VOA慢速英语2014 Changes in SAT Exam Make it Harder for Foreign Students

 

Changes in SAT Exam Make it Harder for Foreign Students

The organization that administers a widely-used college entrance test called the SAT will change the examination in 2016. The not-for-profit College Board announced that it no longer will test students on rarely used words. Students also will not be required to provide a written work called an “essay.” And the new SAT will include passages from American historical documents or from writings on issues like freedom and human rights. 

The SAT is one of two major tests for entrance to American colleges and universities. The other test is called the ACT. Test scores help colleges decide if a candidate can succeed at their schools.

More than two million students take the SAT yearly. They include about 100,000 foreign students.

Nigerian student Peace Umoru is in her first year at Howard University in Washington, D.C. 

Ms. Umoru says she thinks the new tests will be easier because of the removal of rarely-used words. She says that is the hardest part for international students. 

The College Board says words on the new test will relate to usage.  Students will be asked to identify the meaning of words based on the way they are used in reading passages.

Eddie West is with the National Association for College Admission Counseling. He says the new tests will better-predict a student’s performance in college.

“Personally, I feel like the changes are moving the test in a more- positive direction insofar as they link up with skills and abilities that students will need to succeed -- not just in getting into a college or university, but in succeeding once there.”

But Mr. West says the addition of material related to American historical documents could make the test harder for international students.

“It’s going to be relatively¹ uncommon² for an international student to be really conversant³ with the Declaration of Independence or Martin Luther King Junior’s work or anything else along those lines that might be cited in the test.”            

Jamaican Shanique Campell is a second year student at Howard University. She called the new material “very scary” for international students. 

“We’re already faced with knowing that we’re taking an American-based exam. And so, there are a lot of things that we are not prepared for in terms of what to expect on that exam -- cultural references that we won’t be able to identify with.”

Bob Schaeffer of the National Center for Fair and Open Testing spoke⁴ to VOA by Skype. 

“Students from other countries, particularly those who did not grow up learning English are at a double disadvantage. The test is in a foreign language and they did not get test prep. So it’s harder.” 

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 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

2 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。

3 conversant   

adj.亲近的，有交情的，熟悉的

参考例句：

• Mr.Taylor is thoroughly conversant with modern music.泰勒先生对现代音乐很精通。
• We become the most conversant stranger in the world.我们变成了世界上最熟悉的陌生人。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。