English in Daily Life Exam Orientation By Feng Xue November, 2004 BeiwaiOnline

What Do I Expect? – No way Some insider information about the real exam papers? Sorry, no way. But honestly, 30% is from the textbook.

I’ve finished the tasks in the textbook. I’ve done plenty of practice around the given topics and expressions by myself. I’ve done plenty of practise around the given topics and expressions by myself. I’ve finished the tasks in the textbook. I just read through the textbook, but left some tasks undone, because they are difficult. I was too busy to finish even half of the textbook or do the practise. Sample Paper Ready? 平台 – 学习园地 - 课程考核 – 终结考试样题 （附答案及评分标准） Where Am I?

Contents Form (考试形式) Structure (试题结构) Focus (考试重点) Difficulty level (难度水平) Special exam items and their exam techniques (重点题型以及答题要领) Marking criteria (评分标准, 得分点) Resources for exam preparation (复习资源)

Exam Structure & Question Types

Form & Structure (考试形式/结构) – Written Session Written Test + Oral Test Section 1 Section II Section III Skill Listening Reading Writing Score 40 20 Time 30 min + 10 min 60 min 30 min Content Three listening texts: short conversation extended conversation monologue (Played twice) Three reading tasks: practical reading (150＊５) reading comprehension (450*1 + 650*1) Description or narration appr. 150 words structured theme-based

Form & Structure (考试形式/结构) – Written Session Written Test + Oral Test Section 1 Section II Section III Skill Listening Reading Writing Score 40 20 Time 30 min + 10 min 60 min 30 min Content Three listening texts: short conversation extended conversation monologue (Played twice) Three reading tasks: practical reading (150＊５) reading comprehension (450*1 + 650*1) Description or narration appr. 150 words structured theme-based

Form & Structure (考试形式/结构) – Written Session Written Test + Oral Test Section 1 Section II Section III Skill Listening Reading Writing Score 40 20 Time 30 min + 10 min 60 min 30 min Content Three listening texts: short conversation extended conversation monologue (Played twice) Three reading tasks: practical reading (150＊５) reading comprehension (450*1 + 650*1) Description or narration appr. 150 words structured theme-based

Form & Structure (考试形式/结构) – Written Session Written Test + Oral Test Section 1 Section II Section III Skill Listening Reading Writing Score 40 20 Time 30 min + 10 min 60 min 30 min Content Three listening texts: short conversation extended conversation monologue (Played twice) Three reading tasks: practical reading (150＊５) reading comprehension (450*1 + 650*1) Description or narration appr. 150 words theme-based structured

Form & Structure – Question Types Multiple choice Blank-filling (dictation, summary, diagram, table completion) True/False (Not Given) Short-answer Matching Essay writing (structured)

Form & Structure (考试形式/结构) – Oral Session Written Test + Oral Test Pre-test Section 1 Section II Skill (Info. processing) Conversation Score NA 50 Time 10 min 5 min Content Look at the topics and think alone. A asks initiates and B responds. B asks initiates and A responds. Waiting Taking Test

Form & Structure (考试形式/结构) – Oral Session Written Test + Oral Test Pre-test Section 1 Section II Skill (Info. processing) Conversation Score NA 50 Time 10 min 5 min Content Look at the topics and think alone. A asks initiates and B responds. B asks initiates and A responds.

Form & Structure – Good Conversations 95: Demonstrates an extremely high level of oral English fluency rarely achieved by others. Excellent conversational skills, sentence structure, grammar and vocabulary. Able to argue and make points very clearly with only rare errors. Excellent pronunciation.

Exam Focus & Difficulty Level

Focus (考试重点) Comprehensive language proficiency Themes Functions The family Daily Routines Local community Health Functions Following daily conversations Asking questions Giving descriptions Expressing opinions Expressions (vocabulary, grammar) Cultural knowledge The home Getting around Life and relationship People Understanding texts Composing introductions Writing descriptions Producing letters

Difficulty Level (难度水平) Intermediate – upper intermediate (Listening and writing are about the level of the textbook.)

Special Items and Their Techniques (特殊题型及其答题要领)

Special Items and Their Techniques –1 Blank-filling: Writing: instructions clear handwriting wise timing (30’=2’ +3’ +2’ +20’ +3’) spelling word form word number capitalization (大小写) Short-answer Questions

Special Items and Their Techniques – 2 Short answer questions: 49. What are the harms high heels can do to people? “As foot specialists will tell you, shoes can be dangerous to your feet. The thinner and higher the heel, the greater the risk of foot and back problems. Standing in high heels inevitably hurts after an hour on foot. This results in aches and pains.” -- Foot and back problems / foot aches and pains

Special Items and Their Techniques – 3 Short answer questions: 50. Name at least two reasons why women wear high heels? So why do we do it? The traditional criticism is that women are slaves to male ideas. Almost everyone is trying on the new higher heels. Feet look smaller in high heels. … And it is not just feet. High heels make a woman’s leg look longer, and everyone looks better with longer legs. It is what they do to your head, not your feet. That is what makes women walk differently and look differently in high heels. -- Any two of the following: slaves to male ideas / influence of men’s ideas; intention to please men; social trend / fashion; looking better – smaller feet, longer legs; make women walk differently and look differently

Summary of Short Answer Questions (答题要领) Understanding Rule is not rigid

Some Techniques for Oral Test (口试注意事项) 10 minutes preparation in the waiting room No reading from the test paper Appropriate body language (gesture, eye contact, facial expressions) No silence If you can’t quite understand your partner, ask your partner to repeat or rephrase. If your partner gets stuck, say something to keep the conversation going or to invite your partner’s responses. Don’t overdo your role, leaving no chance to your partner. No enquiry about your performance.

Writing and Speaking Criteria 写作及口语评分标准

Writing Criteria (写作评分标准) 项目 分数(20) 标 准 内容 8分 文章切题，内容充实，思维新颖，见解独到。篇幅适当，行文流畅，有很强的可读性趣味性。 6分 文章切题，但新意不足，结构较清晰，篇幅适当，有一定的可读性和趣味性。 4分 文章大致切题但缺乏新意。篇幅不够/过长或篇章结构较差，可读性和趣味性较差。 2分 文章离题较远、结构紊乱，或大部分重要信息缺失。篇幅不够/过长。 语言 10分 用词巧妙，辞藻丰富，表达手法灵活，写作技巧娴熟，明显超出普通水平。语法结构严谨。 用词准确，能运用多种表达手法，偶有选词错误。语法结构一般但不影响理解。 5分 用词很差，表达手法单一。文中使用汉语词汇或拼音，错词很多，语法结构较混乱。 3分 书写 拼写及标点符号使用偶有错误。书写整洁，易于认读。 1分 拼写及标点符号使用有较多的错误，影响认读。书写基本工整。 0分 拼写及标点符号错误极多，字迹潦草，全篇认读困难。 规定使用的词汇少于8个每个扣0.5分；词汇错误每个扣0.5分。 摘自：平台- 学习园地- 课程考核- 样题及答案

Speaking Criteria (口语评分标准) 95: Demonstrates an extremely high level of Oral English fluency rarely achieved by others. Excellent conversational skills, sentence structure, grammar and vocabulary. Able to argue and make points very clearly with only rare errors. Excellent pronunciation. 85: Demonstrates a quite high level of Oral English skills. Fairly good sentence structure, very small grammar and vocabulary problems. Conversation flows, no requirement for partner to repeat questions or ask student for explanation, but a few pronunciation errors cause the listener to concentrate. … 20: Has almost no oral English skills at all and uses Chinese constantly. Little vocabulary. Very poor pronunciation.

Tips for Exam Preparation

Pre-exam Preparation - General To reinforce what you have already learned To identify your weaknesses and practice to improve To get familiar with the exam items and process To learn lessons if you find it too late to prepare

Pre-exam Preparation - Specific Keep a minimum exposure to English for 2 hours a day. Review each unit by checking against the performance objective list. Review your notes. (Or regret that you don’t have one.) Read the exam guideline. Do a trial exam, closely following the time and requirements. Analyse your performance afterwards.

Resources for exam preparation (复习资源及使用) a. Focal points (unit-based) b. Self-assessment tests (unit-based) 平台-学习园地-复习与自测 c. Tutorial materials (unit-based) 平台-学习园地-课程辅导资料 d. FAQs (unit-based) 平台-社区-论坛-FAQ与教材勘误 e. Topics for oral practice 平台-社区-论坛-高级日常英语

Important Notice (重要提示) Pencil & eraser Student card ID card Check the paper before listening starts Name and student number on both papers Leave all the papers after the test

The End Wish you success!