National English Proficiency Test Textbook: Level 2

Author: Liu Jie, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not Available
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 social development needs, 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 admissions, study abroad, and self-study exams, making exam scores more versatile in their application. PETS Level 5 is the highest level among the five, with standards equivalent to the level of English proficiency expected upon completing 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 is also sufficient for their basic professional and managerial needs both domestically and internationally.
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 scenarios related to the topic.
The textbook includes 30 units, each consisting of the following components:
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. Passages: These are reading materials that reflect the topic. Each unit includes a passage related to the main topic, 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 passage is followed by 5 questions to help candidates assess their understanding.
3. Vocabulary and Phrases: These are new words and phrases introduced in the dialogues and passages, summarized in the order they appear. They include the international phonetic alphabet, part of speech, Chinese definitions for words and phrases.
4. Notes: These target the dialogues and passages, covering two aspects: first, highlighting difficulties in grammar and vocabulary; second, analyzing complex sentences, explaining linguistic points and key knowledge with examples, aiming to train candidates in flexible language application.
5. Exercises: Designed for each unit's topic and key content, these allow 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 provide deeper insights into the topics and improve reading skills, a supplementary reading is included at the end of each unit.
At the end of the textbook, there are 8 appendices, including:
(1) Communicative Topics Table;
(2) Functions and Notions Table;
(3) Grammar Topics Table;
(4) Language Skills Table;
(5) Passage Questions Answers;
(6) Listening Exercise Scripts;
(7) After-Class Exercise Answers;
(8) Vocabulary and Phrases Summary.
The accompanying MP3 CD includes recordings of dialogues, passages, new words, after-class listening exercises, and supplementary reading materials. It can be played on computers, MP3-enabled CD players, VCD/DVD players.
This textbook has 15 chapters, each covering a communicative topic. Each page of the chapters briefly describes the expected English communicative level for PETS Level 2 candidates within that chapter. The book contains 30 units, each including dialogues, passages, vocabulary and phrases, notes, exercises, and supplementary readings.