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The Tar Pit | National Geographic

Video vocabulary

contact

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US / 'kɒntækt /

UK / ˈkɑnˌtækt /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Touching or feeling something
  • noun
  • Touching or feeling something
  • Object that allows electricity to run through it
  • Communication with someone or something
  • People who can give you information, introductions
  • verb
  • To get in touch with someone

intense

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US / ɪn'tens /

UK / ɪnˈtɛns /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Very strong, great or extreme in degree

continent

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US / ˈkɒntɪnənt /

UK / ˈkɑntənənt /

B1
  • noun
  • Very large piece of land, e.g. Africa or Asia

excavator

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US / ˈekskəveɪtə(r) /

UK / ˈɛkskəˌvetɚ /

B1
  • noun
  • Special heavy digging machine

live

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US / lɪv /

UK / liv /

A1
  • 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

how

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US / haʊ /

UK / haʊ /

A1
  • 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)

year

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US / jə: /

UK / jɪr /

A1
  • noun
  • Unit of time equal to 12 months or 365 or 366 days
  • Used to refer to the age of a person

you

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US / jʊ /

UK / ju /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Person someone is speaking or writing to
  • Person or people in general

alone

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US / ə'ləʊn /

UK / əˈlon /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Apart from others
  • Without equal
  • adverb
  • Without anyone or anything else

big

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US / bɪɡ /

UK / bɪɡ /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Popular
  • Serious
  • Large

paleontologist

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US / pælɪɒn'tɒlədʒɪst /

UK / pælɪɒn'tɒlədʒɪst /

B2
  • noun
  • Person who studies and is an expert in fossils

the

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US / ðə /

UK / ðə /

A1
  • 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

mire

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US / ˈmaɪə(r) /

UK / maɪr /

C1
  • noun
  • Unpleasant situation that you cannot easily escape

this

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US / ðɪs /

UK / ðɪs /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Used to indicate something already been discussed
  • Used to indicate something happening around now
  • adverb
  • An indication by a physical motion or gesture
  • A specific amount of
  • determiner
  • Person, thing, or idea near you
  • pronoun
  • Person, thing that has already been discussed

word

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US / wɜ:d /

UK / wɚd /

A1
  • noun
  • Unit of language that has a meaning
  • Promise
  • Short remark or piece of information
  • verb
  • To express something by choosing particular words

follow

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US / ˈfɔləu /

UK / ˈfɑlo /

A1
  • verb
  • To come after someone; be guided by someone
  • To support someone, e.g. singer or comedian
  • To be the logical result of something
  • To happen after something else happens
  • To believe a set of values or a moral teacher
  • To understand something happening or being said

pit

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US / pɪt /

UK / pɪt /

B1
  • noun
  • Hole in the ground
  • Garage area for racing cars on a circuit
  • Large, hard seed in the center of a fruit
  • verb
  • To use your strength, skill or wit to beat another
  • To make holes or marks on a surface
  • (Racing car) to come into a garage to change tires
  • To take the seed out of a fruit

decomposition

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US / ˌdi:kɒmpə'zɪʃn /

UK / ˌdikɑmpəˈzɪʃən /

B2
  • noun
  • State of decay or rot

extract

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US / 'ekstrækt /

UK / ɪkˈstrækt /

B1
  • noun
  • Essential ingredient of a natural thing
  • Part taken from a longer written work
  • verb
  • To get a substance out of a plant, etc.
  • To get a person to share secret information
  • To remove something by pulling or cutting

other

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US / 'ʌðə(r) /

UK / ˈʌðər /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • A thing different from that mentioned
  • determiner
  • (Something) else; not the first (one)
  • pronoun
  • Being the one and only thing of that category

perfect

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US / 'pɜ:fɪkt /

UK / ˈpɚfɪkt /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • So good it cannot be improved
  • verb
  • To do something so well, it cannot be done better

one

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US / wʌn /

UK / wʌn /

A1
  • 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

turn

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US / tɜ:n /

UK / tɚn /

A1
  • 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

below

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US / bɪ'ləʊ /

UK / bɪˈlo /

A1
  • preposition
  • In a lower position, place, or level

jacket

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US / 'dʒækɪt /

UK / ˈdʒækɪt /

A2
  • noun
  • Light, thin coat worn over a shirt or top
  • Outer covering that fits over and protects it

make

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US / meɪk /

UK / mek /

A1
  • noun
  • Product made by a particular company; brand
  • verb
  • To arrange or prepare something e.g. dinner
  • To get to (a place) on time
  • To gain the status of (teacher, lawyer, etc.)
  • To create something by putting things together
  • To earn a certain amount of money at a job
  • To cause or force a person to do something
  • To cause something to happen or be formed

carnivore

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US / ˈkɑ:nɪvɔ:(r) /

UK / ˈkɑrnəˌvɔr, -ˌvor /

C1
  • noun
  • Any creature that consumes meat

interchange

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US / 'ɪntətʃeɪndʒ /

UK / ˌɪntɚˈtʃendʒ /

B2
  • noun
  • Exchange of something, e.g. ideas or information
  • Place where two roads or highways meet
  • verb
  • To put one thing in the place of another

prey

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US / preɪ /

UK / pre /

B1
  • noun
  • The victim of another person's aggression
  • other
  • The victim of another person's aggression
  • verb
  • To hunt (other animals) in order to eat them
  • To cause another to be a victim

ago

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US / əˈgəʊ /

UK / əˈgoʊ /

A1
  • adverb
  • At a specified length of time in the past

their

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US / ðɛː /

UK / ðer /

A1
  • determiner
  • Belonging to them

viscous

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US / ˈvɪskəs /

UK / ˈvɪskəs /

C1
  • adjecitve
  • Quality of how thick, thin, and sticky a liquid is

america

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US / ə'merɪkə /

UK / əˈmɛrɪkə /

A1
  • noun
  • The United States of America; North America and/or South America

all

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US / ɔ:l /

UK / ɔl /

A1
  • adverb
  • Completely; totally
  • determiner
  • Being every one of something
  • pronoun
  • 100% of something; the complete amount

work

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US / wɜ:k /

UK / wɚk /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Activity completed in order to make money
  • noun
  • The product of some artistic or literary endeavor
  • Everything created by an author, artist, musician
  • Activity you do in order to make money
  • Place of employment
  • Final product or result of a some labor or effort
  • verb
  • To bring into a specific state of success
  • To be functioning properly, e.g. a car
  • To do your job in your company or workplace
  • To make an effort to do something
  • To operate a machine or device

ooze

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US / u:z /

UK / uz /

B2
  • verb
  • To flow through small openings

they

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US / ðeɪ /

UK / ðe /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Two or more people, animals, or things

evidence

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US / 'evɪdəns /

UK / ˈɛvɪdəns /

A1
  • noun
  • Factual proof that helps to establish the truth

several

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US / ˈsevrəl /

UK / ˈsɛvərəl,ˈsɛvrəl /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Many of
  • pronoun
  • More than two but not a large amount

identity

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US / aɪ'dentətɪ /

UK / aɪˈdɛntɪti /

B1
  • noun
  • Collection of qualities that makes a person

discover

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US / dɪˈskʌvə(r) /

UK / dɪˈskʌvɚ /

A2
  • verb
  • To find something new that was not known before

bone

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US / bəʊn /

UK / bon /

A1
  • noun
  • Hard piece of your body that holds your muscles
  • verb
  • To remove bones from meat or fish

north

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US / nɔ:θ /

UK / nɔ:rθ /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Coming from the opposite direction to the south
  • noun
  • Direction to your left when facing the rising sun

south

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US / saʊθ /

UK / saʊθ /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Direction to your right when facing the rising sun
  • Coming from the opposite direction from north
  • noun
  • The direction to your right of the rising sun

effect

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US / ɪ'fekt /

UK / ɪˈfɛkt /

A1
  • noun
  • An advantage, benefit
  • Change brought about by a cause; result

pickle

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US / ˈpɪkl /

UK / ˈpɪkəl /

B2
  • noun
  • A cucumber preserved in brine or vinegar

sense

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US / sens /

UK / sɛns /

A1
  • noun
  • Certain mental feeling or emotion
  • Normal or clear state of mind
  • Meaning of a particular word, phrase or text
  • verb
  • To perceive using sight, sound, taste touch etc.
  • To recognize the presence of something

not

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US / nɒt /

UK / nɑt /

A1
  • adverb
  • Word indicating the negative
  • (Used to form the negative of verbs)

quite

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US / kwaɪt /

UK / kwaɪt /

A1
  • adverb
  • Not very; fairly
  • Very; In a complete or total manner

creature

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US / ˈkri:tʃə(r) /

UK / ˈkritʃɚ /

A2
  • noun
  • Animal of any type

fossil

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US / 'fɒsl /

UK / ˈfɑsəl /

B1
  • noun
  • Plant or animal that became rock after many years

can

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US / kæn /

UK / kən,kæn /

A1
  • noun
  • A metal container for storing food
  • other
  • Able to; have the skill to; have the time to
  • verb
  • To have permission to
  • To be possible to do
  • To preserve food by sealing it in a metal container

but

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US / bət /

UK / bʌt,bət /

A1
  • conjunction
  • Used before you say something different, opposite

hundred

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US / 'hʌndrəd /

UK / ˈhʌndrɪd /

A1
  • number
  • 100

air

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US / eə(r) /

UK / er /

A1
  • noun
  • Mixture of gases around the earth that we breathe
  • A person's manner intended to impress others
  • verb
  • To expose to the outside, to dry or freshen
  • To broadcast a TV or radio show
  • To open a subject to discussion and debate

challenge

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US / 'tʃælɪndʒ /

UK / ˈtʃæləndʒ /

A2
  • noun
  • An activity you wish to try that may be hard to do
  • Act of formally inviting someone to compete
  • A question to determine correctness of something
  • verb
  • To formally invite someone to compete at something
  • To question the correctness of something

sun

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US / sʌn /

UK / sʌn /

A1
  • 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

fossilize

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US / ˈfɒsəlaɪz /

UK / ˈfɑ:səlaɪz /

B1
  • verb
  • To change into a state from which it won't change

have

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US / həv /

UK / hæv /

A1
  • 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

plaster

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US / 'plɑ:stə(r) /

UK / ˈplæstɚ /

B2
  • noun
  • Substance used to cover walls to make them smooth
  • Piece of material for covering a cut; Band-Aid
  • verb
  • To cover something with plaster
  • To cover surfaces with papers, photos, posters etc.

seep

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US / si:p /

UK / sip /

B2
  • verb
  • To flow slowly through small openings or pores

scientist

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US / ˈsaɪəntɪst /

UK / ˈsaɪəntɪst /

A2
  • noun
  • Person who is trained in a science

swelter

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US / ˈsweltə(r) /

UK / ˈswɛltɚ /

A1
  • verb
  • To be uncomfortably hot; suffer from intense heat

behind

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US / bɪˈhaɪnd /

UK / bɪˈhaɪnd /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Concerning a later or slower time than expected
  • Being in a losing position in a sporting event
  • Being in the past; old fashioned
  • adverb
  • Remaining
  • noun
  • The part of the body that one sits on
  • preposition
  • At or toward the back of someone or something
  • Supporting or helping someone

foot

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US / fʊt /

UK / fʊt /

A1
  • noun
  • Base of something such as a mountain or vase
  • Length of 12 inches or about 25 cm
  • Lowest part of the leg we use to stand on

count

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US / kaʊnt /

UK / kaʊnt /

A2
  • noun
  • Number of things added together, e.g. votes
  • With the number of crimes, knockouts, as stated
  • verb
  • To add things together to find the total number
  • To matter or be important
  • To include someone or something in a final number

typically

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US / ˈtɪpɪkli /

UK / ˈtɪpɪklɪ /

B1
  • adverb
  • In a normal or usual way

and

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US / ənd /

UK / ənd, ən,ænd /

A1
  • conjunction
  • Used to refer to two or more things
  • Plus; in addition; on top of that
  • Used to introduce an action that follows another

hope

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US / həʊp /

UK / hop /

A1
  • noun
  • When you wish something will happen; what you wish
  • verb
  • To expect and want something to happen

underfoot

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US / ˌʌndəˈfʊt /

UK / ˌʌndərˈfʊt /

A1
  • adverb
  • Under your feet on the ground

beast

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US / bi:st /

UK / bist /

B1
  • noun
  • Ugly or terrifying animal

come

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US / kʌm /

UK / kʌm /

A1
  • 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

ancient

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US / 'eɪnʃənt /

UK / ˈenʃənt /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Very old; having lived a very long time ago

excavate

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US / ˈekskəveɪt /

UK / ˈɛkskəˌvet /

B1
  • verb
  • To dig holes in the ground to discover something

from

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US / frəm /

UK / frʌm, frɑm,frəm /

A1
  • preposition
  • Starting at a particular place, time or level

hot

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US / hɒt /

UK / hɑ:t /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Angry or excited
  • Being very good at something
  • Having a high temperature
  • Popular and causing a great deal of excitement
  • Attractive in a sexually exciting way
  • (Of food) very spicy
  • Stolen; dangerous to buy or trade in

temperature

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US / ˈtemprətʃə(r) /

UK / ˈtɛmpərəˌtʃʊr,-tʃɚ,ˈtɛmprə- /

A2
  • noun
  • When you your body heat is above normal
  • How hot or cold something is, e.g. the weather

muck

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US / mʌk /

UK / mʌk /

B2
  • noun
  • Dirt; mud; filth

where

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US / hwɛə /

UK / hwɛr, wɛr /

A1
  • conjunction
  • At or in the place which
  • In whatever place
  • pronoun
  • Word you use to ask the location of something

large

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US / lɑ:dʒ /

UK / lɑ:rdʒ /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Big; of great size; broad, tall, wide, or fat

join

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US / dʒɔɪn /

UK / dʒɔɪn /

A1
  • verb
  • To bring something close to another, to become one
  • To become a member of
  • To participate in an activity with others

only

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US / ˈəunli /

UK / ˈonli /

A1
  • 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

field

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US / fi:ld /

UK / fild /

A1
  • noun
  • Area of study, such as physics or biology
  • Piece of land used to grow crops/raise animals
  • Open area of land, especially without buildings
  • Grassed area where you play some sports
  • verb
  • To respond to something or answer a question
  • To catch or stop a ball during a game

asphalt

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US / ˈæsfælt /

UK / ˈæsfɔ:lt /

C1
  • noun
  • Hard mixture used to make roads and streets

predator

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US / 'predətə(r) /

UK / ˈprɛdətɚ, -ˌtɔr /

B1
  • noun
  • An animal that hunts and kills other animals
  • Person preying on the weak to gain advantage

grow

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US / ɡrəʊ /

UK / ɡro /

A1
  • verb
  • To get bigger and more mature; make plants do this
  • To improve; to develop better skills over time
  • To develop and become bigger or taller over time

land

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US / lænd /

UK / lænd /

A1
  • noun
  • Region or country
  • Earth; the ground
  • verb
  • To arrive or cause a boat to arrive at the shore
  • To obtain or get something that you wanted
  • To (cause to) come down to the ground safely
  • To cause to arrive in a specific place or state

set

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US / set /

UK / sɛt /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Prepared for something; ready
  • noun
  • Complete group of something
  • Place where a television show or movie is filmed
  • Group of games in a tennis match
  • Device that receives radio or television signals
  • verb
  • To make a clock state or ring at a particular time
  • To decide upon or choose something
  • To make something ready for use (e.g. table)
  • To decide on a price for something
  • To become hard (of glue, concrete etc.)
  • To be located in a specific place or time
  • To put (e.g. a vase) down carefully in a place
  • To put someone in a certain condition or state
  • (Of the sun) to go lower than the horizon

well

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US / wel /

UK / wɛl /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being in a fortunate, good condition or state
  • Healthy and in good condition
  • adverb
  • In an acceptable, proper, or successful manner
  • In a complete, total, or full manner
  • A great and considerable degree
  • In a successful way, in a good or satisfactory way
  • exclamation
  • Used to begin or continue a particular statement
  • Used to show you want to start saying something
  • Used to express that you are waiting for a reply
  • You say this to change the topic of a conversation
  • Used to indicate you are making a final remark
  • noun
  • Long deep hole in the ground to get water
  • verb
  • To cause your eyes to fill with tears

start

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US / stɑ:t /

UK / stɑrt /

A1
  • noun
  • First time or place that a thing exists; beginning
  • First opportunity to achieve something, e.g. a job
  • Sudden action or movement because you are scared
  • other
  • Beginning of something in place or time
  • verb
  • To do, be or happen for the first time; begin
  • To turn something on

for

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US / fə(r) /

UK / fɔr,fə /

A1
  • preposition
  • Used to show the purpose, or need of something

preservative

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US / prɪˈzɜ:vətɪv /

UK / prɪˈzə:vətɪv /

B1
  • adjecitve
  • Tending or having the power to preserve
  • noun
  • Chemical added to food to make it last longer

solid

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US / 'sɒlɪd /

UK / ˈsɑlɪd /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Being able to be trusted; reliable
  • Substance that is hard or of fixed shape
  • Being well made and expected to last long
  • Having no space or emptiness inside
  • Being made entirely of one material or substance
  • noun
  • Something firm or hard; not gas or liquid

venezuela

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US / ˌvenə'zweɪlə /

UK / ˌvenə'zweɪlə /

A1
  • other
  • A republic in northern South America on the Caribbean; achieved independence from Spain in; rich in

animal

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US / ˈænɪml /

UK / ˈænəməl /

A1
  • noun
  • A living creature that is not a plant or person

just

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US / dʒʌst /

UK / dʒʌst /

A1
  • 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)

femur

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US / ˈfi:mə(r) /

UK / ˈfimɚ /

C1
  • noun
  • Bone that extends from the pelvis to the knee

generation

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US / ˌdʒenəˈreɪʃn /

UK / ˌdʒɛnəˈreʃən /

A2
  • noun
  • Act or process of producing or causing something
  • People born and living at about the same time

light

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US / laɪt /

UK / laɪt /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being bright making it easy to see; not dark
  • Being pale and lacking darkness of color
  • Not heavy; weighing only a little
  • adverb
  • Carrying few bags when traveling
  • noun
  • A source of energy that makes a room or area bright
  • Way in which something or someone is understood
  • verb
  • To cause something to burn; put a burning match to
  • To provide a way to see ahead

find

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US / faɪnd /

UK / faɪnd /

A1
  • noun
  • Object discovered by chance
  • Things that have been discovered from searching
  • verb
  • To become aware of something that is happening
  • To discover or meet by chance
  • To decide if someone is guilty of a crime, or not
  • To learn through study, research, or effort
  • To discover something by looking for it

great

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US / ɡreɪt /

UK / ɡret /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Very large in size
  • Very important
  • Very good; fantastic; wonderful
  • adverb
  • Very good; better than before
  • noun
  • Successful and well-admired person

lab

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US / læb /

UK / læb /

B1
  • noun
  • Short for 'laboratory'

mean

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US / mi:n /

UK / min /

A1
  • 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

mastodon

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US / 'mæstədɒn /

UK / 'mæstəˌdɒn /

A1
  • noun
  • Extinct elephant-like mammal that flourished worldwide from Miocene through Pleistocene times; diffe

pool

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US / pu:l /

UK / pul /

A2
  • noun
  • Amount collected, e.g. money, for some purpose
  • Small body of still water
  • Game of hitting balls on a table with long sticks
  • Small area of water for swimming bound by walls
  • verb
  • (Of a liquid) to collect into a small area
  • To make a collection of (resources, money etc.)

down

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US / daʊn /

UK / daʊn /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being sad, sick, or unhappy
  • Not operating, working, or functioning as expected
  • adverb
  • In a sitting or lying position
  • Towards or on the ground, floor, or bottom
  • Written or copied onto a piece of paper or book
  • noun
  • A period of play in American Football
  • The soft, smooth hairs that cover a bird's body
  • preposition
  • Along something's path, course, or direction
  • Going from a higher position to a lower position
  • verb
  • To eat or drink very quickly and without stopping

preserve

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US / prɪˈzɜ:v /

UK / prɪˈzɜ:rv /

B1
  • noun
  • Protected area of land with plants and animals
  • verb
  • To cook food so it can be kept for long periods
  • To protect something from harm, loss or damage
  • To keep or maintain unchanged or perfect

about

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US / ə'baʊt /

UK / əˈbaʊt /

A1
  • adverb
  • To be ready to; going to
  • Nearly; approximately; roughly
  • Near; next to; close to
  • In every direction; in the area of
  • preposition
  • Concerning or of (a topic)

even

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US / 'i:vn /

UK / ˈivən /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being equal in influence, power, possibility etc.
  • Being divided equally or fairly
  • (Of teams/contest) with similar chances of success
  • Smooth, level, or regular
  • Can be divided by 2; ending in 2, 4, 6, 8, or 0
  • At a regular, equally steady manner
  • Remaining steady and unchanging
  • adverb
  • (When this is surprising) as well; too
  • (Used to compare two things/stress the difference)
  • verb
  • To make something level; to flatten
  • To make something equal

migrate

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US / maɪˈgreɪt /

UK / ˈmaɪgreɪt /

B1
  • verb
  • To move from one country or place to live or work

that

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US / ðæt /

UK / ðæt, ðət /

A1
  • 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’

what

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US / wɒt /

UK / hwɑt, hwʌt, wɔt, wʌt,hwət, wət /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Thing or things that; the same kind as
  • Used to emphasize something you are about to say
  • adjecitve
  • Used to refer to a particular amount, or number
  • Used to place emphasis on a particular quality
  • adverb
  • To a certain degree
  • determiner
  • Question words used for asking for information
  • exclamation
  • Used to express excitement, shock, or surprise
  • Used to ask people to repeat something they said

steep

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US / sti:p /

UK / stip /

B1
  • adjecitve
  • Very expensive
  • Rising or falling very sharply, as a cliff or hill
  • Involving a quick increase or decrease
  • verb
  • To fill with a certain quality, e.g. history
  • To put a thing in a liquid for some time

tell

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US / tel /

UK / tɛl /

A1
  • verb
  • To (strongly) advise a person to do something
  • To be able to guess
  • To say or communicate information to someone
  • To inform, but without speaking; indicate
  • To have a negative effect on someone
  • To order someone to do something; command
  • To recognize something based on certain signs
  • To report something to an authority
  • To explain something or teach someone something

despite

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US / dɪˈspaɪt /

UK / dɪˈspaɪt /

A2
  • preposition
  • Without being affected by something; in spite of

ground

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US / graʊnd /

UK / ɡraʊnd /

A1
  • noun
  • Connection of electrical equipment to earth
  • Place where people play particular sports
  • Solid surface of the earth that we stand on
  • verb
  • To break (coffee, etc.) into tiny bits with machine
  • To make loud jarring noise by pressing hard
  • To make sharp or smooth through friction
  • To press together with force making a sound
  • To punish someone by not allowing them to go out
  • To hit the bottom
  • (Of boat) to hit the bottom so it cannot move
  • To prevent a plane from taking off
  • To place the ball over the goal line in rugby

ensnare

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US / ɪnˈsneə(r) /

UK / ɪnˈsner /

C2
  • verb
  • To catch or trap something

petroleum

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US / pə'trəʊlɪəm /

UK / pəˈtroliəm /

B2
  • noun
  • Oil found in the ground used to make fuel

track

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US / træk /

UK / træk /

A2
  • noun
  • A circular course for running
  • Course or way someone takes, e.g. in education
  • Path in a field or a forest made by walkers
  • Often circular course laid out for car racing
  • One of multiple musical recordings on an album
  • Band surrounding the wheels of a tank
  • Metal lines that trains ride on
  • verb
  • To use marks to follow a wild animal
  • To move a certain way/follow a particular course
  • To record and examine the progress of something

ensure

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US / ɪn'ʃʊə(r) /

UK / ɛnˈʃʊr /

A2
  • verb
  • To make something sure, certain, or safe

walk

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US / wɔ:k /

UK / wɔk /

A1
  • noun
  • Journey on foot done for pleasure or exercise
  • verb
  • To move with your legs at a slowish pace

ever

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US / 'evə(r) /

UK / ˈɛvɚ /

A1
  • adverb
  • At any time; at all times in the future

humidity

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US / hju:ˈmɪdəti /

UK / hjuˈmɪdɪti /

B1
  • noun
  • Amount of moisture in the air in a particular area

resemble

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US / rɪˈzembl /

UK / rɪˈzɛmbəl /

B1
  • verb
  • To be similar to in looks or manner

too

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US / tu: /

UK / tu /

A1
  • adverb
  • In addition, also; with emphasis
  • Say that something is more than you want

freshwater

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US / 'freʃwɔ:tə(r) /

UK / ˈfrɛʃˌwɔtɚ, -ˌwɑtɚ /

B2
  • noun
  • Water that is not salty

extreme

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US / ɪk'stri:m /

UK / ɪkˈstrim /

B1
  • adjecitve
  • Very great in degree
  • Farthest from a center
  • Very severe; very strong
  • noun
  • Effort that is thought more than is necessary

here

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US / hɪə(r) /

UK / hɪr /

A1
  • adverb
  • In this place; at this location, position or time

fierce

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US / fɪəs /

UK / fɪrs /

B1
  • adjecitve
  • Very strong, wild or violent

originate

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US / ə'rɪdʒɪneɪt /

UK / əˈrɪdʒəˌnet /

A2
  • verb
  • To first come into existence
  • To create or start something

radiate

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US / ˈreɪdieɪt /

UK / ˈrediˌet /

B1
  • verb
  • To show a lot of feeling clearly
  • To spread out from a center
  • To emit something like a wave

thousand

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US / ˈθaʊznd /

UK / ˈθaʊzənd /

A1
  • number
  • Number 1,000

will

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US / wɪl /

UK / wɪl /

A1
  • 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

pond

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US / pɒnd /

UK / pɑ:nd /

A2
  • noun
  • Pool of water that is smaller than a lake

eat

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US / i:t /

UK / it /

A1
  • verb
  • To put food in your mouth

heat

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US / hi:t /

UK / hit /

A2
  • noun
  • State of anger, excitement, or arguing
  • Particular temperature at which to cook something
  • High temperature
  • One of series of races to find the finalists
  • Hot temperature, conditions, or weather
  • verb
  • To make hot or hotter

million

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US / ˈmɪljən /

UK / ˈmɪljən /

A1
  • number
  • 1,000,000

mammal

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US / 'mæml /

UK / ˈmæməl /

B1
  • noun
  • Animal which drinks milk from its mother

safe

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US / seɪf /

UK / sef /

A2
  • noun
  • Metal box with a lock to keep valuable things in
  • adjecitve
  • Highly likely
  • Being out of danger
  • Subtitles section
  • Here, scientists have found the perfect preservative for fossilized remains, the tar pit.
  • The viscous asphalt oozes up from petroleum seeps miles below.
  • The pools resemble freshwater ponds, but they can ensnare an animal that comes too close.
  • In Venezuela, scientists have only just started excavating this set of tar pits, hoping they'll find evidence of North American creatures that migrated south.
  • But working conditions are extreme.
  • Temperatures here typically push to 120 degrees.
  • Humidity is intense.
  • The ground isn't even solid underfoot.
  • Not only is the air temperature sweltering, but the tar pits are hot as well, so you have the heat from the sun and heat radiating from the tar, so it's overwhelmingly hot.
  • Despite the challenge, the excavators have learned how to make sense of this muck and mire, extracting ancient fossils steeping in asphalt for 25,000 years.
  • The asphalt, in effect, pickles the bones, stops the decomposition and allows their identities to come to light.
  • And that's what paleontologist Ascanio Rincon is counting on.
  • When we find these fossils in the tar, they're telling us important things about the Great American Interchange.
  • It means there's been contact from the north.
  • In other words, animals coming from the north and eating animals that are in the south.
  • Several feet down in the tar, Rincon discovers a bone.
  • It's a big bone, a mastodon femur.
  • The thigh bone of a stegomastodon, one of the largest mammals ever to walk this land.
  • The elephant-like beast originated in North America some 10 million years ago, but It's turned up thousands of miles to the south and hundreds of generations later, living in Venezuela.
  • The tar has preserved the mastodon bone, but it's still quite fragile.
  • A plaster jacket ensures the bone is safe on the trip from the field to the lab.
  • It will join a growing collection of fossils, all confirming that North American prey animals migrated to South America when the continents joined.
  • And they weren't alone.
  • Where prey went, predators followed.
  • Tracking close behind, some of North America's fiercest carnivores, saber-toothed cats.