Vocabulary

artful, adj cunning; clever in getting what one wants; deceitful

artfulness, n

artfully, adv

Opp.: artless, adj simple and natural, without any deceit or insincerity

e.g. artless grace/ an artless village girl.

artlessness, n

artlessly, adv

banish, v 1. send away as punishment

2. put away from, out of (the mind)

e.g. banish care

banishment, n

challenge, v 1. (to) invite (sb) to compete against one in a fight, match, etc.

e.g. I challenged him to a game of tennis. I challenge you to race me асross the lake.

2. question legality, rightness, etc. of; dispute

e.g. Traditional female roles are constantly being challenged by contemporary feminists.

3. test the abilities of (a person or thing); stimulate

e.g. I only like to study something if it really challenges me.

4. stop and demand official proof of the name and intentions of (sb)

e.g. The sentry challenged the stranger.

challenge, n 1. an invitation to compete in a fight, match, etc.

e.g. a challenge to a game of tennis.

2. a questioning of the rightness, legality, etc. of sth

3. (sth with) the quality of demanding competitive action, interest, or thought

e.g. I'm looking for a job with a bit more challenge.

4. a demand to stop and give proof of one's name, intentions, etc.

challenging, adj needing the full use of one's abilities and effort, difficult, but in an interesting way

e.g. a challenging problem/job.

contrive, v invent; design; find a way of doing or causing (sth)

e.g. contrive a means of escaping from prison.

contrived, adj

convention, n practice or custom based on general consent

e.g. It's silly to be a slave to convention.

conventional, adj 1. based on convention

e.g. conventional greetings

2. following what has been customary; traditional

conventionally, adv

deplore, v show, say, that one is filled with great aversion, sorrow or regret for

deplorable, adj that is, or should be, deplored

e.g. deplorable conduct

deplorably, adv

e.g. deplorably ignorant children

have half a mind to do sth be almost decided to do it

Cf.: have a (good) mind to do sth be strongly decided to do it

insight, n 1. understanding; power of understanding sth; instance of this

e.g. show insight into human character

2. (often sudden) glimpse of understanding

e.g. She had a good insight into what life would be like as his wife.

insoluble, adj (of problems, etc.) that cannot be solved or explained

involved, adj complicated in form, etc.

e.g. an involved sentence/ style

menace, n danger; threat

e.g. a menace to world peace

menace, v threaten

menacing, adj

moody, adj having moods that often change, esp. being bad-tempered

moodily, adv

narrate, v tell (a story);give an account of

e.g. narrate one's adventures

narration, n the telling of a story, etc.; story; account of events, etc.

narrative, n 1. story or tale; orderly account of events; (composition that consists of) story-telling

2. (used as an adj) in the form of, concerned with, story-telling

e.g. narrative literature (=stories and novels/poems)

narrator, n person who narrates

puzzle, n 1. question or problem difficult to understand or answer

2. (sg only) state of feeling confused, thinking hard about a problem, e.g. bе in a puzzle about his refusal

puzzle, v confuse, worry (about a solution to a problem)

puzzle over sth, think much

puzzle sth out, ( try to ) find an answer or solution by thinking hard

puzzlement, n state of being puzzled

puzzler, n a difficult problem

simplify, v make simple; make easy to do or understand

e.g. a simplified reader/text

simplification, n act or process of making simple; instance of this; thing simplified

snug, adj 1. warm and comfortable

e.g. snug in bed

2. neat and tidy; rightly or conveniently placed or arranged

snugly, adv

solemn, adj 1.causing deep thought or respect; serious and important

2. serious-looking

e.g. a solemn face

solemnity, n

stylize, v represent or treat (art forms, etc.) in the peculiar, conventional style

stylized, adj

superb, adj magnificent; first class

e.g. a superb meal/result/swimmer

virtue, n 1.(any particular kind of ) goodness or excellence

e.g. Patience is a virtue.

2. chastity, esp. of women

e.g. a woman of easy virtue (= one who is promiscuous)

3. ability to produce a definite result

e.g. Have you any faith in the virtue of herbs to heal sickness?

4. advantage

e.g. The great virtue of the Scheme is that it costs very little.

5. by/in virtue of, by reason of, because of

e.g. He claims a pension by virtue of his age.

virtuous, adj having, showing, virtue (1)

virtuously, adv

NOTES

ethic, n system of moral principles, rules of conduct

ethics, n 1. the science that deals with morals

e.g. I'm studying ethics in my philosophy course.

2.moral rules or principles of behaviour governing a person or group

ethical, adj 1.connected with ethics (2)

2. morally good or right

Opp.: unethical, adj

Scotland Yard 1. a short street in central London, formerly the site of the London police headquarters, which were removed in 1890 to the Thames embankment (New Scotland Yard )

2.the London police, esp. the branch engaged in crime detection Soho a district in London, including Soho Square; a predominantly foreign section since 1685; noted for its restaurants.