《考试大纲》的提前颁布向广大师生透露出一个重要信号：高考不再是神秘的殿堂。高考改革始终坚持"在稳定中求发展"的命题指导思想，命题的基本原则依然是"突出语篇，注重交际，讲究灵活，强调应用"，不会出现明显的变化，不会折腾莘莘学子。
与2008年相比，2009年的《考试大纲》基本上没有任何变化，只是在高考语法项目表中增加了词类项目，这样更加明确了考试内容，助于考生把握词类，对词类有个概括的了解。
考生在备考过程中应仔细研读《考试大纲》中的内容，融会贯通，做到胸有成竹。一定要重视基础，例如：考纲词汇能否拼写正确？基本词汇和短语能否灵活运用？基本语法能否理解？基本句型能否掌握？各个题型的基本解题技巧是否熟练？书写是否规范？等等。
最后，预祝考生们圆梦高考，再创佳绩。
Ⅰ.考试性质
普通高等学校招生全国统一考试是由合格的高中毕业生和具有同等学力的考生参加的选拔性考试。高等学校根据考生的成绩，按已确定的招生计划，德、智、体全面衡量，择优录取。因此，高考应有较高的信度、效度、适当的难度和必要的区分度。
英语科考试是按照标准化测试要求设计的。
【导读】《考试大纲》是根据普通高等学校对新生文化素质的要求，参照《中学教学大纲》并根据中学教学实际而制定的。它明确了考试的指导思想。
Ⅱ.考试内容和要求
根据普通高等学校对新生文化素质的要求，参照教育部2000年颁布的《全日制高级中学英语教学大纲(试验修订版)》，并考虑中学教学实际，制订本学科考试内容。
一、语言知识
要求考生能够适当运用基本的语法知识(见附录)，掌握2 000左右的词汇及相关词组(见《全日制高级中学英语教学大纲(试验修订版)》)。
【导读】语言知识题包括语法、词汇类单项填空题和完形填空题。语言知识主要考查：①语法和词汇知识在实际的、不同的情景中的运用；②语言必须适合具体的交际行为；③语言考核的焦点为达到交际的目的，交际行为除了需要语言能力外，还需要把握情况的能力等。
二、语言运用
1．听力
要求考生听懂有关日常生活中所熟悉话题的简短独白和对话。考生应能：
(1)理解主旨和要义；
【导读】主旨要义一般比较明确，但有时会贯穿整个对话或独白，需要考生自己去归纳、概括。
(2)获取事实性的具体信息；
【导读】为说明和支持主旨，对话或独白总会出现一些具体信息，如时间、地点、人物等。这些信息是理解和把握对话或独白主旨不可少的要素，也常常是听力部分的重点考查项目。
(3)对所听内容作出简单推断；
【导读】推断能力在一定程度上可以体现一个人对口语的理解能力，因而也是听力测试考查的重点项目之一。
(4)理解说话者的意图、观点和态度。
【导读】一般来讲，说话者总会表明说话的意图，或是提出或回答问题，或是阐明自己的想法，或是表明自己的态度或意见，对此的理解或推断在一般交往中非常重要。
【试题举例】
M：Ladies and Gentlemen, let's welcome Jane Carter. Jane, you are so young.How can you sing so well?
W：Well, Mr. Green. I like singing very much. And I've been doing this for a while. Above all I have Mr. James as my teacher.
M：No wonder. I believe you'll do a wonderful job tonight. Now ladies and gentlemen, Jane Carter!
1．What is the man doing?
A. Giving a speech. B. Chairing a meeting. C. Introducing a person.
2．Why does the woman sing so well?
A．She has a great teacher. B．She teaches singing. C．She is young.
1．【答案】C
【解析】根据男声"let's welcome Jane Carter"可知他是在向别人介绍一个名叫Jane Carter的歌手。
2．【答案】A
【解析】根据女声"And I've been doing this for a while. Above all I have Mr. James as my teacher."可知她歌唱得很好不仅是因为练了很长时间，主要还是有位好老师教她。
2．阅读
要求考生读懂公告、说明、广告以及书、报、杂志中关于一般性话题的简短文章。考生应能：
(1)理解主旨和要义；
【导读】文章的主旨大意一般出现在开头、结尾和过渡段。不过有时贯穿整篇文章。考生要培养快速浏览全文，提取主旨要义的能力。
(2)理解文中具体信息；
(3)根据上下文推断生词的词义；
【导读】正确理解文章中单词或短语的含义，是理解文章的第一步，也是基础。英语单词的含义随语境的不同会有所不同。能根据上下文正确理解灵活变化的词义，才算是真正初步具备了一定的阅读理解能力。此外，不使用词典而通过阅读上下文推断生词的含义，是一个合格的读者所必须具备的能力，也是阅读测试中经常检测的一种能力。
(4)作出简单判断和推理；
(5)理解文章的基本结构；
【导读】把握全篇的文脉，即句与句、段与段之间的逻辑关系。对这种能力的考查，一般反映在理解文中某一段落的作用或某些词语的指代关系的题目中。
(6)理解作者的意图、观点和态度。
【试题举例】(2008年全国卷Ⅰ)
Last week my youngest son and I visited my father at his new home in Tucson，Arizona.He moved there a few years ago，and I was eager to see his new place and meet his friends.
My earliest memories of my father are of a tall，handsome，successful man devoted to his work and family，but uncomfortable with his children.As a child I loved him；as a school girl and young adult(成年人)I feared him and felt bitter about him.He seemed unhappy with me unless I got straight A's and unhappy with my boyfriends if their fathers were not as "successful" as he was.Whenever I went out with him on weekends，I used to struggle to think up things to say，feeling on guard.
On the first day of my visit，we went out with one of my father's friends for lunch at an outdoor cafe.We walked along that afternoon，did some shopping，ate on the street table，and laughed over my son's funny facial expressions.Gone was my father's critical(挑剔的)air and strict rules.Who was this person I knew as my father，who seemed so friendly and interesting to be around？What had held him back before?
The next day my dad pulled out his childhood pictures and told me quite a few stories about his own childhood.Although our times together became easier over the years，I never felt closer to him at that moment.After so many years，I'm at last seeing another side of my father.And in so doing，I'm delighted with my_new_friend.My dad，in his new home in Arizona，is back to me from where he was.
56．Why did the author feel bitter about her father as a young adult?
A．He was silent most of the time.
B．He was too proud of himself.
C．He did not love his children.
D．He expected too much of her.
57．When the author went out with her father on weekends，she would feel________.
A．nervous B．sorry
C．tired D．safe
58．What does the author think of her father after her visit to Tucson?
A．More critical. B．More talkative.
C．Gentle and friendly. D．Strict and hard?working.
59．The underlined words "my new friend" in the last paragraph refer to________.
A．the author's son
B．the author's father
C．the friend of the author's father
D．the cafe owner
【文章大意】本文是记叙文，主要讲述"我"和自己的小儿子去"我"父亲家看他的新房子的事情。我感受到了父亲的巨大变化：他以前那种严厉冷酷的架势不见了，多了一份亲切、关怀。
56．【答案】D
【解析】考查细节理解。答案信息在第二段"...felt bitter about him. He seemed unhappy with me unless I got straight A's..."。
57．【答案】A
【解析】细节判断题。信息提示在第二段最后一句话："Whenever I went out with him on weekends, I used to struggle to think up things to say, feeling on guard."
58．【答案】C
【解析】细节理解题。从第三段与第四段可找到答案。