介绍:
Australians mourn tree that ‘failed’ university students
The sudden collapse of the University of Sydney's famed jacaranda tree has triggered a wave of grief in Australia, with staff and alumni mourning a key piece of campus folklore.
collapse /kə’læps/ v/n. 倒塌，瓦解
jacaranda /ˌdʒækə'rændə/ n. 紫薇
alumni /ə'lʌmnaɪ/ n. 校友(复数，单数为alumnus)
folklore /‘fəʊklɔː/ n. 民俗，民俗传统
The 18m-wide tree had been at the centre of university life and graduation photos since arriving in the main quadrangle 88 years ago.
It was also steeped in superstition. A popular myth asserted that undergraduates would fail their exams if they neglected to study before the tree's first bloom, typically in October or November.
quadrangle /'kwɒdræŋg(ə)l/ n. 四方院子
steep /stiːp/ v. 浸泡，使...充满
assert /ə'sɜːt/ v. 断言，声称
The university deemed the collapse seismic enough to send out a press release on Saturday, declaring it was "saddened to advise" the tree had toppled over during the night.
deem /diːm/ v. 认为
seismic /‘saɪzmɪk/ a. 地震的
topple /'tɒp(ə)l/ v. 倾倒，颠覆，推翻
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