Test 4 - Reading - Passage 3 · Cambridge IELTS Academic 15 Vocabulary List

related to the core and most important or basic parts of something

"The change is fundamental."

"The fundamental principles of mathematics are taught in elementary school and students build upon them throughout their education."

a person whose occupation or hobby is catching fish

"The fisherman went early."

"The fisherman caught fish near the shore."

a workplace where fish are caught and processed and sold

"The fishery has strict quotas to prevent overfishing."

"The fishery has strict quotas to prevent overfishing and ensure that fish populations remain sustainable."

the act of cutting down trees to use their wood

"Illegal logging damages forest."

"Illegal logging in the Amazon rainforest destroys habitats and contributes significantly to global carbon emissions."

an agreement in which we agree to pay rent to use someone else's house, room, etc.

"The lease ends next year."

"They signed a one year lease for the apartment and agreed not to sublet the space to other people."

lacking practical knowledge and experience and tending to believe everything

"He is unsophisticated."

"The young traveler, still unsophisticated about the world, easily fell for the street vendor's elaborate sales pitch."

a person who owns land

"The landowner allows hikers to cross his property."

"The landowner granted permission for hikers to cross his property using the marked trail."

to perform better or achieve superior results compared to someone or something else in a competitive context

"The new species outcompeted the native ones."

"The larger stronger invasive species can easily outcompete the native animals for limited food resources leading to their eventual decline."

an organization that helps those in need by giving them money, food, etc.

"Charity helps people in need."

"He donated a large sum of money to charity choosing to support organizations that provide clean drinking water to communities in developing countries."

a natural or legal person that owns at least one share in a company

"Any shareholder can submit a question ahead of the general meeting."

"An activist shareholder is an individual who uses their equity stake in a corporation to pressure its management and board of directors into a specific course of action."

used for stating conditions necessary for something to happen or be available

"You can go provided that you return early."

"You can borrow my car provided that you return it by tomorrow evening."

to describe something using a specific word or phrase

"The agreement terms the payment schedule clearly."

"This condition is termed seasonal affective disorder which is a type of depression related to changes in seasons."

with full awareness and intention

"He knowingly broke the law."

"He knowingly broke the law and now he must face the consequences of his actions in court."

to bring a charge against an individual or organization in a law court

"The customer plans to sue the company."

"The customer plans to sue the company for negligence after suffering serious injuries from a defective product."

the lowest level of salary, set by the law

"Minimum wage increased."

"The minimum wage helps workers earn enough to live."

to officially tell people something

"The president declared a state of emergency."

"The president declared a state of emergency after the earthquake caused widespread destruction across several states."

an individual, institution, etc. that owns shares or stocks in a corporation

"The stockholder owns shares."

"Each stockholder received a dividend payment of two dollars per share after the company announced record profits for the third quarter."

causing a lot of damage or harm

"His behavior is destructive."

"The destructive hurricane destroyed hundreds of homes and left thousands of people without electricity or clean water for weeks."

in the end of or over a long period of time

"Healthy habits help in long run."

"Saving money now will benefit you over the long run when you retire."

someone who works in the government or a law-making organization

"The politician gave a long speech."

"The politician promised to lower taxes during her campaign but after being elected she claimed the economic situation made that promise impossible to keep."

not generating a profit, gain, or financial benefit

"The business is unprofitable."

"The unprofitable division of the company was sold to another firm because it was losing money every single quarter."

(of a business) providing benefits or valuable returns

"The business is profitable."

"The profitable company shared its earnings with employees by giving generous bonuses at the end of each fiscal year."

data that shows the past performance of an organization, product, or person, often used as a basis of evaluation

"Good track record."

"The company has a very good track record of completing projects on time and within budget."

to express your annoyance, unhappiness, or dissatisfaction about something

"The customers complain about the service."

"Customers often complain when the service is slow but they rarely praise when everything goes perfectly."

in a sequential manner, referring to actions or events occurring in a specific order

"He helped me and I in turn helped him."

"He helped me and I in turn helped him so we both benefited from our cooperation and teamwork."

to put force on something or to use power in order to influence someone or something

"Do not exert too much pressure on it."

"You need to exert a lot of force to open this jar because the lid is stuck very tightly."

affected by a disease-causing agent, such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites

"The wound is infected."

"The infected wound was red and swollen and the doctor prescribed antibiotics to stop the infection from spreading further."

a wholesaler in the meat-packing business

"The meat packer works in a large processing plant."

"The meat packer works in a large processing plant and cuts beef into steaks and roasts."

feeling very angry or deeply offended

"She is outraged."

"The outraged citizens protested outside city hall after the mayor announced plans to cut funding for public schools."

used to show compliance with a specific rule, guideline, or standard

"We acted in accordance with the rules."

"We acted in accordance with the rules and completed all the required paperwork."

the principles of right and wrong that are accepted by an individual or a social group

"Honesty is a fundamental moral principle."

"Honesty is a fundamental moral principle and society would collapse without trust."

expressed very clearly, leaving no doubt or confusion

"The movie has explicit scenes."

"The movie contained explicit violence and strong language so parents were advised not to bring young children to see it."

narrowly and conventionally moral

"His tone is moralistic."

"The moralistic lecture about the dangers of premarital sex made the teenagers roll their eyes and ignore the speaker completely."

the fact or state of not having the necessary information, knowledge, or understanding of something

"Ignorance can cause mistakes."

"His ignorance about the local customs caused him to accidentally offend his hosts during the business dinner."

from the perspective or responsibility of a particular individual or group

"It was a mistake on the part of the manager."

"There was a serious mistake on the part of the company and they apologized publicly."

to increase knowledge or understanding about a particular issue, cause, or topic

"We need to raise awareness about pollution."

"The charity campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of mental health support for young people."

to exert a significant influence on the development, nature, or outcome of something

"Shape the future."

"His early experiences profoundly shaped his perspective on life."

to go against established norms or principles

"Do not offend me."

"His insensitive remarks were perceived to offend the deeply held beliefs of the community."

(economics) a restriction on trade imposed by a government that limits the import, export or production of a particular product

"The quota was strict."

"The government imposed a strict quota on imported steel to protect domestic industries."

using one's power or authority to do illegal things for personal gain or financial benefit

"The officer is corrupt."

"The corrupt official accepted bribes from construction companies and he was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for his crimes."

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 complete change, resulting in a situation that is opposite to the previous one

"It is a reverse."

"The company experienced a complete reverse in its fortunes after the economic downturn."

to critique or find fault with something or someone

"Don't blame me."

"It is unfair to blame the entire team for the failure of the project."

to overlook or neglect something important or noteworthy

"Do not ignore it."

"It is unwise to ignore the subtle but critical warning signs of an impending crisis."

an action that one must perform because they are legally or morally forced to do so

"He has an obligation."

"Parents have an obligation to care for children."

a member of a board of directors; one of a group of senior managers who run a company

"The director approved it."

"The new director has a vision to significantly expand the company's market share."

legally answerable to action or penalty under the law

"He is liable for damage."

"If the contract is breached, the company will be liable for significant financial penalties."

to break an agreement, law, etc.

"They breach the law."

"By ignoring the court order, the company was found to have committed a serious breach of legal regulations."

legally obligated to act in the best interests of another party, typically when managing their assets or affairs

"Her duty is fiduciary."

"The fiduciary duty of the financial advisor requires him to act in his clients best interest rather than his own."

used to indicate the method or channel by which something is done

"We went through the door."

"The information was disseminated through a network of trusted intermediaries, ensuring its accurate transmission."

using natural resources in a way that causes no harm to the environment

"The project is sustainable."

"The sustainable farming practices protect the soil and water for future generations to use."

a sudden and unfortunate event that causes a great amount of death and destruction

"The flood was a big disaster."

"The oil spill was an environmental disaster that killed thousands of sea animals and polluted the beautiful beaches along the coast."

(of content of a container) to be emptied out onto a surface

"Be careful not to spill the milk."

"Be careful not to spill your coffee on the important documents that are lying on the desk."

at or to a certain distance away in physical space

"Move off the road."

"Please step off the busy road and wait on the sidewalk until the traffic has completely cleared."

in a manner that is environmentally practical in the long term, without draining resources or causing harm

"Live sustainably now."

"Many businesses are now striving to operate more sustainably to reduce their environmental impact."

to gather resources so one can use them later

"We harvest crops."

"Farmers diligently harvest their crops to ensure a plentiful supply for the winter."

to give or order the giving of something, such as payment, compensation, or a contract, based on judgment, merit, or entitlement

"They award him money."

"The court will award damages to the plaintiff for the significant losses incurred."

to try very hard to persuade someone to do something

"Press the red button."

"You need to press the button firmly and hold it for three seconds to turn on the device."

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."

to ensure that a law or rule is followed

"Police enforce the law."

"The new regulations will strictly enforce the company's environmental protection policies."

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."

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."

the act or process of something becoming known or shared by a larger area or group

"The spread was fast."

"The rapid spread of misinformation online poses a significant challenge to public trust."

to no longer continue something altogether

"They abandon the plan."

"After careful consideration, the committee decided to abandon the controversial project due to public outcry."

to decline in amount or value in a sudden and rapid way

"The stock price plummeted dramatically."

"The company's stock value began to plummet dramatically after the scandal was revealed to the public."

to assign a rank, position, or category based on an assessment, comparison, or standard

"I place you first."

"We will place the highest priority on ensuring the safety of all participants."

to begin to exist or become noticeable

"Problems arise when people are careless."

"Problems may arise during the project, but the team is prepared to handle any unexpected challenges."

to give someone the ability, strength, or confidence to take control or make decisions independently

"This will empower you."

"Education can empower individuals to overcome adversity and achieve their full potential."

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."

an intense and selfish desire for something such as power and wealth

"Greed caused problems."

"Greed can lead people to act unfairly."