Zi+Yang

1. exert v. put into use;exercise My wife's been exerting a lot of pressure on me to change my job. 2. intrigue v. excite the interest and curiosity of The book's unusual title intrigued me into reading it. 3. refuge n. a protected, safe place; protection from danger The cat took refuge from the dog behind a tree. 4. tease v. make fun of somebody At school, the other children always teased me because I was fat. 5. figurative adj. using words out of their literal meaning to add beauty or force figurative expression 6. stale adj. no longer fresh; uninteresting There was only a piece of stale cake left in the refrigerator. 7. induce v. lead on; persuade or influence We couldn't induce the old lady to travel by air. 8. subtle adj. so fine or delicate; hardly noticeeable Her subtle smile made him curious. 9. prevail v. exist in many places; be in general use Making resolutions on New Year's Day is a custom that still prevails. 10. utilize v. make good use of; put to some practical use How can we utilize his knowledge and skill to our advantage? 11. transact v. carry on business; manage; perform; conduct The man transacts many affairs connected with the purchase of a house. 12. apparatus n. tools or equipment for a special purpose The town has recently purchase some new firefighting apparatus.
 * Week 1**

1. bellow v. make a loud cry, like that of a bull He bellowed with pain when the tooth was pulled out. 2. beverage n. any kind of drink In some countries, it is illegal to sell alcoholic beverages on Sundays. 3. calculate v. find out by arithmetic; figure out You must calculate all the advantages and disadvantages before coming to a discussion. 4. glamour n. strong attraction; fascination The glamour of the life of an actress made her give up her study. 5. outfit n. a set of clothing or other things needed for a certain purpose She bought him a baseball outfit for his birthday. 6. rascal n. a bad, dishonest person Two rascals tricked the old man out of his money. 7. render v. give; do; offer The organization renders great service to the community. 8. safeguard n. a means of protection against something Keep cleaning is a safeguard against disease. 9. strap n. a narrow strip of leather ot other material that bends easily The general wore straps on the shoulders of his uniform. 10. tomb n. the place where a dead persom is buried When the king died the people placed his body in a large tomb made of stone. 11. transmit v. pass from one person or place to another Her illness was transmitted to other members of the family. 12. wrath n. fierce or deep anger; indignation The king's unjust laws raised a great wrath among the people. 13. baggy adj. hanging loosely; bulging Old people sometimes have baggy skin under their eyes. 14. exterior adj. outer; on or from the outside The exterior surface of the house is bleached by the sunlight. 15. eliminate v. remove; get rid of; leave out A part of the program was eliminated to save time.
 * Week 2**

1. beware v. be on guard against; be careful You should beware of bad companions; they may corrupt you. 2. dwell v. make one's home; live; abide The dwell in the country but work in the city. 3. endow v. give money or property to provide an income for The rich man endowed the college he had attended. 4. pathetic adj. causing a feeling of pity or sorrow The lost child I met on the street was very pathetic. 5. reap v. cut and gather in Giant machines reap the wheat grown in the field. 6. reproach v. find fault with; reprove When he came home drunk, his wife reproached him with a loud angry voice.Feb 7. rigorous adj. severe; painful; stern Rigorous exercise can damage health instead of improving it. 8. sustain v. holp up; support the weight of The large columns sustain the weight of the roof. 9. tormet v. cause great physical or mental suffering; torture She is often tormented with violent headaches. 10. anguish n. great pain or suffering of body or mind The injured soldier moaned in anguish until the doctor arrived. (from toefl vacabulary)
 * Week 3**

Week 4(Feb 3) 1. assault n. a violent attack with weapons or blows We are ready to meet the enemy's assault on our fort. 2. hostile adj. showing dislike; unfriendly; of an enemy Their hostile looks showed that I was unwelcome. 3. independent adj. needing no help from others; not depending on others Since she inherited her father's fortune, she is completely independent of her husband. 4. inevitable adj. not to be avoided; sure to happen; unavoidable They ran short of money during the tour and their return was inevitable. 5. obscure adj. not easily noticed; not clear; not prominent We had difficulty in finding the obscure path through the forest. 6. optimism n. a tendency to look on the bright side of things The candidate's optimism about his chances of winning encouraged his supporters. 7. serene adj. completely peaceful; without trouble; calm; tranquil He kept serene and calm, knowing nothing of the dangers which surrounded him. 8. summit n. the top; the highest point; peak; At least the mountain climbers reached the summit of the mountain. 9. veteran adj. one who has had much experience in a profession or service At the age of 12 the boy was already a veteran traveller, having flown all over the world with his father. 10. abide n. tolerate A good housekeeper can't abide dust.