blank. LESSON Food Crops Target Words 1. abandon 6. intensify 2. adversely 7. irrigation 3. aggregate 8. obtain 4. cultivation 9. photosynthesis 5. fertilize 10. precipitation Definitions and Samples 1. abandon v. To leave; to give up To save their lives, the sailors had to abandon the sinking ship. Parts of speech abandonment n 2. adversely adv. In a harmful way; negatively Excessive rainfall early in the spring can adversely affect the planting of crops. Usage tips Adversely is often followed by affect. Parts of speech adversity n, adverse adj 3. aggregate adj. Gathered into or amounting to a whole It is impossible to judge last year’s performance without knowing the aggregate sales numbers. Usage tips Aggregate is often followed by a term like sum, total, or numbers. Parts of speech aggregate v, aggregate n 1 Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Click here for terms of use. 4. cultivation n. Preparing the land to grow crops; improvement for agricultural purposes With the development of land cultivation, hunters and gatherers were able to settle in one place. Parts of speech cultivate v 5. fertilize v. To supply with nourishment for plants by adding helpful substances to the soil This farm fertilizes tomatoes more than any other crop. Parts of speech fertilizer n, fertilization n 6. intensify v. To increase in power; to act with increased strength Jacob’s long absence intensified his certainty that he should marry Rose. Parts of speech intensification n, intense adj 7. irrigation n. The supplying of water to dry land In dry areas of the country, you can see ditches all over the farmland for irrigation. Parts of speech irrigate v 8. obtain v. To gain possession of; to get After a series of difficult interviews, he finally was able to obtain the job. 9. photosynthesis n. The process by which green plants make their own food by combining water, salts, and carbon dioxide in the presence of light. Oxygen is a by-product of the process of photosynthesis. Parts of speech photosynthesize v 10. precipitation n. Water that falls to the Earth’s surface In the Pacific Northwest, the high level of precipitation ensures rich, green plant life. 4 Nature TOEFL Prep I Complete each sentence by filling in the blank with the best word from the list. Change the form of the word if necessary. Use each word only once. abandoned precipitation cultivation fertilize photosynthesis 1. Through __________, green plants create organic materials with the help of chlorophyll. 2. The coastal city gets half of its __________ during the months of January, February, and March. 3. Farmers use various methods of land __________. 4. When they heard the hull crack, all but two of the sailors __________ ship. 5. Inexperienced gardeners may not realize how important it is that they __________ their plants. TOEFL Prep II Find the word or phrase that is closest in meaning to the opposite of each word in the left-hand column. Write the letter in the blank. 1. obtain (a) weaken 2. intensify (b) separate 3. irrigation (c) lose 4. aggregate (d) drainage 5. adversely (e) positively TOEFL Success Read the passage to review the vocabulary you have learned. Answer the questions that follow. In countries like Niger and Mauritania, the cultivation of land has changed little in the past several centuries. Additionally, these countries’ mono-modal rainfall pattern brings precipitation for only three months during the year. As a result, food production doesn’t nearly meet demand. Food Crops 5 Bonus Structure— As a result means “therefore,” “for this reason.” Several agencies and organizations have intensified their efforts to increase the productivity of land in these countries.They have introduced new strains of seed, improved irrigation techniques, and introduced new methods of fertilization and soil management.With ample sunlight for photosynthesis and modern irrigation techniques, sustainable farming techniques should allow farmers to boost aggregate production in order to meet demand. Still, crop revitalization faces an unexpected adversary: institutional incompetence.Where crop specialists have convinced individual farmers to abandon old farming techniques in place of new, they can’t readily obtain the governmental cooperation they need.The biggest hurdles are political corruption, incompetence, and the absence of a marketing infrastructure. 1. In this passage, the word adversary is closest in meaning to a. friend b. helper c. enemy d. leader 2. In the last paragraph, the word they refers to a. crop specialists b. farmers c. farming techniques d. adversaries Lesson 1 Food Crops TOEFL Prep I 1. photosynthesis 2. precipitation 3. cultivation 4. abandoned 5. fertilize TOEFL Prep II 1. c 2. a 3. d 4. b 5. e TOEFL Success 1. c 2. a 6 Nature LESSON Disaster Target Words 1. anticipate 6. flood 2. catastrophic 7. impact 3. collide 8. persevere 4. eruption 9. plunge 5. famine 10. unleash Definitions and Samples 1. anticipate v. To expect; to sense something before it happens By placing sensors in earthquake-prone areas, scientists can anticipate some tremors in time to warn the public. Parts of speech anticipation n, anticipatory adj 2. catastrophic adj. Extremely harmful; causing financial or physical ruin The architect died in a catastrophic elevator accident. Parts of speech catastrophe n, catastrophically adv 3. collide v. To come together with great or violent force As usual, their holiday was ruined when their in-laws’ views on politics collided with their own. Parts of speech collision n 2 Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Click here for terms of use. 4. eruption n. A sudden, often violent, outburst The eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 caused 57 deaths and immeasurable change to the face of the mountain. Usage tips Eruption is often followed by an of phrase. Parts of speech erupt v 5. famine n. Severe hunger; a drastic food shortage The potato famine in Ireland in the mid-nineteenth century caused large numbers of Irish people to emigrate to America. 6. flood n. An overflowing of water; an excessive amount The constant rain and poor drainage system caused a flood in town. The political party sent out a flood of letters criticizing their opponents. Parts of speech flood v 7. impact n. A strong influence The speech about the importance of education made an impact on me. Usage tips Impact is usually followed by on or of. Parts of speech impact v 8. persevere v. To keep going, despite obstacles or discouragement; to maintain a purpose The hikers persevered despite the bad weather and the icy trail. Parts of speech persist v, persistent adj 9. plunge v. To go down suddenly; to decrease by a great amount in a short time He jumped off the diving board and plunged into the pool. The value of the company’s stock plunged after its chief executive was arrested. 8 Nature Usage tips Plunge is often followed by an into phrase. Parts of speech plunge n 10. unleash v. To release a thing or an emotion When they saw the strange man on their property, they unleashed their dogs. He is from such an unemotional family, he will never learn to unleash his feelings. TOEFL Prep I Find the word or phrase that is closest in meaning to the opposite of each word in the left-hand column. Write the letter in the blank. 1. persevere (a) to pass by without hitting 2. anticipate (b) to give up 3. famine (c) to not see something coming 4. collide (d) harmless 5. catastrophic (e) excess of food TOEFL Prep II Circle the word that best completes each sentence. 1. Residents of Hawaii must accept the possibility of a volcanic (eruption / perseverance). 2. Years after the accident, she was finally able to (anticipate / unleash) her feelings of anger. 3. Houses along the river often face (famine / flooding) during the rainy season. 4. Many people think it is cruel to (collide / plunge) live lobsters into boiling water. 5. A well-written essay should make some kind of (catastrophe / impact) on its readers. Disaster 9 TOEFL Success Read the passage to review the vocabulary you have learned. Answer the questions that follow. Nature challenges humans in many ways, through disease, weather, and famine. For those living along the coast, one unusual phenomenon capable of catastrophic destruction is the tsunami (pronounced “tsoo-NAH-mee”). A tsunami is a series of waves generated in a body of water by an impulsive disturbance. Earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, explosions, and even the impact of meteorites can generate tsunamis. Starting at sea, a tsunami slowly approaches land, growing in height and losing energy through bottom friction and turbulence. Still, just like any other water waves, tsunamis unleash tremendous energy as they plunge onto the shore.They have great erosion potential, stripping beaches of sand, undermining trees, and flooding hundreds of meters inland.They can easily crush cars, homes, vegetation, and anything they collide with. To minimize the devastation of a tsunami, scientists are constantly trying to anticipate them more accurately and more quickly. Because many factors come together to produce a life-threatening tsunami, foreseeing them is not easy. Despite this, researchers in meteorology persevere in studying and predicting tsunami behavior. 1. Which sentence best expresses the essential information of this passage? a. Tsunamis could become a new source of usable energy in the next hundred years. b. Tsunamis do more damage to the land than flooding. c. Tsunamis can have an especially catastrophic impact on coastal communities. d. Scientists can predict and track tsunamis with a fair degree of accuracy, reducing their potential impact. 2. In the first sentence, why does the author mention weather? a. because tsunamis are caused by bad weather b. because tsunamis are more destructive than weather phenomena c. as an example of a destructive natural force d. as an introduction to the topic of coastal storms 10 Nature Bonus Structure— Despite this means “even so; regardless.” Lesson 2 Disaster TOEFL Prep I 1. b 2. c 3. e 4. a 5. d TOEFL Prep II 1. eruption 2. unleash 3. flooding 4. plunge 5. impact TOEFL Success 1. c 2. c Disaster 11 LESSON Evolution and Migration Target Words 1. adapt 6. inherent 2. diverse 7. migration 3. evolve 8. physical 4. feature 9. process 5. generation 10. survive Definitions and Samples 1. adapt v. To adjust to the circumstances; to make suitable Dinosaurs could not adapt to the warmer temperatures. The teacher adapted the exercises for his more advanced students. Usage tips Adapt is often followed by to. Parts of speech adaptation n, adapter n, adaptable adj 2. diverse n. Various; showing a lot of differences within a group India is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world. Usage tips An -ly adverb (e.g., linguistically) often comes before diverse. Parts of speech diversify v, diversity n, diversification n 3. evolve v. To develop; to come forth Modern-day sharks evolved from their ancestor Eryops, which lived more than 200 million years ago. 3 Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Click here for terms of use. Usage tips Evolve is often followed by into or from. Parts of speech evolution n, evolutionist n 4. feature n. Part, characteristic The best feature of this car is its heated seats. Usage tips Feature is often followed by of. Parts of speech feature v 5. generation n. A group of people born at about the same time As older managers retired, a new generation of leaders took control of the company. Usage tips Before generation, an adjective like new, next, earlier, or older is common. Generation is often followed by of. Parts of speech generational adj 6. inherent adj. Naturally characteristic; always found within something, because it’s a basic part of that thing No job can be interesting all the time. Boredom is inherent in any kind of work. Usage tips Inherent is often followed by in. Parts of speech inherently adv 7. migration n. Movement from one place to another by a group of people or animals The migration of farm workers from one state to the next depends primarily on the harvest. Usage tips Migration is often followed by to or from. Parts of speech migrate v, migrant n, migratory adj 8. physical adj. Related to the body; related to materials that can be seen or felt Because of the shape of its throat, an ape does not have the physical ability to speak. Evolution and Migration 13 The mountains form a physical barrier between the west and the east. Usage tips Physical usually comes before the noun it describes. Parts of speech physically adv 9. process n. A series of steps leading to a result To get a good job, most people go through a long process of letterwriting and interviews. Usage tips Process is often followed by of plus the -ing form of a verb. Parts of speech proceed v, process v 10. survive v. To continue living (despite some danger or illness) After getting lost in the mountains, Gordon survived by eating wild plants and catching fish. Usage tips Survive is often followed by a phrase with by. Parts of speech survivor n, survival n TOEFL Prep I Find the word or phrase that is closest in meaning to the opposite of each word in the left-hand column. Write the letter in the blank. 1. physical (a) not an integral part 2. migration (b) stay the same 3. adapt (c) die 4. inherent (d) staying in one place 5. survive (e) mental TOEFL Prep II Choose the word from the list that is closest in meaning to the underlined part of each sentence. Write it in the blank. 14 Nature diverse evolved generation process survive _______________1. Various languages are spoken on the Indian subcontinent. _______________2. Making bread involves a sequence of steps that takes about three hours. _______________3. Few sea turtles manage to live through their first year of life. _______________4. This age group tends to support current educational policies. _______________5. Her thinking about economics has changed slowly in the last several months. TOEFL Success Read the passage to review the vocabulary you have learned. Answer the questions that follow. The migration from Asia to North America across the Bering Strait (perhaps by land bridge) was a monumental event in human history.The process of overspreading the Americas took more than 1,000 years, or 30 generations.This might seem to confirm common sense—that slow travel was inherent in any great migration without wheeled vehicles across unknown terrain. Further thought shows that this process was remarkably fast—about 10 northsouth miles per year, on average. The Americas were populated at an astounding pace, when one considers the physical limits of the human body and the physical features of the American continents. Legs of humans can move only so fast under the best of circumstances, and they work even slower over mountain passes or deserts. Populations spread through the diverse regions of the Americas (grasslands, eastern forests, coastal swamps) and needed to adapt to their new environments.The migrants’ lifestyle had evolved over the years to that of professional nomads ensuring that they would find the resources needed to survive. Evolution and Migration 15 Bonus Structure— Further thought means “looking deeper; thinking more.” 1. Which sentence best expresses the essential information in this passage? a. Human migration across the Bering Strait was remarkably slow. b. Physical limitations made migration across the Bering Strait almost impossible. c. Humans readily adapted to life in the Bering Strait. d. The migration through the Americas was surprisingly fast. 2. In this passage, the word monumental is closest in meaning to a. disastrous b. evolving c. important d. physical Lesson 3 Evolution and Migration TOEFL Prep I 1. e 2. d 3. b 4. a 5. c TOEFL Prep II 1. diverse 2. process 3. survive 4. generation 5. evolved TOEFL Success 1. a 2. c 16 Nature LESSON Petroleum Alternatives Target Words 1. constraint 6. emission 2. contamination 7. extinction 3. deplete 8. reservoir 4. dispose of 9. shrink 5. elementally 10. stable Definitions and Samples 1. constraint n. Something that restricts thought or action The constraints of military life kept Eileen from seeing Private Morris more than once a month. Parts of speech constrain v 2. contamination n. Being made less clean by a germ or hazardous substance The contamination in the river came from the factory located just upstream. Parts of speech contaminate v, contaminant n 3. deplete v. To greatly decrease the supply of a resource or material The prolonged war depleted the country’s national treasury. Parts of speech depletion n 4 Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Click here for terms of use. 4. dispose of v. To throw away; to get rid of; to kill She disposed of her unwanted possessions before moving. The tyrant cruelly disposed of all his enemies. Usage tips Dispose of should be learned as a unit. In this meaning, dispose does not occur without of. Parts of speech disposal n, disposable adj 5. elementally adv. In terms of elements; basically Elementally, coal and diamonds are the same. Parts of speech element n, elemental adj 6. emission n. Sending out from a small space into the general environment; a substance discharged into the air The Environmental Protection Agency regulates the emission of pollutants into the air. Usage tips Emission is usually followed by an of phrase. Parts of speech emit v 7. extinction n. Complete disappearance; the end of existence Human beings have caused the extinction of many other species. Usage tips Extinction implies an absolute end; an extinct thing cannot be brought back into existence. Parts of speech extinct adj 8. reservoir n. A place where a liquid is collected and stored Cult members threatened to poison the town’s water reservoir. Parts of speech reserve v 9. shrink v. To become reduced in size, amount, or value If you dry your clothing on the “high heat” setting, they may shrink. Parts of speech shrinkage n, shrinkable adj 18 Nature 10. stable adj. Firm and dependable; showing little change He fell because the ladder wasn’t stable. Parts of speech stability n, stably adv TOEFL Prep I Find the word that is closest in meaning to the opposite of each word in the left-hand column. Write the letter in the blank. 1. stable (a) keep 2. contamination (b) expand 3. extinct (c) unsteady 4. dispose of (d) existing 5. shrink (e) purity TOEFL Prep II Circle the word that best completes each sentence. 1. The (constraints / contamination) of being in prison made her hate society even more. 2. A recognition that the Earth is round was one of the (elemental / shrunken) advances in thought during the time period. 3. Mother Teresa, who helped the poorest of the poor, had a great (disposal / reservoir) of love within her spirit. 4. Automobiles are responsible for some (emissions / extinction) of greenhouse gases. 5. By the end of the storm, the hikers had (depleted / reserved) even their emergency stores. TOEFL Success Read the passage to review the vocabulary you have learned. Answer the question that follows. Human consumption of fossil fuels is expected to fully deplete the Earth’s crude oil reserves by the year 2060.As underground reservoirs of oil continue to shrink, we have no choice but to find alternatives. One promising source, with much cleaner emissions, is called bio-diesel. Bio- Petroleum Alternatives 19 Bonus Structure— One promising source signals the point of this paragraph. diesel is often made from soybean oil, although it can be made from any vegetable oil that is not elementally different from soy. Bio-diesel can even be made from used cooking oils that homes or restaurants would otherwise dispose of. Bio-diesel can be used without constraint in any vehicle that runs on diesel—no modifications are needed. Presently, diesel engines can take up to 20 percent soy in their soy-diesel blend.As the need for bio-diesel increases and the technology improves,we may soon witness the extinction of the fossil-fueled vehicle.This is good news for the planet, as bio-diesel is a more stable source of energy than petroleum, and it reduces contamination of our air and water. An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the three answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. In each blank, write the letter of one of your choices. a. Humans have shown little self-restraint in their consumption of fossil fuels. b. Underground reservoirs of oil will soon be depleted. c. Bio-diesel burns cleaner than fossil fuels. d. Bio-diesel comes from a more stable source than petroleum. e. Restaurants can save disposal fees on used cooking oil. Lesson 4 Petroleum Alternatives TOEFL Prep I 1. c 2. e 3. d 4. a 5. b TOEFL Prep II 1. constraint 2. elemental 3. reservoir 4. emission 5. deplete TOEFL Success a, c, d
Posted on: Wed, 17 Jul 2013 20:27:41 +0000
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