praise sb. for sth. 因為……而表揚……

　　have an advantage over 比……有優勢

　　block one’s path to 阻擋了通向……的道路

　　(總字數：506；單詞：347；中文：159)

　　Passage 2

　　教育類議論文。根據對188,000多名學生的調查，我們可以得出結論，當代大學生選擇專業時比以往更功利。他們主要的目標是生活富有，而不是是否有意義。當前大學生們學習的主要課程往往為財務而不是文學、歷史等科目，但從長遠看，我們知道拓寬專業領域日實施通才施教，這樣學生們才能學會思考和發現問題，這也是教育的真正意義所在。

　　According to a survey, which was based on the responses of over 188,000 students, today’s traditional-age college freshmen are “more materialistic and less altruistic (利他主義的)” than at any time in the 17 years of the poll。

　　Not surprising in these hard times, the student’s major objective “is to be financially well off. Less important than ever is developing a meaningful philosophy of life。” It follows then that today the most popular course is not literature or history but accounting。

　　Interest in teaching, social service and the “altruistic” fields is at a low. On the other hand, enrollment in business programs, engineering and computer science is way up。

　　That’s no surprise either. A friend of mine (a sales representative for a chemical company) was making twice the salary of her college instructors her first year on the job—even before she completed her two-year associate degree。

　　While it’s true that we all need a career, it is equally true that our civilization has accumulated an incredible amount of knowledge in fields far removed from out own and that we are better for our understanding of these other contributions—be they scientific or artistic. It is equally true that, in studying the diverse wisdom of others, we learn how to think. More important, perhaps, education teaches us to see the connections between things, as well as to see beyond our immediate needs。

　　Weekly we read of unions who went on strike for higher wages, only to drive their employer out of business. No company; no job. How shortsighted in the long run！

　　Bet the most important argument for a broad education is that in studying the accumulated

　　wisdom of the ages, we improver our moral sense. I saw a cartoon recently which shows a group

　　of businessmen looking puzzled as they sit around a conference table; one of them is talking on the intercom (對講機) : “Miss Baxter,” he says, “could you please send in someone who can distinguish right from wrong?”

　　From the long-term point of view, that’s what education really ought to be about。

　　核心詞匯

　　1.       survey vt. 縱覽，環視；調查，檢查，測量

　　【巧記】 investigate vt. 調查、檢查‖survival n. 幸存，活下來‖survival n. 生存者，幸存者

　　【搭配】 make a survey of 測量，調查

　　2.       response n. 回答，回應，反應，反響

　　【巧記】 respond vi. 回答，做答，反應‖respondence n. 作答，響應‖respondent a. 回答的，反應的n. 回答者‖responsibility n. 責任、職責

　　【搭配】 in response to 作為……的反應‖make no response 沒有反應

　　3.       traditional a. 傳統的

　　【巧記】 tradition n. 傳統

　　【搭配】 by tradition 按照；據口傳‖keep up fine tradition 保持優良傳統

　　4.       materialistic a. 實利主義的

　　【巧記】 material n. 物質、材料、原料a. 物質的‖materialism n. 唯物主義‖materialize vt. 使具體化‖materialist n. 實利主義者

　　【搭配】 in material form 用具體形式

　　5.       objective a. 客觀的n. 目標， 目的

　　【巧記】 object n. 物體， 目標‖objectively ad. 客觀地‖objection n. 反對

　　【搭配】 be objective about 對……很客觀‖object to sb./sth. 不贊成，反對

　　【辨析】 object, oppose

　　object 指個人對某事提出不同意見；oppose指著重動作，反對的對象一般是重大的事。

　　6.       financially ad. 財政上的

　　【巧記】 finance n. 財政(家) (pl。) 資金vt. 為……提供資金‖financial a. 財政的‖financially ad. 財政上‖financier n. 財政家

　　【搭配】 finance market 金融市場‖minister of finance 財政部長‖financial means 財產、財力‖financial recession 經濟蕭條‖financial aid. 助學金

　　7.       philosophy n. 哲學

　　【巧記】 philosophical a. 哲學的，達觀的，冷靜的‖philosopher n. 哲學家、哲人‖philosophyic(al) a. 哲學上的，哲人似的，冷靜的

　　8.       literature n. 文學(作品)文獻， 圖書資料

　　【巧記】 literacy n. 識字， 有文化， 有讀寫能力‖literal a. 文字上的，字面的‖literally a. 字面地， 逐句地‖literary a. 文學的，從事寫作的‖literate a. 在讀寫能力的， 有文化的， 受過良好教育的

　　9.       enrollment n. 吸收，招收

　　【巧記】 enroll vt. 登記，編入，使入伍 (入學)‖enrollee n. 被征入伍者，入學(會)者‖enrollment n. 登記，注冊(人數)；入學(人數)

　　10.   representative n. 代表，代理人a. 典型的，有代表性的

　　【巧記】 represent vt. 代表，代理，表示，象征‖representation n. 代表，表現描寫‖representational a. 描寫的，表示的

　　【辨析】 representative, agent, substitute