Unit 2 – Our environment

Unit 2 – Our environment

What's your green knowledge? (p. 21)

- bn: (US b) written abbreviation for billion.

- burgeoning: /ˈbɜːdʒənɪŋ/ (adj) growing very quickly : a burgeoning population.

- deplete: /dɪˈpliːt/ (v) to reduce the amount of something, especially a natural supply: Alcohol depletes the body of B vitamins. deplition (n) /dɪˈpliːʃən/

- gross: (adj) TOTAL › A gross amount of money has not had taxes or other costs taken from it: gross earnings / profit. SERIOUS [always before noun] formal › very serious or unacceptable: gross misconduct. UNPLEASANT informal › very unpleasant: Oh, yuck. That's really gross.

- poultry: /ˈpəʊltri/ BIRDS [plural] › chickens and other birds that people breed for meat and eggs. MEAT [U] › the meat of chickens and other birds eaten as food.

Can the Earth keep up with human consumption? (p. 22)

- airtight: (adj) An airtight container does not allow air in or out.

- intrepid: (adj) brave and willing to do dangerous things: intrepid travellers.

- share sth out: (ph.v.) to divide something into smaller amounts and give one amount to each person in a group: Profits are shared out equally among members of the group.

Geologists press for recognition of Earth-changing 'human epoch' (p. 24)

- acrimony: /ˈækrɪməni/ (n) angry , bad feelings between people.

- blip: (n) CHANGE › a small , temporary , and usually negative change from what usually happens : The rise in unemployment may just be a blip. SOUND/LIGHT › a small spot of light on an electronic screen, sometimes with a short, high sound.

- compelling: EXCITING › very exciting or interesting and making you want to watch, listen , etc: a compelling story. TRUE › If a reason, argument, etc is compelling, it makes you believe it or accept it because it is so strong: compelling evidence.

- die out: (ph.v.) to become more and more rare and then disappear completely: Dinosaurs died out about 65 million years ago.

- epithet: /ˈep.ɪ.θet/ (n) an adjective added to a person's name or a phrase used instead of it, usually to criticize or praise them: The singer's 104-kilo frame earned him the epithet of 'Man Mountain ' in the press .

- fallout: (n) the radiation (= powerful and dangerous energy ) from a nuclear explosion.

- fraught: /frɔːt/ (adj) fraught with danger/difficulties, etc › full of danger / difficulties , etc: The present situation is fraught with danger. › mainly UK causing worry , or feeling worried: a fraught silence. Is everything okay ? You're looking a bit fraught.

- nitpick: (v) to find faults in details that are not important: Must you nitpick all the time?

- ownership: (n) the right of owning something.

- PCB: abbreviation for polychlorinated biphenyl: a harmful chemical that is used in industry.

- shater: (v) BREAK [I, T] › to break into very small pieces, or to make something break into very small pieces : Someone threw a stone at the car , shattering the windscreen. DESTROY [T] › to destroy something good, such as your confidence, hopes, or belief in something: The accident completely shattered her confidence.

- shift: (n) CHANGE › a change in something: There has been a dramatic shift in public opinion on this matter. WORK B2 a period of work in a place such as a factory or hospital: afternoon / night shift. He works an eight-hour shift. COMPUTER (also shift key) › the key on a computer keyboard which allows you to create a capital letter (= a large letter of the alphabet used at the beginning of sentences and names).

Listening – Part 2 – page 27

- appetizing: /ˈæpɪtaɪzɪŋ/ (adj) If food is appetizing, it looks or smells as if it will taste good.

- den: (n) the home of particular types of wild animal.

- elk: › US for wapiti (= a large deer with brownish-red fur and large antlers (= horns like branches ) that lives in the forests of North America ) › UK for moose /muːs/.

- gaunt: /ɡɔːnt/ very thin, especially because of being sick or old: a pale, gaunt face.

- growl: /ɡraʊl/ If a dog or similar animal growls, it makes a deep , angry noise in its throat.

- howl: /haʊl/ (v) ANIMAL › If a dog or wolf (= wild animal like a dog ) howls, it makes a long , sad sound. MAKE SOUND › to make a loud sound , usually to express pain, sadness, or another strong emotion: He howled in pain. The audience was howling with laughter.

- nip: (v) nip down/out/up, etc UK informal › to go somewhere quickly and for a short time: I'm just nipping down the road to get a paper. › [T] If something nips you, it gives you a small, sharp bite: His parrot nipped him on the nose.

- pack: (n) a group of animals, such as dogs, that live and/or hunt together: a wolf pack. a pack of wild dogs.

- restrained: (adj) acting in a calm and controlled way: I was expecting him to be furious but he was very restrained.

- rugged: /ˈrʌɡɪd/ LAND › If an area of land is rugged, it looks rough and has lots of rocks : a rugged coastline. MAN› If a man looks rugged, his face looks strong and attractive : a rugged face.

- snarl: (v) /snɑːl/ If an animal snarls, it shows its teeth and makes an angry sound.

- worn: (adj) Worn clothing or objects have been used a lot and show damage: a worn leather chair.

Vocabulary 

page 27: 5- Collocations

 

page 27: 6- Idioms