▸ Specimen Drawer

Materials & Substances — Lesson 14

I speak Learning

Fast recall sprint

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Browse the cards below, then start a play round — five minutes of quick drills that lock each word into memory.

Specimen

beryl

ˈbɛrəl

The chief source of beryllium; colored transparent varieties are valued as gems — emerald is a green variety of beryl.

The queen wore a stunning beryl necklace.

Specimen

bilge

bɪldʒ

Water accumulated in the bilge of a ship — the bilge of the old boat smelled of seawater and fuel.

Water was collecting in the bilge and we needed to pump it out.

Specimen

bitumen

bɪˈtuːmɪn

Any of various naturally occurring impure mixtures of hydrocarbons — bitumen is a key component in asphalt.

The workers applied bitumen to the road surface.

Specimen

blacktop

ˈblæk.tɑːp

A black asphalt surface used for roads, driveways, and other paved areas — the road is made of blacktop.

The children were playing on the blacktop.

Specimen

blotter

ˈblɑːtər

Absorbent paper used to dry ink — she used a blotter to dry the ink on the letter.

She used a blotter to dry the ink on the letter.

Specimen

blubber

ˈblʌbər

The thick layer of fat beneath the skin of whales and other large sea mammals — the blubber of a blue whale can be up to 50 centimeters thick.

Whales have a thick layer of blubber to keep them warm in cold oceans.

Specimen

bluing

ˈbluːɪŋ

Used to whiten laundry or hair or give it a bluish tinge — the photographer used bluing solution to tone the sepia prints.

She added a capful of bluing to the rinse cycle to brighten her whites.

Specimen

bole

boʊl

A soft oily clay used as a pigment (especially a reddish brown pigment) — he carved his initials into the bole of the tree.

The ancient oak's massive bole was wider than a car.

Specimen

brine

braɪn

Water containing salts — the olives were soaked in brine for several weeks.

The olives were soaked in brine for several weeks.

Specimen

brushwood

ˈbrʌʃwʊd

The wood from bushes or small branches — the old woman gathered brushwood to start the fire.

The old woman gathered brushwood to start the fire.

Specimen

buffer

ˈbʌfər

(chemistry) an ionic compound that resists changes in its pH — the video needs to buffer before it plays.

The video needs to buffer before it plays.

Specimen

buffers

ˈbʌfərz

(chemistry) an ionic compound that resists changes in its pH — the train buffer absorbed the impact of the collision.

The train buffer absorbed the impact of the collision.

▸ Catalogue Progress 0 / 12 specimens catalogued

Mark each specimen as learned to complete this drawer.

Next drawer · Materials & Substances — Lesson 15