The Craze of Pursuing Graduate Studies

　　【精彩范文】

　　The Craze of Pursuing Graduate Studies

　　Each year, millions of Chinese college students sit for qualifying examinations for graduate studies, primarily in Masters programs. Students prepare for those examinations either through years of arduous self-education or by spending large sums of money attending local training schools. The publishing of examinations-related study materials and the training programs offered, both online and offline, have combined to form a sizable industry.

　　An alarming fact about this craze is that most students pursue graduate studies not out of their voluntary will. Faced with the harsh reality in the employment market, which is forever looking for graduates with higher degrees, many college graduates find going to graduate schools is a good way to avoid unemployment and to enhance ones competitiveness in future job hunting.

　　However, without that voluntary initiative, most students who do enter graduate schools are not motivated. For them, the only thing that ultimately counts is the degree or the diploma which they expect could give them an upper hand against other job hunters. As to the actual substance of their graduate studies, its not a big deal for them, as long as it leads to that degree or diploma. It is really pathetic to see that students undertake graduate studies with an ulterior motivenot for the sake of loving what they study, but for the sake of merely landing a job, which in many cases might be unrelated to what they have studied.

　　The chill truth is that students soon find their anticipations are a mere dream. As so many undergraduates proceed onto graduate studies, the employment situation remains as severe as ever. Instead of bringing about apparent competitive edges, two or three years of additional academic training is simply a waste of time and energy. They need to reflect on this craze and would have been better off distinguishing themselves with outstanding knowledge and skills when they were undergraduates.

　　【參考譯文】

　　考 研 熱

　　每年，數以百萬計的中國大學生參加研究生入學資格考試，主要是攻讀碩士學位課程。學生們要么通過數年艱辛的自學，要么通過花上不菲的一筆錢參加當地培訓學校的課程，來準備這些資格考試。與考試相關的學習材料的出版，以及網上和網下所提供的培訓課程，一起構成了一個規模可觀的產業。

　　關于這股熱潮，一個觸目驚心的事實是，大多數學生并不是出于他們自主的意愿而去追求研究生階段的學習的。面對著就業市場上嚴峻的現實，看著雇主們永遠將目光投向那些學歷更高的畢業生，許多大學生發現，進入研究生院去攻讀碩士學位不失為一個良策，一方面避免了失業，另一方面可以提升未來求職過程中的競爭力。

　　然則，沒有了那份由衷而發的積極性，最終得以進入研究生院的學生，其中大多數缺乏自我上進的動力。對于他們而言，最終而言，唯有其文憑或學位事關重大。他們希望，這個學位或文憑能提升其優勢，戰勝其他求職者。至于他們研究生課程實際學習什么內容，于他們而言并非關鍵所在，只要所學的東西能帶來一紙學位或文憑即可。看著學生們并非懷著一種真實的意圖去攻讀研究生課程，實在令人感到悲哀：學生們并不真正熱愛其所學的內容，而只是為了找到一份工作，并且這份工作在很多情形中可能與其所學專業毫不相關。

　　一個令人心寒的事實真相是，學生們很快就會發現，他們的期望純粹是一種幻想。由于本科之后繼續讀研的學生如此之眾，就業形勢一如既往地嚴峻。二至三年額外的學術訓練沒能給學生帶來顯著的競爭優勢，而是令他們白白地浪費了時光與精力，大學生們有必要對此熱潮展開反思。如果他們早在本科期間就以優異的學識與能力脫穎而出的話，他們的處境肯定會來的好得多。

　　【炫詞/炫語/炫句研究】

　　1. to sit for examinations: 就相當于to take part in examinations

　　2. qualifying examination;資格考試;體育上的資格賽就叫 qualifying matches

　　3. graduate studies: 研究生學習的美國說法; 英國的說法是postgraduate studies

　　4. Masters program：碩士學位課程;本科學位課程是undergraduate program或Bachelors program; 博士學位課程是 Ph.D. program 或 doctoral program;

　　5. to prepare for examinations: 備考

　　6. either through or by : 要么是通過, 要么是憑借

　　7. years of arduous self-education: 數年的艱苦自學; arduous：艱難卓絕的; self-education的另一個說法是self-study;

　　8. to spend large sums of money attending local training schools: spend time or money doing something; 另外，在large sums of money這個表達方式中，雖然money是不可數的，但作為量詞的sum是可數的，要用復數，謂語動詞也相應要用復數。類似的例子有amount, 如large amounts of energy, 其用法與large sums of money相同。

　　9. examinations-related study materials：與考試相關的學習材料

　　10. the training programs offered, both online and offline, 網上和網下所提供的培訓項目;the training programs offered 就相當于the training programs (which are )offered;

　　11. a sizable industry: 一個規模可觀的產業;sizable：sufficiently big

　　12. an alarming fact about this craze is that有關這股狂熱，一個令人震驚的事實是

　　13. students pursue graduate studies not out of their voluntary will: 學生們不是出于其自主的意愿去尋求研究生學習的;pursue graduate studies是個不錯的表達方式;out of就相當于from; voluntary: 自愿的; will：意志，意愿;

　　14. faced with the harsh reality in the employment market: 面對著就業市場上嚴峻的現實;faced with 一般要用被動語態;harsh reality：嚴峻的現實;the employment market: 就業市場;

　　15. where employers forever look for graduates with higher degrees：where指in the employment market;graduates with higher degrees：擁有更高學位的畢業生

　　16. many college graduates find going to graduate schools is a good way to : many college graduates find 后面省略掉了賓語從句的引導詞that;going to graduate schools 是現在分詞短語作主語;

　　17. avoid unemployment: avoid的用法有二，一是avoid something; 二是avoid doing something;

　　18. to enhance ones competitiveness in future job hunting: 提升在未來求職過程中的競爭力;to enhance ones competitiveness是個不錯的搭配;競爭優勢叫competitive edge; future是形容詞;job hunting是個固定搭配;

　　19. voluntary initiative：initiative 是積極性，主動性，進取心的意思;另外，中東的和平倡議 就叫the Middle East peace initiative;

　　20. most students who do enter graduate schools are not self-motivated: do enter是動詞的強調形式;not self-motivated： 缺乏自我動力;

　　21. the only thing that counts：就相當于 the only thing that matters; ultimately: 最終地

　　22. the degree or the diploma which they expect could give them an upper hand against other job seekers：那個他們希冀能夠使他們相對于其他求職者略勝一籌的學位或文憑;they expect是插入語，并非是定語從句中的主語與謂語;which才是定語從句中的主語，could give是定語從句中的謂語動詞;類似的例子如：This is a book which I hope would be useful to you. could 采用的是虛擬語氣，表示與實際并不相符;an upper hand: 優勢，上風; job seekers：求職者，就相當于job hunters;

　　23. as to the actual substance of their graduate studies, its not a big deal: as to就相當于as for, 表示至于. the actual substance: 實際的內容; substance即content; its not a big deal口語與書面語中都很常用，表示并非大事一樁

　　24. as long as it leads to that degree or diploma：只要它能帶來那個學位或文憑即可;as long as是連詞，表示只要，引導一個條件狀語從句;

　　25. It is really pathetic to see that: 看到 真是令人心感悲哀;

　　26. students undertake graduate studies with an ulterior motive：undertake graduate studies就相當于pursue graduate studies; an ulterior motive: 固定詞組，表示別有用心的意思;

　　27. not for the sake of , but for the sake of : 不是為了的緣故，而是為了的緣故;

　　28. to land a job, which in many cases might be unrelated to what they have studied: to land a job表示找到工作 在口語中, land當動詞用是，表示贏得，得到，找到，撈到，如to land a contract, to land a trophy, to land a nomination, to land a prize; in many cases: 在許多情形中;

　　29. the chill truth is that: 令人心寒的事實真相是

　　30. students soon find their anticipations are a mere dream: 學生們很快發現，他們的期望只是一種幻想;find后面省略了引導詞that

　　31. As so many undergraduates proceed onto graduate studies: as是連詞，表示由于、隨著，代表原因。undergraduate：本科生; proceed onto 指停頓或打斷后繼續進行(做)某事; 如： After talking about Plan A, lets proceed onto Plan B.

　　32. the employment situation remains as severe as ever: 就業形勢一如既往地依然嚴峻。employment situation是個固定詞組，值得一記; remain是聯系動詞，后接形容詞，表示一直處于某種境地或狀態as severe as ever：與以往一樣的嚴峻;記住as as ever的用法。

　　33. Instead of bringing about apparent competitive edges, two or three years of additional academic training is simply a waste of time and energy. 二至三年額外的學術訓練沒能給學生帶來顯著的競爭優勢，反而是白白地浪費了他們的時光與精力;現在分詞短語bringing about apparent competitive edges這個動作，是主句的主語two or three years of additional academic training所發出的。bringing about或bringing在此處都可以用，意思略微不同;bringing是帶來，bringing about是造成，導致，產生， competitive edges: 上面已講過，是競爭優勢的意思;在two or three years of additional academic training is simply a waste of time and energy 這個句子中，有人會問，two or three years of additional academic training作為一個充當主語的名詞短語，是以復數形式出現的，與is a waste of time and energy中單數的動詞is是否一致。回答是，是一致的。 雖然two or three years of additional academic training形式上是復數，但是，它是被動作一個整體來處理的，整個看作一段時間。 類似的例子如：Two years is a long time to wait. 此外，還有：Three miles is a long distance to walk. 等。a waste of time and energy是個不錯的短語。

　　34. to reflect on this craze: 單獨一個reflect當及物動詞使用時，是反映，折射的意思，如：This article fully reflects his ideas. 但作為不及物動詞，與介詞on結合使用時，表示反思，思索

　　35. be better off doing something: 做某事要來的更愜意，(日子)過得更滋潤;如：As long as there are enough to eat and drink, I will be better off living in the countryside.

　　36. distinguishing themselves with outstanding knowledge and skills: 憑著出色的學識與能力使自己脫穎而出;to distinguish somebody with something 是個值得記住的詞組。

　　The Craze of Pursuing Graduate Studies

　　【精彩范文】

　　The Craze of Pursuing Graduate Studies

　　Each year, millions of Chinese college students sit for qualifying examinations for graduate studies, primarily in Masters programs. Students prepare for those examinations either through years of arduous self-education or by spending large sums of money attending local training schools. The publishing of examinations-related study materials and the training programs offered, both online and offline, have combined to form a sizable industry.

　　An alarming fact about this craze is that most students pursue graduate studies not out of their voluntary will. Faced with the harsh reality in the employment market, which is forever looking for graduates with higher degrees, many college graduates find going to graduate schools is a good way to avoid unemployment and to enhance ones competitiveness in future job hunting.

　　However, without that voluntary initiative, most students who do enter graduate schools are not motivated. For them, the only thing that ultimately counts is the degree or the diploma which they expect could give them an upper hand against other job hunters. As to the actual substance of their graduate studies, its not a big deal for them, as long as it leads to that degree or diploma. It is really pathetic to see that students undertake graduate studies with an ulterior motivenot for the sake of loving what they study, but for the sake of merely landing a job, which in many cases might be unrelated to what they have studied.

　　The chill truth is that students soon find their anticipations are a mere dream. As so many undergraduates proceed onto graduate studies, the employment situation remains as severe as ever. Instead of bringing about apparent competitive edges, two or three years of additional academic training is simply a waste of time and energy. They need to reflect on this craze and would have been better off distinguishing themselves with outstanding knowledge and skills when they were undergraduates.

　　【參考譯文】

　　考 研 熱

　　每年，數以百萬計的中國大學生參加研究生入學資格考試，主要是攻讀碩士學位課程。學生們要么通過數年艱辛的自學，要么通過花上不菲的一筆錢參加當地培訓學校的課程，來準備這些資格考試。與考試相關的學習材料的出版，以及網上和網下所提供的培訓課程，一起構成了一個規模可觀的產業。

　　關于這股熱潮，一個觸目驚心的事實是，大多數學生并不是出于他們自主的意愿而去追求研究生階段的學習的。面對著就業市場上嚴峻的現實，看著雇主們永遠將目光投向那些學歷更高的畢業生，許多大學生發現，進入研究生院去攻讀碩士學位不失為一個良策，一方面避免了失業，另一方面可以提升未來求職過程中的競爭力。

　　然則，沒有了那份由衷而發的積極性，最終得以進入研究生院的學生，其中大多數缺乏自我上進的動力。對于他們而言，最終而言，唯有其文憑或學位事關重大。他們希望，這個學位或文憑能提升其優勢，戰勝其他求職者。至于他們研究生課程實際學習什么內容，于他們而言并非關鍵所在，只要所學的東西能帶來一紙學位或文憑即可。看著學生們并非懷著一種真實的意圖去攻讀研究生課程，實在令人感到悲哀：學生們并不真正熱愛其所學的內容，而只是為了找到一份工作，并且這份工作在很多情形中可能與其所學專業毫不相關。

　　一個令人心寒的事實真相是，學生們很快就會發現，他們的期望純粹是一種幻想。由于本科之后繼續讀研的學生如此之眾，就業形勢一如既往地嚴峻。二至三年額外的學術訓練沒能給學生帶來顯著的競爭優勢，而是令他們白白地浪費了時光與精力，大學生們有必要對此熱潮展開反思。如果他們早在本科期間就以優異的學識與能力脫穎而出的話，他們的處境肯定會來的好得多。

　　【炫詞/炫語/炫句研究】

　　1. to sit for examinations: 就相當于to take part in examinations

　　2. qualifying examination;資格考試;體育上的資格賽就叫 qualifying matches

　　3. graduate studies: 研究生學習的美國說法; 英國的說法是postgraduate studies

　　4. Masters program：碩士學位課程;本科學位課程是undergraduate program或Bachelors program; 博士學位課程是 Ph.D. program 或 doctoral program;

　　5. to prepare for examinations: 備考

　　6. either through or by : 要么是通過, 要么是憑借

　　7. years of arduous self-education: 數年的艱苦自學; arduous：艱難卓絕的; self-education的另一個說法是self-study;

　　8. to spend large sums of money attending local training schools: spend time or money doing something; 另外，在large sums of money這個表達方式中，雖然money是不可數的，但作為量詞的sum是可數的，要用復數，謂語動詞也相應要用復數。類似的例子有amount, 如large amounts of energy, 其用法與large sums of money相同。

　　9. examinations-related study materials：與考試相關的學習材料

　　10. the training programs offered, both online and offline, 網上和網下所提供的培訓項目;the training programs offered 就相當于the training programs (which are )offered;

　　11. a sizable industry: 一個規模可觀的產業;sizable：sufficiently big

　　12. an alarming fact about this craze is that有關這股狂熱，一個令人震驚的事實是

　　13. students pursue graduate studies not out of their voluntary will: 學生們不是出于其自主的意愿去尋求研究生學習的;pursue graduate studies是個不錯的表達方式;out of就相當于from; voluntary: 自愿的; will：意志，意愿;

　　14. faced with the harsh reality in the employment market: 面對著就業市場上嚴峻的現實;faced with 一般要用被動語態;harsh reality：嚴峻的現實;the employment market: 就業市場;

　　15. where employers forever look for graduates with higher degrees：where指in the employment market;graduates with higher degrees：擁有更高學位的畢業生

　　16. many college graduates find going to graduate schools is a good way to : many college graduates find 后面省略掉了賓語從句的引導詞that;going to graduate schools 是現在分詞短語作主語;

　　17. avoid unemployment: avoid的用法有二，一是avoid something; 二是avoid doing something;

　　18. to enhance ones competitiveness in future job hunting: 提升在未來求職過程中的競爭力;to enhance ones competitiveness是個不錯的搭配;競爭優勢叫competitive edge; future是形容詞;job hunting是個固定搭配;

　　19. voluntary initiative：initiative 是積極性，主動性，進取心的意思;另外，中東的和平倡議 就叫the Middle East peace initiative;

　　20. most students who do enter graduate schools are not self-motivated: do enter是動詞的強調形式;not self-motivated： 缺乏自我動力;

　　21. the only thing that counts：就相當于 the only thing that matters; ultimately: 最終地

　　22. the degree or the diploma which they expect could give them an upper hand against other job seekers：那個他們希冀能夠使他們相對于其他求職者略勝一籌的學位或文憑;they expect是插入語，并非是定語從句中的主語與謂語;which才是定語從句中的主語，could give是定語從句中的謂語動詞;類似的例子如：This is a book which I hope would be useful to you. could 采用的是虛擬語氣，表示與實際并不相符;an upper hand: 優勢，上風; job seekers：求職者，就相當于job hunters;

　　23. as to the actual substance of their graduate studies, its not a big deal: as to就相當于as for, 表示至于. the actual substance: 實際的內容; substance即content; its not a big deal口語與書面語中都很常用，表示并非大事一樁

　　24. as long as it leads to that degree or diploma：只要它能帶來那個學位或文憑即可;as long as是連詞，表示只要，引導一個條件狀語從句;

　　25. It is really pathetic to see that: 看到 真是令人心感悲哀;

　　26. students undertake graduate studies with an ulterior motive：undertake graduate studies就相當于pursue graduate studies; an ulterior motive: 固定詞組，表示別有用心的意思;

　　27. not for the sake of , but for the sake of : 不是為了的緣故，而是為了的緣故;

　　28. to land a job, which in many cases might be unrelated to what they have studied: to land a job表示找到工作 在口語中, land當動詞用是，表示贏得，得到，找到，撈到，如to land a contract, to land a trophy, to land a nomination, to land a prize; in many cases: 在許多情形中;

　　29. the chill truth is that: 令人心寒的事實真相是

　　30. students soon find their anticipations are a mere dream: 學生們很快發現，他們的期望只是一種幻想;find后面省略了引導詞that

　　31. As so many undergraduates proceed onto graduate studies: as是連詞，表示由于、隨著，代表原因。undergraduate：本科生; proceed onto 指停頓或打斷后繼續進行(做)某事; 如： After talking about Plan A, lets proceed onto Plan B.

　　32. the employment situation remains as severe as ever: 就業形勢一如既往地依然嚴峻。employment situation是個固定詞組，值得一記; remain是聯系動詞，后接形容詞，表示一直處于某種境地或狀態as severe as ever：與以往一樣的嚴峻;記住as as ever的用法。

　　33. Instead of bringing about apparent competitive edges, two or three years of additional academic training is simply a waste of time and energy. 二至三年額外的學術訓練沒能給學生帶來顯著的競爭優勢，反而是白白地浪費了他們的時光與精力;現在分詞短語bringing about apparent competitive edges這個動作，是主句的主語two or three years of additional academic training所發出的。bringing about或bringing在此處都可以用，意思略微不同;bringing是帶來，bringing about是造成，導致，產生， competitive edges: 上面已講過，是競爭優勢的意思;在two or three years of additional academic training is simply a waste of time and energy 這個句子中，有人會問，two or three years of additional academic training作為一個充當主語的名詞短語，是以復數形式出現的，與is a waste of time and energy中單數的動詞is是否一致。回答是，是一致的。 雖然two or three years of additional academic training形式上是復數，但是，它是被動作一個整體來處理的，整個看作一段時間。 類似的例子如：Two years is a long time to wait. 此外，還有：Three miles is a long distance to walk. 等。a waste of time and energy是個不錯的短語。

　　34. to reflect on this craze: 單獨一個reflect當及物動詞使用時，是反映，折射的意思，如：This article fully reflects his ideas. 但作為不及物動詞，與介詞on結合使用時，表示反思，思索

　　35. be better off doing something: 做某事要來的更愜意，(日子)過得更滋潤;如：As long as there are enough to eat and drink, I will be better off living in the countryside.

　　36. distinguishing themselves with outstanding knowledge and skills: 憑著出色的學識與能力使自己脫穎而出;to distinguish somebody with something 是個值得記住的詞組。