IELTS STEP UP READING 1

LESSON 2
IELTS READING SKILL 1 - GUESSING WORD MEANING: PREFIXES + ROOTS
IELTS WRITING: COMPOUND SENTENCES IN TASK 1 & 2

PART A - READING: GUESSING WORD MEANING USING WORD PREFIXES & ROOTS

I. PREFIXES:
Prefix (tiền tố) Meaning Examples
anti-virus,
anti-, contra-, counter- Against - chống lại Antibiotic, counter-effects, In contrast counter-clockwise
Auto Self – tự This phone has an autocharger
Bi/di/du Two - 2 Bicycle bilingual
Circ, circum Around - vòng tròn Circus circular, circumstance
Co-, com-, con-, col- Together – cùng, chung Co-worker, co-operate co-operative
de Away, down – xa, sụt giảm Degrade decrease, de-hydrate
ex Former – trước đây ex-wife ex-boyfriend, ex-husband,
ex-, e- go out from – ngoài, thoát ra exit
extra- Beyond – vượt trên Extraordinary extraordinary
Homo, sym, syn Same – giống Homophone symnonym
hyper-/over-/ super- Extremely – cực, quá Hyperactive, oversensitive, supernatural , supertitious
in, im, il, ir, un, non, dis negative, not – không incapable, impossible, dissatisfied inactive, disconnect
inter- Between – giữa, lẫn nhau interaction intercollegiate disorganized
irregular
intro- Inward – hướng vào trong introvert introduction non-appearance
macro-/mega- Large – lớn macroeconomics megacity disappearance
micro- tiny, small – nhỏ microscope microeconomics
mis- Wrong – sai, nhầm misuse misunderstanding, misleading-information
mono-, uni One – đơn monolingual
multi-/poly- Many – nhiều, tổng hợp Multinational, polyclinic multiplayer,
post- After – sau Postwar
pre-, ante- Before – trước Previous pre-birth,
Pro For, in favour of – ủng hộ >< anti Pro-America
Pseudo False – giả Pseudonym pseudo-intellectual, pseudoscience
re- Again – lại reply, rearrange redo, reflect
semi- Half – nửa semiannual semi
sub-/under Under – dưới Submarine, subtitle substance
Tele Far - xa Telephone telecommunication
trans Across – xuyên, nối Transcontinental transgender, transfat
tri- Three – 3 tricycle triple
Ultra Beyond, excessive – quá, cực, siêu ultrasound ultraviolet

1
 IELTS STEP UP READING 1

PREFIX PRACTICE

Provide suitable prefixes

1 . I …………….hear
over that they were going to move to another house. They did not tell me anything.
mis/over
2. Oh, I …………….calculate the sugar and added too much of it.
3. ……….….death
mega is a unit to measure the number of people killed, equal to the deaths of a million people.
4. A play or show performed by only one person is called …………….drama.
mono
5. The organization is now divided into …………….division.
sub
6. We use a(an) …………….floor
under heating. It is placed underneath the floor.
7. The company admitted their systems of measuring had been ……….appled.
mis They didn't deny their mistakes.
8. They are …………….age
over players. They are not allowed to take part in the game because they are too old.
9. The army has been provided ultra……….light aircrafts. They are very small light aircrafts for one or two people.
10. ………….corn
Uni is an animal like a white horse with a long straight horn on its head. It often appears in stories.
dis
11. I didn’t pay the bill and now the electricity has been……………..connected.
12. There is a law against dropping litter, but it is rarely ……………..forced.
13. I found the instruction you gave us very……………..leading.
mis
super/ultra
14. I thought the effects in the film were rather……………..done.
dis
15. Anyone with a……………..ability may qualify for a special pension.

2
 IELTS STEP UP READING 1

PREFIX HOMEWORK

A. Fill in the suitable prefixes, base on the underlined words

Example: To _______In__dent a line of print is to move it in from the left margin.
1. The distance around a circle is called the _________________ference.
circular

2. A person who has authority over other employees is a _______________visor.

super
tele
3. Computers enable employees to ______________commute to work even though they are far from their
company’s office.
4. Quality that is _____________standard
sub is below what it should be.
5. A faxed message is ____________mitted
trans through telephone lines or wirelessly through space.
6. If a newspaper _____________tracts
re an inaccurate article, it takes it back.
7. An ____________mission
inter is a break between sections of play or musical performance.
8. Because the doctor ________diagnosed
mis the illness, he prescribed the wrong medicine.
9. A ____________phone
mega helps to increase the volume of the sound.
10. ____________decessors
pre are those who held a position before the current ones.
21. The former director is the _____________director.
ex

22. People who are __________sensitive

over to cold weather often feel very unpleasant in winter.
23. The _____________season
post play-offs are held after the regular season ends.
24. To _________peat
re something is to say it again.
25. __________mature
pre babies are born before they are fully developed.
26. Please ___________bine
com these ingredients. Be sure to mix them together well.
27. Because the envelope was _____________addressed,
mis it was delivered to the wrong house.
28. The ___________anchors
co presents the evening news together.
29. Mary buys every __________aging
anti- cream in hope that they will work against wrinkles.
30. ___________ceptives
contra- work against the likelihood of pregnancy.

3
 IELTS STEP UP READING 1

B. Guess the meaning of the words based on prefixes

1 Overeat an nhieu 31 hypertension
2 prehistoric truoc lich su 32 Misinform
3 Undo lam lai 33 Debone
4 Co-driver lai phu 34 Micro-organism
5 Disapprove 35 Misinterpret
6 Mishear 36 Multinational
7 Oversleep 37 Disbelieve
8 Overcrowded 38 Unbelievable
9 Overcook 39 Dislike
10 undercook 40 Unlike
11 mistaken 41 Macro-fossil
12 untie 42 cohabit
13 Overhear 43 counter-clockwise
14 prepay 44 Anti-theft device
15 Co-worker 45 Inter-continental
16 Co-sign 46 pretest
17 overwork 47 Post-graduate
18 Trans-continental 48 Pre-production
19 Unlock 49 Post-production
20 Overcharge 50 Pro-European
21 undercharge 51 Anti-European
22 disconnect 52 Substandard
23 Devalue 53 Ex-husband
24 Multifunction 54 Semi-final
25 Subzero 55 Subsection
26 Semi-circle 56 Interpersonal skills
27 Subcommittee 57 Deseed
28 decode 58 multiethnic
29 Overact 59 upriver
30 Co-ed 60 precaution

4
 IELTS STEP UP READING 1

II. ROOTS
Root (Gốc từ) Meaning Examples
Ani/ anu Year - năm The festival is held annually.
aqua Water – nước An aquatic animals
astro Star – vì sao He studies astronomy
Aud Hear - nghe Those singers have passed the audition
bio Life – sự sống biology
cap, cep, ceive Take – giữ, nhận Capture the thief, accept an invitation
chron Time – thời gian Chronological order
Circle, wheel - vòng tròn, bánh
Cylc, cylco Bicycle - the weather is very bad. A cyclone is coming
xe
cred Believe – tin credible
demo People – người dân democracy
dict Say – nói He dictated a letter to his secretary
Equi Equal – bằng, tương ứng An equitable distribution of resources
fact, fect Make – tạo ra manufacture
Fer, port Carry – truyền, mang Porter, transfer
frac, frag Break – vỡ There are some fragments on the floor
geo Earth – trái đất geography, geology
Graph Write, draw - viết, vẽ Photograph, graphic
Hydro Water – nước Hydro-electric power
Leg/ jud Law – luật This action is illegal
mal Bad, wrong – xấu, tệ, sai trái The doctor was accused of malpractice
manu, mani Hand – chân tay Manufacture, Manual work
mid-night, medium, the town is famous for its medieval
Med/mid Middle - ở giữa
architecture
Mis/ mit Send - cử đi, gửi đi Mission
Mort/ mor Death – chết Mortality from lung cancer is increasing
neuro Nerve – thần kinh neurology
Nym, ono, onym Name, word – tên, từ Synonym, 5 films were nominated.
Phobia Terror – sự sợ hãi Monophobia
Pul/puls/ tract Drive - kéo pull
Scope, vis See – nhìn, kính telescope
scrib, script Write – viết describe
Spec/ spect Look – xem The match attracted a huge number of spectators
Terr Land, earth – đất Terrace, territory
Ven, veni, vent Come - đến The advent of a new technology
vert, vers Turn – chuyển, đổi, hướng tới Hot water is converted to electricity

5
 IELTS STEP UP READING 1

ROOT PRACTICE - Guess the correct answer

1. Credibility means 2. If you study biology, you study
the ability to be trusted life
a waste of money clouds
a waste of time death
3. If you are a pedestrian, you are 4. Geology is the study of
walking life
riding in a car the earth
riding a bicycle the moon
5. To export is to 6. Ground movement could cause fracture to the pipe
carry out goods to other places It could cause a break
carry in goods from other places It could cause a fire
be able to be carried It could cause a movement
7. A democracy is 8. Legal means
rule by the people lawful
rule by a king terrible
rule by God unlawful
9. Astrology is 10. An anniversary occurs
the study of stars that claims to tell the future once a year
the study of plants and trees twice a year
one who travels in outer space once every two years
11. If a creature is mortal it means 12. This word has no equivalent in Vietnamese
it follows rules It has no meaning
it will wake up It has no word of the same meaning
it will die It has no value
13. A biographer would 14. They ventured into the water means
tell a short story They looked at the water
write a story of a person’s life They took the water
sell books They went into the water
15. Something that is terrestrial lives 16. If you study neurology, you study
in the sea the nerves
on land the bones
in the space the dreams
17. A manicurist provides care for your 18. A aquanaut works
leg in the sea
hand in the laboratory
hair in a company
19. someone with spider-phobia ____ spiders 20. Homophone are words having
likes same meaning
is afraid of same spelling
studies same pronunciation

6
 IELTS STEP UP READING 1

ROOT HOMEWORK
A. Fill the suitable words in the blanks based on roots
1. At a convention, a large number of people ____________
go together to meet in one place.
2. To predict the future is to ____________
tell what will happen before they actually happen.
3. In hotels, there are porters to ______________
carry guests’ luggage.
4. Biodegradable substances can be broken down by ____________
living organisms such as bacteria.
5. Spectators are people who _____________
watch an event.
6. When you are distracted, your attention is ___________
taken/driven away from what you should be paying attention to.

7. Something that is visible can be ______________.

seen

8. If adults revert to childish behavior, they __________

turn back to behaviors that is appropriate only in children.
9. An army that repulses the enemy ___________
drives the enemy troops back.
10. A person who is on a mission is ___________
sent to accomplish a specific task.
11. Information that is credible can be ______________
trusted

12. Manual labor is physical labor that is done by _____________

hands

13. An audiologist tests and evaluates people’s _____________

hearing

14. If you sign an autograph, you write your name your_______

self

B. Fill the given words in the suitable blanks based on roots

Audible Automobiles Biology Credit Dictation
Emit Intervenes Manicure Portfolio Propulsion
geology Review Spectacle Tractor vertigo

tractor
1. A ______________ pulls farm implements behind it.
review
2. When you look back over your notes before a test, you _____________ your notes.
3. When stores let you buy on _____________,
credit they let you take items because they believe your promise to
pay for it later.
portfolio
4. A ______________ is a case for carrying loose materials, such as papers, photographs or drawings.
5. if you make a ________________
spectacle of yourself, everyone will stop and stare at you!
6. Fire alarms _____________
emit or send out a loud sound.
7. People who suffer from ______________
vertigo often feel dizzy, as if they are turning or spinning.
8. ________________
Automobiles run by themselves.
9. Sounds that are _________________
audible can be heard.
manicure
10. Getting your fingernails cleaned and groomed is called a _____________.

7
 IELTS STEP UP READING 1
biology
11. ______________ is the study of living things.
12. To take ______________
dictation is to write down what someone else is saying.
13. Powerful jet _______________
propulsion drives airplanes through the air at high speed.
14. If a year _________________
intervenes the time a person finishes college and gets married, that year has come
between those two events.
15. _______________
geology is the study about the characters of soil.

C. Match the words with their correct meaning based on roots

1 Synonymous B A Connected with the Earth
2 Synchronistic J B Having the same meaning
3 Pseudo-event E C A written record of events in the order in which they happened
4 malfunction F D Something written down/ handwriting
5 monosyllabic H E A false event
6 manuscript D F Failure to function normally
7 legislature I G Using both sound and pictures
8 Terrestrial A H Having one syllable
9 Chronicle C I a group of people having the power to make and change laws
10 Audio-visual G J Occurring at the same time