XB 2 Unit 2 英汉对译

WELCOME，XIE LEI
BUSINESS STUDENT BUILDING BRIDGES
“欢迎你，谢蕾!”
商科学生搭建文化交流的桥梁
Six months ago, 19-year-old Xie Lei said goodbye to her family and friends and boarded a plane for London. It was the first time that she had left China. “I was very excited but also quite nervous. I didn’t know what to expect,”Xie Lei recalled.
半年前，19岁的谢蕾告别家人和朋友，登上了飞往伦敦的班机。这是她第一次离开中国。“我很激动，也很紧张，不知道会发生什么。”谢蕾回忆道。
Xie Lei is studying for a business qualification at a university in China and has come to our university on a year-long exchange programme. “I chose the exchange programme because I wanted to learn about global business and improve my English. My ambition is to set up a business in China after graduation,” she explained.
谢蕾在中国一所大学攻读商科，来我校参加为期一年的交流项目。“之所以选择这个交流项目，是因为我想了解全球商务，并提高我的英语水平。我的志向是毕业后在中国创办一家企业。”她解释道。
At first, Xie Lei had to adapt to life in a different country. “You have to get used to a whole new life.” she said. “I had to earn how to use public transport and how to ask for things I didn’t know the English names for. When I got lost, I had to ask passers-by for help, but people here speak fast and use words I’m not familiar with. I ask them to repeat themselves a lot!”
起初，谢蕾不得不去适应异国他乡的生活。“你必须习惯全新的生活。”她说，“我得学会使用公共交通，学会要到我不知道英文名称的东西。迷路时，我得向路人求助但是这里的人讲话语速很快，而且使用的是我不熟悉的单词。我老是让他们重复!”
Although some foreign students live in campus accommodation, Xie Lei chose to live with a host family, who can help with her adaptation to the new culture. “When I miss home, I feel comforted to have a second family,” Xie Lei said. “When there’s something I don’t know or understand, I can ask them. They are also keen to learn about China. Laura, the daughter of my host family, wants to study in China in the future. We take turns to cook each evening. They really love my stir-fried tomatoes and eggs! Laura says she always feels hungry when she smells it, so I taught her how to cook it, too.”
虽然一些留学生住在学校里，但是谢蕾选择住在寄宿家庭，这有助于她适应异国文化。“有第二个家，想家时我会得到些安慰。”谢蕾说。“当我有不知道或不理解的事情时，我可以咨询他们。他们对中国也很感兴趣，我房东的女儿劳拉将来想到中国求学。我们每晚轮流做饭，他们真的很爱吃我做的番茄炒蛋！劳拉说，每次闻到香味，她就感到饥肠辘辘，于是我教她做这道菜。”
Another challenge for Xie Lei is the academic requirements. The first time that she had to write an essay, her tutor explained that she must acknowledge what other people had said if she cited their ideas, but that he mainly wanted to know what she thought! Xie Lei was confused because she thought she knew less than other people. Her tutor advised her to read lots of information in order to form a wise opinion of her own.
谢蕾面临的另一个挑战是学业要求。她第一次写论文时，导师跟她解释说，如果引用别人的观点就一定要注明，不过他主要还是想了解她本人的观点！谢蕾困惑不解，因为她觉得自己懂得没有别人多。她的导师建议她广泛阅读文献，形成自己睿智的观点。
Xie Lei also found many courses included students’ participation in class as part of the final result. Students need to generate ideas, offer examples, apply concepts, and raise questions, as well as give presentations. At first, Xie Lei had no idea what she should say, but what surprised her was that she found herself speaking up in class after just a few weeks. “My presentation on traditional Chinese art was a great success, which boosted my confidence,” she said. “I’ll use these skills back home for presentations. They’ll help me build a strong business in the future.”
此外，谢蕾发现很多课程的最终成绩都包含学生的课堂参与。学生需要形成观点、提供例子、运用概念、提出问题并且还要进行展示。刚开始的时候，谢蕾不知道该说些什么。但令她惊喜的是，仅仅几周时间，她就能在课堂上大胆发言了。“我的中国传统艺术展示非常成功，这提升了我的自信心。”她说，“回国后，我会将这些技能运用到展示中，未来帮助我打造一家强大的企业。”
Now halfway through her exchange year, Xie Lei feels much more at home in the UK. What seemed strange before now appears quite normal to her. “Engaging in British culture has helped,” she said. “As well as studying hard, I’ve been involved in social activities. British people are fascinated by our culture and eager to learn more about it, so I’m keen to share my culture with them. While I’m learning about business, I’m also acting as a cultural messenger building a bridge between us.”
一年的交换生生涯现已过半，谢蕾感觉在英国过得轻松自如多了。以前看似奇怪的事情现在对她来说显得十分平常。“融入英国文化使我受益匪浅。”她说，“努力学习之余我还参加了一些社交活动。英国人对我们的文化十分着迷，渴望了解更多中国文化，因此我也乐于同他们分享。攻读商科的同时，我也扮演着文化使者的角色，在中外文化之间架起一座桥梁。”
We will follow Xie Lei’s progress in later editions, but for now, we wish her all the best.
我们会在随后的几期中跟踪报道谢蕾的进展情况，但现在我们祝她一切顺利。
STUDYING ABROAD: IS IT A GOOD OR A BAD IDEA?
留学：好主意，还是坏主意？
Dear Editor,
尊敬的编辑：
In the past few decades, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people studying abroad. Although studying abroad can bring great benefits, I think the disadvantages for young people are greater.
过去几十年里，留学人数急剧增长。尽管留学大有裨益，但我认为留学对年轻人来说是弊大于利。
To begin with, many students who study abroad face great economic pressure. That means studying abroad is just not possible for everyone. Tuition fees and living expenses are much more expensive than at home and could end up costing most families an arm and a leg. Studying in China is much more convenient and can help save money
首先，许多留学生面临着巨大的经济压力，这意味着并非每个人都有留学的可能。国外的学费和生活开销比国内昂贵得多，大部分家庭最终可能要花费一大笔钱。而在中国读书则更加方便，还能省钱。
Another important factor to consider is the tremendous pressure that comes with studying abroad. Students must learn how to live in an unfamiliar environment with limited language skills. Some may struggle and suffer from culture shock when learning how to behave in new surroundings. Other students are not mature enough to handle the challenges by themselves and may become depressed. Some students might even encounter problems with personal safety. In addition, different approaches to teaching and learning may come as a shock to many students
需要考虑的另一个重要因素是留学所带来的巨大压力。学生必须学会靠有限的语言技能在一个陌生的环境中生活。在学习如何在新环境中举止得体，有些学生可能会感到吃力，并承受文化冲击的影响。另一些学生则还不够成熟，无法独立应付各种挑战，因而感到苦闷。有些学生甚至会遭遇人身安全问题。此外，不同的教和学的方式对很多学生来说也是一种冲击。
A final point to consider is that while studying abroad does have potential benefits, young people who study in China also have a great future to look forward to! As China has boomed, the educational environment has improved significantly, with many great universities now available. They have great facilities and outstanding professors, helping to educate young people who will contribute to the economy and further strengthen our country.
最后要考虑的一点是：尽管留学有诸多潜在的益处，但是在中国读书的年轻人同样未来可期！随着中国的蓬勃发展，教育环境己大为改观，优质大学比比皆是。这些高校拥有一流的设施和杰出的教授，助力培养为经济作贡献、进一步增强我国实力的年轻人。
To sum up, one cannot deny the fact that studying abroad has its disadvantages, so when you think about studying abroad, you should consider these many factors
综上所述，我们无法否认的事实是：留学有其弊端。因此当你想要海外求学时，应当考虑上述诸多因素。
Kind regards,
谨致问候！
Wang Li ( mother of twin girls)
王丽（一对双胞胎女孩的母亲）
Dear Editor,
尊敬的编辑：
Is studying abroad a good idea or not? There are certainly disadvantages, but in my opinion, the advantages are much greater. As I always tell my son, there are no great difficulties or a person who is brave, optimistic, and willing to work hard!
留学是个好主意还是坏主意呢！留学当然有其弊端，但我认为利大于弊。我时常告诫我儿子，对勇敢、乐观、愿意拼搏的人来说，世上无难事！
The first advantage of studying abroad is personal growth. The education you gain and the experiences you have will change you for the better. For example, you will certainly become more independent because you will have to deal with all kinds of difficulties by yourself. Studying abroad also helps you to gain a global perspective and improve your general competence.
留学的第一个好处就是个人成长。你获得的教育和拥有的经历将有助于你提升自我。例如，由于你需要独自应对各种困难，你一定会变得更加独立。留学还有助于你获得全球视野，提升综合能力。
Another advantage is the increased chance for cultural exchange. Chinese students can be seen as cultural envoys promoting friendship between nations. International students in China also bring their colourful cultures here. Cooperating with people from diverse cultural backgrounds helps us view the world from different angles and thus gives us more insight into our own culture.
留学的另一个好处是获得更多文化交流的机会。中国留学生可被视为增进国际友谊的文化使者。在华的外国留学生也带来他们丰富多彩的文化。与来自不同文化背景的人合作有助于我们从不同视角看待世界，进而让我们对自己的文化有更深入的了解。
Finally, studying abroad provides a great opportunity to contribute to the development of our motherland. China’s global outlook, with projects such as the Belt and Road Initiative, has helped us make connections across the world. Therefore, China needs more talented young people with a global perspective who are highly competent with languages, have leadership and organisational skills, and have strong cultural awareness. Students who study abroad will develop such skills and abilities, and these in turn will provide them with better career opportunities
最后，留学是为祖国的发展作出贡献的好机会。中国“一带一路”倡议等项目的全球前景帮助我们与世界建立联系。因此，中国需要更多有才能、有国际视野、语言能力极强具有领导力和组织能力、拥有强烈文化意识的年轻人。海外求学的学生能够培养这类技能，而这些技能反过来又将为他们带来更好的就业机会。
All in all, studying abroad helps to build character and increase people’s understanding of cultural diversity while strengthening China and building a shared future for all. I think this life-changing experience is certainly worthwhile, and I hope my child will study abroad in the future.
总而言之，出国留学有助于塑造人格，增加人们对文化多样性的了解，同时增强中国的实力，打造命运共同体。我觉得这段改变人生的经历肯定是值得的，我希望孩子将来能出国留学。
Sincerely yours,
此致敬礼
Zhang Yi (father of one boy)
张毅（一个男孩的父亲）