第一部分

predominate[prɪ’dɒmɪneɪt]

vt. 统治,成为主流〈同 control, rule〉
例 Scientists believe dinosaurs predominated the world before humans.
科学家们相信,在人类出现之前,恐龙主宰着这个世界。

preeminent[pri:’emɪnənt]

adj. 卓越的,出类拔萃的〈同 distinguished, notable〉
例 The king traveled to Boston because he wanted a preeminent surgeon to perform his operation.
国王前往波士顿,因为他希望由一位杰出的外科医生为他动手术。
联 eminent adj. 显赫的,杰出的

prefabricated[ˌpri:’fæbrɪkɪtɪd]

adj. 预制的(指装配前已生产好的)
例 The prefabricated car parts were used to assemble cars at the factory.
预制汽车配件被用来在工厂组装汽车。

preferable[’prefərəbəl]

adj. 更可取的,更好的〈同 favored, better〉
例 A preferable option is to store the food in a refrigerator rather than throw it away.
更可取的选择是把食物存放在冰箱里,而不是扔掉。
联 preference n. 偏爱;优先;优先权;preferred adj. 首选的;preferential adj. 优先的

prehistoric[ˌpri:hɪ’stɒrɪk]

adj. 史前的〈同 ancient, primitive〉
例 Modern turtles evolved from a very large, prehistoric species of turtle.
现代的乌龟是从一种非常庞大的史前龟类进化而来的。
联 prehistory n. 史前;preclude vt. 排除;预先阻止;preschool adj. 入学前的;prefix n. 前缀

preoccupation[prɪˌɒkjʊ’peɪ∫ən]

n. 主要考虑因素;全神贯注,抢先占据〈同 concern, involvement〉
例 His wife complained about his preoccupation with work and his neglect of family life.
他妻子抱怨他过于专注于工作,忽视了家庭生活。

preponderance[prɪ’pɒndərəns]

n.(数量或力量上的)优势
例 The preponderance of evidence led to the jury’s guilty verdict.
证据优势让陪审团做出了有罪判决。
联 preponderant adj. 占优势的;preponderate v.(在重量、数量、力量等上)胜过,超过;ponder v. 考虑,沉思;ponderous adj. 沉重的,笨重的;pond n. 池塘

prerequisite[ˌpri:’rekwəzɪt]

n. 先决条件〈同 requirement, necessity〉
例 Passing the final test is a prerequisite for graduating.
通过最终测试是毕业的先决条件。
adj. 首要必备的〈同 imperative, mandatory〉
例 This semester I have five prerequisite courses, and two elective courses.
本学期,我共有五门必修课以及两门选修课。
联 prequisite n. 额外补贴;exquisite adj. 优美的,高雅的

presidency[’prezɪdənsi]

n. 总统职位;总统任期
例 The US presidency has a maximum of two terms for each President.
美国总统的任期是每位总统最多任两届。
联 presidential election 总统选举

pretension[prɪ’ten∫ən]

n. 要求;自命;自称〈同 claim; assertion〉
例 His pretension that he was innocent did not fool any one.
他自称自己是无辜的,但这骗不了任何人。
联 pretence n. 虚伪,伪装;pretentious adj. 做作的

第二部分

prevailing[prɪ’veɪlɪŋ]

adj. 流行的,盛行的〈同 widespread, predominant〉
例 One of the most prevailing problems facing our generation is environmental protection.
我们这一代所面临的最普遍的问题之一是环境保护。
联 prevail vi. 盛行,居主导地位;prevalent adj. 普遍的;流行的;prevalence n. 流行;prevaricate vi. 支吾,搪塞

primal[’praɪməl]

adj. ①原始的,最初的〈同 primeval; initial〉
例 As animals, humans still have primal urges.
作为动物,人类依然有原始的冲动。
②最重要的
例 We’ve just had the primal necessities of life.
我们只有一些最基本的生活必需品。

primate[’praɪmeɪt]

n. 灵长目动物
例 Primates have a relatively larger brain than other animals.
灵长类动物有比其他动物相对更大的大脑。

primordial[praɪ’mɔ:dɪəl]

adj. 原始的,最初的〈同 primeval, primitive〉
例 All of us are interested in the primordial era before the appearance of life on Earth.
我们对于地球上出现生命之前的原始时期都非常感兴趣。

pristine[’prɪsti:n; ‘prɪstaɪn]

adj. 原始的,未被破坏的〈同 unspoiled, pure〉
例 The pristine mountains of Alaska should be preserved forever.
阿拉斯加的天然山脉应该被永远保护起来。
联 prissy adj. 谨小慎微的

prod[prɒd]

vt. ①戳,刺〈同 poke〉
例 He prodded the cattle and made them go into a pen.
他戳了戳牛,把它们赶进牛圈。
②刺激,激励〈同 stimulate; urge〉
例 Their boss prodded them to work harder.
他们的老板刺激他们更努力地工作。
联 prodigal adj. 浪费的 n. 挥霍者;prodigy n. 奇观;奇才;thrust v. 刺;goad vt. 刺激;stimulate v. 激励

prodigious[prə’dɪʤəs]

adj. 巨大的,惊人的〈同 huge, amazing〉
例 The hi-tech project costs a prodigious amount of money.
这个高科技项目耗费了一笔巨额资金。
联 prodigy n. 天才;奇迹;prodigal adj. 挥霍的,浪费的;tremendous adj. 极大的,巨大的;gigantic adj. 巨大的

progressive[prə’gresɪv]

adj. 前进的;先进的〈同 advanced, cutting-edge〉
例 The progressive group of students wanted to start a revolution.
学生中的进步团体希望发动一场革命。

proliferate[prə’lɪfəreɪt; (US)prəʊ-]

vi. 激增;繁殖〈同 multiply; propagate〉
例 We had seen only a couple insects, but after a week, the sight of hundreds of insects made it clear that they proliferated at an unbelievable rate.
我们只看到了一两只昆虫,但一周之后,数百只虫子的出现则明确说明,它们在以令人难以置信的速度进行繁殖。
联 proliferation n. 增殖;繁殖;prolix adj. 冗长的

prolific[prə’lɪfɪk]

adj. 多产的,多结果的〈同 productive, fruitful〉
例 That prolific author has written more than a hundred books.
那位多产的作家已经写了100多本书。

第三部分

pronounced[prə’naʊnst]

adj. 显著的,明确的〈同 clear, distinct〉
例 The buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere appears to be causing pronounced climatic changes all over the world.
大气中二氧化碳的积累似乎正在给全世界造成显著的气候变化。
联 announce v. 宣布,通告;denounce vt. 公开指责,谴责;renounce v. 声明放弃,抛弃;pronoun n. 代词

propensity[prə’pensəti]

n. 倾向,癖好〈同 inclination, tendency〉
例 Your propensity for spending more than you can afford will lead to only one result: bankruptcy!
你的开支总是超出自己能承担的范围,这个习惯只会带来一种后果:破产!
联 property n. 财产;特性

proponent[prə’pəʊnənt]

n. 支持者,拥护者〈同 advocate, supporter〉
例 When I learned how the air and water were being polluted, I became a strong proponent of ecological reforms.
在得知空气和水是如何被污染的之后,我变成了一个坚定的生态革命支持者。
联 opponent n. 对手,敌手

proprietor[prə’praɪətə(r)]

n. 所有者,业主〈同 owner〉
例 The proprietor was also the manager of the store.
业主同时也是店铺的经理。
联 propriety n. 适当

propulsion[prə’pʌl∫ən]

n. 推进,推进力〈同 push, thrust〉
例 A glider is a type of aircraft resembling an airplane but often having no means of propulsion at all.
滑翔机是与飞机类似的一种飞行器,但通常没有任何驱动方式。

prosecute[’prɒsɪkju:t]

vt. 对…起诉;告发〈同 sue, indict〉
例 The district attorney refused to prosecute the case because of a lack of evidence.
由于缺乏证据,地方检察官拒绝审理这个案子。
联 prosecutor n. 起诉人;persecute vt. 迫害;cute adj. 可爱的,伶俐的;acute adj. 灵敏的;急性的

protagonist[prəʊ’tægənɪst]

n.(戏剧、故事、小说中的)主角
例 The protagonist of the story was a man called Hercules.
故事的主角是一个名为赫拉克勒斯的男人。

prudent[’pru:dənt]

adj. 审慎的,深谋远虑的〈同 wary, cautious〉
例 It would be prudent to think carefully before you choose which stocks to buy.
在选择买进哪支股票之前进行周密思考,这才是明智的做法。
联 prudence n. 审慎;imprudent adj. 鲁莽的;impudent adj. 厚颜无耻的;prude n. 过分正经、 谨慎的人

publicize[’pʌblɪsaɪz]

vt.(公开)宣传,宣扬〈同 broadcast, announce〉
例 The newspaper publicized the sports event on the front page.
报纸在头版报道了体育赛事。
联 publicity n. 公开,宣传

puddle[’pʌdəl]

n. 小水洼
例 The car accidentally drove through the puddle and splashed dirty water on the pedestrian.
那辆车意外地开进了水坑,把脏水溅到了行人身上。

第四部分

pueblo[pʊ’ebləʊ]

n. 印第安人村庄
例 The tourists went to visit the pueblos in New Mexico and Arizona.
游客们前往新墨西哥和亚利桑那参观印第安人村庄。

pulp[pʌlp]

n. 果肉〈同 fruit flesh〉
例 He liked to drink freshly-squeezed orange juice with the pulp.
他喜欢喝用果肉新鲜榨取的橙汁。

pulse[pʌls]

n. 脉搏,脉冲
例 The doctor determined his blood pressure by feeling his pulse.
医生通过把脉确定了他的血压。
联 impulse n. 推动,刺激;冲动

punch[pʌntʃ]

vt. ①重击〈同 blow, knock〉
例 Plains Indians punched their drums while dancing.
大草原印第安人一边敲鼓,一边跳舞。
②打孔〈同 perforate〉
例 Workers have to punch holes in the mountain to get the road through.
为了贯通公路,工人们不得不在山上打洞。
联 puncture n. 小孔 v. 刺破;poke v. 戳,刺;perforate v. 打孔

puncture[’pʌŋktʃə(r)]

vt. 刺穿,戳破〈同 prick〉
例 The front tire was punctured on the road covered with sharp-edged stones.
路上满是锋利的石头,结果汽车前轮胎被扎破了。
联 punctual adj. 严守时刻的,准时的;punctuation n. 标点;acupuncture n. 针刺疗法 vt. 施行针刺疗法

pungent[’pʌnʤənt]

adj.(指气味、 味道)刺激性的,辛辣的;尖锐的〈同 sharp, acrid, harsh〉
例 Both the meal and the conversation were pungent.
不论是饭菜还是谈话都非常刺激。

quail[kweɪl]

n. 鹌鹑
例 They went hunting quail with dogs and shotguns.
他们牵着狗,拿着猎枪,去猎鹌鹑。
vi. 畏惧,颤抖〈同 wince, quiver〉
例 He was afraid that he would quail in the face of danger.
他担心自己面临危险时会退缩。
联 quaff v. 痛饮

quaint[kweɪnt]

adj. 奇怪的,离奇有趣的〈同 strange, unusual〉
例 That mountain village is known for its quaint shops and boutiques.
那个山村以其古朴的商店和专卖流行衣服的小商店而出名。
联 acquaint vt. 使熟知,通知;acquaintance n. 相识,熟人;acquainted adj. 有知识的,知晓的

quarry[’kwɒri; (US)’kwɔ:ri]

n. 采石场,露天矿厂
例 Magnificent marble is excavated from underground quarries.
华丽的大理石是从地下采石场开采出来的。
联 quarrel vi. 争吵;quash vt. 镇压,废止;quarantine n./v. 检疫,隔离

quiescent[kwaɪ’esənt]

adj. 静止的,寂静的〈同 motionless, tranquil〉
例 The doctor had no trouble injecting the quiescent baby.
医生给这个安静的孩子打针毫不费力。
联 acquiescent adj. 默许的