It’s true that high-school coding classes aren’t essential for learning computer science in college. Students without experience can catch up after a few introductory courses, said Tom Cortina, the assistant dean at Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science.
单词&词组coding n. 编码，编程
essential a. 必不可少的
catch up 赶上，追上
introductory a. 入门的，初步的
course n. 课程
assistant dean （学院）副院长
本段翻译没错，高中生的编程课对于学习大学计算机科学不是必要的。Carnegie Mellon’s计算机科学学院的系主任Tom Cortina说，没有经验的学生在学过入门课后，也能跟上。
第二段However, Cortina said, early exposure is beneficial. When younger kids learn computer science, they learn that it’s not just a confusing, endless string of letters and numbers — but a tool to build apps, or create artwork, or test hypotheses. It’s not as hard for them to transform their thought processes as it is for older students. Breaking down problems into bite-sized chunks and using code to solve them becomes normal. Giving more children this training could increase the number of people interested in the field and help fill the jobs gap, Cortina said.
单词&词组exposure n. 接触，体验（新事物）
beneficial a. 有利的，有用的
confusing a. 令人困惑的，难懂的
artwork n. 艺术作品
hypothesis n. 假设，假说
transform v. 转换，（彻底）改变
break down 拆分
bite-sized a. 很小的
chunk n. 大块
jobs gap 职位空缺
本段翻译然而，Cortina说，早点接触计算机科学是有好处的。孩子们学习计算机科学后，就会知道它不只是一串令人困惑的字母、数字，而是一种工具，可以设计app、进行艺术创造、或验证假设。比起年龄比他们大的学生，转变思维对他们来说没那么困难。将问题分解，并使用编码解决，这样的做法已变得稀疏平常。培养孩子们这种技能可以使