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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(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 ’.

(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) 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) 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.