词汇大师(Wordmaster)--New TOEFL

AA: I'm Avi Arditti with Rosanne Skirble. This week on Wordmaster: more about the redesigned Test of English as a Foreign Language from the Educational Testing Service. Over the coming year, the new "TOEFL iBT" -- or Internet-based test -- will replace the existing computer and paper versions at testing centers around the world.

RS: The four-hour test now includes a speaking section, in addition to reading, writing and listening. Eileen Tyson at the Educational Testing Service says E.T.S. has trained a large group of English language professors and teachers to grade the speaking section.

EILEEN TYSON: "Those speaking responses come back to E.T.S. via the Internet, and then they're broken apart and they're sent out through our online scoring network. And they're sent to different raters, so that each student will have input¹ from between three to six raters for their speaking responses."

RS: "Do you expect that this test is going to be easier for some students than others?"

EILEEN TYSON: "Well, I think that students who have been taught English in a way that emphasizes using English, this will not be a surprise to them. But for students who have thought of English only in terms of sentence structure, nouns and verbs and grammar, well all those aspects are important, but the reason one learns English is to use it for communication. So this test will represent a change, and it will measure that aspect of English."

RS: "So it's a change in philosophy, really."

EILEEN TYSON: "It really is. We've spent about 10 years developing the test, and we've changed the theoretical underpinning² of the test itself."

AA: "So now on the test day, they listen to some material, and then they have about 30 seconds or so to gather their thoughts, and then they have one minute to present their thoughts, that's kind of frightening actually even for a native speaker. I mean, are some students going to be at a disadvantage?"

EILEEN TYSON: "Well, I think universities know that the addition of speaking is brand-new. And I think during this first year or two years, universities are going to know that students are unfamiliar³ with speaking. And I think they're going to be giving that sort of leeway initially⁴ in speaking."

RS: "How would you suggest students prepare for this test?"

EILEEN TYSON: "The first step a student should take is go to our Web site. And students can take, free of charge, a practice test and receive a score for the reading, writing and listening sections. And what they'll see is exactly the same thing as the test. They'll see the same kind of integrated⁵ skills, the same kinds of questions."

RS: "But now there's a spoken component⁶. How can they prepare for that?"

EILEEN TYSON: "We have a publication called 'TOEFL iBT Tips' and it's really got lots and lots of tips. It's on our Web site. It gives lots of suggestions on how to improve and how to become familiar with the test."

RS: "Could you just highlight some of the top tips?"

EILEEN TYSON: "Well, for example, students, for the integrated speaking, if they can find reading and listening materials on the same topic -- for example, if they can listen to something on a news program, and then take notes on the material, and then find something in reading (say, in a newspaper) on the same topic, and then take notes on that as well, and then orally combine the information in the reading and listening materials and explain how they relate to each other.

"It's especially helpful if one source takes an opposite point of view. For example, one of the types of questions we have involves taking a stance, and in one particular case, the reading says 'working with groups is great,' and it lists lot of reasons why working in groups is terrific⁷. Then the professor's lecture says 'You know, despite what the reading says, there are problems with working with groups.' And then they describe a different a different point of view. So comparing different points of view from different source materials is very helpful. It's very good training.

"Two of the six questions in the speaking section ask a student something related to their opinion or their experience. For example: 'Some universities allow students to live off campus in their first year. Do you think this is a good idea?' So, for practice, students can make a list of topics that are familiar and then state an opinion and provide clear reasons that can support their view."

AA: Eileen Tyson is associate director of the TOEFL program at the Educational Testing Service. The TOEFL Web site is ets.org/toefl ... T-O-E-F-L. We'll post a link at our site, voanews.com/wordmaster, where you can also find the first part of our interview with Eileen Tyson. Our e-mail address is。。。。With Rosanne Skirble, I'm Avi Arditti.

 

1 input   

n.输入(物)；投入；vt.把(数据等)输入计算机

参考例句：

• I will forever be grateful for his considerable input.我将永远感激他的大量投入。
• All this information had to be input onto the computer.所有这些信息都必须输入计算机。

2 underpinning   

n.基础材料；基础结构；（学说、理论等的）基础；（人的）腿v.用砖石结构等从下面支撑（墙等）( underpin的现在分词 )；加固（墙等）的基础；为（论据、主张等）打下基础；加强

参考例句：

• Underpinning this success has been an exemplary record of innovation. 具有典范性的创新确保了这次成功。 来自辞典例句
• But underpinning Mr Armstrong's technology changes is a human touch. 但阿姆斯特朗技术变革的支柱是人情味。 来自互联网

3 unfamiliar   

adj.陌生的，不熟悉的

参考例句：

• I am unfamiliar with the place and the people here.我在这儿人地生疏。
• The man seemed unfamiliar to me.这人很面生。

4 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

5 integrated   

a.整合的，完整的

参考例句：

• A fully integrated low phase noise LC voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) is presented.介绍了一种全集成的LC压控振荡器(VCO)的设计。

6 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

7 terrific   

adj.可怕的，极好的，非常的

参考例句：

• The game was terrific.那场比赛棒极了。
• Darren drove at a terrific speed.达伦以惊人的速度驾车。