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     In the drawing above are two college students. The young man on the left is asking the beautiful girl on the right, "Why are you taking the National Entrance Test for M.A./M.S. Candidates?"
     There are a great many reasons for many graduates to decide to study for postgraduate programs. The primary one is in order to get a job these days the higher the degree you have the better. An undergraduate degree is no longer enough. A master's degree becomes essential if they wish to apply for a rewarding job. A higher degree guarantees them a promising future whereas an undergraduate degree does not. The cost of a master's degree will soon be offset by a job with a higher salary and prospects. This is a nobrainer in today's competitive society.
     As for me, I won't mind spending another two or three years in the ivory tower; I won't mind giving up opportunities for making money now; I won't mind sacrificing my spare time.

     上图中有两名大学生。左边的男生问右边的漂亮女生："你为什么要考研？"
     很多大学毕业生决定攻读硕士学位，究其原因有很多。一个最主要的原因是：目前找工作，学历越高越好。只有本科学历已经不够了。如果想应聘一份令人满意的工作，硕士学历就成为了必要条件。拥有较高的学历必大有前途，而只拥有本科学历则未必。攻读硕士学位所花的成本将很快被前途光明的高薪工作所抵消。在当今这个竞争激烈的社会，这再简单不过了。
     至于我，我愿意在大学里再待两三年，愿意放弃现在赚钱的机会，愿意牺牲我的业余时间。

     National Entrance Test for M.A./M.S. Candidates 全国硕士研究生入学考试
     a great many 许多
     primary 主要的
     essential 必要的
     rewarding 令人满意的
     guarantee 使必然发生
     promising 大有希望的
     whereas 而
     prospects 前途，前程
     competitive 竞争的
     give up 放弃
     make money 挣钱
     sacrifice 牺牲
     spare time 空闲时间

1　There is a growing recognition that people with a master's degree will have a competitive advantage over those with only a bachelor's degree.
     越来越多的人认识到，和那些只有学士学位的人相比，拥有硕士学位的人将具有竞争优势。
2　This is inevitable because ours is a society where your income is largely determined by the knowledge you possess.
     因为在我们的社会中一个人的收入主要由他／她所拥有的知识决定，所以这一点不可避免。
3　With a growing number of college graduates being turned out each year, the situation in the job market is getting tougher and tougher.
     随着每年大学毕业生人数的增多，就业市场的形势越来越严峻。