The Duration of the English CET-4 Listening Test

Introduction

The College English Test (CET) is the most important English proficiency test for Chinese college students. The fourth level (CET-4) is a milestone for many students as it is usually required for graduation and job applications. The test has four sections: listening, reading, writing, and translation. Among them, the listening section has been identified as one of the most challenging parts for test-takers. The duration of the CET-4 listening test has been a topic of concern for many students, and this article aims to explore this issue.

The Current Duration of the CET-4 Listening Test

According to the official website of the CET, the listening section of the CET-4 test lasts for approximately 35 minutes. During this time, students need to answer 40 multiple-choice questions based on audio materials. The audio materials are usually short dialogues or monologues, and the difficulty level ranges from easy to difficult. Students are expected to understand the content, identify the main ideas, and infer the implied meanings.

The Adequacy of the Duration

The adequacy of the duration of the CET-4 listening test has been a topic of debate among educators, students, and scholars. Some argue that 35 minutes are not enough for students to fully demonstrate their listening skills and that the test should be extended to ensure fairness and accuracy. Others believe that 35 minutes are already sufficient and that longer test duration may lead to fatigue and decrease the accuracy of testing. Conclusion: In conclusion, the duration of the CET-4 listening test has been set at approximately 35 minutes. Whether this duration is adequate or not is still a matter of debate. However, students can prepare for the test by practicing their listening skills regularly, familiarizing themselves with the test format, and adopting effective test-taking strategies.