International English Language Testing System - IELTS - 雅思

The International English Language Testing System, or IELTS™ /ˈaɪ.ɛlts/, is an international standardised test of English language proficiency for non-native English language speakers. It is jointly managed by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge Assessment English, and was established in 1989.
IELTS 于 1989 年设立，由澳大利亚教育国际开发署 (IDP) 和剑桥大学考试委员会和英国文化协会共同举办。

International English Language Testing System，IELTS /ˈaɪ.ɛlts/：国际英语测试系统，雅思
proficiency [prəˈfɪʃnsi]：n. 精通，熟练
council [ˈkaʊnsl]：n. 委员会，会议，理事会，地方议会，顾问班子

Institutions are advised not to consider a report older than two years to be valid, unless the user proves that they have worked to maintain their level.
雅思考试成绩的有效期限为两年。

1. Academic Module and General Training Module

IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training are designed to cover the full range of ability from non-user to expert user. The Academic version is for test takers who want to study at tertiary level in an English-speaking country or seek professional registration. The General Training version is for test takers who want to work, train, study at a secondary school or migrate to an English-speaking country.
两种模式可供选择：学术类 (A) 和培训类 (G)。学术类测试是为那些想进入大学或其它高等教育机构的人士而设。
培训类测试则是为那些计划开始非学术性的训练，获得工作经验，或者以移民为目的的人士而设。

The Band Scale ranges from 0 (“Did not attempt the test”) to 9 (“Expert User”).
每种语言技巧都有相应的分数 (听、说、读、写)。总分的范围从 1 (不懂英语) 到 9 (母语专家程度)，如果缺考、白卷或者因作弊被取消成绩，则为 0 分。

All test takers take the same Listening and Speaking tests, while the Reading and Writing tests differ depending on whether the test taker is taking the Academic or General Training versions of the test.
两组的听力与口语考题是相同的，阅读与写作的题目则因组别而异。

tertiary [ˈtɜːʃəri]：adj. 第三的，第三位的，职业教育的，(地质) 第三纪的，三代的 n. (地质) 第三纪，第三修道会会员，第三级教士
registration [ˌredʒɪˈstreɪʃn]：n. 登记，注册，挂号
migrate [maɪˈɡreɪt]：vi. 移动，随季节而移居，移往 vt. 使移居，使移植

2. The four parts of the IELTS test

Listening: 30 minutes (plus 10 minutes’ transfer time)
Reading: 60 minutes
Writing: 60 minutes
Speaking: 11-14 minutes
The test total time is: 2 hours and 45 minutes.

阅读与写作没有为填写答题卡设立专门时间段。

Listening, Reading and Writing are completed in one sitting. The Speaking test may be taken on the same day or up to seven days before or after the other tests.

3. Scoring

Test takers receive a score for each test component - Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The individual scores are then averaged and rounded to produce an Overall Band Score.

听力考试和阅读考试为标准化考试，根据答对题目的多少进行评分，允许有 0.5 分存在。写作和口语则由考官根据标准评定。

3.1 Band scale

There is no pass or fail. IELTS is scored on a nine-band scale, with each band corresponding to a specified competence in English. Overall Band Scores are reported to the nearest half band.

The following rounding convention applies: if the average across the four skills ends in .25, it is rounded up to the next half band, and if it ends in .75, it is rounded up to the next whole band.
将所有 4 个科目的成绩求平均，并四舍五入到 0.5 分，就得到本次考试的总评分数。若达 .25 分则四舍五入至 .5 分，若达 .75 分则四舍五入至下一满分 (若平均分数为 6.375，则总评分数会显示 6.5；但如果平均分数为 6.125，则总评分数会显示 6.0)。

The nine bands are described as follows:

Score	Band Scale	Description
9	Expert User	Has full operational command of the language: appropriate, accurate and fluent with complete understanding.
8	Very Good User	Has fully operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriacies. Misunderstandings may occur in unfamiliar situations. Handles complex detailed argumentation well.
7	Good User	Has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriateness and misunderstandings in some situations. Generally handles complex language well and understands detailed reasoning.
6	Competent User	Has generally effective command of the language despite some inaccuracies, inappropriacies and misunderstandings. Can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations.
5	Modest User	Has partial command of the language, coping with overall meaning in most situations, though is likely to make many mistakes. Should be able to handle basic communication in own field.
4	Limited User	Basic competence is limited to familiar situations. Has frequent problems in understanding and expression. Is not able to use complex language.
3	Extremely Limited User	Conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. Frequent breakdowns in communication occur.
2	Intermittent User	No real communication is possible except for the most basic information using isolated words or short formulae in familiar situations and to meet immediate needs. Has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English.
1	Non User	Essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words.
0	Did not attempt the test	No assessable information provided at all.

fluent [ˈfluːənt]：adj. 流畅的，流利的，液态的，畅流的
appropriate [əˈprəʊprɪət;(for v.)əˈprəʊprɪeɪt]：adj. 适当的，恰当的，合适的 vt. 占用，拨出
argumentation [ˌɑːɡjumənˈteɪʃn]：n. 论证，争论，辩论
competent [ˈkɒmpɪtənt]：adj. 胜任的，有能力的，能干的，足够的
essentially [ɪˈsenʃəli]：adv. 本质上，本来
isolate [ˈaɪsəleɪt]：v. (使) 隔离，孤立，将...剔出，(某物质、细胞等) 分离，区别看待 (观点、问题等)n. 被隔离的人 (或物)，(用于研究的) 分离菌，隔离群 adj. 孤独的，孤立的

4. IELTS test structure

4.1 Listening

The module comprises four sections, with ten questions in each section. It takes 40 minutes: 30 - for testing, plus 10 for transferring the answers to an answer sheet.

Sections 1 and 2 are about everyday, social situations.

Section 1 has a conversation between two speakers (for example, a conversation about travel arrangements)
Section 2 has one person speaking (for example, a speech about local facilities).

Sections 3 and 4 are about educational and training situations

Section 3 is a conversation between two main speakers (for example, a discussion between two university students, perhaps guided by a tutor)
Section 4 has one person speaking about an academic subject.

Each section begins with a short introduction telling the test taker about the situation and the speakers. Then they have some time to look through the questions. The questions are in the same order as the information in the recording, so the answer to the first question will be before the answer to the second question, and so on. The first three sections have a break in the middle allowing test takers to look at the remaining questions. Each section is heard only once.

At the end of the test students are given 10 minutes to transfer their answers to an answer sheet. Test takers will lose marks for incorrect spelling and grammar

conversation [ˌkɒnvə'seɪʃ(ə)n]：n. 交谈，会话，社交，交往，交际，会谈，(人与计算机的) 人机对话
facility [fə'sɪləti]：n. 设施，设备，容易，灵巧，才能，天赋

4.2 Reading

The Reading paper has three sections and texts totaling 2,150-2,750 words. There will be a variety of question types, such as multiple choice, short-answer questions, identifying information, identifying writer’s views, labeling diagrams, completing a summary using words taken from the text and matching information/headings/features in the text/sentence endings. Test takers should be careful when writing down their answers as they will lose marks for incorrect spelling and grammar.
答题方式亦包含配对、是非、填充、选择、简答、标签题等。

Texts in IELTS Academic

Three reading texts, which come from books, journals, magazines, newspapers and online resources written for non-specialist audiences. All the topics are of general interest to students at undergraduate or postgraduate level.

Texts in IELTS General Training

Section 1 contains two or three short texts or several shorter texts, which deal with everyday topics. For example, timetables or notices - things a person would need to understand when living in an English-speaking country.
Section 2 contains two texts, which deal with work. For example, job descriptions, contracts, training materials.
Section 3 contains one long text about a topic of general interest. The text is generally descriptive, longer and more complex than the texts in Sections 1 and 2. The text will be taken from a newspaper, magazine, book or online resource.

4.3 Writing

The Writing paper has two tasks which must both be completed. In task 1 test takers write at least 150 words in about 20 minutes. In task 2 test takers write at least 250 words in about 40 minutes. Test takers will be penalised if their answer is too short or does not relate to the topic. Answers should be written in full sentences (test takers must not use notes or bullet points).

IELTS Academic

Task 1: test takers describe a graph, table, chart or diagram in their own words. (Task 1 为图表练习，以描述及比较各类图表为主，考生需于 20 分钟内写完 150 字的描述。)
Task 2: test takers discuss a point of view, argument or problem. Depending on the task, test takers may be required to present a solution to a problem, present and justify an opinion, compare and contrast evidence, opinions and implications, and evaluate and challenge ideas, evidence or an argument. (Task 2 则为申论题，范围广且有深度，考生需按题目分析及表达个人意见或做优缺点比较等。)

IELTS General Training

Task 1: test takers write a letter in response to a given everyday situation. For example, writing to an accommodation officer about problems with your accommodation, writing to a new employer about problems managing your time, writing to a local newspaper about a plan to develop a local airport.
Task 2: test takers write an essay about a topic of general interests. For example, whether smoking should be banned in public places, whether children’s leisure activities should be educational, how environmental problems can be solved.

4.4 Speaking

The speaking test is a face-to-face interview between the test taker and an examiner.
口说测验是一对一进行，主考官会首先就考生的一些个人问题发问，并选择话题加以展开。到一定程度后，考官出示题目卡，要求考生就题目所涉及内容进行回答并适当展开论述，时间不少于一分钟。最后，考官会就一些深入的话题与考生进行讨论，以考察考生的应对能力。总长度时限为 14 分钟。

The speaking test contains three sections.

Section 1: introduction and interview (4-5 minutes). Test takers may be asked about their home, family, work, studies, hobbies, interests, reasons for taking IELTS exam as well as other general topics such as clothing, free time, computers and the Internet.
考生和考官先做自我介绍。接着，考生将回答有关其本身的一些个人问题，包括居住的地方、家人、工作/学业情况、嗜好以及任何其他相关的问题。这部分的会话时间是 4-5 分钟。
Section 2: long turn (3-4 minutes). Test takers are given a task card about a particular topic. Test takers have one minute to prepare to talk about this topic. The task card states the points that should be included in the talk and one aspect of the topic which must be explained during the talk. Test takers are then expected to talk about the topic for 2 minutes, after which the examiner may ask one or two questions.
考生将拿到一个题目和一些提示，必须针对特定题目发言。考生有 1 分钟的准备时间，并可以做笔记。发言时间是 1-2 分钟。考生发言完毕后，考官将提出一两个问题。
Section 3: discussions (4-5 minutes). The third section involves a discussion between the examiner and the test taker, generally on questions relating to the theme which they have already spoken about in Section 2.
考官和考生针对比较深奥的课题进行讨论，而这些课题的主题将与第二部分的题目有关。讨论时间是 4-5 分钟。

References

https://www.ielts.org/
https://www.chinaielts.org/