本文选自吴应时主编的《大学英语六级阅读真题精读——晨读伴侣》。本书对历年国家大学英语六级考试（CET-6）的仔细阅读部分进行了详尽而精准的分析、翻译和注释，对四六级考生有着事半功倍的效果，对提升整体英语能力也很有帮助。
学习导读：
我们总是能看到各种关于高考学生上不起大学的新闻。对于已经身处象牙塔的我们，大学在我们心中占据了多少的分量？或许从我们高三的废寝忘食就可看出一二。同样的疑问，美国人也在思考，究竟该如何看待大学所提供的教育？是把它看成明码标价的消费品还是看成巨额回报的投资品？又或者仅仅是属于自己的一种经历。让我们一起读读看吧。
There are (few more sobering 1online) activities [than entering data into college-tuition calculators 2 and gasping 3 as the Web spits back 4 a six-figure sum]. But economists say families (about to go into debt to fund 5 four years of partying), ^as well as studying^, can console themselves [with 6the knowledge] {that college is an investment (that, ^unlike many bank stocks^, should yield 7 huge dividends 8.)}
在网上的大学学费计算器里输入数据然后看到网上六位数字的学费总额，几乎没有比这种网上活动更让人清醒的了。但是，经济学家说，那些即将贷款支付四年聚会和学习的家庭可以从以下事实得到一些安慰：上大学是一项投资，与银行股票不同的是，这项投资将有巨大的红利。
注：1. sobering adj. 清醒的，冷静的；适度的，严肃的。例：
It also provides some sobering guidance for policy and decision-makers at local, national and international level.
它也对当地、全国和国际层面的相关政策和决策者提供了发人深省的指导。
[选自：UNESCO: MEDIA SERVICES]
2. calculator n. 计算器，计算机。文中此意，例：
The easy-to-use calculator asks for a starting location and destination, and the number of travellers.
简易计算器要求一个起始位置和目的地，以及旅行者的数量。
[选自：BBC: NEWS | Travel | To drive or fly? That is the question ]
calculate v. 计算，推算；计划，打算。例：
We calculate the trip will take about 8 days
我们推算这次旅行大概会花费8天。
be calculate to do sth. 旨在，打算，适合于做...
3. gasp n. 喘息，气喘。例：
After running, my breath came in short, quick gasps.
跑完步后，我气喘吁吁，呼吸短促。
vi. 喘息。文中此意，例：
Betty gasped and ran to catch up with her classmates.
贝蒂气喘吁吁地跑步跟上她的同学们。
v. 气喘吁吁地说
gasp forth/out 喘着气说出
The patient gasped out his last word and fainted.
病人喘着气说出最后一句话后就晕过去了。
4. spits back 吐回。例：
After the 90 seconds the instructions require, he spits it back into the plastic cup from which it came.
按照指示上的要求，90秒钟过后他将液体重新吐回塑料瓶
5. fund n.专款，基金，[pl.]资金，现款
raise funds 筹集资金
additional/extra fund 额外基金
trust fund 信托基金
federal fund 联邦基金
foreign fund 外资
vt. 拨款
government-fund 政府拨款的
public-fund 公办的
privately-fund 私人拨款的
emergency fund 紧急拨款
6. console vt. 安慰，抚慰。例：
The world number 11 will no doubt have learned much from watching the world’s best player go about his work and can console himself with the fact that he is now a certainty for the European Ryder Cup team in September.
世界排名第11位的球员无疑从观看世界上最好的球员的比赛中学到了很多东西，并且，值得安慰的是，他现在已经确定能参加9月份的欧洲莱德杯队。
[选自：BBC: NEWS | SPORT | Golf | Tiger Woods hugs caddie Steve Williams ]
console sb. with 用...安慰某人...
I consoled her with an exciting story.
我用一个激动人心的故事来安慰她。
7. yield vt. 出产，生长。文中此意，例：
These trees yield fruits richly.
这些果树的产量很高。
vi. 屈服，服从
yield to 屈服，服从。例：
The tiny country did not yield to the enemy’s fierce domination.
这个小国没有屈从于敌人的残暴统治。
n. 产量，收获。例：
rice yields doubled last year.
去年大米的产量翻了一番。
8. dividend n. 红利，股息；回报，效益；被开除。例：
The Board of Directors declared an interim dividend of 3.8 HK cents per share.
董事会宣布的中期红利为每股3.8港分。
[选自：ENGADGET: Lenovo posts Q2 earnings, sees increase in profits, shipments and market share]
The dividend is too poor to pay the expense.
回报微乎其微，无法支付开销。
A 2008 study (by two Harvard economists) notes that the “labor-market premium 1 to skill” – or the amount college graduates earned that’s greater [than what high-school graduate earned] – [decreased for much of the 20th century, but has come back with 2 a vengeance since the 1980s]. [In 2005], (the typical 3 full-time 4 year-round 5 U.S.) worker [with a four-year college degree] earned $50,900, [62% more than the $31,500] (earned by a worker) [with only a high-school diploma 6].
2008年哈佛大学的两位经济学者所做的一项研究指出，“技能所带来的劳动力市场额外收益”——或者说大学毕业生比高中毕业生挣得多的那部分钱——在20世纪的大部分时间都在下降，但是从20世纪80年代起，开始迅速回升。2005年，美国典型的拥有四年本科学历的全职职工平均年薪为50900美元，比高中文凭挣31500美元的工人要高出62%。
注：1. premium n. (投保人向保险公司支付的)保险金；额外费用（文中此意）；奖赏，赠品。例：
The bigger the risk an insurance company takes, the higher the premium you will have to pay.
保险公司承担的风险越大，你要加的保险金就越多。
Chinese consumers still distrust domestic food makers and are willing to pay a premium for foreign brands.
中国消费者仍然不信任国内食品制造商，愿意为外国品牌支付溢价。
[选自：ECONOMIST | Bright Food | Why a Chinese food company wants to gobble up Western outfits]
adj. 高级的，优质的；售价高的。例：
Starbucks provides premium quality coffee drinks.
星巴克提供高质量的咖啡。
The enterpriser bought the farmland at a premium price.
那位企业家花高价买下了这片农田。
2. come back with 带回来。例：
Don’t blame me if you come back with a flea in your ear!
你要是碰了钉子回来可别怪我。
3. typical adj. (of)典型的，有代表性的，例：
Andy’s a typical teenager, he likes his sleep but he has been making an effort.
安迪是一个典型的青少年，他喜欢睡觉，但他一直在努力。
[选自：BBC: SPORT | Tennis | Murray knuckles down]
[派]typically (adv.典型地，有代表性地)
4. full-time adj. 全部时间的；全日制的；专职的，专任的。例：
Mothering was a full-time job.
照顾孩子是一件不得空闲的苦差事。
n. (足球等的)比赛结束，终场。例：
The score at full-time was 1:1
比赛以1比1终场。
5. year-round adj. 全年的，整整一年的。文中此意，例：
Cuba has a tropical climate with year-round sunshine.
古巴属于热带气候，终年阳光明媚。
adv. 全年地。例：
They work 7 days a week year-round.
他们一年到头每周工作7天。
6. diploma n. 毕业文凭，学位证书。例：
Today, for example, a high school diploma no longer guarantees you a good job.
今天，举个例子来说，高中文凭不再意味着好工作了。
[选自: WHITEHOUSE: The Critical Role of Manufacturing]
相关词汇：diplomat 外交官
There’s no question {that going to college is a smart economic choice.} But a look at the strange variations 1 in tuition 2 reveals 3 that the choice (about which college to attend) doesn’t come down [merely 4 ] to 5 dollars and cents. Does going to Columbia University (tuition, room and board $49,260 in 2007-08) 原 yield a 40% greater return [than attending the University of Colorado at Boulder] [as an out-of-state 6 student ($35,542) 原]? Probably not. Does being an out-of-state student [at the University of Colorado at Boulder] yield twice the amount (of 7 income) [as being an in-state8 student ($17,380) 原 there]? Not likely.
毫无疑问，上大学是一项明智的经济投资。但是看一下学费的奇怪变化，就知道选择去哪所大学不仅仅是金钱的问题了。与作为外州的学生去哥伦比亚大学（以2007-08学年为标准，学费加住宿费一共是49260美元）相比，作为外州的学生去上科罗拉多大学的博尔德分校，回报会多40%吗？可能不会。作为外州学生去上科罗拉多大学的博尔德分校，得到的回报是作为州内学生去上该校（17380美元）的两倍吗？不大可能。
注：1. variation n. 变化，变动；变种，变异。例：
These animals can feel tiny variation in temperature.
这些动物能感觉到气温的微小变化。
There is lots of variation out there in how we take information in and process it.
在如何获取信息和处理信息上有很多变化。
[选自：BBC: NEWS | Health | Myths about our minds]
2. tuition n. 学费；例：
Those campers, upon graduating from high school, would then get some tuition assistance for college.
那些露营者,高中毕业后,就会得到一些大学学费援助。
[选自：WSJ: Donor of the Day: Jay Jacobs]
tuition charge/fees 学费
3. reveal vt. 展示，显示；揭示，揭露，告诉，泄露。例：
At that point, I decided to reveal that I had been stringing him along.
在那时，我决定透露出我一直在欺骗他。
[选自：BBC: A phone call for Mr Sellan]
to reveal a secret 揭示秘密
We don’t reveal the names of our guests.
我们不泄露客户的名字。
4. merely adv. 仅仅，只不过。例：
Thomas argued that he was merely taking a nap.
托马斯争辩说他不过打了个盹而已。
5. come down to 归结起来（为...）; 屈尊做某事；来，下来；回落。例：
Walter Crowley says the problem comes down to money.
沃尔特·克劳利说，归根结底就是钱的问题。
Both parties had been saying for weeks that the presidential campaign would all come down to Florida.
所有党派都表示，总统竞选将几周之后在弗罗里达州进行。
[选自：CNN: Florida recount: In the eye of the storm]
In other words, batteries have to come down to less than$200per kw/h before electrics can go mainstream.
换句话说，在电动车走向主流之前，电池价格每千瓦时要回落至200美元。
6. out-of-state adj. [美]其他州的，外州的。例：
out-of-state tuition 外州及国际学生；州外学费
out-of-State student 外州学生
out-of-state tuition waiver 学费
7. the amount of 数量，总量；总额；大量。例：
Some have expressed concern about the amount of sand needed for the new houses.
一些人表示出对新房所需砂子总量的担忧。
[选自：BBC: NEWS | Africa | Nigeria's plastic bottle house]
8. in-state 本州的，州内的
in-state tuition 州内学费
incredibly low in-state tuition 非常低的国内学生费用
No, [in this consumerist 1 age], most buyers aren’t evaluating 2 college 3, but rather as a consumer product> – ^like a car or clothes or a house^. And [with such purchases 4], price is [only] one of many crucial factors (to consider).
不，在这个消费年代，大多数买家不是把上大学看作投资，而是看作消费品——就像汽车、衣服和房子一样。购买这些产品时，价格是许多需要考虑的重要因素之一。
注：1. consumerist n.主张消费主义的人。例：
He was a good businessman,but he had the mentality of a consumerist.
他是个精明的生意人，但是也有消费意识。
adj. 消费主义的。例：
“Facebook should now be called The Information Black hole,” one Consumerist commenter proclaimed.
一个消费主义批评家宣称：“脸书现在应该被称为信息黑洞。”
[选自：CNN NEWS | Technology | Facebook faces furor over content rights]
2. evaluate vt. 估计，评价；求...的值。例：
Efforts to further evaluate this and related approach in the clinic should be prioritised.
对进一步评估这个和与临床有关方法的努力应当被优先考虑。
[选自：BBC: New hope for head injury patients]
2.investment n. 投资额，投资。例：
Investment has been strong and will be helped by recent declines in long-term interest rates.
投资强劲得益于最近长期利率下降。
[选自：ECONOMIST: The recovery stumbles but still has legs]
The return in the short term may be small, but over a number of years the investment.
这项投资的回报在短期内可能不多，但几年后将会非常丰厚。
4. purchase vt. 购买，买。例：
People use money to purchase goods.
人们用钱购买商品。
n. 购买的商品。（文中此意）例：
“I have decided to postpone the purchase as I will have more choices,” he says.
他说：“我已经决定推迟购买，因为我将有更多的选择。”
[选自：CNN: MAGAZINE | ASIANMOW | Asiaweek INDIA'S CAR WARS]
[As with automobiles 1], consumers (in today’s college marketplace) have vast 2 choices, and people search for the one (that gives them the most comfort and satisfaction [in line with their budgets 3].) This accounts for the willingness (of people to pay more for different types of experiences) (such as attending a private liberal-arts 4 college or going to an out-of-state public school that has a great marine-biology program)原. And [just as two auto purchasers might spend an equal amount (of money on very different cars),] college students (or, more accurately 5, their parents)原 [often] show a willingness (to pay essentially 6 the same price for vastly different products). So which is it? Is college an investment product [like a stock] or a consumer product [like a car]? [In keeping with 7 the automotive world’s hottest consumer trend], [maybe] it’s best [to characterize 8 it ]; an expensive consumer product (that, [over time 9], will pay rich dividends.)
与买汽车一样，消费者在如今的大学市场上有很多选择，人们会在自己的预算范围内寻找那些让他们最舒服最满意的。这可以解释为什么人们为了享受不同的经历愿意付更多的钱（比如说，去读一所私立的文科学校或者是去读一所拥有不错的海洋生物项目的外州学校）。就像两个买车的顾客可能会花同样的钱买完全不同的车一样，大学生（或者更确切的说是他们的父母）通常愿意花相同的钱去买完全不同的商品。那么，是哪个呢？大学就是像股票一样的投资品还是像汽车一样的消费品？为了与汽车世界最火的销售潮流保持一致，或许最好把它定义为混合动力汽车：假以时日，它将会是一项给你带来最大利润的昂贵消费品。
注：1. automobile n. 汽车。例：
Export-oriented manufacturing – in particular automobile production – and farm output are driving these gains.
以出口为导向的制造业——特别是汽车生产——以及农业产出推动着这些增长。
[选自：FORBES: Magazine Article]
2. vast adj. 巨大的，辽阔的，大量的；巨额的。例：
The government says the vast majority - about 90% - are members of organized crime.
政府说，绝大多数（约90%）是有组织犯罪的成员。
[选自：WSJ: Report Blames Mexican Security Forces For Abuse]
The actors were brought from Paris to London at vast expense.
这些演员是花巨资从巴黎请来伦敦的。
3. budget n. 预算。文中此意，例：
In 2013, are you prepared to enact deeper defence cuts to balance the budget?
2013年，你准备好通过更深层次的平衡预算削减国防开支吗？[选自：BBC: NEWS | US & Canada | PJ Crowley: 10 questions for the Republican candidates]
短语：budget office预算局
annual budget 年度预算
government budget政府预算
cut down the budget削减预算
The schoolmaster wanted to cut down the budget.
校长想削减学校的预算。
vi. 做预算
The chief of police is budgeting for heavy spending.
局长正在为巨额花销做预算。
in line with符合；与…一致
4. liberal-arts 大学文科。例：
The move to cut the Liberal Arts degree is part of wider cost-reduction plans.
减少文科学位是更广泛削减成本计划的一部分。
[选自：BBC: NEWS | Scotland | Dumfries University of Glasgow degree battle stepped up]
A nonscientific branch of learning，one of the liberal arts.
人文学科学问的一种非科学分支，文科的一个(学科)
5. accurately adv. 精确地，准确地。例：
Experts said it was difficult to forecast accurately the final bill from the earthquake and tsunami.
专家表示，很难准确预测地震和海啸最终的账单。
[选自：BBC: NEWS | Business |Japan earthquake: Insurers hit by claim fears]
相关词汇 accurate adj. 精确的，准确的
6. essentially adv. 本质上，根本上。例：
The union said owners essentially gave it an ultimatum to accept a 50-50 split of revenues.
工会说业主基本上给出了最后结论，即接受均分收入。
[选自：NPR: NBA Labor Talks Turn Nasty As Negotiations End]
7.in keeping with 和...一致，与...协调。例：
Opponents said the look of the modern suspension bridge was not in keeping with the historic town.
反对者说现代吊桥的外观跟这座古城不搭。
[选自：BBC: NEWS | England | Plan for new bridge at Bradford-on-Avon is scrapped]
The report showed this actions were in keeping with international law.
报告显示这项活动是符合国际法的。
8.characterize vt. 表示...的特征，描述...的特性。例：
He declined to characterize her demeanor in the video or provide any additional details.
他拒绝描述她在视频中的举止或提供任何额外的细节。
[选自：CNN: News | Crime |$100,000 reward offered in Indiana missing student case]
I find it healthy to characterize people I don’t known.
我发现对自己不熟的人不妄加评论对我大有裨益。
这里需要注意，to characterize这里是作目的状语，最好这样描述，在该状语中，细分了一下characterize作形式谓语的情况。
9. over time 随着时间的推移；超时，归根结底；有朝一日
Over time, we are confident that the prices of these sorts of cars will come down.
随着时间的推移，我们相信，这些汽车的价格会下降。
[选自：WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing]
We had to work over time to complete this complicated project.
我们不得不加班完成这项复杂的工程。