Colour and light

Exercise 43.4

Now answer these questions about the collocations in exercise 43.2

1. What probably causes a candle to flicker?
   Answer

   A draught, the wind or some other movement of air.

2. A beam of light is often used about the headlights of a car or the light of a torch. What similar phrase is used about sunlight?
   Answer

   A ray of sunlight.

3. Would you use pitch black to describe someone’s hair or the night?
   Answer

   The night. If you want to say that someone’s hair is very black, you would call it jet black.

4. If you see a light as a faint glow is it likely to be far away or near to you?
   Answer

   Far away, because a faint glow means that the light is not strong.

5. What is the difference in meaning between saying that a star shines and a star twinkles?
   Answer

   A star shines suggests a more constant strong light, whereas a star twinkles suggests a bright light in the distance that gives the illusion of moving a little.

6. What kind of issues are green issues?
   Answer

   Issues concerned with conservation or the environment.

7. What do you feel about something if you say that it is a grey area?
   Answer

   You may feel confused, it is not a clear-cut issue, there is no obvious right answer.

8. What sort of thing might cast a shadow over a special celebration?
   Answer

   Something sad or worrying – an illness perhaps or a war.

9. If Mark accuses Karen of ‘blackening his name’, what has Karen done?
   Answer

   She has said something bad about him that he believes is harming his reputation.

10. If something adds colour to someone’s life or to a story, what happens to the life or the story?
    Answer

    It becomes livelier or more interesting.