free: stresses the complete absence of external control and the full right to make all of one's own decisions: you are ~ to do as you like.


independent: implies a standing alone; applied to a state it implies lack of connection with any other having power to interfere with its citizens, laws, or policies: the struggle for Ireland to become ~.  注意with any other having power的用法，用现在分词代替定语词从句


autonomous: stresses independence combined with freedom; or, applied politically, independence in matters pertaining to self-government: the establishment of ~ school districts.


sovereign: stresses the absence of a superior or dominant power and implies supremacy within one's own domain or sphere: a ~ nation not subject to the laws of another.   （dominate主导控制to have power over, to control，如he denied that his country wants to dominate Europe他否认他的国家想要控制欧洲，又如father was no longer the dominant figure of the family随着妇女就业，父亲不再是家里的主导人物，dominant hand常用的手） (superior卓越，强调比别人高或者好，这里表示上级)   (supremacy最高权威地位，指超越其他superiority over all others, 如the supremacy of Shakespeare among English dramatists莎士比亚在英国剧作家中享有至高地位)

free自由自主: 强调不受外界控制，有权为自己做决定，independent独立: 本意是独自站立，即不和任何干涉其公民法律政策的力量紧密联系，autonomous自治: 表示既独立又自主，政治上独立即自治，sovereign主权: 强调在自己领域内没有更高权力


记忆方法: 1）首字母FIAS排列成AS IF好像<==独立


         2）独立的意思是不受他人管制mean not subject to the rule or control of another.