Evaluation On The Usefulness Of The Consecutive Interpreting Tests Of Undergraduate Program

Interpreting testing attracts the attention of many scholars. Usefulness of tests, raised by Bachman, is the most important consideration in designing and developing a language test. A useful test can provide positive and active backwash effects, thus improving the quality of both teaching and learning. With a view to the communicative characteristics of interpreting, this paper aims to conduct a case study on the usefulness of the consecutive interpreting tests of three English-related schools of Sichuan International Studies University(SISU), which is one of the significant universities in southwest China, at the end of the first semester for juniors under the theoretical framework of communicative language testing raised by Bachman in regards of reliability, construct validity, authenticity, interactiveness, impact and practicality. The engaged schools are College of Interpretation and Translation, College of English Language and Literature and School of Business English. In the meantime, the merits and demerits of the consecutive interpreting testing of the three schools can be analyzed, facilitating the training and cultivation of more excellent interpreters.This paper conducts a qualitative study on usefulness of the consecutive interpreting tests of the three schools in SISU through the instrument of questionnaires. The respondents are teachers responsible for interpreting teaching and juniors of the three schools. According to the results of those analyses of the questionnaires, this paper concludes that the consecutive interpreting tests of the three schools are basically useful. Targeted to the weaknesses of the three schools in consecutive interpreting testing, this paper lays out possible suggestions. In this way, consecutive interpreting testing of the three schools in SISU can be further improved.