards, the		the royal horse guards
Horse Guards Parade		a wide square in central London used for public ceremonies by the blues and royals and other British army regiments
Horse of the Year Show, the		a show jumping competition held every year in London
hospital-acquired	 adjective	a hospital-acquired infection is one that someone gets while being treated in hospital
Houdini, Harry		(1874–1926)  a US magician (=an entertainer who performs magic tricks) and escapologist, who became famous for his great skill at escaping from chains, handcuffs, and locked containers, even when he was under water
Hound of the Baskervilles, The		(1902) a novel by Sir Arthur conan doyle in which the detective Sherlock holmes tries to find out who is responsible for killing two people who seem to have been attacked by a large hunting dog, but who have really been murdered. Most of the story takes place in a wild, open area of southwest England called dartmoor, and the loud, long baying (bay4 ) of a dog is often heard.
Household Cavalry, the		a group of British soldiers on horses who are responsible for guarding the king or queen and the royal palace. The Household Cavalry consists of two regiments, the life guards and the blues and royals.
Houses of Parliament, the		the buildings in which the members of the British parliament meet, or the parliament itself
House that Jack Built, The		the title of a well-known nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for children) which begins 'This is the house that Jack built'
House Un-American Activities Committee, the
Housing and Urban Development	 noun
Houston, Sam		(1793–1863)  a US soldier and politician who fought to make Texas independent from Mexico. He was president of the Republic of Texas from 1836 until it became a state of the US in 1845. The city of Houston in Texas was named after him.
Hovis		a British company that makes different types of bread, but is best known for its brown bread
Howard, John		(1939–)  an Australian politician and former prime minister (1996–2007)
Howard Johnson's		a type of restaurant or hotel in the US, usually built close to large main roads, providing services for families and business travellers
Howard League for Penal Reform, the		a British organization which is against physical punishment and the death sentence, and wants change in international attitudes to punishment and imprisonment
Howdy Doody		the main character of a US television programme for children called 'The Howdy Doody Show', which was especially popular during the 1950s. Howdy Doody was a puppet with red hair, who was dressed like a cowboy. Many people in the US remember that the programme always began with the words 'It's Howdy Doody time!' and that the children who were present while it was being filmed were called 'the Peanut Gallery'.
Howe, Gordie		(1928–)  a Canadian ice hockey player who played for 26 years in the National Hockey League
Howerd, Frankie		(1921–92)  a British comedian who appeared in films, on television and radio, and in the theatre. He is remembered especially for playing the part of a Roman slave in the Up Pompeii programmes on British television, and also for appearing in two  carry on films. His humour was often based on  innuendo (=making remarks that suggest something unpleasant or disapproving without saying it directly) and on  double entendres (=statements that have more than one meaning, often connected with sex).
How Green was My Valley		(1939) a novel by Richard Llewellyn about a miner's family in South Wales. It was made into a film in 1941.
HP sauce		a type of thick, dark brown liquid made of vegetables, fruit, and spices, which is sold in a tall, thin bottle, and poured over food, especially fried (fry ) food like eggs and sausages. It is popular in the UK.
HUAC, the		(the House Un-American Activities Committee) a group in the US house of representatives which tried to find out whether US citizens were enemies of the government. It was especially active during the early 1950s as a result of mccarthyism. At this time, the Committee judged many cases involving politicians, military officers, and other well-known people who were believed to be communists. It stopped operating in 1975.
Hubbard, L Ron		(1911–86) a US writer who started a new religion called the Church of Scientology. He also wrote many science fiction books.
Hubble Space Telescope, the		a very powerful telescope (=a piece of equipment for making distant objects look larger and closer) which is attached to a satellite in space, going around the Earth, and can see much further into space than telescopes on Earth
Huckleberry Finn
HUD		(Housing and Urban Development) a US government department which is responsible for providing houses for people to live in, and for the way cities are developed
Huddleston, Trevor, Bishop		(1913–98), a British priest who became famous for trying to end apartheid in South Africa. He worked in South Africa from 1943 until 1956.
Hudson Bay		a large area of sea in northern Canada which is frozen for most of the year
Hudson, Henry		(1565–1611) an English sailor and explorer who made several attempts to find the Northeast Passage (=along the northern coast of Russia) and the Northwest Passage (=along the northern coast of Canada). He discovered Hudson Bay in 1610.
Hudson River, the		a river in New York State in the US, which meets the Atlantic Ocean in New York City. The Hudson is named after the explorer, Henry Hudson.
Hudson River School, the		a group of US painters between 1820 and 1880, who painted landscapes (=paintings of areas of countryside) in a romantic style
Hudson, Rock		(1922–85)  a US film actor, known for being very good-looking, who made several humorous films with Doris day, such as Pillow Talk (1959), and appeared in many other films and on television. He was secretly  homosexual, and was one of the first famous people to die of  aids.
Hudson's Bay Company		a British company, established in 1670, which exchanged goods for furs with the Native Americans and once owned large areas of land in Canada
Hughes, Howard		(1905–76)  a US businessman, aircraft designer, pilot, and film producer, known for being very rich but also for being very unwilling to spend money. He was a recluse (=someone who lives on their own and does not want to see other people) for the last 26 years of his life.
Hughes, Langston		(1902–67)  an African-American poet and writer, known for using African-American language and patterns of speech in his work
Hughes, Ted		(1930–98)  a British poet known especially for his poems about the cruelty of animals and nature. He was married to the US poet Sylvia Plath. He became Poet Laureate (= the Queen's official poet) in 1984.
Hugo, Victor		(1802–85)  a French writer of poems, plays, and novels. Two of his most famous novels, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and  les misérables, have been made into films, and Les Misérables has also been made into a famous  musical (=a play with songs and dances).
Huguenot	 noun	a French Protestant during the 16th and 17th centuries, when Protestants were often treated very badly in France
Hu Jintao		(1942–)  a Chinese politician who was president of the People's Republic of China in 2003 to 2012
Humane Society, the		a US organization that takes care of unwanted pets, especially ones that were treated cruelly, and tries to find them new homes. It also encourages people to treat animals better.
Human Genome Project, the		an international scientific project that started in 1988. Its aim was to discover the sequence of the human genome (=to find and describe every gene in every chromosome in the human body), which it successfully did in April 2003. Scientists are now working on finding out the purpose of every gene, and trying to find out which genes cause particular diseases.
Human Rights Watch		an independent organization whose aim is to protect the human rights of people around the world. It is based in New York, but is not connected to the government of any particular country. It encourages governments to prevent discrimination, support political freedom, and protect people from inhumane treatment during war.
Humberside		a former county in northeast England. It is now divided into Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire, and North-East Lincolnshire.
Hume, Cardinal Basil		(1923–99)  a British priest who, in 1976, became archbishop of westminster and the leader of the Roman Catholic religion in England and Wales
Hume, David		(1711–76)  a Scottish writer on philosophy and history, known for A Treatise of Human Nature and for his History of England. He believed in  empiricism, the idea that human knowledge comes only from what we see and feel, and his ideas had great influence.
Hume, John		(1937–)  a politician from Northern Ireland, who was the leader of the sdlp (=Social Democratic Labour Party) from 1979 to 2001, and who was a member of the UK Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly. He is known for trying to bring an end to violence in Northern Ireland, and trying to start peace talks between Catholics and Protestants. In 1998 he shared the Nobel Prize for Peace with David Trimble.
Hummer	 noun	a large American car made for travelling over rough ground	悍马〔美国越野车品牌〕
Humphrey, Sir
Humphrys, John		(1943–)  a British journalist and broadcaster who is known for asking politicians difficult questions in a very direct way when he interviews them. He is best known for working on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 and has presented many  current affairs programmes on both radio and television.
Humpty Dumpty		a character in a nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for young children) and in the book through the looking-glass by Lewis carroll, who is like a large egg in shape: Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,/Humpty Dumpty had a great fall./All the King's horses and all the King's men/Couldn't put Humpty together again.
Hun	 noun	 a group of nomadic people from Mongolia who entered Europe in the 4th century AD and gradually took control over a large part of central and eastern Europe. Their most famous leader was Atilla, and they are thought of as being cruel and enjoying war and fighting.
Hunchback of Notre Dame, The		(1831) a novel by Victor hugo about a kind but ugly hunchback (=someone whose back has a large raised part on it) called quasimodo, who rings bells in the cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris in the 15th century. He secretly loves a beautiful woman called Esmeralda, and when she is wrongly punished for being a murderer, he tries to save her. The book has been made into several famous films including a full-length cartoon.
Hundred Years War, the		a series of wars between England and France from 1337–1453, when the English kings tried to keep control of land which they ruled in France. The French finally won, and forced the English to leave France.
Hungarian	 noun	 the language of Hungary
Hungarian	 adjective	from or connected with Hungary
Hungary		a country in central Europe, east of Austria and west of Romania. Population: 9,939,470 (2014). Capital: Budapest. From 1945 to 1989, Hungary was one of the Communist countries of Eastern Europe. In 1956, people all over the world were shocked when the army of the former Soviet Union invaded Hungary, preventing the government's attempts to become more democratic. The Hungarian people's fight against this is called the Hungarian Uprising. Hungary became a member of the EU in 2004. The people of Hungary are sometimes called Magyars.
Huntley, Ian		(1974–)  a British man who was sent to prison for life in 2003 for the murders of two ten-year-old girls, Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. They were both students at the school in Soham where Huntley worked as caretaker (=someone whose job is to look after a school building).
Hunt, William Holman		(1827–1910)  a British painter who, with millais and rossetti, started the pre-raphaelite Brotherhood in 1848
Huron, Lake		the second largest of the great lakes, on the border between the US and Canada
Hurricane	 noun	a type of British fighter aircraft which became famous in World War II for its success against enemy bombers and fighters
Hurricane Katrina		a very strong hurricane that began over the Bahamas in August 2005, moved across southern Florida, entered the Gulf of Mexico, and caused damage along the Gulf Coast. The highest number of lives lost and the most severe damage took place in New Orleans, Louisiana where the flood protection system failed. The government was severely criticized for the way it dealt with the disaster.
Hussain, Qusay		(1966–2003)  the second son of the former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. He had some control over the Iraqi Republican Guard and he was probably head of the internal security forces. Many people believe he was responsible for killing many political opponents. In July 2003, Qusay and his brother Uday were killed by US soldiers after a gun fight at a house in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.
Hussein, King		(1935–99)  the king of Jordan from 1952 until his death in 1999. He was admired by many people for his attempts to encourage peace between Israel and the Arab countries that surround it.
Hussein, Saddam
Hussein, Uday		(1964–2003)  the eldest son of the former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Many people believe he was very cruel and was responsible for torture, rape, and for sending many people to prison for no reason. In July 2003, Uday and his brother Qusay were killed by US soldiers after a gun fight at a house in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.
Huston, John		(1906–87)  a US film director and film writer and actor whose many films include The Maltese Falcon (1941), The African Queen (1951), and Prizzi's Honor (1984)
Huxley, Aldous		(1894–1963)  a British writer known especially for his novel Brave new World, about a society of the future where people are completely controlled and have no freedom
Hyde, Mr
Hyde Park		a large park in central London, which includes the Serpentine, a lake, and Speaker's Corner, a place where ordinary people can make speeches about anything that they have strong opinions about
Hyde Park Corner		a place where several very busy roads meet at the southeast corner of Hyde Park in central London
Hymns Ancient and Modern		a book of hymns (=songs of praise to God) which is often used in churches of the church of england
hypertasking	 noun	when someone does a large number of things at the same time
Hyundai		a group of companies based in South Korea which makes cars, ships and electronic products. Its activities also include construction (=building things such as houses, bridges, roads etc), providing financial services, and retailing (=selling goods to customers in shops).
Häagen Dazs		a brand (=type) of ice cream known for its rich and creamy taste, and for using expensive ingredients
Héloïse		(1101–64)  the pupil, lover, and wife of Peter abelard. The love between Héloïse and Abelard is considered to be one of the most famous love stories in history, and their love letters are well known.
IA		the written abbreviation of Iowa
Iacocca, Lee		(1924–)  a US businessman who was president of the Ford car company from 1970 to 1978 and was president of the Chrysler car company from 1978 to 1992. He greatly increased the profits made by Chrysler after a period when it had not been very successful.
Iago		a character in the play othello by William shakespeare. Iago is an evil man who deliberately lies and tells Othello that desdemona, Othello's wife, is having a sexual relationship with another man, and as a result Othello kills her.
IATA, the		(the International Air Transport Association) an international association of airlines which makes decisions about plane services, such as rules about safety or the price of plane tickets
Iberia		the area of western Europe which consists of Spain and Portugal
Iberia		a Spanish airline
IBF		 one of the organizations responsible for controlling professional boxing. A boxer who holds an IBF title is described as a world champion.
Ibiza		a Spanish island southwest of Majorca, which attracts a lot of European tourists. Ibiza is known for being a place where young British people go on holiday because of the many clubs where they can drink and dance.
IBM		a very large international computer company, based in the US. It produces both hardware and software, especially for business users. IBM is sometimes informally called 'Big Blue'.
Ibsen, Henrik		(1828–1906)  a Norwegian writer of plays known especially for writing about middle-class society and criticizing social attitudes and behaviour. His best-known plays include Peer Gynt, A Doll's House, Hedda Gabler, An Enemy of the People, and Ghosts.
ICA, the		(the Institute of Contemporary Arts) a building in central London where modern paintings, films etc are shown. Some of its exhibitions cause a lot of argument and discussion.
Icarus		in ancient Greek stories, the son of the inventor daedalus, who made wings fastened together with wax for himself and Icarus so that they could escape from the island of crete by flying. But Icarus flew too close to the sun, so that the wax melted, and he fell and died.
ICC, the
Iceland		an island country in the Atlantic Ocean just south of the Arctic Circle. Population: 315,281 (2014). Capital: Reykjavik. Iceland is known for having many volcanoes, geysers, and hot  springs.
Icelander	 noun	someone from Iceland
Icelandic	 adjective	connected with Iceland, its people, or their language
Icelandic	 noun	the language of Iceland
Iceni, the		an ancient British tribe of eastern England who fought against the Romans under the command of their queen boudicca
Ichabod Crane
I Ching, The		an ancient Chinese book, also known as the Book of Changes, which some people believe helps you to understand events happening in your life and tells you what will happen in the future. To use the I Ching, you throw a set of sticks or coins, and the patterns that they make are connected to specific parts of the book which explain the meaning of each pattern.
I Claudius		a novel by Robert Graves, published in 1934, about Claudius, who became Roman emperor after the death of his nephew Caligula. Graves also wrote Claudius The God, which described the reign of Claudius.
Idaho		a state in the northwestern US, known for its farming and especially for producing potatoes
Ideal Home		a British magazine containing pictures of beautiful houses and articles about ways to decorate your own home
Ideal Home Exhibition, the		an exhibition of furniture and objects for the house, held every year in London
If		a famous poem by Rudyard kipling which starts with the words If you can keep your head when all about you/Are losing theirs and blaming it on you... It describes the qualities of character that some people think of as typically English, such as the ability to remain calm in difficult situations.
Iftah		the first meal that Muslims eat when Ramadan finishes
Ignatius of Loyola, St		(1491–1556)  a Spanish priest who started the jesuit order (=a Roman Catholic group of missionary priests, which is also called the society of jesus)
IHOP		(International House of Pancakes) a popular restaurant in the US that sells breakfast foods such as pancakes and waffles, as well as other meals
IIRC		(if I remember/recall correctly), a written abbreviation often used in email or text messages
Ike
IKEA		a large Swedish-owned store that sells things for the home, especially furniture. The furniture is usually sold in parts, which customers put together at home. Ikea is known for its simple, practical, and attractive products, which are sold at low cost.
IKR		(I know, right) used in emails and text messages to agree with something that has just been said
IL		the written abbreviation of Illinois
Iliad, The		an ancient Greek epic poem by Homer which tells the story of the Trojan War
Ilium		a Latin name for the ancient city of troy
Illinois		a state in the midwest of the US, known for its farming and industry. Chicago is its largest city.
ILO, the		the international labour organization
I Love Lucy		(1951–57)  a humorous US television programme in which Lucille ball plays the character Lucy, a silly woman who is always getting involved in funny, complicated situations. She usually asks her neighbours, Fred and Ethel, to help her so that her husband Ricky, played by Lucille Ball's husband, Desi Arnaz, does not find out what she has done. There are also two later series, The lucy show(1962–68)  and  here's lucy(1968–73) . The programmes are still often shown on US television.
iMac	 noun	a type of computer made by the Apple computer company. iMacs are an unusual design and are produced in a range of bright colours.	苹果iMac电脑
I'm a Celebrity ... Get me Out of Here!	 	a reality TV show, shown in many countries, in which celebrities (celebrity) live in the jungle for a period of time. The viewers vote to say which celebrity should do a physical test often involving jungle animals. By successfully doing a test, a celebrity can win food for the camp. If, however, a celebrity wants to stop a test, he or she must shout "I'm a celebrity. Get me out of here!" Viewers also vote to say who they would like to win the show. The presenters of the British show are Ant and Dec.
IMAX		a system for showing films on a special curved cinema screen that is much larger than usual. The audience sit very close to the screen and are able to see a lot of detail. This makes the film seem very real.
Immaculate Conception, the		the Roman Catholic belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, was born without original sin (=the state of disobedience to God with which all human beings are born)
Immigration and Naturalization Service, the		a former US government organization which dealt with immigration, making sure that people from other countries obeyed official rules about who is allowed to live or work in the US. It also had the power to decide whether these people could become US citizens. The organization was shut down in 2003 and its responsibilities were divided between different parts of the Department of Homeland Security and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Immortal Memory, The		especially in Scotland, the title of a toast (=when people drink a glass of alcohol to show respect for someone) to the poet Robert burns, usually made at parties on Burns Night
i-mode phone	 noun	a mobile phone that has a small screen which you can use for Internet and email services	I-mode手机〔可通过I-mode服务访问因特网和收发邮件〕
Imperial College		a university in London, which is famous for education and research in science, computing, and engineering. Its full title is the Imperial College of Science, Technology, and Medicine.
Imperial War Museum, the		a military museum in London, where people can see exhibits connected with wars that the UK has fought in
Importance of Being Earnest, The		(1895) a play by Oscar wilde in which a man pretends that his name is Ernest because he thinks this will give him an advantage with a woman he admires
IN		the written abbreviation of Indiana
Inauguration Day		the day an American president is inaugurated, which is always on January 20. There is usually a parade and the new president makes a speech about what he plans for the US.
Inca	 noun	 an ancient people who lived in Peru, South America, and who ruled a large area of the Andes mountains, from Ecuador to Chile, until the Spanish arrived in the 16th century and destroyed their civilization. They are known especially for building impressive cities, such as machu picchu, building roads, and having advanced methods of farming. Their capital was Cuzco, and their language was Quechchua.
Incarnation, the		(in Christianity) the coming of God to Earth in the body of Jesus Christ. The Christian belief is that there was a union of God and Man in Jesus Christ.
Incredible Hulk, the		a character in a US comic (=a magazine with stories told in pictures), television programmes, and films. The Incredible Hulk is a man who changes into a very large green human-like creature who has great strength, usually when he becomes angry about someone else's cruel or evil behaviour.
Independence Hall		a building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where the American declaration of independence, was signed. Many tourists visit it.
Independent, the		a serious British newspaper which generally supports liberal political ideas. The same company produces a similar paper on Sundays, called the Independent on Sunday.
India		a large country in southern Asia. Population: 1,220,800,359 (2014). Capital: New Delhi. India was ruled by the British from 1757 until 1947, and is now the largest democracy in the world. The official languages are Hindi and English, and most people belong to the Hindu religion, although there are also large populations of Muslims and Sikhs. Because of the long connection between India and the UK, the two countries have had a great influence on each other's culture. Many British people are of Indian origin (=they were born in India or their parents, grandparents etc were born in India), and Indian food is very popular in the UK. There have also been many well-known books, films, TV programmes etc about the British in India.
Indiana		a state in the midwest of the US, known for its farming
Indianapolis		the capital city of the US state of Indiana. An important car race called the Indianapolis 500 takes place there every year.
Indianapolis 500, the		a 500-mile car race held at the end of May each year, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the US state of Indiana. It is usually referred to as the Indy 500.
Indian Guide	 noun	the former name for a member of a club for young boys and their fathers run by the YMCA in the US. The YWCA ran a similar programme for young girls and their mothers called Indian Maidens. These are now called YMCA parent/child programs.
Indian Mutiny, the		violent action taken by Indian soldiers in 1857 against their British officers, which led to a general attempt by the people of north and central India to take back power from the British. The mutiny eventually failed, and the British established control again in 1858.
Indian Premier League	 noun	 a professional cricket league in India that was started in 2008. 10 teams of players from all over the world take part in the competition. The type of cricket played is Twenty20 (= each side in a match bats for only 20 overs). The IPL was the first sports event to be broadcast live on YouTube.
Indian Territory		an area of land west of the Mississippi River in the US, mainly in the state of Oklahoma, to which many Native Americans were forced to move in the middle of the 19th century. The land was later taken back from them by the US government.
Indian Wars, the		the wars in the US between white Europeans and Native Americans in the 18th and 19th centuries. The fighting increased after 1830, when the government began to force Native American tribes to leave their land and live in reservations (=special areas of land kept separate for Native Americans). By 1880, most of the fighting had ended.
Individual Retirement Account	 noun
Individual Savings Account	 noun
Indochina		a former name given to part of southeast Asia by Europeans. During the 19th century, Indochina included Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, parts of Malaysia, and Laos, but in the 20th century Indochina came to mean the countries ruled by France: Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. These three countries were also called French Indochina.
Indonesia		a country in the southeast Indian Ocean consisting of more than 13,000 islands, the largest of which are Java, Sumatra, most of Borneo, Sulawesi, and Bali. Population: 251,160,124 (2014). Capital: Jakarta. In population, it is the fourth largest country in the world, and its official religion is Islam.
Indy 500
Ingrams, Richard		(1937–)  a British journalist who in 1962 started the humorous magazine Private Eye, which is known for making fun of famous people, especially politicians. In 1992 he started another humorous magazine called The Oldie.
Ingres, Jean Auguste Dominique		(1780–1867)  a French painter and leader of the neoclassical school  (=artists who copied the style of ancient Greece and Rome). He is known for his portraits (=paintings of real people) and for his nudes (=paintings of people, mostly women, without clothes) such as Turkish Women at the Bath.
Initiatives of Change		an international movement started in 1938 by the evangelist Frank Buchman 1878–1961 , who wanted to make people behave in a more moral and spiritual way, especially in international relations. The organization used to be called Moral Re-Armament.
Injun	 noun	 used especially by children to make someone believe they are telling the truth
Inkatha		a political party in South Africa which represents the Zulu people and is led by Chief Buthelezi. Its full name is the Inkatha Freedom Party. In the 1980s and 1990s many people were killed in fights between supporters of Inkatha and supporters of the ANC.
INLA, the		(the Irish National Liberation Army) the Irish National Liberation Army, an illegal paramilitary organization  (=a group like an unofficial army) in Northern Ireland, which wants the two parts of Ireland to be united and uses violent methods to achieve its aims. The INLA is smaller than the IRA and regarded as more extreme. Unlike the IRA it did not support the Northern Ireland peace talks of 1996–98 or the peace agreement of 1998.
Inland Revenue	 noun	 the former name of the UK government department which collected national taxes in Britain. In 2005 it joined together with Her Majesty's Customs and Excise to form Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.
Inner Hebrides, the		a group of islands west of Scotland and east of the outer hebrides. The largest islands are Skye, Islay, and Mull, and the whole area attracts many tourists in summer.
Inner Mongolia		a region of northern China which is known for its grasslands and desert
Inner Temple, the		a London organization of law students and barristers and the buildings they use, which is the oldest of the four inns of court
Inns of Court, the		the four law societies and their buildings in London, for students and practising barristers, which an English barrister must belong to. The four societies are Lincoln's Inn, the Inner Temple, the Middle Temple, and Gray's Inn.
Innuit	 noun	another spelling of inuit
Inquisition, the		an official Roman Catholic organization which tried to find and punish heretics (=people with unacceptable religious beliefs) during the middle ages, and which is known for the cruel ways that it tortured(torture) and killed people. The most famous part of the organization was the Spanish Inquisition, led in the 15th century by Tomás de torquemada.
INS, the
INSET	 noun	(in-service education training) in the UK, training for teachers which takes place during the school year
Inset day	 noun	one of a number of days during the usual school year in Britain when teachers receive training and children do not go to school. Informally, Inset days used to be called Baker days.
Inspector Morse
Institute of Economic Affairs		a British organization formed in 1957 to promote free market economics. Its ideas were popular with Margaret Thatcher, the Conservative prime minister from 1979 to 90.
Intel		the world's leading maker of computer semiconductor chips. Intel is known especially for its microprocessors, which are used in many computers.
Interlingua		an international language developed in 1951 which has been used as the common language at medical and scientific meetings
International Brigade, the
International Court of Justice, the		the court of law of the United Narions, based in The Hague in the Netherlands. It judges international cases where there are disagreements between nations, for example those connected with war crimes.
International Criminal Court, the		a court of law which has the authority to deal with individual people who have been accused of crimes against humanity, genocide, or war crimes. The court was established in 2003 and its headquarters are in The Hague. Many countries have signed agreements to say that they accept the authority of the International Criminal Court. Israel and the US also signed agreements, but later changed their minds and said that they did not accept the authority of the court.
Internationale		 the international socialist song
International Herald Tribune, The		an international daily newspaper, written in English and sold in many countries. Some of its articles are from the US, and it is often read by US citizens when they are abroad.
International House of Pancakes
International Labour Organization, the		a UN organization based in Geneva, Switzerland which helps workers around the world by making sure they are treated fairly, paid equally for the same jobs, not forced to work in dangerous conditions etc
International Space Station		a space station that was built by scientists from 16 different countries, including the US, Russia, Canada, Japan, Brazil, and the 11 countries of the European Space Agency. The first two parts of the station went into space in 1998, and the first people arrived at the station in 2000. People go to the station either in Russian Soyuz rockets or in the US space shuttle. The station is mainly used for scientific experiments. It is 250 miles above the Earth.
InterRail pass		a special type of railway ticket that allows you to travel on trains all over Europe for a fixed period. These tickets are especially popular with students and other young people.
Interstate Commerce Commission, the		a former US government organization that dealt with the way the US states buy, sell, and exchange goods with each other. The organization was closed in 1995, and replaced by the Surface Transportation Board
In the Bleak Mid-Winter		a carol (=a traditional religious song sung at Christmas) which is especially popular in the UK
Intifada, the		the Palestinian rebellion that started in 1987 as a protest against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip
Inverness		a town in northern Scotland which is often considered to be the capital of the Highlands
Invisible Man		 (1897)  a science fiction novel by H. G. Wells about a scientist who discovers a way of making himself unable to be seen. Several films and television programmes have been based on this book. People sometimes describe someone who is not easy to notice as 'the invisible man'
IofC		the abbreviation of Initiatives of Change
IOM		the written abbreviation of isle of man
Iona		an island off western Scotland, one of the Inner Hebrides, famous as the starting place in the 6th century of Scots Christianity, and the home of the Iona Community, an ecumenical Christian group
Ionesco, Eugène		(1912–94)  a French writer of plays, born in Romania, who wrote about the meaningless lives of human beings and their difficulty in communicating with each other. This type of play was known as the 'Theatre of the Absurd'. Ionesco's plays include The Bald Prima Donna, Rhinoceros, and The Chairs.
IOW		the written abbreviation of isle of wight
Iowa		a state in the midwest of the US, known for its farming. It produces mainly meat, maize, and soya beans.
IPL	 noun
iPod	 noun	a small piece of electronic equipment for playing music, made by the Apple computer company. You can carry an iPod around with you and it can store a very large amount of music which you get from the Internet, from a CD, or from another iPod. iPods can also store videos and games.	iPod〔苹果公司生产的一款便携式数码音乐播放器〕
Iran		a country in southwest Asia, between Iraq and Afghanistan. Population: 79,853,900 (2014). Capital: Tehran. Iran was called Persia until 1935, and is an important oil-producing country. It was at war with Iraq from 1980 to 1988. Iran is a strongly Muslim country and, although it is a democracy Muslim priests have held a lot of political power there since the Shah  (=King) was removed in 1979, when the Ayatollah Khomeini came to power.
Irangate		a political scandal in 1987, when it was discovered that members of President reagan's government had sold weapons to Iran in exchange for the return of US hostages (=people kept as prisoners by an enemy), and had then used the profits to support the Contras, an unofficial army that was fighting the government in Nicaragua
Iranian Embassy Siege		a siege at the Iranian Embassy in Knightsbridge, West London in May 1980 which lasted for six days. Iranian terrorists in the building demanded freedom for political prisoners in Iran. The siege was ended by British sas troops, who broke into the building killing some of the terrorists and rescuing 19 hostages. The terrorists killed two Iranian officials.
Iran-Iraq War		a war between Iran and Iraq from 1980 to 1988
Iraq		an oil-producing country in southwest Asia, between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Population: 31,858,481 (2014). Capital: Baghdad. Under its leader Saddam Hussein, Iraq was at war with Iran from 1980 to 1988. In 1990 it invaded Kuwait and this led to the Gulf War. In 2003, military forces led by the US invaded Iraq to remove Hussein from power, and to find the weapons of mass destruction that they believed he was hiding. They caught Saddam Hussein but did not find any weapons of mass destruction. Hussein was executed in 2006 and a council of Iraqi leaders ruled the country until elections in 2010. US military forces left Iraq in 2011.
Iraq Inquiry	 noun	an official investigation into Britain's activities in the Iraq War. Sir John Chilcot, an important diplomat and civil servant, was chosen to be the chairman. The Iraq Inquiry is also known as the Chilcot Inquiry. It began in November 2009 and its aim was to discover what really happened during the war and to make sure that the UK government could deal effectively with a similar situation in the future. The inquiry examined evidence from several important politicians and army officers including the former Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Iraq War	 noun	 a war that began in March 2003 when an army led by the US (under President George W. Bush) and the UK (under Prime Minister Tony Blair) attacked Iraq. Before the war, the US and UK governments claimed that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) which threatened the safety of their countries. This was one of the main reasons for the war. However, no weapons like these were ever found. The former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein was caught, sent to a court of law, and later executed by the new Iraqi government. The number of foreign soldiers was reduced and all U.S. soldiers left Iraq in 2011. The Iraq War is also known as the War in Iraq and the Second Gulf War.
Ireland		a large island to the west of Great Britain, from which it is separated by the Irish Sea. It is divided politically into northern ireland and the republic of ireland. Northern Ireland is part of the UK, and many people there belong to the Protestant religion. The Republic of Ireland has been an independent state since 1921, and most people there belong to the Roman Catholic religion. Ireland, especially the Republic of Ireland, is known for its beautiful green countryside, and is sometimes called the Emerald Isle. Many great writers in English come from Ireland, including Oscar wilde, James joyce, George Bernard shaw, and Samuel beckett.
Irish Guards, the		a regiment (=a large group of soldiers) in the British army that is part of the guards
Irish National Liberation Army, the
Irish Republic, the		the republic of ireland
Irish Republican Army, the		the full name of the ira
Irish Sea, the		the sea between Great Britain and Ireland
IRIS print	 noun	a very high-quality print that is made using a special printer which is controlled by a computer and which sprays very small drops of coloured ink onto the paper	IRIS喷墨数码打印（图案）
Ironbridge		a bridge over the River Severn in Shropshire, western England, or the area surrounding it. It was the first cast iron bridge ever built, in 1779, and the area around the bridge was a centre of the industrial revolution and is now a museum.
Iron Duke, the		a name sometimes used for the duke of wellington
Iron Lady, the		a name that was formerly used, especially in newspapers, for Margaret thatcher when she was the British prime minister. She was called this because she was seen as a strong leader who did not change her mind easily.
Iroquois	 noun	 a Native American tribe formerly living in New York State
IRS, the		(the Internal Revenue Service) the government organization in the US which is responsible for collecting national taxes, especially income tax (based on how much money you earn) and corporation tax (based on how much profit a company makes). People in the US have to send an income tax return by April every year  (=an official form showing how much tax they have paid and how much they owe).
Irvine, Andrew
Irving, John		(1942–)  a US writer whose novels include The World According to Garp and The Cider House Rules. Both books have been made into successful films, and Irving won an Oscar for his screenplay of The Cider House Rules. His books typically involve many stories happening at the same time.
Irving, Washington		(1783–1859)  a popular US writer known especially for his stories set in New York at the time when it was ruled by the Dutch. His two most famous stories are rip van winkle, about a man who falls asleep for 20 years, and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, about a teacher who meets a 'Headless horseman'.
ISA		(Individual Savings Account) a tax-free savings plan, introduced by Britain's Labour government in 1999
Isaac		in the Old Testament of the Bible, the son of abraham and the father of jacob and esau
Isaiah		(8th century BC) in the Jewish and Christian religions, a Hebrew prophet who said that God would send a messiah to save the Jews. The Book of Isaiah in the Old Testament of the Bible contains his prophecies( prophecy).
Iscariot, Judas
Isis		in ancient Egyptian mythology, the most important goddess. She was the goddess of nature and was also the wife and sister of osiris.
Islamabad		the capital city of Pakistan
Islamic Jihad		an Islamic organization that is opposed to Isreal's control of Palestine. During the 1980s, Islamic Jihad held several people from Western countries as hostages for a very long time, including Jesse Turner from the US and Terry Waite from the UK.
Islay		an island off the west coast of Scotland and one of the inner hebrides. Many tourists visit it, and it is known especially for its many distilleries(distillery), where whisky is made.
Isle of Dogs, the		an area of East London, surrounded on three sides by the River Thames. It used to be a very working class area, with a lot of industry and docks (=places where ships are loaded). But it is now part of docklands and there are a lot of new houses and offices there.
Isle of Man, the		an island in the Irish Sea. It is under British control, but has its own parliament, the Tynwald, and its own laws. Many rich British people live there or keep their money there because taxes are lower than in the UK. A well-known series of motorcycle races called the TT (Tourist Trophy) races is held in the Isle of Man every year. The adjective for describing people or things from the Isle of Man is Manx.
Isle of Wight, the		an island off the coast of southern England and an English county. It is a popular place for English families to go to on holiday and for people who enjoy sailing.
Islington		a borough of northeast London, thought of as a place where many left-wing and middle-class politicians and people who work in television, radio, and newspapers live
ISO		(International Standards Organization) an international organization which sets standards for the size, shape, and technical features of industrial goods, electrical products etc. ISO has members in more than 70 countries. Its full name is the International Organization for Standardization.
Isolde
Israel		a country on the eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea, surrounded by Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon. Population: 7,707,042 (2014). Capital: Jerusalem. Israel was established in 1948 as a home for the Jewish diaspora, out of land that was part of Palestine. Many Arab countries do not want Israel to exist, and there have been several wars since 1948. The Arab Palestinians who live in Israel have tried to improve their position, sometimes using violence. Following a peace agreement in 1993, the Palestinian people have become partly independent of Israel through the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority.
Istanbul		a large city and port in northwest Turkey, at the point where Europe joins Asia. From 330 AD to 1923 it was called constantinople, and before that it was known as byzantium. It is the largest city in Turkey, but it is not the capital city (which is Ankara).
Italy		a country in southern Europe, surrounded on three sides by the Mediterranean Sea. It is a member of the EU. Population: 61,482,297 (2014). Capital: Rome. In ancient times, Italy was home of the Roman civilization which has had a great influence on how people in Europe live and think. The Renaissance began in Italy in the 14th century, and Italy is known for its many beautiful paintings, sculptures, and buildings as well as music, especially opera. Many British people go to Italy on holiday.
Ithaca		in ancient Greek stories, an island off the east coast of Greece which was the home of odysseus
ITN		(Independent Television News) a British news service which provides news for ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, and independent radio stations in the UK
iTunes		a website that is owned by the Apple computer company and which sells records and albums that can be downloaded onto a PC, copied to a CD, or played on an iPod music player
Ivanhoe		the main character in the novel Ivanhoe (1819) by Sir Walter  scott, set in England in the 12th century. Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe is a brave  knight who has many adventures.
Ivan the Terrible		(1530–84)  the first Russian ruler to take the title tsar, remembered for his cruel and unfair leadership
Ives, Charles		(1874–1954) an American composer who wrote modern music that later influenced many other composers, and who used folk music and familiar songs in his works. He is known for his symphonies and for his Concord Sonata.
Ivory Coast		the English name for Côte d'Ivoire, a country in West Africa
Ivory Soap		a brand (=type) of soap used for washing your body and face. It is made and sold in the US by the Procter and Gamble company. Its advertisements said the soap was almost pure, and people still think of it as pure.
I Vow To Thee My Country		a British patriotic song, the music for which was written by Gustav holst, which is often played at school ceremonies and similar events in the UK
Iwo Jima		an island in the Pacific Ocean belonging to Japan, where US forces won a very difficult battle in World War II. There is a statue in Washington, D.C., of US marines raising the US flag on Iwo Jima after they had won the battle.
J-17		a British magazine for teenage girls, formerly called Just Seventeen, which contained pictures and articles about fashion, health, music, boys etc, and answers to readers' questions about personal problems. It stopped being published in 2004.
Jack and Jill		two children in a nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for young children)Jack and Jill went up the hillTo fetch a pail of water;Jack fell down and broke his crown,And Jill came tumbling after.
Jack and the Beanstalk		a fairy tale (=old story for children) about a boy called Jack who sells his mother's cow for some magic beans. His mother angrily throws these beans out of the window, but by the next day they have grown into a tall beanstalk (=the main stem of a bean plant). Jack climbs up it into the clouds, where he finds a giant's castle. He enters it and finds a magic hen (=a female chicken) that produces golden eggs. The giant notices Jack, saying 'Fee fi fo fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman', but Jack manages to escape, stealing the hen, and goes back down the beanstalk. The giant tries to follow him, but when Jack arrives back on the ground he cuts down the beanstalk, the giant falls and dies, and Jack becomes rich as a result of the golden eggs. In the UK, this story is often used in pantomimes.
Jack Bauer		a character played by the actor Kiefer Sutherland in the television series 24. Bauer is a government agent working for the Counter Terrorist Unit. His job involves preventing terrorists from attacking the US. He is known for being prepared to do anything to achieve this. He breaks rules, is extremely brave, and is a very good fighter.
Jackson		the capital city of the US state of Mississippi
Jackson, Andrew		(1767–1845)  a US soldier and politician in the Democratic Party who was the president of the US from 1829 to 1937. He became popular because of his success as a military leader in the battles against the Creek tribe in 1812 and against the British in 1815. His picture is printed on the US twenty-dollar bill (=paper money).
Jackson, Glenda		(1936–)  a British actress who later became a politician and was a minister in the Labour government from 1997 to 1999
Jackson, Michael		(1958–2009)  a very successful African-American pop singer, songwriter, and dancer. As a child, he was a member of the Jackson Five group in the 1970s. He then worked on his own and became even more successful with the albumsThriller (1982) and Bad (1987), and with his exciting performances in concert. Over the years, his appearance changed, and his personal relationships were often talked about in the media. He died of a heart attack caused by taking too much of a medicine, and his doctor was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter (=killing someone without intending to).
Jackson, Reggie		(1946–)  a US baseball player who was famous for hitting home runs, especially during the world series, and for this reason he was called 'Mr. October' (because the World Series games are in October)
Jackson, Stonewall		(1824–63)  a US general in the confederate army during the American Civil War, whose real name was Thomas Jackson. He fought at the battle of Bull Run and helped to defeat the Union army, but he died before the end of the war.
Jackson, the Reverend Jesse		(1941–)  a US politician in the Democratic Party, who is also a minister in the Baptist Church and one of the leading African-American politicians in the US. He was active in the civil rights movement during the 1960s, and is known as a very effective public speaker who has always supported African-American people and other groups who have been unfairly treated in the past.
Jack Sprat		a character in a nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for children): Jack Sprat would eat no fat, His wife would eat no lean, And so between them both, you see, They licked the platter clean.
Jack the Ripper		the name given to a man who killed and cut up the bodies of several prostitutes (=women who are paid to have sex) in the Whitechapel area of London in 1888. The police never caught him and never discovered who he was. There are many books and films based on his crimes, and the name 'the Ripper' is now sometimes used to describe criminals who murder people in a similar way.
Jacob		in the Old Testament of the Bible, the son of isaac, and the brother of esau. Jacob's 12 sons were the ancestors of the 12 tribes of Israel.
Jacobite Rising, the		the failed attempt in 1715–16 to make James Edward stuart (the Old Pretender) king of England
Jacuzzi	 noun	 a large indoor bath that makes hot water move in strong currents around your body	爵士[杰酷士]涡流浴缸
Jaeger		a brand (=type) of expensive, good-quality clothing, especially woollen clothing, made by the British company Jaeger
Jafaican	 noun	a way of speaking, based on Jamaican English, used by young people living in areas of London with people of many races
Jaffa cake		a type of cake that looks like a small biscuit, made in the UK by mcvitie's. It consists of sponge cake covered on one side with a layer of orange jelly and then with a layer of chocolate.
Jagger, Mick		(1943–)  a British rock singer and songwriter with the group the Rolling Stones. He is known especially for his very active and exciting stage performances, and for having very large lips. In 2002 he received a knighthood and became Sir Mick Jagger.
Jaguar		an expensive type of British car known for being large and comfortable but also very fast. Jaguars are often driven by wealthy business people and important politicians.
jailbreak	 verb	to do something to the operating system on a smartphone that allows you to use unofficial software
jailbroken	 adjective	a jailbroken smartphone has been changed so that it is possible to use unofficial software on it	〔手机〕越狱
Jain	 noun	someone whose religion is Jainism
Jainism	 noun	a religion practised in India, which teaches that the soul does not die but is reborn until it reaches perfection and is then freed. The gods of Jainism are perfect souls which have become free.
Jakarta		the capital and largest city of Indonesia, on the island of Java. It is an important industrial city, port, and tourist centre, and one of the largest cities in southeast Asia.
JAMA		(Journal of the American Medical Association) a highly-respected US magazine which provides reports on recent medical developments, new drugs and medical treatments etc
Jamaica		an island in the Caribbean Sea which is an independent state and a member of the British Commonwealth. Population 2,909,714 (2014). Capital: Kingston. Many slaves were brought there from Africa from the 17th to the 19th centuries to work on the sugar and banana farms. Jamaica is now known as a beautiful place for tourists to visit, and as the home of reggae music and the Rastafarian religion.
James, Henry		(1843–1916)  a US writer of novels, who lived for many years in Europe and is known especially for writing about the effect that Europe had on Americans who travelled there. His many books include Washington Square, The Portrait of a Lady, and the  ghost story The Turn of the Screw.
James II, King		(1633–1704)  the king of England from 1685 until 1688, when he was forced to give up his position because he had become a Catholic. In 1690 he tried to get back power from the new British king, William III, but he was defeated at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland.
James I, King		(1566–1625)  the king of England from 1603 until his death. Before he became king of England, he was already the king of Scotland (as James VI), and in 1603 the two kingdoms were united under one king.
James, Jesse		(1847–82)  a US criminal who became famous for robbing banks and trains with his brother Frank. He was shot and killed by one of the members of his own gang (=group of criminals). Some people considered Jesse James to be a hero, and there are many films and stories based on his life.
James, P.D.		(1920–)  a British writer of crime stories who invented the character of Adam Dalgliesh, a policeman from Scotland Yard. Many of her books have been filmed for television, such as Death of an Expert Witness and An Unsuitable Job for a Woman. Her official title is Baroness James of Holland Park.
James, Sid		(1913–76)  a popular British actor and comedian, known for his humorous parts in many carry on films, as well as for appearing on television and radio in Hancock's Half Hour with Tony Hancock
Jamestown		a town in Virginia which was the first town built by English people who went to live in North America. It was established in 1607, and is a popular place for tourists to visit.
Jane		the main female character in the books and films about tarzan
Jane Eyre		( 1847) a book by Charlotte brontë about a young woman called Jane Eyre who becomes a governess and agrees to marry her employer, Mr Rochester, not knowing that he already has a wife who is mentally ill and kept locked in the attic (=a room under the roof) of the house. Jane Eyre is still a very popular book and has been made into several films and plays.
Janet and John		a boy and girl who are the main characters in simple British books used for teaching children to read, which were popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Similar stories are sometimes described as 'Janet and John books'.	珍妮特和约翰〔20世纪50和60年代畅销英国儿童读物中男、女小主人公的名字，此类读物有时被称作"珍妮特和约翰童书"〕
Japan		a country in East Asia consisting of four large islands, Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, and many smaller ones. Population: 127,253,075 (2014). Capital: Tokyo. The main religions are Shinto and Buddhism. Japan is an ancient civilization, but during the 1970s and 1980s it became a rich country with advanced industries, known especially for making cars and electronic goods. When people in the US and UK think of Japan, they typically think of it as a place that develops and produces advanced electronic equipment and has trains that travel at high speeds. It is also known for its traditional culture, such as geishas (=traditional female entertainers) wearing beautiful kimonos and sumo wrestlers.
Japan, the Sea of		the sea that separates Japan from Korea and the mainland of Asia. In Korea, it is called the East Sea.
Jarman, Derek		(1942–94)  a British artist, writer, and film director, who was known for being homosexual, and whose unusual and original films, including Sebastiane (1975), Caravaggio (1986), and Edward II (1991), often contained homosexual characters
Jarrow		an industrial town in northeast England on the River Tyne, where ships were built and steel was made until 1930, when many people lost their jobs as a result of the Great Depression. In 1936 many unemployed people walked from Jarrow to London as a protest, in what was known as the Jarrow March. This was the most famous of the hunger marches of the 1920s and 1930s in the UK.
Jaruzelski, Wojciech		(1923–)  a Polish general and leader who was president of Poland from 1985 until 1989. He did not allow any opposition or trade union activity but was forced to accept changes after the elections in 1989.
Jasmine Revolution		 a phrase used in the media to describe the revolution which took place in Tunisia at the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011, in which President Ben Ali was removed from power following a series of street demonstrations and other protests. The Tunisian Revolution was the first in a series of revolutions and protests in the Middle East and North Africa which began in December 2010 and continued into 2011. These events were sometimes called the Arab Spring by the media.
Jason		in ancient Greek stories, a hero who sailed with a group of men called the Argonauts in the ship Argo to find the Golden Fleece. Together they had many exciting adventures. The story was made into a film called Jason and the Argonauts.
Jaws		(1975) an exciting and frightening US film made by Steven spielberg, about a shark (=a large dangerous fish) that kills people who go swimming in the sea and then tries to kill a group of men who go out in a boat to catch it
Jaycee		a member of an organization with branches in many towns and cities in the US. They are called the Jaycees from the letters JC, an abbreviation for Junior Chamber (of Commerce), and they encourage useful and interesting activities for local people.
Jay, John		(1754–1829) a US lawyer who became the first Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court in 1789. He helped to make peace with Britain after the American Revolutionary War, and in 1794 made an arrangement with Britain called Jay's Treaty, that included an agreement on trade
Jazz Age, the		a period of about ten years, after World War I, when jazz music became very popular and fashionable. It is thought of as an exciting period when there was more social freedom than there had been before.
JCB	 noun	a vehicle used for digging and moving earth	JCB挖掘机
J C Penney		a US company, often called 'Penney's', which sells a wide range of quality goods at reasonable prices. Penney's has stores all over the US, and customers can also buy goods by mail order.
J.D.	 noun	(Doctor of Jurisprudence) a high-level law degree in the US. J.D. is written after someone's name to show that they have this degree
Jedda		the largest port of Saudi Arabia, on the Red Sea
Jeep	 noun	a type of car made for travelling over rough ground	吉普〔一种越野车〕
Jefferson City		the capital city of the US state of Missouri
Jefferson Memorial, the		a building in Washington, D.C. that has a statue of Thomas Jefferson inside it. The building is round, with tall columns.
Jefferson, Thomas		(1743–1826)  the third president of the US, from 1801 to 1809. Jefferson was an important member of the Continental Congress and wrote most of the Declaration of Independence. When he was president, the US bought the Louisiana Purchase, and the slave trade officially stopped being legal.
Jehovah's Witness	 noun	a member of a religious organization that believes the end of the world will happen soon and sends its members to people's houses to try to persuade them to join	耶和华见证人〔一个宗教组织的成员﹐该组织认为世界末日即将来临﹐以成员上门方式传教〕
Jelly Belly		a type of jelly bean which is known for having unusual tastes, such as watermelon
Jenga		 a game in which players take it in turn to remove a block from a tower built of 54 blocks of wood, and place it on the top of the tower. Eventually the tower falls over. The last player to take a block out of the tower without making it fall wins the game.
Jenkins, Roy		(1920–2003)  a British politician. He held several important positions in the Labour governments of the 1960s and 1970s, but left the Labour Party in 1981 to help start the Social Democratic Party. He was president of the European Commission from 1977 to 1981, chancellor of Oxford University, and a well-known writer on history and politics. His official title was Baron Jenkins of Hillhead.
Jenner, Edward		(1749–1823)  a British doctor who developed the principle of vaccination. He discovered that putting a small amount of cowpox (=a disease that affects cows) into people's bodies protected them from smallpox, a related disease that had killed many people until then.
Jeremiah		(6th century BC) in the Jewish and Christian religions, a Hebrew prophet who said that Jerusalem would be defeated and that God would become angry with the Jews and punish them. The Book of Jeremiah in the Old Testament of the Bible contains his prophecies( prophecy). A  pessimistic person, who always says that bad things are going to happen, is sometimes called a Jeremiah.
Jericho		a city in Israel, north of the Dead Sea, thought to be the oldest city in the world. According to the Old Testament of the Bible, it was attacked by Joshua, the leader of the Israelites, and his army shouted and blew their trumpets so loudly that the walls of the city fell down. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Israel took Jericho from Jordan, but in 1994 it became part of the Palestinian National Authority as result of the Middle East peace process.
Jerome, Jerome K.		(1859–1927)  a British writer of humorous novels, best known for his book three men in a boat
Jerry Springer Show		a television programme made in the US and presented by Jerry springer. Ordinary members of the public appear on the show before a studio audience and say things about themselves or their relationships with their friends, lovers, or families. There are often arguments and sometimes fights.
Jerusalem		a city in Israel, which is of great historical importance to Jews, Christians, and Muslims. It has many important places for all these religions, such as the Wailing Wall, the Mount of Olives, and the Dome of the Rock, an ancient and very holy Muslim building. Jerusalem is regarded by Israel as its capital city, but many Arab people do not accept this.
Jerusalem		a hymn (=a song of praise to God) based on a poem by William Blake, which English people often sing on patriotic occasions
Jerusalem Bible, the		an English translation of the Bible made by roman catholic scholars in the 1960s
Jesus Christ Superstar		a musical (=a play that uses singing and dancing to tell a story) by Andrew lloyd webber and Tim Rice about the life of jesus. It was made into a film in 1973.
Jesus freak	 noun	a hippie, especially during the 1960s and 1970s, who was also a member of a Christian group
Jesus movement, the		a Christian movement which began in the 1970s and consisted of especially young people who had rejected the practice of most of the established Christian churches and believed in spreading the teachings of Jesus by talking about them a lot
Jet Ski	 noun	a small fast vehicle on which one or two people can ride over water for fun	喷气式滑艇〔供一人或两人玩〕
Jetsons, the		a US television cartoon series from the Hanna Barbera studios, about a space age family named Jetson. It was first broadcast 1962–63, then repeated throughout the 1960s and 1970s. New episodeswere recorded in 1985, and the film Jetsons, the Movie came out in 1990.
Jewel in the Crown, The		a British television programme of the 1980s, about British people in India before the country became independent in 1947. It is based on four novels by Paul Scott, one of which is also called The Jewel in the Crown.
Jewess	 noun	a word meaning a Jewish woman, now usually considered offensive
JFK		John Fitzgerald kennedy
Jiang Qing		(1913–91)  a Chinese politician and the third wife of mao zedong. She had extreme left-wing views.
Jiang Zemin		(1926–)  a Chinese politician who was leader of China and the Communist Party from 1997 to 2002
Jiffy bag	 noun	 a thick soft envelope, used for posting things that might break	捷飞纸袋[信封]〔用于邮寄易碎物品〕
Jim Crow	 adjective	unfair to African Americans
Jimmy Choos	 noun	a brand of expensive and fashionable women's shoes
Jingle Bells		the title and first words of a popular Christmas song:
Jinnah, Mohammed Ali		(1876–1948)  the first governor-general of Pakistan, from 1947 until his death. Jinnah was for many years the leader of the Muslim League in India, an organization that wanted a separate country for India's Muslims. He was mainly responsible for establishing the state of Pakistan in 1947.
Joad family, the		the main characters in the book The grapes of wrath (1939) by John  steinbeck
Joan of Arc		(1412–31)  the patron saint of France. As a young girl, she believed that she heard holy voices telling her to fight the English and force their army to leave France. Dressed as a man, she led a French army which defeated the English at Orléans, and became known as the 'Maid of Orléans'. Later she was made a prisoner, and a court found her guilty of being a witch (=a woman with evil magic powers), and she was punished by being burned to death.
Job		in the Old Testament of the Bible, a man who continued to have faith in God even though God destroyed his property and his family
Jobcentre Plus		a British government organization which gives money to people who are unemployed or ill, and helps them to find jobs
Jobseeker's Allowance		money paid by the British government to help people who have no work and are trying to find work
Jobs, Steve		(1955–2011)  a US computer designer and businessman who, together with Steve Wozniak, designed and built the first real personal computer and started the Apple computer company. In 1985 he left Apple and bought the company Pixar which has made films such as Toy Story. In 1996 he returned to Apple and became CEO in 1997. He became a director of Disney when they bought Pixar in 2006.
Jo'burg		an informal name for johannesburg
Jockey Club, the		the organization that is responsible for making the rules that govern the sport of horse racing in the UK, and for making sure that people involved in the sport follow the rules
Jockey shorts	 noun	 a type of men's cotton underwear that fits very tightly	居可衣内裤
Jodrell Bank		an observatory (=place from which scientists study the stars etc) in Cheshire, northwest England
Joe Public		the average member of the public, or people in general
Joffrey, Robert		(1930–1988) an American ballet dancer and Choreographer (=someone who arranges how dancers will move). He started the American Ballet Centre, a school for dancers, in 1953, and a ballet group in 1956. His ballet group later became the Joffrey Ballet, one of the most important ballet groups in the US.
Johannesburg		the largest city in South Africa, and a centre for business and industry. Before the end of apartheid, black people were not allowed to live there, and had to live in townships outside the city, especially soweto.
John Barleycorn	 noun	the personification (=the representation of a thing as a person, in literature or art) of alcoholic drink, especially strong drinks such as whisky
John Birch Society, the		a very right-wing organization started in the US during the 1950s to fight communism
John Brown's Body		a US folk song about John Brown, a man who fought against slavery in the US:
John Deere		a US company that makes industrial and farm vehicles and machines
John, Elton		(1947–)  a British pop singer and songwriter who was especially successful in the 1970s, and has continued to be popular. He is known for his unusual brightly decorated clothes and glasses. His songs include Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973), Candle in the Wind (1974), and I'm Still Standing (1983). His civil partner is the film director David Furnish. The two men have two sons. The singer's birthname is Reginald Kenneth Dwight, and his official title is Sir Elton John.
John, King		(1167–1216)  the king of England from 1199 until his death. He is remembered especially for signing the magna carta in 1215, by which he agreed to accept limits on his power as king. These events are described in a play by William shakespeare called King John.
John Lewis		a large British department store in many UK cities, selling a variety of products, especially articles for the home, such as electrical goods, furniture, and kitchen equipment. The company is known for saying that it is 'never knowingly undersold', by which it means that if you can find any of its products at a cheaper price in another shop, it will sell you that product at the cheaper price. It is also known for being a partnership, meaning that the business is owned by the people who work in it and they all share in its profits.
Johnnie Walker		a well-known type of scotch whisky. There are two types of Johnnie Walker, Red Label and the more expensive Black Label.
Johnny-on-the-spot	 noun	 someone who immediately offers to help, takes an opportunity etc
John of Gaunt		(1340–99)  an English politician, son of Edward III, who acted as head of government until Richard II was old enough to rule
John Paul I		(1912–78) an Italian priest who was Pope (=the leader of the Roman Catholic religion) for only 34 days before his death
John Paul II, Pope		(1920–2005)  a Polish priest, who became the first Polish Pope (=the leader of the Roman Catholic religion) in 1978. He travelled more than any pope before, visiting countries all over the world. He often spoke about his opposition to birth control and to the idea of women becoming priests. His birth name was Karol Józef Wojtyła.
John, Saint		one of Jesus Christ's disciples (=his close friends and followers), who is believed to have written several of the books of the New Testament of the Bible: The Gospel according to St John, which describes the life and teaching of Jesus, the three Epistles of John, and The Book of Revelation. He is sometimes called St John the Evangelist and St John the Divine.
Johns, Jasper		(1930-) a US painter who is important in the development of pop art
Johnson, Amy		(1903–41)  a British pilot who flew alone in several famous flights in which she broke new records, for example from England to Australia in 1930, and from England to South Africa in 1932. She died when her plane disappeared over the English Channel during World War II.
Johnson, Andrew		(1808–1875) the seventeenth president of the US, from 1865 to 1869
Johnson, Boris	 	(1964- ) a British politician and journalist who was educated at Eton and Oxford University. He has been an MP and mayor of London, and was the editor of The Spectator magazine from 1999 to 2005. Johnson is known for his blond hair, love of cycling, and for making gaffes (=embarrassing mistakes in public).
Johnson, Jack		(1878–1946) , a US boxer who became the first African American to win the world heavyweight championship. Johnson was a very skilful boxer who beat the world champion Tommy Burns in 1908.
Johnson & Johnson		a large international company that produces many types of cleaning, washing, and medical products, such as baby shampoo and tylenol (=medicine for when your head hurts)
Johnson, Lyndon B.		(1908–73)  a US politician in the Democratic Party who was known as LBJ and was the president of the US from 1963 to 1969. He first became president when President kennedy was killed in 1963, and was elected again in 1964. He then started his plan for a 'Great Society' by introducing laws that helped poor people, improved medical care and education, and gave civil rights to all US citizens whatever their race. When the US became more involved in the Vietnam War, however, he became unpopular.
Johnson, Magic		(1959–)  a very tall US basketball player who was a famous guard for the Los Angeles Lakers team, and helped them win five NBA championships during the 1980s. In 1991, he stopped playing when he discovered he was HIV-positive, and since then he has spent his time teaching people about AIDS, especially how to avoid getting the disease. He came out of retirement and won a gold medal with the USA team in the 1992 Olympics. He finally retired in 1996. His real name is Earvin Johnson, Jr.
Johnson, Samuel		(1709–84) , known as Dr Johnson, a British critic and dictionary writer, famous for his Dictionary of the English Language (1755). He was well-known in London society in the 18th century, and considered to be an excellent  conversationalist (=his conversation was intelligent, amusing, and interesting). He is often thought of in association with James  boswell, who wrote his life story.
Johnson, Virginia Eshelman
John the Baptist, Saint		(?12 BC-?28 AD) in the New Testament of the Bible, a religious teacher who told people that Jesus Christ was coming, and who baptized Jesus in the River Jordan
John XXIII		(1881–1963) an Italian priest who became Pope (=the leader of the Roman Catholic religion) in 1958
Joint Chiefs of Staff, the		the leaders of the four main parts of the US military forces, the Army, the Navy, the Airforce, and the marines. Their job is to advise the US president on important military matters.
Jolliet, Louis		(1645–1700)  a French-Canadian explorer who, with Jacques marquette, discovered the upper Mississippi River in 1673
Jolson, Al		(1886–1950)  a white US singer who wore black make-up to look like a black person, and sang songs associated with African Americans. He is known for his emotional performances, and for appearing in the first film with sound, The Jazz Singer, in 1927, in which he said the famous phrase 'You ain't heard nothin' yet!' His songs include  Mammy and  Swanee.
Jonah		someone who seems to bring bad luck
Jones, Bridget		the main character in the popular novel Bridget Jones' Diary (1996) by British writer Helen Fielding, about an unmarried woman in her 30s and the problems she has in her busy life, such as trying to avoid smoking and eating too much. She is thought to be typical of many women in the late 1990s.
Jones, Casey		(1863–1900)  an American train driver and folk hero who saved the lives of passengers in a train crash, but was killed himself
Jones, Indiana		a character played by Harrison Ford in a series of films by Steven Spielberg, including Raiders of the Lost Ark. Indiana Jones is an archaeologist who tries to find valuable ancient objects and has many exciting adventures.
Jones, Inigo		(1573–1652)  a British architect who designed many important buildings, especially in London. He was the first person to introduce the Italian palladian style of building into the UK. He also designed scenery for the theatre.
Jones, Jim
Jones, Steve		(1944–)  a British biologist (=a scientist who studies living things) and geneticist (=a scientist who studies the way living things are affected by the genes that pass on qualities from their parents). He has written several books and made popular television and radio programmes explaining his ideas about genetics.
Jones, Tom		(1940–)  a British pop singer from Wales, who first became successful in the UK in the 1960s, when he was famous for wearing tight trousers and singing in a sexually exciting way. He later spent many years as a popular performer in the US, especially in Las Vegas. His songs include It's Not Unusual and Delilah. His official title is Sir Tom Jones.
Jonestown		a place in Guyana where people who followed the religious leader Jim jones lived. In 1974, they all killed themselves with poison as part of a ceremony, which became known as the Jonestown Massacre.
Jonson, Ben		(1572–1637)  an English writer of plays, poetry, and criticism. His most famous plays are Volpone, The Alchemist, and Bartholomew Fair.
Joplin, Janis		(1943–70)  a US singer, known for her low rough singing voice, and for her exciting performances on stage. She died as a result of taking drugs.
Joplin, Scott		(1868–1917)  a US piano player and composer known especially for his ragtime music, such as Maple Leaf Rag and The Entertainer, which was used in the film The Sting in 1973
Jordan, Barbara		(1936–1996)  the first African-American woman from the South to become a Congresswoman in the House of Representatives, from 1972 to 1979
Jordan, Michael		(1963–)  a US basketball player who was considered to be the best player of the 1980s and 1990s, helping his Chicago Bulls team win five nba championships. He was often known as 'Air Jordan' because he jumped very high when he scored points.
Jorrocks		a humorous character in books and magazine stories by R. S. Surtees (1805–64) . Jorrocks is a London grocer (=owner of a food shop) who loves horse racing and hunting foxes.
Joseph		in the Old Testament of the Bible, the favourite son of jacob. Joseph was given a 'coat of many colours' by his father, and this made his brothers jealous of him. They sold him as a slave to some Egyptians, but Joseph later became powerful by becoming an adviser to the Egyptian king, and brought his people to live in Egypt.
Joseph		in the New Testament of the Bible, the husband of mary, the mother of Jesus. Joseph was a carpenter in nazareth.
Joseph, Chief		(?1840–1904)  the chief of a native american tribe who fought against the US army in 1870. He was not successful, and his tribe was forced to leave their land and move to a reservation.
Josephine		(1763–1814)  the empress of France from 1804 to 1809. She married Napoleon in 1796, but he got a divorce in 1809 because they had not produced any children together. According to an old story, Napoleon once said 'Not tonight, Josephine' when he refused to have sex with her, and now this phrase is sometimes used in a humorous way.
Joseph of Arimathea, Saint		in the New Testament of the Bible, a rich follower of Jesus who asked to be given Jesus's dead body so that he could bury it in the tomb that he had built for himself. There is also an old story that he brought the holy grail (=the cup used by Jesus at the last supper) to England and built the first Christian church in England at glastonbury.
Joshua		in the Old Testament of the Bible, a man who led the Jews into the 'Promised Land' of canaan. When Joshua and his army attacked the city of jericho they blew their trumpets so loudly that the walls of the city fell down and they were able to take control of it. The Book of Joshua describes how the Jews took control of Canaan.
Joyce, James		(1882–1941)  an Irish writer of novels. Joyce greatly influenced the way English novels were written, with his use of unusual and invented words, and different styles of writing such as stream of consciousness (=expressing thoughts and feelings as they pass through the mind). His most famous novels are Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Ulysses, and Finnegan's Wake.
Joy of Cooking, The		a very popular cookbook in the US, which has instructions on how to cook many standard US and foreign dishes
JR		J. R. Ewing, a character in the US television programme dallas, which was popular in the 1970s and 1980s. JR was in charge of the family's oil business. He was a successful but dishonest businessman who seemed to be interested only in money and power.
JSA		 money paid by the British government to help people who have no work, and are trying to find work
Juan Carlos		(1938–)  the King of Spain since 1975, when Franco died. He had an important part in helping Spain to become a democratic country after Franco's dictatorship.
Judah		in the Old Testament of the Bible, one of Jacob's sons
Judy
Juicy Fruit		a type of chewing gum sold in the US and the UK
Julian calendar, the		the calendar introduced by julius caesar in Rome in 46 BC, that fixed the normal year at 365 days. The gregorian calendar, the usual calendar used in western countries in modern times, is based on the Julian calendar.
Juliet		the main female character in the play romeo and juliet by William shakespeare
Julius Caesar		a play by William shakespeare about the murder of the Roman leader Julius caesar, and about his friend brutus, who thinks Caesar is taking too much power and so joins his murderers. After Julius Caesar's death his friend Mark antony makes a famous speech to the crowd beginning with the words 'Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears'.
Jumbo		a name for an elephant, used especially by children and in children's stories and songs
Juneau		the capital city of the US state of Alaska
Jung, Carl Gustav		(1875–1961)  a Swiss psychiatrist who studied the importance of dreams and religion in problems of the mind, and divided people into two groups, introverts and  extroverts. Jung developed the idea of the  collective unconscious, the belief that people's feelings and reactions are often based on deep memories of human experience in the past. He worked with Sigmund Freud until they had a serious disagreement.
Jungle Book, The		a book of stories by Rudyard kipling about a young boy called Mowgli who grows up in the jungle in India and is cared for by animals, such as Baloo the bear and Bagheera the panther. It was made into a very popular cartoon film by Walt disney in 1967.
Junior Mints		a type of small, soft, circle-shaped mint that is covered with chocolate. People in the US often eat Junior Mints at the cinema.
Junkers	 noun	a type of German military aircraft designed by Hugo Junkers(1859–1935)  and used by the German air force in World War I and World War II
Juno		in Roman mythology, the goddess of women and marriage. She was the wife of jupiter. In Greek mythology her name is hera.
Jurassic Park		(1993) an exciting and frightening US film made by Steven spielberg, about dinosaurs (=very large animals that lived on the Earth millions of years ago) that have been made by scientists and put in a special park where people can go and see them. The dinosaurs escape and try to kill people.
Just Seventeen
Just William books, the		a series of humorous British books for children by Richmal crompton, the first of which was called Just William (1922), about an English schoolboy called William Brown who likes to play tricks on adults and who always gets into trouble. William and his friends, Douglas and Ginger, call themselves 'the Outlaws'.
Jutland		a peninsula (=a long thin area of land with sea on three sides) in northern Europe belonging partly to Denmark and partly to Germany. The Battle of Jutland was fought between the British navy and German navy off the coast of Jutland in World War I.
K-12	 adjective	connected with the part of the US education system that includes kindergarten and grades 1–12 (ages 5–17). All education during these years is paid for by the government
K2		the second highest mountain in the world after Mount Everest, on the border between Kashmir and China
Kaaba, the	 	a building in the shape of a cube that is inside the al-Masjid al-Haram mosque in Makkah (Mecca), Saudi Arabia. It is the holiest place in Islam, and the direction which Muslims pray towards. During the Hajj, people walk together around the Kaaba as part of the religious ceremony.
Kabala	 noun	the Cabala
Kabul		the capital city of Afghanistan
Kaczynski, Theodore
Kafka, Franz		(1883–1924)  a Czech writer who wrote in German, known for his novels such as The Trial and The Castle, and his short stories such as Metamorphosis, in which a man turns into a large and ugly insect. His stories deal with the struggle of ordinary people on their own against the state or large organizations. The word Kafkaesque is used to describe this type of experience, in which you feel that no one understands you and there is no way of escaping from an unpleasant situation.
Kahlo, Frida		(1907–1954)  a famous Mexican painter, who was married for a time to another painter, Diego Rivera. She is known for supporting Communism and for having an affair with Leon Trotsky.
Kaiser, the		Wilhelm II, the King of Germany from 1888 to 1918. He was given the nickname 'Kaiser Bill' by the British in World War I.
Kalahari Desert, the		a large desert in southern Africa
Kali		in Hindu mythology, a goddess of death and destruction
Kama Sutra, the		an ancient Hindu book about sex and love, known especially for the many positions it describes for sexual acts
Kampala		the capital city of Uganda, near Lake Victoria
Kampuchea		a former name of cambodia, a country in southeast Asia. This name is connected especially with pol pot, the Communist leader of the khmer rouge, who was responsible for the killing of millions of people when he was in power from 1975 to 1979.
Kanchenjunga		one of the world's highest mountains, on the border between India and Nepal
Kandahar		a city in southern Afghanistan. It is the second largest city in the country and was considered by the Taliban to be their spiritual home.
Kandinsky, Vasily		(1866–1944) a Russian painter of abstract art
Kansas		a state in the great plains area of the central US, known especially for producing large amounts of wheat
Kansas City		a city and port in west Missouri, USA
Kant, Immanuel		(1724–1804)  a German philosopher who believed that moral decisions must be based on reason, and who wrote books about the existence of God and about how we understand the world. His most important book is the Critique of Pure Reason. His works had great influence on 19th century philosophy.
Kapital, Das		(1867) a book by Karl marx in which Marx explains his ideas about the class struggle and about the way that capitalism works. It is the most important book of marxist economics, and it had a great influence on the development of Communism.
Karachi		a city in southern Pakistan, formerly the capital and still the main port and industrial centre
Karadzic, Radovan		(1945–)  the leader of the Bosnian Serbs who fought against the Bosnian government during the Bosnian War. The UN  (=United Nations) decided that he was responsible for the killing of many Muslims and Croats who lived in towns and villages that the Serbs took, and charged him with war crimes. He went into hiding in 1996, but was arrested in 2008 and sent to the Netherlands for trial in a special law court.
Karajan, Herbert von		(1908–89)  an Austrian conductor and director of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra who made many musical recordings
Karan, Donna		(1948–)  a US fashion designer, whose company is DKNY  (=Donna Karan New York)
Kariba Dam		 one of the world's biggest dams (=a large wall built across a river or lake), built across the Zambezi river in southern Africa
Karloff, Boris		(1887–1969)  a British actor, who is known for his work in US horror films (=films that are intended to make you feel frightened), and who is especially famous for appearing as the monster in the film Frankenstein (1931)
Karnak		a village in Egypt where many temples (=holy buildings) of the Pharoahs have been found, especially a very large and impressive temple built for the god Amon
Karpov, Anatoly		(1951–)  a Russian chess player famous as one of the greatest players of all time. In 1974 the world champion Bobby Fischer of the US would not agree to terms for a match and FIDE, the organization that controls chess, said it would recognise Karpov as world champion. Karpov was world champion from 1974–1985 and 1993–1999.
Karzai, Hamid		(1957–)  an Afghan politician who became interim (=temporary) president of Afghanistan in 2001 when its political leaders chose him to govern the country after the Taliban had left. In 2004 he was elected president.
Kashmir		an area of northwest India and northeast Pakistan. After India became independent in 1947, Kashmir was divided so that part of it now belongs to India, and part to Pakistan. In the Indian part of Kashmir, there is often fighting between Indian soldiers and Kashmiri separatists (=people who want to start a new country with its own government).
Kasparov, Garry		(1963–)  a chess player, born in Azerbaijan, who became the youngest ever world chess champion in 1985 and remained champion until 2000. Some people think he is the best chess player ever. In 1993 he started his own chess organization, called the Professional Chess Association, because of a disagreement with FIDE, the organization that controls chess.
Katherine of Aragon
Kathmandu		the capital city of Nepal, in the Himalayas
Kaunda, Kenneth		(1924–)  a Zambian politician who became the first president of Zambia when it became an independent country in 1964, and was president until 1991
Kazakhstan		a country in central Asia, between Russia and China, which was part of the former Soviet Union, and is now an independent country. Population: 17,736,896 (2014). Capital: Astana.
Kazan, Elia		(1909–2003)  a US film and theatre director, who helped to start the Actors' Studio in New York City. He is known as the director of plays such as death of a salesman (1949), and of films such as A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) and On the Waterfront (1954).
Keating, Paul		(1944–)  an Australian politician and former prime minister (1991–96)
Keaton, Buster		(1896–1966)  a US film actor who made many humorous silent films (=films made with no sound). He is known for appearing as a character with a serious, sad face, who never smiles.
Keats, John		(1795–1821)  a British poet and a leading figure in the romantic movement. He was known for his odes (=long poems expressing his feelings about a particular person or thing), and his most famous odes include To a Nightingale, On a Grecian Urn, and To Autumn. He died very young from  tuberculosis.
Keegan, Kevin		(1951–)  a British football player, one of the most successful players of the 1970s and 1980s, who was also captain of the English national team. He was manager of the England team from 1999 to 2000, and has managed several club sides, including Newcastle, Fulham, and Manchester City.
Keeler, Christine		(1942–)  a British model, known for her part in the Profumo Scandal, which caused serious problems and embarrassment for the UK Conservative government in 1963
Keep America Beautiful		the slogan of a campaign1 to encourage American people not to drop litter in the streets
Keep Britain Tidy		the slogan of a campaign1 to encourage British people not to drop litter in the streets
Keillor, Garrison		(1942–)  a US humorous writer and broadcaster, known especially for his books Lake Wobegon Days (1985) and Leaving Home (1987), and for his radio broadcasts combining music, comedy, and storytelling
Keitel, Harvey		(1939–)  a US actor who has often played violent criminals, and whose films include Taxi Driver (1976), Reservoir Dogs (1991), and The Piano (1993)
Keller, Helen		(1880–1968)  a US writer known especially for the way she learned to speak and write after becoming blind and deaf (=unable to hear) as a baby. She greatly helped blind and deaf people by collecting money, making speeches, and trying to change people's attitudes. She was the subject of a famous book and film about her life called The Miracle Worker.
Kellogg Pact, the		an agreement, signed by 15 nations in 1928, to deal with arguments between countries peacefully, without war or weapons. It was suggested by Aristide Briand, the French Foreign Minister, to Frank B. Kellogg, the US Secretary of State.
Kells, The Book of		an illuminated (=with the pages decorated with gold paint and other bright colours) copy of the four Christian Gospels produced during the 8th century at a monastery in the town of Kells in the Republic of Ireland
Kelly, Dr David		(1944–2003)  a British government scientist who killed himself in 2003. He had told a BBC journalist that the government had been inaccurate in its report about whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, and was in serious trouble because of this. The Hutton Inquiry was set up to report on all the events before his death and to decide who, if anyone, was responsible for his death.
Kelly, Gene		(1912–96)  a US dancer, singer, actor, and director who appeared in many musical films in the 1940s and 1950s, especially as a dancer. His most famous film was singin' in the rain, in which he sings and dances to a song with the same name.
Kelly, Grace		(1928–82)  a US film actress who was famous for her beauty, and who appeared in such films as High Noon (1952) and High Society (1956). She became Princess Grace of Monaco when she married Prince Rainier in 1956, and she was a very popular princess who was often written about in magazines and newspapers. She was killed in a car accident.
Kelly, Ned		(1855–80)  an Australian bank robber who was in a gang (=group of criminals) with his brother Dan. They became very famous, and some people considered Ned to be a hero. He was caught by the police and hanged in 1880.
Kelman, James		(1946–)  a Scottish writer whose novel How Late It Was, How Late won the Booker Prize in 1994. Like many of Kelman's books, it is set in the poor areas of Glasgow and the characters live a hard and sometimes violent life. A lot of the book is written in a Scottish dialect, which is difficult for many people to understand.
Kempis, Thomas à		(1380–1471)  a German monk (=a member of a religious group of Christian men who live apart from other people) who is believed to have written The Imitation of Christ
Kennedy		New York's main international airport
Kennedy Center, the		a theatre built as the official memorial to President kennedy, in Washington, D.C., where there are opera, ballet, and musical performances. Every year there is a special ceremony there, where prizes are given to singers, actors, dancers, musicians etc
Kennedy, Charles		(1959–)  a British politician from Scotland who became the leader of the Liberal Democrats in 1999. In 1983 he became the youngest MP in Parliament at that time. In 2006 he resigned as leader of the Liberal Democrats after admitting that he had an alcohol problem.
Kennedy, Edward		(1932–2009)  a US politician in the Democratic Party who was the brother of John F. Kennedy. In 1969 he was involved in a car accident at Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts in which his female passenger died. When he tried to become elected president of the US in 1980, many people remembered this accident and were unwilling to support him. He was a US senator for Massachusetts from 1962 until his death.
Kennedy, Jackie		(1929–94)  the wife of John F. Kennedy, who became very popular when she was the first lady of the US from 1961 to 1963 because she was considered very beautiful and fashionable. In 1968, five years after Kennedy's death, she married Aristotle onassis.
Kennedy, John Fitzgerald		(1917–63)  a US politician in the Democratic Party, also known as Jack Kennedy and JFK, who was president of the US from 1961 to 1963. He was an extremely popular president, and he planned to improve education, the system of medical care, and civil rights in the US, although it was Lyndon B. Johnson who achieved most of these plans after Kennedy's death. In 1961 Kennedy ordered the invasion of the Bay of Pigs in Cuba, and he was strongly criticized for this. Two years later he was shot in Dallas, Texas, and Lee Harvey Oswald was accused (accuse) of killing him.
Kennedy, Ludovic		(1919–2009)  a British writer and broadcaster who fought against miscarriages of justice. He is best known for his book 10 Rillington Place, in which he said that Timothy Evans was innocent of the murder of his wife and baby. Evans was executed in 1950, but given a pardon in 1966. His official title was Sir Ludovic Kennedy.
Kennedy, Nigel		(1956–)  a British musician who plays the violin and the viola. He has recorded most of the important violin concertos, and his record of Vivaldi's Four Seasons sold many copies and was bought by people who do not normally listen to classical music.
Kennedy, Robert Francis		(1925–68)  a US politician in the democratic party who was the brother of John F. Kennedy. He became a senator for New York in 1965. In 1968, when he was trying to become elected president of the US, he was shot.
Kennedy Space Center, the		a place in Florida where US spacecraft are built and sent into space
Kennel Club, the		a British organization for people who breed dogs, which decides what physical features each type of dog should have. The Kennel Club also organizes dog shows, including cruft's, and it keeps records of the pedigrees of all purebred dogs in the UK.
Kenny, Enda		(1951-) an Irish politician who became Taoiseach  (=Prime Minister)of Ireland in 2011. In 2002 he was elected leader of the Fine Gael party.
Kensington		a borough in West London just north of the River Thames, known especially as an area where rich and fashionable people live
Kensington Gardens		a park in central London that has a statue of peter pan
Kensington Palace		an official royal house in central London. The public are allowed to visit parts of it. It was the official home of diana, princess of wales.
Kent		a county in southeast England, known as the 'Garden of England' because of the fruit and vegetables it produces
Kent, Clark		a character in US comics (=magazines with stories told in pictures), films, and television programmes about Superman. Clark Kent seems like a very ordinary, quiet man, and he works as a reporter for the The Daily Planet, but secretly he is Superman.
Kent State		an event in 1970 when soldiers from the National Guard killed four students who were part of a large protest march against the Vietnam War at Kent State University in Ohio
Kentucky		a state in the south of the US, known as the Bluegrass State. It is one of the poorest states in the US, and is known for its country and western music, and for its whiskey.
Kentucky Fried Chicken		a type of fast food, consisting of pieces of chicken cooked in hot fat and sold in kfc restaurants. The chicken is advertised as being 'finger-lickin' good', meaning that it tastes so good that you will lick your fingers after you have finished eating it.
Kenya		a country in East Africa which became independent from Britain in 1963, and is a member of the British Commonwealth. It produces coffee and tea, and is popular with tourists who go to see the wild animals in the safari parks there. In 2007, riots took place after the election for president because of disagreements about the result. Population: 44,037,656 (2014). Capital: Nairobi.
Kenya, Mount		a mountain that is an inactive volcano in central Kenya
Kenyatta, Jomo		(?1893–1978)  a Kenyan politician who was president from 1964 until his death. He was one of the leaders of Kenya's fight for independence from the UK, and he was put in prison in the 1950s for his connection with the mau mau organization.
Keogh Plan		in the US, a personal pension plan for self-employed people
Kepler, Johannes		(1571–1630)  a German astronomer (=a scientist who studies the stars) who discovered how the planets move around the Sun. These principles are known as Kepler's Laws, and they greatly influenced the work of Sir Isaac newton.
Kermit		also called Kermit the Frog, a puppet in the form of a green frog, who is one of the main characters in the television programmes The Muppets and Sesame Street
Kern, Jerome		(1885–1945)  a US composer and songwriter who wrote many musicals (=films or plays that use singing and dancing to tell a story), such as Showboat (1927), which contains the famous song Ol' Man River
Kerouac, Jack		(1922–69)  a US writer who was a leading figure of the 1950s beat generation. His most famous novel is On the Road, which describes the adventures of two friends as they travel across the US.
Kerry		a county in the southwest of the Republic of Ireland, popular with tourists because of its beautiful mountains and countryside
Kerry, John		(1943-)  an American politician who became the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in 2009 and United States Senator from Massachusetts in 1985.He is most well-known for being the candidate of the Democratic Party in the 2004 US election which he lost to George W. Bush. He won medals for his bravery in the Vietnam War. Later he worked as an Assistant District Attorney before becoming a senator.
Kevorkian, Jack		(1928-2011) an Armenian-American doctor who supported the right of people with terminal illnesses  (=illnesses that cannot be cured) to die with the help of a doctor. He claimed to have helped at least 130 people to die in this way (known as assisted suicide). In 1999 he was sent to prison for second-degree murder after helping a man called Thomas Youk with Lou Gehrig's disease to kill himself. He was released in 2007. He is famous for saying "Dying is not a crime" and in the media he was sometimes called Dr Death. His full name was Jacob Kervorkian.
Kew Gardens		the UK's largest and most important botanical garden, in West London, which is open to the public, and which contains plants and trees from all over the world
Key, Francis Scott		(1779–1843)  a US poet, who wrote the words of The Star-Spangled Banner, the  national anthem (=official song) of the US
Keynes, John Maynard		(1883–1946)  a British economist whose ideas greatly influenced economic thinking in the 20th century. Keynes believed that governments should use public money to control the level of employment, for example by spending money on public works (=buildings, roads etc built by the government) in order to provide more jobs in periods of high unemployment.
Key West		an island off the coast of Florida, one of the Florida Keys, which is popular with tourists because of its warm weather and interesting buildings. It is known for having a lot of artists and writers.
KFC		a chain of fast food restaurants selling kentucky fried chicken. KFC is a US company, but has restaurants all over the world.
KFOR		(the Kosovo Force) an international force of soldiers led by NATO that is responsible for protecting the people who live in Kosovo, and for making sure that the different ethnic groups who live there do not fight and kill each other
KGB		 the secret police of the former USSR
Khamenei, Ayatollah Ali		(1939-) the religious leader of Iran who succeeded Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989. He is regarded by Iranians as God's representative on earth and has the highest position of power in the country.
Khan, Imran		(1952–)  a Pakistani cricketer who played cricket in England for many years and was also captain of Pakistan's national team from 1982 to 2002. After he finished playing cricket, he returned to live in Pakistan, and started his own political party.
Khartoum		the capital city of Sudan, known to British people as the place where General Gordon was killed in 1885 in the Siege of Khartoum.
Khmer Republic, the		a former name of cambodia, from 1975 to 1979
Khmer Rouge, the		an extreme left-wing military organization which took control of the government of Cambodia in 1975, under its leader pol pot. Around 3 million Cambodians are believed to have been killed under Khmer Rouge rule, which continued until 1979.
Khomeini, Ayatollah		(1900–89)  a religious and political leader in Iran, who was the head of its Islamic government from 1979 until his death. Khomeini demanded the exact following of Islamic laws.
Khrushchev, Nikita		(1894–1971)  a Russian politician who was leader of the former Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964. He publicly criticized stalin and his policies after Stalin's death in 1953.
Khyber Pass, the		a steep road that goes through mountains and joins Pakistan and Afghanistan. For centuries it was the main road to India from the West.
Kidnapped		(1886) an adventure story by Robert Louis stevenson about a young man called David Balfour who is kidnapped, but escapes. He and his friend, Alan Breck, see a man being killed, and people think that they did it, so they run away and travel across the Highlands of Scotland.
kidology	 noun	a way of making someone believe something that is not true, which you do as a joke or to achieve something
Kierkegaard, Sören Aabye		(1813–55)  a Danish philosopher who is known for establishing the philosophy of existentialism
Kiev		the capital city of Ukraine, an industrial centre and important port
Kigali		the capital city of Rwanda
Kikuyu	 noun	 a tribe in northern Kenya
Kildare		a county in the east of the Republic of Ireland
Kilimanjaro		a mountain in Tanzania that is the highest mountain in Africa
Kilkenny		a county in the southeast of the Republic of Ireland
Killing Fields, The		(1984) a British film about the events in Cambodia in 1975–79, when Pol Pot and the khmer rouge were in power and killed millions of people
Kilroy		an unknown or imaginary man, whose name is used in phrases such as 'Kilroy was here' or 'Kilroy slept here', which people often write on walls in public places. These phrases were first used by US soldiers in World War II, but their origin is not known.
Kimberley		a city which is the centre of a diamond mining area in northern Cape Province, South Africa.
Kim Il-Sung		(1912–94)  a North Korean political leader. As prime minister, he led North Korea during the korean war(1950–53) . He later became president, and led the country until his death. He was known for his strict Communist ideas and for his isolationism (=belief that a country should not be involved with others in any way).
Kim Jong-Il		(1942–)  the leader of North Korea since the death of his father Kim Il Sung in 1994.
Kindle	 noun	a special small computer that you can hold in your hands and use to read an e-book  (=book that is stored electronically rather being made of paper). Users can download content for the machine from the Internet. The Kindle was developed by a company called Amazon.com	Kindle电子书阅读器
Kind of Loving, A		a book by Stan Barstow that tells the story of a young working-class man who marries a woman he does not love after she becomes pregnant. The book was made into a film and was one of several British books of the 1960s that told the stories of ordinary people in a realistic way.
King and Country debate, the		a famous debate1(1) at Oxford University in 1933, in which students noted that they would not fight for their king and country. People at the time found this very shocking.
Kingdom Hall	 noun	a place of worship for Jehovah's Witnesses
King, Don		(1931–)  a US boxing promoter (=someone who arranges and advertises boxing matches) known for working with many famous boxers and for his unusual hairstyle
King James Bible, the		an English translation of the Bible produced for King James I of England in 1611, which is also known as the Authorized Version. For hundreds of years this was the main type of Bible used in both the US and the UK, and many well-known sayings from the Bible come from this translation. It is now used much less often and has been replaced by more modern translations.
King Kong		a very large gorilla who is the main character in the film King Kong (1933). He is taken to New York city, but he escapes and destroys buildings and hurts or kills many people. The most famous scene is where he climbs to the top of the  empire state building carrying a woman in one arm.
King, Larry		(1933-)  an American television and radio presenter. He began his career broadcasting on a radio show in Miami. In 1978 he took over a nightly talk show that was broadcast nationally. In 1985 he started a TV programme called Larry King Live which he continued working on until his retirement in 2010.
King Lear		a play by William shakespeare about an old king who decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters according to how much each of them says she loves him. Two daughters, goneril and  regan, pretend to love him very much, and he divides the kingdom between them. The third daughter, cordelia, is the only one who really loves him, but she receives nothing because she says that she loves him no more and no less than she should. As a result there are many sad and terrible events, including the deaths of Lear and his three daughters.
King, Martin Luther		(1929–68)  a black US religious leader who became the most important leader of the Civil Rights Movement and worked hard to achieve social changes for African-American people. He was known for being a great public speaker, and many people remember his famous speech that starts with the words 'I have a dream'. He encouraged people to try to achieve changes without using violence, and in 1964 he won the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1968 he was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennessee. In the US there is a national holiday in January to celebrate his birthday.
King of the Jews		in the New Testament of the Bible, another name for jesus
King, Rodney		(1965–2012)  an African-American man who was violently attacked by a group of white police officers in Los Angeles in 1991. The attack was filmed by a member of the public, and this film was later shown on US television. When the police officers were judged in a court of law in 1992, the jury decided that they were not guilty of being too violent, and this led to riots (=violent public protests) in Los Angeles. Many people in the US thought that this event proved that African Americans were still not being treated fairly by the legal system.
King's Bench, the	 noun	part of the High Court of Justice in England and Wales. This name is used during the times when Britain is ruled by a king.
King's College Chapel		a beautiful old church which is part of King's College, one of the colleges of the University of Cambridge, in eastern England. Every year on christmas eve a religious service is held there, in which the choir of boys sings carols (=traditional Christmas songs) and this is always shown on British television.
King's Cross		an area in north central London that has two important railway stations, King's Cross and St Pancras, from which trains go to Scotland and northeast England.
Kingsley, Charles		(1819–75)  a British writer of historical novels such as Westward Ho! and Hereward the Wake, who is also known for the children's story The Water Babies
Kings Road, the		a road in London which was a very fashionable place for young people to spend time and buy clothes in the 1960s. It is now known for its fashionable, expensive shops.
King, Stephen		(1947–)  a popular US writer of frightening stories such as The Shining (1977) and The Green Mile (1996). Both these stories, and many other Stephen King books, have been made into films.
Kingston		the capital city of Jamaica and the island's business centre, main port, and largest town
King, The		Elvis presley; an informal name still used for the famous singer, especially by people who love his music
King Tut
Kinnock, Neil		(1942–)  a British politician, who was born in Wales and was leader of the Labour Party from 1983 to 1992. He is remembered for making a lot of changes in the Labour Party in order to make it more popular. After leaving British politics in 1992, he became a member of the European Commission and became its vice president. He is married to Glenys Kinnock, who also worked for the European Union, as a Member of the European Parliament. He left the Euopean Commission in 2004 to become chairman of the British Council. His official title is Baron Kinnock.
Kinsey, Alfred Charles		(1894–1956)  a US scientist who studied human sexual behaviour. His two books, Sexual Behavior in the Human Male (1948) and Sexual Behavior in the Human Female (1953), usually called the Kinsey Reports, showed that people's sexual practices were very different from what most people had thought.
Kinshasa		the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo, on the River Congo, formerly called Leopoldville
Kipling, Rudyard		(1865–1936)  a British writer born in India. He is known for his novels, poems, and short stories set in that country, especially his popular children's story The Jungle Book, and for poems such as Gunga Din and If. He won the Nobel prize for literature in 1907. He is sometimes criticized now as being a strong supporter of the British Empire and British  imperialism.
Kirghizia		another name for kyrgyzstan
Kiribati		a country in the Pacific Ocean, consisting of 33 islands. Population 103,248 (2014). Capital: Bairiki. It was formerly ruled by the UK and called the Gilbert Islands, but has been independent since 1979.
Kirk, the		the Church of Scotland	苏格兰教会
Kirk, Captain		one of the main characters in the television programme star trek, whose full name is Captain James T. Kirk. Captain Kirk is a brave, determined man who is in charge of the starship enterprise.
Kirkwall		a town on the largest island of the orkney islands, where the local government for the islands is based
Kissinger, Henry		(1923–)  a US politician and university teacher, who was born in Germany and who was the US secretary of state from 1973 to 1977. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 for helping to achieve the agreement that ended the vietnam war. He also improved the US's relationship with the USSR and China, and helped to establish peace between Israel and Egypt in 1975.
Kitchener, Horatio		(1850–1916)  a British army officer, also known as Lord Kitchener, who fought successfully in the boer war. During World War I he was responsible for building up the British army, and his picture appeared on a famous poster with the words 'Your country wants YOU, Join your country's army, God save the King'.
Kit-Kat		a type of chocolate bar made of either two or four long, thin wafers joined together by, and covered with, chocolate. There is a well-known British advertisement that uses the phrase 'Have a break, have a Kit-Kat'.
Kitty Hawk		the place in North Carolina, in the US, where the wright brothers made the world's first successful flight in a plane in 1903
Kiwanis, the		a US organization whose members work together to support their local areas, especially by doing charity work. The Kiwanis have clubs all over the US, especially in small towns. A member of the club is called a Kiwani.
KKK		the abbreviation of Ku Klux Klan
Klaxon	 noun	a loud horn used on police cars and other official vehicles in the past	〔旧时安装在警车及其他官方车辆上的〕克莱森喇叭
Kleenex	 noun	 a tissue	舒洁纸巾
Klee, Paul		(1879–1940) a Swiss painter of abstract art
Klein, Calvin		(1942–)  a US fashion designer known especially for the underwear that he designs and for his casual (=informal) clothes for young people, which have the letters 'CK' printed on them. His company also produces perfumes for men and women.
Klimt, Gustav		(1862–1918) an Austrian artist who was the founder of the Vienna Secession, the Austrian art nouveau movement.
Klingon		an imaginary race of fierce creatures, featuring in the television series star trek
KLM		a Dutch airline
K Mart		a popular US department store that sells many different types of goods, including clothes and things for the home, at low prices
Knesset, the		the Israeli parliament
Knight, Bobby		(1940–)  a US coach (=person who trains a team) for Indiana University's basketball team until 2000. He then became coach for Texas Tech until he retired in 2008. He was known for getting angry very easily and for shouting at other coaches, but he is also a very successful coach.
Knightsbridge		an area in western central London which has expensive, fashionable shops, such as harrods, and harvey nichols, and is a very expensive place to live
Knights of the Round Table, the		the knights led by King Arthur, who, according to old English stories, sat together at a table, which was round so that no one should seem to be more important than any of the others
Knights Templars, the	 noun	a military and Christian religious group of knights during the middle ages, who protected people travelling in and to the holy land during the crusades
Knowles, Beyoncé	 	(1981- ) a US R&B singer and songwriter who became famous as the main singer of the girl group Destiny's Child. The group's songs include Say My Name (1999), Bootylicious (2001), and Survivor (2001). Destiny's Child split up (=stopped being a group) in 2005. Beyoncé has had success as a solo artist with songs such as Crazy in Love (2003), If I Were a Boy (2008), and Single Ladies (Put a Ring on it) (2008). She has also appeared in films including Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), The Pink Panther (2006) and Dreamgirls (2006). In 2008 she married the rapper Jay-Z. Her full name is Beyoncé Knowles.
Knox, John		(?1505–72)  a Scottish Protestant religious leader, who opposed Scotland's Catholic queen, mary queen of scots. He started the  presbyterian religion in Scotland, a new type of Christianity based on the strict rules of moral behaviour of  calvinism, and he also established the Church of Scotland.
Kodak		a brand (=type) of camera, printer, and printing products made by the US company Kodak
Kohl, Helmut		(1930–)  a German politician who was Chancellor of West Germany from 1982 to 1990 and of the united Germany from 1990 to 1998
Kon-Tiki expedition, the		a journey made in 1947 by the Norwegian explorer, Thor Heyerdahl, and five other people. They sailed a raft, called the Kon-Tiki, from Callao in Peru to Tuamoto Island in the South Pacific Ocean in order to show that the polynesians had done this in earlier times and were therefore related to the incas.
Kool-Aid		a type of powder that you mix with water and sugar to make a cold drink. Kool-Aid is popular in the US, and is drunk especially by children
Koontz, Dean		(1945–)  an American writer of popular books, especially horror stories. He has written more than 100 books, including Whispers, False Memory, and Odd Thomas.
Kop, the		part of the anfield football ground in Liverpool where people who support Liverpool's team typically sit
Korea		a country in East Asia which, in 1948, was divided into two countries, north korea and  south korea
Korean War, the		a war between Chinese and North Korean forces on the one hand and UN and South Korean forces on the other. The war began in 1950 and ended in 1953, with neither side having won.
Koresh, David		(1959–93)  the leader of a small religious group called the Branch Davidians, who lived together in Waco, Texas, in the US. In 1993 the FBI came to arrest him and surrounded the place where the group lived. A fire was started, and Koresh and 86 members of his group were killed.
Kosinski, Jerzy		(1933–91)  a US writer of novels, born in Poland. He is known especially for The Painted Bird about his terrible experiences as a Jewish child in World War II, and for Being There, which was made into a film.
Kosovo		a territory between Serbia and Albania. Population: 1,847,708 (2014). It used to be an autonomous (=having the power to govern itself) area within Serbia until Slobodan Milosevic, the president of Serbia, stopped this in 1989. In the 1990s the Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) was established in order to achieve independence for Kosovo. In 1998 the Serbs killed many Albanians in Kosovo in a process known as ethnic cleansing. This continued until 1999 when NATO bombed Serbian targets. Kosovo declared itself independent from Serbia in 2008.
Kournikova, Anna		a Russian tennis player and model, known for being very attractive. She was very successful as a junior player, but at senior level she did not have much success and stopped playing tennis in 2003. She has advertised sports products for companies such as Adidas and Berlei.
Kraft		a large US food company, known especially for making cheese products. It also owns Cadbury, a British company that makes chocolate products.
Krakatoa		a mountain that is an active volcano in the Sunda Strait near Indonesia. In 1883 it erupted and caused the deaths of 36,000 people.
Kraken	 noun	in Norse mythology, a very large frightening sea-animal
Kray twins		twin brothers called Ronnie (1935–1995)  and Reggie(1935–2000)  Kray, who were involved in a lot of violent crime in the East End of London during the 1960s. In 1969 they were found guilty of murdering two men and the judge ordered that they should go to prison for at least 30 years.
Krishna		in Hindu mythology, the most important avatar (=god in human form) of the god vishnu. He is often shown in art as a beautiful young man, often with blue skin and sometimes playing a flute.
Kruger, Freddy		a frightening character in the film Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). He is a serial killer who has knives instead of fingernails.
Krypton		the imaginary planet where the character Superman is supposed to have been born
Kryptonite	 noun	a type of rock that comes from the planet Krypton in the Superman stories. It is harmful to Superman.
KS		the written abbreviation of Kansas
K through 12		in the US, the period of schooling from kindergarten through to grade 12 – the final year of high school
Kuala Lumpur		the capital and largest city of Malaysia, established in the 19th century and an important business and industrial centre
Kublai Khan		(1216–94)  a Mongol emperor of China from 1259 until his death, whose grandfather was Genghis khan. He moved the capital of China to Peking. There is a famous English poem about him called Kubla Khan, by Samuel Taylor  coleridge.
Kubrick, Stanley		(1928–99)  a US film director, producer, and writer, whose films include 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968),  A Clockwork Orange (1971), and  The Shining (1980)
Kupang		the capital of Timor
Kurdish	 adjective	belonging to or connected with the Kurds or their language
Kurdistan		an area of land which consists of parts of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Armenia where the kurds live, but which is not a separate country
Kurosawa, Akira		(1910–98)  one of Japan's greatest film directors, who is known internationally for films such as The Seven Samurai (1954) and Kagemusha (1980)
Kursk		a Russian nuclear submarine that sank in 2000. All 118 sailors on board died, but some people think that not enough was done to try and rescue them. This was the worst disaster to affect a Russian ship that was not at war.
Kurtz		a character in the novel heart of darkness by Joseph conrad. Kurtz is an educated white man in central Africa, who has stopped accepting Western values and has become the violent, powerful ruler of an African community.
Kuwait		an oil-producing country in the Middle East, north of Saudi Arabia and south of Iraq. Iraq attacked it in 1990 and took control of it, causing the Gulf War, but was defeated in 1991 and forced to leave Kuwait. Population: 2,695,316 (2014). Capital: Kuwait City.
KY		the written abbreviation of Kentucky
Kyle, Jeremy	 	(1965- ) a British radio and television presenter who has a daytimetalk showon ITV called The Jeremy Kyle Show. Kyle has been criticized for his aggressive way of talking to people who appear on the show, but he claims that he is just trying to help people solve their personal problems by speaking honestly to them.
Kyrgyzstan		a country in central Asia between China and Uzbekistan, which used to be part of the former Soviet Union. Population: 5,548,042 (2014). Capital: Bishkek.
Kyushu		the most southern and the third largest of the main islands of Japan, whose main cities are Fukuoka and Nagasaki
LA		the abbreviation of Los Angeles
La Bohème		(1896) an opera by puccini about a young woman called Mimi who has a relationship with a poet called Rodolfo, but later becomes very ill and dies. In the most famous scene, Rodolfo accidentally touches Mimi's hand, and noticing how cold it is, sings 'Your tiny hand is frozen'.
Labour Party, the		a political party trying to obtain social improvement, especially for workers and less wealthy people
labradoodle	 noun	a dog that was bred from a labrador and a poodle
Ladd, Alan		(1919–1964)  a US film actor who played important parts in many westerns. His most famous part was as Shane (1953), a gentle but effective gunfighter who helps a group of farmers. Ladd was not very tall and film tricks were used to make him look taller.
Ladies' Day	 noun	the second day of the four-day horse racing event which takes place every June at Ascot in Berkshire, England. Many women who go to it like to wear large and unusual hats, and the newspapers always show photographs of them on the next day.
Lady and the Tramp		( 1955) a cartoon made by Walt disney, about two dogs who meet and have a romantic relationship. Lady is a pedigree dog, (=a special type of dog), and she is very well cared for, but the Tramp is a  mongrel (=a mixture of different types of dogs) who lives on the street.
Ladybird		a series of very popular small books for children on all sorts of subjects, usually with hard covers, which are produced in the UK
Lady Bountiful	 noun	a woman who wants to be considered rich and generous and who does a lot of charity work or gives money to poor people, but behaves as if she thinks she is better or more important than them - used when you disapprove of someone like this
Lady Chapel	 noun	part of a Christian church, especially a roman catholic church, where people go to pray to the Virgin mary. It usually contains a picture or statue of her.
Lady Chatterley's Lover		a novel by D. H. lawrence which was written in 1928, but could not legally be sold in the UK until 1960 because the story contained a lot of descriptions of sex and was considered to be very shocking. It is about Lady Chatterley, a married woman from a high social class, who has a sexual relationship with her  gamekeeper (=someone whose job is to take care of wild birds that are bred to be shot for sport).
Lady Day		25 March, the day of the annunciation, on which, according to Christian belief, the news was given to Mary by the Angel Gabriel that she would become the mother of Jesus Christ. Formerly, Lady Day was officially regarded as the first day of the legal year in the UK.
Lady Macbeth
Lady Muck	 noun	 a woman who has a very high opinion of her own importance, and expects people to do things for her
Lady of the Lake, the		a mysterious woman in old stories about King Arthur. When Arthur is dying, his sword, Excalibur, is thrown into a lake, and the Lady of the Lake's hand appears from under the water and catches it. She is also one of the three queens who take Arthur by boat to Avalon to die.
Lady of the Lamp, the
Lady, The		a rather old-fashioned British magazine for women, typically read by older, upper-class women. It also contains advertisements for servants and nannies( nanny).
la Fontaine, Jean de		(1621–95)  a French poet, famous for his Fables, a collection of short stories which teach a moral lesson. The characters in these stories are usually animals that speak, and many of them are based on stories by the ancient Greek writer  aesop.
Lagerfeld, Karl		(1933–)  a German fashion designer. He has worked with many important fashion companies.
Lagos		the largest city and port in Nigeria and the former capital of the country
La Guardia		one of New York's main airports, used mostly for flights within the US
Laine, Cleo		(1927–)  a British jazz singer, known especially for her work with her husband, John Dankworth. Her official title is Dame Cleo Laine.
Lake District, the		an area in northwest England known for its beautiful lakes and mountains and visited by many tourists. The highest mountain in England, Scafell Pike, is in the Lake District, and the area is connected in people's minds with many writers and poets who lived there, especially William wordsworth and his sister Dorothy.
Lake Okeechobee
Lake, Ricki		(1968–)  a US actress and talk show host. Her programme, which is called Ricki Lake, started in 1993 and was one of the first talk shows for younger people.
Lake Wobegon		an imaginary town in stories written by Garrison keillor, which is intended to be typical of a small US town in Minnesota
La-la Land	 noun	another name for los angeles, used to mean that the people who live there are slightly crazy
Lalique, René		(1860–1945)  a French designer of jewellery and glassware (=objects made of glass) in the art nouveau style
Lamaism	 noun	a form of the Buddhist religion common in Tibet, Mongolia etc
La Manche		the French name for the english channel
Lamarr, Hedy		(1913–2000)  an actress born in Austria, who made films in hollywood and who was thought to be one of the most beautiful actresses during the 1930s and 1940s.
Lamb, Charles		(1775–1834)  a British writer of essays, who worked with his sister Mary Lamb (1764–1847)  on Tales from Shakespeare, a book for children that tells the stories of Shakespeare's plays in simple language
Lambeth Conference, the		a formal meeting of all the bishops (=high-ranking priests) of the church of england from all over the world, which takes place every 10 years
Lambeth Palace		a large very old building that is the official home in London of the archbishop of canterbury. The name Lambeth Palace is sometimes used in news reports to mean the people who are in charge of the Church of England
Lambeth Walk, The		a dance which was especially popular in the UK in the 1930s and 1940s, in which dancers form a long line, usually in the street. It was danced to a popular song, also called The Lambeth Walk, and is thought of as a typical cockney song.
Lamb of God, the		another name for jesus
Lanarkshire		an area in south central Scotland, which includes the counties (county) of South and North Lanarkshire
Lancashire		a county in northwest England, which was once the centre of the cotton industry in the UK and had many factories that produced cloth. The large cities of Liverpool and Manchester were formerly part of Lancashire, but now form their own local government areas. Traditionally, there has always been a lot of rivalry (=competition or fighting) between Lancashire and the nearby county of Yorkshire.
Lancaster, Burt		(1913–94)  a US film actor who often appeared as strong brave characters, and whose films include From Here to Eternity (1953), Gunfight at the OK Corral (1956), and Atlantic City (1980)
Lancaster Gate		often used in British newspapers to mean the English Football Association (FA). Lancaster Gate is a road in West London, where the FA building is.
Lancelot, Sir		the most famous of King Arthur's knights in old stories. Lancelot has a romantic relationship with Arthur's wife, Guinevere, and is the father of Sir galahad.
Lancet, the		a British magazine for doctors and other people in the medical profession, produced by the British Medical Association. The Lancet provides reports on recent developments, new drugs, and medical treatments etc.
Lancs.		 lancashire
Land, Edwin Herbert		(1909–91)  a US scientist who invented polaroid (=a special substance that is put on glass to make the sun seem less bright), which is used on sunglasses and car windows. He also invented the Polaroid camera, which uses a special film to produce photographs as soon as they have been taken.
Landers, Ann		(1918–2002)  a well-known US agony aunt whose newspaper column used to appear daily in hundreds of US newspapers
Land of Hope and Glory		a song, based on the music from Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance, which praises Britain and is often sung on  patriotic occasions
Land of My Fathers		the English name of the national anthem (=official national song) of Wales
Land of Nod, the		an old-fashioned or humorous expression meaning the imaginary place you go to when you are asleep, used especially when you are talking to or about children
Land Rover		 a type of strong car made for travelling over rough ground
Landry, Tom		(1924–2000)  a famous US football coach (=person who trains a team) for the Dallas Cowboys, considered to be one of the best coaches in football
Lane, Lois		in the stories about Superman, a female reporter who works for the The Daily Planet newspaper, and has a romantic relationship with Superman
Lang, Fritz		(1890–1976)  an Austrian film director, who worked in Germany and the US and had an important influence on the development of the cinema. His films include Metropolis (1926), Fury (1936), and The Big Heat (1953).
Langtry, Lillie		(1853–1929)  a British actress born in Jersey in the Channel Islands, and known as the Jersey Lily. She was considered to be one of the most beautiful women of her time, and was known for being the mistress of the future King Edward VII.
Lanza, Mario		(1921–59) an American singer with a good tenor voice. He sang in opera and made several musical films, including The Great Caruso (1951).
Laos		a country in southeast Asia between China and Cambodia. Population: 6,695,166 (2014). Capital: Vientiane.
Lao-Tsu		(6th century BC) a Chinese philosopher who is considered to be the person who began Taoism, and who wrote the Tao Te Ching.
La Paz		the capital and largest city of Bolivia, in the Andes Mountains on the La Paz River. It is the highest capital in the world.
Lapland		an area of northern Europe consisting of parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. It is very cold and is thought of by British children as the home of santa claus and his reindeer (=a type of large deer with long horns). The people who live there are called saami, though the old English name for them was Lapps.
La Plante, Lynda		(1943–)  a writer of very popular crime dramas for British television which include Prime Suspect and Widows. She is known for making women the most important characters in her plays and books.
Lapp	 noun	someone who comes from Lapland. People from Lapland prefer to be called Saami or Sami.
Larkin, Philip		(1922–85)  a British poet. He often wrote about death and loneliness and his poems are sometimes very sad, but people like them because they are written in plain and simple language. His most famous poems are Aubade, High Windows, and Whitsun Weddings.
La Salle, René Robert, Sieur de		(1643–87)  a French explorer who travelled through North America, down the Mississippi River, and claimed a large area of the southern part of North America for France, naming it louisiana. He was killed by his followers when another expedition he was leading was unsuccessful and they got lost.
La Scala		a theatre in Milan, in northern Italy, where operas are performed. It is considered to be one of the greatest opera houses in the world.
Lascaux		a cave in southwest France that has prehistoric paintings of animals and hunters on its walls, which were painted about 17,500 years ago
Las Palmas		a town on the island of gran canaria in the Canary Islands, which is very popular with British tourists
Lassie		a dog who was the main character in seven films made between 1943 and 1951 and later in television programmes. Lassie is known for being very brave and clever, and she often saves people from danger, especially members of the family that she belongs to.
La Stampa		an Italian newspaper
Last Exit to Brooklyn		a novel by the US writer Hubert Selby Jr which describes in detail various sexual acts, including homosexual sex and rape, which take place in New York. It was published in Britain in 1966 and the next year was judged in court to be obscene. But in 1968, publication in Britain was allowed. A film of Last Exit to Brooklyn was made in 1989.
Last of the Mohicans, The		(1826) a novel by James Fenimore cooper about the lives of Native Americans and the adventures of pioneers (=the first Europeans) in North America. It has been made into several films and television programmes, including a film in 1992.
Last of the Summer Wine		a popular sitcom on British television (=a series of programmes with humorous stories about the same group of characters) about three old men who live in a small country village in Yorkshire. It was first shown in the 1970s and is still very popular.
Last Supper, the		in the New Testament of the Bible, the meal eaten by Jesus and his twelve disciples on the evening before he was crucified(crucify). Jesus gave everyone bread and wine, and the Christian ceremony of the eucharist is based on this meal.
Last Tango in Paris		(1972) a US film in which Marlon brando appears as a man living in Paris who has a sexual relationship with a young woman. It was considered shocking when it was first shown because it contained a lot of sex scenes.
Las Vegas		a city in the desert in the US state of Nevada, known especially for its casinos such as the Luxor, which is built in the shape of an ancient Egyptian pyramid, and Caesar's Palace, where people dress like ancient Romans. Las Vegas has many chapelsof love where people can get married immediately, and is a popular place for people to spend their honeymoon in. It is also known for having impressive and exciting shows in its hotels and casinos where many famous performers appear, and for its large modern buildings that are covered in lights.
Late Summer Holiday, the
Latimer, Bishop Hugh		(1485–1555)  an English bishop (=a Christian priest of high rank) who was one of the leaders of the reformation in England  (=the time when many Christians left the Catholic religion and started the Protestant religion). When mary i, who was a Catholic, became queen of England, she ordered him to be officially killed by being burned.
Latin America	 noun	the countries of South America and Central America, where Spanish and Portuguese are spoken
Latin lover	 noun	a humorous name for the stereotype of a man from southern Europe, who is thought of as having strong sexual feelings, and being skilled at getting women to have sex. It is often thought in the UK that French, Italian, and Spanish men are better at sex than British men.
Latin Quarter, the		a part of Paris on the left bank of the River Seine, which is traditionally an area where many students, writers, and artists live, but is now a popular place for tourists to visit
Latter-Day Saints	 noun
Latvia		a country in northeast Europe on the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania, which used to be part of the former Soviet Union. Latvia joined the EU in 2004. Population: 2,178,443 (2014). Capital: Riga.
Lauder, Estée		(1908–2004)  a US businesswoman who started the cosmetics company Estée Lauder
Laughing Cavalier, The		a painting by the 17th century artist Frans hals which shows a wealthy man with a large moustache who is slightly smiling in a proud way
Laugh-In, The		a humorous US television programme of the 1960s and 1970s, which consisted of a series of sketches (=short funny stories). Many of the people who regularly appeared in Laugh-In became famous  comedians and actors, such as Goldie  hawn and Steve Martin.
Laughton, Charles		(1899–1962)  a US actor, born in the UK, who is most famous for appearing as the characters henry viii in the film The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933), Captain  bligh in the film  mutiny on the bounty (1935), and  quasimodo in the film The hunchback of notre dame (1939)
Laura Ashley		a shop which sells women's clothes, as well as things for decorating the home, such as curtains, wallpaper, and material for covering chairs. Laura Ashley materials are usually made of cotton and often have delicate patterns with small flowers, and are often similar to clothes worn by people who lived in the countryside in the past.
Laurasia		the very large area of land that existed about 200 million years ago, before it broke apart to form North America, Europe, Asia, and Greenland
Laurel and Hardy		two US comedians, Stan Laurel (1890–1965) , who was born in the UK, and Oliver Hardy (1892–1957) , who made many humorous and popular films together from the 1920s to the 1950s. Laurel is famous for being a thin stupid character, who is easily upset, and Hardy is famous for being a fat character with a small moustache, who often gets angry with Laurel and says to him, 'That's another fine mess you've gotten me into!' People sometimes use this expression humorously when they are blaming someone else for a problem.
Lauren, Ralph		(1939–)  a US fashion designer who started his own clothes company, Polo, and who is known especially for his casual (=informal) clothes. His company also makes perfumes for men and women.
Law Lords, the	 noun	the members of the British house of lords who are also important lawyers and judges. As a group, they act as the highest court in the British legal system.
Law of Moses, the
Lawrence, D. H.		(1885–1930)  a British writer known especially for his stories of life in industrial society, in which his characters show strong emotion and sexual desire. His best-known books are sons and lovers, women in love, and  lady chatterley's lover. Several of his books were considered  obscene (=offensive because of their sexual descriptions) when they were written, and Lady Chatterley's Lover could not be bought in the UK until 1960.
Lawrence, Stephen		(1974–93)  a young black British man from London who was murdered in April 1993 when he was attacked by a group of young white men in the street. Several men were charged with murder but a court said there was not enough evidence to send them to prison. Sir William Macpherson wrote an official report about the way the police worked on the case. He said that they had made serious mistakes, and he criticized them for sometimes behaving in a racist way.
Lawrence, T. E.		(1888–1935)  a British soldier and writer, also known as Lawrence of Arabia, whose life was the subject of a famous film made in 1962. Lawrence helped the Arabs in their fight against the Turks (1914–18), and was strongly in favour of Arab independence. He wrote The Seven Pillars of Wisdom about his adventures in the desert.
Law Society, the		an organization for members of the legal profession in the UK. The Law Society is in charge of the education and training of lawyers, and is responsible for making sure that they do their jobs in a professional and honest way.
Lawson, Nigella		(1960–)  a British cookery writer and television chef who is known for her enthusiasm about food and for her attractive appearance. She is the daughter of Nigel Lawson, who used to be the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
LAX		(Los Angeles International Airport) the main airport in Los Angeles, California
LBJ
LDS		the written abbreviation of Latter-Day Saints
Lea and Perrins		a well-known type of worcester sauce
Leader of the House, the		a member of the UK government who is responsible for organizing the work of the British Parliament. There are two Leaders of the House, one for the House of Commons and one for the House of Lords.
Leader of the Opposition, the		the leader of the main party opposing the government in the British parliament
League against Cruel Sports, the		a UK organization which wants to make killing animals for sport illegal. It is opposed to many forms of hunting, including hunting with hounds, shooting, and especially fox hunting.
League of Arab States, the
League of Nations, the		an international organization that was established after World War I to encourage countries to work together and achieve international peace. It was replaced in 1946 by the united nations.
League of Women Voters, the		a US organization that encourages women to vote, and makes sure that laws or policies that affect women are properly discussed and thought about. In addition to matters specifically relating to women, the organization encourages people in general to take part in government and it lobbies (lobby) on other matters such as the environment.
Leakey		a family of British scientists working in the area of paleontology (=the study of ancient animals and plants that have been preserved in rock): Mary Leakey (1913–96) , her husband Louis Leakey (1903–72) , and their son Richard Leakey (1944–) , all of whom discovered many fossils and human bones in Tanzania which have provided important information about how humans first developed
Leaning Tower of Pisa, the		a tall round tower in Pisa, Italy, which does not stand straight, but leans to one side. It was built in the 12th century and is popular with tourists. In recent years work was successfully carried out to reduce the angle at which the tower leans, making it less likely to fall down.
Lean, Sir David		(1908–91)  a British film director who made many well-known films, such as brief encounter (1945), The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Dr Zhivago (1965), and A Passage to India (1984)
Lear, Edward		(1812–88)  a British artist and poet, best known for his Book of Nonsense, a collection of humorous poems
Lear, King
Leary, Timothy		(1920–96)  an American writer and psychologist who believed that controlled use of the drug LSD could change people's lives in a positive way. He is known for saying 'Turn on, tune in, drop out'. In 1963 he was forced to leave his job as a psychology professor at Harvard University because he had been doing experiments with LSD on students. He continued his experiments at a large house in New York called Millbrook, but was put in prison. The Weather Underground Organization, a communist terrorist group, helped him to escape, but he was later caught in Switzerland and taken back to the US.
Leave it to Beaver		a US television programme that was popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s, about a boy called Beaver Cleaver and his family, who lived in a typical suburban area
Leavenworth		a town in the American state of Kansas, known for its prison
Leaves of Grass		(1855) a collection of poems by Walt whitman, written in free verse (=poetry without regular patterns), which strongly express his love of nature and his respect for freedom. These poems are considered important because they made free verse more acceptable and greatly influenced later US writers.
Lebanon		a country in the Middle East on the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria. It was once a rich country that was popular with tourists, and was an important business and financial centre. But a long civil war in the 1970s and 1980s did a lot of damage to the country, as opposing political and religious groups, supported by Israel, Syria, and the PLO, fought against each other. Population: 4,131,583 (2014). Capital: Beirut.
Lebed, Aleksandr		(1951–2002)  a Russian army officer and politician who was in the news in the mid-1990s for his success in establishing peace between Russia and Chechnya, and for his disagreements with Boris yeltsin about the way Russia should be governed
Le Carré, John		(1931–)  a British writer whose most famous novels include The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1963),  Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1974), and  The Constant Gardener (2001). He invented the character of the spy, George Smiley, who appears in some of his books. Many of his stories have been made into films for television and the cinema.
Le Corbusier		(1887–1965)  a French architect (=someone who designs buildings) who was born in Switzerland. He believed that buildings should look modern, be made of modern materials such as concrete and glass, and that they should be functional (=simple and practical, without unnecessary decoration). He built many important buildings, and planned the city of Chandigarh in India.
Lecter, Dr Hannibal		the main character in the book and film Silence of the Lambs, written by the US novelist Thomas Harris. Dr Lecter is a very intelligent, evil, and dangerous serial killer who eats people.
Leda		in Greek mythology, the wife of the king of sparta, who had a sexual relationship with the god zeus, when he changed himself into a swan (=a large white bird) to visit her secretly
Lee, Ang	 	(1954- ) a Taiwanese film director whose films include Sense and Sensibility (1995), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), and Brokeback Mountain (2005), all of which won Oscar awards
Lee, Bruce		(1941–73)  a Chinese actor, born in the US, who was famous for his skill at kung fu (=an ancient Chinese style of fighting), and who appeared in films such as Enter the Dragon (1973)
Lee, Christopher		(1922–)  a British film actor, known for acting in horror films (=films that are intended to make you feel frightened) and especially for appearing as the character Dracula
Leeds		a city in West Yorkshire, in the north of England, which is an important industrial and business centre. It is also a popular place with young people because of its many nightclubs.
Lee-Enfield		a type of rifle (=long gun) used by the British army in World Wars I and II
Lee, General Robert E.		(1807–70)  a US soldier who was the commander of the confederate army during the American Civil War, and is generally regarded as the best military leader in that war
Lee Kuan Yew		(1923–)  a Singaporean politician who was prime minister from 1959 to 1990. Under Lee, Singapore became a country with a very successful economy and a strong welfare state. He encouraged traditional rules of behaviour through strict punishments.
Lee, Laurie		(1914–97)  a British writer and poet, known especially for his book cider with rosie, which describes English country life when he was a child
Lee, Peggy		(1920–2002)  a US singer and actress who is known for her low, sexy voice. She sang with the Benny Goodman band in the 1940s and many of her songs are well known, including Fever,  Big Spender, and  The Way You Look Tonight.
Leeson, Nick		(1967–)  a British banker who worked for a company called Barings Bank in Singapore. He made serious mistakes in his job which caused the bank to lose so much money that it had to close permanently in 1995. Leeson was found guilty of acting illegally, and was sent to prison in Singapore. He was released in 1999.
Lee, Spike		(1957–)  an African-American film director who makes films about the lives of African Americans in the US. His films include She's Gotta Have It (1986), Do The Right Thing (1989), and Malcolm X (1992).
Leeward Islands, the		a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea, between Puerto Rico and Martinique, which includes the islands of Antigua, Montserrat, and Guadeloupe, and the Virgin Islands
Le Figaro		a French newspaper
Left Bank, the		an area of Paris on the south bank of the River Seine, famous from the 1890s for being popular with artists, writers, and students
legend	 adjective	very good – used especially by young people
Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The		(1820) a popular story by Washington irving in which the main character, Ichabod crane, rides quickly through a frightening place called Sleepy Hollow because he thinks he is being chased by a headless horseman
Le Havre		a city and port in northwest France where the River Seine flows into the English Channel. Ferries (ferry ) from the south of England take cars and passengers to Le Havre.
Lehrer, Jim		(1934–)  a US journalist and television news presenter. He worked with Robert MacNeil on a news programme for many years and in 1995 became the anchor of The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer on PBS.
Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm, Baron von		(1646–1716)  a German philosopher and mathematician who invented calculus at the same time as newton
Leica		a brand (=type) of high-quality camera made by the Leica company, which also makes products such as microscopes and photographic equipment
Leicestershire		a county in central England
Leicester Square		a square in central London which has several cinemas, restaurants, shops, and amusement arcades. It is a popular place for tourists and young people, and it is always busy, especially at night.
Leigh, Mike		(1943–)  a British film director known for his unusual style of making films. Before the film is made, the actors work together to develop the characters and decide what they will say. His films often deal with the lives of working-class British people, and include Naked (1993), Secrets and Lies (1996), and Vera Drake (2004). He has also made films for television, including Abigail's Party (1977).
Leigh, Vivien		(1913–67)  a British actress, famous for her beauty and for appearing as the characters Scarlett o'hara in the film gone with the wind (1939) and Blanche Dubois in the film A Streetcar Named Desire (1951). She is also known for having been married to Laurence  olivier for many years.
Leinster		a province in the Republic of Ireland which includes 12 counties (county ) and the city of Dublin
Leipzig		a city in eastern central Germany, which has a famous university and is an important centre for business
Leitrim		a county in the north of the Republic of Ireland
Le Mans		a city in northwest France where a famous car race takes place every year. The race continues without stopping for 24 hours, and the winner is the car that has driven the most times around the track in that time.
Leningrad		the name of the Russian city of st petersburg during the time when Russia was part of the former soviet union. It was named after Lenin, the first leader of the soviet union.
Leninism	 noun	the teachings of Lenin, based on those of Karl Marx, regarding political, economic, and social matters; marxism-leninism
Lenin, Vladimir Ilyich		(1870–1924)  a Russian Marxist revolutionary and writer who was leader of the Bolshevik party and first leader of the Soviet Union (1918–24)
Lennon, John		(1940–80)  a British singer and songwriter, who was a member of The beatles, and wrote most of their songs with Paul mccartney. After The Beatles separated, he continued to write and sing songs, especially about peace and love, including Give Peace a Chance and Imagine. He was married to the artist Yoko Ono. He was shot and killed outside his home in New York City.
Leno, Jay		(1950–)  a US comedian and television presenter, famous for appearing as the host on The Tonight Show, a late-night  talk show on US television
Leonardo da Vinci		(1452–1519)  an Italian painter, inventor, and scientist of the Renaissance period, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest artists and geniuses who ever lived. His most famous paintings are The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. As a scientist and engineer, he made many important discoveries and designed and invented many machines, including one that looks similar to a modern helicopter.
Leone, Sergio		(1921–89)  an Italian film director known for his spaghetti westerns (=films about the American West in the 19th century, made in Europe by Italian directors), such as A Fistful of Dollars (1964) and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
Le Pen, Jean-Marie		(1928–)  a French politician who is the leader of the French National Front, an extreme right-wing political party that is known especially for wanting black and Arabic people to leave France
Lerwick		a town and port which is the capital of the Shetland Islands. Lerwick is on Mainland island and is a centre of the fishing industry.
Le Shuttle		a name that was used especially in the past to refer to the train service that carries cars and lorries (lorry ) through the Channel Tunnel between England and France
Les Misérables		a musical (=a play that uses song and dance to tell a story) which is one of the most popular stage shows ever and has been performed all over the world. It is based on a novel by Victor hugo, and tells the story of a failed revolution in 19th century France.
Lesotho		a country in southern Africa that has a lot of mountains, and is completely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It became independent and a member of the British Commonwealth in 1966. Population: 1,936,181 (2014). Capital: Maseru.
Lessing, Doris		(1919–2013)  a British writer of novels and short stories. She wrote The Grass is Singing, The Golden Notebook, and a set of five novels, The Children of Violence, about politics and feminism. She won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2007.
Lethe		in ancient Greek mythology, a river in hades (=the place under the ground where the spirits of dead people are supposed to live). When people who have died drink its water, they forget everything that happened when they were alive.
Letraset		a type of lettering printed on a special sheet in such a way that they can be put onto paper or other surfaces by the use of pressure
Letterman, David		(1947–)  a US comedian and television presenter who has his own talk show (=a programme on which people are asked questions and talk about themselves). He is known for having unusual people on his show, and for having humorous parts of the show such as 'stupid pet tricks' and 'stupid human tricks'.
Levant, the		an old name for the area of land at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, including Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and parts of Turkey
Levellers, the	 noun	a religious and political group in England in the 17th century, which began during the English civil war, and demanded equal political rights and freedom of religion for everyone
Levis		a popular and fashionable kind of jeans
Lewinsky, Monica		(1973–)  a US woman who had a sexual relationship with President Bill Clinton while she was working in the White House as an intern (=a young person who does a job for a short time to gain experience)
Lewis and Clark		two explorers, Meriwether Lewis(1774–1809)  and William Clark (1770–1838) , who travelled across North America from 1804 to 1806, going up the Missouri River and over the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific coast. They drew maps and gathered information about the Native American people who lived there.
Lewis, Carl		(1961–)  a US athlete who won several gold medals in the 1984, 1988, 1992, and 1996 Olympic Games for the long jump, the 100 and the 200 metres running races, and for the 4 x 100 metre relay race
Lewis, C. S.		(1898–1963)  a British writer and university teacher, known for his literary and religious works but especially for his children's stories The Chronicles of Narnia, which include the well-known novel The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Lewis, Jerry		(1926–)  a US comedian on television and in films. He made many films with Dean martin. He is known for playing characters who seem to be very stupid and silly. Lewis has also done a lot of work raising money for an organization that helps children who are ill. His birthname is Joseph Levitch.
Lewis, Jerry Lee		(1935–)  an American rock 'n' roll piano player and singer whose songs include Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On and Great Balls of Fire. In 1957, he secretly married his 13-year-old cousin, but when he came to the UK in 1958, the newspapers found out about the marriage and he was forced to stop his concert tour. In 1976 he accidentally shot and injured one of the musicians in his band with a gun. He is known for his exciting way of performing and his nickname is 'The Killer'.
Lewis, Lennox		(1965–)  a British boxer who became world heavyweight champion in 1992, 1997, and for a third time in 2001
Lewis, Meriwether
Lewis, Sinclair		(1885–1951)  a US writer of novels, best known for main street, babbitt, and Elmer Gantry. He is known for making fun of life in small US towns, and some of his books have been made into films. He won the Nobel prize for literature in 1930.
Lexington		a city in north Kentucky in the US, known for its university and as a place especially where many thoroughbred horses are produced for horse-racing
Lib		the written abbreviation of liberal
Liberace		(1919–87)  a US piano player and entertainer, who played well-known classical piano music on stage and on his own television programme. He was known for wearing clothes that were amusing because they looked so expensive and there were so many decorations on them, and there was always a decorated candle holder on his piano.
Liberal Democrat	 noun	a member of the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Party		a former British political party of the centre
Liberia		a country in West Africa on the Atlantic Ocean, next to Sierra Leone. Population: 3,989,703 (2014). Capital: Monrovia. The modern country of Liberia was established in 1822 as a place for black slaves from the southern US to go and settle after they had been made free. There was a civil war in Liberia from 1989 to 1997, and in 2003 President Charles Taylor was forced to leave the country. Officially, Liberia has the world's largest merchant navy (=ships used for business, not for military purposes). This is because many ships from all over the world are officially registered in Liberia, where the rules for ships, for example regarding safety standards, are less strict than in most other countries.
Liberty		an independent British organization which aims to defend and increase the rights of ordinary citizens. Before it changed its name in 1988, Liberty was called the National Council for Civil Liberties.
Liberty Bell, the		a bell, kept in Philadelphia, in the US state of Pennsylvania, which was rung on July 8th, 1776, during the american revolutionary war to tell people of the declaration of independence from Britain. Because of this, the bell became a symbol of liberty for the US. In 1846 it cracked when it was rung to celebrate the birthday of George washington, and it could not be repaired.
Liberty Island		the small island in New York Harbor where the Statue of Liberty stands
Liberty's		a famous department store in central London which sells clothes and things for the home, but is best known for its beautiful and expensive cloth, which is often specially designed and which can be used for making curtains, covering chairs etc. Many Liberty goods come from India, China, and East Asia. Several other cities in the UK have a Liberty's
Library of Congress, the		the largest library in the US, in Washington, D.C. It is paid for by the government and is open to the public, and is one of the largest libraries in the world. A copy of every book, magazine etc that is produced in the US has to be sent to the Library for it to keep.
Libreville		the capital city of Gabon
Libya		an oil-producing country in North Africa on the Mediterranean Sea. Population: 6,173,579 (2007). Capital: Tripoli. Colonel Gaddafi became leader in 1969 and introduced a new political and economic system that was based on Islam, and which was different from both communism and capitalism. For many years the relationship between Libya and the West was not good. In 1986 the US bombed Libya, and two men from Libya were blamed when a US plane exploded over Lockerbie in Scotland in 1988. Libya attempted to improve its relationship with the West by admitting that it was responsible for Lockerbie and announcing that it did not intend to develop weapons of mass destruction. In 2011, following a civil war, NATO military forces helped to remove Libya's leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, from power. Since then the country has been governed under a temporary constitution (=set of laws).
Lichtenstein, Roy		(1923–97) a US painter who was important in the development of pop art. He is famous for his paintings that look like comic strips.
Liebfraumilch	 noun	a popular white wine from Germany. It is rather sweet, and is often drunk in the UK by people who do not normally drink much wine.
Liechtenstein		a very small country between Austria and Switzerland. Many foreign companies have their main offices there because taxes are low and the banks keep information about companies secret. Population: 37,009 (2014). Capital: Vaduz.
Life		a former US magazine known for having many interesting photographs of different places around the world. It stopped being published in 2007.
lifecasting	 noun	the practice of very regularly showing your activities on the Internet or sending people short messages about what you are doing
Life Guards, the	 noun	a regiment (=large group of soldiers) in the British army which is part of the household cavalry
Life of Brian, The		(1979) a British film made by the actors from the monty python programmes, which treated the life of Jesus in a humorous way, which some people thought was offensive
Life Saver		a type of small hard round US sweet with a hole in the middle, which is produced in many different flavours (=types of taste). A similar sweet is called Polo in the UK.
Liffe		 an organization for buying and selling business shares. In 2002 it was taken over by Euronext which joined the New York Stock Exchange in 2007 to form NYSE Euronext. The name Liffe is still used, however.
Liffey, the		a river in the Republic of Ireland which flows through Dublin. It is said that the best Guinness  (=a dark Irish beer) is made using water from the Liffey.
Light Brigade, the
Likud, the		one of the main political parties in Israel, known as a right wing party. Its present leader is Benjamin Netanyahu.
Lilith		a female devil (=an evil spirit), who according to an ancient Jewish tradition, was the first wife of adam, and was also a vampire (=an evil spirit that sucks people's blood).
Lilliburlero		a song which is a satire on Irish Roman Catholics and the appointment of General Talbot as lord lieutenant of Ireland in 1687
Lilo	 noun	 a rubber mattress filled with air and used as a bed or for floating on water	Lilo充气垫〔用作床或用于水上漂浮〕
Lima		the capital city of Peru, which is an important industrial centre and is also known for its 16th century university
Limbaugh, Rush		(1951–)  a US radio and television talk show host. His programmes discuss politics from a conservative point of view and are very popular. He and the people who telephone his show often talk about political ideas in a very emotional way. In 2003 he said that he was addicted to drugs that reduce pain, and he went to a rehabilitation centre. He is also known for inventing words for insulting people he does not like, for example 'feminazi' for feminists whose ideas he thinks are too strong or 'environmental wacko' for people who strongly support protecting the environment.
Limerick		a county in the southwest of the Republic of Ireland
Limoges		a city in west central France, where fine porcelain cups, plates etc are made
Limpopo, the		a river in southern Africa, which flows from South Africa and through Mozambique to the Indian Ocean
Lincoln		a city in eastern England, well-known for its cathedral
Lincoln		 a type of large, expensive US car made by the Ford company. The Lincoln Continental is one of the best-known luxury cars in the US
Lincoln, Abraham		(1809–65)  a US politician in the republican party who was president of the US from 1861 to 1865. He won political support in the Northern US states because of his speeches against slavery, but this made him unpopular in the Southern states, where slaves did most of the farm work. The American civil war started soon after he became president, when the Southern states decided to leave the US. In 1863 he announced the emancipation proclamation, by which all slaves in the US became free people. He also gave a famous speech known as the gettysburg address in 1863. A few days after the war ended, he was shot and killed in a theatre by an actor called John Wilkes booth. Lincoln is considered to be one of the most important US presidents, and was sometimes called 'Honest Abe' because everyone admired his honesty. His picture appears on the US five-dollar bill and on the one-cent coin.
Lincoln Center, the		an important cultural centre in New York City, consisting of several buildings where plays, concerts, and operas are performed. It includes the Metropolitan Opera House and the New York City Ballet.
Lincoln green	 noun	(cloth of) a bright green colour originally made at Lincoln. robin hood and his men are said to have worn this colour.
Lincoln Logs		a type of children's toy sold in the US, consisting of many small pieces of wood that can be connected together to build a log cabin (=small wooden house)
Lincoln Memorial, the		a marble building in Washington, D.C., which has a large statue (=carved stone figure) of Abraham lincoln. There is a picture of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the US one-cent coin.
Lincoln's Birthday	 noun	the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, February 12th, which is an official holiday in many US states
Lincolnshire		a county in eastern England, on the North Sea coast
Lincoln's Inn		one of the Inns of Court in London
Lincoln Tunnel, the		a tunnel for vehicles under the Hudson River which connects Weehawken, New Jersey, with the island of Manhattan, New York City
Lindbergh, Charles		(1902–74)  a US pilot who in 1927 became the first person to fly alone across the Atlantic Ocean without stopping. He flew from New York to Paris in his plane called The Spirit of Saint Louis. Later his baby son was kidnapped ( kidnap ) and murdered.
Lindisfarne		another name for holy island
Lindisfarne Gospels, the		an illuminated (=with the pages decorated with gold paint and other bright colours) copy of the four Christian Gospels produced at the end of the 7th century on the island of Lindisfarne and now kept in the British Museum
Lind, Jenny		(1820–87)  a Swedish singer known for her sweet voice and called the 'Swedish nightingale'
Lineker, Gary		(1960–)  a British football player who played for the English national team from 1984 until 1992, and was captain from 1990 to 1992. He is known for being a nice polite person who always obeyed the rules of football when he was a player. After he stopped playing football he became a television presenter, and also appeared in humorous advertisements.
Link		in the UK, a system by which people can get money from their bank or building society accounts by using a special plastic card (a Link card) in a cash machine
link juice	 noun	the number and quality of links between websites
Lin, Maya		(1959–)  a Chinese-American woman who won the competition to design the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The Memorial is a black marble 'V' with all the names of the soldiers who died in Vietnam on it.
Linnaeus, Carolus		(1707–78)  a Swedish botanist (=a scientist who studies plants) who invented the system, called the Linnaean System, by which plants and animals are put into groups according to their genus (=general type) and species (=particular type)
Linotype	 noun	 a system for arranging type1(3) in the form of solid metal lines	莱诺铸排机〔用于印刷的整行排字系统〕
Linus		a character in a US cartoon strip called Peanuts. He is a boy who takes his blanket (=a cover for a bed) with him everywhere because he would not feel happy or confident without it.
Lions, the
Lions Club		an international organization whose members work together to help their local areas by doing charity work. Members usually work in professional jobs, for example as doctors, lawyers, or business people. The organization was started in the US, but there are local clubs in many countries all over the world.
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The		(1950) a children's book by C. S. lewis, in which four children enter the imaginary land of  narnia by walking through a  wardrobe, and have many adventures there. It is the first of the series of books called The Chronicles of Narnia.
Li Peng		(1928–)  a Chinese politician who was prime minister of China from 1987 to 1998
Lisbon		the capital city and main port of Portugal, which has a large university and a cathedral
Lister, Joseph		(1827–1912)  a British surgeon (=a doctor who does operations on the body) who was the first person to use antiseptics (=chemicals that prevent wounds from becoming infected) during operations
Liszt, Franz		(1811–86)  a Hungarian composer and pianist considered to be the greatest pianist of the 19th century. He is known especially for writing piano music in the romantic style.
Lithuania		a country in northeast Europe on the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Poland, which used to be part of the former Soviet Union. Lithuania joined the EU in 2004. Population: 3,515,858 (2014). Capital: Vilnius.
Little Bear		a group of stars
Little Bighorn, the		a river in the US state of Montana, where General custer fought against and was killed by Native Americans led by sitting bull and crazy horse in the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876
Little Bo Peep		a character in a nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for young children). She is a young girl who loses the sheep that she is supposed to be taking care of Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep/And doesn't know where to find them;/Leave them alone, and they'll come home,/Bringing their tails behind them.
Little Boy Blue		a character in a nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for young children). He is a young boy who is dressed in blue and goes to sleep instead of taking care of the cows and sheep Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn,/The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn;/But where is the boy that looks after the sheep?/He's under a haycock, fast asleep.
Little Dipper, the		another name for ursa minor, a group of bright stars
Little House on the Prairie		a novel for children, written by the US writer Laura Ingalls wilder. The book describes her life as a child in the American Midwest in the 19th century, when her family were among the first white people to live there. It is also the name of a popular US television programme of the 1970s, which was based on Wilder's books.
Little Jack Horner		a character from a nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for young children)Little Jack Horner sat in a corner, /Eating his Christmas pie; /He put in his thumb, and pulled out a plum, /And said 'What a good boy am I'.
Little John		one of Robin Hood's followers, in old English stories. He is called Little John as a joke because he is so big and strong.
Little Leagues		a baseball league for children in the US and Canada. Some other countries, for example some countries in Latin America, also have Little Leagues.
Little Lord Fauntleroy		the main character in the 19th century children's book Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886) by Frances Hodgson  burnett. He is an American boy who becomes an English lord when his father dies, and is known for his long  blond curly hair, his neat clothes, and his polite, morally good behaviour.
Little Mermaid, The		a fairy tale by Hans Christian andersen in which a mermaid (=a woman with a fish's tail instead of legs) changes her fish's tail for legs, even though this is very painful, because she loves a human prince. But the prince marries a human princess instead, and the little mermaid dies. The story was made into a cartoon film by Walt disney in 1989. There is a statue of the Little Mermaid at the entrance to the harbour in Copenhagen, the capital city of Denmark.
Little Miss Muffet		a character from a nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for young children). She is a young girl who is frightened by a spider and runs away
Little Nell		a character in the book The Old Curiosity Shop (1841) by Charles  dickens. Many people think of the death of Little Nell as one of the saddest stories in English literature, although some people think it is so sad that it seems silly and emotional.
Little Orphan Annie		a character in the US cartoon stripLittle Orphan Annie. She is an orphan (=a child whose parents have died) who gets into a lot of trouble, especially when the man who takes care of her, daddy warbucks, is away. The story has also been made into a popular musical play and film called Annie.
Little Red Book, The		a small book with a red cover, printed in China and containing many sayings from the speeches and writings of the Chinese leader mao zedong. It was read especially during the cultural revolution of the late 1960s, and at public meetings large crowds of people used to wave their copies of the Little Red Book.
Little Red Riding Hood		a character in the old children's story Little Red Riding Hood, who is a young girl. In the story the  big bad wolf eats Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother and puts on her clothes. When Little Red Riding Hood goes to visit her grandmother she is surprised by her appearance and says, 'Oh, Grandma, what big teeth you have!', and the wolf replies, 'All the better to eat you with' and swallows Little Red Riding Hood. A  woodcutter (=someone whose job is to cut down trees) kills the wolf, cuts open its stomach, and saves Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother.
Little Rock		the capital of the US state of Arkansas. It is known especially as the place where, in 1957, the US president had to send US government soldiers to a school, because the state governor was using Arkansas state soldiers to prevent nine black children from going to a school where all the children were white. Bill clinton lived in Little Rock when he was the state governor of Arkansas, before he became president of the US.
Little Women		(1868) a book for girls written by Louisa May alcott which describes the happy family lives of four sisters in New England, whose names are Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy
Littlewood, Joan		(1914–2002)  a British theatre director who developed new and original ways of expressing her left-wing political ideas in the theatre. She is known especially for her stage production of Oh, What a Lovely War! in 1963.
Live Aid		two popular music concerts held in London and Philadephia on the same day in 1985, which were organized by the musician Bob geldof to collect money to help people dying of hunger in Ethiopia. Live Aid led to other similar events, such as comic relief.
Lively, Penelope		(1933–)  a British writer of novels, short stories (short story ), and books for children. She won the Booker Prize in 1987 for her novel Moon Tiger.
Liver Building, the		a well-known building in Liverpool, on the River Mersey. On it are two figures of the Liver Bird, an imaginary bird which is the symbol of Liverpool.
Liverpool		a city in the northwest of England, on the River Mersey.
Liverpool Street		an important railway station in east central London, from which trains go to eastern England
Livingstone, Dr David		(1813–73)  a Scottish missionary (=someone who goes to a foreign country to teach people about Christianity) and explorer of Africa. He was the first European to see the zambezi River and the victoria falls. A journalist called Henry Morton stanley, who did not know Livingstone, went to look for him. When they met he said, 'Dr Livingstone, I presume'. People sometimes say this as a joke when they meet someone.
Livingstone, Ken		(1945–)  a British politician who was the Labour leader of the Greater London Council (GLC) in the 1980s. He was popular with ordinary people but disliked by the prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, who eventually closed down the GLC. He was a Labour MP for several years, and was on the left wing of the party. In 2000, he was expelled (expel) from the party because he wanted to stand in the election for mayor of London but was not the official Labour candidate. He won the election as an independent and became a popular mayor. He was allowed to rejoin the party in 2004 and won the next election for mayor. As mayor of London (2000–2008) he was known for introducing the congestion charge, a payment which drivers have to make if they want to drive in certain parts of the city.
Livy		(59 BC-AD 17)  a Roman historian known for his very large history of Rome, which greatly influenced historical writing. His Latin name was Titus Livius.
Lizard, the		an area of land going out into the sea in the southwest of England, which is the part of the UK that is furthest to the south
Ljubljana		the capital of Slovenia
Llandudno		a town on the coast of North Wales that is popular with tourists
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch		a small village on anglesey in North Wales, famous for being the place with the longest name in the UK
Lloyd George, David		(1863–1945)  a Liberal politician whose parents were Welsh and who was British prime minister from 1916 to 1922. He was against increasing the British Empire and in favour of political change. He introduced pensions and national insurance. There is an old popular song called Lloyd George knew my father and most people know this phrase.
Lloyd, Marie		(1870–1922)  a famous British music hall entertainer, known for her humorous songs which often had indirect sexual meanings. Some of her songs are still remembered, for example Oh, Mr Porter! and My Old Man Said Follow the Van.
Lloyd's		an organization based in London, which provides all types of insurance, including insurance for ships and aircraft. People with a lot of money can become members of Lloyd's (who are called 'names'), and can make more money by sharing in its profits. But they can also lose a lot of money if Lloyd's loses money.
Lloyd's Register		a list, produced every year, which puts all non-military ships into groups according to their type and size and gives other information about them
Lloyds TSB		one of the main British banks
Lloyd Webber, Andrew		(1948–)  a British composer who has written many very successful musicals (=plays that use singing and dancing to tell a story), including Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, and Cats. Some of his musicals were written with Tim Rice. His official title is Lord Lloyd-Webber of Sydmonton.
LMS	 noun	(local management of schools) in Northern Ireland, a system by which schools are given the responsibility for deciding how the money they receive from the government will be spent. Formerly a school's local education authority was responsible for its financial management.
Loach, Ken		(1936–)  a British film director, known for his socialist political beliefs. His films, which are often about the lives and problems of working-class people, include Cathy Come Home (1966), a film made for television, Kes (1969), and Land and Freedom (1996), a film about the Spanish Civil War.
Loaded		a British magazine for young men, which has articles on sex, music, cars, sport etc, as well as interviews with famous people. The language used is very informal and often very rude, and there are usually pictures of women wearing very little clothing.
Loadsamoney		an amusing British television character invented by Harry Enfield. Loadsamoney is a young working-class man who talks loudly about how much money he earns. His attitudes are supposed to be typical of some British people in the 1980s.
Lobby correspondent	 noun	a newspaper writer or broadcaster who is allowed to work in the British parliament
Local Authority	 	a level of local government in the UK, part of which is responsible for education in its particular area
Local Education Authority	 noun	a former organization in the UK which was responsible for public education in a particular area. The LEA was in charge of all the schools in an area, except for grant-maintained schools and private institutions, and it paid the wages of the teachers there. Since 2006 their responsibilities have been passed on to the part of each Local Authority that deals with education.
Loch Lomond		a lake in western Scotland near Glasgow, popular with tourists. There is a well-known old song about Loch Lomond which contains the words: For me and my true love will never meet again/On the bonnie bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.
Loch Ness Monster, the		a very large animal which is supposed to live in Loch Ness, a large, very deep lake in northern Scotland
Locke, John		(1632–1704)  an English philosopher who developed the idea of empiricism in his Essay Concerning Human Understanding. In his Two Treatises on Civil Government he wrote that a king or government received the right to rule from the people and not from God, and that the people should be able to change their government if they were not satisfied with it. These ideas influenced the  declaration of independence in the US.
Lockerbie		a town in southwest Scotland. Lockerbie became famous when a US plane, known as Pan Am Flight 103, crashed onto the town in 1988, killing 270 people. The plane was carrying a bomb, which was put there by someone working for the Libyan government. A Libyan man was given a life sentence in a Scottish prison for his part in the bombing. The Libyan government finally admitted that it was responsible for the bombing in 2003, and agreed to pay a total of more than $2 billion to the families of the people who were killed.
Lodge, David		(1935–)  a British writer of novels, known for his humorous books such as Changing Places,  Small World, and  Thinks .... His books are often about the lives and relationships of university teachers, and some have been made into television programmes.
Lofting, Hugh		(1886–1947)  a British writer of children's books who is best known for his popular Dr Doolittle stories, about a doctor who learned how to talk to animals so that he could treat them
Logan, Mount		the highest mountain in Canada, in the southwest Yukon
Loire, the		a river in central France which is famous for the many beautiful castles called châteaux (château) along its banks and for the wine which is made in the area
Loki		in Norse mythology, the god of evil and destruction
lollipop head	 noun	someone who is very thin, so that their head looks too big for their body
Lombardi, Vince		(1913–70)  a US football coach (=trainer) whose team won the first two Super Bowls in 1967 and 1968
Lombard Street		a street in the city of London, where there are many banks and financial institutions
Lomé		the capital, largest city, and main port of Togo
London Assembly, the		a group of elected politicians in charge of the Greater London Authority and the Mayor of London. The group has the power to check what the authority and the mayor are doing and it can change budgets.
London Bankers' Clearing House, the		in the UK, an organization owned by the large banks which deals with all the payments made every day using cheques, Switch etc, in order to find out how much each bank owes the other banks or is owed by them
London Blitz, the
London Bridge		a bridge over the River Thames in London, famous because of a nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for children) called London Bridge is Falling Down. In 1965, it was sold and taken to the US state of Arizona, where many tourists go to see it, and a new bridge was built to replace it.
London Central Mosque, the		a large mosque (=building in which Muslims worship) in regent's park in London
London City Airport		the smallest of the four international airports serving London, in the Docklands area of east London, from which fairly small planes fly to many cities in Europe. The other London airports are Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted.
London Coliseum, the		a large theatre in London, where the english national opera is based
Londonderry		the second largest city in Northern Ireland. It is usually called Derry by its Roman Catholic population, especially by people who want Northern Ireland to leave the UK.
London		the capital city of the UK, in southeast England on the River Thames, which is also an important port and centre for tourists. Population: 8,308,369 (2012). London is the centre of the British government, and the Houses of Parliament, Downing Street (the home of the prime minister), Buckingham Palace (the home of the Queen), and Whitehall (the main government offices) are all in the southwestern part of central London. London is also one of the world's main financial centres, and the London Stock Exchange and the Bank of England are in the City, the main business area in the eastern part of central London. Most of the well-known shops, hotels, theatres, cinemas etc are in the West End, the western part of central London, and the East End – known as a mainly working-class area where the local people are called 'Cockneys'. London is also known for its many parks, including Hyde Park and Regent's Park, its many museums, and its system of public transport, which includes red buses, black taxis, and an underground railway called the 'Tube'. London was originally established by the Romans, as Londinium, in the 1st century AD, and became the capital of England in the 11th century.
Londoner	 noun	a person who lives in or was born in London
London Eye		 a Ferris wheel in London that is 450 feet tall and which gives people who ride in it very good views of the city
London, Jack		(1876–1916)  a US writer of adventure novels, best known for The Call of the Wild and White Fang
London Library, the		a library in central London, known for its reading room and excellent collection of books. The London Library is not a free public library, but anyone can pay to become a member.
London Marathon, the		a marathon (=a running race of about 42 kilometres/26 miles) that takes place in London every year. Over 25,000 runners take part in the race. Some of these are professional runners, but most are ordinary people, many of whom do the marathon in order to collect money for charity organizations.
London Palladium, the		a famous theatre in central London, known especially for musicals (=shows that use singing and dancing to tell a story) and for variety shows  (=shows with many different short performances, by singers, dancers, people telling jokes etc)
London Philharmonic Orchestra, the		one of the leading orchestras (=large group of musicians playing together) in the UK
London Regional Transport		a publicly owned company that was responsible for London's underground railway system, for most of its buses, and for the Docklands Light Railway. It was replaced in 2000 by Transport for London.
London School of Economics, the		one of the colleges of London University, which is famous for teaching politics and economics. It was well known in the 1960s as a centre of left-wing student politics and protests.
London Season, the		a series of social events held every year in or near London and attended by people from the highest social class. In the past, this was an important part of life for the British upper class, but it is much less important now. It includes parties for debutantes, and several well-known sports events, including Royal Ascot and the Henley Regatta.
London Symphony Orchestra, the		one of the leading orchestras (=large group of musicians playing together) in the UK, based at the Barbican in central London
London Transport
London University		the third oldest university in England, which consists of several different colleges in London, including University College, King's College, and the London School of Economics. Students usually mention the name of the particular college that they go to, instead of saying that they study at London University.
London weighting	 noun	money added to the income of someone working in London, because of the higher cost of living there than in the rest of the UK
London Zoo		a large old zoo in central London, which was established in the early 19th century and is the best-known zoo in the UK
Lone Ranger, the		a character in the US television programme The Lone Ranger, which was popular especially in the 1950s. He is a cowboy who wears a mask around his eyes, and rides a horse called Silver. He helps people and prevents crimes with his Native American friend Tonto. At the end of the programme, someone often says, 'Who was that masked man?' Tonto calls the Lone Ranger 'Kemo sabe', and the Lone Ranger always says to his horse, 'Hi ho Silver' when he rides off quickly.
Long Beach		a city in south west California which is named after its long wide beach.It is an important shipping and industrial city, with many oil wells.
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth		(1807–82)  a popular US poet who is known especially for his long poems about US legends (=old and popular stories of brave people, great events or adventures etc). His best-known poems are The Song of Hiawatha, The Courtship of Miles Standish, Paul Revere's Ride, and The Wreck of the Hesperus.
Longford		a county in the Republic of Ireland
Long, Huey Pierce		(1893–1935)  a US politician in the democratic party who was governor of Louisiana from 1928–31, and a US senator from 1930. He was known as the 'Kingfish' and was popular especially with poorer people because of his plans for social and economic changes that would help the poor. But he used his position to keep complete political control in Louisiana, and he was shot and killed in 1935.
Long Island		an island in the US that contains the New York City boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn. Further east it has many other towns and cities, some of which are by the sea and popular in summer.
Long John Silver		a character from the children's adventure story Treasure Island (1883 ) by Robert Louis Stevenson. Long John Silver is a cruel and frightening pirate (=someone who sails on the sea, attacking other ships and stealing from them), who has part of one leg missing and a parrot that sits on his shoulder.
Longleat		a large house in Wiltshire owned by the Marquess of Bath and known for its safari park, where there are many lions
Long March, the		a long journey across China made in 1934–35 by Mao Zedong and his Communist army in order to reach a new base in northwest China. It was a dangerous journey because the marchers were often attacked by their enemies in the Nationalist army, and by the end only one third of the people were still alive. Many of the people who took part in the Long March later became important members of the Communist government, including deng xiaoping.
Lonsdale Belt, the		the most important prize in British professional boxing, a richly decorated belt which is given to a champion and is kept by him if he wins it four times
Look Back in Anger		(1956) a play by John Osborne about a young working-class man called Jimmy Porter, who continually argues with his wife, criticizing her and her family because they represent a traditional society he does not respect. The play influenced many British writers in the 1950s.
Loop, the		the central business area of Chicago. The name comes from an elevated railway that forms a large circle or loop around the area.
Loot		a magazine, sold in the UK and the US, which only contains advertisements. It is typically used by people who want to sell their cars or old furniture, rent their homes, buy a house etc. It also appears on the Internet.
Lopez, Jennifer		(1969-)  a US actress, singer, and dancer who was born in The Bronx, New York. Her parents came from Puerto Rico, and she sings in both English and Spanish. Her records include If You Had My Love (1999), Jenny from the Block (2002), and On the Floor (2011). Her films include Selena (1997), Out of Sight (1998), The Wedding Planner(2001), and The Back-up Plan (2010). She has been a judge on the US television talent show American Idol. Her husband is the singer Marc Anthony. She is also known by her nickname J-Lo.
Lorca
Lord Advocate, the		the most important official in Scotland's legal system. The Lord Advocate chooses new judges, suggests new laws, and decides whether or not a law needs to be changed.
Lord Chamberlain, the		in the UK, the person in charge of managing the royal household (=the people who live with and work for the king or queen)
Lord Chancellor, the		the most important official in the legal system of England and Wales. The Lord Chancellor gives legal advice to the king or queen, chooses new judges, and decides whether or not a law needs to be changed. He is also the Speaker of the House of Lords and an important member of the UK government.
Lord Chancellor's Department, the		a former British government department, headed by the Lord Chancellor, which was in charge of the legal system and the courts in England and Wales, and was responsible for choosing judges. in 2003 it became part of the Department for Constitutional Affairs, which became the Ministry of Justice in 2007. There is a similar department in the US called the Department of Justice.
Lord Chief Justice, the		a judge who is second in importance to the Lord Chancellor in the legal system of England and Wales. The Lord Chief Justice is the judge in charge of cases which are judged at a court of appeal.
Lord Haw-Haw		(1906–49)  the name given to William Joyce, an Englishman who broadcast speeches from Germany during World War II in order to support the Nazis. After the war he was taken back to Britain and hanged for being a traitor (=enemy of his country).
Lord is my Shepherd, The		the title and first words of the twenty-third psalm, one of the most famous Christian hymns
Lord Lieutenant, the	 noun	in the UK, an official who represents the king or queen in a county. The Lord Lieutenant has no real power, but performs ceremonial duties.
Lord Mayor, the	 noun	in the UK, the main elected officer of a city council:
Lord Mayor's Banquet, the		a banquet (=a formal dinner) held in the Guildhall, London every year after the new Lord Mayor of London has been elected. Many important people are invited to this banquet, including the prime minister, who makes a speech to mark the occasion.
Lord Mayor's Show, the		a street parade in which the new Lord Mayor of London travels in a golden carriage through the streets of London
Lord of Misrule, the		the name given to the person who was put in charge of the Christmas games and fun in England in the 15th and 16th centuries
Lord of the Flies		(1954) a novel by William golding about a group of boys living on a desert island (=a small island with no people living on it) after a plane accident. At first they work together and help each other, but soon they become cruel and violent towards each other.
Lord of the Rings, The		(1954–55)  a novel by J. R. R. Tolkien, which continues the story of The Hobbit. It was written as a story for children, but many adults also read it. It takes place in a land called Middle-Earth, and has many strange magical characters in it, including the wizard Gandalf and a hobbit called Frodo, who has to save the world from great evil. Peter Jackson, a film director from New Zealand, made three very successful and award-winning films based on the book: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King.
Lord Privy Seal, the	 noun	an important member of the British cabinet who is not responsible for a particular government department
Lord Protector		the title used by Oliver Cromwell and later by his son Richard Cromwell when they were in charge of the government of Britain at the time when it was a republic(1649–59)
Lords, the		the House of Lords, or its members considered as a group
Lord's Day, the		Sunday; the Christian sabbath
Lord's Day Observance Society, the		the former name of a Christian organization in the UK which tries to keep Sunday as a religious day. It disapproves of sports games on Sundays, shops that open on Sundays etc. It is now called Day One Christian Ministries.
Lords Spiritual, the	 noun	the bishops and archbishops (=priests of high rank) in the Church of England who are members of the house of lords
Lord's Supper, the		another name for the eucharist
Lords Temporal, the	 noun	the members of the house of lords who are not bishops or archbishops (=priests of high rank) in the Church of England
Loren, Sophia		(1934–)  an Italian actress, known for being sexually attractive, who appeared in European and US films in the 1950s and 1960s. She won an academy award for the film Two Women in 1960.
Lorna Doone		(1869) a book by R.D. Blackmore about the romantic relationship between Lorna Doone, a young woman from a family of criminals, and John Ridd, a young man whose father was killed by Lorna Doone's father. The story takes place in the 17th century on exmoor, in southwest England.
Los Alamos		a town in New Mexico, in the southwestern US, where the first atom bomb and hydrogen bomb were developed
Los Angeles		the second largest city in the US, in California on the Pacific coast
Los Angeles Lakers, the		an American basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. Their home stadium is the Staples Center and they have won the NBA championships many times. Famous players such as Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe Bryant have played for the team.
Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra, the		a US orchestra (=large group of musicians playing together) based in Los Angeles
Los Angeles Times, The		a daily newspaper produced in Los Angeles, known for the high quality of its reporting. It is also sold in other parts of the US.
Losey, Joseph		(1909–84) , a US film director, who was prevented from working in Hollywood during the anti-Communist time of Senator Joseph McCarthy. He went to Britain where at first he worked under another name. His films included The Criminal (1962), The Servant (1963), Accident (1967) and The Go-Between (1971).
Lost Generation, the		the young men who were killed in World War I, who could have been successful in art, science, literature etc
Lothian		a former region in southeast Scotland, which contains the city of Edinburgh. In 1996 Lothian was divided into East Lothian, the City of Edinburgh, Midlothian, and West Lothian.
Lot's wife		in the Old Testament of the Bible, a woman who was turned into a pillar (=a tall upright block) of salt by God, because she disobeyed his command not to look back when she and her family were escaping from Sodom, the city that God was going to destroy
Lotto, the		the main gambling (gamble) game that part of the UK National Lottery
Louboutins	 noun	a brand of expensive and fashionable women's shoes
Louganis, Greg		(1960–)  an American man who won gold and silver medals at the Olympics in 1976, 1984, and 1988, in diving (dive ). In 1995 he said publicly that he had AIDS.
Lough Neagh		a lake in Northern Ireland west of Belfast, the largest lake in the UK
Louise, Lake		a lake in the Rocky Mountains near Banff, Alberta, Canada, which is a popular place for tourists because of its beautiful blue-green colour and the surrounding mountains
Louisiana		a state in the southern US whose largest city is New Orleans
Louisiana Purchase, the		the area of land which the US bought from France in 1803. It consisted of the land between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains and between Canada and the Gulf of Mexico. The Louisiana Purchase more than doubled the size of the US.
Louis, Joe		(1914–81)  a US boxer, known as 'the Brown Bomber', who was world heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949, which is the longest time that any boxer has held this title
Louis Quatorze	 adjective	typical of the architecture or furniture from the time of louis xiv of France
Louis Quinze	 adjective	typical of the furniture or style of decoration from the time of King Louis XV of France. Louis Quinze furniture typically has a lot of curving edges
Louisville		a city in North Kentucky on the Ohio River. The Kentucky Derby, an important horse race, is held there each year and Fort Knox, the building which holds the US Government's gold store, is nearby.
Louis Vuitton		a company that makes expensive bags, cases, purses etc. It was the first company to put a  brand name on the outside of a product, and it uses a design on its products which is a pattern that includes the letters L and V printed together.
Louis XIV		(1638–1715)  the King of France from 1643 to 1715. He was the called the 'Sun King' and his court at Versailles was known for being very beautiful and expensively decorated. He also supported important artists and writers, and the time when he was King is seen as a great period in French history.
Louis XVI		(1754–93)  the King of France from 1774 to 1792. He and his wife marie antoinette were put in prison during the french revolution, and were killed by having their heads cut off by the guillotine.
Lourdes		a small town in southwest France where Roman Catholics believe that Saint bernadette saw the Virgin mary appear. They consider Lourdes to be a holy place, and many sick people go there because they believe that the water there is holy and has the power to cure them.
Louth		the smallest county in the Republic of Ireland, on the northeast coast
Louvre, the		the most famous French museum, which is in Paris and has many important paintings, including the mona lisa, and statues, including Nike or the Winged Victory
Love's Labour's Lost		a humorous play by William shakespeare in which a king and three of his friends promise to study and not become involved with women. However, they meet a princess and her friends, and fall in love with them, so that they are unable to do what they intended.
Love Story		(1970) a very sad film, based on the book by Erich Segal, in which Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw appear as two young people who fall in love and get married, but then the woman soon dies of leukaemia
Low Countries, the		another name for the netherlands, a country in northwestern Europe, bordered by Belgium, Germany and the north sea. It is called the Low Countries because they are mostly very flat, and some parts of them are below sea level, and are reclaim ed from the sea.
Lowell, Robert		(1917–77)  a US poet and writer of plays, who was also known for his concern about social questions and his opposition to the vietnam war. Two of his most famous poems are The Quaker Graveyard in Nantucket and Colloquy in Black Rock.
Lower East Side, the		the southeastern part of Manhattan in New York City, which is one of the poorer parts of the city, It has a mainly working-class population, which includes many Hispanics and other immigrants.
Lowlands, the		the central part of Scotland which is lower than the land surrounding it
Lowry, L. S.		(1887–1976)  a British painter known for his scenes from the industrial North of England showing factories and crowds of small thin people (matchstick men) rushing about. He used a very simple style of painting, and he especially combined the use of white and grey.
Low Sunday		the Sunday following Easter
Loyalist	 noun	a Protestant in Northern Ireland who believes that it should remain part of the UK. The people who want Northern Ireland to become part of the Republic of Ireland are called 'Republicans' or 'Nationalists'.
Loyola, St Ignatius (of)
LPO, the		the london philharmonic orchestra
LRT		london regional transport
LSAT	 noun	(Law School Admission Test) an examination which must be passed by all students who want to attend a law school in the US
LSE		the london school of economics
LSO, the		the london symphony orchestra
LTE	 noun	(long-term evolution) a method of high-speed communication of information, for example to mobile phones
Luanda		the capital city of Angola
Lucan, Lord		 used humorously to mean that someone has disappeared or cannot be found. The phrase comes from an English aristocrat who disappeared in 1974, following events at the house of his wife. He has never been found.
Lucas, George		(1944–)  a US film director, producer, and film writer, who is most famous for making the Star Wars films. He also worked with Steven Spielberg to make Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and two other films about the character Indiana Jones.
Lucas, Henry Lee		(1936–2001)  an American once considered one of the world's worst serial killers after he said in 1965 that he had murdered more than 100 people. He was sentenced to death (=given the legal punishment of death by a judge), but it was discovered that he had invented most of his confessions, and the death sentence was changed to life imprisonment.
Lucky Charms		a type of sweet breakfast cereal with marshmallows (=soft sweets) in different colours and shapes including pink hearts and orange stars, eaten especially by children in the US
Lucky Jim		(1954) a humorous novel by Kingsley amis about a young college lecturer, Jim Dixon, who has modern political and social ideas, and has a lot of problems with the rather old-fashioned people that he works with
Lucozade		a type of drink which contains glucose and is said to give people energy when they have been playing sports or when they have been ill
Lucretius		(?99–55 BC) a Roman philosopher and poet, known for his long poem De rerum natura (On the nature of things) in which he discusses the nature of the universe
Lucy Show, The
Ludlum, Robert		(1927–2001)  a US writer of popular novels about spies (spy ). His books include The Bourne Identity and The Scarlatti Inheritance.
Lufthansa		a German airline
Luftwaffe, the		the German Airforce, during World Wars I and II
Lugosi, Bela		(1882–1956) a Hungarian born US actor, who became famous on Broadway for his role in Dracula (1927), which was made into a film in 1931. He had a heavy accent and often appeared in frightening films.
Lu Hsun
Luke, Saint		one of Jesus Christ's disciples (=his close friends and followers). He is believed to have been a doctor and to have written The Gospel according to St Luke, which describes the life and teaching of Jesus.
Lumière Brothers, the		two French brothers, Auguste Lumière (1862–1954)  and Louis Lumière (1864–1948)  who, in 1895, produced the first camera that was also a projector, and made the first cinema film, Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory.
Lumley, Joanna		(1946–)  a British television and film actress, known for being beautiful and for her upper-class way of speaking. She appeared on television in The New Avengers in the 1970s, and as the character Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous in the 1990s. In 2008 she played an important part in the Gurkha Justice Campaign which successfully persuaded the government to allow Gurkhas to live in Britain if they had spent four or more years in the British Army before 1997.
Lumumba, Patrice		(1925–61)  a Congolese politician from the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaïre), who was his country's first prime minister after it became independent (1960). He was murdered by a political opponent.
Lundy		a small island in the Bristol Channel in southwest England, known for its wild flowers and birds, especially puffins
Lurex		 a type of thread that looks like metal, usually gold or silver, used in material for making clothes
Lusaka		the capital city of Zambia
Lusitania, the		a British passenger ship that was sunk off the Irish coast in 1915 by the German navy during World War I. Some of the 1195 people who were killed were Americans, and this made many Americans feel that the US should enter the war against Germany.
Lutheranism	 noun	the beliefs or practice of that branch of the Protestant church which is based on the teachings of Martin Luther, especially the belief that salvation can be gained by faith alone
Luther, Martin		(1483–1546)  a German religious leader whose ideas have had great influence on religion in Europe. In 1517, he started the reformation (=the time when many Christians in Europe left the Catholic religion and started the Protestant religion) by writing his 95 Theses, in which he criticized the Catholic religion and by fastening them with nails to the door of his church in Wittenburg. He is also known for translating the Bible from Latin into German.
Luton Airport		an international airport near Luton in south central England, used especially by planes taking people on package tours
Luxembourg		a small country in western Europe, surrounded by Belgium, Germany, and France. Capital: Luxembourg-Ville. Population: 514,862 (2014). Luxembourg is a member of the EU, and its official name is the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The EU's main law court, the European Court of Justice, is in Luxembourg.
Luxemburg, Rosa		(1871–1919)  a German socialist leader, born in Poland. In 1892 she helped to start the Polish Socialist Party, and later the Spartacus League, a political group which became the German Communist Party. She was killed by soldiers during a protest organized by the Spartacus League.
Luxor		a city in Egypt on the east bank of the River Nile, famous for its ancient temples (=holy buildings) and very popular with tourists. In 1997, 59 tourists were killed in Luxor by a group of terrorists opposed to the Egyptian government.
Lu Xun		(1881–1936)  a Chinese writer of great influence, whose real name was Zhou Shuren. He criticized Chinese government thinking at the time and encouraged people in China to become interested in Western ideas and science. He is famous for his short stories, especially The True Story of Ah Q.
Lyme Regis		a town in Dorset on the south coast of England, known for its fossils (=ancient plants and animals preserved in rock), and for being a fashionable place for people to visit in the 19th century. It is still a popular place for British people to go to on holiday.
Lynch, Bet		a character who used to appear in the popular British television programme coronation street, and known as Bet Gilroy after she got married. She is what many people think of as a typical barmaid (=a woman who serves drinks in a bar). She had blond hair and large breasts, and wore a lot of make-up and very large earrings.
Lynch, David		(1946–) , a US film director, well-known for unusual films, such as The Elephant Man (1980), Blue Velvet (1986) and Mulholland Dr. (2001). He also made the  cult television programme Twin Peaks (1989).
Lynn, Dame Vera		(1917–)  an English singer who was very popular during World War II. She was known as the 'Forces' Sweetheart', and entertained soldiers with songs such as We'll Meet Again and White Cliffs of Dover.
Lyons		the capital city of the department of the Rhône in east central France. Its correct French name is Lyon.
Lyons		a British company that sells tea, coffee, and other food products
Lyons, Joseph		(1848–1917)  a British businessman who started the J Lyons company in 1894, and whose Lyons' Corner Houses  (=restaurants serving tea and light meals) were very popular in the UK, especially in the first half of the 20th century
Lysistrata		the main character in the humorous ancient Greek play Lysistrata by  aristophanes. Lysistrata and the other women in Athens are angry because their husbands are fighting in a long war. Lysistrata organizes a protest, and the women refuse to have sex with their husbands until there is peace.
Léger, Fernand		(1881–1955) a French painter and one of the most important painters of the Cubist style
M1		a British motorway (=large, fast road) that goes from London to Leeds in the north of England
M6 Toll		a motorway that is the first in Britain to charge a toll (=money). It is 27 miles long, and people can use it to avoid the traffic on the busiest part of the M6 motorway, near the city of Birmingham. It opened in December 2003.
Maastricht		a city in the Netherlands. In 1991, the leaders of the countries in the EU (=European Union) met there and made an agreement to become more politically and economically united. This agreement, known as the Maastricht Treaty, was signed in 1992. The main aim of the Treaty is to establish the principle of closer economic union in the EU and a single currency (=system of money), and it also includes the social chapter, which deals mainly with the rights of workers.
Mabinogion, The		a collection of old Welsh stories about imaginary and magical people and places. It was written from the 11th to the 13th centuries, and some of the stories deal with arthurian legend.
Macao		a small area in southeast China, which was a Portuguese province but became part of China in 1999. Population: 583,003 (2014). Main city: Macao. Although it is part of China, it has a system of government that is similar to Hong Kong, and this arrangement is described as 'one country, two systems'. It is a popular place for tourists and a centre for gambling (gamble ).
MacArthur, Ellen		(1976–)  a British sailor who is known for being very brave when sailing alone in very rough seas. In 2000 she became the youngest woman ever to sail around the world alone in her yacht Kingfisher. She has broken several sailing records.
MacArthur, General Douglas		(1880–1964)  a US military leader. During World War II he was in charge of all the armies of the allies fighting in the areas around the Pacific Ocean. He commanded the US armies in Japan after the war ended, and he was also the leader of the United Nations forces in Korea in 1950–51 during the korean war.
Macbeth		a character in the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Macbeth is told by three witches (witch) that he will become king. To do so, he murders the present king Duncan, who is visiting him in his castle. Although he feels very guilty about this, he kills several other people to keep his power until he is finally killed by Macduff. Actors believe it is unlucky to say the name Macbeth, so they often call it The Scottish Play.
Macbeth, Lady		a character in the play Macbeth by William  shakespeare. She encourages her husband, Macbeth, to kill Duncan, the king of Scotland, so that he can become king instead, and she is a stronger, more evil person than Macbeth himself. After the murder, however, she feels very guilty, and starts to walk in her sleep, trying to clean the imaginary blood of the dead king off her hands.
Macca	 	an informal name for the British pop musician Paul McCartney, used especially by tabloid newspapers.
Macdonald, Flora		(1722–90)  a Scottish woman who helped bonnie prince charlie to escape from Scotland after the Battle of culloden by making him dress in women's clothes and pretend to be her
Macdonald, Ramsey		(1866–1937)  a British politician in the Labour Party, who became the first Labour prime minister in 1924. He was later prime minister of a 'National Government' (=a government formed from members of all the political parties) during the period of economic difficulty and high unemployment of the 1930s.
Macdonald, Ross		(1915–83)  a US writer of crime stories, whose real name was Kenneth Millar. The main character in his books is the private detective, Lew Archer.
Macduff		a character in the play Macbeth by William  shakespeare, who kills Macbeth at the end of the play
Mace	 noun	a chemical which makes your eyes and skin sting painfully. Police officers sometimes carry Mace in cans to defend themselves.	Mace防身喷剂
Macedonia		a country in southeast Europe, north of Greece and south of Serbia. It was formerly part of Yugoslavia, but became an independent country in 1991. There has been disagreement about the use of the name Macedonia because there is an area of Greece that is also called Macedonia, so the country has the official name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Population: 2,087,171 (2014). Capital: Skopje.
Macheath, Captain		a character in The Beggar's Opera (1728) by John Gay who is a  highwayman (=a man who robbed travellers)
Machiavelli, Niccolò		(1469–1527)  an Italian political philosopher who is best known for his book The Prince, in which he explains how political leaders can cleverly use other people in order to gain power and keep it
Machu Picchu		an ancient ruined South American city high up in the Andes mountains in Peru. It was built by the Incas, a Native American people of South America, in about 1500 AD, and has a temple (=religious building) of the Sun and many other buildings. It is a popular place for tourists to visit.
Macintosh	 noun	a type of personal computer	Macintosh电脑，苹果电脑〔一种个人电脑〕
Mackenzie Mountains, the		a range of mountains in the Canadian rockies
Mackenzie River, the		a river in northwest Canada which is the longest river in Canada
Mackintosh, Charles Rennie		(1868–1928)  a Scottish architect, artist, and designer of furniture and glass. His work is considered to be among the best examples of the art nouveau style, and he designed many buildings in and around Glasgow in Scotland.
MacLaine, Shirley		(1934–)  a US actress. Her films include Steel Magnolias (1989) and Postcards from the Edge (1990). She won an  oscar for Terms of Endearment (1983). She has also written books about  reincarnation, describing the different lives that she believes she has lived in the past.
Maclean, Alistair		(1922–87)  a British writer of adventure stories, many of which have been made into films, such as The Guns of Navarone, Where Eagles Dare, and Ice Station Zebra
MacLean, Donald		(1913–83)  a British man who had an important job in the Foreign Office, but was at the same time secretly working as a spy for the former Soviet Union. In 1951 he escaped to Russia with another British spy, Guy burgess, and the names 'Burgess and Maclean' are often remembered together.
Macmillan, Harold		(1894–1986)  a British politician in the Conservative Party, who was prime minister from 1957 to 1963, during a period of great economic improvement. He made two expressions popular in the UK, when he told the British people 'You've never had it so good' (meaning that most people had more money and a better life than they ever had before), and when he talked about 'the winds of change' blowing through Africa (meaning that many African countries were becoming independent from Great Britain at that time). He later became Lord Stockton.
MacNeil/Lehrer Report, the		a US news programme shown on public television, known for the quality of its reporting
macroprudential	 adjective	relating to a whole financial system and to protecting that system
Mac the Knife		a character in The Threepenny Opera (1928), written by Bertolt  brecht with music by Kurt  weill, based on the character of Captain  macheath
Macy's		a very large department store in New York City, with stores in some other US cities, mainly in the eastern states
Madagascar		a country that is an island in the Indian Ocean off the southeast coast of Africa. It is known for having some types of animal that do not exist anywhere else in the world, such as the lemur. Population: 22,599,098 (2014). Capital: Antananarivo.
Madame Bovary		a novel by Gustave Flaubert, published in 1856, which tells the story of a doctor's wife, Emma Bovary, who, unhappy in her marriage, commits adultery, falls into debt, and finally kills herself.
Madame Butterfly		(1904) an opera by puccini in which a Japanese woman marries an officer in the US navy called Lieutenant Pinkerton, who later leaves her in Japan and marries another woman in the US. When he returns to Japan with his American wife, his Japanese wife kills herself because she is so unhappy.
Madame Tussaud's		a museum in London that contains models of famous people, both living and dead, made of wax. It was started by a French woman called Madame tussaud in 1802. New models are added as new people become famous. The museum is also famous for its 'Chamber of Horrors', a special area with models of famous criminals and murderers.
MADD		Mothers Against Drunk Driving; a US organization, started by a woman whose daughter was killed by a driver who was drunk. It has been successful in bringing the problem of drunk driving to people's attention in the US, and in encouraging the government to make stronger laws against it.
Madden, John		(1936–)  a successful football coach in the US who later became a football commentator on television. The popular home video game Madden NFL is named after him. He is known for being afraid to fly in planes and travelling in a special bus instead.
Mad Hatter, the		a character in the book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) by Lewis  carroll. Alice goes to the Mad Hatter's  tea party where no one eats or drinks anything, the Mad Hatter and the  march hare talk nonsense, and the  dormouse keeps falling asleep.
Madison		the capital city of the US state of Wisconsin
Madison, James		(1751–1836)  the president of the US from 1809 to 1817. He is sometimes called the 'Father of the Constitution' because of his work at the constitutional convention in 1787. He also helped to write the bill of rights. He started the war of 1812 against Great Britain, and it was called 'Mr Madison's War'. He was married to Dolly Madison.
Madison Square Garden		a place in New York City where concerts or sports events, especially boxing matches, are held, which very large crowds of people attend
Madison Square Park		a small park in New York City between madison avenue, broadway, and 23rd Street
Mad Magazine		a humorous US monthly magazine read especially by teenagers, which is known for its parodies (parody ) of recent events, films, famous people etc
Madonna		(1958- ) a US singer and film actress, one of the most most successful pop musicians of the 1980s and 1990s. She is known for dressing and performing in her concerts and music videos in a way that is sexually exciting and sometimes shocking. Her songs include Like a Virgin (1984), Papa Don't Preach (1986), and 4 Minutes (2008). Her films include Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Body of Evidence (1993), and Evita (1996). She is married to the English film director Guy Ritchie, and in October 2006 she adopted a boy from Malawi called David Banda Mwale. She is also known for being interested in Kabbalah.
Madras		a city and port in southeast India, the capital of Tamil Nadu state
Madrid		the capital city of Spain, in the centre of the country
Maestro		a type of system used for paying for goods and services in the UK, by which customers use a type of plastic card called a debit card, and money is immediately taken out of their bank account. Maestro is a brand name of the MasterCard company.
Mae West	 noun	a humorous name for a type of life jacket (=an air-filled piece of clothing that you wear to stop yourself sinking in water) that was worn in World War II by people in the air force. It was given this name because its shape reminded people of the film actress Mae West, who was known for her large breasts.
Mafeking		the old name of a town in the northern part of South Africa, now called Mafikeng. It is famous in British history because of the Siege of Mafeking in 1899–1900, when British soldiers defended the town against the Boers during the boer war. The Relief of Mafeking took place after 217 days when more British forces arrived, and the news of this event caused great celebrations in the UK.
MAFF		ministry of agriculture, fisheries and food
Magdalen Bridge		a bridge over the River Cherwell at Oxford, England. Every May Day a choir sings from a tower near the bridge, and university students traditionally jump from the bridge into the river.
Magellan, Ferdinand		(?1480–1521) a Portuguese sailor generally considered to be the first person to sail all around the world. The strait of magellan at the bottom of South America was named after him.
Maggie		a short form of the name 'Margaret'. British newspapers often used this name to refer to Margaret Thatcher when she was prime minister.
Maghreb, the		the area of northwest Africa which includes the countries of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. The people who live there are mainly Arab and Berber.
Magic Circle, the		a British society for people who perform magic tricks as a form of entertainment. The Magic Circle has a strict rule that the secrets of how magic tricks are done must not be told to anyone who is not a member.
Magic Kingdom, the		another name for disneyland or disney world
Magic Realism	 noun	a style of imaginative novel writing connected especially with 20th century writers from Latin America, such as Jorge Luis Borges, Gabriel García Márquez, and Isabel Allende, in which impossible events are described as if they are real
Maginot Line, the		a line of forts (=very strong buildings for use by an army) built before World War II to defend the eastern border of France against the Germans. It was not effective, because the German army avoided it by going through Belgium.
Magnificat		a song in praise of God which is used in some Christian church services. Its words are the words said by mary in the New Testament of the Bible, after she discovers that she is going to be the mother of Jesus.
Magritte, René		(1898–1967)  a Belgian surrealist painter known for combining in his pictures familiar objects that do not usually belong together. His pictures often involve apples, hats, and windows.
Magyar	 noun	 a member of the main group of people who live in Hungary
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the		(1911–2008)  an Indian religious leader who, in the 1960s, helped to introduce many Indian religious ideas to people in the West. His teaching includes transcendental meditation (=the practice of repeating special words many times, until you feel very calm), and he has taught many famous people, including The Beatles.
Mahathir bin Mohamad		(1925–)  a Malaysian politician who was prime minister from 1981 to 2003. Under his government, Malaysia experienced rapid economic development.
Mahayana		of the form of Buddhism practised in Tibet and China, based on developments of the original teachings of the Buddha starting in the first century
Mahdi, the		in Islam, the name given to a holy leader who, according to Muslims, will be sent by God and will make all people in the world follow Islam. Many Muslim leaders have claimed to be the Mahdi.
Mahfouz, Naguib		(1911–2006)  an Egyptian writer of novels and short stories who in 1988 became the first Arabic writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. His works include The Cairo Trilogy(1956–1957)  and Children of Gebelawi (1981).
Mahler, Gustav		(1860–1911)  an Austrian composer whose work is typical of the romantic style. He is known especially for his symphonies (symphony ) and for his sets of songs, Das Lied von der Erde and Kindertotenlieder.
Maid Marian		a woman who, in old English stories, has a romantic relationship with Robin Hood
Maid of Orleans, the
Maigret		a character who appears in many novels by Georges simenon. Maigret is a detective (=a police officer whose job is to solve crimes) in Paris.
Mailer, Norman		(1923–2007)  a US writer and journalist, known for dealing with social and political subjects and for criticizing US society. His books often contain a lot of sex and violence, and many of them are based on real events. They include The Naked and the Dead (1948) and An American Dream. He won a Pulitzer Prize in 1969 for The Armies of the Night, and in 1980 for The Executioner's Song.
Mail on Sunday, The		a British tabloid newspaper produced every Sunday by the same company that produces The Daily Mail
Mail, The		another name for The Daily Mail
Maine		a state in the northeast of the US, next to the Atlantic coast and the border with Canada. Maine is the largest state in new england, and is known for its beautiful forests, mountains, and coast.
Majorca		a Spanish island in the west Mediterranean Sea, the largest of the balearic islands, which is very popular with tourists. In the UK, it is often thought of as a place where many people go for inexpensive holidays. Some British people think that parts of the island have been spoiled, because there are too many new buildings and places of entertainment for tourists.
Major, John		(1943–)  a British politician in the Conservative Party, who became prime minister after Margaret Thatcher was forced to leave this position in 1990, and was then elected in 1992. During his period as leader, which ended after his party lost the election in 1997, he had the difficult job of trying to settle disagreements in his party about the UK's position in the European Union.
Makarios III, Archbishop		(1913–77)  a religious leader, politician, and the first president of Cyprus. He led the movement which brought the island's independence from Britain in 1960.
Make-A-Wish Foundation, the		a US charity organization that helps children who are extremely ill get something that they want very much. Make-a-Wish has helped some children meet their favourite musicians, play sports with a famous team, or travel to another country or state.
Makkah		a city in Saudi Arabia where the prophet Muhammad was born, considered the holiest city of Islam. People who are not Muslims are not allowed to go there, but every Muslim must try to make a pilgrimage (=religious journey) to Makkah once in their lifetime.
Malabar Coast, the		the southwest coast of India, which produces coconuts, rice, and spices
Malaga		a city and port in the south of Spain on the Mediterranean coast. It is a popular place for tourists, and the area around Malaga, the Costa del Sol, is also a popular place for older British people to go and live after they have finished working.
Malamud, Bernard		(1914–86)  a US writer who often wrote about Jewish life and customs. His books include the novels The Fixer and Dubin's Lives, and a collection of short stories, The Magic Barrel.
Malaprop, Mrs		a character in the 18th century play The Rivals by Richard Sheridan. She is known for the funny way that she wrongly uses words, saying a word that sounds similar to the one she intended to use, but means something completely different. This type of mistake is known as a malapropism because of her.
Malawi		a country in East Africa, surrounded by Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique. Population: 16,777,547 (2014). Capital: Lilongwe.
Malay	 noun	 someone from the largest population group in Malaysia
Malay	 adjective	from or connected with Malaysia
Malaya		the former name of the Malay peninsula or West Malaysia, now a part of Malaysia
Malayan	 noun	 a person from Malaysia
Malaysia		a country in southeast Asia made up of 13 states. Eleven of these are on the Malay peninsula and the other two, Sabah and Sarawak, are on the island of Borneo. Population: 29,628,392 (2014). Capital: Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia is an important producer of rubber, and it has also developed many other industries, including clothes, cars, and electrical goods. It is a member of the British Commonwealth.
Malcolm X		(1925–65)  a African-American leader in the US who worked to improve the social and economic position of African Americans. He became a member of the black muslims in 1952, and spoke publicly about the need for African Americans to live separately from white Americans, and he encouraged them to use violence to protect themselves. In 1964, he left the Black Muslims and established the Organization of Afro-American Unity. He was murdered in 1965 while making a speech in Harlem, New York City.
Maldives, the		a country made up of a group of small islands in the Indian Ocean southwest of Sri Lanka, which are known for their beautiful beaches. Population: 393,988 (2014). Capital: Malé. The Maldives are threatened by the process of global warming, because the land is very flat and, if the sea level rises much, the islands could disappear.
Mali		one of the largest countries in West Africa. It contains a large area of the southern Sahara Desert, and it also contains the city of Timbuktu. Population 15,968,882 (2014). Capital: Bamako.
Malinowski, Bronislaw		(1884–1942)  a British anthropologist (=a scientist who studies people and their societies, and the way that their customs develop), born in Poland, who established the first university department of anthropology in Britain and wrote several important books on the subject
Mall of America, the		a very large mall in Bloomington, Minnesota, near Minneapolis. It contains more than 500 stores and an amusement park.
Mallory, George		(1887–1924) a British mountain climber, who died while attempting to climb Mount Everest. In 1999 his body was found 2,000 feet from the top of the mountain. Some people believe that he and another climber, Andrew Irvine, were the first people to reach the top of Everest, but died on the way down.
Mall, The		a straight road in central London that connects buckingham palace and trafalgar square. Whenever there is a royal wedding, funeral, or similar occasion, the royal family travels slowly along it, and many people come to watch.
Malory, Sir Thomas		(c.1410–71)  an English writer known for his book Le morte d'arthur which tells the story of King  arthur
Malta		a group of small islands in the Mediterranean Sea, formerly ruled by the UK. It has been an independent republic and a member of the British Commonwealth since 1964. It consists of three main islands, Malta, Gozo, and Comino, and is popular with British tourists. Population: 403,532 (2008). Capital: Valletta. In 2004 Malta joined the EU.
Maltese	 noun	 the people of Malta
Malthus, Thomas		(1766–1834)  a British economist who studied population growth. He is known especially for his opinion that, if the world's population was not controlled by disease, wars, or by sexual restraint, it would grow faster than the world's food supply.
Malvern		a town in western central England, in the Malvern Hills. It is known for the theatre and music festival held there every year.
Malvern Hills, the		a group of hills in central England, known especially for their mineral water called Malvern Water
Malvolio		a character in the play twelfth night by William Shakespeare. Malvolio is one of Olivia's servants, and the people in Olivia's house play a trick on him by telling him that Olivia loves him. He then tries to begin a romantic relationship with her, but behaves so strangely that people think he is crazy and put him in prison.
Malé		the capital city and main port of Maldives, on Malé Island in the Indian Ocean
Mamil	 noun	(middle aged man in Lycra) a middle-aged man who has started to spend time riding a bicycle, as an interest and in order to stay or get healthy
Managua		the capital city of Nicaragua, which was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1972
Manche, La
Manchester		a large city in the northwest of England, which was formerly known for its wool and cotton industries, but is now the financial and business centre for the area. Many pop and rock bands come from Manchester, which is known for its music industry and its many nightclubs. It is also known for its two football teams, Manchester United and Manchester City. Many of the buildings in the city centre were destroyed by an ira bomb in 1996. People who come from Manchester are called Mancunians.
Manchester City		a football club in the English Premier League, which won the FA Cup in 2011. The club has a long history and was started in 1880. They were very successful in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1970. The club is owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who bought it in 2008. He has provided a lot of money for new players such as Carlos Tévez and Yaya Touré. As a result, Manchester City is often claimed to be the richest football club in the world. The club is sometimes called City, The Blues, or The Citizens. Its full name is Manchester City Football Club
Manchester Ship Canal, the		a long, narrow stretch of water in northwest England which goes from Manchester to the sea. It was built to help the cotton factories to move their goods in the 19th century.
Manchester United		a very successful and popular English football club from Manchester who play their home games at a stadium called Old Trafford. In 1999, Manchester United became the first club to win the European Cup, the FA Cup, and the Premier League competition in one season. It has won the Premier League and the FA Cup many times, and has also won the UEFA Champions League. The team's nickname is The Red Devils. Its full name is Manchester United Football Club (MUFC).
Mandalay		a city in Myanmar, known in the US and UK especially because of the old song The Road to Mandalay and an old film with the same name
Mandela, Nelson		(1918–2013)  the leader of South Africa's ANC party from 1994 to 1997, and the first black president of South Africa, from 1994 to 1999. Mandela was in prison from 1964 to 1990 for his opposition to the country's white government and its policy of apartheid. In 1993 he shared the Nobel Peace Prize with President F. W. de Klerk after they had worked together to end the system of apartheid. He is admired all over the world, especially for encouraging people in South Africa to unite and build a new society and to forgive the bad things that happened there in the past.
Mandela, Winnie Madikizela		(1936–)  a South African politician who was the wife of Nelson Mandela from 1958 until 1996. She was admired during her long opposition to the white government and its policy of apartheid, but many people believe that she was involved in the murder of black political opponents during the 1980s.
Mandelson, Peter		(1953–)  a British politician in the Labour Party. From 1987 to 1997, he was in charge of planning and organizing all the party's election attempts, and he is thought of as a typical example of a spin doctor (=someone who tries to influence news reporting so that it is always favourable to his party). He became a member of the Cabinet after the 1997 election. In 1998 he was forced to leave his job because of a financial scandal, but after a year he came back into the Cabinet. In 2001 he had to leave the Cabinet again after another scandal. In 2004 the Prime Minister Tony Blair made him a European commissioner. During the time when Gordon Brown was prime minister, Mandelson was given various jobs including being secretary of state for Business, Innovation and Skills. His official title is The Lord Mandelson.
mandem	 noun	male friends – used by young people
Manet, Édouard		(1832–83)  a French painter who greatly influenced the impressionists. He is known for paintings such as Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe, Olympia, and A Bar at the Folies-Bergère.
Man for All Seasons, A		(1960) a play by Robert Bolt about the life of Sir Thomas more, which was later made into a film
Manhattan		an island and borough of New York City in New York Bay, between the Hudson River and the East River
Manhattan Project, the		the secret US scientific plan, which was started in 1942, to develop an atom bomb
Manifest Destiny	 noun	the belief that the US people had the right and the duty to take land in North America from other people, because this was God's plan. This phrase was used by journalists and politicians in the 19th century when US citizens moved west across North America and the US gained Texas, California, Oregon, and Alaska.
Manila		a city and port, the capital of the Philippines
Manilow, Barry		(1943–)  a singer and songwriter, known for his love songs and for having a large nose. His songs include Mandy (1974), Can't Smile Without You (1978), and Bermuda Triangle (1980).He is popular especially with middle-aged women, who get very excited at his concerts.
Man in the Iron Mask, the		a man who was kept as a prisoner in the Bastille, a prison in Paris, and died there in 1703. His face was always kept hidden by a mask, and some people believe that he was the brother of the French king Louis XIV, but this is probably untrue. Several films have been made about this story, including one in 1998 with the actors Gérard Depardieu and Leonardo di Caprio.
Manitoba		a province in central Canada
Manitoulin		a large island in Lake Huron, Canada, which is the largest island in the world that is surrounded by fresh (=not containing salt) water
Mann, Thomas		(1875–1955)  a German writer whose books include Death in Venice, which was later made into a successful film, The Magic Mountain, and Doctor Faustus. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1929.
Manolo Blahniks	 noun	a brand of expensive and fashionable women's shoes
Mansfield, Katherine		(1888–1923)  a writer who was born in New Zealand but who lived in England. She is known especially for her short stories, and her best-known collection of stories is The Garden Party.
Mansion House		a large house in London, the official home of the lord mayor of London, where official dinners are held
mansion tax	 noun	a suggested UK tax on homes of a very high value
Manson, Charles		(1934–)  an American who had a group of followers that he called his 'family', who took drugs with him and regarded him as their religious leader. Under Manson's influence, his 'family' violently killed seven people in Los Angeles in 1969, including the actress Sharon Tate.
Manson, Marilyn		(1969–)  a US singer, composer, and actor. He and his band, Marilyn Manson and the Spooky Kids, play rock music and try to shock people. He is known for wearing white  make-up, having long black hair, and having eyes that are two different colours. His songs include Smells Like Children and The Dope Show. His real name is Brian Warner.
Man, the Isle of
Mantle, Mickey		(1931–95)  a US baseball player, known especially for his skill as a batter. He played in the New York Yankees team in the 1950s.
Manuel		a character in the humorous British television programme fawlty towers. Manuel is a Spanish waiter who does not speak or understand much English, so he is always asking 'Qué?', the Spanish word for 'What?'. People in the UK sometimes say this as a joke when they do not understand something.
Man United		an informal name for manchester united football team
Man With No Name, The		the main character in three westerns, A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965) and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966). The Man With No Name is a  bounty hunter who kills many bad men. The actor Clint  Eastwood played the part in all three films.
Manzanar		a large place in central California where people whose families originally came from Japan were forced to live during World War II. Many of these people lost their homes and businesses because of being forced to move.
Maoism		the system of political thinking invented by Mao Zedong
Mao Tse-tung
Mao Zedong		(1893–1976)  a Chinese politician who helped to start the Chinese communist party in 1921 and became its leader in 1935, during the long march. In 1949 he took control of the government and established the People's Republic of China. He started the cultural revolution in 1966. He was one of the most powerful and successful leaders of China, and most Chinese people greatly respected him, had pictures of him in their homes, and had copies of his little red book called The Thoughts of Chairman Mao.
Mapplethorpe, Robert		(1946–1989)  a US photographer whose photographs of men without clothes on and other sexually explicit photographs shocked many people.
Maputo		a port on the Indian Ocean in southeast Africa, the capital city of Mozambique
Maradona, Diego		(1960–)  an Argentinian football player, considered one of the greatest players ever, who played for Argentina's national team from 1976–1994 and helped them win the world cup in 1986. Many people in the UK remember how, in a World Cup game against England, Argentina got a goal after the ball had touched Maradona's hand. Afterwards he said that it was 'the hand of God' that had got the goal. He was suspended (=not allowed to play) in 1991 and again in 1994 for using illegal drugs.
Marbella		a port and holiday resort on the costa del sol, on the southern coast of Spain
Marble Arch		a large white stone arch in central London, where several big roads meet, including Oxford Street and Park Lane. It was built to celebrate the military victories of nelson
Marceau, Marcel		(1923–2007)  a French mime artist  (=an actor who does not speak, but uses his body and face to communicate) who was known for performing with his face painted white
March Hare, the		a character in the book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) by Lewis  carroll. He is a mad  hare who talks nonsense.
Marching Season, the		the period during the summer when various political and religious groups in Northern Ireland have parades (=when they march through the streets, often playing drums and pipes).
Marchioness, the		a large boat which had been rented for a private birthday party when it was hit by another boat and sunk in the River thames in London in 1989, killing 51 passengers. As a result of the accident, the rules for boats operating in the Thames were made stricter.
March of Dimes, the		a US charity organization that collects money for children, especially those with serious mental or physical disabilities (disability )
Marciano, Rocky		(1923–69)  a US boxer who was world heavyweight champion from 1952 to 1956. He gave up boxing in 1956, and is the only world heavyweight champion who was never beaten.
Marconi, Guglielmo		(1874–1937)  an Italian electrical engineer who is generally thought of as the inventor of radio. He invented the method of sending radio signals called 'wireless telegraphy'. Before this, it had only been possible to send messages along wires. He won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1909.
Marco Polo
Marcos, Ferdinand		(1917–89)  the president of the Philippines from 1965 until he was forced to leave the country in 1986. He and his wife Imelda were very wealthy and known for their expensive way of life.
Marcos, Imelda		(1929–)  the wife of President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines, who left the country with him in 1986 when he was removed from power. In 1991 she returned to the Philippines where she has had to face several criminal charges. People sometimes make jokes about the fact that she once owned hundreds of pairs of shoes.
Marcuse, Herbert		(1898–1979)  a US philosopher and writer on politics, born in Germany, who was especially popular in the 1960s. He wrote about the bad effects on people of modern economic ideas, industry, and science.
Margaret, Princess		(1930–2002)  a British princess, the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II. She married a photographer, Anthony Armstrong-Jones (who later became Lord Snowdon) in 1960 and had two children, David (Viscount Linley) and Sarah. She was divorced (divorce) in 1978.
Margate		a seaside town on the coast of Kent in southeast England. It is typically thought of as a place where working class people from London used to go for a holiday.
Mariana Trench		 the deepest part of the Earth's surface, which is near the Mariana Islands in the northwest Pacific Ocean
Marie Antoinette		(1755–93)  the Queen of France from 1774 to 1792 and the wife of Louis XVI. She became unpopular because she did not seem to care about the poor citizens of France, and when she was told that they did not have enough bread to eat, she is supposed to have said, 'Let them eat cake'. She and Louis XVI were put in prison during the french revolution, and were killed by having their heads cut off by the guillotine.
Marie Claire		a monthly magazine for young women which contains articles on fashion, health etc. It is published in the UK, the US, and several other countries.
Marin County		an area to the north of San Francisco, California, where many wealthy people live. It is quiet and hilly, with woods, pleasant countryside, large houses, and expensive restaurants.
Marines, the	 noun	the Marine Corps
Mark Antony
Markova, Dame Alicia		(1910–2004)  a British ballet dancer who performed all over the world and is known especially for her performances in the ballet Giselle. She danced with Diaghilev's ballet company from 1925 to 1929, started the London Festival Ballet in 1950, and was director of the New York Metropolitan Opera Ballet from 1963 to 1969.
Mark, Saint		one of Jesus Christ's disciples (=his close friends and followers). He is believed to have written The Gospel according to St Mark, which describes the life and teaching of Jesus.
Marks and Spencer		a British company with many large department stores in the UK that sell mainly clothes and food. The company is often informally called M & S or Marks and Sparks. Marks and Spencer is known for selling good quality clothes at reasonable prices, especially underwear. Their food products include things that are easy to prepare or ready to eat.
Marlborough		a town in Wiltshire, southwest England, known for its famous public school (=an expensive private school) Marlborough College
Marley, Bob		(1945–81)  a Jamaican singer and songwriter who helped to make reggae music popular. His group was called Bob Marley and the Wailers. He was a rastafarian, and wore his hair in dreadlocks. His songs, which include No Woman, No Cry and Redemption Song, often have a political message.
Marley's Ghost		the spirit of Jacob Marley, who is the dead business partner of scrooge in the book A Christmas Carol (1843) by Charles  dickens. He appears to Scrooge on Christmas Eve, and tells him that he will be visited by three spirits.
Marlowe, Christopher		(1564–93)  an English poet and writer of plays, best known for his plays Dr Faustus, Edward II, and Tamburlaine the Great, and who is thought by many people to have influenced the work of Shakespeare. He was killed in a fight in a  tavern.
Marlowe, Philip		an American private detective (=someone who is employed to look for information or missing people) in stories written by Raymond chandler. Marlowe is a tough and determined character who does not often show his feelings, but he is honest and believes in justice. He is known for being ironic (=when you say the opposite of what you really mean as a joke), and for making jokes while pretending to be serious.
Marmara
Marmite		a type of soft, dark brown substance with a strong salty taste, which is a yeast extract. It is usually spread on bread in small quantities, but it can also be used to give taste to soups. It is a typically British food, sold in a round brown glass container. There is a similar product sold in Australia called vegemite.
Maronite	 noun	a member of a Christian religious group, connected with the Roman Catholic Church, who live mainly in Lebanon
Marple, Miss		a character in crime novels by Agatha christie, which have also been made into a popular British television series. Miss Marple is a very nice polite old English lady who is also clever at discovering criminals, especially murderers.
Marquette, Jacques		(1637–75)  a French missionary (=someone who goes to a foreign country to teach people about Christianity), and explorer in North America. He and Louis Joliet were the first Europeans to discover the mississippi River.
Marrakesh		a city in western Morocco with many beautiful old buildings. It is popular with tourists and is famous for producing carpets and leather goods.
Marriage of Figaro, The		(1786) a humorous opera by mozart with words by Lorenzo da ponte, which is based on the play The Marriage of Figaro by the French writer Beaumarchais
Marriner, Sir Neville		(1924–)  a British conductor (=someone who directs a group of musicians or singers) who started the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields in London in 1959, which is known especially for performing baroque music
Marriott		a US company that has many hotels in the US and some in other countries
Marseilles		the second largest city in France, in the south of the country on the Mediterranean coast. It is an important port and industrial centre, and is sometimes thought of in connection with the trade in illegal drugs. Its correct French name is Marseille.
Marshall aid		the economic help that was given to Europe by the US government under the Marshall Plan after World War II
Marshall Islands		a country consisting of two 800-mile-long chains of coral Atolls in the central Pacific Ocean. Population: 69,747 (2014). Capital: Majuro.
Marshall Plan, the		a programme established by the US government in 1947 to give economic help to Europe after World War II. It was named after George C. Marshall, who was the US Secretary of State. Thousands of millions of dollars were provided for rebuilding cities, roads, industries etc.
Marshall, Thurgood		(1908–93)  a US lawyer who became the first black member of the Supreme Court in 1967. When he was a lawyer he won many important legal cases to help black US citizens get equal rights, such as the case of brown v. board of education of topeka.
Marshal of the Royal Air Force		the most important officer in the British air force
Marshalsea, the		a prison in London in the past, where people were sent when they could not pay their debts. Part of the novel Little Dorrit by Charles  dickens is set in this prison.
Marsh, Ngaio		(1899–1982)  a New Zealand writer of detective stories, whose books include A Man Lay Dead and Photo Finish. Her best-known character, Roderick Alleyn, is a  scotland yard  detective.
Marston Moor, Battle of		an important battle near York in 1644 during the English Civil War, which gave Cromwell control of the north of England
Martello tower	 noun	a circular tower built on the coast to defend Britain against enemy attack during the wars against Napoleon. Some can still be seen on the south coast of England and in Jersey.
Martha		in the New Testament of the Bible, a woman who lived with her sister, Mary. When Jesus visited them, Martha went and prepared food for Jesus and his disciples, and did not remain with Mary to listen to what he was saying. As a result, Martha often represents the type of Christian who works hard to help other people.
Martha's Vineyard		an island off the coast of the state of Massachusetts in the northeast of the US, south of Cape Cod. It is popular with writers and artists, and with tourists in the summer.
Martin, Dean		(1917–95)  a US singer and film actor, known especially for the humorous films he made with Jerry lewis. He was a member of the 'Rat Pack', a group of Hollywood stars which included Frank sinatra and Sammy davis Jr.
Martinique		a mountainous island in the Caribbean Sea, which is ruled by France. Population: 390,371 (2012). Capital: Fort-de-France.
Martin Luther King Day		an American holiday on the third Monday in January to remember the day that Martin Luther King died. Its full name is
Marvin, Lee		(1924–87)  a US film actor famous for playing strong, violent characters in films such as The Dirty Dozen (1967), and for singing the song I was Born under a Wanderin' Star in a very deep voice in the film Paint Your Wagon (1969)
Marx Brothers, the		a US family of actors known for their crazy humour and jokes. Together, they made many humorous films, which are still very popular. The most important members of the family were Groucho (1890–1977) , Harpo (1888–1964) , who never spoke and played the harp, and Chico (1886–1961) , who played the piano. Groucho, who was the most famous, had glasses, a large moustache, and a strange way of walking, and he always carried a thick cigar. On US television he was the presenter of a game show called You Bet Your Life in the 1950s. The Marx Brothers' films include Horse Feathers (1932), Duck Soup (1933), and A Night at the Opera (1935).
Marxism-Leninism	 noun	the ideas of Marxism as explained and added to by the Russian leader lenin, who believed in the 'dictatorship of the proletariat' (=when government is controlled by a combination of industrial workers and poor farm workers) as part of the process of achieving  revolution
Marx, Karl		(1818–83)  a German writer and political philosopher whose ideas have had an important influence on politics in the 20th century. He established the principles of communism in The Communist Manifesto, which he wrote with Friedrich  engels in 1848. In 1849 he moved to London, where he wrote his most important book  das kapital. He is buried in Highgate  cemetery in London and many people go to see his grave there. Marx's picture and his name are often used to represent Communism.
Mary		in the Christian religion, the mother of Jesus Christ, and the most important of all the saints. She was the wife of Joseph, but Christians believe she was a virgin (=someone who has never had sex), because the father of Jesus is not a human being, but God. Christians, especially Roman Catholics, often pray to her to ask for help.
Mary		in the New Testament of the Bible, a woman who lived with her sister, Martha. When Jesus visited them, Mary remained to listen to what he was saying while Martha went and prepared food for him and his disciples. As a result Mary often represents the type of Christian who spends their life thinking deeply about religious matters.
Mary had a Little Lamb		a nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for young children): Mary had a little lamb, Its fleece was white as snow; And everywhere that Mary went The lamb was sure to go.
Mary II
Mary I, Queen		(1516–1558)  the queen of England from 1553 until her death. She was the daughter of henry viii and Catherine of Aragon, and she married the king of Spain, Philip II. Mary tried to make England return to the Catholic religion, and many Protestants who refused to become Catholics were killed by being burned. For this reason, she was sometimes called Bloody Mary.
Maryland		a state on the east coast of the US, and one of the 13 original states of the US. Its largest city is Baltimore, which is a busy port.
Mary Magdalene, Saint		in the New Testament of the Bible, a woman whom Jesus cured. She attended Jesus's crucifixion and was the first person to see him when he returned to life after his death. She is usually thought to be the same woman as the prostitute who washed Jesus' feet, but who is not named in the Bible.
Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary		a nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for young children): Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow? With silver bells and cockle shells, And pretty maids all in a row.
Mary Quant		a British company that makes fashionable clothing for women, jewellery and cosmetics. It is named after the woman who started it. Mary Quant had a big influence on the fashion of the 1960s, and she is considered by some people to be the inventor of the miniskirt.
Mary Queen of Scots		(1542–87)  the daughter of the Scottish King James V. She became Queen of Scotland when she was one week old, but in 1568 she was forced to give up her position, and she escaped to England. Instead of helping her, the English queen, Elizabeth I (who was her cousin) put her in prison. Many Catholics believed Mary should have been Queen of England instead of Elizabeth, who was a Protestant. Eventually Elizabeth ordered Mary to be killed, because she believed Mary was involved in a secret plan to kill her. After Elizabeth's death, Mary's son James, who was the King of Scotland, also became the King of England (as james i). Mary had three husbands, and had an exciting and romantic life, and many stories and books have been written about her.
Mary Rose, The		a British warship which sank in the sea off the south coast of England on its first journey in 1545. It was brought to the surface in 1982, and can now be seen in Portsmouth.
Masai	 noun	 a tribe of people who live in Kenya and Tanzania, whose economy is mostly based on cattle
Masefield, John		(1878–1967)  a British writer and sailor, best known for his poems about the sea, such as Sea Fever and Cargoes. He became Poet Laureate (= the Queen's official poet) in 1930.
Maserati		an expensive type of Italian sports car, known for its speed and style
M.A.S.H		a very popular US television programme(1972–82) , based on Robert Altman's film of the same name (1970) about a US army medical camp during the  korean war. Although it treated the subject in a humorous way, it also showed the serious effects that war had on people. The letters stand for 'Mobile Army Surgical Hospital'.
Maskell, Dan		(1908–92)  a British television sports commentator known especially for describing tennis games at wimbledon, and for saying 'Oh, I say!' when something exciting happened, and 'what a peach' when a player hit a very good shot
Mason, Jackie		(1936–)  a US comedian known for telling jokes that might offend many people. Mason, whose real name is Jacob Maza, was a rabbi before becoming an entertainer in the 1960s.
Mason jar	 noun	 a glass pot with a tight lid, used for preserving fruit and vegetables	梅森瓶〔一种带密封盖的玻璃瓶﹐用于保存水果和蔬菜〕
Mason, Perry		the main character in the books of Erle Stanley gardner and in the US television programme Perry Mason(1957–66)  about a defence lawyer who always finds out who the criminals are in the legal cases he has to defend
Masora, the		a set of notes about the Hebrew Bible, written by Jewish scholars between the sixth and the tenth centuries AD
Massachusetts		a state in the northeast of the US which has Boston as its capital city, and was the place where the pilgrim fathers first landed in America. It was one of the 13 original states of the US, and is known for its universities, especially harvard and mit, and for its coast which is popular with tourists in the summer.
Massacre of the Innocents, the		a story in the New Testament of the Bible in which King Herod hears about the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem. He orders all male babies in the town to be killed so that the Messiah will not live, but Jesus and his family escape before this happens.
MasterCard		a large international credit card system operated by a group of banks
Mastermind		a popular British television quiz programme, in which people compete to see who can give the most correct answers in a fixed amount of time. The programme is known for the large black leather chair that each person sits in to answer their questions. If someone does not know the answer to a question, they say 'Pass' and the presenter, (1972–97 Magnus Magnusson, John Humphries 2004-) then asks the next question. If the time for a person's questions finishes while the presenter is in the middle of a question, he says 'I've started so I'll finish', and then continues with the question. People use both these expressions in a humorous way.
Master of Business Administration	 noun	an mba
Master of Foxhounds	 noun	the person who is in charge of a hunt in the sport of foxhunting
Master of the Rolls		the most important judge in the court of appeal in England and Wales. Part of his job is to choose the judges who judge cases in this court.
Masters and Johnson		two American scientists, William Howell Masters (1915–2001)  and Virginia Eshelman Johnson (1925–2013) , who studied human sexual behaviour, and wrote several books on the subject, including Human Sexual Response (1966).
Masters, William Howell
Mastroianni, Marcello		(1924–97)  one of the greatest Italian film actors, famous especially for the film La Dolce Vita (1960)
Mata Hari		(1876–1917)  a Dutch dancer and member of the German secret service in Paris during World War I, who obtained military secrets from allied army officers of high rank. She was tried in court and shot by the French. She is often considered to be a good example of an attractive woman that men cannot refuse to please.
Match of the Day		a British television programme on BBC on a Saturday night which shows highlights (=the most exciting parts) of important football games played on that day
matchy-matchy	 adjective	clothes, pieces of furniture etc that are matchy-matchy are all the same colour or pattern – used to show disapproval
Mather, Cotton		(1663–1728)  a US Christian leader who was a Puritan. He supported the Salem Witch Trials in 1692, when a court in Salem, Massachusetts, decided that 20 people were guilty of witchcraft (=using magic for evil purposes) and killed them as punishment.
Matisse, Henri		(1869–1954)  a French painter and sculptor who helped to develop fauvism as a style of painting. His paintings are mostly of ordinary places and objects, but they use pure bright colours and black lines.
Matterhorn, the		a high mountain in the Alps near the border between Italy and Switzerland. It is popular with climbers, and is known for its shape, which is like a pyramid.
Matthew, Saint		one of Jesus Christ's disciples (=his close friends and followers). He is believed to have been a tax collector and to have written The Gospel according to St Matthew, which describes the life and teaching of Jesus.
Matthews, Sir Stanley		(1915–2000)  a British football player, considered one of the greatest English players ever, who played for the English national team 54 times. He played professional football for 33 years, until he was over 50.
Maugham, Somerset		(1874–1965)  a British writer of novels, and especially short stories, who is considered to be one of the best short story writers in English. His best-known novels include Of Human Bondage and The Moon and Sixpence. Several of his stories have been made into films.
Mau Mau, the		a secret political organization which was started in Kenya in 1952 by the Kikuyu people, and which wanted Kenya to become independent from the UK. It used violence against Europeans whom it wanted to leave Kenya and against Africans who supported the British.
Mauna Loa		a very large mountain that is an active volcano in the south central part of the island of Hawaii.
Maundy money	 noun	specially made coins given each year to poor people by the British queen or king in a traditional ceremony on Maundy Thursday, which is the Thursday before easter
Maupassant, Guy de		(1850–93)  a French writer who wrote hundreds of short stories, and is considered to be one of the best short story writers ever
Mauriac, François		(1885–1970)  a French writer of novels who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1952
Mauritania		a country in northwest Africa on the Atlantic coast. Population 3,364,940 (2008). Capital: Nouakchott.
Mauritius		an island and country in the Indian Ocean, which is a member of the British Commonwealth. Population 1,322,238 (2014). Capital: Port Louis. It is a popular place for tourists, especially wealthy tourists.
Max Factor		a company that produces cosmetics which are popular all over the world
Maxim's		a famous restaurant and nightclub in Paris, France which is expensive and is thought of as a place where rich and famous people go
Maxwell Davies, Peter		(1934-)  a British composer and conductor . He has written a wide range of different musical works, including operas, symphonies (symphony), and a series of ten string quartets (The Naxos Quartets 2001-2007). He has been a conductor for both the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2004 he was given the position of Master of the Queen's Music, whose duties include writing music for royal occasions. His full title is Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.
Maxwell, James Clerk		(1831–79)  a British scientist who made important discoveries in electromagnetism, which made possible the development of radio and telephones
Maxwell, Robert		(1923–91)  a British businessman, born in Czechoslovakia, who owned several newspapers and book publishing (publish ) companies, including mirror group newspapers. He died suddenly and mysteriously, when he fell into the water from his boat. After his death it was discovered that he had large debts, and had been stealing from the Mirror Group pension fund (=money collected from employees to provide an income for them when they are old and have stopped working).
Maya	 noun	 a Native American people of the Yucatan area in central America, who had a very advanced society in the 4th-10th centuries AD. They are known for their art and their buildings, especially their pyramids.
Mayfair		one of the most expensive parts of London, in the area directly east of Hyde Park. Mayfair has many large and well-known hotels, and it was once a very fashionable place to live, but many of the houses have now been made into offices.
Mayo		a county in the west of the Republic of Ireland, on the Atlantic coast
Mayo Clinic, the		a medical institution and hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, famous in the US for its modern equipment and successful treatments
Mayor of London		an elected politician who is the leader of the Greater London Authority and is responsible for various things in Greater London, for example the transport system, the emergency services, and economic development
Ma, Yo-Yo		(1955–)  a famous cello player who is based in the US. His parents are Chinese and he was born in Paris but they moved to the US when he was still a child.
May Queen	 noun	a young woman chosen as queen as part of the May Day celebrations, usually because she is judged to be the most attractive. She wears a crown of flowers on her head, and she is also called Queen of the May.
Mays, Willie		(1931–)  a US baseball player considered to be one of the greatest ever. He joined the New York Giants in 1951 and played for them for many years. In 1964 he became the first African-American player to be made captain of a team in the major leagues. He was also the first national league player to hit more than 600 home runs.
Mazarin Bible, the		another name for the gutenberg bible. It was called this because the first copy of it was found in the library of Cardinal Mazarin in Paris in 1760.
Maze Prison, the		a prison in Northern Ireland where many prisoners, both Protestant and Roman Catholic, were kept for terrorist crimes. The h-blocks were part of the Maze prison. It became well-known in the 1980s because many prisoners went on hunger strike. The prison was closed in 2000.
Mbabane		a town and business centre which is the capital of Swaziland
Mbeki, Thabo		(1942–)  a politician who was president of South Africa from 1999 until 2008. Before the end of apartheid, he was a leading member of the ANC (=African National Congress) and an active opponent of the white government's policies.
MBSc		(Master of Business Science) a university higher degree in a science subject, which you get after studying for a year or two longer after your first degree. MBSc is written after someone's name to show that they have this degree
McAleese, Mary		(1951–)  an Irish politician and lawyer, who became president of the Republic of Ireland in 1997.
MCAT	 noun	(Medical College Admissions Test) an examination which must be taken by anyone who wants to attend medical school in the US
M-cat	 noun	mephedrone
McCain, John		(1936–)  an American politician who became a Republican senator for Arizona in 1987. In 2000 he wanted to be the Republican candidate in the election for president, but was defeated by George W. Bush. Together with Senator Russ Feingold, he succeeded in getting Congress to introduce a new law called the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 which controls the way in which money can be paid to politicians in order to support their election campaigns. During the Vietnam War he spent more than five years in a prisoner-of-war camp. In 2008 he was the Republican candidate in the election for president, but lost to the Democratic candidate Barack Obama.
McCalls		a US magazine for women, especially popular with older women who have families
McCann, Madeleine		(2003-)  a young British girl who disappeared in May 2007 while on holiday with her family in Portugal. She was taken from the family's holiday apartment while her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, were eating at a restaurant 120 metres away. Madeleine's disappearance received a lot of attention in the media, especially in tabloid newspapers which received criticism for the way in which they reported the events.
McCarthyism	 noun	(in the US in the 1950s) the searching for and removal from public employment of all those believed to be Communists, which was carried out under Senator Joseph McCarthy. Many of the people accused were blacklisted (=not allowed to work) or imprisoned. People were encouraged to give the names of their friends and people they worked with to protect themselves. Today most Americans are embarrassed about this period in their history, and people who refused to give information about themselves or others are admired. McCarthyism is sometimes used to mean any accusation of disloyalty to your country that is made without proof.
McCarthy, John		(1956–)  a British journalist who was kidnapped (kidnap) in 1986 in Lebanon, and was kept there as a hostage until he was set free in 1991
McCarthy, Joseph		(1909–57)  a US politician in the republican party. He became famous in the early 1950s by saying officially that many famous people, important politicians, and military officers were communists, and therefore enemies of the US. He influenced the development of strongly anti-Communist ideas in the US, and anyone who was called a Communist was treated extremely unfairly. In 1954, however, the US senate formally criticized his actions, and he lost most of his political support and power.
McCartney, Linda		(1941–98)  the wife of the former member of the Beatles Sir Paul McCartney. She worked for animal rights, and began a successful business making vegetarian ready meals. She was working as a photographer when she met Paul McCartney, and they married in 1969. She died of cancer.
McCartney, Paul		(1942–)  a British singer and songwriter who was a member of The Beatles, and who wrote most of their songs with John Lennon. He led a new band called Wings in the 1970s, and has continued writing and performing music. His official title is Sir Paul McCartney.
McClellan, George		(1826–85)  a US general (=military leader) in the union army in the American civil war
McCrae, John		(1872–1918)  a Canadian poet who wrote the famous war poem In Flanders Fields
McCullers, Carson		(1917–67)  a US writer whose best-known novels include The Heart is a Lonely Hunter and Reflections in a Golden Eye, both of which have been made into films. Her best-known short stories are included in the collection The Ballad of the Sad Café. She often wrote about loneliness, and many of her characters are people who do not fit into ordinary society.
McDonalds		the world's most famous fast food restaurant, which sells hamburgers, cooked chicken pieces, fFench fries, salads, and other types of fast food. Its best-known product is the Big Mac. There are thousands of McDonalds restaurants all over the world, and they are especially popular with children and young people. The company started in the US, and many people think of McDonalds as a typical part of the American way of life.
McEnroe, John		(1959–)  a US tennis player, who won the men's singles competition  (=when one man plays against another man) at Wimbledon three times and the US Open at Forest Hills four times between 1979 and 1984. He is known for his angry behaviour, and for saying 'You cannot be serious' when he disagreed with an umpire's decision. After he stopped playing tennis, he started working as a commentator for TV.
McEwan, Ian		(1948–)  a British writer whose books typically deal with the subject of human cruelty and violence. His novels include Amsterdam, which won the Booker Prize in 1999, Saturday (2005), and On Chesil Beach (2007).
McGill University		a well-known university in Montreal, in Canada
McGovern, George Stanley		(1922–2012)  a US politician in the Democratic Party, known for his opposition to the Vietnam War. He lost the election for US president in 1972, when his opponent was Richard Nixon, because he was supported by only one US state.
McGraw, Dr. Phil		(1950–)  a US psychologist who became famous on Oprah Winfrey's talk show by giving people sensible advice. In 2002 he started his own talk show, called Dr. Phil. He has also written several self-help books, including one about losing weight.
McGwire, Mark		(1963–)  US baseball player. In 1998, he was the first player in history to hit 70 home runs in one  season (=set of games played during one year).
McKellen, Sir Ian		(1939–)  a British actor, famous especially for acting in Shakespeare's plays and for appearing as Gandalf in three Lord of the Rings films. He is also known for working to help people with AIDS, and to help homosexuals gain equal rights.
McKinley, Mount
McKinley, William		(1843–1901)  a US politician in the republican party who was president from 1897 to 1901. He greatly increased tariffs (=taxes on goods coming into the country) so that US companies would become stronger and more successful. He was shot and killed in Buffalo, New York.
McLaren		a British company that makes racing cars and expensive sports cars. McLaren cars take part in famous races all over the world, including formula one races.
McLuhan, Marshall		(1911–80)  a Canadian writer who was interested in the media (=newspapers, radio, and television), and is known for inventing the phrase 'the medium is the message', by which he meant that the way in which people receive information has more influence on what they think than the information itself. He also said that the world was becoming a 'global village', meaning that telecommunications were making the world seem smaller and that the countries of the world were becoming more dependent on one another.
McMahon, Ed		(1923–2009)  a US television presenter who worked with Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992
McMillan, Terry		(1951–)  a US writer known for her book Waiting to Exhale, which was later made into a film, about a group of African-American women who share stories about their relationships with men, and who criticize men for behaving badly
McNamara, Robert S.		(1916–2009)  a US politician who became Secretary of Defense in 1961, and who left his position 1968 because he and President Johnson did not agree about US policy in Vietnam.
McNaughten Rules, the		the rules in English law which say that, if it can be proved that someone did not know what they were doing when they carried out a crime or did not know that it was wrong, then they can pleadinsanity (=give madness as an excuse for their actions). The rules were established as a result of the case of Regina v. McNaughten in 1843.
MCP	 noun	male chauvinist pig; an insulting name for a man who believes that men are better than women and who has fixed traditional ideas about the way men and women should behave
McPherson, Aimee Semple		(1890–1944)  a US evangelist, who travelled all around the US in the 1920s teaching the Christian religion. She became extremely popular and had her own radio station and a very large church in Los Angeles. She was officially charged with tricking people into giving her money, but a court of law decided she was not guilty.
McQueen, Alexander		(1969-2010)  a British fashion designer who was chief designer at the French company Givenchy and who later started his own fashion company. He was known for his exciting and unusual designs, and for bumsters, a type of jeans which are worn low on the hips. His designs were popular with many famous people. He killed himself in 2010.
McQueen, Steve		(1930–80)  a US film actor who often played strong, brave characters and was known for being sexually attractive and for doing his own stunts (=dangerous actions in a film). His films include The Magnificent Seven (1960), The Great Escape (1963), and Bullitt (1968).
McVeigh, Timothy		(1968-2001)  a US man who was accused of exploding a bomb in a government building in Oklahoma City in 1996. More than 160 people were killed by the explosion. A court found him guilty of this crime in 1997, and sentenced him to death.
McVicar, John		(1940–)  a British man who educated himself while in prison for armed robbery (=robbery with a gun), and became a writer. McVicar escaped from prison in 1968 and was free for two years before being caught again. His life story was made into a film called McVicar in 1980.
MDS	 noun	(Master of Dental Surgery) a British university higher degree in dentistry. MDS is written after someone's name to show that they have this degree.
Mead, Lake		the largest reservoir (=a lake where water is stored before it is supplied to people's houses) in the US, on the Colorado River behind the hoover dam
Mead, Margaret		(1901–78)  a US anthropologist, who studied the ways in which parents on the islands of Samoa, Bali, and New Guinea taught their children. She also tried to discover whether males and females are born with the differences in behaviour that they show, or whether they learn to behave differently as they grow up in their particular societies. Her best-known book is Coming of Age in Samoa.
Meath		a county in the northeast of the Republic of Ireland, known for its good farming land
Mecca		a city in Saudi Arabia where the prophet Muhammad was born, considered the holiest city of Islam. People who are not Muslims are not allowed to go there, but every Muslim must try to make a pilgrimage (=religious journey) to Mecca once in their lifetime
Meccano		a type of toy used for building machines, vehicles, bridges, and other things. It consists of metal or plastic pieces in different shapes and sizes, which you connect with nuts and bolts. Meccano has been popular with children in the UK for over 50 years. There is a similar type of toy in the US called an erector set
M Econ	 noun	(Master of Economics) a university higher degree in economics that you get after your first degree
Medawar, Sir Peter		(1915–87)  a British zoologist (=a scientist who studies animals and their behaviour), known for his discoveries about the immune system (=the system that your body uses to protect itself from disease). He won a Nobel prize for medicine in 1960.
Medea		in ancient Greek stories, a princess who could do magic, and who helped Jason to get the Golden Fleece. She later killed the children she and Jason had together when he decided to marry another woman.
Medellin		a city in the northwest of Colombia, which is an important industrial centre, but in the 1980s became known especially as the centre of the illegal trade in the drug cocaine
Medical Research Council, the		a British organization that gives government money to hospitals, universities, and other institutions so that they can do medical research
Medici, the		a rich and powerful Italian family of bankers who ruled florence from the 15th to the 18th centuries, and spent much of their money on art and on providing financial support to artists
Medigap		a system in the US by which people who have Medicaid pay money to a company so that they can receive additional medical care and services that they need
Medina		a city in Saudi Arabia where Muhammad is buried. It is the most holy place in Islam except for Makkah (Mecca), and people who are not Muslims are not allowed to go there.
Mediterranean Sea, the		a sea surrounded by the countries of South Europe, North Africa, and southwest Asia. The weather there is hot in the summer, and countries on the Mediterranean coast, such as Greece, Spain, Italy, and southern France, are very popular with British tourists.
Medusa		in ancient Greek mythology, a woman who had snakes instead of hair and turned everyone who looked at her into stone. She was killed by Perseus, who used his shiny shield (=a metal object carried by soldiers to protect themselves) as a mirror so that he did not have to look at her directly, and cut off her head.
Medvedev, Dmitry		(1965-) a politician who became Russia's prime minister in 2012. He was also first deputy prime minister of Russia from 2005 until 2008 and its president from 2008 until 2012. In the past, he was a director for Gazprom, a company that produces natural gas.
Medway, the		a river in Kent in southeast England which flows through the Medway Towns (Rochester, Gillingham, and Chatham) and joins the River Thames near the sea
meet	 adjective	right or suitable
Megan's Law		a US law that says parents have a right to be told if someone living in their area has ever been found guilty in a court of sexually attacking children. The law was introduced after a seven year old girl, Megan Kanka, was raped (=forced to have sex) and murdered by a man who had sexually attacked young girls before. He had moved into a house nearby and her parents did not know about his previous behaviour.
Mein Kampf		a book written by Adolf hitler while he was in prison in 1923. It describes his political ideas and his plan for gaining power over the whole world.
Meir, Golda		(1898–1978)  an Israeli politician who was Israel's first female prime minister, from 1969 to 1974. She is remembered as a very strong and determined leader.
Meissen		a type of delicate porcelain produced in the town of Meissen near dresden, in Germany, since the 18th century. It is valuable and some people collect it.
Mekong, the		a river in southeast Asia, which flows from Tibet through Cambodia and Laos to Vietnam. The Mekong Delta is one of the most important areas in Asia for growing rice, and there was also a lot of fighting in this area during the vietnam war.
Melanesia		a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, northeast of Australia, including Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and Fiji
Melanesian	 noun	 a person of or from Melanesia
Melbourne		the second largest city in Australia, which is the capital of the state of Victoria in the southeast of the country. It is an important business, industrial, and cultural centre.
Meldrew, Victor		a character in the humorous British television programme One Foot in the Grave. He is an old man who is always complaining and getting annoyed. Everything he tries to do goes wrong, causing problems or leading to strange events. He is known for saying 'I don't believe it!' when he is angry about something.
Mellors		a character in the book lady chatterley's lover by D. H. lawrence. He is a  gamekeeper (=someone whose job is to take care of wild birds that are bred to be hunted), who has a sexual relationship with his employer's wife, Lady Chatterley, a woman from a high social class.
Melody Maker		a British weekly newspaper about rock and pop music
Melville, Herman		(1819–91)  a US writer who wrote about his experiences as a sailor. His best-known book is moby-dick, one of the most famous American novels, which was also made into a well-known film. He also wrote Billy Budd, a story which Benjamin  britten used in his  opera of the same name.
Memorandum of Association	 noun	a legal document in the UK, which a new limited company needs before it can start doing business. It gives information about things such as the company's business activities, its address, its capital, and its shares
Memory Stick	 noun	a small flat card that is used to store information electronically and which fits into portable electronic machines such as computers, digital cameras, and wireless telephones	记忆棒，存储卡
Memphis		the largest city in the state of Tennessee, US, on the Mississippi River, which is a port and industrial centre and is also known for being the home of Elvis presley
Menai Straits, the		a narrow area of sea in North Wales, between the Welsh coast and the island of Anglesey
Men Behaving Badly		a humorous British television programme about two young men, Gary and Tony, who live in the same apartment and behave in a rude silly way, playing tricks on each other, talking about sex and women all the time, and drinking too much beer
MENCAP		the Royal Society for Mentally Handicapped Children and Adults, a British charity organization that gives advice and practical help to people who have learning difficulties, and supports changes in the law that will help these people
Mendeleyev, Dmitri Ivanovitch		(1834–1907) a Russian scientist who invented the periodic table, which is a list of all the elements (=basic chemical substances) arranged according to their atomic number
Mendel, Gregor Johann		(1822–84)  an Austrian monk (=a member of a group of Christian men who live apart from other people) who studied the pea plant in order to find out how qualities are passed from parent plants to their children. Many years later his discoveries were used by scientists who were developing the new science of genetics.
Mendelssohn, Felix		(1809–47)  a German composer (=writer of music), who wrote five symphonies (symphony ) and the overtureFingal's Cave. The Wedding March from his Incidental Music to a Midsummer Night's Dream is usually played at church weddings as the newly married man and woman leave the church.
Mendes, Sam		(1965–)  a British film director who has also directed theatre plays. His films include American Beauty, for which he won an Oscar, and Road to Perdition.
Mendip Hills, the		a range of hills in southwest England, in the county of Somerset
Menelaus		in ancient Greek stories, the king of sparta, the brother of Agamemmnon, and the husband of helen of troy
Menem, Carlos		(1930–)  the president of Argentina from 1989 to 1999, and leader of the Peronist party. He introduced big economic changes, including reductions in government spending and a policy of privatization (=selling government organizations and industries to become private companies).
M Eng	 noun	(Master of Engineering) a university higher degree in engineering that you get after your first degree. M Eng is written after someone's name to show that they have this degree
Mengele, Josef		(1911–1979) a doctor who did experiments on prisoners at the Auschwitz concentration camp
Mengistu, Haile Mariam		(1937–)  an Ethiopian soldier who took control of the government in 1977. He was defeated in 1991 by opposing military forces after years of civil war had caused many deaths and an extreme lack of food in the country.
Mennonite	 noun	a member of a Protestant religious group that refuses to join the armed forces or to hold official public positions, and does not baptize its children. There are several different Mennonite groups, including the amish, and they live mostly in the US.
Men of Harlech		the English title of a traditional patriotic Welsh song
Menorca
MENSA		an international organization for people who are very intelligent. People take a test and are accepted into the organization if they are among the top 2 per cent in their country.
Menuhin, Sir Yehudi		(1916–99)  a US violin player, who lived in the UK, where he started a music school for children with special abilities and was given the official title Lord Menuhin. As well as playing classical music, he was known for playing jazz with the violin player Stephane Grappelli.
Menzies, Sir Robert Gordon		(1894–1978)  an Australian politician and prime minister who established the Liberal Party in Australia
meow meow	 noun	mephedrone
Mephistopheles		another name for the devil, especially in the story of Faust
Merc	 noun	 an informal name for a Mercedes-Benz car
Mercedes		a type of car made by the German company Daimler-Benz. Mercedes cars are thought of as very strong and well-built, bought especially by rich people, successful business people, and political leaders. In the UK, a Mercedes is informally called a 'Merc', and in the US it is informally called a 'Benz'.
merch	 noun	merchandise
Merchant-Ivory		a British film company started by the producer Ismail Merchant(1936–2005)  and the  director James Ivory (1928–) , known for films such as  A Room with a View (1983),  Howards End (1991), and  The Remains of the Day (1992). Many of their films are based on well-known works of English literature, and they are often about the lives of  upper-class English people in the early 20th century, showing their beautiful clothes, houses etc.
Merchant of Venice, The		a play by William Shakespeare about a man called Antonio who borrows money from the moneylender shylock. When Antonio cannot pay back the money, Shylock demands the right to cut out a 'pound of flesh' from Antonio's body. A famous speech from the play, made by the main female character, Portia, begins with the words, 'The quality of mercy is not strained', by which Portia tells Shylock that he cannot be forced to show mercy (=forgiveness), but that this would be a morally good thing to do.
Mercosur		a trade association (=group of countries that have trade agreements with each other) consisting of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, which was started in 1991 in order to encourage trade and reduce import taxes between these countries
Mercury, Freddie		(1946–91)  the main singer with the pop group Queen. He was known for his unusual clothes and his exciting, energetic performances on stage. He died of AIDS.
Mercury program, the		(1961–63)  a US government space programme designed to put human beings in orbit around the Earth. In its first successful flight, John glenn made three orbits of the Earth in 1962.
Meredith, George		(1828–1909)  a British writer whose works include the novel The Egoist and Poems and Lyrics of the Joy of Earth
Merkel, Angela	 	(1954- ) a German politician who is a member of the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) and who became the first woman Chancellor of reunited Germany in November 2005. She became the leader of a coalition government made up of the CDU, the CSU (Christian Social Union), and the SPD (Social Democratic Party of Germany).
Merlin		a magician (=someone who has magic powers) in old stories about King Arthur
Merman, Ethel		(1909–84)  a US singer and actress, known especially for her powerful voice and for singing There's No Business Like Show Business
Merry England		England in former times, before the period when industry developed and large cities grew up. People sometimes imagine that life at that time was pleasant and simple, with lots of singing, dancing, and enjoyment.
Merry Men		the followers of robin hood, in old English stories
Merry Monarch, the		a nickname for the British king charles ii who was known for enjoying himself and having many lovers
Merry Wives of Windsor, The		a humorous play by William shakespeare in which the character falstaff appears
Mersey		 a river in northwest England, which flows through Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside into the Irish Sea. For British people, the Mersey is usually connected with Liverpool, and the music of the Beatles and other pop groups from Liverpool in the 1960s was known as the Mersey sound or the Mersey beat.
Merseyside		an area in the northwest of England, which includes Liverpool. It used to be an important industrial centre with many docks (=places where ships are loaded and unloaded), but these have nearly all closed now.
Mesopotamia		an area in western Asia around the River Tigris and the River Euphrates in Iraq, where, in ancient times, the world's first cities were built and several important ancient civilizations developed
Messerschmitt	 noun	a type of military aircraft used by Germany in World War II and designed by Willy Messerschmitt (1898–1978) , a German engineer
Messi, Lionel		(1987-)  an Argentine football player who is considered by many people to be one of the best players in the world. He joined FC Barcelona in 2000 and has often played for the Argentina national side. With Barcelona he has won La Liga  (=the first division of the Spanish football league) four times (2005, 2006, 2009, and 2010), the Copa del Rey once (2009), and the UEFA Champions League twice (2006, 2009). His individual awards include the FIFA Ballon d'Or (2010) and FIFA World Player of the Year (2009).
Met, the	 noun	the Metropolitan Museum of Arts in New York
Meteorological Office, the		the full name of the met office
Methodism	 noun	the beliefs of a Christian Protestant group which follows the teachings of John Wesley, who placed importance on personal and social morality
Met Office, the		(the Meteorological Office) the national organization that collects information about the weather in the UK, and provides weather reports for newspapers, radio, and TV, and also for farmers, scientists, airports etc. There is a similar organization in the US called the National Weather Service.
Metrodome, the		the stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where the Twins baseball team and Vikings football team play. It has a dome which is supported by air that is blown into it.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metropolitan Museum of Art, the		an art museum in the US, in New York City, that is considered to be one of the most important in the world
Metropolitan Opera, the		a US opera company based at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City
Mexican War, the		(1846–48)  a war between the US and Mexico, which began when Texas, which had recently become independent from Mexico, became part of the US. Mexico and the US disagreed over the Texas-Mexico border. The US also wanted to buy California and New Mexico, but Mexico did not want to sell them. Led by Zachary Taylor, the US won the war, and bought a very large area of land, which included California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of several other states.
Mexico		a country to the south of the US and to the north of Guatemala. Population: 116,220,947 (2014). Capital: Mexico City. The official language is Spanish, and most people belong to the Roman Catholic religion. It has had a strong influence on US culture, especially on its food and language. Before the arrival of Europeans, there were several important Native American civilizations in Mexico, including the Aztecs and the Maya. The country was ruled by Spain from the 16th century, and became independent in 1821.
Mexico City		the capital city of Mexico, built on the ruins of an ancient Aztec city
MG		a popular brand of British sports car
M Glam		a written abbreviation for Mid Glamorgan
MGM		(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) a US film company based in Hollywood which has made many famous films and cartoons
MI		the written abbreviation of Michigan
Miami		a city in the southeast of Florida, in the US. It is known for having warm weather and pleasant beaches, and is very popular with tourists. A lot of people in Miami come from Hispanic  (=Spanish-speaking) countries, including many from Cuba, who came to Miami because they disliked Castro's communist government. Because of its large Hispanic population and its nearness to Latin America, many companies in Miami do a lot of business with companies in Central and South America. During the 1980s, the city became known as a centre of the illegal drugs trade, and in the past it had more murders than most other US cities.
Micawber, Mr		a character in the book David Copperfield(1849–50)  by Charles dickens, who is believed to be based on Dickens's own father. He is put in prison because he owes money and cannot pay it, but he is always happy and spends any money he gets on himself, confident that 'something will turn up' to end his problems. He is also remembered for saying, 'Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds, nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.' By this he meant that if you spend slightly less than you earn you will be happy, but if you spend slightly more than you earn you will be unhappy.
Michael		in the Old Testament of the Bible, an archangel (=a good spirit of the highest rank who lives with God in Heaven)
Michelangelo		(1475–1564)  an Italian painter, sculptor, and architect (=someone who designs buildings) of the Renaissance period, considered to be one of the greatest artists who ever lived. He is known especially for his statue of David (an ancient king of Israel) and for painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome with scenes from the Old Testament of the Bible, including the Creation of Adam.
Michelin Guide		a type of guidebook produced by the French company Michelin, which contains information for tourists visiting places in Europe and the US. The green guides contain maps and information about interesting places to visit, especially in Europe and the US, and the red guides contain lists of restaurants and hotels in Europe, which are given one, two, or three stars, according to a system for judging their quality. A restaurant with three Michelin stars is regarded as extremely good, and very few restaurants achieve this.
Michelin Man	 noun	a drawing of a small, fat man made out of tyres used in advertisements by the French tyre company Michelin. If someone is wearing a lot of thick clothes that make them look fat, they sometimes say that they look like a Michelin Man.
Michener, James		(1907–97)  a US writer known especially for his popular novels such as Sayonara (1954) and Hawaii (1959), which look at the history of a place over a long period of time by following the events in one or more families for several  generations
Michigan		a state in north central US, an industrial area known especially for producing cars
Mickey Mouse Club, the		a US television programme for children in the 1950s. At the beginning and end of each show, a group of children called Mouseketeers sang a song spelling out the name 'Mickey Mouse'.
Micronesia		a group of more than 2,000 small islands in the west Pacific Ocean, including the Caroline Islands, the Marshall Islands, and Kiribati. Population: 106,104 (2014)
Microsoft		a US company which is one of the world's largest and most important producers of computer software. It is known especially for its Windows operating system, which is used on most personal computers, for Microsoft Word, a popular word-processing program, and for Internet Explorer, a popular program for searching the Internet. The company was started by Bill Gates.
Midas, King		in ancient Greek stories, a king who was given the power to change everything he touched into gold. He soon realized this would not bring him happiness, when he found that even his food and drink changed into gold as soon as he touched them.
Middle English	 noun	the form of English used from about AD 1050 to 1500, which developed from old english into modern english. The poems of Chaucer are written in Middle English.
Middlemarch		(1871) a novel by George eliot about the people who live in an imaginary town in central England called Middlemarch during a time of social and economic change. It is considered to be one of the greatest novels in English literature.
Middle Temple, the		a London organization of law students and barristers and the buildings they use, which is one of the four inns of court
Middleton, Kate		(1982-)  an English woman who married Prince William of Wales on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey. She met her husband when they were both students at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Her official title is the Duchess of Cambridge.
Middleton, Thomas		(1580–1627)  an English writer of plays who wrote satirical comedies(comedy1) and tragedies(tragedy1), including Women Beware Women
Mid Glamorgan		a county in southeast Wales, known formerly for its coal mines, but most of these have now been closed
Midi		the southern part of France, usually thought of by British people as a place to go for a holiday
Midler, Bette		(1945–)  a US actress and singer whose films include The Rose (1973) and The First Wives Club (1996)
Midnight Mass	 noun	a special Christian religious service held at midnight on Christmas Eve, to celebrate Christmas and the birth of Christ
Midsummer Night's Dream, A		a humorous play by William Shakespeare in which Oberon, the king of the fairies (fairy), puts a magic spell on Titania, his queen, while she is sleeping, so that she falls in love with the first creature she sees when she awakes. This is Bottom a weaver who has been given the head of a donkey by Oberon's servant, Puck, who has magic powers. It is one of Shakespeare's most popular plays, and it is often performed outdoors in the summer, for example in Regent's Park in London.
Midtown	 noun	a central area of a city, especially the part of Manhattan in New York City which is south of Central Park
Midway		two small islands in the Pacific Ocean northwest of Honolulu, used as a US military base. There was an important sea and air battle there in 1942 called the Battle of Midway.
Midway		an airport in Chicago, Illinois, used mostly for flights within the US
Mies van der Rohe, Ludwig		(1886–1969)  a US architect, born in Germany, who is considered to be one of the most important architects of the 20th century. He is best known for his many steel and glass skyscrapers such as the Seagram Building in New York City. He was a teacher in the bauhaus in Germany, and his buildings are very plain, practical, and without decoration.
Mikado, The		(1885) a comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan which is set in Japan and contains the well-known songs The Flowers that Bloom in the Spring, Tra La and Three Little Maids from School. The name 'Mikado' is a former title for the emperor of Japan.
Mike	 noun	 an expression used to show that you are very angry or disappointed
Milan		a city in northern Italy, an important financial and industrial centre, which is also a centre of the fashion industry and is known for its large cathedral and for its famous opera house, la scala
milf	 noun	a sexually attractive woman who is a mother
Militant Tendency, the		a very left-wing group in the British Labour Party during the 1980s
Milk Duds		a type of small, round caramel sweet that is covered with chocolate. People in the US often eat Milk Duds at the cinema.
Milk Race, the		a long bicycle race round the UK that took place every year between 1958 and 1993. The race covered around 1500 miles/2400 kilometres in two weeks. Its name comes from the sponsor of the race.
Milk Tray		a type of chocolate made by Cadbury's and sold in a box. In the UK, advertisements for Milk Tray used to show a man making a dangerous and difficult journey, for example swimming across a lake or climbing a mountain, to bring the chocolates to an attractive woman. At the end of his journey, the advertisement said: 'And all because the lady loves Milk Tray.'
Milkybar		a type of thin chocolate bar made by Nestlé. Milkybars are made of white chocolate, and they used to be advertised in the UK by a boy dressed as a cowboy called the 'Milky Bar Kid'.
Millais, Sir John Everett		(1829–96)  a British painter who helped to establish the pre-raphaelite group of artists. His best-known paintings include Christ in the House of his Parents, The Boyhood of Raleigh, and Bubbles.
Millen, Karen		a British fashion designer who sells her clothes in shops that are also called Karen Millen. She and her partner began the business by selling clothes at parties. They opened their first shop in 1983 and now have stores in many countries.
Millennium Bridge, the		a bridge designed by the British architect Sir Norman Foster and built in London across the River Thames to celebrate the year 2000. On the day it opened, so many people went onto the bridge that it began to move from side to side, and it was closed for safety reasons. Engineers made some changes to the bridge so that it could be used again. Some people informally refer to it as the Wibbly Wobbly Bridge.
Millennium Commission, the		an organization in the UK that was set up in order to provide money for activities, events, buildings etc to celebrate the Millennium. The Millennium Commission's job was to decide which ideas should receive money from the UK's National Lottery.
Millennium Dome, the		a large building in Greenwich, London, built by the UK government to contain a big public exhibition celebrating the start of the new millennium in 2000. It stayed open for a year and after a long period of being unused, the inside of the Dome was rebuilt. In 2005 it was given a new name The O2, and became an entertainment centre.
Miller, Arthur		(1915–2005)  a US writer of plays that deal with political or moral problems. His most famous plays include The Crucible (1953), about the Salem Witchcraft Trials in 17th century America, and Death of a Salesman (1949), for which he won the Pulitzer Prize. He is also known for having been married to Marilyn Monroe.
Miller, Glenn		(1904–44)  a US musician, band leader, and composer, whose swing music was very popular during World War II. His most famous pieces of music are In the Mood and Moonlight Serenade. He was flying in a plane from England to France in 1944 when it disappeared, and neither the plane nor any bodies were ever found.
Miller, Henry		(1891–1980)  a US writer best known for his novels Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, which were not allowed to be sold in the US until 1961 because of their descriptions of sexual activities
Miller, Jonathan		(1934–)  a British opera and theatre director, known especially for his work at the National Theatre. He is also an actor, a writer, and a doctor, and has made television programmes about medical treatment and the human body. His official title is Sir Jonathan Miller.
Millett, Kate		(1934–)  a US writer, academic, and feminist whose book Sexual Politics (1970) is considered to be one of the most important books of the Women's Movement.
Milliband, David	 	(1965- ) a British politician and Labour MP who was Foreign Secretary (2007-2010) when Gordon Brown was prime minister. During Tony Blair's time as prime minister, he was minister for Communities and Local Government (2005–2006) and secretary of state for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (2006–2007). In 2010 he lost the election to become leader of the Labour Party. His brother, Ed Milliband, got the job instead.
Milliband, Ed		(1969-)  a British politician who became Leader of the Labour Party in 2010. He is the brother of David Milliband, another Labour politician, who he defeated in the election for Labour leader. He was educated at Oxford University and worked as a TV journalist. Later, the prime minister Gordon Brown made him secretary of state for Energy and Climate Change.
Milligan, Spike		(1918–2002)  an Irish comedian and writer, born in India, who lived in England, known especially for appearing on the radio programme The Goon Show(1951–59) . He wrote humorous books and poetry, and was known for his style of humour which is deliberately silly.
Mill, John Stuart		(1806–73)  a British philosopher and economist who influenced modern ideas about politics and economics. He helped to develop the idea of utilitarianism (=the principle that actions are good if they generally bring happiness, and bad if they do not), and in his book On Liberty, he said that people should be free to do what they want so long as they did not harm other people.
Mill on the Floss, The		(1860) a novel by George Eliot about Maggie Tulliver, the daughter of a miller, and her brother, Tom
Mills and Boon		a British publishing company that produces very popular romantic novels, bought especially by women	米尔斯与布恩出版社〔英国著名的言情小说出版社〕
Milne, A. A.		(1882–1956)  a British writer, best known for his books for children such as winnie the pooh and his collection of poems When We Were Very Young
Milosevic, Slobodan		(1941–2006)  the president of Serbia from 1989 to 1997, and president of the new country of Yugoslavia which was formed from Serbia and Montenegro from 1997 to 2000. In 2001 he was arrested and taken to a UN court in The Netherlands and charged with war crimes that took place in Croatia, Bosnia, and Kosovo. He died before the trial was finished.
Milton, John		(1608–74)  an English poet, regarded as one of the most important writers in English literature, who is best known for his epic poem paradise lost. This was followed by Paradise Regained, and both poems were written after he had gone blind. Before this, he was active in politics as a strong supporter of religious freedom and of Oliver  cromwell.
Milton Keynes		a town in central southern England that was developed in 1967 as a new town. The open university is based there.
Milwaukee		the largest city in the US state of Wisconsin, which is an important port on Lake Michigan and is known for its beer-making industry
MIND		a British charity organization which gives advice and practical help to people who are mentally ill and to their families, and which tries to make people in general understand more about mental illness
mindcasting	 noun	the practice of using a social networking service to send short messages to people about your thoughts or interesting things you have read or seen on the Internet
Miners' Strike, the		a long strike by British coal miners in 1984–85, in protest at government plans to close mines. It is remembered for fights between the miners, led by Arthur Scargill, and the police. The prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, called the miners 'the enemy within' (=the enemy inside the country). This phrase is sometimes used to describe any group within a society or organization which is being blamed for causing problems.
Ming Dynasty		the dynasty (=family or rulers) which ruled China from 1368 to 1644. During this period there were many important developments in Chinese art, politics, and trade. Ming vases (=decorated containers) are famous for being very beautiful and very valuable.
Mingus, Charles		(1922-1979)  a US jazz musician and composer whose main instrument was the double bass. In the 1940s and 1950s he played in various bands including Duke Ellington's band. In the early 1950s he played with Charlie Parker and and started his own record company called Debut Records. He recorded many records, especially during the 1960s. He was known for sometimes being very bad-tempered and was called the "The Angry Man of Jazz".
miniblogging	 noun	another word for microblogging
Mini Disc	 noun	a very small round disk that is used for recording music	迷你光碟
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the		the name of British government department that was responsible for farming, food production, and the safety of food products until 2001
Ministry of Defence, the		the British government department that is responsible for the UK's armed forces. The minister in charge of this department is the Secretary of State for Defence.
Ministry of Justice, the		the UK government department that is responsible for criminal justice, prisons, courts of law, and probation in England and Wales. It is also responsible for supporting and defending human rights across the whole of the UK. The department was formerly called the Department for Constitutional Affairs.
Minneapolis		a city in east Minnesota, US, and an important industrial centre. It is a port on one side of the mississippi River, with Saint Paul on the other side. Together, they are known as the twin cities.
Minnehaha		the wife of the Native American chief hiawatha
Minnelli, Liza		(1946–)  a US singer, dancer, and actress famous especially for the film Cabaret (1972) for which she won an Oscar. She is Judy Garland's daughter.
Minnesota		a state in the north of the US, an industrial and farming area with many farms which produce milk
Minnie Mouse		a cartoon character invented by Walt disney. She is a female mouse, and wife or girlfriend of mickey mouse.
Minnie the Minx		a character in the British comic (=a magazine for children that tells stories using sets of drawings) The Beano. She is a girl who enjoys behaving badly and causing problems for other people.
Minoan	 adjective	connected with the language, religion, art etc of the Greek Island of Crete in the period from about 3000 to 1100 BC. The most important Minoan city was Knossos, where archaeologists have found an ancient royal palace and other buildings. The Minoan civilization was one of the earliest in Europe.
Minogue, Kylie		(1968–)  an Australian singer and actress who appeared in the television soap opera Neighbours and then became a pop singer. Her songs include I Should be so Lucky and Can't Get You Out of my Head. In 2005, she received treatment for breast cancer but started performing and recording songs again in 2006.
Minorca		a Spanish island in the west Mediterranean Sea, one of the Balearic Islands, which is popular with British tourists
Minotaur, the		in ancient Greek stories, a creature which was half a man and half a bull (=a male cow), which was kept in a labyrinth (=a complicated network of paths which it is difficult to find your way out of) and was given young men and women to eat. It was killed by theseus.
Minsk		the capital city of Belarus, on the Svisloch River. It was badly damaged during the Second World War.
Minton	 noun	a fine bone china made in Stoke-on-Trent in England (from Thomas Minton (1765–1836)  who started the factory). The famous willow pattern plates etc are said to have been made first by the Minton company.
Miranda		the daughter of prospero in the play The Tempest by William  shakespeare
Miranda, Carmen		(1913–55)  a Brazilian actress and singer, who appeared in musicals (=films that use singing and dancing to tell a story) and was known for her hats decorated with fruit
Miranda decision, the		a 1966 decision by the US supreme court that said it was necessary for police, when arresting (arrest) people, to inform them of their legal rights, which are now often called Miranda rights. These rights include the right to remain silent and the right to get advice from a lawyer.
MIRAS	 noun	(Mortgage Interest Relief at Source) a system used until 2000, in the UK, by which someone who had a mortgage (=money borrowed from a bank etc to buy a house) was allowed to pay less income tax. The borrower was given tax relief (=the right to pay less tax) on the interest that he or she paid on the mortgage, and this reduced the cost of the mortgage payments.
Mirror Group Newspapers		the former name of a large British company that owns several newspapers, including The Daily Mirror,  The Daily Record, and  The People. Since a  merger in 1999 it has been called Trinity Mirror PLC. It owns the Mirror Group newspapers, as well as many local newspapers and websites.
Mirror, The		another name for the The Daily Mirror
Miró, Joán		(1893–1983)  a Spanish surrealist painter, famous for his use of bright colours and abstract shapes
misery index	 noun	a number obtained by adding together the inflation rate and the unemployment rate for a country
Mishima, Yukio		(1925–70)  a Japanese writer generally considered to be the most important Japanese writer of novels of the 20th century. He wrote about modern Japan and wanted to return to older, more traditional Japanese values. His best-known books include Confessions of a Mask and The Sea of Fertility. He killed himself using the traditional Japanese method of hara-kiri after a military coup by his small private army was unsuccessful.
Mishnah, the		a collection of Jewish traditions that form the Jewish law, on which the Talmud is based
Miskito	 noun	 a people from Nicaragua and Honduras
miso	 noun	a substance made from soya beans, used in Japanese cooking
Misrule, Lord of
Miss America Pageant, the		a beauty contest held every year in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in which women who have won other competitions represent each of the 50 states. One of them is chosen to serve as Miss America for one year.
Mission Impossible		a US television programme from the 1960s and 1970s about a group of people who did secret work for the US government. Each show began with the words 'Your mission, should you decide to accept it...' recorded on a tape which destroyed itself after it was played.
Mississippi		 a state in the southeastern US, now an industrial area but formerly producing a lot of cotton, and an important centre of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s
Missouri		 a state in the central US, an industrial and farming area
Miss Piggy		a puppet in the form of a pig with long blonde hair who appears in the television programme The Muppets. She thinks that she is very beautiful and expects everyone to admire her, and she gets angry if the other characters do not do what she wants.
Miss Universe		a US competition in which women from different countries compete to be judged the most beautiful and to win the title 'Miss Universe'. They have to answer questions about themselves, appear in a swimming costume, and appear in a special dress. Some people disapprove of the competition and think that it is sexist.
Miss World		a competition in which women from different countries compete to be judged the most beautiful and to win the title 'Miss World'. They have to answer questions about themselves, appear in a swimming costumes, and appear in a special dress. The competition used to be always held in Britain but now it is regularly held in different countries. Some people disapprove of the competition and think that it is sexist.
MIT		(Massachusetts Institute of Technology) an important and respected US university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, especially known for its research work in scientific subjects such as mathematics and computer science
Mitchell, George		(1933–)  a US politician who was chairman of the Northern Ireland peace talks which resulted in the Good Friday Agreement of 1998
Mitchell, Margaret		(1900–49)  a US writer best known for her novel gone with the wind, which was made into a famous and successful film
Mitchell, Warren		(1926–)  a British actor, known especially for playing the part of Alf Garnett in the television programme Till Death Us Do Part from 1965 to 1975
Mitchum, Robert		(1917–97)  a US film actor, who played leading parts in many films, especially westerns and films about criminals, from the 1940s onwards. Among his best-known films are The Sundowners, Ryan's Daughter, and The Big Sleep.
Mitford, Nancy		(1904–73)  a British writer who wrote novels and other books about the British aristocracy. Her best-known novels are The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate. She and her sisters were known as the Mitford girls, and they belonged to a well-known English  upper-class family. Two of the sisters, Diana and Unity, became involved in  right-wing politics. They greatly admired Adolf Hitler, and Diana married the British  fascist leader Oswald  mosley.
Mithras		the god of light or the sun in an ancient Persian religion known as Mithraism, which spread through the roman empire in the first and second centuries AD, and was an important religion especially among Roman soldiers
Mitterrand, François		(1916–96)  a French socialist politician who was active in French politics for 50 years and was president of France from 1981 to 1995. He was also known for having fought in the French resistance during World War II.
Miyake, Issey		(1938–)  a Japanese fashion designer. He is famous for using new types of cloth and new ways of making clothes.
Mizrahi, Isaac		(1961–)  an American fashion designer who worked for several famous designers before starting his own company in 1987. He is known especially for his women's casual (=informal) clothes.
Mladić, Ratko		(1942-)  a former Bosnian Serb military leader who was arrested in May 2011 for war crimes. During the Bosnian War (1992-95) he was the Chief of Staff of the Bosnian Serb Army, and he was said to be responsible for the killing of over 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys near the town of Srebrenica. He avoided being arrested for nearly 16 years.
MN		the written abbreviation of Minnesota
M'Naghten Rules, the
MO		the written abbreviation of Missouri
Moaning Minnie	 noun	 someone who is never satisfied and is always complaining
Mobil		the former name of an international oil company that operated petrol stations in many countries. Mobil joined with Exxon in 1999 to form ExxonMobil, but Mobil is still used as a brand name.
Mobile		a city which is Alabama's only port and one of the busiest ports in the US
MOBO awards, the		awards which are given each year in the UK to the best musicians producing music of black origin
Mobutu, Sese Seko		(1930–97)  the president of Zaire (now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo) from 1967 to 1997. He made Zaire a one-party state and became extremely rich by using government money. Shortly before he died, he was removed from power by an opposition group led by Laurent Kabila after a long period of fighting and political pressure.
Moby Dick		(1851) a novel by Herman melville about a man called Captain ahab who risks his life and the lives of the other people on his ship by hunting a large, powerful white whale called Moby Dick. The book is known for containing a lot of information about hunting whales and for being very long, and it is considered to be one of the greatest American novels.
Mock Turtle, the		a character in the book alice in wonderland by Lewis carroll, who is a strange and sad creature who often cries
MOD		the ministry of defence
Model T Ford		a type of Ford car made between 1909 and 1927. It was the first car to be built on an assembly line, and this made inexpensive cars available to ordinary people for the first time. The Model T Ford was sold in very large numbers, and was informally called the 'Tin Lizzie'. Henry ford, who invented and produced this car, was speaking about the Model T when he said the famous phrase: 'You can have any colour you like, so long as it's black.'
Modern English	 noun	the form of English used from about AD 1500 to the present day, which developed from middle english
Modigliani, Amedeo		(1884–1920)  an Italian painter and sculptor known especially for his pictures of nudes (=women without clothes) and of people's faces in which the bodies and faces are much longer than in real life
Mogadishu		the capital, largest city, and main port of Somalia, on the Indian Ocean
Mogul	 noun	a member of a family of Muslim rulers of northern India from 1526–1857, a period known for its beautiful art and buildings, including the taj mahal
Mohammedan	 noun	a word meaning Muslim, now considered offensive by most Muslims
Mohammedanism	 noun	a word meaning the Muslim religion, now considered offensive by most Muslims; Islam
Mohave Desert, the
Mohawk	 noun	 a Native American tribe of the Mohawk River valley in New York State
Moi, Daniel arap		(1924–)  the president of Kenya from 1978 to 2002, and leader of the Kenya African National Union KANU), the party which governed Kenya from its independence from the UK in 1963 until 2002
Mojave Desert		a large desert in southern California. death valley, the lowest point in the US, is found in the Mojave Desert.
Moldova		a country in Eastern Europe between Romania and Ukraine, which used to be part of the former Soviet Union. Population: 3,619,925 (2014). Capital: Chişinău.
Mole, Adrian		the main character in a series of humorous British books written by Sue Townsend, the first of which was The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ (1982). Each book is in the form of a  diary in which Adrian writes about his daily life and thoughts. He describes many of the emotional problems that are typical of people his age.
Molière		(1622–73)  a French actor and writer of plays whose real name was Jean-Baptiste Poquelin. He is best known as a writer of comedies (comedy ) that make fun of human behaviour, such as Le Misanthrope, Tartuffe, and Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme.
Moll Flanders		the main character in the book The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders written in 1722 by Daniel  defoe. Moll tells the story of her marriages, sexual relationships, and crimes in an amusing way that makes the reader feel sympathy for her.
Molly Maguires, the		a 19th-century secret organization of Irish Americans in the coal-producing area of Pennsylvania, US, which used often violent means to try to improve working conditions
Moloch		a god in some ancient religions, mentioned in the old Testament of the Bible, for whom children were killed as a sacrifice
MOMA		the Museum of Modern Art in New York City
Monaco		a small principality (=country ruled by a prince) on the Mediterranean coast between France and Italy. It is a popular place for rich people from other countries to go to live, because of its low taxes. Population 30,500 (2014). Capital: Monaco-Ville. Its main town is Monte Carlo. People from Monaco are called 'Monégasques'.
Monaghan		a county in the northeast of the Republic of Ireland
Mona Lisa, the		a 16th century painting by Leonardo da Vinci of a woman with a mysterious smile, also called La Gioconda. It is kept in the Louvre in Paris, and is one of the most famous paintings in the world.
Mondrian, Piet		(1872–1944)  a Dutch painter famous for his abstract work involving only straight lines and squares or rectangles of colour
Monet, Claude		(1840–1926)  a French painter who helped to start the impressionist movement. He is best known for his paintings of the countryside in which he tried to show the effects of light by painting the same picture at different times of day or in different types of weather.
Mongol	 noun	someone from Mongolia
Mongolia		a country in north central Asia between Russia and China. Population 3,226,516 (2014). Capital: Ulaanbaatar (formerly Ulan Bator). Mongolia is a large country but has a small population because it includes a large area of desert and open plains. The country is sometimes informally called 'Outer Mongolia', and it is next to a part of China called 'Inner Mongolia'.
Monkhouse, Bob		(1928–2003)  a British comedian and presenter of game shows (=television programmes in which people play games and answer questions to win prizes) such as Celebrity Squares and Family Fortunes
Monk, Thelonious		(1917-1982)  a US jazz pianist and composer. Many people consider him to be the person who started the Bebop style, but he later developed his own very different style of piano playing. In the late 1940s and early 1950s he recorded with musicians such as Art Blakey, Miles Davis, Max Roach, and Sonny Rollins. In the late 1950s he also performed with John Coltrane.
Monopolies and Mergers Commission, the		a former British government organization whose job was to examine cases where two companies plan to merge (=join together to form a larger company), and to decide whether this would be bad for other businesses and for ordinary customers. If the government thought there might be a problem, the case was 'referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission'. In 1999 the organization was replaced by the Competition Commission. There is a similar organization in the US called the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Monopoly		a very popular type of board game that has been sold since the 1930s. Players use toy money to buy streets and buildings on squares on the board, and then make other players pay rent if they move onto those squares. The squares on the board show the names of real streets in cities in the US (=in an American Monopoly set), London (=in a British Monopoly set), or other big cities around the world. People sometimes use the expression Monopoly money to mean a very large amount of money
Monroe Doctrine, the		the idea, stated in a speech by President James monroe in 1823, that countries of Europe should not get involved in the affairs of the countries of North and South America, and, in exchange for this, the US would not get involved in European affairs
Monroe, James		(1758–1831)  the president of the US from 1817 to 1825. He is known especially for the speech he made to the US Congress in 1823, called the Monroe Doctrine.
Monroe, Marilyn		(1926–62)  a US film actress and singer, whose real name was Norma Jean Baker. People still think of her as the most typical example of a sex symbol (=someone who represents society's idea of what is sexually attractive). Although she was famous and successful, she was a very unhappy woman and she died after taking too many sleeping pills. She is also known for having had a sexual relationship with the US president, J.F. Kennedy. Her films include Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) and Some Like it Hot (1959).
Monrovia		a city and port which is the capital of Liberia, West Africa
Monster Raving Loony Party, the		a small British political party, whose ideas are not intended to be serious, but which some people vote for in order to show that they do not approve of any of the main parties. It was led by a former pop singer called Screaming Lord Sutch until his death in 1999.
Montagues, the
Montaigne, Michel Eyquem de		(1533–92)  a French writer of essays (=short pieces of writing giving someone's ideas on particular subjects) who influenced many writers with his informal but careful way of writing
Montana		a state in the northwestern US that has many mountains. It is the fourth largest state in the US, but has one of the smallest populations.
Montana, Joe		(1956–)  a US football player who was a famous quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers team during the 1980s and 1990s. He helped them win four super bowls and was considered one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
Mont Blanc		a mountain in the Alps on the border between France and Italy. It is the highest mountain in western Europe, and there is a tunnel through it for cars to drive between France and Italy.
Mont Blanc		 a very expensive type of pen
Monte Carlo		the main town of Monaco where many wealthy people live or visit. It has many casinos and is famous for a car rally and the Monaco Grand Prix car race which are held there every year.
Monte Cristo, the Count of		the main character in the book The Count of Monte Cristo by the French writer Alexandre  dumas. He is wrongly put in prison for many years, and when he escapes he does not tell anyone who he is so that he can find and punish his enemies.
Montego Bay		a city and port in northwest Jamaica, the second largest city on the island. Its beautiful beaches make it a popular place for tourists.
Montenegro		a country in southeast Europe between Serbia and the Adriatic Sea. Population 653,474 (2014). Capital Podgorica. It was part of Yugoslavia until 1992, then federated (=joined) with Serbia until it became independent in 2006.
Monterrey		an industrial city in northeast Mexico, and the most important centre for producing steel in the country
Montessori, Maria		(1870–1952)  an Italian teacher and writer who developed a new way of teaching young children, the Montessori method, which encourages each child to develop at his or her own speed, to learn through playing, and to be confident and independent. Her method is used in Montessori schools in many countries.
Montevideo		a city and port in southern Uruguay, the capital of the country
Montezuma		(1466–1520)  the last Aztec ruler of Mexico, who was taken prisoner by the Spaniards under Cortés, and later killed by his own people
Montgomery		the capital city of the US state of Alabama
Montgomery, Field Marshal		(1887–1976)  a British military leader, known informally as Monty, who led the British army to victory in the Battle of el alamein (1942) in World War II, and later became the commander of the British forces in Europe
Montgomery, L.M.		(1874–1942)  a Canadian writer best known for her book anne of green gables
Montmartre		an area of northern Paris on a hill, which is famous for the large white church of Sacré Coeur and for its bars, restaurants, and nightclubs, including the moulin rouge where the 19th century artist Toulouse-Lautrec did paintings of the dancers and singers. In the late 19th and early 20th century many artists lived and worked there. Now it is popular with tourists.
Montpelier		the capital city of the US state of Vermont
Montreal		a city and port on Montreal Island in the St. Lawrence river in southern Quebec, in East Canada. Most people living in Montreal speak French as their main language.
Montreux Gold Rose, the		a prize that used to be given to the winner of a competition for television programmes held every year in Montreux, West Switzerland. The competition now takes place in Lucerne and is called the Rose d'Or.
Montserrat		an island in the Caribbean Sea, one of the Leeward Islands, which belongs to the UK. Capital: Plymouth. In 1997 a volcano on the island erupted (erupt ), sending out lava (=hot liquid rock) and ash (=powder that remains after something has been burnt) over a wide area, and this forced many people to leave the island.
Monty Python		(1969–74)  a humorous British television programme in which John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam, and Graham Chapman appeared. It is known for its surreal humour and its sketches (=short scenes) in which people behave in strange or crazy ways. The programme's style of humour influenced many later comedians, and the group later made several films, including The Life of Brian.
Monument Valley		an area in northeastern Arizona and southeastern Utah that is popular with tourists because of the interesting rock formations that are found in the desert there
Monégasque	 noun	someone who comes from Monaco
Moody's Investors Service		a US company that provides information about the performance of investments and companies, giving them a rating based on combinations of letters from A to C
Moog, Robert		(1934–2005)  an American electrical engineer from New York who invented the Moog synthesizer and started his own company to make electronic musical instruments
Moon Boot	 noun	a thick warm boot made of cloth or plastic, worn in snow and cold weather	雪地靴，月球靴〔一种在雪中及寒冷天气里穿的靴子〕
Moonie	 noun	a member of a religious group started by the Korean businessman Sun Myung Moon
Moore, Bobby		(1941–93)  a British football player, considered one of the greatest English players ever, who played for the English national team and led the team that won the world cup in 1966.
Moore, Dudley		(1935–2002)  a British musician, film actor, and comedian, known especially for making humorous television programmes in Britain with Peter Cook. His films include 10 and Arthur. He was also known for playing the piano.
Moore, Gordon		(1929–)  a US scientist and businessman who started the intel computer company. In the 1960s and 1970s he said that the power of the silicon chip would double every 18 months. This idea seemed impossible at the time, but turned out to be true, and is now known as Moore's Law.
Moore, Henry		(1898–1986)  a British sculptor considered by many people to be the most important British sculptor of the 20th century. He is known for his large, partly abstract sculptures of people, especially women, lying down.
Moore, Marianne		(1887–1972)  an American poet and critic, known for her clever and satirical poems
Moore, Mary Tyler		(1936–)  a US film and television actress and producer, known especially for appearing in several popular humorous television programmes, such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show(1970–77)
Moore, Michael		(1954–)  a US writer and film director. He has directed several films, including the documentaries (documentary) Bowling for Columbine (2002), for which he won an Oscar, Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004), and Sicko (2007). Moore also wrote the book Stupid White Men. He is known for saying exactly what he thinks, sometimes in a humorous way. He strongly criticizes the ways that rich people in American politics and corporations think and behave.
Moore, Patrick		(1923–2012)  a British astronomer (=person who studies the stars) who has written books and presented The Sky at Night, a television programme which has been broadcast every month since 1957. He is very popular, and famous for his fast speech and untidy hair. His official title is Sir Patrick Moore.
Moore, Roger		(1927–)  a British film and television actor, known especially for appearing in films such as Live and Let Die (1973) and For Your Eyes Only (1981) as the character James Bond, and on television in the programme The Saint(1963–68) . He has also done a lot of work for UNICEF. His official title is Sir Roger Moore.
Moors Murderers, the		Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, a British man and woman who murdered several children in the 1960s. Brady and Hindley were lovers, and they were called the Moors Murderers because they buried the murdered children on the moors (=wild areas of high land) in the North of England. Before they killed the children, they tortured them (torture) (=treated them very cruelly), and these events caused great shock and anger in the UK.
Moral Majority, the		 a US Christian organization started in 1979 by the Rev. Jerry Falwell. The group's aim is to help politicians who support its right-wing ideas on subjects such as abortion and the rights of homosexuals, and to actively oppose politicians who disagree with these ideas.
Moral Re-Armament		the former name of an international movement started in 1938 by the US evangelist Frank Buchman (1878–1961) , who wanted to make people behave in a more moral and spiritual way, especially in international relations. In 2001 it changed its name to Initiatives of Change (IofC).
Moray		a county in northern Scotland, with a coast on the North Sea
Mordred		an evil knight who is either the son or the nephew of King Arthur in old stories. He tries to take Arthur's land from him, but is killed by Arthur during a battle.
Morecambe and Wise		two British comedians, Eric Morecambe(1926–84)  and Ernie Wise (1925–99) , who appeared on an extremely popular television programme called The Morecambe and Wise Show in the 1960s and 1970s. Many famous people appeared as guests on the show and had to do things that made them look slightly silly. The shows are often repeated, especially at Christmas.
More, Sir Thomas		(1478–1535)  an English politician and writer. His most famous work is Utopia, which describes his idea of a perfect society. He was a powerful adviser to King  henry viii, but he opposed the king's  divorce (=the official ending of a marriage) and refused to accept him as the head of the  church of england. For this the king put him in prison and ordered his head to be cut off. The Roman Catholic Church later made him a  saint.
More Tea, Vicar?		an expression used humorously when a conversation becomes embarrassing and you want to start talking about something else, or when there is an embarrassing silence during a conversation
Morgan le Fay		an evil sorceress (=a woman who has magic powers) who is the half-sister of King Arthur in old stories
Morgan, Piers		(1965–)  a British journalist and television presenter who became the editor of the Daily Mirror in 1995. He was known for printing controversial stories. In 2004, he had to leave his job because his newspaper printed fake photographs of British soldiers treating Iraqi prisoners badly. Now he is better known for appearing on television programmes. He has been a judge on Britain's Got Talentand America's Got Talent. In 2011 he began his own programme for CNN called Piers Morgan Tonight.
Moriarty, Professor		an extremely intelligent criminal, who is the main enemy of Sherlock holmes in the stories by Sir Arthur conan doyle
MORI poll	 noun	an opinion poll (=a test to find out people's attitudes about something) carried out by a company called Market and Opinion Research Institute. They get their results by questioning a number of people who are chosen as being typical of the whole population
Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the		a very large choir that sings in the main church of the Mormons in Salt Lake City. They have also made many successful records.
Morning Edition		a US news programme broadcast in the morning on National Public Radio stations
Morning Star, The		a left-wing British daily newspaper which used to be the newspaper of the British Communist Party
Morocco		a country in northwest Africa on the Mediterranean Sea, whose people speak Arabic, Berber, and French, and whose cities include Casablanca, Marrakesh, and Tangier. Population 32,649,130 (2014). Capital: Rabat.
Morris, Desmond		(1928–)  a British zoologist and anthropologist (=a scientist who studies people and their societies, and the way that their customs develop). He has made many television programmes and written popular books about human and animal behaviour, including The Naked Ape.
Morris Minor		a type of small, popular British car that was built between the 1950s and 1970s. There is a club for people who own Morris Minors, and the ones still being driven are usually in good condition because their owners look after them well.
Morrison, Jim		(1943–71)  the main singer with the rock group The doors, known for his sexually exciting performances on stage. He is seen as a typical example of someone whose life was destroyed by drugs, alcohol, and the problems of being famous, and many young people visit his grave in Paris.
Morrisons		a British company with supermarkets in many towns. In 2004, Morrisons bought Safeway and became one of the biggest supermarket groups in the UK.
Morrison, Toni		(1931–)  a US author, known for her poetic writing which describes the experiences of African American people. Her books include The Bluest Eye (1970) and Beloved (1987). She won the Pulitzer Prize in 1988 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993.
Morris, William		(1834–96)  a British artist, craftsman, writer, and supporter of social change. Morris was a Socialist who disliked the development of  mass production in factories, and tried to support traditional methods of making things. He designed and made his own furniture and materials, and his designs are still popular
Morse, Inspector		a character, played by the actor John Thaw, in a British television programme based on books written by Colin Dexter. Morse was a police officer in Oxford, who rarely smiled and sometimes had a rather unfriendly manner. He was known for being very clever at catching criminals and for liking beer and classical music. The programme was broadcast from 1987 until 2000.
Morte d'Arthur, Le		the Death of Arthur; a book by Sir Thomas malory, written in the 15th century, which describes the life of King arthur
Morton, Jelly Roll		(1885–1941)  a US jazz piano player and band leader, who helped to develop new orleans jazz
Mosaic Law	 noun	the rules and laws stated in the pentateuch, which is the first five books of the Old Testament of the Bible. These rules and laws are believed to have been given by God to moses, and Jewish Law is based on them.
Moscow		the capital of Russia, and formerly of the Soviet Union. Its many famous and beautiful buildings and landmarks include the Kremlin, where the government is based, St. Basil's Cathedral, and Red Square.
Mosely Braun, Carol		(1947–)  a US politician and lawyer who became the first African-American woman to be elected to the US Senate. She was a Senator from 1992–1998 and was the US Ambassador to New Zealand from 1999–2001.
Moses		a leader of the Jewish people in ancient times. According to the story in the Bible, he brought the israelites out of Egypt. They were able to escape from the Egyptians when God parted (part2 ) the red sea so that they could walk across the sea bed. Moses received the ten commandments (=God's laws) from God on Mount Sinai.
Moses, Grandma		(1860–1961)  a US artist who did not begin painting until she was almost 70 years old. Her paintings of life in the American countryside are in the primitive style  (=they are very simple, and made to look like children's paintings).
Mosley, Sir Oswald		(1896–1980)  a British politician with extreme right-wing ideas. He was a Member of Parliament from 1918 to 1931, but in 1932 he started a new political group called the British Union of Fascists (BUF). Mosley admired Mussolini and Hitler, and the BUF organized attacks on Jewish people in London.
Moss Bros		a shop in many UK cities. It sells men's clothes, but is best known as a place where you can rent formal clothes for special occasions, such as weddings or formal dinners.
Moss Side		an area of central Manchester. People used to think of Moss Side as a dangerous place where there were gangs (=groups of violent criminals) who sold drugs, but much of the area has been rebuilt.
Mostar		a city in Herzegovina, the southern part of Bosnia-Herzegovina. It has many historical buildings, including the Stari Most bridge over the Neretva river. It was badly damaged in the civil war of 1992–95, but has since been rebuilt and is popular with tourists.
Mothercare		a shop in many UK cities. It sells clothes and equipment for babies and young children, as well as clothes for pregnant women.
Mother Goose		 the imaginary writer of a book of nursery rhymes (=old songs or poems for young children), or the nursery rhymes themselves
Mother Shipton		an old woman from Yorkshire in northeast England who lived in the 15th century. She was believed to have magic powers and to have the ability to say what would happen in the future.
Mother's Pride		a type of soft, white bread which is popular in the UK. It is sold in a plastic bag and is already cut into slices.
Mother Teresa		someone who is very kind, unselfish, and morally good is sometimes compared to Mother Teresa, an Albanian Roman Catholic nun (=a member of a group of Christian religious women) who lived in India where she worked to help the poor and the sick in the city of Calcutta
Motion Picture Association of America, the		the full name of the MPAA
Motlanthe, Kgalema		(1949-)  a politician who was president of South Africa from 2008 until 2009. When Jacob Zuma was elected president in 2009, Motlanthe became deputy president.
Motor Show, the		an international show of new types or designs of cars, which takes place every two years in London
Motown		 a US music record company, based in Detroit
Motson, John		(1945–)  a British football commentator (=someone who describes a sports event while it is happening) on BBC television, known for his knowledge of facts about football, games, and players
Moulin Rouge, the		a cabaret in the Montmartre area of Paris, famous especially in the 19th century for its cancan dancers
Mount Ararat
Mountbatten, Louis		(1900–79)  a British politician and military leader, also known as Earl Mountbatten of Burma. He had several important military positions during World War II, and he led the Allied forces against Japan in southeast Asia. In 1947 he became the last viceroy (=British governor) of India before its independence, and later he became the chief commander of the British navy. He was killed by Irish terrorists.
Mount Etna
Mount Everest
Mount Godwin-Austen
Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount McKinley
Mount of Olives, the		a mountain east of Jerusalem, mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible, especially as the place of Jesus Christ's ascension to Heaven
Mount Palomar
Mount Rainier
Mount Saint Helens
Mount Sinai
Mount Vernon		the home of George washington between 1747 and 1799 and the place where he is buried. It is in northeast Virginia, US and is now a museum.
Mount Vesuvius
Mourinho, José	 	(1963- ) a Portuguese football manager who won the Portuguese Championships twice, the Cup of Portugal, UEFA Cup, and UEFA Champions League with F.C. Porto, and the FA Premier League title (twice), Football League Cup (twice), and the FA Cup with Chelsea. While he was manager of Chelsea, he was known by the nickname 'the Special One'. He was very popular with fans, but his comments sometimes got him into trouble with the football authorities.
mouse potato	 noun	someone who spends a lot of time at home sitting and using a computer
Mousetrap, The		a play by Agatha christie, which was first performed in the west end of London in 1952, and has been performed there continuously for longer than any other play in the world. It is a whodunit (=a play about a murder in which you do not find out who did the murder until the end).
Moussorgsky, Modest		(1839–81) a Russian composer known for his operaBoris Gudonov and for his other works, including Pictures at an Exhibition and Songs and Dances of Death.
Mowgli		a character in The jungle book(1894–95) , by Rudyard  kipling, who is lost in the  jungle (=a tropical forest) as a small boy and is cared for and taught by the animals in the jungle
Mowlam, Mo		(1949–2005)  a British politician in the Labour Party, who was the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland during the peace talks which ended in 1998. Many people admired her for the work she did then, and she was a popular politician. She left the government in 2002.
Mozambique		a country in southeast Africa, between Tanzania and South Africa. Population: 24,096,669 (2014). Capital: Maputo. In the 1980s and early 1990s there was a long civil war, and many people were killed or left the country.
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus		(1756–91)  an Austrian composer, one of the best known and most admired classical musicians who ever lived. His many works include 41 symphonies (symphony ), 27 piano concertos, and some of the most famous operas ever written, including Don Giovanni and The Magic Flute. There is a well-known play and film about his life, called Amadeus.
Moët et Chandon		a type of champagne
MPAA, the		(the Motion Picture Association of America) a US organization whose job is to watch new films and decide whether children or young people will be allowed to see them. Each film is given a rating, which shows for example that a film can be shown to anyone (G), or can be seen by children if an adult goes with them (PG). A film that has an 'X' rating probably has a lot of sex and violence in it, so can only be seen by people who are at least 18 years old. There is a similar organization in the UK called the british board of film classification.
Mr Bean		the main character in a humorous television show called Mr Bean, who has a funny face, lacks social skills, almost never speaks, and fails at everything he tries to do. He is played by Rowan  atkinson.
Mr Fixit	 noun	someone who is good at organizing things or solving problems
Mr. Goodbar		a type of milk chocolate bar with peanuts, sold in the US
Mr. Kipling		a type of small cake made by Manor Bakeries Ltd in the UK. There are many different types of Mr Kipling cake, and they are advertised with the phrase: 'Mr Kipling makes exceedingly good cakes'.
Mr Nice Guy		someone who is too nice and friendly, so that other people treat him unfairly to get what they want – used especially in the phrase 'no more Mr Nice Guy', to say that you are going to stop being nice and letting people treat you badly.
Mr. Potato Head		a type of plastic toy shaped like a potato, which includes different eyes, noses, mouths, and ears that you can put on it to give it different faces
Mr Right		a man considered to be the perfect husband or partner for a particular woman
Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood		a US television programme on pbs for very young children. Mr. Rogers introduces the programme, and is always very calm and nice.
Mrs Mop	 noun	a stereotype that existed in the past of an old working-class woman who works as a cleaner
Mr Universe		a US competition in which men from many different countries who are bodybuilders (=people who exercise to develop big muscles) compete to be judged the most physically attractive and to win the title 'Mr Universe'
Mr Whippy		a UK company that sells soft ice-cream from an ice-cream van, which drives from street to street and plays special tunes to attract customers
M & S
Ms.		a US magazine for women, started by the feminist writer Gloria steinem
MSN		(Microsoft Network) an ISP (Internet Service Provider) supplied by Microsoft. MSN is also used informally to refer to MSN Messenger, an instant messaging system which is part of the Microsoft Network.
MSP		 a British politician who is a member of the Scottish Parliament
MT		the written abbreviation of Montana
Mubarak, Muhammed Hosni		(1929–)  an Egyptian politician, the president of Egypt from 1981 to 2011.
Much Ado About Nothing		a phrase which people sometimes use to describe a situation in which there has been a lot of excitement about something that is not really important. It comes from the title of a humorous play by William Shakespeare.
MUFC		the abbreviation of Manchester United Football Club
Muffin the Mule		a wooden puppet in the form of a mule (=an animal similar to a horse) who appeared on a British television programme for children between 1946 and 1957 called Muffin the Mule
Mugabe, Robert		(1924–)  an African nationalist and politician who helped Zimbabwe to become independent. He became prime minister in 1980, when Zimbabwe became independent, and became its first president in 1987. Many people have criticized him and his government for using threats and violence against his political opponents in the 1990s and 2000s. After his reelection in 2002 Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth because many countries thought that the election was not fair or honest. In 2003, Zimbabwe officially decided to leave the Commonwealth. Mugabe was reelected in 2005. The opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), again complained that the elections had not been fair. In the 2008 presidential elections, Mugabe was narrowly defeat in the first round of voting, but he won in the second round after the opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai agreed to stop taking part in the contest.
Muhammad		(?570–632) the Arab prophet, who was born in Makkah (Mecca) and who started the religion of Islam. The things that God told him were later written down to form the holy book called the Quran (Koran). The calendar which is used in the Islamic world, the Hegira calendar, begins in 622 AD, which is the year when Muhammad went from Makkah to Medina to escape from being badly treated for his religious beliefs. When Muslim people mention Muhammad's name, they usually add the words 'peace be upon him' in order to show their respect.
Muhammad, Elijah		(1897–1975)  the leader of the Black Muslims from the late 1930s until his death
Muir, Jean		(1933–95)  a British fashion designer, known for her classic clothes
mujaheddin	 noun	Muslim soldiers with strong religious beliefs	圣战士﹐圣战者〔具有强烈宗教信仰的穆斯林士兵〕
Mulder, Fox		the main male character in the US television programme The X Files, who is an  agent for the FBI, and who believes in  aliens
Mull		a large island off the west coast of Scotland, the largest island in the Inner Hebrides. It is often visited by tourists, especially in summer.
Mullah Omar		(1962?- ) an Afghani politician and former religious leader who started the Taliban and became its leader in 1994. The US government believe that he supported Osama Bin Laden and allowed the terrorist organization al-Qaeda to operate from bases in Afghanistan. US forces have been trying to catch him since the end of the war against the Taliban. His birthname was Mohammed Omar.
mullet dress	 noun	a dress that is short at the front and long at the back
Mumbai		the name of the city formerly known as Bombay. It is the largest city in India, on the west coast of the country. It is the capital of Maharashtra state, an important port and industrial centre, and the centre of the Indian film industry.
Munch, Edvard		(1863–1944)  a Norwegian painter best known for his picture The Scream
Munchkins		a group of very small people in the book and film The Wizard of Oz.
Munich		an industrial city in southern Germany, and the capital of the province of Bavaria, whose German name is München. It is known especially for its attractive old buildings and for the beer festival, that takes place there every October.
Munich Agreement, the		the agreement signed in 1938 between Adolf Hitler from Germany, Mussolini from Italy, Daladier from France, and Neville Chamberlain from Britain. The agreement gave Germany part of Czechoslovakia, and the other countries hoped that this would prevent Hitler from trying to take control of any other areas of land. Chamberlain returned to Britain saying that the agreement would give 'peace in our time'. In fact, Hitler's army attacked Poland soon afterwards, and World War II began.
Munro	 noun	one of the 277 mountains in Scotland that are 3000 feet high or higher. The word is used by people who climb mountains as a sport.
Munster		a province in the southwest of the Republic of Ireland, containing the counties (county) of Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, and Waterford
Muppets, The		a US television programme in which the main characters are puppets such as kermit the Frog and miss piggy. The characters, who were made by Jim henson, are called Muppets, and they perform in amusing sketches (=short scenes) with well-known human entertainers. Some of the Muppets also appear in the children's programme Sesame Street.
Murder of Roger Ackroyd, The		a famous detective story by Agatha Christie. When the book was published in 1926, it caused a lot of controversy (=serious disagreement) among readers because the narrator is shown to be the murderer at the end of the story. Some people thought that Christie was cheating by using this type of plot.
Murdoch, Dame Iris		(1919–99)  a British writer born in Ireland. She is known for her intelligent, humorous, and often complicated novels which include The Sea, The Sea and The Book and the Brotherhood. She has also written books about  philosophy.
Murdoch, Rupert		(1931–)  a powerful businessman, born in Australia but now a US citizen, who controls one of the world's largest media businesses, News Corporation, which owns newspapers, television companies, film companies, and book  publishers. These include many British, US, and Australian newspapers (such as the New York Post and The Times, Sky TV, and the Fox film company). Some people criticize Murdoch because they believe his control of so many media companies gives him too much power. In 2012, he resigned as a  director of  News International after a newspaper owned by the company was found to have been secretly reading and listening to messages on people's  mobile phones.
Murphy, Audie		(1924–71)  an actor who was a very brave American soldier in World War II, who was given more than 20 medals including the Congressional Medal of Honour. He became a film actor in 1948 and played himself in the film of his life story, To Hell and Back (1955).
Murray, Andy	 	(1987- ) a British tennis player from Dunblane in Scotland who has reached the fourth round of the Australian Open, US Open, and Wimbledon
Murray, Bill		(1950–)  a US actor who appears as humorous characters, and whose films include Ghostbusters (1984), Groundhog Day (1993), and Lost in Translation (2003).
Murrayfield		a famous rugby ground in Edinburgh, where Scotland's national rugby team plays
Murrow, Edward R.		(1908–65)  a US television news reporter known for reporting from London during the Blitz in World War II. He is also known for his television programmes after the war which dealt with political subjects about which there was a lot of disagreement, such as the activities of US Senator Joseph McCarthy in 1954.
Muscadet	 noun	a dry white wine from France
Muscat		the capital city of Oman
Muscular Dystrophy Association, the		a US charity organization that helps people who have muscular dystrophy. Every year it has a telethon (=a television programme to ask people to give money to an organization), which involves Jerry lewis and other well-known people.
Museum of London, the		a museum in central London which tells the history of London from Roman times to the present
Museum of Mankind, the		a museum in west central London which contains objects and information about the lives and cultures of people from many countries around the world
Museum of Modern Art, the		a museum in New York City which contains one of the world's finest collections of modern art and photography
Museum of the Moving Image, the		a former museum on the South Bank in London, containing information about the history of the cinema and of television, and collections of equipment used in the making of films and television programmes. It closed in 1999.
Museveni, Yoweri		(1945–)  the president of Uganda since 1986. He is generally thought to have made great improvements to Uganda's economic and social situation after a long period of civil war.
Musial, Stan		(1920–2013)  a US baseball player who played for the St Louis Cardinals team from 1941 to 1963. He is known for his skill at hitting the ball and was often called 'Stan the Man'.
Mussolini, Benito		(1883–1945)  an Italian leader known as 'Il Duce', who established the system of fascism and ruled Italy as a dictator from 1925–43. He fought with Germany in world war ii, but because of his armies' failures, he was forced to give up power in 1943. After the war he was shot and killed by Italian partisans. When people talk about Mussolini now, they sometimes say that although he was evil, he 'made the trains run on time', meaning that Italy was very well organized when he was its leader.
Mussorgsky, Modest
Mustang		a type of fast car built by the Ford company in the US, popular especially in the 1960s and 1970s
Mustique		a small island in the Caribbean Sea. It is typically thought of as a place where rich and famous people go for a holiday.
Musée d'Orsay, the		a museum in Paris, France, in a former railway station. It contains Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, sculptures, and examples of Art Nouveau
Mutiny on the Bounty, The
Muybridge, Eadweard		(1830–1904)  an English photographer who recorded the movement especially of animals by taking sets of photographs with several cameras arranged in a row
Muzak	 noun	recorded music that is played continuously in airports, shops etc	缪扎克背景音乐〔机场﹑商店等公共场所连续播放的预录制音乐〕
Myanmar		a country in southeast Asia, to the east of India and Bangladesh, and to the west of China and Thailand. Many people around the world still call it 'Burma' even though its name officially changed in 1989. Population 55,167,330 (2014). Capital: Yangon (formerly called Rangoon in English).
Mycenae		an ancient Greek city in southern Greece, where King agamemnon is supposed to have lived. It was a wealthy and important city in the period before about 1100 bc. In the late 19th century many beautiful and ancient objects were found there by  archaeologists.
My Country 'Tis of Thee		a patriotic song that praises the US. It has the same tune as the British song god save the queen, and it begins: My country 'tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, Of thee I sing.
My Fair Lady		(1964) a US musical (=a film that uses singing and dancing to tell a story) in which Audrey hepburn plays a poor young woman from London who is taught to speak and behave like an upper-class lady by a bad-tempered professor, played by Rex Harrison. It is based on the play pygmalion by George Bernard shaw.
My Lai massacre, the		a village in Vietnam where, in 1968, a group of US soldiers cruelly killed several hundred people, mostly old people, women, and children, during the Vietnam War. The officer who led this attack, Lt William Calley, was later put on trial and sent to prison, but he was allowed to go free after a short time. This event influenced many Americans to oppose the war.
MySpace	 	a social networking website started in 2003	聚友网〔新闻集团旗下的社交网站〕
Mystery of Edwin Drood, The		the last novel by Charles Dickens, which was unfinished when he died in 1870
Márquez, Gabriel García
Médecins sans Frontières		an international organization, similar to the red cross, that provides medical help to people who are suffering as a result of war or natural disasters. Its French name means 'Doctors without Borders'.
NAACP		 an American organization that works for the rights of African-American people
Nabisco		a US large international food company. Nabisco is known especially for its cookies, crackers, and breakfast foods.
Nabokov, Vladimir		(1899–1977)  a US writer who was born in Russia, and lived most of his life in Europe. He is best known for his novel lolita.
Nadal, Rafael		(1986-) a Spanish tennis player who has won many tournaments, including the French Open and Wimbeldon
Nader, Ralph		(1934–)  a US lawyer known for criticizing the government and big companies, and for fighting for the rights and protection of consumers (=people who buy goods and services). He was a candidate in the elections for US president in 2000, 2004, and 2008.
Nagasaki		a city and port in the west of the island of Kyushu, Japan, which was badly damaged in 1945 when a US nuclear bomb was dropped on it, killing very many people
Nagorno-Karabakh		an autonomous (=partly independent) area in Azerbaijan. Capital: Xankändi. Most of its people are Armenians who want to separate from Azerbaijan and join Armenia, and in the late 1980s and early 1990s there was fighting there between Armenians and Azerbaijanis. Nagorno-Karabakh is not officially an independent country, but it has its own government and its own president.
Nahuatl	 noun	the language of the Aztecs, still spoken by some people in Mexico today
Naipaul, V.S.		(1932–)  a British writer who was born in Trinidad and Tobago, and who comes from a Hindu family. His novels include A House for Mr Biswas, A Bend in the River, and In a Free State, which won the Booker Prize in 1971. He has also written non-fiction works such as India: A Wounded Civilization and India: A Million Mutinies Now. In 2001, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. His full name is Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul.
Nairobi		the capital of Kenya in East Africa
Naked Ape, The		(1967) a book by Desmond morris which examines similarities in the behaviour of humans and apes. The title is based on the fact that humans are the only type of ape which is not covered in hair.
'Nam		an informal name for vietnam, used especially by US soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War
Namath, Joe		(1943–)  a US quarterback who played football professionally from 1965 to 1978. He was called 'Broadway Joe' because he was also an actor, and he appeared on television in sports programmes after he stopped playing. He was also known for appearing in an advertisement for women's panty hose.
Name	 noun	a member of Lloyd's, the international group of insurance underwriters based in London. The Names are wealthy people who accept a financial risk in an insurance contract, and in return for this they usually make large profits. Sometimes they can lose a lot of money when events happen which affect insurance companies, such as serious accidents involving ships or planes, or severe weather conditions that cause a lot of damage.
Namibia		a country in southwest Africa, west of Botswana and north of South Africa. Population: 2,182,852 (2014). Capital: Windhoek. Namibia was formerly called South West Africa, and until 1990 it was controlled by South Africa, although the United Nations did not approve of this. The fight for independence was led by SWAPO  (=South West Africa People's Organization).
Nanak, Guru		(1469-?1539)  an Indian religious leader who started the sikh religion. He lived and taught in the punjab region of northern India.
Nantucket		an island off the coast of Massachusetts in the US. It used to be a port for ships hunting whales, but it is now a popular place for holidays, and many wealthy people have summer homes there.
Naples		the main city in southern Italy, an important industrial centre, and a major port. It is a popular place for tourists to visit because of its beautiful scenery, which includes the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius. People from Naples are called 'Neapolitans'.
Napoleon		(1769–1821)  the emperor of France from 1804 to 1815. He was a great and very skilful military leader and his armies took control of many European countries, which then became part of his empire. His biggest failure was in 1812, when he unsuccessfully attacked Russia, and most of the men in his army died from cold and hunger on the way back to France. In 1815 he was finally defeated (defeat) at the Battle of Waterloo and was forced to spend the rest of his life on the island of St Helena. Napoleon also changed the way that France was organized, and established a new system of laws, called the 'Napoleonic Code', on which modern French law is based. He is often shown in pictures wearing military uniform, with one hand placed across his chest and inside his coat.
Napoleonic Wars, the		a series of wars from 1799–1815, fought between France when it was ruled by Napoleon, and several other European countries, including Britain. They ended when Napoleon was defeated at the Battle of waterloo.
Napster		a former Internet service which allowed people to download songs for free. It was the first service of its kind. It was shut down by a court order in 1999.	Napster 在线音乐服务〔过去的一项因特网服务，提供免费音乐下载，是同类中最早的服务，1999 年被法庭判决关闭〕
Narcissus		in Greek mythology, a beautiful young man who fell in love with his own reflection when he saw his face in a pool of water. Because he became very unhappy as a result, he gradually became so weak that he died. A flower grew up in the place where he died, which was called a narcissus after him.
Narnia		an imaginary land of magic people and animals visited by four children in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and other children's stories written by C. S. lewis
NASDAQ		(National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations) a system giving the prices of shares in smaller and newer companies that are bought and sold directly between dealers on a national computer network rather than on a stockmarket
Nash, Ogden		(1902–71)  a US poet who wrote amusing poems
Nassau		the capital city and main port of the Bahamas, on the northeast coast of New Providence Island
Nasser, Gamal Abdal		(1918–70)  an Egyptian army officer and politician, who was the first president of the Republic of Egypt (1956–70) . He successfully took control of the suez canal from France and Britain in 1956, and this made him extremely popular in Egypt.
National, the		the grand national
National Airport		an airport serving the Washington, D.C. area, used mostly for flights within the US
National Archives, the		a building in West London that holds all British government records and documents, from the 11th century onwards. Most of the records, including secret government papers, can be examined by the general public after 30 years.
National Basketball Association		the nba
National Cancer Institute, the		a US organization that works to discover the causes of cancer and to find treatments and cures for it
National Centre for Popular Music, the		a museum of pop and rock music that used to be in Sheffield, UK, in a specially built building which was shaped like four very large, shiny drums, and which contained information about pop and rock music and showed films of musicians playing. It closed in 1999 because not enough people came to see it.
National Childbirth Trust, the		a British organization that provides advice and information to women who are going to have babies. It supports women who want to give birth naturally, without the use of drugs, and it encourages new mothers to breast-feed their babies instead of giving them milk made from powder.
National Collegiate Athletic Association, the		the ncaa
National Conference, the		a group of American football teams in the US that play against one another. There is another group of teams called the American Conference, and the best team from that group plays the best team from the National Conference in the Super Bowl, the most important football game of the year
National Endowment for the Arts, the		a US government organization that provides money for museums, theatre companies etc, to help them in their work. There is a similar organization in the UK called the Arts Council.
National Endowment for the Humanities, the		a US government organization which provides money for writers and other people working in the humanities (=subjects like history, language, and literature) to help them with their work
National Exhibition Centre, the		the nec
National Express		a British company that runs long-distance buses connecting many towns and cities in the UK, US, Canada, and several European countries
National Farmers Union, the		a British organization that provides advice and support for farmers. Although it is called a 'union', it is not a trade union, but it tries to influence politicians to support policies that help its members.
National Film Theatre, the		a building containing two cinemas on the south bank in London, which is part of the british film institute and is known for showing films that are not shown at ordinary cinemas, including old films, foreign films, and films made by small companies
National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities, the		an American government organization which develops and supports arts and humanities. It works with the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
National Front, the		a small extreme right-wing political party in Britain which believes that white people should have more rights than black and Asian people who live in the UK
National Gallery, the		a large public art gallery in Trafalgar Square, London, which contains the largest collection of important paintings in the UK. The National Gallery contains mostly European art, from all periods between about 1200 and the end of the 19th century. A large new part, called the Sainsbury Wing, was added in 1991.
National Gallery of Art, the		a large public museum of paintings, sculptures etc in Washington, D.C.
National Geographic, The		a US monthly magazine, which is produced by the National Geographic Society and is known for its beautiful photographs, maps, and interesting articles about nature, wild animals, and people from different cultures all over the world
National Guardsman	 noun	a member of the National Guard
National Insurance Number	 noun	a special number given to each person in the UK as soon as they are old enough to work, so that they become part of the National Insurance system. There is a similar system in the US, by which people are given a social security number.
National Labor Relations Board, the		a US government organization that tries to settle disagreements between workers and managers, especially in large companies. There is a similar organization in the UK called ACAS.
National Lampoon		a humorous US magazine which is read especially by young people, and which is known for making fun of famous people, recent events, traditions etc. There are also National Lampoon films and radio and television programmes.
National League, the		one of two groups of professional baseball teams that make up the highest level of baseball in the US and Canada. Every year, the team that wins in this league plays against the winning team of the American League in the World Series.
National Lottery, the		the UK lottery, which was established by the British government in 1994 and is operated by a private company called Camelot. Money collected by the lottery is partly given away in prizes, and partly given to support charity organizations, sports clubs, theatres etc. Although the chances of winning the lottery are extremely small, the prizes are very large, and this has made the lottery very popular.
National Maritime Museum, the		a museum in Greenwich, South London, with models and pictures of British ships, and things connected with the sea, sailing, and famous seamen
National Negro Leagues, the		several US basketball leagues which African-Americans played in between 1887 and 1960
National Organization for Women
National Portrait Gallery, the		an art gallery in Trafalgar Square in London which contains many pictures of famous men and women in British history and culture
National Public Radio		a network of independent US radio stations; National Public Radio is paid for by the people who listen to it, and is known for its excellent and interesting high-quality programmes on news and current affairs (=important things that are happening in the world).
National Rifle Association, the		a US organization that supports people's rights to buy and keep guns, and opposes attempts to change the laws and introduce more strict controls on guns. It is thought of as a very powerful group which has a lot of political influence, especially in the Republican Party.
National Savings and Investments		a British bank that operates through local post offices. It is known for selling National Savings Certificates, premium bonds and ISAs. It is considered a very safe place for people's savings, because the money is in the care of the British government.
National Science Foundation, the		a US government organization that provides money and support for scientific study
National Security Council, the		a powerful government committee in the US, which controls the relationship between military and foreign policy. Its members include the president, the secretary of state, and the defense secretary, and its head is the president's 'national security adviser'.
National Socialist	 noun	a member of the German Nazi Party, which was officially called the National Socialist Party
National Theatre, the		a modern building on the south bank in London containing three theatres, the Olivier, the Lyttelton, and the Cottesloe. It is the home of the Royal National Theatre Company, which is famous for the high quality of its actors and which performs a wide variety of serious plays, both old and modern. Some people think that the building is ugly.
National Trust, the		a British organization which owns and takes care of many beautiful places and historic buildings in England and Wales
National Weather Service, the		the national organization that collects information about the weather in the US, and provides weather reports and warnings of dangerous weather conditions for newspapers, radio, and TV, and also for farmers, scientists, airports etc. There is a similar organization in the UK called the Met Office.
National Westminster Bank, the		the full name of NatWest, one of the main British banks
Nation, Carrie		(1846–1911)  a US woman who strongly believed that people should not drink alcohol. She tried to stop them by going into bars and damaging furniture and bottles with a hatchet.
Nation of Islam, the		a US black rights organization, which was founded in 1930 by Farad Mohammad. For many years its leader was Elijah muhammad until his death in 1975. Its members have included malcolm x and Muhammad ali.
Natural England	 	a UK government organization that is responsible for protecting and improving the natural environment. It also helps people to enjoy and understand the natural environment, and to discover it for themselves. Natural England was formed in 2006 by joining together the Countryside Agency, English Nature, and the Rural Development Service.
Natural History Museum, the		a museum in West London which contains objects and information about the history of plants, animals, and minerals, and is famous for its collection of dinosaur bones
Nature		a British weekly journal (=serious magazine) which deals with all areas of science. It is a very respected journal, and many important new discoveries are first reported in articles in Nature.
NatWest		the usual name for the National Westminster Bank, one of the main British banks
Naugahyde		a type of artificial material with a plastic surface that is made to look like leather and used to cover furniture
Naughtie, James		(1951–)  a British journalist and radio presenter from Scotland who became one of the presenters on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 in 1994
Nauru		an independent republic, one of the smallest nations in the world, on an island in the southwest Pacific Ocean near the Equator. It is known for its phosphate mines. Population: 9,434 (2014). Capital: Yaren.
Navajo	 noun	 a Native American tribe from the southwestern US. They are the largest tribe in the US.
Navratilova, Martina		(1956–)  a US tennis player, born in the former Czechoslovakia, who is regarded as one of the best players ever. She won the women's singles competition at wimbledon nine times, more than any other player, and the us open four times. She is also known for having said publicly that she is a lesbian.
Navy Seal	 noun	(Navy Sea-Air-Land) a member of a military force which is part of the US Navy, and which is specially trained to do secret and dangerous work
Nazareth		a town in Galilee, northern Israel, which is known as the place where, according to the New Testament of the Bible, Jesus lived when he was a boy, and which is therefore visited by many Christians
NC		the written abbreviation of North Carolina
NCAA		(National Collegiate Athletic Association) an organization which sets rules for sports competitions between US colleges and universities
NCT		national childbirth trust
ND		the written abbreviation of North Dakota
N'Djamena		the capital city of Chad
NEA, the		(the National Education Association) US organization that represents the interests of teachers and schools
Neagh
Neapolitan	 noun	someone who comes from Naples, Italy
near-field communication	 noun	the ability of equipment such as smartphones to communicate at short distances	近场通信
Nebraska		a state in the central US which consists mainly of farmland, and which produces corn, wheat, cattle, and pigs. Its largest city is Omaha.
Nebuchadnezzar, King		(630–562 BC)  in the Old Testament of the Bible, a king of babylon who destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC
NEC, the		(the National Exhibition Centre) a large modern building near Birmingham in central England, which is used for conferences and exhibitions, such as the motor show
Nectar		a system run by Sainsbury's, BP, and several other British shops, in which you earn points when you spend money in those shops and show that you have a Nectar card. The points allow you to have free meals, free entry into amusement parks, free plane tickets etc, and the more points you have, the more valuable the free things you are allowed to have.
Neddy		a name for a donkey, used especially in children's stories
negawatt	 noun	a unit of measurement that shows the amount of energy you save by using less electricity and by having machines that use energy better
Nehru, Jawaharlal		(1889–1964)  an Indian politician who was one of the leaders of India's fight for independence from the UK. He became India's first prime minister after its independence (1947–64) , and he was the father of Indira gandhi.
Neighbours		an very popular Australian soap opera which is broadcast on British television, about the people who live in an imaginary street called Ramsay Street in the Australian city of Melbourne
Neill, A. S.		(1883–1973)  a British teacher who started a new school called Summerhill, where children can choose to study what they like, and are not told what to do by their teachers
Nelson, Horatio		(1758–1805)  a British admiral (=high-ranking officer in the navy) who is Britain's most famous naval leader. He lost an arm and the sight in one eye during the wars against Napoleon, and he became very popular after winning several important battles at sea. His most famous battle was the Battle of trafalgar in 1805, in which he was killed. Before the battle he said to his men 'England expects that every man will do his duty', and as he lay dying he is believed to have said 'Kiss me, Hardy' to his friend Sir Thomas Hardy. He is also known for having a romantic affair with an upper-class woman called Lady Hamilton. After his death, Trafalgar Square and Nelson's Column were built to honour him.
Nelson's Column		a very tall column (=upright stone post) with a statue of Admiral nelson on the top of it in trafalgar square in central London. It was built to honour Nelson, who was killed at the Battle of Trafalgar, where the British navy defeated the navy of Napoleon in 1805. It is one of the best-known sights in London.
Nelson, Willie		(1933–)  a US writer and singer of country and western music, who has been very popular since the early 1970s
Neo-Nazi	 noun	a member of an extreme right-wing political group that has ideas similar to those of Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party, including hatred of Jews and people of non-white races. Groups of Neo-Nazis have formed in different parts of Europe at various times since the end of World War II and some of them, for example in the eastern part of Germany in the 1990s, have received a lot of votes in elections.
Nepal		a country in southern Asia, in the Himalayan mountains, north of India and south of China. Population: 30,430,267 (2014). Capital: Kathmandu. Nepal is a place where tourists who want to go walking and climbing in the mountains go.
Nepali	 noun	 someone who comes from Nepal
Neruda, Pablo		(1904–1973) a poet, diplomat, and Communist leader from Chile who won the Nobel Prize for Literature for Literature in 1971
Nesbitt, Rab C.		a humorous character in a British television programme. He is a stereotype of a working-class Scottish man, who likes to swear, fight, eat unhealthy food, and drink too much alcohol.
Nessie		an informal name for the loch ness monster
Nessun Dorma		an aria (=a song sung by one person) from the operaTurandot by Puccini, which became very popular when it was sung by Luciano Pavarotti as the theme song for the 1990 football World Cup
Nestlé		a large international company that makes nescafé coffee and milk-based products such as chocolate and baby milk
Netanyahu, Binyamin		(1949–)  an Israeli politician, who was prime minister from 1995 to 1999 and leader of the right-wing Likud party
netbook	 noun	a small light computer that you can carry with you	上网本〔指非常小巧轻便的便携式计算机〕
Netherlands, the		a country in northwest Europe which is a member of the EU  (=European Union). Population: 16,805,037 (2014). The capital is Amsterdam, but the government is based in The Hague. Most of the country is flat and large parts of it are below sea level. The size of the Netherlands has been increased by draining (drain ) land that was formerly under the sea and building a system of dykes to keep the sea back. British and American people often call the country Holland, but this is not officially correct because Holland is only one part of the Netherlands. When people think of the Netherlands, they often think of windmills, which used to be very common there, of tulips, which are grown in large quantities to be sold, and of clogs (=wooden shoes) which many people used to wear. The country is also known for its less strict attitude towards drugs, especially cannabis. People from the Netherlands are called Dutch.
Netherlands Antilles		 a group of islands, including Bonaire and Curaçao, in the Caribbean Sea, which belong to the Netherlands. Population: 199,929 (2009). Capital: Willemstad.
Network Rail		a company which was started by the British government in 2002 to look after the system of railway tracks in the UK. It was created after the government decided that the company which used to do this job, Railtrack, should stop working. Network Rail has been organized so that it does not make a profit.
Nevada		a state in the western US, between California and Utah. Nevada is mostly desert, and it is the driest part of the US. Its most important industry is gambling (gamble ), especially in Las Vegas, and it is also known for the city of reno, where it is very easy to get a divorce.
Nevis		an island which is one of the leeward islands and is also part of st kitts-nevis, an island state in the Caribbean Sea
Newark		a large city and port in New Jersey, US, which is next to the Hudson River and across from New York City
New Brunswick		a province of Canada on the Gulf of St Lawrence
New Caledonia		an island in the Pacific Ocean, east of Australia, which is a territory of France. Population: 245,580 (2009). Capital: Nouméa.
Newcastle		a large industrial city and port on the River Tyne in northeast England, whose full name is Newcastle upon Tyne. Newcastle used to have a large coal mining and shipbuilding industry, but much of the old industry has now closed down. People from Newcastle are informally called Geordies, and they have their own dialect of English and their own accent (=way of pronouncing words) which is also called Geordie and is easy to recognize. They are also known for their great love of football, and the most important local team is Newcastle United.
Newcastle		a city, port, and important industrial centre in New South Wales, southeast Australia, near where the Hunter River joins the sea
New Deal, the		a programme of economic and social changes that was introduced in the US by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933, in order to help people who had lost their jobs or their property as a result of the Great Depression. It included money for farmers to borrow and an important programme of public works (=work on new roads, public buildings etc, paid for by the government)
New Delhi		the capital city of India, built to the south of the old city of Delhi by the British in 1912
New Democratic Party, the		a political party in Canada which has fairly left-wing ideas
New England		the states of the northeastern US: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. It is called New England because it was the first part of the US where people from England, including the pilgrim fathers, began to settle in the 17th century.
New Englander	 noun	someone who comes from New England
New England Journal of Medicine, The		a US journal (=serious magazine) for doctors, surgeons, and other people working in medicine, which is known for its technical reports on new methods of medical treatment, medicines, drugs etc
New English Bible, The		(1970) a translation of the Bible into modern English
New Forest, the		an area in Hampshire in southern England, which has many oak and beech trees, and also has large areas of heath (=open land with grass). Many people spend their holidays there, especially to ride horses or walk through the woods.
Newfoundland and Labrador		a province of eastern Canada consisting of the island of Newfoundland and the coast of Labrador. It is an important centre for fishing.
Newgate		a prison in London from about 1200 to about 1900, known for the terrible conditions in which the prisoners were forced to live and for holding some of the most famous criminals in British history
New Guinea	 noun
New Hampshire		a state in the northeastern US, known for its beautiful lakes and mountains and for its many old buildings. It was one of the 13 original states of the US, and was the first to publicly announce its intention to become independent from Britain on July 4th, 1776. This day became Independence Day in the US. New Hampshire is usually the first state to hold primary2 elections and each party's winner is generally considered to have the best chance of becoming their candidate for president in the national elections in November.
New Haven		a city and port in southern Connecticut, US, where English Puritans first lived when they came to America in 1638. It is also the home of Yale University.
New Hebrides, the
New Internationalist, The		a magazine that has articles about people in many different countries, and deals especially with the relationship between rich and poor countries and the unfair or unequal ways in which some people and countries are treated
New Jersey		a state in the northeastern US, which has a large population and many businesses and industries. New Jersey was one of the 13 original states of the US, and the northern part of the state is across the Hudson River from New York City. It is often informally called Jersey.
New Jerusalem, the		a Christian name for Heaven
New Labour		an unofficial name for the British Labour Party that was used especially by Tony Blair and his supporters to show that the Labour Party has changed some of its ideas and become more modern. One of the main New Labour ideas is that the government should not use high taxes to pay for public services. Many people believe these changes made Labour more popular and led to its success in the 1997 elections in the UK. But some traditional supporters of the party believe it has become too right wing.
New Lad	 noun	a young man whose attitudes and behaviour are a reaction to those of the New Man. New Lads do not feel embarrassed about enjoying traditionally male activities such as drinking too much alcohol, playing or watching sport, making rude jokes, and looking at pictures of attractive women.	新派青年〔思想和行为与"新派男子"(New Man)相反的年轻人〕
Newman, Cardinal John Henry		(1801–90)  a British theologian (=someone who studies religion and religious beliefs) and writer. He was a priest in the church of england and became leader of the oxford movement. Later he changed his religion and became a Roman Catholic, and he was made a cardinal (=a priest of high rank) in 1879.
Newman, Paul		(1925–2008)  a US film actor and director, known for being very good-looking and sexually attractive, with very blue eyes. His films included Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) and The Sting (1973). He won an Oscar for The Color of Money (1986). He was also known for his interest in motor racing, and for starting a company that makes good quality food.
Newmarket		a market town in Suffolk, southeast England, which is known as a centre for horse racing and for breeding and training horses for racing
New Mexico		a state in the southwestern US, where the land is mostly desert or mountain forests. Most of New Mexico used to belong to Mexico, so there is a strong Mexican and Spanish influence on the culture, language, buildings etc
New Model Army, the		an army started by Oliver Cromwell during the English Civil War in 1645, which was known for being well-trained and skilled at fighting. It consisted of Roundheads, fighting against King Charles I and his Cavaliers.
New Musical Express, The		the full name of the NME, a British music newspaper
New Orleans		a city in Louisiana in the southern US, next to the Mississippi River. It was originally a French city, and its style of cooking, old buildings, and traditions were influenced by French culture. It is famous for the way it celebrates mardi gras every year and also for the music played there. New Orleans is regarded as the place where jazz music was originally developed. In 2005 the city was badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina and about 1300 people were killed.
Newport		a wealthy city in Rhode Island, US, which is also an important port for the US navy
Newport Jazz Festival, the		a US event at which many jazz musicians perform. It was first held in 1954 at Newport, Rhode Island, and was then held every year in New York State. The 2008 festival took place in Newport, Rhode Island.
New Scientist, The		a British weekly magazine that provides news about recent developments and discoveries in all areas of science. There is a similar US magazine called Scientific American.
News Corporation		a large international company run by Rupert Murdoch. News Corporation is the largest media business in the world, and it includes film companies, television companies, book publishers, and newspapers. It operates in many countries, especially in the US, UK, and Australia, and its many famous products include Fox, Sky TV, The Times, and the New York Post.
New Scotland Yard		the official name for scotland yard
Newsnight		a British television news programme, which is broadcast on BBC2 at 10.30 pm every Monday to Friday. Newsnight does not report all the news, but deals with particular news stories in more detail, and includes discussions between its  presenter and well-known politicians and other important people.
News of the World, The		a British tabloid newspaper which was sold every Sunday, and which was known for printing shocking articles about famous people, especially about their relationships and sexual experiences. It sold more copies than any other British newspaper, but stopped being published in 2011.
New South Wales		a state in southeast Australia, next to the Pacific Ocean, which has the largest population and the most industry of any state in Australia. It produces steel, coal, grain, and wool, and its capital city, Sydney, is Australia's main business and financial centre.
New Statesman, The		a British weekly magazine which contains news reports, discussions about politics, articles about art, books etc. It is known for expressing independent opinions and being fairly left wing.
Newsweek		a US weekly magazine which contains articles and photographs about news and current affairs
New Territories, the		part of Hong Kong on the mainland of China, which was ruled by the UK from 1898 until 1997, when it was given back to China
Newton, Sir Isaac		(1642–1727)  a British physicist and mathematician who is best known for discovering gravity (=the force that causes things to fall towards the ground or to be pulled towards stars or planets in space). He made many other important scientific discoveries, and is considered to be one of the most important scientists who ever lived. Until the early 20th century, modern physics was based on Newton's work, and it is sometimes called Newtonian physics. He is often shown in pictures holding an apple, because there is a story that he discovered the law of gravity when an apple fell on his head while he was sitting under a tree.
New Year's Honours, the		special honours given to a number of British people each year, as a reward for their special achievements or good work, which are announced on January 1st. These include titles such as 'Sir', 'Lord', or 'OBE'.
New York
New York City		a large city and port in the northeastern US, on the southeast coast of new york state and east of the Hudson River. New York City is the largest city in the US and its main business centre, but it is not the capital city, which is Washington, D.C. The city is divided into five boroughs: Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island.
New York Drama Critics Circle Award	 noun	a special prize for excellent work in the theatre, given each year by a group of US theatre critics (=writers who give their judgment on the good or bad qualities of plays, actors etc)
New Yorker	 noun	someone from New York State, especially New York City
New Yorker, The		a serious weekly magazine from New York City, typically read by educated people all over the US. It contains articles on many different subjects, including art, films etc. It also contains short stories, poetry, and clever cartoons, and is respected for the quality of its writing.
New York Philharmonic, the		an orchestra (=a large group of musicians) based in New York City, which is the oldest orchestra in the US
New York Post, The		a US daily newspaper produced in New York City, which includes a lot of gossip (=information about famous people's private lives) and reports events in ways that make them seem as strange, exciting, or shocking as possible
New York Review of Books, The		a US magazine with long serious articles on new books, novels, poetry, writers etc
New York State		a state in the northeastern US. Its capital is Albany and its largest city is new york city. It is famous for its beautiful countryside, especially its mountains and rivers, and it was one of the 13 original states of the US. The area in the centre and north of the state is often called upstate New York.
New York Stock Exchange, the		the largest stock exchange in the US, where shares in companies are bought and sold. It is also known as 'the Big Board', and its building is on wall street in New York City.
New York Times, The		a serious daily newspaper which is produced in New York City. It is sold everywhere in the US and in many other countries, and people in the US often just call it 'the Times'.
New York Yankees, the		an American Major League Baseball team based in the Bronx, New York. Their home stadium is the Yankee Stadium and they have won the World Series championships and American League pennants many times. Famous players such as Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, and Babe Ruth have played for the team.
New Zealand	 	a country consisting of two main islands, North Island and South Island, and several smaller ones, in the Pacific Ocean, southwest of Australia. Population: 4,365,113 (2014). Capital: Wellington. It is known mainly for its framing, especially sheep. About 15% of the population are Maori people, who first came to New Zealand around 9th century AD, and who call the country Aotearoa. However, most of the population are people who came from the UK in the 19th and 20th centuries. People from New Zealand are known informally as Kiwis.
New Zealand	 adjective	relating to New Zealand or its people
NFC, the		(National Football Conference) one of the two groups of American football teams in the NFL (National Football League) that play against each other to see who is the best. The other group of teams is the AFC (American Football Conference).
NFT, the		the National Film Theatre
NFU		the national farmers union
NH		the written abbreviation of New Hampshire
NHS number	 noun	(National Health Service number) a number, used by the British national health service, which is given to everyone who is born in the UK or who comes to live in the UK
NI		national insurance
Niagara Falls		two very large waterfalls on the border between Canada and the US, which are popular with tourists and are also used to produce electricity. Americans often joke about people who have just got married going to Niagara Falls on their honeymoon, but not many people really go there for that reason.
Niamey		the capital of Niger, in the southwest of the country on the Niger River, formerly called Niave
NICAM		a type of system used by British television companies for broadcasting sound in stereo (=when the sound that you hear comes from two different places)
Nicaragua		a country in Central America between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, and south of Honduras and north of Costa Rica. Population: 5,788,531 (2014). Capital: Managua. Its main products are coffee, cotton, and sugar. In the 1980s there was a civil war (=a war between groups of people from the same country) between the elected left-wing government, known as the Sandinistas, and a right-wing group called the Contras, who were given money, weapons, and military training by the US government.
Nicaragua, Lake		a lake in southwest Nicaragua which is the largest lake in Central America
Nice		a city on the Mediterranean coast of France, famous as a fashionable place for tourists to stay, and also a port and industrial area
Nice-but-Dim, Tim		a humorous character invented by Harry enfield for his British television programme. He is a typical example of an English 'upper-class twit' (=a pleasant but very stupid young man from a high social class).
Nicholas II		(1868–1918)  the Tsar  (=ruler) of Russia from 1894 to 1917. His opposition to change led to the Revolution of 1905 and eventually to the russian revolution of 1917, in which he was forced to abdicate (=give up his position). He and his family were shot in 1918.
Nicholas, St		a Christian bishop (=high-ranking priest) who lived in western Asia in the 4th century AD. He became connected with the custom of giving gifts to children either at Christmas (in countries such as the UK and the US), or on the night before his Saint's Day (December 6th) (in other countries such as the Netherlands). The imaginary character Santa Claus is based on stories about him. He is also the Patron Saint of Russia.
Nichols, Mike		(1931–)  an American film and theatre director and producer who was born in Germany. His films include Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Remains of the Day, and Primary Colors. He won an Oscar as Best Director for The Graduate.
Nicholson, Jack		(1937–)  a US film actor, known especially for appearing as characters who are crazy or dangerous. He won three Oscars, for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), Terms of Endearment (1983), and As Good as it Gets (1997). His other films include Easy Rider, Chinatown, and The Shining.
Nickelodeon		a cable television station which shows programmes especially for children, including cartoons and sitcoms
Nicosia		the capital city of Cyprus, whose industries include leather goods, pottery, and  textiles. The city has many old buildings and walls from the time when it was ruled by Venice in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Nielsen Ratings, the		a system used to show how many people watch a particular US television programme, using information provided by Nielsen Media Research. The Nielsen Ratings are used to decide how much companies will have to pay to advertise their products during a particular programme, and they also help television companies to decide which shows should continue.
Nietzsche, Friedrich		(1844–1900)  a German philosopher whose most famous books are Thus Spake Zarathustra and The Antichrist. He wrote that 'God is dead', meaning that people no longer had to accept the values of the Christian religion. He believed that a new type of person would exist, the 'Übermensch' or superman, who would be free to follow his own moral principles. The idea of the superman was later used incorrectly by the Nazis to support their belief that German people were better than people of other races.
Niger		 the third longest river in Africa, flowing through Mali, Niger, and Nigeria
Nigeria		an oil-producing country in West Africa, east of Benin and west of Cameroon. Population: 174,507,539 (2014). Its capital is Abuja, and its largest city is Lagos. Nigeria became an independent state in 1960, after being ruled by the UK for almost 100 years. About half its population are Muslims, who live mainly in the north, and the rest are Christians, living mainly in the south.
Night Before Christmas, The		a poem by Clement Moore which contains many of the popular ideas and images that Americans connect with Santa Claus. It has been set to music, made into a television film, and appears printed in newspapers and magazines at Christmastime.
Nightingale, Florence		(1820–1910)  an English nurse who became greatly admired when she set up a hospital for soldiers in Turkey during the Crimean War. She became known as the Lady with the Lamp, because she walked around the hospital in the evenings with a lamp to check that everything was in order. She set up a school for nurses, making nursing (=the job of being a nurse) into a real profession. Someone who cares for ill people is sometimes compared to Florence Nightingale.	南丁格尔〔1820–1910，英国护士。关心照顾病人的人有时被比作是南丁格尔〕
Nijinsky, Vaslav		(1890–1950)  a Russian ballet dancer who worked with the ballet producer diaghilev and is regarded as one of the greatest male dancers ever
Nike		a US company that makes sports clothes and sports shoes. Nike products have a sign on them that looks like a large tick1, and the company's advertisements often use the phrase 'Just Do It!'
Nikkei index, the		a number that shows how well or badly shares have performed on the Tokyo stock exchange on a particular day. The number is based on the share prices of about 200 important companies.
Nile, the		a river in northeast Africa, the longest river in the world, whose water is used for most of the farming in Egypt and Sudan. It is formed from two rivers: the Blue Nile, which starts in Ethiopia, and the White Nile, which starts in Uganda. The two rivers join in Sudan, and flow north into the Mediterranean Sea. In Egypt, the Nile is popular with tourists, who sail up and down it on large boats, visiting places such as Cairo and karnak.
Nilotic	 adjective	connected with the River Nile, the people living around it, or their languages
Nilsen, Dennis		(1945–)  a British man who murdered 15 young men between 1978 and 1983. Nilsen would meet men in pubs, take them back to his home, kill them, and cut up their bodies.
Nin, Anais		(1903–1977) a French writer of novels, best known work for her own personal story written in her Journals
Nineveh		the capital of Assyria, an ancient empire, on the east bank of the River Tigris, in what is now Iraq. The ruins of many fine ancient buildings have been found buried there.
Nintendo		a brand (=type) of computer games machine made by the Japanese company Nintendo, which is used to play video games on a television or computer. Nintendo is now best known for the Nintendo DS and Wii.
Nissan		a brand (=type) of car or other vehicle made by the Japanese company Nissan
Nissen hut	 noun	a building that is shaped like half a tube and is made of iron sheets. Nissen huts were used especially as military buildings and shelters during World War II.
Niven, David		(1910–83)  a British actor who was famous for appearing in films as a clever confident Englishman from a high social class. His films include Around the World in Eighty Days (1956) and The Guns of Navarone (1961). He also wrote two humorous books about his life.
Nixon, Richard		(1913–94)  a US politician in the Republican Party who was president of the US from 1969 to 1974. He helped to end the Vietnam War and improved the US's political relationship with China. He is most famous for being involved in Watergate and for officially leaving his position as president before Congress could impeach (=charge with a serious crime) him. He was thought by some people to be dishonest, and because of this he was sometimes called 'Tricky Dicky'.
Niña, the		one of the three ships that sailed to America with Christopher Columbus in 1492. The other two were the Pinta and the Santa Maria.
NJ		the written abbreviation of New Jersey
Nkrumah, Kwame		(1909–72)  a Ghanaian politician who led his country's fight for independence from the UK. He was prime minister (1952–60)  and president (1960–66) , but he was eventually removed from power by the army.
NLRB, the		the National Labor Relations Board
NM		the written abbreviation of New Mexico
NME, the		(the New Musical Express) a British weekly newspaper about rock and pop music
No. 11		(No. 11 Downing Street) the official home of the British chancellor of the exchequer (=the chief financial minister)
Noah		in the Old Testament of the Bible, a man chosen by God to build an ark (=a large boat) so that he could save his family and two of every kind of animal that lived on the Earth from the terrible flood which covered the Earth. There are many songs and stories about Noah's ark, which describe how the animals were chosen, and how they went into the ark 'two by two'.
Nobel, Alfred		(1833–96)  a Swedish engineer and chemist who invented dynamite (=a powerful explosive substance) and became very wealthy from his factories that produced explosives. When he died, he left all his money to establish the Nobel Prizes.
nocebo effect	 noun	when someone becomes ill because they expect something to make them ill, even though it has not actually done this
Noddy		a character in children's books by the British writer Enid blyton. He wears a little blue hat with a bell on the top, and drives a yellow and red car around Toytown, with his friend big ears.
Nokia		a Finnish company that makes mobile phones
Nolan Report, the		a report made in 1997 by the Nolan Committee, a group which was set up in the UK in 1994 in order to find out if some members of Parliament had behaved dishonestly. According to the newspapers, some Conservative MPs had accepted money from business people in exchange for asking questions for them in the House of Commons. The committee found that some of these claims were true. It was led by a judge called Lord Nolan.
nom	 verb	to eat something with enjoyment
nonebrity	 noun	someone who is famous without having achieved anything
noob	 noun	someone who has just started doing something, especially on the Internet – used to show disapproval
Norfolk		a county in eastern England, consisting mainly of rather flat farmland with some marshes. It is known for the lakes called the Norfolk Broads, where many people spend holidays sailing in small boats.
Norfolk jacket	 noun	a old-fashioned type of jacket (=short coat) for men, usually made from woollen cloth, with a belt and with pleats (=flat folds) on the front and back
Noriega, Manuel		(1934–)  a Panamanian soldier and politician, who was ruler of Panama from 1982 to 1989, when US soldiers entered Panama to end his government. He was taken to the US, and in 1992 he was found guilty of drug dealing and put in prison.
Norman, Barry		(1933–)  a well-known British film critic (=someone whose job is to give their opinion of a film etc) who had a weekly programme about films on BBC television between 1972 and 1998
Norman Conquest, the		the period when the Normans, led by William the Conqueror, took control of England after defeating the previous English king, Harold II, at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. These events had a very great influence on England's history, culture, and language, and French became the main language of the ruling class.
Normandy		a part of northwest France, on the English Channel, known for the ports of Cherbourg and Le Havre where boats carrying passengers from England arrive. British people often spend their holidays there, camping or staying in gites.
Normandy Landings, the		the arrival of the allies on the coast of Normandy in 1944, when they began to force German soldiers to leave France. The day on which they landed, 6 June 1944, is called d-day.
Northamptonshire		a county in central England that consists mainly of farmland
North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the
North by North West		(1959) a humorous and exciting US film made by Alfred hitchcock in which Cary grant appears as a businessman who is given secret information by people who think he is a spy. When they realize their mistake, they chase him and try to kill him.
North Carolina		a state on the east coast of the US, known mainly for producing tobacco. It was one of the 13 original states of the US.
North Circular, the		an important road in London, which goes around the northern half of the city and connects with the south circular. Together, the North Circular and the South Circular form a circle-shaped road around London. This road is much closer to the city than the M25 motorway, which goes around the outside of London. The North Circular is known for having very bad  traffic jams.
Northcliffe, Lord		(1865–1922)  a British newspaper owner, born in Ireland, who started The Daily Mail in 1896 and The Daily Mirror in 1903, and in this way helped to make newspapers much more popular with ordinary people in the UK. He also later became the owner of The Times, and he had a great influence on the British newspaper business.
North Dakota		a state in the northern central US, on the border with Canada, with a small population, good farmland, and mineral mines
Northeast, the		the northeastern part of the US, including the six states in New England, and the states of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania
Northeast Corridor, the		an area of the northeastern US, between Boston and Washington D.C., which has the highest population density in the country
Northeast Passage, the		a way by sea between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, going along the northern coasts of Europe and Asia. It was discovered by the Swedish explorer Nils Nordenskjöld in 1878–79
Northern Ireland		the northern part of the island of Ireland, which is politically part of the United Kingdom. It is also known as Ulster, and it is sometimes called the Province. Its capital city is Belfast, and its main industries are farming and engineering, especially ship and aircraft building. The population of Northern Ireland is divided mainly between the Protestants (over 50%) and the Roman Catholics (almost 40%). In general, the Protestants want Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK, and they are called Unionists or Loyalists, and the Catholics want Northern Ireland to become part of the Republic of Ireland, and are called Republicans or Nationalists. The disagreements between these groups have led to a lot of violence. paramilitary groups  (=unofficial illegal armies) who claim to represent each side, especially the Republican IRA and the Loyalist UDA, have used violence against each other and against ordinary people for many years, and since the late 1960s British soldiers have been based in Northern Ireland to control the situation. There have been many unsuccessful attempts to find a peaceful solution to these political problems. Since 1998 talks have been taking place between the British government and all the main political parties in Northern Ireland, including those that represent paramilitary groups. The British government established a new  assembly (=parliament) for Northern Ireland in 1998 as a result of the Belfast Agreement (also known as the Good Friday Agreement), but the Assembly has been  suspended several times because the different political groups keep disagreeing about the process of  decommissioning weapons  (=getting rid of them). In 2007 a power-sharing government was formed, made up of both Protestant and Catholic parties.
Northern Ireland Assembly, the		a political assembly set up as part of the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement. The assembly has 108 members, six from each of the 18 constituencies in Northern Ireland. The assembly has an executive of up to 12 ministers, whose responsibilities include health, education, environment and finance.
Northern Lights, the	 noun	bands of coloured light that are seen in the night sky in the most northern parts of the world; aurora borealis
Northern Marianas		a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines. Population: 51,170 (2014). Capital: Saipan.
Northern Rock	 	a British bank that was nationalized in February 2008. In September 2007 the bank had to ask the Bank of England for emergency funds because of problems in the credit markets connected with the crisis in the US subprime mortgage market. The bank was sold back into private ownership in 2011.
Northern Territory, the		an area of northern central Australia whose main city is Darwin. It is an extremely large area, but most of it is very dry and its population is very small.
North Island, the		one of the two main islands of New Zealand, which includes Wellington, New Zealand's capital city
North Korea		a country in East Asia, west of Japan and east of China, which is officially called the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Population: 24,720,407 (2014). Capital: Pyongyang. North Korea was formed in 1945 when Korea was divided into two countries (North Korea and South Korea) by the US and the former Soviet Union. North Korean soldiers entered South Korea in 1950 in an attempt to unite the two countries, and this started the Korean War(1950–53) . North Korea has a Communist system of government, and its leader is Kim Jong-un.
North Sea, the		part of the Atlantic Ocean, between Great Britain and northwest Europe. It is economically important because of its fish, and also for oil and gas which were discovered there in the 1970s.
North/South divide, the		the difference between the rich and poor countries of the world, which is shown by people's standard of living and by the level of industrial and economic development. The expression the North is used to mean the richer countries which are mainly in Europe, North America, and parts of East Asia, and the South is used to mean the poorer countries of Africa, Asia, and Central and South America
Northumberland		a county in northeast England, just south of Scotland and on the North Sea coast, known for its hills and forests and for hadrian's wall
Northumbria		an anglo-saxon kingdom in the north of England and south of Scotland that was politically important from the 7th to the 9th centuries. This name is often used unofficially to mean Northumberland.
North Wales		the northern part of Wales, known for its coast and mountains, and popular with tourists
North Walian	 noun	someone who comes from North Wales
Northwestern University		a private university in Evanston, Illinois near Chicago, US
Northwest Passage, the		a way by sea between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, going along the northern coast of North America. It was first sailed through by Roald amundsen in 1903–06
Northwest Territories, the		a very large area in northwest Canada east of the Yukon, whose capital is Yellowknife. It covers a third of the area of Canada, but it has a very small population and very cold weather.
North York Moors, the		an area of high, open land, a National Park, in northeast England
North Yorkshire		a county in northeast England. It consists mainly of farmland. The centre of local government is at Northallerton but the main city is York.
Norway		a country of northern Europe, in western Scandinavia. Population: 4,722,701 (2014). Capital: Oslo. Norway's industries include fishing, oil (from the North Sea), and wood products from its large forests. It is known especially for its beautiful fjords (=narrow areas of sea between high cliffs).
Norwich		a city in Norfolk, east central England, where the local government for that county is based. It has a university, the University of East Anglia, an important market, and a cathedral.
Nostradamus		(1503–66)  a French doctor and astrologer (=someone who studies the movements of the planets and their influence on events) who wrote a book describing things that he believed would happen in the future. Some people believe that Nostradamus had special powers, and that his ideas about the future are correct.
Notre Dame		a famous cathedral (=a large important church) in central Paris, which is a beautiful gothic building from the 12th century, and a popular place for tourists to visit
Notre Dame, University of		a private Catholic university in Indiana, US, which is known especially for having a very good American football team
notspot	 noun	a place where you cannot get broadband, or where you cannot get a mobile phone connection or wi-fi connection
Nottingham		an industrial city in Nottinghamshire in central England. Its industries include chemicals, engineering, and clothing, but it is especially known as a place where lace (=very fine cloth with patterns of very small holes) is made. The stories of robin hood take place in this area.
Nottinghamshire		a county in central England consisting mainly of farmland, and also known for its coal mines, most of which have now closed down
Notting Hill Carnival, the		a street carnival that takes place in the Notting Hill area of West London in August every year, mostly involving black people and known for the colourful costumes worn and the steel band music played
Nova Scotia		a province of southeast Canada on the Atlantic Ocean, whose capital city is Halifax. It consists mainly of farmland and forests, and it also produces minerals.
NOW, the		 a large US organization started in 1966, which works for legal, economic, and social equality between women and men. Its first president was Betty Friedan, who also helped to start it
NPR		national public radio
NRC		nuclear regulatory commission
NSC		national security council
NSPCC		 a British organization that protects children who are being badly treated
NT, the		the national theatre
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, the		an international agreement which aims to prevent nuclear weapons from spreading around the world, but which allows countries to use nuclear technology peacefully. In 1970 the US, Britain, and the Soviet Union signed the agreement, followed by China and France in 1992. Since then, 184 other countries without nuclear weapons have agreed to use nuclear technology only for peaceful purposes. The International Atomic Energy Agency has the job of checking that countries are obeying the agreement.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the		a US government organization that checks on the safety of nuclear power stations
NUJ, the		(the National Union of Journalists) the professional trade union in the UK for people working in newspapers, magazines, and book production
NUM, the		(the National Union of Mineworkers) a trade union in the UK for miners and other people who work in the mining industry. Until the 1984–5 miners' strike, it was an important union, but it lost a lot of power after many mines were closed.
Number 10
Number 11
Nuremberg		an industrial city in Bavaria, southern Germany, whose German name is Nürnberg. For many people, Nuremberg is connected with the Nuremberg Rallies of 1930s, when the Nazi Party held very large well-organized public meetings, with large numbers of soldiers marching in regular patterns, and nationalistic speeches by Adolf hitler. In 1945–46 the Nuremberg Trials took place there, when many Nazi leaders were judged in a court of law for their war crimes, and some of them were punished by death.
Nureyev, Rudolf		(1938–93)  a Russian ballet dancer who escaped from the former soviet union in 1961 to live in the West. He often danced with Dame Margot fonteyn and he is regarded as one of the greatest male dancers ever.
NUS, the		(the National Union of Students) an organization that represents students at colleges and universities in the UK. As well as supporting the rights of students, it also arranges entertainments, travel, advice centres etc for students.
NUT, the		(the National Union of Teachers) one of the main professional trade unions which represents teachers in England and Wales, in both government and private schools
Nutcracker, The		(1892) a ballet with music by tchaikovsky about a girl who dreams that her nutcracker becomes a prince. It is one of the most popular ballets, and is often performed at Christmas.
NutraSweet		a type of artificial sweetener used instead of sugar in many foods and drinks
NV		the written abbreviation of Nevada
NY		the written abbreviation of new york (city or state)
NYC		the written abbreviation of new york city
Nyerere, Julius		(1922–99)  a Tanzanian politician who was one of the leaders of the country's fight for independence from the UK. He was the first president of Tanzania (1964–85)  and he strongly believed that African countries should develop their own farming and industry without copying Western economic ideas.
NYPD		the abbreviation of the New York City Police Department
NYSE		new york stock exchange
O2, the	 	an entertainment area built within the dome of a building that used to be called the Millennium Dome in Greenwich, south east London. It was opened in June 2007.
Oakland Raiders, the		an American football team based in Oakland, California. Their home stadium is the Network Associates Coliseum, and they have won the NFL championships four times and the Super Bowl three times.
Oakley, Annie		(1860–1926)  a US woman who was very skilled at shooting, and who performed in buffalo bill'sWild West Show. The musical show and film Annie Get Your Gun is based on her life.
Oaks, the		a horse race for fillies  (=young female horses) held every year at Epsom in the UK, one of the most important events in British flat racing (=racing on level ground, not jumping over fences)
OAS, the		(the Organization of American States) an organization whose members include the US and Canada and most of the countries of Central and South America. Its aims are to preserve peace and to help the economic development of the area.
OASDHI		(Old Age, Survivors, Disability, and Hospital Insurance) the social security insurance programme provided by the US government for people who have worked in the US for a certain number of years. The programme provides pensions (=money for older people who have stopped working), money for people who have been permanently injured, and medicare (=medical care for older people).
Oates, Captain Lawrence		(1880–1912)  a British explorer who went with Captain Scott on his journey to the South Pole. On the way back, Oates was suffering from frostbite and could no longer walk fast enough, so he deliberately killed himself by going out into the snow, because he did not want to delay the other members of the team.
Obama, Barack	 	(1961- ) a US politician in the Democratic Party who became US president in 2009. He was relected in 2013 after defeating Republican candidate Mitt Romney in the election. He is the first African American to be US president. Before becoming president, he was a member of the Illinois State Senate from 1997 to 2004, and joined the US Senate as junior senator from Illinois in January 2005.
OBE	 noun	(Officer of the Order of the British Empire) a special honour given to some British people for things they have done for their country. OBE is written after someone's name to show that they have been given this honour
Oberammergau		a town in Bavaria, southern Germany, known for the passion play (=a play telling the story of Jesus' suffering and death) performed by the people of the town every ten years since 1634, as a way of thanking God for saving them from the plague (=a very infectious disease that killed large numbers of people)
Oberon		the king of the fairies (fairy ) and the husband of titania in the play A Midsummer Night's Dream by William  shakespeare
obesogenic	 adjective	likely to make people fat
Obie Award	 noun	a prize given to plays in the theatres of the off broadway area of New York City
O'Brien		an important character in the book 1984 by George Orwell. O'Brien pretends to be a friend of the main character Winston Smith, but tricks and  tortures him.
Observer, The		a serious British Sunday newspaper which generally supports fairly left-wing political ideas. The Observer is owned by the same company that owns The Guardian.
obvs	 adverb	obviously
Occupation, the		the period from 1940–44 during World War II, when France was occupied by the German army
O Come All Ye Faithful		the title and first words of a popular Christmas carol (=a traditional religious song)
O'Connell, Daniel		(1775–1847)  an Irish politician who forced the government to give rights to Catholics, and worked for an end to the union with Britain
O'Connor, Sandra Day		(1930–)  a US judge who became the first woman member of the Supreme Court in 1981. She retired in 2006.
ODA, the		(the Overseas Development Administration) the former name of the dfid (the British government's Department for International Development)
Odin		in Norse mythology, the king of the gods. He made the universe, and is also the god of war and wisdom. In German mythology his name is wotan, and in Anglo-Saxon mythology his name is woden.
O'Donnell, Rosie		(1962–)  a US comedian, talk show host, and actress. She has said in public that she is a lesbian, and she became an important representative for gays and lesbians in the US.
Odysseus		in ancient Greek stories, the King of Ithaca and husband of Penelope, who is the main character in the poem The Odyssey by Homer. He spent ten years fighting in the Trojan War, and another ten years travelling home after the war. He is known for being brave, clever, and good at tricking people in order to get what he wants. In ancient Roman stories his name is Ulysses.
OED, the		the oxford english dictionary
Oedipus		in ancient Greek stories, the son of King Laius and Queen Jocasta of thebes. When he was a baby Oedipus was left to die on a mountain by his father, but he was found and taken to live with the King of Corinth, so he did not know who his real parents were. When he became an adult, Oedipus returned to Thebes and, without knowing who they were, killed his father and married his mother. His story is told in the play Oedipus Rex by  sophocles.
Ofcom		 a UK organization which deals with complaints about radio and television programmes. It is also responsible for making sure that there is fair competition in the broadcasting industry.
Offa's Dyke		a long wall of earth, originally over 100 miles long, put up to mark the border between Wales and the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia, by King Offa of Mercia in the 8th century. Parts of it can still be seen.
off Broadway	 adverb	(of theatre in New York) not in the main professional group of theatres, but more unusual or experimental in nature
Office of Fair Trading, the		a British government organization whose job is to protect people from being cheated by shops and other businesses, and to help customers who have been cheated or treated unfairly
Office of Management and Budget, the		a US government organization that provides help for the president in organizing the work of government departments and especially in preparing the budget (=the official plan for how government money will be used)
Official Birthday, the		the day when the British queen or king's birthday is officially celebrated, especially with the ceremony of trooping the colour in London. It is not the same as the queen or king's own personal birthday, and it is always on the second Saturday of June.
Official Secrets Act, the		a UK law by which people who work for the government are not allowed to discuss their work with people who do not work for the government or to make known information which should be kept secret. Government workers must 'sign the Official Secrets Act' (=agree to obey this law), and they can be put in prison if they break this agreement.
Ofgem		the British government organization whose job is to make sure that the UK gas and electricity industry operates safely and does not charge unfair prices
Of Mice and Men		a famous short story by John Steinbeck about the friendship between Lennie and George, two poor, working men who want a better life and have plans to own their own farm. Lennie is a big powerful man with the mind of a child. He does not know how to control his emotions or his strength, and accidentally kills first a puppy and then later a woman. At the end of the story, George shoots Lennie and their dream of owning farm where Lennie can look after rabbits dies too.
Ofsted		(he Office for Standards in Education) the government organization that is responsible for checking the quality of education in British schools
Oftel		the former British government organization whose job was to make sure that the UK telephone industry treated its customers fairly and did not charge unfair prices. It was replaced in 2003 by Ofcom.
Ofwat		the British government organization whose job is to make sure that the UK water industry provides safe water, protects the environment, and does not charge unfair prices
OH		the written abbreviation of Ohio
O'Hara, Scarlett		the main female character in the book gone with the wind, who was played by the actress Vivien leigh in the film. She is a beautiful, determined, and clever woman.
O'Hare		the main airport in Chicago, which is the busiest airport in the US
Ohio		 a state in the midwest of the US, known especially for its engineering, coal mining, and farming. Its largest city is Cleveland.
Oh Susanna		a 19th century US folk song written by Stephen Foster: Oh, Susanna! Now don't you cry for me / For I've come from Alabama / With my banjo on my knee.
Ojibwa	 noun
OK!		a British magazine which publishes pictures and articles about famous people
Okeechobee, Lake		a large lake of fresh (=not containing salt) water in southern Florida, US. Water flows from it into the Atlantic Ocean through the everglades.
O'Keeffe, Georgia		(1887–1986)  a US artist known especially for her large beautiful paintings of flowers and animal bones. Her later paintings were often influenced by the desert scenery of New Mexico, where she went to live.
Okefenokee Swamp		a large area of swamp land in the US, in southeast Georgia and northeast Florida. It is the home of many alligators and many kinds of snake and bird. Most of the area is now included in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
Okie	 noun	an insulting word for a person from Oklahoma
Okinawa		a Japanese island in the west Pacific Ocean, southwest of Kyushu, where an important battle took place between the US and Japan in 1945 near the end of World War II
Oklahoma!		(1943) a musical (=a play that uses singing and dancing to tell a story) by Richard rodgers and Oscar hammerstein about people who moved to Oklahoma in the late 1800s. It was made into a successful film in 1955, and it includes many well-known songs, such as 'Oh what a beautiful morning!'
Oklahoma		a state in the Great Plains in western central US, whose products include oil and grain. Oklahoma has a large Native American population. Its farmlands became part of the Dust Bowl in the 1930s, when very dry conditions forced many people to leave their farms and look for work in other places, especially California.
Oklahoma City		the capital and largest city of the US state of Oklahoma. The city was established in one day in 1889, when 10,000 people went to the area and quickly put up tents, so that they could become the owners of land that had just been made available for settlers. It is also known for the bomb that exploded in a government building there in 1995, killing more than 160 people.
Old Bill, the	 noun	the police
Old Curiosity Shop, The		(1841) a novel by Charles dickens about a girl called little nell and her grandfather, who are forced to leave their shop and give it to a cruel man called Quilp, because the grandfather owes him money. The scene at end of the book in which Little Nell dies is known for being very sad.
Oldenburg, Claes		(1929–)  a US sculptor, born in Sweden, who is important in the pop art movement and famous for his large sculptures of small ordinary objects, often made of soft materials
Old English	 noun	the earliest form of English used from about AD 500 to 1050, also called Anglo-Saxon, which developed into middle english
Old Faithful		a large geyser in yellowstone national park in the northwestern US, which sends a stream of hot water high up into the air about once every hour
Old Harry	 noun	the devil
Old King Cole		a character in a nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for young children): Old King Cole Was a merry old soul, And a merry old soul was he; He called for his pipe, And he called for his bowl, And he called for his fiddlers three.
Old Labour		an unofficial name used to talk about the British Labour Party before it was changed by Tony blair in the 1990s. Old Labour was thought to be more left wing, and supported the idea of increasing taxes to pay for public services such as education and health. Today the Labour Party does not believe in increasing taxes, and many traditional Labour supporters think it has become too right wing.
Old Lady of Threadneedle Street		a nickname for the bank of england, which is in Threadneedle Street, London
Old Man of the Sea, The		a character in the story of Sinbad the Sailor in The Arabian Nights, who persuades  sinbad to carry him on his back, and then twists his legs around Sinbad so that Sinbad cannot get him off. Sinbad makes the old man drunk, gets him off his back, and kills him.
Old Moore's Almanack		a small British almanac (=a book giving information about the movement of the sun and moon, the times of the tides etc) which is produced each year and sold in large numbers. It is known for making predictions (=saying what will probably happen in the future) based on such things as the position of the planets in the sky. Its predictions are often about political events or famous people.
Old Mother Hubbard		a character in a nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for young children): Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard, to get her poor dog a bone; but when she came there the cupboard was bare, and so the poor dog had none. The expression 'the cupboard is bare' is sometimes used about a situation in which a person, organization, or government has no money left.
Old North Church, the		a church in Boston, Massachusetts, where two lanterns were hung from the steeple in order to tell people that the British army was coming near at the beginning of the Revolutionary War
Old Pretender, the
Oldsmobile		a type of large car that used to be made by the US company General Motors. Smaller models of the Oldsmobile were also available.
Old Trafford		a famous sports ground in Manchester in the north of England. It has a football ground where manchester united play, and a cricket ground where games involving the English national cricket team are often played.
Old Uncle Tom Cobbleigh
Old Vic, the		a theatre in South London, known especially for its productions of plays by William shakespeare
Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe, The		a character in a nursery rhyme (=old song or poem for children)which starts: There was an old woman who lived in a shoe, Who had so many children she didn't know what to do...
O Little Town of Bethlehem		the title and first words of a Christmas carol (=a traditional religious song) popular in the UK: O little town of Bethlehem How still we see thee lie, Above they deep and dreamless sleep, The silent stars go by.
Oliver, Jamie	 	(1975- ) a British celebrity chef who has presented television programmes about cooking such as The Naked Chef, Jamie's School Dinners, and Jamie at Home. The recipe books which go together with these television programmes have been very successful. Oliver is very keen that people should use fresh organicingredients, and in 2005 he began a campaign to improve the quality of food given to students in school meals. He has also opened a number of charity restaurants around the world called 'Fifteen' which teach young disadvantaged people to do jobs in the food industry. He is known for his cockneyaccent and for using catchphrases such as "pukka" (= very good).
Oliver Twist		(1837–38)  a novel by Charles dickens about a poor boy called Oliver Twist. The most famous scene in the book takes place in the workhouse when he holds out his bowl and asks for more food, but is punished instead. He runs away to London and then lives with fagin, the leader of a group of young thieves who include the artful dodger. The popular musical (=a play or film that uses singing and dancing to tell a story) Oliver is based on this story.
Olives, the Mount of
Olivier, Laurence		(1907–89)  a British actor officially called Lord Olivier, who worked in the theatre and cinema for over 50 years and is regarded as one of the greatest actors of the 20th century. He is famous for directing and acting in three films of plays by Shakespeare, Henry V (1944), Hamlet (1948), and Richard III (1956). Other films include Wuthering Heights (1939), Rebecca (1940), and Marathon Man (1976). He was also the first director of the National Theatre in London.
Olsen twins, the		(1986–)  two US twins, Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen, who have appeared on television and in films since they were babies. Companies use their pictures to help sell games, dolls, clothes etc.
Olympia		an area of flat land and an ancient religious centre in the west of the peloponnese in Greece, where the olympic games were held in ancient times
Omagh		a town in Northern Ireland which became well known in 1998 when a terrorist group called the Real IRA planted a bomb there, killing 29 people
Oman		a country in the Middle East, southeast of Saudi Arabia and northeast of Yemen. Population: 3,154,134 (2014). Capital: Muscat. Oman is a sultanate (=(=a country ruled by a sultan). Its people are Muslims, and its main product is oil.
Omar Khayyam		(?1048-?1123)  a Persian mathematician and poet. He is known in the west for his romantic poem, the Rubaiyat, produced in a popular English translation by Edward Fitzgerald in 1859, which is mainly about love, nature, and pleasure.
Omar, Rageh		(1967–)  a British television news reporter who is famous for reporting from Baghdad in Iraq during the war in 2003. People watching the news could often see bombs exploding and hear the sound of guns being fired behind him while he made his reports.
OMB, the		the abbreviation of the Office of Management and Budget
Onassis, Aristotle		(1906–75)  a Greek ship owner, known for being extremely rich, who married Jackie kennedy, the widow of US President John F. kennedy, in 1968. Before that he had a long relationship with Maria  callas.
Onassis, Jackie
Once in Royal David's City		the title and first words of a well-known Christmas carol (=a traditional religious song)
Ondaatje, Michael		(1943–)  a Canadian writer, born in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), whose books include The English Patient, which won the Booker Prize in 1992, and In the Skin of a Lion. The English Patient was made into a film, which won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1996.
O'Neal, Shaquille		(1972–)  a US basketball player known especially for playing for the LA Lakers team. He is known for being big and very determined, and for his ability to dunk (=throw the ball downwards through the basket) with great force. He has broken several records, won many MVP awards, and has also appeared in films and video games.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest		a novel by the US writer Ken Kesey, that was made into a successful film with Jack Nicholson. The main character in the story, McMurphy, pretends to be mad in order to get out of prison and is sent to a mental hospital. While there, he opposes the authority of the nurse who controls his ward, and encourages other patients to think for themselves instead of always following orders. But by the end of the novel MacMurphy has had a lobotomy (=had part of his brain removed). He is completely unable to think or act for himself and the Nurse once again has control over her patients.
One Hundred and One Dalmatians		(1961) a cartoon film made by Walt Disney, and based on the book for children by Dodie Smith, about 101 young dalmatians which an evil woman called Cruella de Vil wants to kill so that she can use their skins to make a coat. Another film was made of the story in 1996 with human actors.
O'Neill, Eugene		(1888–1953)  a US writer of plays, who won the nobel prize for Literature in 1936. His plays include The Iceman Cometh and Long Day's Journey into Night.
One Nation Party, the	 noun	a right-wing nationalist political party in Australia, started in 1997. It opposes government policies (policy ) that give advantages to aborigines and to people coming to live in Australia from other countries. In 1998 the party won nearly a quarter of the vote in the State elections in Queensland. Since then, the party has lost a lot of support.
Only Fools and Horses		a very popular British sitcom (=a television programme that consists of a series of humorous stories about the same group of characters) about two brothers, Del Boy and Rodney Trotter, who live in a working-class area of London and always try to get money in silly, slightly illegal ways because they do not want to get proper jobs or pay tax
Ono, Yoko		(1933–)  a Japanese artist and musician who was married to John Lennon. She made several records with Lennon as part of their group the Plastic Ono Band, including the song Give Peace A Chance.
Ontario		a province in the east of central Canada, containing the country's largest city, Toronto, and over a third of its population
Ontario, Lake		the smallest of the five great lakes, between the US and Canada. Its main port is the Canadian city of Toronto.
On the Origin of Species		(1859) a book written by Charles darwin in which he explains his ideas about evolution
On the Road		a novel by Jack Kerouac about a journey across the US. Many people believe that the novel is autobiographical and that the two main characters are really Kerouac and his friend Neal Cassady. On the Road is considered to be the most important book of the Beat Generation. It is known for its unusual style: sentences are often very long, but are split into regular repeated patterns, using commas, and this makes the language of the novel sound like jazz music.
Op		the written abbreviation of opus
Open College, the		an organization in the UK which gives national qualifications for adult education. It consists of further education colleges, sixth form colleges, universities, trade unions, some businesses, and local education authorities. Its official name is The National Open College Network (NOCN).
Open Group, the		an international organization, whose members include large computer companies, telecommunications companies, and important computer scientists, which is trying to set international standards for the systems that make computers operate. Its aim is for computers made by different companies to be able to work together.
Operation Desert Storm		the name given to the military operation that forced the army of Iraq to leave Kuwait in 1991, during the gulf war
Operation Iraqi Freedom		the name used by the US for the military invasion of Iraq in 2003
Operation Overlord		the secret name given to the Allied invasion of northwest Europe, on d-day 1944
Ophelia		a character in the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare. She loves Hamlet, but goes crazy and dies by falling into a river after he ends their relationship.
Oppenheimer, J. Robert		(1904–67)  a US physicist who led the team of scientists on the Manhattan Project (1942–45) , the secret plan to develop the first atom bomb
Oprah		a US talk show, which is presented by Oprah winfrey. The show is the best-known example of 'confessional TV', a type of television programme in which people talk publicly about very personal matters, such as their sexual relationships or bad things that they have done in their lives.
OPSI		the abbreviation of the Office of Public Sector Information
OR		the written abbreviation of Oregon
oral sex	 noun	the activity of touching someone's sex organs with the lips and tongue, to give sexual pleasure	口交﹐舐淫
Orange Free State, the
Orangeman	 noun	a member of a Protestant society in Northern Ireland, known as the Orange Order. Orangemen strongly support the idea that Northern Ireland should remain as part of the UK, and they oppose Catholic groups who want Northern Ireland to become part of Ireland. They are known for their parades, when groups of them march through the streets playing traditional Protestant tunes.
Orangemen's Day		July 12, celebrated by Protestants in Northern Ireland with the Orangemen's Day Parade, which remembers the Protestant success over James II and his Catholic supporters at the Battle of the Boyne
Orbison, Roy		(1936–88)  a US singer and songwriter, who could sing very high notes. His popular love songs include Only the Lonely (1960) and Oh, Pretty Woman (1964).
Order of Merit, the		a special honour given to British people who have done something unusually good in military or civilian life. Only 24 people have the Order of Merit at any one time.
Order of the Bath, the		a group of British people who have been given a special title of honour for their achievements. Members of the Order of the Bath have the title 'Sir' (for a man) or 'Dame' (for a woman), and it is regarded as a very special honour.
Order of the Garter, the		a group of 24 British men who have been given a special title of honour for their achievements. Members of the Order of the Garter have the title 'Sir', and, together with the Order of the Thistle, it is the highest level of knighthood.
Order of the Thistle, the		a group of 16 Scottish men who have been given a special title of honour for their achievements. Members of the Order of the Thistle have the title 'Sir', and, together with the Order of the Garter, it is the highest level of knighthood.
Ordnance Survey, the		an official organization which makes very detailed and correct maps of Britain and Ireland. The maps are used by people walking in the country, and each map has its own OS number.
Oregon		a state in the northwestern US, known especially for its beautiful scenery of mountains, rivers, and forests, and for producing fish and fruit. Its largest city is Portland.
Oregon Trail, the		one of the main paths from the middle part to the western part of the US, used by pioneers (=people who are the first to go and live in an unknown land) in the mid-19th century. The Trail started in Missouri and crossed the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains before turning towards Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. The journey took around six months, and was extremely dangerous. The pioneers did not have good equipment, and they often suffered from illness or were attacked by Native Americans.
O'Reilly, Bill		(1949–)  a US news reporter, who is best known for being the anchor of the TV programme Inside Edition until 1995 and the anchor of The O'Reilly Factor on Fox News after 1996. On this programme he discusses politics with guests, often in way that makes people angry, so that there is a lot of arguing and shouting.
Oreo		 a type of popular US cookie made of two chocolate cookies with white cream between them
Orestes		in ancient Greek stories, the son of agamemnon, King of mycenae, and Clytemnestra. Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus kill Agamemnon when Orestes is a child. When he becomes an adult, Orestes kills his mother and Aegisthus.
organivore	 noun	someone who eats only organic food
Organization of American States, the
Orient, the		the eastern part of the world; Asia
Orient Express, the		a famous luxury railway train, used especially by rich people. It used to run(1883–1977)  between Paris and Istanbul in Turkey, but there is now a luxury Orient Express train that goes from London to Venice. The train appears in many stories, including Agatha  christie's novel Murder on the Orient Express (1934), which was also made into a film.
Origin of Species, the
Orkney		a group of islands off the north coast of Scotland, south of the Shetland Islands. Farming and fishing are the main industries, but the islands are also a base for the North Sea oil industry.
Orlando		a city in Florida, US, which attracts large numbers of tourists, mainly because of disney world and the Epcot Center
Orly		one of France's main airports
Orozco, José		(1883–1949) a Mexican painter of murals whose most famous work is 'Man of Fire' (1936–39).
Orpheus and Eurydice		in ancient Greek stories, a husband and wife who love each other very much. Orpheus was such a great musician that even birds and wild animals came and listened to him sing and play his lyre. When Eurydice died, Orpheus was so upset that he followed her down into hades (=the place under the ground where the spirits of dead people live) and sang to the king and queen there. They allowed Eurydice to leave so long as Orpheus did not look back to see if she was following him. He did look back, however, and so she had to return to Hades. Many stories, plays, and pieces of music have been based on this story.
Orr, Bobby		(1948–)  a Canadian ice hockey player, who played for teams in Boston and Chicago and was the most successful player of the 1970s
Ortega, Daniel		(1945–)  a Nicaraguan politician and leader of its government from 1979 to 1990, and president from 1984 to 1990. As leader of the left-wing Sandinista group, Ortega was very unpopular with the US government, which supported his right wing Nicaraguan opponents, the Contras, in their attempts to remove his government from power. In 2006 he was re-elected as president.
Orthodox Church, the		the Greek Orthodox Church or the Russian Orthodox Church
Orthodox Jew	 noun	a believer in the religion known as Orthodox Judaism, a form of the Jewish religion that strictly follows the laws given in the holy books called the torah, including rules about food and clothes. Men who are Orthodox Jews wear black clothes and large black hats and usually have long beards.
orthorexia	 noun	an extreme desire to eat only food that you think is healthy, which may result in not eating enough food
Orton, Joe		(1933–67) an English writer of black comedy, whose most famous plays are Entertaining Mr Sloan (1964) and Loot (1966). He was murdered by his lover Keith Halliwall.
Orwell, George		(1903–50)  the pen name (=name used by a writer instead of his/her real name) of Eric Blair, a British writer best known for his novels animal farm and nineteen eighty-four, which are both about political systems in which ordinary people have no power, and are completely controlled by the government. Both novels have had a great influence on the way people think about and write about politics, and political systems like those described in the books are sometimes called Orwellian. Orwell also fought on the Republican (left-wing ) side in the Spanish Civil War.
OS	 noun	an operating system
OS		ordnance survey
Osaka		a large city in Japan, on the island of Honshu. Osaka is an important port and industrial centre.
Osborne, George		(1971-)  a British politician in the Conservative Party who became the chancellor of the exchequer when David Cameron was elected prime minister in 2010
Osborne, John		(1929–94)  a British writer of plays who became known as an angry young man when he criticized British society in the 1950s. His most famous work is look back in anger.
Oscar Mayer		a brand (=type) of hot dog made by the US company Oscar Mayer
OSHA		(the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) a US government organization that looks after the safety and health of people at work
Osiris		in ancient Egyptian mythology, the god of the dead, who was the husband and brother of isis
Oslo		a city in southeast Norway, the country's capital and main port
Oslo Agreement, the		an official agreement made between Israel and the plo (=Palestine Liberation Organization) in Oslo in 1993, by which Israel agreed to remove its military forces from the gaza strip and jericho
OSS, the		(the Office of Strategic Services) a former US government department established in 1942 to collect information about other countries, especially secretly. It was replaced by the cia in 1947.
Ostend		a town and port in northwest Belgium, which is on the North Sea coast and is a popular place for tourists. It used to be well known in the UK because of the many ferries (ferry ) that went there from the south of England, but fewer ferries now make this journey.
Oswald, Lee Harvey		(1939–63)  the man who was believed by the police to have shot and killed the US president John F. Kennedy in 1963. Two days after the president's death, Oswald was shot and killed by Jack Ruby. Many people believe that Oswald was not the real killer.
OT		the written abbreviation of old testament
Othello		the main character in the play Othello by William  shakespeare. Othello, a black man, is a very  jealous husband, and kills his wife, desdemona, because his friend Iago makes him believe, wrongly, that she is having a sexual relationship with another man.
Ottawa		the capital city of Canada, in the southeast of the country. One third of its people are French-speaking.
Ottoman Empire, the		a large empire, based in Turkey and with its capital in Istanbul which also included large parts of Eastern Europe, Asia, and North Africa. It continued from the 13th century until after World War I, but it was most powerful in the 16th century, at the time of its most famous ruler, Suleiman I.
OU		the open university
Ouija board	 noun	a board with letters and signs on it, which some people believe can be used to receive messages from dead people	灵应牌，通灵板〔一种上面有字母和符号的乩板，一些人相信它能接收亡灵信息〕
Our Father	 noun	another name for the Lord's Prayer
Our Lady		Mary, the mother of Christ
Our Lord		Jesus Christ
Ouse, the		 a river in eastern England which begins in Northamptonshire and flows northeast to the Wash
Outer Hebrides, the		a group of islands northwest of the inner hebrides to the west of Scotland. The main islands are Lewis and Harris, North Uist, South Uist, Benbecula, and Barra. The main town, Stornoway, is on Lewis. Many people there still speak Scottish gaelic, and the main industries are sheep farming and producing goods made of wool, especially harris tweed. The area attracts many tourists in summer. English people sometimes use this name to represent any place that is very far away from the places where most people live
Outer Mongolia		another name for mongolia
Outward Bound		a charitable educational organization that provides adventure programmes and team activities for schoolchildren and adults, who are taught skills such as how to live outside in wild areas of land. These programmes and activities are intended to develop qualities such as leadership, courage, and respect for the environment.
Oval, the		a famous cricket ground in South London, where important games are played. The last test match (=international game) of the summer is traditionally played at the Oval.
Ovaltine		a type of hot drink made by mixing a sweet brown powder containing cocoa and malt with hot water or milk. People usually drink it to help them relax before going to bed.
overfishing	 noun	the process of taking too many fish from the sea, a river etc, so that the number of fish in it becomes too low	〔对海﹑河等中鱼类的〕过度捕捞
Ovid		(43 BC-17 AD)  a Latin poet whose Roman name was Publius Ovidius Naso, famous for the Metamorphoses, a set of poems telling ancient stories ( myths )
Owen, David		(1938–)  a British politician, who was Foreign Secretary in the Labour government (1977–79) , but later left the Labour Party to help start the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which he led from 1983 to 1987. He left British politics and was given a special job by the United Nations to try to establish peace in Bosnia. In 1992, he was given a peerage, and his official title is Lord Owen of the City of Plymouth.
Owens, Jesse		(1913–80)  a very successful African-American athlete, who won four gold medals at the 1936 olympic games in Berlin. Hitler is said to have been very angry about this, because it disproved the Nazi idea that the 'Aryans' (=white people from Northern Europe) were better than people of other races. Hitler refused to attend the ceremonies at which Owens was given his gold medals.
Owen, Wilfred		(1893–1918)  a British poet who was a soldier in World War I and whose poems are mainly about the terrible events and experiences of the war. Some of his best-known poems, such as 'Anthem for Doomed Youth', are a protest against the idea that it is honourable to die for your country. He was killed just before the end of the war, and his poems were published after his death.
Owl and the Pussycat, The		(1871) a nonsense poem (=a humorous poem that uses strange words and describes impossible events) by Edward lear which begins: The owl and the pussycat went to sea In a beautiful pea-green boat. They took some honey and plenty of money, Wrapped up in a five-pound note...
owling	 noun	the activity of sitting on your feet with your knees up, so you look like a bird, in an unusual place or on something unusual, so that you can put a photograph of you doing this on the Internet
Oxford		a city on the Rivers Thames and Cherwell in Oxfordshire, southern England. It has many beautiful old buildings and is famous for its university
Oxford Circus		the place in central London where regent street and oxford street cross, and also the name of the underground station there. It is one of the busiest places in London, and is always full of people going shopping.
Oxford English	 noun	another name for the type of pronunciation of British English that is regarded as a standard. This type of pronunciation is sometimes called BBC English, but its correct name is RP  (='received pronunciation').
Oxford English Dictionary, the		a very large dictionary of English, started in the 1880s, which is known for its completeness and for its explanations of the origins of words and their history. It is available either as a book in several large volumes, or as a cd-rom.
Oxford Movement, the		a religious movement within the church of england started in 1833 by Cardinal newman and other religious leaders at Oxford University. It tried to bring some of the practices and beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church back into the Church of England, and this led to the development of the high church and anglo-catholics.
Oxfordshire		a county in south central England, in and around the thames valley. It is mainly farmland, with some old towns and pretty villages.
Oxford Street		one of the main streets of central London, famous for its shops and for being very busy
Oxford University		one of the two oldest and most respected universities in the UK, established in the 13th century. The university is made up of about 35 separate colleges, where the students live and also receive some of their teaching
Oxo		a type of stock cube, a small square piece of solid substance made of dried meat juices which is sold in the UK. Oxo cubes are mixed with boiling water and used to improve the taste of soup, gravy, and other foods.
Oyl, Olive		a character in the US cartoon strip and film about popeye. Olive Oyl is a tall very thin woman who is Popeye's girlfriend.
Oyster card	 noun	a smart card (=plastic card with an electronic part that records information) which can be used as an electronic ticket on public transport in London
Ozarks, the		an area of high land covered by forests in the US states of Missouri and Arkansas
Ozawa, Seiji		(1935–)  a US conductor (=the person who directs an orchestra) who was born in Japan and has conducted the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Vienna State Opera
Ozzie and Harriet		a pair of US actors, Ozzie Nelson (1906–75)  and his wife Harriet Nelson (1914–94)  who appeared in a humorous US television programme called The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet(1952–65) , which dealt with the life of their family. Many people in the US considered that they had the perfect family.
P45	 noun	in the UK, an official document that is given to you by your employer when you leave a job. It gives details of the money you have earned and the taxes you have paid during this period of employment, and if you start a new job you have to give it to your new employer. People sometimes use the expression 'get your P45' when they mean 'lose your job'.
P60	 noun	in the UK, an official document which is given to you by your employer each year and which gives details of the money you have earned and the taxes you have paid during that year
Pac 10		a group of ten university sports teams from the western part of the US who play against each other
Pachelbel, Johann		(1653–1706) a German composer of Baroque music, famous especially for his Canon and Gigue in D major.
Pacific Northwest, the		the area of the US which includes Washington State, Oregon, and northern California, especially along the Pacific coast. The area is known for the wild beauty of its natural environment, especially its coast, mountains, and forests.
Pacific Rim, the		the countries or parts of countries that border the Pacific Ocean, such as Japan, Australia, and the west coast of the US, considered as an economic group
Pacific Ring of Fire	 noun	 an area where many earthquakes and volcanic eruptions take place in the Pacific Ocean. It has a horseshoe shape and is 40,000 kilometres (= 25,000 miles) long. It starts southeast of Australia and curves round past the Philippines and Japan across to the west coast of the US down the length of South America to Chile.
Pacific Ten
Pacino, Al		(1940–)  a US film actor who has often appeared as violent characters. His films include The Godfather (1972), Scarface (1983), and The Insider (1999). He won an Oscar for Scent of a Woman (1992).
Paddington		a railway station in the western part of central London, from which trains go to the west and southwest of England and to South Wales
Paddington Bear		the main character in children's stories by the British writer Michael Bond. Paddington is a teddy bear from Peru who gets lost at paddington Station in London, and goes to live with an English family. Around his neck he wears a label with the words 'Please take care of this bear'. He eats marmalade sandwiches.
Paddington train crash, the		a train accident that took place in October 1999 when two trains crashed into each other near Paddington Station in west London. 31 people were killed and many others were injured. The accident was caused by one of the trains going through a red light. An official report on the accident criticized Railtrack, the company responsible for looking after the rails and signals. It said that they had been warned about signals that were not working properly and had not done anything about it.
Paderewski, Jan		(1860–1941)  a Polish politician who became the first prime minister of Poland after World War I. He was also a classical musician who played the piano.
Paganini, Niccolò		(1782–1840)  an Italian violin player and composer, considered to be one of the greatest violin players ever
Paglia, Camille		(1947–)  a US writer and lecturer, known for writing about sex and for her strong views on feminism
Paige, Satchell		(1906–82)  a US baseball player, famous as a pitcher, who played in the national negro leagues from 1926 to 1947, and became one of the first black players in the major leagues when he joined the Cleveland Indians team in 1948.
Paine, Thomas		(1737–1809)  a US political philosopher and writer, born in England. He supported the American states in their fight to become independent of Britain, and he also supported the French Revolution and had to escape from England to France because of this. His most famous books, which have had a great influence on political thinking, are The Rights of Man and The Age of Reason.
Painted Desert, the		a desert area in Arizona in the southwestern US, east of the Little Colorado River. It is known for the red, brown, and purple rock surfaces on the plateaus (=large areas of flat land higher than the land around them).
Paisley, the Reverend Ian		(1926–)  a Northern Irish Protestant political leader, known for speaking very strongly and emotionally in favour of Northern Ireland remaining part of the United Kingdom, and against the IRA. He was elected to the House of Commons in 1970, and in 1971 started the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). He was elected First Minister of Northern Ireland with Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness as Deputy First Minister in 2007. He retired in 2008.
Paiute	 noun	 a Native American tribe whose members live in the southwestern US
Paki bashing	 noun	violent attacks against people of Asian origin in the UK, usually by young people with racist opinions
Paki shop	 noun	an offensive word for a small, local shop in the UK owned by people whose families originally came from India or Pakistan
Pakistan		a Muslim country in Asia, west of India and east of Afghanistan and Iran. Population: 193,238,868 (2014). Capital: Islamabad. Pakistan was formed as a new, independent country in 1947, when the British left India and India was divided into separate parts in a process known as 'Partition': a mainly Hindu part, the country now called India, and a mainly Muslim part, called Pakistan. Pakistan was also divided into East Pakistan and West Pakistan, but they separated in 1971, when East Pakistan became the new country of Bangladesh, and after this West Pakistan was just called Pakistan. A lot of people from Pakistan came to live in the UK, especially in the 1960s and 1970s.
Palace		 an informal name for Buckingham Palace, used especially to mean the British queen or king and his/her advisers
Palace of Westminster, the		the official name of the houses of parliament in London
Palau		a country consisting of a group of many islands in the western Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines. Population: 21,108 (2014). Capital: Melekeok.
Palestine		an area of land which includes the West Bank of the River Jordan, the city of Jericho, and the Gaza Strip, which the Arab population, the Palestinians, want to control as an independent country. Since 1995, this area has been partly independent, and governed by the Palestinian National Authority. Palestine is important as a holy place for Muslims, Jews, and Christians. For much of its history it has belonged to large empires, such as those of Egypt, Rome, and Turkey.
Palestine Liberation Organization, the
Palestinian	 noun	a person from Palestine. Most Palestinians are Muslims, but some are Christians.
Palestinian National Authority, the		the government of the Palestinian people, which controls Gaza and part of the West Bank
Pali	 noun	an ancient language of India. There is a collection, written in Pali, of all the holy teachings of Buddhism, and this is called the Pali canon.
Palin, Michael		(1943–)  a British comedian and actor who became famous as one of the main performers in the TV comedy show Monty Python's Flying Circus in the 1970s. He is also well-known for making travel programmes for television, including Around the World in 80 Days (1991) and  Sahara (2002).
Palladian	 adjective	belonging to a neoclassical style of building developed by Andrea Palladio in Italy in the 16th century, which was strongly influenced by ancient Greek and Roman styles
Palladium, the		a theatre in London, known for its musicals (=plays that use singing and dancing to tell a story) and variety shows  (=shows with many different short performances, including singing, dancing, and telling jokes)
Pall Mall		a wide street in west central London, between Trafalgar Square and St James's Palace known, especially formerly, as a fashionable area where there are a lot of gentleman's clubs
Palm Beach		a city in the southeast of Florida in the US, which is a popular tourist centre, especially as a place for rich people to go in the winter
Palmcorder	 noun	a small video camera that you can hold in your hand	掌上摄像机，手提摄像机
Palme d'Or	 noun	a prize given at the Cannes film festival for the best film shown at the event
Palme, Olof		(1927–86)  a Swedish politician who was prime minister from 1969 to 1976 and from 1982 until 1986, when he was shot and killed by an unknown man. Palme was highly respected internationally and his murder was very shocking to many people.
Palm Springs		a city to the east of Los Angeles in California, known especially for being popular with rich and famous people and for its golf courses
Palomar, Mount		a mountain near San Diego, California, where the Mount Palomar Observatory  (=a special building from which scientists study the stars) is based. Its equipment includes a very large telescope.
Pan		in Greek mythology, the god of fields, forests, and shepherds. Pan is usually shown in pictures as a man with a goat's horns, ears and legs, playing the panpipes. He is also known for his strong sexual desire.
Panama		a country on the Isthmus of Panama, a narrow piece of land connecting Central and South America, between Costa Rica and Colombia. Population: 3,559,408 (2014). Capital: Panama City. Panama is known especially for the Panama Canal, a long, narrow stretch of water that was built across the country in 1914 in order to allow ships to sail between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Panama Canal		a canal (=artificial river) that connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans across the Isthums of Panama, allowing ships to avoid having to sail around the southern part of South America. It opened in 1914, after ten years of building, and is 64 km/40 miles long.
Pan American Games, the		a number of sports competitions which take place every four years in which the countries of South, Central, and North America take part
Pan-American Highway, the		a series of roads that go all the way from Alaska to Argentina. Parts of the highway are not complete, but it generally connects North, Central, and South America. It is about 25,000 kilometres/16,000 miles long.
Pancake Tuesday	 noun	Pancake Day
Pangaea		the very large area of land that existed as the only land on Earth about 300–225 million years ago, before it broke apart to form two large land masses, called Laurasia and Gondwanaland. These later broke apart to form the modern continents.
Pankhurst, Mrs Emmeline		(1858–1928)  a famous member of the British suffragettes, who fought for women's rights, especially the vote. She was put in prison many times for her actions. Her daughters, Christobel and Sylvia, were also suffragettes and worked for the rights of poor women.
Panorama		a British television programme about politics and current affairs which is broadcast on the BBC and is known for its investigative journalism (=when a reporter tries to find out the true facts about something that is happening in politics, business etc)
Pantheon		 a well-preserved building of ancient Rome which was a temple to the gods. It has a dome which is 43 metres across, and it was built by the Roman emperor Hadrian between AD 118 and 128.
Papa Doc		an informal name for Francois duvalier, the president of Haiti from 1957 to 1971
Papandreou, Andreas		(1919–96)  a Greek Socialist politician and economist, who was prime minister of Greece from 1981 to 1989, and from 1993 to 1996. He established PASOK, the main Socialist party in Greece.
Papua New Guinea		a country in the southwest Pacific Ocean, north of Australia, which includes the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and various small islands. Population: 6,431,902 (2014). Capital: Port Moresby.
Papworth Hospital		a hospital near Cambridge, eastern England, which specializes in heart transplant operations
Paradise Lost		(1667) a long epic poem by John milton which tells the story of Adam and Eve, and why God punished them. The story is continued in a later poem called Paradise Regained. Paradise Lost is considered to be one of the greatest works of English literature.
Paraguay		a country in South America, which has no sea coast, between Brazil and Argentina, whose main industry is farming. Population: 6,623,252 (2014). Capital: Asunción.
Paramount		a large US film and television company based in Hollywood, which has made many famous films
Paris		the capital city of France, on the River Seine, which is also the country's business and financial centre. Paris is typically thought of as a very romantic city, and is known as a place where many famous artists lived, especially in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It has many important museums and galleries (gallery ), including the Louvre, and its famous buildings include the Eiffel Tower and the cathedral of Notre Dame. It is also known as a centre of the European fashion industry, and many important designers work there. British people used to think of Paris as a place where sexual morals were less strict than in the UK, and it was sometimes known as 'Gay Paree'. It was also a popular place for US writers to live in the 1920s and 1930s, including Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein. People from Paris are called Parisians.
Paris		in ancient Greek stories, a prince of troy who caused the trojan war by taking Helen away from Greece, and who killed achilles in this war
Paris-Dakar Rally, the		a motor race over public roads from Paris, France to Dakar, Senegal, including the crossing of the Sahara Desert. The Paris-Dakar Rally is open to all kinds of motor vehicles.
Parker, Bonnie
Parker-Bowles, Camilla		(1947–)  the second wife of Prince Charles. She had a love affair with Prince Charles while both she and Charles were married to other people. Some people did not want her to become Charles' wife because they blamed her for causing the end of his marriage to Diana, Princess of Wales. Her official title is Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall
Parker, Charlie		(1920–55)  a US jazz musician and saxophone player, who was also known as 'Bird', and who invented the bebop style of jazz with Dizzy gillespie
Parker, Dorothy		(1893–1967)  a US writer of poetry and short stories, who also wrote reviews of books, plays etc for magazines such as The New Yorker. She was one of the main members of the  algonquin round table, a group of writers who met regularly at a hotel in New York City. She is remembered especially for her many clever and funny sayings in which she criticized US society and well-known people.
Parkhurst prison		a British prison on the isle of wight for men who have received long prison sentences for serious crimes
Parkinson, Michael		(1935–)  a British newspaper writer and television presenter who had one of the first chat shows (=a television programme where famous people are asked questions and talk about themselves) on British television in the 1970s.
Park Lane		a wide street in central London between marble arch and hyde park corner. It has buildings on one side and Hyde Park on the other, and it is famous for its expensive hotels and houses.
Parks, Rosa		(1913–2005)  an African-American woman who became famous in 1955 because she refused to give her seat on a bus to a white man. This action was illegal in the US state of Alabama and she was arrested by the police. As a result Martin Luther King persuaded people not to use these buses, and in 1956 the US Supreme Court said that segregation (=keeping black people separate from white people) on buses was not legal. Rosa Parks' action is therefore seen as an important event in the Civil Rights Movement.
Parnassus		a high mountain in central Greece. In ancient times it was thought to be a holy place of the gods apollo and dionysus, and of the muses (=goddesses of art and science)
Parnell, Charles Stewart		(1846–91)  an Irish politician who was a member of the British Parliament. He was a leading supporter of the idea of home rule (=self-government) for Ireland, and favoured the use of violent and illegal methods, for which he was briefly put in prison.
Parrish, Maxfield		(1870–1966)  a US artist famous for his illustrations (=pictures in books), which are romantic and colourful, and show light in a slightly surreal way
Parthenon, the		an ancient building on the Acropolis in Athens, built in the 5th century BC and known as the most famous example of a Greek temple. The Parthenon was badly damaged in a war in the 17th century, but people now worry that it is being damaged by pollution and by the very large numbers of tourists who visit it.
Parton, Dolly		(1946–)  a US country and western singer, songwriter, and guitar player who later became an actress in films and on television. Her songs include Coat of Many Colors (1971), and her films include 9 to 5 (1980) and Steel Magnolias (1989). She is known for her large breasts, and her  blonde hair.
Pascal, Blaise		(1623–62)  a French philosopher, mathematician, and  physicist, known for his writing about religion, and for his many important scientific discoveries. His inventions include an early type of calculating machine and the  barometer.
Pasolini, Pier Paolo		(1922–75)  an Italian film director, poet, and writer, who was murdered on a beach near Rome. He was known for being a communist and a homosexual, and he used his films to criticize society. His films include Oedipus Rex (1967) and Medea (1970).
Passage to India, A		(1924) a book by E. M. forster about the relationships in India between British people and Indians during the early 1900s, when Britain controlled India's government. It was made into a successful film in 1984.
Passchendaele		an important battle during World War I in 1917, in northwest Belgium, in which over 200,000 British soldiers were killed. It is remembered especially for the mud (=soft wet earth), which made the terrible conditions in which the soldiers lived and fought even worse.
Passepartout		a character in the book Around the World in 80 Days (1873) by Jules  verne. He is the servant and friend of Phileas  fogg, and goes with him when he makes his journey around the world.
Passion, the	 noun	the suffering and death of Christ
Passion Sunday		in the Christian church, the Sunday two weeks before Easter
passive house	 noun	a type of house that does not use much energy, because it does not let much heat out and gets heat from the sun
Pasternak, Boris		(1890–1960)  a Russian poet and writer, best known for his novel about the Russian Revolution, Doctor Zhivago, which the Soviet government would not allow to be printed. In 1958 he won the Nobel Prize for Literature, but the government disapproved and so he was not allowed to accept it.
Pasteur, Louis		(1822–95)  a French scientist who established the study of microbiology (=the study of very small living things such as bacteria), and proved that disease can be caused by germs. He is also known for studying fermentation (=the process by which substances change chemically and become filled with gas by the action of bacteria), and for inventing the process of pasteurization, as well as some vaccines (=substances that are put into people's bodies to protect them from diseases).
Patagonia		a large area in southern Argentina, which has a small population and many sheep farms
Patent and Trademark Office, the		the US government department that decides which new inventions can be given a patent  (=the right to make and sell a new invention). There is a similar department in the UK called the Patent Office.
Pathan	 noun	a member of a group of Muslim people from Afghanistan and northwest Pakistan. The Pathans were known during the British Empire as being very brave fighters.
Pathfinder		a US government space programme in which NASA sent a spacecraft without people inside to Mars in 1997 in order to find out more information about the planet
Patient's Charter, the		an official statement, produced by the British government, that gave a list of the rights of people who use the National Health Service. It was part of the citizen's charter programme.
Paton, Alan		(1903–88)  a South African writer and schoolteacher. He wrote about political and social subjects, but is best known for his novel cry, the beloved country.
Patrick, Saint		(?389–461 AD)  the patron saint of Ireland, who helped to spread the Christian religion there and who people think got rid of snakes in Ireland. St Patrick's Day, 17th March, is celebrated in Ireland and in the US, where people drink Irish beer and often wear green clothes.
Patriot		a type of missile used for destroying aircraft or other missiles, which was used by the US against Iraqi missiles in the gulf war of 1991
Patten, Chris		(1944–)  a British politician in the Conservative Party who had important government jobs between 1986 and 1992. He then became Britain's last governor of Hong Kong, until 1997 when Hong Kong started to be governed by China again.
Patton, George Smith		(1885–1945)  a US army general who was one of the most important US military leaders in World War II, and was known as 'Old Blood and Guts'
Pauling, Linus		(1901–94)  a US scientist who studied how atoms join together and form larger structures. He strongly opposed the use of nuclear weapons, and won two Nobel Prizes, one for Chemistry and one for Peace.
Paul, Saint		(?3AD-?68AD)  a Christian apostle (=someone chosen by Jesus to teach and spread the Christian religion) whose original name was Saul of Tarsus. As a young man he refused to accept Christian beliefs and treated Christians very cruelly. He was sent to Damascus to punish the Christians who lived there, but on his way there a very bright light suddenly appeared and he heard Jesus ask 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' He then became a Christian, changed his name to Paul, and spent the rest of his life teaching people about Jesus. He wrote many of the epistles in the New Testament of the Bible.
Pavarotti, Luciano		(1935–2007)  an Italian opera singer, considered to be one of the greatest tenors (=men with fairly high singing voices) of the 20th century. He was a large, fat man who helped to make opera more popular by performing concerts of songs from operas in large parks and sports stadiums, especially as one of the Three Tenors, together with Plácido Domingo and José Carreras.
Pavlova, Anna		(1885–1931)  a Russian ballet dancer especially remembered for her dancing of The Dying Swan. She is considered by many to have been the world's greatest ballet dancer.
Pavlov, Ivan Petrovich		(1849–1936) a Russian scientist who won the Nobel Prize for Medicine for his work on the digestive system. He is famous especially for his work with dogs, which proved the existence of the conditioned reflex (=a physical reaction that you cannot control, caused by repeated training or experiences). Each time he fed his dogs he rang a bell before giving them their food. The dogs learned to connect the ringing of the bell with the arrival of the food, and they got excited and began to salivate when they heard the bell, even if there was no food.
Pawnee	 noun	 a Native American tribe whose members live in the mid-western US, now mainly in Oklahoma
Pax Americana		the peace that is supposed to be established in the world by the power of the US
Pax Britannica		the peace that is supposed to have been established by British rule in the countries of the british empire, especially during the 19th century
Paxman, Jeremy		(1950–)  a British journalist and television presenter, well known for his very determined way of asking politicians questions. If he thinks politicians are trying to avoid his questions or are giving unhelpful answers, he tells them that he does not believe them.
Payne, Cynthia		(1932–)  a British woman who used to run a brothel (=a place where prostitutes have sex for money), which was said to have been used by judges, lords, and police officers. Newspapers often referred to her as 'Madame Cyn' because the beginning of her name sounds like the word 'sin'.
Paz, Octavio		(1914–1998) , a Mexican poet and diplomat who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1990
PBS		(Public Broadcasting Service) a US television company whose aim is to show good-quality programmes and not to make profit. It broadcasts no advertisements, but its programmes are paid for partly by the people who watch them and partly by money from the government and from large companies. Two programmes for which PBS is known are Sesame Street and Masterpiece Theater.
PC Card	 noun	 a small flat object which stores information that can be added to some computers	PC卡〔可插接至某些计算机的信息存储设备〕
PDT		the abbreviation of
Peacock, Thomas Love		(1785–1866)  a British writer and poet who used satire (=a way of writing in which you make someone seem funny in order to show their faults) to criticize the politicians and writers of his time, and who is known especially for his novels Headlong Hall and Nightmare Abbey
Peak District, the		a hilly area and national park, mostly in Derbyshire, northern England, which is popular for climbing, walking, and potholing
Peake, Mervyn		(1911–68)  a British writer and illustrator (=someone who draws pictures for books), who is known for his novels titus groan, gormenghast, and Titus Alone, which describe the strange imaginary world of Gormenghast castle
Peanuts		a humorous US cartoon strip (=a set of drawings that tell a story in a newspaper or magazine) by Charles Schultz, about a boy called Charlie Brown, who is nice but not very confident and often unlucky. Other characters include his dog Snoopy, his sister Sally, and his friends Lucy, Linus, Pigpen, Peppermint Patty, and Schroeder.
Pears, Sir Peter		(1910–86)  a British tenor (=a male singer with a fairly high voice). In 1948 he started the aldeburgh Festival with his partner, the musician Benjamin britten, who wrote a lot of vocal music and operas for him.
Peary, Robert		(1856–1920) a US navy officer and explorer who is believed to be the first person to reach the North Pole, in 1909.
Peasants' Revolt, the		a protest in 1381 involving large numbers of English peasants, who were angry about unfair social and economic conditions and about high taxes. They formed an unofficial army, led by Wat tyler, and marched to London, where they demanded better conditions and took control of the Tower of London. The English king, Richard II, pretended to agree to some of their demands, but after their leaders were killed he changed his mind, so the revolt failed.
Pebble Beach		a famous golf course in California
Peckinpah, Sam		(1925–84)  a US film director known for making very violent films, such as The Wild Bunch (1969) and Straw Dogs (1971)
Pecksniff, Mr		a character in the book Martin Chuzzlewit(1843–44)  by Charles  dickens. He is a  hypocrite (=someone who pretends to be morally good but is not), and pretends to like people who have power or money in order to get an advantage.
Peel, Emma		a character played by the British actress Diana rigg in the television series The Avengers
Peel, Robert		(1788–1850)  a British Conservative politician who established the first official British police force and introduced freedoms for Roman Catholics. He was prime minister from 1834 to 1835 and 1841 to 1846.
Pegasus		in ancient Greek and Roman stories, a horse with wings
Pei, I. M.		(1917–)  a Chinese-American architect, famous for buildings that have geometric designs covered in glass. One of his most famous buildings is the glass pyramid at the Louvre museum in Paris.
Peirce, Charles Sanders		(1838–1914)  a US philosopher, who said that an idea on its own does not have any value, and that there is only value in the results produced by the idea. His most important writings were put together after his death in a book called Chance, Love and Logic.
Peloponnese, the		the southern part of Greece, which is connected to the rest of Greece by the Isthmus of Corinth. The ancient state of sparta was in the Peloponnese.
Peloponnesian War, the		(431–404BC)  a long war between the ancient Greek states of Athens and Sparta. It ended with the defeat of Athens, and this led to the end of Athens' political power in ancient Greece. The history of the war by the ancient Greek writer Thucydides is one of the most famous European works of history.
Pelosi, Nancy		(1940–)  a Democratic politician who entered the House of Representatives in 1987, representing part of California. She became the leader of the Democrats in the House in 2002, and she is the first woman ever to be elected to this position.
Pelé		(1940–)  a Brazilian football player, considered by many people to be the best footballer ever. He played for Brazil's national team in four World Cups from 1958 to 1970, and then went to the US and played for the New York Cosmos, where he helped to make football (soccer) more popular. In 1994, he became Brazil's Minister of Sports. His real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento.
Pembrokeshire		a County in western Wales
Penelope		in ancient Greek stories, the wife of odysseus, who remained faithful to him while he was away from home, fighting in the Trojan War, for over 20 years
Peninsular War, the		a war that was fought in Spain and Portugal between the armies of France, led by Napoleon, and of Britain, led by the Duke of Wellington. It began when Napoleon attacked Spain in 1808 and ended when he was defeated and forced to leave Spain in 1813.
Penney, J C
Pennines, the		a range of hills in a line down the middle of England from the Scottish border to central England, which are sometimes called the 'backbone of England'
Pennine Way, the		a very long path (250 miles) along the pennines, which people walk along for pleasure or exercise
Penn, Sean		(1960–)  an American film actor, director, and producer. Films he has appeared in include Dead Man Walking (1995), I Am Sam (2001), and Mystic River (2003) for which he received an Oscar. Films he has directed include The Indian Runner (1991) and The Pledge (2001). His first wife was the pop singer Madonna. He is known for his political activism and for his criticism of George W. Bush and the war in Iraq.
Pennsylvania		a state in the northeastern US, known for producing large amounts of steel and coal. It was one of the 13 original US states, and was an important centre in the fight to become independent from Britain during the American Revolutionary War.
Pennsylvania Dutch, the		a group of people living in the US state of Pennsylvania, who came from Germany in the 1600s and 1700s to find religious freedom, and still live in the style of that time. They wear very old-fashioned clothes like those worn in earlier times, and do not have cars or other modern machines. They are Protestants, and include the Amish and the Mennonites
Penn, William		(1644–1718)  an English leader of the quakers (=a Christian religious group), who was put in prison for having unacceptable religious beliefs. After he was let out of prison, he was given some land in North America, and he established a colony there as a place of religious freedom for Quakers and others to go and live in. He called the colony pennsylvania, and planned and built the city of philadelphia in 1682.
Penny Black	 noun	the first British stamp for sticking on envelopes. It was introduced in 1840, and its value was one penny, which was the cost of sending a letter by post in Britain. The stamp shows the head of Queen victoria on a dark background, and stamp collectors consider it to be very important, although it is not the rarest British stamp.
Pension Service, the		a British government organization which gives money to people who are old
Pentagon, the		the building in Washington DC from which the army, navy etc of the US are controlled, or the military officers who work in this building. It is called the Pentagon because it has a five-sided shape. On 11 September 2001 it was attacked by terrorists who flew a plane filled with passengers into it. 189 people were killed, including the 64 people who were on the plane.
Pentagon Papers, the		secret government documents that discussed the US's military involvement in Vietnam during the 1960s. These papers were taken from the Pentagon and printed in the New York Times in 1971. President Nixon tried to prevent the papers being printed, but the US Supreme Court said that the newspaper had a right to print them, because of the First Amendment. The court case examined the government's right to keep important information secret, and showed that the public has the right to know what its government is doing.
Pentateuch, the		the Christian name for the first five books of the old testament of the Bible, which are traditionally said to have been written by Moses, and which Jewish people call the 'Torah'
Penthouse		a magazine for men which is known for its pictures of young women wearing very few clothes and its articles about sex
Pentium		a type of processor (=the central part of a computer that processes information and controls its operations) made by the US company intel. Pentium processors are used in most of the world's personal computers, and there are several different types, which are described according to how fast they operate
Pentonville		a large prison for men, in north London
People		a US magazine that contains short articles and pictures of famous people, especially people who appear on television and in films
People's Daily, The		the official daily newspaper of China
People, The		a British tabloid newspaper sold every Sunday, which is known for printing shocking articles about famous people, especially about their relationships and their sexual experiences
Peoria		a city in Illinois, US, which is an important port on the Illinois River
PEP	 noun	(Personal Equity Plan) a type of savings plan introduced by the British government in the 1980s, which allows people to buy small amounts of shares in British companies without having to pay tax on the profits they make by doing this. PEPs were introduced to encourage ordinary people to buy shares. A new savings plan called the ' isa' replaced PEPs in 1999.
Pepperidge Farms		a popular type of snack foods sold in the US, known especially for its cookies and small fish-shaped crackers called Goldfish
Pepsi		a US type of cola drink (=a dark, sweet, non-alcoholic, carbonated drink) that is sold all over the world
Pepys, Samuel		(1633–1703)  an English writer famous for his diary (=a book in which you write what happens to you each day), which describes his personal life and the important events of the time, such as the great fire of london, and gives a lot of information about what life was like at the time. At the end of his description of each day, he writes 'And so to bed'.
Peres, Shimon		(1923–)  an Israeli Socialist politician, who was prime minister from 1984 to 1986 and from 1995 to 1996. In 1994 he won the Nobel peace prize with Itzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat for the peace agreement they signed in 1993. He became president in 2007.
Perlman, Itzhak		(1945–)  an American violin player, born in Tel Aviv, who is considered one of the best players of the twentieth century
Permanent Secretary	 noun	the non-political head of a British government department. Each main government department (such as Health or Education) is run by a secretary of state, who is an elected politician, and a Permanent Secretary, who is a member of the civil service and does not change when the government changes.
Perot, Ross		(1930–)  a rich US businessman who entered the election for president of the US in 1992 and 1996 although he was not connected with either of the two main political parties. Although many people did not think of him as a serious politician, he was considered by many to be more honest than other politicians.
Perrier		a type of mineral water from Vergèze in the south of France, which is naturally carbonated (=the bubbles in it are natural, not added), and its name is sometimes used to mean any kind of carbonated mineral water
Perrin, Reginald		a character played by the actor Leonard Rossiter in the humorous British television programme The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin. He was a businessman who made people think that he had died in the sea, because he was bored with his life and wanted to start a new life as a different person.
Persephone		in Greek mythology, the daughter of zeus who was taken to the underworld (=the place under the ground where the spirits of dead people live) by pluto, the god of the Underworld, and made queen there. Zeus allowed her to return, but only for six months each year, from the beginning of Spring to the end of Summer. As a result, she represents death and rebirth, and the change from Winter into Spring. In Roman mythology her name is Proserpina, and in English she is sometimes called Proserpine.
Perseus		in ancient Greek stories, a hero who killed medusa
Persia		the name used for Iran from ancient times until the early 20th century
Perth		a city in southwest Australia, capital of the state of Western Australia and the largest city in the western part of the country
Perth and Kinross		a county in central Scotland
Peru		a country on the west coast of South America, north of Bolivia and south of Ecuador. Population: 29,849,303 (2014). Capital: Lima. The high Andes Mountains cover a large part of the country. People connect Peru especially with the Incas, a Native American people who ruled the area before the first Europeans arrived, and who built many very impressive buildings, including those at Machu Picchu.
Peruvian	 adjective	from Peru or connected with Peru
Perón, Eva		(1919–52)  an Argentinian actress who married Juan perón in 1945. When he became president of Argentina in 1946, she became active in social and educational work in the country, and this made her extremely popular. Her life story is known especially through the musical show and film Evita.
Perón, Juan Domingo		(1895–1974)  an army officer who became president of Argentina in 1946. He and his wife Eva perón were very popular but after she died he lost a lot of his popularity and had to leave the country in 1955. He returned and became president again in 1973.
PETA		(People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) a US organization that works to prevent cruelty to animals, known for protesting against vivisection and against people wearing clothes made of fur
Peter principle, the		the idea that each person who works in an organization gradually moves up to higher and higher levels, until they reach their own 'level of incompetence' (=the level at which they are no longer able to do their job well). They then remain at this level for the rest of their working life, and this has a bad effect on their own work and on their organization. The idea was invented by the Canadian writer and teacher Laurence Peter.
Peter Rabbit		a character from children's stories by Beatrix potter. He is a young rabbit who often does things that he is not supposed to do, but his mother still forgives him and loves him.
Peter, Saint		the leader of Jesus Christ's twelve disciples (=his close friends and followers), who became the leader of the first Christians. He is considered by Catholics to be the first pope, and is thought of as being in charge of the keys of the gates to Heaven. He is sometimes called Simon Peter.
Peterson, Oscar		(1925–2007)  a Canadian jazz piano player, known for his skill at playing the piano and for performing as part of his own trio
Peter's pence	 noun	money given by Roman Catholics in many countries to help to pay for the running of the vatican (=the offices of the Pope)
Peter the Great		(1672–1725)  the czar (=ruler) of Russia from 1682 to 1725. He built the city of St Petersburg and was known for trying to make Russia a modern and European country.
Petipa, Marius		(1819–1910) a French ballet dancer and choreographer (=someone who arranges the way dancers move) who began the modern classical ballet. He was the choreographer for more than sixty ballets, including the famous ballets The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and The Sleeping Beauty.
Peto Institute, the		an institution in Budapest, Hungary, started by Dr Andras Peto in 1945, which teaches children who have cerebral palsy and cannot control their bodies properly to lead more independent lives by means of conductive education
Petra		an ancient city in Jordan, where buildings are cut into pink-coloured rock. It is sometimes called 'the rose-red city, half as old as time', and is visited by many tourists.
Petrarch		(1304–1374) an Italian poet whose best known works include the Canzoniere, a collection of poems, mostly  sonnets, about his love for a woman named Laura
Petrified Forest, the		a large national park in eastern Arizona, US, where the rock surfaces show fossils (=ancient plants and trees that have been preserved in rock)
Petrograd		the name used from 1914 to 1924 for the Russian city of st petersburg
Petronas Towers		two connected buildings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which at 452 metres or 1483 feet tall were the world's tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004
Petticoat Lane		a street in the east end of London, where a market is held every week on Sunday morning
Peugeot		a make (=type) of car, bicycle, or other vehicle made by the French company Peugeot
Peyton Place		a novel by Grace Metalious that was made into a very popular television soap opera(1964–68) , about the lives of a group of people in a small town in new england. People sometimes say that a situation is like Peyton Place when they mean that a group of people have many secrets and complicated emotional relationships.
PFA, the		(the Professional Footballers' Association) a trade union in the UK for professional football players
PFI	 noun	the Private Finance Initiative
PGA, the		(the Professional Golfers' Association) a US organization for those who make money from golf either by playing it, running golf courses, or teaching. The organization runs the PGA Championship, a golfing competition.
PG Tips		a type of tea made by brooke bond and sold especially in the UK. Advertisements for PG Tips show chimpanzees dressed to look like humans and talking like humans as they drink cups of tea.
Phantom of the Opera, The		(1910) a book by the French writer Gaston Leroux about a frightening man whose face has been disfigured (disfigure ) and who wears a mask to hide it. He kidnaps a beautiful opera singer because he loves her. Several films and plays have been based on the story, and Andrew lloyd webber made it into a successful musical in 1986.
Philadelphia		a city in the US state of Pennsylvania, which is an important port and an industrial and financial centre. Philadelphia, which is informally called Philly, is the fifth largest city in the US. The Declaration of Independence from Britain was signed in Philadelphia in 1776, and the city was the first capital of the new United States.
Philadelphia Orchestra, the		a US orchestra (=a large group of musicians) based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philby, Kim		(1911–88)  a British spy (=someone who gives secret information to a country's enemies). He was a member of the British Secret Intelligence Service during and after World War II, but all the time he was secretly working for the soviet union. He escaped to Russia in 1963.
Philharmonia Orchestra, the		a leading British orchestra (=large group of musicians playing together), based in London and started in 1945
Philip Morris		a US tobacco company, the largest maker of cigarettes in the US, whose products include marlboro cigarettes
Philippines, the		a country made up of over 7000 islands off the southeast coast of Asia. Population: 105,720,644 (2014). Capital: Manila. The Philippines were a colony of the US from 1898 until they became fully independent in 1948. US influence is still strong, and until 1991 there were important US military bases there. Since the 1970s Muslim rebels (=people who are fighting the people in authority) have been fighting a war for independence in the southern Philippines. The most powerful storm to hit land (Typhoon Haiyan, also known as Yolanda) struck the Philippines in 2013, severely damaging areas of the country. People from the Philippines are called Filipinos.
Philip, Prince
Philistine	 noun	in the Bible, a member of a race of people who lived in Palestine, and who were the enemies of the israelites
Philly		an informal name for philadelphia
Phnom Penh		the capital of Cambodia. The khmer rouge took control of it in 1975, and sent most of the population to work in the country, but people started to come back to the city in 1979 when the Vietnamese took control of it.
Phoenix		the capital and largest city of Arizona, US, known as a place that is extremely hot, where many old people go to live, and also as a city that is growing very quickly
Phoenix, River		(1971–93)  a US film actor, known for dying very young as a result of taking illegal drugs. He appeared as a homosexual character in the film My Own Private Idaho (1991), and became very popular with homosexual men. Other films include Stand by Me (1986) and Running on Empty (1988).
phone sex	 noun	the activity of talking with someone on the telephone about sex in order to become sexually excited	色情电话
Photorealism		a style of painting that was popular in the 1960s and 1970s, especially in the US, in which the paintings were very like photographs, usually showing very ordinary objects from everyday life with very exact details
Photostat	 noun	a photographic copy of a document, or a type of machine used for making one.	直接影印件；福图斯泰直接影印机
Phys. Ed.		physical education; sport and physical exercises taught as a school subject, which is also called 'PE'
Piaf, Edith		(1915–63)  a French cabaret singer and songwriter, sometimes called 'The Little Sparrow'. She is known for her powerful and emotional performances, and her most famous song is Non, je ne regrette rien.
pianola	 noun	a piano that is played by machinery inside it. A long roll of paper with holes cut in it gradually turns and works the machinery, pressing down the keys on the piano to produce music.	自动钢琴
Picard, Captain Jean Luc		the main character in the television programme Star Trek: The Next Generation. Picard is a Frenchman played by the British actor Patrick Stewart. Picard is clever and brave and in charge of the Starship Enterprise. Star Trek: The Next Generation was the  sequel to  Star Trek.
Picasso, Pablo		(1881–1973)  a Spanish artist regarded as one of the greatest and most original artists of the 20th century. After training as an artist in Barcelona and Madrid he moved to Paris in 1900 and stayed there for many years. He helped to develop cubism and other styles of abstract art, and his work is divided into periods, such as the 'Blue Period' and the 'Rose Period'. His many famous paintings include Les Demoiselles d'Avignon and Guernica, a criticism of war and  fascism.
Piccadilly		a street in central London along the northern edge of Green Park, between Hyde Park Corner and Piccadilly Circus, which is known for its expensive hotels, shops, and offices
Pickford, Mary		(1893–1979) a Canadian-born actress who became Hollywood's most famous silent film actress and was called 'America's Sweetheart'. She was married to the famous actor Douglas Fairbanks from 1920 to 1936, and formed United Artists with Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin in 1919.
Pickwick, Mr		the main character in the book The Pickwick Papers by Charles  dickens. Pickwick is kind, cheerful and not easily made angry, and always has a good opinion of other people. He is sometimes thought of as a typical Victorian English  gentleman.
Pickwick Papers, The		(1836–37)  a book by Charles dickens about the adventures of the members of the Pickwick Club, who include Mr pickwick
Pict	 noun	 a group of people who lived in north and central Scotland from the 3rd to the 9th century, and who often fought against the English
Picture of Dorian Gray, The		(1891) a novel by Oscar wilde about a beautiful young man, Dorian Gray, who has a painting of himself that he keeps in the attic (=a room under the roof) of his house. Dorian Gray's own face remains young and beautiful, but the face in the painting looks older and more ugly as Gray becomes more and more evil and immoral.
Pied Piper	 noun	 the main character in an old story about a man who got rid of all the rats from the town of Hamelin in Germany, by playing his flute and making the rats follow him into the river and drown in it. When he was not paid for this job, the Pied Piper played his flute again and led away all the town's children too.
Pierce, Franklin		(1804–1869) the fourteenth president of the US, from 1853 to 1857
Pierre		the capital city of the US state of South Dakota
Pierrot		a character from old French pantomime who has a sad, white face, and wears loose, white clothes with a stiff circular collar
Piers Plowman		a religious poem written in middle english by William Langland(?1332-?1400)
Piggott, Lester		(1935–)  a British jockey (=someone who rides horses in races) who is considered to be one of the best ever. He was put in prison in 1987 for not paying his taxes.
Piggy		a character in the book lord of the flies by William golding, about a group of boys who are on a small island and cannot escape. Piggy is fat and wears glasses, and the other boys treat him cruelly, and finally kill him.
Piglet		a character in the stories about winnie the pooh by A.A. milne. He is a small pig who walks on two legs and has no tail, and he is a friend of Winnie the Pooh.
Pigpen		a character in the US cartoon strip called Peanuts, who is very dirty and always has a cloud of dirt all around him
Pike's Peak		one of the rocky mountains in the US state of Colorado
Pike, Zebulon		(1779–1813)  a US army general and explorer who travelled through Louisiana and along the Mississippi River. Pike's Peak is named after him.
Pilate, Pontius		(1st century AD)  the Roman governor of Judaea, a former country in the area that is now Palestine, at the time when Jesus Christ was judged and killed. According to the New Testament of the Bible, Pilate offered to let Jesus go free, but the local leaders would not accept this. Pilate then washed his hands and said he was not to blame for Jesus's death. People mention Pilate, or talk about someone 'washing their hands of' a problem, when they are talking about someone who is not morally strong enough to do what they think is right.
Pilgrim Fathers	 noun	 the group of English people who arrived to settle at Plymouth, Massachusetts in the US in 1620
Pilgrim's Progress, The		(1678–84)  a book by John bunyan. It is an allegory of the difficult journey of the human soul through life to Heaven. The main character, christian, leaves his family and travels through places such as the  slough of despond and  vanity fair, facing many dangers on his way.
Pilgrim's Way		the name of an old path from winchester to canterbury in southern England, which pilgrims travelled along in the past
Pillars of Hercules, the		two very tall rocks on either side of the Strait of gibraltar, a narrow area of sea at the western end of the Mediterranean Sea. According to ancient Greek stories, the rocks had been moved apart by hercules, and they were thought of as showing the limits of the known world.
Pillsbury		a large US food company, whose products include flour, cake mixes, breakfast products, and pizzas. The company's advertisements show a small cartoon man made of dough, called the Pillsbury Doughboy.
Piltdown Man	 noun	an early type of human being that was believed to have existed because of a set of bones that were found in Sussex, southern England, in 1912. In 1953, however, scientific tests proved that the bones were not very old and that one of them belonged to an ape. It was then realized that the bones had been put there as a trick.
Pima	 noun	 a Native American tribe whose members live in Arizona
Pinatubo, Mount		a mountain that is an active volcano in the Philippines. It was inactive for 600 years before erupting in 1991 and killing 343 people.
Pinewood		a large film studio (=place where films are made), to the west of London, near slough
Pinkerton's		a private detective business in the US, started by Allan Pinkerton(1819–84)
Pink Panther, the		a character in humorous cartoon films who is a pink panther (=a large wild animal of the cat family). The music from the cartoon, the 'Pink Panther theme', is very well known.
pink slime	 noun	a meat product made from low-quality beef that is heated and spun in a centrifuge to remove fat before being treated with ammonia gas to kill any bacteria
Pinky and Perky		two puppets in the form of pigs who appeared on a British television programme for children, The Pinky and Perky Show, that was popular in the 1950s and 1960s. They are remembered especially for singing songs in high  squeaky voices.
Pinnochio		a character in an Italian children's story that was later made into a cartoon film. Pinocchio is a wooden puppet who comes alive as a real boy, and whose nose grows longer when he tells lies. People sometimes mention the idea of someone's nose growing longer to mean that someone is lying.
Pinochet, Augusto		(1915–2006)  a Chilean general who became president of Chile in 1973, when the government of Salvador Allende was removed from power by the army. General Pinochet was known for his cruel and violent treatment of political opponents, and thousands of ordinary Chilean people were killed or tortured while he was leader. He lost power in 1989 when he was defeated in the election, but he continued to have political influence as head of the army until 1998. In 2001 he was officially charged with kidnappings and murders that occurred while he was in power, but a court decided that he was too ill to go to trial.
Pinta, the		one of the three ships that sailed to America with Christopher columbus in 1492. The other two were the Niña and the Santa Maria.
Pinter, Harold		(1930–2008)  a British writer of plays, whose best-known works include The Birthday Party and The Caretaker. In Pinter's plays, actors have very realistic conversations, often with long silences, and they often misunderstand each other. This is used to show the problems people in ordinary social situations can have when trying to understand each other. Pinter was known for his left-wing views, and often criticized the UK government. He received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2005.
Piper Alpha		an oilrig (=a large structure used for getting oil from the ground under the sea) in the North Sea near Scotland, which caught fire in 1988. 167 workers died in the fire, and the accident caused criticism of safety standards on oil rigs.
Pirandello, Luigi		(1837–1936)  an Italian writer of plays and novels, whose best known play is Six Characters in Search of an Author. His work examines the relationship between what is real and what is imaginary, and had an important influence on modern theatre.
Pirates of Penzance, The		(1879)  a comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan about a group of pirates who never succeed in robbing anyone. It contains the well-known songs The Very Model of a Modern Major General and A Policeman's Lot is Not a Happy One.
Pirelli calendar	 noun	a calendar (=printed table of the days, weeks, and months of the year) produced every year by the Pirelli tyre company. Each month shows a photograph of an attractive young woman with almost no clothes on.
Pisa		a city in north central Italy, famous for the leaning tower of pisa and for its cathedral
Pissarro, Camille		(1830–1903)  a French artist who was a leading member of the impressionists
Pitt		an informal name for pittsburgh
Pitt, Brad		(1963–)  a US film actor, known for being sexually attractive, whose films include Thelma and Louise (1991), Fight Club (1999), and Babel (2006).
Pittsburgh		an industrial city in the US state of Pennsylvania, informally called Pitt and known especially for its former steel industry
Pius XII		(1876–1958) an Italian priest who became Pope (=the leader of the Roman Catholic religion) in 1939. He was pope during World War II.
Pizarro, Francisco		(?1475–1541)  a Spanish explorer and conquistador, who went to South America in 1524. He defeated the incas, killed their king, and took control of Peru for Spain. He is known for his cruelty and his love of gold.
Plaid Cymru		a political party in Wales which wants Wales to become an independent country, and also wants the Welsh language to be used more. It has several MPs in the British parliament and the Welsh Assembly.
Plan B	 noun	a second plan or course of action, which you can use if things do not happen the way you expect them to
Planck, Max		(1858–1947)  a German scientist who developed the ideas on which quantum theory is based
Planet of the Apes		(1968)  a US film about a society in the future in which intelligent monkeys, who can speak, rule the world and control humans.
Planets, The		(1916)  a very popular piece of classical music by Gustav holst, in which each of the different parts represents one of the planets (such as Mars or Jupiter) and the Roman god after whom it is named
Planned Parenthood		a US organization, with offices all over the country, that provides free advice on family planning (=ways of controlling the number of children a woman has)
Plantagenets, the		the royal family of England from 1154 to 1399 which included Henry II, Richard II, and Richard III
Plath, Sylvia		(1932–63) a US poet who was famous for her poems about women and death, and for her novel The Bell Jar, and who was married to the British poet Ted Hughes. She killed herself after many years of unhappiness.
Plato		(?427–347BC)  an ancient Greek philosopher, who had a very great influence on European philosophy. He explained his ideas in the form of written conversations. His teacher was socrates, and after Socrates' death he established a school called the Academy, where Aristotle was one of his students. His most famous work is The Republic, about the perfect state and form of government.
Playboy		a magazine for men which is known for its pictures of young women wearing very few clothes and its articles about sex
Play-Doh	 noun	a type of play dough	培乐多橡皮泥
Player's		a type of British cigarette
PlayStation		a type of special computer made by Sony for playing games on. People often use the short form PS when talking about these machines. For example, PS3 is the third version of the PlayStation.
Plaza, the		a common name for a cinema in the UK, especially in the past
Pledge of Allegiance, the		a speech that US citizens learn, which is a promise to respect the US and be loyal to it. In schools children usually say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning, while looking at the national flag and putting their right hand over their heart: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Pleiades, the		a group of stars in the constellation called taurus
Plessey v. Ferguson		a decision by the US Supreme Court in 1896 that the segregation (=separation) of African Americans and white Americans was legal, as long as African Americans were given services, such as schools or restaurants, that were described as separate but equal services. The decision specifically concerned segregation on trains, but led in some states to separate schools, hotels, restaurants, and seats in theatres, buses etc. The decision made in the famous court case of Plessey v. Ferguson was changed in 1954 by the Supreme Court's decision in the case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka.
Pliny the Elder		(23–79 AD)  an ancient Roman writer known for his Natural History, a very long book about plants, animals, minerals, etc. He was killed when Mount  vesuvius erupted ( erupt ), and he was the  uncle of Pliny the Younger.
Pliny the Younger		(?61–113 AD)  an ancient Roman politician and writer known for his letters, which provide a detailed picture of Roman life at that time. He was the nephew of Pliny the Elder.
PLO, the		(the Palestine Liberation Organization) a political group of Palestinians which was led by Yasser arafat from 1969 to 2005. Its original aim was to destroy the state of Israel, but more recently it has worked to establish a separate state of Palestine existing together with Israel.
Plod, P.C.		a humorous and insulting name for a police officer, especially an old-fashioned British police officer who is not very intelligent
Plough, the		a group of seven bright stars that can only be seen from the northern part of the world. They form part of the constellation (=group of stars) called Ursa Major, and in the US they are often called the Big Dipper.
ploughboy	 noun	 a boy who led a horse that pulled a plough	耕童，牵耕畜的男孩
Plowright, Joan		(1929–)  a British actress who began in theatre and moved into films. She acted in The Entertainer,  Equus, and  Drowning by Numbers. She is the  widow of the actor Laurence Olivier. Her official title is Dame Joan Plowright.
Plutarch		(?46-?120 AD)  an ancient Greek historian who wrote about famous Greek and Roman politicians and military leaders in a book known as Plutarch's Lives. Plays by William  shakespeare that are set in ancient times, such as Julius Caesar, are based on Plutarch's writings.
Plymouth		a port and base for the British navy, in Devon, southwest England, known in the UK especially for its connection with Francis drake, the 16th century explorer and navy commander, and known in the US as the place from which the pilgrim fathers sailed to America
Plymouth Brethren	 noun	a Christian organization that has very strict moral rules and is opposed to religious ceremony
Plymouth Colony		the second English town to be built in North America, in 1620, (=the first was in Jamestow, Virginia), in what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts. The settlers, known as the Pilgrim Fathers, were Puritans who sailed on the ship Mayflower from Plymouth, England. Only half of them were still alive after the first winter in America, but the town grew. According to old stories, the settlers' first steps when they landed in America were on a large rock, today called Plymouth Rock.
Plymouth Rock		a large rock on the coast at Plymouth, Massachusetts, on which the pilgrim fathers are said to have taken their first steps in America when they landed there in 1620
Po, the		the largest river in northern Italy
POA, the		(he Prison Officers' Association) a trade union in the UK for people who work in prisons, guarding prisoners
Pocahontas		(1595–1617)  a Native American woman, who was the daughter of Chief Powhatan of the Powhatan tribe. Pocahontas saved the life of Captain John Smith, leader of the English people who had gone to live in jamestown, Virginia, when he was about to be killed by her father. She then helped to develop friendly relations between the English and the Native Americans. Later Pocahontas married an Englishman and went to England, where she died of smallpox.
Poconos, the	 noun	a group of mountains in Pennsylvania, US, which are part of the appalachians. The mountains are a popular place for short holidays, especially honeymoons, and many people from New York City and New Jersey go there to get away from their busy cities.
podium	 verb	to come first, second or third in a race or competition
podwalk	 noun	a type of tour in which you listen to information about a place on an MP3 player as you walk around
Poe, Edgar Allan		(1809–49)  a US poet and writer of short stories. He is best known for his strange, frightening stories about death and evil powers such as 'The Fall of the House of Usher'. Another story, 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue', was one of the first detective stories. His best known poem is 'The Raven'.
Poet Laureate	 noun	a poet who is appointed by the king or queen in Britain to write poems on important occasions
Poets' Corner		a part of westminster abbey in London where there are memorials to many poets, and where some famous English poets and writers are buried, including Geoffrey chaucer and Charles dickens
Poincaré, Henri		(1854–1912)  a French mathematician, one of the greatest of his time
Poirot, Hercule		a character in books by Agatha Christie. He is a clever Belgian detective, who always discovers who the criminal is by using the 'little grey cells' (=his brain). Poirot is a small man whose appearance is very neat, and who has a  moustache. There is a popular British television programme based on stories about Poirot.
Poitier, Sidney		(1927–)  a US film actor and director, who was one of the first African American actors to appear in films playing serious characters, rather than stereotypes based on race. His films include The Blackboard Jungle (1955), In the Heat of the Night (1967), and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967). He won an Oscar in 1963 for Lilies of the Field.
Poland		a country in central Europe, east of Germany and west of Belarus. Population: 38,383,809 (2014). Capital: Warsaw. After World War II, Poland became a Communist country, and its government was strongly influenced by the former Soviet Union. A new political group, Solidarity, led by Lech Walesa, began to oppose the Communist government in 1980, and in 1989 Solidarity became the party of government. Poland's main industries traditionally include coal, shipbuilding, and farming, but new industries are now being developed. Poland became a member of the EU in May 2004, and many people from Poland now work in Britain. It is a strongly Catholic country. People from Poland are called Poles.
Polanski, Roman		(1933–)  a Polish film director who, after some early films in Poland, has made his films in English. His films are often about violence or madness, and they include Rosemary's Baby (1968), Chinatown (1974), and The Pianist (2002), for which he won an Academy Award. He was married to the actress Sharon Tate, who was murdered by Charles Manson and his followers in 1969. He left the US in 1977 because he was wanted by the police for having sex with a very young woman, and he has worked in Europe since then. In 2009 the US authorities asked the Swiss police to arrest him so that he could be sent for trial in the US. He was kept under house arrest (=not allowed to leave his home), but set free in July 2010.
Polaris		a ballistic missile (=a flying weapon) fired from a submarine, which was developed in the US in the 1950s and 1960s and is a nuclear weapon. Polaris missiles were kept by the military forces of the US and the UK until the 1990s, when they were replaced by Trident missiles.
Polaris		another name for the Pole Star
Polaroids	 noun	sunglasses treated with polaroid
Police Service of Northern Ireland, the		the police service for Northern Ireland. It replaced the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in 2001.
Polk, James Knox		(1795–1849) the eleventh president of the US, from 1845 to 1849
Pollock, Graeme		(1944–) , a South African cricket player who is considered to be one of the greatest batsmen of all time
Pollock, Jackson		(1912–56)  a US artist known for his very large abstract paintings which are full of colour. He often made them by putting the painting on the floor and then walking around it, letting the paint drip from sticks.
Pollux
Polly		a name that is supposed to be a typical name for a parrot. Parrots are often taught to say the words 'Pretty Polly'.
Polo, Marco		(?1254–1324)  an Italian traveller whose writings gave Europeans their first knowledge of life in the far east. He went to India, southeast Asia, and China, and spent several years working for the Chinese emperor kublai khan.
Polonius		an old man who is the father of ophelia and Laertes in the play Hamlet by William  shakespeare. Hamlet accidentally kills Polonius when Polonius is hiding behind the 'arras' (=a sort of thick curtain).
Pol Pot		(1926–98)  the leader of the Communist Khmer Rouge group, and prime minister of Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, during which time about 3 million people were killed. Pol Pot was taken prisoner by government soldiers in 1997. He is regarded by many people as one of the most evil leaders of the 20th century.
Polynesia		the islands in the central and southern Pacific Ocean, including the Hawaiian islands, Tonga, Samoa, and the islands of French Polynesia
Polynesian	 noun	 someone who comes from Polynesia
polypill	 noun	a pill containing several types of medicine which an older person can take every day to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke
Pompadour, Madame de		(1721–64)  the lover of King Louis XV of France from 1745 until her death. She often influenced the king, especially when he had to choose government officials and make political decisions.
Pompeii		an ancient city in southern Italy, southeast of Naples, which was buried under the ash and lava (=hot liquid rock) from the volcano Mount vesuvius when it suddenly erupted (erupt ) in 79AD. Everything was preserved exactly as it was then, because the ash and lava covered it completely. So when scientists started to dig the city up in the 18th century, they learned a lot about how ordinary people lived in Roman times.
Pompey		(106–48 BC)  a Roman general (=military leader) and politician who opposed Julius Caesar but was defeated by him in 48 BC
Pompidou Centre, the		a museum in central Paris which has paintings by important 20th century artists. The building, which is very modern, is made of glass and has metal tubes in bright colours on the outside.
Pompidou, Georges		(1911–74)  a French politician who was president of France from 1969 until his death. The pompidou centre in Paris was given its name in his honour.
Ponce de León, Juan		(1460–1521)  a Spanish explorer who took control of Puerto Rico for Spain in 1508 and discovered florida in 1513, when he was searching for the fountain of youth, a flow of water coming from the ground which was supposed to make anyone who drank it stay young for ever
Pontiac		a type of US car made by General Motors.
Pontius Pilate
Pony Club, the		a British organization that arranges horse riding activities for children. People usually think of a typical Pony Club member as a young middle class girl who is only interested in horses.
Pooh
Poohsticks	 noun	a game played especially by children in which each child throws a stick into a stream whose current is flowing towards a bridge. The winner of the game is the one whose stick appears first at the other side of the bridge. The name comes from the stories of winnie the pooh by A. A. milne, in which the game is described.
Pope, Alexander		(1688–1744)  a British poet and satirist whose best known works are The Rape of the Lock and The Dunciad. He is known for his use of the  heroic couplet in his poems. He also produced very popular translations of the poems of Homer.
Popeye		a character also called Popeye the Sailorman, in a US cartoon strip and cartoon films. Popeye is a sailor who smokes a pipe, and when he eats cans of spinach (=a vegetable with large dark green leaves) his muscles immediately grow much bigger and he becomes very strong.
Pop Goes the Weasel		an old British song for children: Half a pound of tuppenny rice,/Half a pound of treacle;/That's the way the money goes,/Pop goes the weasel!
Popocatépetl		a mountain in Mexico which is a volcano, known in the US and UK especially because its name is difficult to say
Popper, Sir Karl		(1902–94)  a British philosopher, born in Austria, who believed that ideas about the world must be proved scientifically. His best known book, The Open Society and its Enemies, is an attack on political systems in which the state has too much control, especially Communism.
Pop Tarts		a type of square, flat pastry filled with fruit or chocolate, which you heat in a toaster and eat for breakfast. They are especially popular with children.
popular	 noun	a student who is popular at school, especially one who is part of a group of popular students
Pop Warner		a US organization that teaches children to play American football in teams. It was named after Pop warner, a famous football coach.
Porsche		a make (=type) of fast, expensive German sports car
Port-au-Prince		the capital city of Haiti
Porter, Cole		(1891–1964)  a US musician who wrote many popular songs and musicals (=plays or films that use singing and dancing to tell a story). His songs are still popular, and are admired for their clever and amusing words. They include Night and Day, Let's Do It, and I've Got You Under My Skin.
Portillo, Michael		(1953–)  a British politician in the Conservative Party who had important government jobs until he lost his position as a Member of Parliament in the 1997 election. He was elected to Parliament again in 1999, but he left politics in 2005. He now works as a journalist and television presenter.
Portland		a port on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers, in northern Oregon in the northwestern US, which is the largest city in the state
Portmeirion		a small village on the coast of North Wales, designed and built by Clough Williams-Ellis. It is based on an Italian fishing village and is popular with tourists. It is also known as the place where the popular 1960s British television programme The Prisoner was filmed.
Port Moresby		the capital city of Papua New Guinea
Portobello Road		a street in West London, where a market is held every Friday and Saturday and antiques (=valuable old furniture, jewellery etc) are sold
Porto-Novo		the capital city of Benin
Porto Rico
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, A		(1916)  a novel by James joyce which is based on his own life
Portsmouth		a town and port on the south coast of England, known for its navy base and as a place from which ferries (ferry ) take cars and passengers to France
Port Stanley		the capital of the Falkland Islands, and known as the place where the falklands war of 1982 began and ended
Portugal		a country in southwest Europe, west of Spain, which is a member of the EU (European Union). Population: 10,799,270 (2014). Capital: Lisbon. Portugal's traditional industries include fishing and wine, and its more modern industries include clothing and car parts. Portugal's southern coast, the Algarve, is known as a popular place for holidays. Portugal is known in the UK as Britain's oldest ally (=a country that agrees to support another country in war), because the two countries have been allies since the 14th century.
Poseidon		in Greek mythology, the god of the sea. In Roman mythology his name is neptune.
Post, the		the washington post
Postal Service, the		the official name for the US government department responsible for collecting and delivering mail
Post, Emily		(1872–1960)  a US writer of books and newspaper articles which gave advice on etiquette (=correct and polite social behaviour)
Post-it	 noun	 a small piece of coloured paper that sticks to things, used for leaving notes for people	报事贴〔用于留便条〕
Postman Pat		a character in British books and television programmes for children. Postman Pat is a happy postman who drives around in his van delivering letters and packages with his black and white cat, Jess.
Post Office, the		the government organization responsible for the mail in the UK. The Post Office also manages the payment of state pensions and social security payments. Its official name is the Roysl Mail.
Post Office Tower, the		a former name for the telecom tower
Potato Famine, the		a famine in Ireland in 1845–46, caused when the failure of the potato crop led to a serious lack of food all over the country. As a result, many people died of hunger and many others left Ireland to go to live in the US. The British government, which at that time ruled Ireland, did very little to help people who were suffering, and some Irish people still feel upset and angry about this.
Pot Noodle		a type of light meal sold in the UK, consisting of dried pasta, meat, and vegetables. You mix it with boiling water and it is ready to eat almost immediately.
Potomac, the		a river in the east of the US which separates Maryland and Washington, D.C. from Virginia and West Virginia
Potsdam Agreement, the		an agreement by the countries that won World War II (the US, Britain, the USSR, and France) to divide control of Germany between them
Potter, Beatrix		(1866–1943)  a British writer who wrote stories for young children and also drew the pictures for her books. The characters in her stories are animals who dress and behave like humans, and they include Peter Rabbit, Tom Kitten, and Mrs Tiggy-Winkle (a hedgehog ). Her stories are still very popular today.
Potter, Dennis		(1935–94)  a British writer of plays for television, whose many plays include Pennies from Heaven and The Singing Detective. He is generally regarded in the UK as the most important and original writer of plays for television, and his work is known especially for the way that popular songs are used as part of serious stories. Some people were shocked by the subjects of his plays and the language used by his characters. Many British people also remember his television interview with Melvyn Bragg, which was recorded just before he died of cancer.
Potter, Harry		the main character in British writer J.K. Rowling's very popular books. Harry Potter is a young boy who discovers that he is a wizard (=a man who has magical powers). He is known for wearing round glasses. In the books, such as Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, he learns about magic and fights against evil wizards. Six out of the seven books have been made into successful films.
Potteries, the		a part of Staffordshire in England which is a centre for the china and pottery industry
Potters Bar	 	an English town 18 miles north of London, where there was a serious train crash in May 2002. Seven people were killed and 76 injured. A report into the crash said it was caused because the railway line was in bad condition.
Poulenc, Francis		(1899–1963) a French composer of modern music who wrote operas, piano music, songs, and ballet music. His works include Mouvements Perpetuels, Les Biches, and  Dialogue des Carmélites.
Pound, Ezra		(1885–1972)  a US poet who lived mostly in Europe, and whose poems include the Cantos. He broadcast on the radio in support of  fascism and  mussolini during World War II. As a result, after the war the US government charged him with  treason, but he was judged to be mentally ill and sent to a mental hospital until 1958.
Poussin, Nicolas		(1594–1665)  a French painter known especially for his landscapes (=paintings showing an area of countryside or land)
Powell, Anthony		(1905–2000)  a British writer best known for his series of 12 novels A Dance to the Music of Time(1951–1975) , which describes the lives of a group of  upper-class friends over a long period.
Powell, Colin		(1937–)  a US politician who was the first African American Secretary of State (2001–05). He became famous as a military leader during the Gulf War of 1991.
Powell, Enoch		(1912–98)  a British politician in the conservative party, who was a government minister in the early 1960s, and later left the Conservative Party and became an MP in Northern Ireland. He is remembered especially for a speech he made in 1968 in which he said that if the UK allowed too many black people to come and live there, there would be fighting and 'rivers of blood' in the streets. Although some people admired him for his intelligence, his patriotism, and his opposition to the EU (European Union), he was greatly criticized for this speech, because people believed that it encouraged racist attitudes.
Powell, Michael		(1905–1990), a British film director, who made most of his important films with the Hungarian-born director Emeric Pressburger (1902–1988). They included The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943), A Matter of Life and Death (1946), The Red Shoes (1948), and The Battle of the River Plate (1956). Powell also directed Peeping Tom (1960), the  controversial film of a murderer who filmed his victims as he killed them.
Powers, Austin		a character invented and played by the Canadian actor Mike Myers in a series of humorous films. Powers is a British spy (=someone whose job is to find out secret information about another country) who wears 1960s clothes, has bad teeth, and often uses the phrase 'groovy, baby!'
Powys		a county in central Wales
Prado, the		the national Spanish museum of painting and sculpture, in Madrid, which has many very important works of art by painters such as El Greco, Goya, Velásquez, and Rubens
Prague		the capital city of the czech republic, which is an important industrial centre. It is known for its many beautiful buildings and is visited by many tourists.
Prague spring, the		a short time in 1968 when the Communist government of Czechoslovakia, under Alexander Dubcek, allowed people to have more freedom than before. The Soviet Union did not agree with these changes and invaded (invade ) Czechoslovakia and forced the government to return to the way things were before.
Pratchett, Terry		(1948–)  a British writer, best known for his Discworld series of more than 30 comic fantasy books. Discworld is a world shaped like a  disc, supported by four elephants who are standing on a very large  turtle.
Pravda		a Russian newspaper, which was formerly the official newspaper of the communist party of the soviet union
Prayer Book, the		the book of common prayer
Preakness, the		an important US horse race for three-year-old horses, held each year in Maryland. It is part of the Triple Crown.
precycling	 noun	the practice of trying to reduce the amount of waste you produce, for example by buying things that do not have unnecessary containers
Premier League, the		the 20 best football teams in England and Wales, who play against each other. The group includes Arsenal, Manchester United, and Chelsea. The Premier League began with the 1992–1993 season. At the end of each season, the bottom three clubs leave and are replaced by the top three teams from the league below.
pre-roll	 noun	 an advertisement that is shown before a video on the Internet
Prescott, John		(1938–)  a British politician in the Labour Party who was deputy prime minister (1997–2007). He is thought of as being less middle class and more left wing than many of the leading people in the Labour Party. He was sometimes known as 'two jags' because he had two Jaguar cars although one of them was an official car that came with his job. He was also known for his confusing use of English.
Presidents' Day		a US public holiday in February celebrating the birthdays of Presidents George washington and Abraham lincoln
Presiding Officer		the person who officially controls the meetings and discussions in the Scottish Parliament or the Welsh Assembly. The Presiding Officer's position is the same as that of the Speaker of the House of Commons.
Presley, Elvis		(1935–77)  a US singer and guitar player, who first became popular as a rock 'n' roll singer in the mid-1950s, and became one of the most successful and popular singers ever. As a young man, he was known for being sexually attractive and was called 'Elvis the Pelvis' because of the way he moved the lower part of his body when he performed. Later, his performances became less active and exciting, and he sang mostly slow love songs. His many successful records had a great influence on popular music, and they include Heartbreak Hotel, Blue Suede Shoes, and Are you Lonesome Tonight? He also appeared in many films, such as Jailhouse Rock (1957) and G.I. Blues (1960). He is often called 'The King', and some people say that they do not believe that he is dead. Millions of people go to visit his home in Memphis, Tennessee, which is called Graceland.
Press Association, the		the main UK news agency (=an organization that collects news and supplies it to newspapers, radio, and television). As well as news, the Press Association also supplies sports and business reports and information about the weather.
Pressburger, Emeric		(1902–88)  a Hungarian-born film director who made films together with Michael Powell, including A Matter of Life and Death (1946)
Press Complaints Commission, the		a British organization which tries to make sure that the British press (=newspapers and magazines) give professional, high quality news reports, and which deals with complaints about the press
Prestwick		a town in southwest Scotland, known for its international airport and golf course
Pretoria		a city in the northern part of South Africa, where the government departments are based. It is one of South Africa's three capital cities. The others are Cape Town, where the parliament is based, and Bloemfontain, which is the centre for the legal system.
Prevention of Terrorism Act, the		a British law made in 1989 which gave the army, police, and government extra powers to deal with terrorists, such as being able to keep someone in prison for 7 days without charging them with a crime. It was used mainly against people who are believed to be members of the IRA. It was replaced in 2000 by the Terrorism Act. A new Terrorism Act in 2006 increased the time police could detain terror suspects to 28 days. It also made it a crime to glorify terrorism.
Previn, André		(1929–)  a US pianist, conductor (=someone who directs a group of musicians) and  composer, who often appeared on television in the 1970s and helped to make  classical music more popular
Priam		in ancient Greek stories, the king of Troy and the father of Hector and Paris.
Price, Leontyne		(1927–)  a US opera singer, who is thought to be one of the greatest sopranos (=women with high singing voices) of the 20th century
Price, Vincent		(1911–1993)  a US actor in theatre and films. He is best known for his work in horror films, including The Fly. His last film was Edward Scissorhands.
Pride and Prejudice		(1813)  a novel by Jane austen about Mr and Mrs Bennet and their daughters. The most important characters are Elizabeth Bennet, a clever and amusing young woman, and the rich, attractive Mr darcy, who finally realize that they love each other, although previously Elizabeth thought that Darcy was too proud, and he thought that she disliked him without any good reason. The first sentence of Pride and Prejudice is one of the most famous sentences in English literature: 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife'.
Priestley, J. B.		(1894–1984)  a British writer of novels, such as The Good Companions, and plays, such as An Inspector Calls and Dangerous Corner. He also wrote about literature, travel, and society, and he often broadcast on the radio during World War II.
Prime Meridian		the imaginary line drawn from north to south on the Earth, from which east and west are measured in degrees on a map
Prime Minister's Question Time		a period of time each week when any member of the British house of commons may ask the prime minister questions. It used to take place every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, but since 1997 there has been just one longer Question Time each week. There are often loud and angry disagreements during Question Time, which are broadcast on radio and television, and many people feel that the arguing and interrupting shows one of the worst features of the British political system.
Primus	 noun	 a small stove (=a piece of equipment for cooking) that burns oil and can be easily carried around, used especially when camping	Primus炉〔便捷式煤油炉，尤用于野营时〕
Prince Albert
Prince Andrew
Prince Charles
Prince Edward
Prince Edward Island		a province in southeast Canada that is an island in the Gulf of St Lawrence
Prince Harry
Prince of Darkness, the		a poetic name for the devil
Prince of Peace, the		a poetic name for jesus Christ
Prince of Wales, the		a title that is given to the first son of a British king or queen. Prince Charles was given the title by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in a special ceremony at Caernarvon Castle in Wales in 1969.
Prince Philip
Prince Regent, the		the son of the British king, George III, who acted as king from 1811 to 1820 because his father was mentally ill. This period of British history is called 'the Regency'. When George III died in 1820, the Prince Regent became King George IV.
Princes in the Tower, the		the English boy King Edward V and his brother Richard, who in 1483 were put in prison in the Tower of London by their uncle, who later became King Richard III. Many people believe that Richard ordered the two boys to be murdered.
Princess and the Pea, The		a fairy tale by Hans Christian andersen in which a young woman proves that she is a princess by noticing that there is a pea (=a small round green vegetable) under the pile of mattresses she has been sleeping on. A queen has put the pea under her bed as a test to see if the young woman will feel it, because only a real princess would be so delicate that she would notice a small pea. As a result, the queen allows the young woman to marry her son, a prince.
Princess Anne
Princess Diana
Princess Margaret
Princess of Wales
Princess Royal, the		a title that is given to the eldest daughter of a British king or queen. Princess anne was given the title by her mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1987.
Princes Street		the main street in Edinburgh, Scotland, with many shops and banks
Prince, The		(1532)  a book by machiavelli which discusses what a ruler should do in order to gain and keep power and be an effective ruler, even if this means being cruel, dishonest or immoral
Princeton University		a private university in Princeton, New Jersey which is one of the oldest and most respected universities in the US and is part of the ivy league
Prince William
Prisoner of Zenda, The		(1894)  a novel by Anthony hope, which has been made into several films, about the adventures of an Englishman in the imaginary country of ruritania
Prisoner, The		a British television series about a man who is made to live in a strange village. He is called 'number six' and says 'I am not a number. I am a free man'. The head man in the village is 'number two', and the relationship between them and the whole situation, are very mysterious. The Prisoner, made in 1967–68, is still popular, with the sign connected with the programme, an old-fashioned bicycle called a penny-farthing, still being recognized.
Pristina		the regional capital of Kosovo
Pritchett, V. S.		(1900–97)  a British writer known especially for his short stories
Pritt Stick		a type of adhesive (=a substance for sticking things) sold in a tube. It is a hard, white substance and you use it directly from the tube for sticking paper or cardboard.
Private Finance Initiative	 noun	a method used by the UK government to pay for public projects such as new hospitals, prisons, roads, and schools without having to pay for them directly. The government makes an agreement with one or more private companies who raise the money and do the building work. They then rent the building or road back to the government. Some people have criticized the Private Finance Initiative because they think that this arrangement will cost more in the future than if the government pays for the work itself.
Privy Seal, the
Prodi, Romano		(1939–)  an Italian politician who was formerly prime minister of Italy (1996–98 and 2006–08) and president of the European Commission (1999–2004)
Professional Golfers' Association of America
Profumo Scandal, the		a series of events in 1963 involving the British politician John Profumo (1915–2006) , who was the Minister for War in the Conservative government. Profumo had a sexual relationship with a young woman, Christine keeler, who was also in a relationship with a Russian naval officer who worked at the Soviet embassy. People were shocked when these facts became known, because it was thought that national secrets might have been passed to the Russians. There were also newspaper stories about Profumo and other important public figures having parties where there was a lot of sexual activity. Profumo was forced to give up his job, and these events caused great damage to people's opinion of the government.
Progressive Conservative Party, the		one of the main political parties in Canada
Progressive Party, the		one of the three US political parties which existed in the first half of the 20th century and supported progressive ideas, such as better working conditions and government help for poor people, people without jobs etc. The Progressive Party was active in the US presidential elections of 1912, 1924, and 1948, but these were in fact three separate organizations.
Progressive Unionist Party, the		a Protestant political party in Northern Ireland that is connected to the UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force), an illegal paramilitary organization. It had two representatives at the Northern Ireland Assembly, both of whom were former UVF prisoners.
Prokofiev, Sergei		(1891–1953)  a Russian composer, whose works include the Classical Symphony, the  ballet Romeo and Juliet, and the musical story Peter and the Wolf
Prometheus		in Greek mythology, one of the titans (=the first gods who ruled the universe). He stole fire from heaven to give to human beings, and as a result he was punished by zeus by being kept in chains, and was finally set free by hercules.
Promise Keepers, the		a US Christian religious organization for men that started in 1990 and has over 2 million members. It is known for holding very large, public meetings, often in sports grounds. The Promise Keepers have very strong Christian beliefs, and members are expected to behave in a very moral and honest way. But some people criticize their old-fashioned traditional beliefs, including the belief that men should control their wives' lives and be the leaders of their families.
Proms, the		a series of concerts of classical music which take place every summer at the albert hall in London, over a period of several weeks. Part of the hall has no seats, so that more people can attend the concerts and pay less, and many people, especially young people, stand there to listen to the concerts. The Proms were started by Sir Henry wood in 1895, and they are a well-known part of British life. The final concert each year, called the last night of the proms is always shown on television.
Proops, Marjorie		(?1911–1996)  a British agony aunt (=someone who gives advice to newspaper readers about their personal problems), who wrote for the daily mirror for many years
property porn	 noun	television programmes or magazines about buying, selling, building, or improving homes which people enjoy looking at because they show attractive homes – used humorously or to show disapproval
Prophet, the		muhammad, who established the muslim religion
Prophets, the		one of the main divisions of the old testament of the Bible, consisting of the writings of Jewish holy men such as Isaiah, Hosea, and Jeremiah
Proposition 13		a law made in California in 1978 that reduced taxes on property. It was voted on directly by the people of California instead of being passed by California's state government. It encouraged voters in other US states to vote for similar laws, and was the first of many tax cuts introduced by the state and national governments in the 1980s.
Proserpina		in Roman mythology, the Latin name for persephone
Prospero		the main character in the play The Tempest by William  shakespeare
Protector
Proulx, E. Annie		(1935–)  a US writer whose first novel, Postcards, was published when she was 51 years old. Her books often deal with the things that tie families together, especially poor families living in a difficult environment. Her best-known novel, The Shipping News, won a Pulitzer Prize in 1994. Her short story  Brokeback Mountain was made into a very successful film in 2005.
Proust, Marcel		(1871–1922)  a French writer of novels, considered to be one of the greatest writers of modern times. His best known work is a series of novels called in English Remembrance of Things Past, which is a detailed description of French society in the late 19th century, and is sometimes mentioned as a typical example of a very long book. Many people also know how the book begins, when one of the characters eats a 'madeleine' (=a type of small cake) and the taste reminds him of an earlier time.
Provence		an area in southeast France which includes the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and the hills and mountains away from the coast. It is known for producing wine, fruit, olive oil and  lavender (=a strong-smelling purple flower). Its beaches, beautiful countryside, and warm weather make it a popular place for tourists to visit. Its main towns are Nice and Marseilles.
Provençal	 noun	 the language of Provence in southeast France, which is a dialect of French
Provençal	 adjective	from or connected with Provence
Provençale, Provençal	 adjective	cooked with oil, garlic, herbs, and  tomatoes
Proverbs		a book of the old testament of the Bible consisting of a collection of proverbs which are thought to have been written by King solomon
Provisional IRA, the		another name for the IRA (Irish Republican Army), an illegal military organization that wanted Northern Ireland to leave the UK. In 1969, a group that favoured the use of violence, bombing etc separated from the main IRA, and officially this group was called the 'Provisional IRA'. But in fact when people talk about the 'IRA', they usually mean this group.
Provos, the	 noun	the provisional ira
Prozac		a type of drug used for treating depression (=when you feel very unhappy) and anxiety (=when you feel very worried). Prozac makes people happier and more positive, but some doctors worry that people may take it instead of trying to deal with their problems.
Prudential, the		a British insurance company which is based in London but also has offices in the US. The Prudential is one of the best known insurance companies in the UK, and people sometimes call it 'the Pru'.
Prussia		a former German state in northern Europe, which was a powerful military state between the 17th and 19th centuries. After World War II, its land was divided between Germany, the Soviet Union and Poland.
Prussian	 noun	someone from Prussia. British people think of the typical Prussian as being very proud and military in their way of behaving.
Pryor, Richard		(1940–2005)  a US comedian who has appeared in films and made several records. He is African-American and often makes jokes about situations involving black and white people together. His films include Stir Crazy (1980). He stopped working in the early 1990s.
PSAT	 noun	(Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) an examination that US students take to prepare for the SAT. It is usually taken during the third year at high school, at about the age of 17. Students who do well in the PSAT may win a National Merit Scholarship.
PSNI, the		the abbreviation of the Police Service of Northern Ireland
Psycho		(1960)  a US horror film  (=a film that is intended to make you feel frightened) made by Alfred hitchcock. Its most famous scene is the one in which the character acted by Janet Leigh is killed with a knife by Norman Bates while she is in the shower.
PT boat	 noun	a small, fast boat used by the US military forces, especially during World War II. It was used especially for firing torpedoes (=explosive weapons that travel under the sea) at enemy ships. Many Americans remember that President John F. kennedy fought during World War II in a PT boat, called PT 109, and that when it was sunk, Kennedy led the men to safety.
Ptolemy		(?AD100-AD170)  a Greek astronomer and mathematician who lived and worked in Egypt. He studied the stars, and believed that the Earth was at the centre of the universe, and that the stars, the Sun, and the planets all travelled in circles around the Earth. This idea is known as the Ptolemaic System, and it was generally believed to be true until Nicholas copernicus proved that it was wrong at the beginning of the 16th century.
Ptolemy		the name used by the family of kings who ruled Egypt from the 4th century BC to the 1st century BC
Public Private Partnership	 noun	an arrangement in which the UK government works together with a private company in order to improve a public service such as a railway system, road, prison, school, or hospital. The government believes that private companies can manage or build some of these things better than public organizations, but some people do not think that private companies should manage certain things such as prisons.
Public Service Agreement		a promise by a department of the British government that it will make particular improvements or reach particular standards, for example in health services or education
Puccini, Giacomo		(1858–1924)  an Italian composer famous for his operas, especially la bohème, Tosca, and  madame butterfly
Puck		a character who enjoys playing tricks on people in the play A Midsummer Night's Dream by William  shakespeare
Pueblo	 noun	 a group of Native American tribes from the southwestern US, including the Hopi. They are known for their adobe (=dried earth and grass) buildings
Puerto Rico		an island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of the US state of Florida. Population: 3,674,209 (2014). Capital: San Juan. People who live in Puerto Rico are US citizens, but Puerto Rico is not a US state and it governs itself. Many people from Puerto Rico go to live and work in the US in order to earn more money. It was a colony of Spain from 1509 to 1898, and most people speak Spanish as their first language.
Puerto Vallarta		a town in western Mexico on the Pacific Ocean, popular with US tourists
Puget Sound		an area of water leading from the Pacific Ocean into the US state of Washington. The cities of seattle and Tacoma are on its shores.
Pullman, Philip		(1946–)  a British writer of books for younger readers. His best-known novels are a trilogy (=three separate but connected books) called His Dark Materials.
Pulp Fiction		(1994) a humorous and very violent US film, made by Quentin tarantino
Punch		 the main character in a punch and judy show
Punch		a British weekly magazine which was started in 1841 and continued to be published until 2002. It is known especially for its humorous articles and cartoons.
Punjab, the		a large area in eastern Pakistan and northwestern India. The Punjab was a single province in the period of British rule, but it is now two states: one in Pakistan, which contains the city of Lahore, and one in India, which contains the city of amritsar, a holy place for followers of the sikh religion. Many of the people who live in the Indian Punjab are Sikhs, and some of them would like to become independent from India.
Purcell, Henry		(1659–95)  an English composer who is remembered especially for his operaDido and Aeneas
Purim		a jewish religious holiday which celebrates the time when Esther saved the Jewish people from being killed by their Persian rulers in the 5th century BC. The story of these events is told in the Book of Esther in the Old Testament of the Bible.
Pushkin, Aleksandr		(1799–1837)  one of Russia's greatest writers who wrote novels, plays, and poetry, and greatly influenced the development of Russian literature. His best-known works are Eugene Onegin and Boris Godunov.
Puskas, Ferenc		(1927–2006)  a Hungarian footballer who is considered to be one of the greatest players of all time. He is known especially for having played for the Hungarian national team that beat England in 1953. They were the first team to beat the English national team in England, and it has become one of the most famous football games ever played.
Puss in Boots		a fairy tale about a clever cat who wore boots and did many tricks in order to make his owner rich. In the UK, the story is often performed as a pantomime (=a humorous play for children at Christmas).
Putin, Vladimir		(1952–)  a Russian politician who was president of Russia (2000–08). He has twice been prime minister of Russia (1999-2000 and 2008-). When he was president, he was known as a strong leader who supported the Russian military in Chechnya. Before becoming president, Putin worked for the KGB for many years.
Puttnam, David		(1941–)  a British film producer who produced films which include Bugsy Malone (1976), Chariots of Fire (1981), which won an Oscar, and The Killing Fields (1984). He has had several jobs as an adviser to the government about arts and education. His official title is Lord Puttnam of Queensgate.
Puzo, Mario		(1920–1999)  a US writer who is famous for his novels about the Mafia. His most famous book is The Godfather, which was made into three films.
Pygmalion		(1913)  a play by George Bernard Shaw in which Professor Henry Higgins teaches a poor cockney woman, Eliza Doolittle, how to speak and behave like an upper-class lady. The play was made into a musical (=a play that uses singing and dancing to tell a story) in 1956 and a successful film musical in 1964, both called My Fair Lady.
Pynchon, Thomas		(1937–)  a US writer, whose novels are often very complicated. His best known book is Gravity's Rainbow (1973), in which a group of powerful people control the world by means of  missile technology.
Pyongyang		the capital of North Korea, on the Taedong River, in the southwest of the country. It is Korea's oldest city.
Pyramids, the		the ancient Egyptian pyramids, which were built to contain the bodies and possessions of the dead pharaohs (=kings of ancient Egypt). The most famous of these are the three pyramids at El Giza, near Cairo, which include the Great Pyramid and are one of the seven wonders of the world.
Pyramus and Thisbe		in ancient Roman stories, a pair of lovers who killed themselves because each thought the other one was dead. They are best known from the play about them which Bottom and his friends perform in A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare.
Pyrenees, the		a range of mountains between France and Spain, which goes from the Bay of Biscay to the Mediterranean Sea
Pythagoras		(?582-?507BC)  a Greek philosopher and mathematician, known for Pythagoras' Theorem, a way of calculating the length of one side of a triangle which has one angle of 90°, when you already know the length of the other two sides
Pythonesque	 adjective	humorous in a very silly, strange, and often rude way, which reminds people of the humour of the British television programme Monty Python's Flying Circus
Pétain, Marshal Henri		(1856–1951)  a French soldier and politician who was one of the main military commanders of World War I. During World War II, he became prime minister of France and was head of the right wing government in Vichy, which helped the Nazi army that controlled France. After the war he was put in prison for being a collaborator (=someone who helps an enemy during war).
Qaddafi
QALY		 a way of measuring how much improvement in their health someone is likely to get as a result of having a particular type of medical treatment in the National Health Service in Britain
Qatar		a country in the Middle East, east of Saudi Arabia, which is ruled by an emir (=a type of king). Population: 2,042,444 (2014). Capital: Doha. Qatar is mostly desert, but it produces a lot of oil.
QE2, the		a large passenger ship which was owned by the Cunard company and which sailed between Southampton in southern England and New York, and also took passengers on cruises (=sea journeys for pleasure) all over the world. It was considered to be a very comfortable and expensive way to travel. In 2008 it stopped sailing and became a floating hotel in Dubai.
Quadragesima	 noun	the first Sunday in Lent (from Latin quadraginta, meaning 40, since Quadragesima is about 40 days before Easter)
Quant, Mary		(1934–)  a British fashion designer, who had a great influence on the fashions of the 1960s. She is best known for her clothes with geometric patterns and is considered by some people to be the inventor of the mini skirt.
Quantocks, the		a range of hills in Somerset, southwest England
Quasimodo		the main character in the book The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1831) by Victor Hugo. He is an ugly hunchback (=someone whose back has a large raised part at the top) whose job is to ring the bells in the cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris
Quatermain, Allan		the main character in several popular adventure novels by Sir Henry Rider Haggard (1865–1925), especially King Solomon's Mines (1885) and Allan Quatermain (1887).
Quayle, Dan		(1947–)  an American politician in the Republican Party who was vice-president from 1989 to 1993 under President George Bush. In 1976 he was elected to the House of Representatives and in 1980 he was elected to the Senate. He was known for making embarrassing mistakes while he was speaking.
Quebec		a province in eastern Canada, whose capital city is also called Quebec, and whose largest city is Montreal. Quebec is the centre of French Canadian culture. Most of the population speak French as their first language, and there are laws forbidding the official use of English, for example in public signs. Many people in Quebec think that it should separate from the rest of Canada and become an independent country. In a referendum on this question in 1995, just under 50% of the population voted to leave Canada. People from Quebec are called Québécois, or sometimes Quebeckers.
Quechua	 noun	 the language of the inca people who ruled in the Andes area of South America until the 16th century. It is still spoken by many people in this area.
Queen, the		Her Majesty the Queen - the official title of the queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Queen is the official head of state of Britain and of other countries in the Commonwealth, but has little real political power. She has to give her official agreement (Royal Assent) to all new laws before they can actually become laws but in fact she does not have the right to refuse this agreement.
Queen Anne		a style of furniture, popular in the UK in the 18th century. Queen Anne tables and chairs typically have curving legs.
Queen Elizabeth Hall, the		a concert hall at the south bank in London, known as a place for performances of classical music
Queen Elizabeth II, the		the full name of the qe2
Queen Elizabeth Islands, the		a group of islands in the Arctic Ocean that are part of Canada
Queen Mab		the queen of the fairies (fairy ) in old stories and in literature
Queen Mother, the		(1900–2002)  the mother of the British Queen Elizabeth II, whose official title was Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. She was one of the most popular and respected members of the royal family, and was thought of as a kind and caring person. She was known to be very interested in horse racing, and she was often called, 'the Queen Mum' in British popular newspapers.
Queen of Hearts, the		a character in the book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis  carroll, who is known for ordering people's heads to be cut off, by saying 'Off with his head!'
Queen of Sheba, the	 noun	someone who is very rich or who spends money as if they were very rich, from a story in the Old Testament of the Bible about the wealth of the Queen of Sheba
Queen of the May	 noun
Queens		one of the five boroughs of New York City, at the western end of Long Island. It contains LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy Airport, which are two of the busiest airports in the world, and Shea Stadium, which is where the New York Mets play baseball. It is known as an area where people of many different races live.
Queen's Bench, the	 noun	a division of the high court of Justice in England and Wales. This name is used when a queen is ruling, and it changes to the king's bench when a king is ruling.
Queensland		a state in northeast Australia, whose capital and largest city is Brisbane. Its products include sugar, wool, and many types of mineral, including coal. Queensland is a popular place for tourists because of its warm weather, its beaches on the Gold Coast, and the great barrier reef.
Queens-Midtown Tunnel, the		a tunnel for traffic in New York City, which goes under the East River and connects Manhattan and Queens
Question of Sport, A		a British television quiz programme in which well-known sportsmen and sportswomen answer questions about sport
Question Time		a British television programme, shown since the 1970s, on which politicians and other well-known people connected with the government or business discuss questions asked by members of the audience
Quetzalcoatl		a Native American god of central America, shown as a snake with feathers on its head and thought of as the god of air and water
Quilp, Daniel		a character in The Old Curiosity Shop (1841) by Charles Dickens. He is a moneylender who cheats people and is cruel to his wife.
Quindlen, Anna		(1953–)  a US writer and journalist, whose novels include One True Thing and Black and Blue. She often writes about the subject of families, and writes articles for The New York Times and Newsweek. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1992.
Quinquagesima	 noun	the Sunday before Lent (from Latin quinquaginta, meaning 50, since Quinquagesima is about 50 days before Easter)
Quito		the capital city of Ecuador, in the north of the country. It is in a valley near Pinchincha, an active volcano in the Andes mountains.
QVC		a television channel that broadcasts programmes in which the presenters advertise different products by showing how useful or beautiful they are. People who are watching the programmes can order the products by telephone. There are QVC channels in the USA, UK, Japan, and Germany.
RA		royal academy
RAA
Rabat		the capital city of Morocco, in the northwest of the country, on the Atlantic coast at the mouth of the River Bou Regreg
Rabelais, François		(?1494–1553)  a French writer whose book Gargantua and Pantagruel is known for its  satire (=a way of writing about society or powerful people that makes them seem funny in order to show their faults) and jokes about sex
Rabin, Yitzhak		(1922–95 ) an Israeli politician of the Labour Party, who was prime minister from 1974–1977 and again from 1992 to 1995. In 1994 he shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat. He was assassinated in 1995 when he was at a public meeting for peace.
RAC, the		(the Royal Automobile Club;) a British company that helps its members when their cars break down during a journey. Its official name is RAC plc.
Race Relations Act, the		a law passed in the UK in 1976 to protect the legal rights especially of black and Asian people, and to make sure that people of all races are treated fairly and equally
Rachmaninoff, Sergei		(1873–1943)  a Russian composer and pianist best known for his piano concertos, symphonies (symphony ), and his Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Racine, Jean		(1639–99)  a French writer of plays, whose work was based mainly on ancient Greek tragedy and used many of the same subjects as Greek plays
Rackham, Arthur		(1867–1939)  a British artist who drew illustrations (=pictures for books), especially for children's books such as Peter Pan and Grimm's Fairy Tales. His pictures are often in a strange, magical, sometimes frightening style.
RADA		(Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) a famous school in London for people who want to become actors
Radcliffe, Paula		(1973–)  a British long-distance runner. In 2003 she ran the 10km, 20km, and the marathon in world record times. She won the London Marathon at her first attempt. She has won many other marathons including the World Championship (2005) and New York (2004 and 2007).
Radio 1		a BBC radio station which broadcasts mostly pop3 music and is listened to mostly by young people
Radio 2		a BBC radio station which broadcasts popular music and entertainment programmes. Unlike Radio 1, Radio 2 does not play the most recent music, and it is listened to especially by older people.
Radio 3		a BBC radio station which broadcasts mostly classical music
Radio 4		a BBC radio station which broadcasts programmes on news and politics, as well as plays and arts programmes. Radio 4 is thought of as a serious radio station which is listened to by all types of people.
radio-cassette player	 noun	a piece of equipment that contains both a radio and a cassette player	收录机
Radio City Music Hall		a large theatre in New York City, where concerts, film festivals, the tony awards ceremony, and shows with lots of singing and dancing take place
Radio Times, The		a British weekly magazine that gives the times and details of television and radio programmes, as well as articles about programmes, actors etc
Radley, Boo		a character in the book To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) by Harper Lee. He is locked in the house by his father as a punishment, and is never allowed out. Because the people in the town never see him, they believe many strange stories about him, and think that he comes out at night to hunt and eat  squirrels.
Raffles		a jewel thief who was also a gentleman in the book The Amateur Cracksman (1899). Raffles also played cricket for England.
Raffles Hotel		a famous old hotel in Singapore, in a beautiful 19th century building. It is a popular place for wealthy people to stay, and is named after Sir Stamford Raffles, who brought Singapore under British control in 1819.
Rafsanjani, Hojatoleslam Ali Akbar Hashemi		(1934–)  an Iranian religious teacher and politician who became state president after the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989 and ruled until 1997
Raggedy Ann		a type of rag doll (=doll made from cloth) which is a popular children's toy in the US. She has a large round face, red circles on her cheeks, and hair made from pieces of red wool. The male doll that looks like this is her brother, Raggedy Andy.
Railcard	 noun	a special card sold in the UK to particular groups of people, such as pensioners and families, which allows them to buy rail tickets for less than the normal price
Railtrack		a private British railway company, which owned and looked after most of the railway tracks in the UK from 1996 until 2001. It was closed down by the government for not doing its job properly, for not operating the system safely, and for getting into debt.
Railway Children, The		(1970) a British film, based on the book by E. Nesbit, about three children at the beginning of the 20th century and the adventures they have around the railway near their home
Rainbow Warrior		a ship belonging to the organization greenpeace, used for getting information about activities harmful to the environment and trying to prevent them
Rainier, Mount		a mountain in the west of the state of Washington, US, the highest mountain in the cascade range
Rainier, Prince		(1923–2005)  the Prince of Monaco who married Grace Kelly, a famous film actress from the US, in 1956. He ruled Monaco from 1949.
Raj, the		the rule of the British government in India before India became independent in 1947
Rajneesh, Bagwan		(1931–90)  an Indian religious leader whose ideas came from several different Eastern religions, and who became very popular in the west in the 1970s and 1980s. He was known especially for owning 93 Rolls Royce cars, and for encouraging people to have sex in groups. His followers wore orange robes (=long loose clothes).
Raleigh, Sir Walter		(?1552–1618)  an English explorer who made several journeys to North and South America and later wrote books about them. He is known for being the person who first brought potatoes and tobacco to Britain, and for putting his cloak over a puddle (=a small pool of water), so that Queen Elizabeth I could walk over it without getting her feet wet.
Ramakrishna		(1834–86)  an Indian hindu religious man who said that all religions are of equal value because they are all different ways of understanding the same God
Rambert Dance Company, the		a ballet company based in London and known for performing modern ballet. It is named after Marie Rambert, the dancer and teacher who started the company in 1930.
Rambler		a popular type of small car once made by the American Motor Company
Ramblers' Association, the		a British organization which supports people who want to walk for pleasure, and makes sure that public footpaths are kept open and in good repair
Rampton		a special British hospital for people who are considered to be violent and extremely dangerous. It is not actually a prison, but its patients are guarded very strictly.
Ramsay, Gordon	 	(1966- ) a British celebrity chef who owns restaurants around the world and is one of only three chefs in the UK whose restaurant has been given three Michelin stars. He has appeared in many television programmes about food and cooking including Hell's Kitchen, The F-Word, and Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. He is known for being a perfectionist (=someone who likes things to be perfect) in his cooking and is famous for becoming angry and using bad language when things go wrong.
Ramsay Street		the imaginary street in which the main characters live in the Australian television soap operaNeighbours
Ramsey, Sir Alf		(1922–99)  an English football player and team manager, best known as the manager of the English national team that won the world cup in 1966
R and A, the		(the Royal and Ancient) an important Scottish golf club
randomer	 noun	someone that you do not know – used by young people
Random House		one of the world's largest publishing companies (publish), based in the US and with offices in many other countries. Random House produces books of all types, but is known especially for its American dictionaries.
range anxiety	 noun	the anxiety that someone driving an electric car feels when they are worried that it might run out of electricity before they reach the place they are going to
Range Rover		a type of large expensive car made in the UK by the Rover company. Range Rovers are strongly built, like land rovers, so they can be driven on rough ground, but they are more comfortable. In the UK, Range Rovers are considered a status symbol and are typically owned by wealthy people who live in the country.
Rangers		a Scottish football team based in Glasgow, officially called Glasgow Rangers, whose supporters are mainly Protestant. There is much competition between Rangers and celtic, the other main Glasgow football team, whose supporters are mainly Roman Catholic.
Rangoon		the former name of Yangôn
Ransome, Arthur		(1884–1967)  a British writer best known for his adventure stories about sailing for children, especially swallows and amazons
Rantzen, Esther		(1940–)  a British television presenter, known especially for appearing on the programme That's Life(1973–1994) . She is also known for her work with Childline, an organization that helps children who are being badly treated.
Raphael		in the Christian religion, an archangel (=a spirit of the highest rank who lives with God in Heaven)
Raphael		(1483–1520)  an Italian painter and architect (=someone who designs buildings), one of the most important artists of the Renaissance, who painted mostly religious subjects. His full name in Italian is Raffaello Sanzio.
Rapunzel		a character in a fairy tale who is kept prisoner at the top of a high tower. She is set free when she lets her very long hair hang down the side of the tower and a handsome prince climbs up her hair, using it like a rope, and saves her.
Rasputin, Grigori		(1872–1916)  a Russian who claimed to be a holy man, and who had a lot of power in the Russian government because of his influence over Alexandra, the wife of the Tsar (=ruler) nicholas ii. He was known especially for his immoral sexual behaviour and for the fact that, when he was murdered by his enemies, they had great difficulty in killing him.
Rather, Dan		(1931–)  a US anchorman (=someone who reads the news on TV and introduces the reports) for CBS television, who was an anchorman on CBS News (1981–2005)
Rattigan, Sir Terence		(1911–77)  a British writer of plays best known for The Winslow Boy, The Browning Version, and Separate Tables
Rattle, Sir Simon		(1955–)  a British conductor (=someone who directs a group of musicians), known especially for working with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (1980–1997) . In 2002 he became the chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic.
Rauschenberg, Robert		(1925–2008) a US painter who was one of the most famous painters in Pop Art
Ravel, Maurice		(1875–1937)  a French composer, known especially for his Boléro
Rawlings, Jerry		(1947–)  a Ghanaian politician, who first came to power when he led a group of low-ranking military officers who removed Ghana's military government in 1979 and again in 1981. Each time he put government officials who had used their power in a dishonest or illegal way in prison and then returned the country to democratic rule. He was elected president in 1992 and 1996 before leaving the position in 2000.
Ray-Ban		a popular type of sunglasses, which are considered very fashionable
Ray, James Earl		(1928–98)  a US man accused of killing Rev. Martin Luther king in 1968 and sentenced to 99 years in prison
Ray, Man		(1890–1976)  a US artist and photographer, who was one of the leaders of the Dada and surrealist movements
Rayner, Claire		(1931–2010)  a British agony aunt (=someone who gives advice to people about their personal problems), who wrote in newspapers and magazines and often appeared on television and radio
Ray, Satyajit		(1921–92)  an Indian film director whose work is well-known and respected all over the world. His films include Pather Panchali (1955) and The Chess Players (1977).
RCA, the		the royal college of art
RCM, the		the royal college of music
RCMP		(Royal Canadian Mounted Police) a police force of Canada
Reader's Digest		a company that produces a magazine called Reader's Digest, which contains short articles and stories on many different subjects. Reader's Digest is also known for its 'Prize Draw', a competition held every year in which prize numbers are sent to a lot of people.	读者文摘公司〔《读者文摘》杂志的出版商；该杂志登载短篇文章及小说，涉及不同主题〕
Reader, The	 noun	a weekly US newspaper printed in Chicago. It mainly covers news, entertainment, politics, and culture.
Reagan, Nancy		(1921–)  the wife of ex-president Ronald Reagan, who was a US film actress. She is known for her interest in astrology and was said to have had a lot of influence over her husband when he was president.
Reaganomics	 noun	the economic policies of the US government during the time when Ronald Reagan was president(1981–89) , especially the policy of reducing taxes and reducing government spending on  welfare (=help for poor people, people without jobs etc)
Reagan, Ronald		(1911–2004)  a US politician in the republican party who was president of the US from 1981 to 1989. He is remembered for reducing taxes, increasing military spending, and improving the US's political relationship with the USSR by meeting President Gorbachev. Some people thought he was not very intelligent and did not understand complicated political matters, but he was a very popular president. Before Reagan became president he was a film actor and the governor of California from 1967 to 1975.
Real IRA, the		a group that in 1998 exploded a bomb in the town of Omagh in Northern Ireland, which killed 28 people and injured more than 200. The Real IRA was formed in 1997 by members of the IRA who disagreed with the peace process.
Real Madrid		a Spanish football club which was started in 1902. It is the most successful club in Europe, and has won the European Cup nine times, the UEFA Cup twice, and the World Club Cup twice. Among its famous players were Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas.
Rebel Without a Cause		(1955) a US film in which James Dean appeared as a teenager from a respectable middle-class family who gets into trouble with the police. As a result of this performance Dean became the most typical example of a young rebel (=someone who refuses to behave in the way that society expects).
recessionista	 noun	someone who manages to look fashionable without spending much money when the economic situation is bad
Reconstruction	 noun	(1865–77)  the period of American history after the Civil War when the southern states, under government and military control, rejoined the US. Slavery was abolished, African Americans were given the right to vote, and a few universities were established for African-American people. Many white southerners strongly opposed these measures and some formed the Ku Klux Klan.
Red	 adjective	 (especially in newspapers) supporting left-wing political ideas; Socialist or Communist
Red Army, the		the army of the former Soviet Union. This was its official name from 1918 until 1946, but people still used the name Red Army after that.
Red Army Faction, the
Red Arrows, the	 noun	a team of specially trained pilots in the British air force, who fly small fighter planes and do aerobatics (=special tricks and movements in the air) to entertain people
Red Baron, the		the nickname of Baron von Richtofen
Red Berets, the	 noun	a popular name for the parachute division of the British army. They are called this because of the red berets (=soft hats) that are part of their uniform.
Red Brigades, the	 noun	a group of Italian terrorists with extreme left-wing ideas, which was active during the 1970s, and was responsible for the death of Aldo Moro, a former prime minister of Italy
Red Bull		a cold fizzy drink that contains caffeine and other substances that can have an effect on people. It is popular with people who go clubbing because it can help them avoid feeling tired, and is often drunk with vodka. Advertisements for the drink use the phrase 'Red Bull gives you wings'.
Red China		a name for the People's Republic of China, used especially by western politicians when talking about its Communist government
Red Devils, the	 noun	a special British army team who give public performances of skydiving (=jumping from an aircraft and making patterns in the air before the parachutes open)
Redding, Otis		(1941–67)  a US soul singer and songwriter, who died in a plane crash. His songs include My Girl and (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay.
Red Ensign, the		the flag of the British Merchant Navy, a red flag with the Union Jack in the top left corner
Redford, Robert		(1936–)  a US film actor and director, known for being sexually attractive, who has appeared in films such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), All the President's Men (1976), The Natural (1984), and Spy Game (2001). He has also been the director of several films, including Ordinary People (1980), for which he won an Oscar. He started an organization for new film directors called the Sundance Institute in 1981.
Redgrave, Steve		(1962–)  a British rower (=someone who rows a boat) who won five Olympic gold medals, in 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2000. He is considered to be the greatest rower ever. In 2001, he became Sir Steve Redgrave.
Red Guard	 noun	a member of the group of young people, mostly students, who supported mao zedong's cultural revolution in China between 1966 and 1969
Red Indian	 noun	a word for a Native American, that is now usually considered offensive
Red Light Green Light	 noun	a game played by children in which one child stands a few metres away from the other players with his or her back to them. The other players try to get nearer to him or her, but they are only allowed to move forward when the child says 'green light' and must stop moving forward when he or she says 'red light' and turns round quickly to try and see anyone who is still moving. If the child sees someone moving, they have to go back to the beginning again. The winner is the first player to reach the child without being seen to move.
Red List, the		a British government list of dangerous substances
Redmond, Phil		(1949–)  a British television producer and writer, best known for creating the soap opera Brookside(1982–2003)  and the television series Grange Hill (1978).
Red Riding Hood
Red River, the		a long river in the south of the US, which forms part of the border between the states of Oklahoma and Texas. There is a popular US folk song called The Red River Valley which contains the words: Oh remember the Red River Valley and the cowboy who loves you so true.
Red Rum		a famous and very popular British race horse, who won many races in the 1970s, including three Grand Nationals
Red Scare, the		a series of actions by the US government in 1919–20, against people who were believed to be Communists. Many US workers went on strike (=stopped working to protest about their conditions) and the government was worried that there might be a revolution. Because of this, many people were arrested and many foreigners were forced to leave the country.
Red Sea, the		a sea which separates Egypt, the Sudan, and Ethiopia from Saudi Arabia and Yemen. It is joined to the Mediterranean Sea by the suez canal, and is used by many ships. According to the story in the Old Testament of the Bible, God made a path for moses and the israelites through the Red Sea, by separating it into two parts, so that they could walk across the ground and escape from Egypt, where they had been slaves.
Red Square		the large square (=a broad open area in a town) in the centre of Moscow, known especially for the military processions that took place there on may day when Moscow was the capital of the soviet union. The buildings in Red Square include St Basil's Cathedral and the Tomb of Lenin.
Reebok		a type of sports clothing and equipment, especially sports shoes which are called 'Reeboks'
Reed International		a company owned by Reed Elsevier plc, a British and Dutch group, which produces books, magazines, and newspapers
Reed, Oliver		(1938–99)  a British actor known especially for drinking alcohol and for his wild uncontrolled behaviour. His films include Oliver! (1968), women in love (1969),  Tommy (1975), and  Gladiator (2000).
Reed, Sir Carol		(1906–76)  a British film director, whose films include The Third Man (1949), Our Man in Havana (1959), and the musical film Oliver! (1968)
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup		a type of round candy from the US, made from chocolate that is filled with peanut butter
Reeve, Christopher		(1952–2004)  a US film actor famous for playing the character of Superman. He was very seriously injured in a horse-riding accident in 1995, and became almost completely paralysed (=unable to move). After his accident he started an organization that gives money to help find a cure for people with similar injuries.
Reflecting Pool, the		a long narrow pool in Washington, D.C., between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. It is at the place where people stood to listen to Martin Luther King when he gave his famous speech in which he said 'I have a dream'.
Reformation, the		a period of religious changes in the 16th century in Europe, which led to the start of the Protestant churches. These changes were started by the German priest Martin luther, and in England the Reformation was strongly supported by King henry viii.
Reform Club, the		a gentleman's club in Pall Mall, London, which was originally a club for members of the Liberal Party
Regan		one of King Lear's daughters in the play King Lear by William  shakespeare. She and her sister  goneril pretend to love their father to make him give them his land, but then treat him very cruelly. Goneril finally kills her with poison.
Regency, the		the period of British history from 1811–1820 when the country was ruled by King George III's son, the Prince Regent, because the King was mentally ill. The period is known especially for its neoclassical furniture and buildings, which were based on the styles of ancient Greece and Rome.
Regent's Park		a park in central London. It is the home of London Zoo and has an open-air theatre where Shakespeare plays are performed in the summer.
Regent Street		a street in central London that runs from piccadilly towards regent's park as far as Oxford Street. It is a popular place for shopping.
regift	 verb	to give someone something that you received as a present yourself
Registered Nurse	 noun	a nurse who is fully trained and has passed all the necessary exams. A registered nurse has a higher qualification than an enrolled nurse (in the UK) or a licensed practical nurse (in the US).
Rehnquist, William H.		(1924–2005)  the chief justice (=most important judge) of the US Supreme Court from 1986 until his death. He became a member of the Supreme Court in 1972 and he was known for being very conservative.
Reich	 noun	 the German state between 1933 and 1945
Reinhardt, Django		(1910–53)  a Belgian jazz musician and guitar player
Reith lectures, the	 noun	a yearly set of talks broadcast on the BBC, given by a person who is very knowledgeable about an important subject
Reith, Lord		(1889–1971)  a British administrator who was the first general manager of the bbc (1922–27) and its first director-general (1927–38). He had a great influence on the development of broadcasting in the UK, and was known for the high standards he expected, and for believing that radio and television should 'educate, inform and entertain'.
Relate		a British organization which helps those who have problems with relationships, especially marriage. It used to be called the Marriage Guidance Council.
Reliant Robin		a type of small car with three wheels that used to be made by the British company Reliant Motors
REM	 noun	(rapid eye movement)the period of sleep when you dream and your eyes make a lot of small movements
Rembrandt		(1606–69)  a Dutch artist, Rembrandt van Rijn, who is regarded as one of the greatest European painters. He painted many portraits (=pictures of people and of himself), as well as many pictures of religious subjects. He is known especially for his use of light and shade.
Remus
Renault		a type of car made by the French company Renault whose cars are sold all over the world. Renault cars include the Renault Clio and the Renault Megane.
Rendell, Ruth		(1930–)  a British writer of novels about crime and murder, who sometimes also uses the name Barbara Vine. Many of her books have been made into films for cinema and especially for television. She represents the Labour Party in the House of Lords, and her official title is Baroness Rendell of Babergh.
Reno		a city in Nevada, US, which is a popular place for people to go in order to gamble. It is also known as a place where prostitution is legal, and where people can get a divorce more quickly and easily than in other places.
Renoir, Auguste		(1841–1919)  a French artist who was one of the first impressionists, and had a bright colourful style of painting. He is known especially for his paintings of women.
Reno, Janet		(1938–)  a US lawyer who was the first woman to hold the job of Attorney General  (=the government's chief legal officer, who is the head of the Department of Justice), which she held between 1993 and 2001
Republicanism	 noun	the principles and policies of the US Republican Party
Republican Party, the		one of the two main political parties in the US, which is generally regarded as more conservative than the Democratic Party. The first Republican president of the US was Abraham Lincoln (1861–65)  and its most recent president is George W. Bush (2001–) . The Republican Party tends to support the owners of businesses and industry, and to oppose high government spending on welfare (=help for poor people, people without jobs etc). It represents a wide range of opinions, from fairly conservative to very right wing. It is sometimes called the Grand Old Party or GOP, and its symbol is an elephant.
Republic of Ireland, the		a country that forms the larger part of the island of Ireland, which is a member of the EU (European Union). Population: 4,775,982 (2014). Capital: Dublin. It was formerly ruled by the British, but it became an independent country in 1921 after a long fight, when Ireland was divided into Northern Ireland (which remained as part of the UK) and the Irish Free State, which later became the Republic of Ireland. Ireland is mainly a Roman Catholic country, and its patron saint is Saint Patrick and its national symbol is the shamrock. Its official languages are Irish Gaelic and English. Traditionally, Ireland's main industry was farming, and many Irish people left the country to find work abroad, especially in the UK and the US. Ireland is known for its beautiful countryside, mountains, and coasts, so tourism is an important industry. The Irish are typically thought of as friendly people who enjoy conversation and are good talkers. They are known for their pubs, where people drink Guiness  (=a dark beer) and listen to Irish folk music. Many famous writers, such as James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, and George Bernard Shaw come from Ireland.
Reserve Officer Training Corps, the
Reservoir Dogs		(1992) a very violent US film made by Quentin tarantino, about a group of men who try unsuccessfully to rob a bank
Respect	 	a left-wing political party in England and Wales which was started in January 2004. Its name is made up of the first letters of the words Respect, Equality, Socialism, Peace, Environmentalism, and Trade Unionism. Its supporters include the film director Ken Loach and the playwrightHarold Pinter. One of the party's most important members is George Galloway. The party's full name is Respect – The Unity Coalition.
Restoration, the		the time when the monarchy (=the system of being ruled by a king or queen) was established again in England in 1660, after a brief period when the country was a republic under Oliver Cromwell. The new king was Charles II, and in the period that followed there was a lot of new activity in literature, music, and the theatre.
Restoration comedy	 noun	a humorous type of play that was popular in England during the time of the restoration, which includes a lot of satire and jokes about people's social and sexual behaviour. Plays by Oliver Goldsmith and William Congreve are typical examples of Restoration comedy.
Resurrection, the		the return of Christ to life after his death as described in the Bible, which is remembered with ceremonies at Easter, and is one of the main beliefs on which Christianity is based
Reuters		a British company which employs journalists in many different countries to send it news from all over the world so that it can sell these reports to many different newspapers and radio and television stations
Revelations		the last book of the New Testament of the Bible, in which the story of the end of the world is told. It is thought to have been written by Saint john and is sometimes also called The Book of Revelation or The Apocalypse.
Revere, Paul		(1735–1818)  an American folk hero known for riding at night on the 18th April 1775 to the town of Concord in Massachusetts, in order to warn the people there that the British soldiers were coming. The next day the american revolutionary war started. His brave action is described in longfellow's poem Paul Revere's Ride.
Revised Standard Version, the		an improved and corrected translation of the Bible produced by US scholars in 1952
Revised Version, the		an improved and corrected edition of the authorized version of the Bible, produced in the late 19th century
revival meeting	 noun	a public religious meeting with music, famous speakers etc, which is intended to make people interested in Christianity	〔基督教的〕复兴（信仰）布道会
Reykjavik		the capital city and main port of Iceland, which is the centre of the country's fishing industry
Reynard the Fox		a fox in old European stories, who often behaves badly but always escapes punishment by his cleverness
Reynolds, Sir Joshua		(1723–92)  a British painter who became the first president of the royal academy and who is known especially for his portraits (=paintings of people)
Rhine, the		an important river in western Europe, which goes from Switzerland up to the Netherlands and into the North Sea, and is used for carrying goods by boat. The Middle Rhine area, in Germany, is known for its castles and wine-making industry.
Rhode Island		the smallest of the US states, in New England in the northeastern US. It was one of the 13 original states of the US, and its capital and largest city is Providence.
Rhodes		a large Greek island near the coast of Turkey. In ancient times Rhodes was famous because of the colossus of rhodes, and now it is a popular place for tourists.
Rhodes, Cecil		(1853–1902)  a South African politician, born in the UK, who was prime minister of Cape Colony (1890–96)  and is famous for his imperialism (=the policy by which rich and powerful countries gain political and economic control over poorer countries). He also made a lot of money from diamond mines, and he used some of this to set up the rhodes scholarships.
Rhodesia		a former name for zimbabwe. During the period of British rule, Zimbabwe was known as Southern Rhodesia and Zambia was known as Northern Rhodesia.
Rhodes Scholarship	 noun	a sum of money given to some students from the US, the British Commonwealth, and Germany to allow them to study at Oxford University. The money for these scholarships was originally provided by Cecil Rhodes. A student receiving one of these scholarships is called a Rhodes Scholar, and the former US President Bill Clinton was a Rhodes Scholar in the late 1960s.
Rhodes, Zandra		(1940–)  a British fashion designer, known for the unusual dresses she designs, using light expensive materials such as silk. She is also known for having pink hair.
Rhondda, the		an area in South Wales, UK. The Rhondda was traditionally an important coal-mining (=getting coal out of the earth) area, but by 1990 all the coal mines had closed down and many people lost their jobs. New industries, such as making cars, have now been developed.
Rhone, the		a river that goes from southern Switzerland to France and into the Mediterranean Sea. In southern France, the Rhone goes through an important wine-producing area.
RHS		 a society founded in the UK in 1804 for the improvement of horticulture, and that is responsible for the Chelsea Flower Show.
Rhys-Jones, Sophie		(1965–)  the wife of Prince Edward, who she married in 1999. She worked as a public relations consultant, but left this job in 2001 after comments she made about Members of Parliament and the Royal Family appeared in a newspaper. Her official title is Countess of Wessex.
RI		the written abbreviation of Rhode Island
Ribbentrop, Joachim von		(1893–1946)  a German Nazi official who became Hitler's foreign minister and advised him on foreign policy. After World War II Ribbentrop was found guilty of war crimes, and was hanged.
Ribena		a type of sweet drink made from blackcurrants, sold in the UK and drunk especially by children. You mix it with hot or cold water to drink it, and it contains a lot of Vitamin C but also contains a lot of sugar. It is also made sugar-free.
Rice-A-Roni		a food product consisting of rice and macaroni and some flavourings that comes in a box and is easy to prepare. Rice-A-Roni is advertised using pictures of cable cars and the phrase 'the San Francisco treat' because the company began in San Francisco.
Rice-Davies, Mandy		(1944–)  a British model who, along with her friend Christine Keeler, is known for being involved in the Profumo Scandal in 1963. During the trial about the affair, she said that she had had a sexual relationship with an English lord. She was told that the lord had said this was not true, and she became famous for her reply when she said 'He would say that, wouldn't he?'.
Rice, Jerry		(1962–)  a US football player regarded as one of the best receivers in the history of the NFL. He is known for his skill at catching the ball and running very quickly with it. He helped his team, the San Francisco 49ers, to win the Super Bowl several times in the 1980s and 1990s and he holds the record for the most touchdowns in a career.
Rice, Sir Tim		(1944–)  a British songwriter, who wrote the words for several well-known musicals composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, including Evita (1976) and Jesus Christ Superstar (1970)
Richard and Judy		two British television presenters Richard Madeley (1956–)  and Judy Finnigan (1948–)  who are married to each other, and who present their own television programmes which consist of short pieces of news, interviews with famous people, and phone-ins
Richard, Cliff		(1940–)  a British pop singer, officially called Sir Cliff Richard, who first became popular in the 1950s, and has been a popular entertainer ever since. His early songs, which he performed with his group The Shadows, include Living Doll (1959) and The Young Ones (1962). He is known for being a Christian, and for not having sex, and he is now mostly popular with older people. His real name is Harry Rodger Webb.
Richard III, King		(1452–85)  the king of England from 1483 until his death. When his brother, King Edward IV, died in 1483, Richard had the job of taking care of Edward's sons, who were still boys. But he put the boys in prison in the Tower of London (the Princes in the Tower). They disappeared and he took the position of king for himself. He was later killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field. In Shakespeare's play Richard III, Richard is shown as a cruel and ugly man, and as a  hunchback (=person with a large raised part on their back), but some writers now believe that he was in fact an effective king and a brave military leader, who was not responsible for the deaths of the princes. The play contains the famous line: 'A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!', which Richard says when he loses his horse in battle.
Richard II, King		(1367–1400)  the king of England from 1377 to 1399. He became very unpopular by ordering many of his opponents to be killed, and he was removed from power by his cousin, who then became King Henry IV. Richard was put in prison in 1399, and died or was murdered the next year. These events are described in Shakespeare's play Richard II.
Richard I, King		(1157–99)  the king of England from 1189 until his death. During his period as king, he was almost never in England, because he spent a lot of time fighting in the crusades and in France. He was a popular king and regarded as very brave, and for this reason he is often called Richard the Lionheart or Richard Coeur de Lion.
Richard, Maurice		(1921–2000) a Canadian ice hockey player, who some people think was the best in the history of the sport. He was known as 'Rocket', and played for the Montreal Canadiens. He scored more goals than any other player in the National Hockey League (NHL ) in 1945, 1947, 1950, 1954, and 1955. In 1945 he became the first player to score 50 goals in a 50-game season.
Richardson, Samuel		(1689–1761)  an English writer who influenced the development of the modern novel with his novels Pamela and Clarissa, which are written in the form of letters
Richardson, Sir Ralph		(1902–83)  a British actor who appeared in many plays, and also appeared in films such as Our Man in Havana (1959) and Long Day's Journey into Night (1962)
Richards, Viv		(1952–)  an Antiguan cricketer, who played for the West Indies from 1975 to 1992 and is regarded as one of the great batsmen (batsman ) in the game. He is now Sir Viv Richards.
Richelieu, Cardinal		(1585–1642)  a French cardinal (=a Roman Catholic priest of the highest rank) who was also the chief minister of France and had a lot of influence with King Louis XIII. He is known especially for destroying the political power of the huguenots, and is thought of as a typical example of someone who uses his influence with a ruler to achieve great power.
Richmond		the capital city of the state of Virginia, in the eastern US, known for its tobacco industry. It was also the capital of the confederacy during the American civil war.
Richmond-upon-Thames		an area of southwest London that includes kew gardens, hampton court, and Richmond Park, a very large park
Richthofen, Baron von		(1892–1918)  a German aircraft pilot known as the Red Baron, who commanded a group of fighter planes in World War I known as Richthofen's Flying Circus. He shot down 80 aircraft during the war, which was more than any other pilot, before being killed.
Ride a Cock-Horse		a nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for children): Ride a cock-horse to Banbury Cross,/To see a fine lady ride on a white horse,/With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes,/She shall have music wherever she goes.
Ride of the Valkyries, the		an exciting piece of music from the operaThe Valkyries by Richard wagner, played when the valkyries, female messengers of the god Odin, ride into battle on their flying horses and take the souls of dead soldiers to valhalla. The music is often used in films and advertisements.
Ridge, Tom		(1945–)  an American lawyer who was the first US Secretary of Homeland Security (2003–05). Before starting that job, he was the governor of Pennsylvania from 1995 until 2001 and a member of the House of Representatives from 1983 until 1995. He was in the US Army during the Vietnam War and was given several medals.
Riding	 noun	one of the three official parts into which Yorkshire, northern England, was formerly divided. The three divisions were called the East Riding, West Riding, and North Riding.
Riefenstahl, Leni		(1902–2003)  a German film director and photographer, known especially for the film Triumph of the Will which seemed to praise Hitler, about a very large Nazi meeting in  nuremberg in 1934, and another about the 1936 Olympic Games
Riga		the capital city of Latvia on the coast of the Baltic Sea
Right Reverend		a title of respect used before the name of a bishop (=a Christian priest of high rank)
Rig-Veda		the first of the four holy books of the veda, which contains prayers and hymns to gods in the Hindu religion
Rimbaud, Arthur		(1854–91)  a French poet whose works include Les Illuminations and who is known for his  homosexual relationship with Paul  verlaine
Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the
Rimington, Dame Stella		(1935–)  a British political official who was the first woman director of MI5 (=part of the UK's secret service) from 1992 to 1998. When her name was announced, it was the first time that any information had ever been made public about MI5 and its management.
Rimini		a city on the Adriatic coast of northeast Italy. It is an industrial port and a tourist centre.
Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai		(1844–1908)  a Russian composer whose best known work is Scheherezade. He is also known for orchestrating ( orchestrate ) works by other Russian composers.
Ring a ring o' roses	 noun	a children's singing game in which the children join hands and dance round in a circle singing: Ring a ring o'roses/A pocket full of posies/A-tishoo! A-tishoo!/We all fall down. It is believed to come from the time when there was a  plague in London (=a very serious infectious disease, quickly causing death to large numbers of people), because when people coughed and sneezed ( sneeze ), saying 'atishoo', it was a sign that they had caught the plague.
Ring-around-the-rosy		a US children's singing game which has the same origin as Ring a ring o' roses: Ring-around-the-rosy,/Pocket full of posy,/Ashes, Ashes,/We all fall down.
Ring, The		a set of four operas by Richard Wagner, known also as The Ring of the Nibelung or The Ring Cycle. They are based on stories from German  mythology, and are known for being very long.
Rio de Janeiro		a large city and port in East Brazil. Rio was the capital of Brazil until the new city of Brasilia was built in 1960. It is famous for its beaches, such as Copacabana and Ipanema, its carnival, Sugarloaf Mountain, and the large statue of Jesus Christ on top of Corcovado Mountain.
Rio Grande, the		a river in the south of the US which forms a border between the US and Mexico. The Mexican name for it is Rio Bravo.
Rio Summit, the
Ripken, Jr., Cal		(1960–)  a former US baseball player for the Baltimore Orioles team. He played 2362 games one after the other which is a record, and he is considered to be one of the best shortstops in baseball history.
Ripper, the		a name used especially in newspapers and news programmes for a murderer whose real name is not known but who has become famous for killing people in a violent shocking way
Rip van Winkle		the main character in a story by Washington irving, who sleeps for 20 years and finds that the world has changed a lot when he wakes up
Ritalin		a drug that is used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder  (=a condition that causes people, especially children, to be too active and not able to pay attention for very long)
Ritz, the		a large, very expensive hotel, named after the original Swiss owner, César Ritz. Several large cities including London and Paris have Ritz hotels.
Rivals, The		(1775) a humorous play by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, whose best-known character is Mrs malaprop
Rivera, Diego		(1886–1957)  a Mexican artist and painter of murals, who also painted in the United States. He was known for his left-wing politics, and in 1933 one of his murals was removed from the Rockefeller Center in New York because it had a picture of Lenin in it. He was married for a time to Frida Kahlo.
Rivers, Joan		(1933–)  a US comedian who says rude things about famous and important people, and who makes jokes about sex, and about her own body and how it is changing as she gets older
Riyadh		the capital city of Saudi Arabia
RMT, the		a trade union in the UK for people who work in the transport industry, including people who work on the London underground, people who drive trucks, bus drivers etc
RNLI, the		(the Royal National Lifeboat Institution) a British charity organization that runs the lifeboat service, which saves people who are in trouble at sea around the coast of the UK
road map for peace, the		a plan to end the disagreement and fighting between the Israelis and the Palestinians. It was suggested by the European Union, Russia, the United Nations, and the United States in 2002. Under the plan, an independent Palestinian state would exist in peace together with the Israeli state.
Roaring Twenties, the		a name sometimes used to describe the 1920s, especially in the US, where life was thought to be very exciting and interesting, partly because of Prohibition  (=the law that made alcohol illegal) and the criminal activity that this caused, and partly because of the development of more modern styles in music, dancing, women's clothes etc
Robertson, Pat		(1930–)  a US Christian leader and televangelist (=someone who talks about religion on television) who owns a television company called The Christian Broadcasting Network Inc, and who started the Christian Coalition, a right wing Christian political group, in 1989. He is also a politician in the Republican Party.
Roberts, Oral		(1918–2009)  a US Christian televangelist (=someone who talks about religion on television), who had a weekly television programme and his own radio station, and who also started a university in Oklahoma in 1963 called Oral Roberts University
Robeson, Paul		(1898–1976)  an African-American singer and actor, known for his beautiful, deep singing voice and for his communist beliefs and his work to achieve civil rights for African Americans in the US. He is famous for singing the song Ol' Man River in the film Showboat (1936).
Robespierre, Maximilien		(1758–94)  one of the leaders of the french revolution, famous for starting the reign of terror(1793–1794)  during which thousands of people were executed (execute ) because they were believed to be enemies of the Revolution. He was later removed from power and killed by the guillotine.
Robin		a character in stories and films about Batman. Robin is a young man who helps Batman to fight criminals, and is also known as the Boy Wonder. He is known for saying 'Good thinking, Batman!' when Batman has a good idea, and he uses expressions like 'Holy Smoke!' and 'Holy Cow!'
Robin, Christopher
Robinson, Anne		(1944–)  a British television presenter, known especially for the popular quiz show The Weakest Link. She is known for severely criticizing people when they answer a question wrongly. At the end of each round, she says to the loser: 'You are the weakest link. Goodbye.'
Robinson, Edward G.		(1893–1973)  a US film actor known especially for appearing as a gangster (=member of a group of violent criminals) in films such as Little Caesar (1930) and Key Largo (1948)
Robinson, Gene		(1947–)  an American man who became the first openly gay bishop in the Anglican Church when he was chosen to be the Bishop of of New Hampshire in 2003. The decision to give Robinson this job caused a lot of disagreement among Anglicans about whether it was right to allow a gay man to become a bishop. Some bishops were worried that it might cause a split in the Anglican Church.
Robinson, Jackie		(1919–72)  a US baseball player who was the first African American to be allowed to play in the major leagues
Robinson, Mary		(1944–)  an Irish politician and lawyer, who was the first woman president of the Republic of Ireland from 1990 to 1997. She was known as a supporter of women's rights, and she supported attempts to make Ireland's laws on divorce less strict. She was also the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 1997 to 2002.
Robinson, Sugar Ray		(1921–89)  a very successful US boxer who was world champion in the 1940s and 1950s, first as a welterweight (=boxer weighing between 63.5 and 66.5 kilos), and then as a middleweight (=boxer weighing between 70 and 72.5 kilos)
Rob Roy		(1671–1734)  a Scottish outlaw who lived mostly by stealing cows and making people pay for protection against thieves. He is the subject of a famous novel by Sir Walter scott and of two films.
Roc, the		in ancient Eastern stories, a bird of great size and strength which, in the story of Sindbad the Sailor, carried Sindbad out of the valley of diamonds
Rochester, Mrs		a character in the book jane eyre (1847) by Charlotte brontë. Mrs Rochester is mentally ill and kept locked in the attic (=a room under the roof) of the house so that no one can see her. She finally destroys the house by setting it on fire.
Rock Around the Clock		a song by Bill Haley And The Comets. It is remembered as the song that first made rock 'n' roll popular in 1955.
Rockefeller, John D.		(1839–1937)  a US businessman and philanthropist, known for being extremely rich, who started the standard oil Company in 1870. He used part of his great wealth to start the University of Chicago in 1892, the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research (which is now Rockefeller University) in 1901, and the Rockefeller Foundation in 1913. His son, John D. Rockefeller II (1874–1960) , gave the un the land for its headquarters, and built the Rockefeller Center, a large group of buildings in New York City, which includes offices, concert halls, shops, and works of art.
Rockefeller, Nelson		(1908–1979)  a Republican politician who was governor of New York state from 1959 to 1973, and who was vice- president of the US from 1974 to 1977, when Gerald Ford was president. He was the grandson of John D. Rockefeller, the rich oil company owner.
Rockies, the
Rockne, Knute		(1888–1931)  a US football coach (=someone who trains a team) at the University of notre dame in Indiana, who developed new methods of playing that made his team extremely successful. According to a well-known story, when one of his players was ill, Rockne told his team to win the game they were going to play for 'the Gipper'. Ronald reagan appeared as an actor in a film about Rockne, and later, when he became US president, he often used the phrase 'do it for the Gipper'.
Rock of Gibraltar		 a narrow mountain area on a peninsula (=piece of land surrounded on three sides by water) in the south of Spain, at the western end of the Mediterranean Sea. The state of Gibraltar is there. British people sometimes use the phrase 'like the Rock of Gibraltar' to talk about something that is so solid and permanent that it will never break or be destroyed.
Rockwell, Norman		(1894–1978)  a US artist who is famous for his pictures which appeared on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post. His pictures often show children and families in ordinary places such as at home, in the countryside, or in small shops.
Rocky		( 1976) the first of a series of films in which Sylvester stallone appears as a determined boxer called Rocky. Four more films, called Rocky II, Rocky III etc, were made about the same character.
Rocky and Bullwinkle		the main characters of a children's cartoon shown on US television, especially popular during the 1960s. Rocky is a clever squirrel who can fly and Bullwinkle is a large moose who is always doing stupid things. Many young adults also enjoyed the programme because it included clever jokes about society and politics, and a lot of puns (=jokes using words that sound similar but have different meanings).
Rocky Horror Show, The		( 1973) a humorous British musical (=a play that uses singing and dancing to tell a story), which was made into a film, The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), about a young man and woman who arrive at a big house on a dark night. The house is owned by a strange man who wears women's sexy underwear and is a crazy scientist, who is trying to make the perfect man. The film is very popular with some people, who know all the words and who go to the cinema or the theatre dressed as their favourite character.
Rocky Mountains		 a long range of high mountains in North America which go from Alaska down to New Mexico, and separate the Midwest of the US from the West Coast. Many parts of the Rocky Mountains are popular places for tourists to visit, for camping, walking, climbing, and skiing.
Roddick, Anita		(1942–2007)  a British businesswoman who started the Body Shop, a company with stores all over the world selling cosmetics, who was also known for her interest in protecting the environment
Rodeo Drive		a street in beverly hills, California, which has many expensive shops
Rodgers, Richard		(1902–79)  a US composer who wrote the music for many musicals (=films or plays that use singing and dancing to tell a story) with the songwriters Lorenz hart and Oscar hammerstein. The musicals that Rodgers and Hart wrote together include Babes in Arms and Pal Joey, and those that Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote together include Oklahoma!, The King and I, South Pacific, and The Sound of Music.
Rodin, Auguste		(1840–1917)  a French sculptor (=an artist who makes solid objects out of stone, metal, clay etc) considered to be the greatest sculptor of his time, whose most famous works are The Thinker and The Kiss
Roedean		an expensive English private school for girls
Roe v. Wade		a court case decided by the US Supreme Court in 1973 which said that the states cannot prevent a woman from having an abortion
Roger	 noun
Rogers, Buck		the main character in a US comic who has many adventures in other parts of the universe. The character has also been used in films and television programmes.
Rogers, Ginger		(1911–95)  a US dancer and film actress who made many musical films, often with the dancer Fred Astaire. Her films include 42nd Street (1933) and Top Hat (1935).
Rogers, Richard		(1933– ) a British architect (=someone who designs buildings), born in Italy. His buildings are very modern, and are famous for having pipes etc on the outside. He is especially known for his work on the Pompidou Centre in Paris and for buildings in London, especially the Lloyd's Building. He was chosen as the architect of Tower 3 of the new World Trade Center in New York City. His official title is Baron Rogers of Riverside. He is a Labour Peer in the House of Lords.
Rogers, Roy		(1912–98)  a US film and television actor and singer who usually appeared as a cowboy. He is best known for the 1950s television programme The Roy Rogers Show, in which he appeared with his wife Dale Evans (1912–2001)  and his horse Trigger. At the end of the programme they always sang the song Happy Trails to You.
Rogers, Will		(1879–1935)  a US humorous writer and performer. Rogers sometimes told jokes while spinning a lasso (=a rope with one end tied in a circle) and often used jokes to criticize politicians. He was known for his short, clever, funny sayings, such as 'I don't make jokes – I just watch the government and report the facts.'
Roget's Thesaurus		the first English thesaurus (=a book in which words and phrases are put into groups with other words and phrases that have similar meanings), written by Peter Mark Roget and published in 1852. New modern editions of the book are still published today.
Rohypnol	 noun	a drug that makes you sleep, which is sometimes used to make someone unable to defend themselves against rape	罗眠乐﹐氟硝西泮，氟硝安定〔一种安眠药﹐有时用作迷奸药〕
Rolaids		a type of antacid (=medicine for your stomach), which is sold in the US and looks like sweets
Rolex		an expensive type of watch. Rolex watches are thought of as a status symbol, and some people try to sell fake Rolexes  (=watches illegally made to look like these, but not made by the Rolex company).
Rolling Stone		a US magazine that mainly has articles on the people and events connected with rock and pop music, but also has articles on politics, film, and popular culture (=culture intended for ordinary people)
Rolling Stones, The		a British rock group who first became popular in 1963 and became one of the most successful groups ever. Their songs include (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, Jumping Jack Flash, and Honky Tonk Woman. Most of their songs are written by Keith Richards, who also plays the  guitar, and Mick  jagger, their main singer.
Roman Empire, the		the countries of Europe, north Africa, and western Asia that were ruled by the ancient Romans from around 44 BC until AD 395, when the empire was divided into two parts. The Western Roman Empire continued until 476, and the Eastern Roman Empire continued until the 15th century.
Romania		a country in southeast Europe, east of Hungary and west of the Black Sea. Population: 21,790,479 (2014). Capital: Bucharest. From the end of World War II it was a Communist country, but in 1989 there was a revolution. Nicolae Ceauçescu, who had led the country since the 1960s, was killed and Romania became a democracy. Romania joined the EU (European Union) in 2007.
Romantic Movement, the		(in English and European poetry, literature, art, and music) a group of writers, artists etc who followed their feelings and emotions rather than logical thought or reason, and who preferred wild natural beauty to things made by man. It first became popular in the late 18th century.
Rome		the capital city of Italy, which is famous for its art, its history, and its many public and religious buildings from ancient times and the Renaissance. It also contains the Vatican City, a separate state where the Pope lives. According to ancient Roman stories, the city was established in 753 BC by Romulus and Remus, and it later became the capital city of the Roman Empire.
Romeo	 noun	the main male character in the play romeo and juliet by William shakespeare
Rommel, Field Marshal		(1891–1944)  a German military leader in World War II who was known as the Desert Fox, and who won important battles in North Africa and Egypt, but was defeated by montgomery at el alamein in 1942. He was part of a secret plan to kill Hitler, and when this failed he killed himself.
Romper Room		a television programme for young children in the US. It involves a group of children who play and learn things from a woman whose name always begins with 'Miss', such as 'Miss Nancy' or 'Miss Sharon'.
Romulus and Remus		in ancient Roman stories, the two brothers who established the city of Rome. Romulus and Remus were twins (=two children born at the same time) who were left to die when they were babies. They were taken care of by a wolf (=a wild animal like a large dog), who fed them with her milk. Later, when they had started to build the city of Rome, Romulus killed Remus after a quarrel.
Ronaldo		(1976–)  a Brazilian football player who was considered to be one of the best in the world. He played for many leading football clubs, including Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, AC Milan, and the Brazilian national team. He was named World Player of the Year in 1996, 1997, and 2002. The last team he played for was Corinthians, and in 2011 he announced that he was going to retire from playing football.
Ronaldo, Cristiano	 	(1985- ) a Portuguese football player who has played for the Portuguese national team, Sporting Clube de Portugal, Manchester United, and Real Madrid. With Manchester United he won the UEFA Champions League (2007-2008), the FA Premier League title (2006–2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009), the FA Cup (2004), and the Football League Cup (2006, 2009). His individual awards include the PFA Players' Player of the Year (2007 and 2008) and the PFA Young Player of the Year (2007). He became the most expensive player in the history of football when he was sold by Manchester United to Real Madrid for £80 million. His full name is Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro.
Ronay, Egon		(1915-2010)  a British chef (=a skilled cook in a hotel or restaurant) who was born in Hungary, and who was known for his restaurant guides which gave information about the best restaurants in the UK
Ronnie Scott's		a jazz club in London which was started by Ronnie scott in 1959, and is famous because many popular and well-known jazz musicians perform there
Room with a View, A		(1908) a novel by E.M. forster about a group of English people who meet while staying at a small hotel in Florence in Italy. It was made into a successful film in 1985.
Roosevelt, Eleanor		(1884–1962)  a US writer and politician who was the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. She actively supported improvements in the social and economic conditions of ordinary people, and is thought to have influenced the 'New Deal' policy of her husband's government. She was also interested in human rights, and was part of the group that produced the UN (United Nations) Declaration of Human Rights in 1945.
Roosevelt, Franklin D.		(1882–1945)  a US politician in the democratic party, also known as FDR, who was the president of the US from 1933 to 1945. He helped to end the great depression by starting a programme of social and economic changes called the new deal. He also tried to give support to the allies without getting the US involved in World War II, but when Japan attacked the US in 1941 he was forced to join the war.
Roosevelt, Theodore		(1858–1919)  a US politician in the Republican Party who was the 26th president of the US from 1901 to 1909. He became famous for his military achievements during the spanish-american war of 1898, when he formed and led a group of soldiers called the 'Rough Riders' in Cuba. He was a popular president, and is remembered for having a large moustache and for saying things were 'bully' when he liked them. During his period as president, the US organized the building of the Panama Canal, and Roosevelt described US foreign policy using the phrase 'Speak softly and carry a big stick'. He was informally called Teddy Roosevelt, and the teddy bear (=a soft toy bear) is named after him.
Roots		(1976) a novel by the US writer Alex Haley(1921–92)  which was also made into a television programme. It tells the story of several  generations of an African-American family, and it is partly based on stories told in Haley's own family. The story starts with Kunta Kinte, a man from West Africa who is caught and taken to the US as a  slave, and then describes what happens to him there and to his children and grandchildren until the time of the  civil war. The book and television programme encouraged many African-Americans to try to find out more about their own family origins.
Roquefort	 noun	a strong-tasting French cheese with blue lines in it, made from sheep's milk
Roseau		the capital city of Dominica, in the southwest of the country on the Roseau River, formerly called Charlotte Town
Rose, Charlie		(1942–)  a US television interviewer. He is known for his daily programme on PBS called Charlie Rose, on which he  interviews a wide variety of people, including politicians, musicians, filmmakers, and writers.
Rose d'Or, the		a television award given each year at the Festival Rose d'Or in Lucerne, Switzerland. The award replaced the Golden Rose of Montreux which was given when the festival was held in Montreux (until 2004).
Rosemary's Baby		(1968) a frightening US film, based on the book by Ira Levin, and made by Roman polanski, about a woman who believes that the Devil is the father of the unborn baby growing inside her body
Rose Parade, the		a parade held every year in Pasadena, California, on January 1st with many large vehicles covered with flowers, marching bands, and horse riders. The parade is shown on television all over the US.
Roses, War of the
Rosicrucians, the	 noun	 an international secret society of men, begun in the 17th century, who were involved in mysterious practices involving magic and spirits. There are also modern groups with the same name, especially in the US, who claim to be related to the original Rosicrucians.
Rosie the Riveter		a nickname given to any US woman who worked in factories making weapons or aircraft during world war ii. Rosie the Riveter was a character who appeared in US government films and posters about the work that women did during the war.
Ross, Betsy		(1752–1836)  the woman who is believed to have made the first US flag
Rossetti, Christina Georgina		(1830–94)  a British poet known for her religious poems, some of which are used as hymns. She was the sister of Dante Gabriel Rossetti.
Rossetti, Dante Gabriel		(1828–82)  a British artist and poet who helped to start the pre-raphaelite movement. His paintings were mostly based on religious subjects or old stories about King Arthur. He was the brother of Christina Georgina Rossetti.
Rossini, Gioacchino		(1792–1868)  an Italian composer most famous for writing many operas, especially The Barber of Seville (1816). The  overture to his opera William Tell (1829) is very well known, and was used as the  signature tune to the 1950s television programme The Lone Ranger.
Ross, Jonathan		(1960–)  a British presenter of television and radio programmes which have included chat shows (=shows where famous people are asked questions and talk about themselves) and the BBC's main weekly film programme. He is famous for wearing expensive and colourful suits, and for pronouncing the letterr like a letterw. He resigned from the BBC after he and Russell Brand, another radio presenter, made rude joke phone calls to the actor Andrew Sachs about his granddaughter during a radio show. This event became known as 'Sachsgate' in the press.
Rotarian	 noun	a member of the Rotary Club
ROTC, the		(the Reserve Officer Training Corps) a programme run by the US army to train college students in military leadership. If a student joins the programme, the army often agrees to pay for the student's education, in return for two to four years of military service after finishing university. Some students see the ROTC as a way of getting a university education at low cost.
Rothko, Mark		(1903–70)  a US artist, born in Russia, known especially for his large paintings of squares and rectangles in different colours
Roth, Philip		(1933–)  a US writer who is considered by many people to be the best writer of his time. His best known book is Portnoy's Complaint (1969), which deals humorously with  middle-class Jewish life in the US. He won a Pulitzer prize in 1998 for his book American Pastoral.
Rothschild		a family of Jewish bankers in Europe who had a lot of influence over two hundred years.
Rothschild, N M		an important merchant bank (=bank that deals only with businesses, not with ordinary customers), based in London
Roto-rooter		a US plumbing and drain cleaning company, whose advertising song was written in 1954 and is familiar to most Americans. It goes 'Roto-rooter, that's the name -- and away go troubles, down the drain.'
rotoscoping	 noun	a way of making an animated film, in which someone draws over filmed images of a real person, animal etc performing actions
Rough Riders, the		a group of US cowboys and farmers who were trained to fight against the Spanish in Cuba in the spanish-american war (1898). They were led by Theodore roosevelt, who later became the US president.
Roundhead	 noun	someone who supported Parliament against the King in the English Civil War in the 17th century
Rousseau, Henri		(1844–1910) a French artist who painted using bright colours and often had exotic (=unusual and foreign) subjects
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques		(1712–78)  a French writer and philosopher, born in Switzerland, whose book The Social Contract developed the idea that governments must always work according to the wishes of the people. His work had a great influence on the French Revolution, and he invented the phrase, 'Liberty, Equality, Fraternity', which was later used by people who supported the Revolution. He is also known for writing about the  noble savage.
Rove, Karl		(1950–)  a US Republican political strategist, who worked for George W. Bush during his election campaign. After the election, he became an assistant and advisor to President Bush. In 2005 he was proven to be one of the people who gave the name of a CIA agent, Valerie Plame, to the press allegedly because her husband had written an article criticizing Bush's reasons for starting the war in Iraq. In 2007 he was investigated by the Office of Special Counsel for his involvement a scandal involving emails, for the firing (fire) of US attorneys, and for 'improper political influence over government decision-making'. He resigned in the same year.
Rover's Return, the		the pub in the British television soap opera coronation street, where many of the characters often meet
Rowling, J.K. (Joanne)		(1965– ) a British writer whose books for children about Harry Potter, a boy magician (=person who can use magic), are very successful.
Rowntree Mackintosh		a company that makes chocolates and other sweets. It is owned by the food company Nestlé.
Royal Academy, the		an important British society of artists, whose members use the letters RA after their names. It has a school for artists, and it organizes many exhibitions (=public shows of paintings etc), including its well-known Summer Exhibition, which takes place every year and shows new paintings by British artists, including work by ordinary people who are not professional artists.
Royal Academy of Music, the		an important London music college that is part of the University of London
Royal Air Force
Royal Albert Hall, the
Royal and Ancient, the		the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews; an important old golf club based in St Andrews, Scotland, which is responsible for the rules of golf for most countries except the US
Royal Ballet, the		the UK's national ballet company, which includes many dancers of international quality, and has its base at Covent Garden in London
Royal Bank of Scotland, the		one of the main banks in Scotland, which also has offices in London and other English cities. Like other Scottish banks, it prints its own bank notes (=paper money).
Royal British Legion, the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the		the national police force of Canada, whose officers are called 'Mounties' because they ride horses
Royal College of Art, the		an important art school in London that is a postgraduate university of art, design, and communications
Royal College of Music, the		a school in London for young musicians who have great ability, and who come from all over the world. Although it is not part of the University of London, it offers its own graduate and postgraduate courses.
Royal College of Nursing, the		an organization that represents nurses in the UK, and provides higher education for them in its institute
Royal Court, the		a theatre in London known especially for showing serious new plays
Royal Doulton		a type of fine china made in England, known for its very good quality
Royal Enclosure, the		a special area of the Ascot horse-racing track in the south of England, which can only be used by the British royal family and by people who have special tickets. People who are allowed in the Royal Enclosure are expected to wear formal clothes and hats.
Royal Festival Hall, the
Royal Green Jackets, the		a former regiment (=a large division of men) in the British army. In 2007 it joined with several other regiments to form The Rifles.
Royal Greenwich Observatory, the		the British national observatory (=a place where scientists study the stars), which was established in the 17th century, in greenwich, South London. After World War II the observatory moved to Cambridge, but it closed in 1998. The 0° meridian (=an imaginary line that divides the east part of the world from the west) passes through the building in Greenwich, which is now part of the National Maritime Museum.
Royal Horse Guards, the		a former regiment (=large division of men) of the British army, called The Blues because of their blue uniform, which joined with the Royal Dragoons in 1969 to form the Blues and Royals
Royal Marines, the		a British military force whose members are trained to fight both on land and at sea. There is a similar force in the US called the Marine Corps.
Royal Mile, the		a line of old streets in Edinburgh which runs from the Castle to Holyrood Palace
Royal Military Academy, the
Royal Mint, the		a British government department which is responsible for producing paper money and coins
Royal National Theatre, the		the official name of the national theatre in London
Royal Naval College, the		a training college at Dartmouth, southwest England, where young people in the Royal Navy learn to be officers. Its full name is the Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC).
Royal Navy, the		the part of the UK's military forces that operates at sea in ships and submarines
Royal Opera House, the		a theatre in covent garden in London where the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet are based, which is often simply called Covent Garden
Royal Pavilion, the		a building in an original and unusual oriental style built in brighton, southern England, in 1817 for the Prince of Wales, who later became george iv
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the		a leading British orchestra, based in London
Royal Scot, the		a famous steam train used on British railways until the 1950s
Royal Shakespeare Company, the		a British theatre company that performs plays by Shakespeare and other writers. It performs mainly in the Barbican (in London) and in stratford-upon-avon. Its actors are regarded as being extremely good.
Royal Society, the		the oldest and most respected scientific society in the UK, started in the 17th century. Its members are called 'Fellows' and they are elected if they have done high-quality work in any area of science. There is a similar society for people working in the humanities (=subjects such as language, literature, and history), called the British Academy.
Royal Tournament, the		in the past, a yearly public show produced by the British army, air force, and navy in which they showed their skills with displays of gymnastics etc. The last show was in 1999.
Royal Ulster Constabulary, the
Royal Variety Performance, the	 noun	a show which takes place every year at the london palladium, in which well-known singers, comedians, dancers, and entertainers perform in order to collect money for  charity. Members of the British royal family go to this show, and it is always shown on television in the UK.
Royal Worcester		a type of fine china made in England, known for its very good quality
Royal Yacht, the		a large ship which was used by the British royal family, both for official visits to other countries and for holidays, from 1953 until its last journey in 1997. Its full name was the Royal Yacht Britannia. There was a lot of discussion in the UK about whether it should be replaced, but it was decided that there would not be a new Royal Yacht.
Roy Rogers	 noun	a popular drink for children in the US, made from lemonade and grenadine (=a sweet red liquid), and served with a cherry. Roy Rogers are usually served in restaurants, and they are sometimes called shirley temples if they are served to girls.
RPO, the		the royal philharmonic orchestra
RSA, the		(he Royal Society of Arts) a British organization that encourages education in arts (=not science) subjects and for business. Its full name is the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce.
RSC, the		the royal shakespeare company
RSPB, the		(the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) a British charity organization which looks after wild birds, and educates the public about them. There is a similar organization in the US called the Audubon Society.
RSPCA, the		(the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) a British charity organization which aims to protect animals from cruel treatment, and can bring a legal case to court if someone is cruel to an animal. The RSPCA looks after animals with no homes, and sells them to people who want them. There is a similar organization in the US called the SPCA.
RSV		revised standard version
RTLS	 noun	(real-time location system) a system in which information about the position of a person or thing is continuously given by a radio tag that has been attached to them
Rt Rev		the written abbreviation of
Rube Goldberg	 adjective	a Rube Goldberg machine etc is very complicated and impractical, in an amusing way; heath robinson British English
Rubens, Peter Paul		(1577–1640)  a Flemish artist, one of the greatest European painters, who produced several thousand paintings, especially based on religious subjects and scenes from ancient Greek and Roman stories. The women in Rubens' paintings usually have attractively large, rather fat bodies, and a woman who looks like this is sometimes called Rubenesque or compared to a Rubens painting.
Ruby, Jack		(1911–67)  the man who killed Lee Harvey oswald two days after Oswald was charged with killing President John F. kennedy. Some people believed that these actions were part of a  conspiracy (=secret plan) to kill the president, and that Ruby shot Oswald to prevent him from giving any information about it.
RUC, the		(the Royal Ulster Constabulary) the former name of the PSNI (Police Service of Northern ireland)
Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer		a character in a children's Christmas song. Rudolph is a reindeer (=a large grass-eating wild animal with large horns) who has a shiny red nose. The other reindeer think his nose looks silly, but santa claus asks him to help the other reindeer to pull his sleigh on a foggy night, because his bright nose helps them to see where they are going.
Rugby		a town in central England best known for the public school (=expensive private school) called Rugby School, where the game of rugby was first played
Rule Britannia		a song about the power Britain used to have at sea because of its navy, which is sung on patriotic occasions, such as the last night of the proms: Rule Britannia, Britannia rule the waves,/Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
Rumania
Rumpelstiltskin		the main character in a story called Rumpelstiltskin by Jacob and Wilhelm  grimm. Rumpelstiltskin is an ugly  dwarf (=a creature like a very small man) who teaches a young girl how to make  straw into gold thread by using a  spinning wheel. As a reward for teaching her this, he says she must give him her first child. She becomes queen and has a child, but Rumpelstiltskin says he will not take her child if she can discover what his name is within three days. By chance a servant hears him saying his name, and when the girl tells him what it is, he gets so angry that he dies.
Rumsfeld, Donald		(1932–)  a US politician who was secretary of defense for President Gerald Ford, and later for President George W. Bush. He was known as a Republican who believed in using military force. Some people have criticized Rumsfeld because they did not think that the US should have attacked Iraq in 2003 without the support of the UN. He resigned in 2006 after criminal charges had been brought against him in several countries for responsibility for torture, and six retired US generals had demanded his resignation for mismanaging the war in Iraq.
Runnymede		a field near the River Thames at Egham, southern England, where it is believed that King john signed the magna carta in 1215. There is also a small area of land there which was given to the American people in 1965, and which contains a memorial to President John F. Kennedy.
Runyon, Damon		(1884–1946)  a US writer of humorous short stories about gangsters (=members of violent criminal groups) and people who worked on broadway in New York City. His characters use a lot of slang and unusual expressions, and he is best known for his collection of stories Guys and Dolls, which was later made into a successful musical show.
Rupert Bear		a little bear who wears a red sweater, yellow checked trousers, and a scarf. He is the main character of popular stories for children invented by the British writer and artist Mary Tourtel.
Ruritania		an imaginary small European country of former times, known for being a place where many exciting and romantic adventures happen in the novel The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope
Rushdie, Salman		(1947–)  a British writer born in India, who won the Booker Prize for his novel Midnight's Children (1981). In 1988 his novel The Satanic Verses offended Muslims, who said that it was insulting to their religion, with the result that Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran gave a fatwa, an order that Rushdie should be killed. He had to live in a secret place for many years.
Rushmore, Mount		a mountain in South Dakota, US, where the rock has been cut into the shape of the faces of four US presidents: washington, jefferson, lincoln, and Theodore  roosevelt
Ruskin, John		(1819–1900) a British art critic and social critic, who wrote many essays including Modern Painters
Russell, Bertrand		(1872–1970)  a British philosopher and mathematician who developed new ideas connecting mathematics and logic. He was also known for being a pacifist (=someone who believes that all wars are wrong), and he was one of the leading members of the opposition to nuclear weapons. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950.
Russell, Bill		(1934–)  a US basketball player who was a famous center for the Boston Celtics team. He helped them win 11 nba  championships, and is remembered for playing against Wilt  chamberlain in the 1960s.
Russell, Charles		(1864–1926)  a popular US artist who painted scenes of cowboys and native americans
Russell, Jane		(1921–2011)  a US actress whose first film, The Outlaw (1943), made her into a  sex symbol (=actress or model who is considered to be very sexually attractive). Her other films include  The Paleface (1948) and  Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953).
Russia		a very large country in Eastern Europe and northern Asia, officially called the Russian Federation, which goes from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Black Sea in the south, and from the borders of Belarus and Ukraine in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. Population: 142,500,482 (2014). Capital: Moscow. Before the Russian Revolution, Russia was a large powerful country, ruled by a king called the Czar. It formed the largest part of the Soviet Union (1917–91) , and people often used the name 'Russia' when they meant the whole Soviet Union and its Communist government. The country now has a democratic government. Russia is known for its beautiful old buildings, especially in Moscow and St. Petersburg, for its many great writers, including Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and Chekhov, and for having extremely cold winters.
Russian Orthodox Church, the		the main religion in Russia, which is a Christian church that formed in the 11th century by separating from the Catholic Church. The Orthodox Church is known for its very complicated religious ceremonies in which the words are mostly sung rather than spoken, and the Russian Orthodox Church is closely related to the greek orthodox church.
Russian Revolution, the		the events of 1917, when the Russian people overthrew (overthrow ) their czar and then a government before the communists took over under the leadership of Lenin
Russo, Richard		(1949–)  a US writer whose books deal with life in a small town, often in a way that combines humour and sadness. His novels include The Risk Pool,  Straight Man, and Empire Falls, which won a Pulitzer Prize in 2002.
Ruth, Babe		(1895–1948)  a US baseball player, the most famous ever, who played mainly for the New York Yankees team, and got more home runs than anyone before him. He was known as the Sultan of Swat.
Rutherford, Ernest		(1871–1937)  a British scientist, born in New Zealand, who discovered the structure of the atom, and discovered that there are three types of radiation – alpha, beta, and gamma rays. He is best known for being the first person to 'split the atom', when he split the nucleus (=central part) of an atom in 1919.
Rutland		the smallest county in England, in the centre of the country
Rwanda		a country in east central Africa between Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Population: 12,012,589 (2014). Capital: Kigali. In 1994 there was a civil war between two tribes, the Hutus and the Tutsis. Groups of Hutu fighters killed around 500,000 Tutsis and it was thought that their aim was to destroy the whole race. Millions of people left Rwanda, and went to live in refugee camps in other countries, mainly the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Ryanair		an Irish airline company, which sells cheap tickets to cities in many European countries. It does not fly to the main airports in the cities it goes to. It began in 1985, and started selling tickets on the Internet in 2000.
Réunion		an island in the western Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, that is a dependency of France. Population: 837,868 (2012). Capital: Saint-Denis.
Saami	 noun	 a people who live in a cold area of Northern Europe consisting of the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the former Soviet Union. They are also known as Lapps, but prefer to be called Saami.
SaaS	 noun	(software as a service)a system in which software is provided over the Internet
Saatchi and Saatchi		a British advertising and public relations company, which used to be run by the brothers Charles and Maurice Saatchi. The company was especially well known during the 1980s for its connections with the British Conservative Party, for whom it produced many advertisements.
Saatchi, Charles		(1943–)  a British man who started a very successful advertising agency with his brother Maurice in 1970. The company made many famous advertisements and became famous for making advertisements for the Conservative Party. After the brothers were forced to leave their own agency, they started a new one which has also been successful. In 2003, Charles Saatchi opened the Saatchi Gallery in London in order to show his collection of British modern art.
Saatchi, Maurice		(1946–)  a British man who started a very successful advertising agency with his brother Charles in 1970. The company made many famous advertisements and became famous for making advertisements for the Conservative Party. After the brothers were forced to leave their own agency, they started a new one which has also been successful. He used to be co-chairman of the Conservative Party (2003–05). His official title is Lord Maurice Saatchi.
Saba		a mountainous island, five miles square in size, in the Dutch Antilles in the Caribbean. It has the world's shortest commercial runway for aircraft.
Sabah		one of the states that form the country of Malaysia. Sabah is on the island of Borneo.
Sacajawea		(?-1812)  a Native American woman who acted as a guide on lewis and clark's travels from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean
Sacks, Jonathan		(1948–)  a British rabbi (=Jewish leader) who was Chief Rabbi  (=the leader of the Jewish religion) in the UK from 1991 until 2013
Sacramento		a city and port which is the capital city of the US state of California
Sadat, Anwar al-		(1918–81)  the president of egypt from 1970 to 1981, who tried to bring peace between the Arabs and Israelis. He shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Menachem begin in 1978 and they signed the camp david agreement in the following year. He was murdered by extremist Muslims who opposed his policy towards Israel.
Saddam Hussein		(1937–2006)  the president of iraq from 1979 to 2003. He led Iraq in a war against Iran (1980–88) , and in 1990 he tried to take control of Kuwait. This caused the first Gulf War, and Saddam's armies were forced to leave Kuwait by United Nations forces, led by the US. After the war, the UN demanded that its officials should be able to examine places where Iraqi weapons were made and stored. The US believed that Saddam was preventing them from doing this, so they led a coalition (=group of armies from different countries) which invaded Iraq in 2003 and took him prisoner. He was later put on trial by the Iraqi authorities for crimes against the Iraqi people. He was found guilty of crimes against humanity, sentenced to death, and executed in 2006.
Sade, Marquis de		(1740–1814)  a French writer who was put in prison for his violent sexual actions. He wrote novels and plays about the sexual pleasure he got from hurting other people, and sadism, the word for this type of sexual pleasure, is based on his name.
Sadie Hawkins Day		a day when, according to an old US custom, women can ask men to go out with them to start a romantic relationship, or women can ask men to dance with them at an event called a Sadie Hawkins dance. Sadie Hawkins is usually in November, and it is based on an imaginary character who first appeared in the US cartoon strip (=a set of drawings that tell a funny story in a newspaper or magazine) L'il Abner in the 1930s.
Sadler's Wells		a theatre in London where dance performances are held
Safeway		a supermarket, with stores in many cities in the US. It also used to have stores in the UK but these were sold to Morrisons in 2003.
Safire, William		(1929–2009)  a US writer and columnist who usually wrote about the English language, but who also wrote articles expressing conservative opinions
SAG		(Screen Actors' Guild) a trade union in the US for actors and actresses who perform in films for the cinema or television
Sagan, Carl		(1934–97)  a US astronomer (=a scientist who studies the stars), who was especially interested in discovering whether there were living creatures in other parts of the universe. He made a popular series of television programmes about the universe, called Cosmos.
Sahara, the		the world's largest desert which covers a very large area of North Africa. Some scientists believe that the desert is gradually becoming bigger.
Saigon		the former name of Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam. It was the capital of South Vietnam when the country was divided in two, and it was badly damaged during the vietnam war.
Sainsbury's		a British supermarket (=very large store that sells mainly food, but also clothes, things for the home etc)
Sainsbury Wing, the		a new part that was added to the national gallery in London in 1991
Saint Bernadette
Saint Christopher		a small round metal picture of St christopher that people wear on a chain round their necks or leave in their cars to protect them when they are travelling
Saint George
Saint George's		the capital city of Grenada
Saint Joan
Saint John the Baptist
Saint Laurent, Yves		(1936–2008)  a French fashion designer. He was known for being the first couture designer  (=someone who designs very expensive clothes in the latest fashions) to produce ready-to-wear clothes on a large scale
Saint Leger
Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick's Cathedral		the largest Roman Catholic church in the US. It is in New York City on Fifth Avenue and was built between 1858 and 1879.
Saint Paul's Cathedral		a cathedral in central London, which is the largest Protestant church in the UK and one of the best-known buildings in London. It was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and built between 1676 and 1710. A previous cathedral in the same place was destroyed in the Great Fire of London (1666).
Saint Peter
Saint Peter's		the largest Christian church in the western world, in the Vatican City in Rome, built in the 16th century. It is the most important church in the Roman Catholic religion, and the artist Michelangelo was one of its main designers.
Saint Petersburg
Saint Peter's Square		the very large square outside Saint Peter's in Rome, where thousands of people gather to hear the Pope give special messages at Christmas and Easter
Saint-Saëns, Camille		(1835–1921)  a French composer whose works include Carnival of the Animals, the Organ Symphony, and the  opera Samson and Delilah
Saint Swithin's Day		July 15th. According to a British old tradition, if it rains on Saint Swithin's Day it will rain for the next 40 days.
Sakharov, Andrei		(1921–89)  a Russian physicist who helped to develop the Soviet hydrogen bomb and who was also known for being a dissident (=someone who criticizes his country's government and is badly treated because of his beliefs). He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975, but the Soviet government would not allow him to travel to Norway to receive it. He was sent away from Moscow as a punishment, until Mikhail gorbachev became Soviet president and allowed him to return.
Saki		the name used by the British writer H.H. Munro(1870–1916) , who wrote amusing short stories which often had unexpected endings
Saks		a well-known New York department store, known especially for its clothes. Its full name is Saks Fifth Avenue.
Salem		a town in Massachusetts in the eastern US, famous for the Salem Witch Trials in 1692, when many women were taken to a court of law and then officially killed because they were thought to be witches (=women who use magic powers to do bad things). People sometimes use the word 'witch-hunt' to describe situations in which innocent people are punished for things they did not do or for having opinions that other people do not approve of, especially the situation in the US when the huac punished people who were believed to be Communists.
Salford		an industrial city in northwest England, near to Manchester, known for its docks, and for the painter L.S. lowry, whose paintings show the factories and people of Salford
Salinger, J.D.		(1919–2010)  a US writer best known for his book The Catcher in the Rye, one of the most famous and popular US novels ever written. Since writing this in 1951, he wrote some short stories, but he never wrote another novel, and he was known for being a recluse (=someone who lives on their own and avoids other people).
Salisbury		a city in southern England famous for its large 13th century cathedral, which attracts many tourists
Salisbury Plain		a large piece of open country in southern England, used by the army as a training area. stonehenge, a structure of stone circles from 2500–1500 BC, is on Salisbury Plain.
Salk, Jonas		(1914–95)  a US scientist who produced the first successful vaccine (=a substance that is put into a person's body to protect them from a disease) against polio (=a serious disease that damages muscles permanently)
Sally Army, the		an informal name for the Salvation Army
Salmond, Alex		(1954-)  a Scottish politician who became First Minister of Scotland in 2007. He is the leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) and a keen supporter of independence for Scotland.
Salome		in the New Testament of the Bible, the stepdaughter of King Herod who performed a dance called the Dance of the Seven Veils. Her dancing pleased Herod so much that he said she could have anything she wanted. She asked him to give her the head of John the Baptist on a plate, which he did.
Salop		a former name for the English county of shropshire
SALT		(Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) talks between the US and the former Soviet Union, which aimed to reach agreement about limiting the number of nuclear weapons that each country kept. Two SALT Treaties  (=official agreements) were signed: SALT I (1972) and SALT II (1979).
Salt Lake City		the capital city of Utah in the western US, best known as the centre of the mormon religion
Salzburg		a city in Austria famous for the music festival that takes place there every year, and for being the place where mozart was born
Samaritans, the		an organization that offers a free telephone service to help people who are very sad, worried, or confused. The Samaritans are known for listening to people who feel uncomfortable talking to someone they know about their problems, or who feel so unhappy that they want to kill themselves. The organization started in Britain but now operates in 32 countries around the world.
Sambo	 noun	an extremely offensive word for a black man or boy, which came originally from an old story about a black boy called Sambo who ate a lot of pancakes
Sami
Samoa		a group of islands in the South Pacific, including Savai'i and Upolu, formally called Western Samoa until 1997. Population: 195,476 (2014). Capital: Apia.
Samson		a very strong man who is a great fighter and whose story is in the Bible. A woman called Delilah finds out that his strength comes from his long hair, and she uses her sexual power to trick Samson into having his hair cut off. This allows his enemies, the Philistines, to make him a prisoner and blind him. His strength returns when his hair grows again, and he destroys the Philistines' temple by pulling down the pillars that hold the roof up, killing himself and his enemies.
Sana		the capital of Yemen, formerly the capital of North Yemen
San Andreas fault, the		a crack in the Earth's surface which runs from the north to the south of California in the western US. The large areas of rock on either side of this crack are slowly moving in different directions, and this sometimes causes earthquakes (=when the Earth's surface suddenly shakes, causing a lot of damage).
San Antonio		a city in southern Texas known for its large numbers of Mexican-Americans and for the alamo, where Texans were defeated by much larger numbers of Mexicans in 1836
Sancho Panza		the servant of don quixote in the book by Miguel de cervantes
Sanctus, the		a prayer or hymn (=song of praise to God) which is said or sung as part of the mass in Christian churches
Sandburg, Carl		(1878–1967)  a US writer and poet who won pulitzer prizes for his books about the life of Abraham lincoln and for his poetry, which is typically about cities and industry
Sanders, Colonel
Sand, George		(1804–76)  a French female writer of novels, whose real name was Amandine Aurore Dupin. She is known for her long relationship with the composer chopin, and for wearing men's clothes to show her belief that women should have the same rights as men.
Sandhurst		the Royal Military Academy in the village of Sandhurst in southern England, which trains officers for the British army. Sandhurst is the best known and most respected military college in the UK
San Diego		a city in southern California, US, which is a port, an industrial centre, and a base for the US navy. It is also known for having excellent weather all year round.
Sandinistas, the	 noun	a left-wing political organization in Nicaragua in central America, who gained power in 1979 and got rid of the dictator Somoza. They were the government of Nicaragua until they were defeated in elections in 1990. The Sandinistas were strongly opposed by the US, which provided money, weapons, and military training to a right-wing opposition group called the Contras. They are still one of the main two political parties in Nicaragua and they were elected back into government in 2006.
Sandown Park		a well-known racecourse in England used for horse races
Sandringham		a large house in Norfolk in the east of England, where the British royal family lives for part of the year, especially around Christmas
Sanforized		cloth that is Sanforized has been treated so that it will not shrink (=become smaller) when you wash it
San Francisco		a city and port in California, US known for being a very beautiful city, built on hills next to a bay (=an area of sea that curves inwards towards the land) on the Pacific Ocean. Its famous areas include Chinatown, where many people live whose families originally came from China, the golden gate bridge, and the prison island of alcatraz. It is also known for its cable cars and for having a large homosexual population. The city is close to the san andreas fault, and was almost destroyed by the great earthquake and fire of 1906.
Sanger, Margaret		(1883–1966) a US woman who started the first birth control center in the US, to help women control the number of children they had
San José		the capital of Costa Rica, in the centre of the country, on the Pan-American Highway
San Marino		a very small country in northeast Italy, known for being one of the smallest countries in the world. Population: 32,448 (2014). Capital: San Marino.
San Quentin		a large prison in the town of San Quentin, California, US	〔美国加利福尼亚州的〕圣昆廷监狱
San Salvador		the capital city of El Salvador
Santa Fe		the capital city of New Mexico, which is a popular place for tourists to visit and is known for the important part that Mexicans and Native Americans have played in its history and culture
Santa Fe Trail, the		an important road in the West of the US, starting in Missouri and ending in Santa Fe, which was used in the 19th century by American settlers (=people going to live in areas where not many people have been before)
Santa Maria		one of the three ships that sailed to America with Christopher Columbus in 1492. The other two were the Niña and the Pinta.
Santa Monica		a city close to Los Angeles in southwest California in the US. It has a beautiful beach that people like to visit, and has many art galleries (gallery) and artists' studios
Santa's Grotto		an area of a large shop in the UK designed to look like the place where santa claus lives, where children can pay to go to see a man dressed as Santa Claus. The children sit on his knee and tell him what presents they want him to bring them at Christmas, and he usually gives them a small present before they leave.
Santer, Jacques		(1937–)  the former prime minister of Luxembourg, who became president of the European Commission in 1995. He resigned in 1999, together with all the other members of the Commission, after an independent report into the Commission.
Santiago		the capital and largest city of Chile, in South America, which is the country's industrial and financial centre
Santiago de Compostela		a city in northwest Spain, where the body of St James, one of Jesus Christ's disciples, is supposed to be buried. It is famous as a place which pilgrims (=people making a religious journey) have visited for hundreds of years.
Santo Domingo		the capital city of the Dominican Republic, in the Caribbean Sea
Sappho		(6th century BC) an ancient Greek poet who lived on the island of Lesbos. Her poems are mostly about love and personal feelings, including love between women, and she is especially admired by lesbians.
Sarajevo		the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Many battles between Serbs and Bosnian Muslims were fought there in the 1990s during the bosnian war, and much of the city was destroyed. During the war, Sarajevo was under siege by the Bosnian Serb army who surrounded it and would not let any people out or any food or goods in. It is also known as the place where the Archduke Franz Ferdinand was murdered in 1914, an event which led to the start of World War I.
Sarawak		one of the states that form the country of Malaysia. Sarawak is on the island of Borneo.
Sardinia		a large island which is part of Italy, south of Corsica and west of Italy in the Mediterranean Sea
Sargent, John Singer		(1856–1925)  a US artist who lived and worked mainly in London and is known especially for his paintings of rich and important people
Sargent, Sir Malcom		(1895–1967)  a British conductor (=someone who directs a group of musicians) known especially for being the conductor in charge of the proms from 1957 to 1967. He was very popular with the people who came to these concerts, and he always made an amusing speech at the final concert each summer, the last night of the proms.
Sark		one of the Channel Islands between England and France. It is politically part of the UK, but it also has its own parliament, and it is known for having no cars.
Sarkozy, Nicolas	 	(1955- ) a French politician who was the president of France from 2007 until 2012. Before being elected president, he was the leader of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), a right-wing party. He has also held various other government positions including Minister of the Interior, Minister of State of Economy, Finance, and Industry, and Minister of the Budget.
Sartre, Jean-Paul		(1905–80)  a French philosopher who also wrote novels, plays, and short stories. He was a leading influence in the development of existentialism, and is one of the best-known philosophers of the 20th century. His novels include the trilogy (=a series of three books) Les chemins de la liberté (translated as Roads to Freedom). He is also known for his long relationship with the  feminist writer Simone de Beauvoir, and for his  left wing political views and his support for student protests in France in 1968.
Saskatchewan		a province in central Canada, which has a border with the US states of Montana and North Dakota
Sasquatch	 noun	another name for bigfoot, an animal like a human which some people claim to have seen in the northwestern US
Satanic Verses, The		(1988) a novel by Salman rushdie which caused great offence to many people whose religion is islam and caused the Ayatollah khomeini to give a fatwa, and order that Rushdie should be killed
Saturday Evening Post, The		a popular US family magazine that started in 1821 and continued until 1969. It contained news, short stories, humorous cartoons, and reviews. Pictures by Norman rockwell often appeared on its cover.
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning		a novel (1958) by British writer Alan Sillitoe, about a young man, Arthur Seaton, who works in a factory. On Saturday nights he goes out, drinking a lot in pubs and has an affair with the wife of one of his friends. He was considered an example of the Angry Young Man of that time.
Saturday Night Fever		(1977) a US film in which John travolta appears as a young man who is very good at disco dancing. The music, played by the bee gees, and the clothes in the film, are thought to be typical of the 1970s.
Saturday Night Live		a humorous US television programme which started in the 1970s and is known for being the programme on which many well-known comedians such as Eddie Murphy, Chevy Chase and Bill Murray first appeared
Saturday night special	 noun	a type of cheap small handgun that can be bought easily in the US and is often used in crimes
Saudi	 noun	a person who comes from Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia		an oil-producing country in the Middle East, ruled by a king. Its official title is 'the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia'. Population: 26,939,583 (2014). Capital: Riyadh. The city of Makkah (Mecca), the holiest place in the religion of Islam, is in Saudi Arabia.
Saunders, Ernest		(1935–)  a British businessman who was head of the Guinness company in the 1980s. Saunders was sent to prison for five years in 1990 after being found guilty of dishonest business practices. He was let out of prison after ten months because he apparently had Alzheiner's disease, but he recovered after he left prison.
Save the Children		an international charity organization which helps children all over the world, especially in poorer countries. Its president is Princess Anne.
Savoy, the		a very expensive famous hotel in central London, next to the River Thames
Sawyer, Tom		the main character in the book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1896 ) by Mark Twain. Tom is a brave and clever boy, but often gets into difficult or dangerous situations. His best friend is Huckleberry Finn.
Sayers, Dorothy L.		(1893–1957)  a British writer known for her detective novels (=books about crime and murder) in which the main characters are Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane
SC		the written abbreviation of South Carolina
Scafell Pike		a mountain in the lake district, northwest England, which is the highest mountain in England
Scandinavia		an area of Northern Europe consisting of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland
Scapa Flow		an area of sea between two of the orkney Islands in northern Scotland. It was an important base for the British navy during World War I, and 71 German warships which had surrendered (surrender ) were sunk there when the war ended.
scareware	 noun	software that shows you false warning messages that make you think, wrongly, that you need to buy some anti-virus software to deal with the problem
Scarface
Scarfe, Gerald		(1936–)  a British cartoonist who draws political cartoons for newspapers and magazines. He has also done drawings for animated films such as Pink Floyd's The Wall and Hercules.
Scargill, Arthur		(1938–)  a British trade union leader, who was president of the National Union of Mineworkers (1981–2000). He is remembered especially for leading Britain's coal miners in a long but unsuccessful strike (=occasion when workers stop working in order to protest or ask for higher pay) in 1984 to 1985, and for his strong opposition to Margaret Thatcher. He was a very effective public speaker, and in the 1990s he often criticized the leaders of the Labour Party and said that they had given up their left-wing principles.
Scarlatti, Domenico		(1685–1757)  an Italian composer who wrote over 500 pieces of music for the harpsichord
Scarlet Pimpernel, The		the main character in the adventure story The Scarlet Pimpernel (1905) by Baroness Orczy. The 'Scarlet Pimpernel' is the name used by Sir Percy Blakeney, an Englishman who uses many clever  disguises (=ways of changing your clothes and appearance so that people do not recognize you) in order to help French people from a high social class to escape from France, and from the possibility of having their heads cut off by the  guillotine during the  french revolution. There is a well-known short poem about him, which begins with the words 'They seek him here, they seek him there...', and is about how difficult it is to find the Scarlet Pimpernel.
Scarman Report, the		a report by Lord Scarman on the Brixton and Toxteth riots in the UK in 1981, which tried to explain why they had happened and what the government and the police should do as a result. The report said that some racial groups suffered many disadvantages, such as not having jobs, and that the police's attitude towards them was unfair.
SCE	 noun	(Scottish Certificate of Education) an examination formerly taken by students in schools in Scotland. There were three levels of examination in many different subjects: SCE O grades were taken at the age of 15 or 16; SCE highers were taken a year later; and Sixth Year Studies were taken a year later in the last year of school. It was replaced by the Scottish Qualifications Certificate (SQC) in 2000.
Schama, Simon		(1945–)  a British professor who teaches at Columbia University. He has written many books on history and art. He is well known in Britain as the presenter of television programmes based on his books such as Landscape and Memory and A History of Britain.
Scheherazade		the woman who tells the stories in The arabian nights. Scheherazade marries a man who always kills his wife on the night after the wedding. To prevent him from killing her too, she tells him part of an interesting story and then says she will tell him the rest of the story the next night. Because he wants to hear the end of the story, he does not kill her. She does this every night for one thousand and one nights, and after this, he allows her to live.
Schiller, Friedrich von		(1759–1805)  a German writer of plays, poetry, and history, best known for his Ode to Joy which  beethoven set to music as part of his Choral Symphony
Schmidt, Helmut		(1918–)  a German politician in the Social Democratic Party, who was the chancellor of the former Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) from 1974 to 1982
Schnabel, Artur		(1882–1951)  a US pianist (=someone who plays the piano), born in Austria, known especially for playing music by beethoven
Schoenberg, Arnold		(1874–1951) an Austrian composer who went to the US in 1933. He invented the 'twelve-tone system' of writing modern music, in which music is written around a set of twelve notes of a Chromatic scale. His system has influenced many modern composers. His works include Transfigured Night, Pierrot Lunaire, and an  opera that he did not finish Moses and Aaron.
School Certificate	 noun	an examination in any of a range of subjects taken in British schools between 1917 and 1951. It was replaced by the O-level examination.
Schroeder, Gerhard		(1944–)  a German politician who was Chancellor of Germany (1998–2005)
Schubert, Franz		(1797–1828)  an Austrian composer best known for his songs, known as lieder, his music for the piano, and his symphonies ( symphony )
Schulz, Charles		(1922–2000)  an American cartoonist who is known for his comic strip called 'Peanuts', which includes the characters Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Snoopy
Schumann, Robert		(1810–56)  a German composer who wrote symphonies (symphony ) and many songs, but is best known for the music he wrote for the piano. He was married to Clara Schumann (1819–96) , who was also a pianist and composer.
Schwarzenegger, Arnold		(1947–)  a US actor born in Austria, who was a famous bodybuilder (=someone who develops large muscles through physical exercise), and then became an actor in exciting violent films such as Conan the Barbarian (1982) and Total Recall (1990). He is known for his large muscles, for speaking English with a strong German accent, and for saying 'I'll be back' in the film  The Terminator (1984). He was governor of California from 2003 until January 2011.
Schweitzer, Albert		(1875–1965)  a German doctor who went to Africa as a Christian missionary and started a hospital, in 1913 in Gabon, where he worked until his death, especially treating people who were suffering from leprosy. He was also a musician and a philosopher, and he was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952. He was known especially for being very morally good.
Science Museum, the		a large museum in London containing many important scientific objects, which show the history and development of science and technology
Scientific American		a monthly magazine with articles about new discoveries and developments in all the sciences, written for educated readers
Scientology		a religion that was started in the 1950s by the US writer L. Ron Hubbard, officially called the Church of Scientology. It aims to solve its members' problems in life and to improve their ability to achieve what they want.
Scilly Isles, the		a group of about 140 small islands off southwest England, five of which have people living on them. The Scilly Isles are popular with tourists, and the weather there is warmer than in the rest of Britain.
Scone, the Stone of
Scopes Trial, the		a famous US court case in which John Scopes, a biology teacher, was taken to a court of law in 1925 for teaching Darwin's Theory of Evolution, because this was against the law in the state of Tennessee, where the story of the Creation, as told in the Old Testament of the Bible, had to be taught in state schools. He was defended by the lawyer Clarence Darrow, but was found guilty.
Scorsese, Martin		(1942–)  a US film director whose films often deal with violent subjects. He has made many of his films with the actor Robert de Niro, including Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), and Goodfellas (1990). His other films include Gangs of New York (2002) and  The Departed (2006) for which he won an Oscar.
Scotland		a country in the United Kingdom, north of England. Population: 5,295,400 (2014). Capital: Edinburgh. Scotland was an independent country until the Scottish and English parliaments were united by the 'Act of Union' in 1707, and it still has a different legal system and a different education system from the rest of the UK. Scotland has had its own parliament since 1999. It is still part of the UK, but some groups such as the SNP (the Scottish National Party) want Scotland to become an independent country. Scottish Gaelic is still spoken by some people in the northwest of the country and in the islands off the west coast. Scotland is known for its beautiful countryside and its many lochs (=lakes), islands, and mountains. When people think of Scotland, they often think of men wearing kilts (=a sort of skirt of thick woollen cloth, with a tartan pattern) and playing the bagpipes (=a type of Scottish musical instrument). Products that are thought of as very typical of Scotland include the haggis (=a food in the shape of a ball, made from chopped up sheep's meat and grains) and Scotch whisky. The national symbol of Scotland is the thistle, and its patron saint is Saint Andrew. People from Scotland are called Scots. They are Scottish.
Scotland Office, the		the British government department responsible for matters such as employment, foreign affairs, and defence that were not devolved to the Scottish Parliament when it was established in 1999. The Scotland Office replaced the Scottish Office in that year.
Scots law	 noun
Scotsman, The		a serious Scottish daily newspaper
Scott, Captain Robert Falcon		(1868–1912)  an officer in the British navy, often called Scott of the Antarctic, who made two journeys to the Antarctic to try to be the first person to reach the South Pole. He and his group reached the South Pole in 1912, shortly after the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, but they all died on the way back. His journal, in which he describes their terrible journey, was discovered a year later. He was the father of Sir Peter Scott.
Scott Dred
Scott, George C.		(1927–99)  a US film actor who played strong determined characters. He was the first actor to refuse to accept an oscar, when he won the prize for best actor for his performance in the film Patton in 1970.
Scott-Heron, Gil		(1949-2011) a US poet, musician, and writer who became famous in the 1970s and 1980s for his songs about social and political problems, especially those affecting African Americans. His style of speaking rather than singing the words of songs later influenced hiphop music. His best-known song is The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. His full name was Gilbert Scott-Heron.
Scottish Borders		a county in southern Scotland, that has a border with northern England
Scottish Highlands, the		an area with many mountains in the northern half of Scotland
Scottish Legal System, the		the system of law in Scotland which is based on civil law, and is different from that of England and Wales, although the highest court of law in all three countries is the house of lords. When laws are made in the British parliament, they do not always become law in Scotland because the legal system is different there.
Scottish National Party	 noun	 a political party in Scotland that was started in 1934 and which believes that Scotland should become independent from the United Kingdom. Following the national elections in 2007, it became the largest political party in Scotland and formed a minority government. Following the 2011 elections, it formed a majority government and its leader Alex Salmond became the First Minister of Scotland.
Scottish National Party, the		the full name of the snp
Scottish Office, the		the former name of the Scotland Office
Scottish Parliament, the		a group of elected politicians that has the power to make laws and increase some taxes in Scotland. It was established in July 1999 after a referendum in 1997 when the Scottish people voted to have their own parliament. Before that time, the British Parliament in Westminster had made all the decisions about Scotland. The Scottish Parliament can make decisions about matters such as education, farming, health, and justice, but many powers such as foreign policy are still held by the British Parliament.
Scottish Premier League, the		the top group of professional football clubs in Scotland, consisting of 12 teams who play against each other
Scottish Qualifications Certificate, the		an educational qualification that students in Scotland can get at secondary or further education level. This qualification replaced the Scottish Certificate of Education.
Scott, Ridley		(1937–)  a British film director who works in the US, and whose films include Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982), and Gladiator (2000).
Scott, Ronnie		(1927–96)  a British saxophone player who started the UK's most famous jazz club, Ronnie Scott's, in London
Scott, Sir Peter		(1909–89)  a British ornithologist (=a scientist who studies birds) and artist, who was the son of Robert Falcon scott. He wrote many books about birds, and he supported or led various organizations that work to protect animals, plants, forests etc, including the world wide fund for nature
Scott, Sir Walter		(1771–1832)  a Scottish writer and poet who was one of the most popular British writers of the 19th century. He is best known for his many historical novels based on Scottish history, such as Rob Roy, and on old English stories, such as Ivanhoe. One of his best known poems is The Lady of the Lake.
Scotty		a character in the Star trek films and television programmes, known especially for the phrase said to him by the other characters: 'Beam me up, Scotty'
Scout Association, the		the British organization that controls the Boy Scouts
Scout Network, the		a part of the British scout association for young men and women from 18 to 25 years old
scrappage scheme	 noun	a British government scheme to encourage people to buy new cars. If you get rid of a car that is more than 10 years old and buy a new one, you are given money by the government and the car company.
Screen Actors' Guild, the		the full name of the SAG
screenager	 noun	a young person who spends a lot of time using computers, games consoles, or mobile phones, or watching television – used especially in newspapers
Scrubs, The		an informal name for wormwood scrubs prison
Scud		a type of missile (=a large weapon that can fly long distances, and that explodes when it hits its target) that was developed in the former Soviet Union. It can be fired from land or from a ship, and can carry either a regular warhead (=the explosive part at the front) or a nuclear warhead. Scud missiles were used by Iraq during the Gulf War.
Scully, Dana		the main female character in the US television programme The X Files, who is an agent for the FBI
Scylla and Charybdis		 in a situation where you have to choose between two possible actions, but both are dangerous or unpleasant. The phrase comes from the ancient Greek stories of Scylla, a monster, and Charybdis, a whirlpool (=water that spins around and pulls things down into it) that killed sailors in the sea between Italy and Sicily. People sometimes also use the phrase 'between a rock and a hard place' to mean the same thing.
SD		the written abbreviation of south dakota
SDI		(Strategic Defense Initiative) a military plan started in the US in 1983 and strongly supported by President Reagan for making special weapons that could destroy an enemy country's missiles before they could reach the US. It is commonly known as 'Star Wars' because the plan was for a system of satellites containing laser weapons that would destroy missiles from space. Many scientists believed that the plan was impossible to achieve. In the end, the plan never became reality.
SDLP, the		(the Social Democrat and Labour Party) a political party in Northern Ireland, mostly supported by Catholics, which has fairly left wing ideas. Although the SDLP wants Northern Ireland to become part of the Republic of Ireland, it is completely opposed to the use of violence to achieve this aim. The SDLP had an important part in the peace talks in Northern Ireland in the 1990s.
SDP, the	 noun	the Social Democratic Party; a former political party in the UK, which was formed in 1981 by several important MPs  (=Members of Parliament) from the Labour Party who believed that their party had become too left wing. It was led by Dr David owen. Most of its members joined with the Liberal Party in 1987 to form the Social and Liberal Democrats (also called the Lib Dems ).
Seabee		a member of a part of the US Navy that builds landing areas for aircraft and other structures that are needed in places where there is fighting. The official name of this unit is the 'Construction Battalion', and the word Seabee comes from the first letters of this name.
Sea Empress, the		an oil tanker (=a ship that carries large quantities of oil) that was damaged near the coast of Wales in 1996, so that oil poured into the sea, causing great harm to the environment
Sea Harrier
Sea King		a type of helicopter
seance	 noun	a meeting where people try to talk to or receive messages from the spirits of dead people	降神会〔试图与亡灵对话的集会〕
Sea of Marmara, the		an inland (=surrounded by land) sea in northwest Turkey, between the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles
SEAQ		Stock Exchange Automated Quotation; one of several computer systems used in the London Stock Exchange, which gives information about the price of shares
Sears		a large US store that sells most things, including clothes, tools, furniture, and electrical equipment for the home. Most large cities in the US have a Sears.
Sears Tower		one of the tallest buildings in North America, which is in Chicago, Illinois. It is 442 metres or 1450 feet tall.
Season, the
SEATO		 an organization formed by Australia, the UK, France, New Zealand, the Philippines, Thailand, and the US for giving military help to each other in southeast Asia and the southwest Pacific area
Seattle		a city and port in Washington State, in the northwest of the US. It is an important business centre, and is the place where Microsoft has its headquarters. It is known for having a lot of rain, and as a place where you can drink very good coffee.
SEC		the securities and exchange commission
Second Advent, the	 noun	second coming
Second Coming, the		the time when, according to Christian belief, Jesus Christ will return to Earth from Heaven on the last day, in order to judge people and decide whether they have been good or bad during their lives
Second Gulf War	 noun	 another name for the Iraq War
Second Life	 	an onlinevirtual world. Users, called 'Residents', can talk to and meet each other, and take part in various activities.	第二人生〔指网络虚拟世界。用户称为"居民"，可以在网上交谈、会面，并参与各种活动〕
Second World War, the
Secretariat		a horse which won many US horse races in the 1970s
Section Eight	 noun	an order that someone should be dismissed from the US army because they are mentally ill
Securities and Exchange Commission, the		a US government organization which makes sure that people and companies obey the laws about the sale of stocks (stock1 ) and bonds (bond1 )
Securities and Investments Board, the		the former name for a British organization that makes sure investment businesses in the UK work fairly and are not involved in dishonest business methods. In 1997 it changed its name to the FSA.
security mom	 noun	an American mother who believes that protecting the US and its citizens from terrorism is the most important thing that the US government can do	安全妈妈，安全母亲〔认为保护美国及其公民不受恐怖主义袭击是美国政府最重要的工作〕
Seder		a special dinner which takes place on the first two nights of Passover and is held to remember the occasion when the Jewish people left Egypt
SEGA		a Japanese company that produces computer games. Some of its games involve the character sonic the hedgehog.
Seine, the		a river in northern France which flows through Paris and Rouen, and flows into the English Channel near Le Havre
Seinfeld, Jerry		(1954–)  a US comedian and actor known especially for his very popular humorous television programme Seinfeld(1989–98) , which was about four friends living in New York City
Selassie
Select Committee	 noun	a committee of the British Parliament which is responsible for looking at a particular area of government activity, such as trade, employment, or defence. Its members can try to improve laws, check the work done in government departments, and give advice to the government
Seles, Monica		(1973–)  a US tennis player, born in Yugoslavia, who became the world's number one female player in 1991. She is known especially for being attacked by a man with a knife during a tennis game in Germany in 1993. As a result of this, she was unable to play in competitions for the next three years.
Selfridges		a large department store that has shops in London and other large British cities and sells products of all kinds, including food, clothes, furniture, and kitchen equipment
Self, Will		(1961–)  a British writer of satirical novels and short stories who also writes reviews for newspapers. His books include Great Apes (1997),  How the Dead Live (2000), and  The Book of Dave (2006). In 1997,  The Observer newspaper asked Self to write about John Major's  campaign for the elections, but later  sacked him for taking drugs on the prime minister's plane.
Selig, Allan H. (Bud)		(1934–)  the commissioner (=person in charge of an organization) of baseball in the US since 1998
Sellafield		a nuclear power and nuclear reprocessing station in Cumbria, northwest England, formerly called 'Windscale'. Sellafield produces electricity, and also treats waste from nuclear fuel so that it can be used again. Some people believe that workers at Sellafield and people who live nearby are more at risk of developing cancer than other people.
Sellers, Peter		(1925–80)  a British actor and comedian who appeared in the British radio programme The goon show(1951–59) , and is known especially for appearing as the humorous character of Inspector Clouseau, a French police officer who keeps making stupid mistakes and causing accidents in films such as The pink panther (1963) and The Return of the Pink Panther (1975)
Selznick, David O.		(1902–65) a US film producer, famous for Gone With the Wind (1939), which he also helped to write and direct. He also produced Rebecca (1940), Spellbound (1945) and was co-producer of The Third Man (1949).
Seminole	 noun	 a group of Native Americans, originally part of the Creek tribe. They lived in Florida until they were forced to move to Oklahoma by the US government in the mid-19th century
Semite	 noun	someone who belongs to the race of people that includes Jews, Arabs, and, in ancient times, Babylonians, Assyrians etc
Seneca		(about 4 BC-65 AD)  a Roman philosopher, politician, and writer of plays. He was the teacher of Nero, the emperor, and had a lot of influence over him. But later, Nero believed Seneca was involved in a plan to kill him, and ordered him to kill himself.
Seneca		 a Native American tribe who live on reservations (=areas of land that are kept separate for Native Americans to live on) in western New York State and eastern Ohio
Senegal		a country in West Africa on the Atlantic coast. Population: 13,300,410 (2014). Capital: Dakar.
Sense and Sensibility		(1811) a book by Jane austen about two sisters, Elinor, who is a very sensible person, and Marianne, who is a very romantic and emotional person, and the difficulties they face in finding suitable husbands. It was made into a successful film in 1995.
Seoul		the capital city of South Korea, a business, industrial, and cultural centre.
Septuagesima		in the Christian religion, the third Sunday before Lent
Sequoia National Park		a US national park (=an area of countryside protected by the government for people to visit) in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California, known for its extremely large trees, especially the General Sherman Tree, which is the largest living thing in the world
Sequoyah		(1760?-1843)  a Native American of the cherokee tribe, who invented a way of writing the Cherokee language, so that he could record his people's way of life
Serb	 noun	a member of a people from Serbia and the nearby areas
Serbia		a country in Eastern Europe between Romania and Bosnia and Herzegovina: Population: 7,243,007 (2014). Capital: Belgrade
Serbian	 noun	 a dialect of the Serbo-Croatian language, spoken in Serbia, which in Serbia is written in the cyrillic alphabet
Serbo-Croatian	 noun	the language of the Serbs and the Croats. The Serbian form is written in the Cyrillic alphabet and the Croatian form in the Roman alphabet. Since 1992, the Croatian language has changed a lot to make it different from Serbian.
Serious Fraud Office, the		a British government department, whose job is to examine complicated cases of fraud (=dishonest business practices) to find out whether businesses have cheated or made money in illegal ways. The SFO has the right to ask the police to charge people if it thinks they are guilty of fraud
Serious Organised Crime Agency, the		a UK organization formed by joining together the National Crime Squad, the National Crime Intelligence Service, parts of Customs and Excise, and parts of the Inland Revenue. The purpose of the organization is to stop organized crime such as child pornography, people smuggling, and the trade in illegal drugs. Although it has been compared to the FBI in the US, the organization is not intended to deal with  terrorism or murder.
Sermon on the Mount, the		a sermon given by Jesus in which he explains his religious ideas. It is one of the best-known parts of the New Testament of the Bible, and it includes a set of statements called the beatitudes, in which Jesus names the types of people who are 'blessed' (=specially loved by God).
Serpentine, the		a lake in hyde park in London. It is a custom for some people to swim in it on Christmas Day.
SERPS		(State Earnings-Related Pension Scheme) a former British government system which paid a regular income to people who had stopped working because they were old, based on the amount that they earned while they were working. SERPS was replaced n 2002 by the State Second Pension which provides an increased extra state pension for people with low or middle incomes.
Sesame Street		a popular and admired television programme for young children, made in the US and also shown in the UK. It teaches children about numbers, letters etc in an amusing way, and it also deals with social questions such as racism and attitudes to people who are disabled. The characters who appear in the programme include Big Bird, Kermit the Frog, and the Cookie Monster.
Seurat, Georges		(1859–91)  a French artist who developed the method of painting known as pointillism (=using many small spots of pure colour, rather than longer lines made with the brush). One of his best-known paintings is The Bathers at Asnières.
Seuss, Dr		(1904–91)  an US children's writer whose funny stories, poems, and pictures are very popular with young children, and include The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Seven Deadly Sins, the		the seven most serious types of bad behaviour according to the Christian church in the Middle Ages. The sins are pride (=thinking you are better than other people), lechery (=too much desire for sex), envy (=disliking someone because they have things that you want and do not have), anger, covetousness (=wanting someone else's wealth or possessions), gluttony (=eating too much), and sloth (=laziness).
Seven Dwarfs, the		a group of seven very small men in the fairy taleSnow White. In the Walt Disney film of the story, their names are Doc, Grumpy, Sleepy, Bashful, Happy, Sneezy, and Dopey. A common quiz question is to ask someone to give the names of the Seven Dwarfs.
Seven Samurai, The		a film by the Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa. It is about a poor village which is attacked by bandits. Seven samurai agree to fight for the villagers and to help protect them in return for three meals a day.
Seventeen		a US magazine for teenage girls, containing pictures and articles about fashion, health, popular music, boys etc, and answers to readers' questions about personal problems.
Seventh-Day Adventist	 noun	a member of a Christian religious group that believes that Christ will return to Earth in the near future. Unlike most Christian groups, Seventh-Day Adventists have a religious day of rest on Saturday instead of Sunday.
Seven Wonders of the World, the		seven ancient structures which were considered to be the most interesting and impressive things in the world made by ancient peoples. These were the Pyramids of Egypt, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the mausoleum (=building where people are buried) at Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Pharos (a lighthouse ) at Alexandria.
Seven Years' War, the		a war fought in Europe, North America, and India between 1756 and 1763. The war was about French and English colonies (colony ), and also Austria and Prussia wanting to control Europe. As a result of the war, France lost most of its land in India and the US to Britain, and Prussia became a leading European power under Frederick II.
Severn, the		a river in South Wales and southwest England which flows from the Welsh mountains to the Bristol Channel
Severn Bridge, the		a suspension bridge over the River Severn. The name is used by most people to refer to the Second Severn Crossing, the bridge that joins southwest England with South Wales, and is part of the M4 motorway. The original Severn Bridge is now called the M48 Severn Suspension Bridge. It also crosses the river from England into Wales, and is part of the M48 motorway.
Seville		a city in southwest Spain, known for its many beautiful and historical buildings, especially the Alcazar  (=castle) built by the Moors who ruled Seville between 712 and 1248
Seward, William Henry		(1801–72)  a US politician in the republican party who was secretary of state from 1861 to 1869. He helped to arrange the deal in which the US bought Alaska from Russia in 1867. At the time, many people thought Alaska was a bad piece of land to buy, and they called it 'Seward's Folly'.
Sexagesima		in the Christian religion the second Sunday before Lent
Sex and the City		a US TV programme which was broadcast for several years until it ended in 2004. It was especially popular with young women. The main characters were a group of four women friends who live in New York City. It was known especially for the fact that the women talked about their sexual relationships in a very open way. It was also made into a film Sex and the City: The Movie (2008).
Sex Discrimination Act, the		a British law passed in 1975 to prevent sexual discrimination (=unfair treatment of someone because of their sex), especially in employment and education
Sex Pistols, The		a British punk band who were popular in the mid-1970s and greatly influenced the punk style of clothes and music. Their members included Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious. They deliberately shocked people with their violent behaviour, swearing, and lack of respect for the British royal family. They are best known for their song Anarchy in the UK, and for their  album Never Mind the Bollocks – Here's the Sex Pistols.
Seychelles, the		a country which is made up of about 85 small islands in the Indian Ocean, to the east of Kenya. It is known for its beautiful beaches, interesting plants and animals, and as a place which rich people visit as tourists. Population: 90,846 (2014). Capital: Victoria.
SFO, the		the Serious Fraud Office in Britain
Shabbat		Saturday, considered as a day of rest and prayer in the Jewish religion
Shabuoth
Shackleton, Ernest		(1874–1922) a British explorer of the Antarctic. He was a member of the expedition led by Robert Scott, and then led three more expeditions himself. He found the south magnetic pole in 1908–9, and died on his fourth expedition.
Shadow Cabinet, the		the most important politicians in the opposition party in the British Parliament. Each member of the Shadow Cabinet is responsible for his/her party's policy in one of the main areas of government, and is called, for example, the Shadow Minister of Defence or the Shadow Chancellor. But the Shadow Cabinet has no actual power.
Shaffer, Sir Peter		(1926–)  a British writer of plays and films, best known for The Royal Hunt of the Sun (1964), Equus (1973), and Amadeus (1979), a play about Mozart which was also made into a successful film.
Shaftesbury Avenue		a street in central London where there are many theatres
Shah Jahan		(1592–1666)  an emperor (=ruler) of northern India from 1628 to 1658, who is regarded as the greatest of the Mogul family of Indian emperors. Shah Jahan built the taj mahal and many other impressive buildings.
Shaker	 adjective	relating to a style of wooden furniture of the kind made by the shakers, which is known for being simple and well-made, and has become fashionable
Shakers, the		a Christian religious group that started in England in 1747 and was established in the US in 1774. They were called the Shakers because they were known for shaking with emotion during their religious meetings. Members live together and work in their own villages, and are known for farming, making strong but simple furniture, believing men and women are equal, and choosing to be celibate (=not having sex). Because new members were not accepted after the 1960s and 1970s, there were only a few Shakers alive in the 1990s.
Shakespeare, William		(1564–1616)  an English writer of plays and poems, born in Stratford-Upon-Avon in England, who is generally regarded as the greatest of all English writers. His many famous plays include the tragedies (tragedy) Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, and King Lear, the comedies (comedy) A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, and As You Like It, and the historical plays Richard III and Henry V. Many well-known English sayings come from Shakespeare's work, and he had a great influence on the English language and English literature. Shakespeare also wrote poetry, including The Sonnets, and worked as an actor at the Globe Theatre in London.
Shane		a Western film which many people consider to be one of the best ever made. Shane is a mysterious gunfighter who wants a different kind of life. But when he rides into a Wyoming valley in 1889 he is forced to use his gun to protect a group of farmers against a rich and powerful man who wants to take their land.
Shanghai		a city in East China, in Jiangsu province, but independent of it. Shanghai is China's largest city and its most important port and an industrial centre.
Shankar, Ravi		(1920-2012)  an Indian musician and composer who is well-known for playing the sitar  (=an Indian instrument with many strings). In the 1960s he helped to make Indian classical music popular in Europe and the US, through his performances with George Harrison of The Beatles and with Yehudi Menuhin, a famous violin player. He has also been a politician and was a member of the upper house of the Parliament of India (1986-1992). Shankar is also the father of the US singer Norah Jones.
Shankill Road, the		a street in the Protestant part of Belfast in Northern Ireland, known for the fighting and violence that took place there, especially between the start of the Troubles in the late 1960s and the peace process (=attempts to end violence between Catholics and Protestants) in the early 1990s
Shankly, Bill		(1913–81)  a Scottish football player, best known as the manager of the Liverpool football team from 1959 to 1974, when Liverpool became the most successful team in England
Shannon, the		a river in the Republic of Ireland, flowing into the Atlantic Ocean near Limerick
SHAPE		(Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe) the place in Belgium where the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, one of the military commanders of nato, is based
Shard, the		an extremely tall skyscraper near London Bridge designed by the architect Renzo Piano.
Sharif, Omar		(1932–)  an Egyptian film actor, known for being very good-looking and sexually attractive. His films include Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Doctor Zhivago (1965). He is also a very good player of  bridge (=a type of card game), and he writes about bridge in newspapers.
Sharp, Becky		the main character in the book vanity fair(1847–48)  by William thackeray. She is a clever, attractive, and ambitious young woman  (=someone who wants very much to become rich and successful), who treats people cruelly and unfairly to get what she wants.
Sharp, Cecil		(1859–1924)  an English folk musician. He started the English Folk Dance Society in 1911 and is famous for having saved a great deal of folk music from being forgotten.
Sharpeville		a town near Johannesburg, South Africa, known as the place where the Sharpeville Massacre happened. On 21 March 1960 police shot dead 69 black people who were protesting against the country's system of apartheid. Many countries criticized the South African government for allowing the massacre to happen, and it is seen as an important event in South Africa's development from a political system based on apartheid to a democracy.
Sharples, Ena		a character who used to appear in the British television programme Coronation Street. She was an old working-class woman with strong opinions and strict ideas about other people's moral behaviour, which she expressed very openly.
Shatner, William		(1931–)  a Canadian film and television actor known especially for appearing as Captain James T. Kirk in the US television programme Star Trek and in a series of films based on the programme
Shavian	 adjective	connected with the Irish writer George Bernard shaw
Shavuot	 noun
Shaw, Artie		(1910–2004)  a US jazz musician, clarinet player, and  bandleader whose bands were among the most popular in the late 1930s and 1940s
Shaw, George Bernard		(1856–1950)  an Irish writer famous especially for his clever plays which criticize society and the moral values of the time. His best known works include the historical plays Caesar and Cleopatra and St Joan, and the  comedy Pygmalion, which was later turned into the popular musical show  my fair lady. He was a leading  socialist and wrote books about socialism.
Shawnee	 noun	 a Native American tribe who lived in the central Ohio valley until they were forced to move to Oklahoma by the US government in the mid-19th century
Shea Stadium		the stadium in Flushing, New York, where the Mets baseball team plays. It is also known as the place where the Beatles performed their first big concert in the US in 1965.
Sheba, Queen of
Sheen, Martin		(1940–)  an American film and television actor whose films include Badlands, Apocalypse Now, and Wall Street. He played the part of the fictional president Josiah 'Jed' Bartlett in the television series The West Wing. He is known for his liberal political opinions and he has been arrested several times at protests against US military activities.
Sheffield		a city in South Yorkshire in the north of England, famous for making tools, steel, and cutlery (=knives, forks, and spoons), although most of its old industry has now closed down. Sheffield has two universities and two football teams.
Sheherazade
Sheikh Mohammed		(1949–)  the prince of Dubai, whose full name is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum. He has been the crown prince since 1995, and is famous for owning many successful racehorses in the UK, the US, and France.
Shell		a very large international oil company which has many petrol stations world-wide
Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft		(1797–1851)  an English writer, whose best-known novel is frankenstein. She was married to Percy Bysshe shelley, and was the daughter of the feminist writer Mary wollstonecraft.
Shelley, Percy Bysshe		(1792–1822)  an English poet of the romantic movement, who was also known for his dislike of religion and his strong belief in political freedom. His most famous works were written after 1818 when he went to live in Italy with his wife Mary shelley, and they include Adonais, written in memory of the poet John  keats, Prometheus Unbound, and To a Skylark.
Shelter		a British charity organization that helps people who are homeless (=do not have a home to live in)
Shenandoah		a river and a valley in northwest Virginia in the eastern US. Shenandoah National Park, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, covers about 300 square miles, and includes forests and Skyline Drive, from which the Shenandoah Valley can be seen.
Shepard, Alan		(1923–98), a US astronaut, who was the second man in space and later the fifth man to walk on the moon
Shepherd Market		an area of mayfair in central London known especially for its many restaurants and for the prostitutes who work there
Sheraton	 adjective	the graceful style (of a piece of furniture) made in Britain around 1800 by Thomas Sheraton
Sheriff of Nottingham, the		an evil man who is the main enemy of robin hood in old English stories
Sherman Tank	 noun	a tank (=a heavy military vehicle with a large gun in front, which runs on two metal belts fitted over its wheels) used by the US army in World War II
Sherwood Forest		a forest in central England, mainly in Nottinghamshire, which is famous as the place where robin hood is supposed to have lived
Shetland Islands, the		a group of about 100 small islands off the north coast of Scotland, further north than the Orkneys. The main industries of the islands are fishing, farming, producing woollen clothes, and, more recently, handling the oil which is taken from nearby areas of the North Sea. People from the Shetland Islands are called Shetlanders.
Shields, Carol		(1935–2003)  a US born Canadian writer who wrote stories about the daily lives of ordinary people, but which also deal with difficult and complicated themes (=the main subject or idea in a book etc). Her books include Swann,  Larry's Party, and  The Stone Diaries, which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1995.
Shikoku		the smallest of Japan's four main islands
Shirley Temple	 noun	a popular drink for children in the US, made from lemonade and grenadine (=a sweet red liquid), and served with a cherry. Shirley Temples are usually served in restaurants, and they are sometimes called roy rogers if they are served to boys.
Shiva
Shoemaker, Willie		(1931–2003)  a US jockey (=someone who rides horses in races) who won thousands of races and is considered to be one of the best jockeys ever
Shogun	 noun	one of the military commanders who ruled Japan from the 12th century until 1868. During this period, called the Shogunate, the Emperor of Japan had no real power
Short, Clare		(1946–)  a British politician in the Labour Party, who became the Secretary of State  (=chief minister) for International Development in 1997. She is thought of as someone who has strong socialist beliefs and who is more willing than most politicians to say exactly what she thinks. Because of this, many people admire her, but she has often been criticized by leaders of her own party. She decided to leave the government in 2003, saying that the prime minister had broken his promise to her about going to war with Iraq.
short selling	 noun	the practice of selling shares immediately after buying them, and then buying them back later, making a profit because the price of the shares has fallen
Shoshone	 noun	 a group of Native American tribes who lived between southeast California and west Wyoming. The comanche tribes separated from them and moved to Texas
Shostakovich, Dimitri		(1906–75)  a Russian composer known especially for his symphonies (symphony) and for his opera, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk. The Soviet government sometimes disapproved of his music because they considered that it did not express Soviet principles.
showrooming	 noun	the activity of looking at goods in a shop before buying them on the Internet, usually for a lower price
Shrewsbury		a town in western England, near the border with Wales
Shriner		a member of a US organization whose members are masons of high rank. Shriners are known especially for doing charity work for children and for their travelling circus.
Shriver, Maria		(1955–)  a US television news reporter who is known for her work on the news programme Dateline NBC. In 2004 she gave up her job because her husband, Arnold Schwarzenegger, became  governor of California. She is the daughter of politician Sargent Shriver and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, and the  niece of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Ted Kennedy.
Shropshire		a county in western England near the border with Wales. Its local government is based at Shrewsbury.
Shute, Nevil		(1899–1960)  a British writer who went to live in Australia, and whose best-known novels are A Town Like Alice and On the Beach
Shylock		a character in the play The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare. He is a Jewish money-lender who lends money to Antonio. When Antonio is unable to pay the money back, Shylock says he has the right to cut a pound of flesh from Antonio's body.
Siam		a former name for thailand
SIB, the		the securities and investments board
Sibelius, Jean		(1865–1957)  a Finnish composer whose music is about nature and old Finnish stories and literature. He is best-known works are Finlandia, the Karelia Suite, and his symphonies ( symphony ).
Siberia		a very large area in Russia, between the Ural Mountains and the Pacific Ocean where there are many minerals but very few people. It is known for being extremely cold, and for being the place where Russian criminals were sent, and during the communist years where Soviet governments had prisons to which they used to send anyone who disagreed with them.
Sichuan Earthquake, the		a severe earthquake (=shaking of the ground) that mainly affected the Sichuan province of China in May 2008. At least 69,000 people were killed and millions of people were made homeless.
Sicily		an island in the Mediterranean Sea, which is part of Italy and is close to the country's southwest coast. It is known especially as the home of the mafia. Capital: Palermo.
side-scrolling	 adjective	a side-scrolling computer game has activity that is seen from the side, with the background changing smoothly as characters move from left to right
Siegel, Bugsy		(1906–47)  a New York gangster (=member of a violent group of criminals), known for building the first large hotel and casino in Las Vegas in 1947, and for making Las Vegas the most popular place for gambling (=playing games to win money) in the US
Siege of Sidney Street, the		a gun battle in which two foreign revolutionaries (revolutionary ), who were wanted for the murder of three British policemen, fought against police and soldiers in 1911. The two men were trapped in a house in Sidney Street, in the East End of London, and many shots were fired. The siege ended when the house caught fire and the two men died. The Conservative politician, Winston Churchill, then home secretary, was present at the battle.
Siegfried Line, the		a line of military defences that the German armies built on the Western Front during World War I and before and during World War II. There is a famous song which was sung by British soldiers that begins 'We're going to hang out our washing on the Siegfried Line...'
Sierra Leone		a country in West Africa between Liberia and Guinea. Population: 5,612,685 (2014). Capital: Freetown. From 1991 until 2002, there was a civil war in the country between opposing military groups.
Sierra Madre, the		a group of mountain ranges in Mexico
Sierra Nevada, the		 a mountain range in California, which separates California from the rest of the US
Sihanouk, King Norodom		(1922–2012)  the leader of Cambodia at various times during the period from 1941. He was forced by the Khmer Rouge to leave Cambodia in 1979, but he returned in 1991. He was king from 1993 until 2004 when he abdicated so that his son Norodom Sihamoni could become king.
Sikes, Bill		a character in the book oliver twist by Charles dickens. He is a violent thief who murders his girlfriend, Nancy.
Silent Night		a well-known carol (=a traditional religious song sung at Christmas), which was originally written in German
Silicon Glen		a humorous name for an area of central Scotland where there are many companies producing computer products. Its name is based on Silicon Valley, because 'glen' is a Scottish word for a valley.
Sills, Beverly		(1929–2007)  a US opera singer who was director of the New York City Opera from 1978 to 1989. She helped to make opera popular with people who did not know much about it, by putting it on television translated into English.
Silver		the name of the lone ranger's horse in a US television show. The Lone Ranger always said 'Hi ho Silver!' before riding away on him.
Silver, Long John
Silvers, Phil		(1912–85)  a US comic actor, known especially for appearing on television as the character Sergeant bilko in The Phil Silvers Show (1955–59)
Silverstone		a motor racing track in south-central England. The British grand prix (=an important international motor race) is held at Silverstone.
Simenon, Georges		(1903–89)  a Belgian writer of detective novels (=books about crime and murder) in which the main character is the French police officer Superintendent Maigret
Simon, Neil		(1927–)  a US writer of many humorous plays and films such as The Odd Couple (1968), The Goodbye Girl (1978), and Lost in Yonkers (1991)
Simon, Paul		(1941–)  a US singer and songwriter who made many successful records with Art Garfunkel in the 1960s. Together they were known as Simon and Garfunkel. He has also made several records on his own, including Graceland (1987), and he is known for his interest in  world music.
Simple Simon	 noun	a stupid person who believes everything he is told, from the name of a stupid young man in a nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for young children): Simple Simon met a pieman/Going to the fair;/Says Simple Simon to the pieman/'Let me taste your ware.'
Simpson, O.J.		(1947–)  a former US football player who was one of the most successful players of the 1970s, and who later became an actor. In 1994 he was charged with murdering his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman. The trial was watched on television by people all over the world. In the end, the jury decided that he did not kill her. Later, relatives of the murdered people won a civil court case against him and he was ordered to pay them $8.5 million.
Simpsons, The		a humorous US television cartoon programme about a family called Simpson, consisting of: Homer, the father, Marge, the mother, Bart, the son, Lisa, the daughter, and Maggie, the baby. The characters are yellow with big heads and big eyes, and Marge has blue hair that sticks up high above her head. Bart is clever but lazy, and does not like school. Lisa is very intelligent, reads a lot, and does well at school. The children argue and fight a lot. Marge takes care of them all and tries to stop the arguing and fighting. Homer loves his children but spends a lot of time watching TV, eating, and drinking beer. He works in a nuclear power station.
Simpson, Wallis		(1896–1986)  a US woman, often known simply as Mrs Simpson, who had a relationship with the British king edward viii. Because she had already been married twice before, Edward was not allowed to marry her. In 1938, he decided to abdicate (=give up his position as king) so that he could marry her. She then became the duchess of windsor.
Sinai		the part of northeast Egypt to the east of the Gulf of Suez and the Suez Canal
Sinai, Mount		a mountain in Sinai in northeast Egypt on which, according to the Old Testament of the Bible, moses received the  ten commandments from God
Sinatra, Frank		(1915–98)  a US singer and film actor, who first became successful in the 1940s, and is known especially for the song My Way. He was one of the most famous and successful singers of the 20th century, and is sometimes called 'Old Blue Eyes'. He was a member of the 'Rat Pack', a group of Hollywood stars which included Dean  martin and Sammy  davis Jr. People sometimes joke that someone has 'retired ( retire ) more times than Frank Sinatra', because he said several times that he intended to retire, but always returned to give public performances.
Sinbad		the main character in the story of Sinbad the Sailor from The arabian nights, who has many adventures at sea
Sinclair C5		a type of very small car for one person, invented by Sir Clive sinclair in 1985. It had three wheels and used an electric battery. The C5 never became popular and very few were sold, but people often made jokes about how small and slow it was.
Sinclair, Sir Clive		(1940–)  a British businessman and inventor of electronic equipment, such as pocket calculators, very small televisions, and basic computers that were cheap and bought by many people in the late 1970s and 1980s.
Sinclair, Upton		(1878–1968)  a US writer best known for The Jungle, a novel about the  meat-packing industry in Chicago, which showed that the workers were badly treated and the food was not clean and was likely to cause disease
Sindbad
Singapore		a small country on an island in southeast Asia, between Malaysia and Indonesia. Population: 5,460,302 (2014). Capital: Singapore. Singapore is an important business, industrial, and financial centre, and it is known for its rapid and successful economic development from the 1960s to the 1990s.
Sing a song of sixpence		a nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for young children) which starts: Sing a song of sixpence,/A pocket full of rye;/Four-and-twenty blackbirds/Baked in a pie./When the pie was opened,/The birds began to sing,/Wasn't that a dainty dish/To set before the King?
Singer, Isaac Bashevis		(1904–91)  a Jewish-American writer, born in Poland, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1978, and who is best known for his short stories and for his novel The Slave. He wrote in Yiddish and his work has been translated into many languages.
Singhalese	 noun
Singin' in the Rain		(1952) a very famous and popular US musical (=a film that uses singing and dancing to tell a story) in which Gene kelly and Debbie Reynolds appear. The film contains a famous scene in which Gene Kelly dances in the street while it is raining, and sings 'Singin' in the Rain'.
Sinn Féin		an Irish political party, active especially in Northern ireland, which wants Northern Ireland to become part of the Republic of Ireland. It is sometimes called the 'political wing of the IRA', and in the past supported the use of violence against British rule in Northern Ireland. From the mid-1990s, Sinn Féin had an active part in the 'peace process' (=the attempts to achieve a peaceful solution to the problems of Northern Ireland) under its president Gerry  adams.
Sioux		 a Native American tribe from Minnesota and the Dakotas
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight		a long English poem written in the 14th century by an unknown poet. It is about Gawain, a brave knight in the time of King arthur, and his adventures with a mysterious green knight.
Sirhan Sirhan		(1944–)  a man from Jordan who murdered the US politician Robert F. Kennedy, the brother of President John F. Kennedy, in 1968
Sissinghurst		a castle in Kent, southern England, known for its beautiful gardens, which were designed by its owner, the writer Vita Sackville-West
Sistine Chapel, the		a chapel in the Vatican, Rome, famous for the paintings on its ceiling done by Michelangelo, which are regarded as one of the most impressive works of art in Europe
Sisulu, Walter		(1912–2003)  a South African civil rights worker and the first full-time Secretary General of the African National Congress. He was in prison for 25 years for his opposition to apartheid.
Sitting Bull		(1834–90)  a native american chief of the sioux tribe who helped crazy horse to win a victory over General custer's army of US soldiers in the battle at the little bighorn in 1876. He later performed in buffalo bill's Wild West Show.
Siva		one of the three main gods in the Hindu religion. He is seen as both 'the Destroyer' and 'the Creator' of the universe
Sixty Minutes		a US television news programme made by CBS, which deals with several subjects in detail in each programme
Sizewell		a nuclear power station in Suffolk, eastern England. There are two power stations there: the older Sizewell A and the newer Sizewell B.
SJ		a written abbreviation used after a priest's name, to show that he is a Jesuit
Skegness		a town on the east coast of England which is a popular place especially for working-class people from central England to go for a day or for their holidays
Sketchley		 a group of dry-cleaning shops in the UK
ski cross	 noun	a type of skiing competition in which people ski down a course that has turns, slopes, and small hills. Then the fastest skiers race against each other in groups of four
Ski-Doo	 noun	a small motor vehicle for travelling fast over snow	Ski-Doo 雪地摩托车
Skinner, B.F.		(1904–90)  a US psychologist (=a scientist who studies the way the human mind works) who developed the ideas of behaviourism. He did a lot of experiments, especially with animals, to see how they behaved in certain situations and how they could be trained to change their behaviour. He also invented 'programmed learning', a teaching method which influenced the way that languages and other subjects were taught in the 1970s, although most teachers now think that Skinner's method was wrong.
Skippy		a type of peanut butter sold in the US
Skippy		a name for any kangaroo, named after the kangaroo in a TV programme in the 1960s
Skopje		the capital city of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, in the north of the country on the River Vardar
Skye		an island off the northwest coast of Scotland. It is the largest island of the inner hebrides, has many mountains, and is regarded as a very beautiful and romantic place. It is also known because of an old popular song called The Skye Boat Song which contains the words 'over the sea to Skye'. Before a bridge was built across the sea to Skye in the 1990s, the island could only be reached by boat, but the bridge has caused a lot of protest, because it costs a lot to use it.
Skylab		the first American space station, in 1973. astronauts were sent up to do scientific tests and other work in space. The space station burnt up in 1979 when it came back into the Earth's  atmosphere.
Sky Tower		a tower in Auckland, New Zealand, that is the tallest structure in the Southern Hemisphere. It is part of the Sky City Casino and is 328 metres tall.
Skywalker, Luke		one of the main characters in the Star Wars films, who leads the fight against the evil empire and Darth Vader, who is in fact Luke's father
Slaughter of the Innocents, the
SLD, the		(the Social and Liberal Democrats) a former name for the Liberal Democrats, a British political party
S level	 noun	a former British GCSE examination at a very high standard, higher than an A level, usually taken at the age of 18. S levels were replaced by AEAs in 2002.
Sligo		a county in the west of the Republic of Ireland
Sloane Ranger	 noun	a stereotype of a young English person, especially a young woman, who comes from a rich upper-class family and has conservative political values. Sloane Rangers wear very expensive clothes, and spend most of their time shopping in fashionable parts of London such as Chelsea and Sloane Square. The expression was very popular during the 1980s, but is now becoming old-fashioned.
Sloane Square		a fashionable, expensive part of central London with many expensive shops
Slob, Wayne and Waynetta		two humorous characters invented by Harry Enfield for his British television programme in the 1990s. They are stereotypes (=people who represent a fixed idea of what a particular type of person is like) of British people of the lowest social class. They spend their time watching television, smoking cigarettes, eating lots of pizza, and arguing. They wear unfashionable clothes and do not care about how they look.
Slough of Despond, the		a situation in which you are very unhappy and there seems to be no hope that things will improve, from the name of a place in the book The Pilgrim's Progress by John  bunyan
Slovakia		a country in Eastern Europe between Ukraine and Czech Republic. From 1918 to 1993, it was part of the country known as Czechoslovakia. Slovakia joined the EU in 2004. Population: 5,488,339 (2014). Capital: Bratislava.
Slovenia		a country in southeast Europe, between Austria and Croatia, that was formerly part of Yugoslavia. Slovenia joined the EU in 2004. Population: 1,992,690 (2014). Capital: Ljubljana.
Slovo, Joe		(1926–95)  a white South African lawyer, born in Lithuania, who had an important part in opposing the system of apartheid in South Africa. He was the leader of the South African Communist Party, and a leading member of the ANC. In the last two years of his life he was a minister in Nelson Mandela's government.
slowflation	 noun	an economic situation in which the economy is growing very slowly and there is also inflation
slumdog	 noun	a very poor person who lives in a slum
Slurpee		a drink made with crushed ice and a sweet liquid, usually tasting of fruit
Smash Hits		a British music magazine for young people, with articles on popular music and the singers and bands who produce it. The magazine stopped being published in 2006.
smishing	 noun	the criminal activity of sending someone a text message in order to trick them into giving personal information such as their bank account number
Smith		a very common name in the UK and the US. There is a joke that it is used by people who do not want their real name to be known, especially in the past by people who were sharing a hotel room when they were not married
Smith, Adam		(1723–90)  a Scottish economist who strongly believed in free enterprise (=an economic system in which private businesses are free to make money, and there is not much government control). He developed his ideas in his book The Wealth of Nations, which has had an important influence on modern economic and political ideas
Smith, Bessie		(1895–1937)  a US blues singer who was very popular in the 1920s, and whose style influenced many later musicians. Many people know the story of how she died after a car crash, when she was not allowed to enter a hospital for white people because she was African-American.
Smith, Dame Maggie		(1934–)  a British film and theatre actress. Her many films include two for which she won an Oscar: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) and  California Suite (1978). Her other films include  A Room with a View and the  Harry Potter series of films.
Smith, Delia		(1941–)  a British woman who writes books and makes very popular television programmes that teach people how to cook. People often simply call her Delia.
Smithfield		the name of the main meat market in London
Smith, Iain Duncan		(1954–)  the leader of the Conservative Party in Britain from September 2001 until October 2003. Many people thought he was rather boring and not a strong leader, and he lost the leadership of the party before he was able to lead the party into a general election.
Smith, Ian		(1919–2007)  the prime minister of Rhodesia from 1964 to 1978. He is remembered for making Rhodesia independent of the UK in 1965 without British agreement, with a government of only white people, although most people in the country are black.
Smith, John		(1938–94)  a British politician who became leader of the Labour Party in 1992. He was a popular leader, and a clever and amusing speaker in Parliament. His sudden death from a heart attack caused great shock in the UK.
Smith, Joseph		(1805–44)  a US religious leader who started the mormon religion. He described how an angel showed him where two golden tablets (=flat pieces of metal with words cut into them) were buried in a hill in the state of New York. He translated the writing on the tablets and it became the Book of Mormon, the holy book of the Mormon religion
Smith, Ozzie		(1954–)  a former US baseball player who played shortstop for the St Louis Cardinals team. He won the Golden Glove Award every year from 1980 to 1992, and was known as 'the Wizard'.
Smith, Paul		(1946–)  a British fashion designer, known especially for his high-quality men's clothing. His official title is Sir Paul Smith.
Smithsonian Institution, the		a large group of different museums and scientific institutions in Washington, D.C., which was established in 1846 using money left by James Smithson, an English scientist
Smith Square		the place in London where central office, the main office of the British conservative party, was based between 1958 and 2004
Smith, Winston		the main character in the book nineteen eighty-four (1949) by George orwell, who lives in a time when the government controls everything that people do. Smith is punished by the government because he tries to have a romantic relationship with a woman.
Smokey the Bear		a character used by the US forest service to warn people about the need to prevent forest fires. Smokey is a bear shown wearing a hat and saying 'Only you can prevent forest fires'.
Smoky Mountains, the
Snakes and Ladders		a type of board game for children, with special spaces on the board with pictures of ladders, which help you move forward more quickly, and other spaces with pictures of snakes or chutes, which move you backwards so that you lose your advantage
Snoopy		a dog who is one of the main characters in the popular US cartoon strip (=a set of drawings that tell a story)Peanuts which appears in many newspapers
Snowball		a main character in Animal Farm, a  satire on the Soviet Union by George Orwell. Snowball is a pig who helps the animals to drive out the cruel farmer who owns them. But he is then chased away by another pig, Napoleon. Snowball represents Leon Trotsky, who was forced to leave the Soviet Union by Joseph Stalin.
Snowdon		the highest mountain in Wales, in the Snowdonia National Park
Snowdonia		an area with many mountains in North Wales, which is a national park and is a popular place for climbers and tourists
Snowdon, Lord		(1930–)  a British photographer, who was married to the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret. Their marriage ended in 1978.
Snow, Jon		a British news reporter who presents the evening news programme on Channel 4
Snow White		the main character in a fairy tale called Snow White, who is a beautiful princess who has a jealous stepmother. The stepmother owns a magic mirror which she asks 'Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?' The mirror always answers that she is the most beautiful, until one day it says 'Snow White' instead. The stepmother is very angry and sends Snow White into the forest to be killed. Snow White does not die, but goes to live with seven dwarfs (=imaginary creatures like very small men). Her stepmother tries to kill her with a poisoned apple, but instead of dying she goes to sleep until a prince kisses her and wakes her.
SNP	 noun	 the abbreviation of the Scottish National Party
SNP, the		(the Scottish National Party) a political party in Scotland which wants Scotland to become an independent country in the EU  (=European Union). Its leader is Alex Salmond and it is the largest party in the Scottish parliament.
Snyder, Ruth		(1894–1928)  a woman famous for being photographed while being killed in the electric chair in Sing Sing prison in the US
Soap, Joe		another name for Joe Soap (= an ordinary man)
Sobers, Sir Gary		(1936–)  a cricketer from Barbados, who was a batsman and a bowler. He played for the West Indies cricket team from 1952 to 1974, and is considered to be one of the greatest cricketers ever.
Social and Liberal Democrats, the		the official name of the Liberal Democrats,a British political party
Social Chapter, the		a document produced by the eu (=European Union) and agreed upon by all the member countries, which contains details of the most important employment and social rights that should be available in these countries. The document includes rules about working hours, working conditions, and payment for work, health and safety, equal treatment between men and women, and the protection of children and young people. For many years, the Conservative government in the UK refused to sign the Social Chapter because it made the minimum wage law but this policy was changed in 1997 when the Labour Party became the government.
Social Democrat and Labour Party, the		a political party in Northern Ireland
Social Democratic Party, the		a former political party in the UK
Socialist Workers Party, the		the full name of the swp
Social Security Number	 noun	a number that the US government gives to all working people so that they become part of the welfare system. There is a similar system in the UK, by which people are given a national insurance number.
social sharing	 noun	the spreading of information about what you are doing or thinking through social media
Society of Friends, the		the formal name of the Quakers
Society of Jesus, the		the formal name of the Jesuits, a large and respected society of Roman Catholic priests, which was established in the 16th century by St Ignatius of Loyola to do missionary work  (=to spread the Catholic religion) and to set up Catholic universities in many parts of the world
Socrates		(470–399 BC)  a Greek philosopher from Athens, who was the teacher of plato and whose ideas are known from Plato's writings. He is known for encouraging people to think carefully about ideas before accepting them and for developing a method of examining ideas according to a system of questions and answers in order to find out the truth. This is known as the Socratic method or dialectic. The Greek authorities disapproved of his ideas and methods, and said he was a bad influence on young people. They forced him to kill himself by drinking hemlock, a powerful poison.
sodcasting	 noun	the activity of playing music loudly on your mobile phone in a public place – used to show disapproval
Soderbergh, Steven		(1963–)  an American film director whose films include Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Traffic, and the Ocean's Eleven etc films. He won an Oscar for Traffic.
Sofia		the capital city of bulgaria
soft synth	 noun	a computer program that makes a computer able to produce sounds or musical notes
Soham Murders, the		the murder in 2002 of two 10-year old girls in Soham, Cambridgeshire, by Ian Huntley, who was the caretaker (=person who looks after the buildings) in the school that they went to. Huntley had been accused of sex crimes in a different part of the UK before he became caretaker at the school, and he should not have been given the job. But the police in the area where he used to live had not passed on the information to the police in Cambridgeshire.
Soil Association, the		an organization in the UK which establishes standards for organic foods, making sure that they really have been grown in a natural way that does not harm the environment. Foods that are approved of in this way can have a special Soil Association sign on the package.
Solent, the		the narrow area of sea between the Isle of Wight and the south coast of England
Solidarity		a trade union which was started in Poland in 1980 by Lech walesa. Solidarity organized strikes in order to force Poland's Communist government to make political and economic changes. For a time it was an illegal organization and many of its leaders were put in prison. By the late 1980s it had become very powerful, and in 1989 it became the leading party in the new government. Although it later lost political control of the country, Solidarity had an important influence on the ending of Communist power in Eastern Europe.
Solomon Islands, the		a country made up of several islands in the southwest Pacific, to the east of Papua New Guinea. Population: 597,248 (2014). Capital: Honiara.
Solti, Sir Georg		(1912–97)  a British conductor, born in Hungary, who was the musical director of many important orchestras and was known for his very energetic style as a conductor
Solzhenitsyn, Alexander		(1918–2008)  a Russian writer who spent many years in prison because of his criticism of Stalinism and the system of government in the former Soviet Union. He was forced to leave the Soviet Union in 1974 and went to live in the US until 1994, when he returned to Russia. His books include One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Cancer Ward, and The Gulag Archipelago. He was given the Nobel Prize for literature in 1970.
Somali	 noun	 someone who comes from Somalia
Somalia		a country in East Africa between Ethiopa, Kenya, and the Indian Ocean. Population: 10,251,568 (2014). Capital: Mogadishu. Since 1991, there has been a civil war in Somalia between opposing military groups, and many people have died in the war or as a result of serious food shortages. US troops were sent there in 1993 with the aim of establishing peace, but they left in 1994 after some US soldiers were killed.
Some Like It Hot		(1959) a humorous US film, directed by Billy Wilder, which is still very popular. The main actors are Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, and Tony Curtis. The film tells the story of two men who accidentally see gangsters (=members of a group of violent criminals) murder people, and then try to escape from them by dressing as women and joining a band of women musicians.
Somerset		a county in southwest England, known especially for producing very good cider. Its local government is based in Taunton.
Somerset House		a building in the Strand in London where documents were kept containing information about British people, such as their names and their date and place of birth etc. The office dealing with these documents is now at St Catherine's House in Kingsway in London, but people still often call it Somerset House.
Somerset Maugham, W.
Somme, the		a river in northeastern France, or the area close to this river where several important battles were fought during World War I. After five months of fighting, the British army had moved forward by just a few miles, and had lost hundreds of thousands of men. Because of this, the Somme is connected in people's minds with the terrible waste of life in World War I.
Somoza, Anastasio		(1896–1956)  a Nicaraguan solider and politician. Supported by the US, he took control of Nicaragua in the 1930s and ruled as a dictator until he was killed by political opponents. His son Anastasio Somoza Debayle (1925–80)  then took control, and remained in power until he was removed by the sandinistas in 1979.
Sondheim, Stephen		(1930–)  a US songwriter and composer known especially for the clever and amusing words he uses in his songs. He wrote the words for the musical show West Side Story (1957), and the words and music for many successful musical shows, including A Little Light Music (1973). He won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama for Sunday in the Park with George.
Song of Solomon, the		a book of the Old Testament of the Bible, also known as The Song of Songs or The Canticles, which is thought to have been written by King  solomon. It contains love poems which are considered to represent God's love for his people.
Songs of Praise		a British television programme broadcast on Sunday evenings, in which people sing hymns (=religious songs). Each week the programme comes from a different church.
Sonic the Hedgehog		a character who appears in a series of computer games produced by the Sega company. Sonic is a bright blue creature who is supposed to be a hedgehog.
Sons and Lovers		(1913) a novel by D.H. lawrence about a character called Paul Morel, the son of an English  miner (=a person who works in a coal mine), and his relationships with his mother and two other women. The story is partly based on Lawrence's own life.
Sons of Liberty, the		secret groups formed in the US before the American Revolution which wanted the American colonies (colony ) to be independent of Britain
Sontag, Susan		(1933–2004)  a US writer and critic known for her intelligent writings about modern society and culture. Her works include Against Interpretation (1966) and Illness as Metaphor (1978). She has also written novels and stories.
Sooty and Sweep		two glove puppets who have appeared on British children's television for over 40 years. Sooty is an orange bear who behaves badly and whispers (=speaks very quietly) into the puppeteer's ear, and Sweep is a black and grey dog who makes squeaky noises instead of speaking. The last new Sooty and Sweep programmes were broadcast in 2004 although they are often repeated.
Sophocles		(?496–406 BC)  an ancient Greek writer of plays, who developed Greek tragedy as a style of theatre. His tragedies include, Antigone,  Electra, and Oedipus Rex.
Sopranos, The		an American television series about the life of Tony Soprano, a mafia leader who lives in New Jersey. He has to deal with problems involving both his own family and the mafia. Actors in the series include James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, and Lorraine Bracco. The series was first broadcast from 1999 until 2007.
Sorbonne, the		the oldest part of the University of Paris, established in the 14th century on the left bank of the River Seine
Sorcerer's Apprentice, the		a piece of music by the French composer Paul Dukas (1865–1935) , based on a poem by goethe about a boy who works for a sorcerer and lazily tries to do his work using magic, but everything goes wrong
Soros, George		(1930–)  a rich Hungarian-born businessman living in the US. He is an international financial businessman who is thought of as powerful enough to change the value of national currencies (currency ). He started the Soros Foundation, which gives money to help people in need.
Sorrento		a town on the southwest coast of Italy near Naples, where many people, especially British people, go on holiday
Sotheby's		a famous auction company with its main offices in New York and London, where valuable paintings, rare books etc are sold
Sound and the Fury, The		a novel by US writer William Faulkner, which tells the story of the Compsons, a family who were once important in the American Deep South.
Sound of Music, The		(1965) a very popular US musical (=a film that uses singing and dancing to tell a story) in which Julie andrews appears as a nun who goes to live in the mountains to take care of a large family of children whose mother has died. She teaches them to sing, has a romantic relationship with their father, and helps them to escape from the Nazis. Many of the songs in the film are very well known, including 'Climb Every Mountain' and the song of the title, which begins 'The hills are alive with the sound of music'.
Sousa, John Philip		(1854–1932)  a US composer and band leader, who wrote many famous marches (=music for soldiers to march to), including The Stars and Stripes Forever
South		the southeastern states of the US, used especially when talking about politics or history. When people in the US talk about the South, they mean the states that were originally part of the Confederacy during the Civil War. The economy of these states was based on slavery, and after slavery was officially ended in 1863, most Southern states made laws that were unfair to black people or separated them from white people. Today, people think of the South as a place where people are more conservative (=not wanting changes) than in other parts of the US.
South Africa		a country in southern Africa south of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe, officially called the Republic of South Africa. Population: 48,601,098 (2014). Capitals: Pretoria the administrative capital), Cape Town (the legislative capital), and Bloemfontein (the judicial capital). Largest city: Johannesburg. Although almost 75% of South Africa's population is black, the country was ruled for many years by an all-white government using the system of apartheid, which separated people of different races and gave no political rights to black people. People who actively opposed apartheid were often treated violently by the South African police and army. Because of this, South Africa was disapproved of all over the world. It was forced to leave the British Commonwealth in 1960, and in the 1980s, many countries established trade sanctions against South Africa  (=restrictions on buying and selling goods). In the early 1990s, the white government finally agreed to get rid of apartheid, and in 1994 the African National Congress (ANC), led by Nelson Mandela, won South Africa's first fully democratic election and became the government. South Africa has many industries and produces many farm products, including fruit and wine, but its best known products are gold and diamonds. It is also a popular place for tourists who come especially to see wild animals such as lions and elephants in its wildlife parks. Some parts of South Africa are known for having a high level of crime.
South African	 noun	someone who comes from South Africa
Southall		an area of West London close to Heathrow Airport. It is known for having a large population of people whose families originally came from India and Pakistan.
Southampton		a city on the English Channel coast in the south of England. It is an important port for both passengers and goods, and it also has a university.
South Australia		a state in central South Australia whose capital is Adelaide
South Bank, the		an important cultural centre on the south bank of the River Thames in London. The National Theatre, BFI Southbank (formerly called the National Film Theatre), the Royal Festival Hall, and the Hayward Gallery are all there.
South Carolina		a state in the southeast US, between North Carolina and Georgia and with a border on the Atlantic Ocean. It was one of the 13 original states, and its capital and largest city is Columbia. In 1860, South Carolina was the first of the southern states to formally announce that it was leaving the Union, and this led to the American Civil War. Its products include tobacco, wood, paper, and textiles.
South China Morning Post, The		a newspaper written in English in Hong Kong
South Circular, the		a very busy road in London, which goes through the London suburbs south of the River Thames, and connects with a similar road in north London, the North Circular
South Dakota		a state in the northern part of the central US, north of Nebraska and south of North Dakota. Its largest city is Sioux Falls. Its main industry is farming, and it produces a lot of meat and grain.
South Downs, the		a range of hills in the south of England, mostly in Sussex, where there are many sheep farms
South East, the		the southeastern part of England, including London, which has a high population and many industries and businesses
Southeast Asia		the countries of Asia between India and Bangladesh in the West, and China and the Pacific Ocean in the East. Southeast Asia includes the following countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Southend on Sea		a town on the southeast coast of England, near London, which is a popular place for people from London, especially working-class people, to go to for the day or for their holidays
Southern Alps, the		mountain ranges on the South Island of New Zealand. Their highest point is Mount Cook, which is the highest point in New Zealand.
Southern Baptist		a member of a baptist religious group that was established in the Southern US in 1845. Southern Baptists are known for their fundamentalist Christian beliefs, and they believe that everything in the Bible is exactly true.
Southern Ireland
Southern States, the		the states of the southeastern US, especially the states that fought against the North in the American Civil War
Southey, Robert		(1774–1843)  an English writer and poet who became Poet Laureate in 1813 and is now remembered especially for his book Life of Nelson and for short poems such as The Battle of Blenheim
South Georgia		an island in the South Atlantic, East of Cape Horn, which is under British control. Nobody lives there except British soldiers and a few scientists. Both the UK and Argentina think the island should belong to them.
South Glamorgan		a former county in South Wales. Since 1996 it has been divided into the new county of Cardiff and the new county borough of Vale of Glamorgan.
South Island, the		one of the two main islands of New Zealand, whose main towns are Christchurch and Dunedin. It is important for sheep farming and the growing of wheat.
South Kensington		an area of southwest central London, informally called South Ken, where there are several large and important museums, including the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. It is also a fashionable and expensive place to live.
South Korea		a country in East Asia, officially called the Republic of Korea. It developed its industry especially during the 1980s and is known for producing cars and electronic equipment. Population: 48,955,203 (2014). Capital: Seoul.
South of France		 the part of France along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, from Marseilles to the French border with Monaco. It is also called the 'Riviera' and it includes the Côte d'Azur. This area is a popular place for people to go on holiday. In the past only very rich people went there, and many fashionable, rich, and famous people still go to places such as Cannes, Nice, and St Tropez.
South Pacific		a very popular US musical play, written in 1949 by Richard rodgers and Oscar hammerstein, which was later made into a film
South Sea Bubble, the		a serious financial problem in the UK in 1720, which led to many people losing all their money. The South Sea company made large profits by trading with South America, and this encouraged many people to invest their money in it  (=lend the company money, in the hope of making more money). But the company was very dishonestly run, and in the end it failed and the money people had invested became worthless.
South Seas, the		the southern Pacific Ocean often thought of as a place with warm weather, white sand beaches, and palm trees
South Wales		the southern part of Wales, which formerly contained many coal mines, but now has a lot of modern industries. People from South Wales are sometimes called 'South Wallians'.
Southwark		a borough of London, south of the River Thames, known especially for its cathedral (=a large impressive church). The Globe Theatre, where Shakespeare's plays were first performed, is in Southwark.
South Yorkshire		a county in the north of England, whose largest city is Sheffield
Soviet bloc, the		a name for the former soviet union, together with the countries of Eastern Europe which it partly controlled, and other Communist countries that supported it, such as North Korea, Vietnam, and Cuba
Soviet Union, the		between 1917 and 1991, a country in Europe and Asia, whose full name was the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (the USSR). The Soviet Union was the largest country in the world and was made up of 15 republics (=separate nations), the most important of which was Russia. It was formed after the  russian revolution in 1917 as a Communist state, led by  lenin. For a long time it was one of the most powerful countries in the world, with a large army and many modern weapons, and it was regarded as the enemy of the US and western Europe during the  cold war. Its political system was controlled by the Communist Party. Ordinary people had little power and were not allowed to leave the Soviet Union, although a small number of people defected ( defect ) to the west  (=escaped to live in other countries). Mikhail  gorbachev, who was leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991, introduced many political and economic changes and, partly as a result of this, the Soviet Union began to break up as many of the republics got rid of their Communist governments and made themselves independent.
Soweto		a large township that was established near Johannesburg in South Africa for black people to live in, because they were not allowed to live in Johannesburg under the old system of apartheid although they were allowed to work there. In 1976 a student protest against the use of the Afrikaans language instead of English in schools became a riot and almost 200 people, including many children, were killed by the South African police and army. As a result, Soweto became an important centre for opposition to the white government.
Soyinka, Wole		(1934–)  a Nigerian writer of plays, poems, and novels. His plays include Kongi's Harvest, Death and the King's Horseman, and A Play of Giants. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986.
Space Invaders		a type of video game in which the player tries to destroy attacking spaceships. Space Invaders was one of the first video games, and was very popular in the early 1980s.
Space Needle, the		a tall tower (185 metres) which is the most famous building in Seattle, Washington State, US, and which is sometimes used in pictures to represent Seattle
Spacey, Kevin		(1959–)  a US film actor whose films include The Usual Suspects, L.A. Confidential, and American Beauty. He won Oscars for The Usual Suspects and American Beauty. In 2003 he became artistic director of the Old Vic theatre in London.
Spain		a country in southwest Europe, between France and Portugal, which includes the Balearic and Canary Islands, and is a member of the (EU European Union). Population: 47,370,542 (2014). Capital: Madrid. Some parts of Spain, especially Catalunya and the Basque country, have their own language and culture, and the southwest of Spain has been strongly influenced in its buildings and its culture by the Moors, a Muslim people from North Africa who ruled this part of Spain from the 8th to the 15th centuries. People from Spain are called Spaniards. For many British people, Spain is a very popular place to go for a holiday because of its hot, dry summers, and many people go to well-known holiday towns such as Benidorm and Torremolinos. Some British people go to live in the south of Spain when they are older.
Spam	 noun	 a type of cheap canned meat made mainly from pork	世棒午餐肉
span		a past tense of spin1
Spanish-American War, the		a war in 1898 between the US and Spain, which the US started because it wanted Cuba to be independent from Spain and because the US battleship Maine was mysteriously destroyed by an explosion near Havana, Cuba. After Spain was defeated, Cuba became independent, and the US took control of the islands of the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Theodore  roosevelt, who later became president, first became famous through his military success in this war, when he led a group of men called the  rough riders.
Spanish Civil War, the		a war fought in Spain, from 1936 to 1939, between the right-wing Nationalists, led by General franco and the left-wing Republicans. Many people from other countries joined the International Brigade to help the Republicans, including well-known writers and poets such as George orwell, and the US writer Ernest hemingway wrote about the war as a news reporter. The Nationalists won the war, and from 1939 to 1975 Spain was ruled by franco.
Spanish Main, the		the area around the coast of northern South America, from which Spanish ships carried gold and treasure back to Spain during the 16th and 17th centuries. Many of these ships were attacked by pirates, and there are many stories and films about the exciting adventures of the people who sailed the Spanish Main.
Spanish Steps		some famous steps built in the 18th century, that climb to the main French church in Rome, the Trinita dei Monti.
Spare Rib		a magazine that was produced in Britain by a group of women working together. It had articles on political subjects as well as stories by women, and information on subjects of interest to women, especially racism and feminism, and was read mainly by feminists. It stopped being published in the early 1990s.
Spark, Muriel		(1918–2006)  a British writer from Scotland, best known for her humorous novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961), which was later made into a successful film. Her official title was Dame Muriel Spark.
Sparta		a city of ancient Greece which was famous for the bravery and skill of its soldiers, and for the simple way in which its people lived without any comforts
Spartacus		(died 71 BC) a Roman gladiator (=a man who fought against other men or wild animals to entertain people), who led a large army of slaves in a revolt against their Roman owners. Eventually they were defeated by Roman armies, and many of them were killed by being crucified (crucify ). His story is told in the film Spartacus (1960).
SPCK		(Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge) a British organization which produces and sells Christian books in order to teach people more about Christianity
Speaker of the House	 noun	the person who officially controls the meetings and discussions in the US house of representatives. The political party that has the most Representatives is allowed to suggest someone for the Speaker's position, and then all the members of the House vote on this choice.
Speaker's Corner		an area in the northeast corner of Hyde Park in London, where ordinary people can go, especially on Sunday mornings, to publicly discuss their opinions about politics and other subjects. Anyone can go there and make a speech about any subject, and other people listen to them and sometimes argue with them. People often stand on a box to make their speeches.
Special Olympics, the		an international programme of sports events and sports training for adults and children who have mental problems
Spectator, The		a magazine which contains articles about politics, important events, and the arts, and which is known for the high quality of its writing. There are separate British and US magazines called The Spectator. The magazine was started in the UK in 1711, by Joseph  addison and Sir Richard  steele.
Spector, Phil		(1940–)  a US record producer and songwriter, who had an important influence on pop music in the 1960s. He produced songs for bands such as the Crystals and the Ronettes, and developed what was called 'the wall of sound' which he used on their records.
Speedos		a popular make of men's and women's swimming costumes made by the Speedo company
spell-checker	 noun	a computer program that tells you when you have spelled a word wrongly	〔计算机的〕拼写检查程序
Spence, Sir Basil		(1907–76)  a British architect, best known for designing Coventry Cathedral
spend	 noun	the amount of money spent by a company, organization, or person on something – used especially in business
Spender, Sir Stephen		(1909–95)  an English poet and critic whose books of poetry include The Still Centre and The Generous Days
Spenser, Edmund		(?1552–99)  an English poet famous especially for his epic poem The Faerie Queene which he never finished
Sperry, Elmer Ambrose		(1860–1930)  a US engineer and inventor, known especially for inventing equipment that helps ships to sail in the right direction
Sphinx, the		 a large, very ancient sphinx which is close to the Pyramids of El Giza in Egypt and is visited by many tourists
Spiderman		an imaginary hero of cartoon strips and films who is able to climb very high walls like a spider and catch criminals in a web which he throws over them
Spielberg, Steven		(1946–)  one of the most successful film directors in the history of US cinema, known especially for making films that are full of exciting events and special effects. He won Oscars, for Schindler's List (1994) and Saving Private Ryan (1999). His other films include Jaws (1975), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), E.T. (1982), and Jurassic Park. (1993). He has his own film studio called DreamWorks.
Spillane, Mickey		(1918–2006)  an American writer of violent crime novels including I, the Jury, The Girl Hunter, and The Killing Man. The main character in many of Spillane's novels is a tough private detective called Mike Hammer.
Spinal Tap		a fictional rock group in the film This is Spinal Tap, directed by Rob Reiner. The film is made to look like a  documentary and it  satirizes  heavy metal bands such as Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin.
Spirit		a US spacecraft that landed on Mars in 2004. It moved around the surface of Mars to find signs of water, take samples of soil, and take photographs.
Spirit of St. Louis, The		the aircraft in which Charles lindbergh made the first flight by one person across the Atlantic Ocean
Spitalfields		a place in East London where there used to be a market selling fruit, vegetables, and flowers. There is now a new market which sells clothes, crafts (=things made skilfully with your hands), furniture, and food.
Spitfire	 noun	a type of small fighter aircraft used by the British air force during World War II. It was especially important in the battle of britain.
Spitting Image		a humorous British television programme of the 1980s and early 1990s in which rubber puppets representing well-known people, especially politicians, performed in sketches (=short humorous scenes) about recent events in the news
Spitz, Mark		(1950–)  a US swimmer who won seven gold medals at the olympic games in Munich in 1972
Spock, Dr Benjamin		(1903–1998)  a US doctor who wrote books giving advice on how parents should take care of their children, including The Common Sense Book of Baby and Childcare (1946), which suggested that parents should allow their children more freedom than was fashionable at the time, and which had a great influence on parents in the US and UK.
Spock, Mr		a character from the US television programme Star Trek. Mr Spock is a man from an imaginary planet called Vulcan, who has pointed ears and is always completely logical, so that his ideas and decisions are based only on facts, not on emotions. He is also known for saying to his commander, Captain James Kirk, 'It's life, Jim, but not as we know it'. People sometimes use this phrase humorously to describe something strange and unfamiliar.
Spode		a type of expensive fine china such as plates and teapots made in the UK
Sport First		a British newspaper, first published in 1998, which gives news only about sport.
Sporting Life, The		a British daily newspaper which dealt mainly with horse racing. It stopped being published (publish ) in 1998.
Sports Illustrated		a weekly US magazine read mostly by men, with articles about different sports, teams, professional players etc
spot betting	 noun	a type of betting in which someone bets that a particular thing will happen during a sports game
spot fixing	 noun	the illegal activity of arranging for a particular thing to happen during a sports game, so that someone can win a spot bet
Spotify		an Internet music service that people can use to listen to millions of songs. Listeners can choose between either a free service which has advertisements and a limit on the number of hours listening per month, or a service that you pay for, which has no advertisements or limits on listening hours. Spotify was started in 2008 by a Swedish company.
Sprat, Jack
Spring Bank Holiday	 noun	a public holiday in the UK, on the last Monday in May
Springer, Jerry		(1944–)  a US talk show host who is known for the controversial discussions and frequent fights on his programmes. He was the mayor of the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, in the 1980s.
Springsteen, Bruce		(1949–)  a US rock singer and songwriter whose songs often deal with the problems faced by young working-class people in the US. He is known especially for his exciting performances, and is sometimes called 'the Boss'. His albums include Born to Run,  Born in the USA, and  The Rising.
Sprinter	 noun	a type of fast train used for fairly short rail journeys in the UK
Sprite		a type of sweet, clear, carbonated drink that has a  lemon and  lime taste
Sputnik	 noun	a satellite put into space by the former Soviet Union. There were several Sputniks, but the first of these (Sputnik I in 1957) was the first satellite ever to go around the Earth.
Spy Who Came in from the Cold, The		(1963) a novel by John Le Carré about a British spy (=someone whose job it is to find out secret information about another country) in east germany who wants to go back to the West
SQC, the		the abbreviation of the Scottish Qualification Certificate
Squanto		(?1585–1622)  a Native American who helped the pilgrim fathers, the first English people to come to America, by showing them where to hunt and fish and how to plant corn
Squeers, Wackford		a character in the book Nicholas Nickleby (1838) by Charles Dickens. He is the head teacher of a school called Dotheboys Hall, and he treats the children there very cruelly.
Srebrenica		a town near where more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys were killed during the Bosnian war in July 1995, by Bosnian Serb soldiers. The town was protected by UN forces, but they failed to prevent the killings. It was the worst massacre in Europe since World War II.
Sri Lanka		a country in southern Asia, which is an island in the Indian Ocean, southeast of India. Population: 21,675,648 (2014). Capital: Colombo. Sri Lanka was formerly called Ceylon, and it was ruled by Britain from 1798 to 1948. About 70% of the population are Sinhalese, who are mostly Buddhists. The other main group is the Tamils, who are mostly Hindus, and many of them wanted to become independent from Sri Lanka. A group called the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (commonly known as the Tamil Tigers) fought a long civil war with the government until they were defeated in 2009.
SRN	 noun	state registered nurse
SSD	 noun	(solid state drive/disk) a part of a computer that is used to store information and has no moving parts
SSI		(Supplemental Security Income for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled) a system of monthly payments made by the US government to adults over 65 who do not have much money, or to people of any age who are blind or disabled
SSN		Social Security Number
Staffordshire		a county in central England famous for its factories making china (=plates, cups etc)
Stagecoach		a British company that runs bus services in many parts of the UK and in some other countries. It also runs train services in the south of England.
Stalingrad		the old name for the city of Volgograd in the former soviet union, on the River Volga. The city was almost destroyed in the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942–43 and many Russians were killed, when the German army tried unsuccessfully to take control of it.
Stalinism	 noun	the political system and methods used by Joseph stalin when he was the leader of the former Soviet Union, or any similar political system. The main features of Stalinism were that all plans and policies were made by Stalin himself and a small group of followers, the Communist Party was the only party allowed, and violence and fear were used to prevent any opposition.
Stalin, Joseph		(1879–1953)  a Russian politician, born in Georgia, who was leader of the former Soviet Union from the death of lenin (1924) until his own death. Although Stalin was responsible for developing farming and industry in his country, and for successfully leading it in the war against Germany (1941–45), he is now remembered also for his great cruelty. Thousands of political opponents were killed or sent to prisons in Siberia, and Stalin's secret police made ordinary people live in fear.
Stallone, Sylvester		(1946–)  a US film actor, known for appearing as strong men who are good at fighting, such as the characters of Rocky, a boxer, and Rambo, a US soldier
Stamford Bridge		a village in northern England where the English King harold ii won a battle against the King of Norway, a short time before he was killed at the Battle of hastings in 1066
Stamp Act, the		a British law made in 1765 which put a tax on Britain's colonies (colony ) in North America. According to this law, various documents had to carry a stamp, which had to be paid for. This caused a lot of anger in the colonies, and opponents of the law used the phrase 'No taxation without representation', meaning that it was unfair to make them pay taxes to Britain when they did not have any representatives in the British parliament. Although the tax was removed in 1766, the Stamp Act and the anger that it caused was one of the events that led to the American Revolutionary War.
Standard grade	 noun	 (since 1986) in Scotland, the lowest level of the sce
Standard Oil		a large US oil company established in the 19th century by John D. rockefeller. In 1911 it was divided into about 30 smaller companies because it controlled the American oil industry and the US Supreme Court judged that the company was too powerful. Some of the smaller companies that were formed are still called Standard Oil, and the name 'Esso' (=S.O.) also comes from Standard Oil.
Standard, The
Standing Committee	 noun	a committee of members in the British Parliament or in the US House of Representatives, whose purpose is to examine a bill (=new law that has been suggested) and to consider whether it needs any changes
St Andrews		a city in eastern Scotland known especially for its old university and its golf courses
Stanford		a famous American university in California, south of San Francisco
Stanislavsky, Constantin		(1863–1938)  a Russian actor and theatre director who developed a new way of acting, called Method Acting. This involves actors using their own emotions and remembering their own experiences so that they feel as if they really become the character they are playing.
Stanley, Henry Morton		(1841–1904)  a British explorer (=someone who travels to places that have not been visited before). In 1871 he was sent by a US newspaper to find David livingstone in Africa, and is famous for saying 'Dr Livingstone, I presume' when he found him. People sometimes say this as a joke when they meet someone.
Stanley, Port
Stansted		one of the four international airports serving London. The other three are Heathrow, Gatwick, and London City Airport. Stansted is in Essex, 30 miles northeast of London.
Stanton, Elizabeth Cady		(1815–1902)  a US woman who was one of the leaders of a group that worked to get the law changed so that women would be allowed to vote. She and her husband, Henry Stanton, also wanted to end slavery in the US.
Starbucks		a US company that owns a chain of coffee shops selling good quality coffee. Many cities in the US and several other countries have a Starbucks.
Stark, Dame Freya		(1893–1993)  a British traveller and writer known for her books about her travels in the Middle East
Star of Bethlehem, the		the star which, in the Bible, appeared in the sky when Jesus was born, to show the way to the place of his birth
Starr, Kenneth		(1946–)  a US lawyer who in 1994 was given the job of 'independent counsel', to find out the truth about various claims made against President Clinton, including claims that he was involved in dishonest business activities and that he had had secret sexual relationships with several women. Some people criticized Starr for spending too much time and public money to find out all the facts, because they believed these had no effect on Clinton's ability to do his job well.
Starr Report, the	 noun	a very long report written in 1998 by Kenneth starr, the lawyer responsible for finding out about the sexual relationship between President Bill clinton and Monica lewinsky and whether the president had lied in order to hide the relationship. The report was made available on the internet for anyone to read.
Starr, Ringo		(1940–)  a British musician who played the drums in the pop groupThe Beatles
Stars and Bars, the		the confederate flag
Starship Enterprise		the name of the spaceship in the television show star trek
Starsky and Hutch		a popular US television programme of the 1970s, also shown in the UK, about two police officers
START		(Strategic Arms Reduction Talks) talks between the US and the former Soviet Union, which aimed to reach agreement about reducing the number of nuclear weapons that each country kept. Two START Treaties  (=official agreements) were signed, START I (1991) and START II (1993), in which each country promised to destroy several types of nuclear weapons
Star Trek		a very popular US science fiction television programme about the adventures of a group of people travelling through space in the Starship Enterprise. The characters include Captain Kirk, Scotty, and Mr Spock, and there are several well-known phrases from the programme, such as ''to boldly go where no man has gone before', and 'Beam me up, Scotty'. People who are very interested in the programme and its characters are called Trekkies.
Star Wars	 noun	an informal name for SDI
Star Wars		(1977) a very popular US film made by George Lucas, the first in a series of six films about people in the future who live in a distant part of the universe. The film describes the battles between the forces led by Luke Skywalker and those led by the evil Darth Vader. The good characters in the film are helped and protected by a magic power called The Force, and they sometimes say to each other 'The Force be with you'. It is known for its exciting and impressive special effects. There are also several non-human characters, including a talking robot called R2D2.
Stasi		the secret government police of the former East Germany. The Stasi was known for secretly watching ordinary citizens and collecting information about them for the government.
Staten Island		an island in the US which is the smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. A boat called the Staten Island ferry takes passengers between Manhattan and Staten Island. Many people whose family origins are Italian or Irish live there.
State of the Union address, the		a speech given in January each year by the president of the US to Congress and the nation, in which he gives his opinion of the economic condition of the country and explains his plans for the future
State Opening of Parliament, the		the occasion each year when the British Queen officially opens the Parliament after its summer recess (=the period when Parliament is closed), and makes a speech saying what the government plans to do during the next year. This is seen as a very traditional British event and is always shown on television. The Queen arrives in a carriage pulled by horses, and various officials wear colourful old-fashioned clothes.
State Registered Nurse	 noun	the old name for a registered nurse (=a fully-trained nurse)
States, the		an informal name for the united states of america
Stateside	 adjective	a word meaning in the US or connected with the US, used by people when they are not in the US
stations of the Cross, the		a set of 14 pictures showing events during Christ's last sufferings and death, usually put up in order round the walls inside a Roman Catholic church
STB, the		the abbreviation of the Surface Transportation Board
Steadman, Alison		(1946–)  a British film and television actress who is known especially for playing Beverly in Abigail's Party (1977) and for acting in other plays and films by Mike Leigh. Her films include Shirley Valentine and Life is Sweet.
Steed, John		the main character in the UK television series the avengers, played by Patrick McNee. Steed was known for being very clever, wearing a suit and bowler hat, and carrying an umbrella.
Steel, Danielle		(1947–)  a US writer of popular novels, including The Wedding and Bittersweet. She has written more than 60 books, most of which are  romances.
Steele, Sir Richard		(1672–1729)  an Irish writer who started the magazine The tatler. His friend Joseph  addison also wrote articles for it.
Steerpike		a character in the novel Gormenghast by Mervyn  peake, who only wants power and will do anything to get what he wants
Steffens, Lincoln		(1866–1936)  a US newspaper writer who had a special interest in corruption (=dishonest behaviour by people in official positions). He is known especially for his magazine articles about crime and dishonesty in city governments, some of which also appear in his book The Shame of the Cities.
Steinbeck, John		(1902–68)  a US writer whose novels, including The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden, and Of Mice and Men show great sympathy for poor people and their problems. He is one of the most popular and admired US writers of the 20th century, and he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962.
Steinbrenner, George		(1930–2010)  a US businessman who became the owner of the New York Yankees baseball team in 1973. He was known for saying exactly what he thought, paying a lot of money for baseball players, and for changing the manager of the team a lot. He was suspended from baseball for two years in the 1970s after he admitted illegally giving money to Richard Nixon's campaign for president. In 1990 he was banned (ban) from baseball after paying someone to get information on a player during an argument over that player's contract, but he was allowed to return in 1993.
Steinem, Gloria		(1934–)  a US writer and feminist who was a leading member of the Women's Movement in the 1960s, and started the magazine called Ms. in 1971
Steiner, Rudolf		(1861–1925)  an Austrian philosopher who believed that human beings can be trained to develop their spiritual powers. He is known especially for developing his own system for educating children, and for starting schools, called Steiner schools or Waldorf schools, that use his educational methods.
Stein, Gertrude		(1874–1946)  an American writer, poet, and playwright (=someone who writes plays) who spent much of her life in France and who was an important supporter of writers and artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Ernest Hemingway. She was a feminist and had a lesbian relationship with Alice B. Toklas. Her works include Four Saints in Three Acts, An Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, and The Mother of Us All.
Stein, Jock		(1922–1985)  the football manager of Scotland's national team during the 1970s and early 1980s, known as the Big Man, and often regarded as a great manager
Stein, Rick		(1947–)  a well-known British chef who owns a restaurant in Padstow, Cornwall and who is known for being very enthusiastic about seafood. He has written several books and made many television programmes about cooking.
Steinway		a company that makes very good quality pianos, or a piano produced by this company. It has factories both in the US and Germany. The full name of the company is Steinway & Sons.
Steinway	 noun	a type of expensive piano of very good quality, made by a company that was established in New York by Henry Steinway in the 19th century
Stendhal		(1783–1842)  a French writer whose best-known books are Le Rouge et le Noir and La Chartreuse de Parme
Stephenson, George		(1781–1848)  a British engineer who is generally considered to have developed the first steam-powered railway engine. He also built the first public railway to carry passengers in 1825 (the Stockton and Darlington Railway in northern England), and he is known especially for his steam train The Rocket.
Stephenson, Robert		(1803–59)  a British engineer, the son of George Stephenson. He continued his father's work on the development of the steam train, and is also known for building bridges, including the railway bridge over the menai straits in North Wales.
Steptoe and Son		(1962–74)  a famous British television comedy programme about Albert Steptoe and his son Harold who work as rag-and-bone-men in London
Sterne, Laurence		(1713–68)  an Irish writer, best known for his humorous novel tristram shandy, one of the earliest novels in English. His style influenced later writers who used the stream of consciousness method.
Stern, Howard		(1954–)  a US radio talk show host who is famous for trying to shock and offend the people who listen to and call his show. The name 'shock jock' was invented to describe what he does.
Stern, Isaac		(1920–2001)  a US violin player, born in Russia
Stetson	 noun	a tall hat with a wide brim (=edge), worn especially in the American West	〔尤指美国西部的〕斯泰特森帽
Stevenson, Adlai		(1900–65)  a US politician in the Democratic Party who competed in the elections for president in 1952 and 1956, but was beaten by eisenhower both times. He helped to establish the un (=United Nations) in 1946, and was the US delegate (=elected representative) to the UN from 1961 to 1965.
Stevenson, Robert Louis		(1850–94)  a Scottish writer whose books treasure island and kidnapped are among the best-known adventure stories in English. He also wrote The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Stevens Report, the		a report that was made available to the public in 2003 by Sir John Stevens, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, and which was the result of British government investigations since 1989. The report said that members of the army and the police in Northern Ireland had secretly helped the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), a Loyalist paramilitary group, to murder Catholics in the 1970s and 1980s, including Pat Finucane, a solicitor who was shot in 1989.
Stevens, Thaddeus		(1792–1868)  a US politician in the Republican Party who was strongly opposed to slavery and was an important supporter of the programme of reconstruction after the American Civil War
Stevens, Wallace		(1879–1955)  a US poet whose collections of poems include Harmonium and The Man with the Blue Guitar
Stewart, James		(1908–97)  a very popular US film actor, known for his soft, slow way of speaking and for often playing very ordinary, honest characters. His many films include Mr Smith Goes to Washington (1939) and It's a Wonderful Life (1946), and he also acted in several films by the director Alfred  hitchcock, including Rear Window.
St Helens, Mount		a volcano in Washington State in the northwestern US, which erupted (erupt ) in 1980 after a quiet period of over a hundred years, sending out ash (=powder produced when something has been burnt) and lava (=hot liquid rock) over a wide area. The large amount of ash in the air affected the weather in many northern parts of the world for some time.
Stirling		a county in central Scotland
St Ives		a small town on the coast of Cornwall in southwest England, popular with tourists and also a centre for water sports and painters
St James's Palace		a royal palace in central London
St James's Park		a small royal park near buckingham palace in London
St Katharine's Dock		a dock on the River Thames near the Tower of London, where ships used to be loaded and unloaded. It is now a centre for sailing boats, including some very old boats that tourists can visit.
St Kilda		a rocky island in the Atlantic Ocean, west of Scotland. People used to live there, but the last people left in 1930. It is now a nature reserve, with many interesting birds.
St Kitts-Nevis		a country in the east Caribbean Sea, officially called St Christopher Nevis, consisting of three islands: St Kitts, Nevis, and Anguilla. Population: 51,134 (2014). Capital: Basseterre.
St Lawrence River, the		a North American river which flows from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St Lawrence and forms part of the border between the US and Canada
St Lawrence Seaway, the		a waterway in North America through the St Lawrence River and all the Great Lakes, which can be used by large ships. It was built by the US and Canada by digging passages out of the ground to connect the river and the lakes, and was opened in 1959.
St Leger, the		a well-known British horse race run in September at Doncaster. It is for three-year-old horses and was established in 1776.
St. Louis		a city in the state of Missouri in the eastern central US, which is a port and an industrial centre. It is also known for its jazz and blues music, and for the gateway arch, a very large arch built in the 1960s.
St Lucia		a country in the east Caribbean Sea, one of the Windward Islands, south of Martinique. Population: 162,781 (2014). Capital: Castries.
St Martin-in-the-Fields		a church in London known for its small orchestra and the concerts that take place there, and for the work done there to help people who do not have homes
St Moritz		a town in southeast Switzerland which is a fashionable and expensive centre for winter sports
Stobart, Eddie		(1954-2011)  the former British owner of a company that carries goods in big trucks for other companies. Eddie Stobart trucks are painted green and red, and each one is given a person's name, usually a female name such as "Maria". People called "Eddie Spotters" like to record on websites when and where they saw particular Eddie Stobart trucks. Stobart's full name was Edward Stobart.
Stockhausen, Karlheinz		(1928-2007)  a German composer who was famous for his avant garde (=extremely modern, especially in a way that seems strange) music. He used sounds of wood, glass, and metal that he had recorded, as well as ordinary instruments. He wrote more than 300 works in various styles including operas, pieces for orchestra, and electronic music. He was an important member of the Darmstadt School of composers in the 1950s and 1960s. His writing on music theory has influenced many musicians.
Stockholm		the capital city of Sweden. It is a port and also an important centre of business, art, and education
Stockton-on-Tees		a town in Cleveland, northeast England, near the point where the River Tees joins the sea. The first passenger railway in the world, running from Stockton to Darlington, was established in 1825.
Stoke Mandeville		a hospital in Buckinghamshire, southern England, which treats people who have severe injuries to the spine
Stoke-on-Trent		a city in Staffordshire, central England, on the River Trent. It is the centre of the area known as the Potteries, famous for making china and pottery since the end of the 18th century.
Stoker, Bram		(1847–1912)  an Irish writer known especially for his book dracula
Stokowski, Leopold		(1887–1977)  a US conductor who helped to make classical music more popular in the US and as conductor of the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, directed the music for, and appeared in, the Walt Disney film Fantasia (1940)
Stone, Oliver		(1946–)  a US film director and film writer known especially for making films that deal with recent US history and modern US society, often in a critical way that some people disagree with. His films include Platoon (1986), Born on the Fourth of July (1989), JFK (1991), and Natural Born Killers (1994). He won Oscars for Platoon and Born on the Fourth of July.
Stonewall		a British organization that works to improve the legal rights of homosexual men and women, and to persuade politicians to change any laws that treat homosexuals unfairly
Stopes, Marie		(1880–1958)  a British scientist who in 1921 started the first clinic (=a place where people can go for medical treatment and advice) offering practical help with birth control (=methods for controlling the number of children you have). She also wrote two popular books about sex education. At the time, her work was strongly criticized and opposed by the Roman Catholic Church and by many doctors with traditional opinions.
Stoppard, Sir Tom		(1937–)  a British writer of plays, born in the Czech Republic. He first became well-known for his play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (1967) and has since written many other plays. He wrote the film Shakespeare in Love (1999), for which he won an Oscar.
Stork		a type of margarine sold in the UK, used especially for making cakes. Some people still remember an old television advertisement for Stork, in which people were tested to see if they could taste the difference between Stork and butter.
Stormont		a castle in Belfast where the Northern Ireland Parliament used to meet. An independent Parliament for Northern Ireland was started there in 1921 but as a result of serious violence in 1969, it was ended by the British government, which continued to rule Northern Ireland from London. Since 1998, Stormont has been used for meetings of the Northern Ireland Assembly which was established as a result of peace talks. The Assembly has, however, been closed at different times because of disagreements between the political parties.
Stowe, Harriet Beecher		(1811–96)  a US writer best known for her novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, which influenced many people in the US, especially in the North, to oppose  slavery (=system in which black people were owned by white people and made to work for them). In the 20th and 21st century, the book has been criticized for the way it shows the relationship between slaves and their owners, and the expression 'Uncle Tom' is used in a disapproving way to describe an African-American man or woman who is too eager to please white people.
St Pancras		a railway station in London, next to king's cross, famous for the impressive gothic style of its buildings
St Paul		the capital city of the US state of Minnesota and an important industrial and business centre. It is a port on one side of the mississippi River, with minneapolis on the other side. Together, they are known as the twin cities.
St Petersburg		a city on the Baltic Sea which was the capital of Russia from 1712 to 1918. It was called Petrograd from 1914 to 1924, then leningrad until 1991, and then after the end of the soviet union, it was given back its original name. St Petersburg is known for its wide streets and its beautiful buildings, and Russia's most famous museum, the Hermitage, is there.
Strachey, Lytton		(1880–1932)  a British writer who was a member of the bloomsbury group and is known especially for his book Eminent Victorians, which describes the lives of four famous 19th century country people in a humorous and not very respectful way
Stradivarius	 noun	a violin made by the Italian maker Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737) . Violin players today consider his violins to be the best ever made, and they are extremely valuable.
Strait of Magellan, the		a narrow area of sea between Tierra del Fuego and the mainland of South America. It connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and was discovered by Ferdinand magellan in 1520.
Strand, the		a famous street in central London where the savoy Hotel and many theatres are
Strangers' Gallery, the	 noun	the part of the British house of commons or of the house of lords where members of the public can sit and watch what happens in Parliament
Strangeways		a prison in Manchester in northwest England
Strasberg, Lee		(1901–82)  a US teacher of acting and theatre director who was the first person in the US to use and develop the ideas about acting, called Method Acting, that were invented by Constantin Stanislavsky. From 1948 to 1982 he was in charge of the Actors' Studio in New York City.
Strasbourg		a city in northeast France where the european parliament and the council of europe are based. It is also known for its historic buildings, including the cathedral and the university.
Strategic Defense Initiative, the		the full name of sdi
Stratford-upon-Avon		a town in Warwickshire, central England, on the River Avon. It is famous as the place where William Shakespeare was born, and is very popular with tourists.
Strathclyde		a former county in central Scotland whose centre of government was the city of Glasgow. Since 1996 it has been divided into 12 authorities.
Strauss, Johann		(1825–99)  an Austrian composer who wrote more than 400 waltzes (waltz ) including the very popular Blue Danube and Tales from the Vienna Woods
Strauss, Richard		(1864–1949)  a German composer known especially for his symphonic poems, his operas, especially Der Rosenkavalier (1911), and his Four Last Songs (1948). One of his symphonic poems, Also sprach Zarathustra (1895) was used in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).
Stravinsky, Igor		(1882–1971)  a Russian musician, known especially for his ballet music, including The Firebird and The Rite of Spring, which he wrote for the ballet producer  diaghilev. His work was known for being modern and very different from anything done before.
Streep, Meryl		(1949–)  a US film actress, known for her ability to play many different types of character. Her films include Out of Africa (1985), and The Hours (2002). She won three Oscars, for Kramer vs Kramer (1979),  Sophie's Choice (1982), and  The Iron Lady (2011).
street	 adjective	relating to or similar to fashions, types of music, or attitudes that are popular with young people in cities
Streetcar Named Desire, A		(1947) a play by Tennessee williams, made into a film with Marlon brando and Vivien leigh in 1951, about a beautiful woman who is becoming old and her violent younger brother-in-law
Streisand, Barbra		(1942–)  a US popular singer who is also a successful film actress. Her films include the musicals (=films that use singing and dancing to tell a story)Funny Girl (1968), for which she won an Oscar, and Hello Dolly (1969).
Strictly Come Dancing	 	a weekly British television show, first broadcast in 2004, in which celebrities (celebrity) form a couple with a professional dancer. The couples take part in a ballroom and Latin dance competition. After each dance performance, four judges make comments and give a score out of ten. Each week, one couple is voted off the show by the public. The show is often referred to informally as Strictly.
Strimmer		a type of machine for cutting weeds (=unwanted garden plants) and grass in places that a lawnmower cannot reach. You hold the machine in your hand and move it just above the ground, and a strong spinning plastic string cuts the grass. In the US there is a similar machine called a Weed Whacker..
St Thomas		an island in the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Sea
St Trinian's		an imaginary British private school for girls in humorous cartoon stories of the 1950s and later in a number of humorous films. The girls are very badly behaved and the teachers cannot control them, and they have many amusing and exciting adventures, often involving illegal activities. Schoolgirls who behave badly are sometimes compared to the girls of St Trinian's.	乌龙女校〔20世纪50年代英国卡通故事及其后多部幽默电影中的女子学校；行为顽劣的女生常被比作乌龙女校的学生〕
St Tropez		a fashionable holiday town on the south coast of France, which used to be very popular with rich and famous people. It became famous in the 1960s for being one of the first holiday towns to allow women on the beach to wear nothing on their breasts.
Stuart		the name of the royal family that ruled Scotland from 1371 to 1603 and Britain from 1603 to 1649 and from 1660 to 1714
Stuart, Charles Edward
Stuart, Gilbert		(1755–1828)  a US painter who painted many portraits of famous people and is best known for his picture of George washington
Stuart, James Edward		(1688–1766)  the son of the British king James II, sometimes also called the Old Pretender, and the father of bonnie prince charlie (Charles Edward stuart). He believed he had the right to be the British king instead of King George I, but his attempt to become king, during the first jacobite rising of 1715–16, was a failure.
Stuart, Mary
Stubbs, George		(1724–1806)  a British artist known especially for his paintings of horses and other animals
Stuyvesant, Peter		(1592–1672)  the last Dutch governor of the colony of New Netherland (which contained parts of the current states of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Delaware), before it became part of the British Empire
St Vincent and the Grenadines		a country in the east Caribbean Sea consisting of a main island called St Vincent, and some smaller islands called the Grenadines. Population: 103,220 (20148). Capital: Kingstown.
Styron, William		(1925–2006)  a US writer known especially for his novels such as the Confessions of Nat Turner (1967), which deals with racism, and for which he won a Pulitzer prize, and Sophie's Choice (1979), which is about the Holocaust and was made into a successful film.
Styx, the		in Greek mythology a river in Hades, the land of the dead. The souls of dead people were carried across it in a boat by Charon..
Subic Bay		a large former US military base in the Philippines
Sudan		a country in northeast Africa, south of Egypt and west of Ethiopia, which is the largest country in Africa. Population: 34,847,910 (2014). Capital: Khartoum. Sinces the 1980s Sudan has suffered from famine (=serious lack of food), and there has been a civil war between the mainly Muslim north of the country and the mainly Christian south. The fighting became even worse after oil was discovered in the south. A separate conflict broke out in the western region of Darfur in 2003. Millions of people had to leave their homes and hundreds of thousands were killed.
Sudanese	 adjective	from the Sudan or connected with the Sudan
Sudetenland		an area in the north west of the Czech Republic which Hitler attacked and took control of in 1938, just before World War II
Suez Canal, the		a canal in northeast Egypt which was opened in 1869 and which joins the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea. It is used by ships going between Europe and the Indian Ocean.
Suez Crisis, the		the events in 1956 that followed the decision by the government of Egypt to take control of the Suez Canal. Before this, the canal was owned and operated by a foreign company. When Egypt took control, the UK and France sent ships and soldiers to the area to try to get the canal back. This attempt failed, and it was criticized by most other countries, including the US and the former Soviet Union. The British and French forces left Egypt after a few months, and the British prime minister, Anthony Eden, gave up his position as a result of this. For many people in the UK, the Suez Crisis was a serious defeat and a sign that the UK was no longer an important international power. In the UK, the Suez Crisis is often simply called Suez.
Suffolk		a county on the east coast of southeast England. It has no big cities, and it is known for its pretty countryside, which can be seen in the paintings of the 19th century artist John constable.
Sugar Bowl, the		an important college football game held every year in New Orleans, Louisiana
Sugar Loaf Mountain		a mountain in Rio de Janeiro in southeast Brazil
Suharto, T. N. J.		(1921–2008)  the president of Indonesia from 1966 to 1998. In the late 1990s, as Indonesia experienced serious economic problems, Suharto became unpopular and there were many public protests against his government. In the end, he agreed to give up his position as president.
suicide tourism	 noun	travel to a foreign country in order to kill yourself or be helped to die
Sukarno, Achmad		(1902–70)  the first president of Indonesia (1945–67)
Sukkot		a Jewish festival which celebrates the gathering of the crops, and remembers the time in Jewish history when small shelters (sukkahs) were made by the Jews when they were in the wilderness
Suleiman I		(?1494–1566)  a Turkish ruler, also known as Suleiman the Magnificent, who greatly improved the Ottoman Empire in its government and culture
Sullivan, Ed		(1902–74)  a US entertainer who had his own television programme called The Ed Sullivan Show, which started in 1948 and continued until 1971. He invited many unknown musicians and  comedians on his show, which helped many of them to become famous, and the  beatles and the  rolling stones first appeared in the US on his show.
Sullivan, John L		(1858–1918)  a US boxer who was the last bare-knuckle world heavyweight champion although he wore boxing gloves when he lost his title to James J Corbett in 1892. He was known as the Boston Strong Boy, and often said, 'I can lick any man in the house', which meant he thought he could beat anyone who wanted to fight him.
Sullivan, Louis Henry		(1856–1924)  a US architect who worked in Chicago and built some of the first skyscrapers (=very tall buildings), such as the Wainwright Building in St Louis
Sullivan, Sir Arthur		(1842–1900)  a British composer known especially for working with W.S. Gilbert to write humorous operettas (=plays with songs)
Sultan of Brunei, the
Sumatra		the second largest of the islands that form the country of Indonesia. Its largest city is Padang.
Sumer		the southern part of ancient Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), where people called the Sumerians lived from about 3500 BC, in one of the world's earliest societies. One of the cities of Sumer was the city of Ur. The Sumerians developed a type of writing known as cuneiform, and are believed to have invented the wheel.
Sumerian	 adjective	of the people, language, art etc of Sumer
Summer Bank Holiday, the		a public holiday in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, usually on the last Monday in August. In Scotland and the Republic of Ireland, the Summer Bank Holiday is usually on the first Monday in August.
Sunday best	 noun	 your best clothes, which you wear only on special occasions. Traditionally, people always wore their best clothes for going to church on Sundays.
Sunday driver	 noun	an insulting word for someone who annoys other drivers by driving very slowly and carefully, as if he or she only drives on Sundays on pleasure trips
Sunday Express, The		a British tabloid newspaper sold every Sunday, which generally supports the ideas of the conservative party
Sunday joint	 noun	a large piece of meat that has been cooked as part of a traditional British sunday lunch
Sunday lunch	 noun	in the UK, a large traditional meal that is typically eaten at about one o'clock on a Sunday afternoon, with the whole family sitting together
Sunday Mirror, The		a British tabloid newspaper sold every Sunday, which generally supports the ideas of the labour party
Sunday paper	 noun	any of the newspapers which are printed and sold on Sundays. They usually have more pages than daily newspapers and may be divided into different parts or supplements on subjects such as sport, holidays, business, jobs etc
Sunday Post, The		a Scottish Sunday newspaper which supports traditional values and has many stories about ordinary people. It is very popular in Scotland and is also read by Scottish people in many other parts of the world.
Sunday roast	 noun	a sunday joint
Sunday Sport, The		a British tabloid newspaper sold every Sunday which has almost no serious news stories, but has many stories about sex and scandal (=immoral or shocking events involving famous people), and a lot of pictures of women with no clothes on.
Sunday Telegraph, The		a serious British newspaper, known for its generally right-wing political opinions
Sunday Times, The		a serious British Sunday newspaper whose political opinions are fairly right-wing. The Sunday Times was one of the first papers to be divided into  sections (=separate parts), such as a sports section and a business section, and it is known for having a very large number of these.
Sunna, the	 noun	a set of Muslim customs and rules based on the words and acts of Muhammad
Sun reader	 noun	an insulting expression for someone who has strong right-wing opinions and who does not know much about culture. This type of person is supposed to be typical of people who read 'The Sun' newspaper.
Sunset Boulevard		a long road in Hollywood, California, the eastern part of which is called Sunset Strip. Sunset Boulevard is also the title of a well-known film by Billy Wilder and a musical (=play that uses singing and dancing to tell a story) based on this film by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Sun, The		a British tabloid daily newspaper which sells more copies than almost any other daily newspaper in the UK. It has some articles about events in the news and politics, but many of its stories are about the private lives of well-known people, such as the royal family, television actors, and sports players.
Sun Yat Sen		(1866–1925)  a Chinese political leader who established the Nationalist Party in China, and helped to remove the last Manchu emperor from power. He became the first president of the new Republic of China in 1911.
Superior, Lake		the largest of the great lakes on the border between Canada and the US, which is also the largest freshwater lake  (=whose water does not contain salt) in the world
Superman		a character in US comics, films, and television programmes. He came to Earth as a baby from an imaginary planet called Krypton, and he has great strength and special powers, including the ability to fly and to see through solid objects. He uses his powers to save the world from being destroyed by evil characters. Most of the time he lives a normal life as Clark Kent, a reporter for the newspaper The Daily Planet, and no-one knows that he is Superman, not even his girlfriend, Lois Lane. When his help is needed, he quickly changes from his ordinary clothes into a special uniform and becomes Superman.
Super Tuesday		in the US, the second Tuesday in March during a year when there is an election for the position of president. Before the main election in November, there is a series of 'primaries' (primary ), in which the people in each state choose the person that they want as their party's candidate for president. These primaries take place in the first six months of the year, but on Super Tuesday there are several important primaries all on the same day.
Supreme Court Justice	 noun	one of the nine judges of the US Supreme Court. Each Supreme Court Justice is chosen by the president of the US and must then be accepted by Congress, and they usually have this position for the rest of their lives. The most important judge is called the chief justice.
Surface Transportation Board, the		an organization created by the US Congress to end arguments about railway prices and services. It also controls mergers between road and rail companies.
Surgeon General		the chief medical officer of the US Public Health Service. The Surgeon General is responsible for giving advice about health and finding out whether particular chemicals, foods etc are safe. For example, bottles of alcohol and packages of cigarettes that are sold in the US must have labels with the Surgeon General's warning.
Suriname		a country on the northern coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, which used to be called Dutch Guiana when it was a colony of the Netherlands. Population: 566,846 (2014). Capital: Paramaribo.
Surrey		a county in southeast England which is one of the home counties. Many of the people who live there travel to London every day to work, and Surrey is thought of as a wealthy, mainly middle-class area.
Susann, Jacqueline		(1926–74)  a US writer of popular novels, such as Valley of the Dolls, written in 1968, which shocked people at the time with its story of rich and powerful people who take drugs and live very immoral lives
Sussex		an area and former county on the south coast of England, divided since 1974 into East Sussex and West Sussex. It has many attractive small villages, and is thought of as a wealthy, mainly middle-class area.
Sutcliffe, Peter
Sutherland, Graham		(1903–80)  a British artist, known especially for his picture of Winston churchill, which Lady Churchill (Churchill's wife) later burned because she did not like it
Sutherland, Joan		(1926–2010)  an Australian opera singer, who was thought to be one of the most important sopranos (=women with high singing voices) of the 20th century. She was known as La Stupenda because of the great beauty of her singing, and she sang in opera houses all over the world from the 1950s to the 1980s. Her official title was Dame Joan Sutherland.
Sutter's Mill		a sawmill (=place where trees are cut into boards) owned by John Sutter, where gold was first found in California. This event is considered to have started the Gold Rush in 1849.
Sutton Hoo		a place in Suffolk, eastern England, where people digging in 1939 found a 7th century Saxon ship with weapons, jewellery, and other things believed to have been buried with a king
Suva		the capital city of Fiji. The University of the South Pacific is in Suva.
Suwannee, the		a river in the south of the US, flowing through Georgia and Florida to the Gulf of Mexico, and made famous by the old song Swanee River by Stephen  foster
Suzuki method, the		a system of teaching young children to play the violin, by making them copy the music teacher often in very large classes
Swahili	 noun	 a Bantu language spoken in eastern and central Africa, and used especially as a lingua franca (=a language used between people whose first languages are different). It is the official language of Kenya and Tanzania.
Swallows and Amazons		(1930)  the first book in a series of popular novels for children by the British writer Arthur ransome, about the adventures of a group of children sailing, camping, and looking after themselves in the lake district in northern England
Swan Lake		(1877)  a ballet with music by tchaikovsky. It tells the story of Prince Siegfried who falls in love with a swan (=a large white bird) which changes into the beautiful Princess Odette. At the end of the ballet, Odette dies of unhappiness and disappears under the water of the lake, and the music from this scene, called 'The Dying Swan', is very well-known.
Swansea		a city in Wales with a university; once an industrial port used for coal, and now attractive to tourists for the nearby mountains of the brecon beacons
Swanson, Gloria		(1897–1983)  a US actress who appeared in many silent films (=films made with no sound), and is also known for appearing as the character Norma Desmond in the film Sunset Boulevard (1950)
SWAPO		(South-West Africa People's Organization) a political party which is the party of government in Namibia (formerly called South West Africa). When Namibia finally gained its independence from South Africa, SWAPO won the first free elections there in 1989, and won power again in the 1994,1999, and 2004 elections.
Swatch		a type of watch made by a Swiss company, often made of brightly coloured plastic
Swazi	 noun	 a member of the bantu people of Swaziland
Swaziland		a country in southeast Africa between South Africa and Mozambique. Population: 1,403,362 (2014). Capital: Mbabane.
Sweden		a country in Scandinavia, northern Europe. Population: 9,119,423 (2014). Capital: Stockholm. It is a member of the EU, and is known for its high standard of living and its very generous system of welfare, paid for by taxes. People from Sweden are called Swedes.
Sweeney, the	 noun	the flying squad, a special group in the Metropolitan Police in London. There was a popular British television show called The Sweeney in the 1970s, about officers in the Flying Squad. Its stories were full of violence, action, people being chased in cars etc. If someone sees this type of event, they might say 'it was like something out of The Sweeney'.
Sweeney Todd
Sweep
Swift, Graham		(1949–)  a British writer whose best-known novels are Waterland and Last Orders. Both books have been made into successful films, and Last Orders won the Booker Prize in 1996.
Swift, Jonathan		(1667–1745)  an Irish writer who is best known for his book gulliver's travels but who also wrote many other satirical stories and clever articles, in which he used humour to criticize institutions such as the universities, the legal profession, and the political parties. He was also a priest in the Church of England, and became Dean  (=a high-ranking priest) of St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin. Because of this, he is sometimes called 'Dean Swift'.
Swinburne, Algernon		(1837–1909)  a British poet best known for Atalanta in Corydon, a  tragedy in ancient Greek style
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot		a spiritual (=a religious song) from the southern states of the US, originally sung by black slaves working in the fields. It is now often sung at rugby matches by English supporters.
Switzerland		a country in western Europe with many mountains and lakes, surrounded by France, Germany, Austria, and Italy. Population: 7,996,026 (2014). Capital: Bern. Switzerland is known for being a neutral country  (=one that does not support any side in a war). It remained neutral in both World War I and World War II, and it does not belong either to the EU (European Union) or to the UN (United Nations). It is also a world centre for banking and the management of money, and is famous for its chocolate and its cheese, and for making clocks and watches.
Swiss Family Robinson, the		(1813)  a novel for children by the Swiss writer Johann Wyss, about a family who live on a desert island after their ship sinks. It was made into a Walt Disney film in 1960.
Swiss Guard, the		a group of Swiss soldiers in the Vatican in Rome, whose job is to guard the Pope. They wear a special colourful uniform.
Switch		in the past, a type of system used for paying for goods and services in the UK, by which customers used a type of plastic card called a debit card, and money was immediately taken out of their bank account. Since 2002, Switch has been replaced by Maestro, the Mastercard brand of debit card.
Switch card	 noun	 a plastic card from your bank that you use to pay for things and that allows the money to be taken straight from your account	Switch卡，代支卡〔由银行发放、供购物付款使用的一种塑料磁卡〕
Swithin, Saint
SWP		(Socialist Workers Party) a British political party that is very left-wing. It is known for producing a newspaper called Socialist Worker, which is sold by its members on the street, and for always being involved in political  demonstrations (=when a big crowd of people publicly protest about something).
Syal, Meera		(1961–)  a British actress and writer whose family originally came from India. Her novels include Anita and Me (1996) which was made into a film in 2002. She also appeared in the popular UK television comedy programmes Goodness Gracious Me and The Kumars at No 42. Her comedy typically makes fun of Asian people who are living in the UK, but in a kind rather than unkind way.
Sydney		the largest city in Australia, which is the capital of the state of New South Wales and an important financial, industrial, and educational centre. It is known especially for the Sydney Harbour Bridge and for the Sydney Opera House, an unusual modern building that is greatly admired.
synecdoche	 noun	the practice of using the name of a part of something to refer to the whole thing, or using the name of a whole thing to refer to part of it. An example of synecdoche is saying "There are some new faces in the team" rather than "There are some new people in the team".
Synge, J. M.		(1871–1909)  an Irish writer famous for his plays such as The Playboy of the Western World
Syracuse		a port and town on the east coast of the Italian island of Sicily, built by Greeks in the 8th century BC
Syria		a country in the MIddle East, which is south of Turkey and west of Iraq. Population 22,457,336 (2014). Capital: Damascus. Since 2011, Syria has been involved in a civil war.
São Paulo		the largest city in southeast Brazil, in South America and Brazil's financial and industrial centre
São Tomé and Príncipe		a small country made up of a group of islands off West Africa in the Gulf of Guinea. Population: 186,817 (2014). Capital: São Tomé.
Table Mountain		a high mountain in South Africa with steep sides and a flat top like a table. It stands behind the city of Cape Town.
Taco Bell		a type of fast food restaurant in many US cities, which sells tex-mex food, such as tacos, burritos, and  nachos
Tadzhikistan
Taft, William Howard		(1857–1930) the twenty-seventh president of the US, from 1909 to 1913. He was also Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1921 to 1930.
Tagalog	 noun	the official language of the Philippines
Tagore, Rabindranath		(1861–1941)  a Bengali Indian writer, one of the most influential Indian writers of the 20th century, known for Gitanjali, and Chitra, a play which he translated into English
Tahiti		an island in French Polynesia, in the Pacific Ocean, which is governed by France and known for being a very beautiful place
Tahitian	 noun	 someone who comes from Tahiti
Taipei		the largest city of Taiwan. It is surrounded by mountains, and its most important industries are making textiles, clothing, machinery, and ships.
Taiwan		an island off the southeast coast of China. Population: 23,299,716 (2014). Taiwan, which was formerly called Formosa, has experienced rapid economic development since the 1950s and has many factories.
Tajikistan		a country in central Asia, between Uzbekistan and China, formerly part of the Soviet Union. Population: 7,910,041 (2014). Capital: Dushanbe.
Taj Mahal, the		a beautiful building made of white marble (=a type of smooth, hard rock) in Agra, northern India, built as a mausoleum (=a building containing a grave) for his wife by the emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th century. It is one of the world's most famous buildings, and is visited by many tourists.
Take That		an English pop group whose songs include Babe (1993), Back for Good (1995), and Patience (2006). There are five members of the group: Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen, and Robbie Williams. They were very successful in the early 1990s, but Williams left the band in 1995 and the other members split up  (=stopped performing together) in 1996. In 2006 Barlow, Donald, Orange, and Owen began performing together again and Williams rejoined the group in 2010.
Talbot, William Henry Fox		(1800–1877) a British photographer who was the first to invent a way of making more than one photograph from the same negative (=image on a piece of film that shows dark areas as light and light areas as dark)
Tale of a Tub, A		a satire by Jonathan Swift about religious extremism. It tells of three brothers, Peter, who represents the Roman Catholic church; Jack, who represents the extreme Protestants, and Martin, who represents the Anglican church.
Tale of Two Cities, A		(1859) a novel by Charles dickens, set in London and Paris at the time of the french revolution. The start of the book is very well known: 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...'. Another famous part is the thoughts of one of the main characters, Sydney Carton, when he is about to be killed by the guillotine instead of another man that he is pretending to be, so that the other man can live: 'It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done'.
Taliban		a group which took control of most of Afghanistan in 1997 by defeating other groups fighting in the civil war there. The Taliban were known for following the laws of Islam very strictly, especially regarding the social position of women. They also allowed Osama bin Laden and other members of al-Qaeda to stay in Afghanistan, and refused to hand bin Laden over to the US authorities after September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, in the US. US forces then invaded Afghanistan and the Taliban were defeated in the war.
Tallahassee		the capital city of the US state of Florida
Tallinn		the capital and largest city of Estonia. It is a port and its most important industries are fishing and making electrical goods.
Tamagotchi		a type of virtual pet (=a kind of electronic toy) made in Japan
Tambo, Oliver		(1917–93)  a South African nationalist politician, president of the anc from 1977–90
Tamil	 noun	 a member of a people of southern India and Sri Lanka
Tamil Nadu		a state in southeast India, formerly called Madras State, whose capital and largest city is Chennai
Tamil Tigers, the		a large and powerful group of guerrillas who control much of the north of Sri Lanka. They support either a separate state for the Tamil Hindu people of Sri Lanka or autonomy for the region. The group's full name is the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Taming of the Shrew, The		a humorous play by William shakespeare about a woman called Kate. Kate is very honest and always tells people exactly what she thinks, and because of this some people think she is rude and unpleasant. But she is eventually made to behave like a quiet and obedient wife when Petruchio marries her.
Tam O'Shanter		(1791) a long, humorous poem by Robert burns, which tells the frightening story of a farmer called Tam O'Shanter who is chased by witches (=women with magic powers)
Tampa		a city, port, and holiday resort in West Florida in the US
Tampax	 noun	 the name of a very common type of tampon	丹碧丝〔一种卫生棉条〕
Tandy, Jessica		(1909–94)  a British actress who at the age of 80 became the oldest winner of an Oscar in 1989 for her part in the film Driving Miss Daisy. She moved to America in 1940. She acted mainly on stage, but her films include Forever Amber (1947) and Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe (1991).
Tanganyika, Lake		a large lake between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania
Tanglewood		a place in Massachusetts, US, where the boston symphony orchestra performs concerts outdoors during the summer. It is also respected as a school for training musicians, and many famous musicians and composers have studied and taught at Tanglewood.
Tanzania		a country in East Africa between Kenya and Mozambique, formed in 1964 when Tanganyika and Zanzibar joined together to make one country. Population: 48,261,942 (2014). Capital: Dodoma. Most of the government departments are located in the country's largest city, Dar es Salaam, which is also the country's major port (=place where ships are loaded and unloaded). In 1998 a terrorist bomb exploded at the US embassy, killing many Tanzanians.
Taoiseach, the		the title of the prime minister of the Republic of Ireland
Tarantino, Quentin		(1963–)  a US film director whose films include Reservoir Dogs (1992), Pulp Fiction (1994), two Kill Bill films (2003–4), and Django Unchained (2012). His films are often very violent, and some people criticize him for this. Other people admire the clever way in which his stories are put together, and Tarantino has won two Oscars for best screenplay.
Tardis, the		the machine used by Dr Who and his friends for travelling through time in the British television programme Dr Who. On the outside, the Tardis is small and looks like a type of telephone box that was formerly used by the British police, but it is much larger inside.
Tarrant, Chris		(1946-)  a British television and radio presenter who is best known for the television game showWho Wants To Be A Millionaire? For many years, he used to present the early morning show on Capital Radio, a radio station (=organization which makes radio broadcasts) in London. He first became famous when he was one of the presenters on Tiswas, a children's television programme that was broadcast on Saturday mornings.
Tartt, Donna		(1963–)  a US writer whose first book, The Secret History, was on the US bestseller list for a long time in 1992. Her second book, The Little Friend, was published in 2002.
Tashkent		a city in central Asia which is the capital city of Uzbekistan
Tasmania		a large island off the south east coast of Australia, which is one of the states of Australia
Tass		the official national news organization of the former Soviet Union
Tatar
Tate Britain		an art gallery in south central London which shows British art from the 16th century to the present day. There is a special part of the Tate that contains a large collection of work by J.M.W. turner.
Tate Gallery, the		the name of several major art galleries (gallery) in the UK. The original Tate Gallery in central London is now called Tate Britain. There are also two smaller Tate Galleries outside London, one in Liverpool, and one in St Ives in Cornwall.
Tate, Jeffrey		(1943–)  a British conductor who has been the main conductor with the Royal Opera House in London and with the English Chamber Orchestra. He has also worked with many famous orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic.
Tate Modern, the		Britain's national museum of modern art in London, which was first opened to the public in May 2000. The building was formerly a power station, and it was changed into an art gallery by two Swiss architects. The museum contains works by famous artists such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, and Francis Bacon.
Tati, Jacques		(1908–82)  a French film actor and director who appeared in humorous films such as Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953)
Tatler		a famous magazine published in London in the early eighteenth century, started by Sir Richard Steele, containing poetry, stories, news etc
Tatum, Art		(1910–56)  a US jazz piano player, who was born almost blind, and is considered to be one of the greatest ever
Taylor, A J P		(1906–90) an English historian, writer, and television speaker. His books include English History 1914–1945 (1965) and The Origins of the Second World War (1961).
Taylor, Damilola		(1989–2000)  a ten-year-old Nigerian boy who was killed in November 2000 in Peckham in south London. In 2002, four teenage boys were charged with his murder, but they were found not guilty after the most important witness (=person who saw the crime), a 14-year-old girl, was found to be lying. The police were strongly criticized for reducing the number of detectives trying to solve the murder after the boys had been charged. In 2006 a new trial took place after spots of blood that the police had missed earlier were found on the clothes of two of the original boys charged with his murder, Danny and Ricky Preddie. This time they were found guilty.
Taylor, Elizabeth		(1932–2011)  a US film actress who was born in the UK and was famous for her beauty. Her films include National Velvet (1944), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), and Cleopatra (1962). She won two Oscars, for Butterfield 8 (1960) and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966). She was known for her work in supporting people who have AIDS, and for her many marriages, two of which were to the actor Richard Burton.
Taylor, Zachary		(1784–1850) the twelfth president of the US, from 1849 to 1850
Tayside		a region in eastern Scotland in the area of the River Tay. Its main city is Dundee.
Tbilisi		the capital city of the Republic of Georgia
T-bill	 noun	a US treasury bill
T-bird	 noun	an informal name for a thunderbird (=a type of car)
TCCB, the		the test and county cricket board
Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich		(1840–93)  a Russian composer known especially for his symphonies (symphony ) and his ballets, such as Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty. Other well-known works are The 1812 Overture and his first piano  concerto. His music is romantic, emotional, and often rather sad.
Teamsters, the		the largest trade union in the US. When Jimmy hoffa was its leader (1957–67), some parts of the union were thought to be involved in various types of criminal activity, and to have connections with the mafia and with dishonest politicians.
Tea Party movement		 a conservative political movement in the US which was started in 2009. Its supporters believe in less government spending, less tax, and reducing national debt. The movement's activities include organizing protests and supporting candidates at elections. Well-known people involved with the Tea Party Movement include the Republican politicians Sarah Palin and Dick Armey.
Tebbit, Norman		(1931–)  a British politician in the Conservative Party. He had several important positions in Margaret Thatcher's government, and was known for his strong criticism of left-wing politicians and their ideas. People remember him especially in connection with the phrase 'get on your bike', after he said in a speech that when his father was unemployed, he did not complain, but he 'got on his bike  (=bicycle) and looked for work'. His official title is Lord Tebbit of Chingford.
TEC		(Training and Enterprise Council) a former British organization paid for by the government which helped to train people for new jobs. It also helped people to start their own business and trained people in how to manage a business effectively. It was replaced in 2001 by local Learning and Skills Councils.
tech	 verb	to use less advanced technology than the type you usually use
Technicolor	 noun	 a way of producing the colour in films, used for the cinema	特艺色染印法〔彩色电影的一种制作方法〕
Tecumseh		(?1765–1813)  a chief of the shawnee tribe who tried to unite the native american tribes in North America so that together they could prevent the US from taking any more of their land. They were beaten at the battle of tippecanoe in 1811, and Tecumseh was killed in a battle against the US army in 1813.
Teddy Bears' Picnic, the		a children's song which was first popular in the 1950s and which starts: If you go down to the woods today, You're sure of a big surprise. If you go down to the woods today, You'd better go in disguise ...
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles		a group of turtle characters that were very popular during the early 1990s, appearing in cartoons, films, and books. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fought against bad characters and always ate pizza. They were so popular that many companies designed clothes, toys, foods, and other products which looked like them or used their pictures. They are sometimes mentioned as a typical example of something that is extremely popular for a short time, and is then forgotten about.
Teen Pop	 noun	a form of pop music that is very popular with teenagers, especially teenage girls. It has a strong beat and is easy to dance to.
Teeside		an area in northeast England around the place where the River Tees enters the North Sea. It is north of Yorkshire and south of Tyneside, and is an important industrial centre, especially for the oil and chemical industries.
Tegucigalpa		the capital city of Honduras
Tehran, Teheran		the capital and largest city of Iran, and the industrial centre of the country
Te Kanawa, Dame Kiri		(1944–)  an opera singer from New Zealand, whose soprano voice is greatly admired
Tel Aviv		the second largest city of Israel, which is on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and is Israel's main financial and business centre
Telecom Tower, the		a very tall, narrow, circular building in central London which was built in the 1960s and used to be called the Post Office Tower. It is used for sending and receiving electronic signals for radio, telephones, and television.
Telegraph, the
Telford, Thomas		(1757–1834)  a Scottish architect and engineer, known for building bridges, roads, and canals. Some of his bridges are still used today, including the road bridge across the menai straits in North Wales. A new town called Telford, named after him, was built in central England in the 1960s.
Tell, William		a Swiss folk hero of the 14th century, who opposed the Austrians who ruled Switzerland. According to a famous story, Tell was ordered by the Austrian governor to use his crossbow to shoot an apple placed on his own son's head. He succeeded in doing this because of his great skill, and later killed the governor. This encouraged the Swiss people to fight and gain their independence. Tell's story is told in a well-known opera by Rossini.
Tempest, The		a play by William shakespeare about prospero, the Duke of Milan, who has been forced by his brother to live alone on a distant island with his daughter miranda. The other main characters are Prospero's magical helper, Ariel, and his slave caliban.
Temple		an area in central London which contains the inner temple and the middle temple, two parts of the inns of court. Many lawyers and barristers work there.
Temple, Shirley		(1928–2014)  a US child actress who was very popular during the 1930s. She sang and danced and had blond curly hair, and is best known for singing the song On the Good Ship Lollipop. Her films include Little Miss Marker (1934) and Heidi (1937). As an adult she became Shirley Temple Black, and worked as an  ambassador for the US government.
Ten Days that Shook the World		(1919) a book by the US journalist John Reed about the russian revolution of 1917. Reed was himself in St Petersburg during the Revolution, and actively supported it.
Tender Is The Night		a novel by the American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald about Rosemary Hoyt, a young film star, who is on holiday in the French Riviera and who meets and falls in love with Dick Diver, a psychologist who is married to Nicole, an heiress from Chicago who used to be one of his patients
Tendulkar, Sachin		(1973-) an Indian cricketer who is considered to be one of the greatest batsmen (batsman) in the history of cricket
Tenerife		one of the Canary Islands off the northwest coast of Africa, which is very popular with British and other tourists
Ten Green Bottles		a song about ten green bottles hanging on a wall and becoming fewer and fewer as they fall off the wall
Tennessee		a state in the southeast of the US, whose cities include Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville. Tennessee is both an industrial and farming centre, with coal mines, chemical industries, and crops such as cotton and tobacco.
Tenniel, Sir John		(1820–1914)  a British artist who drew the original pictures for the books Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. He also drew cartoons (=funny drawings) for the magazine Punch for many years.
Tennyson, Alfred		(1809–92)  often called by his title, Alfred, Lord Tennyson; an English poet who was made poet laureate (=the Queen's official poet). His works include In Memoriam, a poem written for a friend of his who died, but he is best known for his narrative poems  (=poems that tell a story), such as Charge of the Light Brigade and The Lady of Shalott.
Tenzing, Norgay		(1914–86)  a Nepalese sherpa (=a mountain climber employed to guide other climbers) who is often called Sherpa Tenzing. He and Sir Edmund hillary were the first people to reach the top of Mount everest, in 1953.
Teresa, Mother
Terkel, Studs		(1912–2008)  a US writer and radio broadcaster whose books, including Working (1974), The Good War (1984), and Race (1993), were based on the experiences and memories of ordinary American people
Terminal 5	 	a terminal at London Heathrow Airport that was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 14th March 2008 for the use of British Airways
Terminator, The		(1984) a violent US film, in which Arnold schwarzenegger appears as an android (=a machine that looks exactly like a person) who is sent back from the future to kill a woman before she can give birth to a child who will become a great leader in the future. In a second film, Terminator II (1991), Schwarzenegger appears as another android, but this time he is a good character who wants to help the humans.
Terrence Higgins Trust, the		a British charity organization which was started in 1983 and gives help and advice to people suffering from or worried about AIDS and HIV infection
TES, the		the times education supplement
Tesco		a British supermarket (=very large store that sells mainly food, but also clothes, things for the home etc)
TESSA	 noun	(Tax-Exempt Special Savings Account) in the past, a special type of account with a bank or building society in the UK, in which you could save money and you did not have to pay tax on the interest you earnt if you left the money there for at least 5 years. TESSAs were replaced in 1999 by ISAs.
Tess of the D'Urbervilles		(1891) a novel by Thomas hardy about a young woman who is persuaded by a man from a higher social class to have sex with him. He treats her very badly and she finally kills him and is hanged for his murder.
Test Act, the		a law made in 1673 in the UK which prevented Catholics from becoming members of Parliament or having jobs in the government. This law was ended in 1828.
Test and County Cricket Board		a former organization in the UK that governed the way professional cricket was played. It was replaced in 1997 by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Texaco		a large international oil company that has many petrol stations in the UK and the US
Texas		a large state in the south of the US, which has a long border with Mexico. It is an important centre of the oil and gas industries, and also of cattle and crop farming. Its cities include Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, and El Paso. Before it became part of the US in 1845, Texas was briefly an independent country. Partly because of this, Texans are very proud of their state and often feel that they are different from other people in the US. When people think of Texas, they often think of cowboys and of the oil industry. It is also sometimes thought of as the place where everything is bigger than anywhere else.
Texas Rangers, the		a law enforcement agency (=police force) that operates in the state of Texas
textonym	 noun	a word produced by predictive text that is not the word you want
TfL		the abbreviation of Transport for London
T&G		a common name for the tgwu
TGIF	 interjection	(Thank God It's Friday) a phrase used by people at the end of a working week when they are looking forward to two days of rest at the weekend
TGWU, the		(the Transport and General Workers' Union) a former trade union in the UK. In 2007 it joined with Amicus to form Unite.
Thackeray, William Makepeace		(1811–63)  a British writer, born in India, best known for his novel vanity fair
Thai	 noun	 someone who comes from Thailand
Thailand		a country in southeast Asia, between Malaysia, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos. Population 67,448,120 (2014). Capital: Bangkok. Thailand has developed its industry very rapidly since the early 1980s. It is also known as a popular place for tourists to visit, both for its beaches and for its beautiful old buildings. Before 1949, Thailand was called Siam.
Thames, the		the longest river in England, which flows from the west into the North Sea. In London, many well-known bridges across the Thames connect the north and south of the city, and many important buildings, including the Houses of Parliament and the Tower of London, are built next to the river
Thames Valley, the		the area of land next to the River thames, between London and Oxford
Thatcherism	 noun	the general principles on which Margaret Thatcher's government was based when she was prime minister of the UK, especially her ideas about economic management
Thatcherite	 noun	someone who agrees with the ideas and policies of Margaret thatcher, the former prime minister of the UK, especially her right-wing ideas about economic management
Thatcher, Margaret		(1925–2013)  a British politician in the Conservative Party, now officially called Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven, and sometimes called Maggie in the newspapers. She became leader of her party in 1975, and in 1979 became the UK's first woman prime minister, a position she held until 1990. She won three General Elections – in 1979, 1983, and 1987. Her ideas become known as Thatcherism, and under her leadership politics in the UK became much more right-wing. During her time as prime minister, the Conservative government reduced taxes, took away power from trade unions, and started a programme of privatization (=selling state-owned services such as electricity and gas, so that they became private companies). She was seen as a strong and determined leader who would not change her mind easily and would not accept disagreement among her ministers. For this reason, she was sometimes called 'the Iron Lady'.
Thaw, John		(1942–2002)  a British actor known especially for playing police officers in television films. He is best known for playing the character of Inspector Morse.
Thebes		an ancient city in southern Egypt, where there are ancient temples (=religious buildings) and tombs (=places where dead people are buried)
Thelma and Louise		(1991) a US movie about two women who kill a man because he tries to force one of them to have sex with him. They then drive across the US having exciting adventures, and they discover that they enjoy the freedom of not having any relationships with men, and they enjoy living as criminals.
Theravada	 adjective	relating to the form of Buddhism practised in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. It is based on the teachings of the Buddha as recorded in the Pali Canon
Theroux, Paul		(1941–)  an American travel writer and novelist whose books include Waldo, Doctor Slaughter, and The Mosquito Coast
Theseus		in ancient Greek stories, a hero from Athens who killed the minotaur and married the queen of the amazons
THES, The		the times higher education supplement
Thimphu		the capital city of Bhutan
Things Fall Apart		(1958) a novel by the Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe about the problems experienced by traditional African societies as their way of life changes in the 20th century. It was one of the first African novels to become well known in Europe and the US.
Thinker, The		a sculpture by Auguste rodin of a man sitting and thinking with his elbow on his knee and his chin on his hand
thinspiration	 noun	things such as pictures of thin women that are put on websites that encourage anorexics to eat as little as possible
Third Man, The		(1949) a film directed by Carol Reed and written by Graham greene, which is set in Vienna at the end of World War II. It tells the story of a writer who is trying to find his friend Harry Lime (played by Orson welles ), who has become a criminal. The music from the film, which is played on a zither, is very well-known.
Third Reading	 noun	the third and final occasion when a bill (=a suggested new law) is read out loud in the British Parliament or the US Congress
Third Reich, the		the period of Nazi government in Germany, led by Adolf hitler, from 1933 to 45
Third Way	 noun	the idea of a system of government that does not have the state control and high taxes of socialism, but unlike capitalism tries to give people equal opportunities and a good quality of life
Third World, the		the poorer countries of the world that are not industrially developed, including most of Africa and parts of Asia and of Central and South America. Some people think this expression is offensive, and the Third World can also be called the South.
Thirteenth Amendment, the		an addition to the US Constitution which ended slavery in the US. It was passed by Congress in 1865, after the Civil War.
Thirty-nine Articles, the		a set of 39 statements which form the main beliefs of the Church of England. They were written in 1571 and people who become priests in the church must first formally accept these beliefs.
Thirty Year Rule, the		the name given to a law in Britain, the Republic of Ireland, and Australia that says that the official documents of a government will not be printed for the public to read until thirty years after they were written
Thirty Years' War, the		a European war fought mainly in Germany between 1618 and 1648. It led to the Habsburgs and the Holy Roman Empire losing power in Europe.
Thisbe		the female lover of Pyramus
This is Your Life		a British and US television programme in which a famous person's life story is told. It begins when the presenter surprises someone and says 'This is Your Life', before taking him or her to a television studio. The famous person's friends and relations have been secretly brought to the studio to meet them there and say something about them. At the end of the programme the presenter hands the person a large red book containing the story of their life.
Thomas, Clarence		(1948–)  a US judge, who is generally considered to be very conservative. When he was first chosen for the Supreme Court in 1991, a woman called Anita Hill said that he had tried to start a sexual relationship with her while they were working together, even though she did not want it. Thomas said this was not true, and after a lot of discussion the Senate allowed him to become a Supreme Court justice.
Thomas, Dylan		(1914–53)  a Welsh poet and writer known for his short stories, and especially for his radio play under milk wood. He is also known to have been an alcoholic (=someone who drinks too much alcohol).
Thomas, R. S.		(1913–2000)  a Welsh poet who wrote about Welsh people and their culture in poems such as Song at the Year's Turning (1955)
Thomas the Tank Engine		a little blue steam railway engine with a smiling face, which is the main character in a series of books, television programmes, and films for young children, which first became popular with British children in the 1950s
Thomas à Kempis
Thompson, Daley		(1958–)  a British athlete who competed in the decathlon (=competition with ten different events, including running short and long distances and jumping over a high bar). He held the world record for several years, and won gold medals at the 1980 and 1984 Olympic Games.
Thompson, Emma		(1959–)  a British actress in film, theatre, and on television. Her films include Howards End (1991), for which she won an Oscar, The Remains of the Day (1993), and Sense and Sensibility (1995) for which she won an Oscar for the screenplay.
Thomson Local, the		a book produced by Thomson Directories Ltd, in which local businesses advertise, giving their addresses and telephone numbers. It is sent free of charge to every private house and business in the UK.
Thor		in Norse mythology, the god of thunder and the strongest of the gods. The word 'Thursday' is based on his name.
Thoreau, Henry David		(1817–62)  a US writer and philosopher best known for his book Walden, or Life in the Woods, in which he describes his simple life in the countryside, and for  civil disobedience, an  essay on refusing to obey unfair laws, which influenced  gandhi and Martin Luther  king
Thorpe, Jim		(1888–1953)  an American athlete who won gold medals in the Olympics in 1912 and later played American football. Thorpe's Olympic medals were taken away from him when it was learned that he had once received money for playing baseball, but many years after his death it was decided that he had won the medals fairly and they were returned to his family.
Thousand and One Nights, the
Threadneedle Street
Three Blind Mice		a nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for young children)Three blind mice, three blind mice,See how they run, see how they run!They all ran after the farmer's wife,Who cut off their tails with a carving knife.Did you ever see such a thing in your lifeAs three blind mice?
Three Kings, the
Three Little Pigs, The		an old children's story about three little pigs, each of whom builds a house of a different material, which the Big Bad Wolf tries to blow down, saying 'I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down'
Three Men in a Boat		(1889) a humorous book by Jerome K. jerome about three men and a dog who go on holiday and row a boat up the River Thames
Three Musketeers, The		(1844) a novel by Alexandre dumas, set in France in the 17th century, about three men called Porthos, Athos, and Aramis, who are members of a group of soldiers guarding Louis XIII, the king of France. They are very skilled at fighting with swords, and they have many exciting adventures with their friend d'artagnan, who comes to Paris from the country and joins the Musketeers when he shows them what a good fighter he is. They are remembered for saying 'All for one, and one for all!', meaning that they will always support and protect one another. Many films and television programmes have been based on the story.
Threepenny Opera, The		(1928) an opera with music by Kurt weill and words by Bertolt brecht, based on The beggar's opera (1728) by John  gay. One of its main characters is called Mac the Knife.
Three Stooges, the		three American comedians, named Curly, Larry, and Moe, who appeared in a television show in the 1950s. The Three Stooges did silly things, often blamed each other for mistakes, and often hit each other with different objects, such as frying pans.
Three Tenors, the		three opera singers, José Carreras, Placido Domingo, and Luciano Pavarotti, who were very popular tenors (=men with high singing voices), and who often appeared in concerts together and made records together
Three Wise Monkeys, the		three monkeys who are shown in pictures sitting in a row. The first has its hands covering its eyes, the second has its hands covering its ears, and the third has its hands covering its mouth. Together they represent the phrase 'see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil'.
Through the Looking-Glass		(1872) a book for children by Lewis carroll in which the main character, Alice, a little girl, visits a strange world by stepping through a mirror. Many of the people she meets are chess pieces or characters from nursery rhymes (=old songs or poems for young children) such as humpty dumpty.
Thunderbird		 a type of car made by Ford and sold in the US. Thunderbirds became very popular with young people in the late 1950s because they were fast and fashionable cars, which are remembered for having tail fins.
Thunderbirds		a 1960s British television programme for children in which the main characters, played by puppets, are brothers who work for an organization called International Rescue and save people in danger using special aircraft and other vehicles, called Thunderbird 1, Thunderbird 2 etc. The programme begins with the words 'Thunderbirds are go!'
Thunderer, The		an informal name for the British newspaper The times, used in former times
Thurber, James		(1894–1961)  a US humorous writer and cartoonist (=someone who does humorous drawings), whose work often appeared in the magazine The new yorker
Thurmond, Strom		(1902–2003)  a US politician from South Carolina who was a senator longer than anyone else in US history, and who was also the oldest senator in US history when he retired at the age of 100. He was known for his strong views supporting segregation (=laws that make African Americans live separately from white Americans), but after he died it became known that he had a daughter who had been born to an African-American woman.
Tianjin		a large industrial city in China
Tiber		 the third longest river in Italy, which flows from the Apennines south to Rome and the sea
Tibet		a large area of southwest China. Most of Tibet consists of high plains surrounded by very high mountains. Tibet is known for its very complicated Buddhist ceremonies and customs.
Tibetan	 noun	 someone who comes from Tibet
Tiepolo, Giovanni Battista		(1696–1770) an Italian artist in the rococo period who is famous for his frescoes
Tierra del Fuego		a group of islands off the south coast of South America, owned by Chile and Argentina
TIFF	 noun	(tagged image file format) a way of storing and showing images on a computer
Tiffany glass	 noun	a type of coloured glass which was originally produced in the early 1900s, and used for making lampshades, vases, and other decorations
Tigris, the		a river in southwest Asia, flowing through Turkey and Iraq. The area between the Tigris and another river, the Euphrates, is called Mesopotamia, and several of the world's most ancient cities were built in this area.
Tikrit		a town in Iraq, northwest of Baghdad on the Tigris river. It is the place where Saddam Hussein was born and where many of his supporters came from, including important members of his government and soldiers in the Republican Guard. In December 2003, US soldiers found Hussein hiding in Ad Dawr, a town near Tikrit.
Time		a US weekly news magazine which is sold in the US and is also available in many countries around the world
Time Out		a weekly London listings magazine which gives details of all the films, plays, sports games, and other events and activities taking place in the city. It is read especially by young people.
Times Education Supplement, The		a weekly British newspaper with articles on education in schools and advertisements for teaching jobs, produced by The times
Times Higher Education Supplement, The		a weekly British newspaper with articles on education in universities and other institutions of higher education, as well as advertisements for jobs in these places, produced by The times
Times Literary Supplement, The		a British weekly newspaper which contains articles and information about literature, especially about new books, produced by The times
Times, The		an old and famous British daily newspaper. The Times is a serious paper, and generally supports quite  right-wing political ideas. At one time, especially before television and radio, it had great influence on British political life, and many important people used to give their opinions by writing letters to  The Times. It is now owned by Rupert Murdoch.
Timor		an island between the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean, half of which is East Timor, and half of which is part of Indonesia
Tinkerbell		a fairy (=an imaginary creature who looks like a small person but has wings and can do magic) who helps peter pan in the play and book Peter Pan by J. M. barrie. She talks to Peter Pan by making bell-like sounds.
Tinkertoys		a type of US toy consisting of different-sized coloured sticks and wooden pieces shaped like wheels, which can be joined together to make models of buildings, cars etc
Tin Man, the		a character from the book and film The Wizard of Oz. He is made of metal and does not have a heart, but in the story goes to see the Wizard of Oz to ask him to give him a heart.
Tintagel		an ancient castle on the north coast of Cornwall, where, according to old stories, King arthur lived
Tintin		the main character in the cartoon books by the Belgian writer hergé which were later made into cartoon films. Tintin is a young man whose hair has a long tuft that sticks up at the front. He has many exciting adventures with his dog Snowy, trying to solve crimes and catch criminals.
Tintoretto		(1518–94)  an Italian artist born in Venice, known especially for his religious paintings and his portraits (=pictures of people)
Tiny Tim		a character in the story A christmas carol (1843) by Charles dickens. He is the young son of Bob cratchit, who works for scrooge, and is very ill and cannot walk. At the end of the book, he says 'God bless us, every one!'
Tippecanoe		a river in Indiana in the US, where US soldiers led by William Henry Harrison won a battle against the Shawnee, a Native American people, in 1811. Harrison himself, who later became president of the US, was given the nickname'Tippecanoe' after the battle.
Tipperary		a town and county in the south of the Republic of Ireland. There is a well-known song from World War I called It's a Long Way to Tipperary.
Tippett, Sir Michael		(1905–98)  an English composer who wrote classical music for both voices and instruments. He also wrote several operas and his works include A Child of Our Time.
Tipp-Ex	 noun	 white liquid that is used to cover over mistakes in writing, typing etc	迪美斯修正液[涂改液]
Tirana		the capital city of Albania. Its main industries include metal, cotton textiles, and soap.
Tiresias		in ancient Greek stories, a blind man who had the ability to know what was going to happen in the future, and who told people about the crimes of oedipus
Tirol, the
Titania		the queen of the fairies (fairy ) and the wife of oberon in the play A midsummer night's dream by William  shakespeare
Titchmarsh, Alan		(1949–)  a popular British gardener and television presenter, best-known for presenting the programmes Ground Force and  Gardeners' World. He has written a lot of popular gardening books, and has also written several novels.
Titian		(1490–1576)  an Italian painter from Venice, greatly admired for his use of colour, whose work includes religious paintings and scenes from ancient Greek and Roman stories. His name is sometimes used to describe a brownish-orange colour that is typical of his paintings.
Titicaca, Lake		the largest lake in South America, and the highest in the world, in the andes mountains between Bolivia and Peru
Tito, Marshal Josip Broz		(1892–1980)  a Yugoslav Communist politician, who was president of yugoslavia from 1953 until his death. Although Yugoslavia was a communist state at this time, it was not influenced or controlled by the Soviet Union. Some people now say that Tito's strong leadership kept Yugoslavia together as one country, and since his death it has separated into smaller parts.
Titus Andronicus		a play by William shakespeare, thought to be his first tragedy. It is set in ancient Rome and is full of shocking violence and murder.
Titus Groan		(1946) a novel by the British writer Mervyn peake. It tells the story of Titus, the 77th earl of Groan, in his castle called Gormenghast, and it is full of strange and frightening characters.
TiVo	 noun	a system that allows you to record television programmes digitally	TiVo数字录像系统
Tlingit	 noun	 a Native American tribe who live in Alaska, many of whom still use traditional methods of fishing and weaving
TLS, the		the times literary supplement
T-mobile		a multinational company, based in Germany, which operates a network for mobile phones. It is part of the Deutsche Telekom company.
TN		the written abbreviation of tennessee
Toad		one of the main characters in the children's story The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth  grahame. Toad is a rich, proud character who lives in a big house called Toad Hall and thinks he is very important.
Tocqueville, Alexis de		(1805–59)  a French writer and politician who travelled in the US and then wrote a book called Democracy in America which examined the strengths and weaknesses of the American system of government
Today		a morning news programme on BBC Radio, generally considered to be the most important British radio news programme, which includes interviews with politicians and other people in the news. The interviews sometimes involve arguments between the show's presenters and government ministers.
Todd, Sweeney		a character in a 19th-century British play whose job is to cut men's hair, but who murders his customers and has them made into meat pies. He is known as 'the demon barber of Fleet Street'.
TOEFL		 a test that students can take if their first language is not English, that shows how good their English is
Togo		a country in West Africa between Benin and Ghana. Population: 7,154,237 (2014). Capital: Lomé.
To Kill a Mockingbird		(1960) a novel by the US writer Harper Lee, which was later made into a film. The story is set in the southern US state of Alabama and is about a white lawyer, Atticus Finch, who defends an African-American man who has been charged with the rape of a white woman. The story deals with racial prejudice, and especially with the effect it has on children.
Tokyo		the capital and largest city of Japan, and its main financial and business centre. Population: 13,010,279 (2010). Tokyo is known for being one of the largest and busiest cities in the world.
Toledo		a city in central Spain famous for the manufacture of swords. Its churches contain some of the greatest works of art in Spain.
Tolkien, J.R.R.		(1892–1973)  a British writer and university teacher, known for his novels for children (which are also popular with adults) about imaginary characters who live in a strange, magical world, especially The hobbit, and The lord of the rings
Tolpuddle Martyrs		a group of six English farm workers who were put in jail for organizing a trade union (=organization that represents workers) in Tolpuddle, Dorset, in 1833–4. They were sent to Australia as criminals, but many people protested and in 1836 the men were brought home and set free.
Tolstoy, Count Leo		(1828–1910)  a Russian writer best known for his long novels war and peace and anna karenina
Tom and Jerry		two characters in humorous cartoon films by Hanna Barbera. Tom, who is a cat, is always chasing Jerry, who is a mouse, but Jerry is more clever than Tom and always finds ways of escaping. Similar humorous situations in real life are sometimes described as being 'like something out of Tom and Jerry'.
Tomb of the Unknowns, the		a national monument in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, US, where unknown soldiers from World Wars I and II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War are buried. It represents all the US people who died in those wars.
Tombouctou		the correct name of timbuktu, a city in Mali, West Africa
Tom Brown's Schooldays		(1857) a novel by Thomas Hughes which describes life in a 19th century British public school for upper-class boys (=a private school). The main character, Tom Brown, is shown as having high moral values. It is also known for the character of flashman, who is a cruel bully who treats Tom Brown and his friends, who are younger than Flashman, very badly.
Tombstone		a city in Arizona in the US, where the gunfight at the ok corral took place
Tom, Dick and Harry		 anyone at all, used especially when you mean that something should be done only by particular people, not by everyone
Tom Jones		(1749) a humorous novel by Henry fielding about the travels, adventures, and sexual relationships of a young man, Tom Jones, whose behaviour is not always moral, but who is still likeable. It is one of the first modern English novels, and it influenced many later writers. Several films have been made from the book, including a very successful British film in 1963.
Tom Sawyer
Tonga		a country consisting of about 170 small islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean. Population: 106,322 (2014). Capital: Nuku'alofa. It is ruled by a king and is a member of the British Commonwealth.
Tonight Show, The		a US television programme which is shown late in the evening, and which consists of conversations with famous people and music. The presenter of the programme from 1962 to 1992 was Johnny Carson, who was always introduced with the words 'Here's Johnny!'. He then gave a long humorous speech, often about politics, and always finished it by making a movement like someone hitting a golf ball. When Carson left the programme in 1992, he was replaced by Jay Leno.
Tonto		a character in the 1950s US television programme The lone ranger. Tonto is a Native American who is the Lone Ranger's friend and is known for being very loyal and calling him 'Kemo sabe'.
tooltip	 noun	a box containing information, which appears when you put your cursor over something on a computer screen
Tootsie Roll		a type of small, tube-shaped chewy sweet with a chocolate taste, sold in the US
Topeka		the capital city of the US state of Kansas
Top of the Pops		a former British television programme on which singers and bands appear and music videos are shown, especially when the singers or bands have records in the current charts. The programme always ended with the record that has sold most copies in that week. It stopped being broadcast in 2006.
Topsy		a small African-American girl character in the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin(1851–52)  by Harriet Beecher  stowe. When she is asked whether she knows who made her (that is, whether she has heard of God), she replies 'I expect I grow'd' (=grew).
Top Ten, the		the ten best-selling recordings of popular music in a particular week
Torah, the		the Jewish name for the first five books of the Bible, which Christians called the 'Pentateuch'
Toronto		a city and port on Lake Ontario, Canada. Toronto is the capital of the province of Ontario and the second largest city in Canada. It is also the business and financial centre of Canada.
Torquemada, Tomás de		(1420–98)  a Spanish Christian leader who started the Spanish inquisition, the Roman Catholic organization that persecuted (persecute ) and punished heretics (=people whose religious beliefs are considered unacceptable). He is known for hurting and killing thousands of people in very cruel ways.
Torremolinos		a town on the Mediterranean coast of Spain which is popular with British tourists. It has many tall, modern hotels, bars, fast food restaurants, and night clubs. Many people in the UK think of it as a typical place for an inexpensive package holiday (=a holiday organized by a company at a fixed price that includes the cost of travel, of the hotel etc).
Torrey Canyon, the		an oil tanker (=a ship that carries oil) which was damaged on the rocks on the coast of Cornwall, southwest England, in 1967, and poured large quantities of oil into the sea, causing a lot of damage to the environment
Tortoise and the Hare, the		a fable (=a traditional story that teaches a moral lesson) by Aesop in which a tortoise and a hare have a race. The tortoise unexpectedly wins by moving slowly but steadily, while the hare, because he knows he can run much faster than the tortoise, stops halfway and falls asleep. The lesson of the story is 'slow and steady wins the race.'
Torvalds, Linus		(1969–)  a Finnish computer scientist who invented the Linux operating system
Torvill and Dean		Jayne Torvill (1957–)  and Christopher Dean (1958–) ; a pair of British ice dancers who won a gold medal at the Olympic Games in 1984, and then became professional performers. They are best known for dancing to Ravel'sBoléro.
Tory Party, the		a common name for the British conservative party
Toscanini, Arturo		(1867–1957)  an Italian conductor (=someone who directs a group of musicians) known for his work at La Scala in Milan, Italy, at the Metropolitan Opera Company in New York City, and with the NBC Symphony Orchestra in New York City
Total		a chain of petrol stations in the UK, owned by the European company TotalFinaElf
Toto		the dog belonging to Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz
Tottenham Court Road		a street in central London, known for its shops selling electronic goods such as stereo systems, televisions, and computer equipment
Toulouse-Lautrec, Henri de		(1864–1901)  a French artist who lived in Montmartre in Paris and painted many pictures of prostitutes, dancers, actors etc. He is best known for his posters advertising performances by famous entertainers of his time, in theatres such as the moulin rouge.
Tour de France, the		a famous bicycle race that takes place in France each year. The race goes all over France, including the mountains, and continues for about three weeks. On each day the rider who is leading the race wears a special yellow jersey. The Tour de France is known for being very difficult physically, and over the years some riders have died during the race.
Toussaint l'Ouverture		(1746–1803)  a former slave who became a leader of the people in Haiti, in opposition to French rule there. He died in a French prison.
Tower, the
Tower Bridge		a bridge which crosses the River Thames in London, just to the east of the Tower of London. The part of the bridge which carries the road divides in the middle into two separate parts, which can be pulled up so that tall ships can pass under it. Tower Bridge is one of London's best-known buildings, and is often used as a symbol representing London.
Tower of Babel, the		a tower in a story in the Old Testament of the Bible. The story is supposed to explain why there are so many different languages in the world. According to the story, everyone originally spoke the same language, but when the people of Babel tried to build a tower that would reach to Heaven, God prevented them by making them all speak different languages. The people could not understand each other, and were unable to finish building the tower. People sometimes use the word 'babel' to talk about a situation in which many people are talking at the same time and it is impossible to understand anyone.
Tower of London, the		a fortress (=protected group of buildings including a castle) in London next to the River Thames, built in the 11th century. The kings and queens of England lived there in the past, and many important people were kept as prisoners there. It is now a museum, and tourists visit it especially to see the Crown Jewels  (=a collection of valuable jewels belonging to the Royal Family). The Tower of London is guarded by the Beefeaters, who are dressed in old-fashioned traditional uniforms. There is an that if the ravens (=large black birds) ever leave the Tower of London, the British monarchy will end.
Town Mouse and the Country Mouse, the		an old story about a mouse who lives in a town and who invites a poor mouse who lives in the country to come and stay with him. The country mouse does not like the town, and when he invites the town mouse to come and stay with him in the country, the town mouse does not like the country. The lesson of the story is that a way of life that is suitable for one person may not be suitable for another.
Toyota		a type of car or other motor vehicle made by the Japanese company Toyota
Toys 'R' Us		a very large children's store, in the US, UK, and several other countries, which sells all types of toys and games
trackback	 noun	a way of telling someone if someone else has added a link to their website
Tracy, Spencer		(1900–67)  a US film actor known especially for appearing as characters who were honest and had high moral principles. He often worked with Katharine hepburn, with whom he had a romantic relationship for many years. His films include Captains Courageous (1937), Adam's Rib (1949), and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967).
Trade Descriptions Act, the		a British law that is intended to prevent companies from lying about the quality or effectiveness of their goods and services in their advertisements and labels
Trades Union Congress, the		the tuc
Trafalgar, Cape		the most southwesterly point of Spain. In the sea near the cape, British ships under nelson won an important sea battle against the French and Spanish in 1805.
Trafalgar Square		a square (=a broad, open area with buildings on all sides) in central London, where Pall Mall, Whitehall, the Strand, and Charing Cross Road meet. Nelson's Column stands in Trafalgar Square. On New Year's Eve, there are public celebrations in Trafalgar Square.
Trafalgar, the Battle of		an important sea battle fought off Cape Trafalgar in southwest Spain in 1805, when British ships led by Admiral Nelson beat the French and Spanish forces. Nelson was killed in the battle, and Trafalgar Square was built in his honour.
Trail of Tears, the		the journey which the Cherokee tribe of Native Americans were forced to take in 1838 and 1839. The American government forced them to leave their homes in Georgia, Tennessee, and several other states, in order to go to what was then called Indian Territory and is now part of the state of Oklahoma. Between 4000 and 8000 Cherokee people died on this journey. Other Native American tribes were forced to take similar journeys, which were also called the Trail of Tears.
Training and Enterprise Council, the
Trainspotting		(1996) a British film, based on a book by Irvine Welsh, which is both funny and very serious, about four young Scottish men who take the illegal drug heroin. Some people criticized the film for making illegal drugs seem exciting.
trans	 adjective	a less formal word for transsexual
Transamerica Building, the		a famous building in San Francisco which is shaped like a pyramid, and which is sometimes used in pictures to represent San Francisco
Transkei		an area of South Africa that is part of the Eastern Cape Province. It was formerly a homeland (a partly independent area set aside for the black population during the apartheid period).
Transport and General Workers' Union, the		the full name of the tgwu
Transport for London		a local government organization that is responsible for underground, rail and road transport in London
Trans-Siberian Railway, the		a railway that connects the Russian cities of Moscow and Vladivostok, the longest railway line in the world
Transvaal, the		an area in the northeast of South Africa. boer farmers first went to live there in the 1830s, and it became a centre of the  afrikaner people and their  culture, and of the opposition to British rule in South Africa, which led to the  boer war.
Transylvania		an area of central romania with many mountains and forests, now a centre for the steel and chemical industries, but best known for being the place where Count dracula is supposed to have lived
Travelcard	 noun	a ticket that allows you to travel for one day on the underground and all the buses and trains in London, making as many journeys as you like
Travolta, John		(1954–)  a US actor, singer, and dancer. He became very popular in the 1970s when he appeared in the films Saturday Night Fever (1977) and Grease (1978). Later, he played more serious parts, for example in the films Pulp Fiction (1994) and Primary Colors (1997).
Treasure Island		(1883) an adventure story for children by Robert Louis Stevenson about a young man called Jim Hawkins who is trying to find some treasure (=gold, jewels, coins etc) that has been buried on an island. He discovers that some of the sailors on his ship are pirates (=sailors who violently rob other ships) led by Long John Silver.
Treasury Bench, the		the first row of seats to the right of the Speaker in the British House of Commons, where all the most important government ministers sit
Treasury bill	 noun	an American government bond. Treasury bills are sold to raise money for the government and usually bought by large financial institutions around the world.
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, the		a peace agreement made on March 3rd 1918 between Germany and its allies (ally ) and Soviet Russia
Treaty of Rome, the		the formal agreement made in 1958 between France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, which established the European Economic Community, which later became the eu (European Union)
Treaty of Versailles, the		a peace agreement made in 1919 at Versailles in France, following the defeat of Germany in World War I, between Germany and the allies (=the countries that fought against Germany in the war, including France, Russia, the UK, and the US). According to the treaty, Germany lost some of its land and had to agree to pay large amounts of money to the allies for damage caused by the war. The treaty also established the league of nations.
Tree of Knowledge, the		according to a story in the Old Testament of the Bible, a tree in the Garden of eden whose fruit Adam and Eve were forbidden by God to eat. When they disobeyed God and ate the fruit God forced them to leave the Garden of Eden.
Trekkie	 noun	a keen follower of the US science fiction television programme Star Trek, especially someone who goes to conventions (=large meetings) with other followers of the programme
trend	 verb	if a subject is trending on the Internet, a lot of people are searching for it or sending messages about it
Trent, the		a river in the Midlands of England, flowing northeast into the Humber
Trent Bridge		a cricket ground in Nottingham, England, where international games are often played
Trenton		the capital city of the US state of New Jersey
Trevi Fountain		an 18th century fountain in Rome, Italy. There is a saying that if you throw a coin over your shoulder into the fountain, you will be sure to return.
Trevithick, Richard		(1771–1833)  a British engineer who invented a new type of steam engine, which was used in 1804 in the first train ever built
TriBeCa		an area of New York City in south Manhattan. The name 'TriBeCa' stands for 'Triangle Below Canal.' It was once an area mostly used by businesses, but now it is an expensive area to live in as well. There are many art galleries (gallery ), and the World Trade Center was in this area.
Trimble, David		(1944–)  a British politician and former leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, a political party in Northern Ireland which is supported mostly by Protestants, who believes strongly that Northern Ireland should remain part of the UK. He worked hard to bring peace to Northern Ireland and shared the Nobel Prize for Peace with John Hume. He was First Minister in the new Northern Ireland Assembly  (=the parliament of Northern Ireland) from 1998 until the parliament was closed in 2002. He resigned as leader of the Ulster Unionist Party in 2005 after losing his seat in the election. He became a member of the House of Lords as Baron Trimble in 2006.
Trinidad and Tobago		a country in the south Caribbean Sea, close to the coast of Venezuela, and consisting of the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. Population: 1,225,225 (2014). Capital: Port of Spain.
Trinity, the		in the Christian religion, the name given to the three forms of God – the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the holy spirit – which are all part of the same one God
Trinity House		a British organization that provides lighthouses and lightships around the coasts of England, Wales, the Channel Islands, and Gibraltar
Trinity Mirror plc		a UK company that publishes national newspapers such as the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, People, and Daily Record as well as many local newspapers
Trinity term	 noun	the name given to the summer term (=one of the three periods that the school year is divided into) in some British schools and universities
triple A	 noun	the spoken form of AAA, the American Automobile Association
Tripoli		a city and port in northwest Libya, the capital of Libya and its largest industrial centre
Tristan and Isolde		two characters in an old love story. Tristan falls in love with Isolde, who is the wife of his uncle, when they drink a magic love potion without realizing what they are drinking. Their story is told in an opera by Richard Wagner.
Tristan da Cunha		a group of islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, between South Africa and South America. The people living there had to be taken away when a volcano erupted (erupt ) in 1961, but they were able to return two years later.
Tristram Shandy		the main character and narrator (=person who tells the story) in the book The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy(1759–67)  by Laurence  sterne. The novel does not have a clear story, and its style greatly influenced 20th century  stream of consciousness writers.
Triumph		a type of motorcycle made by the British company Triumph, which is known for being well-made in a traditional way. The Triumph company also used to make sports cars.
Trivial Pursuit		a popular type of board game in which players have to answer questions about a variety of subjects, such as music, sport, and science
Trocadero		 a large building near Piccadilly Circus in central London, with many shops and exhibitions, and a place where you can play virtual reality computer games
Troilus and Cressida		a play by William shakespeare, set at the time of the trojan war, about the unhappy love affair between two lovers, Troilus and Cressida
Trojan Horse	 noun	 a wooden horse used by Greek soldiers to trick their enemies the Trojans during the Trojan War. The Greeks hid inside a large wooden model of a horse and were taken into Troy by Trojan soldiers, who thought that it was a gift.
Trojan War, the		a war which is said to have been fought between the Greeks and the Trojans because the Trojan prince Paris had carried off Helen, wife of Menelaus, a Greek king. The war was won by a trick in which Greek soldiers, hidden inside a wooden model of a horse, were taken into Troy by the Trojans who thought that the horse was a gift. Homer describes the Trojan War in his book The Iliad.
Trollope, Anthony		(1815–82)  an English writer whose novels, such as Barchester Towers, are famous for their description of  victorian England
Trossachs, the		an area in central Scotland famous for its beauty, and especially the valley between Loch Achray and Loch Katrine
Trot	 noun	an insulting word for a Trotskyite
Trotsky, Leon		(1879–1940)  a Russian political leader, born in Ukraine, who had an important part in the russian revolution of 1917. He was also a writer on Communism and he believed in revolution by workers all over the world. He lost power when his enemy stalin took control of Russia after the death of lenin (1924), and he was later forced to leave the country. He was eventually murdered in Mexico on the orders of Stalin.
Troubles, the		a name used, especially in Ireland, for the political problems connected with Ireland's relationship with the UK. The events in the early 1920s, when Ireland was fighting to become an independent country, were called the Troubles, and the name is also used for the problems and violence in Northern Ireland since the late 1960s.
Troy		according to ancient Greek stories, a city in asia minor (=modern Turkey) which the Greeks eventually gained control of in the trojan war. In the 19th century, Heinrich Schliemann, a German archaeologist, discovered the ruins of an ancient city in northwest Turkey, which he claimed was Troy.
Trucial States, the		a former name for the united arab emirates
Trudeau, Garry		(1948–)  a US cartoonist who is the first cartoonist to win a Pulitzer Prize, in 1975. He is known for his comic strip called 'Doonesbury,' which often discusses political subjects.
True Confessions		a magazine which contains stories about people's problems with love, marriage, and relationships. The stories, which are supposed to be true, are told in a way that is intended to make them as strange, exciting, or shocking as possible
Truffaut, François		(1932–84)  a French film director who was part of the new wave, and whose films include Les Quatre Cents Coups (1959), Jules et Jim (1961), and Day for Night (1973)
Truman, Harry S.		(1884–1972)  a US politician in the democratic party who was president of the US from 1945 to 1953. He took the decision to drop nuclear bombs on Japan in 1945, and helped to establish nato. He also organized the marshall plan, and began US involvement in the korean war in 1950. Truman is also remembered for having a sign on his desk that said 'The Buck Stops Here', meaning that, as president, he would be responsible for making decisions when no one else was willing to accept the responsibility.
Trump, Donald		(1946–)  a US property developer who was most successful in the 1980s when he owned hotels, houses, casinos, and many apartments. His most famous building is the Trump Tower, a large office building in New York City. Since 2003 he has been the  host of  The Apprentice, a  reality TV show.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the		in South Africa, a group of people that was chosen by the government to find out the truth about crimes committed (commit ) during the time of apartheid, in order to help the people of South Africa to live together in peace. Its chairman was Archbishop Desmond tutu. The commission gave its final report in 1998.
Truth, Sojourner		(1797–1883)  a female US slave (=a black person who was owned by a white person) with strong Christian beliefs, who was allowed to become a free person and who then travelled around the US teaching people about God and speaking publicly against slavery (=the practice of owning slaves).
TT, the		(the Tourist Trophy) a set of British motorcycle races, held every year on the Isle of Man
Tubman, Harriet		(?1820–1913) a US slave who escaped to the northern US (where slavery was not allowed) and became an important member of the underground railroad, a system for helping slaves who were trying to escape. She also worked for the army of the North in the civil war.
TUC, the		(the Trades Union Congress) the association of trade unions in the UK. There is a similar organization in the US called the afl-cio.
Tuck, Friar
Tucson		a city in South Arizona in the US surrounded by mountains. It is known as a retirement and health centre.
Tudor, Henry		henry vii
Tudors, the		the members of the Tudor family
Tuileries, the		a large public garden in central Paris, near the Louvre
Tull, Jethro		(1674–1741)  a British farmer and inventor, who developed new methods of farming and invented a machine for putting seeds in the ground
Tulsa		a city in northeast Oklahoma in the US. It is an important centre of the US oil industry.
Tunbridge Wells		a town in Kent, southeast England, which was an important spa (=a place with a spring of mineral water) in the 17th and 18th centuries. Tunbridge Wells is a very wealthy and rather conservative place, and it is often thought of as being full of older, right-wing people who are strongly opposed to social change and are easily shocked.
Tung Chee-Hwa		(1937–)  the first Chief Executive of Hong Kong after it was returned to China (1997–2005). He was formerly a Hong Kong businessman.
Tunis		the capital city of Tunisia, in the northeast of the country. The ruins of the ancient city of Carthage are close to Tunis.
Tunisia		a country in northwest Africa, between Libya and Algeria. Population: 10,835,873 (2014). Capital: Tunis. The south of the country forms part of the Sahara desert.
Tupperware	 noun	 a type of plastic container that closes very tightly and is used to store food	特百惠塑料容器〔用来存放食物的一种密封容器〕
Turgenev, Ivan		(1818–83)  a Russian writer of books, short stories, and plays, best known for his play A Month in the Country and his book Fathers and Sons
Turin		a city on the River Po in northwest Italy, which is the capital of the Piedmont region and is an important centre of the Italian car-making industry. Its Italian name is Torino.
Turing, Alan		(1912–54)  a British mathematician and computer scientist, who developed ideas which were later used to build the first electronic computer, and which also influenced the development of the study of artificial intelligence. During World War II he helped to find out the meaning of the German military codes (=secret writing system used for sending messages).
Turin Shroud, the		a piece of cloth which is believed by some people to have covered the dead body of Jesus Christ after he had been crucified (crucify ) and to be marked with an image of his face. But scientists who tested the cloth using carbon dating methods believe that it is not as old as that.
Turkey		a country which is mainly in west Asia but partly in southeast Europe, between the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Population: 80,694,485 (2014). Capital: Ankara. Until the early 20th century, Turkey was the centre of the large Ottoman Empire, whose capital city was Istanbul, Turkey's largest city. It became a republic in 1923, and its first president was Kemal Ataturk, who made great changes to make Turkey a more modern country. Turkey is a member of NATO and has asked to become a member of the EU.
Turkmenistan		a country in central Asia between Iran and Uzbekistan, formerly part of the Soviet Union. Population: 5,113,040 (2014). Capital: Ashgabat
Turks and Caicos Islands, the		a group of 30 islands in the British West Indies, southeast of the Bahamas. Population: 47,754 (2014). Capital: Grand Turk.
Turner, J.M.W.		(1775–1851)  one of the greatest British painters, known for his pictures of the countryside, the sea, and the sky, in which he uses colour and light to show the force of the wind and sea, as in his famous painting The Fighting Téméraire. There is a special part of  tate britain in London where many of his paintings can be seen.
Turner, Kathleen		(1954–)  a US actress who became known for her erotic scenes in her first film Body Heat (1982). Her other films include Romancing The Stone, and The War of the Roses.
Turner, Lana		(1921–1995)  a US actress who became a sex symbol and was often called 'The Sweater Girl'. In 1958 her lover, the gangster Johnny Stompanato, was stabbed to death by her teenage daughter. Her films included Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1941), The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946), and Peyton Place (1957).
Turner, Nat		(1800–31)  a US slave who organized a successful revolt (=an attack against people in authority) against Southern slave owners in 1831. He was caught and later hanged (hang ) for his actions.
Turner Prize	 noun	 a prize which is given each year to a British artist under the age of 50. A prize-giving event is held at Tate Britain, an art gallery in London. Past winners have included Anish Kapoor (1991), Rachel Whiteread (1993), and Grayson Perry (2003). Since the prize was first awarded in 1984, some of the works in the competition have been very controversial  (=caused a lot of disagreement among people). For example, in 1992 Damien Hirst showed a work consisting of a shark kept in formaldehyde, and in 1999 Tracey Emin's work called My Bedwas actually her unmade bed. The prize is named after the painter J.M.W. Turner.
Turner, Ted		(1938–)  a US businessman and sportsman who started CNN (Cable News Network), a cable television company that was the first to broadcast news all day and night. He also started the Turner Broadcasting System. In 1996 he sold both companies to Time Warner. He owns the Atlanta Braves baseball team, the Atlanta Hawks basketball team, and the Atlanta Thrashers ice hockey team. He was married to the actress Jane Fonda for a number of years.
Turn of the Screw, The		(1898) a ghost story by Henry james about a woman who believes that evil dead people are influencing two children she is caring for
Turpin, Dick		(1706–39)  an English highwayman (=a criminal who stole from people travelling in carriages). He was hanged for his crimes, but there are many popular stories about his adventures.
Tuscany		an area of north central Italy which is famous for its wine and for its beautiful old cities such as Pisa, Siena, and its capital city, Florence. Tuscany is a popular place for middle-class British people to go on holiday.
Tuskegee Institute, the		one of the first colleges for African Americans in the US. It was started by Booker T. washington in 1881 in Tuskegee, Alabama.
Tussaud, Madame		(1760–1850)  a Swiss woman who made models of people in wax, including famous people who were killed by the guillotine in the french revolution. In 1802 she established her waxworks, called madame tussaud's, in London.
tut	 noun	unwanted things, things of poor quality, or things that are making a place untidy
Tutankhamen		(14th century BC) an Egyptian pharaoh (=ruler) whose burial place and the valuable things in it were discovered in 1922. Many of these things can now been seen in Cairo.
Tutu, Desmond		(1931–)  a South African priest in the Anglican religion, who was Archbishop of Cape Town (1986–96) . He had a leading part in the fight against apartheid, and he was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984. Nelson mandela made him head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 1995, and he remained in that position until 1998.
Tuvalu		a country in the South Pacific Ocean, east of the Solomon Islands, made up of nine coral islands, and formerly called the Ellice Islands. Population: 10,698 (2014). Capital: Funafuti.
TV Guide		a US weekly magazine which gives the times and details of television programmes, as well as articles about programmes, actors etc
TV Times		a British weekly magazine that gives the times and details of television programmes, as well as articles about programmes, actors etc
Twain, Mark		(1835–1910)  a US writer best known for his novels The Adventures of Tom sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry finn, and for his descriptions of life on the Mississippi River. His real name was Samuel Longhorne Clemens.
'Twas the Night Before Christmas		an old Christmas poem by Clement Moore which is especially popular in the US. It describes santa claus and his visit to a family's house on Christmas Eve. The poem is often printed in newspapers and magazines at Christmas, and there are many parodies (parody ) of it. It begins with the words: 'Twas the night before Christmas/And all through the house/ Not a creature was stirring,/Not even a mouse.
tween	 noun	a child who is aged between 8 and 12
Twelfth Night		the evening before the epiphany (6 January), which represents the end of the christmas period. Christmas cards and decorations are usually taken down on Twelfth Night
Twelve Step	 noun	a method of helping people stop drinking alcohol, using drugs etc, developed by Alcoholics Anonymous
Twenty-Third Psalm, the		the best-known psalm in the Old Testament of the Bible, which is often sung at funerals. It starts with the words The lord is my shepherd.
Twickenham		a rugby stadium in west London, where the English Rugby Football Union is based and where the English national rugby team plays international games. It is sometimes humorously called 'Twickers'.
Twiggy		(1949–)  a British model (=someone whose job is to be photographed wearing fashionable clothes) who was the most famous model of the 1960s and who also acted in several films. She was known for being extremely thin and for wearing miniskirts (=very short skirts).
Twilight Zone, the		a US television programme, originally made between 1959 and 1963, and then again in the 1980s, with a different story and characters each week. At the start of each programme a voice says 'You are now entering the Twilight Zone' and the stories usually deal with supernatural events or science fiction.
Twin Cities, the		the cities of minneapolis and st paul, in the US state of Minnesota
Twinkie		a type of small, sweet, sticky yellow cake filled with a white sugary cream, sold in the US
Twinkle, twinkle, little star		a nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for children:)Twinkle, twinkle, little star,/How I wonder what you are./Up above the world so high,/Like a diamond in the sky.
Twin Towers, the		two very tall skyscrapers that were part of the World Trade Center, a group of buildings in Manhattan, New York City. When they were built in the 1970s, the towers were the tallest in the world. In 1993 terrorists killed six people with a bomb they had left there. On 11 September 2001, terrorists flew two planes filled with passengers into the Twin Towers which caused them to fall down. Almost 3000 people were killed, including everyone on the planes and many firefighters and police officers who were trying to save people in the buildings. It is believed that the terrorist organization al-Qaeda was responsible for the attack.
Twist, Oliver		the main character in the book oliver twist by Charles dickens
twitterati	 noun	 people who use the social networking service Twitter a lot
twitterjacking	 noun	the activity of sending out a Twitter message using someone else's name, usually a well-known person's
twittiquette	 noun	the commonly accepted rules for polite behaviour when using the social networking service Twitter
Twizzlers		a type of red chewy tube-shaped sweet that has a cherry taste. People in the US often eat Twizzlers at the cinema.
Two Thousand Guineas, the		a famous British horse race run at Newmarket
TX		the written abbreviation of texas
Tyler, John		(1790–1862) the tenth president of the US, from 1841 to 1845
Tyler, Wat		(?-1381)  an Englishman who was the leader of the peasants' revolt in 1381, a protest in which thousands of poor people marched to London to complain about their bad economic situation. He was murdered by the Lord Mayor of London.
Tyndale, William		(?1492–1536)  an English priest who supported the reformation (=the time when many Christians in Europe left the Catholic religion and started the Protestant religion). The authorized version of the Bible is partly based on his translations. He was killed by being burned to death because of his religious beliefs.
Tyne, the		a river in northeast England, flowing through Newcastle-upon-Tyne to the North Sea
Tyne and Wear		a metropolitan county in northern England, made up of parts of Northumberland and Durham, and including Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Tyneside		an area in northeast England on the banks of the River Tyne from Newcastle to the east coast. Tyneside formerly had a lot of industry, including shipbuilding and coal mining, and much of this closed down in the 1970s and 1980s, leaving many people without work.
Tynwald		the parliament of the Isle of Man
Typhoid Mary		(died 1938) an Irishwoman in the US who had the disease typhoid, and who was believed to have infected many people with it. The name is sometimes used to mean someone who is avoided because they are expected to cause a lot of trouble or problems.
Tyrol, the		an area in Austria in the alps that is popular with tourists who go there to ski and climb mountains
Tyson, Mike		(1966–)  a US boxer who was the youngest person to win the world heavyweight title in 1986. He spent three years in prison for rape. After this he won the heavyweight title again, but lost it to Evander Holyfield in 1996. In 1997, he was in the news for biting Holyfield's ear during a fight.
UAE		the United Arab Emirates
UAW		(Union of Automotive Workers) a trade union in the US for people who work in the car industry, making cars, trucks etc
UB40	 noun	formerly in the UK, an official card which showed that the person named on the card was receiving unemployment benefit (=money paid by the government to someone who does not have a job). It is now called an ES40.
UCAS	 noun	(Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) the official British organization which deals with applications (=official written requests) from students who want to study for a degree at a British university or college
UCATT		(Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians) a trade union in the UK for people who work in the building industry
UC Berkeley		 one of the nine universities that are part of the University of California
Uchida, Yoshiko		(1921–92)  an American writer from a Japanese family who was taken to an internment camp during World War II. She wrote mainly for young people, and her book Journey to Topaz was about her experiences in the camp.
UCLA		(the University of California at Los Angeles) part of the University of California. Sports teams from UCLA are well known for being very successful.
UDA		(Ulster Defence Association) an illegal Protestant paramilitary organization in Northern Ireland, which has used violence against opposite paramilitary groups such as the IRA and against ordinary Catholics in the past. It has since promised not to use violence again, but has not decommissioned its weapons.
UDR, the		 an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1970 to 1992 when it joined with the Royal Irish Rangers to form the Royal Irish Regiment
UEFA		(Union of European Football Associations) the organization that controls the game of football in Europe. The most important competitions that it organizes are the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Cup, and the European Football Championship.
UFW		the united farm workers
Uganda		a country in east central Africa, between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya. Population: 34,758,809 (2014). Capital: Kampala. After Uganda became independent from the UK in 1962, the country experienced many economic and political problems, especially when Idi Amin was its president. But since the mid-1980s, the situation has greatly improved.
U-Haul		a US company that provides large vehicles which people can rent, so that they can move their furniture and other possessions to another home
UKBA	 noun	 the abbreviation of the UK Border Agency
UK Border Agency	 noun	 the UK government organization which is responsible for controlling the borders of the United Kingdom. Its work includes checking passports, giving people visas and deciding who is allowed to come into country. It also does customs checks, and prevents people from bringing goods into the country illegally. The UKBA is part of the Home Office.
UK Intellectual Property Office, the		the British government department that decides which new inventions can be given a patent (=the right to make and sell a new invention). There is a similar department in the US called the Patent and Trademark Office.
UKIP		(United Kingdom Independence Party) a political party which wants Britain to leave the European Union. UKIP was started in 1993, and in June 2004 the party won its first ever seats in the local government elections.
Ukraine		a country in eastern Europe, between Poland and Russia. Population: 44,573,205 (2014). Capital: Kiev. It was formerly part of the Soviet Union, and is now a member of the CIS. Formerly, it was sometimes referred to as 'the Ukraine'.
UL		(Underwriters' Laboratories) a US organization which tests the safety of electrical equipment, tools, and drinking water. It makes rules for the companies that produce them. Electrical equipment that is approved by the UL has a special seal (=mark) on it.
Ulaanbaatar		the capital city of Mongolia, formerly called Ulan Bator
Ullswater		one of the lakes in the lake district, northwest England
Ulster		another name for Northern Ireland. The name Ulster is often used in news reports, and it is also the name preferred by the mainly Protestant political parties and groups who want Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK.
Ulster Defence Association		the full name of the uda
Ulster Defence Regiment, the		the full name of the UDR
Ulster Democratic Unionist Party, the		the former name of the democratic unionist party
Ulster Unionists, the		the members of the Ulster Unionist Party, a political party in Northern Ireland that is supported mostly by Protestants and is led by David Trimble. They believe that Northern Ireland should remain part of the UK. In the late 1990s the Ulster Unionists took part in peace discussions with the British government, the government of the Republic of Ireland, and Sinn Féin. It was the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly until the Assembly was suspended (=stopped until a time in the future that has not yet been arranged) in 2002. It lost support in the 2007 Assembly elections, coming behind the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Féin
Ulster Volunteer Force		the full name of the uvf
Ultrabook	 noun	a very thin fast light laptop computer
Uluru		a very large red rock in the Northern Territory, Australia, which is the world's largest monolith (=block of stone). It was formerly known as Ayers Rock, but the original Australian Aboriginal name for it, Uluru, is now preferred. Many tourists visit it because it is a beautiful and mysterious place, and it changes colour when the sunlight shines on it.
Ulysses		the name for odysseus in ancient Roman stories
UMIST		(the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology) a part of the University of Manchester which teaches science, engineering, electronics, and similar subjects
UMWA		(United Mineworkers of America) a trade union in the US and Canada for miners and other people who work in the mining industry
UN, the		(the United Nations) an international organization that almost every country in the world belongs to. It was started in 1945 to to try to find peaceful solutions to international problems and to make sure that countries work together to find peace. Its headquarters (=main offices) are in New York City. Other organizations that belong to the UN, such as the World Bank and the World Health Organization, are based in other places. Decisions at the UN are made by the General Assembly and the Security Council.
Unabomber		the name given in newspapers etc to a man who, over a period of 18 years, sent 16 bombs through the mail to US universities and other organizations, in order to protest against technology. In 1996 the FBI arrested Theodore Kaczynski, a former university professor, for these crimes, and in 1998 he was sent to prison for life.
Uncle Remus		a character in the children's stories about brer rabbit by the US writer, Joel Chandler Harris. In the books, Uncle Remus is the narrator (=the character who tells the stories).
Uncle Tom Cobbleigh
Underground Railroad, the		a group of people in the US who illegally helped slaves to become free by helping them to escape to the northern US and Canada, in the period before the civil war. One of its best-known members was Harriet tubman.
Under Milk Wood		(1954) a play by the Welsh poet Dylan thomas, originally performed on the radio, which is set in an imaginary fishing village in Wales and describes, often in a humorous way, the people who live there and the things they do on a particular day
Underwriters' Laboratories		the full name of the ul
UNHCR		(United Nations High Commission for Refugees) an international organization that is part of the un and is responsible for giving help and support to refugees (=people who have been forced to leave their country, because of wars, political problems etc)
Unification Church, the		the official name for the moonies
Unionism	 noun	the principles of those people in Northern Ireland, mainly Protestants, who want Northern Ireland to remain as part of the UK. There are several political parties that support these principles, including the ulster unionists and the democratic unionist party.
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the		the full name of the soviet union
Union Station		the name of the main passenger train station in many US cities
United	 noun	a word used in the names of many British football clubs
United Arab Emirates, the		a country in the Middle East, between Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Oman, made up of seven small emirates, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Population: 5,473,972 (2014). Capital: Abu Dhabi. The land is mainly desert, but has a lot of oil. Many people from other countries work there because of the oil industry.
United Artists		a large US film company based in Hollywood, which has made many famous films
United Farm Workers		a trade union in the US for people who work on farms, especially poor migrant workers who pick fruit and vegetables at many different farms in order to earn enough to live
United Nations High Commission for Refugees		the full name of the unhcr
United Negro College Fund		a charity organization in the US which gives money and support to African-American students and African-American universities
United Reformed Church		a Christian religious group that formed in 1972 when the presbyterian Church of England joined with the Congregational Church of England and Wales
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services		a US government organization that is part of the Department of Homeland Security. It is responsible for immigration matters and has the power to decide whether or not someone can become a US citizen, live in the US, or claim asylum (=live in another country because it is not safe to live in your own country).
United Way		a charity organization in the US, Canada, and New Zealand which collects money from the public, and then divides this money to give to many different charities
Universal		a large US film company based in Hollywood, which has made many famous films
Universal Declaration of Human Rights		an official statement made by the UN in 1948 which says all people in the world should have human rights, such as the right to express their beliefs without being punished and the right to be treated fairly and according to the law
University Challenge		a quiz programme on British television, in which students representing two different universities compete against each other to answer difficult questions. The show is known especially for the catchphrase 'Your starter for ten...' (=your first question for ten points is...), which the  question master (=the person asking the questions) says at the start of each set of questions.
University of London, the
Unknown Soldier, the		a soldier, whose name is not known, and whose body is buried in a national monument which is usually called the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. He is considered to represent all the soldiers of the same nation who died in a war, especially in World War I or World War II.
UNMOVIC		a group started in 1999 by the United Nations, whose main job was to look for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and to check that Iraq did not get other weapons which the United Nations said it should not have. After not finding any such weapons, the UN decided not to continue UNMOVIC in 2007. The group's full name was the United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission.
UNO, the		(the United Nations Organization)
UN peacekeeping force	 noun	a group of soldiers from several different countries, who are sent by the UN to places where there has been a war, in order to prevent fighting from starting again. They are known for wearing light-blue berets (=a soft, flat military hat).
UN resolution	 noun	an official decision made by the un (United Nations), which its members have voted for and are expected to obey
Unscom		 an organization that was set up after the Gulf War to find and destroy Iraq's weapons that could kill many people at once. Unscom stopped operating in 1999.
Upanishads, the	 noun	a collection of ancient holy books containing the main principles of Hindu religion and philosophy
Updike, John		(1932–2009)  a US writer known for his novels about the lives, relationships, and problems of middle-class people in the US, such as Rabbit, Run. He won a Pulitzer prize for Rabbit is Rich (1982) and again for Rabbit at Rest (1991). His book The Witches of Eastwick was made into a successful film.
Upper East Side		an area of New York City in Manhattan. It is an expensive area to live in, and there are many museums there, including the Metropolitan Museum and the Guggenheim Museum.
Upper Volta		the former name for burkina faso
Upper West Side		an area of New York City in Manhattan. It was once a rather poor area, but is becoming more expensive to live in. Columbia University, the Lincoln Center, and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine are in this area.
UPS		(United Parcel Service) a US company that delivers boxes and packed goods
Upstairs, Downstairs		a British television programme of the 1970s, about a rich family and their servants who live in London in the early 1900s. It shows the two different worlds of the upper-class people who live 'upstairs' in the main part of the house, and of their servants who live and work in the lower part of the house. People in the UK sometimes use this phrase when comparing the different lives of rich and poor people
Ur		a city in ancient Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), which existed from about 3500 BC to about the 6th century BC. According to the Old Testament of the Bible, abraham was born there.
Urals, the		a group of mountains that stretch all the way down from the north to the south of Russia, and are often considered to mark the border between Europe and Asia
Urban Programme, the		a British government programme that provides money to help improve cities where there are bad social conditions and a lot of people with no jobs
Uriah Heep
Uris, Leon		(1924–2003)  an American writer, whose best-known novels include Exodus, about the beginning of the state of Israel, and Trinity, about Ireland
Ursa Major		a large constellation (=group of stars) near the North Pole, which can easily be seen from Earth. The seven brightest stars in Ursa Major are called the Plough (in the UK) or the Big Dipper (in the US).
Ursa Minor		a group of stars in the northern sky, close to Ursa Major, which can easily be seen from Earth, and which includes the pole star. It is also called the Little Bear or the Little Dipper (in the US).
Uruguay		a country in South America, between Argentina and Brazil. Population 3,324,460 (2014). Capital: Montevideo.
USA, the		the United States of America
USAF		the abbreviation of the United States Air Force
USAID		(United States Agency for International Development) the US government organization that is responsible for providing foreign aid, but not weapons, to the developing world. It claims that its aim is to encourage the spread of democracy and free markets, and also to improve the quality of people's lives, but some people have criticized it for helping countries for military or political reasons.
USA Today		a newspaper that is sold in every state of the US and is also available in many countries around the world
USCIS		the abbreviation of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
U.S. Customs and Border Protection		part of the United States Department of Homeland Security that is responsible for controlling international trade, collecting import duties (import duty)  (=tax on goods coming into the country), and making sure that trade laws are obeyed. It is also responsible for stopping people entering the US illegally and for stopping people bringing drugs and other illegal goods into the country.
USDA		(United States Department of Agriculture) the US government organization which helps farmers and makes sure they follow the laws concerning food production
Usenet		a very large organization of newsgroups and news servers on the Internet
US Geological Survey		a US government organization, part of the Department of the Interior, which makes detailed maps of the US and lists of minerals found in the US. In the UK there is a similar organization called the Ordnance Survey.
USIA, the		(the United States Information Agency) a former US government department which sent representatives abroad to provide information about the United States. It is now part of the Department of State.
USMC		(United States Marine Corps) the full name of the marine corps
USN		the abbreviation of the United States Navy
USO		(United Service Organization) a US organization which arranges performances, builds libraries, and provides equipment such as telephones and televisions for people in the US armed forces
U.S. of A.		 the United States of America
US Open, the		an important golf competition that takes place in the US each year
USS		(United States Ship) letters which go before the name of a ship to show that it belongs to the American government
USSR, the
USWA		(United Steelworkers of America) a trade union in the US and Canada for people working in a wide range of industries including the metal industry, chemical industry, utilities (utility), and healthcare
UT		the written abbreviation of Utah
Utah		a state in the west of the US, whose capital, Salt Lake City, is a centre of the mormon religion. Most of the people who live in Utah are Mormons.
Ute	 noun	 a Native American tribe living mainly in Colorado and Utah
Uther Pendragon		a king of the ancient britons and the father of King Arthur in old stories
UVF		(Ulster Volunteer Force) an illegal paramilitary organization in Northern Ireland which has used violence against people who want Northern Ireland to leave the UK and become part of the Irish Republic. It has since said that it will become a non-military organization, but it has not yet decommissioned its weapons.
Uzbekistan		a country in central Asia between Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. Population: 28,661,637 (2014). Capital: Tashkent. It was formerly part of the Soviet Union, and is now a member of the CIS.
Uzi		a type of submachine gun which is often shown being used by characters in violent films
V-1	 noun	a flying bomb used by the Germans in World War II
V-2	 noun	a type of missile (=a large weapon that can fly over long distances, and that explodes when it hits the place it has been aimed at) used by the Germans in World War II
V & A, the		 a short form of the Victoria and Albert Museum
VA		the written abbreviation of virginia
VA, the	 noun	the veterans affairs
VActor	 noun	 an actor who seems like a real person, but who is an image made using a computer	〔用计算机生成的〕虚拟演员
Vaduz		the capital city of Liechtenstein
Vail		a city in Colorado in the western US, which is a popular place and fashionable for skiing (ski )
Valentino, Rudolph		(1895–1926)  a US film actor, born in Italy, who appeared as romantic characters in silent films (=films made with no sound). He was known for being sexually attractive, and for being loved by millions of women who watched his films. These films include The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921) and The Sheikh (1921).
Valhalla		in Norse mythology, a place in Asgard, the Norse heaven, to which the souls of those who died bravely in battle are taken by the valkyries
Valjean, Jean		the main character in the book Les Misérables (1862) by the French writer Victor Hugo. Valjean is sent to prison for stealing bread to feed his sister's family, but he escapes. Later, he becomes a successful man, but he is hunted by a  detective, Javert, who wants to put him back in prison.
Valkyrie	 noun	in Norse mythology, one of odin's female servants, who ride on their horses into battles and decide which brave soldiers will die. They then take the souls of the dead soldiers to valhalla.
Valley Forge		a place in Pennsylvania in the US where George washington's soldiers stayed during the winter in 1777–78 in the american revolutionary war. Many men died because of the cold and lack of food.
Vanbrugh, Sir John		(1664–1726)  an English architect and restoration comedy writer. He designed large houses for upper-class people, including blenheim palace, one of the best examples of the baroque style in the UK, and Castle Howard. His plays include The Relapse and The Provok'd Wife.
Van Buren, Abigail		(1918–2013)  a US agony aunt (=someone who gives advice to newspaper readers about their personal problems) who writes a well-known newspaper column called Dear Abby. Her real name is Pauline Esther Friedman Phillips. Since retiring (retire) in 2002, her daughter has written the column.
Van Buren, Martin		(1782–1862) the eighth president of the US, from 1837 to 1841
Van Cleef, Lee		(1925–89)  a US actor with a thin face and narrow eyes who played a villain for many westerns and crime films. He played an important character in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966). His other films included High Noon (1952), Gunfight at the OK Corral (1956), and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962).
Vancouver		a city in British Columbia, Canada, on the Pacific Ocean. Vancouver is Canada's third largest city and is an important port and industrial and business centre.
Vanderbilt		a US family known for being very rich. Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794–1877)  became extremely rich by building steamships and railways in the 19th century. The most famous family member today is Gloria Vanderbilt (1924–)  who is a fashion designer and actress.
Van Dyck, Sir Anthony		(1599–1641)  a Flemish painter who lived for some time in England, and is known especially for his portraits of the British king charles i and his family
Van Gogh, Vincent		(1853–90)  a Dutch painter who went to live in southern France and who helped to develop the style of Post-Impressionism. His paintings typically use bright colours and have thick lines of paint in circular patterns, and the most famous ones include Sunflowers and Irises. He is also known for being mentally ill and for cutting off one of his ears and later killing himself. Although Van Gogh was poor during his life, his paintings are now extremely valuable and are sold for very high prices.
Van Helsing, Professor Abraham		a vampire hunter who hunts down Dracula in the novel by Bram Stoker
Vanity Fair		 a magazine sold in the US and UK that has articles on fashion, some news articles, and some articles or stories by well-known writers
vanity sizing	 noun	the practice of labelling clothes a size smaller than they really are, so that customers feel they are thinner than they really are
Vanuatu		a country in the southwest Pacific Ocean, East of Australia, made up of a chain of volcanic islands. Population: 261,565 (2014). Capital: Port-Vila. Vanuatu was formerly called the New Hebrides, and it is an independent member of the British Commonwealth.
Van Winkle, Rip
Variety Club of Great Britain, the		a British charity organization which gives money, holidays, vehicles etc to poor or sick children. Its members are people who work in television, films, and popular theatre.
Vassar College		a college in the state of New York, US. It was established in 1861 as a college for women, but it has accepted male students since the late 1960s.
Vatican City		the independent state within Italy in the city of Rome which contains the Vatican and has its own passports, money, etc. It has buildings which contain many of the greatest works of art in the world. Population: 836 (2014).
Vatican Council, the		either of two important series of meetings in the Roman Catholic Church, in which leading members of the church discussed questions of belief and practice. The First Vatican Council (1869–70)  developed the idea that the Pope was infallible (=always right when talking about matters of belief). The Second Vatican Council (1962–65)  discussed the relationship of the church with the modern world, and one of its results was that church services began to use modern languages instead of Latin.
Vaughan Williams, Ralph		(1872–1958)  a British composer who collected English folk music and used it in his work. He is best known for his Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, his  violin music The Lark Ascending, and his symphonies( symphony ).
Vauxhall		a company that makes cars, with factories in the UK and other European countries. It is part of General Motors.
VC	 noun	(Victoria Cross) a special medal given to members of the British armed forces who have performed acts of very great bravery in war. The VC is regarded as the highest British military honour.
Veda	 noun	the oldest writings of the Hindu religion
Vedanta	 noun	the system of Hindu thought about religion
V-E Day		(Victory in Europe Day) May 8th 1945, the day on which victory in Europe in World War II was celebrated
Vegas		an informal name for las vegas
Vegemite		a type of soft, dark-brown salty food that can be spread, usually eaten on bread. Vegemite is similar to marmite and is especially popular in Australia.
Velazquez, Diego Rodriguez de Silva y		(1599–1660)  a Spanish painter best known for his portraits of the Spanish royal family
Velveeta		a type of soft processed orange cheese which is sold in a square box. Velveeta melts easily, and people in the US use it especially for grilled cheese sandwiches and on hamburgers.
Venetian	 noun	someone who comes from the city of Venice in Italy
Venice		a city in northeast Italy that is built on a system of canals (=artificial rivers) and famous for its many beautiful buildings and works of art. In former times, Venice was a powerful independent state and an important trading nation. It is now one of the most popular places in the world for tourists, who can travel around the city in special boats called 'gondolas', and it is thought of as a very romantic city.
Venezuela		a country in the north of South America between Colombia and Brazil, known especially for producing oil and coffee. Population: 28,459,085 (2014). Capital: Caracas.
Venture Scouts, the		a former part of the British scout association, that was for boys and girls who were 16 to 20 years old. It was replaced in 2001 by the Scout Network for 18 to 25 year olds and Explorer Scouts for 14 to 18 year olds.
Venus de Milo, the		a Greek statue of the goddess Venus that can be seen in the Louvre in Paris. It is badly damaged and is famous for having no arms.
Verdi, Giuseppe		(1813–1901)  an Italian composer best known for his Requiem and for his  operas, including La Traviata, Aida, and Rigoletto
Vergil		virgil
Verlaine, Paul		(1844–96)  a French poet whose works include Romances sans paroles and who is known for his relationship with the poet Arthur  rimbaud
Vermeer, Jan		(1632–75)  a Dutch painter who painted ordinary scenes from daily life, and is known especially for his pictures of rooms, often with one woman in them
Vermont		a state in the northeastern US, which is part of New England. Vermont produces many minerals, and also maple syrup, and attracts many visitors for skiing (ski ), hunting, and fishing.
Verne, Jules		(1828–1905)  a French writer who wrote science fiction. His most famous books are Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and Around the World in Eighty Days.
Versace, Gianni		(1946–97)  an Italian fashion designer, known for making expensive clothes which are especially popular with rich younger people. He was murdered in Miami, in Florida, by a serial killer and many famous people went to his funeral.
Versailles		a beautiful palace with gardens outside the city of Versailles near Paris, France. It was built for King Louis XIV and is now owned by the French state. Several peace agreements were signed there, including the one which formally ended World War I.
vertical farming	 noun	an idea for a way of farming in which plants are grown or animals are kept in tall structures with many levels
Very Reverend	 noun	a title of respect used before the name of a Christian priest of high rank, such as a dean
Vespucci, Amerigo		(1454–1512)  an Italian sailor and explorer who sailed to the Caribbean Sea and South America and discovered the place where the Amazon River flows into the sea. The name 'America' comes from his name.
Vesuvius		a volcano (=a mountain with a large hole at the top) in southeast Italy. When Vesuvius erupted (erupt) in AD 79, sending out ash and lava (=hot liquid rock), it buried the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. Vesuvius is still an 'active' volcano, which could erupt again at any time.
Veterans Affairs, the		a US government organization which deals with things concerning former members of the armed forces, such as health care, education, and pensions (=money given to someone when they stop working). Its full name is the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
Veterans Association	 noun	an organization whose members fought in a war in the past
Veterans of Foreign Wars		a US organization for former soldiers who have fought in wars abroad. This organization is concerned with things such as healthcare and disability claims of veterans.
Vettel, Sebastian	 	(1987-) a German Formula One racing driver who became World Champion in the 2010 season, while driving for the Red Bull Racing team. He is the youngest ever World Champion.
VFW		veterans of foreign wars
Vice Squad, the		the division of the police force in either Britain or the US which deals with sexual and drug-related offences
Vichy		a city in south central France where the government of France was based during the World War II. The authority of the Vichy government was not accepted by many French people because it followed the rules and laws given to it by the Germans who had taken control of France. When people discuss this period of France's history they sometimes call the country Vichy France.
Vicksburg		a city in Mississippi, US. An important battle was fought in Vicksburg during the American civil war, in which the Union army defeated the Confederate army after a long period of fighting.
Victoria		a large railway station in central London, from which trains go to various parts of southeast England
Victoria and Albert Museum, the		a museum in central London that has valuable decorative objects of all styles and periods and from all over the world, such as paintings, glass, clothes, and jewellery
Victoria Cross	 noun
Victoria Day		a public holiday held in May in Canada
Victoria Falls		a waterfall on the Zambezi River between Zimbabwe and Zambia in southern Africa, which is about 1.5 kilometres/1 mile wide and about 120 metres/400 feet high. It is one of the most popular places in Africa for tourists to visit.
Victoria, Lake		the largest lake in Africa, which is surrounded by Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya
Victoria, Queen		(1819–1901)  the British queen from 1837 until her death, who also had the title 'Empress of India'. She was queen for 64 years, longer than any other British king or queen, during a period of great change. While she was queen, the UK became one of the richest and most powerful countries in the world, as a result of the growth of industry and the development of the British Empire. When people think now of the 'Victorian' period, it is often seen as a time of strict moral standards, when people were very serious, marriages were always permanent, and sex was never mentioned. Victoria herself is supposed to have said 'We are not amused' when someone told her something funny. Victoria was married to a German prince, Prince Albert, and his sudden death in 1861 caused her great and lasting unhappiness.
Victory, HMS		the British ship that Admiral nelson used in 1805 when his navy won the important sea battle against the French and Spanish near Cape trafalgar. It can now be visited at Portsmouth in southern England.
vidder	 noun	someone who makes a music video or film by combining together small parts of existing videos, television programmes, or films
videodisc	 noun	a round flat piece of plastic used in the past to record and show films or programmes in the same way as a video	视盘，影碟
Vienna		the capital city of Austria, famous as a centre for music since the 18th century, and the home of many famous composers, including mozart and beethoven.
Vientiane		the capital city of Laos
Viet Cong, the	 noun	the group of guerrillas (=unofficial soldiers) who were supported by the Communist government of North Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and fought against US and South Vietnamese forces
Vietnam		a country in southeast Asia, next to Cambodia and China. Population: 92,477,857 (2014). Capital: Hanoi. Vietnam was ruled by France, as part of French Indochina, from the mid-19th century. It became independent in 1954 as two countries, the pro-western South Vietnam and the Communist North Vietnam. Attempts to unite the two countries led to the Vietnam War and eventually succeeded in 1975. The war caused great suffering and serious economic problems. Since the war, Vietnam has gradually improved its economic position and it is now a member of ASEAN.
Vietnamese	 noun	 the people of Vietnam
Vietnam Veterans Memorial		 two long walls made of polished black stone which are arranged in a V-shape on the Mall (= park area) in Washington, D.C. The walls have more than 58,000 names carved on them, which is to remind people of all the US soldiers who died in the Vietnam War or never returned from Vietnam.
Vietnam War, the		(1954–75)  a civil war between the Communist forces of North Vietnam and the non-Communist forces of South Vietnam, which ended when South Vietnam was finally defeated in 1975, and Vietnam was united again as one country. Between 1965 and 1973, US soldiers fought in Vietnam to support the army of South Vietnam, and when people in the West talk about the Vietnam War, or simply about Vietnam, they usually mean this period of US involvement. It was a long war in which many Americans soldiers died, and on some occasions people express the fear that the US may get involved in another similar war
Village Voice, The		a weekly newspaper produced in Greenwich Village in New York City, which includes news and articles about politics, books, films etc, and is known especially for its news about alternative entertainment
Villa, Pancho		(about 1878–1923) a Mexican leader of a revolution against the Mexico government
Vilnius		the capital city of Lithuania
Vinci
Virgil		(70–19 BC) an ancient Roman poet whose best-known poem is The aeneid, a long  epic poem telling the story of how Aeneas left the city of Troy and eventually arrived in Italy
Virgin		the name of several British companies started by Richard branson, including Virgin Atlantic, an airline, Virgin Rail, a railway company, and Virgin Money, which provides financial services. Some of the companies Branson started, such as Virgin Records, are no longer owned by him.
Virginia		 a state on the east coast of the US, south of Washington, D.C., which is considered to be a southern state and is one of the 13 original states of the US
Virginia Tech Massacre, the	 	two separate gun attacks which took place during the morning of April 16th 2007 at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, USA. Seung-Hui Cho, a student at the university shot dead 32 people and injured many others before killing himself. The attacks led to discussion in the media about gun laws, the treatment of mentally ill people, and the actions of the university authorities.
Virgin Islands, the		a group of about 100 small islands in the east Caribbean Sea, some of which are ruled by the US (the US Virgin Islands) and some by the UK (the British Virgin Islands)
Virgin Mary, the		in the Christian religion, the mother of Jesus Christ. According to the New Testament of the Bible, when Mary was a young woman an angel came to her from God and told her that she was going to have a baby, although she had never had sex, and that the baby would be the son of God. She is especially important to Roman Catholics, who have pictures and statues of her in their churches and homes, and who often pray to her for help.
Virgin Queen, the		a name sometimes given to the English Queen, elizabeth i, because she never married
Visa card		a type of credit card (=plastic card used to obtain goods and services, which the buyer pays for later) which can be used all over the world
Vishnu		one of the three main gods in the Hindu religion. He is 'the Preserver' and is known for his many avatars (=different forms in which a god can actually be seen), the most important of which is krishna.
VisitBritain		a government tourist organization that encourages people to spend their holidays in Britain. It was formed after the British Tourist Authority and the English Tourism Council joined together in April 2003.
Vivaldi, Antonio		(1678–1741)  an Italian composer who wrote many operas and a lot of church music, but is best known for The Four Seasons, one of the most popular pieces of  classical music
Viz		a British comic (=magazine with stories told in pictures) for adults, which is full of rude jokes and is popular especially with students and other young adults. Most of its characters are stereotypes (=people who are supposed to be very typical representatives of a certain type of person).
V-J Day		(Victory over Japan Day) August 15th 1945, the day on which victory over Japan in World War II was celebrated
Vladivostok		a port and city on the east coast of Russia. The Trans-Siberian railway goes from Moscow to Vladivostok.
VoA, the		the voice of america
Vodafone		a multinational telecommunications company, based in the UK, which operates a network for mobile phones
Vogue		a fashion magazine for women, which includes photographs of expensive clothes and articles about new fashions, health, and beauty
Voice, The		a British newspaper especially for the black community
Volga, the		a river in Russia which flows into the Caspian Sea, and is the longest river in Europe
Volkswagen		a type of car made by the German company Volkswagen, whose products include the Golf and the Beetle. Volkswagens are considered to be very reliable cars  (=they can be trusted to always work well and not go wrong).
Voltaire		(1694–1778)  a French writer and philosopher who was one of the leaders of the Enlightenment, and whose ideas influenced the French Revolution. He wrote essays on many subjects, but his best-known work is the story Candide.
Voluntary Euthanasia Society, the		an organization in the UK which aims to change the law that forbids helping seriously ill people to die if they wish to. There is a similar organization in the US called the hemlock society.
Voluntary Service Overseas		the full name of vso
Volunteers of America		a non-profit organization for people in the US who need help, such as children who have been treated badly by their parents, families that do not have enough money, people who do not have a home, and old people who are too weak to take care of themselves. It also gives some medical care and helps people get homes that are not too expensive.
Von Braun, Wernher		(1912–77)  a rocket engineer who was born in Germany and developed the v-2 flying bomb for the Nazis. After World War II he went to the US and worked for nasa on the apollo program to send spacecraft to the Moon.
von Bülow, Claus		(1926–)  an American man, born in Denmark, who married a rich American woman called Martha 'Sunny' Crawford. In 1982 he was found guilty of trying to murder her. But his lawyers succeeded in persuading the High Court that a new trial was necessary, and at the end of the second trial he was found not guilty.
Vonnegut, Kurt		(1922–2007)  a US writer known for his science fiction writing and for his style of black humour (=jokes that deal with the unpleasant parts of life). His novels include Slaughterhouse Five (1969) and Cat's Cradle (1963).
von Trier, Lars		(1956-) a Danish film director who started the Dogma 95 filmmaking movement with Thomas Vinterberg in 1995. His films include Breaking the Waves (1996), Dancer in the Dark (2000), and Dogville (2003).
Voyager		a US government space programme in which NASA sent two spacecraft without people inside, called Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, to collect information about Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The Voyager spacecraft were sent in 1977 and are still sending back information from space.
V-sign	 noun	a sign made by holding up the first two fingers of your hand with the front of your hand facing forwards. During World War II it was used to mean victory, and it was used again by hippies in the 1960s and 1970s to mean peace.
VT		the written abbreviation of vermont
Vulcan		in Roman mythology, the god of fire and of making things from metal
Vulgar Latin	 noun	the form of Latin spoken in ancient Rome by the ordinary people, which is different from the 'classical' Latin written by well-known ancient writers. Modern romance languages like Spanish and Italian developed from Vulgar Latin.
VW		volkswagen
W-2	 noun	a form (=official document) that employers in the US prepare each year for their workers, showing how much a worker has earned that year and how much tax as been taken out of their wages. The worker then sends this form with his or her income tax return to the IRS.
WA		the written abbreviation of washington state
WAC	 noun	(Women's Army Corp) in the past, the women's part of the US Army. In 1978 the WAC stopped existing and its members became part of the Regular Army.
Wade, Virginia		(1945–)  a British tennis player who won the women's singles competition at Wimbledon in 1977
Waf	 noun	a woman serving in the US Air Force
Wagner, Richard		(1813–83)  a German composer who is most famous for his long operas, which include Tristram and Isolde and especially his series of four operas based on German  mythology, called the Ring of the Nibelung. His music is often in a very exciting, dramatic style. He started his own theatre at  bayreuth and his operas are still performed there every summer.
Waikiki		a beach in Hawaii near Honolulu, which is very popular with tourists
Wailing Wall, the		a high stone wall in Jerusalem where Jews go to pray. It is the only remaining part of the ancient Temple of Jerusalem, which was destroyed in AD70.
Waite, Terry		(1939–)  a British adviser to the Archbishop of Canterbury who went to the Middle East to try to obtain the freedom of some Western hostages. He was himself taken as a hostage and held for four years until he was released in 1991.
Waiting for Godot		(1955 ) a play by the Irish writer Samuel Beckett about two men, Vladimir and Estragon, waiting for a third man, Godot, who never comes. The play is a typical example of the Theatre of the Absurd, and people use the phrase 'waiting for Godot' to describe a situation where they are waiting for something to happen, but it probably never will.
Waitrose		a supermarket (=a very large store that sells mainly food) in the UK, which is owned by the John Lewis stores. Waitrose supermarkets are considered to be more expensive than others, but also offer good quality food.
Walden Pond		a small lake in Massachusetts in the US near the place where Henry David thoreau lived and after which he named his book Walden, or Life in the Woods
Waldheim, Kurt		(1918–2007)  an Austrian politician who was the Secretary-General of the UN from 1972 to 1981, and the president of Austria from 1986 to 1992. Some people believed that he had taken part in Nazi war crimes during World War II, but it was decided officially that he was not guilty of this.
Waldorf-Astoria, the		a large, expensive hotel in New York City
Wales		a country in the United Kingdom, west of England, which was an independent country until it was brought under English rule in 1284. Population: 3,063,758 (2014). Capital: Cardiff. The country's Welsh name is Cymru. Wales is known for its high mountains, including Snowdon, and it is a popular place for tourists to visit. Traditionally, its main industries were farming, especially sheep farming and, in South Wales, coal mining (=getting coal out of the earth). The mines have now all closed, but new industries are being developed, especially making electronic products. The Welsh language is spoken by many people, especially in the north. The Welsh Assembly was established in 1999 in order to give the Welsh people more power to govern themselves while still being part of the UK. Some people, including the political party Plaid Cymru, want Wales to be an independent country. Welsh people are thought to be good singers, and Wales is known for its  male voice choirs. The national  symbols of Wales are the  leek (=a vegetable with a long white stem and long flat green leaves), the  daffodil (=a tall yellow spring flower), and the red  dragon. The  patron saint is Saint David.
Walesa, Lech		(1943–)  the president of Poland from 1990 to 1995. He was leader of the trade union Solidarity during the 1980s and became popular in western countries for his opposition to Poland's Communist government. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983.
Wales Office, the		a government department that was established in July 1999 when most of the powers of the Welsh Office were given to the Welsh Assembly. The Secretary of State for Wales is the head of the Wales Office and is responsible for making sure that the interests of Wales are represented when the government in Westminster makes decisions.
Wales, the Prince of
Walken, Christopher		(1943–)  an American actor whose films include The Deer Hunter (1978), A View to a Kill (1985), and Pulp Fiction (1994). He won an Oscar for The Deer Hunter.
Walker, Alice		(1944–)  a US writer best known for her novel The Color Purple, which won a  pulitzer prize, and which was made into a successful film
Walker Cup, the		a golf competition between two teams, one British and one American, of non-professional male golfers
Walkman	 noun	 a small MP3 player with headphones, that you carry with you so that you can listen to music	随身听
Wallabies, the	 noun	Australia's international Rugby Union team
Wallace and Gromit		two characters in British cartoon films made by Nick Park, which are extremely popular with both adults and children. Wallace is a man who is nice but rather stupid, who loves cheese, and who is always inventing new machines that do not work very well. Gromit, his dog, is extremely intelligent, and can read, fly a plane, ride a motorcycle, and together they catch criminals.
Wallace, Edgar		(1875–1932)  a British writer, well known for his crime stories, many of which were filmed for television
Wallace, George		(1919–98)  a US politician in the democratic party who was governor of Alabama for most of the period between 1963 and 1987. He is often considered to be racist because he supported segregation. He was shot in 1972, when he was trying to be chosen to represent the Democratic Party in the election for president, and after that he had to use a wheelchair.
Wallace, Mike		(1918–2012)  a US television news reporter and interviewer. He helped start the television news magazine programme 60 Minutes in 1968. He is known for asking people difficult questions and for repeating the questions if he doesn't get a proper answer.
Wallace, Sir William		(1272–1305)  a Scottish soldier and politician, who was a leader of the fight to keep Scotland independent of England. After being defeated in battle by the English king, Edward I, he was taken to London and hanged. He is regarded in Scotland as a national hero, and the film Braveheart (1995) tells his story.
Waller, Fats		(1904–43)  a US jazz piano player, songwriter, and band leader, known for his humorous performances. His songs include Honeysuckle Rose and Ain't Misbehavin'.
Waller, Robert James		(1939–)  an American writer of short stories and novels, including The Bridges of Madison County
Wallis, Sir Barnes		(1887–1979)  a British engineer and inventor. He is known especially for developing the bouncing bomb, which was used to destroy dams (=large walls built across rivers) in Germany during World War II. The story of how he invented this bomb is told in the film The Dam Busters.
Wall Street Journal, The		a respected US daily newspaper, which is also sold in many other countries and which deals mainly with business and economics
Wal-Mart		a large store in the US that sells many different types of goods, such as clothes, toys, and garden equipment, at low prices
Walpole, Sir Robert		(1676–1745)  a British politician in the whig party, who is usually regarded as the first British prime minister, a position which did not previously exist, and which he held from 1721 to 1742
Walt Disney
Walt Disney World		the official name for Disneyworld
Walters, Barbara		(1929–)  a US television presenter known for talking to political leaders, and for being very skilful at asking them questions and making them answer in an honest way
Waltons, The		a 1970s US television programme about a large family called the Waltons, living in the state of Virginia in the 1930s. The best known character is the oldest child, John-Boy, who writes in his diary about what happens to his family. The stories and morals of the programme are rather old-fashioned, and people sometimes mention the Waltons as an example of a 'perfect' family that is not very realistic.
Waltzing Matilda		a popular old Australian song which many Australians think of as their national song. It tells the story of a 'swagman' (=a worker who travels around the country carrying his possessions with him).
Wang, Vera		(1949–)  an American fashion designer who is known especially for designing wedding dresses, evening dresses, and special dresses for people who ice-skate
Wapping		part of the Docklands area of East London, which has been a centre of the British newspaper industry since the 1980s, when several newspapers moved their offices there from Fleet Street.
War between the States, the		the American civil war. This expression is used mainly by people in the South of the US.
War Cry, The		the weekly newspaper of the salvation army in the UK whose members go into bars and pubs to try to sell it to customers
Ward Howe, Julia		(1819–1910)  a US woman, best known for writing the words to the famous American song The Battle Hymn of the Republic
Warhol, Andy		(1926–87)  a US artist who had an important influence on modern art and music, especially in the 1960s. He is known for his pictures in the pop art style, which were of ordinary objects such as the Campbell's Soup Can, or of famous people such as Marilyn  monroe. He also made films such as The Chelsea Girls (1966) and Trash (1970). His films, which usually dealt with sex and drugs, did not try to tell stories and the actors often invented their words as they spoke.
War in Iraq	 noun	 another name for the Iraq War
Warner Bros		a US film company based in Hollywood, which has made many famous films and cartoons
Warner, Pop		(1871–1954)  a US coach (=someone who trains a person or team) in American football who developed a new and successful method of playing the game. His real name was Glenn S. Warner. Football leagues for children are often called Pop Warner leagues.
War of 1812, the		a war between the US and the UK, which was fought from 1812 to 1815, and which was caused mainly by trade problems. During the war, British soldiers burned the white house and other buildings in Washington, D.C.
War of Independence, the		 the American Revolutionary War
War of the Worlds, The		(1898) a novel by H.G. wells about an attack against Earth by creatures from Mars, which is one of the first great works of  science fiction. A radio play based on the book, made by Orson  welles in 1938, caused great fear and shock in the US, because many people thought that the events they heard on the radio were actually happening.
Warren Report, the		an official US report about the murder of President John F. kennedy. Earl Warren and a special committee, called the Warren Commission, studied the facts relating to Kennedy's murder and decided that the president was killed by a single person, and that there was no  conspiracy (=a secret plan involving several people). Many people, however, do not accept this decision, and believe that Kennedy's death was organized by political opponents
Warsaw		the capital city of Poland, on the River Vistula. Much of the city was destroyed in World War II, but many of the old buildings were rebuilt after the war.
Warsaw Ghetto, the		an area in the city of Warsaw in which almost half a million Jews were forced by the Nazis to live together during World War II, before they were taken to concentration camps where most of them died.
Warsaw Pact, the		a group of countries in eastern Europe, including Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, and the former Soviet Union, which was established in 1955 to oppose nato during the cold war.The Warsaw Pact ended in 1991 when most of the Communist governments of eastern Europe lost power.
Warshawski, V.I.		the main character in the crime novels by Sara Paretsky. She is a private detective (=someone that people employ to discover information for them) in Chicago, and is intelligent, confident, determined, and very good at fighting.
Wars of the Roses, the		the period of civil war in England(1455–85) , between two parts of the English royal family, which each wanted its own leader to be king. One family was called Lancaster, and was represented by a red rose, and the other was called York, and was represented by a white rose. The Wars of the Roses ended at the battle of  bosworth field.
Warwickshire		a county in west central England
Wash, the		a wide bay (=an area of sea that curves inwards towards the land) on the east coast of England between Norfolk and Lincolnshire
Wash.		a written abbreviation of Washington
Washington
Washington, Booker T.		(1856–1915)  a US teacher whose parents had been slaves, who started the tuskegee institute, one of the first US colleges for African Americans. He also wrote a book about his life called Up from Slavery.
Washington, D.C.		the capital city of the US, on the Potomac River close to the country's east coast. Washington's many government buildings include the White House, and the Capitol, and the Supreme Court. It has no industry. D.C. stands for District of Columbia, meaning that Washington is a special area that governs itself and is not contained in any of the 50 states.
Washington, Denzel		(1954–)  a US film actor whose films include Cry Freedom (1987) and Malcolm X (1992). In 2001 he became the first African American since Sidney Poitier in 1963 to win an Oscar for best actor, which he won for Training Day.
Washington, George		(1732–99)  the first president of the US, from 1789 to 1797. Washington was a respected officer in the British army before he became commander of the colonial armies during the american revolutionary war. After the war he became the leader of the constitutional convention and influenced the states to officially accept the new constitution of the united states. He was elected president of the US twice, but he refused to be president for a third time.
Washington Monument, the		a tall obelisk (=stone structure) on the Mall (= park area) in Washington, D.C., which was built to show respect and admiration for George Washington, the first president of the US
Washington Post, The		a serious US newspaper produced in Washington, D.C., and sold all over the country. Two of its reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, had an important part in finding out information about the watergate affair in the early 1970s.
Washington State		a state in the northwestern US. Its largest cities are Seattle and Tacoma. It is known for its forests and its rainy weather
wash-up	 noun	the wash-up period is the last few days of the British parliament, after a general election has been announced. During this time the government tries to get remaining laws passed quickly, with the help of the opposition parties
Waste Land, The		(1922) a long poem by T.S. eliot. It is written in a style that was new and unusual at that time, and it has had a great influence on modern poetry.
Watchtower, The		a magazine produced by the religious group the Jehovah's Witnesses, who go to people's houses and try to persuade them to buy it
Water Babies, The		(1863) a book for children by Charles Kingsley about a young boy called Tom, who is a chimney-sweep (=someone who cleans chimneys). Tom falls into a river and magically changes into a 'water baby', and he learns all about good and evil from the good and evil creatures under the water.
Waterford		a county in the southeast of the Republic of Ireland
Waterford crystal		a type of valuable glass product such as wine glasses and vases, made from crystal (=a high quality type of glass) in Waterford in the Republic of Ireland
Watergate		a famous political scandal in the US in the early 1970s that caused President Nixon to leave his job before Congress could impeach him  (=charge him with a serious crime). It was discovered that Nixon had agreed to an attempt to obtain information about the Democratic Party's plans for the next election by secretly going into their offices in the Watergate building in Washington D.C. Nixon later tried to prevent this information from being discovered. These recordings became known as the Watergate Tapes. Because of these events, other political scandals are often given a name ending in '-gate', for example Irangate.
Waters, Muddy		(1915–83)  a US blues singer, songwriter, and guitar player, who greatly influenced many other singers of popular music
Watling Street		a long road built by the Ancient Romans that started in Dover in the southeast of England, passed through London, and then went northwest to end near the modern town of Shrewsbury
Watson, Dr		one of the main characters in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories about Sherlock Holmes. Watson is Holmes's friend and helps him in his work, but he is much less intelligent than Holmes. Most people know the expression 'Elementary, my dear Watson', which Holmes is supposed to say to Watson when he is explaining how easy it is to understand something about a crime, which Watson has not noticed or does not understand. People sometimes use this expression humorously to say how easy something is to solve.
Watson, James		(1928–)  a US scientist who, together with Francis Crick, discovered the structure of dna, the substance that carries genetic information in the cells of plants, animals, and humans. They won a Nobel Prize in 1962 for their work.
Watson, Tom		(1949–)  a US golfer, one of the most successful players of the 1970s and 1980s. He won the British Open five times, and the US Masters Tournament twice.
Watt, James		(1736–1819)  a British engineer who made important improvements to the steam engine, although he did not actually invent it, as some people wrongly believe. The measure of electrical power, the watt, is named after him.
Waugh, Evelyn		(1903–66)  a British writer known especially for his novels about upper-class English people in the period between World War I and World War II. His early books, such as Decline and Fall, are very funny  satires on English  upper-class society, but his later books, such as  brideshead revisited, are much more serious.
Wave	 noun	 a woman who is a member of a US navy volunteer1 group
Waverley Novels		thirty-two books and stories by the British writer Sir Walter Scott. The first book, Waverley, published in 1814, gave the series its name.
Wayne and Waynetta
Wayne, John		(1907–79)  a US film actor who was known especially for appearing in westerns (=films about the American west in the 19th century), such as Stagecoach (1939) and True Grit (1969). The characters he played were usually brave, strong, honest men who loved their country, and he is thought of as representing typical American values.
Ways and Means Committee	 noun	a group of representatives in the government of a US state or in Congress which writes tax laws. its full name is the United States House Committee on Ways and Means.
WBA, the		 one of the organizations responsible for controlling professional boxing. A boxer who holds a WBA title is described as a world champion.
WBC, the		(the World Boxing Council) one of the organizations responsible for controlling professional boxing. It was formed in 1963.
WBO, the		(the World Boxing Organization) one of the organizations responsible for controlling professional boxing. The WBO became active in 1998.
WBU		 one of the organizations responsible for controlling professional boxing, although it is not as well known as the four main controlling organizations, the IBF, WBA, WBC and  WBO.
WEA, the		(the Workers' Educational Association) a British organization that arranges classes for adults, especially adults who started working at a young age and may not have had a good education
weapon dog	 noun	a dog that someone keeps as a pet and uses to frighten or attack people – used mainly in newspapers and broadcasting
Weaver, Sigourney		(1949–)  a US film actress whose films include Ghostbusters (1984) and The Ice Storm (1997), but who is best known for appearing in Alien (1979) and the later films in that series
webisode	 noun	an episodeof a television series that is shown on the Internet
Webster, Daniel		(1782–1852)  a US politician who was Secretary of State from 1841 to 1843 and from 1850 to 1852. He was also an important lawyer in the supreme court and was especially famous for his skill at public speaking. He strongly believed that the federal (=national) government was more important than the individual governments in each US state.
Webster, Noah		(1758–1843)  a US lexicographer (=someone who writes dictionaries) who produced his famous American Dictionary of the English Language in 1828. His name is used for a series of dictionaries called Webster's dictionaries, which are the best-known English dictionaries produced in the US.
Wedding March, the		a piece of music that is traditionally played after a marriage ceremony when the bride and groom start to walk down the aisle (=a passage between rows of seats) of the church
Wedgwood		a type of fine china, such as plates or bowls, made by the company Wedgwood, which was established in the 18th century in the UK. Wedgwood china is often pale blue or pale green, with white designs or figures on it. The blue colour used in Wedgwood china is sometimes called Wedgwood blue.
Weed Whacker		a type of machine for cutting weeds (=unwanted garden plants) and in places that a lawn mower cannot reach. You hold the machine in your hand and move it just above the ground, and a strong spinning plastic string cuts the grass. In the UK there is a similar machine called a strimmer.
Wee Frees, the		a humorous name for the members of the free church of scotland, a small Christian group with churches mainly in the Highlands of Scotland
Wee Willie Winkie		a character in a nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for young children) who runs through the town wearing his nightgown (=a loose dress worn in bed): Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,/Upstairs and downstairs in his nightgown.
Weight Watchers		an international organization that helps people who want to become thinner. Its members go to regular meetings, where they get advice about how to diet and where they all support each other and praise members who have succeeded in losing weight.
Weill, Kurt		(1900–50)  a German composer, who is best known for writing the music for The Threepenny Opera, for which Bertolt  brecht wrote the words
Weimar		a city in central Germany, where many important writers, such as goethe and schiller, lived in the 18th and 19th centuries
Weimar Republic, the		the first German republic, which was established in 1919 at a meeting in the city of weimar. It faced difficult economic problems, including very high inflation, and ended when Hitler took control of the country in 1933.
Weir, Peter		(1944–)  an Australian film director whose films include Picnic at Hanging Rock, Dead Poets Society, and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Weissmuller, Johnny		(1904–84)  a US swimmer and film actor. He won Olympic gold medals for swimming in 1924 and 1928, and is most famous for appearing as the character of tarzan in many films made in the 1930s and 1940s.
Welby, Marcus		the main character in the popular 1970s US television programme Marcus Welby M.D. People sometimes mention him as the perfect family doctor who cares about his  patients and always tries to help them with their problems.
Welch, Raquel		(1940–)  a US film actress famous for being a sex symbol (=model or actress who is considered to be extremely sexually attractive). Her films include One Million Years BC (1966) and Myra Breckinridge (1970).
Weldon, Fay		(1931–)  a British writer of novels, whose books include Praxis (1978) and The Life and Loves of a She-Devil (1983)
Welk, Lawrence		(1902–92)  a US band leader on a television programme in the 1950s and 1960s. He is known for saying 'a-one-and-a-two-and-a' so that his band knew when to start playing.
Weller, Sam		a character in The Pickwick Papers by Charles  Dickens. Sam is Mr Pickwick's servant, and when Mr Pickwick is sent to prison, Sam goes with him to look after him.
Welles, Orson		(1915–85)  a US actor, film director, producer, and writer, known especially for the film Citizen Kane (1941), thought by many people to be one of the greatest films ever made, and for his radio play The War of the Worlds, which in 1938 made thousands of people in the US believe that the Earth was really being attacked by creatures from Mars. Other films include The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) and The Third Man (1949).
Wellington		the capital city of New Zealand, on the north island, the country's second largest city and an important port
Wellington, Duke of
We'll Meet Again		a popular song from World War II, sung by Vera lynn, about people hoping to meet again after a long and painful time apart: We'll meet again,/Don't know where, don't know when,/But I know we'll meet again/Some sunny day.
Well of Loneliness, The		a novel by British writer Radclyffe Hall about a lesbian relationship. It upset many people when it was published in 1928, and selling it was illegal for about 20 years.
Wells Fargo		a bank in the US. Many towns and cities in the West Coast have a Wells Fargo bank, especially in California.
Wells, H.G.		(1866–1946)  a British writer of novels and political essays. He is best known for his science fiction novels such as The Time Machine and The war of the worlds.
Welsh Assembly, the		the group of elected politicians in Cardiff responsible for making decisions about certain matters for Wales such as education and health. It was established in 1998 after a vote on devolution in 1997. It cannot make certain important laws or raise taxes because these powers still remain with the British parliament in Westminster. Its official name is the National Assembly for Wales.
Welsh, Irvine		(1958–)  a Scottish writer whose best-known novel, Trainspotting, was made into a successful film. The characters in Welsh's novels are usually young and take drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Their lives are hard, but the stories are told with a lot of humour. Welsh has been called 'the poet laureate of the chemical generation', meaning that he is respected and liked by young people who drink and take drugs.
Welsh Nationalist Party, the
Welsh Office, the		a former British government department that was responsible for carrying out the government's policies in Wales. In 1999 it was replaced by the wales office
Wendy		one of the children visited by peter pan in the children's story Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie. The name Wendy was invented by Barrie.
Wendy's		a type of fast food restaurant which is known for serving hamburgers. Many towns in the US and some large towns in the UK have a Wendy's.
Wen Jiabao		(1942-) a Chinese politician who became prime minister of China in 2003
Wenner, Jann		(1946–)  the publisher and editor of Rolling Stone magazine, which he began in 1967 with Ralph Gleason
We Plough the Fields and Scatter		a hymn (=a song of praise to God) sung in the UK at harvest festivals: We plough the fields and scatter/The good seed on the land,/But it is fed and watered/By God's almighty hand...
We Shall Overcome		a protest song written in 1960 by Pete Seeger to an old traditional tune, which was especially popular during the Civil Rights Movement in the US, when it was often sung by large crowds at meetings and on protest marches. It is still sung by groups of people who are fighting against unfair laws or unfair governments.
Wesleyan	 noun	a member of the Christian group established by John wesley; a methodist
Wesley, John		(1703–91)  an English religious leader who started a new type of Christianity called methodism. He travelled around the country speaking to large numbers of people, and held his meetings outside rather than in churches. He is also known for his work to help poor people.
Wessex		an ancient anglo-saxon kingdom in the south and southwest of England, which continued until England became united in the 9th century. The writer Thomas Hardy used the name Wessex in his novels to mean the southwestern counties (county ) of England, especially Dorset.
West Bank, the		the land west of the River Jordan and the Dead Sea between Israel and Jordan. In 1967, during the Arab-Israeli War, the Israelis took control of the West Bank, but Palestinian Arabs still consider it to be their land. Following the Oslo agreement of 1993, Israel began to remove its army from the West Bank and parts of the area became controlled by Palestinians.
Western Australia		the largest state of Australia, in the west of the country, whose capital is Perth
Western Conference, the		a group of professional basketball teams from the western part of the US, which play against one another. Together with the eastern conference, a similar group from the eastern US, these teams form the NBA (=National Basketball Association).
Western Europe		the western part of Europe or the countries in it, especially the ones that did not have Communist governments, such as France or the Netherlands
Western Front, the		an area in northern France and Belgium where many battles of World War I were fought. The armies of the allies (=Britain, France etc) and of Germany were based in trenches (=long, deep holes in the ground) and suffered terrible conditions and great loss of life.
Western Hemisphere		 the half of the Earth that includes the Americas and the Caribbean
Western Isles, the		a region in northwest Scotland consisting of the Outer Hebrides islands of Harris, Lewis, North and South Uist, and Barra. Its main town is Stornoway.
Western Sahara		an area of northwestern Africa that used to be a Spanish colony. Morocco took control of the Western Sahara in 1975. The Polisario, an army and political movement consisting of members of the Saharawi people, fought a war with Morocco for control of the land. This war ended in an agreement to stop fighting in 1991 but the two sides still do not agree about who should control the area.
Western Samoa		the former name for Samoa
West, Fred		(1941–95)  a British man who was charged with sexually attacking and murdering several young women, including his own daughter, and then burying them under his home. He killed himself before his court case, but his wife, Rosemary West, was put in prison for helping him.
West Germany		a former country in western Europe, between France and East Germany, whose capital city was Bonn. In 1949 Germany was split into two countries: the western part became West Germany or the Federal Republic of Germany, and the eastern part became East Germany or the German Democratic Republic, a communist country. The two countries joined together again in 1990 to become Germany, after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
West Glamorgan		a former county in South Wales which included the city of Swansea. In 1996 it was divided into two new local government areas, the county of Swansea and the county borough of Neath Port Talbot.
West Indies, the		the islands of the Caribbean Sea, between the southeast of the US and the north of South America, including the Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Barbados, and Dominica
West, Mae		(1892–1980)  a US film actress, famous for being sexually attractive, whose films include She Done Him Wrong (1933) and I'm No Angel (1933). She is known especially for making clever, amusing remarks which are really about sex but which seem to have more than one meaning. She is supposed to have said 'Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?' She is remembered especially for saying 'Come up and see me sometime', although the words she actually used were 'Why don't you come up sometime and see me?'
Westminster Abbey		a very large gothic church in Westminster, London, first built in the 11th century. Almost all British kings and queens since william the conqueror have been crowned (crown ) in the Abbey and many famous people are buried there.
Westminster Cathedral		the main Roman Catholic church in England and Wales, famous especially for its byzantine design and stations of the Cross
West, Nathanael		(1903–40)  an American writer and screenwriter (=someone who writes plays for film) whose novels include The Dream Life of Balso Snell, Miss Lonelyhearts, and The Day of the Locust
West Point		the usual name for the United States Military Academy, at West Point in New York, next to the Hudson River. West Point is the oldest military college in the US, where students earn a university degree while they are trained to become army officers. It is greatly respected, and many famous US military leaders and presidents attended West Point.
West, Rosemary		(1953–)  a British woman who was charged with helping her husband, Fred West, murder several women. She was put in prison in 1996.
West Side Story		a musical (=a play that uses singing and dancing to tell a story) by Leonard bernstein, based on the play romeo and juliet by William shakespeare, in which a boy and a girl in New York City fall in love, although they come from different gangs one of which consists of Puerto Rican people. The original stage musical, produced in 1957, was made into a successful film in 1961.
West Sussex		a county in southern England
West Virginia		a state in the eastern central US, that has many mountains. Its capital and largest city is Charleston, and its industries include coal, steel, and farming.
Westwood, Vivienne		(1941–)  a British fashion designer who makes clothes that are considered to be interesting, original, and unusual. She was one of the main designers of the punk style of dressing in the 1970s, and has had a lot of influence on the design of clothes worn by young people.
West Yorkshire		a county in northeast England, whose main city is Leeds
We Three Kings		a carol (=a traditional religious song sung at Christmas) about the Three Kings or Wise Men who came from the East to visit the baby Jesus. It begins We three kings of Orient are./Bearing gifts we travel afar...
Wexford		a county in the southeast of the Republic of Ireland
Wharton, Edith		(1862–1938)  an American writer whose novels include The House of Mirth, Ethan Frome, and The Age of Innocence
whatevs		used as a reply to say that you do not care about something – used mainly by young people
What's My Line		a British television programme in the 1950s, in which four well-known people tried to guess someone's job from a very short piece of acting. The programme returned in the 1980s.
What's On		a British listings magazine which gives details of all the films, plays, sports games, and other events and activities taking place in the current week or month. Many cities in the UK have a What's On.
Wheaties		a type of breakfast cereal made from wheat, which is popular in the US. Advertisements for Wheaties usually call it 'the breakfast of champions' and show famous sports players eating it.
Which?		a British magazine that tests products made by different companies and provides reports on them to help people decide which one to buy. Which? is known for providing useful information that can be trusted. There is a similar magazine in the US called Consumer Reports.
Whicker, Alan		(1925–)  a British broadcaster, known especially for his 1960s television programme Whicker's World in which he travelled to many different countries and visited rich people there.
While shepherds watched their flocks by night		the title and first line of a carol (=a traditional religious song sung at Christmas). Children sometimes change the words to 'While shepherds washed their socks by night...' as a joke.
Whipsnade		an open-air zoo in Bedfordshire, southern England, where the animals are given a lot of freedom and are kept in natural surroundings
Whistler, James McNeill		(1834–1903)  a US artist most famous for the picture known as Whistler's Mother
Whitaker's Almanack		a book produced every year in the UK since 1868, which provides useful information about the UK and its government, and about other countries
white Christmas	 noun	a Christmas Day when there is snow on the ground, thought by many people to be attractive and traditional. There is a well-known popular song called White Christmas, sung by Bing Crosby.
white flight	 noun	the situation in which white people move away from an area or send their children to private schools to avoid being around people who are not white
White Hart Lane		a football ground in northeast London, used by Tottenham Hotspur football club
white-hat hacker	 noun	someone who gets into other people's computer systems and then tells the people responsible for the system how they did it, so that the system can be made more secure	白帽黑客
Whitehouse, Mary		(1910–2001)  a British woman who was known for protesting about television or radio programmes that have sex, violence, or swearing in them. Many people made jokes about her and regarded her ideas as very old-fashioned.
White Nile, the		a river which flows from Lake Victoria in East Africa to Khartoum in Sudan, where it joins the Blue Nile. Both rivers then become the Nile, which flows through Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea.
White, Pearl		(1889–1938) a US actress who worked in silent films. She is famous as the girl who was always left in a dangerous situation at the end of each part of several cinema serials, for example being tied to a railway line by the villain when a train is coming.
White Rabbit, the		a character from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. He keeps looking at his watch because he is late, and disappearing down rabbit holes.
Whitman, Walt		(1819–92)  a US writer known for his poetry about the beauty of nature and the value of freedom. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential US poets, and his best-known work is leaves of grass.
Whit Monday	 noun	the day after Whit Sunday, which used to be a public holiday in the UK. There is now a holiday around the same time called the 'Spring Bank Holiday', but it is not always on Whit Monday.
Whitney, Mount		a mountain in California that is part of the Sierra Nevada line of mountains.
Whittington, Dick		(?1385–1423) an English businessman who was Lord Mayor of London. Although he was a real person, there are also many stories about his life. According to old stories, he went to London with his cat when he was a young man because he believed 'the streets were paved with gold' (=he thought it was easy to become rich there). At first he was very unsuccessful and decided to leave London. But as he was leaving, he thought he heard the words 'Turn again, Whittington, Lord Mayor of London' in the sound of the church bells. So he went back, and later became Lord Mayor of London three times. His story is often performed in  pantomimes in the UK, and in these stories the cat is always shown to be very intelligent.
Whitworth, Kathy		(1939–)  a US golfer who has won more competitions than any other woman player
WHO		the world health organization
Who, Dr
whoopie pie	 noun	a small cake made of two round pieces of cake with a sweet creamy mixture between them
whosoever	 pronoun	whoever	无论谁
WHSmith		a shop that sells books, pens, newspapers, cards etc, and often also cds and DVD s. Most towns in the UK and many cities in the US have a WHSmith.
WI		the written abbreviation of wisconsin
Wibbly Wobbly Bridge, the		the informal name for the Millennium Bridge
Wichita		the largest city in the US state of Kansas. Wichita was on the Chisholm Trail, the main route used by cowboys moving cattle from Texas to the north of the US. Today the city is one of the main aircraft manufacturing centres in the US.
Wicked Witch of the West, the		an expression used humorously to describe a woman who is disliked by many people. It comes from the name of a character in the film The Wizard of Oz, who is evil and ugly, and can do magic.
Wicklow		a county in the east of the Republic of Ireland
Widow Twankey		an amusing female character in the pantomime (=a humorous play for children) Aladdin. She is Aladdin's mother and she does people's  laundry (=washes their clothes) in order to make money. The character is played by a male actor dressed in women's clothes.
Wiesel, Elie		(1928–)  a US writer, born in Romania, who has written several books about his experiences in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II, and who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986
Wiesenthal, Simon		(1908–2005)  a Jewish man who spent many years after World War II trying to catch Nazi officers so that they could be officially punished for their violent crimes against the Jews during the war
Wife of Bath, the		a character in the poem The canterbury tales by Geoffrey  chaucer. She has been married five times, and she enjoys talking about sex in a humorous way.
Wight
Wightman Cup, the		in the past, a yearly tennis competition between the best women players from the US and the UK. The competition last took place in 1989.
Wii	 	a video games console made by the Nintendo company. It has a wireless controller that can feel movement in three dimensions. This allows users to control games not only by pressing buttons, but also by physical movements, for example when playing a tennis game. The system can also receive updates from the Internet when it is on standby.
WikiLeaks		an international organization that was set up in 2006 and which publishes information that governments would prefer to keep secret from the public. In 2010 WikiLeaks released a film showing a 2007 attack by a US helicopter in which civilians and journalists died. In the same year the organization released more than 76,000 documents about the War in Afghanistan. In 2010 WikiLeaks released 400,000 documents about the War in Iraq. The main spokesman for the organization is Julian Assange.
Wikipedia	 	an encyclopedia on the Internet which is free to use and whose articles are written by volunteers (=people who are not paid). Wikipedia articles are available in many languages and most can be edited by anyone. Unlike paper encyclopedias, the articles in Wikipedia are constantly updated. Sometimes the encyclopedia is criticized for being biased or inaccurate.
Wilberforce, William		(1759–1833)  a British politician who is remembered for his part in stopping the British trade in slaves, and later stopping the practice of slavery in all parts of the British Empire
Wilde, Oscar		(1854–1900)  an Irish writer of poems, stories, and especially humorous plays. He is best known for his play The importance of being earnest and for his novel The picture of dorian gray. He was famous for his  wit, and many of the clever and funny things he said in conversations are still remembered. For example, as he was dying, he said 'Either that wallpaper goes or I do'. He was sent to prison for being  homosexual, which was illegal in the UK at that time.
Wilder, Billy		(1906–2002)  a US film director, who was born in Austria, who made both serious and humorous films, including sunset boulevard (1950) and some like it hot (1959)
Wilder, Laura Ingalls		(1867–1957)  a US writer known for her series of novels for children known as the 'Little House' books, that are based on her life as a child in the midwest, when her family were among the first white people to live there. The popular television series little house on the prairie(1974–82)  was based on her books.
Wilder, Thornton		(1897–1975)  a US writer known especially for his plays Our Town and The Skin of Our Teeth
Wile E. Coyote		a character that appears in the Road Runnercartoons. He is a hungry coyote that is always running after the Road Runner, a bird that cannot fly but which he never succeeds in catching.
Will, George F.		(1941–)  a US columnist for the Washington Post newspaper and for  Newsweek magazine. His articles, usually on political subjects, are written from a  conservative point of view.
William I
William III
William II, King		(?1056–1100)  the king of England from 1087 until his death, sometimes called William Rufus. He was the son of William the Conqueror, and was killed in a hunting accident.
William of Orange, King		(1650–1702)  the king of Britain and Ireland from 1689 until his death, also called William III. He was married to the daughter of King James II, and was asked by James's enemies to become king instead of him. William and his Protestant army beat James and his Catholic army at the Battle of the boyne, and for this reason he is still greatly admired by Protestants in Northern Ireland who sometimes call him 'King Billy'. William's wife, Queen Mary II, had equal power, and people usually talk about the reign of William and Mary.
William, Prince		(1982–)  the elder son of Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales. He went to the University of St Andrews in Scotland before becoming a lieutenant in the British Army. Later he joined the Royal Air Force and learnt how to fly helicopters. He married Kate Middleton on 29th April 2011 in Westminster Abbey. He also has the official title Duke of Cambridge.
Williams, Hank		(1923–53)  a US country and western singer and songwriter, who greatly influenced the development of country and western music, and whose songs include Your Cheatin' Heart and I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
Williams, John		(1932-)  a US composer who has written the music for many well-known films including Fiddler on the Roof (1971), Jaws (1975), Star Wars (1977), E.T.(1982), Schindler's List (1993), and Memoirs of a Geisha (2005). Williams has won many awards for his work including Academy Awards, Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and Grammy Awards.
Williams, Ralph Vaughan
Williams, Rowan		(1950–)  a British priest from Wales who was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 2002 until 2012. He was known for opposing the war in Iraq and being in favour of women priests.
Williams Sisters		two US women tennis players, Venus (1980–)  and Serena (1981–) . Venus has won the women's competition at Wimbledon four times, the US Open twice, and the French and Australian Opens once each. Serena has won the French Open, the Australian Open three times, the US Open twice and Wimbledon twice. They are famous for being very powerful players, and also because they are African-American and tennis is a sport that has usually been played by white people in the past.
Williams, Ted		(1918–2002)  a US baseball player known for his skill as a batter. He was also known for having his name on a type of baseball bat as a kind of advertisement.
Williams, Tennessee		(1911–83)  a US writer whose plays are mainly about the emotional problems of people living in the South of the US. His plays include  A Streetcar Named Desire,  The Glass Menagerie, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Williams, William Carlos		(1883–1963)  an American writer from Rutherford, New Jersey who was a doctor before he started writing. He is best known for his Modernist poems such as This is Just To Say and The Red Wheelbarrow. His most famous work is Paterson, five books of poetry about the New Jersey town of Paterson. In 1963 he was given the Pulitzer Prize for Literature. He is sometimes known as WCW.
William the Conqueror		(1027–1087)  the king of England from 1066 until his death, also called William I. William was the Duke of Normandy (in northern France), and became king of England by defeating King Harold at the Battle of hastings in 1066. His arrival brought great changes in English society, and is seen as the end of the Anglo-Saxon period and the beginning of the Middle Ages. He gave a lot of land and power to other Normans, so that French became the language of the ruling class, and he built many castles to control the English.
Willis, Bruce		(1955–)  a US actor who appeared in the television programme Moonlighting(1985–89) , and now appears especially in action films  (=exciting films containing lots of fighting), such as the Die Hard series of films.
Wilson, Harold		(1916–95)  a British politician in the Labour Party, who was prime minister from 1964 to 1970, and 1974 to 1976, when he gave up his position. He then became Lord Wilson. When he first became prime minister, he was seen as someone with modern ideas and an informal manner, who understood ordinary people, at a time when many politicians were very upper-class and formal. The open university was established by Harold Wilson.
Wilson, Woodrow		(1856–1924)  a US politician in the Democratic Party who was president of the US from 1913 to 1921. During his time as president, the US became involved in World War I, women were given the right to vote, and Prohibition started. He also helped to establish the League of Nations.
Wiltshire		a county in southwest England, whose main towns are Trowbridge, Salisbury, and Swindon
Wimpy		a British type of fast food restaurant that mainly sells hamburgers
Wimsey, Lord Peter		the main character in the books by Dorothy L. sayers. He is an English lord who is also a  detective, and he is very good at solving crimes.
Winchester		an ancient city in southern England, known especially for its cathedral and for its public school (=an expensive private school), Winchester College. Winchester was England's capital city in the 9th and 10th centuries.
Windermere		one of the lakes in the lake district, northwest England, which is the largest lake in England
Windhoek		the capital city of Namibia
Wind in the Willows, The		(1908) a famous book for children by Kenneth Grahame. It describes the adventures of a group of animals who talk and behave like humans, and the main characters include Mole and Ratty, who live on the river bank, and Toad of Toad Hall, who is very rich and lives in a large house. Many plays and films have been based on the book.
Windows		a type of operating system for computers, produced by the Microsoft Corporation, which allows users to run several programs at the same time in separate areas of the computer screen.
Windscale		the former name of Sellafield, a nuclear power station in northwest England
Windsor		a town in southern England on the River Thames famous for its castle
Windsor, Barbara		(1937–)  a British actress who became very popular during the 1960s for playing cheerful, sexy girls in the Carry On films, in which she often lost her clothes. In the 1990s she joined the television  soap opera  East Enders as the character Peggy Mitchell,  landlady of the Queen Victoria  pub and mother of the brothers Grant and Phil.
Windsor Castle		one of the official homes of the British royal family, in the town of Windsor. It was badly damaged by a fire in 1992, but in 1998 it was opened again for the public to visit, after all the damage had been repaired.
Windsor Great Park		the large park in which Windsor Castle stands
Windward Islands, the		a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea, which includes Martinique, Grenada, and St Lucia
Winfrey, Oprah		(1954–)  a US film and television actress and television presenter who has her own talk show (=a television programme in which people tell their personal secrets and talk about their problems). Her films include The Color Purple (1985). She is known for being very sympathetic and kind, and also for the large amount of money she earns.
Winkle, Rip Van
Winnebago		a type of caravan sold in the US, often very large and comfortable
Winnie the Pooh		(1926) a famous book for children by A.A. Milne, about a boy called Christopher Robin and his teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh, who is also called Pooh or Pooh Bear. Pooh is not very clever or brave, but he is very cheerful and helpful and has lots of friends, including Eeyore, Piglet, and Tigger. He likes inventing songs and poems and his favourite food is honey.
Winnipeg		the capital city of Manitoba, in Canada
Wintel		a made-up word combining the names 'Windows' and 'Intel', used to describe most of the world's personal computers, which have a Windows operating system produced by microsoft, and a Pentium processor produced by intel
Winter's Tale, The		a play by William Shakespeare that was probably written in 1610 or 1611. It is about King Leontes of Sicilia who becomes very jealous because he thinks that his wife Hermione is having a love affair with his friend King Polixenes of Bohemia who is visiting them. It is often described as a tragicomedy because the first three acts are a tragedy and the last two acts are a comedy.
Wirral, the		an area between the River Dee and the River Mersey, near Liverpool in northwest England. It is a mainly middle-class area, and many of the people who live there work in Liverpool.
Wisconsin		a state in the north central US, to the west of Lake Michigan, known for producing milk, cheese, and butter
Wisden		a book about cricket which is produced every year in the UK and which contains the results of all the important games, the scores of all the players etc
Wise, Ernie
Witches' Sabbath	 noun	a midnight meeting of witches, believed in the past to be attended by the Devil and to involve a lot of immoral sexual behaviour
Wittgenstein, Ludwig		(1889–1951)  an Austrian philosopher, who studied and taught at Cambridge in the UK. His interests included the relationship between language and the physical world, and his best known works are Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus and Philosophical Investigations.
Wizard of Oz, The		(1939 ) a very popular US musical (=a film that uses singing and dancing to tell a story), based on a children's book by L. Frank Baum. In the film Judy Garland appears as a girl called Dorothy who, with her dog Toto, is carried by a very powerful storm from the farm where she lives in Kansas to the magic land of Oz. There they travel along the Yellow Brick Road, meet the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, and the Tin Man, and have many adventures before they meet the Wizard of Oz himself and finally get home. The film contains many well-known songs, including Over the Rainbow.
WNBA, the		(the Women's National Basketball Association) an organization responsible for controlling a professional basketball league for women in the US
Wobegon, Lake
Wodehouse, P. G.		(1881–1975)  a British writer who later moved to the US, who wrote many humorous novels about upper-class English people. His best-known stories are about a rich and stupid young man called Bertie wooster, who does not work and spends most of his time visiting other rich people. He depends on his clever servant jeeves to get him out of trouble.
Woden		the Anglo-Saxon name for odin, the king of the gods. The word 'Wednesday' is based on his name.
Wogan, Terry		(1938–)  an Irish disc jockey (=someone who has a pop music programme on the radio) and television presenter who works on British television and radio. He is known for having his own chat show (=a television show where famous people are asked questions and talk about themselves) and for his humorous commentary on the Eurovision Song Contest.
Wolfe, General James		(1727–59)  a British general who died leading the army which took Quebec from the French and gave the British control of Canada
Wolfe, Tom		(1931–)  a US journalist who was written many humorous articles and books about US culture and society. He has also written several novels, including The Right Stuff (1979) and Bonfire of the Vanities (1987).
Wollstonecraft, Mary		(1759–97)  a British writer who is regarded as one of the first feminists. In her book A Vindication of the Rights of Women, she wrote that women should have the same education and opportunities as men. She was the mother of Mary  shelley.
Wolsey, Cardinal Thomas		(?1475–1530)  an English cardinal (=a high-ranking Catholic priest) and politician who was very rich and powerful, but who lost power after failing to persuade the Pope to allow King henry viii to end his marriage to Catherine of Aragon
Womad		a music festival, where people camp and many musicians from all over the world give performances. Womad festivals take place in Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Sicily, and the UK. Since 2007, the UK Womad festival has been held in Charlton Park, Malmesbury, Wiltshire in south-west England.
Woman		a British weekly magazine for women, especially popular with married women who have families
Woman's Hour		a British radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio, which has news, interviews, and discussions on subjects of special interest to women
Woman's Own		a British weekly magazine for women, especially popular with married women who have families
Womble	 noun	one of the characters in the British children's television programme The Wombles. They are imaginary creatures covered in fur, who live on Wimbledon Common  (=an area where there is grass and trees) in London, and who pick up the  litter (=bits of paper, empty cans etc that people have thrown away).
Women in Love		(1921) a novel by D. H. lawrence about two sisters, Ursula and Gudrun Brangwen, and their difficult relationships with men. It was made into a film in 1969.
Wonderbread		a type of soft white bread which is popular in the US. It is sold in a plastic bag and is already cut into slices, and is typically used for making sandwiches for children's lunches.
Wooden, John		(1910–2010)  a US college basketball coach (=someone who trains people and teams), thought to be one of the best ever. He was known especially for coaching the UCLA team and for winning more championships than any other coach.
Wood, Grant		(1892–1942)  a US artist known especially for the painting american gothic
Wood, Sir Henry		(1869–1944)  a British conductor (=someone who directs a group of musicians) who started the proms, a series of concerts which take place in London every summer
Woods, Tiger		(1975–)  a US golfer who, in 1997, became the youngest person ever to win the US Masters Tournament. He is considered to be one of the greatest ever golfers. He has won the US Masters four times, the PGA Championship four times, the US Open three times and the British Open three times. In 2009 he admitted having affairs with several women and stopped playing golf for 20 weeks. In 2010 he and his wife, Elin Nordegren, got divorced.
Woodstock		a music festival, held over three days in 1969 near the town of Woodstock in New York State, where about 500,000 young people went to see rock, pop, and folk singers and bands, such as Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, and The Who. It is remembered especially for the hippies who attended it, and is seen as a very typical example of the hippie culture.
Wookey Hole		a place in southwest England that is popular with tourists, with a cave where, according to an old story, a witch (=a woman with magic powers) used to live
Woolf, Virginia		(1882–1941)  a British writer and critic who was an important member of the bloomsbury group and is admired by feminists. Her novels, such as To the Lighthouse and The Waves, use the style called  stream of consciousness, and she is regarded as one of the most important English writers of the 20th century.
Woolie's		an informal name for woolworths
Woolworths		a chain of large stores in many UK cities and towns until 2009 when they were all closed down. They used to sell many different types of goods at low prices, including sweets, toys, writing paper, and things for your house. In the UK, Woolworth's was informally called Woolie's.
Wooster, Bertie		a character in the many humorous stories by P. G. Wodehouse. He is a rich, rather stupid upper-class English man, who depends on his servant Jeeves to get him out of trouble. People with similar qualities are sometimes compared to Bertie Wooster
woot	 interjection	used, especially on the Internet, to show that you are very pleased and excited about something
Worcester		a city in west central England, famous for its china (=plates, cups etc made from baked clay) and for its cathedral
Worcester sauce		a dark-brown liquid with a strong taste, made from vinegar, spices, and soy. Worcester sauce is often used for preparing meat and strong-tasting dishes, and is sometimes added to a drink of tomato juice.
Worcestershire		a county in west central England
Word		a popular type of computer software used for word processing  (=typing letters, reports etc and storing information), produced by the microsoft Corporation
Wordsworth, William		(1770–1850)  a British romantic poet whose poems are mainly about the beauty of nature. They often describe the countryside in the lake district in northwest England, where he went to live in the village of Grasmere with his sister, Dorothy Wordsworth (1771–1855) , who was also a writer. His best-known book of poetry is Lyrical Ballads, which was written with Samuel Taylor  coleridge, and his most famous poems include Daffodils and The Prelude.
Work-based Learning for Adults	 noun	a British government programme for training people who have been unemployed for six months or longer to help them get jobs
Workers' Educational Association		the full name of the wea
Working Tax Credit	 noun	in the UK, money given by the government to everyone in work with a low income who is either a parent or is over 25 and working full-time
World Almanac		a large book produced each year in the US, giving short accounts of the news that has happened during the year and also information on politics, history, sport, medicine, entertainment etc. Several different publishers produce a World Almanac.
World Bank, the		an organization that is part of the un (United Nations), which lends money to poorer countries so that they can develop their farming, industry, and health and education systems. Its two main parts are the IBRD (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) and the IDA (International Development Association).
WorldCom		a large US telephone company that caused major problems when it pretended that its profits were billions of dollars more than they really were. This was one of the most serious cases of fraud ever in the US, and made many people stop trusting large corporations. After becoming bankrupt in 2002, it changed its name to MCI, which became part of Verizon in 2005.
World Council of Churches, the		an international Christian organization that encourages friendship and understanding among different Christian religious groups. It has more than 300 churches as members, and its main offices are in Geneva.
World Trade Center, the		a group of buildings in Manhattan, New York City, which included two very tall skyscrapers, also known as the Twin Towers, that were the tallest in the world when they were built in the 1970s. In 1993 terrorists killed six people with a bomb they had left there. On 11 September 2001, terrorists flew two planes filled with passengers into the Twin Towers which caused them to fall down. Almost 3000 people were killed, including everyone on the planes and many firefighters and police officers who were trying to save people in the buildings. It is believed that the terrorist organization al-Qaeda was responsible for the attack. The rebuilt World Trade Center has new office buildings, including the Freedom Tower, and a memorial.
World Wide Fund for Nature, the		an international charity organization, formerly called the World Wildlife Fund, which supports conservation (=protection of wild plants, animals, and natural areas of land)
World Wide Web, the		the system for making information available, anywhere in the world, to computer users who are connected to the internet. Users can surf the Web or surf the Net (=search for information by going from one information page to another) by using a computer program called a browser.
Wormwood Scrubs		a prison in West London
Worship	 noun	 a title of respect for a public official in the UK such as a mayor or a magistrate
Wotan		the German name for odin, the King of the gods
Wounded Knee, Battle of		the last important battle between the US army and the Native Americans, which took place at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota. US soldiers killed almost 200 Sioux people, including women and children, and the battle brought an end to the indian wars.
Wozniak, Steve		(1950–)  a US computer engineer who, together with Steve Jobs, designed and built the first real personal computer and started the Apple computer company in 1977
WRAC, the		(the Women's Royal Army Corps) formerly, the women's part of the British Army. It stopped existing in 1992 when women became part of the regular army.
WRAF, the		(the Women's Royal Air Force) formerly, the women's part of the British Royal Air Force. In 1994 it joined with the RAF.
Wren	 noun	a member of the wrns
Wren, Sir Christopher		(1632–1723)  a British architect who built many churches in London, including saint paul's cathedral, and other buildings in the UK, such as the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford
Wright Brothers, the		two US brothers, Orville Wright (1871–1948)  and Wilbur Wright (1867–1912) , who built and flew the world's first plane in 1903, at Kitty Hawk in North Carolina
Wright, Frank Lloyd		(1869–1959)  a US architect, generally regarded as the most important US architect of the 20th century. He is known for his use of modern materials and methods, in buildings such as the guggenheim museum in New York.
Wright, Peter		(1917–1995)  a British spy who became famous in 1987 for writing a book called Spycatcher about his experiences working for the British secret service. The government tried unsuccessfully to prevent the book from being sold in the UK.
Wright, Richard		(1908–1960) a black US writer of novels and a critic of American society and its treatment of black people. He is best known for Black Boy and Native Son.
Wrigley Field		the baseball stadium where the Chicago Cubs play. It was built in 1914 and is the second oldest baseball park in the US.
WRNS, the		(the Women's Royal Naval Service) formerly, the women's branch of the British Royal Navy. In 1993 it became part of the regular Royal Navy.
WRVS, the		(the Women's Royal Voluntary Service) a British organization of women who help people that have difficulty taking care of themselves. The WRVS was known especially for its Meals on Wheels service, which brought meals to people who could not cook because they were very old or very ill. The women who work for the WRVS are volunteers (=they are not paid for their work).
WTC	 noun	the abbreviation of Working Tax Credit
WTC, the		an abbreviation for the World Trade Center
Wuornos, Aileen		(1956–2002)  a woman serial killer who murdered seven men while working as a prostitute on the streets of Florida
Wuthering Heights		a novel by the British writer Emily brontë, which is one of the best-known books in English literature. It is a romantic and exciting story that takes place on the yorkshire moors, and is about the love between the two main characters, Catherine Earnshaw and heathcliff.
WV		the written abbreviation of west virginia
W.Va.		a written abbreviation of West Virginia
WWF, the		the world wide fund for nature
WY		the written abbreviation of wyoming
Wycherley, William		(1640–1716)  an English restoration comedy writer whose plays include The Country Wife
Wycliffe, John		(?1328–84)  an English theologian (=someone who studies religion and religious beliefs) known for criticizing the political and economic power of the Catholic Church. He also started the first complete translation of the Bible into English.
Wyeth, Andrew		(1917–2009)  a US painter whose best-known painting is Christina's World (1948). He was a famous and popular realist painter unlike most well-known 20th century US painters. His son Jamie Wyeth is also a painter.
Wykehamist	 noun	someone who is, or has been, a student at Winchester College, a famous private school in southern England
Wyndham, John		(1903–69)  a British writer of science fiction, whose novels include The Day of the Triffids and  The Midwich Cuckoos
Wynette, Tammy		(1942–98)  a US country and western singer whose songs include D-I-V-O-R-C-E and Stand by your Man, one of the most popular country and western songs ever made
Wyo.		a written abbreviation of Wyoming
Wyoming		a state in the rocky mountains in the northwestern US. Although it covers a large area, it has the smallest population of any state in the US. It produces minerals, beef, and wool.
Wyss, Johann		(1743–1818)  a Swiss writer best known for his very popular children's book swiss family robinson
Xanadu		an imaginary place that is very beautiful, from a place in the poem Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor  coleridge
Xbox		a machine for playing computer games, which is made by Microsoft
Xenophon		(?430–354 BC)  a Greek historian (=someone who writes books about history) and military leader whose best-known work, the Anabasis, describes a long journey by a Greek army through enemy land in western Asia
xeriscape	 noun	 a garden or area that has has been specially designed so that it needs very little water
xeriscaping	 noun	a way of designing of gardens so that you reduce the amount of water you use, for example by choosing plants that do not need much water
Xerxes		(about 519–465 BC)  a king of Persia who unsuccessfully tried to conquer Greece
X-Files, The		a popular US television science fiction programme, whose main characters are two FBI agents, called Fox Mulder, played by David Duchovny, and Dana Scully, played by Gillian Anderson. They have many exciting and frightening adventures in their attempts to solve strange mysteries involving aliens (=creatures from other worlds) and other paranormal events. The programme is also known for the catchphrases'The truth is out there' and 'Trust no one'.
Xhosa	 noun	 a member of a group of Bantu people of South Africa
Xiaoping
Y, the		the YMCA or YWCA
Yah-boo	 interjection	used to express dislike or disrespect for someone, or to make fun of them
Yahoo!		a type of search engine (=a computer program used for searching for information on the Internet), which also provides other information such as news, city maps, and shopping
Yale		an old and respected US university, established in 1701 in New Haven, Connecticut. Yale is one of the Ivy League colleges.
Yale lock		a type of lock often used on the main door of a house or building. Yale locks are very common in the UK and they have a special type of key.
Yalta		a port and city on the Black Sea in Ukraine, popular with tourists
Yangtze		 the third longest river in the world, at 5,526 km or 3,434 miles long, and China's most important river
Yangôn		the capital of Myanmar (Burma), known as Rangoon until 1989. It is on the Yangôn River, near the Gulf of Martaban.
Yankee Doodle		a US song which first became popular with American soldiers during the american revolutionary war and is now often sung by children: Yankee Doodle went to town,/Riding on a pony;/Stuck a feather in his hat,/And called it macaroni.
Yankee Stadium		the stadium in The Bronx, New York City, New York, where the Yankees baseball team plays. It was first opened in 1923. In the 1970s, it was decided to renovate it, and it opened again in 1976 after three years' work.
Yaoundé		the capital city of Cameroon
Yardie	 noun	someone from the West Indies
Yassin, Sheikh Ahmed		(1938–2004)  a Palestinian man who was the leader of Hamas until he was killed by the Israelis. He started the Palestinian organization Hamas in 1987, together with Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi. The Israeli authorities sent him to prison for ordering the kidnapping and killing of two Israeli soldiers, but in 1997 they released him in exchange for two Israelis who were in prison in Jordan.
Yeager, Charles (Chuck)		(1923-) a US test pilot who in 1947 became the first person to break the sound barrier (=fly faster than the speed of sound).
Yeats, W.B.		(1865–1939)  an Irish writer of poems and plays, whose early work is often based on old Irish stories. He is considered one of the most important Irish writers, and he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923.
yellowcake	 noun	a substance containing uranium that has been obtained by treating rock with a chemical. The substance can be made into nuclear fuel
Yellow River, the		a long river in northern China, known for the terrible floods which have caused many deaths and much damage, and the yellow silt (=loose sand and soil) that it carries
Yellow Sea, the		the sea between the east coast of China and Korea
Yellowstone National Park, the		a large national park mostly in Wyoming, in the northwestern US, known for its hot springs and geysers (=natural springs of hot water that rise suddenly into the air), especially one called old faithful which many tourists come to see
Yeltsin, Boris		(1931–2007)  a Russian politician who became president of Russia in 1991. Bad economic conditions and the growing crime problem in Russia made him unpopular with many, but he was elected president again in 1996. He had very serious health problems, and was sometimes criticized for drinking too much alcohol.
Yemen		a country in southwest Asia, south of Saudi Arabia, which was formed in 1990 when the separate countries of North Yemen and South Yemen united. Population: 25,408,288 (2014). Capital: Sana'a.
Yerevan		the capital city of Armenia
Yes, Minister		a humorous British television programme of the 1980s about the disagreements between a government minister, Jim Hacker, and the high-ranking civil servant who works with him, Sir Humphrey Appleby. Sir Humphrey uses clever methods to make sure that the minister never makes any decision which Sir Humphrey does not approve of. When the character Jim Hacker became prime minister, the name of the programme changed to Yes, Prime Minister.
Yevtushenko, Yevgeny		(1933– ) a Russian poet, some of whose works, such as Babi Yar, criticized Russian society and made him very unpopular with the Soviet government
YHA, the		(the Youth Hostels Association) the British organization that runs youth hostels in the UK, and is a member of the international organization that runs youth hostels in many other countries
YMCA	 noun	 (the Young Men's Christian Association) an organization in many countries that provides places to stay and sports activities for young people
Yogi Bear		a US television cartoon character who has been popular since the 1960s. Yogi is a clever bear who lives in Jellystone Park and, with his friend Boo-Boo, is always trying to steal food from the tourists there.
Yokohama		a city and port on Tokyo Bay, Japan
Yorick		a character in the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare. He was once the King's jester (=someone whose job was to entertain the King and make him laugh), but is now dead. Hamlet finds his skull and says 'Alas! poor Yorick. I knew him, Horatio.' This line is very well known, although it is often wrongly said as 'Alas! poor Yorick. I knew him well'.
York		an ancient city in North Yorkshire in northern England. York was originally a Roman city, and it is a popular place for tourists to visit because of its old city wall, its large cathedral York Minster, the National Railway Museum, and an area of medieval streets called 'the Shambles'. It is also a centre of the chocolate industry.
York, Duke of
Yorkshire		an area and former county in northeast England, now divided into North, East, South, and West Yorkshire. Yorkshire is partly very industrial, with large cities such as Leeds, Sheffield, and Bradford, and (formerly) many coal mines. It also has large areas of beautiful, wild countryside, including the north york moors and the dales. People from Yorkshire are usually very proud of their county, and they are thought to always say what they think in a plain, direct way
Yorkshireman	 noun	a man or woman who comes from the former county of Yorkshire in northern England
Yorkshire Moors, the		another name for the north york moors, an area of high, open land in the former county of Yorkshire
Yorkshire Ripper, the		a name used by newspapers for Peter Sutcliffe, a British man who violently murdered 13 women in the late 1970s and early 1980s
Yorktown		a town in Virginia, US, where the last battle of the american revolutionary war and the final surrender of the British to the Americans took place in 1781
Yosemite National Park		a national park in California, US, known for its beautiful lakes, waterfalls, and large  redwood trees
You'll Never Walk Alone		a song from the musical (= a play that uses singing and dancing to tell a story) Carousel, by Richard  rodgers and Oscar  hammerstein, known in the UK especially for being sung at football games by supporters of Liverpool football team
Young, Andrew (Jackson) Jr		(1932–)  a US civil rights activist and Protestant minister who was one of Martin Luther King's closest associates. He was US ambassador to the United Nations from 1977–79, and was mayor of Atlanta from 1982–89.
Young, Brigham		(1801–77)  a US leader of the mormon religion. In illinois Mormons were being badly treated, and so they decided to move away. In 1847, Young led 5000 Mormons across the US to their new home in what later became the state of utah, where they built salt lake city. Brigham Young University, near Salt Lake City, is named after him.
Young, Cy		(1867–1955)  a baseball player known for his skill as a pitcher. Every year the cy young award is given to the best pitchers in the american league and the national league.
Young Pretender, the		another name for Bonnie Prince Charlie
Young Turk	 noun	a young member of a political party or other organization who is very eager to make changes
Ypres		a town in southern Belgium where three great battles took place in World War I. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers died in these battles, but neither side gained much advantage. British soldiers called it Wipers.
Yucatán		 a large peninsula (=a long, thin area of land with sea on three sides) in central America, between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, which consists of Belize, North Guatemala, and part of Mexico. The maya people came from this area, and there are several ancient Maya buildings there.
Yugoslavia		a former country in southeast Europe. It existed from the 1920s until the early 1990s, and was made up of six republics: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, and Montenegro. Serbia and Montenegro combined to form one country in 2003, and the other republics became separate, independent countries during the 1990s.
Yukon, the		a territory in northwest Canada, where the Klondike gold rush took place in the 1890s
Yves Saint Laurent		a brand (=type) of fashionable clothing and accessories (accessory ) such as bag, belt, or jewellery etc, designed by Yves Saint Laurent and other designers that work for his company.
YWCA	 noun	 (the Young Women's Christian Association) an organization in many countries that provides places to stay and sports activities for young people
Zagreb		the capital city of Croatia
Zaharias, Mildred 'Babe'		(1911–56) a US woman golfer and a gold medal winner for the javelin and 100 metres hurdles race in the 1932 Olympic Games. She was one of the greatest golfers of all-time, winning the British championship and three US Opens in the 1940s and 1950s.
Zambezi, the		a large river in south central Africa which separates Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Victoria Falls and the Kariba Dam are both on the Zambezi.
Zambia		a country in south central Africa, between Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Population: 14,222,233 (2014). Capital: Lusaka. Zambia is rich in minerals, especially copper. Its former name, when it was ruled by Britain, was Northern Rhodesia. It became independent in 1964, and is a member of the British Commonwealth.
Zanzibar		an island off the coast of East Africa which joined with Tanganyika in 1964 to form the new country of Tanzania
Zapata, Emiliano		(1879–1919)  a Mexican revolutionary, who led an army of native Mexicans against the government in an attempt to get back land that had been taken away from them. He was partly successful but was later murdered. The Zapata moustache (=a type of moustache that curves down at the sides) is named after him.
Zappa, Frank		(1940–93)  a US musician and singer who wrote many different types of music, including classical music, but is best known for his rock music, which was always new and different, and which criticized American society and music of the 1960s and 1970s. He was part of the group The Mothers of Invention, and was known for having long black hair and a large moustache.
Zarathustra
Zaïre		the former name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a country in central Africa
Zedong
Zeebrugge		a sea port in northern Belgium, where ferries (ferry ) arrive from Britain. It is known especially for the Zeebrugge disaster of 1987, when a ferry sank soon after leaving the port, and almost 200 people were killed.
Zeffirelli, Franco		(1923–)  an Italian director of plays, films, and operas. His films include Romeo and Juliet, and Tea with Mussolini.
Zeiss, Carl		(1816–88)  a German businessman who started a company that makes lenses (=pieces of curved glass that makes things look bigger or smaller) and equipment such as cameras and microscopes, which are known for their good quality
Zemin
Zermatt		a place in the Swiss alps where people go skiing (ski )
Zeus		in Greek mythology, the king of the gods, and ruler of the universe. In Roman mythology his name is jupiter.
Zhivago, Doctor
Zhou Enlai		(1898–1976)  a Chinese politician who was foreign minister from 1949 to 1958 and prime minister from 1949 to 1976
Zhu Rongji		a Chinese politician who was prime minister (1998–2003)
Ziegfeld, Florenz		(1869–1932)  a US theatre producer who arranged a show every year from 1907 to 1931, called the Ziegfeld Follies. These shows contained singing, dancing, and jokes, and were famous for their beautiful dancers.
Zimbabwe		a country in south central Africa, south of Zambia and north of South Africa. Population: 13,182,908 (2014). Capital: Harare. Zimbabwe was formerly called Rhodesia, and its main products include tobacco, cloth, and minerals. It was ruled by the British from 1889. In 1965 its white government announced that it was independent, but the British government regarded this as an illegal claim. In 1980 Zimbabwe became officially independent under a new mainly black government, and Robert Mugabe became the prime minister. When he was elected president in 1987, Mugabe began a process that made it legal for the government to take control of land that was owned by white people without giving them any money for it. This land was usually given to ' war veterans' who had fought to make Zimbabwe independent. After Mugabe's reelection in 2002 Zimbabwe was  suspended from the Commonwealth because many countries thought the election was not fair or honest. In 2003, Zimbabwe officially decided to leave the Commonwealth. Mugabe was reelected in 2005. The opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), again complained that the elections had not been fair. In the 2008 elections, the Zimbabwe election  commission announced that Mugabe's ZANU-PF party had lost control of the Parliament. This was followed by a disagreement about who should be president.
Zion		a name given to Israel or to a promised land where the Jewish people could live in peace, after many centuries of not having a land of their own
Zippergate		a word used to refer to the political scandal in the US in 1998 involving Monica Lewinski and President Bill Clinton
Zodiac Killer, the		a man who killed more than 30 people between the late 1960s and early 1970s in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was never caught, and his real name is not known, but when he wrote letters to newspapers about his crimes he called himself the Zodiac.
Zola, Emile		(1840–1902)  a French writer who developed the style of literature called naturalism (=showing people and the world exactly as they really are) in novels such as Nana and Germinal, which describe life and society in a very detailed way, and are often about crime, murder, and people who are poor. He is also known for supporting Alfred  dreyfus, and criticizing the people who had sent Dreyfus to prison, by writing the public letter J'accuse.
zorbing	 noun	the activity of rolling down a hill inside a very large plastic ball, for fun	滚人球运动（人在大型透明塑料球中沿地面或山坡翻滚）
Zoroaster		(?628-?551 BC)  a Persian religious teacher and prophet (=someone whom people believe has been sent by God to lead and teach them) who started a new religion called zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism	 noun	an ancient religion from Persia (=modern Iran), whose followers believe that there is a continual battle between the forces of good (or light) and the forces of evil (or darkness), but that good will win in the end and humans must help this to happen. The religion is now practised by only a small number of people, most of whom are Parsees living in India.
Zorro		a character in a series of old US films and television programmes who wore a black mask, and protected people from crime. He rode a horse and is known especially for writing the letter 'Z' on things and for writing it in the air with his sword.
Zululand		an area in the northeastern part of South Africa which is the original home of the Zulu people. The area is now part of the South African province of KwaZulu Natal.
Zuma, Jacob		(1942-)  a politician who became president of South Africa in 2009. He was elected president of the African National Congress (ANC) in 2007. During the Apartheid years he was sent to prison for ten years in 1963. He spent this time on Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was also kept in prison. He spent long periods during the 1970s and 1980s in exile  (=forced to live outside his own country), but returned to South Africa in 1990.
Zuni, Zuñi	 noun	 a Native American tribe who live in New Mexico, known for their fine silver jewellery and their dances and dress during religious ceremonies
Zürich		a city in switzerland which is an important international centre for banking