Scientists who put faith in technology less likely to take climate action
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EN: The past participle phrase 'convinced that...' acts as a reduced relative clause (post-nominal modifier) modifying the noun 'Scientists'. It is derived from 'Scientists who are convinced that...'.
Consumers convinced that prices will fall often postpone major purchases.
EN: The predicative adjective structure 'be inclined to + verb' expresses a tendency, willingness, or propensity to do something. The degree modifier 'markedly less' indicates an obvious, measurable reduction in inclination.
Employees facing burnout are markedly less inclined to volunteer for extra projects.
EN: In journalistic and academic writing, reporting clauses like 'a new study has found' frequently appear at the end of a sentence as an attribution tag. The entire preceding statement functions semantically as the direct object / content clause of the verb 'found'.
Regular physical exercise can significantly slow cognitive decline, researchers have confirmed.
EN: This sentence addresses 'techno-optimism' (or technological solutionism)—the belief that engineering, carbon capture, or geoengineering will spare humanity from making difficult societal and lifestyle sacrifices. In contemporary climate debates, critics caution that relying excessively on future technologies creates a 'moral hazard', disincentivizing immediate political engagement and personal behavioral change.
EN: The sentence opens with a fronted present participle clause ('Surveying more than 9,000 scientists...'). This participial construction functions adverbially, concisely providing background context or the method by which the main clause action was achieved. In formal and academic prose, the implicit subject of the participle clause must match the subject of the main clause ('London School of Economics researchers').
Analyzing data from over fifty clinical trials, the team identified a promising alternative therapy.
EN: The verb 'find' is used in a complex transitive pattern: 'find + object + object complement' ([found] [these techno-optimists] [23% less likely to...]). Here, the complement is an adjective phrase anchored by 'less likely', where '23%' functions as a quantitative degree modifier preceding the comparative adjective.
The committee judged the applicant highly qualified for the administrative post.
EN: The term 'techno-optimist' refers to individuals holding the belief that technological innovation alone can resolve systemic environmental or social dilemmas. In climate discourse, techno-optimism is frequently critiqued for potentially inducing moral hazard—leading people to delay immediate behavioral or political shifts in anticipation of future technological panaceas.
EN: Negative inversion occurs when a negative conjunction like 'nor' starts an independent clause to continue a negative thought. The auxiliary or modal verb precedes the subject ('Nor were they...').
He did not attend the conference, nor was he interested in reading the proceedings.
EN: Participle clause as an adverbial of explanation or result: 'being 18% less likely...' functions as a present participial phrase modifying the preceding clause, elaborating on the degree or evidence of their unwillingness.
She avoided public speaking, being terrified of addressing large crowds.
EN: The actions cited—flying less and adopting plant-based diets—represent two of the most widely debated individual carbon reduction steps in contemporary Western climate discourse. The tension between systemic change and individual action is a core topic in academic climate sociology.
EN: The conjunction 'whereas' introduces an adverbial clause of contrast, setting two opposing facts against each other. It is formal in tone and functions similarly to 'while', but emphasizes distinction or comparison rather than time.
Some employees prefer remote work, whereas others thrive in a traditional office environment.
EN: In statistical reports, a percentage expression followed by 'of + noun' dictates subject-verb agreement based on the noun that follows: '27% of respondents' is plural, taking a plural conceptual reference, while singular nouns take singular verbs. Furthermore, numbers with omitted head nouns (e.g., '44%' standing for '44% of respondents') rely on ellipsis for conciseness.
Approximately 60% of the budget was allocated to research, whereas 25% went to marketing.
EN: 'Stay' acts as a linking verb (copula) meaning 'to remain in a particular state or condition', followed directly by a predicate adjective ('neutral'). Other common examples include 'stay calm', 'stay alert', and 'stay focused'.
During heated debates, the committee chair must stay neutral.
EN: The term 'techno-optimism' (or techno-solutionism) is a prominent concept in contemporary climate and policy discourse. It refers to the belief that breakthroughs in engineering and technology (such as carbon capture, geoengineering, or nuclear fusion) can resolve environmental challenges without requiring substantial societal or lifestyle changes.
EN: The prepositional phrase 'at the expense of' is an advanced idiom meaning 'so as to cause harm or damage to someone or something' or 'sacrificing something'. It is frequently used in formal discourse and academic writing to contrast prioritized actions against their negative trade-offs.
Rapid economic growth should not be pursued at the expense of environmental sustainability.
EN: The clause 'the crisis demands' is a reduced relative clause (contact clause) modifying 'the systemic change'. The relative pronoun 'that' or 'which' is omitted because it serves as the direct object of the verb 'demands' (i.e., 'the systemic change [that/which] the crisis demands').
She finally received the recognition her hard work deserved.
EN: In climate and science journalism, 'techno-optimism' refers to the belief that emerging technologies (like carbon capture or geoengineering) will solve environmental problems without requiring disruptive economic or behavioral changes. The phrase 'at the expense of systemic change' reflects a central debate in modern policy: whether tech innovations can actually distract from or delay critical structural overhauls.
EN: When a sentence begins with a restrictive element like 'Only if' (negative/restrictive adverbial clause), negative inversion occurs in the main clause. The auxiliary verb precedes the subject ('can technology play', not 'technology can play'). The reporting clause 'he argued' is an embedded parenthetical element inserted between the conditional clause and the main inverted clause.
Only if we address the root causes of poverty can we achieve sustainable peace.
EN: 'Rather than' functions as a coordinating conjunction/preposition introducing an alternative or preference. Here, it coordinates two bare infinitive verb phrases dependent on the modal 'can': 'play its proper role' rather than '[can] serve as a convenient substitute'.
The initiative aims to empower local communities rather than impose top-down regulations.
EN: In academic and environmental discourse, 'convenient substitute' touches on the critique of 'techno-optimism' or 'greenwashing'. Scholars often argue that relying solely on technical fixes allows governments and consumers to avoid difficult systemic behavioral changes, treating technology as an easy out rather than part of a holistic solution.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
so as to cause harm, neglect, or damage to someone or something else
a diet consisting mostly or entirely of foods derived from plants, with few or no animal products
to take part in or get involved with an activity
a person who believes that technology will ultimately solve societal and environmental problems