《英语流行话题阅读:语境识词4500》20 Features of American Campus Life (I)

　　Unit 20
Features of American Campus Life (I)
-- Busyness
American students are typically very "busy". Undergraduate students often have part-time jobs in addition to their studies. Some even have two or three part-time jobs to earn money to support their studies. Graduate students have large quantities of material to study, and may also have jobs (graduate assistantships and others) and families. This busyness limits their time for social activity and for incorporating new people into their social circles.
-- Male-female Relationship
Male and female American students associate with each other rather freely. (This does not mean they are all readily available for sexual activity, as the media sometimes imply, although an estimated 75 per cent of American undergraduates are sexually active.) Many view "the college years" as a natural time in life for finding a spouse¹. Even if they are not seeking a marriage partner, they try to become acquainted with members of the opposite sex.
-- Freedom
As is clear from their politicians' speeches, Americans prize "freedom". This "freedom" means living without significant constraints² on their behavior. In the political area "freedom" means the relative absence of governmental regulation of their lives. In the social area, it means the relative absence of confining roles and expectations.
-- Presence of Disabled People
Students from China are often startled to see on US campuses people who are in wheelchairs, are blind and have a dog leading them from place to place, or are otherwise "physically³ challenged". Various federal, state, local, and institutional laws and policies prohibit discrimination against disabled people. The disability may be physical -- for example, having paralyzed legs, blindness, or deafness -- or mental -- for example, depression, or a learning problem such as attention-deficit disorder⁴. Thus, disabled people are to be found among the students and teachers of most US institutions of higher education.
-- Weekdays vs. Weekends
American students and Americans in general have the idea that weekends are the time for socializing. Weekdays and evenings are reserved for studying or some other more serious activity. Traditionally, "the weekend" mean Friday night, Saturday daytime and evening, and Sunday daytime. Among American undergraduate students, though, "weekend" may now include Thursday night (and sometimes even Wednesday night as well). So they might go "out" for three consecutive⁵ nights -- Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Graduate students in general have more responsibilities and presumably more maturity⁶, so their socializing is more likely to be limited to Friday nights and Saturdays.

1 spouse   

n.配偶(指夫或妻)

参考例句：

• Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。
• What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么？

2 constraints   

强制( constraint的名词复数 )； 限制； 约束

参考例句：

• Data and constraints can easily be changed to test theories. 信息库中的数据和限制条件可以轻易地改变以检验假设。 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史
• What are the constraints that each of these imply for any design? 这每种产品的要求和约束对于设计意味着什么？ 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

3 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

4 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

5 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

6 maturity   

n.成熟；完成；(支票、债券等)到期

参考例句：

• These plants ought to reach maturity after five years.这些植物五年后就该长成了。
• This is the period at which the body attains maturity.这是身体发育成熟的时期。