Vocabulary list for Great Ideas
1. You and me
=a survey: a group of questions that
are asked to many people in order to discover general opinions (see
"to survey" on my Mindyburg page vocabulary)
=classics, the classics: reference
to a group of books or films that have been popular for a long time
=classic: [adj] referring to things
(books, films, clothes, etc) that have been popular for a long time; sth
that never "goes out of style"
to hang out (with sb): to spend a lot of
time (with sb), without a specific purpose
=to jog: to run
(not too fast) as a form of exercise
=ambition: an intense determination
to be successful, or one's goal in life (what you desire to be successful
at)
mood: the way a person feels (happy, sad,
depressed, etc.)
=embarrassed: an uncomfortable
feeling related to what others are thinking about you due to sth you said
or did (often sth improper or imperfect)
=puzzled: a feeling of uncertainty
because sth is difficult to understand
=confused: a feeling of uncertainty
because sth hasn't been explained clearly
pensive: thinking deeply and seeming a
little sad
wistful: to wish for sth you can't have or
obtain (often a feeling similar to sadness or hopelessness)
exasperated: to be annoyed or angry due to
frustration
=donor: one who gives sth of value
(e.g., money, blood, a kidney)
2. Stranger than fiction
=to shoot: to fire a gun, release an
arrow, or to do sth similar with a weapon (tenses: he shot; he was shot;
they are shooting)
assassinate: to intentionally kill sb
important, normally because you don't like their political or religious
views
=coincidence [book definition]: when
events happen at the same time by accident but seem to have some
connection
House of Representatives: one part of the
US Congress, based on state population (big states have more
Representatives than small states) [in the other part—the Senate—each
state has two Senators]
=warehouse: a storage building where
companies keep things until they are needed
capture: to catch an animal or person who
doesn't want to be caught
=escape: to run away after someone
captures you
identical twins: two people, born from the
same mother at the same time, who look alike
=adopt: to formally accept sth in a
permanent way (e.g., adopting a child gives that child the same rights as
your natural children)
=hobby: an interest;
sth you do for fun (e.g., collect sth, play basketball, read novels, cook)
=law enforcement: an adj or career
referring to the police
ESP: extrasensory perception, a special
ability to perceive things that most people can't (like what others are
thinking, or what is about to happen) [note: esp., without capital
letters, is also an abbreviation for "especially"]
=foresee: to see in advance, or to
be able to make an accurate guess about something in the future
psychic (adj): referring to the mental
power to do strange or surprising things (including use ESP or
clairvoyance)
=superstition: [迷信]
irrational but strong belief in magic, good/bad luck, omens, etc.
horoscope: a system of belief about
character or personality and the things that happen to people, based on
the position of the stars and planets when you were born (similar to idea
behind the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac)
=phenomena: things that happen, esp.
things in nature or society that are studied because they are hard to
understand
clairvoyance: the ability to foresee the
future
the Bermuda Triangle: an area (shaped like
a triangle) in the Caribbean Sea where many ships and planes have
mysteriously disappeared
9. One of these days
middle class: the social class of people
who are neither rich nor poor, usually educated and working in
professional jobs (including government positions) or running businesses;
sometimes we also talk about the upper and lower middle class
=residence: [formal] the place where
you live; your home. The adjective is residential (so
区
is “residential area” or “residential district”) “What kind of
residence do you live in, a rented apartment (公寓),
a privately-owned condo in a multi-story building (i.e., condominium;
共管), a private house with a yard (房子),
or an expensive villa in the suburbs (别墅)?”
(These are AmE terms)
apartheid: the former political system in
South Africa, wherein non-white people were denied equal legal status, and
had to attend separate schools, live in separate areas, etc.
=shortage:
a lack of something
=soybean: a high-protein, healthy
Asian source of food and oil (大豆)
pollutants: the things (smoke & other
waste) that make our air and water dirty (i.e, polluted)
greenhouse effect: the gradual increase in
earth’s average temperatures, because of pollution; also called global
warming (a greenhouse is a glass or plastic building in which
plants are grown, especially when the temperature outside is too cold to
allow plants to grow)
=prediction: an educated guess
(forecast) about what will happen (in one’s life, sports, the weather, the
stock market, international politics, or just about anything, etc.)
[notice that “prediction” can be used to talk about a wider range of
things than “forecast”]
=conveniences: [plural, often
“modern conveniences”] things that make life easier and more convenient,
like cars, indoor running water, and electricity
equator: the “line” around the center of
the earth, half way between the north and south poles (赤道)
=tropical: related to or happening
in the hottest parts of the world (e.g., around the equator)
=climate: the normal weather
conditions in an area (rainy, cold, dry, etc.)
=commerce: related to
buying/selling/trading goods and services; a government department
responsible for regulating business and trade
5. Keep in Touch
tap: faucet; the thing that water comes
from in your bathroom, or the thing beer comes from in some bars
on tap: to be close by and handy (ready
when you need it)
=back issues: previous editions of a
newspaper or magazine. "I was looking through back issues of Newsweek
Magazine for information about pollution."
=flight schedule: a list of times
when airplanes leave and arrive to various destinations
chess: a strategy game played on a
checkered board (Chinese people call it "International Chess国际象棋"
to distinguish it from Chinese Chess象棋)
to reach (in phone context): get in touch
with, make contact with. "I'm trying to reach Mr. Lee. What number can I
reach him at?"
=cancel: to end or stop sth you
started (e.g., a computer command, a meeting, a plan of action). "I'd like
to offer my apologies because I must cancel today's lunch appointment."
"When your computer gives you the chance, hit 'cancel' and the program
will stop."
=to hold (in phone context): to wait
for a moment. "Excuse me, another call is coming in; can you hold?" "Thank
you for holding, can I help you?"
to book (a reservation): to set up a time
for something, such as a night in a hotel, a flight, etc. If sth is
"booked" you have a place in your name, but you may not have paid for it
yet. "You're booked on tomorrow's flight, but you can still cancel if you
need to."
=in regard to: in connection with;
related to. "I'm calling in regard to next Tuesday's meeting. I'm afraid I
have to cancel. Can you give him the message?"
=major repair: a serious problem
(with a car, computer or other expensive item) that needs to be fixed.
=reliable: dependable;
can be trusted to do what it is supposed to do. "This car is very
reliable. It has never had any major repairs."
interior/exterior: inside/outside (of a
building, car, etc). "This car has a red exterior with a white interior
(seats, etc.)."
miles: a unit of measurement for distances
(used in America and the UK). 60 miles = 100 kilometers
market research: an investigation (often by
a company's marketing department) into what products people want to
buy or not buy at certain prices in a certain location (i.e., in that
product's market)
=maintenance: what is necessary to
keep sth working properly (e.g., a car, your health). "This class will
teach you basic computer maintenance skills."
famine: a widespread lack of food
(often because of harsh environmental conditions, like a lack of rain)
=relief: help
=consequence: result.
"Famine has political consequences, so the government must organize relief
to feed needy people."
=current events: the news or things
that are happening now. "Our current events class will use the newspaper
instead of textbook."
to manage: to organize or otherwise control
something in order to help it operate well (e.g., a company, your health,
an academic department, traffic, the economy)
=management: the study of or
activities related to operating sth complicated (esp a business, but can
also refer to things like your health, an academic department, traffic,
the economy, etc.)
to be engaged: when a man and woman have
promised to marry each other. "I heard that you got engaged!
Congratulations! When's the wedding?"
10. Staying Healthy
=nutrition: the content of food from
a health point of view (good nutrition means eating the right mix of food
to get plenty of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and everything else needed for
good health)
=nutritious: describes food that is
healthy, or the health-aspects of food
=garbage: trash, esp left-over food
that has been thrown away [BrE rubbish]
=alcohol: [u] the general term for
any drink that can make you drunk (e.g., beer, wine, mao-tai, vodka,
etc.); also used for a chemical that can be used to sterilize or clean
wounds, skin, medical instruments, etc. [BrE surgical spirit]
alcoholic: [adj] related to alcohol or
someone who is addicted to alcoholic drinks (i.e., someone who often gets
drunk)
brandy: a strong alcoholic drink made from
wine
heating pad: an electric pillow used to add
warmth to a sore back/leg/etc.
board: a stiff flat piece of wood, usually
not too small (e.g., floor boards, a cutting board); such a piece of wood,
plastic or other material that you can use for displaying information
(e.g., a display panel) or on which you play a game (e.g., chess or
multi-player games); a group of people who manage or oversee an
organization/hospital/charity/etc.
=insomnia: the inability to sleep
ice cube: a (usually square) piece of ice
that you put into drinks to make them cold (an alcoholic drink so served
is said to be “on the rocks”)
=to drown: to die by being under
water too long
=to get drunk: to drink so much
alcohol that you lose some of your normal ability to think clearly
(getting drunk also has a negative affect on your liver and other parts of
your body) (喝醉)
=to jaywalk: to cross a street where
you are not supposed to, that is, not at a corner or through a crosswalk (人行横道).
[Jaywalking is a crime in US cities, and jaywalkers can be
fined by the police, so it is rare.]
=unstable: likely to suddenly move,
fall, or change for the worse
=a runny nose: what happens when you
have a cold, and you can’t control the watery stuff that “runs” out of
your nose
=irritable: describes someone who
quickly gets angry or upset about things
=persistent: not giving up, in spite
of problems or set backs
Collocation
[when talking about the body, some things “ache” while others are
“sore”—here is how we put these terms together in English]
I have a terrible…
…tooth/back/head/stomach/ear
ache.
…leg/ muscle
cramp.
…sore
throat/nose/foot/toe/hand/finger/arm/leg/ shoulder/neck.
A pain pill /a massage/ acupuncture /aroma
therapy /gargling salt water /doing stretching exercises…
works for me. [notice that “works” can be used with a singular
noun (plus article), a non-countable therapy, or a gerund (-ing term)]
My back/head/arm/stomach/foot/etc
is killing me.
=Get off my back. = Stop giving me a
hard time; stop making me feel bad with your words.
to give sb a hard time means to annoy
someone or make his life difficult (often by complaining about a bad habit
or continually suggesting a change in lifestyle)
I’m starving! = I’m very, very hungry.
=I’m at the end of my rope. = I am
so anxious/worried about something that I really don’t know what to do;
I’ve tried every solution I can think of but I still have this problem
Mindyburg vocabulary will not be on the quiz, but many Mindyburg
terms will be on the
final exam. You can see the vocabulary at the bottom of the Mindyburg story (click
here or here).
Not on the
exam
(after the test)
6. Once upon a time
=break:
(1) vacation from work or school, usually lasting at least three days
(e.g., spring break, Christmas break and the break between terms). “What
did you do during the break?” (2) in school, a time of rest in the middle
of a class. “Take a five-minute break.”
=gas/gasoline:
[AmE] the liquid fuel that a car needs to make its engine work [BrE:
petrol]
gauge: an instrument or device that shows a
measurement, especially in relation to minimum or maximum (e.g., for air
pressure in a tire from “flat” to “dangerous,” for fuel in your car from
empty to full)
scared stiff: extremely frightened
petrified: extremely frightened, to the
point of being unable to move or think
=demonstration:
[positive] to show how something works (“I’m going to a demonstration
today to see how the new Neo-Phone works.”); [negative] an organized
protest about something (“The police broke up the student demonstration
for cheaper meals.”)
=regret:
feelings of sadness because of sth that you wish had happened differently;
to "have no regrets" you must live in a state of forgiveness
=ceremony:
a meeting or formal gathering for some important purpose (e.g., a wedding
ceremony, the opening ceremony for the Olympics)
=skip/skip
out on: to choose not to do something you should do, like attend a class,
read an assignment, report for work, or eat a meal (“She skipped lunch so
she’s hungry.” “Tom said he would skip out on Bill’s award ceremony.”
(a trip down) memory lane: to spend time
remembering the past (“They took a trip down memory lane, and talked about
high school all night!”)
biography: the story of one’s life, esp. as
written by someone other than yourself (an autobiography is your
own version)
=statesman:
[c, statesmen] a widely-respected political leader, known for his
impartiality in international affairs (e.g., Henry Kissinger or Zhou En
Lai)
disaster: a terrible event that happened
without warning and that brought a lot of suffering, e.g., a flood, fire,
or plane crash
comet: an object in space that moves around
the sun; from earth many comets appear to have a tail (of burning
rock and gas)
revolve: to go around; wheels revolve
around an axle, planets revolve around the sun
to be baffled: to be unable to think of an
answer or solution (“This mystery baffled everyone.”)
=version:
a revised copy or different description of something (“The latest
version of this software doesn’t work with older operating systems.”
“I heard a different version of that story.”)
tapestry: a large rug, in which the threads
form pictures or patterns (esp. medieval pictures of life in Europe);
figuratively, something beautiful made of many interwoven parts (esp.
“life’s rich tapestry”)
=artificial:
man-made, not natural (can be
positive like “an artificial leg” or negative like “artificial jade”
meaning “fake/false jade”)
=satellite:
something that travels around a planet, under that planet’s influence
[like the moon (a natural satellite) or a spacecraft (an artificial
satellite)], or an area that is strongly influenced by another area [a big
city’s satellite community]
microscope: a scientific tool that lets you
see extremely small things (显微镜?)
calculator: an electronic machine that
helps you with math problems (add, subtract, multiply, divide, etc.)
4. What a nice day
=travel agent: a person trained to help you
buy airplane/train tickets or otherwise help you plan and arrange a trip
=customer: your customer is someone who
buys things from you or uses your services
sweater (BrE: jumper): clothing with long
sleeves used to keep your upper body warm (often made of wool or cotton)
light clothes: things you wear in warm
weather to stay comfortable, like a short-sleeve shirt/t-shirt and shorts
or thin cotton trousers
heavy clothes: things you wear in cold
weather to stay comfortable, like a thick coat, a wool sweater and boots
ranging from… to…: used to tell someone the
top/bottom, high/low of a number, price, temperature, etc. (e.g., “ranging
from 22 to 25 degrees today” means that the lowest temperature is 22 and
the highest is 25)
=humid: describes the air when it is full
of water (moisture/dampness); most people think that hot, humid conditions
are uncomfortable
flurry: a brief, light amount of snow (“We
forecast snow flurries with little accumulation.”)
=shower: a brief, light amount of rain; a
type of bath where you stand in a spray of water while cleaning your body
(“You don’t need an umbrella; it’s just a spring shower.”)
downpour: a heavy amount of rain (“We got
caught in a downpour without an umbrella.”)
to pour: describes water or other liquid
that is coming out of a container rather fast; regarding rain, it
indicates a lot of rain in a short time (“It’s really pouring outside!”)
thunderstorm or thundershower: a time of
heavy rain, along with lightning and thunder
tornado: a small but dangerous, powerful
storm where wind turns violently like a funnel or cone (this "cone" can
destroy a house or easily pick up a car)
=forecast: (n&v) an educated guess
(prediction) about what will happen (in the weather, the stock market,
international politics, etc.)
=lining: something that covers the inside
of something else (like the padded part of a coat between the leather/wool
and your body or the “lining” between your stomach and the acid/food in
it); the edge of a cloud
=“every cloud has a silver lining”: (idiom)
used to say you can find something good in every situation (for example,
when the edge of dark rain-cloud is bright like silver, it shows that the
sun is still shining behind the cloud)
parade: an organized event where people
march together down the street in order to celebrate an event or holiday
(in America, parades often include marching bands of musicians, large
balloons, floats—specially decorated vehicles—sponsored by companies and
clubs, clowns, men on horses, smiling models and stars, antique cars, and
much more)
=picnic: a casual time when friends or
family meet together for a meal (e.g., sandwiches or other things you can
eat without dishes/forks/etc.) outdoors in a public park or similar place
=“to be a picnic” or “to be a piece of
cake”: (idiom) used to say that something will be easy to do (“Writing
this essay will be no picnic, I promise you!” “It will/won’t be a piece of
cake.”)
11. All in a day’s work
=to get a promotion: to be moved up
to a better job, higher pay, more responsibility, etc., especially within
the company you already work for
=to deal with: to handle or solve
sth like a problem or need
to pick or pick out: to choose or select
=to be bad for (your
back/career/health/relationship/etc): to have a negative effect on
=to come up with (an
idea/solution/plan/etc): to creatively think of or find sth
=routine: a series of repeated
actions (such as a dance act or sth you do over and over at work)
to contact: to communicate with (“I need to
contact the manager to get an answer.”)
to negotiate: to talk about something from
more than one perspective, trying to reach an agreement
=figures: numbers (“I’m not very
good with figures, but I’m good at remembering names.”)
=the books: a company’s financial
records (“An accountant keeps his company’s books.”)
manager: someone who directs a group of
people or supervises some aspect of a company’s work
=benefits/benefit package: what you
get for doing your job, including pay, insurance, and perks
=perks: special benefits companies give to
certain employees, often to attract them to work there, such as the use of
a car, free travel or food, free housing, product samples for personal
use, etc.
=résumé (notice the accent marks): a
favorable summary of your educational background, employment history, and
other information of interest to potential employers
15. The persuaders
snide comment: an amusing statement, often
spoken softly, meant to hurt someone’s feelings or make them look bad
terminal: a place where airplanes or buses
arrive and depart from
=miracle: something very good that
happens when you didn't expect it; a good thing that God does, and that is
normally impossible (奇迹?)
=portable: easy to move
=insane: crazy, but sometimes used
to say that something is offered at a great price (“We have insane prices
and unbeatable service.”)
=commercial: (in this context) an
advertisement; a written or spoken attempt to persuade you to buy or do
something
campaign: a series of meetings, ads, or
activities with a specific end in mind
to orient: to design or direct (“You must
orient your ad to appeal to certain people.”); to make sb familiar with
his/her surroundings (“This note will help me get oriented to my new
schedule.”); to get sth to face in a certain direction
=slogan: an easy-to-remember phrase
that should help customers think positively about your product (“Good to
the last drop” “Just do it” “Finger-licking good”)
night shift: work hours that start after it
gets dark outside
3. Can I Help You?
to admire: to like or respect someone or
something because you think it/he/she is "good" in some way (beautiful,
impressive, honorable, professional)
=antique: [adj or n] something old
and usually valuable because of its age (e.g., furniture, tea sets, very
old cars)
=appliances: electrical machines
used to make life at home easier (e.g., vacuum cleaner or washer)
=compliment: [n, v] a positive
comment that says how you think sth/sb is good, admired, etc., or the act
of praising sb with such a comment
to demonstrate: to show, esp. to show how
something works or how sth is true
=equipment: [Uncountable] the
special things you need to do a job or activity (e.g., computers and a
projector to use multi-media teaching methods; work gloves and a shovel to
plant trees; wire and a screwdriver to fix electronics)
=jeans: a pair of trousers (AmE:
pants)—popular with young people—made of a strong, blue cotton material
called denim
=second-hand: [adj] used;
a way to describe sth that has had more than one owner
slicer: a kitchen tool that cuts things
(apples, potatoes, onions) into thin, flat pieces
=stylish (in style): fashionable;
currently popular with people who keep up with modern design
=typical:
[adj] used to describe something considered usual or average, or happening
in the normal way
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