Unit 10 A Debt to Dickens Words and Expressions综合教程一

Unit 10 A Debt to Dickens

Words and Expressions

1. render:

v.

cause sb. or sth. to be in a particular condition; give 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 sth. without any companion

e.g.

One solitary tree grew on the mountainside.

Pandas are solitary creatures.

Synonym:

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