【考研真题】1995年翻译(4/4)

英语自学网

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        一篇关于标准化教育测试及心理测试的辩论文章
       
In general, the tests work most effectively when the qualities to be measured can be most precisely defined and least effectively when what is to be measured or predicted cannot be well defined. Properly used, they provide a rapid means of getting comparable information about many people. Sometimes they identify students whose high potential has not been previously recognized, but there are many things they do not do. For example, they do not compensate for gross social inequality, and thus do not tell how able an underprivileged youngster might have been had he grown up under more favorable circumstances.一般来说，当被测定的特征能够被很准确地界定时，测试最为有效；而当被测定或被预测的东西不能够被明确地界定时，测试的效果则最差。如果测试被恰当地使用，它们将提供一种快捷的方式来获取有关很多人的可比较的信息。有时，通过它们（测试）还可以发现那些高潜质以前没有被发掘的学生，但许多事情是测试做不到的。例如，测试并不弥补明显的社会不公；因此，它们不能说明一个物质条件差的年轻人，如果在较好的环境下成长，会有多大才干。