The content validity of the current english achievement test for second year non major students at phuong dong university

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FALCUTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ……………… ***………………… TRẦN THÚY QUỲNH THE CONTENT VALIDITY OF THE CURRENT ENGLISH ACHIEVEMENT TEST FOR SECOND YEAR NON MAJOR STUDENTS AT PHUONG DONG UNIVERSITY (Đánh giá phù hợp nội dung kiểm tra tiếng Anh cuối kỳ dành cho sinh viên không chuyên năm thứ hai Trường Đại học dân lập Phương Đông) M.A MINOR THESIS Field: ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGY Code: 60-14-10 Course: 18 (2009-2011) Supervisor: M.A Kim Van Tat HA NOI- SEPTEMBER 2011 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgement……………………………………………………… i Abstract………………………………………………………………… ii List of tables and figures…………………………………………………iii The table of contents………………………………………………… iv Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Rationale………………………………………………………… 1.2 Scope of study…………………………………………………….2 1.3 Aims of study…………………………………………………… 1.4 Methods of study………………………………………………….2 1.5 Research questions……………………………………………… 1.6 Design of study……………………………………………………3 Chapter 2: Literature review 2.1 Language testing 2.1.1 Definition of language testing…………………………………… 2.1.2 The roles of language testing…………………………………… 2.1.3 Relationship between testing and teaching- learning…………… 2.2 Major Characteristics of a good test 2.2.1 Test validity……………………………………………………….8 2.2.1.1 What is test validity? 2.2.1.2 Types of test validity………………………………………… 2.2.1.2 Face validity…………………………………………….9 2.2.1.2 Content validity……………………………………… 10 2.2.1.2.1 What is content validity? 10 2.2.1.2 How to make the test more valid? 11 2.2.2 Test reliability…………………………………………………… 13 v 2.2.3 Relationship between reliability and validity…………………… 16 2.2.4 Practicality…………………………………………………………17 2.2.5 Discrimination………………………………………………17 Chapter 3: The study 3.1 English learning, teaching and testing at Phuong Dong University 3.1.1 The students……………………………………………………… 19 3.1.2 The teachers……………………….……………………………….19 3.1.3 The course book “New Headway Elementary- The third edition” 19 3.1.4 Syllabus and its objectives……………………………………… 20 3.1.5 The final achievement test…………………………………………20 3.2 Research method……………………………………………………20 3.2.1 The survey questionnaires…………………………………………21 3.2.2 Document analysis……………………………………………… 21 3.3 Data analysis……………………………………………………… 22 3.3.1 Analysis of the final achievement test…………………………… 22 3.3.2 Analysis of the survey questionnaire for students…………………26 3.3.3 Analysis of the survey questionnaire for teachers…………………30 3.4 Results……………………………………………………………….32 Chapter 4: Recommendations and conclusions 4.1 Recommendations………………………………………………… 34 4.2 Conclusion …………………… ………………………………… 43 4.3 Limitations………………………….……………………………… 43 References…………………………………………………… 45 Appendixes Appendix 1: The content of the course book……………… I Appendix 2: Survey questionnaires for students………… IV Appendix 3: Survey questionnaires for teachers……………V Appendix 4: Answer key for reading task ………………….VII Appendix 5: Answer key for the new final achievement test.VIII iii LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS Table 1: Scores on test A (invented data) by Arthur Hughes Table 1: Scores on test B (invented data) by Arthur Hughes Table 3: The components of the final achievement test Table 4: What students had been taught and what they had been checked in part I, II, III of the test Table 5: What students had been taught and checked in the writing part Table 6: Paper specification grids for the final achievement test Chart 1: Students’ comment on validity of the test Chart 2: Students' comment on time allowance of the test Chart 3: Students' comment on difficult level of the test 10 Chart 4: The result of the test 11 Chart 5: The purpose of the test Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Rationale These days, the need of learning English has become greater and greater In our country Viet Nam, having recognized the importance of it, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has recently decided that English is a compulsory subject in most high schools and universities This decision requires both teachers and students to alter their ways of teaching and learning In addition, testing is one effective way to evaluate teaching and learning They are so closely related Testing validates the teaching-learning process while teaching and learning provides a great source of language materials for testing to exploit And testing is a concerned matter to all teachers During the teaching time at Phuong Dong University, the writer heard both teachers and students here complaining that the English test did not often faithfully reflect the teaching and learning process or in other words, the test did not reflect what the students learnt and what the teachers taught What was tested was not really taught and the test measures neither the achievement of the course objectives nor the expected skills and knowledge of students It is shared by some test researchers as Brown (1994: 373) and Hughes (1989:1) on recent language testing: “A great deal of language testing is of very poor quality Too often language testing has a harmful effect on teaching and learning and too often they fail to measure accurately whatever it is they are intended to measure.” Another reason for the selection of this research topic lays in the fact that language testing at Phuong Dong University has not been paid enough attention to Classroom language tests were often written in a hurry because the teachers here could not find time to think carefully and plan the test Sometimes, they did not have a clear idea of what they were testing students for and why They were busy mixing the number of various question types and from that many students got low marks Due to its close relationship with language teaching and learning, testing deserves proper attention from teachers and students in order for a positive backwash on the teachers‟ teaching, students‟ satisfaction and encouragement in their study In order to design a good test to have exact, fair and effective evaluation of students‟ knowledge and performance of English, teachers are supposed to have good knowledge of test writing techniques and testing theories Because of all above-mentioned reasons, the writer is encouraged to undertake this study entitled: “Content validity of the current English achievement test for second-yearnon-major students of English at Phuong Dong University” with aims at finding out the strengths and weaknesses of this test in terms of the content validity and some, if any, suggested solutions for the improvement of it 1.2 Scope of study The scope of this thesis is limited to a research on evaluating the final achievement test in terms of its content validity by comparing the objectives, the syllabus and the textbook allocation with the test contents The study provides investigated and analyzed data of the currently used test and proposes practical suggestions on the improvements of this test Due to the limitations of time, ability and conditions, it is impossible for the writer to cover all the tests Only some suggestions for the improvements of the test are presented 1.3 Aims of study The study aims at checking the content validity of the final achievement test for second-year-non-major students at Phuong Dong University It places high emphasis on analyzing the contents of the final achievement test The specific aims of this research are: - To find out the strengths and weaknesses of the currently used test with reference to the content validity - To suggest some improvements for the test 1.4 Methods of study In order to achieve the above-mentioned aims, a combination of many methodologies was utilized Firstly, the writer based herself both on the theories and principles of language testing and major characteristics of a good test with a special focus on test content validity From her own reading, many reference materials have been gathered and analyzed to draw out a theoretical basis to evaluate the achievement test being used for second year students in terms of its content validity Basing on what students had learnt in their first semester and the contents of this test, the writer would examine its content validity In addition, qualitative methodologies involving data collected through survey questionnaires were employed Two sets of questionnaires were administered to both English teachers and students at Phuong Dong University to investigate their evaluative comments on the content validity of the final achievement test and some suggestions for its improvements 1.5 Research questions In this study, the writer tries to answer the two following questions: Question 1: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the final achievement test with reference to the content validity for second year non major students at Phuong Dong University? Question 2: What are some suggested solutions for the improvements of the test? 1.6 Design of study The thesis is organized into five major chapters: Chapter INTRODUCTION presents such basic information as: the rationale, the aims, the methods, the research questions and the design of the study Chapter LITERATURE REVIEW presents a review of related literature that provides the theoretical basis for evaluating and building a good language test This review includes background on language testing, criteria of good tests and theoretical issues on test content validity Chapter THE STUDY mentions the methods used in the research and which shows its detailed results of the surveys including the questionnaires and the analysis of the final achievement test in order to find out its problems with reference to the content validity Chapter RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS Recommendations provide some suggestions for the improvements of the final achievement test basing on the mentioned theoretical and practical study Conclusions summarize the matters of research, its findings as well as its limitations Chapter 2: Literature review This chapter provides an overview of the theoretical background of the study It includes three main sections 2.1 Language testing 2.1.1 Definition of language testing Testing is an important part of every teaching and learning experience and becomes one of the main aspects of methodology The issue of language testing and its significant role has been discussed a great deal by many professionals and research worldwide Different definitions of language testing are given out with various points of view According to Allen (1974:313), testing as an instrument to ensure that students have a sense of competition rather than to know how good their performance is and in which condition a test can take place He says: “Test is a measuring device which we use when we want to compare an individual with other individuals who belongs to the same group.” Carroll (1986:46) stresses a psychological or educational test is a procedure designed to elicit certain behavior from which one can make inferences about certain characteristics of an individual In other words, a test is a measurement instrument designed to elicit a particular behavior of each individual According to Bachman (1990:20), what distinguishes a test from other types of measurement is that it is designed to obtain specific sample of behavior This distinction is believed to be of great importance as it reflects the primary justification for the use of language and has implications for how we design, develop, and use them to their best use Thus, language tests can provide the means for more focus on the specific assure of interest In the point of view of Ibe (1981:1), “a sample of behavior under the control of specified conditions aims toward providing a basis for performing judgment.” The term a sample of behavior used here is quite board and it means something else rather than the traditional types of paper and pencils Yet, Heaton (1988:5) has different opinion In his ideal, tests are considered as a mean of assessing the students‟ performance and to motivate the students He looks at tests with positive eyes as many students are eager to take tests at the end of the semester to know how much knowledge they have One important thing is that he points out the relationship between testing and teaching 2.1.2 The roles of language testing Language testing is a form of measurement It helps the teachers: + To assess the learner‟s achievement in a language program, for example, to evaluate the testee‟s language knowledge in relation to a given curriculum or material which the testee has gone through in a given course + To assess a learner‟s proficiency in language in relation to future language use; for example, to find out if a person‟s language is good enough for him to become a tourist guide This is the future use of the language regardless of what language programs or materials the testee went through + To diagnose a learner‟s strengths and weaknesses in a language and to attempt to explain why the certain problems occur and what treatments could be used to tackle these problems + To classify or place the testees in the appropriate language classes + To measure the testee‟s aptitude for learning a language + To evaluate the effectiveness of a language program This is often done by using experimental and control classes with the same educational objectives but using different methods and materials to achieve these objectives, Brown (2000:5) In another way, Bebecca.M.Valette (1977:3) comments that classroom tests play three important roles in second language teaching program They are defining course objectives, stimulating student progress and evaluating class achievement Firstly, classroom tests help us to define the course objectives Students are quick to observe types of tests given and to study accordingly Thus, much as the teacher may emphasize oral fluency in the classroom, if any tests are written tests the students will soon concentrate on perfecting the skills of reading and writing Secondly, tests help stimulating student progress As much as possible, the time given over to classroom testing should provide a rewarding experience The test should furnish an opportunity for the students to show how well they can handle the specific elements of the target language; gone are the days when the teacher designed a test to point up the students‟ ignorance or lack of application Tests should be distinctly announced in advance to permit the students to prepare adequately If the students themselves are expected to demonstrate their abilities, it is only proper that they should learn as soon as possible after the test how well they did The test best fulfills its functions as a part of the learning process if the correct performance is immediately confirmed and the errors are pointed out The last role of testing is evaluating class achievement Through frequent testing, the teacher can determine which aspects of the program are presenting difficulties for individual students and for the class as a whole By analyzing the mistakes made on a given test, the teacher can determine where to concentrate extra class drills and how best to assist each student At the same time, testing enables the teacher to discover whether the class objectives are being met Through tests, the teacher can evaluate the effectiveness of a new teaching method, of a different approach to a difficult pattern, or of new materials The most familiar role of the classroom test is to furnish an objective evaluation of each student‟s progress: his or her attainment of course objectives and his or her performances in relation to the rest of the class 2.1.3 Relationship between testing and teaching- learning In the past, teaching and testing used to separate both theoretically and practically According to Williams (1983), a test is necessary imposition but outside the classroom, it is unpleasant one because of two main reasons The first one is that testing is concerned with competition rather than cooperation Thus, while classroom activities may involve pair works and group works, such cooperation during a test is condemned as copying, and the individual is expected to work alone If these are perfectly possible, the results of a group test may tell us very little about each individual in that group In the same way, testing does not admit cooperation between teachers and learners The teacher who helps and encourages the learners with their tasks and responds to their difficulties, in a test situation, withdraws cooperation The other reason followed from the first is that there should be a winner and loser in the test To be sure, those who close to win themselves not feel too upset, but those who gain little from experience, may feel conscious 41 III Reading Ann lives in London She is twenty nine and works for the BBC She interviews people on an early morning news program called The world to day Every weekday, she gets up at 3.00 in the morning because the program starts at 6.30 She loves her work because it is exciting, she and she meets a lot of very interesting people, but she loves her weekends, too On Fridays, she comes from the BBC at about 2.00 in the afternoon and she just relaxes On Friday evening, she doesn‟t go out, but sometimes a friend comes for dinner He or she brings wine and they cook Ann loves cooking They listen to music or just chat On Saturday mornings, she gets up at 9.00 and she goes shopping Then in the evening, she sometimes goes to the theatre or the opera with a friend- she loves opera Then they eat in her favorite Chinese restaurant On Sunday morning, she stays in bed late She doesn‟t get up until 11.00 Sometimes, in the afternoon, she visits her sister She lives in the country and has two children She likes playing with her niece and nephew, but she leaves early and goes to bed at 8.00 on Sunday evenings A Answer the questions: 21 How old is she? 22 Where does she work? 23 What does she on Saturday mornings? 24 What time does she get up on Sunday mornings? 25 Why does she go to bed early on Sunday evenings? B Decide the following sentences true (T) or false (F) 26 She comes home on Fridays at p.m 27 She loves going out in the evening 28 She eats in a Chinese hotel 29 She visits her sisters on Sunday mornings 30 Her sister has one child 42 IV Writing A Rewrite each sentence, beginning as shown, so that the meaning stays the same Example: She is a good dancer => She dances very well 31 David is a very careful driver David……………………………………………………………………………… 32 My school hasn‟t got any computers My school ……………………………………………………………………… 33 Being able to drive a car is compulsory in this job It is compulsory ………………………………………………………………… 34 Do you want to play a game of chess? Would ………………………………………………………………………… ? 35 Roger is graduating next month Roger is going…………………………………………………………………… B Guided sentence building: use the following given words and phrases to write complete sentences Example: Mary/like/ listen/ music/when/she/ free time => Mary likes listening to music when she has free time 36 Brazil/ most/successful/ soccer team/ world? …………………………………………………………………………………… 37 Hong‟s new school/ smaller/ old one …………………………………………………………………………………… 38 She/ want/ pilot/when/she/young …………………………………………………………………………………… 39 You/would/like/come/my house/dinner? ………………………………………………………………………………… 40 My father/travel/to/ a lot/countries/ the world ………………………………………………………………………………… THE END 43 Before giving it to students, many teachers at my department have chance to read it and give their comments to evaluate its content validity And it received quite a lot of positive feedback Most of the teachers commented that it had clear format with straightforward guidance It measured what students have been taught in this semester and also evaluates students‟ true language ability through many test items like listening tasks, reading comprehension, vocabulary tasks and so on It also motivates some good students because it has some new words, some structures outside the teaching material I have given the test to some students and they also have posed the comment that the test has a lot of advantages such as enough time allowance, comprehensible instructions, and the average level to the students Obliviously, by these reasons, its content validity is higher than the old one and beneficial to students 4.2 Conclusions This study has investigated the content validity of the final achievement test for second year students at Phuong Dong University By meticulous analysis of the data collected via the two sets of survey questionnaires with the teachers and students at this university and then analysis of the final achievement test, two research questions have been answered Those above analysis point out that the test did not ensure the content validity The test only checked some grammatical structures and vocabulary It did not check reading and listening skill In some sentences, they miss some grammars students have been taught such as negative form of past simple tense, the grammar going to Moreover, in the writing part, the hardest one in the test, there is no suggested sentences or questions to guide students It is so difficult for them to finish the part Therefore, it can be said that the content validity of this test was not satisfactory Basing both on the documentation of literature review and document analysis, the writer presents some suggestions for test improvements in how to design the final term test with the focus on writing a suggested test specification for teachers to design the final term test in order to make it more valid 4.3 Limitations of the study This study, despite the utmost efforts of the writer, remains some limitations First of all, the study can not cover all the final achievement tests for second year students 44 Secondly, the scope of this study is limited to second year students at Phuong Dong University Finally, the data collections of the students and teachers such as the survey questionnaires also have some shortcomings as presented in chapter three Due to the limit of time and ability, the study is unable to examine other qualities of the test Thus, this is suggested for further research The writer hopes that this minor thesis will be welcome by the teachers and students at Phuong Dong University and contribute, however a bit to improving the teaching and learning of English here Summary In this chapter, the writer has presented her suggestions for improvements of the test, with the focus on how to design the final term test Basing on it, the teachers may design the final test in order to make the test more valid than the previous one 45 REFERENCES Alderson, J.C., C Clapham & D Wall (1995) Language test construction and evaluation Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Anastasi, A (1982) Psychological Testing London: Macmillan Allen, J.P.B and Corden, Pit, S (1974) Techniques in Applied Linguistics, Oxford: Oxford University Press Bachman, L.F (1990) Fundamental considerations in Language testing Oxford: Oxford University Press Bachman, L.F., and Palmer, A.S (1996) Language testing in practice: designing and developing useful language tests Oxford: Oxford University Press Bachman, L.F.et al (1995) An investigation into the comparability of two tests of English as a foreign language Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Brown, H D (1994) Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, 3rd edn, Prentice Hall, NY Brown, H D (2000) Principles of Language Learning and Teaching New York: Longman Brown, J D (1997) Statistics Corner: Questions and answers about language testing statistics: Reliability of surveys Shiken: JALT Testing & Evaluation SIG Newsletter, 1(2), 17-19 Also retrieved from the World Wide Web at http://www.jalt.org/test/bro_2.htm 10 Brown, J D (1990) Where tests fit into language programs? JALT Journal, 12(1), 121-140 11 Carroll, J.B (1968) The psychology of language testing (In) A David (Ed) Language Testing Symposium A psycholinguistic Perspective London: Oxford University Press 12 Guilford, J.P (1965) Fundamental Statistics in Psychology and Education, 4th Edn New York: McGraw-Hill 13 Harrison, A (N.D) A Language Testing Handbook Modern English Publications 14 Henning, G (1987) A guide to Language testing Cambridge: Newbury House Publisher 46 15 Hughes, A (1988) Writing English Tess (2nd Edition) London: Longman 16 Hughes, A (1989) Testing for Language Teachers Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 17 Ibe, M D (1981) Language test analysis beyond the validity and reliability criteria (In) Papers on Language Testing Occasional Papers Read J.A.S (Ed) No 18.pp1 Singapore: SEAMEO Regional Language Center 18 Kelly, R (1978) On the construct validity of comprehensive tests: an exercise in applied linguistics University of Queensland PhD thesis 19 Kerlinger, F N (1973) Foundations of behavioral research New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston 20 Moller, A.D (1982) A study in the validation of proficiency tests of English as a Foreign Language Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Edinburgh 21 Moore, G E (1992) The significance of research in vocational education: 1992 AVERA presidential address The Journal of Vocational Education Research, 17(4), 1-12 22 Oller, J.W Jr (1979) Language tests at school London: Longman 23 Read, J.A.S (1983) What is a good classroom test? (In) Guidelines A Periodical for Classroom Language Teachers Classroom tests Crabbe, D (Ed.) Volume No.1.pp1-7.Singapore: SEAMEO Regional Language Center 24 http://www.cis.doshisha.ac.jp/kkitao/library/article/test/design2.htm I Appendix The content of the course book Language Input Contents Unit Grammar Vocabulary Skills development Everyday Reading Speaking Listening Writing Introducing The alphabet Introducin yourself song g yourself English Unit Verbs to be Countries Hello Possessive Using everybod adjectives bilingual Hello and Swetlana a goodbye and Tiago dictionary y Plural nouns Unit Verb to be The family In a cafe An email Talking about Meeting Negative and Opposite from you from about people short answers adjectives England Your family England your class Possessive ‘s Food and Present The world simple Questions of work Verbs Present Take it simple easy is Danka? help, What make, serve time Seumas Mc Asking about is it? Jobs Seumas’s Natural sopporran – a friend and day the and negatives Unit email Write Where drink Unit An writing man relatives with 13 jobs Verbs: relax, Social go out, play expressions My favorite Leisure My favorite Informal season season activities Leisure What is your Where activities favorite letters are they? season? A questionnaire – Do have you a healthy lifestyle? Unit There is/ are Rooms Where How Things in the you live? many…? house Directions Living in a What is in What is in Describin bubble your picture? Yoshi’s g where Talking about briefcase? you live II Preposition What of place your bag? Some is in Where you live Homes around and Places the world any This, that, these, those Can/ can’t Unit Can you Was/were Countries and On language speak Could Verbs English? Was born Words sound the Talented phone teenager A Lucia questionnaire not cook can Formal letters - what can Applying that you do? for a job the What same can computers do? Role play- interview Unit Past simple Verb Then and tense now What is the Two famous The year I 1984- Words that go date? Regular first together verbs the Describin was born year I was g What did it born holiday a happen? Irregular verbs Time expression Unit Past simple Relationships A date to Negative- Spelling remembe ago r Special Three Getting Three Writing inventions information inventions about silent letters Did How did you friend Time Phonetic know that? expression symbols How did you and occasions you a two meet two meet? Unit Count and Food and Polite offers drink and requests Food you uncount like nouns Food around world Food you like My the Role play- favourite shopping national I like and I’d Meals in your food like country Filling in forms III A and some Much and many Unit 10 Comparative City and Directions Bigger and country danza- more and better superlatives adjectives Havana/ you Have got City Buenos Taking about country Aries/Sevill your town e A walk in the and country words Viva la I have got Comparing Describin than life in the g a place city and country/city Unit 11 Present Clothes In a clothes Flying Describing a Who is at Describin Looking continuous Describing shop without person/ scene the party? good Whose is it? people wings Getting A song Possessive Words pronoun rhyme who is at the Phonetic party? symbols My favourite Tongue things that g people information- twisters Unit 12 Going to Verbs Life is an Infinitive adventure Making of The weather Born free suggestions Dangerous Future plans sports purpose Writing a postcard Interviews World weather Unit 13 Question Describing At Story forms feeling chemist’s time Adjectives At and adverbs chemist’s Present Past At participles airport Unit 14 Have you perfect ever? Present perfect past simple short Childhood story the At the airport and the A Noises in the Writing a stories night Telling story a A short story story the We’ ve Cities you never learnt have been to to drive What has Writing Ryan done? Things have A been done honeymoon in Venice A song an email IV Appendix Questionnaire for students This questionnaire is designed with the aim of improving the quality of the final achievement test for non- major students Your true and accurate information will be of at most Thanks for your contributions Does the test measure what you have been taught? a Yes b No In your opinion, time allowance for this test is… a Not enough b Enough c Too much d Your own ideas What you think about the difficulty level of each part in the test? a very difficult b difficult c average d easy Are all types of the test familiar with you? a Yes b No Have you been taught grammatical structures and vocabulary in part 1,2 and of the test? a Yes b No The topic of the writing part is a Appropriate and relevant b Not related to what you have been taught Which mark did you get for the final achievement test? -THE END- V Appendix Questionnaires for teachers In your opinion, what is the purpose of the test? a To assess teachers’ teaching effectiveness b To measure the students’ ability c To classify or rank the students d To evaluate the effectiveness of a book What did the teacher base on when designing the final achievement test for second year non major students? a Level of the students b The teaching and learning syllabus c The teacher’ book Does the test measure what students have been taught? a Yes b No Are all types of the test similar to what the students have been taught? a Yes b No Have all the grammatical structures and words in the test been taught? a Yes (If b No not, what grammatical structures and words aren’t taught?…………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………… ……………………………… …………………………………………………… ) Is the topic of the writing part relevant to what students have been taught? a Yes b No VI Please evaluate the difficulty level of each part in the test to the level of students Part Easy Appropriate Difficult Part Part Part Part In your opinion, time allowance for this test is… a Not enough b Enough c Too much (If too much or not enough, how much time you think is appropriate for the test? …………………………………………………………………………) Before giving the test to students, was it discussed among teachers to find out its content validity? a Yes b No THANKS FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION VII Appendix Answer key for reading task I Answer the questions: Because he played cards for hours and got very hungry in the oven of a stove Italy potato chips The cook cut some very thin pieces of potatoes and fried in oil Then he put salt on them II Decide the following sentences true (T) or false (F) T T F T T ) VIII Appendix Answer key for new final achievement test I Listening Dialogue C: Our house is quite old, bout fifty years old It is in the centre of the village near the church All the houses here are white We have a living room, quite a big kitchen, and three bedrooms, and a big verandah all around the house B: Our children are not at home now They both have jobs in the city so most of the time it is just Candy and me C: Yes, so in summer we bed and breakfast for tourists We have lovely visitors from all over the world D A C B C Dialogue When I grow up, I am going to be a footballer- a really good one I am in the school team and I play three times a week But I am going to train very hard, everyday so I can be really, really good First, I am going to play for Manchester United, then Inter Milan, and then Real Madrid Those are my favorite teams I am going to travel all over the world and I am going to be famous I am not going to marry until I am very old- about 25 Then I want to have two sons I am going to play football until I am 35- that is very long time And I am going to teach my sons to play I want them to be famous footballers, too C D 25 B 10 C IX II Grammar and vocabulary 11 B 12 B 13 B 14 A 15 C 16 A 17 A 18 C 19 B 20 B III Reading 21 She is twenty nine 22 She works for the BBC 23 She gets up at 9.00 and goes shopping 24 She gets up at 11.00 25 Because she has to get up early and go to work on Mondays 26 T 27 F 28 F 29 F 30 F III Writing A Rewrite the sentences, beginning as shown, so that the meaning stays the same 31 David drives very carefully 32 My school doesn’t have any computers 33 It is compulsory to be able to drive a car in this job 34 Would you like to play a game of chess? 35 Roger is going to graduate next month B Guide sentence building: use the following given words or phrases to complete sentences 36 Is Brazil the most successful soccer team in the world? 37 Hong’s new school is smaller than the old one 38 She wanted to be a pilot when she was young 39 Would you like to come to my house for dinner? 40 My father has traveled to a lot of countries around (all over) the world ... Aims of study The study aims at checking the content validity of the final achievement test for second- year- non- major students at Phuong Dong University It places high emphasis on analyzing the contents... final achievement tests for second year students 44 Secondly, the scope of this study is limited to second year students at Phuong Dong University Finally, the data collections of the students. .. written before the test, and then the test is written based on the test specifications After the test is finished, the specifications should be consulted to see whether they match the test that was