Starting in the 19th century, a whole system grew up around working men’s colleges, workers’ educational associations and universities. By the early 21st century in UK, the intrinsic value of adult education institutions, and the myriad opportunities they represented, had largely been discarded in favour of a much more instrumental view of “skills” as an asset to be traded. The failure to invest in a skilled workforce is part of a much bigger deficit in long-term, strategic thinking.
思考题：
The value of adult education institutions _______.
A.was stressed by the modern Conservative party
B.has been ignored in UK by the early 21st century
C.was discarded by the instrumental corporations
D.has been conflicting with long-term, strategic thinking
词汇突破：
1. intrinsic 内源性的，内在的
2. myriad 多种多样的，大量的
3. discard 舍弃
4. deficit 赤字，不足
5. strategic 战略性的
6. conservative 保守派的，保守的
句子解析：
注：黄色是主干，红色是定语，绿色是状语，紫色是同位语，蓝色是作为灵活机动的表示
第一句：
Starting in the 19th century, a whole system grew up around working men’s colleges, workers’ educational associations and universities.
参考译文：从19世纪开始，一个围绕着工人学院、工人教育协会和大学的系统建立起来。
第二句：
By the early 21st century in UK, the intrinsic value of adult education institutions, and the myriad opportunities they represented, had largely been discarded in favour of a much more instrumental view of “skills” as an asset to be traded.
参考译文：到21世纪初，这些机构的内在价值及其所代表的众多机会在很大程度上被抛弃，人们转而支持将“技能”看作待交易资产的更工具化的观点。
第三句：
The failure to invest in a skilled workforce is part of a much bigger deficit in long-term, strategic thinking.
参考译文：我们未能在培养高技能劳动力上有所投入，这是长期的战略性思维大范围缺失的部分后果。
背景信息：
2009年至2017年间，英国失去了一些重要的东西：高等教育在职学生数量下降了35%。大学旁听课、夜校和继续教育课程曾在英国兴盛一时。但目前英国是成年继续教育率最低的欧洲国家。
这种下降趋势在政府的紧缩政策开始之前就已初现端倪，当然紧缩更是让情况急转直下。短视的政策导向忽略了公民素质的长期发展，将一切责任推之市场。唯利是图的企业也不会用心培养技能落伍的员工，他们只是源源不断地弃旧迎新，吸收更年轻的血液。
在不少行业被疫情所重创、十分之九的工作将不久被自动化所取代的时代背景下，呼吁全民重视继续教育和再培训正当其时。
