BEIJING - Last year, more than 235,000 Chinese students were at American universities. To get in, they needed to take the SAT. The test is required by almost all American four-year colleges.

In two years, the SAT will look a little different. The new test will include readings from American history. For example, one test might include part of the Declaration of Independence. Another part of the test might include a section of the Bill of Rights.

China's government is worried about this change. China has a Communist government. That means it is very strict and wants its people to believe that it is a good way to live.

News Ideas, New Thinking

Many people in China are worried that the new SAT could make American ideas more popular in China. Imagine a Chinese student taking the new SAT. As he takes the test, he reads something written by Thomas Jefferson. The student might agree with Jefferson about how important freedom is. This could make the student less likely to agree with the Chinese government.

The College Board, the company that makes the SAT, admits that the new test includes American ideas. Some of these ideas are not common in China. The U.S. Constitution, for example, says that citizens should be allowed to freely say things against their government. This is not an idea that the Chinese government agrees with.

China's government has many rules about what its people can and cannot do. The government also tries to control what citizens say and think. For example, the government uses schools to spread its ideas. Chinese students take classes that teach them to think like the government. These classes start as early as first grade. They are called "thoughts and morals" lessons.

No Reason To Be Afraid

The Chinese government cannot control what appears on the SAT. Because of this, the readings on the SAT might go against the government's way of thinking. This might be why China's government does not want its students reading them.

Some people in China think the government should not worry about the new SAT. One of these people is Zhang Ming, a professor at Renmin University. He believes it is wrong for the government to be suspicious about the SAT.

Instead, the government itself should stop trying to control the way students think. Students should not have to take "thoughts and morals" lessons, he says.