(1) She never took a taxi, even though she could afford to.
(2) He couldn't afford the money to go on the trip.
(3) (formal)They could ill afford to lose any more staff.

(1) to look at the stars through a telescope
(2) Three episodes have been telescoped into a single programme.
(3) It's hoped that the telescope will enable scientists to see deeper into the universe than ever before.

(1) the commitment of resources to education
(2) Achieving success at this level requires a commitment of time and energy.
(3) Women very often have to juggle work with their family commitments.

(1) rat poison
(2) Where I come from, you don't rat on your friends.
(3) The government is accused of ratting on its promises to the unemployed.

(1) [不可数名词]the study of radioactivity
(2) a rise in the level of radioactivity
(3) The government has been storing radioactive waste at Fernald for 50 years.

(1) She married a German.
(2) He never married.
(3) I guess I'm not the marrying kind (= the kind of person who wants to get married) .

(1) The owl is sacred for many Californian indian people.
(2) We hiked the Grand Canyon, exploring indian cliff dwellings.
(3) They battled against other indian tribes, but rarely fought with the whites.

(1) ...a two-week period of time...
(2) time passed, and still Ma did not appear...
(3) 'What time is it?' — 'Eight o'clock.'...

(1) This does not attach any blame to you.
(2) attach the coupon to the front of your letter.
(3) I attach a copy of my notes for your information.

(1) a mountainous region/terrain
(2) mountainous waves
(3) ...the mountainous region of Campania.

(1) plain-clothes detectives from the vice squad
(2) The film ended most satisfactorily: vice punished and virtue rewarded.
(3) Greed is a terrible vice.

(1) 'What's his name?'—'Peter.'...
(2) I don't even know if Sullivan's his real name...
(3) My mother insisted on naming me Horace.

(1) Her job demands a high degree of skill.
(2) I agree with you to a certain degree .
(3) To what degree can parents be held responsible for a child's behaviour?

(1) a friend of hers
(2) The choice was hers.
(3) His eyes met hers.

(1) Under no circumstances should you lend Paul any money.
(2) Don't open the door, in any circumstances.
(3) The ship sank in mysterious circumstances.

(1) lung cancer
(2) Women tend to worry about cancer of the breast than of the lung.
(3) When the external pressure reduces, bubbles form in the blood, leading to lung damage within minutes.

(1) last/this/next week
(2) It rained all week.
(3) What day of the week is it?

(1) to obtain advice/information/permission
(2) I finally managed to obtain a copy of the report.
(3) To obtain the overall score, add up the totals in each column.

(1) He stood there with his arms lifted above his head.
(2) I lifted the lid of the box and peered in.
(3) (figurative)John lifted his eyes (= looked up) from his book.

(1) We have trouble getting staff.
(2) He could make trouble for me if he wanted to.
(3) The trouble with you is you don't really want to work.

(1) a boat to/from the mainland
(2) The Hebrides are to the west of the Scottish mainland.
(3) [只用于名词前]mainland Greece

(1) a jar of mustard
(2) mustard powder
(3) French/English mustard

(1) her quiet voice
(2) a quieter, more efficient engine
(3) Could you keep the kids quiet while I'm on the phone?

(1) How many pupils does the school have?
(2) She now teaches only private pupils.
(3) The painting is by a pupil of Rembrandt.

(1) a permanent job
(2) permanent staff
(3) They are now living together on a permanent basis.

(1) What was the name again?
(2) I'd like the same again (= the same amount or the same thing) .
(3) And again, we must think of the cost.

(1) to go sailing
(2) a sailing club
(3) There are six sailings a day.

(1) This animal is found in Australia, and nowhere else.
(2) There was nowhere for me to sit.
(3) ‘Where are you going this weekend? ’ ‘nowhere special. ’

(1) carbon fibre
(2) He inserted the paper and two carbons.
(3) Application: mainly use to shave rust and oil paint.

(1) a long-distance/cross-country/marathon , etc. runner
(2) a list of runners (= horses in a race) and riders
(3) a drug runner

(1) a dirty brown carpet
(2) Profit is not a dirty word around here.
(3) I'd never do the dirty on my friends.

(1) a shuttle service between London and Edinburgh
(2) Her childhood was spent shuttling between her mother and father.
(3) A bus shuttles passengers back and forth from the station to the terminal.

(1) a small house/town/car/man
(2) A much smaller number of students passed than I had expected.
(3) They're having a relatively small wedding.

(1) Indicate whether the following statements are true or false .
(2) Is it true she's leaving?
(3) All the rumours turned out to be true.

(1) Happiness is having enough money for the movie, popcorn and a chocolate bar.
(2) Mama : Will you buy me a popcorn?
(3) Once heated, this kind of popcorn, sold in the supermarkets, will expand.

(1) The programme attracted millions of viewers.
(2) Some of her art is intended to shock the viewer.
(3) viewers of the current political scene

(1) Can you think of a rhyme for ‘beauty ’?
(2) children's rhymes and stories
(3) a poem written in rhyme

(1) in the year 1865
(2) I lost my job earlier this year.
(3) Elections take place every year.

(1) He had seldom seen a child with so much talent.
(2) She seldom, if ever, goes to the theatre.
(3) They seldom watch television these days.

(1) icy air that was cold beyond belief
(2) religious/political beliefs
(3) Dissatisfaction with the government has grown beyond belief.