托业考试综合辅导(17d)

speculate v. to meditate¹ on a subject; reflect; to engage in a course of reasoning often based on inconclusive evidence; to engage in the buying or selling of a commodity with an element of risk on the chance of profit

spoil v. to impair² the value or quality of; to damage irreparably; ruin; to impair the completeness, perfection, or unity³ of; flaw grievously; to do harm to the character, nature, or attitude of by over-solicitude, overindulgence, or excessive praise

sponsor n. one who donates money; person or organization that promotes or supports (an event, program, candidate, etc.); godparent

sponsor v. to back; to support; to finance; to subsidize; to promote

sporadic⁵ adj. irregular; fitful; occasional; infrequent

sprinkle n. the act of sprinkling; a light rainfall; a small amount; a sprinkling

sprinkle v. to scatter⁶ in drops or particles; to scatter drops or particles on; to distribute or intersperse⁷ at random⁸

square adj. having four equal sides enclosing four equal angles; shaped like a square; perpendicular⁹; aligned¹⁰; sturdy; fair; honest; settled; even

square n. geometric figure having four equal sides; something shaped like a square; open area in a town or city; plaza¹¹; exponent¹² of 2; tool with straight edges and a right angle

stable adj. steady; firm; fixed¹³; lasting¹⁴; dependable; faithful; not susceptible¹⁵ to change

stack n. heap; tall bookshelf; chimney; (Computers) area in memory where information can be stored and then retrieved¹⁶ in the reverse order; (Internet) layers of the open system interconnection used to transfer information

stack v. to place one thing on top of another in a heap; to pile

staff v. to employ a group of workers; to provide with employees; to man

stagnant¹⁷ adj. not moving or flowing; motionless; showing little or no sign of activity or advancement¹⁸; not developing or progressing; inactive; lacking vitality¹⁹ or briskness²⁰; sluggish²¹ or dull

stake v. to risk; to gamble; to finance; to underwrite; to mark off a boundary using stakes; to tie to a stake

stall n. stand; booth; pen; compartment²² in a stable for an animal; pretext²³ to delay; protective covering for a finger; (Airplanes) loss of control; loss of lift; (British) orchestra seats

stall v. to put into a stable; to delay; to check the progress of; to cause to stop; to cause to turn off (of a motor)

stance n. physical position or bearing; opinion; attitude

stand out v. to be conspicuous²⁴; to be noticeable; to project; to protrude²⁵; to persist in one's opposition²⁶ to something; to maintain an offshore²⁷ course (Nautical)

standard adj. serving as a model; normal; regular; typical; widely accepted

standard n. model; criterion; norm; average; flag; banner; commodity which backs a monetary²⁸ system

standpoint n. outlook; perspective; view; opinion; attitude

staple²⁹ adj. essential; regularly used; primary; principal; main (of goods or products)

staple n. metal clip for binding³⁰ papers; basic food item; essential element; main crop or product of a region; trade item that is constantly in demand; fiber³¹ (of wool, cotton, etc.)

startle v. to cause to make a quick involuntary movement or start; to alarm, frighten, or surprise suddenly

statement n. declaration; allegation; official account; printed record of account activity; instruction written in a high-level programming language (Computers)

stationary³² adj. not moving; still; fixed in place; not movable; static; unchanging; settled; tending to stay in one place

stationery³³ n. writing implements³⁴; paper used for writing letters

statistical³⁵ adj. of, relating to, or employing statistics or the principles of statistics

statistics n. branch of mathematics that deals with the collection and interpretation³⁶ of numerical information

status n. individual's social or professional standing³⁷; position; rank; state of things; present situation

steadfast³⁸ adj. loyal; faithful; unchanging

stingy adj. giving or spending reluctantly; scanty³⁹ or meager⁴⁰

stipendiary adj. receiving of a regular or fixed payment; of or pertaining⁴² to a stipend⁴¹

stipulate⁴³ v. to require that certain conditions be met before the signing of a contract; to specify⁴⁴; to require; to promise; to guarantee (regarding a contract)

straightforward⁴⁵ adj. frank; candid⁴; sincere; honest; simple; uncomplicated; traveling in a straight course

strap⁴⁶ v. to fasten with a strap; to tie with a narrow piece of leather; to beat with a strap; to lash⁴⁷

strategy n. plans or methods created for the purpose of achieving a goal; science of preparing long-term battle plans (Military)

streamline⁴⁸ n. path along which a fluid flows; direction in which a particle flows (i.e. in a fluid); aerodynamic shape

streamline v. to design or build in a form which offers minimum resistance to a current of air or fluid; to make more efficient; to organize; to simplify

strengthen v. to make strong; to fortify⁴⁹; to reinforce; to toughen; to become strong

stretch v. to draw out to the full length; to extend; to elongate⁵⁰; to be extended; to reach out; to pull; to make taut⁵¹; to strain; to be pulled; to be elongated⁵²; to lie down; to extend over a certain period of time; to span

strike n. hit; blow; temporary work stoppage; military assault; good luck; discovery of natural resources; knocking down of all pins at one time (Bowling); failure to hit a ball (Baseball)

strike v. to hit; to collide with; to attack; to assault; to afflict⁵³ with a disease; to injure by biting; to impress; to produce a spark; to stamp; to eliminate; to arrive at; to reach; to instill; to temporarily cease working as a protest; to make

striped adj. marked with narrow bands of contrasting color or texture⁵⁴

strive v. to endeavor; to try hard; to compete; to struggle; to resist

stuffy⁵⁵ adj. lacking sufficient ventilation; close; having the respiratory passages blocked; dull and boring

stumble n. the act of stumbling; a mistake or blunder

stumble v. to miss one's step in walking or running; trip and almost fall; to proceed unsteadily or falteringly⁵⁶; flounder; to make a mistake; blunder

subconscious⁵⁷ adj. not wholly conscious; partially⁵⁸ or imperfectly conscious

subdue⁵⁹ v.to conquer and subjugate⁶⁰; vanquish⁶¹; to quiet or bring under control by physical force or persuasion⁶²; make tractable⁶³; to make less intense or prominent; tone down

subjectively⁶⁴ adv. based on individual thoughts and feelings

submission⁶⁵ n. the act of submitting to the power of another; the state of being submissive or compliant⁶⁶; meekness⁶⁷

submissive adj. inclined or willing to submit

subordinate adj. inferior; of secondary importance; under the authority of another

subordinate n. one who is subservient; someone under the authority of another; one that is subjugated