A: You should know that I don’t approve of your dropping out of school.
B: Do you think I care?
approve
vt. 1.赞成，同意；2.批准，核准，对…表示认可
vi. (of )赞成，称许
A: You don’t have to say exactly, just tell me your approximate age.
B: I’m around forty.
approximate
a. 大概的，大约的，近似的
vi. (to) 近似，接近
vt. 1.近似，接近，估计
A: I’m sorry you lost your job.
B: I never thought, after all my years at the company, that they’d dismiss me in such an arbitrary manner.
arbitrary
a. 随意的，任意的；2.专断的，武断的，专制的
A: What’s the first thing you’d do if you were going to build a house?
B: I’d find a good architect , of course.
architect
n. 建筑师，设计师，缔造者
A: I really hate the architecture of that building.
B: Well, to each his own. I kind of like it.
architecture
n. 1.建筑学，建筑术，建筑业；2.建筑式样，建筑风格
A: Look, I really don’t want to argue with you. Just give me the keys.
B: Not if my life depends on it.
argue
v. 争辩，争论，辩论，说服
A: Well, what are you going to do now?
B: To be honest, I never thought this kind of situation would arise .
arise
vt. 产生，出现，发生；2.（from）（由…）引起，（由…）产生，起源于；3.起身，起床
A: If you’re twenty five, and I’m ten years older than you, then how old am I?
B: I’m really bad at arithmetic !
arithmetic
n. 算术
A: If you don’t want to arouse any suspicion, you’d better hide in the closet.
B: Whatever you say.
arouse
vt. 1.引起，激起唤起；2.唤醒
A: Would you like to have your parents arrange your wedding?
F: Frankly, I’d rather do it myself.
arrange
vt. 1.安排，准备，筹备；2.整理，排列，布置
vi. 做安排，做准备，筹划
A: Which hotel will we be staying in?
B: That depends on what arrangements the travel agency has made.
arrangement
n. 1. [常pl.]安排，准备工作；2.整理，排列，布置
A: Since your arrest , do you feel that you’ve reformed?
B: Oh yes, certainly.
arrest
vt. 1.逮捕，拘留，扣留；2.停止，阻止；2.吸引
n. 逮捕，拘留，扣留
A: I’m so glad you’re okay.
B: It’s a good thing I ducked, or the arrow would have gone right through my head!
arrow
n. 1.箭，矢，箭状物；2.箭头符号
A: Would you like a jelly bean?
B: No thanks, I don’t eat anything with artificial coloring.
artificial
a. 1.人工的，人造的，人为的；2.假的，矫揉造作的，模拟的
A: Do you like my painting?
B: Yes, you’re so artistic !
artistic
a. 1.艺术（家）的，美术（家）的；2.富有艺术性的，精美的，精彩的
A: How did you house burn down?
B: We left some hot ashes on the porch, and the whole house caught fire.
ash
n. 1.灰，灰烬；2.[pl.]骨灰，遗骸
A: I can’t figure out how to write the conclusion!
B: Why don’t you put the project aside for a few days, and come back to it later.
aside
ad. 在旁边，到（或向）一边
aside from 1.除…之外（别无）；2.除…之外（尚有）
A: If you just focus on one aspect of the situation, your lecture might be easier to understand.
B: I know that, but I’m afraid I’d lose sight of the big picture.
aspect
n. 1.方面；2.（建筑物的）朝向，方向；3.面貌，外观
A: I’d like to buy this model for my son.
B: I should warn you that it might be too difficult for a child to assemble.
assemble
vi. 集合，聚集
vt. 1.集合，聚集，召集；2.装配
A: Unless the assembly approves the new regulations, we’re out of business.
B: I’ve got my fingers crossed.
assembly
n. 1.立法机构，议会；2.集会，集合，集会的人们；3.组装，装配
A: How would you assess the current state of our marriage?
B: Well, we’ve been through some rocky times, but right now we’re in pretty good shape.
assess
vt. 1.对…进行估价，确定…的数额；2.评价，评论
A: You’ve been a huge asset to the company over the years, but we’ve going to have to let you go.
B: I don’t believe this.
asset
n. 1.有价值的人（或物），优点，长处；2.[常pl.]资产，财产
A: Do you think the teacher will assign homework over the weekend?
B: I don’t see why he wouldn’t.
assign
vt. 1.指派，选派；2.指定（时间、地点等）；3.分配，给予，布置（作业）
A: Have you finished the assignment I gave you?
B: Of course.
assignment
n. 1.（分派的）任务，（指定的）作业；2.分配，指派
A: Let me know if there’s any way I can assist you.
B: Thanks.
assist
n. 帮助，协助
A: If you need assistance , just give a yell.
B: I’m sure I’ll be fine.
assistance
n. 帮助，援助
A: I usually wouldn’t associate you with music, but you just did a great job singing that song.
B: Thanks!
associate
vt. 1.（在思想上）把…联系在一起；2.使联合，结合，使有联系
vi. （with）结交，交往
n. 伙伴，同事，合伙人
a. 副的
A: Before you move in, you need the approval of the Homeowner’s Association .
B: Do you think it will be a problem?
association
n. 1.协会，联盟，社团；2.联合，结合，交往
A: I assume you brought the video?
B: Yes, it’s right here.
assume
vt. 1.假定，假设，臆断，猜想；2.承担，担任，就职；3.呈现，具有，采取
A: I can tell just by looking at him that I won’t like him.
B: You shouldn’t make that sort of assumption about people.
assumption
n. 1.假定，臆断；2.担任，承担
A: I want to assure you that all of our wines are of the highest quality.
B: That’s good to know.
assure
vt. 1.使确信，使放心；2.确保，保证给
A: People today astonish me with their disregard for nature.
B: I guess they’re more concerned with making money than protecting the environment.
astonish
vt. 使惊讶
