This post kicks off my CET-6 vocabulary journal. Each entry focuses on a small, high-value set of words that appear frequently in academic reading and exams.
Introduction
For Day 1, I selected a set of academic words that often show up in CET-6 passages. For each word I include:
- a concise definition
- my own understanding in plain language
- at least one natural example sentence
Word list for Day 1
Meaning: fair and not influenced by personal feelings or interests.
Synonyms: fair, unbiased, neutral.
Example: We need an impartial government to make just and reasonable laws for everyone.
中文： 我们需要一个不偏不倚的政府，为所有人制定公正合理的法律。
Meaning: based on experience, observation or experiments instead of only on theory.
Synonyms: evidence-based, experimental, data-driven.
Example: Good scientists rely on empirical evidence instead of personal assumptions.
中文： 优秀的科学家依靠经验和数据得到的证据，而不是个人臆测。
Meaning: seeming reasonable or likely to be true, although it might still be false.
Synonyms: reasonable, believable, credible.
Example: Despite his plausible excuse, the teacher still didn't believe him.
中文： 尽管他的借口听上去合情合理，老师仍然不相信他。
Meaning: to make something less serious, harmful or painful.
Synonyms: ease, alleviate, reduce.
Example: The new policy is designed to mitigate the effects of the economic crisis.
中文： 这项新政策旨在减轻经济危机带来的影响。
Meaning: money given by a government, company or organization to support a person, business or activity.
Synonyms: financial aid, grant, allowance.
Example: The company offers a housing subsidy to help employees pay their rent.
中文： 公司提供住房补贴来帮助员工支付房租。
Meaning: to change something so that it is no longer true, clear or accurate.
Synonyms: twist, misrepresent, deform.
Example: Newspapers are often accused of distorting the truth.
中文： 报纸常常被指责歪曲事实真相。
Meaning: to obey rules, standards or laws, or to behave in the same way as most other people.
Synonyms: comply, obey, follow.
Example: The kitchen does not conform to hygiene regulations.
中文： 这间厨房不符合卫生规定。
Meaning: the practice of keeping yourself and your surroundings clean to maintain health and prevent disease.
Synonyms: cleanliness, sanitation.
Example: Good personal hygiene, such as washing your hands regularly, can reduce the risk of infection.
中文： 良好的个人卫生习惯（比如经常洗手）可以降低感染风险。
Meaning: a polite expression of praise or admiration; to say something nice about someone.
Synonyms: praise, flattery, commendation.
Example: He paid me a compliment on my presentation.
中文： 他夸奖了我的演讲表现。
Note: this is different from "complement", which means to make something complete or go well together.
Meaning: to argue or claim strongly that something is true.
Synonyms: argue, maintain, assert.
Example: Many experts contend that regular reading is one of the most effective ways to improve language skills.
中文： 许多专家认为，经常阅读是提高语言能力最有效的方法之一。
Meaning: having no strong interest, feeling or opinion about something.
Synonyms: unconcerned, apathetic, detached.
Example: She was surprisingly indifferent to the result of the exam.
中文： 她对考试结果出乎意料地无动于衷。
Meaning: smaller than usual or taking up little space compared with similar things.
Synonyms: small, compressed, dense.
Example: I prefer driving a compact car because it is easier to park in the city.
中文： 我更喜欢开小型车，因为在城市里更容易停车。
Meaning: a force that makes something happen or happen more quickly.
Synonyms: motivation, driving force, stimulus.
Example: The new policy gave fresh impetus to economic growth.
中文： 这项新政策为经济增长注入了新的动力。
Meaning: best or most effective possible in a particular situation.
Synonyms: best, ideal, most favorable.
Example: We are still searching for the optimal solution to this problem.
中文： 我们仍在寻找解决这个问题的最佳方案。
Meaning: anger and surprise caused by something that seems unfair or wrong.
Synonyms: anger, outrage, resentment.
Example: The unfair decision caused widespread indignation among the students.
中文： 这个不公正的决定在学生中引发了广泛的愤慨。
Meaning: to make two ideas, situations or people become friendly or able to exist together again.
Synonyms: settle, harmonize, restore.
Example: It is not easy to reconcile work and family responsibilities.
中文： 在工作和家庭责任之间取得平衡并不容易。
Meaning: existing or happening very commonly in a particular place or at a particular time.
Synonyms: common, widespread, dominant.
Example: Online learning has become increasingly prevalent in higher education.
中文： 在线学习在高等教育中变得越来越普遍。
Meaning: boring because it is always the same and never changes.
Synonyms: repetitive, dull, boring.
Example: Doing the same exercise every day can become monotonous.
中文： 每天做同样的练习会变得单调乏味。
Reflection
Writing down these words with my own explanations and examples helps me remember them more deeply than just reading a word list. I will keep revisiting today’s vocabulary over the next few days, and in later posts I will add more CET-6 words and short review exercises, so that my active vocabulary grows in a consistent and measurable way.
