masterMind

WORD LIST LEVEL 2

Unit 2  Watch this space …

WORDS AND PHRASES
Word / Phrase Part of Speech Phonetic Spelling Definition Sample Sentence
analyze verb /ˈæn(ə)lˌaɪz/ to study or examine something We need to analyze all of the
in detail in order to understand data carefully before we reach
or explain it a conclusion.
causation noun [non-count] /kɔˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/ the process of causing Since they don’t have enough
something to happen or exist evidence to prove causation,
they don’t know how the fire
started.
claim verb /kleɪm/ to say that something is The report claimed that
true, even though there is no hundreds of people had
definite proof crossed the border to escape.
come up with phrase /kʌm ʌp wɪð/ To think of, suggest or invent She came up with a completely
something new way of selling her products.
correlate verb /ˈkɔrəˌleɪt/ if two or more things correlate, The age and gender of the
they are connected in a way victims did not correlate.
that is not caused by chance
correlation noun /ˌkɔrəˈleɪʃ(ə)n/ a connection or relationship There is evidence of a strong
between two or more things correlation between drinking
that is not caused by chance and violence.
distinguish verb /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/ to recognize the differences Even three-year-olds are able
between things to distinguish between cause
and effect.
evaluate verb /ɪˈvæljuˌeɪt/ to think carefully about The performance of each
something before making employee is evaluated once a
a judgment about its value, year.
importance, or quality
foreshadow verb /fɔrˈʃædoʊ/ if something foreshadows a The storms and rains of that
future event, it shows or gives year foreshadowed a long
a warning that it will happen period of unstable weather
conditions.
frequency noun /ˈfrikwənsi/ the rate at which a sound The radio station was on a
wave, light wave, or radio wave frequency of 7.5 MHz
vibrates
gain a lead phrase /ɡeɪn ə ˈlid/ to get ahead or be in front of The company gained a lead by
of your competitors selling their products in more
stores than their competitors.
giant noun /ˈdʒaɪənt/ a very large and successful He worked for the Dutch
company electronics giant Phillips.
handheld adjective /ˈhændˌheld/ an appliance or device small They developed the first
enough to be held and used in handheld computer.
the hands
handset noun /ˈhæn(d)ˌset/ the part of a telephone that I picked up the handset and
you hold next to your ear answered the call.
hefty adjective /ˈhefti/ large and heavy Carrying the hefty suitcase
made my back hurt.

LE
P IAB
© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2015. This page may be photocopied and used within the class. 1 O CO
OT
PH
masterMind LEVEL 2

Word / Phrase Part of Speech Phonetic Spelling Definition Sample Sentence

immeasurable adjective /ɪˈmeʒərəb(ə)l/ a distance or quality that is The damage the catastrophic
immeasurable is so large or earthquake did was
extreme that it cannot be immeasurable.
measured
impatient adjective /ɪmˈpeɪʃ(ə)nt/ annoyed because something He gets impatient with people
is not happening as quickly who don’t agree with him.
as you want or in the way you
want
imperfect adjective /ɪmˈpɜrfɪkt/ something that is imperfect In the early days of sail,
has some faults or other bad navigation was an imperfect
qualities science.
imply verb /ɪmˈplaɪ/ if one thing implies another The presence of stairs in the
thing, the other thing is likely ruins implies an upper floor.
to exist or be true
impossible adjective /ɪmˈpɑsəb(ə)l/ if something is impossible, We were faced with an
no one can do it or it cannot impossible task.
happen
impractical adjective /ɪmˈpræktɪk(ə)l/ not sensible or not likely to be She was wearing clothes that
effective or successful were attractive but entirely
impractical for cold weather.
improbable adjective /ɪmˈprɑbəb(ə)l/ not likely to or to be true It’s improbable that a lawyer
would give such advice.
inaccurate adjective /ɪnˈækjərət/ not accurate or correct The report was criticized
for containing inaccurate
information.
incapable adjective /ɪnˈkeɪpəb(ə)l/ unable to do something The city’s road system is
incapable of handling the
volume of traffic.
influence verb /ˈɪnfluəns/ the effect that a person or thing He couldn’t hope to exert
has on someone’s decisions, any real influence in the new
opinions, or behavior or on the department.
way something happens
infrastructure noun /ˈɪnfrəˌstrʌktʃər/ the set of systems within a place In rural areas the transport
or organization that affect how infrastructure is very poor.
well it operates, for example the
telephone and transportation
systems in a country
inhabit verb /ɪnˈhæbɪt/ to live in a particular place 4 million people inhabit the
centre of the city.
innovation noun /ˌɪnəˈveɪʃ(ə)n/ the invention or use of new Technological innovation is
ideas, methods, equipment, etc. changing the way we live and
work.
innovative adjective /ˈɪnəˌveɪtɪv/ new, original, and advanced The innovative device has
made communication faster
and simpler.
insignificant adjective /ˌɪnsɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt/ not large or important enough I felt very insignificant in the
to be worth considering company of such renowned
experts.
inspire verb /ɪnˈspaɪr/ to give someone the Inspired by her example, other
enthusiasm to do or create zoologists have begun working
something with apes in the wild.
insufficient adjective /ˌɪnsəˈfɪʃ(ə)nt/ not enough There are insufficient funds in
your account.
launch verb /lɔntʃ/ to start a major activity such The company announced it
as a military attack, a public will launch a new version of its
investigation, or a new career software in January.
or project
LE
P IAB
© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2015. This page may be photocopied and used within the class. 2 O CO
OT
PH
masterMind LEVEL 2

Word / Phrase Part of Speech Phonetic Spelling Definition Sample Sentence

leapfrog verb /ˈlipˌfrɔɡ/ to go straight from a job or They leapfrogged from ninth
position that was lower in place to second place.
status than someone else’s, to
one that is higher than theirs
lobby verb /ˈlɑbi/ when an organized group Motorists lobbied Congress to
of people who represent a take action on gas prices.
particular area of business
or society try to influence
politicians
press noun /ˈpres kɑnf(ə)rəns/ an official meeting where The company organized a
conference someone makes a formal press conference to announce
statement about a particular the merger.
issue or event to reporters
and answers their questions
about it
prototype noun /ˈproʊtəˌtaɪp/ the first form of something Designers have built a working
new, made before it is prototype of the car.
produced in large quantities
public noun /ˈpʌblɪk the relationship between an When the company fired half
relations rɪˈleɪʃ(ə)nz/ organization and the public of the workforce, it was a
public relations disaster.
rival noun /ˈraɪv(ə)l/ a person, team, or business The two women were rivals in
that competes with another business, but friends in their
personal life.
unacceptable adjective /ˌʌnəkˈseptəb(ə)l/ wrong or harmful, especially by This sort of behavior is totally
not reaching usual or accepted unacceptable in a civilized
standards of behavior, morals, society.
etc.
unavailable adjective /ˌʌnəˈveɪləb(ə)l/ not able to go somewhere, Irving and Wallace are both
meet someone, or do unavailable to play in next
something week’s game.
unaware adjective /ˌʌnəˈwer/ not realizing that something Tom carried on reading,
exists or is happening seemingly unaware of my
presence.
unbelievable adjective /ˌʌnbɪˈlivəb(ə)l/ too unlikely to be true or The acting was fairly good, but
believed the plot was unbelievable.
uncertain adjective /ʌnˈsɜrt(ə)n/ not clearly known or It is uncertain how they
understood entered the property.
unknown adjective /ʌnˈnoʊn/ if something is unknown, Several hundred people were
people do not know about it or affected by the previously
do not know what it is unknown virus.

LE
P IAB
© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2015. This page may be photocopied and used within the class. 3 O CO
OT
PH
masterMind
Useful Expressions
Expression
I think a more likely explanation is
that …
I think this explanation is improbable
because …
It’s just matter of time before …
That can’t be right since …
This may be true provided that …
© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2015. This page may be photocopied and used within the class.
Topic / Category
Evaluating explanations
Evaluating explanations
Evaluating explanations
Evaluating explanations
Evaluating explanations
LEVEL 2
Sample Sentence
I think a more likely explanation is that
accidents tend to happen at night
because it’s dark.
I think this explanation is improbable
because it doesn’t take into account
different conditions in different
countries.
It’s just a matter of time before someone
invents a teleportation machine.
That can’t be right since many blind
people are also gifted musicians.
This may be true provided that a
country has a good basic education
system.
LE
P IAB
4 O CO
OT
PH