serious: implies a concern for what really matters: prefers gothic romance to ~ fiction.


grave: implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude: read the pronouncement in a ~ voice.


solemn: suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity: the ~ occasion of a coronation.    (levity轻松不经心，语气比frivolous弱)


sedate: implies a composed and decorous seriousness: in the midst of frenzy, the bride remained ~.


staid: suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness, and prim self-restraint: her dinner parties were ~ affairs.    (prim要求过高的)


sober: stresses a seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity: an objective and ~ look at the situation.


earnest: suggests a sincerity and often zealousness of purpose: an ~ attempt at dramatizing the Bible.


serious严肃: 指关心真正有影响的事物，grave威严: 指既严肃又威严(dignity尊严威严)的言语态度，solemn庄严: 让人印象深刻的威严，sedate镇定: 指不慌乱的得体的严肃的(sedate和composed互释，都表示free from agitation不慌乱)，staid古板严肃正经的: 表示一直严肃的(sedateness)和过分克制(prim要求高,甚至有点过分)的，sober严肃: 强调目的严肃，毫无轻浮，earnest认真: 常表示真挚热切(zealous热情、坚持不懈)


记忆方法: 1）首字母GE SSSSS想成5星通用电器(general electonics)<==十分严肃

         2）严肃的意思是不轻浮mean not light or frivolous.