新概念英语第四册45-04

接下来课文...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. ...

convinced of: 被说服，相信=believing

states=nations=governments

‘invest’: 投资

institutions of learning : 学术机构

institutions of higher learning: 高等教育机构 大学

‘interest’: 利息

in the form of ... in the shape of...

enlightened: 有知识的

potential: 潜在=possible

elite: 精英

接下来课文...Education, with its cycles of instruction so carefully worked out,

punctuated by text-books--those purchasable wells of wisdom--what would civilization be like without its benefits ? ...

work out=design 设计

punctuate: 加强

those->books

wells: 源泉

wells of wisdom: 知识源泉

What would…(虚拟语气)

benefits: 裨益 it->education

without (虚拟语气的成分居多)=but for: 若不是，若没有

if there were not its benefits

The ideas that come to him so thick and fast, where are they now?

名词+疑问句=感叹句

Women, who can live with them? who can live without them?

Education is one of the key words of our time.