Topic vocabulary database C1-C2

assess (v)

to carefully consider a situation, person or problem in order to make a judgment

assess (v)

to calculate what something costs or is worth

assume (v)

to believe that something is true, even though no one has told you or even though you have no proof

baffle (v)

if a problem, someone's behaviour, etc baffles you, you cannot understand it or solve it

biased (adj)

preferring one person, thing or idea to another in a way that is unfair

contemplate (v)

to consider doing something in the future

contemplate (v)

to think very carefully about something for a long time

cynical (adj)

someone who is cynical believes that people care only about themselves and are not sincere or honest, or expects things not to be successful or useful

deduce (v)

to know something as a result of considering the information or evidence that you have

deliberate (v)

to think about or discuss something very carefully, especially before you make an important decision

dilemma (n)

a situation in which you have to make a difficult decision

discriminate (v)

to treat someone unfairly because of their religion, race or other personal features

discriminate (v)

to recognise the difference between things

dubious (adj)

not completely good, safe or honest

dubious (adj)

not sure about the truth or quality of something, or whether you should do something

estimate (n)

a statement telling a customer how much money you will charge if they employ you to do a particular piece of work

estimate (v)

to say what you think an amount or value will be, either by guessing or by using available information to calculate it

faith (n)

strong belief in or trust of someone or something

gather (v)

to believe that something is true, although no one has directly told you about it

grasp (v)

to understand something

guesswork (n)

the process of trying to find the answer to something by guessing, or the answer found by using this method

hunch (n)

a feeling that something is true or will happen, although you do not know any definite facts about it

ideology (n)

a system of ideas and principles on which a political or economic theory is based

ingenious (adj)

an ingenious plan, piece of equipment, etc uses new and clever ideas

intuition (n)

an ability to know or understand something through your feelings, rather than by considering facts or evidence

justify (v)

to show that there is a good reason for something, especially something that other people think is wrong

notion (n)

an idea or understanding of something

optimistic (adj)

someone who is optimistic is hopeful about the future and tends to expect that good things will happen

optimistic (adj)

based on beliefs that are too confident

paradox (n)

a person, thing or situation that is strange because they have features or qualities that do not normally exist together

pessimistic (adj)

someone who is pessimistic is not hopeful about the future and tends to expect that bad things will happen

pessimistic (adj)

thinking that the worst thing will happen in every situation

plausible (adj)

likely to be true, honest or suitable

ponder (v)

to think carefully about something for a long time before reaching a decision

prejudiced (adj)

someone who is prejudiced has an unreasonable opinion or feeling about someone or something, especially hatred or fear of a particular group of people

presume (v)

to think something is true because it is likely, although you cannot be certain

query (n)

a question that you ask because you want information or because you are not certain about something

query (v)

to ask a question about something because you have doubts about it

query (v)

to ask something

reckon (v)

to believe that something is true

reflect (v)

to think about something carefully and seriously

sceptical/skeptical (adj)

having doubts about something that other people think is true or right

speculate (v)

to consider or discuss why something has happened

suppose (v)

to believe that something is probably true, based on your experience, your knowledge and any other information that you have

academic (adj)

relating to education, especially education in colleges and universities

academic (adj)

good at learning things by studying

academic (adj)

not relating to a real situation, and therefore not relevant

academic (n)

someone who teaches or does research at a college or university

conscientious (adj)

working hard and being careful to do things well

cram (v)

to study hard in order to learn a lot in a short time, especially for an examination

curriculum (n)

the subjects that students study at a particular school or college

distance learning (n phr)

a system in which students work at home with the help of television and radio broadcasts and send work to their teachers by post or e-mail

graduate (n)

someone who has a degree from a university

graduate (v)

to complete your studies at a university or college, usually by getting a degree

ignorant (adj)

not knowing something that you should know or need to know

inattentive (adj)

not giving much attention to someone or something

intellectual (adj)

relating to the ability to think in an intelligent way and to understand things, especially difficult or complicated ideas and subjects

intellectual (adj)

well educated and interested in art, science, literature, etc at an advanced level

intellectual (n)

someone who is well educated and interested in art, science, literature, etc at an advanced level

intelligent (adj)

good at thinking clearly and quickly, at understanding difficult ideas and subjects, and at gaining and using knowledge

intensive (adj)

involving a lot of teaching or training in a short time

knowledgeable (adj)

knowing a lot about many different subjects or about one particular subject

lecture (n)

a talk to a group of people about a particular subject, especially at a college or university

lecture (v)

to give a lecture or a series of lecture

mock exam (n phr)

an examination you take for practice before an important examination

plagiarise (v)

to take someone else's work, ideas or words, and use them as if they were your own

self-study (n)

work that you do without the help of a teacher

seminar (n)

a class at a college or university in which a small group of students discusses a subject with a teacher

special needs (n phr)

the particular needs of people who are physically or mentally disabled

tuition (n)

the work that a teacher does when they teach a particular subject, especially to one person or a small group

tutorial (n)

a lesson in which a small group of students discuss a subject with a tutor, especially at a university or college

adapt (v)

to change your ideas or behaviour so that you can deal with a new situation

adjust (v)

to change something slightly in order to make it better, more accurate or more effective

alternate (v)

if one thing alternates with another, it happens after it and keeps being repeated

alternate (adj)

happening on one day, week, etc, but not on the day, week, etc that immediately follows

alternative (n)

something that you can choose instead of something else

alternative (adj)

different from something else and able to be used instead of it

amend (v)

to make changes to a document, law, agreement, etc, especially in order to improve it

conservative (adj)

not willing to accept much change, especially in the traditional values of society

convert (v)

to change from one system, use or method to another, or to make something do this

convert (v)

to change your beliefs, especially your religious beliefs, or to persuade someone to do this

convert (n)

someone who has changed their beliefs in an important way

decay (v)

to be gradually destroyed as a result of a natural process of change, or to destroy something in this way

decay (n)

the gradual destruction of something as a result of a natural process of change

deteriorate (v)

to become worse

distort (v)

to change something such as information so that it is no longer true or accurate

dynamic (adj)

continuously changing, growing or developing

endure (v)

to suffer something unpleasant or difficult in a patient way over a long period

endure (v)

to last for a long time

evolve (v)

when a type of plant or animal evolves, its physical form changes over a long period of time

evolve (v)

to gradually change and develop over a period of time

influence (v)

to affect the way someone thinks or behaves or affect the way something happens

influence (n)

the effect that a person or thing has on someone's decisions, opinions or behaviour or on the way something happens

innovation (n)

a new idea, method, piece of equipment, etc

innovative (adj)

new, original and advanced

last (v)

to continue existing or happening for or until a particular time

maintain (v)

to make something stay the same

mature (v)

to start behaving like an adult and become more sensible as you get older

modify (v)

to change something slightly, especially in order to improve it or to make it less extreme

novel (adj)

new or unusual