ra·tion·al adj. /ˈræʃnəl/

1.( of behaviour, ideas, etc. 行为、思想等 ) based on reason rather than emotions 合理的；理性的；明智的

•a rational argument/choice/decision 合理的论点╱选择╱决定

•rational analysis/thought 有道理的分析╱思考

•There is no rational explanation for his actions. 对他的所作所为无法作出合理的解释。

2.( of a person 人 ) able to think clearly and make decisions based on reason rather than emotions 理智的；清醒的

SYN reasonable

•No rational person would ever behave like that. 有头脑的人都不会这样做。

OPP irrational

DERIVATIVES 派生词

1.ra·tion·al·ity /ˌræʃəˈnæləti/ n. [ U]

· •the rationality of his argument 他的论点的合理性

2.ra·tion·al·ly /ˈræʃnəli/ adv.

· •to act/behave/think rationally 行动╱举止╱思考合情合理

· •She argued her case calmly and rationally. 她冷静而又理智地为她的情况辩解。

RECKON WITH SB/STH

(1) [ usually passive] to consider or treat sb/sth as a serious opponent, problem , etc. 重视；认真处理

· •They were already a political force to be reckoned with . 他们已经成为一支不容忽视的政治力量。

(2) ( usually used in negative sentences 通常用于否定句 ) to consider sth as a possible problem that you should be prepared for 把（可能出现的问题）考虑进去

SYN take sth into account

• [+ -ing]

•I didn't reckon with getting caught up in so much traffic. 我没有考虑到塞车会这么严重。

reck·on·ing n. /ˈrekənɪŋ/

1.[ UC] the act of calculating sth, especially in a way that is not very exact 估计；估算；计算

•By my reckoning you still owe me ￡5. 我算计着，你还欠我5英镑。

2.[ C] [ usually sing.U] a time when sb's actions will be judged to be right or wrong and they may be punished 最后审判日；算总账

•In the final reckoning truth is rewarded. 在最后算总账的时候，诚实的人会有好报。

•Officials concerned with environmental policy predict that a day of reckoning will come. 担心环境政策的官员们预言总有一天人们会受到报应。

IDIOMS 习语

• 1. IN/INTO/OUT OF THE ˈRECKONING

( especially BrE ) ( especially in sport 尤用于体育运动 ) among/not among those who are likely to win or be successful 有（或没有）获胜的可能

· reel /riːl/

|CET6 TEM4

reelingreeledreels

o 1.N-COUNT A reel is a cylindrical object around which you wrap something such as movie film, magnetic tape, or fishing line. 卷轴

• ...a 30-metre reel of cable.
…一卷30米长的电缆。

o 2.V to wind (cotton, thread, etc) onto a reel 绕上卷轴

o 3.V-I If someone reels, they move about in an unsteady way as if they are going to fall. 踉跄

• He was reeling a little. He must be very drunk.
他有点踉跄。他一定醉得很厉害。

o 4.V-I If you are reeling from a shock, you are feeling extremely surprised or upset because of it. 感到震惊; 心烦意乱

• I'm still reeling from the shock of hearing about it.
我现在仍然因为听到这个消息而震惊不已。

o 5.N a staggering or swaying motion or sensation 蹒跚的动作; 摇晃的动作

o 6.

V-I If you say that your brain or your mind is reeling, you mean that you are very confused because you have too many things to think about. 混乱

• His mind reeled at the question.
他的脑子被这个问题搅混了。

o 7.N any of various lively Scottish dances, such as the eightsome reel and foursome reel for a fixed number of couples who combine in square and circular formations (苏格兰)里尔舞; 由数量固定的一对对人编成方队和圆队表演

fret /fret/

( -tt- )

~ (about/over sth)( especially BrE ) to be worried or unhappy and not able to relax 苦恼；烦躁；焦虑不安

• [ V]

•Fretting about it won't help. 苦恼于事无补。

• •Her baby starts to fret as soon as she goes out of the room. 她一走出房间，婴儿就躁动起来。

[ also VNalso V that ]

low performers 表现不佳的员工

brace /breɪs/

1.~ sb/yourself (for sth)to prepare sb/yourself for sth difficult or unpleasant that is going to happen （为困难或坏事）使作准备；使防备

[ VN]

•UN troops are braced for more violence. 联合国部队准备应付更多的暴行。

•They are bracing themselves for a long legal battle. 他们在为漫长的法律诉讼作准备。

[ also VN to inf ]

2.[ VN] ~ sth/yourself (against sth)to press your body or part of your body firmly against sth in order to stop yourself from falling 使（身体或身体部位）顶住，抵住（ 以免跌倒等）

•They braced themselves against the wind. 他们顶着大风站稳。

3.[ VN] to contract the muscles in your body or part of your body before doing sth that is physically difficult （做费劲的事之前）绷紧（身体部位）的肌肉

•He stood with his legs and shoulders braced, ready to lift the weights. 他绷紧腿和肩膀站着，准备举起杠铃。

4.[ VN] ( technical 术语) to make sth stronger or more solid by supporting it with sth 加强；加固

•The roof was braced by lengths of timber. 屋顶用几根木头支撑固定住了。

dis·pro·por·tion·ate adj. /ˌdɪsprəˈpɔːʃənət/

~ (to sth) too large or too small when compared with sth else 不成比例的；不相称的；太大（或太小）的

• • The area contains a disproportionate number of young middle-class families. 此地年轻的中产阶级家庭特别多。

——compare proportionate

DERIVATIVES 派生词

dis·pro·por·tion·ately adv

• •The lower-paid spend a disproportionately large amount of their earnings on food. 低工资者将收入花在食物上的比例很大。

· augment /ɔːɡˈmɛnt/

|CET6+ TEM8

augmentingaugmentedaugments

o V-T To augment something means to make it larger, stronger, or more effective by adding something to it. 增加

• While searching for a way to augment the family income, she began making dolls.
为求增加家庭收入，她开始做起了玩具娃娃。

· underpin /ˌʌndəˈpɪn/

underpinningunderpinnedunderpins

o 1.V-T If one thing underpins another, it helps the other thing to continue or succeed by supporting and strengthening it. 支撑; 加固

• ...mystical themes that underpin all religions.
...支撑所有宗教的神话主题。

o 2.N-VAR undefined

• ...the economic underpinning of ancient Mexican society.
...古代墨西哥社会的经济基础。

staff·er n. /ˈstɑːfə(r)/

( NAmE ) a member of staff in a big organization （大机构）职员

down·trod·den adj. /ˈdaʊntrɒdn/

downtrodden people are treated so badly by the people with authority and power that they no longer have the energy or ability to fight back 受欺压的；被蹂躏的；被践踏的

ap·pease v.

/əˈpiːz/

( formal disapproving) [ VN]

1.to make sb calmer or less angry by giving them what they want 安抚；抚慰

•The move was widely seen as an attempt to appease critics of the regime. 普遍认为，这一举措是试图安抚批评政权的人。

2.to give a country what it wants in order to avoid war 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争）

DERIVATIVES 派生词

ap·pease·ment [ U] n

• •a policy of appeasement 绥靖政策

PHRASAL VERBS 短语动词

· 1.ˌTIGHTEN ˈUP (ON STH)

to become stricter or more careful 变得更加严格（或小心）

o •Laws on gambling have tightened up recently. 有关赌博的法律最近变得更加严厉。

o •The police are tightening up on under-age drinking. 警方正在采取更加严厉的措施对付未成年人饮酒的问题。

· trajectory /trəˈdʒɛktərɪ/

o 1.N-COUNT The trajectory of a moving object is the path that it follows as it moves. 抛物线

• ...the trajectory of an artillery shell.
...一枚炮弹的抛物线。

o 2.N-COUNT The trajectory of something such as a person's career is the course that it follows over time. 轨迹

• ...a relentlessly upward career trajectory.
...一个持续上升的职业轨迹。

· bleak /bliːk/

|CET6 TEM4

bleakerbleakest

o 1.ADJ If a situation is bleak, it is bad, and seems unlikely to improve. 黯淡的

• The immediate outlook remains bleak.
最近的前景依然很黯淡。

o 2.N-UNCOUNT 黯淡

• The continued bleakness of the American job market was blamed.
美国就业市场的持续低迷被认为是其根源。

o 3.ADJ If you describe a place as bleak, you mean that it looks cold, empty, and unattractive. 荒凉的

• The island's pretty bleak.
这个岛很荒凉。

o 4.ADJ When the weather is bleak, it is cold, dull, and unpleasant. 阴冷的

• The weather can be quite bleak on the coast.
沿海一带的天气可能会十分阴冷。

o 5.ADJ If someone looks or sounds bleak, they look or sound depressed, as if they have no hope or energy. 沮丧的

• His face was bleak.
他面容沮丧。

o 6.ADV 沮丧地

• "There is nothing left," she says bleakly.
“一点也不剩了，”她沮丧地说。

o 7.N any slender silvery European cyprinid fish of the genus Alburnus, esp A. lucidus, occurring in slow-flowing rivers 欧鲌鱼; 银鲤

· ominous /ˈɒmɪnəs/ |TEM8

o 1.ADJ If you describe something as ominous, you mean that it worries you because it makes you think that something bad is going to happen. 不祥的

• There was an ominous silence at the other end of the phone.
电话那端是一阵不祥的沉默。

o 2.ADV 不祥地

• The bar seemed ominously quiet.
那个酒吧似乎寂静得让人觉得不祥。

head-scratcher

noun

head-scratch·er ˈhed-ˌskra-chər

plural head-scratchers

informal :something that is confusing, mysterious, or hard to understand

We love college football for nothing if not the belief—hope even—that at any moment the unexpected could happen. Young as it is, this season has already provided its share of jaw-droppers and head-scratchers.—

headwind /ˈhɛdˌwɪnd/

|TEM4

o N-COUNT A headwind is a wind which blows in the direction opposite the one in which you are moving. 逆风