Book 10 Test 1 Section 1 Reading Vocabulary

Archaeological   (adjective)

Connected with the study of cultures of the past and of periods of history by examining the remains of buildings and objects found in the ground

·         There were fourteen persons, busy in their archaeological activities

Bygone   (Adjective)

Happening or existing a long time                                                               

·         The family story was that, in bygone days, he had been a rich farmer in Australia.

·         The horse and cart belongs to a bygone era.

Colonnade   noun

A row of stone columns with equal spaces between them, usually supporting a roof

·         the oldest Greek temple whose colonnade still stands

Crater   noun

A large hole in the top of a volcano

A large hole in the ground caused by the explosion of a bomb or by something large hitting it

·         A meteorite crater

Descend   (Verb)

 To come or go down from a higher to a lower level

·         The plane began to descend.

·         The results, ranked in descending order (= from the highest to the lowest) are as follows…descend something 

·         She descended the stairs slowly.opposite ascend

To slope downwards

·         At this point the path descends steeply.opposite ascend

Draught   noun

A flow of cool air in a room or other confined space

There's a draught in here.

A cold draught of air blew in from the open window.

One continuous action of swallowing liquid; the amount swallowed

He took a deep draught of his beer.

Medicine in a liquid form

a sleeping draught

Embellish   (verb)                                                                                                               Synonym: Decorate

Embellish something to make something more beautiful by adding decorations to

·         The huge carved door was embellished with brass door knockers.

Embellish something to make a story more interesting by adding details that are not always truesynonym embroiderHis account of his travels was embellished with details of famous people he met.

Far-flung   adjective

A long distance away

Expeditions to the far-flung corners of the world

Spread over a wide area

A newsletter that helps to keep all our far-flung graduates in touch

Flock   noun                                                                                                         Synonym: Herd

Flock (of something) a group of sheep, goats or birds of the same type

Flock (of somebody) a large group of people, especially of the same type

A flock of children/reporters

They came in flocks to see the procession.

Fundamental   adjective                                                                                   Synonym: Basic

Serious and very important; affecting the most central and important parts of something

·         There is a fundamental difference between the two points of view.

Heyday   noun

The time when somebody/something had most power or success, or was most popular

·         In its heyday, the company ran trains every fifteen minutes.

·         a fine example from the heyday of Italian cinemaa picture of Brigitte Bardot in her heyday

Ingenuity   (noun)                                                                                               Synonym: Inventiveness  

The ability to invent things or solve problems in clever new ways

·         The problem tested the ingenuity of even the most imaginative students.

Intricate   (adjective)

Having a lot of different parts and small details that fit together

·         Intricate patternsan intricate network of loyalties and relationships

Millennium   noun

A period of  1000 years, especially as calculated before or after the birth of Christ

·         the second millennium ADFor millennia, it was accepted that the earth was at the centre of the universe.

Monument   noun

Monument (to somebody/something) a building, column, statue, etc. built to remind people of a famous person or event

·         A monument to him was erected in St Paul's Cathedral.

Ornate   adjective

Covered with a lot of decoration, especially when this involves very small or complicated designs

·         a mirror in an ornate gold frameThis style is a little too ornate for my taste.

Overlook   (verb)                                                                                                Synonym: Turn a Blind Eye: Miss

Overlook something to fail to see or notice something

synonym miss

·         He seems to have overlooked one important fact.In my hurry to finish the exam I had overlooked part of one of the questions.

Overlook something to see something wrong or bad but decide to ignore its

ynonym turn a blind eyeWe could not afford to overlook such a serious offence.He’s so friendly people are prepared to overlook his faults.

Overlook something if a building, etc. overlooks a place, you can see that place from the building

a restaurant overlooking the lakeOur back yard is overlooked by several houses.

Overlook somebody (for something) to not consider somebody for a job or position, even though they might be suitablesynonym pass overShe's been overlooked for promotion several times.

Pave   verb

Pave something (with something) to cover a surface with flat stones or bricks

·         A paved area near the back door

Pristine   (adjective )                                                            Synonym: Immaculate

Fresh and clean, as if new

·         The car is in pristine condition.

·         a pristine white tablecloth

Not developed or changed in any way; left in its original condition

·         Pristine, pollution-free beaches

Recede   (verb)

To move gradually away from somebody or away from a previous position

·         The sound of the truck receded into the distance.

·         She watched his receding figure.

 (Especially of a problem, feeling or quality) to become gradually weaker or smaller

·         The prospect of bankruptcy has now receded.

·         The pain was receding slightly.

To stop growing at the front of the head

·         a middle-aged man with receding hair/a receding hairline

·         A recede chin a chin that slopes backwards towards the neck

Relentless   (adjective)                                                                                                       Synonym: Unrelenting

Not stopping or getting less strong                                  

·         Her relentless pursuit of perfection

·         The sun was relentless.

Refusing to give up or be less strict or severea

·         Relentless enemy

Spectacular   (adjective)                                                                                   Synonym: Breathtaking

Very impressive - Spectacular scenery

·         Messi scored a spectacular goal.

·         It was a spectacular achievement on their part.

Stepwell  

Old Constructed Well

·         Stepwells are the main attraction of India for loads of tourists

·         Stepwells are only found in India                     

Strike   verb

Strike somebody/something (formal) to hit somebody/something hard or with force

·         The ship struck a rock.

·         The child ran into the road and was struck by a car.

Undergone ( verb)

Undergo something to experience something, especially a change or something unpleasant

To undergo tests/trials/repairs

·         My mother underwent major surgery last year.

·         Some children undergo a complete transformation when they become teenagers.

·         The drug is currently undergoing trials in America.

Utilitarian   (adjective)

Designed to be useful and practical rather than attractive

·         Her clothes were utilitarian, unlike the elaborate dresses the other girls were wearing.

·         The old hospital was demolished in 1911 and replaced with a much more utilitarian building.

 Reference: Oxford Advanced Learner Dictionary

URL: http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/