Lesson 33 Education 教育

First listen and then answer the following question.

听录音,然后回答以下问题。

Why is education democratic in bookless, tribal societies? Education is one of the key words of our time. A man without an education, many of us believe, is an unfortunate victim of adverse circumstances, deprived of one of the greatest twentieth-century opportunities. Convinced of the importance of education, modern states 'invest' in institutions of learning to get back 'interest' in the form of a large group of enlightened young men and women who are potential leaders.

5 Education, with its cycles of instruction so carefully worked out, punctuated by textbooks-those purchasable wells of wisdom-what would civilization be like without its benefits?

So much is certain: that we would have doctors and preachers, lawyers and defendants, marriages and births-but our spiritual outlook would be different. We would lay less stress on 'facts and figures' and more on a good memory, on applied psychology, and on the capacity of a man to get along with his fellow- 10 citizens. If our educational system were fashioned after its bookless past we would have the most democratic form of 'college' imaginable. Among tribal people all knowledge inherited by tradition is shared by all; it is taught to every member of the tribe so that in this respect everybody is equally equipped for life.

It is the ideal condition of the 'equal start' which only our most progressive forms of modern education try to regain. In primitive cultures the obligation to seek and to receive the traditional instruction is binding 5 to all. There are no 'illiterates' - if the term can be applied to peoples without a script-while our own compulsory school attendance became law in Germany in 1642, in France in 1806, and in England in 1876, and is still non-existent in a number of 'civilized' nations. This shows how long it was before we deemed it necessary to make sure that all our children could share in the knowledge accumulated by the 'happy few' during the past centuries.

Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means. All are entitled to an equal start. There is none of the hurry which, in our society, often hampers the full development of a growing personality. There, a child grows up under the ever-present attention of his parents; therefore the jungles and the savannahs know of no 'juvenile delinquency'. No necessity of making a living away from home results in neglect of children, and no father is confronted with his inability to 'buy' an education for his child.

Julius E. Lips The Origin of Things

New words and expressions 生词和短语

adverse (1.2) /'ædvɜːs/ adj. 不利的

purchasable (ll.5-6) /'pɜːtʃəsəbəl/ adj. 可买到的 preacher (1.7) /’pri:tʃә/ $n$ . 传教士 defendant (1.7) /di'fendant/ $n$ . 被告 outlook (1.8) /’aʊtluk/ $n$ . 视野 capacity (1.9) $/k{\partial }^{\prime }p$ æsɪti $/n$ . 能力

democratic (ll.10-11) / demə'krætɪk/ adj. 民主的

tribal (1.11) /'traɪbəl/ adj. 部落的

tribe (1.12) /traIb/ $n$ . 部落

illiterate (I.15) /i ’lɪtərət/ n. 文盲

compulsory (1.16) $/\mathrm{k} \ni \mathrm{m}$ ’ $\mathrm{p} \land \mathrm{l} \leq \mathrm{s}\mathrm{r}\mathrm{I}/{adj}$ . 义务的

deem (1.17) $/\mathrm : \mathrm{m}/v$ . 认为 means (1.20) $/\mathrm : \mathrm/n$ . 方法,手段,财产,资力 hamper (1.21) / ’ hæmpə/ v. 妨碍 savannah (1.22)/sә'vænә/n. 大草原 juvenile (1.23) /'dʒuːvənaɪl/adj. 青少年的 delinquency (1.23)/dɪ'lɪŋkwənsi/n. 犯罪

Unit 5 Lesson 33

The library at the University of Sussex

Notes on the text 课文注释

1 Education, with its cycles ..., punctuated by textbooks ..., 这句话中的主语 Education 与 punctuated 并不是一种主谓关系, 因此, 这句话在语法上被称作单元句。

2 So much is certain, 有承上启下的作用: 一方面回答了前一段最后一句的提问, 另一方面开始列举没有教育将会给社会文明带来的影响。

3 be fashioned after, 按 …… 做成。

4 without a script, 没有文字的。

参考译文

教育是我们这个时代的关键词之一。我们许多人都相信, 一个没有受过教育的人, 是逆境的牺牲品, 被剥夺了 20 世纪最优越的机会之一。现代国家深深懂得教育的重要性, 对教育机构投资, 收回的 “利息” 便是培养出大批有知识的男女青年,这些人可能会成为未来的栋梁。教育,以其教学周期如此精心地安排,并以教科书 — 那些可以买到的智慧源泉 - 予以强化, 如果不受其惠, 文明将会是个什么样子呢?

至少,这些是可以肯定的:虽然我们还会有医生和牧师、律师和被告、婚姻和生育,但人们的精神面貌将是另一个样子。人们不会再重视 “资料和数据”, 而靠好记性、实用心理学和与同伴相处的能力。如果我们的教育制度仿效没有书籍的古代教育,我们的学院将具有可以想像得出的最民主的形式了。在部落中,通过传统继承的知识为所有人共享, 并传授给部落中的每一个成员。从这个意义上讲, 人人受到的有关生活本领的教育是相等的。

这就是我们最进步的现代教育试图恢复的“平等起步”的理想状况。在原始文化中,寻求和接受传统教育的义务对全民都有约束力,因而没有 “文盲”(如果这个字眼儿可以用于没有文字的民族的话)。而我们的义务 Unit 5 Lesson 33 教育成为法律在德国是在 1642 年,在法国是在 1806 年,在英国是在 1876 年。今天,在许多“文明” 国家里, 义务教育迄今尚未实行。这说明, 经过了多么漫长的时间之后, 我们才认识到, 有必要确保我们的孩子享有多少个世纪以来由“少数幸运者”所积累起来的知识。

荒凉地区的教育不是钱的问题,所有的人都享有平等起步的权利。那里没有我们今天社会中的匆忙生活,而匆忙的生活常常妨碍个性的全面发展。荒凉地区的孩子无时无刻不在父母关怀下成长。因此,丛林和荒凉地区不知道什么叫 “青少年犯罪”。人们没有必要离家谋生, 所以不会产生孩子无人管的问题, 也不存在父亲无力为孩子支付教育费用而犯难的问题。

Comprehension 理解

Answer these questions:

1 In what way can education be said to be 'an investment'?

2 Give one reason why the author appears to be opposed to formal education.

3 Give one reason why, according to the author, a primitive society is superior to a civilized society.

Vocabulary 词汇

Refer to the text to see how the following words have been used, then write sentences of your own using these words: key (1.1); adverse circumstances (1.2); enlightened (1.4); potential (1.4); lay less stress (1.8); binding (1.14); illiterates (1.15); compulsory (1.16); monetary means (1.20); entitled (1.20); juvenile delinquency (1.23).

Summary 摘要

Drawing your information from lines 7-24 ('So much ... for his child.') write a summary of the author's argument that real equality of opportunity is only to be found in a primitive society. Do not write more than 100 words. Your answer should be in one paragraph.

Composition 作文

A Write a list of ideas in note form which could be used to discuss this subject: 'A man without an education, many of us believe, is an unfortunate victim of adverse circumstances deprived of one of the greatest twentieth-century opportunities.' (ll.1-2)

B Drawing on your list of ideas, write a composition of about 400 words.

Key structures 关键句型

A Supply the missing words in the following paragraph. Do not refer to the passage until you have finished the exercise:

Education is one _____ the key words _____ our time. A man _____ an education, many _____ us believe, is an unfortunate victim _____ adverse circumstances deprived _____ one _____ the greatest t wentieth-century opportunities. Convinced _____ the importance _____ education, modern states 'invest' _____ institutions _____ learning to get back 'interest' _____ the form _____ a large group _____ enlightened young men and women who are potential leaders. Education, _____ its cycles _____ instruction so carefully worked _____ , punctuated _____ textbooks — those purchasable wells — wisdom—what would civilization be like — its benefits? (11.1-6) Unit 5 Lesson 33

B A great many words and phrases are enclosed in inverted commas in this passage. What purpose do the inverted commas serve? Justify your answer with reference to three phrases.

C Supply less or fewer in the following sentences:

1 We would lay _____ stress on 'facts and figures'. (1.8)

2 There were _____ opportunities to get a good education in the past.

3 _____ people die of tuberculosis these days.

4 I have _____ time now than I used to have.

5 If there were _____ buses on the roads it would be easier to drive to work.

D Supply who, whom or which in the following sentences. Do not refer to the passage until you have finished the exercise:

1 Modern states get back 'interest' in the form of a large group of enlightened young men and women _____ are potential leaders. (II.3-4)

2 Among the people _____ we like to call savages all knowledge inherited by tradition is shared by all. (ll.11-12)

3 It is the ideal condition of the 'equal start' _____ only our most progressive forms of modern education try to regain. (ll.13-14)

E Study the pattern in italics:

This shows how long it was before we deemed it necessary to make sure that all our children could share in the knowledge accumulated by the 'happy few' during the past centuries. (II.17-19)

Write sentences using the same pattern with the following verbs: consider, find, think, feel, believe.

Special difficulties 难点

A Study the following pairs of words and then write sentences of your own to bring out the difference.

1 opportunity (1.2) - chance

Our holiday gave us a chance/an opportunity of getting fit.

Book now, or you won't have a chance of getting a seat.

We met by chance at London Airport.

2 potential (1.4) - potent

Think of him as a potential friend rather than an alarming stranger.

The film is full of potent images of war.

3 imaginable (1.11) - imaginative

Posters were plastered on every imaginable surface.

Congratulations on finding such an imaginative solution to the problem.

4 tribe (I.12) - race

The Seringa tribe will be wiped out by the construction of the new dam.

Global warming poses a threat to the survival of the human race.

5 compulsory (1.16) - necessary

In China, education is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 15 .

Is it necessary to wear a tie? Unit 5 Lesson 33

B Explain the meaning of the words in italics:

1 Our spiritual outlook would be different. (1.8)

2 He's usually such a quiet person. I can't account for this outburst, can you?

3 There was an outbreak of dysentery among the troops.

4 One unexpected outcome of the new policy has been a fall in prices.

C Comment on the use of all in these sentences:

All knowledge ... is shared by all. (II.11-12)

All are entitled to an equal start. (1.20)

Multiple choice questions 多项选择题

Choose the correct answers to the following questions.

Comprehension 理解

1 A modern state hopes to _____ for what an individual's education has cost.

(a) repay

(b) reap a reward

(c) charge interest

(d) make an investment

2 According to the writer, among tribal peoples, the most important thing is _____

(a) their spiritual outlook

(b) democracy

(c) to live without books

(d) to learn how to live together

3 Formal school education in modern societies _____.

(a) makes sure there are no illiterates

(b) is relatively recent

(c) is enjoyed by a 'happy few'

(d) gives everyone an equal start

4 According to the writer, in primitive cultures, _____

(a) children have time to develop at their own pace

(b) fathers can't afford to buy an education for their children

(c) the jungles and savannahs are the source of knowledge

(d) parents don’t pay much attention to their children

Structure 句型

5 _____ of the importance of education, modern societies ... (1.3)

(a) Being convincing (b) Convincing

(c) Having convinced (d) Being convinced

6 _____ would civilization be without its benefits? (1.6)

(a) How (b) Where (c) Why (d) Which Unit 5 Lesson 33

7 It is taught to every member of the tribe. _____, everybody is equipped ... (1.12)

(a) Because (b) In fact (c) Consequently (d) However

8 No 'illiterates' _____ in primitive cultures. (ll.14-15)

(a) grow (b) believe (c) exist (d) are

Vocabulary 词汇

9 A man without an education is an unfortunate victim of adverse _____ . (II.1-2)

(a) cases (b) states (c) situations (d) conditions

10 We would lay more stress on _____ . (11.8-9)

(a) souvenirs (b) memorisation (c) recall (d) remembrance

11 We would have the most democratic form of 'college' that can be _____(II.10-11)

(a) imaginative (b) imagined (c) imaginary (d) fantasized

12 Our own _____ school attendance became law relatively recently. (11.15-16)

(a) obligatory (b) compelling (c) compulsive (d) commanding