Master the Cambridge IELTS 15 Academic Reading Test 4 Passage 1 vocabulary with our flashcard exercise.
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Cambridge IELTS 15 Academic Reading Test 4 Passage 1
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arid
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(adj) /ˈær.ɪd/
having very little water or moisture
Example: The desert is arid and does not support much plant life.
ecosystem
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(n) /ˈiːkoʊˌsɪstəm/
a community of living things and their environment
Example: The ecosystem is full of different plants and animals.
fragile
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(adj) /ˈfrædʒaɪl/
easily broken or damaged
Example: The glass vase is very fragile.
subsoil
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(n) /ˈsʌb.sɔɪl/
the layer of soil beneath the topsoil
Example: The roots reach deep into the subsoil for water.
archaeobotanist
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(n) /ˌɑːrkiˈoʊbɑːtənɪst/
a scientist who studies ancient plants
Example: An archaeobotanist helps us understand how people used plants long ago.
withstand
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(v) /wɪðˈstænd/
to be able to accept or deal with something difficult
Example: The old tree can withstand strong winds.
drought
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(n) /draʊt/
a long period of time with little or no rain
Example: The farmers are worried because there might be a drought this year.
erosion
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(n) /ɪˈroʊʒən/
the process of the ground or land being worn away
Example: Erosion can cause problems for farms.
vital
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(adj) /ˈvaɪ.təl/
extremely important and necessary
Example: Clean water is vital for good health.
remedy
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(n) /ˈrɛm.ə.di/
a way to make something better or to cure a problem
Example: The doctor gave her a remedy for her cold.
charcoal
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(n) /ˈtʃɑrˌkoʊl/
a black material made from burnt wood, used for fuel or drawing
Example: They used charcoal to grill the meat.
smallholding
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(n) /ˈsmɔːlˌhoʊldɪŋ/
a small farm, especially one that produces food for local use
Example: They owned a smallholding where they grew vegetables.
pioneer
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(n) /ˌpaɪəˈnɪr/
a person who is the first to do something or to go somewhere
Example: She wants to be a pioneer in renewable energy.
habitat
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(n) /ˈhæbɪtæt/
the natural home of a plant or animal
Example: The forest is a habitat for many animals.
aspirational
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(adj) /ˌæspɪˈreɪʃənl/
having a strong desire to achieve something
Example: The aspirational project aims to help the community.
prejudice
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(n) /ˈprɛdʒədɪs/
an unfair feeling of dislike for a person or group because of their race, sex, religion, etc.
Example: She worked hard to overcome her prejudices.
resuscitation
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(n) /rɪˌsʌsɪˈteɪʃən/
the process of bringing someone back to life or consciousness
Example: The doctor performed resuscitation on the patient.
reinstate
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(v) /ˌriːɪnˈsteɪt/
to bring back into a previous position or condition
Example: The school wanted to reinstate the annual festival.
eco-heritage
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(n) /ˈiː.koʊ ˈhɛr.ɪ.tɪdʒ/
the cultural and natural heritage that preserves the relationship with the environment
Example: The community is proud of its eco-heritage.
restoration
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(n) /ˌrɛstəˈreɪʃən/
the act of bringing something back to its original condition
Example: The city is working on the restoration of the old buildings.
sustainable
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(adj) /səˈsteɪ.nə.bəl/
able to be maintained or continued without harming the environment
Example: They want to create a sustainable garden.
molasses
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(n) /məˈlæsɪz/
a thick, sweet liquid made from sugarcane or sugar beets
Example: She added molasses to the cookies for extra sweetness.
certified
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(adj) /ˈsɜr.tɪ.faɪd/
officially recognized as having a certain status or being qualified
Example: The farmer has a certified organic farm.
organic
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(adj) /ɔrˈɡænɪk/
produced or involving production without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides
Example: He sells fresh organic fruit at the market.
invest
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(v) /ɪnˈvɛst/
to put money into something to earn more money
Example: I am investing in the future.
corridor
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(n) /ˈkɔːrɪdɔːr/
a long passage in a building, used for walking from one room to another
Example: The corridor was decorated with beautiful pictures.
mammal
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(n) /ˈmæməl/
a type of animal that has hair or fur and gives birth to live young
Example: A dog is a mammal.
pollen
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(n) /ˈpɑːlən/
a fine powder produced by trees and flowers that helps plants reproduce
Example: The flowers release pollen in the spring.
counteract
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(v) /ˌkaʊn.təˈrækt/
to reduce or prevent the effect of something
Example: We need to counteract the heat by drinking cold water.
evaporation
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(n) /ɪˌvæpəˈreɪʃən/
the process of turning liquid into vapor or gas
Example: Evaporation happens when the sun heats the water.
refuge
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(n) /ˈrɛf.juːdʒ/
a place that gives shelter or protection
Example: The old building became a refuge for the homeless.
bio-control
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(n) /ˈbaɪoʊ kənˌtroʊl/
the use of other living things to control pests
Example: Farmers use bio-control to keep their crops healthy.
biodiversity
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(n) /ˌbaɪoʊdaɪˈvɜːrsɪti/
the variety of different plants, animals, and other living things in a particular area
Example: The rainforest has a lot of biodiversity.
expanse
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(n) /ɪkˈspæns/
a large area or space
Example: The park has a wide expanse of green grass.
confine
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(v) /kənˈfaɪn/
to keep something within limits
Example: You should confine your pet to a safe area.
exploit
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(v) /ɪkˈsplɔɪt/
to use something for your benefit
Example: Farmers can exploit the huarango tree to make products.
arid
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(adj) /ˈær.ɪd/
very dry and having little or no rain
Example: The arid land needs more water to grow plants.
roll out
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(v) /roʊl aʊt/
to introduce or launch something new, such as a product or service
Example: The company plans to roll out the new software next month.
huarango
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(n) /wɑːˈræŋɡoʊ/
a type of tree that grows in dry places, especially in Peru
Example: The huarango is very important for the local ecosystem.
ethnobotanist
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(n) /ˌɛθ.noʊ.boʊˈtæn.ɪst/
a scientist who studies the relationships between plants and people, especially how plants are used in different cultures
Example: The ethnobotanist researched how local communities use native plants.
syrup
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(n) /ˈsɪrəp/
a thick, sweet liquid made from sugar and water
Example: She drizzled syrup on her pancakes.
pod
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(n) /pɒd/
a container that holds seeds or beans
Example: The plant produced many seeds in its pod.
foodstuff
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(n) /ˈfuːdˌstʌf/
a type of food or ingredient
Example: They use the special tree to make different foodstuffs.
flour
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(n) /flaʊər/
a powder made by grinding grain, used in cooking.
Example: She uses flour to bake bread.
certified
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(adj) /ˈsɜːrtɪfaɪd/
officially recognized as being good or of a particular standard
Example: The farm was certified organic after passing the inspection.
corridor
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(n) /ˈkɔːrɪdər/
a long narrow space that connects rooms
Example: The corridor leads to the classroom.
botanist
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(n) /ˈbɑːtənɪst/
a scientist who studies plants
Example: The botanist studied the local flowers.
desert
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(n) /ˈdɛzərt/
a dry area with very little rain and few plants
Example: The desert is very hot during the day.
drought
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(n) /draʊt/
a long period of time without rain
Example: The farmers were worried about the drought affecting their crops.
woodland
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(n) /ˈwʊdlənd/
an area of land covered with trees
Example: The children played in the woodland near their house.