Abortion - noun - A medical operation in which a developing baby is removed from a

woman’s body so that it is not born alive​.

The number of abortions performed each year is dropping.
She had an abortion when she was 15 years old.

Acceptance - noun - General agreement that something is true, reasonable, or cannot be

changed.
There is widespread acceptance of these principles.
Anti-racist policies were gradually gaining acceptance at that time.

Accumulate - verb - To get more and more of something over a period of time.
Over the years, I had accumulated hundreds of books.
Medical evidence for the benefits of the procedure has been accumulating.

Accustomed - adjective - If you are accustomed to something, you have experienced it

often enough for it to seem normal to you.
I've worked nights for years now so I've grown accustomed to it.
She isn't accustomed to dealing with so much media attention.

Ball - verb - To be quick to understand and react to things.

She's over ninety, but she's still on the ball.
When you're at Sants station, you'll need to be on the ball to find the tube.

Basis - noun - A particular method or system used for doing or organizing something.
Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
There is no scientific basis for these claims.

Best - adjective - "Used for referring to the person or thing that is the most satisfactory,
suitable, pleasant, effective, of the highest quality etc."
Coaching football is the next best thing to playing.
Negotiation is always the best way of settling a dispute.

Beyond - adverb / preposition - Past a place or outside an area.

The empire extended to the River Danube and beyond.
He could see a line of cypress trees and, beyond it, a landscape of red hills.

Cater - verb - To provide food and drinks at an event.

How many are we catering for at the wedding reception?
I can understand why you shortlisted these three proposals as all of them seem good enough to
cater for our canteen.

English Speaking Complete - David Morris

Cereal - noun - "A food made from grain, for example wheat, oats, or corn, mainly eaten
with milk for breakfast."
I like to eat a bowl of cereal for breakfast.
During this part you can see cereal crops, mainly wheat.

Changeable - adjective - "Tending to change suddenly and often."

This is a period of rather changeable weather.
I must say that summers here are a bit mild and changeable.

Chatty - adjective - Someone who is chatty enjoys talking a lot in a friendly way.
Rosie is certainly in a chatty mood today.
My sister is very chatty.

Date - noun - The name and number of a particular day or year or a particular day, month,
or year when something happens.
The date on the report is 24 October, 2005.
The precise date of the book’s publication is not yet known.

Debut - noun - The first time that a performer or sports player appears in public.
Cooper made his debut at Covent Garden in 1989.
Madonna’s film debut in Desperately Seeking Susan.

Dedicated - adjective - "Spending all your time and effort on something."

We are fortunate to have such a highly skilled and dedicated workforce.
He was very hard-working and dedicated to his research.

Deduction - noun - "An amount or number taken from a total."

Italian workers pay far more in tax and other deductions.
Interest will be paid without deduction of tax.

Defence - noun - "Actions that you take to protect someone or something that is being
attacked."
Two of his friends came to his defence.
Huge amounts of government money are spent on defence.

Edible - adjective - "Food that is edible is safe or good enough to eat."

The food in the cafeteria is barely edible.
Part of your journey can be made through the forests where you can pick up some edible
berries.

English Speaking Complete - David Morris

Elite - noun - A small group of people who have a lot of advantages and keep the most
power and influence​.
Only a small elite among mountaineers can climb these routes.
But before you decide to become one of the elite, you should think about all the freedom you
would be giving up and all the freedom you would get.

Enclose - verb - To surround someone or something.

The swimming pool was enclosed by a high fence.
Her arms enclosed him.

Engage - verb - To attract and keep someone’s interest or attention.

A good radio script should be able to engage the listener.
The debate about food safety has engaged the whole nation.

Envisage - verb - To have something as a plan or an intention.

We envisage charging a small sum for the use of our services.
It was initially envisaged that the work would last for about a month.

Fascination - noun - The power to interest or attract people very strongly.

The place had held a strange fascination for her ever since.
The idealism of the 1960s continues to exert a fascination.

Feel - verb - To be in a particular state as a result of an emotion or a physical feeling.

I was feeling quite cheerful when we set out.
Sam felt cold and utterly miserable.

Fiction - noun - Books and stories about imaginary events and people.
Hardy wrote poetry as well as fiction.
It is sometimes difficult to distinguish fact from fiction in the book
.
Finish - verb - to do the last part of something so that it is complete.
I wish you’d let me finish my sentence!
She had just finished dressing the children when the phone rang.

Garment - noun - A piece of clothing. This word is used especially when talking about the
production and sale of clothes.
The garment workers were being paid very low wages.
They were luxurious garments, made of silk and velvet.

Generalization - noun - A statement that is true in most situations

We can draw some interesting generalizations from this data.
It’s unfair to make generalizations about teenagers being lazy and untidy.

English Speaking Complete - David Morris

Genetic - adjective - "relating to genes, or to the study of genes"
Doctors believe the condition is caused by a genetic defect.
Mendel thought that basically it is the genetic materiał which is responsible for the future
development of a child.

Germ - noun - "A form of bacteria that spreads disease among people or animals"
It’s a germ that causes sore throats.
Wash your hands before cooking so that you don't spread germs.

Hand - noun - The part of your body at the end of each arm that you use for picking up
and holding things.
Mrs Bennet put her hands over her ears to shut out the noise.
He was holding a mug of coffee in his left hand.

Hardship - noun - A situation in which life is very difficult, usually because you do not
have enough money​.
Even slight rent increases would cause considerable hardship.
Many students are facing financial hardship.

Hectic - adjective - "Full of busy activity"

This week has been really hectic.
Alongside today's hectic life we need to adapt fashion to our lives and interests.

Hesitation - noun - A pause before doing something, or a feeling that you should not do
it, especially because you are nervous, embarrassed, or worried.
After a brief hesitation, he answered ‘Yes’.
I would have no hesitation in recommending him for the job.

Historian - noun - Someone who studies or writes about events in history.

His father was a famous historian.
I would be very willing to help historians solve the enigma about the origin of Thailand.

Immensely - adverb - Very, or very much: used for emphasizing what you are saying.
The visitors had enjoyed the game immensely.
He is such an immensely talented singer.

Implication - noun - A possible effect or result.

We believe that GM crops will have serious implications for the environment.
We need to consider the financial implications of these changes.

Import - noun - A product from another country, that is bought with money from your
country.
China must produce more food to reduce its reliance on imports.
American import cheap products from Asia.

English Speaking Complete - David Morris

Inappropriately - adjective - Not suitable in a particular situation.
Clearly the punishment is inappropriate for the crime.
It is perhaps inappropriate to talk of ‘rights’ in this context.

Jargon - noun - "Special words and phrases that are only understood by people who do
the same kind of work."
I studied computer science and I am familiar with computer jargon.
I don't understand any word, is this some kind of jargon?

Jealousy - noun - An unhappy feeling because someone has something that you would
like or can do something that you would like to do.
Professional jealousy can cause problems at work.
Jealousy can ruin relationships.

Jointly - adverb - In a way that involves two or more people or groups sharing or doing
something together.
The seminar is being organized jointly by the Canadian and Chilean governments.
A jointly owned property does not have to be owned equally.

Junk - noun - Old, broken, or useless things.

You should get rid of all that junk in your garage.
His car is just a heap of junk.

King - noun - A man who rules a country and is the senior male member of the royal
family.
William was crowned King of England on Christmas Day, 1066.
Oswald became king in 634.

Knob - noun - A round handle on a door or drawer.

Turn the black knob to switch on the radio.
It's so obvious that when we turn a knob on or when we switch on something [and] there is no
electricity, we are at a loss!

Layout - noun - "The way in which the different parts of something are arranged."
The user gradually becomes familiar with the layout of the keyboard.
The layout of your house and garden can deter crime.

Leave - verb - "To go away from a place"

We left London at three in the afternoon.
Your plane leaves in ten minutes.

Legal - adjective - "Relating to the law or lawyers"

You may wish to seek legal advice before signing the contract.

English Speaking Complete - David Morris

Johnson’s legal fees amounted to over £2.5 million.

Legend - noun - An old story about famous people and events in the past. Legends are
not usually true.
Here, according to legend, Robin Hood lies buried.
This is the Hollywood legend, Elizabeth Taylor!

Length - noun - A measurement of how long something is in size.

Cut the cloth to the required length.
This beautiful bird is small, with a total length of about three inches.

Many - pronoun - A large number of people, things, places etc.

Did you get many responses to your advertisement?
I haven’t told many people that I am pregnant.

Master - noun - "A man who is very good at something."

O’Sullivan is an absolute master at this type of shot.
He’s a master of the clever remark.

Material - noun - Cloth or a substance, especially one used for a particular purpose.
Brick was used as the main building material for local churches.
Her dress was made of a thin lacy material.

Measure - noun - An action that is intended to achieve or deal with something.

This is a temporary measure to stop the problem from getting any worse.
Stronger measures will have to be taken to bring down unemployment.

Nap - verb - To sleep for a short period of time, usually during the day.
He likes to take a nap after lunch.
He usually takes a nap after lunch and at night goes to bed about 10:00 PM.

Naturally - adverb - "as most people would expect or understand"

Naturally, I was very keen to make a good first impression.
His death has naturally come as a shock to us all.

Nature - noun - The physical world including all living things as well as the land and the
seas.
Barone’s interest was in nature, wildlife, and birds.
There was an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature in Alaska.

Neatly - adjective - "Carefully arranged and looking nice​"

His hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail.
She arranged the papers into three neat piles on her desk.

English Speaking Complete - David Morris

Observe - verb - To notice someone doing something, or to notice something happening.
Similar trends may be observed in most modern societies.
James had already observed that she was not listening.

Office - noun - A room or building where the people in an organization or department

work.
I work in the company’s Los Angeles office.
Our offices are on the third floor.

Officially - adverb - "Publicly and formally"

The school won’t be officially opened until next month.
The new hospital was officially opened yesterday.

Oneself - pronoun - "Used for showing that people in general, including yourself, are
affected by or involved in the results of something that they do".
"One has to think of oneself in these matters."
It’s awful having to defend oneself all the time.

Palm - noun - The inside part of your hand, between your fingers and your wrist.
"She sat waiting, resting her chin in the palm of her hand."
The captain slapped his palm on the desk.

Panel - noun - "A group of people who make decisions or judgments, also one of the
pictures in a comic or a flat piece of wood, glass, or other material that forms part of
something such as a door or wall".
This comic strip has four panels.
We can justify our opinion about the quality by referring to the extremely varied and constructive
social programme, which is also organised by a panel of experts, sociologists and psychologists
.
Participant - noun - "Someone who takes part in something
"It was argued that he was a willing participant in the crime.
Have you seen those participants in a televised debate?

Passion - noun - A powerful emotion such as love or anger.

She spoke with great passion about the plight of the refugees.
Passions run high when marriages break up and children are involved.

Rare - adjective - "not happening very often"

In a rare moment of honesty, he told her what he had done.
It’s extremely rare for her to lose her temper.

Rate - noun - The number of times something happens, or the number of examples of
something within a particular period of time.
The animals were dying at a rate of three an hour.

English Speaking Complete - David Morris

Their success rate in recruiting new staff is very high.

Readiness - noun - A state of being ready and able to deal with what might or will
happen.
We prepared a room and meal in readiness for their arrival.
He expressed his readiness to accept the challenge.

Realistically - adverb - In a way that seems real or is like real life.

Visitors can realistically experience life at sea.
You can’t realistically expect people to pay such a high price.

Satisfy - verb - To please someone by giving them something that they want or need​.
I think this is an agreement that is unlikely to satisfy environmental campaigners.
It’s impossible to satisfy everyone.

Save - verb - To make it possible for someone or something to avoid danger, harm, injury
etc​.
A cure for lung cancer would save thousands of lives each year.
Only hard work will save this company from bankruptcy.

Scan - verb - To look at something very carefully, because you hope or expect to see a
particular person or thing.
He scanned her face but there were no signs of emotion.
Ella scanned the crowd for any sign of Geoff.

Talk - verb - To use words to communicate.

Can their baby talk yet?
Am I talking too much?

Tax - noun - An amount of money that you have to pay to the government that it uses to
provide public services and pay for government institutions.
Income tax payments are due on the 15th of April.
She owes over £50,000 in unpaid taxes.

Technically - adverb - "In a way that involves or shows skill in doing something."
She’s the most technically accomplished player in the tournament.
Technically the war was over, but not all the fighting ceased immediately.

Tendency - noun - A strong chance that something will happen in a particular way .
There’s a tendency for a new manager to make changes.
You have a tendency to avoid arguments.

Unavailable - adjective - Not able to go somewhere, meet someone, or do something.

Some witnesses were unavailable at the time of the trial.

English Speaking Complete - David Morris

Irving and Wallace are both unavailable for next week’s match.

Uncomfortably - adjective - If you are uncomfortable, you have an unpleasant or slightly

painful feeling in part of your body.
You’ll be uncomfortable for a few days after the surgery.
They were sitting in a very uncomfortable position.

Underestimate - verb - To think that someone has less power or ability than they really
have.
Their big mistake was to underestimate their opponents’ skill in handling the news media.
I thought it would be an easy game but I had underestimated my opponent.

Underpaid - adjective - Not earning enough money for work that you do.
Her staff felt they were underpaid.
They claim that they are overworked and underpaid!

Warrior - noun - A soldier, especially in the past or someone involved in a fight or

argument.
These warriors used spears made from iron.
It is true that the Vikings were warriors, some would say bloodthirsty as well, but that is
something I will leave to you to judge.

Way - noun - "A method for doing something."

There are so many delicious ways you can prepare chicken.
Is there any way of contacting you while you’re in Africa?

Weak - adjective - A person who is weak does not have much physical strength or
energy.
The illness had left him too weak to speak.
Weak stomach muscles can lead to back problems.

Well-being - noun - "The satisfactory state that someone or something should be in, that
involves such things as being happy, healthy, and safe, and having enough money."
Laughter is taken as a sign of well-being.
The company looks after the well-being of its employees.

Worthless - adjective - Not having any value, or not useful.

The country’s currency is nearly worthless.
He made me feel stupid and worthless.

Write - verb - To use a pen to make words, numbers, or symbols.

Emily is just learning to write.
Write your full name in Box A.

English Speaking Complete - David Morris

Yet - adverb / conjunction - Used for talking or asking about something that has not
happened or is not true at a particular time but will probably happen or be true in the
future.
I’m amazed that you haven’t told him anything yet.
She hasn’t yet decided if she wants to come or not.

You - pronoun - "Used for referring to the person or people that you are talking or writing
to."
Do you like oranges?
I can’t really trust you, can I?

Youngster - noun - A child, or a young person.

He talked to the youngsters about the dangers of drugs.
Youngsters learn more than their previous generations did about what is happening around the
world.

English Speaking Complete - David Morris