EDUCATION REPORT - Foreign Student Series 3: College or Univ

EDUCATION REPORT - Foreign Student Series¹ #3: College or University?
By Nancy Steinbach

Broadcast: Thursday, September 16, 2004

This is Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Education Report.

We have part three of our series for students who want to attend a college or university in the United² States. Today we talk about the difference between a college and a university. Internet users³ can find this report at www.tingroom.com.

Colleges and universities have a lot in common. They prepare young adults for work. They provide a greater understanding of the world and its past. And they help students learn to value the arts and sciences.

Students who attend either a college or a university traditionally⁴ take four years to complete a program of study. Those who are successful receive a bachelor's degree. But one difference is that many colleges do not offer additional⁵ study programs or support research projects.

Universities often are much larger than colleges. Universities carry out a lot of research. They offer more programs in different areas of study, for undergraduate⁶ and graduate students.

Modern universities developed from those of the Middle Ages in Europe. The word "university" came from the Latin⁷ "universitas." This described a group of people organized for a common purpose.

"College" came from a Latin word with a similar meaning, "collegium." In England, colleges were formed to provide students with places to live. Usually each group was studying the same thing. So the word "college" came to mean one area of study.

Today, most American colleges offer an area of study called liberal⁸ arts. The liberal arts are subjects first developed and taught in ancient Greece. They trained a person's mind. They were seen as different from subjects that were considered more useful in everyday life.

Another meaning of "college" is a part of a university. The first American universities divided their studies into many areas and called each one a college. This is still true.

Programs in higher learning⁹ may also be called "schools." For example, the University of Texas at Austin has fourteen colleges and schools. These include the colleges of pharmacy¹⁰, education, engineering¹¹, and fine arts. They also include the schools of architecture¹², business, law and information.

Again, you can find our Foreign Student Series online at www.unsv.com. International students can also get information at educationusa.state.gov.

This VOA Special English Education Report was written by Nancy Steinbach. This is Gwen Outen.

1 series   

n.连续；系列

参考例句：

• The students have put forward a series of questions.学生们提出了一系列问题。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

2 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

3 users   

用户，使用者( user的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The new software will prove a boon to Internet users. 这种新软件将会对互联网用户大有益处。
• Ramps should be provided for wheelchair users. 应该给轮椅使用者提供坡道。

4 traditionally   

adv.传说地；传统地

参考例句：

• Traditionally,people clean the house before the Spring Festival.传统上，人们在春节前打扫房子。
• Medicine is traditionally the first of the Nobel prizes awarded each year.根据传统，医学奖是诺贝尔奖每年颁发的第一个奖项。

5 additional   

adj.添加的，额外的，另外的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to set down these additional rules.有必要制定这些补充规则。
• I think we can fit in an additional room.我想我们可以再加建一间房子。

6 undergraduate   

n.大学生，大学肆业生

参考例句：

• Mr. Stone spent his undergraduate days in Columbia University,majoring in economics.斯通先生在哥伦比亚大学度过了他四年的大学生活，主修经济学。
• During this time,they are called undergraduate students.在此期间，他们被称为大学本科生。

7 Latin   

adj.拉丁的，拉丁语的，拉丁人的；n.拉丁语

参考例句：

• She learned Latin without a master.她无师自通学会了拉丁语。
• Please use only Latin characters.请仅使用拉丁文字符。

8 liberal   

adj.心胸宽阔的；自由(主义)的；慷慨的

参考例句：

• He has a liberal attitude to divorce and remarriage.他对离婚和再婚看得很开。
• This country adopts a liberal foreign policy.该国采用的是开放的外交政策。

9 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

10 pharmacy   

n.药房，药剂学，制药业，配药业，一批备用药品

参考例句：

• She works at the pharmacy.她在药房工作。
• Modern pharmacy has solved the problem of sleeplessness.现代制药学已经解决了失眠问题。

11 engineering   

n.工程，工程学，管理，操纵

参考例句：

• The science of engineering began as soon as man learned to use tools. 人类一学会使用工具,工程科学就开始了。
• It was the first great engineering works in the world. 这是世界上第一家大型的工程工厂。

12 architecture   

n.建筑学，建筑术；建筑物；组织，结构

参考例句：

• I'm interested in classical architecture.我喜爱古典建筑风格。
• She studied architecture and art history at the university.她在大学里学习建筑和艺术史。