奥巴马女儿推迟1年上大学 “空档年”引关注

Malia Obama's College Decision Brings Attention to 'Gap Year' 奥巴马女儿推迟1年上大学 “空档年”引关注

Malia Obama’s decision to wait a year before going to college is bringing new attention to “Gap Years.”

A gap year is when a student takes a year off after high school to do volunteer service, travel, or work before starting college.

The White House announced on Sunday that President Barack Obama’s oldest daughter will wait until the fall of 2017 to start classes at Harvard University in Massachusetts.

The announcement led to lots of news stories about “gap years.” Some observers think her decision might lead other high school graduates to wait a year before continuing their studies.

“It is going to be the biggest thing ever for gap year programs in the United States,” said Joe O’Shea, director of undergraduate research at Florida State University.

Harvard University urges students to consider taking a gap year to get some much-needed rest before entering college.

“Many of us are concerned that the pressure on today’s students seems far more intense than those placed on previous generations,” said a message on Harvard’s website.

President Obama said that he and his wife Michelle are facing up to the day when their daughter Malia leaves for college.

The president said he decided¹ not to speak at Malia’s high school graduation because it would be too emotional.

“I’m going to be sitting there with dark glasses, sobbing,” Obama recently told talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

Obama has said his family will remain in Washington, D.C., after his presidency³ ends in January so his youngest daughter, Sasha, 14, can finish high school. Both Obama daughters attend Sidwell Friends, a private school in the city.

The White House did not provide details of what Malia, 17, will do during her gap year.

Harvard said many students divide up their gap year with work, travel, study and volunteering.

Joe O’Shea wrote the book “How Delaying College Changes People in Ways the World Needs.” He said that delaying college is generally a good thing.

He said the year off give students a chance to get a better sense of what they want to study when they begin college.

But a gap year is not for everyone, noted⁴ Sally Rubenstone, a former admissions counselor⁵ at Smith College in Massachusetts.

For many, she said, it is a way to “explore activities near home or afar that you never had time to experience before.” Her comments appeared on the website collegeconfidential.com

But Rubenstone said some have been known to spend their gap year watching television shows or cooking French fries at the local McDonalds restaurant.

The American Gap Association estimates that between 30,000 and 40,000 U.S. students a year are taking a gap year.

According to O’Shea, gap years started in Britain during the 1960s and spread to other European nations, Australia and New Zealand. There are also “gap year programs’’ in Japan and, recently, wealthy Chinese started signing up for them.

But taking a gap year can be costly⁶.

A group called “Where There Be Dragons” offers international gap year programs. It lists a price of $14,900, not including airfare, for a three-month gap year program in Nepal, for example.

Chris Yager is the group’s founder⁷. He admits families that do not “have the resources” might find some programs out of reach. He says his and other programs offer some financial aid.

“We’re finding that students completing high school are looking for a really big adventure, doing something they know that they may never have a chance to do again,” Yager said.

Words in This Story

graduate – n. a person who has completed a study program at a high school, college or university

previous – adj. existing or happening before the present time

sob² – v. to cry noisily

activity – n. things people do for work or pleasure

resources – n. a supply of something, such as money, that someone has and can use when it is needed

adventure – n. an exciting or dangerous experience

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 sob   

n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣

参考例句：

• The child started to sob when he couldn't find his mother.孩子因找不到他妈妈哭了起来。
• The girl didn't answer,but continued to sob with her head on the table.那个女孩不回答，也不抬起头来。她只顾低声哭着。

3 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

6 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

7 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。