High 3 · Reading series
Lesson 44 · A Rule and Its Exception
Audio track 44
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Our school required every student to submit an online form by six each evening during a project week. The rule made it easy for teachers to check progress. One classmate who shared a device with two siblings often submitted later, and a teacher allowed her to use a paper form. Some students called the exception unfair.
At the class meeting, we asked what the rule was meant to achieve. Teachers needed a record before planning the next day; they did not need everyone to use the same screen. A paper form delivered by the next morning could serve that purpose, provided the teacher knew to expect it.
We revised the instructions to explain both methods and the deadline for each. The change did not remove responsibility from anyone. It made the route to meeting that responsibility clearer.
Treating people identically can appear fair while different circumstances make the task unequal. An exception should have a reason that others can understand, not depend on who happens to ask most loudly.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
项目周里，学校要求每位学生每天傍晚六点前交在线表格，便于老师查看进度。一位同学要和两个兄弟姐妹共用设备，经常较晚提交，老师便允许她用纸质表格。有些学生说这不公平。
班会上，我们问规则究竟要实现什么。老师需要在规划第二天之前看到记录，并不需要每个人使用同一块屏幕。如果老师事先知道，次日早晨收到的纸质表格也能达到目的。
我们修改说明，写清两种方式及各自的截止时间。改变没有免除任何人的责任，只是把履行责任的路径讲明白了。
把每个人当作条件完全相同，表面上或许公平，实际处境却可能使任务难度不同。例外应有大家能理解的理由，而不是看谁请求时声音最大。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- required
- 要求；学校设定在线提交。
- submit
- 提交；每日汇报进度。
- progress
- 进度；老师要据此安排。
- device
- 设备；同学与家人共用。
- exception
- 例外；老师允许纸质方式。
- unfair
- 不公平的；同学最初这样认为。
- achieve
- 实现；先明确规则目的。
- provided
- 只要；老师预先知情即可。
- identically
- 完全相同地；形式一致未必公平。
- circumstances
- 处境；影响完成任务的难度。
Background notes (Chinese)
在线提交方式对共用设备者较难；规则的核心是老师及时获得记录，纸质替代方案也可满足。