The principal will take whatever action he deems appropriate in this case. 在这种情况下，校长会采取他认为适当的任何行动。

pathetic

a.

1 making you feel pity or sympathy 招人怜悯的；可怜的

The starving children were a pathetic sight. 饥饿的儿童看起来很凄惨。 2 useless or not effective in an annoying way 没用的；无效的

I know it sounds pathetic, but I can't ride a bike. 我知道这听起来挺窝囊，但我就是不会骑自行车。

mob

n.

[C] (infml.) a group of people of the same type 同类的一群人

The road was blocked by a rioting mob. 闹事的人群把路堵上了。

gasp

vi.

1 breathe in suddenly, e.g. because you are surprised, shocked, or in pain （因惊讶、惊吓或痛苦而）倒抽气，喘气，喘息

They gasped in astonishment at the news of their team's victory at the Olympic Games. 他们听到球队在奥运会上获胜的消息惊讶得倒抽了一口气。

2 make a violent effort to breathe because you need more air 急促地喘气；猛地吸气 Shortly after giving me a pill, my mother rushed me to the hospital because I had an allergic reaction and was gasping for breath. 母亲给我服下一粒药丸后不久就火速送我去了医院，因为我出现了过敏反应，呼吸急促。

catastrophe

n.

1 [C] an event which is very bad for the people involved 麻烦；困境；不利的局面

The attempt to expand the business during this time of recession was a catastrophe for the firm. 在这种萧条时期尝试扩展业务使这家公司陷入了困境。

2 [C, U] a terrible event in which there is a lot of destruction, suffering, or death 灾难；大祸；严重的不幸

Flooding is a major catastrophe, which tends to cause a heavy loss of life. 洪水是重大灾难，容易引发大量伤亡。

tide

n.

[C] the way that the level of the sea regularly rises and falls during the day 潮；潮汐

bleak

a.

1 without anything to make you feel happy or hopeful 没有希望的；令人沮丧的 The news in recent weeks has been rather bleak. 近来几周的消息都相当不好。 2 cold and without any pleasant or comfortable features 阴冷的；阴郁的

It was early March; it had been drizzling on and off all day. It was a little bleak. 时令是三月初，成天细雨蒙蒙，时断时续；天气有点阴冷。

tow

n.

[sing.] the activity of pulling one vehicle behind another （车辆的）拖，拉

My car broke down but luckily someone gave me a tow. 我的车抛锚了，但幸亏有人让我把车挂在他车后拖行。 vt.

pull a vehicle or boat by fixing it to another vehicle or boat 拖，拉，牵引（车辆或船只） The car broke down, and we had to call Roadside Assistance to come and tow the car to a mechanic's shop. 汽车抛锚了，我们只得呼叫道路救援赶来把车子拖到修理厂。

intervene

vi.

become involved in an argument, fight, or other difficult situation in order to change what happens 干预；介入；插手

The police have been involved but are reluctant to intervene in family conflicts. 警察来了，但他们不愿介入家庭纠纷。 v.

interrupt sb. when they are speaking 打岔；插话

Her face shows her disagreement with what is being said. But she doesn't intervene. 她的表情说明她对正在说的话并不赞同，但她没有插话。

appraise

vt.

(fml.) officially judge how successful, effective, or valuable sth. is 评定；鉴定；估价

If you want to know how much this old painting is worth, have it appraised by an art dealer. 如果你想了解这幅古画价值多少，那就找一位艺术品经销商来估一下价。

symptom

n. [C]

1 sth. wrong with your body or mind which shows that you have a particular illness 症状 You need to see a doctor at the first sign of symptoms of the flu. 一旦发现有流感症状，你就要去看医生。

2 a sign that a serious problem exists （严重问题存在的）征兆，征候

High interest rates are a symptom of a weak economy. 高利率是经济孱弱的征兆。

underestimate

v.

think or guess that sth. is smaller, cheaper, easier, etc. than it really is （对…）估计不足；低估；看轻

One should not underestimate the consequences of the world's population explosion. 我们不应低估世界人口爆炸的后果。 vt.

think that sb. is not as good, clever, or skillful, as they really are 轻视，小看（某人）

I wouldn't underestimate her if I were you — she's smarter than you think. 我要是你的话，我不会小看她——她比你想象的要聪明。

midst

n.

[U] (fml.) (in the ~ of sth.) while sth. else is happening 当某事发生的时候

It will be a pleasure to see you in the midst of your work and to have the opportunity of

meeting your students. 能在您工作中与您见面并有机会见到您的学生，将是一件让人十分高兴的事。

paralyze

vt. (BrE paralyse) (often passive)

1 make sb. unable to think or behave normally, esp. by frightening them （尤指通过恐吓）使丧失思考能力，使丧失正常行为能力，使呆若木鸡

Most people fear public speaking. The thought of standing alone in front of and speaking to a large audience can paralyze you. 大多数人都害怕公共演说。一想到要独自站在一大群听众面前讲话就会吓得不知所措。

2 make sb. lose the ability to move their body or a part of it 使瘫痪；使麻痹

As a result of his injuries, he has become partially paralyzed on his left side. 受伤后他身体左侧已经处于半瘫痪状态。

impromptu

a.

not planned or prepared 未计划的；即兴的；即席的；无准备的

This is not a formal party, and I don't know how many people will come because it's

completely impromptu. 这不是一个正式的聚会，我也不知道有多少人会来，因为这是即兴组织的。

ridge

n. [C]

1 sth. long and thin that is raised above the things around it 脊；垄；棱纹 2 a long area of high land, esp. at the top of a mountain 山脊

whirl

v.

turn or spin around very quickly, or make sb. or sth. do this （使）急转；（使）迅速旋转 Tom whirled his girlfriend across the dance floor. 汤姆拥着他的女朋友从舞池的一边旋转到另一边。

athletic

a.

1 physically strong and good at sport 强壮的；擅长运动的

She looked magnificent, her athletic figure showing to its best in the tightly fitting black jacket. 她看起来棒极了，紧身黑夹克将她健美的身材衬托到极致。 2 (only before noun) relating to athletics 运动的

All tickets for the swimming competition were sold out, and we couldn't watch this popular athletic event. 游泳比赛的票都已售罄，我们不能观看这一大受欢迎的赛事了。

dismay

n.

[U] the worry, disappointment, or unhappiness you feel when sth. unpleasant happens 忧虑；失望；沮丧

To his dismay, she left him and fell in love with Peter. 令他失望的是，她离开了他，爱上了彼得。 vt.

make sb. feel worried, disappointed, and upset 使担心；使失望；使忧虑

He was dismayed at the change in his old friend. 他对于老朋友所发生的变化深感忧虑。

batter

v.

hit sb. or sth. again and again, in a way that hurts sb. or causes damage 殴打；连续猛击；撞击

During the war, the city was battered by bombs. 战争期间，这座城市遭受了轰炸。

vicious

a.

1 violent and cruel in a way that hurts sb. physically 凶险的；会造成伤害的

This was a wicked crime that was particularly vicious and brutal. 这是一桩伤天害理的罪行，尤其恶劣残暴。

2 unpleasantly strong or severe 剧烈的；恶劣的

I had suffered from a vicious headache for days. 几天来我一直忍受着剧烈头痛之苦。

clarity

n. [sing., U]

1 the ability to be seen or heard clearly 清晰度

This remarkable technology provides far greater clarity than conventional x-rays. 这一神奇的技术比常规的X射线清晰得多。

2 the quality of expressing ideas or thoughts in a clear way 清晰；清楚；明确

His additional explanation simply promoted confusion rather than clarity. 他进一步的解释只是添乱而非澄清。

paw

v.

if an animal paws sth., it touches it several times with its foot 用爪子抓（或挠）

Every night before her dinner, my dog would run to paw my knee. 我的狗每天晚饭前都会跑来抓我的膝盖。 n.

[C] an animal's foot that has nails or claws （动物的）爪子

She looked at the dog, who was licking his injured paw and rubbing his sore nose. 她看了看狗，它正舔着受伤的爪子，磨蹭着红肿的鼻子。

derail

vt.

(mainly journalism) prevent sth. from continuing in the way it was planned 使离开正常进程；扰乱

Hopefully, those territorial disputes won't derail the ongoing peace process between the two countries. 希望领土上的争端不会扰乱两国间的和平进程。 v.

make a train go off the railroad tracks, or go off the tracks （使）（火车）出轨 The train derailed in heavy snow. 火车在大雪中脱轨了。

perish

vi.

(fml.) die, esp. in a terrible or sudden way 死亡（尤指惨死或猝死）

A large number of people perished from hunger and thirst. 很多人死于饥渴。

forcibly

ad.

1 using physical force 用强力；用武力

She managed to separate the fighting boys forcibly. 她强行把打架的孩子们分开了。 2 in a way that has a strong clear effect 清楚有力地

When they read the fallen soldiers' names, it struck me very forcibly. 当他们读到阵亡士兵的名字时，我被深深地震撼了。

escort

vt.

1 take sb. somewhere, esp. when you are protecting or guarding them 护送；护卫

He will escort you, your mother and father on your journey. 他一路上会护送你和你父母。 2 go with sb. and show them a place 陪同（某人）游览；给（某人）当导游 He escorted me to the library upstairs. 他陪同我去了楼上的图书馆。

practicable

a.

(fml.) able to be done or used successfully 可行的；能实行的

The idea is interesting but not practicable, I'm afraid. 这个主意很有趣，但恐怕不可行。

brink

n.

[sing.] (the ~ of sth.) a situation when you are almost in a new situation, usu. a bad one （某事物的）边缘（一般指即将面临坏情况）

We must help these children; they are on the brink of starvation. 我们必须帮助这些孩子，他们正处在饥饿的边缘。

ascend

v.

(fml.) rise; go up; climb up 上升；升高；登高

The air thins as we ascend high to the top of the mountain. 随着我们向山顶高处攀登，空气变得稀薄了。

salvation

n. [U]

1 in the Christian religion, the state of being saved from evil （基督教中）对灵魂的拯救，救赎

In church, she prays for salvation on the day of doom. 在教堂里，她祈祷最后审判日能得到救赎。

2 sth. that prevents or saves sb. or sth. from danger, loss, or failure 解救物；救星；救助者

Tourism has been the salvation of this country. 旅游业拯救了这个国家。

hug

vt.

put your arms around sb. and hold them tightly to show love or friendship 拥抱

As they parted, he put his arms around her shoulders to hug her goodbye. 当他们分别时，他用双臂搂着她的肩膀，拥抱道别。 n.

[C] the action of putting your arms around sb. and holding them tightly to show love or friendship 拥抱；紧抱

He stopped to receive hugs and kisses from his fans. 他停下来接受崇拜者的拥抱和亲吻。