下面两个例子能让大家很直观地了解雅思口语考试的评分标准:
What’s your favourite subject at school?
My favourite subjects are math and politics. I like it because they’re interested.
首先,这个回答只有两句话,而且每句都有非常明显的语法错误:单复数混淆,现在分词说成过去分词。这是典型的5分回答。
It’s politics because I want to be diplomat in the future so I have to study politics. To realize my dream, I should study hard.
这个答案已经实现了考生和考官之间的有效沟通,但是没有正确使用冠词,而且给人前后矛盾的感觉,明明是最喜欢的课,又“不得不学”,最多能拿6分。
I guess… it’s history, especially the world history. I like it so much coz it explains lots of things to us, like why Americans wanted to get independence from Britain two centuries ago. And why Hitler wanted to attack other countries during the Second World War. Probably the most important reason I adore this subject is the history tests are always so easy…
这个回答看似很简单,但留意回答中的时态变化,再想想自己平时在口语练习中有没有注意时态的选择。这个回答中,especially、And、Probably the most important reason的使用,很轻松地表达出了各句之间的逻辑关系。还有一些亮点词汇,如coz、adore等,虽然常用,但却是非英语母语者很少说的词汇。这个回答属于7~9分段,是雅思的高分段。如果能更流畅、自然地把上面这段话说出来,至少能拿8分。
To what extent do you think the climate of a country affects the kind of houses or homes that are built?
I think the climate of a country affect my house or home because house or home should adapt to the climate.
这个回答有一半都在重复问题,而且存在非常明显的语法错误,属于4~5分的回答。
I think the climate of a country surely affects people’s houses or homes. We know that different country has different kinds of houses. People consider the climate when they build their houses.
这个回答没有很多错误,但是太空洞了,没有什么实际的内容,最多能拿6分。
Well… in my view, climate probably has a lot to do with the way we design our houses. So… for instance, in countries where it snows a lot, you find houses with something like a steep roof… so that the snow can’t settle there, and… you know… damage the roof. But in warm climate, I think the houses are often built to keep the sun out…
这个回答真正回答了问题,而且提供了细节,属于7~9分的回答。可见,雅思口语考试的要求不仅停留在语言层面。自然,考生要用正确、流利、地道的口语回答问题,但是回答应该是经过思考、有序组织后表达出来的。in my view、so、for instance、so that、you know、but、I think之类的表达能让考生清晰地表达出自己的思路,让考官可以跟着这一思路“拾级而上”,这些表达也充分地展示出了考生的英文思维能力。考生表达地道,双方沟通有效,高分自然手到擒来。
另外,中国考生在学习英语的过程中,对口音有执念,对语法很畏惧,追求高语速。但在备考雅思的时候,应该抓住一个基本点:有效沟通。只要说出来的英语能够让考官听懂,就不必纠结口音;只要语法没有太多错误,把握好时态,也就不必随时准备着说sorry;语速不急不缓,顺着考官的思路,尽量把意思表达清楚即可。其实雅思口语也没有那么难,说到底,就是要在“应试谈话”和“语言交流”之间找到平衡点。考生不用特意把going to说成gonna,也不必在gotta、wanna以及coz这些缩略词中纠结。在真实的口语环境中,英语母语者确实经常用缩略词,但是考生不必将备考侧重点放在这里,而是要做到口齿清楚、思路清晰,展示强烈的沟通欲望,并且不失礼貌。