Lesson 2-13 Flashcards
precocious
（尤指兒童）智力超常的，早熟的
A precocious child, she went to university at the age of 15.
她智力超乎尋常，15歲就上了大學。
precursor
先驅，先鋒；先兆，前兆
Sulphur dioxide is the main precursor of acid rain.
二氧化硫是形成酸雨最重要的先決條件。
predicament
尷尬的處境，窘境，困境
She is hoping to get a loan from her bank to help her out of her financial predicament.
她希望能從銀行得到一筆貸款以擺脫經濟困境。
predilection
偏愛，偏好
Ever since she was a child, she has had a predilection for spicy food.
從孩提時起，她就偏好辛辣食物。
predominant
占主導地位的；占絕大多數的；顯著的
Research forms the predominant part of my job.
研究是我工作中的重要部分。
pre-emptive
搶先的；（尤指）先發制人的
The Treasury has decided to raise interest rates as a pre-emptive measure against inflation.
財政部決定加息，以此作為一項防止通貨膨脹的預防性措施。
preferential
優先的；優待的，優惠的
Inmates claimed that some prisoners had received preferential treatment.
犯人聲稱有些囚犯受到了優待。
prejudice
成見，偏見，歧視
Laws against racial prejudice must be strictly enforced.
禁止種族歧視的法律必須嚴格執行。
preliminary
初步的，起始的；預備的
Preliminary results show that the vaccine is effective, but this has to be confirmed by further medical trials.
初查結果顯示疫苗是有效的，但這有待於進一步醫學實驗的證實。
prelude
序幕，先聲，前奏
The changes are seen as a prelude to wide-ranging reforms.
這些變革被視為大範圍改革的序幕。
preposterous
荒謬的，愚蠢的
The very idea is preposterous!
這個想法很荒謬！
prerogative
獨有的權利（或權力），特權
Alex makes all the big decisions - that’s his prerogative as company director.
所有重大決定都是由亞歷克斯作出的——這是他作為公司主管的特權。
pretense
假裝；偽稱；虛偽的表現
She made absolutely no pretence of being interested.
她毫不掩飾自己絲毫不感興趣。
prevaricate
支吾，搪塞，含糊其詞；顧左右而言他
He accused the minister of prevaricating.
他指責部長一味搪塞。
primal
最初的，原始的
The universe evolved from a densely packed primal inferno.
宇宙是從原始的熾熱混沌狀態演變而來的。
proclaim
宣佈；聲明
All the countries have proclaimed their loyalty to the alliance.
所有的國家都顯示了他們對聯盟的忠誠。
prodigal
非常浪費的，奢侈的
There have been rumours that he has been prodigal with company funds.
有傳聞說他一直在揮霍公司的資金。
prodigious
強大的，巨大的
She wrote a truly prodigious number of novels.
她寫了數量極多的小說。
prodigy
奇才，天才
The 16-year-old tennis prodigy is the youngest player ever to reach the Olympic finals.
這位16歲的網球天才是迄今打進奧運決賽最年輕的選手。
progeny
（人或動植物的）後代，後裔
His numerous progeny are scattered all over the country.
他有很多後裔，遍佈在全國各地。
prognosticate
（尤指針對特定情形的）預測
He is in a good position to prognosticate on the future of commerce.
在他的位置上，可以對商業的未來做很好的預測。
proliferate
激增
Small businesses have proliferated in the last ten years.
在過去的十年裡，小型企業大量湧現。
prolific
作品豐富的；多產的
He was probably the most prolific songwriter of his generation.
他可能是他這一代中最多產的歌曲作家。
promptly
迅速地，立即地；依照預定時間地
We’ll have to leave fairly promptly (= on time) if we want to catch that train.
如果我們要趕那班火車，就得準時出發。
promulgate
頒布，公佈（尤指新法律）
The new law was finally promulgated in the autumn of last year.
新法律最終於去年秋天頒布。
propagate
（使）（植物）繁殖
Most house plants can be propagated from stem cuttings.
大多數室內植物都能由切下來的莖繁殖。
propensity
（尤指不良的）傾向，嗜好，癖好
[ + to infinitive ] She’s inherited from her father a propensity to talk too much.
她從她父親那裡遺傳了話多的毛病。
propitiate
使息怒；勸解；撫慰
In those days people might sacrifice a goat or sheep to propitiate an angry god.
在那個時候，人們可能會祭獻一隻山羊或綿羊以祈求發怒的神明息怒。
propitious
吉祥的，吉利的
With the economy in recession, it was not a propitious time to start a company.
經濟正處於蕭條時期，這可不是開公司的好時候。
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。
prosaic
乏味的；平淡無奇的；缺乏想像力的
If only she’d been called Camilla or Flavia instead of the prosaic Jane.
要是她叫「卡蜜拉」或「弗拉維亞」而不是叫「珍」這個平常的名字該多好。
proscribe
（政府或其他權力機構）禁止
Torture and summary execution of political prisoners are proscribed by international law.
國際法禁止對政治犯嚴刑逼供或草率處理。
prosecute
起訴；檢舉
Shoplifters will be prosecuted.
商店扒手將遭到起訴。
protégé
受提攜的後進；門徒，門生
The young composer regarded himself as Berg’s protégé.
這位年輕的作曲家認為自己是伯格的門徒。
provided (that)
如果；只要
He’s welcome to come along, provided that he behaves himself.
他只要守規矩就歡迎他來。
provoke
激起，引起（尤指負面反應）
The prospect of increased prices has already provoked an outcry.
物價上漲的預測已經引發了強烈抗議。
proximity
接近，鄰近；臨近
The best thing about the location of the house is its proximity to the town centre.
這棟房子地理位置最好的就是鄰近市中心。
puffy
（眼睛）腫脹的，腫大的
His eyes were still puffy with sleep.
他的眼睛因為睡覺所以還是腫腫的。
pugnacious
愛爭吵的；愛爭鬥的，好鬥的
I found him pugnacious and arrogant.
我發現他咄咄逼人，傲慢無禮。
pungent
（氣味）刺鼻的；（味道）強烈的
the pungent whiff of a goat
山羊發出的刺鼻膻味
purge
清除，肅清（反對者）
Party leaders have undertaken to purge the party of extremists.
政黨領袖已採取行動清除黨內的極端分子。
putrefy
腐爛
the smell of putrefying flesh
腐肉的氣味
quash
撤銷，廢止，宣佈…無效
His conviction was quashed in March 1986 after his counsel argued that the police evidence was all lies.
他的辯護人舉證說明了警方的證據是一派謊言，於是在1986年3月撤銷了對他的判決。
quintessential
最典型的；最本質的
Sheep’s milk cheese is the quintessential Corsican cheese.
羊乳酪是最典型的科西嘉菜。
quotidian
平常的，普通的；日常的
Television has become part of our quotidian existence.
電視已成為我們日常生活的一部分。
rake sth in
輕易賺（很多錢）；賺大錢
He rakes in over $200,000 a year.
他一年能賺20多萬美元。
ramification
可能的後果；衍生結果；派生影響
Have you considered all the ramifications of your suggestion?
你考慮過你的建議可能帶來的各種後果嗎？
rapacious
巧取豪奪的，貪婪的，掠奪的
a rapacious landlord/businessman
貪婪的地主／商人
rapport
融洽；和諧；和睦的關係
We’d worked together for years and developed a close/good rapport.
我們在一起工作多年，關係非常親密／友好。
ratify
（尤指政府或組織）正式批准，使正式生效，正式簽署
Many countries have now ratified the UN convention on the rights of the child.
很多國家現在已經正式簽署了聯合國兒童權利公約。
