But in an old man who has known human joys and sorrows, and has achieved whatever work it was in him to do, the fear of death is somewhat abject and ignoble. ^{本句雅思写作 8+ 分}

know ^{v. experience; see 经历}

• China has known many wars.^{中国经历过许多战争}
• The city must have known prosperity.^{这座城市一定经历过繁荣}

joys and sorrows  ^{悲欢离合；起起伏伏(ups and downs)}

• They have been through many joys and sorrows together.
• Life is full of ups and downs.^起起伏伏
• Despite the joys and sorrows, they remained optimistic.

whatever work (that / which) it was in him(=within his ability)  to do ^{他力所能及的任何工作}

• He achieved whatever work it was in him to do.^{他力所能及的任何工作}
• She contributed whatever support it was in her to give.^{她力所能及的任何支持}
• The team finished whatever tasks it was in them to complete.^{他们力所能及的任何任务}

somewhat ^{某种程度上；稍微(to some extent / degree)}

• The fear of death is somewhat abject.^{对死亡的恐惧有点可鄙}
• The results were to some extent disappointing.
• I found the movie somewhat confusing.

The best way to overcome it -- so at least it seems to me -- is to make ¤ your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life.

overcome / conquer ^{克服（某种不良情绪）}

• You must learn to overcome fear^克服恐惧 / shyness^害羞.
• It took her years to conquer her fear^{克服她的恐惧} of flying.
• The best way to overcome it^克服它 is to make your interests wider.

at least ^{至少(= at any rate)}

• The car is old, but at least it is reliable.
• I need five dollars, or at least four.
• I read she's twenty-nine, but she must be at least forty.

so it seems ^{看似是这样}

• —‘So he’s not coming with us?’ —‘So it seems.’ ^{看来是这样}
• The ultimate benchmark of the well-being of any society—so at least it seems to me—is the general welfare of all its people.
• ‘Did they cancel the meeting?’ ‘So it seems.’

society’s citizens be weakened, but the philosophical underpinnings of democracy would be undermined as well. Therefore, notwithstanding the significance of a society’s overall success, the ultimate benchmark of the well-being of any society―so at least it seems to me―is the general welfare of all its people.  ^{Gre写作范文(段落总结句)}

gradually ^{adv. little by little; bit by bit; by degrees 逐渐的}

• Make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal. ^逐渐地
• The walls of the ego recede bit by bit.^{一点一点地}
• The weather is getting colder by degrees.^逐渐地

to broaden / expand  ^{拓宽；拓展}

• Instead, think of it as a way to broaden your knowledge. ^{相反，把他看作是一种拓宽知识的方式。}
• It is also lowering its minimum sizes in order to broaden its appeal. ^{他们也降低了最小的型号来增加吸引力。}
• We have to expand the size of the image. ^{我们不得不扩大图像的尺寸。}
• You then have more opportunities to expand your professional network than if you worked alone. ^{与独自工作相比，这样你会有更多的机会扩展职业网络。}

超脱个人情感 ^{写作类似表达}

• to meet like-minded people ^{结识志同道合的人}
• Don’t indulge in solitude. ^{不要沉迷于孤独之中}
• Don’t be ego-centric. ^{不要过分以个人为中心}
• Make yourself liberal and sociable. ^{让自己越来越开明、外向}

wall  ^{障碍；隔阂(比喻)}

• tariff wall ^贸易壁垒
• The years had built a wall between the two families. ^隔阂
• We need to break down the walls of prejudice. ^打破障碍

无我相，无人相，无众生相，无寿者相。— 释迦牟尼佛
吾所以有大患者，为吾有身。及吾无身，吾有何患？— 老子
The true value of a human being is determined primarily by the measure and the sense in which he has attained liberation from the self. — Albert Einstein

be merged in / into ^{被融入/合并到一起}

• Your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life.^{你的生命日益融入普遍的生命之中}
• The three companies were merged / joined in/into one.^{三家公司合并成一家}
• The remote hills gradually merged into the dark sky.^{远处的山丘逐渐融入黑暗的天空}

universal ^{普遍的；大众的}

• In spite of national differences, certain funny situations have a universal appeal.
• Certain funny situations have a universal appeal.^{普遍的吸引力}
• The belief in justice is a universal concept.
• Respect for elders is a universal value.

* An individual human existence should be like a river -- small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past boulders and over waterfalls.

extended simile ^{(扩喻)扩展的明喻（比喻后做详细的解释）}

• Laws are like cobwebs, where the small flies are caught and the great break through. ^{法律就像蜘蛛网，小苍蝇被困住，大个的破网而出。}
• The city was like an oven, baking everyone. ^{这座城市就像一个烤箱，烘烤着每一个人。}

(being) small at first ^{（言下之意）}

• The river is small at first, representing the early years of life.
• The approach to the Hidden Land was a passage --narrow at first, scarcely admitting one soul, and demanding a brief, focused trek, before it dissolved into sudden, boundless space. ^{从口入，初极狭，才通人。复行数十步，豁然开朗。}