经济学人下载: 搜寻火星生命 (1)

1.preliminary 初步的
Preliminary results show the Republican party with 11 percent of the vote...
初步结果显示共和党获得了11%的选票。
2.thumbs-down 反对；责备
The sell-off had nothing to do with investor fondness for Heins, or even a thumbs-down for Chen.
黑莓遭到抛售与投资者对海因斯的喜好无关，更不是对程守宗的不满。
3.observation 观察
results based on scientific observations
根据科学观测得来的结果
4.break down into 分解成
After many years, rocks break down into dirt.
经过许多年，岩石分解成泥土。