‘I want to use my mind，’Angel insisted．‘ I want to read philosophy．I want to question my belief，so that what is left after I have questioned it， will be even stronger．’
“我想发挥自己的才智，”安吉尔坚定地说道，“我想研读哲学。我想对自己的信仰提出质疑，这样经过质疑留下的东西，会更加坚定有力。”

解析：insist 坚持;强调
常用短语 insist on 坚持、坚决要求
eg:I insist on his innocence.
我坚持认为他是无辜的。

question 我们之前比较常见的是"question"作名词的情况，意为问题、疑问；本文中“question”就显现了它的另一个词性，作动词，意思是询问、怀疑
eg: She was questioned by her mother.
她受到母亲的盘问。

‘But Angel，your mother and I have saved and saved to send you to university like your brothers． But how can we send you there if it is not in the service of God？’
“但是，安吉尔，你的母亲和我一省再省，想供你念大学，就像对你的哥哥们那样。但是如果不是为了上帝服务，我们怎能送你去呢？”

So Angel did not have the advantage of a university education． After some years studying at home he decided to learn farming．He thought this kind of work could give him what he most valued，independence and freedom to think．So he came to Talbothays at twenty－six，as a student．
因此安吉尔失去了进大学接受教育的机会。在家自学了几年后，他决心去学习务农。他认为这种工作能给予他最最宝贵的东西，那就是独立思考的自由。于是在26岁时，他作为一名学徒来到了塔尔勃塞。

解析：have the advantage of 处于有利条件;胜过、优于
eg:While white-collar moonlighters have the advantage of more flexibility on the job, they also face challenges.
尽管白领兼职族拥有工作弹性更高的优势，但他们也面临着挑战。

independence 作名词，独立性；自主
形容词形式为 independent 独立的、单独的、不受约束的
eg:They pride themselves on their independence, their right to make up their own minds.
他们为能独立，以自己的想法决定如何做事而感到骄傲。

At first he stayed up in his room most of the time in the evenings，reading and playing his harp．But he soon preferred to read human nature by taking his meals in the general dining－room with the dairy people． The longer he stayed， the more Clare liked living with these simple country people． No longer did he see them as lacking in intelligence． He realized they were no different from him： he and they were all people walking on the dusty road which ends in death．He began to like working outside． He was learning about nature and about life． He came to know the changing seasons，morning and evening，different winds，waters and mists，shade and silence，and the voices of nature．All this he had never known before．
起先，到了晚上他就待在自己的房间里，靠读读书、弹弹竖琴度过大部分时间。可是不久，他更愿意到公共餐室和奶场其他人一道吃饭，来体会人类的天性。和大家在一起的时间越长，克莱尔就越喜欢和这些淳朴的乡下人生活在一起。他不再把他们看做缺乏智慧、没有见地的人了。他领悟到他们跟他没有什么不同：他和他们一样都是风尘仆仆的赶路人，他们的最终归宿都是死亡。他开始喜欢上户外的工作了。他在学习更多关于自然和关于生活的知识。他渐渐感悟到了变化的四季，清晨和黄昏，各种各样的风，水域和云雾，阴影和沉寂，以及自然界发出的种种声音。对这一切，他过去是一无所知的。
 

解析：intelligence 智力、理解能力
eg: The work of an engineer requires intelligence plus experience.
工程师的工作需要智力加上经验。