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1.writing(30 minutes) there are two topics, you choose one to write.
2.Listening(25 minutes) 50 items
3.Grammar, Cloze, Vocabulary, Reading(75 minutes)
Grammar-30 items, Cloze-20 items,Vocabulary-30 items, Reading-20 items
http://www.lsa.umich.edu/eli/melab%20content.htm
MELAB CONTENT
The content of the test is aimed toward the level of English a student might encounter in an American university setting. On the listening test, the speakers use standard American English at a normal rate of delivery. The grammar items on the test focus on control of forms and structures of English which people might use when talking with each other. The vocabulary words tested are those frequently encountered in written sources. The reading comprehension passages, on a variety of subjects, are taken from books and magazines.
The test consists of 3 required parts (composition, listening, grammar/cloze/vocabulary/reading) and one optional part (speaking test). The entire test takes from 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours, including check-in procedures. Following is a detailed description of each part.
Part 1: Composition
The time limit for the composition is 30 minutes. The examiner will give you a form with instructions and two topics on it. You must write on only one of the two topics. If you write about something else, your composition paper will not be graded, and you cannot be given a final score. You may be asked to give your opinion of something and explain why you believe this, to describe something from your experience, or to explain a problem and offer possible solutions.
You should write at least one page. Most MELAB compositions are one or two pages long (about 200-300 words). If your paper is extremely short (less than 150 words), your composition will be given a lower score.
Before you begin writing, you might want to take 2 or 3 minutes to plan your composition and to make a short outline to organize your thoughts. Such outlines will not be graded; they are only to help you. You should use the last 5 minutes to read through your composition and to make changes or corrections.
You will not be graded on penmanship, but be sure your handwriting is legible. You may make any changes or corrections in the body of the composition. Do not copy your composition over. You may write with either pen or pencil.
Your composition will be graded on how clearly you express yourself in English, and on the range of English you are able to use, and your control in doing so. This means your composition should be well organized, your arguments should be fully developed, and you should show a range of grammatical structures and broad vocabulary. Compositions that consist only of very short sentences and very simple vocabulary cannot be given the highest scores. If errors are not frequent and if they do not confuse your meaning, they will not lower your score very much.
Part 2: Listening
The listening portion of the test is a multiple-choice tape-recorded segment containing 50 questions. It lasts about 25 minutes. The examiner will play the instructions and examples on the tape recording, then pause to answer questions, and if necessary, repeat examples or make sound adjustments. Then the examiner will continue the tape recording. It will not be stopped again until the end of the test.
You will be given a test booklet and answer sheet. You will listen to the problems on the tape recording, read the answer choices in the test booklet, and mark your answers on the separate answer sheet. Do NOT make any marks in the test booklet!
For each problem in this part of the test, there are three answer choices. Choose the best answer. Only one is correct. If you are not sure about an answer, you should guess.
There are several kinds of problems. Some are short sentences. In the short sentence problems, you will be asked a question, you will hear a statement, or you will hear a sentence spoken with special emphasis. Here are examples of the short sentence problems.
Example 1 You will hear a question. You should choose, from the 3 answers printed in your test booklet, a reasonable answer to the question you heard.
You hear: When's she going on vacation?
You read: a. last week
b. to England
c. tomorrow
The correct answer is c, tomorrow.
Example 2 You will hear a statement. You should choose, from the 3 answer choices printed in your test booklet, the one that means about the same thing as what you heard.
You hear: That movie was pretty bad.
You read: a. It was good.
b. It wasn't good.
c. It wasn't beautiful.
The correct answer is b, it wasn't good.
Example 3 You will hear a question or statement spoken in a certain way, with special emphasis. The emphasis might be a stressed word, or a pause before or after the word. In one kind of emphasis problem, you should choose the answer that tells what the speaker would probably say next.
You hear: I need the small red cup,
You read: a. not the big one.
b. not the green one.
c. not the plate.
The correct answer is a, not the big one, because the size of the object (the cup) was emphasized, not its color, and not what it was.
Example 4 This is an emphasis type of question. You will hear a question with an emphasized word. You should choose the answer that would be an appropriate response to the question.
You hear: Do you have John's keys?
You read: a. No, but Jane does.
b. No, I have Jim's.
c. No, only his bags.
The correct answer is c, No only his bags, because the word keys was emphasized, rather than the name of the person who had the keys or owned the keys.
In the last half of the Listening Test, you will hear a lecture and a conversation. The lecture and conversation will discuss graphs or charts which are printed on your answer sheet. You will be able to take notes about the lecture and conversation as you listen to them, and you can label and mark the graph or chart. You must write all your notes on the answer sheet. After each is finished, you will be asked questions about them. You may refer to your notes to answer the questions. The answer choices will be printed in your test booklet. You will not be graded on your notes for this part of the test; only your answer choices will be graded. Do NOT try to take notes on a separate piece of paper, as the examiner might think you are cheating. Write all your notes on the answer sheet.
Part 3: Grammar, Cloze, Vocabulary, Reading
This test usually contains 100 questions: 30 grammar, 20 cloze, 30 vocabulary, and 20 reading. The time limit for the 100 question test is 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes). Sometimes a longer version containing experimental items will be given. If a longer test is given, the time limit will be extended proportionally. The experimental items are not used to determine the candidate’s test score.
For each question in this part of the test, there are four answer choices. Choose the best answer. Only one is correct. If you are not sure about an answer, you should guess.
Here are examples of each kind of question.
Grammar
Choose the word or phrase that correctly completes the conversation.
Example 1
"What is that thing?"
"That _____ a spider."
a. to call
b. for calling
c. be called
d. is called
The correct answer is d, is called.
Cloze
You will read a passage from which some words have been removed (taken out). You should choose, from the 4 answer choices given, the word which fits the passage in both grammar and meaning. Skim through the passage quickly to get the main idea before you try to choose the correct word for each blank.
Examples 2 and 3
Long ago roads were only trails for people or animals to walk on, but today roads must be made for cars, trucks, and buses. The most modern (2) is often called a superhighway. This (3) the best road engineers can build.
2. a. way c. travel
b. road d. superhighway
3. a. road c. is
b. was d. makes
The correct answer for Example 2 is choice b, and for Example 3 it is c.
Vocabulary
In the first type of vocabulary question, you are given a sentence with an underlined word or phrase. You should choose the word or phrase that is a synonym for (means about the same thing as) the underlined word or phrase. In the second type of vocabulary question, you will read a sentence with a word missing. You should choose the word, from the 4 answer choices given, that best fits the sentence in meaning.
Example 4
When the boat left everyone was very joyful.
a. sad
b. tired
c. angry
d. happy
Example 5
Don't leave by this door; take the other _____.
a. departure
b. relay
c. exit
d. outline
The correct answer for Example 4 is choice d, and for Example 5 it is c.
Reading
Read the passage, and then answer comprehension questions about it. All the information to answer the questions will be in the passage.
While I was getting ready to go to town one morning last week, my wife handed me a little piece of red cloth and asked if I would have time during the day to buy her two yards of cloth like that. I told her I would be glad to do it. And putting the piece of cloth into my pocket, I took the train to town.
Example 6
The person telling the story is . . .
a. a married lady.
b. an unmarried lady.
c. a married man.
d. an unmarried man.
Optional Speaking Test
You will have a 10-15 minute conversation with the local examiner, who will rate your overall communicative language proficiency. The examiner will consider your fluency and intelligibility, your grammar and vocabulary, and your comprehension. Your functional language use, or sociolinguistic proficiency will also be considered. The examiner will ask you questions about your background, your future plans, and your opinions on certain issues. The examiner might ask you to explain or describe in detail something about your field of specialization. You should try to give more than simple "yes" or "no" answers to the examiner's questions. If you do not understand a question, do not be afraid to ask the examiner to repeat or rephrase it. You must bring a blank cassette tape to the test so that the speaking test can be recorded. | 
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发表于 2005-10-25 03:01:00
