英孚与LinkedIn合作测试英语学习者成绩

LinkedIn, EF Offer Test Scores for English Learners

EF Education First, a private education company, is working with LinkedIn to test members of the business social networking site on the language of business: English.

The idea is simple. When LinkedIn users in non-English speaking countries update their profiles, they will be asked if they would like to take the EFSET test. The EFSET test is a free online standardized¹ English test from EF Education First. LinkedIn will redirect users to EF’s website to take the test. Users can then post their certified² EFSET test results on their LinkedIn profile. There is no cost for users.

The EF-LinkedIn partnership³ offers English learners a free and convenient way to demonstrate their English ability online. However, the EFSET test is new and not as well known as the TOEFL and IELTS.

There are other online testing options for English learners. Transparent⁴ Language offers an online English proficiency⁵ test with four parts: two levels of grammar, a vocabulary section, and a reading comprehension section. The results of the test give a percentage of the overall score.

A fun, casual way to test your language ability can be found on "Which's English." This is a game-like quiz that Transparent Language includes on its Free Resources page. Players look at two words or phrases and choose the one that is actually English. For example, is "muplex" or "conciliation⁶" an English word?

At the end of the game, the players receive the correct answer and an explanation for each question.

Several companies have online English proficiency tests. They often place a student into a level of an online teaching program associated with the company. Most of the tests just measure knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, and reading. Students preparing for a standardized test of English should also check their listening skill. Exam English has free online tests that include listening comprehension sections. The test taker listens to an audio clip and answers questions about it.

Colleges and universities accept international students based on their test scores or placement on a widely-accepted proficiency scale, like the Common European Framework of Reference, CEFR. Employers decide on their own which test results to accept for international applicants⁷.

Since online tests do not have a way to proctor the test-taker, their results are best for a casual self-assessment by the learner, or as a tool to guide study. Putting them on social media, such as a LinkedIn profile, means the scores are available to anyone on the Internet.

Minh Tran is the ?Director of Research and Academic Partnerships⁸ at EF. He says sharing test scores on social media may affect a person's reputation.

"If you say on LinkedIn that you have an EF 80 score, which is a high score, it's an advanced C2 score, and you go into an interview and you clearly do not have that advanced level of English, that is your reputation at stake."

Mr. Tran says the eyes of the world on social media should encourage truthful⁹ reporting of test scores.

"I actually think that social networks keep us more honest than if it were a traditional resume, because on a traditional resume, only the interviewer sees your resume, but your LinkedIn profile - the whole world can see it."

It is too early to tell if EF’s collaboration¹⁰ with LinkedIn will be a success. But one thing is sure—you can’t beat the price. 

Words in This Story

network(ing) - v. to talk with people whose jobs are similar to yours especially for business opportunities or advice

comprehension - n. ability to understand

proctor - v. to watch students who are taking an examination

placement - n.  the act of finding an appropriate place for someone to live, work, or learn

reputation - n.  the way in which people think of someone or something

1 standardized   

adj.标准化的

参考例句：

• We use standardized tests to measure scholastic achievement. 我们用标准化考试来衡量学生的学业成绩。
• The parts of an automobile are standardized. 汽车零件是标准化了的。

2 certified   

a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的

参考例句：

• Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
• The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。

3 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

4 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

5 proficiency   

n.精通，熟练，精练

参考例句：

• He plied his trade and gained proficiency in it.他勤习手艺，技术渐渐达到了十分娴熟的地步。
• How do you think of your proficiency in written and spoken English?你认为你的书面英语和口语熟练程度如何？

6 conciliation   

n.调解，调停

参考例句：

• By conciliation,cooperation is established.通过调解，友好合作关系得以确立。
• Their attempts at conciliation had failed and both sides were once again in dispute.他们进行调停的努力失败了，双方再次陷入争吵。

7 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

8 partnerships   

n.伙伴关系( partnership的名词复数 )；合伙人身份；合作关系

参考例句：

• Partnerships suffer another major disadvantage: decision-making is shared. 合伙企业的另一主要缺点是决定要由大家来作。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• It involved selling off limited partnerships. 它涉及到售出有限的合伙权。 来自辞典例句

9 truthful   

adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的

参考例句：

• You can count on him for a truthful report of the accident.你放心，他会对事故作出如实的报告的。
• I don't think you are being entirely truthful.我认为你并没全讲真话。

10 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。