Extensive Reading-Book A (E)

allegorical

the representation of a subject, not directly stated, through another similar subject to it
The author’s statement about knights and chivalry was allegorical to Arthurian legend.

brink

on the verge
The depressed man was on the brink of suicide after surviving the car accident.

compelling

able to cause action, belief, or feeling (syn. well supported, forceful, persuasive / ant. weak, unsupported, uninspiring)
The novel was so compelling that I decided to find more books by the same author.

exemplifies

explain or illustrate by an example
The sword exemplifies the meaning of duty and honor in the medieval ages.

fairy

one of a class of supernatural beings, generally conceived as having a diminutive human form and possessing magical powers with which they intervene in human affairs
The fairy was so small it could not be seen, even when it was playing tricks on humans.

genius

an exceptional natural capacity of intellect
The chess master was a genius, always thinking ahead of his opponent.

haunt

to disturb or distress
There is an old ghost that haunts that house.

inhabit

to live in (syn. reside in)
The cave is inhabited by bats. They come out in the evenings and eat all the bugs.

laud

praise highly
George Washington is lauded as the Father of the United States.

morality

quality of being virtuous
Old fables dealt with morality and the correct behavior for life.

mystical

a system or body of myths concerning a particular person or race
Ancient stories usually contain many mystical ideas about dragons and gods.

playwright

a writer of plays; dramatist
Shakespeare is considered to be one of the greatest playwrights in modern history, having written numerous plays and poetry.

satyr

a man subject to uncontrollable amorous passion
The hopeless romantic satyr thought about the woman all day long.

slapstick

broad comedy characterized by boisterous action
The Three Stooges were professional comedians that specialized in slapstick comedy.

speculation

the contemplation or consideration of some subject
My views are only speculation because they are based only on myobservations.

testament

strong evidence for something
The great earthquake was a strong testament to the power of nature.

tragedy

a dramatic composition, often in verse, dealing with a serious or sombre theme
Othello is a tragedy about the destructive nature of human distrust.

vice

an immoral or evil habit or practice.
His only vice was gambling large sums of money on payday.

virtue

moral excellence; goodness; righteousness
To strive for excellence is seen as a virtue in many cultures.

whimsical

quaintly humorous, odd
The old man felt whimsical as he swayed back and forth on the children’s swing.

asserting

to state or express positively
If you are to persuade your opponent, you must try to be asserting.

assume

to believe without evidence (syn. suppose, presume)
I haven't seen or read the report yet, but I assume that everything in there will be correct.

boundless

limitless, endless
boundless possibilities are gained when one is granted great power.

commonplace

a well-known, customary, or obvious remark
Talking about sports or the weather is commonplace in conversation.

distinct

easily distinguished from others (syn. unique, clear, manifest, marked / ant. indistinct, vague, fuzzy)
This civilization's 3rd dynasty was quite distinct, exhibiting many differences from the 2nd and 4th dynasties.

encumber

burden with obligations or difficulties
After being in office for two weeks, the President was encumbered with all the obligations of the voters.

facet

aspect; or phase
That is only one facet of many other situations.

intuition

comprehension without effort of reasoning
Having experienced a similar situation, my intuition told me how to go about it.

norms

a standard or acceptable behavior (syn. custom)
Not talking loudly in a movie theater is the norm. People who do it are considered rude.

nurse

a person formally educated and trained in the care of the sick or infirm
The nurse went through the war-torn field and helped the injured.

partake

have or take a share
When you partake of the fruit, it will give you everlasting life.

prior

preceding in importance or privilege
prior to the test, the student studied.

recognition

the act of acceptance or notice
The movie star gained recognition for his part in the famous movie.

segments

any of the parts into which something can be divided
It’s impossible to memorize the whole thing. So why not break it into segments?

taboo

proscribed by society as improper or unacceptable
It is taboo to speak about religion and politics to strangers.

technique

a way of doing something (syn. procedure, method)
A new technique has been developed that will greatly improve artificial heart valves.

undeniable

cannot be rejected
The man gave an undeniable offer that I could not refuse.

underscores

to emphasize
The teacher underscored all the important material on the review.

unlimited

boundless; infinite
The difference between the wars projected in a simulation and the real thing is you have unlimited resources in the simulation.

volunteer

a person who voluntarily offers himself or herself for a service or undertaking
I volunteered myself to help give out food for the homeless.

advocate

to speak or write in favor of
We must advocate peace in the negotiations.

affect

to produce change
We affect those around us with the decisions we make.

apparent

capable of being easily perceived or understood
It is apparent that you did not read the book.

ballad

a simple narrative poem
I wrote a poetic ballad about a knight saving the princess from a fiery dragon.

cadence

rhythmic flow
The song had a straight forward cadence for the soldiers to march to.

capitalized

to write or print in capital letters
Authors usually capitalize all their letters to express something important.

circumstantial

pertaining to conditions of material welfare
The evidence was circumstantial because it didn’t necessarily pertain to the case.

controversy

public disagreement
The controversy over moving the capital caused years of arguments in the legislature.

exposure

the act of exposing.
Excessive exposure to the sun can be dangerous to your skin’s health.

fundamental

basic (syn. essential / ant. superfluous)
The subconscious was fundamental to Freud's theory on personality development and his approach to therapy.

hermit

a person who has withdrawn to a solitary place
The hermit lived in a desolate place by himself.

inquiry

search for information
We made an inquiry to the oracle in hopes of a spiritual answer.

introvert

a person who is chiefly concerned with his or her own thoughts
The girl was very introverted as she kept to herself during lunch.

irrespective

regardless, independent
irrespective of his opinion, I am going to carry one with my plan.

manuscripts

A book, document, or other composition written by hand
There are few remaining written manuscripts from the medieval era.

recluse

a person who lives in seclusion
The hermit lived as a recluse in the mountains.

reclusive

shut off or apart from the world
For their honeymoon, they went to a reclusive beach.

scholarship

learning; knowledge acquired by study
For all my hard work and studies, I received a scholarship award.

security

freedom from danger, risk
security was tight when the celebrity arrived.

shrouded

Something that conceals, protects, or screens
The dark castle was shrouded in mystery.

adultery

voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person
The man committed adultery with a woman he met at work.

adultery

voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person
The man committed adultery with a woman he met at work.

albeit

although, not withstanding that
The student passed the class albeit by a very small margin.

ambiguous

open to various interpretation
A person who speaks ambiguously will be difficult to understand.

commune

interchange thoughts and feelings
The husband and wife communed before the altar when they got married.

constraints

bind and confine
We had a limited budget because of the money constraint.

departure

The act of leaving
The departure time for the airplane is 5:15.

feminist

A person whose beliefs and behavior are based on feminism
feminists usually believe in stronger independence for the female gender.

guilt

a feeling of responsibility or remorse for some offense
She felt an incredible sense of guilt for telling the lie to her mother.

infamous

having an extremely bad reputation
Serial killers are infamous for their crimes.

mysterious

of obscure nature, meaning
The mysterious man walked quietly in the shadows.

obscurity

lack of fame or recognition
Even famous people become subject to obscurity when time rages on.

poverty

the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support
poverty is prevalent in low-income areas.

presume

to assume; to believe without strong evidence
Where's Gary? I presume he's at work, but I don't really know for sure.

prevalent

of wide use or occurrence
Love is more prevalent in the spring for some reason.

refuge

shelter or protection from danger
During the tornado, the locals sought refuge from the weather.

reveal

to show something previously hidden (syn. disclose, unveil)
Letters recently uncovered have revealed new details on the life of the former president.

revenge

inflict punishment because of
The man wanted to revenge on the man who killed his wife.

scaffold

a temporary supporting platform
The painters stood on a scaffold as they painted the building.

sin

transgression of divine law
The evil sin of one man affected everyone around him.

thwart

prevent from accomplishing a purpose
The enemy tried their best to thwart the hero’s advancement to victory.

abandon

to leave behind (syn. discard, forsake / ant. keep, rescue)
The man abandoned his wife and children to go off in search of adventure.

absurdist

an adherent of absurdism
An absurdist believes in some of the most unusual things.

ambitious

requiring exceptional effort
The love-struck man ambitiously sought out the love of his woman.

capitalism

an economic system based on private ownership of capital
capitalism is the economic basis for the United States’s economy.

complement

to make complete; to make harmonious (syn. harmonize / ant. clash)
She looked very nice, but still needed a few accessories to complement the outfit.

connotation

the associated or secondary meaning of a word or expression in addition to its explicit or primary meaning
The author had sophisticated connotation, using advanced vocabulary to give his words an underlying meaning.

decline

a lowering in worth (syn. drop, fall / ant. improvement, upswing)
The decline in the value of the US dollar means that the Korean won is worth a lot more now.

formative

shaping, forming
We need a formative way to create a computer language so anyone can understand itsprogramming.

hardships

Extreme privation; suffering
Going through hardships is one of the many realities of life.

indigenous

originating from a particular region
The Native Americans were the indigenous people of North America.

industrialize

organizing manufacturing capabilities of a place
By the late 1800’s, the United States had become an industrialized nation manufacturing every product within its domestic regions.

insignificant

very small; not important (ant. crucial, significant)
The findings in the experiment were insignificant. They didn't indicate a relationship between the two variables.

interpret

to construe or take a certain meaning from something
His instructions were not completely clear, but I interpret his words to mean he wants us to work until the project is completed.

noteworthy

worthy of notice or attention
Abraham said a lot of noteworthy quotes.

overarch

to span with or over like an arch
The federal government overarches the state and local government.

quest

search, pursuit
King Arthur was on a quest for the Holy Grail.

scrivener

a scribe
The scrivener recorded all that happened in the days of the king.

seemingly

apparent; appearing
It was seemingly possible that what his friend was saying was true.

tenants

A dweller in a place; an occupant
The new tenants that will be living here will arrive in a couple hours.

vagrancy

mental wandering
For many years, my mind wandered with vagrancy, in search of answers.

bolster

prop up or support
Many candidates have to appease their constituents to bolster their popularity among the populace.

brutality

the quality of being brutal; cruelty
There have been reported many unjust police brutality against normal civilians in high-crime areas.

conduct

to direct or take part in the operation or management of
The scientist will conduct research on the matter of gravity.

ethical

relating to behavior in accordance with an idea of right conduct (syn. moral / ant. immoral, unethical)
The committee is in place to ensure the ethical treatment of all research animals.

horrific

causing horror
The death scene was horrific.

immorality

immoral quality, character, or conduct
Stealing and murdering are both considered conducts of immorality.

impose

to force upon
Some countries are imposing economic sanctions on the nation to pressure them to comply with international standards for human rights.

inspire

stimulate to activity
President Lincoln inspired many to push forward during difficult times.

invest

to spend money with the expectation of earning more money back (ant. divest, sell)
We're going to invest some money into a college savings plan for our son.

majority

the larger part; more than half (ant. minority)
The majority of the class wanted the professor to delay the exam by a week, but she refused.

manufacture

the making of goods
Chevrolet manufactures cars.

polarize

a state in which light rays exhibit different qualities in different directions
The design of the new pair of sunglasses polarizes the light away from the eyes.

precedent

an identical previous example
This civil case will create a new precedent for those who go through an in-just arrest.

protests

To object to
Many people got together to protest the new bill that was introduced.

raging

angry fury
A raging tsunami struck the southeast coast.

segregation

the act or practice of segregating
The United States in the past century illegalized segregation, so that whites and other ethnic minorities can live together.

slavery

the condition of a slave; to be in bondage
slavery in some countries still exists today because it provides an inexpensive labor force.

sole

being the only one
He was the sole beneficiary of his parents will.

swept

to move or pass in a swift but stately manner
She was swept away by the man’s handsome appearance.

viable

capable of living
It is still viable that he will recover.

access

to gain use of (syn. enter / ant. forfeit, depart)
After a lot of searching, I was finally able to access the correct file.

autobiographical

marked by or dealing with one's own experiences or life history
There are many famous people that wrote their own autobiographical experiences about the times they lived in.

banned

to prohibit, forbid, or bar
We banned the toys because they were dangerous to little children.

bond

something that binds a person or persons to a certain circumstance
The bond between the two friends was unbreakable.

controversial

of, pertaining to, or characteristic of controversy
The topic was still controversial despite it being argued for many hours.

derogatory

tending to lessen the merit or reputation of a person or thing
The drunken man spouted many derogatory words to the people that were dragging him out of the bar.

dynamic

full of force and energy
His friend had a very dynamic personality because he approached people with a smile and friendliness.

illegal

contrary to the law; against the rules (ant. legal)
It is illegal to operate a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

immersion

act of immersing
The rock was in total immersion at the bottom of the lake.

internal

acting or effective within the body (syn. inner / ant. external)
When she started vomiting blood after the accident, I suspected internal bleeding and rushed her to the hospital.

lecturer

one who delivers a speech
Our lecturer spoke with a clear voice to us.

pen name

A pseudonym used by a writer
Authors used pen names so they could hide their real identity.

quandaries

a state of perplexity or uncertainty
Since the scientists didn’t have enough evidence, they had many quandaries about their theory.

quandary

a state of bewilderment or perplexity
With such a difficult math problem, I was at a state of quandary.

reserve

the act of keeping back
He was very reserved when it came to money, always putting aside some money into savings.

runaway

a person who runs away; fugitive
The kid was a runaway, when they found him sleeping on the park bench.

steamboat

a steam-driven vessel
Steamboats were the most effective means of travel on water, when the fuel powered engine didn’t exist.

strife

conflict or discord
With so many problems to deal with, the people had much strife.

traverse

pass across, over, or through
The horse traversed the shallow waters.

vernacular

native or indigenous to the region in relevance to language
The Texas accent is vernacular to native Texans.

acclaim

with general approval
The number one movie showed much acclaim by viewers.

adamant

hard-hearted, unyielding
The professor was very adamant, maybe to the point of stubborn, about his answer.

aspect

a feature, part of something
The teacher liked most aspects of the students' project except the presentation.

assure

to cause to feel certain; to remove doubt (syn. encourage, soothe / ant. worry, doubt)
I felt better because he assured me that I would get paid on time this month.

brash

impertinent; impudent; tactless
The crude comment was a bit brash.

decade

a period of ten years
In the past decade, we faced some of the most difficult human conflicts.

democratic

pertaining to or of the nature of democracy
We must all do our democratic duty and vote.

depiction

portray by picture or words
My depiction of death is a skeleton wearing a black cape holding a big scythe.

device

a tool; an instrument (syn. gadget)
The secret agent had a device that would allow him to listen through walls.

expatriate

one living, as though permanently, away from his or her country
Many ambassadors have to live as expatriates for the purpose of better foreign relations.

formative

shaping, forming
We need a formative way to create a computer language so anyone can understand itsprogramming.

forte

a strong point
The kind man’s compassion was his forte.

heroines

a woman noted for courage and daring action
The Valkyrie is known as the heroine in Norse mythology.

honing

To perfect or make more intense
With good practice, one can hone his skills.

latter

being the second mentioned of two
The latter half of the speech concluded his message.

masterpiece

An outstanding work of art or craft
Michelangelo created many masterpieces, both in art and architecture.

prominent

standing out
The President of the United States has a prominent role in international affairs.

prose

the ordinary form of spoken or written language, without metrical structure, as distinguished from poetry or verse
In poetry, one doesn’t necessarily have to make every piece of prose rhyme. It can be written in free verse.

sensitized

to render sensitive
All his nerves sensitized when she stroked him with a feather.

subtlety

the state or quality of being subtle
The loud obnoxious man lacked any subtlety.

accumulation

collect or bring together
To maintain a proper collection of anything, one must have a large accumulation of the thing they desire.

attain

reach or achieve
A student must work hard to attain good grades.

contribution

the act of contributing
The people gave their contributions to the church.

countless

too numerous to count
There was so many of them; they were countless.

curricula

a regular course of study
Med students must follow strict curricula by studying intensively the art of biology.

discipline

training to act in accordance with rules
Practicing daily takes a lot of discipline.

encompass

contain
The school curriculum has to encompass every subject the school board requires.

erosion

a washing or wearing away of the earth's surface
A water path has enough power to create erosions, eventually turning that path into rivers.

fluctuate

to change continually; shift back and forth; vary irregularly
The inconsistent student had fluctuating grades.

fossil

any remains, impression, or trace of a living thing of a former geologic age
They found dinosaur fossils in the European region.

geomatics

a science concerned with using mathematical methods on data about the earth's surface
The class learned about geomatics as they saw math equations to interpreting the earth’s crust.

inception

initiation
During birthing inception, the mother must breathe and push to help get the baby out.

management

the person or persons controlling and directing the affairs of a business
Money management is crucial when it comes to financing.

materialize

to cause to become real or actual
Money just doesn’t materialize from trees. You have to work for it.

oversimplified

to simplify to the point of error
The professor oversimplified the situation, which in turn made the entire experiment a failure.

regress

to return
The guy was so embarrassed; his psyche regressed to an infantile state.

satellite

a device designed to orbit around a celestial body
The satellite orbited around the earth transmitting data from one end of the country to the other.

theoretical

in accordance to a proposition that describes an operation and cause
Most of what philosophy describes is purely theoretical for it lacks empirical evidence.

tradition

the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information
Bowing to your elders is a timeless tradition among Asian cultures.

valid

well supported by fact
The witness’s testimony was valid considering the evidence produced by the police.

accuracy

correctness
The archer shot his arrow with great accuracy at the target.

atlas

a bound collection of maps
The atlas showed every place on the continent.

available

obtainable, at one's disposal
Since I had nothing to do during the weekend, I was available to work an extra shift.

cartography

the production of maps
Mapsco is one company that deals with cartography.

celestial

pertain to the sky
The stars and the moon were known as celestial beings to the ancient astrologers.

circumference

the outer boundary of a circular area
We ran around the circumference of the circle shaped field.

density

thickness and compactness
We can measure density by calculating volume.

function

proper action in which anything fulfills its purpose
The function of the word-processing program is for typing documents.

imagery

imaginative thought or expression
The author used a lot of descriptive words to express thoughtful imagery in his writing.

incorporate

to take in or include as a part or parts
We incorporated the new computer system in the company.

merely

only as specified and nothing more
It was merely a coincidence that both people met each other.

navigation

sail over or on
The navigation by the captain was expert.

new age

of or pertaining to a movement espousing a broad range of philosophies and practices traditionally viewed as occult, metaphysical, or paranormal
The new age movement de-emphasizes research and experiments.

prototype

the original or model on which something is based or formed
Before an actual car model is put into mass production, companies create a prototype to see how well it might do on the market.

sextant

an astronomical instrument used to determine latitude and longitude at sea by measuring angular distances
One can use a sextant to find the position of where they are at in the middle of the ocean by angling it to stars.

superimposed

to impose, place, or set over, above, or on something else
The President superimposed the law so that everyone would know and abide by it.

survey

taking a comprehensive view of something
We took a survey to see how kids reacted to the new standard.

ubiquitous

existing or being everywhere
Cockroaches are ubiquitous because they can adapt quickly to any environment.

unknown

not discovered, determined, or identified
The cause of the disease is unknown.

worldview

a comprehensive view of the world and human life
The worldview on international conflict leans generally towards peaceful diplomacy.

bagpipe

a reed instrument consisting of a melody pipe and one or more accompanying drone pipes protruding from a windbag into which the air is blown by the mouth or a bellows
The Scottish people use bagpipes to perform songs of the dead.

benefit

advantage or profit
It was to our benefit that we studied before the test.

commodities

an article of commerce
Handheld games are becoming quite the commodity among children these days.

comprise

consist of
The computer is comprised of many parts that simultaneously work together.

diverse

essentially difference
Among the human species, you can easily see a diverse mixture of cultures and races.

exotic

of foreign origin or character
Hawaii, because of its tropical climate, is considered one of the exotic locations for tourists to go.

famine

extreme and general scarcity of food
The failure of the potato crop lead to widespread famine in Ireland.

fluctuate

to change continually; shift back and forth; vary irregularly
The inconsistent student had fluctuating grades.

homogeneous

having the same origin
Human beings come from the same homogeneous origin.

landscape

a section or expanse of rural scenery
The outdoor landscape was beautiful with all the mountains and lakes.

mesmerize

hypnotism
I was mesmerized by the necklace because it had such a beautiful lustre to it.

music

an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color
We listen to music.

percent

figured or expressed on the basis of a rate or proportion per hundred
They say that ten percent of your paycheck should always go towards savings.

petroleum

A thick, flammable, yellow-to-black mixture of gaseous, liquid, and solid hydrocarbons that occurs naturally beneath theearth's surface
We use petroleum as fuel source.

plethora

superabundance
The gold mine had a plethora of the valuable mineral.

replete

completely filled
Be careful not to replete the water container. You might spill it when you pick it up.

reserves

something kept or stored for use or need
The oil reserves are there in case the main supplies run out.

steep

having an almost vertical slope or pitch
The steep mountain side was difficult to climb.

tambourine

a small drum consisting of a circular frame
They used tambourines to maintain the beat while singing.

unique

existing as the only one or as the sole example
She always stands out in class; she has a very unique voice.

appealing

evoking or attracting interest, desire, curiosity, sympathy
The short-cut dress is very appealing to many men.

clergyman

an ordained Christian minister
The clergyman consoled the members of the congregation with quotes from the bible.

conceit

an excessively favorable opinion of one's own ability
The egotistical man was full of conceit when it came to his perceived abilities.

considerable

notable; important
Working on tough projects usually takes considerable amounts of time.

cynical

incredulous of the goodness of people
Young people who are exposed to the negativity of the world usually become very cynical towards others.

inextricably

hopelessly intricate, involved, or perplexing
The maze was inextricably challenging for the lab rat.

intellectual

appealing to or engaging the intellect
All this intellectual discussion of philosophy makes me feel curious to learn more.

irony

humor that takes its effect from stating the opposite of what is meant
The story about the man that was trying to compliment his boss but somehow kept insulting him was full of irony.

issues

a point, matter, or dispute
We have many issues and complaints with the human resource department.

liberal

not strict
Children tend to be more liberal than adults, for who likes to be bound by rules?

lyrical

having the form and musical quality of a song
The song had wonderful lyrical value.

metaphor

a figure of speech, based on some resemblance of a literal to an implied subject
Jane’s father used the metaphor of a rose to compare his daughter to great beauty.

mortality

the state or condition of being subject to death; mortal character, nature, or existence
We are all subject to mortality for we eventually come to a point in our life, when we must die.

overshadow

to be more important or significant by comparison
The main theme overshadows all the other lesser themes.

poetic

befitting or pertaining to poetry
Many romantic writers write poetic literature which shows their feelings.

priesthood

the condition or office of a priest.
The tribe of Levi was of the lineage of priesthood in the bible.

profound

deep, thorough
Scientist had a profound thought that helped him understand the equation.

romanticized

given to sentimental or amorous feelings
I romanticized the idea of getting married.

tenuous

slight, flimsy, weak
The relationship between the defendant and the crime was tenuous at best.

theme

the topic discussed
The theme of the shoe advertisement is to show how buying new shoes will help one run faster.

colonialism

the idea of settling into a new country but remain subject to the mother country
Early colonialism proved very useful to many growing empires, such as the UK because many valuable trade items made them very prosperous.

cosmopolitan

sophisticated as to be at home in all parts of the world or conversant with many spheres of interest
New York is said to be the most cosmopolitan area in the US as it contains many shopping centers and art galleries.

credit

commendation or honor given for some action
We will give him credit for his good deeds.

despite

in contrast to what might be expected (syn. in spite of, although, even though)
despite her nervousness about bungee jumping, she looked quite calm as she stood on the edge of the platform.

extraction

a point of forceful removal
As soon as the miners discovered ore, they immediately searched for an extraction point to start digging.

garner

the process in which one reaps, gathers, and stores
In ancient times, farmers would manually garner all the wheat by hand.

hinder

preventing from acting
The sprain seriously hindered the athlete from running as fast as he could.

import

bring in as wares from another country
European and Japanese vehicles are usually imported from their respected countries to the US.

isolate

to set or place apart; detach or separate
We isolated the bacteria so that it wouldn’t spread.

mainland

the principal land of a country, region
Australia’s mainland contains mostly desert.

multilingual

using or able to speak several or many languages with some facility
The person was multilingual. He spoke four languages.

overlap

to cover and extend beyond
I can’t see the two lines. I think they are overlapping.

peninsula

an area of land almost completely surrounded by water except for an isthmus connecting it with the mainland
The southern landmass of Florida is a peninsula to the United States.

persist

to endure
Despite his sickness, Ralph persisted to learn in school.

portrayal

describing vividly
Shakespeare’s portrayal of Julius Caesar is quite different from what actually happened in real life.

press

a machine, as a cylinder press or rotary press, for printing on paper
We use the printing press to mass produce the daily newspaper.

readership

the people who read or are thought to read a particular book, newspaper, magazine
The magazine went out of business because the readership base dwindled to almost nothing.

render

to cause to be or become
The poison rendered the victim paralyzed.

stable

a building for horses and cattle.
The cowboy woke up early and went to the stable to get his horse ready for the days work.

stellar

starlike
The actor performed a stellar audition for the part.

aboriginal

one of the original or earliest known inhabitants of a country or region
The Native Americans were aboriginal people before the discoverers found the Americas.

adverse

contrary in purpose
Two rivalling nations usually have adverse goals towards dealing with each other.

airlift

a method for removing a person or thing by air
Because the injured victim was surrounded by water, we needed an airlift to get him out of there.

arable

capable of producing crops; suitable for farming
Texas land has so many nutrients in the soil that farmers considered Texas one of the most arable lands in the US.

arid

lacking moisture, parched with heat
The desert is naturally an arid habitat.

ceremonial

pertains to a ceremony or formal ritual
The wedding is one of the oldest ceremonial events in history.

confirm

to make sure something is right by checking it again
You need to confirm whether you want to attend the party or not.

consequence

that which follows as the result of some preceding act.
If I study, the consequence is a good grade; however, if I don’t study, the consequence is a bad grade.

deforestation

to divest or clear of forests or trees
deforestation was a big issue when paper companies destroyed entire forests to keep up with the demand of paper.

displacement

the state of being out of place.
The displacement of the people was caused by the hurricane.

erosion

a washing or wearing away of the earth's surface
A water path has enough power to create erosions, eventually turning that path into rivers.

gatherers

a person who gathers, collects
We need gatherers to collect the material.

grazier

a person who grazes cattle for the market
Every year, the grazier will select the choice cattle and take it into market.

hypothesize

A testable assertion to a problem
The scientist hypothesized that the two liquids would create another chemical.

otherwise

under other circumstances
Press the blue button, otherwise, press the yellow.

outback

located in the back country
The outback of Australia is nothing but desert.

pollution

the introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment
Car exhaust emits a lot of pollution.

rural

country life
The rural farm life can be quite calming and quiet.

speculation

the contemplation or consideration of some subject
My views are only speculation because they are based only on myobservations.

tract

an expanse of land or water
My grandparents bought a small tract of land so they can live quietly and settle down.

astound

to overwhelm with amazement
I was astounded by the number of people that showed up for his birthday party.

awe

fear mingled with admiration
The father looked at his newborn in awe.

canyon

a deep valley with steep sides
The Grand canyon has many spectacular steep sides.

destination

the place to which a person or thing travels or is sent
The train’s final destination is Dallas, Texas.

drought

a period of dry weather
With no rain for several months, we were facing a serious drought.

extensive

of great extent; wide
Before they went public, the scientists had to do extensive research to make sure they were right.

external

located outside and apart
Skin is external to the inner organs of the body.

fantastic

unreal and hardly possible
Pigs flying?! That is absolutely fantastic!

fauna

all the animal life in a particular region
In the woods, many types of fauna can be found, such are squirrels, and birds.

feature

a distinctive or prominent characteristic
Supermodels usually have very delicate, yet beautiful facial features.

flora

Plants considered as a group
flora is the term that relates to plants and flowers.

geothermic

to create heat from the earth
Intense geothermic heat provokes volcanoes to erupt.

geyser

a hot spring that periodically spouts hot water and steam
Old Faithful is the most popular geyser.

myth

a legendary story
King Arthur and his knights make up the Celtic myths.

phenomena

an odd or notable thing
Shooting stars are a wonderful phenomena to see.

plateau

a land area having a relatively level surface considerably raised above adjoining land on at least one side
We’ll land on the flat plateau over there.

predictable

foretell, prophesize
It’s very predictable that the mouse will come after the cheese, if I leave the cheese on the floor.

recount

to count again
Because of the interruption, I had to recount the entire thing over again.

sculpt

to carve or shape
The beautiful sculpture of David was sculpted by the hands of Michelangelo.

treasure

wealth or riches stored or accumulated
The pirate hid his treasure.

barometer

any instrument that measures atmospheric pressure
Go grab the barometer to see if the air pressure is high.

compile

collect from various sources
To create a good research paper, I must collect and compile my resources and thoughts onto paper.

diminish

make less or smaller by any means
As age progresses, the body slowly diminishes to a weaker state as well.

ensemble

all the parts of a thing taken together, so that each part is considered only in relation to the whole
We collected the ensemble and put it in the garage to work on it.

factor

something that has an effect on something else
When choosing a job, there are many factors to consider, such as salary and location.

forecast

prediction
The weather forecast predicted three days of straight rain.

front

an interface or zone of transition between two dissimilar air masses
The cold front is coming in soon, so dress warmly.

global

worldwide
With so much pollution, global warming is inevitable.

gradient

the amount or angle of slope
In San Francisco, the hills have a high gradient, making it very difficult to build houses.

groundhog

A common burrowing rodent of northern and eastern North America
When the groundhog sees his shadow, spring is right around the corner.

humidity

dampness, amount of moisture in the air
The heat and humidity leave you soaked with perspiration.

indicate

to point out; direct attention to
The guide indicated where the tourist would go on the map.

jet stream

A high-speed stream of air
The airplane travelled faster thanks to some powerful jet streams.

makeup

the ensemble or effect created by such application
We need to see the genetic makeup of his DNA.

pattern

a model to be copied
The math pattern was easy to pinpoint. It was going up by even numbers.

persistence

to endure
Soldiers in the army need great persistence to endure the rigorous training.

pronounce

to enunciate or articulate
I pronounce you husband and wife.

radiosonde

an instrument that is carried aloft by a balloon to send back information on atmospheric temperature, pressure, and humidity by means of a small radio transmitter
The radiosonde gave the weather crew all the weather information they needed.

season

one of the four periods of the year
Spring, summer, fall, and winter constitute the four seasons.

thermometer

an instrument for measuring temperature
You’ve got a 103 temperature on the thermometer. You’re definitely sick.

analogous

corresponding; similar
English, French, and Spanish are all analogous to Latin.

caldera

a large, basinlike depression resulting from the explosion or collapse of the center of a volcano
The scientist went to the caldera to do some research to see what caused the volcano to explode.

collapse

break, fall in, or give way
Since the bridge was built incorrectly, it collapsed.

convergent

tending to come together
The ideas of the man and his wife typically are convergent.

divergent

branch off in different directions
The fork on the road created a divergent crossing between two different paths.

erupt

burst forth suddenly
After bothering him so much, he finally erupted in a fit of rage.

exhibit

a display
The exhibit at the museum will last for three more days.

fragment

a part broken off or detached
That piece of wood was a fragment chipped off from the coffin.

hardened

made or become hard or harder
The water will harden when it’s cold.

hotspot

areas of intense pressure
The new jazz cafe was the hotspot for the teenagers.

intense

existing in high degree
Because all of the players in the game were strong, the game was very intense.

lessened

To make less; reduce
I lessened my grip knowing it was okay.

magma

a mass of molten material below the earth's crust
Once magma flows out of the earth’s surface, it turns into lava.

mantle

a cover
I had to wear a mantle to shield myself from the snow.

outlet

an opening or passage by which anything is let out; vent; exit
We all need emotional outlets, because bottling those feelings can do more damage sometimes.

pyroclastic

composed chiefly of fragments of volcanicorigin
The volcano’s explosion was so massive, huge pyroclastic pieces flew for miles.

seismic

an earthquake
California experiences a lot of seismic activity.

shield

a vast area of ancient crustal rocks which, together with a platform, constitutes a craton
The shield volcano forms with layers upon layers of molten lava.

stationary

standing still
The train remained stationary until all the guests were on board.

tectonic

slablike sections of the earth that support continents
I can’t believe the earth’s continents are supported by eight tectonic plates that are constantly grinding with each other.

beneficial

helpful, profitable
Eating right, and exercising is beneficial for a healthy style of living.

camouflage

the covering that something has that makes it difficult to detect
The insect's camouflage prevented it from being eaten by other animals.

capable

having the ability
Having a degree in computer programming made Ryan capable of doing his job.

envision

contemplate in imagination
Martin Luther King Jr. envisioned a less prejudice and less racial America

Fahrenheit

Of or relating to a temperature scale that registers the freezing point of water as 32° and the boiling point as 212° at one atmosphere of pressure
The normal body temperature is about 98.7 degrees fahrenheit.

investigation

examine in detail
Due to the number of flaws, the detective requested a more thorough investigation.

mutual

reciprocated respect for the other
The two lovers had a mutual affection for each other.

pollinate

fertilize
Bees and other insects help pollinate flowers.

precipitation

rain, sleet, or snow
The northwest US experiences a lot of precipitation during its rainy season.

quenching

To put out
Water quenches one’s thirst on dry hot summer days.

resilient

springing back; rebounding
He was resilient to the opposing team’s force.

sand dune

a ridge of sand created by the wind
The wind in the desert shifts the sand turning them into hills and sand dunes.

scorching

burning; very hot
The scorching heat of the sun made the travel difficult.

severe

serious, austere
Watch out for severe thunderstorm.

sparse

thinly scattered or distributed
The small piece of bread was sparsely distributed among the eight kids.

thermoregulation

the regulation of body temperature
Coaches are advised to pay attention to thermoregulation among their players, so that none of them faint from dehydration.

vascular

pertain to bodily ducts that convey fluid
Working out your body is ultimately working out your vascular system.

vegetation

all the plants or plant life of a place, taken as a whole
Plant vegetation in Africa is extraordinarily diverse.

viscous

Having relatively high resistance to flow
Motor oil is a viscous substance that prevents car engines from overheating.

xerophytes

A plant adapted to living in a dry arid habitat
The cactus is a wonderful example of the xerophytes, as they can survive the hottest days of the desert.

catastrophe

a sudden disaster
The US experienced a huge catastrophe on 9/11.

decimate

destroy a great number of
The atomic bomb decimated the population of Japan during World War II.

detected

To discover or ascertain the existence
We detected other life forms in space.

devastating

lay waste
With modern physics and technology, we have invented some devastating weaponry.

displace

to put out of place
The car mechanic accidentally displaced the oil with the cleaner.

extent

the space or degree to which a thing extends
The extent of the damage was severe. It would take many years to rebuild.

fatalities

a disaster resulting in death
The number of soldier fatalities during the war was great.

formulate

put into definite words
The student formulated his reply in his head before he spoke.

induce

lead by persuasion or influence
The people were easily induced by the propaganda.

magnitude

physical greatness
The magnitude of the earthquake was so powerful it destroyed tall buildings.

prime

of highest quality
The man that was found with the bloody shirt was the police’s prime suspect.

pummeled

to beat or thrash with or as if with the fists
The man pummeled his opponent to the ground.

recorded

To set down for preservation in writing or other permanent form
The recorded message was from my mom.

reliable

reliable, trustworthy
My best friend is very reliable with even the menial tasks I ask him to do.

Richter scale

a scale, ranging from 1 to 10, for indicating the intensity of an earthquake
The horrific earthquake measured a 7.2 on the Richter scale.

scathed

to attack with severe criticism
The lawyer scathed the witness with all sorts of questions.

stress

importance or significance attached to a thing
I cannot stress to you how important this next objective is.

subterranean

existing, situated, or operating below the surface of the earth
They built subterranean tunnels, so the enemy wouldn’t see them in the air.

tidal

of or relating to or caused by tides
Surfers use small tidal waves to ride on their boards.

tsunami

a sea wave caused by a submarine earthquake
Tsunamis show the destructive power of water.

abyssal

bottomless pit
Many people in the medieval era feared deep holes fearing that the hole might be abyssal.

alleged

declare positively
The movie star was allegedly spotted at the local coffee shop.

angler

One who fishes with a hook
The angler caught one of the biggest fish.

assess

estimate the value of
The insurance agent came out and assessed the damage from the car accident.

chemical

a substance produced by or used in a chemical process
We use this chemical to neutralize any toxic substances.

clarify

make clear to the sight or understanding
I had to clarify my main point to the puzzled children.

equip

fit out for what is needed
The knight equipped himself with armor and a sword for combat.

formation

the act or process of forming or the state of being formed
The soldiers went into formation as they did inspections.

immensity

vastness; enormous extent
I don’t think you understand the immensity of damage you caused for that family.

legendary

a widely accepted but unverified story
The hero did so many amazing feats, I’m sure he’ll be legendary.

mariner

a person who directs or assists in the navigation of a ship
The mariner travelled all over the earth on his ship.

marvel

something that causes wonder, admiration, or astonishment
People marvel at the beauties nature presents.

oceanographer

a scientist who studies physical and biological aspects of the seas
The oceanographer charted the undersea life forms.

pose

propound as a question
I will pose the first question, and you shall answer.

process

a series of operations
Through process of elimination, I concluded that C was the correct answer.

salinity

the relative proportion of salt in a solution
Check the salinity of the soup. If it’s too salty, add a little bit more water.

specimen

a part or an individual taken as exemplifying a whole mass or number
This particular specimen is the leader of the herd.

topography

the surface configuration of anything
topography allows for the creation of maps have bumps on them to signify an increase in elevation.

widespread

covering a great area
The disease was widespread and everyone at school was sick.

zoologist

a specialist in the branch of biology dealing with animals
The zoologist is now studying monkeys.

alter

make some change in
One can alter bad habits through hard to work.

blockage

an obstructed condition
The blockages in the toilet made the water come back up.

climatic

of or pertaining to climate
The ice age brought a huge climatic change in the weather.

consensus

agreement in opinion
We all came to a consensus that we would all go to McDonald’s for lunch.

contend

to state formally that something is true
Mary contends that she was not the one who stole the books.

definition

the act of defining or making definite, distinct, or clear
In order to use the word properly, you must understand its definition.

deposit

to give as security or in part payment
I had to put down a 50% deposit on for my suit before the tailor would begin making it.

evidence

the means of proving or disproving an alleged fact
There was much evidence against the suspect that made him look guilty.

exacerbate

embitter
My sister’s constant naggin exacerbated my mother.

glacier

a slowly moving mass of ice
The huge glacier melted its way to the ocean.

ice age

A cold period marked by episodes of extensive glaciation alternating with episodes of relative warmth
The ice age supposedly killed off the dinosaurs because they could not preserve their own heat.

illuminate

furnish with a light
We turned on the flashlight to illuminate the dark room.

interval

the time between two events
The beginner’s orchestra played at a steady interval so that they could all play together.

monitor

to oversee a particular activity
The counselor closely monitored the camper’s activity.

orbit

to move or travel around in an orbital or elliptical path
The satellite orbits around the earth.

ozone

a colorless gas (O3) soluble in alkalis and cold water; a strong oxidizing agent; can be produced by electric discharge in oxygen or by the action of ultraviolet radiation on oxygen in the stratosphere
The ozone is vital to our health because it prevents UV rays from hitting our skin.

phenomenon

a fact, event, or image that strikes one's attention and attracts interest
A man eating fire was a phenomenon that he had not seen before.

proponent

the one who proposes
Good catches and strong offensive line were few of the proponents to why the team won the football game.

thawing

To change from a frozen solid to a liquid by gradual warming
Don’t cook the frozen meat. I’m thawing it so it’ll be easier to cook later.

tropic

the region among the equator
Hawaii’s hot weather is due to its tropic location.

debate

to engage in discuss or argument
My friend and I debated over the topic of abortion all night.

deny

refuse to admit the truth
The liar denied any claim that was brought upon him and his crime.

disregard

to pay no attention to
The mother disregarded her son’s constant nagging.

disservice

opposing a duty or service
Committing petty crimes is a serious disservice to the community.

eliminate

get rid of
We had to eliminate the possibility of failure, when we began to get the machine to work.

fatal

causes death
Taking the wrong drugs can be fatal.

immunity

exempt from a disease
Due to viral adaptation, it is getting more difficult for humans to develop natural immunities.

knell

the sound of a bell
Before church service starts, the clergy will produce the knell with the church bell.

lingering

To be slow in leaving
The lingering ghost scared the guests of the haunted hotel.

meanwhile

in the intervening time
Joe was cleaning the rooms. meanwhile, Julie was washing the dishes.

navigator

a person who conducts explorations by sea
The navigator directed the ship to the port.

nearby

close at hand; not far off
Japan is nearby the coast of Korea.

ownership

the state or fact of being an owner
I claim ownership of the vehicle after I buy it.

Polynesian

A native or inhabitant of Polynesia
polynesians have a tropical way of life.

reaction

a response
As soon as the dye touched the water, a color reaction took place.

seafarer

a traveller on the sea
The seafarer recorded his logs on what went on during the sea voyage.

strain

hereditary or natural character, tendency, or trait
We need to get a clear DNA strain to get a genetic makeup.

survive

continue to live
The cat survived the jump that was three stories high.

trinket

a trifling ornament
The child put an odd trinket on top of the drawer. It was his sister’s lucky rabbit foot.

undoubtedly

not called in question
I undoubtedly believed you.

absorb

to take in; to retain (syn. ingest, soak up /ant. discharge, repel)
The new paper towels I bought were easily able to absorb the spilled water.

avid

with strong interest (syn. enthusiastic, eager / ant. indifferent)
Paul is an avid tennis fan. He likes to play tennis, watch tournaments, and read tennis magazines.

bawdy

lewd, indecent
The drunken man’s behavior was intolerably bawdy.

burgeoned

to grow or develop rapidly
The merchant city burgeoned as shipments of valuable goods came in.

conservative

liking routine; afraid of change (syn. old-fashioned, traditional / ant. liberal, avante garde)
My grandfather is so conservative that he hasn't bought new clothes in twenty-five years.

demographics

a portion of a population
We need to get the demographics of the city to predict how much it will expand in several years.

frantic

frenzied, wild with excitement
I was frantic to find out if we were going to have a child.

illegalize

outlaw
The senator made a call to illegalize dangerous drugs.

momentum

the quantity of motion of a body
After we started our project, we picked up good momentum on our way to completing it.

notion

a general understanding
We had the notion that you were taking charge.

patent

an official document granting a privilege
We had to apply for a patent for the new invention so that no one else could steal our idea.

performance

the act of performing, executing
The performance of the sports player was poor after he sprained his ankle.

plots

The pattern of events or main story in a narrative or drama
The general plot of the book describes how the hero rescues the princess from danger.

prim

particular
When eating with distinguished guests, it is important to be prim about your attire.

propriety

the quality of being proper or appropriate
The boy’s good manners gave him a sense of propriety.

provocative

to arouse or stimulate
The girl’s provocative dress caught the attention of many men in the club.

racy

slightly improper or indelicate
At times, language can be the basis of racy comments between culture.,

regime

a government with power
The dictator’s regime held the people of the country virtually powerless.

sensationalized

to make sensational
The movie critics sensationalized the movie so that people would be encouraged to go watch it.

trends

current style
We can find recent trends in music, clothing, and food.

assimilate

take in or incorporate
A person who is flexible can assimilate to a new culture more quickly.

assortment

a collection of various kinds of things
He had an assortment of various collectible cards.

complex

composed of many intricate parts
The human body is very complex because it has so many parts that work differently.

diet

food and drink considered in terms of its qualities, composition, and its effects on health
We need to consider your diet before we place you on an exercise routine.

diffusion

pour out and spread
Because the water was running, the rate of diffusion of the dye was faster than expected.

dynamic

full of force and energy
His friend had a very dynamic personality because he approached people with a smile and friendliness.

host

One that furnishes facilities and resources
He was a good host at the party.

impel

drive onward
After hearing his powerful speech, I was impelled to help out the community.

imply

suggest or indicate without expressing directly
The professor seemed to imply the answer in his explanation.

linguistics

the study of structure and development of language
To understand the acoustics of the vocal signal, one must study linguistics.

migrate

move from one region to another periodically
Birds migrate when the climate begins to change.

mobility

easily moveable
Military armor has evolved over the centuries, allowing the soldier to have more mobility in combat.

ongoing

continuing without termination or interruption
It was an ongoing tradition.

relocation

to move to a different location
Because the business is setup in many locations, you will be susceptible to relocation.

staples

A basic or principal element or feature
Wheat products are usually the staple diet for every culture.

tinged

to impart a slight taste or smell to
Blood has a slight tinge of iron.

transplant

to move from one place to another
The man with a bad heart needs a heart transplant.

transposed

to change the relative position, order, or sequence of
We transposed the locker combination so that no one would steal it.

vanish

fade from sight, disappear
The magician vanished out of thin air as he covered himself with his cape.

voluntary

done from one's free choice
Helping the sick and needy was completely voluntary.

breed

to produce (offspring); procreate; engender
Animals breed to continue the process of life.

combination

a coming together so as to form a group, sum, etc..
The meal comes with a combination of both chicken and beef.

conservation

the careful utilization of a natural resource in order to prevent depletion
We need to have a conservation stance on fuel as it is a limited resource.

demonstrate

describe by visual example
The professor demonstrated circular motion by swinging a rope around.

distribution

spread out
We had to give even distributions to the hungry because we were low on food rations.

eradicate

pull out by the root
We must eradicate all dangerous parasites from the body.

failure

an act or instance of failing or proving unsuccessful
When he didn’t pass the test, he felt like a failure.

havoc

great destruction or devastation
There was great havoc as the monster destroyed buildings.

instability

unsteadiness, lack of firmness
Due to political chaos, the government had a lot of instability.

interlude

an episode of such time
Before getting to the main piece of music, the orchestra played the interlude.

laden

load or burden
I was ladened with the most difficult task of carrying huge blocks of wood.

meteorological

pertaining to meteorology or to phenomena of the atmosphere or weather
Determining weather patterns is a meteorological study.

mother nature

a personification of the forces of nature as a controlling and regulating maternal being
mother nature takes care of the circle of life.

plague

a pestilential epidemic
Genesis accounts the telling of the deadly plagues that brought disaster to Eygpt.

protract

to draw out or lengthen
He protracted the song to the point of exhaustion.

rainfall

a fall or shower of rain
There was slight rainfall as the monsoon season came to a close.

restriction

to attach restrictions
Modern prisons put more restrictions on food utensils for fear of violent breakouts and escapes.

stricken

strongly affected
I was stricken with love at first sight when I saw her walking into the room.

subsistence

have the means to live
Food, water, and air are a means to subsistence, but there is also the will to want to survive that helps as well.

wreak

to inflict or execute
The monster wreaked destruction among the city.

aquaculture

the cultivation of aquatic animals and plants
aquaculture is important to grow aquatic life.

barren

incapable of producing offspring
The desert is a barren place to plant crops.

canals

An artificial waterway or artificially improved river used for travel, shipping, or irrigation.
We need to use canals to spread the water to areas where water is lacking.

conjunction

an opinion not founded on sufficient evidence
The lawyer’s conjunction was dismissed as soon as the judge figured out his theory lacked sufficient evidence.

consumption

the act of consuming
The human chocolate consumption rate is about 45 lbs. in a year.

equivalent

the same in magnitude, meaning, and effect
The two equations were written differently, but the answers were equivalent.

formulated

to express in precise form
We have formulated a way to convert heat into energy.

hatcheries

a place for hatching eggs
Hen’s have a hatchery to lay their eggs.

husbandry

farming, agriculture
Through animal husbandry, humans were able to domesticate certain animals for their own personal use.

maize

corn
In central and south America, the Native Americans depended on their maize supply for food.

manure

excrement, or other refuse used as fertilizer
We use cow manure to fertilize the plants.

monsoon

A wind system that influences large climatic regions and reverses direction seasonally.
We had a great deal of rainfall during the monsoon season.

mutton

the flesh of sheep
If we charbroil the mutton, it will taste soft.

opposing

set against or opposite to
The two opposing teams battled it out on the field.

permanent

lasting, and fixed
The teacher accidentally wrote on the soft erase board with the permanent marker. The mark didn’t come off.

plankton

the aggregate of passively floating, drifting, or somewhat motile organisms occurring in a body of water
There is one species of whales that eat plankton by the tons everyday.

suitable

appropriate, becoming
The father thought the responsible young man was a suitable guy to go out with his daughter.

tend

be inclined or disposed; to work with
The doctor tended to the sick patients needs.

terrestrial

pertain to earth and land
Humans are terrestrial beings in that we survive through the fruitfulness of the earth.

thrive

to prosper; to develop vigorously
Their business continued to thrive while many others went bankrupt.

assemble

bring together or fit together
The Titanic was the greatest ship ever assembled by man.