Essential Vocabulary: Media, Places, Environment

Media and Film Vocabulary

• Cartoon: A movie made using characters that are drawn and not real. dibujos animados
• Chat show: A television or radio programme in which people are asked questions about themselves. programa de radio
• Comedy: A funny movie or play. comedia
• Cookery programme: A television genre that presents food preparation in a kitchen, located in a restaurant or on a studio set.
• Documentary: A film or television programme that gives facts about a real situation. documental
• Drama: A play in a theatre or on television or radio. obra de teatro
• Film: A story that is shown in moving pictures on a screen, usually at a cinema or on television. película
• Game show: A programme on television in which people play games to try to win prizes. concurso televisivo
• Reality show: A television programme about ordinary people who are filmed in real situations. programa de telerrealidad
• Soap: A television programme about the lives of a group of people that is shown regularly. culebrón
• Sports programme: A set of structured activities designed to skills in sports. programa deportes
• The news: Information on television, radio, and in newspapers about important things that have just happened. las noticias

Geographical Terms

• Beach: An area of sand or stones next to the sea. playa
• Desert: A large, hot, dry area of land with very few plants. desierto
• Forest: A large area of trees growing close together. bosque
• Ice cap: A thick layer of ice that permanently covers an area of land. casquete de hielo
• Island: An area of land that has water around it. isla
• Jungle/Rainforest: An area of land in a hot country where trees and plants grow close together. selva
• Lake: A large area of water that has land all around it. lago
• Mountain: A very high hill. montaña
• Mountain range: A row of mountains. cordillera
• Ocean/Sea: One of the five main areas of sea. océano
• River: A long, natural area of water that flows across the land. río
• Valley: An area of low land between hills or mountains. valle

Descriptive Adjectives

• Awful: Very bad. horrible
• Boring: Not interesting or exciting. aburrido
• Cool: Good or fashionable. guay
• Exciting: Making you feel very happy and interested. emocionante
• Funny: Making you smile or laugh. gracioso
• Informative: Having a lot of useful facts. informativo
• Interesting: Keeping your attention. interesante
• Moving: Causing strong feelings of sadness or sympathy. conmovedor
• Popular: Liked by many people. popular
• Scary: Frightening. de miedo

Environmental Vocabulary

• Drought: A long period when there is no rain and people do not have enough water. sequía
• Flood: To become covered with water. inundarse
• Global warming: An increase in the temperature of the air and the oceans around the world. calentamiento global
• Greenhouse effect: The gradual heating of the atmosphere caused by air pollution which traps energy from the sun. efecto invernadero
• Melt: To change from a solid into a liquid because of heat, or to make something do this. derretir(se)
• Nuclear disaster: An event that has led to significant consequences to people, the environment. desastre nuclear
• Oil spill: An accident in which oil has come out of a ship and caused pollution. derrame de petróleo
• Ozone layer: A layer of ozone in the Earth’s upper atmosphere that prevents most of the harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun reaching the Earth. capa de ozono
• Pollution: Damage caused to water, air, etc. by dirty or harmful substances. contaminación
• Recycle: To use paper, glass, plastic, etc. again and not throw it away. reciclar
• Save: To keep money so that you can buy something with it in the future. ahorrar
• Waste: To use too much of something or use something badly. desperdiciar