Unit 124

provident / providential / provincial

provident adj. 节省的，为未来准备的 (careful about planning for the future and saving money for the future) /ˈprɒvɪd(ə)nt/

• Marsha's provident care for her finances helped her to maintain a very comfortable standard of living in her retirement years.

providential adj. 幸运的，凑巧的 (happening at a good time because of luck) / prɒvɪˈdɛnʃ(ə)l/

• The family was about to lose their house to the bank when the father had a providential lottery win.

provincial adj. 眼光狭隘的 (limited in outlook) / prəˈvɪnʃ(ə)l/

• People who do not travel tend to maintain a provincial outlook, concerned only with their own lives and immediate community.

implore / deplore

implore v. 恳求，哀求 (to ask or beg for (something) in a very serious or emotional way) / ɪmˈplɔː/

• The Maldives government has implored the international community for aid because rising sea levels from global warming are threatening to obliterate the island nation.

deplore v. 悲悼 (to feel or express grief for) / dɪˈplɔː/

• The international community deplores the conditions facing the Maldives, but there is very little they can do to protect the island nation from increased flooding.

v. 谴责 (to strongly disapprove of something)

• Esan deplored cheating so much that he turned in his best friend when he caught him stealing the exam.

sober / somber / solemn

sober adj. 严肃认真的 (having or showing a very serious attitude or quality) /ˈsəʊbə/

• Nelson had a sober attitude toward his studies, always ensuring that his schoolwork took priority.

somber adj. 严肃的，悲伤的 (very sad and serious) /ˈsɒmbə/

• The atmosphere at our grandmother's funeral was appropriately somber.

solemn adj. 郑重的，严肃的 (very serious or formal in manner, behavior, or expression) /ˈsɒləm/

• The American public holiday Memorial Day is meant to be a solemn occasion during which citizens remember soldiers who died fighting to protect the country.

subordinate / insubordinate

subordinate adj. 职位低的，下级的 (placed in or occupying a lower class, rank, or position) / səˈbɔːdɪnət/

• The exam results revealed that Elaine's rank was second, only subordinate to the student who had done the best on the test.

insubordinate adj. 不服从的 (not obeying authority) /ˌɪnsəˈbɔːdɪnət/

• Harold received a detention following his insubordinate refusal to pay attention to the teacher.