Test 2 - Reading - Passage 1 · Cambridge IELTS Academic 17 Vocabulary List

a person who protects a large group of sheep as a job

"The shepherd watched the flock."

"The shepherd led his flock of sheep through the mountain pass using his trained dog to keep the animals from wandering off."

seemingly loud enough to break something; violently rattling or clattering

"The shattering glass fell down."

"The shattering sound of glass echoed through the empty hall."

someone or something that regularly keeps another company, providing friendship, support, or association

"She is a travel companion."

"The elderly woman adopted a dog to be her faithful companion after her husband passed away."

to find something or someone unexpectedly

"I stumbled on an old photograph."

"The archaeologist stumbled on a hidden cave while exploring the remote hillside and discovered ancient paintings on the walls."

a person whose job is to study ancient societies using facts, objects, buildings, etc. remaining in excavation sites

"She is an archeologist."

"The archeologist discovered important ancient ruins during the excavation in the desert area."

a small piece or part that has broken off from a larger whole, often referring to objects or materials

"Small pottery fragment."

"Archaeologists found a small pottery fragment that provided important information about ancient civilization."

a secular designation used to represent dates in the Gregorian calendar before the traditional reference point of the birth of Jesus Christ

"This happened before Common Era."

"Dinosaurs lived during the Before Common Era period millions of years before humans appeared on Earth."

used with a date to refer to things happened or existed after the birth of Christ

"This event is Common Era."

"The Common Era calendar is used worldwide today and it counts years starting from the birth of Jesus."

related to or involving serious academic study

"The journal is scholarly."

"The scholarly journal publishes peer reviewed research articles and only experts in the field can submit their work for publication."

a discussion about a particular issue between two opposing sides, mainly held publicly

"The debate was intense."

"They held a debate about the new policy."

existing or occurring commonly

"The prevailing opinion was positive."

"The prevailing attitude among the employees was one of frustration and the manager scheduled a meeting to address their concerns."

a religious group with beliefs or practices, especially extreme or unusual ones, that separate them from the rest of the people with the religion

"Religious sect follows."

"The small religious sect follows unique beliefs and practices different from mainstream religion."

a person or animal that resides in a particular place

"The island's only inhabitant is a hermit."

"The local inhabitant knew all the hidden beautiful places in the small town."

the act of surrounding the enemy, a town, etc. and cutting off their supplies so that they would surrender

"The castle was under siege for six months."

"The city was under siege for six months before the defenders finally ran out of food and were forced to surrender to the attacking army."

to have something as a prominent or distinctive aspect or characteristic

"The film features famous actors."

"The new film features an all star cast of famous actors and stunning special effects that will amaze audiences everywhere."

not on a regular basis

"I occasionally eat fast food on Fridays."

"I occasionally eat fast food on Fridays as a treat after a long week of work and studying."

a person or thing that does not follow a general rule or is excluded from a class or group

"There is an exception."

"Children under five are usually granted an exception to the museum's admission fee."

to carve or shape a material, typically wood or stone, by using a sharp-edged tool with a flat metal blade

"He chisels the stone block carefully."

"The artist used a hammer and chisel to chisel a detailed face out of a large block of marble."

to resist or endure the force, pressure, or challenges imposed upon oneself

"The building can withstand strong earthquakes."

"The building is designed to withstand earthquakes up to magnitude eight on the Richter scale without collapsing."

arousing interest and curiosity due to being strange or mysterious

"The idea is intriguing."

"The intriguing mystery novel kept her up all night because she could not put it down until she solved the case."

accumulated wealth in the form of money or jewels etc.

"She found a treasure."

"The pirates are looking for buried treasure and have a map marked with an X on the island."

not following established customs or norms

"Her style is unconventional."

"The unconventional teaching methods of the young instructor included games and music and her students loved coming to class."

used to suggest that something is assumed to be true, often with a hint of doubt

"Supposedly he is the best doctor."

"Supposedly he is the best doctor in the city but I have heard some negative reviews from his former patients."

an abundance of material possessions and resources

"He has many riches."

"The explorer returns from the new land with riches including gold silver and precious gems."

a hidden or carefully guarded collection of valuables, money, or other precious items

"The dragon guarded its hoard."

"Archaeologists discovered an ancient hoard of gold coins buried for centuries."

to plunder, typically during times of war or civil unrest

"The invaders pillaged the entire village."

"The invading soldiers continued to pillage every village they encountered on their march through the valley."

an explanation based on limited facts and evidence that is not yet proved to be true

"Test the hypothesis now."

"The scientist formulated a testable hypothesis to explain the observed phenomenon."

a bishop of the highest rank who is responsible for all the churches in a specific large area

"The archbishop leads the diocese in religious matters."

"The archbishop leads the diocese and has authority over several bishops in the region."

composed of diverse, various, or unrelated items or elements

"Put them in miscellaneous."

"The miscellaneous items in the garage included old tools broken toys and boxes of clothes that nobody wanted anymore."

to have origins or existence that extends to a specific earlier time

"The ruins date back centuries."

"The ancient ruins date back to the time of the Roman Empire over two thousand years ago."

a skilled and experienced political leader who demonstrates good judgment and leadership in their decisions and actions

"The statesman spoke wisely."

"The former president was widely respected as a wise and effective statesman."

assemble once again, after taking something apart

"Reassemble the toy car."

"It took the mechanic several hours to reassemble the engine after he had completely taken it apart for repairs."

to create something by joining separate parts or elements

"Piece together the broken vase fragments."

"The detective pieced together the clues to solve the mystery that had baffled the police for months."

an official or special ceremony or event

"This is a special occasion."

"This special occasion calls for champagne and formal attire because it is not every day that a family member celebrates a milestone birthday."

the responsibility of a guardian or keeper

"Put it in safekeeping."

"The valuable documents were entrusted to the bank for safekeeping."

no longer done, followed, or needed by people, often because something is old, broken, or replaced by something better

"That style is out of use."

"The old railway line has fallen out of use and is now overgrown with weeds and grass."

relating to a particular group within a religion, especially when that group is separate from or different than others

"The conflict was sectarian."

"The sectarian violence between the two religious groups has killed thousands of people and the government struggles to maintain peace."

a roll of parchment, paper, or other material containing writing or images, often used for historical or religious texts

"Ancient scroll found."

"Archaeologists found an ancient scroll inside a cave in the desert last year."

to care for the needs of someone or something with attention and responsibility

"You will tend."

"Nurses tend to the sick and injured with dedication and professional expertise."

an area where a group of families or people live together, often in a newly established community

"This is a settlement."

"The archaeological team uncovered evidence of an ancient settlement near the riverbank."

to throw something with a quick and sudden motion

"Toss the ball."

"She will toss the salad with a light vinaigrette dressing before serving."

to have or hold something within or include something as a part of a larger entity or space

"This box contains old photographs."

"The old wooden box contained many valuable treasures that had been hidden for centuries."

an object or artifact from an ancient period, often of historical or cultural value

"This is an antiquity."

"The museum displayed a rare antiquity unearthed during the archaeological excavation in Egypt."

a piece of information or news

"I have a word."

"The latest word from the front lines suggests a significant shift in military strategy is imminent."

the act or result of discovering something, especially something valuable, rare, or previously unknown

"What a find!"

"The discovery of the ancient manuscript was a remarkable find for historians studying the period."

to dig the ground and discover something

"They unearthed an ancient artifact."

"Archaeologists worked diligently to unearth the buried city and uncover its historical secrets."

a written document, book, or musical composition created by hand rather than being produced using a typewriter or printing press

"Old handwritten manuscript."

"The library has a valuable old manuscript written by hand many centuries ago."

to reside in a specific place

"Birds inhabit the trees."

"These remote islands are home to a unique species of bird that exclusively inhabits the dense, tropical rainforests found there."

armed forces or soldiers, especially by large numbers

"A troop marched past."

"Reinforcing troops arrived overnight, bolstering the defenses of the besieged city."

believing firmly in a particular religion

"He is a devout Muslim."

"The devout Muslim prays five times a day and reads the Quran regularly to strengthen his faith."

to determine or figure out when something happened or was created

"We can date this."

"Scientists are attempting to date the ancient manuscript using advanced carbon-14 analysis techniques."

related to or derived from the Bible

"The story was biblical."

"The ancient text contained a biblical narrative about the creation of the world and early human history."

a computer file, book, piece of paper etc. that is used as evidence or a source of information

"This is a document."

"The historical document provided crucial evidence for the ongoing legal case."

a rule made by the government, an authority, etc. to control or govern something within a particular area

"The new regulation affects all drivers."

"The new safety regulations require all construction workers to wear hard hats and protective boots."

a unified whole created by joining or mixing two or more distinct elements or parts together

"A good combination."

"The chef's signature dish is a delicious combination of sweet and savory flavors."

to formulate a hypothesis to explain something, often as a starting point for further investigation or study

"I theorize it will rain."

"Scientists theorize that the universe began with a massive cosmic explosion billions of years ago."

the action of transitioning from one state or condition to another

"This is a passage."

"The caterpillar's difficult passage from larva to butterfly captivated the young naturalist."

a secret store of valuables or money

"I have a cache."

"The spy managed to retrieve a hidden cache of sensitive documents from the enemy territory."

(Judaism) the place of worship for a Jewish congregation

"The temple is old."

"The ancient temple stood as a central place of worship and community gathering for generations."

related to the beliefs, practices, or traditions that are in accordance with the teachings and customs of the Eastern Orthodox Church

"Orthodox traditions."

"The orthodox patriarch leads the Eastern Orthodox Church with deep reverence for its ancient traditions."

to buy or begin to have something

"She will acquire a new car."

"The organization aims to acquire several smaller businesses to expand its market share."

a large organization that serves a religious, educational, social, or similar function

"This institution helps poor people."

"The charitable institution has been providing essential services to the homeless population for over fifty years."

to repair a work of art, building, etc. so that it is in a good condition again

"They restore the old house."

"The museum is working to restore the ancient painting to its original splendor."

to translate a coded or secret message into a readable form

"Can you decipher this?"

"The cryptographer worked tirelessly to decipher the encoded message before it was too late."

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."

to show, point out, or suggest the existence, presence, or nature of something

"The sign indicates the correct direction."

"The arrows on the floor indicate the direction of the emergency exit in case of a fire."

a significant change in the nature or quality of something

"There is a shift."

"The significant shift in public opinion regarding climate change has prompted new policy discussions."

any object that can be used to store something in, such as a bottle, box, etc.

"The container is large."

"She stored leftover food in an airtight container to keep it fresh for several days instead of wrapping it loosely in plastic."

a member of the university faculty engaged in teaching or research

"The academic publishes research in journals."

"The academic publishes research in journals and presents findings at scholarly conferences."

an organization or institution created for a particular function

"This is an establishment."

"The new research establishment aims to foster collaboration between scientists from various disciplines."

having a strong enthusiasm, desire, or excitement for something or someone

"She is a keen student."

"She is a keen student and always sits in the front row taking careful notes."

happening, done, or made once every year

"We have an annual meeting."

"The annual company picnic is held every summer and all employees are invited to bring their families."

a person who buys and sells things, usually to make money from the difference in price

"The car dealer sold me a car."

"The antiques dealer carefully examined the vase, hoping to profit from its hidden value."