Extensive Reading-Book D Unit 21 (E)

central

at the core or foundation of something
Accepting the validity of the theory was central to his argument.

controversial

something that is not accepted by everyone
Abortion continues to be one of the most controversial topics in American politics.

convincing

satisfying
The jury found the woman's testimonial to be convincing.

drew

to take or use something
The scientist drew information from a library of resources.

effort

an attempt to do something
We made an effort to be friends after the argument.

lacking

to be without
His argument was lacking any convincing details.

laypersons

common people or citizens
It is important to talk in terms that laypersons can understand.

naturalist

of being based in nature, not in the supernatural
He is a naturalist because he believes in what he can see.

notion

a belief or idea
I had a notion that you would come tonight.

offspring

children or babies born to a mother or father
The woman's condition did not allow her to have offspring.

parallel

extending in the same direction as something else
The two roads run parallel to each other.

perish

to die or become destroyed
If the plane runs out of fuel we all will perish.

precedent

a case which has basis in an earlier case
The judge made her ruling based on the precedent established last year.

refining

to make more exact or clear
The writer worked hard in refining his composition skills.

remarkable

incredible
It is certainly remarkable that you got straight A's last semester.

revolutionary

pertaining to great change
The theory was revolutionary because no one had ever seen anything like it.

seniority

a privileged status, typically due to being older or from having a strong record
Her seniority in the company allowed her to make many big decisions.

slight

being delicate or lacking strength
The young man looked very slight to be a boxer.

speculating

to expect
Many people were speculating about the outcome of the game.

widely

broadly, commonly
Darwin has been widely cited for popularizing the theory of evolution.