Word Study                                         

1. unprecedented:

adj. that has never happened, been done or been known before 前所未有的，空前的

e.g.

The situation is unprecedented in modern times.

这种情况在现代还没有出现过。

 

2. mask:

v. to hide a feeling, smell, fact, etc. so that it cannot be easily seen or noticed 掩饰，掩藏

e.g.

She masked her anger with a smile.

她用微笑来掩饰她的愤怒。

 

3. lure: 

v. (disapproving) to persuade or trick sb to go somewhere or to do sth by promising them a reward 劝诱，诱惑

e.g.

Young people are lured to the city by the prospect of a job and money.

年轻人希望打工赚钱，从而被诱惑到城市。

 

4. homogeneous: 

adj. (formal) consisting of things or people that are all the same or all of the same type 由相同（或同类型）事物（或人）组成的；同种类的

e.g.

a homogeneous mixture

相同成分组成的混合物

Sentence Analysis                                    

1. Indeed, European Union and North American countries share common historical and religious roots; as a result, most North American people traveling through the European Union and most European people traveling through North America experience culture shock to a much lesser extent than North American or European people traveling through the Far East. (Para 1)

to … extent: used to show how far sth is true or how great an effect it has 到…程度；在…程度上

The pollution of the forest has seriously affected plant life and, to a lesser extent, wildlife.

森林污染严重影响了植物的生存，其次也对野生动物造成了影响。

Note: 这个句子表面上看起来很复杂，实则不然，只有两个主谓结构，用分号隔开。句中标示为蓝色的部分为现在分词短语，做定语，修饰前面的名词短语，相当于一个定语从句。

to a much lesser extent than 为比较级，much是副词，修饰less。

less: det., pron. Used with uncountable nouns to mean “a smaller amount of”(与不可数名词连用)较少的，更少的

He was advised to smoke fewer cigarettes and drink less beer.

有人劝他少抽烟、少喝啤酒。

 

2. One common oversimplification made by people on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean consists in viewing the other side as relatively homogeneous from a cultural standpoint. (Para 5)

Note: made by people on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean是过去分词短语，做定语，修饰simplification。Oversimplification和动词make之间是被动关系，所以这里要用过去分词。

consist in (formal): to have sth as the main or only part or feature 存在于，在于【+ -ing】

True education does not consist in simply being taught facts.

真正的教育并不在于简单的讲授事实。

view … as: to think about sb/sth in a particular way 把…视为；以…看待

When the car was first built, the design was viewed as highly original.

这种车刚造出时，其设计被认为是独具匠心。

standpoint: n. an opinion or a way of thinking about ideas or situation 立场；观点

He is writing from the standpoint of someone who knows what life is like in prison.他以一个了解监狱生活的人的立场来写作。