291.combat n. 战斗
Even now, despite Beijing’s displeasure, Washington is selling Taiwan combat aircraft and other equipment.
即使是现在，尽管北京反对，华盛顿仍然出售战斗机及其他装备给台湾。
292.commonplace n. 寻常的事，老生常谈 adj. 寻常的，不稀奇的
It’s become commonplace to note that voters treated Bill Clinton in 1992 the way Wall Street treats a stock.
现在经常可以听到这番话：选民在1992年对克林顿的态度就像今日华尔街对股票的态度一样。
293.compass n. 指南针
A new Secretary of State will hold the compass. Warren Christopher will vacate his State Department office by January.
国务卿克里斯托弗于1月离开国务院之后，将会有新国务卿来接掌。
注：vacate v. 辞退（职位），让出（位子）
294.compassion n. 同情，悲悯
At home, with the gap between rich and poor widening, the seemingly ingrained American notions of compassion, codified during the New Deal, are colliding with the fears of those who feel financially strapped …
在国内，随着贫富差距日益悬殊，似乎已深植美国人心中，且于“新政”期间化为具体条文的同情心，正与那些经济拮据的美国人心中的恐惧相冲突。
注：ingrained adj.（习惯、想法）根深蒂固的；condify v. 把……编成法典；collide v.（意见、目的）相冲突，抵触，同clash
295.conflict n. 冲突
Even though Chechnya could not hope to win its secessionist war against Moscow, Dudayev warned that continued fighting might well draw neighboring republics into a wider regional conflict.
尽管车臣共和国不敢奢望在脱离俄国的战争上打赢莫斯科，但杜达耶夫警告说，若战争持续下去，有可能把临近的共和国也卷入，变成更大范围的区域冲突。
296.consequence n. 后果
At home labor costs per unit of output are going down, a consequence of rising productivity, and falling oil prices are putting another damper on inflation.
由于劳动生产效率提高，国内每单位产量消耗的劳动成本逐渐下降，而油价下跌也抑制了通货膨胀。
注：to put a damper on 抑制，使扫兴
297.conspiracy n. 阴谋
Hale became the target of a flood of hate Email, much of it accusing him of being part of a conspiracy to suppress the true nature of Hale-Bopp.
海尔成为众矢之的，充满恨意的电子邮件向他蜂拥而来，大部分都指控他是隐瞒海尔波普彗星真相这项阴谋的一员。
注：suppress v. 隐瞒（姓名、证据、事实等）
298.credibility n. 可信度
Whatever the reasons, the fact remains that the organization (U.N.) desperately needs a rapid-reaction capacity if it is to maintain credibility in emergencies.
不管有什么理由，至今仍毋庸置疑的事实是，联合国若欲维持其在处理紧急事故上的可信度，就迫切需要快速应变能力。
299.debut n.（法文）首演，初次上场表演
That day Jordan made his debut against the Indiana Pacers, and though he shot only 7 of 28, he moved well considering he had been playing baseball for a year.
那天乔丹在对印第安那步行者队的比赛中首度上场，尽管投28球进7球，但考虑到他先前打了一年的棒球，这样的成绩已经很出色。
300.demonstration n. 抗议，示威
Just two weeks ago, 85000 people, nearly 8% of Okinawa’s population, joined the largest single demonstration in the island’s history to call for the Americans’ removal.
仅在两周前，几乎占冲绳人口8%的8.5万人参加了岛上有史以来最大一次示威，要求美国人撤走。