sovereign▲
a. (of power) without limit, highest; (of a nation) fully independent 擁有最高統(tǒng)治權(quán)的，至高無上的；擁有主權(quán)的

alternative
n. one of two or more possibilities 供選擇的東西

modify
vt. change slightly 修改，更改

enrich▲
vt. make rich or richer; improve 使富裕，使豐富

Renaissance▲
n. （歐洲14-16世紀的）文藝復(fù)興

translation
n. 譯本，譯文；翻譯

Roman
a. 古羅馬的，拉丁語的

classic
n. a work of art recognized as having lasting value 經(jīng)典作品

capsule▲
n. 密封小容器；膠囊；航天艙

habitual
a. done as a habit, regular, usual 慣常的

catastrophe▲
n. a sudden great disaster 大災(zāi)難

thermometer
n. 溫度計

video
n., a. 錄像（的）

cyberspace
n. the notional environment in which communication over computer networks occurs 網(wǎng)絡(luò)空間，虛擬空間

independent
a. not controlled by other people or things 獨立的，自主的

source
n. 源，來源

out of control
失去控制，不受約束

academy
n. 學(xué)會，學(xué)院，研究院

fortunately
ad. by good luck 幸運地，幸虧

put into practice
將…付諸實施

Danish
a. 丹麥（人）的，丹麥語的

liberty
n. freedom 自由

strike out
create, produce 創(chuàng)造，開創(chuàng)

cultural
a. of or involving culture 文化的

nourish▲
vt. 滋養(yǎng)，培育

preserve
n. 獨占的地區(qū)或范圍；禁獵地
vt. keep from harm, damage, etc., protect; save 保護，保存

grammarian
n. 語法學(xué)家

intellectual
n., a. 知識分子（的）

elite▲
n. the group regarded as the best （總稱）出類拔萃的人，精英

Proper Names

Robert MacNeil
羅伯特·麥克尼爾

Winston Churchill
溫斯頓·丘吉爾（1874 — 1965，英國政治家、首相）

Hitler
希特勒（1889 — 1945，納粹德國元首）

Julius Caesar
尤利烏斯·凱撒（100 — 44BC，古羅馬將軍、政治家）

Britain
英國

India
印度

Pakistan
巴基斯坦

Viking
（8 — 10世紀時劫掠歐洲西北海岸的）北歐海盜

Scandinavia
斯堪的納維亞

England
英格蘭

William Caxton
威廉·卡克斯頓（英國印刷商、翻譯家）

Otto Jespersen
奧托·葉斯柏森（1860 — 1943）

Language sense Enhancement

1. Read aloud paragraphs 17-19 and learn by heart.
2. Read aloud the following poem:

Languages
Carl Sandbury

There are no handles upon a language
Whereby men take hold of it
And mark it with signs for its remembrance.
It is a river, this language,
Once in a thousand years
Breaking a new course
Changing its way to the ocean.
It is a mountain effluvia
Moving to valleys
And from nation to nation
Crossing borders and mixing.

3. Read the following quotations. Learn them by heart if you can. You might need to look up new words in a dictionary.

The English language is the sea which receives tributaries from every region under heaven.
—— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Language ought to be the joint creation of poets and manual workers.
—— Georqe Orwell

England and America are two countries separated by the same language.
—— Georqe Bernard Shaw

4. Read the following joke and see if you can tell what caused the misunderstanding of the technician's words by the woman. You might need to look up new words in a dictionary.

An office technician got a call from a user. The user told the technician that her computer was not working. She described the problem and the technician concluded that the computer needed to be brought in and serviced.

He told her to "Unplug the power cord and bring it up here and I will fix it."

About fifteen minutes later she showed up at his door with the power cord in her hand.