经济学人下载:Bartleby专栏:公司必须克服技能短缺(1)

1.equate to 相当于
The principle of hierarchy does not equate to totalitarian terror.
等级制度在原则上并不等同于极权主义恐怖。
2.shrink 缩小
The market for their products is shrinking.
市场对他们产品的需求在减少。
3.left to its own devices 顺其自然
Left to its own devices, the market will self-destruct.
如果听任其依靠自己的机制，市场将会自我毁灭。
4.proportion 比例
The proportion of men to women in the college has changed dramatically over the years.
近年来，这个学院的男女学生比例出现了剧变。