distribution (e.g. films, rice); rationing (e.g. food, gasoline); food ration
nucleus; backbone; medium-level; mid-level; main body (of troops); crack troops
performer; entertainer; celebrity
incompetence; inefficiency; inability; incompetent person
to produce (e.g. movie, play, show, event, musical recording, etc.); to design (e.g. new commercial product, restaurant concept, etc.); to create; production; creation; design
crisis prevention; crisis avoidance
talented; gifted; prodigious; virtuoso; masterful
sad; miserable; unhappy; sad; lamentable; deplorable
to whinge; to kvetch; to gripe; to complain; to whine
came; went; were (somewhere); was (somewhere); were (doing); was (doing)
humming a tune; humming unconcernedly
to telephone; to make a phone call
good-for-nothing; worthless
judging from; on the basis of; from the point of view of
private; personal life; (one's) privacy
smoke screen; dazzler; camouflage; deceptive means; magic; witchcraft
(of a lie, etc.) obvious; transparent
to hold one's breath; to bate one's breath
to get angry; to take offense; to take offence; to be furious
one's cherished opinion; pet theory
withdrawal; retraction; revocation; repeal
place where one works; construction site; working area
deciding first; settling (a matter) first; first priority
storage; putting or stowing away; receipt (of funds, payment, etc.); harvesting
hand luggage; hand baggage
wearisome; insipid; dull; irksome; wretched; vain
to drop to one's knees; to sink to one's knees
1,000,000; one million; million; many
in 8 or 9 cases out of ten; in all probability
how; in what way; I wonder
on the occasion of; at the time of
to get late; to advance; to wear on
variation in color (colour); having a different color
not a chance; not likely; oh no; yuck; fault; defect
forever; endlessly; on and on; meandering; wandering; winding
to sing; to sing (one's praises in a poem, etc.); to compose a poem; to recite a poem