17 Flashcards
intrinsic
固有的，本質的，根本的
works of little intrinsic value/interest
本身無甚價值／趣味的作品
curry favour
（尤指對當權者）討好，奉承，拍馬屁
He’s always trying to curry favour with the boss.
他總是想方設法拍老闆馬屁。
satiety
滿足，厭膩
pall
煙霧
Palls of smoke obscured our view.
一團團煙霧擋住了我們的視線。
sanction
制裁
Many nations have imposed sanctions on the country because of its attacks on its own people.
由於該國發生了對本國人民施暴，許多國家都對其進行制裁。
insidious
暗中為害的；潛伏的
High blood pressure is an insidious condition which has few symptoms.
高血壓是一種鮮少症狀的潛伏性疾病。
allude to sb/sth
影射，暗指；間接提到
She mentioned some trouble that she’d had at home and I guessed she was alluding to her son.
她提到家中有些麻煩事，我猜她是指她的兒子。
potpourri
混雜物，雜燴
Her new TV show will be a potpourri of arts and media reports.
她的新電視節目是藝術與媒體報道的混合體。
denote
表示，代表
The colour red is used to denote passion or danger.
紅色用於表示激情或危險。
spate
（尤指不愉快的）大量突發事件
Police are investigating a spate of burglaries in the Kingsland Road area.
警方正在調查最近在金斯蘭德路周邊地區接連發生的多宗破門竊盜案。
advent
（事件、發明或人物的）出現，來臨，到來
Life was transformed by the advent of the steam engine.
蒸汽機的出現使人類生活發生了翻天覆地的變化。
propriety
（行為）端正，得體，合宜
The director insisted that there was no question as to the propriety of how the funds were raised.
經理堅持說集資方式是完全正當的。
proffer
提供，提出
He shook the warmly proffered hand.
他握了握對方熱情伸出的手。
impious
（尤指對上帝或宗教）不敬的；不恭的
nutritive
與營養有關的
ingredients with a high nutritive value
營養價值高的成份
raucous
（聲音）刺耳的，尖厲的
I heard the raucous call of the crows.
我聽到那些烏鴉刺耳的叫聲。
shibboleth
過時的信仰；陳舊的習俗
They still cling to many of the old shibboleths of education.
他們仍然固守著許多過時的教育傳統。
bogus
假的；假冒的，僞造的；非法的
On investigation, his claim was found to be bogus.
調查發現，他的説法並不屬實。
substantiate
證明…屬實；證實
We have evidence to substantiate the allegations against him.
我們有證據支持對他的指控。
negligible
微不足道的，可忽略的，不重要的
The difference between the two products is negligible.
兩種產品之間的差異微乎其微。
quandary
困境；猶豫不決
I’ve had two job offers, and I’m in a real quandary about/over which one to accept.
我有兩個工作機會，但不知該接受哪個，真是左右為難。
expedient
權宜之計的；應急的；不得已而為之的
It might be expedient not to pay him until the work is finished.
要到工作完成才給他薪水，這或許也是逼不得已的。
callous
冷酷無情的；無同情心的，麻木不仁的
It might sound callous, but I don’t care if he’s homeless. He’s not living with me!
這也許聽起來很無情，可我並不在乎他是否無家可歸。他又不是和我住在一起！
blasé
不稀罕的；司空見慣的
He flies first class so often, he’s become blasé about it.
他經常坐飛機頭等艙，所以已經是司空見慣了。
diversity
多樣性，多樣化
Does television adequately reflect the ethnic and cultural diversity of the country?
電視節目能充分反映出這個國家民族和文化的多樣性嗎？
ennui
（由於無所事事而感到的）無聊，厭倦，倦怠
The whole country seems to be affected by the ennui of winter.
冬天的倦怠感似乎影響著整個國家。
comely
（女子）秀麗的，清秀的，標緻的
artifice
詭計；奸計；欺騙
Amazingly for Hollywood, she seems almost entirely without artifice.
儘管身處好萊塢，可她好像從不耍甚麼陰謀詭計，真是教人驚訝。
frenetic
發狂的，狂亂的
After weeks of frenetic activity, the job was finally finished.
經過幾個星期的瘋狂忙活，工作終於完成了。
artless
單純的，直率的；不詭詐的
“Why did you take the money?” she asked the child. “Because I wanted it,” came the artless reply.
「你為甚麼要拿這些錢？」她問那個孩子。「因為我想要。」孩子天真地回答。
expurgate
刪除（不當之處）；刪去（可能使人反感的地方）
The book was expurgated to make it suitable for children.
這本書是經過刪改的，以適合兒童閱讀。
qualm
疑慮；內疚；不安
She had no qualms about lying to the police.
她向警方說謊但一點也不覺得不安。
gratuity
小費，賞錢
The guides sometimes receive gratuities from the tourists, which supplement their salaries.
導遊有時會從遊客那裡得到小費，這使他們在薪金之外又增加一些收入。
begrudge
羡慕；嫉妒
[ + two objects ] I don’t begrudge him his freedom.
我並不羡慕他的自由。
delve
探索；深入尋找，搜尋
She delved into her pocket to find some change.
她伸手到口袋裡找零錢。
replenish
補充；把…再備足；重新裝滿
Food stocks were replenished by/with imports from abroad.
糧食儲備透過從國外進口得到了補充。
manifest
顯示；表現；表明
The workers chose to manifest their dissatisfaction in a series of strikes.
工人決定藉一連串罷工來表達他們的不滿。
capricious
反覆無常的
a capricious child
任性的小孩
requisite
必要的；需要的；必不可少的
He lacked the requisite skills for the job.
他缺少從事這項工作所必需的技能。
ameliorate
使變好，改善，改進
Foreign aid is badly needed to ameliorate the effects of the drought.
急需外援以緩解乾旱造成的災情。
roster
值勤表，勤務簿
If you look on the duty roster, you’ll see when you’re working.
你看看勤務簿就知道甚麽時候該你上班了。
stunt
（通常指電影中的）特技動作
It’s a typical action movie with plenty of spectacular stunts.
這是部典型的動作片，有很多精彩好看的特技。
atrophy
（身體部位）萎縮；衰退
After several months in a hospital bed, my leg muscles had atrophied.
我在醫院病床上留了幾個月後，腿部肌肉已經萎縮了。
maim
（使）殘廢；（使）受重傷
Many children have been maimed for life by these bombs.
許多孩子被這些炸彈炸至重傷，終身殘疾。
unctuous
諂媚的；虛情假意的
his unctuous manner/voice/smile
他那虛情假意的舉止／聲音／笑容
cynic
憤世嫉俗的人；懷疑人之真誠者；認為人皆自私者
I’m too much of a cynic to believe that he’ll keep his promise.
我懷疑這世間的一切，不相信他會遵守諾言。
benevolent
仁慈的，慈善的
He was a benevolent old man and wouldn’t hurt a fly.
他是個仁慈的老人，連一隻蒼蠅都不願傷害。
subservient
恭順的，屈從的；低聲下氣的
Women were expected to adopt a subservient role/position.
女性曾被認為應該處於從屬地位。
iniquity
極其錯誤；極不公正
They fought long and hard against the iniquities of apartheid.
他們為反抗不公正的種族隔離進行了長期艱苦的鬥爭。
largess
慷慨捐助，施捨；（給窮人的）善款
The medical foundation will be the main beneficiary of the millionaire’s largesse.
這個醫藥基金會將是那位百萬富翁慷慨捐助的主要受益者。
