Grade inflation--the gradual increase in average GPAs(grade-point averages) over the past few decades—is often considered a product of a consumer era in higher education, in which students are treated like customers to be pleased. But another, related force—a policy often buried deep in course catalogs called “grade forgiveness”—is helping raise GPAs.

inflation  n. 膨胀，通货膨胀

grade-point average  平均学分绩点

please  v. 使满意，使愉快

forgiveness  n. 宽恕，宽仁之心

年级膨胀——在过去几十年里，平均GPA（平均成绩）的逐渐增加，通常被认为是高等教育消费时代的产物，在这个时代，学生们被当作顾客来对待。但另一个与此相关的力量——一个经常被深藏在课程目录中的政策——正在帮助提高GPA。

Grade forgiveness allows students to retake a course in which they received a low grade, and the most recent grade or the highest grade is the only one that counts in calculating a student’s overall GPA.

retake  v. 重（考），重学（课程等）

分数宽恕允许学生重修他们得到低分的课程，而最新的分数或最高的分数是计算学生整体GPA的唯一因素。

The use of this little-known practice has accelerated in recent years, as colleges continue to do their utmost to keep students in school (and paying tuition) and improve their graduation rates. When this practice first started decades ago, it was usually limited to freshmen, to give them a second chance to take a class in their first year if they struggled in their transition to college-level courses. But now most colleges save for many selective campuses, allow all undergraduates, and even graduate students, to get their low grades forgiven.

practice  n. 通常的做法，惯例，常规

accelerate  v. （使）加速，加快

do their utmost  尽全力，竭力

struggle  v. 艰难地行进，吃力地进行

transition  n. 过渡

selective  a. 严格筛选的

undergraduate  n. 大学本科生

近年来，随着各大学继续尽最大努力让学生留在学校（并支付学费）并提高他们的毕业率，这种鲜为人知的做法的使用已经加速。几十年前这种做法刚开始时，通常只限于新生，如果他们在向大学课程过渡的过程中遇到困难，就给他们第二次机会在第一年上课。但是现在大多数大学都保留了许多选择性的校园，允许所有的本科生，甚至是研究生，可以原谅他们的低分数。

College officials tend to emphasize that the goal of grade forgiveness is less about the grade itself and more about encouraging students to retake courses critical to their degree program and graduation without incurring a big penalty. “Untimely,” said Jack Miner, Ohio State University’s registrar,“we see students achieve more success because they retake a course and do better in subsequent contents or master the content that allows them to graduate on time.”

program  n. 计划，方案，课程

incur  v. 招致，蒙受

penalty  n. （由行为、处境等造成的）不利后果，损失

registrar  n. 教务主任

subsequent  a. 随后的，后来的

大学官员往往强调，年级宽恕的目标不是年级本身，而是鼓励学生重修对学位课程和毕业至关重要的课程，而不必受到大的惩罚。俄亥俄州立大学的注册官杰克·米纳说：“不合时宜，我们看到学生们取得了