四六级考试将成历史? 教育部制定统一国家英语能力等级考试体系

Most college students in China have to take part in CET-4 and CET-6 tests.

在中国，大部分大学生都要参加四六级考试。

But in the near future, the tests will become history,

但在不久的将来，这些考试将成为历史。

Since the Ministry of Education is now drafting a unified national English proficiency testing and *rating system and is preparing the corresponding exams.

教育部现在正在制定统一的国家英语能力等级考试体系，并准备与之配套的试题。

This month, during a language testing conference held in Hangzhou, Lin Huiqing, vice-minister of education, announced that the draft of the rating system will be officially released next year, and the national tests will be carried out step by step before 2020.

本月，在一场在杭州召开的语言测试研讨会上，教育部副部长林蕙青宣布，等级体系的草案将于明年正式对外公布，而国家考试将于2020年前逐步推出。

The conference also introduced the new system’s grading level, which will range from a low to a high, with nine grades in total.

会上还介绍了新体系的等级量表，共包含了从低到高的九个等级。

Each grade has its own requirements for language skills, including listening, speaking, reading, writing, translating and interpreting.

每一等级对听、说、读、写、译等语言技能都有不同的要求。

This new system, as well as the exam, will provide Chinese students with a much more clear vision throughout their process of learning English, as it provides a consistent standard for all English learners from primary school to university, according to Tang Jing, an English teacher from the domestic test preparation division of the New Oriental Education and Technology Group.

新东方教育科技集团国内考试部的英语老师唐静认为，这一新体系及其配套测试为所有的英语学习者提供了一个从小学到大学的连贯标准，能让中国学生对自身的英语学习进程有一个更为清晰的认知。

Tang explained that currently in China, there are numerous national English tests – including CET, TEM (Test for English Majors), PETS (Public English Test System), and NETEM (National Entrance Test of English for MA/MS Candidates).

唐静还进一步解释道，中国现今有多个全国英语考试 —— 如大学四六级 (CET)、英语专业考试 (TEM)、全国英语等级考试 (PETS) 以及全国硕士研究生入学英语考试 (NETEM) 等。

He added that without a *coherent and orderly standard, students sometimes have to take several different tests in order to meet various needs, whether for academic performance at school, a higher education application or for job hunting or promotion.

但由于没有一个连贯有序的标准，有时，为了满足证明学术水平、申请高等教育、求职晋升等各式各样的要求，学生们不得不参加好几种不同的考试。

The system also means more opportunities for non-English major students.

对于非英语专业的学生来说，这一新体系也意味着更多的机会。

Su Hengyao, 25, a graduate student majoring in law at Beijing Normal University, has passed the CET-6 and wants to take the TEM-8, but because of her non-English major, she hasn’t had the opportunity.

25岁的北京师范大学法律研究生苏恒瑶已经通过了大学六级考试。她想要参加专八考试，却由于其并非英语专业学生，而被这一考试拒之门外。

With this new system, I think I’ll be able to take the same level of tests as English major students, she said.

在新体系下，我想我也能和英语专业的学生们参加同一等级的考试了，她说道。

In addition, the system will also make it easier for teachers, employers and other English learners in China to judge their English levels, He Lianzhen, director of Zhejiang University’s School of International Studies, told Qianjiang Evening News.

浙江大学外国语言文化与国际交流学院院长何莲珍在接受《钱江晚报》采访时表示，该体系也更便于国内的教师、雇主以及其他的英语学习者判断自身的英语水平。

Whenever people ask me about my English proficiency, I could only say ‘just so so’, said Lin Jialun, 24, an engineer at a State-owned enterprise.

每当人们问我英语水平时，我只能说‘一般般吧’，现年24岁的国企工程师林嘉伦说道。

But I think after this national rating system is *implemented, I could take the test of a certain level and tell others that my English language ability is at a specific level.

但我认为，在这一国家等级体系推行后，我可以去参加某一等级的考试，并告诉别人我的英文水平具体在哪个级别。

However, Tang also noted that for those who already have CET certificates or are now *cramming for next month’s CET-4 and CET-6, there’s no need to worry about the effectiveness of the tests’ results.

而唐静也指出，已经拿到四六级证书，或是正在为下个月的四六级考试临阵磨枪的同学们也完全不必担心考试结果的有效性。

I believe that the certificates gained before the *unified rating system will still be acknowledged by the country for a long time, he said.

我相信，统一等级体系推行前所获得的四六级证书将在国内长期有效，他说道。