phone 18

Question 1

drape

Answer 1

to put something such as cloth or a piece of clothing loosely over something:
He draped his jacket over the back of the chair and sat down to eat.

2. to hang or cover with something loosely and often in a decorative way:
   She draped a warm scarf around her shoulders.

Question 2

burgeoning

Answer 2

developing quickly:
The company hoped to profit from the burgeoning communications industry.

Question 3

conducive

Answer 3

providing the right conditions for something good to happen or exist:
Such a noisy environment was not conducive to a good night’s sleep.
A quiet room is a more conducive atmosphere for studying.

Question 4

purported

Answer 4

that has been stated to be true or to have happened, although this may not be the case:
A recent study into the purported health benefits of the drink was not conclusive.

claimed but not proved to be true:
[ + to infinitive ] The new brand of potato chips is purported to be lower in cholesterol, fat, and calories.

to pretend to be or to do something, especially in a way that is not easy to believe:
They purport to represent the wishes of the majority of parents at the school.
The study purports to show an increase in the incidence of the disease.
The tape recording purports to be of a conversation between the princess and a secret admirer.

Question 5

porous

Answer 5

Something that is porous has many small holes, so liquid or air can pass through, especially slowly:
porous soil with good drainage
porous brick walls
a porous polymer membrane

not protected enough to stop people going through:
The border in this region is porous and many refugees have simply walked across.

Question 6

foam

Answer 6

a mass of very small bubbles formed on the surface of a liquid

a substance like cream that is filled with bubbles of air:
shaving foam
a flame-smothering chemical foam

Question 7

degradation

Answer 7

the process in which the beauty or quality of something is destroyed or spoiled:
environmental degradation