Lesson 7B · New English File Advanced Vocabulary List

a large object created to look like a person or animal from hard materials such as stone, metal, or wood

"The statue is tall."

"Tourists took photos of the statue in the square."

a painting or drawing, representing objects that do not move, such as flowers, glassware, etc.

"The still life showed fruit and flowers."

"The still life painting depicted a bowl of fruit and a vase of flowers on a wooden table."

a drawing, photograph, or painting of a person, particularly of their face and shoulders

"He painted a family portrait."

"The museum displayed a striking portrait of the queen, capturing her regal presence."

a painting of a person that is created by the same person

"The self-portrait is detailed."

"The artist painted a self-portrait that showed him sitting in his studio with a paintbrush in his hand and a serious expression."

a picture or drawing in a book, or other publication, particularly one that makes the understanding of something easier

"The illustration is clear."

"The book's illustration showed a detailed map of the fantasy world where the story takes place."

a large printed picture or notice, typically used for advertising or decoration

"Poster is large printed advertisement."

"The movie poster featured the actor's face and the release date in large bold letters at the bottom."

occurring without prior warning

"He called me out of the blue yesterday."

"She called me out of the blue yesterday after not speaking to me for more than ten years."

the illegal purchase and selling of goods in high price, ofen in an unreasonable price

"The goods are sold on the black market at high prices."

"The goods are sold on the black market at high prices and the police raid the illegal operation."

official procedures or rules that are unnecessary and time-consuming

"Too much red tape delayed the new building project."

"Starting a small business requires dealing with so much government red tape that many entrepreneurs become frustrated with the endless paperwork and delays."

a small lie that does not cause any harm, especially told to avoid making someone upset

"She tells a white lie to spare his feelings."

"She tells a white lie to spare his feelings and says his cooking is delicious when it is not."

a possession that is costly to maintain and difficult to dispose of, often more trouble than it is worth

"The large monument becomes a white elephant that no one uses."

"The large monument becomes a white elephant that no one uses and costs millions to maintain."

a situation that is hard to define or categorize and therefore unclear

"The legality of the action is a gray area."

"The legality of the action is a gray area and lawyers disagree about whether it is permitted."

(of a motion picture, photograph, etc.) showing only black, white, and gray colors

"The old film is black-and-white."

"The classic silent film was entirely black-and-white, with no color to distract from the dramatic storytelling."

anything that is intended to take people's focus away from what is important

"Red herring misleads or distracts."

"The red herring was a suspect introduced late in the story who seemed guilty but was completely innocent."

a solid figure or object made as a work of art by shaping and carving wood, clay, stone, etc.

"That is a cool sculpture."

"The artist meticulously carved the marble into a breathtaking sculpture of a mythical creature."

the act of setting up or establishing a system, equipment, or machinery for use

"The installation took time."

"The professional installation of the new software system ensured optimal performance and security."

a place or building that is historically important

"The monument is old."

"A monument is a lasting structure created to commemorate a person or event of great historical significance for future generations to remember and reflect upon."

existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence

"This is abstract art."

"The philosopher explored the abstract concept of justice in his latest publication."

using language in a way that words don't have their actual meaning, but an imaginative meaning instead

"It was a figurative expression."

"The poet used figurative language to evoke a sense of longing and melancholy in his verses."

an area of scenery visible in a single view

"The landscape looked beautiful in spring."

"We admired the landscape from the top of the hill."

a picture that was made using pens, pencils, or crayons instead of paint

"He made a quick drawing."

"A silverpoint drawing is created with a thin silver rod on a specially prepared abrasive ground"

a picture created by paint

"This is a beautiful painting."

"A fresco painting is a demanding mural technique where water-based pigments are applied to fresh"

a piece of cloth that artists paint on, especially with oil paints

"The artist painted the canvas."

"She stretched a fresh canvas, ready to begin her latest oil painting."

a border that surrounds a picture, mirror, etc.

"The frame is wooden."

"She bought a beautiful silver frame for the photograph of her family at the beach last summer."