Glossary

Chapter 1 Science and Technology

architecture the science of designing a building

arrow a round, narrow length of wood with a flight
(feathers) at one end and a point at the other used
with a bow to shoot at objects
canals man-made channels of water
capacity ability to do something
cell a locked room where a prisoner lives; a small part
of the body which, when added to other cells, make
organs, skin etc.
cockpit the front part of an aeroplane where the pilot(s) sit(s)
current the flow of electricity running through a wire;
something that is happening today or at this
general time
demonstrate show
develop improve on
echolocation using sound to work out the place of something
engineering using science to design something, for example an
object or machine
exhibits pieces of artwork that are displayed for people to
see; puts on display in a museum or art gallery
features parts of something
galaxy the billions of stars and planets which exist in our
universe
manufacturers the makers of something which is made in a factory
to be sold
multitasking ability to do more than one task at the same time
optician someone who tests your eyes
patent the certificate to show who has the original idea for
a product; the action of gaining this certificate
perseverance keep on trying
presents shows for display; gifts given for a birthday or other
celebration
prototype the first example, for instance of a new invention
stock the number of products stored by a company that
have been purchased or gained but have not yet
been sold or put on display; liquid in which meat or
vegetables are cooked
universe everything which exists, whether we know about it
or not
up to date modern

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 Chapter 2 Food and Fitness

accomplishment an achievement
amputee person missing at least one limb (arm or leg)
autobiography a book about the life of a person written by that
person
biography a book about the life of a person not written by that
person
character a person in a novel
comeback return to form/fame after absence
congestion usually traffic in a town or city during busy periods;
also in the body, being blocked up when you have
a cold
ecosystem the relationship between species and the
environment in which they live
ecstatic extremely happy
evolutionary a gradual change over several generations
flourish an extravagant gesture made for emphasis
genre a type or style of writing e.g. humour, drama,
impresario person who organises events (e.g. concerts, plays)
intact whole
omnivores species which eat food from every food group
optimum conditions under which the best results are
achieved
palatable acceptable or pleasant taste
potential the maximum level to which something may be
reached
prior earlier
pronounced an obvious and clear difference
distinction
scene a short piece of action in a story or novel
selective breeding controlled way genetics are passed down the
generations
tendencies an urge towards something in particular
thrive do well and grow strongly
truffle a type of mushroom which can cost a lot of money
unfathomable something which cannot be understood

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 Chapter 3 Communities

adobe (made of) mud bricks

allocated placed in
aloof alone/withdrawn
camaraderie good friendship
chamber enclosed space
cited referred to
commodity something bought/provided
creek small river/brook
designated indicated
dreaded feared/disliked
foraging searching for food
function intended activity, what designed for
graffiti scribble on walls/public places
hosed down cleaned with water from a hose pipe
infrastructure basic provisions/structure for a community to
function
kiln-dried (mud) dried in an oven (to make bricks)
motto short word/phrase used as slogan
organic using natural (not chemical) methods
privacy respected time/space alone
protein important part of human diet found in meat, milk,
beans etc.
reputation fame/what (a person) is known for
saliva spit/spittle
sanitation drainage/clearance of waste/sewage
seal shut in/up securely
solitary (living) alone
sparingly carefully/not too much at a time
subsequent coming later
subsistence providing just enough (food) to live on
surplus what is left over
thrift not being wasteful
tilling breaking up soil for cultivation
timid shy
trail track
traverse cross
volunteer offer services freely
wardrobe clothes cupboard

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 Chapter 4 Animals and us

acute keen (sense of something)

autism a condition affecting people’s ability to relate to others
Canine Partners UK charity training dogs to help the disabled
carer someone who looks after an invalid on a regular basis
cerebral palsy paralysis caused by brain damage
companionship friendship
decade period of ten years
deploy make use of/put to use
detection finding out something
distinguish recognise difference
extinct no longer existing
fragmented broken into/in small pieces
habitat surroundings in which an animal lives
integrate fit together
intriguing very interesting
labrador retriever breed of dog used to help disabled people
legislation laws
low-maintenance cheap/easy to keep
maturity fully grown/adult
moult seasonal loss of coat/skin
pioneering being the first to do something (that others follow)
poaching capturing animal illegally
probing examining carefully
process (actions) toward an end
project study of a topic over period of time
quadriplegia paralysis of arms and legs
residential care where disabled people can live and be looked after
rodents group of animals with sharp front teeth
simple care needs easy to look after/care for
strategies plans/schemes
sub-species sub-division/sub-group (of animal)
swathes (wide) strips (of ground)
thrive do well
TNT trinitrotoluene/a powerful explosive
unique appearance looking like nothing else
vermin pests

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 Chapter 5 Working life

Aboriginal of native Australians

auditing checking financial accounts
brand (identified) make
budget set amount to spend
capable manage things well
certified qualified/ with a certificate
client customer
colleagues people you work with
counselling giving advice
craving strong desire
dedicated committed
domestic work household cleaning/maintenance
don put on
efficient working well
emergencies situation requiring immediate action
environment setting
exotic strange/unfamiliar
facilities things providing a service
familiar well known/recognised
globe world
gratification satisfaction
hospitable friendly/welcoming
liaise work together/in consultation with
limb arm or leg
location place
loan shark one who lends at extremely high rates
niche suitable job/position
outreach providing/taking services to
passion strong feeling for
permanent in one regular job / not temporary
placement where you are put (e.g. for work experience)
promotion moving to a more senior/better job
pyjamas nightwear
relate get on well with
relief convoys teams of lorries carrying aid/provisions
reviewing checking
rewarding giving benefit
siesta afternoon rest

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 simultaneously at the same time as
spreadsheet IT page for recording information
stint turn
struggling experiencing difficulty
tasting sampling
tend to give medical help to
ultimate final/greatest/most extreme

Chapter 6 Travel and Transport

ambition what someone would like to be or do in the future

appeal attraction
aware knowledge or understanding of
capsule a small compartment e.g. used to carry someone
into space
chamber large room often leading to another room
curious interested to know
harness a strap fixed to keep you in the same place
helium a light gas
hero someone who is admired by others for what he or
she has done
hike walk up a mountain; increase
humble a feeling of being modest
impact influence
impressions ideas about something
inspire to get a good idea from another person or event
manner way of doing something
marine relating to the sea or ocean
mine an underground tunnel or cavern made to take
something from underground e.g. gold; belonging
to me
nomad a traveller with no fixed place of residence who
need to keep moving to survive
pristine in perfect condition
responds reacts to
skydive a jump from very high up
stable remaining in the same state; a place where an
animal e.g. a horse may live
swampy muddy or marsh-like
unique the only one of its kind
wetland area with water where wildlife is found

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 Chapter 7 Leisure and Entertainment

alley a narrow pathway between two buildings

awards a prize for being the best at something
compass a metal needle often encased in a circular glass unit
and used to show the direction of the (magnetic)
North Pole
ensemble a group of performers
essence the central part of something
fundraisers people who make money for a charity
fusion a combination
generation a group born at about the same time
GPS Global Positioning System – a worldwide location
device
highlights the main points
high resolution good clear quality e.g. of a photo
hired employed
interactivity the mixing of two or more things together
interface a common place where two things can be mixed
investigate try to solve a mystery by finding facts
nosy wanting to know too much information
outstanding incredible
pentagon a five-sided shape
quintet a group of five
reinforce emphasize to make stronger
represent take the place of something
soloist a person who performs a musical instrument or
sings on their own
sponsorship funding someone or a company to do something
stampede the fast movement of many animals of the same
type, often through the desert
terrain rough land
theft the taking of an item which is not your to take
triplets three people born of the same mother at the
same time
unicorn a mythical horse with one horn

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 Chapter 8 Hobbies and interests

accession coming to the throne

accumulated steadily built up
addiction something you crave for/want very much
album book in which stamps/photos are put
angler someone fishing with rod and line
appreciate recognise value of
aquatic of the water
auction sale to the highest bidder
augury a sign of what will happen
bond form close relationship
confine restrict to
consumption eating
courtier person attending king or queen
engage take part in/participate
expanded got bigger
genre type of music/literature/art
honorary unpaid
hustle and bustle hurry and confusion
immersed placed in middle of
lilting beat regular rising and falling rhythm
philately stamp collecting
picturesque strikingly beautiful
presenter person introducing TV/radio programme
rarity something very uncommon
renowned famous
resilience endurance/withstanding shock
scope range covered
sentimental appealing to feelings not reason
serenity peace
succeeded followed
tranquillity peace
vocals music that is sung

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 Chapter 9 Cultures and customs

Anglos English speakers

antlers horns of a stag
baby shower party at which gifts are given for baby
beaming smiling broadly
blushed went pink with embarrassment
bride female marrying
charm piece of jewellery worn to bring luck
collaborative working together
concept idea
conservative traditional
contributors writers (of the article)
cremated disposal of body by burning
crosses difficulties
customized adapted for a particular purpose
deceased (person) who has died
decomposing rotting away
dew moisture
doomed certain to fail
effusive fussy
fist hand
freaks them out makes them feel shocked/surprised
groom male marrying
maintained kept going
modifications alterations
navel string cord connecting mother and unborn baby
novelty new idea
nursery baby’s room
nurture caring for
peck light kiss
plaza square/open space
proposal offer of marriage
prospective (bride/husband) to be
pyramid Ancient Egyptian tomb in pyramid shape
rituals ceremonies
suits of jade coverings made of carved jade
superstitious believing in fate
susceptible likely to be harmed by
tactile touching
wake mourning ceremony for dead
ward off keep something away

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 Chapter 10 The past and the future

acrobat performer of gymnastic skills

approximately roughly
artisan craftsman
available open to/obtainable
clerical office work
colloquially informally/in everyday speech
coveted wanted badly
debutante girl being introduced at court
feat achievement
gobbledygook nonsense
gossip idle talk
harnessed strapped to
hired employed for payment
household chores daily jobs around the house
influence having an effect on
merged joined together
mourner someone showing grief for a dead person
nome province in Ancient Egypt
nuclear reactor generator of atomic power
outright totally/completely
patented licensed
penalty punishment
prioritised considered most important
prominence notice
pungent with a strong smell
recipient receiver
shrink get smaller/less
tight-knit close together
transmitting sending out

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 Chapter 11 Communication

anecdote a short often funny story

articulate speak
bilingual able to speak two languages
captive kept not free, often in a cage
communication the way a person passes over a message to others
system
convey transmit a feeling or thought
convince persuade
DNA the twisted molecule which holds the genetic
information about each living organism
embracing hugging
emotional state the way a person is feeling
equatorial around the equator, the central line around the
world
flattering words which compliment someone
gestures hand signals used to communicate or reinforce
words
hazy unclear
hypothesis a possible explanation for something which is
unproven
illusion the appearance of something which is deceptive
indicate point out something
mission a particular task usually given to someone who has
particular skills to complete the task
opposable thumbs thumbs which can be used in a direction not the
same as fingers
reactions response to something or someone
settle down relax, rest or sleep
sign language communication using your hands and face
theory rules and ideas which relate to something
toddler a young child
vocalisation giving words to thoughts

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 Chapter 12 Global Issues

accommodation where you may stay or live

caravan a long line of, usually camels, carrying goods across
a desert
catastrophic awful, causing a lot of damage
climate change global warming or cooling
complex complicated
crowning glory the highest achievement
cyber bullying harassing or repeatedly commenting about or to
someone online
enriching making stronger, more nourished
export goods sent out of a country for trade
gas emissions gas given off
import goods sent into a country for trade
landfill rubbish dumped and buried
livestock animals kept on a farm
motivation incentive
panoramic a wide clear view of a place
participated took part
premium the best quality
responsible in charge
sacrifices gives up
skyline the shape of objects at the horizon; or the outline of
features in a town or city
sustainable maintainable
traceability being able to state where a product has come from,
right back to the very beginning of the production
process
travelogue a piece of writing, or video, about travel

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