The reading of all good books is indeed like a conversation with the noblest men of past centuries who were the authors of them, nay a carefully studied conversation, in which they reveal to us none but the best of their thoughts.
閱讀所有好書，如同與千百年來寫就它們的高尚人士之間的一場對話，而且是一場認真研討的對話。其間，他們向我們展示的皆是他們思想的精華。
——勒內.笛卡爾

China will not sacrifice environment to foster economic growth.
foster 促進，培養，助長；〔在一段時間內〕撫育，代養〔別人的孩子〕

economic 經濟上的；經濟學的

economics 經濟學
economical 節省的，合算的，經濟的

excel 優於，擅長；勝過他人；
Rick has always excelled at foreign languages. 裡克一向擅長外語。
excel yourself 勝過平時
You have excelled yourself with the new exhibition. 你新辦的這次展覽特別成功。

gratify 使高興，使滿意；滿足〔慾望、需求等〕
1、He was gratified by Lucy’s response. 他對露西的回答很滿意。
be gratified to see/hear/learn etc
John was gratified to see the improvement in his mother’s health. 約翰很高興看到母親的身體有所好轉。
2、She did not propose to gratify Gloria’s curiosity any further. 她不想再去滿足格洛麗亞的好奇心了。

Sanskrit 梵文，梵語〔印度古代的語言〕

P21

come across 偶遇
Perhaps I shall come across him in France.
也許我會在法國遇見他。

come around/round 甦醒；順便來訪；來訪；復原
1、I’ve just come around from a drunken stupor.
2、May I come around in the morning?

come down to 歸根結底，可歸結為；實質上是
Ultimately, much of the debate comes down to the question of choice.

我的祖母不識字，可是她有一籮筐的神話和傳奇故事。小時候我總是纏著她，要她給我講故事。而她在忙完家務之後，總會把我抱到膝上，一邊講故事一邊有節奏地晃動我。

我父母發現了我對故事的濃厚興趣後，不失時機地引導我進行閱讀。他們給我買了許多帶插圖的故事書，有空的時候就一遍遍地讀給我聽。慢慢地我認識了很多字，能夠自行閱讀了。

Although my grandmother was illiterate, she had a good stock of myths and legends. When I was young I gave her no peace, constantly asking her to tell me stories. After she had finished her housework, she would lift me onto her lap and tell stories, all the while rocking me in rhythm.

Having noticed my interest in stories, my parents lost no time in initiating me into reading. They bought many storybooks with illustrations, and whenever free, they would read these stories to me over and over again. By and by I had a vocabulary large enough to read on my own.