中英双语新闻——200 It might not feel right, but do not panic

 　　Many freshmen¹ feel anxious about their majors. Most believe that their major will determine their future: what they do and how much they get paid.

 

　　许多大一新生患上“专业焦虑症”，他们大都认为，专业决定未来：做什么？赚多少？

 

　　So what happens if you don’t like your major, or know nothing about its career prospects²? What are your options?

 

　　那么，如果你不喜欢自己的专业，或是对其职业前景一无所知，该如何是好？你能够做些什么呢？

 

　　Experts advise students not to panic. Worrying about their choice of major causes most first-year students stress, according to Bai Jing, an instructor³ at Shantou University.

 

　　专家建议，学生不必惊慌。来自汕头大学的教师白京（音译）说，许多大一新生都因为担心自己所选的专业而倍感压力。

 

　　“There are always a few students who arrive on campus knowing exactly what they want from their major and what their career ambitions are, but the majority just don’t know or only have a vague idea,” he said.

 

　　“尽管少数新生一入校就很清楚自己想从所选专业中学到什么、知道自己的职业理想；但是大多数人都对此一无所知，或只有一个模糊的想法。”他说。

 

　　“There is no need to rush to a conclusion on whether you like your major or not or if it suits you.”

 

　　“没必要急着去断定你是否喜欢自己的专业，或者该专业是否适合自己。”

 

　　Instead, students should devote their time and energy to fully⁴ exploring their academic and career interests. This should take priority⁵ over decisions such as changing your major.

 

　　取而代之，学生应该多花点时间和精力来全面发掘自己的学术和职业兴趣。这才是他们当下的重点，而不是去做出转专业之类的决定。

 

　　In practical terms this means that if a student has no idea what he or she want to do, they should first narrow the focus from all possible majors down to a few selected areas.

 

　　实际上，这意味着如果学生不清楚自己想要什么，他们首先应该缩小范围，将所有可能的专业浓缩成少数几个精选领域。

 

　　Luo Jialiang, 21, a junior who changed his major from electronic engineer to law in his first year at Fudan University, shared his experience.

 

　　21岁的罗嘉亮（音译）就读于复旦大学三年级，大一时从电子工程转到了法律专业的他分享了自己的经验。

 

　　“Ask yourself these questions: What things excite you most? What jobs or careers appeal to you?”

 

　　“问问你自己以下几个问题：什么事情最让你激动？什么工作或职业最吸引你？”

 

　　He recommends that if students are indecisive they take a career assessment⁶. Career centers on campus usually offer this service in addition to a variety of personality tests.

 

　　他建议，如果学生还在犹豫不决，可以选择去参加一次职业评估。校园就业指导中心通常会提供职业评估、性格测试等服务。

 

　　Once a student has figured out his or her interests, they need to examine their abilities and make sure they can handle the study and work assignments in this field.

 

　　一旦学生找到了兴趣所在，他们就需要考量个人能力，以确保可以应付该专业领域的学习任务。

 

　　“Think about what your weaknesses and strengths are, such as logical reasoning,” he said.

 

　　“想想自己的弱点和长处分别是什么，比如逻辑推理能力。”他说道。

 

　　Cai Xiaoming, a biology professor at Peking University, reminds students that many choose certain majors just to follow the crowd. But without talking to teachers or practitioners⁷ in the field, they seldom get the right picture.

 

　　北京大学生物学教授蔡晓明提醒学生，许多人选专业只是随大流，并未与该专业领域的老师或从业者交流沟通，对于这些专业他们知之甚少。

 

　　“Some consider the biology major to be of little use as you can hardly earn big money; others think they can go abroad with this major,” he said. “Both are unrealistic.”

 

　　“一些学生认为生物专业几乎没什么用，很难赚大钱；另一些学生则认为选择该专业将来可以出国。”他说，“这两种想法都有些不切实际。”

 

　　Students should be patient and not make any hasty⁸ decisions. Some universities offer double majors, or even triple⁹ majors, if you really can’t decide.

 

　　学生们应该耐下心来，切忌草率做出决定。如果你真的难以抉择，一些大学还开设了双学位甚至三学位课程。

 

　　Hao Jian, a senior human resources consultant¹⁰ at Zhaopin.com, a leading HR service site, says that a college major is important for a person’s first job after graduation.

 

　　智联招聘高级人力资源顾问郝建表示认为，大学专业对学生毕业后的第一份工作至关重要。

 

　　But he also points out that studies show most people change careers four or five times in their lives.

 

　　但他也指出，相关研究表明，大多数人在一生中要换四至五次职业。

 

　　“No existing major can prepare you for that,” he said. “And you should believe that all things you learn on campus will be of help at some point in your life.”

 

　　“没有任何现有专业可以为此做准备，”他说道，“你要相信，你在学校所学的一切都会在生命中的某些时刻助你一臂之力。”

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 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

3 instructor   

n.指导者，教员，教练

参考例句：

• The college jumped him from instructor to full professor.大学突然把他从讲师提升为正教授。
• The skiing instructor was a tall,sunburnt man.滑雪教练是一个高高个子晒得黑黑的男子。

4 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

5 priority   

n.优先处理的事，居先，优先（权）

参考例句：

• The development of the national economy is a top priority.发展国民经济是应予以最优先考虑的事。
• Things should be taken up in order of priority.办事应有个先后次序。

6 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

7 practitioners   

n.习艺者，实习者( practitioner的名词复数 )；从业者（尤指医师）

参考例句：

• one of the greatest practitioners of science fiction 最了不起的科幻小说家之一
• The technique is experimental, but the list of its practitioners is growing. 这种技术是试验性的，但是采用它的人正在增加。 来自辞典例句

8 hasty   

adj.草率的，急速的，匆忙的，仓促完成的

参考例句：

• She's too hasty;she should learn to think before speaking.她太轻率了，她应该学会话出口前想一想。
• You will have time for a hasty snack before the train leaves.火车离站前你还能抓紧时间吃一顿快餐。

9 triple   

n.三倍之数，三个一组；adj.三倍的

参考例句：

• Twelve is the triple of four.十二是四的三倍数。
• He received triple wages for all his extra work.由于额外的工作他领取了三倍的工资。

10 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。