在经济衰退时，很多公司将网络视为替代传统营销手段的一个廉价选择，他们可以利用这种媒体而无需增加很多职员。与其它社交平台如Facebook和MySpace相比，Twitter在日益扩大的新人群中影响最大，很多公司利用这些网站推广品牌、直销和提供客服，宣传效果显著。于是，twintern（twitter实习生）应运而生。

A twintern is usually a student or a person who has recently completed their degree and is therefore anxious to gain professional experience. Twinterns are recruited by companies specifically to spread the word about brands and services on Twitter or other social media platforms. The word twinternship is also used to refer to this as a work placement, paid or unpaid and usually for a fixed period.

Twitter实习生通常是最近刚拿到学位所以急于积累专业经验的学生或个人。公司特地招聘Twitter实习生在Twitter或其它社交媒体平台上传播公司品牌和服务的信息。Twinternship（Twitter实习）这个词也可以用来指在一段固定的期间内有偿或无偿的实习工作。

Instead of the usual activities that interns get lumbered with – photocopying, making coffee or other tasks that no one else really fancies doing, twinterns have an opportunity to do some very high-profile publicity work, networking with millions of potential customers.

实习生通常奔走于复印文件、冲调咖啡或其它没人乐意去做的任务。而Twitter实习生却不用烦恼这些事，他们有机会做一些非常高调的宣传工作并与数百万的潜在客户进行交流。

The terms twintern and twinternship first hit the spotlight in 2009, when restaurant chain Pizza Hut became one of the first companies to officially employ someone in this type of role.(Source：macmillandictionary.com)

Twintern 和twinternship这两个词最早在2009年引起公众注意。必胜客连锁餐厅是最先正式雇用此类人员的公司之一。

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什么是“信息污染”？

（中国日报网英语点津 实习生徐凌晨 编辑：陈丹妮）

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