Inside reading/speakout

Question 1

Endure

Answer 1

To suffer something difficult, unpleasant, or painfull:

We had to endure a nine-hour delay at the airport.

Question 2

Carve

verb

Answer 2

To make something by cutting into especially wood or stone, or to cut into the surface of stone, wood, etc.:
-this totem pole is carved from/out of a single tree trunk.

To cut thin pieces from a large piece of cooked meat

Question 3

Endure

Answer 3

We had to endure a nine-hour delay at the airport.

Question 4

Rough

not even or smooth, often because of being in bad condition:

Answer 4

It was a rough mountain road, full of stones and huge holes.

Question 5

Emerges

to appear by coming out of something or out from behind something:

Answer 5

She emerged from the sea, blue with cold.

Question 6

Sprawl

(especially of a city) to cover a large area of land with buildings, especially gradually over a period of time:

Answer 6

The refugee camps sprawl across the landscape.

Question 7

Appliance

a device, machine, or piece of equipment, especially an electrical one that is used in the house, such as a cooker or washing machine:

Answer 7

We recommend that an engineer services your gas appliance annually.

Question 8

Ranches

a very large farm on which animals are kept, especially in North and South America:

Answer 8

He went to work on a ranch.

Question 9

Contradictory

If two or more facts, pieces of advice, etc. are contradictory, they are very different from each other

Answer 9

I keep getting contradictory advice - some people tell me to keep it warm and some tell me to put ice on it

Question 10

Prominent

prominent adjective (FAMOUS)

very well known and important

Answer 10

The government should be playing a more prominent role in promoting human rights.

Question 11

Segment

one of the smaller groups or amounts that a larger group or amount can be divided into

Answer 11

People over the age of 85 make up the fastest-growing segment of the population

Question 12

Owe

owe verb [T] (HAVE DEBTS)

to need to pay or give something to someone because they have lent money to you, or in exchange for something they have done for you

Answer 12

I owe you a drink for helping me move.

I think you owe (= should give) me an explanation/apology.

Question 13

Patriotism

the feeling of loving your country more than any others and being proud of it

Answer 13

Nevertheless, the extent of this princely patriotism varied.

Question 14

Instinctive=inborn

Instinctive behaviour or reactions are not thought about, planned, or developed by training:

Answer 14

My instinctive reaction was to walk away to avoid an argument

Question 15

Substantiate

to show something to be true, or to support a claim with facts

Answer 15

We have evidence to substantiate the allegations against him.

Question 16

Tails

tail noun [C] (PERSON FOLLOWING)

informal
someone who follows another person to discover where that person goes, what they do, etc.

Answer 16

That car has been tailing me for the last ten minutes

Question 17

Dismiss

dismiss verb (NOT TAKE SERIOUSLY)

to decide that something or someone is not important and not worth considering

Answer 17

Let’s not just dismiss the idea before we’ve even thought about it.

Question 18

Contradict

(of people) to say the opposite of what someone else has said, or (of one fact or statement) to be so different from another fact or statement that one of them must be wrong

Answer 18

If you’re both going to lie, at least stick to the same story and don’t contradict each other!

Question 19

Plot

plot noun [C] (STORY)

the story of a book, film, play, etc.

Answer 19

The plots of his books are basically all the same.

Question 20

Generate

generate verb [T] (CREATE)

to cause something to exist

Answer 20

Her latest film has generated a lot of interest/excitement.

The new development will generate 1,500 new jobs.

Question 21

Subtle

not loud, bright, noticeable, or obvious in any way

small but important

achieved in a quiet way that does not attract attention to itself and is therefore good or clever:

Answer 21

The play’s message is perhaps too subtle to be understood by young children.

There is a subtle difference between these two plans.

a subtle plan/suggestion

Question 22

Subsidized
adjective (UK also subsidised)

relating to a cost, etc. that is partly paid for by the government or an organization:

Answer 22

a subsidized company/industry
subsidized childcare/insurance/housing These families don’t qualify for publicly subsidized housing, but can’t afford market-rate homes.

Question 23

Perceive

perceive verb [T] (BELIEVE)

to come to an opinion about something, or have a belief about something:

Answer 23

How do the French perceive the British?

Women’s magazines are often perceived to be superficial.

Question 24

Lifespan

the length of time for which a person, animal, or thing exists

Answer 24

The average human lifespan in the developed countries has increased over the last hundred years.

Question 25

Struggle

struggle verb (EFFORT)

to experience difficulty and make a very great effort in order to do something

to be in danger of failing or being defeated:

to fight, especially with your hands

to use a lot of effort to defeat someone, prevent something, or achieve something

Answer 25

I’ve been struggling to understand this article all afternoon.
Fish struggle for survival when the water level drops in the lake.

Question 26

Exiled

sent away from your own country, town, etc., especially for political reasons:

Answer 26

The exiled minister is now living in India.

Question 27

draft noun (MILITARY)

the system of ordering people by law to join the armed forces:

Answer 27

He avoided the draft because of a foot injury.

Question 28

Incline

incline verb (FEEL)

to (make someone) feel something or want to do something:

Answer 28

The prime minister is believed to be inclining towards an April election.

Question 29

Reluctant

not willing to do something and therefore slow to do it:

Answer 29

Many parents feel reluctant to talk openly with their children

Question 30

Intrigue

to interest someone a lot, especially by being strange, unusual, or mysterious:

Answer 30

I was intrigued by his slow, deliberate way of talking and the serious look in his eyes.

Question 31

Plain

plain adjective (WITH NOTHING ADDED)

not decorated in any way; with nothing added:

Answer 31

She wore a plain black dress.
We’ve chosen a plain carpet (= one without a pattern) and patterned curtains.
He prefers plain food - nothing too

It’s quite plain that they don’t want to speak to us.
The reason is perfectly plain.

Question 32

Intuitive

based on feelings rather than facts or proof:

able to know or understand something because of feelings rather than facts or proof:

Answer 32

an intuitive approach/judgment

Most people have an intuitive sense of right and wrong.

Question 33

Companion

a person you spend a lot of time with often because you are friends or because you are travelling together:

Answer 33

The dog has been her constant companion these past ten years.

Question 34

Let up

phrasal verb with let verb

(IMPROVE)

If bad weather or an unpleasant situation lets up, it stops or improves:

(STOP)

to stop doing something that you have been doing continuously or in a determined way:

Answer 34

When the rain lets up we’ll go for a walk.

Question 35

Eavesdrop

to listen to someone’s private conversation without them knowing:

Answer 35

He was eavesdropping on our conversation.

Question 36

Rusty

rusty adjective (NEEDING PRACTICE)
If a skill you had is rusty, it is not as good as it was because you have not practised it:

(of the surface of something made of iron or steel) covered with a red-brown substance that formed as a result of decay caused by reacting with air and water:

Answer 36

My Italian is a bit rusty these days.

My old bicycle was so rusty that the gears had frozen.

Question 37

enunciate verb (PRONOUNCE)
to pronounce words or parts of words clearly:

enunciate verb (EXPLAIN)

to express and explain a plan or principle clearly or formally:

Answer 37

He doesn’t enunciate (his words) very clearly.

In the speech, the leader enunciated his party’s proposals for tax reform.