張瑋芯的部落格

A. Class notes

1. sq. meter=square meter= m²

    cubic meter=m³

  ^{e.g. Taiwan is an island nation of about 36,000 square kilometers.}

2. footnote  (n.) (v.)  [ˋfʊt͵not]

• Definition: an explanatory or documenting note or comment at the bottom of a page, referring to a specific part of the text on the page
• e.g. Be sure to footnote both argument and evidentiary citations.

3. lame  (adj.) (v.)  [lem]

• Definition: crippled or physically disabled, especially in the foot or leg so as to limp or walk with difficulty; to make lame; to make weak or ineffective
• e.g. The accident left him lame for life.
• － lamely, lameness

4. slide: a photographic transparency on a small plate or film mounted for projection

e.g. Please go to the next slide.

5. chicken: a cowardly or fearful person.

e.g. Don't be such a big chicken.

6. Rhetorical modes

• Exposition: Expository writing is a type of writing where the purpose is to explain, inform, or even describe.
• Argumentation: The purpose of argumentation (also called persuasive writing) is to prove the validity of an idea, or point of view, by presenting sound reasoning, discussion, and argument to thoroughly convince the reader.
• Description: The purpose of description is to re-create, invent, or visually present a person, place, event, or action so that the reader can picture that which is being described.
• Narration: The purpose of narration is to tell a story or narrate an event or series of events. This writing mode frequently uses the tools of descriptive writing.

B. Etymology

1. dia-: through

e.g. dialogue, diarrhea, diameter

2. meter: measure

e.g. kilometer        [ˋkɪlə͵mitɚ]

      hydrometer      [haɪˋdrɑmɪtɚ]  (hydro- : water)

      thermometer    [θɚˋmɑmətɚ]  (thermo- : heat)

      barometer        [bəˋrɑmətɚ]

3. remain

• main- /manu- /man /mani-: hand
• maintain, manage, manual

4. prehistoric

• pre-: before
• prevent, premature, preserve

5. difference

• di- /dis: away, off
• diverse, direct, difficult

6. Genesis

• gene-: to produce, give birth, beget
• gender, generation, degenerate

7. accord

• cord: heart, melody
• concord, record, discord

8. ecosystem

• sym- /syn: the same
• symbol, syndrome, symphony

9. animal

• anim-: breath, mind
• animate, animosity, unanimous

10. observe

• ob-: toward, against
• obtain, object, obligation

11. process

• pro-: forward
• produce, project, program

12. assume

• a_- /ad-: to
• account, accept, adjust

13. urban

• urb-: city
• urbane, urbaner, suburb

14. spend

• pend /pens-: hang down, weigh
• expend, expensive, dispense

15. consolation

• con-: together
• console, contemporary, concolorous

16. unusually

• un-: do not
• uncomfortable, unfriendly, unclear

17. behind

• be-: on
• beside, below, before

18. assume

• -sum: use up, take
• consume, resume, presumption

19. emerge

• e-:out, outside
• erupt, evade, emigrate

20. surround

• sur-: on, outside, exceed
• surface, surplus, surrealism

21. separate

• se-: go away, part, divide
• select, segregate, seduce

C. Vocabulary journal

1. assume  (v.)  [əˋsjum]

• Definition: to think that something is true or probably true without knowing that it is true; to take or begin to have (power, control, etc.) in a job or situation
• e.g. The king assumed the throne when he was very young.
• － assumable, assumably, assumed, assumedly, assuming, assumingly, assumption, assumptive
• Etymology: -sum: use up, take    

            e.g. consume, resume, presumption

2. diameter  (n.)  [daɪˋæmətɚ]

• Definition: a straight line from one side of something (such as a circle) to the other side that passes through the center point; the distance through the center of something from one side to the other
• e.g. The dotted line indicates the diameter of the circle.
• － diametral, diametric, diametrical, diametrically
• Etymology: dia-: through

           e.g. dialogue, diarrhea, diameter

3. ecosystem  (n.)  [ˋɛko͵sɪstəm]

• Definition: all the plants and animals in a particular area, considered as a system with parts that depend on one another; all the different activities, companies, systems etc that are involved in a particular area of business, especially new technology
• e.g. TED Talks have become a mainstay of the online ecosystem.
• Etymology: sym- /syn: the same

            e.g. symbol, syndrome, symphony

4. emerge  (v.)  [ɪˋmɝdʒ]

• Definition: to become known or apparent; to rise or appear from a hidden or unknown place or condition : to come out into view
• e.g. The facts emerged after a lengthy investigation.
• － emergence
• Etymology: e-:out, outside

            e.g. erupt, evade, emigrate

5. frontier  (n.) (adj.)  [frʌnˋtɪr]

• Definition: a border between two countries; a distant area where few people live; the limits of knowledge in a particular field; of, living in, or situated in the frontier
• e.g. Our frontier guards held up under fierce enemy attack.
• Etymology: front: brow

            e.g. effrontery, frontal, affront

6. giant  (n.) (adj.)  [ˋdʒaɪənt]

• Definition: a legendary creature usually thought of as being an extremely large and powerful person; a person or thing that is very large, powerful, or successful; having extremely large size, proportion, or power
• e.g. The Great Pyramids of Egypt are giants among the world's architectural wonders
• Etymology: giant: enormous, huge, tremendous

            e.g. giga-, gigantic, gigantism

7. limb  (n.) (v.)  [lɪm]

• Definition: an arm, or a leg; a large branch on a tree; a part of something that sticks out; dismember; to cut off the limbs of (a falled tree)
• e.g. She rested her tired and aching limbs.

8. manage to

• Definition: to succeed in doing something, especially something that needs a lot of effort or skill
• e.g. I managed to escape by diving into the river.

9. penetrate  (v.)  [ˋpɛnə͵tret]

• Definition: to go through or into something; to see or show the way through (something); to succeed in becoming part of (an organization, a community, etc.)
• e.g. The roots of these plants have been known to penetrate to a depth of more than 15 feet.
• － penetrability, penetrable, penetrating, penetration, penetrative, penetrator

10. rot  (n.) (v.)  [rɑt]

• Definition:  to slowly decay or cause (something) to decay; the process of rotting or the condition that results when something rots; foolish words or ideas
• e.g. Eating too much candy can rot your teeth.

11. alert  (n.) (v.) (adj.)  [əˋlɝt]

• Definition: able to think clearly and to notice things; something (such as a message or loud sound) that tells people there is some danger or problem; the state of being ready for something you have been warned about (such as an attack); to give (someone) important information about a possible problem, danger, etc. ; to make (someone) aware of something
• e.g. Several neighbors alerted the authorities when they noticed strangers acting suspiciously .
• － alertly, alertness

12. bush  (n.) (v.)  [bʊʃ]

• Definition: a plant that is smaller than a tree and has a lot of thin branches growing close together; to support, mark, or protect with bushes; to extend like a bush
• e.g. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

13. cylinder  (n.)  [ˋsɪlɪndɚ]

• Definition: an object shaped like a wide tube; a metal container for gas or liquid
• e.g. She handed over a small metal cylinder.
• － cylindric, cylindrical

14. desperately  (adv.)  [ˋdɛspərɪtlɪ]

• Definition: in a very worried or angry way; very much
• e.g. She tried desperately to push him away.
• － desperate, desperation

15. foliage (n.)  [ˋfolɪɪdʒ]

• Definition: the leaves of a plant or of many plants
• e.g. He crouched down among the tangled foliage.
• Etymology: foil: leaf

            e.g. tinfoil, quatrefoil, hydrofoil

16. gap  (n.) (v.)  [gæp]

• Definition: a space or opening in the middle of something or between things; something missing from a situation or a system that prevents it from being complete or perfect; a large difference between things or groups;a period of time in which something does not happen
• e.g. We will then carry out research to fill in the gaps in our knowledge.

17. grab  (v.)  [græb]

• Definition: to quickly take and hold (someone or something) with your hand or arms; to take or get (something) in a quick and informal way; to get the attention or interest of (someone or something)
• e.g. I have to go back in the house and grab my car keys.
• Etymology: grab: to seize, reach

            e.g. grasp, grabble, grabby

18. gravity  (n.)  [ˋgrævətɪ]

• Definition: the force that makes any two objects that have mass move towards each other. The most common example of this is when an object falls to the ground; the seriousness or importance of something; a serious attitude
• e.g. He was criticized for his lack of gravity.
• － gravitate, gravitation, gravitational, gravitative,

19. layer  (n.) (v.)  [ˈleɚ]

• Definition: an amount of something that is spread over an area; a covering piece of material or a part that lies over or under another ; a bird that lays eggs; to form or arrange parts or pieces of something on top of each other
• e.g. The top layer of the rug is badly worn but the bottom layer is still OK.

20. lean  (v.) (adj.)  [lin]

• Definition: to move your body so it is closer to or further from someone or something; not having much fat on the body; not having or producing much money, food, etc.
• e.g. She has a lean, athletic body.
• － leanness

21. leap  (v.) (n.)  [lip]

• Definition: to jump from a surface; to jump over (something); to move quickly; a long or high jump; the distance that a person or animal jumps
• e.g. When the alarm went off, she leapt out of bed.

22. shrug  (v.) (n.)  [ʃrʌg]

• Definition: to raise and lower your shoulders usually to show that you do not know or care about something; an act of shrugging; a woman's small waist-length or shorter jacket
• e.g. I asked if he wanted to go out to dinner, and he just shrugged.

23. swing  (v.) (n.)   [swɪŋ]

• Definition: to move backward and forward or from side to side while hanging from something; to move with a smooth, curving motion; to move (your arm, a tool, etc.) with a quick, curving motion especially to try to hit something; an act of moving something with a quick, sweeping motion; a usually sudden change from one state or condition to another
• e.g. I swung my suitcase into the backseat of the car.

24. tangle  (v.) (n.)  [ˋtæŋg!]

• Definition: to become or cause (something) to become twisted together; a complicated or confused state or condition; a fight, or an argument
• e.g. This fishing line tangles easily.
• － tangled, tangly

25. work (one's) way

• Definition: to move oneself into or out of a particular position slowly or with difficulty; to have a job that helps pay for expenses while going to college/school
• e.g. They started working their way cautiously down the side of the mountain.