(1) natural disasters
(2) the natural world (= of trees, rivers, animals and birds)
(3) a country's natural resources (= its coal, oil, forests, etc.)

(1) The colours were an exact match.
(2) He started to phone me at the exact moment I started to phone him (= at the same time) .
(3) Her second husband was the exact opposite of her first (= completely different) .

(1) He suffered from headaches and loss of appetite .
(2) The walk gave me a good appetite.
(3) Don't spoil your appetite by eating between meals.

(1) A consortium plans to build a natural-gas pipeline from Russia to supply eastern Germany.
(2) Already in the pipeline is a 2.9 per cent pay increase for teachers.
(3) Therefore, hydrate is easily formed in surface throttling process, and it will plug gas transmission pipeline.

(1) marine life
(2) a marine biologist (= a scientist who studies life in the sea)
(3) ...breeding grounds for marine life.

(1) to display artistic, etc. tendencies
(2) I have a tendency to talk too much when I'm nervous.
(3) There is a tendency for this disease to run in families.

(1) a technical/legal/scientific, etc. term
(2) a term of abuse
(3) ‘Register ’ is the term commonly used to describe different levels of formality in language.

(1) a basketball game/coach/team
(2) The plan has a sting intail: it means we lose one day's holiday.
(3) To master the skill of playing basketball he is making a great business of it.

(1) The papers in maths and English are very testing.
(2) I got left behind at school with the maths.
(3) He is now reading for a maths degree at Surrey University.

(1) My doctor has forbidden me sugar.
(2) Lack of space forbids further treatment of the topic here.
(3) ‘Maybe you'll end up as a lawyer, like me. ’ ‘God forbid! ’

(1) constant interruptions
(2) a constant stream of visitors all day
(3) Babies need constant attention.

(1) The door opens outwards.
(2) Factories were spreading outwards from the old heart of the town.
(3) The top door opened outwards...

(1) increasingly difficult/important/popular
(2) It is becoming increasingly clear that this problem will not be easily solved.
(3) increasingly, training is taking place in the office rather than outside it.

(1) a delivery van
(2) Please pay for goods on delivery (= when you receive them) .
(3) Allow 28 days for delivery .

(1) The singular of ‘bacteria ’ is ‘bacterium ’.
(2) The verb should be in the singular .
(3) a singular noun/verb/ending

(1) The tour included a visit to the Science Museum.
(2) Does the price include tax?
(3) Your duties include typing letters and answering the telephone.

(1) the 20th century (= AD1901–2000 or 1900–1999)
(2) eighteenth-century writers
(3) ...a 17th-century merchant's house.

(1) I used my thumbnail to tighten the screw on my lamp.
(2) Eddie parked his cycle against a lamp post and padlocked it.
(3) In the evenings we eat by the light of an oil lamp.

(1) There is no immediate prospect of peace.
(2) A place in the semi-finals is in prospect (= likely to happen) .
(3) There's a reasonable prospect that his debts will be paid.

(1) Anything was preferable to the tense atmosphere at home.
(2) He finds country life infinitely preferable to living in the city.
(3) It would be preferable to employ two people, not one.

(1) a pair of silk stockings
(2) ...a pair of nylon stockings.
(3) Two faces grotesquely disfigured in nylon stocking masks looked through the window.

(1) safety precautions
(2) precautions against fire
(3) You must take all reasonable precautions to protect yourself and your family.

(1) I don't have a bank account.
(2) The defendant asked for 21 similar offences to be taken into account...
(3) Urban planners in practice have to take account of many interest groups in society.

(1) He died after a long illness.
(2) childhood illnesses
(3) minor/serious illnesses

(1) An agreement was finally reached between management and employees.
(2) They had made a verbal agreement to sell.
(3) They had an agreement never to talk about work at home.

(1) She opened her mouth to say something.
(2) His mouth twisted into a wry smile.
(3) Their mouths fell open (= they were surprised) .

(1) The children are already learning to multiply and divide.
(2) 2 multiplied by 4 is/equals/makes 8 (2×4 = 8) .
(3) multiply 2 and 6 together and you get 12.

(1) the maximum speed/temperature/volume
(2) For maximum effect do the exercises every day.
(3) a maximum security prison

(1) The debate simply revived old hatreds.
(2) racial hatred (= between people from different races)
(3) a profound hatred of war

(1) I think they've got a cheek making you pay to park the car.
(2) chubby/rosy/pink cheeks
(3) He kissed her on both cheeks.

(1) acting in her capacity as manager
(2) We are simply involved in an advisory capacity on the project.
(3) The factory is working at full capacity.

(1) He hasn't been selected for the team.
(2) All our hotels have been carefully selected for the excellent value they provide.
(3) She was selected as the parliamentary candidate for Bath.

(1) Today is the fifth (of May).
(2) the fifth century BC
(3) It's her fifth birthday.

(1) regulations governing the sale of alcoholic beverages
(2) I haven't made a sale all week.
(3) She gets 10% commission on each sale.

(1) Let's ask for the bill.
(2) a ten-dollar bill
(3) to introduce/approve/reject a bill

(1) Please inform us of any changes of address.
(2) I have been reliably informed (= somebody I trust has told me) that the couple will marry next year.
(3) ‘He's already left, ’ she informed us.

(1) They knelt down and prayed.
(2) I'll pray for you.
(3) to pray for peace

(1) The trucks waited at the warehouse to pick up their loads.
(2) The women came down the hill with their loads of firewood.
(3) These backpacks are designed to carry a heavy load .

(1) a piece of string/wood
(2) She wrote something on a small piece of paper.
(3) a large piece of land

(1) wet clothes
(2) wet grass
(3) You'll get wet (= in the rain) if you go out now.