Unit 1.

1 Actions – With Eyes

Word List:
Long Look
Gaze: to look at something or someone intently for some time, especially in
admiration (凝視)

Stare: to look at someone or something directly and fixedly, often with

curiosity or in disbelief (盯)

Glare: to stare angrily (怒目而視)

Quick Look
Glimpse: to get a brief or partial look of someone or something (瞥见);

Glance: to look very quickly at something or someone (匆匆看一看)

Peep: to secretly look at something quickly, usually through a hole(偷窺)

Peek: to take a quick look, especially while trying not to be seen (偷看)

Read
Skim/skim over: to read over quickly and superficially(略读)

Scan: to look over quickly (粗略地看), to examine closely (细看), to read

carefully; study

Glare: to stare angrily (仔细阅读，研究)

Read between the lines: to find hidden or unexpressed meaning of written

sentences

Wink: to close and open one eye quickly. Usually as a friendly or greeting or to
signal a secret (眨单眼，眨单眼示意)
Blink: to close and open one eye quickly rapidly, usually involuntarily.
(眨眼) to look at with narrowed eyes.

Squint: too looked at with narrow eyes (瞇眼看), to look sideways or cross
ones eyes (斜着眼看)

Highlights
Glimpse: to get a brief look of something or someone, usually an incomplete
look; focus on “brief view”. E.g. He glimpsed the back of the famous actress
when she walked away.

Glance: to look very quickly at something; focus on “quick.” E.g. Bob was
anxious to leave as he glanced at his watch several times during the meeting.

Scan: this word has several meanings; the two meanings that are related to
“read” or “look” can be confusing, we have to examine the context to
determine whether it means “look over quickly” or “examine carefully.” E.g.1
The princess scans the kitchen for food (examine carefully). E.g.2 I scanned the
magazine headlines during breakfast (look over quickly).

Peruse: this word once meant “to read with great care” and now is often used
more loosely to simply mean “read.” E.g.1 The boss perused my letter
thoroughly to make sure there were no mistakes (read with great care). E.g.2
The host left some books in the guest room for his guest to peruse (read).
Collocation/Expression
- Look + adv: look carefully/ closely/ intently/ anxiously/ quickly look
down/ away/ over/ across/ up
- Stare + adv: stare steadily/intently/fixedly/unblinkingly/blankly
- Stare at somebody/something; stare into space; stare in horror

Exercise 1.1
Choose the most appropriate word for each of the following. (1-4)
1. The villagers _______ at the stranger curiously.
(A) blink (B) glare (C) squint (D) stare

2. He __________ at the menu quickly and ordered a bowl of noodles.

(A) peeped (B) glanced (C) stared (D) gazed

3. This is a very well-written article; please__________ it carefully when

you have time.
(A) peruse (B) glimpse (C) peek (D) skim over

4. I am going to put your Christmas present under the Christmas tree.

Don’t _______.
(A) glance (B) peek (C) stare (D) blink

Fill in each blank with the most appropriate word. Each word cannot be used
more than once. You may need to change the verb form. (5-10)
peep blink squint wink read glare skim

5. We all _____________ when the light flashed.

6. This is not simply a joke. If you _____________ between the lines, you
will find that the author was trying to say something.
 7. Sally __________ through the hole and saw the postman standing
outside the door.

8. When Joan was explaining to the teacher why she was late for school, I
__________ at her to let her know that I would go along with her lie.

9. The mother ______________ at the man who knocked down her child.

10.The sun is too strong; I cant look at that direction without ___________.

Decide whether the interpretation is correct or not. Use a “✓“ to indicate a

correct interpretation, “X” for a wrong one. (11-15)

11. The sailor gazed at the sea.

________ The sailor looked at the sea quickly.

12. The manager skimmed over the report.

________ The manager read the report carefully.

13. Maria glimpsed a stranger walking out of her neighbour’s home.

________ Maria saw the stranger briefly.

14. The witness glared at the murderer.

________ The witness looked at the murderer with fear.

15. The teacher scanned the essay for obvious mistakes.

________ The teacher read the essay quickly but not very carefully.