Test 1 - Reading - Passage 1 · Cambridge IELTS Academic 17 Vocabulary List

causing great surprise or amazement due to being impressive, unexpected, or remarkable

"The view is astonishing."

"The astonishing speed of the cheetah makes it the fastest land animal on earth."

an individual who displays their disagreement with something or someone

"The objector raises his hand to voice his concern."

"The objector raises his hand to voice his concern and the chairman recognizes him to speak."

(of a place) filled with many people, vehicles, or objects, leading to difficulties in movement

"The roads are congested."

"The congested highway was backed up for miles and the commuters sat in their cars for over two hours."

an increase in the amount, size, importance, or degree of something

"The city plans an expansion."

"The expansion of the company into international markets required significant investment and careful planning over several years."

to be constructed from or made up of certain things or people

"The team consists of five players."

"The committee will consist of ten members who will be elected by the board next week."

(of a space or area) filled with too many people or things, causing discomfort or lack of space

"The bus is overcrowded."

"The small apartment felt extremely overcrowded with so many guests staying overnight."

(often plural) a very poor and overpopulated area of a city or town in which the houses are not in good condition

"People live in slum."

"Many families live in the slum with limited services."

pulled or powered by a horse or horses

"The carriage is horse-drawn."

"The horse drawn carriage carried tourists through the historic district and the clip clop of hooves echoed off the old buildings."

indicating a large number of something

"He has numerous friends."

"There are numerous reasons to exercise regularly including better health more energy and improved mood."

(in the UK) a lawyer who is entitled to give legal advice, prepare legal documents for contracts and defend people in lower courts of law

"The solicitor wrote a letter."

"you see a solicitor for legal advice when buying a house."

to move to a new place or position

"The company relocated to a new city."

"The company offered to pay all expenses if he agreed to relocate to their new office in Texas."

an area close to the center of a city that usually suffers from economic problems

"Inner city life is very fast."

"Schools in the inner city often face challenges like overcrowded classrooms and outdated textbooks due to underfunding compared to suburban districts."

relating to a large city or urban area

"The area is metropolitan."

"The metropolitan area is home to over ten million people and the public transportation system is crowded during rush hour."

to reduce something to the lowest possible degree or amount, particularly something unpleasant

"You should minimize your daily sugar intake."

"You can minimize the risk of injury by wearing proper safety equipment and following all the instructions carefully."

to set a specific time to do something or make an event happen

"She schedules appointments for next week."

"Please schedule a meeting with the client for next Tuesday afternoon because we need to discuss the new contract."

to officially give permission for a specific action, process, etc.

"The manager will authorize your request."

"Only the bank manager can authorize a transaction that is larger than five thousand dollars at this branch."

a locomotive powered by a steam engine

"The steam locomotive pulls a line of passenger cars."

"The steam locomotive pulls a line of passenger cars and its whistle echoes through the valley."

brick made of fire clay; used for lining e.g. furnaces and chimneys

"The firebrick lines the inside of the kiln."

"The firebrick lines the inside of the kiln and withstands extremely high temperatures without cracking."

smoke or gas that has a sharp smell or is harmful if inhaled

"The exhaust fumes made me cough."

"The toxic fumes from the burning plastic made everyone in the room cough and feel dizzy."

a shaft in a building; serves as an air passage for ventilation

"The ventilation shaft provides fresh air to the miners."

"The ventilation shaft provides fresh air to the miners and is dug deep into the rock."

restricted or limited in space, area, or movement

"The space is confined."

"The confined space of the elevator made her feel claustrophobic and she decided to take the stairs instead."

buildings in which people live, including their condition, prices, or types

"Good housing is important for families."

"The lack of affordable housing in the city has forced many young people to live with their parents well into their thirties."

at the starting point of a process or situation

"Initially I did not like him."

"Initially I did not like him but after getting to know him better I realized that he is actually a very kind person."

to demolish a structure or building, typically by pulling it apart or taking it down piece by piece

"Pull down the fence."

"The city decided to pull down the unsafe structure because it posed a danger to pedestrians passing by."

an official group created by a government to deeply study a serious issue and give advice or suggestions for solving it

"The royal commission investigates the train crash."

"The royal commission investigates the train crash and issues recommendations to prevent future accidents."

a system or network of tracks with the trains, organization, and people needed to operate them

"The railway connects the port to the city."

"The railway connected the inland coal mines to the coastal ports for export."

the relative speed or pace of progress, growth, or decline

"The rate is fast."

"The economic growth rate has shown a significant increase over the past quarter."

to provide reasons when saying something is the case, particularly to persuade others that one is right

"I argue my point."

"He will argue that the new policy is essential for economic growth and stability."

a vehicle with usually four wheels, pulled by one or more horses

"The carriage moved slowly."

"The royal carriage passed through crowded streets during the national celebration gracefully."

an organized and carefully planned course of action

"It is a clever scheme."

"The intricate scheme was designed to outwit their competitors and secure market dominance."

to formally suggest or introduce a motion, idea, or action for consideration and discussion by a legislature

"Let's propose a plan."

"The committee will propose a new bill to address the pressing environmental concerns."

to find a way to solve a disagreement or issue

"They need to resolve their differences peacefully."

"The couple sought counseling to resolve their differences and save their marriage from falling apart completely."

giving opinions loudly or freely

"She is vocal."

"The vocal members of the community spoke out against the new development and their protests convinced the city council to reject the proposal."

someone who actively supports, promotes, or defends a particular cause or viewpoint, often through public speaking, writing, or activism

"He is an advocate for change."

"As a passionate advocate for environmental protection, she tirelessly campaigned against deforestation."

to build a house, bridge, machine, etc.

"The workers construct the new bridge."

"The workers need to construct a solid foundation before they can begin building the walls of the new house."

to obtain or achieve something that is needed or desired

"We will gain more."

"Through diligent study and practice, students can gain a deeper understanding of complex subjects."

to formally present something, such as a proposal or document, to someone in authority for review or decision

"Submit your homework before Friday."

"You must submit your application before the deadline if you want to be considered for the scholarship program at the university."

to occur at the same time as something else

"The holiday coincides with her birthday this year."

"The date of the wedding coincided with the anniversary of when the couple first met five years ago."

something suggested or put forward for consideration, such as an idea, plan, or assumption

"We submitted the proposal."

"The research proposal outlined a clear methodology and expected outcomes for the study."

to combine and create one whole

"The two companies merge into one giant corporation."

"The two companies agreed to merge their operations to create a larger and more competitive organization in the market."

to assemble money or resources, particularly in order to achieve or create something

"We raise money for school."

"The community will raise funds to build a new playground for the children."

the financial resources that are provided to make a particular project or initiative possible

"We need more funding."

"Securing adequate funding is essential for the successful completion of this ambitious scientific research project."

(of actions, ideas, etc.) very new and different from the norm

"His idea is radical."

"The radical change in the company's strategy surprised investors but the new approach proved to be very successful in the long run."

noting or highlighting mistakes or imperfections

"Be critical."

"The reviewer offered a critical analysis of the film's controversial themes."

(of a construction) to fall down suddenly, particularly due to being damaged or weak

"The bridge will collapse."

"Due to extensive structural damage, the old building was expected to collapse imminently."

to have a harmful or destructive effect on someone or something

"The gas will poison."

"Negative thoughts can poison your mind and hinder your progress towards achieving your goals."

a substance that is emitted or released

"The emission was bad."

"The factory's emission of pollutants into the atmosphere poses a serious environmental concern."

to continue a course of action with determination, even when faced with challenges or discouragement

"Rain persists throughout the entire weekend."

"The pain in his knee persisted for several weeks despite taking painkillers and resting the injured joint."

to completely destroy or to knock down a building or another structure

"Workers demolish the unsafe old building."

"The city council decided to demolish the old abandoned factory to make room for a new public park."

any long, narrow excavation or ditch in the ground, regardless of purpose

"Dig a trench here."

"The soldiers were ordered to dig a deep trench for defensive purposes along the front line."

a vertical wooden post or stake, often used for fencing, support, or markers

"Use this timber."

"The sturdy timber posts were essential for constructing the fence around the property."

a long bar of iron or metal that supports the weight of a building

"The beam held the roof."

"A strong beam supported the ceiling in the old building."

a curved symmetrical structure that supports the weight above it, used in bridges or buildings

"The arch is strong."

"The elegant arch gracefully spanned the river, a testament to ingenious engineering."

the state of being in effect or being operative

"The operation is on."

"The successful implementation of the new policy ensured the operation of essential services without interruption."

an addition that increases the size of a building

"They want an extension."

"The architect proposed a two-story extension to accommodate the growing family."

a closed vessel in which water is heated to create steam or hot water, used for heating buildings, producing electricity, or powering machines

"The boiler heats the building."

"The old boiler in the basement finally broke down, so they had to install a new one before winter."

a large, typically metallic container designed for storing gases or liquids

"The water tank is full."

"The large storage tank was designed to hold thousands of gallons of purified water."

to cause a substance to change from a gas or vapor to a liquid state

"Water will condense."

"When warm, moist air cools, water vapor will condense into tiny droplets, forming clouds."

the act of expanding in scope, range, or availability

"This is an extension."

"The company announced an extension of their services to reach a wider customer base."

a route or journey that goes all the way around a particular place or area

"We walked the entire circuit."

"The tourist circuit includes several historical landmarks and scenic viewpoints."

a state of being overcrowded or blocked, particularly in a street or road

"Traffic congestion was bad today."

"The morning commute was severely impacted by unexpected road congestion due to an accident."

to stretch out or expand over a distance

"The road will extend farther."

"We plan to extend our business operations into new international markets next year."

any of the available possibilities that one can choose from

"We need to find an alternative route."

"Since the main road was closed due to construction, we had to find an alternative route through the countryside to reach the village on time."

able to be trusted to perform consistently well and meet expectations

"My car is reliable."

"The reliable old truck never broke down even after two hundred thousand miles and the farmer trusted it completely."

a way, system, object, etc. through which one can achieve a goal or accomplish a task

"He found a way."

"The company explored various innovative means to improve customer satisfaction and boost overall sales figures."

a machine that produces electricity by converting mechanical energy into electrical energy

"The generator stopped working again."

"When the power went out during the hurricane the hospital turned on its emergency backup generator."

the track or route along which a train travels

"The train is on the line."

"Engineers meticulously planned the train line to connect the two major industrial hubs."

a passenger railcar or coach

"The carriage was old."

"They traveled in a luxurious private carriage pulled by two magnificent white horses."

a railway that operates underground, typically in a city

"Take the tube."

"Commuters often use the tube to navigate the bustling city efficiently."