VOA慢速英语20060420a

EDUCATION REPORT - College Applications From International Graduate Students IncreaseBy Jerilyn Watson

Broadcast: Thursday, April 20, 2006

I'm Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Education Report.

A recent report says more international graduate students are seeking to continue their education in the United States this year than last year.

The Council¹ of Graduate Schools announced the report. It is based on a study of more than one hundred fifty colleges and universities. They include schools that have the most foreign students. The study says graduate applications from international students increased eleven percent from last year. This growth follows a two-year decrease of thirty-two percent.


Foreign students studying in the United States

Graduate students have already completed at least four years of college and have earned at least one degree. They are seeking to earn an advanced degree.

The report said the number of requests or applications increased the most among students from India and China. Applications from students in India rose by twenty-three percent. Applications from students in China increased by twenty-one percent. Each year these two nations send the largest number of students to American colleges and universities.

The Council of Graduate Schools said applications increased in all areas of study, including the sciences. Applications to study engineering², for example, rose by seventeen percent. Those from students wanting to study the life sciences increased by sixteen percent.

However, international applications are still down twenty-three percent since two thousand three for the universities in the study. Experts say this was the result of increased security³ in the United States after the terrorist⁴ attacks in two thousand one. This increased security made it more difficult for students to get permits, or visas, to enter the United States. Security measures also increased the time to process these visas.

Debra Stewart is president of the Council of Graduate Schools. Miz Stewart said the federal⁵ government has made progress in improving the visa process for foreign graduate students. She said the process has been helped by small policy changes made by the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department.

Miz Stewart noted⁶ that international competition for foreign graduate students is increasing. She said the United States must make sure the best students attend graduate schools in this country.

This VOA Special English Education report was written by Jerilyn Watson. Read and listen to our reports at www.unsv.com. I'm Steve Ember.

1 council   

n.理事会，委员会，议事机构

参考例句：

• The town council passed a law forbidding the distribution of handbills.市议会通过法律，禁止散发传单。
• The city council has declared for improving the public bus system.市议会宣布同意改进公共汽车系统。

2 engineering   

n.工程，工程学，管理，操纵

参考例句：

• The science of engineering began as soon as man learned to use tools. 人类一学会使用工具,工程科学就开始了。
• It was the first great engineering works in the world. 这是世界上第一家大型的工程工厂。

3 security   

n.安全，安全感；防护措施；保证(金)，抵押(品)；债券，证券

参考例句：

• A security guard brought him down with a flying tackle.一名保安人员飞身把他抱倒。
• There was tight security at the airport when the President's plane landed.总统的专机降落时，机场的保安措施很严密。

4 terrorist   

n.恐怖主义者，恐怖分子

参考例句：

• Without the gun,I'm a sitting duck for any terrorist.没有这支枪，我就成了恐怖分子下手的目标了。
• The district was put on red alert during a terrorist's bomb scare.这个地区在得到恐怖分子炸弹恐吓后作了应急准备。

5 federal   

adj.联盟的；联邦的；(美国)联邦政府的

参考例句：

• Switzerland is a federal republic.瑞士是一个联邦共和国。
• The schools are screaming for federal aid.那些学校强烈要求联邦政府的援助。

6 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。