Food for Thought:

Under immense pressure from a tight client rush job deadline, my speed shot from 250 source words per hour to 800 words an hour translating a news opinion for the People's Daily yesterday. Of course, the topic of international trade relations, economic growth and oil trading were not contexts unfamiliar to me after years of sales trading in investment banks and other financial institutions. And after all, I was once a trained media practitioner and vaguely still recalled the laws of journalistic writing. Still, it was a personal best in record timing that surprised myself. There had to be a reason, other than duress. 

在客户临时赶工时限的巨大的压力下， 我昨天给人民日报的一篇新闻社论做笔译时， 翻译速度竟然从每小时250的原文字数飙到一小时译800字。 当然， 所涉及的国际贸易关系、经济成长、石油贸易等课题并不是我所陌生的语境内容。 再者， 我毕竟曾经受过大众传播媒介训练， 对于媒体撰写的文法还是有点儿模糊的印象。 不过， 这个笔译速度上的个人最高纪录还是让自个儿都吃了一惊。 当中肯定蕴含什么理由吧， 压力的胁迫除外。

In the field of translation, I've had many conversations with peers and professionals about the practicality of learning theories on translation studies and its application. What I'm about to touch on, applies to any career, any field, and any situation really. 

为我妈写的中文版

华人哀悼往生者的习俗是49天。 我当时于莫纳什大学（Monash University)才念了一学期的翻译课程，怎么也不曾考虑过参加比赛， 更何况是北京语言大学办的国际性口笔译大赛。 不过， 正是父亲的过世激发了我参赛。 我一向是个不太积极、偏懒散的「无拘无束派」， 这次却卯足了劲儿参赛 － 势必得奖，以悼念父亲。

The Chinese believe in mourning for the deceased for 49 days. I had barely finished one semester of translation studies with Monash University and would never have thought of entering any competition, let alone an international one like the Beijing Language and Culture University's Annual T&I Competition. But it was precisely my father's sudden passing that prompted me to do so. I was always more of the nonchalant, procrastinating type. Never the competitive sort. But this time I had a goal - I wanted to try and win at this competition in honor of my father.

在美国， 任何学士学位都是先经过两年的通才教育。 学生必须从文科、理科任选科目, 修满了学分便得副学士学位， 然后晋升理想科系修读学士学位。

美国的高等教育制度为什么要学生“浪费”两年修这纸“无实际用处”的副学士学位呢？