1.What is really frightening, what really fills you with despair is the realization that when it comes to the crunch, we have made no actual progress at all.
【结构简析】when it comes to the crunch = when / if the decisive moment comes.当关键时刻来到时。
【参考译文】真正令人可怖的,令人绝望的是,在关键时刻,人们意识到我们一点儿也没有进步/前进。
2.Our strength is sapped by having to mop up the mess that violence leaves in its wake.
【结构简析】in the wake of 在…之后。
【参考译文】由于我们不得不清理掉暴力之后所留下的烂摊子,我们的力量因此削弱了。
3.After listening to a lengthy argument the judge complained that after all this talk, he was none the wiser.
【结构简析】none + the + 比较级。固定用法,义:not at all 一点儿也不。EX: After the treatment, he is none the better.治疗后,他并没有因此见好,(一点儿也不见好)。
【参考译文】听了律师的长篇解释,法官抱怨说他一无所获,并不因此变得聪明些。
4. Knowledge is the necessary prerequisite to wisdom.
【参考译文】知识是智慧的必要的先决条件。结合上下文这里意思是:了解情况是解决问题的先决条件。句子后面的解释:知识是指了解它欲以解决暴力制造的恶行。