Commercial English - Vocabulary

HCF) was created in November 1993.
to chop down
Poor people often chop down trees for firewood.
climate
The Mediterranean climate is good for growing citrus fruits.
coastal waters
Many bays and coastal waters have been contaminated with heavy metals.
cooling agent
Cooling agents are expensive.
to combat
There should be stricter laws to combat air pollution.
to contaminate
The soil has been contaminated.
creature
Is there a sea creature or not?
D
death of the forests
The death of the forests is a big problem in Europe.
to destroy
The house was completely destroyed by fire.
destruction
The use of renewable sources could stop the destruction of the rainforests.
detergent
Try to use detergents that are perfume free.
to die out
Animals are dying out far more often than you might think.
to diminish
The people try to diminish the pollution of the water.
dirt
The dirt has been removed from the ground.
to disappear
Many species disappeared in the last century.
disaster
The recent earthquake in India is a disaster.
disposal
Unfortunately, less people know of the disposal of hazardous waste.
drought
Drought had ruined the crops year after year.
to dry up, to parch
During the long time of drought many rivers have dried up/parched.
to dump
Old washing machines have been dumped near the beach.
dumping ground
City canals are often used as dumping grounds.
dust
Do not inhale the dust, it's dangerous.
E
earthquake
On April 18, 1906, shortly after 5:00 am, a great earthquake struck San Francisco.
ecology
Oil pollution could damage the ecology of the costs.
ecosystem
Jordan appealed for assistance to
help save the ecosystem of the Dead Sea, whose water level is dropping.
emission
The organization calls for stricter controls on emissions.
to emit
Sulphur gases were emitted by the spewing volcano.
endangered
The sea turtle is an endangered species.
energy conservation
Energy conservation is a process of saving energy.
energy source
Space energy is one of the energy sources of the future.
energy-efficient
Energy-efficient windows help to lower your heating costs.
environment
We must protect the environment.
environmentalist
Environmentalists are people who love the natural world.
to erode
It took about 67,000 years to erode the Grand Canyon.
erosion
Wind and water are the main agents of soil erosion.
evolution
The introduction of cloned plants will effect evolution.
exhaust fumes
Over the past month officers have been stopping vehicles in Manchester to test exhaust fumes.
to be exposed to
You risk skin cancer if you are often exposed to strong sunlight.
extinct
Hawaii is home to a great many extinct species.
F
factory farming
Is factory farming a way of animal abuse?
famine
The Irish Famine of 1846-50 took as many as a million lives from hunger and disease.
fertile
Fertile land is land where things grow easily.
fertilizer
Fertilizers are chemicals given to plants with the intention of promoting growth.
fume
Workers are exposed to fumes from asphalt.
fumes
The lava gives off clouds of toxic fumes as it flows into the Pacific Ocean.
G
geothermal
The first geothermal power station was built in Landrella, Italy.
global warming
They started a campaign to slow down the process of global warming.
greenhouse effect
The greenhouse effect is the rise in temperature caused by gases in the atmosphere.
H
hardest hit
Our town was hardest hit by last year's earthquake.
to harm
Pollution can harm animals and the environment.
to be harmful
Air pollution is harmful to everyone.
heat wave
Slow down and avoid strenuous activity if a heat wave is happening.
heavy metal
Less heavy metal has been introduced by air into the Baltic Sea since the 1990s.
hydrocarbon
Various hydrocarbons have been found in Jupiter's atmosphere.
I
industrial waste
Industrial waste can contain small amounts of radioactive materials.
insulation
Often glass fibre is used as roof insulation.
L
to leak
Oil leaked out of the tank.
to load
The owners of the local factories are loaded with new environmental laws.
marine life
Around the islands marine life is seriously threatened by oil slick.
to menace
Hurricane Hugo menaced the US coast for seven days.
N
natural gas
61 percent of US households used natural gas for heating in 2002.
O
oil slick
Large oil slicks were found near the coast.
overfertilization
Overfertilization is a common problem.
oxygen
The cells need oxygen to survive.
ozone layer
The ozone layer screens out the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation.
P
permission
Ask permission for the privilege to cross private land.
poison
The cat was killed by rat poison.
poisonous
She has lots of poisonous plants in her garden.
the polar ice caps
If the polar ice caps melt, the ocean levels rise.
to pollute
Please do not pollute the air.
pollution
Air pollution is a problem for all of us.
power station
Power stations are only about 40 per cent efficient.
precipitation
Rain, snow, hail and sleet are types of precipitation.
preservation
He is interested in historic preservation.
prevention
The prevention of litter is very important.
to protect
Russia wants to protect the environment in the Baltic region.
to purify
You can purify water with two chemicals: chlorine bleach and iodine.
R
radiation
Radiation is used for medical reasons.
rainforest
Tropical rainforests are the Earth's oldest living ecosystems.
to recycle
This carton is made from recycled paper.
remedial action
The Great Lakes Remedial Action Plan Program was created in 1987.
renewable
A renewable energy system converts the energy found in sunlight, wind, falling water, waves, geothermal heat, or biomass.
reusable
There are two kinds of plastic bottles: reusable bottles and single-service bottles.
S
to screen from
You should screen your eyes from the sun when hiking in the mountains.
sea level
Death Valley lies 86 metres (282 feet) below sea level.
sewage
Sewage, used water, comes from factories and households.
sewage plant
The city needs to have a sewage plant.
sludge
Sludge is often used on agricultural land.
soil
Soil is the top layer of the earth in which trees, plant etc. grow.
solvent
Benzene and turpentine are solvents.
starvation
Starvation is the most severe form of malnutrition.
stratosphere
The ozone layer is within the stratosphere.
surface
About 70% of the Earth's surface is covered with water.
T
to threaten
Toxic chemical substances threaten sea turtles.
tide
The tide is in/out.
timber
Timber is wood for building ships and houses.
toxic waste
A ship with toxic waste sank.
toxic waste dump
The toxic waste dump was built.
trawler
Trawlers, are not permitted on the lake.
U
unleaded
Unleaded petrol is less harmful to the environment.
untreated
Coastal cities often dump their untreatened wastes into the sea.
urbanization
The urabanization is a world-wide trend.
W
waste heat
The use of waste heat will reduce electricity consumption.
waste paper
Recycling waste paper is a favourable method.
waste separation
Do you know how to do waste separation?
wind energy
Wind energy is widely used in South Africa for water pumping.
windpark/windfarm
Offshore windfarms have been built.
Vocabulary: Family, Relatives
Relatives
bride
groom
brother
cousin
wife
husband
parents
parent
grandchild - grandchildren (Plural)
grandson
granddaughter
friend
boyfriend
girlfriend
friend
grandmother, grandma
grandfather, granddad, grandpa
half-brother
baby brother
mother
mum, mummy, mom (AE)
nephew
niece
uncle
godchild
godfather
godmother
sister
mother-in-law
father-in-law
son
stepbrother
aunt
daughter
great-grandparents
father
dad
fiancée
fiancé
twin
twin-brother
General
to adopt
spinster
to raise
baby
lady
adult
to bring up
madam
to be divorced
sir
gentleman
wedding
youth
bachelor
child
kid
my elder sister
descendant
couple
foster child
to fall in love
teenager
to be married
to be engaged
relative, relation
ancestor
guardian
orphan
widow
widower
to live together
The menu - Vocabulary
1) Categories on menus
Appetizers (cold/hot)
Beverages
Bottled water and sodas (AE)
Brunch (Breakfast & Lunch)
Coffee and Tea
Desserts
Eggs
Hors d'oeuvres
Hot drinks
Liqueurs (AE)
Main course
Omelets (Omelettes)
Pasta
Pizza
Salads
Sandwiches
Sides (Side orders)
Soups
Sparkling wine
Starters
Wine
Wines by the glass (white, blush, red)
2) Special dishes/beverages
beef
brandy
burger
Cheddar
chicken
chicken
chips (BE), French Fries (AE)
chop
cod
cognac
crab
crabs
fish
Fish and chips
ham
Irish Whiskey
jacket/baked potato
lamb
liver
lobster
mashed potatoes
meatloaf
mussels
oysters
perch
pie
plaice
pork
port
prawn
salmon
seafruit
shell fish
Single Malt Scotch (Whisky)
steak
trout
turkey
veal
3) Useful phrases
bill (BE) check (AE)
service included
small/large plate
tip
today's special
VAT /value-added tax)
Vocabulary: Work and employment
General
a regular job
commuter
employee
employer
He took a job as a waiter.
job
occupation
profession
to earn one's living
to run a firm
trade
What do you do for a living?
worker
Application
application
application form
apprentice, trainee
apprenticeship
CV (curriculum vitae)
job interview
skilled worker
to apply for a job
training
training course
vacancy
Unemployment
period of notice
to be unemployed
to be out of work
to be on the dole (BE)
to fire somebody
to sack somebody (BE)
to give somebody notice
to dismiss somebody
to hand in one's notice
to resign
to quit
unemployment
unemployment benefit, dole money
Working hours, pay
a full-time job
a part-time job
continued payment of wages
flexitime
pay slip
salary
to get a rise 
to get a raise
to work in shifts
to work overtime
wage cut
wage demand, claim
wage group
wages