Editor's note: In the following three weeks, we will publish an authentic sample of the CET-SET test, which has the three test parts. A comment in bold face will go with the sample to give test taking tips.

To support what is said in the first two CET-SET articles on June 26 and July 3, I would like to provide the tape script of a sample CET-SET session and make a brief analysis of the three test takers' performances. The script is slightly abridged for easier reading, but is a basically authentic session. The analysis focuses on what students should pay attention to during the test and how to improve test taking skills. Grammatical mistakes and padding like "er" and "mm", as well as repetitions, and other meaningless utterances are common in spoken language, so they are all left in this script to make it sound authentic. Do not be bothered by them during reading.

The topic of this sample test is "Going on Tour", from the 2002 June CET oral test. There are two examiners and three students but only one examiner is shown here. The other one is responsible for marking and doesn't speak during the session. The three examinees, Zhou Yi (A), Chen Xiaodong (B) and Liu Qiong (C), got scores of A, B, and A, respectively.

Part one:

Examiner: Good afternoon, everybody.

A, B, C: Good afternoon.

Examiner: Now would you please tell me your name and the number of your admission ticket?

A: My name is Zhou Yi. And my number is 020121 mm 544602.

Examiner: OK, only the last four digits will do. All right! Your name, please.

B: My name is Chen Xiaodong. Er let me see my number.

Examiner: Yes?

A: My number is er 5137.

C: OK. My my name is Liu Qiong. And my number is 5225.

Examiner: OK. Thank you. Now would you please briefly introduce yourselves to each other? Remember you should not mention the name of your university.

A: Mm, who first?

Examiner: Yes, just introduce yourself to each other.

B: Er let me start first.

C: OK.

B: My name is Chen Xiaodong. And my English name is Norman. Mm I'm now studying in X University.

Examiner: Please don't mention the name of your university.

B: Er sorry.

B: I'm now er major er I major in er computer science and technology.

C: OK. My name is Liu Qiong. And now I'm a sophomore student major in finance department. Yeah.

A: Oh my major is business management and I am Zhou Yi. Er I like making friends with different people. So mm I'm very glad to meet you all here. And my motto is choose what I like and like what I have chosen. Thank you.

(1. Test takers need to refrain from mentioning the name of their colleges or universities.

2. B's and C's answers are right, but A's answer is apparently better because it includes information about what she likes to do and believes in doing. The few words of courtesy, like "I'm glad to meet you all here" and "Thank you," are also correct.

3. Try to say something different. When someone before you has said "I major in economics", you could probably say "My major is economics", "Economics is my major", or "I'm an economics major." When someone has said "I'm a sophomore," you could change it by saying "I'm a second-year student," or "I'm in my second year of college."

Part two:

Examiner: Er now that we know each other, we can do some group work. First of all, I'd like to ask each of you to say something about holidays.

C: Holidays? OK.

Examiner: Zhou Yi, now, do you like going on tour during holidays?

A: Yes, very much. (This answer is much more emphatic than "Yes, I do," and therefore produces a better effect.)

Examiner: Why?

A: Because er I think mm during the trip I can I can relax myself, especially you know we now mm study very hard at school and usually feel very tired during my weekdays. Mm so if I have a chance to have to go on a tour during my holidays, I feel very happy and relaxed.

Examiner: Now, Chen Xiaodong, what kind of people like touring most and why?

B: Like touring most? Er it's it's hard to say. (These are good conversation fillers. They give you time to think and make the conversation sound natural and smooth.) I think the people who have time would like to tour most. Er as we all know, we students do not have much time and so er we won't er go out for for holidays very very often. Er mm maybe the people er who have a high salary and have much holidays in years er will go out for holidays very often.

Examiner: Now Liu Qiong.

C: Yeah.

Examiner: Do you think it helpful to have a tour guide when touring places?

C: Yes, I think so, because when you traveling to a places that you have never been to, it is better that someone will introduce you something about it and so that er I think it will be effective for you to get a travel guide when you are traveling.

(The three test takers' answers are on the whole to the point. However, it would have been much better if they had paid more attention to their grammar.)

Examiner: OK, now let's move on to something more specific.

C: OK.

Examiner: Now, the topic for our discussion today is going on tours. Each of you will be given a card with four pictures showing places of interest in China.

I'd like you to state your reasons for visiting these places. And you will have one minute to prepare; each of you will have one and a half minutes to give your presentation.

B: OK.

C: OK.

Examiner: Don't worry if I interrupt you when the time is up.

A: OK.

Examiner: Now here are your cards.

...(after one minute)...

Examiner: Now, Liu Qiong.

C: OK.

(It seems that OK is on just about everyone's lips at this point. But note: while it's OK to use "OK", it's better to use it sparingly. It sounds boring and silly when it's over-used! Try "yes" or "fine" as an alternative.)

Coming up: Continued part of the test sample

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The test sample is provided by the National College English Testing Committee, and it is edited and analyzed by Yang Zhizhong, professor of English at NanjingUniversity.