Test 4 - Reading - Passage 1 · Cambridge IELTS Academic 16 Vocabulary List

a peninsula in southwestern Asia that forms the Asian part of Turkey

"Asia Minor is a large peninsula in western Asia."

"Asia Minor is a large peninsula in western Asia and is now part of modern day Turkey."

a society that has developed its own culture and institutions in a particular period of time or place

"Ancient civilization thrived."

"The ancient Egyptian civilization lasted for thousands of years along the Nile River."

a period of one thousand years, usually calculated from the year of the birth of Jesus Christ

"A new millennium began."

"The ancient civilization flourished for nearly a millennium before its eventual decline."

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."

to be formed from particular parts or things

"The team consists of five members."

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

the black or brownish substance consisted of organic remains, rock particles, and clay that forms the upper layer of earth where trees or other plants grow

"Plants need good soil to grow."

"The farmer tested the pH level of the soil to determine which crops would grow best in that particular field."

the act of supplying fresh air and getting rid of foul air

"The ventilation system removes smoke from the kitchen."

"The ventilation system removes smoke from the kitchen and vents it outside through a duct."

to provide with the tools, resources, or items necessary for a specific purpose or activity

"We equip the team well."

"The expedition team was equipped with specialized gear to survive the harsh Arctic conditions and complete their mission."

an appendage to hold onto

"The climber grips a handhold in the rock face."

"The climber grips a handhold in the rock face and pulls himself up to the next ledge."

a cord from which a metal weight is suspended pointing directly to the earth's center of gravity; used to determine the vertical from a given point

"The carpenter uses a plumb line to check vertical alignment."

"The carpenter uses a plumb line to check vertical alignment and the string hangs straight down."

a long and slender object, typically made of metal or wood, that is straight or nearly straight

"He held a long rod."

"The fisherman cast his line with a flick of the wrist, the flexible rod bending under the tension."

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."

used to say that something such as a number or amount is not exact

"The trip takes approximately two hours."

"The trip takes approximately two hours depending on traffic conditions and the route you choose to take."

the practice of measuring angles and distances on the ground so that they can be accurately plotted on a map

"Surveying measures the boundaries of the land."

"Surveying measures the boundaries of the land and surveyors use theodolites and GPS equipment."

the branch of mathematics that deals with the relation between the lines, angles and surfaces or the properties of the space

"He enjoys studying geometry and measuring shapes."

"Geometry helps us understand shapes, angles, and spatial relationships."

the act of making something suitable or adapting to specific circumstances by making necessary changes or modifications

"The chair needs a small adjustment to be comfortable."

"The therapist made a small adjustment to her posture which relieved the back pain immediately."

related to the study or processes of the Earth's structure, composition, and history

"The feature is geological."

"The geological survey revealed that the area sits on top of a fault line that could cause earthquakes."

to move through something, typically overcoming resistance

"The bullet penetrated the thick wall."

"The bullet was able to penetrate the thick metal door because it was fired from a very powerful gun."

words, letters, or symbols that are engraved, carved, or written on a surface, often for commemorative, informational, or decorative purposes

"Ancient stone inscription."

"Archaeologists discovered an ancient inscription carved on a stone that revealed important historical information."

a channel or pipeline used to transport water over a long distance, usually from a remote source to a town or city

"Ancient Roman aqueduct."

"The ancient Roman aqueduct carried fresh water from the mountains to the city many kilometers away."

situated at or directed toward the side or sides

"The movement is lateral."

"The lateral movement of the tectonic plates caused the earthquake that destroyed many buildings in the city."

related to the beginning of a series or process

"The initial plan was simple."

"The initial plan was to finish the project by Friday, but unforeseen circumstances caused a significant delay."

crushing and separating ore into valuable substances or waste by any of a variety of techniques

"Mineral extraction damages the local environment."

"Mineral extraction damages the local environment and leaves behind large pits and toxic waste."

a layer of ore between layers of rock

"The miners follow the mineral vein deep into the mountain."

"The miners follow the mineral vein deep into the mountain searching for silver and lead ore."

an indication or evidence of the former presence or existence of something

"There was no trace of the missing cat."

"There was only a small trace of poison found in the laboratory test results."

to extract resources from the earth by digging

"They mine coal in that region."

"The company plans to mine valuable rare earth minerals from the mountains in that remote region."

used to highlight the differences between two or more things or people

"In contrast, she likes tea."

"The city is very busy and noisy; in contrast, the countryside is peaceful and quiet, which makes it a perfect place to relax."

an individual who financially supports an artist, charity, cause, etc.

"The patron donated money."

"The wealthy patron donated millions to the museum allowing it to expand its collection."

a sheltered area of water along the coast where ships, boats, and other vessels can anchor safely, typically protected from rough seas by natural or artificial barriers

"The harbor is busy."

"The fishing boats returned to the harbor at sunset unloading their catch of cod and haddock onto the docks where buyers were already waiting."

representing a plane made by cutting across something at right angles to its length

"The diagram is cross-section."

"The cross section of the tree trunk showed one hundred rings meaning the tree was one hundred years old."

possessing enough skill or knowledge in a certain field or job

"He is an experienced driver."

"The experienced driver knew exactly how to handle the icy roads safely."

to accept, embrace, or incorporate a particular idea, practice, or belief into one's own behavior or lifestyle

"They will adopt new rules."

"Many people adopt a vegetarian lifestyle for ethical and health reasons."

the process of building or creating something, such as structures, machines, or infrastructure

"The construction takes many months."

"The construction of the new highway caused significant traffic delays for commuters throughout the entire summer."

a geographic area belonging to or ruled by a government or authority

"This is their territory."

"The military patrol secured the disputed territory against further incursions."

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."

a sturdy pole made of metal or timber that is dug into the ground to be used as a marker or support something

"The post is strong."

"A sturdy wooden post was hammered into the ground to support the newly planted sapling."

a long vertical passage sunk into the earth, as for a mine or tunnel

"The shaft went down."

"Engineers meticulously planned the construction of the deep mining shaft to ensure safety and efficiency."

the distance between things

"The interval between them was large."

"A significant interval remained between the two scheduled performances, allowing for a break."

to dig a hole or make a channel in the ground

"Excavate the ground."

"The construction crew began to excavate a deep foundation for the new skyscraper."

a long and artificial passage built and filled with water for ships to travel along or used to transfer water to other places

"Canal brings water to dry farms."

"The Panama Canal allows ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans without sailing around the southern tip of South America saving thousands of kilometers."

in a way that is unusually impressive, effective, or surprising

"She is remarkably talented for her age."

"She is remarkably talented for her age and can play three different musical instruments very well indeed."

to transfer knowledge, traditions, or skills to another person or group, often to ensure they are preserved or continued

"Pass on the old stories."

"The grandfather wanted to pass on his knowledge of woodworking to his grandson before he got too old to teach him properly."

a place providing support for the foot in standing or climbing

"He found a foothold."

"The climber searched for a secure foothold on the sheer rock face before continuing upwards."

the removable cover at the top of a container

"Put the lid back on the jar."

"He put the lid on the pot to trap the steam and cook the rice faster over low heat."

the measure of how steep a line is, found by dividing the change in height by the change in horizontal distance

"The slope is steep."

"The gentle slope of the roof ensures efficient water runoff during heavy rainfall."

to empty or remove liquid from a container or area

"Please drain the water."

"After boiling the pasta, be sure to drain all the excess water before adding the sauce."

(of a method, idea, or plan) likely to be successful or effective

"Your idea is practical."

"The practical solution was to buy a cheaper car and save the rest of the money."

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."

to diverge or stray from the usual or planned path

"Do not deviate from the plan."

"The explorers decided not to deviate from their planned route despite the unexpected weather conditions."

decided, determined, or established by authority or prior agreement

"The date is set."

"The meeting time was set by the committee, and everyone was expected to attend."

in a way that continues without any pause

"The baby cries constantly."

"The baby is constantly crying for attention and his exhausted parents do not know what to do anymore."

an opening that resembles a mouth (as of a cave or a gorge)

"The mouth of the cave."

"We stood at the mouth of the dark gorge, peering into the echoing depths below."

separation from accepted norms, standards, or expected patterns of conduct

"Small deviation occurred."

"There was only a small deviation from the original plan during the construction project last year."

a relationship or connection between two or more things or people

"The detective finds a link between the two crimes."

"The detective found a link between the two crimes that no one had noticed before."

a physical object that blocks movement or progress

"The wall is an obstacle."

"The fallen tree became a significant obstacle on the hiking trail."

to discover the exact position or place of something or someone

"Can you locate the nearest hospital?"

"The search party was unable to locate the missing hiker until the next morning."

to go after someone or something, particularly to catch them

"Police pursue the suspect."

"The police car began to pursue the speeding vehicle down the highway."

existing without any others of the same type

"This is my sole car."

"He was the sole survivor of the shipwreck, a testament to his incredible resilience."

easy to comprehend or perform without any difficulties

"The answer is straightforward."

"The instructions for assembling the furniture were surprisingly straightforward, making the process quite simple."

cool (hot metal) by plunging into cold water or other liquid

"Quench the hot metal."

"The blacksmith would quench the glowing steel in water to harden it."

to break on the surface without falling into separate pieces

"The ice began to crack loudly."

"The old wooden floorboard cracked loudly when he stepped on it after all these years."

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 cause someone or something to change direction

"Traffic diverts around the accident site."

"The police had to divert traffic away from the accident scene while they cleared the wreckage from the highway."

to indicate a potential danger or risk to someone or something

"The storm threaten us."

"The aggressive rhetoric from the opposing party began to threaten the stability of the government."

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."

underground surface below which the ground is wholly saturated with water

"The water table is low."

"A prolonged drought caused the water table to drop significantly, impacting local wells."

to physically connect or fasten something to another thing

"Attach the label here."

"Please attach the necessary documents to the email before sending it out."

to shape or create by cutting or sculpting, often using tools or a sharp instrument

"He can carve wood."

"The artist decided to carve intricate patterns into the ancient wooden sculpture."

a narrow area of land that connects two larger places or follows along something like a road or river

"A corridor of trees."

"The narrow corridor of land served as a vital link between the two coastal towns."