dignitary : a person who has an important official position 显贵;要人;达官贵人
protocol: a system of fixed rules and formal behaviour used at official meetings, usually between governments 礼仪;外交礼节
a breach of protocol 违反外交礼节
the protocol of diplomatic visits 外交访问的礼仪
minute: a summary or record of what is said or decided at a formal meeting 会议记录;会议纪要
We read through the minutes of the last meeting. 我们读了一遍上次会议的纪要.
Who is going to take the minutes(= write them)? 谁来做会议记录?
Verbose: using or containing more words than are needed 冗长的;啰嗦的;唠叨的
a verbose speaker/speech/style 啰里啰嗦的演讲者;言辞冗赘的演说╱文体
take up something: to fill or use an amount of space or time 占用(时间);占据(空间)
The table takes up too much room. 这张桌子太占地方.
I won't take up any more of your time. 我不再占用你的时间了.
Her time is fully taken up with writing. 她把时间全都用在了写作上.
Stretch out: 延长,拖长
The meeting has stretched out for half an hour.
会议已延长了半个小时.
