Unit 59

paralyze / parallel

paralyze v. 使...瘫痪 (to make (a person or animal) unable to move or feel all or part of the body) /ˈperəˌlīz/

• After the stun gun dart paralyzed the tiger in mid-jump, he dropped to the ground and lay there motionlessly.

parallel adj. 平行的；相似的，同时存在的 (extending in the same direction, everywhere equidistant and not meeting; very similar and often happening at the same time) /ˈpɛrəˌlɛl/

• When two parallel lines (such as train tracks) extend far enough into space, an optical illusion is created in which the lines appear to meet at a single point.

ravel / rival / unravel / unrivaled

ravel v. 使更复杂 (to make a situation or problem more complicated) /ˈrævəl/

• The couple's divorce proceedings were raveled up with a complicated custody battle.

rival n. 竞争对手 (a person or thing that tries to defeat or be more successful than another) /ˈraɪvəl/

• Coca Cola's primary rival is the similar-tasting soda product called Pepsi Cola.

unravel v. 解开；解体，瓦解 (to cause the separate threads of something (a system, plan, relationship, etc.) to come apart; to start to fail or no longer stay together as a whole) /ˌənˈrævəl/

• Their relationship began to unravel after Judy caught Martin cheating on her with his secretary.

unrivaled adj. 无法匹敌的 (better than anyone or anything else) /ˌənˈraɪvəld/

• Usain Bolt, who holds world records in both the 100 and 200 meter races, is the world's unrivaled champion sprinter.

annul / annual

annul v. 宣告…无效 (to say officially that something is no longer valid) / əˈnəl/

• Britney Spear's marriage to her childhood friend Jason Alexander was annuled after only 55 hours.

annual adj. 每年一次的 (adj. happening once a year) /ˈænj(u)əl/

• It is a bad idea to get drunk at your company's annual Christmas party.