warp
n. 1. a bend or twist 变形；翘曲
2. a fault or abnormality in a person's character 反常心理；乖戾

Phrases and Expressions

press ahead (with sth.)
continue doing a task or pursuing an aim despite difficulties, objections, etc. （不顾困难地）继续进行

coupled with
together with 与…一起；连同

scale back
reduce in size 按比例缩减，相应缩减

put sth. in doubt
make sth. uncertain 使某事物不确定

blow up
explode; be destroyed by an explosion 爆炸；炸毁

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
the annual total value of goods produced, and services provided, in a country 国内生产总值

be on good terms
have a good relationship 关系好

be caught in
be involved in 陷入，卷入

Proper Names

the Soviet Union
苏联（苏维埃社会主义共和国联盟，现已解体为独联体）

John F. Kennedy
约翰·F·肯尼迪（1917—1963，美国第三十五任总统[1961—1963]）

the Cold War
a state of hostility between the U.S. and the USSR without actual fighting after World War II （第二次世界大战后为争夺世界霸权的）美苏冷战（时期）

the Challenger disaster
explosion of the spaceship "Challenger" in which seven people were killed, including a woman teacher who was the first non-astronaut to be invited on a flight into space 美国“挑战者”号航天飞机升空后73秒爆炸这一惨剧(1986)

Mir
（前苏联和现俄罗斯的）“和平”号空间站

the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA)
an agency of the U.S. government established to direct and aid civilian research and development in aeronautics and aerospace technology （美国）国家航空和航天局

the International Space Station
（多国合作的）国际空间站

the House of Representatives
（美国）众议院

Ariane
阿丽亚娜（欧洲航天局研制的火箭名）

the Berlin wall
柏林墙（1961年由东德政府修筑，1900年拆除）