Competitive exams love to test advanced vocabulary inside a real passage rather than as an isolated list — because that's how you'll actually meet these words in editorials, IELTS reading sections, and GRE passages. Read the short passage below once for meaning, then work through the fifteen bolded words one at a time.

The Core Idea

The fastest way to make an advanced word "stick" is to meet it inside a real sentence first, then isolate its meaning, and finally use it yourself in a new sentence. This lesson takes you through all three steps.

The Passage

Scientists have observed that the Earth's climate is changing globally. Over many decades, the planet has experienced rises in average temperatures, called global warming. Scientists have unequivocally affirmed that greenhouse gas emissions from human activities like the combustion of fossil fuels are the leading cause of the warming trend. Greenhouse gases act like a blanket, trapping heat and causing the atmosphere and oceans to heat up.

If left unabated, temperatures may rise precipitously, resulting in harmful consequences worldwide, such as more frequent droughts, wildfires, and hurricanes. Coastal cities face submergence as sea levels inexorably creep higher due to the thermal expansion of oceans and the melting of polar ice sheets. The repercussions of anthropogenic warming tend to be calamitous and could displace millions of people, especially those inhabiting small island nations.

We need coordinated mitigation efforts to ameliorate these predicaments. Meanwhile, we need to adapt to the vagaries already set in motion. Through prudent policies and switching to renewable energy sources, it is plausible that we may still curtail the impacts of this impending quagmire.

Vocabulary from the Passage

Fifteen Words from the Passage
WordMeaningExample
UnequivocallyIn a way that leaves no doubt.We unequivocally condemn any violence at the protest.
UnabatedNot reduced or stopped in intensity.The floods continued unabated for several days.
PrecipitouslyIn a steep, sudden and abrupt manner.Sea levels had risen precipitously over the past decade.
InexorablyIn a way that cannot be stopped or avoided.Sea levels rose inexorably as the ice sheets kept melting.
RepercussionsUnintended consequences that follow an action or decision.The drought had severe repercussions for local farming communities.
AnthropogenicResulting from human activity.Rising temperatures are largely due to anthropogenic emissions.
CalamitousBringing or threatening great damage or distress.Failure to curb emissions could have calamitous consequences.
MitigationThe act of reducing the severity of something.Investments in renewable energy are crucial for climate mitigation.
AmeliorateTo make a bad or unpleasant situation better.Foreign aid is badly needed to ameliorate the effects of the drought.
PredicamentA difficult situation that is hard to get out of.The drought left many households in a serious financial predicament.
VagariesThe unpredictable, changeable nature of something.Adapting agriculture to withstand weather vagaries is a priority.
PrudentWise and careful, based on good judgment.Prudent climate policy balances economic and environmental priorities.
PlausibleSeeming reasonable or probable.Carbon capture technology could plausibly reduce factory emissions.
CurtailTo reduce or limit something.We need international coordination to curtail global warming.
QuagmireA confusing or complicated situation that is hard to escape.Failure to act may sink us deeper into a climate policy quagmire.
Quick Tip

Several of these words share a "no escape" feeling — unabated, inexorably, quagmire, and predicament all describe something that is hard or impossible to stop or get out of. Group them together in your memory and you effectively learn four words for the price of one idea.

✏️ Exercise 1 — Identify the Meaning

  1. The scientist unequivocally stated that the data supported the theory.
    (a) Indirectly   (b) Uncertainly   (c) Clearly and without doubt   (d) Hesitantly
  2. The storm continued with unabated intensity throughout the night.
    (a) Reduced   (b) Intensified   (c) Stopped   (d) Without any reduction
  3. The stock market fell precipitously after the announcement.
    (a) Slowly and steadily   (b) Gradually   (c) Suddenly and dramatically   (d) Slightly
  4. The ice caps are melting inexorably, contributing to rising sea levels.
    (a) Inevitably and without stopping   (b) Temporarily   (c) Reversibly   (d) Unexpectedly
  5. The economic repercussions of the pandemic were felt across the globe.
    (a) Immediate benefits   (b) Positive outcomes   (c) Consequences or effects   (d) Random events
  6. The report highlighted the anthropogenic causes of climate change.
    (a) Natural   (b) Related to human activity   (c) Unrelated to humans   (d) Accidental
  7. The earthquake had calamitous effects, leaving thousands homeless.
    (a) Minor   (b) Catastrophic and disastrous   (c) Insignificant   (d) Preventable
  8. Efforts at mitigation have reduced the damage caused by the floods.
    (a) Increasing the severity   (b) Complete prevention   (c) Reducing the severity   (d) Ignoring the problem
  9. The government introduced policies to ameliorate the living conditions of the poor.
    (a) Worsen   (b) Improve or make better   (c) Ignore   (d) Delay
  10. She found herself in a difficult predicament with no easy solution.
    (a) A situation or condition   (b) A joyful event   (c) A simple task   (d) A beneficial position
  11. Farmers are at the mercy of the vagaries of the weather.
    (a) Predictable patterns   (b) Unpredictable changes   (c) Deliberate actions   (d) Planned events
  12. It is prudent to save money for unexpected expenses.
    (a) Reckless   (b) Unnecessary   (c) Wise and careful   (d) Impulsive
  13. The detective found the witness's story to be plausible.
    (a) Impossible   (b) Believable or reasonable   (c) Unconvincing   (d) Confusing
  14. The company plans to curtail its spending to save money.
    (a) Increase   (b) Expand   (c) Reduce or limit   (d) Postpone
  15. The legal case became a quagmire of conflicting evidence.
    (a) A straightforward situation   (b) A complex or difficult situation   (c) A joyful occasion   (d) A clear path

Answers: 1.c  2.d  3.c  4.a  5.c  6.b  7.b  8.c  9.b  10.a  11.b  12.c  13.b  14.c  15.b

✏️ Exercise 2 — Sentence Completion

Fill in the blanks with: unequivocally, unabated, precipitously, inexorably, repercussions, anthropogenic, calamitous, mitigation, ameliorate, predicament, vagaries, prudent, plausible, curtail, quagmire.

  1. The CEO ___________ denied any involvement in the scandal, leaving no room for doubt.
  2. The wildfire spread ___________, destroying homes and forests as it advanced.
  3. The company's profits dropped ___________ after the new competitor entered the market.
  4. As sea levels continue to rise ___________, coastal communities face greater flood risk.
  5. The ___________ of ignoring climate change could be devastating for future generations.
  6. Scientists have determined that ___________ activities are the primary cause of global warming.
  7. The hurricane had ___________ effects on the island, causing widespread destruction.
  8. Governments must invest in ___________ strategies to reduce the impact of natural disasters.
  9. The charity aims to ___________ living conditions in impoverished areas.
  10. Finding himself in a difficult ___________, he had to choose between two bad options.
  11. Farmers often struggle with the ___________ of weather patterns.
  12. It's ___________ to have a backup plan in case your original plan fails.
  13. Her explanation seemed ___________ given the evidence, so the jury believed her story.
  14. To save money, the school decided to ___________ unnecessary expenses.
  15. The political crisis has turned into a ___________ with no easy solution in sight.

Answers: 1. unequivocally  2. unabated  3. precipitously  4. inexorably  5. repercussions  6. anthropogenic  7. calamitous  8. mitigation  9. ameliorate  10. predicament  11. vagaries  12. prudent  13. plausible  14. curtail  15. quagmire

Exercise 3 — Word Matching
WordMeaning
1. UnequivocallyClearly and without doubt
2. UnabatedWithout any reduction in intensity
3. PrecipitouslySuddenly and dramatically
4. InexorablyInevitable and unstoppable
5. RepercussionsConsequences or effects
6. AnthropogenicRelated to human activity
7. CalamitousCatastrophic and disastrous
8. MitigationReducing the severity of something
9. AmeliorateImproving or making better
10. PredicamentA situation or condition
11. VagariesUnpredictable changes
12. PrudentWise and careful
13. PlausibleBelievable or reasonable
14. CurtailReduce or limit
15. QuagmireA complex or difficult situation
Exercise 4 — Extension Writing Task

For extra practice, write a short composition on one of these topics, using at least six words from this lesson: "The Challenges of Urbanisation in Developing Countries" (consider the quagmires that arise from precipitous population growth and the importance of prudent urban planning), or "The Impact of Social Media on Public Opinion" (analyse the repercussions of misinformation spreading unabated, and how prudent use of social media can curtail its negative impact).

Summary

All fifteen words in this passage describe some part of a single story: a problem that is unequivocally real and anthropogenic, growing unabated and inexorably unless we act, with calamitous repercussions — but one that prudent, plausible policies of mitigation can still curtail and ameliorate.

Key takeaway: Learning vocabulary through a real passage, rather than a bare list, is what lets you recall not just the meaning of a word but exactly how it is used — which is what exams and real writing both actually test.