1. It's the idea that things are as they are for ineluctable, inescapable reasons: they have always been this way and will never change.
ineluctable: [ˌɪnɪˈlʌktəbəl] unavoidable
the ineluctable facts of history
Pressure with have already become the ineluctable affair in our daily life.
2. Africa's progress, if it is noticed at all, is seen as an improbable stroke of good fortune, a temporary break from its impoverished and war-torn destiny.
impoverish:1. to make sb very poor
families impoverished by debt
These changes are likely to impoverish single-parent families even further.
2. to make sth, especially soil worse in quality
Intensive cultivation has impoverished the soil.
impoverished: (a.) very poor
impoverished peasants
3. The Western consumer market was just a teaser for what is coming next.
teaser: 比较熟悉的是tease（戏弄；取笑）
teaser最表面的意思是戏弄别人的人，但实际上这个意思不太出现，而常见的两层意思是：
1. 难题 a very difficult question that you have to answer as part of a game or competition
a brain-teaser: a difficult problem that is fun trying to solve, usually a riddle or puzzle
2. also teaser ad 前导广告，悬念式广告 a short advertisement which appears a few days or weeks before a full advertisement for a product
本文中的这个teaser可以理解为是一个前奏，西方消费市场所经历的（下滑）是更大规模的西方市场的不景气的前奏。
4. It's relaxing to think that knowledge has no sell-by date: that once you have learned something, it stays fresh forever and you never have to learn it again.
sell-by date:1. the date stamped on a food product, after which it should not be sold
The milk is past its sell-by date.
2. informal, a time beyond which something or someone is no longer interesting or useful
These policies are way past their sell-by date.
5. We should be highly skeptical about conclusions derived purely from number crunching.
crunch (the) numbers: to do a lot of calculations in order to find an answer （快速大量地）处理数字
The computer will crunch all the numbers to determine the final score.
6. In researching the literature for the few researchers in the world with experience of neurological pandemics among poor farmers, they hit on me.
literature: 这里不是指文学，而是指文献-- all the books, articles etc on a particular subject
词组：literature on sth; in the literature
literature on the history of science
Several cases of mercury poisoning have been recorded in the literature.
7. It is case-by-case.
具体问题具体分析
这一表达本身并不难，但可能在写作或翻译的过程中会想不起来用这一表达。
8. The planet's common resources, like the atmosphere, can only be governed by a globally respected authority, in a peaceful world abiding by global standards.
abide by sth: to accept and obey a decision, rule, agreement etc, even though you may not agree with it
You have to abide by the referee's decision.