10 WAYS TO PREPARE FOR A CAREER IN T&I

成为翻译前的 10 项准备工作

1) Read extensively, especially in your non-native language(s)

1）广泛阅读，特别是读非母语的材料  Read high quality newspapers (e.g. the New York Times, Wall Street Journal) EVERY DAY for at least a year. Read high quality news magazines (e.g. the Economist) from cover to cover.

                       Read your favorite topics in your non-native language(s).

                       Read other well-written material that will help broaden your general knowledge.

2) Watch the TV news and listen to radio news in all working languages.

2)收看所有工作语言的电视新闻，收听所有工作语言的广播新闻

                       Don't just listen to news stories; analyze them.

                       Keep abreast of current events and issues.

                       Tape TV news and interviews so you can listen to them later.

                       Mutual respect for the dignity and individuality of each person

3) Strengthen your general knowledge of economics, history, the law, international politics, and scientific concepts and principles, (in that order).

3）（以这样的一个顺序）强化经济学、历史、法律、国际政治和科学概念和原理的常识

                       Take college-level courses, review high school texts, etc.

                       Strengthen your knowledge in a specialized field (preferably in a technical field, such as computers).

4) Live in a country where your non-native language is spoken. A stay of at least six months to a year is recommended.

4）生活在说非母语的国家。推荐逗留期应该至少在6个月到1年。

                       Live with and/or frequently interact with native speakers of your non-native language.

                       Take content-related courses in your non-native language (not just pure language courses).

                       Work in a setting that requires high level use of your non-native language.

5) Fine-tune your writing and research skills.

5）调整写作和研究技巧

                       Take challenging composition courses (not just creative writing courses, but classes in journalism, technical writing, etc.) so that you can "speak" journalese, UNese, legalese, etc.

                       Copy (by hand) sections of textbooks and periodicals in your non-native language(s).

                       Make a note of unfamiliar or troublesome grammatical points and work towards mastering them.

                       Practice proofreading.

6) Improve your public speaking skills.

6）改进公众面前说话的技能

                       Take rigorous speech courses and/or join Toastmasters.

                       Practice writing and making presentations in front of other people in both your native and your foreign language(s). (Have native speakers of your non-native language edit your speeches.)

7) Hone your analytical skills.

7）磨练分析技能

                       Practice listening to speeches and orally summarizing the main points.

                     Practice writing summaries of news articles.

                       Practice deciphering difficult texts (e.g. philosophy, law, etc.).

                       Practice explaining complicated concepts understandably.

                       Identify resources for background research (e.g. library, Internet, etc.).

8) Become computer savvy.

8）养成对计算机的悟性

                       Be familiar and comfortable with word processing in both your native and non-native languages.

                       Practice using on-line services for research.

9) Learn how to take care of yourself.

9）学会照顾自己

                       Eat sensibly, exercise regularly, and get sufficient sleep. These are all habits required of a good translator/interpreter.

10) Be prepared for lifelong learning.

10）准备终生学习

                       Be patient. Bringing your language skills and analytical skills up to the level required of a professional translator and interpreter is not a task that can be accomplished in a few short years. Only with a lot of sustained hard work can anyone truly succeed in this challenging and exciting field.