"That's a preliminary communication, meaning we don't quite know the answer yet, but boy it looks like we are on to something big."

VOA: standard.2010.03.25

In other words, aren't I going to be hopelessly prejudiced about what I read if I've got some sort of preliminary conception of what it's all about?

话句话说，难道对于文本的话题有些初步概念,我就会怀有偏见吗？

耶鲁公开课 - 文学理论导论课程节选

Why don't I just set aside my preliminary conceptions so that I can understand precisely what is there?

我为什么不能抛开这些初步概念,而正确地理解存在呢？

耶鲁公开课 - 文学理论导论课程节选

that you can't get away from preliminary conceptions about things.

你永远无法摆脱对于事物的先入为主的概念。

耶鲁公开课 - 文学理论导论课程节选