我还是很听tutor建议的，她说不应该选托福单词，有道理的。那我就要从日常接触的词中选取我经常见到的但是没有掌握的，且又是托福或者GRE词汇的，来深入研究，力求掌握到可以用在自己的句子中的地步。
是的，从今天开始，不仅限于托福词汇了，GRE的也顺带一起学。
elite
The elite are the group thought to be the best and having the highest status. In the middle ages, only elite men were taught to read and write.
There are elite schools, elite teams, and elite players, some really the best and some just calling themselves the best. Who can join the basketball elite besides LeBron James and Michael Jordan? That's a matter of opinion. Elite is used with a singular or plural verb, depending on whether these special people are considered together as a group or as individual members of a group.
n. a group or class of persons enjoying superior intellectual or social or economic status
adj. selected as the best
n. 社会精英；上层集团；
昨天和tutor聊天，她说elite可以用来说elite university，如果指人群就要说the elite，但不能说elite person，elite people这样的表达。
我又去问google。
dividend
A dividend is a bonus. If you buy a cup of coffee and the shop owner throws in a free muffin, that's a dividend. Your charm and loyal patronage are paying dividends!
If you own stock and your company has had a good year, you'll probably get a dividend -- a share of the profit the company pays to shareholders. You've probably also heard the word dividend in math class: if you've got 300 divided by 50, 300 is the dividend (and 50 is the divisor).
既然这个单词有两层意思，一个是奖金的意思，一个是被除数的意思，那我就去搜了下，想学习下具体的用法，加深印象。发现这的确是一个all about money的世界。结果的前n个中根本没有讲除数被除数啥的，全是关于钱的。。。
patronage
If you give a store or business your support (financial or otherwise) as a customer or client, you're giving them your patronage. Great philanthropists are often known for their patronage, or financial support, or the arts.
In the days of classical art, composers like Bach or painters like Michelangelo were supported by patrons, whose patronage, or financial support paid the artists' ways. Patronage is still an important part of our world, but you have to be careful: If your senator is accused of political patronage, people are accusing that senator of exchanging jobs or other favors in return for political support. This is not a good thing.
n. v. the business given to a commercial establishment by its customers
n. v. the act of providing approval and support
n. a communication that indicates lack of respect by patronizing the recipient
--- pay one's way
To pay for oneself or another person; to contribute one's or someone else's portion of the cost (of something).
I appreciate the offer, but I can pay my way!
His parents paid his way all through college, so it's no wonder he has no concept of working to earn his own keep.
My aunt is going to pay my way to Florida -- only if I take her with me!
She paid her way through college by working in the library.
--- no concept of
To be unable to imagine what something is like because you have never experienced it.
People have no concept of what it is like to live in real poverty.
patron
A patron supports someone or something. A patron of a business supports the business by being a loyal customer. A patron of the arts helps support starving artists -- financially, not with food rations.
The word patron comes from the Latin pater of patr- meaning "father." Think of how a father is supposed to financially support his kids. A patron of the arts is someone who shows his appreciation or support for the arts by donating money to arts organizations. And a patron of the Red Lobster is a frequent customer who can be seen in the same corner booth every Sunday night, noshing on cheddar biscuits.
n. someone who supports or champions something
n. the proprietor of an inn
-- biscuit
In the United States and Canada, a biscuit is any of a variety of small baked goods with a firm browned crust and a soft, crumbly interior. They are usually made with baking powder or baking soda as a chemical leavening agent rather than yeast. They developed from hardtack which was first made from only flour and water, with later first lard and then baking powder being added. Biscuits, soda breads, and cornbread, among others, are often referred to collectively as "quick breads", to indicate that they do not need time to rise before baking.
作为吃货对食物的尊重，必须要学习下biscuit的做法。
Ingredients:
-- 2 to 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
-- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
-- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
-- 1/2 teaspoon salt
-- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
-- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
-- 3/4 cup buttermilk
-- 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
Step 1 -- Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack on lower shelf. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with some pre-size lumps. Mix in buttermilk and cheese until combined. With a floured hand, knead dough against side of bowl until it holds together. If it is sticky, knead in up to 1/4 cup more flour.
Step 2 -- After kneading biscuit dough, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat the dough to 1 inch thick. With a floured 2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out rounds as close together as possible. Place on a baking sheet. Gather scraps; pat again, and cut out more rounds.
Step 3 -- Brush the tops with 1/2 tablespoon melted unsalted butter. Bake until biscuits are golden brown, rotating sheet halfway through, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.
