Unit 17

apt / opt / adept / adapt / adopt

apt adj. 合适的 (exactly suitable) / apt /

• Judy's nickname, The Tortoise, was apt because she was the slowest person that we had ever met.

opt v. 选择 (to make a choice) / ɑpt /

• We decided to opt for the steak because nothing else on the menu appealed to us.

adept adj. 精通的 (very good at doing something hard) / əˈdɛpt /

• Fred was an adept downhill skier who had surmounted some of the world's tallest mountains during his winter holidays.

adapt v. （使）适应 (to change (something) so that it functions better or is better suited for a purpose) / əˈdapt /

• The Wright brothers developed the first airplane by adapting a bicycle to fly by fitting it with wings.

adopt v. 采取，接受 (to begin to use or have (a different manner, method, etc.)) / əˈdäpt /

• Dwight was such a busy person that he adopted the habit of eating his lunch in his office in order to multitask.

v. 收养 (to take a child of other parents legally as your own child)

• Angelina Jolie adopted several children from Africa and Asia and cares for them as though they are biologically hers.

swift / sift / rift / drift

swift adj. 快速的 (happening or done quickly or immediately) / swɪft /

• Swollen with rain, the river poured swiftly over its banks and quickly flooded the entire town.

sift v. 分离，筛选 (to separate or remove) / sift /

• Marcia sifted through the contents of the rubbish bin in hopes of finding her lost ring.

rift n. 不和，裂痕 (a situation in which two people, groups, etc., no longer have a friendly relationship) / rɪft /

• The rift between Yemen's ruling class and the Houthi rebels has resulted in civil war.

drift v. 漂流 (to move slowly on water, wind, etc.) / drɪft /

• As the wind filled its sail, the toy boat drifted slowly across the pond.