★★★ Most frequently used vocabulary in the IELTS Test Theme 2 : Society 1 reliabilityAs the job involved meeting many deadlines , reliability of employees was a priority . 2 pursuitIn modern society the pursuit of money is increasingly important in order to sustain a comfortable lifestyle . 3 setbackFailing the university entrance exam was a setback to furthering his career . 4 antisocialTechnology has been blamed for increasing antisocial behavior . 5 isolationSpending too much time on the Internet rather than with real people tends to lead to the problem of social . 6 satisfactoryFacilities that cater for the disabled are still not of a ssatisfactory standard . 7 coordinateOne of the main responsibilities of a tour operator is to coordinate travel arrangements between hotels and travel agents . 8 sophisticationBecause of his world travels and important job , John was a man of great intelligence and sophistication . 9 auspiciousI would like to thank you all for coming here today to help us celebrate this truly auspicious occasion - the launching of the Titanic ! 10 debateStrong debate over the construction of the resort was inevitable . 11 negotiationWhen two people disagree or have different goals , negotiation is often required in order to reach some form of agreement . 12 socializationThe socialization of children at an early age is vital to their later adjustment to adulthood . 13 c ircumstancesCircumstances sometimes prevent us from doing what we would like to do . 14 collapseThe collapse of the economy of Thailand produced a domino effect in the region . 15 hostilityThe hostility between the two countries is making the citizens of both countries very nervous . 16 discriminationRacial discrimination in any form is now illegal in Australia . 17 minority groupSydney has many different minority groups , including El Salvadorians , Indians , Iranians , and Vietnamese . 18 condemnI don ’ t condemn this kind of behaviour . I just feel that it should not be allowed in the workplace . 19 prejudiceGeorge says that he doesn ’ t have any prejudice towards other races , but every time he has a problem , he tends to blame it on people who are not white . 20 civil rightsAfrican - Americans gained many civil rights during the 1960 ’ and 1970 ’ s , but that doesn ’ t mean that everything is totally fair right now . 21 harassmentHarriest sued her boss for sexual harassment after he made several disparaging remarks about her figure . 22 refugeeMany refugees from the ethnic war in Sudan are seeking refuge in the European Union 23 outcast Although Leon was a social outcast in high school , he later enjoyed great popularity when he founded a computer software company and became a millionaire . 24 intimidationEvery day the secretary feels like she aces intimidation , not only from her boss but also from other secretaries . 25 spokesmanThe spokesman of the charity announced how aid will be distributed to those who have been affected by the recent floods . 26 petitionMore than 1 , 000 people signed a petition to prevent the government from building a new airport in the city ’ s east . 27 deporteeThe deportees had faced hours of interrogation before being forced to leave the country . 28 penaltyThe penalty for smoking on school grounds is two days ’ suspension . 29 materialiseHe promised that he would send the document by Monday , but it is Friday and it has still not materialised . 30 pensionThe only reason that he is still in the army is that in a few years he will be able to retire on a pension . 31 personnelMaggie is responsible for ensuring that all hospital personnel have been vaccinated . 32 workforceThe workforce at our New Zealand plant is very young and mostly female . 33 proportionThe proportion of males in nursing careers is much lower than that of females . 34 s tatisticallyStatistically the home team is less likely to win . 35 self - contained Some traditional communities try to remain self - contained but due to the pressures of modernization most often fail in this respect . 36 autonomousThe autonomous organization for the homeless operated quite effectively despite being understaffed and underfinanced . 37 sociableHe is a very sociable person and so never turns down an opportunity to meet new people . 38 racismIt is getting harder and harder to define racism in Australia because even though minorities enjoy full civil rights , they may sometimes lose opportunities based on their race . 39 formalityThere is a high degree of formality in Japanese companies . 40 affirmativeAffirmative action or otherwise known as positive discrimination in British English has been encouraged in the workforce for quite some time now , however not without controversy . 41 accreditationOur medical college is accredited by the Australian Medical Association . There are only ten schools in Australia that have this accreditation . 42 hierarchyAs with humans , monkeys also have a clear social hierarchy . 43 social securityThe British are increasingly coming to realize that they cannot rely on social security to provide for them when they get old . ★★ Specialised vocabulary used in the IELTS Test 1 dysfunctionalMisbehaving children are often the product of a dysfunctional family . 2 deprivationIn today ’ s fast - moving society , sleep deprivation is a common problem for many workers . 3 apathyThere was widespread apathy amongst the students who had failed . 4 apatheticallyWhen I asked Kelly where she wanted to go for dinner , 5 complacentDon ’ t become complacent about life ; you should always strive for more . 6 observableThere were observable changes in his behaviour after his brain surgery . 7 ambienceThe ambience of the restaurant was perfect for a romantic date . 8 conformistAlthough you may need to break your comfort zone , being a non - conformist in the business world can be quite rewarding and challenging . 9 constituentEvery month the senator sends a newsletter to his constituents informing them of what he is doing for them . 10 driving forceMy love for Thai food was the driving force behind my decision to go there on vacation . 11 sanitaryThe cafeteria must meet sanitary regulations in order to remain open . 12 white supremacyIn some places in Germany , you can still find people who believe strongly in white supremacy , but such an attitude is becoming increasingly rare . 13 colonyAustralia , a former British colony , was first used as a place to confine criminals of the lowest order of English society . 14 reclusiveThe reclusive man had lived in the forest by himself for ten years before returning to civilization . 15 tenetOne of the Principal tenets of the Christian faith is to “ love your neighbour as yourself ” . 16 orthodoxHer orthodox views on politics were challenged by her classmates . 17 aristocraticMr . Dearborn comes from an aristocratic family in England , which is why his manners are so refined . 18 endowmentEvery year the school offers ten presidential scholarships that are funded by the school ’ s endowment 19 urbaneSammy was his usual urbane and charming self at the cocktail party last Friday night . ★ Sophisticated vocabulary used in the IELTS Test 1 anomieThe social anomie in San Fernando is because of the strength of the pornography industry there . 2 anomalyThere was an anomaly in the professor ’ s data , making his theory dubious . 3 semblanceAny semblance of politeness between the two rivals disappeared when they entered the boxing ring .