Fix the mistake: Comprehensive Exercises and Entrance Examination Preparation

Trends and Strategies for the Common Test English Examination

The Common Test English examination consists of two subjects: “Reading” and “Listening.” This section organizes the trends and strategies for each.

Basic Rules

Reading (100 points · 80 minutes):
- There are six major questions, with approximately 5,000–6,000 words
- Questions 1–4: Read information from everyday English texts, tables, and graphs (practical texts)
- Questions 5–6: Stories and argumentative essays (long-passage reading)
- All questions are four-choice multiple-choice questions
- There are few questions that directly ask about word meanings (the focus is on understanding context)
Reading Strategies:
- Speed reading is essential: more than 5,000 words in 80 minutes → a pace of at least 65 words per minute
- Questions 1–4 focus on identifying factual information; Questions 5–6 focus on understanding the argument
- Table and graph questions mainly involve comparing numerical values → use scanning to find the relevant sections
- Be careful with paraphrases: for example, the passage says → the answer choice mentions
Listening (100 points · 60 minutes · recorded audio):
- There are six major questions, with approximately 30 minutes of audio in total
- Questions 1–2 are read once; Questions 3–6 are read twice
- All questions are four-choice questions (some require selecting illustrations or tables)
- Content: everyday conversations, public announcements, lectures, and discussions
Listening Strategies:
- Read the questions and answer choices in advance (identify keywords before the audio begins)
- Listen carefully for numbers, proper nouns, and dates and times
- Pay attention to the answers to negative forms and questions
- Take notes on the main points in lecture-based questions

Points to Note

① Score allocation and balance: Reading 100 points + Listening 100 points = 200 points total. Both are equally important.
② Time management: For 80 minutes of Reading, aim for 12–14 minutes per major question. Leave time for Question 6, the long passage.
③ Answer-sheet strategy: Before choosing an answer choice, it is enough if you can eliminate choices that are definitely wrong.
④ Practice with past tests: The trends are stable. Solving the most recent three years of past tests under timed conditions will help you become familiar with the format.
⑤ Focused practice in weak areas: If you are weak at table and graph questions, focus only on those; if you struggle with numbers in Listening, focus only on practicing listening for numbers, and so on.

Practice

1. State the examination time and total number of words for Common Test English Reading.
2. Explain in one sentence in English the advantage of previewing in Listening.
3. For the passage “The new policy was opposed by many citizens,” which is the most appropriate paraphrase? (a) Many people supported the policy. (b) Many people did not agree with the policy.