Basic Skills for the TOEFL® iBT

Reading - 3

WORD PARTS SAMPLE SENTENCE

UNIT 1
Before you join the military you must pass the health
military n.
checks.
Certain behaviors that are acceptable in one country might
acceptable adj.
be considered rude in another.
Plagiarism is forbidden and you will be expelled if you are
forbidden adj.
caught.
Most comic books feature a battle between a superhero and
battle n.
an evil villain.
strongly adv. Animal lovers strongly oppose cruelty toward animals.
dress up phrase Children like to dress up as adults.
secret n. Most people can share their secrets with their close friends.
The two candidates are equal in their credentials, but one
equal adj.
has more experience.
risk n. The flight was delayed because of a high security risk.
historically adv. Historically, women were thought to be unintelligent.
She is conformed to legalized gambling because she
conform v.
believes it is a sin.
She was not a dainty little girl. She likes to play rough with
dainty adj.
the boys.
He is getting frail in his old age. If he falls he could easily
frail adj.
break his hip.
oppose v. Many young adults of the 1960s opposed societal norms.
undergo v. He had to undergo radiation therapy for his cancer.
settle v. Can’t we settle a dispute on our own?
region n. Some regions in a country are better off than others.
empty adj. Is this cup half full or half empty?
He belonged to a tribe that moved around in search of
tribe n.
food.
labor n. Working on a building site requires hard labor.
farm v. My grandfather wants to farm his own vegetables.
Responsible consumers do not buy products that were
exploit v. produced in sweatshops where children and other workers
are exploited.
The settlers had to clear the land of trees and shrubs before
settler n.
they could build their homes.
contradict v. When people lie, they often contradict themselves.
The scandal was especially shocking because he was
integrity n.
thought to be a man of integrity.
Thousands of people lost their homes and were displaced
displace v. as a result of war and are now refugees in a neighboring
country.
It is not a good time to sell because of the recent collapse
collapse v.
in housing prices.
You shouldn’t expose your skin to UV rays, as they can
expose v.
cause cancer.
The two leaders signed the treaty to make the agreement
treaty n.
legal.
Children are dependent on their parents for food and
dependent adj.
shelter until they are old enough to work.
Unit 2

photography n. I love taking pictures. I think I’ll join a photography group.

enormous adj. The elephant looked enormous next to the puppy.
Advances in technology are faster than we can keep up
advance n.
with.
period n. Some periods in life can be very difficult.
subject n. The artist really captured the inner turmoil of the subject.
learn v. You can learn a lot from experience.
Even though he didn’t confess, we can infer from the
infer v.
evidence that he is guilty.
You must be careful not to expose the film until you get in
expose v.
the dark room.
This picture is blurry. We can use a computer program to
sharp adj.
make it sharp.
attach v. I attached a note to the file to remind her to call the client.
whole adj. Most people cannot eat a whole cake on their own.
After you insert the disk into the disk drive, it should start
insert v.
to load automatically.
That’s a nice photo. You should put it in a frame and hang
frame n.
it up.
precede v. The national anthem always precedes the game.
fragile adj. Fragile items need to be wrapped carefully.
liberty n. The United States is known as the land of liberty.
statue n. Statues make great decorations for the garden.
harbor n. Ferries board passengers from the harbor.
gift n. Chocolates make great gifts.
actually adv. Chocolate is actually made from beans.
though conj. Though I would like to travel, I need to save up first.
adjacent adj. The parking lot lies adjacent to the building.
flee v. The robbers fled the scene when they heard police sirens.
Reality shows place regular people in different scenarios so
scenario n.
that audiences can watch how they behave.
The people were tired of being oppressed by an evil
oppress v.
dictator.
A visual advertisement uses a picture to get the customer’s
visual adj.
attention.
found v. The city was founded in 1749.
shackles n. The inmates are kept in shackles so they can’t escape.
Some people want to limit immigration, but I prefer to live
diversity n.
in a place with a lot of diversity.
invoke v. The speech was meant to invoke a sense of pride.
Unit 3

Germs are so tiny that they cannot be seen without a

tiny adj.
microscope.
Doctors use microscopes to look at slides containing
microscope n.
bacterial diseases.
It is amazing to think how many micro organisms fly unseen
micro organism n.
in the air around us.
biology n. Marine biology is the scientific study of sea life.
The scientific causes of diseases were not known for
scientific adj.
hundreds of years.
write v. I don’t like writing essays.
idea n. Innovative ideas create great inventions.
The German philosopher Karl Marx wrote the book Das
philosopher n.
Kapital.
highly adv. The waiter highly recommended the chef special.
During national elections it is very important that vote
accurate adj.
counts are accurate.
Olympic athletes need a lot of perseverance and practice to
perseverance n.
win gold medals.
study v. Studying languages is very useful.
Scientists often do experiments with mice and rats to check
experiment n.
the effect of drugs.
Rigorous exercise can harm your health, so moderate
rigorous adj.
exercise is better.
Queen Elizabeth I had her enemies confined in the Tower of
confine v.
London.
famous adj. Famous people have less privacy than normal people.
The decision to impeach President Bill Clinton in 1999 was a
controversial adj.
controversial one.
Astronomers are still trying to figure out the exact origin of
origin n.
the universe.
Cockroaches are a very interesting insect species that can
species n.
survive nuclear bomb explosions.
evolution n. The evolution of computer technology has been very rapid.
exciting adj. We received exciting news from out cousins.
desert n. There are no plants in the desert.
thick adj. I like to sleep with a thick blanket.
Polar bears are camouflaged in the snow because of their
fur n.
white fur.
Marie Curie and her husband, Pierre, were colleagues who
colleague n.
worked well together.
When husbands and wives are incompatible, marriages
incompatible adj.
often end in divorce.
The Bible story of Adam and Eve tells about the snake in
Bible n.
the Garden of Eden.
Laws that prohibit smoking in public places are found in
prohibit v.
most countries.
Hitler was considered a very evil man because he killed so
evil adj.
many people.
It is dangerous to ignore pain and it’s better to see a doctor
ignore v.
if you get hurt.
Unit 4

sleep n. Students usually don’t get enough sleep during exams.

As unexpected guests arrived to the party, we didn’t have
enough adj.
enough food.
The concept of freedom an integral part of the US
integral adj.
constitution.
health n. The people’s health should never be compromised.
during prep. During the war, many people were killed.
repair v. The workers are repairing the damage to the bridge.
A lack of good education is a big problem for jobseekers in
lack n.
South Africa.
The Allies ultimately won the World War II because of US
ultimately adv.
support.
There are often fluctuations in the oil price due to the war
fluctuation n.
in the Middle East.
When patients leave hospital they usually have to exit in a
patient n.
wheelchair.
Europe and North America provide Africa with a lot of
aid v.
financial aid.
Type-C diabetics often have to inject themselves with insulin
medication n.
medications.
The poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge was addicted to the drug
addicted adj.
opium.
Ascorbic acid and flax seed oil are excellent health
supplement n.
supplements.
When it gets dark, your body starts to produce melatonin to
melatonin n.
help you sleep.
find v. We had to find hidden eggs in the Easter egg hunt.
Some people believe Princess Diana was pregnant when she
pregnant adj.
died in 1997.
The flowers we grew in the backyard were dug up by our
grow v.
puppy.
In some cultures, women who are not fertile are rejected by
fertile adj.
their husbands.
Though tempting, you shouldn’t leave difficult tasks till the
difficult adj.
end.
It is easier for women to conceive at certain times of the
conceive v.
month.
luckily adv. Luckily, it wasn’t raining on the day of the wedding.
Girls are usually more mature than boys during the teenage
mature adj.
years.
birth n. Giving birth is the greatest pain a woman will endure.
If you buy an appliance with a defect, you should return it
defect n.
to the store at once.
When people become angry, their blood pressure often
blood pressure n.
rises.
Dolphins and whales communicate with each other using
sonar n.
sonar.
heartbeat n. Athletes have slower heartbeats due to their fitness.
Technology is utilized by more people today than twenty
utilize v.
years ago.
When a woman’s contractions are too slow, doctors often
induce v.
induce birth.
Unit 5
A manager of a company usually has the most
manager n.
responsibilities.
run v. Running a business is a big risk.
worker n. It is important to keep your workers happy.
provide v. The hotel will be providing basic amenities.
The possibility of promotion was her motivation for putting
motivation n.
in the extra hours.
appreciate v. Most women appreciate flowers on special occasions.
success n. Most people dream of achieving success.
People often add some salt to enhance the flavor of the
enhance v.
soup.
relation n. The recent scandal has put a strain on inter-staff relations.
The teacher’s comments were brief and emphasized the
brief adj.
student’s strong points.
interview n. Interviews can be intimidating.
She compiled some of the author’s less known short stories
compile v.
into a book.
The children became more cooperative when they realized
cooperative adj.
they had a common goal.
Harassment will not be tolerated among the staff and will
termination n.
result in termination.
Some people are more productive in the morning because
productive adj.
they have more time to themselves.
He made his fortune by setting up a website where people
commodity n.
can buy and sell commodities.
decide v. Deciding your career path takes time.
Some students copy other students’ answers during an
answer n.
exam.
No one knew the doll would be so popular. Supply couldn’t
supply v.
keep up with demand.
There was a huge demand for the new video game this
demand n.
Christmas.
When you increase your driving speed, you must note that
increase v.
it will take longer to brake.
You can enter university as soon as you finish high school.
alternatively adv.
Alternatively, you may choose to defer.
graph n. Graphs make information easier to understand.
x-axis n. As you might right along the x-axis, quantity gets bigger.
y-axis n. As you move up the y-axis, price gets higher.
We had to increase the inclination of the ramp or else it
inclination n.
would have been too long.
coincide v. My birthday coincides with the full moon year.
The intersection of the supply curve and the demand curve
intersection n.
determines the optimal price.
Having grown up in a troubled home, the teacher had
insight n.
insight into her student’s problem.
We will add each department’s expense account to come up
aggregate adj.
with the aggregate expenses.
Unit 6

The definition of the word “aloof” is to be shy and to avoid

definition n.
other people.
Harvard University has an excellent anthropology
anthropology n.
department.
culture n. When in other countries, you should abide by their culture.
Captain James Cook was a famous explorer and the Cook
explorer n.
Islands are named after him.
In 1953, Sir Edmund Hilary undertook the ascent of Mount
undertake v.
Everest in Nepal.
journey n. You should enjoy taking journeys while you are still healthy.
indigenous adj. The indigenous people of Mexico were called Mayans.
island n. Australia is a continent but also a large island.
The Aborigines of Australia play a musical instrument called
Aborigine n.
a didgeridoo.
simple adj. The best life is a simple life.
vegetable n. Fruits and vegetables are vital to a healthy diet.
The Kikuyu people lived in huts on the foothills of Mount
hut n.
Kenya.
way of life n. The Berber people of Morocco have a nomadic way of life.
The character, Tarzan, was raised by monkeys and therefore
uncivilized adj.
much uncivilized.
President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 because of bad
conduct n.
and illegal conduct.
The society came together to celebrate the 100th
society n.
anniversary.
young adj. When we are young we have less to worry about.
Film actress Grace Kelly married Prince Rainer III of Monaco
marry v.
in 1956.
At a traditional Jewish wedding, the couple breaks a glass
wedding n.
during the ceremony.
usually adv. It usually gets colder during the night.
allow v. Parents do not allow children to do dangerous activities.
Legend has it that Romulus and Remus were raised by a
raise v.
she-wolf.
Some children do not understand the reasons for certain
tradition n.
traditions.
Modern and contemporary art is very different from the art
contemporary adj.
of the Renaissance.
rank n. The lowest rank you can be in the army is a private.
To succeed in business, you need to be very persistent and
persistent adj.
ambitious.
Germaine Greer is a feminist writer from Australia who
feminist n.
wrote The Female Eunuch.
Doctors can tell the gender of a baby while still inside its
gender n.
mother’s stomach.
Emmeline Pankhurst was a founder of the British suffragette
suffragette n.
movement.
Americans held many protest marches to try to end the
marches n.
Vietnam War.
Unit 7

The police pursued Colombian drug lord, Pablo Escobar, for

pursue v.
many years.
career n. Most people change careers at least once during their life.
always adv. Always make sure your seatbelt is on in the car.
process n. Immigration processes take a long time and is costly.
Einstein’s theories are full of concepts most people find
concept n.
hard to understand.
storyline n. The film version of Gandhi’s life has an interesting storyline.
When faced with a serious problem, it helps to brainstorm
brainstorm v.
solutions.
topic n. Sometimes it is hard to choose a topic to write about.
Many animal lovers do not like zoos because animals are
run free phrase
not allowed to run free.
The book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, has
chapter n.
thirty-eight chapters.
structure n. The structure of a building needs to be sturdy.
Olympic athlete Cathy Freeman can run 400 meters at a
pace n.
very fast pace.
Saddam Hussein was captured by US forces on December
capture v.
13, 2003.
Walt Disney used his imagination to create characters like
imagination n.
Mickey Mouse.
Pinocchio is a wooden puppet that is turned into a real boy
real adj.
by a fairy.
At the end of each year, prizes are given to top students
prize n.
and scholars.
The Academy Awards are a big event in the American film
award n.
industry.
Many journalists have been killed in Iraq since war started in
journalist n.
2003.
born adj. She was born in Korea.
rich adj. Rich people should be more giving to the less fortunate.
The Guardian is one of the most respected newspapers in
newspaper n.
England.
Parents tend to think that university will guarantee success
university n.
in life.
wonderful adj. We heard wonderful news of Jenny’s new baby boy.
If you want a better score, you must try harder than you
try harder phrase
usually do.
The United Nations makes many fund allocations for
allocation n.
humanitarian causes.
fiction n. Leo Tolstoy was one of Russia’s greatest fiction writers.
Oedipus Rex is the most famous drama by the Greek
drama n.
playwright Sophocles.
press n. The press is responsible for giving us accurate daily news.
media n. In today’s world we get our news from the mass media.
The prospect of getting into a good college makes students
prospect n.
aim for high SAT scores.
Unit 8

Social welfare programs should discourage people from

dependence n.
developing a dependence on them.
fossil fuel n. We are very dependent on fossil fuels.
pollutants n. Smog is the result of pollutants in the air.
non-renewable adj. Fossil fuels and nuclear power are non-renewable resources.
restore v. A good rainfall will restore water levels after a drought.
create v. Christians believe that God created the world.
We should all save water for future before it becomes
scarce adj.
scarce.
The threat of losing one’s job provides the incentive to work
incentive n.
harder.
Consider all your options before making important
option n.
decisions.
natural adj. A lot of people are not satisfied with their natural hair color.
extract v. Oil rigs extract oil from the Earth.
comfortable adj. If you are not rich, but not poor, you are comfortable.
Geothermal heating systems rely on heat naturally
geothermal adj.
generated by the Earth.
principal adj. Catching criminals is the principle job of a police officer.
Re-insulating a house may be expensive, but saves money
in the long run phrase
in the long run.
damage n. The insurance paid for the damages after the car accident.
lifestyle n. We should all try to improve our lifestyles.
rely v. Students need to learn to rely and trust each other.
pollute v. Littering pollutes the environment.
greenhouse gas n. The rate of greenhouse gas in the West is not sustainable.
The Equal Rights Amendment had important implications
implication n.
for racial discrimination.
breathe v. If you breathe rhythmically, your blood will circulate better.
Economics majors have a good grasp on how the economy
grasp v.
works.
Using mass transit is one way to cut down on one’s carbon
carbon footprint n.
footprint.
Governments can minimize the burden of rising oil prices by
minimize v.
issuing checks to the poor.
Managers assess each employee’s performance to
assess v.
determine if they deserve a pay raise.
consumption n. Consumption is responsible for global warming.
It’s possible to get a speeding ticket if you exceed the
exceed v.
speed limit.
offset v. In order to save money, one must offset expenditures.
The music industry is looking for ways to counter the effects
counter v.
of free downloading.
Unit 9

Tobacco companies make a lot of revenue for the

tobacco n.
government through tax.
cancer n. If detected early, cancer can be removed.
Respiratory problems are common in areas with air
respiratory adj.
pollution.
trigger v. The Stock Market Crash triggered the Great Depression.
circulation n. Poor circulation can cause muscle cramps.
exposure n. Exposure to UV rays can cause skin cancer.
second-hand
n. Second-hand smoke is more harmful than smoking itself.
smoke
incidence n. The incidence of autism has increased in the recent years.
The prevalence of many diseases often decreases once its
prevalence n.
major cause is identified.
continue v. Let’s continue this activity tomorrow.
Some people show reluctance when asked to move for
reluctance n.
work.
Caffeine is addictive. Once you start drinking coffee, it’s very
addictive adj.
hard to give up.
stimulant n. Caffeine is a stimulant. It causes your heart to beat faster.
trick v. He’s so gullible, he is tricked easily.
It is a good idea to take a vacation and relax if you are
tense adj.
feeling too tense.
psychology n. People who are interested in the mind study psychology.
behavior n. Good behavior may reduce jail time.
academic adj. Some employers want to see your academic transcript.
involve v. Chemistry classes involve practical work.
To be a good researcher you need to be thorough and
researcher n.
motivated.
The hypothesis that smoking causes cancer has been proven
hypothesis n.
many times.
design v. A fashion designer designs clothes.
It is important to assess a study’s validity before jumping to
validity n.
any conclusions.
Unlike theoretical linguistics, applied linguistics is concerned
applied adj.
primarily with teaching language.
psychiatrist n. Psychiatrists deal with mentally ill patients.
therapy n. Some psychologists use hypnosis as a form of therapy.
bound adj. Doctors are bound by the Hippocratic Oath.
The boy scouts have a code that guides their behavior when
code n.
outdoors.
A person’s ethics will determine what they believe is right or
ethics n.
wrong.
If a friend tells someone about your secrets then they have
abuse n.
abused your trust.
Unit 10

exception n. There are no exceptions to the rules. They must be abided.

hand-held adj. PDAs are like hand-held computers.
device n. Some devices are difficult to use at first.
Computers display texts in a variety of fonts, sizes, and
text n.
colors.
What are some of the advantages and disadvantages to
advantage n.
living out of home?
Some cars are capable of reaching speeds of up to 250
capable adj.
miles per hour.
bookshelf n. The bookshelf was filled with many books.
It is important to be aware of the distinction between fact
distinction n.
and fiction.
Many websites contain links to other websites that might be
link n.
of interest.
Television, newspapers, and magazines are all types of
media n.
media.
equivalent n. The metric equivalent of one cup is 250 milliliters.
The 2005 version of the film War of the Worlds featured
version n.
Tom Cruise.
Aspiring writers should send their work to several publishers
publisher n.
for consideration.
Distribution is often handled by a middleman between the
distribution n.
manufacturer and the seller.
Email allows us to send messages and pictures
electronically adv.
electronically.
When your software becomes outdated it is time to
upgrade v.
upgrade.
get rid of phrase The government must get rid of toxic waste sites.
trend n. Current trends in fashion usually start in the US.
corporate adj. Corporate tax rates are low to attract international business.
continually adv. Joseph continually annoys his siblings.
solution n. The solution to getting better marks is studying.
You can put food scraps in the garden because they are
biodegradable adj.
biodegradable.
Environmentally conscious people choose only ecofriendly
eco-friendly adj.
products.
transport n. The cost of transport is a significant part of the price.
The cost of running an awareness campaign is marginal
marginal adj.
compared to the money it will save.
toxic adj. Pregnant women should avoid toxic fumes.
landfill n. Landfills take up too much space.
item n. You can find various items for sale at flea markets.
Each year new car models come out that feature various
previous adj.
improvements on previous models.
The motherboard is the most important component of a
motherboard n.
computer.
Unit 11

There are many refugees from Africa’s war zones living in

refugee n.
London.
leave v. Refugees must leave their homes and friends.
Stalin oppressed the people of the USSR and they lived in
oppress v.
fear.
danger n. A dog will bark when there is danger.
Alcatraz is famous prison on an island off the coast of San
prison n.
Francisco.
Many mountaineers have abandoned the ascent of Mount
abandon v.
Everest because of bad weather.
run away phrase Instead of fighting back, some people choose to run away.
without prep. Without water, everything will die.
Many countries do not like the politics of North Korea’s
politics n.
leader, Kim Jong-Il.
religion n. There are many conflicts between religions.
distressing adj. Losing a loved one is very distressing for family members.
Racial integration between black and white people in the US
integration n.
has taken many years.
Nurses have a lot to contend with working in hospitals with
contend v.
so many sick people.
The transplant was performed urgently because the man
urgently adv.
was about to die.
A microwave oven is a modern convenience because it
convenience n.
cooks food so quickly.
argue v. The married couple argued every day.
environmental adj. The hole in the ozone layer is a serious environmental issue.
vocal adj. If your vocal chords are cut, you will be unable to speak.
Global warming is caused by CO2 gas trapped in the
global warming n.
atmosphere.
dangerous adj. Nuclear weapons are very dangerous.
environment n. Using less water will help the environment.
In December 2004, a giant wave caused a flood of water
flood n.
that killed thousands.
storm n. During the storm, many trees fell over.
Successive Israeli prime ministers have been unable to make
successive adj.
peace with the Arabs.
figure out phrase Sherlock Holmes figured out the motive of the crime.
There are many medical conferences to discuss the problem
conference n.
of HIV/Aids.
On February 11, 1990 many people assemble in Cape Town
assemble v.
to see Nelson Mandela free after twenty-seven years.
Police try to halt the trade of drugs by sending dealers to
halt v.
prison for many years.
Kyoto Protocol n. The US did not want to sign the Kyoto Protocol in 1997.
There are very strict protocols about using nuclear weapons
protocol n.
because they are so dangerous.
Unit 12

All athletes start off as amateur before they are good

amateur n.
enough to make money from playing sport.
theater n. More people go to cinemas than theaters.
British actor, Sir Laurence Olivier, practiced a style of acting
acting n.
called “The Method.”
A reunion is where people who haven’t met for a while get
get together phrase
together.
professional adj. Maria Sharapova is a professional tennis player.
The world still has a great appreciation for the music of
appreciation n.
Amadeus Mozart.
Most towns and cities have community halls where people
community hall n.
meet up for events.
city n. The city usually has the most entertainment.
In classical times, the tragedies of playwrights Sophocles
classical adj.
and Euripides were often performed.
respected adj. The Dalai Lama is a respected figure in the Buddhist world.
audience n. Comedians try hard to make the audience laugh.
laugh v. Everyone laughs differently.
P. G. Wodehouse is well known for writing very humorous
humorous adj.
novels.
Director Kenneth Branagh has done many film adaptations
adaptation n.
of Shakespeare plays.
musical n. The Phantom of the Opera is a famous musical.
soccer n. David Beckham is a famous soccer player.
confuse v. People get confused with the names of twins.
It is hard for color-blind people to see a differentiation
differentiation n.
between red and green.
hard adj. Building a spacecraft is a very hard activity.
Brain injuries are very dangerous and the reason people
injury n.
wear helmets.
We bumped into other people on the subway, because it
bump v.
was packed.
Cyclists that compete in the Tour de France have to wear
helmets n.
helmets.
uniform n. Soldiers and policemen must always have neat uniform.
“Roe versus Wade” was a very important court case in US
versus prep.
legal history.
Brazil scored two goals against Germany in the World Cup
score v.
soccer final in 2002.
In rugby, players can get points for drop kicks that land
goal posts n.
over the goal posts.
Referees must know the rules of their sport better than
referee n.
anyone else.
neutral adj. Switzerland has stayed neutral in all major European wars.
The police blew the whistle when he spotted people
blow v.
In some countries, policemen blow whistle when they chase
jaywalking.
whistle n.
criminals.