U N I T 5

REBELLION


1. Match the words in Column A with their definitions in Column B.
  • ambush
  • bloodshed
  • to clash
  • coup d’etat
  • guerilla
  • hostile
  • junta
  • loot
  • mercenary
  • militia
  • rebellion
  • skirmish
  • to topple
  • unit
  • a sudden violent seizing of state power by a small group that has not been elected
  • a subdivision of a larger military grouping
  • a member of an unofficial military group, esp. one fighting to remove a government, which attacks its enemy in small groups unexpectedly
  • goods, esp. valuable objects, taken away illegally, esp. by soldiers after defeating an enemy
  • a surprised attack from the place of hiding
  • a fight between small groups of soldiers, ships, etc., at a distance from the main forces and not a part of a large battle
  • an act of armed resistance to an established government or leader
  • aggressive, intimidating, unfriendly
  • to force a leader or government out, and perhaps take their place
  • a government, esp. a military one that has come to power by force rather than through elections
  • a soldier who fights, or engages in warfare primarily for private gain, usually with little regard for ideological, national or political considerations
  • flowing of blood or killing of people usu. in fighting
  • a body of men not belonging to a regular army, but trained as soldiers to serve only in their own country if it is attacked or in times when there is violence and disorder in towns, cities, etc.
  • to come together and fight (e.g. of demonstrators and the police)

2. Substitute the words in bold with a word or word combination from the box without changing its form.
ambush bloodshed clashes coup d’état guerrilla hostile military junta looting mercenaries militia rebellion skirmish to topple units
  1. Государственный переворот - ... в Гвинее готовили спецслужбы США, Великобритании и Испании.
  2. Cамолеты совершили вылеты с целью поддержки иракских подразделений - ... в районах, захваченных террористами.
  3. Вчера узбекские вооруженные силы подавили восстание - ... .
  4. Тогда в южной части Египта происходили серьезные столкновения - ... между властями и мусульманскими радикалами, пытавшимися свергнуть - ... правительство и установить в стране исламское правление.
  5. Страной три года правила военная хунта - ... , сумевшая заручиться поддержкой народа и принять новую конституцию, которая действует и поныне.
  6. 28 воинов дивизии совершили подвиг, в ходе четырехчасового боя уничтожив 18 вражеских - ... танков.
  7. Бойцы РПК обвинили турецкие власти в пособничестве исламистам и возобновили партизанскую - ... войну против турецких силовиков.
  8. Ополченцы - ... устроили засаду - ... и уничтожили бойцов спецбатальона «Айдар».
  9. Наемники - ... перешли от мародерства - ... и грабежей к попыткам отнять у жителей недвижимое имущество.
  10. Единственной актуальной задачей дипломатии сейчас можно считать только прекращение кровопролития - ... в Донбассе.

3. For each word listed in Column A, choose a synonym from Column B.
  • carnage
  • capture
  • captive
  • fight
  • fighter
  • marauder
  • overthrow
  • radical
  • revolution
  • suppress
  • rebellion
  • combatant
  • militant
  • bloodshed
  • put down
  • skirmish
  • seize
  • looter
  • prisoner
  • topple

4. Choose the word that best completes the sentence.
ambush coup clashes hostile looters mercenaries military junta militia toppled units
  1. The uprising triggered ... in the north and west and around Abidjan.
  2. A global British financial syndicate hires a band of ... to rescue the deposed leader of a central African nation.
  3. Clashes broke out between leftwing guerrillas and state-backed ... .
  4. The ... failed, but the rebels continue to hold the northern part of the country.
  5. Then the soldiers arrived and did arrest some ... who still clung doggedly to their booty even as they've been led away.
  6. A ... has ruled Burma since 1962 and human rights there have progressively deteriorated.
  7. 5 unarmed Iraqi police trainees were killed by a sniper hiding in an ... .
  8. We conceptualize war as a situation in which we have no choice but to engage a ... force that must be attacked in order to be stopped.
  9. The capital turned into a war zone yesterday when rebel army ... tried to seize control of the west African state in a pre-dawn coup.
  10. Ukraine's president was ... and a new government and interim head of state were installed.

5. Match the words in Column A with the words in Column B to make up possible word combinations.
  • to crush
  • to topple
  • appeal for
  • human rights
  • the state of
  • to attack from
  • civil
  • to end
  • military
  • to hire
  • emergency
  • ambush
  • disobedience
  • the government
  • the bloodshed
  • mercenaries
  • an uprising
  • abuse
  • calm
  • junta

6. Insert prepositions where necessary.
  1. Among Third World countries hostile the United States, North Korea has the most advanced ballistic missile program.
  2. At least 25,000 personnel of the Sri Lankan armed forces had been killed during the two decades of fighting and no one categorized as Missing Action.
  3. Several wounded people were taken to hospital in Kitgum town where they are being treated gunshot wounds.
  4. Argentina's last elected president, Fernando de la Rua, was driven office in December amid deadly street riots and a massive economic crisis that pushed unemployment above 18 percent.
  5. Thursday's protest turned violent as riot police fired tear gas and rubber bullets dozens of lingering demonstrators.
  6. Battles may be small scale, only involving a handful of individuals, perhaps two squads, up to battles on army levels where hundreds of thousands may be engaged a single battle at one time.
  7. Last Friday's US air attack Iraq was seen as an attempt to keep the war going and to derail efforts for a solution to the problem during the upcoming UN talks.
  8. Our warplanes intercepted and shot six enemy aircraft with the loss of one Spitfire.
  9. Israeli forces clashed more than 200 Palestinian protesters in Jerusalem on Wednesday.
  10. Islamists and their allies rebelled the elected parliament.

7. Substitute the words in bold with their synonyms from the box.
marauders oust riots suppress belligerent encounter guerrillas massacre
  1. The rebels – Patriotic Movement of the Ivory Coast – who launched the coup intend to topple - ... the embattled government of President Laurent Gbagbo.
  2. But the militants who run rampant in large parts of western Iraq have proven difficult to put down - ... , moving back to towns after the assaults are over and the bulk of troops withdraw.
  3. However, the skirmish - ... was soon over with no fatalities on either side.
  4. A missile-delivered nuclear weapon from a hostile - ... nation would probably cause an explosion many times more powerful than a suitcase bomb, and provide a greater cloud of radioactive fallout.
  5. Argentinean riot police fire at looters - ... in the city of Cordoba, after the Argentine government declared a state of siege for 30 days, giving it special powers to combat the outbreak of looting and riots.
  6. These disturbances - ... again raised the problem of protection for officers, for the first time officers had been petrol bombed, rioters now used arson and looting as a means of disruption.
  7. The adoption of the resolution prior to the breaking out of hostilities would have prevented major bloodshed - ... .
  8. The rebels - ... were killed when they exchanged fire with the government security force, the press release said.

8. Complete the word forms chart.
Noun Agent Noun Verb
ambush
clash
looter
marauder
massacre
rebellion
riot
slaughter
withdraw