Unit 7

Palabra

Definición

Ejemplo

boarding school

a school where students live as well as study

My parents sent me away to boarding school when I was 13

cheat

to behave in a dishonest way in order to win or to get an advantage, especially in a competition, game, or examination

Don't cheat in your exams! You will be caught

college

An institution of higher education offering degree programs

I went to art college when I left school

degree

An academic qualification awarded by a college or university

Do you want to get a degree from university?

elementary

Relating to the early stages of education or basic principles

Primary school is called elementary school in America

expel

To dismiss or force someone to leave an institution or organization

If you cheat in your exams the head teacher will expel you

fail

To not meet the required standards or criteria in an assessment

Why did you fail your chemistry exam?

grades

Marks or scores given to evaluate academic performance

I want to study medicine, so I need good grades in science and maths

head teacher

The principal or head of a school

What's the name of the head teacher at your school?

high school

A school that provides secondary education

He's a teacher at a high school in New York City

junior high school

A school that provides education between elementary and high school

I went to the same junior high school as my neighbour

kindergarten

A preschool educational program for young children

I went to kindergarten when I was three years old

middle school

A school that provides education between elementary and high school

I went to middle school between the ages of nine and thirteen

misbehave

To behave inappropriately or contrary to rules or standards

What happens to students who misbehave in class?

nursery

A school or facility that provides care for young children

Before they go to school, children can go to nursery

pass

To meet the required standards or criteria in an assessment

I really want to pass my maths exam this semester

primary

Relating to the first stage of education

Children in the UK start primary school when they are four or five

private

Not publicly funded or owned, often operated by a private organization

Her parents paid for her to go to a private school

punish

To impose penalties or consequences for wrongdoing

Many teachers punish students with extra homework

pupils

Students or learners attending a school

How many pupils are there in your school?

results

The outcomes or scores achieved in an assessment

Students in this school usually get really good exam results

revise

To review and study material in preparation for an exam

How many hours did you revise for the biology exam?

secondary

Relating to the stage of education after primary school

I started secondary school when I was 11

semester

One of two divisions of an academic year in some educational systems

The autumn semester starts on the first day of October

state

Referring to educational institutions funded and operated by the government

What are the state schools like in your country?

students

Individuals attending a school or educational institution

They are all university students

take exams

To participate in and complete an examination

We have to take exams at the end of each school year

term

A specified period of academic study, usually lasting a few months

A school term usually lasts about 12 weeks

twelfth grade

The final year of high school in some educational systems

My older sister is in twelfth grade this year

attic

The space or room located under the roof of a building

We must clear the attic. It's very dirty up here

balcony

A platform or projecting structure on the exterior of a building

There's a great view from our balcony

basement

The lowest floor of a building, often below ground level

Many houses in Canada have a basement

ceiling

The upper interior surface of a room

We painted the ceiling white

chimney

A vertical structure that channels smoke from a fireplace to the outside

We need to clean the chimney before we light the fire

city

A large and densely populated urban area

I want to live in a big city like Paris or London

cosy

Comfortable, warm, and inviting

Our living room is small, but it's really cosy

country

A rural or agricultural area away from urban centers

I live in a small cottage in the country

east coast

The coastal regions located on the eastern side of a continent

I live in Aldeburgh, a small town on the east coast

entrance

The place of access to a building or property

The entrance to the building is round the back

fireplace

A structure designed to contain and maintain a fire for heating or cooking

We have a beautiful Victorian fireplace in our living room

gate

A movable barrier that controls access to a property

We painted the gate to our garden dark green

ground floor

The level of a building at ground level

I don't want to live on the ground floor – I don't think it's safe

light

The natural agent that makes things visible and enables sight

The room is light and spacious. It has white walls and big windows

made of stone

Constructed using stone as the primary material

Our house is made of stone

modern

Contemporary and up-to-date in design or style

We have an expensive modern kitchen

open fire

A fire burning in an exposed fireplace

I love sitting by the open fire in winter time

outskirts

The areas surrounding the main part of a city or town

I live on the outskirts of Birmingham

path

A designated route or track for walking or moving

A path leads through our garden to the back door of our house

patio

An outdoor area paved for recreational or dining purposes

We have chairs, a table, and a barbecue on our patio

roof

The top covering of a building that provides protection from weather

I'll need a ladder to get that football off the roof

second floor

The level of a building directly above the ground floor

We live on the second floor of that apartment block

spacious

Having ample space and roomy

Our kitchen is really spacious so we put a dining table in it

steps

A series of raised platforms used for ascending or descending

You have to go down three steps to get into our garden

suburbs

Residential areas on the outskirts of a city or town

When we had children we moved from the city centre to the suburbs

terrace

A raised flat area outside a building, often used for leisure or dining

We have a terrace where you can sit outside and sunbathe

top floor

The highest level of a building

We live on the top floor of that building and we have great views

town

An urban area that is smaller than a city

I was born in a town called Shrewsbury

village

A small community or settlement, typically in a rural area

I grew up in a village in Wales

wall

A vertical barrier that encloses or divides an area

There is a wall between our garden and our neighbour's garden

wooden floors

Floors made of wood or wood-based materials

We have wooden floors in our dining room and it looks great

biology

The scientific study of living organisms and their interactions

We studied the life cycle in biology today

chemistry

The scientific study of matter and its properties

I enjoyed doing experiments in chemistry

geography

The study of the Earth's surface and its features

We learned all the capital cities in geography

history

The study of past events, particularly human affairs

What did you study in history? - The Romans

information technology (IT)

The study and application of computer-based technology

In IT we learned about searching for information online

literature

Written or printed works, especially those considered as art or intellectual value

Which was your favourite book in literature classes?

maths

The study of numbers, quantities, and shapes

Are you good at maths? Yes, very good. I like numbers

physics

The scientific study of matter, energy, and the fundamental principles of the universe

We are studying gravity in physics