On Studying談論學習
Pool: You seem to be doing all right, Meng.
波爾:孟,你看上去進展不錯。
Meng: I am, but l still have to do a lot of reading.
孟:是的,不過我得讀很多書。
Pool: There's a lot of reading. but I think that's pretty normal for postgraduate work. I imagine a big part of the problem is that it's all in your second language.
波爾:閱讀量是很大,不過我覺得這對研究生的功課來說是正常的。我想你的問題大部分在于你得用外語來閱讀。
Meng: I suppose I'll just have to leam to read faster.
孟:看來我得想辦法提高閱讀速度了。
Pool: How about the seminars? Can you follow the discussions?
波爾:那討論課怎么樣啊?你能理解大家的討論嗎?
Meng: Well. I can usually follow what the others say, but I'm not used to being in a seminar and I never know what to say.
孟:嗯,一般別人的發(fā)言我都能聽懂,不過我不太習慣參加討論課,我不知道該說什么。
Pool: Don't be shy, speak out. Seminars are very important in postgraduate work. As I see it, most of the benefit of the seminars comes from the exchange of ideas.
波爾:不要害羞嘛,大膽地說出來。討論課在研究生的功課中是很重要的。在我看來,討論課的好處來自于思想的交流。
Meng: Yes. I'm beginning to agree with you. I've gained some very valuable insights from the others in my class.
孟:對,我開始同意你的看法了。我從班上其他人那里長了不少有用的見識呢。
Pool: But you should share your insights with us. I'm sure you have a lot to offer, just as the others do.
波爾:但你也應該讓大家分享一下你的見解呀。我敢肯定你和別人一樣,也有很多好的見解要講呢。
詳細解說
1.“be/get used to”意為“習慣于”,“to”的后面要接名詞或動詞ing形式。
2.“speak out”的意思是“大膽地說出來”,常用于“speak out about/against”的結(jié)構,例如:Five students who had spoken out against the regime were arrested.(大膽聲討這個政權的五名學生被捕了。)注意,“speak up”表示“大點兒聲”,例如:Could you speak up,please?(您能大點兒聲嗎?)另外,“speak up”還可表示“說了點兒什么,發(fā)言(尤其是發(fā)表自己的觀點)”,例知:There was a brief silence, then George spoke up.(一陣短暫的沉默后喬治發(fā)了言。)“speak up for sb.”表示“發(fā)言支持某人,為某人辯護”,例如:He is willing to speak up for the women.(他愿意為婦女辯護。)
文化洗禮
美國大學的獎學金種類
從嚴格意義上講,海外學生有資格申請的所謂的美國大學“獎學金”應稱為“經(jīng)濟資助”。其主要包括以下5類:
1.助學金(FELLOWSHIP):金額、競爭最激烈的非服務性獎學金,一般是指全獎;
2.獎學金(SCHOLARSHIP):這是一種榮譽性的獎勵,頒發(fā)給成績優(yōu)異的學生,但金額較少;
3.學費減免(TUITION-WAIVER):金額較少;
4.助研金 (RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIP AND TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIP):多針對研究生以上級別,屬于工資類型;
5.校內(nèi)打工(ON-CAMPUS JOB):美國移民局規(guī)定,國際學生可在校內(nèi)每周工作20小時,假期可工作40小時,每小時不得低于5美金,因此學生1年中可掙到4000至6000美金或更高。工作崗位一般安排在:圖書館、計算機房、學生餐廳、辦公室、學校書店等。