Bonus points in gaokao: fair or unfair

◎供稿：高 洁

The1)preferential [ˌprefə΄renʃl] adj. 优先的；优惠的；优待的preferentialpolicy that awards bonus points to students taking the college entrance examination, gaokao, is unfair and should be 1 . It not only encourages students to pursue non-academic activities to get bonus points, but also puts additional 2 on them.

Many parents force their children to learn to play musical instruments, such as the piano or violin, from a very young age to get bonus points 3 they have no interest in music. Children have to practice for long hours to build their2credential [krə΄denʃl] n. 资格；资历；资格证书)credentials, necessary for getting bonus points in gaokao. By forcing their children to indulge in activities they are not interested in, parents3deprive [dI΄praIv] v. 剥夺；使丧失；使不能享有)deprivethem of their childhood joys 4 playing outdoors.

5 , parents, schools, teachers or educational officials could exploit the loopholes in the policy to get (or give) extra bonus points for some candidates to help get admitted to key colleges. For example, some recent media reports that a middle school claiming to have 25 second-class swimmers who 6 for the bonus points doesn’t even have a swimming pool on the campus. School officials have said that the students got their sports certificates from another institution but some people have challenged their claim.

Children need 7 development and sports and arts are important parts of their growing up process, but they should take up these activities as hobbies, 8 sing it as a shortcut to college.

词组加油站

1. the college entrance examination 高考

2. not only...but also... “不仅……而且……”，连接两个主语时，谓语动词采取就近一致原则，即谓语动词要与其最近的主语保持人称和数的一致。

例句：He not only writes his own plays, he also acts in them.他不仅自编剧本， 还饰演其中的角色。