Unit 15. The green revolution

contamination (n): the process of making something dirty or poisonous, or the state of containing unwanted or dangerous substances

e.g.1: The water supply is being tested for contamination.

e.g.2: The police immediately sealed off the crime scene to prevent contamination of evidence.

drought (n)

fertilizer (n)

food chain (n):

e.g.: Corn has many uses throughout the food chain as feed for animals and as an ingredient on its own.

refuse (n): (= garbage/ rubbish/ trash (things)) unwanted waste material, especially material that is regularly thrown away from a house, factory, etc.

e.g.: garden/kitchen refuse

strain (n): (PRESSURE, TYPE, MUSIC)

e.g.: The hurricane put such a strain on the bridge that it collapsed.

conceivable (adj) = imaginable (adj)

devastating (adj): (VERY HARMFUL, STRONG EFFECT)

e.g.: The drought has had devastating consequences/effects.

futile (adj) = fruitless (adj): (of actions) having no effect or achieving nothing

e.g.: All my attempts to cheer her up proved futile.

immune (adj)

e.g.: Most people who've had chickenpox once are immune to it for the rest of their lives.

impracticable (adj) = in/unfeasible (adj)

improbable (adj)

e.g.: It's highly improbable that Norris will agree.

irreparable (adj): impossible to repair or make right again

e.g.: Unless the oil spill is contained, irreparable damage will be done to the coastline.

irreplaceable (adj): too special, unusual, or valuable to replace with something or someone else

irreversible (adj):

e.g.: Smoking has caused irreversible damage to his lungs.

liable (adj) [after verb] (RESPONSIBLE/LIKELY)

e.g.1: If we lose the case we may be liable for (= have to pay) the costs of the whole trial.

e.g.2: The areas of town near the river are liable to flooding (= are often flooded).

pervasive (adj): present or noticeable in every part of a thing or place

e.g.: The influence of Freud is pervasive in her books.

e.g.2: a pervasive smell of diesel

pointless (adj)= useless (adj)

pristine / pristine (adj): new or almost new, and in very good condition

e.g.: Washing machine for sale - only two months old and in pristine condition

questionable (adj): not certain, or wrong in some way

e.g.: It is questionable whether this goal can be achieved.

recyclable (adj)

taxing (adj): difficult or needing a lot of thought or effort (=burdensome (adj), onerous (adj))

e.g.: I just need an entertaining read for the beach - nothing too taxing.

unprecedented (adj): never having happened or existed in the past

e.g.: This century has witnessed environmental destruction on an unprecedented scale.

viable (adj): able to work as intended or able to succeed

e.g.1: In order to make the company viable, it will unfortunately be necessary to reduce staffing levels.

e.g.2: I am afraid your plan is not commercially/economically/financially/politically viable.

confront (v): to face, meet, or deal with a difficult situation or person

e.g.: As she left the court, she was confronted by angry crowds who tried to block her way.

dispose of someone/something: to get rid of someone or something or deal with something so that the matter is finished

e.g.: It took only five minutes for the world champion to dispose of (= defeat) his opponent.

inexorably (adv): in a way that continues without any possibility of being stopped

e.g.: These events led inexorably to war.

useful (adj) = beneficial (a) = worthwhile (a) = advantageous (a)

useless (a) = pointless (a)= futile (a) = fruitless

possible (a) = achievable (a) = viable = feasible = conceivable

impossible (a) = unattainable = impracticable = unfeasible

likely (a)= liable = probable

unlikely (a) = improbable = questionable = doubtful

The prefix re- tells us that something is being done again: reuse, revegetate

The prefix de- tells us that something is being removed: decaffeinated, deforestation

The prefix ir- is often used with adjectives beginning with r to form the opposite or to mean lacking something: irreversible, irregular.

Some words beginning with r form their opposite with un-: unrealistic.