Custom has not commonly been regarded as a subject of any great moment.

commonly ^{adj. usually; widely 通常；广泛地}

• The disease is commonly known as mad cow disease.
• a commonly used industrial chemical
• A little adolescent rebellion is commonly believed to be healthy. ^{少许青春期叛逆被普遍认为是一个健康的现象。}

moment ^{n. outstanding significance or value, importance 重要(古英语)}

• a discovery of great moment
• The minor disagreement was not considered a subject of any great moment by the diplomats.^{外交官们认为这个小小的分歧不具备任何重大意义。}

momentous ^{adj. vital, crucial, key, critical 重要的，重大的，关键的}

• We also face a momentous choice. ^{我们面对着重大抉择。}
• Last year was awful but momentous. ^{去年是糟糕的一年，但也具有重大意义。}
• The second order is more momentous. ^{第二项指令则更加声势浩大。}

The inner workings of our own brains we feel to be uniquely worthy of investigation, but custom, we have a way of thinking, is behaviour at its most commonplace.

the workings of sth. ^{the way that an organization, machine or organism operates 工作方式，运作方式，运转方式}

• the workings of government
• the workings of a car engine
• Our bodies play a bigger role in the workings of the mind than we ever knew. ^{我们的身体对大脑的影响远比我们知道的要多。}

We feel the inner workings of our brains to be uniquely worthy of investigation, … ^正常语序

宾语前置^{（为了强调宾语的重要性）}

• Smoking he absolutely loathes.
• That John is a thief I can’t believe.
• The president praised the loyalists, but the rebels he declared traitors.

不患人之不己知 患不知人也
硕鼠硕鼠 无食我黍 三岁贯女 莫我肯顾
微斯人 吾谁与归

宾语后置^{（因宾语太长，先说状语）}

• He has proved them wrong. ⇒ He has proved wrong the forecasts made by the country’s leading economic experts.
•  In 1928 some porpoises were photographed working like beavers to push ashore a waterlogged mattress.
• It has to be tall because it is like a giant block and tackle, and we have to lower into the ground and haul out of the ground great lengths of drill pipe which are rotated by an engine at the top and are fitted with a cutting bit at the bottom.

be worthy of n./doing ^{值得…；配得上…}

• His dedicated service is worthy of the highest praise. ^{他的敬业服务值得最高赞誉。}
• Your diligence is worthy of encouragement, but effort does not equal accomplishment. ^{你的勤奋值得鼓励，但努力不等于成就。}
• The bank might think you're worthy of a loan. ^{这家银行可能认为你应该得到一笔贷款。}

have a way of doing sth. ^{often or usually do sth. 往往，常常}

• Ruth has a way of ignoring me that drives me mad.
• That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. ^{那种批评的精神会使你自食其果。}
• Life has a way of throwing these curve balls at us. ^{生活用它自己的方式不断向我们抛出曲线球。}

…, we usually think, … ^{本文替换 have a way of ..}

commonplace ^{adj. happening or existing in many places, and therefore not special or unusual 寻常的，司空见惯的，不足为奇的}

• All these computer uses have become commonplace.
• Eating three meals a day is considered behaviour at its most commonplace in many cultures.^{在许多文化中，一天吃三餐被认为是行为中最平常无奇的。}

at one’s + 形容词最高级 ^{处于…最…的状态}

• At the age of twelve years, the human body is at its most vigorous.
• The garden is at its most beautiful in June.
• Caesar was at his most powerful when he conquered Gaul.

As a matter of fact, it is the other way around.

 the other way around / round ^{情况恰恰相反}

• I thought he was the boss and she was his secretary, but in fact it was the other way around. 
• I don't help him; it's the other way around—he helps me. ^{不是我帮他；正相反，是他帮我。}
• Most people think the boss helps the employees, but in this company, it is the other way around.^{大多数人认为老板帮助员工，但在这家公司，情况恰恰相反。}

Traditional custom, taken the world over, is a mass of detailed behaviour more astonishing than what any one person can ever evolve in individual actions, no matter how aberrant.

the world over ^{在全世界；遍及全球}

• Football is a sport that is loved by millions the world over. ^{足球是一项深受全世界数百万人喜爱的运动。}
• The impact of climate change, taken the world over, is undeniable.^{气候变化的影响，从全世界来看，是不可否认的。}

a mass of... / masses of... ^{大量的；大块的；一堆}

• This caused the construction of gigantic buildings where too large masses of human beings are crowded together.
• The star appeared as a mass of burning gas in the telescope. ^{这颗恒星在望远镜中呈现为一团燃烧的气体。}
• He has masses of work to do before the weekend. ^{周末前他有大量的工作要做。}
• The complex ritual involved a mass of detailed behaviour that had to be followed precisely.^{复杂的仪式涉及一堆必须精确遵循的细节行为。}

evolve ^{v. to develop and change gradually 演变}

• Popular music evolved from folk songs.
• The group gradually evolved into a political party.
• Animals have evolved camouflage to protect themselves from predators.

aberrant ^{adj. abnormal 异常的}

• Taking drugs may result in aberrant behavior. 
• The leader remained calm, no matter how aberrant the team's suggestions became.^{这位领导者保持冷静，无论团队的建议变得多么反常。}
• Aberrant behaviour, often brought on by boredom, is not unusual in zoo animals. ^{在动物园里，类似的异常行为并不罕见。}

Yet that is a rather trivial aspect of the matter.

trivial ^{adj. not serious, important, or valuable 微不足道的}

• I know it sounds trivial, but I'm worried about it.
• The cost was considered a rather trivial aspect compared to the overall safety benefits.^{与整体安全效益相比，成本被认为是一个相当微不足道的方面。}

The fact of first-rate importance is the predominant role that custom plays in experience and in belief, and the very great varieties it may manifest.

of … importance ^{（具有）…重要性的}

• The cultivation of a hobby and new forms of interest is therefore a policy of the first importance to a public man.
• The security of user data is of paramount importance to our company. ^{用户数据的安全对我们公司来说至关重要。}

play a … role / part in … ^{在…中起…作用/扮演…角色}

• Education plays a vital role in shaping a person's future. ^{教育在塑造一个人的未来方面起着至关重要的作用。}
• Diet and exercise both play a major part in maintaining good health. ^{饮食和运动在保持身体健康方面都起着重要作用。}

variety ^{n. 1. [C] 种类}

• Scientists discovered that this particular variety of rabbit (and apparently no other animal) was susceptible to a fatal virus disease, myxomatosis.
• No two sorts of birds practise quite the same sort of flight; the varieties are infinite; but two classes may be roughly seen.

variety ^{2. [U] 千变万化，多样性}

• There is so much variety that you never have to make do with second best.
• Today, enough soundings are available to enable a relief map of the Atlantic to be drawn and we know something of the great variety of the sea bed's topography.

a variety of … ^{各种各样的}

• By comparison, trips by sea offer a great variety of civilized comforts.
• The museum features a variety of exhibits, ranging from ancient artifacts to modern art. ^{博物馆展出各种各样的展品，从古代文物到现代艺术应有尽有。}

manifest ^{vt. 使…显露出来；表明；显现}

• Musical talent usually manifests itself in childhood.
• Social tensions often manifest themselves in the form of street protests. ^{社会紧张局势经常以街头抗议的形式显现出来。}
• The disease may manifest through a wide range of seemingly unrelated symptoms.^{这种疾病可能通过一系列看似不相关的症状表现出来。}