Testing structure

Answer

1. Correct Answer: a. scrambled sentence (multiple-choice)
   Explanation: Scrambled sentences are particularly effective in informal classroom settings as they encourage students to actively engage with sentence structure, enhancing their grammatical understanding in a less formal context

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2. Correct Answer: c. in which the options do not interrupt the flow of meaning
   Explanation: A well-constructed multiple-choice grammar item should maintain the coherence of the sentence, allowing students to focus on the grammatical aspect without being distracted by awkward phrasing or interruptions

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3. Correct Answer: b. restrict the number of possible answers
   Explanation: Both transformation and completion items often lead to a wide range of acceptable responses, making it challenging to limit answers to specific target structures

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4. Correct Answer: a. are difficult to construct and to score objectively
   Explanation: Combination and addition items can complicate the scoring process due to their complexity, making them less reliable for assessing specific grammatical skills

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5. Correct Answer: b. grammar
   Explanation: Function words, which include prepositions, conjunctions, and articles, are primarily assessed in grammar tests as they play a crucial role in sentence structure and meaning

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6. Correct Answer: c. cloze
   Explanation: Providing a sentence context is vital in cloze items because it helps students understand how words fit into larger structures, thus improving their ability to choose the correct word

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7. Correct Answer: c. multiple choice
   Explanation: Multiple choice cloze tests effectively evaluate grammar skills by allowing students to select from options based on context, which can provide insights into their grammatical understanding

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8. Correct Answer: c. Scrambled sentences
   Explanation: Scrambled sentences are particularly useful in informal classroom testing as they encourage interaction and active learning among students while testing their understanding of sentence structure

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9. Correct Answer: c. 60/30
   Explanation: Aiming for a test coverage of 60 items within 30 minutes is generally considered reasonable for assessing grammatical knowledge effectively without overwhelming students

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10. Correct Answer: d. actual communication
    Explanation: Grammar tests typically focus on structural knowledge rather than measuring a student's ability to communicate effectively in real-world situations

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11. Correct Answer: b. Word order
    Explanation: Tests of grammar often include word order as it is essential for constructing meaningful sentences and understanding syntactic relationships

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12. Correct Answer: c. dialogue context
    Explanation: Using dialogue context in multiple-choice completion helps provide clarity and relevance, making it easier for students to select the correct answer based on conversational cues

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13. Correct Answer: a. it is easy and economical to prepare good items
    Explanation: Multiple-choice completion items are favored because they can be efficiently created while still effectively assessing grammatical knowledge without excessive complexity

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14. Correct Answer: a. a variety of structures
    Explanation: Multiple-choice completion tests are designed to assess mastery across different grammatical structures, allowing for comprehensive evaluation of student knowledge

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15. Correct Answer: c. free-response
    Explanation: Free-response formats require students to generate language independently, which is essential for evaluating true productivity in language use

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16. Correct Answer: c. simple multiple choice items
    Explanation: Simple multiple-choice items are effective for assessing the grammar of students with limited language ability as they offer clear options without requiring extensive production skills

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17. Correct Answer: d. looking for good distracters
    Explanation: The final step in preparing multiple-choice completion tests involves creating plausible distracters that challenge students while ensuring clarity in the correct answer

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18. Correct Answer: b. punctuation and spelling
    Explanation: Unpunctuated sentences can serve dual purposes by checking both punctuation and spelling skills simultaneously, which are critical components of written language proficiency

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19. Correct Answer: d. do not involve the subjective judgment of the scores
    Explanation: Simple completion items provide objective scoring opportunities since they typically have clear correct answers, reducing bias in assessment

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20. Correct Answer: b. proposed test content
    Explanation: Establishing a detailed outline of proposed test content is crucial for structuring an effective grammar test that targets specific learning objectives and areas of difficulty

Answer

21. The best device to test word-order through multiple-choice items is b. scrambled sentence. Scrambled sentences require students to rearrange words into a correct order, directly assessing their understanding of syntax and word placement.
22. Sections of tests which do NOT lend themselves significantly to diagnostic purposes are c. phoneme discrimination. Phoneme discrimination tests typically assess auditory skills rather than specific language structures or usage, making them less useful for diagnostic evaluation.
23. Error identification items are useful in testing b. grammar points for which there are few logical options. These items help identify specific grammatical errors and assess a student's understanding of grammatical rules.
24. The term d. discourse analysis calls attention to the peculiarly sequential organization of language in actual use. Discourse analysis examines how language is used in context, focusing on the structure and function of communication.
25. Which of the following does NOT suit the preparation of multiple-choice completion grammar items? c. Select three distracters which are capable of distracting all the students. Effective distracters should be plausible but not necessarily distract all students; they should challenge their understanding without being misleading.
26. In order to check the mastery of a large number of structures, it is recommended to use a. cloze tests. Cloze tests require students to fill in blanks within a text, allowing for assessment across various grammatical structures in context.
27. The preparation of a structure test should always begin with the a. selection of the structures to be included in the test. Identifying the specific structures ensures that the test is focused and relevant to the learning objectives.
28. Which one of the following statements is true regarding structure items? a. The sentence-completion technique is referred to as the cloze procedure. This technique involves removing words from a text and asking students to fill in the blanks, which assesses their understanding of context and grammar.
29. Which of the following guidelines is NOT pertinent to structure items? a. The options should be of equal length. While clarity is important, equal length is not a strict requirement for effective distracters in structure items.
30. To come up with good distracters, inexperienced test constructors should first prepare d. discrete-point items and administer them to some students of the sort they wish to test ultimately. Discrete-point items focus on specific knowledge areas, making it easier to gauge student responses and refine distracters.
31. The c. dialogue context is an alternate form of multiple choice completion items used in testing grammatical points whose sentences are complete and students should not complete them. This format allows for testing comprehension without requiring additional input from students.
32. Which of the following steps should NOT be followed in preparing simple completion grammar tests? c. Selecting three logical distracters. Simple completion tests typically do not use distracters; instead, they focus on having students provide correct answers based on context.
33. For evaluating student's general grammatical ability, Madsen has suggested that c. function words must be taken out. Function words often do not provide insight into a student's grammatical capabilities since they serve structural rather than content roles.

34-40: Each item listed has its own defect based on various criteria such as context sufficiency, natural dialogue flow, and clarity of options:34: c - The stem does not provide sufficient context.
35: b - The language of the dialogue is not natural.
36: c - The stem does not provide sufficient context.
37: b - The second part does not sound like a natural response.
38: c - The stem does not provide sufficient context.
39: c - The stem does not provide sufficient context.
40: b - The item does not represent a natural dialogue.

Answer

Question 41

The correct answer is d. a and b.

Explanation:

• a. The stem does not provide sufficient context: The question itself lacks clarity regarding the situation being referred to. It does not specify whether the father is asking about a past event or a habitual action, which can lead to confusion in selecting the correct response.
• b. The alternatives are not brief and to the point: The options presented are unnecessarily lengthy and complex, making it difficult for the respondent to focus on the primary question. Clear and concise alternatives are essential for effective testing.

Summary:

Both issues (lack of context and overly complex alternatives) contribute to the defectiveness of the item, making d the most accurate choice.

Question 42

The correct answer is b. the item does not represent a natural dialogue.

Explanation:

• b. The item does not represent a natural dialogue: The question and answers provided do not reflect how people typically converse. In natural dialogue, responses would be more straightforward and less awkward. For example, saying "she isn't always here" aligns more closely with everyday speech than the other options.

Summary:

The primary flaw in this item is its failure to mimic realistic conversational patterns, making option b the correct choice.