Unit 29

bookish / boorish

bookish adj. 书呆子气的 (more interested in reading books and studying than doing more physical activities (such as sports)) /ˈbo͝okiSH/

• Carlton was so bookish that he decided to pursue a degree in Library Science.

boorish adj. 粗鲁的，粗野的 (resembling or befitting a boor (crude insensitivity)) /ˈbʊrɪʃ/

• Neil's boorish comments about Gertrude's weight gain brought her to tears.

sage / saga

sage adj. 智慧的 (very wise) / seɪdʒ/

• The Star Wars character Yoda is portrayed as a sage, elderly creature who imparts his copious wisdom about "the force" to his disciple, Luke Skywalker.

saga n. 传奇 (a long and complicated story with many details) /ˈsɑɡə/

• Wagner's opera, "the Ring of the Nibelung," a.k.a. "The Ring Cycle," is a complex, multi-day performance, based on a Norse mythological saga.

whim / rim / brim

whim n. 奇想，一时兴致 (a sudden wish, desire, decision, etc.) / (h)wim/

• India had such a flighty personality that she was prone to take off on holiday at the slightest whim.

rim n. 边缘 (the outer edge of a usually round object) / rim/

• Jeremy produced a pleasant tone by running his finger around the rim of the half-full glass.

brim v. 盛满 (to be completely filled with something) / brɪm/

• Alex was brimming with joy after she received honors on her math exam.

flit / flip

flit v. 快速移动 (to move quickly from one condition or location to another) / flɪt/

• The butterfly flitted around the garden, quickly flying from one flower to another.

flip v. 翻动 (to cause (something) to turn or turn over quickly) / flip/

• Our father likes to show off when he is making pancakes by flipping them high into the air in order to turn them over.