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Unit 12
Ambition
After-Class Reading
PASSAGE I Hacker or Mike?[1]
There are two kinds of people in the world: those who play sports and those who excel at sports. The men I know who belong to the former group keep trying to join the latter group. We're unable to relinquish the fond hope that one day our aging limbs will miraculously become well coordinated.
Take me, for example. I play basketball. I know I'm not good but I can't stop. I've been bad for years. In grammar school[2], I actually went the wrong way on the court and took a shot at the wrong basket. (It didn't go in.) In high school, I was the sixth man on a five-man team. If any of the starters had been injured, they would probably have forfeited the game rather than put me in. In college, I played regular unofficial games with an odd assortment of varsity football and lacrosse players and once broke my right index finger; I think I stepped on it. I'm now nearly 35 years old and play with a group of over-40 lawyers on Thursday nights.
Basketball is the ultimate hacker sport. I can rebound and I can score occasionally, but I am basically a body in the free throw lane[3], the preferred hacker position. It is possible to have a career in the hacking game. The injuries you get are minor: broken noses, turned ankles, jammed fingers. Real athletes-and some of them do condescend to join us from time to time-always seem to have serious injuries. The two real athletes who play with us have injuries that are whispered about. Something is wrong with their Achilles tendon, or their eye sockets or their calf muscles[4]-something serious, we're not quite sure what.
A hacker can get away with the most outrageous stupid plays merely because he is doing what everyone expects of him. I seem to have a tendency for behind-the-back buffoonery. I once tried a behind-the-back pass that (surprise!) ended up in the hands of a person on the sidelines. Another time I received the ball down the court, jumped up uselessly and executed a nifty behind-the-back pass to no one.
Until recently, I was reconciled, more or less, to being mediocre for life. Then my wife, Christine, put the two of us on a fast-walking routine, and I started playing tennis every day. Suddenly, my hand-eye coordination got better and my legs got stronger. "I bet this will help your basketball game," said Christine.
She was right. I began to show signs of real talent. I acquired a feel for the game I never had before.[5] I made the right moves without thinking about them. I developed a shooter's touch. In one game, I took three consecutive shots from beyond the three-point line and made all three perfectly. Even before the last one went in, I turned and started running nonchalantly back up court. Hey. Be like Mike.
I'll never forget my best game. That feeling that nothing could go wrong for me started almost immediately. I had the ball to the right of the free throw lane with my back to the basket. Long Arms[6] was guarding me. I tried a hook shot[7]. I threw the ball against the backboard rather than arching it, but it went in. Everyone laughed, including me.
I went back on defense and Long Arms tried to go around me to shoot. I blocked his shot. He tried another one and I blocked it too. "I didn't think you'd get it," he said.
On offense again, I found myself ahead of the rest, dribbling the ball. I hesitated. When you're over six feet tall in the hack game, you're not expected to score very much and no one expects you to shoot much.[8] I dutifully passed the ball off, maneuvered into the free throw lane and scored off a pass back to me.[9] But the next time down, I felt confident.[10] I shot without hesitation and the ball swished in. Someone shouted, "Trash!"[11] It was the ultimate compliment-or at least I thought so until the end of the game when Corner Shooter asked me if I'd been to basketball school recently.
The next game started out the same way. I caught a rebound and made a basket. Then a pass came to the man I was guarding to the right of the free throw lane. I dove for it but I didn't get it. Something gave in my left calf.[12] I went down, and when I got up, I couldn't walk. Someone took my place. Corner Shooter brought me some ice. I had never had anyone bring me ice before. "You probably tore it," said Athlete One. I was thrilled. At last, a serious injury.
I was out for two weeks, and during that time all I could do was worry about whether I still was good. For my return, I sported an elastic bandage wrapped conspicuously around my calf.[13] Corner Shooter was impressed. "Nice," he said.
Back in my customary place near the basket, I felt good. Nothing had changed. The basket was mine. Less mobile New Guy edged into my territory. I was going to score-but I dropped the ball. A moment later, at the other side of the court, I brushed by my teammate, freeing myself from my opponents. I decided it was time to make my move. I loped down the court like a gazelle and took a shot. Air ball![14] I didn't even come near to the basket. "That was a pass," I joked.
Humbled, I fought for a rebound under the basket and went up for an easy shot. No problem. Clank! It banged off the rim, missing again.
So I look bad again. Actually, I am kind of relieved. I'm a hacker. Who can argue with destiny? Besides, I discovered early on in my temporary transformation that excellence isn't all that I had thought it would be. There's too much pressure.
Be like Mike? No thanks. I'd rather be like me. (1010 words)
Proper Name
Christine
(女子名)克里斯廷
New Words
arch
1) v. make a curved shape (使)成拱形
e.g. The cat arched its back when it saw the dog.
2) n. a curved top on two supports, e.g. under a bridge or a church roof or above a door or window 拱，拱门，拱形（结构）
e.g. Passing through the arch, you enter an open courtyard.
assortment
n. a miscellaneous collection of things or people 各种各样
backboard
n. an upright board behind the basket, off which the ball may rebound (篮球架上的)篮板
bandage
1) n. strip of material used for binding round a wound or an injury 绷带
e.g. I'm afraid you need a bandage to stop the bleeding.
2) v. bind (a part of the body) with a protective strip of material 用绷带扎缚
e.g. The doctors bandaged up his wounds.
buffoonery
n. behavior that is ridiculous but amusing 滑稽可笑的举动
clank
n. & v. (make) a short loud sound 发当啷声
condescend
v. do something that one regards as undignified or below one's level of importance 屈尊，俯就
e.g. When he condescended to speak, he contradicted himself three or four times in the space of half an hour.
consecutive
adj. following one after the other without interruption 连续的，连贯的
e.g. She got the first prize for three consecutive years.
conspicuously *
adv. easily seen, noticeably 明显地，惹人注目地
e.g. The temple's grand white arches rose conspicuously over the dirty decaying city.
dutifully *
adv. doing something one is expected to do 尽职地
e.g. The inspector dutifully recorded the date in a large red book.
elastic
adj.
1) (especially of material) able to stretch and be returned to its original shape or size 有弹性的，有弹力的
e.g. A lot of sportswear is made of very elastic materials.
2) able to change or be changed easily 灵活的，可伸缩的
e.g. In this country, where time is an elastic concept, there is no such thing as a timetable.
n. a type of rubber material that can stretch and then return to its usual length or size 橡皮圈，松紧带
e.g. His pants are held up with a piece of elastic round the waist.
excellence *
n. quality of being excellent 优秀，卓越，杰出
e.g. He is known for excellence in several sports.
forfeit
v. lose or give up something as a consequence of something else 失去或放弃
e.g. She forfeited her chance of entering the competition by not posting her form in time.
gazelle
n. small, graceful antelope 小羚羊
index
n.
1) used in "index finger": finger next to the thumb, used for pointing 食指
2) list of names or topics referred to in a book, etc., usually arranged at the end in alphabetical order 索引
e.g. This textbook is really useful because of its detailed index.
3) an indicator, sign, or measure of something 标志，表征
e.g. Consumer spending is often thought to be a reliable index of public confidence in the government's economic policies.
4) a figure in a system or scale representing the average value of specified prices, shares, or other items as compared with some reference figure 指数，指标
e.g. The UK retail price index for October is expected to show an increase of 0.8 percent.
v. make an alphabetical list of the items in a book, etc. 为......编索引，把......编入索引
e.g. She's indexed the book many different ways-by author, by age, and by illustrator.
lacrosse
n. a game played on a field by two teams of 10 players, in which each player has a long stick with a net on the end of it and uses this to throw, catch and carry a small ball 兜网球
limb
n.
1) an arm or leg of a person or four-legged animal 肢，臂，腿
e.g. I need to sit down and rest my weary limbs.
2) a large branch of a tree 树枝
e.g. The cat had climbed onto an upper limb of the tree.
lope
v. run fairly fast with long bounding strides 跳跃着大步跑
nifty
adj. clever, skilful 伶俐的，有技巧的
nonchalantly
adv. (of a person or manner) feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed 不激动地，冷淡地
outrageous *
adj.
1) wildly unexpected and unusual 大大出乎意料的，极不寻常的
e.g. The prices those late-night shops charge are just outrageous.
2) very offensive or immoral 极端无礼的，令人不能容忍的
e.g. I must apologize for my outrageous behavior.
reconcile
v.
1) cause somebody to accept reluctantly something unwelcome, unpleasant 使顺从（于），使甘心（于），使某人无可奈何地接受某事物
e.g. I) Could you reconcile yourself to a lifetime of unemployment?
II) She must reconcile herself to the fact that she must do some work if she wants to pass her exams.
2) restore friendly relations between 使和好，使和解
e.g. We were finally reconciled when he apologized.
3) make or show to be compatible 使协调
e.g. It's difficult to reconcile the demands of my job and the desire to be a good father.
relinquish
v. give up or cease to practice, feel, etc. something, abandon 放弃
e.g. He does not intend to relinquish power.
rim
1) n. edge or border of something that is (approximately) circular (圆形物体的)边缘，篮框
e.g. He wore a pair of spectacles with gold rims.
2) v. be round the edge of (especially something round or circular) 环绕（圆形或环行物的）边缘
e.g. Trees rimmed the pool.
shooter *
n. the person who shoots （篮球）投篮者
sideline
n. the space on the margins of the playing field （球场）边线
socket
n.
1) natural or artificial hollow into which something fits or in which something resolves (天然或人造的、承托其他物体的凹形)托座，窝
e.g. Her eyes were sunk deep into their sockets.
2) an electric device receiving a plug or light bulb to make a connection 插座
e.g. I really need a double socket so I can use the kettle and the radio at the same time.
swish
v. move with a hissing or rushing sound 发出嗖嗖声
tendon
n. strong band or cord of tissue that joins muscle to bone 腱
unofficial *
adj. not official 非官方的，非正式的
e.g. Unofficial estimates claim Japanese men work at a staggering 2,700-3,000 hours a year on average, or around 55 hours a week.
Phrases and Expressions
brush by
touch somebody/something lightly while moving close to it/him/her 接近（某人/某物时）轻轻相碰
e.g. A cat brushed by her leg in the darkness.
get away with
receive (a relatively light punishment) 不受惩罚
e.g. For such a serious offence he was lucky to get away with a fine.
more or less
to a certain extent 有点儿
e.g. They are more or less a waste of time.
PASSAGE II Romantic Ambition
All persons possess some level of ambition. It is not surprising, therefore, that all persons determine the goals to which their ambitions are directed. For some it may be wealth, for others power, and for many there is a strong desire to live a life with rich romantic influences. Romance in its broader meaning refers to a zest for life, an energetic pursuit in any and all relationships with others as well as with nature and indeed in all human and natural activity.[1]
If one lacks a romantic zest and energy for daily pursuits, other goals may seem empty and pointless. Consider the fact that many persons openly admit that, while they would prefer to live comfortably, they do not wish to be wealthy in an economic sense. Perhaps they take their position from the biblical statement that "It is harder for a rich man to enter heaven than it is for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle",[2] but more often the reason is more directly related to the same reason many persons do not aspire to great power during their lives. The reasons these goals are not greatly sought or valued, even by otherwise ambitious, talented persons, are not entirely clear, but it is absolutely certain that for many persons these goals do not have high priority in their choices. In fact, both excessive wealth and great power have often been misused, and do not of themselves lead to better personal relationships.
There clearly are goals which do not lead to greater romance in living, do not add zest to life, and do not support enthusiastic and energetic participation in relationships. How then, does one recognize a romantic individual?
First of all, romance is not just love between two people. You can't really have romance with someone else or with nature unless you are romantic yourself. Romance is something you have to take care of and to nurture. Romance needs food and water and care, of a kind all her own.[3] You can destroy romance, or at least drive her away, almost without knowing that you are doing it.
The best way to recognize a romantic person is to be around romantics. There is a sense of passion about them, a sense of being a bit too far out on the edge emotionally.[4] Sometimes, it's a caring for what seem to be unimportant things or persons: an old chair, a favorite knife, a favorite family member, or a piece of art or music. Romantics tend to like animals, those animals which sense the zest in the romantic, and decide to stay around and join in this place of food and laughter.
You don't have to be a poet or a painter or a musician to be a romantic. Industrialists, religious people, teachers, students, or any other persons who have a zest for their chosen field can be romantics.
Romance is practical. It provides energy for living and furnishes a sense of vision, hope and caring. Because you are working for others, not just yourself, your work takes on a certain quality that it otherwise lacks. "People who need people are the luckiest people in the world"[5] is not just a pretty song, it is at the heart of romance.
Romance is hard to gain, hard to keep and fairly easy to drive away. If you are really intent on getting rid of romance, here are a few ways to do it. Become obsessive in your neatness, particularly in the way your desk looks. Install expensive carpets in your house so you will be upset when your friend or your dog makes a mess on it. Don't listen to good music. Focus excessively on detail at the expense of vision, of dreams, of reflection. And, finally, the surest way to lose romance is to do things just for money, even though your best conscience tells you this is not what you should be doing.
On the other hand, there are some goals which will put more romance into your life. If one would keep romance, these are some things that can help: Read some poetry every day. Try some of the old classics, such as Shakespeare, Keats,[6] or Kipling[7] as well as some of the good modern poetry. Even better, write your own poetry. Set up a schedule for yourself when you can read. Get up early in the morning in the solitude that is only possible when other persons do not interfere with your focus on reading. Sometime, build your own house, or at least some intimate parts of it. Design it or decorate it to your own taste and with lots of thought, and you'll find pleasure in living in a place that is a product of your own effort and ambition. Collect little things: a small box, a favorite piece of jewelry, a coin. Play a musical instrument, no matter how simple or complex, or just learn to whistle or hum a tune to yourself. Travel when possible, because novelty and new associations are important in romance. And, most of all, many romantics keep some type of journal, diary, or notes in a pocket calendar. Later these will remind you of the enjoyable time and the relationships you have formed.
Romance is not just outward bound and found away from one's familiar surroundings.[8] It also rides on one's shoulder when one returns home.[9] Perspective can be gained not only from reviewing one's journal notes, but by noticing the more familiar things and persons at home. Romance is all around; it's not somewhere else.
Romance occurs in the most common environment. Anyone can see the beauty of the mountains, but it takes a little more perspective to see the beauty of a rural landscape, a desert, or the long sweep of a grassland or river. Not only obvious and famous places are settings for romance. The humble, well used, and little things in life are common factors in romance.
Finally, how will you know that you have lived a romantic life? On one's death bed, when all the living and doing is finished, one might well think of R. M. Rilke's[10] poetic musing: "I live my life in growing orbits which move out over the things of this world. Perhaps I can never achieve the last, but that will be my attempt. I am circling around God, around the ancient tower, and I have been circling for a thousand years. And I still do not know if I am a falcon, or a storm, or a great song."[11]
When one has done this, if one can smile and nod quietly to oneself, one has been a romantic, and romance will ride on one's shoulder while returning home, and for eternity. (1127 words)
Proper Names
Keats
济慈（1795-1821，英国浪漫主义诗人）
Kipling
吉卜林（1865-1936，英国小说家、诗人，获1907年诺贝尔文学奖)
Rilke
里尔克（1875-1926，德国诗人）
New Words
biblical *
adj. of or in the Bible 圣经的
e.g. Do you believe the biblical account of creation?
eternity *
n. infinite or unending time 永恒
e.g. Their love was sealed for eternity.
falcon
n. a bird of prey that can be trained to hunt other birds and animals 猎鹰
furnish
v.
1) supply or provide 供应，提供，装备
e.g. We can furnish everything you need for a successful party.
2) provide (a house or room) with furniture and fittings 布置，为......配备家具
e.g. We've spent so much money on our new house, we can't afford to furnish it.
hum
v.
1) sing a tune with closed lips 哼（曲子）
e.g. I don't know the words of the song but I can hum it to you.
2) make a low, steady continuous sound like that of a bee 发嗡嗡声
e.g. Within five hours, the equipment will be humming away again.
3) be full of life or activity 忙碌，活跃
e.g. The office was really humming with activity.
industrialist *
n. a powerful businessman who owns or controls large industrial companies or factories 工业家，实业家
e.g. Charles Booth is the industrialist and social scientist who wrote the great studies of poverty at the turn of the century.
intent *
adj.
1) resolved or determined to do something 急切的
e.g. He's intent on getting a promotion, and no one's going to stop him!
2) attentively occupied with 专心的，专注的
e.g. Gill was intent on his gardening magazine.
n. purpose or intention 意图，意向，目的
e.g. He behaved foolishly but with good intent.
interfere
v.
1) prevent (a process or activity) continuing or being carried out properly 妨碍，干扰
e.g. Smoking and drinking interfere with your body's ability to process oxygen.
2) take part or intervene in an activity without invitation or necessity 干涉，介入
e.g. She tried not to interfere in her children's lives.
landscape
n.
1) scenery of an area of land 风景，景色
e.g. Mountains dominate the Welsh landscape.
2) a painting which shows a scene of a countryside 风景画
e.g. She painted the landscapes and portraits.
3) all the features that are important in a particular situation, and which give a unique character 全景
e.g. Mr. Yelsin's victory in the referendum (全民投票) has transformed Russia's political landscape.
v. redesign and alter to create a pleasing artistic effect 对......作景观美化
e.g. The place has been tastefully landscaped.
mess
n.
1) dirty or untidy state 凌乱状态，脏乱状态
e.g. The spilt milk made a terrible mess on the carpet.
2) a situation full of difficulty and disorder 混乱的局面，困境
e.g. She was constantly trying to get her brother out of the messes he had got himself into.
v. make untidy 弄糟，弄脏，搞乱
e.g. Don't you dare mess my hair!
muse
v. say something to oneself in a thoughtful manner 沉思自语
e.g. He was musing on the problems he had.
romantic
adj.
1) relating to love or a close loving relationship 浪漫的，多情的
e.g. - "Tom always sends me roses on my birthday."
- "How romantic!"
2) dealing with or suggesting love, adventure 有浪漫色彩的，传奇性的
e.g. I) Barbara Cartland is a writer of romantic fiction.
II) We thought that Egypt was an incredibly romantic country.
3) highly imaginative or impractical 不切实际的，空想的
e.g. I) She has a dreamy romantic nature.
II) You are hopelessly romantic.
n. a person with romantic beliefs or attitudes 浪漫的人
e.g. He is a real romantic.
surroundings
n. the things and conditions around a person or thing 环境
e.g. I) Animals in zoos are not in their natural surroundings.
II) I took up the time admiring my surroundings.
Phrases and Expressions
at the expense of something
with loss or damage to something 以损失（坏）某事物为代价
e.g. He built up a successful business but it was all done at the expense of his health.
interfere with
prevent something from being done or carried out properly 阻碍，妨碍
e.g. The clock was stopped from striking because it interfered with the performance.
take on
begin to have (a quality or appearance) 开始具有（某种品质、面貌等）
e.g. I) Her eyes took on a hurt expression.
II) The subject has taken on a new significance in the past year.
to one's taste
in a way that one likes 符合某人的口味
e.g. I) This film wasn't entirely to my taste.
II) Their house has not been decorated to my taste, but it's very luxurious.
PASSAGE III The Virtues of Ambition
The word "ambition" means different things to different people, and the way you define it reveals a great deal about yourself. The Seventh Edition of Webster's Dictionary,[1] supposedly neutral in its approach, defines "ambition" first and foremost as "an ardent desire for rank, fame, or power". Isn't that too narrow? Surely, ambition is not only behind dreams of wealth, of glory, of distinction, and of accomplishment, but also behind dreams of love, of pleasure, and of goodness. Thus, historically, it is neither a completely positive nor a negative term.
We all have dreams, but what life does with our dreams and expectations cannot, of course, be predicted. Some dreams, begun in selflessness, end in hatred; other dreams, begun in selfishness, end in large-heartedness. However, the unpredictability of the outcome of dreams is no reason to stop dreaming.
To be sure, ambition is never a pretty subject to think about for long.[2] Just as drunks have done to alcohol, the single-mindedly ambitious people have done to ambition-given it a bad name. Like those individuals with a strong desire for alcohol, some people have an equally strong desire for ambition, which cannot be satisfied. Some people cannot handle ambition and cause grief for themselves and for others as well. Still, none of this seems sufficient to make people be secretive about being ambitious.
It is easy for us to believe that those who have achieved the common goals of ambition-money, fame, and power-have achieved them through corruption of a greater or lesser degree, mostly greater. Thus all politicians in high places, thought to be ambitious, are understood to be without ethical principles. We wonder how they could have ethical principles and still have risen as high as they have.
Certainly people do not seem less interested in success and what it can do for us now than formerly. Summer homes, European vacations, travel, BMW's[3]-such items do not seem less in demand than they did a decade or two years ago. What has happened is that people cannot admit their dreams as easily and openly as they once could, lest they be thought of as pushing, acquisitive, and vulgar.[4] For such people and many more perhaps not so outstanding, the proper action seems to be, "Succeed at all costs but refrain from appearing ambitious. " The attacks on ambition are many and come from various angles, while its public defenders are few and ineffective. As a result, the support for ambition as a healthy impulse, a quality to be admired and cultivated in the young, is probably lower than it has ever been in the United States. This does not mean that ambition is at an end, that people no longer feel its urges, but only that since it is no longer openly honored, it is therefore less often openly professed. Consequences follow from this, of course, some of which are that ambition is driven underground or made devious.
Many people are naturally distrustful of ambition, feeling that it represents something uncontrollable in human nature. Thus John Dean entitled his book about his involvement in the Watergate Affair[5] during the Nixon administration Blind Ambition, as if ambition were to blame for his ignoble actions, and not the many qualities that make up his rather shabby character.
But considering things the other way, it is also bad to have no ambition Just because of the fear of having too many. To discourage ambition is to discourage dreams of grandeur and greatness. All men and women are born, live, suffer and die; what distinguishes us from one another is our dreams, whether they be dreams about worldly or unworldly things, and what we do to make them come about.
It may seem an exaggeration to say that ambition is the connection to all of society, which holds all of its elements together, but it is not much of an exaggeration.[6] Remove ambition and the essential elements of society seem to fly apart. Ambition, as opposed to mere fantasizing about desires, implies work and discipline to achieve goals, personal and social, of a kind society cannot survive without. Ambition is intimately connected with family, for men and women not only work partly for their families; husbands and wives are often ambitious for each other, but harbor their most important ambitions for their children.
It is not difficult to imagine a world without ambition. It would probably be a kinder world: without demands, without damage, without disappointments. People would have time for reflection. Such work as they did would not be for themselves but for the collectivity. Competition would never enter in. Conflict would be eliminated and tension would become a thing of the past. The stress of creation would be at an end. Art would no longer be troubling, but merely used to celebrate life. Longevity would be increased, for fewer people would die of heart attack or stroke caused by conflicts at work. Anxiety would be extinct. Time would stretch on and on, with ambition long departed from the human heart.
Ah, how unbelievably boring life would be!
There is a strong view that success is a myth and ambition therefore a sham.[7] Does this mean that success does not really exist? That achievement is empty? That the efforts of men and women are of no significance alongside the force of movements and events? Now not all success, obviously, is of value, nor all ambition worth cultivating. Which are and which are not is something one soon enough learns on one's own. But even the most cynical people admit that success exists; that achievement counts for a great deal. To believe otherwise could cause one to become irrational.[8] If one believes that ambitions are useless, this by implication removes all motive for competence, interest in attainment, and regard for the future.
We do not choose to be born. We do not choose our parents. We do not choose our historical epoch, the country of our birth, or the way in which we are brought up. We do not, most of us, choose to die; nor do we choose the time or conditions of our death. But within all this realm of lack of choice, we must choose how we shall live: courageously or in cowardice, honorably or dishonorably, with purpose or in drift.[9] We must decide what is important and what is trivial in life. We must also decide that what makes us significant is either what we do or what we refuse to do. But no matter how indifferent the universe may be to our choices and decisions, these choices and decisions are ours to make. We decide. We choose. And as we decide and choose, so are our lives formed. In the end, forming our own destiny is what ambition is about. (1143 words)
Proper Names
John Dean
(男子名)约翰.迪安
Nixon
尼克松
Watergate Affair
水门事件
New Words
acquisitive *
adj. excessively interested in acquiring material possessions 贪得无厌的
e.g. He is a very acquisitive sort of person.
attainment *
n. the action or fact of achieving a goal towards which one has worked 实现
e.g. The attainment of her ambitions was still a dream.
collectivity *
n. a collective whole, especially the people as the body 集体
courageously *
adv. bravely, fearlessly 勇敢地，无畏地
e.g. She fought courageously for her principles.
devious
adj. not direct and not completely honest 不率直的，不光明正大的
e.g. He's as devious as a politician needs to be.
dishonorably *
adv. not honorably 不光彩地
e.g. Steve will never behave dishonorably.
distrustful*
adj. having or showing distrust 不信任的，怀疑的
e.g. Both parties were distrustful of his policies.
exaggeration *
n. action of making something seem larger, better, worse, etc. than it really is 夸张
e.g. It is no exaggeration to say that without the press none of these issues would have acquired the importance they have.
extinct
adj.
1) no longer in existence 灭绝的，绝种的
e.g. If we continue to destroy the countryside many more animals will become extinct.
2) no longer active (火山等)不再活跃的，（火等）熄灭了的
e.g. Its tallest volcano, long extinct, is Olympus Mons.
fantasize *
v. imagine or create a fantasy 想像，幻想
e.g. Her husband died in 1967, although she fantasized that he was still alive.
foremost
adj. the most prominent in rank, importance, position, etc. 最重要的，第一流的
e.g. He is considered as the foremost painter of his time.
grandeur
n. splendor or impressiveness, especially of style or appearance 伟大，壮丽，壮观
e.g. This recording does not bring out the full grandeur of Wagner's music.
honorably *
adv. bringing or worthy of honor 应享有荣誉地，值得尊敬地
e.g. They acted honorably and returned the wallet.
ignoble
adj. not honorable in character or purpose 不光彩的，卑鄙的，可耻的
e.g. She is accused of playing an ignoble part in the plot.
large-heartedness
n. generosity, sympathy 宽宏大量，仁慈，富于同情心
lest
conj. for fear that, in order that... not 惟恐，免得
e.g. I) He ran away lest he (should) be seen.
II) He spent whole days in his room, headphones on lest he disturb anyone.
neutral
adj.
1) not supporting or helping either side in a dispute, contest, war, etc., impartial 中立的，公正的
e.g. I) Both sides had agreed to use neutral terms in their reference to each other, avoiding controversial ones.
II) I undertake to preserve a strictly neutral position during this debate.
2) neither acid nor alkaline 中性的
e.g. Pure water is neutral with a pH of 7.
profess*
v. state openly that one has an opinion, feeling, belief, etc. 表明观点、感情、信仰等
e.g. They professed optimism about the outcome.
realm
n.
1) kingdom 王国，国度
e.g. The matter was hotly debated in all the towns of the realm.
2) a field or domain of activity or interest 界，领域，范围
e.g. I) Very soon a computer will not remain exclusively in the realm of scientists.
II) We knew that the music was leading us into new realms of pleasure.
secretive
adj. liking to keep one's thoughts, intentions or actions hidden from other people 遮遮掩掩的
e.g. Billionaires are usually fairly secretive about the exact amount that they're worth.
selfishness*
n. thinking first of one's own interests, needs, etc. without concern for others 自私
e.g. It's a pity that wherever you go, all you see is selfishness and dishonesty.
sham
n. a thing that is not what is claimed to be 虚假的事物
significance
n.
1) importance 重要性，重大
e.g. Few people realized the significance of the discovery.
2) the meaning to be found in words or events 意义，含义
e.g. The significance of what was happening was clearer to me than to her.
uncontrollable *
adj. too strong or violent to be controlled 不可控制的，控制不住的
e.g. I was suddenly overcome with an uncontrollable desire to hit him.
underground
adv.
1) in secret 秘密地，不公开地
e.g. It became virtually a one-party state, and opposition parties were driven underground.
2) beneath the surface of the ground 在地(面)下，往地（面）下
e.g. The little creature paused briefly at the entrance to its hole, then disappeared underground.
adj.
1) below the surface of the ground 地（面）下的
e.g. The prisoner escaped from the jail through an underground tunnel.
2) operating secretly and often illegally, especially in opposition to an established political system 秘密的，不公开的
e.g. His mother took him to Hong Kong where she worked in the underground communist movement.
n.
1) the underground railway, especially the one in London 地铁
e.g. We went by underground to Trafalgar Square.
2) a group or movement organized secretly to work against the existing regime 地下组织（或运动）
e.g. The US dollars were smuggled into the country during the war, to aid the underground.
unworldly
adj. spiritual 精神的，非物质的
Phrases and Expressions
at an end
finished 结束
e.g. The war was at an end.
at all costs
as the supremely important consideration 不惜任何代价
e.g. We must at all costs prevent them from finding out about the plan.
come about
happen or take place 发生
e.g. The discovery came about through a mistake.
count for
be of value or importance 有价值，有重要性
e.g. Knowledge without common sense counts for little.
distinguish ... from
make something or somebody different 使某事物或某人有所不同
e.g. Speech distinguishes human beings from animals.
first and foremost
more than anything else, firstly and most importantly 首要地
e.g. He does a bit of writing, but first and foremost he's a teacher.
hold something together
cause something to remain together, unite something 使某事物不散开
e.g. The country needs a leader who will hold the nation together.
in demand
much wanted, popular 非常需要的，受欢迎的
e.g. Good secretaries are always in demand.
indifferent to
having no interest in somebody/something, neither for nor against somebody/something, not caring about somebody/something 不感兴趣，冷漠
e.g. How can you be indifferent to the suffering of starving people?
make up
form, compose or constitute something 构成
e.g. What are the qualities that make up her character?
refrain from
keep oneself from doing something 克制，抑制
e.g. Let's hope they will refrain from hostile action.
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