1998 text 1（1）

Few creations of big technology capture the imagination like giant dams. Perhaps it is humankind’s long suffering at the mercy of flood and drought that makes the idea of forcing the waters to do our bidding so fascinating. But to be fascinated is also, sometimes, to be blind. Several giant dam projects threaten to do more harm than good.

 

 few det.adj.不多，很少，几个，一些 pron.很少人/物，一些人/物

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 capture v.捕获，俘虏；赢得

capture the imagination 激发想象力

capture one’s attention 引起某人的注意

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 giant adj.巨大的，伟大的 n.巨人，伟人；大公司

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dam n.水坝，河堤 vt.在河上筑坝；阻止，抑制

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humankind n.人类

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mercy n.仁慈，宽恕；幸运，恩惠

at the mercy of sb./sth. = under the control of = completely in the power of 任由某人/物摆布，受到某人/物支配

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flood n.洪水

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drought n.干旱

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force v.用武力迫使，强行移动，使发生 n.武力；部队；影响强大的事物

force sb. to do sth. 强迫某人做某事

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bid v.吩咐；竞价，投标

bidding n.命令

do one’s bidding 听从某人的吩咐，按照某人的意愿从事

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make sth. so adj. 使某物如此…

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fascinate v.使入迷，着迷

fascinating adj.令人入迷的

fascinated adj.着迷的

fascination n.入迷，着迷

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blind adj.盲目的，视而不见的 v.使变瞎，使失去判断力

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threaten v.威胁；预示（坏事），可能发生（坏事）

threaten to do 预示某事发生，预示出现某种情况；威胁要…，扬言要…

threaten sb. with sth. 以某物威胁某人

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do more harm than good 弊大于利