[4:52] Basic English Listening Practice: Short Passage on Human Differences

adv

1. in between

e.g. two houses with a tree between

Synonym: 'tween

2. in the interval

e.g. dancing all the dances with little rest between

Synonym: betwixt

noun

1. an occupation for which you are especially well suited

e.g. in law he found his true metier

Synonym: metier

2. an intervening substance through which signals can travel as a means for communication

3. a means or instrumentality for storing or communicating information

4. (usually plural) transmissions that are disseminated widely to the public

Synonym: mass medium

5. the surrounding environment

e.g. fish require an aqueous medium

6. someone who serves as an intermediary between the living and the dead

e.g. he consulted several mediums

Synonym: spiritualistsensitive

7. a state that is intermediate between extremes
a middle position

e.g. a happy medium

8. an intervening substance through which something is achieved

e.g. the dissolving medium is called a solvent

9. (bacteriology) a nutrient substance (solid or liquid) that is used to cultivate micro-organisms

Synonym: culture medium

10. (biology) a substance in which specimens are preserved or displayed

11. a liquid with which pigment is mixed by a painter

adj

1. highly unusual or rare but not the single instance

e.g. spoke with a unique accent
had unique ability in raising funds
a frankness unique in literature
a unique dining experience

2. radically distinctive and without equal

e.g. he is alone in the field of microbiology
this theory is altogether alone in its penetration of the problem
Bach was unique in his handling of counterpoint
craftsmen whose skill is unequaled
unparalleled athletic ability
a breakdown of law unparalleled in our history

Synonym: alone(p)unequaledunequalledunparalleled

3. the single one of its kind

e.g. a singular example
the unique existing example of Donne's handwriting
a unique copy of an ancient manuscript
certain types of problems have unique solutions

Synonym: singular

adv

1. used to imply that one would expect the fact to be the opposite of that stated
surprisingly

e.g. you may actually be doing the right thing by walking out
she actually spoke Latin
they thought they made the rules but in reality they were only puppets
people who seem stand-offish are in reality often simply nervous

Synonym: in reality

2. in actual fact

e.g. to be nominally but not actually independent
no one actually saw the shark
large meteorites actually come from the asteroid belt

Synonym: really

3. as a sentence modifier to add slight emphasis

e.g. actually, we all help clear up after a meal
actually, I haven't seen the film
I'm not all that surprised actually
she hasn't proved to be too satisfactory, actually

4. at the present moment

e.g. the transmission screen shows the picture that is actually on the air

adv

1. indicating exactness or preciseness

e.g. he was doing precisely (or exactly) what she had told him to do
it was just as he said--the jewel was gone
it has just enough salt

Synonym: preciselyjust

2. in a precise manner

e.g. she always expressed herself precisely

Synonym: preciselyincisively

3. just as it should be

e.g. `Precisely, my lord,' he said

Synonym: preciselyon the noseon the doton the button