Title：In tech race with China, US universities may lose a vital edge
in tech race with 与...的科技比赛中
edge n. 优势，优越之处
vital adj. 至关重要的，维持生命所必须的,生死攸关的，生气勃勃的.
lose a vital edge 失去关键优势
The U.S. is still out in front of global rivals when it comes to innovation, but American universities——where new ideas often percolate——have reason to look over their shoulder.
out in front 遥遥领先 be out in front of sb.
rival n.竞争对手
innovation n.改革，创新，新观念；新发明；新设施
look over one's shoulder(s) 焦虑不安
percolate v. 扩散，流传； 渗透（液体慢慢渗透的这个动作）
That's especially true for technologies like 5G phone newworks and artificial intelligence.They're exactly the fields where President Donald Trump(特朗普总统) recently insisted the U.S. has to lead——and also the ones where Asia, especially China, has caught up.
that 指前文中美国大学现在有理由担忧这件事
artificial inteelligence 人工智能 => AI
they 指的是5G技术和人工智能
recently adv. 近日，新近，近来，不久以前
insist v. 坚持认为，坚决宣称，坚决要求
catch up 赶上,达到同样质量(或水平)
Universities from China get more patents than their U.S. peers in wireless communications, according to research firm GreyB Services(一家科研情报公司). In AI, 17 of the top(adj.顶尖的) 20 unversities and public research organizations are in China, with the Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS:中国科学院) toppting(动词，位居榜首，名利前茅) the list, says the World Intellectual Property Organization(世界知识产权组织) in Geneva(日内瓦).
patent n.专利
peers n.同等的人，贵族 vi. 凝视，窥视 vt.与…同等，封为贵族
wireless communication 无限通讯
firm n.公司，企业，商号，商行，工作集体 adj.坚固的，坚牢的；坚决的；严格的；确定的 vt. 使坚固，使坚实
top v. 为…之首；超过，胜过 top the list 名利前茅
There's a special place for universities in the ecosystem of research. Universities groom future scientists and can be incubators for pie-in-the-sky ideas——some of which turn out to be game-changers. The list ranges from Goole's search engine to DNA technology that's behind a whole industry of gene-manipulating treatments.
ecosystem n.生态系统；内部互相联系的系统
groom v.使(某人)做好准备， 训练 groom sb. to do sth. groom sb. for doing sth
incubator n. 孵化器； 鼓励或培养新的想法产生的地方 business incubators 企业孵化器
pie-in-the-sky adj.希望渺茫的；难以实现的 pie-in-the-sky ideas 富有创意的想法
game-changer n.游戏规则改变者；打破格局者
gene-manipulating adj. 基因编辑的 gene-manipulation n.
behind prep.是…背后的原因
However, government grants to universities have been stagnant for more than a decade, meaning they've declined in real terms and as a share of the economy.
grant n.政府拨款， 补助金 student grants n.助学金 a research grant n. 研究拨款
stagnant adj. 停滞不前的，无变化的 a stagnant economy 经济停滞不前
in real terms (经济术语)按实质计算，去除通货膨胀影响计算
as a share of the economy 作为经济体一部分的情况下
"If you look at the federal dollars, they've not really changed substantially." says Stephen Susalka, head of AUTM(美国大学技术管理者协会), a technology transfer association whose members include 800 universities. "Other countries are catching up. We can't sit on our laurels."
federal dollars 美国联邦政府的拨款 与前面的government grants 相对应
substantially adv.大体上，本质上，实质上；充分地；相当多地
transfer vt.使转移，使调动；转让(权力等)；让与 vi.转让，转移；转会(尤指职业足球队) n.转移，调动；转乘；(运动员)转会
sit on one's laurels 满足于既得成就，不思进取 => rest on one's laurels
laurel n.月桂树
win/gain laurels 赢得声望