The SAT is one of two major tests for the entrance to American colleges and universities. The other test is called the ACT. More than 2 million students take the SAT yearly, including about 100,000 foreign students. The organization of the SAT will change the entrance test in 2016. The College Board announced that the new SAT will no longer test students on rarely used words. But it will include passages from American historical documents or from writings on freedom and human rights.
The College Board says words on the new test will be related to usage. Students will be asked to tell the meaning of words according to the context of the reading passages. Nigerian student Peace Umoru is in her first year at Howard University. She says the rarely used words are the hardest part for international students. The new test will be easier because of the reform.
Eddie West is with the College Board. He says the new test will better predict a student’s performance in college. The changes are moving the test in a positive direction. The new SAT pays more attention to skills and abilities that students need to succeed. The addition of material about American historical documents could make the test harder for international students. After all, they live in different countries with different cultures. But it’s a good chance for them to understand the Declaration of Independence or Martin Luther King’s work, or anything else that might be tested.
Students from other countries, particularly those who did not grow up learning English, may feel it is more difficult. For them, the test is in a foreign language. But the College Board says it has formed a free, online educational service. Khan Academy will provide preparation material linked to the newly designed SAT.
1.What will be tested in the new SAT?
A. All the different meanings of a word.
B. The rare usage of the common words.
C. The difficult words for foreign students.
D. The proper meaning of the words in the passages.
2.The new SAT could be more difficult for international students because .
A. they are short of skills and abilities
B. they often perform badly in college
C. they know nothing about American history
D. they have different cultural backgrounds
3.What’s the main idea of the text?
A. How to prepare for the new SAT.
B. The SAT will change the entrance test in 2016.
C. Advice for foreign students on passing the SAT.
D. Tests for entrance to American colleges and universities.
Everyone, please imagine, a big explosion breaks out as the plane takes us high in the sky. The plane is full of smoke and the engine sounds scary. Two minutes later, the engines are turned off. We are now sitting in a plane with no sound. And we can see: Life is over.
That really happened. In January 2009, I had a front-row seat on Flight 1549, the plane that crash-landed in the Hudson River in New York.
Now let me tell you the three things I learned when the silence came.
First, I thought about all the people I wanted to reach out to but didn’t. I thought about all the experiences I wanted to have but never did. I no longer wanted to put off anything in life. Second, I really regretted the time I wasted on things that did not matter. I decided to remove negative energy from my life. Third, I realized, wow, dying was not scary. But it was very sad just because I only wished I could have seen my kids grow up.
Fortunately, I was given the gift of a miracle of not dying that day. I was given another gift, with which I was to see into the future and come back and live differently.
About a month later, my wife and I were at a performance by my daughter, not much artistic talent. Yet, I’m crying. I realized that above all, the only goal in my life was to be a good father.
Audience, again, imagine the same thing happening on your plane. How would you change? What would you get done? And more than anything, are you being the best parent you can?
Thank you.
1.Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A. Air crash is always a tragedy.
B. What I learned from the air crash.
C. Life is a miracle as we imagine.
D. How to become a good father.
2.When does the idea “Life is over” come into being?
A. Exactly during the explosion.
B. When the plane was full of smoke.
C. Before the engines sounded scary.
D. When the engines were turned off.
3.What is the author’s final goal in life?
A. Never to put off anything in life.
B. To remove negative energy from life.
C. To see his daughter grow up.
D. To be a good father.
A very tired traveler came to the bank of a river. There was no . It was winter, and the surface of the river was covered with . It was getting dark, and he to reach the other side while there was enough . On the other hand, he worried a lot, not sure whether the ice would his weight.
Eventually, he got down on his knees and began very to crawl（爬）across the surface of the ice hesitating（犹豫）for a long time. He hoped that by distributing（分散）the of his body, the ice would be unlikely to under the load. After he made his and painful journey about halfway across the river, he suddenly heard the sound of behind him. Out of the dusk, there came a 4-horse load of coal driven by a man singing happily he went his happy way. Here was the traveler, fearfully crawling his way on his hands and knees. And there, as if whisked (挥动) along by the winter’s wind, went the , his horses, his sled , and the heavy load of coal over the river!
The story shows how many of us life. Some people crawl through life for fear of thin ice. Their is not strong enough to them up. Still there are those who sing as they go. Their faith is .
When we face the river of , we don’t have to fear, nor do we crawl through life. With determination, courage and optimism, we can happily make our way to the other successfully.
1.A. bridge B. water C. road D. station
2.A. snow B. ice C. smoke D. air
3.A. agreed B. helped C. wanted D. managed
4.A. light B. time C. power D. strength
5.A. admit B. control C. lose D. support
6.A. quickly B. happily C. cautiously D. freely
7.A. in B. after C. by D. at
8.A. weight B. shape C. height D. direction
9.A. shake B. fall C. break D. move
10.A. brave B. strange C. joyful D. slow
11.A. laughing B. water C. wind D. singing
12.A. before B. as C. for D. but
13.A. manager B. visitor C. driver D. passenger
14.A. similar B. same C. deep D. clear
15.A. go through B. come across C. fight against D. talk about
16.A. dream B. feeling C. talent D. faith
17.A. give B. make C. hold D. use
18.A. unshakable B. simple C. true D. unavoidable
19.A. mistakes B. difficulties C. questions D. changes
20.A. state B. part C. land D. side
— How about dinner tonight? It’s on me.
— ______.
A. You are welcome B. Oh, I’d like to
C. Well, I’m afraid so D. That’s all right
It rained continuously for seven days, completely _________ our holiday.
A. ruined B. to ruin C. ruining D. ruins
Why didn't you go to see the film last night? Because I ________ it before.
A have seen B. had seen C. see D. saw
