Cambridge 19 (General Training) | Test 1 | Section 3

Emojis

As a form of global communication, emojis only began their growth in 2011. Four years later, it wasestimated that they were being used by over 90 per cent of the online population.In excess of six billion were being sent every day. Their prevalence in the culture was such that Oxford Dictionaries recently chose one as their word of the year. “Words of the Year” are those judged to be reflective of the “ethos, mood, or preoccupations of that particular year.” They’re very much of their time. And often, once time has passed, theyfade from people’s consciousness almost as quickly as they arose.

estimate (verb) [transitive] [often passive]

/ˈes.tə.meɪt/

to guess or calculate the cost, size, value, etc. of something

It was difficult to estimate how many trees had been destroyed.

in excess of something

more than something

e.g., Many of the doctors here are working in excess of fifty hours a week.

fade (verb) [intransitive]

/feɪd/

to gradually disappear

e.g., Hopes of reaching an agreement seem to be fading away.