(1) Few businesses are flourishing in the present economic climate.
(2) These plants flourish in a damp climate.
(3) (especially British English)I'm glad to hear you're all flourishing.

(1) an area the size of (= the same size as) Wales
(2) They complained about the size of their gas bill.
(3) Dogs come in all shapes and sizes .

(1) She ate noisily and greedily.
(2) He stared at the diamonds with greedy eyes.
(3) The shareholders are greedy for profit.

(1) He graduated with distinction .
(2) Naomi got a distinction in maths.
(3) All groups are entitled to this money without distinction .

(1) This was foolishness on a heroic scale .
(2) heroic deeds/myths
(3) a heroic story/poem

(1) to have dark/fair/olive, etc. skin
(2) The snake sheds its skin once a year.
(3) cosmetics for sensitive skins

(1) Reports that he has resigned are nonsense.
(2) You're talking nonsense !
(3) ‘I won't go. ’ ‘nonsense! You must go! ’

(1) One dark brow rose in surprise.
(2) The path disappeared over the brow of the hill.
(3) Her brow furrowed in concentration.

(1) No one could possibly take exception to his comments.
(2) All his novels are set in Italy with the exception of his last.
(3) All students without exception must take the English examination.

(1) An interesting feature of the city is the old market.
(2) Teamwork is a key feature of the training programme.
(3) Which features do you look for when choosing a car?

(1) a human/female/male/naked body
(2) parts of the body
(3) His whole body was trembling.

(1) a woollen blanket
(2) woollen cloth
(3) the woollen industry

(1) She's my sister.
(2) an older/younger sister
(3) (informal)a big/little/kid sister

(1) ...Niagara falls.
(2) He was elected judge in the fall of 1991...
(3) The Supreme Court will not hear the case until next fall.

(1) professor (Ann) Williams
(2) a chemistry professor
(3) to be appointed professor of French at Cambridge

(1) He made a rude gesture at the driver of the other car.
(2) She finished what she had to say with a gesture of despair.
(3) They communicated entirely by gesture.

(1) He does not smoke or take drugs .
(2) teenagers experimenting with drugs
(3) I found out Steve was on drugs (= regularly used drugs) .

(1) His arms swung as he walked.
(2) A set of keys swung from her belt.
(3) As he pushed her, she swung higher and higher (= while sitting on a swing) .

(1) signals transmitted from a satellite
(2) The ceremony was transmitted live by satellite to over fifty countries.
(3) a short-wave radio that can transmit as well as receive

(1) advanced industrial societies
(2) There were only three of us on the advanced course.
(3) an advanced student of English

(1) to go up/rise/increase in value
(2) to go down/fall/drop in value
(3) rising property values

(1) kitchen cabinets
(2) a medicine cabinet
(3) The china was displayed in a glass cabinet.

(1) Did you have a good trip?
(2) We went on a trip to the mountains.
(3) a day trip (= lasting a day)

(1) september is here, bringing with it a chill in the mornings.
(2) He left the company by mutual consent last september.
(3) New owners will have to wait until september before moving in.

(1) I learnt to ride as a child.
(2) They rode along narrow country lanes.
(3) He was riding on a large black horse.

(1) I was wearing false eyelashes and a sweater two sizes too small.
(2) Look at the false police reports that omitted or misstated crucial facts.
(3) In the early seventies I wore false eyelashes, as was the fashion.

(1) the oldest inhabitant of the village
(2) a town of 11 000 inhabitants
(3) ...the inhabitants of Glasgow.

(1) a brisk wind/breeze
(2) a brisk walk
(3) to set off at a brisk pace

(1) Eight kilometres is roughly equivalent to five miles.
(2) 250 grams or an equivalent amount in ounces
(3) [不可数名词](formal)There is no straightforward equivalence between economic progress and social well-being.

(1) to have great artistic talent
(2) a man of many talents
(3) She showed considerable talent for getting what she wanted.

(1) very small
(2) very quickly
(3) very few people know that.

(1) to prepare a report
(2) A hotel room is being prepared for them.
(3) The college prepares students for a career in business.

(1) He's just a business acquaintance.
(2) He hoped their acquaintance would develop further.
(3) I had little acquaintance with modern poetry.

(1) Shall we walk or go by bus ?
(2) A regular bus service connects the train station with the town centre.
(3) a bus company/driver

(1) She's in the kitchen.
(2) We ate at the kitchen table.
(3) This plant is up to the minute with regard to the equipment used.

(1) My legs were trembling with fear.
(2) Her voice trembled with excitement.
(3) He opened the letter with trembling hands.

(1) black/white coffee (= without/with milk)
(2) Tea or coffee?
(3) I'll just make the coffee.

(1) Many of the refugees have suffered torture.
(2) the use of torture
(3) terrible instruments of torture

(1) The purity of the water is tested regularly.
(2) spiritual purity
(3) Probity and purity will command respect everywhere.

(1) The train arrives at midday.
(2) a midday meal
(3) the heat of the midday sun