中英双语新闻——189 Learning independence

 　　It is like the national entrance exam all over again. Last week on the Tsinghua University campus, parents anxiously watched their children head off into a taped area to register as freshmen¹.

 

　　这感觉就像是又一次经历高考。上周在清华大学校园，家长们忧心忡忡地目送孩子走进一处用警戒线围起来的隔离区内办理新生报到手续。

 

　　“Don’t worry mum, I can manage,” said Xia Yanxu, 18, a freshman² from Hebei province, reassuring³ his mother that he would be alright handling the photoshoot for his student ID and the Hukou registration⁴.

 

　　“妈，别担心，我能。”来自河北的新生、18岁的夏延旭（音译）安慰妈妈，表示自己会去搞定拍学生证照片以及户口登记等事项。

 

　　In order to teach incoming freshmen their first lesson in independence, Tsinghua University set up a “parents-restricted” area this year where students have to go through the enrollment⁶ procedure all by themselves.

 

　　为了能够给新生们上好自力更生的第一课，清华大学今年设立了一个“家长止步区”，学生们必须独自办理入学手续。

 

　　On the verge⁷ of the new semester, both universities and incoming freshmen are trying to make independence the priority.

 

　　新学期伊始，各大高校和大一新生们都试图将自力更生放在首位。

 

　　Xia’s mother did not come alone, but with grandparents and other family members. Other than proudly witnessing her son stepping into one of the country’s most prestigious⁸ institutions, Li Xiaoping came to Beijing to assist with any unforeseeable problems that her son might face.

 

　　夏延旭的妈妈李小平（音译）并非独自前来，一起的还有夏延旭的爷爷奶奶以及其他家庭成员。除了想自豪地目送儿子踏进这所中国知名学府的大门之外，她此行的另一个目的就是帮助儿子应对一切他可能会面临的难题。

 

　　“From his childhood through to high school, Xia was told only to worry about study, and that we [parents] would take care of everything else,” said Li. “If anything happens I fear he might be overwhelmed and make the wrong decision.”

 

　　李小平说：“从童年到高中，我们都告诉他只要关心学习就好了。我们会来照顾其他一切事情。我害怕一旦发生什么状况，他会不知所措，做出错误的决定。”

 

　　Xia’s parents are in good company. On the first enrollment day the number of parents exceeded that of enrolling⁹ students, according to a school official.

 

　　像夏延旭父母这样的家长大有人在。该校的一位工作人员表示，入学首日，前来送新的家长人数超过了新生。

 

　　“Over the years the number of parents has increased,” said the official, who asked to remain anonymous¹⁰. “That’s one reason why the school set up the student-only area – to prevent chaos¹¹.”

 

　　这位不愿透露姓名的工作人员表示：“近年来，家长人数明显增加。这也是学校设立家长止步区的原因之一——为了避免混乱。”

 

　　In fact, Tsinghua is not the only university in trying to teach freshmen independence. This year, Shanghai University cancelled the tradition of upper-classmen picking up freshmen from the train station. Instead, the school attached with its offer letters a transportation map of the city on which the 5,963 freshmen could find the campus by public transport. The change has been well received.

 

　　事实上，并非只有清华大学一所高校在尝试教授新生自力更生的课程。今年，上海大学取消了老生去火车站接新的传统。取而代之的是，学校在录取通知书中附上了城市交通路线图，这样5963名新生乘坐公共交通工具便能找到学校了。这一转变也受到了广泛好评。

 

　　“It was like an adventure on the first day of enrolment,” said Zhang Yiting, 18, a freshmen from Chongqing.

 

　　来自重庆的18岁新生张怡婷（音译）说：“报到第一天就像次大冒险。”

 

　　With parents swarming¹² into the campus, there is also another trend gaining momentum¹³ among freshmen. On social networking sites, such as Renren.com, students are inviting¹⁴ their peers to board the train together, not only for safety, but also to “get rid of nagging¹⁵ parents.”

 

　　除了家长蜂拥进校园之外，新生中间还在兴起另一种新趋势。在人人网这些社交网站上，学生们邀请同校的同学一同搭伴坐火车，不单单是为了安全，更是为了“摆脱唠叨的父母”。

 

　　“It would be fun to meet some future alumni and enroll⁵ together,” said Hu Liwen, 19, a freshmen at Beihang University from Liaoning province. “It would also save parents money and energy.”

 

　　“能够见到一些将来的校友，并且一起报到是件开心的事。”作为北航的一名新生，来自辽宁的18岁的胡丽雯（音译）如是说。“这还能为父母省钱省力。”

 

　　Xia now wants his mother and family to go home. “Yesterday I had a group of relatives following me wherever I went. It doesn’t feel like I’m on campus at all,” said Xia. “I think I will be alright with my roommates.”

 

　　现在，夏延旭希望妈妈和家人都能回家。夏延旭说：“昨天，我去哪儿，我的一群亲戚跟到哪儿。根本不像是我在上大学。我觉得有室友的陪伴就行了。”

1 freshmen   

n.（中学或大学的）一年级学生( freshman的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We are freshmen and they are sophomores. 我们是一年级学生，他们是二年级学生。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• University freshmen get lots of razzing, but they like the initiation. 大一新生受各种嘲弄，但是他们对这种入门经验甘之如饴。 来自辞典例句

2 freshman   

n.大学一年级学生(可兼指男女)

参考例句：

• Jack decided to live in during his freshman year at college.杰克决定大一时住校。
• He is a freshman in the show business.他在演艺界是一名新手。

3 reassuring   

a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的

参考例句：

• He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 他轻拍了一下她的肩膀让她放心。
• With a reassuring pat on her arm, he left. 他鼓励地拍了拍她的手臂就离开了。

4 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

5 enroll   

v.招收；登记；入学；参军；成为会员（英)enrol

参考例句：

• I should like to enroll all my children in the swimming class.我愿意让我的孩子们都参加游泳班。
• They enroll him as a member of the club.他们吸收他为俱乐部会员。

6 enrollment   

n.注册或登记的人数；登记

参考例句：

• You will be given a reading list at enrollment.注册时你会收到一份阅读书目。
• I just got the enrollment notice from Fudan University.我刚刚接到复旦大学的入学通知书。

7 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

8 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

9 enrolling   

v.招收( enrol的现在分词 )；吸收；入学；加入；[亦作enrol]( enroll的现在分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起

参考例句：

• They lashed out at the university enrolling system. 他们猛烈抨击大学的招生制度。 来自辞典例句
• You're enrolling in a country club, Billy. 你是注册加入乡村俱乐部了，比利。 来自辞典例句

10 anonymous   

adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的

参考例句：

• Sending anonymous letters is a cowardly act.寄匿名信是懦夫的行为。
• The author wishes to remain anonymous.作者希望姓名不公开。

11 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

12 swarming   

密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去

参考例句：

• The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。
• The beach is swarming with bathers. 海滩满是海水浴的人。

13 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

14 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

15 nagging   

adj.唠叨的，挑剔的；使人不得安宁的v.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的现在分词 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责

参考例句：

• Stop nagging—I'll do it as soon as I can. 别唠叨了—我会尽快做的。
• I've got a nagging pain in my lower back. 我后背下方老是疼。 来自《简明英汉词典》