Language Assessment for SMA Students Grade XII: A Sample Test
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Standardized language assessment or standardized assessment is a set of tests prepared by a team of experts in assessment for assessing language proficiency. Djiwandono (2008) proposed a procedure for designing a standardized assessment, as follows:
- Planning: determining language ability to be tested, identifying the characteristics of the test-takers, writing the objectives, specifying the test type and test format.
- Writing test items, based on the planning
- Doing critical review of the test
- Trying-out the test
- Revising
- Fixing the final product
Look at the planning set for language assessment below.
- Test-taker: SMA Students Grade XII
- Skills/component: reading, listening, vocabulary, and grammar
- Test type/format: multiple-choice items (5 choices from A-E)
- Objectives/language ability:
- Ability to identify the purpose of the text
- Ability to select the synonym of the text
- Ability to find the implied information of the text
- Ability to select the appropriate gerund/infinitive in a sentence
- Ability to recognize the communicative functions of utterances
Design a set of language test consisting of at least 5 items of questions based on the planning set above!
Answers:
Reading:
Item 1:
The main purpose of the text is to...
(A) persuade the reader to buy a new product
(B) inform the reader about a new discovery
(C) entertain the reader with a story
(D) explain a scientific concept
(E) express the author's opinion on a current issue
Item 2:
The word "revolutionary" in the text means...
(A) very different from what is usual or traditional
(B) very difficult to understand or change
(C) very expensive or costly
(D) very dangerous or harmful
(E) very important or successful
Item 3:
The implied meaning of the sentence "The new technology is still in its early stages of development" is that...
(A) the technology is not yet perfect
(B) the technology is very expensive
(C) the technology is not yet widely used
(D) the technology is not yet safe
(E) the technology is not yet easy to use
Listening:
Item 4:
The speaker is trying to...
(A) give instructions on how to use a new product
(B) tell a story
(C) describe a place
(D) explain a concept
(E) express an opinion
Item 5:
The speaker is using the utterance "Can you please help me?" to...
(A) make a request
(B) give a command
(C) ask a question
(D) express gratitude
(E) make an offer
Vocabulary:
Item 6:
The synonym of the word "enormous" is...
(A) tiny
(B) small
(C) medium
(D) large
(E) gigantic
Item 7:
The antonym of the word "happy" is...
(A) sad
(B) angry
(C) scared
(D) all of the above
Grammar:
Item 8:
Choose the correct gerund in the following sentence:
I enjoy (A) to read/(B) reading books.
Item 9:
Choose the correct infinitive in the following sentence:
He wants (A) to go/(B) going to the park.
Communicative Functions:
Item 10:
The communicative function of the utterance "Excuse me, can you tell me the time?" is to...
(A) ask for information
(B) give information
(C) make a request
(D) express gratitude
(E) make an offer