Lesson 12
第12课
assurance
n. 信心；保证；（人寿）保险
Let me give you my assurance that the work will be finished by the agreed date.
我向你保证，这项工作一定能在商定的日期内完成。
alternate
a. 交替的；间隔的 v. （使）轮流
The fashionable style designed by the famous designer has some alternate stripes of blue and white which made the fashion quite special.
由这位着名服装设计师设计的新潮时装上有蓝白相间的条纹，这正是其与众不同之处。
veto
vt./n. 否决
The President exercised his veto against the Congressional bill.
总统对国会的法案行使了否决权。
vulgar
a. 粗野的；粗俗的
Putting food into one's mouth with a knife is considered a vulgar act in England.
按英国规矩，用餐刀将食物送入口中算是失仪。
coincide
vi. 同时发生；相符；重叠
We can say that one is lucky if his vocation coincides with his avocation.
如果一个人的职业刚好与他的爱好一致，那么我们就可以说他是非常幸运的。
comply
vi. （with）遵从，依从，服从
All the citizens must comply with the law.
所有公民都必须遵守法律。
consolidate
v. 巩固；（把…）联为一体，合并
Several small businesses consolidated to form a large powerful company.
几家小企业合并成了一家实力雄厚的大型公司。
destructive
a. 破坏的，毁灭的
Policies that are destructive to economic development should be abandoned.
有碍经济发展的政策应该摒弃掉。
hatch
vt. 孵；筹划 vi. （out）出壳 n. 舱门；开口；孵化
Don't count the chickens before they are hatched.
(谚)鸡蛋还未孵，别忙数鸡雏。（别操之过急。）
distract
vt. 使分心
The noise outside distracted me from my reading.
外面的嘈杂声使我没法专心读书。
expenditure
n. 费用；花费
The municipal government will increase its anti-epidemic expenditure for the sake of public hygiene.
为了公共卫生，市政府将增加防疫经费。
flaw
n. 缺点，瑕疵
Vanity is the great flaw in the character of many women.
爱慕虚荣是很多女性性格中的重大缺陷。
ignite
vt. 点燃 vi. 着火
A lighted cigarette can ignite a big forest fire.
一根点燃的香烟就可以引起森林大火。
indignant
a. 愤怒的，愤慨的
All the Chinese people were indignant when learning that the Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia had been bombed by NATO.
当听说中国驻南斯拉夫大使馆被北约轰炸时，全中国人民都感到无比的愤慨。
dazzle
vt. 使眩目；使赞叹不已 n. 耀眼的光；令人赞叹的东西
I was dazzled by the car's headlights.
汽车前灯的灯光照得我睁不开眼睛。
obscure
a. 不重要的；费解的，模糊不清的 vt. 使模糊
One's success obscured his failures.
一个人的成功使他的失败显得微不足道。
instantaneous
a. 即刻的
I'm looking forward to an instantaneous reply to this letter.
本人翘首盼望对此信件的即刻答复。
participant
n. 参与者
Susan B. Anthony, the American champion of women's suffrage, was also a participant in the movement to end slavery.
苏珊·B.安东尼是美国争取妇女参政的倡导者，也是废奴运动的参加者。
invalid
a. （指法律上）无效的；站不住脚的 n. 病弱者
Unless it is signed, a cheque is invalid.
支票除非签了字，否则是无效的。
minimize
vt. 使减少到最低限度；极力贬低
One of the effective measures to minimize the dangers of driving is to teach people to obey all the traffic rules.
使发生车祸的几率减到最低的有效措施之一就是教育人们遵守一切交通规则。
revive
vt. 使复苏 vi. 恢复
Hot coffee revived me; I had been cold and tired.
热咖啡使又冷又累的我恢复了精力。
propel
vt. 推动；激励
Propelled by the pressure of the highly competitive society, most college students study harder than before.
受到高度竞争的社会压力的推动，大多数大学生比以前学习更努力。
pretext
n. 借口，托词
Don't always use a headache as a pretext for not going to school!
不要老以头痛为借口不上学！
reassure
vt. 使放心
They apologized and reassured us that the matter would be dealt with immediately.
他们表示歉意，并向我们保证，问题会立即得到处理。
vulnerable
a. 易受伤的；易受攻击的
Young people are vulnerable to the influences of radio and television.
年轻人容易受广播和电视的影响。
tempt
vt. 吸引；诱惑
Nothing could tempt me to take such a step.
任何东西都不能诱使我采取这样的行动。
subsidiary
a. 辅助的，次要的n. 子公司，附属机构
Can I choose a computer programming course as a subsidiary subject?
我可以选择计算机编程课为辅助科目吗？
transition
n. 过渡，转变
Women in menopausal disorders are subject to frequent transitions from high spirits to depression and anger.
有更年期综合征的女人常常是喜怒无常。
vicinity
n. 周围地区，临近地区
The two restaurants in close vicinity compete violently.
两家邻近餐厅竞争非常激烈。
snatch
vt. 夺；一把抓住；抽空做 vi. （at）一把抓住 n. 片断
The thief snatched my handbag and ran off.
小偷一把夺走我的手提包便逃之夭夭。
warrant
n. 授权令；（正当）理由 vt. 证明…是正当的
You had no warrant for doing that.
你那样做毫无道理。
ambiguous
a. 模棱两可的
Don't try to fool me and give me an ambiguous answer.
别用模棱两可的答案来骗我。
authentic
a. 真正的；可靠的
compulsory
a. 强制性的，必修的
A nine year compulsory education is implemented in China.
中国实行九年制义务教育。
conspicuous
a. 显眼的，明显的
She's always conspicuous because of her bright clothes and queer hair style.
因为她衣着鲜艳，发型古怪，所以总是惹人注目。
expire
vt. 期满；断气
My passport expires in a month.
我的护照再过一个月就到期了。
engagement
n. 订婚；约会
The two lovers had an engagement to meet secretly after dark.
这两个恋人约好在天黑以后秘密约会。
deteriorate
vi. 恶化，变坏
In many developing countries, the ecosystem has deteriorated for the sake of economic development.
许多发展中国家的生态环境因为经济发展而日趋恶化。
decisive
a. 决定性的；坚定的
Waterloo was the decisive battle of the whole war.
滑铁卢一役左右了整个战局。
indignation
n. 愤怒，愤慨
The manager expressed his indignation at being unfairly dismissed by the president.
经理对他被总裁不公平解雇一事愤愤不平。
fluctuate
vi. 波动
The prices of vegetables and fruits fluctuate with the seasons.
蔬菜和水果的价格随季节而波动。
integrity
n. 正直；完整
A qualified judge should be a person of complete integrity.
一位称职的法官应该刚正不阿。
haul
vt. 拖，拉；拖运 n. 拖，拉，拖运；一次获得的数量
When dusk came, the fishermen hauled the boat up onto the shore.
黄昏降临，渔夫们用力把船拖上岸。
illuminate
vt. 照明，照亮；阐明，启发
Tian'anmen Square really looks magnificent at night when it is illuminated.
在夜晚灯光的照耀下，天安门广场看起来确实很壮观。
diversion
n. 转移；消遣；（修路时的）临时绕行路
Some students marred their writings by a diversion into irrelevant material.
一些学生由于插入无关材料偏离主题而把作文写糟了。
invaluable
a. 非常宝贵的，无价的
Good health, not wealth, is an invaluable blessing.
健康（不是财富）才是千金难买的福气。
oppress
vt. 压迫；使沉重
In feudalistic societies, the working people were oppressed by emperors.
在封建社会，劳动人民受到皇帝的压迫。
misfortune
n. 不幸，逆境；不幸事故
Misfortunes never come alone.
(谚)祸不单行。
literal
a. 照字面的；逐字的
Literal translation sometimes doesn't work.
逐字直译有时行不通。
literally
ad. 逐字地；确实地；简直
prevalent
a. 流行的，普遍的
Smog is more prevalent in urban centers.
烟雾在市中心更为普遍。
tentative
a. 试探（性）的，试验（性）的
Kissinger's first visit to China was a tentative one.
基辛格对中国的第一次访问是试探性的。
ponder
v. 思索，考虑，沉思
Many people are pondering (upon) the meaning of life.
许多人都在苦苦思索生活的意义。
pastime
n. 消遣，娱乐
Playing cards is our favorite pastime when we travel by train.
打牌是我们乘火车旅行时最喜欢的娱乐消遣。
refute
vt. 驳斥，驳倒
The lawyer made good use of the favorable evidence to refute his counterpart's testimony.
律师充分利用有利证据驳倒了对手的证词。
refund
n. 退款 vt. 退还（钱款）
She took the faulty radio back to the shop and demanded a refund.
她把有毛病的收音机退还给商店并要求退款。
scrutiny
n. 详细检查，仔细观察
A famous figure's actions are subjected to minute scrutiny by the press.
名人的各种行为都会受到舆论界仔细的审视。
specification
n. (常pl.)规格；明确说明；说明书
The First Amendment to the American constitution is the specification that each citizen enjoys freedom of religion.
美国宪法的第一条修正案是关于公民享有宗教信仰自由的规定。
provocative
a. 挑衅的；挑逗的
The pretty model looks very provocative in a transparent miniskirt in the fashion show.
在时装表演中，漂亮的模特儿穿着一条透明的迷你裙，看上去十分撩人。
afflict
vt. 折磨
A nightmare afflicts me from time to time.
噩梦不时折磨着我。
allocate
vt. 分配
Each of the refugees has been allocated accommodation.
每个难民都分配到了住处。
contempt
n. 轻视
addict
n. 有瘾的人；入迷的人vt. 使成瘾
He has been an ice hockey addict since boyhood.
他从小就是个冰上曲棍球迷。
subsidy
n. 补助金
Can I apply for the unemployment subsidy when I am out of a job?
失业了我可以申请失业补助金吗？
virgin
n. 处女 a. 未经开发的；处女的
America is virgin territory as far as our company is concerned.
对我们公司来说，美国是一片尚未开发的处女地。
credible
a. 可靠的
Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?
除了核威慑力量，还有另一种可靠的威慑力量吗？
cognitive
a. 认知的
Thinking in terms of dualisms is common in our cognitive culture.
二元论的思维方式在我们的认知文化中是很常见的。
ethic
n. 道德准则；(-s)伦理学
The modern ethic seems to be to get as much money as you can without worrying how you get it.
现代的伦理观似乎是不择手段赚钱。
defiance
n. 违抗，藐视
appease
vt. 平息，抚慰
The mother appeased the baby by nursing him.
妈妈给婴儿喂奶使他不哭。
console
vt. 安慰n. 控制台
Console yourself with the thought that it might have been worse!
事情本来可能会更糟，用这种想法自我安慰吧！
hostility
n. 敌意；抵制；(pl.)交战
The local people showed their hostility to strangers by refusing to help them.
当地人对陌生人表现出敌意，不愿意帮助他们。
overload
vt. 超过负荷 n. 超载
It is said that our primary school students are overloaded with homework.
听说我们的小学生作业负担过重。
escalate
v. （使）逐步增长（或发展），（使）逐步升级
The conflict has escalated into violence.
冲突已激化为暴力行为。
pertinent
a. 有关系的，相关的
These remarks are not pertinent to the subject under discussion.
这些话与讨论的主题无关。
lessen
v. 减少，减轻
He had to depend on pills to lessen his toothache.
他只能靠药物来减轻牙痛。
nickname
n. 绰号，浑名 vt. 给…起绰号
They nicknamed him "Lofty" because he was so tall.
因他个子很高，他们给他起了个绰号叫"高个儿"。
wrench
vt. 猛拧；挣脱；使扭伤 n. （离别等的）痛苦；猛扭；扳手
He suffered the wrench of leaving his family in his early days.
他早年就经历了离家的痛苦。（他经历了少小离家的痛苦。）
fitting
n. (常pl.)家具；(常pl.)配件；试穿 a. 适合的，恰当的
Mr. Harley is going to accompany his wife for a fitting on Wednesday.
哈雷先生打算在星期三陪他太太去试衣。
huddle
vi. 聚集在一起；蜷缩 vt. 使聚集在一起 n. 一堆杂乱的东西
The track led them to a huddle of barns and outbuildings.
那条路把他们带到了一片杂乱拥挤的谷仓和库房。