controversial adj.  

causing a lot of angry public discussionand disagreement 有争议的

  e.g. Immigration is a controversial issuein many countries.

在很多国家，移民都是一个颇有争议的问题。

The topic of argumentis controversial.

这个议题是很有争议的。

Word Family:

controversially adv. 颇有争议地；引起争议地

controversialist n. 善辩着；好辩者

controversy n. 争论；争议；辩论

  e.g. The proposed cuts havecaused considerable controversy.

削减开支的提议引起了诸多争议。

predominantly adv.  

mostly; mainly 占主导地位地；显著地；占优势地

  e.g.  She works ina predominantly male environment.

她在一个男性居多的环境里工作。

The landscape hasremained predominantlyrural in appearance.

这里的风景看上去还是以田园风光为主。

Synonyms: mainly / basically / largely / mostly / primarily

Word Family:  predominate v. 在…中占优势；支配，统治

  e.g.  A small group hasbegun to predominate in policy-making.

一小撮人在制定政策中已开始起主导作用。

predominant adj. 主要的，占主导地位的；占优势的

  e.g. Yellow isthe predominant color this spring in the fashion world.

黄色是今春时装界的流行颜色。

predominance n. 优势；主导或支配的地位

  e.g. The policy is designed toprevent the predominance of one group over another.

该政策旨在防止一些人压制另一些人。

not to mention  

used to introduce extra information andemphasize what you are saying 更不用说

  e.g. Old folk and childrenalike are all against the proposal, not to mention the youth.

老人、小孩都不赞成这个建议，更不用说年轻人了。

Ade is handsome and smart, not tomentionbeing a good athlete.

艾德既潇洒又精明，更不用说还是个好运动员。

assimilate v.  

1.to become, or allow sb. to become, a partof a country or community rather than remaining in a separate group（使）同化；（使）融入

e.g.His family triedto assimilate into the white and Hispanic communities.

他一家人试图融入白人和西班牙裔社区。

The Vietnamese are tryingto assimilatethemselves and become Americans.

这些越南人正在努力融入美国社会，成为美国人。

2.to absorb (ideas, knowledge, etc.) 吸收（思想、知识等）

e.g.A goodstudent assimilates knowledge quickly.

好学生吸收知识快。

I was speechless, still tryingto assimilate the enormity of what he'd told me.

我无话可说，一时还无法接受他对我所说之事的严重性。

Collocation: assimilate into 融入

  e.g.  Besides, I can learndifferent cultures and how to assimilate into them.

此外, 我还可以了解不同的文化,以及如何与之融合。

Word Family:

assimilation n. （被）吸收或同化的过程

  e.g. They promote socialintegration and assimilation of minority ethnic groups into theculture.

他们提倡社会融合，促进少数民族群体融入社会文化。

counterpart n.  

a person or thing that has the sameposition or function as sb./sth. else in a different place or situation 对应的事物或人；职位相当的人

  e.g. The Foreign Minister heldtalks with his Chinese counterpart.

外交部长与中国外交部长举行了会谈。

The sales directress phonedher counterpart in the other firm.

销售部的女经理给另一家公司的销售部经理打了电话。

undermine v.  

1.to damage or weaken (sb. or sth.),especially gradually or insidiously 暗中破坏；逐渐削弱

e.g. undermine sb.’s position,reputation, authority, etc,

暗中损害某人的地位，声誉，威信等

Insults undermined herconfidence.

一再受到侮辱之后，她渐渐丧失信心。

2.to make a hollow or tunnel beneath sth.,weaken at the base 在（某物）下挖洞或挖通道；从根基处损害

e.g. Rivers undermine theirbanks.河水冲刷堤基。

The house is unsafe since the foundationswere undermined by floods.

这栋房子不安全，因为地基被洪水损坏了。

Synonyms: weaken / destroy

edge n.  

1.a slight advantage over sb. or sth.（微弱的）优势

e.g. Through superior productiontechniques they were able to gain the competitive edge.

凭借先进的生产技术，他们得以占据竞争优势。

The young tennis player definitely hadthe edgeon his older opponent.

年轻的网球运动员显然比那个年纪大的对手略胜一筹。

2.sharp cutting part of a blade, knifesword, or some other tool or weapon（片、刀、剑或其他工具或武器的）锋利部分

e.g. the sharp edge of thesword

锋利的剑刃

3.(line marking the) outside limit orboundary of a solid (flat) objects, surface or area （扁的固体、物体表面或一范围的）外围界线，边缘

e.g. Daniel stepped in front of herdesk and sat down on its edge.

丹尼尔走到她的桌前，坐在桌沿上。

Collocation:

take the edge off 使钝；削弱；挫…的锐气

edge out 排挤掉：以微弱优势超过或胜过

on edge 紧张的：高度紧张或不安的；易怒的

on the edge 边界状态：处于不稳定的状态

have an edge over sb./sth. 略胜过某人

Synonyms: margin / superiority / advantage

flexible adj.  

1.able to change to suit new conditions orsituations 适应新情况的；可变通的；灵活的

e.g. flexible working hours灵活的工作时间

We need a foreign policy that is more flexible.

我们需要一种更灵活的外交政策。

2.that can bend easily without breaking 易弯曲的，柔韧的

e.g. Copper wire is flexible.铜丝易弯曲。

Word Family: flexibility n. 柔韧性，机动性，灵活性

  e.g. The flexibility of distance learning would be particularlysuited to busy managers.

远程学习的灵活性对于忙碌的经理来说特别适合。

deliver v.  

1.to take goods, letters, etc. to theperson or people they have been sent to 递送，送交

e.g. The telegramwas delivered early this morning.

这份电报是今天清晨送到的。

We were told the pizza wouldbe delivered in 20 minutes.

我们被告知披萨饼要20分钟以后送到。

2.to give a lecture, sermon, speech, etc. 授课；讲道；讲话

e.g. The presidentwill deliver a speech about schools.

总统将就学校问题发表讲话。

It is shocking that only one womanhas delivered the lecture in 44 years.

在44年间仅有一名女性作过讲座，这真令人震惊。

3.to help a mother to give birth to (achild) 助产；接生

e.g. Her babywas delivered by her own doctor.

她的婴儿是由她自己的医生给接生的。

Word Family: delivery n. 传送，投递; 分娩; 讲演

  e.g.  Your order is readyfor delivery.

你订购的货物可随时交付。

draw from  

1.to take or obtain sth. from a particularsource 取得；从…得到

e.g. draw support, comfort,strength, etc. from one’s family

从家庭中获得支持、安慰、力量等

She drew inspiration from herchildhood experiences.

她从童年的经历中汲取了灵感。

2.to take sth. from a large supply 从某物中抽取或汲取

e.g. draw water from awell

从井中汲水

Synonym: extract from

domestic n.  

1.used in the home; connected with the homeor family 家庭的；家务的

e.g. She doesthe domestic affairs every day.

她每天都忙家务。

domestic appliances

家用器具

2.of or inside a particular country, notforeign or international 本国的；国内的

e.g. sales inthe domestic market国内市场的销售量

3.(of animals) kept on farms or as pets;not wild （指动物）驯养的，作宠物养的；非野生的

e.g. a domestic cat家猫

Collocation:

gross domestic product 国内生产总值

domestic trade 国内贸易

domestic situation 国内形势

domestic animal 家畜

Synonyms: household / family

boom  

1.n. a sudden increase in trade andeconomic activity; a period of wealth and success 激增；繁荣

e.g. The oil market is enjoyinga boom.

石油市场欣欣向荣。

An economic boom followed,especially in housing and construction.

接着出现了经济繁荣，尤其是在房地产业和建筑业。

2.v. have a period of rapid economic growth繁荣；激增

e.g. By 1988 the economywas booming.

到1988年经济一直很繁荣。

Collocation:

economic boom 经济繁荣，经济腾飞

baby boom 婴儿潮；生育高峰

business boom 商业繁荣，生意兴隆

Synonym: prosperity 繁荣；昌盛

apparent adj.  

1.easy to see or understand 显而易见的

e.g. certain problems were apparent fromthe outset.

有些问题从一开始就是显而易见的。

It became apparent that she wasgoing to die.

很明显她快要死了。

2.seeming; unreal 表面上的；假的

e.g. Her apparent indifferencemade him even more nervous.

她表面上若无其事反而使他更加紧张。

Word Family:

apparently adv. 看来；似乎

  e.g.  Apparently theyare getting divorced.

看样子，他们要离婚了。

Synonyms:

obvious/evident

cease to do/doing sth.  

to stop happening or existing; to stop sth.from happening or existing 停止，终止干某事

  e.g.  He never ceasesto amaze me.

他总能给我惊喜。

A small number of firmshave ceased trading.

一小部分公司已经停止交易。

a drain on sth./sb.  

a thing that uses a lot of time, money,etc. that could be used for sth. else 大量消耗，耗竭，耗费

  e.g.  The mortgageis a drain on our financial resources.

偿还抵押借款是我们财务上的一大负担。

The cost of his children's educationwas a drain on his money.

他的孩子的教育费用耗尽了他的钱财。

along with  

in addition to …; in the same way as … 和…一起；随着

  e.g.  The baby's motherescaped from the fire along with two other children.

婴儿的母亲和另外两个孩子一起逃离了火海。

Tobacco is taxed in mostcountries, along withalcohol.

除酒以外, 烟草在多数国家都要征税。

despite prep.  

used to say that sth. happened or is truealthough sth. else might have happened to prevent it 即使；尽管

  e.g.  She will stand byher husband, despite reports that he sent another woman love notes.

尽管有报道说她丈夫曾给另一个女人写求爱信，但她还是会支持他。

His father-in-law liveson despite the car accident.

尽管出了车祸，他的岳父仍然活下来。

Collocation:

despite of 不管；不顾

  e.g.  He finally arrivedat the airport in time despite of of the traffic jam.

尽管有交通堵塞，他终于按时到达了机场。

in despite of 尽管；不管

  e.g.  We started for thetour in despite of the heavy rain.

尽管下大雨我们还是出发去旅行了。

despite all that 尽管如此

  e.g.  Despite all that,Shanghai should not be underestimated.

尽管存在这些不足，但人们也不应该低估上海。

out of (all) proportion to sth.  

in the wrong relation to the size, shape,or position of other things 不成比例；不相称

  e.g.  His expenditureis out of proportion to his income.

他的花费与收入不相称。

The price of this article is out ofall proportionto its value.

这物品的价格和它的价值不成比例。

commit v.  

to do sth. wrong or illegal 做出错事；犯罪

  e.g.  commit murder,suicide, theft, an unforgivable error, etc.

犯凶杀、自杀、偷窃、不可原谅的错误等

Collocation:

commit sb./sth. to 交托；交付；移交

  e.g.  commit apatient to a mental hospital

将病人交付精神病院

commit oneself to 承诺；答应负责；使自己受约束

  e.g.  Hehas committed himself to support his brother’s children.

他已答应负责养育他的侄子。

I won’t commit myself to thatcourse of action.

我不承诺采取那项行动。

Word Family:

committed adj. 忠诚的，坚定的

  e.g. a committed Christian, doctor, teacher, communist

虔诚的基督徒，尽责的医生/老师，忠诚的共产党员

commitment n. 承诺；许诺；承担义务

  e.g.  We madea commitment to keep working together.

我们承诺继续合作。

subset n.  

a smaller group of people or things formedfrom the members of a larger group 小组；分组；子集

  e.g.  subsets of thepopulation such as men, women, ethnic groups, etc.

男性、女性、种族等人口的细分

These subset files contain onlythe information that the application needs to know.

这些子集文件只包含了应用程序需要知道的信息。

in the name of  

used to give a reason or an excuse fordoing sth., often when what you are doing is wrong 以…的名义；以…为借口

  e.g.  But in the nameof justice, all men should be equal before laws.

但在公正的名义下，人人在法律面前平等。

What emerges from the newspapers isshameless rubbish, all in the name of power.

报纸所报道的不过是冠以权力名义的无耻的垃圾。