art. 指已提到的人（物），指说话人与听者已知的人（物），用于独一无二的事物前，与形容词最高级和序数词连用；

例句
He did have a real knowledge of the country...
他对该国的确知之甚多。

eighteenth

n. 第十八，十八分之一，（每月的）第十八日；num. 第十八，十八号，十八分之一的；adj. 第十八的，第十八个的，十八分之一的；

例句
...an eighteenth century ballad about some lost children called the Babes in the Wood.
一首18世纪的关于几个迷路小孩的叙事诗，名为《树林中的宝贝》

century

n. 百年，一世纪，百个，（板球）一百分，<美>百元钞票；

例句
To come back to what I said in the Introduction, in the nineteenth century Spain was fully a part of Europe...
回到我在导言中所说的，19世纪的西班牙是欧洲整体的一部分。

sought

v. 寻找，探寻( seek的过去式和过去分词 )，企图，试图，探索；

例句
Mr King sought to address those fears when he spoke at the meeting...
金先生在会上讲话时试图消除那些恐惧。

to

prep. 向，朝着，到，关于，属于；adv. 朝一个方向的，到某种状态，关闭；

例句
I suggest you leave it to an expert...
我建议你把它留给专家来解决。

refine

vt. 提炼，改善，使高雅；

例句
The eighteenth century sought to refine upon Shakespeare by altering and adapting his plays.
18世纪,人们试图通过改编莎士比亚的作品来超过他.

upon

prep. 在…上面，当…时候；

例句
...the doctrine of absolute monarchy based upon divine right.
以神权为基础的君主专制学说

Shakespeare

n. 莎士比亚(1564-1616，英国诗人、剧作家)；

例句
...a glossary of musical terms found in Shakespeare and his contemporaries.
莎士比亚及其同时代人音乐术语汇编

by

prep. 在…旁边，表示方式，由于，经过；adv. 经过，表示保留或保存时用，短暂拜访；

例句
...expensive make-up that we saw being advertised by a beautiful model...
我们所见的由一位漂亮模特代言的昂贵化妆品

altering

v. 改变，更改( alter的现在分词 )；

例句
Aircraft can avoid each other by going up and down, as well as by altering course to left or right...
飞机可以通过上下升降和左右移动改变航线来避免相撞。

and

conj. 和，与，而且，于是，然后，因此；

例句
I spend a lot on expensive jewelry and clothing...
我花很多钱购买昂贵的首饰和衣服。

adapting

n. 配合；v. （使）适应，（使）适合( adapt的现在分词 )，改编，改写，改变…以适合(for)，适应于，适应不同情况（或环境）(to)；

例句
The eighteenth century sought to refine upon Shakespeare by altering and adapting his plays.
18世纪,人们试图通过改编莎士比亚的作品来超过他.

his

pron. (he的所有格)他的，(he的物主代词)他的东西；det. 属于他的，用于名词前，自己的，指某人的，上帝的；

例句
He claimed that his parents had abandoned him...
他声称父母遗弃了他。

plays

v. 演奏( play的第三人称单数 )，演出，参加比赛，捉弄；

例句
Back home, Shirley plays with, feeds and bathes the baby.
回到家里，雪莉逗宝宝玩耍，喂他吃饭，给他洗澡。

...the spiralling vortex airflow that slows the plane.
使飞机减速的螺旋形气流涡旋

You just go on ahead. I'll come by later...
你只管先往前走。我随后就来。

He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him chastens him early.
24不忍用杖打儿子的,是恨恶他;疼爱儿子的, 趁早管教.

For further information, please contact 414 3925, extension 2253.
详情请致电414 3925,转分机2253。

He sat there while I made the case for his dismissal...
他坐在那儿，听我陈述解雇他的理由。

This decree obliges unions to delay strikes.
该法令迫使工会推迟罢工。

Nothing to be got without pains but poverty.
一份耕耘，一份收获。

The right to demand payment from the endorser of a commercial paper when the first party liable fails to pay.
追索权当有支付义务的第一方不能支付时，可以向商业票据的背书人要求支付的权力。

Supporters of the death penalty argue that it would deter criminals from carrying guns...
死刑的支持者认为它能阻吓罪犯携带枪支。

The eighteenth century sought to refine upon Shakespeare by altering and adapting his plays.是什么意思？