King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals: English Language Department

Academic Word List Sublist 1

Vocabulary Item Part of Speech English Definition
analyze verb to examine or think about something carefully in
order to understand it
approach verb to move closer to someone or something; to ask
someone for something when you are not sure if s/he
will do what you want
area noun a particular part of a place, city, country, etc; a par-
ticular subject or type of activity
assess verb to make a judgment abut a person or situation after
thinking carefully about it; to calculate the quality,
amount, or value of something
assume verb to think that something is true although you have no
proof; take control, power, or a particular position;
to start having a particular quality or appearance
authority noun the power someone has because of his/her official
position; someone who is respected because of his/
her knowledge about a subject
available adjective if something is available, you can have it, buy it, or
use it
benefit noun the money or other advantages you get from some-
thing such as insurance or the government or as part
of your job; advantage, improvement or help that
you get from something
concept noun an idea of how something is, or how something
should be done
consist verb to be made of or contain particular things or people
constitute verb if several parts constitute something, they form it
together
context noun the situation, events, or information that are related
to something, and that help you understand it; the
words and sentences that come before and after a
word that can help you understand its meaning
contract noun/ verb n. a legal written agreement between two people,
companies, etc that says what each will do; v. to get
a contagious illness; v. to become smaller or tighter
create verb to make something new exist or happen; to invent or
design something
data noun information or facts
define verb to explain the exact meaning of a particular word or
idea
derive verb to get something such as happiness, strength or satis-
faction from someone or something; to develop or
come from something else
distribute verb to give something such as medicine or food to each
person in a large group
economy noun the way that money, businesses, and products are
organized in a particular country, area, etc.; the care-
ful use of money, time, products, etc. so that nothing
is wasted
environment noun the land, water, and air in which people, animals,
and plants live; the situations, things, people, etc.
that affect the way in which people live and work
 King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals: English Language Department

Academic Word List Sublist 1

Vocabulary Item Part of Speech English Definition
establish verb to start something such as a company, system, situa-
tion, etc., especially one that will exist for a long
tine; to begin a relationship, conversation, etc., with
someone; to find out facts that will prove something
is true
estimate verb to judge the value, size, etc. of something
evident adjective easily noticed or understood

export verb the business of selling goods to another country

factor noun one of several things that influence or cause a situa-

tion
finance noun the control of how money is spent, especially for a
company or government

formula noun a method or set of principles that you use in order to

solve a problem or to make sure that something is
successful

function verb to work in a particular way or in the correct way; the

usual purpose of a thing, or the job that someone
usually does; a large party or ceremonial event
identify verb to recognize and name someone or something
income noun the money that you earn from working or making
investments
indicate verb to show that something exists or is likely to be true

individual noun considered separately from other people or things in

the same group

interpret verb to change words spoken in one language into anoth-

er; translate

involve verb to include or affect someone or something

issue noun a subject or problem that people discuss; a magazine,

newspaper, etc. printed for a particular day, week,
month, or year
labor noun work, especially work using a lot of physical effort;
the process in which a baby is born by being pushed
from its mother's body
legal adjective allowed, ordered, or approved by law; relating to the
law
legislate verb to make a law about something
 King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals: English Language Department

Academic Word List Sublist 1

Vocabulary Item Part of Speech English Definition
major adjective very large or important, especially when compared to
other things or people of a similar kind
method noun a planned way of doing something

occur verb to happen, especially without being planned first; to exist

or be present in a particular place

optimistic adjective hopeful and confident about the future:

percent noun equal to a particular amount in every hundred

period noun a length of time (in a particular person's life, in history,

in a sports game, etc.)

pessimistic adjective tending to see the worst aspect of things or

believe that the worst will happen

policy noun a way of doing things that has been officially agreed and
chosen by a political party, business, or organization

principle noun a moral rule or set of ideas about what is right and
wrong, that influences how you behave; the basic idea
that a plan or system is based on; a rule that explains the
way something works
proceed verb to continue to do something that has already been
planned or started
process noun a series of actions, developments, or changes that happen
naturally; a series of actions that someone does to
achieve a particular result
require verb to need something
research noun serious study of a subject that is intended to discover
new facts about it
respond verb to react to something that has been said or done
role noun the position, job, or function, of someone or something
has in a particular situation or activity
section noun one of the parts that an object, group, place, etc. is divid-
ed into
sector noun a part of an area of activity, especially of business, in-
dustry, or trade
significant adjective noticeable or important
similar adjective almost the same but not exactly the same

source noun the thing, place, person, etc. that you get something
 from; the cause of a problem, or the place where it starts;
a person place, or document that you get information
from
specific adjective detailed and exact
structure noun the way something is set up or organized; organization

theory noun an idea that explains how something works, why some-
thing happens, etc., especially something that has not yet
been proven true
vary verb if several things of the same type vary, they are all dif-
ferent from each other
 King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals: English Language Department

Academic Word List Sublist 2

Vocabulary Item Part of Speech English Definition
achieve verb to do what one sets out to do

acquire verb gain through experience or financial transaction

administrate verb supervise; carry out decisions

affect verb to influence

appropriate adjective suitable for a particular person or place or condition etc
aspect noun a part, feature, or characteristic

assist verb to help

category noun a group of people or things having something in com-

mon; type
chapter noun a part of a book or any distinct period in history or in a
person's life

commission noun a committee officially in charge of something; in work-

ing order; an amount paid to an employee based on a
percentage of the employee's sales
community noun all of the populations of different species that live and
interact in an area
complex adjective having varied interrelated parts, and therefore hard to
understand; complicated
compute verb to calculate

conclude verb reach agreement on; to bring to a close

conduct noun the way a person behaves toward other people

consequent adjective happening as a result of something

construct verb put together out of different components or parts

consume verb to use up or eat up resources or materials

credit noun belief, faith, trust; an arrangement to receive cash, goods,

or services now and pay for them in the future.
culture noun the attitudes and behavior that are characteristic of a par-
ticular social group or organization
design noun plan
distinct adjective recognizable and clear
element noun one part or feature of a whole system, plan, piece of
work etc, especially one that is basic or important
 King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals: English Language Department

Academic Word List Sublist 2

Vocabulary Item Part of Speech English Definition
equate verb to make equal or uniform
evaluate verb to place a value on
feature noun an important part of something, a characteristic
final adjective last, end
focus verb give attention to something
impact noun an effect or influence on someone or something
injure verb hurt
institute verb/ noun v: to introduce or start; n: an organization that has a particular
purpose such as scientific research
invest verb to buy shares, property, or goods because you hope that the val-
ue will increase
item noun thing
journal noun a written record; a professional magazine or publication
maintain verb keep
normal adjective regular
obtain verb to get, to acquire
participate verb to take part in an activity or event
perceive verb to understand or think of something or someone in a particular

positive adjective if you are positive about things, you are hopeful and confident,
and think about what is good in a situation rather than what is

potential noun possibility

previous adjective prior; before
primary adjective most important
purchase verb to buy
range noun variety of things or people
region noun geographic area
regulate verb to make and enforce rules
relevant adjective directly relating to the subject or topic
reside verb to live in a particular place
resource noun something such as useful land, or minerals such as oil or coal,
that exists in a country and can be used to increase its wealth:
restrict verb to keep within set limits; to confine
secure adjective safe from harm; to fasten
seek verb to look for
select verb choose
site noun place, location
strategy noun a plan of action
survey noun a set of questions that you ask a large number of people in order
to find out about their opinions; a general description or report
about a particular area or subject
text noun written words
tradition noun values and beliefs passed from generation to generation
transfer verb move from one place to another
 King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals: English Language Department

Academic Word List Sublist 3

Vocabulary Item Part of Speech English Definition
alternative noun one of a number of things from which only one can be
chosen
circumstances noun your overall condition or environment in life
comments noun notes that an author or reviewer adds to a document
compensation noun something (such as money) given or received as payment
components noun parts
consent noun agreement or permission
considerable adjective large in number or amount
constant noun a quantity that does not change

constraints noun restrictions

contribution noun an individual effort in a common set purpose
convention noun a large formal assembly with a purpose
coordination noun the controlling of different parts into a working whole
core noun the center of an object
corporate adjective of or belonging to a unified group of people
corresponding adjective agreeing in amount
criteria noun rules by which something is judged

deduction noun the act of removing a part from the whole

demonstrate verb to explain or teach by showing

document noun writing that provides information
dominant adjective exercising control
emphasis noun intensity of expression
ensure verb be careful or certain to do something
excluded adjective not included
framework noun the shape or structure of something
funds noun assets in the form of money
illustrate verb show something with pictures
immigration noun migration into a place of which you are not from there

imply verb expresses or states indirectly

initial adjective occurring at the beginning
instance noun an occurrence of something
interaction noun a mutual action
justification noun the act of making excuses by reasoning
layer noun one thickness above or between other thicknesses

link verb put together two or more pieces

location noun a point or place
maximum adjective the most possible
minorities noun those that are smaller in number of groups
negative adjective less than zero, having a bad or unpleasant effect
outcomes noun the results or consequences
partnership noun a relationship between two or more persons who agree for
benefit
 King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals: English Language Department

Academic Word List Sublist 3

Vocabulary Item Part of Speech English Definition
philosophy noun any personal belief about how to live

physical adjective having substance or material existence

proportion noun relation of parts within a whole
published adjective formally made public
reaction noun a response that reveals a person's feelings
registered adjective recorded officially
reliance noun the state of depending on something
removed adjective taken out of

scheme noun plan

sequence noun a following of one thing after another in time
sex noun gender - male or female
shift verb to change one thing for another
specified adjective clearly stated
sufficient adjective enough
task noun job
technical adjective relating to a complex process

techniques noun methods

technology noun application of science to business

validity noun the quality of being true
volume noun the ability to contain something
Pre Midterm Reading Booklet Semester 211 31