Unit 6 - Part 1 · Interchange Upper Intermediate Vocabulary List

to want something or someone that we must have if we want to do or be something

"Plants need sunlight and water."

"Plants need sunlight water and nutrients from the soil to grow healthy and strong."

a piece of furniture with shelves and doors, usually built into a wall, designed for storing things like foods, dishes, etc.

"She stored the dishes in the kitchen cupboard."

"The kitchen cupboard contained canned goods pasta and rice neatly organized on adjustable shelves."

a device that gives warning of a fire, by making a loud noise

"The fire alarm detects smoke and heat."

"The fire alarm beeped loudly when the toast burned triggering a false evacuation of the building."

a box-shaped piece of equipment with a front door that is usually part of a stove, used for baking, cooking, or heating food

"The oven is preheated."

"She preheated the oven to three hundred fifty degrees before putting the cake batter inside to bake for about thirty minutes until it was golden brown and fully cooked."

the highest part of a room, vehicle, etc. that covers it from the inside

"The ceiling is high."

"The ornate ceiling of the grand ballroom was adorned with intricate frescoes and gold leaf."

(of a flame or light) shining unsteadily or unevenly, often with quick and irregular movements of light or color

"The candle is flickering."

"The flickering candle cast dancing shadows on the wall and made the old house feel creepy and haunted."

regular and without any exceptional features

"That is a common bird."

"While not exceptional, the quiet village offered a common, peaceful way of life."

in a manner that almost does not occur or happen

"He hardly ever eats junk food."

"He hardly ever eats junk food because he is very health conscious and prefers to cook fresh meals at home."

to move or act very quickly

"Do not rush through your homework."

"There is no need to rush through your homework because accuracy is more important than finishing quickly in this case."

to fix something that is damaged, broken, or not working properly

"He can repair the broken chair."

"The mechanic said he can repair my car by Friday if I bring it in tomorrow morning."

to physically harm something

"The flood damages buildings."

"The storm damaged several cars and houses in the coastal town where we used to live."

to communicate with someone by calling or writing to them

"Contact me by phone."

"Please contact our customer service department if you have any problems with your new device."

an amount of money that is paid back because of returning goods to a store or one is not satisfied with the goods or services

"The store gave me a full refund for the damaged item."

"The store gave her a full refund after she returned the defective blender that had stopped working after only two uses."

a measure of how hot or cold something or somewhere is

"The temperature dropped below freezing last night."

"The doctor checked the patient's temperature to see if they had a fever."

a type of electromagnetic radiation that makes it possible to see, produced by the sun or another source of illumination

"I need more light."

"The dim light filtered through the trees, creating an ethereal atmosphere in the forest."

a living thing that grows in ground or water, usually has leaves, stems, flowers, etc.

"The plant needs more water."

"She waters her indoor plants every week and makes sure they get enough sunlight to grow healthy and strong."

a space in a wall or vehicle that is made of glass and we use to look outside or get some fresh air

"Open the window."

"She opened the window to let some fresh air into the stuffy room because the heater had been on all day and made it feel too warm and dry inside."

something such as a button or key that turns a machine, lamp, etc. on or off

"Press the light switch."

"He flipped the light switch several times but nothing happened so he realized the electricity had probably been cut off due to an unpaid bill."

to make something have no bacteria, marks, or dirt

"Clean your room every week."

"I need to clean my room this weekend because it is very messy and disorganized."

to fill the role or take the place of someone or something

"Replace the bulb."

"The technician was called in to replace the faulty component in the complex machinery."

to repair something that is broken

"He fixes the broken chair today."

"The mechanic promised to fix my car's engine problem by Friday afternoon."

to cover a surface or object with a colored liquid, usually for decoration

"I will paint that wall."

"She decided to paint the entire living room a soothing shade of blue for a calming atmosphere."

to clean someone or something with water, often with a type of soap

"Wash your hands before eating."

"Please wash your hands before dinner because we just came from the garden."

to make a person or thing different

"The weather can change quickly."

"The new manager plans to change the company's entire marketing strategy to increase customer engagement."

a statement that conveys one's dissatisfaction

"I have a complaint."

"The customer filed a formal complaint about the poor service he received."

a financial institution that keeps and lends money and provides other financial services

"The bank is closed today."

"She opened an account at the bank."

able to be trusted to perform consistently well and meet expectations

"My car is reliable."

"The reliable old truck never broke down even after two hundred thousand miles and the farmer trusted it completely."

someone whose job is to serve meals to customers in a restaurant

"The server brought food."

"The efficient server ensured all our needs were met promptly throughout the meal."

to use a supply of energy, fuel, etc.

"Cars consume fuel."

"Electric vehicles are designed to consume significantly less energy than traditional gasoline cars."

a piece of fabric that is used to cover the inside surface of something, such as clothes

"The lining is soft."

"The lining inside the coat made it warmer and more comfortable."

to regain the possession of a thing or person

"Take back the stolen item."

"I need to take back this faulty appliance to the store for a full refund or an exchange."

to change the color of something by a liquid dye or chemical

"The juice will stain."

"Be careful not to spill the red wine, as it will deeply stain the tablecloth."

to let gas or liquid flow through a crack or small hole

"The pipe leaks water onto floor."

"The old pipe in the basement began to leak water and caused a small flood on the floor."