Lesson 16
第16课
fragile
a. 易碎的，易损坏的；虚弱的，脆弱的
These thin glass wares are fragile.Put them in wooden boxes.
这些很薄的玻璃器皿易碎。把它们放进木箱子里吧。
geology
n. 地质学；地质情况
Geology is useful in many ways, such as helping decide whether a high-rise may be built in a certain spot.
地质学在许多方面都是有用的。比如，可以帮助确定能否在某处地段上修建高楼。
inland
a. 内地的ad. 在内地（或内陆）
Brazil moved its capital inland to Brasilia in order to develop its economy around the new capital.
巴西把首都内迁到巴西利亚以发展新都一带的经济。
motel
n. 汽车旅馆
In the U.S., people driving over long distances like to spend their nights in motels, because it is convenient and less expensive.
在美国，长途驱车旅行的人喜欢在汽车旅馆过夜，因为这样既方便又经济。
hug
v. （热烈地）拥抱；紧抱n. 紧抱，热烈拥抱
Seeing her son safe and sound after the accident, the mother hugged him tightly.
眼见儿子在事故后平安无恙，母亲紧紧地拥抱着儿子。
outbreak
n. （战争、情感、火山等的）爆发，（疾病、虫害等的）突然发生
The outbreak of the Great Depression in the 1930's shocked almost everyone because there was no sign of it whatsoever.
20世纪30年代“大萧条”的爆发几乎让所有的人震惊不已，因为在那之前似乎毫无征兆。
novelty
n. 新奇事物；新奇；新颖小巧而廉价的物品
Cars were a novelty in 1900 but now hundreds of millions of people drive them every day.
在1900年，汽车是个新奇的玩意，但时至今日，每天上亿人开着车。
resemblance
n. 相似，形似
Twins often show great resemblance.
孪生儿常显示出酷似的相貌。
reclaim
vt. 要回；开垦（荒地）；回收
A legend goes that Holland reclaims more land from the sea than its original size.
传说荷兰填海造地获得的土地面积比它原来的国土面积还大。
tract
n. 传单，小册子；大片（土地或森林）
Under this wide tract of desert, a large reserve of oil was found last year.
去年，在这大片的沙漠之下，发现了大量的石油储备。
presume
vt. 推测，假定；冒昧；认定 vi. 擅自行事
I presume from your pronunciation and intonation that you are American.
从你说话的语音语调，我推定你是个美国人。
scar
n. 伤疤；（精神上的）创伤 v. （给…）留下伤痕（或创伤）
A long scar across his cheek makes him look fiendish, but he is very good-natured.
他面颊上的长疤令他看起来很凶恶的样子，但是他却很善良。
skeleton
n. 骨骼；框架；梗概
spacious
n. 宽广的，宽敞的
China has the most spacious square in the world—the Tian'anmen Square.
中国有世界上最大的广场，那就是天安门广场。
tilt
v. （使）倾斜，（使）倾侧 n. 倾斜，倾侧
During a conversation, he likes to tilt his head forward, to show he is very attentive.
和人谈话的时候，他喜欢把头往前倾，表明他很专注。
assert
vt. 断言；坚持
Copernicus asserted before the church that there was nothing wrong with his theory.
在教会面前，哥白尼坚称他的理论没错。
versus
prep. 以…为对手；与…相对
This afternoon in the NBA game we will see LA Lakers versus Chicago Bulls.
今天下午的NBA球赛中我们将看到洛杉矶湖人队对芝加哥公牛队。
astronomy
n. 天文学
As a scientific discipline, astronomy developed earlier than most other subjects.
作为一门学科，天文学比其他多数学科发展得都早一些。
boycott
vt./n. （联合）抵制，拒绝参与
For a few days every year, people in South Korea will boycott everything Japanese.
每年都有几天韩国人会抵制一切来自日本的东西。
bulletin
n. 公告；学报
contradict
vt. 反驳；与…发生矛盾
His actions contradict his declared moral principles. What a hypocrite!
他的行为违背了他所宣称的道德准则。真是个伪君子！
dispatch/despatch
vt. 派遣 n. 急件；新闻报道；派遣
We have arranged for the goods to be dispatched to you at once.
我们已为立即向贵方发运商品做好了准备。
coincidence
n. 巧合；（意见、爱好等的）一致
By a strange coincidence we happened to be travelling on the same train.
巧得出奇，我们正好坐同一列火车。
descendant
n. 后代
Today's bicycles are descendants of the earlier velocipede.
今天的自行车是从早期的脚踏车发展而来的。
despise
vt. 鄙视，看不起
No one will despise you so long as you respect yourself.
只要你尊重自己，没有人会鄙视你。
dreadful
a. 糟透了的；极端的；可怕的
I've had a dreadful day—everything seems to have gone wrong.
我度过了很糟糕的一天，每件事好像都出了差错。
dread
vt./n. 担忧，畏惧
ensue
vi. 接着发生
Heated debates ensued in the Congress after President Bush proposed to launch a war on Iraq.
布什总统提交了向伊拉克宣战的草案，这在国会引起了激烈的辩论。
furious
a. 狂怒的；强烈的
Davis will be furious and violent if his ball was intercepted.
如果有人中途截获了戴维斯的球，他会暴怒，从而变得凶猛。
fuse
n. 保险丝；导火线 v. 熔合；（使）因保险丝熔断而中断工作
You'll blow a fuse if you put the electric heater and the cooker on at the same time.
如果你同时把电暖炉和电热锅都开着，保险丝会烧断的。
intellect
n. 智力，理解力；才智非凡的人
Those scientists who won Nobel prizes in various sciences are the intellect(s) of the age.
那些获得诺贝尔科学奖的人无一不是有才智的当代人士。
litter
n. 废弃物；一窝；杂乱的东西 vt. 乱扔东西于 vi. 乱扔废弃物
The litter in some holiday resorts really makes people feel disgusted.
在度假胜地，扔得到处都是的废弃物令人讨厌。
gigantic
a. 巨大的，庞大的
Flying very high, the new airplane looked like a gigantic bird.
因为飞得很高，这架新飞机看起来像一只巨大的鸟。
grin
vi./n. 咧嘴笑
Seeing his stocks on the rise, he was grinning from ear to ear.
眼见自己的股票一个劲地往上涨，他笑得合不拢嘴。
intact
a. 完整无缺的
Somehow Clinton's reputation survived the scandal intact./Somehow Clinton survived the scandal with his reputation intact.
克林顿的名声经过那场丑闻风波之后不知怎地竟毫不受损。
pursuit
n. 追求；追赶；(常pl.)嗜好
In their pursuit of profit, businesses make people's lives convenient and colorful.
在追求利润的同时，商业公司也使得人们的生活更方便、更多彩。
multitude
n. 大量，许多；(the ～)大众，民众
Do you mean to say "Fair skin covers the multitude of sins", and that he may be pardoned for his past achievements?
你的意思是不是说，一俊遮百丑？因为他过去的成绩，我们就该原谅他？
muscular
a. 肌肉发达的，强壮的；（有关）肌（肉）的
When watching a sports game, we can't help admiring the athletes' muscular bodies.
观看比赛的时候，我们禁不住会羡慕运动员们肌肉发达的身体。
promising
a. 有希望的，有前途的
Many fresh graduates would like to have a promising job for their career development.
刚毕业的大学生都希望找一份有前途的工作，来发展职业生涯。
slum
n. 贫民窟
Poverty and illness are common in the slums, but things are bound to improve.
在贫民窟里，贫穷和疾病盛行，但是情况一定会改善的。
trifle
n. 琐事 vi. （with）嘲笑
attendant
n. 服务人员 a. 随之而产生的
The leakage of the 100 thousand ton oil and the attendant circumstances threatened the marine lives.
10万吨原油泄漏以及其后的情况对海洋生物产生巨大威胁。
brace
vt. 使受锻炼；支住，撑牢；使绷紧 n. 托架
He braced one of his feet against the wall and stood on the other foot for three hours.
他用一只脚顶着墙站稳，用另一只脚单脚立地达3小时之久。
commodity
n. 商品
Air conditioners are one of the many commodities that Haier sells abroad.
空调是海尔许多种出口商品中的一种。
cradle
n. 摇篮；策源地，发源地 vt. 轻轻地抱，捧
China was the source cradle of Eastern civilization, just as Greece was the cradle of Western culture.
正如希腊是西方文化的发源地，中国是东方文明的起源。
tolerant
a. 宽容的，容忍的
As friends, we should be tolerant with each other.
朋友必须要互相宽容。
trait
n. 特征，特性
Arrogance is a very unattractive personality/character trait.
傲慢是个很不讨人喜欢的个性特征。
snack
n. 快餐，点心
Snack bars have become a familiar sight in most big cities and they are young people's favorites.
快餐店在大城市里随处可见，成为年轻人的至爱。
staircase
n.楼梯
This is just a flight of staircase. There is still a long way to go.
这只是一段楼梯，还有好长一段呢。
stitch
n. （缝、绣、编结等的）一针； 缝法，针法；（肋部的）突然剧痛 v. 缝，绣
A stitch in time saves nine.
及时的一针顶日后的九针。（喻指：小洞不补大洞吃苦。）
hostage
n. 人质
Two children were taken hostage during the bank robbery.
在银行抢劫案中有两名儿童被扣为人质。
irrigation
n. 灌溉
In areas where there is no source of water, irrigation channels are built for crops.
在没有水源的地方，人们修建了灌溉渠来种庄稼。
longitude
n. 经度，经线
By agreement, the longitude passing through Greenwich Observatory is called the prime meridian.
按照约定，经过伦敦格林威治天文台的经线被称作本初子午线（零度经线）。
melody
n. 旋律，曲调；悦耳的音乐
The melody of Beethoven's music has very unique style.
贝多芬音乐作品的旋律具有独特的风格。
missionary
n. 传教士
In many western countries, missionaries not only preached, but brought different ways of thinking as well.
在许多西方国家，传教士们不仅布道，也带来了不同的思维方式。
disregard
vt. 漠视 n. 忽视
He utterly disregarded my warnings and met with an accident.
他全然不听我的警告，结果出了事故。
dubious
a. 怀疑的，犹豫不决的；有问题的，靠不住的
She knew he really wanted to help her; however, she was dubious about his ability to help.
她知道他是真心想帮她，但对他有没有那种能力却半信半疑。
grieve
vi. （for, over）感到悲痛 vt. 使伤心
It grieves me to think that China's football team has never appeared in the finals of the World Cup.
一想到中国国家足球队从没打进过世界杯决赛， 我就感到悲伤。
deviate
vi. （from）偏离
In India, a train deviated from the track, turned over and killed over 100 passengers.
在印度，一辆火车脱轨翻车，并使得100多名乘客丧生。
escort
n. 护卫者，护送者vt. 护送，护卫
When the head of a state pays a visit, there will always be a group of escorts.
国家元首出访时，总会有大批护卫者。
reliance
n. 依靠，依赖
No reliance is to be placed on his word. He has a glib tongue.
他的话靠不住。他巧舌如簧。
resent
vt. 对…表示忿恨
Jenna, one of President Bush's twin daughters, resented having to ask her parents' permission in everything she did.
事事都得征求父母的许可，布什总统孪生女儿之一的詹娜很不高兴。
repay
vt. 归还（款项）；报答
As she has always been so good to me, I will repay her with kindness.
她对我一直很好，我会好好地对她，以作回报。
mortgage
n. 抵押，抵押借款 vt. 抵押
In order to start my new firm, I had to mortgage my house for the loan.
为了开设新的公司，我只好以房子作抵押以获得贷款。
shipment
n. 装运；装载的货物
To meet our urgent needs, please arrange the shipment of the first lot of our order by the first available steamer.
我们急需该货，请安排最早可以订到舱位的货轮装运我们订单的首批货物。
sensation
n. 感觉能力；感觉；轰动
At times the mass media go a long way to pursue whatever that can cause a sensation.
有时，为了达到轰动效应，媒体会不遗余力。
royalty
n.王族（成员）；(常pl.)（着作的）版税
In this universally democratic world of today, people naturally have special interest in royalty.
在今天普遍实现民主的世界，人们自然对王室有着特殊的兴趣。
rigorous
a. 严密的；严格的
Having got a reliable report that a passenger was to smuggle drugs, the police carried out a rigorous search.
在得到可靠情报，知道有人将走私毒品之后，警察进行了严格的搜查。
rim
n. （圆形物体的）边，缘 vt. 环绕（圆形或环形物的）边缘
Mountains rimmed the valley.
群山环绕着山谷。
prophet
n. 先知；预言家
Though a great footballer himself, Pele is a bad prophet who never predicted the result of the World Cup.
尽管是个伟大的足球运动员，贝利却是个蹩脚的预言家。他关于世界杯的预测从来都是不准的。
spectacle
n. （大规模）演出；景象，奇观；(pl.)眼镜
Viewed from the top of Mount Tai, the sunrise was indeed a spectacle.
从泰山顶上看去，日出真是个奇观。
sociology
n. 社会学
smuggle
vt. 走私；偷运
Among other reasons, smuggling is prohibited because it will make countries suffer losses in customs duties.
禁止走私，原因很多，其一便是国家会减少不少关税。
stall
n. 货摊；(pl.)（剧场的）正厅前座区；（发动机的）熄火；小房间v. （使）（发动机）熄火；拖延
As the engine stalled on the highway, I had to call 110 for emergency help.
由于引擎在公路上熄火，我只好打110紧急求助。
stride
vi. 大踏步走 n. 大步；步法；(常pl.)进展
The policemen strode along the road.
警察沿路大踏步行走。
thesis
n. 论文，毕业论文；论题
I am going to write my graduate thesis on contemporary American Literature.
我打算毕业论文写当代美国文学。
sturdy
a. 强壮的，坚固的；坚定的
Without sturdy knowledge, this mathematical problem can't be solved easily.
没有真才实学，这道数学难题不会轻易就可以解出来的。
swamp
n. 沼泽 vt. 淹没；难倒
Be careful when stepping over the swamp, or you may sink in.
踏入沼泽地时，请小心，不然会陷下去。
tribe
n. 部落；族（生物分类）
Some African tribes have no written languages. That's why they are so backward.
一些非洲部落没有书面文字，这正是他们落后的原因。
surgeon
n. 外科医生