Succeed In Cambridge English: Proficiency 8 Practice Tests - Glossary

25 Pages·1.067 MB·English

by  Betsis Andrew, Mamas Lawrence.

8
Glossary
SUCCEED in CPE COMPANION - Tests 1-8
Test 1
Part 5 - page 36
Reading tyro n *abeginnerinlearninganything: The German boy was
Part1- page 33 a tyro in English.
lithe adj *bendingeasily;flexible: A ballerina should have a
scorn n *an open or unqualified contempt: Her attitude
lithebody.
showed the scorn she felt.
of its own accord phr *of one’s own free will: She did it of
laboratory n *aplaceequipped to conduct scientificexperi-
her own accord, without being forced to.
ments,tests,investigations orto manufacturechemicals,medi-
tack n *acourseofactionorconduct,especiallyone differing
cines,orthelike: Schoolfacilitiesareexcellentand include a
from somepreceding course: The two competitors differed
laboratoryforteachingandresearch.
highly in tack.
genius n *a naturalability;stronginclination: He has a spe-
placid adj *pleasantlycalmor peaceful; serenely quiet or
cial genius for leadership.= δαιμόνιοπνεύμα, ιδιοφυΐα
undisturbed: The placid waters of the lake were brilliant to
pivotal adj *ofvitalorcriticalimportance: It’sthewishof
look at.
everydoctor to make a pivotalcontribution to the field.
tabby adj *stripedorbrindled: The tabby cat laid in bed.
groundbreaking adj *something beinglike nothing done, ex-
preserve n *something considered as being the exclusive
periencedorcreatedbefore: Itwasagroundbreakingdecision,
province of sb: Τhe lion defended it’s preserve until it’s death.
even for a company with a long history of innovations.
encroach v *trespassupontheproperty orrightsofanother;
heap upon phr.v.*give orassignin great quantity;load: The
advance beyond limits: Thereis no reason to encroach on indi-
priest alwaysheapsblessingsupon the couples.
vidual freedom.
pick on phr.v.*criticizeor blame;tease: The older boys al-
inmate n *someonewhoisconfinedinaprison,hospital,etc.:
ways pick on the younger ones at school.
The inmates protested because of the horrible living conditions
assemble v *fittogether;puttogetherthepartsof:Dad assem-
in prison.
bledthetoyaccording to the manual.
vigorouslyadv *strongly;actively; powerfully: She defended
virtually adv *practically;nearly:Virtually every major com-
her ideas vigorously.
pany is now firing employees.
cunning n *cleverness; skill in deception: To succeed one
substantially adv *to a great extent or degree: The price went
needs some cunning, too.
up substantially.
spirited adj *having or showingcourage,vigour,liveliness,
flaring adj *flaming or blazing unsteadily; shining out with a
etc.: He wanted to provoke a spirited debate.
dazzling light: How beautiful is the flaring fire!
take the edge off idm *ease;makelesssevere: The snack
glimmering adj *shiningfaintlyorunsteadily;shimmering:
took the edgeoffourhunger.
The moon was glimmering through the clouds.
viciousness n *aggressive disposition; cruelty: This criminal’s
sparkling adj *shiningwith little gleams of light, as a brilliant
attack were characterised by extreme viciousness.
gem;glittering: Her bright eyes were sparkling.
snarl v *growlthreateninglyorviciously, baringtheteeth:
flickering adj *movingtoandfro;quivering:The light in the
The dog started snarling when he saw the burglar.
room was flickering.
rave v *makea wild or furious sound; rage: The wind was
surveillance n *supervision; awatchkeptovera suspect,pris-
raving outside.
oner,or thelike:Since she was suspected of committing the
purr v *makea low, continuous, murmuring soundexpressive
crime, the police kept her under surveillance.
of pleasure: The cat was purring with delight.
bereft adj *deprived; parted: Theyare bereftofallhappiness,
take aback v *astonish; fill with surprise or wonder: Every-
since their son died.
one was taken aback when they heard I was promoted.
sacking n *coarsewovenmaterialofhemp orthelike,chiefly
Part2 - page 34
for making sacks: A piece of sacking was used to make a gro-
layer n *athickness of some material covering a surface or
ceries bag.
forming an overlying part:Mum baked a cake with four layers.
chop v *cutinsmall pieces: The chef chopped the meat to pre-
proactive adj *acting in advance to deal with a difficulty; an-
pare his dish.
ticipatory:The government has taken proactive steps to prevent
outboardengine n *aportablegasolineenginewithpropeller
terrorism.
on the sternofaboat: Small boats with outboard engines are
perfect for fishing.
Part3 -page 34 fling v *move(oneself)violently with impatience, or the like:
bank over phr.v. *inclineanairplanelaterally when turning: The dog flung itself at its food.
The pilot had to bank the aircraftover the ocean.= προσδίδω with bated breath idm*with breath heldbecauseof anticipa-
κλίσηπάνωαπό..., γέρνω(γιααεροπλάνο) καθώςστρίβω tion or suspense: The boy was opening his presents with bated
gaze v*lookintently, as with great curiosity, interest or won- breath.
der:She was standing there, gazing at the horizon. mew n *a tiny,high-pitchedsoundacatorkittenmakes: The
canopy n *acoverformed by the leafyupperbranches of the kitten’s mew was barely heard.
trees in a forest:Ifyou’relookingforsome shade, pickatree muffle v *deaden sound: Earplugs can muffle loud noises.
withawidecanopy. ponder v *considersomethingdeeplyandthoroughly;medi-
appoint v *assigntoaposition,an office, or the like; desig- tate: Many people like to ponder on the mysteries of the uni-
nate: A new judge was appointed. verse.
latterly adv *inalaterpartofa period:Latterly he became daintily adv *delicately; elegantly: That lady was very dain-
human-rights activist. tily dressed.
curator n *apersoninchargeofamuseum, etc; amanager: lap v *takein(liquid)withthetongue: The dog lapped water
Heisaformerzoologicalcurator. from the bowl.
impact n *influence;effect:Pollution’s impact on the environ- morsel n *abite orsmallportionoffood,candy,etc.: The girl
ment is evident. enjoyed that tasty morsel of meat.
2
Part6 - page 38 former European colonies.
earnest adj *seriouslyimportant;demandingorreceivingseri-
ousattention: The president made an earnest speech about page 41
third world countries. universalizing adj *giving a universal character or application
dump v *droporletfallinamass: Dump the topsoil here. to something;available for all: The message suddenly acquired
low-pressure system n *area of minimum air pressure, and a universalizing sense.
cyclonic air movement, responsible for triggering showers and acclaim n *aloud shout or otherdemonstration of welcome or
thunderstorms: Right now there is a large pressure system over approval: The new king gained acclaim with his victories.
the Atlantic. silver screen n *motionpictures;the motion-pictureindustry:
atrocious adj *extremelybrutal; shockinglybad: The crime he Tom Cruise is a star of the silver screen.
committed was atrocious. sweeps of the tongue phr *mistakes made while speaking: No
guise n *generalexternalappearance: The guise of the shep- one can avoid some sweeps of the tongue.
herd is particularly recognizable. reinforce v *give more force or effectiveness to; strengthen:
root v *to poke, pry, or search, as if to find something: She The news reinforced their hopes.
was rooting around in a drawer for loose coins. blunt adj *abrupt; insensitive: He was always a blunt man.
lows and highs phr *lower atmospheric pressure than that of remnant n *atrace;vestige: The remnants of imperialism are
the surrounding area and higher atmospheric pressure accord- still evident in the world.
ingly: The forecast informed us about lows and highs. denote v *beamarkorsignof;indicate: A fever usually de-
stake n *commercialinterest, concern: He had a big stake in notes an infection.
the success of the firm. depict v *representorcharacterizein words;describe: He has
boost v *increase;raise: The sales dropped since we boosted the ability to depict well known matters in an unique way.
the prices. occupation n *possession,settlement,or useofland or prop-
ratings n *apercentageindicating the number of listenersor erty.: European settlers exploited a country’s resources during
viewersof a specificTV or radio programme: The ratings of their occupation.
the show were very low this year. settler n *a person who settles in a new country or a colony:
getoverblown phr*done to excess; overdone: The controver- New England became the home of many British settlers.
sies around stars sometimes get overblown. entity n *beingorexistence,especiallywhenconsideredas
telegenic adj *havingorshowinga pleasanttelevisionimage: distinct or independent: Sheconceivedofsocietyascomposed
People adore her; she is very telegenic indeed. ofparticularentitiesrequiringspecialtreatment.
coverage n *a reportingor broadcastingofnews: The media obscure v *concealbyconfusing(the meaning of a statement,
coverage of the royal wedding was constant. poem,etc.);makedark,indistinct: His effort aimed at obscur-
over-hyped adj *being promoted or publicized to excess: I ing the debate.
think it’s enough with his over-hyped achievements. abstract v *think of (a quality or concept) generally without
bloodshed n *the destructionoflife,asin war or murder; reference to a specific example; regard theoretically: There is
slaughter: The peacemakers goal is to avoid another blood- no point in abstracting the issue.
shed. perspective n *a way of considering situations, facts, etc and
judging their relative importance: We should consider things
page 39 with a more long-term perspective.
blizzard n *aheavyandprolongedsnowstormcovering a utter v *giveaudibleexpressionto;speakorpronounce: She
wide area: After the first snow,blizzard conditions are ex- was unable to utter her feelings.
pected tonight. render v *portray or depict (something): The woman was ren-
balmy adj *mildandrefreshing:How comforting is this balmy dered as the suspect.
weather! dragging of heels idm *intentional slowness; delay: There
put out*publish; make known: A newsletter is put out weekly. shouldn’t be such a dragging of heels in hospitals.
advisory n *a report giving information, especially a warning: unrefined adj *crude; lacking in refinement of taste, manners,
The weather advisory warned their people to stay inside language, etc.: He is a little unrefined but has the potential to
tonight. improve.
contentious adj * involving, or characterized by argument or hairline crack n *a break without complete separation of
controversy: Certain issues, such as the death sentence, remain parts: There was a hairline crack on the ceiling.
contentious. bildungsroman n *a type of novel concerned with the educa-
inexhaustible adj *notexhaustible;incapableofbeingde- tion, development, and maturing of a young protagonist: I am
pleted: We should realize that our water supply is not inex- very fond of Bildungsromans; there’s always something to
haustible. learn.
tangible adj *realoractual,ratherthanimaginary: Tangible to an extent phr *up to a certain degree: What you did is un-
evidence were used to convict the man. derstandable to an extent.
homeandhearth idm *your home and family: Sometimes she stake v *support; secure: Your rights are staked by your con-
feels no nostalgic about her home and hearth. tract.
slushy adj*of slush; liquid mud: He got dirty from the slushy address v *to deal with or discuss: This essay addresses the
ground. issue of gender.= ασχολούμαι
puddle n*asmallpoolofwater,asofrainwateronthe stalk v *proceedor spread through in a steady or sinister man-
ground: The kids love to play in the puddles. ner: The disease stalked the country.
voyeuristic adj*providing someone pleasure by watching: wholly adv *entirely; totally: It’s the time for a wholly new ed-
Voyeuristic observations are prohibited by law. ucation system.
payhomage phr *show or express special honour or respect
publicly: This is a film that pays homage to the country’s cul-
Part7 -page 40
tural heritage.
embrace v *takeorreceivegladly;acceptwillingly:The chil-
hamlet n *asmallvillage: Life is hard in Africa’s hamlets.
dren embraced the idea of recycling at school.
subjugate v *bring under control; conquer; enslave: The small
colony n *thecountryor districtsettled by agroupof people
tribe was subjugated by the army.
wholeave their nativecountry:ManyWesterncountriesare
3
damnation n *eternal punishment as a consequence of sin: Part 2 - page 48
People used to fear of damnation. canon law n *officially established rules governing the faith
assertion n *statement of having existence; affirmation: Ritu- and practice of the members of a Christian church: Christians
als are a form of assertion of a country’s cultural identity. must abide by the Canon Law.
enduring adj *still existing; lasting;permanent: He is a poet of
Listening enduring greatness.
unsung adj *not celebrated; not praised or acclaimed: Sadly,
Part1- page 44
the heroes of war remain unsung.
see sb off phr.v. *takeleaveofsomeonesettingoutonajour-
charge v *command; place a burden upon or assign responsi-
ney;accompanytotheplace of departure: She went to the air-
bility to:I was charged to take the message to headquarters.
port to see them off.
crucifixion n *the death of Jesus upon the Cross: Jesus’s cru-
put down to phr.v. *attribute;ascribe: The teacher put John’s
cifixion is one of the saddest moments in Christian history.
mistakes down to nervousness.
decree v *command, ordain:The King could only decree.
censor v *examine books, plays, TV. Programs etc. forthe
vernal equinox n *the time when night and day are of approx-
purposeofsuppressingpartsobjectionableonmoral,orother
imately equal length all over the earth, occurring about March
grounds: His new film was censored.
21: The vernal equinox is estimated with precision.
Part3 - page 46
Part 3 - page 48
substantial adj *ofampleorconsiderableamount,quantity,
time warp n *a hypothetical distortion of time in which peo-
size,etc.: A substantial sum of money is at stake.
ple and events from one age can be imagined to exist in an-
compassionate adj *havingorshowing deepsympathyand
other age: If something like a time wrap existed, that would be
sorrowforanotherwhoisstricken by misfortune: He wrote her
very exciting.
a compassionate letter for her loss.
bouffant adj *a woman’s hair style in which the hair is teased
fund v *provide a supply of money for a program, project etc:
to give an overall puffed-out appearance: Bouffant hairstyles
More money is spent now in the fight against AIDS.
were very fashionable in the 80’s.
donor n *someone that makesagift,grant,orcontributionof
soft landing n *a landing during which the passengers remain
something: He is one of our major donors.
unharmed: The aircraft just completed a soft landing.
busyness n *livelybutmeaningless activity; the condition of
Dark Ages n *a period or stage marked by repressiveness, a
being busy: I am so fed up with the busyness of city life.
lack of enlightenment or advanced knowledge, etc.: This is a
novel depicting the dark ages in the aftermath of a global war.
household name n *a person or thing that is very well known:
Brad Pitt is a household name.
Part 5 - page 50
Test 2
intimate adj *very private; closely personal: I think you
Reading shouldn’t get involved; that is a very intimate affair.
articulate adj *expressed or presented with clarity and effec-
Part1- page 47
tiveness:His ideas were very articulate for a boy his age.
anecdotal adj *based on personal observation, case study re-
impart v *give; communicate:The teacher had a unique way
ports, or random investigations rather than systematic scientific
of imparting knowledge.
evaluation: Anecdotal evidence suggests that there might be a
invariable adj *not changing; static or constant:The rules in
potential danger.
this house are invariable.
benign adj *not malignant; self-limiting: Fortunately her
convey v *communicate; impart; make known: He needed to
tumor was malignant.
convey his message to the world.
decline v *cause to slope or incline downward: The percent-
thus adv *accordingly; consequently: It is late,and thus you
age of at-home- mothers declines steadily over the years.
must go.
bun n *any of a wide variety of variously shaped bread rolls,
patron n *a person who supports with money, gifts, or en-
usually slightly sweetened: The freshly baked buns smelled
dorsement an artist, writer, museum, or the like: He was al-
wonderfully.
ways a patron of the arts.
resentful adj *full of or marked by displeasure or indignation
sculptor n *a person who practices the art of sculpture: He is
at some act, remark, person, etc. : Her attitude towards me was
a renown sculptor around the world.
resentful for no reason.
scribe n *a writer or author: She is famous for being a very
oblivious adj *unconscious; unaware:She was oblivious of his
prolific scribe.
admiration.
couch v *express indirectly or obscurely:The threat couched
back v *support, as with authority, influence, help, or money:
under his polite speech.
The candidate was backed by a local campaign.
bequeath v *hand down; pass on: His wish was to bequeath
suppress v *keep in or repress: She tried to suppress her tears
his works to us.
but couldn’t.
diminish v *make or cause to seem smaller, less, less impor-
persevere v *persist in anything undertaken; maintain a pur-
tant, etc.; lessen; reduce: The funds are more likely to diminish
pose in spite of difficulty or obstacles: Only those that perse-
than increase.
vere can succeed.
virtuosity n *character, ability, or skill: His virtuosity was re-
acknowledge v *admit to be real or true; recognize the exis-
markable.
tence or truth of: Forgiveness can be earned when one ac-
huckster n *one who uses aggressive, showy, and sometimes
knowledges his mistakes.
devious methods to promote or sell a product: I cant’t stand the
allocate v *set apart for a particular purpose; assign: Extra
methods of hucksters.
funds have been allocated to fight poverty in third world coun-
sorrow n *distress caused by loss, disappointment, etc.; grief,
tries.
sadness, or regret: Her sorrow seemed unending.
concrete adj *constituting an actual thing or instance; real: To
in verse phr *in the form of poems; poetry: She always found
believe him I need a concrete proof of his sincerity.
it easier to express herself in verse.
4
propose v *offer or suggest: He proposed considering the no money, goods, or means of support; being poor: Financial
matter again. support is sent to impoverished countries.
unsophisticated adj *simple; without complexity or refine- limbn *a part of a body distinct from the head such as a leg or
ments: It is a relatively unsophisticated method. arm: After the accident he has to walk with the help of an arti-
repulsive adj *causing repugnance or aversion: His awful ficial limb.
manners were at times repulsive. go limp phr *walk with an uneven step because of a weak or
extol v *praise highly; laud; eulogize: The beauty of Rome is injured leg: I’m afraid that your dog might go limp.
to be extolled. by circumstance phr *without plan; accidentally: Punish-
noble adj *of an exalted moral or mental character or excel- ment should not be inflicted by circumstance.
lence: This young man should be praised for his noble ideas. immunization n *the fact or process of becoming protected
forgo v *abstain or refrain from; do without: How can you against a disease: Routine immunization is highly effective for
forgo responsibility when it is clearly your fault? preventingmany diseases.
to the core phr *all the way through; basically and essen- envision v *picture mentally, especially some future event or
tially: He seems to me evil to the core. events: Our only hope is to envision a bright future.
culpably adv *deserving of blame or censure as being wrong, return n *an act or an instance of reciprocation or repayment:
improper, or injurious: The look on his face showed that he was I gave him my trust in return for his word.
calpably ignorant. initiative n *an introductory act or step; leading action: Some-
solidarity n *union or fellowship arising from common re- one has to take an initiative in order to solve the problem.
sponsibilities and interests, as between members of a group or tuberculosis n *an infectious disease that may affect almost
between classes, peoples, etc.: Our goal is to promote solidar- any tissue of the body, especially the lungs: He is suffering of
ity among our staff. tuberculosis.
daunting adj *causing fear or discouragement; intimidating:
Page 51 The prospect of being alone seemed very daunting.
prolific adj *producing in large quantities or with great fre-
quency; highly productive: T.S.Eliot was a prolific writer. page 53
induce v *lead or move by persuasion or influence, as to some fatalities n *deaths resulting from a disaster: Our hope is not
action or state of mind: The are trying to enduce people to buy to have any more fatalities.
their products. applaud v *express approval; give praise; acclaim: His new
degeneration n *a fall below a normal or desirable level in plan was applauded by the board.
physical, mental, or moral qualities; deterioration: The modern substantial adj *of ample or considerable amount, quantity,
society’s degeneration upsets me. size, etc.: A substantial sum of money is at stake.
pursuit n *any occupation, pastime, or the like, in which a blend v *mix smoothly and inseparably together: You should
person is engaged regularly or customarily: His literary pur- make sure that you blend all the ingredients together.
suits were known to everyone. top v *exceed in height, amount, number, etc.: The bill has
integrity n *adherence to moral and ethical principles: She topped 100 pounds.
was honoured for her integrity. inoculate v *implant an antigen in a person to stimulate dis-
ease resistance: The children have to be inoculated against the
Part6 - page 52 disease.
eradicate v *remove or destroy utterly; extirpate: Our goal is
injection n *the act of forcing a fluid into a passage, cavity, or
to eradicate poverty throughout the world.
tissue: Injection programs are necessary in Africa.
foundation n *an institution that provides funds for charities,
the luck of the draw idm *the results of chance; the lack of
research, etc: Our foundation helps hundreds of children each
any choice:It was just the luck of the draw that we succeeded.
year.
prevalent adj *widespread; of wide extent or occurrence:
advance n *improvement; progress in development: There
Smoking is the prevalent cause of lung cancer.
have been major technological advances the past few years.
plight n *an unfavorable or unfortunate condition, state, or sit-
newsworthy adj *of sufficient interest to the public or a spe-
uation: I don’t know how anyone could survive this plight.
cial audience to warrant press attention or coverage: The presi-
measles n *an acute infectious disease occurring mostly in
dent’s resignation is certainly something newsworthy.
children, characterized by an eruption of small red spots: You
agenda n *a list, plan, outline, or the like, of things to be
should get the shot for measles.
done, matters to be acted or voted upon, etc.: The manager
polio n *an acute viral disease, usually affecting children and
says we have a lengthy agenda this afternoon.
young adults, resulting in a motor paralysis, followed by mus-
heart-wrenching adj *causing great sadness; heartbreaking: It
cular atrophy and often permanent deformities: Polio is a very
is really heart-wrenching to see children suffering.
dangerous disease.
sanitation n *the development and application of sanitary
debilitate v *make weak or feeble:Pneumonia debilitated her
measures for the sake of cleanliness, protecting health, etc.:
completely.
One of the major problems Africa is facing, is poor sanitation
vaccine n *any preparation used as a preventive inoculation to
conditions.
confer immunity against a specific disease: Vaccines should be
meager adj *deficient in quantity or quality; lacking fullness
accessible to all children around the world.
or richness; scanty; inadequate: The farmer was worried about
shot n *a hypodermic injection: You should get the flu shot
the meager harvest.
soon , if you dont want to get sick.
malnutrition n *lack of proper nutrition;insufficient or
philanthropy n *altruistic concern for human welfare and ad-
poorly balanced diet: Unfortunately, kids in Africa still suffer
vancement, usually manifested by donations of money to
from malnutrition.
needy persons and generosity to other socially useful pur-
parasitic adj *caused by a parasite: Many parasitic diseases
poses: We hope that your philanthropy will make a change.
are highly dangerous.
empower v *give power or authority to:I empowered my
susceptible adj *accessible or especially liable or subject to
agent to make the deal for me.
some influence, mood, agency, etc.: The poor child was sus-
crystallize v *give definite or concrete form to: He tried to
ceptible to the illness.
crystallize the idea for us to understand.
impoverished adj *inthe state or condition of having little or
5
Part7 - page 54 lapse n *an interval or passage of time; elapsed period: There
figure n *a character or personage, especially a prominent or was a lapse of ten minutes before the program resumed.
notable one; personality: He is a highly important figure in pol- uncanny adj *mysterious; arousing superstitious fear or
itics. dread; uncomfortably strange: Uncanny sounds filled the
physical adj *of or pertaining to that which is material: She house.
was attracted to physical sciences. draw up phr.v. *move near someone or something: The car
feature n *a prominent or conspicuous part or characteristic: drew up.
Patience is one of his major features. echo v * be repeated by or as by an echo: Shouts echoed
through the street.
unnervingly adv *in a disturbing manner:His eyes were un-
page 55
nervingly keen as he watched her.
sentiment n *an attitude toward something; regard; opinion:
divulge v *disclose or reveal; make known: His secret was di-
The protesters had an anti-rasist sentiment in common.
vulged.
canvas n *a closely woven, heavy cloth of cotton, hemp, or
traumatically adv *in a psychologically painful manner: He
linen on which a painting is made: He just loved expressing
had to traumatically accept the situation.
himself through his works on canvas.
gunny adj *of a strong, coarse material made commonly from
tag n *a graffiti featuring a word or words, especially the au-
jute, used especially for bags or sacks: Could you get me this
thor’s name, rather than a picture: His tag was all over the
gunny bag?
city’s old buildings.
incision n *a cut: The incision was unavoidable.
appropriate v *authorize, or legislate for some specific pur-
origin n *something from which anything arises or is derived;
pose or use: These funds are appropriated for secondary edu-
source: The custom’s origin lies in Ancient Greece.
cation.
partition n *a separation, as of two or more things:The parti-
mobiliser n *any person or thing which mobilizes, instigates
tion that Germany experience was hard.
action: Her extreme will to succeed worked as a mobilizer for
inhabit v *exist or be situated within; dwell in: Strange
her.
thoughts inhabit my mind.
contractual adj *of, pertaining to, or secured by an agreement
ambivalence n *uncertainty or fluctuation: There is a certain
between two or more parties for the doing or not doing of
ambivalence in his sayings.
something specified: There has been an contractual agreement
precariously adv*in a precarious manner; unstably: He was
between them.
precariously proceeding towards the exit.
saleability n *profitability; the quality of affording gain or
narrative n *a story or account of events, experiences, or the
benefit or profit: The saleability of this business is at stake.
like, whether true or fictitious: Narratives describe tthe palace
ultimately adv *in the end; at last; finally: He ultimately
as being haunted.
agreed to her proposal.
retain v *be able to hold; keep in one’s possession: He wasn’t
usher in phr.v. *be a precursor of; introduce: The fall of the
able to retain any of his possessions because of his gambling.
Berlin Wall ushered in the post-Cold War period.
analogous adj *having analogy; corresponding in some par-
infer v *hint; imply; suggest: A relation between the two stud-
ticular: A brain and a computer are analogous.
ies may be inferred.
nationhood n *the state or quality of having status as a sepa-
curtail v *cut short; reduce; diminish: The celebrations had to
rate and independent nation: That was the first African colony
be curtailed because of bad weather.
that achieved nationhood.
hold v *cause to take place; carry on: On Thursday we are
demonstrate v *make evident or establish by arguments or
going to hold a yard sale.
reasoning; prove: He managed to demonstrate a philosophical
procession n *a group of people or vehicles, moving along in
principle through concrete examples.
an orderly, formal manner: Processions were forbidden at the
time of the occupation.
reverence n *a feeling or attitude of profound respect, usually Writing
reserved for the sacred or divine: He was brought up with a Part 1- page 56
deep reverence for religion.
fairtrade n *trade that satisfies certain criteria on the supply
pilgrim n *a person who journeys, especially a long distance,
chain of the goods involved, usually including fair payment for
to some sacred place as an act of religious devotion: There
producers: Only fair trade benefits the economy.
were milllions of pilgrims travelling to the Holy Land.
seem v *give the impression of being; appear:He doesn’t
proposition n *the act of offering or suggesting something to
seem sick any more.
be considered: His main proposition was that the plan had to
brand name n *a name by which a commodity or service is
be revised.
known to the trade: Coca-Cola is one of the most known brand
invoke v *make someone feel a particular emotion or see a
names around the world.
particular image in their minds: Popular art invoked the image
for the sake of idm *to someone’s advantage or own good:
of a happy and contented family.
Please don’t say anything for the sake of our friendship.
positivist n *someone who emphasizes observable facts and
bandwagon n *a cause or movement, that by its mass appeal
excludes metaphysical speculation about origins or ultimate
or strength readily attracts many followers: Everyone was
causes: He always had a positivist outlook on life.
eager to follow the new bandwagon.
crouch v *bend low with the limbs pulled up close together:
of late adv *lately; recently: Thedays have been getting
He crouched down to help the child.
warmer of late.
partitioned adj *divided (used for a country or territory) into
by a long shot idm *to any extent; at all. Usually used in neg-
separate, usually differing political entities: Germany spend
ative sentences: You haven’t done your share of work by a long
many years being partitioned.
shot.
break away phr.v. *sever connections or allegiance, as to tra-
pittance n *a small sum of money; a scanty income: It is not
dition or a political group: They decided that it was time to
worth it to work for a pittance.
break away from the past.
reclaim v *bring back to a preferable manner of living, sound
principles, ideas, etc.: Now the land can be reclaimed after all
those years of occupation.
6
Listening sputter v * utter or spit out words or sounds explosively or in-
coherently, as when angry or flustered: ‘Oh my God I think we
Part1- page 58
are going to die!’, he sputtered.
illustrate v *make clear or intelligible: The drawing illus-
collision n *the act of colliding; a coming violently into con-
trates perfectly human anxiety.
tact; crash: Fortunately, no one was injured during the colli-
cosmetic surgery n *plastic surgery for improving a person’s
sion.
appearance: Many young women go through cosmetic surgery
iceberg n *a large floating mass of ice, detached from a gla-
to look like celebrities.
cier and carried out to sea: The most known iceberg in history
bully v *intimidate; domineer: Older boys sometimes bully
is the one that caused Titanic to sink.
younger ones at school.
impact n *the striking of one thing against another; forceful
prompt n *somethingservingtosuggestor remind: In an in-
contact; collision:The impact of the colliding cars broke the
terview it is always advisable to give oral prompts of interest.
windshield.
liner n *a passenger ship used commercially for pleasure
Part2 - page 59
cruises: We had a great time on the liner.
neuron n *a specialized cell that conducts nerve impulses: congregation n *an assembly of persons brought together for
The brain consists of billions of neurons. common religious worship: The congregation was formed by
phrenologist n *craniologist; a doctor concerned with the lo- men and women of every age.
calization of function in the human brain: I am afraid that a see off phr.v. *take leave of someone setting out on a journey;
phrenologist has to examine you. accompany to the place of departure: I went to the airport to
see her off.
Part3 - page 60 make out phr.v. *decipher; discern: I couldn’t make out what
unethical adj *not in accord with the standards of a he wrote on the note, so I called him.
profession: She treated patients outside the area of her train- alien n *a foreigner;a creature from outer space: When he
ing, and was punished for unethical behaviour. came to New York he felt like an alien with his British accent.
session n *a meeting with a doctor for diagnosis of problems rehearse v * practice (a musical composition, a play, a speech,
and instruction: Our next session will be held on Tuesday. etc.) in private prior to a public presentation: He managed to
consent n *acceptance or approval of what is planned or done do well in the concert because he had been rehearsing every
by another: There is nothing we can do without the patient’s day.
consent. fit v *supply with that which is needed: The house is fitted
sober adj *not intoxicated or affected by the use of drugs or with everything you might need.
alcohol: When driving one has to be sober. float v *rest or remain on the surface of a liquid: The hollow
perceive v *comprehend; grasp: You should have perceived ball floated.
the importance of the case.
trance n *a half-conscious state, seemingly between sleeping Part 2 - page 62
and waking:Her hypnotherapist stayed by her side throughout, tuck into phr.v. *eat withhearty or keen enjoyment: He was
monitoring her trance state. so hungry that he tucked into his food.
prematurely adv*occurring, coming, or done too soon: She imprinting n *rapid learning that occurs during a brief recep-
was anxious about giving birth prematurely. tive period and establishes a long-lasting behavioral response
as a last resort idm *when all other methods have failed: If we to a specific individual or object, as attachment to parent, off-
can’t get the money in any other way, I suppose we could, as a spring, or site: I think my love for this place is a case of im-
last resort, sell the house. printing.
chronicle v *record or register of events in chronological
order: The rise of collectivism in Britain has been chronicled
by several historians.
demise n *termination of existence or operation: Everyone
celebrated the demise of the dictatorship.
nurture v *support and encourage; help grow or develop: The
teacher slowly nurtured the student’s talent.
Test 3 the odd stragglerphr *someone who strays or falls behind: I
felt like the odd straggler when I realised I was all alone in the
Reading
streets.
Part1-page 61
steam v *move or travel by the agency of steam: The boated Part 3 - page 62
steamed in the ocean. white-collar job n *office and professional workers whose
steward n *an employee on a ship who waits on and is re- jobs generally do not involve manual labor or the wearing of a
sponsible for the comfort of passengers, takes orders for or dis- uniform or work clothes: I always thought that white collar
tributes food, etc.: The steward was very polite. jobs are a bit boring.
crow’s nest n *a platform or shelter for a lookout at or near timber n *the wood of growing trees suitable for structural
the top of a mast: A sailor at the crow’s nest was looking for a uses: Contracts for timber harvesting should be carefully con-
sign of land. sidered.
haze n *reduced visibility in the air as a result of condensed containerization n *a method of shipping freight in relatively
water vapour, dust, etc, in the atmosphere: I couldn’t see any- uniform, sealed, movable containers whose contents do not
thing because of the haze. have to be unloaded at each point of transfer: The containeriza-
binoculars n *an optical device, providing good depth effect, tion of cargo has improved international trade a lot.
for use with both eyes, consisting of two small telescopes fitted man-day n *an industrial unit of production equal to the work
together side by side: He used his binoculars to have a closer one person can produce in a day.
look on the landscape.
jerk v *pull, move or throw with a quick, suddenly arrested
Part 5 - page 64
motion: She jerked the child by the hand.
perish v *die or be destroyed through violence, privation, etc.:
7
Unfortunately many people perished in the earthquake. endure v *hold out against; sustain without impairment or
element n *atmospheric agencies or forces; weather: He was yielding: He could no longer endure the financial pressure.
afraid to be exposed to the elements. tenacious adj *persistent, stubborn, or obstinate: His tena-
intensify v *increase in extent or intensity: His efforts to win cious character makes some people dislike him.
were intensified. lose my head idm *lose one’s poise or self-control: Don’t
demystify v *rid of mystery or obscurity; clarify:Demystify- panic or else you’ll lose your head.
ing medical procedures was a major advancement. attribute v *regard as resulting from a specified cause; con-
trait n *a distinguishing characteristic or quality, especially of sider as caused by something indicated: She attributed his bad
one’s personal nature: I can’t stand his bad traits of character. temper to ill health.
succumb v *yield to disease, wounds, old age, etc.; die: Un- flotation n *an act or state of being buoyed up on water or
fortunately, he succumbed to his injuries. other liquid:The rafts hold up to six adults and come with pad-
trigger v *initiate or precipitate a chain of events, a psycho- dles and flotation devices.
logical process, etc.): Their small protest triggered a mass finite adj *having bounds or limits; not infinite; measurable:
demonstration. Finite resources can only support a finite population.
shift into gear phr *start working properly: The machine fi- abyss n *a deep, immeasurable space; vast chasm: The ocean
nally shifted into gear after many hours. is often described as a deep blue abyss.
pump v *raise (usually adrenaline) to a higher energy level blink v * be startled, surprised, or dismayed: She blinked at
deprivation n *the state of being deprived of food, money his sudden fury.
etc.: He was very strong and managed to survive through a
state of terrible deprivation.
page 65
overwhelm v *overcome by superior force;defeat completely
precede v *go before, as in place, order, rank, importance, or
and decisively: Our team overwhelmed the visitors by 40
time: Stone tools precede bronze tools.
points.
vessel n *a craft, especially one larger than a rowboat, de-
stamina n *strength of physical constitution; power to endure
signed to navigate on water: The fishing vessel was out in the
disease, fatigue, etc.: He has incredible stamina.
ocean all night.
trickster n *deceiver; cheat; fraud: She is known to be a trick-
abstract adj *thought of apart from concrete realities, specific
ster.
objects, or actual instances: I find it difficult to understand ab-
rule v *control or direct; exercise dominating power, author-
stract ideas.
ity, or influence over: He ruled the empire with severity.
reserved adj *formal or self-restrained in manner and rela-
tionship; avoiding familiarity or intimacy with others: He has Part 6 - page 66
always been a quiet reserved man. hold-up n *a delay; stoppage: I’m afraid that there is going to
dinghy n *any small boat designed as a tender or lifeboat: At be a hold up in the city centre because of the traffic.
the shipwreck a dinghy saved her life. Home Counties n *the counties/area surrounding London:
adrift adv *floating without control; drifting; not anchored or Surrey and Sussex are two of the Home Counties.
moored: The survivors were adrift in the rowboat for three dawn n *the first appearance of daylight in the morning:
days. Dawn broke over the valley.
delirious adj *experiencing a temporary state of mental confu- GP (General Practitioner) n *a physician whose practice is
sion and fluctuating consciousness resulting from high fever, not oriented to a specific medical specialty but instead covers a
intoxication, shock, or other causes: After the accident I was variety of medical problems in patients of all ages: If the cough
delirious and blacked out several times. doesn’t stop maybe you should consult your GP.
overboard adv *over the side of a ship or boat, especially into referral n *the act of handing over for consideration, recon-
or in the water: He slipped and fell overboard;fortunately he sideration, or decision: The clerk suggested a referral of the
didn’t drown. complaint to another department.
blister n *a thin vesicle on the skin, containing watery matter do the trick idm * achieve the desired effect or result: An-
or serum, as from a burn or other injury: Compresses can re- other try should do the trick.
lieve pain and swelling and may keep a blister from forming. esoteric adj *restricted to or intended for a minority, espe-
hang on phr.v. *continue with effort; persevere: Hang on, I’ll cially because of abstruseness or obscurity: Most people can-
call someone for help. not understand esoteric philosophical theories.
increment n *an amount by which something increases or outcome n *a final product or end result; consequence: Our
grows: She got a weekly increment of $25 in salary. course of action depends on the outcome of these experiments.
dwell on phr.v. *spend a lot of time thinking or talking about booth n *a small compartment or boxlike room for a specific
something: He tends to dwell on the negative aspects of his use by one occupant: He stopped to make a phonecall in the
performance. telephone booth.
isolation n *beingseparated from other persons or things, drizzle n *a very light rain: The drizzle had stopped and the
alone or solitary: He spend three years in isolation after his sun was breaking through.
wife died.
doomed adj *marked by or promising bad fortune; marked for page 67
certain death: After all the misfortune he went through, he con- hatred n *intense dislike or extreme aversion or hostility:
sidered himself doomed. Sometimes hatred towards someone can be completely unrea-
delusion n *a fixed false belief that is resistant to reason or sonable.
confrontation with actual fact: As his mental illness progressed tentatively adv *hesitantly or cautiously: He didn’t know the
he started having paranoid delusions. answer so he answered tentatively.
shed v *rid oneself of something: He started shedding all un- condition n *state of health: He was reported to be in critical
necessary clothes. condition.
garment n *any article of clothing: In store you can find refuge n *a place of shelter, protection, or safety: He found
dresses, skirts and any other garments. refuge in the church.
interpret v *construe or understand in a particular way: He relentless adj *unyieldingly severe, strict, or harsh: There was
interpreted his smile as a fake one. an extreme difficulty facing him as he was a relentless enemy.
8
thundering adj *producing a loud, explosive, resounding arrived in all their finery.
noise or effect like thunder: Please stop that thundering noise, genitals n *the organs of reproduction, especially the external
it is very annoying. organs: A drunk man pulled down his trousers and showed his
give sb the creeps idm*cause one to experience uneasiness, genitals in public.
fear or repugnance: That house gives me the creeps. mutilate v *deprive (a person or animal) of a limb or other es-
thumping adj *palpitating or beating violently, as the heart: sential part: Mutilated bodies is one of the many tragedies of
Her heart was thumping because of her anxiety. war.
shiver n *a tremulous motion; a tremble or quiver: The explicitly adv *fully and clearly expressed; leaving nothing
thought sent a shiver down her spine. implied: He expressed his wish explicitly.
comforting adj *affording comfort or solace: His support subversion n *an act or instance of overthrowing something
was really comforting. established: A subversion of the current government is feared.
volume n *a large mass or quantity: The volume of the protest overdo v *do to excess;exaggerate: Be careful not to overdo
was impressing. it with diet!
hubby n *husband: I can’t wait to go home to my hubby. hyperbolically adv *in an exaggerated manner: The hyperbol-
pass away phr.v. *die: I am very sorry that your grandma ically anxious girl was difficult to deal with.
passed away. complacently adv *The defendant sat complacently until his
slip road n*a short road giving access to an expressway: You opportunity arrived for reply.
have to start speeding up in the slip road. reverse n *the opposite or contrary of something: Unfortu-
tap v*strike with a light but audible blow or blows; hit with nately, the results are the reverse of what we anticipated.
repeated, slight blows: He tapped the door twice.
Writing
Part7 - page 68
Part 1- page 70
distinction n*a marking off or distinguishing as different:
deprive v *remove or withhold something from the enjoyment
The is a distinction between electro and house music.
or possession of (a person or persons): I strongly beleive that
gender assignment n *the act of assigning gender to a person:
nobody has the right to deprive a man of life.
Gender assignment occurs at birth.
offence n *in law, an offence is a violation of the penal law,
that can range from a simple misdemeanour (e.g. a traffic vio-
page 69 lation) to a felony (e.g. capital murder): He has to undergo
binary adj *consisting of, indicating, or involving two: In bi- trial for this offence.
nary logic there can only be black and white, not grey. desperate adj*reckless or dangerous because of despair or ur-
décorn *style or mode of decoration, as of a room, building, gency:He was characterised as a desperate killer.
or the like: I love the idea of a bedroom having a Spanish perpetrator n*a person who perpetrates, or commits, an ille-
décor. gal, criminal, or evil act: The perpetrators of this heinous
misogynistic adj *reflecting or exhibiting hatred, dislike, mis- crime must be found and punished to the fullest extent of the
trust, or mistreatment of women: A woman should not tolerate law.
any kind of misogynistic comments.
pindown phr.v. *bind or hold to a course of action, a prom-
Part 2 - page 71
ise, etc: Since she trusted him, he was pinned down to keep his
efficient adj *satisfactory and economical to use: Our new air
promise.
conditioner is more efficient than our old one.
dawn on sb phr.v. *become evident or understood: It finally
cost-effective adj *economical in terms of the goods or serv-
dawned on him that he was expected to call them.
ices received for the money spent: We are seeking for a more
demarcation n *separation by distinct boundaries: A line of
cost-effective alternative.
demarcation was drawn between them.
tight adj*difficult to deal with or manage: I find myself in a
in the public domain phr *able to be discussed and examined
tight situation right now.
freely by the general public: The issue was now in the public
resource n*a source of supply, support, or aid, especially one
domain for people to decide.
that can be readily drawn upon when needed: Luckily, I was
cursory adj *going rapidly over something, without noticing
able to find some resources to help me with my project.
details; superficial: He had a cursory glance at the newspaper
article.
performative adj *denoting an utterance that constitutes some Listening
act: ‘Promise’ is a performative verb. Part 1- page 72
dispose of phr.v. *get rid of, throw out: Can we dispose of the sculpture n *a three-dimensional artwork created by shaping
trash in this barrel? or combining hard materials,typically stone or marble, metal,
notion n *a general understanding; vague or imperfect con- glass, or wood:The new sculpture gallery presents more than
ception or idea of something: His notion of how this should be nine hundred works of art.
done is distorted. matinee n *an entertainment, especially a dramatic or musical
connotational adj *making associations, suggested by a word performance, held in the daytime, usually in the afternoon: If
or phrase: Your connotational logic is not always correct. you’re attending a matinee you should wear something casual
utterance n *any speech sequence consisting of one or more but neat.
words: His utterances were barely audible. concentration camp n *a guarded compound for the deten-
critique n *a criticism or critical comment on some problem, tion or imprisonment of aliens, members of ethnic minorities,
subject, etc.: Other intellectuals found his critique of totalitari- political opponents, etc.: The arbitrary internment of civilians
anism too harsh. by the state reached a climax with Nazi concentration camps.
pick up the thread idm*go on with, take something up, carry bitter adj *characterized by intense antagonism or hostility:
something on: When she paused, her daughter picked up the His bitter remarks make him seem very unfriendly.
thread to finish the story. knight v *dub or make (a man) a knight.:In the Middle Ages,
encase v *enclose in or as in a case: We encased the ancient it was a great honour to be knighted.
vase in glass to preserve it.
finery n *elaborate or showy decoration: The wedding guests
9
Part2 - page 73 sanitised adj *sterile: I have never seen such a sanitised per-
stranded adj*driven or left aground or ashore: The receding former.
tide left the whale stranded on the shore. fizz out phr.v. *burst: The new trend fizzed out of nowhere.
budding adj *beginning to develop: There are valid argu-
ments for supporting budding industries in developing coun-
Part3 - page 74
tries.
inspire v *influence or impel: Competition inspired her to
caliber n *degree of merit or excellence; quality: One can
greater efforts.
only worry about the low moral caliber of the era.
reflect v*give back or show an image of; mirror: Her sun-
act n *a short performance of skill, a comic sketch, dance, etc
glasses reflected his image.
or those giving such a performance:The Scorpions act really
hitchhiking n *travel by soliciting free rides along a road:
moved everyone.
Hitchhiking can be very dangerous.
second fiddle n *a secondary role: I won’t stay around here
commitment n *obligation: We have made a commitment to
playing second fiddle for someone half my age and ability!
pay our bills on time.
champion v *act as champion of; defend; support: He felt that
compromise n *something midway between two or more dif-
he had to champion their cause, too.
ferent things: He had to make a compromise between his
cause n *the ideals, etc, of a group or movement: The cause of
friends and his girlfriend.
this foundation is to eradicate poverty.
pluckyadj *having or showing pluck or courage; brave: The
drowning swimmer was rescued by a plucky schoolboy.
Part 3 - page 76
Test 4 brainchild n *a product of one’s creative work or thought: I’m
afraid your brainchild won’t work.
Reading barrenadj *unproductive; unfruitful: The hurricane left the
land barren.
Part1- page 75
wasteland n *land that is uncultivated or barren:To real es-
gel n *a semirigid jelly-like colloid in which a liquid is dis-
tate developers, the canyons were empty wasteland, waiting to
persed in a solid: This soap comes also in gel.
be turned into homes.
sustain v *undergo, experience, or suffer (injury, loss, etc.):
on the face of it phr *from appearances alone; apparently: On
He sustained multiple injuries but still managed to survive.
the face of it, the problem seems minor.
gunshot n *shot fired from a gun: Mom heard the first gun-
whiteout adj *a condition of heavily falling or blowing snow
shot but didn’t know where it came from.
in which visibility is very poor: Winds are expected to increase
tissue n *a part of an organism consisting of a large number of
throughout the day and evening causing whiteout conditions in
cells having a similar structure and function: There is a small
many areas.
damage on his nerve tissue.
swell up phr.v. *expand abnormally as by inflation, accumula-
tion of fluids, or the like: Her ankles swelled up from standing. Part 4 - page 77
implant v *establish firmly; inculcate; instil: The teacher qualify v *demonstrate the required ability in a contest: He
struggled to implant sound moral principles to the children. managed to qualify to the finals after years of practise.
instill v *infuse slowly or gradually into the mind or feelings; dock n *the place in a courtroom where a prisoner is placed
insinuate; inject: The father tried to instill courtesy in his child. during trial: The defendant was asked to sit in the dock.
inject v *force (a fluid) into a passage, cavity, or tissue: The lawyer for the defence n*a lawyer that tries to explain that
doctor injected the medicine into the patient’s veins. the actions of the defendant are in opposition to the complaints
impose v *lay on or set as something to be borne, endured, made against him or her: The lawyer for the defence claimed
obeyed, fulfilled, paid, etc: We are speculatingthat higher taxes that his client was innocent.
will be imposed soon..
vitalize v *give vitality or vigor to; animate:The treatment at Part 5 - page 78
the spa vitalized the old woman. salinated adj*salted: The ocean’s water is salinated.
collateral adj *accompanying; additional: She received a hostile adj*not friendly, warm, or generous; not hospitable:
scholarship and collateral aid. His treatment of us was so hostile that one would imagine he
coincident adj *happening at the same time: The system didn’t even want us there.
crashed because there were coincident failures in more than bar adv *except; omitting; but: Everyone came bar Mary.
one of the servers. smattering n *a small amount: There was only a smattering of
integrate v *bring together or incorporate (parts) into a raindrops.
whole: His success was caused by the fact that he integrated miniscule fungi n *a diverse group of small organisms that
the new procedures into the work routine. live by decomposing and absorbing the organic material in
herald v *proclaim; announce: The cheers we heard heralded which they grow, comprising mushrooms, molds and others:
the team’s arrival. Some miniscule fungi are responsible for diseases.
usher v *lead, introduce, or conduct: She ushered them to land elevation n *the condition of land being elevated: In this
their seats. area there isn’t much land elevation.
penultimate adj *next to the last: Everyone cried in the penul- pique v *excite or arouse: This phenomenon piqued Dr.
timate scene of the play. Drake’s interest.
abundant adj *abounding with; rich: This region is abundant
Part2 -page 76 in wildlife.
substance n *the essence, meaning, etc, of a written or spoken potash n *any of several chemical compounds that contain
thought; solid or meaningful quality: It is questionable whether potassium: Potash is of great use in making fertilisers.
anything of substance has been achieved. diminutive adj *extremely small in size; tiny: We all were
boast v *speak with exaggeration and excessive pride, espe- surprised by the diminutive figure that stood at the entrance.
cially about oneself:He likes to boast about his achievements. venture v *take a risk; dare: He venturedand proceeded into
the wilderness.
10