Master the Cambridge IELTS 15 Academic Reading Test 1 Passage 1 vocabulary with our flashcard exercise.
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Cambridge IELTS 15 Academic Reading Test 1 Passage 1
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evergreen
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(adj) /ˈɛvərˌɡriːn/
always green, not losing leaves in winter
Example: The evergreen trees stay green all year.
foliage
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(n) /ˈfoʊliɪdʒ/
the leaves of a plant or tree
Example: The tree has beautiful green foliage in the summer.
encased
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(v) /ɪnˈkeɪst/
to cover or surround something completely
Example: The fruit is encased in a hard shell.
husk
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(n) /hʌsk/
the outer covering of certain fruits or seeds
Example: I removed the husk from the corn before cooking.
aril
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(n) /ˈɛrɪl/
a covering around a seed, often brightly colored
Example: The aril on the seed is beautiful and bright red.
prized
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(adj) /praɪzd/
valued or highly regarded
Example: Many people prize rare stamps.
commodity
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(n) /kəˈmɒd.ɪ.ti/
a raw material or primary agricultural product that can be bought and sold
Example: Many countries trade in different types of commodity.
dominance
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(n) /ˈdɒməˌnəns/
the power or control over others
Example: The dominance of the Dutch in the spice trade was very strong.
subcontracting
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(n) /ˈsʌbˌkɒntræktɪŋ/
the practice of hiring another company to do part of a job
Example: The company is subcontracting the marketing work to another firm.
exploiting
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(v) /ɪkˈsplɔɪtɪŋ/
to use something in a way that helps you, often unfairly
Example: They are exploiting the natural resources of the region.
fleet
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(n) /fliːt/
a group of ships
Example: The fleet sailed across the ocean.
soar
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(v) /sɔr/
to fly high in the air
Example: The eagle can soar above the mountains.
corporation
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(n) /ˌkɔːr.pəˈreɪ.ʃən/
a large business that is owned by many people but treated by law as one person
Example: The corporation has many offices around the world.
contagious
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(adj) /kənˈteɪdʒəs/
able to be spread from one person to another
Example: The flu is contagious and can spread easily.
plague
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(n) /pleɪɡ/
a very serious disease that can spread quickly and kill many people
Example: The city was affected by a terrible plague.
spare
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(v) /spɛr/
to give something that you could keep
Example: She is willing to spare some time to help us.
sultan
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(n) /ˈsʌltən/
a king or a ruler in some Muslim countries
Example: The sultan made a new law for the people.
invader
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(n) /ɪnˈveɪdər/
a person or group that enters a place with force or illegally
Example: The invader took control of the island.
plantation
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(n) /plæn'teɪʃən/
a large area where crops are grown or animals are raised
Example: The plantation is filled with many nutmeg trees.
uproot
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(v) /ʌpˈruːt/
to remove a plant from the ground, including its roots
Example: They need to uproot the old trees before planting new ones.
seedling
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(n) /ˈsiːd.lɪŋ/
a young plant that has grown from a seed
Example: The gardener planted a seedling in the flower bed.
fertile
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(adj) /ˈfɜr.tɪl/
able to produce good crops or plants
Example: The soil in that garden is very fertile.
domination
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(n) /ˌdɒmɪˈneɪʃən/
the state of having control or power over something
Example: The domination of the spice trade was important for the Dutch.
sliver
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(n) /ˈslɪvər/
a small, thin piece of something
Example: He cut a sliver of cake for dessert.
compromise
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(n) /ˈkɑːmprəmaɪz/
an agreement made by each side giving up something they want
Example: They reached a compromise to solve the problem.
settlement
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(n) /ˈsɛtəlmənt/
an agreement made to end a dispute or conflict
Example: The two countries reached a settlement after long negotiations.
treaty
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(n) /ˈtriti/
a formal agreement between countries
Example: The two countries signed a treaty to end the conflict.
intent
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(n) /ɪnˈtɛnt/
a purpose or aim
Example: She showed her intent to help the project.
monopoly
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(n) /məˈnɑːpəli/
the control of a product or service by one company or group
Example: The company had a monopoly on the cellphone market.
smuggle
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(v) /ˈsmʌɡl/
to secretly bring something into or out of a place
Example: He tried to smuggle food across the border.
thrive
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(v) /θraɪv/
to grow well or become successful
Example: The plants thrive when they get enough sunlight.
volcanic
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(adj) /vɑːlˈkænɪk/
relating to or produced by a volcano
Example: The volcanic eruption changed the landscape dramatically.
eruption
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(n) /ɪˈrʌpʃən/
a sudden explosion or release of something, especially a volcano or a disease
Example: The eruption of the volcano surprised everyone.
tsunami
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(n) /tsuˈnɑːmi/
a large and powerful wave caused by an underwater earthquake or volcanic eruption
Example: A tsunami can cause great destruction in coastal areas.
grove
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(n) /ɡroʊv/
a group of trees growing close together
Example: We walked through a beautiful grove of cherry trees.
seize
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(v) /siːz/
to take something quickly and suddenly
Example: The police will seize the illegal goods.
transplant
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(v) /trænspˈlænt/
to move a plant or an organ from one place and put it in another
Example: They will transplant the flowers into bigger pots.
cultivation
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(n) /ˈkʌltɪˌveɪʃən/
the process of growing plants or crops
Example: The farmer's cultivation of vegetables was very successful.
exclusive
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(adj) /ɪkˈskluːsɪv/
only for a particular person or group; not shared
Example: The club has exclusive access to the new restaurant.
merchant
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(n) /ˈmɜrˌtʃənt/
a person who buys and sells goods, especially in large amounts
Example: The merchant sold spices from different countries.
reveal
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(v) /rɪˈviːl/
to make something known that was secret or hidden
Example: The teacher will reveal the answer to the question.
exploit
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(v) /ɪkˈsplɔɪt/
to use something in a way that gives you an advantage
Example: The company will exploit its resources to increase profits.
swiftly
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(adv) /ˈswɪf(t)li/
in a quick or fast manner
Example: The car moved swiftly down the road.
lock out
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(v) /lɑk aʊt/
to prevent someone from entering a place
Example: The players were locked out of the stadium after the game.
operation
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(n) /ˌɑːpəˈreɪʃən/
a specific activity or task that is planned to achieve a result
Example: The operation was successful and everyone celebrated.
concentrate
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(v) /ˈkɒnsənˌtreɪt/
to focus all your attention on something
Example: You need to concentrate on your homework.
obstacle
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(n) /ˈɑb.stə.kəl/
something that makes it difficult to do something
Example: The team overcame every obstacle in their way.
decade
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(n) /ˈdɛkeɪd/
a period of ten years
Example: She plans to travel every decade.
valuable
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(adj) /ˈvæl.jə.bəl/
having a lot of worth or importance
Example: The jewelry she wore was very valuable.
ingredient
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(n) /ɪnˈɡriːdiənt/
a substance that is part of a mixture or recipe
Example: Salt is an important ingredient in many dishes.
cuisine
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(n) /kwɪˈzin/
a style of cooking or food from a particular country or region
Example: I love trying different kinds of cuisine.