Extensive Reading-Book C Unit 34 (E)

bent on

set on doing something
She was bent on finishing her degree, no matter how long it took.

common sense

the understanding of something from thinking intelligently and from everyday experience
It is common sense that the man should pay for the meal on a first date.

dictate

say what someone must do
The winning team will dictate what the losing team must do.

entire

complete
The entire building caught on fire.

fascinate

extremely interested
The little children were fascinated by the clown and his magic tricks.

heaven

the sky
Thousands of balloons fell from the heavens.

heliocentrism

having or representing the sun as a center
heliocentrism is the theory that the sun is at the center of the Universe.

labor

to work
She labored over creating the perfect wedding dress for her daughter.

motionless

without moving
The soldiers stood motionless for several hours.

orbit

revolve around a star, planet, etc.
Smooth sailing after the storm, the aircar arrived at the orbit of the Island of Paradise.

paradigm

a model or concept used as a standard by which people evaluate, understand, and often act
The older generation had to have a paradigm shift in order to understand the younger generation.

precise

accurate
You need to follow the precise measurements of the recipe if you want your cake to turn out o.k.

prediction

a statement about what will happen in the future
The weather man's predictions about the weather is almost always incorrect.

reconcile

to bring together people or ideas that were separated
Before the group could move forward, they had to first reconcile their differences.

revival

a reawakening
The religious revival swept the entire nation.

ridicule

unkind words or actions that make someone or something look stupid or worthless
The new student was treated with such ridicule by her peers that her parents decided to send her to another school.

rigorous

having strict or high standards for behavior or action
Students must finish a rigorous program in order to become a doctor.

steady

calm; stable
There has been a steady wind blowing all day.

tendency

a likelihood to behave in a particular way or to like a particular thing
She has a tendency of leaving her clothes everywhere.

venerable

describes something that has been in use, or someone who has been involved in something, for a long time
In recent years, there has been a decline in the venerable tradition of Easter egg hunting.