VOA慢速英语: 托福or雅思？试比较各种考试的不同

International students and workers must take astandardized test of English to move into higher levels of education andemployment. There are three popular tests that universities or employers canuse. They are the Test of English as a Foreign Language, TOEFL, the Test ofEnglish for International Communication, TOEIC, and the International EnglishLanguage Testing System, IELTS.

In most cases, the choice is clear. A student applying to a school learns whichtest the program requires. However, some programs or universities willaccept scores from any of the international tests of English. Then, a studentmay choose which test to take.

The TOEIC tests workplace communication

The Educational Testing Service, ETS, in Princeton, New Jersey, developsand administers both the TOEFL and the TOEIC. It says the TOEICmeasures the everyday English skills of people working in an internationalenvironment.

The TOEIC test started in the 1970s. The Japanese Ministry of InternationalTrade and Industry asked ETS to develop a test for corporations to use. Theywanted to know if non-native English speakers could carry out business inEnglish.

The TOEIC is based on English used in the workplace. But the test does notrequire knowledge of special business words. The questions come from realsituations like attending a company meeting.

Organizations sometimes use the TOEIC to measure progress in Englishtraining programs. They also use it to consider people for placement at theright level in language programs. ETS says that 14,000 organizations in 150countries use the TOEIC.

The TOEFL tests English used in the classroom

There are several versions of the TOEFL.

Students take the Internet-based TOEFL, or TOEFL IBT, on a computer. ManyU.S. universities require the TOEFL IBT for international student admissions.

Another TOEFL is the paper-based TOEFL, or TOEFL ITP. It is part of ETS’sinstitutional testing program. TOEFL ITP is used within institutions for thepurpose of placement or to evaluate progress of students. It is not acceptedfor entrance to universities.

For young English learners, there are two new TOEFL tests. The TOEFLJunior Test is for young people between 11 and 15 years old. And the TOEFLPrimary Test is for those over the age of eight.

IELTS tests academic and general language skills

The IELTS has two forms. The Listening and Speaking sections are thesame for both forms. In the Reading and Writing sections, however, there aretwo different tests.

The Academic IELTS uses topics and materials covered in undergraduate,graduate, or professional programs.

The General IELTS uses topics and material from everyday books,newspapers and magazines.

A student's view of the tests

Triwik Kurniasari is a graduate student at an American university. She hastaken both the IBT and ITP forms of the TOEFL and the IELTS.

She says the paper-based, or institutional test, the TOEFL ITP, is easier. TheITP is similar to the multiple-choice tests students usually take.

A major difference between the TOEFL IBT and the IELTS is in the Speakingsection. On the IELTS, you have a face-to-face interview with a certifiedexaminer. On the TOEFL IBT, you listen to a situation and record yourresponse using a computer.

Ms. Kurniasari explains why the computer-based Speaking section of theTOEFL IBT was difficult for her.

"For the TOEFL IBT, it's more challenging because I have to speak with acomputer, basically, and I didn't get the meet the real person who talked withme. I remember there were twenty or thirty people in the room. The hardestpart is the speaking test because when I was about to speak, and the personnext to me also started to speak, then somehow I lost concentration because Icould hear what she or he said during the speaking test."

On the other hand, talking to a real person one-on-one during the IELTS waseasier for Ms. Kurniasari.

"For the ILETS test, it requires a speaking test, but I get to meet the realperson. It was just like a regular conversation so it's much more comfortableand easier for me because I got to meet the person face to face, so I think theTOEFL IBT is much more challenging."

Listening and responding to class discussions

Another difference between the TOEFL IBT and IELTS is the Listeningsection. The IELTS Listening section has four recorded monologues orconversations. The TOEFL IBT has classroom lectures by teachers andclass discussions by students.

Ms. Kurniasari finds the TOEFL IBT classroom lectures and discussionsharder to follow.

"Sometimes they use idioms too, to share their ideas or thoughts and wereally have to know the meaning of the idioms. I think the TOEFL IBT is muchmore difficult than IELTS, especially the class discussion and when thelecturer explains the lesson in a class.”

Her advice is to focus and take notes as much as possible.

"We have to really concentrate, focus, of course we can take notes, butsomehow it's just too fast, and somehow you cannot really memorize thethings that they've said."

Prepare well in advance of the test

Triwik Kurniasari’s strategy for success is to study, study and study.

“If you want to take any kind of test, make sure that you have enough time toprepare for it. I usually try to prepare myself at least two months prior to thetest just to allow myself to get used to the test and to study for the test.”

She also recommends using books rather than free online test materials. Aftergetting a low score the first time she took the TOEFL IBT, she spent themoney on study books for the tests.

“I decided to study harder and buy some books, even though they'reexpensive but since I wanted to get good scores… For me, books are muchmore effective than studying for instance, from samples on the Internet,because with the books I can go back and forth and take some notes.”

To practice for the Listening sections of the tests, she says students shouldlisten to native speakers from more than one country.

"For listening try to listen to native speakers speaking on the radio, TV, on VOA, of course. I think the hardest part about IELTS is the accent becausethey use mostly British accent. I need to get used to the British accent.Sometimes they use Australian accent. And I'm not really familiar with theAustralian accent."

Finally, our student's last word of advice is one that your mother wouldprobably give you – be rested and well fed.

"During the test you need to focus and concentrate. Before the test, makesure you get a good sleep. Make sure that you have breakfast!"

And that's the Education Report.

I’m Jill Robbins.

Dr. Jill Robbins wrote this story for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

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Words in This Story

section– n. one of the parts that form something

response– n. something that is said or written as a reply to something

challenging– adj. difficult in a way that is usually interesting or enjoyable

respond– v. to say or write something as an answer to a question or request

monologue – n. a long speech given by a character in a story, movie, play,etc., or by a performer

concentrate – v. to think about something; to give your attention to the thingyou are doing, reading, etc.