Vocabulary
The vocabulary below is meant to help you with the more difficult words. If the word isn’t on the list then you are either supposed to know it or it is too specific to be worth learning and you don’t have to know it to answer the question. Symbols in brackets mean part of speech (see bottom of the list). Sentences in italics give examples of usage for some more complex words and phrases.
And remember — you are not given a vocabulary list (or a dictionary) at your real exam.
Part 1
Commit something to memory – to make sure you keep something in mind and don’t forget it. He was growing tired of commiting everybody’s birthday to memory, so instead he would write the dates down.
Habitual (adj) – something habitual is what you are used to. Playing table tennis was Jennifer’s favourite Sunday habitual activity.
Vast (adj) – huge in size or number.
Framework (n) – an established, organized system with its own rules and regulations. The company worked hard and over the years came up with a framework of how new projects should be developed.
Part 2
Swarm (n) – a large group of insects such as mosquitoes, bees, ants and so on. A swarm of termites damaged the foundation of the house and it had to have some extensive repairs done to it.
Bee hive (n) – a structure made by bees where they live, hatch and produce honey.
Nectar (n) – a natural substance secreted by flowers that attracts bees so that they could transfer pollen between different flowers in search of nectar, pollinating the flowers in the process.
Bring something about (phr v) – be a reason of some event, make something happen. The new chief manager brought about a number of changes to the company.
Part 3, 4
Domain (n) – something one is interested in. Computers and the Internet have largely been a very niche domain for young males until early 2000.
People of all walks of life – people of different social or cultural backgrounds. Love for football unites people of all walks of life.
Antidote to something (n) – (used figuratively here) something that prevents a certain negative or undesirable effect. Jogging is the perfect antidote to ageing, taking care of both mental and physical exercise.
Posture (n) – the position of your back in relation to the rest of your body. Bad posture is more often than not caused by spending too much time in front of computer screens.
Hunch over (phr v) – a type of posture when your head and neck are unnaturally extended forward in relation to your body. Usually this is caused by poor eyesight, forcing you to move closer to the screen.
Tense (adj) – characterised by a high amount of tension; nervous. The more tense moments you have in your life, the better you learn to handle them.
Counteract (v) – to act against something else in order to lower or even completely negate its effect.
Evaluate (v) – to analyse or judge something in order to see how great, important, effective it is. We evaluate the performance of every employee twice a year to ensure high standards of service.
Myriad of (n) – a very large number or quantity of something. Legal system has a myriad of loopholes and rules that are unknown too complex for a non-professional.
Enhance (v) – to improve, to make better. Nowadays you can enhance old photos digitally with the help of the AI.
Go out of your way to do something – to do your best or make a special effort to do it.
Part 5
Manual trades – occupations where you have to work with your hands rather than working on the computer or with people.
Treatise (n) – a formal piece of writing dedicated to one particular topic.
Pop up (phr v) – to appear out of nowhere. A pop-up ad is one that usually appears on the screen and blocks the view, forcing you to close it before you can continue.
Forefront (n) – in the most noticeable position. If something is at the front of your mind, then it the most important thing you are currently thinking about.
In the main – generally, as a whole. In the main, Walter was one of the best professionals in the industry.
Take over (phr v) – to become in control, especially if you take or inherit this control from somebody else. His survival instincts took over and he ran for the exit.
Wander (v) – to move aimlessly, without a purpose. If your mind wanders, it means you are not focused, you do not think about anything in particular.
Attention span (n) – the amount of time you can remain attentive and focused on something. People with a short attention span tend to have more difficulties studying and learning something new in general.
Tempting (adj) – something that you really want to do. It’s tempting to quit your job and try starting your own business, but the associated risks is what stop most of us.
Advent (n) – a particular notable event, or a reason for that event. The advent of affordable, high-speed access to the Internet is probably the biggest social phenomenon in recorded human history.
Vehicle (n) – something that enables us to achieve or express something. Social media turns out to be the perfect vehicle to attract attention and seek validation from complete strangers.
Tempting (adj) – if something is tempting, then you want to do or have it for a certain reason. A tempting offer to go on a year-long trip across South-East Asia.
Taxing (adj) – demanding, requiring too much. Having two daily jobs is too taxing on your energy and mental well-being, so I would advise against that.
Argue (v) – to present or advocate a point, especially one that others might not agree with.
Genuine (adj) – real, not imitated. Used positively. Joshua was genuinely surprised to find out that he passed the entry exams.
Manufactured (adj) – (here) fabricated, not real. Used negatively.
Pale (adj) – bleak, not bright. Can be used literally to talk about colours, or figuratively to mean ‘weak, lacking in strength or energy’
Substitute (n) – a replacement for something or someone. This young woman is going to be a substitute for our chemistry teacher for the rest of the year.
Reluctant (adj) – not willing to do something.
Part 6
Amateur (adj) – non-professional. Amateur athletes are usually much healthier than the professional ones, because they don’t have to constantly push their bodies beyond limits.
Carve (v) – to use a knife or any other sharp tool to create shapes out of material such as wood, stone and others.
Endeavour (n) – an attempt to do something. My first business endeavours didn’t have much success.
Persist (v) – to persist to do something (or in doing something) means to keep doing it, especially despite failure or difficulty.
Contemporary (adj) – happening or existing in the same time period or era, or relating to the current time.
Extent (n) – the amount of degree of something. The extent of your involvement in the project is directly proportional to how much money you will earn.
Deliberate (adj) – on purpose, with a certain idea in mind. The police believe that the traffic accident you caused was deliberate.
Germ of something (n) – a small amount of something, that later becomes something bigger or more significant.
Realm (n) – a figurative area of something; a sphere. The realm of mathematics is difficult to understand and even more difficult to appreciate for a non-professional.
Relinquish (v) – to stop holding something, especially unwillingly. Our boss had to relinquish his position after almost twenty years with the firm.
Deprive (v) – to take something away from someone, especially if they need it. Big companies often deprive their employees of many benefits, exploiting their corporate illiteracy.
On par with something – as good as the other thing; of equal quality. Few companies are on par with Apple as far as quality and sheer innovation are concerned.
Undermine (n) – (about rule or authority) to make less powerful or meaningful. Bribes and corruption are the biggest factors undermining the judicial system.
Miss the point – fail to understand the main idea of something.
Contend (v) – to argue, to have and voice a different opinion on the subject. I usually contend that a high school diploma is more valuable than hands-on experience in the industry.
Undermine (v) – (about rule or authority) to make less powerful or meaningful. Bribes and corruption are the biggest factors undermining the judicial system.
Casting (n) – a way to mass-produce something using a special form in which the material is put and then, through pressure, given a certain shape.
Devalue (v) – to lower the value of something.
Part 7
So much for – a phrase that means something hasn’t been successful, or that (in this case) something has come to an end.
Obesity (n) – the state of being overweight, having excessive weight. Not in every single case can obesity be overcome through exercising.
Foods (n, pl) – note how the commonly uncountable word ‘food’ is in plural here, indicating various kinds of food.
Derivative (n) – something that is not original, but comes as an altered part of something else.
Unwittingly (adv) – not knowing or willing to, not on purpose. Unwittingly, I had to be a part of their family drama.
In short supply – when something is in short supply, there is not enough of it for everybody. Experienced specialists in the field of physics have been in short supply for some years now.
Serendipitous (adj) – accidental, in a happy or positive way. Our serendipitous meeting marked the beginning of the happiest period in my life.
Labelling (n) – labels are pieces of paper that contain the name of the product, its contents, how to use and similarly useful information.
Bad press (n) – when something has bad press, it has a bad reputation, and this fact is widely known to many people.
Solution (n) – a mixture, especially a chemical one.
Eclipse (v) – please note the verb form. When one thing or person eclipses another, the first becomes much more prominent, noticeable or successful than the second one.
Things are looking up for somebody – somebody’s future looks bright. After two years of trying to break even in my business things are finally looking up and I am starting to see my profits rise.
Years in the wilderness – an extended period of having bad reputation or lack of power.
Perceive (v) – to have a belief or opinion about something. It is no secret that we perceive the same events differently and form our opinions about them based on many factors relating to our backgrounds and cultural frameworks.
Intervene (v) – to become actively involved in something, especially if you are not supposed to be a part of that particular action or event.
Sweet tooth – a person with a sweet tooth has unusual fondness for all things sweet.
Rehabilitation (n) – the process of recovering after an illness, used figuratively here to talk about improving somebody’s poor reputation.
Fueled by – to make something stronger. I often have to feel my creativity with energy drinks and sob stories of people who dread their daytime jobs.
Wary (adj) – aware of something undesirable or dangerous. People nowadays are much more wary of scamming schemes.
Adhere to something – to follow a rule or a requirement.
Insurmountable (adj) – extremely large or difficult; usually refers to problems or other negative aspects.
Elude (v) – when something eludes you, you are unsuccessful in getting it. The solution to this particular challenge has eluded me for several years.
Taste buds – taste receptors located at the base of tongue.
Part 8
Entity (n) – a general collective term for a thing, either animate or inanimate. Our business entity has been quite successful this financial year.
Flaw (n) – a weakness or an imperfection.
Outcome (n) – a result, an effect of something. The outcome of negotiations is still unclear.
Innate (adj) – if something is innate, it means it is an integral part of something. Increasing number of teachers now believe that the ability to learn new information is innate and varies from one person to another.
Tandem (n) – when two things work together towards one result. Tandem swimming is a real joy to look at.
Chirping (n) – high-pitched sound produced chiefly by birds. Even though it was only 5 in the morning, the sun was already out and the birds were chirping away.
Simultaneously (adv) – taking place at the same time.
Warn off (phr v) – to warn somebody that they shouldn’t approach you. Many wild creatures warn intruders off before openly confronting them.
Garrulous (adj) – unusually (and excessively) talkative. It takes a certain type of person to appreciate a garrulous guest in a group of new friends.
Exasperation (n) – annoyance of not being able to overcome some problem.
Quixotic (adj) – extravagant and unusual ideas that are not likely to find practical application. The word is derived from Don Quixote and his unusual adventures.
Circumstantial evidence – an evidence that is not conclusive, based on a limited amount of information.
Roam (v) – to travel around with no particular purpose in mind. After graduation, I roamed the country for several months, doing a bit of soul searching, trying to figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.
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