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走向大学 Going to University

  18岁的萨拉和21岁的达里尔都曾经以为上大学是遥不可及的事情,然而,他们终于跨过重重障碍,开始了多姿多彩的大学生活。如果你也遇到类似的情况,千万不要灰心,因为国内也有很多机构提供类似的助学金和贷款,同学们可以根据自己的情况咨询一下哦。
  
  Sarah, 18萨拉,18岁
  Torn between her dreams to go to uni and parents who needed her support, Sarah faced a tough decision after leaving school.
  离开学校之后,萨拉就面临着一个艰难的决定——是继续追求她的大学梦,还是留在需要她支持的父母身边?
  
Going to University  Neither of my older sisters went to university, and it isn’t the norm[标准] in my family. I grew up in an area where a lot of people don’t even go to school, let alone university.
  My parents got divorced when I was quite young, and all my life I’ve been torn between my mum and dad. They both have their own problems to deal with; I’ve lived with my mum since I was 12 and helped her recover from schizophrenia[精神分裂症]. She also suffers from a heart problem and finds it very difficult to get around. I used to worry that I’d be letting her down[使失望] if I went away to university and wasn’t around to look after her. My dad suffers from arthritis[关节炎] and he has also battled through alcoholism[酗酒] and depression.
  I thought going to university would mean I wouldn’t be able to see either of my parents easily or be around if they needed me. Sometimes, I felt I had no support in making my decision about going to university. I knew that neither parent could afford to support me through my studies, so the situation looked pretty bleak[凄凉的,黯淡的].
  I started to think there was no way I would be able to make it to university, even though I really wanted to go and get a head start[有利的开端] for myself in life. I knew that having a university qualification would set me up for a great future.
  When I finally spoke to a careers advisor, I was amazed at how much financial help was available. My advisor helped me apply for a Widening Participation Grant[助学金], which would cover the costs of going to university as well as covering my transport costs. This meant that I could go and visit my mum a lot more than I’d originally[原先] thought possible. Knowing that she is coping and doing alright without me gives me the peace of mind to concentrate[集中] on my studies and take advantage of all that Loughborough University has to offer.
  I’m only in my first year, but I know that coming to university really was the right choice. I’m having such a great time making new friends and learning new things that I want time to slow down and for university to last forever!
  
  我的两个姐姐都没有上过大学,上大学在我家也不是一种传统。在我长大的地方,很多人都没上过学,更谈不上读大学了。
  在我很小的时候,父母就离婚了,从此我的生活也随着父亲和母亲分裂为两半。他们都有各自的问题需要处理。从12岁开始,我就跟妈妈一起住,并帮她摆脱了精神分裂症的折磨。此外,她还患有心脏病,导致行动不便。以前我总是担心一旦离家去上大学、无法留在她身边照顾她,会让她很失望。而我的爸爸患有关节炎,同时还在与酗酒和抑郁症作斗争。
  我以前认为,读大学就意味着我要见父母会变得困难,在他们需要我的时候我也无法照料他们。有时候,我觉得在做关于上大学的决定时,完全没有人可以给我支持。我知道不管是父亲还是母亲都无力支持我读完大学,所以当时的情况看起来很无助。
  于是我以为自己无法上大学了,尽管我很想继续升读,为自己的人生开一个好头。我知道大学文凭可以让我获得美好的未来。
  最后,在和就业指导顾问的交谈中,我惊讶地发现自己可以获得相当多的经济援助。我的顾问帮我申请了“扩大参与助学金”,其中包含了上大学和交通的费用。这意味着我可以更经常地回去看望母亲,而不是像我先前以为的那样。我不在的时候,她一切都很顺利,得知这一点令我很安心,可以专注地学习,好好利用(英国)拉夫堡大学提供的一切条件。
  虽然我现在还在读大一,但我知道上大学的选择确实是对的。我在这里交朋结友、学习新知识,忙得不亦乐乎,真希望时间可以放慢脚步,让大学生活永远延续下去!

  Daryl, 21达里尔,21岁
  When Daryl was having a tough time at home, studying gave him the sanctuary[避难所] he needed and led him to a whole new life at Northumbria University.
  当达里尔在家度日维艰的时候,学习不仅给他提供了一个避难所,还让他在(英国)诺森比亚大学开始了崭新的生活。
  
  I was born in the Lake District注1, but we moved to Loughborough when I was three. Not long after the move, my dad ran away with my mum’s best friend.
  I still remember my mum crying on the couch but not understanding why, or when my dad was going to be coming back.
  So we became a single parent family and money got really tight. Mum was getting up at half five every morning and working all the hours she could.
  My mum started a new relationship, and it wasn’t long before her new partner and his children from a previous[早先的] relationship began to cause trouble. He and his children resented[怨恨] me and I got blamed for everything that went wrong at home. The violence started really quickly, and for years I was the scapegoat[替罪羊] that he took everything out on.
  At first, the tension at home led me to get into fights at school and I was always bottom of the class, but over the years, I started to treat schoolwork as a refuge[避难所]. I realised that studying provided a means of escape from it all and that it could help me build the kind of life I wanted. I started spending my lunchtimes in the lab working alone. Later, other students who also felt isolated joined me.
  It was around the same time that things came to a head[到了摊牌的阶段] at home and my mum’s partner told me I wasn’t welcome there anymore. I managed to get some good GCSE注2 grades and I started doing
  A-levels注3 at college but dropped out to work full-time so I could afford to get my own place and some financial independence. The following year I re-enrolled[使入学] at college and did a BTEC注4 and an A-level on a sports course.
  I knew that a degree would set me up for a good career but I didn’t know how I would manage it. The turning point was when I spoke to a careers advisor about my options and realised that it was a real possibility. She gave me plenty of information on how I could get the support I needed to go to university.
  I went away and investigated different courses and universities, and made the decision to study psychology[心理学]. I like the subject because it helps you understand your own and other people’s behaviour.
  I have just finished writing a film and two self-help books, and my long-term goal is to set up an advice website to help other young people realise their potential[潜质]. Right now though, I am having a fantastic time at university, and doing something that makes me happy. My degree has given me the focus I needed and helped me achieve my independence.
  
  我出生在湖区,但三岁时,我们一家搬到了拉夫堡。搬家后不久,爸爸就跟我妈妈最好的朋友私奔了。
  我还记得妈妈当时在沙发上哭泣,而我则不明所以,也不知道爸爸何时会回来。
  于是我们家成了一个单亲家庭,日子过得捉襟见肘。妈妈每天清晨五点半就起床,尽可能多地工作。
  后来,妈妈开始了一段新恋情,但是不久,她的新伴侣和他与前妻所生的那些孩子开始制造麻烦。他和他的孩子都很讨厌我,无论家里出了什么差错,我都要背黑锅。纠纷很快就开始了,多年来,他一直把我当作代罪羔羊。
  起初,在家庭的压力下,我经常在学校打架,在班里的成绩从来都是垫底。但是几年以后,我开始把学校的课业当成避难所。我意识到学习让我得以逃离家里所有的不愉快,还可以帮我过上自己想要的生活。我开始在午饭时间独自待在实验室里学习。后来,其他和我一样感到孤独的同学也加入进来。
  差不多在同一时间,家里的事也到了摊牌的阶段。妈妈的伴侣对我说,那里不再欢迎我。我努力在普通中等教育证书考试中考到了不错的成绩,在专科学院攻读高中课程,但后来我还是退学开始全职工作,挣钱维持栖身之所,获得部分经济独立。第二年,我重新进入专科学院学习,攻读英国商业与技术人员教育委员会认证课程以及高中体育课程。
  虽然我知道获得正规大学的学位可以帮我赢得良好的职业前景,但我不知道如何才能实现这个目标。后来,我和一位就业指导顾问谈到我的选择,这件事成了我的人生转折点——我意识到自己还有机会上大学。她向我提供了许多关于如何获得所需支持、顺利读上大学的信息。
  离开(就业指导处)之后,我开始查询各所大学和各种课程,最后决定学习心理学。我喜欢这门学科,因为它能帮你了解自己和其他人的行为。
  我刚刚写完一部电影以及两本关于自立的书。我将来的目标是建立一个咨询网站,帮助其他年轻人认识自身的潜能。不过此时此刻,我正在大学里过着多姿多彩的生活,做着让我快乐的事情。大学学位为我的人生设立了一个目标,帮我实现了独立。
  
  注1:英国湖区位于英格兰西北海岸,靠近苏格兰边界,方圆2300平方公里,1951年被划归为国家公园,是著名的旅游景点。
  注2:GCSE是英国普通中等教育证书(General Certificate of Secondary Education)的缩写,是英国学生完成第一阶段中等教育所参加的主要会考。
  注3:A-level是英国高中课程(General Certificate of Education Advanced Level)的简称,详细介绍请查阅CE: Teens 2010年7月号“花季故事”《落榜之后……》的注释。
  注4:BTEC是英国商业与技术教育委员会(Business & Technology Education Council)颁发的国际认可的证书,是一种将高等学术教育和职业教育相融合的高等教育证书。

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