Lesson 12
第12课

assign
vt.指派，选派；指定（时间、地点等）； 分配，给予，布置（作业）
Managers happily assign a large sum of money to travel budgets.
经理们高兴地划出一大笔钱作为旅游经费。
The competent secretary was assigned to take the minutes for the meeting of the board of directors.
这个能干的秘书被选派为董事会议做记录。

attribute
vt.（to）把…归因于，把（过错、责任、成功等）归于 n. 属性，特性
Many people's success can be attributed to hard work and a bit of luck.
很多人的成功都可以归于勤奋 加上一点儿运气。
Lightning bolts are an attribute of Zeus.
闪电是宙斯的象征。

compel
vt.强迫，迫使
Because he is unable to distinguish colors, the color-blind boy is compelled to give up the ideal of becoming a fashion designer.
因为无法分辨色彩，那个色盲的男孩不得不放弃成为服装设计师的理想。

complaint
n.抱怨，诉苦；投诉，控告；疾病
He who makes constant complaints gets little compassion.
（谚）经常诉苦，少人同情。
Regarding your difficulty, we have submitted an email to our complaint center.
关于你们所面临的困难，我们已经给我们的投诉中心发了电子邮件。

confirm
vt.证实，肯定；进一步确定，确认；批准
The successfully cloned sheep Dolly confirmed the feasibility of clone technology.
绵羊多利的克隆成功证实了克隆技术的可行性。

consideration
n.考虑，考虑的事；体贴，关心
Age should not be the chief consideration in choosing a football referee.
在选择足球裁判时不应该把年龄作为首要的考虑因素。
Although architecture has artistic qualities, it must also satisfy a number of important practical considerations.
尽管建筑具有艺术特性，它也必须考虑许多实用因素。

constitute
vt.组成，构成，形成；建立，任命
The employees in the Japanese company asked their boss if refusal to work on rest days constitutes a violation of contract.
这家日本公司的员工问他们的老板，拒绝加班是否构成违反合约。
Women, who constitute 52 percent of Italy's population, today represent only 35 percent of Italy's total workforce.
妇女占意大利人口的52％， 却只占劳动大军的35％。

convey
vt.表达，传达，传递；运送，输送
Air is the medium by which sound waves are conveyed.
空气是声波传导的媒介。
What information the codes in the great Pyramid convey is still unknown.
大金字塔中的密码到底传递了什么信息 仍然不为人知。

crush
vt.压碎，碾碎，弄皱； 镇压，制服，压垮
Wine is made by crushing grapes.
葡萄酒是压榨葡萄制成的。
Time would crush all pains.
时间会粉碎所有的痛苦。

decent
a.像样的，过得去的，体面的； 宽厚的，大方的；正派的，合乎礼仪的，得体的
Ragged jeans are not very decent to wear in a ball.
穿着破旧的牛仔裤在舞会上显得不太得体。
Most university graduates consider white-collared positions as decent jobs.
绝大多数大学毕业生都认为白领是体面的工作。

deliberate
a.故意的，蓄意的；慎重的，深思熟虑的 v. 仔细考虑，思考
I won't forgive you because of your deliberate lies.
我不会原谅你，因为你存心说谎。
Chang Hao checkmated the rival after the final deliberate consideration.
经过最后的深思熟虑，常昊将死了对手。
The Supreme Court of the U. S. A. deliberated whether the ballots of Florida should be re-counted.
美国最高法院研究是否重新统计佛罗里达州的选票。

dominate
vi.处于支配地位，拥有优势 vt. 在…中占首要地位；支配，统治，控制；耸立于，俯视
Although racial discrimination is prohibited, Europe and America are still a white-dominated society.
虽然种族歧视是不允许的，但欧洲和美国仍是白人统治的社会。

elegant
a.优美的，文雅的，讲究的；简练的，简洁的
Princess Diana's elegant manners are always within people's memory.
戴安娜王妃优雅的举止总是留在人们的记忆中。

enlarge
v.扩大，扩展，扩充；放大
Many newly-weds like to enlarge their wedding photo and hang it on the wall.
很多新婚夫妇喜欢把结婚照放大了挂在墙上。
In the course of English learning, doing more reading can help to enlarge one's vocabulary.
在英语学习中，多阅读有助于扩大词汇量。