Reading 3

Marriage Is a Private Affair

Vocabulary

• Ail: vt, vi,• 1. to cause problems for sb/sth.• Ex. They discussed the problems ailing the steel

industry.• 2. to make sb ill/sick• Ex. What is ailing you?• Ailment: n.: an illness that is not very serious• Ex. Chronic ailment/common ailment/minor ailm

ent

vocabulary

• Amazon: noun• 1. (in ancient Greek stories) a woman from a trib

e of female warriors• 2. (amazon) (literary): a tall strong woman• Menace:• As a noun:• 1. a person or thing that will probably cause seri

ous damage, harm or danger (syn.: threat)• Ex. The new law is a new initiative aimed at bea

ting the menace of illegal drugs.

vocabulary

• Dis + concert = disconcert• Disconcert: vt, to make sb feel anxious, confuse

d or embarrassed• Ex. His answer rather disconcerted her.• Disconcerted: adj, • Ex. I was very disconcerted to find that everyon

e else already knew it.• Disconcerting: adj,• Ex. She had the disconcerting habit of saying ex

actly what she thought.

vocabulary

• Menace:• As a noun:• 2. an atmosphere that makes you fell

threatened or frightened• Ex. There is a sense/an air/a hint of menace in

his voice.• 3. a person or thing that is annoying or causes

trouble (syn. nuisance)• Ex. Slugs can be a menace in the greenhouse

in winter.

vocabulary

• Menace:• As a verb:• 1. to be a possible danger to sth/sb (syn.

Threaten)• Ex. The forests are being menaced by ma

jor development projects.• Com ( 表示 “一起” “共同” “完全”

用於 ,b, p, m, 之前 ) + miserate (misery)• Commiserate:

vocabulary

• Commiserate (with sb) (on/about/for/over sth): v, to show sb sympathy when they are upset or disapponted about sth

• Ex. She commiserated with the losers on their defeat.• Obstinate: adj.• 1. (often disapproving) refusing to change your opinio

n, way of behaving, etc, when other people try to persuade you to (syn. Stubborn)

• Ex. He can be very obstinate when he wants to be!• She showed her obstinate refusal to comply with thei

r request

vocabulary

• Obstinate: adj.• 2. difficult to get rid of or deal with

(syn. stubborn)• Ex. The government is trying hard to

resolve the obstinate problem of unemployment.

• There is an obstinate stain on my T-shirt.

vocabulary

• Mutilate: verb• 1. to damage sb’s body very severely, especiall

y by cutting or tearing off part of it• Ex. The body had been badly mutilated.• 2. to damage sth very badly• Ex. This church was severely mutilated during t

he civil war.• Mutilation: noun• Ex. Thousands suffered death or mutilation in th

e bomb blast.

vocabulary

• Defer (to): vt and vi, to obey sb• Ex. I will be happy to defer to your advice on these m

atters.• I defer to my parents because they are older and wis

er.• You could defer ( 委託 ) the matter to your colleague• Deference: n, behaviour that shows that you respect

sb/sth• Ex. The women wore veils in deference to the custom

s of the country.• The flags were lowered out of deference to the berea

ved family.

vocabulary

• Grudge: noun, a feeling of anger or dislike towards sb because of sth bad they have done to you in the past

• Ex. I bear him no grudge.

• He has a grudge against the world.

• England beat New Zealand in a grudge match (= a match where there is strong dislike between the teams).

vocabulary

• Grudge: vt, to do or give sth unwillingly• Ex. (V –ing) I grudge having to pay so much tax.• He grudges the time he spends travelling to wor

k.• Grudging: adj. (syn. reluctant)• He could not help feeling a grudging admiration

for the old lady.• Grudgingly: adv.• Ex. She grudgingly admitted that I was right.• Grudger: noun

vocabulary

• Perfunctory: adj, (formal) (of an action) done as a duty or habit, without real interest, attention or feeling

• Ex. I said my sincere greetings to John but he only gave me a perfunctory smile/nod.

• They only made a perfunctory effort.

• Perfunctorily: adv

Related websites

• Ibo (Igbo): Igbo• The Biafran War: Nigerian Civil War • The News report about Nigeria: 王瑞德的部落格;

聯合新聞網; 國家政策研究基金會;Yahoo!奇摩股市; Yahoo!奇摩知識; 壹蘋果網絡

• Taiwanese-Nigerian marriage: 中時電子報:政大菁報; 臺大校友雙月刊

• Fela Kuti: 耕者有其田• Essay:nutrition• Others: 奈及利亞女人