TOEFL Academic Word List Vocabulary Quiz: The Vocabulary of World Affairs

Did you know there’s a list of the English words that are most common in academics? This list is called the Academic Word List. In a recent post, I gave you a look at some AWL words that are common in textbooks and classes on world affairs. In this post, I’m going to give you a quiz on those words.

Before you do the quiz though, let’s look once more at the chart of geopolitical vocabulary words I showed you last time. (This chart lists frequently-used words in this academic subject and shows the different grammatical forms of each word.)

Now it’s time for a quiz. I’ll say a series of sentences that use these words. You’ll be able to read the sentences as you listen, but the key vocabulary words will be blank. On a sheet of paper, complete the sentences by writing down the words you hear. At the very end of this post, you can check the answer key to see how you did.

 

Listen and fill in the blanks:

 

 

1. The Hmong people are an (A) (B) in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. Many different ethnic groups in Southeast Asia have (C) with Hmong communities.
2. Different (A) groups are said to be well (B) when they live side-by-side and (C) with each other regularly. An important key feature of an (D) society is a lack of discrimination. An individual’s (E) should not determine their (F) in their community.
3. In the last few decades, the United States has (A) economic policies that reduce (B) on foreign oil.
4. Every candidate in the presidential election declared their (A) to democracy.
5. (A) pass through (B) offices and enter new countries all around the world. However, policies for dealing with (C) vary a lot. Some countries (D) very strict rules on immigrants. In some cases, (E) can even be (F) from their new country and sent home as punishment for minor crimes.
6. Social reactions to the (A) of new mass (B) technology are predictably (C). When the new media technology such as TV or the Internet first (D), policy makers react (E), saying the technology is dangerous or bad for young people. Eventually this (F) goes away. The final (G) of this (H) is acceptance of the new technology by younger and older people alike.
7. Government business (A) are generally reserved for (B) business activity. Governments like to fund companies that are (C) to creating jobs within their nation’s borders.
8. In some male-dominated societies, women are (A) trained and discouraged from finding work outside of their homes. In such cases, women perform entirely unpaid (B) within their family households: dishes, laundry, and so on. Women who want to work professionally can face (C) barriers to finding a job.

 

Answer key:

1. The Hmong people are an ethnic minority in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. Many different ethnic groups in Southeast Asia have interactions with Hmong communities.
2. Different ethnic groups are said to be well integrated when they live side-by-side and interact with each other regularly. An important key feature of an integrated society is a lack of discrimination. An individual’s ethnicity should not determine their status in their community.
3. In the last few decades, the United States has implemented economic policies that reduce reliance on foreign oil.
4. Every candidate in the presidential election declared their commitment to democracy.
5. Immigrants pass through immigration offices and enter new countries all around the world. However, policies for dealing with immigrants vary a lot. Some countries impose very strict rules on immigrants. In some cases, immigrants can even be removed from their new country and sent home as punishment for minor crimes.
6. Social reactions to the emergence of new mass communication technology are predictably cyclical. When the new form of media first emerges, policy makers react negatively, saying the technology is dangerous or bad for young people. Eventually this negativity goes away. The final outcome of this cycle is acceptance of the new technology by younger and older people alike.
7. Government business grants are generally reserved for domestic business activity. Governments like to fund companies that are committed to creating jobs within their nation’s borders.
8. In some male-dominated societies, women are domestically trained and discouraged from finding work outside of their homes. In such cases, women perform entirely unpaid tasks within their family households: dishes, laundry, and so on. Women who want to work professionally can face imposing barriers to finding a job.