9/30(WEEK 4)

1.fractious:causing trouble : hard to manage or control

*origin:fraction (discord) + -ous

*example:The fractious crowd grew violent.

2.contempt:a feeling that someone or something is not worthy of any respect or approval

*origin:Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin contemptus,from contemnere

*example:He feels that wealthy people view him with contemptbecause he is poor.

3.leverage: influence or power used to achieve a desired result

*origin:1830

*example:The union's size gave it leverage in the labor contract negotiations.

4.wistful: having or showing sad thoughts and feelings about something that you want to have or do and especially about something that made you happy in the past

*origin:blend of wishful and obsolete English wistly intently

*example:She was wistful for a moment, then asked, “Do you remember the old playground?”.

5.gleam: a small, bright light

*origin:Middle English gleem, from Old English glǣm; akin to Old English geolu yellow

*example:He saw the gleam of a flashlight in the distance.

 

10/1

1.pale: light in color

*orgin:Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin pallidus, frompallēre to be pale

*example:The walls were painted a pale blue.

2.ripple: to move in small waves

*origin:perhaps frequentative of rip

*example:We could see the lion's muscles ripple.

3.stationary: not moving : staying in one place or position

*origin:1626

*example:The weather front has remained stationary over the Southeast.

4.buoy: to cause (someone) to feel happy or confident

*origin:1596

*example:The tax breaks should help to buoy the economy.

5.anchor: a heavy device that is attached to a boat or ship by a rope or chain and that is thrown into the water to hold the boat or ship in place

*origin:Middle English ancre, from Old English ancor, from Latinanchora, from Greek ankyra; akin to Old English anga hook

*example:The ship dropped anchor in a secluded harbor.

 

10/2

1.rear: to take care of (a young person or animal)

*origin:Middle English reren, from Old English rǣran; akin to Old Norse reisa to raise, Old English rīsan to rise

*example:Watched a documentary on how wolves rear their young

2.divan: a long, low seat that has no back or arms or only part of a back and one arm

*origin:Turkish, from Persian dīvān account book

*example:Whenever I stayed over at their house I usually slept on the divan in the living room

3.conscientious:very careful about doing what you are supposed to do : concerned with doing something correctly

*origin:1576

*example:She has always been a very conscientious worker.

4.absurd: extremely silly, foolish, or unreasonable : completely ridiculous

*origin:Middle French absurde, from Latin absurdus, from ab- +surdus deaf, stupid

*example:The charges against him are obviously absurd.

5.witty: funny and clever

*origin: before 12th century

*example:a witty talk show host

 

10/3

1.surname: the name that is shared by the people in a family

*origin:14th century

*example:Judging from your surname, I'd guess that your family is Italian

2.irrelevant: not important or relating to what is being discussed right now : not relevant

*origin:1786

*example:His comment is completely irrelevant.

3.imperceptible:impossible to see or notice

*origin:Middle English, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin imperceptibilis, from Latin in- + Late Latin perceptibilisperceptible

*example:These changes will be imperceptible to most people.

4.totter:to move or walk in a slow and unsteady way

*origin:Middle English toteren

*example:The child tottered across the room.

5.compulsion: a very strong desire to do something

*origin:Middle English, from Anglo-French or Late Latin; Anglo-French, from Late Latin compulsion-, compulsio, from Latincompellere to compel

*example:I gave in to one of my compulsions and ordered the chocolate dessert.

 

10/4

Class notes:

1.英文四種方式:因果，對照，舉例，提問。

2.invader:in means into

for example:inner, innate, instinct

3.retreat:re means back again

for example:revise, review, rehearsal

New words:

1.ecstatic: very happy or excited : feeling or showing ecstasy

*origin:Medieval Latin ecstaticus, from Greek ekstatikos, fromexistanai

*example:He was ecstatic when he heard that he was going to be a father.

2.desolate: lacking the people, plants, animals, etc., that make people feel welcome in a place

*origin:Middle English desolat, from Latin desolatus, past participle of desolare to abandon, from de- + solus alone

*example:a desolate house abandoned many years ago

3.mourn: to feel or show great sadness because someone has died

*origin:Middle English, from Old English murnan; akin to Old High German mornēn to mourn, Greek mermēra care

*example:She is still mourning her husband, who died last year.

4.hover: to float in the air without moving in any direction

*origin:Middle English hoveren, frequentative of hoven to hover

*example:Watch as the hummingbird hovers over the flowers

5.decisive: able to make choices quickly and confidently

*origin:1611

*example:You must be decisive and persistent to succeed in this competitive field.