胡敏读故事记单词托福词汇175

　　175. The great white tiger大白虎 preceding-premise¹
I am a hunter, a predator² of predatory animals. I have a preference for rare, prehistoric³ animals thought to be extinct. I am the preeminent⁴ hunter of my kind. I have had few predecessors⁶, and there have been few premises⁷ for the work I do. I can predict the behavior of these animals with precision as their predictive behavior gives them away.
On one hunt, I was pursuing the great white tiger, recently discovered to still be in existence in the jungles of India. I had just left my prefabricated shack⁸ for the hunt. It was my intention to precipitate⁹ my finding it by the prediction that it would be feeding on the small animals predominantly found in that part of the jungle as it predominates as their predator. The predictability of its hunting habits led me to a clearing where I expected to find it, when at last I saw it. It had just eaten as it was still licking its paws. I could tell from its underbelly that it was female and it was pregnant. As it was preferable not to kill mother and cub¹⁰ of a rare, precious species, I chose to use a tranquilizer gun. The first shot was premature¹¹ as I was nervous and had not taken the appropriate preliminary measures. The tiger spotted¹² me right away and lunged toward me instantly. I immediately thought that this hunt would be precipitous of my demise¹³, not the tiger’s, and that the preceding missed shot was the precursor¹⁴ to my end and the prelude¹⁵ to my death. As the tiger pounced¹⁶ on me, I barely managed to pull a tranquilizing dart¹⁷ from my pouch¹⁸. It tore at my left arm as I injected the beast with my right.
After the huge white beast with the red mouth fell limp before me, I covered my wounded arm with my jacket to stop the bleeding. I radioed for help. Both predator and prey¹⁹ were whisked away to safety.
preceding adj.在前的
precious adj.宝贵的,珍贵的
precipitate vt.促成;加速vi.猛地落下n.沉淀物
precipitous adj.陡峭的
precision n.精确,精密度
precursor n.先驱,先行者,先兆
predator n.食肉动物,掠夺者
predatory adj.掠夺的,食肉的
predecessor⁵ n.前辈,前任
predict vt.预言,预告
predictability n.可预言
prediction n.预言,预报
predictive adj.预言性的成为前兆的
predominantly adv. 占优势地,主要地
predominate vi.统治,成为主流
preeminent adj.卓越的,出类拔萃的
prefabricated adj.预制的(指装配前已生产好的)
preferable adj.较好的,较喜爱的
preference n.偏爱,优先,优先权
pregnant adj.怀孕的
prehistoric adj.史前的
preliminary adj.预备的,初步的
prelude n.序幕,前奏
premature adj早熟的,不成熟的,过早的
premise n.假设,前提

1 premise   

n.前提；v.提论，预述

参考例句：

• Let me premise my argument with a bit of history.让我引述一些史实作为我立论的前提。
• We can deduce a conclusion from the premise.我们可以从这个前提推出结论。

2 predator   

n.捕食其它动物的动物；捕食者

参考例句：

• The final part of this chapter was devoted to a brief summary of predator species.本章最后部分简要总结了食肉动物。
• Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard and a fearsome predator.科摩多龙是目前存在的最大蜥蜴，它是一种令人恐惧的捕食性动物。

3 prehistoric   

adj.（有记载的）历史以前的，史前的，古老的

参考例句：

• They have found prehistoric remains.他们发现了史前遗迹。
• It was rather like an exhibition of prehistoric electronic equipment.这儿倒像是在展览古老的电子设备。

4 preeminent   

adj.卓越的，杰出的

参考例句：

• Washington was recognized as the preeminent spokesman of American Negroes by 1895. 到1895年,华盛顿被公认为美国黑人的卓越代言人。
• He is preeminent because his articles are well written. 他的文章写得很漂亮,卓尔不群。

5 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

6 predecessors   

n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身

参考例句：

• The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Will new plan be any more acceptable than its predecessors? 新计划比原先的计划更能令人满意吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 premises   

n.建筑物，房屋

参考例句：

• According to the rules,no alcohol can be consumed on the premises.按照规定，场内不准饮酒。
• All repairs are done on the premises and not put out.全部修缮都在家里进行，不用送到外面去做。

8 shack   

adj.简陋的小屋，窝棚

参考例句：

• He had to sit down five times before he reached his shack.在走到他的茅棚以前，他不得不坐在地上歇了五次。
• The boys made a shack out of the old boards in the backyard.男孩们在后院用旧木板盖起一间小木屋。

9 precipitate   

adj.突如其来的；vt.使突然发生；n.沉淀物

参考例句：

• I don't think we should make precipitate decisions.我认为我们不应该贸然作出决定。
• The king was too precipitate in declaring war.国王在宣战一事上过于轻率。

10 cub   

n.幼兽，年轻无经验的人

参考例句：

• The lion cub's mother was hunting for what she needs. 这只幼师的母亲正在捕猎。
• The cub licked the milk from its mother's breast. 这头幼兽吸吮着它妈妈的奶水。

11 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

12 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

13 demise   

n.死亡；v.让渡，遗赠，转让

参考例句：

• He praised the union's aims but predicted its early demise.他赞扬协会的目标，但预期这一协会很快会消亡。
• The war brought about the industry's sudden demise.战争道致这个行业就这么突然垮了。

14 precursor   

n.先驱者；前辈；前任；预兆；先兆

参考例句：

• Error is often the precursor of what is correct.错误常常是正确的先导。
• He said that the deal should not be seen as a precursor to a merger.他说该笔交易不应该被看作是合并的前兆。

15 prelude   

n.序言，前兆，序曲

参考例句：

• The prelude to the musical composition is very long.这首乐曲的序曲很长。
• The German invasion of Poland was a prelude to World War II.德国入侵波兰是第二次世界大战的序幕。

16 pounced   

v.突然袭击( pounce的过去式和过去分词 )；猛扑；一眼看出；抓住机会（进行抨击）

参考例句：

• As soon as I opened my mouth, the teacher pounced on me. 我一张嘴就被老师抓住呵斥了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The police pounced upon the thief. 警察向小偷扑了过去。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

17 dart   

v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲

参考例句：

• The child made a sudden dart across the road.那小孩突然冲过马路。
• Markov died after being struck by a poison dart.马尔科夫身中毒镖而亡。

18 pouch   

n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件

参考例句：

• He was going to make a tobacco pouch out of them. 他要用它们缝制一个烟草袋。
• The old man is always carrying a tobacco pouch with him.这老汉总是随身带着烟袋。

19 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。