剑桥大学：此地乃启蒙之所，智慧之源
英文导读
The University of Cambridge (also called Cambridge University or simply as Cambridge) is a public research university located in Cambridge， England， United Kingdom.The university grew out of an association of scholars that was formed in 1209， early records suggest， by scholars leaving Oxford after a dispute with townsfolk. The official founding of Cambridge University is traced to the enhancement， by a charter in 1231 from King Henry III of England. Hugh Balsham， Bishop of Ely， founded Peterhouse in 1284， Cambridge"s first college. Many colleges were founded during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. In 1536， King Henry VIII ordered the university to disband its Faculty of Canon Law and to stop teaching “scholastic philosophy”. From then on， colleges changed their curricula away from canon law， and towards the classics， the Bible， and mathematics. Cambridge has 31 colleges， of which three， Murray Edwards， Newnham and Lucy Cavendish， admit women only. In addition to the 31 colleges， the university is made up of over 150 departments， faculties， schools， syndicates and other institutions. Cambridge maintains a long tradition of student participation in sport and recreation. Rowing is a particularly popular sport at Cambridge. Most of the older colleges are situated nearby the Cambridge city centre and River Cam.
Women’s education： Initially， only male students were enrolled into the University of Cambridge. The first colleges for women were Girton College in 1869 and Newnham College in 1872. The first women students were examined in 1882 but attempts to make women full members of the university did not succeed until 1948. Cambridge is now the only remaining United Kingdom University with colleges which refuse to admit males， with three such institutions： Newnham， Murray Edwards and Lucy Cavendish.
Tripos： In the later 17th century until the mid-19th century， the university maintained a strong emphasis on applied mathematics， particularly mathematical physics. Study of this subject was compulsory for graduation， and students were required to take an exam for the Bachelor of Arts degree， the main first degree at Cambridge in both arts and science subjects. This exam is known as a Tripos. The Cambridge Mathematical Tripos was competitive and helped produce some of the most famous names in British science， including James Clerk Maxwell， Lord Kelvin and Lord Rayleigh.
生词助读
scholar [.sk.l.] .n.. 学者；奖学金获得者
dispute [d..spjut] .n.. 辩论；争吵
townsfolk [.ta.nz.f..k] .n.. 市民；镇民
enhancement [.n.h.nsm.nt] .n.. 增加；放大
canon law 教会法；教会法规
syndicates [.sindikits] .n.. 辛迪加；企业联合组织；财团（syndicate的名词复数）
compulsory [k.m.p.ls.ri] .a.. 义务的；必修的；被强制的
中文概述
剑桥大学成立于1209年，位于英格兰的剑桥镇，是英国也是全世界最顶尖的大学之一，最早是由一批为躲避殴斗而从牛津大学逃离出来的学者建立的。亨利三世国王在1231年授予剑桥教学垄断权。
剑桥大学和牛津大学为英国的两所最优秀的大学，被合称为“牛桥（Oxbridge）”，英国许多著名的科学家、政治家、作家都来自于这所大学。剑桥大学也是诞生最多诺贝尔奖得主的高等学府，大约有80多名诺贝尔奖获得者曾经在此执教或学习。剑桥大学在自然科学领域的成就尤为突出，哺育出牛顿、达尔文这样开创科学新纪元的科学大师。人们怀着敬佩的心情称剑桥为“自然科学的摇篮”。
剑桥大学是一个学院联合体。整个大学是由学校的主要系部和一部分学院联合运作的。其中主要系部负责学术研究和授课，而学院负责内部管理和师生福利。导师制是剑桥一直保持的一大特色。新生一旦入学报到，学院就给他指定一位导师。本科生导师称“Tutor”，研究生导师称“Supervisor”。 剑桥的文学士学位考试被称为“Tripos”。 直到19世纪早期，数学一直是剑桥的最强项，而且当时数学是所有学生的必修课。
剑桥大学共开设有一百多个本科、硕士及博士专业，包括建筑、经济学、教育学、历史、法律、哲学、计算机科学、工程学、数学、自然科学等；硕士专业还包括人类学、工商管理学、神学、金融学、地理、音乐艺术、政治学、宗教学、心理学、航天科学、化学、环境科学、物理学、植物学等。
剑桥大学的图书系统分为三个等级。第一等级是学校主图书馆。主图书馆是一个著作权图书馆，意味着里面拥有英国出版的所有书籍。一个剑桥的本科生要到大三才能借书，但可以在馆内阅读。除了主图书馆之外，第二等级是系部图书馆。此图书馆供各个院系学生借阅书籍。最后一个等级是学院图书馆。学院图书馆通常只对本学院的学生开放。
剑桥是一座小城镇，有一条剑河（River Cam，也译作“康河”）通过。许多地方保留着中世纪的风貌。
梦想成功录
A good beginning is half the battle.
良好的开端是成功的一半。
Better rely on yourself than look to others for help.
与其求人，不如求已。