Language Study

● Word Study

Word List

Identify/harsh/desperate/distinction/challenge/standoff/represent/elements/grope/ acknowledge/cling/commitment

1. Represent

v. to stand for; to symbolize; to serve as an example of

Examples:

●The bald eagle represents the United States.

●The museum had several paintings

●representing the artist's early style.

2. elements

n. the forces that constitute the weather, especially severe or inclement weather

Example:

●The outside paint has been damaged by the elements.

3. grope

v. to reach or search about uncertainly; to feel one’s way

Examples:

●groped for the telephone

●grope for an answer

4. Acknowledge: Acknowledgment

v. to admit the existence, reality, or truth of, recognize

Example:

●He acknowledged that the purchase had been a mistake.

5. cling

v. a. to hold fast or adhere to sth., as by grasping, sticking, embracing

b. to remain close; to resist separation

c. to remain emotionally attached; to hold on

Examples:

●He clung to the rope to keep from falling.

●These fabrics cling to the body.

●We clung together in the storm.

●Clinging to outdated customs.

6. commitment

n. the state of being bound emotionally or intellectually to a course of action or to another person or persons

Examples:

●a deep commitment to liberal policies

●a profound commitment to the family

Commit: v.

●commit a crime

●They were committed to follow orders.

●He was too young to commit fully to marriage.

●The patient was committed to the hospital.

7. identify

v. to recognize or be able to name

Examples:

●Even the small baby can identify her mother by her voice.

●The police officer identified himself and asked for our help.

identical: a. exactly the same; very similar

identity: n. the qualities that make sth. or sb. different from others

●The tests are identical to those carried out last year.

●identity crisis

8. harsh

a. a. disagreeable to the senses, especially to the sense of hearing

b. extremely, unnecessarily severe; unpleasant, unkind; stern

Examples:

●“There is no alternative,” he said in a harsh voice.

●The child has a harsh upbringing life.

●The punishment is rather harsh for such a minor offence.

9. desperate

a. a. having lost all hope; despairing

b. suffering or driven by great need or distress

c. extremely intense

Examples:

●They are living in desperate poverty.

●desperate for recognition

●He felt a desperate urge to tell the truth.

10. Distinction

n. a. difference

b. an honour in recognition of excellence

Examples:

●He said he would draw/make on distinction(s) between terrorism and murder.

●She has the distinction of being one of the few people to have an honorary degree conferred on by the university this year.

11. challenge

n. v. a. to question, to dispute

b. to call to engage in a contest, fight, or competition

c. to summon to action, effort, or use; to stimulate

Examples:

●The book challenges established beliefs.

●He challenged me to a game of chess.

●He challenged me to a game of chess.

12. standoff

n. a situation in which neither side can gain an advantage

a. (informal) disapproving slightly unfriendly

Example:

●The State Department was warning that this could lead to another diplomatic standoff.

● Phrases and Expressions

List

as sth. Goes / to be sure / bring… to tears / bring down / rise to the challenge / in the line of duty / owe… to / on behalf of / let go of / set oneself against

1. as sth. goes

compared with the average disasters of this type

Examples:

●As disasters go, this one was horrible, but not unique, certainly not among the worst U.S. air crashes on record.

●As businessmen go, he is pretty honest.

2. to be sure

●indeed, certainly

Example:

●To be sure, most people are law abiding, but crime remains a problem.

必须承认，绝大部分的人是遵纪守法的，但违法活动依然是个问题。

3. bring… to tears

●to make sb. cry

Example:

●The happy news brought all of the people

●in the room to tears.

4. bring down

v. a. to cause to fall or collapse

b. to reduce the rate, level, or amount

Examples:

●Strong wind brought down the power lines across the region.

●Our principal responsibility is to bring down the level of unemployment.

●Major spending is required to bring about substantial improvements in housing. (to make sth. happen)

●The various departments have not yet brought forward their spending plans. (to present, produce)

●If they can bring off he deal, they will be able to retire. (to succeed in doing sth. difficult)

5. rise to the challenge

●to deal successfully with a problem or a

●situation that is especially difficult

Example

●It’s not an easy task, but I’m sure John will

●rise to the challenge.

6. in the line of duty

●while working

Example:

●The police officer was killed in the line of duty.

7. owe… to

●to be indebted or obliged for

Example:

●She owes her good health to diet and exercise.

8. on behalf of

●as the agent of; on the part of

Examples:

●A solicitor issued a statement on behalf of the family.

●He intervened with the immigration service on his behalf.

9. let go of

●to stop holding sb. or sth.

Example:

●She refused to let go of her bag and kicked her attackers several times.

10. set oneself against

●to cause people or groups to fight each other although they were in a friendly relationship before

Example:

●It is a bitter industrial dispute that had set workers against workers.

●set sth. against sth.: to compare one thing with another

●This season’s results have been disappointing set against last year’s.

●Word Building

List

●Prefix—sur-

●Root—vit/viv

●Suffix— -ly

●Grammar

Appositive clause

A construction in which a noun clause is placed with another as an explanatory equivalent, both having the same syntactic relation to the other elements in the sentence

Examples

1) There was the unusual element of the bridge, of course, and the fact that the plane hit it at a moment of high traffic. (Para. 1)

2) For a while he was Everyman, and thus proof that no man is ordinary. (Para. 4)

3) Since it was he who lost the fight we ought to come to again to the conclusion that people are powerless in the world. (Para. 8)

Compare: appositive clause and other relative clause

The fact that he went unidentified gave him a universal character. (Para. 4)

Skutnik added that “somebody had to go in the water”, delivering every hero’s line that is no less admirable for being repeated.