Foreign Language World No. 6 2003 ( General Serial No .

98)

) ) ) TEM8

:
, ,
,
(TEM8) ,
: ; ; ; ( TEM8) ;

Abstract: Language curriculum and language test are two important components of language instruction. The relationship
between them represents an ongoing continuum, on which the two interact with each other. Language curriculum stipulates
the guidelines or principles of language teaching and learning in a particular educational setting and, for that matter, specific
test domains of the evaluation instrument. On the other hand, language test influences teaching and learning by way of set-
ting standards or criteria for language courses or syllabuses. This paper reviews the development of TEM8 tests in an attempt
to look into the reciprocal relationship between language syllabus and language test.
Key words: language curriculum; language test; criterion- referenced measurement approach; Test for English Majors
( TEM) ; impact
: H319 : B : 1004- 5112( 2003) 06- 0071- 08

1.
1. 1.
1990 2000
/ , , ,
0( 1990: 1)
( 1990 1- 2) ; ( 2000 1- 2)
: :
1. 2 ( TEM8)
( TEM8) ,
,
, TEM8 Lynch Davidson , TEM8 /
( ) 0( 1994: 729) / ( ) 0

TEM8 1991 ( 1993 )

, , TEM ( TEM8)
, ( 1997)
# 71 #
 2003 6 ( 98 )

TEM ,
, TEM
1996 ,

1996 , TEM8 ,

, TEM8
, ,

2.
, /
0( White 1998: 4) ,

,
,
, ,
: ( Bachman 1990: 71)

, , /
0( ibid. 74)
,
TEM8
, ;

, ,
, ,
, , ,
,

, (

)
/ 0( Alderson & Wall
1993: 115) , Pearson /
, 0( Pearson 1988: 98) Davies( 1991: 137)
Swain( 1985: 42- 44) ,
Alderson ( 1991: 16) Bachman
Palmer( 1996: 30- 35) ,
( ) , :
, , ,

, ,
# 72 #
 Foreign Language World No. 6 2003 ( General Serial No . 98)

, ,
/ 0 ( Davies 1990: 2) ,
, ( )
,
, ( )

TEM8
3. TEM8
, TEM8 ,

,
,

3. 1
, / 0( Hughes
:
1989 22) TEM8 , :
, , /
, ,
, 0( 1990: 1)
, TEM8 :
( 1) To assess studentsp ability to use the English language;
( 2) To measure their command of the language skills and knowledge level;
... .
( The TEM Test Centre 1997: 152)
3. 2
/ 0( Hughes 1989: 26) TEM8
,

3. 3
TEM8 ,
,

# 73 #
 2003 6 ( 98 )

, 1. Knowing the different ways and approaches to transla-
, ; tion according to different topics, styles, occasions,
, situations and audience;
( 2. Expressing their ideas eloquently and expressively;
1990: 3. Conveying the information faithfully ;
6) 4. Understanding the differences between literal transla-
tion and meaningful translation;
5. Knowing the basic techniques in translation; and
6. Understanding the differences in usage, word order,
grammatical structure and rhetorical devices between
English and the mother tongue. ( The TEM T est Gen-
tre 1997: 164)

3. 4
,
, TEM8
, ( ) ,
:
( given language test task) ( targe- t language-
use task) ( degree of correspondence) ( Bachman & Palmer 1996 23)
:
,
, TEM8 ,
TEM8 ,

/ ,
, 0 ( ibid. 25)
TEM8 , ,
,
, , ( 1990: 1) ,

,
Brown Husdon( 1998: 658- 667) :
( selected- response assessment ) , ( constructed- response assess-
ment) ( persona- l response assessment) Davies( 1990: 38- 39)
) , :


: Bachman Palmer
( 1996: 55- 56) : , , Brown
Hudson ; Davies ,

; Bachman Palmer
# 74 #
 Foreign Language World No. 6 2003 ( General Serial No . 98)

TEM8 ,
TEM8 ( )

Title of Task Input Nature of Task Nature of Response Scoring Interactiveness

Listening I
( Talk, Interview, Integrative Discrete point Selected Discrete point )
News Broadcast)
( Note taking &
Listening II Integrative Constructed Discrete point +
Gap filling)
Error Correction Integrative Integrative Constructed Discrete point +
Reading Compre-
Integrative Discrete point Selected Discrete point )
hension
Translation Integrative Integrative Constructed Integrative +

Writing Integrative Integrative Constructed Integrative +

TEM8 ,
4. TEM8
TEM8 ,
, ,
TEM8 : 1) ; 2)

TEM8 ( ) ,
( )
, TEM8 ,
, ,
, ( ) ,
,
; ,
TEM8 , 3
TEM8

Module One

Tasks No. of Questions Percentage Time ( min. )

Part One: 25 25% 40

Listening Comprehension
Section A : Talk ( 5) ( 5% )

Section B: Conversation/ Interview ( 5) ( 5% )

( 5) ( 5% )
Section C: News Broadcasts
( 10) ( 10% )
Section D: M in-i lecture

# 75 #
 2003 6 ( 98 )

( )
Tasks No. of Questions Percentage Time ( min. )
Part Two:
10 10% 15
Error Correction

Part Three: 25 25% 40

Reading Comprehension
Section A : Careful Reading ( 15) ( 15% ) ( 30)
Section B: Speed Reading ( 10) ( 10% ) ( 10)

Module Two

Tasks No. of Tasks Percentage Time ( min. )

Part Four: Translation 2 20% 60

Section A : From Chinese into English ( 10% )

Section B: From English into Chinese ( 10% )

Part Five:
1 20% 60
Writing

5. TEM8
( ) , TEM8
TEM8
; ;

, , TEM8 (
2000) ;
TEM8

( 1990 ) TEM8 ( 2000 )

Reading Careful reading was not differ- Section A: Careful Reading Standards are set for careful
entiated from speed reading . ( normally four to five passages reading and speed reading re-
Neither was the reading speed totalling about 2, 500 words) spectively, and so are goals for
( p. 4) . Section B: Speed Reading reading speed ( p. 9) .
( normally six to seven passages
totalling about 3, 000 words)

Translation Speed was set at 200 - 250 Section A : Chinese to English Translation speed for both tasks
words for translating from Ch-
i ( a paragraph of about 120 - is set at 250 - 300 words or
nese into English ( p. 6) . 150 Chinese characters) characters ( p. 10) .
Speed for translating from Eng- Section B: English to Chinese
lish into Chinese was not specif- ( a paragraph of about 120 -
ically established. 150 English words)

# 76 #
 Foreign Language World No. 6 2003 ( General Serial No . 98)

( )
( 1990 ) TEM8 ( 2000 )
Writing Criteria for expository and argu- Marking criteria for TEM8 com- Criteria for all types of writing
mentative writing samples : sub- positions: relevance, organiza- samples: substantial content,
stantial content with in- depth tion, language and appropriate- fluency, appropriateness of
discussion ( p. 5) ness words and expressions ( p. 10)

,
TEM8 ,
6. TEM8
TEM8 ; , TEM8
, / 0( 2000 :
14) TEM8 , TEM8,

TEM8

Title of Task Input Nature of Task Nature of Response Scoring Interactiveness

Discrete point + Selected + Con-
Listening Integrative Discrete point - / +
Integrative structed
Error Correction Integrative Integrative Constructed Discrete point +
Reading Compre- Discrete point + Selected + Con- Discrete point
Integrative - / +
hension Integrative structed + Integrative
Translation Integrative Integrative Constructed Integrative +

Writing Integrative Integrative Constructed Integrative +

, ;
,
7.
, ,
, ,
,
, ;
, t

[ 1] . [ Z] . :
, 1990.
[ 2] . [ Z] . : ; :
, 2000.
[ 3] Lynch Brian K & Davidson Fred. Criterion-referenced language test development : Linking curricula, teachers, and
# 77 #
 2003 6 ( 98 )

tests [ J] . TESOL Quarterly , 1994 28( 4) .

[ 4] The TEM Test Centre, Shanghai International Studies University. The T est f or English Majors ( TEM ) Validation
Study [ M] . Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 1997.
[ 5] White Ron. The ELT Curriculum [ M] . Basil Blackwell Ltd. , 1988.
[ 6] Bachman Lyle F. Fundamental Considerations in Language Testing [ M] . Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1990.
[ 7] Alderson J Charles & Wall Diana. Does washback exist? [ J] . Applied Linguistics , 1993, 14( 2) .
[ 8] Pearson I. Tests as levers for change [ A] . Chamberlain D & Baumgardner R ( eds. ) . ESP in the Classroom : Prac-
tice and Evaluation ( ELT Document 128) [ C] . Modern English Publications, 1988.
[ 9] Davies Alan. Language testing in the 1990s [ A] . Alderson C. & North B ( eds. ) . Language T esting in the 1990s
[ C] . Modern Language Publications and The British Council, 1991.
[ 10] Swain M . Large- scale communicative testing [ A] . Lee Y P, Fok C Y Y, Lord R & Low G ( eds. ) . New Directions
in Language T esting [ C] . Pergamon Press, 1985.
[ 11] Alderson J Charles. Language testing in the 1990s : How far have we come? How much further have we to go? [ A] .
Anivan, Sarinee ( ed. ) . Current Developments in Language Testing ( Anthology Series 25) [ C] . Singapore: SEAMEO
Regional Language Centre, 1991.
[ 12] Bachman Lyle F & Palmer Adrian S. Language Testing in Practice [ M] . Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996.
[ 13] Davies Alan. Principles of Language Testing [M ] . Basil Blackwell Ltd. , 1990.
[ 14] Hughes Arthur. Testing for Language Teachers [ M] . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989.
[ 15] Brown J D & Hudson T. The alternatives in language assessment[ J] . TESOL Quarterly , 1998, 32( 4) .

: , 200083

( 60 )
[ 4] T urner Carolyn & Upshur John. Rating scales derived from student samples : Effects of the scale maker and the student
sample on scale content and student scores [ J] . TESOL QUARTERLY, 2002, 36: 49- 70.
[ 5] , , . [ J] . , 1999, ( 2) : 8- 16.
[ 6] , , . [ J] . , 2000, ( 1) : 65- 72.
[ 7] . [M ] . : , 1988. 10- 11.
[ 8] , . [ M] . : , 1997. II- III.
[ 9] . [ M] . : , 2001.
[ 10] . [ J] . , 1995, ( 3) : 60- 65.
[ 11] , . ) ) )
[ M ] . : , 1996. 1.
[ 12] , , . ) ) ) [ J] . , 2000, ( 5) .
[ 13] . [ J] . , 2000, ( 3) : 8- 9.
[ 14] , . [ J] . , 2002, ( 4) : 64- 67.
[ 15] . [ J] . , 2002, ( 3) : 26- 31

: 1. , 471003
2. , 471003

# 78 #