诳蠢煤眉副尽禨AT OFFICIAL GUIDE 》之后，她总结出了一套学习SAT 语法的策略，里面只用屈指可数的几个专业用语就足以让我茅塞顿开，随后对她佩服得五体投地。尽管如此，大家必须记得背单词的时候、看小说的时候、欣赏电影的时候、听广播的时候，都不会有充满激情的老师在身后给你打气，更没有什么秘诀可以让你一夜之间变成语言天才。真正属于自己的英语能力还是要靠你平时默默地积累才能够获得。
第三，选取教材。这里的不二选择就是先前提到的SAT 官方指南《SAT OFFICAIL GUIDE 》，简称OG 。在《SAT OFFICIAL GUIDE 》这本书中，不仅详细罗列了考试的背景、方式、内容等重要细节，更提供了完整的作文教程、若干范文、以及最最宝贵的资料—8套SAT 真题。这8套真题也正是我笃信OG 的原因。在市面上你可以见到很多华丽的SAT 教辅材料：《KAPLAN 》、《PRINCETON REVIEW 》、《BARRON 》等等，对于常年备战SAT 考试的同学来说，这些都是如雷贯耳的名字。然而其中《PRINCETON REVIEW 》太简单，《BARRON 》太复杂，唯有《KAPLAN 》是比较贴近真实难度的一个。但归根结底，哪一本都比不上OG 的权威和原汁原味。稍微搞过学科竞赛的同学都可能有所体会，做10 套模拟题不及做一套真题，而且做山寨版的模拟题甚至会影响你的正常发挥。综上所述，我对SAT 参考书的总体意见可以简单归纳为：做模拟，慎选择；不多做，做透彻；人与书，要契合；信OG ，上本科。
接下来我再讲一讲SAT2 和TOEFL 考试。
先说SAT2 ，这是一个非常有美国特色的考试。与中国高中文理分科制度不同，美国高中学生可以既学习物理，又研究历史；既钻研拉丁文，又沉迷于音乐。而令人羡慕的是，你所涉猎的任何领域几乎都可以作为高中成绩的参考在大学录取官眼中受到一视同仁的对待。而用于考核你这些方面能力的考试，就是SAT2 。
SAT （或SAT1 ）也被称作SAT Reasoning Test ，因为它旨在考核学生的思维能力，故分为英语、写作、数学三个部分。而SAT2 学名是SAT Subjects Test ，亦即SAT 学科测试。其种包含的科目之广、之博令人叹为观止。从数学到文学，从物理到地理，加上化学、历史、生物、拉丁文、法语、分子生物、音乐、数学II 、德语、日语、西班牙语、汉语……总之就是国内高中所有主副科外加各种语言。看到这么多的项目，你也许会望而却步，不过不必担心，一般的美国学校都只学（Literature）测试只得了740 分（满分800 ），也让SAT2 总分达到了国内学生难以企及的2340 的低分，但我的选择依然是正确的，这也是能有效体现我学术特长和知识结构的做法。事实证明，美国优秀的学校也并不排斥SAT2 的非满分生。到这里，我们终于触碰到了SAT2 考试的真谛—通过这场测验，你想证明什么？想好了，再去考吧。
西天取经（5）
对于TOEFL 的准备，我就一句话：先考SAT 。当你SAT 的成绩比较令人满意之后，TOEFL 的高分也就唾手可得了，TOEFL 要远远比SAT 简单。
那么好，我们结束了关于标准化考试的讨论，最后再看一看申请材料的问题。关于申请的具体过程，我很难提出什么有建设性的意见。对于不出国的同学，看我写什么个人陈述、推荐信、简历等等一定会一头雾水。而对于想出国的同学，早晚会系统地认识出国留学所必备的文书。具体哪些是必要的，哪些是添彩的，哪些是关键的，哪些是辅助的，大家完全可以从前几届出国的学长那里或者任何关于留学的大型网站、论坛上面知晓。在这里我就只想 附上自己比较成功的几份文书，谨供大家参考。
个人陈述（一）
这篇文章是我发布在美国大学官方申请网站（MON APPLICATION ）上面，作为统一的Personal Statement （个人陈述）而写给了自己申请的每一所学校的。
Reading with Ears
I am the kind of person who uses the same pair of shoes for jogging； soccer and basketball； but when it es to updating my MP3 player； I am always as meticulous as my s*ings allow me to be。 The reason is simple： I keep my MP3 memory filled to the brim…with audio books in English。
I began learning English at the early age of three； as I grew older； I started reading in both English and Chinese； establishing a lasting friendship with the written word。 I would spend days reading inside the house； going out to play only when ordered to by my parents。 So imagine my bitterness when school and homework deprived me of ever increasing periods of free time； allowing the bookshelf to gather a thin layer of dust as days went by。
Salvation presented itself in the form of a present。 During my fourth year in grade school； my aunt returned from the US； bringing with her a seven…cassette audio book； Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets； narrated by Jim Dale。 I received the present with trembling hands； feeling just as Harry would h*e felt when he found himself on the threshold of an entire new world filled with golden possibilities。 Audio books； the perfect； almost obvious solution； even if my eyes had been taken hostage by the sad excuse of a grade school education； my ears could still roam free above all the relentless humdrum of daily obligations。
Audio books； unlike printed ones； can be attended to almost anywhere； anytime。 Bumpy rides and clamoring restaurants used to be my worst nightmare； but as soon as I grabbed a headphone set； the world became my very own desk。 Consequently every place I h*e been and every step I h*e taken has acquired its unique significance through a piece of literature。 I went to school with ； watching Holden Caulfield play the catcher in the rye； I came back home to Fitzgerald； joining Gatsby in his party at night； I sat in Pizza Hut with the Corleone gang； listening to Vito reason with his sons； I stood on the subway with Forrest Gump； babbling away about the wonders of late。 This is where Jane first met Rochester； this is where Elizabeth rejected Darcy’s offer； this is where Heathcliff started his revenge anew； this is where D*id Copperfield hit Uriah。 The mundane locations of my daily routines had been transformed into windows through which I could glance upon a thousand worlds。书包 网 。 想看书来
西天取经（6）
Naturally； audio books involve only the narrator and myself； yet the long hours spent in solitude never alienated me from other people or the outside world。 A good speaker may attract any number of audiences； but as it turns out； a good listener can keep any number of friends。 Fortunately； years of experience h*e made me a master at the art of listening。 People trust me with their thoughts because when they talk； I really listen； instead of what most people do everyday： wait for their turn to speak。
Over the past decade； audio books h*e proved far more than a means to an end； or a hobby for spare time。 In fact； they h*e bee my way of life。 As duties urge me to keep up in this raging world and the ever more demanding tasks it offers； I h*e created for myself a safe h*en of knowledge and inspiration。 Surrounded by whispers of wisdom； I walk through school； work and play； through life。
个人陈述（二）
这一篇，是耶鲁大学额外要求的文章。我选择了记述自己在高二上学期参加的埃及和平营活动。
Peace Camp Journal
“This is like… h*ing a life…” I murmured in awe。
Unfortunately； Carolyn heard； and laughed out loud that hysterical laugh so peculiar of her。 She declared it the best line from me so far； and that I must e to meet the others。 An iron grip then closed around my wrist； dragging me across the deck through a matrix of snow…white decliners。 Some 40 yards off； the pool could be seen glistening in the Egyptian sun。
Yes； Egypt。
To fully grasp the meaning of this situation； we need to go some 50 years back； when ； a non…profit humanitarian organization dedicated to world peace。 Each year since established； PTPI invites a select group of young people from nations all over the world to its renowned annual event in Cairo； Egypt： the PTPI Peace Camp。 Naturally； representing one’s country is not a job for the *erage