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 But it will include passages from American historical documents or from writings on freedom and human rights.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 The addition of material about American historical documents could make the test harder for international students.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.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. |
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 |
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. |
Shift Happens by Robert Holden
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It’s an excellent book that will greatly improve your life. It has insightful (富有洞察力的) wisdom that is easy to app
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Balancing Work & Life by Robert Holden
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The book deals with the key challenges of our life. It is a must-read for anyone who is trying to balance work success, family joy and daily life.
★Practical techniques show you how to set your goals and make proper choices.
★Clear text and illustrations (图表) cover every aspect of defining success and achieving balance.
★Accessible (易懂的) charts and diagrams explore different choices f
or taking actions and provide examples.
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This book explains what holds us back from being happy in our lives. Holden analyzes these similar questions and in the
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65. If you find it hard to get along with others, which book can offer you help?
A. Happiness Now
B. Balancing Work & Life
C. Shift Happens D. The Secrets of Relationships
66. All of these books mainly help people _____.
A. to make friends easily B. to improve their quality of life
C. to find a better job
D. to achieve their work success.
67. If you want to buy two copies of Balancing Work & Life and one copy of Happiness Now online, how much would you have to pay?
A. $29 B. $23.20 C. $26.50 D. $22.40
第三部分阅读理解（共两节，满分25分）
第一节（共10小题；每小题2分，满分20分）
Research has shown that music has an important effect on one’s body and psyche (心灵). In fact, there is a growing field of health care known as music therapy, which uses music to treat diseases. Even hospitals are beginning to use music therapy. This is not surprising, as music affects the body and mind in many powerful ways.
Research has shown that quick music can make a person feel more alert, while slow music can produce a calm, deep thinking state. Also, research has found that music can change brainwave activity levels. This can help the brain to change speeds more easily on its own as needed, which means that music can bring lasting benefits to your state of mind, even after you’ve stopped listening.
Breathing and heart rates can also be influenced by music. This can mean slower breathin
g, slower heart rate. This is why music and music therapy can help reduce the damaging effects of long-term stress, greatly promoting (促进) not only relaxation, but health.
Music can also be used to bring about a more positive state of mind by helping to keep worries away. Music has also been found to bring many other benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of strokes. It is no surprise that so many people are considering music as an important tool to help the body become or stay healthy.
61. What can we infer about music therapy?
A. It is a type of music.
B. It is a research about music.
C. It is a kind of musical effect on diseases.
D. It is the use of music method to help treat diseases.
62. According to the second paragraph, we 
can know that ________.
A. music with different speeds has different effects
B. quick music is not good for one’s he
alth
C. slow music can help one to think more calmly and slowly
D. music will have less benefit after one stops listening
63. The reason why music can help deal with stress is that ________.
A. it is used by many hospitals
B. it can help change brainwaves
C. it does good to breathing and heart rates
D. it can bring a more positive state of mind
64. According to the passage, music can help deal with all the following EXCEPT ________.
A. nervousness B. mind illnesses
C. strokes D. high blood pressure
Learning a Second Language
Some people learn a second language easily. Other people have trouble learning a new language. How can you help yourself learn a new language, such as English? There are several ways to make learning English a little easier and more interesting.
The first step is to feel positive about learning English. If you believe that you can learn, you will learn. Be patient. You do not have to understand everything all at once. It is natural to make mistakes when you learn something new. We can learn from our mistakes. In other words, do not worry about taking risks,
The second step is to practice your English. For example, write in a journal, or diary, every day. You will get used to writing in English, and you will feel comfortable 
expressing your ideas in English. After several weeks, you will see that your writing is improving. In addition, you must s
peak English every day. You can practice with your classmates outside class. You will all make mistakes, but gradually you will become comfortable communicating in English.
The third step is to keep a recor
d of your language learning. You can write this in your journal. After each class, think about what you did. Did you answer a question correctly? Did you understand something the teacher explained? Perhaps the lesson was difficult, but you tried to understand it. Write these accomplishments in your journal.
You must be positive about learning English and believe that you can do it. It is important to practice every day and make a record of your achievements. You will enjoy learning English, and you will feel more confidence in yourself.
66.To feel positive about learning English means _______.
A.if you are patient
, you will learn
B.you can understand everything all at once
C.if you make mistakes, you can learn from your mistakes
D.if you believe you can learn, you will learn
67._____ follows in addition.
A.More information B. The same information C.The result D. The opposite information
68.When you learn English, you do not need to _
_____.
A.be patient B. make mistakes
C. express your ideas in English D. understand everything all at once
69.What is not helpful for you to enjoy learning English?
A.To communicate in English. B.To worry about taking risks.
C.To think about what has been done after each class. D.To make a record of 
the achievements.
70.What is the main idea of this passage?
A.It is very important to learn a second language.
B.Some people learn a second language easily. Other people do not.
C.There are ways to help you learn a second language more easily.
D.Don’t worry about taking risks when learning a second language.
People think being an artist must be a wonderful way to earn one's living. Of course, there are lots of great things about working for oneself, at home alone. What I really like is that nobody tells me what time to start in the morning, what to wear; or whether I can take the afternoon off and go to a football match.
But then, I have no one to chat with when I'm bored, no one to discuss last night's match with during the lunch-hour. Sure, I can spend the afternoon doing something I enjoy like swimming, walking the dog, or even sleeping, if I choose. But the work will still be there when I do finally get back home, and it's still got to be finished in time. Unfortunately, working at home means that people can always find me, whether I’m bored or not and once I’ve answered the doorbell, it's too late——my thoughts have been interrupted. No one would dream of call
ing if I worked in an office, but in an office I find myself making cups of coffee and listening to friends' troubles. As they talk, my ideas disappear and I feel increasingly stressed thinking of my work waiting to be done.
61. What is the w
riter trying to do in the text?
A.To encourage readers to work at home.
B. To explain why he has changed his job.
C.To describe his working life.D. To say how he would like to work.
62. What can the reader learn from the text?
A. How to start working for oneself. B. What it's like to work at home.
C. Why the writer decided to work for himself. D. How artists become successful?
63. What does the writer like about his life?
A. He has plenty of opportunities (机会)for sports B. He is his own boss.
C. He can see people when he wants to.
D. He has a comfortable place to work.
64. What does the writer imagine he might do with colleagues ( 同事 ) ?
A. Have meals in restaurants. B. Go to the swimming pool.
C. Spend time in the countryside.D. Talk about sport.
65. Which of these notices would be most useful for the writer to put on(张贴) his door?
( disturb:打扰 appointment: 约会;预约)
第三部分：阅读理解（共15小题，每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Having returned from her round trip, the angry woman stood outside the ticket office of the station. “The railway owes me $ 12,” she said to Harry Jenks, the young man working at the office, “you sold me a ticket for May 22nd, but there was no ship from Jersey that night. So my daughter and I ha
d to stay in a hotel. It cost me $12.”
Harry was worried. He remembered selling the woman a return ticket. “Come into the office, Madam,” he said politely. “I’ll just check the Jersey timetable for Mary 22nd.” The woman and her little girl followed him inside. She was quite right, as Harry soon discovered. There was no sailing on May 22nd. How could he have made such a careless mistake? He shouldn’t have sold her a ticket for that day. Wondering what to do, he smiled at the child. “You look sunburned,” he said to her. “Did you have a nice holiday in Jersey?”
“Yes,” she answered, shyly. “The beach was lovely. And I can swim too!” “That’s fine,” said Harry. “My little girl can’t swim a bit yet. Of course, she’s only three…”
“I’m four,” the child said proudly. “I’ll be four and a half.”
Harry turned to the mother. “I remember your ticket, Madam.” he said. “But you didn’t get one for your daughter, did you?” “Err. Well--,” the woman looked at the child. “I mean, she hasn’t started school yet. She’s only four.”
“A four-year-old child must have a ticket, Madam. A child’s return ticket to Jersey costs…, let me see…$ 13. So if the railway pays your hotel, you will owe(欠) $ 1.50. The law is the law, but since the fault was mine…”
The woman stood up, took the child’s hand and left the office.
56. The woman was angry because__________.
A. she couldn’t use the ticket for her round trip
B. she spent more money than she had expected
C. she had to return home a day earlier than she had planned
D. Harry had sold her a ticket to Jersey where there was no sailing
57. Harry was worried because________.
A. the woman was angry with him B. he had not done his work properly
C. the Jersey timetable(时间表) was wrong D. the little girl didn’t have a return ticket
58. Harry started talking to the little girl_________.
A. because he was in difficulty and didn’t know what to do
B. because he had a little girl about the same age as this girl
C. because he wanted to be friendly to the little girl who looked so nice
D. when she suddenly realized that he could find a way out from the little girl
59. When Harry said, “The law is the law, but since the fault was mine…”he meant that________.
A. they must follow it without choice, even though the fault was his
B. he had to be strict with the woman because of the law, although he didn’t want to
C. the woman had to pay him $1.50 and the railway would pay her for the hotel
D. she should pay $ 1.50, but he had made a mistake, she could go without paying
60. The woman left the office without saying anything because________.
A. she wanted to go home and get money for the child’s ticket
B. she was so angry that she didn’t want to have anything more to do with the young man
C. she was moved by Harry’s kindness
D. she knew she would have to pay the railway if she insisted(坚持)