Major (专业)
核心定义：
Major 指的是你在大学（本科或研究生）阶段所选择的主修领域或专业方向，它是一个宏观的、贯穿你整个大学学习生涯的概念。
关键特征：
- 语境: 几乎只用于高等教育，即大学或研究生院。
- 范围: 比较宽泛。"Computer Science" 是一个 major，下面包含了 "Programming", "Data Structures", "Algorithms" 等具体的 subjects。
- 身份: 它定义了你的学生身份，你可以说 "I'm a major in Economics" (虽然更地道的说法是 "My major is Economics" 或 "I'm majoring in Economics")。
雅思口语应用场景：
Part 1: Study / Work
Examiner: What did you study at university? You: I majored in Marketing. (我的专业是市场营销。)
（图片来源网络，侵删）Examiner: Is that what you wanted to study? You: Yes, I've always been interested in consumer behavior, which is a core part of my major.
Part 2: Describe a subject you enjoyed studying
You: I'd like to talk about Psychology, which was my major in university. I was fascinated by how the human mind works...
Part 3: Discussion about Education
Examiner: Do you think students should be allowed to change their major? You: I believe so. Many students enter university without a clear idea of what they want to do, so allowing them to switch their major can help them find their true passion.
Subject (科目)
核心定义：
Subject 指的是课程体系中的某一个具体学科或课程，它是一个微观的、具体的学习单元。
关键特征：
- 语境: 适用范围非常广，可以用于任何教育阶段，包括小学、中学、大学，甚至是培训课程。
- 范围: 比较具体。"Math", "History", "Introduction to Philosophy" 都是 subjects。
- 多样性: 在一个大学
major(专业) 下，你会学习很多不同的subjects(科目)。
雅思口语应用场景：
Part 1: Study / Work
Examiner: What subjects did you study in high school? You: I studied the usual ones like Math, Physics, and English Literature. (这里的 subjects 指高中科目)
Examiner: Was there a subject you didn't like? You: Yes, I found Chemistry quite challenging. It was my least favorite subject.
Part 2: Describe a subject you enjoyed studying
You: I'm going to describe the subject of Modern History. It wasn't my major, but I took it as an elective course. I particularly enjoyed learning about the World Wars...
Part 3: Discussion about Education
Examiner: Do you think some school subjects are more important than others? You: That's a good question. While subjects like Math and Language are fundamental for developing core skills, I also believe creative subjects like Art and Music are crucial for a child's development.
核心区别与总结
| 特征 | Major (专业) | Subject (科目) |
|---|---|---|
| 层级 | 宏观，领域 | 微观，课程 |
| 使用阶段 | 主要用于大学及以上 | 适用于所有教育阶段 |
| 范围 | 广 (e.g., Engineering) | 狭 (e.g., Calculus, Thermodynamics) |
| 关系 | 一个 Major 包含多个 Subjects | 多个 Subjects 构成一个 Major |
一个绝佳的比喻： 把你的大学学习想象成一顿大餐。
- 你的 Major (专业) 就是这顿大餐的主题，海鲜大餐”。
- 你学习的每一门 Subject (科目) 就是这顿大餐中的具体菜品，清蒸鱼”、“蒜蓉虾”、“白灼贝类”。
你不能说“我的主题是清蒸鱼”，只能说“我的主题是海鲜大餐”，同样，你也不能说“我的专业是微积分”，只能说“微积分是我专业（比如数学）中的一门科目”。
雅思口语高分技巧
-
精准用词，展示语言能力： 在回答问题时，有意识地根据语境选择
major或subject，当被问及大学时，用major；当被问及中学或具体课程时，用subject，这能向考官展示你对词汇细微差别的掌握，是词汇高分的关键。 -
使用相关动词和短语：
- Major:
My major is...(我的专业是...)I majored in...(我主修的是...)I'm majoring in...(我正在主修...)to choose a major(选择专业)to switch one's major(转换专业)
- Subject:
My favorite subject is...(我最喜欢的科目是...)to take a subject(选修一门课)to fail a subject(一门课不及格)a compulsory/elective subject(必修/选修课)
- Major:
-
在 Part 2 中自然结合： 在描述一个你喜欢的科目时，可以巧妙地将两者结合起来，让你的回答更丰满、更有层次。
"I'd like to talk about Photography. Although it wasn't my major in university, I was so passionate about it that I decided to take it as an elective subject. It was a fascinating subject because it taught me not only about technical skills like aperture and shutter speed, but also about how to capture emotions and tell stories through images. This subject really broadened my horizons and complemented my main major in Graphic Design."
通过这样的表述,你不仅使用了目标词汇，还展示了你的逻辑思维和语言组织能力，这对雅思口语高分至关重要。
