GRE孫遠寫作工具箱1

/GRE寫作工具箱寫作工具箱（新東方—孫遠）下面的材料旨在豐富學生在是非問題寫作方面的思想和語言，考生在復習時可以先分類閱讀這些篇章，然后嘗試寫相關方面的作文題。對于文章中用黑體字的部分，特別建議你熟讀，背誦，因為它們在語言和觀點上都值得吸收。學習語言的人應該明白，表達能力和思想深度都靠日積月累，潛移默化。從某種意義上說，提高英語寫作能力無捷徑可走，你必須大段背誦英語文章才能逐漸形成語感和用英語進行表達的能力。這一關，沒有任何人能代替你過。因此，建議你下點苦功夫，把背單詞的精神拿出來背誦文章。何況，我并不是要求你背了之后永遠牢記在心：你可以這個星期背，下個星期忘。這沒有關系，相信你的大腦具有神奇的能力。背了工具箱里的文章后，你會驚訝的發(fā)現(xiàn)：IcanthinkinEnglishnow.經(jīng)常有學生告訴我：不知道背誦什么好?，F(xiàn)在我可以告訴各位：背誦下面的文章錯不了，至少對GRE的寫作來說有立竿見影的效果！可別再找借口了哦！

目錄Sectionone:EducationProverbsAgraduationceremonyisaneventwherethecommencementspeakertellsthousandsofstudentsdressedinidenticalcapsandgownsthatindividualityisthekeytosuccess.Theprimarypurposeofaliberaleducationistomakeone’smindapleasantplaceinwhichtospendone’stime.Nextinimportancetofreedomandjusticeispopulareducation,withoutwhichneitherfreedomnorjusticecanbepermanentlymaintained.Theclassroom--notthetrench--isthefrontieroffreedomnowandforevermore.Education’spurposeistoreplaceanemptymindwithanopenone.Itisthepurposeofeducationtohelpusbecomeautonomous,creative,inquiringpeoplewhohavethewillandintelligencetocreateourowndestiny.Yousee,realongoing,lifelongeducationdoesn’tanswerquestions;itprovokesthem.Peoplewillpaymoretobeentertainedthaneducated.themostimportantfunctionofeducationatanylevelistodevelopthepersonalityoftheindividualandthesignificanceofhislifetohimselfandtoothers.Thisisthebasicarchitectureofalife;therestisornamentationanddecorationofthestructure.Theessenceofoureffortstoseethateverychildhasachancemustbetoassureeachasequalopportunity,nottobecomeequal,buttobecomedifferent-torealizewhateveruniquepotentialofbody,mind,andspiritheorshepossesses.Agreatteacherneverstrivestoexplainhisvision-hesimplyinvitesyoutostandbesidehimandseeforyourself.Ifyoucanreadanddon’,youareanilliteratebychoice.DamagingResearchAstudybyNationalParent-TeacherOrganizationrevealedthatintheaverageAmericanschool,eighteennegativesareidentifiedforeverypositivethatispointedout.TheWisconsinstudyrevealedthatwhenchildrenenterthefirstgrade,80percentofthemfeelprettygoodthemselves,butbythetimetheygettothesixthgrade,only10percentofthemhavegoodself-images.EducationandCitizenshipAnimportantaspectofeducationintheUnitedStatesistherelationshipbetweeneducationandcitizenship.Throughoutitshistorythisnationhasemphasizedpubliceducationasameansoftransmittingdemocraticvalues,creatingequalityofopportunity,andpreparingnewgenerationsofcitizenstofunctioninsociety.Inaddition,theschoolshavebeenexpectedtohelpshapesocietyitself.Duringthe1950s,forexample,effortstocombatracialsegregationfocusedontheschools.Later,whentheSovietUnionlaunchedthefirstorbitingsatellite,AmericanschoolsandcollegescameunderintensepressureandwereofferedmanyincentivestoimprovetheirscienceandmathematicsprogramssothatthenationswouldnotfallbehindtheSovietUnioninscientificandtechnologicalcapabilities.Educationisoftenviewedasatoolforsolvingsocialproblems,especiallysocialinequality.Theschools,tisthought,cantransformyoungpeoplefromvastlydifferentbackgroundsintocompetent,upwardlymobileadults.Yetthesegoalsseemalmostimpossibletoattain.Inrecentyears,infact,publiceducationhasbeenatthecenterofnumerouscontroversiesarisingfromthegapbetweentheidealandthereality.Partoftheproblemisthatdifferentgroupsinsocietyhavedifferenthavedifferentexpectations.Somefeelthatchildrenshouldbetaughtbasicjob-relatedskills;stillothersbelieveeducationshouldnotonlypreparechildrentocompeteinsocietybutalsohelpthemmaintaintheirculturalidentity(and,inthecaseofHispanicchildren,theirlanguage).Ontheotherhand,policymakersconcernedwitheducationemphasizetheneedtoincreasethelevelofstudentachievementandtoimproveparentsintheirchildren’seducation.Somereformersandcriticshavecalledattentiontotheneedtolinkformalschoolingwithprogramsdesignedtoaddresssocialproblems.SociologistCharlesMoscos,forexample,isaleaderinthemovementtoexpandprogramslikethePeaceCorps,Vista,andOutwardBoundintoasystemofvoluntarynationalservice.Nationalservice,asMoscosdefinesit,wouldentail“thefull-timeundertakingofpublicdutiesbyyoungpeoplewhetherascitizensoldiersorcivilianservers-whoarepaidsubsistencewages”andserveforatleastoneyear.Inreturnforthisperiodofservice,thevolunteerswouldreceiveassistanceinpayingforcollegeorothereducationalexpenses.Advocatesofnationalserviceandschool-to-workprogramsbelievethateducationdoesnothavetobeconfinedtoformalschooling.Indevisingstrategiestoprovideopportunitiesforyoungpeopletoservetheirsociety,theyemphasizetheeducationalvalueofcitizenshipexperiencesgainedoutsidetheclassroom.AtthiswritingthereislittleindicationthatnationalservicewillbecomeaneweducationalinstitutionintheUnitedStates,althoughtheconceptissteadilygainingsupportamongeducatorsandsocialcritics.TheTeacher’sRoleGiventheundeniableimportanceofclassroomexperience,sociologistshavedoneaconsiderableamountofresearchonwhatgoesonintheclassroom.Oftentheystartfromthepremisethat,alongwiththeinfluenceofpeers,students’experiencesintheclassroomareofcentralimportancetotheirlaterdevelopment.Onestudyexaminedtheimpactofasinglefirst-gradeteacheronherstudents’subsequentadultstatus.Thesurprisingresultsofthisstudyhaveimportantimplications.Itisevidentthatgoodteacherscanmakeabigdifferenceinchildren’slives,afactthatgivesincreasedurgencytotheneedtoimprovethequalityofprimary-schoolteaching.ThereformscarriedoutbyeducationalleaderslikeJamesComersuggestthatwhengoodteachingiscombinedwithhighlevelsofparentalinvolvementtheresultscanbeevenmoredramatic.Becausetheroleoftheteacheristochangethelearnerinsomeway,theteacher-studentrelationshipisanimportantpartofeducation.Sociologistshavepointedoutthatthisrelationshipisasymmetricalorunbalanced,withtheteacherbeinginapositionofauthorityandthestudenthavinglittlechoicebuttopassivelyabsorbtheinformationprovidedbytheteacher.Inotherwords,inconventionalclassroomsthereislittleopportunityforthestudentstobecomeactivelyinvolvedinthelearningprocess.Ontheotherhand,studentsoftendevelopstrategiesforundercuttingtheteacher’sauthority:mentallywithdrawing,interrupting,andthelike.Hence,muchcurrentresearchassumesthatstudentsandteachersinfluenceeachotherinsteadofassumingthattheinfluenceisalwaysinasingledirection.EducationPhilosophyForthepastfiftyyearsourschoolshaveoperatedonthetheoriesofJohnDewey(1859-1953),anAmericaneducatorandwriter.Deweybelievedhattheschool’sjobwastoenhancethenaturaldevelopmentofthegrowingchild,ratherthantopourinformation,forwhichthechildhadnocontext,intohimorher.IntheDeweysystem,thechildbecomestheactiveagentinhisowneducation,ratherthanapassivereceptacleforfacts.Consequently,Americanschoolsareveryenthusiasticaboutteaching“l(fā)ifeskills”–logicalthinking,analysis,creativeproblem--solving.Theactualcontentofthelessonsissecondarytotheprocess,whichissupposedtotrainthechildtobeabletohandlewhateverlifemaypresent,includingalltheunknownsofthefuture.Studentsandteachersbothregardpurememorizationasanuncreativeandsomewhatvulgar.Inadditionto“l(fā)ifeskills”,schoolsareassignedtosolvetheevergrowingstokeofsocialproblems.Racism,teenagepregnancy,alcoholism,druguse,recklessdriving,andsuicidearejustafewofthemodernproblemsthathaveappearedontheschoolcurriculum.ThisallcontributestoahighdegreeofsocialawarenessinAmericanyoungsters.StudentLifeTothestudents,themostnotabledifferencebetweenelementaryschoolandthehigherlevelsisthatinjuniorhightheystart“changingclasses”.Thismeansthatratherthanspendingthedayinoneclassroom,theyswitchclassroomstomeettheirdifferentteachers.Thisgivesthemthreeorfourminutesbetweenclassesinthehallways,whereagreatdealoftheimportantsocialactionofhighschooltraditionallytakesplace.Studentshavelockersinthesehallways,aroundwhichthycongregate.Societyingeneraldoesnottakethebusinessofstudyingveryseriously.Schoolchildrenhaveagreatdealoffreetime,whichtheyareencouragedtofillwithextracurricularactivities—sports,clubs,cheerleading,scouts—supposedtoinculcatesuchqualitiesasleadership,sportsmanship,abilitytoorganize,etc.thosewhodon’tbecomeengagedinsuchactivitiesorhaveafter\schooljobshaveplentyofopportunityto“hangout”,listentoteenagermusic,andwatchtelevision.Comparedtoothernations,Americanstudentsdonothavemuchhomework.StudiesalsoshowthatAmericanparentshavelowerexpectationsfortheirchildren’ssuccessinschoolthanothernationalitiesdo.(Historically,therehasnotbeenmuchcorrelationbetweenAmericanschoolsuccessandsuccessinlaterlife.)“He’sjustnotascholar”,theAmericanparentsmightsay,contentthattheirsonisontheswimteamanddoesn’ttakedrugs.(Someoftheyoungdochoosetostudyhard,forreasonoftheirown,suchasdeterminingthattheroadtorichesliesthroughHarvardWhatAmericanschoolsdoeffectivelyteachisthecompetitivemethod.Ininnumerablewayschildrenarepittedagainsteachother—whetherinclassroomdiscussion,spellingbees,readinggroups,ortests.EveryclassroomisexpectedtoproduceascatteringofA’sandF’s(teachersoftengradeA=excellent;B=good;C=average;D=poor;andF=failed).AteacherwhogivesallA’slookstoosoft—sostudentsareawarethattheyarecompetingforthelimitednumberoftopmarks.Foreignstudentssometimesdon’tunderstandthatcopyingfromotherpeople’spapersorfrombooksisconsideredwrongandtakenseriously.Here,itisimportanttoshowthatyouhavedoneyourownworkandaredisplayingyourownknowledge.Itismoreimportantthanhelpingyourfriendstopass,whomwethinkdonotdeservetopassunlesstheycanprovidetheirownanswers.Groupeffortgoesagainstthecompetitivegrain,andAmericanstudentsdonotstudytogetherasmanyAsiansdo.ManyAsiansinthiscountryconsidertheirgroupstudyhabitsalargecontributortotheirschoolsuccess.AdultEducationAftercomplainingaboutmanyaspectsofAmericanlife,a40-year-oldwomanfromHongKongconcluded,“Butwhereelsecouldsomeonemyagegobacktoschoolandgetadegreeinsocialwork?Hereyoucanchangeyourwholelife,startanewbusiness,dowhatyoureallywanttodo.”Soatleasttothisperson,schoolrequirementsweren’tinhibiting.Andtomillionsofothers,adulteducationisthepathtoanewcareer,orifnottoanewcareer,toanewoutlook.Schoolsgenerallyencouragetheolderpersonwhowantstostartanew,andbesidesregularclasses,scheduleeveningclassesinspecialprograms.Todaytherearesomanypeopleofretirementageincollegethatitisnolongerremarkable.MoralRelativisminAmericanImprovingAmericaneducationrequiresnotdoingnewthingsbutdoing(andremembering)somegoodoldthings.Atthetimeofournation’sfounding,ThomasJeffersonlistedtherequirementsforasoundeducationintheReportoftheCommissionersfortheUniversityofVirginia.InthislandmarkstatementonAmericaneducation,Jeffersonwroteoftheimportanceofeducationandwriting,andofreadinghistory,andgeography.Buthealsoemphasizedtheneed“toinstructthemassofourcitizensinthese,theirrights,interests,andduties,asmenandcitizens.”Jeffersonbelievededucationshouldaimattheimprovementofbothone’s“morals”and“faculties”.ThathasbeentheStartingintheearlyseventies,“valuesclarification”programsstartedturningupinschoolsalloverAmerica.Accordingtothisphilosophy,theschoolswerenottotakepartintheirtime-honoredtaskoftransmittingsoundmoralvalues;rather,theyweretoallowthechildto“clarify”hisownvalues(whichadults,includingparents,hadno“rights”tocriticize).The“valuesclarification”movementdidn’tclarifyvalues;itclarifiedwantsanddesires.Thisformofmoralrelativismsaid,ineffect,thatnosetofvalueswasrightorwrong;everybodyhadanequalrighttohisownvalues;andallvaluesweresubjective,relative,andpersonal.Thisdestructiveviewtookholdwithavengeance.In1985TheYorkTimespublishedanarticlequotingNewYorkareaeducators,inslavishdevotiontothisnewview,proclaiming,“Theydeliberatelyavoidtryingtotellstudentswhatisethicallyrightandwrong.”Thearticletoldofonecounselingsessioninvolvingfifteenhighschooljuniorsandseniors.Inthecourseofthatsessionastudentconcludedthatafellowstudenthadbeenfoolishtoreturnonethousanddollarsshefoundinapurseatschool.Accordingtothearticle,whentheyoungstersaskedthecounselor’sopinion,“Hetoldthemhebelievedthegirlhaddonetherightthing,butthat,ofcourse,hewouldnottrytoforcehisvaluesonthem.‘IfIcomefromthepositionofwhatiswrong,’heexplained,‘thenI’mnottheircounselor.’”O(jiān)nceuponatime,acounselorofferedcounselor,andheknewthatanadultdoesnotformcharacterintheyoungbytakingastanceofneutralitytowardquestionsofrightandwrongorbymerelyoffering“choices”or“options”.Inresponsetothebeliefthatadultsandeducatorsshouldteachchildrensoundmorals,onecanexpectfromsomequartersindignantobjections(I’veheardoneversionofitexpressedcountlesstimesovertheyears):“Whoareyoutosaywhat’simportant?”or“Whosestandardsandjudgmentsdoweuse?”Thecorrectresponse,itseemstome,is,iswereadytodoawaywithstandardsandjudgments?Isanyonegoingtoargueseriouslythatalifeofcheatingandswindlingisasworthyasalifeofhonest,hardwork?Isanyone(withtheexceptionofsomeliteratureprofessorsatoureliteuniversities)goingtoargueseriouslytheintellectualcorollary,thataMarvelcomicbookisasgoodasMacbeth?Unlesswearewillingtoembracesomeprettysillyposition,we’vegottoadmittheneedformoralandintellectualstandards.TheproblemisthatsomepeopletendtoregardanyonewhowouldpronounceadefinitivejudgmentasanunsophisticatedPhilistineoraclosed-minded“elitist”tryingtoimposehisviewoneverybodyelse.Thetruthoftherealworldisthatwithoutstandardsandjudgments,therecanbenoprogress.Unlesswearepreparedtosayirrationalthings—thatnothingcanbeprovenmorevaluablethananythingelseorthateverythingisequallyworthless—wemustaskthenormativequestion.Itmaycome,asasurprisetothosewhofellthattobe“progressive”istobevalue-neutral.ButasMatthewAmoldsaid,“theworldisforwardedbyhavingitsattentionfixedonthebestthings”andiftheworldcan’tdecidewhatthebestthingsare,atleasttosomedegree,thenitfollowsthatprogress,andcharacter,isintrouble.Weshouldn’tbereluctanttodeclarethatsomethings,somelives,books,ideas,andvaluesarebetterthanothers.Itistheresponsibilityoftheschoolstoteachthesebetterthings.Atonetime,weweren’tsoreluctanttoteachthem.Inthemid-nineteenthcentury,adiverse,widespreadgroupofcrusadersbegantoworkforthepublicsupportofwhatwasthencalledthe“commonschool”,theforerunnerofthepublicschool.Theyweretobechargedwiththemissionofschoolfeltthatthenationcouldfulfillitsdestinyonlyifeverynewgenerationwastaughtthesevaluestogetherinacommoninstitution.Theleadersofthecommonschoolmovementweremainlycitizenswhowereprominentintheircommunities—businessmen,ministers,localcivicandgovernmentofficials.Thesepeoplesawtheschoolsasupholdersofstandardsofindividualmoralityandsmallincubatorsofcivicandpersonalvirtue;thefoundersofthepublicschoolshadfaiththatpubliceducationcouldteachgoodmoralandciviccharacterfromacommongroundofAmericanvalues.Butinthepastquartercenturyorso,someoftheso-calledexpertsbecameexpertsofvalueneutrality,andmoraleducationwasincreasinglyleftintheirhands.Thecommonsenseviewofparentsandthepublic，thatschoolsshouldreinforceratherthanunderminethevaluesofhome,family,andcountry,wasincreasinglyrejected.Therearethosetodaystillthatclaimwearenowtoodiverseanation,thatweconsistoftoomanycompetingconvictionsandintereststoinstillcommonvalues.Theyarewrong.Ofcourseweareadiversepeople.Wehavealwaysbeenadiversepeople.AndasMadisonwroteinFederalistNo.10,thecompeting,balancinginterestsofadiversepeoplecanhelpensurethesurvivalofliberty.ButtherearevaluesthatallAmericancitizensshareandthatweshouldwantallAmericanstudentstoknowandtomaketheirown:honesty,fairness,self-discipline,fidelitytotask,friends,andfamily,personalresponsibility,loveofcountry,andbeliefintheprinciplesofliberty,equality,andthefreedomtopracticeone’sfaith.Theexplicitteachingofthesevaluesisthelegacyofthecommonschools,anditisalegacytowhichwemustreturn.SchoolsShouldTeachValuesPeopleoftensaid,“Yes,weshouldteachthesevalues,buthowdoweteachthem?”thisquestiondeservesacandidresponse,onethatisn’tgivenoftenenough.Itisbyexposingourchildrentogoodcharacterandinvitingitsimitationthatwewilltransmittothemamoralfoundation.Thishappenswhenteachersandprincipals,bytheirwordsandactions,embodysoundconvictions.AsOxford’sMaryWarnockhaswritten,“Youcannotteachmoralitywithoutbeingcommittedtomoralityyourself;andyoucannotbecommittedtomoralityyourselfwithoutholdingthatsomethingsarerightandotherswrong.”ThetheologianMartinBuberwrotethattheeducatorisdistinguishedfromallotherinfluences“byhiswilltotakepartinthestampingofcharacterandbyhisconsciousnessthatherepresentsintheeyesofthegrowingpersonacertainselectionofwhatis,theselectionofwhatis‘right’,ofwhatshouldbe.”Itisinthiswill,Bubersays,inthisclearstandingforsomething,thatthe“vocationasaneducatorfindsitsfundamentalexpression.”Thereisnoescapingthefactthatyoungpeopleneedasexampleprincipalsandteacherswhoknowthedifferencebetweenrightandwrong,goodandbad,andwhothemselvesexemplifyhighmoralpurpose.AsEducationSecretary,IvisitedaclassatWaterburyElementarySchoolinWaterbury,Thisexampleisprobablytoosimpletopleasealotofpeoplewhowanttomakethetopicofmoraleducationdifficult,butthereissomethingprofoundintheanswerofthosechildren,somethingeducationshouldpaymoreattentionto.Youcan’texpectchildrentotakemessagesaboutrulesormoralityseriouslyunlesstheyseeadultstakingthoserulesseriouslyintheirday-to-dayaffairs.Certainmustbesaid,certainlimitslaydown,andcertainexamplesset.Thereisnootherway.Weshouldalsodoabetterjobatcurriculumselection.Theresearchshowsthatmost“valueseducation”exercisesandseparatecoursesin“moralreasoning”tendnottoaffectchildren’sbehavior;ifanything,theymayleavechildrenmorallyadrift.Wheretoturn?Ibelieveourliteratureandourhistoryarearichquarryofmoralliteracy.Weshouldminethatquarry.Childrenshouldhaveattheirdisposalastockofexamplesillustratingwhatwebelievetoberightandwrong,goodandbad—examplesillustratingwhataremorallyrightandwrongcanindeedbeknownandthatthereisadifference.Whatkindofstories,historicalevents,andfamouslivesamItalkingabout?Ifwewantourchildrentoknowabouthonesty,weshouldteachthemaboutAbeLincolnwalkingthreemilestoreturnsixcentsandconversely,aboutAesop’sshepherdboywhocriedwolfifwewantthemtoknowaboutcourage,weshouldteachthemaboutJoanofArc,Horatiusatthebridge,andHarrietTubmanandtheUndergroundRailroad.Ifwewantthemtoknowaboutpersistenceinthefaceofadversity,theyshouldknowaboutthevoyagesofColumbusandthecharacterofWashingtonduringtheCivilWar.AndouryoungestshouldbetoldabouttheLittleEngineThatCould.Ifwewantthemtoknowaboutrespectforthelaw,theyshouldunderstandwhySocratestoldCrito:“No,ImustsubmittothedecreeofAthens.”Ifwewantourchildrentorespecttherightsofothers,theyshouldreadtheDeclarationofIndependence,theBillofRights,theGettysburgAddress,andMartinLutherKing,Jr.’“LetterfromBirminghamjail.”FromtheBibletheyshouldknowaboutRuth’sloyaltytoNaomi,Joseph’sforgivenessofhisbrothers,Jonathan’sfriendshipwithDavid,theGoodSamaritan’skindnesstowardastranger,andDavid’sclevernessandcourageinfacingGoliath.Theseareonlyafewofthehundredsofexampleswecancallon.Andweneednotgetintoissueslikenuclearwar,abortion,creationism,oreuthanasia.Thismaycomeasadisappointmenttosomepeople,butthefactisthattheformationofcharacterinyoungpeopleiseducationallyataskdifferentfrom,andpriorto,thediscussionofthegreat,difficultcontroversiesoftheday.Firstthingscomefirst.Weshouldteachvaluesthesamewayweteachotherthings:onestepatatime.Weshouldnotusethefactthattherearemanydifficultandcontroversialmoralquestionsasanargumentagainstbasicinstructioninthesubject.Afterall,wedonotargueagainstteachingphysicsbecauselaserphysicsisdifficult,againstteachingAmericanhistorybecausethereareheateddisputesabouttheFounders’intent.Everyfieldhasitscomplexitiesanditscontroversies.Andeveryfieldhasitsbasics,itsfundamentals.Sotheyaretoowithformingcharacterandachievingmoralliteracy.Asanyparentknows,teachingcharacterisadifficulttask.Butitisacrucialtask,becausewewantourchildrentobehealthy,happy,andsuccessfulbutdecent,strong,andgood.Noneofthishappensautomatically;thereisnogenetictransmissionofvirtue.Ittakestheconscious,committedeffortsofadults.Ittakescarefulattention.CollegePressuresMainlyItrytoremindthattheroadaheadisalongoneandthatitwillhavemoreunexpectedturnsthantheythink.Therewillbeplentyoftimetochangejobs,changecareers,changewholeattitudesandapproaches.Theydonnotwanttohearsuchliberatingnews.Theywantamap—rightnow–thattheycanfollowunswervinglytocareersecurity,financialsecurity,SocialSecurityand,presumably,aprepaidgrave.WhatIwishforallstudentsissomereleasefromtheclammygripofthefuture.Iwishthemachancetosavoreachsegmentoftheireducationasanexperienceinitselfandnotasagrimpreparationforthenextstep.Iwishthemtherighttoexperiment,totripandfall,tolearnthatdefeatisasinstructiveasvictoryandisnottheendoftheworld.Mywish,ofcourse,isna?ve.Oneofthenationalgodsveneratedinourmedia—themillion-dollarathlete,thewealthyexecutive—andglorifiedinourpraiseofpossessions.Inthepresenceofsuchapotentstatereligion,theyoungaregrowingupold.Iseefourkindsofpressureworkingoncollegestudentstoday:economicpressure,parentalpressure,peerpressure,andself-inducedpressure.Itiseasytolookaroundforvillains—toblamethecollegesforchargingtoomuchmoney,theprofessorsforassigningtoomuchwork,theparentsforpushingtheirchildrentoofar,andthestudentsfordrivingthemselvestoohard.Buttherearenovillains:onlyvictims.“Inthelate1960s.”onedeantoldme.“ThetypicalquestionthatIgotfromstudentswas‘Whyistheresomuchsufferingintheworld’or‘howIcanmakeacontribution?’Todayit’s‘DoyouthinkitwouldlookbetterforgettingintolawschoolifIdidadoublemajorinhistoryandpoliticalscience,orjustmajoredinoneofthem?’”manyotherdeansconfirmedthispattern.Onesaid:“Theyaretryingtofindanedge—theintangiblesomethingthatwilllookbetteronpaperiftwostudentsareaboutequal.”Notetheemphasisonlookingbetter.Thetranscripthasbecomeasacreddocument,thepassporttosecurity.Howoneappearsonpaperismoreimportantthanhowoneappearsinperson.AisforAdmirableandBisforBorderline,eventhough,inYale’sofficialsystemofgrading,Ameans“excellent”andBmeans“verygood.”Today,lookingverygoodisnolongergoodenough,especiallyforstudentswhohopetogoontolawschoolormedicalschool.Theyknowthatentranceintothebetterschoolswillbeanentranceintothebetterlawfirmsandbettermedicalpracticeswheretheywillmakealotofmoney.Theyalsoknowthattheoddsareharsh.YaleIt’sallverywellforthoseofuswhowritelettersofrecommendationforourstudentstostressthequalitiesofhumanitythatwillmakethemgoodlawyersordoctors.Andit’snicetothinkthatadmissionofficersarereadyreadingourlettersandlookingfortheextradimensionofcommitmentorconcern.Still,itwouldbehardforastudentnottovisualizetheseofficersshufflingsomanytranscriptsstuddedwithAsthattheyregardaBaspositivelyshameful.Thepressureisalmostasheavyonstudentswhojustwanttograduateandgetajob.Longgonearethedaysofthe“gentleman’sC.”whenstudentsjourneyedthroughcollegewithacertainrelaxation,samplingawidevarietyofcourses-music,art,philosophy,classics,anthropology,poetry,religion—thatwouldsendthemoutasliberallyeducatedmenandwomen.IfIwereanemployerIwouldratheremploygraduateswhohavethisrangeandcuriositythanthosewhonarrowlypursuedsafesubjectsandhighgrades.Iknowcountlessstudentswhoseinquiringmindsexhilarateme.Iliketoheartheplayoftheirideas.IdonotknowiftheyaregettingAsorCs,andIdonotcare.Ialsolikethemaspeople.Thecountryneedsthem,andtheywillfindsatisfyingjobs.Itellthemtorelax.Theycannot.NorcanIblamethem.Theyliveinabrutaleconomy.Tuition,room,andboardatmostprivatecollegesnowcometoatleast$7,000,notcountingbooksandfees.Thismightseemtosuggestthatthec