Master the Cambridge IELTS 17 Academic Reading Test 2 Passage 3 vocabulary with our flashcard exercise.
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Cambridge IELTS 17 Academic Reading Test 2 Passage 3
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innovative
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(adj) /ˈɪnəˌveɪtɪv/
using new ideas or methods
Example: The company is known for its innovative products.
disregard
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(v) /ˌdɪs.rɪˈɡɑrd/
to ignore something or someone
Example: He chose to disregard the negative comments.
predecessor
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(n) /ˈprɛdɪsɛsər/
a person who came before another in a job or position
Example: Her predecessor helped make many improvements to the program.
conventional
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(adj) /kənˈvɛnʃənl/
based on accepted ideas or standards
Example: The conventional way to solve the problem did not work.
spontaneously
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(adv) /spɒnˈteɪniəsli/
in a way that is not planned or organized
Example: The children laughed spontaneously during the play.
monumental
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(adj) /ˌmɒn.jʊˈmen.təl/
extremely important or significant
Example: The scientist made a monumental discovery.
cumulative
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(adj) /ˈkjuːmjʊlətɪv/
increasing or growing by accumulating
Example: The cumulative results of their teamwork showed great progress.
undermine
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(v) /ˌʌndərˈmaɪn/
to weaken or damage something gradually
Example: His actions might undermine their chances of winning.
unheralded
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(adj) /ʌnˈhɛr.əldɪd/
not known or recognized
Example: The unheralded scientist made an important discovery.
postulate
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(v) /ˈpɑːs.tʃə.leɪt/
to suggest or assume something as a basic principle
Example: Many scientists postulate that life exists on other planets.
proto-element
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(n) /ˈproʊtoʊˌɛlɪmənt/
a type of hypothesized atom that was thought to exist before more complex elements
Example: The scientist studied the properties of proto-elements.
fanciful
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(adj) /ˈfænsɪfəl/
imaginary and not real
Example: The story was full of fanciful ideas.
speculation
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(n) /ˌspɛk.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/
a guess about something without having all the facts
Example: His speculation about the weather was wrong.
conceive
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(v) /kənˈsiːv/
to think of or create an idea or plan in the mind
Example: The scientist can conceive new theories about space.
glean
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(v) /ɡliːn/
to gather information or material bit by bit
Example: She tried to glean knowledge from various sources.
arbitrary
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(adj) /ˈɑːr.bɪ.trer.i/
based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system
Example: The rules for the game seemed arbitrary.
accidental
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(adj) /ˌæksɪˈdɛntəl/
happening by chance, not planned
Example: The mistake was accidental and not intentional.
mutation
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(n) /mjuˈteɪʃən/
a change in the genetic structure of a living thing
Example: The scientist studied how mutation can affect an organism.
thrive
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(v) /θraɪv/
to grow or develop well or vigorously
Example: Plants thrive in sunlight.
influential
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(adj) /ˌɪnfluˈɛnʃəl/
having a lot of power to change things
Example: The influential book changed many people's opinions.
confer
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(v) /kənˈfɜr/
to give something, such as a title or right, to someone
Example: The committee will confer a special award to the winners.
methodical
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(adj) /məˈθɑːdɪkəl/
done in an orderly and systematic way
Example: She made a methodical plan for studying.
shrewd
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(adj) /ʃrud/
having or showing an ability to understand things quickly and make good judgments
Example: She made a shrewd decision in choosing the right investment.
coincide
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(v) /koʊˈɪn.saɪd/
to happen at the same time or to have the same position
Example: The two events coincide perfectly.
serendipity
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(n) /ˌsɛr.ənˈdɪp.ɪ.ti/
a happy accident or a pleasant surprise
Example: The discovery of penicillin was a great example of serendipity.
affix
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(n) /ˈæf.ɪks/
a letter or group of letters added to a word to change its meaning
Example: We can add an affix to the word to change its form.
ingenious
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(adj) /ɪnˈdʒiː.ni.əs/
very clever or smart
Example: She came up with an ingenious solution to the problem.
banal
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(adj) /bəˈnæl/
not interesting or original; common or ordinary
Example: The movie was so banal that I fell asleep.
mechanical
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(adj) /məˈkænɪkəl/
related to machines or tools
Example: The mechanical parts of the car need to be fixed.
invoke
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(v) /ɪnˈvoʊk/
to call on a spirit or god for help, or to mention something to support your idea
Example: The teacher will invoke the rules during the game.
vague
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(adj) /veɪɡ/
not clear or definite
Example: The instructions were vague and hard to follow.
utility
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(n) /juːˈtɪləti/
a useful feature or benefit of something
Example: The new tool has great utility for engineers.
diverse
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(adj) /dɪˈvɜrs/
showing a lot of variety
Example: The city is known for its diverse cultures and traditions.
enduring
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(adj) /ɪnˈdʊrɪŋ/
lasting for a long time
Example: Her enduring talent impressed everyone.
candidate
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(n) /ˈkændɪˌdeɪt/
a person who is being considered for a job or an award
Example: She is a strong candidate for the scholarship.
advance
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(n) /ədˈvæns/
a forward movement or improvement
Example: The scientist made a significant advance in her research.
groundbreaking
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(adj) /ˈɡraʊndˌbreɪkɪŋ/
making new discoveries; innovative
Example: The scientist presented a groundbreaking theory at the conference.
refrain
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(v) /rɪˈfreɪn/
to stop yourself from doing something
Example: I try to refrain from eating too much candy.
provenance
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(n) /ˈprɒvənəns/
the place or source where something originates
Example: The provenance of the ancient artifact is still being researched.
predecessor
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(n) /ˈpriː.dəˌses.ɚ/
a person who came before someone else in a job or a position
Example: Einstein is famous, but he built on the ideas of his predecessors.
constrain
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(v) /kənˈstreɪn/
to limit something or control its movement
Example: His injury will constrain his ability to run fast.
abandon
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(v) /əˈbændən/
to leave someone or something behind
Example: They had to abandon their car during the storm.
naive
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(adj) /naɪˈiːv/
lacking experience or sophistication
Example: She was naive about how the world works.
scientifically
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(adv) /ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪkli/
in a way that is based on or uses the methods of science
Example: The researchers studied the problem scientifically.
origin
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(n) /ˈɔrɪdʒɪn/
the point where something begins or comes from
Example: The origin of the river is high in the mountains.