兩面刃，鎖國還是開放？
Iran has banned the teaching of English in primary school classrooms.
伊朗最近禁止小學教授英文。
Mehdi Navid-Adham, chief of Iran’s High Education Council, informed state television of the ban.
伊朗高等教育委員會主席阿德姆通知國家電視台這項禁令。
inform sb. of sth.通知某人某事
“Teaching English in government and non-government primary schools in the official curriculum is against laws and regulations,” he said.
他說：「在官方課程中，公立和私立小學教授英文違反法律規定。」
curriculum(n.)課程regulation(n.)條例、法規、規定
Navid-Adham added that primary education is crucial in instilling Iranian culture and values in students.
阿德姆補充道，小學教育是灌輸學生伊朗文化和價值的重要階段。
crucial(adj.)重要的=important=vital=criticalinstill sth. in sb. 灌輸
“The assumption is that in primary education the groundwork for the Iranian culture of the students is laid,” he said.
阿德姆説：「先讓學童培養伊朗文化基礎才是小學教育的重點。」
assumption(n.)假設;假定lay ay the groundwork (for sth.)為…鋪路、先行做必要準備工作
In Iran, the teaching of English usually starts in middle school, to students aged from 12 to 14.
在伊朗，英文教學通常從中學階段開始，12至14歲的學生才會上英文課。
However, in some primary schools, students may begin taking English lessons at a younger age.
然而，部分小學會提前開設英文課。
Some Iranian children also attend foreign language classes at private institutes after normal school hours.
有些伊朗孩童會在課後到私立機構上外語課程。
institute(n.)機構
English will still be taught in middle schools and high schools.
中學和高中未來仍會繼續教授英文。
The announcement follows claims by Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that early learning of the language paves the way for western “cultural invasion”.
禁令公布前，伊朗最高領袖哈米尼聲稱，提早學英文是為西方「文化入侵」鋪路。
claim(n.)(v.)聲稱pave the way for~為…鋪路
The supreme leader said in a speech to teachers: “That does not mean opposition to learning a foreign language, but this is the promotion of a foreign culture in the country and among children, young adults and youths.”
哈米尼對教師們發表演說時指出，「這並不代表反對學習外語，但這是在國內在孩童、青少年和青年之間推廣外國文化。」
opposition(n.)反對=objectionpromotion(n.)宣揚;宣傳
In the same speech, he urged Iranians to spend more time and money on the teaching of the Persian language.
在同一場演說中，他呼籲伊朗人要花更多時間和經費在波斯語的教學上。
The government’s decision to ban the teaching of English in primary schools came shortly after a week of mass protests against the country’s leadership, which spread to more than 80 cities and small towns and left at least 21 dead.
伊朗政府決定禁止小學教授英語之前，才剛發生持續一週的反政府抗議，這波示威蔓延至超過80個城市和小鎮，造成至少21人喪生。
The Iranian government has blamed the West for provoking the protests.
伊朗政府曾責怪西方勢力激起抗議。
blame sb. for sth. 因為某事怪罪某人provoke(v.)挑釁;煽動;激起