2006年VOA标准英语-New Orleans' Tulane University Re-opens

By Ernest Leong
Washington, DC
17 January 2006
 
watch Tulane University report 

Tulane University reopened after being closed for the entire fall semester  
  
As New Orleans continues to recover from Hurricane Katrina, there are some signs of normalcy.  Tulane, a nationally known university, and other area colleges, have repaired their campuses, and most of the students and faculty¹ have returned.  Most, but not all. 

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Tulane University in New Orleans was home to roughly 10,000 students and faculty until Hurricane Katrina hit.  When the levees broke, the once-beautiful campus was left under several meters of water.

 
Courtney Coffey
  
Beginning Tuesday, classes start again.  Nearly 90 percent of Tulane's student body has returned, including Courtney Coffey.

"I just had faith that they were going to take the school and re-build it and get back on its feet as soon as possible."

Some students' parents found the sight of the bustling² campus a moving one.  "I thought I was going to just cry my eyes out but it's fine,” said one mom.  “I'm really glad it's [Tulane's] back on its feet."
 
 
Scott Cowen, Tulane President
  
The reconstruction³ comes at a heavy price.  Despite a $800-million endowment, Tulane cut 200 faculty and a number of staff.  Tulane's President Scott Cowen said, "It is true we made a lot of difficult decisions and we're sorry that it negatively affected⁴ anyone's lives.  But we felt we had to take control of our own destiny and that's what we did."

Another way Mr. Cowen feels they can control their own destiny is by adding a new requirement for freshmen⁵ -- community service. 

Jennifer Goltche  
  
Tulane Freshman⁶ Jennifer Goltche agrees. "It's sort of incumbent⁷ on me that I should be doing that I should come back and help start the city again.  We just can't abandon it you know."

Yet some former students at New Orleans universities have done just that, choosing instead to attend schools in other parts of the United States.

There's a lot more work to be done around the town popularly nicknamed "The Big Easy".  And with damages of almost $1 billion for college campuses alone, some are wondering -- how many of the returning students will want to stay?

1 faculty   

n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员

参考例句：

• He has a great faculty for learning foreign languages.他有学习外语的天赋。
• He has the faculty of saying the right thing at the right time.他有在恰当的时候说恰当的话的才智。

2 bustling   

adj.喧闹的

参考例句：

• The market was bustling with life. 市场上生机勃勃。
• This district is getting more and more prosperous and bustling. 这一带越来越繁华了。

3 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

4 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

5 freshmen   

n.（中学或大学的）一年级学生( freshman的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We are freshmen and they are sophomores. 我们是一年级学生，他们是二年级学生。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• University freshmen get lots of razzing, but they like the initiation. 大一新生受各种嘲弄，但是他们对这种入门经验甘之如饴。 来自辞典例句

6 freshman   

n.大学一年级学生(可兼指男女)

参考例句：

• Jack decided to live in during his freshman year at college.杰克决定大一时住校。
• He is a freshman in the show business.他在演艺界是一名新手。

7 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。