Test 1 - Reading - Passage 3 · Cambridge IELTS Academic 15 Vocabulary List

used to emphasize or confirm a statement

"It is cold, indeed."

"The journey was challenging, indeed, but the reward of reaching the summit was immense."

to sit, lean or fall heavily or suddenly, typically due to exhaustion, weakness, or lack of energy.

"He slumped into his chair tiredly."

"After working for twelve hours straight he could only slump into his chair and close his tired eyes."

a large African antelope characterized by its distinctive appearance with a stocky body

"The wildebeest migrated across the river."

"The wildebeest migration across the Serengeti involves over one million animals traveling in a continuous moving column."

(Southern US) at some distance in a specified direction

"Look over yonder."

"The old farmhouse stood yonder, nestled amongst the rolling hills and surrounded by ancient oak trees."

to search with determination, often for something of great importance or value

"They quest for answers."

"The brave knight embarked on a dangerous quest to find the legendary treasure hidden in the dark forest."

used to say that there is no doubt something is true or is the case

"She is undoubtedly the best player."

"She is undoubtedly the best player on the team and everyone agrees with that opinion."

referring to the lifestyle of constantly traveling from place to place, with individuals or groups never staying in one location for an extended period of time

"The tribe is nomadic."

"The nomadic tribe moves from place to place following the herds of animals that they hunt for food."

having been used up or reduced in quantity, energy, or resources

"The resources are depleted."

"The depleted soil could no longer support crops so the farmer had to let the field lie fallow for a year."

nothing more than what is to be said

"It was merely a joke."

"It was merely a joke and I did not mean to offend anyone so please do not take it seriously."

look for a specific person or thing

"Seek out the truth always."

"The curious journalist traveled to the remote village to seek out the truth behind the mysterious legend."

a natural reaction or behavior that occurs automatically, without conscious thought or reasoning

"Birds migrate by pure natural instinct."

"A mother's instinct to protect her child is incredibly powerful and natural."

a scientist who studies the plants and animals that live in the ocean and other saltwater environments

"The marine biologist studies coral reefs."

"The marine biologist studies coral reefs and works to protect endangered species of sea turtles."

a scientist who studies or observes planets, stars, and other happenings in the universe

"The astronomer discovered a new comet."

"The astronomer spent every clear night looking through the telescope hoping to discover a new comet or asteroid."

(of land or fields) not prepared for raising crops

"The land is uncultivated."

"The uncultivated land had been left alone for decades and was now overgrown with wildflowers and tall grasses."

small and weak in strength or size

"The plant is puny."

"The puny plant produced only a few small leaves while the others in the garden grew tall and healthy with beautiful flowers."

to move slowly with the body near the ground or on the hands and knees

"The baby will crawl soon."

"The baby learned to crawl before she could walk and she explored every corner of the house enthusiastically."

in a way that requires a lot of effort or hard work, often slowly and with difficulty

"He wrote laboriously."

"The student laboriously wrote every word of his essay by hand because his computer had broken and he could not afford to repair it."

to a specific degree, particularly when compared to other similar things

"The house is relatively cheap."

"The house is relatively cheap compared to others in the same neighborhood because it needs some repairs and renovations."

an idealized or imagined period of peace, prosperity, and happiness

"The city entered a golden age."

"Scientists consider that period the golden age of astronomical discovery and innovation."

to reach the highest level, point, or intensity

"Temperatures peak in the afternoon."

"The athlete's performance tends to peak during major competitions when the pressure is highest and the stakes are greatest."

the internal mechanism of a device

"The inner workings of the clock are very complex."

"The inner workings of the clock are very complex and require special tools to repair."

greatest in significance, importance, degree, or achievement

"She is the leading expert."

"The leading cause of death in the country is heart disease followed by cancer."

a person who engages in the activity of climbing mountains

"The mountaineer reaches the summit of Everest."

"The mountaineer reaches the summit of Everest and plants a flag at the top of the world."

a person who works actively to support or promote a particular cause or campaign

"The campaigner speaks at rallies across the country."

"The campaigner speaks at rallies across the country and calls for action on climate change."

associated with a social group of people who share common ancestry, language, and traditions, and often reside in a specific geographic area

"The dance is tribal."

"The dance is tribal and has been performed by the same group of people for hundreds of years."

not mechanized

"The farm is unmechanized."

"The unmechanized farm relied on horses and manual labor rather than tractors and other modern machinery to work the land."

without taking into consideration or being influenced by a particular factor or condition

"He went regardless of the danger."

"Regardless of the cost we must buy the best equipment for the hospital."

an individual who initiates or develops a new field of research, technology, or art

"Marie Curie was a pioneer in the study of radioactivity."

"Marie Curie was a pioneer in the study of radioactivity and won two Nobel prizes for her work."

having the latest and most advanced features or design

"This is cutting-edge."

"The cutting edge technology in the new hospital allows doctors to perform robotic surgeries with great precision."

the beginning of something

"From the outset."

"From the outset we knew the project would be difficult but very important for the company."

to officially tell people something

"The president declared a state of emergency."

"The president declared a state of emergency after the earthquake caused widespread destruction across several states."

a prejudice that prevents fair consideration of a situation

"Media bias is problem."

"Bias can affect judgment."

a biased or subjective angle in presenting information, often reflecting personal or ideological viewpoints

"The article had a political slant."

"The newspaper gave a different slant to the same political story."

a long journey taken on a ship or spacecraft

"The voyage lasted three months."

"A voyage is a long journey involving travel by sea or through outer space"

the act of animals eating grass or other plants growing in a field

"The sheep are grazing in the green field."

"The sheep are grazing in the green field and the lambs run and play in the tall grass."

to intentionally ignore or act without concern for something or someone that deserves consideration

"Do not disregard safety warnings."

"Drivers who disregard traffic laws put themselves and others at serious risk of injury or death."

belonging to something or someone's character and nature

"The value is intrinsic."

"The intrinsic value of the artwork was not monetary but sentimental to the family."

intimidating, challenging, or overwhelming in a way that creates a sense of fear or unease

"The task is daunting."

"The daunting task of cleaning the entire house seemed impossible but they started with one room at a time."

a powerful feeling prompting someone to act or respond

"She feels a strong urge to travel abroad."

"She feels a strong urge to travel abroad and books a flight to Thailand for next month."

to provide someone with information about something ambiguous to make it easier to understand

"Can you shed light on this?"

"The professor shed some light on the historical events we were studying in class."

a Latin phrase (or its abbreviation) used to indicate that special attention should be paid to something

"Nota bene means "note well" in Latin."

"The nota bene at the bottom of the page warned readers about an important exception."

having no communication or interaction with the outside world, especially with modern society

"The tribe is uncontacted."

"The uncontacted tribe lives deep in the jungle and has never had any communication with the outside world."

(of a person) to utter a few words in a rough or nonchalant voice, especially when one does not want to talk extensively

"He will grunt his reply."

"When asked for his opinion, he would only grunt in response, avoiding a lengthy conversation."

someone who can find paths through unexplored territory

"He is a good scout."

"The experienced scout expertly navigated the dense forest, finding a safe passage for the expedition."

to navigate or find a way through an obstacle or path

"We must negotiate this path."

"The climbers had to carefully negotiate the treacherous mountain pass, avoiding falling rocks."

having distinct characteristics or qualities that make something different or unique

"His habit is peculiar."

"The peculiar smell coming from the basement turned out to be a family of skunks living under the house."

a category or type of something

"This is a new breed."

"The author's unique writing style represents a new breed of contemporary fiction."

having a tendency to do something

"She is inclined to sleep."

"He is inclined to procrastinate when faced with difficult tasks."

to undertake a risky or daring journey or course of action

"They venture out."

"The explorers decided to venture into the uncharted territory despite the dangers."

to ask or seek information about something

"I want to inquire now."

"She decided to inquire about the possibility of advancing her career within the company."

to place the events of a play, movie, novel, etc. in a particular time or place

"The story is set here."

"The novel's events are set in the distant future, exploring themes of artificial intelligence and humanity."

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."

to search something to find or discover something

"She delved into her family history."

"The journalist decided to delve deeper into the politician's past to uncover any hidden scandals that might have been covered up before."

far away in space or distant in position

"The village is remote."

"The remote cabin in the woods had no electricity or running water and the nearest neighbor was ten miles away."

a person who is foreign or not native to a particular country or environment

"He is an alien."

"The scientist studied the alien life forms discovered on the distant planet."

reliable and consistently good, but not necessarily exceptional

"The plan is solid."

"While not groundbreaking, his proposal for improving efficiency is solid and likely to be implemented."

a person of importance, fame, or public recognition

"He is a big figure."

"The renowned scientist was considered a significant figure in the field of theoretical physics."

to keep someone or something within limits of different types, such as subject, activity, area, etc.

"They confined the prisoner to his cell."

"The injured bird was confined to a small cage until its broken wing healed completely and it could fly again on its own."

to make a connection between someone or something and another in the mind

"People associate dark clouds with rain."

"Most people associate the color red with love and passion but it can also symbolize danger and anger."

a period of history marked by particular features or events

"The invention of the printing press began a new era."

"The digital era has completely transformed the way people communicate around the world."

almost not; only just enough

"There was scarcely any food left."

"There was scarcely any food left in the refrigerator so we had to order pizza for dinner."

to give someone or something a nickname, often to show affection or to highlight a specific trait

"Dub him 'King'."

"The fans affectionately dub their charismatic leader 'The Maestro'."

referring to a name commonly used for something

"The so-called expert is wrong."

"The so-called miracle cure was eventually exposed as a fraudulent deception."

a difficult, unusual, or risky action performed to attract attention

"A risky stunt."

"The daredevil performed a dangerous stunt to gain worldwide recognition."

to show a particular quality, characteristic, or emotion

"It will reflect."

"Her genuine smile seemed to reflect the joy she felt in that moment."

a planned effort or project that often involves courage, skill, or determination

"A noble endeavor."

"The scientist's endeavor leads to a new cure and saves thousands of lives around the world."

well-known or easily recognizable due to importance, influence, or distinct features

"He is a prominent figure."

"The prominent scientist was invited to speak at the international conference about climate change and its effects on coastal cities."

the particular characteristics that are considered when evaluating something

"These are the criteria."

"The selection committee will evaluate all applications based on specific academic and extracurricular criteria."

expressed with clarity and precision, leaving no doubt as to the meaning or intention

"A definite plan."

"The instructions were definite, leaving no room for misinterpretation or ambiguity."

a goal that one wants to achieve

"The main objective is to reduce costs."

"The main objective is to reduce costs by twenty percent while maintaining the same quality level."

a journey carefully organized for a specific purpose, such as exploration or research

"The expedition to the South Pole was extremely dangerous and very cold."

"An expedition is a long and carefully organized journey undertaken for a specific purpose"

to accept a change or a new situation and be ready to continue with one's life and deal with new experiences, especially after a bad experience such as a breakup

"Let's move on to the next topic."

"After the divorce she decided to move on with her life and start a new career."

originating from to relating to the large landmasses on Earth's surface known as continents

"It is a continental climate."

"The continental climate experiences significant temperature variations between summer and winter seasons."

to communicate or portray a particular feeling, idea, impression, etc.

"It conveys a message."

"The artist's abstract painting manages to convey a profound sense of melancholy and existential longing."

an explanation or understanding derived from analyzing or interpreting something that is not immediately clear

"That is a difficult interpretation."

"The ambiguous poem allowed for multiple interpretations, each revealing a different layer of meaning."

a penetrating and profound understanding that goes beyond surface-level observations or knowledge

"The book provides a fascinating insight into rural life."

"Her research offers valuable insight into how children learn languages."