Question

Every year in America, high-school students who want to go on to college take a national examination called the Scholastic Aptitude Test, or SAT in a shortened way. Their score is an important factor in determining which colleges will admit them. The Scholastic Aptitude Test measures one’s mathematical ability and use of the English language. Traditionally, the English part involved grammatical questions and paragraphs that test reading comprehension.

But the SAT folks have added a single question, to be answered in an essay, handwritten on the spot. That’s an interesting way to test writing ability, but content aside. Have you ever seen young people’s handwriting lately? Or anyone’s for that matter, in this age of computer keyboards? Students write numbers and sign their names on bank checks. They scribble class notes in what can generously be described as the written word.

Yet today’s kids are asked to write, thoughtfully and clearly, for several minutes on this SAT Test. Good luck to the text scorers who must work out difficultly the scrawl（潦草的笔迹）of young people who’ve been typing on computers since the age of three! Teachers insist that good handwriting can not only help one’s score on the SAT, but also, later on in life, impress potential employers. And don’t forget, we all have to use handwriting from time to time, as computers go down when the power goes out.

Then how to improve the handwriting? Well, with a few simple steps you can improve your handwriting.[来Position the pen. You should hold the pen between the forefinger and the thumb. You should then rest it near the first knuckle（指节）of the middle finger. The rest of your fingers should be curled（卷曲）under your hand and your hand should remain relaxed.

Evaluate your writing. What do you like and what don’t you like about the way you write? Make changes to your letters till you like how they look.

Take your time. Make sure that, while you are writing, you take your time. Speed can definitely make your writing terrible. If it is worth writing well, then take your time.

Practice. Practice it a lot; it’s not enough to do it once and hope for the best. It has to be something you work at to make great improvements.

1.At present, the SAT tests students on ______.

A．math, English, reading and writing

B．math, grammar, reading and handwriting

C．math, foreign language and writing

D．math, foreign language and handwriting

2.The underlined word “scribble” in Paragraph 2 probably means ______.

A．writing quickly and roughly

B．typing simply and correctly

C．painting clearly and neatly

D．describing properly and well

3.According to the text, good handwriting can ______.

A．help students pass the test

B．make a student more popular

C．show students’ ability

D．assist students in getting a job

4.Which of the following should you avoid when improving your handwriting?

A．Practicing writing a lot.

B．Writing as fast as you can.

C．Relaxing your hand when holding the pen.

D．Changing your letters till you like how they look.

5.The author mainly wants to tell us that ______.

A．writing seems to be very important in the SAT

B．those who will go to college have to take the SAT

C．students should practice handwriting more often

D．kids don’t know how to write in the computer age

Answer

1.B

2.A

3.D

4.B

5.C

【解析】

试题分析：由于SAT考试增加书面表达，引入话题，当前学生不重视书写，此项改革让学生改掉书写潦草的坏习惯。

1.B考查细节理解题。根据第一段提到The Scholastic Aptitude Test measures one’s mathematical ability and use of the English language. Traditionally, the English part involved grammatical questions and paragraphs that test reading comprehension.和第二段提到But the SAT folks have added a single question, to be answered in an essay, handwritten on the spot可知选B项。

2.A 考查词意猜测。结合划线部分的上下文，在计算机时代，学生手写的内容已经很罕见，只有一两个单词写在行李箱或午餐包上，用来辩认物主，书法在其它场合就像嘟嘟鸟一样灭绝了，故推断学生在课堂上记笔记非常潦草，故选A项。

3.D 考查细节理解题。根据第三段提到Teachers insist that good handwriting can not only help one’s score on the SAT, but also, later on in life, impress potential employers可知漂亮的书法不仅仅能在考试中帮助得分在今后找工作的雇主留下良好的印象，故选D项。

4.B 考查细节理解题。根据最后三段的标题Evaluate your writing，Take your time.，Practice.可知没有提到B项，这是写作中应该避免的。

5.C 考查推理判断题。由于SAT考试增加书面表达，引入话题，当前学生不重视书写，此项改革让学生改掉书写潦草的坏习惯，故选C项。

考点 ：教育类阅读。