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 at this level or it is too specific to be worth learning for the exam. 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
Emerge (v) — to become visible, known, or important after being hidden or unclear. A clear pattern began to emerge once the data were analysed more carefully.
Potent (adj) — having a strong effect, influence, or power, often in a subtle way. Her short speech was surprisingly potent, changing the mood of the entire room.
Counterculture (n) — a group or movement whose values and behaviour deliberately oppose those of mainstream society. The festival attracted artists who still identify with the counterculture of the 1960s.
Deliberate (adj) — done consciously and intentionally, rather than by accident. His silence was a deliberate attempt to provoke a reaction.
Proponent (n) — someone who actively supports an idea, theory, or project. She is a leading proponent of educational reform.
To argue (v) — to give reasons for or against something in a structured or persuasive way. Can be confusing as ‘argue’ usually means a negative thing. The author argues that economic growth alone cannot guarantee social progress.
Perpetually (adv) — in a way that continues without interruption or change. He seems perpetually dissatisfied, no matter how much he achieves.
Cognitive (adj) — relating to mental processes such as thinking, reasoning, remembering, and understanding.
Fractured (adj) — (about attention) disrupted or divided.
Lingering (adj) — remaining for longer than expected, often in a way that is difficult to forget or remove. There was a lingering sense of unease after the announcement.
Core (adj) — most central, essential, or fundamental. Trust is a core element of any successful relationship.
To reintroduce (v) — to bring something back into use, discussion, or circulation after a period of absence. The company plans to reintroduce the product with a more sustainable design.
Compulsive (adj) — driven by a strong inner urge that is difficult to control. He is a compulsive checker, constantly refreshing his email inbox.
To reclaim (v) — to take back something that was lost, taken away, or forgotten. The community is trying to reclaim the river as a public space.
Curator (n) — someone who selects, organises, and presents items, ideas, or content, especially in cultural or intellectual contexts. As a museum curator, she is responsible for shaping the exhibition’s narrative.
To contend (v) — to state or argue that something is true, often in a formal or public way. The researcher contends that previous studies overlooked key variables.
Mindfulness (n) — the practice of paying calm, focused attention to the present moment. Many people use mindfulness to cope with stress and burnout.
Outright (adj) — completely, openly, and without any doubt or limitation.
Boundaries (n) — limits that define what is acceptable, possible, or appropriate. Setting clear boundaries at work helped her avoid exhaustion.
To assert (v) — to state something confidently and forcefully, often to defend a position or right. He asserted his independence despite strong opposition from his family.
Part 2
Anxiety (n) — a state of nervousness or unease. Can be caused by uncertainty or fear about what might happen. She felt a surge of anxiety before opening the results.
To set in (phrasal v) — to begin and seem likely to continue, especially of something unpleasant or noticeable. Fatigue quickly set in after several nights of poor sleep.
Dread (n) — a strong, lingering fear of something that is expected to happen. He spoke about the exam with obvious dread.
To highlight (v) — to draw attention to something by making it easier to notice or understand. The report highlights the growing gap between rich and poor.
Capacity (n) — the ability or potential to do, understand, or experience something. What humans are known for as a species is their remarkable capacity for adaptation.
To tolerate (v) — to accept or endure something difficult, unpleasant, or different. She can tolerate criticism, but not deliberate dishonesty.
To atrophy (v) — to weaken or decline because of lack of use or stimulation. Without creative challenges, his enthusiasm began to atrophy.
Landmark (n) — (here) something that stands out visually, either man-made or natural. This is the highest building in our town, which makes it a perfect landmark to tell people where you are in relation to it.
To hone (v) — to develop or refine a skill or quality through practice and attention. The programme is designed to hone students’ analytical abilities.
Resilience (n) — the ability to recover, adapt, or remain strong after difficulty. Stacy’s resilience after repeated failures impressed everyone.
To externalise (v) — to express or project internal thoughts or feelings outwardly. He tends to externalize blame rather than reflect on his own role.
Burden (n) — a heavy responsibility, worry, or obligation. I didn’t want to become a financial burden to my family.
Fruitful (adj) — producing useful, meaningful, or positive results. Their collaboration proved more fruitful than either party had expected.
Swipe (n) — the act of moving a finger quickly across a screen or surface. Used to interact with an app or other touchscreen interface. With a single swipe, she dismissed the notification.
Mild (adj) — not severe, intense, or extreme. The symptoms were mild and disappeared within a few days.
Part 3, 4
Signage (n) — signs or visual displays used to give information, directions, or warnings. Clear signage makes the building much easier to navigate.
Generic (adj) — lacking distinctive qualities; typical, standard, or non-specific. The hotel was comfortable but felt rather generic.
Coziness (n) — the quality of being warm, comfortable, and pleasantly secure. The café’s coziness made people want to stay for hours.
To foster (v) — to encourage or help something to develop. The school aims to foster creativity and independence.
Detachment (n) — emotional distance or the state of not being personally involved. He spoke about the crisis with surprising detachment.
Solitary (adj) — done alone or existing without companions. She prefers solitary walks to crowded social events.
To induce (v) — to cause something to happen, often deliberately. The medication may induce drowsiness.
Untethered (adj) — not tied, limited, or closely controlled; free-moving or independent. Remote work has left many people feeling more untethered.
Hazy (adj) — unclear, vague, or slightly confusing. He only had a hazy memory of the conversation.
To necessitate (v) — to make something necessary or unavoidable; to require. The scale of the problem necessitates immediate action.
Committee (n) — a group of people formally chosen to discuss, plan, or decide something. The committee will review the proposal next week.
To grasp (v) — to understand something fully or clearly. She quickly grasped the implications of the new policy.
Part 5
Rolling meadows (n pl) — broad, gently sloping fields of grassland, often open and scenic rather than flat or cultivated. From the hilltop, we could see rolling meadows stretching all the way to the horizon.
Hive (n) — a structure where bees live and produce honey, or more generally any place full of busy, concentrated activity. The lab had become a hive of innovation, with researchers working around the clock.
To perch (v) — to sit, rest, or balance lightly on something, usually high, narrow, or unstable. A lone crow perched on the edge of the rooftop, watching the street below.
Atop (prep) — on top of something, especially in a way that suggests height or prominence. A small café sits atop the cliff, offering spectacular views of the sea.
Floral (adj) — relating to flowers, plants, or their scent or appearance. The perfume has a delicate floral quality without being overpowering.
Pesticide (n) — a chemical substance used to kill insects or other organisms that damage crops. Excessive pesticide use can disrupt entire ecosystems.
Counterintuitive (adj) — contrary to what most people would expect or assume. It may seem counterintuitive, but slowing down often improves overall productivity.
Monocultures (n pl) — large areas where only one type of crop or plant is grown. Agricultural monocultures are efficient, but they can be highly vulnerable to disease.
Nectar (n) — a sweet liquid produced by flowers that attracts insects and birds. Bees rely on nectar as their primary energy source.
Scarcity (n) — a situation in which something is in short supply. The scarcity of clean water is becoming a defining global challenge.
Pollinators (n pl) — animals or insects that transfer pollen between plants, enabling them to reproduce. Without pollinators, many food crops would fail entirely.
Apiarist (n) — a person who keeps bees, especially for honey production. The apiarist carefully inspected the hives for signs of disease.
To outpace (v) — to move, develop, or progress faster than someone or something else. Technological change has outpaced society’s ability to regulate it.
Biodiversity (n) — the variety of living species within a particular environment or on Earth as a whole. High biodiversity tends to make ecosystems more resilient.
Inadvertently (adv) — without intention; by accident. He inadvertently revealed the ending of the novel.
Undermine (v) — to weaken something gradually or indirectly. Constant criticism can undermine a person’s confidence.
Centerpiece (n) — the most important or noticeable feature of something. Education became the centerpiece of the government’s reform programme.
Sustainability (n) — the ability to maintain systems or practices without exhausting resources or causing long-term damage. Sustainability is now central to urban planning.
To oversimplify (v) — to describe something in a way that makes it seem less complex than it really is. Blaming one factor alone would oversimplify the issue.
Convert (n) — a person who has adopted a new belief, cause, or way of life. He became an enthusiastic convert to renewable energy.
Tangible (adj) — real and concrete; able to be seen, touched, or clearly measured. The policy led to tangible improvements in public health.
Carbon footprint (n) — the total amount of greenhouse gases produced directly or indirectly by an individual, organisation, or activity. She is trying to reduce her carbon footprint by flying less.
Perfunctory (adj) — done quickly and with little interest, care, or effort. He gave the report a perfunctory glance before approving it.
Part 6
To conjure up (phr v) — to bring an image, idea, or feeling into the mind, often vividly or suddenly. The opening scene conjures up memories of childhood summers.
Obscure (adj) — difficult to see, understand, or recognise. The article refers to an obscure medieval custom.
To do something at will (phr) — to act whenever one chooses, without restriction. He can now travel at will, without needing permission.
To flatter (v) — to praise someone in a way that pleases them, sometimes insincerely. She was clearly flattered by the attention, even if she doubted its sincerity.
To recall (v) — to remember something or bring it back to mind. He could vividly recall the moment everything changed.
To articulate (v) — to express ideas clearly and effectively in words. He struggled to articulate his concerns without sounding confrontational.
To be grounded in something (phr v) — to be thoroughly based on or shaped by something. Her political views are grounded in years of community work.
Heightened (adj) — increased in degree, intensity, or awareness. Security was tightened amid heightened fears of unrest.
Subtle (adj) — delicate, indirect, or not immediately obvious. There was a subtle shift in his tone that made everyone uneasy.
Cue (n) — a signal or prompt that triggers a reaction or action. Her nod was the cue for the musicians to begin.
Incongruity (n) — the quality of being out of place or inconsistent. The incongruity between his words and actions was striking.
Seasoned (adj) — having a lot of experience in a particular activity. She is a seasoned negotiator who rarely loses her composure.
Accomplished (adj) — highly skilled or successful. He is an accomplished linguist with a talent for phonetics.
Attuned (adj) — aware of and responsive to something. Good teachers are closely attuned to their students’ needs.
Susceptible (adj) — easily influenced, affected, or harmed by something. Young children are particularly susceptible to advertising.
To confront (v) — to face a difficult situation or person directly. She decided to confront him about the rumours.
To glorify (v) — to portray something as better, more admirable, or more desirable than it really is. The film has been criticised for glorifying violence.
Explicit (adj) — clearly stated and leaving no room for doubt. The instructions were explicit and easy to follow.
Endpoint (n) — a final stage, limit, or outcome. Death is not necessarily the endpoint of influence or legacy.
Ingrained (adj) — deeply fixed in habits, attitudes, or behaviour. The practice is so ingrained that few people question it.
Scholastic (adj) — relating to schools, academic study, or formal education. His work reflects a distinctly scholastic approach to philosophy.
To prompt (v) — to cause or encourage something to happen. The article prompted a heated public debate.
To reconsider (v) — to think again about a decision, opinion, or plan. She asked the committee to reconsider its verdict.
To argue (v) — to present reasons in support of or against (to argue against) an idea. He argued convincingly for a complete redesign.
Cognition (n) — the mental processes involved in thinking, knowing, and understanding. Language plays a central role in human cognition.
To excel (v) — to be exceptionally good at something. She excels at analytical writing.
Diffuse (adj) — spread out, unfocused, or lacking clear boundaries. Public anxiety remained diffuse but persistent.
To break something down (phr v) — to divide something into smaller parts in order to understand or explain it. The professor broke the theory down into manageable steps.
Intermediate (adj) — at a middle stage between basic and advanced. The course is aimed at intermediate learners.
To overlook (v) — to fail to notice or consider something. It is easy to overlook the long-term consequences.
Jaded (adj) — no longer enthusiastic because of too much experience or disappointment. Years in the industry had left him jaded.
To glaze over (phr v) — to lose focus or interest, especially when listening or reading. His eyes glazed over during the technical explanation.
Opaque (adj) — not clear, easy to understand, or transparent. The company’s decision-making process remains opaque.
Incidental (adj) — minor, secondary, or occurring by chance. The costs were incidental compared with the benefits.
To recalibrate (v) — (here) to adjust the idea of what is normal or acceptable. It took me a while to recalibrate culturally and stop freaking out over the local customs.
To be wedded to something (phr) — to be strongly attached to an idea, method, or belief. He is wedded to the notion that growth must be limitless.
Hands-on approach (n) — a practical, active way of dealing with tasks or problems. The programme emphasises a hands-on approach to learning.
To downplay something (v) — to make something seem less important or serious than it really is. Officials tried to downplay the scale of the crisis.
Neophyte (n) — a person who is new to a subject, activity, or profession. As a neophyte in publishing, she asked many basic questions.
Part 7
To reinterpret (v) — to understand or present something in a new or different way. The director asked us to reinterpret the classic play for a modern audience.
Setting (n) — the time, place, and circumstances in which a story or event takes place. The novel’s gothic setting of a remote castle added to its eerie atmosphere.
Depletion (n) — the reduction of something, especially a resource, to a very low level. The rapid depletion of the lake’s fish stocks alarmed the local community.
To enthuse (v) — to fill somebody with eager enjoyment or interest about something. Watching the movie enthused me greatly.
Fatigue (n) — extreme physical or mental tiredness, often resulting from prolonged stress or exertion. The pilot’s decision-making was impaired by sheer fatigue after the long-haul flight.
Continuity (n) — the unbroken and consistent existence or operation of something over time. The film editor worked to ensure visual continuity between scenes shot on different days.
Consecutive (adj) — following one after another in an unbroken sequence. He was late for work three consecutive days, which his manager noted.
To flatten (v, fig.) — to make an emotional state less intense; to dull or suppress feelings. After the initial shock, a numb despair flattened all his other emotions.
To romanticize (v) — to describe or regard something in an idealized, unrealistic, or sentimental way. It’s easy to romanticize rural life without considering the hard work and isolation.
To recalibrate (v) — to adjust or modify something, especially one’s approach or measurements, to make it more accurate or effective. After the project failed, the team needed to recalibrate their entire strategy.
Faint (adj) — lacking strength or clarity; very slight or weak. There was a faint smell of jasmine in the night air, almost imperceptible.
Goodwill (n) — friendly, helpful, or cooperative feelings or attitude, often in a business or community context. The merger depended not just on finances but on the goodwill between the two companies.
Prospects (n, pl) — the possibility or likelihood of future success or specific events occurring. The prospects for a peaceful resolution to the conflict look increasingly bleak.
Provisional (adj, about beliefs) — held or accepted temporarily, with the understanding that it may be changed when more information is available. My opinion on the matter is purely provisional until I see the full data.
Pull (n) — a powerful attractive force or influence. Despite living abroad for years, she still felt the pull of her hometown.
To fantasize about something (v) — to indulge in imaginative but unlikely or unrealistic thoughts about something desired. On long commutes, he would often fantasize about quitting his job and sailing around the world.
Embedded in something (adj) — deeply fixed or integrated into a surrounding context or system. A sense of anxiety was deeply embedded in the culture of the organization.
Contradict (v) — to assert the opposite of a statement or idea, or to be in conflict with it. His account of the evening directly contradicted hers, causing great confusion.
To frame something as something (v) — to present an issue, statement, or person in a particular way, influencing how it is perceived. The lobbyist tried to frame the new tax as a threat to small businesses.
Tempo (n) — the speed or pace at which something happens or progresses. The tempo of life in the village was a pleasant change from the frantic city.
Curated (adj) — carefully selected and organized, often by an expert, to present a particular quality or theme. The gallery offers a curated collection of emerging contemporary artists.
