2011年8月新GRE考試改革全面分析及對策

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2011年8月新GRE考試改革全面分析及對策
    ETS宣布從2011年8月開始,全球GRE都將采用新的考試形式,下面將從從考試時間、考試形式、考試內(nèi)容和算分方式四方面全面剖析新GRE的特點(diǎn)及相關(guān)備考策略。
    一、新GRE考試時間表
    新GRE將完全實現(xiàn)機(jī)考,語文、數(shù)學(xué)、寫作部分都在同一天完成。新GRE 的時間表ETS已于2009年12月在官方網(wǎng)站上鄭重登出:
    

    時間
    

    重大事件
    

    2010
    

    7月
    

    推出免費(fèi)的預(yù)備測試
    

    2011
    

    8-9月
    

    8月1日:第一次新考試;
    8月至9月間進(jìn)行的考試,分?jǐn)?shù)將在11月初公布。
    

    10月
    

    10月進(jìn)行的考試,分?jǐn)?shù)將在11月中旬公布。
    

    11月
    

    11月上中旬進(jìn)行的考試,分?jǐn)?shù)將在11月下旬公布;
    11月下旬進(jìn)行的考試,分?jǐn)?shù)公布將恢復(fù)正常周期(即考試日10-15天后)。
    

    對策:
    1、新GRE考試時間更為靈活,不是死板的一年兩次,而是一月一次到兩次,為不同考生提供了適合的考試機(jī)會。今后考試的成績也不會再做加權(quán),而是以為準(zhǔn)。新GRE考試可能在考試初期考位有限,而現(xiàn)在很多美國學(xué)校接受資料的截止日期都有所提前,所以請注意考位問題。
    2、ETS針對GRE考試會給考生提供免費(fèi)的備考資料,期中包含了非常詳盡的關(guān)于考試的說明,考生都可去GRE考試網(wǎng)站上下載樣題,進(jìn)行模擬考試。
    二、考試形式
    新GRE考試形式改變具體如下:
    • 筆考和機(jī)考結(jié)合的形式將被每月進(jìn)行一到兩次的機(jī)考取代;
    • 新題型可以更好反映商學(xué)院和研究生院所需技能;
    • 新的答題格式包括基于電腦的量化答案輸入題;
    • 減少對于單詞意涵背記的孤立考察,更多基于語境理解,強(qiáng)調(diào)考生推理、分析的閱讀能力;
    • 寫作部分把邏輯推理和分析兩種技能相結(jié)合;
    • 每個部分內(nèi)部增設(shè)Preview和Review修改功能(不可跨越section修改答案);
    • 新的“Mark與Review”功能方便考生快速回到先前跳過的題目;
    • 允許考生修改編輯已經(jīng)做出的答案;
    • 數(shù)學(xué)部分增加在線計算器功能。
    對策:
    1、考試出現(xiàn)量化輸入是指數(shù)學(xué)部分出現(xiàn)了主觀題目,考生需要填寫計算結(jié)果而不是簡單的排除選項,所以要求考生數(shù)學(xué)功底要更加扎實,要知道具體的計算過程并正確計算出結(jié)果,當(dāng)然ETS給出了計算器功能。
    2、考試減少了對詞匯量的考察,并不意味著不考察,只是詞匯量的考察已不再是用具體的題目考察而是融入其他的考試題型之中。
    3、一般的計算機(jī)適應(yīng)性考試(Adaptive Test)過程中,考生一旦選定了某一題的答案,就不能再做任何修改。而新GRE考試采取多階考察(Multi-Stage Test )的形式,利用計算機(jī)適應(yīng)性技術(shù),考生在考試的每個階段/部分所面對的考題,其難度由考生在上一個部分的答題表現(xiàn)所決定。這樣的安排更加靈活,允許考生瀏覽和回顧考題或者修改已經(jīng)做出的答案。
    三、考試內(nèi)容
    新GRE改革的指導(dǎo)思想是使考試結(jié)果能更好地反映并評估學(xué)生在美國大學(xué)研究生院學(xué)習(xí)并取得成功所必備的技能。ETS相信這些改進(jìn)有助于更好地測試各個考生未來取得成功的潛力。新GRE考試的內(nèi)容如下:
    

    題目
    

    題量
    

    時限
    

    分析寫作
    兩項獨(dú)立計時的寫作任務(wù)
    

    Issue 1題
    Argument 1題
    

    每項任務(wù)30分鐘
    

    語文
    兩個部分
    

    每部分約20題
    

    每部分30分鐘
    

    數(shù)學(xué)
    兩部分
    

    每部分約20題
    

    每部分35分鐘
    

    不計分題目
    

    不定
    

    不定
    

    研究題目
    

    不定
    

    不定
    

    新的GRE考試總耗時約為3小時45分鐘,外加考生中場休息時間,共有6個部分。最先考的是寫作,其中包含兩項計時寫作任務(wù){(diào)Issue(對一個問題發(fā)表個人的觀點(diǎn))和Argument(分析一個論點(diǎn))};接下來是兩個語文部分和兩個數(shù)學(xué)部分(其中一個部分不算分?jǐn)?shù));最后是研究考試部分。研究考試部分之前會有一個10分鐘的休息,其余各個部分之間只有1分鐘的間隔。一下逐一進(jìn)行介紹:
    A、寫作:
    寫作部分將重點(diǎn)考察考生有針對性地對具體考題做出反應(yīng)的能力,而不僅是泛泛文字的簡單堆砌。具體來說,這些重點(diǎn)關(guān)注的能力包括:
    • 清楚有效地闡明復(fù)雜觀點(diǎn)
    • 用貼切的事理和事例支撐觀點(diǎn)
    • 考察/驗證他人論點(diǎn)及其相關(guān)論證
    • 支撐一個有針對性的連貫的討論
    • 控制標(biāo)準(zhǔn)書面英語的各個要素
    對策:
    1、新GRE考試大規(guī)模更新了題庫,降低了考生依賴事前準(zhǔn)備(如背誦)的可能性。
    2、新GRE考試的Issue答題時間由以前的45分鐘變?yōu)榱?0分鐘,要求考生的瞬間反應(yīng)速度要更快,思維要更活躍,作文要更流暢迅速。
    3、新GRE考試的作文原文會直接寄給學(xué)校,這樣一方面增加了評卷的準(zhǔn)確和客觀性,一方面也給所有考生提供了一個機(jī)會,當(dāng)然更是一個挑戰(zhàn)。
    B、語文
    傳統(tǒng)筆考GRE分為填空、類比、閱讀和反義四個部分。而新GRE考試分為閱讀、填空和同意填句(sentence equivalence)。
    1、閱讀(共10個題目左右)
    (1)篇幅縮短,數(shù)量增加。
    (2)文章體裁更加多樣性 (academic or nonacademic);
    (3)題型多樣化。在新GRE考試中閱讀有三種題型:單選(5選1)、多選(3選多)、點(diǎn)句。
    Sample questions:
    Policymakers must confront the dilemma that fossil fuels continue to be an indispensable source of energy even though burning them produces atmospheric accumulations of carbon dioxide that increase the likelihood of potentially disastrous global climate change. Currently, technology that would capture carbon dioxide emitted by power plants and sequester it harmlessly underground or undersea instead of releasing it into the atmosphere might double the cost of generating electricity. But because sequestration does not affect the cost of electricity transmission and distribution, delivered prices will rise less, by no more than 50 percent. Research into better technologies for capturing carbon dioxide will undoubtedly lead to lowered costs。
    Sample Multiple-choice Questions — Select One Answer Choice
    1. The passage implies which of the following about the current cost of generating electricity?
    A. It is higher than it would be if better technologies for capturing carbon dioxide were available。
    B. It is somewhat less than the cost of electricity transmission and distribution。
    C. It constitutes at most half of the delivered price of electricity。
    D. It is dwelt on by policymakers to the exclusion of other costs associated with electricity delivery。
    E. It is not fully recovered by the prices charged directly to electricity consumers。
    Answer: C
    2. The passage suggests that extensive use of sequestration would, over time, have which of the following consequences?
    A. The burning of fossil fuels would eventually cease to produce atmospheric accumulations of carbon dioxide。
    B. The proportion of the delivered price of electricity due to generation would rise and then decline。
    C. Power plants would consume progressively lower quantities of fossil fuels。
    Answer: B
    3. Select the sentence that explains why an outcome of sequestration that might have been expected would not occur。
    Answer:
    “But because sequestration does not affect the cost of electricity transmission and distribution, delivered prices will rise less, by no more than 50 percent.”
    2、填空
    (1)每題總長度1-5句話。設(shè)有1-3個空格。
    (2)若2或3個空,每空對應(yīng)三個選項,若一個空,對應(yīng)5個選項。
    (3)獨(dú)立選擇,沒有連帶關(guān)系。
    Sample questions:
    Directions: For each blank select one entry from the corresponding column of choices. Fill all blanks in the way that best completes the text。
    1. It is refreshing to read a book about our planet by an author who does not allow facts to be (1)__________ by politics: well aware of the political disputes about the effects of human activities on climate and biodiversity, this author does not permit them to (2)__________ his comprehensive description of what we know about our biosphere. He emphasizes the enormous gaps in our knowledge, the sparseness of our observations, and the (3)__________, calling attention to the many aspects of planetary evolution that must be better understood before we can accurately diagnose the condition of our planet。
    

    Answer choices for question 1.
    

    Blank(1)
    

    Blank(2)
    

    Blank(3)
    

    overshadowed
    

    enhance
    

    Plausibility of our hypotheses
    

    invalidated
    

    obscure
    

    Certainty of our entitlement
    

    illuminated
    

    underscore
    

    Superficiality of our theories
    

    選項列表1
    Answer: overshadowed, obscure, and superficiality of our theories
    2. The author's (1)__________ style renders a fascinating subject, the role played by luck in everyday life, extraordinarily (2)__________。
    

    Answer choices for question 2.
    

    Blank(1)
    

    Blank(2)
    

    soporific
    

    pedantic
    

    lucid
    

    tedious
    

    colloquial
    

    opaque
    

    選項列表2
    Answer: soporific and tedious
    3. From the outset, the concept of freedom of the seas from the proprietary claims of nations was challenged by a contrary notion — that of the _______ of the oceans for reasons of national security and profit。
    

    Answer choices for question 3.
    

    promotion
    

    exploration
    

    surveying
    

    conservation
    

    appropriation
    

    選項列表3
    Answer: appropriation
    3、同意填句
    (1)每題6個選項。每次必選2個;
    (2)選擇填寫完畢使得兩句話意思接近。
    Sample questions:
    Directions: Select the two answer choices that, when used to complete the sentence, fit the meaning of the sentence as a whole and produce completed sentences that are alike in meaning。
    1. Although it does contain some pioneering ideas, one would hardly characterize the work as __________。
    A. orthodox
    B. eccentric
    C. original
    D. trifling
    E. conventional
    F. innovative
    Answer: C and F
    對策:
    1、閱讀部分拓寬閱讀量,適應(yīng)新題型,提高信息的定位和內(nèi)容的全面把握能力。
    2、填空部分學(xué)會整體全盤把握同時每空獨(dú)立思考。
    3、同意填句注意同義詞或近義詞的積累。
    C. 數(shù)學(xué)
    數(shù)學(xué)部分依舊關(guān)注代數(shù)、幾何、統(tǒng)計概率等數(shù)學(xué)概念,同時引入了更多的生活場景并且更加突出對考生解讀數(shù)字能力的考察。具體題型主要有多選1;多選多;填答案;比大小。
    Sample questions:
    多選1
    問題1圖
    1. The figure above shows a circle with center C and radius 6. What is the sum of the areas of the two shaded regions?
    7.5π
    6π
    4.5π
    4π
    3π
    Answer: D
    問題2圖
    2. The figure above shows the graph of a function f, defined by f(x)=|2x|+4 for all numbers x. For which of the following functions g defined for all numbers x does the graph of g intersect the graph of f ?
    g(x)=x-2
    g(x)=x+3
    g(x)=2x-2
    g(x)=2x+3
    g(x)=3x-2
    Answer: E
    多選多:
    1. Each employee of a certain company is in either Department X or Department Y, and there are more than twice as many employees in Department X as in Department Y. The average (arithmetic mean) salary is $25,000 for the employees in Department X and is $35,000 for the employees in Department Y. Which of the following amounts could be the average salary for all of the employees in the company?
    Indicate all such amounts。
    $26,000
    $28,000
    $29,000
    $30,000
    $31,000
    $32,000
    $34,000
    Answer: A and B
    2. If f, g, and h are positive integers, f is a factor of g, and g is a factor of h, which of the following statements must be true?
    Indicate all such statements。
    f is a factor of g2
    f is a factor of gh。
    f is a factor of h-g
    Answer: A, B, and C
    填答案
    1.
    填答案圖1
    Answer: 101
    2. A university admitted 100 students who transferred from other institutions. Of these students, 34 transferred from two-year community colleges, 25 transferred from private four-year institutions, and the rest transferred from public four-year institutions. If two different students are to be selected at random from the 100 students, what is the probability that both students selected will be students who transferred from two-year community colleges?
    Give your answer as a fraction。
    填答案圖2
    比大?。?BR>    A. Quantity A is greater。
    B. Quantity B is greater。
    C. The two quantities are equal。
    D. The relationship cannot be determined from the information given。
    A symbol that appears more than once in a question has the same meaning throughout the question。
    1.
    比大小圖
    Answer: A
    五、算分方法
    舊GRE考試單科分?jǐn)?shù)的區(qū)間為200-800分,10分為最小單位。新GRE的語文和數(shù)學(xué)分?jǐn)?shù)區(qū)間將為130-170,1分為最小單位。新的算分方法有助于避免現(xiàn)行考試中多做對一道題導(dǎo)致分?jǐn)?shù)差十分這樣局面產(chǎn)生,讓分?jǐn)?shù)計算更加精準(zhǔn)更加合理。作文考試分?jǐn)?shù)區(qū)間依舊為0-6分,0.5分為最小單位。
    新GRE考試雖然新,但未必難,希望結(jié)合舊GRE基礎(chǔ)實力的準(zhǔn)備,同時把握新題型特點(diǎn),進(jìn)行綜合準(zhǔn)備。