Harvard professor Harvey Mansfield stirred up controversy recently by criticizing the violent grade inflation at his institution, stating, "I was told that the most frequently given grade at Harvard right now is an A-." A recent【C1】______of 200 colleges and universities also found that more than 40 percent of all grades awarded were in the A range. Some argue that these inflated grades are【C2】______for the competitive job market, but at the national level it is a negative-sum game that【C3】______serious costs on society. Because grades are【C4】______at A or A+, grade inflation results in a greater concentration of students at the【C5】______of the distribution. This【C6】______of grades diminishes their value as a(n) 【C7】______of student abilities. There is also evidence that【C8】______grading reduces student effort. As giving low grades puts students at a disadvantage【C9】______to their peers, professors face strong 【C10】______ to award inflated grades. 【C11】______universities need to take steps to bring it under【C12】______. Recently, some universities have experimented with【C13】______ information about the grade distribution for each course either online or on student transcripts. So, if employers are aware that grades in a particular course were high, they might be less 【C14】______with the students who earned those grades. Thus, students might seek out tougher courses, 【C15】______professors to offer such courses in 【C16】______. The administration of Princeton issued a【C17】______that no more than 35 percent of grades awarded in undergraduate courses should be in the A range. These steps may not be【C18】______with students and professors, but it"s necessary to prevent higher education from【C19】______into Lake Wobegon—"where... all the children are above【C20】______." 【C19】
A. turning
B. looking
C. fading
D. converting
Parents and students are now relying Jess on taking out loans and more on grants, scholarships and their own income and savings, according to a new report from Sallie Mae. "Over the last few years they"re considering cost more.【C1】______applying for bank loans, they"re making【C2】______decisions to save on their college【C3】______," says Sarah Ducich, an author of the report The large private lender, in conjunction with Ipsos Public Affairs,【C4】______ in its seventh annual report that more than half of the cost of college is【C5】______ by grants and scholarships, as well as parent income and savings. The average family also【C6】______ less on parent and student loans, which【C7】______ for 7 percent and 15 percent of the cost, 【C8】______ . "But one of the most【C9】______ findings of the report," Ducich says, "is that【C10】______soaring tuition and fees, families"【C11】______ in the value of college has remained strong." Nearly all of the 1,600 parents and students【C12】______said they believed that college is an【C13】______in the future, nearly 90 percent said it"s needed for a(n)【C14】______occupation and about 86 percent said they would be【C15】______to stretch financially to pay for college. And although more than two-thirds of families said they planned on borrowing, at least as a last【C16】______, many are increasingly looking for【C17】______to cut costs. Nearly all families reported taking at least one step to make college more【C18】______, and on average families took five steps. Seven in 10 said they chose a(n)【C19】______college to pay in-state tuition and more than half said they lived at home or with【C20】______. 【C18】
A. valuable
B. dependable
C. affordable
D. compatible
Harvard professor Harvey Mansfield stirred up controversy recently by criticizing the violent grade inflation at his institution, stating, "I was told that the most frequently given grade at Harvard right now is an A-." A recent【C1】______of 200 colleges and universities also found that more than 40 percent of all grades awarded were in the A range. Some argue that these inflated grades are【C2】______for the competitive job market, but at the national level it is a negative-sum game that【C3】______serious costs on society. Because grades are【C4】______at A or A+, grade inflation results in a greater concentration of students at the【C5】______of the distribution. This【C6】______of grades diminishes their value as a(n) 【C7】______of student abilities. There is also evidence that【C8】______grading reduces student effort. As giving low grades puts students at a disadvantage【C9】______to their peers, professors face strong 【C10】______ to award inflated grades. 【C11】______universities need to take steps to bring it under【C12】______. Recently, some universities have experimented with【C13】______ information about the grade distribution for each course either online or on student transcripts. So, if employers are aware that grades in a particular course were high, they might be less 【C14】______with the students who earned those grades. Thus, students might seek out tougher courses, 【C15】______professors to offer such courses in 【C16】______. The administration of Princeton issued a【C17】______that no more than 35 percent of grades awarded in undergraduate courses should be in the A range. These steps may not be【C18】______with students and professors, but it"s necessary to prevent higher education from【C19】______into Lake Wobegon—"where... all the children are above【C20】______." 【C18】
A. popular
B. crucial
C. manageable
D. special