GRE英語寫作工具箱詳述

GRE寫作工具箱

寫作工具箱（新東方一孫遠(yuǎn)）

下面的材料旨在豐富學(xué)生在是非問題寫作方面的思想和語言，考生在復(fù)習(xí)時可以先分類閱讀這些篇章，

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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(yuǎn)牢記

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目錄

1.Sectionone:Education

1.1Proverbs

1.Agraduationceremonyisaneventwherethecommencementspeakertellsthousands

ofstudentsdressedinidenticalcapsandgownsthatindividualityisthekeytosuccess.

2.Theprimarypurposeofaliberaleducationistomakeone'smindapleasantplacein

whichtospendone'stime.

3.Nextinimportancetofreedomandjusticeispopulareducation,withoutwhichneither

freedomnorjusticecanbepermanentlymaintained.

4.Theclassroom-notthetrench-isthefrontieroffreedomnowandforevermore.

5.Education'spurposeistoreplaceanemptymindwithanopenone.

6.Itisthepurposeofeducationtohelpusbecomeautonomous,creative,inquiringpeople

whohavethewillandintelligencetocreateourowndestiny.

7.Yousee,realongoing,lifelongeducationdoesn'tanswerquestions;itprovokesthem.

8.Peoplewillpaymoretobeentertainedthaneducated.

9.themostimportantfunctionofeducationatanylevelistodevelopthepersonalityofthe

individualandthesignificanceofhislifetohimselfandtoothers.Thisisthebasic

architectureofalife;therestisornamentationanddecorationofthestructure.

10.Theessenceofoureffortstoseethateverychildhasachancemustbetoassureeach

asequalopportunity,nottobecomeequal,buttobecomedifferent-torealizewhatever

uniquepotentialofbody,mind,andspiritheorshepossesses.

11.Agreatteacherneverstrivestoexplainhisvision-hesimplyinvitesyoutostandbeside

himandseeforyourself.

12.Ifyoucanreadanddon',youareanilliteratebychoice.

1.2DamagingResearch

AstudybyNationalParent-TeacherOrganizationrevealedthatintheaverageAmericanschool,

eighteennegativesareidentifiedforeverypositivethatispointedout.TheWisconsinstudyrevealed

thatwhenchildrenenterthefirstgrade,80percentofthemfeelprettygoodthemselves,butbythetime

theygettothesixthgrade,only10percentofthemhavegoodself-images.

1.3EducationandCitizenship

AnimportantaspectofeducationintheUnitedStatesistherelationshipbetweeneducationand

citizenship.Throughoutitshistorythisnationhasemphasizedpubliceducationasameansof

transmittingdemocraticvalues,creatingequalityofopportunity,andpreparingnewgenerations

ofcitizenstofunctioninsociety.Inaddition,theschoolshavebeenexpectedtohelpshapesociety

itself.Duringthe1950s,forexample,effortstocombatracialsegregationfocusedontheschools.Later,

whentheSovietUnionlaunchedthefirstorbitingsatellite,Americanschoolsandcollegescameunder

intensepressureandwereofferedmanyincentivestoimprovetheirscienceandmathematics

programssothatthenationswouldnotfallbehindtheSovietUnioninscientificandtechnological

capabilities.

Educationisoftenviewedasatoolforsolvingsocialproblems,especiallysocialinequality.Theschools,

tisthought,cantransformyoungpeoplefromvastlydifferentbackgroundsintocompetent,upwardly

mobileadults.Yetthesegoalsseemalmostimpossibletoattain.Inrecentyears,infact,public

educationhasbeenatthecenterofnumerouscontroversiesarisingfromthegapbetweentheidealand

thereality.Partoftheproblemisthatdifferentgroupsinsocietyhavedifferenthavedifferent

expectations.Somefeelthatchildrenshouldbetaughtbasicjob-relatedskills;stillothers

believeeducationshouldnotonlypreparechildrentocompeteinsocietybutalsohelpthem

maintaintheirculturalidentity(and,inthecaseofHispanicchildren,theirlanguage).Onthe

otherhand,policymakersconcernedwitheducationemphasizetheneedtoincreasethelevelof

studentachievementandtoimproveparentsintheirchildren'seducation.

Somereformersandcriticshavecalledattentiontotheneedtolinkformalschoolingwithprograms

designedtoaddresssocialproblems.SociologistCharlesMoscos,forexample,isaleaderinthe

movementtoexpandprogramslikethePeaceCorps,Vista,andOutwardBoundintoasystemof

voluntarynationalservice.Nationalservice,asMoscosdefinesit,wouldentailuthefull-timeundertaking

ofpublicdutiesbyyoungpeoplewhetherascitizensoldiersorcivilianservers-whoarepaid

subsistencewages"andserveforatleastoneyear.Inreturnforthisperiodofservice,thevolunteers

wouldreceiveassistanceinpayingforcollegeorothereducationalexpenses.

Advocatesofnationalserviceandschool-to-workprogramsbelievethateducationdoesnothavetobe

confinedtoformalschooling.Indevisingstrategiestoprovideopportunitiesforyoungpeopletoserve

theirsociety,theyemphasizetheeducationalvalueofcitizenshipexperiencesgainedoutsidethe

classroom.Atthiswritingthereislittleindicationthatnationalservicewillbecomeaneweducational

institutionintheUnitedStates,althoughtheconceptissteadilygainingsupportamongeducatorsand

socialcritics.

1.4TheTeacher'sRole

Giventheundeniableimportanceofclassroomexperience,sociologistshavedoneaconsiderable

amountofresearchonwhatgoesonintheclassroom.Oftentheystartfromthepremisethat,along

withtheinfluenceofpeers,students,experiencesintheclassroomareofcentralimportancetotheir

laterdevelopment.Onestudyexaminedtheimpactofasinglefirst-gradeteacheronherstudents5

subsequentadultstatus.Thesurprisingresultsofthisstudyhaveimportantimplications.Itisevident

thatgoodteacherscanmakeabigdifferenceinchildren'slives,afactthatgivesincreasedurgencyto

theneedtoimprovethequalityofprimary-schoolteaching.Thereformscarriedoutbyeducational

leaderslikeJamesComersuggestthatwhengoodteachingiscombinedwithhighlevelsofparental

involvementtheresultscanbeevenmoredramatic.

Becausetheroleoftheteacheristochangethelearnerinsomeway,theteacher-student

relationshipisanimportantpartofeducation.Sociologistshavepointedoutthatthis

relationshipisasymmetricalorunbalanced,withtheteacherbeinginapositionofauthorityand

thestudenthavinglittlechoicebuttopassivelyabsorbtheinformationprovidedbytheteacher.

Inotherwords,inconventionalclassroomsthereislittleopportunityforthestudentstobecome

activelyinvolvedinthelearningprocess.Ontheotherhand,studentsoftendevelopstrategies

forundercuttingtheteacher'sauthority:mentallywithdrawing,interrupting,andthelike.Hence,

muchcurrentresearchassumesthatstudentsandteachersinfluenceeachotherinsteadof

assumingthattheinfluenceisalwaysinasingledirection.

1.5EducationPhilosophy

ForthepastfiftyyearsourschoolshaveoperatedonthetheoriesofJohnDewey(1859-1953),an

Americaneducatorandwriter.DeweybelievedhattheschooPsjobwastoenhancethenatural

developmentofthegrowingchild,ratherthantopourinformation,forwhichthechildhadnocontext,

intohimorher.IntheDeweysystem,thechildbecomestheactiveagentinhisowneducation,rather

thanapassivereceptacleforfacts.

Consequently,Americanschoolsareveryenthusiasticaboutteaching“l(fā)ifeskills”-logical

thinking,analysis,creativeproblem-solving.Theactualcontentofthelessonsissecondaryto

theprocess,whichissupposedtotrainthechildtobeabletohandlewhateverlifemaypresent,

includingalltheunknownsofthefuture.Studentsandteachersbothregardpurememorization

asanuncreativeandsomewhatvulgar.

Inadditionto“l(fā)ifeskills"，schoolsareassignedtosolvetheevergrowingstokeofsocialproblems.

Racism,teenagepregnancy,alcoholism,druguse,recklessdriving,andsuicidearejustafewofthe

modernproblemsthathaveappearedontheschoolcurriculum.

ThisallcontributestoahighdegreeofsocialawarenessinAmericanyoungsters.

1.6StudentLife

Tothestudents,themostnotabledifferencebetweenelementaryschoolandthehigherlevelsisthatin

juniorhightheystart“changingclasses**.Thismeansthatratherthanspendingthedayinone

classroom,theyswitchclassroomstomeettheirdifferentteachers.Thisgivesthemthreeorfour

minutesbetweenclassesinthehallways,whereagreatdealoftheimportantsocialactionofhigh

schooltraditionallytakesplace.Studentshavelockersinthesehallways,aroundwhichthycongregate.

Societyingeneraldoesnottakethebusinessofstudyingveryseriously.Schoolchildrenhaveagreat

dealoffreetime,whichtheyareencouragedtofillwithextracurricularactivities—sports,clubs,

cheerleading,scouts—supposedtoinculcatesuchqualitiesasleadership,sportsmanship,abilityto

organize,etc.thosewhodon'tbecomeengagedinsuchactivitiesorhaveafter\schooljobshaveplenty

ofopportunityto“hangouC,listentoteenagermusic,andwatchtelevision.

Comparedtoothernations,Americanstudentsdonothavemuchhomework.Studiesalsoshowthat

Americanparentshavelowerexpectationsfortheirchildren'ssuccessinschoolthanothernationalities

do.(Historically,therehasnotbeenmuchcorrelationbetweenAmericanschoolsuccessandsuccessin

laterHfe.)"He'sjustnotascholar"，theAmericanparentsmightsay,contentthattheirsonisontheswim

teamanddoesn'ttakedrugs.(Someoftheyoungdochoosetostudyhard,forreasonoftheirown,

suchasdeterminingthattheroadtorichesliesthroughHarvardBusinessSchool.)

WhatAmericanschoolsdoeffectivelyteachisthecompetitivemethod.Ininnumerableways

childrenarepittedagainsteachother-whetherinclassroomdiscussion,spellingbees,reading

groups,ortests.EveryclassroomisexpectedtoproduceascatteringofA'sandF's(teachers

oftengradeA=excellent;B=good;C=average;D=poor;andF=failed).AteacherwhogivesallA's

lookstoosoft-sostudentsareawarethattheyarecompetingforthelimitednumberoftop

marks.

Foreignstudentssometimesdon*tunderstandthatcopyingfromotherpeople'spapersorfrombooksis

consideredwrongandtakenseriously.Here,itisimportanttoshowthatyouhavedoneyourownwork

andaredisplayingyourownknowledge.Itismoreimportantthanhelpingyourfriendstopass,whom

wethinkdonotdeservetopassunlesstheycanprovidetheirownanswers.Groupeffortgoesagainst

thecompetitivegrain,andAmericanstudentsdonotstudytogetherasmanyAsiansdo.ManyAsiansin

thiscountryconsidertheirgroupstudyhabitsalargecontributortotheirschoolsuccess.

1.7AdultEducation

AftercomplainingaboutmanyaspectsofAmericanlife,a40-year-oldwomanfromHongKong

concluded,uButwhereelsecouldsomeonemyagegobacktoschoolandgetadegreeinsocialwork?

Hereyoucanchangeyourwholelife,startanewbusiness,dowhatyoureallywanttodo.”

Soatleasttothisperson,schoolrequirementsweren'tinhibiting.Andtomillionsofothers,adult

educationisthepathtoanewcareer,orifnottoanewcareer,toanewoutlook.Schoolsgenerally

encouragetheolderpersonwhowantstostartanew,andbesidesregularclasses,scheduleevening

classesinspecialprograms.Todaytherearesomanypeopleofretirementageincollegethatitisno

longerremarkable.

1.8MoralRelativisminAmerican

ImprovingAmericaneducationrequiresnotdoingnewthingsbutdoing(andremembering)somegood

oldthings.Atthetimeofournation'sfounding,ThomasJeffersonlistedtherequirementsforasound

educationintheReportoftheCommissionersfortheUniversityofVirginia.Inthislandmarkstatement

onAmericaneducation,Jeffersonwroteoftheimportanceofeducationandwriting,andofreading

history,andgeography.Buthealsoemphasizedtheneed“toinstructthemassofourcitizensinthese,

theirrights,interests,andduties,asmenandcitizens."Jeffersonbelievededucationshouldaimatthe

improvementofbothone's“morals”and“faculties”.Thathasbeenthedominantviewoftheaimsof

Americaneducationforovertwocenturies.Butanumberofchanges,mostofthemunsound,have

divertedschoolsfromthesegreatpursuits.AndthestoryofthelossoftheschooPsoriginalmoral

missionexplainsagreatdeal.

Startingintheearlyseventies,Uvaluesclarification”programsstartedturningupinschoolsall

overAmerica.Accordingtothisphilosophy,theschoolswerenottotakepartintheir

time-honoredtaskoftransmittingsoundmoralvalues;rather,theyweretoallowthechildto

“clarify“hisownvalues(whichadults,includingparents,hadno“rights“tocriticize).The

Uvaluesclarification,,movementdidn'tclarifyvalues;itclarifiedwantsanddesires.Thisformof

moralrelativismsaid,ineffect,thatnosetofvalueswasrightorwrong;everybodyhadanequal

righttohisownvalues;andallvaluesweresubjective,relative,andpersonal.Thisdestructive

viewtookholdwithavengeance.

In1985TheYorkTimespublishedanarticlequotingNewYorkareaeducators,inslavishdevotionto

thisnewview,proclaiming,uTheydeliberatelyavoidtryingtotellstudentswhatisethicallyrightand

wrong."Thearticletoldofonecounselingsessioninvolvingfifteenhighschooljuniorsandseniors.In

thecourseofthatsessionastudentconcludedthatafellowstudenthadbeenfoolishtoreturnone

thousanddollarsshefoundinapurseatschool.Accordingtothearticle,whentheyoungstersasked

thecounselor'sopinion,uHetoldthemhebelievedthegirlhaddonetherightthing,butthat,ofcourse,

hewouldnottrytoforcehisvaluesonthem.IfIcomefromthepositionofwhatiswrong/heexplained,

*thenI'mnottheircounselor.n,

Onceuponatime,acounselorofferedcounselor,andheknewthatanadultdoesnotformcharacterin

theyoungbytakingastanceofneutralitytowardquestionsofrightandwrongorbymerelyoffering

“choices"or“options”.

Inresponsetothebeliefthatadultsandeducatorsshouldteachchildrensoundmorals,onecanexpect

fromsomequartersindignantobjections(I'veheardoneversionofitexpressedcountlesstimesover

theyears):“Whoareyoutosaywhatsimportant?”or"Whosestandardsandjudgmentsdoweuse?”

Thecorrectresponse,itseemstome,is,iswereadytodoawaywithstandardsandjudgments?

Isanyonegoingtoargueseriouslythatalifeofcheatingandswindlingisasworthyasalifeof

honest,hardwork?Isanyone(withtheexceptionofsomeliteratureprofessorsatourelite

universities)goingtoargueseriouslytheintellectualcorollary,thataMarvelcomicbookisas

goodasMacbeth?Unlesswearewillingtoembracesomeprettysillyposition,we'vegotto

admittheneedformoralandintellectualstandards.Theproblemisthatsomepeopletendto

regardanyonewhowouldpronounceadefinitivejudgmentasanunsophisticatedPhilistineora

closed-minded“elitist"tryingtoimposehisviewoneverybodyelse.

Thetruthoftherealworldisthatwithoutstandardsandjudgments,therecanbenoprogress.

Unlesswearepreparedtosayirrationalthings-thatnothingcanbeprovenmorevaluablethan

anythingelseorthateverythingisequallyworthless-wemustaskthenormativequestion.It

maycome,asasurprisetothosewhofellthattobe"progressive"istobevalue-neutral.Butas

MatthewArnoldsaid,Mtheworldisforwardedbyhavingitsattentionfixedonthebestthings"andifthe

worldcan'tdecidewhatthebestthingsare,atleasttosomedegree,thenitfollowsthatprogress,and

character,isintrouble.Weshouldn'tbereluctanttodeclarethatsomethings,somelives,books,ideas,

andvaluesarebetterthanothers.Itistheresponsibilityoftheschoolstoteachthesebetterthings.

Atonetime,weweren'tsoreluctanttoteachthem.Inthemid-nineteenthcentury,adiverse,

widespreadgroupofcrusadersbegantoworkforthepublicsupportofwhatwasthencalledthe

“commonschool"，theforerunnerofthepublicschool.Theyweretobechargedwiththemissionof

schoolfeltthatthenationcouldfulfillitsdestinyonlyifeverynewgenerationwastaughtthesevalues

togetherinacommoninstitution.

Theleadersofthecommonschoolmovementweremainlycitizenswhowereprominentintheir

communities-businessmen,ministers,localcivicandgovernmentofficials.Thesepeoplesawthe

schoolsasupholdersofstandardsofindividualmoralityandsmallincubatorsofcivicandpersonal

virtue;thefoundersofthepublicschoolshadfaiththatpubliceducationcouldteachgoodmoraland

civiccharacterfromacommongroundofAmericanvalues.

Butinthepastquartercenturyorso,someoftheso-calledexpertsbecameexpertsofvalueneutrality,

andmoraleducationwasincreasinglyleftintheirhands.Thecommonsenseviewofparentsandthe

public,thatschoolsshouldreinforceratherthanunderminethevaluesofhome,family,andcountry,

wasincreasinglyrejected.

Therearethosetodaystillthatclaimwearenowtoodiverseanation,thatweconsistoftoomany

competingconvictionsandintereststoinstillcommonvalues.Theyarewrong.Ofcoursewearea

diversepeople.Wehavealwaysbeenadiversepeople.AndasMadisonwroteinFederalistNo.10,the

competing,balancinginterestsofadiversepeoplecanhelpensurethesurvivalofliberty.Butthereare

valuesthatallAmericancitizensshareandthatweshouldwantallAmericanstudentstoknow

andtomaketheirown:honesty,fairness,self-discipline,fidelitytotask,friends,andfamily,

personalresponsibility,loveofcountry,andbeliefintheprinciplesofliberty,equality,andthe

freedomtopracticeone'sfaith.Theexplicitteachingofthesevaluesisthelegacyofthecommon

schools,anditisalegacytowhichwemustreturn.

1.9SchoolsShouldTeachValues

Peopleoftensaid,HYes,weshouldteachthesevalues,buthowdoweteachthem?nthisquestion

deservesacandidresponse,onethatisn'tgivenoftenenough.Itisbyexposingourchildrentogood

characterandinvitingitsimitationthatwewilltransmittothemamoralfoundation.Thishappenswhen

teachersandprincipals,bytheirwordsandactions,embodysoundconvictions.AsOxford'sMary

Warnockhaswritten,4<Youcannotteachmoralitywithoutbeingcommittedtomoralityyourself;andyou

cannotbecommittedtomoralityyourselfwithoutholdingthatsomethingsarerightandotherswrong.H

ThetheologianMartinBuberwrotethattheeducatorisdistinguishedfromallotherinfluences“byhis

w川totakepartinthestampingofcharacterandbyhisconsciousnessthatherepresentsintheeyesof

thegrowingpersonacertainselectionofwhatis,theselectionofwhatis'right',ofwhatshouldbe."Itis

inthiswill,Bubersays,inthisclearstandingforsomething,thattheHvocationasaneducatorfindsits

fundamentalexpression.”

Thereisnoescapingthefactthatyoungpeopleneedasexampleprincipalsandteacherswho

knowthedifferencebetweenrightandwrong,goodandbad,andwhothemselvesexemplify

highmoralpurpose.

AsEducationSecretary,IvisitedaclassatWaterburyElementarySchoolinWaterbury,Vermont,and

askedthestudents,ulsthisagoodschool?”Theyanswered,uYes,thisisagoodschool."Iaskedthem,

“Why?”Amongotherthings,oneeight-year-oldsaid,uTheprincipalMr.Riegel,makesgoodrulesand

everybodyobeysthem.^^SoIsaid,uGivemeanexample."Andanotheranswered,uYoucan'tclimbon

thepipesinthebathroom.Wedon*tclimbonthepipesandtheprincipaldoesn'teither.**

Thisexampleisprobablytoosimpletopleasealotofpeoplewhowanttomakethetopicofmoral

educationdifficult,butthereissomethingprofoundintheanswerofthosechildren,something

educationshouldpaymoreattentionto.Youcan'texpectchildrentotakemessagesaboutrulesor

moralityseriouslyunlesstheyseeadultstakingthoserulesseriouslyintheirday-to-dayaffairs.

Certainmustbesaid,certainlimitslaydown,andcertainexamplesset.Thereisnootherway.

Weshouldalsodoabetterjobatcurriculumselection.Theresearchshowsthatmost"valueseducation”

exercisesandseparatecoursesin"moralreasoning"tendnottoaffectchildren'sbehavior;ifanything,

theymayleavechildrenmorallyadrift.Wheretoturn?Ibelieveourliteratureandourhistoryarearich

quarryofmoralliteracy.Weshouldminethatquarry.Childrenshouldhaveattheirdisposalastockof

examplesillustratingwhatwebelievetoberightandwrong,goodandbad—examplesillustratingwhat

aremorallyrightandwrongcanindeedbeknownandthatthereisadifference.

Whatkindofstories,historicalevents,andfamouslivesamItalkingabout?Ifwewantourchildrento

knowabouthonesty,weshouldteachthemaboutAbeLincolnwalkingthreemilestoreturnsixcents

andconversely,aboutAesop5sshepherdboywhocriedwolfifwewantthemtoknowaboutcourage,

weshouldteachthemaboutJoanofArc,Horatiusatthebridge,andHarrietTubmanandthe

UndergroundRailroad.Ifwewantthemtoknowaboutpersistenceinthefaceofadversity,theyshould

knowaboutthevoyagesofColumbusandthecharacterofWashingtonduringtheCivilWar.Andour

youngestshouldbetoldabouttheLittleEngineThatCould.Ifwewantthemtoknowaboutrespectfor

thelaw,theyshouldunderstandwhySocratestoldCrito:"No,ImustsubmittothedecreeofAthens.MIf

wewantourchildrentorespecttherightsofothers,theyshouldreadtheDeclarationofIndependence,

theBillofRights,theGettysburgAddress,andMartinLutherKing,Jr.'"LetterfromBirminghamjail.”

FromtheBibletheyshouldknowaboutRuth'sloyaltytoNaomi,Joseph'sforgivenessofhisbrothers,

Jonathan'sfriendshipwithDavid,theGoodSamaritan'skindnesstowardastranger,andDavid's

clevernessandcourageinfacingGoliath.

Theseareonlyafewofthehundredsofexampleswecancallon.Andweneednotgetintoissueslike

nuclearwar,abortion,creationism,oreuthanasia.Thismaycomeasadisappointmenttosomepeople,

butthefactisthattheformationofcharacterinyoungpeopleiseducationallyataskdifferentfrom,and

priorto,thediscussionofthegreat,difficultcontroversiesoftheday.Firstthingscomefirst.Weshould

teachvaluesthesamewayweteachotherthings:onestepatatime.Weshouldnotusethefactthat

therearemanydifficultandcontroversialmoralquestionsasanargumentagainstbasicinstructionin

thesubject.

Afterall,wedonotargueagainstteachingphysicsbecauselaserphysicsisdifficult,againstteaching

AmericanhistorybecausethereareheateddisputesabouttheFounders,intent.Everyfieldhasits

complexitiesanditscontroversies.Andeveryfieldhasitsbasics,itsfundamentals.Sotheyaretoowith

formingcharacterandachievingmoralliteracy.Asanyparentknows,teachingcharacterisa

difficulttask.Butitisacrucialtask,becausewewantourchildrentobehealthy,happy,and

successfulbutdecent,strong,andgood.Noneofthishappensautomatically;thereisno

genetictransmissionofvirtue.Ittakestheconscious,committedeffortsofadults.Ittakes

carefulattention.

1.10CollegePressures

MainlyItrytoremindthattheroadaheadisalongoneandthatitwillhavemoreunexpectedturnsthan

theythink.Therewillbeplentyoftimetochangejobs,changecareers,changewholeattitudesand

approaches.Theydonnotwanttohearsuchliberatingnews.Theywantamap—rightnow-thatthey

canfollowunswervinglytocareersecurity,financialsecurity,SocialSecurityand,presumably,aprepaid

grave.

WhatIwishforallstudentsissomereleasefromtheclammygripofthefuture.Iwishthema

chancetosavoreachsegmentoftheireducationasanexperienceinitselfandnotasagrim

preparationforthenextstep.Iwishthemtherighttoexperiment,totripandfall,tolearnthat

defeatisasinstructiveasvictoryandisnottheendoftheworld.

Mywish,ofcourse,isnaive.Oneofthenationalgodsveneratedinourmedia-themillion-dollar

athlete,thewealthyexecutive—andglorifiedinourpraiseofpossessions.Inthepresenceof

suchapotentstatereligion,theyoungaregrowingupold.

Iseefourkindsofpressureworkingoncollegestudentstoday:economicpressure,parental

pressure,peerpressure,andself-inducedpressure.Itiseasytolookaroundforvillains—to

blamethecollegesforchargingtoomuchmoney,theprofessorsforassigningtoomuchwork,

theparentsforpushingtheirchildrentoofar,andthestudentsfordrivingthemselvestoohard.

Buttherearenovillains:onlyvictims.

ulnthelate1960s.”onedeantoldme."ThetypicalquestionthatIgotfromstudentswas'Whyisthere

somuchsufferingintheworld,or4howIcanmakeacontribution?*Todayifs'Doyouthinkitwouldlook

betterforgettingintolawschoolifIdidadoublemajorinhistoryandpoliticalscience,orjustmajoredin

oneofthem?'"manyotherdeansconfirmedthispattern.Onesaid:"Theyaretryingtofindan

edge—theintangiblesomethingthatw川lookbetteronpaperiftwostudentsareaboutequal.M

Notetheemphasisonlookingbetter.Thetranscripthasbecomeasacreddocument,thepassportto

security.Howoneappearsonpaperismoreimportantthanhowoneappearsinperson.Aisfor

AdmirableandBisforBorderline,eventhough,inYale'sofficialsystemofgrading,Ameans“excellent”

andBmeans“verygood.^^Today,lookingverygoodisnolongergoodenough,especiallyforstudents

whohopetogoontolawschoolormedicalschool.Theyknowthatentr