test 1 S1 W1 / test / 名词 [可数名词] #

1 exam a set of questions, exercises, or practical activities to measure someone’s skill, ability, or knowledge

test on

We have a test on irregular 动词 tomorrow.

Did you get a good mark in the test ? ► You take or do a test. Do not say ‘make a test’. To pass a test means to succeed in it, not simply to take it.

2 medical

a) a medical examination on a part of your body, or a substance taken from your body, to check your health or to discover what is wrong with you :

The doctor said I needed to have a blood test .

an eye test

a hearing test

I’m still waiting for my test results from the hospital.

do/run a test

They don’t know what’s wrong with her yet – they’re doing tests.

a test is positive/negative (= it shows that someone has/does not have a condition, a substance in their blood etc )

The tests were negative and the doctor said that she was in perfect health.

test for

a test for HIV

b) an examination of someone’s blood, breath etc carried out by the police, to discover if they have done something illegal :

a drugs test

The results of the DNA test proved that Simmons was the rapist.

breath test (= to find out if someone has been drinking alcohol before driving a car )

c) a piece of equipment used for carrying out a medical examination :

a pregnancy test

3 machine/product a process used to discover whether equipment or a product works correctly, or to discover more about it :

nuclear weapons tests

test for

a test for chemicals in the water

Laboratory tests show that the new drug is very effective.

We went to the test site in Nevada.

4 difficult situation a difficult situation in which the qualities of someone or something are clearly shown :

Chess player Nigel Short faces Anatoly Karpov in the toughest test of his career so far.

test of character/strength/courage/endurance etc

The problems she faced were a real test of character.

5 put somebody/something to the test to force someone or something into a difficult situation in order to discover what the limits of their strength, skills etc are :

Living together will soon put their relationship to the test.

Paul soon found himself in an emergency situation that put all his training to the test.

6 sport British English a test match

→ smear test , means test , → stand the test of time at stand 1 ( 8 ) , → the acid test at acid 2 ( 3 )

COLLOCATIONS

动词

take a test ( also do/sit a test British English ) All candidates have to take a test.

pass a test (= succeed in it ) She passed her driving test first time.

fail a test ( also flunk a test American English informal ) He failed the test and had to take it again.

do well/badly in a test British English , do well/badly on a test American English I didn’t do very well in the first part of the test.

give somebody a test The students were given a reading test.

grade a test ( also mark a test British English ) I spent the day marking tests.

ADJECTIVES/NOUN + test

a biology/history etc test On Monday we had a French test.

a spelling/reading/listening test I didn’t do very well in the listening test.

a driving test A driving test can be a nerve-racking experience.

a written test Selection was based on written tests in English and mathematics.

a multiple choice test (= in which each question has a list of answers to choose from ) There is some debate about whether multiple-choice tests are a good way of assessing student’s knowledge.

an aptitude test (= a test that measures your natural abilities )

an oral test The oral test will consist of a conversation of about 10 minutes in German.

test + NOUN

a test paper The teacher began handing out the test papers.

a test result/score The test results are out on Friday.

a test question Some of the test questions were really difficult.

COMMON ERRORS

► Do not say ’ make a test ‘. Say take a test or do a test .

COLLOCATIONS

动词

do/carry out a test ( also perform/conduct a test formal ) Your doctor will need to carry out some tests.

have a test ( also undergo a test formal ) (= be tested ) She had to have a blood test.

go for a test I’m going for an eye test next week.

ADJECTIVES/NOUN + test

positive (= showing that someone has a condition ) My first pregnancy test was positive.

negative (= showing that someone does not have a condition ) All the tests came back negative.

a blood test A blood test revealed his alcohol level was above the legal limit.

an eye test/a sight test All children starting school are given a sight test.

a hearing test I went for a hearing test last week.

a fitness test Walcott will have a fitness test this morning to decide whether he can play.

a pregnancy test (= to find out if someone is pregnant )

a drug test (= to find out if someone has taken drugs ) Two athletes were banned from competing after failing drug tests.

a breath test (= to find out if someone has drunk alcohol ) Some people think the police should be able to carry out random breath tests.

laboratory tests Independent laboratory tests have confirmed that the product works very successfully.

a simple test Your doctor can give you a simple blood test to check for anaemia.

test + NOUN

test results The test results showed that she had meningitis.

a test site (= a place where something can be tested ) A nuclear device was detonated at the Trinity test site in New Mexico, on July 16, 1945.

THESAURUS

test a set of questions or practical activities, which are intended to find out how much someone knows about a subject or skill : I have a chemistry test tomorrow. | Did Lauren pass her driving test?

exam ( also examination formal ) an important test that you do at the end of a course of study or class or at the end of the school year : He’s upstairs, revising for an exam. | When do you get your exam results? | There’s a written examination at the end of the course.

quiz American English a quick test that a teacher gives to a class, usually to check that students are learning the things they should be learning : We have a math quiz every Monday. | a pop quiz (= a quiz given by a teacher without any warning )

finals British English the last exams that you take at the end of a British university course : During my finals I was revising till 3 o’clock in the morning most days.

final American English an important test that you take at the end of a particular class in high school or college : The English final was pretty hard.

midterm American English an important test that you take in the middle of a term, covering what you have learned in a particular class in high school or college : He did badly in the midterm.

oral exam ( also oral British English ) an exam in which you answer questions by speaking, instead of writing, for example to test how good you are at speaking a foreign language : Nicky got an A in her Spanish oral. | You can either take an oral exam or do a 25 page essay.

practical British English an exam that tests your ability to do or make things, rather than your ability to write about them : The chemistry practical is on Monday.

mocks/mock exams British English informal tests that you take as practice before the official examinations : She did well in the mocks.

paper British English a set of printed questions used as an examination in a particular subject, or the answers people write : The history paper was really difficult. | The papers are marked by the other teachers.

test 2 S3 W2 verb [及物动词] #

1 medical to examine someone’s blood, body etc in order to find out what is wrong with them, or to see if they have taken an illegal drug :
I must have my eyes tested. test somebody for something They tested her for diabetes. test positive/negative (for something) Athletes who test positive for steroids are immediately banned. 2 substance to examine a substance or thing in order to find out its qualities or what it contains test (something) for something The water should be tested for lead. 3 knowledge/ability to ask someone spoken or written questions, or make them do a practical activity, to discover what they know about a subject :
This task is designed to test your reading skills test somebody on something We’re being tested on grammar tomorrow. 4 machine/product ( also test out ) to use something for a short time to see if it works in the correct way :
The Ferrari team wanted to test their new car out on the racetrack. test something on somebody/something None of this range of cosmetics has been tested on animals. 5 show how good/strong to show how good or strong someone or something is, especially by putting them in a difficult situation :
a game that will test the contestants’ strength and skill The next six months will test your powers of leadership. I felt that she was testing me, leaving all that cash lying around. → testing 6 idea/plan ( also test out ) to start to use an idea or plan to find out if it is correct or effective :
Dr Lee set up a series of experiments to test out this hypothesis. test something against something The theory was then tested against the results of the study. 7 test the water/waters to check people’s reaction to a plan before you decide to use it :
The government is clearly testing the water, to gauge the country’s reactions to their proposals. → tried and tested at tried 2

THESAURUS

check to look at something carefully and thoroughly in order to make sure that it is correct, safe, or working properly : I’ll just check the water level in the battery. | The immigration officer checked their passports. | We need to check the building for structural damage. examine to look at something carefully and thoroughly because you want to find out something about it : Experts who examined the painting believe it is genuine. | The police will examine the weapon for fingerprints. inspect to look at something carefully and thoroughly in order to make sure that it is correct, safe, or working properly, especially when it is your job to do this : The building is regularly inspected by a fire-safety officer. | Some insurance people have already been here to inspect the damage caused by the storm. go through something to examine something such as a document or plan from beginning to end, especially in order to check that it is correct : You should go through the contract before you sign. | I’ve finished my essay, but I just need to go through it to check for spelling mistakes. double-check to check something again so that you are completely sure it is correct, safe, or working properly : I double-checked all my calculations and they seemed fine. | Travellers should double-check flight information before setting off today. test to examine or use something in order to find out whether it works or what its qualities are, or in order to check that it is satisfactory : Test your brakes to check they are working correctly. | These products have not been tested on animals. monitor to carefully watch or keep checking someone or something in order to see what happens over a period of time : Doctors monitored her progress during the night. | Observers have been monitoring the situation in Burma closely.