Words

1. condense

to change or make sth change from a gas to a liquid or solid state

Water vapor (水蒸气) in the air condenses into fog.

to reduce sth such as a speech or piece of writing

I condensed ten pages of comments into/to two.

2. compress

to press sth into a smaller space

jasper, a type of quartz formed from compressed volcanic ash

*Synonyms

condense: implies a reducing of sth homogeneous(同种的) to greater compactness(密度) without significant loss of content < condense an essay into a single a single paragraph>. ant amplify

compress: implies a pressing into a small compass(范围) and definite shape, usually against resistance < compressed the comforter(被子) to fit in the box>. ant stretch; spread

contract: applies to a drawing together of surfaces or particles(微粒) or a reduction of area, volume, or length < caused his muscles to contract>. ant expand

3. debut

the occasion when sb performs or presents sth to the public for the first time

Now, though, the date of life's debut may be pushed back even further.

She made her professional stage debut in Swan Lake.

4. signature

something (as a tune, style, or logo) that serves to set apart or identify;also:a characteristic mark

A group of researchers have found what they think is the signature of living organisms in rocks.

5. intrigue

to interest sb a lot, esp. by being strange, unusual, or mysterious

With the veins and nodules of the jasper that intrigued his boss.

Throughout history, people have been intrigued by the question of whether there is intelligent life elsewhere in the universe.

intriguing

very interesting because of being unusual or mysterious

She has a really intriguing personality.

6. host

(v) This suggests that even very early in its existence, Earth was hosting several different kinds of living organism.

(n) The suggestion that hydrothermal vents have played host to life for so long is a strike in the theory's favour.

The Earth was already playing host to very diverse sorts of life.

7. swathe

a long strip or large area esp. of land

The rock in question is a 3-kilometre-long swathe on the eastern shores of the Hudson Bay called the Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt.

Huge swathes of rainforest are being cleared for farming and mining.

(literary) a large part of sth that includes several different things

These people represent a broad/wide swathe of public opinion.

8. conclusive

proving that sth is true, or ending and any doubt 令人确信的，毫无疑问的

But that evidence was not quite conclusive.

They had conclusive evidence/proof of her guilt.

9. geological 地质的；地质学的 geographical地理的；地理学的 topographical 地形的

Similar-looking structures can also be formed by non-living, geological processes.

10. anchor

to make sth or sb stay in one position by fastening them firmly

Some of these filaments(纤维) form networks anchored to a lump of haematite(赤铁矿).

We anchored ourselves to the rocks with a rope.

to be strongly connected with a particular system, way of life 扎根于

John's outlook(观点) has always been anchored in the political mainstream.

to act as the anchorman or anchorwoman of a programme

She will anchor the new morning news show.

11. laden

 heavily loaded with sth, or containing a lot of sth

Superheated mineral-laden water spurts up from beneath the seabed.

snow-laden branches

The table, as always, was laden with food.

having a lot of a particular quality, thing

a debt-laden company 负债累累

12. remnant 

(usually plural) a small part of sth that remains after the rest of it has been used, destroyed, or eaten

Well-preserved fossil remnants of these microbes have been found at many sites.

The remnants of a meal stood on the table.

remnants of the city's former glory

Synonym: remains

the parts of sth which continue to exist when most of it has been used, destroyed, or taken away

The remains of lunch were still on the table.

extensive Roman remains 遗迹

遗体

Human remains were found in the woods.

13.gradient 坡度

The chemistry of the water could provide exactly the sort of energy gradient that a primitive living cell would have needed to go about his bio-chemical business.

14. strike

the discovery underground of a valuable substance

The suggestion that hydrothermal vents have played host to life for so long is a strike in the theory's favour.

The population and settlement of Colorado expanded after the gold strike of 1858.

15. scrutiny 仔细审查

The find will face fierce/careful/close scrutiny.

16. dissolve

溶解

The food chains of such ecosystems are based on reactions between the dissolved chemicals that well up from the crust.

Dissolve the tablet in water.

dissolve into/in laughter/tears 笑起来、流起泪来

Phrases

1. bear a (close/striking/uncanny resemblance to 

Tina bears a striking resemblance to her mother.

The team contends that these bear more than a passing resemblance to the networks of bacteria.

bear little/no resemblance to 

These prices bear no resemblance to (=are completely different from) the ones I saw printed in the newspaper.

2. the cradle of sth 

(literary) the place where sth started

Such a find is doubly intriguing because hydrothermal vents are seen as a plausible candidate for the cradle of life.

Fossil records indicate that Africa was the cradle of early human evolution.

from (the) cradle to (the) grave

for all of a person's life

She lived in the same village from the cradle to the grave.

3. spurt from/out of

come out quickly and suddenly

Blood spurted from his nose.

4. well up from

(liquid)comes to the surface of sth and starts to flow out

I felt tears well up in my eyes.

(emotion)if a feeling wells up in you, you start to feel strongly

Anger welled up within him.

5. go about 

do; approach; deal with

A primitive living cell would have needed to go about its bio-chemical business.

I want him back, but I just don't know how to go about it.

We were simply going about our business when we were pounced upon(被抓)by these police officers.

6. derive from

to come from sth 

Most living organisms, including those that built the stromatolites, ultimately derive their energy from photosynthesis.

Medically, we will derive great benefit from this technique.

Many students derived enormous satisfaction/pleasure/enjoyment from the course.

7. penetrate into 

to enter sth and pass or spread through it,esp when this is difficult

no sunlight penetrates so deep into the oceans

Explorers penetrated deep into unknown regions.

8. confine sth to sth 把...先限制于

A luck one-off confined to Earth alone.

We confined our study to ten cases.

confine yourself to (doing) sth

Owen did not confine himself to writing only one type of poem.