Page 175 - English Vocabulary in Use (Pre & Intermediate)

@4. War and peace

A The outbreak (= start) of war
Wars often start because of a conflict (= strong disagreement) between countries
or groups of people, about territory (= land that belongs to one group or country).
Look at the diagram on the right and read the text on the left.
Country A invades country B (= A enters
B by force and in large numbers), and
captures (also takes / takes control of)
the city of X. Soldiers from country B
have to retreat (= go backwards; # to
advance) to the city of Y. A’s army and
air force continue to attack the city of
Y (= take violent action to damage it),
but B’s soldiers defend it (= take action
to protect it) successfully.

A war zone
The area around the city of Y is now the main war zone
(= the area where the fighting is happening). Country B
has asked for help from its allies (= countries who are
friends with country B). The allies send aid (= help) in the
form of extra troops (= large groups of soldiers) and
supplies (= food and other things that are needed every
day, e.g. blankets and medicine) to help. There is shelling 2-4
(= firing of guns and explosives) of the city every day and Ke
hundreds of soldiers are either killed or wounded
(= injured while fighting). Many civilians (= ordinary
people who are not in the army) are killed as well.

Peace talks
For the civilians who are still alive (# dead), the situation gets worse. As winter approaches,
food supplies run out (= they are almost gone/finished) and there is no electricity. The
soldiers get tired, and both sides begin to see that neither side can win the war; they agree
to meet for peace talks (p/) (= talks to try to negotiate a peace settlement / an end to the
war). After some time they agree to a ceasefire (= a period of no fighting).

Terrorism

This is violent action for political reasons. People who do this are terrorists, and a common
terrorist crime is hijacking (= to take control of a bus, train, ship or plane; the people on
board then become prisoners). The main purpose of hijacking is to use the prisoners (called

hostages) in order to bargain for something (= to demand something in exchange for the
hostages). The terrorists may agree to release (v, n) the hostages (= permit the hostages to go
free) if a government agrees to give the terrorists money or release other terrorists.

172 English Vocabulary in Use (pre-intermediate & intermediate)