1, Nature of Test

 Graduate education can be divided into two types according to its training purpose: taught and research graduates. The research degree programme aims to cultivate researchers in high academic area, while the tought programme is to encourage students to be specialized in one specific field with both theories, deeper knowledge, and the ability to tackle practical problems.Also the ability to carry out technical & managerial work.

Since the year 2010, the papers for the national postgraduate entrance exam are of two types: English 1 and 2. The English 1 is the exam paper set for the universities and research institutes to enroll postgraduates, while English 2 is the exam paper set for the universities and research institutes to enroll postgraduates for specialized subject degree. That is: English 1 is specially designed for the academic postgraduates, while English 2 is for applicants for the specialized postgraduate degree. The specialized postgraduates are of 19 subjects as followings: Masters of law, social work, education, physical education, international education in Chinese language, translation, arts, landscaping, engineering, architecture, agricultural promotion, medical, public hygiene, accounting, business administration, oral medicine, veterinarian, clinical medicine, public administration and ministry.

The design of two types of exam papers is not only to cope with the development in such kind of English entrance test to be more scientific, more fair and various, but also a great try in terms of the ways to select the postgraduates. Such division can mean chances to those applicants rather than challenge. The English test papers have got no additional contents but only with a division in it. This design is helpful for the applicants for both the English type 1 and type 2 as long as they have clear goals.

Assessment Objects

1，Grammar：8 Grammatical Points for the English Type 2

The curriculum of the English type 1 requires participants to master the application of the basic grammars. No detailed requirements for grammatical points have been indicated. The English type 2 has purposely indicated the eight grammatical points which participants shall be familiar with. The testing content and scope of preparation have been made. That means the English type 2 has a narrower testing scope of grammar and with its focus on basic knowledge about English, which is at much lower level compared with the English type 1. Therefore participants are encouraged to get familiar with the eight grammatical points and know how to apply them properly.

2 Vocabulary: The reviewing stresses on the vocabularies for English type 1 are different from that for type 2

The outline of English type 1 requires that trainees can master vocabulary of around 5500 and the related phrases, while the outline of English type 2 requires trainees to have excellent mastery of around 5500 common vocabulary and their related phrases. It is obvious that English type 2 is not like type 1 which lays its stress on better understanding of their meanings of the vocabulary and their applications, but focuses on testing the common vocabulary and phrases. It is understood that it is not so difficult as that of type 1.

Additionally, English type 1 has put forward special and broader requirements that apart from mastery of their basic meanings, trainees shall also master the relations among vocabulary, such as synonym, homoionym, antonym etc, the match between the vocabulary such as verbs and prepositions, adjectives and prepositions, adjectives and nouns. Now it is clear to us that the stresses of English type 1 and 2 are different by that English type 1 has a higher requirement. Therefore it is harder and greater amount of work for trainees to do in their reviewing, while English type 2 has lower requirements in terms of its vocabulary and is mainly to test their ability to guess the meanings of non-commonly used words according to their contexts. Therefore it is understood that the reviewing stresses for English type 2 are clearly indicated.    

Finally, as for the requirements in reading ability, the sentence in the bracket shall be taken away, which states that the rate of new words shall not exceed 3% of the total vocabulary in the reading material. From this point we could easily find out that the amount of new words appearing is smaller and with less vocabulary problems. It is less likely to measure their vocabulary.

3. Reading Ability: Lower ability to read is required in English type 2

According to the Outlines for English Type 1 it is required that trainees shall be able to read and understand all kinds of essays adapted from various kinds of books, magazines and other literatures.(The rate of new words shall not exceed 3% of the total vocabulary). They also shall be able to read and understand the articles in relation to their study and work and the specifications of different products. While the outlines for English Type 2 require trainees to read and understand different types and styles of literature, including the essays about topics on economics, management, society, culture and common science and technology, the writing styles including exposition, argumentative and Narration. From the above we could easily find out that it is clearly indicated to the trainees that the limitation of topics and writing styles in English Type 2, nothing has been mentioned about the words outside its Outlines. That is to say those trainees have been guided some way to in their preparation for tests. They have got the indication where to go and what to do in terms of their preparations and have no worries about the words outside its Outlines. 

In addition, the eight requirements in reading ability for English Type 1 become six in the outlines for English 2, with two requirements less “understand the conceptual indications in the articles” and “differ the arguments and talking points”, which are required highly in terms of reading ability. Apart from that, in English Type 2 only half of “To do certain amount of judgment, reasoning and extend in meaning” remained. In other words, only “the ability in making judgment, reasoning” have to be tested and “the extending in meaning” has been neglected. Above all, the measurement on reading ability has been much less required in English Type 2. The trainees are only required to pay attention to the aims of articles, the detailed information in the articles, the understanding writers’ intention, and points of view and their attitudes.

４．Writing Ability:

The outlines for English Type 1 require the followings“the trainees shall write different types of practical writings, including both official and personal letters, MOU, abstracts, reports，and  the essays with common characters of description, narration and argument”.It also requires that the trainees shall be able to use grammar correctly, make no spelling mistakes, use the proper words, follow the specific writing style and format, organize the article properly and reasonably, with the content unified and linked up”. From the above we could see that the English Type 1 has higher requirements for its accuracy in terms of the writing styles, the formats, the structure and suitability. 

In the English Type 2 it states that trainees shall write their essays according to the given outline, situation and other requirements. The essays shall have clear central idea, come to the topic, clear structure, clearness of statement, proper wording, without obvious mistakes. From the above we could conclude that English Type 2 has no higher requirements on trainees’ writing ability. It only requires the primary writing ability, some slight language mistakes are said to be even tolerable. Therefore the trainees shall refer more essay samples when they are practicing writing. They could then find out some key points in line with their outlines.

Test Paper Layout

The Test Paper Layout for English Type 1