一、词汇短语

1. fossil fuel: a fuel such as coal or oil that is

produced by the very gradual decaying

of animals or plants over millions of years

化石燃料

2. curtailment [] n. formal reducing or

limiting something减少，缩减，削减，限制：Our ability topay has fallen, government of all kinds is faced with serious curtailment of

income.我们的支付能力下降，各级政府面临收入的严重萎缩。

3.oblivion ] n. the state of being unconscious or of not noticing

what is happening无感觉（知觉）的状态；

漠视：be buried in oblivion湮没 无闻

4.biofuel []n. a substance made from plant

or animal waste that can be used to produce heat or power生物反馈

5. ethanol [] n.technical ethyl alcohol乙醇

6. switchgrass [] n. a tall North American

panic grass which forms large clumps柳枝

7. dogged [] adj. dogged behavior shows

that you are very determined to continue doing something 坚持不懈的，顽强的，不屈不挠的：

Although he’s less talented, he won by sheer dogged persistence.他虽然天赋不高，但全凭坚韧的毅力赢得了胜利。

8.indestructible [] adj. too strong to be

destroyed不可摧毀的，坚不可摧的：Furniture for young children needs to be

indestructible.幼儿用的家具须不易损坏。

9.indefensible []adj.too bad to be excused

or defended不可原谅的，无法辩解的：an

indefensible assumption站不住脚的假设

10. insanity [] n.very stupid actions that

may cause serious harm极端愚蠢的行为：

If he were insane, he was a very cool and collected insanity.如果他发了疯，他也是个非常冷静和镇定的疯子。

11.delusion [] n.a false belief about yourself or the situation you are in 错觉；妄想：

It is a delusion from first to last.这是彻头彻尾的妄想。

12. prodigal [adj. spending money, wasting time, etc. in a careless way浪费的，挥霍的；奢侈的：

Prodigal habits die hard.大手大脚的习惯很难改掉。

13 obscure [] v.to make something difficult

to know or understand搞混，使难理解：Trees obscured his vision; he couldn't see much of the square's southern half.树木遮住了他的视线，他不怎么看得见广场南半部。

14. contradiction []n. a difference between

two statements, beliefs, or ideas about

something that means they cannot both be true.(说法、信念、观求的相互)矛盾，不一致

15.unbridled ] adj. not controlled and too

extreme or violent放纵的，不受控制的；激烈的：

But now he and Han Dan cried with

unbridled joy.但这一次，他和韩丹无拘无束

快乐地叫了起来。

16. cutting-edge n. the newest and most

exciting stage in the development of

something（某事物发展的）尖端，最前沿

17. conversion [] n. the process of changing something from one form, purpose, or system to a different  one 转变；改造；转换；换算

18. tax credit n. a sum deducted from the

total amount a taxpayer has to pay 税收抵

免

19. cliche [I n. an idea of phrase that has

been used so much that it is not effective or does not have any meaning any longer陈词滥调，老生常谈，老套：

The old cliche is certainly true: the bigger car do mean bigger profits.

有句老话倒的确说得不假：车大利大。

20. speculation []n. when you guess about

the possible causes or effects of something

without knowing all the facts猜测，推测：

As a matter of fact,this was purely newspaper gossip and speculation.事实上,这纯粹是报纸上的闲谈和推测。

21. contraption [] n. a piece of equipment

or machinery that looks funny, strange, and unlikely to work well奇怪的机械装置，怪模

怪样的玩意儿：

You ssem to be having trouble with that contraption.你好象不大会摆弄那个新鲜玩艺儿。

22.rote [] n. the process of learning

something by repeating it until you remember it rather than by understanding

the meaning of it老一套的，例行的，常规的learn by rote死记硬背

23. temperance [] n. sensible control of the

things you say and do自我克制，节制

24.thrift [] n.wise and careful use of money, so that none is wasted节省，节检：Industry and thrift favor success.

勤劳和节俭有助于成功。

25. reconcile [] v. if you reconcile two ideas,

situations, or facts, you find a way in which they can both be true or acceptable使和谐一致；调和；协调：

All along she had felt it difficult to reconcile the two ideas, of her father and a blood-shedder.她一直觉得很难把她的父亲和杀人犯联系起来。

26. apprehension [] n.anxiety about the

future, especially about dealing with something unpleasant or difficult（对未来的）忧虑，担心：

Elizabeth was in an agony apprehension.伊丽莎白处于一种极度的忧虑中。

27. claustrophobia [] n.a strong fear of

being in a small enclosed space or in a situation that limits what you can do

幽闭恐惧症：

Being in lifts gives me claustrophobia.乘电梯时，我总感到浑身不自在。

28. credo []n. a formal statement of the

beliefs of a particular person, group, religion,etc.教义，信条：

That “Honesty is the best policy” is his credo for dealing.“诚实乃上策”是他做生意的信条。

29. crowning [ladj. used to describe

something that makes something complete or perfect, or is the best feature of something 使圆满的；使完美的：the crowning moment of my life我一生中最光荣的时刻

30.cult [] n. an extreme religious group

that is not part of an established religion

异教，邪教

31. minimalism n. a style of art, design,

music, etc. that uses only a very few simple ideas orpatterns（美术、设计、音乐等的）极简主义

32.minimization []n. the practice of

making something seem less serious or import than it really is 使显得不

重要，轻视：risk minimization风险极小化33.unencumbered， adj not having or

carrying anything heavy or anything that makes you go more slowly无负担的，没有

阻碍的，不受妨碍的

inherited an unencumbered estate继承了不承担义务的不动产

34. reverence [] n. great respect and

admiration for someone or something 尊敬，崇敬：

As I close the book, love and reverence possess me.当我读论掩卷的时候，一种爱慕与崇敬之情使我不能自已。

35. accountability [] n.taking responsibility

for the effects of your actions and being willin explain or be criticized for them负起责任；承担责任

36. self-subordination n. the practice of

putting oneself in a less important position

将自己放在次要地位

37.autistic [] adj. suffering from autism (a

mental disorder that makes people unable to communicate properly or to form relationships)

患孤独症的，自闭的：

Both Greg and Alice are OK. How did the baby end up autistic?格雷格和爱丽丝都好好的啊，他们的小孩怎么会自闭呢？

38. fantasy [】 n.an idea or belief that is

based only on imagination, not on real

facts空想，幻想的信念

39. plunder [] v.to use up all or most of

the supplies of something ina careless way胡乱耗尽，将滥用殆尽：

Unlicensed fishermen have plundered tuna stocks.无证渔民将剩下的金枪鱼捕捞一空。

40.pillage [] n. stealing things from a place

or religion, especially in a war,using violence 抢劫；掠夺：land ravaged by pillage and rapine遭劫掠蹂躏的国土

41.outsmart []v.to gain an advantage

over someone using tricks or your intelligence 比更精明，智胜：

We outsmarted them and got there first by taking a shorter route.我们比他们机灵，抄近道先到了。

42.homeopathy[n. a system of medicine in which a disease is treated by giving extremely small amounts of a substance

43.impulse: a sudden strong desire to do something without thinking about whether it is sensible

44.selfhood: the quality or state of being an individual separate from others

45.ransack: to search thoroughly; to examine closely and carefully (there is a negative sense here of disregard)

46.assuage: (literary) to make an unpleasant feecling less painful or severe

47.Lucifer: the prince of devils

48.in compensation for: serving as a payment for

49. subdevil: a lower ranking devil

50.Mephistophilis: Mephistophilis is a devil who serves Lucifer, the prince of devils. Using Mephistophilis as a messenger, Faustus strikes a deal with Lucifer

51.nominally: existing or being something in name or form only

52.tut: (interjection) used to express disapproval or disbelief

53.pageant: an organized public show, often performed outdoors, where people dress in decorated or unusual clothes

54.filial: of or relating to, or befitting a son or daughter

55.within bounds: within the limits of what is possible or acceptable

56. surfeit: (formal) an amount of something that is too large or that is more than you need

57.folly: (formal) a very stupid thing to do, especially one that is likely to have serious results

58.recourse: a turning to someone or something for help or protection; a source of help or strength

59. at a/the minimum: the least possible; used to say that if nothing else is done,this one thing should be done

60.as late as something: used to express surprise that something considered old-fashioned was still happening so recently

e.g. Capital punishment was still used in Britain as late as the 1950s.

61.wittingly: done deliberately, intentional

62.vanguard: the leading position

63.domesticity:Domestic activities or life. Here in this essay, the writer uses the word to mean coping with domestic affairs or problems.

64.leverage: to provide (as corporation) or supplement (as money) with leverage (the use of credit to enhance one's capacity to speculate); to borrow money expecting to make more money than the cost of the interest

65.acreage: area in acres, acres

66.gigantism: development to abnormally large size

67.solace: a feeling of emotional comfort at a time of great sadness or disappointment

68.unremittingly: (formal) continuing for a long time and not likely to stop; ceaselessly

69.peak oil: Peak oil is the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached, after which the rate of production enters terminal decline.

70.viable: that can work successfully