Which statement best summarises the passage?
Examinations are blamed for stress and narrow learning, and coursework is praised as a fairer test of what pupils can do over time. Yet coursework has problems that the praise overlooks. It is hard to be certain whose work it is, particularly when pupils can obtain help from parents, tutors or software. It rewards those with quiet homes and supportive adults. And it is expensive to moderate, because teachers marking their own pupils' work have an interest in the result. Exams are blunt, but they test every candidate under the same conditions. The best arrangement is probably a mixture, in which exams secure the foundations and extended work tests what exams cannot, with the latter done in school under supervision.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. Both exams and coursework have weaknesses, and a supervised mixture may work best
- Step 1: The author criticises coursework, accepts exams are blunt, and recommends a supervised mixture.
- Step 2: The only choice consistent with this is "Both exams and coursework have weaknesses, and a supervised mixture may work best".
Answer
Both exams and coursework have weaknesses, and a supervised mixture may work best.
Why not the others: The author rejects both extremes and does not favour unsupervised help or unmoderated marking.
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More Education questions
- What is the main conclusion of the passage?
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