Лексические трудности английского языка

С.В. Агеев, Н.А. Бондарева, Е.Е. Петрова  
 
 
ЛЕКСИЧЕСКИЕ 
ТРУДНОСТИ 
АНГЛИЙСКОГО ЯЗЫКА 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Москва 
РИОР 
ИНФРА-М 
 
 

Авторы: 
Бондарева Наталья Анатольевна - кандидат филологических наук, 
доцент. Является автором 32 печатных работ, 2 учебных пособий по 
проблемам английского языка, переводоведению, межкультурной 
коммуникации, в том числе соавтор 1 монографии и 1 учебника; 
Петрова Екатерина Евгеньевна - кандидат филологических наук, доцент. 
Является автором 25 печатных работ, в том числе соавтор 1 учебника 
и 5 учебных пособий по вопросам лексикологии английского языка и 
проблемам перевода; 
Агеев Сергей Валерьевич - кандидат филологических наук, доцент. 
Является автором 25 печатных работ, в том числе соавтор 1 
монографии  и 7 учебных пособий по вопросам 
прагмалингвистики, когнитивной линг вистики и теории 
лингвистического значения. 
 
Рецензенты: 
Кафедра иностранных языков Северо-Западного государственного 
медицинского университета им. И.И. Мечникова, зав. кафедрой, канд. 
филол. наук, доц. В.К. Колобаев;  
канд. филол. наук, доц. кафедры фонетики РГПУ им. А.И. Герцена Ю.П. 
Вышенская 
 
 
Лексические трудности английского языка [Электронный ресурс; Режим 
доступа: www.znanium.com]. — М.: РИОР: ИНФРА-М, 2015. 
 
ISBN 978-5-16-102860-5 (ИНФРА-М, online) 
 
Цель данного пособия - снять типичные лексические трудности, с 
которыми студенты сталкиваются в рамках курса изучения английского 
языка в ВУЗе. Издание предназначено для аудиторной работы со 
студентами, которые овладели средним уровнем английского языка и 
стремятся усовершенствовать свои знания в профессиональной сфере. 
Основная задача учебного пособия – в краткой и доступной форме дать 
студентам неязыкового ВУЗа понятие о том, что такое однокоренные и 
производные слова и затем использовать полученные знания на 
практике для построения грамматически, лексически и идиоматически 
правильных предложений. 
 
© С.В. Агеев, Н.А. Бондарева, Е.Е. Петрова, 2014 
 

CONTENT 

Preface 

Unit 1 Account and related words 
Unit 2 Adopt, adapt 
Unit 3 Advertise, advertising, advertisement 
Unit 4 Authorize, authorization, authority 
Unit 5 Company, campaign 
Unit 6 Compete, competitor, competition 
Unit 7 Custom, customs, customer 
Unit 8 Credit, creditor, credible 
Unit 9 Economics, economy 
Unit 10 Effect, affect 
Unit 11 Inject, reject, deject 
Unit 12 Innovation, invention, renovation 
Unit 13 Jury, injury, perjury 
Unit 14 Launch, lunch, lounge 
Unit 15 Manage, manageable, managerial 
Unit 16 Moral, morale 
Unit 17 Policy, politics, politick 
Unit 18 Practice, practice, practical 
Unit 19 Remember, remind, recall 
Unit 20 Special, specific 
Unit 21 Technique, technology 
  

ВВЕДЕНИЕ 

Цель  данного пособия - снять типичные лексические трудности, с 
которыми 
студенты 
сталкиваются 
в 
рамках 
курса 
изучения 
английского языка в ВУЗе. Издание предназначено для аудиторной 
работы 
со 
студентами, 
которые 
овладели 
средним 
уровнем 
английского языка и стремятся усовершенствовать свои знания в 
профессиональной сфере. Основная задача учебного пособия – в 
краткой и доступной форме дать студентам неязыкового ВУЗа понятие о том, что такое однокоренные и производные слова и затем использовать полученные знания на практике для построения грамматически, лексически и идиоматически правильных предложений. 
Пособие включает в себя 21 раздел, каждый из которых детально 
рассматривает кластер однокоренных и производных слов, а также 
слов близких по звучанию, употребление которых вызывает 

трудности у студентов. Все лексические единицы снабжаются 
английским толкованием, затем приводится обширный аутентичный 
материал употребления рассматриваемых лексических единиц, и, 
наконец, 
обучающимся 
предлагается 
выполнить 
целый 
ряд 
продуманных лексических, грамматических, подстановочных и 
трансформационных 
упражнений, 
а 
также 
упражнений 
на 
двусторонний перевод, которые помогут систематизировать знания и 
углубить и скорректировать умения студентов. 
Для удобства пользования учебным пособием прилагаются 
указатель слов. 
Авторы учебного пособия: 
С.В.Агеев, кандидат филологических наук, доцент (разд. 1, 3, 4, 6, 
8, 15, 17, 20) 
Н.А.Бондарева, кандидат филологических наук, доцент (разд. 5, 11, 
12, 13, 14, 17) 
Е.Е.Петрова, кандидат филологических наук, доцент (разд. 2, 7, 9, 
10, 16, 18, 19, 21) 

  

UNIT 1 

ACCOUNT, ACCOUNTABILITY, ACCOUNTANT,  

ACCOUNTING, ACCOUNTANCY 

 
ACCOUNT [ə'kaunt] verb: to think of someone or something in the 
stated way; judge. She was accounted a genius by all who knew her work.  
‘There's no accounting for taste’, saying. Said when it is difficult to explain why different people like different things, especially things which you 
do not like. "I love working at weekends." - "Well, there's no accounting 
for taste, is there!" 
account (to smb ) for smth, phrasal verb  
1.   To explain the reason for something or the cause of something. Can 
you account for your absence last Friday?  
2.   To form the total of something. Students account for the vast majority of our customers. 
SYN.: consider, count, estimate, judge, rate, reckon, regard, think, value. 
account [ə'kaunt] noun. 
1.   (C) (also bank account) An arrangement with a bank to keep your 
money there and to allow you to take it out when you need to. I've opened 
an account with a building society.  

SYN.: statement, balance, bill, books, charge, invoice, reckoning, register, score, tally. 
2.   (C) A written or spoken description of an event. She gave a thrilling 
account of her life in the jungle.  
SYN.: description, explanation, narrative, report, statement, story, tale, 
version. 
3.   (C) An agreement with a shop or company that allows you to buy 
things and pay for them later. Could you put it on / charge it to my account, 
please? 
4.   (C) A customer who does business with a company. If the advertising agency loses the United Beer account, it will make a big gap in their 
profits.    
on account of smth: because of something, formal. He doesn't drink alcohol on account of his health.    
to take into account (also to take account of): to consider or remember 
when judging a situation. I hope my teacher will take into account the fact 
that I was ill just before the exams when she marks my paper. 
accountable [ə'kauntəbl] adjective: to be completely responsible for 
what you do and be able to give a satisfactory reason for it. She is accountable only to the managing director. 
SYN.: responsible, amenable, answerable, charged with, liable, obligated, obliged. 
unaccountable [nə'kauntəbl] adjective 
1.   To not be expected to explain or provide a reason to a particular person or organization for your actions, to be unaccountable to smb / smth. 
When Knight became leader, the council was run by a clique of officers 
largely unaccountable to the elected members. 
SYN.: not answerable, exempt, not responsible. 
2.   Not able to be explained or understood. For some unaccountable 
reason, he keeps his wallet in his underwear drawer.    
SYN.: inexplicable, baffling, mysterious, odd, puzzling, unexplainable, 
unfathomable. 
unaccountably [nə'kauntəbl] adverb: to be impossible or difficult to 
explain. I felt unaccountably happy this morning. 
accountability [əkauntə'blət] noun (U): the state of being responsible and liable to answer to smb for your actions. There were furious demands for greater police accountability.      
SYN.: responsibility, answerability, chargeability, culpability, liability. 
accountancy [ə'kauntən(t)s] noun (U) UK: the job of being an accountant. She decided to start up an accountancy firm. 
accounting [ə'kauntŋ] noun (U)  
1.   The skill or activity of keeping records of the money a person or organization earns and spends. 
2.   US (=UK accountancy) The job of being an accountant. 

accountant [ə'kauntənt] noun (C): someone who keeps or examines the 
records of money received, paid and owed by a company or person. Clarks 
and Co is a firm of accountants. 
SYN.: auditor, bean counter (informal), book-keeper. 
 
 
Exercise 1. Give the English equivalents to the following words. 
 
Счет, отчитываться перед кем-либо за что-либо, ответственный, 
(не)подотчетный, (не)подотчетность, бухгалтер, бухучет. 
 
 
Exercise 2. Match following word forms with the parts of speech. 
 
To account, account, accountable, unaccountable, unaccountably,  
accountability, accountant, accounting, accountancy. 
 

     Noun (5) 
  Adjective (2) 
Verb (1)    
Adverb (1) 
 
 
Exercise 3. Match the words with their meanings. 
 
1. accountant 
       a. an arrangement with a bank to keep your money there. 

2. accounting 
       b. book-keeping.  

3. account 
       c. having to report to smb. 

4. accountable             d. a person responsible for keeping ledgers in a company. 

 

Exercise 4. Choose the correct word. 
 
1) 
A good architect takes into (account / accounting) the building's 
surroundings.  
2) 
Any (accountant / accountancy) worth their salt should be aware of 
the latest changes in taxation.  
3) 
Can you give us an (accounting / account) of what happened?  
4) 
Charge this to my (account / accountant), please.  
5) 
Go and see the manager of the bank where your (account / accountant) is held.  
6) 
I was relieved to see from my statement that my (accountancy / account) was in credit.  
7) 
Local authorities should be publicly (unaccountable / accountable) 
to the communities they serve.  

8) 
There is a need for increased professional (accountability / accounting).  
9) 
Politicians are (accountable / accounts) to Parliament.  
10) She was unable to (account / accounting) for over $5000.  
11) The book is a work of fiction and not intended as a historical (accounts / account).  
12) There is £50 missing from the till - how do you (account / accounted) for that?  
13) This process of centralization further reduces (accountability / accounting).  
 
Exercise 5. Match the types of accounts with the translation.  
 
1. joint account 
               a. личный пенсионный счет 

2. blocked account 
b. частный (личный) счет 

3. correspondent account 
c. депозитный счет, срочный вклад 

4. (in)active account 
d. сберегательный счет 

5. individual retirement  

account                               e. (не)действующий (текущий) счет 

6. deposit account    
f. заблокированный (замороженный) счет 

7. savings account                g. совместный счет 

8. checking account 
h. текущий чековый счет 

9. private account                i. корреспондентский счет 

 
Exercise 6. Fill in the gaps with the correct words from the unit. 
 
1) At the end of the year, the … goes over the books.  
2) He opened an … at a bank in Germany.  
3) I have an … with another bank.  
4) I'd like to open an …, please.  
5) It is best to settle the … each month.  
6) I've never been there, but it's a beautiful place by all ….  
7) My husband and I have separate ….  
8) No one sent me. I am here on my own ….  
9) Sarah was bullied at school, which might … for her behaviour now. 
10) Senior managers are directly accountable… to the Board of Directors.  
11) Someone has to be held ultimately … for the accident.  
12) Students … for the vast majority of our customers.  
13) There have been proposals for greater police ….  

14) Too many government departments are unaccountable to the general public.  
15) Trainee … average £12 000 per year.  
16) We talked to the company's chief ….  
17) You will have to … for your absence to the head teacher in the 
morning. 
 
Exercise 7. Fill in the gaps with prepositions. 
 
1) A good architect takes … account the building's surroundings.  
2) … all accounts, San Francisco is a city that's easy to fall in love with.  
3) … his own account, he's quite wealthy.  
4) He kept a detailed account … the suspect's movements.  
5) He doesn't drink hard liquor ... account of his ulcer.  
6) His opinion is … little account … me.  
7) I hope my teacher will take … account the fact that I was ill just before the exams when she marks my paper.  
8) I paid the money … my account this morning.  
9) It's … no account … me whether he comes or not.  
10) I've opened an account … a building society.  
11) She gave a thrilling account … her life in the jungle.  
12) She paid the cheque … her account.  
 
Exercise 8. Provide the English equivalents of the Russian terms in 
brackets. 
 
1) 
Alison drew some money out of her (счета) to pay for our trip.  
2) 
Could you put it on my (счет), please?  
3) 
Could you please settle your (счет) in full?  
4) 
I think you have to take into (внимание) that he's a good deal 
younger than the rest of us.  
5) 
It's difficult to (объяснить) for the recent increase in violent crime.  
6) 
Several eyewitnesses' (рассказы) differed considerably from the 
official version of events.  
7) 
She bought the furniture she wanted on (кредит).  
8) 
She gave a hair-raising (описание) of her escape through the desert.  
9) 
The (счет) was in debit at the end of the month.  
10) The diaries contained detailed (описание) of the writer's experiences in China.  
11) The differences in achievement between the pupils are partly 
(объясняются) for by differences in age.  
12) The increase can be fully (объяснен) for.  
13) The prime minister will have to (отчитаться) to the whole nation 
for his decision.  

14) The upper middle class tend to go into business or the professions, 
becoming, for example, lawyers, doctors or (бухгалтеры).  
15) To open an (счет), you need to make a minimum deposit of $500.  
 
Exercise 9. Translate the following sentences into English. 
 
1) Чтобы открыть счет в нашем банке, необходимо внести как 
минимум 500 долларов.  
2) Она внесла деньги на свой корреспондентский счет сегодня 
утром.  
3) Я собираюсь закрыть свой сберегательный счет в конце месяца.  
4) Она детально описала действия подозреваемого.  
5) Свидетельства нескольких очевидцев сильно отличались.  
6) Он с возбуждением описывал свою поездку в Африку.  
7) По общему мнению, Эрмитаж – один из лучших музеев мира. 
8) По его собственному мнению, его компания не имеет 
конкурентов.  
9) Не могли бы Вы записать это на мой счет?  
10) В демократических странах правительство подотчетно перед 
избирателями.  
11) Акционерам не нравилось, что действия генерального 
директора не подотчетны перед Советом директоров.  
12) Вы должны объяснить большую задолженность компании.  
13) Люди до 30 лет составляют большую часть наших клиентов. 
14) Он не ел мясо из-за того, что был убежденным вегетарианцем.  
15) Их мнение не имеет для нас большого значения.  
16) 
Профессия 
бухгалтера 
является 
одной 
из 
самых 
востребованных на рынке.  
17) Он не смог сдать бухучет, поскольку был слаб в математике. 
18) В прошлом году были введены международные стандарты 
бухучета. 
  

UNIT 2 

ADOPT, ADAPT 

 
ADOPT [ədpt] verb  
1.   (T) To decide to start using a particular idea, plan, or method 
(принимать) He decided to adopt a more radical approach to the problem. 
SYN.: choose, assume, espouse, follow, maintain, take up. 
1a.   To formally accept a proposal, usually by voting (принимать чтолибо официально) Parliament unanimously adopted the committee’s proposals.  

1b.   To start using a particular way of speaking, thinking, or behaving 
that is not the one you usually use (перенимать, усваивать). When questioned, he adopted a very aggressive attitude.  
2.   (I/T) To take someone else’s child into your family and legally 
make him or her your own child (усыновлять). The couple are hoping to 
adopt a baby girl. 
SYN.: foster, take in. 
3.   (T) BE To choose someone to represent your political party in an 
election (выдвигать, выбирать).  Kelly was adopted as the candidate for 
Bolton West.  
adopted [ədptd, ədptəd] adjective: legally made a part of a 
family that is not your original family (приёмный, усыновлённый). Are 
both of their children adopted?  
adoption [ədp(ə)n] noun  
1.   (C/U) The process of making a child legally part of your family, or 
an instance of this (усыновление). For many childless couples, adoption is 
the best solution.  
SYN.: fostering, adopting, taking in. 
2.   (U) The decision to use or accept a particular idea, method, law, or 
attitude (принятие, усвоение).  
adoption of: We will encourage a wider adoption of this strategy for 
pollution control.  
SYN.: choice, appropriation, assumption, embracing, endorsement, espousal, selection, taking up. 
adoptive [ədptv] adjective (only before noun). Adoptive parents 
are people who have adopted a child. 
adoptee – приёмыш, приёмный ребёнок. 
adopter – усыновитель; человек, принимающий чью-либо сторону. 
 
ADAPT [ ədæpt] verb  
1.   (I) To change your ideas or behaviour so that you can deal with a 
new situation (приспосабливаться). The company was accused of being 
slow to adapt.  
adapt to: Most students have little difficulty adapting to college life.  
1a.   (T) To change something to make it more suitable for a new use or 
situation (приспосабливать, прилаживать, адаптировать). Courses can 
be adapted to suit the needs of the individual.  
adapt for: You can adapt this fabric for anything from divers’ suits to 
gloves.  
SYN.: adjust, acclimatize, accommodate, alter, change, conform, convert, modify, remodel, tailor. 
2.   (T) To change a book or play so that it can be made into a film, TV 
programme etc (инсценировать, экранизировать). 
adapt something from something: The film is adapted from a Michael 
Crichton novel.  

adaptable [ədæptəb(ə)l] adjective  
1.   Adaptable people can change their behaviour or ideas easily in order 
to deal with new situations (легко приспосабливаемый). We need adaptable workers who are willing to learn new skills.  
SYN.: flexible, adjustable, changeable, plastic, pliant, versatile. 
2.   Adaptable things can be used in different situations or for different 
purposes, e.g. adaptable office furniture. 
adaptability 
[ədæptəbləti] 
noun 
(U) 
(применимость, 
приспособляемость). 
SYN.: flexibility, changeability, resilience, versatility. 
adaptation [ædæpte(ə)n]; adaption [ədæp(ə)n] noun  
1.   (C) A film, TV programme etc that has been made from a book or 
play (экранизация, аранжировка). The television adaptation of the stage 
play was very successful.  
2.   (U) The process of changing something so that it can be used for a 
different purpose (переделка, адаптация). They specialize in the adaptation of industrial buildings for housing.  
SYN.: conversion, adjustment, alteration, change, modification, transformation, variation, version. 
3.   (U) (BIOLOGY) The ability that animals and plants have to change 
and make themselves especially suitable for living in a particular environment (адаптация, привыкание, приспособление): the remarkable adaptation of the camel to the desert. 
SYN.: acclimatization, familiarization, naturalization. 
adapted [ədæptd, ədæptəd] adjective: especially suitable for 
someone or something (подогнанный, подходящий; приспособленный, 
адаптированный). 
SYN.: suited. 
well adapted: a plant well adapted to warm, dry conditions. 
adapter [ədæptə(r) ] adaptor noun (С): an object that allows you to 
connect two pieces of equipment of different types or sizes (адаптер). 
adaptive [ədæptv] adjective: changing in order to deal with new situations (приспосабливающийся к чему-то, адаптивный): adaptive colouring of a chameleon – защитная окраска хамелеона. 
 
Exercise 1. Supply the missing parts of speech in the table. 
 
Verb 
               Noun(s)                                 Adjective(s) 

1.                            2. 
                                 3.  

                                                                              4. adoptive 

5.  
     6.adaptability                 9. 

                     7.                                  10.