Learning English

General vocabulary from Unit 3

loving - showing affection

independence - the state of not being controlled or helped by others

independent - not controlled by other things, free

fur - soft hair (used about animals)

furry - having a lot of soft hair (used about animals)

comforting - making you feel less worried or sad

comfort - a nice feeling of being relaxed and not in pain

stubborn - not changing your attitude or opinion, even if there is a good reason to.

tolerant - accepting opinions of others, or able to put up with difficult conditions or treatment

hunt - chase and kill another animal for food

shrew - a small, mouse-like animal with a long nose and tiny eyes

doesn't go much further - doesn't go beyond this distance

plenty - more than enough

supper - evening meal

homely - simple and comfortable like at home

countryside - natural or farm land outside towns and cities

friendly - pleasant and helpful

tends to - is usually

trapped - unable to move or escape from a place / stopped from leaving a place

scratched - cut or damaged the surface of something (for example, skin)

aggressive - behaving in an angry and violent way

domestic - if an animal is domestic, it lives with people

(to have) a screw loose - (to be) a bit crazy

feral - wild

kitten - a baby cat

duty - responsibility

menacing - scary, threatening 

depression - (in weather) an area where the air pressure is low, bringing cold and wet weather

gale force - strong and damaging (wind)

waterproof - does not allow water in; is not damaged by water

shelter - to find or stay in place where a person or thing is protected from bad weather

depression - an area of low pressure that causes cold, wind and rain

gale force - describes very strong wind that can cause damage

hammer down - describes very heavy rain

batten down the hatches - prepare for a difficult or dangerous situation

weather the storm - survive a difficult situation

 

6 Minute Vocabulary: Prefixes

Prefixes and some examples of their use

un-

unhappy - not happy - The football fans were very unhappy when their team lost.

uncooked - not cooked - You can't eat these uncooked apples. They are very sour.

unclean - not clean

in-

intolerable - cannot be tolerated or accepted - This heat is intolerable. It's making me feel ill.

inexpensive - not expensive; cheap - The shop sells inexpensive second-hand computers.

inactive - not active - He's put on weight because he is so inactive. He should join a gym!

dis-

disagree - to not agree - I disagree with my sister about everything.

disgrace - something to be ashamed of - Your table manners are a disgrace.

disgusting - so horrible that you feel sick - There's a disgusting smell in the bathroom - open a window, quickly!

 

Vocabulary tips

• If you look up some of today’s words in a dictionary, you’ll find lots more words starting with the same prefixes. Many of them may be words that you already knew without the prefix, so: when you add a prefix, you get two words for the price of one.
• Learn related words in groups. For example if you learn a noun like fur, you can also learn the related adjective furry.