Unit 10 A Debt to Dickens
Words and Expressions
1. render: v. cause sb. or sth. to be in a particular condition; give sth.to sb.or do sth., because it is your duty or because sb. expects you to
e.g. He was rendered almost speechless by the news.
It is an obligation of ours to render assistance to those in need.
Derivation:
rendering: n. 2. inestimable: adj. too great, precious, etc. to be estimated
e.g. Your advice has been of inestimable value to us.
The value of your assistance is inestimable.
Synonym:
invaluable
3. obligation: sth. that must be done because of a duty or promise
e.g. You can look around the shop with no obligation to buy.
We attended the party more out of a sense of obligation than anything else.
我们参加那个聚会是迫于人情，而并无别的原因。
Derivations:
oblige: v. obliged: adj. Collocation:
under an obligation (to): having a duty (to)
e.g. We are invited, but we are under no obligation to go.
4. solitary: adj. spending a lot of time alone; doing companion
e.g. One solitary tree grew on the mountainside.
Pandas are solitary creatures.
Synonym:
sth. without any
alone
Antonyms:
sociable; accompanied
5. treacherous: adj. behaving with treachery, (showing signs of) betraying a person or cause secretly; dangerous, esp. when seeming to be safe
e.g. We cannot trust treacherous people.
The ice on the lake is treacherous, not as strong or thick as it looks.
Derivation:
treachery: n. Synonym:
unreliable
6. linger: v. stay for a long time and be reluctant to leave; be slow; dawdle
e.g. She lingered after the concert, hoping to meet the star.
They lingered over coffee and missed the train.
Derivations:
lingerer: n. lingering: adj. Synonyms:
stay; remain
Collocations:
linger about/around/on
7 alien: adj. foreign; strange; unfamiliar; contrary
e.g. As she stayed in an alien land, she lived in an alien environment.
Such principles are alien to our religion.
Derivation:
alienate: v Collocation:
alien to: very different in nature or character, esp. so different as to cause dislike or opposition
e.g. Their ideas are quite alien to our way of thinking.
Antonym:
native
8. heed: v. give attention to; consider seriously
e.g. She didn’t heed my warning/advice.
Their offspring do not heed to what they say.
Derivations:
heed: n.
heedful: adj.
heedless: adj.
Collocations:
pay heed to
take heed (of sth.)
9. isolate: v. separate; single; solitary; standing alone
e.g. Several villages have been isolated by the floods.
The poor girl from an isolated village was deeply impressed by the tall buildings in the city.
Derivations:
isolation: n.
isolated: adj. Collocations:
isolate sth. (from sth.)
in isolation
Comparison: isolate, insulate
insulate: protect sb./sth. from the unpleasant effects of sth.
e.g. Children are carefully insulated from harmful experiences
The royal family is insulated from many of the difficulties faced by ordinary people.
普通百姓面临的许多难处皇室成员都不必面对。
10. voracious: adj. having an extremely strong desire to do or have a lot of sth.
e.g. Teenagers usually have voracious appetites.
She is a voracious reader of biographies.
Derivation:
voracity: n. adj. Synonym:
greedy
11. somber: (BrE: sombre) adj. dark-colored; dull and dismal; sad and serious
e.g. She prefers to wear somber clothes.
You could see a sombre expression on his face that day.
Derivation:
somberness: n. Synonyms:
serious; grave; dark
12. desperate: adj. feeling or showing great despair and ready to do anything regardless of danger; in great need (of sth./to do sth.)
e.g. The prisoners grew more desperate with the approaching date of execution.
She is desperate for money.
Derivation:
desperation: n.
Collocation:
desperate for sth./to do sth.
13. peril: n. serious danger, esp. of death; a dangerous thing or circumstance
e.g. These birds are able to survive the perils of the Arctic winter.
这些鸟能在北极的严冬中生存。
The bicycle has no breaks. If you ride it, you will be in mortal peril.
Derivation:
perilous: adj.
Collocations:
at one’s peril: with a risk of harm to oneself (used esp when advising sb. not to do sth.)
in peril of one’s life: in danger of death
Synonym:
danger
14. descend: v. come or go down; lead downwards
e.g. The sun descended behind the hills.
The Queen descended the stairs.
Derivations:
descendant: n. descended: adj. Collocation:
descend on/upon: (of a group of people) to attack; to arrive, esp. in large numbers, to visit or stay with, often unexpectedly.
descend to: to lower oneself to
Antonym:
ascend
15. agile: adj. able to move quickly and easily
e.g. Monkeys are agile, hence the idiom “as agile as a monkey”.
This little boy has an agile mind.
Derivation:
agility: n. Synonym:
nimble
16. rouse: v. (fml) waken
e.g. The noise roused me from/out of a deep sleep.
The speaker tried to rouse his listeners to action.
Derivation:
rousing: adj.
Collocations:
rouse from/out of
rouse to
17. wretched: adj. very unhappy, miserable or pitiable; causing unhappiness or misery
e.g. He is in bed with a bad cold, feeling rather wretched.
What wretched weather!
Derivation:
wretchedness: n.
18. indecision: n. hesitation; the state of being unable to make a decision
e.g. She was standing outside the house in an agony of indecision.
At a critical moment, we should act decisively instead of being seized with indecision.
Derivation:
indecisive: adj. Antonym:
decision
19. resolve: v. decide firmly; determine; make a decision
e.g. Once she has resolved on doing it, you won’t get her to change her mind.
He resolved to work harder.
Synonym:
determine
Collocations:
resolve on
resolve to
20. zest: n. a feeling of being enthusiastic, eager, excited, interested, etc.
e.g. Her zest for life is as great as ever.
He entered into our plans with terrific zest.
Derivation:
zestful: adj.
Synonym:
enthusiasm n.
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