终结关于“间隔年”的三个流言

 　　The term “gap year” traditionally applies to the year between high school graduation and college matriculation. For many students, the gap year is a time for adventure and personal exploration. The reasons that a student might opt¹ for a gap year can be various.

　　“间隔年”这个说法传统上是指在高中毕业和大学入学之间的一年。对很多学生来说，间隔年是用来冒险和探索自我的。学生选择间隔年的理由五花八门。

　　A well-structured gap year can inform your college and career path, and it can educate you in ways you might not have imagined. But the gap year you see on television is not always the gap year that you find in reality. Here are three gap year myths that stand in the way of honestly evaluating whether a gap year is right for you. Debunked², they may make your decision process much clearer:

　　一个精心规划的间隔年可以为你指明学习和职业的发展方向，还会以你想象不到的方式教育你。然而你在电视上看到的间隔年并不总是现实中的那样的。这里有三个关于间隔年的流言，在你客观评价间隔年是否真正适合你的时候影响着你。真相马上揭晓，你做决定的时候将会更加清楚明白：

　　间隔年

　　1. A gap year is like a vacation

　　1. 间隔年就像一个假期

　　Your gap year is whatever you make of it. Certain students choose to work, while others complete internships. Some students volunteer, or they travel while pursuing a self-directed education. But each of these options involves effort. A gap year is not a week at the beach.

　　你想怎么利用间隔年都可以。有些学生选择工作，有的选择实习，有的去当志愿者，有的在旅行途中引导自己学习。这里每一种选择都需要努力，间隔年可不像在海滩玩一个星期那么悠闲。

　　Internships and self-directed education also involve concentrated effort. Internships are like a work-learning hybrid⁴, and they can be an excellent way to explore a potential career field. If you choose to participate in a gap year internship³, look for internships that offer training in specific skills, as well as a reasonable number of hours per week. Beware of “internships” that are actually commission-based sales positions – or schemes that take advantage of your labor⁵ and savings⁶.

　　实习和自学都需要专注地努力。在实习中，工作和学习是同时进行的，那是探索未来职业领域的绝佳方式。如果你选择参加间隔年实习，那就要找一些提供专项技能培训的项目，每周的工作时间也要合理。小心那些按营业额提成的“实习”销售职位和那些对你劳动力和存款图谋不轨的项目。

　　Certain websites like Coursera offer free or low-cost education around which you can design a gap year. Self-directed education can also help you improve a weak academic portfolio⁷. If possible, select those options that offer certificates of completion (or another way of tracking your progress) so you will have demonstrable proof of what you learned during your gap year.

　　有些网站（如Coursera）会提供免费或者低价的教育课程，你可以在上面规划如何度过你的间隔年。自学还可以丰富你单薄的学术背景。可以的话尽量选那些提供完成证书（或者其他形式的学习进程记录）的课程，这样你就可以证明你在间隔年里学过东西。

　　2. A gap year can harm your admissions chances

　　2. 间隔年可能会降低你的录取率

　　The effect a gap year has on your college applications depends entirely⁸ on how you spend that year. A 12-month gap in your education and/or work history could be a significant warning sign for a prospective⁹ school, but if you instead participate in meaningful experiences, your gap year can serve as a significant admissions boon¹⁰. A gap year can enable you to start college refreshed and eager and a chance to demonstrate your maturity¹¹ and dedication¹² to your personal growth.

　　间隔年对你申请大学有怎样的影响完全取决于你如何度过间隔年。如果你学习史和/或工作史中有12个月的间断，那你未来的学校决定录取你的时候可能会额外谨慎。不过，如果你在间隔年里经历了很多有意义的事，那么间隔年就会成为重要的加分项。经过间隔年，你可以精神抖擞地开始大学生活，同时也可以展现你的成熟魅力和对个人成长的付出。

　　3. A gap year is expensive

　　3. 间隔年很费钱

　　Certain gap year programs require a significant monetary¹³ investment, but there are many opportunities for students who wish to spend less on this experience. You can also further your education with the (mostly) free resources mentioned above. Delaying college or your entry into the workforce¹⁴ for a year can seem like a daunting¹⁵ opportunity cost, but a gap year can ultimately become an excellent long-term investment.

　　某些间隔年项目需要大量的金钱投入，不过也有很多项目适合不想花费太多钱的学生。你也可以用上面提到的那些（大部分）免费的资源来学习深造。推迟一年进入大学或工作看起来或许是在糟蹋机会，但间隔年最终可以变成一个收益极好的长线投资。

1 opt   

vi.选择，决定做某事

参考例句：

• They opt for more holiday instead of more pay.他们选择了延长假期而不是增加工资。
• Will individual schools be given the right to opt out of the local school authority?各个学校可能有权选择退出地方教育局吗？

2 debunked   

v.揭穿真相，暴露( debunk的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His theories have been debunked by recent research. 最近的研究揭穿了他的理论的真相。
• Some advertising slogans should be debunked. 某些夸大的广告用语应予揭露。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 internship   

n.实习医师，实习医师期

参考例句：

• an internship at a television station 在电视台的实习期
• a summer internship with a small stipend 薪水微薄的暑期实习

4 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。

5 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

6 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

7 portfolio   

n.公事包；文件夹；大臣及部长职位

参考例句：

• He remembered her because she was carrying a large portfolio.他因为她带着一个大公文包而记住了她。
• He resigned his portfolio.他辞去了大臣职务。

8 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

9 prospective   

adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的

参考例句：

• The story should act as a warning to other prospective buyers.这篇报道应该对其他潜在的购买者起到警示作用。
• They have all these great activities for prospective freshmen.这会举办各种各样的活动来招待未来的新人。

10 boon   

n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠

参考例句：

• A car is a real boon when you live in the country.在郊外居住，有辆汽车确实极为方便。
• These machines have proved a real boon to disabled people.事实证明这些机器让残疾人受益匪浅。

11 maturity   

n.成熟；完成；(支票、债券等)到期

参考例句：

• These plants ought to reach maturity after five years.这些植物五年后就该长成了。
• This is the period at which the body attains maturity.这是身体发育成熟的时期。

12 dedication   

n.奉献，献身，致力，题献，献辞

参考例句：

• We admire her courage,compassion and dedication.我们钦佩她的勇气、爱心和奉献精神。
• Her dedication to her work was admirable.她对工作的奉献精神可钦可佩。

13 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

14 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

15 daunting   

adj.使人畏缩的

参考例句：

• They were faced with the daunting task of restoring the house.他们面临着修复房子的艰巨任务。
• Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect.开始一项新工作有时会让人望而却步。