TOEFL

Lecture 2

Professor:  Good morning everyone, now in today’s lesson I’d like to talk about Population Growth, and in particular, fertility rate.  Now, can anyone here define fertility rate?Charlene:   Er, is it the number of births in a population, measured per thousand people per year?Professor:  Oh, er no, that’s what we call the birth rate.  The number of children born in a year, per thousand people.  No, the fertility rate is the average number of children born per woman in her lifetime, that is, if she lives beyond her child-bearing years.  Now, do you think the British fertility level is higher or lower than it was ... say twenty years ago?Charlene:   I think it’s lower, because these days women are far more focused on their careers than they used to be.Professor:  Well, that point is certainly true, but actually, fertility levels in Britain are relatively high at the moment.  In 2008, it was 1.96; that means that on average, each woman gives birth to 1.96 children, and in 2009 it was only slightly lower, at 1.94.  The last time fertility rates were this high was back in 1973.  In the UK currently, the highest rate of fertility is in Northern Ireland, where the rate is 2.04, and the lowest is in Scotland, where the rate is just 1.77.Charlene:   I don’t understand.  How come fertility rate is going up?  Women are just as career-driven these days as they were thirty years ago.Professor:  Well, the reason is that during the 1990s women really started to delay having families, and that was the reason for the decrease in birth rate then.  Now those women are in their thirties and early forties, and they are starting to have families.  So that’s why the birth rate is going up.Charlene:   Oh, I see, so it’s not actually as if people are actively choosing to have more children than they used to.Professor:  Yes, that’s right Charlene.  The number of children per family is continuing to fall.  Women who are currently in their 70s had an average of 2.4 children.  Those in their sixties had 2.2, those in their fifties had 2.0, and the current figure is 1.9.  Actually, this figure isn’t due to more families choosing to have only one child, although that certainly is occurring, it’s mainly because of the increasing number of women who have no children at all.  This figure was 1 in 10 among the age group who are now 65, but now 1 in 4 women in their mid-40s are childless.  Charlene:   I heard that the fertility rate in Europe is, like, really low.  1.3 or something.Professor:  That’s right, Charlene. It is. It’s far below the replacement level.  Can you tell me what replacement level means?  No?  It’s the number of births you need to keep the population constant.Charlene:   Yes, I heard that in France they’re trying to get people to have more children.  They even give 

out gold medals if you have eight!Professor:  That’s right.  So, we’ve already mentioned that women are waiting before having children because of their careers.  Why else is fertility rate generally decreasing?Charlene:  I think they have fewer children because they’re so expensive.  I mean, I heard one report that said it costs £200, 000 a year to raise a child here.  But I find that difficult to believe.  People’s standard of living is far higher now than it used to be a hundred years ago when families had eight or nine kids.Professor:  That’s very true, but these days people’s expectations tend to be higher.  Parents want their children to have the best opportunities in life, so they’re prepared to pay to develop their children’s talents.Charlene:  Yes, I heard that in China, where they’re easing off some of the rules of the one child policy and allowing some couples to have two, many parents are still choosing to have one.  They say it’s just too expensive.  But, you know, I reckon that, with all this parental micromanagement that’s going on these days, parents only have the time to manage one or two children.Professor:  That’s a good point.  So, now I’d like to look at some different organisations, and examine what they believe about the current population issues...

Conversation 2

Kitty: Right, so shall we discuss what we have to do for this project then? Li: Yes, it says we have to ‘Investigate some aspect of the university facilities’. Paul: Yeah, we have to design a questionnaire don’t we? Li: Yes.  And we have to write an essay and do a presentation. Kitty: Is it an essay?  I thought it was a report. Li: Let me check.  Yes, you’re right, Kitty, it’s a report. Paul: How long does it have to be?  1000 words, isn’t it?

Li:Let me see.  The report has to be between 1000 and 1500 words, and we have to do that on our own, but we do the presentation and the investigation as a group.

Li: So, have you got any ideas about what we can investigate?

Kitty:I know one of the other groups is looking at the university library and whether it’s adequate for student needs.

Paul: Yes, and one group’s doing the sports centre. Kitty: Does it matter if we do the same thing as another group? Li: I don’t think so.  But I was wondering about investigating transport. Kitty: Transport?

Li:Yes, we could look at whether people think the bus service is regular enough, and we could also look at car parking facilities.

Paul:We could look at the cycling facilities too.  There’s never enough space for all the bikes in the bike sheds.  I’m sure the university could afford to build more, what with all the fees we pay.

Kitty: OK, I’m happy with that idea.  So, how should we go about the investigation then?

Li:Well, we could make some questionnaires.  I can ask the people who travel on buses, and Paul, you can ask cyclists, and Kitty, you do a questionnaire for car drivers. 

Kitty: Shouldn’t we write the questions together, rather than individually?

Li:Yes, that’s what I meant, we can write the questionnaires together, but each of us can be responsible for carrying out the questionnaires individually.  Does that sound okay? 

Kitty: Sure

Paul:We should get some quantitative data too.  You could count how many people get on and off the buses at different times, and I can count how many bikes there are in the bike sheds, that sort of thing.

Kitty:And we should take some photos while we’re doing the questionnaires.  They’ll be useful for the presentation.

Li: It sounds good.  Okay, well, let’s think about these questions then.

analyse, verbconsider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaningbreak down into components or essential featuresmake a mathematical, chemical, or grammatical analysis of; break down into components or essential featuressubject to psychoanalytic treatment

approach, verbmove towardsWe were approaching our destinationcome near or verge on, resemble, come nearer in quality, or characterbegin to deal withcome near in timeWinter is approachingmake advances to someone, usually with a proposal or suggestionI was approached by the President to serve as his adviser in foreign matters

approach, nounideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or situationhis approach to every problem is to draw up a list of pros and consthe act of drawing spatially closer to somethingthe hunter's approach scattered the geesea way of entering or leavingthe final path followed by an aircraft as it is landingthe event of one object coming closer to another

area, nouna particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography)it was a mountainous areaa subject of studyit was his area of specializationa part of an animal that has a special function or is supplied by a given artery or nervein the abdominal regiona particular environment or walk of lifea part of a structure having some specific characteristic or functionthe spacious cooking area provided plenty of room for servants

assess, verbevaluate or estimate the nature, quality, ability, extent, or significance ofcharge (a person or a property) with a payment, such as a tax or a fineset or determine the amount of (a payment such as a fine)estimate the value of (property) for taxationOur house hasn't been assessed in years

assume, verbtake to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proofI assume his train was latetake on titles, offices, duties, responsibilitiesWhen will the new President assume office?take on a certain form, attribute, or aspectHis voice took on a sad tonetake on as one's own the expenses or debts of another personoccupy or take onHe assumes the lotus position

authority, nounthe power or right to give orders or make decisions

he has the authority to issue warrants(usually plural) persons who exercise (administrative) control over othersthe authorities have issued a curfewan expert whose views are taken as definitivehe is an authority on corporate lawfreedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilitiesan administrative unit of government

available, adjobtainable or accessible and ready for use or servicekept a fire extinguisher availablenot busy; not otherwise committedhe was not available for commentconvenient for use or disposalthe house is available after July 1

benefit, verbderive a benefit frombe beneficial forThis will do you good

benefit, nounfinancial assistance in time of needsomething that aids or promotes well-beingfor the benefit of alla performance to raise money for a charitable cause

concept, nounan abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances

consist, verboriginate (in)have its essential character; be comprised or contained in; be embodied inThe payment consists in foodbe consistent in form, tenor, or character; be congruousDesires are to be satisfied only so far as consists with an approved endbe composed ofThe land he conquered comprised several provinces

constitute, verbform or composeThis money is my only income

create and charge with a task or functionto compose or represent:set up or lay the groundwork for

context, noundiscourse that surrounds a language unit and helps to determine its interpretationthe set of facts or circumstances that surround a situation or eventthe historical context

contract, verbenter into a contractual arrangementengage by written agreementsqueeze or press togetherbe stricken by an illness, fall victim to an illnessHe got AIDSbecome smaller or draw together

contract, nouna binding agreement between two or more persons that is enforceable by law(contract bridge) the highest bid becomes the contract setting the number of tricks that the bidder must makea variety of bridge in which the bidder receives points toward game only for the number of tricks he bid

create, verbmake or cause to be or to becomebring into existenceThe company was created 25 years agopursue a creative activity; be engaged in a creative activityDon't disturb him--he is creatinginvest with a new title, office, or rankCreate one a peercreate by artistic meanscreate a poem

data, nouna collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawnstatistical data

define, verbdetermine the essential quality ofgive a definition for the meaning of a wordDefine `sadness'

determine the nature ofWhat defines a good wine?show the form or outline ofThe tree was clearly defined by the lightdecide upon or fix definitely

derive, verbreason by deduction; establish by deductionobtainderive pleasure from one's gardencome fromThe present name derives from an older formdevelop or evolve from a latent or potential statecome from; be connected by a relationship of blood, for exampleShe was descended from an old Italian noble family

distribute, verbadminister or bestow, as in small portionsadminister critical remarks to everyone presentdistribute or disperse widelymake availableThe publisher wants to distribute the book in Asiagive to several peopleThe teacher handed out the examscause be distributed

economy, nounthe system of production and distribution and consumptionthe efficient use of resourceseconomy of effortfrugality in the expenditure of money or resourcesthe Scots are famous for their economyan act of economizing; reduction in costit was a small economy to walk to work every day

environment, nounthe totality of surrounding conditionshe longed for the comfortable environment of his living roomthe area in which something exists or livesthe country--the flat agricultural surround

establish, verb

set up or foundShe set up a literacy programset up or lay the groundwork forestablish a new departmentestablish the validity of something, as by an example, explanation or experimentinstitute, enact, or establishbring aboutThe trompe l'oeil-illusion establishes depth

estimate, verbjudge tentatively or form an estimate of (quantities or time)I estimate this chicken to weigh three poundsjudge to be probable

estimate, nounan approximate calculation of quantity or degree or worthan estimate of what it would costa judgment of the qualities of something or somebodymany factors are involved in any estimate of human lifea document appraising the value of something (as for insurance or taxation)a statement indicating the likely cost of some jobhe got an estimate from the car repair shopthe respect with which a person is heldthey had a high estimation of his ability

evident, adjclearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgmentcapable of being seen or noticed

export, verbsell or transfer abroadwe export less than we import and have a negative trade balancetransfer (electronic data) out of a database or document in a format that can be used by other programscause to spread in another part of the worldThe Russians exported Marxism to Africa

export, nouncommodities (goods or services) sold to a foreign country

factor, verbresolve into factorsa quantum computer can factor the number 15

be a contributing factormake things factor into a company's profitabilityconsider as relevant when making a decisionYou must factor in the recent developments

factor, nounanything that contributes causally to a resulta number of factors determined the outcomean abstract part of somethingone of two or more integers that can be exactly divided into another integera businessman who buys or sells for another in exchange for a commissionany of the numbers (or symbols) that form a product when multiplied together

finance, verbobtain or provide money forCan we finance the addition to our home?sell or provide on credit

finance, nounthe commercial activity of providing funds and capitalthe branch of economics that studies the management of money and other assetsthe management of money and credit and banking and investments

formula, nouna group of symbols that make a mathematical statementdirections for making somethinga conventionalized statement expressing some fundamental principlea representation of a substance using symbols for its constituent elementssomething regarded as a normative example

function, verbperform as expected when appliedThe washing machine won't go unless it's plugged inserve a purpose, role, or functionperform duties attached to a particular office or place or function

function, noun(mathematics) a mathematical relation such that each element of a given set (the domain of the function) is associated with an element of another set (the range of the function)what something is used forthe function of an auger is to bore holesthe actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group

the function of a teachera relation such that one thing is dependent on anotherheight is a function of agea formal or official social gathering or ceremonyit was a black-tie function

identify, verbrecognize as being; establish the identity of someone or somethingShe identified the man on the 'wanted' postergive the name or identifying characteristics of; refer to by name or some other identifying characteristic propertyconsider (oneself) as similar to somebody elseHe identified with the refugeesconceive of as united or associatedSex activity is closely identified with the hypothalamusidentify as in botany or biology, for example

income, nounthe financial gain (earned or unearned) accruing over a given period of time

indicate, verbbe a signal for or a symptom ofindicate a place, direction, person, or thing; either spatially or figurativelyI showed the customer the glove sectionto state or express brieflyindicated his wishes in a lettergive evidence ofsuggest the necessity of an intervention; in medicineTetracycline is indicated in such cases

individual, nouna human beinga single organism

individual, adjbeing or characteristic of a single thing or personindividual drops of rainseparate and distinct from others of the same kindmark the individual pagescharacteristic of or meant for a single person or thingan individual servingconcerning one person exclusively

interpret, verbmake sense of; assign a meaning toWhat message do you see in this letter?give an interpretation or explanation togive an interpretation or rendition ofThe pianist rendered the Beethoven sonata beautifullycreate an image or likeness ofrestate (words) from one language into another language

involve, verbconnect closely and often incriminatinglyThis new ruling affects your businessengage as a participantDon't involve me in your family affairs!have as a necessary featurerequire as useful, just, or propercontain as a partDinner at Joe's always involves at least six courses

issue, verbprepare and issue for public distribution or salecirculate or distribute or equip withissue a new uniform to the childrenbring out an official document (such as a warrant)come out ofWater issued from the hole in the wallmake out and issue

issue, nounan important question that is in dispute and must be settledthe issue could be settled by requiring public education for everyoneone of a series published periodicallyshe found an old issue of the magazine in her dentist's waiting roomsome situation or event that is thought aboutthe act of providing an item for general use or for official purposes (usually in quantity)a new issue of stampssupplies (as food or clothing or ammunition) issued by the government

labour, verbwork hardstrive and make an effort to reach a goal

undergo the efforts of childbirth

labour, nouna social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wagesconcluding state of pregnancy; from the onset of contractions to the birth of a childa political party formed in Great Britain in 1900; characterized by the promotion of labor's interests and formerly the socialization of key industriesproductive work (especially physical work done for wages)

legal, adjestablished by or founded upon law or official or accepted rulesof or relating to jurisprudencelegal loopholehaving legal efficacy or forcea sound title to the propertyrelating to or characteristic of the profession of lawthe legal professionallowed by official rulesa legal pass receiver

legislate, verbmake laws, bills, etc. or bring into effect by legislationThey passed the amendment

major, nouna commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines; below lieutenant colonel and above captainBritish statesman who was prime minister from 1990 until 1997 (born in 1943)a university student who is studying a particular field as the principal subjectshe is a linguistics majorthe principal field of study of a student at a universityher major is linguistics

major, verbhave as one's principal field of studyShe is majoring in linguistics

major, adjof greater importance or stature or ranka major artistgreater in scope or effecta major contribution

greater in number or size or amounta major portion (a majority) of the populationof the field of academic study in which one concentrates or specializeshis major field was mathematicsof a scale or modemajor scales

method, nouna way of doing something, especially a systematic way; implies an orderly logical arrangement (usually in steps)an acting technique introduced by Stanislavsky in which the actor recalls emotions or reactions from his or her own life and uses them to identify with the character being portrayed

occur, verbcome to passcome to one's mind; suggest itselfIt occurred to me that we should hire another secretaryto be found to existsexism occurs in many workplaces

percent, nouna proportion in relation to a whole (which is usually the amount per hundred)

period, nounan amount of timethe interval taken to complete one cycle of a regularly repeating phenomenon(ice hockey) one of three divisions into which play is divided in hockey gamesa unit of geological time during which a system of rocks formedganoid fishes swarmed during the earlier geological periodsthe end or completion of somethingdeath put a period to his endeavors

policy, nouna plan of action adopted by an individual or social groupit was a policy of retributiona line of argument rationalizing the course of action of a governmentthey debated the policy or impolicy of the proposed legislationwritten contract or certificate of insuranceyou should have read the small print on your policy

principle, nouna basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct

their principles of composition characterized all their worksa rule or standard especially of good behaviora man of principlea basic truth or law or assumptionthe principles of democracya rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex systemthe principle of the conservation of massrule of personal conduct

proceed, verbcontinue talkingmove ahead; travel onward in time or spaceWe proceeded towards Washingtonfollow a procedure or take a coursefollow a certain courseThe inauguration went wellcontinue a certain state, condition, or activity

process, verbsubject to a process or treatment, with the aim of readying for some purpose, improving, or remedying a conditionprocess cheesedeal with in a routine wayI'll handle that oneperform mathematical and logical operations on (data) according to programmed instructions in order to obtain the required informationThe results of the elections were still being processed when he gave his acceptance speechinstitute legal proceedings against; file a suit againstmarch in a procession

process, nouna particular course of action intended to achieve a result(psychology) the performance of some composite cognitive activity; an operation that affects mental contentsthe process of thinkinga writ issued by authority of law; usually compels the defendant's attendance in a civil suit; failure to appear results in a default judgment against the defendanta mental process that you are not directly aware ofthe process of deniala natural prolongation or projection from a part of an organism either animal or planta bony process

require, verbrequire as useful, just, or properconsider obligatory; request and expectmake someone do somethinghave need of

research, verbattempt to find out in a systematically and scientific mannerThe student researched the history of that wordinquire intothe students had to research the history of the Second World War for their history project

research, nounsystematic investigation to establish factsa search for knowledge

respond, verbshow a response or a reaction to somethingreact verballyrespond favorably or as hopedThe cancer responded to the aggressive therapy

role, nounthe actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or groupan actor's portrayal of someone in a playwhat something is used fornormal or customary activity of a person in a particular social settingwhat is your role on the team?

section, verbdivide into segments

section, nouna self-contained part of a larger composition (written or musical)he always turns first to the business sectiona very thin slice (of tissue or mineral or other substance) for examination under a microscopesections from the left ventricle showed diseased tissuea distinct region or subdivision of a territorial or political area or community or group of peopleno section of the nation is more ardent than the Southone of several parts or pieces that fit with others to constitute a whole objecta section of a fishing roda small team of policemen working as part of a police platoon

sector, nouna plane figure bounded by two radii and the included arc of a circlea social group that forms part of the society or the economythe public sectora particular aspect of life or activityhe was helpless in an important sector of his lifethe minimum track length that can be assigned to store information; unless otherwise specified a sector of data consists of 512 bytesa portion of a military position

significant, adjimportant in effect or meaninga significant change in tax lawsfairly largewon by a substantial margintoo closely correlated to be attributed to chance and therefore indicating a systematic relationthe interaction effect is significant at the .01 levelrich in significance or implication

similar, adjmarked by correspondence or resemblancesimilar food at similar priceshaving the same or similar characteristicsresembling or similar; having the same or some of the same characteristics; often used in combination(of words) expressing closely related meaningscapable of replacing or changing places with something else; permitting mutual substitution without loss of function or suitability

source, verbget (a product) from another country or businessShe sourced a supply of carpetspecify the origin ofThe writer carefully sourced her report

source, nounthe place where something begins, where it springs into beinga document (or organization) from which information is obtainedthe reporter had two sources for the storyanything that provides inspiration for later worka facility where something is availablea person who supplies information

specific, nouna fact about some part (as opposed to general)a medicine that has a mitigating effect on a specific diseasequinine is a specific for malaria

specific, adj(sometimes followed by `to') applying to or characterized by or distinguishing something particular or special or uniquerules with specific applicationstated explicitly or in detailneeded a specific amountrelating to or distinguishing or constituting a taxonomic speciesspecific charactersbeing or affecting a disease produced by a particular microorganism or condition; used also of stains or dyes used in making microscope slidesquinine is highly specific for malaria

structure, verbgive a structure toI need to structure my days

structure, nouna thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many partsthe structure consisted of a series of archesthe manner of construction of something and the arrangement of its partsartists must study the structure of the human bodythe complex composition of knowledge as elements and their combinationshis lectures have no structurea particular complex anatomical part of a living thinghe has good bone structurethe people in a society considered as a system organized by a characteristic pattern of relationships

theory, nouna well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomenatheories can incorporate facts and laws and tested hypothesesa tentative insight into the natural world; a concept that is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain facts or phenomenaa belief that can guide behaviorthe architect has a theory that more is less

vary, verbbecome different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essencebe at variance with; be out of line withbe subject to change in accordance with a variablePrices varymake something more diverse and variedVary the menu

Group 1

Practice test

sector • available • financial • process • individual • specific • principle • estimate • variables • method • data • research • contract • environment • export • source • assessment • policy • identified • create • derived • factors • procedure • definition • assume • theory • benefit • evidence • established • authority • major • issues • labour • occur • economic • involved • percent • interpretation • consistent • income • structure • legal • concept • formula • section • required • constitutional • analysis • distribution • function • area • approach • role • legislation • indicate • response • period • context • significant •

achieve, verbto gain with effortshe achieved her goal despite setbacks

acquire, verbcome into the possession of something concrete or abstracttake on a certain form, attribute, or aspectcome to have or undergo a change of (physical features and attributes)locate (a moving entity) by means of a tracking system such as radarwin something through one's effortsI acquired a passing knowledge of Chinese

administrate, verbwork in an administrative capacity; supervise or be in charge of

affect, verbhave an effect uponWill the new rules affect me?act physically on; have an effect uponthe medicine affects my heart rateconnect closely and often incriminatinglymake believe with the intent to deceivehave an emotional or cognitive impact uponThis child impressed me as unusually mature

affect, nounthe conscious subjective aspect of feeling or emotion

appropriate, verbgive or assign a resource to a particular person or causetake possession of by force, as after an invasionthe invaders seized the land and property of the inhabitants

appropriate, adjsuitable for a particular person or place or condition etca book not appropriate for children

aspect, nouna distinct feature or element in a problemhe studied every facet of the questiona characteristic to be consideredthe visual percept of a regionthe beginning or duration or completion or repetition of the action of a verbthe feelings expressed on a person's face

assist, verbgive help or assistance; be of serviceact as an assistant in a subordinate or supportive functionwork for or be a servant to

assist, nounthe activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose(sports) the act of enabling another player to make a good play

category, nouna collection of things sharing a common attributea general concept that marks divisions or coordinations in a conceptual scheme

chapter, nouna subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titledhe read a chapter every night before falling asleepany distinct period in history or in a person's lifethe industrial revolution opened a new chapter in British historya local branch of some fraternity or associationhe joined the Atlanta chapteran ecclesiastical assembly of the monks in a monastery or even of the canons of a churcha series of related events forming an episodea chapter of disasters

commission, verbput into commission; equip for service; of shipsplace an order forcharge with a task

commission, nouna special group delegated to consider some mattera fee for services rendered based on a percentage of an amount received or collected or agreed to be paid (as distinguished from a salary)he works on commissionthe act of granting authority to undertake certain functionsthe state of being in good working order and ready for operationput the ships into commissiona group of representatives or delegates

community, nouna group of people living in a particular local areathe team is drawn from all parts of the communitycommon ownershipthey shared a community of possessionsa group of nations having common intereststhey hoped to join the NATO communityagreement as to goalsthe preachers and the bootleggers found they had a community of interestsa district where people live; occupied primarily by private residences

complex, noun

a conceptual whole made up of complicated and related partsthe complex of shopping malls, houses, and roads created a new towna compound described in terms of the central atom to which other atoms are bound or coordinated(psychoanalysis) a combination of emotions and impulses that have been rejected from awareness but still influence a person's behaviora whole structure (as a building) made up of interconnected or related structures

complex, adjcomplicated in structure; consisting of interconnected partsa complex set of variations based on a simple folk melody

compute, verbmake a mathematical calculation or computation

conclude, verbdecide by reasoning; draw or come to a conclusionbring to a closeThe committee concluded the meetingreach a conclusion after a discussion or deliberationcome to a closeThe concert closed with a nocturne by Chopinreach agreement onThey concluded an economic agreement

conduct, verbdirect the course of; manage or controlYou cannot conduct business like thislead, as in the performance of a compositionbehave in a certain mannertake somebody somewheretransmit or serve as the medium for transmission

conduct, nounmanner of acting or controlling yourself(behavioral attributes) the way a person behaves toward other people

consequent, adjfollowing or accompanying as a consequence

construct, verbmake by combining materials and partsthis little pig made his house out of straw

put together out of artificial or natural components or partsdraw with suitable instruments and under specified conditionsconstruct an equilateral trianglecreate by linking linguistic unitsconstruct a sentencecreate by organizing and linking ideas, arguments, or conceptsconstruct a proof

construct, nounan abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances

consume, verbeat immoderatelyserve oneself to, or consume regularlyHave another bowl of chicken soup!spend extravagantlywaste not, want notdestroy completelyThe fire consumed the buildinguse up (resources or materials)this car consumes a lot of gas

credit, verbgive someone credit for somethingWe credited her for saving our jobsascribe an achievement toaccounting: enter as creditWe credit your account with $100have trust in; trust in the truth or veracity of

credit, nounapprovalmoney available for a client to borrowan accounting entry acknowledging income or capital itemsused in the phrase `to your credit' in order to indicate an achievement deserving praiseshe already had several performances to her creditarrangement for deferred payment for goods and services

culture, verbgrow in a special preparationthe biologist grows microorganisms

culture, nouna particular society at a particular time and placeearly Mayan civilizationthe tastes in art and manners that are favored by a social groupall the knowledge and values shared by a society(biology) the growing of microorganisms in a nutrient medium (such as gelatin or agar)the culture of cells in a Petri disha highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality

design, verbmake or work out a plan for; deviseplan something for a specific role or purpose or effectThis room is not designed for workcreate the design for; create or execute in an artistic or highly skilled mannerChanel designed the famous suitmake a design of; plan out in systematic, often graphic formdesign a better mousetrapcreate designsDupont designs for the house of Chanel

design, nounthe act of working out the form of something (as by making a sketch or outline or plan)he contributed to the design of a new instrumentan arrangement schemethe awkward design of the keyboard made operation difficultsomething intended as a guide for making something elsea decorative or artistic workthe coach had a design on the doorsan anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

distinct, adj(often followed by `from') not alike; different in nature or qualityplants of several distinct typeseasy to perceive; especially clearly outlineda distinct flavorconstituting a separate entity or partrecognizable; markednoticed a distinct improvementclearly or sharply defined to the mind

element, nounan abstract part of something

an artifact that is one of the individual parts of which a composite entity is made up; especially a part that can be separated from or attached to a systemany of the more than 100 known substances (of which 92 occur naturally) that cannot be separated into simpler substances and that singly or in combination constitute all matterthe most favorable environment for a plant or animalwater is the element of fishesone of four substances thought in ancient and medieval cosmology to constitute the physical universethe alchemists believed that there were four elements

equate, verbconsider or describe as similar, equal, or analogousbe equivalent or parallel, in mathematicsmake equal, uniform, corresponding, or matching

evaluate, verbevaluate or estimate the nature, quality, ability, extent, or significance ofform a critical opinion ofI cannot judge some works of modern art

feature, verbhave as a featurewear or display in an ostentatious or proud manner

feature, nouna prominent attribute or aspect of somethingthe map showed roads and other featuresthe characteristic parts of a person's face: eyes and nose and mouth and chinan expression of pleasure crossed his featuresthe principal (full-length) film in a program at a movie theaterthe feature tonight is `Casablanca'a special or prominent article in a newspaper or magazinethey ran a feature on retirement planning(linguistics) a distinctive characteristic of a linguistic unit that serves to distinguish it from other units of the same kind

final, nounthe final match between the winners of all previous matches in an elimination tournamentan examination administered at the end of an academic term

final, adjoccurring at or forming an end or terminationconclusive in a process or progression

the final answernot to be altered or undonethe judge's decision is final

focus, verbdirect one's attention on somethingcause to converge on or toward a central pointFocus the light on this imagebring into focus or alignment; to converge or cause to converge; of ideas or emotionsbecome focussed or come into focusThe light focusedput (an image) into focus

focus, nounthe concentration of attention or energy on somethingthe focus of activity shifted to molecular biologymaximum clarity or distinctness of an image rendered by an optical systemin focusmaximum clarity or distinctness of an ideathe controversy brought clearly into focus an important difference of opiniona central point or locus of an infection in an organismthe focus of infectionspecial emphasis attached to something

impact, verbpress or wedge together; pack togetherhave an effect upon

impact, nounthe striking of one body against anothera forceful consequence; a strong effectthe book had an important impact on my thinkinginfluencing stronglythe violent interaction of individuals or groups entering into combat

injure, verbcause injuries or bodily harm tohurt the feelings ofcause damage or affect negatively

institute, verbset up or lay the groundwork for

advance or set forth in courtbring charges

institute, nounan association organized to promote art or science or education

invest, verbmake an investmentPut money into bondsgive qualities or abilities tofurnish with power or authority; of kings or emperorsprovide with power and authorityThey vested the council with special rightsplace ceremoniously or formally in an office or position

item, adv(used when listing or enumerating items) alsoa length of chain, item a hook

item, nouna distinct part that can be specified separately in a group of things that could be enumerated on a listhe noticed an item in the New York Timesa small part that can be considered separately from the wholea whole individual unit; especially when included in a list or collectionthey reduced the price on many itemsan isolated fact that is considered separately from the wholean individual instance of a type of symbol

journal, nouna daily written record of (usually personal) experiences and observationsa periodical dedicated to a particular subjecthe reads the medical journalsa ledger in which transactions have been recorded as they occurreda record book as a physical objectthe part of the axle contained by a bearing

maintain, verbkeep in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g.,keep in safety and protect from harm, decay, loss, or destructionsupply with necessities and supportstate categoricallyhave and exercise

normal, nounsomething regarded as a normative example

normal, adjconforming with or constituting a norm or standard or level or type or social norm; not abnormalserve wine at normal room temperaturein accordance with scientific lawsbeing approximately average or within certain limits in e.g. intelligence and developmenta perfectly normal childforming a right angle

obtain, verbcome into possession ofHow did you obtain the visa?receive a specified treatment (abstract)be valid, applicable, or true

participate, verbshare in somethingbecome a participant; be involved in

perceive, verbto become aware of through the sensesI could perceive the ship coming over the horizonbecome conscious ofShe finally perceived the futility of her protest

positive, nounthe primary form of an adjective or adverb; denotes a quality without qualification, comparison, or relation to increase or diminutiona film showing a photographic image whose tones correspond to those of the original subject

positive, adjcharacterized by or displaying affirmation or acceptance or certainty etc.a positive attitudepersuaded of; very sureinvolving advantage or goodindicating existence or presence of a suspected condition or pathogena positive pregnancy testformally laid down or imposedpositive laws

potential, nounthe inherent capacity for coming into beingthe difference in electrical charge between two points in a circuit expressed in volts

potential, adjexisting in possibilitya potential problemexpected to become or be; in prospect

previous, adjjust preceding something else in time or order(used especially of persons) of the immediate pasttoo soon or too hasty

primary, nouna preliminary election where delegates or nominees are chosenone of the main flight feathers projecting along the outer edge of a bird's wing(astronomy) a celestial body (especially a star) relative to other objects in orbit around itcoil forming the part of an electrical circuit such that changing current in it induces a current in a neighboring circuit

primary, adjof first rank or importance or value; direct and immediate rather than secondaryprimary goalsnot derived from or reducible to something else; basica primary instinctmost important elementof or being the essential or basic partof primary importance

purchase, verbobtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction

purchase, nounthe acquisition of something for paymentthey closed the purchase with a handshakesomething acquired by purchasea means of exerting influence or gaining advantagehe could get no purchase on the situationthe mechanical advantage gained by being in a position to use a lever

range, verbchange or be different within limitsEstimates for the losses in the earthquake range as high as $2 billionmove about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employmenthave a range; be capable of projecting over a certain distance, as of a gunThis gun ranges over two milesrange or extend over; occupy a certain areaThe plants straddle the entire statelay out orderly or logically in a line or as if in a linelay out the clothes

range, nounan area in which something acts or operates or has power or control:the limits within which something can be effectiverange of motiona large tract of grassy open land on which livestock can grazethey used to drive the cattle across the open range every springa series of hills or mountainsthe valley was between two ranges of hillsa place for shooting (firing or driving) projectiles of various kindsthe army maintains a missile range in the desert

region, nounthe extended spatial location of somethingthe farming regions of Francea part of an animal that has a special function or is supplied by a given artery or nervea large indefinite location on the surface of the Earthpenguins inhabit the polar regionsthe approximate amount of something (usually used prepositionally as in `in the region of')it was going to take in the region of two or three months to finish the joba knowledge domain that you are interested in or are communicating aboutit was a limited realm of discourse

regulate, verbfix or adjust the time, amount, degree, or rate ofregulate the temperaturebring into conformity with rules or principles or usage; impose regulationsWe cannot regulate the way people dressshape or influence; give direction tocheck the emission of (sound)

relevant, adj

having a bearing on or connection with the subject at issuethe scientist corresponds with colleagues in order to learn about matters relevant to her own research

reside, verbmake one's home in a particular place or communitymay parents reside in Floridalive (in a certain place)be inherent or innate in;

resource, nounavailable source of wealth; a new or reserve supply that can be drawn upon when neededa source of aid or support that may be drawn upon when neededthe local library is a valuable resourcethe ability to deal resourcefully with unusual problemsa man of resource

restrict, verbplace restrictions oncurtail drinking in schoolplace under restrictions; limit access toThis substance is controlledplace limits on (extent or access)restrict the use of this parking lotmake more specific

secure, verbget by special effortcause to be firmly attachedassure payment ofmake certain offill or close tightly with or as if with a plug

secure, adjfree from fear or doubt; easy in mindhe was secure that nothing will be held against himfree from danger or risksecure from harmnot likely to fail or give waythe lock was secureimmune to attack; incapable of being tampered withfinancially sound

seek, verbtry to get or reachseek a positiontry to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence ofmake an effort or attemptgo to or towardsa liquid seeks its own levelinquire forseek directions from a local

seek, nounthe movement of a read/write head to a specific data track on a disk

select, verbpick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives

select, adjof superior gradeselected or chosen for special qualifications

site, verbassign a location to

site, nounthe piece of land on which something is located (or is to be located)a good site for the schoolphysical position in relation to the surroundingsthe sites are determined by highly specific sequences of nucleotidesa computer connected to the internet that maintains a series of web pages on the World Wide Web

strategy, nounan elaborate and systematic plan of actionthe branch of military science dealing with military command and the planning and conduct of a war

survey, verbconsider in a comprehensive wayHe appraised the situation carefully before actinglook over carefully or inspectHe surveyed his new classmateskeep under surveillancehold a review (of troops)make a survey of; for statistical purposes

survey, nouna detailed critical inspectionshort descriptive summary (of events)the act of looking or seeing or observing

text, nounthe words of something writtenthere were more than a thousand words of texta passage from the Bible that is used as the subject of a sermonthe preacher chose a text from Psalms to introduce his sermona book prepared for use in schools or collegesthe main body of a written work (as distinct from illustrations or footnotes etc.)pictures made the text easier to understand

tradition, nounan inherited pattern of thought or actiona specific practice of long standing

transfer, verbtransfer somebody to a different position or location of workmove from one place to anothertransfer the datalift and reset in another soil or situationmove aroundtransfer the packet from his trouser pockets to a pocket in his jacketcause to change ownershipI transferred my stock holdings to my children

transfer, nounthe act of moving something from one location to anothersomeone who transfers or is transferred from one position to anotherthe best student was a transfer from LSUthe act of transfering something from one form to anotherthe transfer of the music from record to tape suppressed much of the background noisea ticket that allows a passenger to change conveyancesapplication of a skill learned in one situation to a different but similar situation

Group 2

Practice test

community • resident • range • construction • strategies • elements • previous • conclusion • security • aspects • acquisition • features • text • commission • regulations • computer • items • consumer • achieve • final • positive • evaluation • assistance • normal • relevant • distinction • region • traditional • impact • consequences • chapter • equation • appropriate • resources • participation • survey • potential • cultural • transfer • select • credit • affect • categories • perceived • sought • focus • purchase • injury • site • journal • primary • complex • institute • investment • administration • maintenance • design • obtained • restricted • conduct •