few [ fju:] a.很少的；少数的
a few 少许，一些
a good few 相当多，不少
quite a few 相当多，有相当数目
a few 有些，几个
quite a few 还不少，有相当数目的
a few
有些，几个
quite a few
还不少，有相当数目的
Here it is, some French francs, Swiss francs, American dollars and a few Dutch guilders.
这些就是：一些法国法郎，瑞士法郎，美圆和一些荷兰盾。
a man of few words 沉默寡言的人
few and far between 难能可贵
数日之内我们将有三笔大额近款, 所以我们最迟于下星期一以前定给贵方汇款。
As we expect to receive three large sums within the next few days, days, we will send you some money by Monday at the latest.
The latest surveys show that quite a few children have unpleasant associations with homework.
最近的调查显示相当多的孩子对家庭作业没什么好感。
Many city residents complain that it is so few buses in their city that they have to spend much more time waiting for a bus, which is usually crowded with a large number of passengers.
许多市民抱怨城市的公交车太少，以至于他们要花很长时间等一辆公交车，而车上可能已满载乘客。
But is it really the case? The information I've collected over last few years leads me to believe that artistic and cultural projects may be less useful than many governments think. In fact, basic infrastructure projects are playing extremely important role and should be given priority.
这是真的吗？这些年我收集的信息让我相信这些文化、艺术项目并没有许多政府想象的那么重要。事实上，基础设施建设非常重要，应该放在首位。
Unfortunately, there is very few evidence that big companies are willing to invest a huge sums of money in a place without sufficient basic projects, such as supplies of electricity and water.
然而，很少有证据表明大公司愿意把巨额的资金投到一个连水电这些基础设施都不完善的地方去。
Many survey show that people in increasing numbers are beginning to recognize that boarding school provides better environment and facilities for children.
许多调查显示越来越多的人开始意识到寄宿学校能给他们的孩子提供较好的学习环境和设施。 120. At the same time, there are still many people who live under the traditional ideas that day schools play an extremely important role in children's study.
同时，仍有许多人持传统观点认为日制学校对孩子的学习发挥着极其重要的作用。
121. On the one hand, it is indisputable that boarding schools are exerting a growing important effect, especially in last few years.
一方面，寄宿学校正在发挥越来越重要的作用，尤其是最近几年，这是无可争辩的。
One of the few experiences which never pall is the experience for watching one's own interests, responds to new stimuli, and develops new thoughts.
令人永不生厌的不多的几种体验之一，是观察自己的头脑，看它是如何产生新的兴趣、对新的刺激作出反应及发展新的思想。
Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.
民主政治以无能的多数进行的选择代替腐败的少数作出的委任。
Paying attention to simple little things that most men neglect makes a few men rich.
注意多数人忽视的简单小事使少数人致富。
An overdose of praise is like ten lumps of sugar in coffee; only a very few people can swallow it.
过量的赞扬有如在咖啡里放了十块糖，只有极少数的人能咽得下去。
I bought a few trifles as souvenirs.
我买了一些小东西作为纪念品。
If I had taken the doctor's advice and rested for a few days, I should have completely recovered by now.
要是我听医生劝告, 休息几天, 我现在该完全恢复了。
Within a few days, she has become seriously ill, suffering from great pain.
只几天时间，她的病情加重了，她被折磨得痛苦不堪。
Most tourists really enjoy visiting Disney world in Florida; the few who do not are exceptions.
大多数游客确实喜欢佛罗里达州的迪斯尼乐园，极少数不喜欢的属于例外。
Most things are made of components. Some things have many components; some have only a few.
大多数东西由部件组成；有的东西含有很多个部件，有的则很少。
Can you extend your visit a few days longer?
你能多停留几天吗？
This is a good book apart from a few mistakes.
除了几个错误之外,这是一本好书。
He suggested quite a few tips about the managers of the company, but none of them held water.
就公司的管理问题他提了好几个建议，可没一个管用。
He made suggested quite a few ideas about the managing of the company, but none of them held water.
他就公司的管理问题提了好几个建议，但没一个管用。
They invited Mr. Jackson to open the meeting and make a few opening remarks.
他们请杰克逊先生宣布会议开始，并讲几句开场白。
I saw quite a few car accidents on the highway.
我在公路上见到了好几起车祸。
Sometimes a few words will do the trick.
有时侯几句话就能达到目的。
At that time few people realized the significance of his discovery.
当时几乎没有人认识到他的发明的意义。
The newly established government controls the main part of the city except for a few pockets of resistance.
除了少数地区还在抵抗, 新政府控制了城市的主要区段。
The last few years have seen an explosive increase in the number of homeless people on our streets.
近几年我们的街道上无家可归的人数激增。
Dust accumulates quickly, even if you clean the house every few days.
即使你每隔几天打扫一次房子，还是很快就会积灰。
The symptoms don’t appear until a few days later after you are infected.
症状要在你感染几天以后才出现。
make a few remarks 说几句话; 作短评
In the past few years there has been an increasing tendency towards the use of guns by criminals.
近年来罪犯使用枪械呈上升趋势。
A few drinks loosened his tongue.
一两杯酒下肚，他的话匣子便打开了。
The arrangement of the flowers only took a few minutes.
插这些花只用了几分钟。
A few devoted doctors have fought for years to enlighten the profession.
一些富有献身精神的医生奋斗了多年来发展这一专业。
After a few minutes she said, " I nearly forgot the valentine I bought yesterday!"
几分钟后，她说：“我差点儿忘了昨天买的情人节卡！”
The consensus among the world’s scientists is that the world is likely to warm up over the next few decades.
全世界的科学家一致认为，地球很可能在今后几十年中变暖。
Just a few months.
才几个月。
We have a few kitchen things and a dining room set.
我们有一些厨房用具和一套餐厅设备。
He has quite a few friends． 他有不少的朋友。
Americans are proud of their variety and individuality, yet they love and respect few things more than a uniform, whether it is the uniform of an elevator operator or the uniform of a five-star general.
美国人对于多元化和个人个性感到骄傲，因此他们更加喜欢和看重的不是制服，不管是一个电梯操作员的制服还是五星上将的制服。
It took us only a few minutes to get through the Customs.
我们的海关检查只花了几分钟时间。
Few of us have his address.
我们中几乎没有人知道他的地址。
I'll only keep you a few minutes.
我只耽搁你几分钟。
I only have a few pennies with me.
我身上只有几个便士。
My time is precious; I can only give you a few minutes.
我的时间很宝贵，我只能见你几分钟。
After a few tries they decided to give up.
试了几次后，他们决定放弃。
杰夫在吗?
Is Jeff around?
Is Jeff around? (杰夫在吗?)
He was here a few minutes ago. (几分钟前他还在这儿来着。)
By the way, before leaving this subject, I would like to add a few comments.
在结束这个问题之前顺便一提，我希望能再提出一些看法。
a black sheep 败家子
绵羊一般为白色，一旦成了黑色的绵羊，一定是个“败类”。
Eric is a black sheep ,splashing one million dollars in a few years .
艾瑞克是个败家子，几年就挥霍了一百万美金。
A thousand friends are few, one enemy is too many.
朋友千人尚觉少，仇敌一人犹嫌多。
Books, like friends, should be few and well chosen.
书籍如朋友，应该少而精。
Few words are best.
少说为妙。
Have but few friends though many acquaintances.
朋友要少，熟人要多。
Love all, trust a few, be false to none.
要爱一切人，相信少数人，不要负于任何人。
One foe is too many; and a hundred friends too few.
朋友成百犹觉少，仇敌一人已嫌多。
Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.
有些书只要浏览一下，有些书要仔细阅读，有些书要领会和消化。
To live long is almost everyone's wish, but to live well is the ambitiion of a few.
活得长几乎是每个人的愿望，可是生活得好只是少数人的志气。
By the way, before leaving this subject, I would like to add a few comments.
在结束这个问题之前顺便一提，我希望能再提出一些看法。
I'll be ready in a few minutes.
再过几分钟就好了。
A The Olympics will be on television everywhere.
A 世界各地都将通过电视转播奥运会比赛盛况。
B There’ll be millions and millions watching it on TV.
B 将有数百万人通过电视观看比赛。
A I know. The whole world will be watching. It’s a real global event.
A 我知道。整个世界都将观看比赛。它是全球的盛事。
B It’s good for Beijing, and for China.
B 这对北京和中国都有好处。
A I know. The eyes of the world will be on Beijing.
A 我知道。整个世界都将注视北京。
B For a few fantastic weeks, Beijing will be the centre of attention.
B 在几个激动人心的星期里，北京都将是世人瞩目的中心。
A How about your family? Do you have brothers or sisters?
A 你的家人怎么样？你有兄弟姐妹吗？
B Yes, I’ve got one sister. She’s a few years younger than me. She’s a student, still studying at university.
A So, it’s on the east side of the lake.
A 这么说，它在湖的东侧。
B Yes, there’re a few restaurants on your left side and then the Vietnamese restaurant.
B 是的，在你的左侧有几家餐馆，然后就是那家越南餐馆。
A Will I find it easily?
A 我会很容易找到它吗？
B Oh, yes. You’ll see a Russian restaurant first, then a Mongolian one – I think. Then a couple of others.
B 哦，是的。你首先将看到一家俄罗斯餐馆，然后是一家蒙古餐馆——我想。然后还有两三家其它的。
A And after those, it’s the Vietnamese restaurant?
A 过去这几家，就是那家越南餐馆了吗？
B Yes, you’ll find it easily. It’s only about one minute walk from the bridge.
B 是的，你会很容易找到的。从桥走到那里大约只需一分钟。
A Hi! ?I’ll just be a few moments. I want to check my e-mail.
A 嗨！我只用一会。我想看看我的电子邮件。
B No problem. I want to check mine too.
B 没问题。我也想看看我的。
A I hate it when you get a lot of junk mails.
A 有那么多的垃圾邮件真令我讨厌。
B Me too. It’s such a waste of time.
B 我也是。这浪费了很多时间。
A I’m expecting an e-mail from my friend and I want to reply.
A 我在等我朋友的邮件，我想回复邮件。
B No problem. I’ve got a few quick e-mails I need to send anyway.
B 没问题。我也有几封需要尽快发送的邮件。
A I used to work in Harbin. It was a few years ago, and only for six months.
A 我过去在哈尔滨工作。那是几年前的事情了，在那我只工作了6个月。
B Really? I didn’t know that. When exactly was that – and what was it like?
B 真的吗？我不知道。那是什么时候——究竟是怎么回事？
A Oh, two to three years ago. I really enjoyed it.? It was such a change from Beijing.
A 哦，两三年前的事。我很喜欢那段日子。和在北京的生活是如此不同。?
B I can imagine. I used to live and work in Nanjing and that was very different from Beijing too.
B 我可以想象得到。我过去工作、生活在南京，那里和北京也有很大不同。
A Yes, everything was different – the food, the traffic, the weather, the pace of life.
A 是的，一切都不同——食物、交通、天气，还有生活的节奏。
B I agree. I prefer Beijing but I miss the quieter life. I used to like that.
B 我同意。我更喜欢北京，但是我怀念更安静的生活。我过去很喜欢那样的生活。
A Hi! It’s good to see you again. It’s been such a long time. It’s ages since I last saw you!
A 你好！很高兴再次见到你。好久不见。自从我上次见到你已经过去好久好久了！
B I know. The last time we met was about a year ago, wasn’t it?
B 我知道。上次我们见面是大约一年前，不是吗？
A Yes, I think it was. What have you been doing since then?
A 是的，我想是的。从那以后你一直在做什么？
B Well, I went to Shanghai for a few months. I had some work there – only for a short time. Then I came back here.
B 哦，我去了上海几个月。我在那里有些工作——只是一小段时间。然后我就回来了。
A And then what did you do?
A 回来以后你做了什么？
B Well, I started a new job here. Then I took a holiday. I went to Thailand. And now I’m back.
B 哦，我在这里开始了一份新工作。然后我放假了。我去了泰国。现在我又回来了。
A Let’s go out this evening. The weather is beautiful.
A 咱们今晚出去。天气太好了。
B OK. Where would you like to go?
B 好的。你想去哪里？
A Let’s check out some of the bars around Houhai.
A 咱们到后海周围的酒吧转转。
B That would be nice. We can try some of the lakeside and rooftop bars.
B 那会很有意思。我们可以到那些湖边和屋顶酒吧看看。
A Yes, some of them have fantastic views.
A 好的，在其中的几家看风景视野特别好。
B We can just stroll around and try a few places.
B 我们就到那里转转，去一些地方看看。
A Yes, I like visiting Beijing very much.
A 是的，我非常喜欢来北京。
B So do I. I rent an apartment here. Prices are very reasonable.
B 我也是。我在这里租了一间公寓。价格非常合理。
A Yes, I lived and worked in Tokyo before. Tokyo is much more expensive than Beijing.
A 是的，我以前在东经住，并在那里工作。东经的物价比北京高得多。
B People say rents in Tokyo are higher than London, New York and Paris.
B 人们说在东经租房子比在伦敦、纽约和巴黎贵得多。
A I'm sure that's true.
A 我肯定这是真的。
B But Beijing is more expensive than a few years ago.
B 但是北京的物价也比几年前高了。
A Hello, Mr Li? It's Liz Frost from London.
A 你好！你是李先生吗？我是伦敦的李兹·福罗斯特。
B Hi, Liz. Good to talk to you.
B 你好，李兹！很高兴和你通话。
A There are a few things we must discuss.
A 有几件事情我们必须谈论一下。
B Liz, can you call back in an hour? I'm in a meeting right now.
B 李兹，你能一小时以后打过来吗？我现在正在开会。
A Oh, I'm sorry. I'll call back around 12.
A 噢，对不起。我12点左右打给你。
B Thanks. 12 is OK. We'll talk then.
B 谢谢。12点可以。我们到时再谈。
A The Olympics will be on television all round the world.
A 世界各地都将通过电视观看奥运比赛。
B There’ll be millions watching it on TV.
B 将有数以百万计的人将通过电视观看比赛。
A The whole world will be watching. It’s a real global event.
A 整个世界都将观看比赛，那将是全球的大事。
B It’s good for Beijing, and for China. The eyes of the world will be on Beijing.
B 这对北京以及中国都有好处。北京将成为世人关注的焦点。
A Yes, for a few fantastic weeks, Beijing will be the centre of attention.
B 是的，在几个激动人心的星期里，北京都将成为人们关注的中心。
A Hi! Good to see you again. It’s been such a long time. It’s ages since we last met.
A 你好！很高兴再次见到你。这么长时间了，我们好久好久没有见面了。
B I know. The last time we met was about 6 months ago, wasn’t it?
B 我知道。上次我们见面大约是6个月前，不是吗？
A Yes, I think it was. What have you been doing since then?
A 是的，我想是的。从那以后你一直都在做什么？
B Well, I went to Guangzhou for a few months. I was working there – but only for a short time.
B 哦，我去广州呆了几个月。我在那里工作——但是只是很短的一段时间。
A And then what did you do?
A 然后你做什么了？
B Well, I took a short holiday in Hong Kong. Then I started a new job here.
B 哦，我在香港度过了一个短暂的假期。然后我在这里开始做一份新工作。
A I used to work in Guangzhou, you know. I worked there a few years ago, for about six months.
A 我过去在广州工作，你知道。几年前我在那里工作了大约6个月。
B Really? I didn’t know that. Did you like it?
B 真的吗？我不知道。你喜欢那里吗？
A Yes, I really enjoyed it. It was such a change from Beijing.
A 是的，我非常喜欢那里。那里跟北京如此不同。
B I know what you mean. I used to live and work in Harbin and that was very different from Beijing too.
B 我明白你的意思。我过去住在哈尔滨，并在那里工作。那里和北京也很不同。
A Yes, everything was different – the food, the traffic, the weather, the pace of life.
A 是的，一切都不同——食物、交通、天气，还有生活的节奏。
A What will you do in the October holiday this year?
A 今年十一”长假的时候你打算做什么？
B I’m not sure. I’d like a break, but I’ve made no plans yet. What about you?
B 我还不确定。我想休息一下，但是我还没有确定的计划。你呢？
A I’m going on holiday in October. I’m going to go to Harbin for a week.
A 我10月份的时候将去度假。我将去哈尔滨呆一周。
B Will you see your family and friends?
B 你要去看你的家人和朋友吗？
A Yes, it will be a good chance to see everybody again.
A 是的，那将是再次看望大家的好机会。
B Well, maybe I’ll go to Shanghai to see friends for a few days.
B 哦，也许我会去上海呆几天，看望我的朋友们。
A When will you go back to New York?
A 你什么时候回纽约？
B Pretty soon. I’m going back to the States next week.
B 很快。我下周将回美国。
A And when will you come back to Beijing?
A 那你什么时候回北京？
B Oh, in a few weeks. I’m only away for a short time. I’ll be back in Beijing soon - around the end of the month.
B 噢，几个星期以后。我只离开一小段时间。我很快就回北京来——大约在月底的时候 。
A That’s not too long.
A 时间不太长。
B Yes. I’m looking forward to it. But I’m also looking forward to returning.
B 是的。我期待着去美国。但是我也期待着回北京来。
A What are your plans for the next few weeks?
A 接下来的几周你有什么打算？
B It’s a really busy time at work just now. But I will also take a trip to Hong Kong soon.
B 我目前工作非常忙。但是我很快将去香港一趟。
A When are you going to visit Hong Kong?
A 你什么时候去香港？
B I will go at the end of the month. I’ll go for a long weekend.
B 我月底去。我将去度一个长点的周末。
A Have you booked your ticket?
A 你已经订票了吗？
B No, not yet. I’ll book it tomorrow. Thanks for reminding me.
B 不，还没有 。我明天去订票。谢谢你提醒我。
A So you will be back in time for the meeting on the 26th.
A 那么你会及时赶回来参加26日的会议了。
B On the twenty-sixth? Yes, I’ll be back a few days before that.
B 26日的会议？是的，我会在那之前几天回来的。
A And remember – we also have another meeting on the 30th.
A 还有记住——我们在30日还有一个会。
B Don’t worry. I’ve got both meetings in my diary. The twenty-sixth and the thirtieth,
B 别担心。我把两个会议的时间都记在日志里了。26日和30日。
A And then I’m going away next month on the 4th.
A 我下个月4日还要出差。
B It’s a busy time.
B 真够忙的。
A You don’t sound very good. Are you OK?
A 你的声音听起来不是很健康。你还好吗？
B I’ve just got a sore throat. A few hot drinks and I’ll be OK.
B 我的喉咙很痛。喝些热饮后，应该就会好了。
A Let’s have some jasmine tea. That’ll be good for you.
A 我们来喝点茉莉花茶。它对你比较好。
B Thanks. I’m sure I’ll be fine.
B 谢谢，我知道我会好起来的。
Few things are impossible in themselves; and it is often for want of will, rather than of means, that man fails to succeed.
La Rocheforcauld, French writer
事情很少有根本做不成的；其所以做不成，与其说是条件不够，不如说是由于决心不够。
法国作家罗切福考尔德，L.
Few rich men own their property.The property owns them.
Robert Green Ingersoll. American Iawyer
极少富人拥有他们的财产，是财产拥有他们。
美国律师英格索尔.R.G.
The consumer isn't a moron; she is your wife. You insult her in-telligence if you assume that a mere slogan and a few vapid adjectives will persuade her to buy anything.
Davik Ogilvy, American advertisement manager
消费者不是傻瓜；她是你的妻子。如果你认为仅凭句口号，几个干巴巴的形容词就能诱使她掏腰包购买任何东西的话，那么你就亵渎了她的智慧。
美国广告经营者奥格尔维D
What time is it?几点钟了？
It’s two o’clock.两点钟。
It’s a few minutes after two.两点过几分。
She has been shut-in for a few days.
她生病在家几天了。
@@@ 许多, 大量, 富于
a (great/wide) range of 广泛的; 许多的
a cloud of 一大群; 一大片
a crowd of 许多; 一大群
a good/great deal (of) 许多, 大量
a great many 许多
a heap of 一大堆
a host of 一大群; 许多
a large amount & large amounts of 许多, 大量
a multitude of 一大批; 大量
a myriad of 大量的, 无数的
a number of 许多; 一些
a pile of 一堆; 很多
a wealth of 丰富的, 大量的
abound in 充满, 富于
all kinds of 许多; 大量(金钱)
an array of 显眼的一系列; 整齐的一大批; 大量
be abundant in 富于, 丰富
by the dozens 数目很多地; 大量地
for the most part 主要地; 大多数情况下
have (sth.) to spare 有多余的...
head and shoulders above 大大超出, 水平高很多
in abundance 大量地
in quantity 大量地, 大批地
on a large scale 大批量; 大规模
plenty of 丰富, 大量
quite a bit/few/little/lot 相当多, 有相当多的数目
rich in sth. 富于...
safety in numbers 人多保险, 势众
scores of 许多
teem with 有很多..., 充满...
the majority of 大多数
varied fare 多样化的饮食
well attended 参加的人多
take a shine to 有好感
He really likes you. There are very few people he takes a shine to
right away.
他真的喜欢你。他很少对人一见面就有好感的。
kick around讨论；多考虑一下
Let's kick around a few more proposals before we come to a final decision.
我们最后决定之前多考虑几个方案吧。
up and running生龙活虎的
He'll be up and running in a few days.
几天后他又会生龙活虎。
a man of few words 沉默寡言的人
few and far between 难能可贵
When you find something you really want, don't let a few dollars keep you from getting it.
如果发现真爱，别让不太多的钱成为阻碍。
a few 有些，几个
quite a few 不少，相当多
- chew the cud 好好琢磨琢磨
I don't want to jump to conclusions, I have to chew the cud on it for a few days.
A few problems with supply under the old contract must be quickly resolved.
老合同中的一些供货问题必须尽快解决。
There are only a few unsold pieces.
只有几件商品未售出。
A: What’s the big holiday period in Beijing?
A: 在北京大的节假日是哪段时间?
B: We have a big holiday in October. October 1st is National Day. We usually get a few days for vacation. Sometimes, we even get a week.
B: 我们在10月有一个长假。10月1日是国庆节。我们通常有几天的假期，一般是一周时间。
A: That sounds good.
A: 听起来很好。
B: It is. And we also have the New Year and Spring Festival holidays early in the year.
B: 是的。在年初我们还有新年和春节。
A: That must be a busy time.
A: 那时候一定很繁忙。
B: It is. The train stations and the airport are really busy.
B: 是的，火车站和飞机场都非常繁忙。
A: Ping, are there any good places to buy Chinese paintings?
A: 平，哪里是买中国画的好地方?
B: Do you mean traditional paintings?
B: 你是说传统绘画吗？
A: Yes. Landscapes and traditional art.
A: 是的，风景和传统艺术品。
B: There’re quite a few shops and galleries near your hotel.
B: 在你住的饭店附近有几家商店和艺术馆。
A: Are they cheap or expensive?
A: 那里的东西贵还是便宜？
B: Well, it depends on what you buy! You can also go to Panjiayuan Market. There’re lots of paintings and art there.
B: 哦，那要取决于你买什么。你也可以去潘家园市场。那里有很多画和艺术品。
A: Ok. Let’s go there. That sounds interesting.
A: 好，咱们就去那里。听起来很吸引人。
不日 [bù rì] /within the next few days/in a few days time/
不少 [bù shǎo] /not (just) a few/
好几 [hǎo jǐ] /several/quite a few/
几 [jǐ] /a few/how many/
几 [jǐ] /how much/how many/several/a few/
几年 [jǐ nián] /a few years/several years/
两 [liǎng] /both/two/ounce/some/a few/tael/
零星 [líng xīng] /(adj) partial; fragmentary; scattered and few/
们 [men ] /(plural marker for pronouns and a few animate nouns)/
日前 [rì qián] /the other day/a few days ago/
少量 [shǎo liàng] /(adj) a smidgen; a little bit; a few/
些 [xiē] /some/few/several/(a measure word)/
一些 [yī xiē] /some/a few/a little/
只不过几年前 [zhǐ bù guò jǐ nián qián] /only a few years ago/just a few years ago/
Leaders of the animal rights movement target biomedical research because it depends on public funding, and few people understand the process of health care research.
动物权利运动的领导者将矛头指向生物医学研究，原因在于它依赖公共资金的资助，并且很少有人懂得医学研究的过程。
In 1950, the US spent $12.7 billion on health care.
1950年，美国在医疗卫生方面的开支是127亿美元。
In 2002, the cost will be $1540 billion.
2002年，这项开支将达到15400亿。
Anyone can see this trend is unsustainable.
任何人都明白这个趋势不可持续，
Yet few seem willing to try to reverse it.
但是很少有人愿意扭转它。
If you feel awkward being humorous, you must practice so that it becomes more natural.
如果你在幽默时感到很别扭，你应该进行练习使它变得更自然。
Include a few casual and apparently off-the-cuff remarks which you can deliver in a relaxed and unforced manner.
包括一些很随便的、看上去是即兴的话，你可以用轻松的、不做作的方式把它们说出来。
Often it's the delivery which causes the audience to smile, so speak slowly and remember that a raised eyebrow or an unbelieving look may help to show that you are making a light-hearted remark.
常常是你说话的方式使听众发笑，因此说慢一些，并且记住扬扬眉毛或者做出一种不相信的表情都会向人们显示你正在说笑话。
Look for the humor. It often comes from the unexpected.
留意幽默，它常常是在出其不意的时候出现。
A twist on a familiar quote "If at first you don't succeed, give up" or a play on words or on a situation.
它可以是一句常言的歪曲如“你要是一开始不成功，就放弃”，或者是玩弄语言和情景。
Search for exaggeration and understatements.
留意夸张和打折扣的话。
Look at your talk and pick out a few words or sentences which you can turn about and inject with humor.
考虑一下你的谈话，选出一些词汇和句子，颠倒它们的秩序，并注入一些幽默。
But if robots are to reach the next stage of laborsaving utility, they will have to operate with less human supervision and be able to make at least a few decisions for themselves — goals that pose a real challenge.
但是如果机器人要进入节省劳力的下一个阶段，他们必须能够在更少的人工监控下运行，并且至少能够独立地做一些决定。这些目标给我们提出了一个真正的挑战。
Examples of benefits or costs of the current concentration wave are scanty.
目前证明这股合并浪潮是带来利还是弊的实例并不多。
Yet it is hard to imagine that the merger of a few oil firms today could re-create the same threats to competition that were feared nearly a century ago in the US, when the Standard Oil trust was broken up.
但是很难想像当今的几个石油公司的合并是否会重新造成约100年前美国标准石油公司对竞争造成的同样的威胁，那时由于人们对该公司的这种担心而导致了它最终的解散。
The mergers of telecom companies, such as World Com, hardly seem to bring higher prices for consumers or a reduction in the pace of technical progress.
像世界通讯这样的通讯公司合并似乎没有给消费者带来更高的价格，或者降低技术进步的速度。
On the contrary, the price of communications is coming down fast.
相反，通信的价格在迅速下降。
A few weeks ago, Alan Greenspan warned against the megamergers in the banking industry.
就在几星期以前，格林斯潘对银行业的巨大合并发出了警告。
Few Americans attribute this solely to such obvious causes as a devalued dollar or the turning of the business cycle.
没几个美国人将这一巨变单纯归因于美元贬值或商业周期循环这些显而易见的原因。
There is another way to commit evolutionary suicide: stay alive, but have fewer children.
进化自杀还有另一种方法：存活，但少生孩子。
Few people are as fertile as in the past.
现在没有几个人像过去那样具有旺盛的生育力。
Except in some religious communities, very few women has 15 children.
除了在一些宗教社区之外，没有几名妇女有15个孩子。
India shows what is happening.
印度可以说明正在发生的一切。
The country offers wealth for a few in the great cities and poverty for the remaining tribal peoples.
这个国家给大城市里的少数人提供财富，而给其余的各部落民族以贫困。
The attacks on ambition are many and come from various angles; its public defenders are few and unimpressive, where they are not extremely unattractive.
对雄心的攻击非常之多，出自各种不同的角度；公开为之辩解的则少之又少，虽不能说他们是完全没有吸引力的，但却未能给人们留下深刻印象。
And the cost of computing power continues to free fall, which is a good sign for any enterprise setting up shop in silicon.
计算能力的成本持续自由下降，这对任何建立了网上销售的企业来说都是个好的征兆。
People looking back 5 or 10 years from now may well wonder why so few companies took the online plunge.
回顾过去的5到10年的历史，人们很可能会感到奇怪：尝试网上销售的公司为何如此之少呢？
An invisible border divides those arguing for computers in the classroom on the behalf of students' career prospects and those arguing for computers in the classroom for broader reasons of radical educational reform.
对于计算机课堂教学，人们在观点上存在着一条无形的界限：一种是以学生的就业前景为理由，另一种是以激进的教育改革为理由。
Very few writers on the subject have explored this distinction — indeed, contradiction — which goes to the heart of what is wrong with the campaign to put computers in the classroom.
很少有人就这一区别——事实上是矛盾——进行撰文探讨，但它却是促使计算机进入课堂的活动出问题的关键。
Few creations of big technology capture the imagination like giant dams.
在重大技术所创造的东西中很少能像大型水坝这样让人痴迷的。
Perhaps it is humankind's long suffering at the mercy of flood and drought that makes the ideal of forcing the waters to do our bidding so fascination.
可能正是因为人类长期遭受旱涝灾害的摆布才使得人们治理江河、供我驱策的理想如此令人痴迷。
But to be fascinated is also, sometimes, to be blind. Several giant dam projects threaten to do more harm than good.
但让人着迷有时也就使人盲目。有几个巨型大坝项目就有弊大于利的危险。
Few would dispute that the term applies to the Unabomber, whose manifesto, published in 1995, scorns science and longs for return to a pretechnological utopia. But surely that does not mean environmentalists concerned about uncontrolled industrial growth are anti-science, as an essay in US News & World Report last May seemed to suggest.
将该词用在仇视现代文明的恐怖主义者身上，也不会引起多大争议，它在1995年公开发表蔑视科学、渴望回到前技术时代理想社会的声明。当然，这并不意味着，对不加控制的工业发展表示担忧的环境主义者也是反科学的，而去年5月份刊登在《美国新闻和世界报导》的一篇文章似乎有此暗示。
When a continental plate come to rest over a hot spot, the material rising from deeper layer creates a broad dome.
当大陆板块漂移到热点上方，来自地球深层的物质便形成了巨大的圆顶状隆起物。
As the dome grows, it develops deep fissures (cracks); in at least a few cases the continent may break entirely along some of these fissures, so that the hot spot initiates the formation of a new ocean.
随着这个圆顶的增长，板块出现深深的裂缝。至少有几次，大陆可能会沿着其中的一些裂缝完全裂开了，因此这个热点就引发了一个新的海洋的形成。
Thus just as earlier theories have explained the mobility of the continents, so hot spots may explain their mutability (inconstancy).
这样，正像早期的理论解释了大陆的移动性一样，热点理论或许能解释大陆板块的不稳定性。
Rumor has it that more than 20 books on creationism/evolution are in the publisher's pipelines.
有传言说，有20多本关于创世纪论与进化论之争的书即将出版，
A few have already appeared.
有几本已经面世了。
The goal of all will be to try to explain to a confused and often unenlightened citizenry that there are not two equally valid scientific theories for the origin and evolution of universe and life.
所有这些书的目的是试图告诉那些迷糊而且常常是还不开通的芸芸众生：就宇宙和生命的起源与发展问题而言，不可能存在两种都成立的科学理论。
{adj: Manx} of or relating to the Isle of Man or its inhabitants or their language
"the Manx fishing industry"
"there are few Manx speakers alive today"
{adj: a few, a couple of} more than one but indefinitely small in number
"a few roses"
"a couple of roses"
{adj: ad-lib, extemporaneous, extemporary, extempore, impromptu, offhand, offhanded, off-the-cuff, unrehearsed} with little or no preparation or forethought
"his ad-lib comments showed poor judgment"
"an extemporaneous piano recital"
"an extemporary lecture"
"an extempore skit"
"an impromptu speech"
"offhand excuses"
"trying to sound offhanded and reassuring"
"an off-the-cuff toast"
"a few unrehearsed comments"
{adj: ad-lib, spontaneous, unwritten} said or done without having been planned or written in advance
"he made a few ad-lib remarks"
{adj: breeding} producing offspring or set aside especially for producing offspring
"the breeding population"
"retained a few bulls for breeding purposes"
{adj: chosen} preferred above all others
"the chosen few"
"her chosen abode"
{adj: clean, fair} (of a manuscript) having few alterations or corrections
"fair copy"
"a clean manuscript"
{adj: closely-held} owned by a relatively few shareholders
"a closely-held corporation"
{adj: communicational} used in communication
"he had few communicational grooves available for use"
{adj: concise} expressing much in few words
"a concise explanation"
<-> prolix
{adj: conscious} (followed by `of') showing realization or recognition of something
"few voters seem conscious of the issue's importance"
"conscious of having succeeded"
"the careful tread of one conscious of his alcoholic load"- Thomas Hardy
{adj: dateless, timeless} unaffected by time
"few characters are so dateless as Hamlet"
"Helen's timeless beauty"
{adj: dim, faint, shadowy, vague, wispy} lacking clarity or distinctness
"a dim figure in the distance"
"only a faint recollection"
"shadowy figures in the gloom"
"saw a vague outline of a building through the fog"
"a few wispy memories of childhood"
{adj: doubtful, tentative} unsettled in mind or opinion
"drew a few tentative conclusions"
{adj: edental, edentate, edentulate} having few if any teeth
"anteaters are edentate animals"
{adj: fewer} (comparative of `few' used with count nouns) quantifier meaning a smaller number of
"fewer birds came this year"
"the birds are fewer this year"
"fewer trains were late"
<-> more
{adj: fewest} (superlative of `few' used with count nouns and usually preceded by `the') quantifier meaning the smallest in number
"the fewest birds in recent memory"
<-> most
{adj: few} a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by `a'; a small but indefinite number
"a few weeks ago"
"a few more wagons than usual"
"an invalid's pleasures are few and far between"
"few roses were still blooming"
"few women have led troops in battle"
<-> many
{adj: halting} fragmentary or halting from emotional strain
"uttered a few broken words of sorrow"
{adj: happy, well-chosen} well expressed and to the point
"a happy turn of phrase"
"a few well-chosen words"
{adj: hardly a} very few
"hardly a man is now alive who remembers that famous date and year"
{adj: light, lite, low-cal, calorie-free} having relatively few calories
"diet cola"
"light (or lite) beer"
"lite (or light) mayonnaise"
"a low-cal diet"
{adj: low-rise} used of buildings of one or only a few stories and usually no elevator; low
"looking out over the roofs of low-rise apartment buildings"
<-> high-rise
{adj: low-sudsing} (used of e.g. detergents) producing few suds
<-> high-sudsing
{adj: many} a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by `as' or `too' or `so' or `that'; amounting to a large but indefinite number
"many temptations"
"the temptations are many"
"a good many"
"a great many"
"many directions"
"take as many apples as you like"
"too many clouds to see"
"never saw so many people"
<-> few
{adj: noncaloric} of food have no (or few) calories
"a noncaloric drink"
{adj: open-plan} (of rooms or buildings) having large rooms with few dividing partitions
{adj: parsimonious, penurious} excessively unwilling to spend
"parsimonious thrift relieved by few generous impulses"
"lived in a most penurious manner--denying himself every indulgence"
{adj: poor} having little money or few possessions
"deplored the gap between rich and poor countries"
"the proverbial poor artist living in a garret"
<-> rich
{adj: precocial} (of hatchlings) covered with down and having eyes open; capable of leaving the nest within a few days
<-> altricial
{adj: privileged} blessed with privileges
"the privileged few"
<-> underprivileged
{adj: real, tangible} capable of being treated as fact
"tangible evidence"
"his brief time as Prime Minister brought few real benefits to the poor"
{adj: rough} not perfected
"a rough draft"
"a few rough sketches"
{adj: shining} marked by exceptional merit
"had shining virtues and few faults"
"a shining example"
{adj: short} primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
"a short life"
"a short flight"
"a short holiday"
"a short story"
"only a few short months"
<-> long
{adj: simple} having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
"a simple problem"
"simple mechanisms"
"a simple design"
"a simple substance"
<-> complex
{adj: superficial, trivial} of little substance or significance
"a few superficial editorial changes"
"only trivial objections"
{adj: traumatic} psychologically painful;"few experiences are more traumatic than losing a child";
{adj: undomesticated} not domesticated
"a few undomesticated horses left"
{adj: unpatronized, unpatronised, patronless} having little patronage or few clients
"a restaurant unpatronized by the elite"
<-> patronized
{adj: well-spoken} speaking or spoken fittingly or pleasingly
"a well-spoken gentleman"
"a few well-spoken words on civic pride"
{adv: about, around} in the area or vicinity
"a few spectators standing about"
"hanging around"
"waited around for the next flight"
{adv: accurately} with few mistakes
"he works very accurately"
<-> inaccurately
{adv: concisely, briefly, shortly, in brief, in short} in a concise manner; in a few words
"the history is summed up concisely in this book"
"she replied briefly"
"briefly, we have a problem"
"to put it shortly"
{adv: frenziedly, hectically} in a frenzied manner
"we rehearsed frenziedly the last few days before the premiere"
{adv: give or take} plus or minus a small amount
"it is a mile away, give or take a few hundred yards"
{adv: gloriously} blessedly or wonderfully
"how gloriously happy she had been during those few fleeting moments of time"
{adv: hard} into a solid condition
"concrete that sets hard within a few hours"
{adv: highly} in a high position or level or rank
"details known by only a few highly placed persons"
{adv: lightly, light} with few burdens
"experienced travellers travel light"
{adv: sonorously, rotundly} in a sonorous manner
"the congregation consisted chiefly of a few young folk, who snored sonorously"
{adv: tenuously} in a tenuous manner
"his works tenuously survive in the minds of a few scholars"
{adv: thickly} spoken with poor articulation as if with a thick tongue
"after a few drinks he was beginning to speak thickly"
{adv: unexcitingly} in an unexciting manner
"this painting was nothing more but an unexcitingly grey canvas with a few red speckles"
<-> excitingly
{adv: unsuspectingly} without suspicions
"he was sitting unsuspectingly beyond that wall only a few yards from the burglar"
{adv: virulently} in a virulent manner
"an old woman advanced a few paces to shake her fist virulently in my face"
{n: Amanita, genus Amanita} genus of widely distributed agarics that have white spores and are poisonous with few exceptions
{n: American feverfew, wild quinine, prairie dock, Parthenium integrifolium} stout perennial herb of the eastern United States with whitish flowers; leaves traditionally used by Catawba Indians to treat burns
{n: Arecidae, subclass Arecidae} one of four subclasses or superorder of Monocotyledones; comprises about 6400 species in 5 families of trees and shrubs and terrestrial herbs and a few free-floating aquatics including: Palmae; Araceae; Pandanaceae and Lemnaceae
{n: Battle of Wake, Battle of Wake Island} in December 1941 the island was captured by the Japanese after a gallant last-ditch stand by a few hundred United States marines
{n: Beaujolais} dry fruity light red wine drunk within a few months after it is made; from the Beaujolais district in southeastern France
{n: Bligh, William Bligh, Captain Bligh} British admiral; was captain of the H.M.S. Bounty in 1789 when part of the crew mutinied and set him afloat in an open boat; a few weeks later he arrived safely in Timor 4,000 miles away (1754-1817)
{n: Cycadales, order Cycadales} primitive tropical gymnosperms abundant in the Mesozoic, now reduced to a few scattered tropical forms
{n: Dermaptera, order Dermaptera} earwigs and a few related forms
{n: Edentata, order Edentata} order of mammals having few or no teeth including: New World anteaters; sloths; armadillos
{n: El Nino southern oscillation} a more intense El Nino that occurs every few years when the welling up of cold nutrient-rich water does not occur; kills plankton and fish and affects weather patterns
{n: Hieracium, genus Hieracium} large genus of perennial hairy herbs of Europe to western Asia to northwestern Africa and North America; few are ornamental; often considered congeneric with Pilosella
{n: Malaxis, genus Malaxis} large genus of largely terrestrial orchids with one or a few plicate leaves and slender spikes or tiny mostly green flowers; cosmopolitan
{n: Phrygian} a Thraco-Phrygian language spoken by the ancient inhabitants of Phrygia and now extinct--preserved only in a few inscriptions
{n: Plantaginaceae, family Plantaginaceae, plantain family} cosmopolitan family of small herbs and a few shrubs; most are troublesome weeds
{n: Sabbath} a day of rest and worship: Sunday for most Christians; Saturday for the Jews and a few Christians; Friday for Muslims
{n: Sabellian} an extinct Osco-Umbrian language of ancient Italy that survives only in a few inscriptions
{n: acute schizophrenic episode, reactive schizophrenia} schizophrenia of abrupt onset and relatively short duration (a few weeks or months)
{n: amplification, elaboration} addition of extra material or illustration or clarifying detail
"a few remarks added in amplification and defense"
"an elaboration of the sketch followed"
{n: apical placentation} where one or few ovules develop at the top of a simple or compound ovary
{n: assassin bug, reduviid} a true bug: long-legged predacious bug living mostly on other insects; a few suck blood of mammals
{n: association} (ecology) a group of organisms (plants and animals) that live together in a certain geographical region and constitute a community with a few dominant species
{n: authority} (usually plural) persons who exercise (administrative) control over others
"the authorities have issued a curfew"
{n: basal placentation} where one or few ovules develop at the base of a simple or compound ovary
{n: bastard feverfew, Parthenium hysterophorus} tropical American annual weed with small radiate heads of white flowers; adventive in southern United States
{n: box} separate partitioned area in a public place for a few people
"the sentry stayed in his box to avoid the cold"
{n: carpenteria, Carpenteria californica} California evergreen shrub having glossy opposite leaves and terminal clusters of a few fragrant white flowers
{n: change, alteration, modification} an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
"the change was intended to increase sales"
"this storm is certainly a change for the worse"
"the neighborhood had undergone few modifications since his last visit years ago"
{n: clearing, glade} a tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area
{n: clementine} a mandarin orange of a deep reddish orange color and few seeds
{n: clinical thermometer, mercury-in-glass clinical thermometer} a mercury thermometer designed to measure the temperature of the human body; graduated to cover a range a few degrees on either side of the normal body temperature
{n: closed corporation, close corporation, private corporation, privately held corporation} a corporation owned by a few people; shares have no public market
{n: closely held corporation} stock is publicly traded but most is held by a few shareholders who have no plans to sell
{n: clozapine, Clozaril} an antipsychotic drug (trade name Clozaril) used as a sedative and for treatment-resistant schizophrenia; know to have few side effects
{n: conciseness, concision, pithiness, succinctness} terseness and economy in writing and speaking achieved by expressing a great deal in just a few words
{n: crown of thorns, Christ thorn, Christ plant, Euphorbia milii} somewhat climbing bushy spurge of Madagascar having long woody spiny stems with few leaves and flowers with scarlet bracts
{n: crumb} a very small quantity of something
"he gave only a crumb of information about his plans"
"there were few crumbs of comfort in the report"
{n: curfew} a signal (usually a bell) announcing the start of curfew restrictions
{n: curfew} an order that after a specific time certain activities (as being outside on the streets) are prohibited
{n: cymule} a small cyme, generally with few flowers
{n: desert sunflower, Gerea canescens} slender hairy plant with few leaves and golden-yellow flower heads; sandy desert areas of southeastern California to southwestern Utah and western Arizona and northwestern Mexico
{n: edentate} primitive terrestrial mammal with few if any teeth; of tropical Central America and South America
{n: exanthema subitum, roseola infantum, roseola infantilis, pseudorubella} a viral disease of infants and young children; characterized by abrupt high fever and mild sore throat; a few days later there is a faint pinkish rash that lasts for a few hours to a few days
{n: express, limited} public transport consisting of a fast train or bus that makes only a few scheduled stops
"he caught the express to New York"
<-> local
{n: feverfew, Tanacetum parthenium, Chrysanthemum parthenium} bushy aromatic European perennial herb having clusters of buttonlike white-rayed flower heads; valued traditionally for medicinal uses; sometimes placed in genus Chrysanthemum
{n: few-flowered leek, Allium paradoxum} leek producing bulbils instead of flowers; Russia and Iran
{n: few} a small elite group
"it was designed for the discriminating few"
{n: few} an indefinite but relatively small number
"they bought a case of beer and drank a few"
{n: flare star} a red dwarf star in which luminosity can change several magnitudes in a few minutes
{n: golf, golf game} a game played on a large open course with 9 or 18 holes; the object is use as few strokes as possible in playing all the holes
{n: helmetflower, helmet orchid} any of several orchids of the genus Coryanthes having racemes of a few musky-scented waxy flowers with a helmet-shaped lip process
{n: hypocellularity} the state of having abnormally few cells
{n: installation, installing, installment, instalment} the act of installing something (as equipment)
"the telephone installation took only a few minutes"
{n: interrupted fern, Osmunda clatonia} North American fern having tall erect pinnate fronds and a few sporogenous pinnae at or near the center of the fertile fronds
{n: kink} a difficulty or flaw in a plan or operation
"there are still a few kinks to iron out"
{n: know} the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people
"he is always in the know"
{n: liparis} an orchid of the genus Liparis having few leaves and usually fairly small yellow-green or dull purple flowers in terminal racemes
{n: mountain lady's slipper, Cypripedium montanum} leafy plant having a few stems in a clump with 1 white and dull purple flower in each upper leaf axil; Alaska to northern California and Wyoming
{n: nacreous cloud, mother-of-pearl cloud} a luminous iridescent cloud at a high altitude that may be seen when the sun is a few degrees below the horizon
{n: neon lamp, neon induction lamp, neon tube} a lamp consisting of a small gas-discharge tube containing neon at low pressure; luminescence is produced by the action of currents at high frequencies that are wrapped a few turns around the tube
{n: nothings} inconsequential conversation
"they traded a few nothings as they parted"
{n: odontoglossum} any of numerous and diverse orchids of the genus Odontoglossum having racemes of few to many showy usually large flowers in many colors
{n: old man of the mountain, alpine sunflower, Tetraneuris grandiflora, Hymenoxys grandiflora} whitish hairy plant with featherlike leaves and a few stout stems each bearing an especially handsome solitary large yellow flower head; mountainous regions north central United States
{n: oligarchy} a political system governed by a few people
"one of his cardinal convictions was that Britain was not run as a democracy but as an oligarchy"
"the big cities were notoriously in the hands of the oligarchy of local businessmen"
{n: oligosaccharide} any of the carbohydrates that yield only a few monosaccharide molecules on complete hydrolysis
{n: perversity, perverseness} deliberately deviating from what is good
"there will always be a few people who, through macho perversity, gain satisfaction from bullying and terrorism"
{n: phase I clinical trial, phase I} a clinical trial on a few persons to determine the safety of a new drug or invasive medical device; for drugs, dosage or toxicity limits should be obtained
{n: pogonia} any hardy bog orchid of the genus Pogonia: terrestrial orchids having slender rootstocks and erect stems bearing one or a few leaves and a solitary terminal flower
{n: poor person, have-not} a person with few or no possessions
{n: poverty, poorness, impoverishment} the state of having little or no money and few or no material possessions
<-> wealth
{n: pumpkin, pumpkin vine, autumn pumpkin, Cucurbita pepo} a coarse vine widely cultivated for its large pulpy round orange fruit with firm orange skin and numerous seeds; subspecies of Cucurbita pepo include the summer squashes and a few autumn squashes
{n: queen, queen mole rat} an especially large mole rat and the only member of a colony of naked mole rats to bear offspring which are sired by only a few males
{n: quiz} an examination consisting of a few short questions
{n: rotten borough} an English parliamentary constituency with few electors
{n: scarlet haw, Crataegus biltmoreana} common shrub or small tree of the eastern United States having few thorns and white flowers in corymbs followed by bright orange-red berries
{n: showy sunflower, Helianthus laetiflorus} tall rough-leaved perennial with a few large flower heads; central United States
{n: sigeh} a Shiite tradition of temporary marriage permitted in Iran that allows a couple to specify the terms of their relationship; can last from a few minutes to 99 years
"sigeh legally wraps premarital sex in an Islamic cloak"
{n: slip, trip} an accidental misstep threatening (or causing) a fall
"he blamed his slip on the ice"
"the jolt caused many slips and a few spills"
{n: spina bifida, rachischisis, schistorrhachis} a not uncommon congenital defect in which a vertebra is malformed; unless several vertebrae are affected or there is myelomeningocele there are few symptoms; can be diagnosed by amniocentesis
{n: star tulip, elegant cat's ears, Calochortus elegans} small plant with slender bent stems bearing branched clusters of a few white star-shaped flowers with petals shaped like cat's ears; southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon to Montana
{n: sticky end} an end of DNA in which one strand of the double helix extends a few units beyond the other
{n: stubble} short stiff hairs growing on a man's face when he has not shaved for a few days
{n: toke} a puff of a marijuana or hashish cigarette
"the boys took a few tokes on a joint"
{n: towel rail, towel bar} a horizontal bar a few inches from a wall for holding towels
{n: vower} someone who makes a solemn promise to do something or behave in a certain way
"young vowers of eternal love"
"there are many vowers of chastity but few who observe it"
{n: water avens, Indian chocolate, purple avens, chocolate root, Geum rivale} erect perennial of north temperate zone having pinnate leaves and a few nodding flowers with a brown-purple calyx and orange and pink petals
{n: winter mushroom, Flammulina velutipes} an edible agaric that is available in early spring or late fall when few other mushrooms are; has a viscid smooth orange to brown cap and a velvety stalk that turns black in maturity and pallid gills; often occur in clusters
{n: wireless local area network, WLAN, wireless fidelity, WiFi} a local area network that uses high frequency radio signals to transmit and receive data over distances of a few hundred feet; uses ethernet protocol
{n: yellow mariposa tulip, Calochortus luteus} mariposa having clusters of a few large deep yellow bell-shaped flowers atop slender stems; California coastal ranges
{n: yellow salsify, Tragopogon dubius} European perennial naturalized throughout United States having hollow stems with a few long narrow tapered leaves and each bearing a solitary pale yellow flower
{v: abate, let up, slack off, slack, die away} become less in amount or intensity
"The storm abated"
"The rain let up after a few hours"
{v: allow, grant} let have
"grant permission"
"Mandela was allowed few visitors in prison"
<-> deny
{v: bag} capture or kill, as in hunting
"bag a few pheasants"
{v: bundle, bundle up, roll up} make into a bundle
"he bundled up his few possessions"
{v: checkmate, mate} place an opponent's king under an attack from which it cannot escape and thus ending the game
"Kasparov checkmated his opponent after only a few moves"
{v: clamp} impose or inflict forcefully
"The military government clamped a curfew onto the capital"
{v: constitute, represent, make up, comprise, be} form or compose
"This money is my only income"
"The stone wall was the backdrop for the performance"
"These constitute my entire belonging"
"The children made up the chorus"
"This sum represents my entire income for a year"
"These few men comprise his entire army"
{v: digest} become assimilated into the body
"Protein digests in a few hours"
{v: disclose, let on, bring out, reveal, discover, expose, divulge, impart, break, give away, let out} make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret
"The auction house would not disclose the price at which the van Gogh had sold"
"The actress won't reveal how old she is"
"bring out the truth"
"he broke the news to her"
{v: distill, distil} give off (a liquid)
"The doctor distilled a few drops of disinfectant onto the wound"
{v: escape, get away} remove oneself from a familiar environment, usually for pleasure or diversion
"We escaped to our summer house for a few days"
"The president of the company never manages to get away during the summer"
{v: fashion, forge} make out of components (often in an improvising manner)
"She fashioned a tent out of a sheet and a few sticks"
{v: float} allow (currencies) to fluctuate
"The government floated the ruble for a few months"
{v: get out} express with difficulty
"I managed to get out a few words"
{v: get, acquire} come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
"She got a lot of paintings from her uncle"
"They acquired a new pet"
"Get your results the next day"
"Get permission to take a few days off from work"
{v: haggle, higgle, chaffer, huckster} wrangle (over a price, terms of an agreement, etc.)
"Let's not haggle over a few dollars"
{v: hang} of meat, in order to get a gamey taste
"hang the venison for a few days"
{v: immigrate} migrate to a new environment
"only few plants can immigrate to the island"
{v: keep} raise
"She keeps a few chickens in the yard"
"he keeps bees"
{v: knock cold, knock out, kayo} knock unconscious or senseless
"the boxing champion knocked out his opponent in a few seconds"
{v: poise} be motionless, in suspension
"The bird poised for a few moments before it attacked"
{v: recommence} cause to start anew
"The Taliban recommenced hostilities after a few days of quiet"
{v: relax, loosen} make less severe or strict
"The government relaxed the curfew after most of the rebels were caught"
{v: rotate} perform a job or duty on a rotating basis
"Interns have to rotate for a few months"
{v: run down, check out} trace
"We are running down a few tips"
{v: run low, run short, go} to be spent or finished
"The money had gone after a few days"
"Gas is running low at the gas stations in the Midwest"
{v: set in, kick in} enter a particular state
"Laziness set in"
"After a few moments, the effects of the drug kicked in"
{v: shorten} make short or shorter
"shorten the skirt"
"shorten the rope by a few inches"
{v: suffice, do, answer, serve} be sufficient ; be adequate, either in quality or quantity
"A few words would answer"
"This car suits my purpose well"
"Will $100 do?"
"A 'B' grade doesn't suffice to get me into medical school"
"Nothing else will serve"
{v: toss off, pop, bolt down, belt down, pour down, down, drink down, kill} drink down entirely
"He downed three martinis before dinner"
"She killed a bottle of brandy that night"
"They popped a few beer after work"
{v: try, seek, attempt, essay, assay} make an effort or attempt
"He tried to shake off his fears"
"The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps"
"The police attempted to stop the thief"
"He sought to improve himself"
"She always seeks to do good in the world"
{v: warm up} run until the normal working temperature is reached
"We warmed up the car for a few minutes"
{v: work} move into or onto
"work the raisins into the dough"
"the student worked a few jokes into his presentation"
"work the body onto the flatbed truck"
Almost every country in Africa, with a few exceptions, has now democratised,
几乎所有非洲国家（除少数例外），现在都已民主化了，
and these are developments which give us hope that, whatever problems we have--and we have many and some of them are very serious--we nonetheless have men and women who are highly gifted and capable of rising to the challenges that face the continent.
这些事态令我们希望，不论我们有什么困难－而我们确有许多困难，其中有些还很严重－我们有许多男女人才，他们有能力对付大陆所面临的挑战。
At the end of my English class a few weeks later, I walked into the hall and saw the bookstore clerk leaving a nearby classroom.
几周后，我的英语课临近结束，走进门厅后，我看见那位书店职员正从附近的一个教室走出来。
A few weeks later we began to date.
几周后，我们开始约会。
A 1924 Time cover story on Baekeland reported that those familiar with Bakelite's potential " claim that in a few years it will be embodied in every mechanical facility of modern civilization ".
1924年以贝克兰为封面的一期《时代》杂志的封面人物故事报道说，那些知晓酚醛潜力的人 "声称再过几年它就会体现在现代文明的每一个机械设备上 "。
But in a few cases the error or mutation would increase the chances of the DNA surviving and reproducing.
但在少数情况下，错误或突变会增加 DNA存活和自我复制的机会。
The rate of increase of DNA complexity gradually rose to about one bit a year over the last few mil-lion years.
最近的几百万年间，这个速率逐渐增加到大约每年一则信息。
But now we are at the beginning of a new era in which we will be able to increase the complexity of our DNA without having to wait for the slow process of biological evolution.
而现在我们已经开始了一个新纪元，我们可以增加 DNA的复杂性而用不着坐等缓慢的生物进化过程。
Tran goes to the nonmagnet section of the school, which has 2,000 students, a few dozen obsolete computers and teachers who are struggling with too few resources for too many students.
特兰则在学校没有吸引力的班里学习，该类班共有学生 2000人，只有几十台很陈旧的计算机，老师们得拼命地使用这极有限的教学设备来为这么多的学生服务。
A few years ago machines were just for routine drills, and students frequently found them boring.
几年前，计算机只用在日常训练方面，学生们往往对此感到很乏味。
People gathered behind the ropes to look as we privileged few casually strolled towards the theatre entrance, practising our Hollywood-star waves( a slightly raised right arm with a subtle flick of the wrist was the technique I used, and it seemed to work well).
人们聚集在绳栏外观看，而我们少数几个被特许进入的人漫不经心地走向影院门口，像好莱坞明星般挥了挥手（轻轻地抬起右臂并伴随着手腕精巧地轻弹是我使用的技巧，看来还很奏效）。
While the Italians never revered his work, the tourists bought everything he could produce. And he wasn't cheap.
虽然意大利人从来不推崇他的作品，但凡是他创作的作品，游客都买，而且他要价还很高。
Despite doing a fine trade in his paintings, however, Canaletto died owning little more than his clothes, a few bits of furniture and some unsold pictures, which were left to his only relatives, two sisters and a nephew.
不过，尽管卡纳莱托卖画的生意很好，但他死时留给他仅有的亲戚一两个姐妹和一个侄子一的遗产，只有他的衣服、几件家具和几幅尚未出售的画。
A few years ago, when I was taking a Mozart class for non-music students at the University of California, I tried to persuade them that the scene was a wild invention that bore no conceivable relation to the facts of Mozart's death, but it was in vain.
几年前，当我在加利福尼亚大学为非音乐专业的学生讲授莫扎特时，曾想方设法说服他们，电影中的场面纯属虚构，那与莫扎特的死毫无关系，但我的努力徒劳无功。
Yet we need only hear a few bars of this beautiful, truncated swansong to forget legend and come once again under its spell.
只需听几小节，你就会忘掉那些故事，再次被这部美妙的绝唱所征服。
A few years later I took a second look at the first poem, and reluctantly I had to agree with my father's harsh judgment.
几年以后，我重读了那第一首诗，虽极不情愿，但又不得不同意父亲当时苛刻的评语。
There are a few misspellings that children tend to make, but the courtesy and the emotions are vivid.
信中有几处小孩子常出的拼写错误，但礼貌的言辞和感激之情跃然纸上：
Our telecommunications industry is competitive, so is our shipbuilding industry for at least another few years.
我们的电信工业是有竞争力的，我们的造船业至少在未来的几年也是如此。
Yet, talk to adults who endured PE in junior high and high school a few decades ago, and it is clear that as recently as two decades ago, " fun " wasn't part of the PE lexicon.
然而，与几十年前在初中和高中忍受过体育之苦的成年人谈论时，显然就算是 20年前， "乐趣 "也不在体育词汇之内。
the gifted athletes, who played several sports and viewed PE class as one more chance to shine;
那些有天赋的运动员，他们曾参加多项运动，把体育课看成是又一次显示自己的机会；
and everyone else--the klutzes, the shy, the gym impaired--people who saw in PE a particular brand of frustration and bondage never again to be repeated in life.
而另外的那些人－是些笨手笨脚的、文静害羞的、不擅体育的人－他们把体育看成一生中永远不会再重视的一种特殊类型的挫折和束缚。
But that can also mean having PE for an hour just a few times a week.
但这也意味着一星期能上几次一小时的体育课。
" All have a unique desire to teach elementary physical education--and, in the state of California, that's rare ", says Scott Kerby, a middle-school vice principal who oversaw the programme here until a few years ago.
"人人都怀有从事小学体育教学的非凡愿望－在加利福尼亚，那是少有的， "一位直到几年前还在从事该地体育课程监督的中学副校长，斯科特·克尔比说道。
A few days earlier, the Solar arid Heliospheric Observatory( SOHO), high above the earth, had captured images of another solar phenomenon--an unusually large prominence, a loop of fiery gases 800,000 miles wide, erupting from the sun's surface.
几天前，地球上空的太阳及日光层观测站（ SOHO ）曾抓拍到另一种太阳现象的图象－太阳表面异常大的红焰，即从太阳表面喷射出来的 80万英里宽的燃烧的气环。
Yet for reasons of economy, or just plain indifference, few of these spacecraft are properly shielded.
但是，由于经济方面的原因，或者纯粹由于漠不关心，几乎没有几艘航天器得到了妥善的保护。
and doctors usually recommend a few days to a few weeks of bed rest to treat this fairly common injury.
对这种常见病，医生一般建议病人卧床休息几天到几个星期。
They were so very different in every respect:
他们在每一个方面都与其他民族不同：
in their physical appearance, including a long " pigtail " at the back of their otherwise shaved heads;
他们的外表，包括在他们刮光了前半部的脑袋后面的一根长长的辫子；
in the strange, non-Western clothes they wore;
他们穿的迥然不同于西方人的衣服；
in their speech( few had learned English since they planned to go back to China) ;
他们的语言（因为原本打算完工后回国，所以很少有人学习英语）；
and in their religion.
还有他们的信仰。
A few minutes later, Zoe sat sipping coffee and watching the girl eagerly attacking a large omelette, stacks of buttered bread and a cup of milk.
几分钟后，佐伊坐下来，一边啜饮着咖啡，一边看着女孩迫不及待地向一大块煎蛋饼、好几块黄油面包和一杯牛奶发起进攻。
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