02-Shinzo Abe, Japan’s Political Houdini, Can’t Escape Coronavirus Backlash

Question 1

not bat an eyelid (UK) ; not bat an eye/eyelash (US)

Answer 1

to show no sign of surprise or worry when something unexpected happens
眼睛都不眨一下；面不改容

> She told him she’d spent all her savings but he didn’t bat an eyelid.
她告訴他已經花完了自己全部的積蓄，可是他根本不為所動。

Question 2

stint (n.)

Answer 2

a fixed or limited period of time spent doing a particular job or activity
工作期限；（從事某項活動的）規定期限

> He has just finished a stint of compulsory military service.
他剛剛服完義務兵役。
Perhaps her most productive period was her five-year stint as a foreign correspondent in New York.
也許她創作上最多產的時期就是她在紐約擔任駐外記者的那五年。

Question 3

finesse (vt.) 2

Answer 3

1. to deal with a situation or a person in a skilful and often slightly dishonest way
   巧妙地應對；用策略對付

> She finessed the interview by playing down her lack of experience and talking about her long-standing interest in the field.
她對自己的經驗不足輕描淡寫，轉而談論自己對該領域長久以來的興趣，就這樣巧妙地把面試應對過去了。

2. to improve something so it is the best it can possibly be
   使…達到最好狀態

> After they’d finessed the software, they followed the people using it for several months.
他們在改善軟體後跟蹤了使用者好幾個月的時間。

Question 4

mercurial (adj.)

Answer 4

1. changing suddenly and often
   多變的，反覆無常的

> a mercurial temperament
多變的溫度
She was entertaining but unpredictable, with mercurial mood swings.
她很會逗人開心，但性格讓人捉摸不透，情緒反覆無常。

2. (literary) intelligent, enthusiastic, and quick
   機智活躍的

> a mercurial mind/wit
活躍的思維／機敏的才智

3. containing or caused by mercury
   含汞的；因汞引起的

> mercurial drugs
含汞的藥物
(汞，mercury)

Question 5

foreign correspondent

Answer 5

海外特派員；駐外記者

Question 6

reservior

Answer 6

1. a place for storing liquid, especially a natural or artificial lake providing water for a city or other area
   水庫；蓄水池
2. a large supply of something
   儲備；儲藏；寶庫
   The universities constitute a reservoir of expert knowledge.
   大學是專業知識的寶庫。

Question 7

alone (adj. after noun)

Answer 7

without any others
唯一，僅僅，只有

> She alone needs to decide what to do (= no one else can do it for her).
她必須自己決定做甚麼。

> These facts alone (= even if nothing else is considered) show that he’s not to be trusted.
單憑這些事實就可以看出他這個人不可信。

Question 8

sap (v.)

Answer 8

to make someone weaker or take away strength or an important quality from someone, especially over a long period of time
（尤指經過一段很長的時間）使傷元氣；削弱；使耗盡

> Constant criticism saps you of your confidence.
不間斷的批評會消磨信心。

Question 9

elevation (n.) formal- 2

Answer 9

1. the fact of being given a more important position
   提拔；晉升；提升

> His elevation to the presidency of the new republic was generally popular.
總的來說，他被推舉爲新共和國的總統是眾望所歸。

2. the height of a place above the level of the sea
   海拔；高度

> Atmospheric pressure varies with elevation and temperature.
氣壓隨海拔和氣溫的變化而變化。

Question 10

bungle (v.)

Answer 10

to do something wrong, in a careless or stupid way
弄糟；（笨手笨腳地）把…搞砸

> He was the seventh prime minister in seven years, and at the time of his elevation, just a year after what was seen as a bungled government response to the Fukushima disaster, he was widely considered the best of a bunch of bad options.

Question 11

preside (v.)

片語 preside over sth

Answer 11

to be in charge of a formal meeting, ceremony, or trial
主持（會議或儀式）

> Who would be the best person to preside at/over the public enquiry?
誰來主持大眾調查最合適呢？
Judge Langdale is to preside over the official enquiry into the case.
蘭代爾法官將主持這個案子的正式調查。

Question 12

sap (n.) 2

Answer 12

1. the liquid that carries food to all parts of a plant
   （植物運送養分的）汁，液

> Maple syrup is obtained from the sap of the sugar maple tree.
楓糖漿是從糖楓樹的樹汁中提煉的。

2. a stupid person who can easily be tricked or persuaded to do something
   笨蛋，傻瓜；容易上當的人
   >He’ll lie around and let some other poor sap do all the work.
   他會懶洋洋地無所事事，把工作都丟給別的傻瓜。

Question 13

bid (v.t.)

*is bidding to

Answer 13

If someone bids to do something, they compete with other people to do it.
爭取；競爭

> Paris is bidding to host the next Olympics.
巴黎正在爭取主辦下一屆的奧運會。

Question 14

ineptitude

Answer 14

the fact of not being skilled or effective
無能的

> Public health officials, not Mr. Abe, became the face of government ineptitude when a troubled quarantine of a cruise ship led to hundreds of infections on board and the risk of further cases on shore.

Question 15

troubled (adj.) 2

Answer 15

1. having problems or difficulties
   深受折磨的，有麻煩的

> This troubled region has had more than its fair share of wars over the centuries.
幾個世紀以來，這個不幸的地區遭受了太多戰爭的折磨。
In these troubled times, it’s nice to hear some good news.
在這樣動盪不安的時代，聽到一些好消息可真好。

2. worried or nervous
   憂慮的，神經質的

> He is clearly a very troubled man.
他顯然是一個非常神經質的男人。

Question 16

quarantine (n.)

Answer 16

a period of time during which an animal or person that might have a disease is kept away from other people or animals so that the disease cannot spread
隔離檢疫期

> The horse had to spend several months in quarantine when it reached Britain.
那匹馬到達英國後要進行幾個月的隔離檢疫。

Question 17

bid (v.i.) or (v.t.)

+for sth

Answer 17

to offer a particular amount of money for something that is for sale and compete against other people to buy it, especially at a public sale of goods or property
（尤指在拍賣中）出價，喊價競買

> She knew she couldn’t afford it, so she didn’t bid.
她知道買不起，所以沒有出價。

> The communications group has shown an interest in bidding for the company.
該通訊集團有意出價競買這間公司。

> A foreign collector has bid $500,000 for the portrait.
一位外國收藏家出價50萬美元，買下了這幅畫像。

> [ + two objects ] What am I bid for this fine vase?
各位願給這只精美的花瓶出價多少？

Question 18

quarantine (v.)

Answer 18

to put an animal or person in quarantine

隔離（動物或人）

Question 19

cruise ship

Answer 19

大型郵輪

Question 20

bid (n.)

-make a bid

Answer 20

1. an offer of a particular amount of money for something that is for sale
   出價，喊價

> I made a bid of $150 for the painting.
我出價150美元買這幅畫。
She made/put in a bid of £69,000 for the flat, which was accepted.
她為這個單位出價69000英鎊，並以這個價格達成了交易。

2.an offer to do something when you are competing with other people to do it
投標，競價

> [ + to infinitive ] Sydney made a successful bid to host the Olympic Games.
雪梨成功取得了奧運會申辦權。

> I gave the job to the contractors who made/gave the lowest bid (= who offered to do the work for the lowest amount of money).
我將這項工程給了投標出價最低的承包商。

Question 21

warrant (n.)

Answer 21

an official document, signed by a judge or other person in authority, that gives the police permission to search someone’s home, arrest a person, or take some other action
（由法官或官員簽署的）搜查令，逮捕狀，令狀

> a search warrant
搜查令
Judge La Riva had issued an arrest warrant/a warrant for his arrest.
拉裡瓦法官已經簽署了一份逮捕狀／逮捕他的令狀。

Question 22

crater (v.)

Answer 22

[MAINLY AMERICAN]
to suddenly become much lower

> Their share price cratered following the announcement.

Question 23

crater (n.)

Answer 23

the round hole at the top of a volcano, or a hole in the ground similar to this
火山口；（火山口似的）坑

>the huge crater of Vesuvius
巨大的維蘇威火山口
>a bomb crater
炸彈坑
>With a good telescope, you can see craters on the moon.
用好的望遠鏡能看到月亮上的環形山。

Question 24

emeritus (adj.)

Answer 24

no longer having a position, especially in a college or university, but keeping the title of the position
（尤指從學院或大學）退休後保留頭銜的，榮譽退休的

> She became Emeritus Professor of Linguistics when she retired.
她退休後成爲語言學榮譽退休教授。

Question 25

skeptical (adj.)

Answer 25

doubting that something is true or useful
懷疑的，持懷疑態度的

> Many experts remain skeptical about/of his claims.
很多專家對他的主張仍然持懷疑態度。