In the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic, countless colleges and universities shifted from A–F grades to a pass/fail system. Many K–12 school districts have done the same. But not everyone is happy with this outcome.Consider the fact that the permanent nature of grades makes them an incredibly high-stakes affair for students. This has a serious impact on the degree to which teachers can use grades to effectively communicate student progress. Think of how a low grade, intended to convey that a young person doesn’t yet understand a concept, will instead read to the student as an act of cruelty—an attempt to ruin their future. And the student wouldn’t necessarily be wrong to see it that way; transcripts in a self-proclaimed meritocratic world mean that grades, like diamonds, are forever.Similarly, using letter grades as a currency across agencies and institutions has, in reality, negatively distorted student motivation for generations. Regardless of their inclination to learn, many students strive first and foremost to get good grades. This was even the case in 1918, when American economist and sociologist Thorsten Veblen observed that the pursuit of grades “progressively stultifies all personal initiative and ambition that comes within its sweep”.Americans have long been aware of the problems with the current model. Grade inflation is an epidemic, particularly at elite schools. And “grade-grubbing”, the pestering of teachers to change scores, is a huge problem too. Yet despite these obvious problems, grades are deeply embedded into the culture and function of American education: they are used for state graduation requirements, community college transfers, and scholarship determinations; and they are one of the chief mechanisms for linking America’s 100,000 schools with over 5,000 colleges and universities.In short, this grading conundrum won’t be easy to solve. But the inherent flaws of A–F grading have never been clearer. And, because of that, several sensible reform ideas may offer a path forward.One smart proposal involves the use of student portfolios. Rather than reducing everything a student has learned to a single score or letter symbol, schools and colleges might ask students to assemble evidence of what they know and can do. Portfolios are by no means a silver bullet, but they have a number of important strengths: emphasizing the substance of learning, encouraging revision and acknowledging the different paces at which students reach proficiency. Perhaps most importantly, they motivate students to improve their work and not merely their grades.Our present use of grades is a matter of historical accident, not design. The result is that grades fail to advance the multiple purposes they supposedly serve. Pass/Fail grading—the stopgap that many have turned to in the wake of the pandemic—is not a long-term solution. The problem can only be addressed at its root. Shaken from our complacency by a crisis, perhaps we can begin the conversation about what comes next.6. It can be inferred from Paragraph 2 that grades[A] aren’t effective in conveying student progress.[B] can’t really facilitate student-teacher communication.[C] pressure students to improve their academic performance.[D] drive ambitious students to reach a higher social status.7. Thorsten Veblen is quoted to illustrate[A] a widely adopted strategy to motivate students to learn.[B] a generally accepted way to achieve personal ambitions.[C] a serious consequence of striving for good grades.[D] a major obstacle to reforming the grading system.8. According to the author, to solve the grading problem is[A] an unattainable target.[B] a strenuous task.[C] an eye-catching attempt.[D] a desperate need.9. What does the phrase “a silver bullet” (Line 3, Para. 6) most probably mean?[A] A cure-all medicine.[B] A flawed approach.[C] A feasible plan.[D] A quick solution.

In the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic, countless colleges and universities shifted from A–F grades to a pass/fail system. Many K–12 school districts have done the same. But not everyone is happy with this outcome. Consider the fact that the permanent nature of grades makes them an incredibly high-stakes affair for students. This has a serious impact on the degree to which teachers can use grades to effectively communicate student progress. Think of how a low grade, intended to convey that a young person doesn’t yet understand a concept, will instead read to the student as an act of cruelty—an attempt to ruin their future. And the student wouldn’t necessarily be wrong to see it that way; transcripts in a self-proclaimed meritocratic world mean that grades, like diamonds, are forever. Similarly, using letter grades as a currency across agencies and institutions has, in reality, negatively distorted student motivation for generations. Regardless of their inclination to learn, many students strive first and foremost to get good grades. This was even the case in 1918, when American economist and sociologist Thorsten Veblen observed that the pursuit of grades “progressively stultifies all personal initiative and ambition that comes within its sweep”. Americans have long been aware of the problems with the current model. Grade inflation is an epidemic, particularly at elite schools. And “grade-grubbing”, the pestering of teachers to change scores, is a huge problem too. Yet despite these obvious problems, grades are deeply embedded into the culture and function of American education: they are used for state graduation requirements, community college transfers, and scholarship determinations; and they are one of the chief mechanisms for linking America’s 100,000 schools with over 5,000 colleges and universities. In short, this grading conundrum won’t be easy to solve. But the inherent flaws of A–F grading have never been clearer. And, because of that, several sensible reform ideas may offer a path forward. One smart proposal involves the use of student portfolios. Rather than reducing everything a student has learned to a single score or letter symbol, schools and colleges might ask students to assemble evidence of what they know and can do. Portfolios are by no means a silver bullet, but they have a number of important strengths: emphasizing the substance of learning, encouraging revision and acknowledging the different paces at which students reach proficiency. Perhaps most importantly, they motivate students to improve their work and not merely their grades. Our present use of grades is a matter of historical accident, not design. The result is that grades fail to advance the multiple purposes they supposedly serve. Pass/Fail grading—the stopgap that many have turned to in the wake of the pandemic—is not a long-term solution. The problem can only be addressed at its root. Shaken from our complacency by a crisis, perhaps we can begin the conversation about what comes next. 6. It can be inferred from Paragraph 2 that grades [A] aren’t effective in conveying student progress. [B] can’t really facilitate student-teacher communication. [C] pressure students to improve their academic performance. [D] drive ambitious students to reach a higher social status. 7. Thorsten Veblen is quoted to illustrate [A] a widely adopted strategy to motivate students to learn. [B] a generally accepted way to achieve personal ambitions. [C] a serious consequence of striving for good grades. [D] a major obstacle to reforming the grading system. 8. According to the author, to solve the grading problem is [A] an unattainable target. [B] a strenuous task. [C] an eye-catching attempt. [D] a desperate need. 9. What does the phrase “a silver bullet” (Line 3, Para. 6) most probably mean? [A] A cure-all medicine. [B] A flawed approach. [C] A feasible plan. [D] A quick solution.