Test 4 - Reading - Passage 2 (1) · Cambridge IELTS Academic 17 Vocabulary List

a book or digital record that contains financial transactions and balances, organized by accounts

"The accountant recorded the sale in the ledger."

"The accountant carefully recorded all transactions in the company ledger every month."

an area with a church of its own that is under the care of a priest

"The parish held a fair."

"The priest announced the upcoming bake sale to raise funds for the entire parish community."

a periodic count of the population

"The census counts every person in the country."

"The census counts every person in the country and helps distribute government funding fairly."

a sum of money that has to be paid, based on one's income, to the government so it can provide people with different kinds of public services

"The tax is high."

"The government increased the tax on cigarettes hoping to discourage smoking but also generating additional revenue for public health programs and education."

a problem or question that is confusing and needs a lot of skill or effort to solve or answer

"This is a conundrum."

"The unexpected budget cuts presented a serious conundrum for the non-profit organization's future operations."

to confuse someone, often by presenting something mysterious or difficult to understand

"The riddle puzzles me greatly."

"The mysterious disappearance of the valuable artifact continues to puzzle the detectives who are investigating the case."

a professional who studies and analyzes economic theories, trends, and data to provide insights into economic issues

"The economist explained inflation."

"The economist studied prices and jobs carefully."

related to the relationship between two things in which one is the cause of the other

"The link is causal."

"The study found a causal link between smoking and lung cancer which means that smoking actually causes the disease."

in a manner that results in significant efficiency or accomplishment

"The meeting was productively spent."

"The meeting was productively spent and the team accomplished more in two hours than they had in the previous two weeks."

the capability to read and write

"Literacy helps you read books."

"Digital literacy is essential for navigating today's technology-driven world effectively."

develop industry; become industrial

"China industrialized rapidly in the twentieth century."

"The country began to industrialize rapidly in the late nineteenth century building many new factories and railways."

to examine or study something in detail in order to explain or understand it

"The scientist will analyze the data."

"The scientist spent months analyzing the data collected during the experiment to draw meaningful conclusions."

a person's possessions, such as clothes or other items they own

"She packs her belongings into a suitcase."

"She packs her belongings into a suitcase and prepares to move to her new apartment across town."

a nocturnal animal belonging to the weasel family with short legs and gray fur

"The badger dug a hole."

"The badger emerged from its sett at dusk to search for worms and insects."

a machine used to sew fabric and other materials together with thread

"She used her sewing machine to make a dress."

"Her grandmother's old sewing machine still worked perfectly for hemming pants and mending ripped seams."

having a bright red color

"The flower is scarlet."

"The scarlet letter was worn as a punishment and everyone in the town knew what it meant."

characteristic of or devoted to the temporal world as opposed to the spiritual world

"He is worldly."

"He renounced all worldly possessions, seeking a life of spiritual devotion and inner peace."

a practice requiring experience and skill, in which objects are made with one's hands

"She loves making craft items."

"Learning a traditional craft like pottery requires a lot of patience, practice, and dedication over many years."

a smooth, flat, fine-grained rock or a similar material used for writing on with chalk

"The student writes on a slate with chalk."

"The student writes on a slate with chalk and wipes it clean with a sleeve after the lesson ends."

a judgment or calculation of the size, extent, value, etc. of something without knowing the exact details or numbers

"Give an estimate."

"They gave an estimate for the repairs."

the ability to understand and work with numbers effectively in various contexts

"Numeracy is the ability to work with numbers."

"Numeracy is the ability to work with numbers and understand mathematical concepts like fractions and percentages."

an association of people who work in the same industry or have similar goals or interests

"Medieval craft guild."

"The local guild of artisans organized a fair to showcase their handmade crafts and traditional skills."

a type of printing machine that uses a flat metal plate with a design etched into it to transfer ink to paper

"Printing press transfers ink to paper."

"The printing press transfers ink from a plate onto paper for mass production of books and newspapers."

the process or action of joining a school, course, etc.

"The enrollment deadline is soon."

"Students must complete the enrollment process before the semester begins."

something that is used to measure a particular condition or value

"The traffic light is an indicator of when to stop."

"The traffic light is an indicator of when to stop and drivers must obey its signals."

persevering determination to perform a task

"His industriousness earns him a promotion."

"His industriousness earns him a promotion and he is recognized as the hardest working employee in the company."

a skilled craftsperson who creates objects partly or entirely by hand

"Skilled local artisan."

"The skilled artisan worked for many hours to create the handmade furniture with great care."

someone who buys and sells goods wholesale

"The merchant sold goods."

"The merchant sold silks and spices imported from distant countries along the trade route."

to observe an activity in order to ensure that everything is done properly

"The manager oversees all daily operations here."

"The project manager will oversee the entire construction process to ensure that everything is completed on time and within budget."

to severely criticize, often with the intention of correcting someone's behavior or actions

"The teacher chastised the student."

"The coach had to chastise the player for his repeated rule violations during the important championship game."

someone who spins (who twists fibers into threads)

"The spinster made thread."

"The skilled spinster worked diligently at her wheel, transforming raw wool into fine thread."

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."

to create something, like a list or book, by gathering information from different places

"I will compile the list."

"The historian spent years compiling primary sources for his definitive book on the era."

a branch within a university or college, responsible for teaching and research in a specific subject area or field of study

"The faculty teaches many students."

"The entire faculty of the university voted to accept the new academic calendar proposed by the administration for the upcoming school year."

an item that provides lasting evidence or information about past events, actions, or conditions

"This is a record."

"The library meticulously maintains a detailed record of every book accessioned into its collection."

a formal record or log where specific information, such as names, dates, or transactions, is systematically recorded

"The register has names."

"Please consult the official register for a comprehensive list of all registered participants in the conference."

a detailed list or record of all the items or goods in stock or on hand within a particular location, organization, or system

"We checked the store inventory."

"Just-in-time inventory is a complex management strategy that reduces carrying costs by receiving goods only as they are needed in the rigorous production process."

(usually plural) anything that a person has or owns at a specific time

"The possession was valuable."

"His most valuable possession was an old wristwatch that had belonged to his grandfather because it held sentimental value far beyond its monetary worth."

a place or a collection of records or documents of historical importance

"The archive is huge."

"Researchers accessed the archive containing classified wartime government correspondence yesterday."

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."

extremely important or necessary

"This is a critical time."

"Having a clear understanding of the problem is critical to finding an effective solution that will last."

the number of times something changes or happens during a specific period of time

"The crime rate has fallen significantly."

"An exchange rate is the value of one currency against another"

substandard or below average

"The food is mediocre."

"The mediocre performance of the team disappointed the fans who had expected them to win the championship easily."

to move forward or make progress with difficulty

"He had to struggle."

"The small business had to struggle for survival in the highly competitive market."

a corset worn to shape and support the torso

"She wore a bodice."

"The elaborate bodice of the historical gown was adorned with intricate beadwork."

items made or produced for sale

"These goods are cheap."

"The store received a new shipment of high-quality goods from its international suppliers this morning."

to make information that was previously unknown or kept in secrecy publicly known

"The report will reveal the truth."

"The investigation revealed shocking evidence that completely changed the direction of the criminal case."

a valuable resource or quality owned by an individual, organization, or entity, typically with economic value and the potential to provide future benefits

"The house is their greatest asset."

"The company's greatest asset is its loyal and skilled workforce which has been with the firm for many years."

an amount of money or a favor that is owed

"The debt is large."

"He worked hard to repay the debt as quickly as possible."

a person's name written in a specific and unique way, often for the purpose of authentication or verification

"Sign this document with your signature."

"The gallery owner recognized the artist's distinctive signature on the painting."

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."

an intangible difficulty or challenge that must be overcome

"The biggest obstacle was lack of funding."

"The lack of funding was the biggest obstacle preventing the research team from completing their important project."

to suppress, restrain, or hinder the growth, development, or intensity of something

"Don't stifle creativity."

"The oppressive regime attempted to stifle any dissent by controlling all forms of media and public expression."

an organization of people who have a common purpose

"Professional association joined."

"She joined the professional association to network with other experts in her field successfully."

the act of applying or implementing an idea, theory, or plan into real-world actions or activities

"Good practice makes perfect."

"The consistent practice of mindfulness meditation helped him manage his daily stress effectively."

relating to the population of a particular group, area, or society

"The data is demographic."

"The demographic data showed that the population was aging rapidly and the government planned to increase funding for elderly care."

the process of reorganizing or repairing a system or structure

"The reconstruction of the house took months."

"The complete reconstruction of the collapsed bridge required extensive planning and resources."

someone who shares the same blood with a specific person who lived many years ago

"She is a descendant."

"She claims to be a direct descendant of a famous king from the sixteenth century."

to develop or progress in a way that shows promise or potential

"The story will unfold soon."

"As the investigation continued, the complex plot began to unfold, revealing shocking new evidence."

a moral or religious speech, usually given during a church service

"The vicar delivered a brief sermon about the virtue of kindness."

"A fiery sermon from a traveling preacher could once draw a massive crowd to a town square"

an example of a certain kind of situation

"This is a common case."

"In this particular case, the evidence strongly suggests innocence."

involving two or more different groups, areas, or types that are working together, connected, or influencing each other

"This is a cross-cultural project."

"The company is pursuing a cross-disciplinary approach to solve complex scientific problems."