2. aristocracy   noun   

原句: The aristocracy that once surrounded air travel is gone.

意思: (in some countries) people born in the highest social class, who have special titles

字源: late 15th cent.: from Old French aristocratie, from Greek aristokratia, from aristos ‘best’ + -kratia ‘power’. The term originally denoted the government of a state by its best citizens, later by the rich and well born, hence the sense ‘nobility’, regardless of the form of government (mid 17th cent.). 

例句: They are members of the aristocracy.



3. bash   verb   

原句: How, in an era in which bashing airline service has become a national pastime, could there be travelers who say things have never been better?

意思: to criticize sb/sth strongly

字源: mid 17th cent. (as a verb): imitative, perhaps a blend of bang and smash, dash, etc. 

例句: Bashing politicians is normal practice in the press.



4. yesteryear   noun [uncountable]   

原句: "It was glamorous," Harteveldt says of air travel of yesteryear.

意思: the past, especially a time when attitudes and ideas were different 

例句: Three footballing stars of yesteryear were in the commentary box for the match.



5. blunt   adjective   

原句: Which chronicles the intersection of aviation, globalization and cities, is more blunt.

意思:
a. without a sharp edge or point
b. very direct; saying exactly what you think without trying to be polite

字源: Middle English (in the sense ‘dull, insensitive’): perhaps of Scandinavian origin and related to Old Norse blunda ‘shut the eyes’. 

例句:
a. The police said he had been hit with a  blunt instrument.
b. She has a reputation for blunt speaking.