一直以来，雅思试题背后的各种故事都是考生津津乐道的话题，对于多年浸淫考试文化的数十万中国考生而言，任何有关试题的内幕都是绝对不可放过的异宝奇珍，无不想观之而后快。这其中，剑桥官方如何从无到有“变出”白纸黑字的雅思试题这一试卷开发流程更像是一位蒙着神秘面纱的美女，分外迷人却难睹真容。今天，笔者就带领大家走进这位“美女”——雅思试卷开发流程，揭开她身上的神秘面纱。

首先来看一张图表。

这就是今天的主题：雅思试卷开发流程。很清楚，从Commissioning of Material for Question Papers直至Live Test Release，该过程主要涉及9大基本环节，而在Pre-editing and Editing of Material以及Pretest Review两个阶段则各存在一次“检定”——通过则继续，否则弃之或推倒重来（Rejection or Revision of Material）。具体而言，雅思考题从无到有这一步步走来经过了哪些波折？接下来就为大家分别做一解读。

Commissioning of Material for Question Papers: 委托编选试题素材

There are one or two commissions each year for each of our item writing teams. These feed material into the question paper production process. To reflect the international nature of IELTS, test material is written by trained groups of item writers in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and the USA and is drawn from publications sourced anywhere in the world. Overall test content is the responsibility of both externally commissioned language testing professionals – the chairs for each of the Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking sub-tests – and of Cambridge ESOL staff.

Item writers work from test specifications. These specifications detail the characteristics of the IELTS sub-tests, outline the requirements for commissions and guide writers in how to approach the item writing process including selecting appropriate material; developing suitable items and submitting material for pre-editing and editing.

解读：雅思考试每年有1到2次试题素材的委托编选，材料的选择体现了雅思考试的国际性，既有来自英国、澳大利亚、新西兰及美国的专业编写人员根据考试要求完成的文章，也有从全球范围内遴选的出版物。负责人员既有对外委托的语言测试专家（他们将担任听说读写四个分项测试开发团队的负责人），也来自剑桥考试委员会自身。

Pre-editing and Editing of Material: 试题编写

Pre-editing is the first stage of the editing process and takes place when commissioned materials are initially submitted in draft form by item writers. A meeting is held involving chairs and Cambridge ESOL staff to review the material.

The purpose of pre-editing is to ensure that test material is appropriate in terms of: