Self-taught Examination Public English (Undergraduate) Syllabus Vocabulary Manual - (2nd Edition)

Author: Ji Fei, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-04-01
Features: This vocabulary manual is based on the "Outline for the Public English (Part II) Examination of the National Self-Tuition Examination" (Undergraduate Level) issued by the National Self-Tuition Examination Guidance Committee. It includes over 4,200 commonly used vocabulary words for the self-tuition examination and more than 800 fixed collocations, phrases, and idiomatic expressions. The vocabulary is sourced from the word list in the "Outline for the Public English (Part II) Examination of the National Self-Tuition Examination" (Undergraduate Level), while also referencing past self-tuition examination questions in English. This ensures scientific rigor, authority, and relevance, helping candidates deepen their understanding of the exam content, systematically review vocabulary, and effectively improve their exam performance. Each word is marked with phonetic symbols, lists irregular forms of verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs, and indicates whether nouns are countable or uncountable, making it convenient for readers to study and use. The manual is organized in a clear and simple manner, especially suitable for candidates to systematically memorize and learn vocabulary. The primary target audience is candidates preparing for the Public English (Part II) Examination of the National Self-Tuition Examination.
[Preface] Since the implementation of various English examinations, such as the College Entrance English Examination, College English Test, Graduate Entrance English Examination, MBA Entrance English Examination, and Self-Tuition Examination, the National English Examination Committees under the leadership of the Ministry of Education and relevant government agencies have consistently emphasized that English examinations are teaching and learning assessments or achievement tests at the foundational stage of education. They must adhere to the correct direction of serving teaching and learning, promoting the implementation of teaching and learning curricula and examination outlines, and enhancing practical English proficiency. Exam content should not only assess language knowledge but also language skills, particularly the practical application of English, especially in the use of vocabulary. Teaching English fundamentals, strengthening basic language skills, and cultivating students' practical English abilities, logical thinking, and independent work skills are the fundamental tasks of English teaching and learning. Therefore, English teaching and learning must revolve around this central objective.
Teaching and learning are fundamental and essential, while examinations are merely a component of this systematic engineering. Examinations themselves are not the goal but rather auxiliary tools for assessing and promoting teaching and learning. They must serve teaching and learning. Currently, some institutions still engage in "exam-oriented teaching," where teaching revolves around exams, teaching substitutes for learning, blind competition, and a narrow pursuit of pass rates and high scores, disrupting normal teaching order. These practices are misguided and unacceptable. Instead, we should strengthen students' quality education, resist and discard exam-oriented teaching, and encourage teachers to focus their efforts on improving classroom teaching quality and students to concentrate on mastering English knowledge, practicing basic language skills, and acquiring practical English abilities, especially the ability to use English vocabulary. Only in this way can we achieve English teaching goals, and students can perform well in exams based on their knowledge, skills, and qualities.
Similarly, for other types of achievement or selection examinations, the Ministry of Education has clearly stipulated that the primary focus is on assessing candidates' English fundamentals, with emphasis on practical English proficiency. Vocabulary is the foundation of English learning, and the size of vocabulary is one of the basic standards for measuring English proficiency. It holds the most crucial position in various English examinations. From recent years' English examinations of different types and levels, it is evident that the corresponding examination outlines have specific requirements for vocabulary, which is the foundation and the most critical aspect of English learning and exams. Currently, most books on vocabulary for English examinations in the market are written with a focus on exam preparation, often misguiding candidates by either exceeding the exam outline or providing superficial coverage.
To better serve teaching and learning through examinations, to help students correctly align teaching, learning, and exams, and to improve their practical English skills, we have decided to compile learning guides for examination vocabulary for various English exams. These guides aim to help teachers and candidates deepen their understanding of the vocabulary in the examination outlines. To help candidates understand different types of English examinations, relevant organizations or institutions have formulated corresponding English teaching or examination outlines, such as the "Outline for Junior High School English Teaching," "Outline for Undergraduate Promotion English Examination," "Outline for MBA English Examination," "Outline for College English Teaching," and "Outline for National Master's Entrance English Examination." Each outline specifies the corresponding vocabulary list for the exam. In addition to helping candidates prepare for exams, the vocabulary lists in the outlines are also primarily used by teachers when compiling teaching materials and organizing instruction. However, the annotations in the vocabulary lists are relatively simple, sometimes lacking annotations or phonetic symbols, and the formatting does not fully meet students' needs for learning English.
To address these issues, we have compiled this series of books based on students' characteristics and needs in learning English, while also referencing the examination outlines and corresponding test questions. These guides aim to help candidates review vocabulary with precision, thereby solidly improving their exam performance in English vocabulary. The authors of this series are all young teachers from the frontline of English teaching and research, who are the backbone of their respective teaching and research positions. Some of them have directly participated in the formulation or revision of the outlines. They possess extensive teaching experience and a keen insight into the current state of English teaching in China, representing the direction of English teaching reform.