Extensive Reading-Book C Unit 49 (E)

acquire

get; pick up
I acquired the right to fire anyone who brings down the company.

cameo

a brief appearance by a famous person in a movie or play
Alfred Hitchcock made several cameo appearances in his movies.

concession

a surrender to a special demand by someone
We were able to sell our house on the concession that we paint the outside.

entrepreneur

person who starts a company or backs other business opportunities
Juliet was a young entrepreneur with big ideas.

eyesore

something that is unpleasant to look at
My stepmother regarded me as an eyesore.

household

common or usual
The science experiments were easy to do because they only required household items.

incur

to take on responsibilities, obligations, etc
Her family did not have much money, so she incurred a lot of debt while attending university.

lull

a lessening or temporary stopping of activity
During the holidays, the store was very busy, but now there is a lull.

opportunity

an occasion for personal advancement or financial gain
The young girl had the opportunity to travel to Europe with her debate class.

preliminary

a preparation for some event
Before her surgery, the doctors wanted to run some preliminary tests.

prestige

qualities, such as excellent reputation, wealth, and power, that bring admiration or honor
Her job as a researcher gave her a lot of prestige.

real estate

property that cannot be moved, such as land, houses, and office buildings
The real estate market in California skyrocketed within the last 7 years.

reality television show

a TV show about real people
Reality television shows can be about anyone; they did one on a tennis professional.

recession

a time when economic activity is not strong
During the recession, the gas prices doubled.

renovate

to renew something
After many attempts at fixing the leak, the owner decided to renovate the building.

renovation

the process of renewing something
Renovations to the house were moving at a very slow pace; the family was quite upset at the contractors.

seemingly

appearing to be something, especially when this is not true
She appears very composed and seemingly unaffected by the fire.

skyscraper

a very tall building
Because there is so much land in Texas, you do not see many skyscrapers.

stake

the stakes are the reward for the person who wins or succeeds in it
The stakes for this race is high; the winner gets a trip around the world.

virtue

moral goodness, such as honesty or clean living
The doctor was a man of virtue.