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
Curation (n) — the process of carefully selecting and organising content, ideas, or objects for a particular purpose or audience. The platform’s curation of articles makes it easier to find high-quality material without endless searching.
Contemporary (adj) — belonging to the present time or reflecting modern ideas and conditions. The exhibition focuses on contemporary art that responds to current social issues.
Relevance (n) — the degree to which something is useful, appropriate, or connected to a particular situation. The lecturer struggled to demonstrate the relevance of the theory to real-world applications.
Engagement (n) — the act of being actively involved or interested in something. High levels of student engagement often lead to better learning outcomes.
Foster (v) — to encourage or help something develop or grow over time. The company aims to foster innovation by giving employees more creative freedom.
Subtle (adj) — not obvious or easily noticed, often requiring careful thought to understand. The film conveys a subtle critique of consumer culture rather than stating it directly.
Convergence (n) — the process of different things gradually becoming more similar or coming together. The convergence of media platforms has changed how people consume information.
Unsettle (v) — to make someone feel uncertain, uneasy, or disturbed. The sudden change in tone unsettled the audience and created a sense of tension.
Marginalised (adj) — treated as less important or pushed to the edge of a group or society. Certain communities remain marginalised despite efforts to promote equality.
Refined (adj) — improved or developed to a higher level of quality, precision, or sophistication. Over time, the algorithm becomes more refined in predicting user preferences.
Constrained (adj) — limited or restricted in some way. Their choices were constrained by a lack of financial resources.
Render (v) — to cause something to become a particular state or condition. The new regulations rendered the previous system ineffective.
Contend (v) — to argue or claim that something is true, often in a formal or reasoned way. Critics contend that the policy will have unintended consequences.
Legitimacy (n) — the quality of being accepted as valid, justified, or rightful. The organisation’s legitimacy depends on public trust and transparency.
Conceivable (adj) — able to be imagined or considered possible. It is conceivable that technological advances will reshape the job market entirely.
Part 2
Routine (adj) — done regularly as part of a fixed pattern, often without much thought or variation. The inspection was a routine procedure carried out at the end of each shift.
Niche (adj) — relating to a small, specialised area or audience. The company focuses on niche markets that larger competitors tend to ignore.
Fleeting (adj) — lasting for a very short time and quickly disappearing. She had a fleeting sense that something was wrong before the feeling vanished.
Identity (n) — the sense of who people are as a group, especially in terms of shared culture, values, or nationality. Sporting events often strengthen national identity by uniting people behind a common symbol.
Momentarily (adv) — for a very short time. The noise outside momentarily distracted him from his work.
Narrative (n) — a shared story or interpretation that gives meaning to events. The media created a narrative of collective effort and resilience during the crisis.
Virtue (n) — a quality or factor that gives something its strength or effectiveness (often used in the phrase “by virtue of”). The plan succeeded by virtue of careful preparation and timing.
Spell (n) — a temporary atmosphere or emotional effect that strongly influences people. The performance cast a spell over the audience, leaving them completely absorbed.
Disperse (v) — to move apart and go in different directions after being together in a group. After the concert ended, the crowd slowly dispersed into the surrounding streets.
Part 3, 4
Outright (adv) — completely and without any doubt or limitation. He refused the proposal outright, without even considering the details.
Blurred (adj) — made less clear or distinct, especially in terms of boundaries or differences. The line between work and personal life has become increasingly blurred.
Boundaries (n) — limits that define where one thing ends and another begins, physically or conceptually. Healthy professional relationships require clear boundaries.
Dwindle (v) — to gradually become smaller or less in number or importance. Her enthusiasm began to dwindle after months without progress.
Chronic (adj) — continuing for a long time and difficult to resolve. The company faced chronic staffing shortages throughout the year.
Proponent (n) — someone who actively supports or argues in favour of an idea. She is a strong proponent of flexible working arrangements.
Upward mobility (n) — the ability to improve one’s social or professional position over time. Many employees feel that opportunities for upward mobility are limited.
Incentive (n) — something that motivates or encourages someone to act. Financial bonuses can serve as an incentive to increase productivity.
Root cause (n) — the fundamental reason for a problem. The investigation aimed to identify the root cause of the system failure.
Make haste to do something (phrase) — to do something quickly, often because it is necessary or urgent. The company made haste to address the issue before it escalated.
Remote (adj) — far away from cities or populated areas; isolated. The manuscript was discovered in a remote monastery in the mountains.
Part 5
Idle (v) — (of an engine) to run without moving or doing useful work. The car was left idling outside the building for several minutes.
Tempers fray (phrase) — people become irritated or lose patience, especially in stressful situations. After hours of waiting, tempers began to fray among the passengers.
Erode (v) — to gradually weaken or reduce something over time. Constant delays eroded public confidence in the transport system.
Connection (n) — a linking service in a journey, such as a transfer between trains or buses. He missed his connection and had to wait an hour for the next train.
Unravel (v) — to begin to fail or fall apart, especially a plan or system. The schedule quickly unravelled after the first delay.
Nudge (v) — to gently push or influence someone towards a decision or action. Rising costs nudged commuters towards alternative modes of transport.
Perceived (adj) — considered or believed to be a certain way, whether accurate or not. The perceived reliability of cars makes them attractive to many commuters.
Ridership (n) — the number of people using a public transport system. Declining ridership has forced the company to reduce services.
Imperceptible (adj) — so slight or gradual that it is not easily noticed. The change in policy had an almost imperceptible effect at first.
Death spiral (n) — a process of decline where one negative effect leads to another, making the situation progressively worse. The company entered a financial death spiral as losses continued to grow.
Incrementally (adv) — in small steps or stages over time. The system was improved incrementally rather than through major reforms.
Contend with something (v) — to deal with a difficult problem or situation. Drivers must contend with heavy traffic during peak hours.
Urban sprawl (n) — the uncontrolled expansion of cities into surrounding areas. Urban sprawl has increased commuting distances for many residents.
Part 6
Uninitiated (adj) — lacking knowledge or experience in a particular area. To the uninitiated, the process may seem confusing and overly complex.
Deceptively straightforward (phrase) — appearing simple at first, but actually more complex than it seems. The task looked deceptively straightforward but required careful planning.
Ardent (adj) — showing strong enthusiasm or passion. He is an ardent supporter of the team.
Pattern (n) — a repeated or recognisable way in which something happens. They analysed patterns in player behaviour to improve performance.
Inconsistency (n) — lack of stability or uniformity, especially in performance. Inconsistency in results made it difficult to predict outcomes.
Scrutiny (n) — close and careful examination. The decision was subject to intense public scrutiny.
Confine (v) — to limit something within certain boundaries. The discussion was confined to practical issues rather than theory.
Lapse (n) — a temporary failure or drop in concentration or standards. A brief lapse in focus led to a critical mistake.
Disproportionate (adj) — too large or too small in relation to something else. The reaction was disproportionate to the seriousness of the error.
Compelling (adj) — strongly persuasive or convincing. She presented a compelling argument in favour of reform.
Persist (v) — to continue despite difficulty or opposition. He persisted with the project despite numerous setbacks.
Replicate (v) — to copy or reproduce something as accurately as possible. The training aimed to replicate real competition conditions.
Concession (n) — something accepted or allowed, often reluctantly. Allowing extra time was seen as a concession to the team.
Diverge (v) — to develop in different directions or become different. Their opinions began to diverge as the discussion progressed.
Notion (n) — an idea or belief, often general or not fully developed. The notion that success depends solely on talent is misleading.
Cognitive (adj) — related to mental processes such as thinking, understanding, and remembering. The game requires high levels of cognitive ability.
Ongoing (adj) — continuing to happen over time. The investigation is still ongoing.
Living arrangements (n) — the way in which people organise their housing or living situation. Team members share living arrangements during the season.
Error margin (n) — the small amount of error that is acceptable or expected. There is very little error margin in high-level competition.
Duality (n) — the existence of two contrasting aspects within one thing. The duality of freedom and control defines the profession.
Entail (v) — to involve or require something as a necessary part. The role entails long hours and significant responsibility.
Part 7
Ultimately (adv) — in the end or after considering everything. Ultimately, the decision rests with the management team.
Concede (v) — to admit that something is true, often reluctantly. He conceded that the argument had some merit.
Delegate (v) — to give responsibility or authority to someone else. Managers must learn to delegate tasks effectively.
Viable (adj) — capable of working successfully or being effective. The plan is not financially viable in the long term.
Clear-cut (adj) — obvious and leaving no room for doubt. The solution is not as clear-cut as it initially appears.
Constraints (n) — limitations or restrictions that affect what can be done. Budget constraints limited the scope of the project.
Facilitate (v) — to make a process easier or more efficient. The new system facilitates faster communication between departments.
Diffuse (adj) — spread out and not concentrated in one place or controlled by a single authority. The organisation has a diffuse management structure.
Detract (v) — to reduce the quality or importance of something. Minor errors detract from the overall impact of the report.
Authentic (adj) — genuine and not artificial or copied. Customers value authentic products with a clear origin.
Whim (n) — a sudden and unplanned decision or desire. He bought the car on a whim without much consideration.
Equaliser (n) — something that reduces differences and creates more equal conditions. Technology was seen as an equaliser in the market.
Burden (n) — something difficult or demanding that must be dealt with. Regulation can place a heavy burden on small businesses.
Dispersed (adj) — spread over a wide area rather than concentrated. Decision-making is dispersed across several departments.
Greenlight (v) — to give official approval for something to proceed. The project was greenlit after months of review.
Hamper (v) — to make progress more difficult. Delays in funding hampered development efforts.
Foster (v) — to encourage the growth or development of something. The initiative aims to foster collaboration between teams.
Resilience (n) — the ability to recover quickly from difficulties. Resilience is essential in a competitive business environment.
Entity (n) — something that exists as a distinct and independent unit. The company operates as a single legal entity.
Pigeonholing (n) — the act of placing someone or something into a fixed and often limiting category. Pigeonholing businesses by size can overlook important differences.
