2012年ESL之日常生活 26 Taking a Standardized Test

 

Taking a Standardized¹ Test 

Dad: It’s time you start preparing for the MCFL Test. 

Maria: Dad, that’s 12 months away! I don’t need to start looking at test prep materials right now. 

Dad: Yes, you do. Like all high-stakes testing, familiarity with the types of questions you’ll be asked will help you. You need to score well on it if you want to be admitted to a good university. The MCFL is only administered twice each year, so you’d better be prepared when the time comes. 

Maria: I don’t really believe in standardized tests. Our teacher says that they don’t really measure how well you’ll do in college or in life. 

Dad: It doesn’t matter what you – or your teacher – believe. Colleges consider test scores in admissions and that’s what’s important. Let’s start with some tips on answering multiple choice and true-false questions. 

Maria: I know all about taking standardized tests, Dad. I’ve been taking them every year at school and I’m sick of them. Put your name here. Bubble in your answer there. I’m sick to death of those tests. 

Dad: Then you’ll feel perfectly² comfortable taking this one. 

Maria: Why can’t they give us open-ended or essay questions? I’d do much better on those. 

Dad: Bite your tongue! Those would be much more difficult to study for. Ready for question number one? 

Maria: As ready as I’ll ever be. 

 

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse 

1 standardized   

adj.标准化的

参考例句：

• We use standardized tests to measure scholastic achievement. 我们用标准化考试来衡量学生的学业成绩。
• The parts of an automobile are standardized. 汽车零件是标准化了的。

2 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。