This lesson practises 31 C2 collocations on News & Current Affairs. Collocations are fixed word pairings that native speakers expect — Cambridge examiners test them in Use of English Part 1 and reward precise lexis in Writing. Run through the interactive drills first, then open this glossary to revise every item in the set. For question-by-question feedback, use Review mode after you finish the session.
vociferous opponent
She became a vociferous opponent of the proposed media law.
passionate entreaty
The speaker ended with a passionate entreaty for calm.
withstand pressure
Editors must withstand pressure to publish unverified claims.
act as a go-between
The local reporter agreed to act as a go-between for the families and officials.
enter into an agreement
The two broadcasters agreed to enter into an agreement to share footage.
lasting impression
Her calm response made a lasting impression on the audience.
take a firm stance against
The newspaper chose to take a firm stance against the false story.
public pronouncement
The leader made a public pronouncement on live television.
decline to comment
The minister chose to decline to comment on the unpublished report.
give vent to their frustration
Callers used the phone-in show to give vent to their frustration.
issue a statement
The charity will issue a statement once it has checked the facts.
damaging disclosure
The damaging disclosure forced the company to answer difficult questions.
gauge reaction
The network released a short clip to gauge reaction before the series began.
under a lot of pressure
The student felt under a lot of pressure before the final exam.
excite speculation
The unexplained resignation continued to excite speculation.
call an election
The prime minister may call an election before the end of the year.
exclusive interview
The journalist secured an exclusive interview with the retiring athlete.
impose censorship
The regime moved to impose censorship on independent news sites.
air a grievance
Residents used the call-in programme to air a grievance about late buses.
in the full glare of publicity
The celebrity handled the dispute in the full glare of publicity.
attract widespread media scrutiny
The leaked report will attract widespread media scrutiny.
declare independence
The territory voted to declare independence after years of negotiation.
flurry of speculation
The photograph prompted a flurry of speculation about the next announcement.
submit a report
The inquiry must submit a report by the end of the month.
deliver a speech
The editor will deliver a speech at the annual media awards.
spectacular mountains
The report opened with images of spectacular mountains in the affected region.
hold a press conference
The mayor will hold a press conference after the emergency meeting.
prompt an official inquiry
The damaging disclosure prompted an official inquiry.
be given leave
The employee was given leave to attend the medical appointment.
issue a denial
The company was quick to issue a denial after the story appeared.
provoke an outcry
The proposed cuts are expected to provoke an outcry.