Master the Cambridge IELTS 12 Academic Reading Test 1 Passage 2 vocabulary with our flashcard exercise.
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Cambridge IELTS 12 Academic Reading Test 1 Passage 2
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dignify
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(v) /ˈdɪɡnɪˌfaɪ/
to make something seem important or worthy
Example: The awards dignify the hard work of the volunteers.
archtophilist
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(n) /ˈɑrktoʊfɪlɪst/
a person who collects teddy bears
Example: She is an archtophilist and has a large collection of bears.
philatelist
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(n) /fɪˈlætəˌlɪst/
a person who collects postage stamps
Example: My uncle is a philatelist who loves to find rare stamps.
deltiologist
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(n) /ˌdɛltiˈɑlədʒɪst/
a person who collects postcards
Example: My uncle is a deltiologist who has many rare postcards.
amass
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(v) /əˈmæs/
to collect a large amount of something over time
Example: They amass toys from different countries.
productive
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(adj) /prəˈdʌk.tɪv/
producing a lot of something
Example: She had a productive day at work.
instrumental
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(adj) /ˌɪnstrəˈmɛntəl/
helpful in getting something done or achieving a goal
Example: The instrumental reasons for collecting can lead to profit.
antique
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(n) /ænˈtiːk/
an old and valuable object
Example: She found an antique chair at the flea market.
psychological
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(adj) /ˌsaɪ.kəˈlɑː.dʒɪ.kəl/
related to the mind or mental processes
Example: The psychological effects of stress can be very serious.
triumph
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(n) /ˈtraɪ.əmf/
a great victory or achievement
Example: Winning the game was a big triumph for the team.
variant
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(n) /ˈveəriənt/
something that is different from others in the same category
Example: A variant of the game has new rules.
motive
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(n) /ˈmoʊtɪv/
a reason for doing something
Example: His motive for studying hard is to get good grades.
aimless
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(adj) /ˈeɪmləs/
having no purpose or direction
Example: He felt aimless after finishing school.
inferior
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(adj) /ɪnˈfɪr.i.ər/
lower in quality or value than something else
Example: The information we had was inferior to what the experts provided.
locomotive
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(n) /ˌloʊ.kəˈmoʊ.tɪv/
a vehicle for pulling trains
Example: The locomotive pulled the long train up the hill.
practitioner
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(n) /prækˈtɪʃənər/
a person who practices a profession, especially in the fields of medicine or law
Example: The practitioner works in a busy clinic.
specification
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(n) /ˌspɛsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
a detailed description of something
Example: The engineer followed the specification to build the device.
enlarge
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(v) /ɪnˈlɑrdʒ/
to make something bigger
Example: She wants to enlarge her collection of stamps.
insecurity
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(n) /ˌɪn.sɪˈkjʊr.ə.ti/
a feeling of uncertainty or lack of confidence
Example: He felt a sense of insecurity in a new environment.
commonplace
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(adj) /ˈkɒm.ən.pleɪs/
ordinary or not special
Example: The decorations in the room were quite commonplace.
depict
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(v) /dɪˈpɪkt/
to show or represent something in a picture, story, or other form
Example: The painting depicts a beautiful landscape.
convey
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(v) /kənˈveɪ/
to communicate or express something
Example: She can convey her ideas clearly.
individualism
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(n) /ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒuəlɪzəm/
the idea that people should be independent and follow their own ideas
Example: Her individualism makes her stand out among her friends.
unexpected
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(adj) /ˌʌnɪkˈspɛktɪd/
not expected or surprising
Example: The unexpected rain caught everyone off guard.
conscious
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(adj) /ˈkɒnʃəs/
aware of and able to think about one's own existence and surroundings
Example: He was conscious of the noise outside.
eccentric
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(adj) /ɪkˈsɛntrɪk/
strange or unusual in a way that is different from the norm
Example: His eccentric behavior made him stand out in the crowd.
fulfilment
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(n) /fʊlˈfɪlmənt/
a feeling of happiness and satisfaction from achieving something
Example: She felt a strong sense of fulfilment after finishing her project.
engrossing
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(adj) /ɪnˈɡroʊsɪŋ/
very interesting and engaging
Example: He found the book so engrossing that he read it in one sitting.
postage
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(n) /ˈpoʊ.steɪdʒ/
the cost of sending a letter or package
Example: I need to buy postage for my letter.
amassing
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(v) /əˈmæsɪŋ/
to gather or collect a large number of things over time
Example: She is amassing a lot of books for her library.
wrapper
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(n) /ˈræpər/
a piece of paper or material used to cover or protect something
Example: She saved the chocolate wrapper to show her friends.
instrumental
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(adj) /ˌɪnstrəˈmɛnətəl/
serving as a means to achieve something
Example: They had an instrumental reason for starting the project.
exchange
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(v) /ɪkˈsʧeɪndʒ/
to give something and receive something in return
Example: They want to exchange their cards with friends.
variant
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(n) /ˈvɛr.i.ənt/
a form or version of something that differs in some way from others
Example: This game has a new variant that makes it more fun.
fossil
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(n) /ˈfɑːsəl/
the remains of a plant or animal from a long time ago, preserved in rock
Example: She found a fossil of a dinosaur in the ground.
inferior
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(adj) /ɪnˈfɪr.i.ər/
not as good or of lower quality compared to something else
Example: Without those collections, our understanding would be greatly inferior to what it is.
trainspotting
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(n) /ˈtreɪnˌspɑːtɪŋ/
the hobby of observing and noting different trains and locomotives
Example: He enjoyed trainspotting on weekends.
mobile
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(adj) /ˈmoʊ.bəl/
able to be moved or easily transported
Example: His mobile phone is always with him.
knowledgeable
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(adj) /ˈnɑː.lɪdʒ.ə.bəl/
having a lot of knowledge or information about something
Example: The teacher is very knowledgeable about history.
operation
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(n) /ˌɒpəˈreɪʃən/
a process or method of doing something
Example: The operation took several hours to complete.
technical
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(adj) /ˈtɛk.nɪ.kəl/
relating to a specific skill or area of knowledge
Example: He explained the technical details of the machine.
porcelain
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(n) /ˈpɔr.sə.lɪn/
a shiny white material used for making dishes and decorative objects
Example: She has a beautiful vase made of porcelain.
reflect
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(v) /rɪˈflɛkt/
to think about something carefully
Example: I like to reflect on my day before going to sleep.
notion
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(n) /ˈnoʊʃən/
an idea or belief about something
Example: Her notion of happiness is different from mine.
inspire
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(v) /ɪnˈspaɪər/
to make someone feel excited to do or create something
Example: The teacher's words inspire the students to work hard.
alphabetical
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(adj) /ˌæl.fəˈbɛt.ɪ.kəl/
related to the letters of the alphabet in order
Example: She put the books in alphabetical order on the shelf.
principle
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(n) /ˈprɪn.sɪ.pəl/
a basic truth or rule that explains how something works
Example: Understanding the principle of gravity helps us understand how things fall.
museum
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(n) /mjuˈziːəm/
a place where objects of historical, scientific, or artistic interest are kept and shown to the public
Example: The museum has many ancient artifacts on display.
existence
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(n) /ɪɡˈzɪstəns/
the state of being or living
Example: There is a dog collar museum in existence.
engross
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(v) /ɪnˈɡroʊs/
to be completely focused on something
Example: She can easily engross herself in a good book.
harmless
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(adj) /ˈhɑːrmləs/
not causing any harm or damage
Example: The harmless insect crawled across the leaf.