英语范文背诵精华 15.3 Five Traits of the Educated Man
Five Traits of Educated Man 有教养者的五大特点
A question often asked is：“What are the marks of an educated man?”It is that one may gain no inconsiderable body learning in some special field of knowledge without at the same time acquiring those habits and traits which are the marks of an educated gentlem.A reasonable amount of learning must of course accompany an education，but，after all，that amount need not be so very great in any one field. An education will make its mark and find its evidences in certain traits，characteristics，and capacities which have to be acquired by patient endeavor， by following g ood exam- ple，and by receiving wise discipline and sound instruction.
These traits or characteristics may be variously described and classified，but among them are five that should always stand out clearly enoug h to be seen by all men..
The first of these is correctness and precision in the use of the mother tong ue.The quite shocking slovenliness① and vulgarity of much of the spoke n English，as well as a little of the written English， which one hears and sees，proves beyond per adventure②that years of attendance upon schools and colleges that are thought to be respectable have produced no impression.When one hears English well spoken，w ith pure diction③，correct pronunciation，and an almost unconscious choice of the right word，he recognizes it at once .How much easier he finds it to imitate English of the other sort!
A second and indispensable trait of the educated man is refined and gentle manners，which are them selves the expression of fixed habits of thought and action.“Manners make the man，” wrote William of Wykeham over his gates at Winchester and at Oxford.He pointed to a great truth.When manners are superficial，artifi-cial， and forced，no matter what their form ，they are bad man-ners.When，however，they are the natural expression of fixed habits of thoug ht and action，and when they reveala refined and cultivated nature，they are g ood manners.There are certain thing s that gentlemen do not do，and they do not do them simply because they are bad manners. The gentlem an instinctively knows the difference between those things which he may and should do and those thing s which he may not and should notdo.
A third trait of the educated man is the power and habit of reflection.Human beings for the most part live wholly on the surface or far beyond the present moment and that part of the fu- ture which is quickly to follow it.They do not read those works of prose and poetry which have become classic because they reveal the powerful habit of reflection and induce that power and habit in others.When one reflects long enoug h to ask the question how，he is on the way to knowing som ething about science.When one reflects long enough to ask the question why，he may，if he persists， even become a philosopher.
A fourth trait of the educated man is the power of g rowth.He continues to grow and develop from birth to his dying day.His interests expand，his contacts multiply，his knowledg e increases，and his reflection becomes deeper and wider.It would appear to be true that not many human beings， even those who have had a col-
lege education， continue to g row after they are twenty-four or twenty-five years of age.By that time it is usual to settle down to life on a level of more or less contented intellectual interest and activity.The whole present-day movem ent for adult education is a system atic and definite attempt to keep human beings growing long after they have left schooland college， and ，therefore，to help educate them.
A fifth trait of the educated man is his possession of efficiency，or the power to do.The mere visionary dreamer，however charming or however wise，lacks something which an education re- quires.The power to do may be exercised in any one of a thousand ways，but when it clearly shows itself，that is evidence that the period of discipline， of study，and of companionship with parents and teachers has not been in vain.
Given these five characteristics，one has the outline of an educated man .That outline may be filled in by scholarship，by literary power ，by mechanical skills，by professional zeal④ and capacity， by busine ss competence ，or by social and political leadership.So long as the frame work or outline is there ，the content may be pretty much what you will，assuming，of course ，that the fundamental elements of the great tradition which is civilization， and its outstanding records and achievements in hum- an personality，in letters，in scie nce，in the fine arts，and in human institutions，are all present.
人们常问：“有教养者的标志是什么?”显然，一个人可以在某一知识领域修养很好、造诣颇高，却没有获得有教养之士的标志———文明的习惯与特性。当然，适量的学问必定伴随着一种教育，但务必记住，适当的学问无需在任何一个领域都非常广博。一种教育会在某些特性、特点和能力必须通过耐心努力、仿效榜样、接受明智的训练和正确的指导下方可获得。
这些特性或特点可以各种方式描述出来并加以分类，但其中有五大特点总是十分突出，显而易见。
第一大特点是运用母语的正确性和准确性。英语中存在着许多令人震惊的脏话、鄙话，英语书面语中也不少。这是大家所见所闻的事实，这种现象毫无疑问地证明，多年在中小学和大学所受的那种被认为是受人尊敬的教育没有产生任何影响。如果一个人听到说得很好的英语，措辞准确，发音纯正，恰如其分的词脱口而出，他马上就会识别出来。他会发现模仿另一种英语是多么容易。
有教养之士的另一个必不可少的
特点是举止文雅、彬彬有礼。文雅的举止本身就是固有的思维习惯和行为习惯的表现。威克姆的威廉在他居住的温切斯特和牛津的大门上写道：“举止如其人。”他道出了一条伟大的真理。如果举止不雅、态度做作、十分勉强，无论它以什么形式出现，都是粗俗无礼的。然而，当它们自然的表现是固有的思维习惯和行为习惯时，当它们显示出文雅的有教养的特性时，它们便是文明礼貌的行为举止。有些事情绅士不做，他们不做仅仅是因为那些事情不合常理。绅士本能地知道，哪些事情他可做而且应该做，哪些事情他不可做且不应该做。
有教养的人的第三个特点是思考能力和思维能力。绝大多数人完全生活在生活的表层，或者他们的生活远远超过目前和不远的将来。他们不阅读经典散文，不吟咏经典诗歌。诗文之所以成为经典之作，是因为它们展现作者的思维能力和思考习惯，并引发读者的思维能力和思考习惯。当一个人沉思良久，并提出“如何……”的问题时，那他就走在科学认识的路途上了。如果他思考良久，提出“为什么……”的这类问题，要是坚持下去，他甚至可能成为哲学家呢。
有教养者的第四个特点是自我发展的能力。有教养的人从出生到临终都在不断地成长发展。他的兴趣不断扩大，交往倍增，知识不断增长，思想变得深邃宽广。满了24岁或25岁之后还继续发展自己的人为数不多，甚至那些受过高等教
育的坚持这样做的人也比较少，这似乎已成为事实了。人到了24岁或25岁，由于或多或少满足于自己的智力兴致和智力活动而安顿下来舒舒服服过日子。当代成人教育运动就是这么一种系统性强，目的明确的努力尝试：让人们远离学校之后能继续完善自我，从而帮助他们继续受教育。
有教养者的第五大特点是他们具有工作效率或办事能力。富于幻想无论多么迷人，不管多么聪明，总是缺少教育所需要的某些东西。施展办事能力的方式许许多多，其中任何一种方式都可以，但如果这种能力清清楚楚的表现出来了，那就足以证明，学习、培训阶段及和父母相伴、和老师相处的时光没有白白浪费。
一个人如果具备上述五大特点，那他就拥有良好教养者的轮廓了。这轮廓可由学术成就、文学能力、机械技能、职业热忱和专业能力、办事能力或社会和政治的领导能力来加以充实。只要这个框架或轮廓存在，当然啦，假如文明这个伟大的传统的基本成分，及其在人格、文学、科学、艺术和习俗方面的杰出记录和非凡成就都在其中的话，那么，内容可能完全合乎你的意愿。
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