Target Listening (Practice Test)-Practice Book 3 Unit 12 (E)

ambitious

very eager to do something

Younger students seem more ambitious about learning English than older students.

applaud

to express approval; give praise

We applauded loudly after her motivating speech.

attain

to reach or succeed in getting something

attaining the office of president was his goal in life.

beloved

loved very much

Ji-soo is my beloved wife.

bizarre

odd, whimsical

Something bizarre happened this morning. I thought it was the weekend when it was clearly Tuesday.

blizzard

a severe snowstorm

The blizzard that affected parts of the southwest was disastrous since citiznes were not accustomed to driving in so much snow.

brim

the bottom part of a hat that sticks out all round

The brim of his hat was bent upwards.

bunch

a number of things of the same type fastened or closely grouped together

Shelly grabbed a bunch of bananas and put them into her shopping cart.

call on

to select someone to perform some task

My teacher always calls on students who don't raise their hands.

capitol

the seat of governmental power of a country or an individual state

The capitol of the state of New York is Albany.

crutch

a stick or sticks which you lean on for support when you have an injured leg or foot

When he broke his foot, he had to use crutches to get around.

degree

the measurement of how hot or cold something is

The temperature fell 10 degrees last night.

divide up

to separate

Please divide up all the sheets of colored paper to the students.

duplicate

to make an exact copy

Please duplicate all these questions for the next test.

emergency

an unexpected situation in which immediate action is necessary, often because there is danger

In an emergency, try to remain calm.

expose

to show; to make visible

Parents should be wary of certain video games that expose young children to violent behavior.

facility

the physical area

The apartment complex had a nice recreational facility including a weight room and indoor swimming pools.

finalize

to complete all the details of something

We finalized my work contract today.

flavorful

having a lot of flavor or taste

All the interesting spices made the dish quite flavorful.

flop

to fall down suddenly especially with noise

The tired puppy flopped down on his bed and fell asleep.

involve

to require an interest or concern of someone or something

Tom didn't want to get involved in the argument between Maggie and Charles.

motivate

to give a reason to do something

motivating teenagers to do their homework and study hard is a challenge to most teachers.

mow

to cut plants, such as grass or wheat, which have long thin stems and grow close together

I will mow the lawn this weekend.

optimistic

the tendency to be hopeful and to emphasize or think of the good part in a situation rather than the bad part

Even after the divorce, the father remains optimistic that he can do a good job of raising his children alone.

orphan

a child whose parents have died

At the end of a war, there are usually many orphans.

overcharge

to charge a purchaser too high a price

The restaurant overcharged me for my food so I made a complaint.

overpay

to pay more than what one is supposed to for something

My company overpaid me by $150 on my paycheck.

podium

the small table or platform a speaker usually stands behind

As the audience applauded, Lisa strode onto the stage, accepted her award, and prepared to speak from the podium.

polka-dot

one of many round spots that form a pattern on cloth

Her black skirt had white polka dots all over it.

redesign

to make a revision in the appearance or function of

The hotel redesigned its entire lobby.

residence

the place in which one lives

Her residence was located three blocks from the beach.

routinely

commonly; usually

You should routinely visit your doctor to make sure that you are not having any health problems.

self-discipline

discipline and training of oneself, usually for improvement

It takes a lot of self-discipline to be the very best at something.

sponsor

to vouch for; to promise to help

My uncle's restaurant sponsored my baseball team.

subtotal

the amount before tax is added

The subtotal for the item is only $15.45 but remember, this price doesn't include tax.

trait

a particular characteristic that can produce a particular type of behavior

Being rude is not a positive trait.

uncommon

not ordinary

Snow in southern California is very uncommon.

underdeveloped

having a low level of economic productivity and technological sophistication within the contemporary realm of countries

Somalia is an underdeveloped country on Africa's eastern coast.

usher

to be lead or guided out

The angry crowd was ushered out of the building by security.

vine

any plant having a long, slender stem that trails or creeps on the ground or climbs by winding itself around a support

There were several bunches of grapes growing on the vine.