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  3. The idea of paying students for good grades is a very controversial subject.

The idea of paying students for good grades is a very controversial subject.

游客2023-11-30  20
问题     The idea of paying students for good grades is a very controversial subject. Some say this is a good incentive that will encourage students to improve their grades. Others say it is morally wrong and will send students the wrong idea. The following is a new report on a study for a pay-for-performance program. Redd it carefully and write an article of NO LESS THAN 300 words, in which you should:
    1. summarize briefly the result of the study and the public’s view on the issue:
    2. give your comment.
    Marks will be awarded for content relevance, content sufficiency, organization and language quality. Failure to follow the above instructions may result in a loss of marks.
    Write your article on ANSWER SHEET FOUR.
    Back in the day, a good report card earned you a parental pat on the back, but now it could be money in your pocket. Experiments with cash incentives for students have been catching on in public-school districts across the country, and so has the debate over whether they are a brilliant tool for hard-to-motivate students or bribery that will destroy any chance of fostering a love of learning. Either way, a rigorous new study—one of relatively few on such pay-for-performance programs—found that the programs get results: cash incentives help low-income students stay in school and get better grades.
    According to a study by the social-policy research group MDRC, cash incentives combined with counseling offered "real hope" to low-income and nontraditional students at two Louisiana community colleges. The program for low-income parents, funded by the Louisiana Department of Social Services and the Louisiana Workforce Commission, was simple: enroll in college at least half-time, maintain at least a C average and earn $1,000 a semester for up to two terms. Participants, who were randomly selected, were 30% more likely to register for a second semester than were students who were not offered the supplemental financial aid.
    Students offered cash incentives in the Louisiana program didn’t just enroll in more classes: they earned more credits and were more likely to attain a C average than were nonparticipants. And they showed psychological benefits too, reporting more positive feelings about themselves and their abilities to accomplish their goals for the future.
    Although U.S. college enrollment has climbed, college completion rates have not. Only a third of students who enroll in community colleges—which educate nearly half the undergraduates in the U.S.— get a degree within six years.
    Despite the study’s impressive, although short-term results, some critics in higher education are concerned that cash incentives will encourage students to start taking easier courses to ensure they’ll do well enough to pocket the money. "Everyone knows what the gut classes are when you’re in college," notes Kirabo Jackson, an assistant professor of labor economics at Cornell who has studied cash incentives for high school students. "By rewarding people for a GPA, you’re actually giving them an impetus to take an easier route through college." Other critics note that students’ internal drive to learn may be drained as they focus on getting an external reward.
    Arnel Cosey, vice president of New Orleans’ Delgado Community College, says she understands why some people are concerned that cash incentives are nothing more than bribery. But she says, "If that’s what we need to do for these people to reach these goals, which ultimately will lead to them having a better life, I wish I had more money to give."
    Besides, as Cosey adds, if all goes well, students will be getting cash incentives for their work soon after graduating—in the form of a paycheck. "Most of us wouldn’t turn up at work every day if we weren’t getting a check," she says. "What’s wrong with starting the payment a little early?"
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答案                       My View on Cash Incentives
    According to the study, the pay-for-performance programs yielded manifold positive results, in that they not only served as an effective financial aid for low-income students, but also helped boost enrollment, improve students’ credits and grades as well as bolstering their self-confidence. Some critics argue that cash incentives lead students to take shortcuts through college and interfere with their internal drive to learn, whereas others deem cash reward a good way of motivating people towards a better life. As far as I’m concerned, cash incentives exert more positive effects on students than negative ones.
    Firstly, cash lies among the most effective impetuses for students to present better performance. The majority of students have not yet developed a steady means of acquiring money on their own, mostly depending on their parents for financial support. They harbor a strong desire to be financially independent, either to ease their parents’ burden or to prove themselves. Therefore, money holds more attraction and acts as a stronger motivation for students than most other incentives.
    Secondly, cash incentives contribute to nurturing students’ financial awareness. During the process of their growth, many kids have pocket money allocated and various fees paid for by their parents, which leads to a universally weak financial sense. Cash reward provides students with an extra sum of money that can be put to whatever use they choose, helping to strengthen their financial consciousness and gradually enhance their capacity of sensible consumption.
    Last but not least, cash in itself is no more than a means of motivation that should not have too much moral implication attached to it. There is a famous saying, "The end justifies the means." The study conducted by MDRC is a good proof of the value of cash incentives as a means of motivation.
    All in all, the merits of cash reward outweigh its disadvantages. It’s a pity if such an excellent tool is not utilized for its many positive outcomes.
解析     材料主要由两方面内容构成——对金钱奖励学生这一机制的研究结果和公众观点。根据题目要求，首先总结研究的结果和正反双方的观点，然后表明自己的看法。作文结构可安排如下：
第一段：简要总结材料中两方面的内容，总体表明自己的观点：金钱奖励学生利大于弊。
第二段：结合多数学生的经济状况及其心理，指出金钱是最有效的奖励手段之一。
第三段：说明现金奖励在培养学生理财意识方面的好处。
第四段：反驳给金钱附加太多道德含义的观点，指出金钱本身只是一种有价值的激励手段。
第五段：总结全文，重申论点，表明应好好利用现金奖励这一激励工具。
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