(1) major-league baseball
(2) United were league champions last season.
(3) As a painter, he is in a league of his own (= much better than others) .

(1) He needed a new overcoat and he was without gloves.
(2) Finally he caught sight of the young man's light overcoat in the distance.
(3) Is your overcoat made to order or ready made?

(1) He assumed an air of concern.
(2) In the story the god assumes the form of an eagle.
(3) This matter has assumed considerable importance.

(1) I took a coin out of my purse and gave it to the child.
(2) We have holidays to suit every purse.
(3) Should spending on the arts be met out of the public purse (= from government money) ?

(1) He was very aware of his own importance (= of his status) .
(2) State your reasons in order of importance .
(3) the relative importance of the two ideas

(1) immediately she'd gone, I remembered her name.
(2) Counselling is being given to those most immediately affected by the tragedy.
(3) the years immediately before the war

(1) That is no way to treat another human being.
(2) It's only human to want the best for your children.
(3) He's really very human when you get to know him.

(1) It smells yummy.
(2) I'll bet they have yummy ice cream.
(3) yummy walks into the lounge.

(1) A team from the UK were the first to successfully clone an animal.
(2) Dolly, the cloned sheep
(3) Tom was in some ways a younger clone of his handsome father...

(1) He barked questions at her.
(2) You're barking up the wrong tree if you're expecting us to lend you any money.
(3) a bark of laughter

(1) roast/minced beef
(2) beef and dairy cattle
(3) What's his latest beef?

(1) My hobbies include reading and painting.
(2) He needs more help with his reading.
(3) Are you any good at map reading?

(1) hotel rooms/guests
(2) a two-star/five-star, etc. hotel
(3) a luxury hotel

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

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

(1) flu symptoms
(2) Look out for symptoms of depression.
(3) symptoms include a headache and sore throat.

(1) Starting salary varies from £26 000 to £30 500, depending on experience.
(2) He either resigned or was sacked, depending on who you talk to.
(3) ‘Is he coming? ’ ‘That depends. He may not have the time. ’

(1) He was later discovered to be seriously ill.
(2) The singer was discovered while still at school.
(3) the discoverer of penicillin

(1) I waited for them at the bottom of the hill.
(2) The book I want is right at the bottom (= of the pile) .
(3) The manufacturer's name is on the bottom of the plate.

(1) my childhood hero
(2) The hero of the novel is a ten-year old boy.
(3) one of the country's national heroes

(1) She put the baby to her breast.
(2) breast cancer
(3) breast milk

(1) The food made of flour and various seasonings is called moon cake.
(2) The moon cake is eaten away, but the sweetness remains.
(3) Here is the money for this box of moon cake.

(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) His stories usually have a happy ending .
(2) the anniversary of the ending of the Pacific War
(3) It was the perfect ending to the perfect day.

(1) There's a parcel and some letters for you.
(2) She was carrying a parcel of books under her arm.
(3) The prisoners were allowed food parcels.

(1) Where do these plates belong (= where are they kept) ?
(2) Are you sure these documents belong together?
(3) I don't feel as if I belong here.

(1) Tourism is a fountain of wealth for the city.
(2) The amplifier exploded in a fountain of sparks.
(3) The volcano spewed a fountain of molten rock 650 feet in the air.

(1) He lost a lot of money on the horses (= by gambling on races) .
(2) a horse and cart
(3) He mounted his horse and rode off.

(1) Nothing satisfies him─he's always complaining.
(2) The proposed plan will not satisfy everyone.
(3) The food wasn't enough to satisfy his hunger .

(1) The Ukrainians speak a Slavonic language similar to russian.
(2) Livy's getting on very well in russian. She learns very quickly.
(3) You are playing russian roulette every time you have unprotected sex.

(1) a storage jar
(2) a jar of coffee
(3) a water jar

(1) Stop throwing stones at the window!
(2) She threw the ball up and caught it again.
(3) He spent hours throwing a tennis ball against a wall...

(1) to receive a letter/present/phone call
(2) to receive information/payment/thanks
(3) He received an award for bravery from the police service.

(1) The film is only funny if you appreciate French humour (= things that cause French people to laugh) .
(2) to be in the best of humours
(3) The meeting dissolved in ill humour .

(1) He attacked the food as quickly as decent table manners allowed.
(2) You should pull up the children about their table manners.
(3) Write a passage about table manners in different countries.

(1) an elected assembly/leader/representative
(2) the newly elected government
(3) She became the first black woman to be elected to the Senate.

(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) They were successful in winning the contract.
(2) I wasn't very successful at keeping the news secret.
(3) We congratulated them on the successful completion of the project.

(1) Scientists have established a connection between cholesterol levels and heart disease.
(2) a direct/close/strong connection with sth
(3) How did you make the connection (= realize that there was a connection between two facts that did not seem to be related) ?

(1) I wouldn't advertise the fact that you don't have a work permit.
(2) to advertise a product/a business/your services
(3) The cruise was advertised as the ‘journey of a lifetime ’.