Technology advances by fits and starts.

【fit】技术进步断断续续。

Lacking nerve, they fisted by fits and starts.

因为紧张，他们的手间歇地握成拳头。

By fits and starts, they recited several stanzas of poem every day.

间歇地，他们每天背诵几节诗歌。

Nekhludoff read much, but only by fits and starts, and the want of an answer he ascribed to such superficial reading.

聂赫留朵夫读了很多书， 但只是时断时续， 他把得不到答案归咎于这种肤浅的阅读。