(1) I waited a long time for him to return.
(2) She's returning to Australia tomorrow after six months in Europe.
(3) I returned from work to find the house empty.

(1) a work of popular fiction
(2) historical/romantic fiction
(3) For years he managed to keep up the fiction that he was not married.

(1) We must respond to well-founded criticism with a willingness to change.
(2) Self-discipline, willingness, enthusiasm, that's what you must depend on.
(3) His presence is indicative of his willingness to help.

(1) a nylon fishing line
(2) This material is 45% nylon.
(3) Europe's largest producer of nylon is based in Belgium...

(1) They were standing in the river spearing fish.
(2) She speared an olive with her fork.
(3) spear a piece of fish with a carving fork and dip it in the batter...

(1) a silk blouse
(2) silk stockings
(3) made of pure silk

(1) trade and cultural exchanges with China
(2) the old Corn exchange
(3) to exchange ideas/news/information

(1) They had three sons and one daughter.
(2) ...one thousand years ago...
(3) They had alienated the one man who knew the business...

(1) a shoe shop
(2) There's a little gift shop around the corner.
(3) (British English)a butcher's shop

(1) a temperature of 40 degrees centigrade
(2) [不可数名词]temperatures in centigrade and Fahrenheit
(3) ...daytime temperatures of up to forty degrees centigrade.

(1) His victory in the tournament earned him $50 000.
(2) All the children are earning now.
(3) Your money would earn more in a high-interest account.

(1) I sold my car to James for £800.
(2) I sold James my car for £800.
(3) They sold the business at a profit/loss (= they gained/lost money when they sold it) .

(1) a classical scholar
(2) He was the most distinguished scholar in his field.
(3) a Rhodes scholar

(1) Everyone was assembled at the appointed time .
(2) They have appointed a new head teacher at my son's school.
(3) She has recently been appointed to the committee.

(1) The long sleep had refreshed her.
(2) He refreshed himself with a cool shower.
(3) Let me refresh your glass.

(1) My parents lent me the money. otherwise, I couldn't have afforded the trip.
(2) Shut the window, otherwise it'll get too cold in here.
(3) We're committed to the project. We wouldn't be here otherwise.

(1) Orders had come from on high that extra care was to be taken during this week.
(2) He was too high on drugs and alcohol to remember them.
(3) Her spirits were high with the hope of seeing Nick in minutes rather than hours.

(1) My brother is much heavier than me.
(2) She was struggling with a heavy suitcase.
(3) They had employed heavies to evict shop squatters from neighbouring sites.

(1) a tiny baby
(2) Only a tiny minority hold such extreme views.
(3) The living room is tiny...

(1) 'What's that thing in the middle of the fountain?' — 'Some kind of statue, I guess.'...
(2) She was in the middle of clearing the breakfast things...
(3) These are genetic disorders that only affect males normally. They are things like muscular dystrophy and haemophilia...

(1) The bank is just across the street.
(2) to walk along/down/up the street
(3) the town's narrow cobbled streets

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

(1) I'd convinced myself (that) I was right.
(2) I've been trying to convince him to see a doctor.
(3) You'll need to convince them of your enthusiasm for the job.

(1) In New mexico all kinds of cuisines are represented.
(2) Hurricane Andrew was last night heading into the Gulf of mexico.
(3) Texas has a long history of trade with mexico.

(1) Thank you. Now we'd like to have some good Italian spaghetti.
(2) Macaroni tastes different from spaghetti.
(3) If you are in a hurry, I would recommend the spaghetti or shredded chicken fried rice.

(1) a sleepy child
(2) He had begun to feel sleepy.
(3) The heat and the wine made her sleepy.

(1) net curtains
(2) fishing nets
(3) a mosquito net (= used to protect you from mosquitoes )

(1) 2 kilograms of rice
(2) Flour is sold by the kilogram.
(3) ...a parcel weighing around 4.5 kilograms.

(1) an unpleasant subject of conversation
(2) books on many different subjects
(3) a magazine article on the subject of space travel

(1) the unconditional surrender of military forces
(2) She gave her children unconditional love .
(3) Children need unconditional love...

(1) We dined with my parents at a restaurant in town.
(2) He dines alone most nights...
(3) That night the two men dined at Wilson's club...

(1) travelling companions
(2) (figurative)Fear was the hostages' constant companion.
(3) She was a charming dinner companion.

(1) an initial payment of £60 and ten instalments of £25
(2) in the initial stages (= at the beginning) of the campaign
(3) My initial reaction was to decline the offer.

(1) The problem won't just disappear.
(2) Our countryside is disappearing at an alarming rate.
(3) I can never find a pen in this house. They disappear as soon as I buy them.

(1) He thanked all who had a hand in his release.
(2) hand in hand with the police inquiries the government has also announced a full investigation.
(3) For us, research and teaching go hand in hand...

(1) [不可数名词]a sense/feeling of hopelessness
(2) ‘I'll never manage it, ’ he said hopelessly.
(3) to be hopelessly in love

(1) [不可数名词]a degree in librarianship
(2) The librarian is arranging the books on the shelf.
(3) The computer can alter the serials librarian and produce a bindery notice.

(1) sometimes I go by car.
(2) He sometimes writes to me.
(3) I like to be on my own sometimes.

(1) Ben drove off on his motorbike.
(2) When she said she wanted to get a motorbike, her parents threw up their hands in horror.
(3) Pray for a motorbike Pastor Noel.

(1) Felipe Gonzalez won a fourth term of office in spain's election.
(2) Portugal and spain had possessed vast empires that waxed and waned.
(3) spain's top priority is the signing of an EMU treaty.