(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-08 08:46

PRINCETON, New Jersey - Chinese students are making "strong progress" in mastering the communicative English skills, as Educational Testing Service (ETS) reported that the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores for Chinese test takers increased to match the worldwide average in 2007, ETS officials said here Wednesday.

Citing figures from ETS' TOEFL Test and Score Data Summary, which contains data on the performance of examinees who took the TOEFL Internet-based test in 2007, the officials said that the mean score for Chinese test takers was 78 in the year, a two-point increase over 2006, matching the worldwide average of 78.

"The results show that the (Chinese) students are making strong progress in mastering the communicative English skills necessary to succeed at the world's leading universities," the officials said.

"These results show that the hard work of intensive study of English and practice by Chinese test takers has had positive results," Paul Ramsey, Senior Vice President of ETS Global, noted at a press conference especially arranged for foreign journalists.

"Chinese students will be able to show that in addition to their very strong academic abilities, they are able to use English for communication at the university level," he said.

The TOEFL test is the most widely accepted English-language test in the world. More than 6,000 institutions in 110 countries accept TOEFL scores, including the world's top universities and institutions in the UK., Europe and all 4,300 colleges and universities in the United States, according to ETS.

"China has the second largest number of students in the world taking the TOEFL and this year we are experiencing strong growth in registrations for the test," Ramsey said.

ETS and China's National Education Examination Authority are working closely to further expand testing capacity to ensure that test takers have more convenient access to testing services, the officials said, adding that ETS is also committed to introducing more tools and resources to Chinese students to help English learning and test preparation.