Check Your English Vocabulary for IELTS_

First published in Great Britain 2001 by A & C Black Publishers Ltd This second edition published 2012 by Bloomsbury Publishing Pic 50 Bedford Square London W C1B 3DP www.bloomsbury.com Copyright © Rawdon Wyatt, 2012 All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN: 978-1-4081-5393-2 This book is produced using paper that is made from wood grown in managed, sustainable forests. It is natural, renewable and recyclable. The logging and manufacturing processes conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin. Typeset by Saxon Graphics Ltd, Derby Printed and bound in Great Britain by MPG Books Limited

About this workbook about this workbook Introduction This w o rk b o o k has been w ritten for students w h o are planning to sit either the Academic or General Training modules of the IELTS examination. It covers some of the main vocabulary areas that you will need for, or come across in, the Listening, Reading, W ritin g and Speaking sections of the exam. W e hope that you find the exercises in this book useful, and that the vocabulary you acquire will help you to achieve the grade you w a n t in the IELTS. Good luck! Structure of the hook Each vocabulary area is presented in the form of a self-contained m odule w ith task-based activities which present each vocabulary item in context. • Pages 1 - 5 7 focus on genera! vocabulary items. Some of these are relevant to specific tasks or questions in the IELTS examination (for example, describing h o w something works, talking about changes shown in a graph or table, saying w here things are and following directions). • Pages 5 8 - 1 0 4 focus on topic-specific vocabulary areas which may be required in the examination (for example, education, architecture, family matters and science and technology). Each m odule consists of three tasks: the first t w o present vocabulary items in context, each w ith a practice or recognition exercise, and the third gives you the opportunity to review the vocabulary in a gap-fill exercise. • Pages 1 0 5 - 1 2 4 contain a comprehensive key so you can check y o u r answers. T h e answer key also gives additional information abo u t specific vocabulary items or general vocabulary areas, as well as other useful w ords or phrases. Using the workbook You should not w o rk through the book mechanically from beginning to end. It is better to choose areas that you are unfamiliar with, or areas that you feel are of specific interest or importance to yourself. Recording, reviewing and extending your vocabulary Remember that you should keep a record of new words, phrases and expressions that you acquire, and review these on a regular basis so that they become part of yo u r active vocabulary. Also rem em ber tha t there are other ways of acquiring n e w vocabulary. For example, you should read as much as possible from a variety of authentic reading materials (books, newspapers, magazines, web-based articles, etc.). Using an English dictionary To help you develop y o u r vocabulary m ore effectively, you should use a go o d m onolingual English dictionary. This should clearly explain w hat the words mean, show you how they are pronounced, sh o w you their various forms w h e re relevant (e.g., w h a t the noun fo rm o f an adjective is), tell you which words or phrases they collocate with, and give sample sentences to show you h o w the words are used. W e particularly recommend the M acm illan English Dictionary fo r Advanced Learners (ISBN 978-1405026284). A free on-line version of this can also be found at www.macmillandictionary.com. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) T h e IELTS is administered by the University of Cam bridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), the British Council and IDP Education Australia. For further information, visit w w w .u d e s .o rg .u k . Note that this book is not endorsed by any of these organisations.

contents Contents Page Title Page Title General vocabulary 47 Reason & result 48 Shape & features 1 Addition, equation and conclusion 49 Size, quantity & dimension 2 Around the world 51 Spelling 3 Changes 1 52 Stopping something 5 Changes 2 53 Success & failure 7 Condition 54 Task commands 8 Confusing words & false friends 1 55 Time 10 Confusing words & false friends 2 56 Useful interview expressions 12 Context & meaning 1 14 Context & meaning 2 Topic-specific vocabulary 16 Context & meaning 3 18 Contrast and comparison 58 Architecture 19 Emphasis & misunderstanding 61 The arts 20 Focusing attention 64 Business & industry 21 Generalisations & specifics 67 Children & the family 23 Groups 69 Crime & the law 24 How something works 71 Education 25 Joining or becoming part of something bigger 73 The environment 26 Likes & dislikes 75 Food & diet 27 Location & direction 78 Geography 30 Modified words 80 Global problems 32 Objects & actions 82 Healthcare 34 Obligation & option 84 The media 35 Opinion, attitude & belief 86 Men & women 37 Opposites: adjectives 89 Money & finance 38 Opposites: verbs 91 On the road 39 Ownership, giving, lending & borrowing 93 Science & technology 40 Phrasal verbs 1 96 Sport 41 Phrasal verbs 2 98 Town & country 43 Phrasal verbs 3 100 Travel 44 Phrasal verbs 4 102 Work 46 Presenting an argument 105 Answers iv

Addition, equation & conclusion general vocabulary 1 Put the follow ing words and phrases into their correct place in the table depending on their function. along with also and as well as besides correspondingly equaHy furthermore in addition in brief in conclusion in the same way likewise moreover similarly thus therefore to conclude to summarise to sum up briefly too we can conclude that what's more Addition Equation Conclusion and in conclusion equally 2 Complete these sentences w ith one of the w ords or phrases from above. In most cases, more than 1 one answer is possible. 1. Tourism brings m uch-needed m o ney to developing countries............................................................... .. it provides e m plo ym e n t fo r the local population. 2 .................................................................. b rin ging m uch-needed m oney to developing countries, tourism provides em ploym ent for the local population. 3. Tourists should respect the local e n viro n m e n t............................................................... the y should respect the local customs. 4 .................................................................. industrial waste, pollution from car fum es is poisoning the e nviro nm e nt. 5. In o rde r to travel, yo u need a passport................................................................, you m ig h t need a visa, im munisation jabs and w ritten permission to visit certain areas. 6. Drugs are banned in Britain - .............................................................w eapons such as guns and knives. 7. A ll p o w e r corrupts............................................................... .. absolute p o w e r corrupts absolutely. 8. You sh o uld n 't smoke, drink, take drugs o r eat unhealthy f o o d .................................................................. you should live a m ore healthy lifestyle. 9. Th e o zo ne layer is becom ing depleted, the air in the cities is becom ing to o d irty to breathe and o u r seas and rivers are no longer safe to swim in................................................................ pollution is slowly destroying the planet. 10. Yo u r grades have been very p o or fo r the past tw o years................................................................. you need to w o rk really hard if you w a n t to pass yo u r exams next m onth.

general vocabulary Around the world 1 Choose the correct w o rd or phrase in bold to com plete these sentences. 1. Japan, Korea and Taiw a n are all in the Near East / the M id dle East / the Far East. 2. Th e South Pole is situated in the Arctic / Antarctic / Antarctica. 3. N e w Zealand is part of A ustria /Australia / Australasia. 4. Bangladesh is part of the Indian su bcontine n t / India / Indiana. 5. Guatem ala is a co un try in N o rth A m erica / South Am erica / CentralAm erica. 6. A rg e n tin a , Brazil, C olom bia, Panama and Honduras all form part of w h a t is often referred to as Latin Am erica / South Am erica / Spanish America. 7. Botswana is in South Africa / southern Africa / Central Africa. 8. England, Scotland, W ales and N orthern Ireland are kn o w n collectively as Britain / Great Britain / the United Kingdom . 9. T h e United K ing d om and the Republic of Ireland are part of C o ntinental Europe / M ainland Europe / Europe. 10. K uw ait, O m a n and the United A ra b Emirates form part of w h a t are k n o w n as the W e st Indies / the Gulf States / the European Union. 11. Denm ark, Finland, N o rw a y and Sw eden are kn o w n collectively as the Baltic Republics / the Caribbean / Scandinavia. 12. Bangkok, Lima and Tunis are examples of capital / capitol / capitalism cities. 2 W h a t are the nationalities of the people w h o come from these countries? 1. A f g h a n i s t a n . .................. 2. A rg e n tin a ........................... 3. A u s tra lia .......................................... 4. B an gla d esh ..................................... 5. B e lg iu m ................................. 6. B ra zil................................................. 7. C a n a d a ........................................... 8. D e n m a rk .............................. 9. E g y p t.................................................. 10. E n g la n d .......................................... 11. F in la n d ................................ 12. G reece............................................. 13. In d ia ................................................ 14. Ira n ....................................... 15. Ira q................................................... 16. Ireland............................................ 17. Israel.................................... 18. Jap a n ............................................... 19. K u w a it............................................ 20. Le b a n on ............................. 21. M alaysia......................................... 22. M exico............................................. 23. M o ro cco ............................. 24. the N e th e rla n d s......................... 25. N o rw a y........................................... 26. P akistan............................. 27. P eru................................................. 28. the Philippines............................. 29. P olan d ................................. 30. P o rtu g a l......................................... 31. Russia.............................................. 32. Saudi A ra b ia ..................... 33. Scotla n d ......................................... 34. S p a in ............................................... 35. S w e d e n .............................. 36. S w itze rla n d ................................... 37. T h a ila n d ......................................... 38. T u r k e y ................................. 39. W ales ............................................. 40. Y e m e n ............................................. Is you r country on this list? If not, h o w do you say yo u r nationality in English? 2

Changes 1 general vocabulary 1 Look at the gra ph , and com plete the sentences w ith the correct form of the w o rd s and phrases in the box. In m ost cases, m ore than one o ption is possible. decline decrease drop fall fluctuate go down go up increase peak at reach a peak of remain constant remain steady rise English school student numbers: May - August. □ Briarwood School of English Speakeasy School of Languages [ = □ Windsor Language Centre Harefield College May June July August Between May and August... 1. ...student numbers at the Briarwood School of English increa sed / .................... / ....................... 2. ...student numbers at the W indsor Language C e n t r e ....................... / .................. / .................... / .................... / ...................... 3. ...student numbers at the Speakeasy School of L a n g u a g e s .................... / ............................................... 4. ...student numbers at Harefield C o l le g e .......................... T h e y .................. / .................... 120 in June. 2 Look at this table, and complete the sentences on the next page w ith w ords and phrases from the box. In som e cases, m ore tha n one a n s w e r is possible. Th e re is one w o rd o r phrase th a t yo u do not need. January £1.10/ litre Petrol prices £1.55/litre February £1.12/litre June £1.52/litre March £1.15/litre July £1.53/litre April £1.18/litre August £1.58 /litre May £1.16/litre September £1.60 /litre October downward trend dramatically gradually sharply slightly steadily upward trend 3

general vocabulary Changes 1 1. Between January and April, petrol prices incre ased............. ...... / ...................... 2. In May, petrol prices fell — 3. In June, petrol prices rose .. ................./ ........................ 4. Overall, there has been an . ................... in petrol prices 3 Look at the task in the box, then com plete the sample answ er w ith w o rd s and phrases from Exercises 1 and 2. In som e cases, m ore than one a nsw e r m a y be possible. The graph b e lo w shows the n u m b e r o f visitors to three seaside tow ns over a five-m onth period. Summarise the inform ation b y selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. MB Seahaven Bridgeport Westhampton 16 15 14 13 ooo 12 11 lX/l 10 <D 9 _Q E 8 cd Lo_ 7 'i/i 6 >5 4 3 2 1 April May August Sample answer The graph shows h o w m any people visited three seaside tow ns between April and August. T h e n u m b e r of visitors to Seahaven (1) .increased ( 2 ) .................... betw een April and June, then ( 3 ) .................... ( 4 ) .................... in July, and continued to ( 5 ) .................... in August. For the first four months, visitor numbers to B ridgeport ( 6 ) .................... .. but then ( 7 ) .................... ( 8 ) .................... in the final m onth. W e stha m pto n visitor numbers ( 9 ) .................... from April to June, then ( 1 0 ) .................... ( 1 1 ) .................... in July and finally ( 1 2 ) .................... 11,000 in August. Overall, there was an ( 1 3 ) .................... in the n u m b e r of visitors to Seahaven and W e stham pton, but a ( 1 4 ) .................... in the n u m b e r of people visiting Bridgeport. 4

Changes 2 general vocabulary 1 Com plete these sentences w ith the correct form of one of the verbs in the box. Both sentences in each sentence pair should use the same ve rb . In som e cases, the m e an in g of the ve rb m ay change slightly. adjust aftef deteriorate exchange fade reduce renovate swell switch vary 1. M o vin g to the countryside radically altered Some people choose to 3Iter their our lifestyle. appearance with surgery. 2. B y .................... to a different provider, it can I chose drama as an extra-curricular activity, be possible to pay much less for yo u r mobile b u t .................... to p h o to grap hy a f e w weeks phone bills. later. 3. It can take time to to living in a Prices seem low, but w h e n y o u .................... different country. them to allow for tax, they are considerably higher. 4. Th e noise built up rapidly, and then just as As the applause ., the speaker quickly i t .................... into the distance. started talking. 5. Th e a m o u n t of tax you pay on a car People's reactions to the medicine .................... according to the a m o u n t of .................... a lot, w ith some people carbon dioxide it emits. complaining it has no effect at all. 6. Everyone should try t o .................... the M a n y companies were forced t o ....... am ount of fat in their diet. their workforce during the recession. 7. Economic crises often into social Th e w e a t h e r ......................rapidly w h e n it unrest. started raining and the winds picked up. 8. Ankles and other joints often T h e t o w n is home to 3,000 people, but this w h e n people travel by air. f i g u r e .................... to 12,000 in the same summer. 9. T h e tokens can be for food in the student canteen. Shops will n o r m a l l y .................... damaged goods if you have a receipt. 10. Businesses in the city centre were offered In some cases it can be more expensive to fun din g so they c o u l d .................... their .................... an old building than knock it premises. down and build a new one. 5

general vocabulary Changes 2 2 N ow do the same w ith these. adapt cut decline disappear expand improve promote relax replace transform 1. Email has la rg e ly .................... the traditional T h e plan is t o .................... all the old desktop letter as a means o f w ritte n business com puters in the library w ith netbooks. com m unication. 2. Som e com panies are slow to to a Courses can b e ..........................to suit th e needs changing market. of individual students. 3. T h e sym ptom s o f illnesses like measles a re n't As the s u n ....................... behind th e clouds, the usually serious, a n d .................... w ith in a fe w tem perature quickly dropped. days. 4. A college course can help you to find a job Th e 'Peter Principle' is a th e o ry w h ich says o r g e t .................... at w o rk . th a t in a big com pany, everyone eventually g e t s .................... to a jo b th a t is beyond their ability. 5. Som e people th in k th a t the go ve rn m e n t For the final part of the exercise, you need s h o u ld ................... the rules regarding to repeatedly tig h te n , t h e n .................... yo u r building on protected land. stomach muscles. 6. T h e go vern m en t's aim in the next five years T h e best w a y o f .................... y o u r English is to is t o .................... educational standards. practise using it as m uch as possible. 7. W a te r freezes in th e pipes, forcing th e m to Britain's u n iversitie s.......... ..........at an .................... and burst. unprecedented rate at the end of the tw entieth century. 8. S u p e rm a rk e ts .................... prices on m any I believe that governm ents should increase basic items to attract m ore customers. spending on the arts instead o f .................... it. 9. Email and social n e tw o rk in g websites have W h e n it was closed d o w n , the old fire .................... the w a y people com m unicate. station w a s .................... into an art gallery. 10. House prices are so high th a t the n u m b e r o f Because so m any people are o u t o f w o rk , people b uyin g th e ir o w n hom e has living standards a r e .................... rapidly. .................... in th e last five years. 6

Condition general vocabulary 1 Complete the second sentence in each pair so that it has the same or a similar meaning to the first sentence. Use the words or phrases in bold, and any other w ords that are necessary. 1. You can b o rro w m y dictionary if yo u return it before you g o hom e, providing that You can b o rro w m y dictionary P JQ v jd jn g th a ty o u .return \\\\ before you go hom e. 2. I should get m y assignm ent finished this w eekend if I have e no u gh tim e, provided that I should get m y assignm ent finished this w e e k e n d .......................................e nou gh tim e. 3. You can't go to university if you d o n 't get go o d exam grades at school, unless You can't g o to u n iv e rs ity .......................................go od exam grades at school. 4. Students can use the com m o n room in the evening if the y tid y up any mess th e y make, on condition that Students can use the com m on room in the e v e n in g .......................................... up any mess they make. 5. Pollution will get worse if w e continue to live in a th ro w a w a y society, as long as Pollution w ill get w o r s e .......................................to live in a th ro w a w a y society. 6. Children w ill always prefer fast food to fresh fru it and vegetables, even if you tell them h o w unhealthy it is. no matter how Children will always prefer fast food to fresh fru it and v e g e ta b le s ,.......................................tell them it is unhealthy. 7. C o m p uter p rog ra m m in g is complicated, even if you read a lot of books abou t it. however many Com p uter p ro g ra m m in g is c o m p lic a te d ,.................................................................................... read abou t it. 8. Crim e is a problem , even if you live in a small to w n or in the countryside, wherever Crim e is a p ro b le m ,.......................................live. 2 Complete these sentences using an appropriate w ord or phrase from above and your ow n ideas. 1. British universities w ill accept students from a b r o a d ........................................................................................ 2. W orking for a large com pany can be a fulfilling experience 3. Th e environm ental situation will continue to worsen 4. Travelling helps you understand more about the w orld around you 7

Confusing words & false friends 1general vocabulary Confusing words are tw o or more words which: (a) have a similar meaning to each other but which are used in a different w a y (b) are related to the same topic, but have a different meaning (c) look similar, but have a different meaning. False friends are w ords in English which have a similar-looking w o rd in another language, but which have a different meaning. Complete the follow ing sentence pairs w ith the appropriate w ord. 1. aboard / abroad M ore and m ore people go abroad for their holiday. In 2002, she becam e th e first w o m a n to travel aboard the space shuttle Discovery. 2. action / activity W e decided to take im m e d ia te .................... w h e n w e realised there was a problem . T h e e nviro nm e n ta l changes in the area are th e result o f h u m a n ....................... 3. advice / advise Can y o u ...................m e on the best course of action to take? He offered me some e x c e lle n t....................... 4. affect / effect D iverting the course of the river w ill have a m a jo r ...................on the local ecosystem. Frequent traffic jams in th e suburbs se rio u s ly.................... jo u rn e y times into the city. 5. appreciable / appreciative W id e n in g the road m ade a n ...................difference to th e flo w of traffic. T h e applause at the end o f the concert was w a rm a n d ..................... 6. avoid / prevent Rapid international action m anaged t o .................... an enviro nm e n ta l disaster fro m tak in g place. Th e re are areas in th e city th a t are wise t o .................... after dark. 7. beside / besides T h e com pany's m ain office i s .................... th e railw ay station. .................... th e ir regular daytim e jo b , m any people d o extra w o rk in the evening. 8. briefly /shortly .................... before th e earthquake began, m a ny animals w e re seen to be behaving in an unusual manner. She s p o k e .................... b u t passionately a b o u t th e need to help those in d eve lop in g countries. 8

Confusing words & false friends 1 general vocabulary 9. canal / channel A .................... system join ed the tw o m ain rivers, w hich m ade transporting goods m uch quicker. W h e n television first became p o pular in the early 1950s, there was only o n e ....................... 10. conscientious / conscious Most people a r e .................o f the need to protect the e nvironm ent. .................... w orkers should be rew arded fo r their hard w o rk . 11. considerable / considerate In m y o pinio n, some people are not v e r y .................... of those around them . A ............................................a m o u n t of m o n ey was spent on developing the product. 12. continual / continuous T h e co m p uter system has given u s .................... problem s ever since w e installed it. Some days it works, other days it doesn't. T h e ........................noise fro m the n e w m o to rw a y has forced m any people to move. 13. control / inspect N e w teachers often find it difficult t o .................... the ir classes. Environm ental health inspectors regularly .................... comm ercial kitchens fo r cleanliness, especially those in restaurants. 14. criticism / objection I have n o .................... to people using their m obile phones on buses o r trains. Plans fo r the n e w stadium have attracted fie rc e .................... from local people. 15. damage / harm / injury He suffered a se rio u s .................... w hich needed im m ediate hospital treatm ent. T h e lo w levels of dangerous chemicals in the river w ere enough to ca u se .................... to aquatic life. A lot o f .................... was caused to buildings along the coast d urin g the storm. 16. during / for / while T h e college closes.................... t w o weeks at the end of December. He d i e d .................... tryin g to cross the desert alone. M a n y creatures stay u n d e r g ro u n d .................. d ayligh t hours. 17. how ever / moreover Th e plan was g o o d in t h e o ry ..................... . in practice it was extrem ely difficult to im plem ent. T h e plan was excellent....................... it was clear fro m the begin n in g th a t it was goin g to attract a lot of interest. 18. injured / w ounded I believe th a t w e should do m ore to help and support soldiers w h o have been .................... in combat. Several w orkers w e r e .................... w h e n the drilling platform collapsed.

Confusing words & false friends 2general vocabulary Com plete the follow ing sentence pairs w ith the appropriate w o rd or phrase.. 1. jo b / w o rk Everybody has the rig h t to a d e c e n t .................... w ith g o o d pay. D u rin g the econom ic recession, a lot of people fo u n d themselves o u t o f ....................... 2. lay / lie If y o u 're suffering fro m d e h yd ra tio n , yo u should d rin k p lenty of w a te r and sit o r .................... d o w n for a while. Before yo u begin the experim ent, you s h o u ld .................... a large plastic sheet on the g ro u n d . 3. look at / w atch W e need to .................... th e situation carefully over the next fe w w eeks and see h o w things develop. W e need t o .................... the problem carefully and decide if there is a n yth in g w e can d o a b o u t it. 4. loose / lose Som e people are ve ry com petitive and hate t o .................................a gam e or com petitio n. T h e surface is m ainly com posed o f .................... soil and small stones. 5. m ake / cause T h e noise fro m traffic outside th e school c a n .................... it hard to hear w h a t the teacher is saying. H u rric a n e s .................... w idespread d am a ge in urban areas. 6. nature / countryside Thousands o f .................... lovers head fo r th e national parks every w ee ke nd . I'd rather live in t h e .................... tha n in a city. 7. per cent / percentage It is a m yth th a t o n ly t e n ....................... of Am ericans hold a passport. O n ly a s m a ll............................... o f land is privately o w n e d . 8. perm ission / p erm it I'm afraid w e c a n 't .................... p h o to g ra p h y in th e m useum . W e re c e iv e d to attend th e m eeting, as long as w e d id n 't interrupt. 9. personal / personnel M y o w n .................... v ie w is th a t professional football players are paid far to o m uch. T h e co m p an y w as in tro u b le until there was a change o f .................... on th e m a n a g e m e n t team . 10. possibility / chance W e m ig h t go to Spain fo r o u r field trip . A n o t h e r .................... is th a t w e 'll g o to Italy instead. If w e act now , w e have a g o o d .................... of fin d in g a cure fo r the disease. 10

Confusing words & false friends 2 general vocabulary 11. practice / practise 11 It's im p o rta n t t o .................... yo u r English w h e n e ve r possible. I th in k I need m o r e .................... before I take the exam. 12. priceless / w orthless .................. paintings by artists like Van G o g h and R em brandt should not be in the hands of private collectors. As inflation spiralled o u t of control, paper m oney suddenly became a lm o s t....................... 13. principal / principle M a n y people refuse to eat m eat o n ..................... She was appointed U n iv e rs ity .................... in 2009. T h e c o u n try 's .................... fo o d products are coffee and sugar. I believe in t h e .................... th a t healthcare should be free fo r everyone. 14. problem / trou b le A t night, the streets are full of people fig h tin g and generally causing ....................... I was w o n d e rin g if you could help me w ith a litt le .................... I'm having. 15. process / procession T h e h igh lig h t of the carnival is a h u g e .................... along the to w n's main street. In some cases, applying fo r a visa can be a long and fru s tra tin g ....................... 16. raise / rise As p ric e s .................... . dem and usually drops. In response to th e oil crisis, most airlines had t o .................... th e ir fares. 17. rem em ber / rem ind I c a n ........m y first day at school really w ell. Language teachers o f t e n ..................... th e ir students th a t th e best w a y to rem em ber n e w w ords is to use the m as m uch as possible. 18. respectable / respectful W e all listened i n .................... silence as she outlined her plans fo r the museum's future. Everybody w ants to bring th e ir children up in a .................... n e igh b o u rh o o d . 19. tolerable / to lerant People need to be m o r e .................... of th e ir neighbours, and not com plain every tim e th e y make to o much noise. Th e local authorities say th a t the noise fro m passing trains i s .................... . b ut m any living near the railw ay lines disagree. 20. treat / cure M a n y hospitals are so understaffed th a t the y are refusing t o ................patients w ith m inor injuries. Th e n e w d ru g was unable t o .................... the disease, and hundreds died as a result.

general vocabulary Context & meaning 1 W h e n w e see a n e w w o rd (in a reading passage, fo r exam ple), w e can often w o rk o u t w h a t it means, o r ge t an idea of w h a t it means, by looking at the context in w hich it appears (fo r example, w h a t is th e passage a bout, w h a t is the sentence a bo u t and w h a t inform a tion comes before and after the w ord?). Identifying th e m ean in g o f a w o rd fro m its context is an especially useful skill in th e IELTS Reading Test. 1 Look at these words, and answer the questions which follow. nocturnal cites coherently feat 1. W ith o u t seeing them in a sentence, do you k n o w (or can you guess) w h a t the w ords in the box mean? nocturnal: Yes/No cites: Yes/No coherently: Yes / No feat: Yes / No 2. N o w look at th e w o rd s in the passage. Can yo u guess w h a t they m ean n o w ? In y o u r o w n w ords, explain w ha t they m ight mean. T h e rem arkable success of Sim on W e be r's b o o k on ow ls, bats, foxes and o th e r nocturnal creatures, A Call in the Dark, is p ro b a b ly n o t surprising in vie w of th e p o p u la rity of his recent television series, 'N ig h t Prow lers'. It is a ve ry th o ro u g h b o o k by an a u th o r w h o is an e xpert in his field a nd w h o has clearly d o n e a lot o f research. In a d d itio n to describing his o w n findings, he cites th e research carried o u t by others, inclu d in g W r ig h t and Lawson in the 1990s, and discusses w h e re th e y m ig h t have g o n e w ro n g w ith som e of th e ir assumptions. He w rites coherently on th e subject, b egin n in g by looking at basic facts before discussing progressively com plex theories, w ith o u t once confusing his readers. This is a rem arkable feat, considering th e com p lexity o f the subject and th e science th a t is often involved. nocturnal: cites: coherently: feat: 2 Look at the w ords in bold in sentences 1 - 1 5 , and try to decide w h a t they mean. 1. T h e jo u rn e y across the hills was long and arduous, m uch o f it having to be d o ne on fo o t in tem peratures of over 40°C. 2. Foxes are a co m m o n sight in o u r to w n s and cities, w h e re th e y forage in dustbins, in gardens and on waste ground. 3. T h e cuckoo is a rare and elusive bird w hich is often heard b u t rarely seen. 4. T h e research th e y carried o ut was exhaustive, so by the tim e th e project was com plete, th e y knew everything they had to know about their subject. 5. T h e hotel w e stayed in was a mediocre place, w ith small rooms, rather dull fo od and an uninspiring view of a car park.

Context & meaning 1 general vocabulary 6. Research suggests th a t children are m ore resilient than adults w he n it comes to getting over an illness. 7. T h e room was extrem ely untidy, w ith stacks of books and piles of paper all over th e floor, and unwashed coffee cups on the tables. 8. He was an extrem ely prolific author, w ritin g three or fo u r novels a year as w ell as m any short stories. 9. W a te r is essential fo r hum an life, so it is im perative w e make sure th a t in the future there is enough for everyone. 10. A tte m p ts to im ple m en t change m et w ith strong resistance at first, b ut gradually people realised that this change was needed. 11. M a n y m en say th a t the y are w illin g to share the b urden o f domestic duties like w ashing and cooking, b u t I d o u b t th a t th e y m ean it. 12. Th e building is designed to s w a y slightly in strong w inds, b ut it's still a rather frig h te n in g sensation w hen you are on the upper floors. 13. M a n y people w o u ld like to o w n a house in the city centre, b u t pro h ib itive pro p erty prices m ean that very fe w of them w o u ld ever be able to buy such a place. 14. Th e city centre has some beautiful old buildings, b u t there are some extrem ely ugly industrial estates on the fringe. 15. Employees are encouraged to use the ir initiative w h e n th e y are faced w ith a problem and there is n o b o d y m ore senior there to help them . 3 N o w match the w ords in bold in sentences 1 - 1 5 above w ith their definitions (a) - (o) below. (a) A serious or difficult responsibility that you have to deal w ith, burden (b ) Producing a lot of things, ideas, etc.............................. (c) T h e ability to decide w h a t to do in an independent w a y ................. (d ) A b le to quickly becom e healthy, happy or strong a g a in ............................... (e) M o ve o r sw ing slightly fro m side to side.......................................... (f) Difficult or impossible to catch o r fin d .............................................. (g ) M ake som ething such as in idea, plan, system, etc., start to w o rk ................................ (h) Extremely difficult and involving a lot of effort.............................. (i) Th e oute r edge of som e thing............................... (j) So expensive th a t n o bo d y can afford it............................................ (k) T h o ro u g h and co m p lete ............................... (I) To search in a w id e area fo r som ething, especially f o o d ............................... (m ) Piles of things placed one on to p of another. ........................... (n ) Extrem ely im po rtan t and u rg e n t................................ (o ) A vera ge o r b e lo w average............................... 13

general vocabulary Context & meaning 2 1 Read these sentences carefully, and decide if the definitions in italics of the w ords in bold are correct or incorrect. If they are incorrect, try to give a correct definition. Th e first one has been done as an example. 1. I'm w o rrie d th a t a lack o f suitable qualifications w ill hinder m y search fo r a job . H elp som eone o r som eth ing, o r m ake so m e th in g easier. Correct / Incorrect H in d e r kvtefliA-s to stop som-eo^e or so^vtethli/vg fro m w -atel^g progress or developing. 2. Research was g oing well, but there was a risk that cuts in funding w o u ld jeopardise the entire project. Risk d a m a g in g o r de stro ying so m e th in g im p o rta n t. Correct / Incorrect 3. W h e n yo u address a m eeting, it is im p o rta n t to speak clearly, confidently and at a g o o d pace. W rite a letter to som eone. Correct / Incorrect 4. Th e villas w ere basically flimsy w o o d e n huts that shook every tim e there was a bit of w in d . Strong and w ell b u ilt o r made. Correct / Incorrect 5. A lth o u g h several species of turtle can be fo u n d in relatively cool seas, w a rm w a te r provides the optimal conditions for breeding. The best o r m ost suitable w ithin a range o f possibilities. Correct / Incorrect 6. It can be very difficult fo r im m igrants to integrate into local society, especially if the re are m arked cultural differences. M eet people o r make useful contacts. Correct / Incorrect 7. From the outset of the expedition th e y k n e w th e y w e re g o in g to have problem s, so it was no surprise w h e n only tw o days later things started to go very w ro n g . The end o f som ething. Correct / Incorrect 8. He was a talented young film director whose unique and innovative style inspired generations of film students. Difficult to understand. Correct / Incorrect 9. T h e b uildin g is 200 metres tall and tapers g e n tly to a point, giving it the appearance o f a thin, glass pyram id. G radually becomes w ider towards one end. Correct / Incorrect 10. Th e re are one or tw o similarities b etw een m y coun try and the UK, b u t on the w h o le th e y are so disparate th a t it is difficult to find a ny com m on g ro u n d . H aving m a ny differences. Correct / Incorrect 11. M ost m od ern fu rn itu re is functional b u t n o t especially aesthetic, especially w h e n com pared w ith some of the beautiful and elegant designs of the past. Cheap b u t com fortable. Correct / Incorrect 12. Shops k n o w th a t the y can attract m ore customers if th e y have a large array of colourful products on display by or near the main entrance. A large gro u p o f people o r things. Correct / Incorrect 14

Context & meaning 2 general vocabulary 2 N o w do the same w ith these. 1. Th e track has a coarse surface, providing better grip fo r bicycle tyres and m aking the m less likely to skid on tig h t corners. Soft and smooth. Correct / Incorrect 2. Th e idea o f a tunnel und er th e sea was first propagated by engineers in the nineteenth century, but it was almost 200 years before it became a reality. Designed and b u ilt Correct / Incorrect 3. Everyone was in favo u r o f m aking the city centre traffic free, b ut public opinionshiftedw h e n locals realised th a t vehicles w o u ld need to be diverted th ro u g h residential areas. Changed o r moved. Correct / Incorrect 4. People like the n e w system, b u t because of the costs involved w e d o not believe it is viable, and w e need to look for other options. Popular w ith people. Correct / Incorrect 5. Som e of Shakespeare's plays are often attrib u te d to o th e r writers, a lth o ugh m ore recent research suggests th a t the y w e re all his o w n w o rk . G iven to som eone else as a gift, d ona tion, etc. Correct / Incorrect 6. A lth o u g h the inventor had a patent fo r his n e w product, o ther companies rapidlybegancopying and selling it, and he was forced to take legal action against them . A n aw ard o r prize. Correct / Incorrect 7. Spiders usually trap th e ir prey in webs, b u t others actively h u n t fo r it. A n an im a l th a t is ca u g h t a n d eaten b y a n o th e r anim al. Correct / Incorrect 8. Som e illnesses are serious e no u gh to require medical trea tm en t, b ut fo r m in o r health problem s, a visit to the doctor is usually n o t w a rra n te d . To be unable to do som ething. Correct / Incorrect 9. W e need to com e up w ith a radical solution to the problem of crime in o u r to w n s and cities, since everything else seems to have failed. N e w and very different from the usual way. Correct / Incorrect 10. D u rin g the m eeting, w e m ade progress on peripheral issues, b u t un fo rtu na tely w e failed to deal w ith the issues th a t had been causing us the most problems. The m ain o r m ost im portant p a rt o f som ething. Correct / Incorrect 11. 1 hate flying, and n o th in g could induce m e to get on an aeroplane. Stop o r prevent som ething. Correct / Incorrect 12. Th e re w e re several small problem s w ith th e original device, and it needed to be refined slightly before it could go on sale. Turned o ff and then on again. Correct / Incorrect 15

general vocabulary Context & meaning 3 Sometimes, in a dditio n to its context, w e can w o rk o u t w h a t a w o rd means fro m 'clues' in the w o rd itself. These clues are usually in th e fo rm o f one or tw o w o rd s (o r parts o f w ord s) tha t w e already know, often w ith the addition of prefixes and / or suffixes. For example: Healthcare = health + care The to w n lacks basic healthcare facilities, so p e o p le have to travel m a n y miles to see a doctor. Deforestation = de + forest + ation. Deforestation has resulted in the destruction o f thousands o f acres o f tropical forest. Facial = face + ial (th e e is rem oved) The co m p a n y started o ff p ro d u cing a range o f facial cleansers a n d moisturisers w hich had n o t been tested on animals. 1 Can you w o rk out w h a t the w ords in bold in these sentences mean? Check yo u r answers at the back of the book. 1. T h e co un try is ve ry poor, and one in seven children dies in infancy. 2. All the employees are asked to produce a w ritten evaluation of their perform ance and hand it to the personnel manager. 3. T h e n e w d ru g does n ot cure th e illness, b u t can prolong the patient's life by up to five years. 4. T h e farm was on to p o f a w in d sw e p t hill, miles fro m the nearest to w n . 5. Oil prices increased threefold over a five -ye a r period. 6. T h e historical d o cu m e n t has been exam ined by several distinguished scholars, b u t none of the m can tell if it is g e n uine o r fake. 7. W h e n you deliver the package, m ake sure th a t th e recipient signs fo r it. 8. T h e centrepiece of the n e w m useum is a H enry M o o re sculpture th a t was b o u g h t fro m a private collector. 9. T h e city offers a m ultitude of interesting and exciting activities fo r people of all ages. 10. G o ve rn m e n t statistics on the numeracy skills of ten-year-olds suggests th a t m ore emphasis needs to be placed on the teaching of mathematics in school. 11. T h e average lifespan of an elep ha nt is 60 - 70 years. 12. Several interesting objects w e re fo u n d d u rin g the archaeological dig, b u t none o f th e m w ere of any great monetary value. 16

Context & meaning 3 general vocabulary 13. From the to p of the tow er, w e looked o u t over a city of incredible grandeur. 14. From a traveller's standpoint, the com petition betw een airlines to w in customers is a g o o d th ing . 2 N ow do the same w ith these. 1. Th e city was over 60 miles from the epicentre of the earthquake, b ut still suffered substantial damage. 2. In some cases, hospital outpatients have to w a it over three hours to see a doctor. 3. To many, the evidence he provided did not validate his claim th a t the Earth m oved a ro u nd the Sun. 4. M a n y medical professionals are concerned abo u t the widespread use of antibiotics to treat m inor medical conditions. 5. M o d e rn seafarers rely on m odern techn ology to help th e m navigate th e oceans. 6. A fte r the accident, he tem p o rarily lost spatial awareness, and could only pick up objects w h e n he closed one eye. 7. A monorail connects th e airport w ith the city, taking visitors into the heart of the city in less than 20 minutes. 8. A new device which stimulates the auditory areas of the brain offers hope to those w h o have serious hearing problems. 9. I d o n 't consider myself to be particularly industrious, but w hen I'm given a job, I make sure it gets done. 10. W h e n , on his 104th birthday, he was asked abou t the secret to his longevity, he replied th a t he only ever ate raw vegetables and had never smoked. 11. T h e n e w airliner is m ore environm e n ta lly-frie n dly than o the r aircraft, its only drawback being its limited flying range. 12. Th e M useum of C on tem p o ra ry A rt showcases all th a t is best a b o u t m odern art. 13. Th e Alaskan wilderness is not a place you w a n t to be w h e n w in te r comes. 14. In this rem ote, poverty-stricken area, only a fe w children g o to school, and consequently a b o u t a qua rte r of the country's population is illiterate. 17

general vocabulary Contrast & comparison Complete these sentences w ith the most appropriate w o rd or phrase from A, B or C. I . Th e tw o machines differ considerably. O ne has an electric motor, the other runs on oil. A. differ B. differentiate C. differential 2 T h e ..............................................................in w e a th e r b etw ee n the north and the south of the country is ve ry noticeable. A. comparison B. contrast C. compare 3. M a n y people c a n n o t ............................................................. b etw ee n lem on juice and lime juice. A. differ B. differentiate C. contrast 4. Children m ust be ta u g h t t o ..............................................................b etw ee n rig h t and w ro n g . A. differ B. contrast C. distinguish 5. Th e re is a .............................................................. b etw ee n being interested in politics and jo in in g a political party. A. distinguish B. distinctive C. distinction 6. Can you tell t h e ..............................................................b etw ee n a g o o d boss and a bad one? A. difference B. differentiate C. contrast 7. T h e m a n a ge m e n t m ust n o t ..............................................................b etw ee n m ale and fem ale applicants. A. differ B. contrast C. discriminate 8. Asia covers a h u ge area......................................................................................................... Europe is very small. A. By w a y o f contrast B. By ways o f comparing C. By similar means 9. T h e n e w m odel o f car is v e r y ............................................................. to the old one. A. same B. similar C. common 10. H er political opinions a r e ............................................................. to mine. A. same B. exactly C. identical I I . Some political parties have such similar manifestoes that they are difficult to A. tell apart B. say apart C. speak apart 12. M y friends and I enjoy d o in g m any of th e same things. In that respect, w e have a lot A. in similar B. in particular C. in common 13. Th e re seems to be a la rg e ............................................................... betw een the n u m b e r of people em ployed in service industries, and those em ployed in the prim ary sector. A. discriminate B. discretion C. discrepancy 14. T h e nation's eco no m y is largely based on its industry, .............................................................. a fe w h u n d re d years a go it was an agrarian country. A. while B. whereas C. whereby 15. British and Australian people share the same language, but in oth e r respects th e y are as different a s ................................................................ 18 A. cats and dogs B. chalk and cheese C. salt and pepper

Emphasis & misunderstanding general vocabulary 1 (Emphasis) Match the sentences on the left w ith an appropriate sentence on the right. 1. Th e com m ittee's emphasis on th e w o rd A . Some, however, are emphatic that more 'recycling' was noticeable. research needs to be carried out. 2. O u r gu ide accentuated the im portance of B. She emphasised the fact th a t panicking rem aining calm if there was trouble. w ould only make matters worse. 3. O u r teacher explained th a t it was crucially C. T h e m ain speaker gave prominence in importantto pace ourselves w hile revising his speech to the need fo r better jo b for the exam. opportunities. 4. A t the conference, the accent was on D. W e consider progress in this field to be une m p lo ym e n t. extremely important. 5. Prominent scientists have stated th a t E. He put great stress on the maxim tha t 'All genetically m odified fo o d is probably w ork and no play makes Jack a dull boy'. perfectly safe. F. Th e y stressed again and again the 6. It is o f crucial importance th a t w e make im portance of reusing things as m uch as m ore use of techn o lo gy if w e are to make possible. progress. 2 (Emphasis) Complete these sentences w ith a w o rd or phrase in bold from exercise 1. You m ay need to change the form of the w ord or phrase. In some cases, more than one answer is possible. 1. Painting the building w h ite did not make it look any better. In fact, it only ............................................................. its ugliness. 2. T h e rugged hills are a .................................................... ........ feature of the landscape 3. A t the m eeting of the Students' Council, the ............................................................. was on better standards of accommodation. 4. Th e Minister of T ra n s p o rt............................................. .............. on the need fo r an integrated transport policy. 5. It i s ............................................................. th a t w e try to im prove relations betw een o u r countries. 6. She banged th e table f o r ............................................. .............. as she spoke. 3 (Misunderstanding) Complete these sentences w ith an appropriate w ord or expression from the box. In some cases, more than one answer is possible. assumed confused confusion impression misapprehension mistaken mix-up obscure 1. I was c o m p le te ly ..............................................................by his explanation, and had to ask som eone else w hat he meant. 2. Th e re w e re scenes o f ............................................... at the airport w h e n the snow storm stopped all the flights. 3. W e nearly d id n 't catch o u r flig h t because of a ............................................................. over the tickets. 4. Th e re are se v e ra l......................................................................... points in yo u r essay. It's not very clear. 5. He was under t h e .......................................................... that socialism and communism w ere the same thing. 6. W e a l l ............................................................. . w ro n g ly as it tu rn e d out, th a t w e w o u ld be interview ed individually. 7. M a n y people a r e .............................................................. in the belief th a t organic fo o d is better fo r you than conventionally-grown food. 8. She gave us the ..................................................... th a t w e had done som ething to upset her, although w e had done nothing of the sort. 19

general vocabulary Focusing attention 1 Rearrange the letters in bold to form w ords which are used to focus attention on something. Th ey all end w ith the letters -ly. W rite the w ords in the grid underneath. If you do it correctly, you will find another w o rd used to focus attention in the bold vertical box. 1. Th e y reduced p ollution psim ly by ban n in g cars from the city centre d u rin g the rush hour. 2. I com e fro m a galerly rural co m m u n ity w h e re life moves at a slow er pace. 3. W e 're iim prarly exam ining the financial aspects of the case. 4. People ina m ly g o on holiday in the summer. 5. T h e college library is veceslxuily fo r the use of students and staff. 6. It's a ilaptarrculy difficult problem w hich w e hope to resolve as soon as possible. 7. T h e advertisem ent is elcifipcsaly aim ed at people over 50. 8. Some western countries, otba nly Canada and th e United States, have a very high standard of living. 9. T h e tourists w h o visit m y to w n are sto m ly Australian. 10. O u r trip to Poland was rp euly an educational visit. 11. M y hom e to w n is fam ous h fie c ly io r its large n u m b e r of schools and colleges. Th e w o rd in the in the bold vertical box fits into this sentence: Th e com pany tra d e s .......................................................... in the Far East. 2 Divide the words above into tw o groups, one group being the words which mean o n ly or solely. and one group being the w ords w hich mean in m ost cases, norm ally or the main reason fo r som ething. simply In most cases, norm ally or the main reason for something chiefly 20

Generalisations & specifics general vocabulary 1 M atch the sentences in the first list b e lo w w ith an appropriate sentence in the second list on the next page. T h e underlined words and phrases in the first list should have a similar m eaning to the w o rd s and phrases in bold in the second list. W rite th e sentence letter (A , B, C, etc.) from th e second list after th e relevant sentence in the first list. FIRST LIST 1. Small items o f information are very im po rtan t in a curriculum vitae. .Q. 2. I need to have precise information abo u t yo u r new proposals...... 3. Th e plan was unable to go ahead because of a small important detail which is important in order to make something happen...... 4. He dem anded to k n o w the small. precise and sometimes unimportant details...... 5. W h e n you read a piece of text in th e exam, you should read it quickly first to get the general idea...... 6. Before you w rite an essay, you should plan it first and give a broad description w ithout giving much detail...... 7. Odd features or details which make something different make the w o rld a m ore interesting p la c e ...... 8. Saying th a t all yo u n g people spend to o much tim e on th e Internet is a bit of a general statement...... 9. M any cars have very similar typical features...... 10. Th e huge rise in com p uter sales is a go o d example of the direction in w hich techno lo gy is h e a d in g ...... 11. Normally, most students sitting the exam m anage to pass w ith a g o o d g ra d e ...... 12. Th e n ew library shows a good example o f British architecture at its best...... 13. Before you travel som ew here, it is im p o rta n t to make a detailed list o f things th a t you need to ta k e ...... 14. French fries w ith mayonnaise is a dish w hich is an odd feature or detail o f Belgian cuisine...... 15. Th e article shows as an example his views on the w a y the com pany should d eve lo p...... 21

general vocabulary Generalisations & specifics SECOND LIST A . Please let me have the specifics as soon as possible. B. It's very frustrating w h e n a m in o r technicality puts a stop to yo u r plans. C. In the same way, kimchii is a concoction of cabbage, chilli and garlic w hich is peculiar to Korea. D. You should include full details of yo u r past experience. E. Once yo u have an outline, yo u w ill discover th a t yo u r w o rk is easier to organise. F. W e m ust be careful n o t to make this kind of generalisation. G. Itemise e verythin g in o rd e r of im portance, b e g in n in g w ith yo u r passport and visa. H. As far as he was concerned, the minutiae could n ot be overlooked. I. M ost m anufacturers are aw are th a t these characteristics are w h a t help sell th e ir product. J. It also provides us w ith an accurate illustration of the advances w e have m ade in th e last 20 years. K. It illustrates his preference for increased a uto m a tio n. L. Once you have the gist, it should be easier to understand it. M . It exemplifies the style th a t is becom ing increasingly p o pula r w ith to w n planners. N. In general, the average result is a B o r C. O . For exam ple, it is one of the peculiarities o f the British system th a t judges and lawyers w e a r wigs in court. 2 Put the words and phrases above into the table below, based on w hether they are talking about specific things or general things. Then try to use the w ords in sentences of your ow n. Specific things: the specifics General things: 22

Groups general vocabulary 1 Put these words into the table based on the things they usually refer to. batch bunch bundle cast company crew crowd flock gang group herd huddle pile litter pack platoon set shoal stack staff swarm team throng People in general A group of people A n im a ls Objects crowd working together 2 Complete these sentences using one of the words from Exercise 1. You may need to make your. answer plural, and in some cases more than one answer is possible. 1. A .................... of just 25 dairy cows can produce over a thousand litres o f milk a day. 2. Just because a film has a of w e ll-k n o w n actors, it does not necessarily m ean it w ill be successful. 3. D u rin g the rainy season, h u g e .................... of mosquitoes m ake life very uncom fortable fo r the local residents. 4. Shelf space in the library is so lim ited th a t there a r e .................... of books all over the floor. 5. Th e coral reef is hom e t o ................................ of colourful fish. 6. A irlin e c a b in .................... do m uch m ore than just serve food to passengers. 7. A s im p le .................... o f tools can cost the equivalent of a m onth's w ages fo r some. 8. Th e college em ploys a .................... of a b o u t 200. 9. A .................... of flow ers is always an acceptable gift if you visit som eone. 10. D u rin g National Day celebrations, an e n o rm o u s .................... o f people descended on the city's main square. 11. In some areas of the c it y ,.................. of w ild dogs roam th e streets at n ig ht 12. A s m a ll.................... of people sat un der th e tree, tryin g to keep w a rm and dry. 13. You k n o w w in te r is arriving w h e n h u g e .................. of geese and o th e r birds can be seen heading south. 14. Th e bread oven can produce a .................... of 200 loaves every hour. 15. H undreds of m igran t w orkers arrive in the city every day, m any carrying no m ore tha n a small .................... of clothes and o th e r personal possessions. 16........................ of youths can often be seen hanging a round on street corners looking fo r trou b le.

general vocabulary How something works 1 Complete the descriptions of h o w these objects w o rk w ith the correct form of the words and phrases in the boxes. In some cases, more than one answer m ay be possible. 1. A therm ostat adjust bend connect contain contract cool down disconnect expand heat up turn off A therm ostat contains a strip or coil of steel and a strip or coil of copper, one on to p of the other. As the strip / c o i l.................... . th e m e ta ls .................... . b u t one does it faster th a n th e other. Th e strip / c o i l .................... a n d .....................w ith a switch, w h i c h .....................the p o w e r supply. W h e n the strip / c o il.................... , the m e ta ls .....................and the switch i s ....................... T h e the rm ostat i s ...................... using a dial or other control. 2. A disc player convert decrease hear increase insert replace spin strike view A disc player (fo r exam ple, in a co m p u te r) has several co m p o n e n t parts. A disc i s .................... into the player and begins t o ...................... A t the same tim e, a thin beam of light called a la ser..................... th e disc a n d .................... digital signals into sounds o r images, w hich can b e ...................... th ro u g h speakers o r .................... on a screen. V o lum e o r brightness can be .................... o r .................... by means o f a b u tto n , kn o b or o th e r control. Now adays, discs are largely b e in g .................... by storage devices like m e m o ry sticks, w hich have no m o ving parts. 3. A n aerosol compress expand leave mix open push release In an aerosol, liquid and gas are .................... in a metal and / o r hard plastic tu b e . This can be .................... fro m the tu b e b y ......................a b utto n , w h i c h ...................... a valve. W h e n the liquid-gas c o m b in a tio n .................... the tu b e a n d ...................... w ith oxygen, it r a p id ly .......................... 4. A n aircraft accelerate create flow form made move pull produce M ost aircraft a r e .................... o f a lum in ium , and require tw o forces to a llo w th e m to fly: thrust and lift. As the a irc ra ft.................... fo rw a rd on the g ro u n d un d er the p o w e r o f its engines, a i r ...................... o ver th e w ings. As i t .................... fa s te r,...................... m ore thrust, a vacuum i s ...................... over the w ings. T h i s .................... lift. T h e aircraft i s ...................... into the air by the force of this lift. 5. A digital camera adjust consist control download enter hit open press record store A digital c a m e ra .................... of tw o m ain parts: a b o d y and a lens. W h e n a b u tto n i s ......................on the body, a w in d o w in the lens called a s h u tte r.................... and l i g h t ...................... the camera. T h e a m o u n t o f light g o in g into the camera is .................... by both the speed of this shutter, and a smaller w in d o w called an aperture. Both the shutter speed and the size of the aperture can be .................... by th e person using th e camera. T h e light .................... a sensor in the b o dy o f the cam era, w h i c h .................... the light as a digital im age. T h e im age i s ...................... on a m e m ory card in the cam era, and this can later b e .................... on to a com puter.

Joining / becoming part of something bigger general vocabulary The sentences below all contain a w o rd or phrase in italics which is related to the idea of tw o or more things joining together, sometimes w ith the result that they become part of something bigger. However, the w ords and phrases have all been put into the w ro n g sentence. Put them into their correct sentence. In some cases, more than one answer is possible. 1 W rite the correct verb at the end of each sentence. 1. His salary is merged to th e cost of living, and increases on an annual basis, linked 2. T h e International Book Association blended w ith Universal Press in 2010 to form the International Press............................. 3. To get a better finish, he swallowed up the tw o paints t o g e th e r............................ 4. T h e firm integrated w ith its m ain com p etitor in the battle to w in m ore customers.............................. 5. T h e suggestions fro m all the com m ittees w ere took over into th e m ain proposal.............................. 6. The im m igrants faced hostility w hen they w ere first incorporated into the com m unity. 7. A lot of students had problem s before th e y amalgamated into college life............................. 8. W he n the large international college got together the smaller school, a lot of people lost their j o b s ............................. 9. T h e students linked one evening and decided to protest a b o u t th e ir situation............................. 10. A large international com pany assimilated o u r firm last m o n th and started m aking im m ediate c h a n g e s .............................. 2 W rite the correct noun at the end of each sentence. 1. Th e alloy b etw een England and France came close to breaking d o w n m any times d u rin g the nineteenth c e n tu ry ............................ 2. Th e synthesis b etw een England and Scotland is over 300 years o ld ....................................... 3. Last year, th e three regional organisations responsible fo r helping homelesspeople form e d a national blend to help and support one a n o th e r............................ 4. Brass is a w e ll-k n o w n alliance of copper and zinc............................. 5. W a te r is a coalition of hydrogen and oxyge n ............................. 6. T h e plan is a unification of several earlier proposals.............................. 7. T h e merger of Italy did not occur until the second half of the nineteenth c e n tu ry ............................ 8. T h e com pany m ade its fo rtu n e by selling a popular union of coffee..................................... 9. T h e proposed federation of the Liberal and Labour Parties in theelection was cause fo rmuch r id ic u le ............................. 10. As a result of the compound w ith the other company, Flax International became the largest in its field. 25

Likes & dislikesgeneral vocabulary Decide if the w o rd s and phrases in bold in these sentences have a positive connotation (fo r exam ple, th e y tell us th a t so m e b o d y likes or w a n ts so m e th in g ) o r a negative connotation (fo r exam ple, th e y tell us th a t som eone dislikes so m e thing ). U n de rlin e the correct answer. 1. Th e idea of travelling around the w o rld really appeals to me. Positive / N egative 2. Research suggests that shoppers are attracted to brightly-lit, colourful displays. Positive / Negative 3. I like him, but unfortunately he can't stand me. Positive / N egative 4. I can never understand w h y people are so captivated b y royal w eddings. Positive / N egative 5. A lot of people detest seafood, and some are even allergic to it. Positive / N egative 6. Bigoted people disgust me w ith their small-minded attitudes. Positive / N egative 7. He's a very punctual person, and dreads being late for anything. Positive / N egative 8. M y brother fancies spending some tim e w o rk in g abroad. Positive / N egative 9. I'm fascinated b y n e w technology, and spend a lot of m oney on the latest electronic gadgets. Positive / Negative 10. She's fo n d o f classical music, and w o u ld like to be a classical pianist. Positive / N egative 11. A lot of people are keen on football, but it doesn't interest me. Positive / N egative 12. W e w ere cold and w et, and longed fo r a hot drink. Positive / N egative 13. I d o n 't like early m o rnin g starts, and absolutely loathe having to get out of bed early. Positive / Negative 14. I always look fo rw a rd to my English lessons. Positive / N egative 15. I'm passionate a b o u t flying, but rarely get the chance to go a nyw here by plane. Positive / Negative 16. She's a vegetarian, and the t h o u g h t of eating meat repels her. Positive / N egative 17. Supermarkets k n o w that customers w h o come in for essential items like milk and bread are often tem pted by special offers on other products. Positive / Negative 18. W e had been w o rk in g very hard, and w e re ye a rn in g fo r a holiday. Positive / N egative 26

Location & direction general vocabulary 1 Look at the map and to w n guide, and complete the sentences w ith the w ords and phrases in the box. H D E o Arroort (8km) I K M O N <=■ W + E >=> S £ Town guide F Shops K Museum P Art gallery G Market L Green Street A Wellington Road H Mill Road M Western Avenue Q Cafe B Shopping centre I Police station N Chestnut Park C Swan Street J Lincoln Street O College R To w n Hall D Library E Health club S Elm Square T Station at right angles to to the east of on the north side of diagonally opposite in the middle of on the south side of directly opposite on parallel to halfway along on the corner of surrounded by halfway between on the left-hand side of to the west of 1. Th e library i s ........................ the police station. 2. Th e airport is 8 k m .............. ...................the to w n . 3. Th e station i s ........................ ........ Elm Square. 4. Chestnut Park i s ................... .............. the to w n . 5. Th e T o w n Hall i s ................... .............. Elm Square. 6. T h e cafe i s .............................. ... Chestnut Park. 7. T h e museum i s ..................... ........... Lincoln Street. 8. W ellington Road i s ............. ....................Mill Road. 9. Swan Street i s ....................... ..........Lincoln Street. 10. Th e shopping centre is ........................... Swan Street. 11. Western Avenue i s ............. .................. Elm Square and Mill Road 12. Th e college i s ....................... ........ the museum. 13. Th e market i s ....................... ........ shops. 14. Th e health club i s ................ ................. Green Street. 15. Th e art gallery i s ................. .............. Western Avenue and Green Street. 27

general vocabulary Location & direction 2 N o w look at this m ap and guide. Find w h e re y o u are on it, the n fo llo w the directions to find o u t w here you are going. o R You are here 1> Town guide K Coffee shop A Hotel L Restaurant B Internet cafe M Cinema C Post office N Language school D Bank 0 Surgery E Supermarket P Book shop F Theatre Q Mobile phone store G Hairdresser R Library H Electrical store S Furniture store 1 Bakery T Department store J Travel agency Directions: Go along the High Street, and turn left at the crossroads. Carry on and turn right at the end of the road. Go past the cinema and take the second road on yo u r left. T h e place you w a n t is the third building on your right. You are go in g t o .................................... 28

Location & direction general vocabulary 3 Com plete these directions using the w o rd s and phrases in the box. In each case, begin from the place labelled 'You are here'. You w ill need to use some w ords / phrases more than once. crossroads on your right first second go along take the first go past take the second go to the end the end last turn left on your left turn right Directions to the supermarket ( 1 ) .................................. of the High Street and (2) .....................................Go along this road and ( 3 ) .................................. road ( 4 ) .................................... .The supermarket is the ( 5 ) .................................. building ( 6 ) ..................................... Directions to the lanauaae school ( 7 ) .................................. the High Street, and (8) ... .............................. at the ( 9 ) ........................................ ( 1 0 ) .................................. road ( 1 1 ) ............................... .., and the language school is the ( 1 2 ) .................................. building ( 1 3 ) ....................... Directions to the book shop ( 1 4 ) .................................. the High Street and (15) .................................at the ( 1 6 ) ...................................... Go to ( 1 7 ) .................................. of this road and ( 1 8 ) .................................... again, then ( 1 9 ) .................................. road ( 2 0 ) .............................. ... . ( 2 1 ) .................................. the library. and the book shop is the ( 2 2 ) .................................. building ( 2 3 ) .................................. 4 Choose three other places on the map and w rite yo u r o w n directions. 1. 2. 3. 29

general vocabulary Modified words 1 M odify (change) each w o rd in bold in the sentences by adding a prefix from the box, so that the w o rd is correct in the context of the sentence. Use each prefix once only. auto bi circum CO inter micro mono over post pre semi sub tele trans under uni 1. Thanks to Internet technology, com panies can hold ............. conferences w ith th e ir agents and customers around the w orld w ith o u t leaving the office. 2. T h e conference is a .............annual event, and usually takes place in M arch and Septem ber. 3. In her n e w ............. biography, the travel w rite r and broadcaster Lucy A pp s treats her readers to some fascinating tales a bou t her life on the open road. 4. Email and social n e tw o rk in g websites h a v e ............. form ed the w a y people com m unicate. 5. U n fortunately, the project team exceeded i t s ............. determined level o f spending, and had to borrow more money. 6. Despite being knocked o u t o f the W o rld Cup in the .............. -final, there was a great sense of elation, and the certainty th a t w e w o u ld g o all the w a y the next tim e. 7. O n ly a small percentage o f students w h o do a university degree g o on to do .............graduate studies. 8. People enjoy th e ir jobs m uch m ore if th e y ge t on w ith t h e i r .............-workers. 9. If you k n e w a b o u t all th e potentially dangerous .............. -organisms th a t live on an average dishcloth, you w o u ld p ro b ab ly never use one again! 10...............sex fragrances are believed to be a m odern invention, b u t a century ago all perfum es w ere for men and w o m e n alike, and people just chose the one they liked the most. 11. If you feel th a t you have re c e iv e d .............standard service, yo u should com plain to the m anager or m ost senior em ployee im m ediately rather tha n w a it until later. 12. In 1929, the G raf Zeppelin becam e the first airship t o ............. navigate the w o rld . 13. Astronauts started living on t h e ............. national Space Station in 2000. 14. I have t w o dictionaries: an English-French one, and a .............lingual English one. 15. I was an .............achiever at school, always ge ttin g lo w grades in tests and p o or marks in m y hom ew ork. 16. Th e city is s o .............populated th a t it is alm ost impossible to find a n yw h e re to live. 30

Modified words general vocabulary 2 N o w do the same w ith these. Use the same prefixes from the box in Exercise 1. 1.................. waves w o rk by passing electricity th ro u g h fo o d rather than by heating it. 2. T h e late tw e n tie th century saw enorm ous advances in .............communications, w ith the developm ent of the Internet being of particular importance. 3. In 1986, against everybody else's wishes, the ruling g o ve rn m e n t m ade t h e ............lateral decision to close half the country's coal mines. 4. Th e suburbs consist of n o th in g b u t mile after mile o f .............-detached houses and a pa rtm e nt blocks. 5. O n long-distance flights, the aircraft is flo w n b y .............pilot most of the tim e, w ith the real pilots only assuming occasional control. 6. I speak English and Spanish, b u t m y Spanish is quite limited, so u n fo rtu na tely I w o u ld n 't say I'm ............ lingual. 7. Th e re are strict laws against advertising tobacco products, b ut w ith a bit of im agination, m any of these can be e a s ily .............vented. 8. A lot of the city was destroyed d u rin g th e war, so d u rin g the im m e d ia te ............-w a r years, the governm ent em barked on a massive reconstruction program m e. 9. I th in k I passed m y exams, b ut it w o u ld b e .............mature to say th a t I've d one w ell in all of them . 10. A th ird of th e children w e re fo u n d to b e .............w e ig h t as a result of a high-fat, high -suga r diet. 11. It is believed th a t m any people w h o dislike w a te r have a .............conscious fear of d ro w n in g . 12. M ost of the schools in m y co untry a r e .............educational, a lth o ug h there are a fe w b o y-o n ly and girl-only institutions. 13. W e ran o u t o f m oney because w e had estimated h o w m uch the trip w o u ld cost. 14. T h e aviator Charles Lindbergh m ade the first s o lo .............atlantic flig h t in 1927. 15. Part of o u r course was to study t h e .............relationship betw een stress and illness, and especially to w h a t extent one resulted in the other. 16. He kn e w a lot a bo u t his subject, b ut he spoke in such a d u l l .............tone th a t his students w o u ld often fall asleep. 31

general vocabulary Objects & actions 32 1 The verbs in the box describe the actions of the things in 1 - 18. Match each verb w ith the thing it describes. congeal crack erode evaporate expand explode fade freeze leak rise rotate slide smoulder spill spin stretch vibrate wobble 1. W a te r cha n gin g fro m a liquid to a solid state because o f the cold, freeze 2. T h e d ru m in a w ashing m achine m o ving ve ry quickly in its final stage o f a wash. 3. T h e disc tray o p e n in g and closing on a com puter. .................... 4. W a te r slow ly tu rn in g into vapour. .................... 5. C o o kin g fat o r oil becom ing solid on an unw ashed plate ......................... 6. T h e planet Earth m o ving a ro u n d on its axis......................... 7. A loose w heel on a car. .................... 8. Gas co m ing o u t o f a faulty va lve ......................... 9. A pane o f glass in a w in d o w fram e w h e n a large vehicle passes nearby. ............. 10. A T-shirt w h ich has been w ashed so often it is losing its colour. .................... 11. T h e sun co m ing up in the m o rn in g ......................... 12. Cliffs being slow ly destroyed by the sea......................... 13. Slightly d a m p w o o d on a fire giving off smoke b u t no flam es......................... 14. Cold m etal as it gets hotter. .................... 15. A piece o f elastic being pulled so th a t it becomes longer. .................... 16. A w in d o w being hit by a stone so th a t a long, thin break form s in the glass......... 17. Coffee falling o u t o f a cup by m istake......................... 18. A b o m b suddenly b lo w in g u p ......................... 2 N ow do the same w ith these. bounce burn condense contract crumble erupt float flow grow meander melt revolve ring set sink spread subside trickle 1. T h e Earth m o ving a ro u nd the Sun......................... 2. A house slow ly sinking into soft g ro u n d ......................... 3. Traffic m o vin g sm oothly alo ng a m o to rw a y......................... 4. Glass cha n gin g fro m a solid to a liquid in very high h e at......... 5. A rub be r ball h ittin g the g ro u n d and g o in g back into the air. 6. T h e p o pula tio n of a to w n becom ing bigger. .................... ______________________________

Objects & actions general vocabulary 7. T h e sun g o in g d o w n in the e ve n in g......................... 8. Gas o r steam changing into a liq uid......................... 9. A w id e river g o in g th ro u g h th e countryside in big curves......................... 10. Docum ents being laid o ut on a ta b le ........................ 11. W a te r com ing very slow ly o u t of a ta p ......................... 12. A slice of bread in a toaster tu rn in g black and beginning to give off sm oke......................... 13. A lum p of dry earth being rubbed betw een som ebody's fingers......................... 14. H ot metal as it gets cooler. .................... 15. A n old-fashioned alarm clock suddenly g o in g off......................... 16. A boat g o in g to the b o tto m of a river. .................... 17. Dead fish lying on th e surface o f a polluted lake......................... 18. A volcano th ro w in g o u t lava and ash......................... 3 Some of the w ords in Exercise 1 and 2 can be used in more than one way, often w ith a different meaning. Complete these sentences w ith an appropriate w ord (the definition of the w ord you need in italics after each sentence w ill help you). You will need to change the form of some of the words. 1. Th e com pany fro ze its em ployees wages until the end of the year, (to say officially th a t the rate o r level o f som ething m ust stay the same and n o t increase) 2. Some p e o p le .................... th ro u g h life w ith o u t really k n o w in g w h a t th e y w a n t to do. (to behave in a w a y that shows yo u do n o t have a clear plan for w h a t yo u w a n t to do) 3. Food prices have b e e n .................... steadily all year, (to increase in a m o u n t) 4. As the l i g h t .................... in th e evening, people start com ing o u t o n to the street, (to becom e less bright) 5. He m anaged t o .................... a tw o -h o u r presentation into 30 minutes, (to m ake so m e th in g shorter o r smaller) 6. As the storms slow ly died out, the floodw aters g r a d u a lly .......................(to becom e lo w e r) 7. Th e discussion w e had last n ig ht .................... a round the problem o f fin d in g affordable accom m odation, (to have so m eth ing as the m ain o r m ost im p o rta n t p a rt o f a subject) 8. You c a n .................... th e m achine to tu rn itself on or off at a particular tim e, (to make a piece o f equipm ent ready to operate) 9. As soon the com pany's website w e n t on-line, orders began t o .................... in. (to arrive o r leave in small am ounts or num bers) 10. Th e queue fo r tickets was so long i t .....................all the w a y d o w n the street, (to continue f o ra lo n g distance) 11. Once a w ee k w e get to g e th e r and ................. ideas off each other, (to discuss ideas w ith o th e r people in order to g e t their opinion and make a decision) 12. Th e y w a n te d to keep the story secret, b ut s o m e o n e .................it to the press, (to give p rivate o r secret inform ation to journalists or to the public) 33

general vocabulary Obligation & option 1 Look at sentences 1 - 1 0 and decide if the explanation which follows each one is true or false. Underline the correct answer. Use the w ords and phrases in bold to help you decide. 1. D u rin g the exam, a pencil and eraser are required. The people organising the exam w ill provide yo u w ith a pencil and an eraser. True / False 2. Parents can be m ade liable for th e ir children's debts. Parents m ay be legally responsible for the m oney their children owe. True / False 3. He was obliged to pay back th e m oney th a t he had w o n . He had the choice w hether o r n o t to p a y back the m oney that he had won. True/ False 4. Students doing holiday jobs are exempt from paying income tax. Students doing holiday jobs p a y a smaller am o unt o f income tax than other people. True / False 5. T h e U nited Nations voted to impose mandatory sanctions on the country. The United Nations imposed legally-binding sanctions which had to be obeyed b y everyone, w ith o u t exception. True / False 6. Some com panies force th e ir em ployees to w o rk long hours fo r lo w pay. A lo t o f companies ask their employees to w ork long hours. True / False 7. It was an em ergency and she pressed the red b u tto n ; there was no alternative. There was nothing else she could do; she had to set o ff the alarm b y pressing the red button. True / False 8. Classes on W ednesday afternoons are optional. It is necessary to attend classes on Wednesday afternoons. True / False 9. It is compulsory to w e a r a crash helm et on a m otorcycle. It is yo u r choice w hether o r n o t to w ear a crash helm et when yo u ride amotorcycle. True / False 10. T h e m useum is asking visitors fo r a voluntary d o n a tio n of £2. You d o n 't need to p a y £2 to visit the museum. True / False 2 Complete these sentences w ith an appropriate w o rd or phrase from the exercise above. In some cases, more than one answer m ay be possible. 1. Visitors to the co un try a r e ............................................. ................to declare any excess tobacco or alcohol imports to the customs officer. 2. I'm afraid I h a v e ............................................................. b u t to resign from the com m ittee. 3. If you are caught speeding, yo u w ill b e ................. ........................................... th e p aym e n t of the fine. 4. Attendance at all classes is ............................................. ............... otherwise you may not ge t a certificate at the end of the course. 5. M a n y retired people d o ................................................ ............. w o rk in th e ir local com m unity. 6. In some countries, there is a ......................................... ................... death sentence fo r all d ru g traffickers. 7. For visitors to Britain fro m outside th e European U n io n , a visa m ay be 8. I hate it w h e n people try t o ........................................ .................... me to d o som ething I d o n 't like. 9. M ost n e w cars com e w ith ........................................... .................a ir-con d itionin g. 10. Children's clothes a r e ............................................................. from VAT. 34

Opinion, attitude & belief general vocabulary 1 The w ords in italics in the follow ing sentences are all grammatically incorrect (for example, a noun has been used instead of an adjective, or a verb has been used instead of a noun, etc.). Decide w ha t the correct form of the w o rd should be in each sentence, and w rite yo u r answers in the crossword on the next page. 1. I th in k th a t people need to show greater tolerate of each other. 2. Some m ajor companies are obsession w ith secrecy. 3. I reckoning th a t global w a rm in g is having m ore o f an effect than w e think. 4. W e strongly suspicious th a t th e proposal to develop the co m p uter facilities w ill be rejected. 5. Some people are extrem ely bigotry, especially regarding things like race or religion. 6. I very m uch doubtful th a t th e situation w ill im prove in the near future. 7. A lot of people are fanatic a bo u t sport in general and football in particular. 8. He was very h a rd -w o rk in g and dedication to his research. 9. In m y opinionated, people d o n 't take e no u gh exercise. 10. I consider myself to be a pragmatist person, and believe th a t results are m ore im p o rta n t than theories or ideas. 11. Team m em bers need to be com pletely commitment, and prepared to w o rk fo r long hours. 12. T h e g o ve rn m e n t is regardless foreign debt, especially in developing countries, as a m ajor barrier to global economic development. 13. People often indicate th e ir disapprove of som ething th ro u g h th e ir b ody language rather than words. 14. I maintenance th a t m any yo u n g people w o u ld rather w o rk than continue w ith th e ir studies. 15. As far as I am concerning, happiness is m ore im portant than money. 16. U n h a p p y people often have a cynic vie w of life. 17. I take strong exceptional to people com ing late or cancelling appointm ents at short notice. 18. M any scientists are convincingly th a t hum an activity is threa ten ing the future of m any animal and plant species. 19. M y parents are tradition people w h o believe th a t children should not have to o much freedom . 20. He had very conservatism views and did not like change of any sort. 35

general vocabulary Opinion, attitude & belief 36 2 Complete these sentences w ith the w ords from Exercise 1. You will either need a w o rd from the sentences o r from the completed crossword. In some cases, more than one answer m ay be possible. 1. People are o f t e n .............................o f strangers, and refuse to trust anyone unless the y k n o w them very well. 2. She's very w ell organised, and always takes a .......................... approach to problem solving. 3. I'm a b s o lu te ly ..........................a bo u t keeping fit, and g o to the gym at least once a day. 4. I s tro n g ly .......................... of sm oking, and refuse to let people smoke in m y hom e. 5. M y ..........................is th a t people w h o read a lot are m ore interesting than people w h o d on't. 6. To succeed in life, you need a m bition a n d .............................. 7. M y father w o n 't .......................... anyone w h o questions his decisions. 8. Small farm com m unities are p re d o m in a n tly .......................... in the ir o u tlo o k and behaviour. 9. Some p e o p le .......................... m y ability to succeed, but I am determ ined to prove the y are w ro n g . 10. A lot of people in m y c o u n t r y .......................... th a t the current econom ic crisis will ge t worse before it gets better.

Opposites: adjectives general vocabulary Replace the adjectives in bold in these sentences w ith a w ord from the box which has an opposite meaning in the context of the sentence. approximate deaf chronic costly crude delicate detrimental dim easy even flexible graceful innocent marked obligatory reluctant scarce widespread 1. T h e term s and conditions on the contract are ambiguous, c/ear 2. A cco rding to the people w h o kn e w him, he was a very aw kw ard person to w o rk w it h ...................... 3. I had never seen a dancer w h o was so clumsy..................... 4. T h e changes he m ade w ere beneficial to the organisation as a w h o le ..................... 5. W e need exact figures before w e decide if w e can g o ahead w ith the project..................... 6. Follow ing a lengthy investigation, the y decided th a t the com pany was guilty.................... 7. W h a t do you get if you add up all the odd num bers betw een 1 and 100?..................... 8. Despite the weather, supplies of food after the harvest w ere plentiful..................... 9. The re are very rigid laws regarding building on green belts around a c it y ..................... 10. I've noticed a slight difference in his attitude over the last fe w w e e k s .................. 11. T h e villagers have designed a sophisticated device fo r tu rn in g dirty w a te rinto clean drinking w a t e r ................... 12. T h e spices used in th e production of some international dishes have a very strong flavour. 13. Th e blackness of th e n ig h t was broken by a strong o ran ge light w hich was visible on the horizon. 14. Student attendance at extra-curricular activities is vo lun ta ry..................... 15. Most students say they are w illing to attend classes on Saturday m o rn in g ...................... 16. T h e to rn a d o caused localised d a m a ge ....................... 17. He m ade his fortu n e by im po rtin g cheap perfum e and clothing m aterial....................... 18. People w ith mild allergies to dust w ere advised to rem ain indoors andclose the irw in d ow s. 37

Opposites: verbsgeneral vocabulary Replace the verbs or verb phrases in bold in these sentences w ith a w o rd from the box which has an opposite m eaning in the context of the sentence. You w ill need to change the form of most of the verbs. abandon accelerate accept agree defend demolish deny deteriorate fall forbid ignore loosen lower retain retreat reward simplify withdraw 1. W h e n o u r trip was cancelled, w e rejected th e travel com pany's offer of a partial refund, accepted 2. She a dm itted th a t she had left the d o o r unlocked w h e n she left the house..................... 3. A erial fo o ta g e shows h o w quickly the floo dw ate rs are a d va n cin g ..................... 4. T h e com pany refused to let m em bers o f th e public e nte r the b u ild in g ..................... 5. M a n y shopkeepers attacked th e decision to m ake the street traffic-free ..................... 6. T h e factory was b uilt in 2004..................... 7. He com plicated matters by re w ritin g the original proposal..................... 8. W h e n the m oney ran out, they had to decide w h e th er or not to continue w ith their research. 9. Relations b etw een th e tw o countries have im p ro ve d considerably in the last fe w years..................... 10. Punishing yo u n g children in o rde r to ge t th e m to w o rk hard is, in m y op in io n , w r o n g ..................... 11. He raised the overall standards of the com p an y w ith in tw o m onths o f his a p p o in tm e n t..................... 12. Sm oking is a llo w e d in most restaurant and cafes...................... 13. Prices rose sharply in the first three m onths of the year. .................. 14. Before you do a nyth in g else, make sure yo u tig h te n the knots in th e ro p e ...................... 15. I w e n t to the bank and deposited over £5,000...................... 16. He lost his position as head o f th e d e p a rtm e n t...................... 17. By pushing th e red b utto n , the vehicle slow s d o w n rapidly...................... 18. Everyone a c k n o w le d g e d all the hard w o rk I had d o n e ...................... 38

Ownership, giving, lending & borrowing general vocabulary 1 Complete the sentences w ith an appropriate noun from the box. In some cases, more than one answer is possible. belongings donation estate landlords loan mortgage owners possessions property proprietors rent tenants I . T h e law ensures t h a t .................... respect the privacy of the people w h o live in th e ir houses and flats. 2......................... o f restaurants across the country protested w h e n the g o ve rn m e n t announced it was going to impose a tax on some foods. 3. W h e n private c a r ...................... sell th e ir vehicle, they m ust produce a certificate to prove the car has been paid fo r in full. 4. Th e price of c o m m e rc ia l...............................in the city centre has do ub led in the last three years. 5. M o rn in g to n Park, a 250-acre p riv a te .................... in W enfordshire, is open to m em bers of the public at weekends. 6. M a n y families in the area lost th e ir hom e and all of t h e i r .................... w h e n the river flooded. 7. Please p u t y o u r .................... in the lockers provided, and hand yo u r key to th e receptionist for safekeeping. 8. W e to o k o u t a .................... to help pay fo r o u r trip. 9. A lot of people lost th e ir homes w h e n interest rates rose so high the y w ere unable to continue paying off t h e i r ....................... 10. O n ly a fe w people in the a pa rtm e nt block actually o w n th e ir flat. M ost of the m are council I I . The law does very little to protect families w h o are evicted from their homes because they are unable to pay the m o n t h ly ..................... 12. I make a small m o n th ly.................... to a local charity fo r homeless people. 2 M ost o f th e verbs in bold b e lo w are in the w ro n g sentence. If th e ve rb is correct, p u t a tick ( ^ ) at the end o f th e sentence. If the ve rb is wrong, w rite the correct ve rb at the end of the sentence. 1. Banks w ill usually refuse to present m oney to anyone unless they have a regular jo b ........................ 2. T h e best w a y to see the country is to a provide car fo r a couple of w eeks........................ 3. Com panies w h o allocate heavily from banks to keep their business goin g are rarely able to pay it b a c k ........................ 4. If you w a n t to rent a room in the city centre, you should be prepared to pay a lot of money. 5. A fte r her speech, the principal w ill lend prizes to the students w h o have m ade the greatest contribution to the school........................ 6. I believe tha t everyone should donate m oney to charities........................ 7. Local councils will b o rro w accom m odation to the most needy on a first-come, first-served basis. 8. M any charitable organisations hire free medical help and support to areas hit by disasters. 39

Phrasal verbs 1general vocabulary W rite a preposition(s) or partide(s) from the box after each verb in bold in these sentences to make phrasal verbs. Th e meaning of each phrasal verb is in italics at the end of each sentence. back behind down forward in into of off on out over to up with 1. Some parents are criticised fo r the w a y th e y b r in g .......................th e ir children, (raise) 2. T h e com m ittee m em bers f e l l .......................over plans fo r the n e w health centre, (argued) 3. Th e y refused to fa c e ..................................................th e ir responsibilities, w ith disastrous consequences. (accept an unpleasant state o f affairs, and try to deal w ith it) 4. A t the last m inute w e had to c a ll....................... o u r visit to the m useum , (n o t to go ahead w ith something) 5. I can always c o u n t ....................... m y best friend to be there w h e n I need him . (rely / depend) 6. M a n y d eve lo p in g countries are failing to c a tc h ................................................... th e ir m ore developed neighbours, (get to the same level) 7. As the w in d d ie s ....................... . th e heat and h u m id ity gra du ally begin to rise, (becomes less strong) 8. A n a larm ing n u m b e r o f students d r o p ...................................................school early every year, (leave) 9. M a jo r international com panies can't figure ....................... the p o pula rity of the anti-capitalist m ovem ent, (find it hard to understand) 10. If th e y exam ined the issues m ore closely, th e y w o u ld f i n d .......................the reasons fo r the changes. (discover) 11. As w e g r o w ....................... o u r priorities change, (change from being children to being adults), 12. Students can be quite creative w ith the reasons th e y give fo r n ot handing ....................... th e ir hom ew ork, (giving their teachers) 13. Salaries very rarely k e e p ........................................................ the cost of living, (rise at the same speed as) 14. T h e article is very detailed, but leaves.........................th e reasons fo r dem ogra ph ic change, (does no t include) 15. Th e lecturer p o in te d .......................all of the places on th e m ap w h e re similar incidents had occurred. (showed) 16. Before yo u w rite yo u r essay, you should lo o k ....................... the Party's history. (research) 17. M a n y em ployees c a rrie d ....................... w o rk in g despite pressure fro m the unions, (continued) 18. Once people f a ll ....................... w ith th e ir m o rtg a ge paym ents, the y com e un d er extrem e financial pressure from their bank, (become late) 19. T h e first step to a healthier lifestyle is to c u t ..................................................a m o u n t o f salt you consume. {reduce) 20. It is becom ing m ore com m o n fo r people to c u t ....................... m eat fro m th e ir diet, (stop eating) 21. In the late 1990s, a lot of large superm arket chains t o o k ......................... premises th a t had previously been run by small, in d e pe nd e nt retailers, (assumed control) 22. W h e n co m p u te r techn o lo gy fails us, w e have to make d o ..........................m ore prim itive methods. Th e y're called 'pen and paper', (use something because there is nothing else available) 23. In this essay, I'd like to p u t ....................... the argum ents fo r and against globalism . (suggest or state the case for som ething) 24. W h e n I lo o k ...................................................m y childhood, I rem em ber the m any sacrifices m y parents m ade for me. (think about something that happened in the past) 40

Phrasal verbs 2 general vocabulary Complete the second sentence in each pair w ith a phrasal verb from the box so that it has the same meaning as the first sentence. You will need to change the verb form in m any of the sentences. break down carry out cut back on cut off do away with do up end up fall through hold up keep on let down let off pull out of pull through show up sort out split up wear off wear out work out 1. Peace talks betw een the tw o countries collapsed w h e n neither side reached an agreem ent. Peace talks betw een the tw o c o u n trie s ....................... w h e n neither side reached an agreem ent. 2. I'm tryin g to calculate if w e 've sold m ore this year than last year. I'm tryin g t o ....................... if w e 've sold m ore this year than last year. 3. T h e effects of the d ru g disappear after a fe w hours. Th e effects of the d r u g ....................... after a fe w hours. 4. A lot of people exhaust themselves th ro u g h overw ork. A lot of p e o p le .......................the m se lves........................ th ro u g h ove rw o rk. 5. Despite the severity of the disease, m any people recover w ith the help of a ppropriate drugs. Despite th e severity of the disease, m any p e o p le ....................... w ith the help of appropriate drugs. 6. T h ro u g h careful negotiation, they w ere able to resolve the problem . T h ro u g h careful negotiation, they w ere able t o ....................... the problem . 7. W h e n parents start to live apart, it can be particularly difficultfor theirchildren to cope. W h e n p a re n ts ......................... it can be particularly difficult fo r th e ir children to cope. 8. A t th e opening night, o nly a fe w audience m em bers came. A t the o p en in g night, o nly a fe w audience m e m b e rs ............................ 9. T h e Australian partners stopped being a part of the deal at the last m om ent. T h e Australian p a rtn e rs .................... the deal at the last m om ent. 10. People celebrate the Chinese N e w Year by exploding fireworks in the street. People celebrate the Chinese N e w Year b y ....................... fireworks in the street. 41

Phrasal verbs 2general vocabulary 11. It is pointless relying on people to help yo u if th e y d o n 't do as th e y prom ised. It is pointless relying on people to help you if t h e y ....................... you ............................. 12. N e w g o v e rn m e n t pension plans m ean th a t m any people w ill continue w o rk in g w ell into their seventies. N e w g o v e rn m e n t pension plans mean th a t m any people w i l l ....................... w o rk in g w ell into their seventies. 13. T h e planned changes w ere delayed because com m ittee m em bers a rgued a m o n g themselves. Th e planned changes w e r e ....................... because com m ittee m em bers argued a m o n g themselves. 14. A t the last m inute, the plans fo r the proposed m o to rw a y d id n 't take place. A t the last m inute, the plans fo r the proposed m o t o r w a y ......................... 15. D u rin g the recession, m any w orkers in the prim ary sector becam e jobless. D u rin g the recession, m any w orkers in the prim ary s e c to r....................... jobless. 16. Doctors did some tests on the patients. D o c to rs ....................... some tests on the patients. 17. M in o r econom ies, such as spending less on staff costs, can often p revent a com pany sliding into bankruptcy. M in o r economies, such a s ....................... staff costs, can often p revent a com p an y sliding into bankruptcy. 18. W e w ere accidentally disconnected in the m iddle o f o u r pho n e call. W e w e re a ccid e n ta lly....................... in the m iddle o f o u r phone call. 19. Once the g o v e rn m e n t rem oved quotas, the m arket was flooded w ith cheap fo re ig n imports. Once the g o v e r n m e n t ....................... quotas, the m arket was floode d w ith cheap fo re ig n imports. 20. It cost alm ost £8 m illion to renovate the stadium , by w hich tim e the team was in serious financial difficulties. It cost alm ost £8 m illion t o ....................... the stadium , by w h ich tim e the team was in serious financial difficulties. 42

Phrasal verbs 3 general vocabulary Complete these sentences w ith come, get, give, go or look to make a phrasal verb w ith the preposition or particle in bold. Make sure you use the correct form of the verb in each one. 1. I loved school as a child, and never really looked forw ard to the holidays as much as th e other children. 2. In rural districts, it can be difficult t o .................... by w ith o u t a car. 3. Th e 'drive safely' message is finally .................... through to people, and there are n o w few er accidents on the roads. 4. A fte r years o f decline, g o ve rn m e n t investm ent is revitalising the area, and things are finally ................... up fo r local businesses. 5. As ticket p rice s .................... up, fe w e r people g o to the cinem a, preferring instead to stay at hom e and do other things. 6. I believe th a t people w h o have to ............. after elderly relatives or o th e r dependants should receive financial support. 7. Large companies can no lo n g e r .................... aw ay w ith d u m p in g industrial waste in rivers. 8. Even if you fail th e first tim e, you s h o u ld .....................................on tryin g. 9. Scientists.................... across the cure by accident w hile the y w e re studying the health benefits of a rare tropical plant. 10. T h e first step to a healthier lifestyle is t o .................... up sm oking. 11. A lth o u g h m any c h ild re n ....................... up to th e ir parents, m any rebel against th e ir values and w a y of life. 12. People w h o w a n t to k n o w h o w to .............. about starting up their o w n website should read Websites Made Easy. 13. T h e gas fire heating th e con tain er.......................out, and the apparatus started to cool d o w n rapidly. 14. W e decided not t o .................... through w ith o u r plans until w e had m ade e no u gh money. 15. Some people tend t o .............................................d o w n on those w h o are less fortun a te than the y are. 16. W e alth y countries are usually able to .................... through a period of recession by d ra w in g on financial reserves. 17. In any dispute w ith a m ajor com pany, it is usually the custom er w h o .................... off the w orst. 18. Before I handed m y essay in, I .................... through it very carefully, checking fo r mistakes. 19. People w h o live in close proxim ity to one a no the r must try t o .......................on w ith th e ir neighbours. 20. W h e n o u r local council tried to build a ring road a ro u nd the to w n , t h e y .................... up against a lot of opposition. 43

general vocabulary Phrasal verbs 4 Th e verbs and particles in the tw o boxes can be combined to make phrasal verbs, which can then be used to complete the sentences below. Decide w hich phrasal verbs go into each sentence, and w rite the answers in the crossword grid. In m any cases, you w ill need to change the form of the verb. The meaning of each phrasal verb is in italics at the end of each sentence. D on't forget that some phrasal verbs need tw o particles. Th e first one has been done as an example. opt make pick put run after against aside down set stand take talk for in off on out turn round up with Clues across ( ^ ) I . A cco m m o d a tio n in some cities is so expensive th a t some people cannot even afford t o _____ the eight w eeks' deposit th a t is required, (to make a deposit) A n s w e r = p u t d o w n 4. Th e y w e re reluctant to m ake changes, b u t w e m anaged to _____ th e m _______. (to persuade somebody) 5. Children o f t e n _____ one of th e ir parents, either in th e ir m annerisms o r in th e w a y th e y look, (to resemble) 6. A f t e r _____ a fe w unexpected difficulties, th e y decided to scrap the project, (to stop because som ething is in the way) 8. T h e y w e r e _____ o f the a pa rtm e nt by th e ir landlord w h e n th e y could no lo n ge r afford the rent, and ended up living on the street, (to be forced to leave) I I . W h e n I was at school, some teachers unfairly _____ children w h o avoided sport because the y prefered m ore creative interests and pastimes, (to choose someone to attack o r criticise) 12. A lth o u g h m any com panies offer th e ir em ployees a pension p ro g ra m m e, m a ny decide t o _____ of the program m e and make their o w n arrangem ents, (to decide n o t to take part in something) 16. A lot o f applicants expressed an interest in the job , b u t only a h a n d f u l_____ fo r th e interview, (to arrive for a meeting, appointment, etc.) 19. A ir p o llutio n c a n ______asthma and o th e r chest diseases in those most vulnerable, (to start) 20. People w h o use credit cards unw isely can e asily_____ debts of thousands o f pounds every m onth. (to make debts go up quickly) 21. By the tim e he was 18, he h a d _____ his m ind th a t he w a n te d to be fam ous, (to decide on something) Clues d o w n M 1. It's often a g o o d idea t o _____ some m on ey for a 'ra in y day', (to save m oney) 2. Tech no lo g y is m o ving at such a fast pace it is no lo n ge r possible t o _____ all the latest developm ents. (to understand o r assimilate inform ation) 3. N o b o d y w a s _____ by the govern m en t's false figures on un e m p lo ym e n t, (to be fooled o r tricked) 5. H e ______th e jo b th a t was offered to him , even th o u g h he was desperate fo r th e m oney, (to refuse som ething which is offered) 7. M ost people w i l l _____ a stressful jo b if the m on ey is g o o d e n o u g h , (to tolerate som ething which is n o t very pleasant) 44

Phrasal verbs 4 general vocabulary 9. He was unable to make the speech, so I was asked t o _____ and make it on his behalf, (to take the place o f someone - often also used w ith 'for') 10. A lot of people a r e _____ the idea of w o rk in g fo r themselves because of the lack of a regular salary, (to be discouraged from doing something, usually because o f a potentially negative outcome) 13. Once bad w e a th e r _____ , people ten d to stay at hom e rather than g o out. (to start and become permanent) 14. Doctors and medical experts w e re unable t o _____ w h y some people survived the virus and others did n 't, (to understand or k n o w the reason for something) 15. S h e _____ a story a bo u t ghosts in the cellar to stop us go in g d o w n there, b ut of course w e d id n 't believe her. (to invent a story) 17. A t the age of 38 h e _____ the post of President, b u t lacked sufficient experience to be taken seriously, (to apply for a jo b in politics, competing against other people for the same jo b ) 18. Despite massive p ro m o tio n by the tourist board, it to o k a long tim e fo r tourism t o _____ again after the terrorist attacks, (to improve, to get better) 45

general vocabulary Presenting an argument Look at this typical IELTS W riting Test Part 2 question and the sample answer w hich follows it. Underline the most appropriate w ords and phrases in bold in the answer. In several cases, both options are possible. W rite about the follow ing topic: Some say that y o u n g people should take a break between school and university to go travelling and learn m ore about the world. Others say that it is better for them to go straight to university from school, and then go travelling w hen they have finished their studies. Discuss bo th these views and give yo u r o w n opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your ow n know ledge and experience. W rite at least 250 words. These days, it is very co m m o n fo r yo u n g people to take tim e off studying b etw ee n school and university. M any of them go travelling, and spend a year or longer visiting interesting and exotic places. (1) But / How ever, is it better to d o this, or to continue studying w ith o u t a break? (2) First of all / Firstly, there are several benefits to ta k in g tim e off to travel. (3) As w ell as / In addition to m eeting lots o f interesting people, yo u can also experience cultures that are very different from your ow n. (4) I believe / I think that first-hand know ledge and experience o f the w o rld a ro u n d you early in life are useful things to have. (5) M oreover / Furthermore, you learn to look after yourself in different and often difficult situations. (6) Although / W hile few people have serious problems w he n they travel, you will occasionally encounter situations w here you need to think and act quickly w ith o u t having friends or fam ily to tu rn to. U n fortunately, travelling has its disadvantages (7) also / as well, such as homesickness and culture shock. (8) Despite / Nevertheless, these inconveniences are an inevitable part of travelling and are greatly outw eighed by the advantages. (9) Th e most im portant reason / Th e main reason fo r g o in g straight to university after school is the fact that the sooner you get qualifications, the quicker you can get a job and start earning. (10) As far as I am concerned / For me, starting w o rk and m aking m o n ey is one of the most im portant things in life. I am not alone in this opinion. (11) M any consider / M any say a sound career and a g o o d salary to be one of life's m ost im p o rta n t goals. (12) Second / Secondly, if you g o straight to university, yo u learn so m any things th a t w ill help you in yo u r fu tu re life. (13) Eventually / Finally, going straight to university from school means th a t you m aintain a m o m e n tu m th a t yo u m ig h t lose if yo u go travelling. (14) I mean / In other words, yo u rem ain focused on studying. (15)In conclusion / To summarise, I w o u ld say th a t spending a year travelling betw een school and university has its advantages and disadvantages. (16) O n the one hand / To begin, you are seeing something of the w orld. (17) After that / On the other hand, you are delaying your education and career. (18) In m y opinion / I opinion that, it is better to carry on w ith yo u r studies, and leave the travelling until later. 46