If it were gentle, only the more unstable rods fell.
如果地震轻微，只有不稳定的木棒倒下；
新概念英语第四册
Lesson 42 Recording an earthquake
📚 句中词汇解析
从本句中提取的重要词汇
adj. 温和的;文雅的;高尚的;
vt. 使温和;使驯服;
n. 蛆;饵;
💡 gen “出生,种族”#词根助记：gen+tle→出身好的→高雅的
"a quiet and gentle man"
温文尔雅的男士
近义：master, tame, break, domesticate, mellow, mild
反义：impolitic, inconsiderate, loutish, randy, rank, raw
unstable
[ʌn'stebl]
adj. 不稳固的;不坚定的;易变的;反复无常的;
💡 un不+stable稳定, 具有某种性质的 → 不牢固的, 不稳定的
"The political situation remains highly unstable."
政局仍然十分动荡。
近义：astable, astatic, precarious, unsettled, unsteady, wobbly
反义：poised, balanced, sensible, stalwart, steadfast, steady
vt. 砍倒，打倒;
n. 兽皮;一季的木材采伐量;
adj. 残忍的;凶恶的;
v. 掉下;摔倒;变坏(fall的过去式);
💡 和fall的过去式fell拼写一致 *
"He hacked at the branch until it fell off."
他朝着树枝砍,直到砍下来为止.
近义：noxious, mortiferous, deadly, deleterious, fatal, level