【简介】

This volume presents an authoritative account of academic language proficiency testing in the UK. It chronicles the early development and use of the English Proficiency Test Battery (EPTB) in the 1960s, followed by the creation and implementation of the revolutionary English Language Testing Service(ELTS)in the 1970s and 1980s, and the introduction of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) in 1989.

Alan Davies charts the emergence of language testing as a self-standing discipline with its own theories and procedures. He describes the initial emphasis on grammar, the later shift to a concern for real life, and the more recent focus on features of language use. He reconsiders the notion and nature of specific purpose testing, drawing implications for our current understanding of academic language proficiency and setting out criteria against which to evaluate tests of academic English.

Key features of the book include:

·a coherent socio-cultural analysis of the changes in language testing and an explanation of why history matters as much in this field as elsewhere

·a comprehensive discussion of the significant factors which impact on language test design, development, implementation and revision

·historical documents relating to the language tests discussed in the volume, including facsimile copies of original test versions

This volume will be of interest to language test developers and policy-makers, especially those keen to understand language tests within their historical and socio-cultural context. It will also be relevant to teachers, lecturers and researchers interested in assessing English for Academic Purposes(EAP)and in the role played by ELTS and IELTS.

【出版说明】

语言测试作为语言教学的重要组成部分，一直是社会关注的焦点。近年来，我国学术界对语言测试研究的关注也在逐渐升温。国际上，学者们对语言测试的研究已经达到较高的水平，无论是从理论框架的形成到复杂数学模型的建构及其应用方面都取得了实质性的进展，而且在对有国际影响力的外语考试（如雅思、托福等）的信度、效度的研究方面也取得了不俗的成果，出版了不少优秀的著作。

英国剑桥大学出版社出版的‘Studies in Language Testing”是其中较有影响力的系列之一。丛书由剑桥语言测评中心策划推出，从测试领域的各个研究视角入手，展示了该领域研究的设计、数据收集和数据分析等环节的基础理论与实践操作，反映了测试领域的最新研究动态。

外教社从中精选9种，引进出版。这些图书中，有对语言测试听说读写等方面的效度和质性研究，也有对测试反拨效应及其对教学影响的研究，还有对雅思考试和欧洲语言共同参考框架的分析思考。希望丛书的出版可以为我国语言测试研究领域的发展和创新提供具有借鉴意义的启示，打开更广阔的研究思路。

Acknowledgements

Series Editors note

Abbreviations

1 The 1950s and 1960s: the English Proficiency Test Battery 

2 Communicative interlude: the story of ELTS

3 Retreat from revolution: 1981-87

4 The ELTS revision plan: 1987-89

5 The development of IELTS-a pragmatic compromise 

Appendices

1. 1 Chronological overview of the history of academic English assessment and the development

 of ELTS/IELTS

2.1 English Proficiency Test Battery(EPTB)-British Council Information Leaflet

2.2 English Proficiency Test Battery(EPTB)-Short Version Form A, 1964-Part 1 and Part 2

2.3 English Proficiency Test Battery(EPTB)-Short Version Form A, 1964-Scoring Instructions

3.1 A Communication Needs Profile of Overseas Undergraduate Students in UK, 1977

3.2 Example of Content Specification and Item Analysis for the ELTS test MI (Social Studies): Mark II Version

4.1 English Language Testing Service(ELTS) Specifications, 1978

4.2 Notes on the English Language Testing Service(ELTS), 1976-80 supplied by Brendan J Carroll, 18 August 2004

5.1 Notes to Registrars and Secretaries, 1979

6.1 ELTS Specimen Materials Booklet

6.2 Versions of ELTS, 1980

6.3 ELTS Administrators Manual, 1986

7.1 Introduction to ELTS Validation Report, 1(ii)by Hughes, Porter and Weir, 1988

8. 1 English Language Battery (ELBA)

9.1 Test of English for Educational Purposes(TEEP) 

10.1 ELTS Revision-Specifications for M (Physical Science and Technology), 1989

11. 1 Proposed Structure of IELTS Tests, 1989

12. 1 An Introduction to IELTS. 1989

12.2 IELTS User Handbook. 1989

12.3 Versions of IELTS. 1989

Bibliography

Index