对翻译作为英语能力测试手段的分析与思考

An analysis of translation as a means to reflect foreign language ability

随着人们对语言本质认识的进步，翻译在教学中再次被广泛地用作外语能力的测试手段。分析我国现行有代表性的三种英语测试中的翻译题可以发现：翻译不仅被用来测试翻译能力，而且也被用来测试对语法、词汇等语言结构的阅读理解和书面表达等语言能力。要运用好翻译题的这种多重测试功能，必须在明确测试目的的前提下，以现代测试理论为指导，科学地设计翻译试题。

In the context that modern linguistics has contributed to a better understanding of the essence of language, translation as a means to reflect foreign language ability is once again being widely employed in language tests after years of being shelved. A detailed analysis of three representative foreign language tests currently popular in China reveals the fact that translation is not only adopted to assess translating performance but also to evaluate such language abilities as reading comprehension, writing competence as well as knowledge of grammatical anti lexical structures. Effective application of translation for this muhi-purpose testing function, however, calls for a scientific design of translation testing items based on the clear understanding of the testing purpose with the help of modem testing theories.