有志從事翻譯和口譯職業？你需要做好準備的10件事
1. Read extensively, especially in your non-native language(s).
廣泛閱讀，尤其是非母語類閱讀。
Read high quality newspapers (e.g. the New York Times, Wall Street Journal) EVERY DAY for at least a year.
每天閱讀優質報紙（例如：《紐約時報》、《華爾街日報》），並且至少堅持一年。
Read high quality news magazines (e.g. the Economist), cover to cover.
一頁一頁地閱讀優質新聞雜誌，例如《經濟學人》。
Read your favorite topics in your non-native language(s).
閱讀非母語類的你最感興趣的話題。
Read other well-written material that will help broaden your general knowledge.
閱讀其他能夠拓展你知識面的優秀資料。
2. Watch the TV news and listen to radio news and podcasts on current events in all working languages.
收看收聽所有工作語言的最新時事電視新聞、廣播新聞和播客。
Don't just listen to news stories; analyze them.
別隻聽新聞內容，還要有所分析。
Keep abreast of current events and issues.
隨時瞭解最新時事和問題。
Record news programs and interviews so you can listen to them later.
錄下新聞節目和訪談，以便日後細聽。
3. Strengthen your general knowledge of economics, history, the law, international politics, and scientific concepts and principles (in that order).
強化你在經濟、歷史、法律、國際政治以及科學概念和原理方面的知識（按此順序）。
Take college-level courses, review high school texts, etc.
學習大學級別的課程，複習高中課文等。
Strengthen your knowledge in a specialized field (preferably in a technical field, such as computers).
加強你在某一專業領域的知識（尤其是科技領域，比如計算機）。
4. Live in a country where your non-native language is spoken.
在非母語的國家生活。
A stay of at least six months to a year is recommended.
推薦至少呆上半年至一年時間。
Live with and/or frequently interact with native speakers of your non-native language.
與母語爲你的非母語的人生活，或者經常跟他們進行交流。
Take content-related courses (e.g. macroeconomics, political science) in your non-native language (not just pure language courses).
參加非母語類相關內容的課程（例如：宏觀經濟學、政治學），而不是純語言類的課程。
Work in a setting that requires high level use of your non-native language.
在嚴格要求使用非母語的環境中工作。
5. Fine-tune your writing and research skills.
訓練你的寫作和研究技能。
Take challenging composition courses (not just creative writing courses, but classes in journalism, technical writing, etc.) so you can “speak” journalese, UNese, legalese, etc.
參加有挑戰性的寫作課（不是那種純粹的創新寫作課程，而是關於新聞寫作、科技類寫作的課程），這樣你才能瞭解新聞文體、聯合國文體、法律文體等等。
Copy (by hand) sections of textbooks and periodicals in your non-native language(s).
用非母語手寫抄下課本的節選和期刊的文摘。
Make a note of unfamiliar or troublesome grammatical points and work towards mastering them.
列出不熟悉或難搞定的語法點，然後努力攻克它們。
Practice proofreading.
練習糾錯能力。6. Improve your public speaking skills.
提高你的公開演講能力。
Take rigorous speech courses.
參加嚴格的演講課程。
Practice writing and making presentations in front of other people in both your native and foreign language(s). (Have native speakers of your non-native language edit your speeches.)
用母語和外語在他人面前練習寫作和演講。請將你正在學習語言的作爲母語的人糾正你的演講。
7. Hone your analytical skills.
磨練你的分析能力。
Practice listening to speeches and orally summarizing the main points.
練習收聽演講並口頭概括要點。
Practice writing summaries of news articles.
練習提煉新聞文章的要點。
Practice deciphering difficult texts (e.g. philosophy, law, etc.).
練習分析艱澀文章（例如：哲學、法律等等）。
Practice explaining complicated concepts understandably.
練習明確闡述複雜概念。
Identify resources for background research (e.g. library, Internet, etc.).
找出基礎研究的資料來源。（例如：圖書館、網絡等等）。
8. Become computer savvy.
做電腦達人。
Familiarize yourself with navigation and file management under current Windows operating systems (most of the software tools used in the localization industry today are not compatible with the Apple operating system).
熟悉最新Windows操作系統中的導航功能和文件管理。目前，大部分本地化產業所使用的軟件工具都無法與蘋果操作系統相媲美。
Develop an understanding of the features Windows offers for multilingual processing, such as language-specific keyboard layouts, regional settings for units of measurement.
瞭解Windows多語言處理的功能特徵，例如特定語言的鍵盤佈局、測量單位的區域設置。
Learn to use advanced functions of Word, Excel, and other Microsoft Office applications in both your native and non-native languages.
學會用母語和非母語使用Word、Excel以及其他辦公軟件的高級功能。
Become an expert in search engines and online research by using these tools on a daily basis.
通過每天使用上述工具成爲搜索和網絡調查方面的能手。
9. Learn how to take care of yourself.
學會照顧好自己。
Eat sensibly, exercise regularly, and get sufficient sleep. These are all habits required of a good translator/interpreter.
理性飲食、規律運動並保證睡眠充足。以上都是成爲優秀筆譯員/口譯員的必備習慣。
10. Be prepared for lifelong learning.
做好終生學習的準備。
Be patient. Bringing your language skills and analytical skills up to the level required of a professional translator or 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 these challenging and exciting fields.
要耐心。專業筆譯員或口譯員的語言技能和分析能力並非一兩年就能達到的。只有付出持之以恆的辛勤努力，你才能在這些既充滿挑戰又令人興奮的領域裏獲得成功。
