Unit 101

trite / rite / trait

trite adj. 陈词滥调的 (not evoking interest because of overuse or repetition) / trʌɪt /

• When Ted's fiancé left him at the altar, his friends tried to mollify him by making trite statements about there being "plenty of fish in the sea."

rite n. 仪式，习俗 (a ceremonial act or action) / rʌɪt /

• The puja ceremony is a regular rite of worship for people of the Hindu faith.

trait n. 个性，特点 (a distinguishing quality (as of personal character) / treɪt /

• Zhang's best trait was her forthrightness; whenever we asked her a question we knew she would give us a straight answer.

punctilious/ punctual / punctuate / punctuating

punctilious adj. (对行为)谨慎小心的 (very careful about behaving properly and doing things in a correct and accurate way) /pʌŋ(k)ˈtɪlɪəs/

• Felix was a punctilious man who demanded that things be done and arranged in a very specific fashion.

punctual adj. 准时的，守时的 (being on time) /ˈpʌŋ(k)tʃʊ(ə)l/

• Pat was usually so punctual that we became quite worried any time she was late.

punctuate v. 加标点的 (marking or dividing (written matter) with punctuation marks) /ˈpʌŋ(k)tʃʊeɪt/

• Mary carefully punctuated her English essay with the appropriate commas, periods and apostrophes.

adj. / v. 不时打断的 (breaking into or interrupting at intervals)

• Intermittent roars of heavy machinery created a punctuating soundtrack for the Sunday afternoon.

foment / ferment / fervent / torment

foment v. 激起，煽动 (to cause the growth or development of something bad or harmful) /fə(ʊ)ˈmɛnt/

• Carl's anger fomented until he and exploded with rage.

ferment v. 发酵 (to go through a chemical change that results in the production of alcohol) /fəˈmɛnt/

• Vodka is usually made by fermenting potatoes or grain.

fervent adj. 情感强烈的，热烈的 (exhibiting or marked by great intensity of feeling) /ˈfəːv(ə)nt/

• Jane's most fervent wish was to attend Harvard University.

torment v. 折磨 (to cause to feel extreme physical or mental pain) /tɔːˈmɛnt/

• It is horrible to imagine the torment that was suffered by people who were tortured at Abu Gharib prison.