The World Around Us Vocabulary Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the universe, scientific exploration, water bodies, coastal geography, climate change, natural disasters, and animal biological facts.

The whole of space and everything in it, including the planets and stars.

universe

An object that moves round a bigger object in space, or a piece of electronic equipment sent into space.

satellite

About; roughly.

approximately

Not easy to believe because it is very improbable.

far-fetched

To get more and more of something useful, such as knowledge or experience.

gain

What you know and understand about something.

knowledge

A person who studies the physical world.

scientist

To travel round a place in order to learn about it.

explore

To do and complete a task.

carry out

A scientific test done in order to learn something.

experiment

A careful study of something in order to explain it.

analysis

To say or show that something is true or definite.

confirm

If something exists, it is present in the real world.

exist

To learn about or find something for the first time.

discover

To create something that didn't exist before.

invent

To move smoothly (like water).

flow

To break open suddenly and violently.

burst

A very big sea, such as the Atlantic Ocean.

ocean

The regular change in the sea level caused by the moon and sun.

tide

Used of boats, meaning to turn over in the water.

capsize

Happening or existing below the surface of the water.

underwater

To die in water because you can't breathe.

drown

To make something (often unpleasant) happen; also the person or thing that makes something happen.

cause

The area of land that is close to or next to the sea or an ocean.

coast

The land along the edge of the sea, a lake, etc.

shore

A hill or cliff that goes up quickly from a low place to a high one.

steep

To keep someone or something safe from something.

protect

A sea that has big waves; opposite of calm.

rough

To rain heavily.

pour (with rain)

Extremely wet; also called soaked.

soaking wet

To rain lightly, with very small drops.

drizzle

Extremely cold.

bitterly cold

A little too cold to be comfortable.

chilly

Warmer than usual for the time of year.

mild

A period of unusually hot weather.

heatwave

Warm and damp in an unpleasant way; also called humid.

muggy

Thin cloud near the ground which is difficult to see through.

mist

The weather condition when the temperature is below $0^\circ\text{C}$ and ice forms on surfaces.

frost

A light wind.

breeze

A strong wind.

gale

The natural world; the air, land, and water in which people, plants, and animals live.

environment

Happening slowly over a long period of time.

gradual

The gases around the earth, planets, etc.

atmosphere

Causing damage, injury, or illness.

harmful

Dirty and dangerous gases, chemicals, etc. that harm the environment.

pollution

To change from a solid to a liquid when heated.

melt

To increase or go higher; opposite of fall.

rise

Much hotter, colder, or more violent than usual.

extreme

Describes something where you cannot say how it will change in the future; opposite of predictable.

unpredictable

To stop existing; also called vanish.

disappear

When there is not enough food in a country.

famine

An illness in people, animals, or plants.

disease

To affect more and more people or things.

spread

A violent storm with very strong winds, especially in the western Atlantic; called a typhoon in Asia.

hurricane

A sudden violent movement of the ground causing damage.

earthquake

A very large ocean wave caused by a storm or earthquake that destroys things on land.

tidal wave

When a volcano explodes and forces out hot gases, burning rocks, and lava.

volcanic eruption

A long period with no rain.

drought

A very bad event causing harm or death.

disaster

Very strong and usually causing damage.

violent

To break something completely so it cannot be used again.

destroy

Hot liquid rock.

lava

Plants that are grown for food, such as rice and potatoes.

crops

To suffer or die because you do not have enough food.

starve (to death)

To make sudden violent contact with something or someone; also called strike.

hit

If a building falls to the ground.

collapse

To move someone away from a dangerous place.

evacuate

To be inside something and unable to get out.

trap

The number of people killed in a disaster or accident.

death toll

Very large in size or amount.

considerable

Very important.

crucial

To take someone from a dangerous place to safety; also called save.

rescue

To make something continue at a certain level.

maintain

An amount of something that you need, such as food or water.

supply

A living thing such as an animal, bird, fish, or insect.

creature

Living in natural conditions; not looked after by people.

wild

A small animal with six legs, one or two pairs of wings, and a body in three parts.

insect

Producing a dangerous substance that can kill or harm you.

poisonous

Not causing damage, injury, or illness.

harmless

Of a group, to be different from each other.

vary

Used when saying the most an amount can be.

up to

To continue to live in a difficult situation.

survive

The time that something is likely to live.

lifespan

To go after something to catch and kill it.

hunt

Cows and bulls kept as farm animals.

cattle

A group of cows.

herd