①Though the global liberal order has many faults and problems, it has proved superior to all alternatives. ②The liberal world of the early 21st century is more prosperous, healthy and peaceful than ever before. ③For the first time in human history, starvation kills fewer people than obesity; plagues kill fewer people than old age; and violence kills fewer people than accidents.④ If you think we should go back to some pre-liberal golden age, please name the year in which humankind was in better shape than in the early 21st century. ⑤Was it 1918? 1718? 1218?
段落解析：
前段通过“全球自由秩序”表明合作的必要性。本段进一步提出：尽管“全球自由秩序”存在许多问题，但事实证明它仍然是优于其他替代方案的。同时也举例论证了在21世纪早期自由秩序下的世界比以往任何时候都更繁荣、健康以及和平的论点。
词句精读：
1. superior /su'pɪrɪɚ/（注意重音的位置） If one thing or person is superior to another, the first is better than the second. [oft ADJ to n], 比…好的; 比…强的; 优于…的，后面常接to.
文中例句：It has proved superior to all alternatives.
造句：Our cine lenses have proved technically superior to other lenses. (事实证明我们的电影镜头比其他镜头在技术上有优势的多。）
2. alternative/ɔl'tɝnətɪv/. 该词是我们在“每日一词”中学过的一个名词。写在这里做一下复习。If one thing is an alternative to another, the first can be found, used, or done instead of the second. [oft N to n]
文中例句：It has proved superior to all alternatives.
造句：It's necessary for us to offer our boss more alternatives when we make a plan.(当我们在做方案的时候，提供给老板更多的选择是必要的。）
3." ...starvation kills fewer people than obesity; plagues kill fewer people than old age; and violence kills fewer people than accidents. "这一段排比句可以提炼出句型：N+kill(s) fewer people than+N. 平时想表达“...比...杀死的人少”就可以用这个句型。文中这三个排比句是为了阐述“为什么21世纪初自由世界比以往任何时候都更繁荣、健康及和平？”论点一一对应，读来更有气势，值得学习！
造句：Nuclear power kill fewer people than petroleum.
4. shape. 该词是我们"每日一词”里刚开始学到的一个词。我们学习了它的动词用法——“塑造”。但是在本段中的这句话里：...please name the year in which humankind was in better shape than in the early 21st century. 做“情况”解，习惯用法，以后写作可借鉴。
该词组在实际中的应用：（标题）A city in good shape: Town planning and public health.
——出自一篇讲述城市规划与公共卫生关系的历史性论文。
in bad shape，in better shape，in fair shape，in good shape，in such shape 等表达方式里的 shape 作“情况”解，原来是美国用法，但现在也用在英国。
——葛传椝英语惯用法词典
①Nevertheless, people are losing faith in the liberal order. ②Governments throughout the world are increasingly restricting immigration, imposing high tariffs, censoring foreign ideas and turning their countries into walled fortresses. ③If this continues, the global liberal order will collapse. ④What might replace it? ⑤While nationalism has many good ideas about how to run a particular nation, unfortunately it has no viable plan for running the world as a whole.
段落解析：
在前一段对“全球自由秩序”概念进行举例论证后，本段发生转折，指出：人们在自由秩序中失去了信心。具体表现为：限制移民、征收高额关税、审查外来思想以及隔绝本国与外界的一切往来。并表示如果这些动作持续进行下去，全球自由秩序将会崩塌。然而民族主义并没有可行的计划来管理整个世界。
词句精读：
1. throughout. 在文中的用法是做介词，后接名词：as a preposition (followed by a noun)，表示“in every part of a place”.
文中例句：Governments throughout the world are increasingly ...
造句：Pollution is a serious problem in major cities throughout the world. / He remained in Paris throughout the war.
2. walled（adj), 我们很熟悉wall做名词时“墙”的含义，但是在本段中“walled”是形容词。译为：有围墙的，有城墙的。顺便记一下：fortress(堡垒）。
文中例句: ... turning their countries into walled fortresses.
造句：The farmer stays in a walled rose garden all day.
3. restrict immigration, impose high tariffs, censor foreign ideas. 这几组表达用词非常简练，准确度极高。希望可以常记心间，日后能出现在自己的习作中。
4. collapse/kə'læps/. [VERB 动词] (体系或机构)崩溃，瓦解，突然失败。If something, for example a system or institution, collapses, it fails or comes to an end completely and suddenly.
（另）比较实用的表达是：a state of collapse崩溃的状态。eg: He was in a state of mental and physical collapse.
5.viable /ˈvaɪəbəl/.切实可行的;能办到的；Something that is viable is capable of doing what it is intended to do. 该词很常用，但不一定能第一时间想到。
文中例句：unfortunately it has no viable plan for running the world as a whole.
造句：It's a commercially viable venture.(这是一项商业上可行的投资。）
关于这次的文章，本身关于背景知识比较匮乏，为了能更理解书中的观点，真正做到读得懂。整理之前搜了相关背景知识及相关概念。其中两篇印象较为深刻，特此放上链接：
