Wall Street Journal

Lebanese Shiites who don't belong to Hezbollah have also been targeted for *scorn* by the rest of the country, even though many of us oppose its *vicious* ways.

a feeling and expression of contempt or disdain for someone or something 2. deliberately cruel or violent

Post-coital tristesse (PCT) is a feeling of *melancholy* after sexual intercourse (coitus)

a feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause

after China has put civil war, Japanese invasion and other *tumult* behind it and after four decades of spectacular economic rise, it is finally strong enough to stand its ground under President Xi Jinping.

a state of confusion or disorder

The anticipated buildup of cotton shows that commodity markets still are reckoning with the *bust*—spurred by surging supplies—that followed the 2000s boom, which was driven by emerging-market demand.

1. a woman's chest as measured around her breasts

"Last week there was a lot of news about the mainland government using a lot of money to buy the choice of the Hong Kong people." Marco also worried about what comes after the vote. Sitting in the makeshift library where pro-democracy protesters have swapped books over the months, he notes that the heightened political awareness among his peers— "Hong Kong's future," he calls them—puts them at odds with the city's culture of political apathy. "Some people are like a dog or cat. You give it food, it eats it. You let it sleep, it sleeps. They just don't want to touch anything."

1. acting as an interim and temporary measure. 2. lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern

In a September address in Sofia to members of the America for Bulgaria Foundation, Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev compared Moscow's *stealthy* undermining aggression toward Bulgaria to a "Trojan horse" attempt by Russia to penetrate NATO. Our foundation, perhaps Eastern Europe's biggest, seeks to help Bulgarians preserve their hard-won independence. In the decades since Eastern Europe gained its freedom, Bulgaria has moved *fitfully* forward in a democratic, free-market direction, depending on the outcome of elections.

1. behaving or done in a cautious and surreptitious manner, so as not to be seen or heard. 2. not regularly or continuously; intermittently

to be happy but not *gloat*, and to lose and not *pout*.

1. dwell on one's own success or another's misfortune with smugness or malignant pleasure 2. push one's lips or one's bottom lip forward as an expression of petulant annoyance or in order to make oneself look sexually attractive.

Takata's newer *inflaters* include *desiccants* to prevent moisture-related problems, people knowledgeable about the matter have said

1. fill (a balloon, tyre, or other expandable structure) with air or gas so that it becomes distended. 2. a hygroscopic substance used as a drying agent

Washington is preparing to roll out the red carpet for Mr. Abe. Tuesday night, he will be *feted* at a White House *banquet*, the first Japanese prime minister to get such an invitation since 2006.

1. honour or entertain (someone) lavishly 2. an elaborate and formal evening meal for many people

Laser systems will be used to combat swarm attacks by weaponized small boats that act to overwhelm our sea defenses through *sheer* numbers of inexpensive, *expendable* and deadly platforms.

1. nothing other than; unmitigated (used for emphasis) 2. of relatively little significance, and therefore able to be abandoned or destroyed

A China so ready to generously deploy the largest trove of national wealth in history by building ports, railroads, energy pipelines and other infrastructure around the region is, at the same time, raising the *specter* of the "Red Menace" it has worked so *assiduously* to bury.

1. something widely feared as a possible unpleasant or dangerous occurrence 2. careful, methodical and very persistent

Japan isn't the only East Asian nation with a flair for historical *revisionism*.

1. the theory or practice of revising one's attitude to a previously accepted situation or point of view

If Grexit was always his goal, then his only challenge was to ensure the talks dragged on until the bailout expired, *capital controls* were introduced and the country defaulted, making a euro exit hard to avoid.

Capital controls are residency-based measures such as transaction taxes, other limits, or outright prohibitions that a nation's government can use to regulate flows from capital markets into and out of the country's capital account.

China sees itself as a developing country with little in common with the political *liberalism* of the West.

In the twentieth century, a viewpoint or ideology associated with free political institutions and religious toleration, as well as support for a strong role of government in regulating capitalism and constructing the welfare state.

IMP

One result is a growing marketplace for used electronics of every kind. "We're trying to educate consumers around the [total cost of ownership] of a smartphone, and how smart a financial choice it is to skip the 'drive it off the lot'(get one from the box) or 'take it out of the box' experience,"

IMP

Virtual reality is seen by some as potentially replacing communal activities, such as concert or moviegoing, with a secluded experience. "The fear is that this is going to be so compelling, that you'll want to be antisocial," said VRC's Mr. Edwards.

IMP

We like to think that modern communications make us better informed and more engaged than earlier generations. And today's massacres are well-documented. The online video showing ISIS beheading 21 Egyptian Christians in Libya in February left nothing to the imagination. After the Turkish atrocities, many Armenians settled in Syria, where their descendants are among the 200,000 who have been killed in the civil war. Christians are targets for ethnic cleansing throughout the Middle East and in North Africa by Islamic State, al Qaeda, al-Shabib, Boko Haram and other Islamist groups. In 1939 as Hitler prepared to invade Poland, he assured his military commanders that they'd get away with it: "Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?" Without resolute leadership in Washington, there is less pressure to stop massacres today than a century ago, when an American diplomat had only a pen and a phone.

the case of the three journalists bore the trappings of a diplomatic *feud* between Egypt and the energy-rich emirate of Qatar

a bitter quarrel or contention:

The guilty verdict delivered Wednesday by a Massachusetts jury against Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is not the end of the trial for the Boston Marathon bomber. There is still the sentencing, not to mention all the other legal *avenues* that the 22-year-old terrorist will surely seek to exhaust on his way to an execution chamber or Supermax prison.

a broad road in a town or city, typically having trees at regular intervals along its sides

Laborers and merchants who have come under attack in South Africa this month hail from those countries, too, as well as Malawi and Zimbabwe, southern African nations caught in a *morass* of slow growth and low investment.

a complicated or confused situation

For them, the Catholic *liturgy* made the invisible God palpable and tangible to the senses.

a form of public worship; ritual.

the behavior that had made Iran an *outlier*-its furtive effort to attain nuclear weapons' capacity-has turned out to offer Tehran a way in from the cold.

a person or thing situated away or detached from the main body or system

Just 16% of Indonesia's 250 million people access the Internet regularly, according to the World Bank. The hurdles include low wages, lack of digital literacy and a *dearth* of compelling content that feels relevant.

a scarcity or lack of something

Yemen's *upheaval* comes at the hands of Houthi tribalists backed by Iran, whose military already threatens another key Mideast oil chokepoint, at the exit of the Persian Gulf.

a violent or sudden change or disruption to something

His wife grows uneasy, worried that her husband "would not be content to transgress alone, but would try to get her to join . . . and reel in the kids." And, much to her *chagrin*, he buys a computer and installs it in a cabinet, keeping it sealed behind a lock.

annoyance or distress at having failed or been humiliated

IMP

another period when the U.S. was an ambivalent and often suspicious friend and Israel was more upstart state than start-up nation.That was an Israel that was prepared to take strategic gambles because it knew it couldn't afford to wait on events. It did not consider "international legitimacy" to be a prerequisite for action because it also knew how little such legitimacy was worth. It understood the value of territory and terrain, not least because it had so little of it. It built its deterrent power by constantly taking the military initiative, not constructing defensive wonder-weapons such as Iron Dome. It didn't mind acting as a foreign policy freelancer, and sometimes even a rogue, as circumstances demanded. "Plucky little Israel" earned the world's respect and didn't care, much less beg, for its moral approval.Perhaps the next American president will rescue Israel from having to learn again what it once knew. Israelis would be wise not to count on it.

The case shined a spotlight on the *ordeal* of the tens of thousands who were rounded up and imprisoned at the time

any extremely severe or trying test, experience, or trial.

To *belabor* what was once obvious, instability in the Middle East typically has been bullish for oil prices, as witnessed by various Arab-Israeli wars and Iraq's wars with its neighbors.

argue or discuss (a subject) in excessive detail

*Intrigued* by what Lee had been doing in Singapore, they too began reviving aspects of their old cultural edifice as a stabilizing force.

arouse the curiosity or interest of; fascinate

Mr. Dhanji, using his phone as a flashlight, could see only that his left leg was *draped* over Mr. Fernandes's shoulder. "Bawtis, Bawtis!" he shouted.

arrange (cloth or clothing) loosely or casually on or round something.

Indian authorities on Monday ordered an investigation after two prisoners dug their way out of New Delhi's Tihar jail, the largest and most high-security prison complex in south Asia. The two prisoners - identified as Faizan and Javed by an official in the lieutenant governor's office, who asked not to be named — were in jail on charges of burglary. While jail authorities *apprehended* Faizan on Sunday, Javed remains at large, according to the official.

arrest (someone) for a crime

Kuala Lumpur played down such provocations in the past; Chinese ships have frequented the area for at least two years, and Malaysia made *pro forma* protests.

as a matter of form or politeness

Other contenders in this race include medium-Earth-orbit satellites, like those launched last week by O3b Networks, which orbit 5,000 miles above Earth. These satellites are large and powerful like their geostationary counterparts, but aren't plagued with the issues of latency.(time taken between initiation and reception of internet)

as a time delay between the cause and the effect of some physical change in the system being observed.

Apps—which download to the watch automatically if you've installed them on your iPhone—are *relegated* to a secondary launch screen that's attractive but harder to use, a cluster of tiny circles that you have to zoom in on and fish out, like some weird game.

assign an inferior rank or position to.

Mr. Amano added that "no more new issues" had been resolved, particularly on Iran's effort to develop explosives for a *nuke*.

attack or destroy with nuclear weapon

Instead, their real imperative is to *temporize* with high-minded "talks"—at the U.N., with allies, enemies, even with our own bureaucratic selves, as with the inability in 1996 to attribute blame for the Khobar Towers bombing.

avoid making a decision or committing oneself in order to gain time or delay

Instead of finding ways to keep the U.S. growing, Washington *dithers* on immigration reform, including for high-skilled workers hoping to work in Silicon Valley.

be indecisive, fluctuate and oscillate

More consumers want food that is less processed, yogurt makers say, and that includes letting the fat stay put. The preference is *reverberating* across the dairy aisle: Sales of whole milk, though still about half the size of *skim milk*, are growing much faster, rising 5% in the 52 weeks ended May 17, while skim milk fell 3%, according to market research firm IRI. Butter sales are up 18% over the same period, while margarine is down 4%.

be repeated several times as an echo 2. milk from which the cream has been removed 3. a butter substitute made from vegetable oils or animal fats

Mr. Fujino said he believed any project the company *embarked* on would have to distinguish itself from the competition. "If other manufacturers can do it, there's no reason why we have to do it," he said.

begin (a course of action). or go on board a ship or aircraft.

Hurrah for gay marriage. But why do supporters save their *vitriol* for its foes instead of the barbarians at our gates? On Friday my phone was blowing up with messages, asking if I'd seen the news. Some expressed disbelief at the headlines. Many said they were crying. None of them were talking about the dozens of people gunned down in Sousse, Tunisia, by a man who, dressed as a tourist, had hidden his Kalashnikov inside a beach umbrella. Not one was crying over the beheading in a terrorist attack at a chemical factory near Lyon, France. The victim's head was found on a pike near the factory, his body covered with Arabic inscriptions. And no Facebook friends mentioned the first suicide bombing in Kuwait in more than two decades, in which 27 people were murdered in one of the oldest Shiite mosques in the country. They were talking about the only news that mattered: gay marriage.

bitter criticism or malice

There are many signs that do not augur well, from the *muddled* section on economics in the pope's first encyclical to his posing for a photo while holding up an anti-fracking T-shirt, to press coverage anticipating he will be to the fight against greenhouse gases what Pope John Paul II was to the fight against Soviet communism.

bring into a disordered or confusing state

Now he emulates his *even-keeled* friend, Mr. Fernandes. "I plan more," he said. "I talk the way Bawtis used to talk."

characterized by stability or consistency

The Obama administration had help in its *end-run* around the Constitution. Instead of insisting on compliance with the Senate's treaty-making prerogatives, Congress enacted the Iran Nuclear Agreement Act of 2015.

circumvent

President Obama made the announcement of Bergdahl's release in a Rose Garden ceremony flanked by Bergdahl's parents, even as the circumstances of his disappearance were *shrouded* in uncertainty and charges that he abandoned his post and troops.

cover or envelop so as to conceal(hide) from view

A NASA scientist this month warned that only a year of water is left in California reservoirs, and Sacramento regulators last week barred restaurants from serving water except upon request. So it makes perfect sense that Democrats want to *earmark* $660 million of "drought relief" money

designate (funds or resources) for a particular purpose

Leaders must also get comfortable with the unknown. It is *hubris* to assume that we can know it all, yet instant accessibility to news and "unprecedented amounts of data" can seduce us into believing we're prescient, even though "what we cannot know" grows even faster than what we can know.

excessive pride or self-confidence

There have been serious concerns expressed about the specific parameters of the nuclear deal as the June 30 deadline approaches. These questions are critical and worthy of debate, but they should not let us forget the broader aspirations of the Iranian people to be free. Regardless of any nuclear deal, the U.S. needs to serve notice that it will not provide Tehran with a license to act against its own people with *impunity*.

exemption from punishment or freedom, from the injurious consequences of an action

The ban is an indictment of Europe's "precautionary principle"—Brussels's trump card for implementing regulations without proof that it is necessary or beneficial. In this case, it was supposed to be an opportunity for the European Commission to examine the facts and determine whether continuing the ban after the initial two-year period was warranted. Now that the facts and the science are in, rarely has a supposed environmental hazard been so completely *debunked*.

expose the falseness or hollowness of (an idea or belief)

His love for unobstructed spaces seeped into a lot of his projects, like the luxury Kanchanjunga Apartments built over more than a decade in the 1970s and 80s in Mumbai where he incorporated the concept of "open-to-sky" spaces. He said that being able to see the sky from inside a building "can make a difference between livable habitat and *claustrophobia*."

extreme or irrational fear of confined places

Part of the idea behind the film preservation school is that movie preservation restoration in India is *abysmal*.

extremely or hopelessly bad or severe:

In this case they are instructing adult women that they should not be allowed to make their own informed choices about whether flibanserin is worth the potential side effects. If the drug is marginal, it is still better than the status quo and will help some subset of women. Feminists are right to be *indignant* about the delay, even if the FDA blockade is far worse morally in similar cases involving terminal or rare diseases. This month the panel voted 18-6 for approval, though most of the experts in favor expressed deep reservations, and the FDA brass usually follows their advice. What a pity that a war-on-women political campaign has been necessary to obtain approval—and also that the same mobilization and urgency so rarely emerges for treatments for maladies like cancer and Alzheimer's.

feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair treatment

Hormel Foods Corp. , one of the largest turkey producers in the U.S., said earlier this month that the company was temporarily moving to one shift from two at a Jennie-O Turkey Store plant in Minnesota, resulting in about 230 job *furloughs*.

grant leave of absence to.

So much for the Greek *elation* of a week ago. After rejecting Europe's bailout July 5 in a referendum, Greeks must now decide to accept even more onerous terms or risk a collapse of their banking system and ouster from the euro.

great happiness and exhilaration

Better software, two-sided marketplaces and the *gig economy* make plenty of startups at least plausible, which isn't to say they will all work out in the end.

growing numbers of Americans no longer hold a regular "job" with a long-term connection to a particular business. Instead, they work "gigs" where they are employed on a particular task or for a defined time, with little more connection to their employer than a consumer has with a particular brand of chips. Borrowed from the music industry, the word "gig" has been applied to all sorts of flexible employment (otherwise referred to as "contingent labor," "temp labor," or the "precariat"). Some have praised the rise of the gig economy for freeing workers from the grip of employers' "internal labor markets," where career advancement is tied to a particular business instead of competitive bidding between employers. Rather than being driven by worker preferences, however, the rise of the gig economy comes from employers' drive to lower costs, especially during business downturns. Gig workers experience greater insecurity than workers in traditional jobs and suffer from lack of access to established systems of social insurance.

Perhaps the biggest impediment is the Los Angeles County firefighters union, which has *whipped* up a public outcry with warnings that the radio-frequency emissions from new LA-RICS cell sites could cause cancer, as well as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. That would be horrific if true

having been flogged or beaten with a whip

Trucks in some neighborhoods such as Midtown South are frequently ticketed while others rarely have run-ins with the law. The report's author ultimately concluded "it is nearly impossible (even if you fill out the right paperwork) to operate a truck without breaking some law." *Tellingly*, one of the city's food-truck operators found it easier to open a bricks-and-mortar restaurant.

having force or effect; effective; striking:

Not only are *potent* swaths of the Iranian elite getting rich directly and indirectly off the nuclear program. The regime would likely fatally discredit itself if it now disavowed a nuclear quest for which it has inflicted so much suffering and penury on the Iranian people.

having great power, influence, or effect

Call it the Obama Doctrine: The U.S. puts down the burden, and Iran picks up the *slack*.

having or showing laziness or negligence

According to Politico, the lawmakers complained to Mr. Rhodes that Mr. Obama is behaving as though the Israeli prime minister's recent comment dismissing the chances for Palestinian statehood is all that is blocking the peace process, when the talks have been *moribund* for a year.

in a dying state; near death.

In her closing argument, defense attorney Judy Clarke called him an *adolescent* who was "still living a teenage life."

in the process of developing from a child into an adult

In the West, he continued, "the idea of the *inviolability* of the individual has been turned into dogma."

incapable of being violated

The White House has counseled the kingdom to stick to a more limited set of bombing targets and political objectives to avoid getting *mired* in an open-ended campaign, according to U.S. and Arab officials

involve someone or something in (a difficult situation

A revelation in journalist Judith Miller's new memoir, "The Story: A Reporter's Journey," exposes *unscrupulous*(scruple) conduct by Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald in the 2007 trial of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.

not honest or fair

Yet while Marco is pessimistic about the future, a smile on Mr. Lee's face as he discusses his own uncertainty betrays *creeping* optimism. "The government proposal will not pass today, and maybe that's too bad for Hong Kong. But the world changes every day! What it looks like tomorrow, even for the Communists—it always changes. Today's leader tomorrow is maybe the prisoner."

occur or develop gradually and almost imperceptibly.

First the good news: Political elites in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are showing an increasing ability to put aside the *fraught* identity politics that has marred their relations and instead pursue mutually beneficial economic goals.

of a situation or course of action) filled with (something undesirable).

The freezing of Greece's banking system is the most dramatic moment of the country's five-year debt crisis—and perhaps its most *pivotal*. Since Monday, Greeks can get only €60 a day at cash machines and can't transfer money abroad.

of crucial importance in relation to the development or success of something else

The record-setting opening gives Hollywood a boost after some worrisome weeks at the box office: Walt Disney Co. 's "Tomorrowland" failed to deliver a solid Memorial Day weekend, and the calendar is stacked with similarly big-budgeted movies that will require *seismic* openings.

of enormous proportions or effect

"For the longer term, it is *imperative* that we invest in our people and the development of their surroundings," Mr. Soe Thane wrote, pointing to recent efforts to improve electricity and water supplies in the area.

of vital importance; crucial

Greeting the 2013 Supreme Court decision with dismay, party president Sonia Gandhi described Section 377 as an "archaic, repressive and unjust law that infringed on the basic human rights *enshrined* in our constitution." But even the Congress Party has hardly gone beyond *lip service*.

preserve (a right, tradition, or idea) in a form that ensures it will be protected and respected 2. Lip service is an idiom meaning (chiefly when following 'to pay' ) 'giving approval or support insincerely'

With a key deadline just hours away, U.S. and European officials said nuclear negotiations were *imperiled* by deep uncertainty over whether Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would sign off on the necessary concessions for a deal.

put at risk of being harmed, injured, or destroyed

The fiercely anti-alcohol senator successfully *lobbied* for this particular warning to be part of the 1988 Anti-Drug Abuse Act, a continuation of the so-called War on Drugs.

seek to influence (a legislator) on an issue.

Congressional and Pentagon leaders must impose *oversight* on the Pentagon's shadow workforce. A start would be to get a handle on what contracts are in effect now. The Pentagon's inventory of contracted services lacks a standardized classification, so it's difficult to compare by type of service, price paid and contractor employed.

surveillance

Afghan National Army Lt. Mohammad Sediq was in a guard tower when the blast wave hit, *lacerating* his face. "After I recovered from my shock, I realized the attackers got in," he said, his face wrapped in fresh bandages. "Fortunately, they didn't get far inside the compound. My buddies and I shot them."

tear or make deep cuts in (flesh or skin)

Just two days after the organization *convulsed* under twin U.S. and Swiss investigations into alleged long-running corruption, it was expected to re-elect its divisive president, Joseph "Sepp" Blatter, to a fifth consecutive term.

throw (a country) into violent social or political upheaval.

We should judge the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal on its own terms—by the playing field for trade it creates and by the opportunity its accompanying legislation provides—not through the lens of an *unduly* *maligned*, decades-old treaty with Canada and Mexico i.e NAFTA

to an unwarranted degree, excesively 2. evil in nature or effect

the girls emerged with a new found *swagger*, grinning from ear to ear at the words they were no longer embarrassed to say

to boast or brag noisily.

The opposition to a *carve*-out requiring domain-name transparency for websites that process payments is driven by the registrars themselves, who charge anywhere from $2 to $10 per domain name for the privacy service. For registrars managing millions or even tens of millions of domain names, this isn't chump change.

to cut (a solid material) so as to form something

The Google panel had some internal *dissent* among its members

to differ in sentiment or opinion

Pedestrians *jostle* for space with black-and-yellow taxis, rickshaws heaped with mysterious bales, and the occasional Audi.

to drive or force by, or as if by, pushing or shoving:

Their arrests followed the popularly backed military coup led by Mr. Sisi in July 2013 that *ousted* Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood,

to expel or remove from a place or position occupied:

Mr. Ko said the pilot saved thousands of lives by directing the plane away from a *bustling* area in its descent(downward) path

to move or act with a great show of energy

Mangled limbs, exposed organs, crushed skulls, dismembered children, bombed-out hospitals protected only by sandbags, underground emergency rooms where efforts to *resuscitate* dying patients take place on floors smeared with blood—all these scenarios are now routine for Syrian doctors and nurses.

to revive from apparent death or from unconsciousness

currently struggling to *quell* an insurgency orchestrated by fighters loyal to former vice president, Riek Machar

to suppress; put an end to; extinguish:

Ugandan troops will stay in South Sudan for a further four months providing assistance to the country's *beleaguered* army

to surround or beset, as with troubles.

a flotilla of Chinese boats was *flouting* international conventions by harvesting endangered sea creatures from the disputed shoal.

to treat with disdain, scorn, or contempt; scoff at; mock:

The men *fiddled* with a *ledger* when something unusual happened: A customer stepped in. She bought the last two Pilots in stock, then left. A few minutes later, she came back with second thoughts. "Were you joking with me?" she said. She was worried she just got *bamboozled* by the salesmen, who were laughing among themselves as they completed the sale. "No, no, by God!" said Mr. Pokharel. "Pilots aren't available anywhere," he said. "Let me tell you, by God, keep them safe." A few weeks later, HMT closed the Delhi shop.

touch or fidget with something in a restless or nervous way 2. a book or other collection of financial accounts 3. cheat or fool

One of their current targets is Johannes Chan, former dean of the law school at Hong Kong University and a respected professor. His main "crime" is his association with another legal scholar, Benny Tai. Mr. Tai was one of the founders of the Occupy Central movement that *morphed* into the Umbrella Movement street protests last year.

undergo or cause to undergo a gradual process of transformation

"China unilaterally started the land reclamation and now China is *unilaterally* stopping it," Mr. Huang said. "China is showing that—as a major power—it can control escalation, that it has the initiative, and that it can do what it sees fit for its interests."

undertaken or done by or on behalf of one side, party, or faction only; not mutual: (opposite: Bilateral)

Mark down May 29 as the date when the last tether connecting ethanol subsidies to reality came *unhitched*, and the fuel made from corn and tax dollars achieved a kind of postmodern perfection. On the same day the Obama Administration conceded that the U.S. auto fleet cannot practically consume enough ethanol to fulfill Congress's quotas, it announced a new program so motorists can consume more ethanol.

unhook or unfasten (something tethered to or caught on something else)

The penalty marks the latest sign that China, even as it puts pressure on foreign businesses, is *loath* to scare them off.

unwilling; reluctant; disinclined; averse:

The waves of African and Middle Eastern seaborne migrants attempting to reach Europe—218,000 tried to get to Greece and Italy last year—are causing a little-noticed but serious problem for the mercantile ships that *ply* the Mediterranean.

to carry on, practice, or pursue busily

Yet party politics—the GOP's *internecine* debates, on top of President Obama's recent immigration executive order—seem to have made the pathway to a sensible immigration policy unnavigable

destructive to both sides in a conflict

Deng was *cremated*.

dispose of (a dead person's body) by burning it to ashes, typically after a funeral ceremony.

While there are hundreds of novelty cases out there, I urge you to choose protection over *gimmicks*

a trick or device intended to attract attention, publicity, or trade

Mr. Zhao, who says he herded goats as a child and later amassed a fortune in coal, gas and real estate in the northwestern desert region of Xinjiang, said his company isn't an arm of Beijing despite its high-level political connections

gather together or accumulate

A vibe is Thync's term for patterns of electrical pulses that *elicit* different responses in your nervous system. There are also Calm vibes, which for about an hour produce a wave of tranquility akin to a glass of wine.

evoke or draw out (a reaction, answer, or fact) from someone

Focus our attention on the details of the portraits of sultans and their heirs, the scenes of hunting, or of gatherings at the palace, and we begin to recognize depictions of jewels, objects and weapons identical to the ones we've just been examining, as well as decorative motifs common to both two-dimensional and three-dimensional art. We see, too, representations of Africans, Europeans and Sufis, *testimony* to a *cosmopolitan* society.

1. evidence or proof of something. 2.familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures

We suppose this intellectual panic over Ms. Mac Donald is a tribute to the power of her persuasion and, we hope, of the Journal's editorial platform. But it's also a shame to see an academic group that ought to be a forum for scholarly debate descend into *hackery*.

journalism , hackwork

The Associated Press has reported that an internal Pentagon investigation in 2010 found *incontrovertible* evidence that soldier had walked away from his post.

not able to be denied or disputed

Once you're married, how can you make the excitement last? Psychotherapist Esther Perel writes: "It isn't always the lack of closeness that *stifles* desire, but too much closeness. And while love seeks closeness, desire needs space to thrive."

make (someone) unable to breathe properly; suffocate

The other group *tut-tuts* about root causes. Take your pick: inequality, poverty, injustice. Or, as President Obama intimated in an ugly aside on the rioting, a Republican Congress that will never agree to the "massive investments" (in other words, billions more in federal spending) required "if we are serious about solving this problem."

make an exclamation expressing disapproval or annoyance

even if they are inefficient capital users, many of the industry's potential acquirers are *minting* high margins right now.

produce for the first time

Their own Baptist Church, where the walls are white and flat, the altar *austere*, and the worship focused largely on Scripture alone,

severe in manner or appearance; uncompromising; strict; forbidding

In a brief, *terse* appearance on Tuesday, he changed gears. "What counts most to me is the institution," Mr. Blatter said, after announcing his plans to step down. Mr. Blatter has served as president of world soccer's governing body since 1998, weathering a series of controversies and scandals, including the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, a country with scant soccer experience or infrastructure.

short, brief, abrupt

It has been difficult to raise money from a single source at this scale as many investors are hesitant to take risks to challenge the dominance of Google.I am *agnostic* in this regard, and it so happens that such a large amount of capital is available from this particular source.

skeptic or doubter

But even if food did go where it's intended, donors are still left with a troubling dilemma: Food is *fungible*. Whatever goes to hungry civilians makes that much more available to the North Korean military.

replaceable by another identical item; mutually interchangeable

Imagine my surprise when I learned recently that the man who threatened me with death for *apostasy* is being paid by the U.S. Justice Department to teach Islam in American jails.

the abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief or principle.

but quite apart from Lee's *acumen* as a leader or the fact that he became the longest-serving prime minister in world history, we are still left to wonder: Where did his enormous commitment and energy come from? How was he able to create such an unusual success story from virtually nothing?

the ability to make good judgements and take quick decisions

Rape and the Justice System in a College Town" is the *empathetic* account of five sexual-assault cases at the University of Montana (UM) between 2010 and 2012

the ability to understand and share the feelings of another

Yet even now, Mr. Tsipras's tactics continue to baffle his creditors. At a meeting of Eurogroup finance ministers on Tuesday, Mr. Varoufakis formally requested the eurozone start talks on a third bailout program—yet somehow failed to provide a promised letter detailing what reform commitments Greece was ready to make in return. When the letter duly arrived on Wednesday, it turned out to fall far short of the expected *capitulation*.

the action of ceasing to resist an opponent or demand

Many Americans are urging Mr. Abe to use his Wednesday speech to Congress to issue some new declaration of *penitence* over the war, to offer a new olive branch to his critics and neighbors.

the action of feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong; repentance.

Iran is dis*ingenuous*

innocent and unsuspecting

The Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge are Samsung's attempt to finally convince the world (or at least snooty phone reviewers like myself) that it has design *chops* akin to Apple or HTC.

to cut in pieces

And, he married his girlfriend—making a life commitment to her that he says he wasn't really *contemplating* before the bus crash.

think deeply and for long time

Many congressional Republicans wholeheartedly *endorsed* Mr. Netanyahu's (israel PM)critique of the talks being led by the Obama administration.

to approve, support, or sustain:

Neither did the Administration nor any friend-of-the-court brief during the Michigan *litigation*.

to carry on a lawsuit.

The war in eastern Ukraine—where a large chunk of the country's industrial sectors reside—has slashed income, drained government *coffers* and cost the country lost output.

treasury; funds

Ray is a very busy bee once the earthquakes hit. He goes *hither* and *yon* in conveyances that include a chopper, a fixed-wing plane and a pontoon speedboat that's handy when a tsunami hits.

to or towards some place 2. the far distance

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is *slated* to speak at the security conference in Munich on Saturday

to plan or designate (something) for a particular place and time; schedule:

The official said the conversations Monday were "*candid* and to the point."

truthful and straightforward; frank

The real culprit is anti-carbon regulation promoted by a cartel of green activists and liberal politicians that is aimed at raising petrol costs to discourage consumption. *Sticker shock* at the pump, like water rationing and high electric rates, is the price Californians must pay for their environmental virtue.

unpleasant surprise on learning of an unexpectedly high price for an item

Streamlining food subsidies (worth $20.1 billion last year) will be equally challenging. They are distributed through the same *decrepit* government-owned shops as kerosene, and a staggering two-thirds of the population is eligible for them.

worn out or ruined because of age or neglect

Ban radical Islamist literature from being *disseminated* in U.S. prisons.

spread (something, especially information) widely

IMP :-D

"America will be there" could mean that if someone set off a nuclear backpack bomb in Tel Aviv, where the Obama administration would be the next day is on New York's east side, condemning the attack in a U.N. Security Council resolution.

Qatar and Russia were both named hosts in a joint bidding process in 2010, the first time countries have been awarded the *quadrennial* event at the same time.

recurring every four years

Chinese test-prep consultants say over the last couple of years they have seen an even more disturbing trend: tests leaked in their *entirety* a day or more before the actual testing date.

Leaked fully

The ranking of the top ten countries as measured by R&D spending isn't expected to change in 2014, with the U.S. *reprising* its role as the dominant force in global research across numerous industries

Repeat.

They had to throw the *lettuce* away because they didn't see it, they forgot about it, or they just didn't manage their food correctly."

a cultivated plant of the daisy family, with edible leaves that are eaten in salads

Gen. Prayuth was more blunt: Those who question his powers *forfeit* the protections of being Thai citizens.

a fine or penalty for wrongdoing

Deng touched off a border war with Vietnam in 1979—a conflict that revealed the *impotency* of People's War tactics on the battlefield.

abnormally unable to achieve an erection or orgasm

legitimate (--safeguarding the legitimate rights of these two people)

according to law; lawful:

An *antiquated* rule bans crude oil exports from the lower 48 American states, even though producers could earn $5-$14 more per barrel by selling on the world market.

old-fashioned or outdated

Citing Iraq, Syria and Libya, Mr. Paul added that "everything that they've talked about in foreign policy, they've been wrong about for 20 years, and yet they have somehow the *gall* to keep saying and pointing fingers otherwise."

bold and impudent(not showing due respect for another person) behaviour.

Beijing's plan would *dwarf* the multibillion-dollar U.S. assistance program in recent years for Pakistan.

cause to seem small or insignificant in comparison

Chances for a quick diplomatic solution appeared slim as Russia and its separatist *proxies* in eastern Ukraine

come closer

Brazilian federal prosecutors since last year have been investigating allegations that the company's suppliers conspired to overcharge Petrobras for major projects, funneling some of the *illicit* profit to former Petrobras executives and politicians in the form of bribes and illegal political donations.

forbidden by law, rules, or custom

woe

grievous distress, affliction, or trouble:

In Islamic State's *de facto* capital of Raqqa, a Syrian city on the banks of the Euphrates,

in fact; in reality:

aid delivery must recognize and leverage the *innate* resilience of the people

inborn; natural

We both had great mentors and would pass along all the tips we *gleaned* - it's like having double the advice.

to gather slowly and laboriously, bit by bit.

Asked about the letter, an aide to Mr. Corker said he was more focused on *garnering* support for legislation giving Congress a 60-day review period for any agreement.

to get; acquire

Obama tries to back Saudi Arabia—but not enough to *rile* Iran.

make (someone) annoyed or irritated

But SpaceX's efforts suggested the technical and economic barriers are now more *surmount*able.

overcome

Mixing *shrewd* diplomacy with defiance of U.N. resolutions, Iran has turned the negotiation on its head.

Intelligent and clever

The threat of Greek exit from Eurozone has always been as hollow as a *cocked* but empty gun.Weakness is strength, to recall George Orwell's Newspeak. As Napoleon once pleaded, "God, please let me fight against coalitions"—highlighting the strategic advantage of the one who is free to act on its own, while the many must haggle and compromise to bridge their conflicting interests. Coalitions always break up.

raise the cock of (a gun) in order to make it ready for firing

The Judeo-Christian view takes its lead from *Genesis* 2:15: "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."

the origin or mode of formation of something

IMP

Indians and Chinese don't know each other well, much less understand each other

IMP

It also shows the ambitions of Chinese companies to move up the value chain and away from imitations that compete on price, say Ninebot's backers. "Today it's not just copycat China," said Neil Shen, founding partner of Sequoia Capital China, a Ninebot investor, at Ninebot's presentation on Wednesday. "China will expand, through its own innovations and through acquisitions."

They've made great progress, but violence and *subjugation* are still far too common.

Subjugation is one of many types of injustice in the world. It has to do with one group of people dominating another group by taking away their freedom.

Authorities found a decapitated body along with an *inscription*, French President François Hollande told a news conference in Brussels. Two police officers said a severed head was also found at the site. The officers said the inscription was in Arabic.

Writing, Lettering

Al-Shabaab, the al-Qaeda-linked Islamist fighting to build a caliphate in Somalia, terrorizes Somalis and *conscripts* young men trying fleeing to Europe and elsewhere.

a person enlisted compulsorily

He once told the Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci he disapproved of having Mao's embalmed body placed in a *mausoleum* on Tiananmen Square.

a stately or impressive building housing a tomb or group of tombs.

Kiev says it has been spending $8 million a day, and *outlays* could total 5.2% of gross domestic product this year.

an expending or spending, as of money.

The plan was *foiled*.

prevent (something considered wrong or undesirable) from succeeding

As late as Tuesday morning, Secretary of State John Kerry was still *railing* in private against the bill.

a fence or barrier made of rails

He turns his politics of *contempt* on Democrats, who abandon him.

disregard for something that should be considered

With a *pugnacious* China challenging the U.S. and staking territorial claims across the region, American officials are glad for Tokyo's help.

eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight

Mr. Fakhrizadeh is often described as Iran's Robert Oppenheimer, the developer of the world's first atomic bombs, and not because of the Iranian's *latent* pacifist convictions.

existing but not yet developed or manifest; hidden or concealed

holding his arms *aloft* and flashing a victory sign.

high up; far above the ground.

Mr. Sessions claims there are only six million high-tech STEM jobs in the U.S.But a new study from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP)—a pro-immigration think tank—shows how *phoney* this six million figure is.

not genuine; fraudulent

Much of India's progress on paper has more to do with a radical and controversial *rejigging* of how it calculates GDP, economists say.

organize (something) differently; rearrange

The Justices shouldn't fall for this *immaculate* legal misconception.

perfectly clean, neat, or tidy.

So much religious *paraphernalia* ends up in the Yamuna

personal belongings.

Now that the Tehran nuclear deal is done, the Sunni Arab states can expect enormous U.S. pressure to shut up and fall in line. Mr. Obama has been *cajoling* them with a visit to Camp David and promises of new weapons and other support.

persuade (someone) to do something by sustained coaxing(persuade (someone) gradually or gently to do something) or flattery

He would like Fiat to be part of re*scrambling* the omelet, having *bruited* deals in recent weeks with everybody from Ford and GM to Apple and Google.

1. make one's way quickly or awkwardly up a steep gradient or over rough ground by using one's hands as well as one's feet. 2. spread (a report or rumour) widely

Hence the new emphasis on Advanced Technology and Projects, which *upends* some Google traditions.

set or turn (something) on its end or upside down.

Delta Air Lines, for example, had a slumber party on a *snowbound* widebody jet at New York's Kennedy Airport during last week's blizzard.

shut in or immobilized by snow.

underlining the increasingly *dire* financial situation.

Extremely serious or urgent:

CEO of GE cranks up the music to blow off steam, says someone familiar with his habits. It is *salve* for a CEO working to prove he can fix a machine that is no longer his predecessor's creation.

a medicinal ointment for healing or relieving wounds and sores.

Legal experts say *plaintiffs* in recent years have preferred to reach a financial settlement instead of imprisonment

a person who brings suit in a court

Their message was unmistakable: Get your *fannies* in gear and fix this thing.

a person's buttocks(ass)

reuters

a publicly owned international news and information company established in London, 1851.

The record is clear, but the deal Mr. Obama *hailed* in 2013 as an arms-control "breakthrough" suffers from the absence of an accountability mechanism.

to cheer, salute, or greet; welcome

The Apple Watch is hardly *petite*, but its rounded rectangle pairs equally well with a suit and sweats.

attractively small and dainty.

Mayor de Blasio and the far-left City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito went along for the ride despite their supposedly progressive politics. It must be a coincidence, *comrade*, that the yellow taxi industry has *lavished* campaign contributions on both of them.

(among men) a colleague or a fellow member of an organization give someone generous amounts of

A bipartisan coalition in Congress is moving a trade bill that would help American economic growth and strategic interests. But this is Congress, so naturally a *rump* protectionist caucus is trying to prevent it.

a small or unimportant remnant of something originally larger.

The dinghy capsized when migrants moved to one side of it when they tried to draw the attention of a *tugboat* serving oil rigs,

a small, powerful boat for towing or pushing ships, barges, etc.

Texas is America's most interesting state, and the latest example comes courtesy of Governor Greg Abbott, who caused a *ruckus* last month by appointing a home-schooler to chair the Texas Board of Education.

a state of confused and noisy disturbance

Some of the great piano *pedagogues* of the Russian school, like Alexander Goldenweiser and Konstantin Igumnov, attempted to separate the composer's intentions from the work of later editors, with varying degrees of success.

a teacher, especially a strict or pedantic one

If anything, he is treated with disdain by those he hoped might offer help. "The evasiveness that characterized so many of the responses," he writes, ". . . suggested that the answers were a tangled *spaghetti* of sophistry meant to obfuscate rather than illuminate."

a white, starchy pasta of Italian origin that is made in the form of long strings, boiled, and served with any of a variety of meat, tomato, or other sauces.

A reader named Diana emailed me a few months ago about a sulfite-related encounter she'd had with a snobbish (and misinformed) *sommelier* in Salzburg.

a wine waiter.

The November 2010 bust of Level Global seized records and computers; prosecutors would normally obtain such material with a *subpoena*.

a writ ordering a person to attend a court

They are astonished by the nonchalance with which the administration *acquiesces* in Iran's regional power plays, or in al Qaeda's gains in Yemen, or in the Assad regime's continued use of chemical weapons, or in the battlefield successes of ISIS, or in Russia's decision to sell advanced missiles to Tehran. They wonder why the president has so much solicitude for Ali Khamenei's political needs, and so little for Benjamin Netanyahu's.

accept something reluctantly but without protest

In one email where the two sides discussed who should conduct the analysis, Ms. Avett, the Ex-Im Bank policy analyst, asks for input on "what would be most *palatable* to Boeing."

acceptable or satisfactory.

oil pundits are more concerned about oil dropping to $20 a barrel, because of a lack of storage to accommodate our abundance, testifies to a geopolitical *somersault* the world is still trying to make sense of.

an acrobatic movement in which a person turns head over heels in the air or on the ground and lands or finishes on their feet

Those of us who get our fruit and vegetables at Whole Foods may have a hard time appreciating the *scourge* that insects, parasites and disease are to those in poorer parts of the world. Or the high price these people pay when they are denied these man-made tools in the name of some environmental *fad*.

an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, especially one that is short-lived; a craze

FIFA's main responsibility is the organizing of intercontinental competitions, mainly for national teams, and the distribution of World Cup revenues to *confederation* and national members associations. The confederations, however, are in charge of international tournaments within their spheres of influence.

an organization which consists of a number of parties or groups united in an alliance or league

Rescue workers also used rubber *dinghies* to carry the survivors

any small boat designed as a tender or lifeboat, especially a small ship's boat, rowed, sailed, or driven by a motor.

The Kremlin's proposal appeared to broaden the territory claimed by the separatists and called for a greater recognition of the rebel *enclaves*

any small, distinct area or group enclosed or isolated within a larger one

Koreans, Korean-Americans and others hope he will issue fresh statements of *remorse* while in the U.S. But so far, he has avoided doing so in public comments in Boston and at the White House. He's unlikely to go further in Congress, but it will be important for Mr. Abe to reiterate his support of the Japanese government's previous stances on the treatment of women enslaved by the Japanese imperial army, said Sheila Smith, a senior fellow for Japan studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed

Teresa Gardner, director of the *pop-up* clinic, said the drone was helping to get medicine to patients who often have to wait for days for their prescriptions, if they receive them at all, because of the long drive. "There are at least 30-something patients that will directly benefit from these deliveries," she said.

denoting a shop or other business that opens quickly in a temporary location and is intended to operate for only a short period of time

The proposals include an increase to corporate taxes to 28% from 26%, which had been accepted by creditors in earlier plans. The new proposal no longer has a *one-off* tax on companies for this year, which the IMF in particular has fought against.

done, made, or happening only once

Freud would tell you this dream is about feeling vulnerable, and I do. I wish I had the guts to walk around bearing an iPhone in all its nascent *splendor*. But one slow-motion, heart-pounding smack onto its all-glass front and my most beloved digital possession is a goner.

magnificent and splendid appearance; *grandeur*

Any apparent fraying of U.S. support for the Jewish state could *unnerve* Israeli voters.

to deprive of courage, strength, determination, or confidence; upset:

Some 2,000 people have been kidnapped since 2014. Forced marriages and *impregnations* are common.

to make pregnant

IMP

"It's like if you carry your gun up the mountain, you just know there's game there," said Mr. Zhao, who also controls an investment firm that owns 49% of Tsinghua Unigroup. "Maybe you'll catch a deer, maybe a goat, you don't know. *It was when I came upon Spreadtrum(comp.) that I realized chips would be the key direction for Tsinghua Unigroup."(comp)*

IMP

It had all the elements. It was a surprise, it was the first of the year, it was beautifully produced—a big bowl of cheering students, some enthusiastically and *some because if they had to be there at least they weren't in class*

his lawyers suggested that Ms. Washburn had lied to spite him for his uncaring *post-coital* demeanor.

Post-coital tristesse (PCT) is a feeling of melancholy after sexual intercourse (coitus)

The Supreme Court ruling Thursday is a temporary *reprieve* for a failed law that needs to be replaced.

a cancellation or postponement of a punishment

And so it begins. Ted Cruz announced Monday, the first major Republican to declare for the presidency. More will soon follow. I am happy because I suffer from a deep, bizarre and pretty American *aberration*: I love politics

a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected, typically an unwelcome one

his lawyers suggested that Ms. Washburn had lied to *spite* him for his uncaring post-coital demeanor.

a desire to hurt, annoy, or offend someone

American military officials said they are hopeful that Iran's interest in securing a deal with the U.S. and its allies to lift sanctions in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program will *temper* Tehran's attempts to help the Houthis.

act as a neutralizing or counterbalancing force to

Every option should be on the table, except *amnesty*, which forgives illegal conduct.

an official pardon for people who have been convicted of political offences

The circular speaker slots on the bottom and the rounded edges are very *reminiscent* of the iPhone 6

awakening memories of something similar; suggestive

Filmmaking technology has clearly come a long way since the extravagant *goofiness* of the 1974 action thriller "Earthquake," and plausibility, as "San Andreas" demonstrates, has come a short way.

being crazy, ridiculous,

Chen Kegui, jailed since 2012 for *scuffling* with police who raided his home in search of his uncle

engage in a short, confused fight or struggle at close quarters

Fearing further Islamic State incursions closer to the borders of Baghdad, Shiite militias also deployed their forces to depend the capital and the Shiite provinces farther south, home to *revered* holy sites.

feel deep respect or admiration for (something).

We reject the occupation of Georgian territory, denounce the annexation of Crimea, and categorically *deplore* Russian military aggression against Ukraine.

feel or express strong condemnation of (something)

Yes, Washington's *largess* has done some good.

generosity in bestowing money or gifts upon others

This diplomacy would *imbue* with a political purpose the displays of U.S. and allied force.

inspire or permeate with (a feeling or quality)

They also said the French government's potentially expanded influence over Renault has *irked* Nissan.

irritate; annoy

No wonder the chemical slaughters continue un*abated*

lessen; diminish:

Suspicions of military or other official involvement in the people-trafficking trade have been regularly raised by human-rights groups, however, especially after some 3,500 migrants ethnic-Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar and *impoverished* migrants from Bangladesh landed on the shores of Malaysia and Indonesia after being abandoned by criminal trafficking gangs.

make (a person or area) poor

After his re-election, Mr. Blatter(FIFA president) *defiantly* vowed to lead a renaissance of the body, tarnished by the latest scandal and by years of allegations of corruption and abuse of power.

open resistance; bold disobedience

We can no longer assume that hackers are *solitary* figures sitting in basements fiddling with their laptops. They may be members of organized-crime groups or employed by nation states, and they have resources that can destabilize entire companies and countries.

single; only

The other group tut-tuts about root causes. Take your pick: inequality, poverty, injustice. Or, as President Obama *intimated* in an ugly aside on the rioting, a Republican Congress that will never agree to the "massive investments" (in other words, billions more in federal spending) required "if we are serious about solving this problem."

state or make known.

parole

the conditional release of a person from prison prior to the end of the maximum sentence imposed.

Mr. Obama has said he would *veto* any additional sanctions.

the power or right *vested (confer or bestow (power, authority, property, etc.) on someone)*in one branch of a government to cancel or postpone the decisions, enactments, etc., of another branch, especially the right of a president, governor, or other chief executive to reject bills passed by the legislature.

With acceptance letters in hand, millions of high-schools seniors *ruminating* over where to attend college

think deeply about something

shares *soared(surge)* on the news this morning

to go upward or rise

There's an irony, of course, in Mr. Xi *taking a leaf* from Mao, who persecuted his father.

to imitate someone

buoy

to keep afloat or support by or as if by a life buoy; keep from sinking

His sudden resignation appeared to catch many in Moscow *off guard*.

unprepared for a surprise or difficulty

some members of the transgender community may already be part of the backward classes, this might not appear "*prudent* and practical."

wise or judicious in practical affairs; sagacious; discreet or circumspect; sober.

Lithuania has long been one of the most *hard-line* governments on the Ukraine crisis and Russia's role in it.

An uncompromising adherence to a firm policy:

In "The Wright Brothers," David McCullough has etched a *brisk*, admiring portrait of the modest, hardworking Ohioans who designed an airplane in their bicycle shop and solved the mystery of flight on the sands of Kitty Hawk, N.C.

active and energetic

it is hard to *fathom* why India did next to nothing to train and equip health-care providers to diagnose and treat children.

comprehend; understand:

Since nuclear weapons delivered by ballistic missiles are the most likely means by which Iran could implement its genocidal policy, an agreement that calls for lifting the Security Council resolutions banning the sale of ballistic missiles to Iran after eight years—as this nuclear deal does—also seems to *contravene* the genocide convention.

conflict with (a right, principle, etc.)

Underscoring that notion, Ms. Swift said in her letter: "These are not the complaints of a spoiled, *petulant* child. These are the echoed sentiments of every artist, writer and producer in my social circles who are afraid to speak up publicly because we admire and respect Apple so much. We simply do not respect this particular call."

(of a person or their manner) childishly sulky or bad-tempered

If we allow that the *euphemisms* investors use to describe the current climate in the tech sector—the most popular one is "*frothy*"—make it at least plausible that tech is in a bubble, the next question is, so what?

a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing. 2. insubstantial, shallow, leightweight

Ms. Gao denies revealing the secret memo, but her *persecution* is consistent with its authoritarian contents.

hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race or political or religious beliefs; oppression

On present trend Mr. Obama's *Cool Hand Luke* generalship will leave his successor an Iraq in turmoil and a mini-caliphate entrenched across hundreds of miles. If this isn't "losing," how does the President define victory?

Cool Hand Luke is a 1967 American prison drama film directed by Stuart Rosenberg, starring Paul Newman and featuring George Kennedy in an Oscar-winning performance. Newman stars in the title role as Luke, a prisoner in a Florida prison camp who refuses to submit to the system.

IMP

Richard Branson,Arianna Huffington and several other business icons recently called on world leaders to commit to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Such a commitment, they vow, would "drive innovation, grow jobs, build prosperity and secure a better world." This isn't merely impractical; it's nonsensical.

Before the *clergy* and congregation, Mr. Celdran held up a sign bearing the word "Damaso"intercede.

The body of all people ordained for religious duties, especially in the Christian Church:

With several virtual-reality companies expected to release consumer headsets this Christmas, Hollywood is developing projects to make sure new buyers have something to actually experience with them. "*The gauntlet has been thrown*," said Chris Edwards, chief executive of Virtual Reality Co., a Los Angeles firm that for the past year has been quietly working on several immersive entertainment offerings.

To "throw down the gauntlet" is to issue a challenge. A gauntlet-wearing knight would challenge a fellow knight or enemy to a duel by throwing one of his gauntlets on the ground. The opponent would pick up the gauntlet to accept the challenge

We are urging broadcasters to avoid using the familiar B-roll that we've all seen before, file footage of ISIL *convoys* operating in broad daylight, moving in large formations with guns out, looking to wreak havoc(widespread destruction)

a group of ships or vehicles travelling together, typically one accompanied by armed troops, warships, or other vehicles for protection

Amid the *din* of controversy over the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), there is wide agreement on one point: The North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) was a failure.

a loud, unpleasant, and prolonged noise

we consider the implications of a nuclear Iran and the prospect of *mushroom clouds* over the Middle East.

a mushroom-shaped cloud of dust and debris formed after a nuclear explosion

Then came the electoral fraud in 2009 and the crackdown on protesters. Security forces fired on students. Sons and daughters of top revolutionaries were hauled to detention camps where, the detainees said, they were raped with soda bottles. Across the street from the embassy in Helsinki where he worked, young Iranian protesters held candlelight vigils. "I went to my office, locked my door and escaped into a *reverie*," Mr. Alizadeh says. "These kids were out there in the cold, and the candles just burned through the night. That was my country burning. Those candles were our young people burning." He stopped coming to the embassy for days at a time.

a state of being pleasantly lost in one's thoughts; a daydream

Japanese auto makers are highly dependent on North America. Their domestic market is in the *doldrums*,

a state of inactivity or stagnation, as in business or art:

Only once did Luxe leave me in the *lurch*: On Sunday, it closes at 6 p.m., so I couldn't use it to park for a concert. (Other nights it is open until 11 p.m. or midnight.)

an abrupt uncontrolled movement, especially an unsteady tilt or roll

For the U.S., a decade-long restriction on Iran's nuclear capacity is a possibly hopeful *interlude*.

an interval

While tax reform has *languished* in the U.S., other nations have cut corporate tax rates.

be forced to remain in an unpleasant place or situation

It was a less *placid* scene in Athens, with desperate pensioners standing in long lines to collect their $134 weekly allowance from otherwise shuttered banks.

calm and peaceful, with little movement or activity

Ireland's left-wing Sinn Fein also campaigned for a "no" vote from Athens. In Dublin, the party's finance spokesman, Pearse Doherty, denounced what he called the "backdrop of fear and scaremongering by our own and other European governments" and *lauded* Greeks for standing up to "the bullyboys" of the European Union. Ireland's current government has been another relative reform success.

praise (a person or their achievements) highly.

But explaining tough science is no easy task, and Ms. Armstrong doesn't always succeed, especially if "p53: The Gene That Cracked the Cancer Code"(book title) is compared with equally complex but more accessible works, such as Siddhartha Mukherjee's "The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer" (2010). The detail in "p53" can be daunting as Ms. Armstrong describes the small victories or telling defeats that *nudge* the gene quest forward

prod (someone) gently with one's elbow in order to attract attention

President Obama ordered the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt to the coast of Yemen, perhaps to *interdict* a flotilla of Iranian ships thought to be carrying supplies to the Iranian-backed Houthi militia in that country.

prohibit or forbid

The current inquiry was initially going to be chaired by Canadian academic William Schabas—until it turned out he had been paid to *consult* for the Palestinians.

seek information or advice from (someone, especially an expert or professional)

Volker Beck, a parliamentary policy spokesman for the Greens, the party which could replace the SPD in a future Angela Merkel-led coalition, said Mr. Gabriel had *feigned* normalized relations between the two countries. "With its position on Israel and its human rights situation," Mr. Beck exclaimed, "this Iranian regime cannot be Germany's friend or strategic partner."

simulated or pretended

Splits in Islamic State Emerge as Its Ranks Expand,The accounts of the growing *fissures* are consistent with information provided by U.S. and European officials and analysts tracking Islamic State.

split, gaps

Samsung Electronics has taken some *flak* for mimicking rival Apple's design in its new Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge smartphones

strong criticism

the U.S.-China relationship has lost its strategic *raison d'être*: the Soviet Union, the common threat that brought the two countries together.

the most important reason or purpose for someone or something's existence

It's also worth *mulling* over Mr. Obama's claim that he always "anticipated" this would be "a multiyear campaign."

think about (something) deeply and at length

Given the potential squeeze in capacity, Lam *reckons* there's a "good possibility" Samsung will fall back on its traditional chip suppliers like Qualcomm on subsequent versions of the S6 phone.

to count, compute, or calculate, as in number or amount.

The telecom operators say this strategy *upends* the economics that make investing in Internet infrastructure *viable*.

to defeat in competition 2. capable of working successfully; feasible

Their curiosity was *piqued* in large part by an older, much-respected cousin, who lived in Greensboro and had recently converted to Catholicism.

to excite (interest, curiosity, etc.):

Mr. Gore sometimes is worth listening to. Today we'd have decades of experience with autonomous planes to inform our thinking about autonomous cars. And disasters like the intentional crashing of the Germanwings plane would be hard to *conceive* of.

to experience

In the past, Casio developed watches with schedule managers, heart rate monitors and communication functions. "At times we just showed off with *quirky* features and then pulled those products when they didn't sell well," said Kazuhiro Kashio, the company's new leader, in an interview this week.

having or characterized by peculiar or unexpected traits or aspects

We haven't heard any Democrat denounce Ms. Tavenner's career switch, though it wasn't so long ago that to pass ObamaCare they pretended insurers were abusive *marauders* and continue to blame the industry for the law's surging costs.

robber, pirate

contain *indigenous* Chinese intellectual property

originating in and characteristic of a particular region or country; native

*Kindred(adjective)* souls, as preschoolers they spoke to each other in "twin language," their mother said, using words that no one else understood.

relationship by birth or descent, or sometimes by marriage; kinship.

Boycotting Japanese products does not work,"Japanese goods have *permeated* every aspect of our lives

to penetrate through the pores

Eventually, captive Lt. Kasasbeh was placed in a black steel cage, *doused* with gasoline and set alight

to plunge into water or the like; drench

We discover that Mr. Obama's *prod* came after an unusual, secretive effort inside the White House

to poke or jab with or as if with something pointed:

But we are working with the rest of Government to improve public understanding about what we do and the strong legal and policy framework that *underpins* all our work."

to prop up or support from below; strengthen, as by reinforcing a foundation.

The real estate buying, known as land banking, is being done in part to give the companies breathing room as they add employees. But it is also a way to grab property before the market gets more expensive as well as to *fend* of rivals from planting flags in their backyards.

to resist or make defense:

V V IMP With better economic policies America was like the fabled farmer with the goose that laid golden eggs. He kept the pond clean and full, he erected a nice *coop*, threw out corn for the goose and every day the goose laid a golden egg. Mr. Obama has drained the pond, burned down the coop and let the dogs loose to chase the goose around the *barnyard*. Now that the goose has stopped laying golden eggs, the administration's apologists—arguing that we are now in "secular stagnation"—add insult to injury by suggesting that something is wrong with the goose

1. a cage or pen in which poultry are kept 2.a large farm building used for storing grain, hay, or straw or for housing livestock

The expert argued that Iran invariably backed down in every instance when the U.S. had signaled the possible use of force—without its use. The same year, after Barack Obama's extended hand replaced America's *clenched* fist, Thérèse Delpech, then the strategic director of the French Atomic Energy Commission, said "the notion of a United States military threat has no credibility in Iran."

(with reference to the fingers or hand) close into a tight ball

President Obama has often boasted that his diplomacy disarmed Syria's Bashar Assad of his chemical weapons. Mark that down as another non-achievement following news that investigators in Syria have discovered new traces of the chemical *precursors* to sarin and VX nerve agents at a previously undisclosed military research site.

a person or thing that comes before another of the same kind; a forerunner

The Iranian Nuclear-Inspection *Charade*.

an absurd pretence intended to create a pleasant or respectable appearance

The political *churn* is likely to be more intense than what has just been witnessed, and that ended with the resignation of Jitan Ram Manjhi

a container or machine in which cream or milk is agitated to make butter.

"It's still my job, ma'am," he says in a *cliffhanger* of a preface of the film San Andreas, "I go where they tell me to go"

a dramatic and exciting ending to an episode of a serial, leaving the audience in suspense and anxious not to miss the next episode.

Though projects designed to *leapfrog* Aurora(best supercomputer present) are possible, the system should be a contender to set speed records in 2018, said Barry Bolding, a Cray executive.

a game in which players in turn vault with parted legs over others who are bending down.

lion's share

largest part or share

Yet a major ambition of the two admirals—to bring the USS George Washington aircraft carrier to a Chinese port, perhaps Shanghai, for a tour by Chinese naval personnel—was *shelved* at least temporarily by the Pentagon in January.

decide not to proceed with (a project or plan), either temporarily or permanently

Mr. Blatter said earlier this month that he would step down as FIFA president after 17 years in charge as soon as a successor can be elected, likely in December. That resignation came just days after he was elected to another term as president. The election followed the disclosure by U.S. and Swiss authorities of their respective probes, and the arrest in Zurich of a number of people *implicated* in those investigations.

show (someone) to be involved in a crime

Would I have been better off if the United States had *plopped* me back down in what they now call Ho Chi Minh City to live under Communist rule? Would the United States have been better off without me? The answer to both questions is "no."

sit or lie down gently but clumsily

The institution was seen in a happier (albeit ironic) light by Mrs. Patrick Campbell, the actress who played the first Eliza Doolittle in "Pygmalion" and was the object of Bernard Shaw's *infatuation*. She defined it as "the result of the deep, deep longing for the peace of the double bed after the *hurly-burly* of the *chaise-longue*."

an intense but short-lived passion or admiration for someone or something 2. chaos, turmoil, busy, boisterous activity 3. a sofa with a backrest at only one end

The president may well be right to insist on constitutional grounds that he has the right to enter into binding agreements without formal congressional approval, and he is understandably reluctant to expose his most significant foreign-policy achievement to the *vagaries* of a hyper-polarized Congress.

an unexpected and inexplicable change in a situation or in someone's behaviour.

Still, a number of initiatives spearheaded by Mr. Ito are coming to *fruition*

attainment of anything desired; realization; accomplishment:

India's cargo traffic—whether by rail, air or sea—is sluggish. Two-wheeler sales are decelerating. March's factory-output reading showed the slowest growth in five months, though the seasonally adjusted HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index indicated a 19th straight month of expansion in May. Exports fell in April for the fifth month in a row. Few believe the latest GDP readings have been *fudged*. Even before this year's revision, India-watchers had plenty of reasons to keep their eyes on a wider range of indicators.

present or deal with (something) in a vague or inadequate way, especially so as to conceal the truth or mislead

Members, who in turn will seek to *recuperate* their investment from CTS in case it is truly game over, are invoking one of the Communist Party's themes under Mr. Xi: "ruling the country according to law." In a letter posted in the clubhouse, the members' association said, "President Xi said 'rule by law,' which is not empty talk."

recover or regain (something lost or taken).

...The movie's answer is yes, we must, since what else do we have in life but love and family. And in any event no one is dying—you can see that from the conspicuous absence of corpses—because the predictive power of Professor Hayes's new system has given people ample warning to go somewhere or other, but not to their graves. Only in Hollywood can catastrophe be cleansed of unpleasantness.

self-pityingly or tearfully sentimental

But it's easy to establish Assad's *culpability*, not least because the regime is the only party to the conflict that fields helicopters.

responsibility for a fault or wrong

In actual daily use, the MacBook ran for about 7 hours, two hours shy of Apple's 9-hour claim. A few years ago, that sort of battery life wasn't to be *scoffed* at, but we're now accustomed to better—largely thanks to Apple

ridicule, make fun of

Attempts to harmonize copyright laws have *faltered* because Brussels hasn't been able to resolve the tension between producers and consumers who are frustrated at not being able to buy across borders.

lose strength or momentum

While the new numbers suggest that last year the economy was rebounding strongly, some economists are still *skeptical*

showing doubt

The announced framework for an agreement on Iran's nuclear program has the potential to generate a *seminal* national debate.

strongly influencing later developments

Digicel, for example, has spent the past several years using helicopters and donkeys to *haul* cell-tower equipment to parts of Papua New Guinea that don't have roads or electricity.

transport; carry:

Pyongyang is *beavering* away at miniaturizing nuclear warheads and perfecting mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles that may be operational and able to hit the U.S. by 2020. Less than 5% of North Korea's military budget could easily fill its food gap

work hard

Prosecutors showed jurors blood-streaked notes Mr. Tsarnaev *scrawled* inside a dry-docked boat before his capture in a Boston suburb that claimed the attacks were retribution for what he believed was U.S. aggression against Muslims.

write (something) in a hurried, careless way

the closed door behind which their daughters were learning about *puberty* in Juhu

the period or age at which a person is first capable of sexual reproduction of offspring: in common law, presumed to be 14 years in the male and 12 years in the female.

A report due out today from Douglas Holtz-Eakin's American Action Forum describes the "regulatory wave" hitting *franchise* businesses, which are bearing the *brunt* of new state and local minimum wage laws.

the right or license granted by a company to an individual or group to market its products or services in a specific territory.

Mr. Kiir's attempts to *marshal(v)* further military clout ahead of the talks

to arrange in proper order; set out in an orderly manner; arrange clearly:

Police in Jaipur said the Japanese traveler *allegedly* raped on Sunday said that her attacker spoke English allegedly

to assert without proof.

Even with a long-touted nuclear renaissance in the U.S. looking shaky, developing countries were planning so many reactors that future fuel-supply *bottlenecks* were feared.

to become hindered by or as if by a bottleneck.

Fiat's Alfa Romeo brand, which he is fashioning to be his lead brand in Europe, is known to be *coveted* by VW. His Jeep brand would be coveted by many buyers, including Chinese buyers and Ford and GM.

1. Desired

To be successful, Mr. Obama's strategy must judge rightly the enemies' future strategies and America's own. If the enemies *defy* his expectations, or if future administrations reject the risks he has accepted, we will regret having *dallied* as the first lines of defense eroded.

1. openly resist or refuse to obey 2. act or move slowly

IMP

At about 3 a.m., as Mr. Kirdat sat behind the wheel(here it means STEERING WHEEL AND HE WAS DRIVING), listening to pop music and chewing tobacco to stay awake, he swept down a hill and swung the bus through the tight left curve that comes just before the bridge.

IMP

Dr. Poole's best practical advice: "Don't talk a lot if you have high status. People will assume you're competent and when you talk, they will listen to you."

to get children, teenagers and their parents to talk about the *birds and the bees*

English-language idiomatic expression and euphemism that refers to courtship and sexual intercourse.

Meanwhile, Ayatollah Khamenei continues to denounce the U.S. as the Great *Satan*, making clear that Iran doesn't expect to normalize relations. His speeches indicate that Iran still sees itself in a holy war with the West.

Evil deing, Devil

IMP

France, to its credit, has intervened directly against al Qaeda in Mali and aided African allies in the fight against Boko Haram. But Paris alone can do only so much.

IMP

In September Mr. Obama vowed to "degrade" and "destroy" ISIS, but the jihadists are doing most of the destroying.

IMP

India's population is six times as large as Pakistan's while India's economy is 10 times bigger, and India's $2 trillion economy has managed consistent growth whereas Pakistan's $245 billion economy has grown sporadically and is undermined by jihadist terrorism and domestic political chaos.

V.V.IMP

"Deeply regret to inform you that your son Sgt. John S— lost his life on March 5th 1943, as the result of an aircraft accident. Letter follows. Please accept my profound sympathy." Mothers and fathers receiving a telegram like that felt they couldn't go on—but they did. The remains of many loved ones were never returned home. Instead they were laid to rest at cemeteries in Manila, Normandy, Luxembourg and elsewhere.

In most respects "San Andreas" is a textbook case of a smart/dumb disaster *flick*.

a cinema film

It would be a travesty of justice if the U.K. were to *extradite* Mr. Karake to Spain to stand trial.

a false, absurd, or distorted representation of something

The group's chief military commander in Syria is Tarkhan Batirashvili, an ethnic *Chechen* from Georgia

a member of a Sunni Muslim people living in the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Republic and adjacent areas, closely related to the Ingush

If it's true that the economy is growing close to 7%, then that suggests there isn't much *slack* in the economy."

a period of decreased activity.

Microsoft and NASA, both of which could use a little *whiz bang*, announced Thursday a project called Sidekick, that will pair HoloLens with astronauts on board the International Space Station

a resounding success

In an interview here with The Wall Street Journal, Ambassador Cui Tiankai defended China's recent expansion of reefs it claims in the Spratly Islands to include civilian navigation and some military facilities, which has spurred objections from neighbors worried that Beijing intends to militarize the strategically important region, a major maritime *thoroughfare*.

a road or path forming a route between two places

the plane was flying very low and then it hit a lightning rod on the *overpass*

a road, pedestrian walkway, railroad, bridge, etc.,

ULA's plan has some precedent: the U.S. used midair snags to recover film *canisters* parachuted down from Cold War spy satellites in the 1960s.

a round or cylindrical container used for storing such things as food, chemicals, or rolls of film

.....So why should it be different this time? Seventy percent of Americans see Israel in a favorable light, according to a February *Gallup* poll.

a sampling of public opinion on a particular issue

By the 1990s, Al Sharpton was wearing a King medallion around his neck while referring to Jews as "diamond merchants" and "interlopers" in Harlem. "If the Jews want to get it on," he once told a black crowd, "tell them to pin their *yarmulkes* back and come over to my house."

a skullcap worn in public by Orthodox Jewish men or during prayer by other Jewish men.

Senate Democrats who once were *hawkish* about a nuclear deal have gone into hiding.

advocating an aggressive or warlike policy, especially in foreign affairs

Why should it be cause for Obama's *acrimony* now?

bitterness or ill feeling

Many investors are *hellbent* on associating themselves with the higher profile companies, irrespective of the price they have to pay,

determined to achieve something at all costs

The next month, the partners delved into *nitty-gritty* details,

essence, core details

Attorney General Kamala Harris is running in California for the seat of retiring U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer on her record as a prosecutor, which is starting to look noteworthy mainly for *overkill*.

excessive use, treatment, or action

Over the years, I've received many letters from readers *lamenting* the headaches they've suffered due to their alleged allergy to sulfites.

express passionate grief about.

Mr. Seinfeld is perhaps best known for his American TV show, "Seinfeld," which focused on the *antics* of a group of neurotic friends and neighbors in New York City. The show has been in reruns for years.

foolish, outrageous, or amusing behaviour.

The terrorists who attacked cartoonists in Paris and in Texas hoped that murder would *intimidate* them—and others—into silence.

frighten or overawe (someone), especially in order to make them do what one wants

To its credit, Samsung has swept a lot of its own software clutter under the rug, making its tweaks to Android 5.0 far more *benign* than they have ever been.

gentle and kind.

Sprint has lost millions of customers in the past few years as it *lurched* through a difficult network overhaul.

make an abrupt, unsteady, uncontrolled movement or series of movements; stagger

Any American foreign-policy doctrine needs interpretive *wiggle* room for the commander in chief.

move or cause to move up and down or from side to side with small rapid movements

Across the financial sector the rule of law is in tatters as tens of billions of dollars are *extorted* from large banks in legal settlements

obtain (something) by force, threats, or other unfair means

Mixing shrewd diplomacy with *defiance* of U.N. resolutions, Iran has turned the negotiation on its head.

open resistance; bold disobedience.

And he started violin lessons last weekend. "I can no longer pursue triathlon in the way I used to," he says. "But I am pretty *upbeat* about how the closing of the triathlon door opens up a whole bunch of new ones."

optimistic

Mr. Johnson (The Rock) is likable, as always, with a bright smile and modest *demeanor* that play against his massive physique

outward behaviour or appearance or look

Prosecutors showed jurors blood-streaked notes Mr. Tsarnaev scrawled inside a dry-docked boat before his capture in a Boston suburb that claimed the attacks were *retribution* for what he believed was U.S. aggression against Muslims

punishment inflicted on someone as vengeance for a wrong or criminal act

Ms. Meehan said the U.S. was *debriefing* Umm Sayyaf to obtain intelligence about Islamic State operations as well as to "determine any information she may have regarding hostages—including American citizens who were held by ISIL."

question (someone, typically a soldier or spy) about a completed mission or undertaking.

As Puerto Rico struggles under the weight of more than $70 billion in debt, it has become popular to draw parallels with Greece. But the comparison isn't apt: For one thing, Greek leaders' *profligacy* is tempered by their need to answer to the European Union.

reckless extravagance

Perhaps most importantly, the government's programs for the poor—including a pension scheme and accident insurance—depart from a *profligate* tradition of giveaways by demanding at least token payments from potential beneficiaries.

recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources

In fact, to demonstrate his fraternity with China, only a year after the 1989 massacre in Tiananmen Square, when most countries still *spurned* China, Lee fully normalized diplomatic relations.

reject with disdain or contempt

Anti-Americanism has become a *fungible* aspect of German politics.

replaceable by another identical item; mutually interchangeable.

"It is my business to tell people not to foist their [political] system indiscriminately on societies in which it will not work," he *chided*

scold or rebuke

Obama *girds* for battle With congress on Iran deal

secure (a garment or sword) on the body with a belt or band.

Shuffling and dealing cards can instill greater manual *dexterity*

skill in performing tasks, especially with the hands

For the first time in 18 months, the retail sector also had faster growth than manufacturing, underscoring the danger of treating manufacturing as the *bellwether* for the economy.

something that leads or indicates a trend

Last Friday, my Luxe valet Kevin—dressed in a blue uniform and fully vetted, trained and insured—greeted me at my office in San Francisco's Financial District around 8:45 a.m. I handed him my keys and he *whisked* away my car

take or move (someone or something) somewhere suddenly and quickly

Rachel Kushner and Taiye Selasi—have been trying to *repeal* the award for Charlie Hebdo.

the action of revoking or annulling a law or act of parliament

The U.S. used a mix of *détente* and containment on the Soviets, and engagement with the Chinese.

the easing of hostility or strained relations, especially between countries

Déjà Vu

the illusion of having previously experienced something actually being encountered for the first time.

TOKYO— Panasonic Corp. is joining with a Tokyo-based venture to help its driver-assistance computers learn on the job, part of efforts in Japan to join the "deep learning" *vogue* that has swept Silicon Valley.

the prevailing fashion or style at a particular time.

Little is known about Tsinghua Unigroup outside of China. It was founded in 1988 by China's elite Tsinghua University, the *alma mater* of many of the country's top leaders, including current President Xi Jinping.

the university, school, or college that one formerly attended

But Silicon Valley companies and others in the U.S. *bristle* at rules that could impinge on freedom of speech.

to stand or rise stiffly

He *jettisoned* GE Plastics and GE Appliances, one of the last tangible connections to consumers.

to throw off (something) as an obstacle or burden; discard.

Beijing has maintained its claim that Taiwan is a *renegade* province, to be taken back by all means necessary.

traitor,a person who deserts a party or cause for another.

Progress is being made: The *arcane* purchasing process is a high-profile issue inside the Beltway at the moment. This year's National Defense Authorization Act contains more than 150 legislative provisions on acquisition reform alone—but only for weapons systems, not Pentagon services.

understood by few; mysterious or secret

IMP

Shakespeare wrote that there was a tide in the affairs of men "which taken at the flood, leads men on to fortune." Barack Obama always missed the flood.

Following China's recent introduction of a new national security law, the Hong Kong Communist press has stepped up its agitation for tough local anti*subversion* legislation that will make it easier to take action against the opposition on many fronts. The government says it has no current plans to do this but, as ever, it is worth listening to Beijing's local mouthpieces to see where things are heading.

Subversion refers to an attempt to transform the established social order and its structures of power, authority, and hierarchy.

"Everyone in Congress agrees that Amtrak—particularly in the now-paralyzed Northeast Corridor—is ailing," report Fawn Johnson and Rachel Roubein. "But the two parties are offering very different prescriptions to fix it." To wit: "Democrats want more money for Amtrak to *shore up* the rail line, and Republicans want more accountability."

Support, prop

IMP

The *sorriest excuse* not to support freer trade is the one offered by some Republicans that they don't trust Mr. Obama. We don't either, but the language of the fast-track bill makes clear he cannot use it unilaterally to supercede American law. Mr. Obama is a short-timer in any case, and the next President may be a Republican who needs fast-track authority for his economic-growth strategy. Better to pass it now so he wouldn't have to spend scarce political capital to pass it in 2017. ...

The best moment of my first spinal tap came after it ended. I was not supposed to move, so I lay still and watched the lab technician *deftly* drip my cerebrospinal fluid into 50 tubes, one drop at a time. "You have just created 50 samples for Alzheimer's research," he said.

The Old English word gedæfte, which means "mild" or "gentle," is the root of the word deftly

Under the Constitution, *ratification* would require an affirmative vote by two-thirds of the Senate.

The approval from the legislative branch required to validate government agreements

Once a pro installed my garage machinery, getting online took fewer than 10 minutes. The newest Chamberlain model comes with everything you need for Wi-Fi already built in—no dongles or add-on *doodads* required. It does require your wireless network to reach the garage, so you might need a new router or an extender if you live in big house

used to refer to something that the speaker cannot name precisely

A woman and a 10-year-old girl were killed, Mr. Sediqqi said, and dozens of civilians were wounded by the bomb, which left a deep *crater* in the pavement outside the entrance to the parliament building.

a large bowl-shaped cavity in the ground or on a celestial object, typically one caused by an explosion or the impact of a meteorite

Some people have nightmares about showing up at work naked. I have nightmares about my iPhone being naked. As I'm searching *frantically* for a case—even a kitschy leopard-print one from a mall *kiosk* will do—I wake up in a pool of sweat.

1. fast and nervous, disordered, or anxiety-driven activity 2. a small open-fronted hut or cubicle from which newspapers, refreshments, tickets, etc. are sold

Americans *chafed* as a *debilitating* political vacuum—17 prime ministers since 1989—left Japan's economy and military stagnant.

1. to restore warmth or sensation. 2. making someone very weak and infirm.

The long-standing national space policy to ensure two means of access to space for national security satellites will be ended, essentially by congressional *fiat*.

a formal authorization or proposition; a decree

The Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge are Samsung's attempt to finally convince the world (or at least *snooty* (snob)phone reviewers like myself) that it has design chops akin to Apple or HTC.

a person who believes himself or herself an expert or connoisseur in a given field and is condescending toward or disdainful of those who hold other opinions or have different tastes regarding this field:

The Marriage Book" is not a self-help manual, but a lively *anthology* of letters, jokes, songs, novels, movies, plays and poems about every aspect of this noble—or, on occasion, ignoble—institution, from wedding day to divorce.

a published collection of poems or other pieces of writing

China's much-touted motto of "peaceful rise" has been exposed as a hollow slogan. Over the past year, Beijing has constructed 2,000 acres of artificial "islands" in the South China Sea, disregarding territorial claims by its neighbors and positioning artillery installations and *airfields* on these features.

an area of land set aside for the take-off, landing, and maintenance of aircraft

China's statement came on the final day for Beijing to submit comments to an international *arbitration* tribunal that is considering the Philippines' territorial claims in the South China Sea.

an independent person or body officially appointed to settle a dispute

The message from Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, on the road to woo U.S. investors, is that his country's economy is revving up, offering them "a lot of potential" for gains. His audience, however, seems less enamored of India than it was a year ago, after the election victory of Narendra Modi as prime minister following a campaign that pledged to *reinvigorate* growth.

be filled with love for give new energy or strength to

A lawless Libya give smugglers plenty of opportunities to put migrants on *rickety* vessels set for Italy.

likely to fall or collapse; shaky:

Even if this legislation moves forward, Japan remains the most dovish of the world's great powers. It spends 1% of its gross domestic product on defense (in contrast to triple that rate in China). Its government is preoccupied with internal problems such as reinvigorating the economy and responding to *enervating* demographic change.

make (someone) feel drained of energy or vitality

As Vladimir Putin's bold and bald aggression continues unabated even in the face of a signed cease-fire, it can't be ruled out that the Russian president at some point will decide to test the resolve of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization by weakening the internal stability of a NATO member or making a similar incursion on the eastern edges of an ally country. Just last week, the Pentagon announced that it will start storing tanks and other heavy weapons and vehicles in several Baltic and Eastern European countries as a way of *placating* fears in the region.

make (someone) less angry or hostile

Enough details of how the charter will restrict democratic rights and *perpetuate* military control have already leaked that even the pro-coup Democrat Party has split with the generals

make (something) continue indefinitely.

Mr. Obama has exhibited more *visceral* anger at Mr. Netanyahu than he has at Vladimir Putin or Ayatollah Khamenei.

relating to deep inward feelings rather than to the intellect

when the system is powered on, sensors of touch pad of Mac measure the pressure you're putting on the surface. With haptic feedback and an audible clicking sound, it fools you into thinking you're really pressing down. It is downright *trippy*.

resembling or inducing the hallucinatory effect produced by taking a psychedelic drug

The rules, mandated by the Affordable Care Act, require businesses with more than 20 locations to overhaul menus to include calorie information for each item; grocery stores offering prepared foods are also on the hook. They now have until December 2016 to comply. The FDA proposed the rules in April 2011 but spent years haggling over *minutiae*.

the small, precise, or trivial details of something

many of these foreign fighters seek to marry local women—often by *coercing* or paying off parents,

to compel by force, intimidation, or authority, especially without regard for individual desire or volition:

Currently, cars with so-called driver-assistance features, such as those that keep a car within lane lines, are legal and typically require the driver to remain actively engaged in the vehicle's operation. For cars in which the driver doesn't necessarily have to be fully engaged, the rules are *murky*.

vague; unclear; confused:

More controversial still are differences in pay and distribution of war *booty*, part of efforts to lure more recruits from abroad.

valuable stolen goods, especially those seized in war

Values move on and the duties of investors move with the times. Not having full regard for ESG metrics in investment decisions is dangerous today and will seem *eccentric* just a few years from now. Investors would do well to stay ahead of the curve.

(of a person or their behaviour) unconventional and slightly strange abnormal

But Parliament this year imposed fracking restrictions so *onerous* as to amount to a ban.

(of a task or responsibility) involving a great deal of effort, trouble, or difficulty

IMP

China is likely accelerating its island-building projects to ensure their completion before two events in 2016, Mr. Heydarian said: the conclusion of an arbitration case at The Hague through which Manila hopes to have China's ill-defined claim to 90% of the South China Sea ruled illegal; and the election of a new U.S. president who could be more hawkish than President Barack Obama.

Two miles north at Nirmal Mall, things are worse. Its sprawling open-air courtyard is a ghost town of sleeping dogs and empty shops. *Cobwebs* hang from doors that once housed brands like Pizza Hut, Puma and Nokia. Its anchor tenant, the Big Bazaar supermarket chain, closed its outlet there in April.

a spider's web, especially when old and dusty

the number of troops in Iraq has fallen from 142,000 when Mr. Obama took power to fewer than 3,000 today, after an interregnum of zero between 2011 and 2014.

an interval between the periods of office of two incumbents

While the Taliban focused their *ire* on K-Electric, a senior government official said a more familiar enemy may be responsible: India. Mushahidullah Khan, Pakistan's climate change minister, was reported by the daily Dawn as saying coal power plants in the neighboring Indian state of Rajasthan could also be responsible for the heat wave.

anger

For them, the Catholic liturgy made the invisible God *palpable* and tangible to the senses.

capable of being touched or felt; tangible.

"He's been groomed well, enjoyed successes and confronted *lackluster* outcomes as well," said one former military leader who worked closely with Mr. Muilenburg.

lacking in vitality, force, or conviction; uninspired or uninspiring

The group's loss of the Syrian city of Kobani to Kurdish fighters in late January sapped morale and *spurred(encouraged)* desertions, the *defectors* and Mr. Hassan said.

person who gives up allegiance to one state in exchange for allegiance to another

Lee's own support for Deng grew to the point where he started *admonishing* the U.S. for being too critical of China and too sanctimonious about the virtues of liberal democracy

reprimand firmly

Popular CTS Tycoon Golf Club to close as government swings at *'bourgeois'* sport; cigarettes and selfies

belonging to or characteristic of the middle class, typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes

Lee came from the *diaspora* of simple, poor emigrants who had been driven from the South China Coast by penury

the dispersion or spread of any people from their original homeland

In a roaring economy, the public reaction to the *revelations*(reveal) might be different.

the divine or supernatural disclosure to humans of something relating to human existence.

India lost to Guam in a qualifier for the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday. India, it will be pointed out again and again, is a nation of 1.2 billion people. Guam has around 160,000. For every person in Guam there are 7,500 in India. Even so, India lost the match 2-1.There won't be another match in Group D until September, leaving Guam to bask in its well-deserved glory and India to wallow in its misery.

(chiefly of large mammals) roll about or lie in mud or water, especially to keep cool or avoid biting insects.

No one should be *lulled* into thinking that Beijing's core policies will change anytime soon.

calm or send to sleep, typically with soothing sounds or movements

As one looks at a map, it is easy to see why a canal is a persistent topic of conversation. Cutting a path through the land-bridge separating the bulk of Thailand from the dangling bulb of Malaysia would *lop* three or four days off travel time from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific, via the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea. It might not present the same kind of savings as the Panama or Suez canals have done, but with more than 15 million barrels of oil a day going the long way around Singapore, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the idea of a Thai canal gets plenty of people excited.

cut off (a branch, limb, or twig) from the main body of a tree

For their part, Southeast Asians prefer a nonconfrontational approach over south china sea and may be initially *discomfited* by the U.S. adopting a leading role in finding solutions to territorial disputes.

make (someone) feel uneasy or embarrassed

And as with Syria, the Iranian deal ties investigators' hands. Tehran has rejected snap inspections, and the Obama Administration has *acquiesced*.

accept something reluctantly but without protest

Cocoa beans grow inside *oblong* pods.

a rectangular object or flat figure with unequal adjacent sides.

Even with a long-*touted* nuclear renaissance in the U.S. looking shaky, developing countries were planning so many reactors that future fuel-supply bottlenecks were feared.

persistent attempt to sell (something),

The payments banks are aimed at providing small savings accounts as well as *remittance* services to India's migrant laborers

the sending of money, checks, etc., to a recipient at a distance.

Euphemism

the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt. "To pass away" is a euphemism for "to die.".

setting the stage for more *haggling* when the next round of talks resume.

to bargain in a petty, quibbling, and often contentious manner:

IMP

For hundreds of millions of desperately poor people in China, energy-fueled industrialization is the best hope for a better life. Asking the Chinese government to reduce carbon emissions means asking them to commit millions of their people to poverty, condemning them to a hand-to-mouth lifestyle.

We can only do what's in our power; things are in *flux*

a flowing or flow.

American negotiators and their *cohorts* are trying to close a deal that would let Iran keep its nuclear program

a group of people with a shared characteristic.

Vladimir Putin's Public Absence Stirs Russian *Clamor*

a loud uproar, as from a crowd of people:

chauffeur.

a person employed to drive a private automobile or limousine for the owner.

By the 1990s, Al Sharpton was wearing a King medallion around his neck while referring to Jews as "diamond merchants" and "*interlopers*" in Harlem. "If the Jews want to get it on," he once told a black crowd, "tell them to pin their yarmulkes back and come over to my house."

a person who becomes involved in a place or situation where they are not wanted or are considered not to belong.

While many nationalities are represented, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Russia and France have produced some of the largest *contingents*

a quota of troops furnished.

Among the challenges: a loss of momentum in his campaign to end the country's long *bout* of debilitating deflation.

a short period of intense activity of a specified kind

It was supposed to be one of India's hottest shopping centers, catering to the growing middle class of the world's second-most populous country. But four years after its grand opening, Dreams Mall has turned into a retail nightmare. A *smattering* of struggling stores on the ground floor front a maze of dark hallways lined with mostly empty shops. Space intended for retailers now houses call centers.

a small amount of something

But fear not, the MacBook's finish—contrasted by the mirrored Apple logo on its cover—makes it look more like a *bauble* from Tiffany's.

a small, showy trinket or decoration, especially (British) a light, brightly coloured sphere hung on a Christmas tree

The force killed Abu Sayyef, Islamic State's finance leader, and captured his wife, yielding a potential treasure *trove* of information.

a store of valuable or delightful things

The *unperturbed* reply came, " there are no potatoes either".

agitated , to disturb or disquiet greatly in mind;

Mr. Borschberg has been practicing yoga and Mr. Piccard self-*hypnosis* to calm their minds and manage fatigue during the long solo flights.

an artificially induced trance state resembling sleep

Mr. Alizadeh, who is 50, came of age during Iran's 1979 revolution. "It was a time of idealism and *utopianism*," he says.

an imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect.

The consulate sits on one of the busiest intersections in downtown Cairo, along a major *artery* that connects Ramsis Square to the heart of the capital. The surrounding area includes a large hospital, a major police station surrounded by blast walls, a central ambulance dispatching station and the state-owned flagship newspaper Al-Ahram.

an important route in a system of roads, rivers, or railway lines

Mr. Carter could only *muster* 45% against Ronald Reagan's 39%

collect or assemble (a number or amount)

Friction between such foreign fighters and local tribes brought the *demise* of jihadist rule in Iraq's western province of Anbar during the so-called Sunni Awakening in 2007-08.

death or decease.

And let's not forget about fingerprint *schmutz*, which quickly covered the screen bezel and the mirrored Apple logo.

dirt, filth, garbage

One Silicon Valley startup is using *far-flung* parts of Asia as a test bed. Menlo Park, Calif.-based Matternet, which has raised $3 million in funding from investors like Silicon Valley venture-capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, aims to create a drone-based transportation network to deliver supplies to places that lack reliable roads.

distant or remote

The rise has fueled anti-immigrant sentiment in many countries. In Italy, images of decrepit boats *teeming(swarming)* with migrants have *stoked* resentment in a country locked in a protracted economic downturn and where the percentage of immigrants in the population has tripled over the past decade.

encourage

Mr. Immelt is well *versed* in the criticism of his tenure, including that he has taken too long reducing reliance on GE Capital, which has been the greatest concern to GE investors.

experienced; practiced; learned

First, the administration's Mideast *abdications* are creating a set of irreversible realities for which there are no ready U.S. answers. Maybe there were things an American president could have done to help rescue Libya in 2011, Syria in 2013, and Yemen last year. That was before it was too late. But what exactly can any president do about the chaos unfolding now?

failure to fulfil a responsibility or duty rejection or refusal(abdiaction of throne)

Lush. Gorgeous. Sumptuous. Opulent. Fabulous. Fantastic. These words come to mind as we study the extraordinary paintings, textiles, metalwork, weapons and jewelry, among other treasures, all made in central India from the 16th through the 18th centuries, that are the subject of a fascinating survey at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Similar words appear frequently in the exhibition's labels and wall texts, and even in the title, "Sultans of Deccan India, 1500-1700: Opulence and Fantasy."

growing luxuriantly 2. splendid and expensive-looking 3. ostentatiously( characterized by pretentious or showy display; designed to impress) costly and luxurious

Obama administration officials have said in recent days they need to announce the framework agreement by Tuesday night to *ward* off threats from Congress to impose new sanctions on Iran—a potential deal breaker.

guard; protect

Sunday's collision between the expression of the popular will in a small European country Greece and the economic-policy consensus of Europe's political establishment could make the eurozone debt crisis even more *intractable*. Mr. Tsipras is expected to seek a new bailout program from Europe and has promised Greeks that he can reach a deal in as little as 48 hours after the referendum. That is highly improbable, European officials say. *Indeed, the challenge for Mr. Tsipras will be to reach a deal at all, these people say. *

hard to control or deal with

The best of the people-powered apps I tried did save me money, or at least didn't charge me any extra for their convenience. Shyp picked up—and even packed up—a package for $5. But the service didn't end up costing more because they negotiate bulk rates with carriers. (Shyp charged $48 to pack and FedEx my package across the country, about the same I would have paid had I *schlepped* it over to the FedEx shop myself.)

haul or carry (something heavy or awkward

HSBC said competitive pressures and natural disasters were to blame for *crimping* demand and hurting order flows.

have a limiting or adverse effect on

The most divisive step demanded by Greece's creditors is the creation of a fund that would hold some €50 billion in state-owned assets slated to be privatized or *wound down in the coming years*.

if a business, situation, activity, etc. winds down, or is wound down, it gradually ends

Taylor Swift is the latest to take on *counterfeiting* in China.

imitate fraudulently

It is well known that young love is a temporary form of *insanity* and the only cure for it is instant marriage

insane, the state of being seriously mentally ill; madness

In September, Italian authorities ordered oil tankers owned by Mediterranea di Navigazione SpA to help in five operations to rescue 600 boat people trying to cross from Libya to Italy in *flimsy* vessels.

insubstantial and easily damaged

U.S. diplomacy should use more discrete channels that facilitate the candid exchange of views. Public *browbeating* only serves to antagonize and alienate our allies.

intimidate (someone), typically into doing something, with stern or abusive words

In an effort to *assuage* public unease, increases to the retirement age in china would be implemented in "small, gradual steps" that help citizens adjust to the change

make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense.

How far can the randomista revolution method go? The World Bank launched a small unit this year to study how behavioral insights can be integrated into policy. But "other methods should not be put to rest just because we are so *elated* with this method," says Kaushik Basu, the bank's chief economist. "If you put all your eggs into the basket of randomized controlled trials, you will neglect some important problems. It would be a very large mistake to treat this method as the *Holy Grail*."

make (someone) ecstatically happy 2. a thing which is eagerly pursued or sought after.

His Maryland driver's license lists his name as "FNU Ajmal." The FNU stands for "first name unknown."His real name is Ajmal Faqiri. But the FNU that has become his legal name in America is a metaphor for the *bungling* that characterizes one of the noblest efforts to come out of our long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq."There are hundreds just like Ajmal who now go by F-N-U,"

make or be prone to making many mistakes.

The stability of the eurozone could now hinge on whether Greece and its creditors can find a way out of their dangerous impasse. Hard-line eurozone policy makers, led by German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble, believe that expelling Greece for its *recalcitrance* would strengthen the eurozone and put pressure on other economically underperforming countries—including Italy and France—to reform, officials in Berlin say.

obstinately defiant of authority or restraint. 2. a : difficult to manage or operate.

over the past two decades Indian society has rapidly become more accepting regarding sexuality. Many of India's major cities hold pride parades. Gay characters have begun to appear in mainstream Bollywood films and the occasional television commercial, and discussions of gay rights on talk shows are commonplace enough to barely raise an eyebrow. India's English-language newspapers greeted the U.S. Supreme Court ruling with a flurry of op-eds and editorials demanding an end to Section 377. Opposition to homosexuality in India may appear to remain relatively broad, but it doesn't run particularly deep. Nobody is likely to lose an election because they revoked a law mostly used by *crooked* cops to shake down gays who lack connections.

out of shape dishonest

This is a *hoary* habit in railroad history. Systematically underestimating variable costs—specifically, the wear and tear that each additional train imposes on the rail infrastructure—was a way regulation helped bankrupt the industry.

overused and unoriginal

The fears are not without cause. There are many signs that do not *augur* well, from the muddled section on economics in the pope's first encyclical to his posing for a photo while holding up an anti-fracking T-shirt, to press coverage anticipating he will be to the fight against greenhouse gases what Pope John Paul II was to the fight against Soviet communism.

portend(be a sign) a good or bad outcome

she makes a *valiant* effort to guide the reader through the maze, starting every chapter with a synopsis

possessing or showing courage or determination

Along the way they fall into the grasp of gangs of human traffickers who thrive in the region's growing lawlessness and *destitution*.

poverty so extreme that one lacks the means to provide for oneself

Even though he is now gone, the Venice-like republic he founded will continue to be *extolled* as a hopeful experiment, and the man himself, the progenitor of what has come to be known as the "Singapore model," will doubtless remain an influential political evangelist.

praise enthusiastically

Then, just as Lee was *extolling* his notion of "Asian values" abroad, something unexpected happened in China

praise enthusiastically

Is this all about personal *aggrandizement*?

praise highly

China's rise also took place when its Asian economic rivals were *stunted*. The so-called Asian Tigers—Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan—grew rapidly but were small. Japan was crippled by its financial crisis. India was hobbled by 40 years of socialist mismanagement and only began its slow journey toward economic reform in the early 1990s, some 15 years after China rejected Maoist economic policies. Vietnam, now a unified country of more than 93 million people, was recovering from 30 years of war. Russia suffered from a succession of *kleptocracies*. The countries that could provide investments, markets and exports to rival China in Asia were not there.

prevent from growing or developing properly 2. rule by thieves

The U.S. has been *meek* in its responses to China's demands on Taiwan. This has *emboldened* Beijing. These *indignities* inflicted on a friendly nation Taiwan by U.S. are petty, but they reveal a larger truth about U.S. relations with China.

quiet, gentle, and easily imposed on; submissive give (someone) the courage or confidence to do something treatment or circumstances that cause one to feel shame or to lose one's dignity

Gazelle's primary business is buying used phones from consumers, then *refurbishing* and selling them

renovate and redecorate (something, especially a building)

China and Russia are publicly *lobbying* South Korea to reject a U.S. plan to base a new missile-defense system on the peninsula.

seek to influence (a legislator) on an issue.

At times I thought the subtitle of "The Marriage Book" should be "Enter at Your *Peril*." "Any intelligent woman who reads the marriage contract, and then goes into it, deserves all the consequences," wrote the dancer Isadora Duncan in 1927, quoted in the section on "*legalities*." It was an era, of course, when the role of women in marriage was often pretty hellish.

serious and immediate danger 2. the quality or state of being in accordance with the law 3. of or like hell

Foxconn is turning to e-commerce after it failed to make significant *inroads* into the retail market with its own brick-and-mortar stores in China, selling everything from televisions to handsets.

serious encroachment

Hong Kong democrats celebrated Thursday as the city's legislature blocked passage of the Beijing-backed election law that sparked last year's 75-day mass protests. Not that this was a surprise. Beijing's vision of democracy—a *rigged* election in which Hong Kongers could vote only for candidates chosen by a small pro-Beijing committee—was politically dead on arrival.

set up (equipment or a device or structure), typically in a makeshift or hasty way.

An actor as good as Ms. Hathaway doesn't need such hectoring help to make Mr. Brant's well-*honed* words fly off the page.

sharpen (a blade)

Modern Presidents have typically sought a Congressional majority vote, and usually a two-thirds majority, to *ratify* a major nuclear agreement.

sign or give formal consent to (a treaty, contract, or agreement), making it officially valid

At two pounds, and measuring just over a half-inch at its thickest, the MacBook feels more like an iPad with a crazy *svelte* keyboard.

slender and elegant

He also *ridiculed* Moscow's insistence that it isn't supplying advanced weapons and Russian fighters

speech or action intended to cause contemptuous laughter at a person or thing; derision.

North Korea claimed it test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile. Meanwhile, U.S. officials have confirmed that North Korea is making progress on miniaturizing nuclear warheads. The country's *mercurial* young leader, Kim Jong Un, with his periodic executions at home and *saber-rattling* abroad, should fix Seoul's security gaze north, not east.

subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind 2. the display or threat of military force

The *flurry* of acquisitions is reshaping the landscape of the competitive world of Silicon Valley property, with tech companies often out-competing the developers and investment firms that traditionally dominate the sector

sudden commotion, excitement, or confusion; nervous hurry:

Mr. Small said *propping up* Pakistan economically furthers China's regional competition with India. China sees Pakistan as a strategic counterweight to India.

support from below; strengthen, as by reinforcing a foundation.

The day after the *capitulation*," he remembers, "the Hitler Youth organized a kind of farewell ceremony, with a ceremonial striking of the Reichsflagge. My mother said to me, 'You are not going to that.' But the mother of a friend said to me afterwards, 'What a shame, Hermann, that you weren't there; it was so beautiful.' "

the action of ceasing to resist an opponent or demand

the company, a unit of Edison International, said it worked with the Indian companies as part of its plan to shrink its IT department to about 860 employees by midyear from about 1,400 previously, through layoffs or voluntary *severance* agreements. It noted the two Indian companies, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. and Infosys Ltd., must comply "with all applicable laws."

the action of ending a connection or relationship

But both sides used his visit to China to suggest a desire to settle differences, including working toward a clear *demarcation* of disputed territory.

the action of fixing the boundary or limits of something.

Is tech in a bubble? I think so. The signs are all around us. The good news is, it's nothing like the last one. Plus, for reasons that go beyond the usual impossibilities of economic *prognostication*, no one can say for sure what's going on. Many people seem to find this reassuring, but we would be wise to heed the lesson that a lack of transparency about the mechanics of a market rarely leads anywhere good.

the action of prophesying future events

Pakistan also continues to depend on Islamist ideology—through its school curricula, propaganda and Islamic legislation—to maintain internal nationalist *cohesion*, which inevitably encourages extremism and religious intolerance.

the action or fact of forming a united whole

France on Tuesday will host a meeting of the coalition fighting Islamic State in Iraq. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was scheduled to attend before he crashed his bicycle in the French Alps and fractured his *femur*, prompting him to cut his European trip short.

the bone of the thigh or upper hindlimb, articulating at the hip and the knee

But the Times's presumption of guilt is in the service of a plea for *leniency*. The editorial's headline is "No Need to Prosecute Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl." The Times concedes that "as a general matter, the American military has good reason to punish service members who desert" but asserts that this is one of those "extraordinary cases" that merit an exercise of "discretion."

the fact or quality of being more merciful or tolerant than expected; clemency

Mr. Kessler wasn't offering idle *speculation*; he had seen Hayes in action when someone had the *temerity* to wander uninvited onto an Ohio State football facility.

the forming of a theory or conjecture without firm evidence. 2. excessive confidence or boldness

U.S. responses to the crises in Ukraine and Syria are case studies of the "overwhelming-power" bluff. The Iran deal, a monument to talk, is its *apotheosis*.

the highest point in the development of something; a culmination or climax

"I think the defense is really going to put up a battle and has a good chance of a life sentence," said Mark Pearlstein, a former federal prosecutor in Boston and now a criminal defense attorney with McDermott Will & Emery LLP. He opposes *capital punishment*.

the legally authorized killing of someone as punishment for a crime.

ISIS has yet to receive oaths of *allegiance* it has demanded from influential al Qaeda affiliates in Yemen and North Africa.

the loyalty of a citizen to his or her government or of a subject to his or her sovereign.

We shall not accept Uganda's *imperialism*.

the policy of extending the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies.

International Courts and the New *Paternalism*. African leaders are the targets because ambitious jurists consider them to be 'low-hanging fruit.'

the policy or practice on the part of people in authority of restricting the freedom and responsibilities of those subordinate to or otherwise dependent on them in their supposed interest

Following the lead of *crowdfunding* and the sharing economy, people now have more control than ever over the energy that reaches the grid.

the practice of funding a project or venture by raising many small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the Internet.

Sometimes what Lee said and did outraged Western liberals, but he took a certain delight in being independent-minded and provocative. "Between being loved and being feared, I have always believed Machiavelli was right," he proclaimed. "If nobody is afraid of me, I'm meaningless!" And his record on civil liberties and political *pluralism* was checkered indeed: Many of his critics ended up in exile, jail or bankrupted by long, costly libel(bring a suit) suits.

the practice of holding more than one ecclesiastical office at a time

Another academic targeted was political scientist Joseph Cheng, who was demoted prior to retirement and threatened with a denial of his pension. The accusations in this instance were even more extreme, ranging from charges of *plagiarism* to abuse of office

the practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own

But "it will take some time," says James Capretta of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative think tank. It will require patience and *tenacity*.

the quality or fact of being able to grip something firmly;

the U.S. has traded temporary nuclear cooperation for *acquiescence* to Iranian hegemony.

the reluctant acceptance of something without protest

Given the short distance between the water and the main deck on the Eastern Star, a sharp turn to port could have exposed the ship's port flank to the brunt of the wind, tipping it to *starboard* and leading to water flooding the engine room, said Richard Hurley, principal maritime analyst with information provider IHS Maritime & Trade. Based on the satellite data, he said, "Whatever occurred happened very fast."

the side of a ship or aircraft that is on the right when one is facing forward. "I made a steep turn to starboard"

What accounts for the rush to *affix(stick, attach, or fasten (something) to something else.)* partisan blame for the crash? The obvious answer is *opportunism*,

the taking of opportunities as and when they arise, regardless of planning or principle

Solar Impulse founder André Borschberg was at the controls of the single-seat aircraft when it *lumbered* into the air at the Al Bateen Executive Airport.

timber sawed or split into planks, boards, etc.

'When I came home from Afghanistan, there were people I didn't even know at the airport cheering me. I can't tell you how profoundly moving that was. I'd like to see these local men who help U.S. in Iraq and Afghanistan and their families get that same kind of welcome when they come to America."

to a profound extent; extremely.

plead

to appeal or entreat earnestly:

The fate of the couple *overshadowed* a visit to Beijing in November by Canadian Prime Minister

to be more important or significant by comparison

the value of the country's currency, the hryvnia, has plunged and borrowing costs have surged as investors flee and the central bank's cash reserves *dwindle*.

to become smaller and smaller; shrink; waste away:

The move not only *dismayed* some members of Islamic State but also damaged the organization's reputation among members of rival jihadist groups it is attempting to *co-opt(divert to or use in a role different from the usual or original one)*, said another defector.

to break down the courage

The PKK, which *waged* a long and bloody insurgency against Ankara, is believed to have close ties to the YPG and is fighting alongside it in northern Iraq and Syria.

to carry on (a battle, war, conflict, argument, etc.)

Even as reports of the new peace deal *trickled* in, Ukrainian forces were trying to push separatist positions farther away from Mariupol, a key strategic city that has remained under Ukrainian control despite the separatists' attempts to take over.

to come, go, or pass bit by bit, slowly, or irregularly:

They managed to *eke* out a living by farming a small piece of land

to increase; enlarge; lengthen.

When I can't place an online order at my favorite Vietnamese noodle shop, I get Chinese instead. If a task is urgent, I *pester* family and friends for "favors." When they hover over my screen to help me navigate around a virtual barrier, I'm keenly aware that my charge-card number and the details of my transaction are on display.

trouble or annoy (someone) with frequent or persistent requests or interruptions

Some engineers were *incensed* that Google would imply that Tibet should be free, even in the name of a menu item.

very angry; enraged

People go now because they *envisage* a future there, not just because they want to fight on behalf of the Syrian people)

visualize:

Due to blast , Several floors of the consulate were destroyed on one side, leaving a gaping hole.

(of a hole, wound, etc.) wide open

Greece now has to implement European Union rules that make it easier to *wind down* broken banks, including by sharing the cost with investors and creditors.

(of a mechanism, especially one operated by clockwork) gradually lose power

MOSCOW—The hard hats are on. The bulldozers are purring. Soon enough, the maze of concrete and metal inside Moscow's hollowed-out Luzhniki Stadium will transform into a soccer palace rebuilt to FIFA's every whim.

(of a vehicle or engine) move smoothly while making a similar sound

The slowdown has caught many producers off guard as inventories continue to build.The backlog is causing a *scramble* in many markets to find storage for excess supplies, *clobbering* commodity prices across the board, and foreshadowing painful output cuts down the road for many producers.

1. a difficult or hurried clamber up or over something 2. treat or deal with harshly

I've got a *utilitarian* view of the year's most-hyped piece of *bling*.

1. designed to be useful or practical rather than attractive 2. expensive, ostentatious clothing and jewellery

Metro said net profit fell 10% in its *fiscal* first quarter as the ruble's *plunge* against the euro knocked the shine off the earnings of the German supermarket operator,

1. relating to government revenue, especially taxes 2. a leap or dive, as into water.

An audio recording that is apparently from Mr. al-Baghdadi was released this week by Islamic State that would be the first word from the leader, but U.S. defense officials said they couldn't yet confirm its *veracity*.

conformity to facts; accuracy

The spike in nationalism in china corresponds with a swell in *animosity* toward perceived enemies, especially Japan.

strong hostility.

Bashar Assad's Iranian-backed Syrian military *detonates* explosives inside a tunnel suspected of being used by rebels in Aleppo

explode or cause to explode

Most analysts aren't factoring El Niño into their forecasts for commodity prices yet, after numerous false alarms last year, but *jittery* traders of palm oil—the most heavily traded agricultural commodity in the region—have already sent up benchmark prices on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives up as much as 10% in the past week and a half amid the El Niño buzz.

feelings of extreme nervousness.

The report garnered widespread news coverage, and its conclusions *dovetailed* with the conventional wisdom among many progressive thought leaders. But the report and the conclusions it promotes are flawed.

fit or cause to fit together easily and conveniently

The U.S. now has the highest corporate rate in the world and the most *punitive* treatment of foreign earnings.

inflicting or intended as punishment

The Obama administration, *reeling* from a massive computer attack and data theft at the government's Office of Personnel Management, pledged to raise the issue of cybersecurity with Chinese counterparts at every level during the annual talks, including in security and economic sessions.

lose one's balance and stagger or lurch violently

Ms. Miller's inaccurate testimony helped Mr. Fitzgerald persuade a Washington, D.C., jury in 2007 to find Mr. Libby, former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, guilty of obstruction of justice, making a false statement and *perjury*

the offence of wilfully telling an untruth or making a misrepresentation under oath

Rarely does an entire region experience the kind of turbulent change that has roiled the Middle East over the past five years. And, on balance, the meltdown has played into Iran's hands as U.S. influence *wanes*.

decrease in vigour or extent; become weake

ISIS insisted captives be *ransomed* or exchanged in a prisoner swap, saying burning him alive had no precedent in Islamic texts, one defector said.

the redemption of a prisoner, slave, or kidnapped person, of captured goods, etc., for a price.

"Customer acquisition in the dating industry is the most important, *horrendous* and difficult thing on the planet," said Mikolaj Piskorski, professor of strategy and innovation at IMD business school in Switzerland.

extremely unpleasant, horrifying, or terrible

wine has the words "Contains No Detectable Sulfites" emblazoned on the front label just under an *ersatz* portrait of Whistler's mother holding a wine glass.

fake

We are very new in this [defense] industry but we have the capabilities of managing large business ventures which have long-*gestation* period,

to develop slowly.

The ship had been *chartered* by Shanghai Xiehe International Travel Agency, which specializes in river tours.

(of an aircraft or ship) having been hired

Nice Article

Generalship is more like gardening than playing chess says the man who tracked down Saddam Hussein and al-Zarqawi.

Nice Article

Indian Prime Minister Prods Coal Monopoly Narendra Modi seeks to boost output by cutting red tape and sparking competition

IMP (renault and nissan have collaboration)

Nissan's growth has made it the larger and more profitable of the two even though Renault's stake gives it effective control of its partner. Nissan produces and sells almost twice as many cars as Renault, and the Japanese company contributes *the lion's share* of Renault's profits.

The yogurt aisle is getting fat. Leading brands and fast-growing *niche players* are coming out with new varieties of yogurt made with whole milk.

a company holding a specialized and profitable part of a commercial market

And the question many China-watchers are asking is whether we're witnessing the beginnings of a Mao-style *cult*

a person or thing that is popular or fashionable among a particular group or section of society.

The Japanese have long been among the world's finest *purveyors* of bidet sprays

a person who purveys, provides, or supplies:

Now the Iraqi government will turn to Shiite paramilitaries under Iranian control to try to retake the city, further turning the Baghdad government into an Iranian *satrap*.

a provincial governor in the ancient Persian empire

Depositors were persuaded to keep their money in the banks by daily assurance for five months that a bailout deal was *imminent*

about to happen

He urges universities to not let "legalistic *quibbling*" impede expulsion of alleged rapists.

argue or raise objections about a trivial matter

given that the country has twice backed out of previous bailout programs, U.S., European and IMF officials are *wary* of getting burned again.

cautious

Boko Haram's deadly assault last week on the city of Maiduguri shows the group is far from *vanquished*.

defeat thoroughly

All U.S. officials will say in response is that Iran's actions are "helpful" as long as they are not too "sectarian"—akin to praising Al Capone for providing liquor to the thirsty masses while *piously* expressing the hope that his conduct isn't too criminal.

devoutly religious

The U.S. has been flying Navy surveillance planes near the artificial islands and has monitored them using *reconnaissance* satellites.

military observation of a region to locate an enemy or ascertain strategic features

the presence of Ugandan troops in South Sudan remains "a major" *impediment* to implementing a meaningful cease-fire.

obstruction; hindrance; obstacle.

Children take a journey into *culinary* wonderland

of, relating to, or used in cooking or the kitchen.

I don't think Google is *out of the woods* yet

out of danger or difficulty

On Monday, the victim's father called Mr. Singh's reported statements in the film "*perverse* and derogatory."

persistent or obstinate in what is wrong.

China's tactic: If you can't beat them, *abduct* them.

take (someone) away illegally by force or deception; kidnap

An agreement signed in Minsk in September appeared initially to help *stem* the violence

to remove

There is a *convoluted* story here, but this new recording just might affect how musicians and listeners view a well-trodden work that turns out to be not quite what it has seemed.

extremely complex and difficult to follow

A lawyer for Mr. Singh, Manohar Lal Sharma, said Wednesday his client was *coerced* into saying what he did. "He was under police pressure to make the statements.

to compel by force, intimidation, or authority, especially without regard for individual desire or volition:

In the ghostly reception area of an HMT Watches Ltd. factory, decorated with a space-age *chandelier* and a conversation pit—*relics* from a *groovier* era of Indian industrial optimism—the wall clock reads "8:15." It's actually closer to noon.

a large, decorative hanging light with branches for several light bulbs or candles 2. an object surviving from an earlier time, especially one of historical interest 3. fashionable and exciting, excellent

The source of that theory was Donald Trump, whose tweets were recorded for *posterity* by Twitchy.com. "The only one to fix the infrastructure of our country is me—roads, airports, bridges," he claimed. 'I know how to build, pols only know how to talk!" Well, then, get to work, buddy.

all future generations of people

By year's end, Mr. Immelt was striking a *valedictory* tone

bidding goodbye; saying farewell:

IMP

"It would be good if I could reach an agreement during my meeting with the president, but when you climb a mountain, the last step is always the hardest," Mr. Abe said as the talks were under way. "Ultimately, what needs to happen is for both countries to make a political decision" to address these sensitive areas.

IMP

All of these prices could go down if services became popular, but that's a big if

I did more *amputations* than I had time to count

Amputation is the removal of a body part(limbs,legs etc) by trauma, prolonged constriction, or surgery

IMP

But will Washington—which is providing air support to Iran-backed Shiite militias in Iraq targeting ISIS—provide similar backing to the Sunni Arab force? Based on how the Arab League is proceeding, the Arabs don't appear to be counting on it

IMP

In recent weeks, U.S. officials have sharpened their criticism of China's activities in the South China Sea. Earlier this month, President Obama warned Beijing that smaller nations should not "just be elbowed aside," while the U.S. Pacific Fleet Adm. Harry Harris said last month that China was building a "Great Wall of sand" in disputed seas to shut out the other claimants.

the world's two biggest jet makers are *squaring off* on execution. Each aims to grab market share by building its planes faster and more efficiently than the other—a gambit both have struggled with in the past.

Squaring off is a trading style used by investors/traders mostly in day trading, in which a trader buys or sells a particular quantity of an asset in the hope of earning a profit.

Intrigued by what Lee had been doing in Singapore, they too began reviving aspects of their old cultural *edifice* as a stabilizing force.

a complex system of beliefs.

A stippled drawing of a "Royal Elephant and Rider" (Ahmadnagar, 1590-1600) uses a Chinese technique to present a bell- and *plume*-*bedecked* beast in full *gallop*, folded into the gold-trimmed page without losing speed; the trunk is neatly coiled. There are also Deccan specialties, such as the complicated marbling that serves as background to often *macabre* subjects.

a long, soft feather or arrangement of feathers used by a bird for display or worn by a person for ornament 2. decorate 3. the fastest pace of a horse or other quadruped, with all the feet off the ground together in each stride 4. disturbing because concerned with or causing a fear of death

It can *yank* a movie from theaters at any time.

a sudden hard pull

For decades, planet Pluto gave astronomers headaches because it didn't fit the tidy categories of astronomical bodies. This *maverick* was much too far from the sun to be considered part of the inner Rocky Planet belt (which contains Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars). Farther out, compared with the Gas Giants (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) Pluto is a mere speck.

an unorthodox or independent-minded person 2. a tiny spot

Mr. Gabriel(deputy) is Ms. Merkel's vice chancellor and economics minister in the coalition government. His targeted outburst in the context of German coalition politics against Ms. Merkel was truly extraordinary. But so was Ms. Merkel's immediate public response: "We must never lose sight that we need intelligence services. And we need close cooperation between these services." *Indignation* about her deputy's attack on her? None. Or about his *incrimination* of the Americans? Not a trace..........

anger or annoyance provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment 2. to charge with or show evidence or proof of involvement in a crime or fault.

The choices facing *disgruntled* foreign fighters for Islamic State are limited, however.

angry or dissatisfied.

Where Lee seemed to connect most deeply with Deng and other Chinese leaders was in this common *yearning* to win back a measure of the prosperity, greatness and respect that they, as "a people," had once known but had lost to the West and Japan over the last bitter century of defeat.

have an intense feeling of longing for something, typically something that one has lost or been separated from

I'd probably disable all that; more than anything else, the curves add to the gorgeous *aesthetic*.

having a sense of the beautiful; characterized by a love of beauty

Brazil's state oil company Petróleo Brasileiro SA put a price tag on a corruption scandal that has thrown the country into political and economic turmoil, writing off $17 billion due to losses from *graft* and overvalued assets.

is the unscrupulous use of a politician's authority for personal gain.

One result of the Obama era is that big government and big business are often *conjoined* twins. For the latest proof, the health insurance industry has hired its ex-chief regulator and patron as its new chief lobbyist.

join; combined

If Iran reject obama's extraordinarily generous offer for fear of doing any deal with the Great Satan, the *folly* of his foreign-policy revolution will be brutally exposed.

lack of good sense; foolishness

Bulgarian authorities, meanwhile, *allege* Turkish authorities are *lax* about travelers crossing into Bulgaria, exposing the EU to returning jihadists.

not strict or severe; careless or negligent:

In August 2013, the French were ready, alongside America's bombers, to attack Tehran's Syrian protectorate. Then President Obama suddenly backed off. President François Hollande described himself as "*flabbergasted*" by the decision.

surprise (someone) greatly; astonish

Flibanserin is a new medicine to treat a lack of sexual desire in premenopausal women. The difference this time is in part a smattering of new data. But far more important, a feminist pressure group called Even the Score—funded in part by Sprout—besieged the FDA with accusations of sexism. Other political organizations like NOW and NARAL joined in, while Debbie Wasserman Schultz and other Democratic Congresswomen accused the FDA of perpetuating "a gross disparity" of 24 approved treatments for male sex disorders and zero for women.......

surround (a place) with armed forces in order to capture it or force its surrender.

the coming 10 years would *sap* job creation.

to drain

U.S. officials worry mounting civilian casualties will *undermine* popular support in Yemen and in other Sunni Arab countries backing the ISIS campaign.

to weaken or cause to collapse by removing underlying support

The exchanges between U.S. and Chinese representatives had been far more *acerbic* at the 2014 summit.

(especially of a comment or style of speaking) sharp and forthright.

The FDA's trans fat reversal removes a "generally recognized as safe" label, and the main beneficiary will be the trial bar that is trying to convert Big Food into Big Tobacco. "There is a real risk here that the ruling will open up the industry to *class action* and *tort* lawsuits," says Jennifer Quinn-Barabanov, a commercial litigation expert at Steptoe & Johnson.

0. a trial before three or more judges of the court in which the proceeding is brought used chiefly in causes célèbres or to consider novel points of law. 1. A class action is a type of lawsuit in which one or several persons sue on behalf of a larger group of persons, referred to as "the class." 2. a wrongful act or an infringement of a right (other than under contract) leading to legal liability

But the real problem is that the FDA (whose former commissioner and pharmaceuticals division chief are both women) isn't so much sexist as it is *sociopathic*. The paternalists who run the FDA are far more obsessed with *phantom* risks and protecting their own bureaucratic control over health care...............

1. Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a lack of regard for the moral or legal standards in the local culture not real; illusory

Water pricing is an *unheralded* part of the drought solution, used grudgingly and sparingly to date. The price-increase delays have, regrettably, given rise to inefficient water use and *cronyism*.

1. not previously announced, expected, or acclaimed 2. the appointment of friends and associates to positions of authority, without proper regard to their qualifications

The Natural Resources Defense Council slammed the Administration for granting Shell a "license to *despoil* our last *pristine* ocean."

1. steal or violently remove valuable possessions from; plunder 2. in its original condition; unspoilt.

Mr. Tsipras's gamble to hold a referendum on creditors' bailout demands did end up *rallying* Greece's center-right and center-left opposition parties behind a new *overture* to creditors, even as it surprised and enraged Europe and led to stifling capital controls in Greece. And his successful campaign for a landslide "no" vote boosted his popularity and his status as Greece's dominant political figure.

1. the action or process of coming together to support a person or cause an introduction to something more substantial

John Updike, writing in "Couples," stated, "Every marriage tends to consist of an *aristocrat* and a *peasant*." Guess who's the peasant.

1. the highest class in certain societies, typically comprising people of noble birth holding hereditary titles and offices. 2. a poor smallholder or agricultural labourer of low social status

since the fatal gang rape of a student on a bus in the Indian capital in December 2012, foreign tourists, especially women, have grown *warier* of traveling in India.

Cautious

Though cut off from his Chinese roots, Lee was a proud Chinese, and that may very well be how history remembers his astonishing career. Impressed by the economic growth enjoyed by Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, Taiwan and finally China, Lee began wondering if their common *Confucian* heritage was not the foundation of their success.

Confucius definition. A Chinese philosopher of the sixth century b.c.; the founder of Confucianism.

The Italians have also proposed setting up havens in Egypt and Tunisia to allow refugees to file for asylum from there, but other EU members are unlikely to be willing to establish *consular* services in places that may be deemed too dangerous.

Consular assistance is help and advice provided by the diplomatic agents of a country to citizens of that country who are living or traveling overseas

The linguist J.L. Austin, in his marvelous little book "Sense and Sensibilia" (*posthumously* published in 1962), memorably discussed the value of "like."

Posthumously is an adverb that helps describe something that happens to a person after they die, whether it happens to their estate, their life's work, or the memory of them that remains

As boys, they attended the First Baptist Church of Elkin, studied Scripture, went to vacation Bible school and sang in the *choir*

a company of singers, especially an organized group employed in church service.

Chinese may now have the names of thousands of dissidents and foreigners who have interacted with the U.S. government. China's *rogue* allies would no doubt also like this list.

a dishonest or unprincipled man

A bipartisan coalition in Congress is moving a trade bill that would help American economic growth and strategic interests. But this is Congress, so naturally a rump protectionist *caucus* is trying to prevent it.

a group of people with shared concerns within a political party or larger organization

Adm. Sun said China has exercised 'enormous *restraint*' in the South China Sea

a measure or condition that keeps someone or something under control

As Houthis have seized control of Yemen in recent weeks, U.S. officials have communicated with them through *intermediaries* to try to promote a stable political transition

a medium or means.

prison authorities often rely on groups such as the Islamic Leadership Council or the Islamic Society of North America for advice about Islamic *chaplains*.

a member of the clergy attached to a private chapel, institution, ship, regiment, etc

We are urging broadcasters to avoid using the familiar B-roll that we've all seen before, file footage of ISIL convoys operating in broad daylight, moving in large formations with guns out, looking to wreak havoc," said Emily Horne, spokeswoman for retired Gen. John Allen, the State Department's special *envoy* leading the international coalition against ISIL.

a messenger or representative, especially one on a diplomatic mission

Unless Pakistan changes its worldview, American weapons will end up being used to fight or *menace* India and perceived domestic enemies instead of being deployed against jihadists.

a person or thing that is likely to cause harm; a threat or danger

Last week, a 12-year-old boy whose grandmother had brought him from the mainland to Hong Kong to seek the right of *abode* was harassed out of town. Rallies and demonstrations were organized, some going so far as to denounce the boy as a criminal and calling for his deportation.

a place of residence; a house or home

Among the original nuclear powers, geographic distances and the relatively large size of programs combined with moral *revulsion* to make surprise attack all but inconceivable.

a sense of disgust

Let's take a *scalpel* and not a meat cleaver

a small, light, usually straight knife used in surgical and anatomical operations and dissections.

The *Quandary* of a Stay-at-Home Feminist

a state of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation

Mr. Obama pointedly noted that Mr. Netanyahu (israel PM)had opposed an *interim* nuclear agreement adopted in 2013

a temporary or provisional arrangement; stopgap; makeshift

Many observers now are in despair over how far short the nuclear agreement falls of the "anywhere, anytime" standard. But the promise of what such unfettered access could accomplish was always a *chimera*.

a thing which is hoped for but is illusory or impossible to achieve

Their parents, Jo Anne and Robert, remain faithful members of their Baptist *congregation*.

an assembly of persons brought together for common religious worship.

Five thousand air strikes (over a year) ordered by Obama sound impressive, but that's a fraction of the 30,000 *sorties* that President Clinton ordered, over 78 days, to dislodge Slobodan Milosevic from Kosovo in 1999.

an attack made by troops coming out from a position of defence

burning humans alive have no *precedent* in Islamic texts,

an earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances

The latest *glut* also underscores a challenging global trade environment as the dollar appreciates against almost all other currencies.

an excessively abundant supply of something

I'M KIND OF BUMMED about my carbon budget. During this eight-day tour of Europe I've practically left a *contrail*, thousands of pounds of CO2 cast merrily upon the wind: Five airplanes, five hotels, one TGV and many fast cars. That's not even counting the towels.

annoyed, upset, or disappointed

President Obama noted that ISIS had "filled a void" without admitting that his own ill-advised retreat from Iraq, and his decision to let Syria's civil war *fester*, created that void.

become worse or more intense, especially through long-term neglect or indifference.

In addition to their formal meeting, photographs of the leaders showed them in a tight *huddle* speaking alongside only their translators on the pagoda grounds.

crowd together; nestle closely

It isn't hard to see once you look around an office or coffee shop: People using devices of every make and *vintage*.

denoting something from the past of high quality, especially something representing the best of its kind

The new printer could slash by almost 90% the 170 hours that workers now need to prepare and paint an *ornate* airline logo, says Ralf Maurer, head of the A320 paint shop in Hamburg.

elaborately or highly decorated

Chipotle's health-food messaging isn't about the food anyway; it's about the customer and his sense of entitlement and moral *vanity*.

excessive pride in or admiration of one's own appearance or achievements

There was also the time in 2010 when he *derided* the notion of a war on terrorism or terror because "terrorism is but a tactic" and "terror is a state of mind."

express contempt for; ridicule

Another driver of the buying is tech companies' *weariness(weary)* of leasing from traditional owners, who can make it harder to add modern amenities many firms want.

impatient or dissatisfied with something

It also urged employees to be *vigilant* and look for any suspicious activity in their bank accounts or financial statements that could indicate possible identity theft.

keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties

he soon dropped the *Anglicized* "Harry" and become, simply, Lee Kuan Yew.

make English in form or character

Mr. Cruz *prowled* the stage like the showman he is, delivering a full speech without notes. He was like a Sunday morning preacher in a midsize megachurch on a local TV station.

move about restlessly and stealthily, especially in search of prey.

The weak ruble *obscures* our overall good operating performance,Adjusted for negative currency effects, our earnings were actually higher

not clear or plain; ambiguous, vague, or uncertain:

Mao himself was *adulated* as a god.

praise (someone) excessively

Music industry analyst Mark Mulligan said it isn't uncommon for streaming services to *forgo* royalty payments during a trial period, but those are typically startups struggling to get off the ground, not the most valuable company in the world.

refrain from

When it comes to lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgendered people, last week's U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage highlights the gulf between India and much of the democratic world. More than 150 years after it was introduced, a colonial-era Indian law continues to criminalize "*carnal* intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal." This effectively makes homosexuality illegal in India, aligning the country closer to Pakistan and Egypt than with the liberal democracies in Asia and the West.

relating to physical, especially sexual, needs and activities

The two governments also issued a statement outlining a vision for the relationship between "former adversaries who have become *steadfast* allies."

resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering

French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron is in the U.S. to persuade American entrepreneurs to return to a France that has been hemorrhaging foreign investment faster than almost any other developed economy. Too bad his government this week *scuttled* another takeover bid for a French company.

run hurriedly or furtively with short quick steps

Advocates *exult* over the nuclear constraints it would impose on Iran.

show or feel triumphant elation or jubilation.

Scandinavia in particular still enjoys the image of a region with zero geopolitical risk: the epitome of good government, stability and harmony. Many in Denmark, Finland and Sweden find geopolitics and hard security *anachronistic*, topics regarded with a mixture of detachment and distaste.

something or someone that is not in its correct historical or chronological time

Austin was describing the ordinary use of "like": to draw attention to similarities. But his concept of adjuster-words nicely suggests what the improper use of "like" sometimes does well: it alerts the hearer or reader to imprecision. It announces *surmise* or approximation.

suppose that something is true without having evidence to confirm it

Chinese authorities have released one of two Canadians detained as part of an *espionage* investigation near China's northeast border with North Korea

the act or practice of spying.

...........That was true in 1967, when Pierre Harmel, Belgium's foreign minister at the time, issued a report advocating the type of diplomatic engagement with the Soviet Union that would eventually become *détente*.

the easing of hostility or strained relations, especially between countries

Just around the corner from that now-defunct shop stands a representation of the "new" India: a Rolex boutique. A salesman there, asked if he wears an HMT watch, smiles. No, he doesn't. But in one sign of HMT's place in the national *psyche*, he volunteers that he does remember his grandfather's beloved HMT. "A champagne dial with a crocodile strap," he says.

the human soul, mind, or spirit

Recent conversations with senior Israeli officials are shot through with a sense of incredulity. They can't understand what's become of U.S. foreign policy.

the state of being unwilling or unable to believe something

Seeking security against a much larger neighbor is a rational objective but seeking *parity* with it on a constant basis is not.

the state or condition of being equal, especially as regards status or pay

U.S. technology companies are stepping up efforts to counter *looming* restrictions in China

to appear indistinctly; come into view in indistinct and enlarged form:

Concern for the potential *unraveling* of Washington's long tradition of bipartisan support for Israel was at least one area where Messrs. Obama and Netanyahu agreed.

to separate or disentangle the threads of

America tells its 18-year-olds that they are adults. They can vote. And they can join the military. We send thousands of these men and women into combat and tell them that they are mature enough to die for their country but not mature enough to drink. Here's a suggestion for people who complain that the current generation of young people is too *babied*: Start treating them like adults.

treat (someone) as a baby; pamper or be overprotective towards

Dean Kamen hoped to change the world by inventing his futuristic upright scooter, the *Segway*. His quest now is more pedestrian: keeping afloat the company that sells his invention.

upright scooter

In strategic terms, greater need for imported energy means greater susceptibility to *bullying* from China, which could deny Taiwan coal exports or blockade its shipping lanes in a conflict.

use superior strength or influence to intimidate (someone), typically to force them to do something.

The Democrats have no *inoculation* anymore. The party's calculation that Hillary Clinton's candidacy would bring home the presidency and Senate control after defeating vulnerable Republicans has a big fly in the goo: For the next 19 months, Iran is theirs.

vaccinate

Court denies bail to *juvenile*

young; youthful:

Maybe that's why Mr. Marchionne, in an *unprecedented* digression during an earnings call last week, tried to light a fire under global shareholders to force industry executives to engage in the consolidation he believes necessary to let car makers improve their historically miserable return on investment.

1. never done or known before 2. a temporary departure from the main subject in speech or writing

An Indian court blocked the broadcast of a *documentary* about a 2012 gang rape and murder that sparked national outrage and tarnished the country's global reputation,

Movies, Television. based on or re-creating an actual event, era, life story, etc., that purports to be factually accurate and contains no fictional elements:

IMP

Unfashionable as it might seem in a modern age obsessed with a person's ability—a woman's ability in particular—to "have it all," we are far better off recognizing that concept for the myth it is. Reality is always messier: In gaining one thing, we inevitably lose another. In opting to have children at a certain stage of career development or to stay home with them, many of us will seriously compromise our financial self-sufficiency. And yet we cannot ignore that the reverse situation involves its own loss

As for Mr. Obama's false choice of war and diplomacy, the truth is that war becomes less likely when diplomacy is accompanied by the credible threat of war. The President removed that credible threat from Iran by insisting war was the only (bad) alternative to his diplomacy, as well as by threatening force against Syria only to erase his own "*red line*."

a boundary or limit which should not be crossed as in case of EngRPM in bikes

The change is a reaction to stiffer regulations, including stronger rules on pilot rest, and customer outrage on *tarmac* delays.

a brand of bituminous binder, similar to tarmacadam(tar), for surfacing roads, airport runways, parking areas, etc.

Assuming that we can replicate p53's targeted killing of malign cells—as well as identify p53 mutations and inhibit their activity—there is the potential to prevent cancer and find new therapies. The gene may also play a role in stemming the insults of aging, as scientists explore whether p53, normally a driver of cell loss as the body ages, can be suppressed to keep aging at *bay*. Dr. Lane notes that he is paid to worry about p53 but that "perhaps we all should," since the correct functioning of this single gene "is apparently all that lies between us and an early death from cancer."

a broad inlet of the sea where the land curves inwards

Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Satya Nadella has pledged to focus the software giant on big markets where it has the most users. So why is the firm launching a $20,000 piece of conference-room equipment that is likely to be a *niche* product?

a comfortable or suitable position in life or employment

malaise

a condition of general bodily weakness or discomfort, often marking the onset of a disease.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday said the *plight* of Myanmar's stateless Rohingya minority is the root cause of the refugee crisis.

a dangerous, difficult, or otherwise unfortunate situation

Questioning whether there is such a thing as "the truth" has become a defining *trait* of Mr. Putin's rule. As a result, the Russian public's understanding of what happened to MH17 is completely different from that of the West.

a distinguishing quality or characteristic, typically one belonging to a person

Pedestrians jostle for space with black-and-yellow taxis, rickshaws heaped with mysterious *bales*, and the occasional Audi.

a large bundle or package prepared for shipping, storage, or sale, especially one tightly compressed and secured by wires, hoops, cords, or the like, and sometimes having a wrapping or covering:

U.S. defense companies now develop big-ticket, cutting-edge products in response to the needs of their biggest customer, the U.S. military, but which many Asian countries don't need, say some U.S. contractors active in Asia. "We're often perceived as a *Cadillac* option in the Asia-Pacific," said Howard Berry, Boeing's vice president for international sales of the F/A-18 Super Hornet, which the company is currently marketing in Malaysia.

a large luxury car manufactured by the US Cadillac motor company

to rescue the compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan *Strait*

a narrow passage of water connecting two large bodies of water.

After a prayer *vigil*, the demonstrators' mood turned almost festive, with a few police officers standing near squad cars and others in riot gear looking on.

a period of keeping awake during the time usually spent asleep, especially to pray or to watch over someone.

One is *celibate*, the other married with four children

a person who abstains from sexual relations.

Because lee's thinking proved so agreeable to the Chinese Communist Party, he became the darling of Beijing. And because China has now become the political keystone of the modern Asian arch, Beijing's *imprimatur* helped him and his ideas to gain a pan-Asian *stature* that Singapore alone could not have provided.

a person's authoritative approval Importance gained by ability or achievement

A lifetime of big and little moments never happened because of a bullet to the body one day in a far-off land. For those who crumpled to the ground, the *tapestry* of life was left unknit.Early on after the war we bowed our heads at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Their loss was raw then. But as years have passed all that's left are memorials no one notices—*rolling credits* we ignore as we go about our lives.

a piece of thick textile fabric with pictures or designs formed by weaving coloured weft threads or by embroidering on canvas, used as a wall hanging or soft furnishing. 2. the ending of anything: a night out, a pickup game, or even a relationship"

The stark consistency of contemporary history tells us several things as we ponder why the Iraqi military is proving to be so inept in its war against Islamic State. First is the immutable *tenet* that wars are human endeavors and that culture counts. Arab culture is based on family, tribe and clan. Thus it should come as no surprise that Arabs fight best in formations that are organically grown and organized around familiar groups that share more than the same national flag.

a principle or belief, especially one of the main principles of a religion or philosophy

Ms. Pelosi said she was "saddened by the condescension toward our knowledge of the threat posed by Iran and our broader commitment to preventing nuclear *proliferation*."

a rapid and often excessive spread or increase:

What distinguished Singapore back then was its colonial *torpor*, a total absence of natural resources (not even its own supply of drinking water) and little industry.

a state of physical or mental inactivity; lethargy

A Hong Kong woman accused of torturing her Indonesian maid was convicted of *assault* and other charges on Tuesday

a sudden, violent attack; onslaught

This week America's Health Insurance Plans announced that Marilyn Tavenner will be the trade group's new CEO. Her previous gig was running CMS, the agency in charge of Medicare, Medicaid and the ObamaCare exchanges. As acting and then confirmed CMS administrator since 2011, Ms. Tavenner presided over a *bureaucracy* with a budget larger than the Pentagon's and drafted the ObamaCare rules that dictate insurance business models.

a system of government in which most of the important decisions are taken by state officials rather than by elected representatives

Bring one more suitcase than you think you'll need. Being in a new country presents (pun intended) you with the opportunity to pick up things you'd never see at home, so keep track of how much you're buying and make sure you won't have to leave mementos behind. At the end of my semester abroad in Hong Kong this spring, I realized after having bought a *souvenir* for everyone I had ever met, my sole suitcase wasn't big enough for the return trip. This left me needing to buy a giant Chinese suitcase in addition to the two I brought along with me, at an additional expense

a thing that is kept as a reminder of a person, place, or event

The sole funeral parlor in Jianli became a focal point, with crowds gathering nearby to watch as *hearses* carrying bodies drove into the heavily guarded facility

a vehicle for conveying the coffin at a funeral

Less-high-profile individuals have also encountered employment problems. RTHK, the public broadcaster, is under relentless pressure to sack certain people. And in privately owned media, columnists have been removed and other journalists have been told that the time has come to *toe the line*.

accept the authority, policies, or principles of a particular group, especially unwillingly

Iran and Venezuela have signed mutual-assistance agreements on commercial, financial, technological and military matters. Iran has even constructed a military base in Venezuela to house Iranian unmanned aerial drones. According to Iranian officials cited in the Jerusalem Post, these drones, called Mohajers, are capable of aerial surveillance and can be *retrofitted* to deliver advanced weaponry.

add (a component or accessory) to something that did not have it when manufactured

China-Pakistan economic Corridor , if realized, the plan would be China's biggest *splurge* on economic development in another country to date.

an act of spending money freely or extravagantly

Iran dispatches an armed convoy of ships, believed to be destined to resupply pro-Iranian Houthi rebels in Yemen in *contravention* of a U.N. arms embargo.

an action which offends against a law, treaty, or other ruling

Australia's prime minister would be briefed on security developments within the south china sea region in coming weeks, local newspapers said last week, in what could *presage* a change in Australia's position of urging all nations in the region to avoid coercive action changing the South China Sea status quo.

be a sign or warning of (an imminent event, typically an unwelcome one)

Far from being a champion of democracy, Mr. Tsipras is inviting calamity and jeopardizing 40 years of European integration—a project that *transcends* the economics he chooses not to understand. On Sunday, it will be up to the Greek people to remind him that Greece belongs at the heart of Europe.

be or go beyond the range or limits of (a field of activity or conceptual sphere).

The monsoon finally hit India's south-west coast last week, a few days after the country's weather department lowered its forecast for the rains that usually last from June through September. The southwest monsoon advanced to the western state of Maharashtra over the weekend. In the photo below, the skyline of Maharashtra's capital Mumbai is *silhouetted* against pre-monsoon clouds, June 11.

cast or show (someone or something) as a dark shape and outline against a brighter background

Chinese dredging vessels are *purportedly* seen in the waters around Fiery Cross Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands in this still image from video taken by a P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft provided by the U.S. Navy on May 21.

claim, pretend ,appear to be or do something, especially falsely.

There are criminal penalties if, say, your food doesn't comport with posted calorie counts.

conduct oneself; behave

China is also playing a larger role in metals markets, although its efforts have been *tainted* by a scandal at a warehouse in the port city of Qingdao. The Bank of China's decision to join the LBMA Gold Price "adds more *kudos* to the new mechanism," said David Govett, head of precious metals at Marex Spectron.

contaminate or pollute (something) 2. praise and honour received for an achievement

It might work on the first day, when the tax goes into effect and people pay a tax on their carbon emissions while paying *commensurately* lower other taxes. But what happens when people respond to the tax by reducing their carbon emissions? What happens in year 10, when people have responded to the tax by shifting toward expensive alternatives to carbon-intensive energy production?

corresponding in size or degree; in proportion

Iran *stonewalled* on concerns about the military dimensions of its nuclear program. U.S. negotiators dropped demands that Tehran restrict development of intercontinental ballistic missiles that could be used to deliver warheads.

delay or obstruct (a request, process, or person) by refusing to answer questions or by being evasive

But it isn't hard to envision the Middle East, *bereft* of U.S. leadership and *awash* in blood, with its hatreds and violence spilling ever westward. Herein lies the great gamble of the phony war.

deprived of or lacking (something). covered or flooded with water, especially seawater or rain

This was Germany in 1945. The great Wirtschaftswunder—the postwar economic miracle created by sound money, industrial genius and U.S. security—soon cleared out the material wreckage, at least in the West. But what about the moral wreckage? The drama of postwar Germany has revolved around the effort to bury the Nazi corpse by constantly *exhuming* it for re-examination.

dig out (something buried, especially a corpse) from the ground

Stuart Chase, an FDR aide who coined the term "New Deal" and began his career as a food-safety regulator, once said: "The very first law in advertising is to avoid the concrete promise and cultivate the delightfully vague." He was being *cynical*, but his advice has been thoroughly adopted by food marketers peddling to consumers who would probably consider themselves his philosophical heirs

distrustful of human sincerity or integrity

A suspected terrorist attack has taken place in southeastern France. Authorities arrested a suspect after a severed head was found at the site of the assault.

divide by cutting or slicing, especially suddenly and forcibly.

Are the U.S. and its allies *ceding* the nearly 1.35 million square miles claimed by China without legal merit, including some of the busiest sea lanes on the planet?

give up (power or territory)

*troika* of pioneering Islamists born within a few years of each other in the early 20th century—Maududi, Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood founder Hassan al-Banna and Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini—arguably Khomeini was the most influential.

group of three

Even when Greece's Parliament passed the relevant laws, Athens yielded to its special interests by *muffing* implementation.

handle (a situation, task, or opportunity) clumsily or badly

It's next to impossible for a totally nuclear-*averse* Germany to effectively play European leader in NATO and the European Union in the face of a Russia turning its nuclear shadow into an everyday menace.

having a strong dislike of or opposition to something

But what gives us the confidence that we will prove more *astute* at predicting Iran's domestic course than Vietnam's, Afghanistan's, Iraq's, Syria's, Egypt's or Libya's?

having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one's advantage.

To assert his authority over the army, Mr. Xi has donned a military uniform, gushed jingoist rhetoric, advocated the concept of "Asia for the Asians," and expanded island reclamation in the South China Sea. Such *bellicosity* has precipitated crises with Japan over the Diaoyu Islands, Vietnam over the Paracel Islands, and the Philippines over the Spratly Islands.

inclined or eager to fight; aggressively hostile; belligerent

To put the country's finances back *into the black*, Ukraine's leadership is having to take painful and politically controversial measures that cut spending, raise taxes, tackle corruption

into a profitable condition financially

India and Japan are both *embroiled* in territorial disputes with China and share worries about Beijing's military ambitions

into discord or conflict

But by appearing to *flip-flop* on his pledge to seek a two-state solution—a bedrock of U.S. policy under Mr. Obama and George W. Bush—Mr. Netanyahu has provided ammunition for those in the White House who maliciously insist on painting him as a crazed warmonger and ethnic cleanser.

make an abrupt reversal of policy

Perhaps the best strategy for preserving your place in the group while presenting *offbeat* ideas is to state explicitly that you are playing devil's advocate, Dr. Pavitt says.

not coinciding with the beat,unconventional; unusual.

Mr. Celdran has also appealed to Pope Francis, who arrives in the Philippines on an eagerly anticipated *papal* visit on Jan. 15, to intercede.

of or relating to the pope or the papacy:

India has one of the world's most-*prolific* film industries but preserving its output for future generations of filmgoers is proving difficult.

producing in large quantities or with great frequency; highly productive:

During inclement weather, airlines are learning to be more *nimble* in getting planes and staff off the ground faster

quick to understand, think, devise, etc.:

Producers will be *reeling* for years, egg-industry officials said. One of the major challenges will be the cost to repopulate egg-laying facilities that together house millions of birds on some farms.

recover or wind something on to a reel by turning the reel

On Monday President Obama *commuted* the sentences of 46 drug offenders, bringing his commutation count to 89, more than the past four presidents combined. Meanwhile, the White House and Justice Department have signaled that this is only the beginning of an enormous clemency initiative by the administration.

reduce (a judicial sentence, especially a sentence of death) to another less severe one

The predecessor who seems to have gotten furthest, at least conceptually, was a German, Otto Lilienthal, who *disparaged* the popular air balloons and, hoping to mimic the technique of birds, built more than a dozen gliders before fatally plunging from an altitude of 50 feet in 1896.

regard or represent as being of little worth

Thailand's military dictator Prayuth Chan-ocha says he realized *martial* law was hurting the country's reputation abroad

relating to fighting or war

If you are wealthy or middle class, these *frailties* of the human mind do not usually get you into severe trouble. If you are poor, however, even minor mental mistakes can have severe consequences.

the condition of being weak and delicate

It's worth noting that doing much of this around other people calls for new rules of *etiquette*, or at least new tolerance. When is it OK to speak to your watch? (People thought I was talking to them when I was actually trying to dictate.) Is it appropriate to peek at a wrist alert during a meeting with your boss? What about on a date?

the customary code of polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular profession or group

Have we hit peak China? The country's rapid rise long seemed inexorable. The collapse of the Shanghai stock market is a reminder that behind the eye-popping numbers lie some scary risks. The global *zeitgeist* is beginning to shift, viewing China as a source of worries, whether in economics or politics, rather than an engine of growth or a status quo player.

the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time.

After he *delved* into the history of Christianity,

to carry on intensive and thorough research for data, information, or the like; investigate:

New blockbuster drugs will not solve this problem because microbes evolve faster than we're able to develop drugs to treat them. We have to change how we use antibiotics—stop *squandering* antibiotics and provide patients with the right medicine, in the right doses, at the right time. Antibiotic stewardship works, and it may save the life of your child or grandchild.

waste (something, especially money or time) in a reckless and foolish manner

Alas, after the initial *euphoria*, for many married life can become a trap.

a feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness

the generals of Thailand bridled at the perceived interference of U.S in their internal matters.

show one's resentment or anger

Avetics used a drone to inspect an approximately 400-foot-high *flare* tip—a tower used to burn off gas—for Royal Dutch Shell PLC in Singapore.

A flare is a small device that produces a bright flame.

It's part of a *concerted* effort to see if we can put a little; more meat on the bones,

Arrange (something) by mutual agreement or coordination:

IMP

Beyond that I love the great game of it—the wins and losses, flubs and failures. The mess, the occasional glory. Even at its most disappointing high politics is the greatness game. Its necessities—caring, taking part, voting—remind us that, as Laurens van der Post once said, *we are living not only our own lives but the life of our times*.

IMP

Mr. Kamen tapped his wide circle of contacts, and many of the original investors, to raise additional funds. New investors include Josh S. Weston, the former chairman and chief executive of Automatic Data Processing Inc.; and brothers Eric and Robert Lemelson, the sons of prolific inventor Jerome Lemelson. Mr. Weston says he made his investment in segway"on a what-the-hell friendship basis" and has great respect for Mr. Kamen(segway's inventor).

On Tuesday the bank said it would set up a U.K. *ring-fenced* bank, separating its British retail operations from any investment-banking activities. HSBC executives had been concerned about U.K. rules requiring the segregation, which sparked speculation that the lender would look to spin off its British retail bank. Mr. Gulliver said it was too early to determine whether it was worth spinning-off their U.K. retail operations entirely.

Ringfencing or Ring-fencing occurs when a portion of a company's assets or profits are financially separated without necessarily being operated as a separate entity. This might be for: regulatory reasons, creating asset protection schemes with respect to financing arrangements. 2. a subsidiary of a parent company that has been sold off, creating a new company

Speculating about *counterfactuals* can be a foolish exercise, but oil traders usually take fright(frighten) at geopolitical upsets that threaten supplies out of the Middle East.

a counterfactual conditional statement (e.g. If kangaroos had no tails, they would topple over ).

Defense-spending ambiguity is one of the reasons why the peace deal is important for the West: it will provide a *semblance* of expectations for the budget and creditors.

appearance.

If that assessment is correct, Nafta was oversold in the early 1990s, but now it is being excessively *denigrated*—in large part because critics view it through the prism of the economy's dismal performance over the past 15 years

criticize unfairly; disparage

It is time for Prime Minister Abe to be clear and *unequivocal*, and issue an *irrefutable* apology.

leaving no doubt; unambiguous impossible to deny or disprove.

Home Ministry spokesman, Kuldeep Singh Dhatwalia, said, "The government in no way considers any NGO is misbehaving, the intention of the government is to *streamline* matters."

make (an organization or system) more efficient and effective by employing faster or simpler working methods

French for "I am Charlie," the phrase became a global expression of *solidarity* and resolve after Islamist gunmen murdered 12 people at the Paris offices of the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.

mutual support within a group

And with today's low prices, the frackers are having to adapt another lesson from Japanese manufacturing—kaizen (continuous improvement). That *imperative* for greater efficiency is transforming the ecosystem of firms that bring oil from shale formations to the gas tank—drillers, but also oil-service companies, railroads, pipelines and refiners.

of vital importance; crucial

"There was a general environment of *gloom*," before the BJP took over in New Delhi, Mr. Jaitley said during a news conference. "This has been replaced by an environment of optimism."

partial or total darkness

China's ability to make it to high income levels is not a *foregone* conclusion.

past

Mike Whalen, CEO of hotel-and-restaurant company Heart of America Group DBA, *ponied* up a $75,000 deposit in 2007 for his HondaJet, which he initially expected to get in March 2012. He now hopes to get it in June.

pay a sum of money, especially as a contribution or unavoidable expense

Mr. Obama has done more than any President *to toe* Mr. McKibben's line, but he's still not happy.

push, touch, or kick with one's toe.

Ms. Merkel, addressing parliament on her 61st birthday, said Germany had no choice but to give Greece another chance at a bailout to avoid chaos and economic collapse in the *cash-strapped* country. But she underlined that the stringent aid-for-reforms policies of the last five years of eurozone rescues had to be maintained.

short of money I'm constantly strapped for cash

We have a fair amount of *leeway* in how we judge the progress at that point

the amount of freedom to move or act that is available

Russia regards Ukraine as the laboratory of this new decision-making model on European security affairs. Moscow would work bilaterally with Germany, perhaps with another European player in Berlin's tow, bypassing or pre-empting the EU and NATO and *marginalizing* the U.S.

treat (a person, group, or concept) as insignificant or peripheral

U.S. federal spending on R&D, a large contributor to R&D momentum in the U.S., is in turmoil because of enormous pressures to *pare* federal spending, especially defense and aerospace budgets. In 2014, ten countries will spend about 80% of the total $1.6 trillion invested on R&D around the world; the combined investments by the U.S., China and Japan will account for more than half of the total. Together, the U.S., China, Japan and Europe account for about 78% of 2014's $1.6 trillion total

trim (something) by cutting away its outer edges

One group sees *rampaging* young men fouling their own neighborhoods and concludes nothing can be done because the social pathologies are so overwhelming.

violent or excited behavior that is reckless, uncontrolled, or destructive.

If you can judge a person by the company he keeps, this is worrisome. America's relationship with Israel is in *tatters*, and Jewish Democrats are right to wonder whether Mr. Obama—who spent 20 years *marinating* in the sermons of a pastor, Jeremiah Wright, who has called the Jewish state "illegal" and "*genocidal*"—much cares. The historical irony of the first black U.S. president cutting a deal with the ayatollahs that jeopardizes the security of Israel isn't lost on Jews.

1)irregularly torn pieces of cloth, paper, or other material. 2) soak, immerse 3) a talk on a religious or moral subject, especially one given during a church service and based on a passage from the Bible. 4) a minister in charge of a Christian church 5) the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular nation or ethnic group.

(continue from above)and an actor as good as Ms. Hathaway doesn't need such *hectoring* help to make Mr. Brant's well-honed words fly off the page.

talk to (someone) in a bullying way

Uber has fought similar war against Mayors in other cities, and the protectionists will no doubt pop up again. Meanwhile, *savor* another illustration that the highest priority of progressive politics is so often to use the power of government to serve the powerful.

taste (good food or drink) and enjoy it to the full

There are still good people inside Syria struggling to reach those most in need—medics of the Aleppo City Medical Council, volunteers of the Red Crescent, the unarmed White Helmet rescue workers, to name a few. They will be the ones who will rebuild the country and counteract *extremism*. Until any meaningful political solution is achieved, they—and the Syrian men, women and children they are trying to save—must not be forgotten.

the holding of extreme political or religious views; fanaticism

Under traditional regulatory review, the *appellate* courts rarely put a stay on new Environmental Protection Agency's rules, even if states and utilities can show that they are causing irreparable and irreversible harm.

(especially of a court) concerned with or dealing with applications for decisions to be reversed

the best accessory in this photograph is the smile on her face, the clear joy *emanating* from both of them.

(of a feeling, quality, or sensation) issue or spread out from (a source)

Did the subjects feel able to influence and respond to events in life, or did they feel *battered* around by the *whims* of external forces?

1. strike repeatedly with hard blows 2. a sudden desire or change of mind, especially one that is unusual or unexplained

We do not and will not accept the Kremlin's "new normal," based on out-dated thinking about spheres of influence and a *zero-sum* mentality.

A situation in which one person's gain is equivalent to another's loss, so the net change in wealth or benefit is zero. A zero-sum game may have as few as two players, or millions of participants.

Most of the apps that are generating revenue, such as Grindr and Match.com, do so with a combination of advertising and *freemium* features that users can access through subscription.

a business model, especially on the Internet, whereby basic services are provided free of charge while more advanced features must be paid for.

When Treating Pain Brings a Criminal *Indictment*

a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime

The president has two options: He can ignore these staggering numbers and let the ObamaCare *juggernaut* roll forward. Or he can sit down with Republicans and find ways to offer relief to hardworking Americans.

a large, heavy vehicle, especially an articulated lorry

Paramedics and a physician were traveling with Mr. Kerry's *motorcade* at the time of the crash and he didn't lose consciousness, Mr. Kirby said.

a procession of motor vehicles, typically carrying and escorting a prominent person

Still, a lot of Samsung's typical software *tomfoolery* lives on.

a silly act, matter, or thing.

the negotiators "drank several buckets of coffee" through the night, with officials and *aides* taking turns for nap breaks.

an assistant or helper, especially a confidential one.

So rather than merely bemoaning the *pervasiveness* of "like" as a sign of cultural decline, which it is, maybe we should try incorporating its valuable uses into correct English.

existing in or spreading through every part of something

The volume of data also allows the Chinese to do what the *intel* pros call "exclusionary analysis."

information of military or political value

Pick the wrong spot and you get the brain-freeze effect; place it too loosely and you get a burning sensation. It uses a *gooey* disposable strip (sold in $20 packs of five). The other end of the strip goes behind your ear or at the base of your neck to allow the electricity to complete a circuit.

soft and sticky

The U.S. and NATO and others are engaged with Ukraine to help them develop their capacities and their way forward in that *endeavor*.

to attempt; try:

to fund infrastructure, but *balked* at levying the tax on accumulated profits

to stop short and stubbornly refuse to go on.

One explanation is that selling helicopters and missiles to Pakistan is easier than thinking of alternative strategies to compel an *errant* ally to change its behavior.

with error

India needs to do more to address its *lopsided* trade balance—it exports far more than it imports from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

with one side lower or smaller than the other

Axis said in a statement that the board of directors would *unanimously* recommend that shareholders accept the offer.

without any doubt

Democrats are likely to throw down the *gauntlet* that relief to the ....

a glove with an extended cuff for the wrist.

State and county police took over security during protests here after two officers involved in crowd control were shot early Thursday in what law-enforcement officials described as an *ambush.*

an act or instance of lying concealed(hide) so as to attack by surprise:

Will Mr. Obama succeed in pulling off his sweeping diplomatic realignment? He still has almost two years in office and considerable presidential *prerogative* to reorient foreign policy as he sees fit

an exclusive right, privilege, etc., exercised by virtue of rank, office, or the like

After the current rebbe issued a public *edict* forbidding New Square residents to pray in synagogues outside the city limits, his butler(the chief manservant of a house) set fire to the house of a man who had disobeyed.

an official order or proclamation issued by a person in authority

Chinese *dredgers* have nearly doubled the total landmass of the Spratlys—creating more than 2,000 new acres, or some 1,500 football fields—in an attempt to extend Chinese military reach and its political claims.

clear the bed of (a harbour, river, or other area of water) by scooping out mud, weeds, and rubbish with a dredge.

criticism over where to set the rates should be taken in *stride*

to walk with long steps, as with vigor, haste, impatience, or arrogance.

Japanese auto exports face *headwinds* overall

a wind blowing from directly in front, opposing forward motion

The Thai military *snubs* its longtime ally U.S to buy Chinese subs.

rebuff, ignore, or spurn disdainfully

IMP

In a word, the Israelis haven't yet figured out that what America is isn't what America was. They need to start thinking about what comes next.The most tempting approach is to wait Mr. Obama out and hope for better days with his successor. Israel and the U.S. have gone through bad patches before—under Ford in the 1970s, Reagan in the early '80s, Bush in the early '90s, Clinton in the late '90s. The partnership always survived the officeholders......

IMP

Mr. Mendes occupied the window seat. His sister took the aisle(this means seat beside the isle).

Yet the biggest threat at this point is not an emergency outage. It's the problem that seems to be *endemic* to major public works projects: government dysfunction.

(of a disease or condition) regularly found among particular people or in a certain area

IMP

The project, FirstNet, which was formally established in 2012, will cost tens of billions of dollars and likely won't be completed *for decades, if ever*. Behold its beleaguered prototype: the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System (LA-RICS). It makes Healthcare.gov look like a seamless success by comparison.

One maisonette at 1110 Park Avenue, a newly constructed *condo* building on Manhattan's Upper East Side, is typical of many latter-day versions in its elastic use of the term.

a building or complex of buildings containing a number of individually owned apartments.

Whether European leaders accept the Greek government's application for more emergency loans at a crisis summit Sunday still depends on Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras making a drastic turnaround on pension cuts, tax increases and other austerity measures after five months of often-*acrimonious* negotiations.

angry and bitter

Unless political restraint is linked to nuclear restraint, an agreement freeing Iran from sanctions risks empowering Iran's *hegemonic* efforts.

ruling or dominant in a political or social context

A bare-bones, Chinese-made Android smartphone can be had for as little as $50, plus fees for airtime.

reduced to or comprising only the basic or essential elements of something

Long the dark *abodes* of doctors' and dentists' offices, Manhattan's maisonettes are rebranded as *coveted(desired)* real estate

residence

The historic significance of the agreement and indeed its sustainability depend on whether these emotions, valid by themselves, can be *reconciled*.

restore friendly relations between

There is a sense in which I am disappointed to have ended up in this position, where my livelihood is contingent on the continued existence of my marriage, and on, yes, a man. But I wouldn't trade anything for the years I spent at home watching my babies *metamorphose* into fully fledged human beings. Nor, now that they are a little older, would I be keen to give up in the flexibility my part-time work affords me to be available to them around the edges of the school day. It is a quandary.

(of an insect or amphibian) undergo metamorphosis, especially into the adult form

The 2004 ban was meant to protect *arable* land, and as Shenzhen's population has ballooned, the local government has tried to ensure its residents don't fall prey to a water shortage.

(of land) used or suitable for growing crops

India has a recurring problem with *bootleg* or adulterated liquor that is sold illegally, sickening or killing people who drink it. In 2004, about 87 people died in a similar incident, also in Mumbai.

(of alcoholic drink or a recording) made, distributed, or sold illegally

Still, it is a moment to recall the suffering and loss inflicted by Tsarnaev and his late brother Tamerlan in the name of *radical Islam*. That begins with the family of Bill and Denise Richard, who were cheering at the finish line when the Tsarnaevs' bombs went off. Bill was wounded by *shrapnel*, Denise lost sight in an eye, daughter Jane lost a leg. And little Martin Richard, age eight, lost his life

1. Ideological terrorism operating under the veneer of 'religiosity(islam)', while in essence indicating a distinctive want of responsible cultural upbringing. 2.fragments of a bomb, shell, or other object thrown out by an explosion

Oil prices have dropped by 50% in the past six months, and crude oil *inventories* in the U.S. have grown from 350 million barrels last year to more than 480 million barrels today.

a complete list of items such as property, goods in stock, or the contents of a building

And let's not forget about fingerprint schmutz, which quickly covered the screen *bezel* and the mirrored Apple logo.

a groove holding the crystal of a watch or the stone of a gem in its setting

The approach is the *brainchild* of Regina Dugan, the former head of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

an idea or invention which is considered to be a particular person's creation

His past *indiscretions* have included, in 2010 when he was a counterterrorism adviser at the White House, referring to Jerusalem by its Arabic name, "al Quds"

behaviour or speech that is indiscreet or displays a lack of good judgement irresponsible

Mr. Tsipras may simply have been one of those who accepted the assurances of Yanis Varoufakis, the self-confident finance minister and expert in game theory, who has always argued that the creditors would ultimately *capitulate* in the face of Greek *intransigence*.

cease to resist an opponent or an unwelcome demand 2. uncompromising

When the A380 superjumbo program *imploded*, Airbus parachuted in Mr. Brégier as chief operating officer of the plane maker to fix problems assembling planes and to slash costs.

collapse or cause to collapse violently inwards

There are also concerns about the military capabilities of Arab coalition partners. While Sudan, Jordan and Egypt have contributed air assets to the Yemen campaign, these states reportedly cannot fly night *sorties*.

come out from a defensive position to make an attack

The uptick in Asian investments adds to the flood of capital now washing over U.S. tech startups as investors from hedge funds to mutual funds *vie* for equity in private startups that are waiting longer to hold public offerings

compete

Mr. Putin cannot be president forever, and Russia will need a viable liberal alternative to the thugocrats *vying* to take charge of the Kremlin.

competing; contending:

Ms. Taymor's staging of George Brant's "Grounded," by contrast, is both more modest and more effective, an eerily timely monologue about drone warfare that no amount of misguided directorial excess can *sabotage*.

deliberately destroy, damage, or obstruct (something), especially for political or military advantage

Nearly four decades of conflict have consumed this country. From the Soviet invasion in the late 1970s, to Taliban rule, to insurgent factions running amok—some now claiming allegiance to Islamic State—war has *exacted* a heavy price on Afghan society, especially its women and children.

demand and obtain (something) from someone

Activist prosecutors now want to criminalize the use of information even without a violation of *fiduciary* duty.

depending for its value on securities (as opposed to gold) or the reputation of the issuer

Having *devoured* many of the world's factory jobs, China is now handing them over to robots.

eat (food or prey) hungrily or quickly

After all, it was only a few decades earlier that reform-minded Chinese intellectuals (including Communists like Mao Zedong) had identified such Confucian "Asian values" as the very cause of their country's backwardness and weakness, and then sought to *extirpate* them from Chinese thinking

eradicate or destroy completely

The dinosaurs of "Jurassic World" set a record at the summer box office, as the movie became the first ever to gross more than $500 million world-wide in a single weekend.The movie cost about $150 million to make, with co-financing from Legendary Pictures LLC. In North America, the film brought in a surprisingly robust $204.6 million. Hollywood was expecting a hit, but that figure exceeded estimates by more than $50 million, and continued a *sterling* summer for Comcast Corp. 's Universal Pictures.

excellent or valuable

He lived for a year in New York as a steel-company salaryman, and his wife remembers a *prenuptial* date to the Bronx Zoo.

existing or occurring before marriage.

After a month of *anguished* testimony and vivid details about the twin explosions that rocked the 2013 Boston Marathon, what many believe is the real test for convicted bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev looms ahead.

experiencing or expressing severe mental or physical pain or suffering

With a population of approximately 80 million, Iran's gross domestic product is only $369 billion. The United Arab Emirates, by comparison, with a population of nine million, has a GDP of $402 billion. Yet despite its *penurious* position, Iran continues to ignore its domestic and social problems. Instead, just like the old Soviet Union, it is stretching its influence throughout the Middle East as if it were an economic powerhouse, not an economic disaster.

extremely poor; poverty-stricken

when I hear exciting news on the research front of Alzheimer's, I feel a personal connection. Of having contributed in my minuscule way. It's a powerful feeling, given how little I could do for my mother.

extremely small; tiny.

China and its *swooning* stock market pose a growing risk to the global economy, say economists surveyed this month by The Wall Street Journal. But healthier U.S. consumer spending and a stronger housing market will provide enough domestic power to offset any drag coming from the world's No. 2 economy.

faint, especially from extreme emotion

This latest fundraising round will probably be the last for Micromax, according one of the people familiar with the company's plans, and it will give it the funds it needs to fight a *frenetic* war for market share as smartphone sales skyrocket in India. To reach all kinds of Indian consumers and stay ahead of the competition, Micromax releases as many as three new phones a month, priced between $35 and $400.

fast and energetic in a rather wild and uncontrolled way

Chrysler was in bankruptcy and Mr. Marchionne first started combining the No. 3 U.S. auto maker with Fiat, which he had been running for several years. Despite dozens of consecutive months of sales gains, Mr. Marchionne says his company has less-than-*stellar* margins, and the wider industry needs to consolidate if it hopes to thrive in the future. Ms. Stephens noted an important highlight of the study being that GM, Ford and the Japanese are all about equal in initial quality, a sign that the billions of dollars spent by the two biggest U.S. auto makers' on improving products has paid off. Still, she said the takeaway is the emergence of Kia and Hyundai cars, crossovers and minivans as stars of a survey that South Korean auto makers long struggled in.

featuring or having the quality of a star performer or performers

The president could exercise his authority as commander in chief to overrule the convening authority and order the charges dropped. Alternatively, he could pardon Bergdahl, which would be consistent with the Times's position that the defendant is guilty but deserves *clemency*.

forgiveness in judging or punishing; leniency; mercy

At a meeting with Coal India executives in New Delhi's government-run Ashok hotel last August, he grew exasperated with slow production growth and poor coal quality at the company. "He was very, very unhappy and very *forthright*," said one executive present.

frank, direct, straightforward

The exercise provided us with a predictable array of potential passengers: a saintly nun, a racist doctor, the world's greatest harpsichordist, a brutal Navy SEAL instructor, and so on. If I recall correctly, we promptly dumped *overboard* anyone with any survival skills in favor of the poets and modern dancers

from a ship into the water

Now in Hong Kong opposition politicians and their supporters are routinely accused of consorting with and being funded by foreign powers; of advocating the violent overthrow of the state; and of perpetrating child abuse—the last charge based on the large numbers of young people who joined Hong Kong's antigovernment protests. These sorts of accusations are routinely found on the pages of Hong Kong's increasingly *rabid* Communist newspapers.

furious or raging; violently intense

The real customers, of course, are aircraft operators who want what's known as free flight, the ability to choose the most efficient routes to destinations, rather than being *corralled* on rigid route maps for the convenience of ground controllers

gather together and confine (a group of people or things

For the U.S. to continue supplying a Pakistani military that is much larger than the country can afford will only *invigorate* Pakistani militancy and militarism at the expense of its 200 million people, one-third of whom continue to live at less than a dollar a day per household.

give strength or energy to

Such a deal could make sense, but from Israel and Saudi Arabia you hear a different fear. By design or by default, the deal being negotiated would end up formalizing a U.S. tendency to *cede* its Mideast power broker role to Iran. Why? Because, thanks to fracking, the U.S. just doesn't care that much about the Middle East anymore.

give up (power or territory)

His wife grows uneasy, worried that her husband "would not be content to *transgress* alone, but would try to get her to join . . . and reel in the kids." And, much to her chagrin, he buys a computer and installs it in a cabinet, keeping it sealed behind a lock.

go beyond the limits of (what is morally, socially, or legally acceptable)

This can be seen as eugenics, thought by earlier generations to be desirable but now generally considered *abhorrent*

hateful, repulsive, despicable

I've tried every Oculus developer prototype as well as rival devices such as the Vive from Valve and HTC and Project Morpheus from Sony. The Rift is just as technically impressive. And in one important aspect, *ergonomics*, the incredibly lightweight Rift has the others beat. Oculus wouldn't tell me how much it weighs, but it feels far lighter than the other headsets.

human engineering

China and the U.S. have *sparred* over cybersecurity, with the U.S. accusing Chinese government military officers of sustained hacking of U.S. firms for economic advantage. Chinese authorities have denied those accusations.

make the motions of boxing without landing heavy blows, as a form of training

Despite this week's *histrionics*, a bipartisan consensus is emerging behind greater security engagement. The Democratic Party of Japan, now opposed to the bills, pushed some of the same policies while in power before 2012. Prime Ministers Naoto Kan and Yoshihiko Noda favored a normalization of the military's role in policy making, a revamp of defense industries, development of a dynamic joint defense force and greater regional engagement.

melodramatic behaviour designed to attract attention *melodrama*-a sensational dramatic piece with exaggerated characters and exciting events intended to appeal to the emotions

Mr. Fabius insisted the ability to inspect nuclear sites be part of a final agreement with Iran to ensure Tehran doesn't covertly try to build a nuclear weapon.

not openly acknowledged or displayed

In recent years Beijing has expelled Philippine boats from certain fisheries, cut the cables of Vietnamese oil-exploration ships, and *intercepted* U.S. military vessels.

obstruct (someone or something) so as to prevent them from continuing to a destination.

Thus critics engage in the debate listlessly, knowing nothing is likely to change. And yet engaging in the argument is still a way of holding the line. As America approaches its 240th birthday and accumulates more Amtraks—expensive, inefficient obligations that exist because they exist—the nation's *salvation* are things that aren't Amtrak.

preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss

Delhi Hopes to Emulate Beijing's Success, but Will Delay in *Liberalizing* Prove Too Costly?

remove or loosen restrictions on (something, typically an economic or political system).

As Lee *ruefully* observed in trying to imagine his small country's future, "City-states do not have good survival records."

ruefully. When you do something in a way that expresses regret, you're doing it ruefully. If someone asks you about your Saturday night and you smile ruefully in response . . . well . . . you probably made some poor choices.

That could ease investor concerns about the likelihood of major *impairment* charges in the future.

weaken or damage (something, especially a faculty or function)

It's been going on for a while and is part of a growing censorship movement in which professors, administrators and others are accused of racism, sexism, homophobia, classism, gender bias and *ethnocentric* thinking, among other things.

1. dislike of or prejudice against homosexual people 2. evaluating other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one's own culture.

You may recall that the Obama administration handed the keys to Fiat in return for CEO Sergio Marchionne's promise to supply small cars to meet forthcoming Obama fuel-economy rules. *Credulous* media accounts at the time suggested Chrysler's only challenge was to survive long enough so Fiat could begin churning *teensy* eurocars out of Chrysler's U.S. factories.

1. having or showing too great a readiness to believe things 2. tiny

The smarter ones usually *demur*, because they know the risks are real, the damage is potentially large, and many of their colleagues are *complacent* even at this late hour.

1. raise objections or show reluctance 2. having or showing an excessive pride in oneself or one's achievements

Every few years since the rise of the compact disc, followed by the iPod and now online streaming, the resurrection of vinyl records is announced, along with testimonies by *audiophiles* to vinyl's sonic superiority over digitally produced recordings.

a hi-fi enthusiast In 2013, vinyl records were approximately 2% of total music album sales, it's made of plastic

HSBC Strategy Doesn't Impress Bernstein HSBC Holdings doesn't have any rabbits in its hat and "has failed to bring out anything radically different" in its strategy update Tuesday, says Bernstein Research. "The initiatives taken by management are all welcome but the *moot point* is that HSBC will find it hard to break the 70 bps RoTA [return on tangible assets] level until 2018

A debatable question, an issue open to argument; also, an irrelevant question, a matter of no importance.

South Sudan Puts Down 'Attempted *Coup*'

a highly successful, unexpected stroke or a brave or reckless deed performed in battle by a single warrior,

After the children head to college or move away, some empty nesters are quick to reclaim and repurpose their rooms into yoga studios, gift-wrapping rooms, workout areas, home offices and dream closets. Increasingly popular are "snore rooms," an escape for when a sleeping bedmate reaches the decibel level of a *leaf-blower*.

A leaf blower is a gardening tool that propels air out of a nozzle to move yard debris such as leaves

You probably won't read it anywhere else, but on Tuesday President Obama did another giant favor for his friends in organized labor. He used his presidential authority to *scupper* a legislative challenge to the National Labor Relations Board's ambush-election rule.

a hole in a ship's side to carry water overboard from the deck

Barrel bombs are metal cylinders and drums packed with explosives and *shrapnel* that are pushed out of Syrian government helicopters.

a hollow projectile containing bullets or the like and a bursting charge, designed to explode before reaching the target, and to set free a shower of missiles.

The Little Sisters of the Poor run nursing homes and *hospices* and object to their health plan providing contraception including *abortifacients*.

a home providing care for the sick or terminally ill (chiefly of a drug) causing abortion

Today 140 characters tweeted from someone's living room can ignite a revolution,*eviscerate* a stranger's reputation or hijack a company's well-intended message.

deprive (something) of its essential content.

He once told the Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci he disapproved of having Mao's *embalmed* body placed in a mausoleum on Tiananmen Square.

preserve (a corpse) from decay, originally with spices and now usually by arterial injection of a preservative.

India's premier, looking to increase New Delhi's influence and blunt *inroads* by China in the Indian Ocean region, on Friday pledged to deepen economic and military ties with southern neighbor Sri Lanka, which in recent years has relied heavily on funding from Beijing for development projects.

a hostile attack; a raid.

Mainland officials also threaten to push so-called Article 23 legislation, which would criminalize all sorts of anti-Beijing political speech in the name of national security. This tactic all but guarantees further alienating the people of Hong Kong from the mainland. The more Beijing paints its opponents as radicals and revolutionaries, the more it risks creating a *self-fulfilling prophecy*. A better idea for the leadership cadres in Beijing: Honor the pledges they made when they regained Hong Kong from Britain, and redeem the promise of one country, two systems.

A self-fulfilling prophecy is a prediction that directly or indirectly causes itself to become true, by the very terms of the prophecy itself, due to positive feedback between belief and behavior.

The agency's unprecedented measures to restructure the U.S. energy economy under an obscure provision of the 1970s-era Clean Air Act have zero grounding in the text of the *statute*, much less Congress's consent.Mr. Pruitt also argues that under the High Court's federalism *jurisprudence* the EPA is unconstitutionally commandeering the sovereign states.

A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city or country. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. 2. a legal system

The idea that prescription drug prices are driving the increase in health-care costs is false. U.S. pharmaceutical companies, and the prescription medications they produce, are providing real value to millions of patients. Price controls on those—masquerading as transparency laws—will only do harm.

pretend to be someone one is not

But the political benefits and the timing of the war both proved incorrect. The president faced immediate backlash for *heralding* a soldier suspected of abandoning his post.

Acclaim ; praise enthusiastically and publicly

A spokesman for Delhi International Airport Ltd. said arrangements were being made to remove the medical consignment leaking radioactive radiations and the area had been *cordoned* off

prevent access to or from an area or building by surrounding it with police or other guards.

Now robots are taking on some jobs that require more agility. At a Renault SA plant in Cleon, France, robots made by Universal Robots AS of Denmark drive screws into engines, especially those that go into places people find hard to get at. The robots employ a reach of more than 50 inches and six rotating joints to do the work. They also verify that parts are properly fastened and check to make sure the correct part is being used.

Agility is the ability to be quick and graceful. You might have agility on the basketball court or in the courtroom, or even with your gaming remote. The noun agility can be used for both mental and physical skills in speed and grace. Your mental agility might allow you to follow both conversations at once.

Now the Obama administration is negotiating a flawed nuclear deal with the Iranian regime that will see Tehran get a *windfall* of up to $150 billion. With so much cash on hand, Tehran would surely create new Hezbollah franchises elsewhere in the Middle East and order all these radical proxy groups to wage even more wars in the region.

a large amount of money that is won or received unexpectedly

After a *stint(noun)* as premier between 1996-1999, Mr. Netanyahu returned to lead the right-wing Likud party into power in 2009

a period of time spent doing something

It was during their *stint* at Shastri Bhawan that they realized they could easily lay their hands on official documents,

a period of time spent doing something:

Google, Facebook and other big Silicon Valley companies are on a real-estate buying *binge*.

a period or bout, usually brief, of excessive indulgence,

IMP

Are you smarter than your great-grandmom? If IQ really measures intelligence, the answer is probably a resounding "yes." But are you really smarter than your great-grandmom? IQ tests measure the kind of intelligence that makes you do well at school. If we had tests for the kind of intelligence that lets you run a farm, raise eight children and make perfect biscuits on a smoky wood stove, your great-grandmom might look a lot smarter than you do. The thing that really makes humans so smart, throughout our history, may be that we can invent new kinds of intelligence to suit our changing environments.

IMP

Beginning with Franklin Roosevelt, every U.S. president took the view that strength abroad and strength at home were mutually reinforcing; that global security made us more prosperous, and that prosperity made us more secure.Then along came Mr. Obama with his mantra of "nation building at home" and his notion that an activist foreign policy is a threat to the social democracy he seeks to build. Under his administration, domestic and foreign policy have been treated as a zero-sum game: If you want more of the former, do less of the latter. The result is a world of disorder, and an Israel that, for the first time in its history, must seek its security with an America that, say what it will, has nobody's back but its own.

AAP's victory in the national capital put the brakes on a monthslong winning *spree* by the BJP.

a period or outburst of extreme activity

IMP

But then, as now, no one does a better job of containing China than China itself: Its aggressive moves have served to strengthen the U.S. alliance structure in Asia.

As long as Iran remains under *clerical* rule, it remains a powerful global symbol of radical Islam's triumph.

priestly, religious

Despite a nearly $1 billion penalty and a public *reprimand* in its most important market,

to express sharp, stern disapproval of especially a formal one by a person in authority.

Tribunal *Rebukes* British Government For Spying

to express sharp, stern disapproval of; reprove; reprimand.

NASA officials stressed that the astronauts currently in orbit have about a four-month supply of necessities, with separate *replenishment* flights from Russia, Japan and Orbital Sciences scheduled through the end of the year.

to fill with persons or animals : stock

I've been *exhorting* everyone (at Honda), but the way Nissan spends its money is different from us

to give urgent advice, recommendations, or warnings.

The Internet companies offer apps that let users *circumvent* network operators to make phone calls and send text messages free.

to go around or bypass:

*Mangled* limbs, exposed organs, crushed skulls, dismembered children, bombed-out hospitals protected only by sandbags, underground emergency rooms where efforts to resuscitate dying patients take place on floors smeared with blood—all these scenarios are now routine for Syrian doctors and nurses.

destroy or severely damage by tearing or crushing

Alas, after the initial euphoria, for many married life can become a trap. The authors quote Ibsen's "A Doll's House," *Casanova* (who likens marriage to a tomb) and Montaigne, who writes: "The result is what is observed about cages: the birds outside *despair* of getting in, and those inside are equally anxious to get out." George Eliot, who lived unwed with a married man for over 20 years, remarks dryly, "Marriage must be a relationship either of sympathy or conquest."

Giovanni Giacomo 1725-1798 originally Giacomo Girolamo Casanova- adventurer & memoirist. 2. the complete loss or absence of hope

Iranian leaders have said repeatedly that they want to *annihilate* Israel, which is home to about half of the world's Jews.

destroy utterly; obliterate

Identical twins, the brothers grew up in Elkin, N.C., a small town in the Bible Belt, the only children of *devout* Baptists.

devoted to divine worship or service

from past reviewing the future

Given the bellicosity of Russian President Vladimir Putin, it is useful to contemplate what would have happened had Stalin not ceded Greece to the West in return for the rest of the Balkans at the start of the Cold War. With Greece inside the Communist bloc, Italy would have been permanently endangered, to say nothing of the whole eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. Indeed, American bases in Greece were critical to the policy of containment.

"If you have a vehicle coming out that needs to appeal to Chinese customers, then we need to understand what kind of tech is being used," Mr. Palmer said.Aston Martin could do *with a leg up* in China, a market where it arrived late and has performed poorly.

to help someone to be successful

IMP

I have three sons who are growing up steeped in the belief that female equality and autonomy are nonnegotiable facts of life. I also have a daughter, whom I want to grow up believing that the world is her oyster. I do wish financial independence on her, I really do. But I don't know that I can say, hand on heart, that if she doesn't achieve it, if the winding road of her romantic, reproductive and maternal choices leads her in a different direction, that she has failed somehow. With respect to the Dame, who doesn't have children herself, the most important lesson I hope to teach my daughter isn't the merit of achieving one particular goal over all others. It is rather the opposite lesson: All significant life choices will come at a cost.

IMP

In return for a clumsy, poorly understood "deal", Iran will get sanctions lifted...the ONLY thing they wanted out of obama anyway. He is acting like their lap dog. Embarrassing and very dangerous.

No one should be lulled into thinking that Beijing's core policies will change anytime soon. Yet the fact that China feels it needs to try and *allay* suspicions at all shows that it is concerned about the growing response to its moves. Japan's indications that it will continue to expand its role in regional security, possibly including joint sea or air patrols with U.S. forces in the South China Sea, is of particular concern to Beijing.

diminish or put at rest (fear, suspicion, or worry)

Foxconn would face many challenges including building its new e-commerce platform a reputation for service and authenticity, as well as *fostering* relations with suppliers

to promote the growth or development of; further; encourage:

Other euro countries, such as Portugal and Spain, which have implemented austerity and reform measures in exchange for loans, might also have *taken heart* from a Greek exit.

to receive courage or comfort from some fact.

IMP

Pentagon war planners concluded some of the would-be targets were of little military value, while others had a high potential to cause civilian casualties because of their proximity to population centers. U.S. officials then conveyed those concerns to the Saudis. Saudi officials say they amended the target list after reviewing the Pentagon's feedback.

Amid the army's move, the city's name is getting something of an upgrade. Employees in the new office park have started replacing the city's biblical name, which goes back to stories about Abraham and Isaac, with the sleeker "B7." The Hebrew word sheva means seven. "It's better for branding," said Doron Davidson, chief executive of SecBI Ltd., a cybersecurity startup working in a startup *incubator* based in the office park.

a place, especially with support staff and equipment, made available at low rent to new small businesses

The captain was one of two survivors pulled out of the water before midnight at a *pier* downstream near the nearby city of Yueyang

a platform on pillars projecting from the shore into the sea, typically incorporating entertainment arcades and places to eat

Those included a potential *clawback* of at least some of cash-rich Qualcomm's revenue in China, which totaled $13.2 billion in its last fiscal year

to recover (a sum of money), esp by taxation or a penalty

group's official Facebook page that the violence began because authorities opened only one narrow, *barbed*-wire door to let them in.

a point or pointed part projecting backward from a main point, as of a fishhook or arrowhead.

On the *cusp* of a presidential election, the more pertinent question is whether U.S. foreign policy is weak because a Democrat is running it.

a pointed end where two curves meet, in particular

Mr. Sisi granted himself the power to *repatriate* foreign prisoners, raising hopes that all three would be released soon.

to send back to one's own country.

The *unabashedly* full-fat yogurts are thicker, creamier and, executives say, more satisfying than the long-popular low-fat versions. And to many people, full-fat also tastes better.

undisguised,

As Islamic State advances in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo, there is a deadly twist in the war. The radical Islamist group, also known as ISIS or ISIL, is now expanding in roughly a dozen countries across Africa, the Middle East and Asia by exploiting local grievances, *doling* out money and leveraging its battlefield successes.

a portion or allotment of money, food, etc., especially as given at regular intervals by a charity or for maintenance

Listing all the chores that made up the day for one suburban housewife, she recounted in "The Feminine *Mystique*" that as the woman lay beside her husband at night, she "was afraid to ask even of herself the silent question—'Is this all?' "

a quality of mystery, glamour, or power associated with someone or something

Although trade and people flows between the two sides have grown and *hostility* has subsided in recent years, official cooperation across the Taiwan Strait is often a delicate deal.

unfriendly

Beijing-based Hillhouse Capital is one of the biggest fund managers in Asia, overseeing assets in excess of $20 billion. It was originally seeded by Yale University's *endowment* and is known as one of the savviest China technology investors, placing a big, early bet on Chinese online gaming company Tencent Holdings Ltd.

a quality or ability possessed or inherited by someone or give or bequeath an income or property to (a person or institution).

Yet the Apple Watch isn't quite the gatekeeper to my digital life that I wanted. Take app alerts—there's a fine line between being in the know and having your wrist *jiggle* all day

a quick light shake

The musical based on Alison Bechdel's coming-out *memoir* moves to Broadway and is grander in scale and more emotionally intense.

a record of events written by a person having intimate knowledge of them and based on personal observation.

IMP

The brothers, Mr. McCullough observes, "worked together six days a week, ate their meals together, kept their money in a joint bank account" and even, according to Wilbur, "thought together." Wilbur was the more serious: inner-driven, *the sort who could leave the house without remembering his hat*. Orville was more lighthearted but given to moody "peculiar spells." He ruled out marrying before his older brother did, and Wilbur was "woman-shy," so their bachelorhood was settled.

Republicans who begin their campaigns *assailing* other Republicans rarely succeed—especially when the accusation is culpability for a would-be caliphate that uses executions, slavery, extortion, rape and general terror to enforce oppression in the Middle East and North Africa, and whose ideology inspires jihadists world-wide.

attacking

Yes, additional cheap oil from *OPEC* could lower prices. But withholding that supply—or even a disruption to it arising from regional instability—can't raise prices as it has in the past, because even slightly higher prices bring in waves of just-in-time production from U.S. frackers. The American fracker is the man at the margin now. And as his productivity continues to improve, that margin moves lower and lower.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was founded in 1960

If the Ukrainian experience shows anything, it's a real Russian capability to spin the notion of a Western military response against Russian aggression into an instant American threat to world peace. As his threats become more visibly nuclear, Mr. Putin will be encouraged by the fact that beyond the sanctions the Kremlin ignores, the Obama administration has *skirted* any armed response determined enough to give the Russians pause.

attempt to ignore; avoid dealing with.

President Obama doesn't give many press conferences at home, so sometimes his most revealing media moments come when he's *button-holed* abroad. Witness his answer Monday in Austria to a question about Iraq.

attract the attention of and detain (someone) in conversation, typically against their will

Mr. Smith said Tesla will be pushing the boundary of the legal definitions. In addition, just because hands-free driving is made possible, it doesn't *obviate* other laws.

avoid

Up to that point, "Grounded" is a taut piece of storytelling that shines a bright light on the little-understood emotional stresses that *gnaw* at the psyches of the practitioners of electronic warfare who see the people they kill only on a TV screen.

bite at or nibble something persistently

An op-ed( newspaper page opposite the editorial page, devoted to personal comment, feature articles, etc.) long on analysis of the problem, but offering zero by way of a solution. This doesn't seem to bother all the commentators who like the op-ed because it isn't an *endorsement* of Obama's deal.

declare one's public approval or support of

IMP

The whole problem comes now that the details should be discussed, because the other side is stubborn, difficult to deal with, breaks promises and is a backstabber.

The data come as the world searches for growth, and the number gives an endorsement to the economic groundwork Beijing has laid in recent months *to put a floor under* the country's slowdown, with a series of measures to lift spending, offer tax breaks and cut interest rates.

Theoretically, buybacks put a floor under stock prices and raise earnings per share.

The Russian nuclear boast was not new. But the timing—two days after the U.S. repeated its unheeded complaint that Russia has tested a cruise-type missile banned by a joint arms-control agreement—gave an *in-your-face* sense to Moscow's *contention* that it now has the *nukes* to neuter the superiority the U.S. and NATO still enjoy in conventional forces.

defiantly confrontational; also an exclamation of contempt 2. heated disagreement a nuclear weapon

IMP

Ugly cases ,it's true, many of the cases had been beaten with the ugly stick, but among them I found attractive and highly functional covers that make up for the iPhone's primary shortcomings: its shatterability, mediocre battery life and inability to swim. Believe it: At this point in its evolution, the iPhone is better—not worse—with a case.

BMW is currently making plans to produce three additional models in China, but Mr. Robertson remained *vague* on the details.

Unclear, murky

The best way to diminish Islamic's State appeal is to drive it as quickly as possible from the territory it holds. For all of their ferocity, Islamic State's irregulars are not the *Wehrmacht*.

Wehrmacht was the name of the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945

Obama Administration's red lines on Iran have been as erasable as they were on Syria. But Iran's inspection *stonewall* ought to be a deal-breaker, and cause for a sense of the Senate vote as early as next week on the President's failing diplomacy.

delay or obstruct (a request, process, or person) by refusing to answer questions or by being evasive

By listing all subsidized gas connections on the Internet, the government ensures that subsidized cylinders meant for individuals are not *surreptitiously* diverted to restaurants or hotels.

When someone behaves in a surreptitious way, they're being secretive. They're doing something that they don't want to be seen doing.

Chicago is grasping for any and all revenue to ease its fiscal woes, and its latest move is to tax Internet cloud services. Think of Chicago's Mayor Rahm Emanuel as an apparition on your sofa dunning you each time you watch "House of Cards." And then imagine every other politician who will want to get a share of this nearly automatic Internet revenue stream.Ronald Reagan liked to *quip* that if it moves, government will tax it. In Chicago now—and maybe soon in your neighborhood—that will literally be true.

a ghost or ghostlike image of a person 2. make persistent demands on (someone), especially for payment of a debt 3. make a witty remark

The IMF is negotiating an expanded *bailout* for Ukraine as part of the larger international emergency-financing package

an instance of coming to the rescue, especially financially:

Imagine this. Small theater, lights down, and suddenly elegant, beautiful young artists in 18th-century *garb* come out and create a world.

dress in distinctive clothes

Japan's purchases will help soothe *lingering* concerns that U.S. bond prices could decline as China slows its buying.

lasting for a long time or slow to end

Cheap plastic and *cluttered* software.

mess, disorder

Beijing's Textbook *Hypocrisy*

the practice of claiming to have higher standards or more noble beliefs than is the case

a *flotilla* of Chinese boats was flouting international conventions by harvesting endangered sea creatures from the disputed shoal

a group of small naval vessels, especially a naval unit containing two or more squadrons.

Can the Iraqis readjust their army to better reflect culture and clan in time for the next offensive? Can the United States commit to an air campaign to rival Desert Storm? Can we provide enough moral and technical support to make all this possible by the beginning of the next campaign season in April and May 2016? I don't know. But I do know that history has been harsh to those who try to build alien armies in their own image. All the American firepower and "boots on the ground" will be for *naught* unless we allow the Iraqis to fight their war their way.

nothing

because of a high *statutory* rate

prescribed or authorized by statute(enactment). legally punishable.

"I don't think that our European Union membership precludes us from building an illiberal new state based on national foundations," Mr. Orbán said in a speech last year, citing Russia, China and Turkey as exemplars.

prevent from happening; make impossible

On top of that, bank managers are often quite *hostile* to poor people "invading their premises."

showing or feeling opposition or dislike; unfriendly

Americans may *smirk* at benighted Europeans, but the U.S. is no longer the only domestic market capable of seeding global digital businesses.

smile in an irritatingly smug, conceited, or silly way

there is something to be said for militias or at least militia-based conventional units in the Iraqi military. The T.E. Lawrence model would mold an effective force by clustering close-combat formations around familiar and trusted leaders, taking cultures, clans, tribes and ethnicities into account. Such an approach is *anathema* to Americans who see strength in cultural and ethnic mixing. But recent history strongly suggests that Middle Eastern societies do not.

something or someone that one vehemently dislikes

The *incumbent* was challenged by a fusion candidate

the holder of an office:

Mr. Deen's *facade* crumbles as his neighbors whisper about what books he reads and wonder whether he prays on the Sabbath.

the principal front of a building , that faces on to a street or open space or a deceptive outward appearance of a person

Lee came from the diaspora of simple, poor emigrants who had been driven from the South China Coast by *penury*

the state of being very poor; extreme poverty

I consider Deng a greater leader who changed the destiny of China and the world," he said. He was deeply gratified by the way that Deng had brought wealth, power, order and pride back to China—still his racial homeland—as well as to all Chinese.Deng's admiration of Lee was just as deep. He appreciated Lee's pragmatism and friendship, especially his refusal to criticize China for its undemocratic form of statecraft, even after the *infamy* of 1989.

the state of being well known for some bad quality or deed

While colleagues made careers covering human conflicts raging across Southeast Asia, Mr. Brown focused on animal trafficking. He joined park patrols against *poachers*, roaming *grisly* border markets and Chinese animal-parts supermarkets.

1. a person who trespasses on private property, especially to catch fish or game illegally. 2. causing horror or disgust

But seven decades have passed since the commemoration of these memorials and to most of us now they're simply the flag-*festooned* *backdrop* for parades and political speeches in late May and early July. When the occasion calls for it, we solemnly remove our hats and pay homage to the "ultimate sacrifice" these countrymen made. But that's a hollow abstraction until put in everyday terms.

1. adorn (a place) with chains, garlands, or other decorations 2. a painted cloth hung at the back of a theatre stage as part of the scenery.

Though some conservative Hindus, such as the yoga guru Baba Ramdev, remain opposed to homosexuality, antigay positions lack deep scriptural sanction in Hinduism. As the writer Devdutt Pattanaik points out, ancient Indian scriptures frowned upon homosexuality but carried no threats of *eternal* *damnation*

1. lasting or existing forever; without end 2. condemnation to eternal punishment in hell.

Federal prosecutors are closing in on criminal charges against General Motors Co. over a faulty ignition switch linked to more than 100 deaths.Mr. Bharara has said that, from his viewpoint, the auto industry, which had never previously faced federal criminal cases related to product defects, has long needed the threat of criminal *liability* to *spur* overdue changes......

1. the state of being legally responsible for something. 2. a thing that prompts or encourages someone; an incentive.

Half the world seems to be obsessed with debt relief for Greece. The farther observers are from Brussels, Berlin or Frankfurt, the more they seem to believe that only a massive upfront *write-off* of public debt can save Athens.

a cancellation from an account of a bad debt or worthless asset

Japan now faces an ascendant China: the rapid growth of Chinese wealth and military power; the buildup of its maritime forces; a *commemoration* and education policy that fuels grievance and hostility toward Japan; aggressive territorial claims on islands Japan believes it owns; and *intransigence* in other territorial disputes (notably in the South China Sea).

a ceremony or celebration in which a person or event is remembered UnCompromising

Four years ago, Congress began considering legislation to encourage companies to share information—with one another and the government—about active threats in their networks. Experts heralded this step as essential, much like sharing data on a flu outbreak. But the effort stalled after Edward Snowden's disclosures, because critics equated sharing cyberthreat data with aiding government surveillance. That was a *red herring*. As any chief information security officer will tell you, organizations don't want your personal information when receiving alerts about cyberattacks. They do need technical data that they can plug directly into their systems, such as lines of malware code to detect, malicious Internet Protocol addresses to block and vulnerabilities to patch. Mr. Comey and other officials have emphasized that the same is true for the government.

a clue or piece of information which is or is intended to be misleading or distracting herring is also a variety of fish

Consumers are so frustrated by rotten food that they won't mind taking extra steps to curb it, OXO says. "Consumers say it's worth making a habit change and not just throw something in a plastic bag to sit at the bottom of the *crisper*," says Lua O'Brien, an OXO product manager.

a compartment at the bottom of a refrigerator for storing fruit and vegetables

"they donated their collection of prints with the *stipulation* that they never be publicly exhibited"

a condition or requirement that is specified or demanded as part of an agreement

Collateral is another matter. The ELA is secured by a *hodgepodge(hotchpotch)* of collateral: some of the banks' loans, some covered bonds, a little bit of government debt. For the four big banks, though, a special kind of government-guaranteed bond makes up a large chunk of the collateral.

a confused mixture

Production mistakes at a giant Airbus Group SE factory outside Hamburg a decade ago crippled the European plane maker. Today, the complex is a model of efficiency and a *nexus* for the company's efforts to produce jetliners at an unprecedented clip.

a connection or series of connections linking two or more things

Tech companies also have to work with a *thicket* of governments, telecommunications operators, nonprofits, private organizations, schools and other entities, which vary by location and often work inefficiently with each other.

a dense group of bushes or trees

A technical demo of the Oculus Touch controller rings, which have a gun-like grip, took place in a second room. Once I slipped on the headset and grabbed the new controller, Brian Hook, who heads Oculus's audio team, appeared as a floating head and a pair of floating hands. (Not his real face, but an avatar more akin to a department-store *mannequin*.) Hook's avatar instructed me to point my finger. When I did, my own digital hands floated in front of me. I pulled a trigger under my middle, ring and pinky fingers, and my fist came to a close. When I gave a thumbs up or waved, my on-screen hands did the same.

a dummy used to display clothes in a shop window.

"Greek yogurt redefined the American consumer's palate, and now they're more adventuresome and really enjoying thicker yogurts," says Koel Thomae, co-founder of Noosa Yoghurt, a line of full-fat yogurts. "Fat certainly delivers flavor, and it's a *travesty* not to have any in your diet."

a false, absurd, or distorted representation of something.

marshal(n)

a higher ranking officer

Suppose a dormitory reduces its "tax" burden by $100,000 by adding solar panels at an amortized annual net cost of $50,000. The university takes in $100,000 less of tax "revenue" and will subsequently *rebate* $100,000 less elsewhere, so the "neutrality" is preserved. But it just spent $50,000 very real dollars.

a partial refund to someone who has paid too much for tax, rent, or a utility

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry two weeks later assured the world that "we are looking very closely at this matter and considering next steps." To hold regime figures accountable, Ms. Power told reporters after the Thursday meeting, the West was still searching for the right diplomatic "*modalities*." Surely nothing terrifies brutal Arab *tyrants* more than diplomatic modalities.(sarcasm)

a particular mode in which something exists or is experienced or expressed a cruel and oppressive ruler

Identical twins, the brothers grew up in Elkin, N.C., a small town in the Bible Belt, the only children of devout *Baptists*.

a person who baptizes.(to cleanse spiritually; initiate or dedicate by purifying. )

Global food and beverage brands tend to be *trail blazers* in developing markets. They are often among the first to recognize the potential in countries like India. A country with a billion consumers and rising incomes is a no brainer for consumer-goods companies. Whether its chocolate bars, carbonated drinks or frozen french fries, the middle-class households of the subcontinent are getting increasingly addicted to the taste and convenience of readymade foods. Global brands, including Mondelez International Inc., Danone SA, Mars Inc., Kellogg Co., Kraft Foods Group and McCain Foods Ltd., have been piling into the country to serve them.

a person who is the first to do something; an innovator.

Many critics reject this proposition. The alternative to this bad deal is not war, they argue; it is a better deal. And we can get that deal by walking away from the table, *ratcheting* up sanctions and waiting until economic pressure forces the Iranians to accept what they now reject.

a situation or process that is perceived to be changing in a series of irreversible steps

Microsoft made me look into a pupilometer—a box that measures the distance between my pupils. This helps calibrate the images on the HoloLens. Inside the spaceship room, Microsoft employees in white lab coats helped me put on the HoloLens. This is the second time I've tried it, and the second time I was left feeling like the headset was heavy and bothersome to wear. The headset is attached to a ring that sits on the back of your head, more *yarmulke* than baseball cap. A dial on the back lets you tighten the ring to keep it in place. Once that's secure, you pull the HoloLens display up or down, and nearer or farther from your face.

a skullcap worn in public by Orthodox Jewish men or during prayer by other Jewish men.

During difficult weekend negotiations on the bailout program, some eurozone government officials openly contemplated a Greek departure from the currency area, violating a previous *taboo*.

a social or religious custom prohibiting or restricting a particular practice or forbidding association with a particular person, place, or thing

Mr. Daniels spearheaded the research, and his *penchant* for data mining is one reminder that he is a former White House budget director.

a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something

Congress has cut funding for co-ops three times—cuts all signed into law by President Obama—reducing *appropriations* from $6 billion to $2.4 billion. All the *upfront* money from the feds has been allocated mostly in the form of "solvency" loans. Most co-ops survive on what little remains unspent from those loans.

a sum of money allocated officially for a particular 2. made in advance (an upfront fee of 400)

First, some of the health-care law's most unpopular and expensive mandates should be scrapped. These include the long list of coverage requirements that drive up costs and force many people to buy insurance that is more than they want or can afford. For example, one of my constituents in Wyoming asked me why the law forced her to pay for maternity coverage after she had a *hysterectomy*.

a surgical operation to remove all or part of the womb

When Mr. Evrard's team for the first time turned on the power on an A350 in July 2012, only a handful of glitches emerged, rather than the accustomed *litany* of bugs. Ten months later the A350 completed its maiden flight, two weeks before a self-imposed deadline.

a tedious recital or repetitive series

Police killed Abdulazeez after he shot up a military recruitment station in a strip mall and then ambushed a naval operations support center. Federal investigators are probing potential terror links and his months-long *sojourn* in Jordan last year, as well as suspected online commentary like "Brothers and sisters don't be fooled by your desires, this life is short and bitter and the opportunity to submit to Allah may pass you by."

a temporary stay

For Centuries, Thailand Has Dug the Idea of a Canal Not a *spade* has been turned, but the notion won't die; squabbling, cobras and tigers

a tool with a sharp-edged, typically rectangular, metal blade and a long handle, used for digging or cutting earth, sand, turf, etc.

valium (diazepam) drug

a tranquillizing muscle-relaxant drug used chiefly to relieve anxiety.

most schools offer lessons in *abstinence* — or nothing at all — as the only form of sex education

abscent ,any self-restraint, self-denial, or forbearance.

Not all the kids may have caught her point, but her *allusion* to Shylock, the play's vindictive Jewish anti-hero, would not have been lost on literate Argentines. Nor would they have missed her reference to those "vulture funds," her term of abuse for Argentina's holdout creditors, led by Elliott Management's Paul Singer, who have had the *chutzpah* to insist on being repaid. Her refusal to do so led to Argentina's default last year, which hasn't stopped her from *heaping* thinly veiled anti-Semitic abuse on Mr. Singer, who happens to be Jewish.

an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference 2. extreme self-confidence or audacity (usually used approvingly). 3. put (objects or a loose substance) in a heap

By aiding Pakistan over the years—some $40 billion since 1950, according to the Congressional Research Service—the U.S. has fed Pakistan's *delusion* of being India's regional military equal.

an idiosyncratic belief or impression maintained despite being contradicted by reality or rational argument

The Iran Deal and the 'Problem of *Conjecture*'. Obama is hoping that the nuclear pact will lead to equilibrium in the Middle East. All the evidence points the other way

an opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information

In rural North Carolina in the 1980s, entering the Catholic community left Father Brad on the *fringe* of his own.

an outer edge; margin; periphery:

the thousands of foreigners who have converged there to establish an Islamic *utopia* they believe will soon conquer the planet.

any visionary system of political or social perfection.

Call it a photography renaissance or narcissism run *amok*. The new rule is: "Pics or it didn't happen."

behave uncontrollably and disruptively

In the last scene, Mr. Brant *stoops* to the heavy-handed we're-just-like-them parallelism without which the progressive patrons of the Public Theater would likely gag on his scrupulously fair snapshots of military culture.

bend one's head or body forwards and downwards

Mr. Putin's diplomacy seeks Russian participation, on what he has called "an equal basis" with other European powers, in decision-making about European security and economic affairs. This would enable Russia to subvert European policies from the inside—further intimidating an already demilitarizing Europe and splintering European societies—and, as Moscow hopes, to decouple Europe from the U.S.

break or cause to break into small sharp fragments

Dr. Lang told me that in his 28 years of practice, he's seen only one person who had "true allergic reactions" to sulfites. Such reactions, he added, typically involve shortness of breath and *wheezing*, not headaches.

breathe with a whistling or rattling sound in the chest, as a result of obstruction in the air passages.

"San Andreas" changes all too quickly from satisfyingly foolish to *dismayingly* dumb to genuinely stupid. The movie only looks like an epic spectacle of a nation-size state reduced to rubble. What it's really about, if I may borrow a phrase from talk radio, is focus on the family—a focus on Ray's family that trivializes everything else and turns it into tumbling backdrop.

cause (someone) to feel concern and distress

In 1982, 15% of Americans were living below the poverty level; in 2013 the proportion was nearly the same, a *dismaying* 14.5%.

cause (someone) to feel concern and distress

He and his wife agree to divorce, but despite Mr. Deen's hopes for "the most *amicable* split in the history of amicable splits," the *ensuing* custody battle deprives him of most of his rights to keep in touch with his children.

characterized by friendliness and absence of discord 2. happen or occur afterwards or as a result

Unlike cooking gas, which is controlled by the federal government, the kerosene subsidy is administered by states and disbursed through a corrupt and inefficient public distribution system. Local politicians are often in *cahoots* with mafias that adulterate petrol and diesel with cheap kerosene. Largely poor kerosene users are less likely to be equipped with Aadhaar cards and bank accounts.

colluding or conspiring together secretly

Mr. Blatter's surprise announcement comes in the wake of U.S. criminal charges leveled last week at more than a dozen current and former FIFA officials and sports-marketing executives accused of *complicity* in alleged corruption over more than two decades.

comply, involve

Young men in Eritrea—one of world's most isolated nations, according to human-rights groups—face mandatory, unpaid *conscription*.

compulsory enlistment for state service, typically into the armed forces

"*Vested* interests won't surrender their privileges," said Zou Jialai, a Shanghai-based lawyer who has represented private firms against the salt monopoly for 13 years. He said salt companies have long used health, safety and employment concerns to shield their monopoly.

confer or bestow (power, authority, property, etc.) on someone

the U.S. and its allies did not shore up sufficient support in vulnerable countries. In Libya, the U.S., France, and Britain helped overthrow Moammar Gadhafi. But they failed to provide sufficient resources to build a competent successor government, *eschewing* anything that smelled like nation-building.

deliberately avoid using; abstain from

At a White House event in June with young South Asian leaders, he answered a pointed question about Mr. Anwar's imprisonment with a *dainty* answer about how "democracy is hard," adding that "it's important for America to recognize that we're not perfect, either." And what, exactly, did Mr. Obama have in mind? "I mean, the amounts of money, for example, that are involved in our elections these days is disturbing because it makes it seem as if a few people have more influence in the democracy than the many."

delicately small and pretty

India's central government controlled 290 business enterprises as of March 2014. Accounting for more than a fifth of the country's economic activity, they drill for oil, run hotels and make everything from watches to *prosthetic* limbs.

denoting an artificial body part, such as a limb, a heart, or a breast implant

An abiding goal of President Obama's foreign policy has been to reduce America's role in the Middle East, in the belief that it would lead to greater stability and serve U.S. interests. Has a policy ever been so thoroughly *repudiated* in so short a time?

deny the truth or validity of

contingency (-- Anthem said it doesn't expect the incident to affect its 2015 financial outlook, "primarily as a result of normal contingency planning and preparation.")

dependence on chance or on the fulfillment of a condition; uncertainty;

'Were you able to sew it back on?" That was the question a 9-year-old Syrian boy asked me when he woke from surgery. His hand was *obliterated* after a helicopter dropped a barrel bomb on his school.

destroy utterly; wipe out

How long the remaining cash lasts and how unsettled Greeks become will be big factors in Sunday's referendum on creditors' demands for more *austerity* in exchange for more bailout funds. The tighter the squeeze, the more Greeks might vote "yes" to reconcile with creditors, analysts say.

difficult economic conditions created by government measures to reduce public expenditure

The beauty of "Grounded" (and I use that word very *deliberately*) resides in the seemingly stenographic naturalism with which Mr. Brant renders the just-the-facts-ma'am speech of his nameless pilot.

done consciously and intentionally

Advocates of renewable energy such as Deutsche Bank anticipate that electricity from solar panels will cost the same as electricity from the grid (so-called grid parity) in the not-too-distant future. But none suggest that solar can do so now without subsidies. And as Germany, Britain and other European countries are finding out, *overt* subsidies are only one part of the cost of renewables.

done or shown openly; plainly apparent

the U.S. needs to play a far more active role in addressing the territorial disputes in South China Sea. A new diplomacy should have three *prongs*.

each of two or more projecting pointed parts at the end of a fork

Distinguishing among ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities can be like sorting through shades of black, but the Skverer community is notable for its *fervor*.

eagerness, enthusiasm and exitement

The problem is that Americans aren't *guzzling* enough gallons to achieve Congress's mandates at E-10—that is, 10% ethanol, 90% gas. Either we need to drive more in less fuel-efficient cars, consuming more overall. Or the concentration of ethanol in a given gallon needs to rise, risking accidents, breakdowns and valve, pump, cylinder and injector replacements rarely covered by consumer warranties. For model years 2001 through 2011, no car makers allow blends above E-10, and a little fewer than half say it is safe to fill up with E-15 for the last two model years.

eat or drink (something) greedily

In Europe, sales increased nearly 15% as demand in some markets where car sales have *slumped* in recent years, such as Spain, recovered.

to drop or fall heavily; collapse

In Indonesia Mr. Xi *burnished* his credentials as a benefactor to the world's needy, promising preferential tariff treatment to the least-developed countries that have diplomatic ties with China.

enhance or improve

growth is likely to remain sluggish, which should keep the RBI from getting *bogged down* by inflationary threats.

entangled, involved , mixed up

Several officers were killed and their bodies *mutilated*

to injure, disfigure, or make imperfect by removing or irreparably damaging parts:

threatened sanctions against the country that is facing a looming *famine*.

extreme and general scarcity of food, as in a country or a large geographical area.

Marriage has provided rich *fodder* for wise-crackers and wits

food, especially dried hay or straw, for cattle and other livestock

But Silicon Valley companies and others in the U.S. bristle at rules that could *impinge* on freedom of speech.

have an effect or impact

The troubles in China's tire industry provide a glimpse of how *pernicious* deflationary pressures can be.

having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way

When Tango's two years ran out early this year, the 3-D project was moved into Google to support the company's *augmented*-reality gaming efforts

having been made greater in size or value

One Sunday last year, the young couple eloped. It happened that way because the girl's parents disapproved of their relationship, so the two would meet on the *sly*. But that day, her father spotted them together.

having or showing a cunning and deceitful nature.

Of course, the Obama administration's *vindictive* digs at Mr. Netanyahu are really about the Persians in Iran, not the Arabs in Gaza and the West Bank.

having or showing a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge

"India's move to develop ties with countries like Vietnam and Iran could put some competitive diplomatic pressure on China," said Ma Jiali, an India analyst at the China Reform Forum, a think tank affiliated with the Communist Party's Central Party School. Still, he said, he doesn't foresee "a *malevolent* contest or existential conflict."

having or showing a wish to do evil to others.

In the early spring of 1944 a political prisoner in the Buchenwald concentration camp penned a letter to his wife, Käthe, in Hamburg. "It looks like we have to count on a long separation, but we must hope strongly for a reunion," wrote the prisoner, a doctor named Hermann da Fonseca-Wollheim. "Today is Palm Sunday, a sunny, wintry day on our mountain. Tonight at six I will listen to Furtwängler's concert on the radio. Why don't you, too, tune in to the radio on Sundays and then we can think about each other *fervently*." It was the last letter Käthe would receive from Hermann. Six weeks later, on May 13, she was notified of his death, supposedly of disease.

having or showing great warmth or intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm, etc.; ardent

We suspect that Umm Sayyaf is a member of ISIL, played an important role in ISIL's terrorist activities and may have been *complicit* in the enslavement of the young woman rescued last night

involved with others in an activity that is unlawful or morally wrong

The IT sector is expected to see a rebound in the coming months," as the impact of sweltering heat and the earthquake fade, said Pollyanna De Lima, economist at Markit. "An upturn in employment combined with improved business confidence further add to evidence that prospects may brighten."

uncomfortably hot.

the music is often palpably *ardent*

very enthusiastic or passionate

India's foe is neither Sunni nor Shia Islam as practiced by the average believer but the radicalism *spawned* by power-hungry ideologues in each sect.

release or deposit eggs

Authorities banned the companies from the city, saying they needed to obtain proper approvals and comply with safety requirements. Uber, Ola and TaxiForSure continued to operate despite the ban, saying they had applied for the required licenses. In response, Delhi authorities have *impounded* vehicles and asked India's federal government to block ride-booking apps in the city.

seize and take legal custody of (something, especially a vehicle, goods, or documents) because of an infringement of a law.

This can be seen as *eugenics*, thought by earlier generations to be desirable but now generally considered abhorrent

the science of improving a population by controlled breeding to increase the occurrence of desirable heritable characteristics

To the extent that Mr. Obama was seen as the *culmination* of a decades-long civil-rights effort focused on increasing black political power,

to end or arrive at a final stage

IMP

"What they(arabs and israelies) are really doing is relying on the U.S. as their security guarantor. And if they get into trouble again, they are going to blow the whistle."

But on Memorial Day, we can make a different choice. A moment's reflection is all it takes to realize that every name on your town's monument was a real person. One who bicycled the same streets as you, who sleepily delivered the morning *Gazette*, who was kept after school for *cutting up*, who sneaked a smoke out back(ass), who *cannon-balled* into the local pond in the *dog days* of summer.

1. a journal or newspaper, especially the official one of an organization or institution. 2. a person who is fond of making jokes or playing the fool. 3. a jump into water feet first with the knees clasped to the chest. 4. the hottest period of the year (reckoned in antiquity from the heliacal rising of Sirius, the Dog Star).

a flotilla of Chinese boats was flouting international conventions by harvesting endangered sea creatures from the disputed *shoal*

a place where a sea, river, or other body of water is shallow.

To register panic about all this and drive up prices, however, oil buyers have to be able to *hoard* oil.

accumulate (money or valued objects) and hide or store away.

The latest sign of growing global concerns over cybersecurity: Singapore has established a new agency to combat bad guys *lurking* in the Internet's shadows.

be or remain hidden so as to wait in ambush for someone or something.

Others objected to the mandate itself—and so began the antivaccination movement, long before actress Jenny McCarthy *spewed* her views on national television.

be poured or forced out in large quantities

The outgoing U.S. chief of naval operations, Adm. Jonathan Greenert, is said to have grown so close to his Chinese counterpart, Adm. Wu Shengli, that some Pentagon officials refer to the duo by the *portmanteau* "Wunert."

consisting of or combining two or more aspects or qualities

It is a tough balancing act for the West, not wanting to put money into a black hole, but at the same time trying to encourage the fragile *pro*-West government in the face of Moscow's interventions.

in favor of a proposition, opinion,

Many managers point to their "fiduciary duty"—their obligation to protect their client's interests. Under existing laws, they say, *fiduciary* duty is a barrier to using any metric other than financial returns in their investment analysis.

involving trust, especially with regard to the relationship between a trustee and a beneficiary.

*Improvised* explosives hampered efforts on day two of a major Iraqi offensive to reclaim the strategic city of Tikrit from Islamic State militants on Tuesday

made or said without previous preparation:

Neither did the persons roasted take offence to the insults nor did any paying member of the audience want his money back on grounds of *obscenity* or otherwise.

not decent, indecency

The idea *bucked* industry convention. Business jets sit too low to fit engines below the wings, and putting them above was thought to lead unavoidably to swirling air that drags on the aircraft.

oppose or resist (something oppressive or inevitable).

The lesson is that companies like AT&T and T-Mobile don't propose deals lightly and don't do so to *gouge* customers—not that they wouldn't like to gouge customers, but if doing so were possible a deal likely wouldn't be needed. Companies propose megadeals to weather investment demands and competitive challenges they see coming, and governments ought not to be quite so confident about stopping them in the name of the "consumer."

overcharge or swindle someone

A huge amount of surplus production is already sloshing around the world, mostly as a result of U.S. *fracking*.

overflow

Mr. Obama will name a Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, "who will be focused solely on leading our diplomatic efforts with other countries to bring our people home." The President also announced that a new "fusion cell" within the government "will include a person dedicated to coordinating the support families get from the government." As always in Washington, this person's clout will depend on how much he is *heeded* by senior White House aides, but at least hostage families will have a single point of contact. This will help families who say they hear one thing from the FBI, another from the State Department, a third from the White House, and perhaps a fourth from someone who knows someone in government.

pay attention to; take notice of

what are Saudi Arabia's choices? The short, subdued statement this week by Riyadh's embassy in Washington again calling for "strict, sustainable" inspections speaks volumes about the kingdom's precarious position and its lack of good options. The deal obviously comes as no surprise to the Saudis, who have watched the Obama administration fervently *court* Iran at Saudi expense. Given that the kingdom already has taken any number of actions to try to protect itself, few remain. So don't expect any significant Saudi action in the short term, not even openly lobbying Congress against the deal.

pay special attention to (someone) in an attempt to win their support or favour.

Mr. Putin has lately been engaging in a hybrid type of warfare that exploits the thinking that a war is not a war until it involves heavy fighting between conventional units. By undershooting the traditional threshold of Article 5, Mr. Putin seems to believe that he can *stymie* the countermeasures of a target's friends and allies.

prevent or hinder the progress of.

Could the ECB *forestall* Grexit at the last minute?

prevent or obstruct (an anticipated event or action) by taking advance action

Upon impact, they pancake buildings and *pulverize* limbs and bodies.

reduce to fine particles

China's Foreign Ministry *quashed* any hope Mr. Liu might be released while fielding questions about Ms. Suu Kyi's trip at a regular news briefing on Thursday. "There is no reason to alter a decision made by China's judiciary based on law," said ministry spokesman Hong Lei. He said China hoped the visit would deepen trust and understanding between the NLD and the Communist Party.

reject as invalid, especially by legal procedure

In separate drills nearby, other Philippine troops this week are training with Americans, who for the first time included a *littoral* combat ship, the USS Forth Worth, newly based in Singapore as part of Washington's Asian "rebalance." The U.S. and the Philippines last year signed a new defense agreement that could see U.S. Marines rotate through Palawan bases.

relating to or situated on the shore of the sea or a lake

the defeat of the Bharatiya Janata Party by the left-leaning Aam Aadmi Party, which has pledged to cut electricity and water prices, could encourage the BJP to pursue more *populist* measures.

representation or extolling of the common person, the working class, the underdog,

ObamaCare will be first on the chopping block, as well it should, and Republicans have adequate plans to replace it that most Americans will likely welcome. Curbs on oil and natural gas production can be eased or eliminated. Executive orders can be promptly *rescinded*.

revoke, cancel, or repeal (a law, order, or agreement)

No one in government has paid any price for allowing the hack to happen by failing to use encryption to protect the records, and the Chinese who are believed to have done the stealing must be laughing it up. "Just imagine if you were a foreign intelligence service and you had that data, how it might be useful," FBI Director James Comey told reporters on Thursday. Good point. Mr. Comey declined to say what the government is doing about it, though he did *aver* that "this is the subject of a lot of conversation and work in the U.S. government." *That's swell*, though perhaps not all that reassuring to those whose Social Security numbers and personal vulnerabilities are being *scoured* in Beijing or some other place that wants to do Americans harm. Here's a question for Mr. Comey and the White House: Do they consider such a direct cyber attack on American records to be an act of war, or merely one more example of federal government incompetence? Or both?

state or assert to be the case 2. that's great! 3. clean or brighten the surface of (something) by rubbing it hard

There has been so much squabbling over where to dig a canal that Thailand's current ruler, Prayuth Chan-ocha, has instructed everybody involved to *pipe down*, according to people familiar with the matter.

stop talking; be less noisy

It's fashionable to *bash* fossil fuels. But these fuels have provided a better life for untold millions of people. And they offer the best hope for pulling billions more out of poverty.

strike hard and violently

Mr. Shinwari's wife and children went into hiding, moving among family and friends. Meanwhile, over in America, Mr. Zeller was putting his Scottish *orneriness* to good effect, enlisting members of Congress, prodding the bureaucracy and in general refusing to take no for an answer. Finally, in October 2013, Mr. Shinwari and his family stepped off a flight onto American soil.

stubborn

Russia would be even more emboldened in its geopolitical *predations*. Vladimir Putin would be raking in *vaster* bucks, rather than vastly diminished bucks, for his oil.

the preying of one animal on others vast ..vaster...vastest

Earlier in the day, Hong Kong legislators began debating a controversial electoral reform bill meant to change how the city elects its chief executive. The new system—tailored to a framework proposed by Beijing—would bring universal *suffrage* to the former British colony. Yet voters would have to choose among candidates nominated by a 1,200-person committee stacked in Beijing's favor. Resistance against the proposal has been strong. In the fall it triggered a week of student boycotts that snowballed into a 75-day occupation of major city streets, with protesters demanding an opportunity to choose a candidate not vetted by Beijing.

the right to vote in political elections

With better luck, this week's experience of bank closures will have *chastened* Greeks into understanding that they are in no position to make demands of creditors who no longer fear the prospect of Greece's *implosion*, except out of a sense of pity

(especially of God) discipline; punish 2. the act of imploding; a bursting inward opposite of xplosion

"I haven't come across such a *gruesome* case," said S.K. Dhatterwal, the doctor who performed an *autopsy* on the woman.

1. extremely unpleasant 2.. inspection and dissection of a body after death

A riot broke out Sunday night outside a soccer game in Egypt, with a *stampede* and fighting between police and fans killing at least 25 people

a sudden, frenzied rush or headlong flight of a herd of frightened animals, especially cattle or horses.

The championship bout marked the latest *salvo* in the piracy wars between tech companies, which are cultivating ways for people to share content, and media giants, who are trying to protect their programming.

a sudden, vigorous, or aggressive act or series of acts

People born yesterday applaud your analysis. The rest of us who've past puberty and given up on *credulity* see this agreement for what it is.

a tendency to be too ready to believe that something is real or true

Naturally we come to the potentially least important piece of today's *mélange*: the Obama administration's negotiations over Iran's nuclear program

a varied mixture

For Ms. Begum, a *seamstress* who is part of Bangladesh's 4-million-strong garment-factory workforce, mobile money has changed her approach to handling cash. Like many garment workers, who work long hours and struggle to save money, she has rarely seen the inside of a bank.

a woman who sews, especially one who earns her living by sewing

The migrants, many of them sick and hungry, were stuck for several hours on a convoy of buses under a blazing sun as officials *bickered* about who should take them.

argue about petty and trivial matters

The small vehicle's un*molested* flight underscores the challenges facing agencies guarding the country's most visible institutions.

attack, hurt, harm, Injure

In 1934, after the SS *decapitated* the rival SA in the "Night of the Long Knives," it sealed its victory by taking complete control of the camps.

attempt to undermine (a group or organization) by removing its leaders

the behavior that had made Iran an outlier-its *furtive* effort to attain nuclear weapons' capacity-has turned out to offer Tehran a way in from the cold.

attempting to avoid notice or attention

The difficulties associated with cracking down on individual smugglers and their boats were illustrated by the first *trawlers* to reach Malaysia.

fish with a trawl net or seine

Western economies would likely be in free fall. The *grudging* U.S. recovery would be in retreat

given or allowed only reluctantly or resentfully

Mr. Jaitley said, the government will move forward with measures designed to lighten the regulatory burden on companies and make it easier to do business in India. "Decisions must be quicker," he said. "All kinds of permissions should be *expedited*."

make (an action or process) happen sooner or be accomplished more quickly

In the West, he continued, "the idea of the inviolability of the individual has been turned into *dogma*."

a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true

The *armistice* signed on Feb. 12 regarding occupied parts of eastern Ukraine is more than a military cease fire

a truce

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said that world relations are based on international obligations and commitments, "not based on the domestic U.S. laws." Any future *annulment* of U.S. commitments would be "an obvious violation of international laws,"

abolish; cancel; invalidate:

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni deployed more than 3,000 troops to South Sudan *ostensibly* to evacuate trapped Ugandan citizens

apparent, evident, or conspicuous:

It speaks volumes that preventing the breakout of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East may depend on French *fortitude*, but this is where we are.

courage in pain or adversity

Most studies of nerve stimulation are for "purposes that differ tremendously from the Thync," he says. "More research is *warranted*."

justify or necessitate (a course of action).

As a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing *eulogized* Lee after his death, "He was a uniquely Asian statesman and a strategist boasting both Eastern values and international vision."

praise highly in speech or writing

The favorable collaboration of Boeing appears to have worked. In the nearly two years since the rule went into effect, no Boeing sales have been *nixed* as a result.

put an end to; cancel.

Parents say it is easier to interest video-savvy children in colorful board games with splashy graphics than in *staid*-looking playing cards.

quiet and serious

Mr. Abe wouldn't say whether he planned to extend any new *conciliation* to his critics, offering only: "I have no intention of trying to change how people around the world feel about the war."

the action of stopping someone being angry;

The inside of that first car is just melted and *charred*

to burn or reduce to charcoal :

Beijing has *bankrolled* port construction in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and its navy has been more active in the region.

to finance; provide funds for:

Facebook Inc. pushed back on Thursday against some accusations from Belgian scholars that the social network *trampled* over its users' privacy rights - but admitted that the academics found a "bug" that mistakenly tracked people even while they weren't on Facebook's website.

treat with contempt

IMP

where both Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, have been beating the drum against the deal.

Some full-fat yogurts are now marketed as a dessert equal and alternative, rather than a dieter's virtuous substitute. Chobani last year introduced a whole-milk yogurt line called Chobani Indulgent, which is "so *decadent*, it can only be dessert," its website says. Flavors include double chocolate chunk. "We give *portion control* and it's under 200 calories, but you don't feel cheated," says Peter McGuinness, Chobani's chief marketing officer. "We joke that indulgence has never been so innocent."

a person who is luxuriously self-indulgent 2. Portion control is understanding how much a serving size of food is and how many calories or how much food energy a serving contains. Portion control is important for body weight management as the weight is defined by the total calorie intake.

The irony is that even as Justice Kennedy and the four liberal Justices are celebrated as *trailblazers* for minority rights, they are trailing public opinion, not shaping it.

a person who makes a new track through wild country

Even though he is now gone, the Venice-like republic he founded will continue to be extolled as a hopeful experiment, and the man himself, the *progenitor* of what has come to be known as the "Singapore model," will doubtless remain an influential political evangelist.

a person who originates a cultural or intellectual movement

An Indian court blocked the broadcast of a documentary about a 2012 gang rape and murder saying an interview in the film with one of the *perpetrators* could "cause huge public outcry."

a person who perpetrates, or commits, an illegal, criminal, or evil act:

Fighting continued even as the talks dragged on, signaling that both the rebels and Ukrainian forces are *jockeying* for territory and influence before the new cease-fire take effect.

a person who pilots, operates, or guides the movement of something, as an airplane or automobile.

Hayes summarily ejected a man named Bill Reed, who was accompanying a group of out-of-town sportswriters. Bill Reed, at the time, was merely the commissioner of the Big 10. Woody, Mr. Kessler said, "didn't give a rat's ass[*posterior*]."

a person's buttocks

As former United Nations and U.S. weapons inspector David Kay recently explained to me: "Unfettered access to people and documents is required to tell inspectors what to look for and where to go." From there, the inspectors—in a genuine nuclear-inspections program—would construct a comprehensive *mosaic* of Iran's nuclear programs, *overt* and covert.

a picture or pattern produced by arranging together small pieces of stone, tile, glass, etc done or shown openly; plainly apparent

Even though Mr. Xi managed a smile and a handshake with Mr. Abe, those were not the sentiments that he wanted to hear at his moment of triumph in Bandung. From the *vantage point* of Beijing's leaders, diplomatic problems with Japan as well as Southeast Asian allies of America stem from the role they play in a U.S. Cold War policy of "containment" aimed at blocking China's rise. Indeed, the original Bandung Conference took place just as the Cold War was ramping up.

a place or position affording a good view of something

Mr. Modi's efforts to strengthen his party's position in Parliament's upper house, where his political opponents, who are in the majority, are *stymying* his economic program

a situation or problem presenting such difficulties as to discourage or defeat any attempt to deal with or resolve it.

Micromax and a handful of rivals in India are upping the *ante* by slapping together off-the-shelf hardware from China, making adjustments to follow fast-moving consumer trends, and shipping out a new model every few weeks.

a stake put up by a player in poker or brag before receiving cards

United Launch Alliance LLC surprised many in the rocket industry this week with its plan, which would involve large helicopters with extendible booms to snare spent engines in rockets as they parachute down from the edge of space after delivering their payload.

a trap for catching birds or mammals, typically one having a noose of wire or cord

Mr. Putin cannot be president forever, and Russia will need a viable liberal alternative to the *thugocrats* vying to take charge of the Kremlin.

a violent person, especially a criminal

A whole generation of consumers didn't learn to play cards the way an entire prior generation did," says P.J. Katien, vice president, sales and marketing, for the U.S. Playing Card Co., Erlanger, Ky., owner of the *venerable* Bicycle, Bee, Kem and Hoyle brands.

accorded a great deal of respect, especially because of age, wisdom, or character

The White House and its military commanders have also grossly underestimated the resilience of Islamic State. "The enemy is now in a defensive *crouch* and is unable to conduct major operations," U.S. Centcom Commander Lloyd Austin told Congress in March, sounding like White House spokesman Josh Earnest.

adopt a position where the knees are bent and the upper body is brought forward and down, typically in order to avoid detection or to defend oneself.

Richard Javad Heydarian, a political-science professor at De La Salle University in Manila, said the expansion of this year's Balikatan drills showed that Manila and Washington want "to send a strong signal to China amid its accelerated construction activities," and show they would work together to counter "Chinese *belligerence*."

aggressive or warlike behaviour

Packaged goods tend to be similar from one store to another, but selections of *produce*, baked goods and deli items can be a competitive point of differentiation.

agricultural and other natural products collectively

A successful pre-emptive action is never rewarded in proportion to its benefits because "*posterity* forgets how easily things might have been otherwise." Indeed, the statesman who acts pre-emptively is more likely to be condemned for the upfront costs of pre-emption than to be praised for its benefits in the form of averted calamities.

all future generations of people

India's radically revised gross domestic product data have apparently left economists *dazed* and confused

amaze, astound

the decision to reduce the U.S.'s postwar presence in Iraq to zero allowed Islamic State to metastasize unimpeded was a *morass* they could push off into the *ethers* of the "hopeless" Middle East.

an area of muddy or boggy ground a pleasant-smelling colourless volatile liquid that is highly flammable. It is used as an anaesthetic and as a solvent or intermediate in industrial processes

Mr. Zuckerberg said the *consortium* will work together on projects to expand connectivity, leaning on their relationships with mobile operators, governments, academics and other nongovernmental organizations.

an association, typically of several companies

In the cities of Bremen and Hamburg, an architectural firm has been working for more than a decade to transform old *air-raid* bunkers into residential housing.

an attack in which bombs are dropped from aircraft on to a ground target

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif stressed his country was still committed to developing an industrial-scale nuclear program for peaceful purposes. But he made clear the deal wasn't guaranteed to lead to diplomatic *rapprochement* between Tehran and Washington, who have been in conflict for nearly 40 years.

(especially in international affairs) an establishment or resumption of harmonious relations

Up to that point, "Grounded" is a *taut* piece of storytelling that shines a bright light on the little-understood emotional stresses that gnaw at the psyches of the practitioners of electronic warfare who see the people they kill only on a TV screen.

(especially of muscles or nerves) tense; not relaxed

How else to understand those who have dedicated their lives to creating safe spaces for transgender people, yet issue no news releases about gender *apartheid* in an entire region of the world? How else to justify that at the gay-pride celebrations this weekend in Manhattan there is unlikely to be much mention of the gay men recently thrown off buildings in Syria and Iraq, their still-warm bodies *desecrated* by mobs?

(in South Africa) a policy or system of segregation or discrimination on grounds of race treat (a sacred place or thing) with violent disrespect

According to government data released Friday, gross domestic product in the South Asian nation grew by 7.3% for the full fiscal year ended in March. That *trumps* the previous fiscal year's 6.9% expansion and is the country's fastest annual growth since 2011. China's growth last quarter was 7%.

(in bridge, whist, and similar card games) a playing card of the suit chosen to rank above the others, which can win a trick where a card of a different suit has been led.

As for *willful* delay, GAO notes that "State officials told us that a variety of political concerns, such as international negotiations and relations with countries involved in transfers, can delay State's INKSNA process." That's a delicate way of admitting that the State Department is willing to obscure facts to promote its arms-control agenda.

(of a bad or harmful act) intentional; deliberate.

State knew of 23 people involved in sanctions-busting activities in 2011 but only imposed sanctions last December. That's a long time to let bad guys run free, especially when nuclear technology is at stake. Keep in mind that President Obama has promised that any nuclear deal by Iran will provide a year's warning should Iran cheat. GAO describes a Byzantine bureaucratic process, involving four "State-led interagency working groups," input from the intelligence community, further input from the Departments of Defense, Energy, Commerce and the National Security Council, a meeting of a "sub-Interagency Policy Committee," further review by relevant committees and eventual sign-off from the Deputy Secretary of State. Amid that morass, the marvel is that anyone gets sanctioned.

1. be filled with wonder or astonishment

Over the years the courts, in enforcing the Lanham Act, a federal law banning false advertising, have carved out a considerable zone for "*puffery*." Puffery, as one case puts it, is "an exaggeration or overstatement expressed in broad, *vague*, and *commendatory* language. Such sales talk is considered to be offered and understood as an expression of the seller's opinion only, which is to be discounted as such by the buyer."

1. exaggerated or false praise 2. of uncertain, indefinite, or unclear character or meaning 3. serving to present something as suitable for approval or acceptance

Our story looks at how the White House thwarted the FCC chief to push for a tougher *stance* on the principle

a mental, physical or emotional position adopted with respect to something:

On the other hand, we must see what peace for the Arabs means in a real sense of security on another level. Peace for the Arabs means the kind of economic security that they so desperately need. These nations, as you know, are part of that third world of hunger, of disease, of illiteracy. I think that as long as these conditions exist there will be tensions, there will be the endless quest to find *scapegoats*. So there is a need for a Marshall Plan for the Middle East, where we lift those who are at the bottom of the economic ladder and bring them into the mainstream of economic security.

a person or group made to bear the blame for others or to suffer in their place.

Unlike its predecessors, the Modi government seemed to have recognized from the very beginning that a quest for durable peace with Pakistan is a *nonstarter*.

a person or plan that has no chance of succeeding or being effective

Half the world seems to be obsessed with debt relief for Greece. The farther observers are from Brussels, Berlin or Frankfurt, the more they seem to believe that only a massive upfront write-off of public debt can save Athens. Some proponents of such a "*haircut*" have clear motives: Greece wants any relief it can get, and the International Monetary Fund wants to safeguard its own exposure by asking eurozone governments to take losses on their own debt holdings. But in many cases, the haircut enthusiasts simply do not understand the basics. Debt relief is only a side issue.But a large-scale upfront haircut sets the wrong incentives for this transformation. It would reward Syriza for its loony policies of the past six months. Easing the burden modestly later this year through longer grace periods—if Greece implements the demanded pro-growth structural reforms—and holding out the *carrot* of further incremental relief as a reward for staying on track would set the right incentives.

a reduction in the stated value of an asset

In a former printing house in the West Village, developer Myles Horn consolidated eight maisonettes into three much larger three-bedroom units. He added double-height windows with no ugly bars; their private gated entrances face a landscaped *mews*, eliminating the need for such security.

a row or street of houses or flats that have been converted from stables or built to look like former stables.

Between now and the launch, Mehdi said, the company aims to highlight new Windows 10 features such as a Web browser called Edge that lets users *annotate* websites, and security features that let people use their fingerprints or portrait photos as passwords to log onto their machines.

add notes to (a text or diagram) giving explanation or comment

The *curb* was proposed in a discussion note from the department as a way to slow foreign exchange outflow and improve profits of local companies to help boost tax collection.

anything that restrains or controls; a restraint; check.

.........Then there is the larger picture. The first post-Cold War decades featured a secure Eurasian maritime sphere from the Mediterranean across the Indian Ocean to the Western Pacific. Thus, the weakening of Greece's ties with the West in the eastern Mediterranean has to be seen alongside the ascendancy of Iran in the Persian Gulf and the rise of China in the South and East China seas as a singular process in the chipping away at American power. The EU, as frustrating as its policies can be, represents the ultimate triumph of American power emerging from the bloodshed of World War II. If Greece does leave the eurozone, whatever the country's sins, it is demonstrably in Europe's and America's interest to nurse it back to health to keep, for example, Russian warships away from Greek ports. Greece, whether with the euro or the drachma, is in need of nation-building. Europe, after all, to be true to its own values, must give hope and succor to its periphery.

assistance and support in times of hardship and distress

Recently Apple offered a three-month trial for its new Apple Music streaming service. It's certainly within the company's right to *entice* customers by offering a free trial period. But Apple (market cap: $729 billion) planned to help *defray* the costs it would have to eat by not paying the artists who created the music during the trial period. In other words, the artists would be *underwriting* Apple Music.

attract or tempt by offering pleasure or advantage 2. provide money to pay (a cost or expense) 3. to bind oneself to contribute a sum of money to (an undertaking):

Such nasty is the language of a President more concerned with pursuing his ideological fixations, and fulfilling a *misbegotten* campaign pledge, than winning a war or securing the country.

badly conceived or planned

News segments on the shopping frenzy shown on Chinese state television showed a Japanese store manager *bemused* by herds of Chinese tour groups who take just one afternoon to clean out, so to speak, his entire store

bewildered or confused.

For now, Beijing's strategy is to pivot from political reform to "livelihood issues." That won't do much to relieve popular *rancor* if Beijing continues to insist on trying to cure Hong Kongers of their "unpatriotic"—that is, pro-self government—sentiments.

bitterness or resentfulness, especially when long standing

The $16.7 billion deal that Mr. Krzanich disclosed on Monday to buy programmable chip maker Altera Corp. is the costliest in the Santa Clara, Calif., company's 47-year history. Some Wall Street analysts question whether Intel paid too much. Even Mr. Krzanich characterized the price as startling. "There is a bit of *surrealness* to it," he said in an interview on Monday. "The number is so big."

bizarre.

State-owned firms that dominate oil, telecommunications and banking enjoy regulatory exclusions, as well as such subsidies as cheap land and easy credit, advantages that hobble competitors and often *shortchange* consumers.

cheat (someone) by giving insufficient money as change

Parents often think fate has *singled* their children out for poorly chosen school reading assignments. It hasn't.

choose someone or something from a group for special treatment

modern technology is almost always an enemy, progress is illusory and more babies mean more carbon footprints melting the ice caps where polar bears live. Indeed, the number of environmentalists who end up embracing population control is astounding. Likewise their language, which tends to the *apocalyptic*—from Paul Ehrlich calling his book "The Population Bomb" to the conservationist Paul Watson characterizing humans as "the AIDS of the earth."

describing or prophesying the complete destruction of the world

In the end, "Missoula" echoes the Obama administration's demand for *draconian* disciplinary procedures in campus sex cases.

excessively harsh and severe

Since health care is one of the most *tantalizing* big-data industries, many companies are investing heavily to own a piece of the multi-billion-dollar monetization of health information. There is a big downside, however: It's called health information blocking.

excite the senses or desires of (someone)

were *ubiquitous* on social-media websites within hours of the crash

existing or being everywhere, especially at the same time; omnipresent:

Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq and the United Nations, worries that once sanctions are lifted, they may not "snap back" into effect as easily as the Obama administration believes, even if Iran *egregiously* violates the final agreement

extraordinary in some bad way

Judd Saul, a filmmaker from Cedar Falls, Iowa, who is the founder of the Cedar Valley Patriots for Christ, said he left a meeting with Mr. Jindal last week *enthused* about his positions on social issues and foreign policy. Mr. Jindal said he wouldn't rule out sending U.S. troops to Iraq to combat Islamic State.

express eager enjoyment, interest, or approval regarding something

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his far-left Syriza Party are determined to protect government spending and resist economic reform, and they hope Sunday's "no" vote will scare creditors into agreeing. The danger is that if Mr. Tsipras succeeds, voters elsewhere in Europe will conclude there's no reason to accept difficult economic reforms if creditors always capitulate. And sure enough, parties of the left across Europe are emerging as the Syriza Party's most *vociferous* allies. Consider Spain, where the Syriza-like Podemos ("We Can") party supported a "no" vote and in a statement last week praised Mr. Tsipras for reacting to the "ultimatum and blackmail" of Greece's creditors "in an exemplary manner."

expressing or characterized by vehement opinions

And in 1913 Blanche Ebbutt, who wrote several volumes of marital guidelines for the middle class, gives solid advice in "Don'ts for Wives." "Don't *despise* the domestic potato . . . The boiled potato is the rock on which many a happy home *barque* has *foundered*."

feel contempt, hate ,dislike 2. a sailing ship, or a boat 3. (of a ship) fill with water and sink.

As of Wednesday, Greece's banking system had about €1 billion in cash left, according to a person familiar with the situation. Even with the €60-a-day limit on ATM withdrawals from Greek's closed banks, "it's a matter of a few days" until the money runs out, this person said. By Wednesday, many ATMs in central Athens had constant lines of people waiting to withdraw their daily limit. The crunch has *suffused* the economy. Merchants report lower spending. Wholesalers can't pay for supplies. Importers' foreign counterparts won't trade.

gradually spread through or over

At an automated teller machine underneath the Acropolis, Angeliki Andreaki *clutched* her debit card with both hands. She pays her bills in cash, and €330 in rent and €39 in telephone bills were due Wednesday.

grasp (something) tightly

the peace process will persuade Pakistan to cease supporting and sending extremists into India and start building good neighborly ties. Pakistan, in contrast, has viewed the process as a means to nudge India to make progress on Kashmir, a euphemism for Indian concessions. The debate in India on Pakistan has long ceased to be *substantive*. The choice that India has is not between talking and *sulking*.

having a firm basis in reality and so important, meaningful, or considerable be silent, morose, and bad-tempered out of annoyance or disappointment

Sixteen facilities have been declared free of new MERS cases after reporting no additional infections for 14 days, the longest period the virus is believed to be able to remain *dormant* inside the human body.

having normal physical functions suspended or slowed down for a period of time; in or as if in a deep sleep

enforces bans on smoking, im*modest* dress and work during prayer times.

having or showing a moderate or humble estimate of one's merits, importance, etc.; free from vanity, egotism, boastfulness, or great pretensions.

France isn't the first place to have failed what might be called the Uber Test: namely, whether governments are willing to *embrace* disruptive innovations such as Uber or act as enforcers for local *cartels*. Ride-sharing services have also been banned in South Korea, and Uber is under criminal investigation in Holland. But the French are failing the test at a particularly bad time for their economy, which foreign investors are fleeing at a faster rate than from almost any other developed country.

hold (someone) closely in one's arms, especially as a sign of affection an association of manufacturers or suppliers with the purpose of maintaining prices at a high level and restricting competition

The Hasidic ideal of *hallowed* living has deep roots in 17th-century Europe and is a richly textured tradition of spirituality through song, dance and revelry.

honour as holy

"It is my business to tell people not to *foist* their [political] system indiscriminately on societies in which it will not work," he chided

impose an unwelcome or unnecessary person or thing on

Nani was born in 1924 in present-day Pakistan, at the time, undivided India, to a Hindu family. Her father was a High Court judge and her family was *well off*. She spent the academic year at school in Lahore, and summer vacations at the family home in Simla.

in a favourable situation or circumstances

Americans may smirk at *benighted* Europeans, but the U.S. is no longer the only domestic market capable of seeding global digital businesses.

in a state of pitiful or contemptible intellectual or moral ignorance.

Coal India officials acknowledge the *laggardly* production record but blame external factors. "We have to go through many government rules, many company rules, many regulations, audits," said Subrata Chakravarty, incoming head of operations in West Bengal.

lagging or tending to lag

Rolls-Royce, a supplier of engines for Boeing Co. 's 787 Dreamliner and Airbus Group SE's A350 jetliners, spends about £1.2 billion a year on research and development. "We won't be sitting on our laurels(just sitting and enjoying established products)," said Mr. Wood.

laurels. honor won, as for achievement in a field or activity.

The Hasidic ideal of hallowed living has deep roots in 17th-century Europe and is a richly textured tradition of spirituality through song, dance and *revelry*.

lively and noisy festivities, especially when these involve drinking a large amount of alcohol.

the east side of LegCo plaza, planting yellow signs calling for a rejection of "fake universal suffrage." On the west side of the plaza are protesters in numbered shirts who support the reform plan, many waving the red Chinese flag. A double line of barricades separates the two sides. When the vote finally takes place, a miscommunication causes pro-Beijing legislators to walk out of the legislative chamber. Hong Kong's election reform package is rejected 28 to eight, with 34 legislators not voting. Cheering erupts on the *pro-democracy* side. Yellow umbrellas file out into the sun. On the *pro-Beijing* side there is a lag of silence, soon filled by *blaring* Communist anthems.

make or cause to make a loud, harsh sound

Exercising its right to collective self-defense will not tarnish Japan's exemplary record of promoting peace and stability since World War II. But it does make possible a new chapter in which Tokyo shoulders more of the responsibility for defending democracy and a rules-based international order.There have been tussles on the Diet(japanese parliament) floor and *raucous* protests outside it.

making or constituting a disturbingly harsh and loud noise

Then last week, just before the Greek referendum's *thudding* "no," the IMF *bolted* from the hardline-coalition by validating Athens's "strength-through-weakness" gambit.

move, fall, or strike something with a dull, heavy sound as in Thunder fasten with a bolt

The *faux* "Whistler's Mother" was the best part of the wine, which was devoid of any character or flavor and possessed a flat, tinny finish.

not genuine; fake or false

The "*Phony* War": That's how history recalls the meager Allied effort in Western Europe early in World War II. Despite having declared war on Germany in September 1939, the Allies shrank from a major offensive for months. They considered real war too painful and themselves unprepared. Nonetheless, what quickly followed was France's capitulation on June 22, 1940—75 years ago last week. Today, another phony war is being waged, this time in the Middle East. Those opposed to Islamic State—the Saudis, Iraqis, Kurds, Turks and, yes, Americans—mostly *squat* and occasionally harass, unable or unwilling to strike decisively.

not genuine; fraudulent 2. crouch or sit with one's knees bent and one's heels close to or touching one's buttocks or the back of one's thighs

The fight against terror cannot be tackled by any one country or military alone—no matter how powerful. All nations in the region must work in consort, too. Uncoordinated efforts will be ineffective. Fortunately, East Africa is home to a strong coalition of the willing, including Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Somalia and Djibouti. Political leaders in our neighborhood don't shy away from the fight. We are a community of nations that have proven *unflinching* and *vehemently* intolerant of terrorism. There is a genuine understanding of what is at stake: It is all of our shared future, security and well- being that we're working to safeguard, together. It is time to turn that willingness into organized and cohesive action.

not showing fear or hesitation in the face of danger or difficulty 2. If you do something vehemently, then you do it forcefully and with emotion,strongly emotional; intense or passionate:

Even more impressive is the sheer inventiveness of the paintings. We find connections with Persian and Mughal art, but also differences. Color is unusually intense—purple and green landscapes appear frequently—and there's often a sense of the otherworldly. In a late-16th-century ragamala manuscript—a collection of musical compositions appropriate for specific times—three richly dressed maidens float beneath flowering trees, above *crimson* rocks patrolled by a peacock. Elsewhere, multicolor rocks and roiling monsoon clouds become interchangeable.

of a rich deep red colour inclining to purple

(Report: 17 months old Child was trapped in luxuary BMW) Where reports of the incident had received more than 7.6 million views as of Thursday afternoon - users responded with fury to the initial report, with many arguing that the mother's behavior was an example of values gone *awry* in modern China. "It's clear that for this mother, a car is more important than her child," one Weibo user wrote.

out of the normal or correct position; askew

At a distance of 70 years, living memories of Germany's surrender are becoming rare and therefore valuable. Hermann remembers nights in air raid shelters, and the bombs that narrowly missed his house on the Bahrenfelder Marktplatz. He remembers the town-hall wedding of a relative in April 1945, just days before surrender, in which the couple were handed a copy of "Mein Kampf" and instructed to produce sons for the Führer. He remembers walking out of the hall and feeling grateful the spring *foliage* might provide some cover in the event of an aerial attack. He remembers the endless columns of British armor, and of seeing fliers, distributed by Allied troops, with reports and photos from the liberation of Bergen-Belsen.

plant leaves collectively

But Riyadh won't *forbear* for long if the Iranians can resupply by sea what the Saudis are destroying by air. The Saudis are also looking for evidence that the U.S. is still prepared to back them as Iran continues to arm the Kingdom's enemies in Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.

politely or patiently restrain an impulse to do something; refrain

Mr. Kejriwal's premature exit angered a section of Delhi's citizens who came to see him as an *anarchist* unfit to govern the national capital.

political and social disorder due to the absence of governmental control:

So Athens has defaulted on the International Monetary Fund, and whatever happens next the European economy has survived and even *shrugged* as Greece leaped over the *ledge*.

raise (one's shoulders) slightly and momentarily to express doubt, ignorance, or indifference. 2. a narrow horizontal surface projecting from a wall, cliff, or other surface.

A separate petition signed by more than 200 PEN members complains that their organization is "not simply conveying support for freedom of expression, but also *valorizing* selectively offensive material: material that intensifies the anti-Islamic, anti-Maghreb, anti-Arab sentiments already prevalent in the Western world."

raise or fix the price or value of (a commodity or currency) by artificial means, especially by government action

Suppose a dormitory reduces its "tax" burden by $100,000 by adding solar panels at an *amortized* annual net cost of $50,000.

reduce or pay off (a debt) with regular payments

The U.S. government has earmarked nearly $400 million to help compensate poultry farmers for *culled* birds, cleanup and disease testing.

reduce the population of (a wild animal) by selective slaughter

We believe that our proposal is the most *pragmatic* method to install such buttons

relating to a practical point of view or practical considerations.

But House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (of israel) said she found the speech insulting and *condescending* to past U.S. efforts to counter Iran and support Israel.

showing or implying a usually patronizing descent from dignity or superiority: or to put aside one's dignity or superiority voluntarily and assume equality with one regarded as inferior:

The key point is that what is good for *shale* energy is also good for the U.S. economy. "Lifting the ban on crude oil exports from the United States will boost U.S. economic growth, wages, employment, trade and overall welfare," two scholars with the Brookings Institution, Charles Ebinger and Heather L. Greenley, wrote last year.

soft finely stratified sedimentary rock that formed from consolidated mud or clay and can be split easily into fragile plates

The kitchen was stacked with old rice cookers, pledged as *collateral* from villagers who have borrowed from Ms. Sumarni to expand their own businesses.

something pledged as security for repayment of a loan, to be forfeited in the event of a default

authorities have struggled to balance the right to protest against public safety, as peaceful demonstrations have been *marred* by occasional violence.

spoil,ruin or impair

Mr. Obama claims this is more than adequate, since it gives Iran no more than 24 days to *prevaricate* before the IAEA gets to inspect, and because we'll be watching from satellites to make sure Iran isn't loading suspicious crates onto trucks.

speak or act in an evasive way

The days of people being *vilified* for their race and religious beliefs are sadly not over.

speak or write about in an abusively disparaging manner

Mr. McCullough is in his element writing about seemingly ordinary folk steeped in the cardinal American virtues—self-reliance and can-do resourcefulness. As in his books on the building of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Panama Canal, he *rhapsodizes* America's nascent mechanical genius.

speak or write about someone or something with great enthusiasm and delight

So why should it be different this time? Seventy percent of Americans see Israel in a favorable light, according to a February Gallup poll. The presidential candidates from both parties all profess *unswerving* friendship with the Jewish state, and the Republican candidates actually believe it. Mr. Obama's foreign policy is broadly unpopular and likely to become more so as the fiascoes continue to roll in.

steady or constant

On Monday, the victim's father called Mr. Singh's reported statements in the film "perverse and *derogatory*."

tending to lessen the merit or reputation of a person or thing; disparaging; depreciatory:

Yes, the Soviets would find Afghanistan their own Vietnam—but not until Ronald Reagan rejected the received wisdom and supplied the Afghan resistance with the *wherewithal* to triumph. Nor does that change the high price that Afghans—and the world—have paid.

the money or other means needed for a particular purpose

The establishment of AQAP is traced back to a prison break in 2006, when Wuhayshi and Mr. Raimi, along with 21 others, were freed from a maximum-security prison in San'a. AQAP was formed in 2009, with Wuhayshi at the *helm*.

the place or post of control: /a tiller or wheel for steering a ship or boat

they were probing whether the longtime China *expats( or expatriate)* had stolen military secrets while running their Dandong coffee shop.

to banish (a person) from his or her native country.

Nearly 53,000 South Koreans have been *indicted* and more than 35,000 detained by prosecutors for suspected marital infidelity since 1985

to charge with an offense or crime

Other foreign companies have also run *afoul* of the state planning agency and price regulator, the National Development and Reform Commission.

to come into conflict with

South Korea's constitutional court on Thursday scrapped the nation's criminal anti-adultery law, saying it *infringed* upon personal freedom.

to commit a breach

Where are they now? *Scrambling* to formulate any good excuse to back away from those vows, and to give their lame-duck president a free hand.

to compete or struggle with others for possession or gain

The already heated battle between Congress and the White House over U.S.-led nuclear talks with Iran got nastier Monday as President Barack Obama *chastised* 47 Senate Republicans who wrote letter directly to Iran's leaders to criticize U.S.-led nuclear talks.

to criticize severely.

An opinion piece in the Communist Party newspaper People's Daily questioned: "Do Japanese toilet lids smell better?" and *excoriated* Chinese buyers of Japanese bidets."Hopefully our countrymen will buy Chinese products, because supporting our country's industries - isn't that a kind of patriotism?"

to denounce or berate severely; flay verbally: 397518

"Multilateral works best," Adm. Greenert said. "It's an amazing *deterrent*. If somebody figures they are going to take on one of you, there is some likelihood they may be taking on all four of you. That tends to hold folks back."

to discourage or restrain from acting or proceeding:

The two men said they had discussed ways to boost bilateral trade, which currently stands at about $100 billion, curb money—*laundering*, and other things.

to disguise the source of (illegal or secret funds or profits), usually by transmittal through a foreign bank or a complex network of intermediaries.

For most children, money is an intangible concept with extremely tangible *ramifications*

to divide or spread out into branches or branchlike parts; extend into subdivisions.

A previous clamor around Mr. Putin's health also emerged in 2012 after some journalists said they saw him *wincing* and Mr. Lukashenko told the press that the Russian president had hurt his spine during a wrestling bout(contest).

to draw back or tense the body

France issued a second warrant alleging Mr. Joachin belonged to a terrorist organization, prompting Bulgarian authorities to *extradite* him to Paris.

to give up (an alleged fugitive or criminal) to another state or nation at its request.

Han Tianpei and his wife *dozed* in their truck one early morning, waiting for a denim factory to open to deliver 10 tons of industrial salt. They awoke with a tap at the window, surrounded by a dozen enforcers of China's salt monopoly, men poised to defend their *turf*.

to fall into a light sleep unintentionally (often followed by off): He dozed off during the sermon(a talk on a religious or moral subject). 2. horse racing or racecourses generally

Rep. Adam Schiff (D., Calif.), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said during an appearance on MSNBC that he was *"appalled"* by the letter

to fill or overcome with horror.

The public *upbraiding* of Mr. Obama's negotiations carries tremendous risks for the Israeli leader and his country as he seeks re-election in two weeks, American and Israeli officials said.

to find fault with or reproach severely; censure:

But Mr. Machar's forces have *hankered* in key oil producing regions

to have a restless or incessant longing(liking)

But India has also signed up to become a founding member of the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, evidence that Mr. Modi's approach *takes a leaf* from the relationship between China and the U.S., whose economies are closely linked even as each tries to temper the other's influence.

to imitate someone

they were *probing* whether the longtime China expats had stolen military secrets while running their Dandong coffee shop.

to search into or examine thoroughly; question closely:

France advised its citizens on Wednesday to leave Yemen "as soon as possible," and its embassy in San'a said on its website it would close for the "*foreseeable* future" starting Friday.

to see beforehand

Google Compare aggregates insurance quotes from more carriers than any one consumer could possibly juggle on his own, which will draw shoppers looking for the best deal. Google gets paid each time a user on the site clicks through and buys a quoted policy. Yet consider how all this *sifting* of auto-insurance rates will position the company: Could Google turn this revenue-generating learning experience into a more lucrative opportunity to underwrite its own insurance policies and displace traditional carriers—especially once driverless cars become a reality?

to separate and retain the coarse parts of (flour, ashes, etc.) with a *sieve(a utensil consisting of a wire or plastic mesh held in a frame, used for straining solids from liquids, for separating coarser from finer particles, or for reducing soft solids to a pulp.). *

kindle (--But a surge in violence in recent weeks has changed the calculus, rekindling fears that the conflict could turn into an open war between Ukraine and Russia)

to set fire to or ignite

India has been desperate to *wean* its citizens of their addiction to gold

to withdraw (a person, the affections, one's dependency, etc.) from some object, habit, form of enjoyment, or the like:

Telecom Operators *contend* that Internet giants like Facebook Inc. and Google Inc. are profiting handsomely at their expense

to strive in debate; dispute earnestly

a verdict that was *upheld* Wednesday by the Court of Appeals in Manila

to support or defend,continue on the samme verdict given earlier

Mr. Singh's statements in the film, "India's Daughter," were widely reported in Indian and international media after *excerpts* were released by the British Broadcasting Corp.

to take or select (a passage) from a book, film, or the like; extract.

By then, Lee's earlier anticommunism had *morphed* into an ideologically more neutral pragmatism.

undergo or cause to undergo a gradual process of transformation

This is after Mr. Obama *crowed* in February that "our coalition is on the offensive, ISIL is on the defensive, and ISIL is going to lose."

utter its characteristic loud cry.

U.S. ties with Thailand have deteriorated significantly since the May 2014 coup, and it's no wonder. Washington has turned a cold shoulder to the interim Thai government and emphasized an immediate *return to democracy to the detriment of other aspects of the relationship.*

which is leading to

The paper concludes that "trying him . . . stands to accomplish little at this point." Further: "A conviction would most likely deprive a traumatized veteran of benefits, including medical care, which he will probably need for years. A dishonorable discharge would make it harder to rebuild his life as a civilian." Time noted last year, but the Times editorial omits, that "six soldiers . . . died hunting for him after he went missing." Rebuilding their lives isn't just hard but impossible.The Times's assertion that a trial would "accomplish little at this point" is a non *sequitur*, for this is not the point at which a trial would be held.

an inference that does not follow from the premises

it announced a *foray* into the defense business to benefit from the government's efforts to boost local manufacturing.

an initial venture:

Before a final nuclear deal is even reached, [Russian President] Vladimir Putin has started to demolish international sanctions and ignore the U.N. arms *embargo*,"

an official ban on trade or other commercial activity with a particular country.

Usually *relegated* as doctors' and dentists' offices, the ground floor is moving up in the world.We look at how apartments on the bottom floor with private street entrances—dubbed maisonettes in real-estate speak—are getting redesigned with more space, better light and upscale amenities.

assign an inferior rank

Fracking overnight has relieved Saudi Arabia of its swing-producer dominance. Fracking overnight has *relegated* the Middle East to a sideshow, *albeit(though)* a still-important sideshow, in the world economy.

assign an inferior rank or position to

Washington can and must play a constructive role in encouraging good governance in Thailand, including respect for human rights and civil liberties. But there is no need to publicly antagonize the generals in a *demeaning* way that also alienates Thais who want to see an end to military rule. This type of diplomacy is best conducted with discretion and *finesse*, not public and blanket condemnation.

causing someone to lose their dignity and the respect of others impressive delicacy and skill

More recently the Administration has played down Iran's failure to convert low-enriched uranium into oxide form, as required under the interim 2013 deal. Secretary of State John Kerry *caved* again last week when he disclosed that the Administration is ready to lift sanctions without a full accounting of Iran's past nuclear work.

cave(v) = cave in (with reference to a roof or similar structure) subside or collapse

The facts—such as a 180% year-to-date increase in the Milwaukee murder rate—are hard to explain away, but Ms. Dugan encouraged the criminologists to try. "So far, there have been a few *rebuttals* to the 'Ferguson effect' claim," she wrote, "but these may not have enough of a reach." As an unironic example of "more balanced dialogue," the professor cited articles from the likes of the left-wing Sentencing Project.

claim or prove that (evidence or an accusation) is false

And ties between the Asian democracies are *poised* to strengthen further under new Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has close relations with his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe .

composed, dignified, and self-assured.

Buying a former medical office with the intent to convert it to residential use comes with some *caveats*.

conditions or limitations even it means warning in some cases.

The U.S. Navy is considering a plan to regularly dock warships in Australia and would like to broaden yearly *maritime* exercises with India to permanently include close regional allies Japan and Australia

connected with the sea in relation to navigation, shipping, etc.

Any bailout deal would also require the IMF and eurozone governments, led by Germany, to overcome their dispute over Greece's debt. The IMF insists that "comprehensive" debt restructuring is now needed to make Greece solvent. European governments have refused so far to discuss any debt relief for Athens that would impose *overt* losses on their own taxpayers.

done or shown openly; plainly apparent

China wants "a force that can deter U.S. intervention in a conflict in China's near-seas region over Taiwan or some other issue, or failing that, delay the arrival or reduce the effectiveness of intervening U.S. forces."The U.S. isn't yet losing the naval race with China, but it has allowed its naval power to decline enough that Beijing plausibly believes it can compete. In one of its more *truculent* sections, Beijing's military strategy accuses "external countries" of "meddling in South China Sea affairs," as if the U.S. and its regional partners are the aggressors. The inversion of moral *causality* is another tool in China's military playbook.

eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant 2. the relationship between cause and effect

Tales *abound* of Taiwanese officers arriving for training at U.S. facilities in khaki pants and polo shirts, much to the surprise of their U.S. colleagues—who understandably wonder why representatives of a trusted military partner are restricted from wearing their nation's uniform. Even *midshipmen* at Taiwan's naval academy are forbidden from making port calls in Hawaii or Guam on their postgraduation training cruise.

exist in large numbers or amounts a rank of officer in the Royal Navy, above naval cadet and below sub lieutenant.

Bajirao Lad, owner of Mahakali Travels, the company that operated the bus, said he doesn't *skimp* on safety. "The driver would know the best about overloading of the bus, I wouldn't know," he said, adding that each driver is given a day's rest after every four or five trips.

expend or use less time, money, or material on something than is necessary in an attempt to economize

*Pegging* the drinking age at 18 would likely result in more drunken-driving tragedies, but a certain amount of risk is involved in every attempt to impose legal limits on behavior. Lives would also be saved by raising the drinking age to 25 or 30, but we certainly don't do that. Young adults, either college students or those starting out in jobs, are learning to live on their own and make decisions for themselves. That is precisely the wrong time for them to receive a message that the law doesn't matter. Laws should be reasonable, limited and enforceable—and in the case of the drinking laws, they're none of the above.

fix (a price, rate, or amount) at a particular level

After Tuesday's win over India, with goals from Brandon McDonald and Travis Nicklaw, the Matao's song - by Elvis Costello's brother Ronan MacManus - was played through speakers around the ground. The Indian players must have the tune ringing in their ears, but that is nothing compared with the *opprobrium* they will likely face when they get home. The Indian public has low expectations for its soccer team, but losing to Guam - no matter how much the island has improved - has brought the bar even lower.

harsh criticism or censure

Last week's celebrations of the "Bandung Spirit" of Third World solidarity—the much *heralded* outcome of what Indonesia's then-President Sukarno called "the first intercontinental gathering of colored peoples"--glossed over a crucial part of history.

be a sign that (something) is about to happen

The crisis has come to *pervade* every facet of Greek life since Mr. Tsipras called the vote over the weekend: Across the country, long lines of people wait at banks and supermarkets, families are glued to the TV news, and heated arguments break out on the streets about whom to blame for the mess.

be present and apparent throughout

It is no accident that the most dominant states of the past several centuries, the United Kingdom and the U.S., were also among the most democratic, or that their autocratic challengers, Imperial (and then Nazi) Germany and the Soviet Union, eventually imploded. Similarly, America's institutions are its key competitive advantage in the coming contest with China. China's *sclerotic* institutions are already impinging upon Beijing's attempts to enhance its international standing, and things may only get worse as President Xi Jinping tightens his hold on power.

becoming rigid and unresponsive; losing the ability to adapt

In her 1961 book "The *Savage* My *Kinsman*," she wrote that "the Aucas are men. Human beings, made in the image of God. . . . We have a common source, common needs, common hopes, a common end." The "*lucid* recognition of the Auca as my kinsman was at the same time a new acknowledgment of Jesus Christ, of our common need of Him." The two American women worked to decipher the tribal language and they shared meals, traditions, and most important, the news of Jesus Christ. The tribe numbers around 2,000 people—up from about 250 in the 1950s when the tribe settled disputes by spearing one another—and about a third have become Christians.

(chiefly in historical or literary contexts) a member of a people regarded as primitive and uncivilized. 2. (in anthropological or formal use) a man who is one of a person's blood relations 3. expressed clearly; easy to understand

Bulgaria has more than its share of Russia-connected *oligarchs* who seek to operate with impunity. The need for much stronger legal and institutional oversight by regulators and the judiciary was underscored when there was a run in 2014 on a large oligarch-controlled bank that resulted in the bank's collapse and the disappearance of funds estimated to be $2.6 billion—equivalent to at least 5% of the country's gross domestic product. Exactly where the money went hasn't been determined, nor have wrongdoers been prosecuted. Mr. Putin's allies also are waging an information war in the oligarch-dominated media, attempting to discredit Western-leaning leaders in Bulgaria and "Western" ideas. The America for Bulgaria Foundation has focused on ensuring that independent media don't disappear and has funded Economedia, one of the few remaining independent news sources in Bulgaria. A senior NATO leader has told me that he is worried about Bulgaria coming under Kremlin control, joining President Plevneliev in his concern. They know that the aggressive Russian president doesn't always have to send troops when he wants to call the shots.

(especially in Russia) a very rich businessman with a great deal of political influence.

In the past two months, China's top planning body has published multiple documents stressing that market forces should decide how electricity is generated, transmitted and distributed. Specifics are still missing, and internal contradictions still *rife*—the documents, for instance, push renewable energy that currently survives by government rules that subvert market forces.

(especially of something undesirable) of common occurrence; widespread

Try and Understand grocer has double role

DHAKA, Bangladesh—On the first Friday of every month, Sabina Begum makes the short trip from her single-room shack in a crowded Dhaka slum to a nearby grocery. The grocer, in addition to selling her much-needed supplies, doubles as her financial-services provider. Ms. Begum hands the grocer cash, and with a few clicks on a *basic key-press* mobile phone, he sends the money on its way. At roughly the same time, in a village 300 kilometers away, Ms. Begum's father, Bosir Uddin, partially blind and slowed by arthritis, walks to a tea shop in the village square, where he waits for the money transfer from Dhaka. It duly arrives in the form a text message to the tea shop owner, who pays out the money Mr. Uddin's daughter sent.

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Europe can do more and Europe must do more," said European Parliament chief Martin Schulz. "It is a shame and a confession of failure how many countries run away from responsibility."

Terry Hannon, chief business development and strategy officer for Adept Technology Inc., a U.S. robotics maker based near Silicon Valley, said he was *startled* to see 400 new domestic robotics makers at a Chinese trade show last year. Among those jumping in: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co.—better known as Foxconn—which has announced plans to build and install thousands of robots to assemble Apple Inc. iPhones and other products.

cause to feel sudden shock or alarm

The onset of monsoon season in the Bay of Bengal should ease the *exodus* of Muslim Rohingyas from Myanmar, but only temporarily as their treatment in the country isn't likely to improve soon, experts say.

a going out; a departure or emigration, usually of a large number of people:

Let's take a scalpel and not a meat *cleaver*

a heavy, broad-bladed knife or long-bladed hatchet, especially one used by butchers for cutting meat into joints or pieces.

The English translation was loyal to the original Japanese, and there's no merit in the suggestion that their *nuances* differ

a subtle difference or distinction in expression

If anything, he is treated with disdain by those he hoped might offer help. "The *evasiveness* that characterized so many of the responses," he writes, ". . . suggested that the answers were a tangled spaghetti of *sophistry* meant to *obfuscate* rather than illuminate."

1. tending to avoid commitment or self-revelation, especially by responding only indirectly. 2.the use of clever but false arguments, especially with the intention of deceiving. 2. make obscure, unclear, bewilder

Then came President Obama, and the end of the fragile *reconciliation* process in Iraq. At the end of 2011, he withdrew all U.S. forces, ignoring the advice of commanders on the ground and the private pleas of senior Iraqi leaders.Things fell apart quickly after that. Suicide bombings, a trademark of Sunni terrorism, returned, as did the *reprisals* of Iranian-backed militias. Not surprisingly, Shiite-dominated Iran filled the vacuum created by the U.S. departure and ISIS fighters poured in from Syria.

1. the restoration of friendly relations. 2. an act or instance of retaliation.

A Nazi-Built Resort *Beckons* New Dwellers

appear attractive or inviting

Islamic State is still *formidable* and capable of great savagery.

powerful:

Investors have *fretted* over a possible bond-market reversal for years, "but guess what: There has always been a willing buyer," said David Ader, head of government-bond strategy at CRT Capital Group LLC.

be constantly or visibly anxious

When I hear "gold laptop," I think *gaudy*, like a computer that has too much in common with Mr. T's necklaces.

extravagantly bright or showy, typically so as to be tasteless

Every country in the NPB9 considers its bilateral relationship with the U.S. to be the most important component of its defense decision making. If the U.S. asks Polish soldiers to exercise in Sweden, or Swedish and Finnish aircraft to exercise in the Baltic states, it will happen. Without American leadership, the region's security will be *bedeviled* by *squabbles* about national particularities.

(of something bad) cause great and continual trouble to 2. a noisy quarrel about something trivial

The executioner in some of its videos, known as "Jihadi John," is a *Briton*.

a native or inhabitant of Great Britain, especially of England.

I got a *chuckle* out of Joe Queenan's essay "School's Out Forever" (Review, May 23), as I do all his articles

laugh quietly or inwardly

Our *grueling* Web browsing test brought similar results. The MacBook lasted only 6.5 hours—the 13-inch Air made it five hours longer. (Dell's XPS, which crams a 13-inch, 3200x1800-pixel screen into a 12-inch laptop chassis, didn't make it to 6 hours. However, its lower-resolution sibling, which starts at $800, was able to keep pace with the MacBook Air. (Remember: Screen resolution makes a huge difference!)

extremely tiring and demanding

IMP

Without fossil fuels to fill that 90% gap, the economy would collapse, commodity supplies would dwindle, jobs would disappear, and households would remain cold, dark and haunted by hunger.

Mr. Cruz's plan is to nail down his own bracket, conservative/tea party. At the same time he is going for *evangelicals*, big time, which is why he announced at Jerry Falwell's university and not in Texas.

a member of the evangelical tradition in the Christian Church

As *pastors*, they deal daily with parishioners, who have lost jobs, homes and family members, or have mental health problems.

a minister or priest in charge of a church.

Politics is serious, earnest, crucial, necessary—the venue in which we decide much of our country's future. Beyond that I love the great game of it—the wins and losses, *flubs* and failures.

a thing badly or clumsily done; a blunder

"Tsipras has turned this country into North Korea," the 83-year-old Ms. Andreaki said Tuesday, shaking her head about Greece's prime minister, Alexis Tsipras. "I can't believe at this age I have to line up to get *rationed* cash."

allow each person to have only a fixed amount of (a commodity)

Women and girls have paid an especially high price for Boko's *depredations*.

an act of attacking or plundering

After my 11-week-old puppy *chomped* right through my leather Apple case, I decided to test an array of options, over 30 of the most highly recommended iPhone 6 covers.

munch or chew noisily or vigorously

Countries facing a demand shortfall often move to juice their economies through deficit spending, especially with interest rates so low. But many nations are *queasy* about adding to their debt burdens.

nauseous; feeling sick

Better to let young adults learn to drink responsibly than to make consuming alcohol illicit and thus more *alluring*. College administrators regularly wrestle with the evidence that binge drinking and dangerous activity increases when booze moves from the bar to private settings.

powerfully and mysteriously attractive or fascinating; seductive

The panel found that when the Patriot Act, passed in the aftermath of 9/11, permitted the government to *subpoena* business records "relevant" to an authorized investigation, the statute couldn't have meant bulk telephone metadata—consisting of every calling number, called number, and the date and length of every call.

require (a document or other evidence) to be submitted to a court of law.

In many ways no president has, experts say, given the *confluence* of potentially destabilizing factors at home and abroad and the global impact of the success or failure of the White House's strategy.

the junction of two rivers, especially rivers of approximately equal width

partly to *consolidate* a few of its office locations in Tokyo.

to bring together (separate parts) into a single or unified whole; unite; combine:

Just taking orders from a door opening app isn't what makes this garage smart. Its most important capability is status reports: Whenever it opens and closes, I get an alert on my phone. For parents keeping an eye on their herd, it's a lightweight way to know what's going on at home without *resorting* to creepy video cameras.

turn to and adopt (a course of action, especially an extreme or undesirable one) so as to resolve a difficult situation

Modern biological research continues to generate new technology at a *staggering* pace, bringing to society new challenges and new opportunities.

walk or move unsteadily, as if about to fall

When the world's only superpower retreats *willy-nilly*, bad things happen. Much like Jimmy Carter in 1979 after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, Mr. Obama needs to reassess his failing foreign policy before the mayhem spreads even further.

without direction or planning; haphazardly......

The bank, which helps finance the purchase of U.S. exports through loans and guarantees, worked with Boeing to write rules that would satisfy critics in Congress and the domestic commercial airline industry—while leaving most sales of Boeing's airplanes to foreign carriers *unscathed*.

without suffering any injury, damage, or harm

The job of us in the media, after all, is to empty the world of interest by recycling our limited *repertoire* of *tropes* against the absorbing events of the day. For example, this column was born of the thought, appropriate to a *paramecium*(metaphorically): An Amtrak crash! Let's write about Amtrak subsidies.

1. a stock of plays, dances, or items that a company or a performer knows or is prepared to perform. 2. a phrase, sentence, or verse formerly interpolated in a liturgical text to amplify or embellish. 3. a single-celled freshwater animal which has a characteristic slipper-like shape and is covered with cilia.

Indonesia embodies the vast opportunity and complex challenges of getting people online.The *archipelago* nation is exceptionally young and social, punctuated by the capital city of Jakarta, home to a *nascent* but bustling tech scene.

1. an extensive group of islands 2. just coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potentia

And last month's record rainfall in Texas, the biggest cotton-producing state in the U.S., sidelined some farmers, who couldn't get into the fields to plant their crop ahead of a deadline to file claims for crop insurance. That could *crimp* output from the U.S., the world's No. 1 cotton exporter, and lend prices some support.

1. compress (something) into small folds or ridges

Beijing has for years tried to *rein in* the salt monopoly, a 2,600-year-old government fixture that once helped emperors pay for stretches of the Great Wall. But longtime traditions die hard.

1. control and direct with or as if by reins(rope); "rein a horse" 2. a piece of equipment or furniture which is fixed in position in a building or vehicle

For Hermann, atonement was not the issue: What was a 10-year-old boy, whose father had died at Nazi hands, supposed to atone for? The issue was what to do next. At the University of Hamburg in the 1950s he became a member of the Young European Federalists, just as the Treaty of Rome was ushering the European Economic Community into existence. The treaty ordained the free movement of persons, services and capital—the most xenophilic act in European history, and a *posthumous* *vindication* for a doctor who perished in Buchenwald.

1. occurring, awarded, or appearing after the death of the originator 2. to get revenge for; avenge

In the book, writers from Ovid to Ogden Nash dispense an extraordinary amount of advice on how to keep matrimony alive, from the quotidian, such as telling husbands not to read the newspaper at the table, to the lofty, such as this 1909 journal entry from W.B. Yeats: "In wise love each *divines* the high secret self of the other and . . . creates a mirror where the lover or the beloved sees an image to copy in daily life."

1. of or occurring every day; daily. 2. of or like God or a god.

We'll leave aside what Mr. Bush's struggles with the inevitable question say about his preparedness as a candidate—and his team's as a campaign. The right answer to the question is that it's not a useful or instructive one to answer, because *statesmanship*, like life, is not conducted in *hindsight*. Knowing what we know now, we wouldn't have been in equities in 2008, or bet on the Green Bay Packers in January. Sigh.

1. one versed in the principles or art of government; especially : one actively engaged in conducting the business of a government or in shaping its policies 2. understanding of a situation or event only after it has happened or developed

That is one reason the Chinese government is pushing the trend. In 2013, Beijing outlined a 2020 goal of having at least three globally competitive robot makers, eight subcontractor clusters, a 45% domestic market share for Chinese high-end robots and a tripling of robot penetration to 100 per 10,000 workers. Some say this top-down approach can create something of a *herd mentality* and spur misdirected spending.

Herd mentality, or mob mentality, describes how people are influenced by their peers to adopt certain behaviors, follow trends, and/or purchase items.

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If you want a preview, go to any breakfast, lunch or dinner with conservatives and Republicans in America and hear them argue the case for their guy—while they figure out who their guy is. *Boring is not on the menu*.

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It is an option that makes sense for consumers who are *more than ever* rejecting expensive mobile plans that subsidize the price of a new phone.

Few organizations boast a reputation of dysfunction comparable to the Arab League's. Over seven decades the Arab League has distinguished itself through infighting and *fecklessness*.

So feckless essentially means "ineffective," but is also used to describe someone who is irresponsible, incompetent, inept, or without purpose in life.

But now the Holder Justice Department has indicted Sen. Menendez into *oblivion*. And now the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and the guided missile cruiser USS Normandy are in the Gulf of Aden, cat-and-mousing with an Iranian naval flotilla.

the state of being unaware or unconscious of what is happening around oneself

Russia's war against Ukraine since that time has instead helped the Kremlin expose the European Union's fragmentation and drift and capitalize on the Obama administration's *ambivalence*.

the state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone

The 1990s saw declines of between 23% and 44% for homicide, rape, robbery aggravated assault, burglary, auto theft and *larceny*.

theft of personal property

The EU's probes have so far *ensnared* four multinationals in three European countries— Apple Inc. in Ireland, Amazon.com Inc. and Fiat SpA in Luxembourg

to capture in, or involve as in

Law enforcement is chaotic and *contingent*

subject to chance

They have killed and *maimed* thousands, causing hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.

wound or injure (a person or animal) so that part of the body is permanently damaged

To understand the bluff, look closely at the Democrats' Doctrine on paper or in practice, and you'll notice that it's always *prospective*

likely to happen at a future date

"I get that no one wants to be the person who accidentally lets a bad guy slip through," says Mr. Zeller. Earlier this month, for example, a former Iraqi translator who came to the U.S. on this program was arrested after the FBI said he'd lied to its agents about pledging *allegiance* to the Islamic State.

loyalty or commitment to a superior or to a group or cause

Rarely does an entire region experience the kind of turbulent change that has *roiled* the Middle East over the past five years. And, on balance, the meltdown has played into Iran's hands as U.S. influence wanes.

make (someone) annoyed or irritated

Those commercial rules don't address private use by individuals, where some of the most *vexing* issues lie, such as how to prevent people from using drones to spy into neighbors' windows, or flying them into manned aircraft. Those issues are falling into a regulatory no-man's land.

make (someone) feel annoyed, frustrated, or worried, especially with trivial matters

Under this strategy, Tokyo would *"pass the buck"* to Washington, which would shoulder the defense burden while Japan focused on rebuilding its economy. To be sure, Japan contributed. Its people (particularly the Okinawans) felt the intrusive footprint of American military bases; its taxpayers subsidized those bases; and at times—such as during the Korean and Vietnam wars—Japan provided important rear-area military support.

pass the buck definition. To shift blame from oneself to another person: "Passing the buck is a way of life in large bureaucracies."

Some contributions are entirely sincere and unforgettable. There is a desperately sad entry made by Mark Twain in his diary after the death of his wife in 1904. "I cannot reproduce Livy's face in my mind's eye—I was never in my life able to reproduce a face. It is a curious *infirmity*—and now at last I realize that it is a calamity." When Virginia Woolf was asked about the happiest moment in her life, she responded: "I think it's the moment when one is walking in one's garden, perhaps picking off a few dead flowers, and suddenly one thinks: 'My husband is in that house and he loves me.' "

physical or mental weakness

When the bomb went off, I had been eating lunch in the embassy cafeteria—until suddenly I awoke outside covered in cement and with 19 broken bones. After months of surgeries and *recuperation*, my employer, the U.S. Agency for International Development, posted me to Sri Lanka. Recurring nightmares of the explosion forced me to retire early, in 1988, from the job I loved.Two decades *after the attack that all but ended my career*, I am still waiting for justice. In 1996 victims of the embassy bombing were told by Congress to seek judgments against Iran in U.S. federal courts. Years of proceedings followed in a case *that was captioned with my name*: Dammarell v. Islamic Republic of Iran.

recovery from illness or exertion

In the arts world, content creators say the ability to price discriminate allows them to *recoup* the costs of adapting and marketing content in different places, for example by subtitling movies or translating advertising posters. In the market for physical goods, geo-blocking via licensing or distribution agreements is an age-old practice that allows vendors to maximize returns on their investments.

reimburse or compensate (someone) for money spent or lost

Hong Kong was a largely immigrant society that flourished in the wake of the Chinese revolution. Most residents are descendants of those who fled the mainland for the British colony where a high degree of liberty and low degree of democracy prevailed. But whereas the original immigrants brought with them their close affiliation to the mainland and its traditions, subsequent generations shed these ties and created a uniquely Hong Kong identity characterized by its own brand of *Cantonese*, sense of humor, eating habits and all the usual social characteristics that reinforce a sense of commonality......................

relating to Canton (Guangzhou), its inhabitants, or their dialect

Sweet Briar is home to a renowned *equine* discipline, though it may not prove worth the $63,000 a month in pony care.

relating to or affecting horses or other members of the horse family.

In the introduction, the authors, who've been married to each other since 1988, write that "giving marital advice seems to be an almost *atavistic* need."

relating to or characterized by reversion to something ancient or ancestral.

While gasoline in the Golden State is averaging $3.88 a gallon, the average price in the Los Angeles market shot up 65 cents this week to $4.30 a gallon, about 20 cents higher than a year ago. Gas prices surpassed $5 per gallon at some stations, hitting $5.49 in downtown L.A., according to GasBuddy.com. As usual, purported consumer activists are blaming *collusion* among *putatively* monopolistic oil companies.

secret or illegal cooperation or conspiracy in order to deceive others commonly accepted or supposed

In a June email to members, Laura Dugan, a professor at the University of Maryland and chair of the outfit's policy committee, fretted that Ms. Mac Donald's "misinformed campaign" was "getting a lot of play in the media" and "may have the attention of some key policymakers on the Hill." She singled out a May 29 Journal feature "The New Nationwide Crime Wave" as an instance of "*cherry-picking* of the facts."

selectively choose (the most beneficial or profitable items, opportunities, etc.) from what is available

Islamic State's victories in Iraq and Syria, which have been broadcast around the world by an effective social-media strategy, have attracted more sympathizers across the globe. The group has been able to retain—and, in some areas like Ramadi, to expand—control of territory in Syria and Iraq, despite a withering U.S. air assault and Iraqi and Syrian government offensive operations. These successes have attracted a *coterie* of followers in Africa, other countries in the Middle East, and Asia.

small group of people with shared interests or tastes, especially one that is exclusive of other people

Apple is likely to beat out Louis Vuitton as the top brand for *extravagant* presents among women

spending much more than is necessary or wise; wasteful:

Eros produces and distributes Bollywood films, known for their *flamboyant* dance routines and emotional sagas, and is listed on the New York stock exchange with a market capitalization of around $1.28 billion. But times have been tough. Over the first five months of the year, shares were down over 20%.

tending to attract attention because of their exuberance, confidence, and stylishness.

The manufacturing decline, which affected cities and towns throughout New England, occurred at the height of the United States' postwar economic *pre-eminence*, and it reflected competition from other regions of the country, not from abroad.

the fact of surpassing all others; superiority

......Three weeks later, the Social Democrat had picked up five points in a poll tracking approval for his probable run at becoming chancellor in 2017. Ms. Merkel had added two. Which shows how practicing anti-Americanism or keeping quiet about it can work for those German politicians who deal in it or find silence rather than outrage an easier path to profit. A former U.S. ambassador to Germany, John Kornblum, links the start of the "deep institutionalization" of anti-Americanism to the rule of Gerhard Schröder, Ms. Merkel's predecessor in the chancellery. Mr. Schröder was the Social Democrat who combined a refusal to send German troops to Iraq with a promise of Germany's "*emancipation*" from America.

the freeing of someone from slavery

The bid came from Luxembourg-based global telecom Altice, which on Monday offered to buy French firm Bouygues Telecom for €10 billion ($11.21 billion). Mr. Macron soon denounced the proposal. "It's rather obvious that this transaction will destroy jobs," he told Parliament on Tuesday. "That is what some like to call *synergies*, and thus we are against this choice." He vowed that the government would have a say in the matter.

the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects

Second, as Saddam Hussein learned in his abortive conflict with Iran in the '80s and as Bashar Assad is learning today, Middle Eastern conventional armies don't do *attrition* warfare very well. The coming Iraqi offensive against the Islamic State heartland, if it is to succeed, must be swift, methodical and accompanied by absolutely overwhelming American air power—hundreds of sorties a day.

the process of reducing something's strength or effectiveness through sustained attack or pressure.

Short works have an incomparable advantage over long reads in the Attention Deficit age. So, facing facts, I asked several teachers whose *erudition* I admire to identify their literary ne plus ultra—masterworks and extracts from them in the Western literary tradition that they found hard not to love and learn from, easy to teach, simple and direct, yet teachable on ascending levels of interpretation and complexity.

the quality of having or showing great knowledge or learning; scholarship

I consider Deng a greater leader who changed the destiny of China and the world," he said. He was deeply gratified by the way that Deng had brought wealth, power, order and pride back to China—still his racial homeland—as well as to all Chinese.Deng's admiration of Lee was just as deep. He appreciated Lee's pragmatism and friendship, especially his refusal to criticize China for its undemocratic form of *statecraft*, even after the infamy of 1989.

the skilful management of state affairs; statesmanship

China's Internet has lit up with debate this week after reports of a mother who left her young son alone in her BMW - then refused to smash the luxury car's windows in order to rescue him from the heat. The mother, who has not been named in Chinese news reports, has since denied that she opposed smashing the window and says that she tried to break it herself, *to no avail*.

to no avail. Also, of little or no avail . Of no use or advantage, ineffective

One senses they *pine* for a simple strategic solution such as their recruitment and arming of the Shah as an anti communist cold warrior and balancing force to Iraq.

to yearn deeply; suffer with longing; long painfully

North Korea won't meet the one condition that all food donors should insist on: verification of delivery to intended recipients. On numerous occasions the government has taken World Food Organization officials to Potemkin villages of *bussed-in*, *sated* citizens.

transport in a communal road vehicle satisfy (a desire or an appetite) to the full.

The executive has spent much of the past five years trying to *prune* HSBC's global presence and make the bank easier to manage.

trim (a tree, shrub, or bush) by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems, especially to encourage growth

The only modern communication tool Morgenthau had was a telephone, one of the few in Istanbul. He used it to try to persuade the Turkish authorities to stop the atrocities. They were "annoyed" by his *pestering*.

trouble or annoy (someone) with frequent or persistent requests or interruptions

Mr. Abe also has a record of *glossing* over Japan's World War II aggression, which makes it easier for opponents to paint him as an unreconstructed nationalist. In recent years China's official Xinhua News Agency has cynically adopted the language of Japan's *pacifists* to launch attacks along these lines.

try to conceal or disguise (something unfavourable) by treating it briefly or representing it misleadingly. a person who believes that war and violence are unjustifiable

It is not a problem for me or, I imagine, for others on the blacklist like the German politician Karl-Georg Wellmann—we have never been in the habit of spending our vacations in Moscow or Sochi. Mr. Wellmann did intend, over the weekend, to hold talks in Moscow about the future of Ukraine. He was stopped from leaving the airport and sent home the next day, in an episode that ultimately laid *bare* the travel ban.

uncover (a part of the body or other thing) and expose it to view.

parents are *apprehensive* that sex is being discussed at all

uneasy or fearful about something that might happen:

"It is a discrepancy, in the eyes of the world, why we still think the economy needs rate cuts," said Raghuram Rajan, governor of the Reserve Bank of India, after reducing the overnight-lending rate a quarter-of-a-percentage-point to 7.25%. "Most economies growing at 7%, 7.5%, are just going *gangbusters*, and the issue really is to restrain growth rather than to accelerate growth."

very successful

Yet when it comes to satisfaction over how the authorities in Beijing are managing Hong Kong's affairs, a very different picture emerges. The fear is that with every encroachment upon Hong Kong's culture, the city's unique identity is being whittled away with the *connivance* of Beijing's chosen local leaders.

willingness to allow or be secretly involved in an immoral or illegal act

IMP

Every day, as energy expert Alex Epstein observes in his new book "The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels," the average American relies on machines that exert the equivalent energy of 93 physical laborers. As a result, our lives are more leisurely than our ancestors could have ever imagined.

Mr. Ryabkov also said Russia would stand ready to cooperate in the oil-and-gas sector after sanctions are lifted. "It takes two to tango," he said. "We are ready to provide our services and I am sure they will be sufficiently advantageous compared to those of other countries."

"It takes two to tango" may be used to mean that some things need the active cooperation of two parties in some enterprise -- for example, as in the following comment: "We'll never pass this bill unless both parties work out a compromise -- it takes two to tango.

IMP

"The immigration system is like a jigsaw puzzle. If one or more pieces are out of whack, the puzzle makes no sense."

IMP

"You asked about an Obama doctrine," Mr. Obama said. "The doctrine is: We will engage, but we preserve all our capabilities."

the oil-price drop is raising a fresh growth *impediment* and new questions about his legacy

hamper the progress

Protecting the *entrenched* interests of the old at the expense of the young is getting to be a U.S. tradition.

(of an attitude, habit, or belief) firmly established and difficult or unlikely to change; ingrained.

These are *Hail Mary passes* highly likely to be *swatted* down by the ECB's board.

A Hail Mary pass is a very long forward pass in American football, made in desperation with only a small chance of success, especially at or near the end of a half. 2. hit or crush (something, especially an insect) with a sharp blow from a flat object

IMP

Beyond the economics of the Pakistan corridor are strategic advantages: China is concerned that too much of its trade depends on the narrow sea channel of the Strait of Malacca, analysts said. In the event of a future war in Asia, the Strait of Malacca could be blockaded by the U.S. Navy or another competing power. Pakistan would provide an alternative land route for Chinese trade.

For Mr. Brown, the awareness of this *sordid* commerce began soon after he relocated to Bangkok in 1999. Born in England but raised also in Oman and western Australia, he had been working as a photographer in dance studios and came seeking challenge. Soon he found it along the nefarious borders with Cambodia and Myanmar.

Dishonest , dishonourable, disgusting

Australia's government is currently producing a new strategic blueprint which, when completed later this year, will guide its approach to alliances and regional flash points. The country is also modernizing its navy and air force with new submarines, destroyers, *frigates*, amphibious carriers and fighter aircraft.

a warship with a mixed armament, generally lighter than a destroyer (in the US navy, heavier) and of a kind originally introduced for convoy escort work

Russia *relented* and in 2010, then-President Dmitry Medvedev issued a decree prohibiting the delivery.

abandon or mitigate a severe or harsh attitude

Obama has forsaken decades of pledges to the civilized world from presidents of both parties

abandoned or deserted

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a speech last week he wouldn't allow Iran's "*brazen* enemy" to visit military centers or interview scientists.

bold and without shame

In *defiance* of everything regulators think they know about the industry, this would speed the integration of Wi-Fi and cellular networks and the delivery of cable-like TV packages wirelessly.

bold disobedience

Bit by bit, though, it becomes clear that this "ordinary" soldier is in fact a woman of intelligence and sensitivity whose soul is under assault, and who is about to crack wide open as a result. This Movie is a dramatic *conceit* of real force, and Ms. Hathaway is more than equal to the challenge that it poses:

excessive pride in oneself

Because he once controlled China's police, spies and courts, Mr. Zhou knows where all the regime's skeletons are buried. That explains why the prosecution case against him proceeded slowly. His guilty plea and *contrite* acceptance of the verdict suggests that a deal was cut to spare his life and protect his family.

feeling or expressing remorse at the recognition that one has done wrong

What our officials started will continue. We will not *renege*

go back on a promise or an undertaking, or contract, (renounce or abandon)

China's enormous population and rapid economic growth mean that Beijing could one day dislodge Washington from its standing as the world's dominant power. The Economist predicts that China could overtake the U.S. as the world's largest economy in 2021, and military might tends to follow economic *heft*. Beijing's military buildup is already constraining America in the Asia-Pacific region and decades from now could usurp global supremacy from Washington.

lift or carry (something heavy) 2. take (a position of power or importance) illegally or by force

More than 35,000 South Koreans have been jailed for marital *infidelity* since 1985

marital disloyalty

Drawing parallels between war and business is not new, and while some of the task force's "aha!" moments and the book's themes are familiar, they remain relevant. That said, one *salient* point arrives late, though when it shows up the authors nail it: how leaders communicate and control their organization's overriding mission and values.

most noticeable or important.

Instead of trying to impose Western political models on Asian realities, he sought to make autocracy respectable by *leavening* it with meritocracy, the rule of law and a strict intolerance for corruption to make it deliver growth.

permeate and modify or transform (something) for the better

The company *thrived* in the years following her departure

prosper; flourish

The negotiations have given Iran international legitimacy and served as a *palliative* toward internal dissent from a public hungry for an improved economy.

relieving pain without dealing with the cause of the condition

Purina is currently waging a fight with pet-food manufacturer Blue Buffalo, whose *incantatory* use of terms like "antioxidant" and "phytonutrient" has been mocked on Saturday Night Live.

the chanting or uttering of words purporting to have magical power.

He joined the Pakistani Taliban in 2007, at its *inception*, eventually quitting after falling out with its leadership.

the establishment or starting point of an institution or activity

Facebook now says it connects 1.15 billion people each month. But further expansion is *hobbled* by the fact that many people still aren't on the Internet, Mr. Zuckerberg says.

walk in an awkward way, typically because of pain from an injury

The rise has fueled anti-immigrant sentiment in many countries. In Italy, images of *decrepit* boats *teeming(swarming)* with migrants have stoked resentment in a country locked in a protracted economic downturn and where the percentage of immigrants in the population has tripled over the past decade.

worn out or ruined because of age or neglect

For more than six years, Barack Obama has *demagogued* Republicans on everything from taxes and immigration to contraception and Iran.

a leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power

Ms. Tavenner will now steer her members through her own regulatory creations as rules *beget* more rules.

cause; bring about

We have lost a *colossal* amount of our film heritage and we continue to lose some everyday

extraordinarily great in size, extent, or degree; gigantic; huge.

Still, it's *unbefitting* that as we pass died soldiers' chiseled names we fail to acknowledge these patriots for even an instant—especially on Memorial Day 2015, the 70th year after the end of World War II.

not appropriate; unsuitable

Crews often ransack their own food and clothing supplies to help the migrants once they get on board.

search (a place or receptacle) thoroughly

The state's 2006 global-warming law, AB32, also established a *cap-and-trade* program that requires large industrial companies operating in the state to cut their carbon emissions or buy permits. Cap-and-trade auctions commenced in 2012, but this year refiners have to buy permits.

Cap and trade is a market-based policy tool for protecting human health and the environment by controlling large amounts of emissions from a group of sources. A cap and trade program first sets an aggressive cap, or maximum limit, on emissions.

"Standing wasn't physically possible, but I was able to drag myself around and pull myself into a kneeling position when needed. I fought alongside my brothers like this for a while until our position sounded *eerily* quiet given the fight raging around us.

Eerily is defined as something done in a creepy or unnatural manner. When two strangers meet and find that they look almost like twins, this is an example of when they look eerily similar.

from present reviewing the possibilities of past

Geopolitics can be more important than economics. Just look at Greece. On purely economic grounds, Greece should never have been admitted to the European Union in 1981 and might have been ejected from the eurozone months ago.

IMP

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash described the intervention in Iran as "a new page of Arab cooperation for security in the region." Although the initial progress was promising, it is not clear the enthusiasm will endure—or be effective.

IMP

Modern Singapore boasts the world's second-busiest port, its most celebrated airline and an airport that hosts 15 million visitors a year. With an annual average growth rate of almost 7% since 1976, it now has a per capita income of well over $50,000, making it the wealthiest country in Asia. And it has the second most entrepreneurs per capita in the world, trailing only the U.S.

IMP

Mr. Wang said the infrastructure bank and other recent Chinese initiatives weren't aimed at reducing U.S. influence in Asia, noting that 23 of the 57 founding members of the new bank were not Asian nations. *"When we talk about openness and inclusiveness, we're not simply talking the talk—we're actually walking the walk,"* Mr. Wang said.

IMP

No matter how much the Pentagon and White House downplay it, the fall of Ramadi to Islamic State on Sunday shows that President Obama's strategy is failing. The question now is whether Mr. Obama has the political courage to change or watch Iraq descend into more chaos and perhaps a Sunni-Shiite civil war. For now U.S. officials prefer *the sunny days school of military analysis*. "Regrettable but not uncommon in warfare," says Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The ruling threatened to *aggravate* the coal shortage.

make (a problem, injury, or offence) worse or more serious

IMP

Perverts among us believe their own deaths aren't enough; they have to take some innocents with them.

The Palestinian Return Center advocates for Palestinian refugees by, among other things, hosting Hamas leaders at conferences. For its ties to the terror group, Israel designated it an "unlawful association" in 2010. Freedom Now gives *pro bono* legal help to such political prisoners as China's Liu Xiaobo and Iran's Abdolfattah Soltani.

Pro bono comes from the latin phrase "pro bono publico" which means for the public good.

IMP

Some would say my trajectory has betrayed the cause. "You cannot choose to be financially dependent on a man and also call yourself a feminist," Emma Johnson writes. "Feminism aims to empower women. Money is always power. That is why economic equality for the sexes has always been at the center of feminist initiatives."

IMP

The Federal Aviation Administration already was pouring money ineffectually, *as it has ever since*, into planning for a day when pilots no longer are told where to fly by controllers glued to screens.

India's foe is neither Sunni nor Shia Islam as practiced by the average believer but the *radicalism* spawned by power-hungry ideologues in each sect.

characterized by departure from tradition; innovative or progressive

the 340 health-care providers studied seldom practised what little they knew about treating children suffering from the two heath complications is a *poignant* reminder of the state of the health-care system in rural India

keenly distressing to the feelings:

only a tiny percentage of the U.S. population—less than 1%—actually suffers from true sensitivity to sulfites, and these people are invariably *chronic* asthmatics, according to David Lang, M.D., chairman of the Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology of the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.

persisting for a long time or constantly recurring.

Outside the euro, Greece would no longer have access to the European Stability Mechanism, which has already showered €130 billion ($143.57 billion) on Athens, more cash than on any other "Club Med" member. Nor could Athens return to the vaults of the ECB. But as an *indigent* member of the EU, Greece could still claim billions from the "structural" and "cohesion" funds that shell out billions to the poorer regions of Europe. Athens could also draw on the EU's balance-of-payments scheme, which delivers medium-term financial help to non-euro nations.

poor; needy

some agents say the strategy is starting to erode the general *stigma* long associated with ground-floor living

shame,disgrace,dishonour

IMP

"The tragedy of Vietnam is too large to be contained in one speech," said the president. "So I'm going to limit myself to one argument that has particular significance today. Then as now, people argued the real problem was America's presence and that if we would just withdraw, the killing would end."Well, America did leave. And President Bush went on to say that whatever you might think about how America got into that war, "one unmistakable legacy of Vietnam is that the price of America's withdrawal was paid by millions of innocent citizens whose agonies would add to our vocabulary new terms like 'boat people,' 're-education camps,' and 'killing fields.' "

IMP

"Valor was everywhere that day in war in Afghanistan," he said Saturday, before drawing a moral for young people about to embark on their careers: "Courage is not the absence of fear; it is the ability to move forward in the face of it. There is beauty in this definition, because courage can exist in the decisions we make every day. Courage exists in the individual who accepts who they are and openly lives the life they want in the face of rejection. Courage exists in those who challenge their own perceptions in the face of accepting they are not infallible. Be courageous and appreciate courage in others who take action in the face of fear." He closed by saying: "The last thought I will leave you with is more a matter of character. *Never forget those who helped you reach where you are."* Then he named the men who died that morning, eight on Topside and one in the village of Wanat: " Sergio Abad, Jonathan Ayers, Jason Bogar, Jonathan Brostrom, Israel Garcia, Jason Hovater, Matthew Phillips, Pruitt Rainey and Gunnar Zwilling. The advice here is simple: Appreciate the contributions of others and the impacts they make in your life. That's it."

Besides a few iconic British buildings, the city consisted mostly of low arcaded "shop houses," flimsy street stalls that made up its outdoor markets and a chaotic infinity of *dilapidated* shacks(a roughly built hut or cabin) that formed the slums where most of Singapore's poor Chinese, Malay and Tamil immigrants made their homes.

(of a building or object) in a state of disrepair or ruin as a result of age or neglect

The newspaper with the largest circulation and influence in Greece during the Papandreou era was the left-wing Ethnos (the Nation), which had suspected links to the Soviet intelligence services. The Soviets found it easier to operate in Greece than perhaps in any other NATO country. Greece during the Cold War was never comfortable inside NATO, and instead yearned for a dreamy, *nebulous* neutrality. NATO and the EU kept Greece free and prosperous, unlike the other states of the Balkans, but Greeks, having never experienced life inside the Warsaw Pact, were never grateful for being kept out of it.

(of a concept) vague or ill-defined

Here, Nani, third from left, wears an understated and classic salwar kameez: white bottoms, black top, and white dupatta, topped off by a camel-colored coat. Her *dapper* friends wear *tweed* blazers and wool pea coats thrown over their shoulders.

(of a man) neat and trim in dress and appearance 2. a rough-surfaced woollen cloth, typically of mixed flecked colours, originally produced in Scotland

Reform hopes were *gored* on the horns of Beijing's refusal to let prices correct

(of an animal such as a bull) pierce or stab (a person or other animal) with a horn or tusk

The EPA could in theory use this discretion to *mitigate* any inappropriate costs.

to lessen in force or intensity

the same researchers learned that people who sleep poorly one night have less empathic accuracy the next day—they are less able to *discern* their partner's emotions.

to perceive , recognize, or apprehend:

Nissan Motor's big bet that *resurrecting* the Datsun brand from the dead

to raise from the dead; bring to life again.

nobody wants to keep *slogging* down the current path

to walk or plod heavily.

Dr. Brett sometimes *dons* crazy hats to lighten the mood.

to wear

More recently, debate has focused on whether this was legally a genocide. In marking the anniversary, President Obama called it the "first mass atrocity of the 20th century." Robert Morgenthau, the ambassador's grandson and a former Manhattan district attorney, criticized the administration's *equivocation*: "Moral leadership is impossible when crimes against humanity are met with euphemisms," he wrote in New York's Daily News.

1. the use of ambiguous language to conceal the truth or to avoid committing oneself 2. a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.

Despite their long history, vast populations and lengthy border, China and India have made wary business *bedfellows*.

a person who shares a bed with another

Mr. Xi's father, an early Communist hero, had been thrown into jail during one of Chairman Mao's *purges* and the young he was left to fend for himself among dirt-poor peasants.

an abrupt or violent removal of a group of people.

This is the reality the Obama Administration was supposed to have recognized by its first-term *"pivot"* to Asia, which called for the Navy to deploy more than 50% of its ships to the Pacific while enhancing military partnerships with the likes of Australia and Singapore. So far, however, the pivot has mainly been a feint.

1. the central point, pin, or shaft on which a mechanism turns or oscillates 2. a deceptive or pretended blow, thrust, or other movement, especially in boxing or fencing

Moral *relativism* has become its own, perverse form of *nativism* among those who stake their identity on being *universalist* and progressive. How else to explain the lack of outrage for the innocents murdered on the beach, while vitriol is heaped on those who express any shred of doubt about the Supreme Court ruling? How else to make sense of the legions of social-justice activists here at home who have nothing to say about countries where justice means flogging, beheading or stoning?

1. the doctrine that knowledge, truth, and morality exist in relation to culture, society, or historical context, and are not absolute 2. the theory that concepts, mental capacities, and mental structures are innate rather than acquired by learning. 3. a person advocating loyalty to and concern for others without regard to national or other allegiances

The death toll from Saturday's incident, where one high-speed train *rear-ended* another that appears to have been stalled by a lightning strike near the city of Wenzhou, rose to 39 on Monday, with another 192 counted as injured. Two of the dead were U.S. citizens, said U.S. Embassy in Beijing spokesman Richard Buangan, who added that consular officials have been in touch with the family members of the two dead Americans.

A rear-end collision (often called simply rear-end or in the UK a shunt) is a traffic accident wherein a vehicle (usually an automobile or a truck) crashes into the vehicle in front of it.

The root cause of Islamist radicalization, he argued, is neither economic deprivation nor the West's alleged misdeeds in the Middle East. It's a worldview that begins with "hearing about the so-called Jewish conspiracy and then develops into hostility to the West and fundamental liberal values, before finally becoming a *cultish* attachment to death."

A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader.

Out on the water, she came across local fisherman Prasit Mahakaew, 72 years old, as he sifted for *clams* among the *mudflats* marking the outermost limit of the *estuary*.

a marine bivalve mollusc with shells of equal size a stretch of muddy land left uncovered at low tide the tidal mouth of a large river, where the tide meets the stream

unless the purpose is simply to let Team Obama *get out of town* without Iran calling its bluff on Iran's nuclear effort, a useful deal would be one that legitimizes the continuation of sanctions, despite the clamor of the Europeans, Russians and Chinese to resume business with Tehran, once it becomes clear the Iranians aren't going to deliver.

Beat it!; Get out of here! Go away, you bother me!

It is now generally understood that completing a major nuclear-arms agreement with Iran was an obsession of Mr. Obama's from early in his presidency. Up to a point, the Democrats' normal instincts for self-preservation prevailed. Sufficient numbers of Senate Democrats—Mr. Coons, Bob Menendez, Ben Cardin, Tim Kaine, Chuck Schumer—raised enough questions of substance about the deal to credibly put space between them and a president assembling a major arms-control agreement out of his own head. The risks for Democrats were obvious.......

But starting about two weeks ago, the Democrats' Iran hedge collapsed. The compromise on the Corker bill virtually ensures that whatever agreement John Kerry outputs in Switzerland—a deal that increasingly looks built on sand—will pass unimpeded through the Senate. It looks a lot like ObamaCare, with congressional Democrats once again doing a pass-it-to-find-out-what's-in-it for another Obama legacy.

The U.S. State Department last month released its first annual report on countries that refuse to return American children who have been abducted by a parent and taken abroad. *Conspicuously* absent from the worst-offenders list in the report is the country with the world's worst record of cooperation: Japan.

clearly visible

"UN also urges governments to facilitate timely *disembarkation* and keep their borders and ports open in order to help the vulnerable people who are in need," the statement said.

Debarcation or disembarkation is the process of leaving a ship or aircraft, or removing goods from a ship or aircraft.

Packaged goods tend to be similar from one store to another, but selections of produce, baked goods and *deli* items can be a competitive point of differentiation.

Delicatessen is a term meaning "delicacies" or "fine foods". In English, "delicatessen" originally meant only this specially prepared food.

But some *confectioners* and farmers look to beans from the high-yielding CCN 51 tree to counter a looming shortage in the production of cocoa even as others swear never to use it.

a person who trades sweets and chocolates considered collectively.

There are product *disparagement* laws in many states, plus Pepsi itself fed aspartame(sweetner) to its customers for years.

Disparagement is the act of speaking about someone in a negative or belittling way

A reader named Diana emailed me a few months ago about a sulfite-related encounter she'd had with a *snobbish* (and misinformed) sommelier in Salzburg.

a person with an exaggerated respect for high social position or wealth who seeks to associate with social superiors and looks down on those regarded as socially inferior.

Mr. Tsipras and his party can *absolve* themselves of any responsibility to implement a deal.

declare (someone) free from guilt, obligation, or punishment

IMP

Immigrants are an engine of U.S. growth. Our leaders must offer realistic and comprehensive solutions to curb illegal immigration, but also to encourage those who want to come here to work. In particular, comprehensive reform must realistically address what to do with existing undocumented immigrants, particularly those who have assimilated into our economy and perform valuable services for a number of industries.Instead of expressing only doubt and concern, GOP leaders should recognize the prosperity that immigration brings not just to the immigrant but also to America. Every immigrant—legal or not—starts as an outsider, possessing hope, promise and the fear of failure. It is how we treat these immigrants and what economic opportunities we free them to pursue that shall determine who they become inside our borders and who we are as a nation.

IMP

Interior Minister Talaat Pasha asked him: "Why are you so interested in the Armenians anyway? You are a Jew; these people are Christians. . . . Why can't you let us do with these Christians as we please?"Morgenthau replied: "I am not here as a Jew, but as American ambassador. My country contains something like 97 million Christians and something less than three million Jews. So, at least in my ambassadorial capacity, I am 97% Christian. But after all, that is not the point. I do not appeal to you in the name of any race or religion, but merely as a human being." He added: "Our people will never forget these massacres. They will always resent the wholesale destruction of Christians in Turkey."

Delhi Hopes to *Emulate* Beijing's Success, but Will Delay in Liberalizing Prove Too Costly?

match or surpass (a person or achievement), typically by imitation

When it comes to the battle between Sunni and Shia jihadists in the Middle East, India should not take sides. Rather, it should wish for, and to the extent possible work toward, a *pox* on both their houses.

It's a phrase wishing bad things on a person and their family

When Japanese publishers revised textbook depictions of World War II at the government's *behest* this spring, China was quick to cry foul. And with good reason: The new high-school history books toned down or ignored atrocities like the Nanjing Massacre and Japanese soldiers' use of Chinese and Korean "comfort women" as sex slaves.

a person's orders or command.

Nestlé's noodle dispute has *spooked* other international brands as well. Starbucks Corp. said Monday that it was withdrawing some of its signature syrups until further clarity on rules and approvals. Unilever PLC said last week it had decided to recall some of its instant noodles.

frighten; unnerve

The conventional wisdom is that fracking is therefore less *amenable* to the economies of scale exploited by traditional methods. But for today's shale operators, that's a feature, not a bug.

complaint , manageable open and responsive to suggestion; easily persuaded or controlled.

At 6 p.m., I pulled up the Luxe app again and requested my car be returned in a different part of town. No problem. In under 10 minutes, a valet named Ross was there with my car, along with his foldable scooter, and a *ukulele*, in my trunk. The scooter is for getting up and down the hills of San Francisco, he says, and the ukulele fills time between jobs.

a small four-stringed guitar of Hawaiian origin

All of this matters because the next President's most important job will be encouraging a U.S. economic revival, which requires more trade and investment. The political paradox of free trade is that it becomes less popular when growth is slow and incomes are stagnant, as during the Obama years, but it is crucial to improving both. A President must represent and promote the national interest in freer trade, or the *parochial* interests in Congress and uncompetitive businesses will dominate policy.

having a limited or narrow outlook or scope

Attempts to find survivors by cutting through the capsized hull were fruitless. The Transport Ministry spokesman, Xu Chengguang, was *somber* at a news conference Thursday night: "What makes us deeply, deeply regretful is that our search of the areas where there was possible presence of survivors didn't yield any discovery, didn't create a miracle," he said. "With no likelihood of survivors, we can start the work of righting and lifting the ship."

having or conveying a feeling of deep seriousness and sadness

In Jharkhand state, a mine called Amrapali was inaugurated with *fanfare* last July after more than a decade of planning and wrangling.

media attention or elaborate ceremony.

Just two days after FIFA convulsed under twin U.S. and Swiss investigations into alleged long-running corruption, It's president opened the congress with a 22-minute speech, comprising his most extensive public comments since the probes were launched Wednesday."Outside the stadium, there are no geographical limits, there are no time limits, and there is no referee," he said. "There are more than a billion of us [touched by soccer]. How can one *tribunal* handle all of that?"

a court of justice

The Seattle retailer has long *dabbled* in private labels. Besides diapers and wipes, it has offered all customers batteries, USB cables, backpacks and even ceramic plates under the Basics label, noted for its spartan black-and-white color scheme. And Amazon sells patio furniture and linens under its Strathwood and Pinzon brands.

immerse (one's hands or feet) partially in water and move them around gently

"It's barely viable," he said standing near a row of superchargers, which for Tesla owners are the equivalent of gas pumps to quickly recharge their battery-powered vehicles. "When I arrived there was just one spot left." Mr. van Seventer's frustration reflects a rare *rift* in what has typically been a cozy relationship between Tesla Motors Inc. and its thousands of owners around the world.

a crack, split, or break in something

The environmental lobby is having a nervous breakdown this week over news that the Obama Administration might allow a *sliver* of oil drilling in the Arctic.

a small, thin, narrow piece of something cut or split off a larger piece

Mr. Seinfeld is perhaps best known for his American TV show, "Seinfeld," which focused on the antics of a group of *neurotic* friends and neighbors in New York City. The show has been in reruns for years.

mentally ill

Federal drug-enforcement officials have made it a serious *felony* for doctors to overprescribe painkillers or, as the applicable law states, to prescribe controlled substances "other than for a legitimate medical purpose and in the usual course of professional practice."

a crime regarded in the US and many other judicial systems as more serious than a misdemeanour(a minor wrongdoing)

The recent earthquakes in Nepal, with their horrific aftermath, remind us of the *chasm* between fiction and fact.

a deep fissure(crack) in the earth's surface

Last July, Mr. Zarif appeared to be *blindsided* during talks in Austria when Mr. Khamenei announced in a speech that Iran would need the equivalent of 190,000 centrifuge machines to enrich uranium as fuel for its nuclear program, according to these officials.

make (someone) unable to perceive the truth of a situation

Mr. Fabius said he discussed the issue with Germany and the U.K. in recent days. "The probability is that the sanctions against Russia will remain the same," he said, "but they could be *alleviated* if afterwards, more and more.

make (suffering, deficiency, or a problem) less severe

IMP

Saudi officials say they don't want to pull the plug on the air campaign prematurely, arguing that Yemen is a "tribal society which respects the strong."

IMP

One Nissan engineer said the two sides had no choice but to live with each other given fierce competition in the auto industry. "Ten years ago, when we started working closer on technologies, we Nissan engineers thought we were better than Renault," he said. "Since then, we've grown up, and we've given up on saying who is better or who's worse. Competition is getting increasingly harsh globally, and we can't afford to waste time debating this."

The environmental movement has stoked speculative fears about chemical mixes leaching into aquifers, poisoned potable water and toxic spills during fracking. States including New York, Maryland, California and Vermont have used this pretext for fracking *moratoriums* or bans.

a temporary prohibition of an activity

Since Prime Minister Najib Razak's 2013 electoral victory, which was plagued by widespread allegations of *gerrymandering*, fraud and voter intimidation, Malaysia has taken a turn for the worse. Mr. Najib, who once promised democratic and economic reforms and pledged to allow "the voices of dissent" to be heard, has *doubled down* on political *repression*.

manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favour one party or class. to become more tenacious(tending to keep a firm hold of something; clinging or adhering closely), zealous, or resolute in a position or undertaking the action or process of suppressing a thought or desire in oneself so that it remains unconscious

In a statement, Periscope said it respects intellectual-property rights and is "working to ensure there are robust tools in place to respond *expeditiously*." The company declined to elaborate.

marked by or acting with prompt efficiency

Mr. Rajan on Tuesday said investment is *torpid* and cited feeble corporate revenue growth as evidence of weak demand. One of his deputies, Urjit Patel, said the way firms are pricing their products suggests they're uncertain about the market's strength. Year-over-year, wholesale prices fell in April for the sixth consecutive month. Consumer-price inflation has been *subdued*.

mentally or physically inactive; lethargic 2. depressed or despirited

late Friday evening, Mr. Tsipras went on Greek television to announce a referendum on the deal, to be held July 5. His own negotiating team, in Brussels and working late, allegedly found out over Twitter. That's when the descent into a financial *abyss* really began: forcibly closed markets, capital controls, limits on cash withdrawals, an extended bank holiday.

a deep or seemingly bottomless chasm or pit

The IMF has stated it will continue to support Ukraine, in accordance with the fund's lending-into-*arrears* policy, even if Kiev halts payments to creditors

money that is owed and should have been paid earlier

Hayes was a complicated, fascinating, endlessly contradictory man of pronounced likes and dislikes. Students of the fierce Ohio State-Michigan football rivalry are aware of the deep mutual affection that existed between Hayes and his chief *adversary*, the renowned Michigan coach Bo Schembechler (who died in 2006)

one's opponent in a contest, conflict, or dispute

After hinting for years that China's workers would need to delay retirement, Beijing has finally set a timeline for the move — a gradual, multiyear process aimed at easing social and fiscal pressures *stemming* from the country's rapidly aging population.

originate in or be caused by.

successive U.S. presidents have backed Israel and Sunni allies, notably Saudi Arabia. Mr. Obama is *bucking* this foreign-policy consensus.

oppose or resist (something oppressive or inevitable)

his lawyers suggested that Ms. Washburn had lied to spite him for his uncaring post-coital *demeanor*.

outward behaviour , attitude , appearance

In Ms. Sumarni's small village about two hours west of Jakarta by car and rural areas all across the world, the reality is less *sanguine*.

optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation

Michigan v. EPA confronts a 2012 rule that was supposedly meant to limit mercury emissions and at that time was the most expensive rule the federal government had ever *promulgated*.

promote or make widely known (an idea or cause)

Mr. Singh, the marketing manager, locks up the showroom. As he has done every day for years, he *padlocks* the door and wraps the lock in cloth. Then, he melts a dab of red sealing wax on the lock and presses a brass stamp into the wax—the official seal of HMT Watch Factory V.

a detachable lock hanging by a pivoted hook on the object fastened

But a €600 million increase in provisions for *antitrust* proceedings against Daimler's truck division caused net profit to tumble 33% to €1.10 billion.

regulating or opposing trusts, monopolies, cartels, or similar organizations, esp in order to prevent unfair competition i.e. especially with a view to maintaining and promoting competition:

Last year, after Russia seized Ukrainian territory, the White House imposed sanctions on Moscow but so far has *rebuffed* Ukrainian requests for U.S. weapons. In the Middle East, Islamic State militants took over large swaths of Iraq last summer, prompting the U.S. to launch an air campaign against the group.

reject (someone or something) in an abrupt or ungracious manner

Lee was no Maoist(related to Mao), but when he came into Singapore's narrative more than a half-century ago, just before I first landed there, his city-state did *evince* a certain "poorness and blankness." Aided by a powerful patriotic yearning to put an end to the long period of imperial domination in Asia, Lee managed to kindle a miracle of development that was distinctly un-Western.

reveal the presence of (a quality or feeling); indicate

The *mano-a-mano* between Messrs. Netanyahu and Obama showed little space for agreement.

a direct confrontation

For the *nostalgic* Mr. Putin, disabling NATO is a priority with promising precedents. In the early 1980s, the Soviet Union nearly succeeded in turning allies' fears of basing U.S. atomic weapons into an Allied fold on countering existing Soviet SS-20 missiles with U.S. cruises and Pershings. German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt's Social Democratic coalition fell in 1982 over his party's resistance to their deployment. Soviet money and influence coursed through the antimissile movement.

Sentimental or emotional

Last fall, as the ordinance was coming together, Mr. Modi named Anil Swarup, a fast-talking civil-service veteran with a *knack* for getting stuck bureaucratic gears moving, as the Coal Ministry's top bureaucrat

an acquired or natural skill at doing something.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew applauded recent Indian moves to boost economic growth, but said the government needs to make deeper cuts to *subsidy* spending and devote more resources to building roads, railways and other infrastructure.

a direct pecuniary aid furnished by a government to a private industrial undertaking, a charity organization, or the like.

The accompanying wall text tells a little about the history of the school, the number of students and teachers, the *demographics* of the area and relevant incidentals.

statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it

Mr. Muilenburg, 51 years old, takes over on Wednesday from Jim McNerney, 65, who has *helmed* Boeing since 2005 and will stay on as chairman indefinitely.

steer (a boat or ship)

Mr. Liu has *mothballed* two factories to try to keep his business on track.

store (clothes) with mothballs

Mr. Kiir's attempts to marshal further military *clout* ahead of the talks

strong influence; muscle, especially political power:

There's an irony, of course, in Mr. Xi taking a leaf from Mao, who *persecuted* his father.

subject (someone) to hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of their race or political or religious beliefs.

The report, which some European privacy officials have described as a public-relations *maneuver*

an act or instance of changing the direction of a moving ship, vehicle,

Former Obama Pentagon official Shawn Brimley has quoted an unnamed former colleague dismissing China's Spratly(islands claimed by several nations including china) fortresses as "a bunch of easy targets that would be taken out within minutes of a real contingency." That is hardly comforting since the purpose of the bases is to change the *status quo* during peacetime.

the existing state of affairs, especially regarding social or political issues

But the Times's presumption of guilt is in the service of a plea for leniency. The editorial's headline is "No Need to Prosecute Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl." The Times concedes that "as a general matter, the American military has good reason to punish service members who desert" but asserts that this is one of those "extraordinary cases" that merit an exercise of *"discretion."*

the freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation

the context for this week's meltdown in Yemen, which has now escalated with the military intervention of Saudi Arabia and its Sunni Arab allies. This follows the *rout* of a U.S.-friendly government by Houthi militias that belong to the Zaidi offshoot of Shiite Islam and are backed by Iran. What had been a proxy war is in danger of becoming a direct Saudi-Iran conflict.

a disorderly retreat of defeated troops

The core problem is that the Highway Trust Fund pumps out more for U.S. road, bridge and transit projects each year than it collects in dedicated gas taxes. The last six-year, "long-term" highway bill passed in 2005, and Congress has since topped up the account with 33 *infusions* from general revenues totaling $65 billion. For all the *commotion* before the trust fund re-defaults on July 31, neither the House nor Senate is trying to solve this spending-revenue mismatch.

the introduction of a new element or quality into something a state of confused and noisy disturbance

But that's all the more reason to take terrorism more seriously than we often do today. We remain a nation living under the shadow of a threat that even the Marathon bombings, with all their *carnage*, only faintly made visible.

the killing of a large number of people

As Europe's colonial era in Asia drew to a close, this *ragtag*, polyglot populace had turned for leadership to a fiery young anti-colonialist organizer called Harry Lee (as Lee Kuan Yew was then known).

a disreputable or disorganized group of people

Learning the captain was among the first to be rescued, some Chinese social media users drew angry comparisons with the Sewol, a South Korean ferry that sunk in 2014, killing 300. In April, a South Korean appeals court overturned a lower-court decision of criminal negligence by the Sewol's captain and ruled that he had committed *homicide*. Prosecutors argued that Capt. Lee Jun-seok deserted the ship knowing that the remaining passengers and crew would die. He was sentenced to life in prison.

the killing of one person by another

IMP

Take Ted Williams, who in 1941 became the last hitter in Major League Baseball to bat over .400 in a season. As observed by the late evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould, the straightforward reason no one has matched Williams in the past 60 years is that all players in baseball have since become uniformly more skilled—including pitchers. As best practices in training and recruitment spread, everyone has gotten better, and the difference between the performance of the worst player and the best one has narrowed. In statistical terms, as the performance of players has increased, the variance in their batting averages has shrunk, year after year.

Earlier this year former ASC president Joanne Belknap of the University of Colorado at Boulder published a call for "criminology activism" among crime experts, citing their responsibility to "advocate for social and legal justice." The society's journal has since shifted toward papers that downplay particular crime trends and emphasize a policy agenda that opposes *broken-windows* *policing* or much attention to black-on-black violence. In the process it has abandoned its old role as a forum for a healthy clash of ideas.

The broken windows theory is a criminological theory of the norm-setting and signaling effect of urban disorder and vandalism on additional crime and anti-social behavior. enforce regulations or an agreement in (a particular area or domain).

IMP

The ethics have already been considered in a lot of science fiction (rapidly becoming science reality). For example, Gattaca (think GTCA) shows a world where gene manipulation is common. When couples elect to have a child, they go to a geneticist who selects the most favorable combination of genes from the mother and father. The resulting child is one that the parents might have produced in normal biological fashion - if they birthed several million children. Alternate possibilities are to have a child the "old fashioned way", and that child (and/or parents) receive a stipend from the government for being a "control normal". This way, you can monitor the difference between natural and artificial evolution. One irony is that those who object to gene manipulation on religious grounds end up in the corner of evolution, and those who argue for gene selection end up with intelligent design.

IMP

The gold rush is on. Someone is going to benefit from the immeasurable wealth created from your health information and its capacity to extend and improve lives. It might as well be you.

Yet the Great Society's legacy has been depressingly similar. In a remarkable dispatch two years ago, the Lexington Herald-Leader's John Cheves noted that the war on poverty sent $2.1 billion to Martin County alone (pop. 12,537) through programs including "welfare, food stamps, jobless benefits, disability compensation, school subsidies, affordable housing, worker training, economic development incentives, Head Start for poor children and expanded Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid." The result? "The problem facing Appalachia(name of region) today isn't *Third World* poverty," writes Mr. Cheves. "It's dependence on government assistance." Just one example: When Congress imposed work requirements and lifetime caps for welfare during the Clinton administration, claims of disability jumped. Mr. Cheves quotes a former grade-school principal who says this of Martin County's children: "Instead of talking about a future of work, or a profession, they talk about getting a check."

The nonaligned nations — which are often developing nations — of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. They are in a "third" group of nations because they were allied neither with the United States nor with the former Soviet Union.

Doubts about President Obama's Iran diplomacy are deepening, and some of the gravest misgivings are coming from his former top officials. That's the import of a statement Wednesday from a bipartisan group under the *auspices* of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

a divine or prophetic token

First, the IAEA tells Iran "the basis" of its concerns about a particular location, requesting clarification. At this point Iran will know where the IAEA is headed. Iran then provides the IAEA with "explanations" to resolve IAEA concerns. This stage has no time limit. Opportunities for delay abound. Iran will presumably want to know what prompted the IAEA's concern. The suspect site identified by the IAEA is likely to be remote, and Iran will no doubt say that it must gather skilled people and equipment to responsibly allay IAEA concerns. Iran may offer explanations in stages, seeking IAEA clarifications before "completing" its response. That could take a while. Only if Iran's "explanations do not resolve the IAEA's concerns" may the IAEA then "request access" to the suspect site. Oddly, the agreement doesn't specify who judges whether the explanations resolve concerns. If Iran claims that it has a say in the matter, the process may stall here. Assuming Iran grants that the IAEA can be the judge, might Iran claim that the "*great Satan*" improperly influenced IAEA conclusions? Let's assume that Tehran won't do that.

The term was originally used by Iranian leader Ruhollah Khomeini in his speech on November 5, 1979 to describe the United States whom he accused of imperialism and the sponsoring of corruption throughout the world.

IMP

There they will remember the dead, give thanks for the blessing of living in freedom—and resolve not to rest so long as there remains some Iraqi or Afghan whose life is now in peril because of his service to U.S. troops. "I'm probably the only guy in the foundation world whose goal is to have my nonprofit go out of business in 10 years," says Mr. Zeller. "Because if we can do that, it will truly mean we have left no one behind."

Regional backing for the force came days after a mostly Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes targeting the Iran-backed, nominally Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen, who last week sacked the provisional capital of Aden and drove Yemen President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi into *exile*

the state of being barred from one's native country, typically for political or punitive reasons

IMP

We also shouldn't exaggerate the effect of marketing: 99% of the reason people eat at Chipotle is the food, not the advertising. And 99% of the function of advertising is to remind customers that a product exists, not to deliver specific claims about it.

By the time he died last week at the age of 91, after serving his country for well over a half-century, not just Singapore but much of Asia had come under his *thrall*.

the state of being in someone's power, or of having great power over someone

President Obama arrived in Kenya on Friday and will travel from here to Ethiopia, two crucial U.S. allies in East Africa. The region is not only emerging as an economic powerhouse, it is also an important front in the battle with al Qaeda, al-Shabaab, Islamic State and other Islamist radicals. Yet grievances related to how the International Criminal Court's universal jurisdiction is applied in Africa are interfering with U.S. and European relations on the continent. In Africa there are accusations of *neocolonialism* and even racism in ICC proceedings, and a growing consensus that Africans are being unjustly indicted by the court.

the use of economic, political, cultural, or other pressures to control or influence other countries

The iPhone announcement comes as Apple is trying to prove that it can still deliver the type of groundbreaking products that vaulted it from the *brink* of bankruptcy to become the world's most valuable company by market capitalization.

the verge at which something, typically something unwelcome, is about to happen;

After a strong start, it stagnated. With only a *rutted* two-lane road to haul its output to the nearest rail head 50 miles away, management throttled back production temporarily so inventory wouldn't accumulate. Coal that sits too long can burst into flame.

a long deep track made by the repeated passage of the wheels of vehicles.

Ruma showed Ms. Sumarni how to run a business from her basic phone by selling *airtime*, lent her money to upgrade to her first smartphone and provided lessons on how to use it.

time during which a broadcast is being transmitted

When I have over 25 tabs open in Chrome (which happens more often than not), I can feel it wanting to *keel over*.

to capsize or turn turtle. To collapse in a faint; to black out; to die

But smaller ones more dependent on the central Mediterranean *corridor* grumble that the rescues could result in serious financial problems.

a long passage in a building from which doors lead into rooms

On the back of the S6, you'll find the heart rate sensor and a *protruding* camera. The new 16-megapixel sensor, up from 13 in the S5, bulges quite a bit

to thrust forward

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella proclaimed the announcement "unbelievably cool." Indeed, Microsoft has been *globetrotting* (and now solar system-trotting) to tout the HoloLens' hip factor. Microsoft showed off its potential videogame bona fides at the recent E3 games expo. (A WSJ reviewer wasn't bowled over by what he saw.) Microsoft also talked up its potential appeal to advertisers gathered this week in Cannes, France.

to travel throughout the world, especially regularly or frequently.

:-D

Wine has alcohol. And too much alcohol can cause headaches. Perhaps that's the warning that Senator Thurmond should have lobbied for instead.

The judge who presided over their trial said the actions had "shocked the collective *conscience*" of the country

the inner sense of what is right or wrong in one's conduct or motives, impelling one toward right action:

You can *grok* all of this in an hour or two, but you'll definitely want someone to show it to you. Once I learned the basics, I found a surprising number of things I could do faster or better on my wrist than by pulling out my phone:

understand (something) intuitively or by empathy

Yet many of Israel's bungles were not committed by Mr. Netanyahu personally. In both episodes with Mr. Biden, for example, the announcements were issued by midlevel officials who also caught the prime minister *off-guard*. Nevertheless, he personally apologized to the vice president.

unprepared for a surprise or difficulty

Others argue that surrendering such independence for the sake of raising children should not be counted as failure. "If feminism is not only about creating an equitable society but also a means to fulfillment for individual women, and if the rewards of working are insufficient and uncertain, while the *tug(hard pull)* of motherhood is *inexorable*, then a new calculus can take hold," writes Lisa Miller.

unrelenting, Impossible to stop

But any verification program that doesn't give inspectors *unfettered* and immediate access to any place they want to see does little more than create the illusion of inspections while giving Iran the opportunity to cheat.

unrestricted

Russia would be even more emboldened in its geopolitical predations. Vladimir Putin would be raking in vaster bucks, rather than vastly diminished bucks, for his oil. Europe and the U.S., feeling broke and *bedraggled*, would be even less eager for confrontation.

untidy; disordered, messy

Ms. Swift's push comes ahead of her "1989" tour's November dates in Shanghai. She joins an increasingly crowded bandwagon of U.S. companies and trade groups pushing China's e-commerce players to halt the rampant selling of *knockoffs*. The American Apparel & Footwear Association, a trade group representing clothing makers, issued an open letter to the chairman of Alibaba last week, complaining about a lack of progress combating fake goods on its site.

a copy or imitation, especially of an expensive product

But late last week, J. Pete Blair and M. Hunter Martaindale, two academics at Texas State University who co-authored the FBI report, acknowledged that "our data is imperfect." They said that the news media "got it wrong" last year when they "mistakenly reported mass shootings were on the rise." Mind you, the authors did not issue this *mea culpa* in the major news outlets that supposedly misreported the original findings. Instead, the authors published it in ACJS Today, an academic journal published by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. "Because official data did not contain the information we needed, we had to develop our own," wrote Messrs. Blair and Martaindale. "This required choices between various options with various strengths and weaknesses." You don't say.

used as an acknowledgement of one's fault or error

Can tech companies really offer better experiences than the *taqueria*, flower shop or dry cleaner down the street, while taking a cut for themselves? Not necessarily. Quality control is a challenge when the supervisor is just software. While I didn't have any major problems, I've heard horror stories from readers and colleagues who have tried shipping and laundry apps. And these apps have been coming and going quickly: At least two on-demand carwash services have already gone defunct in San Francisco.

a Mexican restaurant specializing in tacos

Make no mistake, it takes an entitled mind-set to use many of these apps. The Heal app sent an excellent Stanford-trained doctor to my door to check out an injury in under an hour, but I paid $99 for the convenience. (My insurance wasn't accepted.) Washio charged me $1.60 per pound of laundry plus a delivery fee; I could have done it for a little less by bringing the *hamper* to a wash and fold, or a lot less by doing it myself.

a basket with a carrying handle and a hinged lid, used for food, cutlery, and plates on a picnic

In 2009, the Delhi High Court decriminalized all consensual sex between adults in private, raising hopes among activists that India was finally outgrowing an *archaic* law restricting individual freedom. But two years ago the Supreme Court overturned the decision and tossed the fate of Section 377, the part of the Indian penal code that criminalizes gay sex, back to Parliament.

very old or old-fashioned

But starting about two weeks ago, the Democrats' Iran *hedge* collapsed.

a fence or boundary formed by closely growing bushes or shrubs

When I first arrived in Afghanistan in February to work for NATO, I spoke with *verve* about the country's immense potential and the social progress of the past 14 years.

vigour and spirit or enthusiasm

edging the warring *factions* closer to a final peace deal

a group or clique within a larger group, party, government, organization, or the like:

All I could do was clean his wound, wrap it with *gauze*, and tell him he was going to be all right.

a thin transparent fabric of silk, linen, or cotton

Vladimir Putin remains an enemy not only of democracy in Russia but of democratic countries in general. He has a broad strategy that includes the weakening, perhaps the destabilization—and, if that works, the dismantling—of the European Union. He holds the EU responsible for the destruction of the Soviet Union, an event that he views as the greatest geopolitical *catastrophe* (his words) of the 20th century.

disaster

the Governor plans to build a giant ark to save wildlife when rising sea levels *inundate* the state.

flood

Greek pensioners without debit cards—and therefore with limited access to their pensions—are supposed to *opine* on a "Preliminary Debt Sustainability Analysis" that they know next to nothing about. Syriza ministers know how Mr. Tsipras wants them to vote, but nobody can explain what exactly they are voting on. As an expression of incompetence, one can hardly do better than this. Even more baffling is that some, including Nobel laureate Paul Krugman, are applauding this farce.

hold and state as one's opinion

In the *affluent* suburb of Nea Erythrea, north of Athens, Iosif Perdikaris, a 72-year-old pensioner suffering from diabetes, was looking for insulin, an import made scarce by the ban on foreign bank transfers. When he was told at the third pharmacy he visited that there wasn't any in stock, he *snapped*.

1. (especially of a group or area) having a great deal of money; wealthy 2. break suddenly and completely, typically with a sharp cracking sound

Visualize an *overlay* graphic that positioned the job requirements of that day *atop* the skills of the early American labor force.

1. cover the surface of (something) with a coating. 2. on the top of.

A teacher once gave us a lifeboat-ethics exercise. A ship was sinking, and the lifeboat could not hold everyone. We had to rank the passengers, decide who would get saved and pick leaders for the lifeboat. The exercise provided us with a predictable array of potential passengers: a saintly nun, a racist doctor, the world's greatest *harpsichordist*, a brutal Navy SEAL instructor, and so on.

A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.

Chinese activists have been lobbying for her to ask for the release of Liu Xiaobo, a dissident Chinese writer who, like her, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while *incarcerated*.

An activist is a person who campaigns for some kind of social change. When you participate in a march protesting the closing of a neighborhood library, you're an activist. imprison or confine

Mercury pollution is already *de minimis* and well controlled, but the rule isn't really about mercury. It is part of the EPA's larger campaign to drive coal-fired power plants out of business.

De minimis is a Latin expression meaning about minimal things

Life sure is easy when you let your apps do the walking, but I learned they're not only for the lazy. Most provided great service and, to my surprise, some have ingenious new business models that actually saved me money. It's just not clear how many will make sense outside dot-com *Camelots* like San Francisco—or even still be in business in a year.

In the legends of King Arthur, the capital of his kingdom; truth, goodness, and beauty reigned in Camelot.

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Isabella says playing cards has changed her views on competition. An avid soccer player, she has occasionally seen opponents have a meltdown if they miss a goal, she says—an attitude she has come to regard as "ridiculous." "You don't win everything in cards. You can't expect to win everything in life either," she says.

Among those eligible for the ObamaCare exchanges—meaning they lack coverage through a job, spouse or another government program—only about a third have signed up, according to HHS. The number of *truants*—despite the individual mandate penalty-tax—increases with income and as ObamaCare's subsidies phase out.

Non-attendance, absenteeism

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Nonetheless, even larger majorities favor negotiations over the use of force, and about three in five Americans are willing to accept a deal along the lines of the framework agreement announced last week.In a democracy, these sentiments matter. Still, a president's duty is to lead, not simply to follow public opinion,* never more so than when war and national security are at issue*. President Obama must make his case on the merits.

APEC membership is of great interest to many other Asia-Pacific countries, and the merits of other aspirants to APEC membership should also be considered. But if APEC is to remain relevant itself, the continued exclusion of Asia's third-largest economy is *untenable*. India's growth potential and its huge market are simply too important to ignore.

Unagruable

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With just a little imagination, it's easy to picture yourself as one of those fresh-faced youngsters—only you've been blessed with an additional 15,000 or 20,000 mornings, afternoons and evenings of life, and a warehouse of experiences they were denied. It's some consolation that a majestic memorial to those who fought the good fight now stands in Washington. But most of us don't visit the capital often. There's a simpler, more personal way we can show our gratitude to those whose lives were cut short. On Memorial Day—with your smartphone turned off—pay a visit to your local monument. Quietly stand before the honor roll of the dead, whisper a word of thanks, and gently rub your finger across their names. The touch will be comforting.

He and around 40 employees started building the prototype in 2000 in a leased airport *hangar* in Greensboro that provided long runways and clear airspace for testing. The prototype flew successfully in 2003.

a large building with an extensive floor area, typically for housing aircraft

Ghulam Mustafa, a co-defendant in the case who was also scheduled to be executed Wednesday morning, was ready to sign a statement *exonerating* Mr. Masih, but Mr. Masih's lawyers said officials at the prison in the city of Sahiwal didn't allow them to meet Mr. Mustafa on Tuesday.

absolve (someone) from blame for a fault or wrongdoing.

But Mao's successor, Deng Xiaoping, tried to put a stop to what he called a "*feudal*" practice.

absurdly outdated or old-fashioned

So why should it be different this time? Seventy percent of Americans see Israel in a favorable light, according to a February Gallup poll. The presidential candidates from both parties all *profess* unswerving friendship with the Jewish state, and the Republican candidates actually believe it. Mr. Obama's foreign policy is broadly unpopular and likely to become more so as the fiascoes continue to roll in.

affirm one's faith in or allegiance to

Before the clergy and *congregation*, Mr. Celdran held up a sign bearing the word "Damaso"

an assembly of persons brought together for common religious worship.

The administration's anti-carbon policies *hamstring* the energy market, distort investment and lower efficiency

any of five tendons at the back of a person's knee, cripple (a person or animal) by cutting their hamstrings

The official also said that if there is an apparent *breakthrough* in talks, leaders would likely be cautious about progress until they see Russia is implementing its side of the deal.

any significant or sudden advance, development, achievement, or increase, as in scientific knowledge or diplomacy, that removes a barrier to progress:

His latest concessions shorten the review period to 30 days, which Mr. Obama wanted, perhaps to *mollify* the mullahs in Tehran who want sanctions lifted immediately.

appease the anger or anxiety of

In East Asia, countries whose economic success India seeks to emulate—among them Japan and South Korea—do not *outlaw* homosexuality. By upholding such an antiquated law, India puts itself in the company of such paragons of human rights such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and Somalia.

ban or make illegal

The Democratic Party's promise of threat when set against its doctrinal aversion(disinclination) to act means it is not *credible*, and so it is dangerous

capable of persuading people that something will happen or be successful

Obama wanted to '*whittle* away' the killers at Guantanamo

carve (wood) into an object by repeatedly cutting small slices from it

Last Protectionist *Gasp* Free trade opponents invent an immigration *plank* that doesn't exist.

catch one's breath with an open mouth, owing to pain or astonishment 2. a fundamental point of a political or other programme.

The new efforts to choke off Iranian support for the Houthi rebels are seen as critical to weakening the fighters in Yemen as the Saudi-led airstrikes enter the third week. The bombing runs have inflicted significant damage on the Houthis, slowing their advance on the southern city of Aden, but haven't delivered a *crippling* blow, American officials said.

cause a severe and almost insuperable problem for

Over the past year Chinese *dredging* and other landfill techniques have transformed tiny reefs into potential homes for military aircraft, ships, radar facilities and other assets.

clear the bed of (a harbour, river, or other area of water) by scooping out mud, weeds, and rubbish with a dredge.

As Nestlé SA *clambers* to recall 400 million packets of instant noodles in India, its struggle serves as a cautionary tale for all the food companies that have recently rushed in to set up shop in Asia's third-largest economy.

climb or move in an awkward and laborious way, typically using both hands and feet

A French pilot admitted, "We are children compared to the Wrights." Wilbur became the toast of France, where he dazzled crowds with aerial exhibitions; in 1908 he flew a distance of 77 miles to win the first Michelin Cup. The French embraced and yet were *perplexed* by this *implacable* Yank who neither smoked nor drank nor showed interest in women.

completely baffled; very puzzled unable to be stopped; relentless

Mr. Steinitz also said Iran must close its underground facility in Fordow, an enrichment site the country began constructing *clandestinely* in the early 2000s.

conducted with secrecy

Typical of Iran's *shrouded* tanker fleet is the blacklisted ship called the Sinopa, previously named the Superior and before that, the Daisy.

cover or envelop so as to conceal(hide) from view

Legal trends and public opinion have moved toward embracing same-sex marriage with remarkable speed, but Tuesday's arguments didn't indicate an outcome recognizing a right for gay unions was *preordained*.

decide or determine (an outcome or course of action) beforehand

"It smelled like lots and lots of fresh blood," a Boston doctor told us shortly after the attacks, describing the scene at his emergency room as he *triaged* the victims.

decide the order of treatment of (patients or casualties)

the U.S., in coordination with allied maritime powers such as Australia, Japan and the Philippines, should *delineate* what features in the South China Sea it considers to be islands warranting 12-nautical-mile territorial zones, and what features cannot legitimately be claimed as sovereign territory

describe or portray (something) precisely

In 2013, U.S. President Barack Obama and Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron posed for a selfie with Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt at a memorial service for Nelson Mandela in South Africa. The image was criticized by some who said it lacked the *gravitas* required for such an occasion. *If you're already famous, selfies can make you even more so.*

dignity, seriousness, or solemnity of manner.

Following the death of several Pakistan Taliban leaders, Hafiz Saeed, who is currently the head of Islamic State's South Asia branch, became increasingly *disenchanted* with the Pakistan Taliban. Saeed had apparently been one of the main contenders for the Pakistan Taliban's top spot, but he was passed over. This discontent provided an opening for Islamic State, which began to woo Saeed and his network. Islamic State used a similar strategy with disaffected Afghan Taliban in Helmand and Farah provinces.

disappointed by someone or something previously respected or admired

So rather than merely *bemoaning* the pervasiveness of "like" as a sign of cultural decline, which it is, maybe we should try incorporating its valuable uses into correct English.

express discontent or sorrow over (something

This is a familiar story. A government investment scheme is launched with *grandiose* promises of moving up the value chain and other economic jargon.

extravagantly or pretentiously imposing in appearance or style

Minister of Foreign Affairs Wunna Maung Lwin said conditions in Myanmar's Rakhine state, where about 140,000 Rohingya Muslims are confined to *squalid* camps without citizenship, "are not the root cause" that drove migrants to pay for passage on smuggling boats.

extremely dirty and unpleasant, especially as a result of poverty or neglect.

Ausländerfreundlichkeit is becoming *verboten* again. Think of this column as a reminder of the distance Europe has traveled in 70 years, and why it must not slip back.

forbidden, especially by an authority

When their sons visit, each celebrates mass according to his own rite in the dining room or living room of what has become a very *ecumenical*

general; universal.

Yet here's one reason universities usually aren't nimble enough to adapt: *tenure*. Nearly three-fourths of the Sweet Briar faculty is tenured or tenure-track, leaving little flexibility to scale back personnel.

give (someone) a permanent post, especially as a teacher or lecturer.

Those of us who get our fruit and vegetables at Whole Foods may have a hard time appreciating the *scourge* that insects, parasites and disease are to those in poorer parts of the world. Or the high price these people pay when they are denied these man-made tools in the name of some environmental fad.

great trouble or suffering

Women in conical straw hats bend over *verdant* green fields within walking distance of Cibeber's narrow, dusty streets

green with grass or other rich vegetation

Africa and Europe were early adherents and today constitute the bulk of ICC membership. But India, China, Russia and most of the Middle East—representing well over half the world's population—stayed out. So did the United States. Leaders in both parties worried that an unaccountable *supranational* court would become a venue for politicized show trials. The track record of the ICC and European courts acting under universal jurisdiction has amply *borne* out these concerns.

having power or influence that transcends national boundaries or governments carried or transported (past participle of bear) eg water borne diseases

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a *dramatic* and highly public showdown with a U.S. president, told a joint session of Congress Tuesday that an emerging diplomatic agreement with Iran would not only fail to stop Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons, but virtually ensure it gets them.

highly effective

The hard-liners worry that the ISIS is selling out its ideology by absorbing hundreds of these fighters, whose main goal is to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and whose moderate religious views they deem *heretical*

holding an opinion at odds with what is generally accepted.

In the French view, the raids' precision and targeting would have scared Iran and Russia, also a supporter of the mullahs and Bashar Assad. Messrs. Hollande and Fabius have both made clear since then that they believe the American fade facilitated Islamic State's emergence as a permanent factor in the region. Yet these French backers of firing real rockets at Iranian-related Syrian targets two years ago now *ape* the Obama administration in saying nonacceptance of the nuclear deal is the tripwire for a full-fledged Middle East war. *Disingenuous*?

imitate (someone or something), especially in an absurd or unthinking way dishonest or deceitful

These meetings with google officials help keep the White House *apprised* of outside perspectives on important policy issues.

inform or tell

Official media showed workers cutting through the hull of the bottom of the ship, which was overturned in waters 50 feet deep, as rain *pattered* the waters around them.

injured by repeated blows or punishment

We're talking about the imprisonment of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who is five months into a nonappealable five-year prison sentence on trumped-up sodomy charges.

invented as an excuse or a false accusation anal intercourse

Committee members voiced serious concerns over the *vetting* of Muslim prison chaplains and the extent of radical Islamist influences

investigate (someone) thoroughly,

Mr. Obama sprinkled his speech with repeated references to the "nonviolent" and "low-level" offenders we presumably lock up for too long and are safe to release early. But the record of predicting which convicts will turn a new leaf is nothing to brag about. A 2002 Justice Department report tracked the three-year *recidivism* rate of 91,000 "nonviolent" property offenders who had been released nationally in 1994.

is the act of a person repeating an undesirable behavior after he/she has either experienced negative consequences of that behavior, or has been treated or trained to extinguish that behavior.

Story is a sentimentalization of a book that was noteworthy for the chilly detachment with which Ms. Bechdel portrayed Bruce, her father (Michael Cerveris), a *closeted* gay small-town high-school teacher who runs a funeral home on the side.

keeping something secret, especially the fact of being homosexual

Lee Kuan Yew not only made Singaporeans proud; he also made Chinese and other Asians proud. He was a master builder, a sophisticated Asian nationalist dedicated not only to the success of his own small nation but to *bequeathing* the world a new model of governance.

leave (property) to a person or other beneficiary by a will

Stripped of anything but folk culture and an abiding belief in the importance of their families, education and diligence, they had *heaved* onto the alien shores of this unlikely colonialized city-state

lift or haul (something heavy) with great effort

a goods and services tax that could add as much as 2% to economic growth by simplifying rates and unifying India into a single market—will rightly be applauded if passed later this year. But in political terms GST symbolizes the *deft* management of competing state concerns, not a willingness to take unpopular decisions for long-term payoffs.

neatly skilful and quick in one's movements

Except that the Democratic president erected a steel cable connecting himself directly to Tehran. This being Barack Obama, history had *ordained* that only he could take on Planet Iran and persuade its population of *fanatic* Shiite ayatollahs to change their worldview. In the years since Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini presided over the American hostages, taking down a U.S. presidency, Iran's Islamic Republic has had just one other Supreme Leader—today's Ayatollah Khamenei, the man at the other end of the steel cable tethered to the White House.

order , command , dictate a person filled with excessive and single-minded zeal, especially for an extreme religious or political cause

The shootings were widely condemned, and protest leaders were clear in saying the violence wasn't connected to their effort to raise awareness about policing and racial discrimination. "We specifically *denounce* the actions of stand-alone agitators who unsuccessfully attempt to derail the otherwise peaceful and nonviolent movement," Mr. Brown's family said in statement.

publicly declare to be wrong or evil

the company *nixed* an effort to start showing search results from personal Gmail accounts

put an end to; cancel.

He was soon propounding the Confucian virtues that came to be known as "Asian values"—family, diligence, *filial* piety, education and obedience to authority.

relating to or due from a son or daughter

President Barack Obama isn't a particularly big fan of Camp David, the *bucolic* presidential retreat in Maryland's Catoctin Mountains, but sometime in the next few weeks it will be the site of a crucial event in the selling of the nuclear agreement with Iran.

relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life

Early Saturday, Greece's parliament passed Mr. Tsipras's new bailout proposal with the backing of 251 out of 300 lawmakers, thanks to the support of center-right and center-left opposition parties. But 17 lawmakers from the premier's own left-wing Syriza party failed to support their own government, with two voting against Mr. Tsipras and others *abstaining* or staying absent.

restrain oneself from doing or enjoying something

There is also the question of where Washington stands on more robust regional Arab military action. In February the Obama administration condemned Egypt for *retaliatory* airstrikes against ISIS in Libya. More recently, though, the White House welcomed Arab-coalition efforts in Yemen and is providing logistical and intelligence support.

return of like for like; reprisal

Last month executives at Cheil Industries, Samsung's de facto holding company (known until recently as Samsung Everland), announced that they would acquire construction firm Samsung C&T for about $9 billion in stock. Elliott Associates, which holds a 7% stake in Samsung C&T, opposed the acquisition as an "unlawful" scheme "to hastily *railroad* Samsung C&T shareholders into an unfair takeover" at a *low-ball* price. The hedge fund sued for an *injunction* and is seeking support to block the merger at a shareholder meeting next month.

rush or coerce (someone) into doing something 2. offer a deceptively or unrealistically low bid or estimate to 3. an authoritative warning or order

The lifeline, called Emergency Liquidity Assistance, or ELA, is highly flexible. The rules say that the banks receiving it must be "solvent," but otherwise the ECB has broad *latitude*. The ECB also doesn't lend for free—it has required the Greek banks to post assets as collateral to get ELA.

scope for freedom of action or thought

Does this mean that all is well and the U.S. can turn away from Asia? Hardly. It will be at least a generation before other Asian countries have, in the aggregate, enough economic and military power to create some kind of equilibrium relative to China. The period in which they catch up with China is likely to be dangerous. Facing multiple rising Asian powers that are divided and smaller, Beijing will try to *woo*, thrash or thwart them one by one. Only the U.S. can provide the security umbrella within which the balance of Asia can be safely restored.

seek the favour, support, or custom of

Among those on the Home Ministry's ban list on Wednesday were the University of Delhi and other educational institutions, some branches of the Young Men's Christian Association and a range of philanthropic *organizations*

seeking to promote the welfare of others; generous and benevolent.

The beauty of "Grounded" (and I use that word very deliberately) resides in the seemingly stenographic naturalism with which Mr. Brant renders the just-the-facts-ma'am speech of his nameless pilot.

shorthand especially written from dictation or oral discourse

The Democrat hinted during his campaign that he was open to drilling, especially upstate atop the oil-and-gas-rich Marcellus Shale that *straddles* Pennsylvania and the Empire State. But suddenly his health department rolled out a report full of dubious science concluding that it could not say with "absolute scientific certainty"—as if such a thing exists—that fracking does not endanger the public. The department cited "potential water contamination" and "the potential to affect drinking water quality." In other words, Mr. Cuomo's sleuths couldn't find conclusive evidence that fracking harms drinking water, so he banned it until they can.

sit or stand with one leg on either side of 2. a detective

Companies want to cater to a Companies want to cater to a growing Chinese trend of consumers who would rather pay with their phones than pull out their wallets, said Forrester analyst Xiaofeng Wang. Many homegrown Chinese chains, like hot-pot restaurant chain Hai Di Lao, which serves meats and vegetables dipped in boiling *broth* *fondue* style, are already using mobile payments.

soup consisting of meat or vegetables cooked in stock, sometimes thickened with barley or other cereals. 2. a dish in which small pieces of food are dipped into a hot sauce or a hot cooking medium such as oil or broth.

The growth in spending on services and support can no longer continue at the expense of America's active-duty military and combat power. By *reining in* defense services and expenditures on them, we can ensure that the next set of pink slips don't go to those in uniform.

stop or slow up one's horse or oneself by or as if by pulling the reins

The president insists that the Iran deal is tightly focused on "making sure" that the Iranians "don't have a bomb." It is not, he says, "*contingent* on Iran changing its behavior" in any other respect—notably the funding of proxy armies and terrorist organizations throughout the Middle East. "The incremental additional money that they've got to try to destabilize the region," according to Mr. Obama, is not "more important than preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon."

subject to chance

Iran is negotiating over its nuclear program with the U.S., Russia, China, France, Germany and the U.K. The EU's foreign policy chief *oversees* the six-power group.

supervise (a person or their work), especially in an official capacity

Not everything has gone so well for Airbus. Its A400M military cargo plane, which Mr. Brégier *oversaw* until it was recently moved to another division, has been plagued for years by rising costs and delays. Last month, it suffered another big setback when an A400M crashed in Spain, killing four Airbus employees on board. A handful of militaries have temporarily grounded the aircraft amid a probe into what went wrong.

supervise (a person or their work), especially in an official capacity

Mr. Tsipras left's political strategy is to ignore the benefits of economic reform, play the "sovereignty" card, take a few cheap shots at Germany, and argue that living within one's means is a moral outrage. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is so far resisting further concessions. But as Greece's financial and humanitarian crisis deepens, pressure for a rescue will intensify.

supreme power or authority

It also isn't clear if the ministry's plan can dent the *debilitating* effects from China's shrinking work force, even as officials acknowledge the high stakes involved.

tending to weaken something

If not for *fracking*, oil would probably be $200 a barrel and gasoline $6.50 in the U.S.

the process of injecting liquid at high pressure into subterranean rocks, boreholes, etc. so as to force open existing fissures and extract oil or gas

...."The first line of defense is *self-policing* within the company. The second is regulators," Mr. Bharara said in a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal. "When all those things have failed, prosecutors come along with the blunt hammer. That does get some attention in the board room."

the process of keeping order or maintaining control within a community without accountability or reference to an external authority.

In 2015's less-terrifying sequel to 1999, everyone is to be commended for avoiding the worst excesses of the past, the empty vehicles for irrational *exuberance* like Pets.com.

the quality of being full of energy, excitement, and cheerfulness; ebullience

Big-spending nations such as Japan and South Korea are the only F-35 buyers in the region, with each paying more than $7 billion for about 40 jets apiece. "They can't *turn on a dime* and suddenly come up with foreign products," said Richard Bitzinger of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

used to refer to a manoeuvre that can be performed within a small area or short distance.

The pity is that Britain's vast shale resources—including an estimated 1,300 trillion cubic feet of shale gas beneath northern England—could turn the U.K. into a European energy powerhouse. That's not going to happen unless Prime Minister David Cameron makes good on his first-term vow to "go *all-out* for shale."

using all one's strength or resources

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By 2006, Gen. McChrystal's task force had evolved into "a new command for a new age." Yet three years later, in 2009, he told "60 Minutes" from his base in Afghanistan that "we must change the way we think, act and operate." In other words, modern leaders should never embrace the status quo but constantly seek to redefine it. *"Feeling comfortable or dodging criticism should not be our measure of success," Gen. McChrystal contends in his book. I could not agree more.*

This verbal reassurance always gets rolled forward to the horizon, never quite arriving at a decision to coerce adversary behavior. "Smart" policy means stringing together endless *casuistic* reasons for not acting

Casuistry is reasoning used to resolve moral problems by extracting or extending theoretical rules from particular instances and applying these rules to new instances.

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China faced a similar situation in the wake of its own tectonic revolutionary upheavals. Mao Zedong once spoke of his people as possessing "two remarkable peculiarities." They were, he said, "first poor and secondly blank," which meant that they were inclined to "want revolution." As he observed, "a clean sheet of paper has no blotches, and so the newest and most beautiful pictures can be painted on it."

In the Senate a bipartisan group is trying to pass a "long-term" bill, by which they mean six years of increased road spending and three years of *Mickey Mouse* funding.With an assist from Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, this *pork tenderloin* was prepared by Oklahoma Republican Jim Inhofe and California Democrat Barbara Boxer, who usually seem to detest each other, which should tell you something.

Mickey Mouse definition. A cartoon character created by Walt Disney. Mickey's image is so widespread that he has achieved the status of myth. Pork loin is a cut of meat from a pig

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Mr. Obama raised the danger of losing ground in economic competition with China if the trade deal isn't completed: "We want China to be successful. We want China to continue to embark on its peaceful rise," he said. "I think that's good for the world....We just want to make sure that the rules of the road allow us to compete and everybody else to compete. We don't want China to use its size to muscle other countries in the region around rules that disadvantage us."

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Only a week ago, Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker (R., Tenn.) *was but a few votes shy of the 67* he'd need to override a presidential veto of his bill giving Congress review over an Iran deal. The framework now announced, the White House now twisting arms, the votes needed are vanishing.

IMP

Several years ago, Google ran a study in India that targeted people who hadn't used the Internet, says Ms. Chang, the former Google executive.The company showed one woman Google's website and told her she could search for anything by typing it into the box. The woman responded: "I want to know what the future holds."Ms. Chang says the lesson was: "We need to help people where they are."

Yet when it comes to mergers and acquisitions, french finance ministry retain their predecessors' *conviction* that government knows better than shareholders how to maximize value in the private economy. The better way to attract foreign investors is to get out of their way.

a firmly held belief or opinion

On Tuesday, Greece became the first developed country to *default on* the International Monetary Fund, as the rescue program that has sustained it for five years expired and its creditors rejected Athens's last-ditch efforts to buy more time. The fund said the Greek government failed to transfer €1.55 billion ($1.73 billion) by the close of business Tuesday—the largest single missed repayment in the IMF's history.

The failure to promptly pay interest or principal when due

Virtual reality concept was started by four Hollywood players—Mr. Edwards, director Robert Stromberg, producer Joel Newton and executive Guy Primus—and is preparing an *onslaught* of content with directors such as Messrs. Scott and Spielberg.(i.e they are trying to prepare some movie which will realise virtual reality)

a fierce or destructive attack

Any apparent *fraying* of U.S. support for the Jewish state could unnerve Israeli voters.

a fight, battle, or skirmish. a competition or contest

Today, that company is China's microchip national champion—and a *beacon* for how Western tech companies might get to do business in China in the future.

a fire or light set up in a high or prominent position as a warning, signal, or celebration

"Finalization Day" was July 14. The agreement stipulates that a *resolution* will be submitted to the United Nations Security Council "promptly after the conclusion of the negotiations . . . for adoption without delay" that will "terminate" all preceding U.N. Security Council resolutions against Iran.

a firm decision to do or not to do something

A big free-trade vote is headed for the House floor as soon as Friday, and opponents have launched a *honeypot* operation to ply the dumber or more partisan Republicans into defeating the bill. Protectionists on the right claim that President Obama can't be trusted, and their last gasp is to claim the bill includes secret new immigration powers that are nowhere in the bill.

a container for honey

The fabulously wealthy may call their servants by ringing a little bell. In the lifestyles of the geeky and lazy, one can now summon a household staff just by tapping on a smartphone.I've got a maid, masseuse, doctor, chef, valet, personal shopper, florist and bartender. Each has his own app and can arrive at my door in as few as 10 minutes. Yes, this sounds ridiculous. But it might also be the future of how busy nonbillionaires get all kinds of chores done. A *concierge* economy is sprouting up on phones, and no place more so than in my city of San Francisco

a employee or anything whose job is to assist guests by booking tours, making theatre and restaurant reservations and doing basic everyday chores, etc

Lakhvi, the operational commander of the now banned organization Laskhar-e-Taiba, is one of seven individuals charged with planning and helping to carry out the 2008 Mumbai's Taj Hotel incident. Much to India's *consternation*, he was released from jail in April after a court order dismissed detention orders issued against him

a feeling of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected

Declining to speculate on implications for plans by SpaceX and Boeing Co. to ferry astronauts into orbit, Mr. Gerstenmaier said the loss of the rocket "could help us nail down designs" to improve safety as NASA prepares for those commercial-space taxis. More broadly, he said, "it points out the difficulties we face in space flights" and the importance of avoiding *complacency*.

a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements

Lee was a very different leader from his *confreres* in Beijing, but he shared something important with them: a mutual sense that, despite the long, painful and humiliating history of the Chinese people's modern weakness, it was their destiny to make something of themselves

a fellow member of a profession

"Our party is not out to destroy Europe," said Alexis Tsipras, known as a firebrand leftist, former Communist and current member of the Syriza party, whose name in Greek is an acronym for the Coalition of the Radical Left. "We want to show that we have no horns on our head." Two years later, Mr. Tsipras's six-month tenure as prime minister has put Greece *teetering* on the edge of a financial *maelstrom* and pushed it to the brink of a eurozone exit. The country has become the first advanced economy to *default(finance)* to the IMF. Athens has failed to win new bailout cash from its eurozone creditors, and has been forced to institute financial martial law after the European Central Bank set limits on the amount of emergency financing Greek banks could receive.

move or balance unsteadily; sway back and forth 2.. a powerful whirlpool in the sea or a river 3. default is failure to meet the legal obligations (or conditions) of a loan,[1] for example when a home buyer fails to make a mortgage payment, or when a corporation or government fails to pay a bond which has reached maturity The term default should be distinguished from the terms insolvency and bankruptcy. "Default" essentially means a debtor has not paid a debt which he or she is required to have paid. "Insolvency" is a legal term meaning that a debtor is unable to pay his or her debts. "Bankruptcy" is a legal finding that imposes court supervision over the financial affairs of those who are insolvent or in default.

The Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge are Samsung's attempt to finally convince the world (or at least snooty phone reviewers like myself) that it has design chops *akin* to Apple or HTC.

of kin; related by blood

During the demos, Oculus Chief Executive Brendan Iribe said multiple times that virtual reality is in its *infancy*, and that the company envisions a day when the goggles are as unobtrusive as a pair of sunglasses. He said Oculus is nearly ready to ship a consumer product, but he also admitted the consumer market for virtual reality is currently "at zero." He's right. These are the early days. What matters at this point is that developers and hardware makers prove that they can build headsets and high-quality software that don't make people feel sick or hurt their necks after long sessions in virtual reality. Still, virtual reality is evolving fast. In the span of a few years, Oculus has moved from market leader to laggard and then back to the front of the pack, neck-and-neck with Sony, Valve and HTC. Iribe framed things a bit differently to me after my demos. "Right now, we have no rivals," he said. "Everyone in VR is a pioneer and nobody has Rift or any other consumer VR headsets hooked up to their PCs and consoles at home. We need to build an actual market for this before we really can talk about competition. But, we're finally ready."

the state or period of babyhood or early childhood

Internet has forever changed the way we watch TV—and the biggest screens in our home now bear more resemblance to our smartphones than any old RCA tube with rabbit ears. This is a great excuse to get that new jumbotron for your man cave (or ma'am cave), but it means picture quality is no longer your only concern. These rival operating systems each have their own looks, apps, capabilities—and pitfalls. Choose poorly, and you might end up unable to watch movies you own, or in possession of a remote that requires a Ph.D. in *semiotics*.

the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation

Last week marked the passing of a woman whose missionary work and writings inspired hundreds of thousands of Christians to live lives of faith and obedience to God, and led thousands to bring the *gospel* to people in countries around the world. Elisabeth Elliot died June 15 at age 88, but her legacy will continue through the lives transformed by her example. I knew her simply as "Aunt Betty," as she was my father's sister.

the teaching or revelation of Chris

When a young man leaves the New Square *yeshiva* for a secular college, Mr. Deen is accused of leading him astray.

an Orthodox Jewish college or seminary

When I arrived in Singapore one sultry summer evening in 1962 as a 22-year-old student, the Union Jack still fluttered over the British colony. Coolies unloaded wooden boats on the docks, per capita income was languishing under $500 and the young independence leader Lee Kuan Yew was still in his 30s. It was a *far cry* from today's well-ordered cityscape of manicured parks, gleaming office towers, high-rise apartment blocks filled with middle-class families and glittering malls swarming with wealthy consumers.

1 : a long distance. 2 : something notably different

The *embattled* prime minister *lambasted* Greece's lenders—the German-led eurozone and the International Monetary Fund—in a televised speech after Europe rejected another last-ditch bailout proposal from Athens as too little, too late. He called on Greeks to vote "no" on Sunday in a referendum on creditors' demands, arguing that a popular rebuke to lenders would be "a decisive step for a better agreement" that "does not mean a rupture with Europe."

1. involved in or prepared for war 2. criticize (someone or something) harshly

U.S. role in the world is in retreat. Allies such as Israel and Poland have been alienated. American leadership against Russian intervention in Ukraine and Iran's dominance of neighboring countries in the Middle East was *fleeting*. Mr. Obama's promise of a foreign-policy "*pivot*" toward Asia turned out to be merely rhetorical.

1. lasting for a very short time 2. the central point, pin, or shaft on which a mechanism turns or oscillates

Many of us now are in the U.S., and Kremlin is comfortable with it," he wrote us Tuesday in an email. "But we will get more organized and we will be back—as it happened already not once and not twice in Russian history. And we will not feel sorry for those who initiated that *farce* in State Duma—formerly Russian parliament."

1. an event or situation that is absurd or disorganized 2. a legislative body in the ruling assembly of Russia and of some other republics of the former Soviet Union

When their sons visit, each celebrates *mass(the celebration of the Eucharist. )* according to his own *rite* in the dining room or living room of what has become a very ecumenical .

a formal or ceremonial act or procedure prescribed or customary in religious or other solemn use:

Businesses are now more cautious about putting money in China, said Jörg Wuttke, European Chamber president. Meanwhile, the Chinese government isn't using the "old toolbox" of pumping out investments to stimulate the economy. "There's a *paradigm shift*," he said.

a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions

If all the potatoes produced on our collective farm were gathered into a *mound*, the mound would be so tall that it would reach the feet of god.

a heap or raised mass

And why not make ammo in a watch factory? After all, other HMT affiliates already manufacture roller bearings, a Continuous Butter Making Machine, farm tractors, precision ball screws, something called a "programmable *guillotine*" (for the industrial cutting of paper), and machinery to equip an ice-cream factory.

a machine with a heavy blade sliding vertically in grooves, used for beheading people

consider the funding sources: mutual funds, sovereign-wealth funds, hedge funds, and somewhat haphazard *agglomerations* of other big investors with a particular interest in a startup, like the group putting money into Internet-from-space startup OneWeb, which just got $500 million from, among others, Coca-Cola Co.

a mass or collection of things; an assemblage.

Elliot had her *detractors*; many did not like her writings on *courtship* and marriage, made plain in passages such as this: "There is dullness, monotony, sheer boredom in all of life when virginity and purity are no longer protected and prized. By trying to grab fulfillment everywhere, we find it nowhere." A few quotations from her writings typify her approach to life and to God: "There is nothing worth living for, unless it is worth dying for." Or this: "The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances."

a person who criticizes someone as being of little worth 2. a period during which a couple develop a romantic relationship before getting married

Altera, along with San Jose, Calif.-based Xilinx Inc., specializes in chips called field programmable gate arrays that can be customized for specific jobs after they leave the factory. They are particularly popular in networking and wireless equipment, which would represent new markets for Intel. Some companies have also been using FPGAs alongside conventional chips to help speed up servers, a concept that is among Intel's motivations for the deal. Another motivation has to do with the steep costs required to stay on the relentless, two-year *cadence* of semiconductor miniaturization dubbed Moore's Law, after an Intel co-founder.

a slight falling in pitch of the voice in speaking or reading, as at the end of a declarative sentence.

have been was a reflection of the internal *turmoil* within the party

a state of great commotion, confusion, or disturbance; tumult; agitation; disquiet:

The newspaper wrote that when she was first confronted with a Yankee-spy *tizzy* during her 2013 re-election campaign, Ms. Merkel did not choose to *shrug off* the *fuss*—homegrown, Snowden-incited paranoia, I'd have called it—but to describe her position with the Schröderish phrase, "Here in Germany, it's not the Law of the Strong that rules, but the Strength of the Law."

a state of nervous excitement or agitation 2. a display of unnecessary or excessive excitement, activity, or interest 3. to raise and contract (the shoulders), expressing indifference, disdain, etc. 4. a mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance, typically worked into an organized system

As a boss taught me long ago, the first rule of *wing walking* is to never let go until you have a firm grasp on the next handhold. Yet our *pique* at Russia, coupled with effective lobbying, has resulted in legislation that is *tantamount* to letting go.

acrobatic stunts performed on the wings of an airborne aircraft as a public entertainment. 2. a feeling of irritation or resentment resulting from a slight, especially to one's pride 3. virtually the same as

Mr. Yi may be forced to pack up his irons as early as this month: The local government now says his club sits too close to a drinking-water reservoir. It has been right next to it, in fact, since it opened in 1999. That CTS is only now deemed out of bounds illustrates the challenge for those caught in the legal *quagmire* of China's love-hate relationship with golf.

an awkward, complex, or hazardous situation.

Russia relented and in 2010, then-President Dmitry Medvedev issued a *decree* prohibiting the delivery.

an official order that has the force of law

Coal India has 333,000 employees, their positions protected by unions and laws against mass layoffs. The average age is between 45 and 50. A 2011 government report called this force *"geriatric."*

an old person, especially one receiving special care.

Many of CIA Director John Brennan's *gaffes* over the years have raised eyebrows, but none has suggested the need for a legislative remedy—until the one he launched at Harvard last week.

an unintentional act or remark causing embarrassment to its originator

We are near the point where there will be no walking back the mistakes we have made. No walking away from them, either. It takes a special innocence to imagine that nothing in life is irreversible, that everything can be put right, that *fanaticism* yields to reason and facts yield to wishes, and that the arc of Mideast history bends toward justice.

obsessively concerned with something

Fighters from abroad are awarded the choicest properties confiscated by the ISIS, while the Syrians are given *humbler* quarters.

of low social, administrative, or political rank.

A 2013 report in the New York Times Magazine found "numerous (and sometimes conflicting) regulations required by the departments of Health, Sanitation, Transportation, and Consumer Affairs." Some *overtly* discriminate against food trucks. For example: Each food-truck employee must obtain a Health Department certification—a lengthy process—even though traditional restaurants need only one licensed employee.

openly, publicly

But the 75-yeard-old supreme leader of Iran has also repeatedly cast doubt on the utility of engaging the U.S. diplomatically, a country he's based his career on *demonizing.*

portray as wicked and threatening

Meanwhile, Japan, the wartime aggressor, is able to paint its archrival China as the new threat to peace. At Bandung last week, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took a dig at Beijing by *decrying* *"the use of force by the mightier to twist the weaker around."*"The wisdom of our forefathers in Bandung was that the rule of law should protect the dignity of sovereign nations, be they large or small," Mr. Abe added

publicly denounce

"So the right wingers aren't disturbed by the inadequate safety funding for #Amtrak that transportation officials have *decried* for decades." "Hope there are lots of Republicans on that Amtrak train then maybe they'll have a come to Jesus moment and fund infrastructure.

publicly denounce, Criticize

When Lee's ancestors joined the great Chinese diaspora, they were stripped of their culture and national identities. This *defoliating* process created, in them and later generations of overseas Chinese, a strange kind of hunger for advancement, and in Singapore, Lee could begin to satisfy that longing for progress uninhibited by the conservative traditions that have so often clashed with modernizing impulses around the world. His new country may have been an almost synthetic nation, without a coherent cultural core, but this relative vacuum ended up being a blessing in disguise when it came to the challenges of creating a completely new state from the bottom up.

remove leaves from (a tree, plant, or area of land), for agricultural purposes or as a military tactic

Faced with social upheaval brought about by Deng Xiaoping's economic reforms, leaders in Beijing began *groping* for new ways to maintain order themselves.

search blindly or uncertainly by feeling with the hands.

For more than six years, Barack Obama has demagogued Republicans on everything from taxes and immigration to *contraception* and Iran.

the deliberate use of artificial methods or other techniques to prevent pregnancy as a consequence of sexual intercourse. The major forms of artificial contraception are: barrier methods, of which the commonest is the condom or sheath; the contraceptive pill, which contains synthetic sex hormones which prevent ovulation in the female; intrauterine devices, such as the coil, which prevent the fertilized ovum from implanting in the uterus; and male or female sterilization.

Mr. Soriano said the fire chief of Valenzuela City was *relieved* of his duty as is normal procedure during an investigation into potential safety-code violations.

to free from anxiety, fear, pain,duty etc.

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake on April 25 and the subsequent aftershocks have claimed more than 8,500 lives, *hobbling(hobble)* what is already one of the world's poorest nations.

to impede; hamper the progress of

Producers have their own share of the blame. In a lower commodity price environment, producers typically are reluctant to cut production in an effort to maintain their market shares.In some cases, producers even increase their output to make up for the revenue losses due to lower prices, *exacerbating* the problem of oversupply.

to increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of (disease, ill feeling, etc.); aggravate.

Our story looks at how the White House *thwarted* the FCC chief to push for a tougher stance on the principle

to oppose successfully; prevent from accomplishing a purpose.

India is *hedging* its bets by taking its relations with both China and Japan forward

to protect with qualifications that allow for unstated contingencies or for withdrawal from commitment:

Investors have long pushed Mr. Immelt to *pare* down GE's finance business and more tightly focus its industrial side

to remove (an outer coating, layer, or part) by cutting

The result of all the *tinkering* was that growth for the year ended last March has now been set at 6.9%, well above the 4.7% the government had originally announced.

to repair in an unskillful, clumsy, or makeshift way.

A Russian academic, often a *disseminator* of Vladimir Putin's designs for the future, offered up a message of nuclear provocation and intimidation concerning the West for a small group of European security-affairs specialists gathered at a Paris think tank last week."We now have the nuclear capacity to confront NATO in Europe," the Russian emissary said, according to an event participant.

to scatter or spread widely, as though sowing seed; broadcast; disperse:

Some conservative quarters of society *advocate* restrictions on women's freedom and blame Western influence and the greater liberties women enjoy in urban India for inciting violence against them.

to speak or write in favor of; support or urge by argument; recommend publicly:

The chairman of Hyundai Motor Co. and his heir-apparent are resuming a *botched* stake sale in the car group's logistics arm

to spoil by poor work; mess; bungle:

But in recent decades, Credit Suisse has developed *sprawling*, international operations and significant businesses in the U.S. and Asia.

to spread out, extend

Foxconn's new e-commerce platform also *underscores* a shift in strategy.

to stress; emphasize:

There are a number of ways to categorize a state's business climate. I focused on labor policies and average tax rates. On average, I found that employment growth is twice as high in states that have a *right-to-work* law and minimum wages that are below average across states, and the difference is "statistically significant"—meaning that it is unlikely to have occurred by chance. GDP grows about 11/2 times faster over this period in those states. A state's labor policies were gauged by its minimum wage relative to other states (or the federal minimum when binding) and whether it had a right-to-work law—which generally prohibits requiring employees to pay dues to a union.

A "right-to-work" law is a statute in the United States that prohibits union security agreements, or agreements between labor unions and employers, that govern the extent to which an established union can require employees' membership, payment of union dues, or fees as a condition of employment, either before or after hiring

IMP

"I don't get the sense that the Iranian level of commitment at this point is of such a magnitude that they are going to take a big risk of being exposed any more than they already are," one military official said. "If they can do it, and it's not going to cost them a whole lot, I think they'll do it. But the Houthis are not some ally that they are going to go to the situation for."

They preferred to have someone else *broach* the topic

to mention or suggest for the first time:

ZURICH— Swatch Group AG will launch its own Internet-enabled smartwatch this summer in the U.S., China and its Swiss home market, Chief Executive Nick Hayek said Thursday. The watch, which has remote payment functions, is part of Swatch's response to the launch of Apple Inc.'s device earlier this year, as well as similar devices from companies like Samsung Electronics Co. Mr. Hayek declined to comment on how the Apple watch was affecting his company, but said Biel-based Swatch has been hard at work perfecting its own device, which will feature in its *eponymous* plastic watch design.

(of a person) giving their name to something

"I'm so familiar with that road, I apply the brakes automatically," Mr. Kirdat said. But this time, he said, the brakes malfunctioned. "The bus skidded to the right," he said, and *fishtailed*.

(of a vehicle) make an uncontrolled sideways movement

"A triumph for gay rights but not for democracy."His opinion's sweeping language implies that belief in traditional marriage is *invidious* discrimination with no rational basis.

(of an action or situation) likely to arouse or incur resentment or anger in others

Mr. Jindal, who waited until he could sign a state budget before formalizing his presidential aspiration, would be the 13th major Republican presidential candidate. His focus on state issues, he said, have kept him from all but the *perfunctory* appearances at events at which a parade of presidential contenders speak to activists. "You can go to Iowa and give a speech—that's different from spending a lot of time on the ground in front of town halls, answering people's questions, taking hours to do that, we haven't been able to do that," Mr. Jindal said. "I'm confident that as we spend the time talking directly to voters it will pay off."

(of an action) carried out without real interest, feeling, or effort

Why is the Japanese public so *skittish*? One reason is that Mr. Abe has refused to spell out what the legislation would permit the Japanese military to do.

(of an animal, especially a horse) nervous or excitable; easily scared

The group has *accrued* substantial financial resources in Iraq and Syria from smuggling oil, selling stolen goods, kidnapping and extortion, seizing bank accounts and smuggling *antiquities*.

(of a benefit or sum of money) be received by someone in regular or increasing amounts over time. 2. an object, building, or work of art from the ancient past.

Regardless of what is ultimately determined to be the cause, the failure is likely to revive *nagging* questions and concerns among many industry officials about SpaceX's ability to ramp up its launch tempo to meet contractual obligations to deliver cargo for NASA, as well as to provide timely launches for its multitude of commercial customers. The company had been expecting to launch a dozen or more times annually to work through its hefty and growing backlog.

(of a person) constantly harassing someone to do something

Next week marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of ties between South Korea and Japan. In recent years the relationship, however, *has been anything but normal*. Roiled by tensions over "comfort women" and other disputes, ties between America's two northeast Asian allies have become downright poisonous. This has hurt U.S. efforts to bolster security and economic ties in the region and to push back against growing Chinese assertiveness. Now there are signs of a limited *thaw*, including this weekend's visit to Tokyo by South Korea's foreign minister—the first in four years. Washington should take advantage of the opening to bring its allies closer together.

(of ice, snow, or another frozen substance, such as food) become liquid or soft as a result of warming up

During *inclement* weather, airlines are learning to be more nimble in getting planes and staff off the ground faster

(of the weather, the elements, etc.) severe, rough, or harsh; stormy.

Chumphon could do with a lift. Tourists tend to bypass the town and head directly to the resort islands of the Gulf of Thailand, leaving local bar-bands listlessly playing Robbie Williams tunes for nobody in particular. Prices for rubber, a major cash crop, are at a low *ebb*. A few boats or barges passing through to the Indian Ocean side of the country could help encourage some more trade across the spit of land.

(of tidewater) move away from the land; recede

Alzheimer's disease affects 5.3 million Americans and is this country's sixth most deadly disease. It has existed for thousands of years and *confounded* scientists for more than a century. But that doesn't stop the dreamers from dreaming. Last week an Ivy League-educated friend shared some big news. "Have you heard?" he asked: Marijuana might stop Alzheimer's.

(used for emphasis) especially to express anger or annoyance

After all, what is work but the application of human *ingenuity* and labor to God's creation to increase God's bounty?

the quality of being clever, original, and inventive

The issue *ebbs* from time to time, sometimes after private U.S. *admonitions*, but constantly re-emerges to stoke tension in the region and mistrust in Washington.

1. gradually decrease 2. a firm warning or reprimand.

Were President Obama or Hillary Clinton *bigots* before they reversed their political positions? What about the states that ratified the Fourteenth Amendment 147 years ago?

a person who is intolerant towards those holding different opinions

Besides a few iconic British buildings, the city consisted mostly of low *arcaded* "shop houses," flimsy street stalls that made up its outdoor markets and a chaotic infinity of dilapidated shacks that formed the slums where most of Singapore's poor Chinese, Malay and Tamil immigrants made their homes.

An arcade is a succession of arches, each counter-thrusting the next, supported by columns, piers, or a covered walkway enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides.

IMP

As countries such as Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and even China continue to search for new models of development and governance that do not bear the stigma of their former Western colonizers, Lee Kuan Yew's example is a tempting option.

Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is attempting a spectacular U-turn, signing up to everything that Greeks voted "no" to in Sunday's referendum at his *behest*.

a person's orders or command

What's valuable is your time. The Apple Watch is a computer built to spend it better. And if you can tolerate single-day battery life, half-baked apps and inevitable *obsolescence*, you can now wear the future on your wrist.

Obsolescence is the state of being which occurs when an object, service, or practice is no longer wanted even though it may still be in good working order

Lessons from the recent acquittal of a doctor and nurse-practitioner accused of overprescribing drugs

a judgement or verdict that a person is not guilty of the crime with which they have been charged

there have been few examples of such *blatant* theft.

brazenly obvious; flagrant:

"Sultans of the Deccan" is an *enthralling* show. There's a lot to look at and think about. Repeat visits and study of the handsome, informative catalog are recommended.

capturing and holding one's attention; fascinating

It isn't like the bubble of 1997-2000, the Kraken of legend that came from the depths to *wreak* havoc on the whole of the U.S. economy.

cause (a large amount of damage or harm).

There likely would have been no 9/11. There would have been no Helios 522, which ran out of fuel and crashed in 2005 when its crew was *incapacitated*. There would have been no MH 370, no Germanwings 9525.

deprived of strength or power

The activities that China carries out are well within the scope of its sovereignty and are beyond *reproach*, said Zhu Haiquan, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. "We urge the U.S. side to honor its commitment of not taking sides on issues relating to sovereignty, stop irresponsible and provocative words and deeds, and make no attempts to play up the tension in the region."

express to (someone) one's disapproval of or disappointment in their actions

Development economist Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University and a creator, with the United Nations Development Program, of the Millennium Villages Project, has long contended that impoverished nations are locked in a "poverty trap," in which *meager* agricultural production and widespread disease make it all but impossible for people to amass the savings that are essential for economic growth. The solution, he argues, is a "big push" in foreign aid targeted at such specific goals as making farmers more productive, improving schools and providing better health care. Prof. Sachs says that "many, almost surely most, of the cutting-edge breakthroughs in actual development in recent years did not result from [randomized controlled trials]." He believes that tackling problems at the level of communities or entire societies, rather than just households, is likely to be more effective—though, he adds, randomized controlled trials should be "a part of a diverse arsenal of analytical and policy tools."

lacking in quantity or quality

In the end, France did not choose to lie across the tracks with a gesture of principle. Its admirable voice was still. It *ducked* and made no waves. The result is a France now confronted by an awkward dilemma. How do the French get a shot at the big-bucks contracts a sanctions-free Iran will be signing after France's years of self-portrayal as the last angry and honest man willing to block Iranian nukes? Can they do so without renouncing a principled decade of insisting Iran must be stopped cold?

push or plunge (someone) under water

As of Wednesday, the agency said it has committed $149 million to be paid to producers that have *indemnity* claims on their flocks.

security or protection against a loss or other financial burden

*Lest* one should be inclined to pooh-pooh, these are not commodes of your grandmother's variety

so that (one) should not

The agreement consists of 159 pages of opaque *prose*, and key sections are referred to but are not clearly marked. Even figuring out the timeline embodied in the deal is hard, but it appears to run about as follows:

talk tediously

Iran's Supreme Leader vows not to change the country's policy of supporting regional allies *inimical* to Israel and the U.S.

tending to obstruct or harm

In the run-up to the election, India's leading dailies carried large front-page ads featuring Mr. Modi's *visage* and asking the people of Delhi to "let Modi lead the way."

the face, usually with reference to shape, features, expression, etc.;

The intermediate court said Supreme Court review *upheld* the death sentence for Mr. Liu,

to support or defend, as against opposition or criticism:

Structuring laws were designed to catch criminals and drug dealers who chop financial transactions into lower-dollar amounts to evade federal law. But they are also a legal trap for the innocent. Small business owners often *live on a shoestring*, making routine deposits and withdrawals under $10,000 based on business cash flow. Ambitious law-enforcers often target these innocents because catching the guilty is so much harder.The Institute for Justice says there were some 600 forfeitures like those involving Mr. Quran and Mr. Sowers before the IRS issued guidance in October 2014 that it would "no longer pursue the seizure and forfeiture of funds" associated with "legal source" structuring except in exceptional circumstances. This policy change came too late for too many. The funds the IRS seized from law-abiding citizens are ill-gotten gains that ought to be returned—with interest and an apology.

'Shoestring' A slang term used to describe a small amount of money that is considered to be inadequate for its intended purpose. A shoestring can be used in a number of idioms, such as: "The company financed that last project on a shoestring," or "Jim is living off of a shoestring budget."

As Mr. Modi's administration completes its first year, this cautious approach has frustrated some executives and investors who saw his landslide election win last year as potentially transformative. Instead of slashing costly subsidies for food and fertilizer, he is streamlining their delivery. Instead of repealing a law allowing *retroactive* taxation, the government is wielding it "with extreme caution and judiciousness," as his finance minister puts it. Indian markets have taken a beating recently after some foreign investment funds were hit with surprise tax bills.

(especially of legislation) taking effect from a date in the past

But "Grounded," as usual with Ms. Taymor, is smothered in a thick sauce of overelaborate, overliteral visual and sound effects. It's as though "American Sniper" had been staged in the hyperactive videogame style of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time." While the parade of stage trickery is always *ingenious* and often memorable, it deprives the audience of the chance to use its collective imagination to bring the play to life.

(of a person) clever, original, and inventive

This intolerance of opposition characterized much of the colonial period. But in the later stages of British rule and the early years after the 1997 handover, the government not only tolerated but had effective dialogue with its critics. The appointment of Leung Chun-ying as Hong Kong's chief executive brought all this to a *shuddering* halt.

(of a person) tremble convulsively, typically as a result of fear or revulsion

The quick deterioration in Ramadi prompted Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to call in the country's largely Shiite paramilitary force into the Sunni province, a controversial decision given the country's *simmering* sectarian tensions and concerns over further empowering Iranian-backed militias.

(of water or food that is being heated) stay just below boiling point while bubbling gently.

In exports, capital spending and foreign investment, India today is remarkably similar to China *circa* 2001.

(often preceding a date) approximately

A deal on the nuclear issue may well slow Iran's program. That would be a good thing. But a situation where the U.S. is not moving to check Iran's influence or, worse, making excuses for Iranian behavior is likely to create huge problems for Washington and its friends in the region. U.S. interests are little served or protected by the perceptions that Iran is rising, that the U.S. is quarreling with traditional allies, and that Washington now sees Iran as a central player with the Arabs and that Israel is playing secondary roles. The United States is not admired, respected, or feared as much it needs to be in a region where it has vital interests, partly because it's perceived to be playing *1)footsie* with the mullahs. Even while it tries to conclude a nuclear deal, Washington ought to consider toughening its stand on Iran's human rights abuses and meddling in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. That might help U.S. street *cred* and temper the perception that Iran has *hoodwinked* America and is playing three-dimensional chess in the region while Washington plays checkers.

1) a furtive flirtatious caressing with the feet (as under a table) 2) informal term for street credibility. acceptability among fashionable young urban people 3) deceive or trick

Behavioral economics, which documents the many ways in which the human mind falls short of perfect *rationality*, offers some novel explanations. In theory, people consider all relevant information to make objective judgments about risk, reward and the best choices they can afford. In fact, however, people in all walks of life: • love to gamble regardless of the odds of winning, leading them to bet on *underdogs*, play the lottery or hit the slot machines; -*procrastinate*, putting off until tomorrow just about everything they can get away without doing today; - are impatient to their own *detriment*, preferring to take pension payments in one lump sum rather than as an annuity spread over time or to start receiving Social Security payments as soon as possible instead of deferring them.

1. Rationality is the quality or state of being reasonable, based on facts or reason. Rationality implies the conformity of one's beliefs with one's reasons to believe 2. a competitor thought to have little chance of winning a fight or contest 3. delay or postpone action; put off doing something 4. a cause of harm or damage

Hermann had been arrested by the Gestapo the previous August and held on charges of Ausländerfreundlichkeit, or *xenophilia*. He was suspected of being friendly to foreign workers, mostly forced laborers from Ukraine, whom he treated in his practice. He had also been overheard saying that sooner or later everybody would have to learn Russian, and was learning some Russian himself. It *smacked* of *defeatism*. After the July 1943 firebombing of Hamburg, the Gestapo were keen to make examples of would-be dissenters........

1. Xenophily or xenophilia means an affection for unknown/foreign objects or people. It is the opposite of xenophobia or xenophoby 2. strike (someone or something), typically with the palm of the hand and as a punishment 3. Defeatism is the acceptance of defeat without struggle, often with negative connotations

Still, everyone values time differently. One way to measure a service app's value is by the hassle it replaces. Paying an $8 premium to have Postmates deliver a *gourmet* family dinner might seem a small price to a *harried* parent. And Postmates is available in 14 states—far more than most other services I tried.

1. a *connoisseur*(expert) of good food; a person with a discerning *palate*(a person's ability to distinguish between and appreciate different flavours) 2. feeling strained as a result of having demands persistently made on one; harassed

U.S. support for Israel: "What we will be doing even as we enter into this deal is sending a very clear message to the Iranians and to the entire region that if anybody messes with Israel, America will be there." This statement, and indeed the Obama *Doctrine*, is a *hoax*.

1. a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a Church, political party, or other group 2. a humorous or malicious deception(the action of deceiving someone) prank or joke

St. Louis County Police and other officers consciously maintained *standoff* distance between protesters to avoid unnecessary *antagonism*, with a few officers walking into the crowd and engaging people in conversation.

1. a deadlock between two equally matched opponents in a dispute or conflict 2. hostility or opposition.

The bidding process, which left England and the U.S. among the losers, became a target for every *broadside* at FIFA. It led to the appointment of former U.S. federal prosecutor Michael J. Garcia to investigate, followed by a *debacle* that resulted in his report being kept secret.

1. a fierce verbal attack 2. disaster, catastrophe

On a visit last week to a Buenos Aires school, Mrs. Kirchner learned that the children were reading the Bard's "Romeo and Juliet." "I said, you have to read 'The Merchant of Venice' to understand the *vulture funds*," Mrs. Kirchner replied, adding that "*usury* and bloodsuckers have been immortalized in the greatest literature for centuries."

1. a fund which invests in companies or properties which are performing poorly and may therefore be undervalued 2. the action or practice of lending money at unreasonably high rates of interest

Remember, in the mid-1960s when President Johnson put a face on America's "war on poverty," he didn't do it from an urban *ghetto*. He did it from the front porch of a *shack* in eastern Kentucky's Martin County, where a white family of 10 eked out a *subsistence* living on an income of $400 a year.

1. a part of a city, especially a slum area, occupied by a minority group or groups 2. a roughly built hut or cabin 3. the action or fact of maintaining or supporting oneself, especially at a minimal level

Once the Russians *dissidents* are dispensed with, either by locking them up (Pussy Riot, Alexei Navalny) or liquidating them ( Anna Politkovskaya, Sergei Magnitsky), or expelling them ( Mikhail Khodorkovsky); once the troublemakers, the *deviant* thinkers, the too-well-informed-about-the-workings-of-the-machine, the detectors of the new and disturbing lie are silenced, let's hurry up and finish the job by dealing with the foreign witnesses. *Intimidate* them or, when intimidation doesn't work, slam the door in their face, as Mr. Putin is doing with the present travel ban. Quiet! We're knocking heads; muzzling the press and dissident voices; hunting homosexuals, Tartars and any remaining free Chechens; saying no-go to the NGOs; erasing any record of the Russian soldiers who have died in Ukraine.

1. a person who opposes official policy, especially that of an authoritarian state. 2. departing from usual or accepted standards, especially in social or sexual behaviour 3. frighten or overawe (someone), especially in order to make them do what one wants 4. the open end of the barrel of a firearm(gunpoint)

To add to this, over the past few decades neighboring Pakistan—founded as a homeland for all Indian Muslims who didn't want to live in a Hindu-majority country—has taken a sharp sectarian turn. The *witches' brew* of terrorist groups it houses—including the Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba—are steeped in hardline interpretations of Sunni Islam. So are homegrown Indian radicals backed by Islamabad from outfits such as the Indian Mujahideen.

1. a potent magical concoction supposedly prepared by witches. 2. a harmful or threatening mixture

Digging out oil is very difficult these days. Today's long *laterals*(oil rocks) can extend up to 15,000 feet, running within *undulating* formations that can sprawl over hundreds of square miles.

1. a side part of something, especially a shoot or branch growing out from the side of a stem 2. move with a smooth wave-like motion

The installation begins with some of the enormous pink diamonds that made Golconda famous, cut in ways that 17th-century Deccani sultans valued highly: as large, minimally *faceted* *amulets* that preserved as much of the precious material as possible and emphasized its transparency.

1. a small plane surface (as on a cut gem) — 2. an ornament or small piece of jewellery thought to give protection against evil, danger, or disease.

You can't blame the guy for trying. Ray's soon-to-be-ex wife, Emma (Carla Gugino), whom he still loves, needs rescuing in Los Angeles. His daughter, Blake (Alexandra Daddario), whom he loves to the exclusion of everything but a lame *subplot* involving her new boyfriend, needs rescuing in San Francisco. But excuse me, must we sit still for tender marital *tableaux*—and, worse still, maudlin family flashbacks—while California is dying? ....

1. a subordinate plot in a play, novel, or similar work 2. a group of models or motionless figures representing a scene from a story or from history

President Obama has rationalized the weak recovery by saying that the recession was deep. Recently he told Chris Matthews on MSNBC that "I've spent the last six-and-a-half years yanking this economy out of the worst recession since the Great Depression." His *surrogates* and supporters have long echoed this trope. But as the University of Chicago's Victor Zarnowitz pointed out decades ago, the deeper the recession the steeper the recovery.A severe recession is no excuse for a weak national recovery. States hit the hardest recovered the fastest.The bigger the hit, the larger the rebound. This in turn suggests that, with the right policies, high growth should have followed the deep recession of 2007-09.

1. a substitute, especially a person deputizing for another in a specific role or office 2. a significant or recurrent theme; a motif

By all means let's have that discussion on jobs and wages. Because Mr. Walker seems to be taking his *cue* from Senate hearings Mr. Sessions held recently to spread a *whopper*: that Americans with degrees in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and math) can't get jobs because foreigners are stealing them.

1. a thing said or done that serves as a signal to an actor or other performer to enter or to begin their speech or performance 2. a thing that is extremely or unusually large

Some readers may *concede* much of this(i.e rise of iran, china and russia) and say, so what? These powers are merely seeking to dominate their natural spheres of influence, and the U.S. should adjust and accommodate to what is inevitable. Meanwhile, the Obama Administration's expectation has been that "the international community" will replace receding American power with a new cooperative order working through the United Nations. That hasn't happened, and it won't. Instead we can already see the rising costs and dangers in a world where authoritarians grow in power. These emerging regional hegemons reject democratic values and the post-World War II liberal world order. They view the U.N. and other institutions as a means to check U.S. power not adhere to global norms. They protect other *despots* and search for ways to undermine U.S. allies. They can also form alliances with one another, as Russia has with Iran on Syria and by selling its anti-aircraft system to Tehran. Over time regional powers can also become global threats, as Japan and Germany did a century ago, especially if they form authoritarian alliances. This is the dangerous new-old world that Mr. Obama is leaving his successor. The next President will need an urgent strategy to contain and counter the rising threats.

1. admit or agree that something is true after first denying or resisting it 2. a ruler or other person who holds absolute power, typically one who exercises it in a cruel or oppressive way.

Many young combatants who, as the English poet Laurence Binyon wrote, "fell with their faces to the *foe*" never set foot on campus. They never straightened a tie and headed to a first real job. They never slipped a ring on a sweetheart's finger. They never swelled with hope turning the key to a *starter home*. They never nestled an infant against a bare chest. They never *roughhoused* in the living room with an exasperated wife looking on. They never tiptoed to lay out Santa's toys. They never *dabbed* a tear while walking their princess down the aisle. They never toasted their son's promotion. They never rekindled their love as empty nesters. They never heard a new generation cry out, "I love you, grandpa!"

1. an enemy or opponent 2. a compact house or flat specifically designed and built to meet the requirements of young people buying their first home. 3. act in a boisterous, violent manner. 4. press against (something) lightly several times with a piece of absorbent material in order to clean or dry it or to apply a substance.

Money managers, including *hedge funds*, have *pared back* their net bullish bets by 65% since the start of May, according to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

1. an offshore investment fund, typically formed as a private limited partnership, that engages in speculation using credit or borrowed capital 2. to reduce or remove by or as by cutting; diminish or decrease gradually (often followed by down): to pare down one's expenses.

It wasn't long after V-E and V-J days in 1945 that thousands of tributes for the dead soldiers sprang up—in bronze *plaques*, streaming fountains and granite *obelisks*.......

1. an ornamental tablet, typically of metal, porcelain, or wood, that is fixed to a wall or other surface in commemoration of a person or event. 2. a tapering stone pillar, typically having a square or rectangular cross section, set up as a monument or landmark.

The homeowner, who declined to be named, said "my youngest son made me promise that whatever I did I wouldn't turn his room into a *frilly* room." So it became the husband's snore room, with a "very Casablanca" design—Moroccan-style painted tile in the bathroom, dark window shutters and a wooden, poster bed, Mr. Wiseman said.

1. an unnecessary extra feature or embellishment

There's an Uber for everything now. Washio is for having someone do your laundry, Sprig and SpoonRocket cook your dinner and Shyp will mail things out so you don't have to brave the post office. Zeel delivers a massage therapist (complete with table). Heal sends a doctor on a house call, while Saucey will rush over alcohol. And by Jeeves, *cutesy* names are part of the *schtick*—Dufl will pack your suitcase and Eaze will reup a medical marijuana supply.

1. cute to a sentimental or mawkish extent 2. a person's special talent, interest, or area of activity

One popular theory is that Mr. Cameron is an unlovable chap: insincere, *contrived* and, with his Eton and Oxford *pedigree*, posh. The theory would be more persuasive if the description didn't also mostly fit his principal opponent, Labour leader Ed Miliband.

1. deliberately created rather than arising naturally or spontaneously 2. the recorded ancestry or lineage of a person or family

The 183-page report, from former New York state Justice Mary McGowan Davis and Senegalese lawyer Doudou Diene, purports to be *even-handed* by citing both Israel and Hamas for possible war crimes and violations of international law. That's something of an achievement for the Council, which has a *lopsided* record of condemning Israel and whose current members include Qatar, Russia and Venezuela. Yet the report is fundamentally an anti-Israel document. The bias begins with a *preposterous* claim that Israel continues to "occupy" Gaza, despite its 2005 withdrawal, on the theory that Israel has the capacity "to send troops within a reasonable time to make its power felt." By that standard, the U.S. occupies Canada and the Bahamas. The report accuses Israel of using "disproportionate" force and targeting residential buildings, while playing down that Hamas made a point of operating from civilian areas as a shield against Israeli retaliation and to *flaunt* civilian casualties.

1. fair and impartial in treatment or judgement 2. with one side lower or smaller than the other 3. contrary to reason or common sense; utterly absurd or ridiculous 4. display (something) ostentatiously, especially in order to provoke envy or admiration or to show defiance

A few years ago, the distinguished political scientist Robert Putnam made what turned out to be a fateful visit to his hometown of Port Clinton, Ohio, to attend the 50th reunion of his high-school class. *Despite* their modest backgrounds, most of his classmates had enjoyed remarkable upward mobility. Not so for their children and grandchildren who had chosen to remain in Port Clinton. Instead, divorce, unwed parenthood, child poverty and juvenile *delinquency* soared

1. in spite of minor crime, especially that committed by young people

To stop and reverse Chinese expansion, the U.S. needs a bold and *comprehensive* strategy. So far, Washington's approach has consisted of strong *remonstrations* that call upon China to respect "norms," exercises of military power in the South China Sea to protect these norms, and the shoring up of alliances and partnerships in Asia.

1. including or dealing with all or nearly all elements or aspects of something 2. to present and urge reasons in opposition

Many of these poverty fighters call themselves "randomistas," after the randomized controlled trials that are at the heart of their methods. In such field experiments, people are randomly assigned either to a treatment group that receives an "*intervention*" or to a control group that does not. The experimenters *meticulously* collect and analyze data, then try to replicate the results elsewhere to see if they hold up.

1. interference by a state in another's affairs 2. taking or showing extreme care about minute details; precise; thorough: a meticulous craftsman

Anti-Americanism has become a fungible aspect of German politics. Blaming-the-Amis is now established as hard currency in matters of security, trade and in setting the tone of public discussion—either directly and *gratingly*, or managed more *evasively* but with real recognition of this harsh disaffection's potential as a voter-getter.

1. irritating or unpleasant to one's feelings 2. Ambiguous, Imprecise, indistinct

Had Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev been sentenced to life at a federal Supermax prison, his remaining years would have been spent in a tiny concrete cell, 23 hours a day, constantly alone, with barely a sight of the sky and none of the country. As punishment for crime goes, that might have been enough.But more than punishment was at stake in the case of Tsarnaev, who was sentenced to death Friday by a Boston jury after 14 hours of *deliberation* for the 2013 bombing that killed three and injured some 300, many *maimed* for life.

1. long and careful consideration or discussion 2. wound or injure (a person or animal) so that part of the body is permanently damaged

The drama of postwar Germany has revolved around the effort to bury the Nazi corpse by constantly exhuming it for re-examination. The task haunts Germany at every turn, often to good effect but not always. Should Germany's wartime sins be *expiated* by subsidizing the *spendthrift* habits of corrupt Greek governments? Should fear of being accused of xenophobia require Germans to turn a blind eye to Jew-hatred and violent misogyny when the source is Germany's Muslim minority? It isn't easy, or ultimately wise, to live life in a state of perpetual atonement.

1. make amends or reparation for (guilt or wrongdoing) 2. a person who spends money in an extravagant, irresponsible way 3. dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women 4. the action of making amends for a wrong or injury

A defense of puffery, ironically, is that no "statistically significant part of the commercial audience holds the false belief allegedly communicated by the challenged advertisement." It's exactly this safe harbor, which Chipotle *frolics* in, that the food industry risks surrendering by its persistent *conflation* of the terms natural, healthy and safe.

1. play or move about in a cheerful and lively way 2. amalgamation , the process or result of fusing items into one entity; fusion;

Consider what frackers have had to learn to do. Today's long laterals can extend up to 15,000 feet, running within undulating formations that can sprawl over hundreds of square miles. The ability to keep the drill bit in the middle of the formation has required improved 3-D *seismic* research and ever-increasing advances in *telemetry* and remote guidance, to locate and drain a productive area. It's like learning to pilot a drone flying two miles underground, and through rock. It was difficult and expensive at first. Now it is known art.

1. relating to earthquakes or other vibrations of the earth and its crust. 2. Telemetry is the wireless transmission and reception of measured quantities for the purpose of remotely monitoring environmental conditions or equipment parameters

Today, the EU is beset by massive problems, many of its own making. But not all of them. In France, Marine Le Pen *inveighs* against immigrants and "globalism" in all its *sinister* forms, including free trade, and speaks admiringly of Vladimir Putin. In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban says his goal is to build an "illiberal new state based on national foundations," citing China, Russia and Turkey as inspirations. This week's election in Britain rests partly in the hands of the U.K. Independence Party, which imagines that cutting the country off from its largest trading partner is a good idea.

1. speak or write about (something) with great hostility 2. giving the impression that something harmful or evil is happening or will happen

In a 1947 article in Foreign Affairs, he wrote that the U.S. "has it in its power to increase enormously the strains under which Soviet policy must operate, to force upon the Kremlin a far greater degree of *moderation* and *circumspection* than it has had to observe in recent years, and in this way to promote tendencies which must eventually find their outlet in either the breakup or the gradual *mellowing* of Soviet power." Kennan's strategy—to bleed the Soviet Union through nonprovocative resistance—offered comfort to Europeans who feared that they faced a *stark* choice between war and capitulation.

1. the avoidance of excess or extremes, especially in one's behaviour or political opinions 2. the quality of being wary and unwilling to take risks; prudence 3. pleasantly smooth or soft; free from harshness. 4. severe or bare in appearance or outline

*Anthropologists* might argue that all two-seat sports cars are *plumage*, coded attempts to enhance status and mate desirability. The Corvette is just a little more frank, with that *silhouette*, a little less is-you-is-or-is-you-ain't? You definitely is.

1. the study of humanity. Basically they want to figure out what makes humans human. An anthropologist might be interested in everything from the traditions of a tribe on a remote island to the culture of an urban community and everything in between. 2. a bird's feathers collectively 3. the dark shape and outline of someone or something visible in restricted light against a brighter background

Mr. Fernandes, *lanky* and athletic, with a military *bearing* and angular chin, was calm and considered by his friends to be wiser than his years.

1. ungracefully thin and tall 2. a person's way of standing or moving

on May 27 Cypriot police raided a house in Larnaca where they discovered five tons of the chemical-explosive agent ammonium nitrate. Police arrested a 26-year-old Lebanese man visiting Cyprus on a Canadian passport in connection with the raid. Israel's Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said on Monday that he believes the suspect is affiliated with Hezbollah. Cyprus is a popular holiday destination for Israelis, and Cypriot authorities have charged the suspect with conspiracy to commit a criminal offense and possession of explosives. The suspect denies the allegations, but the charges fit a pattern. A Cypriot court in 2013 convicted a Swedish-Lebanese man, who confessed to his Hezbollah affiliation, of planning attacks on Israeli targets. In 2012 Hezbollah operatives in Bulgaria bombed a bus full of Israeli tourists, killing the driver and five Israelis. Under sanctions, the Iranian mullahs have funneled some $200 million annually to Hezbollah—largess that doesn't make sense from a rational economic perspective but advances the regime's terrorist aims. Imagine what they could achieve with the estimated $50 billion that will be President Barack Obama's down payment toward a nuclear deal.

A radical organization that arose after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. The Hezbollah has often been accused of terrorism.

In 2008 Congress amended the governing law to allow victims who obtain a court ruling against a terrorist country to lay claim to its commercial assets—potentially allowing the victims of the Beirut bombing to satisfy their judgments from funds flowing between Iranian-controlled firms (such as the Iranian National Oil Company) and Western businesses. Sufficient funds exist: For example, beginning in 2012, pursuant to the Iran Threat Reduction Act and other laws, Congress established special *escrow* accounts that hold much of the money paid by purchasers of Iranian oil. This money, now amounting to tens of billions of dollars, can and should be used to pay judgments against Iran, and not only in the Beirut embassy case. Iran also has judgments against it for the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut and the 1996 bombing of the U.S. Air Force facility in Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Obama cannot accomplish that without resolving *this dark chapter in our relations with Iran*. the president and Congress have a moral obligation to ensure that these judgments, which represent Iran's legal debt to the victims of its official policy of terrorism, are paid. Lawmakers told victims like me to go to court to obtain justice, but they have not provided us with a mechanism for satisfying the resulting judicial orders. We have waited since 1983. The time has come for President Obama and Congress to make sure that *justice delayed is not justice denied*—and that victims of Tehran's policy of terrorism finally receive what they have long been owed.

An escrow account is a temporary pass through account held by a third party during the process of a transaction between two parties.

Nestlé had to hire a fleet of 2,500 trucks to help collect the mountains of noodle packets across the country. Finding all the noodles in the country will be close to impossible though. Nestlé figures that nearly 40% of the estimated 400 million noodle packs are still in consumers' homes and on the shelves of hundreds of thousands of tiny *mom-and-pop shops*.

DEFINITION of 'Mom And Pop ' A colloquial term for a small, independent, family-owned business. Unlike franchises and large corporations, which have multiple operations in various locations, mom and pop shops usually have a single location that often occupies a physically small space.

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Fifteen-year-old Matthew Siegel says learning to keep a poker face while playing Texas Hold 'em with his grandfather, 78-year-old Victor Spetalnick of Valley Stream, N.Y., has served him well at school. "I've had my share of being teased, and keeping a straight face and not looking like it's getting on your nerves is helpful," says Matthew, of Armonk, N.Y.

Mr. Kerry is active and in good health, which *bodes well* for his recovery, Dr. Weinfeld said.

If something bodes ill, it makes you think that something bad will happen in the future. If something bodes well, it makes you think that something good will happen

There are strong arguments for and against the death penalty, and there is no doubt that innocent men have been killed by the state. But there is no doubt of guilt in this case. And whatever else one believes about the death penalty, it sends an unmistakable message that even a society as tolerant as ours still believes that some acts deserve the ultimate penalty. We expect critics of the sentence to claim that the death penalty is exactly what Tsarnaev(jihadist) wants, as do his radical fellow travelers: martyrdom in the name of jihad. Maybe so, though we suspect those same fellow travelers would have interpreted a life sentence as a sign of American weakness and moral *squeamishness*. What Tsarnaev may or may not want is not the issue. It never will be. What matters is that Americans, as a people, deliver justice to those who would destroy us. On Friday a jury of our peers delivered that justice.

If you fainted or threw up at the sight of frog intestines in biology class, you're squeamish — easily nauseated or shocked by unpleasant, icky things.

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In a sense, the Nazis knew their man. Hermann was fluent in English, Spanish, French and Farsi, the first three picked up as a ship's doctor, the latter from a few years spent in the Persian city of Sultanabad (now known as Arak). His double-barreled surname—the "da Fonseca" being a Portuguese honorific acquired by an adventurous 19th-century ancestor, the "Wollheim" betraying more distant Jewish roots—suggested that xenophilia wasn't just a political deviation. It ran in the family's blood.

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Mr. Obama did acknowledge that he is annoyed by the criticism of both him and the trade negotiations: "What I take personally is this notion somehow that after 6½ years of working to yank this economy out of a ditch, strengthening middle-class homeownership, making sure that their 401(k)s have recovered, making sure that we've got much better education systems and job-training systems, fighting for the minimum wage, fighting for a vibrant auto industry, that after all the work that I have done and we have done together to make sure that middle-class families have greater stability, that to believe some of the rhetoric that has been coming out of opponents—that I'm trying to just destroy the middle class or destroy our democracy—is a little unrealistic. And they know it."

Greece never had modern political parties to the degree of Central and Western Europe. Greek parties have been largely *paternalistic*, coffeehouse *fiefs* organized around *charismatic* individuals, featuring a reactionary-style right-wing movement and a radical-style left-wing movement. Andreas Papandreou, Greece's prime minister for much of the 1980s and '90s, was never a modern European socialist, as many in the West in the 1980s believed. Rather, as I know from living in Athens during that decade, he is better understood as a Latin-American style *populist* in the tradition of Juan Perón.

Paternalism (or parentalism) is behavior, by a person, organization or state, which limits some person or group's liberty or autonomy for that person's or group's own good. 2. an estate of land, especially one held on condition of feudal(absurdly outdated or old-fashioned) service 3. exercising a compelling charm which inspires devotion in others 4. a member or adherent of a political party seeking to represent the interests of ordinary people

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Port Clinton's story is Baltimore's story. In the 1950s and 1960s, Charm City was a thriving economic and financial center. Young people with high-school educations or less found good manufacturing jobs—at Bethlehem Steel's Sparrow Point mill and the General Motors plant,* among many others*. In 1960 the Port of Baltimore—another major source of good working-class jobs—ranked second in the country.

Strong sales of the larger-screen iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are driving Apple to record earnings, while defying a sales-growth slowdown in the smartphone industry. Apple has *pried* open the door to largely untapped markets like China and enticed consumers to switch from smartphones running Google Inc. 's Android operating system.

Pry(v) enquire too inquisitively into a person's private affairs

Upon returning from legal studies at the University of Cambridge, Harry Lee had plunged with single-minded determination into the task of first organizing his People's Action Party to liberate his city from colonialism and then building a new kind of micro-country. After Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai *snidely* described him as "like a banana—yellow of skin, but white underneath," he soon dropped the Anglicized "Harry" and become, simply, Lee Kuan Yew.

Snide remarks are the kinds of things people say with a sneer on their face. When you leave a movie theater and your friend says, "I can't believe someone was actually paid to write that screenplay," he's being snide.

In an interview published in early 2014, Mr. Obama dismissed Islamic State fighters as a "*jayvee* team" compared with al Qaeda.

The definition of a jayvee is a person playing on a junior varsity sports team

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The director of Langsa Hospital, Dr. Herman, *who goes by one name*, said the hospital has been using its own money to treat migrants. "We lack the budget for this," he said.

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The president's position is that the eventual deal won't be perfect, but it will be the least-imperfect option in an imperfect world.

But the point of the protests isn't simply to oppose China. There is a sense in Hong Kong right now that the city is being swallowed by a nation that requires its people to abandon their treasured liberties and culture. This feeling of encroaching *assimilation* is causing Hong Kongers to shun the mainland. In trying to preserve their way of life, some Hong Kongers give the impression of being anti-Chinese. But the reality is that they are more concerned with being *pro-Hong* Kong, which is quite another matter.

The process by which a person or persons acquire the social and psychological characteristics of a group: "Waves of immigrants have been assimilated into the American culture." 2. a prefix indicating favor for some party, system, idea, etc., without identity with the group ( pro-British; pro-Communist; proslavery), having anti- as its opposite.

NEW DELHI—India has ordered Internet service providers to block the websites of Uber Technologies Inc. and other car-hailing companies in New Delhi because they have been operating despite a ban. The order, which affected Uber rivals Ola and TaxiForSure, *stopped short of blocking the firms' smartphone apps*, the main way their customers book cars."There are some technical constraints to blocking apps" in a particular city, said a Department of Telecommunications official who asked not to be named.

Unable to block fully and completely

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Yet the idea that America can just up and leave a war without any serious damage dies hard. On this Vietnamese war anniversary 10 years ago, before President Bush had ordered the surge in Iraq, the argument for the futility of the fight there was filled with Vietnam analogies. In April 2006, Mr. Kerry marked the anniversary of his Senate appearance with a speech at Boston's Faneuil Hall in which he declared that the "war in Vietnam and the war in Iraq are now converging in too many tragic aspects"—and that the U.S. needed to withdraw all combat troops. Today Mr. Kerry is secretary of state. The president he serves did as Mr. Kerry wished and withdrew U.S. combat troops from Iraq. What have been the results? The rise of Islamic State, or ISIS, beheading and burning alive all those in its path. A raging civil war in Syria that is becoming a proxy for the larger Sunni-Shiite sectarian conflict. And a sense by our closest allies across the Middle East that America has left them on their own. Waging war imposes terrible costs. But losing a war has its costs too, as we are starting to see in the Middle East.

Only unanimous agreement on the amount of new rescue loans and debt relief to grant Athens will allow the country to avoid full-on bankruptcy and Greek banks to reopen Monday with euros in their *tills*.

a cash register or drawer for money in a shop, bank, or restaurant

So why should it be different this time? Seventy percent of Americans see Israel in a favorable light, according to a February Gallup poll. The presidential candidates from both parties all profess unswerving friendship with the Jewish state, and the Republican candidates actually believe it. Mr. Obama's foreign policy is broadly unpopular and likely to become more so as the *fiascoes* continue to roll in.

a complete failure, especially a ludicrous or humiliating one

Had the government cleanly repealed its predecessor's widely reviled 2012 retroactive tax, it would not have faced the *barrage* of bad press earlier this year when errant tax officials began shooting off notices to companies. The so-called MAT dispute ended up wiping out the goodwill earned by a generally sincere effort to end harassment of companies by tax officials.

a concentrated artillery bombardment over a wide area

For Lee, the Chinese *aphorism* that best captured the uniquely Asian/Confucian view of the individual's role in society was: Xiushen, qijia, zhiguo, pingtianxia: "Bringing peace under heaven first requires cultivating oneself, then taking care of one's family, and finally looking after one's country."

a concise statement of a scientific principle, typically by a classical author

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a dramatic and highly public *showdown* with a U.S. president, told a joint session of Congress Tuesday that an emerging diplomatic agreement with Iran would not only fail to stop Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons, but virtually ensure it gets them.

a conclusive settlement of an issue, difference, etc., in which all resources, power, or the like, are used;

The words "carbon tax" are appearing ever more frequently on the lips of economists and policy makers. Earlier this month, former Rep. Bob Inglis (R., S.C.) received the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for advocating it. Last Wednesday Rep. John Delaney (D., Md.) announced at a Washington, D.C., *symposium* on the issue that he is drafting a bill.

a conference or meeting to discuss a particular subject

Not all of Amazon's private-label ventures have been winners. It discontinued a line of cookware endorsed by a Seattle chef in 2012 and a tool line, in addition to the diaper *snafu*.

a confused or chaotic state; a mess

If prolonged dry weather sets in, raw-material costs could rise for a *myriad* of industries

a countless or extremely great number of people or things

Rock musicians performing on the *gridiron* were not a part of his vision for what should properly *transpire* inside the horseshoe-shaped stadium.

a field for American football, marked with regularly spaced parallel lines 2. come to be known

The truth is that this ultra-competitive and low-margin fast food industry tends to reflect what people want. Note that—amid the fad for "unmodified" ingredients— General Mills is even dropping artificial colors and flavors from *day-glo* cereals like Trix and Lucky Charms, which no one would ever mistake for a *farm-to-table* meal.

a fluorescent paint or other colouring 2. used to refer to the various processes in the food chain from agricultural production to consumption

During the Cold War, a former Journal editor named Seth Lipsky tried to convince a reporter to avoid law school by devising a multiple-choice test that went something like this: The Soviet Union has invaded Afghanistan and is advancing through proxies around the world. You are very concerned. You should: a) file a *writ* of *attainder* with the world court; b) pursue an antitrust complaint with the Carter Administration; c) round up the countries in the U.N. General Assembly for a class-action lawsuit. There was much more, but you get the point and so did the reporter. He ditched the law.

a form of written command in the name of a court or other legal authority to act, or abstain from acting, in a particular way the forfeiture of land and civil rights suffered as a consequence of a sentence of death for treason or felony

With Prime Minister David Cameron committed to a *referendum* in 2017 on whether Britain should remain in the European Union, there is a fear that Britain's exit from the EU is now an accident waiting to happen.

a general vote by the electorate on a single political question which has been referred to them for a direct decision

Volunteers working with village leaders, parents and schools, they hammered out enrollment plans, addressed cultural concerns (notably parents worried that girls might abandon traditional dress or traditional marriages as a result of education) and figured out ways to improve schools. The *disparity* between girls' and boys' enrollment fell from 19% to 5% in seven years, and the district is no longer officially considered an education gender-gap area.

a great difference

A company with a *stranglehold* on the connection to the customer wouldn't need to buy AOL

a grip around the neck of another person that can kill by asphyxiation if held for long enough.

Within a month, the professor-turned-finance-minister Yannis Varoufakis signed a bailout extension with the country's European creditors. This gave the government time to gain Europe's trust and to define what it meant by "renegotiating" with those who had been funding Greece for the past half decade. The time was wasted. Mr. Tsipras and his *entourage* missed deadline after deadline to submit serious reform proposals that could put the Greek economy on a sustainable footing. Mr. Varoufakis's *brash* tactics, under the *tenuous* guise of game theory, only managed the Herculean task of uniting the eurozone finance ministers against him.

a group of people attending or surrounding an important person 2. self-assertive in a rude, noisy, or overbearing way 3. very weak or slight

The long jihadist reach underscores the urgency of annihilating Islamic State on the battlefield as soon as possible, not merely degrading it at President Obama's leisurely pace. ISIS's appeal is rooted in its control of territory it calls a caliphate and thus can claim to represent the jihadist *vanguard* in a way al Qaeda never could. The longer it holds large chunks of Iraq, Syria and Libya, the more its appeal will grow.

a group of people leading the way in new developments or ideas

All U.S. officials will say in response is that Iran's actions are "helpful" as long as they are not too *"sectarian"*—akin to praising Al Capone for providing liquor to the thirsty masses while piously expressing the hope that his conduct isn't too criminal.

a group of people with somewhat different religious beliefs (typically regarded as heretical) from those of a larger group to which they belong

Delta Air Lines, for example, had a slumber party on a snowbound widebody jet at New York's Kennedy Airport during last week's *blizzard*.

a heavy and prolonged snowstorm covering a wide area.

For many years, yogurt makers emphasized low-fat varieties with artificial sweeteners that offered a hint of indulgence to calorie-counting Americans. Then about seven years ago *droves* of Americans started eating low-fat Greek yogurt, drawn by its higher protein content and richer texture.

a herd or flock of animals being driven in a body

On Sunday, *backhoes* and other large equipment were seen in photos and television news footage from the scene of the accident in Wenzhou manipulating some of the wreckage, prompting some to speculate the government was trying to bury the wreckage to cover up the accident.

a hydraulic excavating machine consisting of a tractor having an attached hinged boom, with a bucket with movable jaws on the end of the boom.

Delta Air Lines, for example, had a slumber party on a snowbound *widebody* jet at New York's Kennedy Airport during last week's blizzard.

a jet airliner having a fuselage wide enough to allow passenger seating to be divided by two aisles running from front to back.

One of his most striking photos in the exhibit, and book, is of a cluttered shop in China filled to the rafters with sacks of severed shark's fins. "That was in a huge building, five stories high," he notes, "and it was filled with shops, all selling shark's fins and fish parts." Since then, a campaign against consumption of shark's fin has changed public opinion, and the dish has been removed from menus at hotels and restaurants. The trade has plunged 50% to 70%, according to WildAid. "It's like a sea change—pardon the *pun*," says Mr. Brown. "It shows it's not too late. We can change the trajectory we have been on."

a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words which sound alike but have different meanings

Nani teaches an American Girl Scout Troupe how to tie a sari. This was taken in Melbourne, Florida, in 1968. Nani herself very elegantly wears a silk sari draped over a black cardigan. This look can be difficult to pull off, but Nani's grace exceeds that of most people.

a knitted jumper fastening down the front(sort of a jacket)

The Great Recession was a world-wide event, but it hit Greece especially hard. Countries have three main weapons to fight recessions: fiscal stimulus, monetary stimulus and currency depreciation. Membership in the eurozone forecloses the latter two. Greece's large pre-crisis debt—so large that it shouldn't have been in the eurozone in the first place—starkly limits the first. Hence Greek Problem No. 1: a depression worse than the Great Depression in the U.S. The latest agreement looks likely to make this depression worse. Several previous bailouts held things together with chewing gum and *baling* wire. But in return for loans, Greece's creditors demanded ruinous fiscal austerity. Successive rounds of austerity spread misery and ushered in the left-wing government that Europe and the IMF find so ornery, but did not reduce Greece's debt-to-GDP ratio.

a large bundle or package prepared for shipping, storage, or sale, especially one tightly compressed and secured by wires, hoops, cords, or the like, and sometimes having a wrapping or covering bad-tempered or difficult to deal with

The decision also comes with a *bevy* of new rules and restrictions on Shell's operations

a large group of people or things of a particular kind

With the *bevy* of distractions that make up our unending social media, email and news feeds, I'm lucky you made it to this paragraph. Our brains have been rewired to consume short bursts of information, not lengthy articles or any video longer than 30 seconds.

a large group of people or things of a particular kind

Thursday's data follows a *spate* of weak numbers. Industrial production and retail sales in April came in below expectations, fixed asset investment decelerated sharply last month and nonperforming loans at the nation's big five state banks doubled in the first quarter over year-earlier levels.

a large number of similar things coming in quick succession.

Fracking blossomed following the trough of the Great Recession, when oil prices were, on average and adjusted for inflation, the highest in history—even higher than in the 1970s. It was an ideal price environment for entrepreneurs to perform some very expensive experiments, ultimately learning how to drill holes two miles under a frozen *prairie*, turn the *wellbore* 90 degrees, drill out another mile or two, then hydraulically force a designer cocktail of water, sand and secret sauce down the hole to liberate petroleum molecules trapped since dinosaurs strode the earth.

a large open area of grassland, especially in North America. 2. A wellbore is a hole that is drilled to aid in the exploration and recovery of natural resources including oil, gas or water

These *bidet* toilet seats are masterpieces of Japanese creativity and consideration, featuring warm water options, heated seats and the ability to kill germs and unwanted odors

a low, basinlike bathroom fixture, usually with spigots, used for bathing the genital and perineal areas.

The P-8 Poseidon aircraft was warned it was advancing toward a "military alert zone"—a category of airspace that appears to have no legal basis. The warning indicates that China nonetheless intends to use the construction of Sparty Islands to enhance its control over the South China Sea's skies and sea lanes that carry more than half the world's trade. Writing in the Singapore Straits Times this week, Wang Gungwu, a professor at the National University of Singapore and a leading authority on imperial China, argued that China has never desired a maritime empire. The voyages 600 years ago of the eunuch Adm. Zheng He(Surname, not pronoun since capital) were an aberration.

a man who has been castrated(remove the testicles of), especially (in the past) one employed to guard the women's living areas at an oriental court. 2. a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected, typically an unwelcome one

Mr. Thornberry, who leads the House Armed Services Committee, wants to give program managers more responsibility and eliminate dozens of reports required by Congress or the Pentagon. "The system has just grown these *barnacles* around it that's made it so sluggish it's a wonder anything comes out the other end," he told the Washington Post.

a marine crustacean with an external shell, which attaches itself permanently to a surface and feeds by filtering particles from the water using its modified feathery legs

Overwhelmed by the debt, they struggled even to make the minimum monthly payments, said Mrs. Hanson—until they heard about Pay and Win, an experimental program offered by Lutheran Social Services in Duluth to encourage struggling borrowers to manage their debts. Those who steadily pay down their loans each month are eligible for *raffle* drawings.

a means of raising money by selling numbered tickets, one or some of which are subsequently drawn at random, the holder or holders of such tickets winning a prize.

We are in Poland this week to meet and see allied forces take part in Exercise Noble Jump, the first deployment of NATO's new Very High Readiness "Spearhead Force." This exercise brings together more than 2,000 troops from nine NATO countries, including Czech and Dutch paratroopers, German and Norwegian infantry, Polish and Lithuanian special forces, Belgian artillery, U.S. helicopters and a Hungarian civil-military cooperation unit.

a member of a paratroop regiment or airborne unit 2. soldiers marching or fighting on foot; foot soldiers collectively

The origins of the Islamic State are al Qaeda in Iraq, or the post-Saddam Hussein insurgency that suffered a near-total defeat amid General David Petraeus's surge and the Sunni Awakening. The weak *guerilla* remnants of that organization survived on the peripheries of Iraq and Syria between 2008 and 2011 and then filled the security vacuum that Mr. Obama left behind by withdrawing all U.S. forces. The Islamic State's revival was also aided by its sanctuary over the border in Syria as that country revolted against the rule of Bashar Assad. Far from supplying arms to the rebels, Mr. Obama explicitly rejected U.S. intervention in 2011. CIA Director Petraeus and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton again advocated aiding the rebels in 2012, but Mr. Obama refused again.

a member of a small independent group taking part in irregular fighting, typically against larger regular forces.

As we move through the exhibition, which is organized roughly by sultanate, we encounter elaborate weapons, many of them decorated with fabulous beasts, along with elegant brass incense burners, *spittoons* and *ewers*. We find, too, fanciful carpet weights, and spectacular dark, burnished metal objects *inlaid* with complex floral patterns in silver and brass—a specialty of Bidar. There are *gilded* *palanquin* *finials*, sprouting enormous sunflowers; a nifty helmet; vast painted cloths, some used as tent hangings, packed with floral *motifs*, figures, and animals; pages of calligraphy in many languages; and much more.

a metal or earthenware pot typically having a funnel-shaped top, used for spitting into 2. a large jug with a wide mouth, formerly used for carrying water 3. ornament (an object) by embedding pieces of a different material in it, flush with its surface 4. cover thinly with gold 5. (in India and the East) a covered litter for one passenger, consisting of a large box carried on two horizontal poles by four or six bearers 6. an ornament at the top, end, or corner of an object 7.a decorative image or design, especially a repeated one forming a pattern

Outside Damascus in Eastern Ghouta, where a government chemical-weapons attack killed 1,300 people in August 2013, thousands now face starvation due to the ongoing *siege*.

a military operation in which enemy forces surround a town or building, cutting off essential supplies, with the aim of compelling those inside to surrender

"Have you heard?" he asked: Marijuana might stop Alzheimer's. While neuroscientists, geneticists and biochemists have mapped out the disease's multi-causal nature and its immensely complex genetic-environmental interaction, the public seems determined to find an easy out. This wishing isn't new. Thirty years ago the world quickly latched onto the false hope that aluminum in antiperspirant and cookware was the culprit behind Alzheimer's. Then came the cinnamon cure, the cayenne-pepper cure, the coconut-oil cure. The latest street buzz is to say "yes" to marijuana and "no" to *gluten* and *carbs*.

a mixture of two proteins present in cereal grains, especially wheat, which is responsible for the elastic texture of dough 2. food with lots of carbohydrates

Later, anti-Jewish black groups like Louis Farrakhan's Nation of Islam would gain prominence. Martin Luther King Jr. had equated *anti-Zionism* with anti-Semitism, but in the 1970s black leaders like Jesse Jackson would openly embrace Yasser Arafat and his Palestine Liberation Organization

a movement for (originally) the re-establishment and (now) the development and protection of a Jewish nation in what is now Israel.

There's one thing that's crystal clear, which is that as soon as the market has a downturn, private *unicorns* will almost certainly disappear," says Jason Lemkin, managing director of venture-capital firm Storm Ventures. "We'll have a tenth as many as we have today."

a mythical animal typically represented as a horse with a single straight horn projecting from its forehead

Among those caught in the *dragnet* was driver Bhagirath Prasad, who said he logged into Uber for work on Friday morning thinking that the risk of getting in trouble with the law was low. He said he made four trips booked through Uber before his luck ran out just after lunch.

a net drawn through a river or across ground to trap fish or game

The Tuesday night Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia that left eight dead and hundreds injured occurred when a train hit a curve at twice the 50 mile per hour speed limit. So, naturally, this tragedy has devolved into a political *rumpus* over infrastructure spending.

a noisy disturbance

This Wednesday we mark Earth Day. A week from now, the Vatican will add its own contribution to what Pope Francis calls "human ecology" in the form of a summit called "Protect the Earth, Dignify Humanity." The summit will in turn be followed by an *encyclical* some time later this year.

a papal letter sent to all bishops of the Roman Catholic Church

As an *empty-nester*, I identify with much of what he says. However, as a former teacher, I suspect his happiness at seeing his children graduate from high school is only a fraction of that experienced by their teachers.

a parent whose children have grown up and left home

The world's leading progressive economists— Joseph Stiglitz, among others—have been cheerleading a "no" vote and claiming that an exit from the eurozone would allow the magic *elixir* of devaluation to let Greece recover.

a particular type of medicinal solution

While 'big-bang' reforms were fewer, we sense that the government's *modus operandi* in the first year was to accumulate low-hanging fruits with an increased focus on efficiency and removing hurdles for companies and enterprises to run a hassle-free profitable business

a particular way or method of doing something.

Keeping ahead of the competition is going to difficult, though. The mobile Web is breeding new heroes. Farmer Nguyen Duc Hau became a cult television actor after his off-key *renditions* of Vietnamese love *ballads* went viral when he uploaded them to YouTube. Comedian JVEvermind has over 1.5 million subscribers to his channel on the video-sharing site, building his audience through linking clips via Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram, helping drive YouTube's growth in the process.

a performance or interpretation, especially of a dramatic role or piece of music 2. a poem or song narrating a story in short stanzas. Traditional ballads are typically of unknown authorship, having been passed on orally from one generation to the next

U.N. reports on Israel sometimes remind us of the classic Monty Python sketch "Nobody Expects the Spanish *Inquisition*!" with its *screwball* combination of comic *ineptitude* and malignant predictability.

a period of prolonged and intensive questioning 2. crazy; absurd 3. Ineptitude is a lack of skill, ability, or competence.

"We have to lock up people without trial whether they are communists, whether they are language *chauvinists*, whether they are religious extremists," he bluntly said in 1986. "If you don't do that, the country would be in ruins."

a person displaying aggressive or exaggerated patriotism

The problem isn't limited to radical clerics infiltrating prisons. Radical *inmates* *proselytize* and do their utmost to recruit others to their cause. Once released, they may seek to take their radicalization to the next level.

a person living in an institution such as a prison or hospital. convert or attempt to convert (someone) from one religion, belief, or opinion to another.

After 14 years designing jets and military systems in Seattle, Mr. Muilenburg was pulled from the fighter team to lead a new unit near Washington, D.C., selling air-traffic management services. He drove across the country with his young family and seven pets. Ten days after he arrived, the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 delivered a crushing blow to air travel, leading Boeing to sharply scale back the *fledgling* unit.

a person or organization that is immature, inexperienced, or underdeveloped

The government is no *paragon* of civil liberties, but at least it's a democracy that's trying to fight terror.

a person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality

FIFA's president Mr. Blatter's resignation "is a *harbinger* for more investigations," he added.

a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another

Still, competitors have to compete against such messages, and Chipotle has been good at getting its messages trumpeted in the media, though perhaps revulsion is starting to set in. Not a week before its own aspartame announcement, Pepsi's CEO Indra Nooyi, during an earnings call, went off on the public ignorance that such marketing both fosters and exploits, noting that millennials think "real sugar" is a health food, and that "organic, non-GMO products" are the *epitome* of nutrition "even if they are high-salt, high-sugar, high-fat."...

a person or thing that is a perfect example of a particular quality or type

In Libya, for example, Islamic State sent *emissaries* in late 2014 to meet with extremist groups like Ansar al-Shariah to establish a formal relationship. Islamic State fighters now control key sections of Libyan cities like Surt, along the Mediterranean coast. And in Egypt leaders from the group Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, based in Sinai, pledged their loyalty to Islamic State after its battlefield victories in Iraq and Syria.

a person sent as a diplomatic representative on a special mission

Heartening too has been the press reaction to Chipotle. Mother Jones pointed out that "GMOs are totally safe," while Gizmodo.com pronounced the company's position "some anti-Science *pandering* bull-*expletive*." An L.A. Times op-ed by two scientists stated, "More than two decades of research indicate that GMOs are not only safe for humans and the environment, but also contribute to global sustainability and poverty alleviation." If anyone of note congratulated Chipotle for its stance, we haven't heard it—and that's a revelation in itself. Chipotle is not really on a crusade for healthier eating but trying to sell more burritos. Expect the company to shut up for a while.

a person who caters to or profits from the weaknesses or vices of others. an oath or swear word

New York's Health Republic Insurance received $265 million in federal loans and had the largest enrollment, with 155,000 members in 2014. Its premiums are significantly lower than established carriers in virtually every region of the state. But the co-op has applied for premium increases in 2016 of more than 14%, with some regions of the state as high as 30%. Industry *actuaries* believe that those raises will not be enough to offset high claims costs and the exhaustion of federal loan dollars.

a person who compiles and analyses statistics and uses them to calculate insurance risks and premiums.

According to the Israeli registrar office, LinX(company) was founded in 2011. Co-founders and principal shareholders Ziv Attar and Andrey Tovchigrechko are industry *veterans*.

a person who has had long experience in a particular field

For the Gulf states, too much direct military cooperation opened them up to the slings and arrows of Islamic extremists charging that they were mere puppets of the *infidels* of the West.

a person who has no religion or whose religion is not that of the majority

In addition to suggesting that Parisians rise earlier with the sun to conserve lamp oil, Benjamin Franklin recommended: "let cannon be fired in every street to wake the *sluggards* effectually."

a person who is habitually inactive or lazy

As Europe's colonial era in Asia drew to a close, this ragtag, *polyglot* populace had turned for leadership to a fiery young anti-colonialist organizer called Harry Lee (as Lee Kuan Yew was then known).

a person who knows and is able to use several languages

Even though he is now gone, the Venice-like republic he founded will continue to be extolled as a hopeful experiment, and the man himself, the progenitor of what has come to be known as the "Singapore model," will doubtless remain an influential political *evangelist*.

a person who seeks to convert others to the Christian faith, especially by public preaching

That may be unfortunate, but let's be realists, not perfectionists or *antiquarians*. Short works have an incomparable advantage over long reads in the Attention Deficit age.

a person who studies or collects antiques or antiquities

Islamic State *ideologues* often compare this migration of foreign fighters to Raqqa with the "hijra" or journey of Prophet Muhammad to the city of Medina

a person who zealously advocates an ideology

The chairman of Hyundai Motor Co. and his *heir-apparent* are resuming a botched stake sale in the car group's logistics arm

a person whose succession to a position appears certain:

Consider my story: After gaining a green card and permanent residency, I attended West Point and served a *stint* with the U.S. Army in former Yugoslavia from 1996-97.

a person's fixed or allotted period of work

The Obama administration is skeptical the airstrikes will reverse the Houthi gains. Worried by the risk of more direct intervention by Iran, U.S. officials say they are urging the Saudis to set their sights more narrowly on halting rebel advances and reaching what amounts to a battlefield *stalemate* that leads all sides to the negotiating table.

a position counting as a draw, in which a player is not in check but cannot move except into check

"Self-Reliance" (1841), Ralph Waldo Emerson. Yale literary critic Harold Bloom, in his new book on literary greatness, "The Daemon Knows," calls Emerson's *hymn* to individualism and enterprise "the matrix . . . of the 'American Religion.' "

a religious song or poem of praise to God or a god

Fortunately for Mr. Modi, it's hardly too late to step up the pace of reform. In Gujarat, too, he started slowly, but ended up presiding over a long boom that propelled him to the prime minister's office. The last BJP-led national government (1998-2004) also began cautiously before revving up in its final four years. Indians must hope for an *encore*.

a repeated or additional performance of an item at the end of a concert, as called for by an audience

Despite the ruined condition of many of these monuments, we realize that their most recognizable architectural forms are often echoed in the utilitarian, albeit luxurious objects before us; carpet weights and incense burners, it turns out, can *reprise* the *suave* geometry of domed buildings.

a repeated passage in music 2. (especially of a man) charming, confident, and elegant

As things turned out two weeks later, a deal was signed. The tough guys—the French diplomats and defense experts who had once called themselves the "guardians of the temple" of nuclear nonproliferation—had neither kicked butt nor taken names. Six weeks before the deal, a group of diplomats and experts had told an American expert that they were "extremely unhappy" about the lost cause the deal had become. According to the American's account, the experts said the core of the permanent agreement France sought to keep a grip on Iran's nuclear potential had been devastated by an early Obama administration offer to Tehran of a "sunset" arrangement whose *strictures* would disappear in a little more than a decade.

a restriction on a person or activity

Not only are potent *swaths* of the Iranian elite getting rich directly and indirectly off the nuclear program. The regime would likely fatally discredit itself if it now disavowed a nuclear quest for which it has inflicted so much suffering and penury(xtreme poverty) on the Iranian people.

a row or line of grass, corn, or other crop as it falls or lies when mown or reaped.

Mr. Gabriel called Iran "a friend." The reaction in Germany, a nearly passive player during the years of negotiations, ranged from critical to *revulsed* with distress that German commercial interests appeared as the vice chancellor's single concern.

a sense of disgust and loathing

.......................And while China may frown upon anything positive said about the 150 years of British rule, even some imperial *nostalgia* seems to be emerging in Hong Kong. The sense is that it's all part of Hong Kong's identity, and it's being undone by Beijing.

a sentimental longing or wistful affection for a period in the past

All this is *prologue* to the rise of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his hard-left Syriza party. Because modern *conservatism* and modern *socialism* only arrived in Greece toward the end of the 20th century, they were quickly swept aside for the hard left and fascist right (the Golden Dawn party) once the economy imploded in recent years.

a separate introductory section of a literary, dramatic, or musical work 2. Conservatism as a political and social philosophy promotes retaining traditional social institutions in the context of the culture and civilization 3. a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole. i.e (in Marxist theory) a transitional social state between the overthrow of capitalism and the realization of Communism.

The latest bubble *chatter* in the tech industry came from Fitbit, the maker of high-tech *pedometers*.

a series of short, quick high-pitched sounds 2. an instrument for estimating the distance travelled on foot by recording the number of steps taken.

Dr. Gino found that those who identified themselves on a *questionnaire* as having a higher need to be unique were more likely to give her higher ratings than those who didn't.

a set of printed or written questions with a choice of answers, devised for the purposes of a survey or statistical study

Other nations joined with us, or fell into line behind us, because they believed that Iranian policy represented a serious threat. The sanctions worked; the Iranians came to the table and stayed there. Now that Iran has agreed to a framework that America's friends regard as "sensible and positive," Mr. Berger said, they see little *rationale* for indefinitely maintaining the current sanctions regime on Iran, let alone imposing a tougher one.

a set of reasons or a logical basis for a course of action or belief

Usually relegated as doctors' and dentists' offices, the ground floor is moving up in the world.We look at how apartments on the bottom floor with private street entrances—dubbed *maisonettes* in real-estate speak—are getting redesigned with more space, better light and upscale amenities.

a set of rooms for living in, typically on two storeys of a larger building and having a separate entrance.

The solar-power generation plans are also aimed at cutting India's reliance on fossil fuels. India's imports of oil, gas and coal have ballooned in recent years, contributing to a trade deficit that has shaken international confidence in the country's economic future. But, the recent decline in prices of crude oil, and the government's increased focus on alternative energies have provided some *respite*.

a short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant

If eurozone finance chiefs fail to reach an agreement on Saturday, then the *baton* would be handed over to the leaders of the common currency area, who are expected to meet in Brussels on Sunday for an emergency summit. But if finance ministers manage to reach a consensus then the summit might not be required, European officials said.

a short stick or tube passed from runner to runner in a relay race

Plainly one lesson would be that Presidents cannot take the claims of their intelligence agencies as conclusive. George W. Bush took the country to war in the sincere belief that Iraq's possession of weapons of mass destruction was a *"slam dunk"* case, as then-CIA Director George Tenet believed.

a shot in which a player thrusts the ball down through the basket

His capture, release and now charge became a *parable* of how narratives about the war in Afghanistan did not *pan out. . . .(end up; conclude)*

a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospels

As the leaders of the Group of Seven countries meet in Germany this week, there are rising calls to end the diplomatic *impasse* with Russia over Ukraine. But *wishful thinking* is the worst basis for policy making......

a situation in which no progress is possible, especially because of disagreement; a deadlock 2. Wishful thinking is the formation of beliefs and making decisions according to what might be pleasing to imagine instead of by appealing to evidence, rationality, or reality

The violence began when a *splinter* group of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland, a militant Christian organization that seeks a sovereign state for the Naga people of India and Burma, launched several attacks on Indian security forces in northeast India. One of these operations left eight members of India's Assam Rifles *paramilitary force* dead in early May. A month later, 18 Indian soldiers were killed and 15 injured in an attack in India's Manipur state.

a small, thin, sharp piece of wood, glass, or similar material broken off from a larger piece 2. A paramilitary is a militarized or semi-militarized force whose organizational structure, training, subculture, and (often) function are similar to those of a professional military, and which is not included as part of a state's formal armed forces

The new troops won't be used as spotters to call in airstrikes against Islamic State, much less join Iraqis at the front lines. Apache helicopters won't provide air cover for Iraqi soldiers. There won't be additional special forces to conduct raids against high-value targets. The highest ranking U.S. military officer will remain a mere two-star general. Instead, the additional advisers will *buttress* Mr. Obama's current strategy at the margins by putting Iraqi troops and Sunni tribesmen through a basic training course of between two and four weeks. This may be enough to show recruits how to march in drill and maintain and fire a AK-47.

a source of defence or support

Islamic State's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, an Iraqi like many of the group's other senior officials, has declared a *caliphate* that he vowed would eventually take over the world.

a spiritual leader of Islam, claiming succession from Muhammad.

But freer trade is about far more than increased exports or market share, as David Ricardo and Adam Smith taught. Open trade is more crucial for the imports that force U.S. firms to stay competitive. Free trade breaks up domestic *oligopolies* the way Japanese autos did Detroit's Big Three. Americans benefit from lower-priced goods and stronger employers that can't afford to become complacent.

a state of limited competition, in which a market is shared by a small number of producers or sellers

Chinese authorities have *quarantined* 67 people who had close contact with the patient, though none have shown any symptoms of the illness, Xinhua said. Authorities are still looking for 10 more people who rode the bus with the South Korean man.

a state, period, or place of isolation in which people or animals that have arrived from elsewhere or been exposed to infectious or contagious disease are placed.

The Bergdahl swap unleashed a *torrent* of criticism at the time, including from Senate Democrats, so it's not surprising that the charges against the soldier are only being unveiled now, five months after the midterm elections.

a strong and fast-moving stream of water or other liquid

Washington is seeking more places where it can expand its military footprint in Asia without triggering a *backlash*

a strong or violent reaction, as to some social or political change

Mr. Khamenei's insistence that Iran's policy toward the U.S. wouldn't change appeared to run counter to recent suggestions by top government officials that the deal could be a *springboard* for closer cooperation against common threats, including Islamic State extremists in Iraq and Syria.

a strong, flexible board from which someone may jump in order to gain added impetus when performing a dive or a gymnastic movement

Israel *blundered* in how it announced the expansion of Jewish neighborhoods and communities in Jerusalem over the border lines that existed before the Six Day War in 1967.

a stupid or careless mistake.

According to Mr. Brown, climate change makes "extreme weather events" more likely. "All of a sudden, when you're all focused on drought, you can get massive storms that flood through these channels and overflow and cause havoc," he explained last week to *dunderheads* in the press too thick to understand this connection.

a stupid person

Along with many others, Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq and the United Nations, worries that once sanctions are lifted, Iran may not *snap back* into effect as easily as the Obama administration believes

a sudden rebound or recovery.

they created a map of India made from marigold petals sewn onto a sheet, but the map depicts the country pre-partition. In the imaginations of these girls, their country had not yet been separated. Partition threw a wrench into many of Nani's plans

a sudden violent twist or pull

So Serling, the creator of the series, was called to step in front of the lights. In *retrospect*, he was ideal for the role, and for the medium: dark-haired, intense and sharp-featured, often wearing a black suit, white shirt and black necktie as he introduced a black-and-white tale of that which "lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge."

a survey or review of a past course of events or period of time

In response, scientists who were engaged in the research accepted a *moratorium* until the safety issues could be evaluated.

a temporary prohibition of an activity

Mr. Xi is fast building China's military, including a blue-water navy and upgraded nuclear strike force. Beijing has asserted dubious legal claims over territory in the East and South China seas, and it is acting to make such claims a *fait accompli*. It is building new islands on shoals in international waters that will be air and naval bases to project Chinese power, and then protesting when U.S. planes fly overhead.

a thing that has already happened or been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with no option but to accept it.

This classic restraint of trade would have curbed well-paying job opportunities for New Yorkers and frustrated consumers, particularly those in outer *boroughs* where yellow taxis seldom *venture*. Uber will need to add thousands of vehicles over the next year to keep up with the 25,000 customers in the city using the app for the first time each week.

a town or district which is an administrative unit, in particular undertake a risky or daring journey or course of action

The moves have sparked controversy. As the ravages of time are forcing Germans to decide what to do with the Nazis' surviving architectural heritage, historians and developers are asking whether these *vestiges* are fit for commercial development, should be turned into places of remembrance, or should be left untouched.

a trace or remnant of something that is disappearing or no longer exists

Construction of mall space hit a 10-year low last year, says the Indian arm of Cushman & Wakefield. Many of those already built are trying to reinvent themselves as everything from furniture and liquor *marts* to wedding venues and spas."I don't mind converting," said Mr. Jain, the clothing-shop owner. "As long as that brings me customers, I'm all for it."

a trade centre or market

The partnership's balance of power is "out of *whack*" given that Nissan has grown considerably larger than its partner, said one person familiar with the workings of the alliance.

a try or attempt

Just bear in mind that touch screens never work perfectly when they're underwater. If you want to take photos while swimming or *snorkeling*, plan to use the volume button as the shutter.

a tube for a swimmer to breathe through while under water.

Western economies would likely be in free fall. The grudging U.S. recovery would be in retreat. The modest and possibly illusory green shoots seen in Europe, largely a function of cheap oil and a strong dollar, would wither. Japan would be even more of a *write-off* than it already is.

a vehicle or other object that is too badly damaged to be repaired

Safety authorities previously cited the Eastern Star for safety *infractions*. The maritime bureau in Nanjing, a provincial capital along the Yangtze, held it and five other ships for infractions in 2013, according to a document from the bureau.

a violation or infringement of a law or agreement

The raids were sanctioned by a 2010 agreement permitting Indian counterterror forces to enter Burma if they receive permission from Burmese authorities. Yet the Burmese army wasn't directly involved in the raids—either because it was already overstretched fighting *insurrections* in northern Burma or because, since NSCN-K hasn't broken the truce it signed with the Burmese government in 2012, Burma's army had no justification to intervene.

a violent uprising against an authority or government

Eventually, the brothers became priests, and in 2010, Chad was named Bishop. Both celebrate mass and administer *sacraments*.

a visible sign of an inward grace, especially one of the *solemn(characterized by dignified or serious formality)* Christian rites considered to have been instituted by Jesus Christ to symbolize or confer grace: the sacraments of the Protestant churches are baptism and the Lord's Supper; the sacraments of the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches are baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist, matrimony, penance, holy orders,

There's an oil lamp, neatly folded *quilt*, a battered green water bottle and a wooden pitchfork.

a warm bed covering made of padding enclosed between layers of fabric and kept in place by lines of stitching, typically applied in a decorative design.

Mr. Zucker's *wisecrack* hints at a serious concern. The stakes are high. Analysts and executives say the quality of virtual-reality content available in the format's early days will determine whether consumers respond well or send it the way of hot Hollywood fads like 3-D that arrived with a bang but quickly *fizzled*.

a witty remark or joke 2. to make a hissing or sputtering sound, especially one that dies out weakly.

The task force is the centerpiece of an initiative to provide NATO with an *agile* response capability, spurred by Russia's incursion into Crimea last year. Although the task force is designed to help strengthen NATO's military capabilities against Russia, the idea is that it could also be used to protect members against the rise of Islamic militants to Europe's south, defense officials said.

able to move quickly and easily

The club isn't even arguing against China trying to protect its beleaguered environment: In the CTS clubhouse, a looping video showcases how the club is *"embracing"* the 64-square-kilometer reservoir.

accept (a belief, theory, or change) willingly and enthusiastically

With an app, my family can track comings and goings, and can close the door from halfway to the mall after someone has a senior moment. This smart home tech is finally at a point that's neither outrageously expensive nor complicated. My Wi-Fi-enabled door from Chamberlain, which also makes the popular LiftMaster brand, cost about $30 more than other quiet, unconnected models. If you don't need a replacement just yet, you can also buy adapters from Chamberlain ($130) and other companies like Insteon ($80) to *retrofit* existing doors. There's no need for some high-tech smart home hub.

add (a component or accessory) to something that did not have it when manufactured

Defense Secretary Ash Carter has asked his staff to look at options that include flying Navy surveillance aircraft over the islands and sending U.S. naval ships to within 12 nautical miles of reefs that have been built up and claimed by the Chinese in an area known as the Spratly Islands. Such moves, if approved by the White House, would be designed to send a message to Beijing that the U.S. won't *accede* to Chinese territorial claims

agree to a demand, request, or treaty

I called a winemaker friend, Kareem Massoud, at Paumanok Vineyards in the North Fork of Long Island, for some professional *insight*.

an accurate and deep understanding

Despite Mr. Brégier's background in the French government, he built trust with the British government and employees, the person says. Mr. Brégier later tapped the experience restructuring Airbus amid intra-European *recriminations* over the superjumbo Airbus 370 .

an accusation in response to one, from someone else

The latest protectionist *gambit* is 'currency manipulation.'

an act or remark that is calculated to gain an advantage, especially at the outset of a situation

THE LATE SENATOR Strom Thurmond was famous—some might say infamous—for a good many things, including a marathon *filibuster* against the Civil Rights Act, but the South Carolina congressman's most lasting contribution may be the two words found on every bottle of wine sold in this country: Contains Sulfites.

an action such as prolonged speaking which obstructs progress in a legislative assembly

Tinkerers, aftermarket repair shops and copyright activists are lobbying for an exemption to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of 1998 to guarantee car owners the right to alter the software in their vehicles. Dozens of "electronic control units" in modern cars regulate emissions, steering and other aspects of automotive performance. The nonprofit Electronic Frontier Foundation and the American Automobile Association—speaking for car owners—back the exemption, as do security researchers who want to probe auto software for vulnerabilities. Ford, GM, Toyota and other major car makers are adamantly opposed. Their argument is that a car buyer merely licenses that software code from the auto maker and cannot break the security measures walling it off without violating copyright law. This claim could end the American *pastime* of tinkering under the hood.But the precedent will reach beyond the auto shop, particularly as more everyday products begin to include software code. Futurists talk of an "Internet of things," a world in which everything from your thermostat to refrigerator is run in part by networked electronics. The entire Idea is to protect the software because this argument assumes that code is more secure when it is tightly held, a notion sometimes described as "security by obscurity." The truth is the opposite: When systems are closed, through copyright or other means, they become less secure.

an activity that someone does regularly for enjoyment rather than work; a hobby

Mainland tourists visiting the Hong Kong's shops face regular protests and are sneered at. *Epithets* are hurled at them, ranging from "*locusts*" to terms not suitable for publication.

an adjective or phrase expressing a quality or attribute regarded as characteristic of the person or thing mentioned, an epithet used as a term of abuse 2. a large, mainly tropical grasshopper with strong powers of flight. It is usually solitary, but from time to time there is a population explosion and it migrates in vast swarms which cause extensive damage to vegetation

Working together gives us extra time and a little extra money, thanks to our hour-long *carpooled* commute.

an arrangement among a group of automobile owners by which each owner in turn drives the others or their children to and from a designated place.

had previously been dismissive about Internet-enabled watches, viewing them as *novelties*

an article of trade whose value is chiefly decorative, comic, or the like and whose appeal is often transitory:

Mr. Obama concluded by observing that the U.S. has faced "more formidable challenges" in the past, including *fascism* and *communism*. Yes it has, especially when emerging threats were left to fester by Presidents who lacked the political will to confront them. By continuing to underrate the threat of Islamic radicalism, Mr. Obama risks repeating that history.

an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization 2. a theory or system of social organization in which all property is owned by the community and each person contributes and receives according to their ability and needs.

The proposed restrictions are the latest sign of the continuing *repercussions* from information about U.S. government intelligence-gathering tactics leaked by Edward Snowden.

an effect or result, often indirect or remote, of some event or action:

The Pakistan program has been described by Chinese officials as the "flagship project" of a broader policy, "One Belt, One Road," which seeks to physically connect China to its markets in Asia, Europe and beyond."If 'One Belt, One Road' is like a symphony involving and benefiting every country, then construction of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor is the sweet melody of the symphony's first movement," Wang Yi, China's foreign minister said during a visit to Pakistan in February.

an elaborate musical composition for full orchestra

What struck Bishop Chad was watching the priest standing in front of the *altar* and elevating the Communion host.

an elevated place or structure, as a mound or platform, at which religious rites are performed or on which sacrifices are offered to gods, ancestors,

The trade vote is in sum a *watershed* about the kind of country America wants to be. Does the U.S. still have the right stuff to compete with and lead the world, or will it retreat behind barriers that provide the illusion of economic and political security.

an event or period marking a turning point in a situation

Greece still could be a catalyst that causes a regional *conflagration*

an extensive fire which destroys a great deal of land or property

Google last year asked employees to work exclusively from a mobile device one day a week, to better appreciate how a growing share of users reach its *panoply* of Web services.

an extensive or impressive collection

But Mrs. Bahorich's appointment has offended the education *barons* who claim that she lacks the credential of having taught in a bricks-and-mortar public school. Diane Ravitch, the *doyenne* of the education status quo, wrote on her blog that, "You can't make this stuff up. Governor Greg Abbott selected a home-schooling mom to chair the State Board of Education in Texas."

an important or powerful person in a specified business or industry the most respected or prominent woman in a particular field

As pastors, they deal daily with *parishioners*, who have lost jobs, homes and family members, or have mental health problems

an inhabitant of a particular church parish, especially one who is a regular churchgoer

He gets himself to New York, then as now the city of ambition, and hears in the *taverns* of the rising American revolutionary spirit.

an inn or public house

The new security legislation is merely Tokyo's most recent calibration of a grand strategy in which Japan does less when it can, and more when it must. Even if this legislation moves forward, Japan remains the most *dovish* of the world's great powers. It spends 1% of its gross domestic product on defense (in contrast to triple that rate in China).

an innocent, gentle, or tender person

Oil ministry adviser Mr. Hosseini said Eni(oil company) claims Iran owes the company money for *overruns* at oil-and-gas projects it was operating before sanctions were imposed. The disputed sum, which he declined to specify, stems from old deals that, unlike most oil-company contracts around the world, wouldn't pay for cost overruns.

an instance of something exceeding an expected or allowed time or cost

The expansionist strategy is not new. In the spring of 2014, as the group was attempting to consolidate its hold on the Syrian city of Raqqa and preparing to conduct a *blitzkrieg* into Iraq, Islamic State leaders reached out to militant groups in such countries as Libya, Egypt, Nigeria, Yemen, Algeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Their goal was to increase Islamic State's influence and recruit fighters to come to Iraq and Syria.

an intense military campaign intended to bring about a swift victory

The Islamist group's *blitz* through Syria and Iraq last summer drew recruits from across the world.

an intensive or sudden military attack.

Many find the whole idea unsettling. They fear it means a papal *imprimatur* for the political and economic orthodoxies of the green movement, confusing the faithful and leading to another series of press conferences that will begin with a Vatican spokesman saying, "What the pope meant to say . . ."

an official licence issued by the Roman Catholic Church to print an ecclesiastical or religious book

When it comes to investing in late-stage rounds of financing for startups, "we don't have a *mandate* to do this," says Mr. Boyd. "If we do zero of this in a year, it's fine," he adds.

an official order or commission to do something

Islamic State is still formidable and capable of great *savagery*.

an uncivilized or barbaric state or condition

Many of President Obama's predecessors also helped build the telephone subsidy machine. And even now most of Washington wants to ignore the inconvenient truth about a federal benefit that almost nobody seems to need. Fortunately for taxpayers, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.) and FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly are shining a light on this *boondoggle*. They're urging a cap on its roughly $1.6 billion in annual spending and a careful targeting to make sure subsidies don't go to people who would buy phone service anyway.

an unnecessary, wasteful, or fraudulent project

If the storm hits early, for example, active planes could get stuck on tarmacs unable to get to gates, or get diverted to cities ill-equipped to handle a *deluge* of passengers.

anything that overwhelms

The deadline for the nuclear talks between the great powers and Iran is June 30. The talks are *premised* on the notion that Tehran can be trusted. But will a regime that *brazenly* lies to and cheats its own people uphold its commitments abroad?

base an argument, theory, or undertaking on 2. shameless or impudent:

But on Wednesday Justice Stephen Breyer introduced a clever if misleading new argument that excited the other liberal Justices. "You know, it begins to look a little irrational to say, I'm not taking it into account at all," he *mused*.

be absorbed in thought

But Cairo has other, more proximate strategic concerns. In addition to a *burgeoning* ISIS-led insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula, Libya is fast becoming a failed state. Earlier this year, 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians were executed by ISIS in Libya. Terrorists and weapons continue to flow across the frontier.

begin to grow or increase rapidly; flourish

The movie, starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard as the latest park workers dealing with prehistoric predators run *amok*, also unexpectedly unseated May's "Avengers: Age of Ultron" for the best weekend openingthis year.

behave uncontrollably and disruptively

This article really opens a can of worms, doesn't it? It can also act to draw the line between true believers and *hypocrites*.

behaving in a way that suggests one has higher standards or more noble beliefs than is the case

Given that the Greek economy is just 2% of EU GDP, what's the big deal? Europe can well afford to keep Greece on the *dole* forever. But it can't afford to set a bad example by rescuing Greece for a third time in five years. Almost all of Europe needs what it has failed to impose on Athens: cutting overspending and implementing market-based reforms. If Greece is the future, Europe might end up in the past.

benefit paid by the state to the unemployed

Now, the planners seem to want power generators free to set the prices, known as tariffs. To be sure, authorities could still *cosset* environmentally preferred sources.

care for and protect in an overindulgent way

Stripped of anything but folk culture and an abiding belief in the importance of their families, education and *diligence*, they had heaved onto the alien shores of this unlikely colonialized city-state

careful and persistent work or effort

Even digging his mini-canal is a daunting prospect. The humidity at times is stifling; during the rainy season, the local highway patrol spends some of its time hooking cobras basking on the tarmac during sunny spells and which sometimes strike at passing motorcyclists.In some areas, the waterway is little more than a *trickle* winding its way past a few slimy rocks.

catch with a hook (of a liquid) flow in a small stream

A new report from the Atlantic Council sheds additional light on Moscow's post-Cease fire *provocations*. Using open-source information and satellite imagery, the report makes clear that Russia continues to amass troops on its border with Ukraine and that "Russian training camps stationed along the Ukrainian border are the staging ground for Russian military equipment transported into Ukraine, soon to join the separatist arsenal, and for Russian soldiers mobilized across Russian to cross into Ukraine." A serious Western response to Russian violations would include arms sales to Kiev so Ukraine could raise the cost of Russian incursions. Then again, serious Western leaders would have taken Mr. Putin's measure before the Minsk deals started becoming as numerous, and as bad, as "Fast & Furious" sequels.

causing anger or another strong reaction

Brent Scowcroft, the former National Security Adviser, had a reputation for falling asleep at high-level meetings—so much so that George H.W. Bush named a light-hearted award in his honor. According to Robert Gates, the Scowcroft award goes to the person "who most *ostentatiously* falls asleep in a meeting with the President." The President, Mr. Gates once explained, "evaluated candidates on three criteria. First, duration—how long did they sleep? Second, the depth of sleep. Snoring always got you extra points. And third, the quality of recovery. Did one just quietly open one's eyes and return to the meeting, or did you jolt awake and maybe spill something hot in the process?" It turns out there's a version of this award in North Korea, too, only the consequences aren't some teasing. According to South Korean intelligence officials, Hyon Yong Chol, the North Korean Minister of Defense, fell asleep during a recent military exercise at which Kim Jong Un was present. Bad move. On April 30 he was taken to a site north of Pyongyang and executed with anti-aircraft guns. A burst of 14.5mm fire at close range won't leave much of a corpse for burial, a point surely not missed by the hundreds of North Koreans who attended the execution.

characterized by or given to pretentious or conspicuous show in an attempt to impress others:

Russia has offered multiple narratives about what happened to MH17. In December, a Russian investigative committee claimed that the airplane had been hit by a rocket fired from a Ukrainian SU-25 fighter jet. This followed an earlier suggestion by the leader of the pro-Russian separatists that MH17 was already filled with corpses when it took off from Amsterdam. The Russian Defence Ministry's official report on the disaster, released just four days after MH17 was destroyed, blamed Ukraine's military for firing the Buk. According to Western experts, this report was based on satellite images that had been edited using Adobe Photoshop. These theories are *patently* absurd, and nobody in the West takes them seriously. Mr. Putin wouldn't expect them to.

clearly; without doubt

Other German officials have said privately in recent days that it is becoming increasingly hard for Berlin to accept Mr. Tsipras as a reliable partner in a bailout deal, now that he has chosen to lead a referendum campaign against the creditors. Mr. Tsipras's *fiery* rhetoric in his televised speech on Wednesday did nothing to *dispel* the mistrust.

consisting of fire or burning strongly and brightly 2. disappear

While critics previously *assailed* the general aim of the diplomatic effort, the latest objections drill more deeply into specific details of the plan, such as Iran's research program, its past military initiatives, international inspections and sanctions.

criticize strongly

Freedom Now applied in 2009 to the U.N.'s Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc) for "consultative status," which brings official credentials, access to buildings and other practical conveniences within the U.N. But the Ecosoc committee that handles these requests is dominated, like so many other U.N. bodies, by dictatorships. So for six years diplomats from China, Cuba, Iran, Sudan, Russia, Venezuela, Azerbaijan and other *tyrannies* kept Freedom Now's application in *limbo*.

cruel and oppressive government or rule an uncertain period of awaiting a decision or resolution; an intermediate state or condition

Both religious moderation in Saudi Arabia and stability in the Middle East, home to seven million Indian workers, will remain *elusive* as long as these two ideological states remain locked in combat in a bid to influence the region.

difficult to find, catch, or achieve

Warren Lavender, a supervisor at a Tokyo SAT test site, said he caught a Chinese student last fall with a crib sheet with test answers. They came from a website that tried to *elude* detection by staying live for a few hours before being taken down, he said.

escape from or avoid (a danger, enemy, or pursuer), typically in a skilful or cunning way.

The reality is that the policy was heavily influenced by the environmental nongovernmental organizations whose "bee-pocalypse" *hysteria* had then reached a fever pitch. Enormous political pressure was exerted on politicians through a "save the bee" campaign. As Britain's secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs at the time, I received 85,000 emails denouncing me for my opposition to the ban.

exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion or excitement

Mobile phone manufacturers are increasingly at pains to tell us not just how their latest models different from older ones, but from each other. It has lead to, as John Herrman wrote in Medium "the smartphone industry's weird *narcissism* of small differences."

excessive interest in or admiration of oneself and one's physical appearance

In a streaming video test, with all the laptops set to comparable brightness (around 75 percent), the MacBook *conked* out after 7 hours, while my 13-inch Air braved on for over 11 hours. Even the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina got 9 hours.

faint or go to sleep

But people don't buy many windup watches anymore. The factory once produced hundreds of pieces a day. It now *dribbles* out just four or five, an executive says. For decades, HMT watches were India's go-to gifts for graduations, weddings and retirements. Then, quartz watches happened. And India opened its market to more foreign brands. HMT built a watch empire to supply a nation, and the nation has moved on.

fall slowly in drops or a thin stream

Vladimir Putin's recent decision to sell S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Iran over U.S. objections is more than an embarrassment to the Obama Administration. It is also the latest evidence of an emerging new threat to world order and U.S. security: the rise of *authoritarian* regional powers.

favouring or enforcing strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom.

And since when is it a good idea to run electric current through my head? I hear you. Thync says it shifts your mental state with the press of a button—how sci-fi is that? No question, it's for the *intrepid*.

fearless; adventurous (often used for rhetorical or humorous effect)

They are astonished by the *nonchalance* with which the administration acquiesces in Iran's regional power plays, or in al Qaeda's gains in Yemen, or in the Assad regime's continued use of chemical weapons, or in the battlefield successes of ISIS, or in Russia's decision to sell advanced missiles to Tehran. They wonder why the president has so much solicitude for Ali Khamenei's political needs, and so little for Benjamin Netanyahu's.

feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm

Leaders must also get comfortable with the unknown. It is hubris to assume that we can know it all, yet instant accessibility to news and "unprecedented amounts of data" can seduce us into believing we're *prescient*, even though "what we cannot know" grows even faster than what we can know.

having or showing knowledge of events before they take place

Wilbur was to spend much time in France, where interest and commercial prospects for aviation, initially, were greater. He and Orville had competitors *aplenty*, but none so mastered the art of controlled flight.

in abundance

Mr. Gershaneck, a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer who has been involved in Japan's efforts, said Tokyo has made "significant progress establishing a *rudimentary* but effective amphibious force."

involving or limited to basic principles.

At a meeting with Coal India executives in New Delhi's government-run Ashok hotel last August, he grew *exasperated* with slow production growth and poor coal quality at the company. "He was very, very unhappy and very forthright," said one executive present.

irritate intensely; infuriate.

Overall, in that fiscal year the bank guaranteed $20.5 billion in financing for U.S. exports. The bank charges a fee on its loans and made $675 million in profit that it sent to the U.S. Treasury.Yet while the bank helps some American exporters, it *irks* other domestic firms.

irritate; annoy

But "Grounded," as usual with Ms. Taymor, is *smothered* in a thick sauce of overelaborate, overliteral visual and sound effects.

kill (someone) by covering their nose and mouth so that they suffocate

It is an old tactic of dictators: to isolate their subjects, to cut the ties with the outside world, to *asphyxiate* them, and thus to push them to into discouragement and despair. It is the eternal temptation of a Russian *autocracy* that, from Leonid Brezhnev to Mr. Putin, has neither learned nor forgotten anything.

kill (someone) by depriving them of air 2. a system of government by one person with absolute power

So Assad will keep *gassing* his own people, and Mr. Obama will keep claiming a disarmament triumph. Get ready for more of the same after the same governments celebrate a nuclear deal with Iran.

kill or harm by exposure to gas

But Saudi Arabia isn't the American Hospital Association, and Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani isn't Nancy Pelosi. The religious and military forces in motion in the Middle East now are powerful and volatile. Vladimir Putin's decision amid all this to ship the sophisticated S-300 air-defense system to Iran was a thunderclap event. The ever-*omniscient* president dismissed it as no surprise.

knowing everything

All but one of the insurance co-ops are operating in the red. One already has been shut down, and others are in *precarious* financial condition. Chalk up another ObamaCare failure.

likely to fall or collapse

For both sides, the weeklong trip is intended to symbolize a turning point in a 63-year alliance that has *languished* a bit over the past quarter-century.

lose or lack vitality; grow weak

U.S. Defense Firms *Falter* in Asia. Some weapons systems are too costly, complex for emerging markets; competition rises

lose strength or momentum

Figuring out what makes and keeps people poor isn't a trivial challenge. Anyone who has ever traveled in the developing world knows that even the planet's most desperately poor people aren't lazy or stupid. And if poverty were caused by economic geography (hot climates hostile to agriculture and hospitable to disease) or a lack of modern infrastructure, then bombarding poor countries with money would long ago have *ameliorated* the problem.

make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better

Next week, NATO defense ministers will meet to discuss what a Brussels diplomat called "the Russian nuclear posture." That means the U.S. and its allies are searching for a *riposte* to an aggrandizing Russia whose strategy provides for regional conflicts using nuclear weapons alongside "little green men"—Russian troops that Moscow claims aren't really Russian soldiers—and conventional forces.

make a quick, clever reply to an insult or criticism

One of the boats was still *moored* under the control of the police at a wharf on the resort island of Langkawi on Thursday.

make fast (a boat) by attaching it by cable or rope to the shore or to an anchor

My Father's car's $1,500 in-dash navigation system is riddled with menus so complex and unintuitive they should require a pilot's license. So instead of keeping his eyes on the road, he splits his time between *fidgeting* with the screen and fighting with the robotic woman's voice emanating from the dashboard. (She usually wins.)

make small movements, especially of the hands and feet, through nervousness or impatience.

On the other side of the battlefield, Islamic State and Iran, though from rival sects and opposed in their ultimate ends, are matched in violence, ambition and immediate aims. Tehran seeks to attain nuclear weapons; to dominate oil-rich, Arab-Shiite southern Iraq; and to preserve its Syrian ally, Bashar Assad. These three purposes advance its dream of controlling the region and becoming the *knife's edge of Islam's penetration into the West.* In Syria, Islamic State only *spars* with Mr. Assad, even *abetting* his efforts to *gut* the "moderate" opposition.

make the motions of boxing without landing heavy blows, as a form of training. 2. encourage or assist (someone) to do something wrong, in particular to commit a crime 3. remove the intestines and other internal organs from (a fish or other animal) before cooking it

Baltimore is but the latest liberal-blue city where government has failed to do the one thing it ought—i.e., put the cops on the side of the vulnerable and law-abiding—while pursuing "solutions" that in practice *enfeeble* families and social institutions and local economies.

make weak or feeble

The 2007 energy bill's renewable fuel standard requires certain annual volumes of ethanol to be *bootlegged* into the U.S. gasoline supply, but for years the mandate has crashed into the "*blend wall*." Ethanol is corrosive, and gallons of conventional gas with concentrations of the stuff higher than 10% damage the engines and fuel systems of most of the cars and trucks on the road today.

make, distribute, or sell (alcoholic drink or a recording) illegally 2. The blending wall refers to the amount of ethanol gasoline companies are permitted to blend with petroleum-based fuel. Federal standards set the amount at 10 percent of gasoline consumption.

Steve Jobs returned to run Apple Computer, the company he co-founded in the 1970s. Apple had been a highflier but was *hurtling* toward bankruptcy, and Jobs was brought in to fix what appeared irretrievably broken.

move or cause to move at high speed, typically in an uncontrolled manner

the ministry said it thought it would be a "*retrograde* step" at a time when India is pitching itself as a favorable investment destination

moving backward; having a backward motion or direction; retiring or retreating.

The anti poverty experiment programs included a grant of livestock or business assets, a short-term cash and food stipend, health services, vocational training and savings accounts that, in some cases, locked up their money temporarily. One year after the programs ended, participants were consuming 7.5% more food, had a 14% increase in assets and had saved 96% more, on average. Other such experiments have sextupled the use of clean water in areas of Africa rife with waterborne diseases by positioning chlorine dispensers next to wells and pumps, and have roughly tripled the rate of childhood vaccination among villagers in rural Rajasthan, India by offering bags of lentils to parents. Some of these interventions cost only a few dollars per person.

multiply by six; increase sixfold

But then, in an interview last week at Harvard's Institute for Politics, Mr. Brennan said that anyone who both knew the facts surrounding the Obama administration's "framework" agreement regarding the Iranian nuclear program, and said that it "provides a pathway for Iran to a bomb," was being "wholly *disingenuous*."

not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does

Micromax was founded in the late 1990s, originally writing software for online retailers. In 2008 it pushed into mobile phones, attracted by the increasing availability of inexpensive, *off-the-shelf* hardware sets peddled by companies like Taiwan's Mediatek Inc. By combining affordable chipsets with competitively priced hardware—some of it developed with suppliers—Micromax was able to undercut global handset makers' prices by as much as 50% and reduce the time needed to roll out new models by months.

not designed or made to order but taken from existing stock or supplies

Derive Systems says it has completed more than 1.3 million code modifications since 2003 without a single known related accident. One particularly *innocuous* modification involves changing how a vehicle consumes fuel while idling. Taxis, for example, tend to idle more than other cars. Derive can change the software settings to improve fuel efficiency in idling taxi fleets by as much as 30%. Under the car makers' interpretation of copyright law, that would be illegal.

not harmful or offensive

"We believe that it's in the interests of all countries to ensure a free an *unencumbered* transit through international waters, which includes the South China Sea, and we will continue to transit the South China Sea including surveillance operations that we've been doing for close to 35 years," he said.

not having any burden or impediment

Charles Dickens loved to read outdoors. It's said that he even practiced public readings of his work in a garden at his home where he penned "Great Expectations." If Dickens had read on an iPad, however, we may have never gotten Estella and Pip's *unrequited* love story.

not reciprocated or returned in kind Unrequited love or one-sided love is love that is not openly reciprocated or understood as such by the beloved. The beloved may not be aware of the admirer's deep and strong romantic affection or consciously reject it.

Already opposition to China's expansionary behavior has caused Beijing to alternate between assertive action and attempts to calm its neighbors' suspicions. But the U.S., no less than China's neighbors, has generally been too timid in responding to Beijing's coercive behavior. Such *reticence* may be changing thanks to Beijing's land reclamation in the disputed Spratly Islands.

not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily

he refused to meet Mr. Anwar when he visited Malaysia last year, though he had time for a very public round of golf with Mr. Najib in Hawaii a few months later. Mr. Obama's *reticence* on behalf of political freedom in the world, from Iran in 2009 to Malaysia today, is one of the mysteries of his Presidency. Out of *realpolitik* or indifference, he is mute.

not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily a system of politics or principles based on practical rather than moral or ideological considerations

American credibility on Russia exists only for short periods. For months, the Obama administration had been unconvincingly claiming success in isolating Moscow. Then, five weeks ago, concluding a Russian visit, Secretary of State John Kerry spoke up from the edge of *obsequiousness*: "I am particularly grateful and I want to express my appreciation to President Putin for the very significant and serious conversation that he engaged in for the very significant amount of time that he contributed to the discussion. And I express President Obama's gratitude for Russia's willingness to engage in this discussion at a time when the exchange of view could not be more important." *Presto change-o*, the U.S. now wants to look semi-tough on Russia again. You may officially exhale.

obedient; dutiful 2.. Indicates the suddenness of a change or transformation, as a magic trick in which one object appears to be suddenly transformed into another

Personal narratives "keep us *sane*," says Warren Kennaugh, a leading behavioral strategist based in Sydney, who works with clients on changing their narrative.

of sound mind; not mad or mentally ill

President Obama's vow in his 2014 State of the Union address "to keep trying, with or without Congress, to help stop more tragedies from visiting innocent Americans in our movie theaters, shopping malls, or schools like Sandy Hook." Ironically, this *scare-mongering* likely inspired more gun purchases. The Washington Times reported last year that record checks for gun sales hit a new high in 2013: "More than 21 million applications were run through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System last year, marking nearly an 8% increase and the 11th straight year that the number has risen."

one inclined to raise or excite alarms especially needlessly monger alone means to sell eg fish monger,

A nuclear agreement would reportedly lift general sanctions on Iran. Still, the U.S. can and should hold the regime accountable for its abuses by imposing individual sanctions on the most *egregious* human-rights abusers wherever they live, through either an executive order or a new global version of the Magnitsky Act.

outstandingly bad; shocking.

Stance appears designed to *appease* domestic opposition of rapprochement with the West

pacify or placate (someone) by acceding to their demands

When attacking eight years of Obama policies, Republicans would be wise not to treat Democrats the way Democrats treated them. Mr. Obama did himself no favors by *shunning* Republicans when ObamaCare, the economic stimulus and Dodd-Frank were passed. Democrats had large majorities in the House and Senate at the time. They spurned even a hint of bipartisanship.This has come back to haunt Mr. Obama and Democrats. If ObamaCare had been passed with a sprinkling of Republican votes, it would not be as unpopular as it is today. The same is true for executive orders. They were used specifically to deny Republicans a role.This touches on a tacit but important issue in the 2016 election: the possibility of a "new normal" in the way Washington works. The parties are deeply divided. They don't like each other. Mr. Obama made things worse. With Mr. Obama and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid gone, the next president can improve relations. It won't require an executive order.

persistently avoid, ignore, or reject (someone or something) through antipathy or caution

While President Obama hopes his nuclear deal with Iran will *burnish* his presidential legacy as a great peacemaker, the near-term consequence will be more—and even bloodier—sectarian violence in the Middle East. In particular, security threats will escalate for Saudi Arabia and Israel, until now America's two major Mideast allies.

polish (something, especially metal) by rubbing

The larger lesson of this episode is the failure of international arms control. Too many countries have too many reasons to deny or look away from violations that don't directly affect them. The Russians want to protect an ally, and the Obama Administration doesn't want to admit that its *ballyhooed* chemical-arms diplomacy has failed.

praise or publicize extravagantly

The anti-sparkling mind-set is similar to the *prejudice* against red wines that presumes they are the cause of sulfite-related headaches.

preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience.

The Obama administration lately projects an anti-Islamic State campaign of three to five years at best, or a decade perhaps at worst. Meanwhile, U.S. leaders hope to tame Iran's nuclear hunger and it's bloody misdeeds with inspections and respect, a coin that must be paid in years of restraint. Maybe the administration believes regional powers can be *goaded* into not just *pricking*, but, with limited U.S. aid, defeating Islamic State and Iranian ambitions. Whatever the reasoning the net consequence is the same: Iran and Islamic State have won years to gather weapons and riches, inflame hatreds, reap recruits and plot. The time will come, Islamic State and Iran know, to settle scores between them. But that will be another day. In the interim, both prosper.

provoke or annoy (someone) so as to stimulate an action or reaction 2. make a small hole in (something) with a sharp point; pierce slightly.

Iran has *denounced* it's intervention, and Russia has also objected. Tehran probably won't intervene directly, but you can bet it will supply the Houthis with arms and military advisers.

publicly declare to be wrong or evil

Enter Ms. Swift, who wrote an open letter to Apple on Tumblr, complaining about the unfairness of the tech giant's plans. "Apple Music will not be paying writers, producers, or artists for those three months," she wrote. "I find it to be shocking, disappointing, and completely unlike this historically progressive and generous company." She called for Apple to change its policy and added: "We don't ask you for free iPhones. Please don't ask us to provide you with our music for no compensation." She backed it up with a threat to *withhold* from Apple Music her mega-popular album "1989"—a threat that had credibility because she earlier withheld her entire catalog of songs from Spotify, another music-streaming service, over compensation disagreements. In one of her most popular songs, Ms. Swift notes how people say of her: "Got nothing in my brain." If that's what the execs at Apple were thinking when they thought they could take her songs for free, the *savvy* songstress taught them a good lesson about intellectual property rights—and the danger of taking on a woman who knows what she's worth.

refuse to give (something that is due to or is desired by another) 2. shrewdness and practical knowledge, especially in politics or business

The relationship between Thailand and U.S started to sour after the May 2014 Thai coup, with Cobra Gold downgraded and other U.S. aid and contacts curtailed. Washington has called for an early return to democracy and warned against a politically motivated prosecution of *deposed* Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

remove from office suddenly and forcefully

Each alliance is strong, but it would be stronger still with a Korea and a Japan that were committed to closer cooperation. From missile defense and maritime security to general cooperation over maintaining access to cyber and outer space, Japan and Korea can do more together than separately. The best counter to North Korean threats and China's challenge is a northeast Asia in which the democratic allies are powerful, unified and working together. This doesn't require *forsaking* history. It requires not being trapped by it.

renounce or give up (something valued or pleasant).

President Park Geun-hye has pledged to stand up for the honor of wartime comfort women and has demanded explicit apologies from Tokyo. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has emphasized his reaffirmation of previous government statements on the matter, and Japanese officials privately suggest that no new statement would fully *sate* the Korean desire for repentance.

satisfy (a desire or an appetite) to the full.

Knowing what we know now, would we have urged President George W. Bush to invade Iraq, as we did at the time? A version of this question was put to Jeb Bush by Fox News's Megyn Kelly the other day, and, well, oh dear. The former Florida Governor and presumptive Republican presidential candidate told Ms. Kelly Monday that he would have authorized an invasion, adding "and so would have Hillary Clinton"—a reminder that the Democratic frontrunner is the only person in the 2016 race who cast a vote for the war. But Mrs. Clinton long ago *recanted* that vote, and Mr. Bush recanted his answer, too, telling an Arizona audience on Thursday that he would not have invaded "knowing what we know now."

say that one no longer holds an opinion or belief, especially one considered heretical

The Washington Post's Jim Tankersley revisited Decaturville, Tenn., a town that Bill Clinton, campaigning for the presidency in 1992, targeted as evidence that President George H.W. Bush's policies had failed American workers. Decaturville's textile mill had closed, and production had moved to El Salvador. Nafta was not to blame, of course; that agreement had not yet been *ratified*.

sign or give formal consent to (a treaty, contract, or agreement), making it officially valid.

while the nuclear agreement is being cheered in Tehran, while Obama aides are *fist-pumping* in the White House, while Europeans are *salivating* at the prospect of doing business in Iran, and while the Israelis are trying to lobby the U.S. Congress against the deal, the Saudis are left grinding their teeth in Riyadh, surveying a bleak future and no good options to change it.

swing one's clenched fist and raised forearm downward toward the body in a vigorous pumping motion as a gesture of triumph or affirmation secrete saliva, especially in anticipation of food

The item's novelty and its price tag mean it isn't likely to be a mass-market hit, at least by comparison with other Microsoft products with hundreds of millions of users. The Surface Hub starts at $6,999 with a 55-inch screen, and it tops out at $19,999 for an 84-inch model. That seems to put it at odds with Mr. Nadella's stated mission to "*zero in* on the things customers really value, and Microsoft can uniquely deliver," as he put it on an earnings call last year.

take aim with a gun or missile.

But "Grounded," as usual with Ms. Taymor, is smothered in a thick sauce of overelaborate, over*literal* visual and sound effects.

taking words in their usual or most basic sense without metaphor or exaggeration

As for responses, Mr. Cameron insisted that it wasn't enough for Muslim communal leaders in the West to denounce suicide bombings in London if they didn't also denounce "suicide bombs in Israel." He also took aim at the excuse-making and moral *self-flagellation* that seems to go with every terrorist attack. "How can it be," he asked, "that after the tragic events at Charlie Hebdo in Paris, weeks were spent discussing the limits of free speech and satire, rather than whether terrorists should be executing people full stop?"

the action of flogging oneself, especially as a form of religious discipline flog -beat (someone) with a whip or stick as a punishment

*Arms control is an obsession in which belief is inversely proportional to evidence of success*, and so it is with this Iran deal. How is the U.S. supposed to enforce an Iran deal when the State Department would rather cover up an adversary's *deceit* than face the failure of U.S. diplomacy?

the action or practice of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth.

The Modi government has reduced state ownership in some of these companies to raise revenue. In January it sold off 10% of Coal India's shares, netting around $3.6 billion for federal coffers and lowering its stake to 80%. But the focus for now will be improvement, not divestiture(divestment), reflecting both the political risks in surrendering state control and the pragmatic core of Mr. Modi's governing philosophy.

the action or process of selling off subsidiary business interests or investments

Many congressional Republicans wholeheartedly endorsed Mr. Netanyahu's (israel PM) *critique* of the talks being led by the Obama administration.

the art or practice of criticism.

While Mr. Obama has confronted high-stakes challenges since taking office, including the U.S. economic crash, budget *brinkmanship* and a fight over his health-insurance law, he hasn't faced the sort of global test diplomatic outreach to Iran presents.

the art or practice of pursuing a dangerous policy to the limits of safety before stopping, especially in politics

Nani, second from left, smiles as she graduates from Government College, Lahore in 1946, on the eve of the partition of India. Her printed silk sari peeks out from underneath her graduate's robes. Her gorgeous, thick hair is pulled into a *traditional bun(like mom)* at the *nape* of her neck, which is how she wears it to this day.

the back of a person's neck

Russia may be helping to inflame Syriza's internal divisions in the hope that Greece's ruling party cannot make the difficult concessions necessary to stay in the eurozone. If Greece does leave the eurozone, the economic aftershocks to the domestic economy could reduce it to a semi-failed state that, along with the dismemberment and weakening of Ukraine, will seriously weaken Europe's geopolitical position vis-à-vis Russia. If this happens not only will the Iberian states of Spain and Portugal be more susceptible to euro-debt *contagion*, but Balkan states with weak institutions and fragile economies like Albania, Bulgaria and Romania will be in a more exposed position. While those states were never part of the eurozone, the spectacle of a major Balkan country pivotally loosening its ties with the West, even as Russia appears momentarily ascendant in the region, will be *sobering* in the extreme.........

the communication of disease from one person or organism to another by close contact 2. make or become more serious, sensible, and solemn

Another round of pink slips for U.S. troops: On July 9 the Army announced that 40,000 soldiers will be cut from active duty—some involuntarily. This comes on top of the 80,000 soldiers already let go since the Iraq and Afghanistan buildup. At a time of increasing global tension, the American military is smaller than it was before 9/11 at the *nadir* of the Clinton "peace dividend" drawdown.

the lowest or most unsuccessful point in a situation a reduction in the size or presence of a military force

A report due out today from Douglas Holtz-Eakin's American Action Forum describes the "regulatory wave" hitting franchise businesses, which are bearing the *brunt* of new state and local minimum wage laws.

the main force or impact, as of an attack or blow:

Ms. Merkel herself praised Mr. Schäuble for his work on Greece, drawing a lengthy round of applause from conservative lawmakers. The finance minister shrugged off the storm of criticism leveled against him from Greece and elsewhere in Europe, where he has been accused of heartlessly punishing the Greeks and seeking to extend German economic dominance. "I have developed such a thick skin in my long political life," Mr. Schäuble said. "You will accomplish nothing at all with this sort of *polemics* that is completely removed from reality."

the practice of engaging in controversial debate or dispute

A documentary "that repeats *voyeuristic* details will be an invitation for copycat crimes rather than preventing them,"

the practice of obtaining sexual gratification by looking at sexual objects or acts, especially secretively.

Reviewing extensive evidence (much of it compiled by the CIA and the State Department), U.S. District Judge John Bates found that Iran directed the attack and carried it out through Hezbollah. In 2005 Tehran was found liable for $320 million in damages to 47 American victims, including $6.7 million to me. That compensation remains unpaid, despite the efforts of our lawyers to collect the money here and overseas. This tragic history is relevant today. On the horizon is a nuclear *nonproliferation* agreement with Iran that would lift economic sanctions.

the prevention of an increase or spread of something, especially the number of countries possessing nuclear weapon

How far Mr. Obama is prepared to chase the negotiation dream is illustrated by the recent *candor* of his energy secretary, Ernest Moniz, a nuclear physicist who has been party to the negotiations.

the quality of being open and honest; frankness

China isn't an enemy and "containment" isn't appropriate, they write, but *prudence* requires trying to "limit China's capacity to misuse its growing power."

the quality of being prudent; cautiousness

He was soon propounding the Confucian virtues that came to be known as "Asian values"—family, diligence, filial *piety*, education and obedience to authority.

the quality of being religious or reverent(feeling or showing deep and solemn respect)

This helps restore the company's *credibility*, but there's still a lot they have to do

the quality of being trusted and believed in

the board uses looser standards than a federal court to evaluate a patent's legitimacy. Courts assume that a patent is valid until a challenger provides "clear and convincing" evidence to the contrary. The PTAB requires only that challengers show that it's more likely than not (i.e., a "*preponderance* of the evidence") that a patent is too broad.

the quality or fact of being greater in number, quantity, or importance

If our inner-city African-American communities suffer disproportionately from crippling social pathologies that make upward mobility difficult—and they do—it is in large part because they have disproportionately been on the receiving end of this five-decade-long progressive experiment in government *beneficence*.

the quality or state of being beneficent.

So the most important question hanging over Mr. Abe's trip may be less about policy and more about how far he goes in finding new ways to express sorrow or *contrition* nearly 70 years after Japan's surrender.

the repentance of past sins during or after confession.

The wild swings in key parts of new Indian GDP series have added to the skepticism. Friday's data release included a sharp downward revision of growth in the October-to-December quarter, to 6.6% from 7.5%. The earlier figure had only been in released in February. The revision "raises questions on the *sanctity* of these growth numbers," said Gautam Singh, an economist at Spark Capital Advisors.

the state or quality of being holy, sacred, or saintly

As Machiavelli wrote, "it is seen through experience that cities have never expanded either in *dominion* or in riches if they have not been in freedom. . . . The reason is easy to understand, for it is not the particular good but the common good that makes cities great. And without doubt this common good is not observed if not in republics." Social scientists such as Daron Acemoglu, James Robinson, Kenneth Schultz, Barry Weingast and others have recently shown that, compared to autocracies, democracies enjoy higher long-run rates of economic growth; are better able to access international capital markets when times get tough; form larger, more durable and more reliable alliances; are less likely to fight wars (at least against other democracies); and are more likely to win the wars they fight.

the territory of a sovereign or government

Mr. Celdran has also appealed to Pope Francis, who arrives in the Philippines on an eagerly anticipated papal visit on Jan. 15, to *intercede*.

to act or interpose in behalf of someone in difficulty or trouble, as by pleading or petition:

Mr. Soltani is joined in Evin Prison—Iran's notorious jail for political prisoners where rape, *floggings* and torture are routine—by Maryam Shafipour, a 29-year-old student of agricultural engineering and human-rights activist sentenced to seven years in 2014 for "spreading propaganda" and "gathering and *colluding*" against the regime.

to beat with a whip, stick, etc., especially as punishment; whip; scourge. 2. come to a secret understanding; conspire

Changes to our tax code just to fund more spending by our already *bloated* government is not the way to boost our economy and encourage job creation

to become swollen; be puffed out or dilated:

I can hear you nude-iPhone lovers *huffing and puffing*. "Smothering the world's most beautiful phone with plastic and rubber? What a shame!" But cases have never been better looking or more useful.

to breathe very hard; to pant as one exerts effort.

After *convening* an emergency meeting to discuss the violence, the cabinet said it was postponing upcoming soccer matches until further notice

to come together or assemble, usually for some public purpose.

Vice President Joe Biden said in a long, *blistering* statement that the letter to Iran not only undercut presidential authority, but was "beneath the dignity" of the Senate.

to criticize or rebuke severely:

Entitlements—Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid—are eating up the federal budget. Reform is crucial to curbing debt and improving economic growth. Republicans are divided, though, and Democrats want to increase entitlement spending. The new president may be *hogtied* on this issue.

to hamper or thwart:

Delta Air Lines, for example, had a *slumber* party on a snowbound widebody jet at New York's Kennedy Airport during last week's blizzard.

to sleep, especially lightly; doze; drowse.

Facebook Inc. is the latest to dive in, agreeing last month to spend $395 million for Menlo Science and Technology Park, a *jumble(mixture)* of 21 low-*slung(sling)* warehouses and office buildings 30 miles southeast of San Francisco

to throw, cast, or hurl; fling, as from the hand.

A Wal-Mart spokesman denied that its new hires in the past two years *skew* toward one company. The company declined to provide details. "We do not base our hiring strategy on one company," the spokesman said in an e-mail. EBay declined to make an executive available for an interview.

to turn aside or swerve; take an oblique course

Some fighters follow *meandering* bus routes through several countries en route to the more loosely guarded border of Bulgaria to Turkey.

to wander aimlessly; ramble:

if we, the *sentinels* of democracy, stepped away from our posts, the vacuum would be filled by the inevitable progress of the 21st century

to watch over or guard

Indian statistics office's method for estimating GDP, which significantly lifted recent growth rates and *baffled* some analysts who see continued weakness in the economy.

totally confused, totally bewilder or perplex

Yet there remains a clear path out of this mess: a return to the underpinnings of the Malaysian Constitution, which preserves and protects the rights of all Malaysians; a *devolution* of power from the executive, whose role now resembles that of a dictator more than a servant of the people; elections that are truly free and fair; and a free media unafraid to challenge authority.

transfer or delegate (power) to a lower level, especially from central government to local or regional administration.

the World Bank estimates that intraregional trade accounts for a *piffling* 5% of total trade for the eight-member South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. For the Association of Southeast Asian nations, that figure is 25%.

trivial; unimportant

In the past two months, China's top planning body has published multiple documents stressing that market forces should decide how electricity is generated, transmitted and distributed. Specifics are still missing, and internal contradictions still rife—the documents, for instance, push renewable energy that currently survives by government rules that *subvert* market forces.

undermine the power and authority of (an established system or institution).

Ché Ruddell-Tabisola, a food-truck owner in Washington, D.C., told me that he and his partner wanted to open a butcher shop in 2011 but couldn't get a half-million dollar loan. Instead, they borrowed $98,000 to start BBQ Bus. Four years later, they operate both the truck and a kitchen at a local brewery. Mr. Ruddell-Tabisola told me that some two dozen food trucks in the D.C. area have taken that route, opening traditional restaurants after finding sidewalk success. *Ditto* for food trucks elsewhere—Korilla BBQ in New York City, for one. And while some bricks-and-mortar owners fear that food trucks are eating into their bottom lines, the restaurant industry is still expected to surpass $700 billion in revenues this year, up from $683 billion last year and $585 billion in 2010.

used to indicate that something already said is applicable a second time

Shoppers and diners concerned about health risks soon started to revolt against the fried and baked goods and the fast-food fare where they were prevalent. *Lo and behold*, the food industry responded by changing their recipes and eliminating the oils from some 86% of their products.

used to present a new scene, situation, or turn of events, often with the suggestion that, though surprising, it could in fact have been predicted.

American negotiators and their cohorts are trying to close a deal that would let Iran keep its nuclear program, subject to *intricate* conditions of monitoring and enforcement.

very complicated or detailed

Singapore was ethnically fractured, under attack by Indonesia in its bizarre policy of "konfrontasi," reviled by Beijing as "a running dog of U.S. and British imperialism," and then in 1965 expelled unceremoniously from an ill-fated union with Malaysia. In announcing this devastating rupture on television, Lee became so *distraught* by the apparent hopelessness of his country's situation that he ended up weeping.

very worried and upset

Ending Iran's military nuclear program is the ultimate goal of economic sanctions. These sanctions, particularly over the past decade, have given the U.S. powerful leverage. It appears that this leverage is being *frittered* away as U.S. negotiators bend over backward to strike a deal

waste time, money, or energy

"The United States has a national interest in freedom of navigation, open access to Asia's maritime commons and respect for international law in the South China Sea," Hillary Clinton said in 2010. Five years later China is imposing its will more forcefully than ever. The U.S. and its partners may not have another five years to *dawdle*.

waste time; be slow

Meanwhile, Ms. Vestager has also suggested that she will look *askance* at future mergers among mobile-phone service providers.

with an attitude or look of suspicion or disapproval.

When this thinking is taken to its logical conclusion, it's not Swedish or American women or their babies who find themselves targeted. It is African women and African babies, Chinese women and Chinese babies, Indian women and Indian babies, Latino women and Latino babies, and so on. Something, perhaps, for the pope to *ponder* next time he's in the mood to preach against *noxious* Western exports.

1. think about (something) carefully, especially before making a decision or reaching a conclusion. 2. harmful, poisonous, or very unpleasant

My bank statement is full of *oversights*

an omission or error due to carelessness:

Having survived the *Holocaust*, he left behind the wreckage that was European Jewish life, vowing to found a shtetl(name of jewish town) in America

any mass slaughter or reckless destruction of life.