Name

B2 Wordlist

Here is a list of useful or new words from Navigate B2 Coursebook. You can insert your own translation.
Words marked with a key ( ) all appear in the Oxford 3000.
adj = adjective conj = conjunction phr v = phrasal verb phr = phrase pron = pronoun
adv = adverb n = noun pl = plural prep = preposition v = verb

abandoned   ​adj ​/əˈbændənd/ You can usually keep anything which the owner has clearly
abandoned.
absence   ​n ​/ˈæbsəns/ Would the Earth survive without the moon?
access   ​v ​/ˈækses/ There is a central heating system that can access the GPS in
your mobile phone.
accidental   ​adj ​/ˌæksɪˈdentl/ People falling asleep behind the wheel may cause accidental
crashes.
accidentally   ​adv ​/ˌæksɪˈdentəli/ The owner had accidentally lost the money.
accompany   ​v ​/əˈkʌmpəni/ There was no question that Mary Kingsley could accompany
her father on his travels.
accuse   ​v ​/əˈkjuːz/ A government minister has been accused of having unfair
office rules for her staff.
achieve   ​v ​/əˈtʃiːv/ Most people underestimate what can be achieved in a year.
achievement   ​n ​/əˈtʃiːvmənt/ Winning a gold medal is quite an achievement.
actual   ​adj ​/ˈæktʃuəl/ I never read an actual paper newspaper.
adapt (to)   ​v ​/əˈdæpt tə/ The locals adapted the whistling language to Spanish.
addictive  ​adj ​/əˈdɪktɪv/ I find checking news websites quite addictive.
adjust   ​v ​/əˈdʒʌst/ Immigrants need to adjust to new things.
adjustment  ​n ​/əˈdʒʌstmənt/ Making a few adjustments to your life can make you much
happier.
admit   ​v ​/ədˈmɪt/ Customers who blind-tasted the ugly and standard fruit
admitted they tasted the same.
adventurous  ​adj ​/ədˈventʃərəs/ You need to be more adventurous. Step out of your comfort
zone.
advice   ​n ​/ədˈvaɪs/ I would advise you not to yarn-bomb during the day.
advise   ​v ​/ədˈvaɪz/ Shall I advise you or can you manage on your own?
affect   ​v ​/əˈfekt/ Farmers in certain parts of Australia are often affected by
drought.
affordable  ​adj ​/əˈfɔːdəbl/ A small flat was just about affordable.
ages  ​n ​/eɪdʒɪz/ It seems like ages since we were in touch.
almanac  ​n ​/ˈælmənæk/ Travellers used almanacs to chart the phases of the moon and
plan their journeys.
amnesia  ​n ​/æmˈniːziə/ Childhood amnesia occurs at around the age of seven.
amusing   ​adj ​/əˈmjuːzɪŋ/ A sitcom usually has amusing dialogue.
analyse   ​v ​/ˈænəlaɪz/ At seven, children can analyse events more clearly.
analysis   ​n ​/əˈnæləsɪs/ A current affairs programme has in-depth news analysis.
ancestor  ​n ​/ˈænsestə(r)/ More than 1.5 million people with Japanese ancestors live in
Brazil.
annoying   ​adj ​/əˈnɔɪɪŋ/ What one person finds hilarious, another might find really
annoying.
anti-climb  ​adj ​/ˈænti klaɪm/ What if we paint the walls with anti-climb paint?
anxious   ​adj ​/ˈæŋkʃəs/ Henry Brown must have felt anxious before he got into his box.
apathetic  ​adj ​/ˌæpəˈθetɪk/ ‘Apathetic boredom’ is similar to depression.
appeal   ​v ​/əˈpiːl/ The cold weather doesn’t appeal to me.

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apply (to)   ​v ​/əˈplaɪ tə/ The new government rules do not apply to all jobs.
appreciate   ​v ​/əˈpriːʃieɪt/ There is so much to appreciate when you receive a
handwritten letter.
approach   ​n ​/əˈprəʊtʃ/ There are problems with both approaches.
app  ​n ​/æp/ I’ve downloaded a Spanish vocabulary app for extra practice.
argue   ​v ​/ˈɑːɡjuː/ I would argue that the benefits of internet news outweigh the
downsides.
armed   ​adj ​/ɑːmd/ The robbers were armed.
armed robbery  ​n ​/ɑːmd ˈrɒbəri/ They stole $50,000 in an armed robbery.
army uniform   ​n ​/ˈɑːmi ˌjuːnɪfɔːm/ Princess Elizabeth wore a brown army uniform, and she didn’t
look like a princess at all.
aroma  ​n ​/əˈrəʊmə/ Coffee has a bitter aroma.
arrest   ​n ​/əˈrest/ The thieves left the valuable paintings on the train, fearing
arrest.
arrest   ​v ​/əˈrest/ In the Phillipines, what can you be arrested for?
arrogant  ​adj ​/ˈærəɡənt/ Members of Generation Y have a reputation for being arrogant.
artificial   ​adj ​/ˌɑːtɪˈfɪʃl/ Norwegians like playing outside in the snow, even if it is under
artificial light.
as good as gold  ​phr ​/ez ˌɡʊd ez ˈɡəʊld/ Particularly well-behaved children are ‘as good as gold’.
asparagus  ​n ​/əˈspærəɡəs/ Umami is noticeable in many foods, such as soya and
asparagus.
assist   ​v ​/əˈsɪst/ Even well-known yarn-bombing artists have teams to assist
them.
assistance   ​n ​/əˈsɪstəns/ I need some assistance in choosing a gold ring.
associate (with)   ​v ​/əˈsəʊʃieɪt wɪð/ Argentina is strongly associated with beef.
assure   ​v ​/əʃɔː(r)/ The local people assured the conservationists that the
monkeys would be easy to locate.
asteroid  ​n ​/ˈæstərɔɪd/ Gold may have been brought to Earth by asteroids.
attach   ​v ​/əˈtætʃ/ The invention Xarius can be attached to most things and used
to generate electricity.
attempt   ​n ​/əˈtempt/ Several internet campaigns have sprung up in an attempt to
save the art of letter-writing.
aubergine  ​n ​/ˈəʊbəʒiːn/ Aubergines are from the same family as
tomatoes and potatoes.
auction  ​n ​/ˈɔːkʃn/ The car worker bought the paintings at an auction.
automatically   ​adv ​/ˌɔːtəˈmætɪkli/ People automatically assume that I find
the polar nights difficult, but actually I love them.
aware (of) /əˈweə(r) ɒv/
  adj ​ Many people aren’t aware of the risks of
eating too much sugar.
awkward   ​adj ​/ˈɔːkwəd/ Stand too close and you might make someone feel awkward.
axis  ​n ​/ˈæksɪs/ The axis on Mars can tilt so much that the ice at
its poles slides down to the equator.
background   ​n ​/ˈbækɡraʊnd/ The people who participated in the study were
from various socio-economic backgrounds.
back to back  ​adv ​/ˌbæk tə ˈbæk/ I often watch several episodes back to back.
baggage   ​n ​/ˈbæɡɪdʒ/ Put the baggage in the trunk.
ban (from)   ​v ​/ˈbæn frɒm/ Henry Ford banned his employees from whistling.
basically   ​adv ​/ˈbeɪsɪkli/ A ‘polar night’ is where the sun basically doesn’t
appear for twenty-four hours.
be a light sleeper  ​phr ​/bi ə ˌlaɪt ˈsliːpə(r)/ My sister is a light sleeper, but I sleep like a log.

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bear with   ​phr v ​/ˈbeə(r) ˌwɪð/ Just bear with me a moment.

be a threat to  ​phr ​/bi ə ˈθret tə/ All these smart devices could be a threat to our privacy.
beetle  ​n ​/ˈbiːtl/ The idea for the Airdrop came from the Namib beetle.
be mean to a sibling  ​phr ​ One of the top regrets is being mean to a sibling as a child.
/biː miːn tə ə ˈsɪblɪŋ/
benefit   ​n ​/ˈbenɪfɪt/ You will appreciate the benefits of learning something new.
be short of time/money  ​phr ​ I can’t go shopping – I’m really short of time and money.
/bi ʃɔːt ɒv taɪm, ˈmʌni/
be wide awake  ​phr ​/bi ˌwaɪd əˈweɪk/ When I checked, the children were wide awake.
biannual  ​adj ​/baɪˈænjuəl/ Biannual events happen twice a year.
bicentenary  ​adj ​/ˌbaɪsenˈtiːnəri/ It’ll be a while before most co-housing projects
celebrate their bicentenary.
bilingual  ​adj ​/ˌbaɪˈlɪŋɡwəl/ People who grow up speaking two languages are bilingual.
binge-watch  ​v ​/bɪndʒ wɒtʃ/ In a recent survey, 91% of people said they regularly binge-
watched.
birdsong  ​n ​ ​/ˈbɜːdsɒŋ/ Lots of birdsong can be heard at dawn.
bitter   ​adj ​/ˈbɪtə(r)/ Henry Brown felt bitter after his owner allowed his family to be
taken from him.
blame (for)   ​v ​/bleɪm fɔː(r)/ Employers’ expectations have been blamed for increasing
working hours.
blessing  ​n ​/ˈblesɪŋ/ In retrospect, losing my job was a blessing in disguise.
blind-taste  ​v ​/blaɪnd ˈteɪst/ When customers blind-taste fruit, they can’t see what they’re
tasting.
blogger  ​n ​/ˈblɒɡə(r)/ Shaun Usher is a blogger who posts letters on his website.
board the plane   ​phr ​/ˌbɔːd ðə ˈpleɪn/ Passengers were asked to stay seated whilst passengers from
Miami boarded the plane.
boot   ​n ​/buːt/ Put the luggage in the boot.
bored   ​adj ​/bɔːd/ I am really bored with this lecture. It’s so dull!
bored to death  ​phr ​/bɔːd tə deθ/ I was bored to death watching that film.
botanist  ​n ​/ˈbɒtənɪst/ North’s painting provided botanists in Europe with the first
images of some very unusual plants.
bravery  ​n ​/ˈbreɪvəri/ The firefighter received a gold medal for bravery.
bring (someone) up  ​phr v ​ Emil Zátopek was brought up in the north-east of the Czech
/brɪŋ sʌmwʌn ˈʌp/ Republic.
broadband  ​n ​/ˈbrɔːdbænd/ All the homes in Songdo have ultra high-speed broadband.
build foundations   ​phr ​ According to Stephen Covey, it is important but not urgent to
/bɪld faʊnˈdeɪʃnz/ build foundations.
bulb  ​n ​/bʌlb/ Wait a few seconds before touching the bulb – it may be hot.
bump into  ​phr v ​/bʌmp ˈɪntə/ Google thinks that if you bump into colleagues all the time,
you’ll share more ideas.
burnout  ​n ​/ˈbɜːnaʊt/ Volkswagen is trying to avoid employee stress and burnout.
cage  ​n ​/keɪdʒ/ A group of minks were divided into two cages.
calibrating  ​adj ​/ˈkælɪbreɪtɪŋ/ ‘Calibrating boredom’ is when your mind wanders from the
present situation.
campaign   ​n ​/kæmˈpeɪn/ I am writing to ask you to support our campaign to end street
homelessness.
campervan  ​n ​/ˈkæmpəvæn/ We went camping in our campervan in the south of France.
canoe  ​n ​/kəˈnuː/ Mary Kingsley was paddling up rivers in a canoe.

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can recall it very clearly  ​phr ​ I can recall some events from early childhood very clearly.
/kæn rɪˌkɔːl ɪt ˌveri ˈklɪəli/
can’t sit still  ​phr ​/ˈkɑːnt sɪt stɪl/ I hate that feeling when you can’t sit still and you can’t wait for
the film to finish.
capable   ​adj ​/ˈkeɪpəbl/ Is he capable of cooking a meal on his own?
capture   ​v ​/ˈkæptʃə(r)/ With smartphones, the chances that something important is
captured are much higher.
capture the imagination  ​phr ​ Beautiful, rare and useful, gold has captured our imagination
/ˈkæptʃə(r) ðə ɪˌmædʒɪˈneɪʃn/ for centuries.
caravan  ​n ​/ˈkærəvæn/ For our last holiday, we rented a caravan and drove to the west
coast.
carbon dioxide  ​n ​/ˌkɑːbən daɪˈɒksaɪd/ We would produce a lot less carbon dioxide if we had fewer
children.
career path  ​n ​/kəˈrɪə(r) pɑːθ/ A lot of people regret choosing the wrong career path.
care for   phr v ​/keə(r) fɔː(r)/ One of my children may be able to care for me in my old age.
car manufacturer  ​n ​ Car manufacturers are installing software to fight employee
/ˈkɑː(r) ˌmænjuˌfæktʃərə(r)/ stress and burnout.
car park  ​n ​/ˈkɑː pɑːk/ There were no more spaces in the car park.
carpenter  ​n ​/ˈkɑːpəntə(r)/ Henry Brown asked a friend, who was a carpenter, to build him
a box.
carry out  ​phr v ​/ˈkæri aʊt/ The research was carried out at the University of Utah.
catch up  ​phr v ​/ˌkætʃ ˈʌp/ It would be great if we could catch up properly soon.
cause   ​v ​/kɔːz/ Getting these things wrong can cause offence.
cc (somebody) into  ​v ​ Can you cc somebody into a handwritten letter?
/ˌsiː ˈsiː ˈsʌmbədi ˈɪntə/
cease   ​v ​/siːs/ Will the myths about the moon ever cease to exist?
celebrity chef  ​n ​/səˈlebrəti ʃef/ Celebrity chefs often present cookery programmes.
celebrity photos  n pl  /səˌlebrəti ˈfəʊtəʊz/ Rosie likes looking at celebrity photos.
ceremony   ​n ​/ˈserəməni/ Hanamatsuri is a ceremony where sweet tea is poured onto
the feet of a statue.
characteristic (of)   adj ​ It is very characteristic of a Generation X person to be
/ˌkærəktəˈrɪstɪk ɒv/ independent.
cheerful   ​adj ​/ˈtʃɪəfl/ Spring is a cheerful season.
childish  ​adj ​/ˈtʃaɪldɪʃ/ Some inventions may seem very childish, but are
actually quite practical.
choose the right time  ​phr ​ We have to choose the right time to tell people important
/ˌtʃuːz ðə raɪt ˈtaɪm/ news.
circumstance   ​n ​/ˈsɜːkəmstæns/ It depends on the circumstances whether you have to give the
money back or not.
citizen   ​n ​/ˈsɪtɪzn/ Welsh immigrants now consider themselves Argentinian
citizens.
civilization  ​n ​/ˌsɪvəlaɪˈzeɪʃn/ The Incas were an ancient civilization that made beautiful gold
artefacts.
claim   ​n ​/kleɪm/ The couple’s claim to ownership is strong, as the coins were
found on their property.
claim   ​v ​/kleɪm/ The couple claimed the money on a winning lottery ticket.
clatter  ​n ​/ˈklætə(r)/ The clatter of cups and saucers can make the café very noisy.
clean-shaven  ​adj ​/ˌkliːn ˈʃeɪvn/ You rarely see a clean-shaven male hipster.
cleaning staff  ​n ​/ˈkliːnɪŋ stɑːf/ Cleaning staff would enter the plane in order to prepare the
seats for the new passengers.

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climate   ​n ​/ˈklaɪmət/ Avocados and citrus fruits tend to grow in hot climates.
closet   ​n ​/ˈklɒzɪt/ It is a good idea to rearrange your closet so that you don’t
waste time looking for clothes.
co-housing  ​n ​/ˈkəʊ ˌhaʊzɪŋ/ Co-housing is where people live separately in private houses
but with shared facilities.
coincidence  ​n ​/kəʊˈɪnsɪdəns/ By coincidence, Zátopek’s wife was born on the same day of
the same year.
colour-blind  ​adj ​/ˈkʌlə(r) blaɪnd/ People who are colour-blind often can’t distinguish red from
green.
come up with  ​phr v ​/kʌm ˈʌp wɪð/ Psychologists came up with the idea that some people use the
left side of their brain more.
come up  ​phr v ​/kʌm ˈʌp/ I can’t go to that boring lecture – something urgent has
come up!
comical  ​adj ​/ˈkɒmɪkl/ The sketches were very comical.
commercial break  ​n ​/kəˈmɜːʃl breɪk/ Commercial breaks are an annoying distraction.
community   ​n ​/kəˈmjuːnəti/ There are plenty of people living in the
Lilac co-housing community who live alone.
companion  ​n ​/kəmˈpæniən/ If you need a travelling companion, let me know.
competition   ​n ​/ˌkɒmpəˈtɪʃn/ The newspaper held a competition in which
readers had to guess how long it would take Bly to circle the
globe.
competitive   ​adj ​/kəmˈpetətɪv/ Baby boomers are often competitive in the workplace.
complex   ​adj ​/ˈkɒmpleks/ Watching several episodes back-to-back makes it
easier to follow complex storylines.
concentration   ​n ​/kɒnsnˈtreɪʃn/ In some boring situations, I find myself losing concentration
after about half an hour.
concentration  ​n ​/ˌkɒnsnˈtreɪʃn/ Gimli is a town in Canada with the largest concentration of
Icelandic people outside of Iceland.
conditioning  ​n ​/kənˈdɪʃnɪŋ/ It is thought that wanting to read more and more bad news is
a matter of conditioning.
confidential   ​adj ​/ˌkɒnfɪˈdenʃl/ If an email is confidential, you shouldn’t share it with anyone.
conflict   ​n ​/ˈkɒnflɪkt/ Most items on news sites are about conflict or violence.
confuse   ​v ​/kənˈfjuːz/ It’s easy to confuse Silbo with birdsong.
conservationist  ​n ​/ˌkɒnsəˈveɪʃənɪst/ Conservationists have warned that the monkeys are on the
endangered species list.
considerably   ​adv ​/kənˈsɪdərəbli/ Pakistan is considerably warmer than Norway.
consist (of)   ​v ​/kənˈsɪst ɒv/ Silbo consists of four vowels and four consonants.
construction worker   ​n ​ I think construction workers will work very differently in the
/kənˈstrʌkʃn ˈwɜːkə(r)/ future.
consultant  ​n ​/kənˈsʌltənt/ Careers consultant John Moody thinks that the world of work
will change fast.
contrast   ​n ​/ˈkɒntrɑːst/ The contrast between winter and summer nights in Norway is
huge.
contribute (to)  ​v ​/kɒnˈtrɪbjuːt ˌtə/ The development of mobile phones contributed to the decline
of Silbo.
control   ​v ​/kənˈtrəʊl/ The sounds can be controlled by twisting
the middle of the Sono.
conventional   ​adj ​/kənˈvenʃənl/ Conventional people tend to be neat, orderly and practical.
conventional   ​adj ​/kənˈvenʃənl/ Google isn’t a conventional company.
convert   ​v ​/kənˈvɜːt/ Self-help books promise to convert people from being left-
brained to right-brained thinkers.

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cookery programme  ​n ​/ˈkʊkəri prəʊɡræm/ Cookery programmes are very popular in the UK.
copy (somebody) in  ​phr v ​ I copied you in on my email to him.
/ˈkɒpi ˌsʌmbədi ɪn/
correspondence  ​n ​/ˌkɒrəˈspɒndəns/ What correspondence will we leave behind for future
generations?
cosplayer  ​n ​/ˈkɒspleɪə(r)/ Cosplayers are people who like dressing up in costumes as
superheroes.
costume  ​n ​/ˈkɒstjuːm/ Cosplayers like posting photos of their costumes
online so that others can see them.
cosy  ​adj ​/ˈkəʊzi/ You might think that everyone would stay indoors, nice and
cosy, but they don’t.
council   ​n ​/ˈkaʊnsl/ The council might like to reconsider their plans for a new food
quarter in our street.
count against  ​phr v ​/kaʊnt əˈɡeɪnst/ If I don’t want to check my work emails in the evening, does
that count against me?
count on  ​phr v ​/ˈkaʊnt ɒn/ Clients count on being able to talk to their lawyers all the time.
courage   ​n ​/ˈkʌrɪdʒ/ Because of the extraordinary courage he had shown, his story
became famous.
courgette  ​n ​/kɔːˈʒet/ Courgettes were brought over to Europe from South and
Central America.
coverage  ​n ​/ˈkʌvərɪdʒ/ In much of the island, you cannot depend on telephone
coverage.
cracked   ​adj ​/krækt/ Expensive repairs for cracked screens
could become a thing of the past.
critical   ​adj ​/ˈkrɪtɪkl/ Members of Generation X tend to be critical of authority.
criticism   ​n ​/ˈkrɪtɪsɪzəm/ The council’s plans received a lot of criticism.
criticize for   ​v ​/ˈkrɪtɪsaɪz fɔː(r)/ The new rules have been criticized for not taking account of
modern working practices.
crocodile  ​n ​/ˈkrɒkədaɪl/ Mary Kingsley once had an encounter with a crocodile.
cross out  ​phr v ​/krɒs ˈaʊt/ If you make a mistake, just cross it out.
crunchiness  ​n ​/ˈkrʌntʃinəs/ Crisps come in noisy packets because they add to the
sensation of crunchiness.
crunchy  ​adj ​/ˈkrʌntʃi/ I love biscuits that are crunchy.
cup  ​v ​/kʌp/ One hand is cupped next to the mouth to control the whistle’s
direction.
cure   ​n ​/kjʊə(r)/ They appear to have found a new cure for blindness.
curiosity  ​n ​/ˌkjʊəriˈɒsəti/ I read Stephen Covey’s book out of curiosity.
curl   ​v ​/kɜːl/ The ‘come here’ sign is made by curling your finger
towards you.
current affairs programme  ​n ​ Current affairs programmes are usually on late at night.
/ˌkʌrənt əˈfɛːz ˌprəʊɡræm/
customer service  ​n ​/ˌkʌstəmə(r) ˈsɜːvɪs/ The sales assistant had been given an award for excellent
customer service.
customization  ​n ​/ˌkʌstəmaɪzˈeɪʃn/ Customization means providing goods and services tailored to
what people want.
custom  ​n ​/ˈkʌstəm/ The Welsh community in Argentinia still maintains Welsh
traditions and customs.
dairy product  ​n ​/ˈdeəri ˌprɒdʌkt/ The New World didn’t have dairy products before the
Columbian Exchange.
damaging  ​adj ​/ˈdæmɪdʒɪŋ/ Yarn-bombing is a form of street art which is less damaging
than graffiti.

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data  ​n ​/ˈdeɪtə/ What’s more of a worry is how much space all this data will
take up on the internet.
dealer  ​n ​/ˈdiːlə(r)/ The dealer didn’t expect to see the diamonds ever again.
decorate   ​v ​/ˈdekəreɪt/ During the festival of stars, people decorate the streets.
decorative   ​adj ​/ˈdekərətɪv/ The walls are covered in large decorative golden mirrors.
definition   ​n ​/ˌdefɪˈnɪʃn/ Can you give me a definition of boredom?
delete  ​v ​/dɪˈliːt/ Texts and emails are quickly deleted, while letters stay around
for longer.
deliberate   ​adj ​/dɪˈlɪbərət/ It wasn’t a deliberate mistake.
delighted   ​adj ​/dɪˈlaɪtɪd/ Henry Brown was delighted when he
reached Philadelphia safely in his box.
dental floss  ​n ​/ˈdentl flɒs/ Try using a piece of dental floss to get that ring off your finger.
/dɪˈpendənt ɒn/
dependent (on)  adj ​ Ireland used to be very dependent on potatoes.
depressing   ​adj ​/dɪˈpresɪŋ/ Northern Norway has two depressing months of no daylight in
winter.
descendant  ​n ​/dɪˈsendənt/ The 50,000 descendants of Welsh immigrants in Argentina
still speak Welsh.
design   ​v ​/dɪˈzaɪn/ Magda Sayek has designed a perfectly fitting cover for a
city bus.
designer  ​n ​/dɪˈzaɪnə(r)/ James Dyson is a British industrial designer.
desire   ​n ​/dɪˈzaɪə(r)/ Sometimes you have a desire to do something, but you can’t
because you’re stuck in a queue.
desperate   ​adj ​/ˈdespərət/ After a long-haul flight, I’m usually desperate to get off the
plane.
destination  ​n ​/ˌdestɪˈneɪʃn/ Why had Henry Brown chosen Pennsylvania as his destination?
determination  ​n ​/dɪˌtɜːmɪˈneɪʃn/ Henry Brown had shown great determination on his way to
freedom.
determined  ​adj ​/dɪˈtɜːmɪnd/ This terrible loss made Brown determined to escape slavery.
develop   ​v ​/dɪˈveləp/ A washing machine which develops a fault can be repaired
through the Internet of Things.
device   ​n ​/dɪˈvaɪs/ Metal detectors at airports can damage electronic devices
such as laptops.
devoted (to)   ​adj ​/dɪˈvəʊtɪd tə/ She is totally devoted to her children.
diabetes  ​n ​/ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz/ One in three adults today will have developed diabetes by the
time they are sixty.
diamond   ​n ​/ˈdaɪəmənd/ A bag containing $200,000 worth of diamonds has been
returned to its owner.
die out  ​phr v ​/daɪ ˈaʊt/ Some people believe that some things should be left to die out.
digital media  ​n ​/ˌdɪdʒɪtl ˈmiːdiə/ With digital media, we write more than ever before.
disapprove (of)   ​v ​/ˌdɪsəˈpruːv ɒv/ Spectators whistle when they disapprove of a referee’s
decision.
disorientated  ​adj ​/dɪsˈɔːriənteɪtɪd/ When Henry Brown first climbed out of his box, he felt
disorientated.
distance learning  ​n ​/ˌdɪstəns ˈlɜːnɪŋ/ Distance learning is nothing new.
distasteful  ​adj ​/dɪsˈteɪstfl/ That joke was really distasteful.
distinguish   ​v ​/dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/ In a colour photo, it is easy to distinguish the predator from the
background.
distracting  ​adj ​/dɪˈstræktɪŋ/ The government minister finds noise in the corridor distracting
while she’s eating.
DIY tips  ​n ​/ˌdiː aɪ ˈwaɪ tɪps/ Home improvement programmes give us DIY tips.

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dominant  ​adj ​/ˈdɒmɪnənt/ BuzzFeed is dominant in the world of entertainment and news

sites.
dominate the conversation   ​phr ​​ I don’t like the way she always dominates the conversation.
/ˈdɒmɪneɪt ðə ˌkɒnvəˈseɪʃn/
downside  ​n ​/ˈdaʊnsaɪd/ The downside of internet news is that it isn’t always reliable.
do your best  ​phr ​/də jɔː(r) best/ If you don’t like your job, do your best to find something you
do like about it.
drama series   ​n ​/ˈdrɑːmə ˌsɪəriːz/ A drama series has to have a gripping plot.
dramatic   ​adj ​/drəˈmætɪk/ The seasons in Norway are very dramatic.
dramatically   ​adv ​/drəˈmætɪkli/ The number of people living alone is shooting up dramatically.
dream up  ​phr v ​/driːm ˈʌp/ They dreamt up the right-brained/left-brained theory.
drilling equipment  ​n ​/ˈdrɪlɪŋ ɪˈkwɪpmənt/ Underwater drilling equipment is difficult to repair.
drinkable  ​adj ​/ˈdrɪŋkəbl/ The water at the campsite is not drinkable.
drop out  ​phr v ​/ˈdrɒpaʊt/ Even successful business people drop out of university.
drought  ​n ​/draʊt/ Edward Linacre, inventor of the Airdrop, was inspired by
Australia’s worst drought in a century.
dry-cleaning  ​n ​/ˌdraɪ ˈkliːnɪŋ/ At Google, employees can get their dry-cleaning done for free.
dull   ​adj ​/dʌl/ Have you experienced the desire to fall asleep during a dull
lecture?
earplugs  n pl  /ˈɪəplʌɡz/ I put in earplugs on planes so I can sleep.
easy-going  ​adj ​/ˌiːzi ˈɡəʊɪŋ/ My husband is quite easy-going; he doesn’t worry about
anything.
eco-friendly  ​adj ​/ˌiːkəʊ ˈfrendli/ Hipsters like buying eco-friendly products, like shampoo.
economic   ​adj ​/ˌekəˈnɒmɪk/ The discovery of the skeleton of Richard III will give the city of
Leicester an economic boost.
economic recession  ​n ​ Generation Net has lived through an economic recession and
/ˌekəˈnɒmɪk rɪˈseʃn/ won’t take money for granted.
editor   ​n ​/ˈedɪtə(r)/ Bly suggested to her editor that his newspaper
should pay for her trip.
effect   ​n ​/ɪˈfekt/ The effect of the knitting by yarn-bombers is quite striking.
effective   ​adj ​/ɪˈfektɪv/ Stephen Covey’s book describes how highly effective people
plan their lives.
efficient   ​adj ​/ɪˈfɪʃnt/ When we’re tired, our brain is less efficient.
elderly   ​adj ​/ˈeldəli/ The money belonged to an elderly man who had left his bag on
the train.
emoticon  ​n ​/ɪˈməʊtɪkɒn/ We often use emoticons instead of expressing our feelings.
emotion   ​n ​/ɪˈməʊʃn/ Boredom can be a very useful emotion.
enable   ​v ​/ɪˈneɪbl/ Smartphones enable journalists to publish text and photos
wherever they are.
encounter   ​n ​/ɪnˈkaʊntə(r)/ Mary Kingsley had encounters with all kinds of animals on her
travels.
encouragement   ​n ​/ɪnˈkʌrɪdʒmənt/ He needs to be given some encouragement to plan effectively
for his future.
encouraging  ​adj ​/ɪnˈkʌrɪdʒɪŋ/ There is a demand for more inspiring, encouraging and uplifting
news stories.
engineer   ​n ​/ˌendʒɪˈnɪə(r)/ Canadian engineers invented something which tells you when
you need to reapply your sunscreen.
enjoyment   ​n ​/ɪnˈdʒɔɪmənt/ Some people get lots of enjoyment from shopping.
enrich  ​v ​/ɪnˈrɪtʃ/ Learning holidays can enrich your life long after the trip is over.

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ensure   ​v ​/ɪnˈʃɔː(r)/ Please investigate the matter to ensure that this does not
happen to other passengers.
entertaining   ​adj ​/ˌentəˈteɪnɪŋ/ We had an entertaining evening with our friends this weekend.
entertainment space  ​n ​ Co-housing communities have shared facilities such as a
/ˌentəˈteɪnmənt speɪs/ laundry and an entertainment space.
entertain  ​v ​/ˌentəˈteɪn/ We need to be constantly entertained.
enthusiastic   ​adj ​/ɪnˌθjuːziˈæstɪk/ Initially, Europeans were not very enthusiastic about the new
foods.
entrance   ​n ​/ˈentrəns/ I can’t find the entrance to the shop.
environmental campaign  ​n ​ Positive news sites report on peace agreements and
/ɪnˌvaɪrənˈmentl kæmˈpeɪn/ environmental campaigns.
environmental law   ​n ​ China is revising its environmental laws to include harsh
/ɪnˌvaɪrənˈmentl lɔː/ penalties for polluters.
episode  ​n ​/ˈepɪsəʊd/ Have you ever gone to bed too late because you wanted to
watch ‘just one more’ episode?
especially   ​adv ​/ɪˈspeʃəli/ Younger people, especially those in the 16–24 age
bracket, spend time with their family daily.
establish   ​v ​/ɪˈstæblɪʃ/ In conversations, we often try to establish shared interests.
established   ​adj ​/ɪˈstæblɪʃt/ The Japanese community in Argentina is now very well
established.
estimate   ​v ​/ˈestɪmeɪt/ It is estimated that the coins are worth around $10 million.
evil   ​n ​/ˈiːvl/ There’s a lot of evil in the world.
evolve  ​v ​/iˈvɒlv/ Like all trends, ‘hipsterism’ will change and evolve.
exchange news  ​phr ​/ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ njuːz/ We can exchange news by email, text or letter.
expectation   ​n ​/ˌekspekˈteɪʃn/ The event didn’t live up to my expectations.
experiment   ​n ​/ɪkˈsperɪmənt/ Researchers pointed out that the experiments didn’t show that
animals feel truly bored.
explorer  ​n ​/ɪkˈsplɔːrə(r)/ Mary Kingsley was the first explorer to show proper respect to
the African people.
expose (to)   ​v ​/ɪkˈspəʊz tə/ Some children are exposed to questioning and reacting to
rules.
expressway  ​n ​/ɪkˈspresweɪ/ An expressway in North American English is called a motorway
in British English.
extraordinary   ​adj ​/ɪkˈstrɔːdnri/ Silbo is an extraordinary language which is whistled
rather than spoken.
facilities   n pl  /fəˈsɪlətiz/ People living in co-housing projects share facilities.
fade  ​v ​/feɪd/ When do childhood memories start to fade?
faked  ​adj ​/feɪkt/ The 1969 moon landings were faked.
falcon  ​n ​/ˈfɔːlkən/ The falcons are well trained, so it’s super safe.
fall asleep   ​phr ​/fɔːl əˈsliːp/ Nearly half of US adults fall asleep unintentionally during
the day.
family-focused  ​adj ​/ˈfæməli ˌfəʊkəst/ Members of Generation X tend to be family-focused.
fast asleep  ​phr ​/fɑːst əˈsliːp/ The woman was fast asleep on the train and missed her stop.
fault   ​n ​/fɔːlt/ There was a fault in the invention which kept it from working
properly.
feature   ​n ​/ˈfiːtʃə(r)/ The most noticeable feature of the data is that older people
spend less time with their family.
feat  ​n ​/fiːt/ In honour of this creative but dangerous feat, he became
known as Henry ‘Box’ Brown.

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fed up  ​adj ​/fed ˈʌp/ ‘Searching boredom’ is when you are fed up with having
nothing to do.
feel left out  ​phr ​/fiːl left aʊt/ If two kids are playing together, the other two have
each other and don’t feel left out.
festival   ​n ​/ˈfestɪvl/ Many popular Japanese festivals also take place in São Paulo.
find out   ​phr v ​/faɪnd ˈaʊt/ I’d like to find out more about the five types of boredom.
fire department  ​n ​/ˈfaɪə(r) dɪpɑːtmənt/ My mum called the fire department when I was locked in
the bathroom at age two.
fix   ​v ​/fɪks/ At Google, someone can fix your car for you.
fixed-wheel  ​adj ​/fɪkst wiːl/ The ultimate cool hipster accessory is the fixed-wheel bike.
flexibility  ​n ​/ˌfleksəˈbɪləti/ Flexibility is very important; you need to plan, but also use
opportunities in your job.
floral-patterned  ​adj ​/ˌflɔːrəl ˈpætənd/ Female hipsters wear floral-patterned dresses.
focus   ​v ​/ˈfəʊkəs/ Focus on the red and green for a while and then look at the
desert photos.
freedom   ​n ​/ˈfriːdəm/ Having enough money gives you the freedom to do what you
want.
fret  ​v ​/fret/ Women are more likely than men to fret about a lost love.
fritter away time/money  ​phr ​ Stephen Covey feels we fritter away too much time.
/ˈfrɪtə(r) əˈweɪ taɪm, ˈmʌni/
functional  ​adj ​/ˈfʌŋkʃənl/ Inventions need to be functional to be popular.
furious  ​adj ​/ˈfjʊəriəs/ Henry Brown must have been furious when his wife and
children were sold.
/ˈfʌsi əˌbaʊt/
fussy (about)  adj ​ I’ll try anything – I’m not fussy about food.
gaze  ​v ​/ɡeɪz/ When you gaze at something, you look at it for a long time.
generate   ​v ​/ˈdʒenəreɪt/ There are a lot of inventions which generate energy.
generosity  ​n ​/ˌdʒenəˈrɒsəti/ Some famous people are known for their generosity.
genuine   ​adj ​/ˈdʒenjuɪn/ The film of the 1969 moon landings cannot be genuine.
gesture  ​n ​/ˈdʒestʃə(r)/ I’d like to talk about gestures – the signs we
make with our hands.
get on (somebody’s) nerves  ​phr  My brother gets on my nerves sometimes.
/​ ɡet ɒn sʌmbədiz nɜːvz/
get on  ​phr v ​/ɡet ɒn/ If you want to get on in your career, you have to stay in touch
with changes in your field.
get to grips  ​phr ​/ɡet tə ɡrɪps/ Getting to grips with a new culture and language was quite a
challenge at first.
get up at the crack of dawn  ​phr  My children always get up at the crack of dawn.
/​ ɡet ʌp æt ðə kræk ɒv ˈdɔːn/
get your money’s worth  ​phr ​ You should get to the festival early if you want to get your
/ɡet jɔː(r) ˈmʌniz wɜːθ/ money’s worth.
give up   ​phr v ​/ɡɪv ʌp/ Employers like to see that you don’t give up easily if a job is
difficult.
gladiator  ​n ​/ˈɡlædieɪtə(r)/ You’ve got a chance to train and experience what it was like to
fight as a gladiator.
glance  ​v ​/ɡlɑːns/ I quickly glanced at my watch.
glare  ​v ​/ɡleə(r)/ Don’t glare – it makes people feel uncomfortable.
globally  ​adv ​/ˈɡləʊbəli/ Globally, there has been a rise in the number of people living
alone.
godparent  ​n ​/ˈɡɒdpeərənt/ Sometimes children have several godparents.

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golden opportunity  ​phr ​ Getting the chance to take on this brilliant job was a golden
/ˈɡəʊldən ˌɒpəˈtjuːnəti/ opportunity.
gorilla  ​n ​/ɡəˈrɪlə/ Kingsley was one of the first Europeans to see a gorilla with
her own eyes.
government minister   ​n ​ A government minister made a list of rules for her staff which
/ˈɡʌvənmənt ˈmɪnɪstə(r)/ was leaked to the media.
gradually   ​adv ​/ˈɡrædʒuəli/ The second winter in Norway is when the light gradually starts
to come back.
grain   ​n ​/ɡreɪn/ Quinoa is a grain which is grown in the Andes mountains.
gripping plot  ​n ​/ˌɡrɪpɪŋ ˈplɒt/ This drama series isn’t very good; it lacks a gripping plot.
growth   ​n ​/ɡrəʊθ/ The nations with the fastest growth in one-person households
are China, India and Brazil.
habitat  ​n ​/ˈhæbɪtæt/ I’d like to see the penguins in their natural habitat.
hack  ​v ​/hæk/ Every connected device can be hacked.
half-submerged  ​adj ​/hɑːf səbˈmɜːdʒd/ The crocodile is half-submerged under the water.
hammock  ​n ​/ˈhæmək/ Sleeping in a hammock can be quite uncomfortable.
hand cream  ​n ​/ˈhænd kriːm/ Cover your finger with something slippery like hand cream to
remove the ring.
handwriting  ​n ​/ˈhændraɪtɪŋ/ I’ve always had terrible handwriting.
handwritten  ​adj ​/ˌhændˈrɪtn/ The handwritten letter is in serious decline.
hang out  ​phr v ​/ˈhæŋ aʊt/ Where do hipsters hang out?
harsh penalty  ​n ​/ˈhɑːʃ ˌpenəlti/ In future, polluters in China will be given harsh penalties.
have a heart of gold  ​phr ​ My grandmother was very kind – she had a heart of gold.
/hæv ə hɑːt ɒv ɡəʊld/
have a lie-in  ​phr ​/hæv ə ˈlaɪ ɪn/ You can catch up on sleep by having a lie-in.
have a misunderstanding  ​phr ​ People from different cultures can have a misunderstanding if
/hæv ə ˌmɪsʌndəˈstændɪŋ/ they don’t know each other’s rules of communication.
have a nap  ​phr ​/hæv ə ˈnæp/ Having a short nap is more refreshing than a cup of coffee.
have a row   ​phr ​/hæv ə ˈrəʊ/ I don’t want to have a row about the weather.
have a snooze  ​phr ​/hæv ə ˈsnuːz/ In many cultures, having a snooze is much more acceptable
than in the US.
have enough of  ​phr ​/hæv ɪˈnʌf ɒv/ I’ve had enough of this TV programme.
have some awkward silences  ​phr ​ When he started asking us how much we earned, we had some
/hæv səm ˌɔːkwəd ˈsaɪlənsɪz/ awkward silences in the conversation. No one wanted to talk
about it.
have time/money to spare  ​phr ​ I’m really busy and broke, so I have neither time nor money to
/hæv taɪm, ˈmʌni tə speə(r)/ spare.
healthcare  ​n ​/helθkeə(r)/ Because of our ageing population, there will be more jobs in
the healthcare sector.
health check  ​n ​/ˈhelθ tʃek/ Another perk for Google employees is free health checks.
hear (of)   ​v ​/hɪə(r) ɒv/ Have you heard of Silbo Gomero?
helmet  ​n ​/ˈhelmɪt/ My helmet had slipped down, so I couldn’t see a thing.
high-speed  ​adj ​/ˌhaɪ ˈspiːd/ Not many cities have high-speed broadband for all residents.
high-tech  ​adj ​/ˌhaɪ ˈtek/ Hipsters are not interested in high-tech devices.
highlight   ​n ​/ˈhaɪlaɪt/ Sport programmes often show football match highlights.
hilarious  ​adj ​/hɪˈleəriəs/ Some jokes are just hilarious.
hipster  ​n ​/ˈhɪpstə(r)/ Hipsters are usually in their twenties and thirties.
historical   ​adj ​/hɪˈstɒrɪkl/ The oldest woman in the world lived through some interesting
historical events.

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hit it off (with someone)  ​phr ​ Can you tell me about a person you hit it off with as soon as
/ˌhɪt ɪt ˈɒf wɪð sʌmwʌn/ you met them?
holiday   ​n ​/ˈhɒlədeɪ/ A place I’d really like to go on holiday this year is Istanbul.
home-cooked  ​adj ​/həʊm kʊkt/ I much prefer to spend money on home-cooked food than on
microwaveable meals.
home-made  ​adj ​/ˌhəʊm ˈmeɪd/ Hipsters are keen on making home-made jam and baking
cakes.
home improvement programme  ​n ​ I learnt to build my bookshelf from a home improvement
/həʊm ɪmˈpruːvmənt ˌprəʊɡræm/ programme. I’m very pleased with it!
homeland  ​n ​/ˈhəʊmlænd/ Norway is certainly very different from my homeland where it
is hot.
homelessness  ​n ​/ˈhəʊmləsnəs/ We need to do more to reduce street homelessness.
hostel  ​adj ​/ˈhɒstl/ Without sufficient hostel places, we cannot protect the often
young and very vulnerable.
household   ​n ​/ˈhaʊshəʊld/ Why are so many people choosing to live in one-person
households?
household chore  ​n ​/ˈhaʊshəʊld tʃɔː(r)/ Mary Kingsley much prefered paddling up rivers to
household chores.
hybrid  ​n ​/ˈhaɪbrɪd/ Electronic cars will park for free and hybrids will get 20% off.
ideal   ​adj ​/aɪˈdiːəl/ I believe that one child is ideal.
identify   ​v ​/aɪˈdentɪfaɪ/ They seemed to identify some differences.
ignore   ​v ​/ɪɡˈnɔː(r)/ Her father’s medical friends had warned her about
tropical diseases, but she ignored them.
illegal   ​adj ​/ɪˈliːɡl/ In most countries, it is illegal to keep lost property unless you
can’t find the owner.
illusion  ​n ​/ɪˈluːʒn/ The shimmering of the air above a hot road is just an illusion.
immeasurable  ​adj ​/ɪˈmeʒərəbl/ The joy each child brings is immeasurable.
immigrant  ​n ​/ˈɪmɪɡrənt/ Welsh immigrants first arrived in Patagonia over 150 years ago.
impressed (by)   ​adj ​/ɪmˈprest baɪ/ I wasn’t very impressed by some of the artwork.
impression   ​n ​/ɪmˈpreʃn/ When is it very important to make a good impression?
impressive   ​adj ​/ɪmˈpresɪv/ Some companies ensure that you will only focus on coming up
with impressive ideas.
in-depth news  ​n ​/ɪn ˈdepθ njuːz/ I enjoy watching programmes with in-depth news.
inbox  ​n ​/ˈɪnbɒks/ My inbox is too full – I need to delete some emails.
incapable  ​adj ​/ɪnˈkeɪpəbl/ ‘Apathetic boredom’ means you are incapable of finding
enjoyment in life.
incentive  ​n ​/ɪnˈsentɪv/ We usually try to reward people by giving them incentives.
inconvenient  ​adj ​/ˌɪnkənˈviːniənt/ They lost my luggage. Just for a day, but still very inconvenient.
independently   ​adv ​/ˌɪndɪˈpendəntli/ It’s more popular to live independently in
some countries than in others.
indicate   ​v ​/ˈɪndɪkeɪt/ The survey also indicates an interesting shift in opinion
towards binge-watching.
indifferent  ​adj ​/ɪnˈdɪfrənt/ ‘Indifferent boredom’ is a pleasant feeling which allows you to
zone out after a long day.
informative  ​adj ​/ɪnˈfɔːmətɪv/ More informal news sites are often entertaining as well as
informative.
inheritance  ​n ​/ɪnˈherɪtəns/ The gold necklace was part of her inheritance.
innocent   ​adj ​/ˈɪnəsnt/ It turns out that the man involved in the police shooting was
innocent.

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innovative  ​adj ​/ˈɪnəvətɪv/ A lot of companies want their employees to be innovative and

creative.
insist (on)   ​v ​/ɪnˈsɪst ɒn/ The government introduced laws which insist on
employers switching off email contact.
insomnia  ​n ​/ɪnˈsɒmniə/ Insomnia is almost twice as common in women than in men.
inspiring  ​adj ​/ɪnˈspaɪərɪŋ/ I’m all for more inspiring news.
install   ​v ​/ɪnˈstɔːl/ We’ve installed broadband and it’s really good.
instant  ​adj ​/ˈɪnstənt/ Texts and emails allow for instant communication but are
quickly deleted.
intention   ​n ​/ɪnˈtenʃn/ It is my intention to be better at planning.
interconnect  ​v ​/ˌɪntəkəˈnekt/ Phones are interconnected by cables.
intercontinental  ​adj ​/ˌɪntəˌkɒntɪˈnentl/ There are intercontinental agreements between North America
and Europe.
internet-connected  ​adj ​ Internet-connected insulin pumps can send information to your
/ˈɪntənet kəˌnektɪd/ doctor.
interrupt   ​v ​/ˌɪntəˈrʌpt/ For communication to be successful, we need to know if it’s
OK to interrupt a person.
in tray  ​n ​/ˈɪn treɪ/ Please put the letter in my in tray.
introduction   ​n ​/ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃn/ The introduction of a text is the start of the text.
invent   ​v ​/ɪnˈvent/ A lot of new jobs will be invented in the near future.
invention   ​n ​/ɪnˈvenʃn/ Looking at the Namib beetle gave Linacre the idea for his
invention.
inventiveness  ​n ​/ɪnˈventɪvnəs/ How can inventiveness be encouraged?
inventive  ​adj ​/ɪnˈventɪv/ Having a messy desk is better for being inventive.
invest   ​v ​/ɪnˈvest/ More people should invest in their future by thinking about
what they really want to do.
investigate   ​v ​/ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪt/ I have asked the airline to investigate the incident.
invest time/money  ​phr ​ Invest time in looking after your health.
/ɪnˈvest taɪm, ˈmʌni/
invitation   ​n ​/ˌɪnvɪˈteɪʃn/ I received an invitation to a talk about career development.
involved (in)   ​adj ​/ɪnˈvɒlvd ɪn/ Lots of countries were involved in the Columbian Exchange.
irresponsible  ​adj ​/ˌɪrɪˈspɒnsəbl/ There’s a lot of talk these days about irresponsible parenting.
irritating   ​adj ​/ˈɪrɪteɪtɪŋ/ The stand-up comedian was incredibly irritating.
islander  ​n ​/ˈaɪləndə(r)/ The islanders of La Gomera have been communicating with
whistles for centuries.
javelin  ​n ​/ˈdʒævlɪn/ Zana Ingrova, Zátopek’s wife, won a gold medal in the javelin
in 1952.
jewellery   ​n ​/ˈdʒuːəlri/ A lot of people like to spend money on gold jewellery.
joy   ​n ​/dʒɔɪ/ Having a child brings much joy.
jungle  ​n ​/ˈdʒʌŋɡl/ The fact that you can see colour might save your life in the
jungle.
just about remember  ​phr ​ I was only two, but I can just about remember it.
/dʒʌst əˈbaʊt rɪˈmembə(r)/
justify   ​v ​/ˈdʒʌstɪfaɪ/ People use the saying ‘finders keepers, losers weepers’ to
justify keeping money that they find.
keen (on)   ​adj ​/ˈkiːn ɒn/ I wasn’t so keen on the ‘fish in a phone box’ artwork.
kill time  ​phr ​/kɪl taɪm/ Why do we kill time playing games on our phones or tablets?
know (someone) as  ​phr ​/nəʊ ˈæz/ Generation Y is also known as the ‘millennial’ generation.

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know your stuff  ​phr ​/nəʊ jɔː(r) stʌf/ If you know your stuff, employers don’t care if you’ve got a
degree or not.
ladder  ​n ​/ˈlædə(r)/ One of the firemen climbed up a ladder and broke through the
bathroom window.
lamp post  ​n ​/ˈlæmp pəʊst/ That lamp post that you never noticed before is suddenly
multicoloured.
landline  ​n ​/ˈlændlaɪn/ Could you call me back on my landline?
laundry  ​n ​/ˈlɔːndri/ We share the laundry with our neighbours in our co-housing
community.
lead (to)   ​v ​/ˈliːd tə/ Getting these things wrong can lead to misunderstandings.
legacy  ​n ​/ˈleɡəsi/ Collecting two species of fish which were unknown before was
not Mary Kingsley’s only legacy.
legislature  ​n ​/ˈledʒɪsleɪtʃə(r)/ China’s legislature votes to revise 25-year-old
environmental law.
leopard  ​n ​/ˈlepəd/ Kingsley rescued a leopard that had got caught in a trap.
line  ​n ​/laɪn/ Hold on, the line is breaking up.
listen enthusiastically   ​phr ​ It would be good if you tried to listen more enthusiastically in
/ˈlɪsn ɪnˌθjuːziˈæstɪkli/ conversations.
listicle  ​n ​/ˈlɪstɪkl/ The listicle is attractive because it simplifies any subject into
manageable facts.
little-known  ​adj ​/ˈlɪtl nəʊn/ Hipsters have a taste for little-known bands.
lively   ​adj ​/ˈlaɪvli/ In summer, the nights in Norway are as lively as the days.
locate   ​v ​/ləʊˈkeɪt/ The monkeys were easy to locate because they could be heard
sneezing.
lonely   ​adj ​/ˈləʊnli/ Many parents have a second child to stop their first child
being lonely and spoilt.
long-haul flight  ​n ​/lɒŋ hɔːl flaɪt/ For me, the most boring experiences are long-haul flights.
look up to   ​phr ​/lʊk ˈʌp tə/ Who in your family do you look up to?
loose   ​adj ​/luːs/ The knitted covers are usually quite loose, so it’s easy to fix
them to the object.
lorry   ​n ​/ˈlɒri/ There had been an accident on the motorway ahead of us – a
lorry had turned over.
lose   ​v ​/luːz/ We had nothing to lose and everything to gain.
lose concentration  ​phr ​/luːz ˌkɒnsnˈtreɪʃn/ What makes you lose concentration?
lose touch  ​phr ​/luːz tʌtʃ/ It is very easy to lose touch with changes in your area of work.
lost property  ​n ​/ˌlɒst ˈprɒpəti/ A car worker bought the paintings at an auction
of lost property left on Italian trains.
lottery ticket  ​n ​/ˈlɒtəri ˌtɪkɪt/ A couple claimed money on a lottery ticket which they had
found on a shop floor.
low-tech  ​adj ​/ləʊ ˈtek/ Hipsters love low-tech objects such as record players and old-
style cameras.
loyal   ​adj ​/ˈlɔɪəl/ I would say I’m quite loyal.
lucky   ​adj ​/ˈlʌki/ If you’re lucky, you’ll hear the islanders whistle on La Gomera.
luggage   ​n ​/ˈlʌɡɪdʒ/ They lost my luggage.
lunch break  ​n ​/ˈlʌntʃ breɪk/ The company can’t have actually stopped them having
a lunch break.
magical  ​adj ​/ˈmædʒɪkl/ The first winter really is a magical time of year.
magnificent  ​adj ​/mæɡˈnɪfɪsnt/ It turned out to be one of the most magnificent shows
I’ve ever seen.
mainstream  ​n ​/ˈmeɪnstriːm/ Hipsters reject mainstream culture.

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maintain   ​v ​/meɪnˈteɪn/ Security cameras are expensive to maintain.

majority   ​n ​/məˈdʒɒrəti/ The majority of people surveyed considered binge-watching a
bad thing.
make a good impression  ​phr ​ You want to make a good impression in an interview.
/meɪk ə ɡʊd ɪmˈpreʃn/
make small talk  ​phr ​/meɪk ˈsmɔːl tɔːk/ Could you tell me how easy you find it to make small talk?
make the most of  ​phr ​/meɪk ðə məʊst ɒv/ Try to make the most of opportunities to learn something new.
make up after a row  ​phr ​ People often regret not making up after a row.
/​ meɪk ʌp ˈɑːftə(r) ə rəʊ/
make up  ​v ​/ˈmeɪk ʌp/ The right-brained/left-brained theory was largely
made up by psychologists and the media.
manage   ​v ​/ˈmænɪdʒ/ Magda Sayek manages a large team of knitters.
mankind  ​n ​/mænˈkaɪnd/ Gold has always been of great importance to mankind.
massive   ​adj ​/ˈmæsɪv/ There was a massive queue at security control.
match   ​n ​/mætʃ/ Would you binge-watch football matches?
meaningless  ​adj ​/ˈmiːnɪŋləs/ What we see is pretty meaningless – it’s just patterns of light.
measurable  ​adj ​/ˈmeʒərəbl/ Make sure your goals are specific and measurable.
measure   ​v ​/ˈmeʒə(r)/ If a player is moving more slowly than usual, it will be
measured.
measurement   ​n ​/ˈmeʒəmənt/ Take your measurement to make sure the ring will fit.
meatball  ​n ​/ˈmiːtbɔːl/ Umami is also strong in Italian meatballs.
medical   ​adj ​/ˈmedɪkl/ Medical breakthroughs are reported on positive news sites.
melody  ​n ​/ˈmelədi/ The right side of the brain is best at appreciating the melody of
the music.
memorization  ​n ​/ˌmeməraɪzˈeɪʃn/ Now that we have the internet,
many people think that memorization is a waste of time.
memorize  ​v ​/ˈmeməraɪz/ How can people use their minds creatively if nothing is actually
memorized and stored in there?
memory has begun to fade  ​phr ​ My memory of it has begun to fade.
/ˈmeməri həz bɪˈɡʌn tə feɪd/
mend  ​v ​/mend/ Hipsters prefer to mend things instead of buying new
ones when something breaks.
mental   ​adj ​/ˈmentl/ I need to read something light – something that
doesn’t require much mental effort.
mindless  ​adj ​/ˈmaɪndləs/ Rote learning is seen as pointless and mindless.
minister   ​n ​/ˈmɪnɪstə(r)/ A government minister makes her staff stand up when she
arrives.
mink  ​n ​/mɪŋk/ The minks in the bare cage ate more food and slept for longer
than the other minks.
miserable  ​adj ​/ˈmɪzrəbl/ Henry Brown felt miserable while he was travelling in the box.
mission  ​n ​/ˈmɪʃn/ She had two missions to complete while she was touring the
continent.
miss out on an opportunity  ​phr ​ He missed out on investment opportunities, which he regrets.
/mɪs aʊt ɒn æn ˌɒpəˈtjuːnəti/
mistake   ​n ​/mɪˈsteɪk/ She made a mistake and the knitting had a big hole in it.
misunderstanding  ​n ​/ˌmɪsʌndəˈstændɪŋ/ Getting these things wrong can lead to misunderstandings.
moisture  ​n ​/ˈmɔɪstʃə(r)/ The Namib beetle survives in the desert by collecting small
amounts of moisture.
monitor   ​v ​/ˈmɒnɪtə(r)/ The information is sent to a computer which monitors the
outcome.

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monkey  ​n ​/ˈmʌŋki/ A new species of monkey has been discovered in the forests
of Myanmar.
monoplane  ​n ​/ˈmɒnəpleɪn/ I have never seen a monoplane before.
monosodium glutamate  ​n ​ Umami is added to many foods in the form of monosodium
/ˌmɒnəˌsəʊdiəm ˈɡluːtəmeɪt/ glutamate.
monotone  ​adj ​/ˈmɒnətəʊn/ A monotone voice can send you to sleep.
moral   ​adj ​/ˈmɒrəl/ ‘Moral will’ means that you have the ability to do what’s right
for yourself and others.
moreover   ​adv ​/mɔːrˈəʊvə(r)/ Moreover, wearable technology may mean that we are
available to our employers all the time.
mountainside  ​n ​/ˈmaʊntənsaɪd/ The rain washed away the mountainside.
muddy  ​n ​/ˈmʌdi/ Her boots were muddy because she went for a walk in the
woods after it had rained.
multicoloured  ​adj ​/ˌmʌltiˈkʌləd/ The protesters were holding multicoloured banners.
multimillionaire  ​n ​/ˌmʌltimɪljəˈneə(r)/ The multimillionaire decided to give a lot of his money to
charity.
multitude  ​n ​/ˈmʌltɪtjuːd/ Gold also has a multitude of less traditional uses in industry.
murmur  ​v ​/ˈmɜːmə(r)/ In the Majestic café, even the tourists tend to murmur quietly,
as if they are in a sacred place.
nap  ​n ​/næp/ Naps can be good for helping you remember things.
neighbourhood   ​n ​/ˈneɪbəhʊd/ Little Havana is a Cuban ethnic neighbourhood in Miami.
nod off  ​phr ​/nɒd ˈɒf/ Twice as many men as women nod off while driving.
noisy   ​adj ​/ˈnɔɪzi/ My main memory of the day was that it was unbelievably noisy
and happy.
no memory whatsoever  ​phr ​ I have no memory of my childhood whatsoever.
/nəʊ ˌmeməri wɒtsəʊˈevə(r)/
nonsense   ​n ​/ˈnɒnsns/ It’s all a load of nonsense.
no recollection of it  ​phr ​ I have absolutely no recollection of how we got home again.
/nəʊ ˌrekəˈlekʃn ɒv ɪt/
noticeably  ​adv ​/ˈnəʊtɪsəbli/ Older people spend noticeably more time without their family
than younger ones.
not sleep a wink  ​phr ​/nɒt sliːp ə ˈwɪŋk/ People who feel that they haven’t slept a wink probably have
had more sleep than they think.
objective   ​adj ​/əbˈdʒektɪv/ I don’t feel the news is very objective.
obscure  ​adj ​/əbˈskjʊə(r)/ Do you listen to obscure bands?
observe   ​v ​/əbˈzɜːv/ The scientist observed the animals over a three-month period.
occupied   ​adj ​/ˈɒkjupaɪd/ For me, the most boring thing in the world is not being
occupied enough at work.
odd   ​adj ​/ɒd/ Even odd inventions can be very useful.
offend (someone)   ​v ​ The weather is seen as a topic which is unlikely to offend
/əˈfend ˈsʌmwʌn/ anybody.
official   ​adj ​/əˈfɪʃl/ Electronic devices expose workers to longer hours than the
official 35-hour work week.
official   ​n ​/əˈfɪʃl/ The couple had to hand over the coins they found to an official.
one-way ticket  ​n ​/wʌn weɪ ˈtɪkɪt/ Would you like a one-way or a round-trip bus ticket?
online community  ​n ​/ˌɒnˌlaɪn kəˈmjuːnəti/ People in an online community can simply communicate with
each other online.
open-minded  ​adj ​/ˌəʊpən ˈmaɪndɪd/ Generation Y is more open-minded than previous ones.
optimistic  ​adj ​/ˌɒptɪˈmɪstɪk/ Baby boomers are optimistic and willing to work long hours.

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original   ​adj ​/əˈrɪdʒənl/ The offices have an original design that most people really like.
originally   ​adv ​/əˈrɪdʒənəli/ I originally come from Pakistan.
out of season  ​phr ​/aʊt ɒv ˈsiːzn/ It gets touristy in the summer, so it’s probably best to go out of
season.
overestimate  ​v ​/ˌəʊvərˈestɪmeɪt/ Most people overestimate what they can do in a day.
over the moon  ​phr ​/ˌəʊvə(r) ðə ˈmuːn/ My sister and her husband are over the moon because they
are having twins!
ownership  ​n ​/ˈəʊnəʃɪp/ The couple can take ownership of the coins if their owner can’t
be found.
oxygen  ​n ​/ˈɒksɪdʒən/ We used to think that we yawn to take in more oxygen to keep
ourselves awake.
package   ​n ​/ˈpækɪdʒ/ People in Pennsylvania were waiting anxiously for the arrival of
the package from Virginia.
packaging   ​n ​/ˈpækɪdʒɪŋ/ For safe disposal of the old bulb, use the packaging of the
new one.
packed  ​adj ​/pækt/ I’m not so keen on the crowds – it’s a bit too packed
for my liking.
paddle  ​n ​/ˈpædl/ The crocodile tried to climb into her canoe, so she hit it on the
head with a paddle.
panther  ​n ​/ˈpænθə(r)/ A panther in a jungle is hardly visible in a black-and-white
photograph.
parade  ​n ​/pəˈreɪd/ The ceremony is then followed by a parade through the
streets.
parking meter  ​n ​/ˈpɑːkɪŋ miːtə(r)/ Smart parking meters in Madrid will charge more for more
polluting cars.
pattern  ​n ​/ˈpætn/ We need the brain to interpret the patterns of light that
we see.
pavement  ​n ​/ˈpeɪvmənt/ There was a lot of rubbish on the pavement.
peace agreement  ​n ​/ˈpiːs əˌɡriːmənt/ Peace agreements are often not reported in depth on
traditional news outlets.
peanut  ​n ​/ˈpiːnʌt/ Thai and Indonesian cooking didn’t use peanuts before the
sixteenth century.
peasant  ​adj ​/ˈpeznt/ Some locals think that Silbo is a peasant language that should
be left to die out.
perk  ​n ​/pɜːk/ Being a Google employee comes with some nice perks.
permission   ​n ​/pəˈmɪʃn/ Streetbank neighbours give their neighbours
permission to borrow things.
personal   ​adj ​/ˈpɜːsənl/ Who will have access to my personal data?
petrified  ​adj ​/ˈpetrɪfaɪd/ I bet you were petrified!
petrol   ​n ​/ˈpetrəl/ There was a long queue at the petrol station.
phase out  ​phr v ​/feɪz ˈaʊt/ Let’s phase out the security cameras and install lights instead.
phenomenon  ​n ​/fəˈnɒmɪnən/ Yarn-bombing has become a global phenomenon.
physical   ​adj ​/ˈfɪzɪkl/ Henry Brown didn’t suffer physical abuse.
pick (something) up  ​phr v ​/pɪk sʌmθɪŋ ʌp/ You can pick up a lot of things you need to know on the job.
pick up   ​phr v ​/ˈpɪkʌp/ Many parents prefer to leave work early to pick up their
children.
pineapple leaf  ​n ​/ˈpaɪnæpl liːf/ The local people taught her how to fish with pineapple leaves.
ping-pong table  ​n ​/pɪŋ pɒŋ ˈteɪbl/ Has your office got a ping-pong table?
place   ​v ​/pleɪs/ Place the object carefully in the right position.
pointless  ​adj ​/ˈpɔɪntləs/ People sometimes think that jokes are pointless, but are they?

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polar  ​adj ​/ˈpəʊlə(r)/ In Tromsø, we have a ‘polar night’, when the sun doesn’t
appear for twenty-four hours.
pop up  ​phr v ​/ˈpɒp ʌp/ Google ‘right brain, left brain’, and hundreds of quizzes on this
subject will pop up.
postage stamp  ​n ​/ˈpəʊstɪdʒ stæmp/ Do you know the cost of a postage stamp?
potato crop  ​n ​/pəˈteɪtəʊ krɒp/ When the potato crop failed in Ireland in the 1840s, a million
people died.
potential   ​adj ​/pəˈtenʃl/ What are the potential risks of internet-connected devices?
pounce  ​v ​/paʊns/ Can you spot the predator waiting to pounce on you?
poverty  ​n ​/ˈpɒvəti/ New government plans may put tens of thousands of people
into poverty.
practical   ​adj ​/ˈpræktɪkl/ The low-cost incubator is a very practical invention.
practical wisdom  ​n ​/ˌpræktɪkl ˈwɪzdəm/ Rules and incentives are not
enough; we also need practical wisdom.
praise   ​n ​/preɪz/ The show received high praise from the critics.
precise   ​adj ​/prɪˈsaɪs/ Can you remember the precise details of that conversation?
predator  ​n ​/ˈpredətə(r)/ A panther is a predator.
predictable  ​adj ​/prɪˈdɪktəbl/ The jokes in that film were very predictable.
preferable (to)  ​adj ​/ˈprefrəbl tə/ In a hot climate, drinking hot tea is preferable to cold water if
you want to cool down.
presence   ​n ​/ˈprezns/ The presence of the full moon made it easier to see where we
were going.
pressure   ​n ​/ˈpreʃə(r)/ Each baby we bring into the world puts extra pressure on the
world’s resources.
pressure   ​v ​/ˈpreʃə(r)/ We need to pressure the government to help get homeless
people off the streets.
prevent   ​v ​/prɪˈvent/ Volkswagen is preventing emails from reaching employees
at home.
privacy  ​n ​/ˈprɪvəsi/ Privacy and security are big issues.
private   ​adj ​/ˈpraɪvət/ Co-housing can be a great way of having your own private
space, but not being isolated.
private pension  ​n ​/ˌpraɪvətˈpenʃn/ I regret not paying into a private pension early enough.
proficient  ​adj ​/prəˈfɪʃnt/ Younger generations will be much more proficient at IT.
profit   ​n ​/ˈprɒfɪt/ A scrap metal dealer has made a profit of more than £32
million on an antique gold egg.
prohibit (from)  ​v ​/prəˈhɪbɪt frɒm/ The government has prohibited employers from contacting
workers outside office hours.
property (house)   ​n ​/ˈprɒpəti/ The only regret I have is that I never invested in a property.
property   ​n ​/ˈprɒpəti/ The properties are grouped into small communities.
protect (from)   ​v ​/prəˈtekt frɒm/ Some companies try to protect their workers from being
disturbed by work emails at home.
protect   ​v ​/prəˈtekt/ Suncayr protects you from sunburn.
protest (against)   ​v ​/ˈprəʊtest əˌɡeɪnst/ Authorities protested against Galileo’s theory that the Earth
revolves around the sun.
public spending  ​n ​/ˌpʌblɪk ˌspendɪŋ/ The government is planning to make huge cuts in public
spending on support for sick people.
punchline  ​n ​/ˈpʌntʃlaɪn/ The punchline at the end of a joke is often unexpected and
makes us laugh.
punctuation  ​n ​/ˌpʌŋktʃuˈeɪʃn/ Punctuation is important in written communication.

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put (someone) at ease  ​phr ​ My friend Marc is very good at putting people at ease in new
/pʊt ˌsʌmwʌn æt ˈiːz/ situations.
put your foot in it  ​phr ​/pʊt jɔː(r) ˈfʊt ɪn ɪt/ Can you remember a conversation when you put your foot
in it?
puzzled  ​adj ​/ˈpʌzld/ The luggage handlers would have been puzzled if they had
heard a noise coming from the box.
quality time  ​n ​/ˈkwɒləti taɪm/ Do you regret not giving enough quality time to your children?
quarter  ​n ​/ˈkwɔːtə(r)/ Plans to create a food quarter in town have been given the
go-ahead.
queue  ​n ​/kjuː/ There was a very long queue for the toilets.
racket  ​n ​/ˈrækɪt/ In future, tennis rackets may be made of a kind of plastic that
can repair itself.
rainy day  ​n ​/ˈreɪni deɪ/ Bankers used to make sure that people were saving for a
rainy day.
rare   ​adj ​/reə(r)/ People who have a rare illness can get support in online
communities.
ravine  ​n ​/rəˈviːn/ La Gomera’s steep hills and deep ravines make it difficult
to cross.
reactant  ​adj ​/riˈæktənt/ ‘Reactant boredom’ is caused by feeling trapped in a situation.
react to  ​v ​/riˈækt tə/ Children need to react to rules, not just follow them.
ready-prepared  ​adj ​/ˈredi prɪˈpeəd/ Ready-prepared meals can be just as good as home-
cooked food.
realistic   ​adj ​/ˌrɪəˈlɪstɪk/ Members of Generation X have a realistic attitude to life.
recall   ​v ​/rɪˈkɔːl/ Although I was only two, I can recall it vividly.
recharge  ​v ​/ˌriːˈtʃɑːdʒ/ The energy which the Xarius generates can be used to
recharge batteries.
recollection  ​n ​/ˌrekəˈlekʃn/ I have absolutely no recollection of how we got home again.
record   ​n ​/ˈrekɔːd/ Kira Salak set a Wisconsin state record in cross-country
running.
reduce   ​v ​/rɪˈdjuːs/ Too little light and too much light can both reduce productivity.
reference   ​n ​/ˈrefrəns/ Please keep this book with you for reference.
reflect   ​v ​/rɪˈflekt/ The image was reflected in the mirror.
regret   ​n ​/rɪˈɡret/ The most frequent regrets involve romance.
relationship   ​n ​/rɪˈleɪʃnʃɪp/ Three children means three sibling relationships.
relevance  ​n ​/ˈreləvəns/ It doesn’t matter because it doesn’t have any relevance.
relevant   ​adj ​/ˈreləvənt/ I’m interested in news that’s relevant to my life and work.
reliable  ​adj ​/rɪˈlaɪəbl/ Serious newspapers give reliable news.
relieved  ​adj ​/rɪˈliːvd/ He was relieved because he had found his passport.
remarkable   ​adj ​/rɪˈmɑːkəbl/ Recently, we have seen some remarkable inventions.
remote   ​adj ​/rɪˈməʊt/ If you go somewhere remote, it is far away from places where
other people live.
renowned  ​adj ​/rɪˈnaʊnd/ Zátopek was renowned for his hard training routines.
repetitive  ​adj ​/rɪˈpetətɪv/ Doing the ironing is the most boring and repetitive of all the
household jobs.
report   ​n ​/rɪˈpɔːt/ The dealer found a news report about eight missing Fabergé
eggs.
reptile  ​n ​/ˈreptaɪl/ Mary Kingsley set off alone along the river in search of fish and
reptiles.
request compensation  ​phr ​ I am requesting compensation for the MP3 player.
/rɪˈkwest ˌkɒmpenˈseɪʃn/

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research   ​n ​/rɪˈsɜːtʃ/ According to recent research, the number of

people living alone is shooting up dramatically.
resident   ​n ​/ˈrezɪdənt/ Forty-seven per cent of homes in Sweden have just one
resident.
resources   n pl  /rɪˈzɔːsɪz/ In old-fashioned villages, people shared certain resources, like
the village hall.
responsibility   ​n ​/rɪˌspɒnsəˈbɪləti/ I feel that the airline should take responsibility for this incident.
responsible (for)   ​adj ​/rɪˈspɒnsəbl fɔː(r)/ Christopher Columbus was responsible for the start of the
Columbian Exchange.
result (in)   ​v ​/rɪˈzʌlt ɪn/ In Russia it is believed that whistling indoors can result in
bad luck.
retain   ​v ​/rɪˈteɪn/ Sleeping when you’ve just learnt something new will help
your memory to retain it.
retro-style  ​adj ​/ˈretrəʊ staɪl/ Fixies are modern versions of retro-style bikes.
return ticket  ​n ​/rɪˌtɜːn ˈtɪkɪt/ Would you like a single or a return ticket?
reveal   ​v ​/rɪˈviːl/ If you can see colour, things are more easily revealed.
revolution   ​n ​/ˌrevəˈluːʃn/ The famous Fabergé eggs were made for the Russian royal
family before the revolution.
reward   ​n ​/rɪˈwɔːd/ He has received a reward from the dealer.
reward   ​v ​/rɪˈwɔːd/ He was rewarded for his honesty.
rich (in)  ​adj ​/rɪtʃ ɪn/ Quinoa is extremely rich in protein.
rickshaw  ​n ​/ˈrɪkʃɔː/ Bly travelled by ship, horse, rickshaw and other vehicles.
ridiculous   ​adj ​/rɪˈdɪkjələs/ That sketch was just ridiculous – I didn’t like it at all.
rise   ​n ​/raɪz/ Globally, there’s been a dramatic rise in the number of
people living independently.
risky  ​adj ​/ˈrɪski/ ‘Searching boredom’ can result in risky behaviour.
robbery  ​n ​/ˈrɒbəri/ Gold jewellery is often taken in robberies.
romance  ​n ​/ˈrəʊmæns/ I regret that the romance didn’t end well.
rope   ​n ​/rəʊp/ Batman and Robin are climbing up a rope to rescue a man.
rote learning  ​n ​/ˈrəʊt ˌlɜːnɪŋ/ Rote learning is often considered to be unnecessary and
uncreative.
rough it  ​phr ​/rʌf ɪt/ I’m not very good at roughing it. I like life’s little luxuries!
round-trip  ​adj ​/ˌraʊnd ˈtrɪp/ Are you buying a round-trip ticket to Los Angeles or are you
staying there?
rubber   ​adj ​/ˈrʌbə(r)/ Two people are sitting on what looks like a yellow and orange
rubber boat.
rubbish   ​n ​/ˈrʌbɪʃ/ There was a lot of rubbish on the pavement.
run-down  ​adj ​/rʌnˈdaʊn/ Hipster neighbourhoods tend to be districts which are
historically poor and run-down.
run out of time/money  ​phr ​ I still have a lot to do and I’m running out of time.
/rʌn aʊt ɒv taɪm, ˈmʌni/
run out  ​phr v ​/rʌn ˈaʊt/ We don’t want to run out of ideas.
safety   ​n ​/ˈseɪfti/ I think it might have been a safety issue.
salty   ​adj ​/ˈsɒlti/ Some types of music can make food taste less salty.
scannable  ​adj ​/ˈskænəbl/ Young people want scannable news content that they can
read in short bursts of attention.
scarcity  ​n ​/ˈskeəsəti/ In a time of scarcity, people don’t have enough to eat.
school playground  ​n ​/skuːl ˈpleɪɡraʊnd/ You know what I’d done? I had parked in a school playground!

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scrap metal dealer  ​n ​ The scrap metal dealer had planned to sell the
/skræp ˈmetl ˈdiːlə(r)/ egg for the value of its gold and jewels.
seaweed  ​n ​/ˈsiːwiːd/ Seaweed soup doesn’t have one of the four classic tastes.
second-hand  ​adj ​/ˈsekənd hænd/ Hipsters wear retro-style shirts bought in second-hand clothes
shops.
second cousin  ​n ​/ˌsekənd ˈkʌzn/ A second cousin can be the child of a cousin of your parents.
security camera  ​n ​/sɪˈkjʊərəti ˌkæmərə/ One alternative would be to install some security cameras.
selective  ​adj ​/sɪˈlektɪv/ I’m a selective reader; I don’t read the whole paper.
self-awareness  ​n ​/ˌself əˈweənəs/ People who have moral wisdom must have a lot of self-
awareness.
self-centred  ​adj ​/ˌself ˈsentəd/ Members of Generation Y have a reputation for being self-
centred.
self-confident  ​adj ​/ˌself ˈkɒnfɪdənt/ Baby Boomers tend to be quite self-confident.
self-control   ​n ​/ˌself kənˈtrəʊl/ You need a lot of self-control for that diet.
self-destructive  ​adj ​/ˌself dɪˈstrʌktɪv/ People who are self-destructive are not kind to themselves.
self-driving  ​adj ​/self ˈdraɪvɪŋ/ In the future, we’ll have self-driving vehicles.
semi-human  ​adj ​/ˌsemi ˈhjuːmən/ Semi-human creatures often appear in fantasy stories.
semi-retired  ​adj ​/ˌsemi rɪˈtaɪəd/ People who are semi-retired still work some of the time.
semicircle  ​n ​/ˈsemisɜːkl/ The chairs were arranged in a semicircle.
send and receive  ​phr ​/send ænd rɪˈsiːv/ The Internet of Things allows us to send and receive data more
easily.
separately   ​adv ​/ˈseprətli/ People living in co-housing communities live separately but
share certain facilities.
set aside time/money  ​phr ​ It is important to set aside time to plan for your future.
/set əˈsaɪd taɪm, ˈmʌni/
set off  ​phr v ​/set ˈɒf/ She set off alone on her journey.
settler  ​n ​/ˈsetlə(r)/ The first Japanese settlers in Argentina arrived over a hundred
years ago.
settle  ​v ​/ˈsetl/ Should we welcome the opportunity to be bored sometimes
and let our thoughts settle?
set up  ​phr v ​/set ˈʌp/ Security cameras are difficult to set up.
sharp   ​adj ​/ʃɑːp/ Some fruits have a sharp smell.
shift   ​n ​/ʃɪft/ Living alone represents a dramatic cultural shift for many
countries.
shift   ​v ​/ʃɪft/ To understand a joke, you have to shift quickly from what you
were expecting to hear.
shooting   ​n ​/ˈʃuːtɪŋ/ The police shooting was reported on all news sites.
shortlist  ​v ​/ˈʃɔːtlɪst/ Twenty engineers and designers have been shortlisted for the
James Dyson Award.
sibling  ​n ​/ˈsɪblɪŋ/ I regret not having more siblings.
sidewalk  ​n ​/ˈsaɪdwɔːk/ Lots of streets in the US don’t have sidewalks.
significance  ​n ​/sɪɡˈnɪfɪkəns/ Gold has a special significance in some countries.
significantly   ​adv ​/sɪɡˈnɪfɪkəntli/ The number of people living alone has increased significantly in
recent years.
silly   ​adj ​/ˈsɪli/ Having fun with colleagues on a slide might just be a silly
waste of time.
single ticket  ​n ​/ˈsɪŋɡl ˈtɪkɪt/ I would like a single ticket into town, please.
sitcom  ​n ​/ˈsɪtkɒm/ Sitcoms are often binge-watched.

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skeleton  ​n ​/ˈskelɪtn/ The skeleton of King Richard III was found under a car park in
Leicester, England.
slavery  ​n ​/ˈsleɪvəri/ Henry Brown escaped from slavery by shipping himself as
freight to Pennsylvania.
sleep like a log  ​phr ​/sliːp laɪk ə ˈlɒɡ/ Are you used to sleeping like a log for nine hours?
slide  ​n ​/slaɪd/ Some offices have ping-pong tables, swings and even slides.
slightly   ​adv ​/ˈslaɪtli/ It only gets slightly darker for an hour in the middle
of the night.
slippery  ​adj ​/ˈslɪpəri/ To remove a stuck ring, cover your finger in something
slippery, such as cream or butter.
smart   ​adj ​/smɑːt/ Generation Z is growing up with lots of smart devices.
smartphone  ​n ​/ˈsmɑːtfəʊn/ Generation Z can’t remember the world before the
smartphone.
smoke detector  ​n ​/sməʊk dɪˈtektə(r)/ Smoke detectors are alarms that detect smoke or fire.
smooth   ​adj ​/smuːð/ A pastel de nata at the Majestic café is a
pastry with a smooth cream filling.
sneeze  ​v ​/sniːz/ The monkeys sneeze when it rains because water gets up their
noses.
soak up  ​phr v ​/səʊk ˈʌp/ It would be great just to wander around the old streets and
soak up the atmosphere.
socially   ​adv ​/ˈsəʊʃəli/ People in old-fashioned villages supported each other socially.
social status   ​n ​/ˈsəʊʃl ˌsteɪtəs/ Which generation finds social status important?
solid   ​adj ​/ˈsɒlɪd/ Are you sitting comfortably on that solid wooden chair?
sort out  ​phr v ​/sɔːt ˈaʊt/ Lights and anti-climb paint … they should sort the problem out.
sour   ​adj ​/ˈsaʊə(r)/ Sour is one of the four classic tastes.
souvenir  ​n ​/ˌsuːvəˈnɪə(r)/ Wouldn’t you like to come home from holiday with something
more useful than lots of souvenirs?
spark  ​v ​/spɑːk/ Chatting with colleagues at long tables might
spark some ideas.
specially   ​adv ​/ˈspeʃəli/ Magda Sayek has specially designed a cover for a bus.
specific   ​adj ​/spəˈsɪfɪk/ IT skills won’t be seen as specific skills in the future.
spiky  ​adj ​/ˈspaɪki/ Mary Kingsley once fell into a hole and landed on a spiky
branch.
spoilt  ​adj ​/spɔɪlt/ People often think that only children are spoilt.
spot  ​v ​/spɒt/ The panther isn’t easy to spot in the black and white
photograph.
staff   ​n ​/stɑːf/ All our staff are subject to a dress code, which they sign up to
when they join the company.
stand up to bullies  ​phr ​/stænd ʌp tə ˈbʊliz/ I regret not standing up to bullies at work.
stare   ​v ​/steə(r)/ People don’t like it if you stare at them in public.
state   ​adj ​/steɪt/ If you live in a country with great state schools, having lots of
children isn’t an issue.
stationery  ​n ​/ˈsteɪʃənri/ Newspapers have reported a rise in stationery sales.
stay in contact  ​phr ​/steɪ ɪn ˈkɒntækt/ It is easy not to stay in contact with friends who are far away.
steam train  ​n ​/ˈstiːm treɪn/ I remember travelling on a steam train to London just after the
Second World War.
steep   ​adj ​/stiːp/ La Gomera has numerous steep hills.
steer   ​v ​/stɪə(r)/ Boredom steers us away from useless activities.
step out of your comfort zone  ​phr  Do you ever step out of your comfort zone?
/​ step aʊt ɒv jɔː(r) ˈkʌmfət zəʊn/

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stereotype  ​n ​/ˈsteriətaɪp/ Some people feel that seeing only children as spoilt is just a
stereotype.
stick at (something)  ​phr v ​/stɪk ət sʌmθɪŋ/ Employers need to see that you can stick at something, even
when it’s difficult.
stiff   ​adj ​/stɪf/ On the table is a stiff white tablecloth.
store   ​v ​/stɔː(r)/ From the age of seven, children can store memories more
effectively.
storey  ​adj ​/ˈstɔːri/ We lived in a three-storey building.
streaming  ​n ​/striːmɪŋ/ Streaming has transformed our viewing habits.
stress   ​n ​/stres/ Stress and burnout can occur when you work a lot outside
working hours.
stressful  ​adj ​/ˈstresfl/ I have a very stressful job, so sometimes I need to read
something light-hearted.
striking   ​adj ​/ˈstraɪkɪŋ/ The waiters in the Majestic café wear striking white jackets.
stuff   ​n ​/stʌf/ You can learn a lot of stuff on the job.
stunning  ​adj ​/ˈstʌnɪŋ/ The views from Machu Picchu are absolutely stunning.
suffering   ​n ​/ˈsʌfərɪŋ/ Reading about other people’s suffering can
make you feel better about your own life.
summarize  ​v ​/ˈsʌməraɪz/ The report summarizes some of the main arguments made
during the meeting.
sunglasses  ​n ​/ˈsʌnɡlɑːsɪz/ There is no law against wearing sunglasses while driving at
night.
support   ​n ​/səˈpɔːt/ Do older people get enough support from co-housing
communities?
support   ​v ​/səˈpɔːt/ People living in co-housing projects support each other.
survey   ​n ​/ˈsɜːveɪ/ A recent survey has found that news reading has been
replaced by ‘news snacking’.
survival   ​n ​/səˈvaɪvl/ Did you see the headline Climber’s survival of 300-metre fall?
suspect   ​v ​/səˈspekt/ The police now suspect that the thieves left the
valuable paintings on the train.
suspended sentence  ​n ​ The couple claiming money on a lottery ticket were given a
/səˈspendɪd ˈsentəns/ suspended sentence.
suspicious (of)   ​adj ​/səˈspɪʃəs ɒv/ People were suspicious of new foods, thinking they were
dangerous to eat.
swamp  ​n ​/swɒmp/ Marianne North crossed muddy swamps to find the plants she
wanted.
sweetcorn  ​n ​/ˈswiːtkɔːn/ Sweetcorn didn’t reach Europe until after the Columbian
Exchange.
swell   ​v ​/swel/ Be careful not to twist the dental floss too hard or else your
finger will swell up even more.
swing   ​n ​/swɪŋ/ Chatting to colleagues on a swing might make you feel more
relaxed.
switch off   ​phr v ​/swɪtʃ ɒf/ Employers need to switch off email contact after 6 p.m.
sympathetic (towards)   ​adj ​ I am sympathetic towards the vegetarian cause, but I’m not a
/ˌsɪmpəˈθetɪk təˈwɔːdz/ vegetarian.
take after  ​phr v ​/teɪk ˈɑːftə(r)/ I think I take after my father.
take for granted  ​phr ​/teɪk fɔː(r) ɡrɑːntɪd/ Many jobs we take for granted will disappear.
take up  ​phr v ​/ˈteɪk ʌp/ I won’t take up any more of your time.
take your time  ​phr ​/teɪk jɔː(r) taɪm/ Take your time and plan ahead.

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tap   ​v ​/tæp/ One of the men tapped on the box and asked: ‘Is all right
inside?’
tech-savvy  ​adj ​/tek ˈsævi/ Members of Generation Net are very tech-savvy, as they never
experienced a world without the internet.
technical   ​adj ​/ˈteknɪkl/ Technical devices can have faults which are difficult to mend.
technology   ​n ​/tekˈnɒlədʒi/ The Internet of Things is the latest revolution in technology.
tedious  ​adj ​/ˈtiːdiəs/ The film was tedious and far too long.
tell an entertaining story   ​phr ​ Can you tell me an entertaining story?
/ˌtel æn ˌentəˈteɪnɪŋ ˈstɔːri/
tell off  ​phr v ​/tel ɒf/ Who in your family tells you off the most?
tense  ​adj ​/tens/ The men receiving Henry Brown’s box were very tense.
terrified  ​adj ​/ˈterɪfaɪd/ The people waiting for Henry Brown were terrified that he
would not arrive safely.
thick-rimmed  ​adj ​/ˈθɪk rɪmd/ Your stereotypical hipster wears thick-rimmed glasses.
thief   ​n ​/θiːf/ The thieves took the paintings from a house in London.
think ahead  ​phr v ​/θɪŋk əˈhed/ You need to think ahead about what experience you may need
in the future.
thought-provoking  ​adj ​/ˈθɔːt prəvəʊkɪŋ/ Some jokes are actually thought-provoking.
threatening   ​adj ​/ˈθretnɪŋ/ The crocodiles eyes are bright orange and very threatening.
thrilling  ​adj ​/ˈθrɪlɪŋ/ The words ‘magical’ and ‘thrilling’ are often used to
describe Gifford’s Circus.
throw your money around  ​phr ​ Don’t throw your money around – try to save it.
/θrəʊ jɔː(r) ˈmʌni əˈraʊnd/
tight-fitting  ​adj ​/taɪt ˈfɪtɪŋ/ Male hipsters wear tight-fitting jeans.
tired of   ​adj ​/ˈtaɪəd ɒv/ I’m tired of doing the same thing every day.
toilet   ​n ​/ˈtɔɪlət/ Can you tell me where the toilets are?
tonne  ​n ​/tʌn/ Millions of tonnes of food are wasted because people don’t
want odd-shaped fruit.
tornado  ​n ​/tɔːˈneɪdəʊ/ Mary Kingsley had to deal with extreme heat and tornadoes.
touristy  ​adj ​/ˈtʊərɪsti/ I imagine it gets quite touristy in the summer.
traffic jam  ​n ​/ˈtræfɪk dʒæm/ After about half an hour, we got stuck in a traffic jam.
transform   ​v ​/trænsˈfɔːm/ The internet has transformed the news industry in recent
decades.
trapped  ​adj ​/træpt/ Boredom means that you feel trapped in a situation that you’re
desperate to escape from.
travel trailer  ​n ​/ˈtrævl ˈtreɪlə(r)/ We love going on holiday with our travel trailer.
treasure  ​v ​/ˈtreʒə(r)/ Gold is particulary treasured in the Middle East, China and
India.
treat   ​v ​/triːt/ The player was taken out of the game to be treated.
trek  ​n ​/trek/ Kira Salak went on a solo jungle trek through Papua New
Guinea.
trend   ​n ​/trend/ Learning vacations are the hottest new trend in travel.
truck   ​n ​/trʌk/ Trucks can transport lots of goods at the same time.
turn down a job offer  ​phr ​ Why did you turn down that job offer?
/tɜːn daʊn ə ˈdʒɒb ˌɒfə(r)/
turn out  ​phr v ​/ˌtɜːnˈaʊt/ I thought I was four when I went to school, but it turns out I
didn’t remember it correctly.
turn to  ​phr v ​/tɜːn tə/ If there are more children in a family, they always have a
sibling to turn to.

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turn up  ​phr v ​/ˌtɜːn ˈʌp/ I seem to recall we just turned up and that there was no need
to book the restaurant.
twinkling  ​adj ​/ˈtwɪŋklɪŋ/ The mirrors are reflecting the twinkling lamps on the ceiling.
twist   ​v ​/twɪst/ You can twist the middle of the Sono to control the sounds.
ukulele  ​n ​/ˌjuːkəˈleɪli/ Is the ukulele as popular in Spain as it is here?
Underground  ​n ​/ˈʌndəɡraʊnd/ I like the free papers you can get at Underground stations.
understanding   ​n ​/ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ/ At seven, children have a better understanding of time and
place.
unfortunate   ​adj ​/ʌnˈfɔːtʃənət/ We often find news about conflict, violence or someone’s
unfortunate death.
unimaginative  ​adj ​/ˌʌnɪˈmædʒɪnəˌtɪv/ Unimaginative people probably shouldn’t work at Google.
uninteresting  ​adj ​/ʌnˈɪntrəstɪŋ/ I was bored because the lecture was very uninteresting.
unmanageable  ​adj ​/ʌnˈmænɪdʒəbl/ The broadsheet papers are unmanageable and difficult to hold
on the train.
unwind  ​v ​/ˌʌnˈwaɪnd/ As you unwind the dental floss, the ring will move up your
finger until you can pull it off.
uplifting  ​adj ​/ˌʌpˈlɪftɪŋ/ Some positive news sites have been launched to meet the
demand for uplifting news stories.
upset   ​adj ​/ʌpˈset/ I was upset that my MP3 player was stolen.
useless   ​adj ​/ˈjuːsləs/ Boredom may seem like a useless emotion, but it isn’t.
user-friendly  ​adj ​/ˌjuːzə ˈfrendli/ A quiet office could be more user-friendly than a fun one.
vacation   ​n ​/veɪˈkeɪʃn/ There are many interesting learning vacations that you can
go on.
vaguely remember  ​phr ​ I can vaguely remember going to see that film.
/ˌveɪɡli rɪˈmembə(r)/
valuable   ​adj ​/ˈvæljuəbl/ A Californian couple found eight tins of valuable gold coins.
valuables  ​n pl ​/ˈvæljuəblz/ Can you keep money and other valuables that you find?
vandalism  ​n ​/ˈvændəlɪzəm/ What are we going to do about this vandalism problem?
vanilla  ​n ​/vəˈnɪlə/ Vanilla is the most popular spice in the world.
variation  ​n ​/ˌveəriˈeɪʃn/ There isn’t much variation in these exercises.
vegetarian  ​n ​/ˌvedʒəˈteəriən/ Vegetarians don’t eat meat.
vehicle   ​n ​/ˈviːəkl/ Certain vehicles, such as trains and buses, probably
won’t have drivers.
victory   ​n ​/ˈvɪktəri/ The football match ended in victory for Bayern Munich.
Viking  ​adj ​/ˈvaɪkɪŋ/ During the Icelandic festival in Gimli, Manitoba, people dress
up in Viking costumes.
villain  ​n ​/ˈvɪlən/ King Richard III was portrayed as a villain in
Shakespeare’s famous play.
vintage  ​adj ​/ˈvɪntɪdʒ/ Hipsters like buying clothes from vintage clothes shops.
violence  ​n ​/ˈvaɪələns/ Bad news – about violence, for example –
attracts more readers than good news.
viral  ​adj ​/ˈvaɪrəl/ Listicles are specifically designed to go viral.
virtual community  ​n ​ Education is a major reason for joining a virtual community.
/ˌvɜːtʃuəl kəˈmjuːnəti/
virtual reality   ​n ​/ˌvəːtʃʊ(ə)l riˈæləti/ In 2025, people will be going on virtual reality holidays.
visible   ​adj ​/ˈvɪzəbl/ In the colour photograph, the panther is clearly visible.
vision   ​n ​/ˈvɪʒn/ The importance of colour vision might explain why people are
more fearful in the dark.
vivid memory  ​phr ​/ˌvɪvɪd ˈmeməri/ My brother has a vivid memory of our first holiday abroad.

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volcano  ​n ​/vɒlˈkeɪnəʊ/ La Gomera is a tiny Spanish island, just the tip of a volcano …
wander   ​v ​/ˈwɒndə(r)/ It would be great just to wander around the old streets.
waste   ​v ​/weɪst/ A French supermarket chain is trying to raise awareness of
food waste.
watch   ​v ​/wɒtʃ/ I’m watching a comedy, and it’s really funny.
wave   ​v ​/weɪv/ They waved and waved and everyone was cheering and
singing.
wearable  ​adj ​/ˈweərəbl/ People love wearable technology, but there are downsides
to it.
weird  ​adj ​/wɪəd/ A knitted cover for a bus may look weird to some people.
well-behaved  ​adj ​/ˌwel bɪˈheɪvd/ Well-behaved children are sometimes said to be ‘as good as
gold’.
well educated  ​phr ​/wel ˈedʒukeɪtɪd/ Baby Boomers are often well educated.
/ˌwel ɪnˈfɔːmd/
well informed  phr ​ Members of Generation Z are well informed because
of the internet.
wheat  ​n ​/wiːt/ The Americas gained many new foods from Europe in return,
such as apples and wheat.
while away time  ​phr ​/waɪl əˈweɪ taɪm/ We often while away time on things which are not important.
whisper   ​v ​/ˈwɪspə(r)/ You don’t need to whisper – nobody is going to hear you.
whistle   ​v ​/ˈwɪsl/ We whistle when we want to get someone’s attention.
whom   ​pron ​/huːm/ About 1.8 billion people in the world speak English, 359 million
of whom speak it as a native language.
wind power  ​n ​/ˈwɪnd ˌpaʊə(r)/ There are lots of ways of using wind power to generate
electricity.
wireless  ​adj ​/ˈwaɪələs/ Wireless technology allows us to connect devices to the
internet from a distance.
wisdom  ​n ​/ˈwɪzdəm/ Older people have greater wisdom because of their life
experience.
witty  ​adj ​/ˈwɪti/ He’s a very witty comedian.
woodwork  ​n ​/ˈwʊdwɜːk/ Hipsters enjoy old-fashioned pastimes such as knitting and
woodwork.
work-life balance  ​n ​/wɜːk laɪf ˈbæləns/ Members of Generation X value a work-life balance.
working practice  ​n ​/ˈwɜːkɪŋ ˈpræktɪs/ The new rules don’t take into account modern-day working
practices.
work out  ​phr v ​/ˈwɜːkaʊt/ There are tests designed to help you work out whether you are
right-brained or left-brained.
worth   ​adj ​/wɜːθ/ An Italian man has just found out that he owns two paintings
worth 30 million euros.
wounded   ​adj ​/ˈwuːndɪd/ The wounded man had been involved in a police shooting.
wrap up  ​phr v ​/ˈræp ʌp/ They wrap up warm and get out in the fresh air.
yarn-bombing  ​n ​/ˈjɑːn ˌbɒmɪŋ/ Many local governments don’t like yarn-bombing.
yawn   ​v ​/jɔːn/ We seem to yawn to cool down our brain when it’s too hot.
yield  ​n ​/jiːld/ Investing time in your health will certainly yield you more time.
your mind wanders  ​phr ​ If your mind wanders, it means you have stopped paying
/jɔː(r) maɪnd ˈwɒndəz/ attention.
yours faithfully  ​phr ​/ˌjɔːz ˈfeɪθfəli/ I look forward to your reply. Yours faithfully, Kevin Peters
zone out  ​phr v ​/zəʊn ˈaʊt/ I like to zone out after a hard day’s work.

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