Unit 6

Stone Age

a very early time in human history, when only stone was used for making tools, weapons, etc.

mammoth

an animal like a large hairy elephant that lived on Earth thousands of years ago.

zoologist

a scientist who studies animals and their behaviour.

die out

to stop existing.

extinction

when a particular type of animal or plant stops existing.

astonishing

very surprising; difficult to believe.

permafrost

a layer of soil that is always frozen in countries where it is very cold.

marsh

an area of low flat ground that is always wet and soft.

Ice Age

one of the long periods of time, thousands of years ago, when ice covered many northern countries.

tusk

one of a pair of very long pointed teeth, that stick out of the mouth of animals such as elephants.

confrontation

a situation in which there is a lot of angry disagreement between two people or groups.

swamp

land that is always very wet or covered with a layer of water.

excavation

if a scientist or archaeologist excavates an area of land, they dig carefully to find ancient objects, bones, etc.

appeal

a quality that makes somebody/something attractive or interesting.

highlight

to emphasize something, especially so that people give it more attention.

modern comforts

a thing that makes your life easier or more comfortable.

unearth

to find something in the ground by digging.

sizeable

fairly large.

fraction

a small part or amount of something.

come to light

to become known to people.

settlement

a place where people have come to live and make their homes.

superior

better in quality than somebody/something else.

unsympathetically

in a style that is not suitable, and does not go well with other things that are in the same place.

turn sth into sth

to make somebody/something become something.

auction sth off

to sell something at an auction, especially something that is no longer needed or wanted.

stubbornly

determined not to change your mind, even when people think you are being unreasonable.

persistent

continuing to exist or happen, especially for longer than is usual or desirable.

illusion

an idea or opinion that is wrong, especially about yourself.

disabled access

accessibility; the ability for people with disabilities to independently and safely enter and use buildings, facilities, and public spaces.

boom

a quick increase of business activity.

obliged

to be forced to do something.

meet the demand

to satisfy the needs or desires of customers or users for a particular product or service.

museum attendance

the number of people who visit a museum.

quest

a long search for something that is difficult to find.

reflection

careful thought about something, sometimes over a long period of time.

worthy

deserving respect from people.

ancestor

a member of your family who lived a long time ago.

investigation (into)

an official examination of the facts about a situation, crime, etc.

disapprove (of)

to think that somebody/something is not good or suitable.

publicity

the attention that is given to somebody/something by newspapers, television, etc.

sensational

trying to get your interest by presenting facts or events as worse or more shocking than they really are.

unwelcome

not wanted.

absorption

a process in which something takes in liquid, gas, or heat.

census

an official process of counting a country’s population and finding out about the people.

ancestral

relating or belonging to someone's ancestors.

heritage

the traditional beliefs, values, customs, etc., of a family, country, or society.

tailor-made

exactly right or suitable for someone or something.

driven

something that is motivated or determined by a specified factor or feeling.

forebear

someone who was a member of your family a long time in the past.

genealogy

the study of the history of families.

appeal (to)

to attract or interest somebody.

authenticity

the quality of being real or true.

inauthentic

not what somebody claims it is; that you cannot believe or rely on.

runaway

happening very easily or quickly.

glorious

deserving or bringing great success and making somebody/something famous.

sham

someone or something that is not what they are claimed to be – used to show disapproval.

be down to sth/sb

to be caused by a particular person or thing.

circumstances

the conditions of a person’s life, especially the money they have.

inherit (sth from sb)

to have qualities, physical features, etc. that are similar to those of your parents, grandparents, etc.

scepticism

an attitude of doubting that particular claims or statements are true or that something will happen.

unlike

used to contrast somebody/something with another person or thing.

bragging

excessively proud and boastful talk about one's achievements or possessions.

worthwhile

important, pleasant, interesting, etc.; worth spending time, money or effort on.

dwell on

to think or talk for too long about something that happened, especially something unpleasant.

await

to wait for something.

rapture

great excitement and happiness.

pore over

to read or look at something very carefully for a long time.

microfiche

a sheet of microfilm which can only be read using a special machine, especially in a library.

delight

a feeling of great pleasure.

convict

to prove or officially announce that someone is guilty of a crime after a trial in a law court.

death certificate

an official document, signed by a doctor, that states the cause and time of somebody’s death.

instantly

immediately.

resist (the urge)

to stop yourself from having something you like or doing something you very much want to do.

psychobabble

language that sounds scientific but is not really, which some people use when talking about their emotional problems.

recount

to tell someone a story or describe a series of events.

clergyman

a male member of the clergy.

predictably

in such a way that you know in advance that something will happen or what it will be like.

high-minded

having very high moral standards or principles.

scruple

a belief about what is right and wrong that prevents you from doing bad things.

deserting

when someone leaves the army, navy, etc., without permission.

gold digger

people who dig for gold.

born-again

newly converted to and very enthusiastic about an idea or cause.

bore

something that is not interesting to you or that annoys you.

unsettling

making you feel nervous or worried.

DNA

deoxyribonucleic acid: a substance that carries genetic information in the cells of the body.

ethnicity

the fact that someone belongs to a particular race of people.

migration

when large numbers of people go to live in another area or country, especially in order to find work.

illogical

not sensible or reasonable.

changeable

likely to change, or changing often.

imaginable

used to emphasise that something is the best, worst, etc., that can be imagined.

recall

to remember a particular fact, event, or situation from the past.

so forth

used to refer to other things of the type you have already mentioned, without actually naming them.

infer

to form an opinion that something is probably true because of information that you have.

sponsor

a person or company that pays for a show, broadcast, sports event, etc., especially in exchange for the right to advertise at that event.

priority

the thing that you think is most important and that needs attention before anything else.

dialect

a form of a language which is spoken only in one area, with words or grammar that are slightly different from other forms of the same language.

irreversible

irreversible damage, change, etc., is so serious or so great that you cannot change something back to how it was before.

accessible

a place, building, or object that is accessible is easy to reach or get into.

innovative

an innovative idea or way of doing something is new, different, and better than those that existed before.

put an end to sth

to make something stop happening or existing.