Initial Course Options Discussion
A student meets with an academic advisor to discuss general course options for an upcoming semester, inquiring about different majors or elective paths.
Un estudiante se reúne con un asesor académico para discutir opciones generales de cursos para el próximo semestre, indagando sobre diferentes carreras o rutas electivas.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
semester
A semester is one of the two main periods of the academic year, usually lasting about 15-16 weeks, like fall or spring term.
Un semestre es uno de los dos principales períodos del año académico, que usualmente dura alrededor de 15-16 semanas, como el trimestre de otoño o primavera.
major
A major is the main subject or field of study that a student focuses on during university, such as History or English.
Una carrera principal es la asignatura o campo de estudio principal en el que un estudiante se enfoca durante la universidad, como Historia o Inglés.
elective
An elective is an optional course that students choose to take, not required for their major, to explore interests.
Una optativa es un curso opcional que los estudiantes eligen tomar, no requerido para su carrera principal, para explorar intereses.
prerequisites
Prerequisites are courses or requirements that must be completed before enrolling in a more advanced class.
Los requisitos previos son cursos o requisitos que deben completarse antes de inscribirse en una clase más avanzada.
introductory
Introductory means beginner-level or basic, often used for courses that give an overview of a subject without advanced knowledge needed.
Introductorio significa nivel principiante o básico, a menudo usado para cursos que dan una visión general de un tema sin necesidad de conocimientos avanzados.
overview
An overview is a general summary or broad introduction to a topic, helping you understand the main ideas without going into details.
Una visión general es un resumen general o una introducción amplia a un tema, que le ayuda a entender las ideas principales sin entrar en detalles.
workload
Workload refers to the amount of study, assignments, or effort required for a course outside of class time.
La carga de trabajo se refiere a la cantidad de estudio, tareas o esfuerzo requerido para un curso fuera del tiempo de clase.
catalog
A catalog is a published list or booklet with details about all available courses at a school, including descriptions and schedules.
Un catálogo es una lista o folleto publicado con detalles sobre todos los cursos disponibles en una escuela, incluyendo descrições e horarios.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
I'm leaning towards either a humanities major, like History or English, or perhaps something in Environmental Studies.
This sentence expresses uncertainty and preference using 'leaning towards' (meaning tending to choose) and 'either...or' for options. It's useful when discussing interests with an advisor; the grammar shows alternatives with examples like 'like History or English'.
Esta oración expresa incertidumbre y preferencia usando 'leaning towards' (que significa tender a elegir) y 'either...or' para opciones. Es útil al discutir intereses con un asesor; la gramática muestra alternativas con ejemplos como 'like History or English'.
Why don't we look at some introductory courses that could count towards either major?
This is a polite suggestion using 'Why don't we' to propose an action. It's practical for meetings to suggest ideas; the relative clause 'that could count towards' explains benefits, helpful for negotiating options in academic talks.
Esta es una sugerencia educada que usa 'Why don't we' para proponer una acción. Es práctica para las reuniones sugerir ideas; la cláusula relativa 'that could count towards' explica los beneficios, útil para negociar opciones en charlas académicas.
Are there any particular courses you'd recommend that offer a good overview without requiring too many prerequisites?
This question asks for recommendations using 'would recommend' (polite request) and a relative clause 'that offer...'. It's useful for seeking advice on courses; it highlights conditions like 'without requiring', common in inquiries about requirements.
Esta pregunta pide recomendaciones usando 'would recommend' (petición educada) y una cláusula relativa 'that offer...'. Es útil para buscar consejos sobre cursos; resalta condiciones como 'without requiring', común en consultas sobre requisitos.
None of them have steep prerequisites.
Here, 'none of them' means not any, and 'steep' describes high or difficult requirements. This sentence is good for describing course accessibility; it's a simple negative structure useful when comparing options to reassure about ease.
Aquí, 'ninguno de ellos' significa 'ninguno', y 'empinado' describe requisitos altos o difíciles. Esta oración es buena para describir la accesibilidad del curso; es una estructura negativa simple útil al comparar opciones para tranquilizar sobre la facilidad.
The workload is manageable, perhaps 5-7 hours outside of class per week.
This describes course demands with 'manageable' (easy to handle) and quantifiers like '5-7 hours...per week'. It's practical for evaluating classes; the adverb 'perhaps' softens estimates, and it's useful in discussions about study time.
Esto describe las demandas del curso con 'manageable' (fácil de manejar) y cuantificadores como '5-7 hours...per week'. Es práctico para evaluar clases; el adverbio 'perhaps' suaviza las estimaciones, y es útil en discusiones sobre tiempo de estudio.
Feel free to email me if you have more questions after reviewing the course catalog online.
This offers help using 'feel free to' (permission to do something casually) and a conditional 'if you have...'. It's a common closing in advisory talks; the gerund 'reviewing' shows ongoing action, ideal for encouraging follow-up.
Esto ofrece ayuda usando 'feel free to' (permiso para hacer algo de manera casual) y una condicional 'if you have...'. Es un cierre común en charlas de asesoramiento; el gerundio 'reviewing' muestra acción en progreso, ideal para animar al seguimiento.