Master the Cambridge IELTS 12 Academic Reading Test 4 Passage 2 vocabulary with our flashcard exercise.
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Cambridge IELTS 12 Academic Reading Test 4 Passage 2
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vanish
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(v) /ˈvænɪʃ/
to disappear suddenly and completely
Example: The magician made the rabbit vanish.
presumed
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(v) /prɪˈzumd/
to think that something is true based on what you know, but without proof.
Example: Many people presumed the movie would be a hit.
compelling
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(adj) /kəmˈpɛlɪŋ/
very interesting or exciting that it makes you want to pay attention
Example: The story was so compelling that I couldn't stop reading.
extinction
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(n) /ɪkˈstɪŋkʃən/
the state of a species no longer existing
Example: The extinction of dinosaurs happened millions of years ago.
glimpse
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(n) /ɡlɪmps/
a brief look or glimpse at something
Example: I caught a glimpse of the deer in the forest.
aurochs
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(n) /ˈɔːrɒks/
a large wild ancestor of domestic cattle that lived in Europe and Asia
Example: The aurochs was an impressive creature that roamed the ancient forests.
unmistakable
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(adj) /ʌnˈmɪsˌteɪ.kə.bəl/
certain and clear; not able to be mistaken
Example: The lynx's stubby tail is unmistakable.
totemic
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(adj) /toʊˈtɛmɪk/
relating to a totem, which is a symbol or object with spiritual significance
Example: The lynx is becoming the totemic animal of the rewilding movement.
environmentalism
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(n) /ɪnˌvaɪrənˈmɛntəlɪzəm/
the protection of nature and the environment
Example: Many people support environmentalism to help save our planet.
rewild
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(v) /riˈwaɪld/
to return land or animals to a natural state
Example: They want to rewild the area to help wildlife thrive.
ecosystem
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(n) /ˈiːkoʊˌsɪstəm/
a community of living things and their environment
Example: The forest is a complex ecosystem with many animals and plants.
denude
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(v) /dɪˈnjuːd/
to strip something of its covering or vegetation
Example: The storm will denude the trees of their leaves.
trawl
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(v) /trɔl/
to fish by pulling a net through the water
Example: Fishermen often trawl the ocean for shrimp.
dredge
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(v) /drɛdʒ/
to remove mud or sand from the bottom of a river, lake, or sea
Example: They need to dredge the river to make it deeper.
predator
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(n) /ˈprɛdətər/
an animal that hunts and eats other animals
Example: The lion is a well-known predator in the wild.
resonate
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(v) /ˈrɛzəˌneɪt/
to produce a loud, deep sound or to have a strong effect on someone
Example: The music can resonate in your heart.
niche
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(n) /niːʃ/
a comfortable or suitable position in life or employment
Example: He found his niche in the art community.
arbitrary
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(adj) /ˈɑːrbɪtrɛri/
based on chance rather than being planned or based on reason
Example: The rules seemed arbitrary and unfair.
assemblage
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(n) /əˈsɛm.blæʒ/
a collection or gathering of different things
Example: The museum had an impressive assemblage of ancient artifacts.
preserve
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(v) /prɪˈzɜrv/
to keep something in its original state or in good condition
Example: We should preserve nature for future generations.
dynamism
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(n) /ˈdaɪnəˌmɪzəm/
the quality of being dynamic, energetic, or changing
Example: The dynamism of the ecosystem helps many plants and animals thrive.
potential
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(n) /pəˈtɛnʃəl/
the possibility of something happening or being true
Example: This plan has a lot of potential for success.
scour
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(v) /skaʊər/
to search thoroughly and carefully
Example: They scour the beach for shells after a storm.
articulate
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(v) /ɑːrˈtɪk.jə.leɪt/
to express thoughts clearly in speech or writing
Example: She can articulate her ideas very well.
enthusiasm
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(n) /ɪnˈθuː.zi.æz.əm/
a feeling of excitement and eagerness
Example: Her enthusiasm for the project inspired everyone.
inspire
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(v) /ɪnˈspaɪər/
to make someone feel excited to do something good or to create new ideas
Example: The teacher inspired the students to study harder.
browse
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(v) /braʊz/
to look through something in a relaxed way
Example: I like to browse books at the library.
impenetrable
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(adj) /ɪmˈpɛnətrəbl/
impossible to get through or see into
Example: The forest was impenetrable and we could not find a way in.
plantation
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(n) /plænˈteɪʃən/
a large area of land where crops are grown or where trees are planted
Example: The plantation was filled with tall trees and green plants.
marries
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(v) /ˈmɛriz/
to join in marriage
Example: She marries her best friend next week.
bare
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(adj) /bɛr/
not clothed or covered
Example: The tree had bare branches in winter.
barren
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(adj) /ˈbærən/
not able to produce plants or crops
Example: The land was too barren to grow any food.
upland
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(n) /ˈʌp.lənd/
an area of land that is higher than the surrounding land
Example: They went hiking in the upland hills.
subsidy
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(n) /ˈsʌb.sɪ.di/
money given by the government to help an industry or organization
Example: The farmers received a subsidy to support their crops.
conservationist
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(n) /ˌkɒnsəˈveɪʃənɪst/
a person who protects and saves the environment and wildlife
Example: The conservationist worked hard to save endangered animals.
reintroduce
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(v) /ˌriːˌɪn.trəˈdjuːs/
to bring back something that was removed or lost
Example: The plan is to reintroduce the lynx to the wild.
extraordinary
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(adj) /ɪkˈstrɔːrdəˌnɛri/
very unusual or remarkable
Example: The view from the mountain was extraordinary.
perspective
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(n) /pərˈspɛk.tɪv/
a particular way of thinking about something
Example: Everyone has a different perspective on the issue.
establish
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(v) /ɪˈstæb.lɪʃ/
to set up or create something
Example: They want to establish a new park in the city.
population
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(n) /ˌpɑːpjuˈleɪʃən/
the number of people living in a particular area
Example: The population of the city is growing fast.
charismatic
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(adj) /ˌkær.ɪzˈmæt.ɪk/
having a special magnetic charm or appeal
Example: The charismatic leader inspired everyone to follow him.
lucrative
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(adj) /ˈljuː.krə.tɪv/
producing a lot of money or profit
Example: The new business idea turned out to be very lucrative.
catalyse
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(v) /ˈkætəlaɪz/
to make something happen or happen more quickly
Example: The group wants to catalyse change in the environment.
preservation
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(n) /ˌprɛzərˈveɪʃən/
the act of keeping something in its original state or in good condition
Example: The preservation of old buildings is important for history.
dynamic
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(adj) /daɪˈnæmɪk/
always changing or active
Example: The weather can be dynamic and very different from day to day.
striking
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(adj) /ˈstraɪ.kɪŋ/
very unusual or extreme
Example: The painting had a striking color scheme.
ecology
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(n) /ɪˈkɑːlədʒi/
the study of how living things interact with each other and their environment
Example: Ecology helps us understand the balance of nature.
assemble
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(v) /əˈsɛm.bəl/
to put together or gather things or people
Example: We will assemble the pieces of the puzzle.
exotic
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(adj) /ɪɡˈzɑːtɪk/
unusual and interesting because it comes from a distant place
Example: The zoo had an exotic bird that I had never seen before.
winkle
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(v) /ˈwɪŋkəl/
to extract something from a hiding place or to search for something carefully
Example: She had to winkle out the toy from under the bed.