ETS的政策又變了。2006年的新托?？荚囋谥袊?guó)推遲舉行，已經(jīng)讓中國(guó)考生有些擔(dān)心。于幾年前醞釀的GRE改革這次又宣布終止，讓中國(guó)考生更加擔(dān)心ETS的政策的穩(wěn)定性。為了幫助考生更好地備考，本文擬對(duì)ETS的GRE政策變化進(jìn)行解讀，并提供一些對(duì)策，希望有所助益。
一、舊GRE的考試形式
這里所說(shuō)的舊GRE，指的是中國(guó)大陸實(shí)行的機(jī)考與筆試相結(jié)合的考試形式，其中寫作（一篇issue，45分鐘；一篇argument，30分鐘）是機(jī)考，語(yǔ)文（verbal，包含句子填空、類比反義詞與閱讀）與數(shù)學(xué)（quantitative）是筆試。每年有多次寫作機(jī)考，但是筆試只有兩次，而且必須先參加寫作機(jī)考，然后才能參加筆試。寫作的滿分是6分，為issue和argument兩篇文章得分的平均分。語(yǔ)文與數(shù)學(xué)部分的滿分分別為800分。
二、原計(jì)劃改革后的新GRE
原計(jì)劃改革后的GRE被稱為新GRE.除了其他部分，如寫作（issue要求30分鐘完成）與數(shù)學(xué)部分（數(shù)量推理題難度加大）的變化以外，相對(duì)于上述的舊GRE而言，新GRE的語(yǔ)文部分發(fā)生了較大變化，一是取消了原來(lái)的純粹詞匯測(cè)試，即中國(guó)考生俗稱為“類比反義詞”的詞匯部分；二是增加了新的填空題和閱讀理解題。ETS之所以對(duì)GRE做如此改革，一個(gè)重要原因是為了提高考試的效度（validity）。
三、新GRE取消的背景
根據(jù)ETS的說(shuō)法，新GRE考試計(jì)劃之所以終止，是因?yàn)槟壳熬W(wǎng)考網(wǎng)絡(luò)還不能充分滿足新GRE考試所有考生的報(bào)考需求。ETS的GRE項(xiàng)目執(zhí)行董事David Payne 表示：“此次取消新GRE普通考試的決定，是在斟酌考生以及使用GRE普通考試成績(jī)作為錄取依據(jù)的研究生院的利益之后做出的。經(jīng)過(guò)反復(fù)討論和評(píng)估，我們一致認(rèn)為現(xiàn)行GRE普通考試更利于考生靈活選擇考點(diǎn)和考試時(shí)間，同時(shí)也能夠向研究生院提供評(píng)判考生研究能力的可靠標(biāo)準(zhǔn)?！?BR> 四、新GRE取消不等于沒(méi)有變化
新GRE考試計(jì)劃雖然被終止了，但不等于沒(méi)有變化。有兩點(diǎn)值得注意，一個(gè)是長(zhǎng)期變化。ETS將會(huì)“逐步開展考試改進(jìn)工作”，如新GRE計(jì)劃在未來(lái)?xiàng)l件成熟時(shí)可能付諸實(shí)施。另一個(gè)是近期變化。根據(jù)ETS官方網(wǎng)站的說(shuō)法，即使是舊GRE，也可能在寫作部分的問(wèn)題中做一些天衣無(wú)縫的調(diào)整（Nothing will change, with the possible exception of seamless adjustments to the Analytical Writing prompts），如對(duì)寫作的要求更加具體化，而不是籠統(tǒng)地要求就一道是非題（issue question）發(fā)表看法或指出一個(gè)段落中的主要邏輯錯(cuò)誤（argument），這樣可以避免背誦事先準(zhǔn)備的答案。其實(shí)這一點(diǎn)正是新GRE寫作部分的變化。
五、如何準(zhǔn)備GRE考試
由于新GRE考試計(jì)劃已經(jīng)終止，而且原有報(bào)名體系正在恢復(fù)，所以考生基本上可以像過(guò)去一樣報(bào)名和復(fù)習(xí)GRE（如詞匯方面可以繼續(xù)參考胡敏主編的暢銷書籍《GRE核心詞匯 讀故事 記單詞》）。不過(guò)，對(duì)于寫作部分的準(zhǔn)備，思路可以稍做調(diào)整。一方面，仍然以ETS的issue和argument題庫(kù)為主要研究對(duì)象；另一方面，分析和總結(jié)各道具體的題時(shí)，要細(xì)化考慮。例如，對(duì)于argument題庫(kù)中的問(wèn)題，要注意其中的邏輯推理過(guò)程，特別是其中的錯(cuò)誤假設(shè)（assumption）。關(guān)于GRE寫作以外部分的詳細(xì)復(fù)習(xí)方法，請(qǐng)關(guān)注李傳偉老師的新浪博客blog.sina.com.cn/lichuanweilaoshi.下面以GRE argument的一篇范文的一部分說(shuō)明GRE寫作要注意的部分（請(qǐng)注意劃線部分，它們是ETS所要求的形式）。
Argument問(wèn)題
Collectors prize the ancient life-size clay statues of human figures made on Kali Island but have long wondered how the Kalinese artists were able to depict bodies with such realistic precision. Since archeologists have recently discovered molds of human heads and hands on Kali, we can now conclude that the ancient Kalinese artists used molds of actual bodies, not sculpting tools and techniques, to create these statues. This discovery explains why Kalinese miniature statues were abstract and entirely different in style: molds could only be used for life-size sculptures. It also explains why few ancient Kalinese sculpting tools have been found. In light of this development, collectors should expect the life-size sculptures to decrease in value and the miniatures to increase in value.
Argument 范文（部分）
In this argument, the author concludes that the value of life-size Kalinese statues will decrease, while the value of miniature Kalinese statues will increase. To support his conclusion, the author cites the discovery of molds for heads and hands on large Kalinese statues, believing that this proves that no sculpting tools or techniques were used in the creation of these realistic, life-size statues. Moreover, the author cites the paucity of sculpting tools discovered by archaeologists and the fact that miniature Kalinese statues are abstract and different in style to the life-size statues as evidence that each miniature statue is unique while life-size statues are not. The author also assumes that due to mold production techniques, the life-size statues will decrease in value while individually crafted miniature Kalinese statues will increase in value. This argument suffers from several critical logical fallacies.
First, the author assumes that the discovery of life-size head and hand molds proves that Kalinese artists did not use sculpting tools or techniques.
Secondly, the fact that molds have only been discovered for life-size objects does little to explain the unique production techniques used in creating Kalinese miniature statues.
Lastly, the author fails to rule out the possibility that miniature Kalinese statues may also decrease in value.
一、舊GRE的考試形式
這里所說(shuō)的舊GRE，指的是中國(guó)大陸實(shí)行的機(jī)考與筆試相結(jié)合的考試形式，其中寫作（一篇issue，45分鐘；一篇argument，30分鐘）是機(jī)考，語(yǔ)文（verbal，包含句子填空、類比反義詞與閱讀）與數(shù)學(xué)（quantitative）是筆試。每年有多次寫作機(jī)考，但是筆試只有兩次，而且必須先參加寫作機(jī)考，然后才能參加筆試。寫作的滿分是6分，為issue和argument兩篇文章得分的平均分。語(yǔ)文與數(shù)學(xué)部分的滿分分別為800分。
二、原計(jì)劃改革后的新GRE
原計(jì)劃改革后的GRE被稱為新GRE.除了其他部分，如寫作（issue要求30分鐘完成）與數(shù)學(xué)部分（數(shù)量推理題難度加大）的變化以外，相對(duì)于上述的舊GRE而言，新GRE的語(yǔ)文部分發(fā)生了較大變化，一是取消了原來(lái)的純粹詞匯測(cè)試，即中國(guó)考生俗稱為“類比反義詞”的詞匯部分；二是增加了新的填空題和閱讀理解題。ETS之所以對(duì)GRE做如此改革，一個(gè)重要原因是為了提高考試的效度（validity）。
三、新GRE取消的背景
根據(jù)ETS的說(shuō)法，新GRE考試計(jì)劃之所以終止，是因?yàn)槟壳熬W(wǎng)考網(wǎng)絡(luò)還不能充分滿足新GRE考試所有考生的報(bào)考需求。ETS的GRE項(xiàng)目執(zhí)行董事David Payne 表示：“此次取消新GRE普通考試的決定，是在斟酌考生以及使用GRE普通考試成績(jī)作為錄取依據(jù)的研究生院的利益之后做出的。經(jīng)過(guò)反復(fù)討論和評(píng)估，我們一致認(rèn)為現(xiàn)行GRE普通考試更利于考生靈活選擇考點(diǎn)和考試時(shí)間，同時(shí)也能夠向研究生院提供評(píng)判考生研究能力的可靠標(biāo)準(zhǔn)?！?BR> 四、新GRE取消不等于沒(méi)有變化
新GRE考試計(jì)劃雖然被終止了，但不等于沒(méi)有變化。有兩點(diǎn)值得注意，一個(gè)是長(zhǎng)期變化。ETS將會(huì)“逐步開展考試改進(jìn)工作”，如新GRE計(jì)劃在未來(lái)?xiàng)l件成熟時(shí)可能付諸實(shí)施。另一個(gè)是近期變化。根據(jù)ETS官方網(wǎng)站的說(shuō)法，即使是舊GRE，也可能在寫作部分的問(wèn)題中做一些天衣無(wú)縫的調(diào)整（Nothing will change, with the possible exception of seamless adjustments to the Analytical Writing prompts），如對(duì)寫作的要求更加具體化，而不是籠統(tǒng)地要求就一道是非題（issue question）發(fā)表看法或指出一個(gè)段落中的主要邏輯錯(cuò)誤（argument），這樣可以避免背誦事先準(zhǔn)備的答案。其實(shí)這一點(diǎn)正是新GRE寫作部分的變化。
五、如何準(zhǔn)備GRE考試
由于新GRE考試計(jì)劃已經(jīng)終止，而且原有報(bào)名體系正在恢復(fù)，所以考生基本上可以像過(guò)去一樣報(bào)名和復(fù)習(xí)GRE（如詞匯方面可以繼續(xù)參考胡敏主編的暢銷書籍《GRE核心詞匯 讀故事 記單詞》）。不過(guò)，對(duì)于寫作部分的準(zhǔn)備，思路可以稍做調(diào)整。一方面，仍然以ETS的issue和argument題庫(kù)為主要研究對(duì)象；另一方面，分析和總結(jié)各道具體的題時(shí)，要細(xì)化考慮。例如，對(duì)于argument題庫(kù)中的問(wèn)題，要注意其中的邏輯推理過(guò)程，特別是其中的錯(cuò)誤假設(shè)（assumption）。關(guān)于GRE寫作以外部分的詳細(xì)復(fù)習(xí)方法，請(qǐng)關(guān)注李傳偉老師的新浪博客blog.sina.com.cn/lichuanweilaoshi.下面以GRE argument的一篇范文的一部分說(shuō)明GRE寫作要注意的部分（請(qǐng)注意劃線部分，它們是ETS所要求的形式）。
Argument問(wèn)題
Collectors prize the ancient life-size clay statues of human figures made on Kali Island but have long wondered how the Kalinese artists were able to depict bodies with such realistic precision. Since archeologists have recently discovered molds of human heads and hands on Kali, we can now conclude that the ancient Kalinese artists used molds of actual bodies, not sculpting tools and techniques, to create these statues. This discovery explains why Kalinese miniature statues were abstract and entirely different in style: molds could only be used for life-size sculptures. It also explains why few ancient Kalinese sculpting tools have been found. In light of this development, collectors should expect the life-size sculptures to decrease in value and the miniatures to increase in value.
Argument 范文（部分）
In this argument, the author concludes that the value of life-size Kalinese statues will decrease, while the value of miniature Kalinese statues will increase. To support his conclusion, the author cites the discovery of molds for heads and hands on large Kalinese statues, believing that this proves that no sculpting tools or techniques were used in the creation of these realistic, life-size statues. Moreover, the author cites the paucity of sculpting tools discovered by archaeologists and the fact that miniature Kalinese statues are abstract and different in style to the life-size statues as evidence that each miniature statue is unique while life-size statues are not. The author also assumes that due to mold production techniques, the life-size statues will decrease in value while individually crafted miniature Kalinese statues will increase in value. This argument suffers from several critical logical fallacies.
First, the author assumes that the discovery of life-size head and hand molds proves that Kalinese artists did not use sculpting tools or techniques.
Secondly, the fact that molds have only been discovered for life-size objects does little to explain the unique production techniques used in creating Kalinese miniature statues.
Lastly, the author fails to rule out the possibility that miniature Kalinese statues may also decrease in value.