Reading for the Real World 3/e-Book 2 Unit 08 (E)

acceleration

the rate of increase in speed
The new car model was touted for its sleek design, but it had poor acceleration.

array

a range; a varied collection
The ice cream shop had a wide array of flavors to choose from.

cavort

to jump or move around in a lively way
The children were cavorting with their new puppy.

collapse

to shrink abruptly
People may be trapped inside collapsed buildings.

conventional

common and ordinary
They are planning on having a small conventional wedding.

cosmic

of or relating to the universe or outer space
We crack the cosmic codes one by one, replacing an old solution with the new one.

estimation

an educated guess at a measurable quantity
Who is the best candidate in your estimation?

galaxy

any of the very large group of stars that make up the universe
The star is merely one of the closest of the galaxy’s 200 billion stars.

gravitation

the natural force that causes two bodies to accelerate toward each other; gravity
We owe to Newton the principle of gravitation.

habitable

suitable for living in
The house should be habitable by the new year.

module

a part of a space vehicle that is independently operable
The lunar module is approaching the moon's surface.

paradigm

a theory or group of ideas about how something should be done, made, etc.
An accurate paradigm explains and guides.

payload bay

the part of a craft that is used for storage
The payload bay doors are closed.

philosopher

a person who seeks wisdom; a thinker
The German philosopher Karl Marx wrote the book Das Kapital.

portray

to depict; to characterize
The movie did portray the way that the war was fought.

projection

a prediction about future events at a specifi c time
I want to review our sales projections.

recede

to move back or away
Don't worry, the fever will gradually recede.

reminiscent of

similar to
His style of writing is reminiscent of Melville’s.

shuttle

a vehicle that makes multiple passenger trips
I always take the shuttle to the airport.

soar

to rise quickly up to a great height
Run until the wind catches your kite. Then, it will soar higher and higher in the air.

suborbital

involving less than one complete orbit
The small craft was suborbital.

supreme

highest; greatest
You are in a state of supreme delight.

tethered

connected to something by a rope, chain, etc
The horse is tethered to a stake.

thermal

of or relating to heat
Rescue teams are using thermal imaging to locate survivors of the earthquake.

threshold

entrance or boundary
She stood hesitating on the threshold.

uniform

not varying or changing; the same at all times and in all places
Growth has not been uniform across the country.

valid

logically supported; reasonable
The expert’s opinion on the subject was more valid than others.

velocity

speed
The velocity of the baseball was so fast that the batter could not hit it.

wavelength

the distance between successive crests of a wave
The monitor is showing that the patient has no wavelengths.

wisdom

collected knowledge and principles
I don't believe wisdom comes with age.