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Sunday, March 2, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
english vocabularies
periphrasis
Definition: (noun) A style that involves indirect ways of expressing things.
Synonyms: ambage, circumlocution
Usage: Parents often engage in periphrasis when discussing adult matters in the presence of their children.
criterion
Definition: (noun) A basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated.
Synonyms: standard, touchstone, measure
Usage: Their criterion of a good rider is, a man who can manage an untamed colt, or who, if his horse falls, alights on his own feet.
pourboire
Definition: (noun) A relatively small amount of money given for services rendered.
Synonyms: baksheesh, gratuity, tip
Usage: The bellboy waited expectantly, but no pourboire was forthcoming
obtuse
Definition: (adjective) Slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity.
Synonyms: dumb, slow, dense, dim, dull
Usage: Though he was generally regarded as obtuse by his fellow students, his math scores were the highest in the class.
foramen
Definition: (noun) An opening or orifice, as in a bone or in the covering of the ovule of a plant.
Synonyms: hiatus
Usage: The tribe made necklaces by passing string through the foramens of fang-shaped bones.
perspicuous
Definition: (adjective) Clearly expressed or presented; easy to understand.
Synonyms: lucid, luculent, pellucid, crystal clear, limpid
Usage: The lawyer presented a perspicuous closing argument, clarifying the forensic evidence for the confused jurors.
zoophagous
Definition: (adjective) Feeding on animal matter; carnivorous.
Synonyms: flesh-eating, meat-eating
Usage: Zoophagous insects include predators and parasites.
remunerate
Definition: (verb) To pay (a person) a suitable equivalent in return for goods provided, services rendered, or losses incurred.
Synonyms: recompense, compensate
Usage: John carefully weeded his neighbors' gardens, aware that they would remunerate him for a job well done.
sagacity
Definition: (noun) The quality of being discerning, sound in judgment, and farsighted; wisdom
Synonyms: discernment, sagaciousness, judgment
Usage: Spies cannot be usefully employed without a certain intuitive sagacity.
fulminate
Definition: (verb) To issue a thunderous verbal attack or denunciation.
Synonyms: rail
Usage: He fulminated against corruption in governmental institutions
prudery
Definition: (noun) Excessive or affected modesty.
Synonyms: Grundyism, primness, prudishness
Usage: Casting prudery to the wind, I lifted my head, looked him in the eyes, and professed my undying love.
centerboard
Definition: (noun) A movable keel in a sailboat that can be pivoted upward to reduce the boat's draft in shallow water.
Synonyms: drop keel, sliding keel
arid
Definition: (adjective) Lacking moisture, especially having insufficient rainfall to support trees or woody plants.
Synonyms: waterless
Usage: Only a few cacti managed to survive in the arid climate.
farrier
Definition: (noun) A person who shoes horses.
Synonyms: horseshoer
Usage: The farrier took a look at the limping horse and declared that a badly fitted horseshoe was the culprit.
spline
Definition: (noun) A wooden or metal strip.
Synonyms: slat
Usage: Humidity and weathering had caused the spline on the edge of the door to detach.
mugwump
Definition: (noun) A person who acts independently or remains neutral, especially in politics.
Synonyms: fencesitter, independent
Usage: The public relations firm believed that the key to victory was to capture the hearts and minds of the mugwumps who would otherwise remain passive.
gambol
Definition: (verb) To leap about playfully.
Synonyms: frisk, frolic, lark, rollick, romp, cavort
Usage: Then he ran back to the shed pulling the playful young horse, who wanted to gambol all over the yard, by the rein.
pestilence
Definition: (noun) A usually fatal epidemic disease, especially bubonic plague.
Synonyms: plague
Usage: The place might have been desolated by a pestilence, so empty and so lifeless did it now appear.
revivalist
Definition: (noun) A preacher of the Christian gospel.
Synonyms: evangelist, gospeller
Usage: The revivalist drew a crowd of devoted followers to his weekly prayer meetings.
drachm
Definition: (noun) A unit of capacity or volume in the apothecary system equal to one eighth of a fluid ounce.
Synonyms: fluidram, fluid drachm
Usage: She measured out a drachm of the sweet-smelling elixir and administered it to the ailing child.
abase
Definition: (verb) Cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of.
Synonyms: chagrin, humiliate, humble, mortify
Usage: Today she overwhelmed me with shrill reproaches, and abased me to the level of a hearth-brush.
exigent
Definition: (adjective) Requiring much effort or expense; demanding attention.
Synonyms: crying, insistent, clamant, instant
Usage: The professor regarded literary questions as exigent and momentous.
Definition: (noun) A style that involves indirect ways of expressing things.
Synonyms: ambage, circumlocution
Usage: Parents often engage in periphrasis when discussing adult matters in the presence of their children.
criterion
Definition: (noun) A basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated.
Synonyms: standard, touchstone, measure
Usage: Their criterion of a good rider is, a man who can manage an untamed colt, or who, if his horse falls, alights on his own feet.
pourboire
Definition: (noun) A relatively small amount of money given for services rendered.
Synonyms: baksheesh, gratuity, tip
Usage: The bellboy waited expectantly, but no pourboire was forthcoming
obtuse
Definition: (adjective) Slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity.
Synonyms: dumb, slow, dense, dim, dull
Usage: Though he was generally regarded as obtuse by his fellow students, his math scores were the highest in the class.
foramen
Definition: (noun) An opening or orifice, as in a bone or in the covering of the ovule of a plant.
Synonyms: hiatus
Usage: The tribe made necklaces by passing string through the foramens of fang-shaped bones.
perspicuous
Definition: (adjective) Clearly expressed or presented; easy to understand.
Synonyms: lucid, luculent, pellucid, crystal clear, limpid
Usage: The lawyer presented a perspicuous closing argument, clarifying the forensic evidence for the confused jurors.
zoophagous
Definition: (adjective) Feeding on animal matter; carnivorous.
Synonyms: flesh-eating, meat-eating
Usage: Zoophagous insects include predators and parasites.
remunerate
Definition: (verb) To pay (a person) a suitable equivalent in return for goods provided, services rendered, or losses incurred.
Synonyms: recompense, compensate
Usage: John carefully weeded his neighbors' gardens, aware that they would remunerate him for a job well done.
sagacity
Definition: (noun) The quality of being discerning, sound in judgment, and farsighted; wisdom
Synonyms: discernment, sagaciousness, judgment
Usage: Spies cannot be usefully employed without a certain intuitive sagacity.
fulminate
Definition: (verb) To issue a thunderous verbal attack or denunciation.
Synonyms: rail
Usage: He fulminated against corruption in governmental institutions
prudery
Definition: (noun) Excessive or affected modesty.
Synonyms: Grundyism, primness, prudishness
Usage: Casting prudery to the wind, I lifted my head, looked him in the eyes, and professed my undying love.
centerboard
Definition: (noun) A movable keel in a sailboat that can be pivoted upward to reduce the boat's draft in shallow water.
Synonyms: drop keel, sliding keel
arid
Definition: (adjective) Lacking moisture, especially having insufficient rainfall to support trees or woody plants.
Synonyms: waterless
Usage: Only a few cacti managed to survive in the arid climate.
farrier
Definition: (noun) A person who shoes horses.
Synonyms: horseshoer
Usage: The farrier took a look at the limping horse and declared that a badly fitted horseshoe was the culprit.
spline
Definition: (noun) A wooden or metal strip.
Synonyms: slat
Usage: Humidity and weathering had caused the spline on the edge of the door to detach.
mugwump
Definition: (noun) A person who acts independently or remains neutral, especially in politics.
Synonyms: fencesitter, independent
Usage: The public relations firm believed that the key to victory was to capture the hearts and minds of the mugwumps who would otherwise remain passive.
gambol
Definition: (verb) To leap about playfully.
Synonyms: frisk, frolic, lark, rollick, romp, cavort
Usage: Then he ran back to the shed pulling the playful young horse, who wanted to gambol all over the yard, by the rein.
pestilence
Definition: (noun) A usually fatal epidemic disease, especially bubonic plague.
Synonyms: plague
Usage: The place might have been desolated by a pestilence, so empty and so lifeless did it now appear.
revivalist
Definition: (noun) A preacher of the Christian gospel.
Synonyms: evangelist, gospeller
Usage: The revivalist drew a crowd of devoted followers to his weekly prayer meetings.
drachm
Definition: (noun) A unit of capacity or volume in the apothecary system equal to one eighth of a fluid ounce.
Synonyms: fluidram, fluid drachm
Usage: She measured out a drachm of the sweet-smelling elixir and administered it to the ailing child.
abase
Definition: (verb) Cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of.
Synonyms: chagrin, humiliate, humble, mortify
Usage: Today she overwhelmed me with shrill reproaches, and abased me to the level of a hearth-brush.
exigent
Definition: (adjective) Requiring much effort or expense; demanding attention.
Synonyms: crying, insistent, clamant, instant
Usage: The professor regarded literary questions as exigent and momentous.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
english essay
Some people have said that computers have made life easier and more convenient. Other people say that computers have made life more complex and stressful. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
First, using computer can support your work anytime anywhere while you are connecting to the internet. The internet technology has grown quickly so its network can support your communication with others people around the world. You can use your computer by connecting to internet to do your jobs while you are in the remote area. You do not necessary to go into your office .You can check e-mail who will send message to you, send information via your company web portal and talk to others via video conferencing. For these reasons I would think that computer do more than you thing and it make you life more convenience.
Second, computer can help people who live in remote area can learn via distance learning. This is a good change for people who have problems with time schedule so they can study via computer. The benefits of using computer make people easy to learn while they work. After they finish their work then they just login to internet from computer to study.
To sum up, computers make people gain more advantage than disadvantage because of its technology .People will do their work anytime and anywhere. Moreover, the can learn from distance via online learning. Without computer, people are inconvenience.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
english superative adj
english Superlative Adjectives
The superlative is used to say what thing or person has the most of a particular quality within a group or of its kind. Superlative adjectives normally come before any other adjectives.
Snowdon is not the highest mountain in Britain, Ben Nevis is.
Mount Snowdon is 3,559 feet high. Ben Nevis is 4,408 feet high.
The rule for forming the superlative is any one syllable adjective add -est to the end of the word. Any longer adjective (two syllables or more) use most in front of the word. Usually superlatives are preceded by 'the'.
For example:
* "Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.", 'high' is a short (one syllable) word.
* "Arguably, Rome is the most beautiful city in the world.", beautiful is a long word.
The following adjectives are exceptions to this rule:
* 'good' becomes 'the best'
* 'bad' becomes 'the worst'
* 'far' becomes 'the farthest' or 'the furthest'
The superlative is used to say what thing or person has the most of a particular quality within a group or of its kind. Superlative adjectives normally come before any other adjectives.
Snowdon is not the highest mountain in Britain, Ben Nevis is.
Mount Snowdon is 3,559 feet high. Ben Nevis is 4,408 feet high.
The rule for forming the superlative is any one syllable adjective add -est to the end of the word. Any longer adjective (two syllables or more) use most in front of the word. Usually superlatives are preceded by 'the'.
For example:
* "Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.", 'high' is a short (one syllable) word.
* "Arguably, Rome is the most beautiful city in the world.", beautiful is a long word.
The following adjectives are exceptions to this rule:
* 'good' becomes 'the best'
* 'bad' becomes 'the worst'
* 'far' becomes 'the farthest' or 'the furthest'
processive adj
Possessive Adjectives
Possesive adjectives are used to show ownership or possession.
Subject pronoun Possessive adjective
I my
you your
he his
she her
it its
we our
they their
For example:
* I own this website. = This is my website.
* You own this computer (I presume). = It is your computer.
Possesive adjectives are used to show ownership or possession.
Subject pronoun Possessive adjective
I my
you your
he his
she her
it its
we our
they their
For example:
* I own this website. = This is my website.
* You own this computer (I presume). = It is your computer.
comparative
A) We use than after comparatives(older than .../ more expensive than ... etc.):
* İstanbul is older than Rome
* Are oranges more expensive than bananas?
* It's easier to phone than to write a letter.
* "How are you today?" Not bad. Better than yesterday.
* The restaurant is more crowded than usual.
B) We say: than me / than him / than her / than us / than them. You can say:
* I can run faster than him. or I can faster than he can.
* You are a better singer than me. or You are a better singer than i am.
* I got up earlier than her. or I got up earlier than she did.
C) more less than ...
* A: How much did your shoes cost? $30?
B: No, more than that. (=more than $30)
* The film was very short - less than an hour.
* They've got more money than they need.
* You go out more than me.
D) a bit older / much older etc.
A
B
C
D
Box A is a bit bigger than box B. Box C is much bigger than box D.
* Canada is much bigger than France.
* Jill is a bit older than Gary - she's 25 and he's 241/2
* The hotel was much more expensive than I expected.
* You go out much more than me.
* İstanbul is older than Rome
* Are oranges more expensive than bananas?
* It's easier to phone than to write a letter.
* "How are you today?" Not bad. Better than yesterday.
* The restaurant is more crowded than usual.
B) We say: than me / than him / than her / than us / than them. You can say:
* I can run faster than him. or I can faster than he can.
* You are a better singer than me. or You are a better singer than i am.
* I got up earlier than her. or I got up earlier than she did.
C) more less than ...
* A: How much did your shoes cost? $30?
B: No, more than that. (=more than $30)
* The film was very short - less than an hour.
* They've got more money than they need.
* You go out more than me.
D) a bit older / much older etc.
A
B
C
D
Box A is a bit bigger than box B. Box C is much bigger than box D.
* Canada is much bigger than France.
* Jill is a bit older than Gary - she's 25 and he's 241/2
* The hotel was much more expensive than I expected.
* You go out much more than me.
