MUSE VOCABULARY

prefix¹ = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> 

Secrets to vocabulary

 

　Now we'll give you an example of how easy and effective our word power system is. For each word we'll be doing these four steps that you’ll do on your own.

　One, I’ll pronounce and spell the new word. Be sure to repeat the pronunciation after me so that you have it right. Two, I'lldefine the word. Three, for some of the words I’ll explain the origin and the meaning of the root when it’s useful. I'll give their prefix and its meaning as well as the suffix². Four, I’ll use the word in several or more sentences.

　We've already talked about the word circumspect³. That means cautious, watchful⁴, to look around before taking action. Here's another one you've probably seen and heard: proprietary⁵, p-r-o-p-r-i-e-t-a-r-y. Remember to repeat the pronunciation after me: proprietary. The basic meaning of proprietary is privately⁶ owned and it’s usually associated with products manufactured, sold and patented by a particular firm. Let's use it in a sentence: “Pharmaceutical⁷ companies introduced new proprietary drugs,” or “a computer company might develop proprietary software.

　Our third word is syndrome⁸, s-y-n-d-r-o-m-e. Syndrome is a pattern or a set of symptoms characterizing an abnormal state. If you've done any jogging, possibly you’ve heard of runner's knee syndrome; or countries with financial problems may have a dangerous syndrome of high inflation. Here's a clue to remembering it. The Greek prefix syn, s-y-n, means together and the root dramon in Greek means to run. So think of syndrome as a series of several small streams of trouble all eventually running together to form a big river of troubles. Other words with this prefix syn meaning together are syndicate, synthesis, synergy.

　 The fourth word is one that has to do with prestige and status. It's cachet, c-a-c-h-e-t. In my book I said that a Rolls Royce, designer clothes or Tiffany jewelry⁹ are a few of the expensive status symbols in our society that confer a sense of cachet on the person who owns them; prestige or status. Cachet is something many people work very hard at getting and in some circles it's more important than money. Here's a memory tip. If you can cash a check-this is a plan the word cachet-if you can cash a check in the best restaurants, you obviously have a good deal of prestige.

　Parameter¹⁰, p-a-r-a-m-e-t-e-r, is our fifth word. Parameter. Parameter used to be strictly¹¹ a scientific word of relative measurement, but in recent years it's gone public so to speak and we the public use it in a sense of a guideline or criterion. For example, One of the government's parameters¹² of foreign policy,” or “At the Board of Directors meeting, Paul asked about the company's marketing¹³ parameters, guidelines or criteria¹⁴.” The prefix para, p-a-r-a, which means along side of is found in other words such as paralegal or paramilitary. In parameter, the element meter, m-e-t-e-r, comes from the Greek metron, m-e-t-r-o-n, a measuring stick. So parameter is literally¹⁵ a measuring stick along side of what is being measured. Be sure not to make the mistakes that many people do to confuse parameter with perimeter¹⁶. Perimeter is the outer edge of a boundary. Perimeter and parameter are two very different words.

　Gregarious¹⁷ Mary is both a politician and a poet. The anomaly in her personality is that she is both outgoing and circumspect. She embraces an ambition for the cachet of a potent¹⁸ vocabulary with which she can adroitly¹⁹ confound her political opponents and additionally she can express her ideas in the form of blank verse. When running for election, she uses the subterfuge²⁰ of repudiating²¹ her opponents with pejorative²² comments about their abilities to comprehend the parameters of public policy. One might say that her opponents display a syndrome called being tongue-tied. In her work as a poet, she has developed an almost proprietary style of writing in which the verbal images have an asymmetric²³ quality that impress the readers with their uniqueness. Extrapolating from our description, you can imagine that Mary's nemesis²⁴ is conformity²⁵. Her mastery of vocabulary is striking and memorable²⁶.

 

单词小博士

学习英语词汇的窍门

 

　 现在，我们举个例子，看看我们的词汇学习方法是如何轻而易举，同时又富有成效的。每个单词，我们都会分四个步骤，你们也可以同样采用这四个步骤。

　 首先，我会把单词的发音念一遍，并拼出来。你要跟着我念单词，这样你就能发准音。第二步，我会给单词下定义。第三步，我会解释一些单词的来历，以及有用的词根。我还会告诉你单词的前缀、后缀和它们的意思。第四步，我会把单词用在句子里。

　 我们已经讨论过circumspect这个单词了（见《疯狂英语》21期），它的意思是cautious, watchful, to look around before taking action(谨慎的，慎重的，在采取行动前向周围看)。下面这个单词你可能已经听过了：proprietary, p-r-o-p-r-i-e-t-a-r-y。现在，跟着我念这个单词, proprietary。这个单词最基本的意思是privately owned（私有的），它常与某一个公司生产、销售或受专利保护的产品有关。我们现在把它用在句子里∶Pharmaceutical companies introduced new proprietary drugs. （医药公司推出了新的专利药品。）A computer company might develop proprietary software. （一个电脑公司会研制新的专卖软件。）Proprietary是以拉丁文“proprius”，p-r-o-p-r-i-u-s，为基础发展而来的，它的意思是for one person（一个人的），因此，我们又有了另一个字proprietor，这是a storeowner（一个业主）的意思。

   第三个单词是syndrome，s-y-n-d-r-o-m-e。Syndrome是a pattern or a set of symptoms characterizing an abnormal state（显示非正常状态的一个模式或一组症状）的意思。如果你曾进行慢跑锻炼，你就有可能听说过跑步膝关节综合症，或者出现金融问题的国家可能会有高通胀的危险征候。给你们一个记忆的窍门。来自希腊语的前缀syn，s-y-n，是together（一起）的意思，而来自希腊语的词根dramon是to run（跑）的意思。所以，你可以这样想：一系列的不同问题的小溪流渐渐汇集，形成了一条有各种问题的大河。还有另外一些单词与syn（一起）这个前缀有关，如syndicate（财团）， synthesis（意义正确但不符合语法规则的句子结构），和synergy(协同作用)。

　 第四个单词与声望和地位有关。这就是cachet, c-a-c-h-e-t。我说过，在我们这个社会，劳斯莱斯、名师设计的服装或者说蒂法尼珠宝是昂贵的身份象征的几个代表，它们给主人带来的是prestige（声望）或status（地位，身份）的标记。Cachet是很多人奋斗的目标，在一些小圈子里，它比金钱更加重要。记忆窍门：如果你能……你可以这样用cachet这个字，如果你能够在最有名望的饭店把支票兑成现金，不用说，你是一个有很高声望的人。

　 第五个单词是parameter, p-a-r-a-m-e-t-e-r。Parameter本来完全是一个量度的科学用语，但近年来，这个单词已经大众化，在某种意义上，我们把它看作a guideline（准则）或criterion（标准）的意思。例：One of the government’s parameters of foreign policy. （政府在对外政策上的一条准则。）或At the Board of Directors meeting, Paul asked about the company’s marketing parameters, guidelines or criteria. （在董事会上，保罗询问公司市场开发的决定性因素，也就是准则或准。）。前缀para, p-a-r-a，是along side of（在……一旁）的意思，同样的前缀还可以在paralegal（辅助律师业务的）或paramilitary（辅助军事的）中见到。在parameter一词中，meter, m-e-t-e-r，来自希腊语的metron，m-e-t-r-o-n，是a measuring stick（测量尺度）的意思。因此，papameter也就是a measuring stick along side of what is being measured（被测量物体旁的测量尺度）的意思。但不要学大多数人那样把parameter与perimeter混为一体。Perimeter是边界的外缘。Perimeter和parameter是两个不同的单词。

　 喜欢与人相处的玛丽既是一个政客，又是一名诗人。她性格中不同寻常之处是她又为人直爽，却又小心谨慎。一方面，她信奉巧妙运用有力的语汇来击败她的政治对手，另一方面，她能用无韵诗来表达她的意见和想法。在竞选时，她使用贬损性的语言驳斥对手在对公共政策准则理解方面的无能。也许你可以说她的对手们都变得张口结舌了。在作为一个诗人时，她已形成了一种自己独特的写作风格，她那种文字的非对称性特征给读者留下深刻印象。从我们的描述中，你可以知道对玛丽的惩罚就是雷同。她运用词汇的熟练程度是非常出众和令人难忘的。

1 prefix   

n.前缀；vt.加…作为前缀；置于前面

参考例句：

• We prefix "Mr."to a man's name.我们在男士的姓名前加“先生”。
• In the word "unimportant ","un-" is a prefix.在单词“unimportant”中“un”是前缀。

2 suffix   

n.后缀；vt.添后缀

参考例句：

• We add the suffix "ly" to make the adjective "quick" into the adverb " quickly ".我们在形容词“ quick”后加“ly” 构成副词“quickly”。
• It described the meaning of suffix array and also how to built it.它描述的含义，后缀数组以及如何建立它。

3 circumspect   

adj.慎重的，谨慎的

参考例句：

• She is very circumspect when dealing with strangers.她与陌生人打交道时十分谨慎。
• He was very circumspect in his financial affairs.他对于自己的财务十分细心。

4 watchful   

adj.注意的，警惕的

参考例句：

• The children played under the watchful eye of their father.孩子们在父亲的小心照看下玩耍。
• It is important that health organizations remain watchful.卫生组织保持警惕是极为重要的。

5 proprietary   

n.所有权，所有的；独占的；业主

参考例句：

• We had to take action to protect the proprietary technology.我们必须采取措施保护专利技术。
• Proprietary right is the foundation of jus rerem.所有权是物权法之根基。

6 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

7 pharmaceutical   

adj.药学的，药物的；药用的，药剂师的

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a pharmaceutical laboratory.她捐款成立了一个药剂实验室。
• We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.我们正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。

8 syndrome   

n.综合病症；并存特性

参考例句：

• The Institute says that an unidentified virus is to blame for the syndrome. 该研究所表示,引起这种综合症的是一种尚未确认的病毒。
• Results indicated that 11 fetuses had Down syndrome. 结果表明有11个胎儿患有唐氏综合征。

9 jewelry   

n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝

参考例句：

• The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
• Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。

10 parameter   

n.参数，参量

参考例句：

• It is the parameter of distribution.这就是分布参数。
• One parameter which always comes into play is the national economy.国民经济是一个经常起作用的参量。

11 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

12 parameters   

因素，特征； 界限； （限定性的）因素( parameter的名词复数 )； 参量； 参项； 决定因素

参考例句：

• We have to work within the parameters of time. 我们的工作受时间所限。
• See parameters.cpp for a compilable example. This is part of the Spirit distribution. 可编译例子见parameters.cpp.这是Spirit分发包的组成部分。

13 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

14 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。

15 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

16 perimeter   

n.周边，周长，周界

参考例句：

• The river marks the eastern perimeter of our land.这条河标示我们的土地东面的边界。
• Drinks in hands,they wandered around the perimeter of the ball field.他们手里拿着饮料在球场周围漫不经心地遛跶。

17 gregarious   

adj.群居的，喜好群居的

参考例句：

• These animals are highly gregarious.这些动物非常喜欢群居。
• They are gregarious birds and feed in flocks.它们是群居鸟类，会集群觅食。

18 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

19 adroitly   

adv.熟练地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He displayed the cigarette holder grandly on every occasion and had learned to manipulate it adroitly. 他学会了一套用手灵巧地摆弄烟嘴的动作，一有机会就要拿它炫耀一番。 来自辞典例句
• The waitress passes a fine menu to Molly who orders dishes adroitly. 女服务生捧来菜单递给茉莉，后者轻车熟路地点菜。 来自互联网

20 subterfuge   

n.诡计；藉口

参考例句：

• European carping over the phraseology represented a mixture of hypocrisy and subterfuge.欧洲在措词上找岔子的做法既虚伪又狡诈。
• The Independents tried hard to swallow the wretched subterfuge.独立党的党员们硬着头皮想把这一拙劣的托词信以为真。

21 repudiating   

v.（正式地）否认( repudiate的现在分词 )；拒绝接受；拒绝与…往来；拒不履行（法律义务）

参考例句：

• Instead of repudiating what he had done, he gloried in it. 他不但没有否定自己做过的事，反而引以为荣。 来自辞典例句
• He accused the government of tearing up(ie repudiating)the negotiated agreement. 他控告政府撕毁（不履行）协议。 来自互联网

22 pejorative   

adj.贬低的，轻蔑的

参考例句：

• In the context of ethnic tourism,commercialization often has a pejorative connotation.摘要在民族旅游语境中，商品化经常带有贬义色彩。
• But news organizations also should make every effort to keep the discussion civil and to discourage the dissemination of falsehoods or pejorat

23 asymmetric   

a.不对称的

参考例句：

• Most people's faces are asymmetric. 大多数人的脸不对称。
• We have made no reference to asymmetric carbon atoms. 我们未曾涉及不对称碳原子。

24 nemesis   

n.给以报应者，复仇者，难以对付的敌手

参考例句：

• Uncritical trust is my nemesis.盲目的相信一切害了我自己。
• Inward suffering is the worst of Nemesis.内心的痛苦是最厉害的惩罚。

25 conformity   

n.一致，遵从，顺从

参考例句：

• Was his action in conformity with the law?他的行动是否合法？
• The plan was made in conformity with his views.计划仍按他的意见制定。

26 memorable   

adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的

参考例句：

• This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
• The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。