In 1960, scientists developed CoordinatedUniversal Time (UTC) to alignthe world’s atomic clocks with the Earth’s rotation. By the early 1970s, however, scientists realized the Earth’s rotation was slightly slower than atomic time by about 2.5 milliseconds daily. To address the shift, they adjusted UTC in 1972 by adding a leap second to the count. Since then, 27 seconds have been added, with the most recent addition in 2016.
The dancers performed graceful and coordinated movements on the stage.
舞者們在舞臺上表演優美且協調一致的動作
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shift
[ʃɪft]
.vt. 轉移，改變
n. 輪班
Don’t try to shift the blame to me.
不要試圖把責任推到我身上。
What can I do to shift my son’sattention from computer games to his studies?
我該怎麼做才能把我兒子的注意力從電動玩具轉移到課業上？
I work on the night shift this week.
我這星期輪夜班。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
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adjustment
[əˋdʒʌstmənt]
n. 適應，適合
=
regulation
=
adaptation
After we made a few minor adjustments, the engine ran smoothly.
那臺引擎經過我們的些微調整後，運轉便順暢了。
Some foreign students feel that it is a big adjustment living in Britain.
一些外籍學生認為要適應英國的生活很困難。
高中 Level 4
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adjust
[əˋdʒʌst]
vt. 調整，調節
vi. 適應（與介詞 to 並用）
=
adjust oneself to...
Before the interview, the candidate spent several minutes adjusting his tie.
面試前，這位應徵者花了幾分鐘調整他的領帶。
I’ll adjust the window blinds because the sunlight is too bright.
我來調整卷簾，因為陽光太亮了。
I’m having a hard time adjusting to the climate of this place.
我很難適應此地的氣候。
Billy finds it very hard to adjust to the hustle and bustle of city life.
比利發現他很難使自己適應都市生活的繁忙。
Billy finds it very hard to adapt to the hustle and bustle of city life.
比利發現他很難使自己適應都市生活的繁忙。
Billy finds it very hard to accustom himself to the hustle and bustle of city life.
比利發現他很難使自己適應都市生活的繁忙。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
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unexpectedly
[͵ʌnɪkˋspɛktɪdlɪ]
adv. 出乎意料地，無預警地
Nick left the country unexpectedly and all of his friends lost contact with him.
尼克無預警地出國，他所有朋友都聯絡不到他。
多益藍色
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subtract
[səbˋtrækt]
vt. 減
Subtract five from ten, and you’ll get five.
10 減 5 等於 5。
英檢中級
高中 Level 3
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implement
[ˋɪmpləˌmɛnt]
vt. 實施
The authorities concerned have implemented a plan to help control traffic.
有關當局已實施了一項計畫來協助管制交通。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 5
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polar
[ˋpolɚ]
a. （近）極地的
Polar bears live in the North Pole, whereas most
penguins live in the South Pole. 北極熊棲息於北極，而企鵝則住在南極。
高中 Level 6
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redistribute
[͵ridɪsˋtrɪbjʊt]
vt. 重新分配
Congress redistributed the taxes it collected to the poor.
國會將收取的稅金重新分配給窮人。
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execute
[ˋɛksɪ͵kjut]
vt. 執行；處死
Make sure our plan to reduce costs is executed with great precision.
務必確定我們降低成本的計畫被精確執行。
The soldier was executed on the spot for treason.
這名士兵因為叛國罪而當場被處死。
多益金色
英檢中高
高中 Level 5
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infrastructure
[ˋɪnfrə͵strʌktʃɚ]
n. 基礎建設
Following years of war, the country’s infrastructure was in very poor condition.
經過多年的戰爭，該國的基礎建設狀況非常糟糕。
多益金色
英檢中高
高中 Level 5
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align
[əˋlaɪn]
vt. . 與……聯合 / 結盟；使成一直線，對準 / 齊
A lot of politicians aligned themselves with this presidential candidate because many members of the American public supported him.
許多政治人物都支持這位總統候選人，因為許多美國民眾支持他。
The volunteers carefully aligned the chairs in the hall in preparation for the famous novelist’s speech tomorrow.
志工小心翼翼地把大廳裡的椅子對齊好，為明天知名小說家的演講做準備。
高中 Level 5
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adapt
[əˋdæpt]
.vt. & vi. （使）適應（與介詞 to 並用）、改編
It’s hard for me to adapt myself to city life.
我很不適應都市生活。
It’s hard for me to get accustomed to city life.
我很不適應都市生活。
It’s hard for me to adjust to city life.
我很不適應都市生活。
It took the new employee about a month to adapt to the new environment.
這名新進員工花了一個月左右的時間去適應新環境。
The blockbuster movie was adapted from an original novel.
這部賣座鉅片改編自一本原創小說。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
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pace
[pes]
n. 步調
vt. & vi. 在……來回走動 / 踱步
Duncan likes the fast pace of life in the city.
鄧肯喜歡城市快的生活步調。
Reading newspapers enables you to keep pace with the times.
閱讀報紙能使你跟上時代的步伐。
Dad paced the floor as he waited for my sister to give birth to his first grandchild.
老爸在等候老姊生下他頭一個金孫時，一直在地板上來回踱步。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
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slow
[slo]
vi. & vt. （使）變慢
adj. （動作、鐘錶）慢的
adv. 慢地（= slowly）
Patty reads at a slow speed because she is young.
因為佩蒂還小，所以閱讀速度很慢。
My watch is ten minutes slow.
我的錶慢了 10 分鐘。
Drive slower so that we can enjoy the view.
請開慢一點，這樣我們才能欣賞風景。
Slow down, or you’ll get a ticket. 放慢速度，否則你會被開罰單。
The driver slowed the bus down near the station.
快到車站時，駕駛放慢了公車的速度。
高中 Level 1
Extra Words
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timekeeping
[ˋtaɪm͵kipɪŋ]
n. 計時
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atomic
[əˋtɑmɪk]
a. 原子的
Most people oppose the use of atomic energy in Taiwan.
臺灣大多數人反對使用原子能。
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rotation
[roˋteʃən]
n. （地球）自轉；旋轉
n. . 旋轉；輪流
=
revolution
The scientist spent three years recording day-to-day changes in the rotation of the Earth.
這名科學家花了 3 年記錄地球自轉每日的變化。
Frequent job rotation has proven to be beneficial to both the employer and the employees.
經過證明，頻繁的工作輪調對僱主與職員都有好處。
With more advanced skills and better crop rotation, the farmers are expecting a good harvest this year.
有了更先進的技術和更有效率地輪耕作物後，農夫都希望今年能大豐收。
The teacher asked the students questions in rotation so that all of them had a chance to talk.
老師輪流問學生問題，如此他們所有人都有發言的機會。
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rotational
[roˋteʃən!]
a. 旋轉的
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millisecond
[ˋmɪlə͵sɛkənd]
n. 毫秒（時間單位，等於 1/1000 秒）
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mass
[mæs]
adj. 一般大 / 民眾的
n. 團，塊；大量；一般大 / 民眾（此意恆用複數，前面加定冠詞 the）
A huge mass of earth shifted during the landslide.
一個大土塊在山崩中移位了。
Greg has to work on a mass of data.
葛瑞格有一堆的資料要處理。
This kind of performance won’t appeal to the masses.
這種表演不會吸引到一般大眾的。
The mass media includes newspapers, magazines, radio, television, films, etc. 大眾傳播媒體包括報紙、雜誌、廣播、電視、電影等等。
Hard work accounts forDaisy’s success.
努力是黛西成功的原因。
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speed up... / speed... up
加速
Speed up, or we’ll be late. 快一點，否則我們會遲到。
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adapt to...
適應⋯⋯
A few people have difficulty adapting to military life.
有些人很難適應軍中的生活。
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keep pace with...
與……並駕齊驅
Reading newspapers enables you to keep pace with the times.
閱讀報紙能使你跟上時代的步伐。
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slow down... / slow... down
減緩／慢⋯⋯（的速度）
Your presentation is good, but remember to slow down the speed of your speech so that everyone can understand what you're saying.
你的報告很棒，但要記得放慢語速，這樣大家才能理解你在說什麼。
