浙江省2013年1月高等教育自学考试
英语写作试题
课程代码：10053
请考生按规定用笔将所有试题的答案写在答题纸上。
注意事项：
1. 答题前，考生务必将自己的考试课程名称、姓名、准考证号用黑色字迹的签字笔或钢笔填写在答题纸规定的位置上。
2. 用黑色字迹的签字笔或钢笔将答案写在答题纸上，不能答在试题卷上。
I. Supply the missing paragraph. (20 %)
The following passage is incomplete with the introduction missing. Study the passage carefully and write the paragraph in no more than 100 words. Make sure your tone and the vocabulary you use are in unity with the passage provided.
The Harmful Effects of the Multiple-choice Test
Those who argue for the advantages of the multiple-choice test believe that such test can greatly improve the accuracy and speed of test paper grading. The standardized answer sheets of such test make it possible for computers to replace men to grade the papers. Undoubtedly, the computerization of test paper grading not only improves the speed of grading test papers, but also eliminates the subjective factors of bias or preference that can not be totally avoided by those who grade them. Here, computers or electronic devices are considered as the norm for scientific testing method. It may be safe to check manufactured products by electronic devices for their qualities. Yet, to check the real abilities and potentials of complex human beings, such devices and such testing method are far from enough. In fact, many problems from such testing do exist.
First of all, it is convenient for students to cheat in the multiple-choice test. The standardization of answer sheets makes it easier for students to plagiarize others’ answers. The choices of A, B, C, and D are most clearly printed on the answer sheets or test papers. With only a quick glance, any student who attempts to cheat in the exam can surely steal the correct choice from whoever is nearby and whoever is considered as a good student. What’s more, some students may have some secret deal among themselves in the exam, delivering generous service to the needed. In this case, even when they are separated from each other with considerable distance by the proctor, they can still succeed. The proctor may feel quite helpless because even though they sometimes see or feel students cheating, they cannot pinpoint or prove how the students are cheating in the exam. This in a way encourages the students’ misconduct and leads to their ethical degradation.
Secondly, the multiple-choice test is often like a gambling. Doing well in such an exam is in some way becoming a matter of chance. According to the law of probability, if a question has four choices, then the probability of the right answer will be as high as 25%. Even if a person, absolutely ignorant of knowledge of that subject, takes part in the multiple-choice test, he will have 25% chances of getting the right answer, just by guess. Because of this characteristic, some students’ attitude and attention to study may be quite misled and their capability and flexibility may be weakened. For example, we used to answer the multiple-choice tests at middle schools. When we come to college and face a problem of answering various questions in more details by writing or by speaking, we are at a loss, not to mention our difficulty in writing English compositions.
Thirdly, the multiple-choice test fails to evaluate the students’ abilities thoroughly, especially their potential abilities. Owing to the nature of such a test form, the four letters on the answer sheet cannot reveal the thought process of the students who take the exams. We all know that thought process is the reflection of one’s abilities and potentials in many different ways, and that process is often much more important than the test results themselves in telling the real abilities of the students. Therefore, the answers chosen on the answer sheet do not truly correspond to the students’ practical abilities.
Fourthly, such a method of testing can seriously affect the students’ way of studying. Since the multiple-choice test demands no writing, students tend to develop a very passive way of receiving knowledge and responding to the questions related to the knowledge, and therefore neglect the abilities of actively and creatively using what they have learned. This is especially harmful for language study that requires constant actual practice. It may lower the students’ interest and intelligence in their studies and lead to the failure of our educational purposes. After all, how can we meet the complex challenge of modern society with simple “A, B, C, D”?
From the above cases of evidence and analysis, it is clear that the multiple-choice test should not dominate the examinations of our academic courses. It may be used partially for some specific purposes for some courses, but extensive use of the multiple-choice test at various levels of our educational institutions will surely impoverish the quality of our education and of our students.
