1 undertake vt.-took, -taken, -taking
担任（职务）；着手（工作）保证; 从事,
断言(that)
（常与to+ inf连用）答应；同意
I undertook to teach the children English.我答应教孩子们英语。
undertake a post担任一个职位
undertake experiment and calculations从事实验和计算
The lawyer undertook the case without a fee.这律师免费承办那个案件。
I can't undertake that you will make a profit.我不能担保你会获利。
He undertook to be here at five.他答应五点钟到这里来。
Undertaker n.承担人, 承办人; 企业家
2 curious adj.好奇的；有求知欲的
It is good to be curious about the world around you.对你周围的世界感到新奇是件好事。
be curious about sth.对(某事物)感到好奇
be curious to (do)很想(做); 渴望(做)
(be) curious to say说来稀奇
3 debate vt., vi.debated, debating讨论，争论
The government is debating the education laws.政府正在就教育法进行辩论。
考虑；思考
He was debating whether to go for a walk or to visit a friend.他在考虑去散步或者去访友。
n.讨论，辩论； 讨论会，辩论会
a debate about the punishment for criminals关于如何惩治罪犯的争论
Who open the debate?谁先发言？
beyond debate无疑义, 无可争辩
debate upon讨论(问题)
open the debate在辩论时首先发言
argue debate都含“辩论”的意思。
argue 着重“说理”、“论证”和“企图说服”, 如:
I argued with her for a long time, but she refused to listen to reason.
我和她辩论了好久, 但她还是不听。
debate 着重“双方各述己见”, 内含“交锋”的意思, 如:
We have been debating about the issue.我们一直在就这个问题进行辩论。
4 seek vt., vi.sought, seeking
（常与for, after连用）搜寻，寻找，寻觅
seek fame求名
seek help求助
We sought an answer to the question, but couldn't find one.
我们寻求这个问题的答案，可是没能找到。
After seeking out the rude assistant she asked for the same dress.
"她认出那个粗鲁无礼的售货员之后,要他拿那同一件衣服看看。"
请 求，要求
I will seek my doctor's advice.我将请教医生的意见。
尝试；试图；企图
He sought to make peace.他企图讲和。
seek after [for]寻求, 探索; 追求; 寻找
seek out找出, 搜出; 挑出
seek through找遍
5 observe：可用作动词（vi.＆vt.），主要义项有：观察；监视；认识；注意到；遵守；庆祝；说；评论。作及物动词时，主要搭配形式为：（1）+名词；
Eg. An astronomer observes the stars. 天文学家观察星辰。
（2）+从句；Eg. Please observe how I do this. 请注意看我是怎么做的。
（3）+不定式、分词的复合宾语。
Eg. I observed him enter the bank.我看到他进入了那家银行。
（被动式要用不定式：He was observed to enter the bank.）
I observed a stranger entering the house.我看到一个陌生人进入该屋。
注意：observe后跟不带to的不定式作宾补，但把此结构变为被动语态时要跟带to的不定式。
6 patient n.病人, 患者 adj.忍耐的, 耐心的
I know your leg hurts, just be patient until the doctor arrives.
我知道你的腿伤了，耐心点等医生来。
The doctor visited his patients in hospital.医生在医院里看视他的病人。
be patient with sb.对某人有耐心
patient of容忍; 忍耐
7 work on对...起作用, 对...有影响;使人信服, 说服;从事于, 致力于
work at从事, 致力于, 钻研
work off除去；解除to work off one's debt靠工作还清债务
work out作出, 设计出, 制作出;算出, 得出...答案to work out a sum算出总数
带来好结果；有预期的结果Things will work themselves out.事情会有好结果的。
运动；锻炼to work out daily with sparring partner每天和拳击陪练员练习
8 engage vt., vi.雇；聘; (预)定(房间、座位等)
engage a new secretary聘请新秘书
This seat is engaged.此座已定出。
We engage him as technical adviser.我们聘请他担任技术顾问。
[常用被动语态]从事, 着手, 忙于(in)
约束; 约定; 使订婚, 与…订婚(to)
be engaged in正做着, 正忙着
be engaged to同...订婚
9 difference n.不同；差别；差异
Young people must be taught to learn the difference between good and evil.
必须教导年青人学会区分善与恶。
There are many differences between living in a big city and living in the country.
生活在大城市与生活在乡村有许多不同之处。
make a difference有很大差别, 有很大 不同;有很大的关系[影响]
make a great difference有很大差别, 有很大 不同;有很大的关系[影响]
make a great deal of difference有很大差别, 有很大 不同;有很大的关系[影响]
make a difference between区别对待
make some difference to对...有些关系
make no difference to对...没有关系
make all the difference关系重大, 大不相同
10 rather adv.[常与would或had连用]宁愿, 宁可
稍微; 相当；
[可与or连用]更确切, 更恰当; 更接近
相反地, 倒不如说 ... 更... ；
[口] 当然, 确实如此
[与连词 than 配合使用]与其...不如...; 宁可... 也不...
rather too稍微...一点（rather还可和比较级与too连用，但fairly不可）
Which would you rather have, tea or coffee?你喜欢喝茶; 还是咖啡?
He was rather tired.他有些疲倦了。
He went home very late last night, or rather, in the early hours this morning.
他是昨天深夜回家的, 或者更确切地说, 是今天凌晨。
Do you know her ? R-.你认识她吗? 当然。
She was no better, but rather grew worse.她的病情不但没好转, 反而恶化了。
He resigned rather than take part in such a dishonest transaction .
他宁愿辞职也不愿意参加这样一种欺骗的交易。
Unit two
1 face to face（常与with连用）面对面地
"They've often talked to each other on the telephone, but they've never met each other face to face.""他们常常互相通电话,但从来没有见过面。"
in the face of不顾；面对，在…前面
in sb.'s face正对着某人; 当着某人的面
He succeeded in the face of great difficulties.尽管有巨大的困难，但他成功了。
We are powerless in the face of such forces.面对这样的势力，我们无能为力。
on the face of it从表面上来看
On the face of it, the document seemed genuine.从表面看，这文件像是真的
v朝, 临, 面向;面对; 应付
face up to大胆面向：
be faced with…;面对
She must face upto the fact that she is no longer young.她必须正视她已不再年轻这一事实。
face a fact面对事实
The window faces the sea.窗户对着海。
2 inform v.(～ of/about) 通知, 告诉, 获悉, 告知
The headmistress informed us that the school would be closed for one day next week.
女校长告诉我们下星期学校将停一天课。
The sales manager asked his men to inform him of everything concerning the sales in time.
销售部经理让他手下的人把关于销售量的情况及时报告他。
Inform vi.告发, 告密(against, on)
be well informed about sth.
精通某事; 对某事消息灵通
be informed of听说; 接到...的通知
keep ... informed随时向...报告情况
inform against sb.告发某人, 检举某人
3 relate vt., vi.讲；叙述
I related my adventure to my family.我向家人讲述了我的奇遇。
To him we related our troubles, asking his advice.我们向他讲述了我们的困难,请他指导。
（常与to, with连用）把…联系起来
I can't relate what he does with [to]what he says.我没法把他做的和说的联系起来。
They are related to each other.他们彼此之间有亲戚关系。
vi.有关,涉及[(+to)]I don't know to what this relates.我不知道这与什么有关。
符合[(+with)]Your statement does not relate well with the facts.
你的说法与事实不太符合。
相处[(+to)]She doesn't relate well to her peers.她和同辈处不来。
She doesn't relate well to her mother.她与她母亲相处不很和睦。
4 addict t.使沉溺; 嗜好;...成瘾, 热中于
addict oneself to沉溺于, 醉心于
be addicted to嗜好, 热中
5 tolerate vt.容忍; 忍受; 容许; 默许; 有耐药性[力]
I can't tolerate your bad manners any longer.我再也不能容忍你无礼的行为。
He can't tolerate penicilin.他对盘尼西林无耐药力。
6 concern vt.关于；对…有关系;影响；关系
This concerns us deeply.这事对我们关系极大。
担心；担忧；挂念We're rather concerned about father's health.我们相当担心父亲的健康。
（常与with, about, in连用）关心；关照to concern oneself with public work关心公众事务
We're rather concerned about father's health.我们相当担心父亲的健康。
n.(利害)关系, 关心, 关注, 关注, 所关心的是
as concerns关于
as far as... be concerned关于； 至于； 就...而言
be concerned about关心
be concerned over sth.为某事忧虑
be concerned at sth.为某事忧虑
be concerned in sth.和某事有牵连
be concerned with牵涉到， 与...有关， 参与
feel concern about忧虑， 挂念
give oneself no concern (about)不关切， 对...冷淡
have a concern in和...有利害关系
have no concern with和...毫无关系
of much concern很重要， 很有关系
of no concern无关紧要， 没有意义
with concern关切地
7 bore vt.令人厌烦
I'm bored with this job.我对这件工作厌烦了。
bear with容忍；忍耐
We have to bear with his bad temper because he is a bit frustrated these days.
我们不得不容忍他的坏脾气因为这些日子他有点灰心丧气。
8 go up 上升；上涨；爆炸；焚毁； 攀登
Eg. The temperature is going up.温度上升。
go up in flames 燃烧起来；毁于大火
She went up the ladder.她登上扶梯
相关归纳：（1）go down 下降，下跌；沉没
Eg. She went down by elevator.她乘电梯下去。
Prices are going down.物价正在下跌。
The ship went down into the sea. 那艘船沉到海中。
（2）go off 发射；爆炸；变坏；入寝；进展；聚会；熄灭；中断。go off（with a）bang. 砰一声爆炸了。
Eg. The gun went off by accident. 那支枪意外走火了。
This food has gone off.这食物坏掉了。
The child has gone off（to sleep）. 那个孩子睡着了。
The party went off well. 聚会进行得很顺利。
The power has gone off. 电力中断了。
（3）go on 继续；发生Eg. What’s going on?发生什么事了？
(4) go by：(从...旁)走过, 依照, 顺便走访
9 for once：只有一次相关归纳：
（1）for this/that once只这/那一次，就这/那一回
Eg. I’ll forgive you for this once.我只原谅你这一次。
2）at once 马上；立刻；同时
Eg. Tell her to come at once.叫她马上来。
I can’t do two things at once.我不能同时做两件事。
（3）all at once 突然，忽然；同时；一同
Eg. All at once the door opened.门突然开了。
They spoke all at once.他们同时说话。
10 switch n.[C]开关,电闸,电键You pressed the wrong switch.你按错了开关。
变更,转换,更改There's been a switch in our plans.我们的计划改变了。
【口】调换,交换I asked him why he'd made the switch.我问他为什么要调换。
vt.打开(或关掉)...的开关[(+on/off)]He switched the light on.他打开电灯。
使转换;为...转接(电话)[(+to/over)]
Hang on, please. I'll switch you to the manager.请不要挂断电话。我给你转接到经理那儿去。
改变;转移;调动They switched the talk to a more interesting subject.
他们把谈话转到比较有趣的题目上去了。
vi.改变;转移[(+to)]He studied chemistry and then switched to biology.他原来学化学,后来改学生物。
【口】调换;交换I am on duty tomorrow. I've to switch with someone to go to your party.
我明天值班。我得和谁换一下班才能去参加你们的聚会。
switch from (to)变换, 转移
switch off [on to]切断[接上](电流); 不收听[收听](某一广播); (使)兴味索然[兴致勃勃]
switch over (from one to another)(从某方面)转变(到另一方面)
switch to转(换)到
11 contact n.接触,触碰[U][(+with)]
交往;联系,联络[U][(+with)]
He tried in vain to get into contact with the local branch.
他试图与当地分部取得联络,但没有成功。
be in contact with和...接触， 有联系［脱离接触， 失去联系］
be out of contact with和...接触， 有联系［脱离接触， 失去联系］
bring into contact with使接触， 使与...联系
come into (in) contact with接触， 碰上
have contact with接触到， 和...有联系
lose contact with和...失去联系， 离开
make contact with和...接触［联系］
12 adapt vt.使适应；使适合
He adapted himself to the cold weather.他适应了寒冷的天气。
When he moved to Canada, the children adapted to the change very well.
他移居加拿大后孩子们很能适应变化。
改编；改装
The movie was adapted from a novel.这部电影是由小说改编的。
adapt for使适合于; 为...改编[改写]
adapt from根据...改写[改编]
adapt oneself to使自己适应或习惯于某事
adapt sth. to使某事物适应或适合
adopt vt.收养；采取；采用
They adopted our methods.他们采用了我们的办法。
adopt a child收为养子
13 focus one's attention on把注意力集中在...
give (one's)attention to注意; 关心
pay attention to注意, 重视, 倾听
pay one's attentions to殷勤款待某人, 向(女人)献殷勤
attract attention引起注意
catch sb.'s attention 引起某人的注意
with attention留心地, 注意地
devote one's attention to 专心于, 对...注意
14 beat vt., vi. beat, beaten 或 beat, beating
连打The rain was beating against/on the deck.雨打在甲板上。
The rain beat against the windows.雨水拍打在窗户上。
规律性地拍击to beat a drum击鼓
The heart beats.心脏跳动。
搅拌to beat eggs打鸡蛋
击败；胜过We played the top class at football but we couldn't beat them.
我们踢足球是一流水平, 但是我们不能战胜他们。
Unit 3
1 design n.设计, 图案, 花样, 企图, 图谋, (小说等的)构思, 纲要
v.设计, 计划, 谋划, 构思
My brother designs to be an engineer.我弟弟立志要当工程师。
My parents designed me for the navy.我的父母打算要我去当海军。
This room was originally designed to be my study.这间屋子原预定做我的书房。
This machine is of bad design.这部机器设计很差。
This dictionary is designed for college students.这本辞典是供大学生使用的。
The laws were designed to protect children.那些法律是为了保护儿童而制定的。
This book is designed as an introduction to literature.这本书是要用作文学入门读物的。
She designs for a dressmaking company.她替一家服装店设计图样。
by design故意地, 蓄意地
have designs on对...抱不良企图; 图谋加害于; 企图盗窃(某物)
design sb. for打算让某人从事(某种职业);
design sth. for预定某物作(某种用途)
design sb. to be打算让某人从事(某种职业); 预定某物作(某种用途)
2 convenient adj.便利的， 方便的;合宜的
When would it be convenient for you to go?你什么时候去方便？
We must arrange a convenient time and place for the meeting.
我们必须安排一个合适的时间和地点开会。
注意：convenient主语不能是人。例如：如果你方便的话，英语应表达为：if it is convenient to/for you,而不应表达为：if you are convenient。
3 taste：taste可用作动词（vi.＆vt.）和名词。主要义项有：尝（味），尝起来，有……味道，品尝；体验，领略；味觉；风味；爱好；审美力，鉴赏力。
Eg. Can you taste anything strange in this soup?你尝得出这汤里有什么怪味吗？
The young man has only begun to taste life.那个年轻人才开始体验人生。
This food tastes nice. 这食物味道很好。
This food has little taste. 这食物没有什么味道。
She has developed a taste for Chinese art. 她爱上了中国艺术。
She has excellent taste in jewelry. 她对珠宝有很好的鉴赏力。
注意：taste作连系动词时，不能用于被动语态。
4 set aside：留出, 不顾, 取消, 驳回
相关归纳：（1）set about着手，开始；散布
Eg. We set about cleaning the house.我们着手打扫房子。
Who has set this rumor about?谁散布的这种谣言？
（2）set back 拨慢；阻碍
Eg. He set back his watch three minutes.他将表拨慢了三分钟。
Their plans were set back by the storm.他们的计划被暴风雨所延误。
（3）set off 使爆发；燃放（焰火等）；发射
Eg. set off fireworks 燃放焰火
The joke set us off laughing.那个笑话引得我们大笑。
（4）set out 陈述；陈列；踏上旅途；出发；开始，着手
Eg. set out one’s arguments陈述自己的论点
set out goods on a stall将货品摆在摊子上
We set out for home.我们踏上归途。
He set out to paint the house.他着手粉刷房子。
（5）set up 竖立；设立；开办；使康复
Eg. set up a pole 竖立木柱
set up a sign 竖起招牌
set up a tent 搭帐篷
set up a school 创校
A few weeks’ stay in the countryside will set her up.在乡下住几个星期将使她康复。
注意：set about和set out都有“开始，着手”之意，但前者接名词或动名词，而后者常接不定式。
5 A is to B what C is to D：这是一个比喻句，通常用于“A对B而言正如C对D一样”这个句型。
Eg. We are to them what fish is to water.我们和他们的关系就像鱼儿和水一样。
Smell is to the nose what taste is to the tongue.嗅觉与鼻子的关系如同味觉和舌头的关系。
6 impress：可用作动词（vt.）和名词。主要义项有：使铭记，给……以印象；盖印,压印；印记；铭刻；印象,痕迹,特征。
注意：用作动词时，和介词的主要搭配形式为：impress sth. on sb.； impress sb.with sth.
Eg. The accident impressed on me the necessity of observing regulations.
那次事故使我深感遵守规则的必要性。
He impressed me with the need to work hard.他使我深知努力工作的必要性。
Time has left its impress upon him.时代给他留下了痕迹。
（常与with连用）使（人）印象深刻；使铭记
His words are strongly impressed on my memory.他的话使我深深铭记心头。
（常与on连用）使印象深刻
I impressed on him the importance of his work.我使他注意他的工作的重要性。
（常与on连用）盖（印）；盖（印）于
impress a mark on [upon] a surface=impress a surface with a mark在表面上打记号
be impressed by [at, with]被深深打动[感动]
impress sth. in [on] one's memory使...铭记在心
be favourably [unfavourably] impressed得到好[不好]的印象
7 choice n.挑选；选择；抉择
She had to make a choice between the two dresses.她得在两件衣服中选择一件。
She is the people's choice for Prime Minister.她是人民选出来的首相。
选举权；选举能力
入选者；被选中的人或物
Which is your choice?你选哪一个?
a great\ large choice of大量可供选择的 (物品等)
a poor choice无从选择; 备货少
at one's own choice随意挑选, 自由选择
have no choice but[后跟动词不定式]非...不可, 除...之外别无他法
without choice无选择地, 不分好歹地
8 despite, in spite of, though
三者都有“尽管”之意，但词性不同。前两者为介词，后跟名词，通常情况下可换用。而though 是连词，后跟句子。
Exercises:
（1）He’s very active ______ his age.
（2）______ all their hard work, the project ended in failure.
（3）______ it was very late, the child would not go to bed.
4）Young ______ he was he knew a lot.
答案：（1）despite/in spite of （2）In spite of/Despite （3）Though （4）though
9 be out of use不通用; 不时行; 作废
bring sth. into use开始使用(某物)
come into use开始被使用
in use正在用; 通用
make use of利用; 使用
no earthly use[口]完全没有用
of no use没有用, 无益
of use有用
put to use利用, 使用
use up用完, 耗尽;[口]使精疲力尽