Name

Upper-intermediate Wordlist Unit 5

Here is a list of useful or new words from Unit 5 of Navigate Upper-intermediate Coursebook. You can insert your own
translation. Words marked with a key ( ) all appear in the Oxford 3000.
adj = adjective conj = conjunction phr v = phrasal verb phr = phrase pron = pronoun
adv = adverb n = noun pl = plural prep = preposition v = verb

access  ​v ​/ˈækses/ Memories are stored differently from the age of seven, making
it easier to access them later.
amnesia  ​n ​/æmˈniːziə/ Childhood amnesia occurs at around the age of seven.
analyse   ​v ​/ˈænəlaɪz/ At seven, children can analyse events more clearly.
anti-climb  ​adj ​/ˈænti klaɪm/ What if we paint the walls with anti-climb paint?
apathetic  ​adj ​/ˌæpəˈθetɪk/ ‘Apathetic boredom’ is similar to depression.
army uniform   ​n ​/ˈɑːmi ˌjuːnɪfɔːm/ Princess Elizabeth wore a brown army uniform, and she didn’t
look like a princess at all.
bored   ​adj ​/bɔːd/ I am really bored with this lecture. It’s so dull!
bored to death  ​phr ​/bɔːd tə deθ/ I was bored to death watching that film.
bulb  ​n ​/bʌlb/ Wait a few seconds before touching the bulb – it may be hot.
cage  ​n ​/keɪdʒ/ A group of minks were divided into two cages.
calibrating  ​adj ​/ˈkælɪbreɪtɪŋ/ ‘Calibrating boredom’ is when your mind wanders from the
present situation.
can recall it very clearly  ​phr ​ I can recall some events from early childhood very clearly.
/kæn rɪˌkɔːl ɪt ˌveri ˈklɪəli/
can’t sit still  ​phr ​/ˈkɑːnt sɪt stɪl/ I hate that feeling when you can’t sit still and you can’t wait for
the film to finish.
capable   ​adj ​/ˈkeɪpəbl/ Some people worry we are no longer capable of doing nothing.
carry out  ​phr v ​/ˈkæri aʊt/ The research was carried out at the University of Utah.
come up  ​phr v ​/kʌm ˈʌp/ I can’t go to that boring lecture – something urgent has
come up!
come up with  ​phr v ​/kʌm ˈʌp wɪð/ Psychologists came up with the idea that some people use the
left side of their brain more.
concentration   ​n ​/kɒnsnˈtreɪʃn/ In some boring situations, I find myself losing concentration
after about half an hour.
convert   ​v ​/kənˈvɜːt/ Self-help books promise to convert people from being
left-brained to right-brained thinkers.
definition   ​n ​/ˌdefɪˈnɪʃn/ Can you give me a definition of boredom?
dental floss  ​n ​/ˈdentl flɒs/ Try using a piece of dental floss to get that ring off your finger.
desire   ​n ​/dɪˈzaɪə(r)/ Sometimes you have a desire to do something, but you can’t
because you’re stuck in a queue.
desperate   ​adj ​/ˈdespərət/ After a long-haul flight, I’m usually desperate to get off the
plane.
die out  ​phr v ​/daɪ ˈaʊt/ Some people believe that some things should be left to die out.
dream up  ​phr v ​/driːm ˈʌp/ They dreamt up the right-brained/left-brained theory.
dull   ​adj ​/dʌl/ Have you experienced the desire to fall asleep during a dull
lecture?
emotion   ​n ​/ɪˈməʊʃn/ Boredom can be a very useful emotion.
entertain  ​v ​/ˌentəˈteɪn/ We need to be constantly entertained.
experiment   ​n ​/ɪkˈsperɪmənt/ Researchers pointed out that the experiments didn’t show that
animals feel truly bored.

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Upper-intermediate Wordlist Unit 5

fade  ​v ​/feɪd/ When do childhood memories start to fade?

fed up  ​adj ​/fed ˈʌp/ ‘Searching boredom’ is when you are fed up with having
nothing to do.
find out   ​phr v ​/faɪnd ˈaʊt/ I’d like to find out more about the five types of boredom.
fire department  ​n ​/ˈfaɪə(r) dɪpɑːtmənt/ My mum called the fire department when I was locked in the
bathroom at age two.
hand cream  ​n ​/ˈhænd kriːm/ Cover your finger with something slippery like hand cream to
remove the ring.
have enough of  ​phr ​/hæv ɪˈnʌf ɒv/ I’ve had enough of this TV programme.
helmet  ​n ​/ˈhelmɪt/ My helmet had slipped down, so I couldn’t see a thing.
identify   ​v ​/aɪˈdentɪfaɪ/ They seemed to identify some differences.
incapable  ​adj ​/ɪnˈkeɪpəbl/ ‘Apathetic boredom’ means you are incapable of finding
enjoyment in life.
indifferent  ​adj ​/ɪnˈdɪfrənt/ ‘Indifferent boredom’ is a pleasant feeling which allows you to
zone out after a long day.
just about remember  ​phr ​ I was only two, but I can just about remember it.
/dʒʌst əˈbaʊt rɪˈmembə(r)/
ladder  ​n ​/ˈlædə(r)/ One of the firemen climbed up a ladder and broke through the
bathroom window.
long-haul flight  ​n ​/lɒŋ hɔːl flaɪt/ For me, the most boring experiences are long-haul flights.
lose concentration  ​phr ​/luːz ˌkɒnsnˈtreɪʃn/ What makes you lose concentration?
maintain   ​v ​/meɪnˈteɪn/ Security cameras are expensive to maintain.
make up  ​v ​/ˈmeɪk ʌp/ The right-brained/left-brained theory was largely made up by
psychologists and the media.
melody  ​n ​/ˈmelədi/ The right side of the brain is best at appreciating the melody of
the music.
memory has begun to fade  ​phr ​ My memory of it has begun to fade.
/ˈmeməri həz bɪˈɡʌn tə feɪd/
mink  ​n ​/mɪŋk/ The minks in the bare cage ate more food and slept for longer
than the other minks.
no memory whatsoever  ​phr ​ I have no memory of my childhood whatsoever.
/nəʊ ˌmeməri wɒtsəʊˈevə(r)/
no recollection of it  ​phr ​ I have absolutely no recollection of how we got home again.
/nəʊ ˌrekəˈlekʃn ɒv ɪt/
noisy   ​adj ​/ˈnɔɪzi/ My main memory of the day was that it was unbelievably noisy
and happy.
nonsense   ​n ​/ˈnɒnsns/ It’s all a load of nonsense.
occupied   ​adj ​/ˈɒkjupaɪd/ For me, the most boring thing in the world is not being
occupied enough at work.
oxygen  ​n ​/ˈɒksɪdʒən/ We used to think that we yawn to take in more oxygen to keep
ourselves awake.
packaging   ​n ​/ˈpækɪdʒɪŋ/ For safe disposal of the old bulb, use the packaging of the
new one.
phase out  ​phr v ​/feɪz ˈaʊt/ Let’s phase out the security cameras and install lights instead.
pop up  ​phr v ​/ˈpɒp ʌp/ Google ‘right brain, left brain’, and hundreds of quizzes on this
subject will pop up.
precise   ​adj ​/prɪˈsaɪs/ Can you remember the precise details of that conversation?
reactant  ​adj ​/riˈæktənt/ ‘Reactant boredom’ is caused by feeling trapped in a situation.
recall   ​v ​/rɪˈkɔːl/ Although I was only two, I can recall it vividly.

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recollection  ​n ​/ˌrekəˈlekʃn/ I have absolutely no recollection of how we got home again.

repetitive  ​adj ​/rɪˈpetətɪv/ Doing the ironing is the most boring and repetitive of all the
household jobs.
risky  ​adj ​/ˈrɪski/ ‘Searching boredom’ can result in risky behaviour.
run out  ​phr v ​/rʌn ˈaʊt/ We don’t want to run out of ideas.
security camera  ​n ​/sɪˈkjʊərəti ˌkæmərə/ One alternative would be to install some security cameras.
set up  ​phr v ​/set ˈʌp/ Security cameras are difficult to set up.
settle  ​v ​/ˈsetl/ Should we welcome the opportunity to be bored sometimes
and let our thoughts settle?
slippery  ​adj ​/ˈslɪpəri/ To remove a stuck ring, cover your finger in something slippery,
such as cream or butter.
sort out  ​phr v ​/sɔːt ˈaʊt/ Lights and anti-climb paint … they should sort the problem out.
steam train  ​n ​/ˈstiːm treɪn/ I remember travelling on a steam train to London just after the
Second World War.
steer   ​v ​/stɪə(r)/ Boredom steers us away from useless activities.
store   ​v ​/stɔː(r)/ From the age of seven, children can store memories more
effectively.
swell   ​v ​/swel/ Be careful not to twist the dental floss too hard or else your
finger will swell up even more.
tired of   ​adj ​/ˈtaɪəd ɒv/ I’m tired of doing the same thing every day.
trapped  ​adj ​/træpt/ Boredom means that you feel trapped in a situation that you’re
desperate to escape from.
turn out  ​phr v ​/ˌtɜːnˈaʊt/ I thought I was four when I went to school, but it turns out I
didn’t remember it correctly.
turn up  ​phr v ​/ˌtɜːn ˈʌp/ I seem to recall we just turned up and that there was no need
to book the restaurant.
understanding   ​n ​/ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ/ At seven, children have a better understanding of time and
place.
uninteresting  ​adj ​/ʌnˈɪntrəstɪŋ/ I was bored because the lecture was very uninteresting.
unwind  ​v ​/ˌʌnˈwaɪnd/ As you unwind the dental floss, the ring will move up your
finger until you can pull it off.
useless   ​adj ​/ˈjuːsləs/ Boredom may seem like a useless emotion, but it isn’t.
vaguely remember  ​phr ​ I can vaguely remember going to see that film.
/ˌveɪɡli rɪˈmembə(r)/
vandalism  ​n ​/ˈvændəlɪzəm/ What are we going to do about this vandalism problem?
vivid memory  ​phr ​/ˌvɪvɪd ˈmeməri/ My brother has a vivid memory of our first holiday abroad.
wave   ​v ​/weɪv/ They waved and waved and everyone was cheering and
singing.
work out  ​phr v ​/ˈwɜːkaʊt/ There are tests designed to help you work out whether you are
right-brained or left-brained.
yawn   ​v ​/jɔːn/ We seem to yawn to cool down our brain when it’s too hot.
your mind wanders  ​phr ​ If your mind wanders, it means you have stopped paying
/jɔː(r) maɪnd ˈwɒndəz/ attention.
zone out  ​phr v ​/zəʊn ˈaʊt/ I like to zone out after a hard day’s work.

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