EN131 Unit 4: Reading 2 Vocabulary

When gasoline prices are low, drivers have no incentive to leave their cars at home and take public transportation.

• alternative

• encouragement

• argument

Some investors shrewdly bought property when prices were very low.

• based on good judgment

• based on illegal actions

• based on luck or coincidence

It is important to set goals that are attainable; otherwise, you will just get discouraged.

• able to be reached

• practical; sensible

• simple; able to be explained clearly

There is an ongoing debate in this country about the role of education in economic success.

• formal

• highly emotional

• continuing

We have lived in this house for more than thirty years, so we have accumulated a lot of possessions.

• gradually collected

• rid ourselves of

• increased the value of

The university's student retention rate has improved in the past ten years--almost 80% of students who start here graduate from here.

• academic performance

• holding; keeping

• quality or standards

He was a pioneer in bioengineering, publishing one of the earliest studies in the field.

• one of the first people to do something

• one of the most famous people in a field

• an international expert

After one company started to offer free shipping to its customers, other companies soon followed suit.

• made a more attractive offer

• competed against one another

• did the same thing