【读书笔记】Scientific AmericanJanuary

Words and phrases

1.avian  adj:( technical 术语 ) of or connected with birds 鸟（类）的；关于鸟（类）的

2.raven 渡鸦

3.portentous adj:( literary) important as a sign or a warning of sth that is going to happen in the future, especially when it is sth unpleasant 预示（坏事）的；先兆的

    ◆ a portentous sign 不祥的征兆

4.an avian aficionado audience 一群鸟类爱好者

  aficionado n ：a person who likes a particular sport, activity or subject very much and knows a lot about it 酷爱…者；迷

5.bill sb/sth as sth ：to advertise or describe sb/sth in a particular way 把（某人或事物）宣传为…

   ◆ He was billed as the new Tom Cruise. 他被宣传为新汤姆 · 克鲁斯。

6.-dom  SUFFIX ( in nouns 构成名词 )

  1>the condition or state of （表示状况或状态）

      ◆ freedom 自由

   2> the rank of; an area ruled by （表示职位、地位、领域）

       ◆ kingdom 王国

   3> the group of （表示群体、集体）

        ◆ officialdom 官员

7.apprenticeship  [countable ,  uncountable ] a period of time working as an apprentice;a job as an apprentice 学徒期；学徒工作

8.composure  n [uncountable ] the state of being calm and in control of your feelings or behaviour 沉着；镇静；镇定

   ◆ to keep/lose/recover/regain your composure 保持╱失去╱恢复镇静

9.the prime meridian 本初子午线

10.prolific  adj

    1>(of an artist, a writer, etc. 艺术家、作家等 ) producing many works, etc. 多产的；创作丰富的

   ◆ a prolific author 多产的作家

    2> (of plants, animals, etc. 植物、动物等 ) producing a lot of fruit, flowers, young, etc. 丰硕的；多产的；多育的

11.clandestine  adj ( formal) done secretly or kept secret 暗中从事的；保密的；秘密的

    ◆ a clandestine meeting/relationship 秘密会议╱关系

12.a statutory crime 一个法定的犯罪

    statutory  adj [usually before noun ] fixed by law; that must be done by law 法定的；依法必须执行的

13.superannuated adj (of people or things 人或东西 )too old for work or to be used for their original purpose 年老不能工作的；陈旧不中用的；过时的

     ◆ superannuated rock stars 过气摇滚歌星

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Sentences:

1.Keeping a kingdom from falling, even apocryphally, must be exhausting.

    避免一个王国的灭亡，即使是虚构的，也一定是令人心力憔悴的事。

apocryphal  adj(of a story 传说 )well known, but probably not true 传闻但不足为凭的；虚构的