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1.duty
n.税[/scode]
英英释义：
Duties are taxes which you pay to the government on goods that you buy.
例句：
①They are pressing the Chancellor to reduce excise duty on beer.
他们正给总理施压，要求降低啤酒的消费税。
②Import duties still average 30%.
进口税的平均水平仍然在 30%。
拓展：
关于“duty”的这个意思还是比较常见的，下面这道专四题就考到了该用法：
除此之外，再拓展一个常见的短语表达：off/on duty 下班/上班;不值班/值班 【If someone such as a policeman or a nurse is off duty, they are not working. If someone is on duty, they are working.】
举个栗子：
I'm off duty .
我下班了。
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2.tower
v.(在能力、品质等方面)胜过,远远超过(其他)[/scode]
英英释义：
To be much better than others in ability, quality, etc.
例句：
She towers over other dancers of her generation.
她远远超过同时代的舞蹈演员。
拓展：
“tower”作为动词的意思其实比较好理解，除此之外，它作为动词，本义还可以表示“高于,超过(附近的人或物)”，常见搭配是 tower over / above sb / sth
我们来看两个例子：
The cliffs towered above them.
悬崖峭壁高耸于他们上方。
He towered over his classmates.
他的个儿比班里其他同学高出一大截。
这里再补充一个短语：
a tower of strength (在危难时)可依靠的人，主心骨，支柱 【If you refer to someone as a tower of strength, you appreciate them because they give you a lot of help, support, and encouragement when you have problems or are in a difficult situation.】
举个栗子：
Pat was a tower of strength to our whole family.
帕特是我们全家人的主心骨。
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3.reduce
v.迫使;使不得不（做）；使只得[/scode]
英英释义：
If you say that someone is reduced to doing something, you mean that they have to do it, although it is unpleasant or embarrassing.
例句：
He was reduced to begging for a living.
他不得不以乞讨为生。
例句：
Romain Gary的小说 Promise at dawn 也出现了这个表达：
拓展：
大家可以看到，这个释义一般的搭配是“be reduced to doing something ”,这个考频很高，经常在完型填空中出现。除此之外，“reduce sb to tears ”使…落泪 也很常见【If someone or something reduces you to tears, they make you feel so unhappy that you cry.】
举个栗子：
The attentions of the media reduced her to tears.
媒体的关注把她弄哭了。
这里再补充两个常见的短语：in reduced circumstances 境况变差;生活拮据 【If you say that someone is living in reduced circumstances, you mean that they do not have as much money as they used to have.】
举个栗子：
They are the descendants of emperors and kings and are now living in reduced circumstances .
他们是帝王的后代，但是现在境况大不如前了。
reduces sb to silence 使…无言 【If someone or something reduces you to silence, they make you feel so upset or confused that you cannot speak.】
比如：
Her challenge reduced them to silence .
她的质问让他们哑口无言。
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4.close
adj.(竞争或选举)势均力敌的，难分高下的[/scode]
英英释义：
A close competition or election is won or seems likely to be won by only a small amount.
例句：
①It is still a close contest between two leading opposition parties.
这仍然是两大主要反对党之间一场势均力敌的较量。
②It's going to be very close .
结果会不相上下。
拓展：
这个释义很高频！我还记得之前高中在维克多词典上查“close”也有这个释义。而且这个意思挺好记忆的，“close”本身表示“近”，如果用在比赛或者选举中，就可以说“不相上下”。
当然“close”还有很多其他的意思，大家可以自己查阅词典，由于篇幅限制，就不展开啦~
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5.minute
v.将…记入会议记录**[/scode]
英英释义：
When someone minutes something that is discussed or decided at a meeting, they make a written record of it.
例句：
①You don't need to minute that.
②The board's decision was formally minuted .
③You'd better minute that point.
拓展：
这个释义其实也挺常见的，我之前有在一道选择题碰到，就考到了该释义。作为动词，它的发音是“/ˈmɪnət/ ”但是我找不到原题了emmm，所以大家也要记得这个意思哦~
除此之外，“minute”作为形容词，还可以表示“非常细小的;十分微小的 ”【If you say that something is minute, you mean that it is very small.】
举个栗子：
The party was planned in the minutest detail.
晚会策划极为详细。
再扩展一个同义表达“infinitesimal”, /ˌɪnfɪnɪ'tesɪm(ə)l/ 表示“极微小的;微不足道的”
