新西兰英语 68 Labour Promises Student Allowances

　　Last Monday, Helen Clark talked to the students at Otago University and promised that the Labour government would pay all university students an allowance¹ in the future. It would happen over the next four years.
In the past, students at university received a small bursary to study. This was stopped in the early 1990s but students under 25 years old whose parents earn less than $46,000 can receive an allowance. At the moment, this is $122 a week if they live at home and $153 if they live away from home. New Zealand students do not usually like living at home after their teenage² years. Students over the age of 25 can receive an allowance of $184, but most students have finished their study by that age. Only about one third of students receive an allowance.
This means³ that two thirds of students pay for themselves while studying at university and most of them borrow money for fees⁴ and living expenses. Fees for full-time⁵ students are around $4,000 a year. On top of this they need money for text books, field trips, rent, food, transport and other expenses. The average student debt⁶ is around $30,000 by the time they finish their degree. While some students have financial help from their parents, 90% of full-time students do some paid work during the academic year. Of course this makes it difficult for students to study when they have to spend time working.
One of the biggest problems for students when they graduate is the debt. How can they get married, have children and buy a home when they still have a large debt to pay back? Many graduates go overseas⁷ to Australia and the UK because they can earn more money there and pay back the debt faster. If they decide to live overseas permanently⁸, we call this the ‘brain drain’ – we lose our clever people. We are short of doctors, nurses, teachers and engineers.
Bill English of the National Party asked where the money is going to come from. He said there is not enough money to pay the $210 million per year it will cost. The Vice-Chancellors of New Zealand universities said it would be a better idea to spend that money on the universities because they are short of funds⁹.

1 allowance   

n.津贴，补贴，零用钱

参考例句：

• My monthly allowance is 50 yuan.我每月的津贴是50元。
• I have to work to earn my allowance.我非得工作挣零用钱。

2 teenage   

adj.青少年的；十几岁的

参考例句：

• His voice is very high for a teenage boy.对一个十几岁的男孩来说，他的嗓音很尖。
• He is too old now for teenage parties.他年龄太大了，不适于参加少年聚会。

3 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

4 fees   

费用； （加入组织或做某事付的）费( fee的名词复数 )； 专业服务费； 咨询费； 报酬

参考例句：

• Employees are reimbursed for any legal fees incurred when they relocate. 员工调往异地工作时，他们可以报销由此产生的所有法律服务费用。
• As a scholar you will not have to pay college fees. 作为接受奖学金的学生，你不必付大学的费用。

5 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。

6 debt   

n.债务，义务，负债状态，罪，过失

参考例句：

• The man was pressed to pay off his debt.那人被逼还债。
• The firm had to charge off the debt as hopeless.公司只得把那笔没希望要回的债务注销。

7 overseas   

adj.海外的；adv.在海外

参考例句：

• Her man has been sent overseas by his employers.她的丈夫已被雇主派往海外。
• Many firms are focusing on increasing their markets overseas.许多商行都专注于扩大国外市场。

8 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

9 funds   

n.pl.资金

参考例句：

• He absconded with the company funds. 他卷走公司的资金潜逃了。
• They held a harambee meeting to raise funds for a new classroom. 他们为筹款建新教室而办了个募捐会。