1.sovereign n.君主；最高统治者；独立国

But neither sovereign bankruptcy nor banking bust will be allowed to trigger a crack-up.
但默克尔不会允许任何情况引发欧元区解体，无论是主权国家破产还是银行业崩溃。

China objects strenuously to this as a display of sovereign power that taiwan in fact lacks.
中国竭力反对这一行为，因为台湾实际上并不具备行使这一权力的主权国家地位。

2.sect n.宗派，教派；学派

A secretive sect fighting an ancient war to reveal explosive secrets about christianity.
在古老战争中的神秘教派揭发基督教的惊天真相。

Our intelligence people point out that this romney is just a businessman from an unloved minority sect.
我们的情报人员说，这位罗姆尼先生仅仅是个商人，还信奉一个不受待见的少数教派。

3.vantage n.优势，有利地位

And, from his vantage point as france's electoral weathervane, who does the mayor think will win?
那么，从他身具法国大选风向标的优势出发，这位市长到底认为谁会赢呢？

Yet from today's global vantage point, we have undoubtedly all had too much of this good thing.
不过，从当前的全球优势地位看，对这件好事，我们无疑都受够了。

4.alloy n.合金

The metal in question is an alloy of iron and nickel.
所谓金属其实是铁与镍的一种合金。

Specifically, the alloy goes from being non-magnetic to highly magnetized.
具体来说，就是合金从非磁性变成强磁性。