1.   The world number-1 Bryan twins assured the United States of its first Davis Cup title since 1995 by beating Russia's Nikolay Davydenko and Igor Andreev, 7-6, 6-4, 6-2 in Saturday afternoon's doubles match.

世界排名第一的布莱恩双胞兄弟在周六下午的双打比赛中击败了俄罗斯组合达维登科和IA，确保了美国自1995年以来首次夺得了戴维斯杯

assure

make (sth) certain; ensure 使（某事物）确定; 确保:

* Her success as an actress was now assured. 她当演员很成功, 已毋庸置疑了. 

2.   Team USA won the opening set 7-6 in a tie-breaker, then built on that momentum by breaking Russia's serve in the opening game of the second set.

美国队在第一盘中战到'抢七'才取得了最后胜利，之后以此为动力在第二盘开局就破了俄罗斯队的发球局。

momentum

(a) force that increases the rate of development of a process; impetus 动力; 冲力; 势头:

* The movement to change the union's constitution is slowly gathering momentum. 修改工会宪章的运动正慢慢加强. 

(b) (physics 物) quantity of motion of a moving object, measured as its mass multiplied by its velocity 动量:

* The sledge gained momentum as it ran down the hill. 雪橇从山上下冲时动量越来越大.

3. Roddick dominated Dmitry Tursunov, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 while Blake downed Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 7:6  6:7 7:6.

罗迪克在对DT的对阵中主宰了比赛，最后比分是 6-4, 6-4, 6-2。同时布莱克也以6-3, 7:6 6:7 7:6的比分击败了MY。

dominate

(a) have control of or a very strong influence on (people, events, etc) 支配, 统治, 控制, 影响（人、 事等）:

* She dominated the meeting by sheer force of character. 她单凭个人气势就镇住了会场.

(b) be the most obvious or important person or thing in (sth) 在（某事物）中处於优势或占上风; 占最重要地位:

* Price tends to dominate all other considerations. 首先考虑的往往是价格问题.

4.   We've been the ultimate team and it is just been a blast and it's been an honor to be a part of that. "

我们是无法超越的队伍，能够成为这只队伍的一员简直太美妙，太光荣了。”

ultimate

(a) beyond which no other exists or is possible; last or final达到极限的; 最後的; 终极的:

* Nuclear weapons are the ultimate deterrent. 核武器是终极的威慑力量. 

(b) from which everything else is derived; basic or fundamental 基本的; 根本的; 首要的:

* the ultimate truths of philosophy and science 哲学和科学的基本原则. 

(c) (infml 口) that cannot be surpassed or improved upon; greatest 无法超越的; 极好的; 最大的:

* The ultimate luxury of the trip was flying in Concorde. 这一行程中最大的享受就是乘坐协和式飞机. 

5.   Howe says the canal cemented economic ties between the Midwest and Northeast, promoted the growth of New York City and helped integrate the region economically.

H称该运河巩固了中西部和东北部的经济联系，促进了纽约城的发展，促进了该区域的经济一体化。该区域同时也经历了通信革命。

cement v 

(a) cover (sth) with cement(1) 用水泥铺（某物）. 

(b) (比喻) establish (sth) firmly; strengthen 将（某事物）结合在一起; 加强; 巩固: cement a friendship 加强友谊.

integrate

combine sth in such a way that it becomes fully a part of sth else （将某事物与另一事物结合）构成整体:

* integrating private schools into the state education system 将私立学校纳入国家教育体系

6.   Howe says the telegraph, developed by Samuel Morse, promoted long-distance trade in commodities such as cotton, which was grown in the southern states and shipped to the north and Europe.

H称SM发明的电报，促进了远距离的贸易，例如像棉花等商品。棉花种植在美国南部各州，然后被运送到北部和欧洲。

commodity

 thing bought in a shop and put to use, esp in the home 商品; （尤指）日用品:

* household commodities, eg pots and pans, cleaning materials, etc 家庭日用品

7.   America's many denominations would compete to set up their own centers of learning.

美国的许多教会组织争相开设他们自己的学习中心

denomination

A large group of religious congregations united under a common faith and name and organized under a single administrative and legal hierarchy.

宗派，教派：在同一信仰和名字下统一的、并按一个单一的行政的和法律的等级制度组织的一个大型的宗教团体

8.   When it came time to help with the backbreaking farm chores, he would be found reading a book. 

当到时候帮忙处理农场的辛劳杂务时，他却在读书。

chore

 small routine task 日常的零星事务; 琐事:

* do the chores, eg the housework 干杂活儿（如家务活儿）

9.   Howe's book finishes in 1848, when a treaty ended the controversial war between the United States and Mexico, and Mexico ceded the territory that is today the southwestern United States.

H的书结束于1848年，当时一款条约结束了美国和墨西哥之间的争议之战，墨西哥放弃了现在是美国西南部的大片区域。

cede

give up one's rights to or possession of sth 割让, 让予, 放弃（某事物的权利或所有权）:

* cede territory to a neighboring state 把领土割让给邻国.

10. The author says the first half of the 19th century laid the groundwork for more momentous changes to follow.

作者称19世纪前半段为接下来的重大变革打下了基石。

groundwork  n.

A foundation; a basis. 基础；

momentous   adj

very important; serious 极重要的; 严重的:

* momentous changes 重大的变化.