Explanation
Exercises

Emotions & Reactions

Name mixed and intense feelings precisely, distinguish an emotional state from its outward expression, and describe how people contain, recover from or express a reaction.

Unease and mixed feelings

apprehensive

worried that something unpleasant may happen

Common use: apprehensive about a meeting / change; apprehensive at the prospect

She felt apprehensive about returning to the choir after such a long absence.

ambivalent

having conflicting feelings or attitudes towards the same thing

Common use: ambivalent about / towards something

He was ambivalent about the promotion: the work appealed to him, but the loss of free time did not.

disconcerted

unsettled or confused by something unexpected

Common use: disconcerted by a remark; feel disconcerted

The interviewer looked disconcerted when the candidate began asking the questions.

resentful

feeling bitterness at treatment regarded as unfair

Common use: resentful of someone’s advantage; resentful about a decision

She grew resentful of always being expected to host the family gatherings.

disillusioned

disappointed after losing a previously favourable belief or expectation

Common use: disillusioned with a leader / institution / career

He became disillusioned with the club after discovering how it selected its prizewinners.

unease

a feeling of worry, discomfort or uncertainty

Common use: a sense of unease; unease about something

There was a growing sense of unease as the last train time approached.

Compare carefully
  • Apprehensive looks towards a feared possibility. Disconcerted often reacts to an unexpected event that has already unsettled the person.
  • Ambivalent contains conflicting attitudes; it does not simply mean indifferent. Unease is discomfort that may be less clearly differentiated.
  • Resentful centres on perceived unfairness. Disillusioned centres on a favourable belief being lost; the experiences can overlap without being identical.

Intensity and emotional impact

elated

very happy and excited, often because of success or good news

Common use: elated at / by the news; feel elated

The dancers were elated when they learnt that their performance would be repeated.

exhilarated

intensely excited and energised by an experience

Common use: exhilarated by a challenge / experience

We felt exhilarated after sailing through the strong wind into the open bay.

overwhelmed

affected so strongly that it is difficult to respond or cope; can be positive or negative

Common use: overwhelmed by support / demands; overwhelmed with emotion

She was overwhelmed by the number of strangers who offered to help.

devastated

extremely upset or shocked by a loss or deeply disappointing event

Common use: devastated by a loss; feel devastated

He was devastated to learn that the only recording of his mother’s voice had been erased.

mortified

extremely embarrassed or ashamed in a social situation

Common use: mortified at / by a mistake; absolutely mortified

I was mortified when I realised I had introduced the guest by the wrong name.

indignant

angry because something is considered unfair, insulting or improper

Common use: indignant at / about something; an indignant response

The volunteers were indignant at the suggestion that they had worked only for free tickets.

Compare carefully
  • Elated often highlights joy at an outcome; exhilarated foregrounds energising excitement from an experience. Contexts can overlap.
  • Overwhelmed does not prescribe one emotion: affection, gratitude, fear or excessive demands can all overwhelm. Devastated is strongly negative in the emotional sense.
  • Mortified concerns intense embarrassment. Indignant concerns perceived injustice or insult, not merely the strength of any anger.

Composure and recovery

composure

a calm, controlled outward manner, especially under pressure

Common use: keep / regain / lose one’s composure

Her composure during the protest impressed even those who opposed her.

keep a lid on

prevent an emotion, conflict or problem from being expressed or increasing; informal

Common use: keep a lid on anger / frustration / tensions

Negotiators hoped to keep a lid on tension while the disputed figures were checked.

take something in stride

deal calmly with an event without becoming unduly upset

Common use: take criticism in stride (especially US); take criticism in one’s stride (especially UK)

She took the change of venue in stride and sent everyone a new map.

come to terms with

gradually accept and adjust to a difficult reality

Common use: come to terms with a loss / change / limitation

It took him time to come to terms with the fact that the old shop would not reopen.

regain one’s footing

recover stability or confidence after disruption; also literal

Common use: regain her footing after a setback

After a bewildering first term, she regained her footing by joining a small study group.

let off steam

release strong feelings through activity or expression; informal

Common use: let off steam after work; need to let off steam

He lets off steam by singing loudly while he does the washing-up.

Compare carefully
  • Composure concerns controlled manner, not absence of emotion. Keep a lid on emphasises containment; let off steam emphasises release.
  • Take something in stride describes a calm response to difficulty. Come to terms with often involves a longer adjustment to an unwelcome reality.
  • Regain one’s footing describes restored stability after disruption. It does not by itself imply agreement with, or approval of, what happened.

Expression, triggers and lingering feelings

vent

express strong negative feelings openly

Common use: vent frustration / anger; vent to someone

He vented his frustration in a message he wisely left unsent.

bottle up

keep feelings inside instead of expressing them

Common use: bottle up anger / anxiety / emotions

She had bottled up her worry until a friend asked directly what was wrong.

lash out

react with sudden verbal or physical aggression

Common use: lash out at someone; lash out in anger

Embarrassed by the correction, he lashed out at the person trying to help.

strike a chord

evoke recognition, sympathy or an emotional response

Common use: strike a chord with an audience / reader

The song’s account of leaving home struck a chord with many listeners.

linger

remain longer than expected or after the main event has ended

Common use: doubts / memories / feelings linger; linger in the mind

The embarrassment lingered long after the conversation had moved on.

bittersweet

combining pleasure with sadness

Common use: a bittersweet memory / farewell / victory

Winning the award her late mentor had predicted was a bittersweet triumph.

Compare carefully
  • Vent foregrounds expression; lash out adds sudden aggression towards a target. Venting does not necessarily mean attacking another person.
  • Bottle up keeps feelings unexpressed. Linger concerns how long a feeling remains, not whether it is expressed.
  • Strike a chord evokes recognition or feeling without requiring agreement. Bittersweet specifies a mix of pleasure and sadness, rather than any two conflicting attitudes.
Exercises:
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4

Language for trust, tension, closeness, rivalry, boundaries, mutual influence and group dynamics.

Choose the correct option to complete each sentence below.
1
Although the mediator had met both directors only that morning, conversation quickly became relaxed and responsive. She established an excellent with each of them.
2
The arrangement worked because both neighbours contributed in different ways: one collected parcels, while the other watered plants when needed. There was genuine .
3
Nadia had plenty of friendly colleagues, but there was only one person at work she trusted enough to about her family situation.
4
The brothers still lived in the same town and attended the same family events, but after the inheritance dispute they barely spoke and had become .
5
There were repeated disagreements over deadlines and working methods, but neither side wanted to end the partnership. The relationship was marked by considerable .
6
The two campaigners were not competing for the same role; they simply disliked each other intensely and interpreted almost every action in the worst possible way. Their was obvious.
7
The committee was so eager to present a united front that members stopped challenging weak assumptions and quietly withheld objections. The decision was shaped by .
8
Journalists from competing organisations publicly supported the reporter after she was threatened for doing her job. Their did not depend on personal friendship.
9
After he challenged a popular member of the society, invitations stopped, people moved away when he joined conversations, and he was deliberately left out of group activities. He had effectively been .
10
After several late-night calls from clients, Maya told the team that she would no longer answer non-emergency messages after 8 p.m. She was trying to .
11
Because Alex had always covered extra shifts without complaint, the manager simply assumed he would do so again and did not even ask. Alex felt he was being .
12
Neither colleague wanted the disagreement to damage the project, so they met privately, explained what had bothered them and resolved the misunderstanding. They managed to .

Language for trust, tension, closeness, rivalry, boundaries, mutual influence and group dynamics.

Match each clue with the precise lexical unit.
Matched: 0 / 24
Pack 1 — Nuanced relationship meanings
Pack 2 — Relationship scenarios
Pack 3 — Group dynamics and connotation
Pack 4 — Boundaries, status and repair
Complete all six matches in the current pack before moving on.
Excellent — all 24 lexical units matched.

Language for trust, tension, closeness, rivalry, boundaries, mutual influence and group dynamics.

Choose the interpretation that best reflects the precise meaning or use of the vocabulary.
1
Which distinction between rapport and affinity is most accurate?
A.
B.
C.
2
What does reciprocity allow that a simple 'equal exchange' interpretation does not?
A.
B.
C.
3
Why is camaraderie often more natural than mutual regard after a group completes a demanding project together?
A.
B.
C.
4
Which replacement changes the meaning most clearly: “The policy alienated many volunteers” → “Many volunteers became estranged from the organisation”?
A.
B.
C.
5
When is rift too strong a description compared with friction?
A.
B.
C.
6
Which statement correctly distinguishes rivalry from animosity?
A.
B.
C.
7
A team is highly cohesive. What would justify calling its decision-making groupthink as well?
A.
B.
C.
8
Which distinction between peer pressure and ostracism is most useful?
A.
B.
C.
9
Why might describing a friendship circle as a clique be contentious?
A.
B.
C.
10
What separates setting boundaries from accusing someone of having overstepped the mark?
A.
B.
C.
11
Which situation calls more naturally for clear the air than build bridges?
A.
B.
C.
12
What does meeting on an equal footing guarantee?
A.
B.
C.

Language for trust, tension, closeness, rivalry, boundaries, mutual influence and group dynamics.

Complete or rewrite each item using vocabulary from this lesson.
1
Within ten minutes of meeting, the interviewer and candidate were joking naturally and responding easily to one another; they had already established .
2
The brothers had once been inseparable, but after the dispute they stopped speaking except when absolutely necessary and became .
3
The board appeared united, but several members later admitted they had suppressed serious objections because challenging the majority felt unacceptable. The decision reflected .
4
After months of assuming Lena would organise every event without being asked or thanked, the committee finally realised it had been taking her .
5
Rewrite the sentence using one expression from the lesson. Preserve the idea of repairing relations across an existing division.The two neighbourhood associations began organising joint projects to improve relations after years of distrust.
6
Rewrite the sentence using one expression from the lesson. Keep the focus on openly resolving one source of tension.They met privately to discuss the remark that had made every subsequent meeting uncomfortable.
7
Rewrite the sentence using one expression from the lesson. Preserve the idea of comparable status in the discussion.For the first time, junior researchers and senior faculty negotiated with comparable status and opportunity to influence the outcome.
8
When the journalist finally trusted her editor enough to discuss the threats she had received, she decided to him.
9
The new chair made it clear that personal calls after midnight were unacceptable; she needed to with the committee.
10
Rewrite the judgement more precisely using one item from the lesson. Keep the idea of competition without implying hostility.The two laboratories were strong competitors for grants and prestige, but their researchers remained friendly and frequently collaborated.