大学体验英语第一册Unit7-Passage A

Passage A
Not Just a Job, an Adventure: Undergraduate Research
Sophia Stella, a sophomore¹ at Columbia's School of Engineering, is one of many undergraduates who become involved, one way or another, in research performed at the university. Some do it for academic credit, some for money, some just for experience. Students and professors agree that an undergraduate research project can be uniquely beneficial to both parties.

In many universities, students are encouraged to participate in research to develop their own original research designs under the guidance of instructors². Students are usually paid for their research. If they register for a course and do a project, they can earn academic credits. In some departments a research project might constitute an honors thesis.
In U. S. education, there are four main ways students may graduate with honors.
all A's _____ may graduate with highest honors'
mostly A's ______may graduate with high honors'
mostly A's& B's ______ may graduate with honors'
A student may graduate with honors in the major field. This requires high grades in the major, fairly good grades overall, and an extra research project in the major.

An honors student who does an extra research project in the major and writes a research paper can graduate with honors. This extra research project paper is usually called an honors thesis, which resembles a short master's thesis.
Undergraduate Research

In many universities, students are encouraged to participate in research to develop their own original research designs under the guidance of instructors. Students are usually paid for their research. If they register for a course and do a project, they can earn academic credits. In some departments a research project might constitute an honors thesis.
　　 Ideally, undergraduate research is an opportunity for the kind of intensive study that can expand the mind in ways traditional courses can't. Economics Professor Ralph Edison says: "To really understand a discipline you have to get the feeling that knowledge isn't just out there and you passively have to absorb it, but rather that it's constantly being created and we're constantly rethinking things... When students see a discipline as evolving rather than fixed³, they usually get a lot more excited about learning because they see that it's an ongoing⁴ process." He points out that research can be exciting because "a research project really gives students an opportunity to answer real-life questions that we don't know the answers to."

　　 Research also spurs independent thinking and intellectual confidence in students. Amelia, a graduate student in computer science, says, "You had to go out and learn on your own. You weren't going to be spoon-fed." Her fond memories of work as an undergraduate researcher played an important role in her decision to leave her Wall Street programming job and return to Columbia as a graduate student.

　　 Arthur Hannah, a political science graduate of Columbia College says undergraduate research "felt like a whole new mode of learning." Instead of looking for the knowledge we do have, he says, research forces students to look for knowledge we don't have. It's a process of looking for holes and trying to plug them, which is completely different from the classroom experience of learning what others already know. He also describes how creating a piece of original research instilled⁵ a "pride of authorship" in his work, something he hadn't found in his regular classes.

　　 Most undergraduates doing research are working for credit. They register for a semester-long course and do a project for a professor who gives them a grade for their efforts. In some departments a research project might constitute an honors thesis.

　　 Some students do research for pay. Taken simply as a form of employment, it's one of the most desirable jobs available to undergraduates. Stella says, "I need some kind of income, and I'd rather work here than in the cafeteria"; paid research work gives her an opportunity to transform a work-study job into an engaging aspect of her education. The money for her wages is available because of a program started this year providing $100 000 to fund undergraduate research. This funding is intended to support about 50 undergraduates in work-study research positions.
　　 Other students do research not for credit or for money but simply on a volunteer basis. Usually, these are students pursuing a career that requires some demonstration⁶ of altruistic⁷ commitment, such as medicine.
　　 As Economics Professor Ralph Edison says: "Undergraduate research can become a valuable part of education. It's a real and valuable privilege. It has to remain an extraordinary undertaking⁸ for extraordinary people in extraordinary circumstances."

1 sophomore   

n.大学二年级生；adj.第二年的

参考例句：

• He is in his sophomore year.他在读二年级。
• I'm a college sophomore majoring in English.我是一名英语专业的大二学生。

2 instructors   

指导者，教师( instructor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The instructors were slacking on the job. 教员们对工作松松垮垮。
• He was invited to sit on the rostrum as a representative of extramural instructors. 他以校外辅导员身份，被邀请到主席台上。

3 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

4 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

5 instilled   

v.逐渐使某人获得（某种可取的品质），逐步灌输( instill的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Nature has instilled in our minds an insatiable desire to see truth. 自然给我们心灵注入了永无休止的发现真理的欲望。 来自辞典例句
• I instilled the need for kindness into my children. 我不断向孩子们灌输仁慈的必要。 来自辞典例句

6 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

7 altruistic   

adj.无私的，为他人着想的

参考例句：

• It is superficial to be altruistic without feeling compassion.无慈悲之心却说利他，是为表面。
• Altruistic spirit should be cultivated by us vigorously.利他的精神是我们应该努力培养的。

8 undertaking   

n.保证，许诺，事业

参考例句：

• He gave her an undertaking that he would pay the money back with in a year.他向她做了一年内还钱的保证。
• He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。