1. C 树枝，枝条　 one of the parts of a tree that grow out from the trunk
2. C 分支，分科，分系　 part of a big river, road and company, family

　break ～es　攀折枝条
　clip a ～　剪枝
　cut down ～es　把树枝砍下来
　develop a ～　发展分店
　form a ～　开设分店
　open up a ～　开分店
　different ～es　不同的部门，分行
　executive ～　行政部门
　important ～　重要的部门
　various ～es　各个部门
　party ～　党支部
　～ bank　分行
　～ office　分局
　～ point　分支点，转移点
　～ post office　邮电支局
　～ railway　支线铁路
　～ school　分校
　all ～es of culture　各个文化领域
　～es of learning　学科的分支
　a ～ of science　一门学科

　Branches of a tree grow from the trunk.　一棵树的枝丫长自树干。
　The branches broke his fall but he struck the ground heavily.　有树枝挡着减轻了摔下来的力量，但他还是重重地摔在地上。
　The branch bent but didn't break.　树枝弯曲了，但没有折断。
　You'll have to break the branches away to get through the thick forest.　你得把树枝拨开才能穿过密林。
　He broke that branch off.　他将那树枝折下来。
　The branch bent when the boy climbed onto it.　那男孩爬上树枝时，树枝弯了下来。
　The branches of the apple trees are bending under the weight of the fruit.　这棵苹果树的树枝都给结的果实压弯了。
　All the people from the village gathered branches and beat the fire out.　全村人都敛集树枝，把火扑灭了。
　In the spring wind, all the trees are quivering their branches.　在春风中，所有树木的枝条都随风摇摆着。
　Its branches spread far and wide.　它的枝条向四面八方伸展开来。
　The branches could hardly sustain the weight of fruit.　树枝已很难支撑水果的重量。
　The falling branch knocked him on the head.　落下来的树枝打在他的头上。
　He was dragging a great branch along.　他正拖着一根大树枝走。
　The branches hung down and touched the water.　树枝下垂，触及水面。
　The branch began to bend as I climbed along it.　我沿树枝爬时它弯了下来。
　The branch flipped back and scratched his face.　树枝弹回来擦破了他的脸。
　There's a bird's nest in the place where the branch forks.　在树枝分岔的地方有个鸟巢。
　The branch went completely dry this summer.　这条支流今年夏天完全干涸了。
　The firm arranged that he should be assigned to the branch office.　公司安排他到分公司去工作。
　His uncle's branch of the family emigrated to Australia.　他的家族中叔父这一支系已移居澳大利亚。

 ♣ a branch of
　一条，一支　a part of sth
　The boy had a small branch of a tree in his hand.　孩子手拿一根小树枝。
　This is a branch of the company.　这是这家公司的一个分公司。
　Gynaecology is a branch of medicine.　妇科学是医学的一个分科。
 ♣ among the branches
　在树枝间　among of the part of a tree
　Little sparrows fluttered among the branches.　小麻雀在枝条间飞来飞去。
　He climbed up the tree and hid among the branches.　他爬上树藏在树枝间。

 ♣ branch, bough, shoot, spray, twig
　这组词都有“树枝”的意思。其区别是：
1. branch为树枝的统称；twig指大树枝的细枝、嫩枝；shoot指植物的芽、嫩枝、新梢、苗；spray尤指有叶有花的树枝、花枝。
2. branch不分大小粗细；bough比较大；shoot最幼小；spray比shoot稍大、稍长一点。

 ♣ branch, brook, canal, creek, river, stream, torrent
　这组词的共同意思是“流水的通道”。其区别是：
1. 除canal指人工开挖的河流或渠道外，其余各词均指自然形成的水道。
2. river和torrent均指流量较大的河流，river可泛指（自然形成的）江河；torrent则特指急流、湍流。这两个词还常用于比喻。
3. stream可指大河，也可指小河或小溪，指小溪时与brook, creek同义。creek侧重其狭长蜿蜒，缓缓流动，且多流入大河或湖泊。brook侧重发源于山泉。creek和stream都比brook大。stream还可引申表示事物连绵不断。
4. branch指江河的支流。

1. vi.出枝　 send out or divide into branches
2. vi.分岔　 divide into branches

　～ here　在这里分岔
　～ off　岔开，偏离
　～ out　扩大活动范围
　～ into　把…分成
　～ over　伸展到…顶上

　The tree branches forth in spring.　树木在春天抽枝。
　The road branches here.　路在这儿分岔。
　Turn right where the road branches.　在这条路的分岔处往右拐。
　The road branches after the level-crossing.　这条路在经过平面交叉道口后岔开了。

 ♣ branch off　(v.+adv.)
1. 岔开，偏离 leave a main road, an established course of action
　The road to Oxford branches off here.　通往牛津的大道在这里分岔。
　The car in front of us suddenly branched off to the left.　我们前面的那辆汽车突然转入左边的小路上去了。
　They branched off from the main road and turned down a country lane.　他们离开干道，转入乡间小路。
　His talk branched off from the subject.　他的话离开了正题。
 ♣ branch out　(v.+adv.)
　扩大活动范围　add to the range of one's interests or activities
　The company began by specializing in radios but has now decided to branch out into computers.　该公司开始时专营无线电器材，现在已决定扩展业务经营计算机了。
　She's leaving the company to branch out on her own.　她打算脱离这家公司，自己开公司。
 ♣ branch over　(v.+prep.)
　伸展到…顶上　spread above sth
　The tree near the house branched over the roof.　房屋边那棵树的树枝伸展到屋顶上方去了。

　［同义词］ n. bough, department, division, limb, offshoot, part, shoot, subdivision, tributary
　［词源］　拉丁语branca<古法语branche （爪，脚）