Abstract
Abstract Designed to assess college students' English ability, the College English Test (CET) is regarded as the most influential English test in China. This study investigates students' perceptions of the impact of the CET on their English-learning practices and their affective conditions. A survey was administered to 150 undergraduate students at a university in Beijing. It was found that students perceived the impact of the CET to be pervasive. In particular, the majority of the respondents indicated that the CET had a greater impact on what they studied than on how they studied. Most of the students surveyed felt the CET had motivated them to make a greater effort to learn English. Many students seemed to be willing to put more effort on the language skills most heavily weighted in the CET. About half of the students reported a higher level of self-efficacy in regard to their overall English ability and some specific English skills as a result of taking or preparing for the CET. However, many students also reported experiencing increased pressure and anxiety in relation to learning English. This study provides important evidence about how the CET influences college students' English learning in China, and directions for further research are also suggested.
Highlights
Launched by the Ministry of Education, People’s Republic of China, in 1987, the College English Test (CET) is a standardized test designed to measure the English proficiency of undergraduate students in China and to determine whether their English-language ability meets the requirements of the national college English curriculum
Based on evidence from the questionnaire survey, the CET seems to have had a pervasive impact on the participating students in this study
The CET has a greater impact on learning content than on learning methods
Summary
Launched by the Ministry of Education, People’s Republic of China, in 1987, the College English Test (CET) is a standardized test designed to measure the English proficiency of undergraduate students in China and to determine whether their English-language ability meets the requirements of the national college English curriculum. College students are expected to take the CET-4 at the end of their second year in college. Students are eligible to take the CET-6 only after they have passed the CET-4. The CET-4 is usually required, whereas the CET-6 is optional. Both the CET-4 and the CET-6 are held twice a year: in June, at the end of the spring semester, and in December, at the end of the fall semester. Students can take the test multiple times while in college
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