Tuesday, August 14, 2012

< V > TOEFL Vocabulary (203)


Unsustainable (adjective) 
not capable of giving support or relief to
Misuse or depletion of the Earth’s treasures to meet those needs, for example
unsustainable logging, poor farming practices, and overfishing, threatens human life
and health around the world. 

Unveil (verb) 
to make public
In celebration of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art's 15th anniversary on
the National Mall, the museum  unveiled a major interior redesign of its entrance
pavilion on October 3.  

Upgrade (verb) 
to raise the quality of
America's Bicentennial gift from the people of West Germany, the Einstein Planetarium
has been upgraded to include a first-of-its-kind, Sky Vision™ dual digital projection
system and six-channel digital surround sound. 

Uphold (verb) 
to keep from yielding or failing during stress or difficulty
The war had overthrown peace-time standards and ideals, and not even President
Woodrow Wilson could uphold them.

Upholstered (adjective) 
relating to materials such as fabric, padding, and springs used to make a soft covering 
especially of a seat
A cross between fast-food and restaurant dining, the family restaurant, characterized by
its soft lights, upholstered booths, and food prepared to order, is the fastest growing
phenomenon in the food service industry today.  
 
Uplift (verb) 
to raise the spirits of
Accentuating the positive  uplifts a worker, which can increase the productivity of a
workforce.

Upright (adjective) 
standing vertically or straight upward
According to legend, St Francis was observed standing upright in his tomb after his 
death. Zurbaran attempted to capture the fact that it is a corpse by painting a somewhat 
frightening face.

Uprising (noun) 
an act or instance of rising up, especially a usually localized act of popular violence in 
defiance usually of an established government: rebellion
In the office, however, a booming subwoofer may trigger an  uprising among your
coworkers. 

Upturn (adjective) 
overturned completely; to turn or cause to turn from a vertical or horizontal position
Due to the massive wind-driven waves, the ship was upturned, hence causing all on
board the ship to drown.

Upward (adjective) 
in, to, or toward a higher place, level, or position
The eyes are staring upward and the lips are parted.  

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