The New SATs

The Washington Post reports that a preview of the new SAT test is out and it actually sounds kind of better?

There are two major changes to the multiple-choice format of the SAT. The test will list four possible answers to each question instead of five. And there no longer will be a scoring deduction for incorrect re­sponses, which the College Board said would encourage students “to give the best answer they have for every question without fear of being penalized for making their best effort.”

In reading, a section that will take 65 minutes, there will be 52 multiple-choice questions based on several passages totaling about 3,200 words. Forty percent of the passages will be in science, 40 percent in history/social studies and 20 percent in literature.

One sample question asks about this sentence: “The coming decades will likely see more intense clustering of jobs, innovation, and productivity in a smaller number of bigger cities and city-regions.”

Students are then asked whether “intense” most nearly means: (A) emotional; (B) concentrated; (C) brilliant; or (D) determined.

Other sample questions ask for analysis of a complex congressional speech on impeachment and for interpretation of data from a passage and informational graphic about turtle migration.

I kind of want to take this test a la Drew Magary to see how fun it is. It does seem kind of fun when you have no stake in it.

Somewhat related: In college, I had a side gig as an SAT proctor, which I got via a job listing on campus. I basically had to watch a bunch of nervous kids take a test, and the job paid about $15 an hour! Highly recommended if you are looking for extra cash on the weekend and can find a gig in your area.

Also, the answer is (B).

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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