Comprehension Practice
Strong section of industrials who still imagine that men can be mere machines and are at their best as machines if they are mere machines are already menacing what they call “useless” education. They deride the classics, and they are mildly contemptuous of history, philosophy, and English. They want our educational institutions, from the oldest universities to the youngest elementary schools, to concentrate on business or the things that are patently useful in business. Technical instruction is to be provided for adolescent artisans; book keeping and shorthand for prospective clerks; and the cleverest we are to set to “business methods”, to modern languages (which can be used in correspondence with foreign firms), and to science (which can be applied to industry). French and German are the languages, not of Montaigne and Goethe, but of Schmidt Brothers, of Elberfeld and DuPont et Cie., of Lyons. Chemistry and Physics are not explorations into the physical constitution of the universe, but sources of new dyes, new electric light filaments, new means of making things which can be sold cheap and fast to the Nigerian and the Chinese. For Latin there is a Limited field so long as the druggists insist on retaining it in their prescriptions. Greek has no apparent use at all, unless it be as a source of syllables for the hybrid names of patent medicines and metal polishes. The soul of man, the spiritual basis of civilization- what gibberish is that?
Questions & Answers
1. What kind of education does the writer deal with?
The writer deals with the split between "useless" education (the classics, history, philosophy, and English) and the technical instruction favored by industrials, focusing on subjects patently useful in business
2. What kind of education does the writer favor? How do you know?
The writer favors the classics, history, philosophy, and English. We know this because he describes the industrialists' view of these subjects with evident disdain (they deride the classics) and sarcastically presents the utilitarian view of languages and science (e.g., French/German as merely tools for correspondence, not literature).
3. Where does the writer express most bitterly his feelings about the neglect of the classics?
The writer expresses bitterness when discussing the contemporary utility of Latin (which has a Limited field with druggists) and Greek, which has no apparent use at all, except as a source of syllables for the hybrid names of patent medicines and metal polishes.
4. Explain as carefully as you can the full significance of the last sentence.
The last sentence, "The soul of man, the spiritual basis of civilization- what gibberish is that?", represents the industrial section's utter dismissal of humanistic pursuits. The significance is that by equating the philosophical and spiritual foundations of humanity with "gibberish," it highlights the dangerous, narrow-minded focus of industrial education solely on material and commercial gain.
5. Explain the underlined words and phrases in the passage.
(Referring to Patently useful in business, Technical instruction, Limited field, Hybrid names, Spiritual basis of civilization)• Patently useful in business: Clearly and obviously serving a practical purpose within commerce or industry. • Technical instruction: Specialized training provided for mechanical or industrial skills (for adolescent artisans). • Limited field: A small, restricted area of application. • Hybrid names: Compound terms created by mixing different elements (like Greek syllables and English words). • Spiritual basis of civilization: The non-material, humanistic, philosophical, or moral foundation upon which culture and society are built.