Master the Cambridge IELTS 12 Academic Reading Test 2 Passage 2 vocabulary with our flashcard exercise.
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Cambridge IELTS 12 Academic Reading Test 2 Passage 2
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hinterland
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(n) /ˈhɪntərˌlænd/
an area that is away from cities and towns, often rural or remote
Example: The farm is located in the hinterland, far from the city.
civilisation
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(n) /ˌsɪv.ɪ.ləˈzeɪ.ʃən/
a large and organized society with its own culture and government
Example: The history of civilization shows how societies have changed over time.
plateau
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(n) /plæˈtoʊ/
a flat area of high land
Example: The hikers reached a wide plateau with a beautiful view.
elevation
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(n) /ˌɛl.ɪˈveɪ.ʃən/
the height or level of something above a surface, especially sea level
Example: The elevation of the mountain is very high.
circuitous
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(adj) /sɜrˈkjuːɪtəs/
having a roundabout or indirect route
Example: The path they took was circuitous and took a long time to follow.
dramatic
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(adj) /drəˈmætɪk/
very sudden or extreme
Example: The storm caused dramatic changes in the weather.
canyon
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(n) /ˈkæn.jən/
a deep valley with steep sides, often created by river erosion
Example: The hikers admired the beauty of the canyon.
precede
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(v) /prɪˈsiːd/
to come before something in time or order
Example: The train will precede the bus by ten minutes.
blast
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(v) /blæst/
to break or destroy something with a strong force or explosion
Example: They blasted a path through the mountain.
substantial
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(adj) /səbˈstænʃəl/
important or significant
Example: The research made a substantial impact on the field.
trek
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(n) /trɛk/
a long and challenging journey, especially on foot
Example: The group planned a trek through the mountains.
ascent
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(n) /əˈsɛnt/
the act of going up or climbing
Example: The ascent to the hill was steep and challenging.
vivid
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(adj) /ˈvɪvɪd/
producing strong, clear images in the mind
Example: The artist used vivid colors in her painting.
mausoleum
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(n) /ˌmɔː.səˈliː.əm/
a large tomb or burial place
Example: The ancient mausoleum was visited by many tourists.
monumental
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(adj) /ˌmɒn.jəˈmɛn.təl/
very great or important; having great meaning
Example: The building has monumental steps leading to the entrance.
ceremonial
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(adj) /ˌsɛrəˈmoʊniəl/
related to a formal ceremony or celebration
Example: The team prepared for the ceremonial event with great care.
spellbound
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(adj) /ˈspɛlˌbaʊnd/
having your attention completely held by something
Example: The story kept the children spellbound all night.
hindsight
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(n) /ˈhaɪnd.saɪt/
understanding a situation only after it has happened
Example: In hindsight, he realized he should have studied harder for the test.
gradual
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(adj) /ˈɡrædʒ.u.əl/
happening slowly over a period of time
Example: The changes in the weather were gradual.
appreciation
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(n) /əˌpriː.ʃiˈeɪ.ʃən/
a feeling of being grateful for something
Example: Her appreciation for nature grew after the hike.
dimension
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(n) /dɪˈmɛnʃən/
a measure of space, such as length, width, or height
Example: The artist had to consider the dimension of the canvas before painting.
rejoin
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(v) /riˈdʒɔɪn/
to join again or come back together
Example: After lunch, I will rejoin my friends at the park.
extent
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(n) /ɪkˈstɛnt/
the degree to which something is true or happens
Example: The extent of the damage was surprising.
chronicle
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(n) /ˈkrɒnɪkl/
a record of events in order of time
Example: The diary she kept became a chronicle of her adventures.
invader
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(n) /ɪnˈveɪdər/
someone who enters a place to take control by force
Example: The soldiers were seen as invaders in the new land.
desperate
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(adj) /ˈdɛspərɪt/
feeling hopeless and in need of something
Example: She made desperate attempts to find her lost cat.
inaccurate
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(adj) /ɪˈnækjərət/
not correct or true
Example: The answer he gave was inaccurate.
perplexed
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(adj) /pərˈplɛkst/
confused or unable to understand something
Example: The student looked perplexed by the difficult question.
archaeologist
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(n) /ˌɑːr.kiˈɑː.lə.dʒɪst/
a person who studies human history by examining remains of ancient cities and artifacts
Example: The archaeologist found old tools in the ground.
conquest
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(n) /ˈkɒŋkwɛst/
the act of taking control of a place or people by force
Example: The soldiers celebrated their conquest of the enemy territory.
reference
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(n) /ˈrɛfərəns/
mentioning or pointing to something
Example: He looked at the reference for the book to find more details.
existence
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(n) /ɪɡˈzɪstəns/
the state of being real or having life
Example: The existence of the lost city amazed the explorers.
gain
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(v) /ɡeɪn/
to get something that is an advantage or benefit
Example: She hopes to gain knowledge from her studies.
acceptance
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(n) /əkˈsɛp.təns/
the act of agreeing to receive something or the state of being accepted
Example: He showed acceptance to the new rules.
estate
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(n) /ɪˈsteɪt/
a large piece of land, usually with a house on it
Example: The family owns a beautiful estate by the lake.
elite
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(n) /ɪˈliːt/
a group of people with special skills or status
Example: The elite of the city attended the fancy event.
architecture
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(n) /ˈɑːrkɪtɛkʧər/
the art or practice of designing buildings
Example: He wants to study architecture in college.
spectacle
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(n) /ˈspɛktəkl/
something very impressive to see
Example: The fireworks display was a wonderful spectacle.
construct
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(v) /kənˈstrʌkt/
to build or make something
Example: They construct a small house in the backyard.
emperor
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(n) /ˈɛmpərər/
a ruler of an empire
Example: The emperor decided to build a new palace.
custom
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(n) /ˈkʌstəm/
a usual way of behaving or doing something
Example: It is their custom to celebrate with a big meal.
descendant
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(n) /dɪˈsɛndənt/
a person who is related to someone from an earlier time
Example: She is a descendant of a famous artist.
abandon
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(v) /əˈbændən/
to leave someone or something behind
Example: They had to abandon their car on the road.
accompany
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(v) /əˈkʌmpəˌni/
to go with someone or something
Example: I will accompany my friend to the store.
prospect
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(n) /ˈprɒspɛkt/
the possibility or likelihood of something happening
Example: He was excited about the prospect of going on a vacation.
pursuit
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(n) /pərˈsjuːt/
the act of trying to achieve something
Example: His pursuit of knowledge led him to many adventures.
prey
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(n) /preɪ/
an animal that is hunted and eaten by another animal
Example: The lion chased its prey across the plain.
sweeping
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(adj) /ˈswiː.pɪŋ/
extending or going in a wide area
Example: The sweeping views from the top of the mountain are beautiful.
staircase
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(n) /ˈstɛr.keɪs/
a set of steps that allow one to go up or down between levels
Example: The staircase in the old building was very beautiful.
discover
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(v) /dɪsˈkʌvər/
to find something that was hidden or not known before
Example: They discover new things every day in science.
done by reading and deep comprehending.