论文部分内容阅读
【摘要】词汇测试是检测学习者词汇学习的一种有效途径。应从测试词汇的形,意,内涵,常用搭配,衍生词入手,采用选择题,完形填空,选词填空等有语境和无语境的测试及翻译,写作等输出型测试对学生的词汇学习进行全面,深入的考查,同时还要考虑测试的有效性,可行性及表面效度。
【关键词】有语境和无语境的测试 输出型测试
引言
学习任何一门语言,词汇学习是其中的基础工程和关键部分。掌握尽可能多的单词词组,是每个语言学习者孜孜以求的目标。那么怎样才能了解学习者的词汇学习情况呢?很明显,词汇测试是一种有效的途径。测试是为学习者和教师提供的一种反馈形式。 而且,测试还有一种有效的反拨作用(即考试对词汇教学的积极的反馈作用):如果学习者知道他们将被进行词汇测试,他们会更认真地对待词汇学习,以便迎接考试。而教师考试后的评讲又为学生提供了一次复习,巩固词汇的可能。所以,词汇测试可以说是词汇循环学习的一部分。同时,一些非正式的词汇测试也需要经常进行。下面笔者就从测试内容和测试类型两方面加以说明。
一、测试什么
对词汇的测试应该涉及以下几个方面:
1.the word’s form (词的形式)
2.the word’s meaning(or meanings)(词的意思)
3.any connotations the word might have(这个单词可能有的所有内涵)
4.whether the word is specific to a certain register or style(这个单词是否属于一个特定的文体)
5.the word’s grammatical characteristics-e.g.part of speech(这个单词的语法特征,比如说,句子成分)
6.the word’s common collocations(这个单词的常用搭配)
7.the word’s derivations(这个单词的衍生词)
8.the word’s relative frequency(这个单词的使用频率)
在我们常用的词汇测试中,1,2,3,6,7方面是经常涉及到的。其次是选择有语境还是没有语境的测试,最终还是取决于测试的目的以及对教学可能产生的效果。如果是预测学习者的阅读能力,笔者认为最好还是选择一段有语境的文章,因为学生需要理解文章并根据上下文的线索才能猜出单词的意思。相比之下,没有语境的词汇测试学习者仅记忆词汇表就可以通过测试。但由于这种没有语境的词汇测试易操作,易打分,还是非常实用的。笔者认为,应该尝试把这种有语境和没有语境的测试结合起来,让学生对单词的单纯认知能力和在阅读中猜测、运用词汇的能力同步提升。比如,在上新课之前对前一课的词汇进行测试时,选择没有语境的测试;上完新课之后,可以选择有语境的测试作为一种词汇综合测试。
二、测试的类型
我们非常熟悉的一种测试方式是选择题,因为它易于设计,易于打分。但它也不断遭到质疑。因为学习者可以通过排除法,有三分之一或四分之一(取决于选项)的可能得到正确答案,而他却极有可能并不了解这个单词的意义。另一方面,它只是测试了学习者对单词的认知能力,而不是运用能力。
另一种我们熟悉的测试方式是填空,它要求学习者能够从记忆中回忆起某个单词以便完成一个句子或一段文章。完形填空是这类测试中最为人熟知的。在一篇完形填空中,空是规则留出的,比如说,每七个,八个或九个单词。用这个方法,可以对学习者的词汇知识的广度进行测试。而且,完成这些填空需要理解上下文的能力。笔者以2008年6月大学英语四级考试真题加以说明。
“Most students attend a university mainly to 75 acquire the knowledge needed for their chosen 76 profession.Educationists believe that this aim should not be the 77 only one.Universities have always aimed to produce men and women 78 with judgment and wisdom as well as knowledge.For this reason,they 79 encourage students to meet others with differing 80 interests and to read widely to 81 broaden their understanding in many fields of study.”
75.A) acquire B) accept C) endure D) ensure
76.A) procession B) profession C) possession
D) preference
77.A) typical B) true C) merely D) only
78.A) with B) under C) on D) through
79.A) prompt B) provoke C) encourage D) anticipate
80.A) histories B) expressions C) interests D) curiosities
81.A) broaden B)lengthen C) enforce D) specify
大多数学生上大学主要是为了获得知识(acquire knowledge),以满足他们所选择职业(profession)的要求。教育家们则认为这不应该是大学唯一(only)的目的。大学的目标是培养出既有知识又有判断力和智慧的人。所以,他们鼓励(encourage)学生与有着不同兴趣(differing interest)的学生接触,并广泛阅读以扩大对许多研究领域的理解(broaden their understanding)。从这段完形填空中可以看出,考点还是集中于意义层面上,即需要通过上下文来推测句义,从而得出正确答案。 还有一种在四六级英语考试中采用的十五选十的选词填空题,即一篇留出空白的短文,后面给出一些应该填入短文的词汇和干扰词。和完形填空相比,完形填空的四个选项词性相同,词义相近,考生只需辨析词义即可。而选词填空中的十五个待选词,分成名词,动词,形容词,副词四大类,考生必须先确定词性,再根据上下文的逻辑关系做出选择。这样可以更好地考察学生的词汇知识和通过对上下文的理解填出所需词汇的能力。下面就以2006年12月大学英语考试四级真题为例加以说明。
解题思路:
(1) 将15个单词按词性归类。
[A]scale (n.) [F]affordable (adj.) [K]voluntary (adj.)
[B]retailed (V. ed) [G]situation (n.) [L]excessive (adj.)
[C]generate(v.) [H]really(adv.) [M]insulted(V ed)
[D]extreme(adj.) [I]potential(adj.) [N]purchase(v.)
[E]technically(adv.) [J]gap(n.) [O]primarily(adv.)
(2)阅读全文,弄清空格中所需单词的词性。
The flood of women into the job market boosted economic growth and changed U.S.society in many ways.Many in-home jobs that used to be done (47) adv. by women — ranging
from family shopping to preparing meals to doing (48) adj. work — still need to be done by someone.Husbands and children now do some of these jobs,a (49) n. that has changed the target market for many products.Or a working woman may face a crushing "poverty of time” and look for help elsewhere,creating opportunities for producers of frozen meals,child care centers,dry cleaners,financial services,and the like.Although there is still a big wage (50) n. between men and women,the income working women (51) v. gives them new independence and buying power.For example,women now (52) v. about half of all cars.Not long ago,many car dealers (53) v. ed women shoppers by ignoring them or suggesting that they come back with their husbands.Now car companies have realized that women are (54) adj. customers.It’s interesting that some leading Japanese car dealers were the first to (55) adv. pay attention to women customers.In Japan,fewer women have jobs or buy cars — the Japanese society is still very much male-oriented.Perhaps it was the (56) adj. contrast with Japanese society that prompted American firms to pay more attention to women buyers.
(3)根据上下文,在相应此类中找出合适的词。
(47) primarily (48) voluntary (49) situation (50) gap
(51) generate (52) purchase (53) insulted (54) potential
(55) really (56) extreme
做此类题值得注意的,一是词性的单一性和多样性,比如有些词即可做名词,又可做动词;
二是动词要细分为V,V-ed,V-ing,填原形,过去式还是ing形式要根据具体的语境而定。此外,以-ing,-ed结尾的词也可能是由分词转化而来的形容词。总而言之,这类题型要求学生掌握词汇的词性多样性特征,关注词汇之间的常用搭配(尤其是动词短语),分析语篇内的逻辑关系,提高自己分析复合句的语法功能。
还有一种填空测试是测试学习者的词汇形式方面的知识,即要求学习者根据语境把一种形式的词转换成另一种形式以满足该语境的需要。这种任务测试学习者衍生词的知识和他们解读语境的能力。即使有时只有一个句子,这种测试的优势在于为这个单词提供了一个语境,这也符合语言应该放置在语境中教和测试的观点。下面就以以下五个例句加以说明。 1.Although my preference is for a daytime job,I will work at night if necessary.(prefer)
2.To avoid the frustration of failing the driving test again,Elaine has decided to take driving lessons.(frustrate)
3.I’m currently enrolled as a full-time student,so I can work only at a part-time job.(current)
4.No one liked Dad’s proposal that we spend our vacation at home painting the house.(propose)
5.It is natural to feel inadequate on the first days of a new job—there is so much to learn! (adequate)
笔者常采用的一种填空测试是留出空白的短文,要求学生根据语境填出所需的词汇。这对学生的词汇知识和解读语境的能力提出了更高的要求。但由于一些空白根据语境可能有几个可行答案,所以不太适合测试,但不失为好的词汇练习。下面笔者就以几个练习的片段加以说明。
Training for the Boat Race _________ (requires) dedication and a lot of will power.The oarsmen start most days at six with an early morning row on the river.This is followed by hours of exercise in the gymnasium,then running,and finally an afternoon row.
根据语境,学生可以推测出这里应填“需要”,training for the Boat Race 现在分词短语做主语,谓语动词用单数形式,所以应填requires.
But the most serious controversy happened in 1987,when a mutiny occurred in the Oxford team.Four American oarsmen decided that they did not like the strict training regime laid down by their coach,and they demanded changes.The Oxford captain refused and the Americans were left out of the race.In true fairy-tale tradition the makeshift Oxford crew won the race.This team really _______ (deserved) to be called “true blues”.
根据语境,学生可以推测出这里应填“值得”,worth 或deserve,但根据这两个词相对应的结构,be worth doing sth.和deserve to do sth.,这里应选择deserve。这种填空题不仅要求学生有较好的对上下文的理解能力,更要求学生熟悉此类词的固定搭配,所以能较好地检测出学生的词汇能力。
结论
在这篇论文中,我们涉及了不同的词汇测试方法。在词汇测试过程中,必须考虑到以下因素:
Validity(有效性)—你是不是在测试你想要测试的?
Reliability(可行度)—这种测试会不会产生一致的效果?
Practicality(可行性)—是不是容易打分?
Face validity(表面效度)—学习者会不会认真对待?
同时,词汇测试又可分为识别和输出测试,有语境和无语境测试。最后,学生的词汇知识可以用词汇密度和词汇的复杂性来衡量。
词汇学习在英语学习中有着举足轻重的作用。它是阅读理解的基础,也是所有标准测试的重要组成部分。教师在鼓励学生平时积累词汇的同时,可通过各种测试,尤其是有语境测试,翻译和写作这类输出型测试,并通过大量的练习和测试后的评讲,切实提高学生的词汇水平尤其是输出水平。
参考文献:
[1]Nation I S P (2001) Learning Vocabulary in Another Language.Cambridge University Press.
[2]Read J (2000) Assessing Vocabulary.Cambridge University Press.
[3]Schmitt N (2000) Vocabulary in Language Teaching.Cambridge University Press.
[4]Scott Thornbury (2002), How to Teach Vocabulary.Bluestone Press.
【关键词】有语境和无语境的测试 输出型测试
引言
学习任何一门语言,词汇学习是其中的基础工程和关键部分。掌握尽可能多的单词词组,是每个语言学习者孜孜以求的目标。那么怎样才能了解学习者的词汇学习情况呢?很明显,词汇测试是一种有效的途径。测试是为学习者和教师提供的一种反馈形式。 而且,测试还有一种有效的反拨作用(即考试对词汇教学的积极的反馈作用):如果学习者知道他们将被进行词汇测试,他们会更认真地对待词汇学习,以便迎接考试。而教师考试后的评讲又为学生提供了一次复习,巩固词汇的可能。所以,词汇测试可以说是词汇循环学习的一部分。同时,一些非正式的词汇测试也需要经常进行。下面笔者就从测试内容和测试类型两方面加以说明。
一、测试什么
对词汇的测试应该涉及以下几个方面:
1.the word’s form (词的形式)
2.the word’s meaning(or meanings)(词的意思)
3.any connotations the word might have(这个单词可能有的所有内涵)
4.whether the word is specific to a certain register or style(这个单词是否属于一个特定的文体)
5.the word’s grammatical characteristics-e.g.part of speech(这个单词的语法特征,比如说,句子成分)
6.the word’s common collocations(这个单词的常用搭配)
7.the word’s derivations(这个单词的衍生词)
8.the word’s relative frequency(这个单词的使用频率)
在我们常用的词汇测试中,1,2,3,6,7方面是经常涉及到的。其次是选择有语境还是没有语境的测试,最终还是取决于测试的目的以及对教学可能产生的效果。如果是预测学习者的阅读能力,笔者认为最好还是选择一段有语境的文章,因为学生需要理解文章并根据上下文的线索才能猜出单词的意思。相比之下,没有语境的词汇测试学习者仅记忆词汇表就可以通过测试。但由于这种没有语境的词汇测试易操作,易打分,还是非常实用的。笔者认为,应该尝试把这种有语境和没有语境的测试结合起来,让学生对单词的单纯认知能力和在阅读中猜测、运用词汇的能力同步提升。比如,在上新课之前对前一课的词汇进行测试时,选择没有语境的测试;上完新课之后,可以选择有语境的测试作为一种词汇综合测试。
二、测试的类型
我们非常熟悉的一种测试方式是选择题,因为它易于设计,易于打分。但它也不断遭到质疑。因为学习者可以通过排除法,有三分之一或四分之一(取决于选项)的可能得到正确答案,而他却极有可能并不了解这个单词的意义。另一方面,它只是测试了学习者对单词的认知能力,而不是运用能力。
另一种我们熟悉的测试方式是填空,它要求学习者能够从记忆中回忆起某个单词以便完成一个句子或一段文章。完形填空是这类测试中最为人熟知的。在一篇完形填空中,空是规则留出的,比如说,每七个,八个或九个单词。用这个方法,可以对学习者的词汇知识的广度进行测试。而且,完成这些填空需要理解上下文的能力。笔者以2008年6月大学英语四级考试真题加以说明。
“Most students attend a university mainly to 75 acquire the knowledge needed for their chosen 76 profession.Educationists believe that this aim should not be the 77 only one.Universities have always aimed to produce men and women 78 with judgment and wisdom as well as knowledge.For this reason,they 79 encourage students to meet others with differing 80 interests and to read widely to 81 broaden their understanding in many fields of study.”
75.A) acquire B) accept C) endure D) ensure
76.A) procession B) profession C) possession
D) preference
77.A) typical B) true C) merely D) only
78.A) with B) under C) on D) through
79.A) prompt B) provoke C) encourage D) anticipate
80.A) histories B) expressions C) interests D) curiosities
81.A) broaden B)lengthen C) enforce D) specify
大多数学生上大学主要是为了获得知识(acquire knowledge),以满足他们所选择职业(profession)的要求。教育家们则认为这不应该是大学唯一(only)的目的。大学的目标是培养出既有知识又有判断力和智慧的人。所以,他们鼓励(encourage)学生与有着不同兴趣(differing interest)的学生接触,并广泛阅读以扩大对许多研究领域的理解(broaden their understanding)。从这段完形填空中可以看出,考点还是集中于意义层面上,即需要通过上下文来推测句义,从而得出正确答案。 还有一种在四六级英语考试中采用的十五选十的选词填空题,即一篇留出空白的短文,后面给出一些应该填入短文的词汇和干扰词。和完形填空相比,完形填空的四个选项词性相同,词义相近,考生只需辨析词义即可。而选词填空中的十五个待选词,分成名词,动词,形容词,副词四大类,考生必须先确定词性,再根据上下文的逻辑关系做出选择。这样可以更好地考察学生的词汇知识和通过对上下文的理解填出所需词汇的能力。下面就以2006年12月大学英语考试四级真题为例加以说明。
解题思路:
(1) 将15个单词按词性归类。
[A]scale (n.) [F]affordable (adj.) [K]voluntary (adj.)
[B]retailed (V. ed) [G]situation (n.) [L]excessive (adj.)
[C]generate(v.) [H]really(adv.) [M]insulted(V ed)
[D]extreme(adj.) [I]potential(adj.) [N]purchase(v.)
[E]technically(adv.) [J]gap(n.) [O]primarily(adv.)
(2)阅读全文,弄清空格中所需单词的词性。
The flood of women into the job market boosted economic growth and changed U.S.society in many ways.Many in-home jobs that used to be done (47) adv. by women — ranging
from family shopping to preparing meals to doing (48) adj. work — still need to be done by someone.Husbands and children now do some of these jobs,a (49) n. that has changed the target market for many products.Or a working woman may face a crushing "poverty of time” and look for help elsewhere,creating opportunities for producers of frozen meals,child care centers,dry cleaners,financial services,and the like.Although there is still a big wage (50) n. between men and women,the income working women (51) v. gives them new independence and buying power.For example,women now (52) v. about half of all cars.Not long ago,many car dealers (53) v. ed women shoppers by ignoring them or suggesting that they come back with their husbands.Now car companies have realized that women are (54) adj. customers.It’s interesting that some leading Japanese car dealers were the first to (55) adv. pay attention to women customers.In Japan,fewer women have jobs or buy cars — the Japanese society is still very much male-oriented.Perhaps it was the (56) adj. contrast with Japanese society that prompted American firms to pay more attention to women buyers.
(3)根据上下文,在相应此类中找出合适的词。
(47) primarily (48) voluntary (49) situation (50) gap
(51) generate (52) purchase (53) insulted (54) potential
(55) really (56) extreme
做此类题值得注意的,一是词性的单一性和多样性,比如有些词即可做名词,又可做动词;
二是动词要细分为V,V-ed,V-ing,填原形,过去式还是ing形式要根据具体的语境而定。此外,以-ing,-ed结尾的词也可能是由分词转化而来的形容词。总而言之,这类题型要求学生掌握词汇的词性多样性特征,关注词汇之间的常用搭配(尤其是动词短语),分析语篇内的逻辑关系,提高自己分析复合句的语法功能。
还有一种填空测试是测试学习者的词汇形式方面的知识,即要求学习者根据语境把一种形式的词转换成另一种形式以满足该语境的需要。这种任务测试学习者衍生词的知识和他们解读语境的能力。即使有时只有一个句子,这种测试的优势在于为这个单词提供了一个语境,这也符合语言应该放置在语境中教和测试的观点。下面就以以下五个例句加以说明。 1.Although my preference is for a daytime job,I will work at night if necessary.(prefer)
2.To avoid the frustration of failing the driving test again,Elaine has decided to take driving lessons.(frustrate)
3.I’m currently enrolled as a full-time student,so I can work only at a part-time job.(current)
4.No one liked Dad’s proposal that we spend our vacation at home painting the house.(propose)
5.It is natural to feel inadequate on the first days of a new job—there is so much to learn! (adequate)
笔者常采用的一种填空测试是留出空白的短文,要求学生根据语境填出所需的词汇。这对学生的词汇知识和解读语境的能力提出了更高的要求。但由于一些空白根据语境可能有几个可行答案,所以不太适合测试,但不失为好的词汇练习。下面笔者就以几个练习的片段加以说明。
Training for the Boat Race _________ (requires) dedication and a lot of will power.The oarsmen start most days at six with an early morning row on the river.This is followed by hours of exercise in the gymnasium,then running,and finally an afternoon row.
根据语境,学生可以推测出这里应填“需要”,training for the Boat Race 现在分词短语做主语,谓语动词用单数形式,所以应填requires.
But the most serious controversy happened in 1987,when a mutiny occurred in the Oxford team.Four American oarsmen decided that they did not like the strict training regime laid down by their coach,and they demanded changes.The Oxford captain refused and the Americans were left out of the race.In true fairy-tale tradition the makeshift Oxford crew won the race.This team really _______ (deserved) to be called “true blues”.
根据语境,学生可以推测出这里应填“值得”,worth 或deserve,但根据这两个词相对应的结构,be worth doing sth.和deserve to do sth.,这里应选择deserve。这种填空题不仅要求学生有较好的对上下文的理解能力,更要求学生熟悉此类词的固定搭配,所以能较好地检测出学生的词汇能力。
结论
在这篇论文中,我们涉及了不同的词汇测试方法。在词汇测试过程中,必须考虑到以下因素:
Validity(有效性)—你是不是在测试你想要测试的?
Reliability(可行度)—这种测试会不会产生一致的效果?
Practicality(可行性)—是不是容易打分?
Face validity(表面效度)—学习者会不会认真对待?
同时,词汇测试又可分为识别和输出测试,有语境和无语境测试。最后,学生的词汇知识可以用词汇密度和词汇的复杂性来衡量。
词汇学习在英语学习中有着举足轻重的作用。它是阅读理解的基础,也是所有标准测试的重要组成部分。教师在鼓励学生平时积累词汇的同时,可通过各种测试,尤其是有语境测试,翻译和写作这类输出型测试,并通过大量的练习和测试后的评讲,切实提高学生的词汇水平尤其是输出水平。
参考文献:
[1]Nation I S P (2001) Learning Vocabulary in Another Language.Cambridge University Press.
[2]Read J (2000) Assessing Vocabulary.Cambridge University Press.
[3]Schmitt N (2000) Vocabulary in Language Teaching.Cambridge University Press.
[4]Scott Thornbury (2002), How to Teach Vocabulary.Bluestone Press.