to sniff around; to snoop around; to nose about
homecoming; return to one's home
before one knows it; without realizing; unawares; unnoticed
amendment; correction; revision; modification; alteration; retouching
continent; continental Asia (esp. mainland China); continental Europe
ongoing; in progress; afoot
life; vitality; verve; vigor; vigour; animation
actual place; actual location; the spot; place where one is currently living
mental condition; state of mind; mentality
to stay long; to hang around; to hang out; to be immersed (in water) for a long time; to soak
food, clothing and shelter; necessities of life
to constrict one's chest; to wring one's heart; to wrench one's heart
impatience; irritation; frustration; fretfulness
disappearance; running away; going missing; absconding
blood relationship; blood relations; being genetically related
alumnus (alumnae); graduate; former member of an organization; former inhabitant (country, region, etc.)
staff member; employee; worker; personnel
teacher; instructor; teaching staff; faculty member
untraceable; long lost; one's whereabouts being unknown
declaration of war; proclamation of war
look of amazement; looking dumbfounded
being heard (by others); being overheard; being leaked (of plans, secrets, etc.); going in one ear and out the other
careful; scrupulous; thorough; conscientious; elaborate; deliberate
speech; expression; wording; language
emigration and immigration
regulation; (traffic) policing; control; restriction
to prepare; to provide; to set up; to establish; to organize
tolerance; open-mindedness; forbearance; generosity; magnanimity
to backfire; to produce a result opposite to what was expected or intended
to divert (e.g. one's mind); to distract; to relieve (boredom, sorrow, etc.); to conceal (e.g. one's grief with a smile); to hide; to shift (the conversation)
throughout; over a period of ...; over a span of ...
to be forestalled; to be taken in; to be cheated; to be outwitted
venting one's anger (on someone or something); taking out one's anger on