词汇学习

●Word Study

Word list:

Comparative / comprehend / confession / destiny / hostile / respond / similarity / superficial / supreme / vital / mutuality / occupy / persist / preference / reference

1. comparative

a. A . having significance only in relation to something else

b. relating to or based on or involving comparison

Examples:

●comparative anatomy

●comparative adjective

●comparative method

●No horse has a speed comparable to that of his.

2. Comprehend

v. a. to get the meaning of something

b. to include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one’s sphere or territory

Examples:

●The judge said that it was difficult to comprehend why the police acted so in this matter.

●The park comprehends all the land on the other side of the river.

●The problem is above/beyond my comprehension.

3. confession

n. an admission of misdeeds or faults; (Roman Catholic Church) the act of a penitent disclosing his sinfulness before a priest in the sacrament of penance in the hope of absolution

Examples:

●He made a confession.

●Confession is the first step to repentance.

[谚]认罪是悔罪的第一步； 悔过必先认错。

●Open confession is good for the soul.

[谚]直认无讳， 身心泰然。

4. destiny

n. a. an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future

b. your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)

Example:

●a master of one’s own destiny

●He was destined to be an actor.

●The destination of his study is the law.

5. hostile

a. unfriendly; showing dislikes

●hostile to a person/ a country/ a nation

●be hostile to Christianity

●be hostile to reform/ any change

●a man hostile to war 反战人士

●They showed an open hostility to…

●There is much hostility against America.

6. mutuality

n. a reciprocal relation between interdependent entities

Example:

●Although there are not real winners or losers, in games of pretending children soon learn that the game ends when mutuality ends.

●mutual love/ aid/ friend/ benefit and collaboration

7. occupy

v. a. to engage or engross wholly

b. to keep busy with

c. to take; use up

Examples:

●The workers were occupied in building new houses.

●He occupies an important position in the Ministry of Education.

8. persist

v. a. to refuse to stop

b. to continue to exist

Examples:

●persist in the study of English

●On the top of very high mountains snow persists throughout the year.

9. preference

n. a. grant of favor or advantage to one over another

b. the right or chance to choose; a predisposition in favor of something

Examples:

●A teacher should not show preference for any one of his pupils.

●preference bond 优先股

●preferential right 优先权

●You may come, preferably, in the morning.

10. reference

n. a. the act of referring or consulting

b. a book to which you can refer for authoritative facts

c. a formal recommendation by a former employer to a potential future employer describing the person’s qualifications and dependability

Examples:

●Keep this dictionary for reference.

●When I was looking for a job, I asked my head teacher to give me a reference.

11. respond

v. to show a response or a reaction to something

Examples:

●I offered him a drink but he didn’t respond.

●The plane responds well to the controls.

●respond by a nod

●respond with a smile

12. similarity

n. the quality of being similar dissimilarity

Examples:

●a similarity of writing styles

●Several explanations have been offered to explain similarity increases interpersonal attraction.

13. superficial

a. involving a surface only; not deep or penetrating emotionally or intellectually; of little substance or significance

●superficial water

●superficial feet

●superficial knowledge

●superficial extent

14. supreme

a. a. greatest in status or authority or power

b. highest in excellence or achievement sovereign

Examples:

●The most important law court is called the Supreme Court.

●supreme courage 最大的勇气

●supreme disgust 极端的厌恶

●the supreme test of fidelity 忠诚最后的考验

●supreme good 至善

15. vital

a. full of life; full of spirit; urgently needed