本书的主人公是一个即将毕业的高中生Melissa，书中从她如何申请上美国大学讲起，到她正式进入大学本科，记录了她在大学里生活的点点滴滴，从如何选课、交友、约会、参加舞会，到挑灯夜战、准备考试等等。此书以对话的方式写出，使用美国现代大学生日常使用的语言，是一本真实典型的美国大学生的生活纪实。

Meeting Melissa and Her Family
第一章：玛丽莎和她的家人

Setting: A small town in Rural Washington State. The Jones family is getting upand preparing for their day.

Mrs. Karen Jones: Get up Melissa; you don't want to be late for school.

Melissa Jones: OK, just a minute.

Ten minutes pass. Followed by another 5 minutes.
Mrs. Jones lets the dog in the house.1 The dog is heard running up the stairs.

Mrs. Jones: Honey2, your father has to be at work early this morning. You had better get up, or you'll have
　　 　　　to ride the bus to school3.

Melissa: All right! I am up already!

Seconds later, Judd, the dog jumps onto Melissa's bed. Melissa jumps up and out of bed.

Melissa: Gross! Judd needs a bath, and he has bad breath! Ugh!

Mrs. Jones: Well, princess4, if you had been regularly brushing Judd's teeth like the vet5 suggested, he
　　　　　　would undoubtedly have better breath. And what about all those long morning walks6 you
　　　　　　promised me when we got him as a puppy?

Mr. Robert Jones: What do you want for breakfast, honey? The usual?

Melissa: No thanks. Since you're taking me to school, I'll grab a latte7 on the way.

Mrs. Jones: Melissa, the bathroom's all yours8. You'd better step on it!

Melissa arrives at high school with her father.

Melissa: Bye, daddy, see you tonight. Have a good day at work!

Mr. Jones: OK. Have a great day at school. Our quarterly financial report9 is coming out today, so it could
　　　　　be a long one. I may be home late for dinner. See you tonight.

Melissa walks into the high school building.

Melissa: Hi Jessica! Did you get the homework done for Mr. Haddock's class? I had trouble with the third
　　　　question. What did you put?

Jessica: Hey, can I have a sip10 of that? I didn't get much sleep last night, and I haven't had any caffeine11
　　　　today.

Melissa: Sure, be careful. It's super hot.

Jessica: Thanks! I had problems with the homework too! I had to ask my older sister to help me with it.
　　　　Andrea's home from college and was able to explain the solution12 to me.

Melissa: What college is she going to? Isn't it in California?

Jessica: Yes, she is going to the University of Asia Pacific13, in Southern California.

Melissa: I thought that she wanted to go to Stanford. Didn't they offer her a scholarship?

Jessica: She was accepted at Stanford but fell in love with this other school.She was telling me yesterday
　　　　how cool it was. She loves it and the great weather, of course!

Melissa: Maybe I could talk with her while she is home on break14. I have been looking at several colleges
　　　　but just haven't found the right fit for me yet. I would love to move down to California and see the
　　　　sun more often. I am tired of the gray skies and the rain in Washington! Oh, by the way, can I see
　　　　that homework before school starts?

One week later at Jessica's house. The doorbell rings.

Jessica: Hey Melissa! Come on in. Hang on15 while I go get Andrea.

Jessica comes into the room with her sister. They all sit down. Jessica brings out a huge bag of tortilla chips16 and guacamole dip.17

Melissa: Thanks Jess18. I am starving!

Jessica: Andrea, this is Melissa. She is interested in learning about the University of Asia Pacific. Do you
　　　　have any materials from the school sitting around or could you answer some of her questions?

Andrea: Hi Melissa. Didn't I meet you once? At a volleyball game?

Melissa: Yes, I think it was the night we made it to the state play-offs19.

Andrea: Ah, right. So, how can I help you? What questions can I answer for you about UAP20? I'm afraid
　　　　that I don't have any school materials with me right now, but I can give you their Web address21.
　　　　That way you see what the college is like for yourself and apply if you'd like.

Melissa: I don't think I've heard about UAP before. Is it new?

Andrea: Yes, it just opened. I'm a member of UAP's first class! It is so great! I will be getting my Bachelor of
　　　　Arts Degree22 in Liberal Arts23 with a specialization in International Studies. The four-year
　　　　program permits everyone to study abroad for one semester. I'm already planning my time abroad.
　　　　I can hardly wait!

Melissa: That's great! I've been thinking about getting a degree that will help me learn more about different
　　　　cultures and people. I want to do what I can to make this world a better place, you know24? How's
　　　　the campus, anyway? I don't think I know anything about the university. What part of California is
　　　　it in?

Andrea: The campus is brand new and is modeled after an Asian village. Everything on campus is state-of-
　　　　the-art25. Each student gets a laptop computer26. You can plug it into27 the Internet all
　　　　throughout campus.

Jessica: Don't forget to tell her about the beach!

Andrea: Well, if we have time away from our studies “ which doesn't happen very often “we can go to one
　　　　of Southern California's beautiful beaches just down the street28. The University is also very easy
　　　　to access29 via LAX30 or the San Diego airport.

Melissa: Is the school difficult to get into?

Andrea: Yes, there's some pretty tough competition31. And because the school wants to keep the teacher-
　　　　to-student ratio32 small, there's a limited amount of students who will be accepted each year.
　　　　How's your GPA33? Have you received your SAT34 scores yet?

Melissa: I have a 3.3 GPA, and I should be receiving my SAT scores sometime so on.

Andrea: How about extracurricular activities35?

Melissa: I've been on the volleyball team for two years, and I'm the student leader of the chess club. I also
　　　　volunteered36 as an English teacher while my family was in Costa Rica last summer. Do you
　　　　think I have a chance of getting into UAP?

Andrea: Your extracurricular activities sound good. Honestly, it would be much more promising37 if your
　　　　GPA was higher. Hopefully, your SAT scores will be strong. Let me know how I can help you if
　　　　you decide upon UAP. The application process is pretty rigorous38, but I am sure that you can
　　　　handle it if you really want to go there!

Melissa: Thanks Andrea! I'll let you know what I decide. Can I have your e-mail address at UAP? See you at
　　　　school, Jessica.

Jessica: Bye! I'll call you tonight. I have some questions about our chemistry homework.

1. 狗需要大小解时，家人总是让狗到后院去解决，完事后再开门让狗回屋。

2. honey: 宝贝儿。

3. ride the bus to school: 坐校车上学。

4. princess: 公主，这里跟中国的“大小姐”意思相似。

5. vet: 兽医，全称veterinarian。

6. long morning walks: 早上散步散上一段时间。这儿所指的“散步”是带着狗儿出去“解决大小解”问题。

7. latte: “拉特”咖啡。自从美国的星巴克(Starbucks)咖啡在全美国各地盛行后，他们最畅销的拉特咖啡也逐渐在美国各地校园风行起来。拉特咖啡的成分主要是滚烫的热牛奶加上意大利式的浓咖啡。

8. the bathroom's all yours: 现在你可以一人享用浴室了。

9. quarterly financial report: 每季的财务报告。

10. have a sip: 啜一口。

11. caffeine: 咖啡因。这里专指“拉特”咖啡

12. solution: 解答，答案。

13. University of Asia Pacific: 亚洲太平洋大学。此为本章虚构的大学。

14. on break:（学校的）放假。

15. hang on: 等一等。

16. tortilla chips: 墨西哥人食用的小玉米片，又硬又脆又香，通常作小三角形。

17. guacamole dip: 鳄梨蘸酱，主要的材料是搅碎的鳄梨，配上切碎的生洋葱和一点芫荽香菜调制的蘸酱，通常配合墨西哥玉米片来吃。

18. Jess: Jessica 的昵称。

19. play-offs: 总决赛。

20. UAP: University of Asia Pacific 的简称。

21. Web address: 网址。

22. Bachelor of Arts Degree: （大学）文学士学位。

23. Liberal Arts: 大学的文科。

24. you know: 美国人常用的口语，没什么特别的意思，可以不译。

25. state-of-the-art: 一流的，首屈一指的。

26. laptop computer: 膝上电脑，凡是手提电脑或是笔记型的电脑都属这一类。

27. plug into:插入电座。

28. down the street: 一直下去就到了。

29. easy to access: 容易到达。

30. LAX: 是美国加州洛杉矶国际机场 "Los Angeles International Airport" 的代称。

31. tough competition: 竞争激烈，竞争激烈的。

32. teacher-to-student ratio: 教师和学生的比率。

33. GPA: Grade Point Average,成绩的平均总分。美国大学一般采用的评分标准是“四分制”，换句话说，满分为“4.0”，相当于100-98分，3.9 相当于96-97.99，3.8相当于94-95.99，依此类推，及格分数为0.7， 相当于60-60.99。

34. SAT:Scholastic Aptitude Test，学术性向测验。

35. extracurricular activities: 课外活动。美国大学在审核录不录取一名学生时，除了高中四年的平均成绩、学术性向测验成绩、老师的推荐信外，一般也很重视学生的课外活动。

36. volunteer: 志愿当义工。

37. promising: 有前途的，有希望的。

38. rigorous: 严密的，严格的。