NEW WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

UNIT 13

1. informal adj.

1) Informal speech or behaviour is relaxed and friendly rather than serious, very correct, or official.

She is refreshingly informal.His friend was less good-looking, but a

lot more informal and relaxed.

2) Informal clothes are casual and suitable for wearing when you are relaxing, but not on formal occasions.

Most of the time Jenny needs informal clothes.

For lunch, dress is informal.

3) You use informal to describe something that is done unofficially or casually without planning.

The two leaders will retire to Camp David for informal discussions.

...an informal meeting of EC ministers...

We had an informal party at a hotel, and people just flooded in.

If you curse someone, you say insulting things to them because you are angry with them.

Grandma protested, but he cursed her and rudely pushed her aside.

He cursed himself for having been so careless.

If you curse something, you complain angrily about it, especially using rude language.

So we set off again, cursing the delay, towards the west.

She silently cursed her own stupidity.

The reception in a hotel is the desk or office that books rooms for people and answers their questions.

A reception is a formal party which is given to welcome someone or to celebrate a special event.

Someone who is considerate pays attention to the needs, wishes, or feelings of other people.

I think he's the most charming, most considerate man I've ever known.

I've always understood one should try and be considerate of other people.

Cigars are rolls of dried tobacco leaves which people smoke.

He was sitting alone smoking a big cigar.

If you say that something is splendid, you mean that it is very good, beautiful.

The book includes a wealth of splendid photographs.

Our house has got a splendid view across towards the Cotswolds.

I found him to be splendid company during the hour of our acquaintance.

If something or someone astonishes you, they surprise you very much. I was astonished when I heard the hospital had burnt down. He was astonished at what he found. We were astonished to hear that their football team had won the champion.

surprise, astonish, astound, amaze 作为动词在一起比较的一般含义是“使吃惊”。surprise 是通用词，它的含义是使人一愣。这种吃惊可能包含着高兴也可能包含害怕或忧虑。In spite of this, some people including myself-were surprised by a recent exhibition of modern sculpture.尽管如此，最近举办的现代雕塑展览会却使一些人——包括我在内——吃了一惊。I rang the bell and was not surprised to see that Herbert was as fat as ever.我按响了门铃，毫不觉得奇怪地看到赫伯特仍然和以往一样胖。

astonish 在现代英语中通常表示某事使人震惊得难以置信。The successful laying of the Atlantic cable astonished everybody: its later breaks astonished no one; but after it was finally in operation. many said that no future invention could surprise them.在大西洋底下成功地铺设了电缆，这使得大家都感到骇然； 后来有几处电缆折断了，谁也不感到惊奇。不过在这些电缆终于投入工作之后，许多人都说，未来的任何发明再也不会使人吃惊了。

astound 比 astonish 的词义强得多，常用于表示某件事你虽然认为有可能，但与你所发现的实际情况之间有很大差距。The police were astounded when Mrs Rams

ay told them what she had done.

当莱姆赛夫人把自己所做的事告诉了警察时，他们为之骇然。

amaze 所表示的吃惊中包含着使人迷惑不解、困窘或惊疑不定。When the archaeologists reconstructed the fragments, they were amazed to find that the goddess turned out to be a very modern-looking woman.当考古学家把那些碎块拼起来的时候，他们惊诧地发现那女神原来是一个现代装束的妇女。Scientists have been amazed to find that it can cut through the hardest rock with great ease. 科学家惊诧地发现，它可以轻而易举地钻穿最坚硬的岩石。

A coincidence is when two or more similar or related events occur at the same time by chance and without any planning.

Mr. Berry said the timing was a coincidenc

e and that his decision was unrelated to Mr.

Roman's departure.

...a string of amazing coincidences...

What a coincidence that I was in Paris at t

he same time as you!

Tension is the feeling that is produced in a situation when people are anxious and do not trust each other, and when there is a possibility of sudden violence or conflict.

The tension between the two countries is likely to remain.

Tension is a feeling of worry and anxiety which makes it difficult for you to relax.

She has done her best to keep calm but finds herself trembling with tension and indecision.

If you describe a person or thing as elegant, you mean that they are pleasing and graceful in appearance or style. Patricia looked beautiful and elegant as always. （美丽端庄） ...an elegant restaurant.If you describe a piece of writing, an idea, or a plan as elegant, you mean that it is simple, clear, and clever. The document impressed me with its elegant simplicity.

1 ） To do the job, you must have at least a bachelor degree in chemistry.要做这项工作至少也要先取得化学学士学位。

2. A bachelor is a man who has never married.

He is a confirmed bachelor.他是个坚定的单身汉。

A prescription is the piece of paper on which your doctor writes an order for medicine and which you give to a chemist or pharmacist to get the medicine.

You will have to take your prescription to a chemist.A prescription is a proposal or a plan which gives ideas about how to solve a problem or improve a situation.

There's not much difference in the economic prescriptions of Ireland's two main political parties.

A drawer is part of a desk, chest, or other piece of furniture that is shaped like a box and is designed for putting things in. You pull it towards you to open it.

A sergeant is a non-commissioned officer

( 军士） of middle rank in the army, marines,

or air force.

A sergeant with a detail of four men came

into view.

In the British police force, a sergeant is an

officer with the next to lowest rank.

In American police forces, a sergeant is an

officer with the rank immediately below a ca

ptain.

If someone, especially an official, investigates an event, situation, or claim, they try to find out what happened or what is the truth.

Gas officials are investigating the cause of an explosion which badly damaged a house in Hampshire.

The two officers were being investigated by the director of public prosecutions.

Police are still investigating how the accident happened.

Theft is the crime of stealing.

Art theft is now part of organised crime.

...the theft of classified documents from a

car in London.He was put in prison for theft.

他因为偷窃被关进监狱。When she discovered the theft of her bag, s

he went to the police.

当她发现钱包被偷时，她报告了警察。

You use religious to describe things that are connected with religion or with one particular religion.

Religious groups are now able to meet quite openly.

...different religious beliefs.

Someone who is religious has a strong belief in a god or gods.

They are both very religious and felt it was a gift from God.

Someone who is stubborn or who behaves in a stubborn way is determined to do what they want and is very unwilling to change their mind. He is a stubborn character used to getting his own way. His face was set in an expression of stubborn determination.

stubbornly He stubbornly refused to tell her how he had come to be in such a state.

If you give someone assistance, you help them do a job or task by doing part of the work for them. Since 1976 he has been operating the shop with the assistance of volunteers. She can still come downstairs with assistance but she's very weak.

If something is done with the assistance of a particular thing, that thing is helpful or necessary for doing it. The translations were carried out with the assistance of a medical dictionary.

Someone or something that is of assistance to you is helpful or useful to you. He was of great assistance to me in researches for my books. Can I be of any assistance?

If you come to someone's assistance, you take action to help them. They are appealing to the world community to come to Jordan's assistance. Ben suffered a heart attack and Helen rushed to his assistance.

If you say that something is vital, you mean that it is necessary or very important.

The port is vital to supply relief to millions of drought victims.

Nick Wileman is a school caretaker so it is vital that he gets on well with young people. If you describe someone or something as vital, you mean that they are very energetic and full of life.

They are both very vital people and a good match.

They have something important to say and vital and radical ways of saying it.

A smear is a dirty or oily mark.There was a smear of gravy on his chin.

If you smear a surface with an oily or sticky

substance or smear the substance onto the

surface, you spread a layer of the substanc

e over the surface.

The child's face was smeared with chocol

ate.

这个孩子的脸上抹得到处都是巧克力。

To smear someone means to spread unple

asant and untrue rumours or accusations ab

out them in order to damage their reputation.

The BBC last night launched an inquiry int

o an apparently crude attempt to smear its d

irector-general.

If you feel guilty, you feel unhappy because you think that you have done something wrong or have failed to do something which you should have done.

I feel so guilty, leaving all this to you.When she saw me she looked guilty.

If someone is guilty of a crime or offence, they have committed that crime or offence.

They were found guilty of murder.He pleaded guilty to causing actual bod

ily harm.

If someone is guilty of doing something wro

ng, they have done that thing.

He claimed Mr Brooke had been guilty

of a `gross error （严重过错） of judgment'.

They will consider whether or not he ha

s been guilty of serious professional miscon

duct. （处理不当，经营不善）

A stain is a mark on something that is difficult to remove.

Remove stains by soaking （浸、泡） in a mild solution of bleach. ...a black stain.

If a liquid stains something, the thing becomes coloured or marked by the liquid.

Some foods can stain the teeth, as of course can smoking.

Suspicion or a suspicion is a belief or feeling that someone has committed a crime or done something wrong.

There was a suspicion that this runner attempted to avoid the procedures for dope testing. ... police arrested nineteen people on suspicion of drugs offences and burglary.

[ 相关词汇 ]

suspect 嫌疑犯

If someone or something convinces you of

something, they make you believe that it is t

rue or that it exists.

Although I soon convinced him of my in

nocence, I think he still has serious doubts

about my sanity.

The waste disposal industry is finding it

difficult to convince the public that its operati

ons are safe.

If someone or something convinces you to do something, they persuade you to do it. (mainly AM)

That weekend in Plattsburgh, he convinced her to go ahead and marry Bud.

A banquet is a grand formal dinner. Last night he attended a state banquet at Buckingham Palace.

If you assume that something is true, you i

magine that it is true, sometimes wrongly.

It is a misconception （误解） to assu

me that the two continents are similar.

If the package is wrapped well, we ass

ume the contents are also wonderful.

If mistakes occurred, they were assum

ed to be the fault of the commander on the

spot.

If you cancel something that has been arranged, you stop it from happening. If you cancel an order for goods or services, you tell the person or organization supplying them that you no longer wish to receive them.

The Russian foreign minister yesterday cancelled his visit to Washington.

Many trains have been cancelled and a limited service is operating on other lines.

If you make a remark about something, you

say something about it.

She has made outspoken remarks abo

ut the legalisation of cannabis in Britain.

Geoff Cooke's recent remark that no on

e is indispensable will certainly not have esc

aped him.

If you remark that something is the case, yo

u say that it is the case.

I remarked that I would go shopping t

hat afternoon.

`Some people have more money tha

n sense,' Winston had remarked.

On several occasions she had remar

ked on the boy's improvement.

Everyone has remarked on what a lo

vely lady she is.

If someone is innocent, they did not commit a crime which they have been accused of.

He was sure that the man was innocent of any crime.

The police knew from day one that I was innocent.

If someone is innocent, they have no exper

ience or knowledge of the more complex or

unpleasant aspects of life.

They seemed so young and innocent.

He's curiously innocent about what this

means to other people.

Innocent people are those who are not invo

lved in a crime or conflict, but are injured or

killed as a result of it.

All those wounded were innocent victim

s.

The war was killing innocent women an

d children.

If someone commits a crime or a sin, they do something illegal or bad.

I have never committed any crime.This is a man who has committed murd

er.

If you commit yourself to something, you say that you will definitely do it. If you commit yourself to someone, you decide that you want to have a long-term relationship with them.

I would advise people to think very carefully about committing themselves to working Sundays. I'd like a friendship that might lead to something deeper, but I wouldn't want to commit myself too soon.

You don't have to commit to anything over the phone.

If you offend someone, you say or do something rude which upsets or embarrasses them.

He apologizes for his comments and says he had no intention of offending the community.

The survey found almost 90 percent of people were offended by strong swearwords.

Television censors （审查人员） are cutting out scenes which they claim may offend.