(1) Late again! What's your excuse this time?
(2) There's no excuse for such behaviour.
(3) His excuse for forgetting her birthday was that he had lost his diary.

(1) Each child had to recite a poem to the class.
(2) They recited all their grievances to me.
(3) She could recite a list of all the kings and queens.

(1) Birds feed on nuts and berries in the winter.
(2) blackberries/raspberries
(3) Soft tannins combined with cedar, berry fruits, chocolate and blackcurrant.

(1) I can't say with any certainty where I'll be next week.
(2) political/moral certainties
(3) Her return to the team now seems a certainty.

(1) Their elimination from the competition was a great surprise.
(2) The elimination of all nuclear weapons would make the world a safer place.
(3) It is already possible to start moving toward the elimination of nuclear weapons.

(1) Drop the dough onto a baking sheet with a teaspoon.
(2) So, if we could just move onto something else?
(3) Lights clipped onto life jackets improve the chances of rescue.

(1) the victorious army/team
(2) He emerged victorious in the elections.
(3) In 1978 he played for the victorious Argentinian side in the World Cup.

(1) racial hatred/prejudice/tension/violence
(2) racial equality
(3) They have pledged to end racial discrimination in areas such as employment.

(1) They made a request for further aid.
(2) He was there at the request of his manager/at his manager's request (= because his manager had asked him to go).
(3) The writer's name was withheld by request (= because the writer asked for this to be done) .

(1) She slipped over on the ice and broke her leg.
(2) As I ran up the stairs, my foot slipped and I fell.
(3) His hat had slipped over one eye.

(1) The announcement was made a short time ago...
(2) How could you do it in such a short period of time?...
(3) For a few short weeks there was peace...

(1) The barman beamed a warm smile at her.
(2) ‘I'd love to come, ’ she beamed (= said with a large smile) .
(3) Live pictures of the ceremony were beamed around the world.

(1) I'll ask the waitress for the bill.
(2) waiter, could you bring me some water?
(3) As we were circling the field preparatory to landing, the engine cut out.

(1) The room smelt damp.
(2) Dinner smells good.
(3) a bunch of sweet-smelling flowers

(1) I don't want to be a nuisance so tell me if you want to be alone.
(2) I hope you're not making a nuisance of yourself .
(3) It's a nuisance having to go back tomorrow.

(1) to play the piano
(2) playing jazz on the piano
(3) piano music

(1) a succession of visitors
(2) He's been hit by a succession of injuries since he joined the team.
(3) She has won the award for the third year in succession .

(1) drain off the excess fat from the meat.
(2) We had to drain the oil out of the engine.
(3) Leave the dishes to drain.

(1) These trousers are a bit tight.
(2) ‘Are you tired? ’ ‘Yes, I am a bit. ’
(3) It costs a bit more than I wanted to spend.

(1) The hotel is situated in the outskirt of the city.
(2) On the outskirt of town, a pick - up truck is waiting.
(3) Since remove to outskirt, I went for a walk at here heaps of times.

(1) He put his arm around her waist.
(2) She was paralysed from the waist down (= in the area below her waist) .
(3) The workmen were stripped to the waist (= wearing no clothes on the top half of their bodies) .

(1) The room was in a mess .
(2) The kids made a mess in the bathroom.
(3) ‘ What a mess ! ’ she said, surveying the scene after the party.

(1) She died as a result of her injuries.
(2) The failure of the company was a direct result of bad management.
(3) He made one big mistake, and, as a result, lost his job.

(1) I'm awfully sorry about that problem the other day.
(2) You know, 10 years sounds like an awful long time.
(3) We met and I thought he was awful...

(1) He was a painter and poet.
(2) The risk factors, he added, " are correctable and need to be corrected before treatment or concurrently. "
(3) His fame as a poet did not come until after his death.

(1) Her skirt ballooned out in the wind.
(2) to blow up/burst/pop a balloon
(3) The budget deficit has ballooned to $25 billion...

(1) We were cold, wet and thoroughly miserable.
(2) Don't look so miserable!
(3) She knows how to make life miserable for her employees.

(1) a needle and thread
(2) the eye (= hole) of a needle
(3) knitting needles

(1) They are campaigning to save the area from building development.
(2) to conduct a campaign
(3) a campaign against ageism in the workplace

(1) She's the editor of a new collection of ghost stories.
(2) [不可数名词]the editorship of ‘The Times ’
(3) our economics editor

(1) Last year's winner Greg Lemond of the United States is in fourth place.
(2) Three-fourths of the public say they favor a national referendum on the issue.
(3) The fourth of July domestic culinary pyromania is followed by community pyrotechnics.

(1) to remain silent/standing/seated/motionless
(2) Train fares are likely to remain unchanged.
(3) It remains true that sport is about competing well, not winning.

(1) We often go there.
(2) I've often wondered what happened to him.
(3) How often do you go to the theatre?

(1) She could no longer recollect the details of the letter.
(2) I don't recollect what he said.
(3) I recollect him/his saying that it was dangerous.

(1) The cottage was cold and damp.
(2) It feels damp in here.
(3) damp clothes

(1) former British colonies
(2) the American colony in Paris
(3) an artists' colony

(1) Changes in farming methods have badly affected employment in the area.
(2) The law prevented the employment of children under ten in the cotton mills.
(3) the employment of artillery in the capture of the town

(1) a jail/prison sentence
(2) a light/heavy sentence
(3) to be under sentence of death

(1) Salt dissolves in water.
(2) Heat gently until the sugar dissolves.
(3) dissolve the tablet in water.

(1) She did not/didn't see him.
(2) The sanctions are not working the way they were intended...
(3) I was not in Britain at the time...