Ironically, Europe, which had bequeathed the rabbit as a pest to Australia, acquired this man-made disease as a pestilence.

rabbit as a pest ... disease as a pestilence ^{写作的语言游戏}

• As a vice tolerated in youth, it would later rise as a viciousness corrupting his entire character. ^{（vice 小恶习 → viciousness 恶毒 / 凶残 / 嚣张的恶）}
• As a rage that seized his heart, it returned as a rapture that carried him beyond reason. ^{同源词根 rapt- / -rapere：抓取、带走}
• As a humble request at first, it later weighed upon him as a humiliation he could not forget. ^{同根 humilis：低下、地面}
• As an ardent hope in his youth, it lingered as an ardor that burned long after the dream had faded. ^{同源词：来自 ardere：燃烧}
• As a frugal habit in childhood, it endured as a frugality shaping every decision of his adult life. ^{同源：frux / frug- 果实、成果 → 引申为节俭}

bequeath sth. to sb. ^{把某物遗赠给某人}

• In her will, she chose to bequeath her entire library to her godson. ^{在她的遗嘱中，她选择把她的整个图书馆遗赠给她的教子。}
• She bequeathed her entire estate to charity. ^{将她的全部遗产遗赠给了慈善机构}
• The treasure I bequeath and leave entirely to my sole heir. ^{此项宝藏吾全部遗赠与吾之惟一继承人。}

A French physician decided to get rid of the wild rabbits on his own estate and introduced myxomatosis.

introduce ^{引入、引进}

• The government plans to introduce a new tax system.
• We introduce fragment identifiers for the speakers. ^{我们为演讲者引入了片段标识符。}
• The government is having to introduce some difficult changes, particularly in moving over to a market economy. ^{政府将不得不引入一些艰难的变革，特别是在转向市场经济的过程中。}

It did not, however, remain within the confines of this estate.

confines ^{范围 / 在...范围之内 / 在...范围之外}

• The open sea was deep and mysterious, and anyone who gave more than a passing thought to the bottom confines of the oceans probably assumed that the sea bed was flat.
• We must work within the confines of the law  / within the confines of the farm.
• The universe extends beyond the confines of human knowledge.

It spread through France, where wild rabbits are not generally regarded as a pest but as a sport and a useful food supply, and it spread to Britain where wild rabbits are regarded as a pest but where domesticated rabbits, equally susceptible to the disease, are the basis of a profitable fur industry.

sport ^{n.[C] an activity that people do in the countryside, especially hunting or fishing （狩猎，钓鱼等）乡间活动，消遣}

• Hunting is a popular sport in this region.
• Modern alpinists try to climb mountains by a route which will give them good sport, ... ^{[U] fun or amusement 乐趣，消遣，好玩}
• He enjoys field sports like fishing.  

domesticated ^{adj.domesticated animals are able to work for people or live with them as pets 家养的，驯化的}

• Domesticated animals such as sheep and horses are common here.
• While agriculturalists rely on domesticated plants, pastoralists rely on domesticated animals. ^{农民依靠种植作物为生，而牧民则依赖于驯养牲畜。}
• They were domesticated some thousands of years after this. ^{之后辣椒被驯化了数千年的时间。}

不规则复数变化形式 ^{拉丁词复数}

• The research established a solid basis for further study.  ⇒ These bases are vital for the structure.
• the Earth's axis.  ⇒ drawing the x and y axes.
• She is writing her doctoral thesis.  ⇒ discussing various theses.

on the basis of ... ^{在...的基础之上}

• Decisions were often made on the basis of incorrect information.^{在错误信息的基础上做出决定}
• The two companies reached an agreement on the basis of mutual respect.^{在相互尊重的基础上}

The question became one of whether Man could control the disease he had invented.

one of ^其中之一

• The central theme of the novel is one of the conflict between duty and desire.
• My main concern is one of how we can raise the necessary funds.
• I'm just one of his many conquests. ^{我仅仅是他的众多俘虏之一。}
• Spain was one of the hardest hit countries. ^{西班牙是遭受打击最严重的国家之一。}