2018年2月19日，英国首相Theresa May在德比学院就高等教育发表主旨演讲。今天的学习文章就是这篇演讲。

原文：

For two years I was the chairman of the education authority in Merton.

It was an experience I will never forget, because I saw how vital good schools and colleges are to a community. How the hopes and aspirations which parents have for their children and which young people have for their futures are bound up with the quality of education on offer.

在这段中，她谈到自己曾在教育部门的工作经历。这段经历之所以难忘，是因为让她认识到——好学校对一个地区极为重要；同时也认识到——父母对儿女的期望、青年人对未来的期望与能否获得高质量的教育密不可分。

And here in thisfantastic setting, in a building from Derby’s proud past, which today is helping to define a fantastic future for this city and county as part of Derby College the immense value of great local institutions, providing people with an education that truly works for them, is clear.

I drew on my experiences in south London when I first became an MP, and made my maiden speech in Parliament on the subject of education in 1997.

在这段中，她以所在的德比学院为例，讨论高校的价值。德比学院拥有光辉的历史，而在在今天，历史传统也在塑造着所在城市的未来。德比学院让她相信，当地高校发挥着巨大价值这一点十分明显。高校能够为当地人们提供真正有助于他们的教育。

I said then that the aim of education policy should be to ‘provide the right education for every child’. That ‘for some children that will be an education that is firmly based in learning practical and vocational skills. For others, it will be an education based on academic excellence.’

在这段中，她谈到，教育政策的目的是为每一位儿童提供适合的教育。对有些儿童而言，应该是实践技能与职业技能的教育；对另外一些而言，应当是帮助他们实现学术卓越的教育。

A lot has changed in the last 20 years, but that core principle that the needs of every child and every young person deserve to be met still drives my vision of the education system our country needs.

And the need forsuch a system has never been greater.

在这段中，她认为，20年沧海桑田，然而教育的核心原则未变，即每一位儿童、每一位青年的需求理应得到实现，这是国家之所需，也是其教育之愿景。对这种教育体系的需求从未像今天这样强烈。

单词解析：

(1) Merton，全称“The London Borough ofMerton”，borough是英国行政区划中的行政区。

(2) bound upwith

释义：closely or inextricably linked with

(3) on offer

释义：If there is something on offer, it isavailable to be used or bought.

(4) setting

释义：the place where someone or something is,and all the things, people, or emotions that are part of that place

例：a hotel in a charming mountain setting

(5) define

释义：to be a feature or quality that showsexactly what someone or something is like

例：It is his work that really defines him.

define someone/something as: the high winds that define a storm as a hurricane

(6) immense

释义：extremely large

例：The pressure on students during exam time can be immense.

(7) draw on

释义：

draw on or drawupon to use something that you have gradually gained or saved

例：As an actor, you often draw on your ownlife experiences.

(8) maidenspeech

释义：

A politician’smaiden speech is the first speech that he or she makes in parliament afterbecoming a member of it.