Cambridge IELTS 18 - Academic - Test 2 - Reading - Passage 1 (2)

an explanation based on limited facts and evidence that is not yet proved to be true

larger or more significant than the standard or typical size

a unified whole created by joining or mixing two or more distinct elements or parts together

slender flexible branches or twigs (especially of willow or some canes); used for wickerwork

a type of rolling-element bearing that uses balls to maintain the separation between the bearing races, reducing friction and enabling smooth rotation

having one or more long, narrow, and usually parallel channels, furrows, or ridges

a long, flat, and rectangular piece of wood or other materials, typically used in construction, flooring, or as a structural element in various applications

a bull used on farms to carry heavy loads, which its sex organs are partly removed

a scientist who studies the Earth's structure, composition, processes, and history, including rocks, minerals, fossils, and geological phenomena

a specific opinion on something

a discussion about a particular issue between two opposing sides, mainly held publicly

be born or come into existence

the general impression a person, organization, or product presents to the public

hard-working and productive

to move or convey a heavy object with effort

to make something move by turning it over and over or from side to side repeatedly

a large mass of ice that forms over long periods of time, especially in polar regions or high mountains

having doubts about something's truth, validity, or reliability

to want to know about something particular

to bring and give a letter, package, etc. to a specific person or place

required or necessary for a specific purpose

latest part of the Stone Age beginning about 10,000 BC in the Middle East (but later elsewhere)

a secular designation used to represent dates in the Gregorian calendar before the traditional reference point of the birth of Jesus Christ

a distinct period or stage in a sequence of events or development

to occur at a specific time or location

a specific, identifiable instant in time, often marking a significant moment or event

a thick and flat piece of hard material, such as a stone, metal, wood, etc. that is usually in the shape of a square or rectangle

a curved shape with narrow points at the ends that appears wider in the middle, like the shape of the moon in its first and last quarters

to make something by putting separate parts of something together

widely recognized and regarded as a symbol of a particular time, place, or culture

anything that is built from several parts, such as a house, bridge, etc.

(of a building) to remain upright and structurally sound

an area of land on which something is, was, or will be constructed

to have or hold something within or include something as a part of a larger entity or space

a method used by scientists to determine the age of organic materials by measuring the amount of carbon-14 they contain

to make information that was previously unknown or kept in secrecy publicly known

used to specify or emphasize a particular aspect or detail within a broader context

place into another position

a statement about the truth of something without offering any verification or proof

a pre-Christian priest among the Celts of ancient Gaul and Britain and Ireland

belonging or appropriate for a court, a judge, or the administration of justice

relating to or characteristic of the Celts

to make something widely known and accepted by the general public, often by adjusting it to fit popular preferences or trends

an expert or collector of antiquities

to dig the ground and discover something

a hole made in the ground for burying a dead body in

to define oneself as belonging to a particular category, group, or label

either of the two times of the year when the sun reaches its farthest or closest distance from the equator

a member of a European people who once occupied Britain and Spain and Gaul prior to Roman times

to reside in a specific place

a large, hard stone or boulder, often found standing alone or used in ancient stone circles and structures

a structure made of two large vertical stones supporting a horizontal stone across the top, forming a kind of doorway