University Training
If a practical①end must be assigned②to a university course，I say it is that of training good members of society…．It neither confines③its views to particular professions on the one hand，nor creates heroes or inspires④genius on the other…．
…a university training is the great ordinary means to a great but ordinary end;it aims at raising the intellectual tone of society，at cultivating⑤the public mind，at purifying the national taste，at supplying true principles to popular enthusiasm and fixed aims to popular aspiration⑥，at giving enlargement and sobriety to the ideas of the age，at facilitating the exercise of political power，and refining the intercourse of private life…．
It shows him how to accommodate himself to others，how to throw himself into their state of mind，⑦how to bring before them his own，how to influence them，how to come to an understanding with them，how to bear with them…．
—John Henry Newman
assign v指派 sobriety n净化;唤醒
confine v局限(=limit) exercise n执行(=practice)
inspire v激发 refine v改善(=improve)
genius n天才 intercourse n交际
cultivate v培养;陶冶 accommodate v使之适应(=adapt)
aspiration n抱负;志向(=ambition)
中译 大学培育
如果要给大学课程制订一个实际的目标，我说这个目标就是为社会培养品德高尚的成员……大学的培养目标，既不需把目光局限于某一特定的专业，也不是去造就英雄或去激发天才。
……大学教育是采用重大而又普通的手段来达到一个伟大而又平凡的目的;其目标在于提高社会讲求智力的风气，培育民众的才智，净化民族的鉴赏力，为大众所热衷的东西提供确切的原则，为大众所向往的事物提供明确的目标，发扬和净化时代的观念，便于人们履行政治权利，改善人们生活中的人际交往……
大学教育应教会人们懂得如何与他人共处，如何设身处地领会他人的心情，如何向他人表达自己的思想，影响他人，与他人达到互相理解，并如何容忍他人……
——约翰·亨利·纽曼
原来如此！增值英语
有些人以为大学教育的目的只是增加知识，以便于将来寻找职业，本篇为他们提供了正确的观念。
在本篇中，以-ing结尾的词有九个，它们是:training，raising，cultivating，purifying，supplying，giving，facilitating，refining，understanding;其中training一字出现了三遍。从语法功能看，这十一个-ing结尾的词可划分为两类，即Gerund(动名词)和Verbal Noun(名词化动词或动词性名词)。有些语法家认为Gerund和Verbal Noun存在五点区别:
1．G有时态和语态之分;VN没有
2．G用副词修饰;VN用形容词修饰
3．G没有复数形式;VN可以有
4．G之前不能用冠词;VN可以有
5．G可以带宾语;VN没有宾语
下面的五组例句可反映出它们之间的区别和语法特征。
1．He told me of his having trained(G，指一个动作或过程;用train的完成时，主动语态)his dog to catch thieves．
A university training(VN，指一项课程，没有时态和语态)is the great ordinary means to a great but ordinary end．
2．I'm afraid of running(G，指一个动作，用副词修饰)too fast on the bank．
The sudden rising(VN，指一桩事件(起义)，用形容词修饰) of the peasants frightened the landlords．
3．Helping(G，指一个动作，单数形式)one another is a matter of course among our old friends．
He had five helpings(VN，指食物之“客”或“份”，复数形式)of rice during the meal．
4．We like working(G，指一个动作，不用冠词)in the fields．
We should have a thorough cleaning(VN，指一项工作，可用冠词)．
5．I enjoy readingthe novel．(G，指动作，有宾语)
The reading(VN，指一表演项目“朗读”，没有宾语)of the noveltook place in a hall。
由上面的例句可见，动名词兼有动词和名词的特征，而名词化动词则丧失了一切动词的特征。因此，本篇题目中的Training是VN，第一段中的training是G;第二段的training是VN。 raising、cultivating、purifying、supplying、giving、facilitating和refining都是G，因为它们都带有宾语;而understanding则是VN，因为它用冠词修饰，其后也没有宾语。
①If a practical end must be assigned…
practical作“实际的，实用的”解。
Our boss is a practicalman．我们的老板是个讲求实际的人。
In the reform of education，we should lay great emphasis on practicaleducation．改革教育的时候，我们应当特别注重实用教育。
注意 practicable则解“可实行的”(=feasible/ workable)。
That wasapracticalplan，but，owingtoachangeof circumstances，it no longer proved practicable．那是一个实际的方案，但由于情况改变，它变得不再适用了。
②…must be assigned to a university course
assign的涵义是“确定”或“分配”。
Let's assigna day for our meeting．让我们确定一个见面的日子。
What did the teacher assignyou to do at home?你们的老师分配你做什么家庭作业?
New recruits areassignedtodifferent departments．新招募的人员被委派到不同部门。
③It…confines its views to particular professions
confine指“限制”(=limit/restrict)。
I shall confinemy talk entirely tothe university admission system．我的讲题局限于大学入学制度。
Fortunately，the adverse effect of pollution is confinedtoa small area．幸好污染的坏影响只限于一个小地区。
④…or inspires genius…
inspire是“激发，鼓舞”。
This incident appears to be politically inspired．看来这桩事件是由于政治原因而激发的。
Your words inspiredus withcourage．你的一番话激发了我们的勇气。
⑤it aims…at cultivating the public mind
cultivate是“培养，陶冶”。
You should cultivatea love of classical music．你应当培养对古典音乐的爱好。
You may cultivateyour mind by reading poetry．读诗可以陶冶你的身心。
⑥…and fixed aims to popular aspiration
aspiration是“抱负;渴望”。
She has lofty aspirationsto be an inventor．她有宏大的抱负要做个发明家。
His aspirationsfor fame and wealth make him work hard．他求名利的心愿使他勤奋工作。
⑦to throw himself into their state of mind
state of mind指“心情，心境”(=frame of mind)。
He was in a confused state of mindwhen facing the important decision．他面对那重大的决策时心情混乱。
You have to get into a completely new frame of mindbefore you can make a sensible decision．你需要有全新的心境才能作出明智的决定。
相关的词语还有attitude(态度);mentality/mindset(心态)。
Many people have a wrong attitudetowardsimmigrants．很多人对移民抱有错误态度。
She specialized in the study of the mentalityof criminals．她专门研究罪犯的心态。
Advertisers must understand the mindsetsof internet users before they can attract them．广告商必需了解互联网用户的心理才能吸引他们。