SAT的独立短篇是阅读这个Section里我们需要攻克的第一关，俗话说浓缩的是精华，短短的100字左右，可谓句句重要。麻雀虽小，五脏俱全，其实短篇阅读里同样有我们所谓的主旨句，论据，论证，结论句这些概念。下面就一篇真题做例，展示短篇的分析过程：
“What embodies thebounty of nature better than an ear of corn? With a twist of the wrist it is easilyplucked from the stalk with no waste or fuss. It is packed with tasty,nutritious kernels that are larger and more numerous than those of othergrains. Wrapped up in a protective leafy husk, corn appears to be a gift fromnature. But appearances can be deceptive. A cultivated field of corn, or anyother crop, is as human made as a microchip. Much as we like to think offarming as natural, farmed land is as much a technological landscape as abiological one.”
Step 1：简化文章
An ear of cornbest embodies the bounty of nature. It is easily plucked. It is packed withkernels. Corn appears to be a gift from nature. But appearances can bedeceptive. A field of corn is human made. Much as we like to think of farmingas natural, farmed land is a technological landscape.
Step 2: 解析
首句说玉米最好的表现了大自然的慷慨，提出一个论点。第二句和第三句是对这一论点的支持：采摘容易；产量大。第四句开始出现新论点，关键词组“appear to”, 貌似，也就是说看起来是，其实不是，所以内含转折之意。所以新论点是，玉米不是大自然的礼物。第五句和第六句是对这一新论点的支持：外表是假的；玉米地是人工的。最后一句是本段主旨句，作为总结：就算我们往往认为农业是纯天然的，其实现代农业也已经是科技的杰作了。
通过上面的例子我们可以感受到逻辑标志词在阅读中的重要性，理解例子中的“appear to” 是关键。像这样的逻辑标志词还有很多，副词和连词性质的标志词容易发现，但是动词性质的逻辑标志词比较隐蔽，希望大家在平时能够多加注意和积累。