it wasn't what the scientists were hoping for.并不像科学家所希望的那样

hope for:希望； 期待

We all hope for an improvement in the weather.

我们都希望天气好转。

it was sort of, it was a fairly negative result.可以说是一个相当令人失望的结果

sort of:有几分地

Let's try to rig up some sort of shelter.

让我们赶快搭个遮风挡雨的棚吧。

Instead of finding signals that might predict an earthquake,没有找到能够预测地震的信号

instead of:代替

Instead of pressing forward, they drew back.

他们不仅没有前进，反而后退了。

these natural disasters were far more complex than anyone had ever imagined.证明了这种自然灾害超乎想象地复杂

far more:多得多

I am far more of an individualist than I ever was.

我比以前更是一个个人主义者了。