New SAT test accused of instilling American values  

SAT考試引入“政治”題目 被指進行意識形態輸出

美國SAT考試將在2016年實施改革，在閱讀題中加入《獨立宣言》、《權利法案》等美國建國綱領選段。近日，隨著《南華早報》刊文“美國新SAT考試將如何向易受影響的中國年輕人灌輸美國價值觀”，引爆人們對這一問題的熱議，媒體紛紛報道稱，美國也要考“思想政治”了。[查看全文]

(ECNS) -- An article in a Hong Kong newspaper that claimed changes to US college admission exams would impact on young Chinese minds has caused hot debate among mainland scholars, the Beijing Youth Daily reported.

From 2016, the standardized Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) will include passages from founding documents such as the US Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Columnist Kelly Yang last Tuesday wrote in the South China Morning Post that the "SAT's new focus on US civil liberties has the potential to remould the mindset of a whole generation of young Chinese."

Liu Haitong, a teacher at New Oriental Education, one of the country's largest English education and training organization, said students have to understand, analyze and even memorize passages, by which the US promotes its thoughts, in order to achieve high scores.

However, this is not aimed at Chinese youth in particular, Wang Enming from Shanghai International Studies University said, adding that the US itself needs to mould a feeling of identity amongst its younger generation.

Zhang Yiwu, a professor at Peking University, said via his Sina Weibo account that China could gain experience from such measures.

Zhang Xundong, an expert in Sino-US relations at Tsinghua University, said US founding documents have long been considered learning materials by many language students while articles on US politics, technology and culture can be found in College English Test papers.

It is important to foster independent and critical thinking, he added.

English professor at Ocean University of China in Shandong province Deng Hongfeng said US founding documents actually share the same basic values with those in China, including freedom, equality and democracy.

Tang An from Beijing, currently pursuing studies in the US, said the new focus might put international students at a disadvantage.

Every year, around 50,000 mainland students flock to Hong Kong to sit the SAT. Last year, China sent more than 230,000 students to study in the US.