Seis estudantes de diferentes partes do mundo se encontram. O que eles têm em comum? São todos intercambistas estudando em uma universidade americana durante um semestre. Ao longo do semestre, eles aprendem mais inglês, conhecem sobre a cultura americana e ficam sabendo mais sobre suas áreas de estudo. Esta série Conversações Diárias* é sobre seis estudantes e suas experiências durante um semestre em uma universidade nos EUA. Essas conversas são para alunos de inglês de nível intermediário ou superior.
A série Conversações Diárias é uma ótima maneira de melhorar seu inglês. Os leitores de nível mais avançado podem aprender ainda mais rápido revendo este post original* na íntegra em inglês.
Three students (Akinyi, Lucía, and Jana) discuss the process of applying to college in the U.S.
Akinyi: Hey, I’m so glad you’re here. I need your help.
Lucía: You look really stressed out.
Jana: Yeah, what’s going on?
Akinyi: Well, I have a huge paper due for one of my business classes, plus my cousin wants to apply to college in the U.S., and her family is asking me all about the application process. Even though I went through a similar process not too long ago, I can’t remember everything I was required to do.
Lucía: We can help with that!
Jana: The actual application isn’t so bad. It’s the college essay and standardized tests that are awful!
Lucía: I agree. How about we make a list of all of the steps in the application process for your cousin?
Akinyi: That would be great.
Jana: Take the standardized tests — that would be the SAT and TOEFL for her. Get recommendation letters. Fill out the application form.
Lucía: Oh, don’t forget to mention the Common App. That can save a lot of time.
Jana: Right. Oh, and write the college essay.
Akinyi: And I remember paying all of those application fees too.
Lucía: This is a good list. Ajay wrote a great college essay. Maybe he can help your cousin with that part of the application process?
Akinyi: Yes, that’d be great. And thanks! I wouldn’t have remembered all of this without you.
Agora vamos rever o vocabulário.
To be stressed out [estressar-se] means to be worried about problems in your life, at school or work, etc.
In the context of school, a paper [trabalho de pesquisa] is a piece of writing that is done for a class. For example, I have to write a paper about the water cycle for my science class. It can also be called an essay [redação]
In the U.S., the words college [faculdade] and university [universidade] are often used interchangeably (meaning the words can be used to mean the same thing). Students go to college or university after high school to earn a degree.
The college application process [processo de inscrição] refers to everything one needs to do to apply to colleges and universities for undergraduate study. The process includes completing an application, writing an essay, taking standardized tests, and having an interview.
A college essay [redação pessoal] is part of the college application process. The person applying to college writes a short piece of writing that is about himself or herself.
A standardized test [exame padronizado] is a type of test. All people who take the test answer the same questions. The test is scored in the same way, so scores can be compared. Two examples of standardized tests are the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test – Teste de Aptidão Escolar) and the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language – Teste de Inglês como Língua Estrangeira). The SAT is used as part of the college application process in the U.S. The TOEFL is used as part of the college application process in the U.S. for students whose first language is not English.
The common application, or “Common App,” [inscrição padronizada] is a standard college admission application that students may use to apply to a large number of colleges and universities.
The application fee [taxa de inscrição] is the amount of money a student needs to pay when he or she applies to a college.
Está preparado para aprender mais inglês? Nossos materiais* podem ajudar!
O site American English** tem diversos recursos gratuitos para alunos e professores de inglês. A página do American English no Facebook*** publica diariamente materiais didáticos para quem está aprendendo inglês.
A série Conversações Diárias é elaborada por Heidi Howland, funcionária sênior encarregada de programas do Escritório de Programas de Língua Inglesa, Bureau de Assuntos Educacionais e Culturais do Departamento de Estado dos EUA.
* site em inglês com artigos parcialmente traduzidos para o português e outros seis idiomas
** site em inglês com opção de tradução automática em cinco idiomas
*** site em inglês
