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 #242 (permalink) Sat Mar 29, 2008 23:35 pm Errors in the tests |
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As you requested, I have now reposted three of my last comments directly in the tests forum. (I hope you don't need the urls posted here again.)
In addition, the questions raised in the following thread have already been posted in both places:
expressions: 'to stand in a queue' vs. 'stand in line' vs. 'stand in a line'
As far as I can tell, this one has basically been ignored. I don't think the test should be left as it is. Alan has plenty of information about American usage now and should be able to reformulate the sentence.
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| #243 (permalink) Sun Mar 30, 2008 15:20 pm Errors in the tests |
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http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic23454.html#77944
I have posted my editing suggestions for question 7 of this test directly in the English Teacher Explanations forum.
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| #244 (permalink) Mon Mar 31, 2008 15:08 pm Errors in the tests |
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http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic23116.html#78086
My suggestion for repairing this test sentence was to change the distracter 'brain' to some other word.
As the test stands, two of the possible four choices could be and are used (head and brain) in such a context.
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| #245 (permalink) Mon Mar 31, 2008 15:34 pm Errors in the tests |
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Hi Amy,
Thanks a lot for notifying us of your findings. I'll discuss your suggestions with Alan as soon as he comes back online and we'll make the changes where appropriate.
Regards,
Torsten
TOEIC short conversations: An employee asks his co-worker for small change |
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Torsten
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| #246 (permalink) Mon Mar 31, 2008 17:39 pm Errors in the tests |
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Hi Torsten
If any of my suggestions are rejected, I hope there will at least be feedback as to why. I'm also looking forward to some sincere discussion about the way the tests are reviewed and edited prior to posting, etc. :wink:
By the way, the questions that are going on now in the "head vs brain" thread illustrate one of the reasons I think there ought to be a way to discuss at least a few things "behind the scenes" (in a "moderator forum", for example). It's confusing when Alan parses the words "out of my head" together and then calls it "the accepted expression". That's because those words CAN be used as a fixed expression, but they are NOT a fixed expression in the context of the sentence!
Personally, I think Alan might not have been paying close attention to the rest of the sentence when he posted his response. Maybe he was just in a hurry. Maybe there really is some fixed expression (other than the one I know) that is used in the UK but not used here. However, I haven't been able to find a fixed expression (other than the one I know) in any dictionaries. Whatever the reason for Alan's post, the meaning of the fixed expression that I know doesn't fit the context of the test sentence.
So, as I see it, the fact of the matter is the words "out of my head" are not used as a fixed expression in sentence. And the fact of the matter is that I have heard plenty of native speakers use the word 'brain' in exactly the same sort of sentence as the test sentence. Therefore, I see my suggestion to change the word 'brain' to something that is really impossible as an easy solution.
Man oh man oh man!:?
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"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee
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| #248 (permalink) Thu Apr 03, 2008 3:13 am Errors in the tests |
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| Torsten wrote: |
Hi Amy,
I take it you are referring to the difference between 'stand in line' and 'stand in a line'? For some reason the URL you have quoted is pointing to the forum index page. We can change it to the discussion you have in mind. Just let me know and I'll respond to the suggestions you have made above.
Many thanks,
Torsten |
I'm still looking forward to a response and a discussion. :wink:
| Torsten wrote: |
| we'll make the changes where appropriate. |
Does that mean you will post a list of tests (if any) that will not be changed -- along with the reason(s)?
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_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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| #249 (permalink) Fri Apr 04, 2008 3:07 am Errors in the tests |
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Hi Torsten
| Alan wrote: |
| This is an open site and the idea that comments have to be vetted before they are allowed to appear, to use that awful but here useful phrase, in the public domain is not in the spirit, as I see it, of the site. |
Alan posted the above quote in another thread.
You've also told me that you're against a so-called 'moderator forum' because you want "keep the entire process transparent and democratic".
| Tosten wrote: |
| I'll discuss your suggestions with Alan as soon as he comes back online and we'll make the changes where appropriate. |
Did you mean that you and Alan will discuss these publically posted suggestions privately? That's certainly how it sounds. :shock:
What happened to your professed desire for complete transparency and openness?
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_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)
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Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)
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Location: USA
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Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)
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 Linda
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| #253 (permalink) Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:01 pm Errors in the tests |
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Thanks for the feedback, Linda.
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| #254 (permalink) Tue Apr 08, 2008 18:07 pm Errors in the tests |
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I just wanted to bump this post up somehow. Have the hidden discussions been completed? Have they even begun?
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"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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| #255 (permalink) Wed Apr 09, 2008 19:05 pm Errors in the tests |
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| Torsten wrote: |
Just let me know and I'll respond to the suggestions you have made above.
Many thanks,
Torsten |
Still looking for that response...
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