ContentsSubject

What is STEP ?LC (ListeningComprehension)

RC (ReadingComprehension)

ST (Structure)

CA (CompositionalAnalysis)

An introduction Background■

Based on growing international needs for the Englishlanguage, several academic and non-academic institutionshave approached the National Center for Assessment inHigher Education calling for the development of anEnglish test that could measure the proficiency of theirapplicants. Consequently the Center formed a committeeconsisting of specialists in the fields of English andPsychological Measurement. The Committee looked firstinto available international, regional and local testexperiences and practices. It also visited and consultedinstitutions specialized in standardized languagetesting. After this survey the Committee reached aconclusion on the need and formation of the test.

What is STEP?■STEP is an acronym for Standardized Test of EnglishProficiency. It is designed to be an objective andunbiased test of a person’s level of proficiency in theuse of English. The test is made up of the followingfour components:1. Reading Comprehension (RC – 40%), 2. Structure (ST – 30%), 3. Listening Comprehension (LC – 20%),

4. Compositional Analysis (CA – 10%).The Committee chose these four components and their respective weights after consultation and research into the approach of both regional and international bodies responsible for the production of similar English tests and feedback provided by national organizations requesting such a test. Contingent on statistical analysis and feedback on STEP results, the weighting of the four components may be subject to revision to meet the needs of the Arab Gulf region. It should be added that STEP is uniquely designed by English language professors and experts native to the region and therefore knowledgeable of the abilities and the needs locally. This drastically lowers the possibility of cultural, social and regional bias and provides a more appropriate tool for objective assessment.

■ Who should take the test?The STEP should be used for those who areseeking:

■ admission at a University or College as anundergraduate.■ admission to a Graduate Program.■ exemption from certain courses.■ teacher certification.■ employment in the private sector.■ a report of English proficiency for privateuse.

■ Test FormationThe actual STEP test has 100 questions distributed among the four components previously mentioned. With additional time allotted for non-scorable trial questions and instructions, the total test time is 3 hours.

LC (Listening Comprehension) Instructions

Listen carefully to the recordings and choose the best answer for each question, and mark it on your answer sheet.

Listening exercise 11. What will take place at Bill's house tomorrow?

A. a partyB. a gameC. a dance

2. Why does Hank have to work late?A. He has to attend a meeting.B. He has to write a report.C. He has to close the office.

3. Why is Hank going to visit Lisa after work?

A. because she is sick in bed

B. because he has to return something

C. because he is going to take her to Bill's house

4. Where is Hank going to get the snacks to take toBill's house?

A. from his house

B. from the store

C. from his work

5. What time will Hank most likely arrive at Bill'shouse?

A. 7:00 PM

B. 8:00 PM

C. 9:00 PM

Listening exercise 21. How does Joshua go to school in Japan?

A. He takes a school bus every morningB. He rides the subway at 8:00 AM.C. He walks with a group of students.

2. Which item did Joshua NOT mention when talking about the things he takes to school?

A. backpack

B. gym clothes

C. school hat

3. What is one of the first things Joshua does whenhe arrives at school?

A. He practices his reading and writing.

B. He stands and bows to the teacher.

C. He puts on his gym clothes for class.

4. Where does Joshua eat lunch at school?

A. in his classroom

B. in the lunchroom

C. in the gymnasium

5. What time does Joshua probably get home from school most days?

A. between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM

B. between 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM

C. between 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM

Listening exercise 31. What time does the man get up?

A. at 5:00 a.m.B. at 6:00 a.m.C. at 7:00 a.m.

2. What time does he get to work?

A. at 7:00 a.m.

B. at 8:00 a.m.

C. at 9:00 a.m.

3. What does he do with his family around 6:30 p.m.?

A. They read books together. 

B. They play games.

C. They eat dinner.

4. What do the man and his wife do after the kids go to bed?

A. They watch TV.

B. They clean the house.

C. They listen to music.

5. What is one thing the man does NOT say about hiswife?

A. She has to take their children to school.

B. She helps the kids with their homework.

C. She goes shopping for food.

listening exercise 4. According to the conversation, which item did thewoman NOT purchase with her credit card?

A. a digital cameraB. a TVC. a stereo

2. What is one reason to explain why the woman obtained a student credit card?

A. She wants to buy things at a discount using the card.

B. She hopes to establish a good credit rating.

C. She doesn't want to borrow from her parents.

3. According to the man, what is one reason for NOThaving a credit card?

A. People generally have a difficult time getting out of debt.

B. Students often apply for more credit cards than they need.

C. The interest rates on student cards are very high.

4. What does the woman imply about how she plans onresolving her credit card problems?

A. She hopes that someone will give her the money.

B. She plans on getting rid of her student credit cards.

C. She is going to return the items she purchased on the card.

5. What is the man going to do for the woman to help her manage her money?

A. help her find a better paying job to cover her expenses

B. teach her how to prepare a financial management plan

C. show her how she can apply for low-interest student credit cards

listening exercise 5. 1. When is the picnic?

A. on ThursdayB. on FridayC. on SaturdayD. on Sunday

2. Where is the picnic being held?

A. at a park

B. at the beach

C. at Dave's house

D. by a river

3. How many packages of hot dogs do they decide to buy?

A. six

B. seven

C. eight

D. nine

4. Why has Kathy been so busy lately?

A. She has been working a lot recently.

B. She has been taking care of her sick mother.

C. She has been taking two night classes.

D. She has been looking for a new job.

5. What does Dave suggest Scott make for the picnicdessert?

A. cherry pie

B. chocolate cake

C. oatmeal cookies

D. fudge brownies

listening exercise 6. 1. What is the woman's name?

A. JulieB. JennyC. Jane

2. Where is the woman from originally?

A. Argentina

B. the United States

C. Chile

3. About how old was the man when he returned to the United States?

A. 7 years old

B. 10 years old

C. 17 years old

4. What is the man studying?

A. physics

B. biology

C. psychology

5. What is the woman's job?

A. a sales representative

B. a computer programmer

C. a receptionist

listening exercise 7. 1. How much does the father owe his son in allowance?

A. three dollarsB. thirteen dollarsC. thirty dollars

2. Why hasn't the father given his son allowance?

A. because he didn't remember to do it

B. because he doesn't have any money now

C. because his son already has money

3. When does the father usually give his son money?

A. on Friday

B. on Saturday

C. on Sunday

4. Where does the man get money to pay his son?

A. in his bedroom

B. at the bank

C. from the bookstand

5. Choose one thing the boy does NOT mention about how he will spend his money.

A. He will buy some toys.

B. He will save some of it.

C. He will give part to the needy.

listening exercise 8. 1. What is the man's name?

A. CraigB. Greg

C. Gary

2. Where was the man born?

A. Arizona

B. Kansas

C. Colorado

3. Which sentence best describes his university studies?

A. He is a third-year student.

B. He is majoring in Spanish.

C. He really enjoys his studies.

4. Where does the man work?

A. at a bookstore

B. at a restaurant

C. at a supermarket

5. What is one thing the man likes to do in his free time?

A. reading

B. jogging

C. camping

listening exercise 9. 1. Where does this conversation most likely take place?

A. at a parkB. at a schoolC. at a birthday partyD. at a music recital

2. What is the girl's name?

A. Kathy

B. Karen

C. Nancy

D. Nanny

3. Where does the girl probably live now?

A. in Scotland

B. in France

C. in England

D. in the United States

4. What does the girl's father do for a living?

A. He is a travel agent.

B. He is a professor.

C. He is computer programmer.

D. He is a French teacher.

5. What is one thing NOT mentioned about the girl'sfamily?

A. why her parents lived in England for several years

B. where her mother works at the present time

C. where the girl grew up

D. how old the girl was when she moved to her present location

listening exercise 10. 1. Where are they planning to go in the morning?

A. to a parkB. to an art museum

C. to a shopping center

2. What kind of restaurant do they want to visit for lunch?

A. Italian

B. Indonesian

C. Indian

3. Why does the man want to visit the zoo in the afternoon?

A. The zoo will be closed the rest of the week.

B. The zoo is free to visitors that day only.

C. There are unusual animals on display.

4. Why does the woman want to go shopping instead?

A. She wants to buy mementos of their visit.

B. She saw some great prices at a shopping center.

C. She wants to buy a gift for her friend.

5. How do they plan to get to the seashore at the end of the conversation?

A. by taxi

B. by bus

C. by subway

RC (Reading Comprehension)Reading 1

Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison was born February 11, 1847 in Milan, Ohio. Hewas nicknamed "Al" at an early age. At age 11, Edison movedto Michigan where he spent the remainder of his childhood. Thomas Edison struggled at school, but learned to love reading and conducting experiments from his mother who taught him at home. At age 15, Edison became a "tramp telegrapher", sending and receiving messages via morse code, an electronically-conveyed alphabet using different clicks for each letter. Eventually, he worked for the UnionArmy as a telegrapher. Edison often entertained himself by taking things apart to see how they worked. Soon, he decided to become an inventor. In 1870, Edison moved to New York City and improved the stock ticker. He soon formed his own company that manufactured the new stock tickers. He also began working on the telegraph, and invented a version that could send four messages at once. Meanwhile, Edison married Mary

Stillwell, had three children and moved his family to MenloPark, New Jersey where he started his famous laboratory.In 1877, Edison, with help from "muckers", individuals fromaround the world looking to make fortunes in America, invented the phonograph. The phonograph was a machine that recorded and played back sounds. He perfected the phonograph by recording "Mary had a Little Lamb" on a pieceof tin foil! In 1878, Edison invented the light bulb as well as the power grid system, which could generate electricity and deliver it to homes through a network of wires. He subsequently started the Edison Electric Light Company in October of 1878.In 1884, after he attained great fame and fortune, Mary Stillwell died. Edison remarried 20 year old Mina Miller in1886. He had three more children and moved to West Orange, New Jersey. At West Orange, Edison built one of the largestlaboratories in the world. He worked extremely hard and registered 1,093 patents. Edison continued to invent or improve products and make significant contributions to x-ray technology, storage batteries and motion pictures (movies). He also invented the world's first talking doll. His inventions changed the world forever. They still influence the way we live today. Edison worked until his death on October 18, 1931.Questions

1. In what state did Thomas Edison NOT live?A.      Michigan

B.       Ohio

C.      New York

D.      Masssachusetts

2. How many children did Thomas Edison have?A.   3

B.  4

C. 5

D. 6

3. What best describes Morse Code?A.       A language for deaf people

B.      A system of clicks

C.       A system of clicks that stand for words

D.       A system of clicks that stand for letters

4. What was one of Thomas Edison's first accomplishments?A.       Inventing the light bulb

B.   Inventing an improved stock ticker

C.   Inventing an improved x-ray

D.    Inventing tin foil

5. A phonograph is most similar to:A.       A microphone

B.       A walkie-talkie

C.       A record player

D.       A television

Reading 2

It is a frigid January day in York, Pennsylvania. The temperature is below freezing. Snow is starting to fall. Dr. James turns on the television to check the weather. He must leave for his work at the hospital soon. “Today is going to be very cold,” says the TV weatherman. “Be sure to wear very warm clothes when you go outside. Also, be careful driving on the roads. Snowfall will make them slippery. In fact, if you can stay home today, do it!” Dr. James cannot stay home. Very sick people are waiting to see him at the hospital. He goes to his closet. He takes out the warmest clothes hehas. He puts on a sweater, jacket, gloves, socks, boots, and a hat. He opens his front door to go to work. A gust of cold air blows inside. “Wow, it is very cold outside,” Dr. James says. He is from Miami and is not used to the cold. “The weatherman was right!” Before he can drive to work, Dr. James must clear the snow off his car. He does this very fast. He hops in the car. He shivers. His neck feels especially cold. Dr. James drives slowly to work. Everyone else is driving slowly, too. There is a lot of traffic on the road. There are cars in front of and behind him. Suddenly, the cars in front of Dr. James come to a stop. There has been an accident! Dr. James hurries from his car to check on the driver of the car that has swerved off the road. “Is everyone okay?” Dr. Jamesasks. “Yes, yes, we are fine. We slipped on a patch of ice,” the driver says. “This would have been a good day to stay home in bed.”

2)) If the weather is frigid,it is very A. cold B. rainy C. windy D. slippery

1)) In what city does this story take place? A. Florida B. Miami C. Pennsylvania D. York

4)) Dr. James doesn’t stay home because A. There are sick people waiting for him. B. He listens to the weatherman. C. He has to clear snow off his car. D. He must help the people inthe accident.

3)) What could Dr. James haveput on his neck to keep it warm? A. gloves B. a scarf C. another hat D. a jacket

6)) What does Dr. James do before he leaves for work? I. He dresses warmly.

5) Given what is said in the story, what is probably true about Miami?

II. He checks the weather on TV. III. He clears snow from his car. A. I only B. I and II C. II and III D. I, II, and III

A. It is a warm place. B. It is a rainy place. C. It is a windy place. D. People drive slowly there.

8)) How are people driving today? A. badly B. slowly C. very fast D. like they do not care

7) As described in the beginning of the story, what does it mean if the roads areslippery? A. The roads are full of cars. B. The roads are easy to slide on. C. The roads are very long and curvy. D. The roads lead to a place

with lots of Reading 3The colony of Massachusetts established the first post office within the United States in 1639. In 1789 Congress authorized the postal service under the U.S. Constitution. At the time, the nation had 75 local post offices and delivered mail over anarea of 1875 miles. Today, the postal service is an independentagency responsible for postal regulation and delivery. The Postal Services main responsibilities are the collection and delivery of printed material and hard goods. The Postal Servicealso issues domestic and foreign money orders. In a single year, the Postal Service handles more than 160 billion pieces of mail.ANSWER THE QUESTIONS:

1. What U.S. State is credited with the Invention of the post office?a. New Hampshire b. Mainec. Massachusetts d. New Jersey2. About how long was it between when the first post office was in operation

and when the U.S. congress authorized the postal service?a. 50 years b. 75 years

c. 100 years d. 150 years3. How can you send and receive money through the post office?a. with a postal money order b. with postal crazy bucks

c. with a postal check d. with a postal decoder ring4. The post office handles just over 160 _________ pieces of mail a year. a. thousand b. million

c. billion d. trillion

Reading 4

Fire is to blame for countless lives and billions of dollars each and every year. Firefighters help protect people and their property from injury and damage. Firefighters put their life on the line every time theyrespond to a call. While on duty, firefighters must be ready to respond in a matter of minutes to just about any disaster that may occur. At every fire scene, a superior fire officer takes command and dictates the jobs of all the personnel at the scene. Some personnel man hose lines to hydrants. Others manually operate thepumps to send water to the hoses. Teams of firefighters

also operate ladders used to reach distances high in the air.

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS:1. How many dollars are spent each year to repair the damage of fire? a. thousands b. hundred-thousands c. millions d. billions2. Which is not true about firefighters? a. they are brave b. they put their life danger often c. they never put their life danger d. they are highly trained3. How long does a firefighter have to prepare for a fire? a. minutes b. hours c. days d. weeks4. Which of the following is not operated by a firefighter at the scene of a fire? a. hoses b. cars c. pumps d. ladders

Reading 5Visitors to America are immediately struck by the tremendous numbers

of automobiles filling the highways and crowding the city streets. Theautomobile, which has transformed the American way of life, is the almostindispensable workhorse of the family. During the week, the father drivesit to his job in the city, alone, or in a “car pool” arrangement withseveral of his fellow workers. When he leaves it at home, his wife usesit constantly to do errands, to haul groceries, to drive children tolessons or appointments, to shops or swimming pools. On weekends, thefamily drives out to the country for a picnic lunch or may take a trip ofseveral hundred miles. On vacations, no corner of the country is beyondthe family’s reach.

2- All of America has felt the changes, which came with theautomobile and with the network of highways that have been built to serveit. Farmers, who live far from their neighbors, are no longer isolated.Tractors of the work of the many farmlands they cannot afford to hire,trucks carry their products to market, to storage elevators or torailroads.

3- Traffic jams in cities and along the approaches to cities,especially at morning and evening rush hours and at the start and end ofweekends, are difficult problems. How to find out enough parking space inthe cities, even with underground parking lots and many-storied“pigeonhole” parking structures in another. More highways and wider onesare needed as fast as they can be built.

1- The main topic of this passage is __________________ .

a) The American Family

b) The American highways

c) Major American cities

d) Cars and the American Life

2- The automobile has had ______________ on the Americansociety.

a) A little effect

b) hardly any effect

c) an obvious effect

d) no effect whatsoever

3- The American father ________________________ .

a) always drives alone to work

b) may share his car with other colleagues

c) drives his children to lessons

d) drives his wife to haul groceries

4- The American family may spend the weekend ____________

a) abroad

b) in downtown

c) out of town

d) in a family gathering

5- Thanks to the automobile, all American States havebecome ____________.

a) within reach

b) more isolated

c) beyond reach

d) torn apart

6 Most American families __________________ cars.

a) cannot afford

b) do not badly need

c) do not have

d) cannot do without

CA (Compositional Analysis)A-Capitalize:• the first word in a sentence.• names of people, places, products, clubs, and organizations.• main words in the titles of books, stories, poems, and songs.• days of the week, months of the year, and holidays.Rewrite the sentences below using correct capitalization.1. the city of sacramento is the capital of california.……………………………………………………………………………………….2. jennifer and peter will travel to russia to work in an orphanage..………………………………………………………………………………………3. the jackson elementary school band will perform “yankee doodle.”………………………………………………………………………………………4. my friend sally and i are reading the novel, the phantom tollbooth.

………………………………………………………………………………5. the train will stop in atlanta, montgomery, and jacksonville.……………………………………………………………………………………….