anonymous [əˋnɑnəməs] adj. 匿名的，不知名的 【反】known, named
So he went on his own fact-finding mission, leaning heavily on a 49-page white paper submitted last month by three anonymous high-tech firms. (TIME, Feb.27, 1995, p.31)
所以他继续其真相调查工作，埋头审阅一份厚达49页的白皮书，这份白皮书是上个月由3家匿名的高科技公司提出的。
at stake [æt stek] 危急存亡关头的，有可能丧失或受损的 【同】at risk
At a news conference,(U.S. Undersecretary of Defense) Perry declared that the credibility of the international community (NATO) was at stake. (TIME, June 5,1995, p.38)
在记者招待会上，（美国国防部长）佩里宣称，北约这个国际组织正面临信任危机。
blunt [blʌnt] adj. 直言不讳的
Clinton’s summation was startlingly blunt: “It is better to have reached no agreement (on Japan’s opening it domestic market) than to have reached an empty agreement.”
(TIME, Feb.21, 1994, p.41)
最后克林顿语惊四座，直言不讳地总结说：“（在日本开放其国内市场这个议题上）与其获得形同一纸空文的协议，不如不要协议。”
burgeoning ['bɜdʒәniŋ] adj. 正快速发展的
Genetic information is the raw material of the burgeoning biotechnology industry, which uses human DNA to build specialized proteins that may have some value as disease-fighting drugs.
(TIME, Jan.16, 1995, p.54)
基因信息是目前正蓬勃发展的生物科技工业的原料；此工业利用人类DNA制造特化蛋白质，而这些蛋白质或许可作为治病药物之用。
coherent [koˋhɪrənt] adj.  前后连贯的，有条理的 【反】muddled, incoherent
Curry… impressed Clinton with his ability to fashion a coherent policy message that synthesized the often conflicting interests of the party’s traditional and moderate wings.
(TIME, June 5, 1995, p.22)
科里就是有这个本事，能够把党内保守派、温和派往往都各不相让的利益结合在一起，做出一份有条有理的政策报告，令克林顿大为赞赏。
█ fashion v. 制作 synthesize v. 综合，合成
conciliatory [kənˋsɪlɪəˏtɔrɪ] adj. 有和解之意的
The executive director of the Christian Coalition told a prominent Jewish audience, in a conciliatory speech, that calling the U.S. a “Christian nation” is wrong…
(TIME, Apr.17, 1995, p.13)
在一场有意化解对立的演讲中，基督教联盟的执行主席告诉台下那群犹太名流说，将美国叫做“基督教国家”是不对的。
conscious [ˋkɑnʃəs] adj. 意识到……的 【同】aware
Times Books recently announced that it will publish a book of socially-conscious poetry by former President Jimmy Carter. (TIME, July 18, 1994, p.9)
时代图书公司最近宣布，将出版一本由前总统卡特所写的社会关怀的诗集。
conventional [kənˋvɛnʃənl] adj. 传统的，一般的，普通的 【同】traditional 【反】unconventional
The voice-recognition technology will not be on conventional desktop computers only; it will be available in any sort of electronic information processing device. (TIME, July 17, 1995, p.44)
语音识别技术不仅将运用于一般的台式电脑，任何电子信息处理装置都用得上。
critical [ˋkrɪtɪkl] adj. 重大的，据关键地位的 【同】crucial
“We have only the foggiest idea,” the independent daily Segodnya complained last week, “who is actually at the helm in this country, who is making the critical decisions.”
(TIME, Jan.9, 1995, p.50)
立场独立的《塞戈尼亚日报》上周抱怨说：“谁是真正的国家领导者？谁做出重大决策？我们所知甚少。”
█ foggy adj. 模糊的，朦胧的
crucial [ˋkruʃəl] adj. 关键的，重大的 【同】critical
Understanding social cues, creating works of art and spawning inventions are all crucial mental tasks that bear little relationship to how well a person can fill in a printed test form.
(TIME, Sept. 11, 1995, p.60)
许多重要的心智活动，像理解一些社交上的暗示，创造艺术品，孕育新发明，其实都和填写考卷的能力没什么关系。
cunning [ˋkʌnɪŋ] adj. 狡猾的，精明的 【同】crafty
Perhaps the most cunning Disney trick is to take fairy tales in the public domain and reinvent them as corporate property. A billion-dollar example is Beauty and the Beast…
(TIME, May 2, 1994, p.72)
迪斯尼公司最精明的盘算，或许就是将童话故事搬上大众舞台，且将其改头换面，成为公司资产。耗资10亿美元排成的《美女与野兽》就是个例子。
dazzling [dæzəlɪŋ] adj. 令人目眩神移的【同】stunning
With computers doubling in speed and power every couple of years and with genetic engineering’s dazzling feats growing more and more routine, the battered American faith in technologic progress has been growing stronger and giddier of late. (TIME, May 27, 1996, p.67)
随着电脑的速度与功能每两年就增加一倍，基因工程领域中惊人的成就变得司空见惯，美国人在科技发展方面备受打击的信心，近年来已逐渐增强，并有异常乐观的趋势。
█ batter v. 连番猛击，毒打
dedicated [ˈdedɪkeɪtɪd] adj. 专注的
In Singapore, dedicated Net users are planning to maintain unfettered access by junping borders and dialing services in neighboring Malaysia. (TIME, Sept.23, 1996, p.27)
新加坡的网络迷正计划跨越国界，使用领国马来西亚的拨号服务，以确保网络上的自由使用权。
desperate [ˋdɛspərət] adj. 迫切的
Bereft of patrons, desperate to rescue his economy, Fidel Castro turns to an unusual solution:…
(TIME, Feb.20, 1995, p.50)
由于资助断绝，而又急于挽救该国经济，卡斯特罗转而求助于一项罕见的解救之道：……
█ to be bereft of 丧失（希望、喜悦等）
determined [dɪˈtɜːmɪnd] adj. 坚定的
Author Joe Kane came across a determined priest, a Spaniard who had spent years teaching a tribe of hunter gatherers, the Huaorani, how to survive outside their rainforest habitat.
(TIME, Mar.25, 1996, p.70)
作家乔·卡内遇到一名性格坚毅的西班牙籍教士，这名教士花了好几年时间教给华欧拉尼族人离开世居的雨林区之后的生存之道。华欧拉尼族以狩猎，采集为生。
disastrous [dɪzˋæstrəs] adj. 灾情惨重的 【同】terrible
The Kobe quake was only slightly bigger than the Northridge tremor but more disastrous.
(TIME, Jan.30, 1995, p.34)
神户地震的规模仅稍大于诺斯里奇地震，造成的灾情却严重得多。
distinct [dɪˋstɪŋkt] adj. 不易混淆的，独特的
Many scientists consider the Khoisan a distinct race of very ancient organ.
(TIME, Jan.16, 1995, p.54)
许多科学家认为（南非）克瓦桑族是一支独特的民族，渊源非常久远。
dominant [ˋdɑmənənt] adj. 主宰的，强势的 【同】pre-eminent
Now as then, the splintering of a Saddam-less Iraq would leave Iran the dominant gulf power, an unpalatable solution. (TIME, Sept.23, 1996, p.35)
现在的情况和当时相同，没有萨达姆·侯赛因的伊拉克会四分五裂，波斯湾就只剩伊朗称霸，这种解决方案令人无法接受。
█ splinter v. 使分裂； unpalatable adj. 不好吃的，令人不快的
doomed [dumd] adj. ① 注定的，命定的
He started at the top, of course, but the fact that he is staying there has frustrated the popular wisdom that an early front runner is doomed to fall. (TIME, June 5, 195, p.29)
他一开始就领先，这时理所当然的事，但让一般人不解的是，他此后一直保持领先，因为一般人都认为刚开始当选希望最大的人最后必定会败下阵来。
█ wisdom n. 看法； front runner 比赛中最有可能夺标的人
adj. ② 注定要失败或毁灭的，劫数难逃的
At the beginning of May 1945 it was clear to even the most zealous of Hitler’s followers that his “Thousand Year Reich” was doomed. (TIME, May 15, 1995, p.52)
1945年5月初，即使是希特勒最狂热的支持者，也都明白“千年帝国”已是劫数难逃。
drastic [ˋdræstɪk] adj. 剧烈的 【同】radical
The New Deal welfare safety net installed in the 1930s and augmented in the Great Society programs of the 1960s has been hauled off for the kind of drastic restitching that France, Germany, Italy and Sweden have been laboring over for the past year or more. (TIME, Aug.12, 1996, p.25)
“新政”在1930年代大张社会福利安全网，到了1060年代又因“伟大社会”的各项计划而更为扩大，如今这张安全网已经取下，准备大肆缝补，就像一年多来法国、德国、意大利与瑞典这些国家大费周章所做的修补一样。
█ augment v. 扩大，加强； to haul off 撤下； restitching n. 重新缝补
eccentric [ɪkˋsɛntrɪk] adj. 特立独行的，行为怪异的 【同】odd
The eccentric, fact-based best seller Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil sparks a rush to see where it all took place. (TIME, Apr.3, 1995, p.79)
这本风格特异、根据真人实事改编的畅销书《午夜的善恶花园》，激起一股人潮，涌向故事的发生地一探究竟。
elevated [ˋɛləˏvetɪd] adj. 崇高的
It turns out, however, that not every man who reached the pinnacle of American leadership was a gleaming example of self-awareness, empathy, impulse control and other qualities that mark an elevated EQ. (TIME, Oct.9, 1995, p.30)
然而，结果是，并非每个攀登到美国最高领导层的人都是具有自觉、有同理心，能克制冲动及其他高情商特指的闪光典范。
enduring [ɪnˈdurɪŋ] adj. 持久的
The plain, undecorated object, representing the enduring role art has played throughout China’s history, takes pride of place in the sumptuous Splendors of Imperial China, which opened last week at New York City Metropolitan Museum of Art. (TIME, Apr.1, 1996, p.47)
这件朴实、毫无雕琢的物品代表着艺术在中国历史上扮演的历久不衰的角色。上周在纽约大都会艺术博物馆开幕的“中国帝王瑰宝展”盛展中，这件物品展示在最主要的位置。
█ to take pride of place （在一组事物中）被视为最重要的；
sumptuous adj. 豪华的，昂贵的
explicit [ɪkˋsplɪsɪt] adj. 明白表示的，直言的
But they won’t be able to filter the Internet. They’re explicit about that.
(TIME, Feb.17, 1997, p.46)
但是他们无法滤到国际互联网，这点他们已明白表示。

地板，六楼，持续更新~~

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formidable [ˋfɔrmɪdəbl] adj. （敌人）但对付的。（工作）艰难的
“Perot as kingmaker, ” he says tactfully, “is a more formidable proposition than Perot as candate.”
他委婉地说道：“佩罗替人抬轿助选，要比他自己出来参选更难缠。”
█ kingmaker n. 有权使人当选者
   proposition n. （口语）要对付或注意的事物
fragile [ˋfrædʒəl] adj. （情势）脆弱的，禁不起外力冲击的 【同】unstable
A revenue-generating franchise is the most fragile thing in the world … No matter how good your product, you are only 18 months away from failure. 世界上最不可靠的，莫过于来自特许经销权的收入。产品再好，也只有18个月免于淘汰的安全期。
futile [ˋfjutl] adj. 徒劳无功的，白费力气的 【同】pointless
Indeed, for all the world’s governments, … attempts to control the global flow of electro-information are not only futile but counter productive as well.
试图控制电子资讯的全球流动，不仅枉然而且会带来副作用，对世界各国政府而言，这是毋庸置疑的事。
genuine [ˋdʒɛnjʊɪn] adj. 1.真的，非伪造的；2.真诚的，非伪装的
【同】1.real 2.sincere 【反】fake
It is a challenge to portray a forsaken woman in a way that evokes genuine sympathy; but Stevens manages. 把弃妇描写得令人由衷生起恻隐之心，不是件易事，但史蒂文斯做到了。
hefty [ˋhɛftɪ] adj. 重大的，猛烈的
Chow Yun Fat is angling for Hollywood stardom; this time next year he could be in any of three hefty action films. 周润发正设法到好莱坞摘星，明年此时，他可能已在拍3部火爆动作片中的一部。
█ angle v. 钓鱼；
   to angle for…指（用暗示、手段、诡计等）谋取，博取；
   stardom n. 明星的地位或身份
hostile [ˋhɑstl] adj. 带敌意的 【同】antagonistic 【反】receptive
Unlike most baseball-playing countries, Cuba has no professional league to cream off its top talent, and hostile relations with Washington keep its elite from migrating to the U.S. major league.
(TIME, Feb.5, 1996, p.13)
古巴与大部分棒球国家不同，它没有职业棒球联盟，所以不愁顶尖高手被挖角。它与华盛顿交恶，所以棒球精英也不会移民去打美国甲级联盟。
█ to cream off…挑出（最好的部分），提取（精华）
immense [ɪˋmɛns] adj. 巨大的 【同】enormous
His influence in the 1980s was so immense that Taiwanese distributors once asked a Hong Kong director if there was a role in a film for Chow Yun-fat, and if there wasn’t, they’d commit to a deal. 周润发在80年代的影响力非常大，过去台湾的片商曾问某香港导演，某部电影中有没有周润发的角色，如果没有，他们要求替他写一个角色进去，否则生意免谈。
█ to commit (oneself) to…答应，保证
imminent [ˋɪmənənt] adj. 迫近的，即将发生的
The time will come when the U.S. will subside to become but one of many Great Powers. It is inevitable, but it is not imminent. 美国终有一日会衰退成众多强权中的一员。那是必然的，可是却不会很快来临。
█ subside v. 消退
inaugural [ɪnˋɔɡjərəl] adj. 就职的
After the oath, he gave an inaugural address designed to reach out to all Americans, to rally the nation to work together for a great common future. 宣誓后，他发表了以全体美国人为对象的就职演说，呼吁全体国人团结起来，为大家伟大的未来一起努力。
intact [] adj. 完好如初的 【同】in one piece
But psychologists, psychiatrists and other scientists are bitterly divided over the idea that the memory of repeated abuse can be completely wiped out and then recovered, virtually intact.
但一再受虐的遭遇是否可自记忆中完全排除，进而完全康复，与受害前几乎没有两样，对这一点在心理学家、精神学家和其他科学家中存在着巨大的分歧。
lingering [lɪŋgərɪŋ] adj. 流连不去的
What remains largely unspoken is the lingering hope that such a mission might experience, somewhere beneath the desolate Martian surface, a close encounter with organisms that are alive today.而尚未说出口的宿愿，就是希望这一项任务可以在火星荒芜的地表下，与现在还活着的生物进行近距离接触。
mean [min] adj. 卑劣的
This bill is mean. It is downright low-down. What does it profit a great nation to conquer the world, only to lose its soul? 这个提案太卑鄙了，简直是无耻透顶。这么打大的国家如果失去了灵魂，就算征服了全世界又有什么用？
█ downright adv. 十足地，彻头彻尾的；low-down adj. （口语）低贱的，卑鄙的
obscure [əbˋskjʊr] adj. 默默无闻的 【同】unknown
He’d met Marc Andreessen, who as an undergraduate programmer had helped create the then obscure browsing software Mosaic, which made it easy to navigate the World Wide Web.
他和马克·安德里森见了面，安德里森在大学读电脑时，帮忙设计了当时尚默默无闻的“马赛克”浏览软件，可在万维网中轻松寻找资讯。
obsolete [ˋɑbsəˏlit] adj. 落伍的，过时的 【同】outdated
Indeed, your average computer is virtually obsolete by the time it is skipped from the factory to the retail store. 实际上，一般的电脑从工厂送到零售店的时候，可以说已经过时了。
ominous [ˋɑmənəs] adj. 不吉祥的，不详的 【同】meanacing
Observers are not surprised that business is flourishing despite the ominous political situation.
尽管政治形势恶劣，观察家对经贸如此蓬勃发展并不意外。
ostensibly [ɑsˋtɛnsəblɪ] adv. 表面上
At 3:33 a.m., it touched down at Marseilles, ostensibly for a refueling stop.
凌晨3点33分，这艘船停靠马赛港，表面上是为了添加燃料。
outspoken [aʊtˋspokən] adj. 率直的，不客气的 【同】forthright
When he (Magic Johnson) tried to make a comeback in the fall of ’92, the fears of some outspoken N.B.A. players forced him to call it off. 1992年秋季魔术师的约翰逊想重返N.B.A.，但由于一些直言不讳的球员（怕被染上艾滋病），使他打消了这个念头。
█ comeback n. 东山再起，卷土重来
pending [ˋpɛndɪŋ] adj. 审理中的，悬而未决的；即将发生的
According the chairman, there are dozens of suits pending against the company.
根据该总裁的说法，该公司现有数十个正审理中的官司缠身。
perpetual [pɚˋpɛtʃʊəl] adj. 永久的 【同】permanent continual
California, locked in a perpetual automotive smog, requires that by 2003, 10% of the cars offered for sale in the state produce zero emissions
为永久不散的汽车污染烟雾所苦的加利福尼亚州，强制要求在公元2003年前，在州内销售的汽车有10%完全不排放废气。
persistent [] adj. 固执的，顽固的
A small but persistent group of critics, many of them supported by the oil and coal industries, still don’t buy it.
有一群人数不多但固执己见的批评者，还是不信这一套，这些人中有很多受到是由业主和煤矿业主的支持。
persuasive [pɚˋswesɪv] adj. 有说服力的
Could it be that religious faith has some direct influence on physiology and health? Harvard’s Herbert Benson is probably the most persuasive proponent of this view.
宗教信仰可能对生理和健康有直接的影响？哈佛的赫伯特·本森大概是这理论最具说服力的提倡者。
pervasive [pɚˋvesɪv] adj. 遍布的
The local U.S. attorney, Eddie Jordan, has called corruption in the (police) department “pervasive, rampant and systemic.”
当地的美国律师乔丹就曾说过，该警察局内“贪污成风，非常猖獗，而且整个警局已成贪污共同体。”
█ systemic adj. （毒物、疾病等）影响全身的
phony [fonɪ] adj. 伪造的
A police raid on a Tokyo trading company netted 2000 pieces of counterfeit Nike merchandise, including phony Air Maxes. (TIME, Oct.7, 1996, p.12)
警方突袭东京一贸易公司，搜出2000件耐克产品的赝品，其中包括Air Maxes运动鞋的仿冒品。
█ net v. 捕获； counterfeit adj. 伪造的
poignant [ˋpɔɪnjənt] adj. 尖刻的，切中要害的；辛酸感人的 【同】moving
That’s sort of a poignant irony. 那段话有点尖刻的讽刺味。
█ to be sort of 有几分，有点……
preliminary [prɪˋlɪməˏnɛrɪ] adj. 初步的
The American Society of Travel Agents said in a preliminary estimate that as many as 10000 of its 25000 members could be put out of business. 美国旅行社协会初步判断，该协会2.5万家会员社中可能有1万家得关门。
primary [ˋpraɪˏmɛrɪ] adj. 最初的，原始的，主要的
Sigmund Freud dismissed religious mysticism as “infantile helplessness” and “regression to primary narcissism.” (TIME, June 24, 1996, p.39)
弗洛伊德曾将宗教神秘主义斥为“幼稚的无能”和“退化到原始的自恋”。
█ regression n. 倒退、退化
profound [prəˋfaʊnd] adj. 1. 重大的，深刻的 2. （理念、作品、人）深奥的，思想渊博的
【同】 1. great 2. deep 【反】shallow
By creating breakthroughs in agriculture and disease-fighting, the manipulation of DNA should lead to profound improvements in human health. 通过在农业与疾病防治方面的突破，对DNA的控制应能大幅度改善人类健康状况。
prominent [ˋprɑmənənt] adj. 著名的，杰出的 【同】well-known
Abe Lincoln was a prominent railroad lawyer in 1860, but he campaigned for the White House as the simple Midwestern rail-splitter.
1860年，林肯已是代理铁路诉讼案的名律师，却仅以中西部伐木工人的身份，出马竞选总统。
radical [ˋrædɪkl] adj. 1. 彻底的； 2. 根本的，基本的；3. 基金的
【同】fundamental 【反】conservative  reactionary
More than at any other time in the past 25 years, men are living in a state of radical disconnection from the women-and-children part of the human race. 去25年来，男人完全脱离妇女儿童而独自居住的情形以目前最为严重。
rebel [ˋrɛbl] adj. 背叛的 n. 叛军 v. 反叛
Yeltsin ruled out direct peace talks with rebel leader Jokhar Dudayev. 叶利钦决定不与叛军领袖杜达耶夫举行和平谈判。
█ to rule out 拒绝考虑，排除
reckless [ˋrɛklɪs] adj. 鲁莽的，不顾后果的
Sports equipment designed to make football safer encouraged more reckless moves and ended up making the sport more dangerous than unpadded, unhelmeted rugby.
美式橄榄球的护具本在保护球员，现在反而鼓励球员更不顾后果横冲直撞，结果使得美式橄榄球比起不用护垫与头盔的英式橄榄球更危险。
█ to end up 结果变成
reminiscent (of) [ˏrɛməˋnɪsnt] adj. 使人想起……的
Last week 21 orphans and 13 Red Cross workers trying to guard them were murdered: in a scene reminiscent of Nazi Germany. the children were picked out of a group of 500 simply because they looked like Tutsi. 上周21名婴儿和试图保护这些婴儿的13名红十字会工作人员遭到杀害，那种情景——在500人的群体中，小孩只因为长得像图西族，就被挑出来杀害——令人想起纳粹德国。

Repetition and learning by heart is a tough process. Don't give up. Keep going, everybody.

Merry Christmas！thank u very much!

renowned [rɪˋˈnaund] adj. 著名的
With his boyish face and slender build, he (David Ho) could more easily pass for a teenager than for a 44-year-old father of three ---- or, for that matter, for a world-renowned scientist.
(TIME, Dec.30, 1996/ Jan.6, 1997, p.24)
娃娃脸和瘦瘦的身材，使何大一看起来更像是个青少年，而不像一位44岁，育有3名子女的父亲，更不像是世界知名的科学家。
rugged [ˋrʌɡɪd] adj. 崎岖不平的，多岩石的；（人）体格粗壮的，个性坚毅的
The man had previously completed (Army Ranger) training in rugged forest, desert and mountain terrains. (TIME, Feb.27, 1995, p.11)
这些人先前已在崎岖不平的森林、沙漠和山区受过陆军突击部队的全部训练。
savage [ˋsævɪdʒ] adj. 野蛮的，残暴的 【同】vicious
And the old soldiers, rows of military medals pinned to their civilian clothes, are reminiscing about the war, the friends they lost and the savage, tragic history of the country they saved.
(TIME, May 8, 1995, p.78)
而这些老兵，便服上别了一排排的军功章，正在追忆战争、失去的友人，以及他们所拯救的这个国家一页页残暴的苦难史。
█ reminisce v. 回想，追忆
sensible [ˋsɛnsəbl] adj. 合理的明智的
“Sensible” is not the criterion for a placard. (TIME, Mar.13, 1995, p.31)
“是否合理”并非是评判宣传标语好坏的标准。
█ criterion n. (批评，判断，检验事务的)标准
sensitive [ˋsɛnsətɪv] adj. 敏感的，细腻的
The following year, Woo’s A Better Tomorrow … introduced Chow Yun-fat as the sullen, brutal antihero and Cheung as his sensitive counterpart. (TIME, Jan.29, 1996, p.40)
第二年，在吴宇森的《英雄本色》中，周润发以郁郁寡欢、凶残的反英雄形象出现，相对的，与他演对手戏的张国荣则扮演性情敏感的角色。
shrewd [ʃrud] adj. 敏锐的，有洞察力的
Mailer’s research and his shrewd eye lead him to believe …that Oswald did kill Kennedy and that …he acted alone. (TIME, May 1, 1995, p.94)
梅勒经过研究，加上敏锐的观察，认为奥斯瓦尔德的确是杀害肯尼迪的凶手，而且凶手只有他一人。
significant [] adj. 重大的，影响深远的 【同】important 【反】insignificant
The President’s ambition to stand taller in the world faces one significant U.S. made handicap: brutal cutbacks in funding American foreign policy. (TIME, Nov.18, 1996, p.30)
克林顿总统雄心勃勃，想在世界舞台上更加昂首阔步，却面临美国自己制造出来的一个重大障碍：国会不会留情面，删减了美国外交经费。
sluggish [ˋslʌɡɪʃ] adj. 迟缓的，不景气的
The Paris-based OECD predicted a sluggish rate of growth in 1994 for the G-7 leading industrialized countries. (TIME, Jan.3, 1994, p.17)
总部设在巴黎的经济合作开发组织预测，1994年七大工业国的经济增长率会趋于迟缓。
sophisticated [səˋfɪstɪˏketɪd] adj.
1. (技术、产品)尖端的，先进的；2. （人）老于世故的；3. （人）精通的、老练的
【同】1. advanced 2. refined 【反】unsophisticated
Once the calling of wild-eye Cassandras and 19th century writers and social scientists on the radical fringe, long-range forecasting has become a sophisticated and quite profitable industry.
(TIME, July 15, 1996, p.38)
这种“长远预测”的工作，从前专属于眼神狂乱的预言家，在19世纪是激进的非主流作家和社会学家，如今则成为先进工业，而且利润相当高。
█ calling n. 职业；
Cassandra对凶事提出预警，但不见信于人者。Cassandra为希腊神话中特洛伊国王之女，阿波罗为取得她的芳心，赋予她预言的能力，后来因求爱不遂又下令人们不准信其预言；
fringe n. （处于）边缘，远离核心的位置，较不受重视的地位
staggering [ˋstæɡərɪŋ] adj. 令人惊愕的 【同】astounding
The Pope’s literary output is staggering. His letters, sermons and speeches fill nearly 150 volumes.
(TIME, Dec.26, 1996, p.60)
教皇的著作多得令人吃惊，信件、布道词、演讲共计近150卷。
strapped (for cash) [ˋstræpt] adj. 身无分文的，阮囊羞涩的
Because of reduced oil prices and Gulf War debt, Saudi Arabia is so strapped for cash that it barely met the deadline for its latest $375 million payment on its U.S. weapons contracts.
(TIME, Mar.14, 1994, p.21)
由于油价下跌，加上海湾战争时所背负的债务，沙特阿拉伯已是国库空虚，几乎无力按照与美国签订的武器购买合同，如期支付最近一笔3.75亿美元。
subject (to) [ˋsʌbdʒɪkt] adj. 受……支配的，受……影响的
Offers of assistance from 60 countries, the U.N. and the World Health Organization poured in. Some were subject to endless bureaucratic wrangling. (TIME, Feb.6, 1995, p.15)
来自60个国家、联合国、世界卫生组织的援助大量涌入，但有些援助却受制于该国官场里无穷无尽的争执。
█ wrangling n. 争论、争执
substantial [səbˋstænʃəl] adj. 大量的，重大的【同】significant 【反】insubstantial
In 1994, when he was 23, he plowed his substantial savings into creating WARP, to develop and publish video games. (TIME, Apr. 14, 1997, p.35)
1994年他23岁时，他投入大笔的积蓄创立了WARP公司，用以开发发行电脑游戏。
█ to plow into: 投（资本）入
subtle [ˋsʌtl] adj. 隐晦的，不明显的，难以捉摸的 【反】blatant  obvious
Even when it seems beyond the reach of any one government, electronic information can be controlled, in ways both subtle and obvious. (TIME, Aug.19, 1996, p.52)
表面上看来电子资讯好像任何政府都管不了，其实还是可以控制，控制的手法有些隐蔽，有些则很明显。
sweeping [swipɪŋ] adj. 全面的，大规模的，影响深远的 【同】far-reaching
A House subcommittee…will vote next week on the Smoke-Free Environment Act, perhaps the most sweeping antismoking legislation Congress has ever seriously considered.
(TIME, Apr.18, 1994, p.58)
众议院一分组委员会将于下周就《无烟害环境法案》进行投票，这项法案是国会有史以来最看重的禁烟法案，也可能是最全面的禁烟法案。
tangible [ˋtændʒəbl] adj. 可触到的，有形的
In fact, compared with more tangible assaults on the President’s character—namely Paula Jones’ pending sexual-harassment lawsuit and the federal investigation into Whitewater—words in a book can barely hurt him. (TIME, Feb.13, 1995, p.27)
事实上，比起那些对总统人格更具体的抨击——如宝拉·琼斯所提、正审理中的性骚扰案和联邦着手调查的白水案——一本书的用词对他几乎不具杀伤力。
thriving [ˋθraɪvɪŋ] adj. 兴盛的
Most countries offer few opportunities for female soccer players, but Norway has a thriving women’s professional league, and the U.S. a burgeoning co-ed youth soccer movement.
(TIME, June 3, 1996, p.17)
大部分国家的女足队员比赛机会不多，但挪威有蓬勃的女足职业联盟，而美国的青年男女混合足球运动正快速发展。
█ co-ed adj. 男女皆收的，为coeducational之略
tremendous [trɪˋmɛndəs] adj. 巨大的 【同】enormous
Some 65 million years ago, a comet or asteroid at least five miles wide struck the earth and blasted out a tremendous crater. (TIME, Jan.9, 1995, p.59)
大约6500万年前，一颗宽至少5英里的彗星或小行星撞上了地球，并在地表炸出了一个大洞。
tricky [ˋtrɪkɪ] adj. 棘手的 【同】awkward
Getting in and out of the fast lanes is always tricky even today. It will be even trickier when you have to change lanes and hand off control to the computer at the same time.
(TIME, Nov.4, 1996, p.53)
即使在今天，进出快车道仍然需要技巧；更棘手的是，变换车道的同时还得把车子的控制权交给电脑。
unanimous [juˋnænəməs] adj. 意见一致的
The 1993 Supreme Court decision was not unanimous. (TIME, Feb.6, 1995, p.66)
1993年最高法院的判决并非在各大法官意见一致的情况下做出。
unprecedented [ʌnˋprɛsəˏdɛntɪd] adj. 史无前例的
In an unprecedented move, Zedillo chose a member of the opposition party as Attorney General.
(TIME, May 29, 1995, p.40)
塞迪约破天荒挑选了一位反对党人士出任司法部长。
urgent [ˋədʒənt] adj. 紧急的 【同】pressing
All this suggests that sumo, the institution, is in urgent need of its of its own purification.
(TIME, Sept.30, 1996, p.28)
这一切都表示，相扑界自清迫在眉睫。
venerable [ˋvɛnərəbl] adj. 受人尊敬的
You could almost say this venerable institution with its great credibility and history has been infiltrated slowly by the type of people it was not intended to deal with.
(TIME, Dec.12, 1994, p.64)
甚至可以这么说，这个极受信赖、拥有光荣历史而备受尊重的机构，已遭到它所不愿与之打交道之流人物的慢慢渗入。
█ infiltrate v. 使渗入，渗透
vigorous [ˋvɪɡərəs] adj. 精力旺盛的，充满活力的 【同】dynamic
It’s a signal as well that the U.S. economy may be starting to slacken after one of its most vigorous years in a decade. (TIME, Feb.6, 1995, p.49)
这也显示，美国经济在经历10年来相当繁荣的一年之后，可能正开始衰退。
█ slacken v. 减缓，减弱
volatile [ˋvɑlənˏtɛrɪ] adj. 善变的 【同】unstable
When properly combined, three volatile elements generate American celebrity: the media, the public and the spinmeisters who manipulate them. (TIME, June 26, 1995, p.30)
下面这3个善变的因素，如果搭配得好，就可以让人在美国名声大噪，这3个因素就是媒体、公众及操纵媒体与公众的形象包装高手。
█ spinmeister n. spin和meister的复合字。spin指（对某著作、政策、形式或事件）给予新的解读或扭曲（以营造对作者或政治人物有利的局面，如良好的公众形象）；meister是德文，同英文的master（高手、能手）。两个字合起来就是指善于利用媒体以塑造良好公众形象的人，类似spin doctor（指党对媒体的发言人，替政治人物等处理媒体问题的顾问）。
voluntary [ˋvɑlənˏtɛrɪ] adj. 志愿的，自愿的 【反】obligatory
It has been 16 months since Australia’s Northern Territory became the first place in the world to legalize voluntary euthanasia. (TIME, Oct.7, 1996, p.39)
自从澳大利亚的北方区成为世界上第一个将自愿安乐死合法化的地方，至今已有16个月了。
vulnerable [ˋvʌlnərəbl] adj. 易受伤的，脆弱的
The long time lag between the weapons’ arrival and the Bosnians’ training would leave them extremely vulnerable to snap Serb offensives… (TIME, Oct.10, 1994, p.44)
在武器运达之后和波斯尼亚人受训练熟悉装备之前，有一段长长的空挡，这期间他们根本经不起塞尔维亚人的突袭。
█ lag n. （时间之间的）空挡

这些词还行。