1. descent /dɪˈsent/
n. 下降;下倾;斜坡;坡道;血统;祖籍;祖先;出身；(形势的)恶化;(人的)堕落，沦落
常出现在各种新闻报道里，在我们做英语阅读考试时，也会经常碰到这个单词。
The plane began its descent to Heathrow.
飞机开始向希思罗机场降落。
When entering a trail or starting a descent, yield to other skiers.
进入滑雪道或开始下滑时，要给其他滑雪者让路。
On the descents, cyclists spin past cars, freewheeling downhill at tremendous speed.
在坡道上，自行车手飞驰着超越了一辆辆汽车，靠着惯性一路疾冲下山。
The road makes a sharp descent just past the lake.
道路一过湖泊便陡然下倾。
She drove up a steep grade and then began the long descent into the desert.
她驾车开上一个陡坡，然后沿着长长的下坡路驶入沙漠。
The fisherman is Swedish by descent. 那个渔民祖籍瑞典。
She is of Scottish descent.
她祖籍是苏格兰。
She is of German descent.
她祖籍是德国。
He traces his line of descent from the Stuart kings.
他的家族可追溯到斯图亚特王朝。
All the contributors were of African descent.
所有的撰稿人都是非裔人士。
The only lasting solution lies in a political settlement. Without it, their descent into chaos will be guaranteed.
唯一的长久之计是通过政治手段解决。否则，他们势必会陷入一片混乱。
Indian scientists lost contact with the country's first lunar lander during its final descent to the Moon. The craft's mothership, in orbit around the Moon, later located it near its intended landing site, but attempts to resume contact with the probe have failed. 《经济学人》2019年9月14日
印度第一台月球着陆器，准备降落在月球的表面时，与科学家失去联系。围着月球轨道运行的飞行器，最终在着陆点附近发现了它，但是再也无法联系到探针。
The film is a powerful study of a woman's descent into insanity.
那部电影深入剖析了一个女人堕入疯狂的过程。
Franz Kafka once said: "Writing is utter solitude, the descent into the cold abyss of oneself."
弗朗茨·卡夫卡曾说过：“写作完全是孤独的，是一个人跌入冰冷的深渊的过程。”
四级真题- 2015年 12月 3卷
One hundred years ago, "Colored" was the typical way of referring to Americans of African descent.
一百年前,人们通常用"有色人种"来指称非裔美国人。
六级真题- 2015年 12月 2卷
2. decent /ˈdiːsnt/
a.相当好的； 体面的，相当不错的，像样的；正派的，大方的；得体的；合宜的；适当的；穿好了衣服的；适宜于见人的
a decent meal/job/place to live相当不错的饭菜 / 工作 / 住所
I need a decent night's sleep.我需要好好地睡上一夜。
Nearby is a village with a decent pub.
附近的村子里有一家还不错的酒馆。
You can get quite a decent meal here without spending too much money. 你在这里不用花很多钱就能吃得很好。
There is a need for more resources so that all children may have a decent education.
需要更多的财力支持，让所有的孩子都受到良好的教育。
Any halfway decent map will give you that information.
任何一张还算像样的地图都能提供那些信息。
There are no decent schools round here.
附近没有什么像样的学校。
Any decent shot with telescopic sights could pick us off at random.
任何借助望远镜瞄准器的像样射手都可以随意把我们逐个干掉。
He didn't get a decent explanation.
他没有得到一个像样的解释。
Ways must be found to assure our children a decent start in life.
必须想办法保证我们的孩子有一个不错的人生开端。
You need hard currency to get anything halfway decent.
你得有硬通货才能买到还算不错的东西。
Innocence and decent living are no protection from the evil elements within our society.
清白做人和正派生活无法保护我们不受社会中邪恶力量的伤害。
He attacked the food as quickly as decent table manners allowed.
他在不失礼的情况下尽可能快地进餐。
He would rather have a decent death which served some purpose than a meaningless death.
他宁愿死得其所，也不想无谓地死去。
That dress isn't decent.
那件连衣裙不够雅观。
She ought to have waited for a decent interval before getting married again.
她再次嫁人也应该适当等上一段时间。
But, after a decent interval, trade relations began to return to normal...
但是适当地间断一段时间后，贸易关系开始恢复正常。
The majority of people around here are decent people.
这里的大多数人都很正派。
He is an educated, amiable and decent man.
他是个有教养、和蔼可亲的正人君子。
The jury will see what a decent guy he is.
陪审团将会认识到他是一个多么正派的人。
She was such a decent old bird.
她是一个如此端庄的女人。
She is a decent citizen.
她是个正派的市民。
The President did the decent thing.
总统做了他该做的事。
They're trying to show clean, wholesome, decent movies.
他们尽量播放文明、健康、正派的电影。
I can't go to the door─I'm not decent.
我不能去开门——我还没穿好衣服。
最后一点要注意：体面地做（不想做但）应该做的事
He did the decent thing and resigned.
他做得很体面，辞职了。
He should do the decent thing and resign.
他应该识时务地辞职。