National English Proficiency Test Textbook (Level 2)

Author: Liu Jie
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: The National English Proficiency Test (NEPT) system is a series of exams designed and developed by the National Education Examination Center. The PETS exam is open to the public and consists of five levels. Its purpose is to reasonably set the evaluation standards for each level based on China's actual English teaching and the needs of social development, using the same ability scale. It focuses on testing listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, ensuring the equivalence of exam scores across different sessions at the same level. Gradually, it connects with (admission to higher education), (going abroad), and self-study exams, making exam scores more versatile in use. PETS Level 5 is the highest level among the five, with standards equivalent to the level of English proficiency expected at the end of the second year of an English major in China. Candidates who pass this level have English skills that generally meet the requirements for pursuing a master's degree abroad or conducting academic research. This level of English also meets the basic needs for professional and managerial work in both China and abroad. This textbook contains 15 chapters, each covering a communicative topic. The first page of each chapter briefly describes the expected English communicative level for PETS Level 2 candidates within that chapter (communicative topic). Each chapter is divided into 2 units, covering parts of the communicative situations related to the topic. The textbook has 30 units in total, each including:
1. Dialogues: Based on each communicative topic, several dialogue materials are provided. The dialogues are realistic and linguistically natural, aiming to train candidates' listening and speaking skills. Each dialogue is preceded by one or two sentences that set the context, helping candidates understand the dialogue.
2. Texts: The texts are reading materials that reflect the topic. Each unit includes one text related to the main topic of the unit, with a length of about 300 words and difficulty roughly equivalent to Level 2. The purpose is to train and improve candidates' reading comprehension. Each text is followed by 5 questions to help candidates assess their understanding.
3. Words and Phrases: Words and phrases are newly introduced vocabulary from the dialogues and texts, summarized in the order they appear, including the international phonetic alphabet, part of speech, Chinese definitions for words, and Chinese definitions for phrases.
4. Notes: The notes address the dialogues and texts, covering two aspects: first, highlighting difficulties in grammar and vocabulary; second, providing grammatical analysis and examples for complex sentences, language points, and key knowledge, aiming to train candidates' ability to flexibly use language.
5. Exercises: The exercises are designed based on the topics and key content of each unit, allowing candidates to assess their learning progress. The question types align with the exam syllabus to help candidates prepare for the PETS Level 2 exam.
6. Supplementary Readings: To help candidates gain a deeper understanding of the topics and improve their reading skills, a supplementary reading is provided after each unit.
The textbook concludes with 8 appendices, including: (1) Communicative Topics Table; (2) Functions and Notions Table; (3) Grammar Topics Table; (4) Language Skills Table; (5) Text Questions Answers; (6) Listening Exercise Scripts; (7) After-Class Exercise Answers; (8) Vocabulary and Phrases Summary.
The accompanying MP3CD includes recordings of dialogues, texts, new words, after-class listening exercises, and supplementary reading materials, which can be played on computers, MP3-enabled CD players, VCD players, and DVD players.