When I was a law professor, a student reported that I made an error in grading his exam by giving him too many points. He was
36 , and after thanking him for his honesty, I changed the grade in my
37 . His beaming (欢笑的) face turned to shock. “You’re
38 my grade?” he said angrily. “I would never have come in
39 ……”
He didn’t finish the
40 , but it was obvious that his display of honesty was
41 . He thought he’d have it all—praise and the higher grade.
Several colleagues thought I should have let the higher grade
42 because all I’d accomplished was to discourage him from being
43 in the future. And every time I tell this story some people agree with this
44 .
But I can’t see how I could give good reason for worsening my
45 in grading by undermining (损害) the honesty of all my grades by failing to
46 an error. The grade itself would be a dishonest
47 of his knowledge and it would have been
48 to other students. How could I
49 give a student a gift of an unearned grade?
I know
50 reporting an error in one’s favor is unusual, but, like
51 too much change, it’s clearly the right thing to do. People of character, those with real honesty, hate to give up
52_ as much as anyone else. The difference is that for them a good conscience and reputation is
_53 enough to give reason for the cost of doing the right thing.
Perhaps lowering the student’s grade did
54 him from being honest in the future, but bribing (贿赂) him to be honest so that he does the right thing when it’s cost-free would have
_55 him even more. The duty to be honest is about right and wrong, not risks and rewards.
| 小题1: | | A．wise | B．right | C．grateful | D．upset |
|
| 小题2: | | A．files | B．books | C．records | D．notes |
|
| 小题3: | | A．lowering | B．correcting | C．changing | D．making |
|
| 小题5: | | A．sentence | B．work | C．exam | D．lesson |
|
| 小题6: | | A．good | B．false | C．special | D．impressive |
|
| 小题7: | | A．remove | B．change | C．stand | D．add |
|
| 小题8: | | A．brave | B．adventurous | C．successful | D．honest |
|
| 小题9: | | A．remark | B．complaint | C．praise | D．achievement |
|
| 小题10: | | A．crime | B．mistake | C．doubt | D．guilty |
|
| 小题11: | | A．make | B．find | C．correct | D．avoid |
|
| 小题12: | | A．reaction | B．sense | C．sign | D．reflection |
|
| 小题13: | | A．unfair | B．cruel | C．tough | D．funny |
|
| 小题14: | | A．reluctantly | B．responsibly | C．impossibly | D．impatiently |
|
| 小题15: | | A．actively | B．secretly | C．voluntarily | D．curiously |
|
| 小题16: | | A．receiving | B．paying | C．earning | D．returning |
|
| 小题17: | | A．benefits | B．honors | C．awards | D．gifts |
|
| 小题18: | | A．pleasure | B．reward | C．content | D．honor |
|
| 小题19: | | A．protect | B．influence | C．discourage | D．separate |
|
| 小题20: | | A．improved | B．encouraged | C．blamed | D．ruined |
|
