At first；Robert Fulton’s plans for his steamboat were derided as chimerical nonsense。
The dictator took Draconian measures against those he suspected of plotting a rebellion。
Students studying for final examinations yearn for the Elysian idleness of the summer vacation。
The pickets did not allow themselves to be provoked；despite the unruly crowds that gathered to hector them。
Among the Herculeam tasks confronting large cities are slum clearance and traffic control。
Dad had to break the hermetic seal to get a pill from the new bottle。
Children enjoy blowing iridescent soap bubbles from pipes。
Our jovial host entertained us with several amusing anecdotes about his employer。
Out…of…towners may easily lose their way in New York City’s labyrinthine subway passages。
All I received in response to my request was the laconic reply “Wait”。
For several hous after the operation the patient was lethargic because of the anesthetic。
Thanksgiving dinner at Grandmother’s is almost a Lucullan feast。
The Helvetians were a martial people who tried to conquer southern Gaul。
The retiring foreman ws persuaded to stay on for a month as mentor to his sucomessor。
The older partner is rather dull and morose；but the younger has a mercurial temperament that appeals to customers。
The dictator surrounded himself with myrmidons who would loyally and pitilessly execute all orders。
Napoleon crushed many opponents；but Wellington proved to be his nemesis。
Your travel agent will gladly plan a year’s odyssey to places of interest around the world。
When the victory was announced；people danced in the streets and sang paeans of joy。
The little girl habitully fell asleep clutching a battered doll；her palladium。
A panic ensued when someone in the crowded auditorium yelled “Fire！”
In an hour…long philippic；the legislator denounced the lobbyists opposing his bill。
A handful of plutocratic investors；each owning more than a thousand shares；determined the policies of the corporation。
The martinet governed his classroom with procrustean discipline；assigning a week’s detention to all offenders；no matter what the offense。
The witness’ protean tactics under cross…examination gave the impression that he was untrustworthy。
Our winning the opening game ws a Pyrrhic victory；as our leading scorer ws seriously injured。
My former roommate was a saturnine scholar who said very little and smiled rarely。
The enemy employed a red…haired siren as a spy。
Next week the solons will return to the capital for the opening of the legislature。
Speak softly；you don’t need a stentorian voice to be heard in this small room。
A power failure at 11：03 P。M。 plunged the city into Stygian blackness。
The considerate hostess removed the strawberry shortcake from the tabel so as not to tantalize her weight…conscious guest。
The reviewers lauded the ballet troupe for its terpsichorean artistry。
If you enjoy acting in plays；join your school’s thespian club。
By a titanic effort；out football team won the victory。
法语
描述人物
By reading reviews；you can keep au courant with new developments in literature；films；television；and the theater。
Edna has been attending too many parties during the holidays；she appears blase。
She looked very chic in her new hat。
The headwaiter ws debonair with the guests but firm with the waiters。
Our new supervisor is clever in matters in which his predecessor was maladroit。
You are naive if you believe implacable foes can be reconciled easily。
I am amazed that you can be so nonchalant about the coming test when everyone else is so worried。
表示人物
We were unable to see the ambassador；but we spoke to one of the attaches。
A virile bourgeoisie contributes to a nation’s prosperity。
Whom did the President designate as charge d’affaires when he recalled the ambassador？
To verify the gem’s value；we consulted a connoisseur of rare diamonds。
Helen won’t bowl with us；she has her own coterie of bowling friends。
The debutante’s photograph was at the head of the society page。
Samuel Adams was a passionate devotee of American independence。
Fred likes to consider himself a member of the intellectual elite。
A committee ws formed to find housing and employment for the anxious emigres。
What entrepreneur will invest his capital unless there is some prospect of a profit？
The President’s envoy to the conference has not yet been chosen。
Madeline introduced Mr。Cole as her fiance。
The charge d’affaires requested that extra gendarmes be posted outside the embassy。
She was as simple and pretty as a film ingenue。
The maitre d’hotel supervises the waiters。
Our dean is an understanding counselor；not a martinet。
An unexpected inheritance catapulted him into the ranks of the nouveaux riches。
He is a protege of many popes。
Mark Twain was an excellent raconteur。
人的情感
The violinist performed with rare eclat。
Because the cast had rehearsed with such elan；the director had few apprehensions about the opening…night performance。
You too would suffer from ennui if you had to spend months in a hospital bed。
The employees showed extraordinary esprit de corps when they volunteered to work Saturdays fro the duration of the crisis。
The adroit prosecutor arranged his questions with admirabe finesse。
By a feat of legerdemain；the magician produced a rabbit from his hat。
After the heavy；late supper；he experienced a feeling of malaise。
In the olden days；kings and other nobles；observing the principle of noblesse ovlige；fought at the head of their troops。
A common interest in gardening brought Molly and Loretta into closer rapport。
He played the game with perfect sangfroid。
You need both capital and savoir faire to be a sucomessful entrepreneur。
说/写
On commencement day we shall bid adieu to our alma mater。
Since I hope to see you again；I’ll say au revoir rather than adieu。
A timely billet…doux can patch up a lovers’ quarrel。
He often sets the table a…roaring with a well…placed bon mot。
This helpful brochure explains social security benefits。
It took a public appearance by the monarch to silence the canard that he had been assassinated。
Two cliches that we can easily do without are：”first and fore most”and “last but not least。”
The juniors expect to win；but；entre nous；their chances are not too good。
To improve your writing；try to find the mot juste for each idea and avoid cliches。
Include only the essential points when you write a precis。
James Boswell admired Samuel Johnson’s power of repartee。
The instructor asked for a resume of the last lesson。
Surprised to see him eating the apple core；I asked；”Won’t it affect you？””Pleasurably”was his riposte。
Before answerin；the witness had a tete…a…tete with his attorney。
情势
She enjoyed all her subjects except mathematics；her bete noire。
The employer gave his secretary carte blanche in managing the routine affairs of the office。
The trial of John Peter Zenger；a cause celebre in the eighteenth century；helped to establish freedom of the press in America。
Painting proved to be a cul…de…sac for Philip Carey；as he had no real talent。
The debacle at Waterloo signaled the end of Napoleon’s power。
Since Mother couldn’t decide whether or not to buy the dress for me；I planned to buy it myself and present her with a fait acomompli。
However； it turned out to be a faux pas；as Mother made me return the dress。
The foreman reported that the jury could deliberate no further；as they had readched an impasse。
By joining the alumni association；graduates can maintian their liaison with the school。
Our last amateur show was a melange of dramatic skits；acrobatics；ballet；popular tunes；and classical music。
The sheet of water we thought we saw on the road ahead turned out to be only a mirage。
历史和政府
Napoleon seized power by a coup d’etat。
Hitler’s attack on Russia；shortly after his pact with Stalin；was a stunning demarche。
An effective world disarmament treaty should bring a detente in international tensions。
Canada and the United States have a long…standing entente on border problems。
Adam Smith believed a policy of laissez…faire toward business would benefit a nation。
Dr。Manette was imprisoned through a lettre de cachet。
The gradual rapprochement between these two nations；long traditional enemies；cheered all Europeans。
The coup d’etat brought to power a regime that restored civil liberties to the oppressed people。
艺术
Walt Whitman was no conservative；his daring innovations in poetry place him in the avant=garde of nineteenth…century writers。
The ancient Greek Parthenon is famed for its beautiful sculpture in bas…relief。
A downbeat is the downward stroke of the conductor’s baton；denoting the principally acomented note of a measure。
Many connoisseurs regard Hamlet as Shakespeare’s chef d’oeuvre。
In the denouement of Great Expectations；we learn that Pip’s secret benefactor is the runaway convict whom Pip had once helped。
In appreciation of the enthusiastic applause；the vocalist sang an encore。
The literary genre to which Poe contributed most is the short story。
At last night’s musicale in my cousin’s house；we were entertained by a string quartet。
After a few canvas strokes；the artist reapplies his brush to his palette for more paint。
The guitarist apologized for not being able to play the requested number；explaining that it was not in his repertoire。
James Joyce’s Dubliners offers some unforgettable vignettes of life in Dublin at the turn of the century。
食品
If you order an a la carte dinner；you select whatever you wish from the bill of fare；paying only for the dishes ordered。
Select a nonalcoholic appetizer；such as tomato juice；if you do not care fore an aperitif。
For St。Valentine’s Day；Mother received a heart…shaped box of delicious bonbons。
Around the corner is a restaurant specializing in French cuisine。
Aunt Dorothy always takes cream with her coffee；she is not fond of demitasse。
We had a choice of the following entrees：roast beef；fried chicken；or baked mackerel。
Because they contain no bones or excess fat；filets are more expensive than ordinary cuts of meat。
Mother will need olives；celery；and anchovies for her hors d’oeuvres。
If you eat too much of the introductory dishes；you will have little appetite for the piece de resistance。
If you order a