图：Vocabulary

　　•pledge

　　（誓言，承诺 n./v.，保证n.）Thousands of people made pledges to the charity campaign.

　　（作出承诺／保证，抵押v.）We are asking people to pledge their support for our campaign.

　　•chronically（慢性地，长期地，持续地adv.）

　　He uses a standing desk at work to relieve his chronically aching back.

　　•skewed（倾斜的，失衡的，有偏差的，偏颇的adj.）

　　Her smile is slightly skewed.

　　•scarcely（几乎不，几乎没有，勉强，刚刚adv.）

　　I was scarcely able to move my arm after the accident.

　　•erroneous（错误的，不正确的adj.）

　　The presentation of correct forms immediately following the child's erroneous forms allows the child to contrast them with his/her own errors.

　　•sow（播种，散布（如谣言、恐惧）v.）

　　Now that you've sown doubts in my mind, I'll never be sure I can trust him.

　　•dampen（使减弱，使洩气；使潮湿v.）

　　物理意义上（使潮湿）：Rain had dampened the tent so we left it to dry in the afternoon sun.

　　抽象意义上（使洩气）：I didn't want to dampen his spirits. 我不想给他泼冷水。

　　•epoch-making（划时代的，开创新纪元的，开天辟地的adj.）Every scientist would like to accomplish such an epoch-making advance.

　　•trajectory（轨迹，弹道，（发展）路径n.）

　　（虽然意义不同，但在写作中可以用来代替“development”）

　　Previous events in a sequence influence outcomes and trajectories, but not necessarily by inducing further movement in the same direction.

　　•revamped（翻新，改造v./adj.；改进v.；翻新的，改造过的adj.）

　　We revamped the management system, but the business is doing no better than it was before.

　　片语

　　•Drawing a lesson from the bitter experience 痛定思痛

　　例句：It is hoped that the Government can learn from the bitter experience and make thorough-going improvements.

　　•Give/make pledge to 作出承诺

　　例句：All the candidates have given/made pledges not to raise taxes if they are elected.

　　•borne + responsibility 承担责任

　　例句：The important responsibility borne by the members of the Council cannot be overstated.