美高校管理者不欣賞大學排名
The ladder of fame
Aug 24th 2006 | WASHINGTON, DC
From The Economist print edition
ON AUGUST 18th US News World Report r________① its 2007 rankings of Americas top colleges. The survey began in 1983 as a simple straw poll, when the magazine asked 662 college presidents to identify the countrys best places of learning. It has since mutated into an annual ordeal for reputable universities. (1)A strong showing in the rankings spurs student interest and alumni giving; a slip has grave consequences.
University administrators deeply dislike the survey. (2)Many reject the idea that schools can be stacked up against one another in any meaningful way. And the surveys methodology is s________②. The rankings are still based partly on peer evaluations. They compare rates of alumni giving, which has little to do with the transmission of knowledge. Besides, the magazines data are supplied by the schools and uncorroborated.
(3)But whether the rankings are fair is beside the point, because they are wildly influential. In the 1983 survey barely half of the presidents approached bothered to respond. Today, only a handful dare abstain.
Most, in fact, do more than simply fill out the survey. Competition between colleges for top students is increasing, partly because of the very p________③ of rankings. Colin Diver, the president of Reed College in Oregon, considers that(4)rankings create powerful incentives to manipulate data and distort institutional behaviour.
In some ways, the scramble to attract applicants has helped students. Some universities are devoting more money to scholarships._____________________.(這似乎是應對排名挑戰的一種理性做法。)
Other colleges, though, are trying to drum up excitement by offering perks. Students at the University of California, Los Angeles now appreciate weekly maid service in the dorms. Students at Pennsylvania State University enjoy free a________④ to Napster, the music-sharing service.
University officials, defending this strategy, often imply that they are only r_________⑤ to student demand.(5)Discouraging words for those who believe that a colleges job is to educate, not coddle.
NOTES:
ordeal n. 嚴峻考驗;苦難,折磨
stack up 把堆起;成為結果
uncorroborated adj.未經證實的
abstain v.棄絕
scramble n.爭搶，爭奪
drum up 大力征集;召集
perks n.津貼，額外補貼
coddle v.悉心照料;嬌養
試一試：
1.根據首字母提示和譯文，填入適當單詞：
①r________ its 2007 rankings of Americas top colleges(公布了最新的美國大學排名)(動詞)
②the surveys methodology is s________(問卷調查的方法也有待商榷)(形容詞)
③because of the very p________ of rankings(因為大學排名越來越受到重視)(名詞)
④enjoy free a________ to Napster, the music-sharing service(可以免費到Napster網站下載一些音樂)(名詞)
⑤they are only r_________ to student demand(他們只是應學生的要求才這樣做的)(動詞)
參考答案：
①released ②suspect(suspicious) ③popularity ④access ⑤responding
2.翻譯劃線部分英文：
參考答案：
(1)排名上升可以激發學生的興趣，也能帶來更多的校友捐資;排名下滑則后果嚴重。
(2)很多人認為，學校間是無法以任何有效的方式進行比較和排名的。
(3)不過，排名公平與否已經不重要了，因為排名的影響力實在太大了。
(4)追求排名可能導致學校不惜改動數據或產生一些不合規矩的行為。
(5)但對于那些認為大學的任務是教書育人而非迎合學生的人來說，這些說法太令人失望了。
3.根據譯文，寫出句子：
The ladder of fame
Aug 24th 2006 | WASHINGTON, DC
From The Economist print edition
ON AUGUST 18th US News World Report r________① its 2007 rankings of Americas top colleges. The survey began in 1983 as a simple straw poll, when the magazine asked 662 college presidents to identify the countrys best places of learning. It has since mutated into an annual ordeal for reputable universities. (1)A strong showing in the rankings spurs student interest and alumni giving; a slip has grave consequences.
University administrators deeply dislike the survey. (2)Many reject the idea that schools can be stacked up against one another in any meaningful way. And the surveys methodology is s________②. The rankings are still based partly on peer evaluations. They compare rates of alumni giving, which has little to do with the transmission of knowledge. Besides, the magazines data are supplied by the schools and uncorroborated.
(3)But whether the rankings are fair is beside the point, because they are wildly influential. In the 1983 survey barely half of the presidents approached bothered to respond. Today, only a handful dare abstain.
Most, in fact, do more than simply fill out the survey. Competition between colleges for top students is increasing, partly because of the very p________③ of rankings. Colin Diver, the president of Reed College in Oregon, considers that(4)rankings create powerful incentives to manipulate data and distort institutional behaviour.
In some ways, the scramble to attract applicants has helped students. Some universities are devoting more money to scholarships._____________________.(這似乎是應對排名挑戰的一種理性做法。)
Other colleges, though, are trying to drum up excitement by offering perks. Students at the University of California, Los Angeles now appreciate weekly maid service in the dorms. Students at Pennsylvania State University enjoy free a________④ to Napster, the music-sharing service.
University officials, defending this strategy, often imply that they are only r_________⑤ to student demand.(5)Discouraging words for those who believe that a colleges job is to educate, not coddle.
NOTES:
ordeal n. 嚴峻考驗;苦難,折磨
stack up 把堆起;成為結果
uncorroborated adj.未經證實的
abstain v.棄絕
scramble n.爭搶，爭奪
drum up 大力征集;召集
perks n.津貼，額外補貼
coddle v.悉心照料;嬌養
試一試：
1.根據首字母提示和譯文，填入適當單詞：
①r________ its 2007 rankings of Americas top colleges(公布了最新的美國大學排名)(動詞)
②the surveys methodology is s________(問卷調查的方法也有待商榷)(形容詞)
③because of the very p________ of rankings(因為大學排名越來越受到重視)(名詞)
④enjoy free a________ to Napster, the music-sharing service(可以免費到Napster網站下載一些音樂)(名詞)
⑤they are only r_________ to student demand(他們只是應學生的要求才這樣做的)(動詞)
參考答案：
①released ②suspect(suspicious) ③popularity ④access ⑤responding
2.翻譯劃線部分英文：
參考答案：
(1)排名上升可以激發學生的興趣，也能帶來更多的校友捐資;排名下滑則后果嚴重。
(2)很多人認為，學校間是無法以任何有效的方式進行比較和排名的。
(3)不過，排名公平與否已經不重要了，因為排名的影響力實在太大了。
(4)追求排名可能導致學校不惜改動數據或產生一些不合規矩的行為。
(5)但對于那些認為大學的任務是教書育人而非迎合學生的人來說，這些說法太令人失望了。
3.根據譯文，寫出句子：
