Стандартизирани тестове и системно обучение

Качествена оценка на тестови задачи по английски език

Практикум

Разгледайте тестовите задачи по-долу и ги анализирайте, като използвате следните въпроси:

• Какво проверяват?
• Как го проверяват?
• Доколко постигат целта?

Какви заключения можем да направим?

Формулирайте изводи на оставените за целта празни редове след задачите.

Reading comprehension

(1) “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service.”
A. No articles of wearing apparel are available for purchase.
B. Unless one is properly attired, he will be refused service. 
C. One must remove certain articles of clothing for given situations.
(Madsen, 1983)
=> ___________________________________________________________
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(2) Select the option closest in meaning to the word underlined:
He began to choke while he was eating the fish.
A. die
B. cough and vomit
C. be unable to breathe because of something in his windpipe
D. grow very angry
(Alderson et al., 1995)
=> ___________________________________________________________
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(3) In this study, the high divorce rate was caused by _______
A. the great kindness of husbands and wives to each other.
B. heavy drinking by the mate who was working.
C. positive relationships of parents and children.
D. having lots of money to pay bills with.
(Madsen, 1983)
______________________________________________________________
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(4) In the article, we learn that Adolf Hitler was _______
A. a Russian spy. B. a French ballet dancer.
C. an American baseball player. D. a German dictator. 
(Madsen, 1983)
=> ___________________________________________________________
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(5) Cigarette smokers today are
A. only young people. B. Only old people.
C. both young and old.  D. only men.

(6) Nowadays
A. the number of smokers is developing.
B. the number of smokers has gone up. 
C. the number of smokers is constant.
D. all

(7) Do you think that warnings are stopping smokers from smoking, according to the passage?
A. Yes. B. No. 

(8) According to the passage
A. only a small number of people have developed habits.
B. the number of tobacco and alcohol users is high. 
C. all town and city dwellers are affected.
D. none

(9) The danger of smoking is known
A. from what doctors tell us.  B. from experience. 
C. from warnings.  D. all

(10) Experience shows us
A. smoking stimulates appetite. B. smoking hinders appetite. 
C. the tar in cigarettes whitens teeth. D. none
(6 to 11 - Atkins et al., 1996)

Text for items 5 -10:
“In our world today, a great number of men and women living in cities and towns seem to be developing harmful habits. The consumption of alcoholic drinks and tobacco are some. But most of all, smoking of cigarettes is rife among the young and old. Doctors and other such experts frequently tell us the dangers of smoking. Even from experience itself, smokers can see how the tar in the cigarettes blackens the teeth. They know, too, how their appetite is affected for the worse. But all these and the warnings of the fact that nicotine could cause lung cancer would not stop them from the dangerous habits. Nowadays in most of the advanced countries, cigarette manufacturers are compelled by the government to write warnings of smoking along with their advertisements. The most common warning sign says, “Smoking is hazardous to life”. Indeed smoking has much hazard to our life. But, still, the number of smokers is rising all the time.” (Atkins et al., 1996)

=> ____________________________________________________________
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Да обобщим:
=> Езикът на опциите (вариантите) трябва да е по-достъпен от езика на текста.
=> Правилната опция (вариант) трябва да изглежда като дистракторите – да не е очевидно по-дълга или по-кратка, или да е написана в много по-различен стил.
=> Избягвайте нелогични дистрактори.
=> Базирайте дистракторите на информация от текста, иначе те няма да изпълняват функцията си да “разсейват”: “Each wrong alternative should be attractive to at least some of the students” (Alderson et al., 1995).
=> Задачите трябва да са съставени така, че да не може да се отговори от обща култура: те трябва да са основани на разбиране на информация от текста.
=> Опциите трябва да “пасват” на изходното изречение (the stem), да го допълват ‘естесвено’.
=> Задачите от тип вариантен избор трябва да имат само един правилен отговор.
=> Опциите трябва да са написани на правилен, приемлив и естествен език.


Miscellaneous

(1) Rearrange the following letters to make English words:

rufti rsoeh msapt tolso riewt pahyp
(Alderson et al., 1995:46)

(2) Circle the correct answer
This suitcase is __________ heavy for her to carry.
A so B to C too D two
(Atkins et al., 1996)

(3) Circle the correct answer:
She is used to playing the piano. This sentence refers to:
A past habit B make use of C accustomed to
(Atkins et al., 1996)

(4) Read and circle the correct verbs:

My name is John. I have got/ has got a dog. His name is Roko. Yesterday his right eye looks/ looked strange. It was/ were very small and red. Roko was/ were depressed. I take/ took him to the vet. We wait/ waited in the waiting room. … (BT)

(5) Listening subtest

Item (text – not provided):
When stopped by the police, how ids the motorist advised to behave?
a) He should say nothing until he has seen the lawyer.
b) He should give only what additional information the law requires.
c) He should say only what the law requires.
d) He should in no circumstances say anything.
(Hughes, 1989)

(6) Reading subtest

Item:
iv) There is a wrong recipe in the text. Which is it and what are the wrong ingredients? Try to give the correct version of the recipe.
................................................................................................ (PM)

Text extract:
The ‘shopska’ salad is a Bulgarian institution and includes tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, green peppers and industrial amounts of feta cheese. ‘Ovcharska’ and ‘Selska’ salads are even better if not so popular. Be brave and try the surreal cold soup ‘tarator’, made out of yoghurt, water, cucumbers, parsley, salt and olive oil! I know it sounds rather insane but the taste is surprisingly good. Some of the best Bulgarian dishes include ‘guvetche’, ‘kavarma’ and the local version of ‘musaka’. Be prepared for a lot of feat cheeses, potatoes and pork. Most food is organic, very tasty, richj and the prices are comically low.’ (Internet, anonymous American)

(7) Listening subtest

Item: 3. Where is the National Gallery situated? (EK)

Materials: a passage about a visit to London, map of central London


(8) Grammar subtest

Complete the sentences with used to…
1. The baby doesn’t cry so much now but she .............. every night.
2. She .............. my best friend but we aren’t friends any longer.
3. We live in Sofia now but we .............. in Plovdiv.
... (TN)

(9) Reading subtest

Item:
1. Where in New Zealand could you find the cheapest accommodation?
a) in a hotel b) in a youth hostel c) in a private hotel d) in an inn
(RH)

Text extract:
Where in New Zealand could you find a night’s accommodation for only $10 NZ, and share dinner with a friendly crowd from around the world?
In any one of New Zealand’s 60 plus youth hostels. (Hughes, 1989:132)

(10) Reading subtest

Item:
4. At Mt Cook you can:
A) climb B) go for a walk C) none of A and B D) both A and B (DV)

Text extract:
Further North, at Mt Cook, the Youth Hostel Association’s biggest ever project is under way. The present hostel, usually bulging at the seams, is being replaced with a large specially designed hostel, which will soon be opening.
As New Zealand’s tallest mountain, Mt Cook is a major tourist attraction, but you don’t need to be a climber to enjoy the park. Rangers can suggest a wide range of walks that open up the alpine world – massive glacier moraines, icy streams, and tiny alpine plants. (Hughes, 1989:132)

Да обобщим:
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А сега - опитайте и вие!
Съставете 12 тестови задачи към текста за новозеландските общежития (Hughes, 1989:132), който ще намерите в приложението. Опитайте се да включите разнообразие от тестови формати (не само от типа многовариантен избор). Приятни занимания! 


Използвана литература:
Alderson, J. C., Clapham, C., Wall, D. (1995), Language Test Construction and Evaluation, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Atkins, J., Banteyerga, H., Mahammed, N. (1996), Skills Development Methodology, Addis Ababa University
Hughes, A. (1989 & 2003), Testing for Language Teachers, 1 & 2nd edition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Madsen, H. (1983), Techniques in Testing, Oxford: Oxford University Press
www.CambridgeESOL.org
Симеонова, Й. (2010), Технология на урока, в „Чуждоезиково обучение“, бр. 2, София: МОМН
Ташевска, С. (2008), Добър ли е тестът ми?, в материалите от конференцията “Тестиране и оценяване – смисъл и практики”, Българска асоциация по четене
Ташевска, С., екстракти от непубликувани курсови работи към мои курсове в НБУ




Приложение

NEW ZEALAND YOUTH HOSTELS


Where in New Zealand could you find a night’s accommodation for only $10 NZ, and share dinner with a friendly crowd from around the world?

In any one of New Zealand’s 60 plus youth hostels!

Meeting people is a highlight of any trip, and the communal hostel atmosphere is just the place to meet fellow travelers. On a typical night you’ll find Australians, Canadians, British, Americans, Germans, Danes, and Japanese, and, of course, some New Zealanders at a hostel. Many are making the trip of a lifetime after study, while others are on their third or fourth holiday in New Zealand.

Still others, like Don and Jean Cameron from South Australia, are on a “retirement” holiday, three months motorcycling the South Island. I met up with Don and Jean last summer at the Queenstown hostel. “Our friends thought we were mad” laughed Jean, “but we find the hostels very comfortable, and we’ve met so many interesting people that we’ll have to make a world trip next year just to see them all!”

SPECTACULAR

The Queenstown hostel is tucked onto the shoreline of Lake Wakatipu, with spectacular views across to the rugged Remarkable Mountains. This busy tourist town is the centre for both leisurely and adventurous activities – from a cruise on the historic steamer Earnslaw and visit to a working sheep-station, to fast and furious white water rafting on the Kawarau and Shotover Rivers.

Further North, at Mt Cook, the Youth Hostel Association’s biggest ever project is under way. The present hostel, usually bulging at the seams, is being replaced with a large specially designed hostel, which will soon be opening.
As New Zealand’s tallest mountain, Mt Cook is a major tourist attraction, but you don’t need to be a climber to enjoy the park. Rangers can suggest a wide range of walks that open up the alpine world – massive glacier moraines, icy streams, and tiny alpine plants.

WAFFLES

Across the Southern Alps, Westland NationalPark offers quite a different experience. The Franz Josef and Fox glaciers, centre-pieces of this spectacular area, plunge down from the main divide through Westland’s luxuriant forest to only a few hundred metres above sea level.

A short car ride form the Franz Josef glacier is one of New Zealand’s nicest hostels. The manager is renowned for cooking up the best ever waffles and ice cream as an after-dinner treat. They’re guaranteed to put back the calories you took off walking up to the glacier lookout, or on a forest or lakeside ramble.

The South Island mountains and lakes are a favourite of mine, but whatever your holiday plans you’ll find youth hostels there. Prefer a lazy-beach stay with sun-bathing, swimming, sailing, or scuba diving? With a coastline of 10,000 km, the choice is yours!

The Bay of Islands (north of Auckland) has long been a mecca for all of the sea sports. Two hostels serve the Bay – one at the historic township of Kerikeri, the other on the Whangaroa Harbour. A boat charter company offers KErikeri hostellers a special discount – a whole day out on a sailing boat for around $30 NZ per person.

Whangaroa’s sheltered harbour, sub-tropical bush, and a comfortable hostel with superb harbour view make for a perfect break. After a lazy day on a cruise, and trying our hand at fishing, a group of us headed down to the local hotel for a freshly caught seafood dinner – some of the ones that didn’t get away.

If the world of bubbling hot pools and soaring geysers is more your scene, then a stop in Rotorua is a must. The Rotorua hostel is right in the middle of town, just an easy walk to Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve and the hot pools. For longer trips hire a bicycle from the hostel, or use any of the wide range of bus tours to see the area.

The hostel network hasn’t forgottrn the major cities. Auckland has an inner-city and a suburban hostel, as well as two island hideaways. Wellington, the capital and transport centre of the country, has an inner-city hostel; while Christchurch boasts a stately home hostel as well as a downtown base. Dunredin, the Scottish city of the south, has one of the grandest of all – with small bedrooms and three living-rooms.

Whether you’re in New Zealand for a short stopover, or here for several months, hostels will stretch your travel funds much further. Hostels aren’t luxury hotels, but they do provide simple, comfortable accommodation with good kitchen, laundry and bathroom facilities. Kitchens are well equipped, all you need supply is the food. Many hostels have a small shop, too, selling meal-sized portions of food.

For further information about New Zealand youth hostels, write to Youth Hostel Association National Office, PO Box 436, Christchurch, New Zealand.