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美国部分大学将学费削减一半(上)
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学费重置计划一半是营销手段，一半是直面现实。一些不太知名的大学坦然承认，它们的学费是虚晃一枪。
双语精读
A Sign That Tuition Is Too High: Some Colleges Are Slashing It in Half
学费过高已现端倪：部分大学将学费削减一半
Over the last two years, applications at Colby-Sawyer College, a small, quaint assemblage of red brick buildings surrounded by three mountains, fell about 10 percent, hurt by the pandemic and by competition from less expensive public colleges across the Northeast.
科尔比-索耶学院的校园三山环绕，是一个古雅的小型红砖建筑群。在过去两年里，受疫情影响，以及来自东北部学费较低的公立大学的竞争，该校的申请人数下降了约10%。
Against that backdrop, Colby-Sawyer made what looks like a radical decision. It slashed the official price of tuition for the 2023-24 school year to 46,000, a drop of 62 percent.
在这种背景下，科尔比-索耶做出了一个看起来很激进的决定。它将2023－24学年的官方学费从约4.6万美元下调至1.75万美元，降幅为62%。
Its published tuition is now only slightly higher than the cost of attending regional public universities.
它所公布的学费现在仅略高于地区性公立大学的费用。
Colby-Sawyer has joined a growing number of small, private colleges in what's called the tuition reset, which overhauls prices to reflect what most students actually pay after discounting through need-based and merit financial aid.
科尔比-索耶学院加入了越来越多的小型私立大学的行列，进行了所谓的学费重置计划，该计划对学费进行了全面改革，以反映大多数学生在得到基于需要和优秀表现的助学金后实际支付的费用。
The reset is part marketing move and part reality check.
学费重置计划一半是营销手段，一半是直面现实。
It is frank recognition among some lesser-known colleges that their prices are something of a feint.
一些不太知名的大学坦然承认，它们的学费是虚晃一枪。
They are high in part to mimic the price tag of the most elite colleges and universities - suggesting that this is an education worth paying for - but, in reality, the prices are not based in fact. At Colby-Sawyer, every student gets a discount.
学费之所以高，部分是为了效仿最顶尖的学院和大学的价格标签——表明这是值得花钱的教育——但实际上，真实价格并非如此。在科尔比-索耶学院，每个学生都享有折扣。
"I don't want to call it a game, because it's not a game," said Susan D. Stuebner, the president of Colby-Sawyer.
“我不想把它叫做耍花招，因为它不是耍花招。”科尔比-索耶学院的校长苏珊·D. 斯图布纳说。
"But this phenomenon in higher education of a high sticker price, high discount is so confusing to families." Many potential applicants, she said, balked at the sticker price, and did not investigate further.
“但高等教育中的这种高标价、高折扣现象让许多家庭感到困惑。”她说，许多潜在申请者对标价望而却步，也没有进一步调查。
Many private colleges are feeling pressure to fill their classes.
许多私立大学都感受到了把教室填满的压力。
They are competing for a dwindling number of college-age students, and face a growing skepticism about whether the degree - and its debt - is worth it.
这些大学正在争夺越来越少的大学适龄学生，并面临着越来越多质疑：学位——以及随之而来的债务——是否值得。
Nearly a third of parents and students believe that a college education is overpriced compared with its value, according to a recent Sallie Mae and Ipsos study.
根据沙利美和益普索最近的一项研究，近三分之一的家长和学生认为，与其价值相比，大学教育的价格虚高。
The same study found that 81 percent of families had crossed a school off their list at some point because of its high cost.
同一项研究发现，81%的家庭曾在某个时候因为费用过高而将一所学校从备选清单上划掉。
"The conversation nationally has really become, why is the price of college so high?" Dr. Stuebner said. "How many families are we not in conversation with because they see the sticker price and say, 'Not for me'?"
“全国范围内的讨论真的变成了，为什么大学的费用这么高？”斯图布纳博士说。“有多少家庭看到标价后说‘不适合我’而让我们失去了和他们接触的机会？”
The resistance to tuition increases is a reversal from 20 years ago, when some colleges found that raising prices goosed applications, known as the Chivas Regal effect, as families equated price with quality.
对学费提高的抗拒与20年前的情况完全相反，当时一些大学发现，提高学费会刺激申请，这被称为“皇家芝华士效应”，即学生家庭将价格等同于质量。
Families also liked the prestige of receiving scholarships.
学生家庭也喜欢获得奖学金带来的声誉。
Colleges got into the habit of raising prices every year, and then using financial or merit aid to discount the price for students who could not afford full fare, or for high achievers and athletes whom they wanted to recruit.
大学便习惯于每年提高学费，然后利用助学金或奖学金，为负担不起全额学费的学生或他们想要招收的成绩优异的学生和体育生提供折扣。
词汇预习
financial [高考]
美[faɪˈnænʃl] | 英[faɪˈnænʃl]
adj. 金融的；财政的；[非正式]有钱的
recognition [高考]
美[ˌrekəɡˈnɪʃn] | 英[ˌrekəɡˈnɪʃn]
n. 识别；认识；承认；认可；表彰，赞誉；（政府对他国的）外交认可
regional [高考]
美[ˈriːdʒənl] | 英[ˈriːdʒənl]
adj. 地区的；局部的；当地的；方言的 n. 分部
investigate [高考]
美[ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪt] | 英[ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪt]
v. 调查；研究
tuition [高考]
美[tuˈɪʃn] | 英[tjuˈɪʃn]
n. 学费；教诲；教学
resistance [高考]
美[rɪˈzɪstəns] | 英[rɪˈzɪstəns]
n. 抵抗；抵触；反对；阻力 n. [电]阻抗
merit [高考]
美[ˈmerɪt] | 英[ˈmerɪt]
n. 优点；功绩；价值 v. 值得；应得
mimic [高考]
美[ˈmɪmɪk] | 英[ˈmɪmɪk]
vt. 模仿；模拟 n. 模仿者；仿制品 adj. 模仿的；假的
potential [高考]
美[pəˈtenʃl] | 英[pəˈtenʃl]
adj. 潜在的；可能的 n. 潜力；潜能 n. 电位；电势
phenomenon [高考]
美[fəˈnɑːmɪnən] | 英[fəˈnɒmɪnən]
n. 现象；奇人；奇事
discount [高考]
美[ˈdɪskaʊnt , dɪsˈkaʊnt] | 英[ˈdɪskaʊnt , dɪsˈkaʊnt]
n. 折扣；贴现率 vt. 打折扣；贴现；不全信；不重视 vi. 贴现；减息贷款
fare [高考]
美[fer] | 英[feə(r)]
n. 车费；路费；乘客；食物 vi. 过活；进展；进食；旅行；行走
debt [高考]
美[det] | 英[det]
n. 债务；恩情；负债状态；义务；罪
brick [高考]
美[brɪk] | 英[brɪk]
n.砖；砖块；积木；可靠的朋友 v.用砖砌；用砖镶填；用砖围砌；用砖铺筑 adj.用砖砌的；砖似的
in part [高考]
美[ɪn pɑːrt] | 英[ɪn pɑːt]
部分地
further [高考]
美[ˈfɜːrðər] | 英[ˈfɜːðə(r)]
adv. 更远地，再往前地；进一步；此外，而且 adj. 更多的，进一步的；（距离上）更远的，较远的 v. 促进，推进
frank [高考]
美[fræŋk] | 英[fræŋk]
adj. 坦白的；直率的；真诚的 vt. 免费邮寄；使自由出入 n. 免费邮寄；弗兰克（人名）
recruit [四级]
美[rɪˈkruːt] | 英[rɪˈkruːt]
v. 吸收(新成员)；征兵；招聘 n. 新成员；新兵
radical [四级]
美[ˈrædɪkl] | 英[ˈrædɪkl]
adj.激进的；彻底的；基本的 n.自由基；激进分子；游离基
reversal [四级]
美[rɪˈvɜːrsl] | 英[rɪˈvɜːsl]
n. 翻转；倒转；反转
resistance to [四级]
美[rɪˈzɪstəns tu] | 英[riˈzistəns tu:]
对 ... 的阻力
conversation with [四级]
美 | 英
与……谈话
marketing [四级]
美[ˈmɑːrkɪtɪŋ] | 英[ˈmɑːkɪtɪŋ]
n. 市场营销；行销
elite [四级]
美[eɪˈliːt , ɪˈliːt] | 英[eɪˈliːt , ɪˈliːt]
n. 精英 adj. 精英的；优秀的
prestige [六级]
美[preˈstiːʒ] | 英[preˈstiːʒ]
adj. 有威信的；名贵的
something of [六级]
美['sʌmθɪŋ əv] | 英['sʌmθɪŋ əv]
有几分； 在某种程度上
fell [专四]
美[fel] | 英[fel]
vt. 砍伐；击倒 n. 丘原；沼泽地 adj. 凶残的；毁灭性的
according [专四]
美[ə'kɔrdɪŋ] | 英[ə'kɔːdɪŋ]
adj. 相符的；相应的；一致的 v. 给予；符合，一致；正式协议（accord的现在分词）
quaint [专八]
美[kweɪnt] | 英[kweɪnt]
adj. 离奇有趣的；古色古香的；古怪的
feint [专八]
美[fent] | 英[feɪnt]
n. 伪装；佯装攻击 v. 佯攻；佯击 adj. （纸等）印有隐格线的
skepticism [考研]
美[ˈskeptɪsɪzəm] | 英[ˈskeptɪsɪzəm]
n. 怀疑论；怀疑态度；怀疑主义
nationally [考研]
美[ˈnæʃənlɪ] | 英[ˈnæʃnəli]
adv. 全国性地；在全国范围内
assemblage [托福]
美[əˈsemblɪdʒ] | 英[əˈsemblɪdʒ]
n. 聚集；装配；集合的人或物
don [托福]
美[dɑn] | 英[dɒn]
n. 先生（西班牙用语）；(牛津、剑桥大学的)指导教师 v. 穿上
重点讲解
A Sign That Tuition Is Too High: Some Colleges Are Slashing It in Half
学费过高已现端倪：部分大学将学费削减一半
slash v.
1. 砍；劈
【例】slash a path through the forest 用刀砍出一条穿越森林的道路
2. 大幅削减；大大降低
【例】to slash costs/prices/fares 大幅度降低成本/价格/车费
assemblage n. （人、物的）聚集
【例】an assemblage of famous people 一群集合在一起的名人
【拓展】assemble v. 聚集；集合
Over the last two years, applications at Colby-Sawyer College, a small, quaint assemblage of red brick buildings surrounded by three mountains, fell about 10 percent, hurt by the pandemic and by competition from less expensive public colleges across the Northeast.
科尔比-索耶学院的校园三山环绕，是一个古雅的小型红砖建筑群。在过去两年里，受疫情影响，以及来自东北部学费较低的公立大学的竞争，该校的申请人数下降了约10%。
slash v.
1. 砍；劈
【例】slash a path through the forest 用刀砍出一条穿越森林的道路
2. 大幅削减；大大降低
【例】to slash costs/prices/fares 大幅度降低成本/价格/车费
assemblage n. （人、物的）聚集
【例】an assemblage of famous people 一群集合在一起的名人
【拓展】assemble v. 聚集；集合
Against that backdrop, Colby-Sawyer made what looks like a radical decision. It slashed the official price of tuition for the 2023-24 school year to 46,000, a drop of 62 percent.
在这种背景下，科尔比-索耶做出了一个看起来很激进的决定。它将2023－24学年的官方学费从约4.6万美元下调至1.75万美元，降幅为62%。
backdrop n. （事态发展的）背景
【例】It was against this backdrop of racial tension that the civil war began.
正是在种族关系紧张的背景下，内战开始了。
【辨析】background n. （事态发展的）背景；（出身/教育）背景；背景（音乐）
Its published tuition is now only slightly higher than the cost of attending regional public universities.
它所公布的学费现在仅略高于地区性公立大学的费用。
backdrop n. （事态发展的）背景
【例】It was against this backdrop of racial tension that the civil war began.
正是在种族关系紧张的背景下，内战开始了。
【辨析】background n. （事态发展的）背景；（出身/教育）背景；背景（音乐）
Colby-Sawyer has joined a growing number of small, private colleges in what’s called the tuition reset, which overhauls prices to reflect what most students actually pay after discounting through need-based and merit financial aid.
科尔比-索耶学院加入了越来越多的小型私立大学的行列，进行了所谓的学费重置计划，该计划对学费进行了全面改革，以反映大多数学生在得到基于需要和优秀表现的助学金后实际支付的费用。
overhaul v. & n.
1. 作动词：彻底检修；彻底革新
【例】The company needs to overhaul its techniques and methods.
那家公司需要彻底革新技术和方法。
2. 作名词：彻底检修；彻底革新
【例】a system which is in need of radical overhaul 需要根本改革的体制
merit n. 优点；美德；值得奖励的特点；（在校成绩）良好
【例】I want to get the job on merit.
我要凭才能得到这份工作。
The reset is part marketing move and part reality check.
学费重置计划一半是营销手段，一半是直面现实。
reality check 提醒人面对现实的事件
（英文释义：an occasion when you are reminded of how things are in the real world, rather than how you would like things to be）
【例】The recent failure of so many internet businesses has provided a reality check for those who predicted huge profits.
最近许多互联网公司倒闭，这让许多曾经预言要大赚一笔的人不得不面对现实。
mimic v. 模仿（言行举止）
【例】She's always mimicking the teachers.
她总喜欢模仿老师的言谈举止。
It is frank recognition among some lesser-known colleges that their prices are something of a feint.
一些不太知名的大学坦然承认，它们的学费是虚晃一枪。
reality check 提醒人面对现实的事件
（英文释义：an occasion when you are reminded of how things are in the real world, rather than how you would like things to be）
【例】The recent failure of so many internet businesses has provided a reality check for those who predicted huge profits.
最近许多互联网公司倒闭，这让许多曾经预言要大赚一笔的人不得不面对现实。
mimic v. 模仿（言行举止）
【例】She's always mimicking the teachers.
她总喜欢模仿老师的言谈举止。
They are high in part to mimic the price tag of the most elite colleges and universities — suggesting that this is an education worth paying for — but, in reality, the prices are not based in fact. At Colby-Sawyer, every student gets a discount.
学费之所以高，部分是为了效仿最顶尖的学院和大学的价格标签——表明这是值得花钱的教育——但实际上，真实价格并非如此。在科尔比-索耶学院，每个学生都享有折扣。
reality check 提醒人面对现实的事件
（英文释义：an occasion when you are reminded of how things are in the real world, rather than how you would like things to be）
【例】The recent failure of so many internet businesses has provided a reality check for those who predicted huge profits.
最近许多互联网公司倒闭，这让许多曾经预言要大赚一笔的人不得不面对现实。
mimic v. 模仿（言行举止）
【例】She's always mimicking the teachers.
她总喜欢模仿老师的言谈举止。
“I don’t want to call it a game, because it’s not a game,” said Susan D. Stuebner, the president of Colby-Sawyer.
“我不想把它叫做耍花招，因为它不是耍花招。”科尔比-索耶学院的校长苏珊·D. 斯图布纳说。
game n. 诡计；花招；把戏
【例】see through one’s game 识破某人的诡计
balk v.
1. （动物）突然拒绝前行, 逡巡不前
【例】The horse balked and would not jump the fence.
那匹马突然犹豫着不肯跳过栅栏。
2. 畏缩；回避
【例】Many parents may baulk at the idea of paying $100 for a pair of shoes.
许多父母可能不愿出100美元买一双鞋。
“But this phenomenon in higher education of a high sticker price, high discount is so confusing to families.” Many potential applicants, she said, balked at the sticker price, and did not investigate further.
“但高等教育中的这种高标价、高折扣现象让许多家庭感到困惑。”她说，许多潜在申请者对标价望而却步，也没有进一步调查。
game n. 诡计；花招；把戏
【例】see through one’s game 识破某人的诡计
balk v.
1. （动物）突然拒绝前行, 逡巡不前
【例】The horse balked and would not jump the fence.
那匹马突然犹豫着不肯跳过栅栏。
2. 畏缩；回避
【例】Many parents may baulk at the idea of paying $100 for a pair of shoes.
许多父母可能不愿出100美元买一双鞋。
Many private colleges are feeling pressure to fill their classes.
许多私立大学都感受到了把教室填满的压力。
dwindle v. 逐渐减少或变小
【例】Membership of the club has dwindled from 70 to 20.
俱乐部会员人数已从70减少到20。
【近义词】decline/decrease/shrink v. 减少；缩小
They are competing for a dwindling number of college-age students, and face a growing skepticism about whether the degree — and its debt — is worth it.
这些大学正在争夺越来越少的大学适龄学生，并面临着越来越多质疑：学位——以及随之而来的债务——是否值得。
dwindle v. 逐渐减少或变小
【例】Membership of the club has dwindled from 70 to 20.
俱乐部会员人数已从70减少到20。
【近义词】decline/decrease/shrink v. 减少；缩小
Nearly a third of parents and students believe that a college education is overpriced compared with its value, according to a recent Sallie Mae and Ipsos study.
根据沙利美和益普索最近的一项研究，近三分之一的家长和学生认为，与其价值相比，大学教育的价格虚高。
dwindle v. 逐渐减少或变小
【例】Membership of the club has dwindled from 70 to 20.
俱乐部会员人数已从70减少到20。
【近义词】decline/decrease/shrink v. 减少；缩小
The same study found that 81 percent of families had crossed a school off their list at some point because of its high cost.
同一项研究发现，81%的家庭曾在某个时候因为费用过高而将一所学校从备选清单上划掉。
cross sth off （从名单或清单上）删掉
【例】We can cross his name off; he's not coming.
他不来了，我们可以把他的名字划掉了。
“The conversation nationally has really become, why is the price of college so high?” Dr. Stuebner said. “How many families are we not in conversation with because they see the sticker price and say, ‘Not for me’?”
“全国范围内的讨论真的变成了，为什么大学的费用这么高？”斯图布纳博士说。“有多少家庭看到标价后说‘不适合我’而让我们失去了和他们接触的机会？”
cross sth off （从名单或清单上）删掉
【例】We can cross his name off; he's not coming.
他不来了，我们可以把他的名字划掉了。
The resistance to tuition increases is a reversal from 20 years ago, when some colleges found that raising prices goosed applications, known as the Chivas Regal effect, as families equated price with quality.
对学费提高的抗拒与20年前的情况完全相反，当时一些大学发现，提高学费会刺激申请，这被称为“皇家芝华士效应”，即学生家庭将价格等同于质量。
equate v. 同等看待；使等同
【例】It's a mistake to equate wealth with happiness.
把财富等同于幸福是错误的。
【搭配】equate to sth 相当于；等于
【例】Wealth doesn’t equate to happiness.
财富并不等于幸福。
Families also liked the prestige of receiving scholarships.
学生家庭也喜欢获得奖学金带来的声誉。
prestige n. & adj.
1. 作名词：声望；威望
【例】There is a lot of prestige attached to owning a car like this.
拥有这样一部汽车会显得很气派。
2. 作形容词：令人敬仰的；有声望的
【例】a prestige job 体面的工作
【拓展】prestigious adj. 有威望的；声誉高的
【例】a prestigious university 名牌大学
high achiever 成功优秀人士
（英文释义：a hard-working, successful person）
【例】All the women interviewed were high achievers in their chosen field.
接受采访的女士都是各自领域的佼佼者。
【拓展】low achiever 成绩平庸的人
【例】Not enough attention is given to the low achievers in the class.
班上成绩一般的人没有得到足够的关注。
Colleges got into the habit of raising prices every year, and then using financial or merit aid to discount the price for students who could not afford full fare, or for high achievers and athletes whom they wanted to recruit.
大学便习惯于每年提高学费，然后利用助学金或奖学金，为负担不起全额学费的学生或他们想要招收的成绩优异的学生和体育生提供折扣。
prestige n. & adj.
1. 作名词：声望；威望
【例】There is a lot of prestige attached to owning a car like this.
拥有这样一部汽车会显得很气派。
2. 作形容词：令人敬仰的；有声望的
【例】a prestige job 体面的工作
【拓展】prestigious adj. 有威望的；声誉高的
【例】a prestigious university 名牌大学
high achiever 成功优秀人士
（英文释义：a hard-working, successful person）
【例】All the women interviewed were high achievers in their chosen field.
接受采访的女士都是各自领域的佼佼者。
【拓展】low achiever 成绩平庸的人
【例】Not enough attention is given to the low achievers in the class.
班上成绩一般的人没有得到足够的关注。
课后练习
Which of the following is true about Colby-Sawyer College?
A. The number of its newly recruited students decreased.
B. The impact of the pandemic forced it to cancel courses.
C. It starts to charge lower tuition fees than public colleges.
D. It cut the price of tuition to attract more applications.
According to the text, the tuition reset ____.
A. will reduce the overall revenues of the college
B. will offer students more generous financial aid
C. will help align the price tags with the actual payment
D. will intensify the competition between private colleges
One of the results of high sticker price is that ____.
A. colleges could improve the quality of their education
B. colleges could rank among the most elite universities
C. students are intimidated by the price and give up applying
D. students are motivated to work hard to win a scholarship
The Sallie Mae and Ipsos study found that ____.
A. many families could not afford college education
B. many families were reluctant to pay high tuition
C. colleges failed to communicate with families
D. colleges failed to provide truly valuable education
According to the text, 20 years ago ____.
A. families were more tolerant of expensive college education
B. only the most elite colleges charged high tuition fees
C. colleges increased the amount of financial aid every year
D. scholarships were offered exclusively to high achievers