2006年VOA标准英语-College Students Gain Work Experience as Intern

By Barry Unger
Washington, DC
26 July 2006
 
watch Internship³ report

Each summer, thousands of college students flock to Washington to work as interns². Some contact their congressional representative or senator to volunteer on Capitol Hill. Others do online research to find internships offering grants or stipends⁴.  And some students pay organizations to help them find the right internship. Suzanne Presto⁵ narrates⁶ this report.

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Crystal Bouziden 
  
College student Crystal Bouziden has three months off between classes at the University of Iowa. But instead of taking it easy, she went to Washington to work as an intern¹ and interact with lobbyists she hopes may one day offer her a job. 

"I get goose bumps going into work, just being around this, and stuff.  This has definitely shaped my future plans and, really, if I didn't come here this summer, I am sure I would still have no idea what I really wanted to do," she said.

Bouziden studies political science and psychology⁷. Although she is not getting paid for her work, she is earning credits toward her degree. She obtained an internship with a lobbying firm through The Washington Center, a non-profit organization that places students in the Washington area.

The application process was not a simple one.

"I began my application process at the beginning of January," said Bouziden. "I had my references set up and letters (of recommendation), and I worked on my personal statement and turned in the application and was very happy to find out I was accepted."

  
  
There is more to the summer program than just an internship. Students attend symposiums, where they can meet people in their field of study. They attend lectures given by diplomats⁸ and politicians. They also must take an academic class.

Bouziden is taking a course on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.

"I really wanted to take a class I could not take at the University of Iowa. I really wanted a class that would be very different, and would educate me and give me a lot more experience," said Bouziden.

Michael B. Smith   
  
Michael B. Smith is the president of The Washington Center. He says students benefit from the variety of activities. "It is an academic internship. It is a full-time⁹ internship that will, in fact, help you get a job after college, help you get into law school [for example]. But come for the education experience. Come to lean about public policy. Do the job. Take the lectures. Take the course. It is that well-rounded structure that I think sets us apart," said Smith.

Smith says the type of students coming to Washington has changed in recent years.

"In the middle of the 1970s, about 80 percent of the interns were interested in politics and interning¹⁰ on Capitol Hill, or the executive branch," said Smith. "Now, we have developed placements over the last 30 years, we like to say, 'from A-to-Z' -- from Arts to Zoology¹¹."

Bernard Logan   
  
Bernard Logan attends Dickinson College in the northeastern state of Pennsylvania. He is interning at a brokerage firm.

"I start off every day going online, looking for recent mergers¹² and acquisitions, I.P.O.'s [Initial Public Offerings], looking up funds. So I'm basically researching a lot through the day. It's great for me, because it gives me a lot of leeway, where I can learn on my own and try to put things together,” said Logan.

He says Washington was the right place for an internship.  "I just feel that D.C. offers more. This is where our country comes together. This is our nation's capital. I'm gaining that business knowledge that I need for my career goals in D.C.,” said Logan.

He wanted an internship where he could use his knowledge of the Chinese language. He has spent a year studying in China.

"I can speak a little. I can speak proficiently¹³. One of the other interns in this office is from China. We have developed a great relationship,” said Logan.  “He is one of my great friends now. We actually speak Chinese all day. It's funny, because, sometimes, he says, 'Bernie, can we speak some English now?'"

Smith, of the Washington Center, says it is bringing a growing number of international students to Washington.

"We think our international numbers will frankly¹⁴ grow from 15 to 25 percent over the next few years. We are actively¹⁵ engaged," said Smith.

A couple of those international students are interning at Voice of America in the Korean Service.

Boseok Kim  
  
BoSeok Kim is a South Korean college student, who has been studying in the United States for the past year. She says her work at Voice of America is preparing her for a career in journalism¹⁶.

"I translate English news into Korean, which is going to be broadcast on the radio and the Internet. After I translate the script, I also do voicing in the studios on a weekly basis. I want to do my career in English. So, I need to improve my English, and I need to get practical skills in journalism. I think I'm catching¹⁷ two birds at the same time," said Kim.

Internships can be expensive to obtain.  The Washington Center charges several thousand dollars to help place students in internships, provide academic classes and housing. The center says 85 percent of its student interns receive some type of financial assistance.

Students, such as Crystal Bouziden, say the experience is worth the cost.

"It has answered a lot of questions I had. Coming in here, I thought I liked politics. I thought, ‘This is something that I want to do for a career.’ Even though I have only been here for a month, it has definitely solidified¹⁸ the idea that this is something I want to do," said Bouziden.

And for a college student preparing to graduate and begin a career, that type of knowledge can be priceless.

1 intern   

v.拘禁，软禁；n.实习生

参考例句：

• I worked as an intern in that firm last summer.去年夏天我在那家商行实习。
• The intern bandaged the cut as the nurse looked on.这位实习生在护士的照看下给病人包扎伤口。

2 interns   

n.住院实习医生( intern的名词复数 )v.拘留，关押( intern的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Our interns also greet our guests when they arrive in our studios. 我们的实习生也会在嘉宾抵达演播室的时候向他们致以问候。 来自超越目标英语 第4册
• The interns work alongside experienced civil engineers and receive training in the different work sectors. 实习生陪同有经验的国内工程师工作，接受不同工作部门的相关培训。 来自超越目标英语 第4册

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 stipends   

n.（尤指牧师的）薪俸( stipend的名词复数 )

参考例句：

5 presto   

adv.急速地；n.急板乐段；adj.急板的

参考例句：

• With something so important,you can't just wave a wand and presto!在这么重大的问题上，你想挥动一下指挥棒，转眼就变过来,办不到！
• I just turned the piece of wire in the lock and hey presto,the door opened.我把金属丝伸到锁孔里一拧，嘿，那门就开了。

6 narrates   

v.故事( narrate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• It narrates the unconstitutional acts of James II. 它历数了詹姆斯二世的违法行为。 来自辞典例句
• Chapter three narrates the economy activity which Jew return the Occident. 第三章讲述了犹太人重返西欧后的经济活动。 来自互联网

7 psychology   

n.心理，心理学，心理状态

参考例句：

• She has a background in child psychology.她受过儿童心理学的教育。
• He studied philosophy and psychology at Cambridge.他在剑桥大学学习哲学和心理学。

8 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

10 interning   

v.拘留，关押( intern的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I will spend the summer interning at a software company in Bombay. 夏季我将会在孟买的一家软件公司里实习。 来自互联网
• The young doctor is interning at the Medical Center this year. 这名年轻医生今年在医疗中心做实习医生。 来自互联网

11 zoology   

n.动物学，生态

参考例句：

• I would like to brush up my zoology.我想重新温习一下动物学。
• The library didn't stock zoology textbooks.这家图书馆没有动物学教科书。

12 mergers   

n.（两个公司的）合并( merger的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Mergers fall into three categories: horizontal, vertical, and conglomerate. 合并分为以下三种：横向合并，纵向合并和混合合并。 来自辞典例句
• Many recent mergers are concentrated within specific industries, particularly in retailing, airlines and communications. 现代许多合并企业集中进行某些特定业务，在零售业、民航和通讯业中更是如此。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

13 proficiently   

ad.熟练地

参考例句：

• Language Skills: Ability to write and speak English proficiently. 语言要求：有良好的英语读写能力。
• Although not a diplomat, he can proficiently use diplomatic terms. 他虽然不是外交官，却能熟练地使用外交辞令。

14 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

15 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

16 journalism   

n.新闻工作，报业

参考例句：

• He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师，可还兼职做一些新闻工作。
• He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。

17 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

18 solidified   

（使）成为固体，（使）变硬，（使）变得坚固( solidify的过去式和过去分词 )； 使团结一致； 充实，巩固； 具体化

参考例句：

• Her attitudes solidified through privilege and habit. 由于特权和习惯使然，她的看法变得越来越难以改变。
• When threatened, he fires spheres of solidified air from his launcher! 当危险来临，他就会发射它的弹药！