Third Marking Period of Ninth Grade(高一第三学制)-儿歌荟萃-万维博客-万维读者网（电脑版）

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		Third Marking Period of Ninth Grade(高一第三学制)	2020-07-08 12:41:57

2018-04-13

【Aiden in English】

And there goes the third marking period. That went slow. It's prolonged. Not in a pleasant way, either. So here is, in a nutshell, an autopsy of the third marking period.

Every single year, the third marking period is a slump for a student who used to perform well at school. After getting used to the new school year, everything seems fine past the halfway point. Then, it’s like the American economy: you know it will fall.

Before you ask, the grades weren’t terrible. They consisted of A+/A and B, the standard for a typical student. However, Asians are always allergic to a specific type of grade, which is mediocrity. I understand that some people believe Asians are nearly required to achieve straight A's or even A+'s, but that is only partially true. Asians are not required to have stellar grades, and they need something to be exemplary at. Whether it is music, sports, or another talent, Asian parents present a demand to be better than others. In other words, don't be average. Being average is worse than being bad because even the bad can improve. Ordinary people can't.

In fact, receiving a few Bs is more important than it may seem at first. Furthermore, the drought lasts longer and longer each year. In the beginning, it appeared insignificant. Only in the 8^th grade did the drought blossom into something that lasted about a month. This year, it might last half a marking period.

As usual, the end of these droughts saw an increase in test averages. I feel this time was because the third marking period was overwhelmingly stressful and full of events. In my school, for instance, the pit orchestra practiced every week and dictated three entire nights for performances. Chinese schools kicked up a notch to match the upcoming AP Chinese assessment. A lot of kids enjoyed playing brass instruments. Jazz season was in full swing, holding a variety of festivals every Friday. Eventually, we all were exhausted, and perhaps that is why the third marking period of depression occurred.

At the same time, this stretch was the best time we’ve had at school all year. Each event, excluding Chinese, was enjoyable and challenging, which are qualities I have always wanted in our extracurricular activities.

Now, if this is a pattern, we should’ve been able to stop or at least ease the flood from breaking the dam. It wouldn’t be as simple as it sounds, and we somewhat ignored the warning signs. I thought one or two B's weren’t a big deal. But when more than one class became a problem, we grew alarmed. Perhaps next time, we’ll be prepared.

Then again, that’s what I said at the end of the 8^th grade. So this time, I’m always going to be prepared. Next year, the slip could begin in the 2^nd or 4^th marking period. But as usual, I hope that it will never come.

【红霞译】

第三学制日子过得忒慢，犹如蜗行牛步，叫人着急上火好生憋屈，索性只言片语剖析一下。

每逢第三学制，即使之前成绩不错的学生往往陷于低迷状态，刚刚适应新学年生活之后，头半部分即前两个学制一切按部就班，接下来宛若美国经济：如你所知情况急转直下。

且慢，成绩倒没那么糟糕，拿下A+（优秀）/A（优良）考个B（良好）一般不成问题，对于正常学生而言已然相当正常，不过亚裔对分数档次一向过敏，传统意识仍旧根深蒂固，我完全理解这种看法，毕竟有人坚信亚裔学生几乎肩负横扫A乃至A+的使命，但只说中了一部分，这些同胞岂止追求成绩优异，各个分明身手不凡练就出过人本领，无论在音乐、体育或其它方面，亚裔父母鼓励子女超群越辈，换句话说，没人稀罕中不溜，“中等生”比“落后生”差，因为“落后生”能破釜沉舟，而“中等生”则悠哉游哉。

得几个B乍看起来小事一桩但实际上事关重大，问题在于陷入迷茫而无力自拔的时间会逐年增长，年级低的时候似乎微不足道，初三顶多持续一个月，而高一年度也许要搭上半个学制。

按照惯例，最终无外乎得靠提高考试平均分的办法来摆脱困境，我觉得这都是因为第三学制活动过多压力太大而致。就拿我所在的学校为例，伴奏管弦乐队每周连续排练三个晚上，而我为了迎接即将到来的汉语大学预科考试，必须完成急剧加重的中文课业。青少年热衷铜管乐器，第三学制正值爵士赛季，各种表演如火如荼，每周五乐队成员定要参加大大小小的音乐节，到头来大家真的精疲力竭，也许这正是第三学制情绪压抑的原因所在。

与此同时，本学制也是我们在全年学校生活中最快活的时光，撇开中文不谈，其它各项课外活动不但乐趣无穷，而且充满挑战，其质量水平完全符合期待值。

现在既然高中生活已成模式，我们应该力阻任何失误恶性蔓延。没错，说来容易做来难，何况难免粗心大意，我觉得间或得了个把B别当回事，一旦不止一门功课出现同样状况性质就变了，咱得警钟长鸣，也许下回我们将有备无患。

其实早在初三结束时我已谈及这个话题，因此这次我时刻做好准备，明年低迷状态或许从第二或第四学制开始，但如往常一样，我希望它永远不要露面。

Today in History(历史上的今天):

2014: 光华六年级B班演讲比赛─我的理想(2014 G6B Speech Contest—My Dream)