張瑋芯的部落格

• be fascinated by = attract
• agree with = approve = assent to
• rely on = depend on
• even so = however = nevertheless = nonetheless

D. Vocabulary journal

1. being  (n.)  [ˋbiɪŋ]

• Definition: a living thing; the state of existing; the most important or basic part of a person's mind or self
• e.g. We are social beings as well as individuals.

2. credible  (adj.)  [ˋkrɛdəb!]

• Definition: able to be believed or trusted ; considered as likely to happen or be successful
• e.g. We've received credible information about the group's location.
• Etymology: credo-: to believe    

            e.g. credulous, credence, credit

• － credibility, credibly

3. criteria  (n.)  [kraɪˋtɪrɪən]

• Definition: something that is used as a reason for making a judgment or decision
• e.g. What were the criteria used to choose the winner?

4. dismiss  (v.)  [dɪsˋmɪs]

• Definition: to decide not to think about or consider (something or someone); to cause or allow (someone) to leave; o officially make (someone) leave a job
• e.g. I don't think we should dismiss the matter lightly.
• Etymology: dis-: apart, away   

            e.g. discard, dissolve, dispel

5. envy  (v.) (n.)  [ˋɛnvɪ]

• Definition: the feeling of wanting to have what someone else has; someone or something that causes envy; to feel a desire to have what someone else has
• e.g. Their exotic vacations inspired envy in their friends.
• enviable, enviably, envious

6. essential  (adj.)  (n.)  [ɪˋsɛnʃəl]

• Definition: extremely important and necessary; very basic; something that is basic or necessary
• e.g. As a fighter pilot, he knows that good vision is essential.
• － essentially, essentiality, essentialize

7. extraterrestrial  (adj.)  (n.)  [ˌekstrətəˈrestrɪəl]

• Definition: coming from or existing outside the planet Earth; an extraterrestrial being
• e.g. Many people believe that  the existence of exraterrestrial life.
• Etymology: ex-: out of                        e.g. exit, expel, exhale

                     terrain: Earth, land           e.g. terrace, Mediterranean, territory

8. galaxy  (n.)  [ˋgæləksɪ]

• Definition: any one of the very large groups of stars that make up the universe; a large group of important or well-known people or things; the Galaxy: the galaxy in which we live
• e.g. The event was attended by a galaxy of artists.
• Etymology: lactaion: milk

             e.g. lactose, lacteal, lactic

9. launch  (v.) (n.)  [lɔntʃ]

• Definition: to send or shoot (something, such as a rocket) into the air or water or into outer space; to put (a boat or ship) on the water; to throw (something) forward in a forceful way
• e.g. She's trying to launch a new career as a singer.
• － launchable

10. mainstream  (n.) (v.) (adj.)  [ˋmen͵strim]

• Definition: a prevailing current or direction of activity or influence;  to place (a child with special educational needs) in regular school classes; to cause (someone or something) to be included in or accepted by the group that includes most people
• e.g. The poor should be mainstreamed into the private health-insurance system.

11. orbit  (v.) (n.) [ˋɔrbɪt]

• Definition: the path that is taken by an object moving around a larger object in space; an area in which someone or something has power or influence; the path that is taken by an electron around the nucleus of an atom
• e.g. For many years the region remained within the orbit of imperial Rome.
• － orbital

12. account   (n.) (v.)   [əˋkaʊnt]

• Definition: an arrangement in which a bank keeps a record of the money that a person puts in and takes out of the bank; to think of (someone or something) in a specified way; a written or spoken report about something that has happened
• e.g. You can withdraw up to $1,000 a day from your account.
• Etymology: ad-: to      

            e.g. adverb, admit, adapt

• accountability, accountable, accountably

13. fabric  (n.)  [ˋfæbrɪk]

• Definition: woven or knitted material; the basic structure of something
• e.g. The curtains are made of expensive fabric.

14. fundamental  (adj.) (n.)  [͵fʌndəˋmɛnt!]

• Definition: forming or relating to the most important part of something; of or relating to the basic structure or function of something;  one of the basic and important parts of something
• e.g. The Constitution ensures our fundamental rights.
• － fundament, fundamentally

15. literally  (adv.)  [ˋlɪtərəlɪ]

• Definition: used for showing that what you are saying is really true and is not just an impressive way of describing something; in the most basic, obvious meanings of the words that are used
• e.g. Many words can be used both literally and figuratively.
• Etymology: litera-: letter

            e.g. literacy, literate, literature

• － literal, literalness

16. overestimate  (v.) (n.)  [͵ovɚˋɛstə͵met]

• Definition: to consider something to be better than it really is; to make a mistake by guessing an amount, number etc that is too high
• e.g. I overestimated the amount of milk we'd need for the weekend.
• Etymology: over-: too much

             e.g. overconfidence, over-optimistic, overexcited

17. planetarium  (n.)  [͵plænəˋtɛrɪəm]

• Definition: a building or room in which images of stars, planets, etc., are shown on a high, curved ceiling
• e.g. On his days off he takes them to the Museum of Natural History or the Planetarium.

18. probe  (v.) (n.)  [prob]

• Definition: a careful examination or investigation of something; a thin, long instrument that is used especially for examining parts of the body; to ask a lot of questions in order to find secret or hidden information about someone or something; to touch or reach into (something) by using your finger, a long tool, etc., in order to see or find something; to look into or examine (something) carefully
• e.g. His questions made it clear he was probing for information.

19. prompt  (v.) (n.) (adj.) (adv.)  [prɑmpt]

• Definition: to cause (someone) to do something; being ready and quick to act as occasion demands; performed readily or immediately; the lines of a play that are said to an actor who has forgotten them
• e.g.

• The actor was given a prompt by someone offstage.

• Etymology: pro-: forward

             e.g. proceed, prospect, proclaim

• － promptly, promptness

20. punch  (v.) (n.)  [pʌntʃ]

• Definition: to hit (someone or something) hard with your fist; to press or push (something) with a short, quick movement; to make (a hole, dent, etc.) by pressing or cutting in, into, or through something; ffective energy or forcefulness; a quick blow with or as if with the fist
• e.g. She punched him on the chin.
• － punchy

21. shortcut  (n.) (adj) (v.) [ˋʃɔrt͵kʌt]

• Definition: a shorter, quicker, or easier way to get to a place; a quicker or easier way to do something; to shorten (as a route or procedure) by use of a shortcut
• e.g. Are you sure there's no way to shortcut the entrance requirements?

22. skepticism  (n.)  [ˋskɛptəsɪzəm]

• Definition: an attitude of doubting the truth of something (such as a claim or statement)
• e.g. She regarded the researcher's claims with skepticism.
• Etymology: scope: to look at, view

             e.g. telescope, spectacle, skeptic

• － skeptical, skeptically, skepticize

23. vast  (adj.) (n.)  [ˋvæst]

• Definition: very great in size, amount, or extent; a boundless space
• e.g. She has a vast amount of knowledge on this subject.
• － vastly, vastness

24. worthy  (adj.)  [ˋwɝðɪ]

• Definition: good and deserving respect, praise, or attention; having enough good qualities to be considered important, useful, etc
• e.g. Your donations will be going to a worthy cause.
• Etymology: wer-: to turn, wind

             e.g. wring, wreath, warp

• － worth, worthily, worthiness

25. off chance

• Definition: used to talk about something that might happen or be true but that is not likely
• e.g. I called his office on the off chance that he would still be there, but he had already left.