UNIT 1

project confidence (phr)

to show self-assurance
Speaking louder and more clearly will help you project confidence when talking at a
conference.

fulfil your potential (phr)

to achieve as much as your natural ability makes possible
Steve was able to fulfil his potential and become a great scientist with the help and
support of his teachers, who recognised his intelligence.

achieve a goal (phr)

to succeed in doing sth
He’s practising hard to achieve his goal of becoming a successful musician.

live a full life (phr)

to enjoy doing a lot of things
Even though my grandmother is 80 years old, she still lives a full life doing most of the
things she did as a young woman.

inspire people to be better (phr)

to influence people to become better
A good teacher inspires students to be better and improve their academic performance.

find your calling (phr)

to discover your chosen profession or career
After volunteering at an animal shelter, Jane found her calling and decided to become a
vet.

chase your dreams (phr)

to try hard to achieve your goals
The young chef chased his dreams and succeeded in opening his own restaurant.

grab an opportunity (phr)

to take advantage of a favourable chance
Rita grabbed the opportunity to show her talent as an actress when she was offered a role
in the play.

devoted (adj)
very caring
Lena is a devoted nurse, who works hard to look after her patients.

take into consideration (phr)

to take into account; to think about sth before making a final decision
Teachers should take into consideration the needs of students in order to be effective.

genetic disorder (n)

an illness or disability caused by defective or mutated genes
Down’s syndrome is a common genetic disorder which involves the chromosomes.

teasing (n)
mocking
Jason loves teasing his younger sister and making fun of her.

caretaker (n)
sb who cleans and maintains a building
As the caretaker of the fitness centre, Harry makes sure the building is clean and safe.

resist (v)
to refuse to do sth
Teenagers may find it difficult to resist peer pressure and agree to do what their friends
suggest even if it's dangerous.

persist (v)
to keep doing sth
If you persist in your efforts at school, you will pass your exams.

calculate (v)
to determine a number or an amount from information that you already have
We calculated the cost of buying a house to see if we could afford it.

connection (n)
a relationship
Farmers have a close connection with nature and understand the importance of protecting
it.

occur (v)
to happen
Researchers have found that pandemics occur about three times every 100 years.

severe (adj)
serious; very bad
William had to lie down because he was suffering from severe back pain.

focus on (sth) (phr v)

to give a lot of attention to sth
You need to focus on revising for the test, instead of playing computer games.
gain (v)
to obtain or achieve sth
After receiving cochlear implants at the age of four, William gained the ability to hear for
the first time.

approach (v)
to go to sb and speak to them
He found it difficult to approach his manager to ask for a pay rise.

motivational (adj)
inspirational; encouraging
John’s life experience has led him to become an inspiring motivational speaker, who helps
people overcome their difficulties.

countless (adj)
numerous; very many
There are countless new words to remember when learning a foreign language.

capable (of sth) (adj)

able to do sth
Karen is capable of doing many tasks at the same time.

adore (v)
to love or like sb very much
Tom adores his grandmother because she is always so nice to him!

prize (v)
to consider sth very important or valuable
Mr Lane prizes his stamp collection more than anything else he owns.

idolise (v)
to admire and love sb greatly
Football fans idolise the captain of the team because he scores the most goals in every
match.

honour (v)
to show your respect to sb
They honoured the brilliant scientist by awarding him the Nobel Prize.

manage (to do sth) (v)

to succeed in doing sth
I managed to finish all the work before I left the office.

achieve (sth) (v)

to accomplish sth
He has achieved great success as an actor and has won many awards.

succeed (in doing sth) (v)

to get the desired results by doing sth
Albert succeeded in passing his driving test on his first attempt.

fulfil (sth) (v)

to make sth come true
Jane fulfilled her ambition to become a teacher, and now works in a primary school.

condition (n)
the state of sth
Jenny does yoga every morning to keep her body in good condition.

situation (n)
the condition in which sb finds themselves
He was in a very difficult financial situation when he lost his job.

position (n)
the place where sb or sth is
The position of the windows in the house face north, in order to make the most of the sun
and natural light.

state (n)
the condition that sb or sth is in
The house was in a terrible state after the burglary.

possibility (n)
the chance for sth to happen
Don't forget your umbrella because there is a strong possibility of heavy rain tonight.

potential (n)
sb's natural ability to succeed
He has great potential and his teachers are sure that he will succeed in life.

probability (n)
likelihood
There is a high probability that Paul will get the promotion because of his hard work.

prospect (n)
the possibility that sth might happen
Mary was thrilled at the prospect of being sent to Rome on business.

give out (phr v)

to give sth to a lot of people; to distribute sth
Charity workers gave out food and clothing to poor families.

give up (phr v)
to stop making an effort; to quit
Don't give up! Carry on trying and I'm sure you'll succeed!

hang out (phr v)

to spend a lot of time somewhere or with sb
I usually hang out with my friends in the park after school.

hang in (phr)
to not give up despite difficulties
Hang in there Kate, you've nearly reached the top of the mountain!

keep (sth) up (phr v)

to continue doing sth good
Keep up the good work, Jane, and you will surely get a promotion!

keep on (phr v)
to continue (doing sth)
She kept on working even though she was tired.

start (sb) off (phr v)

to help sb begin doing sth
Harry's parents started him off in his business by giving him the necessary capital.

start on (sth) (phr v)

to begin dealing with sth
I started on my history project the day after our teacher had assigned it.

stir (sth) in (phr v)

to add sth to sth else and mix them
He doesn't like black coffee, so he stirred in two teaspoons of sugar.

stir (sth) up (phr v)

to cause problems, trouble, etc
Ben loves to stir up trouble in the office by spreading rumours and gossiping about his
colleagues.

work out (phr v)

to exercise.
work on (sth) (phr v)
to spend time improving sth
Ballerinas constantly need to work on their technique and posture.
UNIT 2

black hole (n)

an area in space where gravity is so strong that nothing, even light, can escape from it
The gravitational force of a black hole is so powerful that not even particles of light can
escape from it.
the Big Bang (n)
the huge explosion that is believed by scientists to have created the universe
Numerous stars were born after the Big Bang.
full moon (n)
the time when the Moon is at its fullest
During a full moon, we can see the whole side of the Moon that is facing the Earth.
gas giant (n)
a large planet mainly consisting of hydrogen and helium, such as Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus
and Neptune
If we could go to a gas giant, such as Jupiter, it would be impossible to walk on its suface
as it consists of gases.
meteor shower (n)
a number of meteors producing a bright light and moving at high
speeds across the sky at night
A meteor shower is a beautiful astronomical phenomenon which lights up the night sky.
Milky Way (n)
our galaxy
There are millions of stars in our galaxy, which is called the Milky Way.
shooting star (n)
a star that moves quickly across the sky
People like making a wish when they see a shooting star in the night sky.
total eclipse (n)
the phenomenon of the whole disc of the Sun or Moon being completely hidden
In prehistoric times, when people witnessed a total eclipse and saw the Sun gradually
disappearing behind the Moon, they thought it was a supernatural phenomenon.
in orbit (phr)
(of a planet) circling another planet
The planets in our solar system are in orbit round the Sun.
debris (n)
pieces of sth that has been destroyed
After the building was demolished, there was a lot of debris on the site.
credit (n)
praise
They were given credit for their good work.
streak (v)
to move somewhere very quickly
We saw a comet streaking arcoss the night sky without the help of a telescope.
hemisphere (n)
each of the two halves of the Earth
Europe is in the northern hemisphere, while Australia is in the southern hemisphere.
constellation (n)
a group of stars forming a pattern
Ursa Major is a constellation of stars that forms the shape of a bear.
invisibility (n)
the state of being impossible to be seen
Harry Potter was given an invisibility cloak, and nobody could see him when he wore it.
gaze (n)
looking at sth steadily for a long time
The lion watched its prey with a steady gaze for over ten minutes before attacking it.
boast (v)
to talk proudly about sb/sth
Mary is always boasting about how successful she is.
sacrifice (n)
the act of killing sb as an offering to a god
In the past, people would kill an animal as a sacrifice in order to appease an angry god.
celestial body (n)
a natural object in space, such as a planet or star
The nearest celestial body to the Earth is the Moon.
harvest (v)
to pick and collect crops
Amy and her sisters help to harvest the crops on their family's farm.
infancy (n)
the early stages of life; babyhood
Children are totally dependent on their parents during infancy, as they are unable to look
after themselves.
approach (v)
to get closer to sb/sth
The sheep started to run away when some wolves approached them.
lie (v)
to exist in a place
The UK is a country that lies in the North Atlantic Ocean.
fearsome (adj)
frightening
Sharks are fearsome marine animals and people are very scared of them.
spy (v)
to happen to see sb/sth
Kate spied a stray dog on her way to the shops and stopped to help it.
anger (v)
to make sb very angry
Tom angered his parents when he came home late.
by heart (phr)
from memory
In the USA, students have to learn all the names of the presidents by heart.
conflict (n)
a serious disagreement between two or more people
Conflicts between colleagues have led to bitter quarrels.
fitting (adj)
appropriate; suitable
It was only fitting to award Mother Teresa the Nobel Prize for bringing help to suffering
humanity.
dawn (n)
the time just before the sun starts rising
Sally works the early shift and wakes up at dawn, at around 6 am.
dusk (n)
the time just before night falls, when it is not yet dark
It's such a hot day that I'm waiting until dusk, when it is cooler to go for a walk.
observer (n)
sb who watches sth but does not get involved
The professor went to a conference organised by his students only as an observer and
didn't take part in it.
spectator (n)
sb who watches a sporting event
Football matches attract the most spectators than any other sporting event.
onlooker (n)
an observer
The police prevented onlookers from getting close to the scene of the accident.
viewer (n)
sb who watches TV
Like most young television viewers, David likes to watch cartoons.
site (n)
an important/historic place
We visited several historical sites, such as the Colosseum, when we were on holiday in
Rome.
area (n)
a particular part of a city, town, country, etc
I live in a quiet area of the town where there is little traffic.
location (n)
the place of a building in relation to other places or buildings
Jane asked a passer-by the location of the nearest train station.
position (n)
the place where sth is in relation to other geographical places
When the hiker realised that he was lost, he tried to find his position on his map.
happening (n)
an occasion that has happened
Polly posts on her blog once a week to keep her followers up-to-date with all the
recent happenings in her life.
occurrence (n)
sth that happens often
Earthquakes are an everyday occurrence in some parts of the world.
event (n)
a social gathering
The Olympic Games are a global sporting event with most countries taking part.
incident (n)
sth unusual or serious that happens
The incident I remember clearly from my childhood is when I broke my leg after falling off
a swing.
sign (n)
an indication of sth
The gathering of dark clouds in the sky is a sign that it may rain later.
symbol (n)
an object that represents sth
The three-leaf clover is the national symbol of Ireland.
symptom (n)
evidence of a health problem
A headache and a sore throat are both symptoms of a bad cold.
signal (n)
an action, sound, etc that sends a message
The sinking ship sent out an SOS signal in the hope of getting help.
point out (phr v)
to show where sth is
I showed my new friends a world map and pointed out the country where I was born.
point up (phr v)
to clearly show that sth is important
The environmental research pointed up the most serious problems that our planet is
facing.
blast out (phr v)
(of loud noise, music, etc) to be heard
During the party, music blasted out all night annoying the neighbours.
blast off (phr v)
(of a rocket) to leave the ground
A rocket is scheduled to blast off from Cape Canaveral on Monday to take astronauts to
the space station.
give away (phr v)
to give sth you possess to sb else
The radio station is giving away free concert tickets to listeners.
give off (phr v)
to emit sth
Stephen Hawking, the famous physicist, discovered that black holes give off radiation.
narrow down (phr v)
to reduce the number of possibilities or choices
There were about forty applicants for the job, but the interviewer was able to narrow
down the number to five as the most suitable candidates.
heat up (phr v)
to become very hot
Our tent had heated up during the day and it was so hot inside that it was impossible to
sleep in it.
heat through (phr v)
to reheat cooked food
It is important to heat through pre-cooked frozen meals so that the middle part is at the
right temperature.
UNIT 3

casual (adj)
(of clothes) not formal
I prefer wearing casual clothes, and I wear jeans most of the time.
baggy (adj)
(of clothes) loose-fitting
Skaters wear baggy trousers so that they can skateboard more comfortably.
flowery (adj)
(of a cloth pattern) having flowers
Jane is wearing a flowery skirt that has a lovely, tulip pattern on it.
loose (adj)
(of clothes) large; not fitting tightly
I always wear loose clothes in my yoga class so that I can move comfortably.
plain (adj)
(of clothes) not decorated or elaborate
I need a plain white shirt to wear to work.
scruffy (adj)
(of clothes) old and dirty
The poor old woman wore a scruffy old coat.
tight (adj)
(of clothes) fitting the body very closely
In the past, women wore tight corsets around their bodies, which were uncomfortable and
made it difficult for them to breathe.
second-hand (adj)
not new; owned before
I bought a second-hand silk blouse, which was in a good condition and cost half the price
of a new one.
classic (adj)
(of clothes) traditional, simple and not influenced by fashion trends
My aunt is not very old, but she prefers wearing classic clothes which are not very
fashionable.
fast fashion (adj)
producing fashionable clothes very fast and at a low cost
The fast fashion industry is booming because it is able to manufacture clothes at very
reasonable prices.
a pair of denim jeans (phr)
a pair of casual trousers made from a strong, blue, cotton cloth
Most students wear their favouriite pair of denim jeans and a T-shirt to school.
off the rack (phr)
(of clothes) ready-made
You can see people wearing identical clothes because they are bought off the rack.
developing country (phr)
a country with little industry and, usually, low incomes
Many people living in developing countries survive on less than one dollar day.
fashion industry (n)
businesses manufacturing clothes
She is a clothes designer and has worked in the fashion industry for years.
in stock (phr)
available for sale
The shop has the latest trainers in stock and people are flocking to buy them.
cotton (n)
a soft white substance used to make thread and fabrics
Light clothing made of cotton is ideal for the hot, summer months.
designer clothing (n)
expensive fashionable clothes made by a famous designer
Jenny spends a lot of money on clothes because she only wears designer clothing.
wardrobe (n)
a cupboard where we hang and store our clothes
I have a wardrobe in my room where I keep all my clothes.
textile fibre (n)
each of the threads that make up a fabric
The fashion designer prefers to use materials for her creations that are made from
natural textile fibres, because they are environmentally friendly.
co-own (v)
to be the owner of a business, etc together with one or more other people
My parents are their own bosses because they co-own a small business.
garment (n)
a piece of clothing
All garments made of silk should always be dry-cleaned and not washed.
stylish (adj)
fashionable; trendy
Susan wore a stylish outfit to the wedding, and was by far the best-dressed woman that
day.
sewing (n)
the activity of making or mending clothes using a needle and thread
Linda, who makes many of her own clothes, enjoys sewing as a hobby.
knitting (n)
the activity of making clothes using needles and wool
My mother loves knitting; she made me a woollen scarf last week!
crocheting (n)
the activity of making cloth by using a needle with a small hook at the end and
cotton/woollen thread
My grandmother loves crocheting and has made many beautiful, light, cotton jumpers for
me.
sustainable (adj)
not causing damage to the environment
Cycling is a one of the most sustainable forms of transport.
thrifty (adj)
using money carefully; not wasteful
James loves travelling, but he is a thrifty traveller and only stays at cheap hotels.
fashionista (n)
sb who always follows the latest fashions
My friend is a fashionista and never wears last year's fashions.
irreparable (adj)
not able to be fixed
As I was ironing my silk shirt, I burnt a big hole in it and there is nothing I can do to repair
it; it's irreparable.
support (v)
to show sb approval and encouragement
Most of the residents of the city support the proposal for traffic-free streets.
waste (n)
the careless use of sth
It's a waste to leave the tap running when you're not using the water.
research (n)
a careful study to discover facts
Mark is doing research on the Internet for his school project.
point out (phr v)
to mention sth
During his lecture, the environmentalist pointed out that we must take urgent measures to
prevent the total destruction of the environment.
low (adj)
little; not significant
Cheap clothes are usually made of low quality materials.
from scratch (phr)
from the very beginning
We never order pizzas because my mum can make them from scratch.
focus (on sth) (phr v)
to give a lot of attention to sth
Jane's mum thinks that her daughter focuses on her appearance more than she should.
last (v)
(of an item) to continue to exist for a period of time
Canned food can last for months and still be safe to eat.
cruel (adj)
causing suffering
I think that hunting animals as a sport is cruel.
encourage (v)
to make sb feel that they want to do sth
Ted was encouraged by his parents to study acting because they believed he was very
talented.
perform (v)
to do; to carry out an action
My new laptop is programmed to perform various tasks simply by pressing a few keys.
exercise (v)
to use sth (e.g. a right, awareness, power, etc)
Users should exercise caution when surfing the Net, and not reveal personal details.
train (v)
to practise an activity to become better at it
The football players train together every afternoon in order to become a better team.
rehearse (v)
to practice a play, a concert, etc in order to be ready for the public performance
The orchestra rehearsed for many weeks before it was ready to give the concert.
mend (v)
to fix or repair sth
Peter was a cobbler and could mend shoes that had holes in them.
patch (v)
to cover a hole in clothes, etc by sewing a piece of cloth on it
I tore a hole in my jeans and had to patch it so that it didn't show.
restore (v)
to return sth to its previous good condition
Big Ben was recently restored to its former glory, and now looks better than ever.
renovate (v)
to repair and improve sth and get it back in its good condition again
They renovated the school during the summer holidays, and now it looks like a new
building.
impression (n)
sb's feelings and opinions about sb/sth
Harry made a good impression on the interviewer and was hired for the job.
impact (on sth) (n)
the result of an action on sth
Pollution has had a major negative impact on the environment.
effect (n)
a change caused by sth
Plants and trees have a positive effect on our health because they produce oxygen for us to
breathe.
influence (n)
the power to cause sb to change how they behave, think, etc
Her sister's influence has made me dress more stylishly.
consequence (n)
sth that happens as a result of sth else
As a consequence of mass production, clothes can be bought very cheaply these days.
outcome (n)
a result
At this stage, it’s impossible to predict the outcome of the competition.
conclusion (n)
an opinion or judgement reached after consideration
After much thought, she came to the conclusion that she would start buying clothes made
in her country.
decision (n)
a choice you make after thinking about or discussing sth
The local government has made the decision to organise a recycling programme.
try on (phr v)
to put on a piece of clothing to see if it fits you or if you like it before buying it
You can try on the jacket and use the mirror to see if it suits you.
try out (phr v)
to test sth to see if it works or is suitable
He took the car on a test drive to try it out.
take in (phr v)
to make clothes smaller
Ted has lost a lot of weight, and now he has to take in his jeans because they are too big
for him.
take off (phr v)
to remove sth that you are wearing
I'll take off my jumper now; it's warm in here.
wear away (phr v)
to cause sth to disintegrate slowly because it is used a lot
The footsteps of thousands of visitors have worn away the steps leading to the monument.
wear out (phr v)
to use sth until it is no longer in good condition
The runner wears out his trainers very quickly because he trains every day.
button up (phr v)
to join the two sides of a garment by fastening its buttons
It was a very cold and windy day, so I buttoned up my coat before going outside to keep
myself as warm as possible.
button down (phr v)
to fasten sth down with buttons to secure it (e.g. collar)
Peter buttoned down his collar to keep it in place.
hang out (phr v)
to spend a lot of time somewhere or with sb
Julie hangs out with her friends in the park after school.
hang up (phr v)
to suspend clothes on a hook or hanger
Tony is so untidy; he never hangs up his clothes in the wardrobe but leaves them lying
around in his room.