malleable¹ adj.顺从的

同flexible, moldable, tractable², impressionable

When children are young, their minds are very malleable.

当孩子还小时，其思想具有相当的可塑性。

millennium³ n.一千年

同one thousand years

In the year 3000, we will reach the beginning of a new millennium.

到3000年时，我们将会到达一个新千年的起点。

murmur⁴ v.喃喃低语

同mumble⁵, mutter, grumble⁶

Carl murmured something that none of us heard clearly.

卡尔喃喃低语，没人听清楚他讲了什么。

negligible adj.不足取的；无关紧要的

同unimportant, insignificant⁷, trifling⁸, petty

The wind was so light that it had only a negligible effect on the outside temperature.

风这么弱，对外面的温度起不了多大的作用。

obsess⁹ v.迷惑；着魔

同haunt, besiege¹⁰, beset¹¹

Professor Thompson has been obsessed¹² with the history of ancient Egypt for more than twenty years.

汤普森教授痴迷地研究古埃及历史已有20多年。

outing n.远足

同excursion, expedition, pleasure trip

Our class went on an outing to the countryside where we had a picnic lunch.我们班到乡下去远足野餐。

paradoxical adj.矛盾的

同contradictory¹³

Sam had a very paradoxical personality; he was very shy, but often outgoing, too.

山姆的个性是矛盾的，很害羞，但又有些外向。

perspective n.观点

同attitude, way of looking, proportion

What is your perspective on the problems in today’s schools, Harriet?哈丽特，你对当今校园问题的看法如何？

Exercise: Fill in the blanks.

1. The teacher’s _____ criticism made the little boy cry.

2. My parrot can _____ Michael Jackson singing“Bad”.

3. He was a weak, _____ man with no will of his own.

4. Dr. Kimble became _____ with finding the one-armed man who had killed his wife.

5. This book tells a story from the _____ of a ten-year-old child.

解答?1. harsh 2. imitate 3. malleable 4. obsessed 5. perspective