The standardized educational or psychological tests that are widely used to aid in the selection, classification, assignment, or promotion of students, employees, and military personnel have been the target of recent attacks in books, magazines, and the daily press. Critics are now asking whether standardized tests truly measure the merit they claim to require, and they want to know “who tests the testers”.The target is wrong. For in attacking the tests, critics divert attention from the fault that lies with ill-informed or incompetent users. The tests themselves are merely tools, with characteristics that can be measured with reasonable precision under specified conditions. Whether the results will be valuable, meaningless, or even misleading depends partly upon the tool itself but largely upon the user.All informed predictions of future performance are based upon some knowledge of relevant past performance: school grades, research productivity, sales records, or whatever is appropriate. How well the predictions will be validated by later performance depends upon the amount, reliability, and appropriateness of the information used and on the skill and wisdom with which it is interpreted. Anyone who keeps a careful score knows that the information available is always incomplete and that the predictions are always subject to error.Standardized tests should be considered in this context. They provide a quick objective method of getting some kinds of information about what a person learned, the skills they have developed, or the kind of person they are. The information so obtained has the same advantages and shortcomings as other kinds of information. Whether to use tests, other kinds of information, or both in a particular situation depends, therefore, upon the evidence from experience concerning comparative validity (有效性) and upon such factors as cost and availability.In general, the tests work most effectively when the qualities to be measured can be most precisely defined, and least effectively when what is to be measured or predicated cannot be well defined. Properly used, they provide a rapid means of getting comparable information about many people. Sometimes they identify students whose high potential has not been previously recognized, but there are many things they do not do. For example, they do not compensate for gross (严重的) social inequality, and thus do not tell how able an underprivileged youngster might have been had he grown up under more favorable circumstances.(1) Why are standardized tests criticized by some people according to the passage?A. Because they can only be used under specific conditions.B. Because they are merely tools with limited functions.C. Because they are used so widely that people are deeply affected.D. Because they are mistakenly viewed as incapable of providing valid measurement.(2) How do we evaluate informed predictions of future performance according to the passage?A. By listening to the opinions of those who keep careful score.B. By paying attention to how the information is used and interpreted.C. By knowing the wisdom and skills of people who provide the predictions.D. By seeing whether they are based on some information about past performance.(3) What does the passage imply about standardized tests?A. They depend largely on how much experience a person has.B. They can help to get detailed information about a person quickly.C. They provide situations for people to have different experiences.D. They serve as tools to get some quick and objective information about a person.(4) When can a standardized test work most effectively?A. When used to measure a person’s qualities that can be described precisely.B. When employed to prove how able an underprivileged youngster could be.C. When used to identify students’ potential that has not been previously recognized.D. When used as a comprehensive means of getting comparable information about many people.(5) What is the author’s general attitude toward standardized tests in this passage?A. Positive.B. Negative.C. Neutral.D. Doubtful.
The standardized educational or psychological tests that are widely used to aid in the selection, classification, assignment, or promotion of students, employees, and military personnel have been the target of recent attacks in books, magazines, and the daily press. Critics are now asking whether standardized tests truly measure the merit they claim to require, and they want to know “who tests the testers”.
The target is wrong. For in attacking the tests, critics divert attention from the fault that lies with ill-informed or incompetent users. The tests themselves are merely tools, with characteristics that can be measured with reasonable precision under specified conditions. Whether the results will be valuable, meaningless, or even misleading depends partly upon the tool itself but largely upon the user.
All informed predictions of future performance are based upon some knowledge of relevant past performance: school grades, research productivity, sales records, or whatever is appropriate. How well the predictions will be validated by later performance depends upon the amount, reliability, and appropriateness of the information used and on the skill and wisdom with which it is interpreted. Anyone who keeps a careful score knows that the information available is always incomplete and that the predictions are always subject to error.
Standardized tests should be considered in this context. They provide a quick objective method of getting some kinds of information about what a person learned, the skills they have developed, or the kind of person they are. The information so obtained has the same advantages and shortcomings as other kinds of information. Whether to use tests, other kinds of information, or both in a particular situation depends, therefore, upon the evidence from experience concerning comparative validity (有效性) and upon such factors as cost and availability.
In general, the tests work most effectively when the qualities to be measured can be most precisely defined, and least effectively when what is to be measured or predicated cannot be well defined. Properly used, they provide a rapid means of getting comparable information about many people. Sometimes they identify students whose high potential has not been previously recognized, but there are many things they do not do. For example, they do not compensate for gross (严重的) social inequality, and thus do not tell how able an underprivileged youngster might have been had he grown up under more favorable circumstances.
(1) Why are standardized tests criticized by some people according to the passage?A. Because they can only be used under specific conditions.B. Because they are merely tools with limited functions.C. Because they are used so widely that people are deeply affected.D. Because they are mistakenly viewed as incapable of providing valid measurement.
(2) How do we evaluate informed predictions of future performance according to the passage?A. By listening to the opinions of those who keep careful score.B. By paying attention to how the information is used and interpreted.C. By knowing the wisdom and skills of people who provide the predictions.D. By seeing whether they are based on some information about past performance.
(3) What does the passage imply about standardized tests?A. They depend largely on how much experience a person has.B. They can help to get detailed information about a person quickly.C. They provide situations for people to have different experiences.D. They serve as tools to get some quick and objective information about a person.
(4) When can a standardized test work most effectively?A. When used to measure a person’s qualities that can be described precisely.B. When employed to prove how able an underprivileged youngster could be.C. When used to identify students’ potential that has not been previously recognized.D. When used as a comprehensive means of getting comparable information about many people.
(5) What is the author’s general attitude toward standardized tests in this passage?A. Positive.B. Negative.C. Neutral.D. Doubtful.
题目解答
答案
解析
本题主要考查对关于标准化教育或心理测试文章的理解，解题思路如下：
- 第(1)题：
- 首先定位到文章第一段，其中提到“Critics are now asking whether standardized tests truly measure the merit they claim to require”，这表明批评者对标准化测试能否真正衡量其声称要衡量的能力表示怀疑。
- 接着看第二段，作者指出“The target is wrong. For in attacking the tests, critics divert attention from the fault that lies with ill - informed or incompetent users”，说明作者认为批评者攻击测试是错误的，问题其实在于使用者，而批评者是误以为标准化测试无法提供有效测量。所以选D。
- 第(2)题：
- 找到文章第三段，“How well the predictions will be validated by later performance depends upon the amount, reliability, and appropriateness of the information used and on the skill and wisdom with which it is interpreted”，这句话明确指出预测的有效性取决于所使用信息的数量、可靠性和适用性，以及对信息进行解释的技能和智慧，也就是关注信息的使用和解释方式。所以选B。
- 第(3)题：
- 依据文章第四段“Standardized tests should be considered in this context. They provide a quick objective method of getting some kinds of information about what a person learned, the skills they have developed, or the kind of person they are”，可知标准化测试是一种快速、客观获取关于一个人所学知识、技能和为人等信息的方法，即它们是快速、客观获取信息的工具。所以选D。
- 第(4)题：
- 从文章第五段“In general, the tests work most effectively when the qualities to be measured can be most precisely defined”，可以直接得出标准化测试在用于测量能够被精确定义的品质时最有效。所以选A。
- 第(5)题：
- 通读全文，作者在文中提到标准化测试有其优点，如“Properly used, they provide a rapid means of getting comparable information about many people. Sometimes they identify students whose high potential has not been previously recognized”，说明作者总体上是肯定标准化测试的价值的，对其持积极态度。所以选A。