Welcome to the April 2021 edition of Spotlight Vocabulary.
Below you will find a series of curated articles that contain ideas and high-level vocabulary for tests like IELTS or OET.
For a wider selection of articles, visit our LinkedIn and Twitter accounts.
How To Use These Articles
Click on the link and read!
Ideally, you will note new words you find and record them in an app like Memrise.
Have more time? Write down the whole sentence in which the word appears. Learning new vocabulary in context helps you recall it later and use it in the right context.
Finally, use the words you learn as often as you can. That way, you can transfer them from your passive to active memory.
Passive vocabulary is good for listening and reading tests, but you need ready recollection for it to be useful in speaking and writing.
For the ultimate practice, book a lesson with one of our teachers or submit a Writing Correction.
The Animal Kingdom
Animal topics are fairly common in the IELTS test. Here are a few topics that will give you plenty to say – and plenty of vocabulary to use…
Did you know that an octopus can change colour when it dreams?
Can you change colour when you’re sleeping? An octopus can! This is a short article that contains useful vocabulary about #animals, #sleep and #dreams you could use on #IELTS test day. https://t.co/yx2iEhsVix pic.twitter.com/Z7aBmmbHxo
— Andy T (@withanexpert) April 2, 2021
Have you ever seen a wild animal? You might soon be seeing woolly mammoths roaming free…
The arctic is melting & releasing gasses that are warming the earth – but @marcellorossi87 reports a plan to rewild this area with herds of bison, mammoths and other extinct species. Lots to fascinate & good ideas & #vocabulary for #IELTS test day. https://t.co/35Tig0rOHS pic.twitter.com/H1v1zQbLOo
— Andy T (@withanexpert) April 4, 2021
This article is about translating spider language into something we can understand. Some fascinating facts and high-level vocabulary to help you on IELTS test day…
Spiders can’t speak, and they have poor eyesight. Instead, they rely on vibrations. This article shows how scientists are translating spider webs into something like a harp with sounds we can understand. Great ideas and vocabulary for #IELTS test day. https://t.co/1S2PyejoI9 pic.twitter.com/EQDMNfAfZF
— Andy T (@withanexpert) April 14, 2021
Working from Home
This topic is cropping up more and more often in language tests. This article asks how much working from home is worth. Would you be prepared to live on $30,000 less to work from home?
Would you turn down $30,000 a year to work from home? This article is for those of you who like to quote surveys in the #IELTS test. It’s a short article – but has some good collocation that might help you too. https://t.co/Sf3dWNFRrm pic.twitter.com/DlV2WnZPYZ
— Andy T (@withanexpert) April 7, 2021
Mental Health and the Environment
“FROM the Hanging Gardens of Babylon to the orange gardens of Seville, urban planners down the ages have taken inspiration from nature. And those of us living in the concrete and brick jungle have perhaps never appreciated scraps of green space more than during the covid-19 pandemic. During lockdowns, city dwellers across the world have found parks and gardens – where they exist an unexpected source of calm and joy.”…
Need to improve your vocabulary on urbanisation & city planning for an #IELTS essay? Read this article about how green spaces can boost our mental health. https://t.co/6SysFmxl6F
— Andy T (@withanexpert) April 7, 2021
Urban Life
From green spaces to urban areas – this article is packed with high-level vocabulary. Keep a dictionary handy!
Are you a flaneur? This@guardian article is about strolling and ruminating in cities like Dundee or Liverpool. Packed with high-level vocabulary suited to many #IELTS topics – especially those connected with #urban living. https://t.co/h88oEYydmw pic.twitter.com/NoYEhY14xG
— Andy T (@withanexpert) April 10, 2021
Space
Is humanity about to return to the caves?
This article believes that there are already ready-made homes on the Moon – complete with water supply. There may be a little DIY required. Brush up on your #Space vocabulary for #IELTS #Speaking and #Writing. https://t.co/bBbjHn9oLk pic.twitter.com/om1Md022kQ
— Andy T (@withanexpert) April 8, 2021
And there’s more…
We have not shared all of last months collection.
To see the missing articles, and articles from previous months – visit our Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.
See you next month!