VOA标准英语2011--Colleges Dangle Perks to Attract Student

Colleges Dangle¹ Perks² to Attract Students

Many American high-school students worry about getting into college. And their parents worry about paying the tuition bills.
And - except for crème de la crème schools that can pick and choose whom to admit - many colleges are worried, too. They already compete with each other to attract star athletes, and now they're vigorously competing to attract the brightest students, the wealthiest applicants³, and the top minority candidates as well.
To win the recruiting contest, they're offering extra inducements in hopes that superstar students will choose THEM rather than the campus down the road.
Colleges used to offer scholarships and low-cost loans to sweeten their appeal. Now, they are laying out a smorgasbord of lifestyle goodies.
Boston University, for instance, has a big pool with a wave machine, so young scholars can jump waves with their boogie boards. A University of Houston facility offers a hot tub and a rock-climbing wall. Massages⁴ are available at the student union of the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh.
Davidson College in North Carolina offers students free laundry facilities. Students can ski for free at a resort owned by Michigan Tech. And on lots of campuses, free iPod portable music players, cable television service, and computers in dorm rooms have become standard perks.
Given the average $10,000-a-year annual tuition and fees for even a state-supported college, you might think these trifles are bit like the free cup holder⁵ that the salesman says he'll throw in if you'll buy a new car from HIM.
Americans who got through school in an earlier day can only shake their heads at the extra inducements that colleges are using to lure⁶ students. A lot of them would have to admit that all it would have taken to get them to enroll⁷ somewhere was a friendly neighborhood beer hall that served pizza.

1 dangle   

v.(使)悬荡，(使)悬垂

参考例句：

• At Christmas,we dangle colored lights around the room.圣诞节时，我们在房间里挂上彩灯。
• He sits on the edge of the table and dangles his legs.他坐在桌子边上，摆动著双腿。

2 perks   

额外津贴，附带福利，外快( perk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Perks offered by the firm include a car and free health insurance. 公司给予的额外待遇包括一辆汽车和免费健康保险。
• Are there any perks that go with your job? 你的工作有什么津贴吗？

3 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

4 massages   

按摩，推拿( massage的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• At present the doctor is giving him daily massages to help restore the function of his limbs. 目前医生每天在给他按摩，帮助他恢复腿臂的功能。
• His father massages his nose and chin. 他爸爸揉了揉鼻子和下巴。

5 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

6 lure   

n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引

参考例句：

• Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。
• He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。

7 enroll   

v.招收；登记；入学；参军；成为会员（英)enrol

参考例句：

• I should like to enroll all my children in the swimming class.我愿意让我的孩子们都参加游泳班。
• They enroll him as a member of the club.他们吸收他为俱乐部会员。