This lesson practises 30 C2 collocations on Science & Technology. Collocations are fixed word pairings that native speakers expect — Cambridge examiners test them in Use of English Part 1 and reward precise lexis in Writing. Run through the interactive drills first, then open this glossary to revise every item in the set. For question-by-question feedback, use Review mode after you finish the session.
jump for joy
The students were ready to jump for joy when their robot completed the course.
festive mood
The launch event created a festive mood in the innovation hub.
conduct a scientific experiment
Students will conduct a scientific experiment using safe laboratory equipment.
go viral
A short demonstration video may go viral if users share it widely.
systems crash
If several systems crash at once, technicians will switch to backup servers.
dig out info
The analyst managed to dig out information from an archived dataset.
run smoothly
The experiment should run smoothly once the software is configured.
by remote control
The engineer operated the device by remote control during the laboratory test.
infinite patience
Debugging legacy code can require infinite patience.
pure luck
Finding the missing file was pure luck rather than careful planning.
high hopes
Researchers have high hopes for the new battery material.
drop the user an email
The support team will drop the user an email once the update is ready.
rail network
Sensors across the rail network report faults in real time.
change comes about
Real change comes about when communities work together.
download an app
Users can download an app to track their daily exercise.
use satnav
Field teams use satnav to reach remote monitoring sites.
blissfully happy
The volunteers were blissfully happy when the prototype finally worked.
online banking
For many customers, online banking allows secure balance checks.
act on a tip-off
The cybersecurity team decided to act on a tip-off about a software flaw.
dawn breaks
As dawn breaks, the climbers leave the base camp.
disaster strikes
Disaster strikes when a small fault is ignored for too long.
take up references
The review will take up references cited in the original paper.
publish findings
The researchers will publish their findings after the review.
publish research
The team plans to publish research after peer review.
research ethics
All studies involving participants must follow research ethics guidelines.
let someone in on something
The researcher agreed to let the user in on the early results.
process large amounts of data
The new system can process large amounts of data quickly.
highly unlikely
In a laboratory briefing, the system was highly unlikely.
store music
The device can store music without needing an internet connection.
shut down a computer
Always shut down a computer before replacing its battery.