(1) ...a business with severe cash flow problems...
(2) I suffered from severe bouts of depression...
(3) This was a dreadful crime and a severe sentence is necessary...

(1) Anita paused for a moment, then said: ‘All right. ’
(2) The woman spoke almost without pausing for breath (= very quickly) .
(3) I paused at the door and looked back.

(1) advances in modern medicine
(2) to study/practise medicine
(3) traditional/conventional/orthodox medicine

(1) a cunning liar
(2) He was as cunning as a fox.
(3) It was a cunning piece of detective work.

(1) [不可数名词]She laughed to cover up her feeling of awkwardness.
(2) Have I come at an awkward time?
(3) This box is very awkward for one person to carry.

(1) Come over on Sunday afternoon.
(2) Where were you on the afternoon of May 21?
(3) Are you ready for this afternoon's meeting?

(1) It helped being able to talk about it.
(2) She helped (to) organize the party.
(3) Come and help me lift this box.

(1) a place where children can play in safety
(2) The police are concerned for the safety of the 12-year-old boy who has been missing for three days.
(3) He was kept in custody for his own safety .

(1) nursing auxiliaries
(2) auxiliary nurses/workers/services
(3) The restaurant is operated by the Palo Alto auxiliary for the benefit of the Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital.

(1) tropical fruits, such as bananas and pineapples
(2) Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.
(3) a piece of fruit (= an apple, an orange, etc.)

(1) A good diet is beneficial to health.
(2) Using computers has a beneficial effect on children's learning.
(3) ...vitamins which are beneficial to our health...

(1) Broadway theatres
(2) an open-air theatre
(3) How often do you go to the theatre ?

(1) I dragged the chair over to the window.
(2) They dragged her from her bed.
(3) I managed to drag myself out of bed.

(1) positive/conclusive proof
(2) Can you provide any proof of identity ?
(3) Keep the receipt as proof of purchase .

(1) The city was liberated by the advancing army.
(2) Writing poetry liberated her from the routine of everyday life.
(3) [不可数名词, 单数]a war of liberation

(1) Job applications from disable workers poured in at a staggering rate.
(2) disable menu items when they are not applicable.
(3) A power failure during the firmware writing operation will disable the camera.

(1) Have you observed any changes lately?
(2) All the characters in the novel are closely observed (= seem like people in real life) .
(3) The police observed a man enter the bank.

(1) What a splendid idea!
(2) We've all had a splendid time.
(3) splendid scenery

(1) a naval base/officer/battle
(2) He was the senior serving naval officer.
(3) ...the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay.

(1) a big/hearty/light breakfast
(2) (especially British English)a cooked breakfast
(3) Do you want bacon and eggs for breakfast ?

(1) a highly significant discovery
(2) The results of the experiment are not statistically significant .
(3) There are no significant differences between the two groups of students.

(1) They're both uncertain about what to do.
(2) I'm still uncertain of my feelings for him.
(3) Our future looks uncertain.

(1) a can of dog food (= for a dog to eat)
(2) He's off his food (= he does not want to eat anything) .
(3) a shortage of food/food shortages

(1) We have a fast turnover of stock.
(2) That particular model is not currently in stock .
(3) I'm afraid we're temporarily out of stock .

(1) They were granted refugee status.
(2) The party was denied legal status.
(3) low status jobs

(1) to inflict/impose/mete out punishment
(2) What is the punishment for murder?
(3) There is little evidence that harsher punishments deter any better than more lenient ones.

(1) the Christmas/Easter/summer vacation
(2) (British English)the long vacation (= the summer vacation)
(3) They're on vacation in Hawaii right now.

(1) Mozart clearly enjoyed good health throughout his twenties and early thirties.
(2) She became quite a notable director in the thirties and forties.
(3) He is thirty inches round the middle.

(1) the tomb of the Unknown Soldier
(2) A few red roses were scattered on the tomb.
(3) Wreaths were laid at the martyr's tomb.

(1) pine forests
(2) pine needles
(3) a Scots pine

(1) the night porter
(2) The hotel porter will get you a taxi.
(3) From the cellar grating floated up the flabby gush of porter.

(1) Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc.
(2) Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin...
(3) The company produces titanium alloy.

(1) the continent of Africa
(2) the African continent
(3) We're going to spend a weekend on the continent.

(1) a pile of books/clothes/bricks
(2) He arranged the documents in neat piles.
(3) She looked in horror at the mounting pile of letters on her desk.

(1) [不可数名词]a degree in librarianship
(2) The librarian is arranging the books on the shelf.
(3) The computer can alter the serials librarian and produce a bindery notice.

(1) a general knowledge quiz
(2) a television quiz show
(3) a reading comprehension quiz

(1) green vegetables (= for example cabbage )
(2) root vegetables (= for example carrots )
(3) a salad of raw vegetables

(1) He waited, watching her like a hawk (= watching her very closely) .
(2) He hawked and spat.
(3) Developers will be hawking cut-price flats and houses.

(1) the elimination of toxins from the body
(2) There were three eliminations in the first round of the competition.
(3) Credit cards eliminate the need to carry a lot of cash.

(1) a gold ring
(2) A diamond glittered on her ring finger (= the finger next to the little finger, especially on the left hand) .
(3) a key ring