1.The Necessity of a Broad Education 全面教育的必要性

1.The Necessity of a Broad Education 全面教育的必要性

(1) According to a survey,which was based on the responses of over 188,000 students,today's traditional-age college freshman are "more materialistic[məˌtɪəriəˈlɪstɪk] and less altruistic"than at any time in the 17 years of the poll[pəʊl].

(2)  Not surprising in these hard times,the student's major objective[əbˈdʒektɪv] "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[əˈkaʊntɪŋ].

(3)  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.

(4)  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.

(5)  while it's true that we all need a career,it is equally true that our civilization has accumulated an incredible[ɪnˈkredəbl] amount of knowledge in fields far removed from our 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 importantly,perhaps,education teaches us to see the connections between things,as well as to see beyond our immediate needs.

(6)  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!

(7)  But the most important argument for a broad education is that in studying the accumulated wisdom of the ages,we improve our moral sense.I saw a cartoon recently which shows a group of businessman looking puzzled as they sit around a conference table;one of them is talking on the intercom:"Miss Baxter,"he says,"could you please send in someone who can distinguish right from wrong ?"

(8)  From the long-term point of view,that's what education really ought to be about.