General Instructions

In this test, you will have an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to extract information on a thematic topic from audio and visual sources, synthesize the opposing arguments and use these points in an editorial article on the topic. information and use it to support your own opinions in an article.

At the beginning of this test, you will be viewing a videotaped program and two articles about animal experimentation. The purpose of the listening and reading activities is to help you understand reflect on the issue of animal experimentation, so that you will be able to discuss examine the topic in depth in the following writing task. Therefore, it is important that, while doing these activities, you should

Ÿ             extract information you will use to discuss the arguments for and against animal experimentation, and

Ÿ             reach a conclusion of your own on the issue.

The listening activity is about 10~15 minutes long. The program will be played ONLY ONCE.

The recommended time for the reading activity is 30 45 minutes. You may view the texts from the computer screen or ask your monitor for a hard copy.

After the listening and reading activities, you will write a 1000-word composition on animal experimentation. You may write in either a computer or a paper-and-pencil format. If you choose the computer format, you may use the word processing functions provided by the computer program. However, you will be responsible for saving your composition file.

During the writing section, you may have a one 15-minute rest break as when you feel needed it. But bear in mind that no make-up time will be given to you for the time lost.

Detailed instructions will be given to you at the beginning of each part.

The entire test takes about 23 hours and 45 minutes.

ACTIVITY I: LISTENING

In this activity, you will watch a videotaped program entitled "Michael Carey, M.D[1]." The program talks about a doctor, Dr. Michael Carey, who uses cats in his medical research.  The program is about 13 minutes long.

Use the space provided in your test booklet to note down the arguments for and against animal experimentation.

NOTES

ACTIVITY II: READING

In this activity, you will read two articles entitled "Animal Experimentation Issues[2]" and "Let the People Speak[3]" which discuss the use of animals in scientific research from different perspectives. You may view the articles from your computer screen or ask your monitor for a hard copy.

We recommend that you take 45 minutes to read and make notes on the key information that you will need in the later writing task

Use the space provided in your test booklet to note down the arguments for and against animal experimentation.

Move on to the writing task when you are done with the reading activity. You have         2 hours and 45 minutes to complete this reading activity and the following writing task.

You may take one 15-minute break during this period of time. The monitor will announce the time remaining every 30 minutes, and at ten minutes and five minutes before the end of the exam.

NOTES

THE WRITING TASK

Animal experimentation today is a controversial issue. , supported by those who believe it is necessary to achieve medical advances and opposed by those who believe that it causes unnecessary suffering in animals. Some animal activists even urge their governments to ban its use completely. In order to better understand whether it should impose any stricter laws or a ban on the use of animal experimentation, your government has decided to hold a series of public hearings.  

As a columnist of an international newspaper, you would like to do an in-depth report on this issue in your weekly Editorial & Commentary Section, so that your readers can be better informed before making a judgment.

In your article, you should

Ÿ             include a title that appropriately addresses the theme,

Ÿ             critically examine the arguments for and against animal experimentation as presented in the listening and reading activities,

Ÿ             clearly state your position on this issue, and

Ÿ             summarize your arguments in support of the position you take.

In addition, keep the following requirements in mind while writing.

Ÿ             The length requirement for this task is 1,000 words[4].

Ÿ             You must use information from all THREE sources, i.e. the listening and the two reading passages.

Ÿ             Use your own words as much as possible, and use quotations appropriately when necessary. Direct copying of more than three consecutive words from the listening or reading passages without quotation is considered plagiarism.

Ask your monitor for an answer sheet if you prefer to write on paper. For those who choose to write on a computer, remember to periodically save your composition file.

Your performance will be scored according to the following criteria:

Ÿ             relevance and adequacy of content,

Ÿ             coherence and organization,

Ÿ             lexical use, and

Ÿ             grammatical use.