BOOST YOUR VOCABULARY – CAMBRIDGE IELTS 14

TEST 4
READING PASSAGE 1

native = resident, local, aboriginal #foreign ˈneɪtɪv

P heidole dentata, a native ant of the south-eastern U.S.,

ant= a small insect that lives in large groups ænt
immortal = eternal, undying, endless. ɪˈmɔːtl̩
aging= the process of growing old ˈeɪdʒɪŋ
youngster = younger ants ˈjʌŋstə
sharp = intelligent #dull #stupid ʃɑːp
decline = fall, decrease, weaken # increase dɪˈklaɪn
isn't immortal. But scientists have found that it doesn't seem thesis = long piece of writing that you do as part of
an advanced university degree such as an MA or
to show any signs of aging. Old worker ants can do a PhD ˈθiːsɪs
defying = disobey, break a law, flout f#obey dɪˈfaɪɪŋ
everything just as well as the youngsters, and their brains feat = achievement, accomplishment fiːt
rare= uncommon, unusual, occasional #common
appear just as sharp. 'We get a picture that these ants really reə
naked = nude, unclothed, stripped, undressed
don't decline,' says Ysabel Giraldo, who studied the ants for #covered ˈneɪkɪd
mole = a small dark furry animal which is almost
her doctoral thesis at Boston University. Such age-defying
blind. moles usually live under the ground. məʊl
feats are rare in the animal kingdom. Naked mole rats can stay fit = keep fit, keep in shape steɪ fɪt
reproduce = breed, give birth to, procreate
live for almost 30 years and stay fit for nearly their entire riːprəˈdjuːs
cancer = a very serious disease in which cells in
lives. They can still reproduce even when old, and they one part of the body start to grow in a way that is
not normal ˈkænsə
never get cancer. But the vast majority of animals vast = huge, enormous, immense, massive #small
vɑːst
deteriorate with age just like people do. Like the naked mole majority = popular, common #minority məˈdʒɒrɪti
deteriorate = decline, worsen, weaken dɪˈtɪərɪəreɪt
rat, ants are social creatures that usually live in highly creature = animal, insect, living thing ˈkriːtʃə
colonies = group, association, society ˈkɒlənɪz
organised colonies. 'It's this social complexity that makes complexity = intricacy, complication #simplicity
kəmˈpleksɪti
BOOST YOUR VOCABULARY – CAMBRIDGE IELTS 14

P. dentata useful for studying aging in people,' says Giraldo,

now at the California Institute of Technology. Humans are trait= attribute, character, feature, personality treɪt

also highly social, a trait that has been connected to by contrast = alternatively, on the other hand, as
opposed to, different ˈbaɪ kənˈtrɑːst
healthier aging. By contrast, most animal studies of aging
fruit fly= a small fly that eats fruit or decaying plants
use mice, worms or fruit flies, which all lead much more ˈfru:t flaɪ
isolated lives. In the lab, P. dentata worker ants typically isolated= separated, lonely, solitary, friendless
ˈaɪsəleɪtɪd
live for around 140 days. Giraldo focused on ants at four age
lab= laboratary, workroom, test center læb
ranges: 20 to 22 days, 45 to 47 days, 95 to 97 days and 120
typically= commonly, usually, normally. ˈtɪpɪkl̩ i
to 122 days. Unlike all previous studies, which only range = variety, serries, collection reɪndʒ
estimated how old the ants were, her work tracked the ants estimate = assess, value, appraise ˈestɪmeɪt

from the time the pupae became adults, so she knew their track= follow, chase, pursue træk
pupa= an insect at the stage before it becomes
exact ages. Then she put them through a range of
adult, when it is protected by a special cover ˈpjuːpə
tests.

Giraldo watched how well the ants took care of the young of watch = observe, survey, examine wɒtʃ
colony= a group of animals or plants of the
the colony, recording how often each ant attended to, same type that are living together ˈkɒləni
carried and fed them. She compared how well 20-day-old attend to sb/sth= to deal with business
or personal matters əˈtend tu ˈsʌmbɔdi/ˈsʌmθɪŋ
and 95-day-old ants followed the telltale scent that the carry = to be pregnant with a child ˈkæri
telltale = revealing, divulging, indicative #hidden
insects usually leave to mark a trail to food. She tested how ˈtelteɪl
ants responded to light and also measured how active they scent= the smell of a particular animal or person
that some other animals can follow sent
were by counting how often ants in a small dish walked trail = path, line, way treɪl
across a line. And she experimented with how ants react to react to= respond, alter, retort #ignore rɪˈækt tuː
prey = an animal that is hunted and eaten by
live prey: a tethered fruit fly. Giraldo expected the older ants another animal # predator preɪ
tether = tie, fasten, secure, rope #untie ˈteðə
to perform poorly in all these tasks. But the elderly insects poorly = disappointingly, badly #well ˈpʊəli
were all good caretakers and trail-followers-the 95-day-old caretaker= someone who looks after other people,
especially a teacher, parent, nurse etc ˈkeəteɪkə
ants could track the scent even longer than their younger counterpart = equivalent, colleague, equal
counterparts. They all responded to light well, and the older ˈkaʊntəpɑːt
aggressively= violently, hostilely, forcefully #mildly
ants were more active. And when it came to reacting to prey, əˈɡresɪvli
flare = if a person or animal flares their nostrils
the older ants attacked the poor fruit fly just as aggressively (=the openings at the end of the nose), their nostrils
as the young ones did, flaring their mandibles or pulling at become wider because they are angry fleə
mandible= jaw, jawbone, mouth, mouthpiece
the fly's legs. ˈmændɪbl̩

Then Giraldo compared the brains of 20-day-old and 95-day- identify= find, recognize, classify aɪˈdentɪfaɪ
old ants, identifying any cells that were close to death. She
saw no major differences with age, nor was there any specific = particular, certain, exclusive #general
spəˈsɪfɪk
difference in the location of the dying cells, showing that age
didn't seem to affect specific brain functions. function= purpose, role, job ˈfʌŋkʃn̩
BOOST YOUR VOCABULARY – CAMBRIDGE IELTS 14

Ants and other insects have structures in their brains called structure = constitute, construct, form ˈstrʌktʃə
process = handle, deal with, manage ˈprəʊses
mushroom bodies, which are important for processing density= intensity, concentration, extent, degree
ˈdensɪti
synaptic (adj) = related to the place where nerve
information, learning and memory. She also wanted to see if cells meet, especially in the brain ˈsaɪnæps
complex = an emotional problem in which someone
aging affects the density of synaptic complexes within is unnecessarily anxious about something or thinks
too much about something works, systems
these structures-regions where neurons come together. ˈkɒmpleks
region= area, zone, place ˈriːdʒən
Again, the answer was no. What was more, the old ants neuron = a type of cell that makes up the nervous
system and sends messages to other parts of the
body or the brain ˈnjʊərɒn
didn't experience any drop in the levels of either serotonin drop = reduction, decrease, decline drɒp
serotonin = a chemical in the body that helps carry
or dopamine-brain chemicals whose decline often messages from the brain and is believed to make
you feel happy serəˈtəʊnɪn
coincides with aging. In humans, for example, a decrease dopamine = a hormone (= chemical substance) that
is made naturally in the body and may also be given
in serotonin has been linked to Alzheimer's disease. as a drug ˈdəʊpəmiːn
coincide with = to happen at the same time as
something else, especially by chance kəʊɪnˈsaɪd wɪð
link to = connect, relate, combine #seperate ˈlɪŋk tuː
'This is the first time anyone has looked at both behavioral
look at = search, study, investigate, explore ˈlʊk æt
and neural changes in these ants so thoroughly,' says thoroughly= comprehensively, completely,
carefully, meticulously ˈθʌrəli
Giraldo, who recently published the findings in the publish = issue, print, distribute ˈpʌblɪʃ
finding = discovery, conclusion, result ˈfaɪndɪŋ
Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Scientists have looked
proceeding = an event or a series of things that
at some similar aspects in bees, but the results of recent bee happen prəˈsiːdɪŋ
mixed = varied, diverse, assorted mɪkst
studies were mixed-some studies showed age-related biologist= a scientist who studies or works in
biology baɪˈɒlədʒɪst
declines, which biologists call senescence, and others
senescene = becoming old and showing the effects
didn't. 'For now, the study raises more questions than it of getting older sɪˈnes.əns
raise = produce, create, cause reɪz
answers,' Giraldo says, 'including how P. dentata stays in stay in good shape = keep fit, get fit, keep in shape
ˈsteɪ ɪn gʊd ʃeɪp
such good shape.'

Also, if the ants don't deteriorate with age, why do they die
deteriorate = get worse, go down, degenerate,
at all? Out in the wild, the ants probably don't live for a full
decline dɪˈtɪərɪəreɪt
140 days thanks to predators, disease and just being in an predator= an animal that kills and eats other
environment that's much harsher than the comforts of the animals #prey ˈpredətə
harsh=severe = harsh conditions are difficult to live
lab. 'The lucky ants that do live into old age may suffer a in and very uncomfortable hɑːʃ
steep decline just before dying,' Giraldo says, but she can't suffer = experience, undergo, bear, endure ˈsʌfə
steep= dramatic, sharp, extreme stiːp
say for sure because her study wasn't designed to follow an for sure = certainly, definitely fə ʃʊə
ant's final moments.

'It will be important to extend these findings to other species

extend= spread, broaden, expand ɪkˈstend
of social insects,' says Gene E. Robinson, an entomologist insect = bug, pest, creature ˈɪnsekt
entomologist= a scientist who studies insects
at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This ant entəˈmɒlədʒɪst
BOOST YOUR VOCABULARY – CAMBRIDGE IELTS 14

might be unique, or it might represent a broader pattern unique= sole, exclusive, distinctive #common juːˈniːk
represent = signify, characterize, denote, symbolize
among other social bugs with possible clues to the science riːprɪˈzent
broad = wide, large, big brɔːd
of aging in larger animals. Either way, it seems that for these pattern= example, modal, prototype ˈpætn̩
clue= sign, hint, cue, evidence kluː
ants, age really doesn't matter.
BOOST YOUR VOCABULARY – CAMBRIDGE IELTS 14

READING PASSAGE 2

S cientist David Hone makes the case for zoos make a case for sth = to argue that something is the
best thing to do, giving your reasons ˈmeɪk ə keɪs fə sth
species= type, kind, sort, class, group ˈspiːʃiːz
A wildlife= nature, natural world, environment ˈwaɪldlaɪf
varied = diverse, various, mixed #limited ˈveərɪd
In my view, it is perfectly possible for many species of diet= food and drink, eating habits, pattern of eating.
ˈdaɪət
animals living in zoos or wildlife parks to have a quality supplement= addition, complement, enhancement
#deduction ˈsʌplɪment
of life as high as, or higher than, in the wild. Animals in require = need, want, involve rɪˈkwaɪə
treat= cure, care for, heal, remedy triːt
good zoos get a varied and high-quality diet with all the somewhat = to some extent, to a certain degree, rather
ˈsʌmwɒt
supplements required, and any illnesses they might restrict= limit, prohibit, inhibit rɪˈstrɪkt
have will be treated. Their movement might be spare= to prevent someone from having
to experience something unpleasant speə
somewhat restricted, but they have a safe environment bully = frighten, intimidate, harass ˈbʊli
ostracism = isolation, exclusion, keeping out #inclusion
in which to live, and they are spared bullying and social ˈɒstrəsɪzəm
suffer from = undergo, bear, endure, experience, put up
ostracism by others of their kind. They do not suffer with ˈsʌfə frɒm
threat = danger, risk, menace, hazard θret
from the threat or stress of predators, or the irritation predator = an animal that kills and eats other animals
ˈpredətə
and pain of parasites or injuries. The average captive irritation= nuisance, , annoyance (the feeling of
being annoyed) ɪrɪˈteɪʃn̩
animal will have a greater life expectancy compared parasite = a small animal or plant that lives on or inside
another animal or plant and gets its food from it ˈpærəsaɪt
captive= caged, imprisoned, in prison #free ˈkæptɪv
life expectancy= lifespan, lifetime ˈlaɪf ɪkˈspektənsi
BOOST YOUR VOCABULARY – CAMBRIDGE IELTS 14

with its wild counterpart, and will not die of drought, of counterpart = colleague, equal, equivalent ˈkaʊntəpɑːt
starvation = hunger, famine, food shortage, lack of food
starvation or in the jaws of a predator. A lot of very
stɑːˈveɪʃn̩
nasty things happen to truly 'wild' animals that simply jaws= the mouth of a person or animal, especially
don't happen in good zoos, and to view a life that is 'free' a dangerous animal dʒɔːz
nasty= dangerous, painful, horrible #slight ˈnɑːsti
as one that is automatically 'good' is, I think, an error.
serve = perform, do, achieve, fulfill sɜːv
Furthermore, zoos serve several key purposes.

B
Firstly, zoos aid conservation. Colossal numbers of aid = support, help, encourage eɪd
conservation= preservation, protection, maintenance
species are becoming extinct across the world, and kɒnsəˈveɪʃn̩
many more are increasingly threatened and therefore colossal= huge, massive, gigantic, enormous #tiny
kəˈlɒsl̩
risk extinction. Moreover, some of these collapses extinct = inexistent, vanished, defunct, dead ɪkˈstɪŋt
threaten = frighten, intimidate, warn ˈθretn̩
have been sudden, dramatic and unexpected, or were risk = suffer from, endanger, jeopardize. rɪsk
simply discovered very late in the day. A species extinction = disappearance, loss, extermination, death
ɪkˈstɪŋkʃn̩
protected in captivity can be bred up to provide a collapse = illness, injury, breakdown kəˈlæps
reservoir population against a population crash or sudden = unexpected, rapid, quick #gradually ˈsʌdn̩
dramatic = remarkable, impressive, extraordinary
extinction in the wild. A good number of species only drəˈmætɪk
captivity = when a person or animal is kept in
exist in captivity, with many of these living in zoos. Still a prison, cage #freedom kæpˈtɪvɪti
more only exist in the wild because they have been breed = have babies, reproduce, procreate, propagate
briːd
reintroduced from zoos, or have wild populations that reservoir= a large amount of something that is available
and has not yet been used ˈrezəvwɑː
have been boosted by captive bred animals. Without
population crash = a sudden decline in the numbers of
these efforts there would be fewer species alive today. individual members in a population pɒpjʊˈleɪʃn̩ kræʃ
reintroduce = restore, reinstate, bring back riːɪntrəˈdjuːs
Although reintroduction successes are few and far boost = increase, improve, enhance #reduce buːst
between, the numbers are increasing, and the very fact be few and far between = to be rare bi fjuː ənd ˈfɑː bɪˈtwiːn
prove= show, demonstrate, confirm pruːv
that species have been saved or reintroduced as a result initiative= plan, program, project, scheme, idea ɪˈnɪʃətɪv
of captive breeding proves the value of such initiatives.
C
beyond= other than, beside bɪˈjɒnd
Zoos also provide education. Many children and adults,
documentary = film, movie, biography dɒkjʊˈmentəri
especially those in cities, will never see a wild animal
detailed = thorough, comprehensive, complete diːteɪld
beyond a fox or pigeon. While it is true that television impressive = remarkable, extraordinary, exciting
documentaries are becoming ever more detailed and #unimpressive ɪmˈpresɪv
impressive, and many natural history specimens are on specimen= sample, example, case ˈspesɪmɪn
display in museums, there really is nothing to compare on display = something that is on display is in a public

with seeing a living creature in the flesh, hearing it, place where people can look at it (= on show) ˈɒn dɪˈspleɪ
creature= animal, living thing, being ˈkriːtʃə
smelling it, watching what it does and having the time to
in the flesh = in person, in real life, in actual life ɪn ðə fleʃ
absorb details. That alone will bring a greater
absorb = learn, understand, get əbˈzɔːb
understanding and perspective to many, and hopefully perspective= aspect, viewpoint, perception pəˈspektɪv
BOOST YOUR VOCABULARY – CAMBRIDGE IELTS 14

give them a greater appreciation for wildlife, appreciation = thankfulness, gratitude, recognition,
gratefulness əˌpriːʃiˈeɪʃn̩
conservation efforts and how they can contribute. contribute= support, aid, impact, participate kənˈtrɪbjuːt
D
In addition to this, there is also the education that can take place = happen, occur ˈteɪk ˈpleɪs
take place in zoos through signs, talks and presentations communicate= reveal, transmit, convey kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt
which directly communicate information to visitors about lacking = absent, missing #present ˈlækɪŋ
the animals they are seeing and their place in the world. sophisticated= complicated, advanced, complex,
This was an area where zoos used to be lacking, but detailed səˈfɪstɪkeɪtɪd
they are now increasingly sophisticated in their outreach = when help, advice, or other services are
communication and outreach work. Many zoos also provided for people who would not otherwise get these
work directly to educate conservation workers in other services easily ˈaʊtriːtʃ
countries, or send their animal keepers abroad to keeper = guard, caretaker, ranger ˈkiːpə
contribute their knowledge and skills to those working in reverse = an area of land where wild animals and plants
zoos and reserves, thereby helping to improve are protected rɪˈvɜːs
conditions and reintroductions all over the world. thereby= as a result, consequently, by that ðeəˈbaɪ
E
Zoos also play a key role in research. If we are to save restore= bring back, recover, reestablish rɪˈstɔː
ecosystem= environment, bionetwork, ecology
wild species and restore and repair ecosystems we ˈiːkəʊsɪstəm
react = respond, answer, reply rɪˈækt
need to know about how key species live, act and react. undertake= accept, embark on, carry on, take on
ʌndəˈteɪk
Being able to undertake research on animals in zoos variable= change (n) ˈveərɪəbl̩
oestrus cycle = the period in the sexual cycle of female
where there is less risk and fewer variables means real mammals, except the higher primates, during which they
changes can be effected on wild populations. Finding out are in heat—i.e., ready to accept a male and to mate
iːstrəs ˈsaɪkl̩
about, for example, the oestrus cycle of an animal or its breeding rate = birth rate ˈbriːdɪŋ reɪt
procedure= method, process, course of action prəˈsiːdʒə
breeding rate helps us manage wild populations. capture= arrest, detain, imprison ˈkæptʃə
bolster= boost, strengthen, improve, enhance, fortify
Procedures such as capturing and moving at-risk or ˈbəʊlstə
dose = the amount of a medicine or a drug that you
dangerous individuals are bolstered by knowledge should take dəʊs
anaesthetic = a substance that makes you unable to feel
gained in zoos about doses for anaesthetics, and by pain: ænəsˈθetɪk
experience = knowledge, skill, practice, understanding
experience in handling and transporting animals. This ɪkˈspɪərɪəns
handle = control, treat, manage, deal with ˈhændl̩
can make a real difference to conservation efforts and transport = move, bring, carry, transfer trænsˈpɔːt
reduction = decrease, drop, fall, decline rɪˈdʌkʃn̩
to the reduction of human-animal conflicts, and can conflict= disagreement, dispute, oppose kənˈflɪkt
provide a knowledge base for helping with the increasing base = foundation, root, source, origin beɪs
habitat= home, territory, locale, environment ˈhæbɪtæt
threats of habitat destruction and other problems destruction = ruin, damage, devastation #construction
dɪˈstrʌkʃn̩

F ongoing = continuing, constant, incomplete #finished ɒn

ˈɡəʊiŋ
In conclusion, considering the many ongoing global global = worldwide, international #local ˈɡləʊbl̩
essential = fundamental, basic, main, principal ɪˈsenʃl̩
threats to the environment, it is hard for me to see zoos long-term = long-standing, lasting, durable #short-term
ˈlɒŋ tɜːm
as anything other than essential to the long-term survival= existence, persistence #death səˈvaɪvl̩
survival of numerous species. They are vital not just in numerous = many, various, several #few ˈnjuːmərəs
vital= essential, crucial, critical ˈvaɪtl̩
terms of protecting animals, but as a means of learning in terms of = with regard to, as to, in connection with. ɪn
tɜːmz ɒv
BOOST YOUR VOCABULARY – CAMBRIDGE IELTS 14

about them to aid those still in the wild, as well as

inform = tell, notify, update, apprise ɪnˈfɔːm
educating and informing the general population about
these animals and their world so that they can assist or assist = help, support, aid əˈsɪst
accept = consent, acknowledge #reject # deny əkˈsept
at least accept the need to be more environmentally
conscious. Without them, the world would be, and would conscious= aware, understanding, mindful ˈkɒnʃəs
increasingly become, a much poorer place.
BOOST YOUR VOCABULARY – CAMBRIDGE IELTS 14

READING PASSAGE 3

C helsea Rochman, an ecologist at the University of

ecologist = a scientist who studies ecology,
environment iːˈkɒlədʒɪst
dismal= miserable, gloomy, depressing ˈdɪzməl
terrible= awful, dreadful, appalling #wonderful
California, Davis, has been trying to answer a dismal question: Is ˈterəbl̩
analysis = examination, study, investigation
everything terrible, or are things just very, very bad? əˈnæləsɪs
Rochman is a member of the National Center for Ecological synthesis = mixture, combination, blend
#separation ˈsɪnθəsɪs
Analysis and Synthesis's marine debris working group, a marine= nautical, maritime, sea, ocean məˈriːn
debris= wreckage, rubbish, trash, waste, fragment
collection of scientists who study, among other things, the ˈdeɪbriː
collection = group, assembly, gathering kəˈlekʃn̩
growing problem of marine debris, also known as ocean trash. sound alarm bells = if something rings/sounds
alarm bells, it makes you start to worry because it
Plenty of studies have sounded alarm bells about the state of is a sign that there may be a problem ˈsaʊnd əlɑ:m
belz
marine debris; in a recent paper published in the journal Ecology, state = condition, situation, circumstance steɪt
paper = newspaper, article, document ˈpeɪpə
Rochman and her colleagues set out to determine how many of journal = newsletter, magazine, periodical ˈdʒɜːnl̩
set out = start, begin, embark set ˈaʊt
those perceived risks are real. determine= verify, establish, uncover, reveal
dɪˈtɜːmɪn
perceive= understand, comprehend, realize,
become aware of pəˈsiːv
Often, Rochman says, scientists will end a paper by speculating
speculate= guess, consider, think, contemplate
about the broader impacts of what they've found. For example, a ˈspekjʊleɪt
study could show that certain seabirds eat plastic bags, and go broad = wide, large, big, comprehensive brɔːd
certain = particular, specific, precise ˈsɜːtn̩
on to warn that whole bird populations are at risk of dying out. go on to do= to do something after completing
something else ˈɡəʊ ˈɒn tu du:
'But the truth was that nobody had yet tested those perceived warn = caution, inform, alert, tell, notify wɔːn
at risk = in a dangerous situation ət rɪsk
die out = vanish, perish, become extinct ˈdaɪ ˈaʊt
BOOST YOUR VOCABULARY – CAMBRIDGE IELTS 14

threats,' Rochman says. 'There wasn't a lot of information.' threat = risk, danger, peril, menace θret

Rochman and her colleagues examined more than a hundred examine = investigate, check, research, explore
ɪɡˈzæmɪn
papers on the impacts of marine debris that were published
through 2013. Within each paper, they asked what threats
scientists had studied-366 perceived threats in all - and what actually = really, truly, in fact, in reality ˈæktʃuəli
they'd actually found.
trash = garbage, waste, rubbish, junk træʃ
In 83 percent of cases, the perceived dangers of ocean trash prove = show, demonstrate, verify pruːv
remaining= the remaining people or things are
those that are left when the others have gone,
were proven true. In the remaining cases, the working group been used, or been dealt with rɪˈmeɪnɪŋ
weakness = limitation, drawback, flaw, fault
found the studies had weaknesses in design and content which ˈwiːknəs
validity= a conclusion, reason…that is based on
affected the validity of their conclusions - they lacked a control what is reasonable or sensible vəˈlɪdɪti
faulty= incorrect, defective, flawed. ˈfɔːlti
statistic= number, figure, measurement, fact
group, for example, or used faulty statistics. stəˈtɪstɪk

strikingly = noticeably, outstandingly, unusually

Strikingly, Rochman says, only one well-designed study failed to ˈstraɪkɪŋli
investigation= study, search, examination,
find the effect it was looking for, an investigation of mussels analysis ɪnˌvestɪˈɡeɪʃn̩
mussel = a small sea animal, with a soft body that
can be eaten and a black shell that is divided into
ingesting microscopic plastic bits. The plastic moved from the two parts ˈmʌsl̩
ingest= swallow, consume, absorb, eat ɪnˈdʒest
mussels' stomachs to their bloodstreams, scientists found, and microscopic = tiny, minute, atomic, mini #gigantic
maɪkrəˈskɒpɪk
bloodstream = the blood flowing in your body
stayed there for weeks - but didn't seem to stress out the ˈblʌdstriːm
stress out = worry, bother, hassle #relax ˈstres
shellfish. ˈaʊt
shellfish = an animal that lives in water, has a
shell, and can be eaten as food, for example,
crabs, lobsters, and oysters ˈʃelfɪʃ
While mussels may be fine eating trash, though, the analysis also
gave a clearer picture of the many ways that ocean debris is bothersome= annoying, troublesome,
bothersome. inconvenient ˈbɒðəsəm

look at = study, investigate, examine ˈlʊk æt

Within the studies they looked at, most of the proven threats involve= contain, include, consist of ɪnˈvɒlv
entangle= (to cause something
came from plastic debris, rather than other materials like metal or to become caught in something such as
wood. Most of the dangers also involved large pieces of debris a net or ropes) twist, tangle, trap ɪnˈtæŋɡl̩
severely= harshly, strictly, brutally, #gently sɪˈvɪəli
animals getting entangled in trash, for example, or eating it and injure = hurt, harm, wound, damage ˈɪndʒə
severely injuring themselves.
microplastic = extremely small pieces of plastic
that are harmful to the environment
ˈmaɪ.krəʊˌplæs.tɪk
But a lot of ocean debris is 'microplastic', or pieces smaller than ingredient= component, element, thing, part
ɪnˈɡriːdɪənt
five millimeters. These may be ingredients used in cosmetics cosmetic= creams, powders, etc that you use on
your face and body in order to look more attractive
kɒzˈmetɪk
and toiletries, fibers shed by synthetic clothing in the wash, or toiletries= things such as soap and toothpaste
that are used for cleaning yourself ˈtɔɪlətriz
BOOST YOUR VOCABULARY – CAMBRIDGE IELTS 14

eroded remnants of larger debris. Compared to the number of fiber = a mass of threads used to make rope,
cloth, etc ˈfaɪbə
shed= drop, cast, discard ʃed
studies investigating large-scale debris, Rochman's group found
synthetic = artificial, fake, manmade #natural
sɪnˈθetɪk
little research on the effects of these tiny bits. 'There are a lot of erode = corrode, destroy, wear down ɪˈrəʊd
remnant = remainder, leftover, residue ˈremnənt
open questions still for microplastic,' Rochman says, though she investigate = look into something, explore, probe
ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪt

notes that more papers on the subject have been published since

2013, the cutoff point for the group's analysis. cutoff = limit, end. ˈkəˌtɒf

There are also, she adds, a lot of open questions about the ways
creature = animal, living thing, being ˈkriːtʃə
that ocean debris can lead to sea-creature death. Many studies individual= singular, personal, characteristic
ɪndɪˈvɪdʒʊəl
have looked at how plastic affects an individual animal, or that tissue = the material forming animal or plant cells
ˈtɪʃuː
animal's tissues or cells, rather than whole populations. And in cell = group, unit, section sel
lab = laboratory, workshop, test center læb
the lab, scientists often use higher concentrations of plastic than concentration= the amount of a substance in a
what's really in the ocean. None of that tells us how many birds or liquid or in another substance kɒnsənˈtreɪʃn̩
turtle = a large reptile with a hard round shell, that
fish or sea turtles could die from plastic pollution - or how deaths lives in the sea ˈtɜːtl̩
the rest of = what is left after everything or
in one species could affect that animal's predators, or the rest of everyone else has gone, been used, dealt with, or
mentioned ðə ˈrest ɒv
the ecosystem.

'We need to be asking more ecologically relevant questions,' relevant= related, pertinent #unrelated ˈreləvənt
Rochman says. Usually, scientists don't know exactly how disaster = tragedy, catastrophe, calamity dɪˈzɑːstə
disasters such as a tanker accidentally spilling its whole cargo tanker = a vehicle or ship specially built to carry
of oil and polluting huge areas of the ocean will affect the large quantities of gas or liquid, especially oil
ˈtæŋkə
environment until after they've happened. 'We don't ask the right spill = leak, drop, fall, drip #absorb spɪl
questions early enough,' she says. But if ecologists can cargo= the goods carried in a ship or plane
understand how the slow-moving effect of ocean trash is ˈkɑːɡəʊ
damaging ecosystems, they might be able to prevent things from prevent= stop, avoid, block, inhibit #permit prɪˈvent
getting worse.
figure out = understand, discover, work out, solve
Asking the right questions can help policy makers, and the public, ˈfɪɡə ˈaʊt
attention = mind, concentration, awareness,
figure out where to focus their attention. The problems that look consideration əˈtenʃn̩
or sound most dramatic may not be the best places to start. For dramatic = impressive, extraordinary, remarkable
drəˈmætɪk
example, the name of the 'Great Pacific Garbage Patch' - a patch = area, space, plot of land pætʃ
collection of marine debris in the northern Pacific Ocean - might conjure st up= to make something appear as a
picture in your mind = evoke. ˈkʌndʒə snt ʌp
conjure up a vast floating trash island. In reality though, much vast = huge, massive, enormous #small vɑːst
of the debris is tiny or below the surface; a person could sail float = to stay or move on the surface of a liquid
without sinking fləʊt
through the area without seeing any trash at all. A Dutch group in reality = really, actually, in fact ɪn rɪˈælɪti
surface = outside, shell, façade ˈsɜːfɪs
called 'The Ocean Cleanup' is currently working on plans to put
sail = to travel on or across an area of water in a
mechanical devices in the Pacific Garbage Patch and similar boat or ship seɪl
areas to suck up plastic. But a recent paper used simulations to mechanical = affecting or involving a machine
mɪˈkænɪkl̩
simulation= model, imitation, virtual reality
sɪmjʊˈleɪʃn̩
BOOST YOUR VOCABULARY – CAMBRIDGE IELTS 14

show that strategically positioning the cleanup devices closer to strategically= deliberately, intentionally,
purposefully strəˈtiːdʒɪkl̩ i
shore would more effectively reduce pollution over the long term. shore = coast, seashore, coastline ʃɔː

clear up = explain, elaborate, solve. ˈklɪər ʌp

'I think clearing up some of these misperceptions is really misperception= misunderstanding, confusion
mɪspərˈsepʃən
important,' Rochman says. Among scientists as well as in the perception = view, opinion, assessment pəˈsepʃn̩
media, she says, 'A lot of the images about strandings and interrogate = question, interview, probe= to ask
someone a lot of questions for a long time in order
entanglement and all of that cause the perception that plastic to get information, sometimes using threats
ɪnˈterəɡeɪt
debris is killing everything in the ocean.' Interrogating the literature= all the books, articles, etc on a
particular subject ˈlɪtrətʃə
existing scientific literature can help ecologists figure out which address = tackle, focus, deal with #ignore əˈdres
problems really need addressing, and which ones they'd be be better off = to be in a better situation, if or after
something happens bi ˈbetər ɒf
better off - like the mussels - absorbing and ignoring. absorb = if something absorbs light, heat, energy,
or noise, it takes it in. əbˈzɔːb