1 diction by. 2 levels of words the meaning of words general and specific words idioms dictionary
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Formal words (examples in the book)
learned wordswords used in encyclopedias,
political and legal documentswords used by educated people and
scholarly or professional communities
long, difficult
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Common words (examples in the book)
the word people know from everyday communication
words most often used
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Colloquial words (examples in the book)
the word used by people in informal conversations
oralcontractions
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Denotative meaning
the meaning you can find in the dictionary
The dictionary gives information about where the word comes from and how to know the difference between the word and other words.
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Connotative meaning
the feeling or idea suggested by the word
the meaning you can know from popular TV shows, movies, music, magazines and website content
not an “exact” meaning—the hearer must look at the context to understand the meaning
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Politician (denotative)
someone who has power and uses it to do things;
usually a person who has a position in government
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Politician (Connotative)
someone who likes power and will do wrongful things to gain power (wrongful things like tricks, lies, maneuvers, and pandering);
someone who doesn’t care about what is good, and just tries to get as much power as they can
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Rock ‘n Roll (denotative)
A kind of musicStarted from jazz in the 1950sElvis Presley, the BeatlesGuitars, drums, singingFastStarted today’s genres like punk, heavy
metal, soft rock, hard rock, rockabilly, grunge, etc.
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Rock ‘n Roll (Connotative)
A way of livingMy body is art; my clothes are art; my
lifestyle is art; and my music is art.Express oneself; don’t worry about
the resultsParties, drinking, music for pleasure,
free love, no worries, avoid responsibility
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Pessimist (denotative)
someone who views some part of life as unworthy; Christian pessimism asserts that this world
will be destroyed and all of life’s riches and pleasures will disappear; so people had better store up “treasures in heaven” or they will have nothing—a Christian pessimist will avoid success.
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Pessimist (Connotative)
someone who sees the “bad side” of things; An optimist sees the glass as
‘half full’; a pessimist sees the glass as ‘half empty’;
someone who has a bad attitudesomeone who expects bad things to
happen, doesn’t hope for good things, and doesn’t put their faith in goodness
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Cynic (denotative)
The cynical tradition of Ancient Greece
The cynics: a group of people who helped people to question their beliefs and find new truths.
Cynicism: a kind of critical thinking
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Cynic (Connotative)
Someone who thinks people deserve to be cheated.
Someone who thinks that someone who does something good really has bad reason for doing it.
Someone who has no hope or faith.
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Epicurean (denotative)
A person from a group of people in Ancient Greece who believed that one person should take care of themselves before they serve others
Epicureanism: the belief that people should know their own interests, fulfill those interests, and by doing so benefit society
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Epicurean (Connotative)
Someone who loves delicious foodSomeone who loves pleasureSomeone who greatly fears pain and
will do immoral things in order to avoid it
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No words are exactly the same.
1. Stylistic level: Informal and formal ask time rise question age mount interrogate epoch ascend2. Emphatic a big/large city a big/large house The team has got a huge man over two meters tall.3. Emotional Coloring small/ little4. Tone modest /humble (laudatory and derogatory)5. Different Collocations large amount/number/quantity great courage/ confidence/ ability/ wisdom
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General and Specific Words
good niceThe students went out of the classroom.
The more specific, the better.
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Colorful words and phrases
walk slowly
fall downpoorhungry
redeat a lotweak
strollcrash Impoverishedstarving
scarletdebauchlame
meanderface-plantdestitutefamishedcrimsonstufffeeble
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Colorful words and phrases
drink wet give up bad smelling cheat bad manners forget fast (get) cheated angry
gulp soakingabandonstinkypull a fast oneact rudespace(in) a flash (get) burnedfurious
down guzzlewringing wet, water-loggedfoulbamboozleget surlyhave a brain fartbreak-neck speed(get) screwedboiling with rage
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English is rich in idioms.
1. Phrasal verbs put up with / turn out / look forward to / carry on 2. N+prep. +n. the apple of one’s eye; like a fish out of water3. Prep. +n. on the air; at length4. V. +n. Kill two birds with one stone; go to the dogs 5. As…as as easy as a pie; as poor as a church mouse6. Sayings One man’s meat is another man’s poison. A stitch in time saves nine.
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1. “common”
Common refers to that which is met with most frequently or is shared by all or most individuals in a group, body, etc, and may imply prevalence , usualness, or, in a depreciatory sense , inferiority a common belief a common hussy
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Any synonyms?
General implies connection with all or nearly all of a kind, class, or group and stresses extensiveness general unrest among the people
Ordinary implies accordance with the regular or customary pattern, stressing commonplaceness and lack of special distinctionan ordinary work day
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More?
Familiar applies to that which is widely known and readily recognizeda familiar feeling
Popular implies widespread currency , acceptance, or favor among the general public or the common peoplea popular song
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2. “obstinate”
Stubbornly adhering to an attitude, opinion, or course of action; obdurate.
Difficult to manage, control, or subdue; refractory.
Difficult to alleviate or cure: an obstinate headache.
[Middle English obstinat, from Latin obstin tus, past participle of obstin re, to persist; see st - in Indo-European roots.]
ob sti·nate·ly adv. ob sti·nate·ness n.
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Stubborn refers to innate, often perverse resoluteness or unyieldingness She was very stubborn when her mind was
made up. One who is headstrong is stubbornly,
often recklessly willful The headstrong teenager ignored school
policy. Stiff-necked implies stubbornness combined
with arrogance or aloofness The stiff-necked customer blamed the cashier.
Any synonyms?
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Bullheaded suggests foolish or irrational obstinacy, and pigheaded, stupid obstinacy Don't be bullheaded; see a doctor.
Mulish implies the obstinacy and intractability associated with a mule Obstinate is no word for it, for she is mulish.
Dogged emphasizes stubborn perseverance: dogged persistence; The dogged strength in him keeps himself from
giving up.
More?
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3. “but”
But is very frequent used in spoken English , where it is often used at the beginning of a sentence “I read it in a newspaper .” ” But newsp
apers aren’t always right!”But is also used in writing, though n
ot usually at the beginning of a sentence.
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Any synonyms?
However is used especially in more formal writing , often with commas before and after it in the middle of a sentenceThis has been reported in a newspaper .
One must remember, however, that newspapers are not always accurate.
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What can we learn from a dictionary? cau•tion (ko:shn)
n. warning against danger: by way of ~ attention to safety: with ~ (informal) an alarming or amusing pers
on v.
to warn or reprimand. [from Old French caution.]
The policeman ~ed the driver about his speed / for speeding.
The teacher ~ed him against being late / not to be late.
I ~ the children that it is risky.
Spelling Syllables Pronunciation Parts of
speech Meanings Usage History of the
word
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the exact meaning
Respectful: showing respect to others Be ~ to your seniors.
Respectable: considered socially acceptable The ex-prisoner is now a ~ citizen.
Respected: admired by many people for one’s qualities or achievements Professor Yang is a ~ teacher.
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what patterns to use
to informPlease ~us of his arrival.Our teacher ~ed that the class was move
d to next Friday.
inform sb about/of somethinginform sb that …
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collocations
learn knowledge?acquire / gain knowledge
drop tears?shed / weep (tears) tears well up in one’s eyes
to make achievement? to do well in … to achieve considerable success to achieve good exam results
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to lovedearlydeeplypassionately tenderlyunconditionallywholeheartedly
Not entirely, fully, completely
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Anything else?
He kept me waiting.I found him working at his desk.They left me standing outside.I heard him giving orders.
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Dictionaries are lifetime teachers.
They are available any time you want to consult them.
They are knowledgeable and are capable of helping you solve many of your problems.
They are patient and tireless and able to work with you as long as you like.
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What do they mean?
(ELECTRONICS)
POSITIVE
NEGATIVE
(+)Gives electric current
(-)Receives electric current
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In communication
Positive: Posit an idea
Suggest an idea
Explain an idea
Say something that will help someone to feel good
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In communication
Negative: Negate an idea
Disagree with a suggestion
Explain why something is bad or wrong
Say something that might make someone feel bad right now, usually in hopes for good later
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Back to feelings---good about “positive”
What’s good about “positive”?
Gives people a good feeling
Gives people confidence
Suggests something people can do
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Back to feelings---bad about “negative”
What’s bad about “negative”?
Gives people a bad feeling
Makes people feel weak, or feel like they are fighting
Can stop people from taking any action
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Back to feelings---good about “negative”
What’s good about “negative”?
Helps people to be sober
Helps people to be intelligent
Suggests that people avoid action, if they don’t know about something
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Back to feelings---bad about “positive”
What’s bad about “positive”?
Makes people feel high and avoid reality
Gives people false confidence
Sometimes leads to careless action
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The January wind has hundred voices.
It can scream, it can bellow, it can whisper, and it can sing a lullaby.
It can roar through the leafless oaks and shout down the hillside, and it can murmur in the white pines rooted among the granite ledges where lichen makes strange hieroglyphics.
It can whistle down a chimney and set the hearth-flames to dancing.
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On a sunny day it can pause in a sheltered spot and breathe a promise of spring and violets.
In the cold of a lonely night it can rattle the sash and stay there muttering of ice and snow banks and deep-frozen pond.
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Sometimes the January wind seems to come from the farthest star in the outer darkness, so remote and so impersonal is its voice.
That is the wind of a January dawn, in the half-light that trembles between day and night.
It is a wind that merely quivers the trees, its force sensed but not seen, a force that might almost hold back the day if it were so directed.
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Then the east brightens, and the wind relaxes—the stars, its source, grown dim.
And sometimes the January wind is so intimate that you know it came only from the next hill, a little wind that plays with leaves and puffs at chimney smoke and whistles like a little boy with puckered lips.
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It makes the little cedar trees quiver, as with delight.
It shadow-boxes with the weather-vane.
It tweaks an ear, and whispers laughing words about crocuses and daffodils, and nips the nose and dances off.
But you never know, until you hear its voice, which wind is here today.
Or, more important, which will be here tomorrow.