Issues Now in the News 3e-Book 1 Unit 02 (E)

abundant

plentiful; having a lot

There was abundant evidence to support his theory.

affordable

capable of being paid for without difficulty

The houses in Texas are very affordable compared to other states.

basin

a region where a large source of water is enclosed

Kathmandu sits almost in the middle of a basin, forming a square about 5km north-south and 5km east-west.

collaborate

to work with someone in order to achieve a result

The business partners collaborated to build a larger company.

contaminant

a chemical, waste, or infection that is added to something else and makes it dirty or polluted

Make sure that all equipment is clean and free of contaminants.

daunting

difficult; challenging

Due to the schedule change, she faced the daunting task of studying for five exams in a single night.

decentralized

not controlled by a central source or authority

To execute on so many fronts, he has decentralized the organization and delegated a lot of decision-making.

despite

happening without being stopped by something that could prevent the event that happens

He decided to buy the computer despite the high price.

dike

a thick wall that is built to stop water flooding onto very low-lying land from a river or from the sea.

The dike held during the flood.

elusive

hard to obtain or reach

The elusive fish only came out at night.

evaporation

the process of a liquid becoming a gas, steam, or vapor

evaporation is the process in which water is transformed from its liquid state to vapor state.

lament

A passionate expression of grief or sorrow

Dusty stood it on its head and made it a passionate lament of loneliness and love.

mandate

to command; to order

There is a new mandate that prohibits smoking in public places.

mark

to write or draw a line on something

I marked my name on my school uniform.

mediation

an attempt to solve differences between two parties

mediation involves adopting a neutral role between two opposing parties rather than taking up the case of one party against another.

note

to carefully notice, observe, or become aware of someone or something

As he entered the building, he noted the elegant furniture.

observance

An act performed for religious or ceremonial reasons

Many religions go through ceremonies or observances of rituals to become pure or to be healed.

plight

a difficult or bad situation

Everyone felt sorry for the young girl's plight.

point out

to indicate something; to highlight an idea

Could you point out the school office to me?

portable

easily carried or moved

Mp3 players are portable music players.

reverse

to change to the opposite direction.

They reversed their direction after seeing the sign.

sanitation

the cleanliness and safety of public facilities

This is because over 4,000 African children die every day from water and sanitation-related diseases.

sewage

human waste carried off in pipes or drains

Because of sewage in cities, we were able to defeat many diseases.

so-called

usually called

She is a so-called elite student.

sporadically

not often or on a regular schedule

She went to the gym sporadically.

statistics

collection of numerical data

The statistics show that teenagers are less likely to attend lectures than those over 20.

to this end

because

To this end I believe that the County Board must act now before an incident like this ends tragically.

tote

Carry, wield, or convey (something heavy orsubstantial)

Here are books well worth toting home.

transboundary

Across a boundary

transboundary air pollution is a contentious issue in many parts of the world.