The English Proficiency of College and University Students in China: As Reflected in the CET

Abstract

Abstract The College English Test (CET), designed in accordance with the requirements of the National College English Teaching Syllabus and as a result of the need for China's reform and its open-door policy in the 1980s, is the world's largest language test administered nationwide. Owing to its scientific approach, consistent marking, rigorous administration and comparable scores, the CET, now well-established as a large-scale standardised EFL test, is held in high esteem by language testers and teachers inside and outside China and well received by the public. This paper begins with a review of the CET from the perspective of its development, score interpretation and test validation. The paper moves on to an in-depth analysis of the test content, test format, and candidates' performances on each component with a view to presenting readers with an overview of the proficiency of the CET test-takers. The paper then discusses the issue of reform of the CET as a response to the pressing social need for college and university graduates with a stronger communicative competence in English. After a brief analysis of the challenges facing the CET, the paper concludes with a section on the way forward for the CET to meet the ever-changing needs of society. Keywords: The College English Test (CET)large-scale standardised testEnglish proficiencyChinese college and university students