Question

阅读下面短文，根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要。

High school exit tests are tests that students must pass to graduate from high school. In the last few years. however, a number of states in America have dropped them. Although some states still use them for diplomas, the number is down from a high of 27 states during the testing craze promoted by No Child Left Behind (NCLB).

The appearance of this phenomenon is small wonder. Researches clearly show that exit tests have little positive effects on students. A 2014 report found exit testing was associated with lower graduation rates, negatively affected labor market outcomes, and, most alarmingly, produced a 12.5 percent increase in incarceration( 监禁)rates. Exit exams, the study concluded, had tended to add little value for most students.

Exit testing relies on the following assumptions. One is that standardized testing can serve as a kind of “quality control”for high school graduates, guaranteeing that graduates are college ready.The other is that they have predicting value for future success in academic situations.

But there is little evidence. The tests don't exactly measure what they pretend to measure. For example, qualities such as intelligence, academic ability, college readiness are not determined.Those that should be developed in all young people, like responsibility, critical thinking,and empathy (移植),are not measured,either.Even supporters of exit tests have acknowledged that they don't offer reliable data.

Thus, more and more people are suggesting that exit test scores ought to be just one component of the high school diploma. Schools should consider many other records including credits earned, courses taken,activities, service, projects and other elements of academic accomplishment so that students can be evaluated flexibly. In other words, exit test scores should never be the only criterion for high school diplomas.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer

High school exit tests have been cancelled in some states in America in recent years. This is not surprising because studies show they do little good to students. Instead of ensuring college readiness and academic success, they actually don't measure what should be measured. Therefore, exit test scores should only be one part of the standards of high school diplomas.

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章介绍了在美国，越来越多的州放弃高中学业测试。文章分析了导致这种现象出现的原因以及解决办法。

整篇文章脉络比较清晰：第一段提出一个现象：在美国，越多的州放弃高中结业测试。第二和第三段分析了产生这种现象的原因：高中结业测试对学生没有起到什么积极的作用。它的测试结果没有什么意义。第三段提出结论：学校应该考虑用其他记录来评判学生，结业测试不能成为唯一的标准。考生将每段的主要内容概括在一起，即可得到整篇文章的内容概要。