导读:据本周三《人民日报》一篇报道称，2017年底或将公布新的英语能力水平标准，届时将废除原先的四六级，转而将英语能力分为9个等级，涵盖从小学到大学所有教育阶段。
Chinese students who study English will take fewer tests to prove their proficiency after new unified standards for English-language learning are released at the end of this year.
2017年底将公布新的统一英语语言学习标准，在此之后学英语的中国学生不再需要参加那么多的考试来证明他们的能力。
Officials with the Ministry of Education (MOE) said a scale for English proficiency levels will be released, and some old tests will be phased out by 2020.
教育部官员表示称届时将公布一个英语能力水平等级，在2020年前将淘汰一些旧的考试。
A report released Wednesday by People’s Daily said that universities and language experts have been developing the scale since 2014, when the State Council released a guideline for deepening reforms of testing and recruiting, including a unified testing system for English.
据本周三《人民日报》的一份报道称，随着国务院发布了深化考试和招聘改革的指导意见，包括统一的英语考试体系，高校和语言专家从2014年开始就一直在制定规划。
To that end, educational authorities in Anhui province announced that the end of PETS (Public English Test System) in the province starting from 2017, becoming the first province in the country to make such a move. The news has drawn great attention from the public, especially college students who also face CET (College English Test) while in school. If they want to apply for further schooling, attain professional titles in China, or study abroad, more English tests are awaiting them.
为此，安徽省教育厅宣布从2017年起该省将不再进行PETS考试（全国英语等级考试），成为中国第一个做出这样举措的省份。此消息引起了公众极大关注，尤其是那些也面对CET考试（大学英语考试）的在校大学生们。如果他们想要申请继续求学、在中国获得职称、或者海外留学的话，更多的英语考试在等着他们。
In the future, however, Chinese people may only need to take English tests according to their educational backgrounds, as the scale is divided into 9 levels, covers all the education periods from elementary school to university. Specifically, level 1-2 are for elementary students, level 3 is for junior high school students, level 4 is for high school students and level 5-6 are for college students with non-English majors, level 7 is for college students majoring in English and level 8-9 are for the people with superior English language skills.
然而，未来中国人可能只需要按照他们的教育背景参加英语考试，英语水平被划分成了9个不同等级，覆盖了从小学到大学所有教育阶段。具体来说，1-2级是小学生水平，3级是初中生，4级是高中生，5-6级是大学非英语专业学生，7级是英语专业学生，8-9级则是具有更高英语能力的人。
Along with requirements for listening, speaking, reading and writing, the scale also includes practical skills like written translation and oral translation, which is rare in the world in terms of standards for English proficiency. For students, especially the ones in elementary school, it is more important to cultivate their interest in learning the language rather than forcing them to take tests, according to officials.
除了听、说、读、写等方面的能力外，新的水平测试还包括了对笔译和口译等实用技能的要求，这在整个世界的英语能力水平标准方面都还很少见。有官员表示称，对学生，尤其是小学生来说，更重要的是培养他们对学习语言的兴趣，而不是逼迫他们参加考试。
"The scale will be helpful in unifying the various kinds of English tests in China that have different standards and also making clear the educational objects of English education in China," said Liu Jianda, an expert in English testing and also vice president of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies.
英语测试专家、广东外语外贸大学副校长刘健大（音）表示称：“新的等级将会有助于统一中国各种标准不同的英语测试，同时也明确中国英语教学的教育目标。”
In establishing the unified standards of English proficiency in China and the new testing regime, it will help promote communication and mutual recognition among the English tests in China and those that are better-known globally, officials with the MOE said.
据教育部官员表示称，在中国建立统一的英语能力水平标准和新的测试制度，将有助于促进中国英语测试和那些全球知名度更高英语测试之间的交流和互相认可。
