Desert Formation

absorption[ əb'sɔ:rpʃn ]

n. 吸收

the process of absorbing or of being absorbed

【近】 assimilation , digestion

accelerate[ ək'seləreɪt ]

v. 使增速

to cause to move faster or speed up

【近】 expedite , hasten , hurry , hustle , quicken

accumulate[ ə'kju:mjəleɪt ]

v. 积聚，积成堆

to bring together so as to increase in mass or number

【近】 accrue , aggregate , cumula te

alarming[ ə'lɑ:rmɪŋ ]

adj. 惊人的

causing alarm or fear; frightening

aridity[ ə'rɪdətɪ ]

n. 干旱，干燥

lacking moisture , especially having insufficient rainfall to support trees or woody plants

cattle[ 'kætl ]

n. 牲口，家畜

any of various chiefly domesticated mammals of the genus

clay[ kleɪ ]

n. 泥土，黏土

a fine-grained, firm earthy material that is plastic when wet and hardens

climatic[ klaɪ'mætɪk ]

adj. 气候上的

of or relating to climate

conditioner[ kən'dɪʃənə ]

n. 调节剂

one that conditions, especially an additive or application that improves the quality or usability of a substance

considerable[ kən'sɪdərəbl ]

adj. 相当大的

large in amount, extent, or degree

【近】 extensive , great , large

contributor[ kən'trɪbjʊtə ]

n. 贡献者

a person instrumental in the growth of something, especially in its early stages

【近】 builder , creator , develo per , pioneer

crustal[ 'krʌstəl ]

adj. 地壳的

of or relating to a crust , especially that of the earth or the moon

delicate[ 'delɪkət ]

adj. 微妙的，脆弱的

easily broken or damaged; fragile

【近】 breakable , britt le , fragile , frangible

density[ 'densətɪ ]

n. 密度

the quantity of something per unit measure, especially per unit length , area, or volume

【近】 compactness , solidi ty , thickness

desertification[ dɪˌzɜ:rtɪfɪ'keɪʃn ]

n. 荒漠化，沙漠化

the transformation of arable or habitable land to desert , as by a change in climate or destructive land use

deterioration[ dɪˌtɪrɪə'reɪʃn ]

n. 恶化，变坏

the action or process of deteriorating; the state of having deteriorated

devoid[ dɪ'vɔɪd ]

adj. 缺乏的

completely lacking ; destitute or empty

【近】 barren , destitute , empty , lac king , void

diminish[ dɪ'mɪnɪʃ ]

v. 减少

to grow or cause to grow gradually less ; decrease

【近】 abate , dwindle , lessen , rebate , reduce

dissolve[ dɪ'zɑ:lv ]

v. 使溶解

to cause to melt or liquefy

dominant[ 'dɑ:mɪnənt ]

adj. 占优势的，支配的

exercising the most influence or control

【近】 predominant , prevailing , ruling , suprem e

drainage[ 'dreɪnɪdʒ ]

n. 排水

the act or process of drawing off fluids from a cavity or wound by means of suction or gravity

【记】drain（ v./n. 排水）

dung[ dʌŋ ]

n. 排泄物

the excrement of animals; the feces of an animal; manure ; solid waste from animals

ecological[ ˌi:kə'lɑ:dʒɪkl ]

adj. 生态的

the science of the relationships between organisms and their environments

enforce[ ɪn'fɔ:rs ]

v. 强迫，执行

to compel observance of or obedience to

erosion[ ɪ'rəʊʒn ]

n. 腐蚀，侵蚀，冲蚀

the group of natural processes, including weathering, dissolution, abrasion, corrosion , and transportation

estimate[ 'estɪmət ]

v. 估计，评价

to calculate approximately (the amount, extent, magnitude, position, or value of something)

【近】 approximate , reckon

evaporate[ ɪ'væpəreɪt ]

v. 蒸发

to pass off as vapor , especially when heated

【近】 boil away , vaporize , volatilize

【记】e出，vapor（ n. 水蒸气，水汽）→出水汽→蒸发

evaporation[ ɪˌvæpə'reɪʃn ]

n. 蒸发

the change by which any substance is converted from a liquid state into and carried off in vapor

excess[ ɪk'ses , 'ekˌses ]

n. 超过

an amount or quantity beyond what is needed, desired, or appropriate

excessive[ ɪk'sesɪv ]

adj. 过度的

exceeding a normal , usual, reasonable, or proper limit

【近】 extravagant , immoder ate , undue

expansion[ ɪk'spænʃn ]

n. 扩充

the act or process of expanding

【近】 enlargem ent , extension , spread

extensive[ ɪk'stensɪv ]

adj. 广泛的

large in extent , range, or amount

【近】 ample , broad , expansive , spacio us

fertility[ fər'tɪlətɪ ]

n. 肥沃，多产

the quality or state of being fertile

firewood[ 'faɪərwʊd ]

n. 木柴，柴火

wood used for fuel

fragile[ 'frædʒl ]

adj. 易碎的，脆的

easily broken, damaged , or destroyed; frail

【近】 breakable , brittle , delicate , frangible

impressive[ ɪm'presɪv ]

adj. 给人深刻印象的

making a strong or vivid impression; striking or remarkable

【近】 affecting , moving , poigna nt , stirring , touching

interfere[ ˌɪntər'fɪr ]

v. 妨碍，抵触

to come between so as to be a hindrance or an obstacle

irrigation[ ˌɪrɪ'geɪʃn ]

n. 灌溉

the therapeutic flushing of a body part with a stream of liquid

livestock[ 'laɪvstɑ:k ]

n. 家畜，牲畜

domestic animals , such as cattle or horses, raised for home use or for profit, especially on a farm

margin[ 'mɑ:rdʒən ]

n. 边缘

the outside limit or edge of something

【近】 border , brim , edge , fringe , rim , verge

millennium[ mɪ'lenɪəm ]

n. 一千年

a span of one thousand years

【记】mill＝千；enn＝ann年＝一千年

necessitate[ nə'sesɪteɪt ]

v. 需要

to have as a need or prerequisite

【近】 cal l f or , demand , require

【记】源于：necessary（ n. 必需品； adj. 必要的）

nutrient[ 'nu:trɪənt ]

n. 营养物，滋养物

a source of nourishment , especially a nourishing ingredient in a food

overcultivation[ 'oʊvəˌkʌltɪ'veɪʃən ]

n. 过度种植

when farmers plow or till the soil too much and it damages it, makes it hard for anything to be planted there again

overgraze[ 'oʊvər'greɪz ]

v. 过度放牧

to allow animals to graze (as a pasture) to the point of damaging the vegetational cover

overirrigation[ oʊvərɪrɪ'geɪʃn ]

n. 过量灌溉

the act of irrigating too much

pace[ peɪs ]

n. 速度

the rate of speed at which an activity or a movement proceeds

【近】 speed , tem po , velocity

passage[ 'pæsɪdʒ ]

n. 消逝，推移

the process of elapsing

【近】 change , shift , transit , transitio n

penetration[ ˌpenɪ'treɪʃn ]

n. 渗透

the act or process of piercing or penetrating something

phenomenon[ fə'nɑ:mɪnən ]

n. 现象

(pl: phenomena) an occurrence, a circumstance , or a fact that is perceptible by the senses

potential[ pə'tenʃl ]

adj. 潜在的，可能的

capable of being but not yet in existence; latent

【近】 eventual , latent , possible

predictable[ prɪ'dɪktəbl ]

adj. 可预言的

something which is predictable happens in a way or at a time which you know about before it happens

prior[ 'praɪər ]

adj. 在先的，在前的

preceding in time or order

【近】 antecedent , preceden t , preceding , previous

progressive[ prə'gresɪv ]

adj. 渐进的

proceeding in steps; continuing steadily by increments

【近】 advanced , forw ard , precocious

pulverization[ ˌpʌlvəraɪ'zeɪʃən ]

n. 粉碎

the act or process of pulverizing to reduce (as by crushing, beating, or grinding) to very small particles; atomize

reliance[ rɪ'laɪəns ]

n. 依赖

the act of relying or the state of being reliant

restrict[ rɪ'strɪkt ]

v. 限制，约束

to keep or confine within limits

【近】 circumscribe , confine , limit

ridge[ rɪdʒ ]

n. 山脊

a long narrow chain of hills or mountains , an elevated body part or structure

rigorous[ 'rɪgərəs ]

adj. 严格的，严厉的

characterized by or acting with rigor

【近】 exact , strict , uncompromising

runoff[ 'rʌnˌɔ:f ]

n. 径流

rainfall not absorbed by soil

salinization[ selɪnɪ'zeɪʃən ]

n. 盐碱化

the act to treat or impregnate with salt

seal[ si:l ]

v. 封，密封

to close hermetically

semiarid[ ˌsemɪ'ærɪd ]

adj. 半干旱的

characterized by relatively low annual rainfal

seriousness[ 'sɪrɪəsnəs ]

n. 严肃性

the condition of being grave and of involving serious consequences

【近】 graveness , gravity , weightiness

stabilize[ 'steɪbəlaɪz ]

v. 使稳定，使稳固

to become stable

【近】 balance , counterbal ance , equalize , steady

stony[ 'stoʊnɪ ]

adj. 多石的

covered with or full of stones

subsequent[ 'sʌbsɪkwənt ]

adj. 后来的，并发的

following in time or order ; succeeding

【近】 sequent , sequential , successive

substantial[ səb'stænʃl ]

adj. 丰富的

characterized by abundance

【近】 abundant , copious , plentiful , voluminou s

【记】源于：substance（ n. 物质）

substitute[ 'sʌbstɪtu:t ]

n. 代用品

a person or thing that takes the place or function of another

【近】 alternate , replacement , surrogate

susceptible[ sə'septəbl ]

adj. 易受……影响的

easily influenced or affected

【近】 prone , subject , susceptive , v ulnerable

threaten[ 'θretn ]

v. 威胁

to subject to danger or destruction

【近】 endanger , imperil , menace , peril , risk

tract[ trækt ]

n. 土地

a part of the earth’s surface

【近】 area , belt , district , region , zone

trample[ 'træmpl ]

v. 践踏

to beat down with the feet so as to crush, bruise, or destroy; tramp on

transfer[ træns'fɜ:r ]

v. 迁移，移动

to convey or cause to pass from one place , person, or thing to another

【近】 maneuver , move , rem ove , shift

tremendous[ trə'mendəs ]

adj. 巨大的

extremely large in amount, extent, or degree; enormous

【近】 enormous , immense , massive , massy

underlying[ ˌʌndə'laɪɪŋ ]

adj. 在下面的

lying under or beneath something

vulnerable[ vʌlnərəbl ]

adj. 易受伤害的

susceptible to injury or disease

【近】 subject , susceptible , susceptive

waste[ weɪst ]

n. 排泄物

the undigested residue of food eliminated from the body; excrement +/ZtoIG+U0k5Pw4pMggd8/rqjyqDR0ATYIxGTR485tX627aWBmTULZOf3VqA8RBg