Test 4 - Reading - Passage 3 (1) · Cambridge IELTS Academic 18 Vocabulary List

the gradual movement and formation of continents (as described by plate tectonics)

"The theory of continental drift explains why continents move."

"The theory of continental drift explains why the continents look like they could fit together."

over a large area or covering a wide range of subjects, places, or people

"The doctor examined the patient extensively."

"The doctor examined the patient extensively and ordered several tests to determine the cause of his symptoms."

a strong disagreement or argument over something that involves many people

"Public controversy arose."

"The controversy over the law lasted for weeks."

the entire duration of a person's life, from birth to death, or the duration of existence of something in general

"He receives a lifetime achievement award for his work."

"He receives a lifetime achievement award for his work and is honored at a ceremony in London."

in a direction that is sideways or to the side

"The water moved laterally through the soil."

"The water moved laterally through the soil spreading out to the sides rather than soaking straight down."

seeming believable or reasonable enough to be considered true

"Her excuse is plausible."

"The plausible explanation for the power outage was a lightning strike but the investigators found no evidence of storm damage."

a field of science that studies the structure of the earth and its history

"Geology is about rocks and earth."

"After studying geology for four years, he finally got a job exploring natural resources in remote areas."

the branch of science that deals with the physical properties and processes of the Earth, including the behavior of its solid matter, the atmosphere, and the magnetic and gravitational fields

"Geophysics studies the Earth."

"Exploration geophysics uses the science of seismic reflection to map the deep subsurface structures that could potentially trap oil and gas deposits kilometers below the Earth's surface."

the branch of science that studies fossils

"Paleontology is the study of ancient life through fossils and old bones."

"Paleontology helps us understand ancient life by studying fossils from millions of years ago."

the scientific study of climates, including long-term patterns of temperature, humidity, wind, and other atmospheric conditions

"Climatology is the study of long-term weather patterns and climate change."

"Climatology uses decades of historical weather data to analyze long-term atmospheric trends and build predictive models for the future of Earth's climate system."

used to give more specific information or examples regarding what has just been mentioned

"Two students namely John and Mary passed."

"Two students namely John and Mary passed the test with perfect scores while everyone else failed completely."

the branch of geology studying the folding and faulting of the earth's crust

"Plate tectonics causes earthquakes and volcanic eruptions."

"Plate tectonics causes earthquakes and volcanic eruptions when massive earth plates shift and collide."

related to evolution or the slow and gradual development of something

"The change is evolutionary."

"The evolutionary theory explains how species change over time through natural selection and adaptation to their environments."

(biology) the slow and gradual development of living things throughout the history of the earth

"Evolution explains how animals change."

"The theory of evolution suggests that all living species have gradually developed from simpler organisms over millions of years."

a natural process resulting in the evolution of organisms best adapted to the environment

"Natural selection drives the evolution of species."

"Natural selection drives the evolution of species by favoring traits that help survival and reproduction."

arousing interest and curiosity due to being strange or mysterious

"The idea is intriguing."

"The intriguing mystery novel kept her up all night because she could not put it down until she solved the case."

to create something, usually an idea, a solution, or a plan, through one's own efforts or thinking

"Come up with a good idea."

"The team needs to come up with a creative solution to the problem before the deadline."

a scientist who studies the Earth's structure, composition, processes, and history, including rocks, minerals, fossils, and geological phenomena

"Geologist studies Earth."

"The experienced geologist spent many weeks studying the rock layers to understand the history of the mountain."

a scientist who studies or observes planets, stars, and other happenings in the universe

"The astronomer discovered a new comet."

"The astronomer spent every clear night looking through the telescope hoping to discover a new comet or asteroid."

to engage in an occupation as a way of earning money

"She wants to pursue a career in music."

"After graduating from law school she decided to pursue a career as a human rights lawyer."

a branch of science that studies space, planets, etc.

"He developed a keen interest in astronomy early on."

"Radio astronomy allows scientists to observe celestial phenomena otherwise invisible."

up in or into the air

"The flag flew aloft in the wind."

"The flag flew aloft in the wind and everyone could see it waving proudly from the top of the pole."

made known; especially made widely known

"The event is publicized."

"The highly publicized trial attracted reporters from all over the world and the courthouse was surrounded by news vans every day."

to become well-known or respected in a particular field or area through one's achievements or actions

"He made a name for himself as a chef."

"He hopes to make a name for himself as a musician by playing at local venues and festivals."

a scientist who studies and predicts weather conditions by analyzing atmospheric patterns, utilizing tools such as weather models, instruments, and data to provide forecasts and weather-related information

"She is a meteorologist."

"The meteorologist carefully studied weather patterns to give accurate forecasts for the coming week."

an individual who is trained in physics

"The physicist works on quantum mechanics."

"The physicist works on quantum mechanics and tries to understand the behavior of subatomic particles."

the branch of physical science that deals with the relationships between heat, work, and energy, particularly the principles governing the conversion of various forms of energy

"Thermodynamics studies heat and energy."

"The second law of thermodynamics states that the total entropy of an isolated system can only increase over time"

a written report that describes original research or findings on a particular scientific topic and is published in a scientific journal or conference proceedings

"Scientific paper reports experimental findings."

"The scientific paper described a hypothesis experiment and conclusions following the standardized IMRAD format for publication."

for the greatest part

"The decision was largely based on cost."

"The decision was largely based on cost rather than quality because the company had a very tight budget to work with."

the study of the climate of past ages

"Paleoclimatology studies ancient climates using ice cores."

"Paleoclimatology studies ancient climates using ice cores tree rings and sediment layers from lakes."

try very hard to do something

"He was at pains to explain the problem."

"The politician was at pains to explain that he had not broken any rules or laws."

including many specific elements or pieces of information

"The map is detailed."

"The detailed map showed every hiking trail in the national park and the campers used it to plan their route through the mountains."

causing a lot of strong public disagreement or discussion

"A controversial decision."

"The controversial decision to build the factory near the school angered many parents and teachers in the community."

a rule or principle that provides guidance to appropriate behavior

"Honesty is a guidepost for behavior."

"Honesty serves as a crucial guidepost for maintaining trust in any relationship."

in a way that is very quick and often unexpected

"The river flowed rapidly downstream."

"The stock market prices rose rapidly, surprising investors with their swift and significant increase."

a careful systematic search

"The exploration of space requires massive resources."

"The exploration of space requires massive resources and international cooperation among many countries."

the general opinion that the public has about someone or something because of what they did in the past

"Her reputation is solid."

"The company’s reputation was damaged by the scandal."

originating from to relating to the large landmasses on Earth's surface known as continents

"It is a continental climate."

"The continental climate experiences significant temperature variations between summer and winter seasons."

an event in which something is displaced without rotation

"The displacement was quick."

"The sudden displacement of the furniture created an unexpected obstacle in the walkway."

to put forward a suggestion, plan, or idea for consideration

"He will propose a new plan."

"The committee proposed several changes to the existing policy in order to make it more effective and fair."

the point or place where something has its foundation or beginning

"Unknown origin story."

"The origin of this ancient custom is still unknown to historians after many years of research."

to assume or accept something as true or necessary for the sake of argument, explanation, or theory

"Suppose you are tired."

"Let us suppose for a moment that the hypothesis is correct and see where it leads."

anything that proves the truth or possibility of something, such as facts, objects, or signs

"There is no evidence of a crime."

"Circumstantial evidence alone is insufficient for a conviction in a court of law."

a particular detail, feature, or aspect of something

"I respect that point."

"In this respect, the new policy is significantly more effective than the previous one implemented."

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."

having a connection to or originating in the Earth's atmosphere

"The atmospheric pressure dropped."

"The atmospheric conditions were perfect for stargazing because there were no clouds and the air was clear and dry."

a person who teaches courses at a college or university, often with a focus on undergraduate education, but who does not hold the rank of professor

"The lecturer was clear."

"The lecturer explained the topic so carefully that even difficult ideas felt easier to understand."

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"

an unofficial association of people or groups

"They formed a circle."

"The secret circle of friends met regularly to discuss their shared interests and concerns."

an auxiliary activity

"It is a sideline."

"While his main job is accounting, photography serves as a profitable sideline for him."

the point or degree to which something extends

"What is the extent?"

"The full extent of the damage caused by the wildfire is still being assessed by authorities."

the manner or method of managing or dealing with something or someone

"How is the treatment?"

"The patient's successful recovery was attributed to the innovative treatment plan."

to set aside a specific amount of time or space to discuss or focus on a topic

"Devote time to reading."

"She decided to devote the entire afternoon to researching the historical context of the novel."

the way in which something is perceived or received by others, often referring to the response or reaction to an idea, message, or product

"The reception was good."

"The novel received a mixed reception from critics, with some praising its originality and others finding it too contrived."

to actively engage in or carry out a specific activity or endeavor

"Pursue your dreams."

"He decided to pursue a career in medicine after volunteering at the local hospital."

a sequence of related events, actions, or developments

"Follow this line."

"The investigative journalist uncovered a complex line of evidence pointing to corruption at the highest levels."

to resume something, a story, activity, or relationship

"Pick up the book."

"After a brief interruption, the speaker continued to pick up the thread of his argument."

continuously varying

"The sand is shifting."

"The shifting sands of the desert made it difficult to navigate and the travelers relied on the stars to find their way."

to describe the qualities of someone or something in a certain manner

"How would you characterize his leadership style?"

"The critic characterized the film as a slow moving drama with excellent acting but a weak and predictable plot."

to show a particular quality, characteristic, or emotion

"It will reflect."

"Her genuine smile seemed to reflect the joy she felt in that moment."

something that has developed from an earlier thing and still shows some connection to its original form or design

"The descendant is old."

"This ancient artifact is a fascinating descendant of early agricultural tools."

an alphabetical listing of topics, names, or terms with references to their locations, typically in a book or document

"Check the index please."

"The book's index lists all topics alphabetically with corresponding page numbers."