英語聽力小短文走遍全世界25:大學(xué)投資還是消費？

英語聽力原文：

There are few more sobering online activities than entering data into college-tuition calculators and gasping as the Web spits back a six-figure sum.

幾乎沒有什么在線活動比輸入數(shù)據(jù)計算大學(xué)學(xué)費更重大的了，當網(wǎng)頁上出現(xiàn)六位數(shù)的計算記過時，您可能會驚訝得屏住呼吸。

But economists say families about to go into debt to fund four years of partying, as well as studying, can console themselves with the knowledge that college is an investment that, unlike many bank stock, should yield huge dividends.

但是，經(jīng)濟學(xué)家認為與銀行股票不同，大學(xué)學(xué)費是一筆注定獲利豐厚的投資，即使各個家庭因為為孩子四年的學(xué)習(xí)和社交生活支付學(xué)費而負債累累，也可以因此聊以自慰。

A 2008 study by two Harvard economists notes that the "labor-market premium to skill"-or the amount college graduates earned that's greater than what high-school graduate earned-decreased for much of the 20th century, but has come back with a vengeance(報復(fù)性地)since the 1980s.

哈佛大學(xué)的兩位經(jīng)濟學(xué)家2008年的一項調(diào)查顯示“勞動力市場技能溢價”——20世紀的大多時期，大學(xué)畢業(yè)生的薪酬雖然高于高中畢業(yè)生，但這個差距正逐漸縮小。然而，20世紀80年代以來，這個差距再次拉大。

There's no question that going to college is a smart economic choice. But a look at the strange variations in tuition reveals that the choice about which college to attend doesn't come down merely to dollars and cents.

毫無疑問，上大學(xué)是聰明的決定、實惠的選擇。但是，各大學(xué)數(shù)目不一的學(xué)費也著實讓人奇怪，這也說明選擇進入哪所大學(xué)學(xué)習(xí)也不僅僅至關(guān)乎金錢。

Does going to Columbia University yield a 40% greater return than attending the University of Colorado at Boulder as an out-of-state student? Probably not. Does being an out-of-state student at the University of Colorado at Boulder yield twice the amount of income as being an in-state student there? Not likely.

哥倫比亞大學(xué)的學(xué)生其將來的薪酬回報會比博爾德克羅拉大學(xué)的外州學(xué)生高出40%嗎?不一定。博爾德科羅拉多大學(xué)的外州學(xué)生其將來的薪酬會比該校內(nèi)州學(xué)生高出一倍嗎?也不一定。

No, in this consumerist age, most buyers aren't evaluating college as an investment, but rather as a consumer product-like a car or clothes or a house. And with such purchases, price is only one of many crucial factors to consider.

不，在這個崇尚消費的時代，大多數(shù)買主并不把上大學(xué)看做是投資，而是將其看做消費產(chǎn)品——就如一輛私家車和一屋子的衣服。購買這類商品時，價格只是需要考慮的眾多關(guān)鍵因素之一。

So which is it? Is college an investment product like a stock or a consumer product like a car? In keeping with the automotive world's hottest consumer trend, maybe it's best to characterize is as a bybird(混合動力汽車): an expensive consumer product that, over time, will pay rich dividends.

因此，大學(xué)到底是什么呢?是像股票一樣的投資產(chǎn)品還是像汽車一樣的消費品?按照汽車行業(yè)最熱門的消費趨勢來說，大學(xué)也許更像是一輛混合動力汽車：價格昂貴但回報日益豐厚的消費品。

英語詞匯整理：

1. sobering adj. 重大的;嚴重的

eg: The offender apologized when he sobered up.

冒犯者醒酒后道了歉。

短語:

sober up 清醒起來;使……清醒;使嚴肅起來

同近義詞：

acute/ serious/ bad adj. 使清醒的;使冷靜的;嚴重的

2. tuition n. 學(xué)費

eg: Angela's $7,000 tuition at university this year will be paid for with scholarships.

安吉拉今年7000美元的大學(xué)學(xué)費將用獎學(xué)金來支付。

短語：

tuition fee 學(xué)費

tuition waiver 學(xué)費減免

tuition scholarship 獎學(xué)金

net tuition 凈學(xué)費

3. calculator n. 計算器

eg: We have to use a calculator.

我們不得不使用一個計算器。

詞根：calculate vi./vt. 計算;預(yù)測;認為

短語：

electronic calculator 電子計算器

scientific calculator 科學(xué)用計算器

pocket calculator 袖珍計算器;便攜式計算器

4. spit v. 吐出

eg: You'd better to spit out the seeds in your palm, and then put them on the plate.

你應(yīng)該把子吐在手上，然后再放到盤子里。

短語：

spit it out 痛痛快快地講出來

spit out 吐出

spit on 向……吐唾沫

spit upon 對……表示侮辱;向……吐唾沫

spit at 向……吐唾沫;對……表示藐視

spit up 噴出，吐出

spit in someone's eye(或face) [口語]輕視(或藐視，侮辱)某人

spit and image 極其相似之物

5. economist v.經(jīng)濟學(xué)家

eg: Do you have some hints for me, how to become a good economist?

如何成為一名好的經(jīng)濟學(xué)家，你有什么給我的提示嗎?

短語：

senior economist 高級經(jīng)濟師

economist intelligence unit 經(jīng)濟學(xué)人智庫

assistant economist 助理經(jīng)濟師

6. console v. 安慰

eg: I can console myself with the fact that I'm not alone.

我可以用不只我一個人的這種事實來安慰自己。

短語：

game console 游戲機

control console 控制(操作)臺

audio console 音控臺

7. dividend n. 紅利，股息

eg: The first quarter dividend has been increased by nearly 4 percent.

第一季度的股息增加了近4%。

短語：

cash dividend 現(xiàn)金股利

dividend distribution 股息分配

dividend income 股利收益

final dividend 期末股息

dividend rate 股利率，股息率

8. premium n. 額外補貼，津貼

eg: He declined to say what level of premium would be acceptable.

但他拒絕表示何種水平的溢價才是可以接受的.

短語：

pay a premium for 付……傭金

at a premium 溢價;在票面價值以上

put a premium on 獎勵;重視;鼓勵

place a premium on 誘發(fā)

9. variation n. 變化

eg: The survey found a wide variation in the prices charged for canteen food.

這項調(diào)查發(fā)現(xiàn)不同的餐廳出售食物的價格存在很大的差別。

短語：

variation analysis 差異分析;變異分析

environmental variation 環(huán)境變異

time variation 時間變化

variation method 差異法

variation range 調(diào)整范圍;變限

10. consumerist adj. 消費主義的，崇尚消費的

eg: We live in such a consumerist society nowadays.

我們生活在這么一個消費主義社會。

短語：

consumerist creed 消費至上主義

consumerist culture 消費文化

11. evaluate v. 評估

eg：I can't evaluate his ability without seeing his work.

我沒有看到他的工作情況,無法評論他的能力。

短語：

evaluate as 把……評價為

evaluate sb's ability 估計能力

evaluate sb on sth = assess sb depend on sth 根據(jù)…評價某人

佳句采摘：

In keeping with the automotive world's hottest consumer trend, maybe it's best to characterize it as a hybird(混合動力汽車): an expensive consumer product that, over time, will pay rich dividends.

按照汽車行業(yè)最熱門的消費趨勢來說，大學(xué)也許更像是一輛混合動力汽車：價格昂貴但回報日益豐厚的消費品。