加路连英语口语第 57 课: I don't think it's funny. 我可不觉得好笑

Ian: Wow, Candy! This new statement of purpose is great! You may make it, after all! How about the letters? 哇，凯蒂！这份新的读书计划真棒！你毕竟还是做到了！那推荐信呢？

Candy: I asked two professors to write them. They told me to do it myself and they'd sign them. So, I copied these from my friends who've gone abroad. 我请两位教授写。他们叫我自己写，他们会签名。所以我从已经出国朋友的推荐信里抄了这些出来。

Ian: [Reading] “Candy Lin is the best student I've ever had. She will undoubtedly make a monumental contribution to the entire world.” Sounds too good. I don't think an admissions committee would believe it. （读信）‘林凯蒂是我教过最好的学生。她肯定将对全世界做出不朽的贡献。’听起来太好了。我不认为入学许可委员会会相信这个。

Candy: What are you saying? The professor shouldn't write nice things about me? 你说什么？教授不该写一些我的好话吗？

Ian: Look, even if that letter was accurate, an American admissions committee would just laugh at it. 听好，就算那封信是说真的，美国入学许可委员会看了也会笑出来。

Candy: Well, I don't think it's funny. 我可不觉得好笑。

Ian: Your professor should praise you, but in a more balanced way. The letter can even have some criticism like “My only concern about Candy is her devotion to achieving perfection in her studies. I hope she can learn to balance leisure time with work.” 你的教授是应该赞美你，但要用比较持平的方式。这封信甚至可以有一些批评，像是 ‘我唯一担心凯蒂的是她致力于达到研究的完美。我希望她可以学习在休闲与工作间取得平衡。’

Candy: So while it sounds like criticism, it's actually saying something nice about me? 所以虽然听起来像是批评，其实是在替我说好话？

Ian: Exactly. And since you are the one who is going to write the letters, we'll have to be sure they don't all sound the same. 一点也不错。而且既然是你在写这些信，我们必须确定它们不会听起来都一个样。

Candy: In America, do professors actually write these themselves? 在美国，教授都亲自写推荐信吗？

Ian: Yes, if you have developed a close enough relationship with them. 对啊，如果你和他们关系够好的话。

Candy: Too bad the ones here are so lazy. 可惜这里的教授都太懒了！

Ian: I know, I know. So take your time this time. Hopefully we'll get this done by the end of the month. 我了，我了。所以这次你可以慢慢来，但愿我们可以在月底前把信写完。