高中:掀起你的蓋頭來

或許你已邁入高中的門檻，或許你還未踏入其中；或許你曾對高中的學習生活有過迷茫和不解，或許你還對未來的學習生活充滿好奇。不管已是過去的回憶，還是對將來的渴望，都不妨隨本文來了解一下如何開啟高中的學習和生活吧。

What''''s high school really like? Is there more work? More stress? Will it be difficult going from being one of the oldest middle school students to one of the youngest high schoolers? If you''''re having thoughts like these， you''''re not alone: Lots of other freshmen are feeling the same way you are—you''''re all starting out in a new place. With that in mind， here are a few topics that commonly worry incoming freshmen and some things you might want to know about.

高中究竟是什么樣的呢？是不是作業更多？壓力更大？從初中的老大哥變成高中的新兵蛋子是不是難以接受？如果你有這樣的想法，那么你并不是個例：很多其他新生和你有同樣的感受，因為你們都將在一個新的地方開始新的生活。鑒于此，下面講述了準新生們常常會擔心的幾個話題，以及大家可能想了解的一些事情。

Starting Out at a New School 新校伊始篇

You may not know a lot of people when you start high school. Maybe your friends from middle school are going to a different high school. Even if you know other freshmen， you might feel nervous that you don''''t know any upperclassmen1). How are you going to make friends among this sea of unknown faces?

Most high schools hold a freshman orientation2) before school actually starts. This is helpful because you not only learn your way around the building and get to meet some of your teachers， but also get to meet fellow freshmen. That way， when you show up on your first day of school， you may already recognize a few familiar faces.

When you talk to people at orientation， you''''ll probably find that a lot of them are feeling just like you are. They''''re all new to the school and don''''t know what to expect. Talking about a common concern with your classmates can spark new friendships.

當你踏入高中，你認識的人可能不是很多。你初中結交的朋友可能要去的是另一所高中。即使你認識其他新生，你也可能會因為高年級的學長或學姐一個都不認識而感到緊張。在這個滿是陌生面孔的人海中你將如何去結交朋友？

大多數高中在正式開學前都會舉辦一個新生入學介紹會。這很有幫助，因為你不僅可以了解一下教學樓的情況，認識一些你的老師，而且還可以結識新生同伴。如此一來，當你第一天去上學的時候，你或許已經能認出一些熟悉的面孔了。

當你在新生介紹會上與別人交談時，你可能會發現他們中的很多人和你有同感。他們都是初來乍到，也不知道會發生什么。和你的同學們聊一些彼此都關心的話題可以激發出新的友誼火花。

Learning Inside the Classroom 課內學習篇

How about the workload in high school? Is it a lot harder? Again， this is something your classmates are probably worried about， too.

The work in high school builds on3) what you learned in middle school， giving you a more advanced knowledge of many academic subjects. So you may find you have more work to do or that it''''s a bit more challenging. But these challenges can make you feel less bored with the usual routine—it feels great when you''''ve mastered something really tough. Maybe you''''ll find a new appreciation for biology or discover a passion for literature.

If you ever find your work too overwhelming4)， teachers and tutors are available for extra help. While you have more independence as a high school student than you might have had in middle school， there are still many resources to fall back on5) if you feel the work is too much.

高中的學業怎么樣？是不是更難了？同樣地，這也是你的同學們可能會擔心的事情。

高中的學習建立在你初中所學的知識之上，能讓你學到許多學科更深層次的知識。所以，你可能會發現你有更多的作業要做或是學習更具有挑戰性。但是這些挑戰會使你對一成不變的日常學習不那么厭煩——當你攻克了某些棘手的問題時，這種感覺真的很棒。或許你會發現自己對生物學產生了新的興趣或是對文學萌生了喜愛之情。

若你覺得學業繁多，無法招架，找老師和家庭教師尋求額外的幫助吧。雖然作為一名高中生，你要比在初中時更為獨立，但是如果你覺得學業繁多，你還是可以求助于很多資源的。

Extracurricular6) Activities 課外活動篇

High school also has more extracurriculars than middle school did， such as clubs， music and theater groups， student government， and sports teams. This is a fantastic time to explore your interests and try new things. Who said school has to be all work and no play?

These activities may take place before or after school， or during free periods or in study halls7). Because of this， it helps to sharpen your time management skills in your first year. Extracurricular activities are great， but remember to leave free time for yourself. Everybody needs some downtime8).

高中的課外活動也比初中的要多，比如各種俱樂部、音樂和戲劇社團、學生會以及體育隊的活動。這是一個絕佳的時間來發現自己的興趣和嘗試新的事物。誰說上學只能學習而不能娛樂呢？

這些活動可能在上課前或放學后進行，也可能在沒課的時候或是在自修室進行。正因為如此，課外活動才有助于你在第一學年中提高管理時間的能力。課外活動的確很好，但是要記住給自己留一些空閑時間。每個人都是需要一些閑暇時間的。

Learning Outside the Classroom 課外學習篇

High school is a time of increasing independence and responsibility. As in middle school， you or your friends may encounter some tough times. But if you ever find that personal issues get really overwhelming， find someone to talk to. Just because you''''re becoming more independent does not mean you''''re alone.

Friends and parents can be great resources， but sometimes that''''s not enough. School counselors or other therapists9) can be very helpful if you want to talk with someone outside of your friends and family. So many people are available to help you.

高中是一個提高獨立性與增強責任感的時期。和在初中時一樣，你或你的朋友們可能會面臨一些困難時期。但是如果你發現個人問題真的難以招架，那就找個人聊聊吧。并不是因為要變得越來越獨立就意味著你要獨自一人承受。

朋友和父母可以是很好的資源，但有時候這還不夠。如果你想找個朋友和家人之外的人聊聊，學校的輔導員和其他治療專家會很有幫助的。有這么多的人都可以幫助你。

Middle school taught you the basics of academics， time management， and social skills while providing you with a little extra support and guidance—kind of like a bicycle with training wheels. High school gives you the chance to take off those training wheels and learn how to be more independent. It''''s perfectly OK if you''''re nervous at first. Even if you don''''t get off to the best start， that''''s normal， too—everybody''''s a bit wobbly10) the first time they take off their training wheels. Just be patient and keep trying. Once you''''ve adjusted to your new independence you may find you can go further than you ever imagined.

初中教給你各學科的基礎知識、時間管理能力以及社交技巧，同時給你提供一些額外的支持與指導——有點像一輛裝有輔助輪的自行車。高中給你卸掉那些輔助輪的機會，讓你去學習如何變得更加獨立。如果剛開始你很緊張，這再正常不過了。即使你起步并不佳，那也很正常——每個人在第一次卸掉輔助輪騎車的時候都會有點兒左搖右晃。你只需要有耐心并不斷努力。一旦你習慣了新練就的獨立感，你會發現你比自己所能想象的走得更遠。

1.upperclassman [??p??klɑ?sm?n] n. <美> (大學或中學的)高年級生(指三、四年級學生)

2.freshman orientation: 新生入學介紹會。orientation [???ri?n?te??n] n. <主美>迎新情況介紹(班)

3.build on: 以……為思想(或行動、理論、計劃等)的基礎

4.overwhelming [???v??welm??] adj. 勢不可擋的，壓倒的

5.fall back on: 借助于；依賴

6.extracurricular [?ekstr?k??r?kj?l?(r)] adj. 課外的。后文“has more extracurriculars”中的extracurricular為名詞，意為“課外活動”。

7.study hall: <美> (學校的)自修室，學習室

8.downtime [?da?nta?m] n. <主美>人不工作(或活動)的時間，閑暇

9.therapist [?θer?p?st] n. (特定治療法的)治療專家

10.wobbly [?w?bli] adj. 搖晃的，搖擺的