Unit 11 The Story of an Eyewitness Words and Expressions综合教程四.doc

UNIT 11 THE STORY OF AN EYEWITNESS Words and Expressions conflagration: n. an extensive fire which destroys a great deal of land or property e.g. A conflagration in 1947 reduced 90 percent of the houses to ashes. Towards evening the conflagration was got under. wrought：beaten out or shaped by hammering e.g. wrought iron熟铁 a carefully wrought plan. 一项精心制定的计划 wipe out: v. kill in large numbers or eliminate completely and without a trace e.g. The local administration is determined to wipe out insect pests and plant diseases. The plague once could wipe out a village. 鼠疫曾一度可以夺走整个村庄村民的生命。 nabob: n. a person of conspicuous wealth, status and power e.g. The old nabob left the world with nothing like anyone else. Synonym: big boy, big cheese, big wheel, bigwig, fat cat, heavy, heavy hitter, heavyweight, high-muck-a-muck, kingfish, kingpin, big shot, nawab fringe: n. (often the fringes) the outer, marginal, or extreme part of an area, group, or sphere of activity e.g. They have to live in rural-urban fringe . 他们不得不住在城乡结合部。 They live on the western fringe of London. lurid: a. very vivid in colour, esp. so as to create an unpleasantly harsh or unnatural effect e.g. lurid colours 鲜明的色彩 lurid details of the accident 这次事故惊人的细节 ghetto: n. a part of a city, esp. a slum area, occupied by a minority group or groups e.g. This is a realistic novel about ghetto life. 这是一部描写贫民窟生活的现实主义小说。 The district is now largely a black ghetto. debris: n. [U] scattered pieces of rubbish or remains e.g. The sea tided the ship debris ashore. The blast sent flaming debris into the air. 爆炸产生的碎片四散。 contrivance: v. a thing which is created skillfully and inventively to serve a particular purpose e.g. a mechanical contrivance 机械发明 an automatic contrivance 自动装置 Derivation: contrive v. make or work out a plan for; devise e.g. Can you contrive to be there by six? He can always contrive ways to amuse