A Comparison Between HSK And TOEFL

The new HSK and TOEFL iBT are two standardized examinations set up respectivelyby the authority of China and the U.S., aimed at quantifying and testing the correspondingcandidates’ ability to communicate with Chinese or English. Relying on the strategicadvantages of higher education of the U.S., the global penetration of TOEFL iBT hasreached such a high level that the new HSK cannot achieve nowadays; however, as China’scomprehensive national strength grows constantly, the new HSK is making its way forwardalong with the deepening international promotion of Chinese. Setting up prototypes forChinese and Western second language tests, the new HSK and TOEFL iBT are comparablein several aspects, such as discipline bases of linguistics and psychology, the inspection ofthe four basic skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing and the significantinnovations of the examination forms. Starting from these aspects of the overall forms andspecific contents, this paper is trying to make a superficial comparison between the newHSK and TOEFL iBT with the help of certain theories of linguistics and psychology aswell as both the official release of materials and data.