新科學家精讀：你厭倦了談論氣候變化嗎？（一）

THE annual melt of Arctic ice is under way, and this year』s may be the biggest ever. Its starting point is the most shrunken ice cap since satellite records began. By the middle of September the ice will have retreated to the shorelines of Greenland and Canada, leaving vast expanses of open water in the Arctic Ocean. It will not be many more years until the Arctic is ice-free in summer .

This, of course, is not news. Nor is the fact that the US is about to renege on its climate change commitments, again.

One of the problems with reporting climate science and politics is fatigue. Everybody already knows the broad brushstrokes of the story and the news – if there is any – is rarely good. Prospects for change appear minimal.

Word & Expression

1. under way

航行中；進行中；在行進

The party was well under way when there was a knock at the door.聚會正順利進行時聽到有個敲門聲。

2. shrunken

1) ① adj. 縮小的，縮攏的

② v. 收縮，縮短（shrink的過去分詞）

Every country is trying to grab a bigger slice of a shrunken market.每個國家都在設法從縮小的市場上分得更大一杯羹。【口語】

2) 同義替換：wasted, emaciated, withered, contracted

3. cap

1) ① n. 帽子；蓋

② vi. 脫帽致意

③ vt. 覆蓋；勝過；給…戴帽；加蓋於

He placed his cap and overcoat on a chair.他把帽子和大衣擱在一張椅子上。

2) 搭配：cap in hand畢恭畢敬地；謙恭地

4. retreat

1) ① n. 撤退；休息寓所；撤退

② vi. 撤退；退避；向後傾

③ vt. 使後退；退（棋）

He went into retreat at his country home to escape the attention of the media. 他回到鄉下的家靜居以避開媒體的注意。(go into retreat 去靜養)

2) 同義替換：withdraw, leave, departure, evacuation, refuge, shelter

3) 搭配：retreat from放棄；退出

5. shoreline

n. 海〔湖〕濱線;海〔湖〕岸線

Parts of the shoreline are oiled to a heavy degree.部分海岸線原油污染嚴重。

6. vast

1) adj. 巨大的, 廣大的, 廣闊的, 大量的

The difference between development and production is vast. 開發與生產之間有著巨大的差異。

2) 同義替換：massive, huge, enormous, gigantic, immense, cosmic, infinite, titanic, immeasurable, measureless

3) 搭配：① a man of vast reading學識淵博的人【口語】

② a vast expanse of desert一望無際的沙漠

7. expanse

n. 廣闊的區域；寬闊；蒼天；膨脹擴張

A vast expanse of golden crops lay before us.我們眼前展現出一大片金黃色的莊稼。

8. renege

1) vi. 違約,食言

The government had reneged on its election promises.政府已經違背了競選諾言。

2) 搭配：renege on sth違背（諾言）；背信棄義；食言

9. fatigue

1) ① n. 疲勞，疲乏；雜役

② vt. 使疲勞；使心智衰弱

③ vi. 疲勞

④ adj. 疲勞的

She had to stop work when fatigue set in. 疲勞時，她不得不停止工作。(set in固定；停當；漲潮；進來)

10. broad

adj. 寬的,廣的;胸襟開闊的;不詳細的

His job gave him an acquaintance with an unusually broad spectrum of society. 他的工作讓他接觸了異常廣闊的社會面。

11. brushstroke

n. 一筆,一畫,繪畫的技巧; 繪畫

Their brushstroke techniques and creative painting methods had a tremendous impact on painters of later times.他們的筆墨技巧和表現手法，以及對意境的創造，對後世有很大影響。【口語】

12. prospect

1) ① n. 景象;前景; 前途;可能成為主顧的人; 有希望的候選人

② vi. 勘探; 勘察

This position offers a good starting salary and excellent promotion prospects. 這一職位起薪不錯， 而且有極好的晉陞機會。

2) 同義替換：scene, vision, outlook, hope, possibility, expectation, likelihood, probability

3) 搭配：bright prospect光明的前景，輝煌的前程

13. minimal

1) adj. 〈正式〉最小的; 極少的

The novel shows minimal concern for narrative movement.小說對敘述情節進展一點也不在意。

2) 同義替換：negligible, trifling, slight, nominal, insignificant, marginal, least, smallest, minimum

But even for those with climate fatigue, the scale and speed of events in the Arctic still have the power to shock and dismay. Ditto the arrogance and recklessness of the Trump administration』s climate policies. The two are closely connected: without comprehensive, rapid global action, there is zero chance of preventing irreversible change in the Arctic that may bring catastrophe to the rest of the world.

Again, you have probably heard it all before. But the alternative is to stop talking about it, which plays directly into the hands of those who oppose action. Little suits them better than a bored and disengaged public.

While we are on the topic of not-news, have you heard the one about the antibiotic crisis? For years, if not decades, medics have been warning that overuse is driving up resistance, threatening to propel us back to a pre-penicillin age when common bacterial infections could be fatal.

Word & Expression

1. dismay

1) ① n. 沮喪，灰心；驚慌

② vt. 使驚慌；使沮喪

Louise stared at the torn letter in dismay. 路易斯沮喪地盯著撕成碎片的信。(in dismay沮喪地【口語】)

2) 同義替換：disappoint, sadden, depress, perturb, discourage

2. ditto(認識即可)

① n. 同上；同上符號；很相似的人或物

② vt. 重複；照抄

③ adv. 同上地

④ adj. 相似的

She dittoed my argument.她重複了我的論點。

3. arrogance

1) n. 傲慢;自大;自負

Arrogance arrested his progress.驕傲阻礙了他的進步。

2) 同義替換：conceit, egotism, pride, overconfidence

4. recklessness

1) n. 魯莽,輕率,不顧一切

Recklessness invites disaster.粗心大意招致災難。

2) 同義替換：irresponsibility, wildness, thoughtlessness, carelessness, hast, rashness

5. comprehensive

1) adj. 廣泛的, 綜合的

A comprehensive description is one that is full and complete.一篇詳盡的描寫就是一篇充實完整的描寫。

2) 同義替換：complete, inclusive, full, wide-ranging, broad, ample, widespread

3) 搭配：① comprehensive development全面發展【寫作】

② improve the comprehensive quality提高綜合素質【寫作】

6. irreversible

1) ① adj. 不可更改的;不可挽回的,不可反轉的

② n. 不可更改;不可挽回,不可反轉

③ adv. 不可更改地;不可挽回地,不可反轉地

Technology has had an irreversible impact on society.技術已對社會產生不可逆轉的影響。

2) 同義替換：irreparable, permanent, irretrievable, irrevocable, unalterable, irremediable

3) ir-表否定，一般加在r開頭的單詞前

irregular不穩定的

7. catastrophe

1) n. 災禍, 災難

We had a few catastrophes with the food for the party. 我們在準備聚會的食物時出了一些大問題。【口語】

2) 同義替換：disaster, calamity, upheaval, devastation, ruin, misfortune, tragedy

8. alternative

1) ① adj.可供替代的；非傳統的；另類的

② n. 可供選擇的事物

we have to seek alternatives to fossil fuel.我們必須尋求化石燃料的替代物。(seek alternative to尋找…的替代物)

2) 同義替換：replacement, substitute, option, choice; other, another, different, unusual, unconventional

9. play into the hands of

使別人佔便宜；干對某人有利的事；給予人可乘之機

Cuba has always seen critical reporting as playing into the hands of its enemies.古巴一致認為批評性的報道是對敵人有利的事。(see…as把…看作，認為)

10. oppose

1) vt. & vi. 反對; 使相對

Once we have her children, Cersei will not dare oppose us.一旦我們有了瑟曦的孩子，她就不敢輕舉妄動。

2) 同義替換：resist, fight, contest, combat, counter, disagree with, dissent, dispute

11. disengage

1) ① vt. 分開, 分離;解開, 鬆開;釋放;使(部隊)脫離戰鬥

② vi. 脫離

I shall be disengaged on Friday afternoon.星期五下午我有空。

2) 同義替換：undo, unfasten, unlock, untie, uncouple, free, extricate, separate

3) 搭配：disengage from擺脫；解開

12. antibiotic

① n. <微>抗生素, 抗菌素

② adj. 抗生的；抗菌的

The antibiotics at last began to take effect.抗菌素最後終於發生效力了。(take effect奏效，生效)

13. drive up

抬高；加速傳動；起跨；開車趕到

Its pointless trying to drive up sales by advertising during an economic slowdown.經濟發展放緩時，想靠打廣告來促進銷售是徒勞的。(it』s pointless doing sth做某事是徒勞的)

14. resistance

1) n. 抵抗, 反抗, 抵抗能力;阻力;電阻, 熱阻

You need to build up your resistance to colds. 你需要增強對感冒的抵抗力。(build up建立,增進，加強，積累)

2) 同義替換：confrontation, fight, battle, struggle, conflict, opposition, challenge

3) 搭配：resistance to對……的抵抗

15. propel

1) vt. 推進；驅使；驅策；激勵

The dream will excite you, propel you forward and give meaning to your life.夢想會激勵你、鞭策著你向前，並賦予你生命的意義。

2) 同義替換：push, drive, force, boost, thrust, impel

16. pre-penicillin(認識即可)

前青黴素

17. fatal

1) adj. 致命的;災難性的;重大的, 決定性的

This short-sighted policy led to fatal results.這個目光短淺的政策導致了致命的後果。

2) 同義替換：deadly, lethal, incurable, terminal, mortal, final, serious, ruinous, disastrous, destructive

3) 搭配：fatal disease不治之症

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