新概念英语第四册50-04

课文开始 The modern Plato, like his ancient counterpart, has an unbounded contempt for politicians and statesmen and party leaders who are not university men. ...

the modern Plato :the person who is like Plato in our modern society.

politician: 政客

statesman : 政治家

party leader : 党魁

A university is a place where those who hate ignorance may strive to know, where those who pursue truth may strike to make others see.大学是憎恶无知的人求知之所,是寻求真理的人诲人之处.

接下来课文...He finds politics a dirty game, and only enters them reluctantly because he knows that at the very least he and his friends are better than the present gang. ...

them : political activities.

at the very least: 说句公道话(至少)

gang : group of people 在英文中,一般无褒义.

接下来课文...Brought up in the traditions of the ruling classes, he has a natural pity for the common people whom he has learnt to know as servants, ...

He has never mixed with

bring up: bring sb. up 被...养大

grow up: 自然成长

ruling class: 统治阶级

bourgeois : 资产阶级