Exclusive Interview with Teacher Zhou Han on Preparing for the 2009 Professional Title English Exam

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★★★Exclusive Interview with Teacher Zhou Han on Preparation for the 2009 Professional Title English Exam (Full Version) ★★★ Host: Hello everyone, welcome to this interview on the Professional Title English exam. The registration process for the 2009 Professional Title English Test is in full swing. To enable candidates to review and prepare more effectively, as well as to gain a deeper understanding of the policies related to the Professional English Test, we are honored to have invited Ms. Zhou Han, an expert in coaching for this test, to be on site to answer various questions related to it. Hello, Teacher Zhou! 　　Teacher Zhou: Hello, everyone! 　　I. Interpretation of the Policies Regarding the Professional English Test Host: Teacher Zhou Han has been engaged in training for the Professional English Test for a long time and possesses in-depth knowledge of it. Please ask Teacher Zhou to briefly introduce the general situation of this test. 　　Teacher Zhou: The National Professional Title English Test has been in use since 1999, and over 10 years have passed since then. During these 10 years, the professional title English test has become increasingly refined. Whether it’s the types of questions, the number of questions, or the textbooks, students who have not taken the exam should already be familiar with this system. 　　From 1999 to 2002, it was the period when the national unified exams were first introduced; as a result, there was no particularly complete or established framework yet, neither in terms of the types of questions nor in terms of the textbooks used. Before 2002, the textbooks used for the Professional English Test kept changing, as did the types of questions, which made it seem quite difficult for candidates to pass this exam. 　　From 2002 to 2005 was another phase; during this time, the types and quantities of questions in the exams were finalized. Everyone became familiar with these question types and quantities, as well as with the syllabus. 　　In 2005, a relatively significant policy change was made; the format of the questions remained unchanged, only the policy was adjusted. We know that the professional English exam in 2007 was postponed by several months, and the Ministry of Human Resources made significant changes to the policies regarding which individuals were eligible to take the exam and which ones could be exempted from it. 　　2008, which is this year, was the first exam held after significant changes were made to the policy regarding English for professional titles. That’s why people think the exams are quite difficult, and the passages seem a bit unfamiliar. 　　Issues such as the changes in the Professional English Test in 2009 will be discussed with you in our upcoming interview today. 　　Host: Teacher Zhou, when is the exam for the Professional English test this year? 　 　　Teacher Zhou: The exam date in 2009 was March 29, 2009, which was a bit earlier than the usual exam dates. As everyone knows, there used to be an unwritten rule for the Professional English test: the exam was usually held on the second Sunday of April. Although the exam date in 2009 was moved up by over a week, I don’t think this will have any impact on candidates’ preparation. 　 　　Host: The registration process for the exams is currently in full swing. From the questions raised by participants on the forum, it is clear that many of them are not very familiar with the policies related to the professional English exam as well as the rules regarding exemptions from taking it. Therefore, I would like to ask Teacher Zhou to briefly explain the situation in this regard. 　 　　Teacher Zhou: Many students have asked in the forum whether they need to take exams in a certain category, expressing confusion regarding the policies set by the Human Resources Department. Previous policies were very rigid and applied in a one-size-fits-all manner. This policy remained in place for many years; it can be said that from 1999 until 2007, there was a one-size-fits-all approach. Anyone who wanted to pursue professional title evaluation, whether at the intermediate, senior, or top-level levels, and regardless of the industry in which they worked, had to meet two requirements: first, passing the professional title English test, and second, passing the professional title computer test. It has caused a great deal of stress to candidates for a long time. Therefore, starting from 2005, a minor adjustment was made in the policies. Previously, the certificates of levels A, B, and C had expiration dates: level A certificates were valid for four years, while those of levels B and C were valid for three years. But starting from 2005, the certificate became valid for an extended period. By 2007, a significant adjustment was made: the Human Resources Department issued relevant documents to expand the scope of those exempt from taking the exam. For example, those with **recognized corresponding study abroad experience** ； One must have an associate degree or higher in a foreign language field and be working in that field; there are also requirements regarding a second foreign language when applying for professional titles, etc. This is a regulation set by the Ministry of Human Resources; each province formulates its own exemption policies suited to local conditions, based on the exemption rules established by the Ministry. For details on these specific policies, you can visit the website of the Personnel Department or the local personnel examination authority. 　 　　Host: In the examination regulations of some provinces, it can be seen that the PETS or CET exams in certain provinces can serve as a substitute for the results of the professional English exam. So, compared to the PETS, CET, and professional English exams, which one is simpler? 　 　　Teacher Zhou: The PETS and CET exams are tests of English proficiency. They are not mandatory; rather, they are examinations that assess various aspects of English skills such as listening, speaking, reading, writing, and translation. However, the professional English exam is different from tests such as PETS and CET; its candidates are adults who have been working for five years or more since graduating from university and are eligible to apply for an intermediate professional title. Therefore, since the Professional English Test is designed for adults, its question types and the entire testing system are both tailored to meet the needs of adults. That’s why it’s not called a proficiency test, but rather a qualification test. According to the syllabus, the English test for professional titles is primarily designed to assess adults’ reading comprehension skills; therefore, it separates reading comprehension into six different question types in order to evaluate candidates’ abilities from various perspectives. I believe this is something that isn’t found in other exams. Therefore, these different types of exams have different focuses, different candidates taking them, and different requirements as well. 　 　　Host: The validity period of the scores from the professional English test is also a matter of concern for many people, as there is a time gap between obtaining the certificate and the evaluation process. The validity period of scores affects whether those scores can be used in the evaluation process, so I would like to ask Teacher Zhou to explain the current regulations regarding the validity period of scores across different regions of the country. What is generally the situation regarding these validity period rules in various parts of the country? 　 　　Teacher Zhou: As far as I know, there are two situations. 　　Since 2005, the passing score for the professional English test announced by the Personnel Department has generally been 60 points. Starting in 2007, the time limit on the validity of grades A, B, and C was removed, and they became valid indefinitely. \"Valid for a long time\" means that once you obtain the professional English certificate, its score remains valid for a long period when applying for corresponding professional titles, but it can only be used once; you need to take the exam again if you want to apply in the future. 　　Some provinces also hold their own provincial examinations. After the Professional English Test, another examination is organized; these exams are designed and graded by each province itself. However, the validity period of these scores is relatively short, usually valid only for that year, and the passing threshold is correspondingly lower. 　　**The score obtained from this exam organized by the organization remains valid until the evaluation for a professional title takes place. However, it can only be used once; it cannot be utilized for applying for intermediate, senior, full senior, or associate senior titles – that’s not the case. If you take a relatively simple provincial-level exam, its validity period is only one year; if you don’t pass, the results become invalid. 　　(Note: For the National Professional Title English Test, each province sets its own passing score based on the conditions of that year’s examination. The passing scores are relatively low, but the validity period of the scores is also shorter accordingly.) ) II. Changes in the Professional English Test for 2009 Host: Teacher Zhou, will there be any adjustments or changes to this year’s Professional English Test? For example, an outline. 　 　　Zhou Kaoshi: First of all, regarding the syllabus for 2009, the document issued by the Ministry of Human Resources clearly states that there were no changes to the syllabus for that year. The syllabus serves as a guide for the exam; since the syllabus remains unchanged, the types of questions and their quantities as specified in it will also not change. From 2002 to 2009, the number of questions in the Professional English Test remained unchanged throughout that period. Regardless of the level or specialty being taken, there are no changes in the type of questions or their quantity. 　 　　Host: Will there be any changes in the difficulty of this year’s exams? 　 　　Zhou Kaoshi: The difficulty of the exam is what everyone is most concerned about. The difficulty level certainly varies to some extent; looking at the exam questions from 2005 to 2008, it is evident that an increasing proportion of those questions are not based on the textbooks. As is well known, questions from the textbooks account for a certain proportion in the Professional English Test, usually around 30-45 points. However, in the past two years, the content from textbooks has accounted for an increasingly smaller proportion in exams. It is also becoming less and less likely that the questions from the textbooks will appear exactly as they are in the exam papers. So although the types and number of questions in the exam are fixed, the content of the exam changes significantly. Therefore, those taking the Professional English exam in 2009 must be prepared for this; it is absolutely not feasible to memorize the textbooks, the questions, or the answers. 　 　　Host: As we all know, the Professional English Test is divided into three categories: comprehensive, science and engineering, and health. Are there any differences in difficulty among these three categories? 　 　　Teacher Zhou: The three categories of the Professional English Test are divided according to different fields of specialization. Before 2002, there was also a category for finance and economics; later on, those who work in the financial sector were included in the general category. The type of examination one needs to take in order to obtain a certain professional title, depending on the job one previously held, is strictly specified. Starting from 2005, some policies were relaxed. For example, in technical jobs, it is necessary to obtain a professional title in the engineering field; previously, one could only take exams related to science and engineering, but since 2005, if the human resources department does not explicitly require exams in science and engineering, then it is also possible to take exams in general categories ； If you work in a hospital but are in a management role, you can also apply for the general category. But the flexibility in choice leaves candidates unsure which one to choose. In terms of difficulty, there isn’t much difference among the three categories. Some students think that the comprehensive categories should be easier, as the science and engineering fields, as well as the health-related fields, involve more technical content and specialized knowledge. But everyone should know that, although general-interest articles are more closely related to everyday life, “How to lose weight?” How to maintain healthy skin? "There are many topics of this kind that are familiar to us in daily life, so it might seem easier to read. But the questions at the end of the article are somewhat difficult. In comparison, articles in the science and engineering category are not easy to read, especially in the 2008 exams where there were many such articles, all related to the latest technologies. For example, articles like “Electronic backpacks” or “Why do humans walk on two legs” are quite difficult to read. But there is one advantage to this type of question: although the articles are a bit challenging, the subsequent questions are more straightforward. So everyone should choose the exam category based on their own major, avoiding ones that are too far removed from it. 　 　　Host: In addition to the three main categories of General, Science and Engineering, and Health, the Professional English Test for Titles also has three levels within each category: A, B, and C. Will there be questions from higher or lower levels in the exams among these three levels? Some candidates asked, \"If I take the Level B exam, do I still need to read the articles for Level C or Level A?\" " 　 　　Teacher Zhou: The three levels of the Professional English Test are determined based on the field of work you are in and the requirements of the professional title category for which you are applying. Many students also ask: Which level of exam should I take? On the **HR department’s website, there is a table that clearly specifies which level is required for applying for each professional title within a given category; it is also not allowed to apply at a higher level than specified. But also starting from 2005, if you should apply for level B, then you can apply for level A, but you cannot apply for the lower level of C. 　　Regarding whether there will be cross-level cheating in the exams at these three levels, I can tell you with certainty that such cheating does occur. Looking at the exams from 2005 to 2008, it was very common for those who scored at level A to drop to levels B or C, and for those who scored at level B to drop to level C. 　 　　Host: Could there be a phenomenon of moving up the hierarchy? For example, the content that moves from level B or C to level A. 　 　　Teacher Zhou: This situation does occur, but it’s very rare. But there are many downstream cascades. This is also easy to understand; levels B and C are simpler than level A. Since you are required to reach the level of A, it goes without saying that you should be able to solve the questions at levels B and C as well. So everyone must broaden their perspective. If you are taking the B-level exam, and there are 20 articles at the B level as listed in the textbook, then it’s definitely not enough to focus only on those 20 articles; you must also read the articles at the C-level. If there is time, it’s best to read the relevant articles in Category A as well. 　 　　III. Preparation Methods for the 2009 Professional English Exam Host: The teacher just mentioned that there will be no changes in the exam format this year. So, in terms of the format, what should we pay attention to during our preparation? 　 　　Teacher Zhou: As you all know, the Professional English Test for Titles consists of six different question types. These six types have been in use for many years, and it can be said that they are capable of assessing a person’s true reading comprehension skills from various aspects. If the exam consists of only one type of question, namely reading comprehension, with four options from which one correct answer must be chosen, then it’s a bit too simplistic. The six question types in professional title exams are all designed to serve one purpose, namely to assess the candidates’ reading comprehension skills. So whether it’s vocabulary, grammar, or reading, everything is aimed at one goal: your reading comprehension ability. 　 　　Let me introduce these six question types to you: 1. Vocabulary questions: 15 questions, 1 point for each question. 　　What is the main focus of these types of questions? In the vocabulary questions, you will be given a context, which may be a single sentence or a scenario consisting of two sentences, and within that context there will be a word that is required to be known at the level specified for the exam. Assuming you don’t know this word, can you figure out what it means based on the context? There are four options below; choose the best answer. The purpose is to test candidates’ ability to guess the meaning of words in a given scenario or context. 　 　　2. Reading Comprehension: 7 questions, 1 point per question. 　　In reading comprehension questions, an article is provided, along with seven sentences. These seven sentences are taken from the article, but they are not presented in their original form; rather, they have been altered somewhat, though their meaning remains similar to that of the article. According to the article, candidates need to determine whether these seven sentences are correct, incorrect, or not mentioned. This question tests the candidate’s ability to identify and judge the information in the passage. 　 　　3. Summarize the main idea and complete sentences: 8 points, 1 point per question. 　　The general summary includes the main idea of the article and that of each paragraph; this question tests the main idea of a single paragraph. This paragraph may consist of four or five sentences, and through these sentences, you are asked to summarize its main idea using one or a few words; therefore, this question tests the candidate’s ability to grasp the gist of a paragraph. 　　There are four more questions that involve completing sentences, and they include some details. In addition to the main idea, the article also contains some details that support it; in the exam questions, one of these details is provided for the candidates to complete. So this question tests the ability to find details. 　 　　4. Reading Comprehension: 35 points, 7 points per question. 　　Reading comprehension is something everyone is familiar with, as it is a type of question that appears in all English exams. A passage will be provided in the question, and by reading it, candidates need to answer the five questions that follow, thereby being assessed comprehensively on their reading comprehension skills. The reading comprehension section of the Professional English test includes three articles, worth 45 points in total, accounting for a significant proportion of the score. 　 　　5. Complete the passage: 10 points, 2 points per question. 　　The question will identify five blanks in the passage, meaning that five sentences have been removed from it. Candidates need to restore the sentences, which have been reordered and mixed in with other options, back into the article. Each question is worth two points, and it is quite difficult. 　 　　6. Cloze Test: 15 points, 1 point per question. The content tested in the cloze test is different from that of the previous questions; on the surface it seems to test only the usage of words, but in reality it involves many different aspects. Therefore, it is said that the fill-in-the-blank questions are the most difficult type of question; they are included in both the professional English tests and other proficiency exams, serving as a test of comprehensive abilities. Because it involves not only words, but also sentences, grammar, as well as the logical relationships between sentences within a text. 　 　　Host: Teacher Zhou gave a brief introduction to the six question types in the Professional English Test. So, what should be the key focus points when preparing for these six question types? 　 　　Teacher Zhou: During the tutoring sessions, I also gave everyone relevant reminders – the total number of articles in the textbook remains unchanged; there are 110 articles in total. It is indeed very difficult to read all 110 articles within a few months. We say that teaching materials serve as a guiding direction, a direction for repetition. We cannot rely entirely on textbooks, but we also cannot completely ignore them. We need to combine the textbooks with the exam syllabus for review, and there will certainly be certain focuses during this review process. As we just mentioned, the syllabus requires that proficiency in English for professional use focus primarily on reading comprehension skills. The exam divides the assessment of reading comprehension skills into six different question types for testing. Each of these six question types has its own testing objectives, and since their scores vary, we will definitely focus on certain aspects when reviewing. For example, reading comprehension accounts for 45 points, which is a large portion. As for the three reading comprehension passages, it’s better not to worry about them; they will come from the textbook. But if we assume that they are not based on the textbook, then it’s very important to know how to approach such passages. Apart from reading comprehension, the vocabulary section in Part 1 is worth 15 points, which is also an important part. Another part is the cloze test, which accounts for 15 points. These three major questions are worth 75 points in total; if we can secure those 75 points, the other smaller questions will be easier to solve. 　 　　Host: Most candidates taking the Professional English Test are of advanced age, and memorizing words poses a significant challenge for them. Therefore, we hope that Teacher Zhou Han can offer some suggestions regarding vocabulary memorization. 　 　　Teacher Zhou: This is also a question that students often ask outside of class. I’ll talk about the vocabulary related to professional titles in English now. The vocabulary required for professional English tests is clearly specified in this outline: Level A requires mastery of 6,000 words, Level B requires 5,000 words, and Level C requires 4,000 words. As everyone knows, the exam lasts for two hours. During these two hours, candidates taking level A should complete reading tasks equivalent to 3,000 words; those taking level B have to deal with 2,600 words, while those taking level C need to read texts consisting of 2,200 words. These number pairs are extremely large, so vocabulary remains very important for everyone. As for how we should memorize vocabulary, I think the first thing is to clarify what is being tested regarding it. The purpose of the vocabulary test in the professional English exam is very clear: it focuses on synonyms, while the usage of words is not examined. This is great news for everyone. As we all know, English vocabulary is divided into ten categories, and each type of word has its own usage. It is very difficult to master them in a short period of time; a systematic and step-by-step approach to learning is necessary. In such a short period of time, and especially for adults, the professional English test only requires candidates to memorize synonyms for words. 　　We know there are several ways to expand one’s vocabulary, and one of the most common methods is accumulating synonyms. When encountering a word, thinking of words with similar or identical meanings – by memorizing such synonyms and antonyms together – is a way to quickly expand one’s vocabulary. The second method is through word segmentation memory. Another method is to take a root word and derive many words by adding prefixes and suffixes. These two methods are very useful for the lexicology of professional English. The accumulation of synonyms is very important for both reading comprehension questions and the vocabulary questions in Part 1. With derived words, one only needs to remember one root word to derive many words with similar meanings; this is a very fast way to increase vocabulary. The third method is that when you come across some commonly used words or those that appear frequently in reading, you should try to create sentences using them on your own. It doesn’t matter even if a sentence is full of grammatical errors or makes absolutely ridiculous sense. Our main goal is to enhance the impression of vocabulary through sentence construction. 　　The method that few people want to use is memorizing from a dictionary. Many students also say online that they start memorizing as soon as they come across new words, but after spending a lot of time on it, they still can’t remember them. Because when it comes to a single word, there is no connection to remember, which makes it difficult to retain, and it is forgotten just as quickly. So the best way is to put the vocabulary into the article. Additionally, regarding the vocabulary requirements for 6000, 5000, and 4000 words, it is not necessary to master all of these words within a few months; rather, it is sufficient to focus on memorizing certain words. 　 　　Host: Teacher Zhou just mentioned that the professional English exam mainly focuses on reading skills. So regarding vocabulary, does it mean that as long as I can recognize the words and understand the meaning of the text, I don’t necessarily need to know how to spell them? Is that correct? 　 　　Teacher Zhou: Yes, that’s completely correct. The outline clearly states that for this term, the requirement is merely that everyone be familiar with it. The exam does not test your vocabulary spelling; candidates only need to be familiar with it and know its meaning. And why take a test on synonyms? Synonyms include near-synonyms and equivalent words. Words with similar meanings are grouped together for memorization; candidates only need to know which general category they belong to. There’s no need for everyone to remember the meanings of the words very clearly. 　　As we all know, in English proficiency tests there are questions related to the differentiation of vocabulary; synonyms may have slight differences in usage and meaning, and especially in terms of usage, those differences can be quite significant. However, there is no need to put in such effort for the professional English exam; it’s sufficient to remember words with similar meanings together. 　　Host: This will greatly reduce the difficulty of the exam. 　　Teacher Zhou: Right. Host: It’s said that the professional English exam does not cover grammar, so do we still need to review grammar as part of our preparation? 　 　　Teacher Zhou: Grammar is the most fundamental basis of English; one should have such a foundation. Many students have been working for many years; they haven’t used English for a long time since graduating, and they may have forgotten all their knowledge. English grammar consists of two main parts: morphology and syntax; it’s best to study them systematically if you have the time. At the very least, one should know what the ten major categories of words in English are, what kinds of words they are, and which of these words are content words and which are function words The most important thing is what its position is in the sentence? What are the different sentence patterns, and what kinds of structures do they have? What is the word order in a sentence? By learning these basic concepts, you will gain a general understanding of the differences between English and Chinese, which will be very helpful for learning to read. If one has no knowledge of grammar at all, it’s as if they have to start reading articles from scratch, skipping several steps that others go through; the words, phrases, and paragraphs in between are omitted, which creates a huge gap and makes learning very difficult. So I would like to specifically mention here that the online school offers a course titled \"In-depth Explanation of Vocabulary and Grammar.\" This course is designed in full accordance with the requirements of the English test for professional titles; it covers the basic grammar and vocabulary related to this exam, and it is now available online. The duration of the course materials isn’t particularly long either; it’s about 15 to 20 class hours. So I hope everyone will go through these basic topics as a whole starting from now. Even if you don’t remember the vocabulary or grammar after studying, you will still have an understanding of the general structure of English. For example, what is the difference between English and Chinese? We always say that sentences written in English are completely different from those in Chinese. Then why does English have such a sentence structure, such a way of arranging words? After studying*, you will have some understanding of words and syntax, which will be very helpful for comprehending articles. 　　Host: In other words, although grammar is not tested, having a certain foundation in grammar can be beneficial for solving problems. 　　Teacher Zhou: That’s how it is. 　 　　Host: Although the PETS exam, CET exam, and the English test for professional titles are aimed at different groups of people, they are not comparable. However, many candidates on the forum asked whether it would still be very difficult to take the Professional English test after passing the PETS or CET exams What is the level of difficulty for these exams in comparison? 　 　　Teacher Zhou: As everyone knows, the target candidates for the College English Test Band 4 and Band 6 are mainly college students. This exam is a test of English proficiency that covers listening, speaking, reading, and writing. It shares one aspect with the professional English exam, namely the reading section. However, the professional English test focuses only on reading, and does not cover listening, speaking, or writing, so the emphasis of the exam is different. Some students ask if it would be much easier if I took the CET-4 and CET-6 exams first before taking the English test for professional titles I think there are some aspects that might be easier for those who have taken the CET-4 and CET-6 compared to those who haven’t. However, although the professional English test focuses only on reading comprehension and omits assessments of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, it comes up with many different ways to evaluate reading skills. Among the six question types in the Professional English test, aside from reading comprehension and cloze tests, the other four types are unfamiliar to most people. For example, tasks such as completing passages, summarizing the main idea, and making reading judgments are common only in the professional English proficiency tests; they may appear in some foreign exams like IELTS, but are not frequently seen in domestic exams. So at least you need to go through a process of becoming familiar with one type of question in order to handle such exams. So just having a CET-4 level does not mean one is ready to take the English test for professional titles; therefore, it is recommended that those who have taken both PETS and CET exams still thoroughly master the relevant textbooks before taking this test. Familiarizing oneself with the types of questions in the exam and the requirements of the syllabus enables one to handle the exam more comfortably. 　 　　IV. Adjustment and Use of Textbooks for the Professional English Test Host: Just now, Teacher Zhou mentioned that there will be no changes to this year’s exam syllabus. However, we know that new textbooks are released every year. So in what ways are these textbooks new? 　 　　Teacher Zhou: Between 1999 and 2008, there were several major changes in the textbooks for professional English. We know that last year, in 2008, there were significant changes to the textbooks; a large portion of the content across the six types of questions was altered. The changes to the textbooks involve several aspects; on one hand, the original texts from the textbooks that were included in previous exams have been replaced, and some new topics have been added. There are a total of 110 articles in the Professional English Test for Titles Level 1, and these 110 articles cover a wide range of topics, whether in science and engineering or in the health field. The topics are closely related to current technological advancements, daily life, and social progress. So, since 1999, those articles that appeared in the textbooks only as practice materials and were not included in the exams have been replaced by entirely new topics. Another aspect involves making some adjustments to the levels; for example, some articles are classified as C-level, but candidates feel that they are too difficult and should not be considered C-level, rather they should be placed in B-level or A-level. In this way, articles that caused a lot of controversy were also replaced. 2008 saw the biggest changes to the textbooks, and after each change, people felt that the exams became more difficult. 　　So there will be some changes in the textbooks for 2009, but not too many. Following the general pattern, after a major revision of the textbooks, they remain unchanged for two to three years before another major revision is made; therefore, there will be no significant changes to the textbooks from 2009. But the articles tested in 2008 will be replaced. 　 　　Host: Teacher Zhou mentioned that the original questions from the textbooks account for a certain proportion of the questions on the exam papers each year. So, what exactly is that proportion? 　 　　Teacher Zhou: It has always been the same pattern – when it comes to the English test for professional titles, the first question on vocabulary is based on content from the book; the fourth question, which is a reading comprehension task, includes an article taken from the book, and the fill-in-the-blank questions also draw from the book. The total score for these questions is 45 points. Previously, I could confidently tell everyone that by going through and mastering these three sections in the textbook, one could secure those 45 points. But now this is becoming increasingly unreliable; the same three sections that contain the original questions still exist, but they account for a smaller and smaller proportion of the exam paper. Taking the 2008 exam as an example, in the reading comprehension section, categories B for science and engineering, category B for comprehensive subjects, and category B for health all included two articles from the comprehensive subject category. It’s no problem for those taking comprehensive exams, as they have already studied it. However, neither of these two articles appears in the textbooks for science and engineering or health fields. This type of serial-category exam has been available since 2008, and it accounts for a significant proportion; the two questions are worth 30 points each. So if a candidate is taking exams in science and engineering, it is not enough to only read articles related to those fields. This suggests that all three categories should be opened when reviewing materials; those taking science and engineering exams should not limit themselves to science and engineering topics, but should also read articles related to comprehensive subjects. When preparing for health-related exams, it’s not enough to only read articles on health topics; comprehensive articles related to other areas should also be read. 　　I would also like to remind everyone that in the past we told you that comprehensive articles are placed under the science and engineering category; half of the articles in the health field as well are of a comprehensive nature. Therefore, in the two fields of science and engineering and health, which are relatively strong areas, half of the articles relate to those specific fields, while the other half are comprehensive articles. However, based on the exams in 2008, there were very few comprehensive articles in the science and health categories; most of them were replaced by articles related to one’s own field of study. So people might think that half of the articles in the comprehensive category will not be tested. However, the exam brought an unexpected twist: both the science and health sections included two comprehensive articles. Therefore, those taking the exam in 2009 should be careful not to focus only on the articles related to their own field of study; they need to broaden their perspective. 　　Many students say they don’t have time to read 110 articles, let alone another 50 comprehensive articles, bringing the total to 160 articles that they simply can’t afford to read. Textbooks serve as a guide; one cannot rely solely on marking key points to determine which topics will be tested and which will not. It is best to do this under the guidance of a teacher, as they have experience with these exams over 10 years and can identify the key points. Which articles are likely to appear in the exams and which ones are not, as well as what type of questions are most frequently tested – these are things that only those who specialize in exam research can figure out. Therefore, it is recommended that students who feel uncertain or think the amount of questions is too large and they don’t have enough time to deal with them enroll in a tutoring course. During tutoring, the teacher will select key articles to work on, while omitting the less important ones. This broadens one’s horizons while focusing on the key points. Reading articles one by one won’t help you grasp the key points, because you don’t know which articles are important, nor do you understand the patterns of exams or the ways in which questions are formulated. You also have no idea what the focus is for each type of reading comprehension question Where are the key examination points? This is very important. 　 　　Host: The textbook will contain the original questions, but those questions will not be presented exactly as they are in the exam. Some candidates have a weak foundation and know nothing about English; what should they do to maintain their score in that section of the test? 　 　　Teacher Zhou: This requires candidates to understand the key aspects tested in each type of question. The reason for practicing so many articles is not to have everyone memorize the answers or certain vocabulary. This is far from enough. Now the content of the questions is becoming more and more dynamic, moving further and further away from the textbooks. Therefore, I ask everyone to grasp the fundamental aspects through the explanations and exercises in these articles; this is also the goal of my lectures in class. The process of explanation is very important: how to approach a given article, what points to consider, and how to think about it. Moreover, it will identify the commonalities and patterns, so that no matter what type of question or article it is, one knows how to approach it. So memorizing the answers is completely unfeasible. 　 　　Host: The books related to the Professional English Test include a syllabus, textbooks, and a practice book. We need to study the textbooks for the exam, but is it necessary to work on the practice book? What level of practice should be done during exam preparation? 　 　　Teacher Zhou: In 2009, there was one practice book for each of the fields of comprehensive science and engineering as well as health; these books were compiled by gathering the actual exam questions from each year from 1999 to 2007. Many students have ordered it. Regarding this practice book, I suggest that everyone do it at the end; it shouldn’t be done while learning. Because this set of practice questions is quite comprehensive; it is used to assess, at the final stage of preparation, whether the candidates’ skills meet the requirements of the exam. It is best to practice in separate sections during the learning process; I will provide a large number of exercises alongside my lectures. For example, when it comes to vocabulary, we will do vocabulary exercises* ； When it comes to reading comprehension questions, one is able to do exercises on such questions*. After covering all the content, we will do some comprehensive *questions. So the difficulty and number of questions for these *types of questions are very similar, and the content of the questions is also very similar. 　　Host: In other words, practice should come first; we should do the practice after we have finished learning the course content. 　　Teacher Zhou: Yes, that’s right. 　 　　Host: As everyone knows, the difference between the Professional English Test and other exams is that you are allowed to bring a dictionary for the Professional English Test. But many test takers don’t know what kind of dictionary would be the best choice. So, for the professional English exam, what kind of dictionary would be more suitable to choose? 　 　　Teacher Zhou: In English tests, aside from grammar, vocabulary is also important. The professional English tests include a specific section dedicated to testing vocabulary; the first part consists of 15 vocabulary-related questions, with each question worth one point. As we mentioned earlier, the vocabulary in the professional English test focuses on synonyms; therefore, it’s best to bring a synonym dictionary. Some students have asked whether it is allowed to bring a new English-Chinese dictionary, a dictionary of words for the College English Test Band 4 and Band 6, or other dictionaries These dictionaries may not be useful for taking the professional English exam. It is recommended that everyone buy a comprehensive synonym dictionary from a bookstore; there is no need to purchase one with a large number of specialized terms. The vocabulary test in the professional English exam is designed to encourage candidates to expand their vocabulary in order to pass the exam. A single word can lead to five to ten words with similar meanings, which is a quick way to expand one’s vocabulary. Therefore, the vocabulary can be used not only in the vocabulary section of the first question but also in the subsequent reading comprehension questions. In exams, any questions intended to test vocabulary are designed around synonyms. 　　Host: In other words, when choosing synonyms, one should try to use dictionaries that contain a large number of synonyms. 　　Teacher Zhou: Yes, a thesaurus is very useful; also, there shouldn’t be too many entries. Because the highest requirement for Level A is 6,000 words, and these 6,000 words are generally those commonly used in daily life, rather than rare or uncommon words. Some students say that there are many specialized terms in science and engineering fields as well as in health-related fields. These terms are mentioned in the syllabus, but they are not included in the vocabulary list; nor is it required that candidates master them completely. For particularly specialized terms, there will be annotations in the test paper; what needs to be mastered are the words commonly used in daily life. If we take a dictionary, such as the New English-Chinese Dictionary, which contains over 20,000 entries, I think the scope is too wide, and this will increase the burden of looking up words during exams. 　 　　Host: Today we have discussed many topics, ranging from examination policies to preparation for retakes. Due to time constraints, we are unable to answer all of your questions here one by one. Teacher Zhou Han will provide detailed explanations on these topics in the 2009 Professional Title English Exam training course on the Personnel Examination Education Network; everyone is welcome to attend. That’s all for today’s interview. Thank you, Teacher Zhou Han, for coming and answering so many questions for us. Thank you, Teacher Zhou, and thank you all. 　 　　Teacher Zhou: Thank you, host. I hope everyone can pass the Professional English Test successfully.