• abrupt [from ab- 'away, off' + rumpere 'to break'] 突然的; 不连贯的
• bankrupt
• corrupt [from com- + rumpere 'to break']
• disrupt [from rumpere 'to break'] prevent sth from continuing in its usual way by causing problems
• erupt [from erumpere 'to burst out'] 爆发; 突然发生
• interrupt [from rumpere 'to break']
• rupture [from rumpere 'to break'] 破裂; 断裂

Corruption is a form of dishonesty or criminal offense undertaken by a person or organization entrusted with a position of authority, to acquire illicit benefit or abuse power for one's private gain. Corruption may include many activities including bribery and embezzlement, though it may also involve practices that are legal in many countries. Political corruption occurs when an office-holder or other governmental employee acts in an official capacity for personal gain.
embezzle: take (money one has been entrusted with) for personal use 监守自盗

Corruption and crime are endemic sociological occurrences which appear with regular frequency in virtually all countries on a global scale in varying degree and proportion. Individual nations each allocate domestic resources for the control and regulation of corruption and crime. Strategies to counter corruption are often summarized under the umbrella term anti-corruption. Additionally, global initiative like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16 also has a target to substantially reduce corruption of all forms.

Petty corruption occurs at a smaller scale and takes place at the implementation end of public services when public officials meet the public. For example, in many small places such as registration offices, police stations, state licensing boards,[12][13] and many other private and government sectors.

Grand corruption is defined as corruption occurring at the highest levels of government in a way that requires significant subversion of the political, legal and economic systems.

Systemic corruption (or endemic corruption) is corruption which is primarily due to the weaknesses of an organization or process. It can be contrasted with individual officials or agents who act corruptly within the system.

In criminology, corporate crime refers to crimes committed either by a corporation (i.e., a business entity having a separate legal personality from the natural persons that manage its activities), or by individuals acting on behalf of a corporation or other business entity.

Corruption in education is a worldwide phenomenon. Corruption in admissions to universities is traditionally considered as one of the most corrupt areas of the education sector.

The history of religion includes numerous examples of religious leaders calling attention to corruption in the religious practices and institutions of their time.

In 2006 Transparency International ranked Angola a lowly 142 out of 163 countries in the Corruption Perception Index just after Venezuela and before the Republic of the Congo with a 2.2 rating.

The Mitterrand–Pasqua affair, also known informally as Angolagate, was an international political scandal over the secret and illegal sale and shipment of arms from the nations of Central Europe to the government of Angola by the Government of France in the 1990s.

Methods

• Bribery involves the improper use of gifts and favours in exchange for personal gain. This is also known as kickbacks or, in the Middle East, as baksheesh.
• Embezzlement and theft involve someone with access to funds or assets illegally taking control of them. Fraud involves using deception to convince the owner of funds or assets to give them up to an unauthorized party.
• The political act of graft is when funds intended for public projects are intentionally misdirected to maximize the benefits to private interests of the corrupt individuals.
• While bribery is the use of positive inducements for corrupt aims, extortion and blackmail centre around the use of threats. This can be the threat of physical violence or false imprisonment as well as exposure of an individual's secrets or prior crimes.
• Influence peddling is the illegal practice of using one's influence in government or connections with persons in authority to obtain favors or preferential treatment, usually in return for payment.
• Networking (both Business and Personal) can be an effective way for job-seekers to gain a competitive edge over others in the job-market.
• Abuse of discretion refers to the misuse of one's powers and decision-making facilities. Examples include a judge improperly dismissing a criminal case or a customs official using their discretion to allow a banned substance through a port.
• Favouritism, nepotism and clientelism involve the favouring of not the perpetrator of corruption but someone related to them, such as a friend, family member or member of an association.

Corruption is strongly negatively associated with the share of private investment and, hence, it lowers the rate of economic growth. Corruption reduces the returns of productive activities. Corruption creates the opportunity for increased inequality, reduces the return of productive activities, and, hence, makes rentseeking and corruption activities more attractive.

六级/考研单词: abrupt, bankrupt, corrupt, disrupt, ongoing, erupt, burst, interrupt, offend, undertake, entrust, illicit, abuse, epidemic, sociology, regulate, globe, allocate, seldom, summary, unite, sustain, petty, implement, commit, entity, behalf, educate, secular, transparent, rank, scandal, thief, fraud, deceive, convince, induce, blackmail, physics, imprison, peddle, discreet, dismiss, invest