Vocabulary

sphere n. [C]

1) an object that is shaped like a ball 球体

e.g. The Earth is not a perfect sphere. 地球并不是一个完全的球体。

2) a particular area of interest, activity, work etc that is  one of many parts of life（兴趣、活动、工作的）范围

e.g.

1. Biology is not my sphere.  生物学不是我研究的范围。

2. His work is little known outside the academic sphere.

他的成果在学术界之外鲜为人知。

3. His goal was to give all citizens full rights in every sphere of life.

他的目标是保障所有公民在生活的各个领域充分享有各种权利。

intervene vi. become involved in a situation in order to try to stop or change it 干涉；干预

e.g.

1. When riot broke out, the police were obliged to intervene.

发生暴乱时, 警察有责任干预。

2. Who do you think you are to intervene in the internal affairs of other countries?

你干涉别国内政，你以为你是谁啊？

predecessor n. [C] the person who had a job or official position before someone else 前任；前辈

e.g.

1. As a scholar he is not in the same street with his predecessors.

作为学者，他远不如其前辈。

2. The new President's foreign policy is very similar to that of his predecessor.   

新总统的外交政策和前任很相似。

Antonym:    successor    n. 接班人, 继任人

landmark n. [C]

1) a major event or achievement that marks an important stage in a process and makes progress possible 重要的（有可能影响进一步行动或决定的）事件

e.g. The invention of computer was a landmark in science.

    计算机的发明是科学史上的一件大事 / 一座里程碑。

2) a famous building or object that you can see and recognize easily 标识物

e.g. The Statue of Liberty is a very famous landmark.

自由女神像是很有名的地标。

Phrases

the sands of time:  (literary) a way of referring to time, especially when you are talking about it passing very quickly （尤指过得很快的）时光，光阴

e.g. Hurry up! The sands of time are running out.

快点！时间不多了。

the better part of sth.: most, or the chief part, of sth.  （尤指一段时间的）绝大部分

e.g.

1. Negotiations between them took the better part of the month.

双方花了大半个月进行协商。

2. We have been waiting for the better part of an hour.

我们已等了大半个钟头。

3. Father drank the better part of a bottle of whisky last night.

昨晚父亲喝了大半瓶威士忌。

worth one’s salt: deserving what one earns; fulfilling one’s function, or performing one’s work completely; worthy of respect 称职的；胜任的；值得尊敬的

e.g.

1. He is so useless as to be hardly worth his salt.

他可真无用，几乎配不上他所领的薪水。

2. You’ve got to prove that you’re worth your salt, or you’re not going to have the job long.

你必须证明你的才能，否则你不可能干很长的时间。