The final exam

laconic:

 concise to the point of seeming rude or mysterious

=brusque

=pithy

=terse

inadvertent:

  not focusing the mind on a matter

=careless

=reckless

=unintended

=unwitting

brash:done in haste without regard for consequences 

=bold

=cheeky

=cocky

=rude

=impetuous

acrimonious

:  caustic, biting, especially in feeling, language, or manner

=caustic

=bitter

=testy

=belligerent

sordid:very dirty

=disreputable

=shameful

=vile

=nasty

eschew: 

to avoid habitually especially on moral or practical grounds

=abandon

=forgo

=forswear

=shy aeay from

=shun

egregious

:very bad and easily noticed

=nefarious

=heinious

=intolerable

=deplorable

=flagrant

perfunctory: lacking in interest or enthusiasm

=superficial

=sketchy

=cursory

exacerbate:

to make more violent, bitter, or severe

=annoy

=irritate

=provoke

indigent:suffering from extreme poverty

=destitution

=poverty

=impoverished

=penniless

=poverty-stricken

=hinder

=obstacle

=impede

=thwart

=stone wall

stymie:to present an obstacle to

harbinger: one that presages or foreshadows what is to come

=precursor

=omen

=forerunner

※make a sentence

Her father's successful job interview was seen as a harbinger of better times to come.

blatant:

=shameless

=unabashed( not embarrassed or ashamed about openly expressing strong feelings or opinions)

=uproar

=outright

nefarious

virulent:extremely poisonous or venomous

=deadly

=destructive

=fatal

=malignant

histrionics:behavior that is too emotional or dramatic 

=dramatics

=performing

chagrin: distress of mind caused by humiliation, disappointment, or failure

=dismay

=embarrassment

=discomposure

salient: jetting upward

=pertinent

=weighty

wan:to grow or become pale or sickly

=pale

=blanched

=discolored

=dim

=pasty

corroborate: make more certain

=confirm

=validate

=verify

lurid: sensational,

=exaggerated

=horrifying

=revolting

=vivid

=sensational

sporadic: occurring occasionally, singly, or in irregular or random instances

(root-pora-   →disperse)

=desultory

=fitful

=infrequent

=irregular

=occasional

=random

anathema: someone or something intensely disliked or loathed

=abmonishment

=bane

fortuitous: occurring by chance

=fortunate

=odd

=random

=arbitrary

=casual

archaic: of, relating to, or characteristic of an earlier or more primitive time 

=ancient

=antiquated

=obsolete

=old-fashioned

inchoate:  imperfectly formed or formulated 

=immature

=formless

=fledgeling

※inchoate feelings of affection for a man whom she had, up till now, thought of as only a friend

propitious :being a good omen

=advantageous

=beneficial

inveigh: to protest or complain bitterly or vehemently 

=condemn

=blast

sinecure: pushover,soft job

=an office that involves minimal duties

abrogate:  to abolish by authoritative action

=abolish

=invalidate

=nullify

extrinsic: originating outside a part and acting upon the part as a whole

=exterior

=acquired

=alien

=exotic

=external

asperity: roughness of manner or of temper

=meanness

=bitterness

=disagreeableness

=acrimony

altruistic: unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of others

=charitable

=humanitarian

=philanthropic

progeny:  offspring of animals or plants

=breed

=children

=descendant

=lineage

=scions

=seed

perpetrate :to bring about or carry out (as a crime or deception)

=carry out

=commit

=execute

assiduous: showing great care, attention, and effort

=diligent

=laborious

=zealous

=indefatigable

tortuous: marked by repeated twists, bends, or turns

=indirect

=winding

=twisting

=labryrinthine

fiat: a command or act of will that creates something without or as if without further effort

=authorization

=command

=decree

=dictate

=mandate

=permission

mendacious: given to or characterized by deception or falsehood or divergence from absolute truth 

=deceitful

=fibbing

=false

=spurious

=insincere

=fallacious

=duplicitous

profligate:wildly extravagant

=unprincipled

=shameless

=promiscuous 

lugubrious: exaggeratedly or affectedly mournful

=mournful

=sufferable

puissant=powerful

desultory:  not connected with the main subject

=aimless

=chaotic

=orderless

=unstable

=rambling

recondite: hidden from sight 

=deep

=mystic

=little-known

=hidden

=esoteric

gamut: the whole series of recognized musical notes

=spectrum

=catalogue

=compass

irascible: quickly aroused to anger
=passionate
=uptight
=feisty

evince: to display clearly
=declare
=demonstrate
=disclose
=indicate
=reveal
=show

termagant: a bad-tempered scolding woman
=fractious
=rebellious
=unruly

mien: aur ot being especially as expressive of attitude or personality
=contenance
=demeanor
=expression
=appearance
=deportment

elucidate: make clear and comprehensible
=enlighten
=exemplify
=illuminate

mollify: to sooth in temper or disposition
=allay
=alleviate
=lessen
=quell
=relieve

impromptu: Something made or done offhand, at the moment, or without previous study;
=offhand
=spontaneous
=unscripted

umbrage: a feeling of pique or resentment at some often fancied slight or insult
=anger
=annoyance
= indignation
=irritation
=chagrin

artifice: clever or artful skill
=contrivance
=gimmick
=savvy

vacillate: to waver in mind, will, or feeling :  hesitate in choice of opinions or courses
=waver
=hover
=sway
=swing
=hesitate

vestige: a trace, mark, or visible sign left by something
=glimmer
=evidence
=suspicion

nepotism:  the unfair practice by a powerful person of giving jobs and other favors to relatives
=bias
=discrimination
=inequity
=partisanship

reticent:  inclined to be silent or uncommunicative in speech
=bashful
=hesitant
=silent

tyro:  a beginner in learning
=amateur
=apprentice
=learner
=newcomer
=novice
=pupil
=recruit
=colt

staunch: steadfast in loyalty or principle
※staunch friend
=ardent
=loyal
=reliable
=steadfast
=trustworthy
=stout

taut: having no give or slack ;tightly drawn
=firm
=inflexible
=stiff
=tense

vapid: lacking liveliness, tang, briskness, or force
=boring
=innocuous
=insipid
=tedious
=uninspiring

fatuous:  completely or inanely foolish
=absurd
=asinine
=birdbrained
=brainless
=dull
=foolish

ennui:  a feeling of weariness and dissatisfaction
=apathy
=melancholy
=sadness
=weariness
=depression

carnage:  great and usually bloody slaughter or injury (as in battle)
=bloodshed
=butchery
=havoc
=slaughter
=warfare

aloof :removed or distant either physically or emotionally
=distant
=haughty
=unsympathetic

vertigo: a sensation of motion in which the individual or the individual's surroundings seem to whirl dizzily
=shakiness
=unsteadiness

foment:  to promote the growth or development of
=abet
=arouse
=incite
=whip up

inveterate: confirmed in a habit
=addicted
=habitual
=incurable

refute:  to deny the truth or accuracy of
=contradict
=counter
=disprove
=repudiate
=object
=expose

heinous: hatefully or shockingly evil
=abhorrent
(abhor=loath)
=flagrant
=hateful
=hideous
=horrendous
=nefarious
=odious
=revolting
=scandalous
=shocking
=unspeakable
=vicious

quandary:  a state of perplexity or doubt
=dilemma
=embarrassment
=plight
=predicament
=puzzle

austere:  stern and cold in appearance or manner
=rigid
=sober
=cold
=somber
=grave

spate:
(1) a sudden or strong outburst(=rush※ a rush of anger)
(2)a large amount of ( water)
=flood
=string
=flurry

pragmatic:   practical as opposed to idealistic
=businesslike
=practical
=realistic
=down-to -earth
=functional
=feasible

atrophy:  a wasting away or progressive decline
=degeneration
=decline
=deterioration

callow: lacking adult sophistication
=naive
=juvenile
=unfledged
=infant

ruminate:   to go over in the mind repeatedly and often casually or slowly
=brainstorm
=meditate
=ponder
=contemplate
=deliberate
=reflect

encomium: lowing and warmly enthusiastic praise
=praise
=salution
=commendation
=tribute

venial:  of a kind that can be remitted : forgivable, pardonable
=forgivable
=tolerable
=slight
=explainable

dulcet:  pleasing to the ear <dulcet tones>
=agreeable
=musical
=pleasing to the ears
=pleasurable

requisite: requirement
=essentional
=necessity

livid: pale as ashes
=ashy
=pale
=discolored
=dusky
=greyish
=gloomy

pique: to arouse anger or resentment in
=resentment
=annoyance
=displeasure
=provocation

extol:
=acclaim
=applaud
=commend
=praise
=celebrate
=exalt

allude: to make indirect reference
=imply
=refer
=suggest
=advert

prerogative

abhor: to regard with extreme repugnance : loathe
= despise
=hate
=loathe
=scorn

excoriate: to criticize (someone or something) very harshly
=fret
=criticize
=strip
=scratch

I will fetch this trilogy next month~~I am so exited!

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Auld Lang Syne

"Auld Lang Syne" is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788and set to the tune of a traditional folk song (Roud # 6294). It is well known in many countries, especially in the English-speaking world, its traditional use being to bid farewell to the old year at the stroke of midnight. By extension, it is also sung at funerals, graduations and as a farewell or ending to other occasions. The international Boy Scout youth movement, in many countries, uses it to close jamborees and other functions.

The song's Scots title may be translated into standard English as "old long since", or more idiomatically, "long long ago", "days gone by" or "old times". Consequently, "For auld lang syne", as it appears in the first line of the chorus, might be loosely translated as "for (the sake of) old times".

The phrase "Auld Lang Syne" is also used in similar poems by Robert Ayton, Allan Ramsay , and James Watson  as well as older folk songs predating Burns. Matthew Fitt uses the phrase "In the days of auld lang syne" as the equivalent of "Once upon a time..." in his retelling of fairy tales in the Scots language.

Lyric
Should Old Acquaintance be forgot,
and never thought upon;
The flames of Love extinguished,
and fully past and gone:
Is thy sweet Heart now grown so cold,
that loving Breast of thine;
That thou canst never once reflect
On old long syne.

CHORUS:
On old long syne my Jo,
On old long syne,
That thou canst never once reflect,
On old long syne.

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"The Saga of Beowulf" is the first complete novelization of the epic 10th century poem Beowulf, chronicling the rise of the emerging Nordic nations, the tragic blood-feuds of their clans, epic battles with mythological creatures in an ancient heroic age, and the final, futile struggle of one man against the will of Fate that made of him a Legend.

Breathtaking in scope and relentless in pace, the story follows the young Norse warrior Beowulf as he embarks upon a fateful quest for vengeance against the creature that slew his father, setting in motion a sequence of events that will bring about the downfall of a nation, all the while fleeing from the woman he has sworn to love. Steeped in Norse mythology and lore, and based on extensive historical research, the saga unfolds across the frozen fields of Sweden and the fetid fens of Denmark, ranging from the rocky heights of Geatland to the sprawling battlefields of ancient France.

"Saga" series

Filled with myth and fantasy, it is a realm that still exists in history, a world where Danes and Swedes and Franks do battle for the future of their clans, nations that survive today, in places where the bones of those who live within these pages now are lain.

"I wanted to tell the story in its entirety, and in the original setting of 6th century pagan Scandinavia," says author R. Scot Johns. "It had never been done before in its full scope, with both the historical and mythological elements intact. It took me ten years, so now I know why.

"I drew on every name and slight digression told in passing in the poem. And bolstered that with all the details I could glean from ancient chronicles and modern archaeology, sources ranging from the near-contemporary Historia Francorum and the Icelandic Saga of Hrolf Kraki to the excavations done in Old Uppsala and the Rhine river estuary where the bones of Hygelac were found. Such a great wealth of Beowulf scholarship has been undertaken in the last century that one could easily spend a lifetime scouring through it all. For those who have studied the poem carefully there are many subtle details to be found here. But over all is an epic tale of bravery and wonder such as only the Norsemen could have forged with(be made of) sword and song."

An epic adventure 1500 years in the making, this classic tale now comes to life once more in a bold new retelling for a modern audience.
※futile: (of actions)having no effect or achieving nothing ;unsuccessful
=fruitless
=hollow
=vain
=ineffective
=insufficient
=unproductive
=worthless
＊futile struggle
※relent: to act in a less severe way towards someone and allow something that you refused to allow before.
=come around
=give in
=let go
=ease off
=relax
=subside
※relentless: continuing  a severe or extreme way
=determined(=unyielding)
=dogged
=implacable
=inexorable(=ruthless=rigorous)
=unrelenting

※sprawl:
(1)｛body｝to spread the arms and legs out carelessly and untidily while sitting or lying down
=drape
=loll(to lie, sit or hang down in a relaxed informal or uncontrolled way)
＊lollipop: a hard sweet on a stick

=lounge(to spend your time in a relaxed way , sitting or lying somewhere and doing very little)
(2)｛city｝to cover a large area of land with buildings which have been added at different times so that it looks untidy
※pagan: belonging to a religion which worships many gods, especially one which existed before the main world religious.
=polytheistic
=heathen
=agnostic
※fetid: smelling extremely bad and stale
=stinking
=revolting
=smell
=stinky
=gross
※digression(Noun)
: to move away from the main subject you are writing or talking about and to write or talk about something else
=detour
=footnote(→an event , subject or detail which is not important)
※bolster: to support or improve something or make it stronger
=aid
=boost
=help
=maintain
=reinforce
=strengthen
=support
=sustain
=assist
=bulwark(→something that protects you from dangerous or unpleasant situations )
※chronicle
(1.As a noun) a written record of historical events
(2.As a verb) to make a record or give details of something
=annals
=diary
=journal
※excavate: to remove earth that is covering very old objects buried in the ground in order to discover things about the past
※estuary: the wide part of a river at the place where it joins the sea
=inlet
=waterway

the area where salt water and fresh water mix

※scour:
(1)｛clean｝scour out→ to remove dirt from something by rubbing it hard with something rough
(2)｛search｝to search a place or thing very carefully in order to try to find something
＊scour sth out   (phrasal verb)
:  to make a hole by a movement that is repeated continuously over a long period of time
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The Canterbury Tales


The Canterbury Tales (Middle English: Tales of Caunterbury) is a collection of 24 stories that runs to over 17,000 lines written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer. In 1386, Chaucer became Controller of Customs and Justice of Peace and, three years later, Clerk of the King's work in 1389. It was during these years that Chaucer began working on his most famous text, The Canterbury Tales. The tales (mostly written in verse, although some are in prose) are presented as part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel together on a journey from London to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. The prize for this contest is a free meal at the Tabard Inn at Southwark on their return.
Style
The variety of Chaucer's tales shows the breadth of his skill and his familiarity with many literary forms, linguistic styles, and rhetorical devices. Medieval schools of rhetoric at the time encouraged such diversity, dividing literature (as Virgil suggests) into high, middle, and low styles as measured by the density of rhetorical forms and vocabulary.
Another popular method of division came from St. Augustine, who focused more on audience response and less on subject matter (a Virgilian concern). Augustine divided literature into "majestic persuades", "temperate pleases", and "subdued teaches". Writers were encouraged to write in a way that kept in mind the speaker, subject, audience, purpose, manner, and occasion. Chaucer moves freely between all of these styles, showing favouritism to none. He not only considers the readers of his work as an audience, but the other pilgrims within the story as well, creating a multi-layered rhetorical puzzle of ambiguities. Thus Chaucer's work far surpasses the ability of any single medieval theory to uncover.

With this, Chaucer avoids targeting any specific audience or social class of readers, focusing instead on the characters of the story and writing their tales with a skill proportional to their social status and learning. However, even the lowest characters, such as the Miller, show surprising rhetorical ability, although their subject matter is more lowbrow. Vocabulary also plays an important part, as those of the higher classes refer to a woman as a "lady", while the lower classes use the word "wench", with no exceptions. At times the same word will mean entirely different things between classes. The word "pitee", for example, is a noble concept to the upper classes, while in the Merchant's Tale it refers to sexual intercourse. Again, however, tales such as the Nun's Priest's Tale show surprising skill with words among the lower classes of the group, while the Knight's Tale is at times extremely simple.

Chaucer uses the same meter throughout almost all of his tales, with the exception of Sir Thopas and his prose tales. It is a decasyllable line, probably borrowed from French and Italian forms, with riding rhyme and, occasionally, a caesura in the middle of a line. His meter would later develop into the heroic meter of the 15th and 16th centuries and is an ancestor of iambic pentameter. He avoids allowing couplets to become too prominent in the poem, and four of the tales (the Man of Law's, Clerk's, Prioress', and Second Nun's) use rhyme royal.

※pilgrim: a person who makes a journey, which is often long and diffcult, to special place for religious reason.
※lowbrow: not complicated or demanding much intelligence to be understood.
=primitive
=wild
=brutal
※wenche: a young woman; a female servant
=lass
=maiden
male-→negative
malignant
malicious
malevolent