arcane
【考法 1】 adj. （語言）晦澀的，隱晦的： having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning
【例】 The rebate form uses arcane language, the only purpose of which seems to be to disqualify buyers from actually getting a rebate. 折扣單上的條文晦澀難懂，這樣做的唯一目的也許就是讓消費者不能真正地享受到折扣。
【近】 ambiguous, dark, elliptical, equivocal, murky, mysterious, mystic, nebulous, occult, opaque
【反】 accessible, clear, obvious, plain, unambiguous, unequivocal 清晰明了的，明確的
【考法 2】 adj. 深奧的，難以理解的： difficult for one of ordinary knowledge or intelligence to understand
【例】 Grammatical rules seem extremely arcane to generations of students who were never taught grammar in the first place. 對那些從未學習過語法的幾代學生來說，語法規則猶如天書。
【近】 abstruse, cryptic, deep, enigmatic, esoteric, hermetic, impenetrable, inscrutable, recondite, uncanny
【反】 easy, facile, shallow, simple, superficial 淺顯易懂的
argument .
【考法 1】 n. 爭吵，爭論： an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions
【例】 The couple's arguments were often loud enough to be heard all over the neighborhood. 這對夫妻吵架的聲音往往大到能被鄰居聽見。
【近】 altercation, controversy, disagreement, dispute, hassle, imbroglio, quarrel, squabble, tiff, wrangle
【考法 2】 n. （邏輯上的）論證： a coherent series of statements leading from a premise to a conclusion
【例】 In his argument the author committed several logical fallacies which undermined its soundness. 在作者的論述中出現了若干邏輯謬誤，從而降低了它論證的力度。
【近】 account, accounting, argumentation, case, explanation, rationale, reasoning
【考法 3】 n. 觀點，論點： an idea or opinion that is put forth in a discussion or debate
【例】 It is and will always be my argument that we have too many problems here on earth to concern ourselves with manned trips to Mars. 我現在和以后的觀點都將會是：在我們解決地球上的問題之前，不應該花太多的心思考慮載人火星計劃的事情。
【近】 assertion, point, position, stand, thesis
array .
【考法 1】 n. 排列，陣列： a regular and imposing grouping or arrangement
【例】 a marching band's carefully choreographed array 前進中的樂隊所擺出的經過復雜編排的方針
【近】 arrangement, disposal, disposition, distribution, ordering, sequence, setup
【反】 disorder, disorganization 混亂，無序
【考法 2】 vt. 排列，擺放： to arrange or display in or as if in an array
【例】 data arrayed in descending order 按照降序排列的數據‖arrayed his baseball cards in order of their rarity and consequent monetary value 把他的棒球卡按照稀有程度--也即價值排列
【近】 arrange, classify, codify, dispose, marshal, organize, range, systematize, draw up, lay out
【反】 derange, disarrange, disarray, disorder, mess, rumple, upset 弄亂，打亂
【考法 3】 vt. 裝飾，裝修： to dress or decorate especially in splendid or impressive attire
【例】 He had already arrayed himself in his best clothes. 他已經穿上了他最好的服裝。‖a door arrayed for the holidays with a beautiful evergreen wreath 被美麗的常青花環妝點的節日大門
【近】 adorn, beautify, bedeck, bedizen, blazon, embellish, emblaze, emboss, enrich, garnish, ornament, trim
【反】 blemish, deface, disfigure, mar, scar, spoil 破壞，損毀
assail .
【考法 1】 vt. 抨擊，嚴厲批評： to criticize harshly and usually publicly
【例】 The union organizers assailed the chemical company for failing to provide a safe working environment. 工會主席因為這家化工企業不能為員工提供安全的生產環境而對其進行了嚴厲的抨擊。
【近】 abuse, bash, belabor, blast, castigate, excoriate, lambaste, savage, scathe, slam, trash, vituperate
【反】 acclaim, commend, compliment, hail, laud, praise 表揚，稱贊
【考法 2】 vt. 攻擊，猛攻： to take sudden, violent action against
【例】 He was assailed by a young man with a knife. 他被一個持刀的年輕人揍了一頓。
【近】 assault, attack, beset, charge, raid, rush, storm, strike, set on
【反】 defend, guard, protect, shield 防御，守衛
【派】 assailable adj. 易受攻擊的
attest .
【考法 1】 vt. 證實，為…作證： to give evidence or testimony to the truth or factualness of
【例】 Her fine work attests her ability. 她的優秀作品能夠證明她的能力?！琁 can attest that she was at the party. 我可以為她當時在聚會上作證。
【近】 argue, authenticate, certify, corroborate, substantiate, support, testify, validate, verify, vindicate
【反】 contradict, disprove, gainsay, rebut, refute 反駁，否定
attune .
【考法 1】 vt. 使協調，使和諧： to bring into harmony
【例】 After years spent in academia, he found it difficult to attune himself to the corporate culture. 在學術圈摸爬滾打多年之后，他發現自己很難融入企業文化之中。
【近】 accommodate, conciliate, conform, coordinate, key, reconcile
【反】 disharmonize 使不和諧；disarray, disorder, disorganize, disrupt 弄亂，打亂
【派】 attunement n. 調音，協調
auspicious .
【考法 1】 adj. 好兆頭的： pointing toward a happy outcome
【例】 began the season with an auspicious win against their strongest football rival 在賽季之初就戰勝了最強的對手，為整個賽季贏得了好兆頭
【近】 bright, encouraging, golden, heartening, hopeful, promising, propitious
【反】 baleful, dark, direful, doomy, foreboding, gloomy, menacing, minatory, ominous, portentous, sinister, threatening 不詳的，兇兆的
austere .
【考法 1】 adj. 樸素的，樸實無華： markedly simple or unadorned
【例】 For the private office of the CEO of the large corporation, the room is unexpectedly austere. 出人意料的是，大公司總裁的私人辦公室居然十分樸素。
【近】 plain, spartan, stark, unadorned
【反】 deluxe, lavish, luxurious, plush, sumptuous 奢華的；elaborate, fancy 花哨的
【考法 2】 adj. 嚴肅的，令人生畏的： stern and cold in appearance or manner
【例】 an austere fortress at the top of some formidable cliffs 建立在懸崖峭壁之上的一座令人畏懼的堡壘‖In his memory his deceased grandfather is an austere, distant, cold person. 在他的記憶之中，已過世的祖父是一個嚴肅、冷漠而難以接近的人。
【近】 dour, fierce, flinty, forbidding, formidable, gruff, intimidating, lowering, rough, rugged, severe, steely
【反】 benign, benignant, gentle, mild, tender 和藹的，溫柔的
bash .
【考法 1】 n. 猛擊： a forceful blow
【例】 He has not been the same ever since he received that bash on his head. 自從他腦袋被別人打了之后，他就變得大不一樣。
【近】 bang, bat, beat, crack, hit, knock, lash, poke, pound, punch, slam, slap, smash, spank, stroke, swat
【考法 2】 vt. 攻擊，用力擊打： to strike violently and often repeatedly
【例】 The angry child kept bashing her toy with a hammer until it broke. 憤怒的小孩用錘子不斷地敲擊她的玩具，直到它徹底被破壞。
【近】 baste, batter, buffet, hammer, lace, maul, nail, smash, strike
【考法 3】 vt. 抨擊，嚴厲批評： to criticize harshly and usually publicly
【例】 In all of talk radio no other host seems to enjoy bashing liberals as much as he does. 在電臺節目再沒有像他一樣熱衷于抨擊自由主義者的主持人了。
【近】 abuse, assail, belabor, blast, castigate, excoriate, lambaste, savage, scathe, slam, trash, vituperate
【反】 acclaim, commend, compliment, hail, laud, praise 表揚，稱贊
bask .
【考法 1】 vi. 休息，悠然自得： to lie or relax in a pleasant warmth or atmosphere
【例】 We blissfully basked at the seashore over the long holiday. 我們在海灘上躺著曬太陽，享受著漫長的假期。
【近】 loll, lounge, relax, repose
【反】 drudge, grind, hustle, labor, moil, plod, slave, sweat, toil, travail, work （辛苦地）干活，工作