評論
打印
Listen to part of a conversation between a student and a professor.
聽一段學生和教授的對話。
Hi. Sorry I'm late, Professor Blaine.
你好。布萊恩教授，很對不起，我遲到了。
No problem, Jim. So you've got some questions about your senior thesis requirement?
吉姆，沒關系。關于畢業論文的要求，你有些問題想問我是嗎？
Yeah. I've got a couple of problems actually.
對。實際上我有好幾個問題。
So, the first thing is, you normally write it during the first half of the academic year, right? In your final year of studies?
第一，通常你會在學年上半年寫這篇論文，對吧？在最后一學年？
Right.
對。
But I have my student teaching scheduled for that time.
但在那時候我有教育實習項目。
I want to teach high school English after graduation, so I really need to give that my full attention.
我想畢業后去教高中英語課，所以我需要全身心投入。
And I just worry that I won't be able to if I am writing my senior thesis at the same time.
我很擔心，如果我同時要寫畢業論文，我就無法專注了。
I mean, it's supposed to be 35 to 50 pages.
我是說，這可要寫35到50頁呢。
That's a serious commitment.
這是非常嚴肅的事情。
You are right. But it really isn't a problem.
你說得對。但這不是問題。
Really?
真的嗎？
No. A lot of English majors get teacher certification, so we have students like you do their senior thesis after their student teaching.
這不是問題。很多英語專業的學生都考教師資格證，我們有很多像你一樣學生，他們都是在教育實習后寫畢業論文的。
It works out well, because many students want to use a unit they taught as the basis of their paper.
效果很不錯，因為很多學生都想把自己教的其中一個單元作為論文基礎。
So you'll just enroll in a thesis seminar for the second semester.
所以你只要參加第二學期的論文研討課就行。
Well, that's a big relief.
這可讓我輕松不少。
But it brings us to my second problem.
但又引出我第二個問題了。
I'd really focus my studies on old and middle English literature.
我很專注研究古代和中世紀英語文學。
I am even thinking about doing a graduate degree with a concentration in that after I taught for a while.
我正在考慮要不要在我教書一段時間后，在此領域讀一個研究生學位。
So I was hoping to do my senior thesis on Chaucer, on The Canterbury Tales, because that would obviously be useful if I do go on. But …
我希望能寫關于喬叟的畢業論文，關于《坎特伯雷故事集》，因為如果我要繼續深造，這肯定很有用。但……
Ah. But Professor Johnson …
啊，但約翰遜教授……
Exactly. Professor John is going to be taking a sabbatical to do research in France during the second half of the year.
對。約翰遜教授在下半年會休公假，他會去法國做些研究。
So without him around, I am not sure how I could do a senior thesis on The Canterbury Tales.
他不在這兒了，我不確定要怎么寫關于《坎特伯雷故事集》的畢業論文了。
I mean, the focus of his teaching and research is unique around here.
我是指，他教學和研究的重點在這兒是很獨特的。
Yes. I understand. It would be difficult to do your paper without Professor Johnson around.
對。我明白。約翰遜教授不在這兒的話，你要寫論文就很難了。
Hmmm… would you allow me to try to sell you on an alternate plan?
你同意我向你推薦另一個想法嗎？
Well, you can try, but Chaucer is sort of my hero, if you know what I mean.
嗯，你可以試試，但喬叟算得上是我的偶像，如果你能明白我的意思。
Well, I am teaching a course on the literature of the Renaissance in the first half of the year.
我在上半年教一門關于文藝復興時期文學的課。
It'll meet late in the day, so it won't interfere with your teaching.
上課時間是在晚上的，不會干擾你的教學。
And I haven't offered it in quite a while now, so I doubt you ever studied that period on the college level.
我很久都沒推薦過這門課了，我很懷疑你在大學課程有沒有學過這段時期。
No. I haven't.
沒有。
If you would be interested in taking the course, I'd be happy to give you supplemental readings, and I'd also be happy to be your advisor for your paper later on.
如果你有興趣上這門課，我很樂意提供一些閱讀的補充材料給你，也很樂意當你以后畢業論文的學術輔導。
Well, I never looked at that area before, but I have always had an interest in it, so that does have a certain appeal.
我之前還沒涉及過這個領域，但我一直挺感興趣，聽起來很吸引人。
Well, if you do decide to go this route, I would make that decision soon and I would use this summer productively.
如果你確定要走這條路，我就會盡快作出決定，并好好利用這個夏天。
After all, this is not going to be like taking an intro course.
畢竟這可不是入門課程。
