Essential Vocabulary for Environmental and Business Topics

Unit 5 Vocabulary

• Advance payment: A sum of money that is paid some time before you get the thing you want to buy.
• Calculate: To discover an amount or number using mathematics.
• Challenge: Something that is difficult and that tests someone's ability or determination.
• Climate change: The way the Earth’s weather is changing.
• Dependence: When you need someone or something in order to exist or continue as before.
• Destruction: When something is destroyed.
• Drawback: A problem or disadvantage.
• Endangered species: A type of animal or plant that soon may not exist because there are very few now alive.
• Estimate the cost: To use any information that you have to guess how much something will cost.
• Focus on: To give a lot of attention to one particular subject or thing.
• Fossil fuels: Fuel such as coal or oil that are obtained from under the ground.
• Fresh air: Air outside buildings that is clean and cool.
• Harness energy: To control energy so you can use it.
• Infrastructure: The basic systems, such as transport and communication, that a country or organisation uses to work effectively.
• A major source of electricity: Something that produces a lot of electricity.
• Natural habitat: The place where animals live or plants grow naturally.
• Nature reserve: The place where animals and plants live and are protected.
• The next step: The next in a series of actions.
• Power station/power plant: A large building or group of buildings where electricity is produced by machines.
• Produce profitability: To produce something in such a way that it makes a profit.
• Release into the atmosphere: To allow a substance to get into the air around the Earth.
• Renewable energy: Energy from sources that continue to exist, for example wind or the sun.
• Rising sea levels: The increased height of the level of seas and oceans.
• Sceptical: Doubting that something is true or useful.
• Scenery: Attractive, natural things that you see in the countryside.
• Switch: To change from using one thing to using another.
• Unspoilt countryside: Areas of land that have not been changed or damaged by people.
• Yield: To produce or provide something.
• Wildlife conservation programme: A plan whose aim is to protect wild animals or plants.
• Zero emissions: If something such as a machine or an industry has zero emissions, it does not release any harmful substances into the atmosphere.

Unit 6 Vocabulary

• Afford: To have enough money to buy something.
• Attract publicity: To get attention in newspapers, on TV, on the internet, etc.
• Bargain: Something that is sold for less than its usual price or its real value.