I wish to make a few general observations about your work so far.
对你们到目前为止的工作我想说一说总的看法。 Paz makes some observations about the role of the critic.
帕兹对批评家的作用作了一些评论。
2. [C, U] the process of watching sb. or sth. carefully for a period of time 观察；注意
During our observation of the rats, we made several new discoveries.
我们在对老鼠的观察中有了几项新发现。 He left by the back door to escape observation. 他从后门离去，避开了别人的注意。 choke
v. 1. become unable to speak because of a strong emotion 说不出话来
The surprise farewell party left them all choked up. 这一意外的告别聚会令他们激动得说不出话来。 She was choked with anger. 她气得说不出话来。
2. be unable to breathe properly, or be made unable to breathe properly （使）窒息；（使）呼吸困难 The smoke almost choked the fireman. 消防队员被烟熏得几乎透不过气来。 An elderly man choked to death in his home. 昨天一个老人在家因窒息而死。 parcel
n. [C] an object or collection of objects wrapped in paper, etc. so that they can be sent by post 包裹 a parcel of books tied with string 用绳子系住的一包书
Because it was her birthday she got several parcels and lots of cards.
因为过生日，她收到几个包裹和好多贺卡。 parrot n. [C] 鹦鹉
If you have not kept a pet parrot before, it would be wise to purchase a handbook on the subject.
如果你以前没养过宠物鹦鹉，最好买一本关于这方面的小册子。
This parrot will repeat anything and everything you say to it.
这个鹦鹉会重复你对它讲的任何话。 sportsman
n. [C] sb. who plays sport, esp. one who is good at it 运动员
He'll be remembered as a true sportsman.
人们将把他作为一名真正的运动员牢记在心中。 He is a very keen sportsman. 他非常热衷于运动。 skate
vi. move, dance, etc. on skates 溜冰，滑冰 The ice on the river is thick enough to skate on. 河上的冰足够厚，可以在上面滑冰。 She skates beautifully. 她溜冰的姿势很优美。 skater
n. [C] a person who skates 溜冰者，滑冰者 There are lots of skaters in the park today. 今天公园里有许多滑冰者。 He is a very skilled ice skater. 他是溜冰好手。
self-centered
a. only interested in oneself and one's own activities 自我为中心的，自私的
Robert is a self-centered, ambitious and bigoted man. 罗伯特自私、有野心，并且顽固。
I care about other people, I pay attention, and I'm not self-centered.
我关心他人，我很留心，不以自我为中心。 seal vt. (also seal up) close a container or space by covering it with sth. 封；密封
The windows have been sealed up for years. 这些窗户都已经封闭了许多年了。
He sealed the envelope and put a stamp on it. 他封上信封，然后贴上邮票。 on purpose
not by accident; deliberately 故意，特意 She did it on purpose, of course. 她当然是故意那样做的。
If you joke with him, he'll think you're insulting him on purpose.
如果你和他开玩笑，他会认为你在故意羞辱他。 cast out
make sb. leave a place, or refuse to accept sb. as part of a group 赶走，驱逐
He claimed to have the power to cast out demons. 他声称有能力驱鬼。
He was cast out of the upper society. 他为上流社会所摈弃。 speak highly of
express a good opinion of sb. or sth. 对...给予高度评价；赞扬
They spoke highly of his behavior. 他们对他的行为高度称赞。 She is very highly spoken of. 人们给予她非常高的评价。 seek out ind sb. or sth. by looking for them in a determined way 找到；找出
He managed to seek out his friend in the crowd. 他设法在人群中找出了自己的朋友。
The magazine is seeking out readers' opinions. 这本杂志正在征求读者的意见。 set forth
start a journey 出发，动身
Columbus set forth with three small ships. 哥伦布率领三只小船出发了。 It's getting late—time to set forth. 时间不早了──该出发了。 stretch out
1. lengthen sth. by pulling 拉长，伸长
She stretched out the rubber band to one meter long. 她把橡皮筋拉长到1米。
The negotiation process was stretched out to several months.
谈判过程延长到了好几个月。
2. lie down, usu. in order to relax or sleep 躺平；舒展 Just stretch out and relax on the bed while I cook dinner.
我去做晚餐, 你在床上躺好， 好好休息。 He stretched out on the grass. 他平躺在草地上。 back up
1. (cause to) block up （使）积压；（使）拥塞
The correspondence has been backing up for several days. 待处理的信件已积压了好几天。
Many vehicles were backed up at the crossroads because of the accident.
由于事故，很多车辆被堵在十字路口。 2. support sb., esp. in an argument 支持
Harry will back me up wholeheartedly as he used to. 哈里会像过去一样全心全意地支持我。
The policeman wouldn't have believed me if you hadn't backed me up.
如果你当时不支持我，警察是不会相信我的。 at length
1. for a long time and in great detail 长久地；详尽地 He talked at length about his work and family. 他详细地谈了他的工作和家庭。
We have already discussed this matter at length. 我们已详细讨论过这件事了。 2. after a long time 最终，终于
\no choice but to admit to it in case she had been seen at the apartment.
“是的，我见到过他，” 她终于说了，知道自己只能承认，怕万一有人曾看见过她在那个房间。 \ 她最终才说：“我不同意。” in line
in a row of people standing one behind the other while waiting for sth. （排）成一行，（排）成一队 You are not in line with the others. 你没有和别人排成一行。 The children stood in line. 孩子们站成一队。
settle down
become quiet and calm or make sb. do this （使）安定下来
He settled down to do his homework. 他安下心来做家庭作业。
When are you going to get married and settle down? 你打算什么时候成家，安定下来？ for the time being
for a short period of time from now, but not permanently 暂时，眼下
All is well, for the time being. 眼下一切顺利。
He wanted to stop but decided to continue for the time being.
他原想停止，但又决定暂且继续干下去。 might as well
used to suggest that sb. should do sth. because there is no good reason to do anything else 只好；还是...为好 I might as well go. 我最好还是去。
Since you can't win the race, you might as well quit. 既然你赢不了这场赛跑，倒不如退出比赛。 ■■unit7■■ genetics
n. [U] a branch of biology dealing with heredity and genetic variations 遗传学
Such work is considered essential in studying human genetics.
这种工作被认为在研究人类遗传学方面是很重要的。 Advances in molecular genetics have reinforced that view.
分子遗传学研究的进步进一步证实了那种观点。 superiority
n. [U] the quality of being better, more skillful, etc. than other people or things 优越（性）；优势
The top student was eager to display his superiority over the others.
那位优等生急于显示他强于他人的优势。 bias
vt. unfairly influence attitudes, choices, or decisions 使有偏见
We have argued that the broadcasting was biased toward the right wing and the government of today. 我们认为广播偏向于右翼和现政府。 The witness may be biased. 证人可能持有偏见。
n. [sing.] a tendency to consider sb. or sth. more favorably than others 偏见；成见
They are wondering whether bias in the news media contributed to the president's defeat.
他们正想知道是否是新闻媒体的倾向性导致了总统的失败。
There were fierce attacks on the BBC for alleged political bias.
对英国广播公司值得怀疑的政治倾向性提出了猛烈的攻击。
biased
a. preferring one person or thing to another 有偏见的；偏袒一方的
This is an obvious biased report. 这报道明显带有偏见。 to date until now 至今，直到现在
This is the biggest donation I've had to date. 这是到目前为止我所收到的最大一项捐赠。
To date, research on the application of the genetic map is very limited.
至今，对基因图应用的研究工作还是非常有限的。 nothing less than
used to emphasize how important or surprising sth. is; exactly 简直是；完全
Our aim is nothing less than to make China the best trained and educated nation in the world.
我们的目标就是要使中国成为世界上受到最好培训和教育的国家。
What was needed was nothing less than a new industrial revolution and a thriving market.
我们所需要的就是一场新的工业革命和一个繁荣的市场。
be confined to
be kept within certain limits 限制于，局限于
His concerns were not confined to property, housing and environmental questions.
他所关心的事不局限于财产、住房、环境等问题。 Criticism and debate should not be confined to academic circles.
批评和辩论不应该仅局限于学术界。 as of/from
starting from (the time stated) 从...起
As of now, cigarettes are banned in my house and all the offices.
从现在起，我的屋子和所有的办公室都禁止吸烟。 As of today, we do not believe that the declaration of a state of emergency would increase the flow of supplies. 从今天起，我们不相信宣布处于紧急状态会加大补给品的流量。
in effect in fact 事实上，实际上
In effect, the influence of this government was going down gradually.
事实上，这个政府的影响力正在逐渐下降。 The two economic systems are, in effect, identical. 这两种经济制度实际上一模一样。 in combination with together with 与...一起；共同
The new treatment can be used either alone or in combination with the traditional one.
这新疗法可单独使用，也可以和传统疗法结合使用。 The firm is working on a new product in combination with several overseas partners.
公司正在联合几家海外合伙人制造新产品。 be descended from
be related to sb. who lived long ago 为...的后裔
Wherever they are now, black people are descended from Africans.
无论黑人在哪儿，他们都是非洲人的后裔。 People say that she is descended from royalty. 人们说她是王室后裔。 ■■unit10■■
incorporate
vt. make sth. a part of sth. larger 纳入；使并入
Many of your suggestions have been incorporated in the plan.
你的很多建议已纳入计划中。
The new car design incorporated all the latest safety features.
新的汽车设计包括了所有新的安全配备。 trigger
vt. make sth. happen 使发生；引发
The two gunmen triggered a massive search when they fled in a stolen car and opened fire.
这两个枪手驾驶一辆偷来的车逃走并开了枪，引起了一场大范围的搜查。 sort through look for sth. among a lot of similar things, esp. when one arranges these things into an order 从...中查找
They sorted through the books and divided them into two lots.
他们整理了书籍，把它们分成两份儿。
I have been sorting through these old papers to see what can be thrown away.
我在整理这些旧文件，看看哪些可以扔掉。 aim at
intend or try to achieve sth. 旨在；力争达到
When he was in university, he was aiming at a scholarship.
上大学时，他努力想获得奖学金。
They're aiming at training everybody by the end of the year.
他们力求做到在年底前人人得到培训。 in the act of doing sth. while doing sth. 正在做某事
He turned and, in the act of rising, felt his hat being swept off his head.
他转过身，正要站起时，感到他的帽子从头上被吹走了。
He was caught in the act of stealing a car. 他偷汽车时被逮个正着。 take note of notice sth. 留意（到）；注意（到）
The government has taken note of objections. 该政府已经注意到反对意见。
But the names mean nothing to me because I only take note of the roles actors take in the play.
可是名字对我来说无所谓，因为我只注意演员们在戏中的角色。
set aside
save or keep money, time, etc. for a particular purpose 拨出；留出
Thus if you set aside 500 dollars per month, it would take two years to accumulate the minimum sum needed for your kid.
这样，如果你每月留出500美元，要两年才能攒到你小孩所需要的那笔钱的最低数额。
A special period of at least two weeks should be set aside solely for the purpose of carrying out an inspection. 要至少留出来两周的时间专门用于执行检查。 keep at it continue doing sth. 坚持
I keep at it—whatever it is—and don't give up too easily. 不管它是什么，我都会坚持干，不会轻易放弃。
We know it's easy to say, but you'll soon start to see and feel the benefits of dieting, providing you keep at it. 虽然我们知道说起来容易，但是只要你坚持，你不久就会看到并体会到节食的益处。
（歪诗协会整理）