6
Would you believe it?
Words and phrases
Lead in
6.1 digestive /daI"dZestiv/ (adj)
connected with the digestion of
food 䊳 digestion (n), digest (n, v)
6.2 celery /"sel@ri/ (n)
vegetable with long crisp light green
stems often eaten raw in salads
6.3 pretence /prI"tens/ (n)
act of behaving in a particular way
in order to make others believe
sth that is not true L Often
found in the expression under
false pretences. 䊳 pretension (n),
pretend (v, adj)
6.4 fishy /"fISi/ (adj)
that makes you suspicious because
it seems dishonest ◆ Don’t you
have a feeling there’s something
fishy about his explanation for the
missing money? L Informal.
6.5 sue /su:/ (v)
make a claim against sb in court
about sth that they have said or
done to harm you
6.6 install /In"stO:l/ (v)
fix equipment or furniture into
position so that it can be used
䊳 installer (n), installation (n)
Reading
6.7 substance /"sVbst@ns/ (n)
type of liquid, solid or gas that has
particular qualities L Often used
with adjectives when the exact
substance is not known: an oily
substance, a watery substance. Also,
the quality of being important or
significant (formal). 䊳 substantial
(adj), substantially (adv)
6.8 unforeseen /%VnfO:"si:n/ (adj)
that you did not expect to happen
L Often used with the following
expression: Due to unforeseen
circumstances, the library will be
shut this afternoon. 䊳 foresee (v)
6.9 principle /"prIns@pl/ (n)
general or scientific law that
explains how sth works or why sth
happens ◆ His magic trick looked
very effective but was based on the
simple principle that hot air rises.
L Do not confuse with principal
(adj), which means the main or
most important thing: Lack of time
was our principal reason for not
visiting you.
6.10 discomfort /dIs"kVmf@t/ (n)
feeling of slight pain, physically
or emotionally L Opposite =
comfort; note that the adjective
and adverb forms take un-.
䊳 discomfort (v), comfortable
(adj), uncomfortable (adj),
uncomfortably (adv)
6.11 at will /@t "wIl/ (phr)
whenever or wherever you like
◆ We have been given a front door
key so that we can come and go at
will.
Superheroes
6.12 acquire /@"kwaI@(r)/ (v)
gain or obtain sth either because it is
given to you or by your own efforts
◆ The City Art Gallery has recently
acquired two Dutch paintings from
an anonymous donor.
6.13 radiation /%reIdi"eISn/ (n)
powerful and dangerous rays
that are sent out from radioactive
substances 䊳 radioactivity (n),
radiographer (n), radiography
(n), radiologist (n), radiology (n),
radiate (v), radioactive (adj)
6.14 beam /bi:m/ (n)
line of energy such as light,
electricity, etc. ◆ When driving at
night in the countryside, put your
car headlights on full beam to light
the road ahead. 䊳 beam (v)
6.15 bugle /"bju:gl/ (n)
musical instrument like a small
trumpet, used in the army for
giving signals 䊳 bugler (n)
6.16 (crime)-ridden
/"(kraIm) %rIdn/ (adj)
full of a particular unpleasant
thing L Usually in compounds, as
here. Note the different meaning of
bedridden = having to stay in bed
all the time because you are sick,
injured or old.
6.17 scale /skeIl/ (v)
climb to the top of sth very high
and steep
6.18 adhere (to) /@d"hI@/ (v)
stick firmly (to L Also, follow a
particular set of beliefs or a fixed
way of doing sth. 䊳 adherence (n),
adhesive (n)
6.19 nook and cranny
/%nUk @n "kr&ni/ (idm)
every part of a place or every
aspect of a situation ◆ There isn’t
a space in my Aunty Annie’s
house that isn’t filled with china
ornaments. She has them in every
nook and cranny imaginable.
CAE Result © Oxford University Press 1
6.20 deceptively /dI"septIvli/ (adv)
likely to make you believe sth that
is not true 䊳 deceit (n), deception
(n), deceive (v), deceptive (adj)
6.21 gossamer /"gQs@m@(r)/ (n)
very fine thread made by spiders
6.22 dragline /"dr&glaIn/ (n)
the silk used by spiders to build
their webs
6.23 flee (from) /fli:/ (v)
leave a place or sb very quickly
because you are afraid of possible
danger L With places, both flee
or flee from can be used. With
people, from must be used: They
fled from the advancing army.
6.24 doomed /du:md/ (adj)
certain to be destroyed, die,
suffer, fail, etc. ◆ Having not been
properly thought through, the
prisoners’ escape plan was doomed
from the start. 䊳 doom (n, v)
6.25 adopt /@"dQpt/ (v)
take sb else’s child into your
family and become its legal parents
L See also 5.83 䊳 adopter (n),
adoption (n)
6.26 mild-mannered
/%maIld "m&n@d/ (adj)
gentle and not usually angry or
violent
6.27 bound /baUnd/ (n)
high or long jump 䊳 bound (v)
6.28 convert /k@n"v3:t/ (v)
change or make sth (or sb) change
from one form, purpose, system,
belief to another 䊳 convert (n),
conversion (n)
6.29 harvest /"hA:vIst/ (v)
collect in order to use L Commonly
to cut and gather crops, or to collect
cells for medical purposes 䊳 harvest
(n), harvester (n)
6.30 photosynthesis
/%f@Ut@U"sInT@sIs/ (n)
process by which green plants turn
carbon dioxide and water into food
using energy obtained from light
from the sun 䊳 photosynthesise
(v), photosynthetic (adj)
2 CAE Result © Oxford University Press
6.31 carbon dioxide
/%kA:b@n daI"QksaId/ (n)
gas breathed out by people
or animals from the lungs, or
produced by burning carbon
6.32 glucose /"glu:k@Us/ (n)
type of sugar found in fruit and
easily changed into energy by the
human body
6.33 chlorophyll /"klQr2@fIl/ (n)
green substance in plants that
absorbs light from the sun to help
them grow
6.34 accelerate /@k"sel@reIt/ (v)
make sth happen faster or earlier
than expected 䊳 accelerator (n),
acceleration (n)
6.35 tremendous /trI"mend@s/ (adj)
very great, usu. in strength or size
L Without further qualification,
this adjective is positive: The
performance was tremendous =
excellent. 䊳 tremendously (adv)
6.36 reserve /rI"z3:v/ (n)
supply of sth that is available to
be used in the future or when it is
needed L Also used in the idiom
(keep/have sth) in reserve.
䊳 reserve (v), reserved (adj)
6.37 acute /@"kju:t/ (adj)
very sensitive and well developed
◆ an acute sense of hearing
䊳 acuteness (n), acutely (adv)
6.38 radar /"reIdA:(r)/ (n)
system that uses radio waves to
find the position and movement
of objects, e.g. planes and ships,
when they cannot be seen
6.39 faint /feInt/ (adj)
that cannot be clearly seen, heard
or smelt ◆ I thought I heard a faint
tapping noise from behind that
wall. 䊳 faintly (adv)
6.40 odour /"@Ud@(r)/ (n)
smell, usu. unpleasant 䊳 odorous
(adj)
6.41 emit /I"mIt/ (v)
send out, e.g. a sound, light, heat,
gas, etc. 䊳 emission (n)
6.42 high-pitched /%haI "pItSt/ (adj)
used to describe a sound that is
very high ◆ a high-pitched voice/
scream
6.43 mutant /"mju:t@nt/ (n)
a creature in a science-fiction
story, which has an unusual and
frightening appearance because of
a change in its genetic structure
L Also a biological term for a
living thing with different qualities
from its parents’ because of a
change in genetic structure
䊳 mutation (n), mutant (adj),
mutate (v)
6.44 despise /dI"spaIz/ (v)
dislike and have no respect for sb/
sth 䊳 despicable (adj), despicably
(adv)
6.45 isolate /"aIs@leIt/ (v)
separate sb/sth physically or
socially from other people or things
◆ Children suffering from chicken-
pox should be isolated so they
don’t infect others. 䊳 isolation (n),
isolated (adj)
6.46 levitate /"levIteIt/ (v)
rise or make sth rise and float in
the air with no physical support,
esp. by means of magic or special
mental powers 䊳 levitation (n)
6.47 forcefield /"fO:sfi:ld/ (n)
barrier of, e.g. energy that you
cannot see and is difficult to
penetrate L Also force field
6.48 generate /"dZen@reIt/ (v)
produce or create sth L Can
mean to produce or create sth
intentionally or as a consequence
of another process: Jeremy loves
experimenting with different
recipes, but they seem to generate a
lot of washing-up! 䊳 generator (n),
generation (n), generative (adj)
6.49 steel /sti:l/ (n)
strong hard metal made of iron
and carbon
6.50 magnetic /m&g"netIk/ (adj)
having the properties of a magnet,
a piece of iron that attracts other
iron objects towards it, either
naturally or because an electric
current is passed through it
䊳 magnet (n), magnetism (n),
magnetise (v), magnetically (adv)
6.51 electromagnet
/I%lektr@U"m&gn@t/ (n)
piece of metal which becomes
magnetic when electricity is passed
through it.
6.52 rails /reIlz/ (n pl)
the two metal bars that form the
track that trains run on
6.53 conventional
/k@n"venS@nl/ (adj)
following what is traditional or
the way sth has been done for a
long time ◆ We decided to try out
something new, as the conventional
methods didn’t work out.
䊳 convention (n), unconventional
(adj), (un)conventionally (adv)
6.54 friction /"frIkSn/ (n)
the force which is created when
two things rub against each other
and which makes them stick
together ◆ If you rub a balloon on
your head, friction makes your hair
stand on end.
6.55 diamagnetic
/%daI@m&g"netIk/ (adj)
used to describe a substance which
is repelled by a magnet
6.56 repel /rI"pel/ (v)
drive sth away, push apart with
magnetic force 䊳 repulsion (n)
6.57 gamma bomb
/"g&m@ %bQm/ (n)
bomb that causes high-energy rays
of very short wavelength to be sent
out by radioactive substances
6.58 reckless /"rekl@s/ (adj)
showing a lack of care about
danger and the possible results of
your actions 䊳 recklessness (n),
recklessly (adv)
6.59 stray /streI/ (v)
move away from where you are
supposed to be, often
unintentionally L Often used to
describe pets that wander away
from home and become separated
from their owners. 䊳 stray (n, adj):
Our children wanted a dog so
we’ve adopted a stray from a local
dogs’ home.
6.60 fury /"fjU@ri/ (n)
extreme anger that often includes
violent behaviour Her eyes blazed
with fury. 䊳 infuriate (v), furious
(adj), furiously (adv)
6.61 bulk /bVlk/ (n)
size, weight or quantity of sth
L buy in bulk = buy a lot of sth
at the same time 䊳 bulk sth up
(phr v)
6.62 cuttlefish /"kVtlfIS/ (n)
sea creature with ten arms and a
wide flat shell inside its body, that
produces a black substance like
ink when it is attacked
6.63 camouflage /"k&m@flA:Z/ (n)
way in which an animal’s
colour (or shape) matches its
surroundings and makes it difficult
to see L Also a way of hiding
soldiers and military equiptment
using paint, leaves or nets so
that they look like part of the
surroundings. 䊳 camouflage (v)
Vocabulary
6.64 creep /kri:p/ (v)
move with your body close to
the ground, move slowly on your
hands and knees ◆ The children
crept under the table to hide from
their mother.
6.65 glance /glA:ns/ (v)
look quickly at sth/sb ◆ I usually
glance at the newspaper headlines
over breakfast but don’t have time
to read any of the stories in detail.
䊳 glance (n)
6.66 stumble /"stVmbl/ (v)
hit your foot against sth as you are
walking or running, and almost fall
◆ Unable to find the light switch,
and stumbling around his hotel
room in the dark, Dave fell over a
chair.
6.67 hobble /"hQbl/ (v)
walk with difficulty, esp. because
your feet or legs hurt
6.68 totter /"tQt@(r)/ (v)
walk or move with weak, unsteady
steps, especially because you are
drunk or ill ◆ Feeling really sick, I
barely managed to totter back to
bed.
6.69 gaze /geIz/ (v)
look steadily at sb/sth for a long
time, either because you are very
interested or surprised, or because
you are thinking of sth else
◆ In the evenings, we usually went
to the seafront and gazed at the
magnificent sunset. 䊳 gaze (n)
6.70 limp /lImp/ (v)
walk slowly or with difficulty
because one leg is injured 䊳 limp
(n)
6.71 plod /plQd/ (v)
walk slowly with heavy steps, esp.
because you are tired ◆ Although
we were exhausted, we plodded on
through the muddy fields. 䊳 plod
(n), plodding (adj)
6.72 glimpse /glImps/ (v)
see sb/sth for a moment, but
not very clearly L The noun is
more common, as found in the
expression: catch a glimpse of
sth/sb. 䊳 glimpse (n)
6.73 glare /gle@(r)/ (v)
look at sb/sth in an angry way
glare (n)
6.74 stagger /"st&g@(r)/ (v)
walk with unsteady steps, often
moving from side to side, as if you
are about to fall 䊳 stagger (n)
CAE Result © Oxford University Press 3
6.75 peep /pi:p/ (v)
look quickly and secretly at sth,
esp. through a small opening or
through your hands if you are using
them to cover your eyes ◆ Every
Christmas as a child I used to peep
in my parents’ wardrobe looking for
hidden presents. 䊳 peep (n)
6.76 trip /trIp/ (v)
catch your foot on sth and fall or
almost fall ◆ Make sure you put all
those ropes away, or else someone
might trip over them.
6.77 crawl /krO:l/ (v)
move forward on your hands and
knees, with your body close to the
ground ◆ Our baby daughter has
started to crawl.
Grammar
6.78 overalls /"@Uv@rO:lz/ (n pl)
loose piece of clothing like a shirt
and trousers in one piece, made of
heavy fabric and usually worn over
other clothing by workers doing
dirty work
6.79 rash /r&S/ (n)
an area of red spots on a person’s
skin, caused by an illness or a
reaction to sth
6.80 assumption /@"sVmpSn/ (n)
a belief or feeling that sth is
true or that sth will happen,
although there is no proof ◆ It was
impossible to make assumptions
about how she would react when
she heard the news. 䊳 assume (v)
6.81 deduction /dI"dVkSn/ (n)
the process of using information
you have in order to understand a
particular situation or to find the
answer to a problem
◆ Archaeologists study their
findings to make deductions about
how people lived in ancient years.
䊳 deduce (v), deductive (adj)
4 CAE Result © Oxford University Press
6.82 safe /seIf/ (n)
strong metal box or cupboard with
a complicated lock, used for storing
valuable things in, for example,
money or jewels 䊳 safe (adj), safely
(adv), safety (n), save (v)
6.83 burglar-proof
/"b3:gl@ %pru:f/ (adj)
that cannot be burgled
6.84 fraction /"fr&kSn/ (n)
division of a number, e.g. ½, or
mathematical problem involving
these divisions
6.85 trap /tr&p/ (v)
keep sb in a dangerous place or
bad situation that they want to get
out of but cannot ◆ Fortunately, the
firemen managed to save the three
people who were trapped inside the
burning building. L Usually used
in the passive. 䊳 trap (n)
Listening
6.86 expose /Ik"sp@Uz/ (v)
tell the true facts about sb or
sth, showing them/it to be false,
immoral, illegal, etc. 䊳 exposé (n),
exposure (n)
6.87 lip-synch /"lIp %sINk/ (v)
move your mouth, without singing,
so that its movements match the
sound on a recorded song L Also
lip-sync.
6.88 second-rate
/%sek@nd "reIt/ (adj)
not very good or impressive L
Note that although first-rate = the
very best, second-rate is almost
always rather critical and does not
mean the same as second best.
6.89 awkward /"O:kw@2d/ (adj)
unnatural, not graceful ◆ He was
lying in a very awkward position
which had made his back sore.
䊳 awkwardness (n), awkwardly
(adv)
6.90 insult /"InsVlt/ (n)
action or remark that offends sb,
usu. but not always deliberately
◆ I considered it a downright insult
to be offered so little for my car
when I was selling it. 䊳 insult (v),
insulting (adj), insultingly (adv)
6.91 ” charisma /k@"rIzm@/ (n)
powerful personal quality that
some people have to attract and
impress other people 䊳 charismatic
(adj), charismatically (adv)
6.92 ” chiselled /"tSIzld/ (adj)
having clear strong facial features
(as if cut by a chisel, a tool used
for shaping wood, stone or metal)
䊳 chisel (n, v)
6.93 ” instantaneous
/%Inst@n"teIni@s/ (adj)
happening immediately 䊳 instance
(n), instant (n), instantaneously
(adv)
6.94 ” rocket /"rQkIt/ (v)
achieve a successful position
very quickly ◆ After rocketing to
stardom with their first hit single,
the band has never been heard of
again.
6.95 ” lurk /l3:k/ (v)
be present or wait somewhere
secretly, esp. with the intention
of doing sth bad ◆ Gina’s heart
jumped as she caught sight of a
dark figure lurking in the shadows.
6.96 ” duo /"dju:@U/ (n)
two people who perform together
or are often seen or thought of
together ◆ Meanwhile Batman
and Robin, the dynamic duo, are
preparing to fight Mr Freeze.
䊳 duet (n), dual (adj)
6.97 ” mime /maIm/ (v)
pretend to sing a song that is
actually on a recording or being
sung by sb else L Also the use of
movement and expression to act
without speaking. 䊳 mime (n)
6.98 ” confront /k@n"frVnt/ (v)
face or make sb face an unpleasant
situation ◆ Confronted with the
truth, Steve was forced to accept
that Becky had been lying about
everything. 䊳 confrontation
(n), confrontational (adj),
confrontationally
6.99 ” sham /S&m/ (n)
person or sth that pretends to be sth
that they are not 䊳 sham (adj, v)
6.100 ” latch onto (sth)
/%l&tS "Qntu:/ (phr v)
develop a strong interest in sth
6.101 ” artificial /%A:tI"fISl/ (adj)
created by people, not happening
naturally 䊳 artifice (n), artificiality
(n), artificially (adv)
6.102 ” fortune /"fO:tju:n/ (n)
large amount of money L Often
found in the expression a small
fortune which (despite small) still
implies a lot more money than you
think is reasonable: I paid a small
fortune for this jacket and it’s
falling apart already.
6.103 ” mike /maIk/ (n)
common abbreviation for
microphone L Also mic.
䊳 mike sb up (v)
6.104 ” conform (to) /k@n"fO:m/ (v)
be, behave or think the same as
most other people in a group or
society 䊳 conformity (n), (non-)
conformist (n, adj)
6.105 ” wind /"wInd/ (v)
make sb temporarily unable to
breathe, usu. because of a blow to
the stomach. 䊳 wind (n)
h Not related to long-winded
= continuing for too long and
therefore boring, e.g. sb talking or
sth that you are reading.
Speaking
6.106 fancy dress /%f&nsi "dres/ (n)
clothes that you wear, esp. at
parties, to make you appear to be
a different character
6.107 make-believe
/"meIk bI%li:v/ (n)
imagining that you are sb else, esp.
in a child’s game ◆ In her land of
make-believe, Alice could be a pirate
one day and a famous explorer the
next. 䊳 make believe (idm)
6.108 self-conscious
/%self "kQnS@s/ (adj)
nervous or embarrassed about your
appearance or what other people
think of you 䊳 self-consciousness
(n), self-consciously (adv)
6.109 be torn (between)
/bi "tO:n/ (v)
unable to decide or choose between
two things, people or feelings L If
the two things are understood or
mentioned immediately afterwards,
there is no need to use between:
Bowling or a night club? I’m really
torn. Which one’s cheaper? 䊳 tear (v)
Use of English
6.110 fool /fu:l/ (v)
trick sb into believing sth that is
not true ◆ Well, I know Marion
very well, so she can’t fool me into
agreeing with her plans. 䊳 fool (n),
foolish (adj), foolishly (adv)
6.111 identical /aI"dentIkl/ (adj)
◆
similar in every detail The two
pictures are quite similar, but not
identical. 䊳 identically (adv)
6.112 rotate /r@U"teIt/ (v)
turn sth around a central fixed
point ◆ The Earth rotates around
the Sun. 䊳 rotation (n), rotating
(adj), rotational (adj)
6.113 simultaneously
/%sIm@l"teIni@sli/ (adv)
happening or done at the same
time as sth else 䊳 simultaneity (n),
simultaneous (adj)
6.114 readily /"redIli/ (adv)
quickly and without difficulty
◆ She readily agreed to change our
plans, once it was clear we could
not stay at the village any more.
6.115 dimension
/d@"menSn, dI-, daI-/ (n)
measurement, e.g. height, width or
length of sth L the dimensions =
all the relevant measurements for
sth: Please could you confirm the
dimensions of the bookcase?
6.116 portion /"pO:Sn/ (n)
amount of food that is large
enough for one person ◆ This
restaurant serves very generous
portions of food.
6.117 confide /k@n"faId/ (v)
tell sb secrets and personal
information that you do not want
other people to know ◆ A good
friend ought to be someone you can
trust and confide in.
6.118 attentive /@"tentIv/ (adj)
listening or watching carefully
and with interest ◆ The students
are usually very attentive but
recently their concentration hasn’t
been so good. 䊳 attentiveness (n),
attentively (adv)
6.119 version /"v3:Sn/ (n)
a copy of sth that is slightly
different from the original thing
◆ The Greek version of Paolo
Coelho’s The Alchemist was
released last year.
6.120 betray /bI"treI/ (v)
hurt sb who trusts you, especially
by not being loyal or faithful to
them ◆ It was difficult for me to
accept that Fiona had betrayed our
friendship. 䊳 betrayal (n)
6.121 take sb in
/%teIk ... "In/ (phr v)
make sb believe sth that is not
true, deceive ◆ I was taken in by
his story at first, but then I realised
he was lying. L Usually used in
the passive.
6.122 gadget /"g&dZIt/ (n)
small tool or device that does sth
useful L Device is more formal.
6.123 capital /"k&pItl/ (n)
large amount of money that is
invested or is used to start a
business
CAE Result © Oxford University Press 5

Vocabulary
6.124 too right /%tu: "raIt/ (idm)
used to say that there is no doubt
about sth
6.125 pop out /%pQp "aUt/ (phr v)
go out somewhere quickly,
suddenly or for a short time
6.126 by rights /%baI "raIts/ (phr)
according to what is proper
6.127 left, right and centre
/%left, %raIt @n "sent@/ (idm)
everywhere, in all directions; also
right, left and centre with the same
meaning
6.128 have two left feet
/h&v %tu: left "fi:t/ (idm)
be very awkward in your
movements, esp. when dancing or
playing a sport
6.129 leftovers /"left@Uv@z/ (n pl)
food that has not been eaten at the
end of a meal, which may then be
eaten later 䊳 be left over (phr v)
6.130 know your left from your
right /%n@U jO: %left fr@m jO: "raIt/
(idm)
have sense of direction, sense of
orientation ◆ Jon doesn’t know his
left from his right so he always gets
lost when he goes on walks.
Writing
6.131 format /"fO:m&t/ (n)
way that, e.g. a TV programme
is arranged ◆ The format of ‘Mr
and Mrs’ has been the same for
years: married couples are asked
questions to see how much they
really know about each other.
L Also: the size of a book or the
way data is stored on a computer:
“What format will it be in?” “I’ll
send it as a JPEG.” 䊳 formatting
(n), format (v), formatted (adj)
6 CAE Result © Oxford University Press
6.132 cohesion /k@U"hi:Zn/ (n)
for a text: the way all the parts
of the text are properly linked
together L Also: the act or state of
sticking together. 䊳 cohesiveness
(n), cohesive (adj)
6.133 register /"reÙIst@(r)/ (n)
level and style of a piece of
writing or speech, that is usually
appropriate to the situation that it
is used in
6.134 desensitised
/%di:"sens@taIzd/ (adj)
made less aware of sth, especially
a problem or sth bad ◆ When
people have experienced wars
they often become desensitised
to violence. 䊳 sensitise (v), (in)
sensitive (adj), (in)sensitivity (n)
6.135 addictive /@"dIktIv/ (adj)
describes sth that you need to do
as often as possible because you
enjoy it, or that you cannot stop
doing 䊳 addict (n), addiction (n),
be addicted to (v)
6.136 debate /dI"beIt/ (n)
discussion of sth in a formal
situation ◆ There was a televised
debate last night between the
two main candidates for the
presidential election. 䊳 debate (v)
debatable (adj)
6.137 let off steam
/%let %Qf "sti:m/ (idm)
get rid of your energy, anger or
strong emotions by doing sth
active or noisy ◆ Whenever my
husband is really stressed and
needs to let off steam, he gets on
his mountain bike and climbs the
nearby mountains.
Review
6.138 merchandise
/"m3:tS@ndaIs, -daIz/ (n)
goods that are bought or sold,
esp. those that are connected
with, or advertise, sth in particular
◆ Amongst the ‘Harry Potter’
merchandise you can purchase are
t-shirts, owl puppets and calendars.
6.139 opponent /@"p@Un@nt/ (n)
person or team that you are
playing or fighting against in
a competition, argument, etc.
䊳 opposition (n), oppose (v),
opposed (adj), opposing (adj)
6.140 suspense /s@"spens/ (n)
feeling of worry or excitement that
you have when you feel that sth is
going to happen, sb is going to tell
you some news, etc. ◆ Don’t keep
me in suspense! Tell me who the
letter is from!
6.141 ardent /"A:d@nt/ (adj)
very enthusiastic and showing
strong feelings about sth or sb
L Almost always used with a
following noun: an ardent fan/
support/admirer/viewer, etc.
6.142 (be) on tenterhooks
/(bi) %Qn "tent@hUks/ (idm)
(be) very anxious or excited while
you are waiting to find out sth or
see what will happen ◆ Anna’s
been watching for the postman
every day this week. She’s on
tenterhooks until her exam results
arrive.
6.143 sneer (at) /snI@(r)/ (v)
show that you have no respect
for sb or sth by the expression
on your face or by the way you
speak 䊳 sneer (n), sneering (adj),
sneeringly (adv)
6.144 detached /dI "t&Ít/ (adj)
showing a lack of feeling,
indifferent ◆ We ought to be caring
and understanding with other
people’s problems, not detached
and indifferent. 䊳 detach (v),
detachment (n)
6.145 trial /"traI@l/ (n)
experience that causes difficulties
for sb, often to test them L Often
found in the phrase trial(s) and
tribulation(s)
6.146 tribulation /%trIbju"leISn/ (n)
great trouble or suffering L Very
formal on its own, but commonly
found in the phrase trial(s) and
tribulation(s).

Workbook
Reading
6.147 assault /@"sO:lt, @"sQlt/ (n)
crime of attacking sb physically
䊳 assailant (n), assault (v)
6.148 box-office hit
/%bQks %QfIs "hIt/ (phr)
film that is a big success and has
sold a large number of tickets
Can girls be superheroes?
6.149 the charts /D@ "ÍA:ts/ (n pl)
list, produced each week, of the
pop music records that have sold
the most copies
6.150 vault /vO:lt/ (n)
room with thick walls and a strong
door, especially in a bank, used for
keeping valuable things safe
6.151 multiplex /"mVltipleks/ (n)
large cinema with several separate
screens
6.152 tights /taIts/ (n pl)
piece of clothing made of very
thin fabric that fits closely over a
woman’s hips, legs and feet
6.153 throttle /"TrQtl/ (n)
device that controls the amount
of fuel that goes into the engine
of a vehicle ◆ I pressed the throttle
down hard – the engine roared and
the car lurched forward.
6.154 guru /"gUru:/ (n)
person who is an expert on a
particular subject
6.155 contain /k@n"teIn/ (v)
restrict, control ◆ The police
managed to contain the football
fans that were vandalising public
property.
6.156 thick /TIk/ (adj)
(of a person) slow to learn or
understand things L Informal.
6.157 sob /sQb/ (v)
say sth while you are crying noisily,
taking sudden, sharp breaths
◆ ‘It’s all my fault,’ she sobbed.
6.158 relent /rI"lent/ (v)
change your mind, finally agree to
sth after disagreeing ◆ No matter
what she said, her parents would
not relent in their decision to send
her to a boarding school.
䊳 relentless (adj), relentlessly (adv),
unrelenting (adj)
6.159 the credits /D@ "kredIts/ (n pl)
list of people involved in making a
film, shown at the end
6.160 dump /dVmp/ (v)
end a romantic relationship with sb
◆ I was going out with Sue for a
month when she suddenly dumped
me for my best friend! L Informal.
6.161 pad /p&d/ (v)
walk with quiet steps ◆ Ken almost
gave me a heart attack when he
padded across the room and tapped
me on the shoulder!
6.162 reincarnate /%ri:In"kA:neIt/ (v)
be born again in another body
after you have died, make sb be
born again in this way
䊳 reincarnation (n)
6.163 assassin /@"s&sIn/ (n)
person who murders sb important
or famous, for money or for
political reasons 䊳 assassination
(n), assassinate (v)
6.164 stab /st&b/ (v)
push a sharp, pointed object,
especially a knife, into sb, killing
or injuring them 䊳 stab (n)
6.165 bustier /"bVstieI/ (n)
woman’s tight top without sleeves
or shoulder straps
6.166 disembodied
/%dIsIm"bQdId/ (adj)
(of sounds) coming from a person
or place that cannot be seen or
identified
6.167 destiny /"dest@ni/ (n)
what happens to sb or what will
happen to them in the future, esp.
things that they cannot change or
avoid ◆ Some people believe their
destiny is decided at birth, so they
have no control over how their life
will turn out. 䊳 destined (adj)
6.168 tip the balance
/%tIp D@ "b&l@ns/ (idm)
affect the result of sth in one way
rather than another ◆ A few more
votes should tip the balance in our
favour and then I think we’ll win
the election.
6.169 mentor /"mentO:(r)/ (n)
experienced person who advises
and helps sb with less experience
over a period of time ◆ Many well-
known actors have been guided by
a mentor, who was also their agent.
6.170 my heart sinks
/%maI %hA:t "sINks/ (phr)
used to say that you suddenly feel
sad or depressed about sth
◆ My heart suddenly sank when I
realised how much work was still
to be done.
6.171 disorder /dIs"O:d@(r)/ (n)
illness that causes a part of the
body to stop functioning correctly
◆ People with some mental
disorders can be treated at home if
their family are able to give their
full support.
6.172 cull (sth) from /kVl/ (phr v)
choose or collect sth from a source
or several different sources ◆ The
album includes a number of songs
culled from the archives of the
record company.
6.173 villainous /"vIl@n@s/ (adj)
very wicked, very unpleasant
䊳 villain (n)
6.174 acne /"&kni/ (n)
skin condition, common among
young people, that produces many
spots, esp. on the face and neck
6.175 take the fall
/%teIk D@ "fO:l/ (phr)
accept responsibility for sth
◆ The manager takes the fall if the
team loses.
6.176 mandatory /"m&nd@t@ri/ (adj)
required by law, compulsory
◆ School uniforms are mandatory
in many schools in the UK, but in
Greece we no longer have to wear
one.
CAE Result © Oxford University Press 7
6.177 slump /slVmp/ (v)
sit or fall down heavily ◆ The old
man slumped down in his chair.
6.178 puddle /"pVdl/ (n)
small amount of water or other
liquid, esp. rain, that has collected
in one place on the ground
6.179 self-loathing /%self "l@UDIN/ (n)
strong feeling of hatred for oneself
6.180 whine /waIn/ (v)
complain in an annoying, crying
voice ◆ If you don’t stop whining
children, I won’t give you any cake
at all. 䊳 whine (n)
6.181 quest /kwest/ (n)
long search for sth, especially for
some quality such as happiness
◆ The hero of the novel sets off
on a quest to discover the true
meaning of his life. L Formal.
䊳 quest (v)
6.182 grief /gri:f/ (n)
a feeling of great sadness, esp.
when sb dies ◆ Julia’s heart was
touched by Dan’s grief when he lost
his pet dog. 䊳 grieve (v)
6.183 strike a pose
/%straIk @ "p@Uz/ (phr)
hold your body in a particular way
to create a particular impression
6.184 noble /"n@Ubl/ (adj)
having fine personal qualities that
people admire, such as courage,
honesty and care for others ◆ Lord
Byron died fighting for a noble
cause: freedom. 䊳 nobility (n)
6.185 contentment
/k@n"tentm@nt/ (n)
feeling of happiness or satisfaction
䊳 (dis)content (n), content (adj),
(dis)contented (adj), (dis)
contentedly (adv)
6.186 pay-off /"peI %Qf/ (n)
advantage or reward resulting from
a situation or sth you have done
◆ The pay-off from all this exercise
is that I get a fantastic figure!
8 CAE Result © Oxford University Press
6.187 misanthropy
/mI"s&nTr@pi/ (n)
dislike of other people
䊳 misanthrope (n), misanthropic
(adj)
6.188 contract /k@n"tr&kt/ (v)
get an illness ◆ He refuses to travel
to Africa because he thinks he will
certainly contract some terrible
disease there.
6.189 ghastly /"gA:stli/ (adj)
very bad, unpleasant ◆ Oh, Marion,
take that ghastly dress off! You have
so many beautiful dresses to choose
from!
6.190 gaggle /"g&gl/ (n)
group of noisy people
6.191 patriarch /"peItriA:k/ (n)
old man that people have a lot of
respect for 䊳 patriarchal (adj)
6.192 elusive /I"lu:sIv/ (adj)
difficult to find, define, or achieve
◆ True happiness is an elusive
concept; hardly anyone can claim
to have achieved it for more than a
few moments in their life.
䊳 elusiveness (n), elusively (adv),
elude (v)
6.193 gorgeous /"gO:Ù@s/ (adj)
very handsome or beautiful 䊳
gorgeously (adv)
6.194 aquamarine
/%&kw@m@"ri:n/ (adj)
pale greenish-blue colour
6.195 mercy /"m3:si/ (n)
kind or forgiving attitude towards
sb that you have the power to
harm or right to punish ◆ The
President made it clear there would
be no mercy to those who helped
terrorists escape. 䊳 merciful (adj),
mercifully (adv)
Vocabulary
6.196 in vain /In "veIn/ (idm)
without success ◆ The teacher tried
in vain to persuade the children to
be quiet, but they were too excited
to stop cheering.
6.197 conceal /k@n"si:l/ (v)
hide sb/sth ◆ The death of General
John Banks was concealed from
the troops in an effort to keep their
morale high. 䊳 concealment (n)
6.198 counterfeit /"kaUnt@fIt/ (adj)
made to look exactly like sth in
order to trick people into thinking
that they are getting the real thing
◆ The shopkeeper explained that
he had recently had a number of
problems with counterfeit money
and would no longer accept
£50 notes. 䊳 counterfeit (n, v),
counterfeiting (n)
6.199 elaborate /I"l&b@r@t/ (adj)
very complicated and detailed,
carefully prepared and organised
◆ Mum always prepared the most
elaborate dinners for Christmas Eve.
䊳 elaborately (adv)
6.200 presume /prI"zju:m/ (v)
suppose that sth is true, although
you do not have actual proof
◆ It’s quite late, so I presume Kate
won’t be coming round tonight.
䊳 presumption (n), presumable
(adj), presumably (adv)
6.201 snigger /"snIg@(r)/ (v)
laugh in a quiet unpleasant way,
esp. at sth rude or at sb’s problems
or mistakes ◆ I hate how Bernie
sniggers every time I make a
mistake in class – it’s rude don’t
you think? 䊳 snigger (n)
6.202 giggle /"gIgl/ (v)
laugh in a silly way because
you are amused, embarrassed or
nervous ◆ Evelyn’s boyfriend gave
her a quick kiss before he stepped
off the bus, and all her friends
started to giggle. 䊳 giggle (n)
6.203 mumble /"mVmbl/ (v)
speak or say sth in a quiet voice
in a way that is not clear ◆ When
I realised my mistake, I mumbled
an apology and left the room in a
hurry. 䊳 mumble (n)
6.204 eavesdrop /"i:vzdrQp/ (v)
listen secretly to what other
people are saying ◆ ‘If I catch you
eavesdropping behind my door
again Ms Lee, you will be fired!’
䊳 eavesdropper (n)
6.205 liable /"laI@bl/ (adj)
legally responsible for sth
◆ Parents are liable for any damage
their teenagers might cause.
䊳 liability (n)
6.206 detain /dIteIn/ (v)
keep sb in an official place, such
as a police station, a prison or a
hospital, and prevent them from
leaving 䊳 detention (n)
Grammar
6.207 season ticket /"si:zn %tIkIt/ (n)
ticket that you can use many times
within a particular period, for
example on a regular train or bus
journey, or for a series of games,
sports, etc., and that costs less
than paying separately each time
6.208 directory enquiries
/d@%rekt@ri In"kwaI@riz/ (n)
telephone service that you can use
to find out a person’s telephone
number
6.209 in due course
/In %dju: "kO:s/ (phr)
at the right time and not before
◆ Please fill in this application
and we will inform you of the best
available job in due course.
Listening
6.210 ” dim /dIm/ (adj)
not bright ◆ I could just about make
out a figure moving in the dim light
of the hallway. 䊳 dimly (adv)
6.211 make up (for)
/%meIk "Vp/ (phr v)
do sth that replaces sth lost,
missing, etc. or compensates for it
6.212 ” deficiency /dI"fIS@nsi/ (n)
the state of not having, or not
having enough of, sth that is
essential ◆ Some people suffer
health problems due to a deficiency
of minerals in their diet.
䊳 deficient (adj)
6.213 ” packed (with) /"p&kt/ (adj)
containing a lot of a particular
thing ◆ This new encyclopaedia is
packed with interesting up-to-date
information.
6.214 ” absorption /@b"sO:pSn/ (n)
process of a liquid, gas or other
substance being taken in ◆ These
cloths are designed for maximum
absorption of water. 䊳 absorb (v),
absorbent (adj)
6.215 ” sniffly /"snIfli/ (adj)
what makes you sniff or keep
sniffing
6.216 ” virus /"vaIr@s/ (n)
kind of germ that can cause a
disease L Also: instructions
hidden within a computer
program, designed to cause faults
or destroy data.
6.217 ” old wives’ tale
/%@Uld "waIvz %teIl/ (idm)
old idea or belief that has been
proved not to be scientific
◆ You surely don’t believe in
the old wives’ tale that babies
shouldn’t go out of the house before
they’re 40 days old, do you?
6.218 ” mackerel /"m&kr@l/ (n)
sea fish with greenish-blue bands
on its body, that is used for food
6.219 ” pilchard /"pIlÍ@d/ (n)
sardine, small edible fish
6.220 ” herring /"herIN/ (n)
North Atlantic fish that swims in
very large groups and is used for
food
Use of English
6.221 reflect /rI"flekt/ (v)
throw back light, heat, sound, etc.
from a surface ◆ The ozone layer
helps reflect the harmful rays of the
sun back into space. 䊳 reflection (n)
6.222 spearhead /"spI@hed/ (v)
lead an activity or attack against
sb/sth
6.223 hamlet /"h&ml@t/ (n)
very small village
6.224 set the ball rolling
/%set D@ %bO:l "r@UlIN/ (idm)
make sth start happening
◆Let’s begin the discussion. Who
wants to set the ball rolling?
6.225 commission /k@"mISn/ (v)
officially ask sb to write, make or
create sth or to do a task for you
◆ The local travel agencies have
commissioned a survey on people’s
favourite holiday destinations.
6.226 sundial /"sVndaI@l/ (n)
device used outdoors, especially in
the past, for telling the time with
the use of the sun’s rays
6.227 façade /f@"sA:d/ (n)
the front of a building
6.228 parish /"p&rIS/ (n)
area that has its own church and
that a priest is responsible for
6.229 enlighten /In"laItn/ (v)
give sb information so that they
understand sth better ◆ Can you
enlighten me about this new project?
I don’t really understand what’s
going on. 䊳 enlightenment (n),
enlightened (adj), enlightening (adj)
6.230 designate /"dezIgneIt/ (v)
say officially that sth has a
particular character or name,
describe sth in a particular way
◆ Most hotels have now designated
rooms for smokers, often on one
single floor. L More often used in
the passive. 䊳 designation (n)
CAE Result © Oxford University Press 9
6.231 ascertain /%&s@"teIn/ (v)
find out the true or correct
information about sth, make sure
◆ The police are trying to ascertain
what really happened. L Formal.
Review Units 4–6
6.232 mission /"mISn/ (n)
particular work that you feel it is
your duty to do ◆ Mother Teresa’s
mission in life was to help the poor.
䊳 missionary (n)
6.240 controversy
/"kQntr@v3:si, k@n"trQv@si/ (n)
public discussion and argument
about sth that many people strongly
disagree about, disapprove of, or
are shocked by ◆ There was a lot of
controversy among members of the
committee over the building of the
new highway. 䊳 controversial (adj),
controversially (adv)

6.233 extinction /Ik"stINkSn/ (n)

situation in which a plant, an
animal, a way of life etc. stops
existing ◆ Some scientists suggest
that a comet hit the earth millions of
years ago and caused the extinction
of dinosaurs. 䊳 extinct (adj)

6.234 plight /plaIt/ (n)

difficult and sad situation ◆ You
couldn’t help but sympathise with
the old woman’s plight, terribly
poor and all alone in the world.

6.235 lynx /lINks/ (n)

wild animal of the cat family, with
spots on its fur and a very short tail

6.236 deplete /dI"pli:t/ (v)

reduce sth by a large amount so that
there is not enough left ◆ The war
between the neighbouring countries
meant that basic food supplies were
quickly depleted. 䊳 depletion (n)

6.237 con man /"kQn %m&n/ (n)

man who tricks others into giving
him money, etc.

6.238 track and field event

/%tr&k @n "fi:ld I%vent/ (n)
sport that people compete in, such
as running and jumping

6.239 orchid /"O:kId/ (n)

exotic plant with brightly-coloured
flowers of unusual shapes

10 CAE Result © Oxford University Press