1. graphite [ˈɡræfaɪt]
n. Graphite is a soft black substance that is a form of carbon. It is used in pencils and electrical equipment.
2. rebate [ˈriːbeɪt]
n. A rebate is an amount of money which is paid to you when you have paid more tax, rent, or rates than you needed to.
The government promised that more companies could get a tax rebate on export at the end of this year.
3. finch [fɪntʃ]
n. A finch is a small bird with a short strong beak.
Finches are typically inhabitants of well-wooded areas, but some can be found in deserts.
4. nostalgia [nɒˈstældʒə]
n. Nostalgia is an affectionate feeling you have for the past, especially for a particularly happy time.
The female novelist's work is pervaded by nostalgia for her hometown.
5. fluctuation [ˌflʌktʃuˈeɪʃn]
Glod prices in the international market are in a period of flutuation.
6. subsidiary [səbˈsɪdiəri]
(1). n. A subsidiary or a subsidiary company is a company which is part of a larger and more important company.
(2). adj. If something is subsidiary, it is less important than something else with which it is connected.
It is reported that group profit is mainly made by the subsidiaries in the East Asian countries.
7. perquisite [ˈpɜːkwɪzɪt]
n. A perquisite is the same as a perk.
The perquisites of the executive management include the use of company cars.
8. insolvent [ɪnˈsɒlvənt]
adj. A person or organization that is insolvent does not have enough money to pay their debts.
With the advent of the financial crisis, some small companies in developing countries became insolvent.
9. lucrative [ˈluːkrətɪv]
adj. A lucrative activity, job, or business deal is very profitable.
Kate's husband is determined to look for a lucrative job this year.
10. patronize [ˈpætrənaɪz]
(1). v. If someone patronizes you, they speak or behave towards you in a way which seems friendly, but which shows that they think they are superior to you in some way.
(2). v. Someone who patronize artists, writers, or musicians supports them and gives them money.
(3). v. If someone patronizes a place such as a pub, bar, or hotel, they are one of its customers.
The football club is often patronized by social celebrities such as politicians and movie stars.
11. recoup [rɪˈkuːp]
v. If you recoup a sum of money that you have spent or lost, you get it back.
Harry recouped himself for his economic losses by rectifying investments in time.
12. monetary [ˈmʌnɪtri]
adj. Monetary means relating to money, especially the total amount of money in a country.
The central bank has made a new monetary policy to stimulate the economy.
13. redeem [rɪˈdiːm]
(1). v. If you redeem yourself or your reputation, you do something that makes people have a good opinion of you again after you have behaved or performed badly.
(2). v. When something redeems an unpleasant thing or situation, it prevents it from being completely bad.
(3). v. If you redeem a debt money that you have promised to someone, you pay money that you owe or that you promised to pay.
(4). v. If you redeem an object that belongs to you, you get it back from someone by repaying them money that you promised to pay.
(5). v. In religions such as Christianity, to redeem someone means to save them by freeing them from sin and evil.
The political party tried its best to redeem its reputation at a press conference.
14. choir [ˈkwaɪə(r)]
(1). n. A choir is a group of people who sing together, for example in a church or school.
(2). n. In a church building, the choir is the area in front of the alter where the choir sits.
He sings in the school choir.
15. stagnant [ˈstæɡnənt]
(1). adj. If something such as a business or society is stagnant, there is little activity or change.
(2). adj. Stagnant water is not flowing, and therefore often smells unpleasant and is dirty.
Because of economic crisis, our company's sale has remained stagnant.
16. basin [ˈbeɪsn]
(1). n. A basin is a large or deep bowl that you use for holding liquids, or for mixing or storing food.
(2). n. A basin is the same as a washbasin.
(3). n. The basin of a large river is the area of land around it from which streams run down into it.
(4). n. In geography, a basin is a particular region of the world where the earth's surface is lower than in other places.
(5). n. A basin is a partially enclosed area of deep water where boats or ships are kept.
The Amazon Basin has a tropical rainforest climate.
17. alleviate [əˈliːvieɪt]
v. If you alleviate pain, suffering, or an unpleasant condition, you make it less intense or severe.
The drug alleviated the pain of Mary's broken leg.
18. rodent [ˈrəʊdnt]
n. Rodents are small animals which have sharp front teeth. Rats, mice, and squirrels are rodents.
Almost forty percent of mammal species are rodents, and they are found in vast numbers on all continents other than Antarctica.
19. dogged [dɒɡd , ˈdɒɡɪd]
adj. If you describe someone's actions as dogged, you mean that they are determined to continue with something even if it becomes difficult or dangerous.
She is the recipient of a full scholarship from Harvard and her story is one of dogged determination and achievement.
20. aurora [ɔː'rɔːrə]
Auroras are associated with the solar wind, a flow of ions continously flowing outward from the Sun.
21. interstellar [ˌɪntəˈstelə(r)]
adj. Interstellar means between the stars.
Spiral galaxies are well supplied with the interstellar gas in which new stars form.
22. aviation [ˌeɪviˈeɪʃn]
n. Aviation is the operation and production of aircraft.
Great progress was made in the field of aviation during the 1920s and 1930s.
23. synthetic [sɪnˈθetɪk]
adj. Synthetic products are made from chemicals or artificial substances rather than from natural ones.
Synthetic fibers account for about half of all fiber usage, with applications in every field of fiber and textile technology.
24. census [ˈsensəs]
n. A census is an official survey of the population of a country that is carried out in order to find out how many people live there and to obtain details of such things as people's ages and jobs.
The census provides a useful way of obtaining statistical information about a population.
25. clutch [klʌtʃ]
(1). v. If you clutch at something or clutch something, you hold it tightly, usually because you are afraid or anxious.
(2). n. If someone is another person's clutches, that person has captured them or has power over them.
(3). n. In a vehicle, the clutch is the pedal that you press before you change gear.
(4). n. A clutch of eggs is a number of eggs laid by a bird at one time.
(5). n. A clutch of people or things is a small group of them.
This species lays one and only one-clutch of forty eggs in a lifetime.
26. flamboyant [flæmˈbɔɪənt]
adj. If you say that someone or something is flamboyant, you mean that they are very noticeable, stylish, and exciting.
The President's flamboyant lifestyle was well known among the citizens.
27. vein [veɪn]
(1). n. Your veins are the thin tubes in your body through which your blood flows towards your heart.
(2). n. Something that is written or spoken in a particular vein is written or spoken in that style or mood.
(3). n. A vein of a particular quality is evidence of that quality which someone often shows in their behaviour or work.
(4). n. A vein of a particular metal or mineral is a layer of it lying in rock.
(5). n. The veins on a leaf are the thin lines on it.
A number of other people commented in a similar vein.
28. resilience [rɪˈzɪliəns]
Fostering resilience in children requires family environments that are caring and structured, hold high expectations for children's behavior, and encourage participation in the life of the family.
29. charter [ˈtʃɑːtə(r)]
(1). n. A charter is a formal decument describing the rights, aims, or principles of an organization or group of people.
(2). adj. A charter plane or boat is one which is hired for use by a particular person or group and which is not part of a regular service.
(3). v. If a person or organization charters a plane, boat, or other service, they hire it for their own use.
(4). phrase. If you describe a decision or policy as a charter for someone or something you disapprove of, you mean that it is likely to help or encourage them.
The states chartered manufacturing, baking, mining and transportation firms.
30. splash [splæʃ]
(1). v. If you splash about or splash around in water, you hit or disturb the water in a noisy way, causing some of it to fly up into the air.
(2). v. If you splash a liquid somewhere or if it splashed, it hits someone or something and scatters in a lot of small drops.
(3). n. A splash is the sound made when something hits water or falls into it.
(4). n. A splash of a liquid is a small quantity of it that falls on something or is added to something.
(5). n. A splash of colour is an area of a bright colour which contrasts strongly with the colours around it.
(6). v. If a magazine or newspaper splashes a story, it prints it in such a way that it is very noticeable.
(7). phrase. If you make a splash, you become noticed or become popular because of something that you have done.
Early advertisements were quite small and subtle, not the splash sheet whole page spreads of today.
31. prose [prəʊz]
n. Prose is ordinary written language, in contrast to poetry.
Now Gertrude Stein is better known for her prose than for her poems.
32. flint [flɪnt]
(1). n. Flint is a very hard greyish-black stone that was used in former times for making tools.
(2). n. A flint is a small piece of flint which can be struck with a piece of steel to produce sparks.
His eyes were as hard as flint.
33. subdue [səbˈdjuː]
(1). v. If soldiers or the police subdue a group of people, they defeat them or bring them under control by using force.
(2). v. To subdue feelings means to make them less strong.
Snakes frequently subdue their prey by injecting poison.
34. ceramic [səˈræmɪk]
(1). n. Ceramic is clay that has been heated to a very high temperature so that it becomes hard.
(2). n. Ceramics are ceramic ornaments or objects.
(3). n. Ceramics is the art of making artistic objects out of clay.
Rockingham ware was one of the most important American ceramics of the nineteenth century.
35. startling [ˈstɑːtlɪŋ]
adj. Something that is startling is so different, unexpected, or remarkable that people react to it with surprise.
Solar experts from around the world monitoring the Sun have made a startling discovery.
36. choreograph [ˈkɒriəɡrɑːf]
v. When someone choreographs a ballet or other dance, they invent the steps and movements and tell the dancers how to perform them.
She went back to her dance company to choreograph more dances.
37. devour [dɪˈvaʊə(r)]
(1). v. If a person or animal devours something, they eat it quickly and eagerly.
(2). v. If you devour a book or magazine, for example, you read it quickly and with great enthusiasm.
It is not surprising that each whale devours more than one ton of krill daily.
38. sculpt [skʌlpt]
(1). v. When an artist sculpts something, they carve or shape it out of a material such as stone or clay.
(2). v. If something is sculpted, it is made into a particular shape.
The figures were sculpted from single blocks of marble.
整理自《柯林斯詞典》、《新東方託福詞彙》，侵刪歉。