Test 4 - Reading - Passage 1 (1) · Cambridge IELTS Academic 17 Vocabulary List

an insect or small animal that destroys or damages crops, food, etc.

"The pest ate it."

"The farmer battled the persistent pest that threatened to destroy his entire harvest of corn for the season."

an irrigated or flooded field where rice is grown

"The paddy field is flooded with water."

"The paddy field is flooded with water and workers plant rice seedlings in neat rows."

feeding on or adapted to a diet that consists primarily or exclusively of insects

"The plant is insectivorous."

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

the existence of a range of different plants and animals in a natural environment

"The Coral Triangle is a global center of marine biodiversity."

"Biodiversity refers to the incredible variety of life on Earth at all levels"

a possible consequence that something can bring about

"The implication was clear."

"The implication of the new policy is that many employees will lose their jobs."

someone who makes efforts to protect the environment and wildlife from any type of harm

"A conservationist works to protect the natural world."

"The conservationist worked tirelessly to protect the endangered species from extinction by advocating for laws that would ban hunting in the region and preserve the animal's natural habitat."

a specialist in or student of the branch of science that deals with animals

"The zoologist studies the behavior of primates."

"The zoologist studies the behavior of primates and spends months observing them in their natural habitat."

the extensive removal of forests, typically causing environmental damage

"Deforestation hurts the environment."

"Deforestation is the large-scale removal of trees that destroys habitats and harms the environment."

to eat and drink abundantly, often as part of a celebration or special occasion

"The king feasted on roasted meat."

"The entire family gathered around the large dinner table to feast on turkey and pie during the Thanksgiving holiday celebration."

to reduce the severity or seriousness of something unpleasant

"This cream will ease muscle pain."

"The new software update should ease the process of transferring files between different devices quickly."

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."

a large area of land or of the world with specific characteristics, which is usually borderless

"This region has unique flora."

"The wine region of Bordeaux in France produces some of the most expensive and sought after bottles due to its unique climate and soil composition."

to use something for personal gain in an unfair or dishonest manner

"They took advantage of him."

"The unscrupulous salesman tried to take advantage of the customer's lack of knowledge about the product."

relating to the science that explores living organisms and their functions

"It is a biological study."

"The professor's research focused on the complex biological processes that allow deep-sea creatures to survive extreme pressures."

someone who suppresses

"He is a suppressor."

"The tumor suppressor gene prevents cancer and mutations in this gene can lead to uncontrolled cell growth."

to hunt and kill another creature as food

"Lions prey on zebras."

"Large birds of prey like eagles and hawks hunt and feed on smaller animals and fish."

a community of living organisms together with their physical environment, interacting as a system

"The forest is an ecosystem."

"A healthy ecosystem depends on the balance between living organisms and their environment."

using or containing the most recent and developed methods, technology, materials, or ideas

"This is state-of-the-art."

"The new laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art technology for advanced research."

involving or relating to sound waves with frequencies higher than the upper limit of human hearing

"The waves are ultrasonic."

"The veterinarian used ultrasonic imaging to get a clear view of the patient's internal organs without invasive surgery."

determining the location of something by measuring the time it takes for an echo to return from it

"Bats use echolocation to navigate in the dark."

"Bats use echolocation to navigate in the dark and emit sounds that bounce back to their ears."

to put a special pattern of lines on something so a machine can read information about it

"They barcode every product in the store."

"The store uses a scanner to barcode every single product to manage its large inventory efficiently."

fecal matter of animals

"Bat droppings accumulate on the cave floor."

"Bat droppings accumulate on the cave floor and are used by scientists to analyze the bats' diet."

(usually plural) the mutual interactions or connections established between individuals or groups

"They have good relations."

"The two countries have maintained strong diplomatic relations for over a century."

the business of using the land to grow and take care of crops and livestock

"This is agriculture."

"Modern agriculture employs advanced technology to increase crop yields and improve sustainability."

the protection of the natural environment and resources from wasteful human activities

"Conservation protects natural resources."

"Conservation efforts are essential to protect endangered animals and preserve natural resources for future generations."

lacking natural ease

"His voice sounded strained."

"The actor's performance felt strained, lacking the emotional depth expected."

to provide the energy or inspiration needed to drive or enhance a specific activity or process

"Fuel the fire."

"Her passionate speech seemed to fuel the students' determination to demand change."

the practice of preparing and using land for growing crops, especially on a large scale

"Rice cultivation requires a lot of water."

"Careful cultivation of the land produces good crops every year for the farmers."

used or consumed regularly by many people as a fundamental part of daily life

"Bread is a staple."

"Rice is a staple food in many Asian countries and people eat it with almost every meal including breakfast."

a source for getting basic necessities in order to survive

"This is for subsistence."

"Many rural communities rely on subsistence farming for their daily survival needs."

to destroy something completely

"The fire devastated the forest."

"The unexpected death of his wife devastated the old man and he never really recovered from the loss."

(of an animal, child, or plant) to grow with strength, health, or energy

"The plant will thrive."

"In the nutrient-rich soil and ample sunlight, the small sapling began to thrive and grow vigorously."

showing or having enthusiasm or strong emotions about something one care deeply about

"She is passionate about music."

"The passionate musician played the piano with such feeling that everyone in the room was moved to tears."

a detailed and careful consideration and examination

"This is a study."

"The scientific study investigated the complex relationship between diet and cardiovascular health."

absolutely necessary and of great importance

"Water is vital."

"Clean drinking water is vital for human survival and access to it should be considered a basic human right."

a large swarm of insects, especially locusts, that destroy crops or vegetation

"A plague of locusts came."

"The devastating plague of locusts consumed all the crops, leaving the farmers in despair."

without being exact

"Roughly half of the students passed."

"Roughly half of the students passed the exam while the other half failed and will have to retake it."

(of animals and plants) found and developed only in a particular place and not been brought from elsewhere

"This plant is indigenous."

"The indigenous flora of the island has unique characteristics found nowhere else on Earth."

to make use of a situation, opportunity, or resource in a way that benefits oneself or achieves a desired outcome

"Take advantage of this offer."

"We should take advantage of the good weather to go for a hike."

to gather or travel to a place in large, dense groups

"Bees swarm together."

"Bees will swarm from the hive when the queen bee leaves to start a new colony."

to form a boundary around something

"Border the garden."

"The picturesque hills border the tranquil valley, creating a stunning natural landscape."

serial arrangement in which things follow in logical order or a recurrent pattern

"A sequence of events."

"The detective pieced together the sequence of events leading up to the crime."

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."

an area of land on which something is, was, or will be constructed

"Visit the site."

"The construction site is very busy."

to find or discover something by searching for its features, characteristics, or details

"Identify the object."

"Investigators worked tirelessly to identify the source of the mysterious signals emanating from deep space."

a specific point or location identified relative to surrounding features in an area or region

"This is the spot."

"We found the perfect spot by the lake for our picnic."