Target Listening (Practice Test)-Practice Book 4 Unit 04 (E)

abbreviation

a shortened form of a word
Dictionaries use a lot of abbreviations. For example, "syn." is an abbreviation for "synonym."

absorption

the state or process of being absorbed
absorption is the process in which grains of rice soaks up the water in which it is immersed in.

adjustment

an alteration
The tailor made some last minute adjustments to my suite.

ailment

an illness
My grandmother takes a different medication for each of her ailments.

attribute

to believe to be a result of a cause
He attributes his good looks to his mother, who was a model in her youth.

balanced

being in harmonious or proper arrangement or adjustment, proportion, etc.
His professional and personal lives are balanced quite well.

betray

to deliver or expose to an enemy by treachery or disloyalty
I would never betray my friends.

charitable

generous in donations or gifts to relieve the needs of ill, indigent, or helpless persons
I work for a charitable organization that helps the homeless.

circulating

to move or pass through a circuit back to the starting point; move in a circle
The scent of her perfume circulated through the small room.

classify

to arrange in classes according to some principle or system
The books in the library are classified by subject.

comprise

to make up, to compose
Her favorite CD comprised musics of different styles.

contestant

a person involved in a competition or game
We need three contestants for the trivia show.

dedicate

to give or devote oneself to some purpose
After being confined to a wheelchair, Stephen Hawking dedicated his life to studying the universe.

defend

to protect against attack
It was the responsibility of the knights to defend the castle.

diagnose

to examine and find a problem
After his annual check-up, Arthur was diagnosed with skin cancer and instructed to seek treatment.

disguise

to hide the true identity of
The robber disguised the stolen safe as a table by throwing a tablecloth on it.

enforcement

officials, such as police, who enforce and uphold laws
Law enforcement is such a dangerous but necessary part of any city or community.

epidemic

extremely prevalent
Playing computer games could also result in an epidemic of short sightedness.

exotic

of foreign origin or character
Hawaii, because of its tropical climate, is considered an exotic location for tourists to visit.

facility

the physical area
The apartment complex had a nice recreational facility including a weight room and indoor swimming pools.

fundamental

primary; important; forming the foundation
You need to learn the fundamental principals of our organization.

implement

put into action
The school implemented a new uniform policy for its students.

inactive

not engaged in action
If you live an inactive lifestyle, you are at risk of gaining a lot of weight.

insurance

coverage by contract in which one party agrees to reimburse another for loss that occurs under the terms of the contract
The cost of health insurance is sky rocketing, making it unaffordable for most people.

interfere

to enter or interrupt a situation or discussion
She had difficulty working from home because her child would constantly interfere.

legion

a large group of soldiers
The Roman legions at times consisted of 3,000 to 6,000.

life-threatening

endangering life
He sustained a life-threatening accident.

lighthearted

cheerful; not serious
The professor's lighthearted attitude helped to put the students at ease.

mediocre

average, not outstanding
Most of his work is mediocre.

mortality

the death rate from a particular disease
The mortality of children from the outbreak of the disease surpassed that of previous years.

murmur

low, continuous sound
When the speaker forgot his lines, there was a quiet murmur that came from the audience.

overhear

to happen to hear something that was not meant for you
I overheard Marcia and Janet talking about Rachel's party that I was not invited to.

perpetrator

a person who commits wrongdoing
The police caught the perpetrator and took him to the police station.

perplexed

confused about something
His hurried message perplexed the manager of the department.

problematic

having the nature of a problem
The test question proved to be very problematic because there were four possible answers.

questionnaire

a list of questions submitted for replies the can be studied for usable information
The students were required to hand out questionnaires to foreigners walking down the street.

realistic

interested in, concerned with, or based on what is real or practical
It isn't realistic to think that you can teach your dog to talk.

remedy

any medicine or treatment that cures
Since conventional remedies were not effective, they decided to try alternative therapies.

snide

hateful or nasty
Saundra made some snide comments about Haley's clothes.

specific

pertaining to a particular category, free of question
The specific complaint of the unhappy customer was not clear.

spectator

a person who watches an event or performance
The spectators stood up throughout the entire soccer match.

state-of-the-art

the highest level of development at the time
The new health club is completely state-of-the-art.

swordsmanship

one's skill with a sword
The knight's swordsmanship impressed the king.

townsfolk

people who live in a certain area
The townsfolk were always suspicious of any newcomers.

tumor

an abnormal growth of cells
Doctors recently discovered a cancerous tumor in the woman's brain.

unbeknownst

unknown to someone
Jack stepped out of the coffee shop, unbeknownst to him that his life was about to be changed forever.

vaccination

treat with a vaccine to produce immunity against a disease
I need to get a vaccination that will prevent me from getting the flu.

venom

the poisonous fluid that some animals secrete into the bodies of their victims
Some snakes release a poisonous venom into your system when they bite.

versatile

capable of or adapted for turning easily from one to another of various tasks, fields of endeavor, etc.
She is a versatile actress who is just as comfortable in horror movies as she is in comedies and musicals.

withdraw

to take away
The president said he would not withdraw the troops from the region.