English Vocabulary · Grade 10 Live Review Preview
10th Grade Vocabulary Words
Tenth-grade reading asks learners to move confidently among literary analysis, argument, source evaluation, laboratory science, mathematics, computing, history, economics, psychology, philosophy, and the arts. This level emphasizes precise academic language, disciplinary meanings, connotation, word relationships, and the ability to interpret unfamiliar vocabulary in demanding context.
This independently authored 800-word beta curriculum is arranged in twenty-three pages of up to thirty-five words. Pages containing words 1–500 include five cloze questions drawn only from that enhanced range; words 501–800 remain fully visible and editable as list pages while expanded practice is developed. Every row includes an editable subject-field label and a conservative word-study note about transparent affixes, compound structure, capitalization, or dictionary base forms. The cited sources calibrate range and difficulty only; all learner-facing definitions, examples, quizzes, and descriptions are original KSSR copy.
Please note: the vocabulary lists for grades 9~11 have been selected to ensure no overlap with the previous grade level. If the words are too specialized or difficult for you, please go back to grade levels 4~8 and review the words on those pages.
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| # | Word | Details | Meaning | Sample sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 211 | insulin | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Base-form focus: insulin is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Insulin signals muscle cells to absorb glucose. |
| 212 | glucagon | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Base-form focus: glucagon is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Glucagon stimulates the liver to release glucose between meals. |
| 213 | feedback inhibition | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: feedback + inhibition. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Feedback inhibition prevents a cell from making more amino acid than it needs. |
| 214 | circadian rhythm | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: circadian + rhythm. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Morning light helps reset a person's circadian rhythm. |
| 215 | thermoregulation | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Suffix focus: -ation commonly forms a noun naming an action, process, or result. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | A lizard uses behavioral thermoregulation by moving between sun and shade. |
| 216 | osmoregulation | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Suffix focus: -ation commonly forms a noun naming an action, process, or result. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Freshwater fish perform osmoregulation by removing excess water. |
| 217 | blood glucose regulation | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: blood + glucose + regulation. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Insulin and glucagon work together in blood glucose regulation. |
| 218 | homeostatic imbalance | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: homeostatic + imbalance. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Severe dehydration creates a homeostatic imbalance in water and electrolyte levels. |
| 219 | organ system | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: organ + system. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | The digestive organ system breaks food into absorbable nutrients. |
| 220 | epithelial tissue | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: epithelial + tissue. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Epithelial tissue protects the outer surface of the skin. |
| 221 | connective tissue | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: connective + tissue. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Blood is a connective tissue that transports gases and nutrients. |
| 222 | muscle tissue | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: muscle + tissue. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Cardiac muscle tissue pumps blood through the heart. |
| 223 | nervous tissue | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: nervous + tissue. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Nervous tissue carries information from the eye to the brain. |
| 224 | extracellular matrix | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: extracellular + matrix. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Collagen is a major component of the extracellular matrix in tendons. |
| 225 | stem-cell differentiation | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: stem + cell + differentiation. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Stem-cell differentiation can produce a mature blood cell. |
| 226 | apoptosis | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Base-form focus: apoptosis is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Apoptosis removes damaged cells without releasing their contents into nearby tissue. |
| 227 | cell cycle checkpoint | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: cell + cycle + checkpoint. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | A cell cycle checkpoint can halt division when DNA is damaged. |
| 228 | tumor suppressor gene | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: tumor + suppressor + gene. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Loss of a tumor suppressor gene may allow abnormal cells to multiply. |
| 229 | oncogene | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Base-form focus: oncogene is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | A mutation converted the growth-regulating gene into an oncogene. |
| 230 | metastasis | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Base-form focus: metastasis is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Imaging showed metastasis from the lung to the bone. |
| 231 | angiogenesis | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Base-form focus: angiogenesis is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | The tumor promoted angiogenesis to obtain oxygen and nutrients. |
| 232 | carcinogen | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Base-form focus: carcinogen is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Ultraviolet radiation is a carcinogen that can damage DNA in skin cells. |
| 233 | mutation rate | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: mutation + rate. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Radiation exposure increased the mutation rate in the laboratory cells. |
| 234 | DNA repair | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: DNA + repair. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | DNA repair enzymes replaced the incorrectly paired base. |
| 235 | transcription factor | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: transcription + factor. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | The transcription factor activates genes needed during heat stress. |
| 236 | gene silencing | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: gene + silencing. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | A small RNA molecule caused gene silencing by blocking the message. |
| 237 | epigenetics | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Base-form focus: epigenetics is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Epigenetics examines how chemical tags influence gene expression. |
| 238 | DNA methylation | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: DNA + methylation. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Increased DNA methylation near the promoter reduced transcription. |
| 239 | histone modification | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: histone + modification. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Histone modification opened the chromosome region for transcription. |
| 240 | recombinant DNA | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: recombinant + DNA. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | The plasmid contained recombinant DNA with a human insulin gene. |
| 241 | plasmid | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Base-form focus: plasmid is the dictionary headword; compare its inflected or derived forms in context. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Scientists inserted the gene into a plasmid. |
| 242 | restriction enzyme | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: restriction + enzyme. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | The restriction enzyme opened the plasmid at one specific site. |
| 243 | DNA ligase | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: DNA + ligase. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | DNA ligase sealed the inserted gene into the plasmid. |
| 244 | gel electrophoresis | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: gel + electrophoresis. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Gel electrophoresis separated the DNA fragments by size. |
| 245 | polymerase chain reaction | noun StudyField: Grade 10 biology, biochemistry, and health-science term Word study: Term structure: polymerase + chain + reaction. Study the complete expression as one field-specific unit. | Reviewed Cantonese equivalent not yet available. | Polymerase chain reaction amplified the trace DNA from the sample. |
Vocabulary reading and practice
Engineering a Living System
Reading practice for pages 7–9. Five relevant words are highlighted.
English reading
In a controlled laboratory model, a plasmid carries recombinant DNA into bacteria. The lesson distinguishes this technique from functions within a complex organism. A tumor suppressor gene helps regulate cell division, thermoregulation maintains a stable temperature, and osmoregulation balances water and dissolved substances.
Cantonese translation
A reviewed translation is not available for this passage yet.
Reading comprehension
1. What carries recombinant DNA into bacteria?
A plasmid carries the recombinant DNA.
2. What does a tumor suppressor gene regulate?
It helps regulate cell division.
3. What balance does osmoregulation maintain?
It balances water and dissolved substances.
Vocabulary quiz
Choose the dictionary equivalent for each of 5 selected words.
Vocabulary chart page
This page focuses on the word chart. Reading passages appear once in each three-page group, while cloze quizzes remain in the established enhanced range for this level.
Sources and curriculum references
These references guide selection and calibration. Definitions, sample sentences, readings, questions, and teaching notes are independently written and reviewed.
- Common Core: Language Standards for Grades 9–10
- OpenStax: Biology 2e
- OpenStax: Chemistry 2e
- OpenStax: Algebra and Trigonometry 2e
- OpenStax: World History, Volume 2
- OpenStax: Psychology 2e
- OpenStax: Introduction to Philosophy
- WikDict downloadable bilingual dictionaries
- Kaikki.org / Wiktextract machine-readable Wiktionary data
- Language-Learning-decks public flashcard datasets
- SBBIC English-to-Khmer Dictionary
- English–Khmer Dictionary Dataset (machine-generated Khmer fallback; human review required)
- PanLex meanings snapshot (direct CC0 gap candidates; human review required)
- Cambridge bilingual dictionaries (individual editorial sense checks)
- Collins English–Hindi Dictionary (individual editorial checks)
- Hindwi and Rekhta dictionaries (individual Hindi/Urdu checks)
- National Institute of Korean Language: Basic Korean Dictionary
- JMdict/EDRDG Japanese dictionary project
- CC-CEDICT Chinese dictionary project
- VDict Vietnamese Dictionary (individual editorial check)
- Google Translate (machine-assisted lesson-reading draft; fluent review required)
- Kuperman et al.: Age-of-acquisition ratings for 30,000 English words
- The Princeton Review, Word Smart: Building an Educated Vocabulary (Privately Owned KSSR Materials; bibliographic calibration only).

