I. The central question

Q: How should we evaluate Su Tungpo's life in the capital?   

A: The two empresses saved Su Tungpo's life during the trial and temporary ended his political life outside the capital. When he came back to the capital, he still was the great genius preferred by the emperor and empress. He lived near the palace and wrote edicts for emperor. His position is more important than usual. However, we should notice that other politicians much more jealous and hate Su Tungpo than usual. Su Tungpo was a lucky person, his life in the capital turned into a glary page, but the other side was the hidden conspiracy. Su Tungpo knew this very well, that is why he agreed with Chaoyun's words. His independent thinking and impartiality were the main character which the party men heartily disliked.

II. The sentence

1. Modern democracy with universal suffrage is based upon the judgment of the common man, who often cannot follow a New York Times editorial.

universal suffrage    普遍选举权

follow  明白、理解

editorial  社论

2. The taunt stuck, for it fitted. It was a phrase that neither Cheng Yi nor his deriders were likely to forget. Nobody liked to carry such a label all his life. The seed of hatred between Su Tungpo and the Honan party, of which Cheng Yi was the leader, was planted.

The taunt stuck, for it fitted.  一语中的，一针见血

the seed of hatred was planted  种下了仇恨的种子，十分形象贴切

这几句话讲“程苏之裂”，表面上看是苏东坡与程颐对于司马光丧礼的不同态度，而实际上则是蜀学与洛学的分歧。

3. There are decided social and material advantages in being a high official. In those days, the simple choice for the educated class was between being an official and obscurity—the latter usually meant poverty. One could achieve lasting fame, of course, by devotion to scholarship; but to many, immortal fame, even if one could be sure of it, was poor consolation for a hungry stomach.

对古代文人而言，做官无疑是名利双收的，作为文人隐士固然能够使盛名流于后世，但却难以果腹。这几句非常简练地描写了古代文人的生存选择， poor consolation for a hungry stomach，十分有趣。