400 Must Have Words for the TOEFL

abandon (v.) to leave; to give up Ex: To save their lives, the sailors had to ~ the sinking ship. adversely (adj.) in a harmful way; negatively Ex: Excessive rainfall early in the spring can ~ affect the planting of crops. Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by affect. aggregate (adj.) gathered into or amounting to a whole Ex: It is impossible to judge last year's performance without knowing the ~ sales numbers. Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by a term like sum, total, or numbers. cultivation (n.) preparing the land to grow crops; improvement for agricultural purposes Ex: With the development of land ~, hunters and gatherers were able to settle in one place. fertilize (v.) to supply with nourishment for plants by adding helpful substances to the soil Ex: This farm ~+ tomatoes more than any other crop. intensify (v.) to increase in power; to act with increased strength Ex: Jacob's long absence ~+ his certainty that he should marry Ration (n.) the supplying of water to dry land Ex: In dry areas of the country, you can see ditches all over the farm-land for ~. obtain (v.) to gain possession of; to get Ex: After a series of difficult interviews, he finally was able to ~ the job. photosynthesis (n.) the process by which green plants make their own food by combining water, salts, and carbon dioxide in the presence of light Ex: Oxygen is a by-product of the process of ~. precipitation (n.) water that falls to the Earth's surface Ex: In the Pacific Northwest, the high level of ~ ensures rich, green plant life. anticipate (v.) to expect; to sense something before it happens Ex: By placing sensors in earthquake-prone areas, scientists can ~ some tremors in time to warn the public. catastrophic (adj.) extremely harmful; causing financial or physical ruin Ex: The architect died in a ~ elevator accident. collide (v.) to come together with great or violent force Ex: As usual, their holiday was ruined when their in-laws' views on politics ~+ with their ion (n.) a sudden, often violent, outburst Ex: The ~ of Mount St. Helens in 1980 caused 57 deaths and immeasurable change to the face of the mountain. Usage Tips: ~ is often followed by an of phrase. famine (n.) severe hunger; a drastic food shortage Ex: The potato ~ in Ireland in the mid-nineteenth century caused large numbers of Irish people to emigrate to America.