< V > TOEFL Vocabulary (180)

Seaweed (noun) 

a mass of growth of marine plants  Many types of seaweed and other plants that do not appear to be green also have

chlorophyll and therefore can convert the sun's energy into food.

Secretion (noun) 

a product of secretion, i.e. saliva, from an animal or plant

It is here that the final process of digestion and nutrient absorption takes place from the

two gallons of food, liquid and digestive secretions processed each day.

Secular (adjective) 

not religious in subject matter, form, or use

Mozart composed a large number of sacred and secular works.

Secured (verb) 

to render certain

Adams helped draft the Declaration of Independence, secured its unanimous adoption

in Congress, and wrote his wife on July 3, 1776, that "the most memorable Epoch in the

History of America has begun."

Sediment (noun) 

the matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid; material deposited by water, wind, or 

glaciers

The rover, Opportunity, and its sister rover, Spirit, which was launched earlier this

month, will act as robotic geologists during their three months of exploration. They will

send back images of sediment and mineral deposits that can help scientists determine

whether there was ever enough water on Mars to sustain life. 

Seek out (verb) 

to strive toward a goal; to try to find

As effective as the methods I am about to outline in this lecture are, you are still advised

to seek out for yourself other or even devise new methods to help your flexibility.

Segregation (noun) 

the policy or practice of excluding a minority group from full freedom or participation in a 

society

On December 5, 1955, five days after Montgomery civil rights activist Rosa Parks refused

to obey the city's rules mandating segregation on buses, black residents launched a bus

boycott. 

Selective (adjective) 

able to recognize small differences or draw fine distinctions

Sir Francis Galton, a cousin of Charles Darwin, was interested in the measurement of

intelligence because he wanted to increase it through selective breeding.

Self-esteem (noun) 

a sense of one’s own dignity or worth  

Face refers to the respect that an individual has for him or herself, and maintaining

"self-esteem" in public or in private situations. 

Semi aquatic (adjective) 

frequently but not living completely in water

As penguins adapted to marine life, their wings changed to flippers and their feathers to

a waterproof covering, hence suiting the birds to a semi aquatic existence.