L: Hi, Sarah.

L:嗨，萨拉。

S: Hi, Louis. Long time no see.

S:嗨，路易斯。好久不见。

L: Yeah. It seems that you are always busy. Where are you going?

L:是很久没见了。你好像_直都很忙啊。要去哪里？

S: Well. I’d just finished my Latin class. I found it interesting and want to know more, so I’m going to the library to find some relative books.

S:哦。我刚上完拉丁语课，觉得很有意思，想多了解点。所以，正要去图书馆找点 相关的书呢。

L: Latin class? I haven’t heard about that. Is it a course given in Foreign Languages Department?

L:拉丁语课？我都没听说过。是外国语学院开的课吗？

S: Nope. During this semester, there are a series of public elective courses on classical languages. The teacher is from Holland. He has been teaching in China for several years.

S:不是的。本学期有一系列有关古典语言的公选课。老师是荷兰人，他已经在中国 敎了好几年了。

L: What do you mean by “classical languages”？

L:你说的"古典语言"都有哪些啊？

S: Well. Besides Latin, he also opens other courses such as Hittite and Ancient Greek.

S:哦。除了拉丁语之外，他还开了其他的诸如古希腊语、赫梯语这样的课。

L: Are you studying all these languages?

L:这些语言你都在学吗？

S: Yeah. That’s why I，m so busy. Anyway, I enjoy to learn new languages and get to know ancient civilization. You know, language is a wonderful manifestation of history.

S:是的。要不然我整天这么忙碌啊。不过，我喜欢学习新语言，接触人类古老文明。 要知道，语言能最好地诠释历史。

L: I agree. By the way, what do you mean by “Hittite”？ I haven’t heard about it before.

L:哦。对了，"赫梯语”是什么语言？我从来没听说过。

S: It is an Indo-European language, and is related to languages such as Ancient Greek, Latin, Vedic, and so on. Within the Indo-European language family, Hittite is the oldest attested to date. Hittites used to live in today’s Turkey but there is now no native speaker of this language.

S:是印欧语言中的一种，它与古希腊语、拉丁语、吠陀语等古老语言都有联系。赫 梯语是迄今为土证实的印欧语系中最古老的语言。赫梯人曾经生活在今天的土耳 其那块儿，但是现在已经设有真正的赫梯人了。

L： So it’s a dead language.

L:那它是一门夕t 了的语言了。

S: Actually, not only Hittite, Latin and Ancient Greek are also considered to be “dead languages”.

S:实际上，不仅赫梯语，拉丁语和古希腊语也被认为是“死了的语言"。

L: Then, why do you spend so much time on dead languages?

L:那你为什么还花这么多时间去学习死了的语言？

S: I’ll ask you a question first. Have you heard of “general education”？

S:我先问你一个问题。你听说过"通识敎育”吗？

L: Sounds so familiar. Is it the same as Chinese quality-oriented education?

L:听着很耳熟。是不是与中国的“素质教育意思一样？

S: Yeah. In my opinion, they are similar. What do you think about “general education”？

S:是的，在我看来两者是相似的。你怎么看待"通识教育”呢？

L： Actually I don’t know any detail about it. It’s said that American students have Latin classes at junior high school.

L:实际上，我一点也不了解‘‘通识教育”是什么。据说，美国学生从初中起就学习 拉丁文了。

S: That’s true. And it is the case in many western countries. Originally, the concept came from “liberal education” in Ancient Greek. The term “general education” first appeared in America after the release of the Yale Report of 1828. In the report, it was argued that the appropriate object of a collegiate education is to lay the foundation of a superior education rather than train students to be qualified professional workers. That is to say, all the students should learn the basic things.

S:是的。很多西方国家都是这样的。其概念可追溯至古希腊时期的"自由教育"（或 称"博雅教育”理念。“通识教育"的说法最早出现在美国，是在《1828年耶鲁报告》发表之后。《耶鲁报告〉指出，大学教育的目标在于为更高层次的教育奠定基础， 而不是把学生训练成合格的职业工作者。就是说，大学期间，学生的任务就是学 习一些基础的东西。

L: But why should all the students in a college be required to tread in the same steps? Why should not each one be allowed to select those branches of study which are most to his taste, which are best adapted to his peculiar talents, and which are most nearly connected with his intended profession?

L:可是，为什么要要求所有学生步调一致呢？为什么不能根据他们各自的兴趣、天 分、职业意向来选择各自的学习内容呢？

S: According to general education, these are to be learned in the professional and practical schools. Through general education, students enter upon some elementary truths, and will get to know whether he or she has a taste or capacity for a science.

S:以通识教育的观点来看，这些都是在职业学校要学的东西。接受了通识教育，学 生就能够接触到一些基本常识，这样，才能判断自己是否对某一学科真地感兴趣， 是否有这方面的天分。

L: I see. If he is really destitute of talent sufficient for the common departments of education, he is destined for some narrow sphere of action. However, if he acquires a thorough5 knowledge of the principles of science, he may then educate himself and make proper choice.

L:我明白了。如果没有发挥学生多方面的才能，那么，他的活动范围注定会是很狭 隘的；相反，如果能对学科各个方面有个全面的了解，他就可以实现自我教育， 做出正确的选择了。

S: Yes. Actually, we are easily made to believe that we have no capacity for the study of a science because we know little or nothing about it.

S:是的。事实上，由于我们的基本常识少之又少，很容易就会相信自己没有能力胜 任某学科领域的学习。

L: Still I have a question. Under the general education system, what is a young man fitted for when he takes his degree? Does he come forth7 from the college qualified for, for example, business?

L:我还有一个疑问。假如实施通识教育，那么，从这样的教育体系下毕业的年轻人 能做什么呢？他能胜任诸如从商这样的工作吗？

S: Well, if he stops here, the answer is No. His education is begun, but not completed.

S:哦，如果他从此不再学习的话，答案是否定的。他是接受过教育，但是这个教育 过程并没有完成。

L: Then the college should be reproached because it doesn’t provide its students with the skills to make a living.

L:那么，就该责备学校了，因为它无法向其毕业生传授谋生的本领。

S: Just imagine. Do we complain of the mason who has laid the foundation of a house but has not finished the building since the product of his labor is not habitable?

S:设想，泥瓦匠为建设一所房子铺设了地基，但是并设有完成建造房子这项工作， 这样一来，他的工作成果是没有居住价值的。那么，我们有理由谴责他的工作做 得不好吗？

L: Nope.

L:没有。

S: The role of a mason is similar to that of a college. A well-planned general education program of study will provide students with the foundation they will need to excel in whatever disciplines they choose to pursue.

S:泥瓦匠的角色与大学的角色是类似的。只要含理地规划通识教育，就能够帮肋学 生奠定所需的基础知识，从而胜任他想选择的任何学科。

L: You are right. So it would be useful to take classical classes. By the way, when will be the next class from that classical scholar? I’d like to go with you.

L:有道理。看来，学习古典课程还是很有用的。对了，那位古典学者什么时候上下 一节课啊？我想和你一起去听听。

S: Tonight there will be a Hittite class at 7 p.m. Maybe we can go together.

S:今晚7点有一节赫梯语的课。我们一起去吧。

L: Ok. Now, maybe you’d like to help me with the lessons since you have already covered a lot.

L:好的。你们已然学了很多东西了，你先帮我补补课吧。

S: No problem. Let’s sit down there and have a talk.

S:设问题。我们去那边坐下说吧。

L： You are really nice. Thank you very much.

L:你真好，太感谢了。

S： Never mention it.
 

S:不要客气。