Here are two letters from our readers expressing their concern about school assessment:
(1)
Students should be allowed to study without worrying about grades. Fortunately, most educators realize that students have different interests and abilities. However, gradebased assessment(评价) is still very common.Grades often hold back creativity. Competing for better grades causes many students to turn down opportunities to go in for music,drama and sports.Grades are also an unfair measure of a student’s ability. I do not demand,as some extremists do,that grades should no longer be recorded.However,I do believe that less importance should be placed on grades.I hope that someday grades will become optional(可要可不要) at Village High School.
Magdalena Smith, President,
Drama Club
(2)
Let’s face the facts about grades.Grades perform three basic functions.First,grades get students to work at their highest level of competence.Second,they act as an encouragement for hardworking students and as a warning to those who are not.Finally,grades are an effective standard by which to measure students achievement.Good grades help students to get jobs and to get into university.I’ve spoken with a number of students who have jobs,and most of them say that they were hired mainly because of their grades.My grades helped me get a parttime job and will help me get into university next year.I think grades are extremely important at Village High School.
Simon Harper, Member,
Science Club
Simon Harper writes from the viewpoint of someone who _______.

A．insists grades should become optional in the near future

B．believes in the advantages of assessment based on grades

C．is concerned about improving students creativity

D．supports using students interests to measure their abilities

Magdalena Smith thinks it is important for _______.

A．educators to assess the students by grades

B．educators to pay more attention to grades

C．students to compete for better grades

D．students to take part in music, drama, and sports

According to the letters, which of the following is true about Village High School?

A．Grades are effective in every way.

B．Grades hold back students creativity.

C．Grades bring about unnecessary competition.

D．Grades are still in use at present.

What are the two letters mainly about?

A．The role that grades should play in assessing students.

B．The importance of art and music in students life.

C．The need to have a standard measure for students success.

D．The reasons why grades shouldn’t be used to assess students.