Unit 119

auspicious / audacious

auspicious adj. 吉兆的，幸运的 (showing or suggesting that future success is likely) / ɔːˈspɪʃəs/

• Good grades in school tend to be an auspicious indicator for success in future careers.

audacious adj. 大胆的，无畏的 (intrepidly daring) / ɔːˈdeɪʃəs/

• Amelia Earhart's most audacious flight marked the first time a woman had flown solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

dwindle / swindle / kindle

dwindle v. 减少，下降 (to gradually become smaller) /ˈdwɪnd(ə)l/

• Over the years, Tim's interest in his train set dwindled so much that he finally donated it to a children's charity.

swindle v. 诈骗，骗取 (to take money or property from someone by using lies or tricks) /ˈswɪnd(ə)l/

• The con artist Bernie Madoff used a Ponzi scheme to swindle his investors out of millions of dollars.

kindle v. 点燃 (to ignite) /ˈkɪnd(ə)l/

• Jeff used matches to kindle the campfire.

tension / pension

tension n. 紧张 (a feeling of nervousness that makes you unable to relax) /ˈtɛnʃ(ə)n/

• Barbara's tension over the looming deadline was so great that she found it difficult to fall asleep at night.

v. 使拉紧，使紧张 (to tighten to a desired or appropriate degree)

• Josh tensioned the mainsail in preparation to come about.

pension n. 退休金，抚恤金 (an amount of money that a company or the government pays to a person who is old or sick and no longer works) / pɒ̃ˈsjɒ̃/

• Our parents are lucky to have retired with a generous pension that ensures they remain comfortable in their old age.

paltry / palter

paltry adj. 少量 (very small or too small in amount) /ˈpɒltri/

• Nestor's paltry pension gave him barely enough money to put food on his table.

palter v. 马虎处理，敷衍了事 (to act insincerely or deceitfully) /ˈpɔːltə/

• The con artist was caught out after his paltering finally trapped him in a web of his own lies.