1. scrounger n. 乞討者

e.g.The most vulnerable people in our society were being called “benefit scroungers” and “l(fā)iving off the state.” 2.

ascension n.

The ascension of a person to a high rank or important position is the act of reaching this position. 升遷

e.g. Unlike your ascension to the presidency you did it in one attempt. 3.

burden of proof

the obligation, in criminal cases resting initially on the prosecution, to provide evidence that will convince the court or jury of the truth of one's contention 舉證責(zé)任

e.g. Today, proposition have been set a large burdens of proof. 4.

catalyze

v. If something catalyses a thing or a situation, it makes it active. 促進 e.g. Humanity is currently facing a series of crisis that aren't either being caused by or catalyzed by the rise of big tech. 5.

stifle v.

If someone stifles something you consider to be a good thing, they prevent it from continuing. 壓制,扼殺 e.g. Firstly, our big tech companies dominate the markets and stifle competition. 6.

border on

to come very close to being something, especially a

strong or unpleasant

emotion or quality. 近似于

tyrannical adj.

If you describe someone as tyrannical, you mean that they are severe or unfair toward the people that they have authority over. 暴君的，專橫的 e.g. The control exerted by Big Tech companies is monopolistic and borders on tyrannical. 7.

despicable adj.

If you say that a person or action is despicable, you are emphasizing that they are extremely nasty, cruel, or evil. 可鄙的 e.g. There's never been a more despicable example of this than the Google tax avoidance scandal in 2015. 8.

wager v.

If you wager on the result of a horse race, baseball game, or other event, you give someone a sum of money which they give you back with extra money if the result is what you predicted, or which they keep if it is not. 下賭注 e.g. Now I wager you this, if any individual was found to be screwing over the UK taxpayer they'd be brought to a court of law, they'd be put in prison. 9.

slash v.

To slash something such as costs or jobs means to reduce them by a large amount. 大幅度削減 e.g. Disabled people were having their benefits slashed