托福听力TPO14精听讲义 | 对话2:Prepare for a Career in Journalism

Part I

Advisor: Hi, Steve, I scheduled this appointment because it’s been a while since we touched base.

Student: I know, I’ve been really busy. A friend of mine works on the school paper. He asked me if I’d like to try reporting. So I did and I really love it.

Advisor: Hey, that sounds great!

Student: Yeah, the first article I wrote, it was a profile of the chemistry professor, the one who was named “Teacher of the Year”. My article ran on the front page! When I saw my name, I mean, my byline in print, I was hooked. Now I know this is what I want to do: be a reporter.

Advisor: Isn’t it great to discover something that you really enjoy? And I read the article, too. It was very good.

Student: To be honest, the article got lots of editing. In fact, I barely recognize a couple of paragraphs. But the editor explained why the changes were made. I learned a lot, and my second article didn’t need nearly as many changes.

Advisor: Sounds like you’ve got a real knack for this.

老实说，这篇文章被编辑了很多，事实上，有几段我几乎认不出了。

1. touch base

to meet and talk as a way of learning aboutrecent news （尤指在近期没有联系的情况下与某人）取得联系

E.g.: Being there gave me a chance to touch base with three friends whom I had not seen for a year..

        在那里让我有机会接触到我一年未见的三个朋友。。

2. report|rɪˈpɔ:rt|

verb. to present a written or spoken account of an event in a newspaper, on television, etc. 报道；公布；发表；宣布(新闻)

E.g.: The stabbing was reported in the local press.

        当地的新闻媒体报道了捅刺事件。

3. profile|ˈprəʊfaɪl|

noun. a description of sb/sth that gives useful information 概述；简介；传略

E.g.: We first build up a detailed profile of our customers and their requirements.

        首先，我们建立起我们的客户及其需求的详细资料。

4. name|neɪm|

verb. to choose sb for a job or position 任命；委任；提名

E.g.: When she resigned, he was named to the committee in her place.

        她辞职后，他被指定取代她进入委员会。

5. run|rʌn|

verb. to print and publish an item or a story 发表；刊登

E.g.: On advice from their lawyers they decided not to run the story.

        根据他们的律师的建议，他们决定不刊载这篇报道。

6. byline|ˈbaɪlaɪn|

noun. a line at the beginning or end of a piece of writing in a newspaper or magazine that gives the writer's name （报刊文章顶部的）作者署名行 

E.g.: His byline was absent as well.

        他的署名也不见了。

7. hooked|hʊkt|

adj. enjoying sth very much, so that you want to do it, see it, etc. as much as possible （对某事）着迷

E.g.: Open this book and read a few pages and you will be hooked.

        打开这本书读上几页，你就会沉迷其中。

8. knack|næk|

noun. a special skill or ability that you have naturally or can learn （天生的或学会的）技能，本领

E.g.: He's got a real knack for making money.

        他有赚钱的真本领。

Part II

Student: Yeah! Anyway, I’m glad you schedule this meeting because I want to change my major to Journalism now.

Advisor: Um, the university doesn’t offer a major in Journalism.

Student: Oh, No!

Advisor: But..

Student: I mean, should I transfer to another school? Or major in English?

Advisor: Well, wait a minute! Let me explain why the major isn’t offered. Editors at newspapers, editors, I mean, when you apply for a reporting job, editors look at two things: they want to see clips, you know, some of your published articles; they’ll also want you to try out. They’ll give you an assignment like, um, covering a press conference or some other event, then see if you can craft a story about it accurately, on deadline.

Student: So they don’t even look at my major?

Advisor: It’s not that they don’t look at it; it’s, well, having a degree in something other than Journalism should actually work to your advantage.

Student: How?

不是他们不看，而是拥有新闻学以外的学位实际上应该对你更有利。

1. journalism|ˈdʒɜ:nəlɪzəm|

noun. the work of collecting and writing news stories for newspapers, magazines, radio or television 新闻业；新闻工作

E.g.: The paper has earned respect for its investigative journalism.

        这份报纸的调查性新闻报道为其赢得了尊敬。

2. clip|klɪp|

noun. a clip from a film or a radio or television programme is a short piece of it that is broadcast separately (电影、广播或电视节目的)剪辑，片段  

E.g.: an historical film clip of Lenin speaking

        一段列宁在讲话的历史电影片段

3. try out

to test or use sb/sth in order to see how good or effective they are 试用（某人）；测试；试验 

E.g.: They're trying out a new presenter for the show.

        他们正在为这个节目试用一名新的主持人。

4. cover|ˈkʌvə(r)|

verb. to report on an event for television, a newspaper, etc.; to show an event on television 报道；电视报道

E.g.: The BBC will cover all the major games of the tournament.

        英国广播公司将报道这次锦标赛的所有重要赛事。

5. press conference

a meeting at which sb talks to a group of journalists in order to answer their questions or to make an official statement 记者招待会；新闻发布会

E.g.: The opposition parties called a press conference to denounce the actions of the police.

        各反对党召开新闻发布会，公开抨击了警方的行为。

6. craft|kræft|

verb. to make sth using special skills, especially with your hands （尤指用手工）精心制作 

E.g.: All the furniture is crafted from natural materials.

        所有的家具均采用天然材料精心制作而成。

Part III

Advisor: Most journalists specialize these days. They only write about science, or business, or technology, for example. Is there a type of reporting you think you might like to specialize in?

Student: Well, I think it’d be really cool to cover the Supreme Court. I mean, their decisions affect so many people.

Advisor: Well, that’s really a goal worth striving for. So why not continue majoring in Political Science? And as electives, you could take some pre-law classes, like Constitutional Law. And as for your work on the student newspaper, maybe they’ll let you cover some local court cases, ones that students and professors here would want to read about?

Student: Do you know of any?

Advisor: Well, I do, actually. There’s a case involving this computer software program that one of our professors wrote. The District Court is deciding if the university is entitled to any of the professor’s profits.

Student: Wow! I’ll definitely follow up on that!

有这么一个案件，关于我们的一位教授写了一个计算机软件程序，地方法院正在裁决大学是否有权获得教授的任何利润。

1. specialize |ˈspeʃəlaɪz|

verb. to become an expert in a particular area of work, study or business; to spend more time on one area of work, etc. than on others 专门研究（或从事）；专攻 

E.g.: He specialized in criminal law.

        他专攻刑法。

2. the Supreme Court

the highest court in a country or state 最高法院；州最高法院

E.g.: The Supreme Court says that the convictions can stand.

        最高法院说判决结果依然有效。

3. strive |straɪv|

verb. to try very hard to achieve sth 努力；奋斗；力争；力求

E.g.: We encourage all members to strive for the highest standards.

        我们鼓励所有成员为达到最高标准而努力。

4. elective |ɪˈlektɪv|

noun. a course or subject at a college or school which a student can choose to do 选修课程；选修科目

E.g.: Electives are offered in Tai Chi and advanced dance exercise.

        选修课包括太极拳和高级舞蹈练习。

5. constitutional |ˌkɒnstɪˈtju:ʃənl|

adj. connected with the constitution of a country or an organization 宪法的；章程的

E.g.: Political leaders are making no progress in their efforts to resolve the country's constitutional crisis.

        政治领袖们在解决国家宪法危机方面没有取得任何进展。

6. entitle |ɪnˈtaɪtl|

verb. to give sb the right to have or to do sth 使享有权利；使符合资格

E.g.: You will be entitled to your pension when you reach 65.

        你到65岁就有资格享受养老金。

7. follow up

to find out more about sth that sb has told you or suggested to you 追查更多情况

E.g.: The police are following up several leads after their TV appeal for information.

        警方在电视上呼吁提供信息后正沿着几条线索继续追查。