一、Information and Ideas: The Author's Message (对文本信息的考察)包括以下题型:
1.文本细节的考查1)直接信息题(Explicit Meaning),该类题型能够直接从文本中找到信息,题目中通常出现如下字眼“According to the passage," "states," "indicates,"等。如:The authors indicate that people value gift-giving because they feel it...?
2)隐含信息题 (Implicit Meaning),该类题型需要理解文本的隐含意思,题目中通常出现如下字眼 “based on the passage,” "it can reasonably be inferred," "implies," 等。如: Based on the passage, the author's statement "..." implies that...?
3)类比题(Analogy),考察对文本内容特征的把握及应用,如“Which of the following situations is most analogous to the relationship mentioned in line 5 to 10?
2.文本论据的考查循证题(Citing Textual Evidence),要求为上一题的答案寻找论据或者为某个结论提供论据。
如: Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question? (寻找上一题答案论据),或者 In lines 46-50("Prosecutions...sens"), what is the most likely reason Jordan draws a distinction between two types of "parties"? (为某个结论提供论据)
循证题是对文本论据的考察,在每个篇章中会出现两题,共10题。
3.文本传达信息的考查1)中心思想/主旨题 (Central Idea/ Theme),是对整篇文章的主旨或段落中心思想的考察。如: The central claim of the passage is that...? (对整篇文章主旨的考察),或者 The central idea of the fourth paragraph (line 35-57) is that...? (对段落中心思想的考察);
2)小结题(Summary),对整篇文章或段落的小结,如:Which choice best summarizes the passage?
3)关系题(Relationship),考察人物,事件,观点之间的因果,对比,递进等关系,如:Which choice best describes the relationship between neurons and celebrities?
4)单词/词组释义题 (Interpreting Words and Phrases in Context),顾名思义,即是对单词、词组意思的考察。如:As used in line 10, "intense" most nearly means...?
二、Rhetoric: The Author's Craft (对作者写作技能的考察)包括以下题型:
1.单词/词组/句子功能题(Analyzing Word Choice), 包括使用目的,作用和效果。如:Woolf uses the word "we" throughout the passage mainly to...?
2.文本结构题(Analyzing Text Structure),对文本总体结构的考察或对部分内容与整篇文章的关系的考察。如:Over the course of the passage, the main focus of the narrative shifts from the ... to...?
3.观点态度题(Analyzing Point of View),对作者或人物观点,态度和立场的考察。题目中通常包括"perspective", "point of view"等字眼。如:The stance Jordan takes in the passage is best described as that of...?
4.目的题 (Analyzing Purpose),对整篇文章或部分段落目的的考察。题目中通常包括“purpose”,“function”等字眼。选项中也通常出现“criticize”, “support”, “present”, “introduce”等字眼。如:The main purpose of the passage is to...?
5.论证题 (Analyzing Arguments),对作者在论证过程中的论点,反论点,论证方式和论据的考察。题目中通常出现 “claim”, “counterclaim”, “reason”, “evidence”等字眼。如:A student claims that nitrogenous bases pair randomly with one another. Which of the following statements in the passage contradicts the student's claim?
三、Synthesis (综合题),该类指的是涉及到双篇文章的题目或文章与图表综合考察的题目。1.双篇题(Analyzing Multiple Questions)通常分为取同,取异,互联题。
1)取同题 ,对两篇文章的相同点的考察。如:The crows in Passage 1 and the ravens in Passage 2 shared which trait?
2)取异题,对两篇文章的不同点的考察。如:One difference between the experiments described in the two passages is that unlike the researchers discussed in Passage 1, the author of Passage 2...?
3)互联题,对两篇文章的相关性的考察。如:Is the main conclusion presented by the author of Passage 2 consistent with Morgan's canon, as described in Passage 1?
以上三种题型皆涉及到对双篇文章的分析。
2.图表题 (Analyzing Quantitative Information) 包括对图表信息的直接或间接 的考察,以及对图表信息和文本内容的综合考察。如:Which claim about traffic congestion is supported by the graph?或者:It can reasonably be inferred from the passage and the graphic that...?
综上所述,从词汇层面看,词汇题考察的是词汇的意思和功能;从段落层面看,考察的题目包括观点态度题,目的题,小结题,中心思想题,论证题,细节类题型等等;从篇章层面看,同样包括细节题,态度,目的,小结,中心思想题,论证题,还包括关系题,循证题,文本结构题等。由此可见,新SAT尤其侧重对篇章的考察。