331.merchandise n. 商品
【同】goods
That’s one reason why each restaurant is designed with a merchandise shop to tempt customers to buy such must-have souvenirs as jogging suits, $20 T shirts or baby baseball togs.
为什么每一家餐厅都设计了一间商品店，以引诱消费者买一些必不可少的纪念品，如慢跑服、20美元一件的T恤或是小孩的棒球衣，这是原因之一。
332.mess n. 杂乱
Army Captain Stuart Herrubgtin… remembers that the scene inside the embassy also was a “monstrous mess.”
陆军上尉赫林顿想起那是大使馆内也是“一片混乱，惨不忍睹”。
注：monstrous adj.（用以加强语气）极度的，强烈的
333.monopoly n. 专卖机构，独占事业；垄断
Although they welcomed the news that Mexico will sell off many of the state’s power plants, they had also hoped Zedillo would privatize parts of the country’s lucrative oil monopoly.
墨西哥将廉价出售许多国营电厂，他们对此大表欢迎，但他们也盼望总统萨迪略能将该国赚钱的垄断性石油公司予以部分民营化。
334.nomination n. 提名
The most worrisome “oppose” for Gore is that Gephardt will oppose the Vice President for their party’s presidential nomination in 2000.
最让戈尔担心的“反对”就是杰哈特将与戈尔打对合，争取公元2000年民主党总统候选人的提名。
335.odds n. 可能性，几率
【同】chances
Odds are better than ever that high tech will get their jobs.
比起以往任何时期，高科技都更可能抢走他们的饭碗。
336.opponent n. 反对者，对手
【反】supporter
Among the most extreme opponents, there were even paranoiac suggestions that once gone, the art might be hijacked and never returned.
某些反对最激烈的人甚至神经质地暗示，这些宝物一旦出境可能会被劫夺，再也会不来了。
注：paranoiac adj. 偏执狂的；hijack v. 劫持（飞机），劫夺（运输中的货物）
337.ordeal n. 苦难，磨练
Laura B did not tell anyone about the assault because, she claims, she repressed all memory of the ordeal.
劳拉小姐没有把所遭受的攻击告诉别人，因为她声称她已把这桩惨痛的经历完全压抑在脑海深处。
注：repress v. 压抑（感情、欲望等）
338.passion n. 激情，热情
【同】feeling
Paleontology is much like politics: passions run high, and it’s easy to draw very different conclusions from the same set of facts.
古生物学和政治很相像：情绪很激昂，而且从同一组事实中可以得出截然不同的结论。
339.peril n. 危险
Climate change threatens more than megastorms, floods and droughts. The real peril may be disease.
气候改变带来的威胁还不止是巨大风暴、洪水和干旱，真正的危险可能是疾病。
340.persecution n. 迫害
They must disappear by the change in sovereignty or face persecution.
他们必须在主权转移之前消失，否则就得面对迫害。