1.    respectable 社会认可的，体面的

We should be respectful of other cultures.

2.    possess: have

3.    dramatic: 具有戏剧性的，突然或令人激动的

4.    Dramatic changes have taken place in the past ten years.

He suddenly made a very dramatic gesture.

5.    known: revealed

6.    ruin: destroy;spoil

The school was destroyed by fire.        The rain ruined my holiday

7.    sb's hair stands on end :be very frightened

8.    heroine: hero        She was one of the great civil war heroines.

The heroine in this novel is an artist.

9.    it's all very well (but): 就算/即便......但是......

10.    occur: happen; take place

The court will decide what really occurred.

All kinds of unexpected things might happen.

The ceremony will take place in the garden.

11.    to varying degrees=to different degrees 在不同程度上

We are all involved,only to different degrees.

I agree with you to a/some/acertain degree.

12.    learn        How long have you been learning English?

Where did you learn the news?

learn the contents of the letter by heart/learn his lines

13.    study: learn

I am now studying for my master degree.

14.    stand+a.

He stood still,listening to the argument in the other room.

15.    petrify: stun,stupefy