While a new school term is about to begin, perhaps we should reconsider the matter of examinations. In July, two writers (Letters to the Editor) praised the cancellation of exams because they believe “tests don’t tell the whole story.”
　　As a teacher who has worked in four countries, I have had the experience that a student who earns good marks is generally a good student, and that a student’s final mark in a subject is usually a grade average of the year’s work. Of course there are exceptions, but they do not have the frequency that would give an unfair picture of a student’s ability.
　　The simple fact is that proper class work, diligent exam studies and good marks are almost certain indicators of a student’s future performance. The opposite, almost certainly, incompetence.
　　There is no acceptable substitute for competition and examination of quality. How can teachers and future officials determine what a student has learned and remembered? Should we simply take the student word for it? Any institution that “liberates” students from fair and formal exams is misguided, if not ignorant. And surely the “graduates” of such institutions will lack trustworthiness, not to mention being rejected by foreign universities for graduate or other studies.
　　When all is said and done, I sense that a fear of failure and a fear of unpleasant comparison with others is at the bottom of most ban-exams (废除考试) talk. Excellence and quality fear nothing. On the contrary, they seek competition and desire the satisfaction of being the best.

　　36. Which of the following will the author of this passage probably agree with?
　　A) Tests are not effective in measuring the students’ abilities.
　　B) Tests are an effective measure of the students’ abilities.
　　C) Tests can only measure some of the students’ abilities.
　　D) Tests may not be useful for measuring students’ abilities.（B）

　　37. The two writers mentioned in the first paragraph ________.
　　A) opposed judging students by the results of exams
　　B) must have proposed other ways of testing students
　　C) regarded exams as a way of punishing students
　　D) seem to be worried about the poor marks of their students（A）

　　38. According to the letter, a student’s final mark ________.
　　A) is often encouraging
　　B) often gives a fair picture of the year’s work
　　C) often proves unreliable
　　D) often tells whether he likes the subject of not（B）

　　39. If a student graduated from a university which does not require exams he would ________.
　　A) have to continue his studies
　　B) have a feeling of failure
　　C) be incompetent
　　D) not be admitted by foreign institutions（D）

　　40. According to the letter, those who dislike the idea of examinations are probably afraid of ________.
　　A) competing with other students
　　B) being graded unfairly
　　C) working too hard
　　D) being dismissed from school（A）