21.This is a deflation of our pretensions，to be sure.（链接）……——Undoubtedly，to accept the fact that the earth is not the center of the universe is the shatter the importance of human beings.毫无疑问，这就挫杀了我们人类的傲气。
to be sure：undoubtedly，certainly，of course “to do……”在此处是个独立成分，修饰全句，此类不定式短语可放在句首，也可置于句尾。
to tell you the truth；to be frank；to be honest etc.
22.……——far from being the center of the universe，……
far from：远非；根本不
The result of the exams are far from his parents' expectation. 考试的结果远出他父母的预料。
What he said was far from the truth.他所说的远非事实。
23.Gain some exposure to （链接）the great works of literature，art and music.——Read the great works of literature，and get to know art and music and gain some insight into the profound thoughts in them.感受一下文学、艺术和音乐名篇的熏陶。
exposure to：接触——，感受——的熏陶；受到——的影响
Living in Europe for a year，she gained some exposure to western culture.在欧洲生活了一年，她接触了一些西方文化。
Be exposed to 接触；受影响
Have you ever been exposed to ancient Chinese culture？
你接触过中国古代文化吗？
24.If such a work is hundreds or thousands of years old and is still admired，there is probably something to it.既然一部作品已存在了几百年或者几千年，今天仍然受到赞赏，那么它大概确实是有些名堂。
if引导的从句表示说话者承认的一个事实，但主句所表示的内容更重要。
Eg：If I said that，I didn't mean to hurt anyone.如果我说过这话，但我的本意并不想伤害任何人。
there is something to/in：确有道理、见地、不同凡响之处
There is something to what he just said.他刚才说的话很有见地。
25.……it may takea little work on your part to discover what all the fuss is about.——you have to make some effort to find out why people admire and are crazy about those works of the past.
it takes effort/energy，etc.To do sth：it needs or requires the specified amount，quality or action for a person to complete a certain task or process to do sth.
eg：It takes courage to ask “stupid” questions.
It takes two to make a quarrel.
Cf：It takes sb.Time to do sth.
It took him two years to write the book.
26.In a world as tightly connected as ours is，don't restrict your attention to American or Western culture.——In our age，countries and regions are closely related；what happens in one country or region can affect others.Therefore we should not only study American culture and Western culture.We should also pay attention to other cultures——Asian，African and Latin American.
In a world as tightly connected as ours is：在介词短语“in a world……”中，过去分词短语as tightly connected as ours is 起形容词作用，作定语，修饰a world；在as……as 表示形容词同级比较的结构中，第二个as引出比较从句ours is
restrict oneself/sb./sth.（to sth./ doing sth.）：to put a limit on
Families in China are generally restricted to （having） one child.中国家庭一般只允许生一个孩子。
Nowadays women are no longer restricted to domestic work.当今妇女不再只限于做家务活。
27.Humans are capable of great mutual compassion，love，and tenderness.
be capable of sth/doing sth：be able to do有能力做某事；有潜力做某事He is capable of overcoming the difficulties.他有能力克服困难。
Under the leadership of our Party and our governments，we are capable of winning the battle against Sars.在党和政府的领导下，我们有能力取得抗击Sars这场战役的胜利。
28.Look at the delight a one-or two-year-old takes in learning，and you see how powerful is the human will to learn.
Look……，and：do sth.and you （will）：如果——，你就会——，这里该句型相当于条件从句。
Eg：Work hard and you will pass the exam.如果你努力学习，你就会通过考试。
Show me the evidence and I will believe you.如果你拿来证据，我就相信你。
take （a） delight in sth./doing sth.以——为乐
eg：The old man takes great delight in playing chess.这位老人从下棋中得到很大乐趣。
We should never take delight in others' failures.我们不应该对别人的失败而幸灾乐祸。
see的宾语从句how powerful is the human will to learn 是倒装句，由于主语the human will to learn较长而置于系动词is之后。
29.Our passion to understand the universe and our compassion for others jointly provide the chief hope for the human race.——We have a strong desire for learning and we are kind and tender towards one another.With these two fine qualities，the human race will have a bright future.我们有渴望了解宇宙的热忱，我们有对他人的同情心，人类的希望主要寄托于此。
passion热忱；激情 compassion 同情心，作者在此用了passion 与compassion 两个谐音词来表达他对人类的希望。谐音词是一种修辞手法，用来取得一定效果。
provide sth.or sb.For sb.Or sth./ provide sb.Or sth.with ……：to supply sb.With……
eg：Our school has provided every teacher with a notebook computer.
The organization provided a lot of food and clothes for the children.