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In the first place, let me introduce stranger words in the paragraph one. The meaning of “Handle” in the on-line dictionary is “a part of an object designed for holding, moving or carrying the object easily”. However, according to the words “on scholastic cheating” behind “handle”, I think here it should be a metaphor.
After coping with new words, there are a lot of questions I want to ask. Why the author compares “scholastic cheating” with “American eating patterns”, which don’t have connection at all? It is all know that many people in America are overweight even thought they ever pay more attention on this situation and it seems a kind of social phenomenon or culture. In term of this frustrating of surveying American eating patterns, it is easier to understand the feeling of getting a handle on scholastic cheating for American. That’s the reason why the author cites this example, and read the title “honesty” again, we can find the purpose of the writer, why put it in the beginning of the passage, is to draw the reader’ attention by describing such serious situation.
A “yes” and two “no” appears in the paragraph two. In my view, these just emphasize the sentences which follow by them. Paragraph three displays the result of talking to teacher by four pictures that constantly happens at school or home. It is apparent that paragraph two and three are contrast, showing the different point of views between students and teachers, which on behalf of their different positions. Therefore, at once, in the next part the author states the measures of school on cheating such as open-book, invite students to seminar. As a matter of fact, we always see these actions no matter in high school or university, but as students, as if we understand the effect more clearly. Just as the words of psychologists, most people don’t have enough confidence to face with failure, perhaps which will hurt one’s self-esteem to a degree.
Because of mentioning “in the home”, obviously, it discusses the attitude of parents for this issue about their children in paragraph five. After read here, I can’t help thinking that as to scholastic cheating, especially student’s cheating, and who should take responsibilities, children, parents, school or even society? No matter which one, the one thing sure is that children are victims who shoulder more pressure from all parts. However, not only students but most adults don’t consider “a couple of math formulas” as dishonest. This is so normal in their life. Cite the words of Patrick L. Daly who has a lot of experience on the psychology of students, revealing the thoughts of students accurately.
