continuity
n. the state of being continuous 连续性；连贯性

continual
a. going on without stopping; happening over and over again 持续不断的；频繁的

affectation
n. artificial behavior meant to impress others; a feeling or manner that is pretended 不自然的行为；矫揉造作

idiotes
n. (Gk) a person who is not in the public eye; an ignorant person 平庸的人；无知的人

idiot
n. a foolish or stupid person 白痴；傻瓜

popularity
n. the state or quality of being well liked, favored, or admired 普遍；流行；受欢迎

natural-born
a. 天生的

cutter
n. a worker whose job is cutting cloth, glass, stone, etc. （服装）剪裁师；玻璃切割工；凿石工

avenue
n. a road or way bordered with trees; a street, esp. a wide, principal one that runs at right angles to others called streets 林阴道；大街

persuasion
n. the act of persuading; the state of being persuaded; a group of people holding a particular belief 劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派

closet
a. private; secret 私下的；秘密的
n. a small room or cupboard for clothes, etc.; a small, private room for reading, meditation, etc. 壁橱；储藏室；小房间（阅读、沉思用）

scrawl
vt. write, draw or mark hastily or carelessly 乱写；乱画；乱涂

obscenity
n. the state of being obscene; obscene word or act 淫秽，猥亵；猥亵淫秽的话（或行为）

obscene
a. indecent, disgusting (usu. about sex) 淫秽的，猥亵的

glimpse
n. & v. (have) a brief, quick look (at) 一瞥，一看

mightily
ad. with power or strength; greatly 有力地；强烈地；大大地

outnumber
vt. exceed in number 数目超过；比…多

Phrases and Expressions

sit through
remain seated until the end of; be present at 一直坐到…结束；出席

be/have done with
have finished with; be finished with 结束；完毕

first and foremost
most importantly; above all else 最重要的；首先

align oneself with sb.
join sb. as an ally; come into agreement with sb. 与某人结盟；与某人一致

put...to shame
cause shame to (sb./sth.); show (sb./sth.) to be inferior by comparison 使（某人/某事）蒙羞；使（某人/某事）相形见绌

sweep down
move steadily with great force or speed 席卷；突袭

usher in
introduce or mark the beginning of a new period, fashion, generation, etc. 引进（新时期、新一代等）；标志着（新时期、新时尚、新一代）的开始

known as
generally recognized as; called or labeled as 公认为；被称为

hold...in high esteem
have a very favorable opinion of; show great respect to 给…以好评；对…非常尊敬

aspire to
desire strongly to achieve (sth.); have ambition for (sth.) 渴望取得；对…抱有雄心

take interest in
be keen to know more about (sth.) or be involved in (it) 对…感兴趣

catch the fancy of sb./sb.'s fancy
please sb.; appeal to sb. 合某人的心意；吸引某人

have to do with
be connected with; be related to 与…有联系；与…有关

at home
at ease as if in one's own home; familiar 自在；无拘无束；熟悉

Proper Names

Neil Postman
尼尔·波斯特曼

Greece
希腊（欧洲巴尔干半岛南部国家）

Athens
雅典（希腊首都）

Democritus
德谟克利特（460—370 BC，古希腊唯物主义哲学家，原子论创始人之一）

Athenian
雅典人

Visigoth
西哥特人（公元5世纪后入侵罗马帝国并在法国和西班牙建立王国的条顿族人）

the Dark Ages
黑暗时代（公元5世纪至11世纪，欧洲中世纪的早期）

Plato
柏拉图（427—347 BC，古希腊哲学家）

Aristotle
亚里士多德（384—322 BC，古希腊哲学家和科学家，柏拉图的学生）