ACADEMIC WORDS – SUBLIST 8d

WORD DEFINITION EXAMPLES

ambiguous (adj.) unclear, confusing, or not certain, especially  The results of the experiments were
because it can be understood in more than ambiguous and they will have to be
one way done again.

chart (n.) (v.) information that is clearly arranged in the  This chart shows last year's sales
form of a simple picture, set of figures, figures.
graph, etc., or a piece of paper with this
information on it
 Scientists have been charting
to record information about a situation or
temperature changes in the oceans.
set of events over a period of time, in order
to see how it changes or develops
contradict (v.) to disagree with something, especially by  Recent experiments seem to
saying that the opposite is true contradict earlier results.

displace (v.) to take the place or position of something or  Coal has been displaced by natural gas
someone as a major source of energy.

to make a group of people or animals have
to leave the place where they normally live
guideline (n.) rules or instructions about the best way to
do something
inspect (v.) to examine something carefully in order to
find out more about it or to find out what is
wrong with it
paragraph (n.) part of a piece of writing which starts on a
new line and contains at least one sentence
random (adj.) happening or chosen without any definite
plan, aim, or pattern
 Fifty thousand people have been
displaced by the fighting.
 This chapter gives you some guidelines
to help you in your work.
 I got out of the car to inspect the
damage.
 The length of a paragraph depends on
the information it conveys.
 They were asked to memorize a
random sequence of numbers.

terminate (v.) If something terminates, or if you terminate  Their three-year partnership was
it, it ends. terminated.

virtual (adj.) very nearly a particular thing  He claimed to be a virtual prisoner in

his own home.
generated by a computer to simulate real
objects and activities  The website allows you to take a
virtual tour of the art gallery.

8d-A. Complete the sentences using the words in the box.

chart contradict displaced ambiguous random

paragraph guidelines virtual terminated inspect

1. If you look at the _______________, you will see that sales have increased slightly in the past 3 months.
2. Cuts to the health budget seem to _______________ the premier's promise to improve health care in our
province.
3. My daughter has a computer program with a/an _______________ pet cat that she feeds and plays with.
1
 4. The ending of the movie was totally _______________. I guess we have to decide for ourselves what really
happened.
5. You must follow the _______________ for essay writing to ensure your essay has the proper format.
6. Before you begin painting, you should _______________ the walls to see if there are any holes that need to
be filled.
7. Your _______________ should have a good topic sentence.
8. Olympic athletes are subject to _______________ drug testing.
9. The newly hired secretary had her contract _______________ after she was discovered stealing money from
the coffee fund.
10. Hundreds of people and their homes were _______________ to make way for the new highway.

8d-B. Complete the sentences using the words in the box.

random inspected contradict paragraph guidelines
terminate chart virtual displaced ambiguous
1. His
answer to our question was somewhat _______________, so I don't really know what he's going to do.
2. The results of his experiment seem to _______________ the findings of earlier studies.
3. We are doing a reading course at school that lets us _______________ our progress.
4. Dating, mating and the sexual act are all governed by rules and _______________ which are specific to a
given culture.
5. Tourism has _______________ fishing as this province's principal source of revenue.
6. Summarize the main idea of each _______________ in your own words.
7. The young woman decided to _______________ her pregnancy when she realized that her boyfriend had no
intention of helping her raise the child.
8. Restaurants must be _______________ on a regular basis to ensure standards of cleanliness are met.
9. A big shopping mall is a/an _______________ heaven for my teenage daughter.
10. Some psychologists believe that dreaming is simply a consequence of _______________ activity in the brain.

8d-C. Complete the sentences using the words in the box.

contradicted randomly guideline displaced virtually

ambiguity termination inspection uncharted paragraphs

1. No evidence was found at first, but upon closer _______________, the detective was able to find a drop of
blood on the floor near the door.
2. The marks on the prisoner's body _______________ government claims that he had died of natural causes.
3. Politics is the art of _______________: you must say something in such a way that it can be interpreted to
mean almost anything.
4. Five children were injured at a school when a gunman entered the building and started _______________
shooting at people.
5. The UN will have to deal with the thousands of people who have been _______________ by the war.
6. Religion has been present in _______________ every society since the beginning of time.
7. You have too many different ideas here. You should break this into a couple of _______________.
8. The latest attack has resulted in the _______________ of peace talks for the foreseeable future.
9. Captain Cook sailed through _______________ territory and made maps that continue to be used up to this
day.
10. The chart on weight and height is only meant to be a/an _______________ to determine if you may be
overweight. Consult your doctor before deciding whether or not you need to be on a diet.

8d-D. Complete the sentences using the words in the box.

virtually contradict guidelines ambiguity charting

displaced paragraphing inspection random terminated

2
 1. Captain James Cook refined his navigational skills while __________ the coasts of Newfoundland and
Labrador from 1763 to 1767.
2. Over 2000 years ago, Socrates complained, "Children today are tyrants. They __________ their parents,
gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers."
3. It is __________ impossible to get tickets for the concert now; they were all sold out within hours.
4. There is always a certain degree of __________ in language, which can be difficult for language learners to
accept.
5. Clearer __________ on defining what is to be considered organic food will help consumers make informed
choices.
6. Her angry remark __________ the discussion.
7. An essential aspect of __________ samples is that the population must be explicitly defined or identified.
8. As male buffalo get older and are __________ by new dominant males, they leave the herd and live on their
own.
9. A firefighter came to our office to do a/an __________ for fire safety.
10. This writing course will focus on spelling, punctuation, and __________.

8d-E. Complete the sentences using the words in the box.

inspections terminate contradict random ambiguous

virtually paragraph guidelines chart displaces

1. The definition of a hate crime is somewhat __________, which makes it extremely difficult to enforce the
law.
2. William James once remarked that there is only one thing a philosopher can be relied upon to do, and that is
to __________ other philosophers.
3. Archimedes discovered that one could determine the purity of gold in part by measuring the amount of
water it __________ because this factor depends on mass not weight.
4. If you gaze at the night sky, you will see thousands of stars scattered in __________ groups.
5. Make sure you indent at the beginning of each __________.
6. There is little crime in the country of Liechtenstein, and unemployment is __________ non-existent.
7. These are not strict rules. They are merely some suggested __________ which we believe will prove helpful.
8. The recent collapse of the highway bridge shows that annual __________ are insufficient for these aging
structures.
9. We tried to illustrate the statistics with a/an __________.
10. Because you are a probationary employee, the company has the right to __________ your contract at any
time.

ANSWER KEY

8d-A 1.chart 2.contradict 3.virtual 4.ambiguous 5.guidelines 6.inspect 7.paragraph 8.random 9.terminated
10.displaced

8d-B 1.ambiguous 2.contradict 3.chart 4.guidelines 5.displaced 6.paragraph 7.terminate 8.inspected 9.virtual
10.random

8d-C. 1.inspection 2.contradicted 3.ambiguity 4.randomly 5.displaced 6.virtually 7.paragraphs 8.termination

9.uncharted 10.guideline

8d-D. 1.charting 2.contradict 3.virtually 4.ambiguity 5.guidelines 6.terminated 7.random 8.displaced

9.inspection 10.paragraphing

3
8d-E. 1.ambiguous 2.contradict 3.displaces 4.random 5.paragraph 6.virtually 7.guidelines 8.inspections 9.chart
10.terminate

ACADEMIC WORDS – SUBLIST 8e

WORD DEFINITION EXAMPLES

append (v.) to add something to a piece of writing  The results of the client survey are
appended to this document.
clarify (v.) to make something clearer or easier to  A bank spokesperson was unable to
understand clarify the situation.

crucial (adj.) something that is crucial is extremely  The city of Mycenae played a crucial
important, because everything else depends role in the history of Greece.
on it
drama (n.) a serious play for the theatre, television, or  He studied English and Drama at
radio Manchester University.

highlight (v.) to make a problem or subject easy to notice  The report highlighted the need for
so that people pay attention to it prison reform.
intense (adj.) having a very strong effect or felt very  Young people today are under intense
strongly pressure to succeed.
plus (pre.) (n.) used to show that one number or amount is  The total cost was $10,000, plus 14%
added to another interest.
 Some knowledge of Spanish is a
something that is an advantage definite plus in this job.
reinforce (v.) to give support to an opinion, idea, or  Huge beams have been added at the
feeling, and make it stronger top of the walls to reinforce the carved
medieval roof.
theme (n.) the main subject or idea in a piece of writing,  The book’s theme is the conflict
speech, film, etc. between love and duty.

visual (adj.) relating to seeing  Teachers have been using visual aids in
the classroom for decades.

8e-A. Complete the sentences using the words in the box.

appended crucial reinforce highlight clarify

intense theme visual drama plus

1. This government needs to _______________ its position on the issue, as no one is quite sure what they
intend.
2. It is _______________ that you get regular exercise if you want to lose weight.
3. The cost is $5, _______________ $0.85 in tax.
4. Firefighters had difficulty approaching the burning building due to the _______________ heat.
5. Standing at the top of the Eiffel Tower and looking out over the city in the evening was the
_______________ of my visit to Paris.
6. She is studying the _______________ arts; painting, drawing, and that sort of thing at college.
7. The director's name is _______________ to all official documents.

4
 8. The United Nation's choice of Canada as one of the best countries in the world to live in has
_______________ this country's good reputation abroad.
9. The main _______________ of the novel is the importance of love in human relationships.
10. She studied _______________ in high school and hopes to go into acting.

8e-B. Complete the sentences using the words in the box.

highlighted visually clarify intense reinforces

crucial theme dramatically plus appended

1. Let me _______________ what I meant by putting it another way.

2. The media often _______________ stereotypes regarding minorities.
3. The number of young people starting smoking dropped _______________ when the government raised
taxes on cigarettes by over 10%.
4. There are over 20 pages of grammar notes _______________ to the dictionary.
5. The twin attributes of language and culture have been _______________ in enabling the human species to
adapt to a wide range of conditions and environments.
6. Four people have died in the _______________ cold which has hit Southern Ontario and Quebec this past
weekend.
7. Peace is the dominant _______________ in Islam; peace with Allah, with one's soul, with family and friends,
and with all living creatures.
8. The ability to speak a foreign language is a real _______________ in today's job market.
9. Crocodiles and alligators sometimes communicate _______________ through body language.
10. The opposition leader's speech _______________ the need for an increase in health care spending in our
province.

8e-C. Complete the sentences using the words in the box.

clarification crucial reinforcements intensify highlight

plus appendix visualizing dramatic thematic

1. We will need some _______________ from the head office before we can sign the contract.
2. Of the million-_______________ species of insects on Earth, 3,000 of them are mosquitoes.
3. You will find information on some of the sources for this book in _______________ four.
4. Because of the sun's _______________, and the long periods of sunshine year round, vegetable crops in
Tibet grow to enormous sizes.
5. Please choose three new words in the newspaper article, and _______________ them in yellow.
6. The navy of Singapore plays a/an _______________ role in the defense of that nation because it is
surrounded by the sea.
7. The government has sent out troops to try to prevent _______________ from reaching the rebel camp.
8. In a/an _______________ rescue today, the Coast Guard saved over 20 sailors from a freighter sinking off
the coast of Newfoundland.
9. Imagine yourself holding the first prize trophy in your hands. By _______________ winning, you will become
a more confident player.
10. The photographs have been organized into _______________ groups, such as animals, love, and
transportation.

8e-D. Complete the sentences using the words in the box.

visualizing reinforces intensively thematic dramatic

plus crucial highlighted appending clarifying

1. The reunion between the two brothers who hadn't seen each other for 20 years was a really __________
moment.

5
 2. __________ your goals and dreams can help you to make them come true.
3. According to Jean Piaget, it is a child's interaction with peers that provides the social experiences
__________ for the development of morality.
4. We had to fit 5 kids, __________ all their hockey gear into the van.
5. We were able to avoid a complete rewrite of the text by __________ a number of updates to the final
chapter.
6. Following the study, researchers conducted face-to-face interviews with each of the subjects, asking
__________ questions and recording their answers on videotape.
7. I have __________ any experience that I consider to be pertinent to the job on all the resume’s we have
received.
8. Legalizing prostitution __________ the notion that women's bodies are simply items that can be bought and
sold, like cigarettes or a pair of shoes.
9. Traditionally, the Chinese agricultural strategy was to apply human labour __________ to the lands which
would yield the greatest return.
10. A/An __________ map clearly illustrated the unequal distribution of wealth in the country.

8e-E. Complete the sentences using the words in the box.

reinforces highlights visual dramatic plus

intensification crucial theme clarify appendages

1. An improvement in the economic future of the lower class is __________ if the country wants to avoid a civil
war.
2. Certain kinds of starfish have as many as fifty __________.
3. The discovery of oil in the 1950s had a/an __________ effect on the Libyan economy and society.
4. A popular __________ in Karen's artwork has always been the relationship between mothers and daughters.
5. This job requires the proper education, __________ at least three years' experience.
6. I don't quite understand what you mean. Can you __________ that last point for me?
7. With the growth of a city, __________ occurs naturally as more people and functions crowd together and
mutually support one another.
8. The colour combination with the strongest __________ impact is black on yellow.
9. We missed seeing the final of the World Cup, but caught the __________ on the news.
10. Emile Durkheim suggested that religion creates and __________ social solidarity.

ANSWER KEY

8e-A. 1.clarify 2.crucial 3.plus 4.intense 5.highlight 6.visual 7.appended 8.reinforced 9.theme 10.drama

8e-B. 1.clarify 2.reinforces 3.dramatically 4.appended 5.crucial 6.intense 7.theme 8.plus 9.visually
10.highlighted

8e-C. 1.clarification 2.plus 3.appendix 4.intensity 5.highlight 6.crucial 7.reinforcements 8.dramatic 9.visualizing
10.thematic

8e-D. 1.dramatic 2.visualizing 3.crucial 4.plus 5.appending 6.clarifying 7.highlighted 8.reinforces 9.intensively
10.thematic

8e-E. 1.crucial 2.appendages 3.dramatic 4.theme 5.plus 6.clarify 7.intensification 8.visual 9.highlights
10.reinforces

6
ACADEMIC WORDS – SUBLIST 8f

WORD DEFINITION EXAMPLES

appreciate (v.) to understand how useful or important  He did not fully appreciate the
someone or something is significance of signing the contract.

to gradually become more valuable over a  Most investments are expected to

period of time appreciate at a steady rate.
commodity (n.) a product that is bought and sold  Crude oil is the world’s most important
commodity.
currency (n.) the system or type of money that a country  The euro is the single currency for 12
uses of the European Union’s 15 member
states.
eventual (adj.) happening at the end of a long period of  Many believe that war will be the
time or after a lot of other things have eventual outcome of the tension in the
happened country.
implicit (adj.) suggested or understood without being  His statement is being seen as implicit
stated directly criticism of the work of research
laboratories.
implicit in forming a central part of something, but
without being openly stated  Implicit in the article is the message
that single mothers are responsible for
poverty.
manipulate (v.) to work skilfully with people, information, or  You can integrate text with graphics
systems, etc. to achieve the result that you and manipulate graphic images.
want
practitioner (n.) someone who regularly does a particular  In 1967, Phil Boardman was an early
activity practitioner of this dangerous
specialty.
restore (v.) to make something return to its former state  The government promises to restore
or condition the economy to full strength.
thereby (adv.) with the result that something else happens  He became a citizen in 1978, thereby
gaining the right to vote.
widespread (adj.) existing or happening in many places or  The storm caused widespread damage.
situations, or among many people

8f-A. Complete the sentences using the words in the box.

commodity thereby restoring currency appreciate

widespread practitioners manipulated eventual implicit

1. Coffee is the world trading system's second most valuable legal _______________ after oil.
7
 2. He made his fortune _______________ old character houses and then selling them at a huge profit.
3. The Japanese monster Godzilla can fly by firing a blast of energy from his mouth, _______________
projecting himself backwards through space.
4. A convention of medical _______________ was held to discuss new developments in the treatment of HIV.
5. Mickey Mouse gained _______________ popularity soon after he appeared in a short cartoon entitled
"Steamboat Willy".
6. The _______________ goal of the recent talks between North and South Korea is the reunification of the
country.
7. European countries now share a common _______________ known as the euro.
8. We have _______________ faith in the doctor's ability to take care of our son.
9. The problem with statistics is that they can often be _______________ in such a way as to support whatever
argument one wants.
10. I really _______________ all the help you've given us.

8f-B. Complete the sentences using the words in the box.

manipulate implicit appreciation currency eventually

widespread thereby practitioners restore commodity

1. A couple of hundred years ago, African slaves were treated as a simple _______________ rather than as
human beings.
2. Eric Clapton has been able to adapt himself to the changing fashions of rock music and _______________
remain consistently popular.
3. There are certain obligations which, although not stated explicitly, are obviously _______________ in the
contract.
4. Sleep functions to _______________ and repair both the body and the brain.
5. The company gave him a large bonus in _______________ for his hard work.
6. According to Time magazine, the Earth's human population is expected to level off _______________,
perhaps at 11 billion sometime in the last half of this century.
7. Studies show that in order to learn new vocabulary, second language students need to _______________
the vocabulary in a variety of ways, such as by relating it to their own lives.
8. _______________ of Buddhism are said to combine total seriousness of purpose with a real sense of fun and
enjoyment.
9. Solid blocks of tea were used as _______________ in Siberia until the 19th century.
10. Spanish accounts from the 1500s described the _______________ use of liquid chocolate among the Maya,
who consumed it with most meals.

8f-C. Complete the sentences using the words in the box.

thereby currency commodity eventually practitioner

implicit appreciable manipulated widespread restoration

1. In the dry country of Botswana, the name of the national _______________, the pula, means "rain."
2. Uruguay has neither coal nor petroleum in _______________ quantities.
3. In 1660, the English parliament called for the _______________ of the monarchy and invited Charles II to
return from France.
4. In modern society, men generally have primary responsibility for _______________ production.
5. His wife works as a massage _______________ in a medical office downtown.
6. Solon, the ruler of Attica (639-559 B.C.), made it illegal to export figs out of Greece, _______________
making sure there were plenty available for his own citizenry.
7. Indonesians traditionally believe that everyone will _______________ get married, so even a 60-year-old
man, when asked if he is married, will answer "Not yet."
8. In 1739, nearly 500,000 people died in Ireland due to the _______________ crop failure of potatoes.
8
 9. Easily _______________ and exploited, children are often forced into serving as soldiers in some countries.
10. _______________ in the government's agreement to reduce taxes for the company is a promise to provide
more jobs for local workers.

8f-D. Complete the sentences using the words in the box.

practitioner eventually thereby currencies widespread

restore appreciating manipulate commodities implicit

1. Scientists working in the battle against cancer are hoping to be able to __________ the DNA of a cancer
sufferer so that the disease kills itself.
2. A proper diet and plenty of rest have helped to __________ her to good health.
3. British Columbia's main __________ are forest products and fish.
4. There has been a/an __________ migration of people to the urban centres of Iraq over the past 50 years.
5. The stars in our sky form from gas in the universe and __________ they grow old and die.
6. Medical __________ reports which are stored on computers are vulnerable to hackers who may want to
steal private information.
7. The huge fast-food chains generally pay their workers low wages, __________ helping to depress wages for
workers in the entire trade.
8. With the economy failing, the shopkeepers would only accept payment in foreign __________.
9. Young children have an unquestioning and __________ faith in their parents' decisions.
10. The values of homes in this neighbourhood have been __________ steadily for about the past 5 years.

8f-E. Complete the sentences using the words in the box.

manipulate practice implicit currency appreciative

widespread eventually thereby restored commodity

1. Reports suggest damage is __________ as a result of the flood.

2. In March 1998, the elected government of Sierra Leone was __________ to power, replacing the military
regime which had taken control in a coup in the previous year.
3. Any aid given to developing countries by the developed nations seems to carry with it a/an __________
agreement that the developed country will get something in return.
4. My cousin just opened a dental __________ here in town.
5. Liechtenstein does not have its own __________, but uses the Swiss franc.
6. Predators have a beneficial effect on the health of their prey, in that they often eat the old or diseased
animals, __________ keeping the species strong.
7. Psychologists describe thinking as a set of processes used to __________ knowledge, ideas, and images.
8. The stocks were once a much-desired __________, but have since lost over 70% of their original value.
9. This disease will probably kill me __________, but it's not going to keep me from living in the meantime.
10. George W. Crane once suggested that __________ words are the most powerful force for good on earth.

ANSWER KEY

8f-A. 1.commodity 2.restoring 3.thereby 4.practitioners 5.widespread 6.eventual 7.currency 8.implicit

9.manipulated 10.appreciate

8f-B. 1.commodity 2.thereby 3.implicit 4.restore 5.appreciation 6.eventually 7.manipulate 8.practitioners

9.currency 10.widespread

9
8f-C. 1.currency 2.appreciable 3.restoration 4.commodity 5.practitioner 6.thereby 7.eventually 8.widespread
9.manipulated 10.implicit

8f-D. 1.manipulate 2.restore 3.commodities 4.widespread 5.eventually 6.practitioner 7.thereby 8.currencies

9.implicit 10.appreciating

8f-E. 1.widespread 2.restored 3.implicit 4.practice 5.currency 6.thereby 7.manipulate 8.commodity

9.eventually 10.appreciative

NOUN VERB ADJECTIVE ADVERB

ambiguity ambiguous, ambiguously,
unambiguous unambiguously
appendix, appendage append
appreciation appreciate unappreciated, appreciably
appreciable, appreciative
chart chart uncharted
clarification clarify
commodity, commoditize
commoditization
contradiction contradict contradictory
crucial crucially
currency
displacement displace
drama, dramatization dramatize dramatic dramatically
eventuality eventual eventually
guideline
highlight, highlighter highlight
implicit implicitly
inspection, inspector inspect
intensity, intensification intensify intense, intensive intensely, intensively
manipulation manipulate manipulative manipulatively
paragraph, paragraphing
plus plus
practice, practitioner practice practical practically
random, randomness randomize random randomly
reinforcement reinforce
restoration, restorer restore restorative
termination terminate terminal terminally
theme thematic thematically
thereby
virtual virtually
visualization visualize visual visually
widespread

10