此專欄以一位華裔美國中學(xué)生的親身體驗(yàn)，為了解美國中學(xué)學(xué)習(xí)環(huán)境、學(xué)習(xí)方式、校園生活、課余活動(dòng)、升學(xué)準(zhǔn)備、交友與聚會(huì)等中國中學(xué)生和家長感興趣的話題，提供短小精悍的中英雙語介紹。本專欄分中學(xué)篇和小學(xué)篇，分別在《中學(xué)教師》與《小學(xué)教師》中以連載的方式刊出。本期刊出的為中學(xué)篇的第四期短文。

作者簡介：王若桑，出生于美國康涅狄格州?，F(xiàn)為美國羅德島州南郡高中3年級學(xué)生。

Connie R. Wang is currently a junior student of the South Kingstown High

School, South Kingstown, Rhode Island, USA.

（編者按：美國實(shí)施的是四年高中教育。因此高中三年級是申請大學(xué)前的關(guān)鍵時(shí)期。）

四、美國高中生的暑假經(jīng)歷

高中是____ 。你來填空。在美國，高中生的暑假經(jīng)歷因人而異，有很多的活動(dòng)可以選擇。暑假開始的第一個(gè)星期通常是聚會(huì)和睡覺。簡單的講，沒有作業(yè)和考試，有時(shí)間來睡到自然醒，能和朋友開心的聚會(huì)是美好的。然而，在短暫的放松之后，每個(gè)學(xué)生的暑假開始變得不同了。

除了放假之外，高中學(xué)生有很多機(jī)會(huì)利用暑期來進(jìn)行學(xué)業(yè)和為升入大學(xué)做些準(zhǔn)備。大學(xué)喜歡看到高中生們能充分有效地利用他們的暑期時(shí)間。很多大學(xué)為高中生提供暑期項(xiàng)目。一些大學(xué)舉辦各種持續(xù)幾周的夏令營，向?qū)W生們介紹大學(xué)的情況，讓學(xué)生們有機(jī)會(huì)直接參與科學(xué)、數(shù)學(xué)，技術(shù)等各方面的實(shí)踐。學(xué)校也舉辦其他具有廣泛興趣與愛好的夏令營，諸如寫作、音樂、藝術(shù)和語言專題等。夏令營可以說是五花八門，每人都能找到適合自己的項(xiàng)目。當(dāng)然有些項(xiàng)目要交很高的費(fèi)用，但最好的項(xiàng)目往往提供獎(jiǎng)學(xué)金或某種程度的補(bǔ)助?；顒?dòng)從參加暑期課程，到自己準(zhǔn)備標(biāo)準(zhǔn)考試等。做些義工也很受教育而且令人感到有不可替代的愉悅。常見義工場所包括醫(yī)院、動(dòng)物收留所、敬老院等。最普遍的暑期活動(dòng)當(dāng)然是工作。高中生們的暑期工作通常是在快餐店、咖啡屋、餐館、超市、服裝店以及其他娛樂場所。在夏季宜人的天氣，暑期工作可能會(huì)很辛苦、很臟、或難以忍受。但所得的收入通常會(huì)很快就花費(fèi)在汽油、衣服和與朋友外出消費(fèi)等方面。

有些暑期活動(dòng)，例如實(shí)習(xí)性質(zhì)的工作，對學(xué)生的勞動(dòng)也是有償?shù)摹?shí)習(xí)工作很重要，而且很有幫助。這樣的參與讓初探專業(yè)生涯的學(xué)生們獲得了實(shí)際工作的經(jīng)歷。本人在高中一年級和二年級就參加了羅德島大學(xué)生物醫(yī)學(xué)和藥理學(xué)系的實(shí)習(xí)項(xiàng)目。在暑期實(shí)習(xí)活動(dòng)中，我遇到很多非常好的老師和同事，參與了令人激勵(lì)的科學(xué)研究，做出的結(jié)果還在美國的專業(yè)科學(xué)大會(huì)上進(jìn)行報(bào)告和展示。但是要想進(jìn)入實(shí)習(xí)過程，學(xué)生們必須早做準(zhǔn)備。任何一項(xiàng)實(shí)習(xí)工作通常要求在春季就提交各種申請材料。所以，在冬季開始做些有關(guān)的信息準(zhǔn)備是必要的。申請材料一般包括學(xué)生的高中成績單，有些要求面試，或要求學(xué)生寫與實(shí)習(xí)有關(guān)的短文等。這些準(zhǔn)備看起來要花費(fèi)很多時(shí)間，但能有暑期實(shí)踐的機(jī)會(huì)是很值得的。

上述這些解釋了與暑期學(xué)業(yè)有關(guān)活動(dòng)的關(guān)鍵點(diǎn)，即學(xué)生本人應(yīng)該對暑期活動(dòng)有熱情。因?yàn)槊總€(gè)學(xué)生對暑期活動(dòng)有獨(dú)特的愛好和熱情，大學(xué)在錄取評審的過程中一眼就能看出該生是否選擇了好的暑期活動(dòng)，以使其簡歷看起來更具競爭力。大學(xué)期望看到一個(gè)學(xué)生專注地投入一個(gè)有效果的項(xiàng)目。如果學(xué)生要全身心的體驗(yàn)一個(gè)暑期項(xiàng)目，在學(xué)習(xí)中成長，他們就一定會(huì)選擇一個(gè)他們真正喜愛且能認(rèn)真投入的事情來做。這是對飛逝的暑期時(shí)間最好的使用。

夏天對高中生而言，的確是魔幻般的時(shí)光，充滿了機(jī)遇和選擇?；匚兜侥壳盀橹刮覀€(gè)人的暑期經(jīng)歷，我的腦海里充滿了夏季陽光的記憶，在羅德島的大西洋岸邊，在旅行中，與朋友們夏夜的聚會(huì)，和各種歡樂的時(shí)光。然而最令人舒服的不是僅僅知道我的居所距海邊僅是10分鐘的車程，也不是我最喜歡的鎮(zhèn)上的冰淇淋店在夏季之前開始了營業(yè)。最令人舒服的是我的每個(gè)暑期都有所學(xué)、有所長進(jìn)，而且我的學(xué)業(yè)并沒有局限在教室中。不要讓暑假悄悄地溜走，也不要讓你自己覺得一定需要書桌和書本來學(xué)習(xí)。

這個(gè)世界應(yīng)該是你的教室，你的生命應(yīng)該是你的老師。所有的自由時(shí)間應(yīng)該是學(xué)習(xí)和了解自己的機(jī)會(huì)。更多地了解這個(gè)社會(huì)，遇見和幫助其他人，認(rèn)真地經(jīng)歷人生。這并不意味著你要為坐在電視機(jī)前而有負(fù)罪感（相信我，我真的很享受我應(yīng)有的電視時(shí)間）。我只是希望當(dāng)8月份在燦爛的陽光沐浴之中即將過去之時(shí)，世界各地的高中生們會(huì)感到暑期沒有虛度。

【英文原稿】

Article 4: The American High School Summer Experience

High school is____. You fill in the blank. In America, summer experience of high school students varies from person to person, because the experience really depends on how you make it. There are so many options in activities to do during the 2 months, classes to take, and how to use the time. During the first approximate week of summer, sleep deprived high school students enjoy throwing end of the year parties and then, well, sleeping. Simply put, life is good with no homework or exams, unlimited sleeping, and spending time with friends. After all the fun and games, however, vacation times start to vary.

Besides vacations, there are many opportunities for high school students to get ahead academically in the summer for college preparations. Colleges really like to see that students use their summer time well. Many universities provide summer programs for high school students. Some colleges provide camps that last a couple of weeks to introduce the student to the college or give students hands on experience with science, math, or technology. Colleges and universities also provide a wide variety of camps for other subjects as well such as writing, music, art, or languages. There is definitely something for everyone. While many of these programs can be very expensive, the best programs of all offer some compensation or financial aid. Activities may include taking summer courses from colleges or self studying for standardized tests. Even volunteering can be educational, and the good feeling that results is irreplaceable.Popular places of service are hospitals, animal shelters, and nursing homes. The most popular summer activity of all, however, is simply working. Most if not all high school students find summer jobs at fast food restaurants, coffee houses, diners, supermarkets, department stores and other public entertainment places. Jobs can be tedious, messy, and seemingly unbearable when the summer weather is so great. But the money is usually spent right away on gas, clothing, and outings with friends.

Certain summer activities like internships actually pay students which is an even bigger bonus. Internships are important and helpful because they give real life experience to students who are beginning to dip their toes into certain career paths.During my freshman and sophomore year I participated in an internship at the University of Rhode Island's Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Department. Over the course of the summers I met many wonderful coworkers, engaged in compelling scientific projects, and even presented my projects to professionals at conferences. In order to participate in these programs, however, students must prepare early. Any summer program usually requires all of its supplements to be due by a certain date in the spring. Therefore, it would be a good idea for students to do their research on summer programs in the winter. Applications usually require a student's high school transcript, and some programs require interviews and essays. It may seem like a lot of work, but it will be very rewarding to have something fulfilling to do in the summer.

That brings up the most important point of all in terms of summer academics; a student should be passionate about their summer activities. Because each student has their own unique passions, colleges can see right through a student's application if they simply picked up summer activities here and there to look good on resumes. They would much rather see a student dedicated to certain fulfilling projects. If a student wants to experience summer in the fullest of sense, learning and growing as a person, they should just find something they enjoy and really submerge themselves in it. That is definitely a better usage of the quickly fleeting summer time.

Summer is definitely a magical time for high school students, full of possibilities and options. Looking back on all of my high school summers so far, my mind is filled with sun soaked memories on the beach of Rhode Island Atlantic coast, traveling, enjoying summer nights with friends, and overall just a good time. The most comforting thing, however, is not knowing that I live 10 minutes from the beach or that my favorite ice cream shop in town opens right before summer. The most comforting thing is that I've learned and grown as a person each summer, and that I didn't limit my learning to the classroom. Don't let summer slip by, and don't let yourself think that you need a desk or books to learn. The world should become your classroom and life your teacher. All this free time should be an opportunity to learn more about yourself, learn more about the world, meet and help others, and really experience life. This isn't meant to make all of you feel guilty about sitting in front of the television (believe me, I enjoy my fair share of television). I just hope that when August comes around in its sun drenched, summer fading splendor, high school students all around the world feel it was a summer well spent.