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
Piece (n) – here: a piece of art. A common thing to refer to, e.g. a piece of music, a piece of literature, and other art-related works.
Stern (adj) – showing disapproval, severe. A stern teacher is not necessarily a bad one.
Contemporary (adj) – relating to the current period, as opposed to that of the past or the future. Contemporary writers are rarely appreciated fully, and often reach peak of their fame long after they are gone.
Cityscape (n) – (here) the city’s image. The way it is perceived by the locals and tourists.
Heighten (v) – make something more intense. Artists often have heightened perception for things like beauty, nature and the supernatural.
Assumption (n) – an idea or a conviction that you hold, often without any proof or explanation. A common assumption is that old people are critical of the younger generation.
Merge into something (v) – (here) to disappear.
Part 2
Monotony (n) – lack of variety or change; used negatively. Office jobs are often critisized for their inescapable monotony and dangerously low physical activity.
Buzz (n) – the energy and excitement you get from something you enjoy. There is no substitute for the buzz that a long bicycle ride gives you.
Misconception (n) – a widely-held belief that is wrong.
Reckless (adj) – lacking fear, brave to the points of absurdity. He is a reckless driver, but he also does know how to control his car, you got to give him that.
Established (adj) – accepted or agreed-upon.
Part 3, 4
Advances (n) – developments, new findings. It is the recent advances in medicine that we have to thank for higher life expectancy across the planet.
Shred (v) – to tear in many small pieces. Shredding paper is a common business practice done either to preserve the environment or keep documentational secrecy.
Sprinkle (v) – drop particles of some liquid over something. Sprinkle some water on this plant to ensure its well-being.
Enriched (v) – having artificially more of something than it would normally have. This food is usually enriched with vitamins to make it more healthy.
Pouch (n) – a container like a small bag that is flexible, used to store or carry smaller items.
Sterile (adj) – free of dirt or bacteria. Medical tools have to be sterile to ensure there is no possibility of an infection affecting the patient.
Takeaway food – the food that you get at a restaurant and take it with you rather than eat it there.
Complex (adj) – complicated, consisting of many parts. The complex instructions are impossible to comprehend, unless you are a specialist.
Part 5
Complement (v) – to become a valuable addition to something. Mayonnaise complements many salads, but you have to be careful not to overdo it, as too much of it will overpower the taste.
Enhance (v) – to improve the quality or strength of something. The studio had to enhance the image to make out what was written on the building.
Tangle (n) – a collection of something that is in disorder. My mind now is a tangle of thoughts I can’t navigate through.
Charismatic (adj) – likeable. Charismatic people find it much easier to convince others.
Fad (n) – a thing that is currently popular and will likely be forgotten soon. Used negatively. Fashion fads come and go, never to be remembered again.
Overwhelm (v) – to be too intensive, big or shocking. The news of my brother getting married overwhelmed our family.
Equate to something (v) – to be equal to something, to lead to something, or to be the same thing. Decent education does not always equate to better chances at landing a lucrative job.
Literary reading (n) – the kind of reading you do to fully involve yourself in it, to have a better understanding of the text, or simply to read for detail or information.
Drop-off in something – a decline, a lower than expected level of something.
Emphasis on something (n) – focus or bigger importance given to something. The government’s emphasis right now is to ensure that education is available to young people from underprivileged backgrounds.
Definitive (adj) – without any doubt, decisive. A definitive answer to economic inequality might be difficult to come by in the coming years.
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.
Yield (v) – to bring or to deliver. Your efforts have finally yielded a well-deserved reward.
Detract (v) – to make something seem less desirable, valuable or important. The fact that this house belonged to a convicted criminal detracts from its market value.
Ratchet up (v) – make something gradually increase through repeated use. Ratchet up your social skills easily by meeting new people every day.
Undercut (v) – do damage to something. Repated failure can easily undercut one’s confidence.
Induction (n) – (about learning and analysis) understanding how a system works judging by some things you know about it.
Reflection (n) – the act of thinking something over carefully.
The upshot (phr) – a direct result of something else. The upshot of extracurricular activities is the possibility of discovering one’s passion earlier.
Wind up (phr v) – find yourself in a situation you do not like, usually as a direct or indirect result of your own actions and choices.
Cognition (n) – the process of thinking, understanding and analyzing.
Undercurrent (n) – a negative aspect or opinion of a situation that is not apparent. The undercurrent of the current demographic situation is that the population is aging rapidly.
Rote (adj) – based on mechanical repetition to achieve the effect rather than trying to analyse and understand it. Rote learning remains the prevalent teaching method in most state schools.
Immersive (adj) – making you involved in something. A relatable and up-to-date teaching materials make the education process more immersive and enjoyable.
Part 6
Verdict (n) – a conclusive agreement, the final decision; consensus.
Reluctance (n) – unwillingness to do something. My reluctance to find a full-time job was something my parents couldn’t understand.
Embrace (v) – to accept something. It’s high time we embraced the fact that in the foreseeable future there isn’t going to be enough animal-based protein for everyone.
Thereby (adv) – as a result. You have signed the document, and thereby agreed to its terms.
Pundit (n) – an expert or a knowledgeable person regarding a particular sphere, who is often turned to for opinion or advice.
Ambivalence (n) – uncertainty, the state when one has two conflicting views or opinions on a particular matter.
Severity (adj) – (about something negative or unpleasant) seriousness. The severity of the wound called for urgent medical attention.
Invulnerability (n) – the state of being impossible to hurt, damage or kill.
Enhancement (n) – artificial improvement.
Intrinsic (adj) – a vital quality of something. Honesty should be an intrinsic value of any politician.
Substantiate (v) – to prove something or to support some claim or statement with facts. The jury found no clues to substantiate the claim of the criminal.
Contentious (adj) – arguable, open to dispute.
Tackle (n) – a move in games like American football when one player throws himself at the other one and grabs him, both of them falling – all of this to get control of the ball.
Shuttlecock (n) – a ball with cone-shaped feathers on the side that is used to play badminton.
Discretion (n) – (here) the right (or freedom to) act based on your own decision rather than prescribed rules.
Undermine (v) – (about rule or authority) to make less powerful or meaningful. Bribes and corruption are the biggest factors undermining the judicial system.
Metatarsal (adj) – relating to feet.
Pastime (n) – a hobby or a way to spend time. Cycling is considered to be Dutch national pastime.
Sole (n) – (about shoes) the part of the shoes that touches the ground. Thick soles offer greater comfort and often reduce knee fatigue.
Layman (n) – (about a person) a non-professional, an amateur.
Gizmo (n) – a high-tech device, usually a small one.
Insinuate (v) – to indirectly hint at something unpleasant.
Justifiably (adv) – for a good reason.
Part 7
Glacier (n) – a slowly moving mass of ice.
Emerge (v) – to appear, to become visible.
Peter out (phr v) – to slowly lose power, stop or disappear. Rachael attempts to get me interested eventually petered out.
Conjunction (n) – (here) connection.
Twinge (n) – a brief but sudden feeling of intense mental or physical discomfort. I looked at the leaving train with a twinge of regret.
Altitude (n) – the technical word for height, or how high (or low) you are in relation to the sea level. At such high altitudes, we would need oxygen equipment to breathe properly.
Altimeter (n) – see previous entry. Altimeter is the tool that measures altitude.
Precipitous (adj) – (about a hill or a slope) very steep, and therefore hard or impossible to go down or up.
Plateau (n) – a flat part or area of a mountain.
Boulder (n) – a large piece of rock, normally found in mountainous areas.
Clamber (n) – the act of slowly climbing or passing through difficult terrain, using both your legs and your hands.
Valiantly (adv) – in a way that shows bravery, especially in a difficult situation.
Crest (v) – (here) to go over the top of the hill.
Beckon (v) – to call or signal somebody to come. He beckoned us to join him at the campfire.
Churning (adj) – (about a liquid) moving with great force and noise.
Pass down (phr v) – to share knowledge and experience with the younger generations.
Revelation (n) – (here) a pleasant surprise.
The bulk of something (n) – the majority of something. The bulk of the money we were making came from servicing old cars rather than selling new ones.
Hitherto (adv) – until or up to now. John hitherto was nobody buy a mailroom worker, but now was promoted to oversee the entire operation.
Jumbled (adj) – without order, untidy. The room was a strange combination of jumbled furniture and odd paintings.
Relinquish (v) – to give up something, especially if forced to do so. People are usually slow to relinquish details about their private lives.
Belch (v) – to make a loud noise, similar to that when air escapes through liquid, e.g. when water boils.
Bellow (v) – to produce deep sounds, like one a cow or a bull makes.
Press on (phr v) – to continue, especially if it requires a lot of effort. The attack pressed on despite multiple casualties.
Trickle (n) – (about liquid) a very weak stream, one that is barely noticeable. Brownish water could be seen trickling down a faulty pipe.
Gush (n) – (about liquid) flowing in large volume, rapidly. The gush from the ruined dam was ruining everything in its path.
Contemplate something (v) – to consider an action for a long time, carefully. They contemplated moving to the countryside after living in the city all their life.
Part 8
Obsessed (adj) – having an unhealthy amount of interest in something. Charles is obsessed with anime cartoons, even though he is well over thirty.
Domesticity (n) – related to being at home, with your family. Domesticity is something both men and women tend to appreciate more as they grow more mature.
Clue (n) – a hint, a sign or some other piece of information that gives you an idea relating to a problem, the plot, or (in this case) how to read the text out loud. The book is full of clues as to who the main character really is.
Exquisite (adj) – delicate, of extremely high quality. This carbonara is nothing short of exquisite!
Engraving (n) – a certain artistic style, that is normally black and white and is done by pressing the paper into a metal form where the original picture is cut. It works in a similar way to a stamp used in official documents.
Calligraphy (n) – a type of handwriting that is known for its focus on beauty, usually done with a special pen.
Render (v) – to change the state of something. Failing to follow the exact recipe will likely render the ingredients useless.
Superficial (adj) – lacking depth or meaning; shallow. Your superficial knowledge about the subject is unlikely to impress an expert.
Vain (adj) – without any result; fruitless. Marcus tried in vain to win Mary over, but she seemed to be in love with someone completely different.
Irreverent (adj) – paying little attention to things that are supposed to be important or holy. Alexander was an irreverent student who defied the professors and disregarded the general notion of formal education.
Dappled (adj) – with spots of lighter or darker colour.
Grungy (adj) – dirty, not tidy. Nancy’s grungy outfit clashed with her rather high position in the company.
Solemn (adj) – overly serious, lacking humour.
Muted (adj) – (about colour) made less bright than it normally is.
Scorching (adj) – hot to the point of being painful. Scorching-hot days are much more bearable if you live out of the city.
Haphazard (adj) – not planned, spontaneous. His diploma speech seemed haphazard and rather difficult to make sense of.
Smudge (n) – a stroke of paint that looks accidental, as if a brush was rubbed against it without any particular purpose in mind.
Conjure up (phr v) – to create an image in one’s head, to evoke. The beauty of reading is that it allows you to conjure up images that you will never see on the screen.