Glossary

Glossary

accurate Free from mistakes or errors
adapt To change your behaviour so it is easier to live in a particular situation
affect To act on or cause a change in someone or something
ancestor A person who was in someone’s family in past times
approach/approaches A way of dealing with something
backup plan Something that can be done if the first plan doesn’t work
bias/biases A tendency to unfairly think that some things are better than others
billion The number 1,000,000,000
bossy A tendency to tell others what to do
calories Used to measure the energy in food that gets released into the body
capable Able to do something
circumstances The conditions in which someone lives
closed-minded Not willing to listen to different ideas or opinions
clumsiness Moving in a way where you might drop or break things
collapse/collapsed Break apart or fall down suddenly
complex Describes something that has many parts that go together in complicated ways
compose To create a piece of music or writing
comprehension  The ability to understand
concentrate/concentration Pay attention to one thing; the ability to pay attention to one thing
constantly Happening all the time or very often over a period of time
cope To deal with problems and try to come up with solutions
creature An animal of any type
curious Wanting to know about things
decade Ten years
distraction Something that makes it difficult to think or pay attention
dread/dreaded To fear that something will happen
dyslexia A condition that makes it hard for a person to read, write, and spell
effective Produces the result that is wanted
empathy The ability to understand someone’s feelings
enough Equal to what is needed
exercise Activity that is done to be healthier
factor One of the things that cause something to happen
fluid A liquid or something that can flow like water
fuel Used to give power to something
fussy Hard to please
genes The part of a cell that controls how a living thing looks and grows
genius/geniuses A very smart person
immediate Happening or done without delay
independent/independently Do something without help
indigo A deep blue colour
inferior Less in quality or importance
learning disability A condition that makes learning difficult
marathon A running race that lasts a long time
measure/measured Find the size, amount, or value of something
meditation The act of spending time in quiet thought
memorize/memorizing To learn something so well that you can remember it perfectly
million The number 1,000,000
motivate/motivated Make someone eager to work
negative Harmful or bad
nerves Carry messages between your brain and your body
Nobel Prize A prize awarded to people who do important work in literature, medicine, and science, or for world peace
order/ordered Tell someone to do something
oxygen Something found in the air that is needed for life
pace The speed at which something happens
partner A person someone is romantically involved with. Can also refer to a person someone runs a business with or does an activity with.
peer A person in the same age group or social group
plenty Lots of something; a number of something that is enough
positive Good or useful
practical Able to deal with daily life in a way that makes sense
priorities The things that are most important and should be done first
process/processes To take in something like information and use it
psychologist A scientist who studies and treats the mind
reason The power of the mind to think and understand in a logical way
recall/recalling To remember something
reputation The way people think about something or someone
shelter A building that covers and protects people or things
shortcut A quicker and easier way to get someplace or do something
show business The business that makes movies, TV shows, and plays
spiritual Describes things related to the human soul
structure Something that is built by putting parts together
stubborn Refuses to change their ideas or stop doing something
supercomputer A large and very fast computer
temples The small flat areas on the sides of your forehead
trillion The number 1,000,000,000,000
unpredictable Not behaving as expected
unusually In a way that is not normal
upbringing Refers to the way a child is raised
valued Thought of as important
violet A deep purple colour
vision The ability to see
visualize To form a mental picture of something
wormlike A long, thin animal with a soft body and no arms or legs

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BC Reads: Adult Literacy Fundamental English - Reader 5 Copyright © 2015 by Shantel Ivits is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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