第15課
absurd
a.荒謬的，荒唐的
The idea that the number "13" brings bad luck seems to be quite absurd to most Chinese people.
認為"13"是不吉利的數字這一觀念對大多數中國人來説似乎挺荒唐可笑的。
ambitious
a.有抱負的，雄心勃勃的;有野心的
Almost all politicians are quite ambitious in accomplishing their own political goals.
幾乎所有的政客都雄心勃勃地想要實現自己的政治目標。
avail
v.使…產生效用，使…有價值 n. (一般用於否定或疑問句中)效用，利益，幫助
It hurt her a great deal that all she had done for him in the past few years was of no avail.
多年來為他奉獻的一切都付諸東流水，她傷心欲絕。
We cannot help asking that superpower this question: "Will force or terror alone avail the world peace?"
我們不禁要問那個超級大國："僅用武力或恐嚇對世界和平有好處嗎?"
collide
vi.碰撞，互撞;衝突，牴觸
The Titanic collided with a floating iceberg.
泰坦尼克號撞到了海上漂浮的冰山。
When interests of two countries collide, negotiation is the best solution.
當兩國的利益發生衝突時，談判是最好的解決方法。
conceive
vt.(構)想出，認為;懷(胎)vi. (of)構想出，設想;懷孕
The idea of the atom bomb was first conceived by scientists in the 1930s.
科學家們是在20世紀30年代最初構想製造原子彈的。
Traditionally in China, it is a shame for a girl to conceive a baby before she marries.
中國的傳統觀念是，女孩未婚先孕是可恥的.。
constituent
n.選民，選區居民;成分，組成 a. 組成的，構成的
Please explain to me the constituents of an atom.
請向我解釋一下原子的組成問題。
Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituent parts of water.
氫和氧是構成水的元素。
dedicate
vt.題獻詞於(著作)上; (to)把(一生等)獻給，把(時間、精力等)用於
Dedicated to My Beloved.
謹以此書獻給我的至愛。
The Monument to the People's Heroes is dedicated to the memory of the soldiers who died for our country.
人民英雄紀念碑是為那些為保衞祖國而獻身的烈士們而建的。
diffuse
v.擴散，(使)瀰漫;傳播，散佈 a. (文章等)宂長的，漫無邊際的;四散的，瀰漫的
The colors of the sunset were diffused across the sky.
夕陽西沉，霞光滿天。
I got lost in your rather diffuse essay.
你的文章行文宂贅，弄得我有點糊塗了。
divert
vt.使轉向，使改道(或繞道); 轉移，轉移…的注意力;使娛樂，消遣
The branch of the Yellow River has been diverted from its course to a new channel.
黃河的這段支流被改道轉入新的流向。
The children are diverted by the clown.
小丑把孩子們逗樂了。
enrich
vt.充實，使豐富;使富裕，使富有
Many wealthy men try to enrich their cultural life by going to all kinds of concerts and museums.
很多富起來的人士想通過參加各種音樂會以及參觀各種博物館來豐富自己的文化生活。
Many foreign words and phrases have enriched the English language.
大量的外來詞和短語極大地豐富了英語。
extinct
a.滅絕的，絕種的; (火山等)不再活躍的，(火等)熄滅了的，(風俗等)已廢棄的
Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years.
恐龍已經滅絕幾百萬年了。
Evidence collected by the spacecraft on Mars shows some present volcanic action, though the volcanoes are believed to be dormant if not extinct.
人們普遍認為火星上的火山如果説不是死火山至少也處於休眠狀態，然而太空船蒐集到的證據顯示火星上仍然有火山運動存在。
flush
n.臉紅，紅光 vi. 被沖洗;臉紅 vt. 沖洗，清除;使(臉)漲紅;趕出 a. (with)齊平的;(尤指錢)充裕的
Her complexion has a flush, just like that of the dawn.
她紅撲撲的臉蛋宛如黎明的紅霞。
The politician didn't flush with shame at all when he swore that he would devote himself to serving the people immediately after receiving bribery payments.
那位政客在剛剛收賄賂後 就信誓旦旦地説他要鞠躬盡瘁地為人民服務， 一點都不感到臉紅。
The rising sun flushed the green mountain tops.
旭日映紅了蒼翠的山頂。
heighten
v.(使)提高，加強
When watching the horrified ghost movie, the boy's fear heightened, but he still pretended to be calm.
在看這部恐怖鬼片的時候，男孩覺得越來越恐怖，但還是裝作若無其事。
illusion
n.幻想，錯誤的觀念;錯覺，幻覺，假象
The girl is always under the illusion that a Prince Charming will sweep her away on a white horse.
這姑娘成天幻想着有朝一日她心目中的白馬王子會將她帶走。
A mirage is an optical illusion caused by hot air conditions.
海市蜃樓是由熱空氣引起的光學幻像。
induce
vt.引誘，勸;引起，導致
Adam and Eve were induced to eat the Forbidden Fruit by Satan.
亞當和夏娃受了魔鬼撒旦的引誘偷吃了禁果。
The author has induced a particular frame of mind in the readers by his choice of words.
作者用詞講究，在讀者的心中喚起了一種特殊的意境。
學識谷
