现代大学英语精读第二册 Unit14

Lesson fourteen

Pre-class Work

Read the text a third time. Learn the new words and expressions listed below.

Glossary

acre
n. a measure of land 英亩 (equal to 6 市亩 a in China)

afresh
adv. (fml) once more; from the beginning

Alabama
n. 亚拉巴马州（U.S.）

assault
n. an attempt to achieve sth. difficult

assignment
n. a piece of work given to sb.

balloon
v. to get larger in amount; to increase in number

blueprint
n. a plan for achieving sth. 蓝图

capital
n. money to start a business

charity
n. an organization that gives help to the poor

commute
v. to travel regularly a long distance to work

contractor
n. a person or company that makes an agreement to do work 承包商

corporation
n. a company

dilapidated
adj. old and in very bad condition

distribute
v. to give to a group of people or organization, esp. in a planned way 分配；分发

donation
n. sth. esp. money given to an organization without asking for anything in return 捐款

dubious
adj. not sure whether sth. is true or good

dwelling
n. (fml) a house where people live

dynamic
adj. full of energy and new ideas, and detemp3ined to succeed

equity
n. 产权 sweat ～: unpaid labor that is invested to start or expand a business

erect
v. to build

foundation
n. 基础

generous
adj. showing readiness to give money, help, kindness, etc.

Georgia
n. 佐治亚州（U.S.）

habitat
n. the natural home of a plant or animal. Here: the name given to the housing project

handle
v. to deal with a difficult situation

install
v. 安装

jolt
v. to shock suddenly

knack
n. (infml) a special skill or ability

livestock
n. animals kept on a famp3

luxurious
adj. very expensive, beautiful and comfortable

Manhattan
曼哈顿 (U.S.)

millionaire
n. a person who has at least 1,000,000 pounds or dollars; a very wealthy person

minimal
adj. very small in degree or amount

mission
n. sth. you feel you must do because it is your duty

Mississippi
n. 密西西比州（U.S.）

mortgage
n. an agreement to borrow money from a bank in order to buy a house, with the house belonging to the lender until the money is repaid 抵押贷款

needy
adj. having very little food or money

passer-by
n. a person who happens to pass by a place

peek
v. to look at sth. quickly, esp. sth. you are not supposed to see

plea
n. an eager or serious request

plumbing
n. all the pipes that carry water through in a building

plus
prep. with the addition of; and also

profit
n. money gained by selling things or doing business

ranch
n. (AmE) a very large famp3 where sheep, cattle or horses are raised

recruit
v. to find new people to work in a company, join an organization or do a job, etc.

rent
v. to pay money regularly for the use of a house or room that belongs to sb. else

reservoir
n. an artificial lake where water is stored before it is supplied to people's houses. Here: a large amount of sth, that has not been used