Chapter 1
1. The zodiac is used by astrologers to help calculate the influence of the planets on people’s lives.
2. It is a haphazard timetable. Sometimes lessons happen, sometimes they don’t.
3. No man was allowed to infringe on the livelihood of his neighbor.
4. The scents of the flowers were wafted to us by the breeze.
5. The poor man’s clothes were so ragged that they could not be repaired any more.
6. The machinery had been wrecked so efficiently that the police were sure it was a case of sabotage.
7. The actor amused the audience by mimicking some well-known people.
8. The speaker tantalized us with tales of exotic lands and buried treasure.
9. I assure you there was no ulterior motive in my suggestion.
10. Government loans have been the salvation of several shaky business companies.
11. The hunter kept the lion’s skin and head as trophies (trophy).
12. We saw the canoe overturn, throwing its passengers into the water.
13. He has been drinking alcohol so heavily that his death severely affected and got his quietus alcoholically.
14. The orphanage is just one of her philanthropic causes.
15. After a period of probation, a novice becomes a nun.
16. Despite his wealth and position, he has an unassuming personality.
17. The island is maintained as a sanctuary for engendered species.
18. If you adulterate something, such as food or drink, you reduce its quality or make it weaker, for example by adding water to it.
19. A barbecue is a grill on which meat, fish, and other foods are cooked over hot charcoal, usually out of doors.
20. The picket warned the sleeping troops that the enemy was creeping near.
21. When you are suffering from measles you have red spots on your skin and you feel as if you have a cold.
22. Their business was war, murder, pillage and rape.
23. He was brought before the tribunal for trial.
24. The guests, have eaten until they were satiated, now listened inattentively to the speakers.
25. If you spill hot liquid on your skin it will scald you.
26. The meeting took on a different posture after his moving speech.
27. While she had the fever, she raved for hours.
28. The mice scampered when the cat came.
29. Many animals display maternal instincts only while their offspring are young and helpless.
30. On August 18th the president announced a general amnesty for political exiles.
31. She lived on the yonder (farther) side of the valley.
32. The old couple lived in abject (complete) poverty.
33. Larry was so absorbed (engrossed) in his novel that he forgot about his dinner cooking in the oven.
34. His grandfather used to be an admiral (a top naval officer).
35. She distributed gifts in a bountiful (generous) and gracious manner.
36. I have just had a long bout (period) of house cleaning.
37. The girls braided (plaited) their hair with flowers.
38. They got in quite a brawl (fight).
39. Her brazen (insolent) contempt for authority angered the officials.
40. After the storm the lake returned to its usual calm (placid) state.
41. Charles was in no position to make a judicious (wise) decision.
42. This wood is too wet to kindle (burn).
43. The politician promised to be candid (open and frank), but we wondered.
44. The lambs capered (skipped) about in the meadow.
45. There was a caption (title) underneath the photograph.
46. She is the most faultless (impeccable) person in the group.
47. The waiter fawned on (sought favor from) the rich customers in hopes of a large tip.
48. Not wishing to attend the dance, Marie feigned (disguised) illness.
49. He is one of the young lady’s fervent (ardent) admirers.
50. Huey Long’s denunciations of the federal government were often inspired by the fervor (zeal) of his listeners.
51. Fidelity (faithfulness) is a quality of character that is admired by most people.
52. The police will make every effort to capture the fiend (wicked person) who murdered the children.
53. We found a hamlet (small village) in the deep forest with only six families.
54. The rising prices are harassing (worrying) the manufacturers and the customers.
55. He is always harping on (talking tiresomely about) lack of opportunity.
56. Because the details of the project were rather hazy (vague), we decided to reject the proposal.
57. If Mr. Jones had known that she was a criminal, he would never have aided or helped (abetted) her in any way.
58. In front of the house is a small lake hemmed in (surrounded) by thick leafy trees.
59. He refused to see anyone and remained a hermit (recluse) all his life.
60. She wants to hitch (connect) her trailer to your car.
61. Does he love his wealthy mother or only pretend to for mercenary (selfish) reasons?
62. Pick up that mess (clutter) of dirty clothes and have them washed.
63. His joke caused mirth (laughter) in the audience.
64. A person’s miscellaneous (varied minor) expenses include stamps and haircuts.
65. With a little care you could have avoided the mishap (accident).
66. He ushered (guided) me to my seat at once.
67. In winter, many homeless vagabonds (wanderers) prefer to live in prison rather than to live in the open.
68. Confucius is considered the greatest of the ancient Chinese sages (philosophy).
69. A concert was given in the saloon (bar-room) of the ship.
70. Typically, ocean reefs teem with (swarm with) fish.
71. The colleges all have well-kept verdant lawns.
72. One-piece swimming costumes are more fashionable than bikinis this year.
73. To be a good manager, you must know how to devolve responsibility downwards.
74. The whole country had tried to efface the memory of the old dictatorship.
75. She swiveled her chair round and stared out across the back lawn.
76. He tried to console her, but she kept saying it was all her own fault.
77. For breakfast I have porridge made with water, to which I add raisins.
78. The stream glinted in the moonlight.
79. I was just cogitating (cogitate) upon the meaning of life.
80. Several famous alumni have agreed to help raise money for the school’s restoration fund.
81. In fairy stories, elves (elf) are small magical beings who play tricks on people.
82. She puts a piece of plastic tubing in her mouth and starts siphoning gas from a huge metal drum.
83. Three planes were standing on the tarmac.
84. The vegetable curry is served with rice and lentils.
85. The car pulled up too fast and skidded on the dusty shoulder of the road.
86. Pantomime is an amusing musical play, and it also used to mean mime.
87. All the parts have been taken from stock but they need to be invoiced before shipping.
88. Having agreed a price through the computer, the customer’s own machine can then automatically produce an invoice to consummate the deal.
89. She always has prunes in syrup for breakfast.
90. Many thousands of refugees have already died from malnutrition.
91. All the dancers come on stage during the grand finale.
92. Which modern novels are on the syllabus this year?
93. Many families must skimp on their food and other necessities just to meet the monthly rent.
94. Tartan is mainly associated with Scotland.
95. The bullfighter was almost gored to death.
96. I thought I saw someone skulking in the bushes—perhaps we should call the police.
97. Hooligans had sprayed paint all over the car.
98. To get to the cinema foyer (前厅), you have to push the wheelchair up the ramp.
99. The author seems to view the British system as a paragon of democracy.
100. I told her she looked fat, whereupon she threw the entire contents of a saucepan at me and burst into tears.
Chapter 2
101. It is presumptuous of the young senator to challenge the leadership so soon.
102. We mustn’t get impatient; if we bide our time and the chance will come.
103. To assess future needs, the Department simply extrapolated past demand trends.
104. She was putting lumps of sugar into her tea with a pair of silver tongs.
105. John was admitted to the sixth grade on probation.
106. Wiles are clever tricks that people use to persuade other people to do something.
107. She loves me and I reciprocate her affection.
108. The invalid was reclining (recline) lazily on the couch.
109. A treacherous person is one whom you trust, but who harms you secretly.
110. She made shorthand notes which she later transcribes.
111. The rider lashes his horse to make it go faster.
112. Alms are gifts of money, clothes, food, etc. to poor people.
113. Two months later a faction calling itself the “New Opposition” issued a circular to all members.
114. If you allude to something, you mention it in a very indirect way.
115. The artistic zealot Smards devoted his life to the completion of a great masterpiece.
116. When the river Nile overflows, it leaves sediment on the surrounding fields.
117. We received the quittance indicating the amount of money I had paid.
118. Next month there will be the ceremony of induction of the new chancellor.
119. Cybernetics is a science in which control system in electronic and mechanical devices are studied and compared to biological systems.
120. The theater had semicircular tiers of seats.
121. By now John was seething (seethe) with indignation and we gathered round trying to pacify him. 122. Nails protruded from the board and had to be removed for safety.
123. She knew that her efforts to feint cheerfulness weren’t convincing.
124. An eiderdown is a bed covering, placed on top of sheets and blankets, which is filled with small soft feathers or warm material.
125. If you are averse to something, you feel strongly that you are not willing to do it or that you don’t like it. 126. At the top of the steps was a bust of Shakespeare on a pedestal (基座).
127. The social workers tried to rehabilitate the juvenile delinquents.
128. To tabulate fact, figures, etc., is to write them in columns.
129. In ancient times, a serf was forced to work on his lord’s land, almost as a slave.
130. He gave me an ultimatum: either Mary has to leave, or me.
131. The manager juggled (played tricks with) his figures to make it seem that the company was prosperous. 132. The children became boisterous (wild) when their mother left the room.
133. The mathematician was working at the zenith (highest point) of her power.
134. My wife didn’t accede (agree) with what you suggested to us.
135. He received world-wide acclaim (praise) for landing on the moon.
136. He was acquitted (absolved) of his role in the disturbance.
137. He bought a bonnet (hat) for his girl friend yesterday.
138. Parks are a great boon (blessing) to people in big cities.
139. The prisoner made a breach (crack) in the wall and escaped.
140. The United Nations was asked to mediate the break (rift) between the two governments.
141. Carcasses (dead bodies) of animals lay rotten among the trees.
142. The child was caressed (fondled) by his mother with her hand.
143. After heavy rain the water formed many cascades (rapids) down the hill.
144. Cavities (cavity, holes) in teeth are caused by decay.
145. The students exulted (rejoiced) at the last day of school.
146. The speaker is going to tell us his fabulous (amazing) adventures on the moon.
147. The counterfeit bills were a good facsimile (reproduction) of the real ones.
148. Since he is shy about speaking in public, his voice always falters (stammers) a little at the beginning of his speeches.
149. Freedom of the press is a farce (mockery) under a dictatorship.
150. Sandy thought she was fat (obese), so she went on a crash diet.
151. There is concern about whether the budget will be ready for the new fiscal (financial) year.
152. The golden age of whale fishery (catching) is over.
153. People said those guesses (conjectures) were probably correct.
154. A gush (stream) of water came out when the pump started.
155. This place is a habitat (home) for pit vipers (毒蛇).
156. The enemy soldiers were on the hither (this) side of the river.
157. The miser kept a hoard (collection) of coins at a secret cabin.
158. Nelson’s voice was so hoarse (husky) that he could hardly speak.
159. The driver hobbled (walked lamely) around on crutches for a month after the accident.
160. All of us mocked at (jeered at) his craving for fame and profit.
161. There was a sing on the gate which read: “Do not molest (disturb) the dog.”
162. I’ll have to walk through the moor (wasteland) to find the missing child.
163. Sally was mortified (humiliated) by her date’s unprecedented behavior.
164. The boy built a castle on a mound (pile) of sand.
165. The boys always munch (chew) popcorn while they watch the movie.
166. In former days, poets often called the sky “the vault (arched roof) of heaven”.
167. I have a vehement (fierce) hatred of people who are cruel to animals.
168. The court judged him sane (sound-minded) and responsible for his acts.
169. In the chocolate factory we work under very sanitary (hygienic) conditions.
170. The fox hid in the thicket (bush) where the dogs could not reach it.
171. With one dexterous movement, he flicked the omelet over in the pan.
172. According to a recent study, at least 2000 people subsist by picking through the city’s garbage.
173. I find scientific terminology hard to understand.
174. His face had contorted with bitterness and rage.
175. Rapacious soldiers looted the house in the defeated city.
176. We moored the boat to a large tree root.
177. When two people elope they go away secretly together to get married.
178. The huge heaps of slag warned us that we were approaching a mining area.
179. The infantry are being sent into the battle zone.
180. French and Germany have signed a bilateral agreement to help prevent drug smuggling.
181. Your arteries (artery) are the tubes in your body that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body. 182. She is one of the rising stars in the political firmament.
183. In the sentence “I wish I were rich”, the verb “were” is in the subjunctive.
184. The policeman was grappling (grapple) with two men.
185. She hooted her horn at the dog in the road.
186. She speaks Mandarin Chinese.
187. After our long game of tennis, we slaked our thirst with a beer.
188. Jade is a hard stone, usually green in color, which is used for making jewelry and ornaments.
189. A couple of victories would boost the team’s morale enormously.
190. Gandhi renounced the use of violence.
191. The contour of the car has been changed, making the new model less boxlike.
192. We have evidence to substantiate allegations that corruption took place.
193. The car hit a patch of ice and slewed around violently.
194. We keep the goat on a tether when it is grazing.
195. In his 20 years working for the company, he made an indelible mark on it.
196. The farmer’s tractor had turned the lane into a morass of mud which was difficult to walk through. 197. Trade Union leaders have demanded the government rescind the price rise.
198. The dockland were derelict for many years before they were converted into a marina.
199. A paraphrase of something written or spoken is the same thing expressed in a different way.
200. She started to wean her baby when it was about six months.
Chapter 3
201. Each of the balloons has its own buoyance and lift.
202. The losing candidate spent a tortuous night listening to the election returns.
203. Winning the Nobel Prize added even more luster to the poet’s name.
204. In order to receive the degree she had to present a dissertation.
205. The decayed gentleman was at last reduced to servile labor.
206. Buoys show ships and boats where they can go, and warn them of danger.
207. He hammered a tack into the wall and hung a small picture from it.
208. The conference was held under the auspices of the United Nations.
209. We must be careful as we deplete our stocks of non-renewable resources.
210. A lady wears a shawl over her shoulders to keep her warm.
211. Before proceeding with the experiment, the lab assistant reiterated what the professor had said in his lecture.
212. In the aural test the student listens to spoken language but does not speak in response.
213. In these stories of pastoral life, we find an understanding of the daily tasks of country folk.
214. I am no longer fashionable to call a mental hospital asylum.
215. The sky became suffused with a pale, milky luminescence.
216. The old man tried to rejuvenate himself by taking hormone shots.
217. If you badger someone, you repeatedly tell him to do something or repeatedly ask him questions. 218. Their houses are in traditional style of clay over a lattice of bamboo.
219. The king, as the “symbol of the nation”, duly gave the Constitution his assent.
220. He swore that he would never steal again, but soon relapsed into a life of crime.
221. I’m sorry for bumping into you—somebody shoved me.
222. His mind was tainted from reading bad books.
223. A doctor’s life is consecrated to keeping people well.
224. The reception was held in a pavilion on the lawn.
225. The new nurse was perfunctory; she didn’t really care about her work.
226. Mice will shred things such as newspapers and make a terrible mess.
227. My father never aspired to the job of managing director, and was very surprised when it was offered to him.
228. Edward VIII relinquished his throne to marry Mrs. Simpson.
229. Black tides of lava flowed down the sides of the volcano.
230. He sieved the sand from the bottom of the river, hoping to find pieces of gold.
231. The chairman wanted to adjourn (dissolve) the meeting.
232. His employer appeared to be in such an affable (agreeable) mood that Tom decided to ask for a raise. 233. He was extremely agitated (perturbed) by the illness of his daughter.
234. The foreign countries’ attempt at a blockade (closure) of the port was unsuccessful.
235. It was difficult to make out the details because the photograph was quite blurred (indistinct).
236. Walking is difficult in the bog (marsh land).
237. The little town has a volunteer fire brigade (corps).
238. I had half a broiled (grilled) chicken for my dinner.
239. A celestial (astronomical) map shows the positions of the planets.
240. On Sundays, he used to attend service held in a chapel (small church).
241. The other day we had a cleaning and we took all the junk (refuse) out of the attic.
242. The sleeping soldier received a strong censure (reprimand) from his commanding officer.
243. Her parents had taught her that she should behave like a chaste (pure) and modest young lady.
244. Although the two candidates disagreed on many issues, there was no enmity (hostility) between them. 245. The new job entails (involves) selling and setting up sales conference.
246. The manager was entangled (caught) in a web of difficulties as a result of severe business loses.
247. Bicyclists often find it expedient (convenient) to ignore stop signs.
248. Your comment is actually extraneous (irrelevant) to the topic.
249. Mr. Smith’s apartment is too extravagant (exorbitant); he plays twice as much as I pay.
250. The tiny part was difficult to extricate (remove).
251. Nowadays many people still use flints (hard stones) for striking fire.
252. Tom has got nothing to do with Mary now because she flirts (plays at love) with every man in her office. 253. I hate to see a man grovel (humble himself) before his superiors.
254. It took me hours to grub (dig up) the roots of the tree.
255. The drunken father always gave a gruff (stern) answer to his wife’s questions.
256. The people in the city are now under the hoof (suppression) of the conqueror.
257. The kids are reeling hoops (iron circle) for fun and exercise.
258. Some people regard a gambling house as a heavenly spot while others regard it as a horrid (horrible) hell.
259. The light hues (shades) in the painting remind me of the style of Degas.
260. I don’t think it is impartial (unbiased) for the professor to flunk my chemistry test.
261. Sometimes I think Maria’s thoughts are wholly mundane (worldly).
262. The horse has a muzzle (harness) over his mouth.
263. The horse nibbled (took little bites of) the sugar in the child’s hand.
264. People with a nimble (quick) mind are always good at figures.
265. The Indians cut notches (marks) on a stick to keep count of numbers.
266. Galileo, the Italian scientist, is regarded as one of the world’s venerable (time-honored) scholars.
267. He was greatly vexed (annoyed) by the new and unexpected development.
268. They scoured (searched through) the country for the lost child.
269. He made no reply, but simply scowled (frowned) at me.
270. A thorough (fastidious) housekeeper, she spent hours polishing the furniture and waxing the floors. 271. The horse had to spend several months in quarantine when it reached Britain.
272. The electrician’s union is planning to amalgamate with the technicians’ union.
273. We’re having a new bathroom suite fitted at the weekend.
274. The dogs had started to snarl at each other so I thought I’d better separate them.
275. Half-way up I had to stop because several rungs were broken.
276. When they heard the concert was free, they came in hordes.
277. She begged me for another shot of morphine to kill the pain.
278. I have had my hair in a bob for a quite long time.
279. She’s in a convalescent hospital for a couple of months where she can be looked after properly.
280. Twiddle a knob on a radio in Britain and you may hear more voices speaking crackly French or German than English.
281. Issues of citizenship are beyond the jurisdiction of local government.
282. As a medical examiner I can vouch from experience that his death was accidental.
283. Did I hurt you? I thought I saw you wince.
284. The police asked for a news embargo while they tried to find the kidnapper.
285. You need to have supple limbs to be a dancer.
286. His theory is no longer tenable now that new facts have appeared.
287. Another of the rebels’ tactics has involved sniping (snipe) at and indiscriminately shelling civilians. 288. Female athletes often notice changes in their menstrual cycles.
289. There was a gun and grenade attack on the army offices this morning.
290. She was given a standing ovation at the end of her speech.
291. The fission of the cell could be inhibited with certain chemicals.
292. Corn starch is used as a thickener in stews.
293. My left knee has been giving me a few twinges in this cold weather.
294. The silence of the night was punctuated by the distant rumble of traffic.
295. He then soldered the wire to the telephone terminal.
296. A reporter tried to infiltrate into the prison.
297. Residual income is your income after tax.
298. The indemnity for any loss will be paid as soon as our inspector has completed her enquiries.
299. No sooner do you buy a computer than they bring out a new one which supersedes it.
300. The department has a differential salary structure which takes into account an employee’s experience as well as other factors.
Chapter 4
301. They roll dice each morning to see who will make the coffee.
302. The asphalt on the road became soft and sticky in the heat.
303. The new ambassador will present his credentials to the foreign minister this morning.
304. His rustic speech and ways made him uncomfortable in the city school.
305. I feel rather replete after that large meal.
306. They have been working two pieces of metal together on the anvil.
307. The mine exploded, sending lethal fragments flying in all directions.
308. We have just laid some paving slabs in our garden to make a path.
309. These phrases are capable of being construed differently.
310. The film is a reflection of the violence that pervades American culture.
311. A potato blight destroyed the main food supply of Irish peasants in the 1840s, and hundreds of thousands starved to death.
312. Are you going to hang the replica of the declaration of independence in the classroom or in the auditorium?
313. Plants such as runner beans twine round other things for support.
314. They were unable to sleep because of the din coming from the bar.
315. Libraries are repositories (repository) of the world’s best thoughts.
316. Some people believe that meditation or magic will help them to levitate.
317. A corporal is a non-commissioned officer in the army, with the rank immediately below that of sergeant. 318. Forcing everyone to vote for the dictator perverts the very idea of democracy.
319. A dinosaur was a large reptile which lived in prehistoric times and which is now extinct.
320. Brevity is, in almost everything, a virtue.
321. A wrinkle of doubt creased his forehead.
322. After millenniums of absorbing minerals from water, the trees became petrified (petrify).
323. The best beer will be the stuff you brew from the malt you have made yourself.
324. If something diverges from the truth, a standard, a theory, etc. it does not conform to it or fit it.
325. The acoustics of a room are the structural features of it which determine how well you can hear music or speeches.
326. A lexicon is an alphabetical list of words of a language or of a particular subject.
327. When there is a slump in a country it is difficult to do trade, and many people are out of work.
328. Her supervisor, a married man, began to pester her and make unwelcome sexual advances towards her. 329. It was a battle of wits, with Sandra holding all the aces.
330. A broker is a person whose job is to buy and sell shares, foreign money, or goods for other people. 331. Between 1870 and 1941 the United States changed from an agrarian (farming) economy to an industrial economy.
332. She is one of the most agreeable (congenial) members of our class.
333. The agreement (concord) between them has been made.
334. They were both angry so their argument was very bitter (acrimonious).
335. Some of television’s most annoying moments are during its blatant (coarse) commercials.
336. Mrs. Brown bought the other table instead of this one, which has a blemish (smudge) here in the corner. 337. Patrick browsed (looked casually) through the store for two hours without buying anything.
338. The metal plate was badly buckled (bent).
339. It is not a good business policy to cut costs by buying cheap (sleazy) material.
340. We had to start at exactly the same time, so we had our watches checked (synchronized).
341. According to the weather bureau, it will be chilly (stifling) tomorrow with a 50 percent chance of showers.
342. The bells were chiming (were ringing) as the bride and groom left the church.
343. His generosity toward the weak and the poor shows that chivalry (gallantry) isn’t dead.
344. Carols sung by church choirs (singing groups) and by school children express the happy spirit of Christmas.
345. With one blow of his axe, he cleaved (hacked) a block of wood in two.
346. The child was so lovely that I couldn’t help chucking (tossing) him under the chin.
347. The river is dangerous for swimmers because of eddies (eddy, swift currents).
348. He made her a present of an emerald (jewelry) ring.
349. Congress recently enacted (approved) tax registration which affects everyone.
350. During the war even teenagers were enlisted (recruited) into military service.
351. When they tried to run in the deep snow, they floundered (stumbled) and fell.
352. Baby chicks have fluffy (soft) feathers.
353. The horses returned and the groom (stable boy) tended them with loving care.
354. His grotesque (curious) appearance and manners made everybody laugh.
355. Last weekend we had our picnic in a quiet grove (woodland).
356. Our final assignment for the English class is to give an impromptu (unprepared) speech.
357. A number of his remarks were obviously improvised (thought up on the spot).
358. We have had a whole month of incessant (unceasing) rain.
359. The old house was infested (overrun) with rats and insects.
360. The representatives of the company seemed very insensitive (callous) to the conditions of the works. 361. Numbing (paralyzing) terror filled their brains as they witnessed the explosions.
362. The law ordains (determines) that murderers shall be hanged.
363. My brother bought a new outfit (suit) for his wedding party.
364. Since she did not have time to read the entire play before class, she read an outline of the plot (a synopsis) instead.
365. Even if a peace pact (treaty) is signed, neither nation will be in a position to honor it.
366. There is no excuse for using such vile (vulgar) language.
367. This kind of dress had a great vogue (fashion) in New York.
368. The young couple chose a secluded (isolated) place for their picnic.
369. They sever (separate) friendship on account of some misunderstanding.
370. He earns thrice (three times) the amount I earn.
371. There are fears that the hurricane bodes disaster for those areas in its path.
372. He knows when he’s about to be hit and just cringes back in terror.
373. Spa water is thought to be very good for you because of the minerals it contains.
374. Obsessional personalities(强迫症) commonly ruminate excessively about death.
375. Key protagonists of the revolution were hunted down and executed.
376. A federal grand jury has indicted two New York men of firearms charges.
377. They criticized the ostentatious lifestyle of their leaders.
378. The terrorist group has shown no signs of being willing to disarm.
379. Now that the children are old enough to fend for themselves, we can go away on holiday alone.
380. Sterile needles are being given to drug users to help stop the spread of infection.
381. People were drinking a lot and the party soon turned into an orgy.
382. I got a magazine and some cigarettes from a kiosk on the station platform.
383. It was James Mill who was the best publicist for utilitarian ideas on government.
384. He came home drunk and vomited all over the kitchen floor.
385. Steroids are responsible for maintaining many of the workings of the body.
386. The skirt twirled and flared around her ankles.。
