College English Test

The CET consisted of the non-English-specialized "Band 4" (CET4), in which certificate-holders have reached the English level of non-English major undergraduate students, and "Band 6" (CET6), in which the certificate-holders have reached the English level of non-English major postgraduates.

Several changes were made, including: The CET-4 is important for university students in China who are not English majors.

TEM-8 ("Band 8") is the highest level for English major students; it should be taken during the end of the last academic or senior year.

Some Chinese researchers point out the positive social consequences of the CET as it has promoted the role of English teaching and learning at the tertiary level in China over its 20-year history.

[5][6] At the same time, other researchers challenge the CET by pointing out that the test does not assess communicative competence as the teaching syllabus requires.

[7] Before the recent reform of the CET, the large proportion of multiple choice questions made this test an efficient one, but possible sacrifices in accurately measuring English language ability remained a concern.

[8] Since the CET certificates had been one of the graduation requirements of undergraduates in the majority of Chinese universities for almost 20 years, test-oriented teaching was another severe problem.

It is the expectation of the CET committee that the test can reflect and catch up with the needs of rapid economic reform and the new open-door policy.