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Suitable for advanced students studying for TOEFL or TOEIC level exams.

Here is some vocabulary that is commonly used when talking about science. Do you recognise these words? Study their meanings and then see them in use in the sentences below!

A galaxy far, far away.

Vocabulary

• acceleration - (n) the act of increasing your speed or velocity.
• botany - (n) the science (a branch of biology) that is concerned with plant life.
• energy - (n) the power that enables something to do work.
• evaporation - (n) the process by which liquid turns into vapour.
• galaxy - (n) a large collection of stars that are held together by their gravity.
• habitat- (n) the natural home or area of an animal, plant or organism.
• magnify - (v) to make something larger or make something appear larger.
• microscope - (n) an instrument that is used for viewing extremely small objects.
• research - (n) an investigation into something to find information. (v) to study something in a detailed way.
• zoology - (n) the science (a branch of biology) that is concerned with animal life.

Example sentences

• () The new Ferrari has improved acceleration and will reach 100km/h in under 6 seconds.
• () The department of botany has discovered a unique new type of orchid that has never been seen before.
• () The government of Japan intends to stop using nuclear energy by the year 2030.
• () During the water cycle evaporation occurs when the sun heats water and turns it into steam or vapour.
• () The Hubble Space Telescope has located light from a small galaxy that is believed to be the oldest ever detected.
• () The natural habitat of the giant panda is a wet and cloudy mountain forest where bamboo grows.
• () An optical microscope can magnify a cell up to one thousand times its original size.
• () An electron microscope uses a beam of electrons to illuminate an object and create a magnified image.
• () Scientists are calling for more research to be carried out on the safety of genetically modified food.
• () The study of animal behaviour, reproduction and interaction is all part of the science of zoology. 

Are you confident you have learnt this vocabulary? Then it's time to try the quiz! Click here for the quiz.

Science Vocabulary Lesson 2