Test 3 - Reading - Passage 1 · Cambridge IELTS Academic 17 Vocabulary List

(of an animal, plant, etc.) not having any living members, either due to natural causes, environmental changes, or human activity

"The dinosaur is extinct."

"The dinosaur has been extinct for millions of years and we only know about them from fossils."

any of the order of mammals that carry their young babies in a pouch, such as kangaroos, found either in Australia or Americas

"Kangaroos are the most famous marsupial in the world."

"The marsupial carries its undeveloped young in a pouch where they continue growing after birth."

to share similarities in appearance, characteristics, or qualities

"You bear a resemblance to my cousin."

"The little boy bears a strong resemblance to his grandfather when he was young."

serving to identify or characterize

"He has a distinguishing feature."

"The distinguishing feature of the male peacock is its beautiful tail feathers which it displays to attract a mate."

an area of land, particularly in reference to its physical or natural features

"The rocky terrain was difficult to cross."

"Terrain refers to the physical features and surface characteristics of a tract of land"

the place or area in which certain animals, birds, or plants naturally exist, lives, and grows

"The forest is their habitat."

"The rainforest provides a natural habitat for thousands of unique species that cannot survive anywhere else."

in a manner that is only available to a particular person, group, or thing

"This club is exclusively for members."

"This club is exclusively for members and their guests so you cannot enter without a valid membership card."

(of plants or animals) feeding on the meat or flesh of other animals

"The plant is carnivorous."

"The carnivorous plant traps and digests insects to obtain nutrients that are missing from the poor soil where it grows."

to expand, swell, or stretch beyond the normal or usual size

"His stomach distended after the large meal."

"His stomach began to distend after he ate too much food at the all you can eat buffet."

the act of chasing, trying to catch, or going after something or someone

"The police are in pursuit of the speeding car."

"The police are in pursuit of the speeding car and the chase ends when the driver crashes."

the smell that something releases, which can be detected by the nose

"The scent of roses lingers on her skin."

"The scent of roses lingers on her skin and the perfume was made with natural essential oils rather than synthetic fragrance chemicals."

used to show that something happened or is true, even though there was a difficulty or obstacle that might have prevented it

"He won despite the rain."

"Despite the overwhelming odds, the determined team managed to secure a surprising victory in the championship game."

a person's or animal's natural or inherent characteristics, influencing their behavior, mood, and emotional responses

"The horse had a calm temperament."

"The dog's calm temperament made him an excellent therapy animal for visiting hospital patients."

to see or observe with the eyes

"The sailor sighted land at dawn."

"The excited sailors were the first to sight land after being lost at sea for nearly three weeks without any map or compass."

to store information in a way that can be used in the future

"She records her voice for practice."

"The journalist used a small device to record the entire interview for later use."

to lie or rest in a pleasant warmth, such as sunlight

"The lizard basks in sunlight."

"The old cat loves to bask in the warm sunshine that streams through the living room window each afternoon."

something that serves to show, suggest, or point to a fact, condition, or situation

"It is an indication."

"The dark clouds were a clear indication that a severe thunderstorm would arrive within the next hour."

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."

the part of the body of a female mammal from which the young suck milk

"The puppy suckles milk from its mother's teat."

"The newborn kitten instinctively searched for its mother's teat to nurse immediately after birth."

a place where a wild animal lives, hides, or takes refuge

"Hidden animal lair found."

"The hunter discovered the hidden animal lair deep in the dark forest last week carefully."

existing or spreading among many people, groups, or communities through communication, influence, or awareness

"The disease is widespread."

"The widespread use of smartphones has changed the way people communicate and access information in their daily lives."

the main part of a continent or country that is connected to a larger landmass, excluding surrounding islands or territories

"The ferry takes passengers from the island to the mainland."

"The ferry departed from the island every two hours and crossed to the mainland in forty minutes."

the preserved remains or traces of ancient plants, animals, or other organisms found in rock

"A dinosaur fossil was found in the desert."

"An index fossil is a distinctive fossil used by geologists to date and correlate rock strata."

a situation in which a particular animal or plant no longer exists

"The dodo bird was hunted to extinction many years ago by humans."

"Extinction is the complete and permanent disappearance of a species from the Earth"

any animal that lives by hunting and eating other animals

"The lion is a powerful predator."

"A predator is an animal that hunts"

to feed a baby or young animal by drawing milk from the breast or teat

"The puppy suckled its mother."

"The hungry newborn kitten began to suckle milk from its mother for the very first time."

to assign the cause or ownership of something to a specific person, thing, or factor

"Success is attributed to hard work."

"The scientist attributes her remarkable success to many years of hard work and the support of her dedicated team."

a hunter who kills predatory wild animals in order to collect a bounty

"The bounty hunter shot a wolf."

"In the old west, a bounty hunter would pursue outlaws for the promised reward money."

a long gun that can shoot multiple small bullets at one time, suitable for hunting animals such as birds

"The farmer kept a shotgun to protect his animals from wild foxes."

"A shotgun is a long-barreled firearm that fires a cartridge containing many small pellets"

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."

happening at the end of a process or a particular period of time

"The eventual outcome was positive."

"The eventual winner of the race was the underdog who had trained harder than anyone else for months."

a person who moves to a new area to live and establish a community

"The first settler built a cabin near the river."

"The first European settlers arrived in the region during the early seventeenth century."

a group that animals, plants, etc. of the same type which are capable of producing healthy offspring with each other are divided into

"The panda is a critically endangered species."

"This particular species of orchid is extremely rare and can only be found in a small region of the Amazon rainforest."

a contagious viral disease affecting animals, especially dogs, causing respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms

"Distemper is a dog illness."

"Distemper is a contagious viral disease that causes severe respiratory and gastrointestinal problems in dogs."

the state of being confined, imprisoned, or held against one's will

"The lions were born in captivity."

"Many wild animals suffer stress when kept in captivity away from their natural environment and freedom."

the end or failure of something, such as an organization, system, or life

"The demise of the old regime brings new leaders."

"The demise of the old regime brings new leaders and sweeping changes to the country's laws."

the act of completely destroying or eliminating something, especially a population or group

"Insect extermination service."

"The company offers professional insect extermination services for homes and offices every month."

the influence or control over someone or something

"He has sway here."

"The charismatic leader's sway over his followers was evident in their unwavering loyalty and obedience to his commands."

deserving attention because of being remarkable or important

"He is a notable artist."

"The notable difference between the two products was the price and customers chose the cheaper option despite the lower quality."

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 a degree or extent that is enough

"The meat is sufficiently cooked."

"The meat is sufficiently cooked so you can serve it to the guests without worrying about food poisoning."

the state of not having enough or being in demand of something

"The scarcity of water leads to rationing."

"The scarcity of water leads to rationing and residents are only allowed to use a limited amount each day."

confined or held prisoner, unable to escape

"The captive bird cannot fly."

"The captive bird cannot fly because it is locked in a cage and cannot escape."

settling an issue authoritatively and leaving no room for further doubt or debate

"The answer is definitive."

"The definitive biography of the author includes letters that were previously unavailable to researchers."

declared as fact; explicitly stated

"This is a declared policy."

"The declared winner of the election gave a victory speech and promised to unite the country after a bitter campaign."

to give a person or animal a place to live or settle in

"Home the lost puppy."

"The missile uses a sophisticated guidance system to home in on its intended target with precision."

to find out how old something is by measuring the amount of a certain type of carbon it has left

"Scientists carbon-date old bones."

"Researchers were able to carbon-date the ancient artifact and discovered it was over ten thousand years old, which changed our understanding of early human migration."

appearing to have a certain quality, yet lacking it in reality

"Her wound is superficial."

"The superficial wound looked worse than it actually was and the doctor cleaned it and applied a bandage quickly."

particularly suitable or ideal for a specific purpose

"This is prime time."

"This location is prime for opening a new restaurant due to high foot traffic."

having a robust body-build characterized by well-developed muscles, bones, and connective tissue derived from the embryonic mesoderm

"He is muscular."

"The muscular athlete trained rigorously for the upcoming competition."

the process by which organisms evolve traits that improve their chances of survival and reproduction in a particular environment

"The cactus has good adaptation."

"The remarkable adaptation of desert flora allows them to thrive in arid environments."

to offset or make amends for something undesirable by applying an opposing force or effect

"We must compensate."

"The company will compensate employees for overtime hours worked."

present in very limited amounts or number and not commonly found or encountered

"Water is scarce."

"The scarce resources were rationed carefully and the community worked together to make sure everyone had enough to survive."

to cause a person to become extremely tired

"The long walk will exhaust you."

"Running a marathon without proper training will undoubtedly exhaust even the most physically fit individuals."

to become visible after coming out of somewhere

"New evidence emerges during the investigation."

"The sun finally emerged from behind the dark clouds after three days of continuous heavy rain and gloomy weather."

to move back or withdraw to a safer or more comfortable place, especially to avoid something unpleasant

"They retreat now."

"The hikers had to retreat down the mountain due to the sudden and severe thunderstorm."

(of animals or organisms) primarily active during the night

"Owls are nocturnal."

"The nocturnal owl hunts at night and sleeps during the day using its excellent vision to see in near darkness."

lasting longer than usual or anticipated

"The family is extended."

"The extended family gathered for the holiday dinner and three generations sat around the large table sharing stories and laughter."

a pocket-like structure that female marsupials, such as kangaroos, use to carry their young with them

"The kangaroo's pouch keeps the baby warm and safe."

"The female kangaroo carries her undeveloped baby safely inside her pouch until it matures."

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."

surprising or exciting in appearance or effect

"The show was dramatic."

"The sudden plot twist created a dramatic shift in the audience's perception of the characters."

continuing with the same level of intensity without becoming weaker or less forceful

"The pressure is relentless."

"The relentless rain caused flooding throughout the city and the emergency services worked around the clock to rescue stranded residents."

having or displaying a strong will to achieve a goal despite the challenges or obstacles

"He is determined to win."

"Despite numerous setbacks, the determined athlete continued to train rigorously for the marathon."

a series of organized activities that are intended to achieve a particular goal

"It was a campaign."

"The political campaign aimed to raise awareness about environmental protection issues."

to actively influence or impact a situation, event, or outcome

"The wind will play."

"The changing economic conditions will undoubtedly play a significant role in the company's future decisions."

to be one of the causes or reasons that helps something happen

"He will contribute money."

"His insightful comments will contribute significantly to our final decision-making process."

an animal that is hunted and eaten by another animal

"The tiger silently stalked its unsuspecting prey."

"The eagle spotted its prey moving in the tall grass and prepared to dive down to catch it."

to cause illness or medical conditions in an individual

"It will affect you."

"Lack of sleep can negatively affect your concentration and mood."

to make animals produce offspring in a way that is suitable for human beings

"Farmers breed cattle for milk production."

"Rabbits can breed very quickly and produce many offspring in a single year under the right conditions."

to decrease in degree, size, etc.

"The noise slowly diminished over time."

"The sound of the train gradually diminished as it traveled further away from the station until it could no longer be heard."

a line determining the limits of an area

"The edge is sharp."

"Stay clear of the cliff's edge for your own safety."

a formal proposal presented for discussion and voting in a deliberative assembly

"Make a motion."

"The senator proposed a motion to amend the controversial bill."

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"

from a specific point forward in time, degree, or progress

"Go onward now."

"Despite the setbacks, the team pushed onward towards their goal."

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."

not practical or feasible

"That idea is impractical."

"Wearing stilettos to a hiking trip is a fundamentally impractical choice for navigating the rugged terrain."

a formal rule or collection of rules enacted by a governing authority

"Legislation passed by government."

"Delegated legislation is a law made by an executive authority under powers given to them by a primary piece of legislation passed by the parliament."

to make or accept a law by voting or by decree

"They will pass the law."

"The legislature is expected to pass the amendment after considerable debate and public consultation."