continuity
n. the state of being continuous 連續(xù)性；連貫性

continual
a. going on without stopping; happening over and over again 持續(xù)不斷的；頻繁的

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

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

idiot
n. a foolish or stupid person 白癡；傻瓜

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

natural-born
a. 天生的

cutter
n. a worker whose job is cutting cloth, glass, stone, etc. （服裝）剪裁師；玻璃切割工；鑿石工

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 林陰道；大街

persuasion
n. the act of persuading; the state of being persuaded; a group of people holding a particular belief 勸說；說服；持有某種信仰的宗派

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. 壁櫥；儲藏室；小房間（閱讀、沉思用）

scrawl
vt. write, draw or mark hastily or carelessly 亂寫；亂畫；亂涂

obscenity
n. the state of being obscene; obscene word or act 淫穢，猥褻；猥褻淫穢的話（或行為）

obscene
a. indecent, disgusting (usu. about sex) 淫穢的，猥褻的

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

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

outnumber
vt. exceed in number 數(shù)目超過；比…多

Phrases and Expressions

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

be/have done with
have finished with; be finished with 結束；完畢

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. 與某人結盟；與某人一致

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）相形見絀

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

usher in
introduce or mark the beginning of a new period, fashion, generation, etc. 引進（新時期、新一代等）；標志著（新時期、新時尚、新一代）的開始

known as
generally recognized as; called or labeled as 公認為；被稱為

hold...in high esteem
have a very favorable opinion of; show great respect to 給…以好評；對…非常尊敬

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

take interest in
be keen to know more about (sth.) or be involved in (it) 對…感興趣

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 與…有聯(lián)系；與…有關

at home
at ease as if in one's own home; familiar 自在；無拘無束；熟悉

Proper Names

Neil Postman
尼爾·波斯特曼

Greece
希臘（歐洲巴爾干半島南部國家）

Athens
雅典（希臘首都）

Democritus
德謨克利特（460—370 BC，古希臘唯物主義哲學家，原子論創(chuàng)始人之一）

Athenian
雅典人

Visigoth
西哥特人（公元5世紀后入侵羅馬帝國并在法國和西班牙建立王國的條頓族人）

the Dark Ages
黑暗時代（公元5世紀至11世紀，歐洲中世紀的早期）

Plato
柏拉圖（427—347 BC，古希臘哲學家）

Aristotle
亞里士多德（384—322 BC，古希臘哲學家和科學家，柏拉圖的學生）