The best way to improve your vocabulary knowledge is to read things that interest you. Collect vocabulary (words, collocations, phrases) in a notebook.
Even a short article about football can contain useful expressions:
The organisers of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa are hoping it will stimulate the nation's economy and leave a lasting physical and social legacy. Danny Jordaan, the man who led the bid to secure the event, believes hosting the World Cup could be worth as much as $6 billion to South Africa, while also boosting the construction, telecommunications and tourist industries.
South Africa predicts at least 400,000 people will visit the country for the tournament, the first World Cup ever to be held in Africa. Some 160,000 jobs are expected to be created from hosting the event, according to the national football bid committee. Furthermore, it is estimated that for each visitor to the World Cup, another 150 will be indirectly influenced in their perceptions about the host country, through word-of-mouth by the fans when they return home, or as a result of global television coverage of the event.
Here are some "verb + noun" collocations from the text:
- stimulate the economy
- leave a legacy
- host/hold an event
- boost industries
- create jobs
- influence people's perceptions
You don't need to read long articles or whole books to learn new vocabulary. Just find a short, interesting text every day, and study it in detail.