CHAPTER X. HOW COMPETITORS ARE JUDGED.

 Methods by Which the Examiners Keep

Candidates’ Identity Secret.

 

After the examination, which is conducted with the most scrupulous¹ care to guard against favoritism or fraud, the local examiners arrange the papers by sheets or subjects and all are forwarded under seal to the United States Commission. When they are reached in the order of rating, they are distributed by sheets to the examiners, Examiner A being given all of sheets 1, Examiner B all of sheets 2, Examiner C all of sheets 3, and so on, the sheets being distributed to as many examiners as there are subjects in the particular examination to be rated. After the papers are rated in the first instance they are redistributed, and the first rating is reviewed by other examiners.

When all of the papers of an examination have been rated and reviewed, those of each competitor are then, for the first time, assembled or brought together, his average percentage is ascertained², his declaration envelope is opened, and the declaration sheet to which he has signed his name is attached to his examination[87] papers. The identity of the competitor, therefore, is not disclosed until his papers have been rated and reviewed and his average percentage determined³. As the charges for specific errors are all fixed⁴ by the rules for rating, and as each subject is rated by two examiners acting⁵ separately and then reviewed by both jointly⁶, it will be seen that absolute impartiality⁷, accuracy and uniformity are secured in the work.

Appeals from the ratings are sometimes made by competitors, but the prospect⁸ of securing a higher rating is very remote. Errors on the part of examiners in making charges are seldom found, as the work of each examiner is verified and checked in every particular by another.

1 scrupulous   

adj.审慎的，小心翼翼的，完全的，纯粹的

参考例句：

• She is scrupulous to a degree.她非常谨慎。
• Poets are not so scrupulous as you are.诗人并不像你那样顾虑多。

2 ascertained   

v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The previously unidentified objects have now been definitely ascertained as being satellites. 原来所说的不明飞行物现在已证实是卫星。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I ascertained that she was dead. 我断定她已经死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

4 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

5 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

6 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

7 impartiality   

n. 公平, 无私, 不偏

参考例句：

• He shows impartiality and detachment. 他表现得不偏不倚，超然事外。
• Impartiality is essential to a judge. 公平是当法官所必需的。

8 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。