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Taiwanese Studying Abroad 台湾留学新趋势

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

For Taiwanese students, a degree from an American university is no longer the be-all and end-all of post-secondary education. Despite Taiwan’s increased wealth, the number of students seeking degrees from U.S. institutions has been declining. Fewer Taiwanese students in the U.S. are pursuing graduate studies, and an increasing number are not pursuing degrees at all, but are instead attending homestay programs and ESL school.

对台湾学生而言，一纸美国大学文凭不再是高等教育所追求的唯一目标。虽然台湾累积了财富，但前往美国大专院校追求文凭的学生人数，却逐渐减少。愈来愈少的台湾学生，在美国攻读研究所课程，反而有愈来愈多人根本不拿学位，而只是参加游学或ESL的课程而已。

There are many reasons for this shift. The number of universities in Taiwan has almost doubled in the past ten years and, increasingly, English-language universities have opened branches in Asian cities like Singapore. This has led many students to stay in Asia. Likewise, recent political conditions have made it more difficult for Taiwanese students to obtain U.S. visas. On the other hand, the U.K. is now offering more stipends and employment opportunities for Taiwanese students, making it much more attractive to Taiwanese students than previously.

这种潮流的转变其来有自，过去十年台湾的大学数目几乎增加了一倍，而且愈来愈多的英语大学在亚洲的据点设立分校，譬如新加坡。这使得许多学生选择留在亚洲，而且最近的政治情势，也使得台湾学生愈来愈难获得美国签证。另一方面，英国现在提供台湾学生较多的奖学金和打工机会，因而比以前更具吸引力。

While some have held that Taiwanese students are making less demanding educational choices by not studying in the U.S., it would seem that students are simply enjoying the variety of educational options now open to them. Above all, an English education is now a buyer’s market.

有些人认为，台湾学生因为想选择较轻松的课程，所以不到美国留学，不过其实似乎是学生乐于拥有更多的选择。现在尤其是英语教育，正是买方市场占优势。

Vocabulary

单词发音

be-all and end-all 【口】最重要的部分; 最要紧的事 the quintessential or all-important element

pursue [pɚˋsu] v. 追赶；追求

ESL a common abbreviation for English as a Second Language,

shift [ʃɪft] n.〔想法﹑做法等的〕改变

visa [ˋvizə] n.（护照等上的）签证

stipend [ˋstaɪpɛnd] n.〔尤指给牧师﹑学生等的〕薪俸﹐薪金; 助学金

demanding [dɪˋmændɪŋ] adj. 苛求的﹐ 要求过高的

above all 最重要的, 尤其

Sentence of the Day

You pays your money and you takes your chances.

选择差别不大，依个人喜好取舍即可。

You pays your money and you takes your chances

1: something that you say which means if you do something that involves risk you must accept that you cannot control the result

2: something that you say which means each person has to make their own decisions in a situation, because no decision is more correct than any other

课文讲解

Taiwanese students Emily and Neil discuss their graduate studies:  台湾学生爱蜜莉和尼尔正在讨论两人的申请研究所计划：

N: Emily, you look really tired.

爱蜜莉，妳看起来真的很累。

E: I am a bit: I’ve just finalized my applications for graduate school in the U.K. How about you?

是有点累，我才刚搞定向英国学校申请研究所的事，你呢？

N: I’m thinking about staying in Taiwan. It’s become harder to get American student visas in the post-September 11 world. I can’t be bothered with the visa hassle. Frankly, the cost of studying there is a bit much as well.

我想留在台湾。911事件后，要申请美国学生签证愈来愈难了，老实说，我不想搞签证那些麻烦事，而且去美国念书要花不少钱。

E: I know. At about a million Taiwan dollars a year, it’s really pricey.

我晓得，一年差不多要新台币一百万，挺贵的。

N: One other thing, my professors here hardly knew me during my undergraduate degree, but now I’m actually meeting some of them. I’ve got a laboratory job and I’m really enjoying the personal contact.

再说，我大学时期的教授几乎都不认识我，我现在才真正开始认识其中几位，现在在实验室工作，很高兴能与教授有更多接触。

E: For me, I really appreciate that universities in the U.K. allow me to complete my master’s degree in one year rather than two. What’s more, it’s easier to work part-time as a foreign student in the U.K. now.

就我而言，我真的很高兴英国的大学能让我一年就完成硕士学位，不需要两年。而且现在外籍学生在英国打工比以前容易。

N: You know, twenty years ago, Taiwan was America’s top source of overseas students. Now many of us are choosing to study elsewhere.

妳知道吗，二十年前台湾是美国外籍学生的最主要来源。现在我们当中有很多人选择去其他国家留学。

E: I suppose students are still looking for their best choice, but now there are more options. If I leave, though, I’m sure going to miss my cho tofu.

我想我们学生仍在寻觅最佳选择，只是现在的选择机会比以前多得多。不过倘若我出国，我一定会想念臭豆腐的。

－by Michael Loncar

Vocabulary

单词发音

finalize [ˋfaɪn!͵aɪz] v. 完成；结束

can’t be bothered to do .. 嫌麻烦而不为;  偷懒

bother [ˋhæs!] n. 麻烦，费心[（+with/about）][+to-v][+v-ing]

hassle [ˋhæs!] n.【美】麻烦；困难；问题

pricey [ˋpraɪsɪ] adj.【英】【口】高价的；贵的

undergraduate [͵ʌndɚˋgrædʒʊɪt] adj. 大学（或肄业）生的

part-time [ˋpɑrtˋtaɪm] adj. 部分时间的﹐ 兼职的

Sentence of the Day

It presses home the advantage of studying elsewhere.

这清楚地说明到其他国家学习的好处。

press home 使一针见血, 使打中要害