英语四级听力练习集锦30

College Admission Examination in America

As a professor at a large American university, there is a phrase that I hear often from students: "I'm only a 1050."

The unlucky students are speaking of the score on the Scholastic¹ Aptitude² Test (SAT), which is used to determine whether they will be admitted to the college or university of their choice, or even have a chance to get a higher education at all.

The SAT score, whether it is 800, 1 100 or 1550, has becomes the focus at this time of their life.

It is obvious that if students value highly their test scores, then a great amount of their self-respect is put in the number. Students who perform poorly on the exam are left feeling that it is all over.

The low test score, they think, will make it impossible for them to get into a good college.

And without a degree from a prestigious³ university, they fear that many of life's doors will remain forever closed.

1 scholastic   

adj.学校的，学院的，学术上的

参考例句：

• There was a careful avoidance of the sensitive topic in the scholastic circles.学术界小心地避开那个敏感的话题。
• This would do harm to students' scholastic performance in the long run.这将对学生未来的学习成绩有害。

2 aptitude   

n.(学习方面的)才能，资质，天资

参考例句：

• That student has an aptitude for mathematics.那个学生有数学方面的天赋。
• As a child,he showed an aptitude for the piano.在孩提时代，他显露出对于钢琴的天赋。

3 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。