Question

【題目】Read the passage and answer the following questions. （回答問題）：

When it comes to the letter grade on your test or homework, you might notice that there is no letter (字母) E. Have you ever thought about why that is so?

In the A, B, C, D and F grading system, the first four letters are considered passing grades. An F in this system simply stands for “fail”. The word “fail” happens to start with the letter F, which seems to leave out the letter E. However, E grade actually has been used pretty commonly throughout the history of letter grades in the US.

The first college in the US to use a letter grading system like the ones we use today is Mount Holyoke College. In 1897, they began to use the following grading scale:

A: 95-100% (excellent) B: 85-94% (good) C: 76-84% (fair)

D: 75% (barely passed) E: below 75% (failed)

We can see the E grade instead of F grade.

Gradually, the letter grading system became more popular throughout the US. Later, many schools decided to change the E grade and into the F grade. There is no evidence (證據) to really support this, but one possible explanation is that teachers were worried that some students and parents might mistake E for “excellent”.

Why do we have letter grades? Well, part of the reason is that they made grading simpler. As the 20th century began, school classrooms became bigger. Most teachers at that time thought this new letter grading system was an easy, fair and clear way to grade students.

Today, more and more people argue that letter grades don’t fully reflect (反映) student learning. However, as teachers try to improve grading methods, many parents still prefer the letter grades because they are familiar and easy for parents to understand. Although they might not be perfect, the letter grades probably aren’t going away any time soon.

【1】It there a letter E in the grading system now?

____________________________________________________________

【2】What does an F stand for in the A.B.C.D and F grading system?

____________________________________________________________

【3】When was the letter grading system first used in the US college?

____________________________________________________________

【4】What is the one of the possible reasons for changing the E grade and into the F grade?

____________________________________________________________

【5】How did most teachers like the letter grading system in the 20th century?

____________________________________________________________

【6】Do you want to get letter grades or number scores on your test or homework? Why?

____________________________________________________________

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】No, there isn’t.

【2】It stands for “fail”.

【3】In 1897.

【4】Teachers were worried that some students and parents might mistake E for “excellent”.

【5】They thought it was an easy, fair and clear way to grade students.

【6】I want to get letter grades. Because they are easy for my parents to understand. /

I want to get number scores. Because they can fully reflect my learning.

I want to get neither. Because neither of them is perfect. I want to make them better.

【解析】

本文主要講了判定測試或作業(yè)的字母等級方法，詳細地介紹了字母代表的含義，以及人們對這種判定方法的看法等。

【1】題干問：現在評分系統(tǒng)里有E嗎？根據文中“When it comes to the letter grade on your test or homework, you might notice that there is no letter E.”可知，現在評分系統(tǒng)里沒有E，故填No, there isn't.

【2】題干問：F在A.B.C.D和F評分系統(tǒng)里代表什么？根據文中“An F in this system simply stands for ‘fail’.”可知，F代表不及格，故填It stands for “fail”.

【3】題干問：美國大學什么時候開始使用字母評分系統(tǒng)？根據文中“In 1897, they began to use the following grading scale.”可知，是在1897年，故填In 1897.

【4】題干問：把E級改為F級什么是可能的原因之一？根據文中“but one possible explanation is that teachers were worried that some students and parents might mistake E for ‘excellent’.”可知老師們擔心一些學生和家長會把E誤認為“優(yōu)秀”，故填Teachers were worried that some students and parents might mistake E for “excellent”.

【5】題干問：大多數老師覺得20世紀的字母評分系統(tǒng)怎么樣？根據文中“Most teachers at that time thought this new letter grading system was an easy, fair and clear way to grade students.”可知，大多數老師認為這種新的字母評分系統(tǒng)是一種簡單、公平、清晰的學生評分方法，故填They thought it was an easy, fair and clear way to grade students.

【6】題干問：你想在考試或家庭作業(yè)中得到字母分數還是數字分數？本題屬于開放性試題，言之有理即可。參考答案：I want to get letter grades. Because they are easy for my parents to understand. / I want to get number scores. Because they can fully reflect my learning./ I want to get neither. Because neither of them is perfect. I want to make them better.

做題時首先對原文材料迅速瀏覽，掌握全文的主旨大意。其次，細讀題材，各個擊破。掌握全文的大意之后，細讀材料后的問題，弄清每題要求后帶著問題再回到原文中去尋找，捕獲有關信息。