bachelor
n. unmarried man 未婚男子；单身汉 first university degree 学士学位；学士
badge
n. sth. worn to show a person s occupation， rank， etc. or membership of a society 微章，证章 sth. that shows a quality or condition 象征，代表
We have come to believe that someone who has more educational merit badges， who is very good at some form of school discipline is “intelligent”.
我们已渐渐认为，一个在教育上拥有更多的荣誉勋章，在某个学科上非常优秀的人就很“聪明”。（2001年1月阅读理解）
baffle
v. be too difficult for sb. to understand； puzzle难以理解，困惑 prevent sb. from doing sth； frustrate 阻止某人做某事；使受挫
a case that baffles the police 难倒警察的案子/baffle one s plan 挫败某人的计划
One of the examination questions baffled me completely and I couldn t answer it. 考试中有一道题把我彻底搞糊涂了，我答不上来。
bald
adj. with little or no hair on the head 秃顶的，光秃的 without elaboration； plain or dull 不刻意修饰的，简单的，单调的
(as) bald as a coot (as an egg)头顶光秃秃的/a bald head 秃头顶的人/a bald lie 明目张胆的谎言/make a bald statement 直截了当地叙述
balloon
n. brightlycolored rubber bag that is filled with air， used as a child s toy or a decoration 气球 large flexible bag filled with hot air or gas to make it rise in the air， often carrying a basket， etc. for passengers 热气球 v. swell out like a balloon 如气球般变大变圆
ban
vt. officially forbid 取缔；查禁 n. an order that bans sth. or sb. 禁止；禁令
ban指靠法律或社会舆论的压力而禁止，含有强烈谴责或不赞成的意思。而其同义词forbid和prohibit均指施行权力或行使限制条件。如：Authorities banned the rebuilding of wooden houses in the same area.(当局禁止在同一地区再建木屋。)In some countries there is a law forbidding the sale of liquor on Sundays.(在有些国家，有一种法律禁止在星期天卖酒。)Tourist class passengers are prohibited from using the firstclass lounge.(经济舱或二等舱乘客禁用头等舱休息室。) ban (vt.)的反义词是permit。如：This store permits the sale of alcoholic beverages.(本店准许出售含酒精饮料。) 作动词时，后接sb. from doing sth.(禁止某人作某事)。
forbid，ban
forbid 普通用词，用于较小事物，或个人、官方、上级、长辈作出的禁止命令、规定，或客观条件不允许。如：Who can forbid our marriage？没有谁能阻止我们结婚。 ban指合法地或由于社会压力而禁止，含谴责或不赞成的态度。如：The treaty bans underground nuclear test.那条约禁止地下核试验。
ban... from... 禁止……做……/ban on... 禁止……的禁令/impose a ban on 禁止……
The play was banned by the censor.
该剧本被查禁。
bandage
n. a long narrow piece of material， esp. cloth， for tying round a wound or round a part of the body that has been hurt 绷带v. to tie up or bind round with a bandage 用绷带包扎
bankrupt
adj. unable to pay one s debts 破产的 completely lacking in sth. that is good 无用的，缺乏优点的 v. make sb. bankrupt 使破产 n. a person who is bankrupt 破产者
go bankrupt 破产／play the bankrupt 破产；不能偿还债务；有负别人的信托／ bankrupt of (in) 完全缺乏；完全丧失
He has come down in the world， for his company had gone bankrupt.
他已家道没落了，因为他的公司破产了。
barely
adv. in a bare way 无遮蔽地 only just 仅仅；只不过
barely的肯定意义较弱，而相比之下hardly和scarcely的否定意义较强。它与后者一样可与when或before连用，表示“刚……就”。
When you say that a pound of sugar is barely enough for a week， you mean that a pound of sugar is only just enough for a week.
当你说一磅糖几乎不够吃一周，你的意思是一磅糖勉强够吃一周。
barren
adj. (of land)not good enough to produce crops(指土地)贫瘠的；不长五谷的 (of plants，trees)not producing fruit or seeds(指草木)不结果实的 (of woman，animals)unable to have young ones(指妇人、动物)不生育的；不孕的 without value，interest，or result 无价值(趣味或结果)的
barren land 贫瘠的土地/a barren hill 荒山/a barren woman 不能生育的妇女/a barren discussion 无结果的讨论
basement
n. lowest room or rooms in a building， partly or wholly below ground level 地下室
batch
n. number of loaves， cakes， etc. backed together (面包，糕饼的） 一炉 number of people or things dealt with as a group （人或物的）一批
bearing
n. way of standing， walking， etc； deportment (站立、步行等的）姿态 behaviour 行为；举止 aspects 方面direction in degrees as measured from a known position （从一已知位置测出的）方位（度数）
past all bearing 忍无可忍
What he said had not much bearing on the problem.
他说的话跟这个问题没有多大关系。
We must consider the question in all its bearings.
我们应该考虑到问题的各个方面。
beforehand
adv. before sth. else happens 预先，事先
be beforehand with 事先做好
If you wanted soup for lunch， you should have told me beforehand. 你要是午饭想喝汤，应该提前告诉我。
betray
v. hand over or show sb. /sth. disloyally 出卖； 泄露；背叛 show sth. unintentionally； be a sign of 无意中显出，表现出
betray one s country 叛国/betray oneself 暴露出本来面目
He betrayed his family and friends in order to save his own life.
为了保住自己的生命，他出卖了自己的家人和朋友。
bewilder
vt. to confuse esp. by the presence of lots of different things at the same time 使迷惑；把……弄糊涂
bewilder强调的是一种使得清楚的思维及完全的理解实际上变得不可能的糊涂的思想状态。如：They were bewildered by contradictory statements and orders.(他们被相互矛盾的声明和命令弄糊涂了。)而puzzle是指问题错综复杂达到了极其难以理解和解决，从而使人苦恼的程度。如：His behavior puzzled me.(他的行为使我困惑。)
be bewildered by the traffic in the big city 被大城市里的车辆弄得晕头转向
When the farmers visited the city for the first time， they were bewildered by its complicated traffic system.
这些农民初次进城时，被城里的复杂的交通系统弄得晕头转向。（2002年6月阅读理解）
When the girl from the country came to the big city， she was bewildered by the crowds and traffic.
当那位乡下的女孩第一次来到这座大城市里，她被城里的人群及车辆弄得茫然不知所措。
bias
n. a tendency to be in favour of or against sth. or sb. 偏见；偏心 v. to give bias to 偏袒
bias既可表示“偏见”，也可表示“偏爱”，其判断根据是其后介词，toward(for)表示“偏爱”，against表示“偏见，憎恶”。
be biased against (toward) sb. (sth.) 对某人（某事）抱有偏见（偏爱）／ be biased in favour of sb. 对某人有好感/demonstrate a bias 表现出一种偏见；表现出一种倾向／have no bias in favor of either side 不偏不倚/a bias against (for) women candidates 对妇女候选人的偏见（偏袒）／ be biased against sb. 对某人抱有偏见
At Planned Grandparenthood， children targeted by their parents to reproduce could obtain nonbiased information about the insanity of having their own kids.
在父母执意的操控下，现在有太多易受影响且没有子女的成年人开始生儿育女。(2006年1月阅读理解)
bibliography
n. list of books or articles about a particular subject or by a particular author 书目，索引，文献 study of the history of books and their production 书志学，文献学
The bibliography of my paper on animal communication includes a book on whale songs.
我那篇有关动物交际的参考书目中包括一本关于鲸鱼语言的书。
bid
vt. to order or tell 命令；吩咐 to say or wish a greeting or goodbye to sb. 祝；表示 n. an offer to pay or do some work at a certain price 喊价；出价
作“报价，投标”讲时，其过去式和过去分词均为bid；作“命令，吩咐，祝愿”讲时，过去式多用bade。
bid sb. good night 祝某人晚安／ bid sb. to do sth. 命令某人做某事／ bid for sth. 出价；投标/high bids 高价／ do one s bids 听某人的命令；吩咐
Mr. Snow bid ￡20 for the horse， so I bid ￡ 21 for the horse.
Snow 先生出 20 镑买这匹马，所以我出21镑。
biography
n. person s life history written by another 传记 branch of literature dealing with the lives of persons 传记文学
bizarre
adj. strange in appearance or effect； grotesque； eccentric 奇形怪状的；古怪的
These executive actions， which Toshiba calls “the highest form of apology，” may seem bizarre to US managers.
这些主管人员的行动，东芝公司称之为“最高形式的歉意”，对美国的经理来说是不可思议的。（2003年9月阅读理解）
blaze
n. a bright flame 火焰，烈火 a bright show of lights； glow 闪光，光辉 sudden outburst (of a violent feeling)(强烈感情的）骤然迸发 v. to burn with a bright flame 燃烧，冒火焰 shine brightly 照耀，发光 show great feeling， esp. anger 表现强烈的感情（尤指发怒）
blaze up 勃然大怒；燃烧/blaze away （at) 连续射击/go to blazes 该死！见鬼去吧！
bleak
adj. (of a landscape) bare； exposed； windswept (指景物） 荒凉的，裸露的，光秃秃的 (of the weather) cold and dreary （指天气）寒冷的，阴沉的 not hopeful or encouraging； dismal； gloomy 无望的，阴郁的，黯淡的
bleak future/prospect 暗淡的未来（前景）/a bleak hillside 荒凉的山坡/a bleak day/room 阴冷的天（房间）
His prospects of finding another job are bleak.
他另找一个工作的前景黯淡。
bless
v. to ask god s favour or protection for 为……祈神赐福；求神保佑 grant good wishes to sb./sth. 为……祝福
be blessed with 在……方面有福
She has always been blessed with good health.
她有幸身体一直健康。
Losing everything you own under such circumstances can be distressing， but the people I have heard from all saw their loss， ultimately， as a blessing.
在这样的情况下，失去你曾经拥有的一切，的确令人懊丧。但给我来信的人们，最终，都认为他们是因祸得福。(2006年12月)
blossom
n. the flower of flowering tree or bush （尤指果树的）花 v. to produce or yield flowers 开花 to grow and develop 发展
bloom，blossom，flower
bloom “花”特指不结果实只供观赏植物的花，如玫瑰、菊花等；如：The roses have been blooming all summer. 玫瑰整个夏天都开花。 blossom “花”，一般指会结果实的果树(如桃树、梨树)或灌木上的花，也指一般树上的花簇、花团；如：Orange blossoms have a lovely scent. 香橙花散发出可人的香味。 flower “花”，是指一般会开花的植物和开放的花朵，其借喻表示“精华，最好部分”。如：The flowers are out. 花开了。 bloom 借喻表示“兴旺时期，全盛时期，青春时期”。如：She is in the bloom of youth. 她正当青春时期。
in blossom 在开花中/nip sth. in the blossom 把……消灭于萌芽状态／ blossom into 发展成为……
The tree has an excellent blossom this year.
今年这棵树鲜花盛开。
blunder
n. a stupid unnecessary mistake 大错v. make a blunder 犯大错 move about clumsily or uncertainly， as if blind 乱闯，瞎闯
blunder in doing sth 在……犯下大错
I ve made a few blunders in job interview by being too honest about my opinions.
我在工作面试时犯了几个错，发表自己的看法时太直率了。
blunt
adj. without a point or sharp edge 不尖的， 钝的 (of a person， remark， etc.) plain， not trying to be polite 直率的，不客气的 v. make sth. blunt or less sharp 把……弄钝
a blunt knife 一把钝刀/a blunt pencil 一支不尖的铅笔/blunt manner 生硬的态度 /blunt speech 生硬的话语/blunt refusal 直截了当的拒绝
The bad weather has blunted our enthusiasm for going camping.
坏天气减弱了我们去露营的热情。
blush
n. reddening of the face (from shame， embarrassment） 脸红v. to become red in the face， from shame or because people are looking at one 脸红；感到羞愧
at (the) first blush 一见；初见；乍一看来/put sb. to the blush 使某人脸红/spare sb. s blushes 不以过奖的话使某人难为情／ blush at (for) 对……感觉惭愧；面红耳赤／ blush like a black (blue) dog 毫不觉羞愧；厚脸皮
Many a flower is born to blush unseen.
许多鲜花生来就是在不为人看见的地方盛开的。
bonus
n. an additional payment beyond what is usual 奖金；红利 anything pleasant in addition to what is expected 额外给予的东西
earn a bonus 挣得奖金/get/receive a bonus 获得奖金/give a bonus 发放红利/offer/pay a bonus 付奖金/an annual bonus 年度奖，年度红利/a costofliving bonus 生活津贴
The employer promised to distribute surplus profits among the workers as a bonus.
雇主答应将多余的利润作为奖金分给工人。
boom
v. have a period of rapid economic growth 迅速发展，激增make a deep hollow resonant sound 发出低沉声，隆隆响utter sth.in a booming voice 用低沉的嗓音说话n. sudden increase (in population，trade，etc.)，period of prosperity (人口、贸易的)突然增加；繁荣时期deep hollow sound 低沉声，隆隆声
The booming economy means people are working harder than ever. And that doesn t leave much room for relationships.
不断增长的经济意味着人们越来越努力地工作，这就使他们没有多少时间去发展人与人之间的关系。(2005年6月阅读理解)
Etzioni says the booming economy of the last decade enabled those individuals with poor motives to get rich before getting in trouble.
伊兹欧尼说过去十年的经济繁荣使这些动机不良的人发了家，却没有遇到麻烦。(2006年12月)
boost
vt. to increase， to raise 提高；使增长 to help to advance or improve 推动；增强 to favour the interests of， esp. by speech and writing 宣扬；为……做广告 n. an act that brings help or encouragement 推动；促进
boost the price of 提高……的价格
Boost me up so I can look in the window.
抬我一把，使我可以从窗户往里看。
boycott
v. to act to gather in abstaining from using， buying， or dealing with as an expression of protest or disfavour or as a means of coercion 联合抵制n. refusal to deal or trade with 抵制
declare a boycott 宣布联合抵制/enforce/impose a boycott 实行联合抵制/lift a boycott 撤消抵制/a school boycott 罢课 /an economic boycott 经济抵制/an Olympic boycott 对奥运的抵制/a boycott of the meeting 拒绝参加会议/a boycott of the foreign products 抵制外国货/boycott the meeting 拒绝参加会议/boycott the foreign products 抵制外国货
The US joined in a boycott of fish products from the region.
美国加入了抵制来自那一地区鱼产品的行列。
brace
n. sth. used for supporting 支柱，支撑之物 a wire worn inside the mouth to make the teeth grow regularly 矫正牙齿的钢丝套 （pl.) straps for holding trousers up 系裤带，背带 v. to make stronger 使稳固 to provide or support with a brace 支撑；以撑木支持 to prepare oneself， usu. for sth. unpleasant or difficult 振作自己或稳住情绪做好准备
brace a wall 支撑一堵墙/brace oneself for 做好经受（困难、打击等）的准备/brace up 振作精神
The country is bracing itself for threatened attack from abroad.
这个国家正准备抵抗外来打击的威胁。
bracket
n. a piece of metal or wood put in or on a wall to support sth. 壁架；支架 either o the pair of signs used for enclosing a piece of information （pl.) 括号 a group of people who share some quality （有上限与下限）一群；一类 vt. to enclose in brackets 把……括起来 to regard as belonging together 把……归入同一类
bracket 指括号，必须用复数，它主要指｛｝［］，也指()。 parenthesis 是指圆括弧、圆括号；round parentheses和round brackets 均为圆括弧，square brackets为方括弧。
Don t bracket me with him just because we work for the same company.
别因为我和他在同一公司工作而把我们看做一路货。
breakdown
n. mechanical failure 机械的故障 collapse or failure 瓦解；失败
a nervous breakdown精神崩溃/a physical breakdown 体力衰竭/a breakdown in communications 通讯故障/a breakdown in health 身体衰竭/have a breakdown from overwork 因工作过度而身体垮掉
Our car had a breakdown on the motorway.
我们的汽车在高速公路上抛锚了。
The strain of his job led to the complete breakdown of his health.
他工作过度，把身体完全累垮了。
bribe
n. thing given，offered or promised to sb.to influence or persuade him to do sth. for the giver 贿赂v. give a bribe to sb.贿赂，收买
offer/give a bribe 行贿/accept/take a bribe 受贿/reject a bribe 拒贿
He tried to bribe the doorman with money， but he failed.
他试图用钱贿赂看门人，但失败了。
brisk
adj. quick and active 轻快的，活泼的 (of wind and air) filling with desire or activity， pleasantly cold and strong 清新的，凉爽的
brittle
adj. hard but easily broken 硬而易碎的 easily damaged or destroyed 易损坏的 easily hurt or offended 易受损害的，易怒的 lacking warmth 冷淡的，难相处的
fragile， frail， brittle， crisp， breakable
fragile 指使用时必须小心才不会被碎的东西，也指脆弱，体弱，病弱，娇弱等； frail 常指衰弱，虚弱，纤弱，也指脆弱，易碎，不结实； brittle 指坚硬的东西受撞击容易破碎，但不可能弯曲它； crisp 指食品的松脆； breakable 指容易被打破的东西。a frail child 体质虚弱的孩子，breakable ornaments 易碎的装饰品，crisp biscuit 脆饼干，brittle glass 易碎的玻璃，fragile health 虚弱的体质。
a brittle friendship 脆弱的友谊/a brittle nature 易怒的天性
Take care. Glass is brittle.
小心，玻璃易碎。
bronze
n. alloy of copper and tin 青铜 colour of bronze； reddishbrown 青铜色，赤棕色 work of art 青铜器
brood
n. a family of young birds or other young creatures all produced at the same time(雏鸡等的）一窝 young family of human beings （家庭的）全部孩子 vt. to think about sth. deeply and quietly for a long time 沉思；考虑
a brood of chickens 一窝小鸡／ brood on (upon) (over) (about) sb. or sth. 考虑某人或某事
You should not brood on your misfortunes. What you need to do is to stop drinking and to brace yourself up.
你不应该老想着你的不幸。你需要做的是停止酗酒，振奋起精神来。
bruise
n. a discolored place where the skin of a human， animal or fruit has been injured by a blow but not broken 挫伤，擦伤，青肿 v. cause a bruise or bruises 擦伤，打成青肿，挫伤
bruise one s leg 擦伤腿/bruise one s feelings 伤害某人的感情/bruise one s pride/dignity 挫伤某人的自尊心
She bruised her forehead when she fell.
她摔倒时擦伤了额头。
brutal
adj. extremely ruthless or cruel； harsh； unrelenting 兽性的；残忍的，野蛮的，粗暴的；讨厌的；令人难受的；不讲理的
brutal treatment野蛮拷打／brutal nature 野性／ with brutal force 用暴力/a brutal winter 严冬
The released hostages described the brutal and degrading treatment they had received.
获释人质描述了他们所受到的残酷和卑劣的虐待。
bud
n. small knob from which a flower， branch or cluster of leaves develops 花蕾，芽 v. produce buds 发芽，含苞待放
be in bud 含苞待放中；萌芽中/nip sth. in the bud 消灭于萌芽状态
budget
n. an itemized summary of estimated or intended expenditures for a given period along with proposals for financing them 预算vt. plan the spending of or provide money in a budget 做预算；编入预算
introduce the budget 提出预算案/on a budget 节省费用
The finance Minister will introduce a new budget in April.
财政大臣将于4月份提出新预算案。
buffer
n. device for lessening the effect of a blow or collision， esp on a railway vehicle or at the end of a railway track 缓冲器，减震器（尤指设于铁路车辆或铁轨末端的）person or thing that lessens a shock or protects sb/sth against difficulties 缓冲者；缓冲物 country or area between two powerful states， lessening the risk of war between them 缓冲国；缓冲地区
a buffer state/zone 缓冲国/地带
His sense of humour was a useful buffer when things were going badly for him.
他的幽默感是他身处逆境时的有用缓冲。
bug
n. small flat foulsmelling insect 臭虫 any small insect 小昆虫 defect in a machine (机器的）毛病，故障 small hidden microphone placed so that conversations can be heard at a distance 窃听器 v. fit a hidden microphone for listening to conversation 装窃听器 annoy sb.； irritate 骚扰，烦恼
Millennium Bug 千年虫
bull
n. male of any animal in the ox family 公牛 person who buys shares hoping to sell them soon afterwards at a higher price 投机商
a bull in a china shop 莽撞而笨拙的人
bulletin
n. short official statement of news 布告，公告，公报
During the king s illness， the doctors issued bulletins twice a day.
在国王生病期间，医生每天发布两次国王的病况报告。
bump
vi. to knock or strike with force or violence （碰撞造成的）肿块 to move along a road in a jerky way 颠簸；碰撞n. a raised uneven part 隆起物
bump into为口语，表示偶然遇见多日不见的朋友。Guess who I bumped into today？你猜我今天遇见谁了？尚有以下短语come up， come across， meet with， meet up with等均表示偶然遇见。
bump against 撞上；偶然碰见
It was so dark in the room that she bumped against the wall.
房间如此黑，以至于她撞上了墙壁。
bunch
n. a number of things fastened or grouped together (水果等的）串；（钥匙、花等）串 a group 一束（串）物；一群人 v. to be formed into a bunch or bunches 串成一串；束成一串
bundle，bunch， parcel
bundle 指样式大小相同或不同之物随便扎在一起； bunch 指同类物紧紧地并整齐地扎在一起； parcel 指一件或多件东西整齐地包扎在一起以便携带或邮寄。如：They tied the old newspapers and magazines into a bundle.他们将旧报纸杂志捆成一捆。如：She brought me a bunch of flower.她给我带来一束花。
a bunch of grapes 一串葡萄/a bunch of flowers 一束花/the bunch of fives 手；拳头/the best of the bunch 一批中最好的；精华
The little girl presented the Queen with a bunch of flowers.
小女孩向女王献了一束花。
bureaucracy
n. management or administration marked by diffusion of authority among numerous offices and adherence to inflexible rules of operation 官僚制度（作风）
an inefficient bureaucracy 低效率的官僚机构/a government bureaucracy 政府机构的官僚作风/an overgrown bureaucracy 人浮于事的官僚机构/a swollen bureaucracy 臃肿的官僚机构
Government departments have been urged to cut down on bureaucracy in order to enhance efficiency.
人们敦促政府部门减少官僚作风以便提高效率。
burial
n. the act， action or ceremony of putting a dead body into a grave 埋葬，葬礼
a celestial burial 天葬/a sea burial 海葬/a state burial 国葬/hold a burial 举行葬礼/a burial ground 葬地
The sailor was given a burial at sea.
对该水手进行了海葬。
buzz
v. make a humming sound 发出嗡嗡声 be full of excited talk， gossip or rumor 发出嘈杂声 n. humming sound 嗡嗡声 low confused sound of people talking 嘈杂声
bypass
vt. to go around or avoid using a bypass 绕过 n. a road by which traffic can go round a city 旁道；旁路；迂回道
take/use the bypass 走旁道/bypass a place 绕过……而行
We d better take the bypass to avoid the traffic in the center of town during the rush hours.
在交通高峰期我们最好避开市中心的车辆而走旁道。