Objective Proficiency p 152. Major Events and the Most Relevant People. Extra Speaking

Vocabulary

A change for the better/worse: a person, thing, situation, etc. that is better/worse than the previous or present one. E.g. Voters see the new leader as a change for the better.

Be down to somebody/something: to be caused by a particular person or thing. E.g. She claimed her problems were down to the media. 

Knock somebody sideways: (informal) to surprise or shock somebody so much that they are unable to react immediately. E.g. The recession knocked us sideways last year.

Yarn /jɑːn/ a long story, especially one that is exaggerated or invented. E.g. A good yarn. He used to spin yarns (= tell stories) about his time in the Army.

Pitch a story/line/yarn (to somebody): (informal) to tell somebody a story or make an excuse that is not true.

Log something to put information in an official record or write a record of events. Record. E.g. The police log all phone calls. I need to log things down so that I can remember.

personable

trailblazer

to blaze a trail

whimsical

amiable: pleasant; friendly and easy to like

know sth inside out

know something like the back of your hand

was a legend

His greatest legacy may be his impact on...

a dab hand

a flair for

a knack for: He's got a real knack for making money.

have the gift of the gab

able to speak off the cuff

come across/over as

wry

quirky

he is a man/woman after my own heart

he is a maverick: (of a person) independent, with unusual opinions. E.g. a maverick film director. A politician with a maverick streak (Sp. vena, cualidad).