International students and workers must take a standardized test of English to move into higher levels of education and employment. There are three popular tests that universities or employers can use. They are the Test of English as a Foreign Language, TOEFL, the Test of English for International Communication, TOEIC, and the International English Language Testing System, IELTS.

國際學生和國際工人為了接受更高水平的教育和進入更高層次的就業單位，必須參加英語標準化考試。大學或雇主可以采用三種流行的考試方式。它們分別是：托福(Test of English as a Foreign Language，簡稱：TOEFL);托業(Test of English for International Communication，簡稱：TOEIC);雅思(International English Language Testing System，簡稱：IELTS)。

In most cases, the choice is clear. A student applying to a school learns which test the program requires. However, some programs or universities will accept scores from any of the international tests of English. Then, a student may choose which test to take.

在大多數情況下，怎么選擇是很清楚的。一個學生申請哪個學校，就要學習這個學校所要求的考試。然而，有些項目或大學會認可這三種英語國際測試成績中的任何一種。這時，學生可以自己選擇要參加哪個考試。

托業測試的是工作環境中的溝通能力

The Educational Testing Service, ETS, in Princeton, New Jersey, develops and administers both the TOEFL and the TOEIC. It says the TOEIC measures the everyday English skills of people working in an international environment.

位于新澤西州普林斯頓的美國教育考試服務中心(ETS)負責開發和監管托福和托業考試。托業考試衡量的是在國際環境中工作的人們的日常英語技能。

The TOEIC test started in the 1970s. The Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry asked ETS to develop a test for corporations to use. They wanted to know if non-native English speakers could carry out business in English.

托業考試開始于20世紀70年代。日本國際貿易和工業部(Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry)要求美國教育考試服務中心開發一種供企業使用的考試。他們想知道非英語國家的人是否能用英語從事商業活動。

托業考試不需要特殊的商務詞匯方面的知識

The TOEIC is based on English used in the workplace. But the test does not require knowledge of special business words. The questions come from real situations like attending a company meeting.

托業以工作場合所使用的英語為基礎。但是這個測試不需要特殊的商務詞匯方面的知識。考試試題源自實際情景，如參加公司會議等。

Organizations sometimes use the TOEIC to measure progress in English training programs. They also use it to consider people for placement at the right level in language programs. ETS says that 14,000 organizations in 150 countries use the TOEIC.

有些機構有時用托業來衡量英語培訓項目的進展。依據語言水平進行職位配置時，他們也會使用托業考試。美國教育考試服務中心表示，150個國家的14000個組織使用托業考試。

托福測試的是課堂上使用英語的能力

There are several versions of the TOEFL.

托福考試有幾種形式。

托福網考，即新托福

Students take the Internet-based TOEFL, or TOEFL IBT, on a computer. Many U.S. universities require the TOEFL IBT for international student admissions.學生在電腦上通過互聯網進行考試(TOEFL IBT)。許多美國的大學在招收國際學生時都要求網考。

學院托福

Another TOEFL is the paper-based TOEFL, or TOEFL ITP. It is part of ETS's institutional testing program. TOEFL ITP is used within institutions for the purpose of placement or to evaluate progress of students. It is not accepted for entrance to universities.另一種托福考試形式是紙考(TOEFL ITP)。這是美國教育考試中心的學院托福。學院托福在院校中用于學生的實習或評估學生的進步。它不作為大學錄取標準。

初中托福考試

For young English learners, there are two new TOEFL tests. The TOEFL Junior Test is for young people between 11 and 15 years old. And the TOEFL Primary Test is for those over the age of eight.對年輕的英語學習者，新托福有兩種考試形式。初中托福考試(TOEFL Junior Test)是為11到15歲的年輕人準備的。小學托福考試( TOEFL Primary Test)針對8歲以上的學生。

IELTS tests academic and general language skills雅思測試的是學術上的和整體的語言技能。The IELTS has two forms. The Listening and Speaking sections are the same for both forms. In the Reading and Writing sections, however, there are two different tests.雅思有兩種形式。雅思的兩種考試形式中，聽力部分和口語部分都是一樣的。但是，閱讀和寫作部分，有兩種不同的測試。

學術類和移民類

The Academic IELTS uses topics and materials covered in undergraduate, graduate, or professional programs.

學術類雅思(Academic IELTS)的主題和材料涵蓋本科生、研究生或者一些專業項目。

The General IELTS uses topics and material from everyday books, newspapers and magazines.

移民類雅思(General IELTS)的主題和材料來自于日常書籍、報紙和雜志。

學生對考試的看法

Triwik Kurniasari is a graduate student at an American university. She has taken both the IBT and ITP forms of the TOEFL and the IELTS.

Triwik Kurniasari是美國一所大學的研究生。她參加了新托福和學院托福考試以及雅思考試。

She says the paper-based, or institutional test, the TOEFL ITP, is easier. The ITP is similar to the multiple-choice tests students usually take.

她說，紙考，也就是學院托福，更加容易。學院托福類似于學生通常參加的多項選擇題考試。

A major difference between the TOEFL IBT and the IELTS is in the Speaking section. On the IELTS, you have a face-to-face interview with a certified examiner. On the TOEFL IBT, you listen to a situation and record your response using a computer.

新托福和雅思的主要區別是口語部分。在雅思考試中，你有一個與考官面對面的面試。在新托福考試中，你會聽到一段情景，然后用電腦錄下你的回答。

新托福考試更有挑戰性

Ms. Kurniasari explains why the computer-based Speaking section of the TOEFL IBT was difficult for her.

Kurniasari女士解釋了為什么新托福的計算機口語部分對她來說很難。

"For the TOEFL IBT, it's more challenging because I have to speak with a computer, basically, and I didn't get to meet the real person who talked with me. I remember there were twenty or thirty people in the room. The hardest part is the speaking test because when I was about to speak, and the person next to me also started to speak, then somehow I lost concentration because I could hear what she or he said during the speaking test."

“新托福考試很有難度，因為我必須與電腦對話。我基本上沒有遇到和我說話的真人。我記得房間里有二三十個人。最困難的部分是口語考試，因為當我剛要說的時候，旁邊的人也開始說話，然后不知怎么地，我無法集中注意力，因為我能聽到她(他)說的內容。”

On the other hand, talking to a real person one-on-one during the IELTS was easier for Ms. Kurniasari.

另一方面，對Kurniasari女士來說，雅思考試時與真人一對一交談更容易一些。

"For the ILETS test, it requires a speaking test, but I get to meet the real person. It was just like a regular conversation so it's much more comfortable and easier for me because I got to meet the person face to face, so I think the TOEFL IBT is much more challenging."

“雅思也有口語考試，但我可以見到真人。就像平常的對話一樣，它對我來說更舒服、更輕松些，因為我可以面對面地與人交流。因此我認為新托福考試是非常有挑戰性的。”

Preparation class: classroom lectures and class discussions

備考課堂：老師講解和課上討論

Another difference between the TOEFL IBT and IELTS is the Listening section. The IELTS Listening section has four recorded monologues or conversations. The TOEFL IBT has classroom lectures by teachers and class discussions by students.

新托福和雅思的另一個區別是聽力部分。雅思聽力部分有四個獨白或對話的錄音。新托福有教師課堂上的講解和學生們的討論。

Ms. Kurniasari finds the TOEFL IBT classroom lectures and discussions harder to follow.

Kurniasari女士發現新托福的課堂講座和討論很難跟得上。

"Sometimes they use idioms too, to share their ideas or thoughts and we really have to know the meaning of the idioms. I think the TOEFL IBT is much more difficult than IELTS, especially the class discussion and when the lecturer explains the lesson in a class."

“有時他們也用一些習語，分享他們的看法或思想，我們必須要知道習語的意思。我認為新托福比雅思難多了，尤其是課堂討論和老師講解的時候。”

Her advice is to focus and take notes as much as possible.

她建議要集中注意力，并且要多做筆記。

"We have to really concentrate, focus, of course we can take notes, but somehow it's just too fast, and somehow you cannot really memorize the things that they've said."

“我們必須要集中精力，當然我們也可以記筆記，但是他們說得太快了，你無法真正記住他們都說了什么。”

提前為考試做好準備

Triwik Kurniasari's strategy for success is to study, study and study.

Triwik Kurniasari的成功策略是學習，學習，再學習。

"If you want to take any kind of test, make sure that you have enough time to prepare for it. I usually try to prepare myself at least two months prior to the test just to allow myself to get used to the test and to study for the test."

“如果你想參加任何考試，要確保有充足的備考時間。我通常至少會在考試前兩個月做好準備，以讓自己適應考試。”

利用好書本，而不是看網上免費的材料

She also recommends using books rather than free online test materials. After getting a low score the first time she took the TOEFL IBT, she spent the money on study books for the tests.

她還建議要利用書本，而不要使用網上免費的材料。她第一次的新托福考試得了一個低分，之后就把錢花在了備考書上。

"I decided to study harder and buy some books, even though they're expensive but since I wanted to get good scores... For me, books are much more effective than studying for instance, from samples on the Internet, because with the books I can go back and forth and take some notes."

“我決定再加把勁，買一些書，盡管書很貴，但我想獲得好成績啊……。對我來說，看書比在網上學更有效，因為有了書，我就可以來回翻看，并做一些筆記。”

聽來自多個英語國家的人的演講

To practice for the Listening sections of the tests, she says students should listen to native speakers from more than one country.

她說，為了練好聽力，學生應該聽來自多個英語國家的人的演講。

"For listening try to listen to native speakers speaking on the radio, TV, on VOA, of course. I think the hardest part about IELTS is the accent because they use mostly British accent. I need to get used to the British accent. Sometimes they use Australian accent. And I'm not really familiar with the Australian accent."

“當然，要在廣播、電視和VOA上聽以英語為母語的人的講話。我認為雅思考試最難的地方是口音，因為他們大多是英國口音。我要習慣英國口音。有時他們用澳大利亞口音。而我對澳大利亞口音不是很熟悉。”

最后一條建議

Finally, our student's last word of advice is one that your mother would probably give you – be rested and well fed.

我們的學生的最后一條建議是，你的母親可能會給你——好好休息、好好吃飯。

"During the test you need to focus and concentrate. Before the test, make sure you get a good sleep. Make sure that you have breakfast!"

“考試期間，要集中精力。考試的前一天，一定要睡個好覺。一定要吃早餐哦!”