E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem. E: _cache->open() failed, please report.

[Jake Travis]

E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem.
E: _cache->open() failed, please report.

run in terminal
jake@jake-desktop:~$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
[sudo] password for jake:
dpkg: ../../src/packages.c:221: process_queue: Assertion `dependtry <= 4' failed.
Aborted
jake@jake-desktop:~$ dpkg --configure -a
dpkg: requested operation requires superuser privilege
jake@jake-desktop:~$

[don't know what is superuser privilege or how to activate it] I'm new to linux ubuntu but at high school work with unix systems so I have some old knowledge of using this terminal but not familiar and forgotten about linux commands since I've been limited to XP which I don't like cause of some many bugs and problems. That why I've been trying different versions of linuxes.

please email me of details and technical details or simple what to do or a utility to download from the browser. ok. [<email address hidden>]