Earth in Chaos | National Geographic
A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2
both
US / bəuθ /
•UK / boθ /
- determiner
- Used to refer to two things at the same time
- pronoun
- Used to refer to two things at the same time
severe
US / sɪ'vɪə(r) /
•UK / səˈvɪr /
- adjecitve
- Very bad; harsh
- Being very serious or extremely bad
- (Of clothes, etc.) plain; simple; not decorated
billion
US / ˈbɪljən /
•UK / ˈbɪljən /
- noun
- Number 1,000,000,000
everything
US / 'evrɪθɪŋ /
•UK / ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ /
- pronoun
- All of the things mentioned
very
US / 'verɪ /
•UK / ˈvɛri /
- adjecitve
- Concerning a large degree or amount
- adverb
- A lot; much; many
- Used to stress or emphasize a noun
move
US / mu:v /
•UK / muv /
- noun
- Act of moving a playing piece in chess, etc.
- An action; doing something
- Step taken to achieve a goal
- verb
- To cause someone to have certain emotions
- To cause something to change to a different place
- To change where people live or a business operates
- To take action to do or achieve something
cap
US / kæp /
•UK / kæp /
- noun
- Covering for the end or top of something
- Small, soft hat often with a front visor or shade
- An upper limit on the amount of (e.g. budget)
- verb
- To cover the top or end of an object
- To limit the amount of usage of something
incidence
US / ˈɪnsɪdəns /
•UK / ˈɪnsɪdəns /
- noun
- The rate that something happens
take
US / teɪk /
•UK / tek /
- noun
- Filming of a single scene for TV or the movies
- verb
- To accept something that is offered
- To use a method of traveling, e.g. a bus or train
- To use a camera to make (a photo)
- To pick up something and go away with it
- To study a subject in school
- To attempt to pass (an exam)
- To require a certain amount of time, money, space
moon
US / mu:n /
•UK / mun /
- noun
- Round object circling the Earth at night
- verb
- To expose your buttocks as a joke
america
US / ə'merɪkə /
•UK / əˈmɛrɪkə /
- noun
- The United States of America; North America and/or South America
all
US / ɔ:l /
•UK / ɔl /
- adverb
- Completely; totally
- determiner
- Being every one of something
- pronoun
- 100% of something; the complete amount
its
US / ɪts /
•UK / ɪts /
- adjecitve
- Referring to or belonging to ‘it’
- determiner
- Of something; belonging or related to something
- other
- Possessive form of “it”
wipe
US / waɪp /
•UK / waɪp /
- noun
- Act to clean or dry something with a cloth
- verb
- To clean or dry something with a cloth
- To spread a liquid on something
animal
US / ˈænɪml /
•UK / ˈænəməl /
- noun
- A living creature that is not a plant or person
just
US / dʒʌst /
•UK / dʒʌst /
- adjecitve
- Proper or appropriate; as is deserved
- Doing or being what is right or fair
- Legally correct; having enough evidence
- adverb
- Almost; nearly
- Exactly at the time of
- Exactly (the same as, like)
line
US / laɪn /
•UK / laɪn /
- noun
- Border that divides two places or regions
- Long crease in the skin, often from age
- Mark that is long, straight and very thin
- Row of words, letters or numbers that are written
- Telephone connection
- People waiting one behind the other; queue
- Long thin wire, e.g. for electrical signal
- verb
- To put material along the inside of something
decimate
US / 'desɪmeɪt /
•UK / ˈdɛsəˌmet /
- verb
- to kill a large number of something, or to reduce something severely
melt
US / melt /
•UK / mɛlt /
- verb
- To disappear or to go away
- To make, become soft or liquid due to heat
- To become liquid through heating
earth
US / ɜ:θ /
•UK / ɚθ /
- noun
- Wire connecting an electrical device to the ground
- The planet we live on
- Soil in which we grow plants
exact
US / ɪɡ'zækt /
•UK / ɪɡˈzækt /
- adjecitve
- Completely correct; accurate; specific
- verb
- To get something, sometimes using force
die
US / daɪ /
•UK / daɪ /
- noun
- Cube with dots numbering 1-6 on it used in games
- verb
- To cease to function or work
- (Of a thing) to stop being used or done
- (Of a person) to stop living
hemisphere
US / ˈhemɪsfɪə(r) /
•UK / ˈhɛmɪˌsfɪr /
- noun
- One half of a rounded, ball-like object
- One of the two masses forming the brain
breakdown
US / 'breɪkdaʊn /
•UK / ˈbrekˌdaʊn /
- noun
- When normal activity or behavior stops
chaos
US / 'keɪɒs /
•UK / ˈkeˌɑs /
- other
- State of utter confusion or disorder
kill
US / kɪl /
•UK / kɪl /
- noun
- Animal killed by a person or other animal
- verb
- To cause someone to experience a lot of pain
- To end the life of a person or other living thing
- To be very funny
- To prevent something from continuing or operating
- To do something unimportant to pass time quickly
warm
US / wɔ:m /
•UK / wɔrm /
- adjecitve
- Friendly, sincere and kind to others
- Being friendly or sincere
- Slightly hot; not very hot
- verb
- To become more friendly or to like something
- To make something hotter
water
US / 'wɔ:tə(r) /
•UK / ˈwɔtɚ, ˈwɑtɚ /
- noun
- Clear liquid that forms the seas, rivers and rain
- Large area such as an ocean or sea
- verb
- (Of the eyes) to produce tears
- (Mouth) to become wet at the thought of nice food
- To pour liquids onto a plant to keep it alive
plunge
US / plʌndʒ /
•UK / plʌndʒ /
- verb
- (Of prices, hopes etc.) to decrease very quickly
- To dive (into water)
- To start doing something energetically
situation
US / ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃn /
•UK / ˌsɪtʃuˈeʃən /
- noun
- Place, position or area that something is in
- Circumstance or condition surrounding an event
- An unexpected problem or difficulty
gravitational
US / ˌgrævɪˈteɪʃənl /
•UK / ˌɡrævɪˈteɪʃənl /
- adjecitve
- Concerning the force of gravity
ever
US / 'evə(r) /
•UK / ˈɛvɚ /
- adverb
- At any time; at all times in the future
day
US / deɪ /
•UK / de /
- noun
- A period of 24 hours beginning at midnight
- The period of time when it is light outside
- Person's name
point
US / pɔɪnt /
•UK / pɔɪnt /
- noun
- An item to be discussed
- Small spot or dot
- Fact or detail
- Feature of something
- The size of the text on a page or screen
- A certain time or stage in a process
- Certain position in time or space
- Idea or fact you try to convince people about
- Measurement of scores in a game, sport
- Sharp end of something, e.g. a pen or pin
- verb
- To face a certain direction, e.g. north
- To indicate something with your finger to others
million
US / ˈmɪljən /
•UK / ˈmɪljən /
- number
- 1,000,000
probably
US / ˈprɒbəbli /
•UK / ˈprɑbəbli /
- adverb
- That is likely to happen or be true
reside
US / rɪˈzaɪd /
•UK / rɪˈzaɪd /
- verb
- To live in; dwell; to be present
too
US / tu: /
•UK / tu /
- adverb
- In addition, also; with emphasis
- Say that something is more than you want
after
US / 'ɑ:ftə(r) /
•UK / ˈæftɚ /
- adverb
- Later than another time, or behind something
- conjunction
- Following something before
- preposition
- When an event happened or time has passed
indeed
US / ɪnˈdi:d /
•UK / ɪnˈdid /
- adverb
- Actually; in fact; in reality
scenario
US / sɪˈnɑː.ri.əʊ /
•UK / səˈner.i.oʊ /
- noun
- An imagined sequence of events in a plan/project
will
US / wɪl /
•UK / wɪl /
- noun
- Desire or choice of someone
- Document saying who gets your money when you die
- Strong desire to do something; determination
- Desire to do something; strong wish to do
- other
- Used with verbs to express the future
- verb
- To leave property to someone after your death
- To use mental effort to make something happen
- Am (is, are) likely to do
- To influence someone to do something
- To make something happen by strongly wanting it
into
US / 'ɪntə /
•UK / ˈɪntu /
- preposition
- Moving or going inside something
- In the same direction as; in the direction of
- So as to become; taking the state of
other
US / 'ʌðə(r) /
•UK / ˈʌðər /
- adjecitve
- A thing different from that mentioned
- determiner
- (Something) else; not the first (one)
- pronoun
- Being the one and only thing of that category
one
US / wʌn /
•UK / wʌn /
- pronoun
- You; we; people in general; someone
- The thing or person previously referred to
- adjecitve
- Used to refer to people generally
- Being a strong example of (something mentioned)
- number
- Number 1
pull
US / pʊl /
•UK / pʊl /
- noun
- Act of breathing in smoke, as from a pipe
- Force something has that draws other things to it
- Using your hands to move something to you
- verb
- To breathe in smoke, as from a pipe
- To hold something and move it toward you
- To remove something by force
turn
US / tɜ:n /
•UK / tɚn /
- noun
- Place where changing of direction happens
- Your time or chance to perform a duty
- Your chance to play or do in say a game
- Unexpected change, as in the weather
- verb
- To become (a particular age)
- To become a different quality, color, etc.
- To change the direction of something, e.g. a car
- To move in an opposite direction or position
- To shape metal with a spinning tool
glaciation
US / ˌgleɪsiˈeɪʃn /
•UK / ˌɡleɪsiˈeɪʃn /
- noun
- Condition of being covered with iced rivers
climate
US / ˈklaɪmət /
•UK / ˈklaɪmɪt /
- noun
- Typical weather conditions in a particular place
how
US / haʊ /
•UK / haʊ /
- adjecitve
- To what degree? in what amount?
- adverb
- (Used to explain the way to do something)
- exclamation
- For what purpose or reason?
- (Used to ask someone or something's condition)
live
US / lɪv /
•UK / liv /
- adjecitve
- Being broadcast as events happen, not recorded
- Carrying electric current; able to give a shock
- Glowing because burning; hot
- Not yet killed (for food)
- adverb
- (Music, drama) as it is performed
- verb
- To be alive
- To experience a particular type of life
- To make your home in a house or town
reverse
US / rɪ'vɜ:s /
•UK / rɪˈvɚs /
- noun
- Setting that makes the vehicle go backward
- (Drive a vehicle) backward gear of a vehicle
- Instance of a significant change, for the worse
- In a backwards order
- Back part or side of something
- verb
- To drive a vehicle backward
- To change to an opposite state, way or condition
- To change back to a previous or normal condition
- To change something to its opposite
year
US / jə: /
•UK / jɪr /
- noun
- Unit of time equal to 12 months or 365 or 366 days
- Used to refer to the age of a person
you
US / jʊ /
•UK / ju /
- pronoun
- Person someone is speaking or writing to
- Person or people in general
starve
US / stɑ:v /
•UK / stɑ:rv /
- verb
- To (cause to) be hungry or go without food
- To need or desire very strongly
- Not to give someone what they need, e.g. attention
- To (cause to) die from lack of food
ecosystem
US / ˈi:kəʊsɪstəm /
•UK / ˈɛkoˌsɪstəm, ˈiko- /
- noun
- Types of plants and animals in an specific area
tropical
US / ˈtrɒpɪkl /
•UK / ˈtrɑpɪkəl /
- adjecitve
- Hot and humid; near to the equator
might
US / maɪt /
•UK / maɪt /
- other
- Used to politely request an action
- Used to express that something could happen
- Power, strength, force or influence
the
US / ðə /
•UK / ðə /
- article
- Used to refer to something already mentioned
- Used to show there is only one of something
- determiner
- Used to describe all of a family
glacier
US / ˈglæsiə(r) /
•UK / ˈgleɪʃər /
- noun
- Very large river of ice moving down a mountain
half
US / hɑ:f /
•UK / hæf, hɑf /
- adjecitve
- Not complete
- adverb
- Partly; somewhat
- noun
- One of two equal periods of game time in a sport
- The part you get when one is divided into two;
opposite
US / ˈɔpəzit /
•UK / ˈɑpəzɪt /
- adjecitve
- Being totally different from
- noun
- Person, thing that is totally different to another
- preposition
- Across from or on the side facing something
plant
US / plɑ:nt /
•UK / plænt /
- noun
- Factory or a place where things are made
- Living thing with leaves and roots growing in soil
- verb
- To firmly position something (in the ground)
- To put seeds, flowers, trees in the ground
nearly
US / ˈniəli /
•UK / ˈnɪrli /
- adverb
- Not completely; almost
pole
US / pəʊl /
•UK / pol /
- noun
- One of two opposite ideas, qualities or positions
- Most northern or most southern point on a planet
- A long, narrow piece of metal or wood
- One of two opposite magnetic forces
- An upright long thin structure to support things
- verb
- To move a boat with a stick or pole
towards
US / tə'wɔ:dz /
•UK / 'təuədz, twɔ:dz /
- preposition
- In the direction of someone or something
become
US / bɪ'kʌm /
•UK / bɪˈkʌm /
- verb
- To begin to be; grow to be; develop into
- To be suitable for a particular job or role
chaotic
US / keɪ'ɒtɪk /
•UK / keɪˈɒtɪk /
- adjecitve
- Utterly confused
engulf
US / ɪn'ɡʌlf /
•UK / ɛnˈɡʌlf /
- verb
- To completely surround and enclose
recede
US / rɪˈsi:d /
•UK / rɪˈsid /
- verb
- To move back slowly from a certain place
angle
US / ˈæŋgl /
•UK / ˈæŋɡəl /
- noun
- Place where two lines or surfaces meet
experience
US / ɪk'spɪərɪəns /
•UK / ɪkˈspɪriəns /
- noun
- Thing a person has done or that happened to them
- An event at which you learned something
- Knowledge gained by living life, doing new things
- verb
- To gain knowledge by doing things
now
US / naʊ /
•UK / naʊ /
- adverb
- At the present time or moment
- Right away or in the next possible moment
- Used to refer to something that just happened
- Time between the present and a moment in the past
- conjunction
- Resulting from or because of something
planet
US / 'plænɪt /
•UK / ˈplænɪt /
- noun
- One of the bodies that orbit the sun
life
US / laɪf /
•UK / laɪf /
- noun
- All the living things e.g. animals, plants, humans
- Period of time things live, from birth to death
north
US / nɔ:θ /
•UK / nɔ:rθ /
- adjecitve
- Coming from the opposite direction to the south
- noun
- Direction to your left when facing the rising sun
would
US / wʊd /
•UK / wʊd /
- other
- Used to indicate something imagined
- Used to ask or request something politely
- Verb used to indicate possibility, request etc.
- Used to indicate a preference
- Used to indicate a reaction
- Indicates something that occurred repeatedly
- Used to indicate willingness or ability to do
support
US / səˈpɔ:t /
•UK / səˈpɔrt, -ˈport /
- noun
- Assistance or advice given to someone
- Evidence that helps prove something is true
- A thing to hold up or prevent from falling down
- verb
- To give assistance or advice to someone
- To help prove or show that something is true
- To hold up or prevent from falling down
janeiro
US / dʒəˈnɪərəʊ /
•UK / dʒəˈnɛˌroʊ /
reform
US / rɪ'fɔ:m /
•UK / rɪˈfɔrm /
- noun
- An improvement, especially in a person's behaviour or in the structure of something
- verb
- To re-shape something to a better condition
- To (cause to) lead a non-criminal life
- To improve society by removing abuse/injustice
- To re-shape something into a different form
despite
US / dɪˈspaɪt /
•UK / dɪˈspaɪt /
- preposition
- Without being affected by something; in spite of
again
US / ə'ɡen /
•UK / əˈɡɛn /
- adverb
- One more time, once more
like
US / laɪk /
•UK / laɪk /
- adjecitve
- Being equal in status or kind to something else
- Similar; the same
- adverb
- For example
- preposition
- Used as a filler; used to ad emphasis
- In a way similar to the way something is done
- Such as; for example
- verb
- To want to
- To find something pleasing; to prefer something
that
US / ðæt /
•UK / ðæt, ðət /
- adjecitve
- The person or thing being talked about
- Used to identify something both the speakers know
- adverb
- Used to reinforce adjectives and adverbs
- To such a degree
- conjunction
- Used to connect a noun clause
- Used to introduce an adverbial clause
- Used to introduce a noun clause
- determiner
- Used as a noun to refer to something
- pronoun
- Referring an object far away
- Used to refer to the relative pronoun ‘which’
beneath
US / bɪ'ni:θ /
•UK / bɪˈniθ /
- preposition
- Not worthy of you; not good enough for you
- Under; In or to a lower position; below
city
US / 'sɪtɪ /
•UK / ˈsɪti /
- noun
- Area with many buildings, roads and people
florida
US / 'flɒrɪdə /
•UK / 'flɔ:rədə /
- noun
- A state in southeastern United States between the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico; one of the Confed
enough
US / ɪˈnʌf /
•UK / ɪˈnʌf /
- adjecitve
- Sufficient to answer the need
- adverb
- To a satisfactory degree
- pronoun
- Equal to what is needed; as much as required
- Adequate number or amount
mean
US / mi:n /
•UK / min /
- adjecitve
- Being good at
- Nasty; unkind
- Not liking to spend money; cheap; stingy
- noun
- Average of a set of numbers
- verb
- To express a particular idea or thought
- To intend to do something in particular
- To have a particular meaning or value
behave
US / bɪˈheɪv /
•UK / bɪˈhev /
- verb
- To act correctly
- To act in a particular way
- To react in a particular way in a given case
directly
US / dəˈrektli /
•UK / dɪˈrɛktli, daɪ- /
- adverb
- In a frank and honest way
- Right away; immediately
get
US / ɡet /
•UK / ɡɛt /
- verb
- To become affected by illness or disease
- To begin to feel or understand an emotion or idea
- To send or bring someone or something home, etc.
- To go somewhere to obtain something
- To (cause to) do a particular thing
- To obtain, receive or be given something
- To currently have
- To prepare for use
- To understand something being said or read
winter
US / ˈwɪntə(r) /
•UK / ˈwɪntɚ /
- adjecitve
- (Food) planted in fall and gathered next year
- noun
- Time or season of idleness or decay
- Coldest season of the year
- verb
- To spend the cold months at a certain place
could
US / kəd /
•UK / kʊd /
- other
- Past form of 'can' to mean have ability
- Used to ask for something politely, or to offer
darkness
US / 'dɑ:knəs /
•UK / ˈdɑrknɪs /
- noun
- The state or quality of being dark in color
desert
US / 'dezət /
•UK / ˈdɛzət /
- noun
- Bare area of land, often with few plants and water
- verb
- To leave a place for ever; abandon
- To leave when one is needed or expected to stay
orbit
US / 'ɔ:bɪt /
•UK / ˈɔrbɪt /
- noun
- Path an object takes as it circles another object
- verb
- To go around another object (often in space)
southern
US / ˈsʌðən /
•UK / ˈsʌðərn /
- adjecitve
- Concerning a region in the south
- Being in or toward the south
with
US / wɪð /
•UK / wɪð, wɪθ /
- preposition
- As an employee of a certain company
- Against something or someone
- By using something as a means
- Due to; because of
- Including
- Possessing as a feature
- Related to
- (Of the manner/attitude by which you do something)
- Used to express that people or things are together
cover
US / 'kʌvə(r) /
•UK / ˈkʌvɚ /
- noun
- A different version of another song
- Bed sheets; blankets
- (Police or military) protection from attack
- Amount of money to be paid in an insurance claim
- Thing you put over something to close or hide it
- Front and back part of a book or magazine
- Shelter built to protect from the natural elements
- verb
- To record a different version of another song
- To include as part of its area
- To put something over something to hide it
- To discuss a subject in a talk or meeting
- To form a layer over something so it is hidden
- To have sufficient funds to pay for something
- To include something within an agreed limit
- To report news on TV, radio or in a newspaper
- (Police or military) to protect from attack
- To travel a certain distance in a given time
- To wrap something with something, such as a cloth
coast
US / kəʊst /
•UK / kost /
- noun
- Land near the sea or ocean
- verb
- To progress in something without trying hard
- (Of a vehicle) to move forward without power
have
US / həv /
•UK / hæv /
- verb
- To drink, smoke, eat or use something
- To experience the effects of something
- To organize an event, or join in an activity
- To own, possess, or hold something
- To cause to happen or produce a particular effect
six
US / sɪks /
•UK / sɪks /
- number
- 6
sunlight
US / ˈsʌnlaɪt /
•UK / ˈsʌnˌlaɪt /
- noun
- Rays of light coming from the sun
agriculture
US / ˈægrɪkʌltʃə(r) /
•UK / ˈæɡrɪˌkʌltʃɚ /
- noun
- The science of farming
ice
US / aɪs /
•UK / aɪs /
- noun
- Frozen gas or liquid, esp. water
- Sweet food made of frozen cream, or juices
- verb
- To make something cold by putting on frozen water
- To spread a sweet and creamy substance on a cake
away
US / ə'weɪ /
•UK / əˈwe /
- adjecitve
- Not present
- adverb
- Disappear completely
- Doing something with a lot of energy
- Not here; far from here; in a different direction
- To a different area, location
arid
US / ˈærɪd /
•UK / ˈærɪd /
- adjecitve
- Being very dry and lacking water
month
US / mʌnθ /
•UK / mʌnθ /
- noun
- One of 12 28-31 day periods in the year
sun
US / sʌn /
•UK / sʌn /
- noun
- Light and heat coming from a large star in the sky
- Hot shining star the Earth moves around
- verb
- To lie in the sunshine and enjoy its warmth
see
US / si: /
•UK / si /
- verb
- To go on a date with someone
- To predict whether something is, or will be true
- To understand what someone says
- To use your eyes to look at something
- To visit a place often for sightseeing or pleasure
- To visit or meet with someone
- To find out by waiting or looking
- To watch (a game, movie or TV show)
direct
US / də'rekt /
•UK / dɪˈrɛkt, daɪ- /
- adverb
- Coming straight from something
- verb
- To tell someone in a very clear way to do something
- To show the way by conducting or leading
- To control the acting in a movie or play
most
US / məʊst /
•UK / most /
- adverb
- Very; extremely
- Greatest possible degree
- pronoun
- Nearly all of something
along
US / əˈlɒŋ /
•UK / əˈlɔ:ŋ /
- adverb
- As a companion; taken with someone
- preposition
- At a point on a line
from
US / frəm /
•UK / frʌm, frɑm,frəm /
- preposition
- Starting at a particular place, time or level
out
US / aʊt /
•UK / aʊt /
- adverb
- No longer stylish (e.g. fashion)
- Away from home, business, or the usual place
- In a direction/movement away from inside or center
- noun
- Act when a batter cannot continue playing
- verb
- To tell people a secret
over
US / 'əʊvə(r) /
•UK / ˈovɚ /
- adverb
- Finished; no longer happening
- Towards the ground/away from a standing position
- noun
- A set of six consecutive balls bowled in cricket
- other
- Finished
- preposition
- Showing the relation when a thing is above another
- On or covering something
- Above or across something
- More than you need
- From one side to the other
- In the direction of; toward
temperature
US / ˈtemprətʃə(r) /
•UK / ˈtɛmpərəˌtʃʊr,-tʃɚ,ˈtɛmprə- /
- noun
- When you your body heat is above normal
- How hot or cold something is, e.g. the weather
and
US / ənd /
•UK / ənd, ən,ænd /
- conjunction
- Used to refer to two or more things
- Plus; in addition; on top of that
- Used to introduce an action that follows another
ton
US / tʌn /
•UK / tʌn /
- noun
- Unit of weight; 907 kilograms (US); 1016 (UK)
completely
US / kəmˈpli:tli /
•UK / kəmˈpliːtli /
- adverb
- In every way or as much as possible
only
US / ˈəunli /
•UK / ˈonli /
- adverb
- Just one; just that amount or thing; not more than
- Not very important or serious
- Just that type of thing, person
- Short time ago; not before a certain time
- conjunction
- Except; but
unpredictability
US / ˌʌnprɪˌdɪktə'bɪlətɪ /
•UK / ˌʌnprɪˌdɪktə'bɪlətɪ /
- noun
- Lack of predictability; randomness
east
US / i:st /
•UK / i:st /
- noun
- Direction where the sun rises
- Geographic area including India, China, Japan etc.
come
US / kʌm /
•UK / kʌm /
- verb
- To arrive at a place
- (Of mail) to be delivered
- To move toward someone; go with someone
- To reach a certain point or state
far
US / fɑ:(r) /
•UK / fɑr /
- adjecitve
- A long way away
- Being a long way away
- adverb
- To a large degree or extent
equator
US / ɪ'kweɪtə(r) /
•UK / ɪˈkwetɚ /
- noun
- Geographical line at zero degrees latitude
where
US / hwɛə /
•UK / hwɛr, wɛr /
- conjunction
- At or in the place which
- In whatever place
- pronoun
- Word you use to ask the location of something