JHU成功文書範例（6）——雙手同能的探究

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內容提要：

文本文章取自約翰霍普金斯大學本科招生辦公布的2021屆本科錄取學生的優秀文書，並做了中文翻譯，方便閱覽。

文書原文和翻譯

A Study in Ambidexterity

雙手同能的探究

I was born with an extra hand—kind of. Anatomically, I』m normal. I don』t have a third arm protruding from the center of my chest or anything of the sort. I do, however, have the unusual ability to use both hands equally well. When I was little, I thought of my ambidexterity as a fun trick. I always liked to play with people when learning a new skill:

「Okay, now are you right or left handed?」

「I don』t know,」 I would answer with a comical smile. Or even better, 「Pick one for me.」

我似乎生來就多一隻手。身體結構上來說，我是正常的。我並沒有第三隻胳膊從我的胸腔中延伸出來，或者類似的事情。但是，我的確擁有一種不同尋常的能力——我左手和右手的靈活度是一樣的。當我小的時候，這種能力對我來說可以逗趣搞怪。學習一項新的技能時，我就會以此捉弄別人。

「好啦，你是習慣用左手還是右手呢？」

「我不知道」我總是會俏皮地笑答。更有甚者，「你幫我選一個吧。」

It』s a bit silly, but I enjoyed the simple satisfaction of being different. For me, ambidexterity has always meant versatility. From using my left hand in a restrictive corner while doing yardwork to switch-hitting in baseball depending on the context of the game, my hands give me the flexibility to adapt to my surroundings. As I』ve grown, however, I』ve realized that ambidexterity means more than just its quirky face value. It』s synonymous with many of the other components of my character.

這有點傻，但我很享受這種與眾不同的感覺。對我來說，雙手同能意味著從容自如。在庭院幹活時我可以在狹隘的角落裡靈活使用左手，根據遊戲的場景設置切換手擊球，我可以靈活根據場景設置來決定用左手還是右手。但是，隨著我逐漸長大，我意識到雙手同能的意義遠不止逗趣戲弄他人。它和我性格中的很多因素都有相似之處。

Ambidexterity is part of who I am, yet it』s something few people know I have. It makes sense that only my closest friends know about my dual-handed capabilities. Although I use my talent throughout my day, it usually blends in with the normal functions of anyone else』s hands. In this sense, ambidexterity isn』t some glaring anomaly: It』s only when you realize it』s there does it become special.

雙手同能是我的一個特徵，但是很少有人知道這點。只有我最親密的朋友才知道我可以靈活使用左手和右手，這點其實是說得通的。雖然每天我都在使用這個技能，但是它已經融合進了日常的用手中所以不易被察覺。從這點上來說，雙手同能並不是什麼了不起的特別的本事。只有當它派上用場時才顯得特別。

Similarly, much of who I am remains unnoticed at first glance, not because of insignificance but because of initial perception. Most of the people who know me have no clue I』m valedictorian; I』m the kid making paper airplanes at the end of class. The rest don』t realize I 「do more than just school」 but are pleasantly surprised to see me dancing around as Risky Business Tom Cruise for Halloween or just hanging out all over town on weekends. I like to think that ambidexterity helps me juggle these different parts of myself without letting anything go.

同樣地，我的很多特點也不是一開始就看的出來的，並不是因為這些特點微不足道，而是因為它們都不是通過表面的觀察能發現的。很多認識我的人都不知道我是學校的優等生。我是那種會在快下課的時候摺紙飛機的孩子。而知道我是優等生的那些人則不知道「我不僅僅會讀書」，當看到我在萬聖節時扮成電影乖仔也瘋狂里的湯姆克魯斯在舞動或者周末在鎮里上閑逛時，他們總是不免又驚又喜。我喜歡認為是雙手同能幫助我完美地平衡這些不同的內容。

GIF/1K

In my job as a Little League umpire, I have three distinct identities. To the league manager, I』m the responsible, quick-replying emailer and the primary person for the job. To the coaches, I』m a wave a relief—they know I』m going to make the right call. To the young players, I』m the umpire who gives helpful tips as well as the one they feel comfortable joking around with. Though each of these roles helps me in their own way, collectively, they are the reason I was made the lead umpire of the league.

我在擔任小聯賽的裁判時，我努力做到3種職責清晰分明。對於聯賽的經理來說，我總是能擔起職責、快速地回復郵件，是工作的主要人員。對於教練來說，我是一波緩解——他們知道我總是能找到適合的人解決他們的問題。對於年輕的運動員來說，我是既能提供有用的建議又能和他們打成一片的人。儘管每個職責都在一定程度上有所幫助，但是這三個職責的總體使我成為了聯賽的首席裁判。

In terms of academics, ambidexterity means finishing a half-hour phone call trying to understand the complexities of William Faulkner and immediately turning around to text watered-down calculus explanations to help another student. My ability to transition quickly has helped me establish myself as a go-to helper in nearly every subject, but these behind-the-scenes interactions happen away from my teachers』 eyes. Even teachers, however, see the respect other students have for me during class discussions. Outside of class, other students come to me because they recognize that I genuinely want to help guide them toward their own success.

學術上來說，雙手同能意味著我可以打完半小時的電話向一個同學解釋清楚威廉·福克納的複雜寓意後馬上轉向另一個同學，打字解釋淡化的微積分。我迅速切換的能力使我在各個學科上都贏得了小幫手的稱號。這些互動的場景都發生在老師們目所能及之外。儘管如此，老師們在課堂討論上還是能看得出來同學們對我的尊重。在課外，其他學生也會來找我問問題因為他們發現我是發自真心地想幫他們取得成功。

When it comes down to it, ambidexterity means balance. From athlete to academic, from reliable employee to kind-hearted helper, I take on an array of roles in my life. Just as my two hands merge to create a more efficient system, my personal flexibility allows me to handle the many aspects of my life from different angles. Although each part of me is individually effective, my most complete self comes from applying them together. It allows me to become more than just efficient or well-rounded but a better friend, a more fitting leader, and a respected role model. So now, when I run into the inevitable questions in college applications about who I really am, I can answer clearly: I am ambidextrous.

總的來說，雙手同能意味著平衡。從運動到學術，從可靠的員工到熱心助人者，在我的人生中我承擔了許多的角色。我的雙手合力創造一個更有效的工作系統的同時，我個人的靈活性也使我得以從不同的角度處理好生活的方方面面。雖然每個方面都做得不錯，但是把它們都合併起來才是一個最完整的我，這樣我才不只是高效或者多面發展，更重要的是我是一個更好的朋友、更融入的領導者、以及一個受人尊重的榜樣。因此現在，當看到大學申請材料問「我究竟是誰」的問題時，我可以很明確地回答：我是個雙手同能者。

點評

Justin』s essay describes how he juggles different identities, showcasing his adaptability and eagerness to combine interests, be they academic or social. He uses the theme of ambidexterity to convey his versatility as an individual and his ability to balance life as a student, athlete, employee, and friend. He also shows a sense of humor, revealing his character in addition to his academic goals. Justin』s anecdotes about other students』 perceptions of him and his penchant for 『Risky Business』 enable us to get to know what kind of person Justin is—ambitious, versatile, curious, and flexible—and what kind of scholar he will be in college.

—Johns Hopkins Undergraduate

Admissions Committee

Justin的文書描述了他如何應對不同的身份，展現了他的適應能力和對不同興趣的熱誠，包括學術以及社交方面。通過運用雙手同能的主題，他展現了個人的多才多能以及平衡學生、運動員、員工和朋友這些角色的能力。他還加了些幽默，體現了他的性格的同時又展現了他的學術目標。同學們對他的認知，以及他對「乖仔也瘋狂」的偏愛也使我們了解到Justin的個人特點——雄心勃勃、多才多藝、有好奇心、靈活自如，這些特點也使我們得以想像他在大學裡會是怎樣的一個學生。

——約翰霍普金斯大學本科招生委員會

時代焦點

專註於高端美國留學

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