q('~ability~a skill for doing something well~She has a lot of ability in tennis; in fact she\'s the best player in middle school!~'); q('~accelerate~to get faster~The marathon runner accelerated over the last 500 meters of the race, and crossed the line in first place.~'); q('~accept~to agree to an idea or suggestion~She accepted my invitation to come to my party.~'); q('~accurate~exact, containing no mistakes~Your work is very accurate; it contains no mistakes at all.~'); q('~accuse~to say that someone has done something wrong~He accused me of stealing his sports bag.~'); q('~add~to say something that you have just remembered~"Oh, and don\'t forget to tell the counsellor," she added.~'); q('~adjust~to change (often in order to make something work properly)~If the picture on your TV is not very clear, you need to adjust the controls.~'); q('~admit~to say it was you who did something wrong~"Yes, it was me who broke the window," she admitted.~'); q('~adult~man or woman, no longer a child~Now you are a child but when you are an adult you will be able to drive, get married and vote.~'); q('~advise~to give advice; to say what someone should do~"You should stop smoking and take more exercise," the doctor advised.~'); q('~afford~to be able to pay for something~My family can\'t afford a new house. They\'re so expensive in Germany.~'); q('~age~to get older~"My grandmother is beginning to age very quickly. She can no longer walk without a stick, and she finds it difficult to hear these days."~'); q('~agree~to have the same opinion as another person~"Yes, you\'re right, this is the best way to do it," she agreed.~'); q('~aim~to point a gun at a target~Most people close one eye when they aim a gun.~'); q('~allergy~when the body reacts badly to certain foods or chemicals in the air~Some people are allergic to nuts. If they eat a nut they immediately start to feel very unwell.~'); q('~amusing~funny~That joke\'s not very amusing - in fact, I don\'t find it funny at all.~'); q('~ancient~very old~In history lessons we learn about many ancient peoples such as the Egyptians who built the pyramids, and Roman emperors like Julius Caesar.~'); q('~ankle~the joint connecting your foot to your leg~I twisted my ankle when skiing last week, and now I can\'t walk without crutches.~'); q('~apart~not together, separate~People who love each other do not like to be apart.~'); q('~apologize~to say you are sorry~"Sorry I\'m so late!" she apologized.~'); q('~appearance~what something or somebody looks like~He may have an ugly appearance, but he has a very kind and interesting personality.~'); q('~approach~come nearer to someone or something~Be careful when you approach a dog you do not know. It might bite you.~'); q('~appropriate~right for the occasion~Sorry but low-cut T-shirts are not appropriate clothes for school.~'); q('~approximate~about, not exactly~There are approximately 350 students in middle school. I\'m not sure of the exact number.~'); q('~arrange~to discuss with someone what to do, where to meet etc.~"My friend and I arranged to meet at 7 o\'clock in front of the cinema."~'); q('~arrest~the police do this to someone suspected of a crime~The murderer was arrested as he was trying to cross the border into Switzerland.~'); q('~arrive~to come to a place~I come to school by U-Bahn and always arrive before the other students who come by bus.~'); q('~arson~the crime of setting fire to a building~A very serious crime is arson. Not only are buildings destroyed but often the people inside them are killed too.~'); q('~arteries~the tubes that carry blood from the heart~The arteries can get blocked if you eat too much fatty food. This can cause a heart attack.~'); q('~artificial~not real or natural~People who suffer from hay fever cannot have real flowers in their house; they have artificial ones instead!~'); q('~ashamed~feeling sorry for something bad you have done~The girl felt so ashamed after she told her best friend\'s secret to another student.~'); q('~ashtray~a small dish for cigarettes~If you want to smoke, you\'ll have to go outside; I don\'t have an ashtray for your cigarette ends.~'); q('~assault~to attack someone~Muggers are criminals who assault people in the street and take their money or clothes.~'); q('~assist~help~If you can\'t do your homework, you should ask your parents to assist you.~'); q('~attempt~to try~If you don\'t make the basketball team this year, you should attempt it again next year when you are in grade 8.~'); q('~attractive~beautiful~Rome is a lovely city with many attractive buildings.~'); q('~available~can be used or obtained~"I\'m afraid that the book is not available yet. It won\'t be published until after Christmas."~'); q('~awful~very bad~We had an awful time in Switzerland last summer. It rained every day and the children got sick after eating too much ice cream."~'); q('~bachelor~a man who has never married~My uncle Jim is a bachelor. He had many girlfriends but somehow he never wanted to get married.~'); q('~bald~having no hair~My father\'s started to lose his hair. He\'ll be completely bald by the time he\'s 50!~'); q('~battle~fight, part of a war~A battle is part of a war.~'); q('~beard~hair growing on the cheeks and chin~Some of the teachers at our school have a beard. Maybe they\'re just too lazy to shave!~'); q('~beat~to hit again and again~Thirty or forty years ago it was quite normal for teachers in England to beat their pupils. Fortunately, it is now against the law to do so.~'); q('~beg~to ask someone very strongly to do or not to do something~"Please, please don\'t tell the teacher," he begged.~'); q('~beggar~someone who stands on the street asking for money ..~Tourists who visit poor countries are often approached by beggars asking for money or food.~'); q('~behave~to act or do things in a certain way~Standing on the table is certainly no way to behave in the cafeteria!~'); q('~belief~what you believe in~Many people who are old and sick are comforted by their belief in God.~'); q('~belt~a strap worn around the waist to keep your trousers up~My trousers are getting too loose; I need a belt to stop them slipping down.~'); q('~biennial~happening every two years~Some people think that the football world cup should be a biennial event. Others think that people would not be so interested in an event that happened every two years.~'); q('~bigamist~a man who marries two wives; or a woman who marries two husbands~Every year many bigamists are caught and sent to prison. Bigamy is a criminal offence.~'); q('~bilingual~having or speaking two languages~My daughter is bilingual. She speaks English with us at home, but switches to German when she is with her friends.~'); q('~binary~the number system with the base of 2~Computers operate using the binary number system which can switch between 0 (off) and 1 (on).~'); q('~binoculars~used to see things far away; like a telescope with two barrels~Whenever I go walking in the mountains I take my binoculars. I like to look at the birds in their nests high up in the trees or on rocky ledges.~'); q('~bleed~to lose blood from the body~If you cut your finger with a knife, you will start to bleed.~'); q('~blink~to close the eyes very quickly~People blink when they get something in their eye.~'); q('~blush~when your face goes red~Shy people often blush when they have to speak in front of a group of people.~'); q('~boast~to say how good you are~"I\'m the cleverest student in the school!" he boasted.~'); q('~bounce~to hit a hard surface and return in the same direction~The bullet hits the panel and then bounces back. It does not penetrate the panel.~'); q('~brag~to say you are the best~"I\'m the best-looking boy in the school," he bragged.~'); q('~brief~short~"Please write a brief summary of the book you read."~'); q('~broad~wide~The Mississippi is a very broad river.~'); q('~bruise~a blue and black mark on the skin caused by a hard knock~I\'ve got a nasty bruise on my leg where I bumped into the corner of the table yesterday.~'); q('~bully~someone who likes to hurt smaller and weaker people ..~Schools must do every thing they can to stop bullies. We can\'t have bigger students frightening or hurting smaller, weaker ones.~'); q('~bump~to knock into somebody or something~My brother\'s so clumsy. He\'s always bumping into people or knocking cups off the table.~'); q('~burp~this happens when the body gets rid of air after eating too quickly~People often burp after swallowing too much air when eating or drinking - especially after drinking soda too quickly.~'); q('~busybody~someone who always wants to know what others are doing ..~My aunt is a real old busybody. She\'s always standing by the window watching people walking up and down the street.~'); q('~button~the small round object with holes, used to fasten a shirt or blouse~"Frau Reinecker, a button has fallen off my shirt. Can you sew it back on for me, please?"~'); q('~calculator~instrument to help you do maths calculations~It\'s important to learn basic arithmetic. Some people can\'t even work out 7 x 8 without using their calculator!~'); q('~calf~the back part of the leg below the knee~I think I must have damaged my calf muscle when I fell off my bike.~'); q('~calm~slow to get angry or excited~My math teacher\'s always so calm. Even when there is a lot of noise or messing around in the classroom, he never loses his temper or shouts at us.~'); q('~career~a long-term job~Teaching is the career of the people who work at FIS.~'); q('~careless~not taking enough time and care over something~I have never seen such a careless piece of work. I looks like you did it on the bus, and there are countless spelling and grammar mistakes. Do it again, please!~'); q('~carpet~the cloth which people put on their floor to make the room warmer~If you drop crumbs on the carpet, you will have to use the vacuum cleaner to clean them up.~'); q('~cause~the reason why something happens~It is a well-known fact that smoking is a cause of lung cancer.~'); q('~cautious~careful; never taking a risk~My father is a very cautious driver. He never goes more than about 100km per hour, and he hates driving at night.~'); q('~cell~a prisoner\'s room in a jail~Some prisons are very overcrowded with more than 4 or 5 prisoners to every cell.~'); q('~chase~to run after someone to try and catch them~The policeman chased after the thief but lost him among the crowds on the busy shopping street.~'); q('~chatterbox~someone who cannot stop talking ..~Jane\'s always getting into trouble with teachers. She just cannot keep quiet and listen. She\'s such a chatterbox!~'); q('~cheerful~always smiling and friendly~Why are you looking so cheerful today? - Don\'t you know? I got straight A\'s on my report and my parents have promised to buy me a new mountain bike!~'); q('~chew~to use the teeth to make food smaller~If a piece of meat is tough, you will need to chew it for a while before it\'s small enough to swallow.~'); q('~civilian~someone who is not in the army~In most wars more civilians are killed than soldiers.~'); q('~clown~someone who does stupid things to make others laugh ..~Yutaro\'s the clown in ESL class. He\'s always doing silly things to make the other students laugh.~'); q('~clumsy~always dropping and breaking things or bumping into people~My sister is the clumsiest person I know. Never a day goes past without her breaking something or bashing someone with her bony elbows.~'); q('~collapse~to fall down completely and heavily~Many buildings collapse during earthquakes and kill the people inside.~'); q('~comb~a plastic object used to make your hair tidy~After you have taken a shower you need a brush or a comb to make your hair tidy.~'); q('~common~usual, there are many of them~John is a very common English boy\'s name.~'); q('~compare~to say how two things are alike or different~"Shall I compare thee to a summer\'s day?" is one of Shakespeare\'s most famous lines.~'); q('~comparison~a statement of how two things are similar or different~If I make a comparison of England and Germany, I have to say I prefer Germany. The weather is better and the people are more friendly.~'); q('~complain~to moan, to say how unhappy you are about something~If you don\'t like the service in a restaurant you should complain to the manager.~'); q('~complete~full or finished~The list of students who have signed up for the ski trip is now complete. There are no places left.~'); q('~complex~difficult~This is a very complex math problem. Can you help me, please?~'); q('~conceal~to hide~Many students doing an important test try to conceal their answers with their hand or a book. They don\'t want their neighbour seeing what they have written.~'); q('~confess~to admit doing something wrong~"Yes, it was me who wrote on the bathroom wall," she confessed.~'); q('~confident~feeling sure of yourself and your own abilities~I am confident that I\'m going to get a good grade for ESL. I try hard in class and do lots of extra work to improve my English!~'); q('~confirm~to say that what someone said is correct~"Yes, you\'re right. He does come from Japan," she confirmed.~'); q('~conflict~problem, struggle or battle~The most serious kind of conflict is war. Many people die when countries have problems that cannot be solved in peaceful ways.~'); q('~consider~think~What do you consider is the best way to improve your English? - Probably by reading for at least 15 minutes every day!~'); q('~construct~to build or make~In model making elective we construct things like castles or airplanes.~'); q('~contain~to have in it; to hold inside~Many big boxes contain only little presents.~'); q('~continue~to carry on, not stop~When you get to the end of the page, do not stop. Please continue reading on the next side.~'); q('~contradict~to tell someone they are wrong~"No, that\'s not right - he comes from Belgium, not France," she contradicted.~'); q('~convince~to (try and) get someone to believe something~It\'s no use trying to convince me that your father speaks 10 languages. I just don\'t believe you!~'); q('~corkscrew~utensil used to take a cork out of a wine bottle~How are we going to open this bottle of wine? I don\'t have a corkscrew.~'); q('~cough~to try and clear blocked lungs or a blocked throat~People who are suffering from a cold or the flu spend all day coughing and sneezing.~'); q('~courage~bravery~It takes a lot of courage for a girl to ask a boy to dance at the school disco. Especially if all his friends are watching him and laughing!~'); q('~crack~to break so that a line goes through it~"My bathroom mirror cracked when I dropped it yesterday. Now I\'ll have seven year\'s bad luck - at least that\'s what some superstitious people think."~'); q('~crawl~what a baby does on its hands and knees before it can walk~The injured man crawled out of his burning car and rolled into a ditch.~'); q('~create~to make; to use your imagination to make something new~Many scientists are working hard to create a robot that can understand spoken language and do jobs around the house.~'); q('~creep~to move slowly and carefully (maybe to surprise someone)~My friend almost died of shock when I crept up behind her and burst a paper bag!~'); q('~crime~an illegal action, e.g. murder, kidnapping, theft~There is a lot of crime in most of the world\'s big cities; murders, bank robberies etc.~'); q('~criminal~someone who has committed a crime ..~Some people think that putting young criminals into prison is not the best way of helping them to avoid crime in the future.~'); q('~criticize~to say something negative about someone or something~"No, you\'re doing it all wrong again," he criticized.~'); q('~croak~to speak like a frog (with a sore throat)~"I\'ve got a terrible cold and my voice is dying!" he croaked.~'); q('~crow~to show happiness that others are not so lucky as you~"Hah!. I got a better report than you and now my parents are going to buy me a new computer," he crowed.~'); q('~cruel~liking to hurt other people~Children can be very cruel to each other. They often don\'t realize how much unkind words can hurt.~'); q('~crush~to squash completely~The man was crushed to death when a wall fell on him in the hurricane.~'); q('~crutches~you need these to walk if you have a broken leg~When I broke my leg last year, I needed to use crutches for six weeks before I could walk properly again.~'); q('~curly~not straight (hair)~"I\'ve never liked my horrible curly hair. I wish I could have long straight hair like you!"~'); q('~cushion~a soft round or square object put on chairs to make them more comfortable~This chair is extremely uncomfortable; have you got a cushion, please?~'); q('~dash~to go somewhere very fast~As soon as the bell rang at the end of the school day, the students dashed out of the classrooms and raced down to the buses.~'); q('~deafen~to make deaf; to make a very loud noise~I\'ve decided to move. I\'m fed up being deafened by planes flying over the house every night.~'); q('~decade~a period of ten years~The last decade of the twentieth century started in 1990 and ends on 31 December 1999.~'); q('~decrease~to get smaller, go down~The population of a country will decrease if more people die than are born.~'); q('~delayed~(made) late~The plane bringing our grandmother from Japan was delayed and we had to wait for over an hour at the airport before she finally arrived.~'); q('~demand~ask for something forcefully~"I\'m not happy with the service in this restaurant; I demand to see the manager!"~'); q('~demolish~to break something completely~Most of Germany\'s large cities were demolished by bombs in the last world war.~'); q('~dent~a hollow in the surface of something~There is only a very small dent in the clay behind the bullet-proof panel.~'); q('~deny~to say it wasn\'t you who did something~She denied breaking my calculator. She said it was someone else.~'); q('~depart~to leave, go away~"You will have to be quick. The school bus departs in 5 minutes!"~'); q('~depressed~in an unhappy mood~I was depressed for a long time when my hamster died; but now we\'ve bought a new one and I feel happier again.~'); q('~descend~to go down~The plane descended from the sky and landed without a bump on the airport runway.~'); q('~describe~to say what something is like or looks like~"Can you describe your new house?" - "Yes, it\'s got 4 bedrooms and a huge garden. I really like it!"~'); q('~description~the noun from the verb "describe", telling what something looks like~Thanks to the accurate description of the witnesses, the police were able to identify the bank robbers.~'); q('~destroy~to damage something so it can\'t be used again~The can of red liquid is destroyed when the bullet passes through it.~'); q('~deteriorate~to get worse~"Your grades have deteriorated since Christmas. You really will have to start working harder again!"~'); q('~determined~not giving up easily; working until the end~He\'s most the determined person I know. Once he decides to do something, nothing and no-one is going to stop him!"~'); q('~diagram~a type of picture or chart~If you are trying to understand the instructions of a new piece of equipment like a camera, it helps to have a diagram to look at.~'); q('~dice~a small cube with the numbers 1 to 6 on its faces~In many board games you need to throw a dice to know find out whose turn it is or how many spaces to move.~'); q('~disaster~a catastrophe such as an earthquake or volcano~Many people lose their lives each year in disasters. There are natural disasters like earthquakes, and man-made disasters like plane crashes.~'); q('~discover~to find something for the first time (esp. land or scientific knowledge)~Who was the first person to discover America? Most people say it was Columbus.~'); q('~discuss~to talk about~"Can I come and see you after school today? I would like to discuss my math project; I\'m having a lot of problems with it."~'); q('~disgraceful~very bad~Your behaviour is disgraceful. Report to the headmaster at once!~'); q('~distance~how far it is from one place to another~The distance from Frankfurt to Oberursel is about 12 kilometers.~'); q('~dizzy~how you feel if you spin round and round~She felt really dizzy after dancing in circles for ten minutes.~'); q('~doubt~to be unsure whether something is true~She says her father is an excellent tennis player, but I doubt if she\'s telling the truth.~'); q('~doubtful~feeling unsure about someone or something~I feel doubtful that he will do what he promised; you know he\'s not the most reliable of people!~'); q('~drag~to pull something heavy~She dragged the heavy suitcase up the steps.~'); q('~drill~a tool used for making holes in wood or teeth~I need to make a hole in this piece of wood. Can I borrow your drill, please?~'); q('~education~schooling~It\'s very important to have a good education. Then you have much more chance of getting the job you want.~'); q('~elastic~can be stretched~The pillow and panel are held on the box of clay with two elastic straps.~'); q('~embarrassed~how you feel if you have done something stupid with everyone watching~I felt very embarrassed in class yesterday when the teacher asked an easy question and I couldn\'t think of the answer.~'); q('~emigrate~to leave your own country to live in another~In the last century many poor people emigrated from Europe to start a new life in America.~'); q('~employer~boss~Your employer is your boss.~'); q('~encircle~to surround; to make a circle around~The Indians had encircled the cowboys\' camp and were waiting for daylight before they attacked.~'); q('~enclose~to include with a letter~I have enclosed the money that you ask for. Let\'s just hope this letter arrives on time!~'); q('~endanger~to put into danger~There are many endangered animals in the world today. If we don\'t do more to protect the white tiger for example, it may soon become extinct.~'); q('~energetic~feeling full of life and energy~I\'m not feeling very energetic today. All I want to do is sit in my chair and watch television.~'); q('~enforce~to force something to happen; to make sure it happens~Most schools have certain punishments to enforce the rules. For example, students who don\'t do their homework are given a detention.~'); q('~enlarge~to make larger or become larger~Many students have their favourite photographs enlarged into a poster that they put up on their bedroom wall.~'); q('~enormous~very big~"My neighbour has an enormous dog. It\'s the size of a small horse, but it\'s very gentle and would never hurt anyone."~'); q('~enrage~to make someone very angry~It enraged my teacher when I told him that I had forgotten my homework yet again.~'); q('~enrich~to make rich or better or more interesting~You will enrich your writing if you try to include some more interesting vocabulary than always using words like "mega", "cool" and "awesome".~'); q('~enslave~to make someone into a slave~Two hundred years ago many black people from Africa were enslaved by white Europeans and taken to work on the cotton farms of America.~'); q('~ensure~to make sure~Please ensure that you have not forgotten anything before you leave the bus.~'); q('~enter~to go in~"When you enter the school, turn right and walk along the corridor. You will find the library on the left-hand side."~'); q('~envelope~a small \'bag\', used to send a letter; you must put a stamp on it~In order to send a letter you must remember to write the name and address on the envelope, and put a stamp on it.~'); q('~envious~wanting what someone else has and you haven\'t~I was very envious when my friend said that she is moving to a house with a swimming pool and tennis courts.~'); q('~error~a mistake~There is only one error in your writing. You put: "He play tennis," instead of "He plays tennis."~'); q('~essential~very important~"It is essential that you try to increase your English vocabulary. And the best way to do this is by lots of reading!"~'); q('~event~a happening~The death of Princess Diana was an event that shocked the whole world.~'); q('~eventually~in the end~Trying to water-ski for the first time is difficult but if you keep practising, you will eventually learn how to do it.~'); q('~evidence~fingerprints, blood samples, witnesses\' statements etc.~The jury didn\'t think that there was enough evidence that the woman had murdered her husband, and so they found her "Not guilty".~'); q('~examine~to look at carefully~If you want to examine very small animals, you will need a good microscope.~'); q('~exist~to be alive, to be in the world~Dinosaurs no longer exist - they have been extinct for millions of years.~'); q('~expand~to get bigger; e.g. metals in the heat~Metals expand when they get hotter.~'); q('~explain~to say how to do something~"First you take out the screw, then you ..." he explained.~'); q('~extraordinary~very unusual~"It was an extraordinary idea to buy my mother a pet snake for her birthday. But she really likes it!"~'); q('~fair~light-coloured (hair)~"My hair always goes fair in the summer and then turns dark again in the winter."~'); q('~familiar~known; well-known~Coca Cola is a name that is familiar to most people in the world.~'); q('~fart~to expel air from the anus~Some kinds of beans or vegetables produce a lot of wind in the body. You get rid of the wind by farting.~'); q('~feeble~weak, not strong or good~The student gave a feeble excuse for not having done his homework. He said he couldn\'t do it because it was raining!~'); q('~filthy~very dirty~"Your shoes are filthy! Don\'t you dare come in my nice clean kitchen!"~'); q('~fine~a money punishment~The punishment for small misdemeanors is usually a fine. For example, you will be fined if you are caught driving above the speed limit.~'); q('~fist~made with your hand when you draw your fingers together~Boxers try and knock each other out with their fists.~'); q('~flabby~fat with loose flesh hanging down~"I\'m getting very flabby. I really must stop eating so much junk food."~'); q('~flashlight~an instrument which is used to help us see at night~Americans call it a flashlight and English call it a torch. But it\'s the same thing - used to help us see in the dark.~'); q('~flexible~can be bent without breaking~I\'m not very flexible. I can\'t even touch my toes.~'); q('~fling~to throw~He picked up the book and flung it out of the window.~'); q('~float~to swim on the top of water (opposite of sink)~If you put a piece of wood in water, it will float. But if you do the same with a piece of metal, it will sink.~'); q('~fold~to bend something back on itself one or more times~Please fold your clothes carefully before you put them in the suitcase, otherwise they will get all creased.~'); q('~foolish~stupid~Its very foolish to drive without wearing a seatbelt. You are much more likely to be killed in an accident.~'); q('~forbid~to tell someone they can\'t do something~Pandora was forbidden to open the box.~'); q('~forgetful~always forgetting things~"I\'m so forgetful. I\'d even lose my head if it wasn\'t attached to my body!"~'); q('~freckles~summer spots on the cheeks and nose~"How I hate my freckles! I wish I could have a beautiful clear skin like you.~'); q('~frequent~often~My aunt is a frequent visitor to our house. In fact she comes two or three times a week!~'); q('~fridge~a large box in the kitchen where you can keep food cold~If you want to keep milk and cheese fresh in hot weather, you must keep it in the fridge.~'); q('~fringe~hair cut straight across the forehead~"My fringe is getting too long. I can hardly see where I\'m going!"~'); q('~frown~to screw your face up when angry or worried~Why are you frowning? Is anything the matter?~'); q('~funnel~an object used for pouring liquids back into bottles~We didn\'t use all the milk in this jug. Have you got a funnel so I can pour it back into the bottle?~'); q('~furious~very very angry~My ESL teacher was furious when I came late to class again and then told him I hadn\'t done my homework.~'); q('~gasp~to make a short sound when you are suddenly frightened~"Uhh!" she gasped, as the hand shot out of the grave. (She\'s watching a horror film!)~'); q('~generation~group of people all born around the same time~In many families precious objects like jewelry or photographs are handed down from one generation to the next.~'); q('~generous~always ready to give time or money to other people~My best friend\'s so generous; she\'ll give you her last piece of candy if you ask for it.~'); q('~genius~someone who has a very high IQ, like Einstein ..~Most people think of Albert Einstein when they hear the word "genius".~'); q('~genuine~real and authentic, not faked~"Is this a genuine picture by Picasso or is it a fake?"~'); q('~glue~a substance used to stick things together~Have you got any glue? I want to stick this picture inside my locker.~'); q('~gradually~slowly~"I\'m gradually getting better at English. I no longer say "he like .." or "she want ..", but I still can never remember whether it should be "I saw .." or "I\'ve seen ..".~'); q('~graduate~to leave a school or university~"I still don\'t know what I\'m going to do when I graduate from school.~'); q('~grateful~feeling thankful to someone for doing something~I am very grateful for your help. I could never have done it on my own.~'); q('~greasy~oily; describes hair that hasn\'t been washed for ages~"Your hair looks so greasy. When was the last time you washed it?"~'); q('~grin~to smile (often in a cheeky way)~What are you grinning about? Did I say something funny?~'); q('~guard~person in a jail making sure that prisoners do not escape~Some guards are friendly to the prisoners, while others think it is better to keep their distance.~'); q('~guilty~not innocent; having committed a crime or done something wrong~The man was found guilty of murder and sent to prison for the rest of his life.~'); q('~hammer~a tool used for knocking nails into walls~I want to hang this picture on the wall. Do you know where the hammer is?~'); q('~hangover~feeling bad the morning after having drunk too much alcohol~People who have drunk too much often suffer from a hangover the next day - their head hurts and their stomach feels bad.~'); q('~heal~to make or get better~Some injuries take a long time to heal. When I broke my arm, it was almost a year before I was better again.~'); q('~heel~the back part of your foot~"These new shoes don\'t fit very well. They keep rubbing me on my left heel."~'); q('~helmet~a hard hat worn to protect the head~If you ride your bicycle along busy roads, it\'s a good idea to wear a helmet to protect your head if you have an accident.~'); q('~hero~a person who has done a brave and important deed~Batman is a cartoon hero who helps to save the world from evil villains.~'); q('~hesitate~to pause before saying or doing something~Many people hesitate before eating raw fish for the first time. They are not sure what it will taste like.~'); q('~hiccough~what sometimes happens when you drink too much cola~The word hiccough is pronounced hiccup. This often happens when you drink too quickly, and is difficult to stop.~'); q('~hitchhiker~someone who tries to get a ride in a car~It\'s common to see hitchhikers at the side of the road, waiting for a car to give them a lift.~'); q('~homesick~missing your home or country very much~I\'m homesick. Why can\'t we go back to our own country?~'); q('~honest~always telling the truth; never lying or cheating~People who are honest do not lie, cheat or steal.~'); q('~hooligan~someone who likes to fight at football matches ..~There is a big problem with hooligans at football matches. German hooligans almost killed a French policeman during the 1998 World Cup.~'); q('~humiliated~feeling very worthless and embarrassed~The boy felt humiliated when the teacher said he was stupid and all the other students started laughing at him.~'); q('~identical~exactly the same~Twins born from the same egg are called identical twins. They look exactly the same. Fraternal twins look a little different from each other.~'); q('~identify~to know or say who or what something is~I can\'t identify this beetle; I\'ll have to ask the science teacher what it is.~'); q('~illness~feeling unwell; a disease~The flu is an illness that many people suffer from in the winter months. A disease is a more serious illness like cancer or AIDS.~'); q('~illustrate~to put pictures in or to make something clearer~"Your ecology report is very good, but it would be even better if you illustrated it with some diagrams, charts and pictures."~'); q('~imaginative~having good and unusual ideas~Scheherezade, from the Thousand Nights and One Night was very imaginative. To save her head, she made up the stories of Sindbad, Aladdin and Ali Baba.~'); q('~imitate~to do the same as someone else~Some students love to imitate their teachers! Babies learn by imitating their parents.~'); q('~immediately~without delay~You must go to the principal immediately. He wants to see you right now!~'); q('~impact~the word used for one thing hitting another~Without the pillow the impact of the bullet would break the man\'s ribs.~'); q('~improve~to get better~"I want to improve my ESL grade, so I\'m going to try to read many more books next semester."~'); q('~increase~to get bigger~The population of the world is increasing fast. It is expected that there will be 7 billion people on earth in the year 2010.~'); q('~infant~a young child or baby~My sister\'s baby is still an infant. He can\'t walk yet.~'); q('~infinite~without an end~It is a common belief that the universe is infinite. But who knows? Maybe one day we will discover it has an edge or end.~'); q('~inhabitant~a person who lives in a particular place~Many inhabitants of the city like to spend their weekends in the country or mountains where the air is fresher.~'); q('~injection~putting medicine into the blood with a syringe~An injection is a way of putting medicine into the bloodstream with a special needle called a syringe.~'); q('~innocent~not guilty; not having committed the crime you are accused of~The great problem with the death penalty is the danger that an innocent man will be executed.~'); q('~insert~to put in~Please insert your disk, shut the disk drive and then click on "Save".~'); q('~insist~to make it clear that someone has to do what you say~"I\'m sorry, you must do it. You have no choice," he insisted.~'); q('~instructions~these tell you what to do~If you want to know how your new digital camera works, you will have to read the instructions.~'); q('~interrupt~to start speaking before the other person has finished talking~"I didn\'t really like .... " - "Well, I did!" she interrupted.~'); q('~invalid~someone who has to be taken care of by other people ..~"After the terrible car crash my father was an invalid for the last seven years of his life."~'); q('~investigate~to find out what has happened or why something has happened~I\'m going to investigate what happened at lunch time. Someone broke the window in my room but everyone claims to have seen nothing.~'); q('~invincible~can\'t be beaten~My football team is invincible. We haven\'t been beaten for more than 3 years!~'); q('~invisible~cannot be seen~The air in this room is invisible, but we know it\'s here otherwise we\'d die!~'); q('~invite~to ask someone if they would like to do something~She invited me to her party next week.~'); q('~irritable~in a bad mood; easily made angry~The teacher was very irritable yesterday. Every little thing we did wrong made her shout at us.~'); q('~itch~a feeling in the skin that makes you want to scratch~My skin started to itch after a walk in the forest yesterday. I think I must have touched some poison ivy.~'); q('~jaw~the bone in your face that moves when you speak or eat~Your jaw bone moves when you eat or talk. "Jaws" was the name of a film about a shark with a huge mouth.~'); q('~jealous~feeling unhappy because someone has something that you want for yourself~Some people feel very jealous when others win a lot of money. They are unhappy to think of someone having something they don\'t have.~'); q('~journey~a long trip to a different place~I went on a long journey last year. First I travelled to Japan, then I flew to Brazil. After that I sailed to California before coming home.~'); q('~judge~s/he decides on the punishment of the guilty criminal~The judge sentenced the woman to twenty years in prison after she was found guilty of murdering her husband.~'); q('~kidnap~to "steal" a person in order to get a ransom~The children of rich and famous people are in danger of being kidnapped. The kidnappers hope that the parents will pay a large ransom to buy their child free again.~'); q('~knife~you use it to cut your food~"Waiter, can you bring me a new knife, please. This one is not sharp enough and I can\'t cut my beef."~'); q('~knuckle~the joint in the middle of the fingers~If boxers were to fight without gloves, they would soon break their knuckles. The gloves protect these bones in the fingers..~'); q('~laces~pieces of string used to tie shoes~Your laces are undone; if you don\'t do them up, you\'ll trip and hurt yourself.~'); q('~ladder~a device used to climb to high places~The fireman had to use a long ladder to rescue the child from the top floor of the burning building.~'); q('~lanky~tall and thin~If you want to be a basketball player, it\'s good to be lanky.~'); q('~lawyer~a person who helps someone accused of a crime~If the police suspect you of a serious crime, you had better get yourself a good lawyer!~'); q('~leap~to jump~Have you ever seen dolphins leap out of the water? It\'s a wonderful sight!~'); q('~legible~can be read~Your writing is not legible. Do it again!~'); q('~lengthen~to make something longer~Students would be happy if the school decided to lengthen the summer vacation!~'); q('~lick~what you do with your tongue~Cats clean their fur by licking it.~'); q('~lighter~a small object used to light cigarettes etc.~If you want to smoke, you\'ll have to use matches. I left my lighter in the car.~'); q('~limp~to walk slowly because your leg is hurt~I was limping for weeks after I hurt my leg playing football.~'); q('~listless~lazy; not feeling like doing any work~I feel so listless today. I don\'t have the energy to do anything but sit in my chair.~'); q('~lunatic~a person who does strange or foolish things~We usually call someone who does crazy or risky things a lunatic. People who have serious medical problems are called "mentally ill" or "insane".~'); q('~lungs~you need these to breathe~If you want healthy lungs, never smoke!~'); q('~measure~find out how much there is of something~If you want to know how long that table is you will have to measure it.~'); q('~medium~in the middle~I am medium-height, medium-weight and have medium-length hair!~'); q('~mention~say~Please don\'t mention that I like the new student. I\'d die if anyone found out!~'); q('~minimum~the smallest possible~The minimum number of words you should learn each week is 10, but of course you can do more.~'); q('~misbehave~to behave badly~If you misbehave in class, you will be sent to the principal.~'); q('~miser~someone who saves all his money and hates spending it ..~"My grandfather\'s a real old miser. he would rather sit in a cold room in the winter than spend money on heating."~'); q('~miserable~very unhappy~I felt so miserable last week; I got a 1 in my maths test, and I had to stay in bed two days with a bad cold and headache.~'); q('~misfortune~bad luck~I had the misfortune to leave my bag on the bus, and nobody has turned it in yet.~'); q('~mishear~to hear something wrongly~I think I must have misheard you. Did you really say you have ten children?~'); q('~mishit~to hit a ball too soon or too late~I mishit a ball so badly playing tennis yesterday that it ended up in the river on the other side of the road!~'); q('~misinform~to give wrong information~You misinformed me when you said you could speak Chinese. I know now that it\'s untrue!~'); q('~misjudge~to judge someone or something wrongly~I misjudged you. I thought you were arrogant and unfriendly, but now I know you were just too shy to smile and say hello.~'); q('~mislay~to put something in a place where you cannot find it~I have mislaid my keys. Do you know where they are?~'); q('~mislead~to deceive someone; to get them to believe something that is not true~You mislead me. I believed you when you said your mother was sick, but now I know it was just an excuse for not having done your homework.~'); q('~misprint~a word in a book or newspaper article that has been printed incorrectly~There was a funny misprint in yesterday\'s newspaper. It said that some bank robbers had been chased by a polite dog. Of course it should have read: police dog!~'); q('~mispronounce~to say a word or name wrongly~My ESL teacher is always mispronouncing the names of the Korean students in his class.~'); q('~misspell~to spell a word incorrectly~Please do not misspell my name. It\'s Catherin without an -E.~'); q('~mistake~to have a wrong belief about someone or something~There is a well-known book called: The man who mistook his wife for a hat. It is a true story about a man who hurts his head in an accident and then thinks that his wife is a hat.~'); q('~mistime~to hit a ball too soon or too late~I kept mistiming the ball at golf yesterday. I haven\'t played so badly for a long time.~'); q('~misunderstand~to not understand someone or something correctly~I misunderstood the instructions on how to get to the new store and we ended up getting hopelessly lost!~'); q('~misuse~to use something carelessly or badly~If you misuse your calculator, it\'s sure to break! It wasn\'t designed to be thrown around like that.~'); q('~moan~to complain~"Why do my parents never let me stay out late?" he moaned.~'); q('~monolingual~one language~A monolingual dictionary is better for more advanced learners of English because it will usually contain much more information about words than a bilingual dictionary.~'); q('~monologue~one person talking (to himself) for a long time~One of the most famous speeches in literature is Hamlet\'s monologue: "To be or not to be, that is the question".~'); q('~monopolize~to keep everything for yourself~Stop monopolizing the computer. I want a turn too!~'); q('~monorail~a railway with a single track~At Disneyland in Paris there is a monorail that takes you from the hotel all around the amusement park.~'); q('~monotonous~boring; with no changes~Why are his lessons so monotonous? All he does is talk in the same boring voice for 45 minutes. Does he really think we\'re listening to him?~'); q('~moody~quickly going from a good mood to a bad mood and back again~My math teacher\'s very moody. You never know whether she\'s going to smile at you or bite your head off.~'); q('~moustache~hair growing under the nose~The criminal was wearing a wig and a false moustache so that he wouldn\'t be recognized by the police.~'); q('~mumble~to speak softly and unclearly~"I couldn\'t do the homework because my dog ate my planner." she mumbled so softly that the teacher could barley hear her.~'); q('~muscular~strong and powerful~"My brother\'s very muscular. Every day he goes into the fitness room after school and lifts weights for a couple of hours."~'); q('~mutter~to talk to yourself under your breath~"Why doesn\'t she just go and jump in the pond," he muttered under his breath when the teacher started shouting at the class again.~'); q('~nauseous~feeling you are about to be sick~The last time I travelled by sea, I felt nauseous the whole way because the boat never stopped rolling from side to side.~'); q('~navel~where you were attached to your mother~The navel is where the body was attached to the mother before birth via the umbilical cord.~'); q('~necessary~needed; very important~It\'s not necessary to tell me how to do it; I know already!~'); q('~needle~a small thin piece of metal with a hole at one end; used in sewing~Have you got a needle and some white cotton? I need to sew the button back on my shirt.~'); q('~nerves~these cause us to feel pain~When you put your finger on a pin, the nerves carry the sharp feeling to the brain which sends back the message to take your hand away.~'); q('~nervous~feeling worried or anxious about something~I always feel nervous before the start of an important basketball game, but as soon as we begin I feel alright again.~'); q('~nostrils~the two holes in your nose~Humans have hairs in their nostrils. These help filter the air from dust etc. when breathing.~'); q('~novelist~someone who writes books~Charles Dickens is a famous English novelist.~'); q('~numb~having no feeling in a part of your body~When I came back from skiing, my fingers were numb and I couldn\'t unzip my jacket.~'); q('~numerous~very many~There are numerous students at FIS from Korea.~'); q('~object~to express your disagreement (or annoyance) about something~"No, why should it always be me that has to do it?" she objected.~'); q('~observe~to watch carefully~If you observe a group of monkeys carefully, you will soon be able to tell who is the leader.~'); q('~occur~to happen; take place~How did the accident occur? - It happened because one of the cars was travelling too fast and couldn\'t stop in time at the traffic lights.~'); q('~offer~to ask if someone would like something (e.g. food or help)~I would offer to help you, but I\'ve got no time now. Sorry!~'); q('~oppose~to be against or fight against something~"I am opposed to the idea of having a school uniform. I think it would cause a lot of unnecessary problems."~'); q('~optional~not necessary or compulsory; can do it if you want~The last part of the homework is optional. You can do it if you want but you don\'t have to.~'); q('~order~to command someone to do something (as in the army)~"Sit down and be quiet!" the teacher ordered.~'); q('~origin~where something begins; source~"Do you know the origin of the word OK? Who was the first person to use it?"~'); q('~orphan~a child whose parents are dead~My best friend at school is an orphan - his parents died in a car crash when he was seven years old.~'); q('~oval~egg-shaped~Running tracks are oval. Faces and mirrors can also be the same shape.~'); q('~overcome~to defeat; to win against~My aunt is really brave. She has fought against cancer for many years and now it seems that she has overcome it. The doctors say she is completely well again!~'); q('~overeat~to eat too much~I don\'t know why it happens, but every year on Christmas Day I overeat and overdrink, and then I feel really terrible the next morning.~'); q('~overflow~to flow over the top of something~I was running my bath yesterday when the phone rang. When I went back into the bathroom, the water had overflowed and was all over the floor!~'); q('~overhear~to hear something that was not said to you~I was sitting quietly in the classroom yesterday, when I overheard two teachers outside the room talking about me. And what they were saying was not very positive!~'); q('~overpower~to gain control over someone or something in a fight~The terrorist was overpowered by three policemen as he was about to shoot the president.~'); q('~oversleep~to sleep too long or too late~I overslept this morning and missed the bus. That\'s the third time it\'s happened this week and my boss is not very pleased with me.~'); q('~painful~a body condition that hurts~A toothache, a broken arm and a stomach ulcer are all painful conditions.~'); q('~palm~you use this part of your hand when you slap someone~Some people believe that the lines in the palm of your hand can predict the future.~'); q('~panel~a sheet of metal, plastic or wood~The panel is made from the fibre which has been spun into a yarn and woven into a fabric.~'); q('~pant~how you speak when you are out of breath~"Quick! Give me something to drink!" she panted ,thirsty and out of breath after PE on a hot, dusty day.~'); q('~parting~where you part your hair with a comb~Most girls with long straight hair have a parting in the middle of their head.~'); q('~pat~to tap a child or animal affectionately on the head~"That was very well done! Let me give you a pat on the back."~'); q('~patient~able to wait without getting agitated or annoyed~I\'m not a very patient person. If I have to wait in line at the bank or post office for more than a few seconds I start getting more and more annoyed.~'); q('~pedestrian~someone who goes on foot~In most big cities there are pedestrian zones for people to walk without being endangered by cars.~'); q('~penetrate~to go into a solid object~The bullet does not penetrate the panel; it just bounces back.~'); q('~penniless~having no money~I\'m penniless. I can\'t even afford to buy some new shoes for the winter.~'); q('~pensioner~an old person who has stopped working~Some pensioners have to live in old people\'s homes because they are no longer able to look after themselves.~'); q('~permanent~lasting for ever or for a very long time~Do not write on the board with permanent ink. It cannot be erased.~'); q('~permit~to allow~"I do not permit my children to watch a lot of television."~'); q('~pessimistic~not hopeful or optimistic~I am pessimistic about my math grade. I never studied for tests and didn\'t work very hard in class.~'); q('~pillow~a soft object used for resting your head on~The pillow is needed inside the bullet-proof jacket to stop the impact of the bullet.~'); q('~plaster~a small patch to put over a cut; also called a band-aid~Have you got a plaster. I\'ve just cut my finger on this piece of paper.~'); q('~plug~this is at the end of the cable from the computer~"Quick! Pull the plug out; the computer\'s on fire!"~'); q('~plump~round and fat~My aunt\'s quite fat but she prefers to call herself "plump"; she says it sounds better.~'); q('~pointless~useless; not worth doing~It\'s pointless asking him to lend you some money - he\'s so mean!~'); q('~poke~to push your finger or a stick into something~"Hey! Be careful with that ruler. You almost poked me in the eye!"~'); q('~powerful~strong~If you exercise regularly, you will develop powerful muscles.~'); q('~predict~to say what will happen in the future~Many scientists predict that the earth will be 3 degrees warmer by the end of the next century.~'); q('~prefer~to like something better than another thing~"I prefer football to tennis," he said.~'); q('~prepare~get ready for something~If you have to give a speech you must prepare for it carefully. First write out speech cards, then practise at home with your parents.~'); q('~prescription~the piece of paper given to you by the doctor with the medicine you need~When the doctor gives you a prescription you need to take it to the chemist in order to get your medicine.~'); q('~presenter~the person in charge of a TV show~At the end of the film someone shoots at the presenter but he isn\'t hurt. He just brushes an imaginary fly off his shoulder!~'); q('~prevent~to stop from doing~If you want to prevent tooth decay, you should brush your teeth properly at least twice a day.~'); q('~previous~the one before~Our previous teacher was very nice to us but the new one is horrible and gives us lots of homework.~'); q('~probation~giving someone who has committed a crime a second chance~Most young criminals are given a second chance, called probation, to avoid crime in future. If they fail, they are put into prison..~'); q('~procedure~the way to do something~The procedure for recording TV programmes onto a video cassette is often very complicated.~'); q('~property~the things that belong to someone, especially their home~Every year in Germany many people lose all their property when their houses burn down in a fire.~'); q('~proportion~percentage~"What proportion of students at this come comes from Asia?" - "About 35% I think!"~'); q('~protect~to keep safe from damage or hurt~The bullet-proof jacket will protect the wearer from attacks with a gun.~'); q('~proud~feeling pleased with yourself because you have done something well~I felt very proud when I got the best score in the math test and the teacher praised me in front of the class.~'); q('~provide~to give~Cows provide us with milk; and we get wool from a sheep.~'); q('~pump~a instrument for putting air into tyres or balls~This football\'s getting too soft. Do you know where the pump is so I can put more air into it?~'); q('~punch~to hit with your fist~Boxers wear gloves because otherwise they would hurt their hands when they punch their opponents.~'); q('~radiator~a large metal object used for heating rooms~If you\'re so cold in here then turn on the radiator!~'); q('~random~by chance; without any sequence~When you are doing the lottery, do you pick numbers at random, or do you have a system?~'); q('~rapid~quick~You are making very rapid progress in learning English! You only started learning a year ago, and you can already speak quite fluently.~'); q('~realize~to come to know something~"Oh no, I\'ve forgotten my violin," he realized after getting on the bus.~'); q('~reappear~to come back again~I can\'t get rid of these spots on my nose. Just when I think they\'ve gone forever, they reappear looking even worse than before.~'); q('~rebound~to bounce back~I had a lucky catch when playing cricket yesterday. The ball hit the batsman\'s foot and rebounded into my hands!~'); q('~recall~to remember; bring back into your memory~Can you recall your very first day at school? I still have a very strong memory of it.~'); q('~receding~describes hair that is disappearing above the forehead~"My hair is receding fast. At this rate I\'ll be completely bald before I\'m 40!"~'); q('~recent~not long ago; in the last days or weeks~"I hurt my leg in a recent skiing accident and I still can\'t walk properly."~'); q('~recently~not long ago~Have you been to the movies recently? - No the last time I went was over a year ago.~'); q('~recommend~to suggest to someone that something is worth having or seeing~"You should buy this book," he recommended. "It\'s the best I\'ve read in years!"~'); q('~recover~to get better again~I took me a long time to recover from my arm injury. I couldn\'t play tennis for more than six months.~'); q('~reduce~to make smaller or shorter~If you want to do well in tests then you will need to reduce the amount of time watching TV and spend more time studying.~'); q('~reform~to change; to make better or become better again~Many people think that putting young criminals into prison is not the best way to reform them.~'); q('~refresh~to make new or fresh again~If I\'m feeling tired, I find that the best way to refresh myself is go for a long walk with the dog.~'); q('~refugee~someone who leaves their country because of war ..~Thousands of Albanian refugees left Kosovo to seek safety in neighbouring countries.~'); q('~refuse~to not do something that someone wants you to do~I refuse to clean up this table! It wasn\'t me who made the mess.~'); q('~relatives~the people in your greater family; aunts, cousins etc.~"Our house is going to be very full at Christmas. All my relatives are coming.~'); q('~release~to let go or let out~Please release that spider from the box. It will die if you keep it in there.~'); q('~reliable~can be trusted, does not let you down~My friend is very reliable ; if she says she will do something she never forgets it.~'); q('~relieved~glad because some expected bad event has NOT happened~She felt very relieved when the dentist said there was nothing wrong with her teeth. She really thought she would have to have fillings.~'); q('~remain~stay~I think we will remain in Germany for another two years. Then we\'ll return to Korea.~'); q('~remind~to tell someone not to forget something~"Don\'t forget you have vocabulary test tomorrow," the teacher reminded the class.~'); q('~remove~to take away~Please remove your feet from the table! People have to eat here!~'); q('~repeat~to do or say again~Could you please repeat the question. I didn\'t understand what you said.~'); q('~replace~to put something back where it was or put something else in its place~They have replaced the floor in the sports hall. It\'s much less hard now and I don\'t have sore feet the day after playing basketball in there any more.~'); q('~reply~to answer~If someone sends you an invitation to a party, it\'s polite to reply and tell them if you can come or not.~'); q('~represent~to stand for, to take the place of~In the film the red liquid represents blood, and the clay represents the human skin.~'); q('~request~to ask politely~"Please may I go to the bathroom?" she requested.~'); q('~require~to need~I require your help, please. I can\'t do this on my own.~'); q('~restore~to return something to its original state~Michelangelo\'s pictures in the Sistine Chapel in Rome have been restored, but I don\'t really like the new colours.~'); q('~retire~to stop working at the age of 60 or over~Men retire when they are about 65; women usually retire at a younger age.~'); q('~retort~another word for "answer" or "reply"~"May I go to the bathroom?" asked a student. "No, you may not!" the teacher retorted.~'); q('~retreat~to go back (in a war or battle)~The German army in the second world war got as far as Moscow but were then forced to retreat by the terrible winter weather and the strong resistance of the Russian soldiers.~'); q('~return~to go back or put back~Please return your diskette to the box when you have finished with it.~'); q('~ribs~the bones protecting your chest~The bones of your ribs are needed to protect the important organs of the heart and lungs.~'); q('~ridiculous~very stupid~"That was a ridiculous thing to do. You could have broken my leg!"~'); q('~rise~to go up~If the price of petrol continues to rise, many people will not be able to use their car so often.~'); q('~roar~to shout loudly and angrily like a lion~"STOP THAT NOW!" the teacher roared at the top of his voice.~'); q('~rude~impolite, not having good manners~Some people are extremely rude - they never say \'Please\' or \'Thank you\'.~'); q('~rumble~the sound your stomach makes when you are hungry~My stomach didn\'t stop rumbling all lesson - it was very embarrassing!~'); q('~satisfactory~OK~"Your work is satisfactory but I\'m sure you could do better if you tried harder."~'); q('~saw~a tool used for cutting wood~Where\'s the saw. I need to cut this dead branch off the tree before it falls on someone\'s head!~'); q('~scales~you use these to weigh things~Many people keep scales in their bathroom so that they can weigh themselves every day.~'); q('~scarf~you wear it around your neck in winter~It\'s very cold today. Before you go outside, you need to put on your hat, scarf and gloves.~'); q('~scrounger~someone who is always asking for things without paying ..~"My friend\'s a real scrounger. He never brings any money to school so he\'s constantly asking for money to buy~'); q('~select~to choose~Which elective are you going to select next time? - I think I\'ll try chess.~'); q('~selfish~thinking only about yourself~"Why are you so selfish? You never think about anyone except yourself."~'); q('~sentence~the punishment decided on by the judge~The judge sentenced the thief to 6 months in prison and warned him not to steal again.~'); q('~separate~not together, apart; go apart~If two students are always talking in class, then the teacher will often separate them and make them sit in opposite parts of the room~'); q('~sequence~the order in which things are arranged or happen~What is the correct key sequence on a calculator for working out a percentage from a fraction?~'); q('~several~many (about 6 or seven)~There are several teachers from Australia in the school and a few from Canada.~'); q('~shatter~to break (glass) into hundreds of pieces~"The mirror shattered into a thousand pieces when I dropped it on the bathroom floor."~'); q('~sheets~large pieces of cloth on your bed that you lie on~One of life\'s pleasures is to get into a bed which has freshly cleaned sheets.~'); q('~shelf~a flat board to put books on~I keep my books on a shelf above my bed.~'); q('~shiver~to shake because of the cold~Why are you shivering. It\'s not that cold in here!~'); q('~shoplifter~someone who steals from a shop~A big problem in many stores are shoplifters . That\'s why you\'ll often see cameras on the ceiling that spy on the customers while they are shopping.~'); q('~shove~to push hard~Please wait patiently in line in the cafeteria. It doesn\'t help to shove the person standing in front of you.~'); q('~shriek~to cry out loud from fear or pain~"Get away from me!" she shrieked.~'); q('~shy~blushing when someone starts talking to you~Jane\'s so shy. She stands in the corner at school dances and turns red if any boy comes near her.~'); q('~sideboards~hair growing down the side of your face~In the sixties many men grew sideboards on their faces. (They are called sideburns in American English.)~'); q('~significant~important; large~Pollution is a significant problem in today\'s world.~'); q('~silent~quiet~"Silent night! Holy night! All is calm! All is bright!" (The first line of a popular Christmas carol.)~'); q('~similar~like, almost the same as~My two aunts have a very similar appearance. They are both short and fat with long grey hair.~'); q('~simultaneous~at the same time~Can you do your homework and listen to music simultaneously? Some people can, but I can\'t.~'); q('~single~unmarried~People are staying single much longer these days. Many men and women don\'t get married until they\'re in their thirties.~'); q('~skinny~very thin~Since giving up chocolate, I\'ve become really skinny. My jeans don\'t fit any more; they\'re too loose.~'); q('~skull~the large bone containing the head organs~If you ride a mountain bike, you should always wear a helmet. This will protect your skull if you have a crash.~'); q('~slam~to shut a door very loudly~She was so angry that she stormed out of the room, slamming the door loudly behind her.~'); q('~slap~to hit with the palm of your hand~She slapped him in the face for being rude to her.~'); q('~slim~nicely thin; not fat but not too thin; slender~Most of the models you see in magazines and on TV are very slim. A synonym is slender.~'); q('~slip~to fall over on something slippery~Be careful you don\'t slip when going down those steps! They are very icy. ~'); q('~smuggling~bringing tobacco, alcohol or drugs secretly into a country without paying tax~The mafia makes a huge amount of money each year by smuggling drugs into America or Europe from poorer parts of the world like Asia or South America.~'); q('~snap~to break in two (e.g. a pencil)~The teacher was so mad with class yesterday that she snapped her ruler and threw it out of the window.~'); q('~sneeze~to expel dust or mucus from the nose~I\'m allergic to cats. If one comes near me, it makes me sneeze.~'); q('~snore~the sound some people make when they sleep~People who sleep with their mouth open often snore.~'); q('~sober~the opposite of drunk; in control of your body and tongue~Do not attempt to drive your car unless you are sober. Most accidents are caused by people who have been drinking too much.~'); q('~society~a group of people living together~The United States has a very cosmopolitan society. People have come from all countries in the world to live there.~'); q('~sofa~a long armchair for three or more people~After eating dinner I usually lie down on the sofa and fall asleep while watching television.~'); q('~sole~the bottom of your foot~If you walk in the forest in bare feet, you are quite likely to get a thorn in your sole.~'); q('~source~where something begins, where you can find something~The source of the Urselbach river is high in the Taunus hills behind the school.~'); q('~spank~to smack a child long and hard~It is now not so usual for parents to spank their children if they misbehave. They rightly believe that it is wrong to use force against someone smaller and weaker than yourself.~'); q('~spectator~someone who watches a sports game~The spectators started to roar when the referee refused to give their team a penalty.~'); q('~speechless~not knowing what to say~I was speechless when my friend told me she is getting married to a man old enough to be her father!~'); q('~speed~the rate at which something moves or changes~The top speed of this car is 230kph!~'); q('~spin~to turn round and round very fast~To make a yarn or string from fibre, you must spin it very fast.~'); q('~spine~the bone running down your back~"I hurt my spine lifting a heavy box yesterday, and now I can hardly walk."~'); q('~spinster~a woman who has never married~The word spinster sounds a little impolite. It\'s better to say something like: "She\'s an unmarried woman."~'); q('~spiteful~wanting to hurt or cause pain~That was a very spiteful thing to say. Can\'t you be more thoughtful?~'); q('~split~to break open in a long crack~It was a popular sport in the middle ages to try and split a thin tree with an arrow.~'); q('~squash~to make something smaller~"Don\'t put that heavy tin on top of the bananas. You\'ll squash them!"~'); q('~squeeze~to press (tightly) on something in your hand~The presenter squeezes the pillow to show that there is nothing but air inside it.~'); q('~stamp~to tread on something hard with the bottom of your foot~"It\'s no use stamping your feet when you don\'t get your own way."~'); q('~state~to say a fact~"It\'s my birthday today!" she stated.~'); q('~statement~information given by a witness about what he has seen~The police took statements from all those people who had witnessed the accident.~'); q('~steady~gradual; without interruptions; firm~"You are making steady progress in learning English."~'); q('~stiff~unable to properly bend your body or a part of it~I feel very stiff today. I played tennis for four hours yesterday and I can hardly move my arms or legs.~'); q('~stitch~a way of closing a deep, long cut to allow the skin to heal itself~I was careless when cutting a piece of bread last week. The knife slipped and I cut my hand quite badly. The doctor closed the wound with 10 stitches.~'); q('~stool~a chair without arms or a backrest~It\'s not as comfortable sitting on a stool as in a normal chair because you can\'t lean back!~'); q('~straightforward~easy~It was a very straightforward test. Everyone got 100%.~'); q('~strengthen~make strong~If you want to be a good athlete, you will need to strengthen your muscles.~'); q('~strike~another general word for to hit~It\'s never right to strike a child or animal.~'); q('~stroll~to walk in an unhurried way~Most people on holiday by the sea like to stroll along the beach in the evening sun.~'); q('~stubborn~refusing to do what you don\'t want to do~My sister is one of the most stubborn people I have ever known. If she doesn\'t want to do something, nothing you can say or do will make her change her mind.~'); q('~stutter~to s-s-speak l-l-like th-this~"I c-c-c-can\'t f-f-find my b-b-b-book." he stuttered.~'); q('~succeed~to do well~If you want to succeed in school you will have to study hard!~'); q('~suck~to press between the lips~Many young children like to suck their thumbs. It helps them go to sleep.~'); q('~sufficient~enough~"Do we have sufficient food and drink for the party next Friday?"~'); q('~suggest~to say in a polite way what someone should do; to offer an idea~"Why don\'t you try it this way?" he suggested.~'); q('~suit~jacket and trousers of the same colour and pattern~Most businessmen wear a suit and tie. It\'s important to look smart in jobs where you are meeting other people and want to make a good impression.~'); q('~suitcase~a rectangular bag with two locks, used to carry clothes~If you do a lot of travelling, its a good idea to get a strong suitcase which won\'t break open when being loaded and unloaded from airplanes.~'); q('~superfluous~more than enough; unnecessary or unwanted~Teacher to a student: "Your comments are superfluous. If you don\'t have anything positive to say, you should just keep quiet."~'); q('~superior~better; opposite of inferior~The book is superior to the computer if you have to do a lot of reading. Reading for a long time on the computer is very tiring on the eyes.~'); q('~supersonic~above the speed of sound~Concord is a supersonic airliner. It can fly faster than the speed of sound.~'); q('~supervise~to look over or look after; to make sure nothing wrong happens~It\'s important for teachers to supervise the playground at lunch time. They can then stop any fights or help students who have been hurt playing basketball or soccer.~'); q('~surface~the outside layer of an object~Two thirds of the surface of the earth are covered with water.~'); q('~surgeon~a doctor who performs operations~A doctor who does operations (cutting open the body) is called a surgeon.~'); q('~surround~to go all the way around~The old walls of Oberursel surround the Altstadt.~'); q('~survive~not die~Many people survive very bad road accidents because they use a seat belt and their car has an air bag.~'); q('~swallow~to move food from the mouth to the stomach~Some pills these days are so big that they are difficult to swallow.~'); q('~sweat~to lose water from the skin~People sweat when they are very hot. It\'s the body\'s way of cooling down.~'); q('~swing~to move backwards and forwards~Most young children like to swing backwards and forwards in their mothers\' arms.~'); q('~tailor~someone who makes men\'s clothes~Rich people have their clothes hand-made by a tailor.~'); q('~talkative~liking the sound of your own voice~"He\'s not very talkative. All he wants to do is sit there and play on his computer."~'); q('~tangled~hair that cannot be combed easily~Hair is usually tangled after you have washed and dried it.~'); q('~tap~a soft knock~"Please stop tapping your pencil on the desk. It\'s driving me mad!"~'); q('~teenager~a young person between the ages of 13 and 19~It\'s difficult being a teenager. You are still not allowed to grown-up things, but you often get critised for behaving like a child.~'); q('~temporary~for a short time, not forever~Our stay in Germany is only temporary . We\'re going back to Korea next year.~'); q('~thief~someone who steals ..~There are different kinds of thieves. For example: A burglar is a thief who steals from a house, and a shoplifter is one who steals from a shop.~'); q('~thigh~the large part of the leg above the knee~Weight-lifters usually have thighs like tree trunks!~'); q('~threaten~to tell someone you will do something bad to them~"I\'ll never speak to you again if you tell the teacher," she threatened.~'); q('~throat~the front part of your neck~If someone can\'t speak properly you can say "He\'s got a frog in his throat!"~'); q('~timid~shy and quiet like a mouse; easily scared~Simon is as timid as a mouse. He blushes when anyone talks to him, and never goes to any of the school dances.~'); q('~toddler~a young child who is just beginning to walk~"My son\'s a toddler. He has just learned to walk but he still often falls over."~'); q('~tramp~someone has no home or job and wanders from town to town~You can sometimes see tramps on the streets of big cities begging for money or food.~'); q('~transfer~to move from one place to another~I\'m not very happy. My father has just been transferred to a new department in his company. This means we will have go back to England again.~'); q('~transparent~clear; can be seen through~Most people do not have transparent glass in their bathrooms, otherwise people could see in from outside. Opaque glass is used instead.~'); q('~transplant~to transfer from one place (or body) to another~It is common nowadays for doctors to save patients with coronary disease by giving them a heart transplant. This means taking the heart out of someone who has just died and putting~'); q('~treatment~the name for the help given by a doctor or nurse~Some injuries are serious enough to need hospital treatment.~'); q('~tremble~to shake~Many old people\'s hands tremble. They find it difficult to hold a drink without spilling it.~'); q('~trial~the process that takes place in court~The trial lasted two months. At the end of it the man was found guilty of murdering his boss and sentenced by the judge to life imprisonment.~'); q('~trigger~the lever on a gun that is pulled to shoot the bullet~The presenter pulled the trigger and shot the bullet through the car door.~'); q('~triplets~three children born at the same time to the same mother~Of course, triplets are rarer than twins but not as rare as quadruplets!~'); q('~tripod~a stand with three legs~Photographers use a tripod when they need to take pictures in bad light The camera is attached to the top of the tripod so that it doesn\'t move when the photo is taken.~'); q('~trudge~to walk slowly because you are bored or tired~All over England on a Monday morning you can see children trudging to school.~'); q('~twist~to turn something in your hands (or turn your body)~To get the tops off most bottles you have to twist them.~'); q('~unconscious~knocked out; a state like sleep~I fell off my bike and knocked myself unconscious on a rock. Fortunately I was wearing a helmet otherwise I could have died!~'); q('~uneasy~feeling nervous or worried that something bad may happen to you~I\'m very uneasy. I have a feeling that something terrible is going to happen, but I\'m not sure what.~'); q('~unemployed~without a job~In most European countries about 10% of workers are unemployed. Many people in East Germany lost their jobs when the heavy industries shut down.~'); q('~urge~to suggest or advise very strongly~"You really must come; you\'ll be sorry if you don\'t," she urged.~'); q('~urgent~very important, must be done immediately~I MUST see the headmaster at once! It\'s urgent !~'); q('~vain~thinking how beautiful you are~She\'s so vain. I\'ve never seen her pass a shop window without looking in it to see how wonderful she is.~'); q('~valuable~worth a lot of money~We have a painting at home that\'s very valuable . It must be worth more than a million Deutschmarks!~'); q('~vandal~someone who likes to destroy things ..~"Last night some vandals smashed the glass in the telephone box outside my house and sprayed paint all over the walls."~'); q('~victory~a win; opposite of defeat~Thanks to his victory in the last Grand Prix of the season, Michael Schumacher won the World Championship.~'); q('~virus~an illness that is passed from person to person, like SARS or AIDS~AIDS is a terrible virus for which there is still no cure.~'); q('~vomit~to be sick or throw up~Many people who have had too much to drink need to vomit. It\'s the body\'s way of getting rid of unwanted substances.~'); q('~wail~how you speak when you are unhappy (and maybe crying)~"Why is everyone always so unkind to me?" he wailed.~'); q('~waist~the narrow part of your body between chest and hips~"Since I stopped eating so much junk food, my waist has got smaller and smaller!"~'); q('~warn~to tell someone of a danger~"Don\'t play with matches; you could start a fire," the mother warned her children before going shopping.~'); q('~warrior~a fighter~Native American Indians were often brave and strong warriors.~'); q('~weave~to make into cloth from yarn~To turn yarn into cloth we use a process called weaving.~'); q('~wedding~the ceremony at which people get married~"I\'m the best man at my brother\'s wedding tomorrow. That means I have to give him the ring in church, and then make a speech at the reception after the ceremony."~'); q('~whip~to hit with a whip~The jockey used a whip on his horse to make it run faster.~'); q('~whistle~small object used for producing noises; used by sports teachers~The referee blew his whistle to signal the end of the football match.~'); q('~widow~a woman whose husband is dead~There are many more widows than widowers because husbands usually die before their wives.~'); q('~widower~a man whose wife is dead~"My grandmother died 2 years ago, but my grandfather is still alive. That makes him a widower."~'); q('~wise~able to make good decisions because of your experience and knowledge~In western fairy tales the owl is the wisest of animals who is always able to advise others what they should do to solve their problems.~'); q('~witness~someone who sees a crime or accident~The police interviewed witnesses of the accident to find out exactly how it had happened.~'); q('~wonder~to ask yourself~"What will the weather be like tomorrow?" she wondered.~'); q('~wound~another word for damage to the skin caused by a knife or a bullet~A wound is an deep injury to the skin caused by a weapon like a gun or a knife.~'); q('~wrist~where you wear your watch~"I sprained my wrist playing tennis yesterday. Now I can hardly hold my pen, it\'s hurting so much!"~'); q('~yawn~what you do when you are tired or bored~Why are you yawning. Am I boring you?~'); q('~yell~to shout loudly (but not always angrily)~"Wait for me!" she yelled across the sports field to her friends.~');