IELTS Graduation, Unit 8, Reading

Organic architecture
organic connected with living things
man [uncountable] humans as a group or from a particular period of history
the damage caused by man to the environment
early/modern/Prehistoric man
organic adj [usually before noun] (of food, farming methods, etc.) produced or practised
without using artificial chemicals
organic cheese/vegetables/wine, etc.
an organic farmer/gardener organic farming/horticulture
talisman an object that is thought to have magic powers and to bring good luck / ba,
ph (vt c cho l em li may mn)
ward sb/sth off to protect or defend yourself against danger, illness, attack, etc.
to ward off criticism
She put up her hands to ward him off.
evil [countable, usually plural] a bad or harmful thing; the bad effect of something
the evils of drugs/alcohol social evils
mass-produced adj produced in large quantities, using machinery
mass-produced goods
unsettling adj making you feel upset, nervous or worried
Seeing Nicky again after so long was an unsettling experience.
The countrys economic crisis had an unsettling effect on world markets.
A
organic connected with living things
loose adj not exact; not very careful
a loose translation loose thinking
term [countable] a word or phrase used as the name of something, especially one
connected with a particular type of language
a technical/legal/scientific, etc. term a term of abuse
yet conjunction despite what has just been said
SYNONYM NEVERTHELESS
It's a small car, yet it's surprisingly spacious.
He has a good job, and yet he never seems to have any money.
convey to make ideas, feelings, etc. known to somebody
SYNONYM COMMUNICATE
convey something Colours like red convey a sense of energy and strength.
convey something to somebody (formal) Please convey my apologies to your
wife.
 convey how, what, etc He tried desperately to convey how urgent the situation
was.
convey that She did not wish to convey that they were all at fault.
stand [intransitive] + adv./prep. to be in a particular place
The castle stands on the site of an ancient battlefield.
An old oak tree once stood here.
conjure to make something appear by magic, or as if by magic
In an instant, the magician had conjured (up) a dove from his hat.
somehow adv (also North American English, informal someway, someways) in a way
that is not known or certain
We must stop him from seeing her somehow.
Somehow or other I must get a new job.
belong [intransitive] + adv./prep. to be in the right or suitable place
Where do these plates belong (= where are they kept)?
Are you sure these documents belong together?
Several of the points you raise do not belong in this discussion.
classical adj connected with or influenced by the culture of ancient Greece and Rome
classical studies a classical scholar (= an expert in Latin and Greek)
temple a building used for the worship of a god or gods, especially in religions other than
Christianity
the Temple of Diana at Ephesus
a Buddhist/Hindu/Sikh temple
make a play for sth to try to obtain something; to do things that are intended to produce
a particular result
She was making a play for the sales manager's job.
employ something (formal) to use something such as a skill, method, etc. for a particular
purpose
He criticized the repressive methods employed by the country's government.
The police had to employ force to enter the building.
geometry an arrangement of objects or parts that suggests geometric figures
the geometry of neoclassical architecture
have (got) something, nothing, a lot, etc . to do with sth/sb used to talk about how
much somebody/something is connected with somebody/something
Her job has something to do with computers.
How much do you earn? What's it got to do with you?
Euclid (c.300 BC), Greek mathematician. His great work Elements of Geometry, which
covered plane geometry, the theory of numbers, irrationals, and solid geometry, was the
standard work until other kinds of geometry were discovered in the 19th century.
perfection the state of being perfectphysical perfection
The fish was cooked to perfection.
 The novel achieves a perfection of form that is quite new.
B
extreme adj not ordinary or usual; serious or severe
Children will be removed from their parents only in extreme circumstances.
Don't go doing anything extreme like leaving the country.
project something [transitive, usually passive] project something to plan an activity, a
project etc. for a time in the future
The next edition of the book is projected for publication in March.
The projected housing development will go ahead next year.
sinew [countable, uncountable] a strong band of tissue in the body that joins a muscle to
a bone / gn
tendril a thin curling stem that grows from a climbing plant. A plant uses tendrils to
attach itself to a wall or other support. / (thc vt hc) tua (ca cy leo)
shoot the part that grows up from the ground when a plant starts to grow; a new part that
grows on plants or trees / cnh non; chi cy
new green shoots bamboo shoots
shape [transitive] to make something into a particular shape
shape A into B Shape the dough into a ball.
shape something This tool is used for shaping wood.
shaggy adj having or covered with long, rough, and untidy hair, or (of hair) long,
rough, and untidy / x x, dy v ln xn; bm xm
a shaggy dog the shaggy coat of a sheep
a shaggy rug
influential adj having a lot of influence on somebody/something
a highly influential book
influential in something She is one of the most influential figures in local
politics.
influential in doing something The committee was influential in formulating
government policy on employment.
legacy money or property that is given to you by somebody when they die / di sn
SYNONYM INHERITANCE
They each received a legacy of $5000.
depth [countable, usually plural] the deepest, most extreme or serious part of something
the depths of the ocean
to live in the depths of the country (= a long way from a town)
fit [intransitive, transitive] (not used in the progressive tenses) to agree with, match or be
suitable for something; to make something do this
Something doesn't quite fit here.
fit into something His pictures don't fit into any category.
fit something The facts certainly fit your theory.
 fit something to something We should fit the punishment to the crime.
gridiron something consisting of or covered with a network
a gridiron of streets
organic connected with living things
school [countable] a group of writers, artists, etc. whose style of work or opinions have
been influenced by the same person or ideas
the Dutch school of painting
craftsman (also craftsperson) a skilled person, especially one who makes beautiful
things by hand
rugs handmade by local craftsmen
It is clearly the work of a master craftsman.
being [countable] a living creature
human beings
a strange being from another planet
best the highest standard that somebody/something can reach
She always brings out the best in people.
I don't really feel at my best today.
haunting adj beautiful, sad or frightening in a way that cannot be forgotten
a haunting melody/experience/image
indeed adv (formal, especially British English) used to add information to a statement
I don't mind at all. Indeed, I would be delighted to help.
C
sense [countable] a feeling about something important
He felt an overwhelming sense of loss.
a strong sense of purpose/identity/duty, etc.
in terms of sth, in terms used to show what aspect of a subject you are talking about
or how you are thinking about it
The job is great in terms of salary, but it has its disadvantages.
In practical terms this law may be difficult to enforce.
individualistic adj (also individualist) different from other people or things; doing
things in your own way
His music is highly individualistic and may not appeal to everyone.
highly adv very
highly successful/skilled/intelligent highly competitive/critical/sensitive
It is highly unlikely that she'll be late.
hold sb/sth back to prevent the progress or development of somebody/something
Do you think that mixed-ability classes hold back the better students?
We are determined that nothing should hold back the peace talks.
precedent [uncountable] the way that things have always been done
SYNONYM TRADITION
 to break with precedent (= to do something in a different way)
convention [countable, uncountable] a traditional method or style in literature, art or the
theatre
the conventions of Greek tragedy
emotional adj causing people to feel strong emotions
SYNONYM EMOTIVE emotional language
abortion and other emotional issues
postmodernism a style and movement in art, architecture, literature, etc. in the late 20th
century that reacts against modern styles, for example by mixing features from traditional
and modern styles
cynical adj believing that people only do things to help themselves rather than for good
or honest reasons / hoi nghi, ym th
Do you have to be so cynical about everything?
a cynical view/smile
clever adj showing intelligence or skill, for example in the design of an object, in an idea
or somebodys actions
a clever little gadget What a clever idea!
That wasn't very clever (= what you just did wasn't sensible), was it?
knowing adj [usually before noun] showing that you know or understand about
something that is supposed to be secret
a knowing smile
The man at reception gave her the key with a knowing look.
the reverse [singular] the opposite of what has just been mentioned
This problem is the reverse of the previous one.
Although I expected to enjoy living in the country, in fact the reverse is true.
innocence the quality of not having much experience of life and not knowing about
the bad things that happen in life / s gin d, s mc mc (vn)
She has a child-like innocence which I find very appealing.
waters [plural] murky, uncharted, stormy, dangerous, etc. water used to describe a
situation, usually one that is difficult, dangerous or not familiar
The conversation got into the murky waters of jealousy and relationships.
The government has warned of stormy waters ahead.
I was going into uncharted waters.
D
veer [intransitive] + adv./prep. (of a conversation or way of behaving or thinking) to
change in the way it develops
The debate veered away from the main topic of discussion.
His emotions veered between fear and anger.
eccentric adj considered by other people to be strange or unusual / lp d, k cc, qui g
ccentric behaviour/clothes an eccentric aunt
 proudly adv (literary) in a way that is large and impressive
The Matterhorn rose proudly in the background.
magnificent adj extremely attractive and impressive; deserving praise
SYNONYM SPLENDID
The Taj Mahal is a magnificent building.
She looked magnificent in her wedding dress.
fraternity [uncountable] (formal) a feeling of friendship and support that exists between
the members of a group
the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity
loose adj not strictly organized or controlled
a loose alliance/coalition/federation
a loose association of artists, writers and composers
likeable adj (also likable North American English, British English) pleasant and easy to
like / d thng, ng yu
a very likeable man
Shes warm, friendly and likeable.
curious (that) strange and unusual
There was a curious mixture of people in the audience.
It was a curious feeling, as though we were floating on air.
It was curious that she didn't tell anyone.
ecological adj connected with the relation of plants and living creatures to each other and
to their environment
We risk upsetting the ecological balance of the area.
an ecological disaster (= one that alters the whole balance of ecology in an area)
blossom [intransitive] to become more healthy, confident or successful
She has visibly blossomed over the last few months.
blossom into something Their friendship blossomed into love.
wilt (something) if a plant or flower wilts, or something wilts it, it bends towards the
ground because of the heat or a lack of water
Synonym droop
Casa Mila
Casa Mila now a museum and is open to the public for viewing and tours.
E
truly adv used to emphasize a particular quality
a truly memorable occasion
a truly magnificent performance
quarry [countable] a place where large amounts of stone, etc. are dug out of the ground /
ni khai thc , m
a slate quarry the site of a disused quarry
yet conjunction despite what has just been said
 SYNONYM NEVERTHELESS
It's a small car, yet it's surprisingly spacious.
He has a good job, and yet he never seems to have any money.
far from sth/far from doing sth almost the opposite of something or of what is expected
It is far from clear (= it is not clear) what he intends to do.
Computers, far from destroying jobs, can create employment.
heap (of something) an untidy pile of something
The building was reduced to a heap of rubble.
a compost heap His clothes lay in a heap on the floor.
brilliantly adv in a very impressive or skilful way
to play/perform brilliantly
a brilliantly simple idea
resolve something/itself to find an acceptable solution to a problem or difficulty
SYNONYM SETTLE
to resolve an issue/a dispute/a conflict/a crisis
Attempts are being made to resolve the problem of security in schools.
resolve sth/resolve sth into sth to separate or to be separated into its parts
to resolve a complex argument into its basic elements
palazzo an impressive public building or private residence; palace
sinuous adj (literary) turning while moving, in an elegant way; having many curves /
ngon ngoo, khc khuu, quanh co, un khc
a sinuous movement
the sinuous grace of a cat the sinuous course of the river
group [transitive, intransitive] to gather into a group; to make somebody/something form
a group
group somebody/something/yourself (round/around
somebody/something) The children grouped themselves around their teacher.
group round/around somebody/something We all grouped around the tree for
a photograph.
group (somebody/something) together The colleges grouped together to offer a
wider range of courses.
courtyard (also court) an open space that is partly or completely surrounded by
buildings and is usually part of a castle, a large house, etc
.the central/inner courtyard
light something lit or lighted, lit or lighted [transitive, usually passive] to give light to
something or to a place
The stage was lit by bright spotlights.
well/badly lit streets the lighted windows of the house
moulding (especially US English molding) a decorative strip of plastic, stone, wood, etc.
around the top edge of a wall, on a door, etc. / ng g; ng ch ( tng, ct...)
 There were elaborate plaster mouldings around the ceiling.
jut to stick out further than the surrounding surface, objects, etc.; to make something
stick out
SYNONYM PROTRUDE, PROJECT
jut (out) (from, into, over, etc. something) A row of small windows jutted out
from the roof.
jut something (out) She jutted her chin out stubbornly.
beneath prep (formal) in or to a lower position than somebody/something; under
somebody/something
They found the body buried beneath a pile of leaves.
The boat sank beneath the waves.
come to life to start to act or move as if alive
In my dream all my toys came to life.
F
extraordinary adj not normal or ordinary; greater or better than usual
an extraordinary achievement
She was a truly extraordinary woman.
ever adv used for emphasis when you are comparing things
It was raining harder than ever.
It's my best ever score.
devout adj (of a person) believing strongly in a particular religion and obeying its laws
and practices
a devout Christian/Muslim
ascetic adj [usually before noun] not allowing yourself physical pleasures, especially for
religious reasons; related to a simple and strict way of living / kh hnh
The monks lived a very ascetic life.
Living hidden away in the mountains suited his ascetic character.
take [transitive] (not used in the progressive tenses) to consider somebody/something to
be somebody/something, especially when you are wrong
take somebody/something for somebody/something Even the experts took the
painting for a genuine Van Gogh.
take somebody/something to be somebody/something I took the man with him
to be his father.
tramp (also hobo) [countable] a person with no home or job who travels from place to
place, usually asking people in the street for food or money
An old tramp was sitting on a bench.
admit somebody to/into a hospital, an institution, etc. [transitive, often passive]
(formal) to take somebody to a hospital, or other institution where they can receive
special care
Two crash victims were admitted to the local hospital.
fatally adv in a way that causes or ends in death
fatally injured/wounded
knock sb over/down to hit somebody and make them fall to the ground
She was knocked down by a bus.
He knocked his opponent down three times in the first round.
tram (also tramcar)(both British English) (US English streetcar, trolley) a vehicle
driven by electricity, that runs on rails along the streets of a town and carries passengers
a tram route
ponder (formal) to think about something carefully for a period of time
SYNONYM CONSIDER
ponder (about/on/over something) She pondered over his words.
ponder something The senator pondered the question for a moment.
ponder whether, what, etc They are pondering whether the money could be
better used elsewhere.
+ speech I wonder why, she pondered aloud.
masterpiece (also masterwork) a work of art such as a painting, film/movie, book, etc.
that is an excellent, or the best, example of the artists work
The museum houses several of his Cubist masterpieces
Her work is a masterpiece of (= an excellent example of) simplicity.
cathedral the main church of a district, under the care of a bishop (= a priest of high
rank)
St Pauls Cathedral (British English) a cathedral city
Sagrada Familia Barcelona, Spain
sacred adj connected with God or a god; considered to be holy
a sacred image/shrine/temple sacred music
Cows are sacred to Hindus.
individualistic adj (also individualist) different from other people or things; doing
things in your own way
His music is highly individualistic and may not appeal to everyone.
reconcile something (with something) to find an acceptable way of dealing with two or
more ideas, needs, etc. that seem to be opposed to each other / iu ho, lm cho ho hp,
lm cho nht tr
an attempt to reconcile the need for industrial development with concern for the
environment
It was hard to reconcile his career ambitions with the needs of his children.
truly adv used to emphasize a particular quality
a truly memorable occasion
a truly magnificent performance
remarkable adj unusual or surprising in a way that causes people to take notice
SYNONYM ASTONISHING
 a remarkable achievement/career/talent
remarkable for something The area is remarkable for its scenery.
remarkable that It is remarkable that nobody noticed sooner.
wilful adj (usually North American English willful) (disapproving) determined to do
what you want; not caring about what other people want / cng c, bng, ngang ngnh,
ngoan c
SYNONYM HEADSTRONG
a wilful child
gratuitous adj (disapproving) done without any good reason or purpose and often having
harmful effects / khng c l do, v c, vu v
SYNONYM UNNECESSARY gratuitous violence on television
It was a completely gratuitous insult which the singers agent was forced to
apologize for.
kitsch [uncountable] (disapproving) works of art or objects that are popular but that are
considered to have no real artistic value and to be lacking in good taste, for example
because they are sentimental / vt ho nhong, nhng khng c gi tr thc s
sink PAST TENSE sank /sk/sunk /sk/ , PAST PARTICIPLE sunk /sk/
demanding adj (of a person) expecting a lot of work or attention from others; not easily
satisfied
a demanding boss/child
My grandma became very demanding as she got older.
alternative adj [only before noun] different from the usual or traditional way in which
something is done
alternative comedy/lifestyles/values
alternative energy (= electricity or power that is produced using the energy from
the sun, wind, water, etc.)
obvious (to somebody) (that) easy to see or understand
SYNONYM CLEAR
It was obvious to everyone that the child had been badly treated.
It's obvious from what she said that something is wrong.
follower someone who supports, admires, or believes in a particular person, group,
or idea
a follower of Jesus
followers of the Dalai Lama/Buddhism
competent adj having enough skill or knowledge to do something well or to the
necessary standard
Make sure the firm is competent to carry out the work.
He's very competent in his work.
Opposite incompetent
 take a risk/take risks to do something even though you know that something bad could
happen as a result
That's a risk I'm not prepared to take.
You have no right to take risks with other people's lives.
Sydney Opera House
G

fair adj acceptable and appropriate in a particular situation

a fair deal/wage/price/question
fair to somebody (to do something) Was it really fair to him to ask him to do all
the work?
fair on somebody (to do something) It's not fair on the students to keep
changing the timetable.
fair to do something It's only fair to add that they were not told about the
problem until the last minute.
fair that It seems only fair that they should give us something in return.
memorable (for something) special, good or unusual and therefore worth remembering
or easy to remember
SYNONYM UNFORGETTABLE a truly memorable occasion
The city is memorable for its fantastic beaches.
in truth (formal) used to emphasize the true facts about a situation
She laughed and chatted but was, in truth, not having much fun.
brilliant adj extremely clever or impressive
What a brilliant idea!
a brilliant performance/invention
frustrating adj causing you to feel annoyed and impatient because you cannot do or
achieve what you want
It's frustrating to have to wait so long.
The frustrating thing is, they probably wont even be in when we get there.
doubt to feel uncertain about something; to feel that something is not true, will probably
not happen, etc.
doubt something There seems no reason to doubt her story.
doubt (that) I never doubted (that) she would come.
doubt whether, if, etc I doubt whether/if the new one will be any better.
thrill a strong feeling of excitement or pleasure; an experience that gives you this feeling
thrill (to do something) It gave me a big thrill to meet my favourite author in
person.
thrill (of doing something) the thrill of catching a really big fish
roofline the uppermost edge or outline of a roof
shell [countable, uncountable] the hard outer part of eggs, nuts, some seeds and some
animals
We collected shells on the beach. snail shells walnut shells
earrings made out of coconut shell
shell [countable] any object that looks like the shell of a snail or sea creature
pasta shells
remarkable adj unusual or surprising in a way that causes people to take notice
SYNONYM ASTONISHING
a remarkable achievement/career/talent
remarkable for something The area is remarkable for its scenery.
remarkable that It is remarkable that nobody noticed sooner.
beak the hard pointed or curved outer part of a birds mouth
SYNONYM BILL
The gull held the fish in its beak.
gull (also seagull) bird with long wings and usually white and grey or black feathers that
lives near the sea. There are several types of gull. / mng bin
a black-headed gull
Hundreds of gulls were circling overhead.
fin a thin flat part that sticks out from the body of a fish, used for swimming and keeping
balance
wimple a head covering made of cloth folded around the head and neck, worn by women
in the Middle Ages and now by some nuns
wimple a ripple, as on the surface of water.
ripple a small wave on the surface of a liquid, especially water in a lake, etc.
The air was so still that there was hardly a ripple on the pond's surface.
largely adv to a great extent; mostly or mainly
the manager who is largely responsible for the teams victory
It was largely a matter of trial and error.
structural engineer a person whose job is to plan large buildings, bridges, etc.
interior [countable, usually singular] the inside part of something
the interior of a building/a car
The original interior of the hotel has been replaced.
Opposite exterior
pedestrian adj [only before noun] used by or for the use of pedestrians; connected
with pedestrians
pedestrian areas
Pedestrian accidents are down by 5%.
thrill a strong feeling of excitement or pleasure; an experience that gives you this feeling
thrill (to do something) It gave me a big thrill to meet my favourite author in
person.
 thrill (of doing something) the thrill of catching a really big fish
haul [usually singular] the distance covered in a particular journey
They began the long slow haul to the summit.
Our camp is only a short haul from here.
lobby [countable] a large area inside the entrance of a public building where people can
meet and wait
SYNONYM FOYER a hotel lobby
auditorium (pl. auditoriums, auditoria) the part of a theatre, concert hall, etc. in which
the audience sits
Danish adj from or connected with Denmark
genius [uncountable] unusually great intelligence, skill or artistic ability
the genius of Shakespeare a statesman of genius
go along to continue with an activity
He made up the story as he went along.
mostly adv mainly; generally
The sauce is mostly cream.
We're mostly out on Sundays.
inventive adj (especially of people) able to think of new and interesting ideas
SYNONYM IMAGINATIVE
She has a highly inventive mind.
marriage C a combination of two or more things
His music is a marriage of jazz, blues, and pop.
intriguing adj very interesting because of being unusual or not having an obvious
answer
These discoveries raise intriguing questions.an intriguing possibility
He found her intriguing.
experimentation [uncountable] (formal) the activity or process of experimenting
experimentation with new teaching methods
Many people object to experimentation on embryos.