(1) The couple was/were married in 1976.
(2) Do you need any more glasses? I've got a couple I can lend you.
(3) (North Amercian English)It's only a couple blocks away.

(1) He dived below the surface of the water.
(2) Please do not write below this line.
(3) Skirts will be worn below (= long enough to cover) the knee.

(1) Why should they get first call on the best property?
(2) He called me over the Tannoy.
(3) I made a phone call to the United States to talk to a friend...

(1) Many scholars have argued thus.
(2) The universities have expanded, thus allowing many more people the chance of higher education.
(3) He is the eldest son and thus heir to the title.

(1) He scolded them for arriving late.
(2) [常用单数形式]I got a scolding from my mother.
(3) If he finds out, he'll scold me...

(1) We contributed £5 000 to the earthquake fund.
(2) Would you like to contribute to our collection?
(3) Do you wish to contribute?

(1) a cartoon character
(2) a Walt Disney cartoon
(3) ...one of Britain's best-loved cartoon characters, Rupert the Bear.

(1) a chemical element
(2) the chemical industry
(3) chemical reactions/processes

(1) Who's chairing the meeting?
(2) an old man asleep in a chair (= an armchair )
(3) She takes the chair in all our meetings.

(1) Do you believe in magic?
(2) He suddenly appeared as if by magic .
(3) A passage was cleared through the crowd like magic .

(1) I don't know. He has a headache, a bad stomachache and a fever.
(2) I have a headache ( stomachache ).
(3) Excuse me, my friend has a stomachache. Let me call the Emergency Center.

(1) Always chew food well before swallowing it.
(2) The pills should be swallowed whole.
(3) I had a sore throat and it hurt to swallow.

(1) boats of every description /all descriptions
(2) Their money came from trade of some description.
(3) medals, coins and things of that description

(1) We stopped for something to eat.
(2) Give me something to do .
(3) There's something wrong with the TV.

(1) a systematic approach to solving the problem
(2) a systematic attempt to destroy the organization
(3) The prisoner was subjected to systematic torture.

(1) gradually, the children began to understand.
(2) The weather gradually improved.
(3) gradually we learned to cope.

(1) a colour/black-and-white photo
(2) a passport photo
(3) a photo album (= a book for keeping your photos in)

(1) The typhoon sank a ferry, drowning over 200 people.
(2) A typhoon is now approaching Hong Kong.
(3) The typhoon uprooted numerous trees.

(1) Primakov was in Japan meeting with the chairwoman of the Socialist Party there.
(2) KMT : 1 . chairwoman Tsai, you are an expert on international economics and trade.
(3) FDIC chairwoman Sheila Bair says this will be a seamless transition for the bank's customers.

(1) a bike's inner tube
(2) the cardboard tube from the centre of a toilet roll
(3) a tube of toothpaste

(1) a pencil sharpener
(2) a knife sharpener
(3) ...a pencil sharpener.

(1) ...the boys' dormitory...
(2) The latest refugees were housed in makeshift dormitories.
(3) She lived in a college dormitory.

(1) He's always begging off at the last minute.
(2) ‘Just go away. ’ ‘I beg your pardon! ’
(3) She begged that she be allowed to go.

(1) We feared that an advance on the capital would soon follow.
(2) recent advances in medical science
(3) We live in an age of rapid technological advance.

(1) My heart was in my mouth when I walked into her office.
(2) He appealed to his countrymen not to lose heart.
(3) I tried to learn some lines but my heart wasn't really in it.

(1) He chopped some wood for the fire.
(2) a plank of wood
(3) All the furniture was made of wood .

(1) Try to support each other when one of you is feeling down...
(2) I have been down since the injury happened...
(3) That's down to pure hard work.

(1) The main criterion is value for money.
(2) What criteria are used for assessing a student's ability?
(3) The most important criterion for entry is that applicants must design and make their own work...

(1) The newspapers branded her a hypocrite.
(2) They were branded as liars and cheats.
(3) an unorthodox brand of humour

(1) Following her recent appointment to the post…
(2) his appointment as principal
(3) a permanent/first appointment

(1) It was in aid of a worthwhile cause (= a charity, etc.) .
(2) The smile on her face made it all worthwhile.
(3) High prices in the UK make it worthwhile for buyers to look abroad.

(1) a stout pair of shoes
(2) He put up a stout defence in court.
(3) He was tall and stoutly built.

(1) Good management benefits employers and employees alike.
(2) My sister and I do not look alike.
(3) They tried to treat all their children alike.

(1) a small town set in a valley
(2) a wooded valley
(3) the valley floor

(1) (British English)I need to go to the toilet (= use the toilet) .
(2) a toilet seat
(3) toilet facilities

(1) Cook over a gentle heat.
(2) We went for a gentle stroll.
(3) a little gentle exercise

(1) a doctor of Philosophy/Law
(2) doctor Franks (= as a title/form of address)
(3) He was accused of doctoring the figures.

(1) [可数名词, 不可数名词]an evaluation of the health care system
(2) We need to evaluate how well the policy is working.
(3) Our research attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of the different drugs.

(1) a pair of gloves/shoes/earrings, etc.
(2) a huge pair of eyes
(3) The vase is one of a matching pair .

(1) the present government's policy on education
(2) The company has adopted a firm policy on shoplifting.
(3) We have tried to pursue a policy of neutrality.