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| Please compare the translation in newspaper with my translation. |
Chinese_guy |
06/24/03 |
My translation and the translation in newspaper are the English versions of the same Chinese editorial. I believe that the translation in newspaper was written by a professional translator because the newspaper is reputable in my city (Hongkong). Please comment on my translation and tell me how far my translation is less good than the professional one.
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Caption: Hongkong's economy is changing rapidly, so universities have to change too.
The unemployment rate announced yesterday had risen to 8.3% which was higher than ever. Yesterday 200-odd vacancies were offered to university graduates at a recruitment centre, and thousands of people queued for application. University graduates have great difficulty finding jobs. Since there is no sign of economic recovery in Hongkong, the problem of graduates being jobless may probably last rather a long time. This new generation of university students must study hard to equip themselves. When they seek jobs after graduation, they have to change their mentalities, their desired industries and their desired places of work, so as to adapt themselves to the rapidly changing economy in Hongkong.
Due to economic recession, it is extremely hard for the university graduates to find jobs this year. Furthermore, basic education has long been ossified, the quality of secondary school graduates generally becomes worse. Universities fail to teach students diversified skill because students of certain disciplines are confined to learning knowledge of those disciplines. Therefore the contradiction between ability of graduates and the present economic situation becomes more serious. Besides, the economy was prosperous when this generation of university graduates were growing up, they didn't have to worry about their families' livelihood. In recent years there are more places at universities, it is easier for the students to enter universities and thus they are under less pressure of study and examination. They have long been in smooth waters, but they face the severest economic slump after graduation. Salaries of new employees have plummeted, the initial salaries of workers of not a few jobs are as little as $4000. And what they do at work may have nothing to do with what they had learned at universities, so it is understandable that the graduates feel it difficult to adjust themselves to this grim circumstances.
Hongkong's economy is affected by overseas, great upturn within a short time is impossible. Even after Hongkong has signed the agreement on "building a closer economic and commercial relationships" with mainland China, jobs won't shortly increase a lot. Hongkong's economy is changing, some factories have removed to mainland China, service industries have partly moved overseas too. Various industries rely on foreign demands very much, their clientele are no longer only local people. Therefore, when the university graduates consider their occupations, they should be willing to work overseas instead of work in Hongkong only, they should go wherever opportunities exist. Although they need to leave their homeland for some time, they have a precious chance to learn more things and absorb more experience overseas.
Owing to economic downturn, there are not enough vacancies to go around. Graduates need competitive advantages over others if they want a good job. In past times, one could make a good living anywhere by a single skill but it is impossible in the present time. Even graduation in professional disciplines (eg law, medicine, etc) doesn't assure finding a good job. Taking interdisciplinary courses, overseas studying and academic intercourse, having practical experience, etc, become increasingly important.
Changes in mentalities is also important. In the past, university graduates mostly longed to work in high-class commercial buildings, wear suits of administrators, work in air-conditioned offices with a marvellous sea view, attend meetings frequently and read documents. They didn't think that a graduate might have to work overseas, receive low salary and even struggle hard for a living. Nowadays insurance brokers tout for businesses around the streets even if it is raining and sunbaked; real estate agents resort to physical strength to compete for customers; waiters/waitresses of a Japanese restaurant serve dishes on their knees. Can university graduates accustom themselves to these kinds of jobs?
Universities are not vocational training institutes, they needn't design courses for short-term needs of employment market. However, their courses should be orientated towards the trend of social development and capable of training students as people of calibre necessary for a knowledge-based economy. They have to design more courses applicable to the economy, provide students with appropriate counselling and informations, adjust students' aims of and attitude towards studying, and boost students' comprehensive competitive capabilites. And what is more, graduates' rivals for jobs are not only local people because Hongkong is a cosmopolitan metropolis. In the future, if the tougher and more hardworking university graduates from Beijing and Shanghai may come to Hongkong and compete for jobs, will local graduates have ample advantages to defeat those graduates? Local universities have to adjust themselves to the rapidly changing economy, so that more graduates educated by them can be adapted to the current requirements of society.
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The following is the translation in newspaper>
Title: University graduates must change
Yesterday the government announced the jobless rate had soared to 8.3%, a new high, and thousands queued at a job fair where 200 jobs would be offered to university graduates. Never has it been as hard as it is for a university graduate to land a job. As there is no telling when the economy will recover, the problem of university graduates being unemployed will persist. Students must not only try hard to equip themselves in college. When they look for jobs, they must make changes with respect to mindsets, industries and places of employment. Only if they do so can they adapt themselves to the rapid restructuring of the economy.
This year it is more difficult for a university graduate to find a job than to climb to heaven. The reason is that the economy is in a slump. Basic education is so problem-ridden that secondary 5 leavers are too compartmentalised to bring up people with diversified skills. Thus the contradiction has intensified. This generation of university graduates grew up when the economy was booming. They did not have to worry about making ends meet. There were more university places, it became easier to get into university, and they were under smaller pressure to do well in exams. They were used to favourable circumstances. However, when they graduated, the economy was worse than ever. Starting salaries have sharply fallen. Some new recruits are paid as little as $4,000 a month. University graduates may have to take jobs for which they have had no training. It is understandable that they have difficulty adapting themselves.
Dependent on other places', Hong Kong's econmy will not significantly improve soon. Nor will jobs abound when the Hong Kong-mainland closer economic partnership arrangement deal is in force. The economy is restructuring. Manufacturing has been moved across the border. Some service processes have been relocated. All industries rely on external demand. Service users no longer come solely from Hong Kong. Therefore, when a university graduate looks for work, he must not restrict himself. He must be determined to succeed anywhere in the world and go wherever there are opportunities. While he may have to be away from home, he will have precious chances of broadening his vision.
The economy having shrunk, jobs are scarce. To get a good job, a university graduate must excel and have advantages over others. The day is gone when one single skill would make a man. Now, even professional training (in law or medicine) may not guarantee one a good job. Practical experience is increasingly important, as is participation in interdisciplinary or overseas exchange programmes.
It is also essential to change one's mindset. Not very long ago, a fresh university graduate would expect to work in a class A office building, wear a business suit, have an air-conditioned room with a magnificent sea view, have meetings and handle documents. They little thought they might have to be away from home, take meagre pay and even struggle for survival. Now insurance salesmen run about in the street, braving sun and rain. Real estate agents must rely on their physical strength to vie for customers. Waiters in Japanese restaurants have to be on their knees while they serve dishes. Can university graduates adapt themselves?
Unlike vocational courses, university programmes are not designed to meet transient needs in the market. However, universities must have regard to social trends. They ought to foster skills needed in a knowledge-based economy, offer suitable courses, provide their students with necessary information and suitable counselling, adjust their students' objectives of and attitudes towards studies, and improve their all-round competitiveness. We have to stress that, Hong Kong being a cosmopolitan city, university graduates' rivals may come from other parts of the world. If Beijing and Shanghai university graduates (who are more hardworking) are allowed to come here to compete with them, can our university graduates hold them off? Hong Kong is fast restructuring. Universities must change before they can bring up more graduates that can meet the needs of the times.
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Please rate both translations from 1 to 10 (10 being the best).
Does the translation in newspaper deserve 10 marks?
Compared with it, how many marks does my translation deserve? |
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