5.16

Question 1

right off the bat

Answer 1

If something happens right off the bat, it happens immediately. 马上
例：
He learned right off the bat that you can’t count on anything in this business.

Question 2

drain

Answer 2

They were aware that their public image was rapidly going down the drain.
他们意识到自己的公众形象正被迅速地破坏掉。

Question 3

is store for you

Answer 3

If something is in store for you, it is going to happen at some time in the future. 即将发生
例：
Surprises were also in store for me.
令人吃惊的事也将发生在我身上。

Question 4

fish

Answer 4

间接探听；(企图用不正当手段)攫取；转弯抹角地引出(常与 for连用)：
I think he must be a policeman, he keeps fishing for information.
我想他肯定是警察，他不断地转弯抹角地打听消息。
搜寻，摸找：
After fishing for right word, I decided to look in the dictionary.
我搜索枯肠寻找一个恰当的字不得，决定查字典。

Question 5

negative

Answer 5

…based on observation of negative correlations between algal and zooplankton numbers.

Question 6

pump

Answer 6

使喘不过气来，使疲乏：
She was completely pumped when she reached the hill-top.
她到达山顶时已精疲力竭了。

Question 7

spell

Answer 7

If something spells a particular outcome, often an unpleasant one, it suggests that this will be the result. 预示 (通常不好的结果)
例：
If the irrigation plan goes ahead, it could spell disaster for the birds.
如果该灌溉计划继续的话，这对鸟类可能预示着灾难。

Time spells life for us, now.
现在对我们来说，时间就是生命。

Question 8

cultivate

Answer 8

He always tries to cultivate rich and famous people.

他总想结识富人和名人。

Question 9

consign

Answer 9

He consigned all the unpleasant thoughts to oblivion.

他将一切不愉快的想法都置之脑后。

Question 10

low-interest home mortgages

Answer 10

这是好事儿啊

Question 11

not so much…as

Answer 11

The sale of Alaska was not so much an American coup as a matter of expediency for imperial Russian that was short of cash and unable to defend its own continental coastline.