Unit 5

一、詞匯短語

Text I

1．volunteer [vRlEn5tIE(r)] v. to give or offer (one’s help, a suggestion, etc) willingly or without being paid自動提供，自愿效勞：How many of them volunteered?他們當中有多少人愿意自愿效勞？

2．profess [prE5fes] v. a) to make a claim聲稱；宣稱；公開表明：They have become what they profess to scorn.他們成了自己曾聲稱看不起的那種人。b) to have a religion or belief信奉，信仰（某一宗教）：He professed Islam.他信仰伊斯蘭教。

3．feign [fein] v. a) to pretend to have or be假裝，偽裝：She knew that her efforts to feign cheerfulness weren’t convincing.她明白自己強作歡顏是瞞不了誰的。b) to make a pretense編造借口：to feign an excuse捏造借口

4．preoccupation [pri(:)7Ckju5peiFEn] n. a) the state of constantly thinking or worrying about something全神貫注，入神：his growing preoccupation with death他對死亡越來越多的關注；b) the top priority, something that you give all your attention to當務之急；使人全神貫注的事物：Their chief preoccupation was how to feed their families.他們關注的首要事情是如何養家糊口。

5．prevarication [pri(:)7vAri5keiFEn] n. the state of avoiding giving a direct answer or making a firm decision支吾，搪塞：But prevarication over the construction of new pipelines has both undermined those threats and exasperated the Chinese.另一方面，其拖延修建新管道一舉不僅沖淡了威脅的效力更激怒了中國方面。

6．serial [5siEriEl] adj. of, in or forming a number of things, events, etc. of a similar kind, especially placed or occurring one after another連續的，一系列的：Can you account for the serial failures in our experiment? 你能解釋我們實驗屢屢失敗的原因嗎？ n. a story that is broadcast or printed in several separate parts on television, in a magazine etc連載小說，電視連續劇，廣播連續劇：A new serial is starting on television tonight.今晚電視開播一部新的電視連續劇。

7．ethics [5eWiks] n. moral correctness; moral principles道德規范：The ethics of his profession don’t permit him to do that.他的職業道德不允許他那樣做。

8．pundit [5pQndit] n. a person who is an authority on a particular subject; an expect某一學科的權威；專家：The pundit disagree on the best way of dealing with the problem.如何妥善處理這一問題，專家眾說紛紜。

9．consultant [kEn5sQltEnt] n. a) a person who gives specialist professional advice to others顧問：He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市長的一個法律顧問。b) a hospital doctor of a very high rank who has a lot of knowledge about a particular area of medicine高級顧問醫生，會診醫生：There’re many consultants in hospital.醫院里有很多會診醫生。

10．fib [fib] n. a small unimportant lie小謊，無關緊要的謊話：“I told a fib about my age, ” little Tom said.“有關我的年齡我撒了個謊”，小湯姆說。

11．deceit [di5si:t] n. dishonest act or statement不誠實的行為或言語，詭計：The boy’s deceit made his mother very unhappy.這小孩的欺騙行為使他母親非常不愉快。

12．lubricant [5lu:brikEnt] n. a substance such as oil which causes a machine to operate more easily潤滑油，潤滑劑：used as a lubricant and as a moderator in nuclear reactors在核反應堆中作潤滑劑和緩和劑。

13．tangle [5tAN^l] v. to make or become a mass of disordered and twisted threads(使)纏結，(使)亂作一團：Long hair tangles easily.長頭發容易打結。Don’t try and tangle with him--he is bigger and stronger than you不要和他動手打架――他比你高大強壯。

14．perception [pE5sepFEn] n. a) the ability to see, hear and understand; the quality of understanding感知(能力)；覺察(力)；知覺：He was a man of keen perception.他是一個感覺敏銳的人。b) the way you think about something and your idea of what it is like認識，觀念，看法，見解：What’s your perception of the matter?你對此事有什么看法？

15．warp [wC:p] v. a) to cause to turn or twist out of shape弄彎，變歪：This wood warps easily in damp conditions.這種木料受潮容易變形。b) to influence someone in a way that has a harmful effect on how they think or behave使（行為等）不合情理；使乖戾：You mustn’t allow your dislike of her to warp your judgment你必須不能讓自己對她的厭惡之情影響你的判斷。

16．proliferation [prEu7lifE5reiFEn] n. a rapid increase in the amount or number of something增殖，迅速增長：A proliferation of regulations and controls sharply increased business costs and introduced distortions.規章制度和控制的廣泛施行急劇增加了營業成本，導致了各種失調現象。

17．cynicism [5sinisizEm] n. the belief that people always act selfishly憤世嫉俗；玩世不恭：This cynicism makes today’s young people hard to predict.這種憤世嫉俗的人生觀使當今的年輕人難以揣摩。

18．falter [5fC:ltE] v. a) to lose power or strength in an uneven way, thus no longer making much progress蹣跚；搖晃；猶豫；畏縮：He never falters in his determination.他的決心從不動搖。b) to speak in a voice that sounds weak and uncertain, and keeps stopping (嗓音)顫抖，結巴地說；支吾其詞：His voice began to falter.他的聲音開始發顫。

19．associate [E5sEuFieit] n. a person who is connected to another person as a business partner, colleague, or companion伙伴，同事：My associate and I would be interested in visiting your factory.我的同事和我很想參觀你們的工廠。 v. to cause to relate, to connect with使)發生聯系，(使)聯合；結交，結伙：I don’t associate the two ideas.這兩個概念我聯系不起來。

20．undermine [7QndE5main] v. to gradually make somebody or something less strong or effective暗中破壞；逐漸削弱：Many severe colds undermined the old man’s health.多次嚴重的感冒損害了老人的健康。

21．confound [kEn5faund] v. to confuse and greatly surprise people, causing them to be unable to explain or deal with a situation使驚惶；弄糊涂：The extraordinary election results confounded the government.這次不尋常的選舉結果使得政府不知所措。

22．astound [Es5taund] v. to make somebody very surprised or shocked, especially with news of something completely unexpected使震驚，使大吃一驚：His practical grasp of affairs and his energy still astound me.他對事物的實際掌握和他充沛的精力實在使我驚異。

Text II

1．conceal [kEn5si:l] v. to hide or cover a fact or feeling隱瞞，隱藏：The proud Ione took care to conceal the anguish she endured.驕傲的伊俄涅小心翼翼地掩飾著內心的痛苦。

2．dwarf [dwC:f] v. to seem very small or insignificant comparing with other things(使)顯得矮小，使相形見絀：Shakespeare dwarfs other dramatists.莎士比亞使其他劇作家相形見絀。 adj. much smaller than the usual size矮小的：a dwarf conifer矮小的針葉樹

3．uphold [Qp5hEuld] v. a) to defend or support a law, system, or principle so that it continues to exist支持，維護（正義等）：It’s up to the government to uphold the rights of individual citizens.政府有責任維護各個公民的權利。b) if a court upholds a decision made by another court, it states that the decision was correct維持，確認（原判、裁決等）The conviction was upheld by the Court of Appeal.最高法院堅持原判決。

4．deteriorate [di5tiEriEreit] v. to get worse惡化，變壞，退化：Idle houses deteriorate.閑置不用的房子會滲漏衰敗。

5．render [5rendE] v. a) to cause someone or something to be in a particular condition使成為；使變得；使處于某狀態：He was rendered almost speechless by the news.聽到這個消息，他頓時啞口無言。b) to give something to someone or do something, because it is your duty or because someone expects you to報答；歸還；給予：It is unlikely that the court will render an opinion before November 5.十一月五號之前法院不太可能提供建議。

6．remaining [ri5meiniN] adj. being left or used剩下的，剩余的：Add the remaining flour to make a soft dough.把剩下的面粉加進去做成一塊軟面團。

7．eloquent [5elEkwEnt] adj. a) able to express your ideas and opinions well, especially in a way that influences people雄辯的，有口才的，流利的：The defense lawyer made an eloquent plea for his client’s acquittal.被告方的律師為委托人的無罪開釋作了有說服力的辯護。b) showing a feeling or meaning without using words清楚表現出來，傳神的：These ruins are an eloquent reminder of the horrors of war.這些廢墟形象地提醒人們不要忘記戰爭的恐怖。

8．erode [i5rEud] v. a) to decay侵蝕，腐蝕：The coast is slowly eroding.海岸正慢慢地被侵蝕。b) to gradually reduce something such as someone’s power or confidence逐漸毀壞；削弱；損害：Repeated exam failure had eroded her confidence.考試一次次失敗，使他逐漸喪失了信心。