Reading for the Real World 3/e-Intro Unit 05 (E)

acute

very serious or dangerous

When she fell out of the tree, the girl felt an acute pain in her arm.

ash

a powder made of tiny burnt pieces remaining after a fire

ashes are the very hot, dusty substance left over from a fire.

commodity

something that is bought and sold

Handheld games are becoming quite the commodity among children these days.

crisis

a difficult or dangerous situation that needs serious attention

In an international crisis, the nation might find itself in short supply of products essential to national security.

drain

to remove (liquid) from something

The drain in the kitchen sink is blocked.

drastically

a lot; to a surprising amount or level

Henry's new haircut drastically changed the way he looks.

erupt

of a volcano, to send out rocks, lava, etc. in a sudden explosion

He said that the volcano probably erupted.

evacuate

to remove from an area of danger

More than 125,000 homes had to be evacuated in Nevada and California.

fertility

of soil, the ability to support the growth of plants

In India, people believe that rice is important to fertility.

harvest

the amount of crops gathered

The harvest is usually collected in the fall.

harvest

the amount of crops gathered

The harvest is usually collected in the fall.

hazard zone

a dangerous area

Over the past five years, about 11% of new houses have been built in flood hazard zones.

humanitarian

related to improving people's lives

Her humanitarian efforts were recognized by the United Nations.

imminent

happening very soon

The imminent sound of the bell made everyone nervous.

kilometer

a unit of length equal to 1,000 meters

I ran five kilometers this morning.

legendary

told about in stories that are believed by many but are not proven to be true

The legendary sword 'Excalibur', was pulled out by King Arthur.

logical

sensible; reasonable

This is not a logical decision.

loom

to appear in an impressively large or great form

The ominous clouds loomed over the school.

mighty

great and powerful

The mighty wrestler scared all who faced him.

monopoly

complete control of the entire supply of a good or service

Most governments have laws to prevent companies from becoming a monopoly.

pesticide

a chemical that is used to kill animals or insects that damage crops

We wash our fruits and vegetables to remove the harmful pesticides applied to them by farmers.

post-industrial

after the development of industries

A post-industrial utopia is often described as a world where stop the use of fossil fuel.

precious

very valuable and important

This necklace is very precious to me because it was my grandmother’s.

radius

an area that goes outward in all directions from a particular place

The radius of a circle is half the diameter.

revolt

to fight against, like a revolution

The Muslims of Spain revolted in the year 756.

summit

a meeting between leaders from two or more governments or organizations

I am the two hundred and ninth person to stand on the summit of Mount Everest.

swell

to expand; to grow bigger

The union membership swelled.

trickle

a slow, thin fl ow of water

Tears were trickling down her cheeks.