经济学人下载:机器人世界杯

1.rather than 而不…，与其…倒不如

Circumstances dictated that they played a defensive rather than attacking game.
比赛形势决定了他们要打防守战而不是进攻战。

The effect is soft and pretty rather than drop-dead sexy.
给人的印象是柔和俏丽而不是吸人眼球的性感。
2.encourage to 鼓励

I encourage to join the list and contribute your thoughts to the project.
我鼓励您加入这个列表，并提供您对这个项目的想法。

I encourage to join the list and contribute your thoughts to the project.
我鼓励您加入该列表，并提出您对本项目的想法。

3.need to 需要

You need to touch up the poem.
你需要给这首诗润色一下。

Do we need to discuss this question?Yes.
这个问题还用得着讨论吗?要讨论。

4.prone to 有…倾向的

Also prone to swelling and infection. If you have them by your 30s, it's almost an accomplishment.
同样容易肿大和感染。如果你到30岁还有扁桃体那简直是一个成就。

But the study also found that, in areas with higher biodiversity, diseases might be more prone to jumping from animals to humans.
但是该研究也发现在生物多样性更高的地区，疾病可能更容易地从动物跳到人类身上。